Workers comp for a small Wisconsin business runs from a few hundred dollars a year for an office to well over ten thousand for higher-hazard trades like roofing. What sets your number is a bit unusual here: every carrier starts from the same state-set base rates, filed by the Wisconsin Compensation Rating Bureau and approved by the state, then applies them to your payroll by type of work and adjusts for your claims history. Because the base is shared, carriers compete mostly on dividends, credits, and service instead of a lower base rate.
Who this is for: Wisconsin owners who want to understand what drives their workers comp price and where they can actually save.
The short version
- Every carrier builds on the same starting rates the state sets, so the base price is not where they compete.
- Your price depends on payroll, the type of work, and your claims history.
- The category your work falls into for pricing, the class code, is the biggest single lever.
- Your score based on past claims, the experience modification rate, raises or lowers the price.
- Wisconsin rates have fallen for ten years running, most recently by about 3.2 percent.
What drives your price
Four things move a Wisconsin workers comp premium more than anything else.
| Factor | What it means | Which way it pushes price |
|---|---|---|
| Payroll | Premium is figured per 100 dollars of payroll | More payroll, more premium |
| Type of work (class code) | The category your work is rated in, from office to roofing | Higher-hazard work costs much more |
| Claims history (experience mod) | Your score based on past claims | A clean record lowers it; claims raise it |
| Dividends and credits | Carrier programs and safety-group discounts | Can return part of your premium |
Illustrative ranges
These are illustrative annual ranges for small Wisconsin businesses, not quotes. Your real number depends on payroll and the details above.
| Business type | Workers comp (est. per year) |
|---|---|
| Office or professional services | 500 to 2,300 dollars |
| Retail store | 1,100 to 4,600 dollars |
| Restaurant or cafe | 2,400 to 9,500 dollars |
| Manufacturer or machine shop | 3,000 to 12,000 dollars |
| Roofer or small contractor | 3,500 to 15,000 dollars |
Where you can actually save
Because the base rate is shared, chasing a cheaper base is not the game in Wisconsin. The savings come from being rated in the correct category so you are not billed as more hazardous than you are, from keeping your claims record clean so your score works for you, and from carrier dividends and safety-group programs. Wisconsin rates have also been trending down: as of mid-2026 the most recent change was an average 3.2 percent cut effective October 1, 2025, the tenth straight annual decrease, with contracting work down about 6.9 percent. Rates update each October 1, so it is worth a fresh look at renewal.
A Wausau example
Illustrative, not a quote. A Wausau machine shop with 500,000 dollars of shop payroll is being rated with some office staff lumped into the higher shop category. Splitting the clerical payroll into its correct, lower category trims the premium noticeably, because the base rate is the same everywhere but the category is not. A clean two-year claims record then improves the shop's score based on past claims, lowering the bill again at renewal. We review the payroll split and the score every year. See our workers comp for manufacturers page.
Real questions Wisconsin owners ask
How much does workers comp cost in Wisconsin?
It varies with payroll, the type of work, and your claims history. Illustrative small-business ranges run from a few hundred dollars for an office to well over ten thousand for higher-hazard trades.
Why do carriers charge similar base rates in Wisconsin?
Because Wisconsin sets shared manual rates that every carrier builds on, filed by the state rating bureau. Insurers compete on dividends, credits, and service rather than the base rate.
What is the biggest factor in my price?
The category your work is rated in, the class code, along with your payroll. Higher-hazard work costs far more per 100 dollars of payroll than office work.
How does my claims history change the cost?
Your score based on past claims, the experience modification rate, rises with claims and falls with a clean record, and it multiplies your premium up or down.
Are Wisconsin workers comp rates going up or down?
Down, for now. As of mid-2026 the most recent change was an average 3.2 percent cut effective October 1, 2025, the tenth straight annual decrease, though rates reset every October 1.
Can I lower my premium without switching coverage?
Often yes. Making sure your payroll is in the correct category, keeping claims down, and using dividend or safety-group programs can lower the bill even at the shared base rate.
Does a cheaper base rate exist somewhere in Wisconsin?
Not really. The base manual rates are shared statewide, so a carrier cannot simply undercut the base. Real savings come from classification, claims history, and dividends.
Why Wisconsin owners choose Morrow
- We shop the right market for you. Wisconsin has no state fund, so you buy from private insurers competing for your business, and because every carrier starts from the same state-set manual rates filed by the Wisconsin Compensation Rating Bureau, we compete for you on your work categories, dividends, and safety credits rather than a lower base rate, with the state's guaranteed-issue pool as a backstop if you are hard to place.
- 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 Wisconsin guides
Every Wisconsin 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 Wisconsin (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?
- Wisconsin manufacturer workers comp
This guide is general information, not legal advice. Wisconsin rules and penalty amounts can change, so verify current requirements with the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development, Worker's Compensation Division or a licensed advisor before you rely on them. Last updated: July 2026.