Healthcare & Social Services
Class Code 8831: Hospital—Veterinary & Drivers — Workers' Comp Insurance
Covers veterinary hospitals and animal clinics, including veterinarians, vet techs, and support staff who handle and treat animals, along with any drivers who support the practice. It reflects the unique physical exposure of working with animals rather than human patients.
- Risk level:
- moderate
What code 8831 covers
Class 8831 applies to veterinary hospitals and clinics, covering veterinarians, veterinary technicians, and support staff involved in examining, treating, and caring for animal patients, along with drivers who support the practice such as mobile or house-call services. The exposure profile reflects animal handling — bites, scratches, and kicks — alongside typical clinical duties like drawing blood, administering medication, and assisting in minor procedures or surgery. Larger animal and equine practices, or practices with significant boarding or kennel operations, may present different exposure than a small-animal clinic and are reviewed accordingly. This code is distinct from human health care classifications despite the clinical similarities in the work performed.
Included operations
- Veterinary examination, treatment, and minor surgical procedures
- Veterinary technician and assistant duties
- Animal handling and restraint during treatment
- Drivers supporting mobile or house-call veterinary services
- Front-desk and clerical staff at the practice
Assigned elsewhere
- Boarding or kennel-only operations run as a distinct business line, evaluated separately
- Pet grooming services operated independently of veterinary treatment
- Physician and human-patient clinical staff — see code 8832
- Large-animal or equine practices with materially different exposure, evaluated separately
Businesses that typically carry 8831
- Small-animal veterinary clinics
- Mixed-animal veterinary practices
- Emergency and specialty veterinary hospitals
- Mobile veterinary services
- Outpatient and multi-specialty clinics
- Faith-based and community service organizations
- County and municipal social service agencies
- Multi-site healthcare and care organizations
Common misclassifications
Code 8832
Veterinary and physician practices are both clinical healthcare settings but involve different classifications given the different patient population and hazards.
Code 7380
A practice's delivery or courier drivers doing work unrelated to veterinary house calls may need a general driver classification instead.
Compare up to 10 carriers in minutes.
One application goes out to every carrier we can access for your class of business. You get a ranked comparison you can review and purchase online — with a licensed agent available whenever you want one.
Mon–Fri, 8:00am–6:00pm ET · Independent agency licensed in 23 states
What drives the cost of code 8831
- Total annual payroll for employees assigned to this classification
- Experience modification factor based on claims history
- State-specific base rates and loss costs filed for this class code
- Claims frequency and severity trends for the business
- Safety programs, training, and workplace controls in place
- Payroll mix across multiple classifications at the same location
What underwriters look for
- Types of patients, residents, or clients served and the level of care provided
- Staffing ratios and use of lift equipment or safe patient-handling protocols
- Prior claims history, especially strain, sprain, and needlestick injuries
- Licensing, accreditation, and staff credentials
State differences
This entry uses standard NCCI class code phraseology, which applies in most NCCI-governed states. Pennsylvania (PCRB), Delaware (DCRB), California (WCIRB), New Jersey (NJCRIB), Michigan, New York (NYCIRB), and Massachusetts maintain their own classification manuals, and code numbers or phraseology can differ there. Our agency confirms the correct classification for your state before quoting.
Where code 8831 fits
Quote class code 8831.
One application goes out to every carrier we can access for your class of business. You get a ranked comparison you can review and purchase online — with a licensed agent available whenever you want one.
Mon–Fri, 8:00am–6:00pm ET · Independent agency licensed in 23 states
Class code 8831 questions
Does this code cover veterinary technicians and assistants?
Yes, clinical support staff who help examine and treat animals are included along with the veterinarians.
What about a practice that also boards animals overnight?
Boarding and kennel operations can present different exposure and are often reviewed as a distinct part of the business.
Does 8831 cover mobile or house-call veterinary services?
Yes, drivers supporting a mobile veterinary practice are contemplated within this classification.
Is a large-animal or equine practice rated the same way?
Large-animal and equine work can carry different exposure than small-animal practice and is reviewed on its own facts.
Last reviewed · Reviewed by Provident Financial Group licensed agents