Workers' Compensation for marine contractors

State workers' comp is rated on landside payroll by class code. Marine trades carry higher rates than office work because of the struck-by, fall, and equipment exposure, but good loss control and a clean experience modifier reduce it. Over-water payroll is rated separately under Jones Act/USL&H. We quote based on your actual payroll split.

Struck-by injuries (from piles, crane loads, and swinging equipment), falls (into the water or from barges and docks), and equipment amputations top the list. Dive injuries are a specialty exposure. We respond within 2 hours and manage marine claims aggressively to control cost and protect your modifier.

They're handled differently. A state workers' comp claim goes through your state comp carrier. A Jones Act or USL&H claim is a federal maritime claim with its own procedures and often higher benefit levels. We know the difference, place the right coverage for both, and manage each claim in the correct system.

It depends on your state and structure. Many states exempt sole proprietors and single-member LLC owners, but you can elect coverage — and if you have any W-2 employees you must carry it. Note that Jones Act/USL&H rules for owner-operators working over water are different. We'll tell you exactly what applies.

A serious claim affects your experience modifier, but the impact is bounded and improves over time. The best defense is correct class coding, a documented safety program (especially fall and struck-by prevention), and aggressive claim management — all of which we provide to keep your mod down.

Workers' comp follows where the work is performed, and each state has its own rules and rates. Because we're licensed in all 50 states, we structure a program that covers your crews across state lines without gaps — with Jones Act/USL&H layered in for the over-water work.

At policy end, the carrier audits your actual payroll by class code (landside vs. over-water) and true-ups the premium. Accurate upfront classification of your crew's work split prevents audit shock. We help you classify payroll correctly from day one.

Most marina contractors pay $2,500–$9,000 a year for $1M/$2M marine general liability, with Jones Act/USL&H rated on over-water payroll and equipment floaters based on scheduled marine gear. We quote the full program in about 15 minutes and show every market's price.

Yes. Contractors Choice Agency is licensed in all 50 states and writes marine construction crews from the Gulf Coast and Florida to the Chesapeake, New England, the Great Lakes, and the Pacific coast.

About 15 minutes for a standard program. Once bound, we turn around additional-insured certificates, waivers of subrogation, and primary/non-contributory endorsements usually within minutes.

The Jones Act covers crew members who work on navigable waters as 'seamen.' If your crew works on a barge, tug, or over navigable water, standard workers' comp does not apply — you need Jones Act coverage. We'll confirm exactly where your operations fall.

Only upland. Over-water work on navigable waters falls under the Jones Act and USL&H (Longshore), not state workers' comp. We coordinate all three so every crew member is covered everywhere they work.

Equipment is covered under an inland marine / contractors equipment floater (and watercraft may need a separate hull/P&I policy), not under GL. We schedule barges, cranes, pile drivers, and dredges at replacement cost so a loss over water is covered.

Most marine contractors carry $1M/$2M marine GL with a $2M–$5M umbrella. Ports and large marina owners often require $2M–$10M limits plus additional-insured status. We size limits to your actual contract requirements.

Yes — personal auto excludes business use and will deny claims when you haul dock sections or materials. Commercial auto covers your trucks, trailers, and lowboys, including hired/non-owned vehicles.

Often, yes. We have excess-and-surplus (E&S) markets for marine contractors with loss runs, USL&H claims, cancellations, or tough exposures that standard markets decline.

Your marine GL doesn't cover independent subs — they should carry their own (including Jones Act/USL&H) and name you additional insured. We set up certificate tracking and additional-insured requirements so subcontracted work doesn't become your liability.

You reach a person with context, not a queue. We respond within 2 hours, help you document the loss, and manage the claim with the carrier so it's paid correctly and your operation keeps moving.

Marine construction has Jones Act, USL&H, and over-water GL traps that generic carriers miss or deny. A specialty broker knows the maritime statutes, the markets that write marine work, and how to manage a maritime claim.