Restaurant Workers' Comp in Indiana
What Indiana requires of restaurants and bars for workers' compensation — when it kicks in, who's exempt, and what it costs.
Reviewed by J. Robert Smith, Licensed Insurance Agent (NPN 10378680). Last updated .
Yes. Indiana requires workers' compensation for essentially every restaurant with one or more employees under IC 22-3, including part-time and seasonal staff. Sole proprietors, partners, and LLC members may exclude themselves. Operating uninsured is a Class A infraction with fines up to $10,000, and the Worker's Compensation Board can order the business closed until it shows proof of insurance.
- Required?
- Yes
- Kicks in at
- One or more employees (1+). Every employer with any employee must carry coverage under IC 22-3; there is no small-employer or startup exemption, and part-time and seasonal restaurant staff count.
- Restaurant rate
- NCCI class 9082 (full-service) and 9083 (fast food). Approximately $0.35–$0.60 per $100 of payroll — Indiana is consistently one of the lowest-cost workers' comp states. Indiana is a loss-cost state administered by the ICRB, so an insurer's own multiplier applies on top. Approximate, industry tier.
- Market
- Competitive private market with no state fund; residual/assigned-risk coverage is administered through the Indiana Compensation Rating Bureau (ICRB).
Is workers’ comp required for a restaurant in Indiana?
Indiana requires workers' compensation once you reach One or more employees (1+). Every employer with any employee must carry coverage under IC 22-3; there is no small-employer or startup exemption, and part-time and seasonal restaurant staff count.. Sole proprietors, partners, and LLC members are not required to cover themselves but may elect coverage; corporate/LLC officers can be excluded by filing with their carrier. Farm/agricultural laborers, railroad employees in train service, and certain casual and municipal personnel are statutorily exempt.
What restaurant workers’ comp costs in Indiana
The restaurant class-code rate in Indiana is NCCI class 9082 (full-service) and 9083 (fast food). Approximately $0.35–$0.60 per $100 of payroll — Indiana is consistently one of the lowest-cost workers' comp states. Indiana is a loss-cost state administered by the ICRB, so an insurer's own multiplier applies on top. Approximate, industry tier.. Your premium is that rate applied per $100 of payroll and adjusted by your experience modifier, so it scales with how many people you employ and your claims history. Competitive private market with no state fund; residual/assigned-risk coverage is administered through the Indiana Compensation Rating Bureau (ICRB).
What owners in Indiana miss
- Indiana consistently ranks among the lowest workers' compensation premium states in the nation, so restaurant coverage is comparatively inexpensive.
- Indiana is a loss-cost state administered by the Indiana Compensation Rating Bureau (ICRB), not NCCI, so rates are built on ICRB loss costs plus each insurer's own loss-cost multiplier.
- Operating uninsured is a Class A infraction carrying fines up to $10,000, double-compensation liability, and the Worker's Compensation Board can order the business to cease operating until it shows proof of insurance (IC 22-3-4-13).
- Indiana separately requires employers to conspicuously post the name, address, and phone number of their comp carrier (IC 22-3-2-22), and failure to post carries its own civil penalty.
Sources
- Indiana Worker's Compensation Board (in.gov): WCB: Home / Non-Compliant Employer Reportingprimaryretrieved 2026-07-27
- Indiana Compensation Rating Bureau: Workers Compensation Requirements and Penaltiesprimaryretrieved 2026-07-27
- Justia (Indiana Code): IC 22-3-2-22 Notice; worker's compensation coverageprimaryretrieved 2026-07-27
Cost examples are illustrative national figures gathered from public filings and industry surveys. They are not quotes. Your actual premium depends on your state, carrier, revenue, payroll, location, and coverage selections. Restaurant Insurance Authority is an insurance marketing and referral service, not an insurer or licensed agency. We connect business owners with licensed independent commercial-lines agents who specialize in food and beverage. Questions? Call (855) 480-1410.
Talk to an agent who insures food & beverage every day
A licensed commercial-lines agent who specializes in restaurants and bars will review your coverage, close the gaps that catch owners, and show you what a program actually costs — before anything is bound.