California Workers’ Compensation Insurance
If someone on your team gets hurt or sick because of their job, workers’ comp can help pay for medical care and replace part of their wages while they recover, if they qualify. We’ll walk you through what to look for in a quote and what to expect when your insurer reviews your payroll.
Request a Workers’ Comp Quote
What does workers’ comp cover?
Medical treatment
Helps pay for medical care when someone gets hurt or sick because of work.Temporary disability
Helps replace part of an eligible employee’s pay while they recover and can’t do their usual work.Permanent disability
May provide benefits if a work injury or illness leaves a lasting impairment.Job displacement
Can help eligible employees pay for training to learn new job skills.Death benefits
Can help eligible dependents financially if a worker dies from a job-related injury or illness.Employers liability
Can help protect your business if an employee brings certain lawsuits over a work injury. Your policy spells out what it covers.
Who needs coverage?
Have even one employee, including someone who works part-time? California generally requires you to carry workers’ comp. Whether you can exclude yourself as an owner depends on how your business is set up and whether you qualify. If you pay someone as an independent contractor, their title or contract alone doesn’t settle whether they count as an employee.
Work for yourself? CSLB still requires coverage for these contractor license classifications even if you have no employees: C-8 Concrete, C-20 HVAC, C-22 Asbestos Abatement, C-39 Roofing, and C-61/D-49 Tree Service.
California DIR · CSLBNo employees? Ask about ghost policy options.
If you work alone and need proof of workers’ comp for a license or contract, you may hear the term “ghost policy.” It usually means a workers’ comp policy for a qualifying business with no employees or employee payroll. Ask whether the policy covers you as the owner. The insurer can still audit it, so let your agent know if you hire anyone or start using subcontractors whose work may affect your policy.
Request a Workers’ Comp QuoteWorkers’ compensation premium audits
A lower bill upfront can come from a lower payroll estimate. Compare the rates and payroll assumptions before you choose.
When your policy starts, the insurer often bills you based on what you expect to pay your team. After the policy term, it generally checks what you actually paid, the work your employees did, and any other exposures that apply. Depending on your policy and what the audit finds, you could owe more or get some premium back.
Records your insurer may request
- IRS Form 941 and California DE 9 and DE 9C
- Payroll registers and job duty breakdowns
- Profit and loss statements
- Subcontractor invoices and certificates of insurance
Your insurer will tell you which records it needs. Keeping payroll and subcontractor records as you go makes them easier to pull together at audit time.
Ready for a quote?
Tell us what your business does and roughly what you expect to pay your team this year. We’ll help you compare your options and explain what goes into each quote.
Workers’ comp for the way you work
From restaurant kitchens and retail shops to offices and jobsites, tell us what your team does so we can help you review your options.
Workers’ comp guides
Pick the question you’re working through today.
Who needs workers’ comp in California?
What to check when you hire your first employee or work under a contractor license.
What is a workers’ comp ghost policy?
What contractors who work alone should know before requesting proof of coverage.
How workers’ comp premium audits work
What the carrier checks, what to gather, and what to do if the numbers look off.
How is my workers’ comp premium calculated?
A plain-language look at payroll, classification rates, and what to compare in a quote.
Monthly payroll reporting vs. traditional billing
How each option handles payroll and what to ask about the final audit.