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SouthEast Personnel Leasing, Inc. (SPLI) Review 2026

Workers' comp-led PEO for high-hazard trades, writing coverage through its affiliated carrier Lion Insurance Company

Founded: 1986·Best for: 5 to 500 employees (sweet spot: 10 to 150 hourly workers)·Percentage of payroll, driven largely by workers' comp class codes, quoted per client

Our take

SPLI is a workers' comp company that happens to deliver payroll and HR, and that framing explains both its strengths and its limits. For a roofing, trucking or marine contractor that keeps getting declined or quoted punitively in the standard market, the affiliated-carrier structure is a real advantage and the pay-as-you-go premium helps cash flow. We do flag that the company appears on neither the IRS CPEO list nor the ESAC accredited directory, which matters to CFOs who want the federal tax-liability shift or a bonded financial guarantee. We would benchmark an SPLI quote against a comp-friendly accredited PEO before signing, and read the comp and collateral terms in the CSA closely.

What SouthEast Personnel Leasing, Inc. (SPLI) does well

  • ✓Workers' comp written through an affiliated A.M. Best A-rated carrier, so underwriting and claims sit under one roof
  • ✓Genuinely willing to write construction, transportation, marine and other high-hazard classes many PEOs decline
  • ✓Pay-as-you-go comp premium removes audit-driven true-ups and large deposits
  • ✓Nearly four decades of operating history and a large Florida client base (the company cites 6,000+ clients and about 90,000 W-2s a year)
  • ✓In-house claims administration and safety/risk services rather than a third-party bolt-on

Watch-outs and limitations

  • ⚠Not on the IRS Certified PEO list and not ESAC-accredited
  • ⚠HR technology and self-service tooling lag the national platforms
  • ⚠Benefits menu is thinner than mid-market PEOs; the model is built around comp, payroll and risk
  • ⚠Concentrated carrier relationship means comp pricing and appetite move with one insurer

✓ Best for

• Construction and trade contractors

• Transportation and marine employers

• Staffing firms placing hourly labor

• Employers who struggle to place workers' comp in the standard market

⚠ Not ideal for

• Tech and professional-services offices wanting a modern HR platform

• Buyers who require a CPEO or ESAC-accredited provider

• Companies whose main driver is rich medical benefits

Our ratings

Technology platform2/5
Service quality3/5
Benefits access2/5
Compliance depth3/5

Quick facts

Founded
1986
Pricing model
Percentage of payroll, driven largely by workers' comp class codes, quoted per client
Typical cost
Quoted per client; not published
Best company size
5 to 500 employees
Contract flexibility
Annual agreements typical; confirm notice and exit terms in the CSA

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