Novatae Risk Group offers an Alternative Workers Compensation program—underwritten by an admitted A-rated carrier—designed for insureds with high-risk class codes and elevated experience modifiers. If your clients are being steered to the State Compensation Insurance Fund or have limited admitted options, this program provides a competitive market alternative that can produce meaningful hard-dollar savings.
While the program was developed to address risks with operations and employees in New York, Novatae Risk Group places similar high-risk and high X-Mod workers' comp solutions across the states listed below. The program is built to deliver lower upfront costs, low start-up fees, and flexible pay-as-you-go payroll options to help clients preserve immediate cash flow.
Send us your high-risk and high X-Mod workers’ compensation submissions—we can evaluate whether this market is an appropriate placement for your client.
Broad Eligible Class Codes (Not a Complete List):
- Trucking / Transportation / Furniture Movers
- Food Processing / Bakeries
- Cold Storage
- Janitorial / Property Management / Residential Cleaning
- Retail / Wholesale
- Manufacturing
- Hospitality
- Drivers
- Warehouse Operations
Exclusions:
- Construction
- Temporary staffing
- USL&H exposure
- Hazardous material handling
- Seasonal operations
- Greater than 25% use of part-time labor
- Armed guards
Experience Modifiers Considered:
- Ideal risks have X-Mods of 1.30 and above
- Will consider risks with X-Mods between 1.0 and 3.0
Minimum Premium:
- $75,000 minimum premium
- $100,000 minimum for trucking exposures
PEO Benefits:
Workers Compensation:
- Admitted "A" Excellent (VIII) rated carrier by A.M. Best
- Insureds retain their experience modifier (X-Mod)
Payroll Administration:
- Payroll taxes
- Government reporting
- Management reporting
- Cost analysis
- Record keeping
- Salary history
- Payroll processing
- Vacation, holiday & sick pay administration
- Paperwork reduction
Risk Management:
- Workers' comp claims management
- Safety surveys
- Drug testing
- Record keeping
- Unemployment insurance controls
- Employer protection policies & services
- Post-accident and reasonable suspicion procedures
Submission Requirements:
- ACORD 130
- 3 years loss runs (fully valued)
- Copy of X-Mod (NYCIRB copy for New York risks)
- Industry-specific supplemental applications for towing, trucking, landscaping, etc.
Territories & Availability:
Novatae Risk Group places this program across multiple states. Availability depends on state rules and underwriting; please reference the program's current territory list when submitting. States we currently serve include: AK, AL, AR, AZ, CA, CO, CT, DE, FL, GA, HI, IA, ID, IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, MA, MD, ME, MI, MN, MO, MS, MT, NC, NE, NH, NJ, NM, NV, NY, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, UT, VA, VT, WI, WV and DC.
Why Place High-Risk Workers' Comp with Novatae Risk Group?
- Specialized underwriting for high-risk classes and elevated X-Mods that many admitted markets decline.
- Access to an admitted, A-rated carrier while maintaining the insured's X-Mod.
- Flexible billing (pay-as-you-go) and competitive start-up costs to help clients manage cash flow.
- Integrated payroll, reporting, and risk-control services that reduce administrative burden for agents and clients.
Example fits: You might have a regional bakery with a 1.8 X-Mod and recurring shoulder/back claims, or a third-party logistics firm with heavy driver and warehouse exposure that needs an admitted solution outside the residual market. Both can be good candidates for this program when minimum premium thresholds are met.
Frequently Asked Questions
What types of accounts are a good fit for this program?
Strong candidates are employers with high-risk class codes (trucking, cold storage, food processing, janitorial, warehouse, etc.) and elevated X-Mods—typically 1.30 and above—but the program will consider X-Mods from 1.0 up to 3.0.
Which accounts are likely to be declined?
This program excludes construction, temporary staffing, USL&H exposure, hazardous materials handlers, seasonal operations, accounts with more than 25% part-time labor, and armed guard operations.
What are the minimum premium requirements?
Minimum premiums generally start at $75,000, with a higher minimum (typically $100,000) for trucking exposures. Final minimums can vary by state and underwriting assessment.
What makes Novatae Risk Group different from other markets for high X-Mod business?
Novatae Risk Group combines specialized underwriting for hard-to-place risks with access to an admitted A-rated carrier, payroll administration, and risk management services—helping agents place accounts that might otherwise be forced into residual markets.
Need help placing an account? Connect with a market specialist.