Gallagher vs
The Hartford: How Do They Compare for Employment Practices Liability Insurance?
Gallagher places EPL with outside carriers and models exposure using client data. The Hartford builds EPLI into its Business Owner's Policy for most classes, but not in California, Minnesota, North Dakota or New York.
The Hartford includes EPLI with wage-and-hour defense in most business owner’s policies, but not in California, Minnesota, North Dakota or New York. Gallagher is a broker that sets your limit from EPL and wage-and-hour loss data, useful for larger employers or those four states. 2,1
What Are the Key Differences Between Gallagher and The Hartford Employment Practices Liability Insurance?
Built-In BOP Coverage vs a Broker Designing Your Program
The Hartford underwrites EPLI itself: built into most business owner’s policy (BOP) classes, included in Private Choice Premier, or standalone as Employers Premier Choice. Gallagher’s Executive and Financial Risk practice places EPL with outside insurers and designs the program around your employee count, type, mix and location. Choose The Hartford if you are a small business buying a BOP outside California, Minnesota, North Dakota and New York; choose Gallagher if you are in those states, larger, or exposed to class actions. 2 1
Four-State Carve-Out vs No Published State Limits
The Hartford has no built-in EPL in California, Minnesota, North Dakota or New York, and its program does not apply to EPL written in California. Gallagher publishes no such carve-out. 2 1
Wage-and-Hour Defense Included vs Class Actions and Loss Data
The Hartford says its BOP EPLI automatically includes wage-and-hour defense costs and covers claims from customers and vendors for most businesses; buy higher limits and you get hartfordhelp.com training and model handbooks. Gallagher covers harassment and wrongful termination, including class actions, and uses EPL and wage-and-hour loss databases with losses over $1 million to recommend your limit. 2 1
What Should You Confirm in Gallagher and The Hartford Employment Practices Liability Insurance Quotes?
- Ask The Hartford which product applies (BOP, Private Choice Premier or Employers Premier Choice) and how it writes EPL in California, Minnesota, North Dakota or New York. 2
- Ask Gallagher which insurers it would use if The Hartford’s built-in EPL doesn’t apply in your state. 1 2
- Check your limit: The Hartford publishes $25,000 on its Spectrum BOP, written by Hartford Underwriters Insurance Company; ask Gallagher what limit its loss data recommends. 2 1
- Ask Gallagher whether its placement includes any HR training. 1
Gallagher vs The Hartford Employment Practices Liability Compared
Gallagher vs The Hartford: Employment Practices Liability Insurance: documented features by provider
| Criteria | Gallagher Employment Practices Liability (EPL) Insurance | The Hartford Employment Practices Liability Insurance (EPLI) |
|---|---|---|
| Who It’s For | Gallagher says its EPL exposure modeling accounts for an organization's employee count, employee type and mix, and location of operations, reflecting that EPL claim size correlates with organization size and diversity. 1Company-reported. Group-level executive-and-financial-risk practice page. | 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. 2Company-reported. EPLI product page footnotes as read 2026-09-23 (page last updated by The Hartford November 26, 2025). |
| Coverage Features | Gallagher describes EPL coverage as responding to claims such as sexual harassment and wrongful termination, protecting against both class actions and single-plaintiff claims. 1Company-reported. Group-level executive-and-financial-risk practice page; a service description, not a specific policy's insuring agreement 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. 2Company-reported. EPLI product page as read 2026-09-23. General coverage description; the issued policy controls. |
| Role in This Line | Gallagher's Executive and Financial Risk practice places EPL insurance with outside carriers and advises on limits and program design; it does not underwrite the policy. 1Company-reported. Group-level executive-and-financial-risk practice page. | 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. 2Company-reported. EPLI product page as read 2026-09-23. |
| Risk Services | Gallagher says it uses client data and predictive models, plus benchmarking and contract analysis, to guide EPL limits advice, and maintains its own EPL and Wage and Hour loss databases, including a review of historical losses exceeding $1 million drawn from a database it says it began building in 1997. 1Company-reported. Group-level executive-and-financial-risk practice page; Gallagher's own analytical tools, not independently audited. | 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. 2Company-reported. EPLI product page as read 2026-09-23. |



