(In effect as of January 1, 2004*)
TABLE 1.  TYPE OF LAW AND INSURANCE REQUIREMENTS FOR PRIVATE EMPLOYMENT
             
                                                                                                       Employer to Insure Through:
 Type of Law: Self-Insurance By:
Jurisdiction Compulsory or  Waivers State   Pvt.  Indiv.  Grp. of
  Elective Permitted Fund Carrier Employer Employers
                                                                                                   
Alabama Compulsory No No Yes Yes Yes
Alaska Compulsory Yes No Yes Yes No
Arizona Compulsory Yes Competitive Yes Yes Yes
Arkansas Compulsory Yes No Yes Yes Yes
California Compulsory No Competitive Yes Yes Yes
Colorado Compulsory No 1/ Competitive Yes Yes Yes
Connecticut Compulsory Yes No Yes Yes Yes
Delaware Compulsory No No Yes Yes No
Dist. of Col. Compulsory No No Yes Yes No
Florida Compulsory Yes No Yes Yes Yes
Georgia Compulsory Yes No Yes Yes Yes
Hawaii Compulsory No Competitive Yes Yes Yes
Idaho Compulsory No Competitive Yes Yes No
Illinois Compulsory No No Yes Yes Yes
Indiana Compulsory No No Yes Yes No
Iowa Compulsory Yes 2/ No Yes Yes Yes
Kansas Compulsory No No Yes Yes Yes
Kentucky Compulsory Yes Competitive Yes Yes Yes
Louisiana Compulsory Yes Competitive Yes Yes Yes
Maine Compulsory Yes Competitive Yes Yes Yes
Maryland Compulsory Yes Competitive Yes Yes Yes
Massachusetts Compulsory No No Yes Yes Yes
Michigan Compulsory Yes No Yes Yes Yes
Minnesota Compulsory No Competitive Yes Yes Yes
             
*See Introduction page.
TABLE 1.  TYPE OF LAW AND INSURANCE REQUIREMENTS FOR PRIVATE EMPLOYMENT (cont.)
             
                                                                                                       Employer to Insure Through:
 Type of Law: Self-Insurance By:
Jurisdiction Compulsory or  Waivers State   Pvt.  Indiv.  Grp. of
  Elective Permitted Fund Carrier Employer Employers
                                                                                                   
Mississippi Compulsory No No Yes Yes Yes
Missouri Compulsory No No Yes Yes Yes
Montana Compulsory Yes Competitive Yes Yes Yes
Nebraska Compulsory No No Yes Yes No
Nevada Compulsory No No Yes Yes Yes
New Hampshire Compulsory No No Yes Yes Yes
New Jersey Elective 3/ No  No Yes Yes No
New Mexico Compulsory Yes Competitive Yes Yes Yes
New York Compulsory No 4/ Competitive Yes Yes Yes
North Carolina Compulsory No No Yes Yes Yes
North Dakota Compulsory No Exclusive No No No
Ohio Compulsory Yes 5/ Exclusive No Yes No
Oklahoma Compulsory No Competitive Yes Yes Yes
Oregon Compulsory No Competitive Yes Yes Yes
Pennsylvania Compulsory No Competitive Yes Yes Yes
Puerto Rico Compulsory No Exclusive No No No
Rhode Island Compulsory Yes 6/ Competitive Yes Yes Yes
South Carolina Compulsory Yes No Yes Yes Yes
South Dakota Compulsory Yes No Yes Yes Yes
Tennessee Compulsory Yes No Yes Yes Yes
Texas Elective No Competitive Yes Yes Yes
Utah Compulsory No Competitive Yes Yes  Yes 7/
Vermont Compulsory Yes No Yes Yes No
Virginia Compulsory Yes No Yes Yes Yes
Virgin Islands Compulsory No Exclusive No No No
TABLE 1.  TYPE OF LAW AND INSURANCE REQUIREMENTS FOR PRIVATE EMPLOYMENT (cont.)
             
Employer to Insure Through:
 Type of Law: Self-Insurance By:
Jurisdiction Compulsory or  Waivers State   Pvt.  Indiv.  Grp. of
  Elective Permitted Fund Carrier Employer Employers
                                                                                                   
Washington Compulsory No Exclusive No Yes Yes
West Virginia Compulsory No Exclusive No Yes No
Wisconsin Compulsory No No Yes Yes No
Wyoming 8/ Compulsory No Exclusive No No No
United States*:
  FECA Compulsory No Exclusive No Yes No
  LHWCA Compulsory No No Yes Yes Yes
             
*  Federal Employees' Compensation Act.
   Longshore and Harbor Workers' Compensation Act.
FOOTNOTES:
1/ Colorado: However, a person, company or corporation may not be construed to be an employer
subject to workers' compensation liability under the specific criteria defined 
in section 8-41-101(1)(a)(I)(II) and (III), C.R.S.
2/ Iowa: Limited to Corporate Officers. 
3/ New Jersey: Technically coverage is elective, but practically compulsory.
4/ New York Waiver agreements are permitted when all parties to the agreement agree to terms,
and the agreement is approved by Workers' Compensation Board.
5/ Ohio: Yes, but only for employer sponsored recreational activities.
TABLE 1.  TYPE OF LAW AND INSURANCE REQUIREMENTS FOR PRIVATE EMPLOYMENT (cont.)
6/ Rhode Island: Employees are allowed to claim common law rights and opt out of the workers’ 
compensation system
7/ Utah: Public mutual insurance groups only.
8/ Wyoming: The law is compulsory for all employers engaged in extrahazardous occupations and
elective for all other occupations.