Colorado Workers’ Comp Insurance
CompShield is licensed to write workers’ comp directly in Colorado, License #526557, and we’re an independent agency comparing real carriers, not a single-carrier storefront. Colorado’s construction and aerospace sectors run notably above the national average, and getting your classification matched to your real operation is where we focus.
Colorado requires coverage from your very first employee, part-time, full-time, or family, there’s no small-business exemption. And anyone paid for services in Colorado is presumed by law to be an employee unless a formal rejection-of-coverage filing says otherwise.
Colorado Requires Coverage From Employee One
Colorado law applies to any employer with one or more employees, regardless of whether they’re part-time, full-time, or family members. Anyone paid for services is presumed by law to be an employee, that presumption can only be overcome with a formal, filed rejection of coverage.
General contractors have a real obligation here too: they must either provide comp coverage to their subcontractors directly, or obtain proof that each subcontractor carries their own coverage or has filed a valid rejection.
Source: Colorado Division of Workers’ Compensation, Employer Insurance Coverage
Real Per-Day Fines Plus a Cease-and-Desist Order
Colorado’s civil penalty starts at up to $250 per day for a first violation, rising to between $250 and $500 per day for repeat violations. The state can also issue a cease-and-desist order forcing the business to stop operating until coverage is secured, backed by a court injunction if needed.
If a worker is injured while the employer is uninsured, the employer must personally pay the claim, plus an additional penalty of 25% of the injured worker’s benefits on top of it.
Colorado Is Not a Monopolistic State
Colorado allows private carriers to write workers’ comp, unlike the four monopolistic states, Ohio, North Dakota, Washington, and Wyoming, where coverage has to come through a state fund. Pinnacol Assurance operates as a competitive, not exclusive, state fund here, alongside more than 500 licensed private carriers, which is exactly where an independent agent comparing real options adds value.
How Much Does Workers’ Comp Cost in Colorado?
Colorado’s construction and aerospace sectors run above the national employment average, and rates for those classifications reflect real, documented risk differences. The formula behind your real number is the same regardless of trade:
- Payroll. Your total insurable payroll, starting from your very first employee.
- Class code rate. Construction, aerospace, and hospitality classifications reflect Colorado’s real economic mix and are rated accordingly.
- Experience mod. Compares your claims history to similar Colorado businesses in your class code.
We’ll run the real number against your actual payroll and classification, not a generic Colorado average.
Colorado Workers’ Comp, Answered
Workers’ Comp by Trade in Colorado
Construction and aerospace anchor Colorado’s economy, with hospitality close behind. Here’s where we focus in-state.
Get a Real Quote for Your Colorado Business
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