Workers' Compensation
Required by New York State for essentially every employer. Pays medical care and lost wages for work-related injury, and shields the business from most injury lawsuits.
Who needs it
New York requires Workers' Compensation for almost all employers, including part-time staff and, in many cases, family members on payroll. Coverage has to be in place from the first day an employee works — not from the first payroll run.
What it covers
In practice, not in policy language.
- Medical treatment for work injuries
- Treatment related to an on-the-job injury or occupational illness is paid without a deductible for the employee.
- Wage replacement
- Partial wage benefits while an injured employee is out, calculated under the New York Workers' Compensation Law schedule.
- Employer's liability
- Defense and damages if the business itself is brought into an injury suit, subject to the policy limits.
- Disability and Paid Family Leave
- New York also requires statutory DBL and PFL coverage. We place these alongside the comp policy so nothing is missed at audit.
- Class code review
- Premium is driven by payroll and class code. We check that your staff are coded to the work they actually do, which is a frequent source of overcharges.
- Audit support
- Comp policies are audited at the end of each term. We help you prepare payroll records so the audit does not produce a surprise bill.
Not covered here
Where this policy stops
Knowing the edge of a policy matters as much as knowing what is inside it.
- Injuries that occur entirely outside the scope of employment
- Damage to employee property such as a personal vehicle or phone
- Independent contractors who are genuinely independent — though the state applies its own test, not yours
- Penalties assessed for having operated without coverage
Before you ask for a quote
What underwriters will want
Having these ready shortens a quote from days to hours. Partial information is fine to start — we will tell you what is still missing.
- 01Payroll by job duty, separated for owners and officers
- 02Employee headcount, including part-time and seasonal staff
- 03Description of the work performed at each location
- 04Prior carrier, policy number, and loss runs
- 05Your experience modification factor if you have one
- 06Whether owners or officers wish to be included or excluded
Questions we get
Asked most often about workers' comp.
I only have two part-time employees. Do I still need it?
In New York, almost certainly yes. The requirement is based on having employees, not on how many hours they work. Operating without coverage carries per-day penalties, so it is worth confirming before you hire.
Do I need coverage for myself as the owner?
It depends on your entity type and how you take compensation. Sole proprietors and certain corporate officers can often be excluded — we walk through the options with you rather than defaulting to including everyone.
What is a class code and why does it matter so much?
Each type of work has a code with its own rate per $100 of payroll. Clerical staff cost a fraction of what field staff cost. Misclassified payroll is one of the most common reasons a business overpays for comp.
Get workers' comp quoted.
Call 212-239-6388 during office hours, or send the details through the quote form and a producer will follow up the same business day.
Other coverage