Startup Insurance
EPLI for Startups and Growing Teams.
Multi-state employment coverage that scales with headcount, distributed teams, and contractor risk.
When EPLI becomes necessary
EPLI exposure starts the moment you have employees. Even small startups face wage-and-hour claims, harassment complaints, and discrimination allegations. Without EPLI, defense costs alone can exhaust a young company's runway.
Multi-state hiring changes the conversation
Hiring across state lines exposes you to multiple state employment regimes — California, New York, and Massachusetts in particular have plaintiff-friendly statutes. Coverage and HR practices need to keep pace with each new state.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need EPLI if my first hires are contractors?
Misclassification itself is a frequent claim. We recommend EPLI before the first W-2 hire, with attention to how contractors are documented.
How much EPLI coverage do startups typically buy?
Common starting limits are $1M, scaling to $2M–$5M with multi-state hiring or as headcount grows past 50.
Does EPLI cover wage-and-hour claims?
Often as a sublimited extension. We confirm sublimit, retention, and defense-inside-or-outside-limits language for every quote.