2020 premium rates

WorkSafeBC announces that the average base rate for 2020 is maintained at the same level as 2019 and 2018, at 1.55% of employers' assessable payroll. Our positive financial results and stable claims costs have enabled us to keep the average rate flat for 2020.

Together with worker and employer stakeholders, we're working to reduce serious injuries and enhance return-to-work opportunities. In doing this, we can collectively help to prevent injuries, improve return-to-work outcomes, and ultimately lower insurance rates.

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How the rates are set

Resources

Support for employers impacted by COVID-19

WorkSafeBC recognizes the challenges faced by employers during the COVID-19 pandemic and is making adjustments to support those who are impacted. These adjustments include:

Waiving premiums for furloughed workers: We are also waiving premiums for employers who are approved to receive the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy (CEWS) for furloughed workers (employees on leave with full or partial pay). Learn more.

Find your rate

Our classification unit, industry, and rate search engine contains information on the premium rates for 2020, as well as information from previous years.

Find my classification unit, industry, or rate

You can learn more about changes to our classification structure by downloading Changes to the classification structure for 2020.

How the rates are set

The Workers Compensation Act requires WorkSafeBC to set premium rates annually for employers in order to pay for the workers’ compensation system.

Employers are placed in one of 527 classification units with other similar businesses. These classification units are then placed into one of 51 insurance pools we refer to as rate groups.

Employers in each rate group pay the costs of injuries and diseases that occur to the workers within the group, with the intent that each rate group be self-sufficient with regard to compensation costs. This limits cross-subsidization between industries, maintains relatively stable insurance rates, and limits growth of unfunded liabilities in the rate groups.

Each year, costs in some rate groups go up, some go down and others stay the same. In 2020, 43% of employers in B.C. are projected to experience a decrease in their industry base rate, 45% will see their industry base rate increase, and 12% will see no change.

Examples of industries with rate decreases include: Forestry, Independent Schools, Drywall, Public Transit, Universities, Field Work Services, Electric Utilities, Building Management, Movie Production, Large Retail, and Sawmills.

Examples of industries with rate increases include: Trucking, Courier, Pre-hospital Emergency Health Care, Multimedia Services, Local Government, First Nations Operations, Law Enforcement, Public Schools, Hospitals, and Supermarkets.

Example of industries with little to no change to their rates include: General Retail, Residential Construction, Limousine Service, Law Office, Non-Alcoholic Beverage Manufacture and Street Cleaning.