In Florida, workers compensation is priced as a rate for every $100 of payroll, and that rate turns on the work your employees do: from well under a dollar per $100 for office staff to double digits for high-risk trades like roofing. So a $50,000 office salary might cost a few hundred dollars a year, while the same payroll on a roofing crew can run into the thousands. The state approves the rates carriers use rather than letting each set its own, and for 2026 regulators approved an average decrease of about 6.9 percent, the ninth year in a row that rates have fallen. Your own price depends on your industry, your payroll, and your claims history.
Who this is for: Florida owners who want to understand what drives their workers comp price and how to keep it down. Workers comp pays medical bills and part of lost wages after a work injury.
The short version
- Payroll drives it. You pay a rate for every $100 of payroll in each job category.
- Job category matters most. Riskier work carries a higher rate than office work.
- Florida approves the rates. The state reviews and approves a single set of rates carriers use.
- Rates are falling. The 2026 average dropped about 6.9 percent, the ninth straight yearly decrease.
- Your claims history counts. A business with past claims can pay more than a similar clean one.
What goes into your price
A handful of inputs decide your premium, and most of them you can influence over time.
| Factor | How it affects price |
|---|---|
| Payroll | You pay a rate per $100 of payroll |
| Type of work, the class code | Higher-risk categories carry higher rates |
| Claims history, the experience modification rate | Past claims raise or lower your rate |
| State-approved rate | Florida approves the base rates carriers apply |
| Discounts and credits | Safety programs and clean records can lower the bill |
How Florida sets rates
Florida is unusual in that regulators approve a single set of rates, not just advisory numbers. The national rating organization files the rates, and the state's Office of Insurance Regulation approves them, with only limited room for carriers to deviate. As of mid-2026, that approved filing carried an average decrease of about 6.9 percent effective at the start of the year, the ninth consecutive annual decrease. Because these figures reset each year, treat any specific number as current only for now and confirm the latest before you rely on it.
How to keep your cost down
Two levers move your price the most. First, make sure each worker is in the correct job category for pricing, because putting an office worker in a crew category, or the reverse, can cost or save real money. Second, keep claims down: the score that reflects your past claims, the experience modification rate, raises or lowers your premium, and safety and quick return-to-work efforts bring it down. Review your year-end payroll audit for errors as well.
A quick Florida example
Illustrative, not a quote. An Orlando landscaping company with $300,000 of field payroll is quoted using the rate for its outdoor labor category rather than a lower office rate, because most of its payroll is crew work. After two clean years its claims-history score dips below the neutral point, trimming the premium, and the 2026 statewide decrease lowers the base rate on top of that. Placing its one office administrator in the correct lower-risk category, instead of the crew category by mistake, saves several hundred dollars a year.
Real questions Florida owners ask
How is my Florida workers comp price calculated?
You pay a rate for every $100 of payroll in each job category, adjusted by your claims history. Riskier work carries higher rates than office work.
Are Florida workers comp rates going up or down?
Down, recently. Regulators approved an average decrease of about 6.9 percent for 2026, the ninth year in a row that rates have fallen, though your own result depends on your business.
Who sets workers comp rates in Florida?
Florida is a state where regulators approve a single set of rates that carriers use. The rating organization files them and the Office of Insurance Regulation approves them.
What makes one business pay more than a similar one?
Mainly the job categories its workers fall into and its claims history. A business with more past claims pays more than an otherwise similar business with a clean record.
How can I lower my workers comp cost?
Make sure each worker is in the correct job category, keep claims down with safety and return-to-work efforts, and review your year-end payroll audit for errors.
Does my claims history really change the price?
Yes. Florida uses a claims-history score that raises the price for businesses with more losses and lowers it for those with fewer than expected for their size.
Will shopping carriers save me money if rates are set?
It can still help. While base rates are approved statewide, carriers differ in allowed credits, dividends, and service, so comparing offers is still worthwhile.
Why Florida owners choose Morrow
- We shop the right market for you. Florida is a private, competitive market with no state fund, so you buy workers comp from private insurers the state authorizes, and Morrow shops several of them to fit your trade and budget instead of leaving you with one option.
- We catch pricing mistakes. Your price depends heavily on the category your work falls into for pricing (the class code). Put people in the wrong category and you overpay for years. We review your payroll and classifications before you buy.
- Proof of coverage, fast. Need a certificate (proof of coverage) for a general contractor or a landlord before Monday? We turn those around the same business day for most carriers.
- We help lower the score that drives your price. Insurers give you a score based on your past claims that raises or lowers your cost (the experience modification rate). We review it each year, flag errors, and connect you with return-to-work and safety resources that bring it down.
- Real people when a claim happens. When someone gets hurt, we stay involved through the life of the claim, not just at renewal.
Related Florida guides
Every Florida business is set up a little differently. These companion guides answer the same question for other situations, plus the national explainers behind the terms used here.
- Business insurance in Florida (start here)
- Workers comp: the owner's overview
- I own an LLC: do I need workers comp?
- I'm a sole proprietor: do I need workers comp?
- I own a corporation (C-corp or S-corp): do I need it?
- We're a partnership: do we need workers comp?
- We're a nonprofit: do we need workers comp?
- My workers are 1099: do I still need it?
- Only part-time or seasonal staff: do I need it?
- I only employ family: do I need workers comp?
- Remote or out-of-state staff: do I need coverage?
- What happens if I don't carry workers comp?
- How do I get workers comp (even if turned down)?
- What insurance do I need for a contractor license?
- Workers compensation insurance, explained
- What workers comp costs (national guide)
- What is an experience mod, and how do I lower it?
- Glossary: workers comp class code
- Contractor workers comp in Florida
This guide is general information, not legal advice. Florida rules and penalty amounts can change, so verify current requirements with the Florida Division of Workers' Compensation or a licensed advisor before you rely on them. Last updated: July 2026.