When to Get Workers' Comp Insurance

Q: Is a New York City apartment building owner required to buy a workers' compensation insurance policy even if she has only one employee?

A: Yes. Under New York State law, residential building owners are required to buy a workers' compensation insurance policy even if they have only one employee.

Even if an owner contracts with a management company to provide, for example, a superintendent for the building, the owner is still required to obtain workers' compensation coverage for that employee. That's because the superintendent can be considered the employee of either the owner or the management company, or both, because each controls the superintendent's activities.