Straight answers.No sales dance.
Workers comp is full of jargon. Here's everything we get asked most, answered plainly — because you shouldn't have to fight your insurance agent to understand your own policy.
Getting a quote
Fast. Your quote doesn't sit at the bottom of a stack — we work on it until we get it done. If you need it today for a contract bid, say so in the form and we'll prioritize.
No. A quote is a quote. You can get one, think it over, shop it around, and come back in a week. We'll still write it if the number still makes sense for you.
State, trade, employee count, estimated annual payroll, and a phone number. That's the core. If you have current declarations pages or loss runs, great — but we can get started without them.
No. We're a licensed agent. We quote you, we write you, we handle your policy. You'll be talking to a real person who knows your state and your trade.
The basics of workers comp
A state-regulated insurance policy that covers medical costs and lost wages when your employees get hurt on the job. Most states require it for any employer with W-2 staff. It protects your employees AND protects you from lawsuits over on-the-job injuries.
No. GL covers damage or injury to third parties (customers, clients, bystanders). Workers comp covers injuries to YOUR employees. Most businesses need both — we write both, plus commercial auto and umbrella when you need to package coverage.
Medical treatment for on-the-job injuries, rehab, lost-wage replacement for injured employees, death benefits, and defense costs if claims turn into lawsuits. It also funds the state's workers comp system.
Usually not required by law if you have no employees. But any commercial GC hiring you will almost always require a cert, and your own medical is uncovered if you get hurt on the job. Many sole props buy a minimum policy for both reasons.
Class codes and rates
A three- or four-digit code that classifies the type of work you do. Each code has a base rate (dollars per $100 of payroll). NCCI publishes them nationally; states modify them with their own factors.
5606 is Contractor Executive Supervisor. It's the code for owners/project managers who manage rather than swing tools. Splitting payroll between 5606 (supervisor rate) and your actual trade code (higher rate) can save you money if the classification is legit.
Fall fatalities. Roofing has the highest injury and fatality rate of any trade classification, so NCCI prices it accordingly. It's not about you — it's about industry-wide loss data.
A multiplier applied to your base rate based on your last 3 years of claims. 1.0 is average. Clean history = below 1.0 (save money). Bad history = above 1.0 (pay more). Mod is the single biggest variable in your premium after payroll.
Time. Safety program. Clean claims for 3+ years. We can also audit whether your claims are being reported correctly — sometimes a miscoded claim inflates mod unfairly.
State requirements
Most states require workers comp once you hit a threshold employee count — typically 1 employee for construction-industry trades, and 3 to 5 employees for non-construction businesses. Sole proprietors, partners, and LLC members can often elect out of coverage on themselves. Tell us your state and your structure and we'll give you the specific threshold.
Often not legally required. But any commercial GC hiring you will almost always require a current certificate of insurance regardless of crew size. Many solo contractors buy a minimum policy specifically for the cert.
In most state systems, yes — unless the sub carries their own workers comp policy and shows you a valid certificate of insurance. Always collect the cert before work starts; the audit will catch missing certs at policy end.
Audits, renewals, and claims
At the end of your policy year, the carrier reviews your actual payroll vs. what you estimated. Underestimated = you owe the difference. Overestimated = refund. We help you estimate honestly so audit surprises don't happen.
We still want the call. Non-renewals happen — market conditions, claims history, carrier exits. We have carriers who specialize in non-standard accounts and we'll tell you up front if we can help.
Report to us (or the carrier directly) within 24 hours. Get them medical care. Document everything. We'll walk you through the paperwork. Fast reporting almost always results in better claim outcomes and lower long-term mod impact.
Any claim impacts mod for 3 years. Small medical-only claims impact less than lost-time claims. Don't hide claims — they always come out on audit. Just report honestly and move on.
Who we are
Licensed agent. We represent specific carriers and can actually quote you — not just pass your info to someone who will.
Because workers comp for trades is a specialty and most generalist agents don't know it well. Class codes, experience mods, state-fund mechanics, premium audit math — we do this every day. Comp is what we lead with because most insurance shops don't.
We write all of it. Workers comp is the specialty, but we're a full commercial agency for trade contractors — GL, commercial auto, commercial umbrella, and the other commercial coverages you actually need. Same agency, same straight talk.