Workers’ comp insurance cost for electricians in Michigan

Q: What does workers' comp cost electrical contractors in Michigan?

Modeled from the 2024 filed manual rate of $1.73 per $100 of payroll: a <5-employee electrical shop lands around $980–$3.9k per year before experience mods and schedule credits.

Q: What drives the rate up or down?

Three levers: payroll (the exposure base), claims history (the experience modifier), and schedule credits/debits the insurer applies. Electrical wiring work is NCCI class 5190 — it covers electrical wiring within buildings, including installation of fixtures and appliances.

Published 2026-06-05 · Updated 2026-06-11 · by Brokly

Direct answer: Michigan electrical contractors pay a filed workers’-comp manual rate of $1.73 per $100 of payroll (2024 filed rate) — the 40th-highest of 51 US jurisdictions. Modeled on real payrolls, most <5-employee electrical contractors land around $980–$3.9k/yr, before experience mods and schedule credits.

55% of MI electrical contractors have <5 employees — the chart below prices every size band from its own observed payroll.
Michigan sits 40th of 51: MA pays more ($2.02), DC less ($1.52).
Workers’ comp is one of several coverages — see everything your electrical shop needs in Michigan →

What do Michigan electrical contractors pay for workers’ comp?

Modeled annual premium across the real size distribution of MI electrical contractors

bar height = how many electrical contractors are that size · figures = modeled annual cost

typical · most MI electrical contractors

▼

<5 emp

≈$1.8k/yr

5–9 emp

≈$6.5k/yr

10–19 emp

≈$15k/yr

20–49 emp

≈$39k/yr

50–99 emp

≈$95k/yr

100–249 emp

≈$240k/yr

SMALLER

MID-SIZE

LARGER

A <5-employee MI electrical shop: modeled $980–$3.9k/yr in workers’-comp premium (that band’s own average wage, before experience mods and schedule credits). Bar heights show how many of the 1,960 MI electrical contractors fall in each size band.

Cohort: size distribution of 1,960 MI electrical contractors (Census CBP 2023); premiums modeled from one filed rate ($1.73/$100 payroll, 2024). Bands shown cover 1,953 of 1,960 establishments (99.6%) — 7 establishments in larger, very small-count, or data-suppressed size bands are not shown. 2023 payroll dollars, not inflation-adjusted. Illustrative benchmark — not a quote or coverage recommendation.

Filed manual rate (MI)

$1.73 / $100 payroll

as of 2024

Typical <5-employee electrical shop (55% of MI)

$980–$3.9k / yr modeled

as of 2024 · CBP 2023

Sources: Oregon DCBS workers' compensation premium rate ranking study, June 2025 (calendar-year 2024 rates) (as of calendar year 2024, retrieved 2026-06-04) · US Census County Business Patterns 2023, state file (Electrical contractors (NAICS 238210)) (as of 2023, retrieved 2026-06-05)

How does Michigan compare to nearby ranks?

Calculated manual rates, $ per $100 payroll, NCCI class 5190 (Electrical Wiring — Within Buildings), 2024. See all 51 jurisdictions →

Rank	State	Rate / $100 payroll
36	Tennessee	$2.00
37	Arizona	$1.81
38	Kansas	$1.78
39	Iowa	$1.76
40	Michigan	$1.73
41	Kentucky	$1.73
42	Ohio	$1.59
43	Oregon	$1.56
44	Nevada	$1.53

Sources: Oregon DCBS workers' compensation premium rate ranking study, June 2025 (calendar-year 2024 rates) (as of calendar year 2024, retrieved 2026-06-04)

Frequently asked questions

What does workers' comp cost electrical contractors in Michigan?

Modeled from the 2024 filed manual rate of $1.73 per $100 of payroll: a <5-employee electrical shop lands around $980–$3.9k per year before experience mods and schedule credits.

What drives the rate up or down?

Three levers: payroll (the exposure base), claims history (the experience modifier), and schedule credits/debits the insurer applies. Electrical wiring work is NCCI class 5190 — it covers electrical wiring within buildings, including installation of fixtures and appliances.

Electricians in nearby-ranked states: Iowa ($1.76) · Kentucky ($1.73) · Kansas ($1.78) · Arizona ($1.81)

Stay informed

We’ll notify you when we’re ready to benchmark your electrical shop’s coverage.

No spam — one email.

Illustrative benchmark — not a quote or coverage recommendation. Figures are modeled from public filings and Census data for 1,960 Michigan electrical contractors; your premium depends on your payroll, claims history, and carrier.