Florida workers comp coverage is a contractor check

A contractor’s price is only one part of a Florida repair job. The work crew and type of work help decide whether coverage is required.

A construction business usually needs workers’ compensation coverage with one or more workers. Non-exempt company officers and LLC members count toward that rule. A business outside construction usually reaches the rule at four workers. Farm work has its own limits.

Before a roof, dock, remodel, tree job, or storm repair begins, search the legal business name. Florida has one tool for proof of coverage and another for owner exemptions. An exemption for one named owner does not cover the rest of the crew.

The coverage tool uses data sent by insurance carriers, so a new change may not appear at once. A professional employer organization, often called a PEO, adds another detail. Only workers reported to and accepted by the PEO are covered through it.

Ask for a current certificate and the names of the people who will do the work. Keep those records with the license, permit, written scope, and payment plan. If the names do not match, pause until the contractor explains the difference in writing.