Employers Liability Insurance
Employers Liability Insurance
Employment Practices Liability (EPL) protects your business from legal costs and compensation in the event an employee makes a claim for Unfair Dismissal, discrimination, bullying or constructive dismissal, to name but a few. Unlike a case where the employee was dismissed by the employer, where the onus of proof is on the employer to establish the dismissal was fair, in constructive dismissal claims the onus of proof is reversed. It is therefore required of the employee claiming they were constructively dismissed to establish that the conduct of their employer was such that they had no option but to resign their position. Consequently the employee must set out the matter fully in order to allow the employer to respond.
It also provides cover for legal costs if your business is responsible for damage to an employee’s property, subject to terms and conditions.
A legal requirement in Ireland
EPL Insurance is a legal requirement in Ireland for almost every business that has employees, as well as certain categories of subcontractors. Without it, your business could be fined substantially up to €2,500 per employee, per day. The only businesses that may be exempt from EPL Insurance are:
- Sole traders that work on their own without employees
- Businesses that only employ direct family members
- Public bodies such as government and health services
- Limited companies with one employee that also owns more than 50% of the company’s shares.
What is covered
If an employee takes a claim against your business, EPL Insurance typically covers the following:
- Legal costs – the cost of settling or defending disputes and claims made by employees
- Medical bills – covers the cost of medical treatment for sick or injured employees
- Compensation – awarded by the court to an employee with a successful claim against your business
- A co-payment percentage
- All of the total award may apply depending on the policy type and agreed excess.
Request a Quote
Speed up your quotation by filling in our online employer’s liability insurance questionnaire. Then request a call back and we’ll have prepared everything you need to know to choose the right coverage for your needs.
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Meet the team

Benny Sheridan
INSURANCE BROKER

Kelley Crowe
Insurance Broker

Siobhan McPhillips
Insurance Broker
Your benefits…
Employers liability insurance from Sheridan Insurances comes with a variety of benefits such as:
One flat rate premium that covers any incident and reduces your financial risk
Experienced and dedicated brokers who will research the market on your behalf
Access to a wide range of insurers and options, that also provides flexibility for all business sizes, small, medium and large
A policy that is uniquely customised to the specific needs of your business
Employer’s Liability Insurance FAQs
We want to make sure you know exactly what employer’s liability insurance from Sheridan Insurances protects you for.
Take a look at our FAQs or talk to one of our brokers,
What is covered under this policy?
- Employment disputes and financial compensation
- Legal expenses
- Contract disputes
- Debt recovery
- Property protection and bodily injury
- Contents, computers, infrastructure and fixtures and fittings
- Money
- Goods in Transit
- Revenue audits (If you receive notification of a revenue audit please advise Sheridan Insurances immediately to have fees agreed with your insurer in advance of the audit beginning).
How much cover do I need?
Optionally you could base your level of indemnity on a multiplier of 5 times the largest salary. For example, if your highest salary is 50,000 multiply it by 5 which equate to cover of 250,000.
Does EPL cover staff working from home?
All EPL policies cover employees that work from home. However, you should always check your policy terms and conditions.
Does EPL cover the cost of WRC representation?
Those businesses that offer staff contracts and employee handbooks can also benefit from a lower excess on their EPL cover than those companies who do not have these in place.
What are recent examples of EPL insurance claims?
- €35,000 plus costs was awarded after an employer failed to follow proper disciplinary procedures, sacking an employee after questioning them about disappearance of money.
- €500,000 was awarded to four female clerical workers denied equal pay with their male colleagues over nine years.
- €130,000 was awarded to an employee for unfair dismissal from a manufacturing company where his employer failed to implement “any fair disciplinary procedures”.
- €52,000 was awarded to an employee for unfair dismissal after the employer broke a prior agreement to allow the employee work from home.
- €85,000 was awarded to a nurse who was wrongfully told to retire at 66
- €150,000 with costs of €120,000 was settled by a financial institution over a discrimination and sexual harassment claim.
How to talk to us…
Request a Quote
Speed up your quotation by filling in our online employer’s liability insurance questionnaire. Then request a call back and we’ll have prepared everything you need to know to choose the right coverage for your needs.
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