Workers’ comp insurance cost for fast food in Iowa

Q: What does workers' comp cost fast-food restaurants in Iowa?

Modeled from the 2024 filed manual rate of $1.05 per $100 of payroll: a 10–19-employee fast-food restaurant lands around $2k–$3.8k 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. Fast-food restaurants fall under NCCI class 9083 (Restaurant: Fast Food); full-service restaurants (class 9082) and bars (9084) are rated separately.

Published 2026-06-11 · by Brokly

Direct answer: Iowa fast-food restaurants pay a filed workers’-comp manual rate of $1.05 per $100 of payroll (2024 filed rate) — the 28th-highest of 51 US jurisdictions. Modeled on real payrolls, most 10–19-employee fast-food restaurants land around $2k–$3.8k/yr, before experience mods and schedule credits.

32% of IA fast-food restaurants have 10–19 employees — the chart below prices every size band from its own observed payroll.
Iowa sits 28th of 51: DE pays more ($1.12), MS less ($0.91).
Workers’ comp is one of several coverages — see everything your fast-food restaurant needs in Iowa →

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

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

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

typical · most IA fast-food restaurants

▼

<5 emp

≈$730/yr

5–9 emp

≈$1.5k/yr

10–19 emp

≈$2.9k/yr

20–49 emp

≈$5.5k/yr

50–99 emp

≈$12k/yr

SMALLER

MID-SIZE

LARGER

A 10–19-employee IA fast-food restaurant: modeled $2k–$3.8k/yr in workers’-comp premium (that band’s own average wage, before experience mods and schedule credits). Bar heights show how many of the 2,095 IA fast-food restaurants fall in each size band.

Cohort: size distribution of 2,095 IA fast-food restaurants (Census CBP 2023); premiums modeled from one filed rate ($1.05/$100 payroll, 2024). Bands shown cover 2,088 of 2,095 establishments (99.7%) — 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 (IA)

$1.05 / $100 payroll

as of 2024

Typical 10–19-employee fast-food restaurant (32% of IA)

$2k–$3.8k / 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 Iowa 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
24	Michigan	$1.11
25	Connecticut	$1.10
26	Montana	$1.09
27	Illinois	$1.08
28	Iowa	$1.05
29	Alaska	$0.99
30	South Dakota	$0.99
31	Idaho	$0.97
32	Oregon	$0.92

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 Iowa?

Modeled from the 2024 filed manual rate of $1.05 per $100 of payroll: a 10–19-employee fast-food restaurant lands around $2k–$3.8k 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: Montana ($1.09) · South Dakota ($0.99) · Connecticut ($1.10) · Idaho ($0.97)

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Illustrative benchmark — not a quote or coverage recommendation. Figures are modeled from public filings and Census data for 2,095 Iowa fast-food restaurants; your premium depends on your payroll, claims history, and carrier.