Lockton vs The Hartford Workers’ Compensation Insurance

The Hartford issues the policy directly with a nurse-managed care program; Lockton brokers coverage with named specialty and self-insurance programs.

What Is Lockton?

Lockton is a privately held insurance brokerage that arranges commercial risk, employee benefits and retirement programs. US pages describe a technology practice and intermediary placement with insurers, not Lockton as the policy’s insurer. 1,2,3

Read the Lockton profile

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. 5,6,7

Read the The Hartford profile

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. 9,10,11

Read the full coverage guide

Key Differences in Workers’ Compensation Insurance

Direct Carrier Versus Broker With Named Programs

The Hartford issues the policy directly, describing itself as the carrier throughout its product page. 8 Lockton is explicitly the broker rather than the insurer of record, naming specialty capabilities like captive consulting, Texas non-subscription and Jones Act/USL&H programs for maritime exposures that it places with outside markets. 4

Recovery Services Versus Loss-Control Consulting

The Hartford points to its Nursed Back to Health program, where nurse case managers coordinate an injured employee's recovery, backed by a Preferred Medical Provider Network of over 1 million providers.

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. 8Company-reported. Workers' compensation product page as read 2026-09-23.

Lockton instead describes a full suite of safety services, OSHA consulting and loss forecasting, plus claims service advocates working across the more than 100 markets it says it can access. 4

What to Confirm in Workers’ Compensation Insurance Quotes

  • Ask Lockton which specific insurer it would place your policy with among its named markets. 4
  • Confirm The Hartford's reported average premium ($81 a month for payroll under $300,000) against your own payroll figures. 8
  • If your operation needs captive or self-insurance structuring, ask whether The Hartford's standard policy offers a comparable alternative. 4
  • Get The Hartford's pay-as-you-go billing terms in writing, since it bills on actual rather than estimated payroll. 8

Offering Details

Lockton vs The Hartford Workers’ Compensation Insurance: documented features by provider

CriteriaLockton Workers' Compensation Insurance BrokerageThe Hartford Workers' Compensation Insurance
Role in This Line

Lockton's workers' compensation team designs programs and analyzes their effectiveness through what it calls a strategic claims mitigation process; the team includes actuaries, claims advisors and safety specialists working alongside brokers. Lockton is the broker, not the insurer of record. 4Company-reported. Workers' Compensation product page as read 2026-09-23.

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. 8Company-reported. Workers' compensation product page as read 2026-09-23.

Issuing Insurer

The page does not name the workers' compensation insurers or programs Lockton places coverage with for a given client, beyond describing access to '100+ markets' in general terms. 4Not publicly disclosed. Workers' Compensation page checked 2026-09-23.

Not described in the reviewed sources.

Who It’s For

Not described in the reviewed sources.

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. 8Company-reported. Workers' compensation product page as read 2026-09-23.

Coverage Features

Lockton lists specialty workers' compensation capabilities: alternative risk expertise including captive consulting and formation, Texas non-subscription consulting, Jones Act/Outer Continental Shelf/USL&H programs for maritime and offshore exposures, trucking solutions including occupational accident programs, and qualified self-insurance consulting, implementation, administration, design and placement. 4Company-reported. Workers' Compensation product page as read 2026-09-23. A capability list, not a specimen policy.

Not described in the reviewed sources.

Limits and Retentions

Not described in the reviewed sources.

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. 8Company-reported. Company-reported average as of 2026-09-23; not a specific quote.

Risk Services

Lockton says clients can access more than 100 regional, global and program workers' compensation markets, and it offers benchmarking through its InfoLock service. 4Company-reported. Workers' Compensation product page as read 2026-09-23.

Lockton says it offers a full suite of safety services designed to reduce loss costs, OSHA consulting, loss forecasting and probability analysis, and claims service advocates to help ensure coverage and reduce retained loss costs. 4Company-reported. Workers' Compensation product page as read 2026-09-23.

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. 8Company-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. 8Company-reported. Workers' compensation product page as read 2026-09-23.

Full Comparison

More Lockton vs The Hartford Comparisons

Other Workers’ Compensation Insurance Comparisons

Sources

Lockton

  1. Lockton United States. Lockton; Opening description of independent insurance brokerage for risk, benefits and retirement; Ask an Expert link to contact-us. Accessed 2026-09-16.
  2. Technology. Lockton; Industry introduction; cyber liability heading; dedicated technology team; listed services including claims advocacy, contract review, directors and officers liability, and international program design; 24/7 service model. Accessed 2026-09-16.
  3. US Terms of Business. Lockton; Opening entity definition; Surplus Lines; Use of a Particular Insurer; Compensation Disclosure; servicing, claims handling and renewal language in Confidentiality section; Intermediaries. Accessed 2026-09-16.
  4. Workers' Compensation. Lockton; Empower your workforce to achieve your company goals; Access to a multitude of experts; list of workers' compensation expert services (100+ markets, InfoLock benchmarking, alternative risk/captive consulting, Texas non-subscription, Jones Act/OCS/USL&H, trucking occupational accident programs, self-insurance consulting, safety services, OSHA consulting, claims service advocates). Accessed 2026-09-23.

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. 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

  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. 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.

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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