No annual audit. Same-day certificate of insurance. Pay only for the payroll you actually run. If you work in roofing, construction, towing, trucking, agriculture, home health, or staffing — this guide explains why PEO is the coverage solution built for your industry.
PEO workers comp is workers' compensation insurance issued under a Professional Employer Organization's master policy. Instead of buying a standalone policy in your company's name, your business enrolls under the PEO's existing policy. This gives you access to the PEO's carrier relationships, pooled risk, and pay-as-you-go billing — regardless of your industry, claims history, or how long you've been in business.
The four core advantages over a traditional policy are: (1) no annual audit — premium is calculated on actual payroll each pay period; (2) same-day certificate of insurance — no underwriting delay; (3) no large upfront deposit — only a $875 one-time setup fee; and (4) coverage for hard-to-place industries that traditional carriers decline.
PEO workers comp is the primary solution for contractors in Florida, California, and New York who work in high-hazard trades or have been declined by standard market carriers.
Each of these advantages solves a specific problem that traditional workers comp creates for small contractors.
Every traditional workers comp policy ends with an audit. The insurance company compares the payroll you estimated at the start of the year to what you actually paid. If your business grew — you hired more workers, took on more jobs, ran more payroll — you owe the difference. That bill can be $5,000, $20,000, or more, and it arrives without warning at the end of the year.
With PEO workers comp, there is no audit because there is nothing to reconcile. You report your actual payroll every pay period — weekly, bi-weekly, or semi-monthly — and pay premium on those exact wages. If you ran $40,000 in payroll this month, you pay premium on $40,000. If you ran $10,000 next month, you pay on $10,000. The premium tracks your actual business activity in real time.
Result: No surprise year-end bill. No cash flow crisis. No audit stress. Your workers comp cost is predictable every single month.
A general contractor calls you on Monday morning. The job starts Tuesday. They need a certificate of insurance showing workers comp coverage before you can step on the site. With a traditional policy, you call your agent, they contact the carrier, the carrier processes the endorsement, and you might have your COI by Thursday — if you're lucky. The job goes to someone else.
With PEO workers comp at Comp Ninjas, your certificate of insurance is issued the same day you enroll — typically within 2 hours. Because you are being added to an existing master policy, there is no underwriting review, no waiting for a new policy to be issued. The certificate is generated immediately and emailed directly to you and any additional insureds.
Result: You never lose a job because your insurance paperwork wasn't ready. Start working the same day you enroll.
If you are a roofer, a towing company, a construction contractor, a trucking company, an agricultural employer, a home health agency, or a staffing company — you have probably been told "we can't write that" by a standard insurance carrier. These industries have high injury rates, high claims costs, or complex classification rules that make them unprofitable for traditional carriers to insure.
PEO workers comp was built specifically for these industries. Because the PEO pools hundreds of employers across many industries, the risk is spread across the entire book of business. A single roofing contractor's claims history does not determine their rate — the PEO's overall loss ratio does. This is why PEO can offer coverage to employers that the standard market declines.
Result: Coverage available even if you have been declined by 3 other carriers. New businesses accepted — no seasoning requirement.
A traditional workers comp policy for a roofing contractor in Florida typically requires a deposit of 25–50% of the estimated annual premium — paid upfront before coverage begins. On a $30,000 annual premium, that is $7,500 to $15,000 out of pocket before you've worked a single day. For a small contractor, that is often impossible.
With PEO workers comp at Comp Ninjas, the only upfront cost is the $875 setup fee. After that, you pay premium each payroll run based on your actual wages. No large deposit. No minimum annual premium. No penalty for slow months. The billing is simple: payroll × rate = premium, calculated automatically each pay period.
Result: Start covered for $875. No large deposit. Billing scales with your actual payroll — you never pay for coverage you didn't use.
This comparison is based on real-world experience with Florida, California, and New York contractors in hard-to-place industries.
| Feature | PEO Workers Comp (Comp Ninjas) | Traditional Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Annual audit | None — pay-as-you-go | Required — can result in large year-end bill |
| Certificate of insurance | Same day (often 2 hrs) | 3–10 business days |
| Hard-to-place industries | Accepted (roofing, towing, construction, ag) | Often declined or heavily surcharged |
| New businesses | Accepted — no seasoning requirement | Often requires 3+ years in business |
| Upfront deposit | $875 setup fee only | 25–50% of annual premium upfront |
| Billing | Per payroll run — scales with workforce | Annual estimate, reconciled at audit |
| Additional insureds | Same-day, no charge | Endorsement required, 3–5 day wait |
| Claims impact on rate | Pooled — one claim does not spike your rate | Direct impact on your experience mod |
| Minimum payroll | None at Comp Ninjas | Often $25,000–$50,000 annual minimum |
PEO workers comp has far fewer barriers to entry than traditional policies. Here is who qualifies at Comp Ninjas.
From first contact to certificate of insurance in hand — typically the same business day.
Fill out the quick quote form with your industry, state, and estimated payroll. Takes 3 minutes.
We calculate your rate based on your NCCI class code and send you a clear cost breakdown — no surprises.
One-time $875 setup fee. No deposit. No minimum premium. Coverage begins immediately.
Your certificate of insurance is emailed to you and any additional insureds within 2 hours.
Workers comp rates are set by state rating bureaus (NCCI in Florida, WCIRB in California, NYCIRB in New York) and vary by class code. Here are representative rates for common contractor industries.
| Industry | FL Class Code | Approx. Rate per $100 Payroll | Annual Cost on $100K Payroll |
|---|---|---|---|
| Roofing | 5551 | $18–$24 | $18,000–$24,000 |
| General Construction | 5403 | $8–$12 | $8,000–$12,000 |
| Framing / Carpentry | 5645 | $12–$16 | $12,000–$16,000 |
| Towing & Recovery | 7219 | $14–$20 | $14,000–$20,000 |
| Painting (Exterior) | 5474 | $8–$11 | $8,000–$11,000 |
| HVAC | 5537 | $6–$9 | $6,000–$9,000 |
| Landscaping | 0042 | $7–$10 | $7,000–$10,000 |
| Home Health Care | 8835 | $4–$7 | $4,000–$7,000 |
Rates are approximate and vary by carrier, loss history, and state. Use the payroll tax calculator for a precise estimate including FICA, FUTA, and SUTA.
Answers to the most common questions contractors ask about PEO workers comp.
How pay-as-you-go billing eliminates the annual audit and the surprise year-end bill.
How to get a COI in 2 hours when a general contractor needs proof of coverage before the job starts.
A detailed breakdown of PEO workers comp pricing by industry, state, and payroll size.
Same-day certificate of insurance. No audit. $875 setup fee. Coverage for roofing, construction, towing, trucking, agriculture, home health, and staffing.
Also available in Spanish — ¿Por qué PEO workers comp?