What information do I need for an EPLI quote in Texas?
By Mark Melliand, owner, Melliand Insurance Agency · 13 years as an independent agent · Published October 26, 2026
The short answer: Expect questions about your business, your workforce, your employment policies and practices, your current coverage, and any employment-related claims, complaints or circumstances. Application questions vary by insurer, business and the coverage requested. The examples below come from sample applications and aren’t a universal checklist.
For what EPLI may cover, including timing, defense and exclusions, see our guide to what employment practices liability insurance covers.
Information to have ready
Business details
- Legal name, any DBA, entity type, operations and locations
- Subsidiaries or related entities proposed for coverage. One sample application asks for each subsidiary’s name, type of business, percent owned and date created or acquired (Philadelphia Insurance sample application, illustrative).
- Date established or years in business
- Financial information, if the insurer asks for it. One sample asks for CPA-prepared year-end financial statements when total employees exceed a stated number (Philadelphia Insurance sample application, illustrative).
Workforce
- Employee counts by category, as the application requests. One sample asks for full-time, part-time, temporary or leased employees, independent contractors and volunteers, currently and one year ago (Philadelphia Insurance sample application, illustrative). Keep independent contractors separate from employees.
- Where employees work. The same sample asks for employee totals in certain states, including Texas, and outside the United States (Philadelphia Insurance sample application, illustrative).
- Compensation bands and exempt employees, where asked (Philadelphia Insurance sample application, illustrative).
- Terminations, layoffs and planned workforce changes. One sample asks about voluntary and involuntary terminations and layoffs in the past 12 months, and any anticipated reductions in the next year (Philadelphia Insurance sample application, illustrative).
Employment practices
Applications often ask yes-or-no questions about your practices. One sample asks whether you have a human resources department, a standard employment application, an employee handbook with documented employee receipt, an “at will” provision, written harassment and discrimination policies, harassment and discrimination training, written evaluations, progressive discipline, written FMLA and ADA policies, a formal process for wage-and-hour compliance, and attorney consultation on overtime and exempt classifications (Philadelphia Insurance sample application, illustrative). The same sample asks about conduct policies and complaint procedures for third parties. Another sample asks whether the handbook has been reviewed by legal counsel and whether terminations are reviewed by human resources or legal counsel (EPL application F00036, 2009 edition, illustrative).
These are underwriting questions. An application asking about a policy or practice doesn’t, by itself, establish that every business is legally required to have it. Answer accurately, even where the answer is “no.” Some applications ask you to explain “no” answers (Philadelphia Insurance sample application, illustrative).
Prior insurance and requested coverage
- Current declarations and relevant endorsements
- Current and prior insurer, limits, retention or deductible, and policy dates (Philadelphia Insurance sample application, illustrative)
- Any applicable continuity date, retroactive date or pending-and-prior-litigation date shown on your current policy
- Whether any insurer has refused, cancelled or non-renewed coverage, if asked (Philadelphia Insurance sample application, illustrative)
- Whether you want third-party coverage
- Whether you’re comparing standalone EPLI with EPLI in a package or endorsement; see our EPLI coverage guide for how they can differ
Claims, complaints and known matters
Applications may ask about demands, complaints, agency charges, lawsuits, or facts and circumstances that could lead to a claim. Answer using the specific application’s wording and the period it asks about. Periods vary:
- One sample application asks about claims, including agency investigations, during the past five years. That period belongs to that application only (EPL application F00036, 2009 edition, illustrative).
- Another asks about prior claims and known circumstances without stating a specific period (Philadelphia Insurance sample application, illustrative).
Some applications state that claims arising from the matters those questions cover are excluded from the proposed insurance. One says this applies whether or not the matters were disclosed (Philadelphia Insurance sample application, illustrative). Another excludes matters that were or should have been disclosed (EPL application F00036, 2009 edition, illustrative).
Disclosing a matter to a prospective insurer isn’t the same as giving notice under your existing policy. Disclosure on an application doesn’t replace any notice your current insurer requires. Check your current policy’s notice provisions and seek prompt assistance. For timing, see our claims-made coverage guide.
Why each item may matter
| Information requested | Why it may matter | Where to find it |
|---|---|---|
| Employee counts and categories | Shows the size and makeup of the workforce | Payroll records, HR or staffing records |
| Locations by state | Employment laws and exposures can differ by location | Payroll or HR records |
| Terminations and layoffs | Workforce changes can affect employment-claim exposure | HR records and plans |
| Handbook and written policies | Shows the policies employees receive | Current employee handbook |
| HR practices and training | Shows how complaints, discipline and terminations are handled | HR procedures and training records |
| Wage-and-hour practices | Applications may ask about compliance processes | Payroll and HR procedures |
| Prior insurance | Limits, retentions and dates on current coverage | Declarations and endorsements |
| Claims and circumstances | Underwriting, and possible coverage limits for known matters | Claim files, notices and demand letters |
(Philadelphia Insurance and F00036 sample applications, illustrative)
Staged checklist
To begin
- Business name, entity, operations and locations
- Employee counts by category and location
- Current EPLI or package coverage, if any
Documents that may follow
- Employee handbook and employment application
- Current declarations and endorsements
- Financial statements, if requested
- Prior claims information or loss reports, if requested
Matters needing careful discussion
- Any demands, complaints, agency charges, lawsuits or known circumstances
- Planned layoffs or major workforce changes
- Whether notice has been given under your current policy
If you’re hiring your first employee
- Explain that you’re a new employer, and answer workforce questions with your actual and planned numbers, clearly identified as plans.
- Have any planned handbook and written policies ready for the discussion.
- Ask what the insurer will need, and whether EPLI is available as a standalone policy or within another policy for your business.
Being a new employer doesn’t guarantee or rule out eligibility; the insurer decides.
Protect sensitive information
Don’t send personnel files, medical information, Social Security numbers, employee birth dates or detailed allegations through ordinary email or a website form. Ask which records are actually necessary, and arrange an appropriate secure way to deliver them.
Review before you sign
Answer every question completely and accurately. Review all answers, representations and signature statements before signing. One sample states that the answers may be relied on in quoting and issuing the policy, that changes before the effective date must be reported, and that signing doesn’t bind either party (Philadelphia Insurance sample application, illustrative). Ask about anything you’re unsure how to answer.
Questions to ask before buying or changing coverage
- Which application applies, and what period do its claims questions cover?
- Should I compare standalone EPLI with EPLI in a package or endorsement?
- Is third-party coverage included or available?
- What limits and retention apply, and are defense costs inside the limit?
- How will a retroactive or continuity date be handled if I change insurers?
- Have I given notice of any known matters to my current insurer as required?
Talk through your needs
Melliand Insurance Agency is an independently operated insurance agency affiliated with Premier Group Insurance (PGI), a nationwide agency network. Availability of any coverage depends on your business and the insurer’s underwriting.
To discuss EPLI preparation, call (972) 346-4666 or email melliandinsurance@gmail.com. Hours are Monday–Friday, 8 AM–5 PM Central. There is no walk-in office. In-person visits are available by appointment at your home or business throughout the Dallas–Fort Worth area.
References
Sample applications (illustrative only)
Requirements vary by insurer. These samples aren’t universal requirements or confirmed current Texas offerings.
- Philadelphia Indemnity Insurance Company / Tokio Marine Specialty Insurance Company, Employment Practices Liability application, form PI-PRD-EPL New App (08/23): sample application
- Employment Practices Liability Insurance Application, form F00036 (08/2009 edition), hosted on Beazley’s website; the insurer isn’t named in the form text: sample application
This guide is general information, not legal advice or a statement of coverage, eligibility or price. Actual policy wording and application terms control. Requesting a quote does not bind coverage.