Land and Site Preparation Workers Compensation Insurance

Land and site preparation contractors face some of the most hazardous conditions in construction. Heavy equipment, uneven terrain, excavation, and grading increase the likelihood of falls, equipment-related injuries, and strains. Even with strong safety programs, a single large loss or a history of frequent claims can make Workers Compensation difficult or expensive to place—putting your clients at risk of financial and operational disruption.

Novatae Risk Group, through its Empire Underwriters team, offers a focused Land and Site Preparation Workers Compensation Insurance program to help agents and brokers place hard-to-place or high-hazard accounts. With more than 30 years of underwriting experience, our team prioritizes returning injured workers to productive duty quickly while working with you to manage loss experience and stabilize premiums.

Ideal Accounts and Appetite

• MODs of 1.30 or greater
• High-hazard and tough-to-place class codes (excavation, grading, site preparation)
• Blue-, gray-, and white-collar workforces on the same payroll
• Accounts in state pools or assigned risk funds
• Distressed, lapsed, cancelled, or non-renewed policies
• New ventures with no prior coverage
• Multi-state operations (a specialty for our team)
• Clients with recent large losses or cancellation history

Example fits: you might have a regional grading contractor with a 1.6 MOD and a recent large claim seeking a stable market, or a multi-state excavation contractor just starting up that needs admitted and non-admitted options across jurisdictions. If a client performs excavation, grading, trenching, or related site prep—even with adverse history—we can help place the account.

Coverage Highlights and Advantages

• Access to multiple “A”-rated admitted carriers and E&S markets where appropriate
• Stand-alone Workers Compensation policies tailored to site-prep exposures
• Flexible plan structures: guaranteed cost, retrospective (retro), and dividend plans
• Integrated loss control and claims strategies to improve outcomes and drive down experience mod
• High-deductible options for larger accounts to manage premium cost
• Customized account handling, fast turnaround, and responsive underwriting

Our underwriting approach combines market access with loss-control support so you can offer competitive options while helping clients reduce future claims severity.

Underwriting Requirements and Minimum Premiums

• Completed ACORD 130
• 3–4 years of currently valued loss runs
• Details for any large or catastrophic losses
• Supplemental program questionnaire (as requested)

Minimum premium for this program is $10,000. Submissions are evaluated case-by-case to match the account with the strongest carrier fit by state and structure.

Territories and Carrier Access

This program is available in most states. Primary territories include AL, AK, AZ, AR, CA, CO, CT, DE, FL, GA, HI, ID, IL, IN, IA, KS, KY, LA, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MS, MO, MT, NE, NV, NH, NJ, NM, NY, NC, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, UT, VT, VA, DC, WV, and WI. We place accounts with a variety of carriers depending on state rules and account profile, offering both admitted and non-admitted solutions as needed.

Why Partner With Novatae Risk Group

Novatae Risk Group combines deep specialty Workers Compensation expertise with market relationships and practical loss-control resources. Our Empire Underwriters team focuses on hard-to-place land and site preparation risks—helping you secure quotes quickly, structure effective programs, and support clients after a loss.

Call us at 800-758-8113 or email [email protected] to discuss your next submission.