Workers' Comp Audit Help for New York Employers

We take your workers' comp audit from first notice to final report, reviewing payroll, job duties and subcontractor records and calculating your premium before anything is submitted, so you know where your numbers stand before the auditor does.

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A Workers' Comp Audit Notice Isn't an Accusation

A workers' comp audit is your insurance carrier's end-of-term review that compares the payroll estimated when your policy started with the payroll you actually paid, by job classification. The difference sets your final premium for that policy year.


If the letter has you wondering whether you did something wrong, you most likely did not. Every policy written on estimated payroll is typically audited when the term ends, whether or not anything about your business changed. The workers' comp insurance audit is a reconciliation, and what matters most is that the records you hand over describe the work your people actually do.

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How a Workers' Comp Audit Works, From Estimate to Final Bill

Knowing the sequence ahead of time takes a lot of the uncertainty out of the audit.

01

Your premium starts as an estimate

When your policy is written, the premium is based on projected payroll for each class code on the policy.

02

The auditor reaches out

After the term ends, your carrier or its auditor contacts you by letter, email or phone to schedule the audit and explain whether it will be handled online, on paper or in person. If a notice just landed on your desk, our guide on what to do when you receive an audit request walks through the first few days.

03

Your records are reviewed

The auditor compares your payroll, tax filings, job duties and subcontractor certificates against the estimates on your policy.

04

You receive the final audit summary

The carrier issues an audit report and adjusts your premium to match what the records show.

That adjustment lands in one of three places:


  • No change, when your actual payroll and classifications match the original estimate.
  • A return premium, when you paid more up front than your actual payroll supports.
  • Additional premium, when payroll grew or work falls under higher-rated classifications.


When records are incomplete or unclear, auditors may rely on conservative assumptions that raise costs, which is why we review everything before it is submitted

What Records Your Auditor Will Request

Most workers' comp audits ask for the same core set of documents.

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Payroll reports and summaries

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Federal and state tax forms

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Employee job duties (not just titles)

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Class codes tied to actual work performed

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Subcontractor certificates of insurance (COIs)

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Payment records for uninsured subcontractors

If job duties aren't clearly documented, classifications may default to higher-rated categories. For a full list of what to gather and how to organize it, use our workers' comp audit checklist.

Workers' Comp Audit Problems We Help Owners Untangle

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Unclear Payroll Records

If your payroll reports don't match your tax filings, the auditor will have questions. We reconcile the two so your numbers make sense before they are reviewed.

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Missing or Incomplete Subcontractor COIs

If subcontractor coverage isn't properly documented, those payments may be added to your premium. We review your certificates so you can show valid coverage where it applies.

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Incorrect Class Codes

If job roles aren't clearly defined, employees may be placed in higher-rated classifications. We match documented duties to the correct codes through our class code and payroll review.

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Last-Minute Audit Deadlines

If your deadline is close and nothing is organized, we set a clear order for gathering, reviewing and submitting everything so it goes in on time.

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Virtual or Remote Audit Confusion

If your carrier runs the audit online, we organize and label your documents for the upload portal. Our virtual audit prep covers remote formats in more detail.

Ready to Hand Off Your Workers' Comp Audit?

We organize your records, review your numbers and prepare your submission so you can keep running your business while the audit moves forward. Rooted in Western New York, we work with employers in Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse, Albany and across the state.


The owners who call us most often include:


  • Construction contractors paying subcontractors across multiple jobsites.
  • Staffing agencies tracking employee duties at different client locations.
  • Small businesses facing their first audit or a bill that doesn't look right.

What to Expect When We Take On Your Audit

Karen Catalano has worked in insurance since 1998, across personal lines, underwriting and commercial insurance. She knows how carriers and auditors read payroll, class codes and subcontractor records, and she stays your one point of contact from the first notice through completion.

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We start with your audit notice and current records and build a document checklist.

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We organize payroll and supporting records for the auditor.

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We review everything and calculate your premium before anything is submitted.

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We prepare your submission for an online, paper or in-person audit.

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We stay available if the auditor comes back with questions.

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We prepare your submission for an online, paper or in-person audit.

Choose the Level of Audit Support That Fits

Every audit is different, and the right amount of help depends on your records and your deadline.

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Handling it yourself works best when payroll is simple, records are complete and you are confident in your classifications.

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Guided audit help gives you our review and direction before you submit, which suits first-time audits and moderate complexity.

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Full audit support means we organize, review and prepare the entire audit, which fits subcontractor-heavy payrolls, prior audit issues and tight deadlines.

Not sure which fits your situation? Tell us what the notice says and we'll help you decide.

Workers' Comp Audit Questions New York Owners Ask Most

  • What is a workers' comp audit?

    A workers' comp audit is your carrier's review of the payroll you actually paid during the policy term, compared with the estimate used to set your premium. The auditor looks at payroll, tax filings, job duties and subcontractor records by class code. The result is a final premium that can stay the same, go down or go up.

  • Why is my workers' comp insurance company auditing me?

    Because your policy was written on estimated payroll, and an audit is the standard way that estimate gets settled at the end of the term. It is not a sign that you did something wrong or that your business was singled out. Carriers audit these policies routinely, including when nothing about your operations changed.

  • Do workers' comp audits happen every year?

    In most cases, yes. Policies written on estimated payroll are typically audited at the end of each policy term. The format can vary from year to year, with some carriers using a mailed form or an online portal and others sending an auditor in person.

  • What happens during a workers' comp audit in New York?

    The auditor contacts you to schedule the audit, requests your payroll, tax forms, job duty descriptions and subcontractor certificates of insurance, and compares them with your policy estimates. After the review, the carrier sends an audit summary and adjusts your premium. The audit may be handled online, on paper or in person.

  • What happens if I don't complete my workers' comp audit?

    If you don't submit records, the carrier may issue an estimated audit based on assumptions, which often results in higher premiums than necessary. Some carriers are also issuing an order of suspension for policy changes and requested certificates of insurance until the audit is completed.

  • Is a workers' comp audit required if I switched carriers?

    Yes. Each policy period is typically audited by the carrier that wrote it, even after you move to a new carrier. The audit reconciles estimated payroll with actual figures for that specific term.

  • Can you help if my audit already happened?

    Yes. We can review a completed audit to look for classification, payroll or subcontractor issues and, where the records support it, help you request a correction. Learn more about our audit dispute support.


  • Who can help me with a workers' comp audit in New York?

    We help New York employers prepare for, complete and review workers' comp audits. Our guidance is built on New York processes, including NYSIF and New York carriers, and Karen Catalano has worked in insurance since 1998. We support audits in person and remotely anywhere in the state.

Get Your Workers' Comp Audit Reviewed Before It's Submitted

An audit deadline is easier to meet when someone has already checked your numbers. Email us your audit notice and we'll tell you what the auditor needs and how we can help. You can also use our contact form or call (716) 783-8276.