Staffing agencies serve an important role in our economy, helping businesses find staff and the unemployed find work. Behind the scenes, staffing agency insurance protects the business from claims of negligence by investigating and, if necessary, defending the insured. As a single policy or combination of policies, it can help with liability and repairing or replacing damaged property owned by the agency.
As a business in the service sector, professional liability will be the most important coverage for a staffing agency, and professional liability costs for a staffing agency can run from $600 to $800 annually.
Key Takeaways
- Staffing agency insurance is primarily liability insurance for staffing agencies.
- Professional liability insurance is the most important type of insurance, followed by employment practices liability and workers’ compensation.
- Costs will vary depending on the size of your staffing agency and the industries where employees are placed.
- While there are no broad staffing agency insurance requirements, depending on the size of your business, workers’ compensation or commercial auto insurance might be required.
As the intermediary between employers and employees, your specific risks and insurance needs can vary greatly depending on the type of staffing you provide. As such, going with a broker like Simply Business is a great way to find coverage. It works with over a dozen top providers to help you compare costs and buy insurance online.
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Staffing Agency Insurance Costs
To calculate the premium for any insurance policy, insurance companies draw on a large data set built up over years of experience. This data set pulls in from multiple areas of a business. Some of the areas insurers consider are the risks associated with your business, the type of coverage, and the limits you select. For example, a temp agency supplying workers in construction or manufacturing will likely pay more for workers’ compensation than an agency that finds placement for white-collar jobs.
Insurance Policy | Annual Estimated Premium | Policy Limit | Deductible |
|---|---|---|---|
General Liability | $250 to $1,000 | $1 million per occurrence, $2 million aggregate | $0 |
Commercial Property | $700 to $3,000 | $50,000 | $1,000 |
Professional Liability | $600 to $800 | $1 million per occurrence, $1 million aggregate | $0 |
Employment Practices Liability | $1,080 to $3,200 | $300,000 | $500 |
The cost of workers’ compensation is based on a standardized formula that considers the job risk, payroll, and claim history. Thus, a high-risk industry or a business with a history of workers’ comp claims will have a higher workers’ comp premium.
Insurers consider other factors when determining premiums, including the following:
- Deductibles: A deductible is like a copay—it is a policyholder’s financial responsibility for a claim. While a higher deductible will usually lower the premium, lowering it can have a minimal impact on the premium, so take into consideration that a higher deductible means you are responsible for a larger amount if there is a claim. While general liability does not carry a deductible, one can be present for professional liability or property coverage.
- Limits: Many insurers will offer different limits of coverage. For example, you could purchase a policy with a total limit of $500,000, $1,000,000, or $2,000,000 per policy. Each limit will come with a different price tag. Smaller limits are often more affordable but carry a greater risk of being underinsured.
- Industry: The type of industry your agency works with will bear with it a different level of risk exposure, which will be reflected in the premium. Construction and transportation are some of the riskier industries and will cost more to insure.
- Claims history: Insurers will ask about claims filed in the last three to five years when gathering information for a quote. Numerous previous claims are an indicator of future risk. While you can’t change the past, making sure your business is proactive about reducing risk will go a long way towards lowering your future premium.
- Revenue: If your staffing agency needs workers’ comp, revenue will be factored into the premium.
- Employees: The larger your company, the greater your exposure to employee injury or poor client interactions. Larger firms will often have higher premiums. The number of employees you employ can also determine what coverage you need.
- Location: If your agency staffs employees in different states, then your premium may increase. Location also impacts cost because some areas are more prone to natural disasters than others, while some zip codes are highly litigious and others are not.
Read our guide on the ways to save money on business insurance for tips on how to get affordable yet quality coverage.
Types of Insurance for Staffing Agencies
Unless your business operates more like a headhunter, i.e., finding employees who then work for the company that hired you, your agency is the employer of record (EoR) for a temporary employee. This means you’ll be assuming all risks associated with the employee and not the company where they work.
Each situation presents a unique business insurance need, and depending on the situation, it can really help you understand what types of employment agency insurance are right for your business.
The most important coverage for a staffing agency is professional liability insurance. Commonly called errors and omissions (E&O) insurance, this protects your business if you are accused of making a mistake when rendering your services. If your staffing agency works with finding nurses and other medical personnel, you will want to consider medical malpractice insurance, a type of professional liability.
For example, if an international law firm requested someone fluent in Portuguese and, instead, you recommended someone who spoke Spanish, then the firm could come after your agency for the error.
Check out our guide to the best professional liability insurance companies for our recommendations.
The right policies for your business will depend largely on your business structure. General liability insurance policies protect you from claims of bodily injury or third-party property damage. Both of these fall under the premises liability portion of a general liability policy. So, if you have any interaction with third parties on your premises, then you will want general liability. Besides that, if you own or rent a space, then you should consider commercial property as well.
If your business acts as an EoR, then general liability will extend to the actions and statements made by your employees at the business where they are placed.
If you are looking to save money, check out our guide to the cheapest general liability insurance companies.
Commercial property is a first-party coverage that takes care of the business property should it be damaged, vandalized, or stolen. There are different types of commercial property insurance policies, but for staffing agencies, a bundled policy known as a business owner’s policy (BOP) makes a lot of sense.
BOP combines general liability, commercial property, and loss of business income into one policy and is often a less expensive way to obtain property and liability insurance. For example, a BOP with $500,000 in liability and $50,000 in property costs $568 annually.
To get an idea of the differences between the two policies, check out our comparison of BOP vs general liability.
Given the nature of a staffing agency, EPLI or employment practices liability insurance is an important type of insurance for staffing agencies. It covers wrongful acts in recruiting, interviewing, hiring, and firing an employee.
As the staffing agency, if you decide not to interview someone because they disclose they are pregnant during the interview process and you know the client is looking for someone who can start working immediately on a project that will need their attention for months, this could open your agency up to a lawsuit. To avoid this, review all questions and assessments to be positive they are not discriminatory.
You may be interested in our article on common illegal interview questions to avoid and our in-depth guide on employment laws that you need to keep up with.
Staffing Agency Insurance Requirements
Another type of insurance for staffing agencies and the only type of insurance that is even close to nationally required is workers’ compensation insurance. Every state except for Texas and South Dakota requires employers to provide workers’ compensation. Beyond that, the only other type of insurance with a requirement is commercial auto. If your business owns a vehicle, then it will need a commercial auto insurance policy.
Workers’ Compensation by State
If an employee gets injured or becomes ill because of their employment, workers’ comp will help with replacing their wages and medical bills and usually provide a return-to-work program for the employee. It carries liability protection for the employer, too. This type of insurance can be costly for staffing agencies. In my research, I found one provider that had a minimum premium of $5,000 annually to be considered.
Any staffing agency with employees will need to look into workers’ comp. However, every state has a different threshold for when the coverage is required and what type of employee—including temporary workers—qualifies for coverage.
State | Workers’ Compensation Requirements | State Website |
|---|---|---|
Alabama | Coverage is required for businesses with five or more employees (part-time or full-time). |
State | Workers’ Compensation Requirements | State Website |
|---|---|---|
Alaska | Any business with one or more employees must offer workers’ compensation. |
State | Workers’ Compensation Requirements | State Website |
|---|---|---|
Arizona | Any business with at least one employee, including part-time or family members, must provide workers’ compensation. |
State | Workers’ Compensation Requirements | State Website |
|---|---|---|
Arkansas | Coverage is required for any employer with two or more employees. |
State | Workers’ Compensation Requirements | State Website |
|---|---|---|
California | Coverage is required for any business with at least one employee. |
State | Workers’ Compensation Requirements | State Website |
|---|---|---|
Colorado | Required for any business with one or more employees, including part-time workers. |
State | Workers’ Compensation Requirements | State Website |
|---|---|---|
Connecticut | Any business with one employee, including full-time and contract workers, must offer workers’ comp. |
State | Workers’ Compensation Requirements | State Website |
|---|---|---|
Delaware | Required for any business with one or more employees. |
State | Workers’ Compensation Requirements | State Website |
|---|---|---|
Washington, D.C. | Required for any business with one or more employees. |
State | Workers’ Compensation Requirements | State Website |
|---|---|---|
Florida | Any business with four or more employees must offer workers’ compensation. |
State | Workers’ Compensation Requirements | State Website |
|---|---|---|
Georgia | Any business with three or more employees must offer workers’ compensation. |
State | Workers’ Compensation Requirements | State Website |
|---|---|---|
Hawaii | Required for any business with one or more employees (including temporary employees). |
State | Workers’ Compensation Requirements | State Website |
|---|---|---|
Idaho | Required for any business with one or more employees. |
State | Workers’ Compensation Requirements | State Website |
|---|---|---|
Illinois | Required for any business with one or more employees, including part-time. |
State | Workers’ Compensation Requirements | State Website |
|---|---|---|
Indiana | Required for any business with one or more employees. |
State | Workers’ Compensation Requirements | State Website |
|---|---|---|
Iowa | Required for any business with one or more employees. Casual employees who make less than $1,500 during 12 consecutive months prior to an injury are exempt. |
State | Workers’ Compensation Requirements | State Website |
|---|---|---|
Kansas | Required for all businesses with employees with a gross payroll over $20,000. |
State | Workers’ Compensation Requirements | State Website |
|---|---|---|
Kentucky | Required for any business with one or more employees. |
State | Workers’ Compensation Requirements | State Website |
|---|---|---|
Louisiana | Required for any business with one or more employees. |
State | Workers’ Compensation Requirements | State Website |
|---|---|---|
Maine | Required for any business with one or more employees. |
State | Workers’ Compensation Requirements | State Website |
|---|---|---|
Maryland | Required for any business with one or more employees. |
State | Workers’ Compensation Requirements | State Website |
|---|---|---|
Massachusetts | Required for any business with one or more employees. |
State | Workers’ Compensation Requirements | State Website |
|---|---|---|
Michigan | Required for any business with one or more employees. |
State | Workers’ Compensation Requirements | State Website |
|---|---|---|
Minnesota | Required for any business with one or more employees. |
State | Workers’ Compensation Requirements | State Website |
|---|---|---|
Mississippi | Required for any business with five or more employees. |
State | Workers’ Compensation Requirements | State Website |
|---|---|---|
Missouri | Required for any business with five or more employees. |
State | Workers’ Compensation Requirements | State Website |
|---|---|---|
Montana | Required for any business with one or more employees. |
State | Workers’ Compensation Requirements | State Website |
|---|---|---|
Nebraska | Required for any business with one or more employees. |
State | Workers’ Compensation Requirements | State Website |
|---|---|---|
Nevada | Required for any business with one or more employees. |
State | Workers’ Compensation Requirements | State Website |
|---|---|---|
New Hampshire | Required for any business with one or more employees. |
State | Workers’ Compensation Requirements | State Website |
|---|---|---|
New Jersey | Required for any business with one or more employees. |
State | Workers’ Compensation Requirements | State Website |
|---|---|---|
New Mexico | Required for any business with three or more employees. |
State | Workers’ Compensation Requirements | State Website |
|---|---|---|
New York | Required for any business with one or more employees. |
State | Workers’ Compensation Requirements | State Website |
|---|---|---|
North Carolina | Required for any business with three or more employees. |
State | Workers’ Compensation Requirements | State Website |
|---|---|---|
North Dakota | Required for any business with one or more employees.. |
State | Workers’ Compensation Requirements | State Website |
|---|---|---|
Ohio | Required for any business with one or more employees |
State | Workers’ Compensation Requirements | State Website |
|---|---|---|
Oklahoma | Required for any business with one or more employees. |
State | Workers’ Compensation Requirements | State Website |
|---|---|---|
Oregon | Required for any business with one or more employees. |
State | Workers’ Compensation Requirements | State Website |
|---|---|---|
Pennsylvania | Required for any business with one or more employees. |
State | Workers’ Compensation Requirements | State Website |
|---|---|---|
Rhode Island | Required for any business with four or more employees. |
State | Workers’ Compensation Requirements | State Website |
|---|---|---|
South Carolina | Required for any business with four or more employees. |
State | Workers’ Compensation Requirements | State Website |
|---|---|---|
South Dakota | There is no law in South Dakota requiring an employer to carry workers’ compensation. |
State | Workers’ Compensation Requirements | State Website |
|---|---|---|
Tennessee | Required for any business with five or more employees. |
State | Workers’ Compensation Requirements | State Website |
|---|---|---|
Texas | Workers’ comp is optional for businesses in Texas. |
State | Workers’ Compensation Requirements | State Website |
|---|---|---|
Utah | Required for any business with one or more employees. |
State | Workers’ Compensation Requirements | State Website |
|---|---|---|
Vermont | Required for any business with one or more employees. |
State | Workers’ Compensation Requirements | State Website |
|---|---|---|
Virginia | Required for any business with two or more employees. |
State | Workers’ Compensation Requirements | State Website |
|---|---|---|
Washington | Required for any business with one or more employees. |
State | Workers’ Compensation Requirements | State Website |
|---|---|---|
West Virginia | Required for any business with one or more employees. |
State | Workers’ Compensation Requirements | State Website |
|---|---|---|
Wisconsin | Required for any business with three or more employees. |
State | Workers’ Compensation Requirements | State Website |
|---|---|---|
Wyoming | Required for any business with one or more employees. |
The requirements for workers’ comp are subject to change by state law. The best practice is to check with your local state office to see if your agency is required to offer workers’ comp for temporary employees.
How to Get Insurance for Staffing Agencies
Finding staffing insurance can be tricky because of the industry’s complexity and the potential for overlapping employment. However, that doesn’t mean finding the right coverage for your agency is impossible or unaffordable. There are several ways to find insurance: by working directly with a carrier, using a broker, or working with a local agent.
- Carrier or provider: It underwrites the policy, services the policy, and handles any claims when there is a loss. Many providers employ agents whom you can contact to get a quote. Simultaneously, many will also work directly with the consumer to help provide coverage. Many will provide a discount for customers working directly with them.
- Broker: Brokers work independently of one specific carrier and instead will work with multiple carriers. This is a great option for finding insurance because the broker will be working for you rather than the carrier and has access to a large insurance marketplace.
- Agent: Another option is to contact a local agent. The advantage of an agent is you can rely on them throughout the life of the policy to help you: whether it is with a billing dispute, filing a claim, or getting an update on a request, a local agent is there to help you.
To help you decide, refer to our insurance carrier vs broker comparison.
Best Insurance for Staffing Companies
Insurance dedicated to staffing agencies can be challenging to find because of the complexity of employment status for placed clients and the risk involved. The companies here represent either specialty insurers or brokers that can work with multiple carriers to find coverage.
- Simply Business: Best overall provider for staffing agency insurance
- Hiscox: Best for agencies working with white-collar workers
- Tivly: Best for finding insurance for staffing agencies
- Philadelphia Insurance Companies (PHLY): Best for EPLI for temporary employees
- World Wide Specialty: Best for agencies that are American Staffing Association (ASA) members
Simply Business: Overall Best Staffing Agency Insurance
Pros
- It is available in all 50 states.
- You can purchase insurance online.
- It has dedicated agents to review options.
Cons
- You cannot reach anyone on the weekend; hours are Monday to Friday, from 8 a.m.–8 p.m. ET.
- Claims are handled directly by the company that underwrites your policy.
- Policy services are more limited than a traditional broker.
Standout Features
- Is the best company for staffing agency insurance, combining the ability to manage your policy with the convenience of comparison shopping for insurance
- Offers insurance nationwide, ranging from general and professional liability to a BOP and workers’ comp
- Has general liability, professional liability, and workers’ compensation
- Targets smaller operations with five or fewer employees
- Allows you to get a quote in two ways: through the webpage or by calling and speaking with a licensed agent.
- Lets you compare quotes and purchase a policy online without speaking with anyone, plus your policy documents are available instantly
Cost: Our team filled out information about a talent agency and, in about five minutes, received a quote for $459 annually. If you prefer, you could pay the first two months of coverage and then ten installments of $38.25.
Financial stability: Simply Business works with multiple top-rated carriers. For this article, the quote we received was from Hiscox, and AM Best rated Hiscox A (Excellent). Simply Business is owned by Travelers, and Travelers’ AM Best rating is A++ (Superior).
Hiscox: Best for Agencies Working With White-collar Workers
Pros
- You can gain instant access to your policy.
- You can get a quote and purchase a policy online, often for same-day coverage.
- You can manage your policy and get a COI online.
Cons
- Complaints are slightly higher than the national average.
- It is not open during the weekend; hours are Monday to Friday, 7 p.m.–10 p.m. ET.
Standout Features
- Is the best staffing agency insurance company for agencies specializing in placing IT, finance, and healthcare professionals
- Has a specific appetite targeted towards more white-collar, clerical jobs, like lawyers, architects, and engineers.
- Offers core policies a staffing agency needs, like professional liability
- Provides insurance endorsements and special coverages for staffing agencies (e.g., cyber liability and crisis management)
Cost: We received a quote for a BOP that costs $1,390 a year. This policy included liability limits of $1 million per occurrence and $2 million aggregate. It also provided $25,000 in property coverage with a deductible of $1,000.
Financial stability: AM Best’s rating of Hiscox is A (Excellent), which means you can have peace of mind knowing it has the financial strength to pay its claims.
Tivly: Best for Finding Insurance for Staffing Agencies
Pros
- It has fast and responsive customer service.
- Professional liability and workers’ comp are available.
- It is a one-stop-shop marketplace for finding insurance.
Cons
- You can only start a quote process online.
- Account maintenance and services depend on the provider.
Standout Features
- Is a great option for a staffing agency because it works with over 200 different providers, MGAs, and agencies
- Has no state limitations, so even if you are in a higher risk state or one underserved by larger carriers like Hawaii or Alaska, Tivly can still work with you
- Offers fast, free, and easy to use service; simply call them or request a quote, and within minutes, a representative from Tivly will call you to start discussing your insurance needs and finding a company that is best for your business
- Has great customer service like Spanish-speaking staff and conducts a follow-up call to see if it worked out with the insurance company it suggested
Cost: While you cannot get a quote from Tivly, there is a page outlining what prices you can expect. The median cost for professional liability is between $42 a month.
Financial Stability: Tivly works with top-rated carriers, like Liberty Mutual and Acuity. Liberty Mutual’s AM Best rating is A (Excellent), and Acuity has a rating of A+ (Superior).
Philadelphia Insurance Companies: Best for EPLI Policies for Temporary Workers
Pros
- It has a 24/7 claims line to report losses.
- It has a low level of complaints.
- Professional liability, EPLI, and general liability are available as a package.
Cons
- You must contact a local agent to get a quote.
- It has no pricing information available.
Standout Features
- Is a specialty insurer and the best provider for staffing agencies that place a high number of temporary employees
- Offers an EPLI policy that extends to the temporary employee
- Gives the policyholder the freedom to choose their defense counsel or let the provider select it for them
- Allows you to manage your account, pay your premium, or file a claim online
- Lets you access instant COIs through its online portal
- Has coverage for executive recruiters, temporary placement, temp-to-hire agencies, and permanent placement staffing agencies
- Provides an optional online safety training for customers, but if completed, you are eligible for a discount on your insurance
Financial stability: Phly is owned by Tokio Marine Holdings, Inc. AM Best rated Tokio Marine Holdings an A++ (Superior).
World Wide Specialty: Best for ASA Members
Pros
- It has a dedicated insurer for staffing agencies.
- It is a member of 21 different national and state staffing associations.
- It has a specialized legal team for staffing claims.
Cons
- You have to request a quote to be contacted by an agent.
- It has no pricing information online.
- Quote process can be cumbersome and slow, including downloading and filling out a form.
Standout Features
- Has decades of experience and is the only insurance company to partner with the American Staffing Association (ASA), making it the best provider for staffing agencies that are ASA members
- Supports ASA, including sponsoring the keynote address of the association’s annual convention
- Provides insurance for staffing companies, currently insuring over 6,000 staffing agencies
- Has coverage for independent contractors and staffing consultants, and its EPLI policy includes built-in HR training to help mitigate any risk when recruiting, interviewing, or hiring an employee
- Offers 24/7 service for claims and customer service and is committed to responding to claims within 24 to 48 hours of the loss being filed
Financial stability: As of 2022, World Wide Specialty is a division of Philadelphia Insurance Companies. World Wide Specialty’s AM Best rating is A++ (Superior).
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Staffing agency insurance is a policy or combination of policies that offers protection for your business by covering your physical property and protecting your financial assets from claims of negligence. The most important policy is professional liability, followed by general liability and commercial property.
There are no specific requirements for staffing agency insurance. However, most states do require some level of workers’ compensation insurance for all businesses. Additionally, companies you contract with may require insurance and request proof of insurance or a certificate of liability showing your staffing agency is properly insured.
Insurance for employment agencies will vary depending on the coverage selected, location, size, and claims history, to name just a few. A general liability policy with $2 million in aggregate coverage can cost anywhere from $250 to $1,000 annually. Commercial property with a limit of $50,000 can be as low as $700 to $3,000.
Professional liability, unlike general liability, is more specific to liability for E&O in services rendered (specifically if those errors caused another party financial harm). This can include failure to meet the requirements of a contract, like recommending a candidate for a job who lacks the specific experience required by the employer.
Most commercial general liability policies carry personal and advertising injury coverage. The limit for this is typically $1 million. It is important to always review what coverages are included with the policy.
Bottom Line
Staffing agencies act as intermediaries between employers and employees. Because they come in all sizes and serve nearly every industry, finding the best staffing agency insurance provider can be challenging. Partner with one that can help you identify your risks and ensure you have the right coverage for your operations.
Simply Business can help you find the right company and coverage for your staffing agency. It can do this online—and in just minutes, you can have insurance for your business and be covered for the year.
