ACORD Work Comp App: What It Is, Where to Get It, and How to Submit It

The ACORD work comp app. Which was previously called the ACORD 130 Workers Compensation Application. Is the form used to apply for workers compensation insurance in the United States. Insurance agents, brokers and business owners use it to give the business and employee information to different insurance companies so they can give quotes and provide coverage.

Workers’ compensation is a legal requirement in virtually every U.S. state for businesses with employees. The ACORD work comp app is how that legal coverage is initiated. It collects payroll by job classification, business operations detail, prior loss history, and ownership information — everything an underwriter needs to assess the risk and calculate a premium.

The form being standardized helps agents send the application to many insurance companies at the same time, which makes getting quotes much faster. A filled out ACORD work comp app usually gets quotes within 24 to 72 hours.

Who Uses the ACORD Work Comp App?

• Insurance agents and brokers — complete and submit the app to carrier markets for quoting
• Business owners — provide the underlying data and sign the completed form
• HR and payroll managers — supply payroll records, employee classifications, and prior insurance history
• Insurance underwriters — review the app to evaluate risk and determine premium
• Agency management system (AMS) users — complete the form digitally through platforms like Applied Epic, HawkSoft, or Vertafore

How Does the ACORD Work Comp App Work? Step-by-Step

1. Access the form. Get the ACORD 130 fillable PDF from acord.org your AMS or a trusted source in the industry. Make sure the date on the form is the one that your insurance companies accept.
2. Enter agency and applicant information. Many AMS platforms auto-populate the agency section. Fill in the applicant’s legal name, FEIN, address, entity type, and contact details.
3. Complete policy information. Enter proposed effective and expiration dates, states where coverage is needed, and the employer’s liability limits requested.
4. Enter class codes and payroll. For each type of employee or job function, select the applicable NCCI class code and enter the estimated annual payroll for that class. This is the most premium-sensitive section of the app.
5. Add location information. List all job sites and fixed locations where employees work. Each location is evaluated as part of the risk profile.
6. Provide loss run history. Attach or reference five years of currently valued loss runs from prior workers’ comp carriers. This is required by nearly all underwriters before they will issue a firm quote.
7. Answer the underwriting questionnaire. The ACORD work comp app includes 24 yes/no questions. Any “yes” answer requires a written explanation, which can be added via an ACORD 101 Remarks Schedule.
8. Sign electronically or on paper. Both the applicant (employer) and the producer (agent) must sign. For assigned risk submissions through NCCI RMAPS, eSignature via DocuSign is available within the portal and is the fastest option.
9. Submit to carriers or NCCI. For voluntary market submissions, send through your carrier’s portal or AMS. For assigned risk, submit via NCCI RMAPS along with the ACORD 133 and deposit premium payment.

What Information Is Required to Complete the ACORD Work Comp App?

• Business name and Federal Employer Identification Number (FEIN)
• Business entity type (corporation, LLC, partnership, sole proprietor)
• All physical locations where employees work
• NCCI classification codes for every employee job category
• Estimated annual payroll by class code and state
• Officer and partner names, dates of birth, titles, and coverage elections (include/exclude)
• Five years of workers’ comp loss runs — currently valued
• Experience modification factor (if applicable)
• Description of business operations in plain, specific language
• Prior carrier names, policy numbers, and premium history

ACORD Work Comp App: Digital vs. Paper Submission

Common Mistakes With the ACORD Work Comp App

Downloading an outdated version of the form

ACORD changes the form from time to time. Insurance companies might not accept a version or might ask for it to be fixed. Always check the version number in the bottom of the form before filling it out and make sure it is what your insurance company wants.

Submitting the app without loss runs attached

Loss runs are not optional — they are required for most markets to issue a firm quote. Submitting the ACORD work comp app without them typically results in a NIGO (Not In Good Order) designation and delayed processing. Request updated loss runs before filling out the app, not after.

Entering total payroll without breaking it out by class code

The rating section requires payroll broken down by each NCCI class code — not a lump total. Entering one consolidated payroll number prevents underwriters from calculating premium by exposure category and typically triggers a clarification request.

Not signing both the producer and applicant sections

The ACORD work comp app requires two signatures: the applicant (usually a business owner or officer) and the producer (the agent). A missing signature is one of the most common NIGO reasons. For assigned risk, the signatory must be an owner or officer specifically listed in the Individuals section of the form.

Confusing the ACORD 130 with a policy or a certificate

The ACORD work comp app is an application — not a policy and not a certificate of insurance. Submitting it does not bind coverage. Coverage is only in force when a carrier issues a policy or a binder. Business owners sometimes assume the signed form provides immediate protection — it does not.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

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