Idaho workers compensation is priced per 100 dollars of payroll, and the biggest driver is the kind of work your people do. A low-risk office role might cost well under a dollar per 100 dollars of wages, while a roofing crew can cost many times that. As of mid-2026, the Idaho Department of Insurance accepted a filing cutting workers comp rates by an average of about 2.5 percent effective January 1, 2026, continuing a run of decreases in 10 of the past 11 years.
Who this is for: Idaho owners who want a realistic sense of what workers comp will cost and what moves the price up or down.
The short version
- Price follows payroll and job type. You pay a rate per 100 dollars of wages, and the rate depends on how risky the work is.
- Idaho rates have been falling. The state accepted an average cut of about 2.5 percent effective January 1, 2026, part of a long downward trend.
- Your claims history adjusts the price. A score based on your past claims can raise or lower your rate once your business is large enough to earn one.
- The work category is the big lever. Putting people in the wrong pricing category is a common way to overpay for years.
- You can shop it. Idaho is a competitive market, so private carriers and the state fund compete for your business.
Illustrative Idaho ranges
These are rough annual ranges for small Idaho employers, not quotes. Your real number depends on payroll, claims history, and the exact work.
| Business type | Rough annual workers comp | Why it lands there |
|---|---|---|
| Office or professional services | $450 to $2,100 per year | Low injury risk, low rate per 100 dollars of payroll |
| Retail store | $1,000 to $4,400 per year | Some lifting and slip risk raises the rate |
| Restaurant or cafe | $2,000 to $8,500 per year | Burns, cuts, and slips push the rate up |
| Landscaper or small contractor | $2,800 to $12,000 per year | Equipment and outdoor labor carry higher risk |
| Roofing crew | $8,000 and up per year | Fall risk makes this one of the highest-rated trades |
What moves your price
Four things drive most of the difference. The first is the pricing category your work falls into, sometimes called the class code; getting it right is the single biggest lever, because a misclassified payroll can overcharge you for years. The second is total payroll, since the rate applies per 100 dollars of wages. The third is your claims record: once your business is big enough, insurers assign a score based on your past claims, called the experience modification rate, that nudges your price up or down. The fourth is the carrier, because in Idaho's competitive market different insurers and the state fund price the same risk differently. We review the first two before you buy and shop the last so you are not overpaying.
How to pay less without cutting coverage
The cheapest policy is not the one with the lowest sticker but the one rated correctly for your actual work. We start by confirming your payroll is split into the right categories, since lumping a clerical worker in with field crew inflates the bill. We flag errors in the score based on your past claims, which sometimes carries mistakes that cost you money. And because Idaho lets you shop, we compare private carriers and the state fund. Safety and return-to-work practices that reduce claims are what lower that score over time, so they pay off at renewal.
A Twin Falls example
Illustrative, not a quote. A Twin Falls heating and cooling company has four technicians and one office scheduler. Rating all five as field technicians would overcharge the business, because the scheduler almost never faces field risk. We split the payroll so the scheduler sits in a low-risk office category and only the technicians carry the trade rate, then shop the account across carriers and the state fund. The result is a fair price built on how the business actually runs. See our workers comp for heating and cooling contractors page.
Real questions Idaho owners ask
How much does workers comp cost in Idaho?
It is priced per 100 dollars of payroll, and the rate depends on the kind of work. A low-risk office might pay well under a dollar per 100 dollars of wages, while a roofing crew pays many times that. Small employers often land from a few hundred to several thousand dollars a year.
How is workers comp priced in Idaho?
By a rate per 100 dollars of payroll that varies with the risk of the work, then adjusted for your claims history once your business is large enough. Total payroll and the work category are the biggest inputs.
Did Idaho workers comp rates change for 2026?
Yes. As of mid-2026, the Idaho Department of Insurance accepted a filing cutting rates by an average of about 2.5 percent effective January 1, 2026, continuing decreases in 10 of the past 11 years. Rates are refiled each year.
What is the biggest thing that changes my price?
The pricing category your work falls into, sometimes called the class code. Putting workers in the wrong category is a common way to overpay for years, so getting the split right is the biggest single lever.
Does my claims history affect the price?
Yes, once your business is large enough to earn a rating. Insurers assign a score based on your past claims that raises or lowers your rate, and fewer claims over time bring it down.
Can I shop workers comp in Idaho?
Yes. Idaho is a competitive market, so private carriers and the state-chartered Idaho State Insurance Fund all compete for your business, and prices for the same risk can differ between them.
How can I lower my workers comp cost without dropping coverage?
Make sure your payroll is split into the right categories, check the score based on your past claims for errors, shop carriers, and reduce claims through safety and return-to-work practices. Those steps lower cost without cutting protection.
Why Idaho owners choose Morrow
- We shop the right market for you. In Idaho you can buy workers' comp from any of the hundreds of private insurers licensed here, or from the state-chartered Idaho State Insurance Fund, which competes right alongside them. That lets us shop your rate widely, and if your work is too risky for any of them, there's a state-backed fallback plan that still has to cover you.
- 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 Idaho guides
Every Idaho 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 Idaho (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)
- Glossary: workers comp class code
- What is an experience mod, and how do I lower it?
- Idaho HVAC workers comp
This guide is general information, not legal advice. Idaho rules and penalty amounts can change, so verify current requirements with the Idaho Industrial Commission or a licensed advisor before you rely on them. Last updated: July 2026.