Workers' Compensation for commercial landlords

Janitorial, building maintenance, groundskeeping, and property-management staff each have specific NCCI class codes — different from construction or office codes. Correct coding keeps your premium fair and prevents audit surprises. We assign the right codes for each role.

Generally no — true independent contractors should carry their own workers' comp. If an uninsured contractor is hurt on your property and is found to be your employee under state law, you can be held liable. We help you classify workers correctly and document contractor status.

Workers' comp is rated on payroll by class code. Janitorial and maintenance codes are moderate; the rate reflects the injury exposure of the actual work. Good loss control and a clean experience modifier meaningfully reduce it. We quote based on your actual payroll and staff.

We respond within 2 hours, make sure the employee gets care fast, and manage the claim with the carrier to control cost and get the employee back to work. Good handling protects both the worker and your experience modifier.

A serious claim affects your experience modifier, but the impact is bounded and improves over time. The best defense is correct class coding, documented safety training, and aggressive claim management — all of which we provide.

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 staff across property locations without gaps.

At policy end, the carrier audits your actual payroll by class code and true-ups the premium. If payroll was underreported you'll owe more; if overreported, you'll get a return. We help you classify payroll correctly up front to avoid audit shock.

Most commercial building owners pay $750–$2,500 a year for base Lessor's Risk Only, with the full program (LRO, property, equipment breakdown, umbrella) running $2,500–$9,000. Cost depends on building value, construction, tenant mix, and location. We quote the full program in about 15 minutes.

Yes. Contractors Choice Agency is licensed in all 50 states and writes lessor's-risk and commercial property programs from the Sun Belt and Texas to the Northeast, Midwest, and West Coast.

About 15 minutes for a standard program. Once bound, we turn around certificates of insurance and additional-insured endorsements for lenders, tenants, and partners — usually within minutes.

LH-1 is the ISO class code for a Lessor's Risk Only building — a commercial property leased to tenants where the owner's only occupancy is as a landlord. Correct LH-1 classification keeps premium fair and ensures claims aren't denied for misclassification.

Yes — that is the central purpose of Lessor's Risk Only. If a tenant's operations cause a fire that damages the building or other tenants, LRO covers the owner's property loss and liability. Generic policies often mishandle this exact exposure.

Standard commercial property excludes internal breakdown. We add equipment-breakdown (boiler & machinery) coverage so failed HVAC, boilers, chillers, elevators, and electrical panels are covered, including the resulting business-interruption loss.

Most carry $1M/$2M on liability with a $2M–$5M umbrella, and property limits equal to the building's full replacement cost. We size limits to your building value, tenant exposure, and lender requirements.

If you or your maintenance crew drive company vehicles between properties, yes — personal auto excludes business use. We also add hired/non-owned coverage if employees drive personal vehicles for property work.

Often, yes. We have excess-and-surplus (E&S) and specialty markets for buildings with loss runs, high-hazard tenant mixes, older construction, or other exposures that standard markets decline.

Yes — your lease should require every tenant to carry general liability and name the building owner additional insured on a primary, non-contributory basis. We provide a sample lease clause and help track certificates.

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 building keeps operating.

Commercial property leased to tenants has a specific risk profile that generic carriers exclude or misprice. A specialty broker knows the LH-1 class code, the markets that write each tenant mix, and how to manage a tenant-caused claim.