Workers’ comp insurance cost for electricians in Virginia

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

Modeled from the 2024 filed manual rate of $1.38 per $100 of payroll: a <5-employee electrical shop lands around $680–$2.7k 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: Virginia electrical contractors pay a filed workers’-comp manual rate of $1.38 per $100 of payroll (2024 filed rate) — the 46th-highest of 51 US jurisdictions. Modeled on real payrolls, most <5-employee electrical contractors land around $680–$2.7k/yr, before experience mods and schedule credits.

56% of VA electrical contractors have <5 employees — the chart below prices every size band from its own observed payroll.
Virginia sits 46th of 51: KY pays more ($1.73), WV less ($0.98).
Workers’ comp is one of several coverages — see everything your electrical shop needs in Virginia →

What do Virginia electrical contractors pay for workers’ comp?

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

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

typical · most VA electrical contractors

▼

<5 emp

≈$1.2k/yr

5–9 emp

≈$4.7k/yr

10–19 emp

≈$12k/yr

20–49 emp

≈$28k/yr

50–99 emp

≈$71k/yr

100–249 emp

≈$220k/yr

SMALLER

MID-SIZE

LARGER

A <5-employee VA electrical shop: modeled $680–$2.7k/yr in workers’-comp premium (that band’s own average wage, before experience mods and schedule credits). Bar heights show how many of the 1,826 VA electrical contractors fall in each size band.

Cohort: size distribution of 1,826 VA electrical contractors (Census CBP 2023); premiums modeled from one filed rate ($1.38/$100 payroll, 2024). Bands shown cover 1,821 of 1,826 establishments (99.7%) — 5 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 (VA)

$1.38 / $100 payroll

as of 2024

Typical <5-employee electrical shop (56% of VA)

$680–$2.7k / 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 Virginia 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
42	Ohio	$1.59
43	Oregon	$1.56
44	Nevada	$1.53
45	District of Columbia	$1.52
46	Virginia	$1.38
47	Indiana	$1.23
48	Utah	$1.21
49	Arkansas	$1.17
50	North Dakota	$0.99

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 Virginia?

Modeled from the 2024 filed manual rate of $1.38 per $100 of payroll: a <5-employee electrical shop lands around $680–$2.7k 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: Indiana ($1.23) · Nevada ($1.53) · Utah ($1.21) · Arkansas ($1.17)

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Illustrative benchmark — not a quote or coverage recommendation. Figures are modeled from public filings and Census data for 1,826 Virginia electrical contractors; your premium depends on your payroll, claims history, and carrier.