Workers’ comp insurance cost for fast food in Montana

Published 2026-06-11 · by Brokly

Direct answer: Montana fast-food restaurants pay a filed workers’-comp manual rate of $1.09 per $100 of payroll (2024 filed rate) — the 26th-highest of 51 US jurisdictions. Modeled on real payrolls, most 20–49-employee fast-food restaurants land around $4.5k–$11k/yr, before experience mods and schedule credits.

29% of MT fast-food restaurants have 20–49 employees — the chart below prices every size band from its own observed payroll.
Montana sits 26th of 51: MN pays more ($1.18), ID less ($0.97).
Workers’ comp is one of several coverages — see everything your fast-food restaurant needs in Montana →

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

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

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

typical · most MT fast-food restaurants

▼

5–9 emp

≈$1.6k/yr

10–19 emp

≈$3.4k/yr

20–49 emp

≈$6.9k/yr

50–99 emp

≈$14k/yr

SMALLER

MID-SIZE

LARGER

A 20–49-employee MT fast-food restaurant: modeled $4.5k–$11k/yr in workers’-comp premium (that band’s own average wage, before experience mods and schedule credits). Bar heights show how many of the 806 MT fast-food restaurants fall in each size band.

Cohort: size distribution of 806 MT fast-food restaurants (Census CBP 2023); premiums modeled from one filed rate ($1.09/$100 payroll, 2024). Bands shown cover 630 of 806 establishments (78.2%) — 176 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 (MT)

$1.09 / $100 payroll

as of 2024

Typical 20–49-employee fast-food restaurant (29% of MT)

$4.5k–$11k / 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 Montana 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
22	South Carolina	$1.14
23	Delaware	$1.12
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

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 Montana?

Modeled from the 2024 filed manual rate of $1.09 per $100 of payroll: a 20–49-employee fast-food restaurant lands around $4.5k–$11k 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: Connecticut ($1.10) · Iowa ($1.05) · Michigan ($1.11) · Delaware ($1.12)

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Illustrative benchmark — not a quote or coverage recommendation. Figures are modeled from public filings and Census data for 806 Montana fast-food restaurants; your premium depends on your payroll, claims history, and carrier.