Getting workers comp in Virginia is straightforward, because Virginia has an open, competitive market where many private carriers compete for your business. There is no state fund and no monopoly to buy from. If private carriers will not take you, an assigned risk plan run by the rating bureau NCCI, the Virginia Workers' Compensation Insurance Plan, is the guaranteed backstop, so coverage exists even for hard-to-place businesses. The main steps are gathering your details, getting your work classified correctly, and comparing quotes.
Who this is for: Virginia employers ready to buy workers comp, including newer businesses and those in higher-risk trades who worry about being turned down.
The short version
- Virginia has a competitive private market, so you shop many carriers rather than buy from the state.
- You can secure coverage three ways: a private carrier, the assigned risk plan, or approved self-insurance.
- Even if every insurance company turns you down, a guaranteed pool of last resort (the assigned risk plan) will still cover you.
- You will need your payroll by type of work, your headcount, your history, and any past claims.
- An agent can place coverage across carriers and turn around proof of coverage quickly for a client or contract.
What you need to get quoted
| Item | Why it is needed |
|---|---|
| Estimated annual payroll | Premium is based on wages, counted in 100-dollar units |
| Type of work by role | Sets the pricing category for each employee |
| Number of employees and locations | Helps the carrier understand your operation |
| Years in business and prior coverage | Affects appetite and pricing |
| Past claims, if any | Feeds the score that adjusts your rate |
The steps to coverage
First, pull together your payroll broken out by the kind of work each person does, your headcount, how long you have been in business, and any prior claims. Second, get your work classified correctly, since the pricing category drives the cost and a wrong one can overcharge you for years. Third, compare quotes across carriers, because Virginia insurers file their own rates and prices vary. If private carriers decline you, coverage still exists through the assigned risk plan run by NCCI, so a tough class of work does not leave you without options. Once you bind, you can get proof of coverage issued to satisfy a client or general contractor, and, if you are a contractor, to certify compliance for a local business license.
If you have been turned down
Being declined by one carrier does not mean you cannot get covered in Virginia. Some carriers avoid certain trades or newer businesses, but another may want exactly your kind of work, which is why shopping the market matters. When no private carrier will write the risk, the assigned risk plan serves as the guaranteed path to coverage, so every eligible Virginia employer can get insured. An agent who works many carriers can match you to the ones most likely to say yes and price you fairly.
A Manassas example
Illustrative, not a quote. A new Manassas specialty manufacturer needs proof of coverage to sign a supply contract, but the first carrier it tries declines because the business is brand new. We take the same information to carriers that write newer manufacturing accounts, get it classified on the right kind of work rather than a higher-risk category, and secure a quote. Because the assigned risk plan stands behind the market as the guaranteed backstop, for an eligible employer availability is rarely the obstacle. Once bound, the company gets its certificate the same business day and signs the contract. See our workers comp for manufacturers page.
Real questions Virginia owners ask
How do I buy workers comp in Virginia?
You shop the competitive private market, since Virginia has no state fund or monopoly. Gather your payroll by type of work, your headcount and history, get classified correctly, and compare quotes before you bind.
Do I buy Virginia workers comp from the state?
No. Virginia has no state fund. You buy from private carriers on the open market, and if no carrier will take you, an assigned risk plan run by NCCI, the Virginia Workers' Compensation Insurance Plan, is the guaranteed backstop.
What are my options for securing coverage?
Three: a private carrier licensed in Virginia, the assigned risk plan run by NCCI, or approved self-insurance. Most small employers buy from a private carrier.
What information do I need to get a quote?
You need your estimated annual payroll, the type of work each employee does, your number of employees and locations, your years in business and prior coverage, and any past claims history.
What if carriers turn me down?
You still have a path. Some carriers avoid certain trades or new businesses, but another may want your work, and the assigned risk plan run by NCCI is the guaranteed backstop for hard-to-place accounts.
What is that guaranteed backstop you keep mentioning?
It is a coverage-of-last-resort pool for employers no carrier will take, called the assigned risk plan. In Virginia it is the Virginia Workers' Compensation Insurance Plan, run by NCCI, and it guarantees eligible employers a policy.
How fast can I get proof of coverage?
Once you bind a policy, proof of coverage can usually be issued quickly, often the same business day, so you can satisfy a client or general contractor that requires a certificate before work starts.
Related Virginia guides
Every Virginia 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 Virginia (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?
- Glossary: workers comp class code
- Virginia manufacturer workers comp
This guide is general information, not legal advice. Virginia rules and penalty amounts can change, so verify current requirements with the Virginia Workers' Compensation Commission or a licensed advisor before you rely on them. Last updated: July 2026.