Workers’ comp insurance cost for fast food in Colorado

Published 2026-06-11 · by Brokly

Direct answer: Colorado fast-food restaurants pay a filed workers’-comp manual rate of $1.18 per $100 of payroll (2024 filed rate) — the 20th-highest of 51 US jurisdictions. Modeled on real payrolls, most 20–49-employee fast-food restaurants land around $5.3k–$13k/yr, before experience mods and schedule credits.

32% of CO fast-food restaurants have 20–49 employees — the chart below prices every size band from its own observed payroll.
Colorado sits 20th of 51: MO pays more ($1.24), CT less ($1.10).
Workers’ comp is one of several coverages — see everything your fast-food restaurant needs in Colorado →

What do Colorado fast-food restaurants pay for workers’ comp?

Modeled annual premium across the real size distribution of CO fast-food restaurants

bar height = how many fast-food restaurants are that size · figures = modeled annual cost

typical · most CO fast-food restaurants

▼

5–9 emp

≈$2.1k/yr

10–19 emp

≈$4.2k/yr

20–49 emp

≈$7.9k/yr

50–99 emp

≈$17k/yr

100–249 emp

≈$33k/yr

SMALLER

MID-SIZE

LARGER

A 20–49-employee CO fast-food restaurant: modeled $5.3k–$13k/yr in workers’-comp premium (that band’s own average wage, before experience mods and schedule credits). Bar heights show how many of the 4,753 CO fast-food restaurants fall in each size band.

Cohort: size distribution of 4,753 CO fast-food restaurants (Census CBP 2023); premiums modeled from one filed rate ($1.18/$100 payroll, 2024). Bands shown cover 3,927 of 4,753 establishments (82.6%) — 826 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 (CO)

$1.18 / $100 payroll

as of 2024

Typical 20–49-employee fast-food restaurant (32% of CO)

$5.3k–$13k / 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 (Limited-service restaurants (NAICS 722513)) (as of 2023, retrieved 2026-06-05)

How does Colorado compare to nearby ranks?

Calculated manual rates, $ per $100 payroll, NCCI class 9083 (Restaurant: Fast Food), 2024. See all 51 jurisdictions →

Rank	State	Rate / $100 payroll
16	Florida	$1.24
17	Alabama	$1.23
18	Nebraska	$1.22
19	Washington	$1.19
20	Colorado	$1.18
21	Minnesota	$1.18
22	South Carolina	$1.14
23	Delaware	$1.12
24	Michigan	$1.11

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 fast-food restaurants in Colorado?

Modeled from the 2024 filed manual rate of $1.18 per $100 of payroll: a 20–49-employee fast-food restaurant lands around $5.3k–$13k 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. Fast-food restaurants fall under NCCI class 9083 (Restaurant: Fast Food); full-service restaurants (class 9082) and bars (9084) are rated separately.

Fast food in nearby-ranked states: Minnesota ($1.18) · Nebraska ($1.22) · South Carolina ($1.14) · Alabama ($1.23)

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Illustrative benchmark — not a quote or coverage recommendation. Figures are modeled from public filings and Census data for 4,753 Colorado fast-food restaurants; your premium depends on your payroll, claims history, and carrier.