The Massachusetts Assigned Risk Pool is the state's insurer of last resort for workers compensation. Its full name is the Massachusetts Workers' Compensation Assigned Risk Pool, and it is administered by the Workers' Compensation Rating and Inspection Bureau of Massachusetts (WCRIBMA). It exists for one reason: so that an employer who cannot buy coverage in the private market can still get a compliant policy and stay open.
It is a residual market, not a state fund. You do not choose the pool to save money. You reach it after the voluntary market declines you, coverage is standardized, and the premium is usually higher than a comparable private policy. The authority for the pool sits in the Massachusetts workers comp law, M.G.L. c. 152, section 65A.
Who this is for: Massachusetts owners who have been declined by carriers, or expect to be, and need to understand how the last-resort pool works.
The short version
- It is the last resort. The pool covers employers the private market will not write.
- WCRIBMA runs it. The state bureau reviews applications and assigns you to a servicing carrier.
- You have to be declined first. Eligibility generally requires proof the voluntary market turned you down.
- It costs more. Pricing is standardized, with no dividends and possible surcharges.
- It is temporary. Once you are insurable again, you move back to the open market.
What the pool is (and what WCRIBMA is)
Think of the Massachusetts market in two layers. The voluntary market is where private carriers compete for business they want. The assigned risk pool is the residual market underneath it, the safety net for risks nobody in the voluntary market will take. WCRIBMA is the bureau that administers that safety net: it takes the application, confirms eligibility, and hands the policy to a servicing carrier (or a voluntary direct assignment carrier) that issues it and handles claims.
Who qualifies, and how to apply
You qualify when you cannot get coverage in the regular market. In practice that means showing licensed carriers declined you. Here is what the process looks like.
| Step | What happens |
|---|---|
| 1. Try the voluntary market | An agent markets your business to private carriers; you need to show it was declined before the pool applies |
| 2. Submit the pool application | A completed WCRIBMA pool application, usually filed by your agent, plus a premium deposit |
| 3. WCRIBMA reviews eligibility | The bureau confirms you qualify under M.G.L. c. 152, section 65A |
| 4. Assignment to a servicing carrier | You are assigned to a servicing carrier that issues and services the policy |
| 5. Coverage begins | Generally the day after a complete application and deposit are received |
Rules and forms can change, so confirm the current pool procedures with the WCRIBMA or your agent before you file.
What it costs, and why
Assigned risk premiums are built to be a backstop, not a bargain. Pricing is standardized, there is little room to negotiate, dividends are not part of the deal, and larger or higher-hazard accounts can pick up a surcharge. You are paying for guaranteed availability. That is a fair trade when you have no other option, and an expensive mistake if you land there without shopping the real market first. See how pricing is built on our Massachusetts workers comp cost guide.
How to get out of the pool
The pool is a waiting room, not a destination. Keep your claims history clean, run a basic safety and return-to-work program to bring down the score that drives your price (the experience modification rate), and have an agent re-market you to the voluntary market as your record improves. Most employers who land in the pool for a rough patch move back out within a policy term or two. If you are shopping your way out, our A.I.M. Mutual versus the pool comparison lays out the difference.
A quick Massachusetts example
Illustrative, not a quote. A roofing company in Brockton has two claims in three years and gets declined by every standard carrier its agent approaches. The agent files a pool application with WCRIBMA and a deposit; coverage starts the next day through an assigned servicing carrier, so the crews keep working and the company stays compliant. Over the next two years the owner tightens safety, the claims age off, and the experience mod drops. At the following renewal the agent moves the account to a voluntary carrier at a materially better price, and the roofer leaves the pool behind. Trade detail is on our workers comp for roofers page.
Real questions Massachusetts owners ask
What is the Massachusetts Assigned Risk Pool?
It is the state's insurer of last resort for workers comp, officially the Massachusetts Workers' Compensation Assigned Risk Pool. It is administered by the WCRIBMA and exists so that any employer who cannot get coverage in the private market can still buy a compliant policy.
Who administers the pool?
The Workers' Compensation Rating and Inspection Bureau of Massachusetts (WCRIBMA), the licensed bureau that also collects data and files rates for the state. WCRIBMA reviews pool applications and assigns each approved employer to a servicing carrier that issues and services the policy.
Who qualifies for the assigned risk pool?
Employers who cannot obtain coverage in the voluntary market. In practice you generally must show that licensed carriers turned you down before the pool will accept you, because the pool is a residual market, not a place to shop for a better price.
How do I apply to the pool?
You submit a pool application to the WCRIBMA on its prescribed form, usually through an agent, along with a premium deposit. If the application is complete and you are eligible, coverage generally begins the day after WCRIBMA receives everything it needs, and you are assigned to a servicing carrier.
How much does pool coverage cost?
More than a comparable private policy, as a rule. Assigned risk premiums are standardized with little flexibility, no dividends, and possible surcharges for larger or higher-hazard accounts. The trade-off is guaranteed coverage when nobody else will write you.
Am I stuck in the pool forever?
No. The pool is meant to be temporary. Once your claims history improves, a lapse ages off, or your operations stabilize, an agent can market you back to the voluntary market, usually at renewal, where pricing is competitive again.
What information do I need to apply?
Your legal business name and address, a description of the work, payroll estimated by role, employee count, your federal tax ID, prior coverage and any claims history, and the premium deposit. Accurate payroll and classification keep the assigned risk price from running higher than it needs to.
Why Massachusetts owners choose Morrow
- We shop the whole Massachusetts market for you. Massachusetts has no state-run insurer, so coverage comes from private carriers, or, if no carrier will take you, from the state's backup option (officially the Massachusetts Workers' Compensation Assigned Risk Pool, run through WCRIBMA, the licensed bureau that administers that pool). We check both so you are not stuck with the first price you are handed.
- 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 Massachusetts guides
Every Massachusetts 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 Massachusetts (start here)
- Massachusetts 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 MA coverage?
- What happens if I don't carry workers comp?
- How much does workers comp cost in Massachusetts?
- How do I get workers comp (even if turned down)?
- What insurance do I need for a contractor license?
- Does Massachusetts have a state workers comp fund?
- Can't find workers comp anywhere in Massachusetts?
- A.I.M. Mutual vs the Assigned Risk Pool
- Workers compensation insurance, explained
- What workers comp costs (national guide)
- What is an experience mod, and how do I lower it?
- What is a ghost workers comp policy?
- Workers comp for roofers
This guide is general information, not legal advice. Massachusetts rules and penalty amounts can change, so verify current requirements with the Massachusetts Department of Industrial Accidents or a licensed advisor before you rely on them. Last updated: July 2026.