Small Business Coverage and Peace of Mind
With 700 miles of beaches, an endless bounty of sun and sea, Florida’s history dates back to the early 16th century, when Spanish explorer Ponce de Leon was searching for the elusive fountain of youth. Not long after, the oldest city in the United States – St. Augustine – was established in Northeast Florida.
Travelers driving south from St. Augustine today would have to put nearly 500 miles on the odometer before reaching the Sunshine State’s southern-most point in Key West. In between, they would pass through some of the most iconic vacation cities in the world, including Daytona Beach, Palm Beach, Fort Lauderdale, and Miami.
From Pensacola on the western panhandle to the gateway of the southwest in Fort Meyers, Florida covers a lot of territory. The state has long been associated with agriculture and tourism. Today the modern economy consists of industries such as construction, banking, biomedicine, healthcare research, and aerospace and defense. At least sixteen Fortune 500 companies call the Sunshine State home, including Publix Super Markets, AutoNation, CSX, Winn-Dixie Stores, and Fidelity National Financial.
Both employers and employees have much to benefit from Florida’s Workers’ Compensation Act, which passed in 1935. At that time, Florida was waging a campaign to attract northern companies. According to Lloyd Harger of the Florida Division of Workers’ Compensation: “A “workmen’s” compensation law was necessary to meet the demands and requirements of the increased and industrial employment in the state and as an inducement and invitation to other industries to move to and operate in Florida…. Lawsuits were on the rise and workers demanded protection.”1
The result was the New Act, which created the Florida Industrial Commission to administer workers’ compensation laws. Florida’s Workers’ Compensation Act has undergone several major overhauls over the years. While some of the rules have changed, Florida still requires most employers of four or more part-time or full-time workers to obtain workers’ compensation insurance from a state-licensed insurance agent. Some of the small businesses purchasing workers’ compensation insurance in Florida are auto repair shops, restaurants, hotels, printers, hardware stores, furniture and clothing manufactures, and colleges.
EMPLOYERS is America’s Workers’ Comp Specialist® and it has a strong presence in Florida, providing small businesses from Orlando to Tallahassee with workers’ compensation insurance that is right for their business. The value-added services that EMPLOYERS offer our policyholders such as loss control services, PrecisePay®, Anti-Fraud Programs, Managed Care Services, and Premium Audit, make EMPLOYERS the right choice for Florida based businesses. We’re also proud to offer our Florida Five® discount on new and renewal workers’ compensation insurance policies in Florida.
Florida Workmans’ Comp Coverage You Need
Interested in learning more about how EMPLOYERS can help your Florida business? Request a quote for workers’ compensation insurance from EMPLOYERS!
Thousands of small businesses trust EMPLOYERS for providing cost-effective workers’ compensation insurance for over a century. With our competitive pricing, financial stability and dependability, claims service, safety training and risk advisory programs, EMPLOYERS remains focused on keeping America’s small businesses not only working, but working safely.
1. Lloyd Harger, “Workers’ Compensation, A Brief History,” Division of Workers’ Compensation, 2011, www.myfloridacfo.com/division/wc/infofaqs/history.htm
In Florida, insurance is offered through Employers Compensation Insurance Company, Employers Assurance Company and Employers Preferred Insurance Company, Not all insurers do business in all jurisdictions.