Do I Need Workers’ Compensation Insurance for Myself in Florida?

Do you work for yourself or have very few employees? If that’s the case, you may be wondering whether or not you need workers’ compensation insurance for yourself or your small business in Florida.

Florida workers’ comp laws are generally very strict. However, not all businesses are required to have coverage. Independent contractors outside the construction industry are not covered under a client’s workers’ comp insurance when contracted for work. Sole proprietorships are automatically excluded from Florida workers’ comp laws, and certain small businesses don’t have to carry insurance. That being said, being required to carry workers’ compensation insurance in Florida and needing to can be different things. All businesses can benefit from finding coverage to protect themselves in the event of a work-related injury.

NPN Brokers can match you with a workers’ comp insurance plan, regardless of whether or not you’re required to have coverage in Florida. To learn more about how the Florida workers’ compensation insurance brokers at NPN Brokers can help you, visit our website or call today at (561) 990-3022.

Do I Need Workers’ Compensation Insurance for Myself as an Independent Contractor in Florida?

The way Florida approaches workers’ compensation insurance has to do with industry type and the number of employees a business has. Take construction, for example. It’s considered a high-risk industry because of the nature of the work involved. So, do independent contractors need workers’ compensation insurance for themselves in Florida?

When independent contractors work for themselves or another business in Florida, they are not considered employees. Because of this, they are not required to carry workers’ compensation insurance themselves. A client who contracts an independent contractor is also not required to carry workers’ compensation insurance coverage for that individual unless the work is related to construction.

While independent contractors are often thought of as related to the construction industry, that is not always the case. Essentially, an independent contractor is an individual that provides services under a contract. That can mean virtually any freelancing job, from plumbing to truck driving. Independent contractors do not work full-time for an employer, so they are usually not considered employees in Florida. Because of this, independent contractors are not covered under a client’s workers’ compensation benefits unless they are contracted for construction work specifically.

In addition, independent contractors are not required to carry workers’ compensation insurance for themselves, unless they have a construction company, based on the number of people they employ. An independent contractor is one person, and Florida workers’ comp laws state that companies, other than those in the construction or agricultural industries, with four or more employees must carry workers’ comp insurance. That means that independent contractors may not be required to carry workers’ comp coverage for themselves.

However, independent contractors can find affordable coverage to protect themselves in case of a work-related injury. One of the deficits of working for yourself as an independent contractor is that you don’t have the protections and benefits usually afforded by an employer. Finding affording coverage from an experienced broker, like the Florida workers’ comp brokers at NPN Brokers, can help independent contractors protect themselves from job to job.

Do I Need Workers’ Compensation Insurance for Myself as a Sole Proprietorship in Florida?

If you’re starting a business by yourself, you may choose to form a sole proprietorship. Because Florida generally looks at the number of employees to discern whether a company must carry workers’ comp insurance coverage, sole proprietorships are automatically excluded from workers’ comp laws.

A sole proprietorship is a business formation of one individual owner and possibly no employees. Because the number of employees can be zero, certain sole proprietorships are not required to carry workers’ compensation insurance in Florida, regardless of the industry. But what happens then if you are injured on the job and need medical care? What can you do if you don’t have workers’ comp insurance because you’re not required to have it?

Sole proprietorships can avoid that issue altogether by electing to carry workers’ comp insurance. Despite not being required to carry workers’ comp coverage by law, sole proprietorships can still benefit from doing so. A sole proprietorship means that the owner is responsible for their business’ finances. Should you be injured at work and need medical care, that could affect your business. Finding affordable coverage from a skilled broker, like those at NPN Brokers, protects sole proprietorships in Florida.

Sole proprietorships can file for an election of coverage in Florida by filling out the proper forms after finding a suitable workers’ comp insurance plan.

Do I Need Workers’ Compensation Insurance for Myself as a Small Business in Florida?

Whether or not your Florida small business needs workers’ compensation insurance will depend on its industry and the number of people it employs. Although workers’ comp laws in Florida are strict, not all small businesses must carry coverage. However, that doesn’t mean that your small business shouldn’t carry workers’ comp insurance.

Small construction companies with at least one employee need to carry workers’ comp coverage in Florida. If that’s the industry your small business is in, it’s important that you find affordable coverage you can rely on. Small construction companies with one or more employees can find an affordable plan by consulting with dedicated professionals, like those at NPN Brokers. Small businesses in high-risk industries may need plans that require no upfront deposits or audits. In fact, all small businesses in Florida can benefit from a plan that allows you to pay as you go.

Small businesses not related to the construction or agricultural industries need to carry workers’’ comp insurance in Florida if they have four or more employees. But what if you only have two or three employees? In that case, you won’t have to carry workers’ comp insurance coverage in Florida. However, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t consider having coverage.

It doesn’t matter what industry you’re in or how many employees you have: injuries at work can still happen. Because of that chance, it’s important to protect your small business by finding affordable workers’ comp coverage that you can rely on in case of an employee injury.

NPN Brokers Can Help You Find Workers’ Compensation Insurance in Florida

Just because you may not be required to carry workers’ comp insurance for yourself in Florida doesn’t mean you shouldn’t. To learn more about how the experienced Florida workers’ compensation insurance brokers at NPN Brokers can help you, visit our website or call today at (561) 990-3022.