Buy Work Comp Insurance in Washington

What to Know

You are required to carry workers' compensation insurance in Washington if:

You have one or more employees working in Washington.
You’re going to work for someone else. Unless you’re an employee, you won’t be covered by their insurance policy and may need to provide proof of work comp. Are you an employee or an independent contractor? 10 ways to tell >>

Other regulations that may affect you:

Workers’ compensation insurance covers wage replacement and medical bills for employees injured on the job. To protect against other injuries at your place of business, you may need general liability insurance. Learn more about general liability >>

Where to Get It

Washington is monopolistic, which means there is no private market for workers’ compensation insurance and you must purchase it through the state fund. Please contact the Washington State Department of Labor and Industries for more information.

Factors That Impact Coverage

You are an existing business hiring its first employees: You’ll need to re-file your Business License Application with the state of Washington. Once you’ve filed your business license, the Department of Employment Security will set up your state unemployment tax account, and the Department of Labor & Industries creates your workers’ compensation account and obtains your minor work permit, if applicable.
You are a sole proprietor or partner: In Washington, you are excluded from the policy but have the option to purchase Elective Coverage for yourself.
You are a corporate officer or member of an LLC: You have the option to purchase Elective Coverage for yourself in Washington, but you may exclude yourself if you meet all of the following criteria:
- A bona fide corporate officer who also is on the board of directors and a shareholder, being elected according to the corporation’s bylaws and articles of incorporation
- Have substantial control in daily management of the corporation
- Primary duties do not include manual labor

Washington Key Resources

Regulated by the Washington Department of Labor and Industries, Insurance Services Division
(360) 902-5800
Washington workers’ compensation state law

Other Tips

If you employ workers in multiple states or your employees are temporarily working out-of-state, you need to purchase insurance for all the states where your workers are located, according to each state’s laws.

The nature of your business, number of employees being covered and past coverage and claims are all factors in how much your premium will cost. Learn more about workers' comp insurance rates >>

Here's What You Need to Get Started

To buy workers compensation insurance, you need to request a quote from a licensed insurance agent and provide some details about your business.

Here’s what to have in front of you:

Number of employees in each class code.
Total payroll for all employees. You may be able to exclude yourself if you don't wish to be covered under the policy.
Federal ID Number. If you are a sole proprietor, you can use your Social Security Number.
Copy of your workers comp insurance policy, if you've had coverage or claims in the past few years. If you know your company's experience mod, please have your experience mod rating sheet or policy in front of you. Otherwise, you will be assigned a default rating of 1.0.

Buy Workers' Compensation Insurance in Washington

Who needs to be covered by the policy, where you can buy it and how much it will cost are all mandated or influenced by state law.