Workers’ comp insurance cost for restaurants in New York

Q: What does workers' comp cost full-service restaurants in New York?

Modeled from the 2024 filed manual rate of $1.81 per $100 of payroll: a <5-employee restaurant lands around $1k–$4k 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. Full-service restaurants fall under NCCI class 9082 (Restaurant NOC) — table-service establishments; fast food (class 9083) and bars (9084) are rated separately.

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

Direct answer: New York full-service restaurants pay a filed workers’-comp manual rate of $1.81 per $100 of payroll (2024 filed rate) — the 4th-highest of 51 US jurisdictions. Modeled on real payrolls, most <5-employee full-service restaurants land around $1k–$4k/yr, before experience mods and schedule credits.

35% of NY full-service restaurants have <5 employees — the chart below prices every size band from its own observed payroll.
New York sits 4th of 51: CA pays more ($3.11), GA less ($1.44).
Workers’ comp is one of several coverages — see everything your restaurant needs in New York →

What do New York full-service restaurants pay for workers’ comp?

Modeled annual premium across the real size distribution of NY full-service restaurants

bar height = how many full-service restaurants are that size · figures = modeled annual cost

typical · most NY full-service restaurants

▼

<5 emp

≈$1.7k/yr

5–9 emp

≈$3.4k/yr

10–19 emp

≈$7.7k/yr

20–49 emp

≈$19k/yr

50–99 emp

≈$43k/yr

100–249 emp

≈$100k/yr

SMALLER

MID-SIZE

LARGER

A <5-employee NY restaurant: modeled $1k–$4k/yr in workers’-comp premium (that band’s own average wage, before experience mods and schedule credits). Bar heights show how many of the 19,661 NY full-service restaurants fall in each size band.

Cohort: size distribution of 19,661 NY full-service restaurants (Census CBP 2023); premiums modeled from one filed rate ($1.81/$100 payroll, 2024). Bands shown cover 19,648 of 19,661 establishments (99.9%) — 13 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 (NY)

$1.81 / $100 payroll

as of 2024

Typical <5-employee restaurant (35% of NY)

$1k–$4k / 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 (Full-service restaurants (NAICS 722511)) (as of 2023, retrieved 2026-06-05)

How does New York compare to nearby ranks?

Calculated manual rates, $ per $100 payroll, NCCI class 9082 (Restaurant NOC), 2024. See all 51 jurisdictions →

Rank	State	Rate / $100 payroll
1	California	$3.11
2	Hawaii	$2.79
3	New Jersey	$2.54
4	New York	$1.81
5	Wyoming	$1.48
6	Wisconsin	$1.46
7	Maine	$1.46
8	Rhode Island	$1.45

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 full-service restaurants in New York?

Modeled from the 2024 filed manual rate of $1.81 per $100 of payroll: a <5-employee restaurant lands around $1k–$4k 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. Full-service restaurants fall under NCCI class 9082 (Restaurant NOC) — table-service establishments; fast food (class 9083) and bars (9084) are rated separately.

Restaurants in nearby-ranked states: New Jersey ($2.54) · Hawaii ($2.79) · Wisconsin ($1.46) · California ($3.11)

Stay informed

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

No spam — one email.

Illustrative benchmark — not a quote or coverage recommendation. Figures are modeled from public filings and Census data for 19,661 New York full-service restaurants; your premium depends on your payroll, claims history, and carrier.