This site has workers comp pages for 21 contractor trades in California, Arizona and Nevada, grouped below into building, mechanical and site work. Find your trade below: each hub compares the three states, and most link to a California page with the published classifications, premium drivers and audit records for that trade.
Building trades. Crews that put up and finish the structure.
Mechanical, electrical and low voltage. Trades that run power, water, air and signal through a building.
Site work and outdoor trades. Crews that move earth, pour, lay, plant and fence.
Contractor payroll rarely stays where the estimate put it. A bigger job, a new crew or a sub without a certificate can turn the year-end audit into a bill you didn't plan for.
The premium audit guide covers the records an auditor typically asks for and how to dispute a bill.
In California, the WCIRB publishes classifications that mention each trade's work, and several trades, from carpentry and wallboard to electrical, plumbing and concrete, are split by hourly wage. A contractor whose crews do more than one kind of work may report more than one classification. In Arizona and Nevada, NCCI's system applies instead, and no California code transfers. The WCIRB class codes for contractors list shows each trade's published classifications, and Crown Your Crew lays out your crew class by class from your current codes. Classification depends on actual duties and the carrier's determination.
Have your payroll by trade, your renewal month, your owners' roles and a list of the subs you paid. If last year's audit brought a surprise, the what happens at a premium audit guide explains how to review it. Then get a workers comp quote for contractors; a broker reviews every request.
Send your trade, state and payroll, and a broker reviews the request. If you would rather talk first, leave a number.
Swipe or use the arrows for every answer.
Start with the trade that carries most of your field payroll, then read the hub for any other work your crews do. Payroll is often split across more than one classification when the work is separate and records support it, and the carrier makes the final determination.
Each state treats an uncovered sub differently. California presumes unlicensed help on licensed work is your employee, Arizona may count a sub's crew on your policy when the work is within your trade and under your control, and Nevada treats subs as employees of the principal contractor. A current certificate from each sub helps at audit. The guide to workers compensation insurance and independent contractors walks through each state.
Yes. Each trade hub explains how its trade is handled in Arizona and Nevada next to California, including the license class where it is verified and the state rule that matters most. The state pages go deeper into each state's owner, payroll and contractor rules.
The carrier generally handles covered workers comp claims and may provide defense through counsel it appoints for certain proceedings. The scope depends on the policy, the law and the dispute. It doesn't necessarily include an attorney for unrelated employment or regulatory matters.
Not without checking the cost first. Canceling mid-term can bring a cancellation charge, the old policy still gets a final audit, and certificates on active jobs need updating. A broker can compare the new premium against those costs before you decide.
There isn't one best policy for every small contractor. The better fit is usually a carrier rated A- or better by AM Best that writes your trade's classifications in your state, offers the payroll reporting and payment options you need, and handles claims the way you expect. Workmans comp for contractors is also settled at audit, so clean payroll records and sub certificates can matter as much as the rate. Compare workers comp insurance quotes side by side, or call to talk it through.
6 official sources, every one checked
Reviewed by David Gleason, Principal, on .
Next Level Experience. Insurance Done Right.
Contractor workers comp, trade by trade, across California, Arizona and Nevada.
Type a question or topic, like class codes or plumbers. Results appear as you type.
