What should a California contractor prepare for a business insurance review?

Prepare the business name, license or trade information, employee and payroll details, operations, vehicles or equipment when relevant, contracts, prior coverage, and claims history. A licensed team member can then review the request subject to carrier eligibility, policy terms, and underwriting.

How are business insurance limits or terms selected for a contractor?

Limits and terms are not universal. They can be influenced by the contractor's actual work, contracts, employee duties, vehicle use, project requirements, prior loss history, carrier guidelines, and applicable California requirements. The appropriate structure must be reviewed for the individual operation.

Can Asena provide an exact price or guarantee coverage for this page?

No. Any indication is preliminary until complete information is reviewed. Availability, pricing, limits, effective dates, certificates, and coverage are subject to carrier eligibility, policy terms, underwriting, and written confirmation.

Officer Exclusion - Should You Exclude Yourself From WC?

Quick Answer

California corporate officers and LLC managing members can elect to exclude themselves from workers' comp coverage by filing the WCIRB Officer Exclusion form. This removes their payroll from the WC premium calculation — useful for owners earning high wages in high-rate classes. The trade-off: no WC benefits if you're injured on the job. Many owners maintain personal health and disability instead. Call (858) 925-9555 to discuss your specific situation.

Who Can Exclude

Corporate officers (CEO, CFO, etc.) of a California corporation
LLC managing members (the active LLC owners, not passive investors)
General partners (in certain partnership structures)

Sole proprietors are automatically excluded — there's nothing to file.

When Exclusion Saves Money

The owner of a roofing company (Class 5551) paying themselves $120,000/year would otherwise have $120,000 × $22/$100 = $26,400 in their own WC premium. Excluding themselves saves that entire amount.

When Exclusion Is a Bad Idea

You actually work in the field and could get hurt
You have no personal health insurance
You have no disability insurance
Your spouse and family depend on your earnings

WC covers medical bills AND lost wages. If you exclude and get hurt, you pay medical out of pocket (or through personal health) and you have zero income protection.

The Form

File the WCIRB Officer Exclusion form with your WC carrier. Effective date is typically the next pay period.

Should you exclude? Call (858) 925-9555 — we'll do the math for your specific case.

Related: Workers' Comp Cost · SB 216 Ghost Policy

Call (858) 925-9555 — figure out if exclusion fits.