North Carolina Workers' Compensation Insurance Profitability (2023)
In 2023, Workers' Compensation insurers earned $1.5B in premiums in North Carolina and ran a 46.8% loss ratio — the 20th-highest of 51 states (a mid-range loss ratio for the line).
Source: NAIC 2023 Report on Profitability by Line by State. Loss ratio = incurred losses ÷ premiums earned.
Nationally, Workers' Compensation ran a 45.1% loss ratio in 2023, so North Carolina is above the national average. See how every state compares on the Workers' Compensation market page.
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A higher loss ratio means carriers paid out more of each premium dollar in claims, which tends to push North Carolina workers' compensation rates up and thin the field of carriers competing for the business; a lower one signals a more profitable, more competitive market. A 17.2% underwriting profit means the line stood on its own in North Carolina without leaning on investment income. Counting investment income, carriers earned a 23.0% profit on workers' compensation insurance transactions in North Carolina in 2023 — NAIC's broadest profitability measure for the line. Either way, these are industry aggregates — your own workers' compensation rate depends on your business, and the only way to see it is to compare filed rates and real quotes.
North Carolina's $1.5B in workers' compensation premiums is the 10th-largest of the 51 states NAIC reports for the line. Across those states, loss ratios span from 72.8% in North Dakota — the toughest market for carriers — down to -3.9% in Ohio, the most profitable; North Carolina's 46.8% places it 20th of 51. For buyers, a state near the top of that spread usually means firmer workers' compensation pricing and fewer competing carriers, while a state near the bottom tends to run softer and more competitive. By premium, North Carolina is about 3.0% of the $50.5B national workers' compensation market, and its loss-ratio rank places it in the harder half of states for carrier profitability — context that shapes how aggressively carriers compete for North Carolina workers' compensation business.
Key takeaways
- North Carolina workers' compensation: $1.5B in 2023 premiums at a 46.8% loss ratio (NAIC).
- That ranks North Carolina 20th of 51 states by loss ratio for the line — a mid-pack market.
- These are industry aggregates, not a quote — your workers' compensation rate depends on your business; compare filed rates and real quotes.
Getting Workers' Compensation coverage in North Carolina
See recent North Carolina rate filings on the North Carolina rate page, learn how Workers' Compensation works in our Workers' Compensation guide, look up the filed loss cost for a specific class code in our workers' comp class code hub, see typical workers' comp costs, then compare real quotes for your business.
Compare North Carolina Workers' Compensation Quotes →