No, Massachusetts does not have a state fund for workers compensation. There is no government-run insurance company selling workers comp to Massachusetts employers. You buy coverage from private carriers in the open market, and the only state-connected option is a backup pool that catches businesses the private market turns down.
That backup is the Massachusetts Workers' Compensation Assigned Risk Pool, administered by the Workers' Compensation Rating and Inspection Bureau of Massachusetts (WCRIBMA). It is a residual market, not a state fund: you reach it only after carriers decline you, and it usually costs more than a regular policy.
Who this is for: Massachusetts owners searching for a state workers comp fund, wondering where to buy coverage, or worried that no carrier will take them.
The short version
- No state fund. Massachusetts does not sell workers comp through a government insurer.
- You buy private. Coverage comes from private carriers, best shopped through an independent agent.
- There is a backstop. The Assigned Risk Pool must cover employers the private market declines.
- The pool is not a fund. It is a last resort, standardized and usually pricier, not a cheaper option you can just pick.
- Nobody has to go uninsured. Between the open market and the pool, every Massachusetts employer can get covered.
How the Massachusetts workers comp market is structured
People use the phrase state fund loosely. Here is what actually exists in Massachusetts and how it differs from the state-fund model other states use.
| Option | Exists in Massachusetts? | What it is |
|---|---|---|
| Private (voluntary) market | Yes, this is the main market | Many private carriers compete to write your policy; an agent shops them for you |
| Assigned Risk Pool (residual market) | Yes, as a last resort | A state-connected backstop, run through WCRIBMA, that must cover employers the private market declines |
| State fund (a government insurer that competes for regular business) | No | Massachusetts has none; states like Texas and a handful of others do |
| Monopolistic state fund (the only legal source) | No | Only a few states, such as Ohio and Washington, work this way |
Who ends up in the assigned risk pool?
The pool is for employers the regular market will not write: brand-new ventures in high-hazard trades, businesses with a rough claims history, lapses in prior coverage, or a class code most carriers avoid. You generally have to show the voluntary market turned you down before the pool will take you. It is a safety net, not a first stop. For the full walkthrough, see our Massachusetts Assigned Risk Pool guide.
Before you settle for the pool, shop the real market
Because the pool is standardized and usually more expensive, it is worth exhausting the private market first. An independent agent can present your business to multiple carriers, including specialty insurers that write hard-to-place risks, and fix the classification errors that cause a lot of avoidable declines. If coverage still is not available anywhere, the pool is there, and it must take you. Learn the buying steps on our how to get coverage in Massachusetts guide.
A quick Massachusetts example
Illustrative, not a quote. A new demolition contractor in Lowell assumes Massachusetts must have a state fund and goes looking for it. There is none. A couple of standard carriers decline the account because the trade is high-hazard and the business has no track record. An agent markets it to a specialty carrier that writes demolition, which offers terms well below what the assigned risk pool would have charged. The contractor never needed the pool at all, only a wider search. Trade detail is on our workers comp for contractors page.
Real questions Massachusetts owners ask
Does Massachusetts have a state fund for workers comp?
No. Massachusetts does not run a state workers comp insurance fund. You buy coverage from private insurance carriers in the open market. The only state-connected option is a backup pool, the Massachusetts Workers' Compensation Assigned Risk Pool, and it covers you only when private carriers turn you down.
If there is no state fund, where do I buy workers comp?
From private carriers, usually through an independent agent who can shop several at once. Dozens of insurers write Massachusetts workers comp, so most businesses get competitive options in the regular market without ever touching the assigned risk pool.
What is the Massachusetts Assigned Risk Pool?
It is the state's insurer of last resort for workers comp, administered by the Workers' Compensation Rating and Inspection Bureau of Massachusetts (WCRIBMA). It is not a state fund that anyone can shop; it is a backstop that must cover employers the private market declines, so no business is forced to run uninsured.
Is the assigned risk pool the same as a state fund?
No. A state fund is a government-run insurer that competes for everyday business, like Texas Mutual in Texas or the funds in a few other states. The Massachusetts pool is a residual market: it exists only to catch employers who cannot get coverage anywhere else, and it usually costs more.
Why do people think Massachusetts has a state fund?
Because many states do, and because the assigned risk pool is state-connected. The distinction matters: you cannot simply choose the pool to save money. You reach it only after the regular market declines you, and its pricing is standardized rather than competitive.
Does the pool cost more than a private carrier?
Usually yes. Assigned risk premiums are set on a standardized basis with less flexibility, no dividends, and possible surcharges for larger or higher-risk accounts. That is by design, so the pool stays a last resort rather than a cheaper shortcut.
I was told no one will cover me. What now?
You still have a path. An agent can market your business to carriers that write your class, including specialty markets, and if every carrier still declines, the assigned risk pool must provide coverage. Either way, you can get a compliant policy in place.
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?
- The Massachusetts Assigned Risk Pool, explained
- 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 a ghost workers comp policy?
- Workers comp vs employers liability
- Workers comp for contractors
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.