High-risk Workers’ Comp insurance accounts often get a bad reputation among retail agents. Higher injury rates, tougher underwriting, and limited standard market appetite can make these class codes feel like more risk than reward.

But avoiding them altogether can stall book growth. With the right strategy and wholesale support, high-risk Workers’ Comp placements can become a competitive advantage rather than a roadblock.

What Makes a Class Code High-Risk?

Certain industries carry higher Workers’ Comp exposure simply because of the work involved. According to the National Safety Council’s data on the most dangerous industries, sectors such as agriculture, construction, transportation, and warehousing consistently report elevated injury and fatality rates.

Industry classification follows the U.S. Census Bureau’s North American Industry Classification System (NAICS), which groups businesses by operational similarity. While NAICS codes themselves do not determine Workers’ Comp pricing, they reflect industry segments that carriers often associate with increased claims frequency or severity.

Why Avoiding High-Risk Workers’ Comp Can Limit Growth

High-risk Workers’ Comp insurance represents a substantial portion of the market. These industries are not niche — they are essential parts of the economy.

When agents avoid these industries, they also avoid clients who often struggle to find reliable coverage. Agents who are willing to engage with higher-risk class codes face less competition and often build stronger, longer-lasting relationships by solving problems other agents won’t touch.

6 High-Risk Class Code Categories Agents Commonly Avoid

The industry categories below are among those frequently associated with higher Workers’ Comp exposure. However, they also represent meaningful opportunities for agents willing to navigate them.

Construction and Specialty Trades

Construction and specialty trades involve physically demanding work, variable job sites, and frequent exposure to heavy equipment and work at heights. These factors increase injury potential and make accurate classification and payroll breakdowns critical when presenting these accounts to carriers.

Manufacturing and Fabrication

Manufacturing and fabrication operations often include machinery use, assembly-line labor, welding, and material handling. The combination of powered equipment and production-based workflows increases exposure, leading carriers to closely review safety practices, job duties, and loss history.

Transportation and Warehousing

Transportation and warehousing roles typically involve driving, loading, unloading, and material movement. Injury exposure can increase due to vehicle operation, repetitive motion, and lifting requirements, particularly when operations span multiple locations or states.

Agriculture and Outdoor Labor

Agriculture and outdoor labor present unique challenges due to environmental conditions, equipment use, and seasonal workforce fluctuations. These operations often face heightened underwriting scrutiny because exposures can vary widely by task and time of year.

Staffing Agencies With Diverse Workforce Placements

Staffing agencies face elevated Workers’ Comp exposure due to varied job duties, fluctuating headcounts, and frequent changes in work environments. Even when roles are not strictly labor-intensive, there’s elevated risk. Shared employment structures, classification challenges, and multi-state placements can limit carrier appetite and complicate underwriting without clear payroll and role segmentation.

Janitorial and Building Services

Janitorial and building services involve repetitive tasks, exposure to chemicals, slip-and-fall accidents, and work across multiple client sites. While often underestimated, these operational factors can impact claims activity and require careful classification and payroll segmentation.

Why the Right Wholesale Partner Makes High-Risk Accounts Worth Pursuing

Standard carriers may hesitate to write high-risk Workers’ Comp or impose restrictive terms. A wholesale partner with access to specialty markets can help agents present these accounts accurately and align them with carriers that understand the exposure.

Worksperity works directly with agents to navigate underwriting expectations and identify viable placement strategies for high-risk Workers’ Comp insurance.

Turn the Accounts Others Avoid Into the Book You Want

High-risk class codes do not have to be automatic declines. For agents willing to approach them strategically, they can become a reliable source of growth and differentiation.

If you’re facing a high-risk Workers’ Comp placement or need help evaluating your options, send a submission for placement guidance and market review.

About Worksperity

Worksperity is a specialized wholesale brokerage focused exclusively on Workers’ Compensation. We partner directly with retail agents to simplify placements for hard-to-place industries and clients with coverage barriers. Our deep expertise, rapid quote capabilities, and access to 90+ niche markets empower agents to win more business, faster. Learn more at worksperity.com.