Counterpart vs The Hartford: How Do They Compare for Employment Practices Liability Insurance?

Counterpart identifies employment allegations and illustrative terms. The Hartford describes EPLI across package options but notes built-in coverage is unavailable in several states. 3,8

What Is Counterpart Insurance?

Counterpart describes a broker-focused platform for small businesses and lists management and professional liability programs. Buyers should compare the named profession, carrier, state, policy wording and any package component on the actual quote. 1,2

Read the Counterpart profile

Read the Counterpart Employment Practices Liability Insurance page

What Is The Hartford?

The Hartford suits SaaS and software small businesses seeking a BOP and an online quote; buyers needing commercial auto through self-service or built-in California EPL coverage should use another route. Eligible small-business quotes can start online in minutes. 5,6,7

Read the The Hartford profile

Read the The Hartford Employment Practices Liability Insurance page

What Is Employment Practices Liability Insurance?

EPLI can help pay covered defense costs and losses when applicants or workers allege discrimination, harassment, wrongful termination or other workplace wrongdoing. If you employ people, check the claim definition, defense costs and prior acts. 9,10,11

Read the full coverage guide

Key Differences in Employment Practices Liability Insurance

Binding Process

The Hartford says EPLI may be built into a BOP, included in Private Choice Premier, or sold standalone as Employers Premier Choice. Counterpart publishes a dedicated EPL page. Package route matters because The Hartford says some states lack built-in EPL; ask whether your state receives standalone or package terms before comparing the line. 3 8

Final Policy Review

The Hartford lists discrimination, retaliation, FMLA violations, termination, promotion, and harassment, with third-party claims included for most businesses; it also notes no built-in EPL in California, Minnesota, North Dakota, or New York. Counterpart’s reviewed claims name employment allegations broadly. Confirm your state, third-party wording, and wage-and-hour defense treatment in the actual quote. 3 8

What to Confirm in Employment Practices Liability Insurance Quotes

  • Ask The Hartford which EPL product and writing company applies in your state and whether third-party and wage-hour terms are included. 3
  • Ask Counterpart for the actual EPL form, covered third-party definitions, and state-specific terms. 8

Review Scores

These averages can combine ratings for different products, locations, and customer groups, including approximate BBB grade conversions. Read each review for the sources, scope, and calculation.

Counterpart

-/ 10

Review Score

No reviews found

We found no independent customer rating of Counterpart, so it has no Review Score. Its Trustpilot page shows no reviews, and BBB has no matching business.[7][10]

Read Counterpart reviews

The Hartford

4.9/ 10

Review Score

5 rated sources

The Hartford’s service record is mixed: NerdWallet rates it 4.5/5 but reports below-average small-business satisfaction. Low Trustpilot ratings add a service concern, although they mix policy types.[1][2][4][5][6][7]

Read The Hartford reviews

Offering Details

Counterpart vs The Hartford: Employment Practices Liability Insurance: documented features by provider

CriteriaCounterpart Employment Practices LiabilityThe Hartford Employment Practices Liability Insurance (EPLI)
Role in This Line

Counterpart says insurance is offered through its producer and surplus-lines broker and describes wholesale-broker distribution. 1,4Company-reported. This does not identify the carrier for an EPL placement.

The Hartford's EPLI is built into its Business Owner's Policy for most classes, is included in its Private Choice Premier package policy, and is also sold stand-alone as Employers Premier Choice. 8Company-reported. EPLI product page as read 2026-09-23.

Issuing Insurer

Confirm in your quote.

The Hartford names Hartford Underwriters Insurance Company as the writing company for the described $25,000 Spectrum EPL limit, though other EPLI products on the page (BOP-included, Private Choice Premier, Employers Premier Choice) are not each tied to a named writing company on this page. 8Company-reported. EPLI product page footnote as read 2026-09-23.

Who It’s For

Counterpart publishes a dedicated Employment Practices Liability product page within its business-insurance catalogue. 3Company-reported. The source summary does not establish a size, industry, state or applicant acceptance rule.

The Hartford's footnotes say there is no built-in EPL coverage in California, Minnesota, North Dakota or New York, and that the EPL program described on the page does not apply to EPL coverage written in California. Coverage and limits also vary by state and business class. 8Company-reported. EPLI product page footnotes as read 2026-09-23 (page last updated by The Hartford November 26, 2025).

Coverage Features

Counterpart’s EPL page lists employment-related allegations as examples of the exposure its product addresses. 3Company-reported. The retained page description does not supply the policy’s complete covered-claim definition or exclusions.

The Hartford says its EPLI covers claims of discrimination (including age), retaliation, FMLA violations, wrongful discipline or termination, failure to promote, and harassment, and that third-party EPLI (claims from customers, vendors or business invitees, not just employees) is included for most businesses. Its BOP also automatically includes Wage and Hour Defense Cost coverage as part of the built-in EPLI. 8Company-reported. EPLI product page as read 2026-09-23. General coverage description; the issued policy controls.

Limits and Retentions

Counterpart labels its published EPL limit and retention figures as illustrative examples. 3Company-reported. Examples are not guaranteed or quoted terms; the assigned source record does not preserve a universal numeric offer.

The Hartford's EPLI footnote states a $25,000 limit applies to Spectrum business written in Hartford Underwriters Insurance Company. 8Company-reported. EPLI product page footnote as read 2026-09-23. Applies specifically to Spectrum-program business at that writing company; other products/limits are not addressed.

Risk Services

Confirm in your quote.

The Hartford says it gives employers access to hartfordhelp.com, a proprietary site with web-based training on topics like sexual harassment and wrongful termination, current articles on employment-practices trends, and model employment policies and handbooks; this program requires purchase of increased EPL limits and may not be available in all states. 8Company-reported. EPLI product page as read 2026-09-23.

Full Comparison

More Counterpart vs The Hartford Comparisons

Other Employment Practices Liability Insurance Comparisons

Sources

Counterpart

  1. Counterpart | Agentic Insurance™. Counterpart, Inc.; Current homepage: Quote Online CTA; brokers/small-business audiences; product list; performance claims; legal/footer qualifications, rendered lines 2–52, 55–70, 98–100, 282–287. Accessed 2026-09-29.
  2. About Counterpart. Counterpart, Inc.; Carrier disclosure and Our Story; underwriters named at line 13; company focus lines 22–36. Financial-strength note says ratings are as of 2024-02-26. Accessed 2026-09-29.
  3. Employment Practices Liability Insurance. Counterpart, Inc.; Retained provider source: product page lists eligibility, employment allegations and illustrative limits/retentions; prior access 2026-09-28. Direct reopen timed out in this session. Accessed 2026-09-28.
  4. How can I get insurance through Counterpart? Counterpart Knowledge Center; Retained source: article describes wholesale-broker referral route; prior access 2026-09-28. Accessed 2026-09-28.

The Hartford

  1. SaaS Insurance for Your Business. The Hartford; Audience list (software startups, SaaS, IT consulting); Get a Business Owner’s Policy; What Is Business Owner’s Policy Insurance?; general liability introduction and Get a Quote; Get Commercial Property Insurance; Commercial Property Insurance for Your Business; Benefits of The Hartford’s WC Insurance for Employers and Employees; cyber insurance and data breach descriptions; Get a quote for cyber insurance; EPLI introduction and Private Choice Premier; add-ons (workers’ compensation, data breach, commercial auto); technology professional liability mention; small-business availability banner; industry-average premium footnote; footnote 2 state restrictions; footer product-availability disclosure. Accessed 2026-09-16.
  2. Find a Local Insurance Agent. The Hartford; Small-business and midsize agent locators; FAQ that buyers can purchase without an agent by calling or quoting online; statement that agents may charge fees. Accessed 2026-09-16.
  3. Employment Practices Liability Insurance | EPL Insurance. The Hartford; What Is Employment Practices Liability Insurance?; Why Do I Need EPLI?; If You Have Employees, You Need EPLI; Prevention Is Your Best Protection; footnotes 1-4 on state availability and Wage and Hour Defense Cost. Accessed 2026-09-23.

Employment Practices Liability Insurance Guide

  1. Employment Practices Liability Insurance. Insurance Information Institute; Opening; What EPLI covers; Steps to limit employment liability risk. Accessed 2026-09-16.
  2. Employment Practices Liability Coverage. Travelers; I.A/II.A p.1; III.A.4–6 p.7; II.F Employment Claim, PDF p.2; I.B p.1; II.U–V p.5; II.L p.3; III.A.9 and A.13, pp.7–8; III.B.2 p.8; IV.A Settlement, PDF pp.8–9. Accessed 2026-09-16.
  3. Liability Coverage Terms and Conditions. Travelers; III.F–H p.6; III.O pp.8–9; III.F p.6; III.B–D, PDF pp.3–5; III.E–F, PDF pp.5–6. Accessed 2026-09-16.

Updated . Spot, a product of Tools for Enlightenment, publishes this research and works in the commercial insurance market. The comparison applies the same criteria to both providers. Editorial policy. To suggest a correction, contact Spot with the page URL and supporting source.

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