Illinois Workers' Compensation Cost Calculator
Key facts: workers' comp in Illinois
- Who must be covered
- Mandatory starting at 1 employeeOfficial agency: IWCC
- Average rate
- $1.34 per $100 of payrollRank #13 of 51 (#1 = most expensive), above the $1.09 national median
- Rating organization
- NCCINational Council on Compensation Insurance · Private insurers
- Verified from official records
- October 3, 2026Rates: Oregon DCBS study, June 2025
Illinois requires workers' comp as soon as you have one employee, even part-time, with rare exceptions. There's no state fund: insurance is sold in the private sector, and employers either buy it or get permission to self-insure.
Rates in effect January 1, 2024 · Oregon Department of Consumer and Business Services, 2024 study (June 2025) · Nothing you enter leaves your browser
2024 study rate for all industries in Illinois. Edit it if your policy shows a different rate.
For the class you're pricing. Insurers rate each class code's payroll separately.
Printed on your experience rating worksheet or renewal. New or small employers that don't qualify for experience rating are rated at 1.00.
Estimated premium
$13,400
per year at an EMR of 1.00
At an average mod
$13,400
per year at an EMR of 1.00
Your EMR's impact
$0
no adjustment
Effective cost: $1.34 per $100 of payroll.
At an EMR of 1.00, your claims history neither raises nor lowers this premium.
Every claim from now on counts toward your next three renewals. IncidentLog makes the first step — a complete, same-day incident report — take about 90 seconds from a job-site QR code.
Create a free accountEstimate before schedule credits or debits, premium discounts, expense constants, state assessments and minimum premiums — your insurer's quote will differ.
Who must carry workers' comp in Illinois?
Mandatory starting at 1 employee
Even a single part-time employee counts; exceptions are rare.
Official agency
Illinois Workers' Compensation Commission (IWCC)
Market: Private insurers
Illinois workers' comp rates by business type
Rate per $100 of payroll for common class codes in Illinois, against the median of the 51 jurisdictions in the study.
| Business type (NCCI code) | Illinois | U.S. median | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Office and clerical staff (8810) | $0.09 | $0.11 | −18% |
| Retail store (8017) | $1.40 | $1.20 | +17% |
| Restaurant (full service) (9082) | $1.29 | $1.09 | +18% |
| Restaurant (fast food) (9083) | $1.08 | $1.09 | −1% |
| Hotel (all other employees) (9052) | $2.35 | $1.79 | +31% |
| Assisted living / retirement center (care staff) (8824) | $2.07 | $2.03 | +2% |
| Hospital (professional staff) (8833) | $0.75 | $0.82 | −9% |
| Electrical contractor (5190) | $3.38 | $2.37 | +43% |
| Plumbing contractor (5183) | $3.69 | $2.70 | +37% |
| Residential carpentry (up to 3 stories) (5645) | $16.91 | $8.71 | +94% |
| Roofing (5551) | $13.44 | $9.64 | +39% |
| Trucking (7219) | $8.33 | $5.72 | +46% |
Illinois uses NCCI class codes. Your insurer applies the rate for your own classes, then your EMR.
What a bad EMR costs in Illinois
Take $500,000 of payroll at Illinois's $1.34 index rate: $6,700 a year at an average mod of 1.00.
- EMR 0.85
- $5,695/yr
- EMR 1.25
- $8,375/yr
- Difference
- +$2,680/yr
A claim year usually stays in the mod for three renewals, so the gap adds up to about $8,040. The mod is built from claims, and the cheapest claim is the injury caught early.
IncidentLog lets crews report an injury or near miss from a job-site QR code in about 90 seconds, so you hear about it the same shift and see patterns on your OSHA 300 log before they become claims.
Create a free accountIllinois workers' comp FAQ
Is workers' comp insurance mandatory in Illinois?
Yes. Illinois requires workers' compensation coverage from the first employee. Even a single part-time employee counts; exceptions are rare. Source: Illinois Workers' Compensation Commission.
How are workers' comp rates set in Illinois?
Employers buy coverage from private insurance companies. The Oregon DCBS study lists NCCI (the National Council on Compensation Insurance) as Illinois's rating organization. Your own premium then depends on your class codes, your payroll and your experience modification rate (EMR).
What is the average workers' comp rate in Illinois?
The Oregon Department of Consumer and Business Services's 2024 study puts Illinois's all-industry index rate at $1.34 per $100 of payroll for rates in effect on January 1, 2024, 123% of the study's national median of $1.09. That ranks Illinois #13 of 51 jurisdictions, where #1 is the most expensive (#19 in the 2022 study). Your own rate depends on your class codes.
Sources
Official texts behind this page (4 quotes)
“If you have one employee, even a part-time employee, you must obtain workers' compensation insurance. There are rare exceptions; see Section 3 of the Act or consult an attorney.”
Insurance — Illinois Workers' Compensation Commission (opens in a new tab) · checked October 3, 2026
“Employers may either buy insurance or obtain permission to self-insure.”
Insurance — Illinois Workers' Compensation Commission (opens in a new tab) · checked October 3, 2026
“In Illinois, w.c. insurance is sold in the private sector.”
Insurance — Illinois Workers' Compensation Commission (opens in a new tab) · checked October 3, 2026
“The Illinois Workers’ Compensation Commission is the State agency that administers the judicial process that resolves disputed workers’ compensation claims between employees and employers.”
Handbook on Workers' Compensation and Occupational Diseases — Illinois Workers' Compensation Commission (opens in a new tab) · checked October 3, 2026
An estimate for planning, not a quote, legal or insurance advice. IncidentLog is not an insurer or broker. Median rate across all industries: $1.09 per $100.