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Illinois Businesses We Cover with Workers’ Comp Insurance

Illinois Businesses We Cover with Workers' Comp Insurance

Food & Beverage

Bars, Bistros, Cafeterias/Buffets, Candy Stores, Caterers, Coffee Shops, Doughnut Shops, Fast Casual, Fast Food, Fine Dining, Health Supplement Stores, Juice Shops, Tea Houses, Taverns and Nightclubs

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Tech Services

Data Processing, Ecommerce, Hosting, Graphic Design, Network Installation/Repair, Office Machine Installation/Repair, Programming, Strategy & Management Consulting Services, and Software/Web Development (includes SOLOpreneuers!)

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Legal Services

Athlete/Actor/Entertainer Agents, Court Reporters, Lawyers & Attorneys at Law, Notaries and Transcription

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General Retail

Bakeries, Beer/Wine/Liquor Stores, Butcher/Meat Markets, Convenience Stores/Gas Stations, Discount Stores, Fish, Seafood, Fruit & Vegetable Markets, Grocery Stores, Laundromats, Pet Stores, Pharmacies/Drug Stores, Specialty Food Stores

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Educational Services

Computer Training, Cosmetology/Barber Schools, Exam Preparation/Tutoring, Fine Art Schools, Language Schools, Libraries/Archives, Management Training, Professional Training, & Translation/Interpretation Services

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Manufacturing

Microbreweries (less than 15,000 barrels produced per year) & Wine Making (no growing or production of grapes/fruit)

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Personal Services

Barber Shops/Salons, Cemeteries/Mausoleums, Crematoriums, Funeral Homes, Interior Design, Pet Kennels/Groomers, Photography/Photofinishing, Gyms, Nail Salons, Self-Storage, Tanning Salons, Tattoo/Piercing, and Wedding/Event Planners

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Clothing Retail

Bridal Stores, Clothing Stores, Dry Cleaners, Formal Wear/Costume Rentals, Luggage & Leather Goods Stores, Shoe Retail/Repair, and Tailor Shops

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Personal Product Retail

Art Galleries/Stores, Auto Parts, Beauty/Cosmetics, Bike Stores, Bookstores, Camera/Photo Supplies, Cell Phone Retail/Repair, Computer Stores, Jewelry Stores, Musical Instruments, Sporting Goods , Tobacco/Vaping & Video Games

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Medical Professions

Blood Banks, Dental Labs, Dentists/Orthodontists, GP/Medical Specialists, Kidney Dialysis Centers, Medical Diagnostics & Testing, and Veterinarians

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Architecture & Engineering Services

Architects & Drafting, Engineering, Surveyors, & Window Treatment Stores (we do not cover construction contractors or trucking companies)

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Financial Services

Accounting, Auditors, Banks/Credit Unions, Bookkeeping, Collection Agencies, Financial Advisors/Trust Companies, Mortgage & Loan Brokers, Payroll Services, Tax Preparation, Title & Title Insurance

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Scientific Services

Scientific Research & Development/Consulting, Technical Consulting, & Environmental Consulting

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Office, Home, & Garden

Hearing Aid Stores, Hobby/Craft/Art Stores, Gift/Novelty Stores, Florists, Floor Covering Stores, Mailing/Packaging Stores, Models/Toy/Games, Office Supplies, Optical Stores, Paint/Wallpaper Stores, Perfume Stores, Plumbing & Taxidermists

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Therapeutic Services

Acupuncture, Chiropractors, Mental Health Practitioners, and Physical & Occupational Therapy

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Workers' Compensation for Illinois Businesses

We're here to serve business owners of the Prairie State.

Illinois isn’t just the flat, rolling fields of corn and soy we all visualize (although they do feed and fuel the world with 75,000 farms covering 76% of the 57,918 square miles of land). It’s the home of Chicago, a bastion of professional services in the financial sector, and top universities like University of Illinois, Loyola and Northwestern University.

Biotechnologies, like clean energy technology, medical and nutritional products, chemistry and physics research breakthroughs are all part of the broad makeup of Illinois. The Illinois biotech sector alone is a $100 billion annual industry. Sports fans root for “da Bears,” the White Sox and Cubbies, the Bulls and the Blackhawks while chomping down Chicago-style dogs.

If you’re headed to the Chicagoland Speedway in Joliet, watch out for Jake and Elwood, a.ka. The Blues Brothers.. Their auction car has a “cop motor, a 440-cubic-inch plant. It’s got cop tires, cop suspension, cop shocks.” It may or may not have a giant bullhorn on top and be plowing through a local mall. By the way, Superman’s adopted hometown of Metropolis is a real town in southern Illinois.

Illinois is home to 1.2 million small businesses, or 99.6% of companies and provide 2.5 million private sector jobs. Exports are a large sector of the small business opportunity in Illinois, with 20,192 small businesses generating about $15 billion in exports in 2015. Professional, scientific and technical occupations are the biggest employers, followed by health care, retail and entertainment.

While there are a few and very limited exemptions, workers’ comp insurance, also known as workman’s comp in the Prairie State, is a must-have in Illinois. Failure to comply is considered a felony, so don’t take that chance. Joliet may be closed, but there are other prisons! Your employees are your greatest asset, so be sure to protect their assets from the slip on Greektown tzatziki sauce in the breakroom, or an over-eager and over-caffeinated young Exchange floor worker trying to hand you a morning cup of joe.

Illinois Statistics*

*2017 business stats provided by the Bureau of Labor Statistics

2.5 million+

number of Illinois residents employed by small businesses

108,200

number of workplace injuries

16 billion

oreos made annually at the Chicago Nabisco factory

2,546

square miles covered by the Great Lakes

1,729 feet

height of Willis Tower, tallest building in North America

workers' compensation illinois

Explore commonly asked questions about business type, industry and state.

To put it simply, your business is covered. Just like that.In most cases, all of your employees are covered by workers' compensation insurance, including subcontractors (given they provide you a Certificate of Insurance). However, a Certificate of Insurance (COI) isn't a guarantee of coverage (policy may have cancelled since issuance). You should request periodic COIs throughout the contract.
Workers' compensation insurance provides all state required benefits, including reasonable and necessary medical treatment and wage replacement, for employees injured in the course and scope of employment.
In most states, it’s required for small business owners to obtain workers’ compensation coverage. In the event that an employee is injured in the course and scope of your employment, workers' compensation insurance protects you from costly lawsuits and provides state required compensation for the employee, including lost wages and medical expenses.
The estimated premium is based on estimated payroll (at the beginning of the policy). The final premium is based on actual payroll (at the end of the policy) for the policy period (usually 12 months). In the event your payroll changes, we'll work with you on adjusting your policy.
Yes, the workers' compensation policy covers all of your employees. Significant changes to your payroll should be reported to Cerity. This will help mitigate having a large additional premium due at the end of your policy period.
Cerity is a data-services company that is a licensed insurance producer that provides comprehensive workers' compensation insurance for American businesses. In less than five minutes, a small business owner can have a quote and can be protected as soon as the next day. In other words, your business is covered. Just like that. We are backed by Employers Holdings, Inc., a workers' comp industry veteran of over 100 years, EHI is reimagining how to purchase workers compensation insurance.
You do not need any documents to apply - we told you it was simple! All you need to obtain a quote is tell us a few quick things about your business and we should be able to get you a quote.