New company, high EMod, or just declined? Florida construction contractors get covered through our PEO program — no deposit, no audit, same-day certificate of insurance.
Florida construction is one of the hardest industries to insure for workers' compensation. Standard carriers routinely decline construction accounts — especially roofing, framing, concrete, and demolition — due to high claim frequency, elevated injury severity, and the complexity of multi-trade worksites.
The result: thousands of Florida construction contractors either go without coverage (risking stop-work orders and six-figure fines) or pay exorbitant premiums through the Florida Workers' Compensation Joint Underwriting Association (FWCJUA) assigned risk pool. PEO workers' comp provides a third option — group coverage through a Professional Employer Organization that accepts construction accounts standard carriers won't touch.
High claim frequency
Construction accounts for 20% of all workplace fatalities in the U.S. despite being only 5% of the workforce. Florida's FWCJUA rates reflect this elevated risk.
New business / no loss history
Standard carriers require 3–5 years of loss runs. New construction companies are routinely declined, even with zero claims.
High EMod scores
One serious injury can push your Experience Modification Rate above 1.5, making standard market placement impossible.
Subcontractor exposure
GCs who use uninsured subs can be held responsible for those workers under Florida law. This creates liability that standard carriers price out of reach.
Seasonal payroll swings
Construction payroll fluctuates dramatically. Standard annual policies create large audit bills when payroll exceeds projections.
A Professional Employer Organization (PEO) enters into a co-employment relationship with your construction company. Your workers are co-employed by the PEO, which means they are covered under the PEO's master workers' compensation policy — a large group policy that spreads risk across hundreds of employers and qualifies for rates that individual construction companies cannot access on their own.
For Florida construction contractors, this means:
No deposit required
Traditional construction policies require 25–33% deposit — often $5,000–$25,000 upfront. PEO has zero deposit.
No prior loss history needed
New construction companies qualify on day one. No 3-year loss run requirement.
Same-day COI
Certificate of Insurance issued the same day you enroll. Meet GC requirements immediately.
Pay-as-you-go billing
Premium calculated each payroll run based on actual wages. No annual audit surprises.
High EMod accepted
PEO group programs accept contractors with elevated EMod scores that standard carriers decline.
Multi-trade coverage
Cover multiple class codes under one policy — roofing, framing, concrete, electrical — all under one PEO enrollment.
Workers' comp premiums for Florida construction are based on NCCI class codes. Each trade has a specific rate per $100 of payroll. PEO workers' comp uses the same FWCJUA base rates as standard policies — the advantage is access, not rate manipulation.
| Class Code | Trade | Rate/$100 |
|---|---|---|
| 5551 | Roofing | $6.752 |
| 5645 | Residential Carpentry / Framing | $7.689 |
| 5445 | Drywall / Wallboard Installation | $8.120 |
| 5183 | Plumbing | $3.450 |
| 5190 | Electrical Wiring | $2.890 |
| 5213 | Concrete Construction | $4.120 |
| 5403 | Carpentry (Commercial) | $5.230 |
| 5606 | Contractor Supervisor / Superintendent | $2.150 |
2026 FWCJUA base rates. Actual premium may vary. Contact us for a specific quote.
A roofing contractor in Broward County with 6 workers earning an average of $1,200/week each:
Weekly Payroll
$7,200
6 workers × $1,200
Weekly WC Premium
$486
$7,200 × $6.752/$100
Annual Premium
~$25,272
No deposit. No audit.
With a traditional policy, this contractor would need to pay $6,300–$8,400 as a deposit before coverage starts. With PEO, coverage starts immediately with zero deposit — premium is deducted each payroll run.
Florida has some of the strictest workers' compensation enforcement in the United States. The Florida Division of Workers' Compensation (DWC) conducts random worksite inspections and issues stop-work orders to construction companies operating without proper coverage.
All construction employers must cover all employees
Florida construction employers must carry workers' comp for every employee, regardless of headcount. The 4-employee threshold that applies to non-construction industries does not apply to construction.
Stop-work orders are immediate and public
The DWC posts stop-work orders on its public website. A stop-work order halts all operations until coverage is obtained and a penalty of 2× the premium that would have been owed is paid.
GCs are liable for uninsured subcontractors
If a subcontractor working on your site does not have workers' comp, you as the general contractor can be held responsible for any injuries to that subcontractor's employees. Always require certificates of insurance from every sub.
Exemptions do not cover employees
A workers' comp exemption only covers the business owner who filed it. If you have any employees, you must carry workers' comp for them regardless of whether you have an exemption for yourself.
Yes. Florida law requires all construction employers — including those with just one employee — to carry workers' comp coverage. This applies to all construction trades: roofing, framing, concrete, electrical, plumbing, drywall, and more. There is no minimum headcount exemption for construction in Florida.
Yes, through a PEO program. Standard carriers require 3–5 years of loss runs and decline new construction businesses. PEO workers' comp does not require prior loss history. You can enroll and receive a Certificate of Insurance the same day you start your construction company.
The 2026 FWCJUA base rate for roofing (class code 5551) in Florida is $6.752 per $100 of payroll. For a roofing crew earning $10,000/week, that is approximately $675/week in workers' comp premium. PEO pay-as-you-go billing means you pay this weekly based on actual payroll — no annual deposit or audit.
Yes. General contractors can enroll in PEO workers' comp and receive coverage for their direct employees. The PEO program also allows GCs to require certificates of insurance from subcontractors, reducing their exposure for uninsured sub labor. GCs with multiple class codes (supervisors, laborers, specialty trades) can cover all workers under one PEO enrollment.
PEO pay-as-you-go workers' comp handles seasonal payroll fluctuations automatically. Each payroll run, premium is calculated based on actual wages paid. Slow months mean lower premiums; busy months mean higher premiums. There is no annual audit to reconcile because billing is always based on actual payroll. This eliminates the large audit bills that construction companies often face with traditional annual policies.
Yes. PEO workers' comp is specifically designed for construction accounts that standard carriers decline. Prior declines, new business status, high EMod, or high-risk trade (roofing, demolition, structural steel) do not disqualify you from PEO enrollment. Same-day COI issuance is available even for accounts that have been declined multiple times.
Florida construction company? Get a workers' comp quote in 2 minutes. No deposit, no audit, certificate of insurance issued the same day.