In California, workers’ compensation is not optional and there is no small employer exemption. If you have even one employee, you are required to carry it. Going without is one of the few business decisions that carries criminal exposure as well as financial, and an uninsured injury can end an otherwise healthy company in a single afternoon.

The flip side is that having it opens things up. Most general contractors, property managers, school districts, hospitals, and municipal buyers will not let you on site or sign a contract without a certificate of insurance showing current coverage. This one policy is often the last thing standing between a small business and a much bigger customer.

• Your EIN and your EDD employer payroll tax account number
• Your estimated annual payroll, split by the kind of work each person does
• A clear description of the actual work. Premium is driven by the trade, not the job title
• Your claims history, if you have carried a policy before
• Whether owners or officers will be covered or excluded
• Any safety training, equipment, or written procedures you already have in place