Best Workers' Comp Insurance in Alaska (2026)

ERGO NEXT is the best workers' comp insurance provider in Alaska with the lowest average rates and the top buying experience among providers we reviewed. Coverdash follows in second place, offering the state's best coverage score. Both are strong options for Alaska employers shopping for workers' comp insurance.

The spread between ERGO NEXT ($132/month) and the most expensive provider (Chubb at $231/month) is $99. Low-hazard Alaska employers gain the most from that gap. The advantage narrows for construction and transportation class codes where all carriers converge on higher base rates.

ERGO NEXT is the cheapest workers' comp provider in Alaska at $132 per employee per month. That's $22 less than the runner-up, Thimble, and $99 less than Chubb, the most expensive provider we analyzed. Across all eight carriers, that spread works out to $1,188 per year for identical state coverage. Four of the eight providers land within $45 of each other between $154 and $199. The real outlier is Chubb at $231, which runs 75% above ERGO NEXT's rate.

ERGO NEXT holds the lowest available rate in 19 of 25 Alaskan industry categories. The Hartford leads in six, including consulting, financial services, healthcare, hospitality, real estate and tech. 

Transportation and logistics is the most expensive industry in our analysis at $397 per month, nearly $90 more than construction and contracting at $311. Those two industries are the only ones where the cheapest available rate tops $300 monthly.

Financial services sits at the opposite end at $13 per month. The spread between the cheapest and most expensive industry $384 per month, or $4,603 per year.

Alaska's average workers' comp cost is well above the national average of $74. Construction ($504/month) and Transportation & Logistics ($551/month) are the most expensive industries by a wide margin. Financial Services ($20/month) and Beauty/Body & Wellness ($22/month) are the most affordable.

Alaska's workers' comp rates are filed through the Alaska Division of Insurance, with loss costs developed by the National Council on Compensation Insurance (NCCI). Alaska uses NCCI class codes. The state's remote geography, higher medical costs and wage replacement linked to elevated Alaskan wages all push base rates above the national average.

Alaska requires coverage for most employers with one or more employees. The threshold is one of the lowest in the country. Review the full workers' comp requirements to confirm your obligations. Non-compliance can result in stop-work orders and personal liability for all injury costs.

While you're required to have coverage in Alaska, some business categories are exempt from workers' comp requirements:

• Sole proprietors: You can't be an employee of your own company under Alaska law, so if you're self-employed you don't need workers' comp coverage for yourself. However, you must still get coverage for any employees.
• Independent contractors: Your contractors must pass Alaska's independent contractor test (proving they work independently) to avoid needing contractor workers' comp coverage.
• Corporate officers (10% or more ownership): If you own 10% or more of your corporation, you can opt out of workers' compensation requirements.
• General partners/LLC members (10% or more ownership): As a partner or LLC member with at least 10% ownership, you can waive workers' comp coverage for yourself.
• Executive officers of nonprofits: Officers of municipal, religious and legally registered nonprofit corporations aren't considered employees unless the corporation elects to cover them.
• Part-time babysitters: Non-commercial babysitters working in private homes qualify for a workers' comp insurance exemption.
• Domestic cleaning workers: Cleaning persons hired directly by residents to clean personal dwellings are exempt. This doesn't apply to business or commercial cleaning.
• Harvest and transient help: Part-time seasonal workers performing non-integral business tasks on an intermittent basis without a permanent work address are exempt.
• Sports officials: Officials working amateur sporting events don't need coverage.
• Contract entertainers: Entertainers working under contract are exempt from workers' comp requirements.
• Commercial fishermen: As defined in AS 16.05.940, commercial fishermen are exempt from standard workers' comp requirements.
• Certain taxi cab drivers: Statutorily-defined taxi drivers qualify for exemption.
• Professional hockey players and coaches: Players and coaches covered under a health care insurance plan that covers both work-related and non-work-related injuries are exempt.
• Real estate agents: Qualified real estate licensees working under specific contractual arrangements that designate them as non-employees for tax purposes are exempt.
• Transportation network company drivers: Rideshare drivers transporting passengers are exempt. This doesn't include couriers, personal shoppers or food delivery drivers.
• Alaska temporary assistance participants: People in Alaska's temporary assistance program performing certain required work activities are exempt.
• Volunteers: Unpaid volunteers performing services for nonprofit organizations don't need workers' comp.

ERGO NEXT, Coverdash and Thimble are Alaska's top three workers' comp providers. ERGO NEXT is the strongest choice on rate for most Alaska businesses, posting the lowest monthly cost in the state. Coverdash is the better option for employers prioritizing coverage breadth, holding the top coverage score among all ranked Alaska providers.

Getting covered in Alaska starts with knowing what you owe and what you'll pay. The steps below walk you through estimating your premium, confirming your legal obligations and reviewing the top providers in the state.