What Is Hiscox?
Hiscox suits eligible small businesses that want online GL, professional liability, cyber or BOP quotes; businesses needing other specialty products should compare brokers. Core Hiscox NOW policies are usually issued by its own insurer, while some products use partners. 1,2,3
What Is Liberty Mutual Business Insurance?
Liberty Mutual spans small-commercial, commercial, specialty, surety, and reinsurance businesses. The insurer and distribution route depend on the product, so check the offer and policy before you compare terms. 6,7
What Is Workers’ Compensation Insurance?
Workers’ compensation can pay medical care and part of an employee’s lost wages after a work-related injury or illness. If you have staff, check who is covered in each state; owners, contractors and some workers may be treated differently. 9,10,11,12
Key Differences in Workers’ Compensation Insurance
Issuing Insurer and General Liability Requirement
Hiscox provides access to workers’ compensation only when a buyer also holds or buys a Hiscox general-liability policy; the policy is underwritten by Hartford Fire Insurance Company. Liberty Mutual lists workers’ compensation in its commercial catalogue and distributes products through brokers and agents, but its reviewed record does not name a workers’ compensation insurer or require a companion liability policy. Hiscox’s access condition matters if you need workers’ compensation alone; confirm Liberty Mutual’s issuing company and packaging rules. 4 7
Quote and Eligibility
Hiscox includes workers’ compensation in its small-business quote flow but says it is not available to every business class. Liberty Mutual’s record does not specify eligible job classes or an online application. Ask for class-code acceptance and state availability from both channels before preparing a submission. 5 8
What to Confirm in Workers’ Compensation Insurance Quotes
- Must you buy or retain Hiscox general liability to qualify, and does Hartford Fire accept your business class?
- Which Liberty Mutual entity would issue the policy and what companion coverage and state rules apply?
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.
Hiscox
Review Score
4 rated sources
Hiscox’s review results are sharply divided: low Trustpilot and ConsumerAffairs scores contrast with strong Feefo feedback. Service quality deserves closer scrutiny before purchase.[1][4][5][6][7]
Read Hiscox reviewsLiberty Mutual
Review Score
2 rated sources
Customers give Liberty Mutual 4.2 out of 5 on Trustpilot from 3,836 reviews, but that page mixes auto, home and life customers with business ones. For business insurance specifically, NerdWallet gives 3.0 out of 5 and reports more complaints than expected.[4][1]
Read Liberty Mutual reviewsOffering Details
Hiscox vs Liberty Mutual: Workers’ Compensation Insurance: documented features by provider
| Criteria | Hiscox Workers Compensation Insurance | Workers Compensation |
|---|---|---|
| Role in This Line | For workers' compensation, Hiscox Inc. acts as an access point to a partner insurer rather than underwriting the coverage itself, and requires the buyer to also hold a Hiscox general-liability policy before it will provide access to workers' compensation. 4Company-reported. Company-stated partnership structure; this differs from Hiscox's own-catalogue general liability, professional liability, cyber and BOP products, which are underwritten by its own affiliated insurer. | Liberty Mutual lists workers compensation in its commercial catalogue and publishes policyholder resources for the line. 7,8Company-reported. Official Liberty Mutual commercial/product page; company-reported description scoped to Workers Compensation. Not policy wording, underwriting approval, state eligibility or a coverage guarantee. |
| Issuing Insurer | Hiscox's workers'-compensation page footer names Hartford Fire Insurance Company, at One Hartford Plaza, Hartford, CT, as the underwriter, with coverage made available through Hiscox Inc. doing business as Hiscox Insurance Agency in California. 4Company-reported. Company-published footer disclosure; this is a different insurer from the Hiscox Insurance Company Inc. entity that underwrites Hiscox's own-catalogue products. | Confirm in your quote. |
| Who It’s For | Hiscox says workers' compensation access requires the buyer to already hold, or concurrently purchase, a Hiscox general-liability policy, and that the product is not available for all classes of business. 4Company-reported. Company-stated prerequisite and class limitation; specific excluded classes are not listed on the page. | Published resources direct policyholders to state-specific forms and provider lookup; these do not establish new-policy eligibility. 7,8Company-reported. Official Liberty Mutual commercial/product page; company-reported description scoped to Workers Compensation. Not policy wording, underwriting approval, state eligibility or a coverage guarantee. |
| Coverage Features | The workers'-compensation page describes the product in general terms as statutory workers' compensation coverage through the Hartford partnership; it does not add Hiscox-specific coverage enhancements beyond what a standard Hartford workers'-compensation policy would include. 4Company-reported. Company-stated partnership product; specific policy wording and state benefit levels are set by Hartford's issued policy and applicable state law. | The company describes provider networks, pharmacy programs and state-specific resources for work-injury claims. 7,8Company-reported. Official Liberty Mutual commercial/product page; company-reported description scoped to Workers Compensation. Not policy wording, underwriting approval, state eligibility or a coverage guarantee. |
| Limits and Retentions | The workers'-compensation page does not publish benefit limits, wage-replacement percentages or premium information; statutory benefit levels are generally set by state law rather than by Hiscox or Hartford. 4Not publicly disclosed. Public product page as previously reviewed. | Confirm in your quote. |
| How to Apply | Hiscox lists workers' compensation among the products selectable from its small-business quote flow, routing eligible buyers who also carry (or are buying) general liability toward the Hartford-underwritten product. 5,4Company-reported. Company-described product-selector listing; eligibility and binding conditions require confirmation on the actual application. | The cited product page does not establish an online application or policy-binding path; ask the listed team or your broker/agent how this product is placed. 7,8Not found in reviewed sources. Reviewed product-page scope only. This not-found disposition is not a claim that no digital route exists. |
Full Comparison
More Hiscox vs Liberty Mutual Comparisons
Other Workers’ Compensation Insurance Comparisons
Sources
Hiscox
- Website Terms & Conditions of Use. Hiscox; Last modified May 28, 2024; Hiscox Inc. as Delaware corporation headquartered in Atlanta, d/b/a Hiscox Insurance Agency in CA, licensed intermediary for admitted and surplus-lines business with Hiscox Insurance Company Inc., other domestic insurers, and Lloyd’s syndicates; small-business online path distinguished from broker-only site sections. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- Get A Small Business Insurance Quote. Hiscox; States that Hiscox offers general liability, professional liability, cyber security and business owner’s policies online; zip-code quote field; licensed-agent hours Monday–Friday 7 a.m.–10 p.m. ET and Saturday–Sunday 8 a.m.–5 p.m. ET. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- About Hiscox US Insurance. Hiscox; Hiscox Insurance Company Inc. NAIC 10200 as Chicago, IL domiciled insurer admitted or licensed in all 50 states and D.C.; Hiscox Inc. as general agent and Lloyd’s coverholder for Syndicates 33 and 3624; surplus-lines placements through licensed surplus-lines brokers; A.M. Best rating statement. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- Workers Compensation Insurance for Small Businesses. Hiscox; Partnership with The Hartford; general liability required to purchase workers comp; not available for all classes; footer that coverage is made available through Hiscox Inc. d/b/a Hiscox Insurance Agency in CA and underwritten by Hartford Fire Insurance, One Hartford Plaza, Hartford, CT 06155. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- Hiscox Small Business Insurance. Hiscox; Product selector including workers compensation; partnership language for workers' compensation. Accessed 2026-09-16.
Liberty Mutual
- Company Profile. Liberty Mutual Group; Strategic business units paragraph: US Retail Markets (individuals/small businesses; small commercial; countrywide) and Global Risk Solutions (mid-size/large businesses; commercial, specialty, reinsurance, surety; worldwide). Accessed 2026-09-29.
- Commercial Insurance Solutions. Liberty Mutual Business Insurance; Commercial solutions index names commercial auto and fleet, cyber, environmental liability, equipment breakdown, excess and surplus, general liability, healthcare liability, inland marine, management liability, multinational, ocean marine, professional liability, property, reinsurance, surety, umbrella/excess and workers compensation. Disclosure says policy insurer is named when offered, may be an affiliate/subsidiary or surplus-lines insurer; states/jurisdictions and actual policy terms vary. Accessed 2026-09-29.
- Workers Compensation Resources. Liberty Mutual Business Insurance; Customer resources section describes medical-provider networks, pharmacy program, online provider lookup, and state-specific claims forms/posting notices; service statements are company-reported and do not establish policy eligibility. Accessed 2026-09-29.
Workers’ Compensation Insurance Guide
- Workers’ Compensation Insurance. National Association of Insurance Commissioners; Opening definition; mandatory coverage except Texas opt-in; exclusive remedy; monopolistic state funds; self-insurance note. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- Small Business Insurance. National Association of Insurance Commissioners; Typically covers medical expenses, rehabilitation costs and lost wages; check with your state insurance department; ask these questions / who qualifies as a covered employee (contractors, part-time staff, interns); payroll and type-of-work rating factors. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- DWC employer information. California Department of Industrial Relations, Division of Workers’ Compensation; Opening trade-off and California requirement; basic benefits including medical care, temporary and permanent disability, supplemental job displacement, return-to-work supplement and death benefits; out-of-state employer note. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- Employer resources. Texas Department of Insurance, Division of Workers’ Compensation; In Texas, private employers can choose to carry workers’ compensation insurance coverage, but it is not required in most cases; lost wages and medical benefits; except when gross negligence results in a fatality, coverage limits liability. Accessed 2026-09-16.
