9 insurersFigures checked 2026-10-26
Workers’ comp insurance cost for a small crew
Workers’ comp is required in most states once you hire. Here is what insurers publish for small businesses and contractors, and the formula every quote uses.
We are not an insurance agent. Prices are what each company publishes; your quote will differ. Premiums depend on your trade, state, payroll, limits, deductible, vehicles and claims history. We never produce quotes.
Affiliate disclosure: Some insurers run affiliate programs. Every insurer link on this page is a plain link to the company’s own site today; if we join a program, those links will be marked sponsored. It never changes the figures or the order we show. Details
Published starting prices
Insurers listed A–Z, not ranked.
| Insurer | Published figure |
|---|---|
| ERGO NEXTDirect insurer (sells online) | From$14/moSource |
| The HartfordInsurer | From$13/moSource |
What customers paid
Insurers listed A–Z, not ranked.
| Insurer | Published figure |
|---|---|
| InsureonOnline agency (compares insurers) | Median$160/moContractors · $1,916/yr as published · Source |
| Progressive CommercialInsurer | Median$76/mo2025; average $121/mo · Source |
| Simply BusinessOnline agency (compares insurers) | Median$132/moGeneral contractors, Jul-Dec 2025 · $1,584/yr as published · Source |
| The HartfordInsurer | Average$81/moCustomers with <$300k payroll · Source |
Simply Business 10th percentile
Insurers listed A–Z, not ranked.
| Insurer | Published figure |
|---|---|
| Simply BusinessOnline agency (compares insurers) | From · 10th pct$38.91/moSource |
From · 10th pct Simply Business “from” figures are the 10th percentile of the policies it sold, not a floor: one in ten customers paid less, nine in ten paid more.
Quote only biBERK, Hiscox, Pie Insurance: no published price on the pages we checked.
How a workers’ comp premium is worked out
Premium = class-code rate × (payroll ÷ 100) × experience mod. The rate depends on your state and the job class code (roofing costs more than cleaning). The experience mod is 1.00 for a new business; past claims push it up. Insurers then add fees and minimum premiums.
State limits: Progressive Commercial notes “GL: all states except HI; no WC in OH, ND, WA, WY”.
Buying workers’ comp through payroll
Gusto offers workers’ comp as a payroll add-on through ERGO NEXT: From$14/mo (“Starting at $14/mo via NEXT”, Gusto checked 2026-10-19). See Gusto payroll pricing and the payroll calculator.
More business insurance costs
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- Commercial auto cost
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- Handyman insurance cost
- Cleaning business insurance cost
- Landscaping insurance cost
- NEXT vs Hiscox
- Hiscox vs biBERK (+ NEXT)
- NEXT vs Thimble vs Simply Business
All figures from each company’s own pages, checked 2026-10-26. We are not an insurance agent and do not sell or recommend coverage; check what your state and your clients require. How we check prices