Hiscox vs 
Markel Insurance: How Do They Compare for Workers’ Compensation Insurance?
Hiscox says workers’ compensation access requires a Hiscox general-liability policy and identifies Hartford Fire Insurance Company as underwriter. Markel describes its small-business offer subject to state and class eligibility. <OfferingCite provider="hiscox" id="wc-page" /> <OfferingCite provider="markel" id="markel-official-product" /> 4,8
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
Markel Insurance: Specialty Business and Products
Markel Insurance is Markel Group's specialty and small-business insurance business, with offerings across packages, workers' compensation, cyber, professional and management liability, property, marine, and surety. Products use different insurers and distribution routes, so compare the issuer and terms shown on the specific quote. 6,7
Read the Markel Insurance profile
Read the Markel Insurance Workers’ Compensation Insurance page
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
Required Companion Policy
Hiscox says buyers must hold or concurrently purchase its general-liability policy to access Hartford-underwritten workers’ compensation, and some business classes are excluded. Markel’s reviewed overview describes a small-business offer without a stated general-liability bundle requirement. Confirm Markel’s underlying requirements and whether Hiscox’s combined purchase fits your needs. 4 8
Issuing Insurer
Hiscox names Hartford Fire Insurance Company as the workers’ compensation underwriter. Markel’s page describes its branded offer but does not name the issuing insurer for this coverage. Ask Markel for the carrier on the quote and compare the actual policy form and state-specific terms. 4 8
Application Route
Eligible Hiscox buyers can select workers’ compensation in the small-business quote flow alongside general liability. Markel invites customers or brokers to contact its underwriting team. Ask how each handles payroll, classes, and state locations and whether either can bind online. 5 8
What to Confirm in Workers’ Compensation Insurance Quotes
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 reviewsMarkel Insurance
Review Score
2 rated sources
There is little public customer feedback on Markel. Trustpilot shows 2.5 out of 5 from just 5 reviews, and BBB lists 12 complaints closed in the last three years.[4][3]
Read Markel Insurance reviewsOffering Details
Hiscox vs Markel Insurance: Workers’ Compensation Insurance: documented features by provider
| Criteria | Hiscox Workers Compensation Insurance | Markel workers compensation (official overview) |
|---|---|---|
| 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. | Markel describes offering workers compensation for the audience stated on the cited product page. 8Company-reported. workers compensation marketed by markel; scope is limited to the cited official product overview and described audience. This is not a policy form or a universal eligibility statement. |
| 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. | Small-business classes addressed by Markel's workers-compensation page; exact business eligibility and state availability are not universal. 8Company-reported. workers compensation marketed by markel; scope is limited to the cited official product overview and described audience. This is not a policy form or a universal eligibility statement. |
| 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 cited product page describes workers' compensation insurance for workplace injury and illness exposures, subject to the applicable policy and state requirements. Marketing description only; actual coverage, exclusions, conditions, limits, and availability depend on the issued policy and jurisdiction. 8Company-reported. workers compensation marketed by markel; scope is limited to the cited official product overview and described audience. This is not a policy form or a universal eligibility statement. |
| 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. | The cited overview does not set a universal limit or retention for this line. Ask for the proposed policy form, limits, retentions, exclusions, and conditions in the quote. 8Not publicly disclosed. Only the cited marketing page was reviewed for published limit and retention information; no policy-form entitlement is inferred. |
| 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 page invites prospective customers or brokers to contact Markel or the named underwriting team. The page does not establish a quote, bind, or coverage-effective timeline. 8Company-reported. workers compensation marketed by markel; scope is limited to the cited official product overview and described audience. This is not a policy form or a universal eligibility statement. |
Full Comparison
More Hiscox vs Markel Insurance 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.
Markel Insurance
- About us. Markel; Markel at a glance; description of Markel Insurance within Markel Group Inc. Accessed 2026-09-28.
- Markel Group Inc. 2025 Form 10-K. U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission; filed by Markel Group Inc.; Cover page; Part I, Item 1 Business—Markel Insurance, U.S. Wholesale and Specialty, Programs and Solutions; Part II, Item 7/8 for group and segment risks. Accessed 2026-09-28.
- Workers Compensation Insurance. Markel; Workers compensation product overview; coverage and services sections. Accessed 2026-09-30.
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.
