Insurance Curator State-Specific Workers’ Compensation Laws & Requirements • Updated February 2, 2026
Why 2024 Still Matters in 2026
Although two years have passed, the 2024 legislative cycle remains the baseline for many rate-setting decisions, medical‐fee schedules and compliance deadlines that employers are navigating today. NCCI tracked 754 workers’-comp bills in 2024 and 267 proposed regulations; 108 bills and 103 rules were enacted or adopted, respectively (insurancebusinessmag.com). Understanding what changed in 2024 is the first step toward avoiding penalties, mitigating premium spikes and leveraging new savings opportunities.
Nationwide Themes That Emerged in 2024
| Theme | What Changed | Why It Matters to Employers |
|---|---|---|
| Mental-injury presumptions | Alaska (SB 147), Arizona (SB 1677) and Oklahoma (SB 1457) added PTSD presumptions for first responders | Expands compensability—public-sector and private EMS contractors may see claim volume rise (insurancebusinessmag.com) |
| Medical cost containment | 103 adopted rules focused on fee schedules and treatment guidelines | Creates new billing codes and reimbursement ceilings; failure to pay correctly can trigger penalties (insurancebusinessmag.com) |
| COVID-19 sunset clauses | California’s SB 1159 presumptions expired 1/1/24 | COVID claims are now investigated like any other occupational-disease claim (mediaservices.com) |
| Higher indemnity minimums | NY raised the minimum weekly benefit from $150 (pre-2024) to $275 in 2024 and $325 in 2025 | Budget for higher reserves on low-wage claims (governor.ny.gov) |
| Provider-fee schedule hikes | FL bumped surgical MRAs to 210% and non-surgical to 175% of Medicare (SB 362/HB 161) | Carriers expect 6-8 % medical-severity inflation in FL renewals (corvel.com) |
| Lifetime Income Benefits expansion | TX HB 2468 created new rules and forms for first-responder LIBs | Carriers face longer indemnity tail; self-insureds must update actuarial factors (tdi.texas.gov) |
State-by-State Highlights (A–W)
Below is a snapshot of key 2024 statutory or regulatory actions that producers and risk managers ask about most frequently. Use it as a triage tool; then drill deeper into each jurisdiction’s official code.
Alaska
- SB 147 – PTSD presumption for firefighters, EMTs and dispatchers.
- Maximum weekly benefit: $1,385.00 (effective 7/1/24).
Arizona
- SB 1677 – Adds PTSD presumption; caps mental-injury claims at 90 days unless rebutted.
Arkansas
- Adopted Rule 099.33 authorizing telehealth billing codes in workers’ comp.
California
- SB 1159 COVID-19 presumption sunset 1/1/24. Employer reporting of positive tests no longer mandatory (mediaservices.com).
- WCIRB filed a 0.9 % average pure-premium decrease effective 9/1/24.
Want a deeper dive? See our California Workers' Compensation Insurance Requirements: 2024 Employer Guide.
Colorado
- HB 24-1222 required carriers to reimburse medical marijuana when ordered by an ALJ.
Connecticut
- Insurance Department approved NCCI’s 9.8 % loss-cost reduction; effective 1/1/24.
Delaware
- HB 286 created a one-time 8-year look-back for fraud assessments.
Florida
- SB 362 / HB 161 – Witness fee max → $300; MRAs ↑ to 175 % (non-surgical) / 210 % (surgical) of Medicare starting 1/1/25 (corvel.com).
- Construction contractors must now file proof-of-coverage within 10 days of hiring a subcontractor.
For rules tailored to builders, consult our Florida Workers' Compensation Insurance Rules for Construction Companies.
Georgia
- SB 144 raised the maximum weekly indemnity to $800 and the catastrophic cap to $1,200.
Hawaii
- Established Return-to-Work Mediation Program under Act 208.
Idaho
- IC § 72-424 amended to let IWCC set electronic‐billing standards.
Illinois
- House Bill 4177 (pending senate concurrence) would raise funeral benefit from $8,000 ➜ $10,000 for fatalities after 7/1/24 (thetelegraph.com).
- Non-coverage penalties (820 ILCS 305/4) increased: $10,000 first offense, $500/day thereafter.
See also: Penalties for Non-Compliance with Workers' Compensation Insurance in Illinois.
Indiana – Wyoming
(For brevity, the full 50-state matrix—including statute numbers, benefit caps and linkable PDFs—is available as a downloadable chart at the end of this article.)
Benefit Caps & Rate Trends Quick-Reference (Top 10 Payroll States)
| State | 2024 Max Weekly Benefit | 2024 Avg Employer Cost per $100 Wages* | 2024 Approved Loss-Cost Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | $1,619.15 | $1.83 | –0.9 % WCIRB filing |
| Texas | $1,112.68 | $0.54 | –10.0 % NCCI filing |
| Florida | $1,260.00 | $1.43 | –15.1 % (effective 1/1/24) |
| New York | $1,171.46 | $1.46 | +0.0 % (Board kept manual rates) |
| Pennsylvania | $1,325.00 | $1.34 | –6.5 % (1/1/24) |
| Illinois | $1,848.20 | $1.07 | –2.3 % (1/1/24) |
| Ohio | $1,125.00 | $0.67 | –3.9 % BWC base rates |
| Georgia | $800.00 | $1.08 | –7.1 % NCCI |
| North Carolina | $1,254.00 | $0.97 | –4.0 % NCCI |
| Michigan | $1,131.00 | $0.74 | –8.0 % NCCI |
*Employer-cost column from Pie Insurance’s 2024 study (pieinsurance.com).
Carrier Pricing Benchmarks You Can Quote to Your CFO
- The Hartford – Small businesses with < $300k payroll paid $86/mo. (≈ $1,032/yr) on average for workers’ comp (thehartford.com).
- Travelers – Sample retail shop premium: $4,500 on $500k payroll at a 0.90 e-mod (travelers.com).
- Pie Insurance – National median employer cost ranges $0.51 – $2.27 per $100 wages depending on state; 39-state footprint as of 2025 (pieinsurance.com).
Pro Tip: Always normalize quotes to payroll “per $100” to compare apples to apples, particularly if you operate in monopolistic jurisdictions like Ohio or North Dakota. For a walkthrough, see How to Obtain Workers' Compensation Insurance in Monopolistic States.
Compliance Deadlines & Action Items for 2026 Renewals
| Deadline | Jurisdiction | What Employers Must Do |
|---|---|---|
| Jan 1 2026 | Florida | Update billing systems to new 210 %/175 % MRAs; renegotiate provider contracts |
| Jul 1 2026 | New York | Apply new max weekly benefit $1,222.42 to indemnity reserves (wcb.ny.gov) |
| Nov 21 2024 (already in force) | Texas | Use new DWC Forms 038 & 039 for first-responder lifetime benefits (tdi.texas.gov) |
| Ongoing | Multi-state | Map state-specific split-point values introduced by NCCI in 2024 to e-mod analytics (travelers.com) |
Expert Insights: Controlling 2026 Premiums in Light of 2024 Law Changes
1. Leverage mental-injury carve-outs.
If you operate in non-presumption states, tighten post-incident reporting protocols; early triage can avert presumptive PTSD claims that some neighbors now face.
2. Audit telehealth billing codes.
Colorado and Indiana added permanent telehealth modifiers in 2024. Carriers report 1–3 % savings on indemnity duration when virtual PT is used correctly.
3. Watch medical‐severity creep in Florida.
Actuarial models from three national carriers project a 6–8 % medical severity uptick after MRAs rise in 2025. Lock in multi-year program pricing where possible.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do multi-state employers have to follow the most stringent state rule?
Not always. Each state retains jurisdiction for injuries occurring within its borders. See our guide: Multi-State Employers: How to Navigate Conflicting Workers' Compensation Insurance Laws.
Which states still allow employers to opt out?
Texas remains the only large state with nonsubscription. Get clarity here: Texas Nonsubscription Explained: Do You Really Need Workers' Compensation Insurance?.
Where can I find a single chart of all 50 states’ coverage rules?
Download our master PDF: “Alaska to Wyoming: State-by-State Workers' Compensation Insurance Coverage Charts” at the end of this post.
Downloadable Resources
- 50-State Legislative Matrix (PDF) – statute citations, benefit caps, and effective dates.
- Carrier-Comparison Worksheet (Excel) – plug in payroll, e-mods and 2024 rate filings to project 2026 premiums.
Bottom Line
The 2024 legislative wave reset the playing field for premium rates, medical fees and compensability definitions. Failing to align your program with these changes can mean higher direct costs (premiums, penalties) and indirect costs (lost productivity, litigation). Use the tables above, bookmark the internal guides linked throughout, and schedule a mid-cycle policy audit to guarantee that your business stays ahead of the next round of reforms.
This article is for informational purposes only and is not legal advice. Consult with licensed counsel or a qualified insurance professional for specific guidance.