• Why does my workers’ comp premium vary so much between quotes from different carriers?

    Published On: May 11, 2026
    92 words0.5 min read

    Because workers’ comp carriers have dramatically different appetites for different class codes, account sizes, and industries. A carrier specializing in light-clerical office accounts will price an accounting firm aggressively but quote a roofing contractor sky-high (if they’ll quote at all). Another carrier specializing in construction will be the opposite. An independent agent’s job is to know which carriers are currently competitive

  • As an owner / corporate officer, do I have to cover myself under workers’ comp?

    Published On: May 11, 2026
    97 words0.5 min read

    In all three jurisdictions, sole proprietors, partners, and certain corporate officers can elect in or out of their own coverage. The decision is genuinely a financial trade-off: excluding yourself reduces your premium but leaves you personally without workers’ comp benefits if you’re injured on the job — meaning you’d have to rely on personal disability insurance and personal health

  • What happens at the workers’ comp audit at the end of the policy year?

    Published On: May 11, 2026
    103 words0.5 min read

    At policy expiration, your carrier conducts a premium audit — comparing the payroll you estimated at the start of the policy to the actual payroll paid during the year. If actual payroll exceeded the estimate, you’ll owe additional premium. If it came in lower, you may receive a refund. Audits also review class-code assignments. Common audit findings that increase premium:

  • What is an experience modifier (e-mod) and why does it matter?

    Published On: May 11, 2026
    109 words0.5 min read

    The experience modifier is a numerical multiplier applied to your workers’ comp premium based on your three-year claims history compared to the industry average for your class codes. A mod of 1.00 means average; below 1.00 is a credit (you pay less); above 1.00 is a debit (you pay more). The mod is calculated by the National Council on Compensation Insurance (NCCI) for

  • Are 1099 contractors covered by my workers’ comp policy?

    Published On: May 11, 2026
    109 words0.5 min read

    Not by default — and this is where a lot of small employers get into trouble. True independent contractors carry their own workers’ comp (or are exempt as sole proprietors). However, all three jurisdictions in our service area apply a multi-factor “right-to-control” test that can re-classify 1099 contractors as employees for workers’ comp purposes, regardless of how the

  • Is workers’ compensation insurance required by law in DC, Maryland, and Virginia?

    Published On: May 11, 2026
    145 words0.7 min read

    Yes, in all three — with different thresholds and exemption rules: Washington, DC: Required for all employers with 1 or more employees, full-time or part-time. Domestic workers earning under a low threshold are typically exempt; certain casual labor is exempt. Maryland: Required for all employers with 1 or more employees, full- or part-time, with limited exceptions (some agricultural workers, certain domestic employees, very