What information do I need for a workers’ compensation quote in Texas?

By Mark Melliand, owner, Melliand Insurance Agency · 13 years as an independent agent · Published October 26, 2026

The short answer: Expect questions about what your business does, what each employee actually does, estimated payroll, who owns the business, how you use subcontractors or staffing arrangements, where employees work, and your prior coverage and claims. A first conversation needs less than a complete insurer application. Requirements vary by insurer and business.

For what workers’ compensation may provide, and when Texas law or contracts may require it, see our guide to what workers’ compensation insurance covers in Texas.

Why the details matter

Texas employers are assigned one or more classifications based on their business operations. Payroll is assigned to the appropriate classifications under applicable rules. Describe actual operations and employee duties accurately, and let the insurer determine the applicable classifications (TDI rate guide). Premium is generally calculated from payroll and rates for those classifications, and an experience modifier based on past losses may also apply (TDI rate guide).

Information at each stage

Information to start	Underwriting follow-up	Documents that may be requested
Legal name, any DBA, entity type and locations	Years in business; related or commonly owned businesses	Entity documents, if requested
A description of what the business does, including work away from your premises	Detailed operations; where employees are hired, normally work and travel	A written description of operations
Number of employees and what they actually do	Full-time, part-time, temporary, seasonal and leased workers	Employee and duty information, if requested
Estimated payroll for the coming policy period, marked as an estimate	Payroll by work category and location, where requested	Payroll records or wage reports, if requested
Owners and their roles	Which inclusion, exclusion and payroll rules apply to each owner	Inclusion or exclusion forms, if required
Whether you use subcontractors, staffing agencies or a PEO	Work subcontracted and amounts paid	Subcontractor agreements and available certificates
Current coverage, if any, and desired effective date	Prior insurers, policy periods, any gaps or cancellations	Declarations, endorsements and loss runs
Contract or lease insurance requirements	Employers liability limits and requested endorsements	The contract’s insurance section

(ACORD 130 sample application, illustrative; Texas Mutual Start Program supplement, illustrative; TDI rate guide)

Business identity and operations

Legal name, any DBA, entity type and business locations
Years in business and relevant experience
A detailed description of operations, including any work away from your premises
Where employees work. Tell your agent where employees are hired, normally work and travel for work. Don’t assume a Texas policy satisfies another state’s requirements or covers every out-of-state arrangement. Ask what the actual policy provides. Texas law addresses some injuries outside Texas based on factors such as where an employee was hired and where the employment is principally located (Texas Labor Code §406.071), and one sample application has a separate section for other states (ACORD 130 sample application, illustrative).
Desired effective date, and the current policy’s expiration date if you have one

One sample application also asks about operations such as work at heights, hazardous materials, employees traveling out of state and home-based workers (ACORD 130 sample application, illustrative).

Employees, duties and payroll

Number of employees and what each actually does. Employee count doesn’t replace payroll information.
Estimated payroll for the proposed policy period, by work category and location where requested (ACORD 130 sample application, illustrative).
Full-time, part-time, temporary, seasonal and leased workers.
Overtime and other pay. Identify overtime and other pay separately in your records. Ask which remuneration is included or excluded under the rules applicable to your policy.
New-business or growth estimates, clearly identified as estimates.

Don’t choose a classification code yourself or assume particular employees qualify for a separate classification. Describe the work accurately and let the insurer apply the rules.

Owners and officers

Provide the entity type and each owner’s role, and ask which inclusion, exclusion and payroll rules apply. One sample application lists included and excluded owners and officers with their title, ownership, duties and class code (ACORD 130 sample application, illustrative).
Special rules can apply to how included owners’ and officers’ payroll is counted for premium, and one Texas insurer notes that the amounts change (Texas Mutual, insurer guidance). Treatment can differ by entity type, so don’t assume rules for corporate officers apply the same way to LLC members.

Subcontractors, staffing and related businesses

Describe subcontracted work, provide agreements and available certificates, and ask what records and premium treatment apply. A 1099, contract or certificate alone does not settle every employment-status or premium question.
Staffing agencies, leased employees, and PEO or co-employment arrangements, where relevant. One insurer’s program supplement asks about these (Texas Mutual Start Program supplement, illustrative).
Businesses under common ownership, or that share workers or services, where the application asks.

Prior insurance and claims

Current declarations and relevant endorsements
Prior insurers and policy periods
Loss runs, for the period the insurer requests. Requests vary: one sample application asks for five years of loss history (ACORD 130 sample application, illustrative), while one insurer’s program supplement asks for four years of loss runs (Texas Mutual Start Program supplement, illustrative).
Experience-rating information, if an experience modifier applies to your business. Not every employer has one (TDI rate guide).
Prior coverage gaps, cancellations or nonrenewals, if asked

Contracts and coverage requests

Customer, lease or project insurance requirements
Employers liability limits a contract requires. These are dollar limits, separate from statutory workers’ compensation benefits, which are set by Texas law. One sample application has a separate employers liability limits section (ACORD 130 sample application, illustrative).
Waivers of subrogation or other requested endorsements
Public-project requirements, where relevant (see our workers’ compensation coverage guide)

Whether a policy meets a contract depends on the contract’s exact wording and the policy actually issued.

Payroll estimates and audits, briefly

Accurate estimates matter because premium is generally based on payroll (TDI rate guide). Your insurer may use a premium audit to reconcile estimated exposure with actual records. Ask how your policy’s audit provisions apply. One Texas insurer explains that an audit determines whether you underpaid or overpaid, and that you may get money back, owe more or see no change (Texas Mutual, insurer guidance). Payroll isn’t the only factor; classifications, rating adjustments and policy terms also affect the final premium. Keep payroll records organized by type of work, with overtime and other pay identified separately. For more detail, see our guide to how a workers’ compensation premium audit works in Texas.

If you’re a new business

With no prior coverage, say so on the application.
If you’ve never carried insurance, explain that history and provide any claims information the application requests.
Provide relevant experience for yourself and key employees.
Mark payroll projections clearly as estimates, and explain how you arrived at them.

Preparation checklist

A detailed description of your operations
Employees, their actual duties and estimated payroll
Where employees are hired, normally work and travel
Entity type, owners and officers, and each owner’s role
Subcontractors, staffing or PEO arrangements, agreements and available certificates
Current declarations and endorsements, if any
Loss runs, if requested
Contract or lease insurance requirements

Protect sensitive information

Don’t send employee Social Security numbers, medical records, banking details or detailed claim files through ordinary email or a website form. If an insurer needs sensitive information, ask for an appropriate secure way to provide it. Start with what’s needed for the first conversation.

Questions to ask Mark

Which information do you need now, and which only if an insurer asks?
How should I describe my employees’ duties so the insurer can classify the work correctly?
Which inclusion, exclusion and payroll rules apply to my owners?
What records should I keep for payroll, overtime and subcontractors?
If employees work outside Texas, what should I check about the policy?
What employers liability limits do my contracts require?

Talk through your needs

Melliand Insurance Agency is an independently operated insurance agency affiliated with Premier Group Insurance (PGI), a nationwide agency network. Availability of any coverage depends on your business and the insurer’s underwriting.

To discuss workers’ compensation for your business, call (972) 346-4666 or email melliandinsurance@gmail.com. Hours are Monday–Friday, 8 AM–5 PM Central. There is no walk-in office. In-person visits are available by appointment at your home or business throughout the Dallas–Fort Worth area.

References

Texas law and regulator

Texas Labor Code, Chapter 406 (§406.071, extraterritorial coverage)
Texas Department of Insurance, Texas workers’ compensation rate guide

Sample applications (illustrative only)

Requirements vary by insurer. These samples don’t establish what every insurer will ask.

ACORD 130 Workers Compensation Application, 2007/11 edition as shown in an agents’ association instructions copy (newer editions may exist): instructions copy
Texas Mutual, Start Program Supplemental Application (2023 version), one insurer’s program-specific supplement, not a universal requirement: sample supplement

Insurer guidance (general description, not policy terms)

Texas Mutual, Employer FAQ

This guide is general information, not legal advice or a statement of coverage, eligibility or price. It isn’t a complete application. Actual policy wording and applicable rules control. Requesting a quote does not bind coverage.