Workers' Compensation Insurance Dallas, TX

Workers' compensation insurance helps pay medical bills and part of lost wages when an employee is hurt or gets sick because of work. In Texas it also decides how exposed you are if an employee is injured, because most private employers can choose whether to carry it.

The question often comes up with a new hire, a general contractor asking for a certificate, or a renewal quote that looks too high. Premiums are set by payroll, job classifications, claims history, and the type of work, so the details matter more than a flat monthly price.

Thumann Agency is an independent insurance agency and broker in Dallas, led by Steve Thumann and serving Texas employers since 1996. We compare 80+ carriers and explain what Texas law does and doesn't require before you decide.

• What it covers: medical care and a portion of lost wages for work-related injuries and illnesses, plus death benefits for eligible families

• Who needs it: employers who choose to carry it, contractors on public projects, and anyone whose clients or contracts require proof of coverage

• What does it cost? It's priced on payroll and job class, not a flat rate, so the cost section below shows how it's calculated

Why Dallas Businesses Choose Thumann Agency

When a contract or a new hire puts a deadline on coverage, you need clear answers fast. Here's what you get with us:

• Independent broker: we compare 80+ carriers instead of handing you one company's policy

• A dedicated advisor: one person who knows your account, not a call center

• 30+ years in Dallas: Thumann Agency has placed Texas business coverage since 1996

• Payroll and job class review: we check how your employees are classified before you accept a quote

• Same-day certificates of insurance for existing clients: proof of coverage for general contractors, project owners, and customers

• Annual renewal reviews: so your policy keeps pace as your payroll and crews change

• Servicio en español: Spanish-language support is available (see our seguros de negocio page)

What Our Clients Say

Thumann Agency holds a 4.6-star rating from 140+ Google reviews. Here's what some of our commercial clients say about working with us.

Thank you Nida and Thumann agents for always making sure I got what I need for my projects! I've been with this agency for 4 years and I couldn't recommend them more! We recently needed additional coverage for a new contract and Nida went above and beyond to get us what we were needing. Thank you!!!

Jose Medina | Google | ★★★★★

Have been with The Thumann Agency for more than 14 years. A great brokerage firm to work with. Their agents have great follow through and every time I reach out to them to re-quote my policies, they always come back with strong recommendations on how to maximize my savings. I highly recommend them. They take the heavy lifting off my plate.

Douglas Laher | Google | ★★★★★

We love Nida!!!! Company is awesome. She handles our commercial insurance for everything and fast to responses. Keep up the good work!

Shenicia Barnes | Google | ★★★★★

Google reviews | 4.6 stars, 140+ reviews | BBB A+ rating | Trusted Choice pledge

Does Texas Require Workers' Compensation Insurance?

Not for most private employers. Texas lets a private employer decide whether to provide coverage, according to the Texas Department of Insurance's Division of Workers' Compensation. Employers who carry it are called subscribers, and employers who don't are called non-subscribers.

Most Texas employers do carry it. In 2024, 24 percent of employers were non-subscribers, the lowest share since 2016, and 13 percent of Texas employees worked for non-subscribers. Those numbers come from the division's biennial report to the legislature.

Two situations change the answer:

• Public projects: when a state or local government signs a building or construction contract, the contractor must certify in writing that it covers its employees on the project, and each subcontractor must give its own certificate under Texas Labor Code Section 406.096

• Contracts and customers: general contractors, property owners, and other clients can require proof of coverage even when the law doesn't

Hypothetical example: A Dallas framing subcontractor bids on a city-funded project. The general contractor asks for a certificate of coverage before the crew starts. The subcontractor needs a policy in place first, not after the bid is won.

Subscriber or Non-Subscriber: What Changes

This section explains how the law works. It isn't advice on which path to choose, and a Texas employment attorney can tell you how it applies to your business.

• If you carry coverage: workers' compensation benefits are generally the exclusive remedy for a covered employee's work injury claim against you, under Texas Labor Code Section 408.001. The statute leaves open exemplary damages for a surviving spouse or heirs when a death results from an intentional act or gross negligence.

• If you don't carry coverage: the exclusive-remedy protection in that statute is tied to covered employees, so an injured employee may be able to bring a negligence lawsuit against you. The division's non-subscriber rules also expect you to post a notice of no coverage in English and Spanish, give new employees written notice, file a notice with the division between February 1 and April 30 each year, and report certain work injuries if you have five or more employees.

Rules change, so check the division's current requirements before relying on this summary.

What Does Workers' Compensation Insurance Cover?

Coverage depends on your policy and Texas law, so ask to see the wording. In general, a policy can include these parts.

• Medical care: treatment for a work-related injury or illness

• Wage replacement: a portion of lost wages while an eligible employee can't work, at amounts set by Texas law

• Death benefits: payments to eligible family members after a work-related death

• Employers' liability: most policies include it, and it can respond to certain lawsuits that fall outside the benefits system, with terms that vary by carrier

Benefits don't depend on who caused the accident, though an employee must qualify. A business owner's policy doesn't replace workers' compensation, and general liability covers injuries to customers and other outsiders, not your employees.

Dallas Workplace Risks That Shape Your Coverage

Dallas-Fort Worth is a large, mixed job market, and the risks differ by industry. In September 2026, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (preliminary data) counted these jobs in the Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington area:

• Trade, transportation, and utilities: about 894,400 jobs

• Leisure and hospitality: about 433,700 jobs

• Manufacturing: about 313,200 jobs

• Mining, logging, and construction: about 274,600 jobs, up 2.8 percent from a year earlier

Statewide, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported 557 fatal work injuries in Texas in 2024. Transportation incidents were the leading cause with 242, and construction accounted for 125. Here's what that means for coverage:

• Construction and trades: public projects, subcontractor certificates, and higher job classes make accurate classification important (see our contractors insurance page)

• Delivery, trucking, and sales crews: employees who drive for work add transportation exposure, and your commercial auto policy is a separate piece

• Restaurants and hospitality: kitchens and busy floors carry their own injury risks (see our restaurant insurance page)

• Offices and professional firms: these typically fall in lower job classes, which can mean lower rates

The job counts and injury figures come from the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Dallas area economy summary and its Texas fatal injury data.

How Much Does Workers' Compensation Insurance Cost in Dallas?

Workers' compensation isn't a flat monthly rate. Carriers price it on your payroll, each employee's job classification, your claims history, and the type of work. The basic math is payroll divided by 100, times the rate for each class, adjusted by an experience modifier that compares your claims history to similar businesses.

General examples, not quotes:

• Office-based, lower-risk work: about $0.54 per $100 of payroll

• Higher-risk construction work: about $2.50 to $5.00 per $100 of payroll

• Many small businesses: roughly $500 to $1,500 per year, depending on industry and employee count

Hypothetical example: A business with $250,000 in payroll in a class priced at $1.00 per $100 would start near $2,500 per year before any modifier. The rate here is only for illustration.

Carriers typically audit payroll after the policy ends, so your final premium follows what you actually paid. The Texas Department of Insurance reports that Texas workers' compensation insurance rates have dropped 81 percent since 2003. That's a market-wide trend, not a price for your business.

What Affects Your Premium

• Payroll: more employees and higher wages mean a higher base

• Job classifications: each role is assigned a class, and a wrong class can raise cost

• Claims history: the experience modifier reflects how your record compares to similar businesses

• Type of work: field and shop work usually costs more than office work

• Uninsured subcontractors: carriers may charge for workers they treat as yours

How to Lower Your Cost

• Check that each employee is in the right job class, and split office and field payroll correctly

• Keep safety training and records current

• Collect certificates of insurance from the subcontractors you hire

• Report payroll changes during the year so the audit has no surprises

• Let us compare carriers at every renewal

Prices shown are general starting ranges for common Texas business policies. Your actual cost is set during the quote process and depends on your specific business. We don't guarantee pricing or savings.

Broker, Agent, or Direct Carrier?

You can buy workers' compensation through an independent broker, an agent who represents one company, or directly from a carrier. The difference is whose policies you see.

• Independent broker or agency: compares options across several carriers and works for you, not one insurer

• Exclusive agent: sells one company's policies

• Direct carrier or online quote: can be quick for simple payroll and a single class of work

We're an independent agency and broker, so we compare carriers side by side and explain classes, audits, and certificate requirements before you sign.

How to Get Workers' Compensation Insurance in Dallas

1. Tell us about your business: employee count, payroll, the kind of work each role does, and any contract that requires coverage.

2. Share your claims history: a copy from your current carrier helps us compare accurately.

3. Compare options: we show carrier quotes side by side and explain classes, modifiers, and exclusions in plain English.

4. Choose and get proof: you pick the policy, and existing clients get same-day certificates of insurance.

Workers' Compensation Insurance Across Texas

Our office is at 12770 Coit Road, Suite 110, in Dallas. Our main market is Dallas-Fort Worth, including Richardson, Plano, and Garland, and we also serve clients in Houston, Austin, San Antonio, Corpus Christi, and Galveston. See our Plano and Houston business insurance pages, or start with our Texas business insurance page. Coverage terms vary by carrier.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are independent contractors and 1099 workers covered?

It depends on how the worker is classified, not on the label on the contract. Carriers may review whether a worker is truly independent, and uninsured workers they treat as employees can add premium at audit. Ask an attorney how Texas law classifies your workers, and send us your setup so we can talk through how carriers treat it.

What if my quote is too high or a carrier declines me?

Start by checking your job classes and claims history, since errors in either can raise the price. Then compare more than one carrier, because each one prefers different kinds of businesses. As an independent broker, we can show how different carriers view your business. We can't promise approval or a lower premium, but we'll explain what's driving the number.

Can I change my policy as my workforce grows?

Yes, in most cases. Because premium follows payroll, hiring more people, adding roles, or taking on new types of work changes your cost. Tell your advisor before the change, not after, so the right classes are in place. We also review your policy every year to confirm it still matches how your crews actually work.

Are part-time and seasonal employees included?

Typically, yes. Policies are usually written around your employees as a group, and premium follows their payroll, so part-time and seasonal wages count toward your audit. Classification still depends on the work each person does. Give us a complete picture of your seasonal hiring and we'll compare how carriers treat it.

Does workers' compensation replace health insurance?

No. Workers' compensation responds to work-related injuries and illnesses, while health insurance responds to everything else. They're separate policies with separate rules, separate carriers, and separate costs. If you're deciding what your business needs, tell us about your team and we'll walk through which pieces fit together for your business.

Ready to Compare Workers' Compensation Options for Your Dallas Business?

Tell us about your payroll and the work your team does, and we'll walk through your options in plain language. Get a Quote, Call (972) 991-9100, or Talk to Us and we'll take it from there.

Last Reviewed: October 2026

Author: Steve Thumann, Licensed Texas Insurance Broker

Sources: Texas Department of Insurance Division of Workers' Compensation: Biennial Report, Texas Labor Code Section 406.096, Texas Labor Code Section 408.001, Texas Department of Insurance: Nonsubscriber Employers, Bureau of Labor Statistics: Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington Economy at a Glance, Bureau of Labor Statistics: Fatal Occupational Injuries in Texas, 2024

Disclaimer: This information is for general educational purposes only and is not legal, tax, or insurance advice or a full description of any policy. Coverage terms, limits, and exclusions vary by carrier and by state, including Texas. Texas workers' compensation participation rules and non-subscriber requirements are set by the Texas Department of Insurance, Division of Workers' Compensation, and they can change. Prices shown are general starting ranges, not a guaranteed quote. The examples are hypothetical. Reviews reflect customers' own experiences. Contact Thumann Agency for details about your needs, and talk to a Texas attorney about legal questions. Thumann Agency is licensed under Texas Department of Insurance regulations.