★ Commercial · Employment practices liability
Your biggest liability risk clocks in every morning.
Most businesses will face an employment claim eventually: wrongful termination, discrimination, harassment, retaliation. EPLI pays the legal defense and the settlement. With defense costs routinely hitting six figures before trial, this is the policy small employers skip and mid-size employers never do.
Free quotes · No obligation · A licensed specialist answers, usually within one business day
★ What it covers
What’s covered and what isn’t.
Plain English, no fine-print games. Every policy has exclusions; here are the ones that actually matter for Employment Practices Liability.
What it covers
- Wrongful terminationThe most common EPLI claim. A fired employee alleges the real reason was illegal.
- DiscriminationClaims based on age, race, sex, disability, and other protected classes.
- HarassmentIncluding claims against the company for a supervisor's or coworker's conduct.
- RetaliationClaims that you punished an employee for complaining or whistleblowing. The claim category growing fastest.
- Legal defenseThe core value of the policy: employment lawyers are expensive, and meritless claims still need defending.
- Third-party EPLIClaims by non-employees (customers, vendors) alleging harassment or discrimination, by endorsement.
What it doesn’t cover
- Workers' comp injuriesPhysical workplace injuries stay in the comp system.
- Wage & hour claimsOften excluded or heavily sublimited. The fastest-growing employment claim category, and the hardest to insure fully.
- ERISA and benefits disputesSeparate fiduciary coverage territory.
- Union and labor relationsNLRA and collective bargaining disputes are excluded.
- Bodily injuryEPLI is a financial-loss and defense policy.
- Known circumstancesLike all claims-made coverage, what you knew about before buying is excluded.
All quotes are subject to carrier underwriting and final approval. Coverage availability, terms, and pricing vary by state and carrier. The lists above describe typical Employment Practices Liability policies, not any specific carrier’s form.
★ Who needs it
If this sounds like you, you need EPLI.
The businesses that buy Employment Practices Liability most, and the one-line reason each one does.
Businesses with 10+ employees
Claim frequency climbs with headcount, and with every termination.
Restaurants and retail
High turnover plus young workforces equals employment claims.
Healthcare and professional offices
Power dynamics and documentation gaps create exposure.
Any business that has fired someone
If you have terminated for cause, you have created the fact pattern.
Growing companies
Each hiring wave multiplies the exposure. Buy before the growth, not after the claim.
★ What it costs
What drives the price.
Carriers price Employment Practices Liability on exposure, not vibes. Here’s what moves your number, and what you can actually influence.
- Employee count: Headcount is the primary rating base: more employees, more premium.
- Turnover rate: High-turnover industries file more claims and pay more.
- HR practices: Handbooks, documented procedures, and manager training earn credits with many carriers.
- Claims history: One paid employment claim reshapes your pricing for years.
- State: Employee-friendly states (California especially) rate higher. Venue matters enormously.
★ Often quoted together
Pairs well with Employment Practices Liability.
Most businesses don’t buy one policy in isolation. These are the lines EPLI buyers usually quote at the same time. One specialist quotes the whole package.
Directors & Officers
Protects directors' and officers' personal assets from lawsuits over management decisions.
Workers' Comp
Medical bills and lost wages for work injuries. Required in nearly every state once you hire.
Commercial Umbrella
Extra millions stacked over your GL, auto, and employers liability, for the catastrophic claim.
Wrongful termination allegations are the number-one EPLI claim.
★ Straight answers
Questions EPLI buyers actually ask.
The short version of what our licensed specialists explain on calls every week.
What triggers most EPLI claims?
Does EPLI cover wage & hour claims?
We are a small team: do we really need this?
Is EPLI claims-made?
Will it cover a claim from before I bought the policy?
Does my D&O already cover employment claims?
Get my quote
Get your Employment Practices Liability quote. Two minutes.
Tell us about the business. A licensed specialist shops the carriers and comes back with real options.
- About 2 minutes, built for Employment Practices Liability
- A licensed specialist follows up, usually within one business day
- No bait prices, no call centers, no selling your information
Free quotes. No obligation. Written through Patriot Independent Insurance Partners, licensed in TX, FL, GA, SC, AL, MS, NC, CA, and CO. Your information is never sold to lead brokers.