The Hartford vs 
USI Insurance Services Employment Practices Liability Insurance
The Hartford underwrites EPLI in its BOP and management packages; USI places EPL through brokerage and ExecuSafe reviews.
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. 1,2,3
What Is USI Insurance Services?
USI Insurance Services is a U.S. insurance brokerage and consulting firm that arranges property and casualty, employee benefits, personal risk, and retirement programs. Its Technology practice says it works with software, hardware, and related companies from early seed stage through IPO, using a consultative process rather than a published self-serve quote. 5,6,7
What Is Employment Practices Liability Insurance?
Employment practices liability insurance addresses claims alleging workplace wrongdoing, such as discrimination, harassment and wrongful termination. 10
Key Differences in Employment Practices Liability Insurance
Who Writes the Policy
The Hartford is the insurer on this line: EPLI sits inside its Business Owner’s Policy for most classes, inside Private Choice Premier, or as stand-alone Employers Premier Choice. USI is the broker: it places EPL on its own or reviews it inside a management-liability program under ExecuSafe, and its reviewed pages do not name the insurer that would issue your policy. 4 8 9
What the Product Is Built to Cover
The Hartford lists discrimination (including age), retaliation, FMLA, wrongful discipline or termination, failure to promote and harassment, and says third-party EPLI for customers, vendors or invitees is included for most businesses, with wage-and-hour defense costs automatic on the BOP. USI names wrongful termination, discrimination and harassment as the claim types EPL responds to, but it describes placement and gap review rather than a Hartford-style list of insuring agreements. 4 8 9
State Carve-Outs, Limits and Who It Is For
The Hartford’s footnotes say built-in EPL is not in California, Minnesota, North Dakota or New York, and a $25,000 limit applies to Spectrum business written in Hartford Underwriters Insurance Company. USI’s reviewed pages do not publish EPL limits or retentions. USI’s Business Services practice, which lists EPL, targets building and maintenance, repair, janitorial, staffing and printing companies, while ExecuSafe is aimed at small- and medium-sized businesses generally. 4 8 9
Services Around the Coverage
The Hartford ties hartfordhelp.com training, articles and model handbooks to the purchase of increased EPL limits, and says that program may not be available in all states. USI’s Business Services practice describes classification and exposure reviews, claim advocacy and contract review across lines including EPL, and ExecuSafe specifically checks existing EPL for gaps. 4 8 9
What to Confirm in Employment Practices Liability Insurance Quotes
- Ask The Hartford whether your quote is BOP-included, Private Choice Premier or Employers Premier Choice, and whether third-party EPLI and wage-and-hour defense apply in your state. 4
- Confirm you are not relying on built-in EPL if you operate in California, Minnesota, North Dakota or New York. 4
- Get the issuing insurer and limit from USI; neither reviewed page names them. 8 9
- Ask whether USI is placing new EPL or running an ExecuSafe gap review of coverage you already buy. 9
- Compare The Hartford’s Spectrum $25,000 footnote with the limit on any USI-placed form. 4 9
Offering Details
The Hartford vs USI Insurance Services Employment Practices Liability Insurance: documented features by provider
| Criteria | The Hartford Employment Practices Liability Insurance (EPLI) | USI Employment Practices Liability Brokerage |
|---|---|---|
| Role in This Line | 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. 4Company-reported. EPLI product page as read 2026-09-23. | USI brokers employment practices liability (EPL) coverage, which responds to claims like wrongful termination, discrimination or harassment; it places EPL individually or reviews it as part of a management liability program under ExecuSafe. 8,9Company-reported. Business Services catalogue and ExecuSafe article. |
| Issuing Insurer | The Hartford names Hartford Underwriters Insurance Company as the writing company for the described $25,000 Spectrum EPL limit, though other EPLI products on the page (BOP-included, Private Choice Premier, Employers Premier Choice) are not each tied to a named writing company on this page. 4Company-reported. EPLI product page footnote as read 2026-09-23. | Neither page names the insurer USI uses for EPL placements. 8Not publicly disclosed. Pages as read on 2026-09-23. |
| Who It’s For | 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. 4Company-reported. EPLI product page footnotes as read 2026-09-23 (page last updated by The Hartford November 26, 2025). | USI's Business Services practice, which lists EPL, targets building and maintenance, repair service, janitorial, staffing and printing companies; its ExecuSafe review targets small- and medium-sized businesses generally. 8,9Company-reported. Company description of client segments for each source. |
| Coverage Features | 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. 4Company-reported. EPLI product page as read 2026-09-23. General coverage description; the issued policy controls. | USI lists employment practices liability among the coverages it places for business-services clients, and its ExecuSafe review looks for gaps in a client's existing EPL coverage as part of a broader management liability check. 8,9Company-reported. Catalogue listing plus the ExecuSafe review description; actual insuring agreements and exclusions are set by the issued policy. |
| Limits and Retentions | The Hartford's EPLI footnote states a $25,000 limit applies to Spectrum business written in Hartford Underwriters Insurance Company. 4Company-reported. EPLI product page footnote as read 2026-09-23. Applies specifically to Spectrum-program business at that writing company; other products/limits are not addressed. | Neither page publishes EPL limit or retention figures. 8Not publicly disclosed. Pages as read on 2026-09-23. |
| Risk Services | 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. 4Company-reported. EPLI product page as read 2026-09-23. | USI's Business Services practice says it offers classification and exposure reviews, claim advocacy and contract review across its coverage lines including EPL, and its ExecuSafe process specifically checks existing EPL coverage for gaps. 8,9Company-reported. Combines the general Business Services service list with the ExecuSafe-specific review step. |
| How to Apply | Not described in the reviewed sources. | USI directs business-services inquiries to pcinquiries@usi.com or a local office, and ExecuSafe/management-liability inquiries to Select.Business@usi.com. 8,9Company-reported. Contact instructions on each page. |
Full Comparison
More The Hartford vs USI Insurance Services Comparisons
Other Employment Practices Liability Insurance Comparisons
Sources
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.
- Employment Practices Liability Insurance | EPL Insurance. The Hartford; What Is Employment Practices Liability Insurance?; Why Do I Need EPLI?; If You Have Employees, You Need EPLI; Prevention Is Your Best Protection; footnotes 1-4 on state availability and Wage and Hour Defense Cost. Accessed 2026-09-23.
USI Insurance Services
- The Power of ONE. USI Insurance Services; History, client-count, nationwide office, and P&C / benefits / personal risk / retirement description. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- Technology Insurance. USI Insurance Services; Technology practice client types, seed-to-IPO range, and listed insurance placement lines including PrivaSafe. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- Commissions and Fees. USI Insurance Services; Licensed-producer authority, insurer-paid commission default, contingent compensation, and client request right. Accessed 2026-09-16.
- Business Services. USI Insurance Services; USI advises clients...and provides solutions for...Employment Practices Liability... Accessed 2026-09-23.
- Protect Your Company and Personal Assets From Management Liability Risks. USI Insurance Services; Review existing management liability policies (if any) to uncover gaps in coverage...(including employment practices liability, fiduciary liability, and crime). Accessed 2026-09-23.
Employment Practices Liability Insurance Guide
- Employment Practices Liability Insurance. Insurance Information Institute; Opening; What EPLI covers; Steps to limit employment liability risk. Accessed 2026-09-16.
