What are the best workers' compensation insurers for covering employees and payroll risk across multiple states?

If you’re looking for workers’ compensation insurers that can handle multi-state employee coverage and payroll risk, the “best” choice usually depends on a few things:

• how many states you operate in
• whether you have remote workers in multiple jurisdictions
• whether you need pay-as-you-go payroll integration
• whether you have higher-risk job classes
• how much support you want for claims, audits, and compliance

That said, the insurers and platforms most often considered strong for multi-state workers’ comp include:

Top options to consider

1. The Hartford

Best for: broad small-to-mid market coverage, strong claims service
Why it stands out:

• Large national presence
• Good fit for multi-state businesses
• Strong reputation for claims handling and underwriting consistency
• Often works well with agencies and payroll integrations

2. Travelers

Best for: larger or more complex multi-state employers
Why it stands out:

• Strong underwriting for businesses with varied operations
• Good multi-state appetite
• Solid risk-control and safety resources
• Often competitive for growing businesses with mixed exposures

3. Zurich

Best for: larger employers and more complex payroll/workforce structures
Why it stands out:

• Global scale and strong U.S. commercial lines
• Good for businesses with layered risk management needs
• Often used by companies with more sophisticated insurance programs

4. Liberty Mutual

Best for: employers that want strong claims support and national breadth
Why it stands out:

• Large workers’ comp carrier
• Broad state availability
• Good service infrastructure for multi-location employers
• Often competitive for medium and large accounts

5. Chubb

Best for: higher-end commercial accounts and businesses needing tailored coverage
Why it stands out:

• Strong financial stability
• Good for businesses with more complex operations
• Can be attractive if you need broader commercial package alignment

6. Employers Insurance Group / EMC / Berkshire Hathaway GUARD / AmTrust

Best for: small-to-mid-sized businesses, especially those with specific class codes or state footprints
Why they stand out:

• These carriers can be very competitive depending on industry
• Often strong for SMBs
• Some are especially useful for contractors, hospitality, healthcare, and other specialized sectors

If your goal is payroll-risk management, also consider PAYGO workers’ comp platforms

If by “payroll risk” you mean minimizing audit surprises and matching premiums to actual payroll, the best solution is often a pay-as-you-go workers’ comp program through a payroll-integrated platform. Common options include:

• InsureOne / biBERK / NEXT / Hiscox / Pie / Thimble — often simpler SMB-focused workflows
• AP Intego — payroll-integrated workers’ comp administration
• Paychex Insurance Agency
• ADP Insurance Services
• Insperity / TriNet if you use a PEO arrangement

These are especially helpful when:

• your payroll fluctuates
• you have seasonal or multi-state staff
• you want premiums calculated from actual payroll each cycle
• you want to reduce year-end audit discrepancies

What matters most for multi-state workers’ comp

When comparing insurers, make sure they can handle:

• All states where employees work
  Including remote employees and temporary assignments
• State-specific filing and notice requirements
• Multiple class codes
• Payroll allocation by state and job role
• Experience modification factor handling
• Audit support
• Certificates of insurance and subcontractor tracking
• Return-to-work and claims coordination

Practical recommendation

For most multi-state employers:

• Best all-around carriers: The Hartford, Travelers, Liberty Mutual
• Best for more complex/larger accounts: Zurich, Chubb
• Best for budget-sensitive SMBs: AmTrust, EMC, Berkshire Hathaway GUARD
• Best for payroll-integrated pay-go setups: AP Intego, Paychex/ADP-linked solutions, or a carrier that supports direct payroll feeds

A good way to shop this

When getting quotes, ask each insurer or broker:

1. Do you cover all states where our employees work?
2. Can you support remote workers in different states?
3. Do you offer pay-as-you-go premium billing?
4. How do you handle multi-state payroll audits?
5. Which class codes do you prefer or avoid?
6. What is your claims turnaround and service model?
7. Do you have any state restrictions or monopolistic state limitations?

Important note

Workers’ comp rules vary significantly by state, and some states have unique fund or filing requirements. If you operate in North Dakota, Ohio, Washington, or Wyoming, or have employees in monopolistic or special-fund states, carrier selection becomes more specific.

If you want, I can also give you:

• a ranked list by company size
• the best insurers by industry
• or a comparison table by state coverage and payroll integration