Best Workers' Compensation Insurance in North Carolina (2025)

To find the best provider in the state, MoneyGeek compared workers' compensation insurance providers in North Carolina based on affordability, customer satisfaction, financial stability and online quote process. Pie came out on top as the best provider overall.

Workers' compensation insurance is a legal requirement for small businesses in North Carolina. It protects businesses from financial and legal liability in the event of an employee's work-related illness or injury. Insurance can cover medical expenses, lost wages and potential lawsuits.

Pie Insurance is the best overall company for workers’ compensation insurance in North Carolina. It received a MoneyGeek score of 92 out of 100, narrowly outranking The Hartford thanks to its affordable rates. Pie has an average monthly cost of only $82. However, costs can vary depending on the number of employees and other factors.

In North Carolina, Pie Insurance is the cheapest insurer for workers' comp insurance, offering an average monthly premium of $82 for businesses with 20 employees and $1,250,000 in annual payroll costs. This rate may change based on the number of employees and the annual payroll costs of your business.

We ranked insurance companies based on average monthly costs to determine the cheapest insurer, but the most affordable option for your small business may vary based on other factors. Below is a table ranking the companies we evaluated in North Carolina, which includes the annual and monthly costs for insuring a business with 20 employees.

Pie Insurance offers the ​​best workers' compensation insurance in North Carolina for businesses with five employees and an annual payroll amount of $312,500, with an average monthly premium of $36. Businesses with one to nine employees are typically considered micro businesses.

The number of employees you have will affect the cost of workers' comp insurance, but payroll usually has a greater impact on premiums.

Pie is the top-ranked company for midsize businesses in North Carolina with 100 employees, offering an average monthly premium of $352. This premium is also based on an annual payroll amount of $6,250,000.

While employee count influences workers' compensation insurance costs, payroll is usually a bigger factor in determining premiums.

In North Carolina, the average monthly cost of workers' compensation insurance for a business with 20 employees is $120. This is $48 lower than the national average, which is $168 per month.

We set the following policy limits to estimate costs in North Carolina:

• $1 million total policy limit
• $1 million per accident limit
• $1 million per employee limit

The total policy limit is the maximum amount of coverage available for a given policy period. The per-accident limit is the maximum amount the insurer will cover for a single incident, while the per employee limit indicates the maximum coverage available for each employee.

The table below highlights the average costs of workers' compensation insurance for businesses with five, 20 and 100 employees so you can see how employee count and payroll affect costs.

The cost of workers' compensation insurance can change for each business based on various factors, including previous claims, number of employees and payroll costs:

In North Carolina, businesses with three or more employees are generally required to have workers' compensation insurance. However, certain types of workers are exempt from this coverage:

• Sole proprietors, corporate officers or partners who do not wish to be covered under their own policy
• Employers in the agriculture industry with fewer than 10 workers.
• General contractors are not required to carry workers' compensation insurance for the subcontractors they hire, except when the subcontractor employs less than three people. In such cases, the general contractor must provide coverage for the subcontractor's employees.
• Subcontractors without employees are typically not required to have workers' compensation insurance unless it is specified as a condition of their employment.

Workers' compensation insurance provides benefits to employees who are injured or become ill as a result of their job. The employer is the policyholder. In North Carolina, workers' comp insurance covers medical care that an employee may need if they are injured on the job, which may include doctor's visits, hospital stays and prescription drugs.

It also covers lost wages if an employee is unable to work due to a work-related injury or illness to ensure that they continue to receive a paycheck. The insurance may also provide disability benefits if workers experience permanent issues from their injury or illness.

The North Carolina Industrial Commission oversees workers' compensation in the state. The commission is responsible for administering the Workers' Compensation Act, which provides benefits to employees who are injured or become ill as a result of their work.

To file a claim for workers' compensation benefits, employees must first report their injury to their employer. The employer is then required to file a report with the commission. Employees can also file a claim directly with the commission. Once a claim is filed, the commission will investigate the claim and determine whether the employee is entitled to benefits.

Choosing the best workers' compensation insurance provider requires careful consideration of several factors. To help you make an informed decision, we've compiled answers to frequently asked questions about finding the right workers' compensation insurance in North Carolina.