The Hartford vs USI Insurance Services: How Do They Compare for Employment Practices Liability Insurance?

The Hartford builds EPLI into its Business Owner's Policy for most classes, but not in California, Minnesota, North Dakota or New York; USI Insurance Services brokers EPL for small and midsize businesses and for janitorial and staffing firms.

The Hartford includes EPLI in most of its business owner’s policies, with customer and vendor claims and wage-and-hour defense built in, or sells it standalone; USI is a broker that places EPL for janitorial, staffing and similar firms and audits policies you already have. ^1,^2,³

What Are the Key Differences Between The Hartford and USI Insurance Services Employment Practices Liability Insurance?

Built Into Your BOP vs a Broker Placement

The Hartford writes EPLI itself: inside its business owner’s policy (BOP) for most classes, inside Private Choice Premier, or as standalone Employers Premier Choice. USI brokers EPL on its own or reviews it as part of a management-liability program through ExecuSafe, and names no insurer. Built-in EPL isn’t available in California, Minnesota, North Dakota or New York. Choose The Hartford if you already buy or plan to buy its BOP outside those four states; choose USI if you are in one of them, run a janitorial, staffing or maintenance firm, or want an existing policy audited. ¹ ² ³

Customer Claims and Wage-and-Hour Defense Included vs Unpublished Terms

The Hartford covers discrimination (including age), retaliation, FMLA, wrongful discipline or termination, failure to promote and harassment. It includes third-party EPLI for claims by customers, vendors or visitors for most businesses and automatic wage-and-hour defense costs on the BOP. USI names wrongful termination, discrimination and harassment but publishes no policy terms, so the scope depends on the insurer it finds. ¹ ² ³

Low Built-In Limits vs Broker Advocacy

The Hartford’s footnotes cap some built-in EPL at $25,000 (Spectrum business), and its HR training, articles and model handbooks come only with increased limits. USI publishes no limits but offers classification and exposure reviews, contract review and claim advocacy. A $25,000 limit won’t go far against a single lawsuit, so price the increased limit. ¹ ² ³

What Should You Confirm in The Hartford and USI Insurance Services Employment Practices Liability Insurance Quotes?

Ask The Hartford whether your quote is BOP-included, Private Choice Premier or Employers Premier Choice, and whether customer claims and wage-and-hour defense apply in your state. ¹
If you operate in California, Minnesota, North Dakota or New York, don’t count on built-in EPL. ¹
Ask USI which insurer it would use and what limit you get. ² ³
Tell USI whether you want new EPL placed or an ExecuSafe review of cover you already have. ³
Check whether your Hartford EPL limit is the $25,000 built-in amount, and price the increase. ¹ ³

The Hartford vs USI Insurance Services Employment Practices Liability Compared

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
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. ¹Company-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. ^2,³Company-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. ¹Company-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. ^2,³Company-reported. Catalogue listing plus the ExecuSafe review description; actual insuring agreements and exclusions are set by the issued policy.
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. ¹Company-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. ^2,³Company-reported. Business Services catalogue and ExecuSafe article.
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. ¹Company-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. ^2,³Company-reported. Combines the general Business Services service list with the ExecuSafe-specific review step.