EPLI Insurance Cost: State and Industry Ranges (2026)

Name: EPLI Insurance Cost Calculator
Author: Justin Marks

Reviewed by Jason Wootton — licensed P&C Insurance Agent (NPN 7694718) Verify ↗

Edited by Justin Marks · Updated June 2026 · Disclosures ↓

Median small-business EPLI (Employment Practices Liability Insurance) premium is $222/month ($2,664/year) per III Employment Practices Liability. Cost varies dramatically by state + industry — Texas/Florida office businesses pay ~$80-$120/mo; California restaurants $300-$600/mo; healthcare + education $250-$500+/mo.

State surcharge is the biggest cost driver. California, New York, Illinois, and New Jersey impose 30-100% surcharges on EPLI premium due to PAGA (CA), state wage-hour laws (NY/IL/NJ), and class-action exposure. Texas + most Southern states are typically the cheapest.

What EPLI covers: wrongful termination, discrimination (Title VII + ADA + ADEA + state equivalents), sexual harassment, retaliation, FLSA wage-and-hour claims (some policies — verify), and defense costs (often the biggest line item — defense alone runs $40K-$100K per claim). What it doesn't cover: bodily-injury, intentional acts, criminal acts, and breach of express contract. Required by most enterprise clients for any vendor with employees.

Interactive Industry-typical estimate, not a quote

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Plug in a few business details and we'll show an industry-typical annual range for General Liability + Workers Compensation + Commercial Auto, with the source for every number. Real quotes vary by carrier, claims history, and underwriting — get an actual quote here.

State Annual revenue ($) Full-time employees Commercial vehicles

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Industry-typical market ranges

Sourced from III, NCCI, ISO, NAIC, BLS, FMCSA, FDA, NRA — government and bureau publications, not from our quote form

Market ranges from published industry sources:

Median EPLI: $222/month, $2,664/year (III Employment Practices Liability)
Annual range: $800-$10,000+/year — driven by state of operations, employee count, industry, revenue, prior claims, and coverage limits
State multipliers: CA + NY + IL + NJ price 30-100% above average (PAGA + wage-hour exposure + plaintiff bar). TX + FL + most Midwest/South price 20-30% below average
Industry-tier ranges (III + EEOC): Office services $80-$150/mo; Retail/restaurant $200-$400/mo; Healthcare/education $250-$500/mo; Manufacturing $150-$300/mo
Coverage limits: $1M aggregate is typical floor; $2M-$5M common for businesses with 25+ employees or operations in CA/NY/IL/NJ; $5M+ for healthcare + financial services
What EPLI covers: wrongful termination, discrimination (Title VII/ADA/ADEA/state), sexual harassment, retaliation, hostile work environment, FLSA wage-hour claims (some carriers — check sublimit), defense costs (often the bulk of any claim payout)
What EPLI does NOT cover: bodily injury (GL/WC), intentional/criminal acts (excluded everywhere), breach of express contract (D&O may), workers-comp injuries (WC), benefits-related ERISA claims (Fiduciary Liability)
Defense-cost reality: defense alone runs $40K-$100K per claim industry-typical; the claim doesn't have to win — just be filed — to consume your full limit if you're underinsured
Discount stacking: documented HR policies, anti-harassment training, EAP/anonymous-reporting hotline can reduce premium 10-20% on standard markets

Want a deeper requirements view? See the standalone EPLI insurance requirements page →

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Frequently asked questions about epli insurance cost

How much does EPLI cost? +

Median small-business EPLI is $222/month ($2,664/year) per industry-typical 2024. State drives the biggest variation — CA/NY/IL/NJ run 30-100% above national; TX/FL/Midwest 20-30% below. Industry + employee count + claim history are secondary drivers. III Employment Practices Liability.

What does EPLI cover? +

Wrongful termination, discrimination (Title VII/ADA/ADEA + state equivalents), sexual harassment, retaliation, hostile work environment, and defense costs. Some carriers add an FLSA wage-and-hour sublimit. Defense alone runs $40K-$100K per claim — even a meritless claim can exhaust limits if you're underinsured. III: EPLI.

Do I need EPLI if I have GL + WC? +

Yes — GL excludes employment claims (it's third-party bodily-injury + property + premises); WC covers physical workplace injuries only. Employment claims (firing, discrimination, harassment, retaliation) are the gap EPLI fills. Most carriers require EPLI for any business with 5+ employees, and most enterprise clients require it as a vendor.

Why is California EPLI so expensive? +

California's Private Attorneys General Act (PAGA) lets employees sue on behalf of all coworkers for any Labor Code violation, with 25% of penalties going to the employee. This + the active CA plaintiff bar + meal-and-rest-period litigation drives EPLI in CA 30-100% above national median. Same dynamic — to a lesser degree — in NY (NYC HRL), IL (PAGA-style), NJ (LAD), and MA.

What's not covered by EPLI? +

Bodily injury (GL/WC), workers-comp injuries (WC), intentional or criminal acts (excluded everywhere), breach of express contract (D&O may), and benefits-related ERISA claims (Fiduciary Liability). EPLI is for employment-PRACTICES claims, not employment-INJURY claims. III.

Related guides

📚 Terms used in this guide

EPLI General Liability Workers Comp Professional Liability (E&O)

📘 Educational, not advice. This cost page is general educational content reviewed by Jason Wootton, our licensed P&C Insurance Agent (NPN 7694718). Insurance pricing varies by state, carrier, business specifics, and claims history. The ranges shown are not quotes — for actual numbers, get a real quote or consult a licensed insurance agent in your state.