Workers' Comp Audit Dispute Support for New York Employers

Think Your Audit Is Wrong? Here's How to Move Forward

If your audit bill came in far higher than you expected, you are probably worried about paying for payroll, class codes or subcontractors that don't match how your business actually runs. A workers comp audit dispute starts with finding exactly which figures are off and pulling together the records that prove it. We do that work with you, and we calculate the corrected premium before anything goes back to the carrier.

Karen Catalano has worked in insurance since 1998, including underwriting and commercial lines, so we review your audit the way carriers and auditors read records. You keep one point of contact from the first look at the bill through the corrected result, whether the audit was handled online, on paper or in person.

From our office in Williamsville, we work with employers across Western New York, including Buffalo and Rochester, and we handle disputes in person or remotely for employers across New York State.

Audit Problems We Help You Correct

Unexpected Premium Increases

When the bill jumps and nobody explains why, we review your audit line by line to find what is driving the increase. If your audit isn't final yet, our workers' comp audit assistance helps you get the records right before the auditor's numbers are set.

Questionable Classifications

Employees placed in higher-rated class codes can raise your premium for work they never do. Through our class code and payroll review, we match each person's documented duties to the classification that fits.

Subcontractor Charges Without Proof

Subcontractor payments are often charged as your payroll when their coverage wasn't documented. We check your certificates of insurance and payment records to show where those charges should come off.

Payroll Inclusion Errors

Some pay, such as overtime premium or payroll outside the policy period, may not belong in the audit. We organize the documentation that shows what should be excluded and why.

Lack of Clear Explanation From Your Carrier

When the audit summary doesn't explain its numbers, it's hard to know what to answer. We break down what is driving each figure so you can respond to the parts that are wrong.

Got an Estimated Audit From NYSIF? An Estimate Isn't Your Final Bill

NYSIF issues an estimated audit when an audit appointment is missed, an audit report is filed late, or requests for records go unanswered. Without your actual payroll, NYSIF has to estimate it, and the result is usually a premium far above what your records would support.

Up to 10x: how much higher than the actual premium NYSIF says an estimated audit can run.

The way out of an estimated audit NYSIF has billed is getting NYSIF the records it asked for, so an actual audit can replace the estimate. NYSIF accepts those records through its online Audit Document Upload portal and through virtual verification by video, and our virtual audit prep gets you ready for either one.

Here is what we handle for you:

If the estimate is from a policy that has already ended, our guide on whether a past estimated workers' comp audit can be corrected walks through what that process looks like.

What You Can Dispute in a Workers' Comp Audit

Knowing what is actually disputable keeps your effort on the items that change the bill.

Each of these needs a record that supports the correction.

The Records That Strengthen Your Dispute

The same records used to prepare for an audit are usually the ones that correct it.

When these records line up with each other, your dispute is easier for the carrier to review and accept.

A Workers' Comp Audit Dispute Letter Your Carrier Can Follow

A dispute has to be made in writing, and a workers comp audit dispute letter works best when an auditor can check every point against a record. If your carrier is NYSIF, the audit worksheets and the Premium Audit Exit Interview Form you receive at the end of the audit are where that line-by-line review begins.

A clear dispute letter includes:

We also separate the undisputed portion of the audit from the disputed portion. That keeps the conversation focused on the items actually in question and lets you address what you agree you owe while the rest is reviewed.

Where Audit Disputes Often Go Wrong

These issues can slow down the process or reduce the chances of a successful correction.

When the Dispute Is About Your Class Code

If you disagree with the class code assigned to your business, New York gives you a separate path. You can send a written description of your operations to the New York Compensation Insurance Rating Board (NYCIRB), which verifies the classification and may inspect your business. If NYCIRB finds an error, it instructs your carrier to correct the code.

We help you write that description so it reflects the work your employees actually do, and we review how the corrected code would change your premium.

Where to Start Depends on What You Already Know

When the Charges on Your Audit Don't Add Up

Ready to Have Your Audit Dispute Handled for You?

You run the business, and we work the dispute. Karen Catalano brings an insurance background dating to 1998, across underwriting and commercial insurance, and stays your single point of contact from the first look at your audit bill through the corrected result. We review your records and calculate your premium before a dispute is submitted, whether the correction runs through an online upload, paper records or an in-person review.

Employers across New York, including Syracuse and Albany, work with us from 1323 N Forest Rd, Williamsville, NY 14221, in person or remotely.

What to Expect From Audit Bill to Corrected Result

Get Clarity Before You Accept the Final Numbers

If your audit results don't look right, a review before you pay or respond can change what you end up owing. We help you understand the audit and answer it with records. Email us to start your review.