Is workers comp required in Georgia?
Georgia generally requires businesses with three or more employees, including part-time workers, to carry coverage. Owners, partners and corporate officers are treated under their own rules, and some workers such as certain agricultural or domestic employees may be handled differently.
Buying coverage in Georgia
Georgia employers buy workers comp from private insurance companies, and businesses that are hard to place can obtain coverage through the state's residual market or a state-chartered carrier where one exists.
Who sets the rules
The Georgia State Board of Workers' Compensation oversees workers comp in Georgia. In Georgia, the National Council on Compensation Insurance (NCCI) provides the classification system and loss costs that insurers use to file rates.
What Georgia employers should know
- Logistics, warehousing and trucking are major Georgia industries, and correct driver versus warehouse classification makes a real difference in premium.
- Georgia employers must post a panel of physicians or approved managed care information for injured employees.
Georgia facts employers ask about
The Georgia State Board of Workers' Compensation oversees the system. Businesses that regularly have three or more employees, counting part-time workers, must carry coverage. Corporate officers and LLC members can, in some cases, elect to be excluded, but the employees must still be covered.
Georgia has a distinctive notice rule: employers must post a panel of physicians from which injured employees choose their treating doctor. The standard panel lists at least six physicians or professional associations, and the posting must be kept in a prominent place. A missing or invalid panel can let the employee choose any doctor at the employer's expense.
Georgia uses NCCI classifications, and employers that cannot find voluntary coverage can apply to the state's assigned risk plan. The Board's enforcement unit can fine employers that operate without coverage. Freight, warehousing and construction are major Georgia industries, so separating drivers, warehouse staff and clerical payroll into the correct classes is often where premium is won or lost.
Sources: Georgia State Board of Workers' Compensation. Rules change; confirm current requirements with the agency before you rely on them.
How premiums are calculated
As in most states, GA premium is generally the class code rate per $100 of payroll, adjusted by any experience modification, credits and state charges. The final amount is confirmed by a payroll audit after the policy period. Learn more about how workers comp rates work and preparing for an audit.
Industry guides for Georgia employers
Trucking workers comp
Workers comp for trucking companies, owner-operator fleets and delivery operations: driver…
Contractor workers comp
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Retail workers comp
Workers comp for retail shops, boutiques, convenience stores and specialty retailers. What it…
Georgia workers comp FAQ
Is workers comp required in Georgia?
Georgia generally requires businesses with three or more employees, including part-time workers, to carry coverage. Rules and exceptions change, so confirm your situation with the state agency or an agent.
Who oversees workers comp in Georgia?
The Georgia State Board of Workers' Compensation administers the workers compensation system in Georgia.
Can I buy Georgia workers comp from a private insurer?
Yes. Private insurers write workers comp in Georgia, and a market of last resort is available for businesses that are hard to place.
How is workers comp priced in Georgia?
In Georgia, the National Council on Compensation Insurance (NCCI) provides the classification system and loss costs that insurers use to file rates. As in most states, GA premium is generally the class code rate per $100 of payroll, adjusted by any experience modification, credits and state charges. The final amount is confirmed by a payroll audit after the policy period.