Workers' comp coverage in 15 minutes.

A ghost policy (also called a minimum-premium policy) is a workers' comp policy where the owner is listed but excluded from coverage. It produces a real, legitimate certificate of insurance that general contractors accept — without the cost of full payroll-based coverage. It's designed for sole proprietors with no employees who need a COI to satisfy GC requirements.

Pay-as-you-go workers' comp ties your premium to actual payroll each pay period instead of requiring a large upfront payment based on estimated annual payroll. After each payroll run, your premium is calculated on what you actually paid in wages and debited automatically. It eliminates audit surprises and is easier on cash flow for contractors with variable workloads.

Workers' comp rates for contractors vary by trade, state, payroll size, and loss history. Roofing is the most expensive (often $10–$25 per $100 of payroll); electrical and plumbing are moderate ($4–$12). Ghost policies typically cost $800–$2,500 per year. The only way to know your exact rate is to get a quote — which takes about 15 minutes.

It depends on your state and your work situation. Most states exempt sole proprietors with no employees from mandatory workers' comp — but if a general contractor requires proof of insurance before you can work on their job site, you'll need a ghost policy or a real WC policy. We help sole proprietors figure out the right option for their specific situation.

A regular workers' comp policy covers your employees for on-the-job injuries. A ghost policy covers no one — the owner is listed on the policy but excluded from benefits. The ghost policy exists solely to produce a certificate of insurance that satisfies GC requirements. If you have actual employees, they need real workers' comp coverage.

Call us with your business information, trade, and payroll details. We'll get you a quote in about 15 minutes, and once you approve it and make your first payment, coverage binds and we issue your ACORD 25 certificate immediately. The certificate is emailed to you and any certificate holders you specify.

Your experience modification rate (EMR or X-mod) compares your actual loss history to the expected losses for your trade and payroll size. An EMR of 1.00 is average. Below 1.00 means lower losses and a discount; above 1.00 means higher losses and a surcharge. A high mod increases your premium. We work with contractors at all mod levels, including high-mod and hard-to-place risks.

Yes. We have access to specialty carriers, surplus lines markets, and state assigned risk plans for contractors with high experience mods. A high mod means higher rates, but it doesn't mean you can't get coverage. Call us and we'll find a market for your situation.

Every state has an assigned risk pool — a market of last resort where coverage is guaranteed but rates are set by the state (usually higher than the standard market). If the standard market won't write you, assigned risk ensures you can still get coverage. We place contractors in assigned risk when necessary, but always shop the standard market first.

In many states, yes. States like California require proof of workers' comp as part of the contractor licensing process through the CSLB. We help contractors get the right coverage to meet their licensing board's requirements.

A Professional Employer Organization (PEO) co-employs your workers and places them under the PEO's master workers' comp policy. This can provide access to coverage for high-risk trades, but comes with co-employment, PEO markup on rates, and loss of control over your own WC policy. A PEO alternative is a standalone WC policy in your own name — more control, no markup, and you own your loss history.

Workers' comp class codes vary by trade and state. Common contractor codes include 5551 (roofing), 5645 (framing/carpentry), 5183 (plumbing), 5190 (electrical), 5445 (drywall), 5474 (painting), and 5537 (HVAC). Using the wrong code can mean overpayment or an audit surprise. We verify your class codes as part of the quoting process.

At the end of your policy year, the carrier audits your actual payroll against the estimate you gave when the policy started. If you paid more in wages than estimated, you owe additional premium. If you paid less, you get a refund. Pay-as-you-go eliminates most audit surprises because the carrier gets real payroll data after each pay period.

Yes. Our audit defense service helps contractors review their audit for misclassified employees, incorrectly allocated payroll, missing subcontractor certificates, and other issues that inflate the audit bill. If you've received a large audit bill, call us before you pay it.

Most do. The ACORD 25 certificate from a ghost policy shows active workers' comp coverage — which is what most GCs require. Occasionally a GC's own insurance carrier will require documentation showing actual employee coverage, but this is uncommon. We can help you evaluate whether a ghost policy will satisfy your specific GC's requirements.

A waiver of subrogation is a workers' comp endorsement that prevents your carrier from seeking reimbursement from the general contractor if a worker is injured and the GC is partly at fault. Many GCs require a waiver of subrogation endorsement on your workers' comp certificate. We add this endorsement same day when required.

All 50 states. Contractors Choice Agency is licensed in every state and has markets for contractor workers' comp regardless of your state, trade, or experience level.

About 15 minutes for most contractor trades. Have your trade type, estimated annual payroll, number of employees, and states where you work ready when you call. For hard-to-place risks or very large payrolls, we may need a day or two to involve the right markets.

Trade type, business name and FEIN (or SSN for sole props), estimated annual payroll, number of employees, states where you operate, and loss runs from the past 3–5 years if available. Loss runs aren't always required for smaller accounts, but they help us find you the best rate.