- Workers' Compensation Insurance can pay for three things when an employee is injured at work: medical bills, recovery costs, and partial missed wages. If an employee dies, Workers' Comp can cover funeral costs and benefits to the worker's family. Depending on state laws and contract requirements, you may need this policy to cover employees, contractors, freelancers, or even yourself. Injuries cost small businesses in lost productivity. Without insurance, those costs would be compounded by employee medical expenses and missed wages.