What Workers’ Compensation Insurance Requirements Apply in Ohio?

Ohio private employers with one or more regularly employed workers generally pay workers’ compensation premiums into the state insurance fund. Direct payment of benefits is available only to employers the administrator approves as self-insuring.

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. Read the national Workers’ compensation guide.

Ohio Workers’ Compensation Insurance Requirements

Requirement	Details
Private employer coverage	Employers with one or more regular employees pay premiums into Ohio’s state insurance fund unless granted self-insuring status. ^1,²

What to Watch for With Workers’ Compensation in Ohio

Construction Contract Classification
A construction-contract service provider is treated as an employee when at least 10 of 20 statutory relationship factors apply. Review how work is controlled and paid before classifying a contractor outside payroll. ¹
Owners and Incorporated Individuals
Ohio excludes some owners and incorporated individuals from the employee definition, but an employer may elect their inclusion by written notice naming them and reporting remuneration. Ask whether your owner has made that election and is included in payroll. ¹
Subcontractor Premium Exposure
A private employer that contracts with a subcontractor is liable for unpaid premiums on the subcontractor payroll for that contracted work. Ask for current BWC coverage evidence and confirm whose payroll is reported for each job. ²

Which Workers’ Compensation Providers Have Ohio License Records?

These providers publish a national listing for Workers’ compensation; the license records below name the licensed entities and roles. Some records rely on company-reported information rather than independent regulator verification. A national listing does not confirm the product is available in Ohio. Check the regulator’s license lookup and confirm state availability for your business when requesting a quote.

Corgi
Insurance producer · checked 2026-09-28
Corgi Insurance Services, Inc.
Corgi’s company producer-license table lists 50 jurisdictions: 49 states and the District of Columbia, including DC license 3003091619. New Mexico does not appear in the table and is not included here; the omission does not establish that Corgi is unlicensed there. The company-reported table has no stated as-of date and does not establish product availability. ¹¹
Corgi lists workers’ compensation insurance.
ERGO NEXT Insurance
Insurance producer · checked 2026-09-28
Next First Insurance Agency, Inc.
ERGO NEXT’s current license table lists Next First Insurance Agency, Inc. in 50 jurisdictions, including Washington, DC; New York is excluded because its table rows name Next Insurance Services and AP Intego, not Next First. The table is company-reported; it does not establish product availability or provide state-regulator verification for each entry. ¹³
ERGO NEXT offers workers’ compensation insurance for small businesses.
Hiscox
Insurer · checked 2026-09-28
Hiscox Insurance Company Inc.
Hiscox’s U.S. company information states that Hiscox Insurance Company Inc. is licensed in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. This is company-reported insurer authority for this entity and does not establish which company issues every Hiscox-branded product. ¹²
Hiscox provides access to workers’ compensation underwritten by Hartford Fire Insurance Company and requires a general liability policy.
Risklytics
Insurance producer · checked 2026-09-28
Risklytics, Inc.
Risklytics’ licensing page lists its Massachusetts resident agency license plus state license records in Arizona, Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, New Jersey, Ohio, Texas and Washington; it identifies the NPN record date as September 10, 2026. This list is company-published and not a product availability map. ¹⁴
Risklytics arranges workers’ compensation insurance for robotics, hardware and AI businesses.
TechInsurance
Insurance producer · checked 2026-09-28
Specialty Program Group LLC
TechInsurance’s current licensing page names Specialty Program Group LLC / SPG Insurance Solutions and lists state license numbers, but labels Rhode Island “Individual licenses” rather than identifying a license for the named agency. RI is omitted because this disclosure does not establish agency authority there; this is a search limitation, not an assertion that the company is unlicensed. The remaining state entries are company-reported and are not an insurance product availability map. ¹⁵
TechInsurance arranges workers’ compensation insurance for small businesses.
Vouch
Insurance producer, Surplus-lines broker · checked 2026-09-28
Vouch Specialty Insurance Services, LLC
Vouch’s licenses page, effective January 16, 2025, lists producer licenses in all 50 states and DC. Its separate surplus-lines table includes Idaho number 870820, while a footnote says Georgia and Idaho do not issue agency-level surplus-lines licenses. Because those statements conflict for Idaho, this record keeps Idaho producer-only and does not treat the table number as established agency surplus-lines authority. The page is company-reported and does not establish product availability. ¹⁶
Vouch lists workers’ compensation among core coverages for technology companies.

Who Regulates Insurance in Ohio?

Ohio Department of Insurance

ODI licenses insurance agents and agencies and provides a public agent and company locator. Its consumer complaint form accepts insurance complaints and lets you identify an agent or company. ^3,^4,⁵

Website: Regulator website
License lookup: Search licensed producers
Complaints: File a complaint

Surplus-Lines Tax and Stamping Office in Ohio

Reported tax rate. 5% of gross premium, net of return premiums ^6,^7,⁸

For Ohio-home-state surplus-lines placements, Ohio sets a 5% tax on gross premiums after returned premiums and requires the surplus-lines broker to collect it when the policy is delivered. A diligent search usually applies; a qualifying exempt commercial purchaser may request nonadmitted placement in writing after disclosure that authorized-market coverage may offer greater protection, and the policy requires a signed notice of no Ohio guaranty-association benefits.

Questions to Ask Before You Buy Workers’ Compensation in Ohio

Does our construction subcontractor meet Ohio’s 10-of-20 employee factors?
Have any owners or incorporated individuals elected into BWC coverage, and are their wages reported?
How do we verify subcontractor premiums for the work they perform for us?

Workers’ Compensation Insurance in Ohio: Frequently Asked Questions

Does Ohio require workers’ compensation for one employee?

Yes. A private employer with one or more regularly employed people is generally subject to Ohio’s workers’ compensation law, subject to statutory exceptions. ¹

Can an Ohio business buy workers’ compensation from a private insurer?

No for ordinary primary coverage: private employers pay into the state insurance fund. An employer may instead pay benefits directly only after Ohio grants self-insuring status. ²

Sources for Workers’ Compensation Insurance in Ohio

1
Section 4123.01 | Workers’ compensation definitions. Ohio Laws; §4123.01(A)(1)(b)–(d), (A)(2), (B)(1)(b); effective September 23, 2022. Accessed 2026-09-28.
2
Section 4123.35 | Payment of premiums by employers; self-insurance. Ohio Laws; §4123.35(A)–(B)(1), effective March 24, 2021. Accessed 2026-09-28.
3
ohio insurance regulator. State insurance regulator; Official regulator home page and consumer/industry navigation. Accessed 2026-09-28.
4
Ohio Department of Insurance Agent / Agency Locator. State insurance regulator; Public search fields for agent and agency name, NPN, license number, city, ZIP, residency, and license type. Accessed 2026-09-28.
5
Ohio Department of Insurance Consumer Complaints Form. State insurance regulator; Online complaint form collects insurer, coverage, agent, issue, and supporting documents; page warns submissions may be public records. Accessed 2026-09-28.
6
Ohio Revised Code §3905.36. Ohio Laws; Division (B): 5% of gross premiums after return premiums; surplus-lines broker collects from insured at policy delivery. Accessed 2026-09-28.
7
Ohio Revised Code §3905.38. Ohio Laws; Division A: Chapter 3905 rules do not apply when Ohio is not insured's home state. Accessed 2026-09-28.
8
Ohio Revised Code §3905.33. Ohio Laws; Divisions (B)(1), (B)(4): five-market diligence and ECP disclosure/written request; division (C): signed notice of no Ohio Insurance Guaranty Association benefits. Accessed 2026-09-28.
9
Licenses. At-Bay; Current producer introduction and state table; At-Bay Insurance Services LLC; P&C and surplus-lines identifiers. Accessed 2026-09-21.
10
Licenses and Carriers. Coalition; Licenses and Carriers, re-read 22 September 2026: Insurance Licenses table for Coalition Insurance Solutions, Inc., national producer number 18419475, with producer and surplus-lines numbers for all 50 states and DC including California 0L76155, Georgia 196479, Texas 2199630 and 2205589, Pennsylvania 815731 and 817452, Colorado 539028 and Wisconsin 3000108852. Insurance Carriers table naming, with NAIC numbers, Allianz Underwriters Insurance Company 36420, Arch Specialty Insurance Company 21199, Ascot Specialty Insurance Company 45055, Ascot Insurance Company 23752, Aspen Specialty Insurance Company 10717, Chaucer Insurance Company DAC, Coalition Insurance Company 29530, Fireman's Fund Indemnity Corporation 11380, Fortegra Specialty Insurance Company 16823, Lloyd's of London, MSIG Specialty Insurance USA Inc. 34886, MS Transverse Specialty Insurance Company 41807, Steadfast Insurance Company 26387, Vantage Risk Specialty Insurance Company 16275 and Zurich American Insurance Company 16535. Accessed 2026-09-22.
11
Insurance Producer Licenses. Corgi Insurance; Current complete Insurance Producer Licenses table for Corgi Insurance Services, Inc.; 50 rows covering 49 states and DC (DC 3003091619); no New Mexico row; no NPN or as-of date shown. Accessed 2026-09-28.
12
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.
13
Licenses. ERGO NEXT Insurance; Current entity-by-state license table reopened 28 September 2026: 50 rows under Next First Insurance Agency, Inc., including Washington, DC; New York rows instead list Next Insurance Services PC-1423070 and AP Intego BR-1198885. Accessed 2026-09-28.
14
About Risklytics. Risklytics; What we do; Who we insure; Licensing; Agency licenses table dated 2026-09-10. Accessed 2026-09-16.
15
Insurance Licenses by State. TechInsurance; Current state table; identifies TechInsurance as a division of Specialty Program Group LLC d/b/a SPG Insurance Solutions; lists DC 3000041536 and labels Rhode Island “Individual licenses,” without an agency license number. Accessed 2026-09-28.
16
Licenses. Vouch; Effective 16 January 2025: Vouch Specialty Insurance Services, LLC, NPN 19926463; P&C table (50 states and DC); surplus-lines table includes Idaho 870820; footnote says Georgia and Idaho do not issue agency-level surplus-lines licenses; Idaho retained as producer-only due to conflict. Accessed 2026-09-15.

What Workers’ Compensation Insurance Requirements Apply in Ohio?

What Is Workers’ Compensation Insurance?

Ohio Workers’ Compensation Insurance Requirements

What to Watch for With Workers’ Compensation in Ohio

Construction Contract Classification

Owners and Incorporated Individuals

Subcontractor Premium Exposure

Which Workers’ Compensation Providers Have Ohio License Records?

Corgi

ERGO NEXT Insurance

Hiscox

Risklytics

TechInsurance

Vouch