California Workers' Comp.
Reviewed. Done Right.
Generally required for California employers with one or more employees. We structure cost-effective WC programs tailored to your industry, payroll, and claims history — across multiple carrier markets.
California Workers' Comp Penalties Can Be Serious
Operating without required coverage can trigger serious enforcement consequences. California regulators can audit and enforce compliance across industries.
What Workers' Comp Covers
Five benefits required by California law
California workers' compensation benefits are defined by state law. Here's what every policy must provide.
Medical Treatment
All reasonable and necessary medical care for work injuries — emergency care, doctor visits, surgery, hospitalization, physical therapy, and prescriptions.
Temporary Disability
Wage replacement while unable to work due to injury — typically 60-70% of pre-injury average weekly wage up to California's maximum weekly benefit.
Permanent Disability
Compensation for lasting impairment resulting from a work injury. Calculated based on a disability rating from a treating physician under California's rating system.
Job Displacement Voucher
If the employee cannot return to their previous job due to permanent injury, they receive a training/retraining voucher — often up to $6,000 in California when eligibility applies.
Death Benefits
If a work injury results in death, California law requires payments to dependents. Burial and dependency benefits may apply under California rules.
Employer Liability Shield
Workers' comp protects the employer from most employee injury lawsuits. The exclusive-remedy rule generally limits many employee injury lawsuits when coverage is properly in place.
Understanding your workers' comp cost
California WC premiums follow a specific formula. Understanding each component helps you manage costs.
Classify Employees by Job Code
Each job type has an NCCI class code. Lower-hazard clerical roles generally price far differently from higher-hazard trades like roofing. Accurate classification is critical.
Apply Your Experience Modifier
Your claims history vs. industry average. Below 1.0 saves money. Above 1.0 costs more. We review your e-mod for errors.
Apply Credits and Discounts
Safety programs, schedule credits, and carrier underwriting credits may reduce premium when available.
Year-End Payroll Audit
Final premium adjusts at year-end to actual payroll. Pay-as-you-go options eliminate large audit bills.
Experience Modification Factor
Your e-mod is the biggest lever
on your WC premium
The experience modifier can materially reduce or increase your premium based entirely on your claims history.
How to Improve Your E-Mod
Strategies to lower your experience modifier
Implement a Formal Safety Program
Document safety training, conduct regular inspections, and maintain a written IIPP (required in California for all employers). Carriers reward documented programs with premium credits.
Establish a Return-to-Work Program
Modified or light-duty work for injured employees reduces temporary disability claim duration — the largest driver of claim costs and e-mod increases.
Review Your WCIRB Unit Stat Report
E-mod data can contain errors. We review your unit statistical report for misclassifications, incorrect payroll, or erroneous claims that may be inflating your modifier.
Manage Open Claims Aggressively
Open claims carry more e-mod weight than closed claims. Working to manage claims promptly — through return-to-work or appropriate claim resolution — may improve your future modifier.
Verify Employee Classification Accuracy
Misclassified employees in high-rate codes drive up premium unnecessarily. We review your class codes to ensure every employee is correctly classified.
By Industry
Workers' comp for your specific industry
Every industry has different risks, class codes, and carriers. Select yours to see what matters most.
Contractors & Construction — Workers' Comp Overview
Common Risks & Claims
Coverage Considerations
Serving All of California
Workers' comp for every California employer
Serving employers in every California county — from single-employee businesses to large multi-location operations.
FAQ
California workers' comp explained
Yes. California Labor Code § 3700 requires all employers with one or more employees to carry workers' comp — including part-time and seasonal workers. Operating without it is a serious penalties, stop-work orders, and liability exposure.
Formula: (Payroll ÷ 100) × Class Code Rate × Experience Modifier = Premium. Rates vary dramatically — office workers under $0.50/$100 to roofers over $30/$100. The experience modifier adjusts your premium up or down based on your claims history vs. industry average.
The e-mod multiplies your premium based on your actual claims vs. similar businesses. 1.0 is average. 0.80 saves 20% on premium. 1.25 adds 25%. California e-mods are calculated by the WCIRB. We review your unit stat report for errors that may be inflating your modifier.
Often yes. Under AB5, misclassified workers may be deemed employees, making you responsible for their coverage. Even properly classified independent contractors — if uninsured — can create liability if injured on your job site. Request certificates of insurance from subcontractors and review classification carefully.
SCIF is California's state-operated workers' comp carrier and insurer of last resort — available to any employer. For some high-risk industries or businesses with difficult claims history, State Fund may be an important option to review. For most businesses, private carriers offer more competitive rates. We compare both.
Key strategies: implement a formal safety program and written IIPP, establish a return-to-work program, verify accurate employee class codes, review your e-mod for WCIRB errors, manage open claims actively, and compare appropriate available markets through Bollinsure. Meaningful savings may be achievable depending on payroll, class codes, claims history, and carrier appetite.
Immediately: get medical care, file a DWC-1 claim form within one working day of learning of the injury, report to your workers' comp carrier, and provide the employee their rights information. Prompt reporting is legally required in California and reduces claim costs.
Major California WC carriers include ICW Group, The Hartford, Travelers, AmTrust, Markel, EMPLOYERS, Zenith National, and the State Compensation Insurance Fund. The right carrier depends on your industry, payroll, and claims history. Bollinsure compares available markets.
Ready for a Better Rate?
Complimentary workers' compensation review.
For California employers.
We review classifications, experience modification, claims, payroll, and appropriate available markets—with no obligation to change coverage.
The complete workers' compensation guide.
How the California mandate works, the penalties for going without, how premium and your experience modification (X-Mod) are calculated, and what benefits injured workers receive.