Who must carry it in Ohio
Every employer with one or more employees must have workers' compensation coverage, and in Ohio it is purchased from the Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation: Ohio is a monopolistic state, so private carriers do not write the policy.
Because the policy itself comes from the state fund, CoverMatch does not quote Ohio workers' compensation. We add stop-gap employers' liability to the general liability policy, keep the BWC certificate in your wallet, and handle every other line.
Who counts as an employee
Part-time employees count. Sole proprietors, partners and some officers can elect coverage with the Bureau. The label on the paycheck does not settle it: Ohio applies its own employee test, and a worker who fails it is an employee for workers' compensation no matter what the contract says.
Owners, officers and LLC members
Sole proprietors, partners, LLC members and officers of family farm corporations may elect coverage; ministers may too. The election is made on the policy and affects both coverage and premium, so decide it before the policy is bound rather than at audit.
The day you hire
Ohio is the one licensed state where CoverMatch does not quote the policy itself: the Bureau writes it. We add stop-gap employers' liability to your general liability, keep the BWC certificate in your wallet beside your other policies, and shop everything else. Add the policy to your wallet and the live certificate is ready for the general contractor or client who asks for proof.
If you go without
Uninsured employers lose their common-law defenses, owe the Bureau the cost of claims plus penalties, and can be assessed retroactive premiums. The specific amounts and procedures are in the statute and on the agency page linked above; they change, and the licensed agent who reviewed this page checks them on each update.