Wisconsin Workers’ Compensation Insurance

In the state of Wisconsin, workers’ compensation insurance is required. In fact, the Wisconsin Workers’ Compensation Act states that most businesses with at least three employees need workers’ compensation insurance.¹ This coverage is also known as workers’ comp or workman’s comp insurance.

Your workers’ compensation policy gives your employees important benefits they need to recover if they suffer from an illness or injury at work. For example, it can help to:

Pay for your employees’ medical care
Replace lost wages your employees need to miss work to recover
Cover funeral costs if an employee loses their life in a work-related incident

Workers’ compensation can also help protect you and your business from lawsuits filed against you.

Wisconsin Workers’ Compensation Coverage

In Wisconsin, workers’ comp insurance can help nearly all public and private employees, including:²

Workers who are family, except farm workers in some cases
Minors
Part-time workers
Corporate officers

Workers’ comp insurance can help cover:³

Physical injuries, like cuts or sprains that happen as a result of an employee’s job.
Mental harm, such as nervous disorders, hysteria, traumatic neurosis or brain injuries caused by work accidents.
Occupational diseases from a work-related substance, condition or activity.
Illnesses caused by an employee's job. This can be due to poorly ventilated workspaces or chemicals.
Disabilities due to a work-related injury or illness. Employees with a disability can qualify for vocational rehabilitation or retraining benefits.

How Does Workers’ Comp Work in Wisconsin?

workers compensation insurance wisconsin

Wisconsin workers’ compensation helps pay for benefits to employees with work-related injuries or illnesses. However, like most states, Wisconsin has timeframes that you and your employees are required to follow. If a work-related injury occurs, your employee must notify you within 30 days.

You can dispute your employee’s workers’ compensation claim if you don’t agree with it. If both sides can’t reach a settlement, a hearing with an administrative judge will take place.⁴

Does Wisconsin Require Workers’ Compensation Insurance?

Workers’ comp is required in Wisconsin if you have three or more employees at your business. However, there are some exceptions to the state law, such as:⁵

Domestic workers who typically work in households
Workers in a different trade than your business
Farm workers, unless you have six or more employees working 20 or more days in the year
Volunteers, including those for nonprofit organizations that receive money or items that equal more than $10 a week
Religious sect members if they have certification for exemption
Workers at Native American businesses, including casinos

Be aware that if your business has fewer than three employees but you pay them $500 or more in any quarter, you may still need workers’ comp coverage.

How Much Is Workers’ Comp in Wisconsin?

The cost of workers’ compensation varies from business to business. Some factors that can impact how much you pay for your workers’ comp coverage costs include your:

State’s workers’ compensation laws
Number of employees and payroll
Industry

Wisconsin Workers’ Compensation Quote

We’re an insurance company with over 200 years of experience. We’re proud to have helped over 1 million small business owners, and we’re here to do the same for you. To learn more, get a workers’ compensation insurance quote today.