California Concrete Workers Comp Rates (2026)

The published California pure premium for concrete workers comp, class 5213 (Concrete Construction N.O.C.), is $5.162 per $100 of payroll (effective September 1, 2026). California carriers currently charge about this level on average.

California carriers file their own rates. Rating bureau data shows the average charged rate running at about the level of the average advisory pure premium, so the figure is used as-is here. Your quote can be lower or higher. Source.

California class codes for concrete

5201(1): Concrete or Cement Work, pouring or finishing concrete sidewalks, driveways, patios, curbs and gutters (low wage)
5205(1): Concrete or Cement Work, pouring or finishing concrete sidewalks, driveways, patios, curbs and gutters (high wage)
5201(2): Concrete or Cement Work N.O.C. (low wage)
5205(2): Concrete or Cement Work N.O.C. (high wage)
5213: Concrete Construction N.O.C.

California does not use NCCI: the WCIRB is an independent rating bureau with its own classification system and codes, and many construction trades are split into dual wage classes where each employee's payroll goes to a low-wage or high-wage code based on that employee's regular hourly wage.

Concrete work involves heavy lifting, silica dust from cutting and grinding, skin burns from wet cement, and equipment hazards from mixers, vibrators and pumps.

What comp costs per concrete finisher in California

The Bureau of Labor Statistics counts 28,700 cement masons and concrete finishers on payrolls in California (May 2025), the 1st largest workforce among the 50 states and DC. The median wage is $30.15 an hour, 10% above the US median of $27.41.

Cement masons and concrete finishers make up about the same share of California jobs as they do nationally (location quotient 1.19).

At the published California pure premium of $5.16 per $100 of payroll for class 5213, which California carriers charge at about face value on average, comp on one worker at that wage costs about $1.56 for every hour worked, or $3,236 a year full time. A 4-person crew comes to roughly $12,944 a year in premium before any experience mod.

Because premium is charged on payroll, who you hire moves the bill. California pay runs from $22.36 an hour at the 10th percentile to $48.95 at the 90th, so the same rate costs $1.15 an hour on a new hire and $2.53 on a senior hand.

Workers comp requirements in California

Coverage required: 1 employee
Owners and sole proprietors: Owners excluded only by written waiver; licensed roofers must carry even with no employees
State fund: Competitive state fund (State Compensation Insurance Fund)
Waiting period: 3 days; waived if hospitalized or disability exceeds 14 days
Penalty for going without: Misdemeanor; fine of at least $10,000, stop-work orders, and CSLB license suspension

California uses its own WCIRB rating bureau, and SB 216 will require every licensed contractor to carry coverage even with no employees (effective 2028; roofers already).

California vs neighboring states

Oregon: about $2.71 per $100 of payroll

California has the highest concrete comp rate in its region; every neighboring state charges less per $100 of payroll.

If your crews work across the line, list those states under item 3.A or 3.C of your policy before the job starts. Rates follow the state where the work is done, not where your office is.

What moves a concrete comp bill

Concrete classes depend on the work: flatwork and driveways often rate differently from foundations and structural pours. Getting the class right is the first saving.
Back and crush injuries from forms, rebar, and pump hoses drive claims. A short pre-pour safety check on every job helps your mod over three years.
Concrete crews often hire short-term labor during the pour season. Every worker you pay counts at audit, so keep clean payroll records for temporary hires.
Owner-operators who pour alone can often exclude themselves; the rules vary by state, so check before you skip coverage.