Workers’ Compensation Premium Audit Support

What is a premium audit?

The premium charged when a workers’ compensation policy starts generally uses estimated payroll and business information. The carrier’s premium audit compares those estimates with actual payroll and operations for the covered period to determine the final premium. The result may be an additional charge or a credit, depending on the policy and applicable rules. This is an insurance premium review, not an IRS tax audit.

The audit period follows your policy—not necessarily the calendar year

Start with the effective and expiration dates on the policy and the dates stated in the carrier’s audit request. For example, a July-to-July policy needs records aligned to that policy term; a January-to-December payroll total alone may not answer the request. Quarterly tax reports can overlap the term and may need a reconciliation to the requested payroll period.

A final audit typically follows policy expiration or cancellation. The date you receive the request, the submission deadline and the period being reviewed are different dates. Renewal or a change of carrier does not automatically remove the prior policy’s audit requirement. Follow the carrier’s instructions for the exact reporting basis, records and deadline; obtain clarification before substituting a different period.

Keep payroll and supporting records organized during the policy term so preparation does not begin only when the audit notice arrives.

What our audit-support service includes

• Review the notice, requested policy period, deadline and document list.
• Organize payroll exports, employee duties, locations and owner/officer information.
• Reconcile payroll totals to available wage reports and accounting records; document differences and missing information.
• Assemble subcontractor payment records and available certificates of insurance for review.
• Prepare an organized record package and a list of questions for the carrier or auditor.
• Coordinate follow-up and compare the carrier’s reported figures with supplied records when included in the agreed scope.

Prestige Tax Group supports payroll reconciliation, bookkeeping and document preparation. Fusco Insurance handles insurance questions and carrier coordination within its authority and the agreed scope. The carrier performs the premium audit and determines classifications and final premium under applicable policy and state rules.

Records to have ready

• The audit notice, policy information and requested dates.
• Payroll registers for the period, including employees who left during it.
• Employee duties, work locations and owner/officer details.
• Applicable quarterly wage reports, Form 941 and W-2/W-3 records.
• Subcontractor payments, relevant ledgers and available insurance certificates.
• Prior audit results and explanations for business or payroll changes.

The exact requirements vary by carrier, jurisdiction and business. A certificate or a 1099 alone does not determine whether labor is included; insurance treatment must be reviewed under the applicable rules.

Start with your deadline and the help you need

In the initial request, describe the service as “workers’ compensation premium audit support,” name the carrier, give the requested policy dates and deadline, and say whether you need record preparation or insurance help. We confirm scope, pricing and the document-collection process before work starts.

Do not upload payroll files, Social Security numbers, tax returns, account details or other sensitive records in the initial intake.

Service boundaries

Audit preparation does not replace the carrier’s audit, extend a deadline, bind or change coverage, or guarantee premium savings. Legal disputes and credential-restricted work require the appropriate qualified professional. Prestige Tax Group does not hold itself out as a CPA firm, enrolled-agent practice or law firm. Insurance services are subject to licensing, jurisdiction and carrier authorization.

Carrier education

Travelers: how premium audits work · Travelers: required documents · The Hartford: workers’ compensation audit preparation

General education reviewed October 11, 2026. Your carrier’s request and applicable policy terms control your audit.