Massachusetts Workers' Comp Insurance for Daycare & Child Care Centers

Massachusetts requires workers' compensation coverage no matter how many employees a business has or how many hours they work; there is no minimum headcount exemption for most employers. A specific carve-out applies to domestic workers, who must work at least 16 hours a week before coverage is required for them. See Mass.gov's workers' compensation insurance requirements page.

Common codes for this work include 8869 Child Care Center; 8810 Clerical Office Employees; 7380 Commercial Drivers & Messengers. Massachusetts maintains its own classification system (WCRIBMA) rather than NCCI codes. The codes below are NCCI reference codes; your Massachusetts classification may carry a different number, and we match it during quoting.

LLC members, LLP partners, and sole proprietors are not required to carry coverage on themselves, though this exemption never extends to any employees they hire, who must still be covered. Corporate officers who own at least 25% of the corporation can request an exemption for themselves using the state's affidavit of exemption, but again, this doesn't exempt the corporation's actual employees. Because the exemption thresholds differ by entity type (a flat exclusion for LLC members/partners/sole proprietors versus a 25%-ownership test for corporate officers), it's worth confirming which rule fits a given ownership structure before assuming exemption applies.

An employer without required coverage can be issued a stop-work order that halts all business operations; paying $100 per day of noncompliance can avoid the order taking effect initially, but that daily penalty rises to $250 per day once the violation is confirmed after a hearing. Separately, failing to provide required coverage is a criminal offense carrying a fine of up to $1,500, up to one year of imprisonment, or both, with a corporation's president or treasurer personally liable; a repeat violation after notice is treated as an additional offense with its own fines and imprisonment. Noncompliant employers can also lose business licenses and permits, face a three-year debarment from state and municipal contracts, and have liens placed against their property for unpaid penalties (M.G.L. c. 152, § 25C).

Price is driven by payroll in each class code, the Massachusetts rates filed for those codes, your claims history (experience modification), and underwriting factors such as total staff payroll and staff-to-child ratios; age groups served, since infant and toddler care involves more physical lifting; whether the center provides transportation for children. We compare carriers so you can see what you qualify for.

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No — the child care center classification covers all employees at the center together, including teachers, aides, kitchen staff, and clerical staff, reflecting how much roles overlap at a typical center.

Age groups served are one factor carriers consider, since infant and toddler care generally involves more physical lifting and hands-on assistance than programs serving older, more independent children.

Generally yes, the child care center classification applies to the daycare staff and operations regardless of whether the center is standalone or operated as part of a larger church or nonprofit.

Yes. Massachusetts requires coverage regardless of employee count or hours worked, with the only hours-based exception applying to domestic workers.

No. LLC members, LLP partners, and sole proprietors are exempt from coverage on themselves, though any employees they hire must still be covered.