To get workers compensation in Nevada, you buy a policy from a private insurer licensed in the state, because Nevada has no government fund to buy from. If no carrier in the open market will take you, an assigned-risk pool run by the rating bureau NCCI is the guaranteed backstop, so every Nevada employer can get covered. The whole thing usually takes a day or two once you have your basic payroll details together.
Who this is for: Nevada owners buying workers comp for the first time, or who have been turned down and think they cannot get covered.
The short version
- You buy from a private insurer; Nevada privatized its state fund back in 2000.
- If the open market turns you down, an assigned-risk pool guarantees you can still get covered.
- You need basic details: your business type, payroll by role, and any claims history.
- Owners decide whether to include or exclude themselves based on their business type.
- Once covered, you can produce a certificate for clients and licensing the same day.
The steps to get covered
Getting a policy in Nevada is straightforward once you gather a few facts about your business.
| Step | What happens |
|---|---|
| 1. Gather your details | Business type, what your workers do, payroll by role, and any past claims |
| 2. Shop the private market | We compare licensed Nevada carriers that write your kind of work |
| 3. Sort out owners | Decide whether owners are included or excluded based on your entity |
| 4. Bind and pay | Choose a quote, pay the first installment, and the policy starts |
| 5. Get your certificate | Receive proof of coverage to hand to clients, landlords, or licensing |
What if you have been turned down
Some businesses are hard to place in the open market, often because of the trade, a rough claims history, or being brand new. Nevada plans for that with an assigned-risk pool, run through NCCI, that is required to cover employers the voluntary market will not. It is the guaranteed-issue safety net, so being turned down by a carrier or two does not mean you are stuck uninsured. It usually costs more than a standard policy, so the goal is to fix what made you hard to place, such as classification errors or safety issues, and move back to the voluntary market when you can. Beware of anyone offering to skip coverage with a bare certificate; a certificate with no real policy behind it leaves you uninsured.
A Las Vegas example
Illustrative, not a quote. A brand-new Las Vegas plumbing company with two employees gets declined by the first carrier because it has no track record. Rather than going without, it is placed in the assigned-risk pool so the two employees are covered from day one and it can pull permits and take jobs. After a clean first year, we re-shop it into the voluntary market at a better rate. See our workers comp for plumbers page.
Real questions Nevada owners ask
How do I get workers comp in Nevada?
You buy a policy from a private insurer licensed in Nevada. There is no state fund to buy from. We compare carriers that write your kind of work and get you covered, usually in a day or two.
Is there a Nevada state fund I buy from?
No, not anymore. Nevada privatized its old state fund in 2000, so coverage comes from private insurers competing on the open market, with an assigned-risk pool as the backstop.
What do I need to get a quote?
Your business type, a description of what your workers do, your payroll broken down by role, and any past claims. That is enough to compare carriers and price the policy.
What if every carrier turns me down?
Nevada has an assigned-risk pool, run through NCCI, that is required to cover you. It is the guaranteed backstop, so a decline or two does not leave you unable to get covered.
If carriers turn me down and I land in that backup pool, why does it cost more?
It insures businesses the open market considers riskier, so it prices higher. The plan is to fix what made you hard to place and move back to the voluntary market for a better rate.
How fast can I get proof of coverage?
Usually the same day the policy binds. Once you are covered we can issue a certificate to hand to a client, a landlord, or the Contractors Board right away.
If it's just me with no employees, is there a bare-bones policy just to show proof? (People call it a 'ghost policy.')
It is a minimal policy for an owner with no employees, used mainly to satisfy a client or license that asks for proof. It does not cover employees, so it is only right for a true no-staff situation.
Why Nevada owners choose Morrow
- We shop the right market for you. In Nevada you buy from private insurers on the open market; the state sold off its old fund in 2000, so there is no government fund to buy from. If no carrier will take you, a state-backed pool (the assigned-risk plan) still has to cover you, so we can shop your rate freely and always have a fallback for hard-to-place work.
- 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 Nevada guides
Every Nevada 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 Nevada (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 much does workers comp cost?
- What insurance do I need for a contractor license?
- Workers compensation insurance, explained
- What workers comp costs (national guide)
- What is a ghost workers comp policy?
- Hiring your first employee: what changes
- Nevada plumber workers comp
This guide is general information, not legal advice. Nevada rules and penalty amounts can change, so verify current requirements with the Nevada Division of Industrial Relations or a licensed advisor before you rely on them. Last updated: July 2026.