Insurance
The four state-fund workers’ comp states: Ohio, North Dakota, Washington, and Wyoming
Key takeaways
- The Indiana Compensation Rating Bureau’s public state-funds explainer names four monopolistic fund states: North Dakota, Ohio, Washington, and Wyoming. In those states, an employer that needs workers’ compensation generally obtains it from the official fund, not from a private workers’ compensation policy.
- ICRB also notes, in an AASCIF excerpt dated September 14, 2018 on that page, that Ohio and Washington allow authorized self-insurance as an alternative, while North Dakota and Wyoming are listed as exclusive state funds. Confirm the current alternative with each fund.
- Washington L&I prices industrial insurance per worker hour, not per $100 of payroll, and publishes official rate tables.
- This page has no insurer or payroll offer. Start with the official fund for your state.
On this page
If you hire in one of these four states, a private-market workers’ compensation quote form is generally the wrong next step. The ICRB explainer states that in a monopolistic fund state, “an employer needing workers compensation insurance may only obtain the coverage from this fund,” with approved self-insurance as the alternative where the state allows it. Puerto Rico also has an exclusive fund on that ICRB list; it is outside this site’s 50-state scope.
Ohio — Bureau of Workers’ Compensation
Coverage for a private employer that has one or more employees regularly in service is described in the official Ohio BWC Coverage and Employer/Employee Status policy (effective March 25, 2026). Coverage is obtained from the Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation, or through approved self-insurance where allowed — not from a private workers’ compensation policy. Elective coverage for certain owners is addressed in BWC forms and policy; confirm current owner rules with BWC. Official class rates from the fund were not loaded into this site’s calculator in this review, so Ohio stays on “enter your quote” (or the figure BWC gives you) in the calculator.
North Dakota — Workforce Safety & Insurance
The official WSI coverage requirements page, reviewed November 13, 2026, states that with limited exceptions, all employers must insure all employees — including full-time, part-time, seasonal, and occasional workers — before employees begin working. WSI is the sole provider; private insurers may not underwrite workers’ compensation in North Dakota. Official WSI class rates were not loaded into the calculator in this review.
Washington — Department of Labor & Industries
Washington requires industrial-insurance coverage for employees and other eligible workers, through the State Fund or a certified self-insured employer, unless a statutory exclusion applies. Official starting points are L&I’s Do I need a workers’ comp account? page and the rates for workers’ compensation page, which publishes PDF and Excel tables. Premiums are reported on worker hours, not per $100 of payroll. Because this site’s calculator is built around a payroll rate, Washington also stays on “enter your quote” rather than a hidden hourly prefill. Optional coverage and exclusions are described in L&I’s official employers’ materials; confirm those with L&I.
Wyoming — confirm with the official division
ICRB lists Wyoming as a monopolistic fund and names the Workers’ Safety and Compensation Division. The U.S. Department of Labor’s directory of state workers’ compensation officials is the official hub we can reliably point to in this review. Official Wyoming employer pages could not be retrieved here (the fetches were blocked or challenged), so this site does not invent a Wyoming employee-count trigger, a mandatory-occupation list, or a class rate. Confirm current rules, including whether your occupation is in a mandatory class and when coverage must be in place, directly with the Wyoming Workers’ Compensation Division. Official fund class rates were not loaded into the calculator.
What this site will not do on these states
We do not recommend a specific insurer, and we do not place a private-policy or payroll enrollment offer on this page. If you also run payroll, that is a separate decision from obtaining statutory coverage from the fund. For first-employee rules in other states, use the 50-state table.
Frequently asked questions
Which states use a monopolistic workers' comp fund?
ICRB's public state-funds explainer names North Dakota, Ohio, Washington, and Wyoming. Confirm current options, including any approved self-insurance, with each official fund.
Can I buy a private workers' comp policy in Ohio or North Dakota?
Generally no. Official materials describe Ohio BWC (or approved self-insurance where allowed) and North Dakota WSI as the path, not a private workers' compensation policy.
Why doesn't the calculator prefill a Washington rate?
Washington L&I prices coverage per worker hour, and official class rates for the four funds were not loaded into the calculator in this review. Enter the figure from the fund or your official account.
This page summarizes official agency pages retrieved or reviewed on November 13, 2026. It is not legal, tax, or insurance advice, not a quote, and not a recommendation of a specific insurer. Confirm current rules with the linked agency, and with counsel or a licensed agent when you need a determination on your facts.
This page does not include an insurer or payroll offer. In these four states, start with the official fund linked below, not a private workers’ compensation policy.