Hiscox vs 
The Hartford Workers’ Compensation Insurance
The Hartford underwrites its own workers' comp policy directly; Hiscox accesses the same Hartford entity only for buyers who also hold Hiscox general liability.
What Is Hiscox?
Hiscox is a U.S. small-business insurance brand whose website is operated by Hiscox Inc., a Delaware producer that does business in California as Hiscox Insurance Agency. Eligible firms can quote general liability, professional liability, cyber and a business owner’s policy online; other advertised lines are often placed with partner insurers, so the issuing company on each quote still has to be checked. 1,2,3
What Is The Hartford?
The Hartford is the brand of The Hartford Insurance Group, Inc., whose subsidiaries underwrite property-and-casualty insurance and employee benefits. Small-business buyers can start online or by phone or work through independent agents, while the issuing company and state eligibility still have to be confirmed on a quote. 6,7,8
What Is Workers’ Compensation Insurance?
Workers’ compensation insurance addresses medical care, rehabilitation and lost wages for employees’ work-related injuries or illnesses. Not every worker, contractor or owner is automatically covered, and not every injury qualifies — check who's included and what's compensable under your state's rules. 10,11,12
Key Differences in Workers’ Compensation Insurance
Direct Purchase vs. Access Through a Partner
The Hartford's own page describes buying the policy directly from The Hartford. Hiscox's page instead documents an access condition, requiring a buyer to already hold or concurrently buy Hiscox general liability before it will offer workers' compensation, underwritten by the same Hartford Fire Insurance entity. 9 4
Services and Network
The Hartford documents specific policyholder services tied to buying directly, including its own medical-provider network, a prescription-drug program, and pay-as-you-go billing through an online account portal. 9
Hiscox's workers'-compensation page describes no comparable Hiscox-added services, consistent with its role providing access to the Hartford-administered product rather than layering its own services on top. 4
Pricing Detail
The Hartford publishes an average monthly cost for smaller payrolls and a stated starting price directly on its page. Hiscox's page does not publish comparable pricing, since the actual quote depends on the underlying Hartford product accessed through the Hiscox general-liability prerequisite. 9 4
What to Confirm in Workers’ Compensation Insurance Quotes
- Confirm whether your state is monopolistic before assuming The Hartford can write your policy directly. 9
- Confirm whether you need to buy or already hold Hiscox general liability before it will quote workers' compensation. 4
- Compare The Hartford's published average of $81 a month against whatever Hiscox's Hartford-underwritten quote comes back at. 9
- Ask whether Hiscox's product is available for your business class, since the page says it isn't available for all classes. 4
Offering Details
Hiscox vs The Hartford Workers’ Compensation Insurance: documented features by provider
| Criteria | Hiscox Workers Compensation Insurance | The Hartford Workers' Compensation Insurance |
|---|---|---|
| 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. | The Hartford's workers' compensation insurance gives employees medical, wage and other benefits after a work-related injury or illness; most states require this coverage if a business has employees. 9Company-reported. Workers' compensation product page as read 2026-09-23. |
| 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. | Not described in the reviewed sources. |
| 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. | The Hartford says coverage requirements vary by state, and in some states (monopolistic states) workers' compensation can only be bought through a state-run fund, not from a private insurer like The Hartford. Common industries it names include gyms, manufacturing, medical offices, restaurants and retailers. 9Company-reported. Workers' compensation product page as read 2026-09-23. |
| 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. | Not described in the reviewed sources. |
| 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 Hartford says customers with less than $300,000 in payroll pay an average of $81 a month, with some policies starting as low as $13 a month; the page does not publish standard coverage limits, since state law and payroll drive required benefit levels. 9Company-reported. Company-reported average as of 2026-09-23; not a specific quote. |
| Risk Services | Not described in the reviewed sources. | The Hartford says policyholders get access to a Preferred Medical Provider Network of over 1 million providers, a prescription drug program covering more than 65,000 U.S. pharmacies (usually no out-of-pocket cost, plus mail order), a Needle Stick Reimbursement Program, and a Nursed Back to Health Program with nurse case managers coordinating care. 9Company-reported. Workers' compensation product page as read 2026-09-23. The Hartford offers pay-as-you-go billing based on actual payroll rather than an estimate, and a My Workers' Comp Connection portal where injured employees can check claim status, review payments, sign up for direct deposit, and get a medical services card. 9Company-reported. Workers' compensation product page as read 2026-09-23. |
| 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. | Not described in the reviewed sources. |
Full Comparison
More Hiscox vs The Hartford 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.
The Hartford
- Legal Notice. The Hartford; The Hartford Insurance Group, Inc. holding-company description; no representation that all products are available in all locations; P&C writing-company table as of December 31, 2025 including Hartford Fire (NAIC 19682) and Hartford Underwriters (NAIC 30104); life writing companies including Hartford Life and Accident (NAIC 70815). Accessed 2026-09-16.
- 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.
- 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.
- Workers' Compensation Insurance Plans. The Hartford; What Is Workers' Compensation Insurance?; How Much Is Workers' Compensation Insurance?; Who Needs Workers' Compensation Insurance?; The Advantages of Workers' Comp From The Hartford; Benefits of The Hartford's WC Insurance; Workers' Compensation Insurance in Monopolistic States. Accessed 2026-09-23.
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.
