In Washington, statutory coverage runs through L&I — but that's only half the picture. The lawsuits it doesn't cover, the refund dollars you may be leaving on the table, and your out-of-state crews are where an independent broker earns their keep. We build the whole program around your operation.
Independent broker · 50+ A-rated carriers · Retro program placement & claims advocacy
Workers' compensation insurance protects your employees when they're injured on the job and shields your business from the costs and lawsuits that follow. In Washington, statutory benefits are provided through the state fund (L&I) — but a complete program also needs stop-gap employers' liability, and many employers qualify for Retro refund programs that return premium for keeping workers safe. As an independent broker, First Underwriters builds workers' comp programs for construction, trucking, manufacturing, healthcare, and other employers across Seattle, Washington, Oregon, and Idaho.
Tell us your industry and how you operate. We'll surface the coverages to prioritize and the gaps that leave employers exposed — instantly.
Choose what fits best — the results update as you go.
Educational guidance only — your actual program depends on your class codes, payroll, and loss history. We'll confirm the right structure with you.
Workers' comp premium generally works like this: payroll ÷ 100 × class rate × your experience modifier. Move the sliders to see how each lever changes the number — and how much a clean safety record is worth.
Illustrative only — real class rates vary widely by job type and state.
A clean 0.85 mod vs a 1.25 mod on this payroll is a $6,000 swing in premium — every year.
Medical is only the start. Wage replacement, disability, litigation, and a higher experience mod stack up for years. Explore three real-world workplace injuries.
Statutory benefits are just the foundation. Click through the pieces that turn a bare L&I account into real protection.
Yes. Almost every employer with employees in Washington must provide workers' compensation through the Washington State Department of Labor & Industries (L&I), the state fund. Sole proprietors, partners, and certain corporate officers may be exempt but can elect coverage. Businesses operating in multiple states, on maritime jobs, or seeking premium relief often work with a broker to layer Retro programs, stop-gap employers' liability, and other-states coverage on top of their L&I account.
Premium is driven by your classification codes (the risk of each job type), your payroll or hours worked in each class, and your experience factor — a comparison of your claims history to similar businesses. In Washington, L&I bases rates on hours worked by risk class. In conventional states, premium is roughly payroll ÷ 100 × the class rate × your experience modifier. Our estimator above shows how those levers interact.
Your experience modifier (or L&I experience factor) reflects how your claims compare to businesses of similar size and type. Below 1.0 lowers your premium; above 1.0 raises it. You can improve it by preventing injuries through safety programs, returning injured workers to light duty quickly, reporting claims promptly, verifying your classifications are correct, and correcting data errors. We review your mod and loss runs to find where you may be overpaying.
Usually yes. Washington's state fund pays statutory workers' comp benefits but does not cover employer liability lawsuits — for example, third-party-over actions or serious-injury suits alleging employer fault. Stop-gap employers' liability (added to your commercial package) fills that gap. It's one of the most commonly missing coverages we find on Washington accounts.
Yes. Hard-to-place and high-mod accounts are a core part of what we do. As an independent broker we work with 50+ carriers and state programs, place Retro (retrospective rating) refund programs for qualifying Washington employers, and build a plan to bring your mod back down over time. Tell us your industry and claims picture and we'll map out realistic options. Request a quote →
Roofers, framers, truckers, manufacturers, home care — the classes other agents avoid are the ones we place every week.
We place Retro refund programs and hunt down classification errors and mod issues that quietly inflate your premium.
When an injury happens, we help manage the claim, push return-to-work, and protect your experience rating from lasting damage.
Tell us about your business and we'll compare your options across carriers and state programs — statutory coverage, stop-gap liability, Retro, and multi-state, structured around how you actually operate.
Prefer email? Reach our commercial team at commercial@firstunderwriters.com
Coverage descriptions are general summaries for education and are not a statement of coverage, an offer, or a binder. In Washington, statutory workers' compensation is provided through the Department of Labor & Industries; program availability (including Retro), eligibility, rates, and terms vary by employer, class code, payroll, and loss history and are subject to underwriting and state rules. Premium figures shown are illustrative estimates only. First Underwriters Insurance Brokers · Kirkland, WA · (425) 242-5357.
