Florida commercial premium audits: what to have ready
The bill after the bill shows up months later. A commercial premium audit is how the carrier checks whether the payroll, sales, or subcontractors you estimated at bind matched what actually happened.
Florida commercial premium audits are normal on many workers’ compensation and some general liability or BOP accounts. There’s a process for that. This page is not a quote and not a guarantee of your final premium.
What the audit is looking for
Most audits compare the numbers you gave at the start of the policy period to records from that period. Common asks:
- Payroll by class code (who did what work, not just a single total)
- Gross sales or receipts if the rating uses them
- Certificates of insurance for subcontractors you say carried their own coverage
- Owner payroll treatment when owners are included or excluded
If the audit finds more exposure than you estimated, the carrier may bill the difference. If it finds less, you may get a credit — depending on the form and the facts.
What to have ready before they call
Pull a clean folder, not a scramble the week the auditor emails:
- Payroll reports that match the class story (W-2 vs 1099 labeled clearly)
- Sales or job logs if the policy rates on revenue
- Subcontractor invoices plus current COIs for the dates they worked
- A short note on any new operations you started mid-term
Honesty beats a clever story. Misclassification is how a surprise bill after the audit happens — and how claims and audits start arguing with each other.
Audits and claims are different clocks
Reporting a workplace injury quickly is still the right move when someone gets hurt. That is not the same as waiting for the year-end audit. We already wrote why Florida employers should report workplace injuries quickly: Report a workplace injury quickly.
Bring the declarations, the audit letter, and the records above. Gumbo Insurance Agency LLC is a licensed Florida independent agency. WhatsApp (407) 907-9407. This page does not quote or bind. License L132963.
Have the records ready. There’s a conversation for that — once the numbers are on the table.
Gumbo Insurance Agency LLC · 1850 Lee Rd Suite 347, Winter Park, FL 32789 · WhatsApp (407) 907-9407 · gumboinsurance.com · License L132963
This article is general information, not a policy and not insurance advice. Coverage depends on the form, the carrier, and the facts.
BOP · Report a workplace injury quickly · BOP is not just GL · Liability