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What should workers' comp cost your business?

See what restaurants and contractors like yours pay, from published figures for your state, trade and payroll. Then estimate your own premium from your rate and experience mod.

Choose your state, type of business and payroll to see published figures for businesses like yours.

Estimate your own premium

Workers' comp is priced per $100 of payroll. Your rate is on your quote or policy, next to each class code. If you have more than one class (for example kitchen staff and an office manager), run each class separately.

From your quote or policy declarations.

Leave blank if you do not have one (1.00).

Enter your payroll and rate to estimate your premium.

Want a real number for your business?

A licensed Aiden specialist checks your class codes and payroll split, then shops your workers' comp across carriers. Your estimator choices are sent with your request.

Prefer to talk? Call (650) 292-2812

What drives premium

Three things set your workers' comp bill

Averages are a starting point. These are what turn them into your number.

Payroll by job class

Premium is a rate per $100 of payroll, and each job class has its own rate. A cook and a bookkeeper at the same restaurant are rated very differently, so payroll split by role matters.

Your state and class codes

Rates are set state by state, by NCCI or a state rating bureau, and Ohio and Washington sell coverage only through state funds. The same payroll can cost several times more in one state than another.

Your experience mod

Once you have enough history, your claims are compared with similar businesses. A mod below 1.00 lowers premium; above 1.00 raises it, for three policy years per claim.

Premium = Payroll ÷ 100 × Class rate × Experience mod

The standard workers' comp formula, as The Hartford explains it. Run it once per class code and add the results. For restaurant class codes and state rules, see our restaurant workers' comp guide.

FAQ

Workers' comp cost questions, answered

Premium is your class rate per $100 of payroll, times payroll divided by 100, times your experience mod. The Hartford explains the same formula. A real policy then adds minimum premiums, fees and taxes, and may apply schedule credits or premium discounts.
The Hartford reports that its restaurant customers pay an average of $155 a month, or $1,863 a year, and NEXT reports a median of $160 a month for its restaurant customers. Your own premium depends on payroll, class codes, state and experience mod.
Insureon reports typical monthly costs among its customers of $196 for general contractors, $182 for HVAC contractors, $179 for plumbers, $175 for roofers and $140 for electricians. These are mostly small businesses with fewer than five employees.
Each publisher measures a different group of customers, uses averages or medians, and covers different years. They are reference points, not a price. Your payroll and class codes decide your premium, which is why the estimator also calculates from your own rate.
On your workers' comp quote or policy declarations, next to each class code. If you have more than one class code, each has its own rate, so estimate each class separately and add them together.
Most states require it once you have employees, but the threshold varies. California requires it with one employee, Georgia and Virginia at three, Florida at four for non-construction businesses, and Texas lets most private employers choose. Our restaurant workers' comp guide has a table for all 16 states where Aiden is licensed.
It is free and needs no signup. Your numbers stay in your browser. They are only sent to Aiden if you ask a specialist for a quote.
Workers' comp

A real number starts with the right class codes.

Aiden's AI watches your risk year-round, and a licensed specialist checks your class codes and payroll split, then places your workers' comp with the best-fit carrier.

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