This report provides county-by-county construction risk data for Florida contractors, including workers' compensation rates, building permit activity, county-specific license requirements, and average insurance costs by trade. Data is compiled from NCCI, Florida DBPR, and county building department records.
Miami-Dade: 42,000+ permits/year, highest WC audit frequency in Florida, HVHZ wind requirements add 15–25% to roofing insurance costs. Broward: 28,000+ permits/year, strong GC COI requirements ($1M GL minimum). Palm Beach: 24,000+ permits/year, growing commercial construction market. Hillsborough (Tampa): 31,000+ permits/year, active hurricane exposure zone. Orange (Orlando): 35,000+ permits/year, fastest-growing construction market in Florida.
Miami-Dade: HVHZ compliance required for all roofing, additional wind mitigation inspections. Broward: Most GCs require $1M GL + $1M WC from all subcontractors. Palm Beach: Strong HOA market drives commercial property and D&O demand. Hillsborough: Active FWCJUA market due to high roofing claim frequency. Orange: Fastest-growing builders risk market in Florida.
WC rates are statewide (set by NCCI), but claim frequency varies significantly by county. Miami-Dade and Broward have the highest claim frequency for roofing and carpentry — which can push individual contractor EMRs above 1.5, effectively doubling their WC premium.
The NCCI advisory rates are statewide, but your actual premium is affected by your EMR, which reflects your individual loss history. Contractors in high-claim-frequency counties like Miami-Dade often have higher EMRs.
Each county building department publishes its requirements. Bright Coast Insurance can provide county-specific COI requirements for GC submissions.
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