5 Reasons You Need Employers Liability Coverage

In addition to including owners and officers as insureds under your policy, another important type of workers’ compensation coverage that you may tend to overlook is Employers Liability.  Employers Liability protects a business if it’s sued for damages that fall outside of workers’ comp coverage.

Here are five instances where this coverage can be valuable to have:

1. Wrongful death: The family of a deceased worker may file a common-law claim seeking damages in addition to the death benefit paid by workers’ comp.


2. Consequential bodily injury: A family member may file a lawsuit for his or her own injury (for instance, a heart attack) that was caused by learning about or dealing with the injured employee.


3. Loss of consortium: The spouse of an injured worker may sue for loss of consortium, which means the spouse has lost the services — such as sexual relations or the ability to do household chores — of his or her spouse. Damages can be awarded even if the spouse is receiving disability payments.


4. Third-party liability: If an employee is injured while using equipment that malfunctioned, he or she may sue the manufacturer of the equipment for negligence. The manufacturer may, in turn, sue the employee’s company to recover damages. Depending on the specifics of the claim, either the employers’ liability or a general liability policy can provide coverage.


5. Employees excluded from workers’ comp: In some states, seasonal and temporary workers can be excluded from workers’ comp. In other states some small employers do not have to buy comp. In those situations, an employers’ liability policy can provide protection from employee lawsuits for bodily injury and illness. 

Are you missing this critical coverage? Reach out to info@aleragroup.com to get connected with an Alera Group firm local to you.