Why Summit is the Right Workers’ Comp Choice for Construction-related Business

Construction accounts require a workers’ comp provider that has deep expertise in higher risk industries. Summit’s decades of experience in construction provides agents with peace of mind knowing that clients will be served with care.

Many workers’ comp carriers avoid submissions considered too hazardous, including construction. Summit isn’t among them. We thrive when things get complicated.

Our broad appetite includes many risks that other carriers avoid:

• Roofing
• Home builders
• Street and road construction
• Excavation
• Concrete or cement work
• HVAC
• Electrical
• Accounts with high experience mods
• Operations with complex exposures or challenging histories

Summit’s loss prevention consultants work directly in the field with contractors to identify job specific hazards, strengthen safety practices, and support compliance with state and federal requirements. They have a proven, decades-long record of reducing the types of injuries that drive claim severity—especially falls, struck-by incidents, and equipment-related injuries. This hands‑on support helps businesses create safer work environments and build long‑term stability in workers’ comp costs.

Summit’s monthly payroll reporting option aligns policyholder premium payments with work performed, which is especially valuable for project-based and seasonal construction operations.

For contractors managing fluctuating payrolls, this structure offers predictability throughout the year.

Paul Marks, senior vice president, explains, “Your clients are paying premium at the time they’re performing work and receiving their own payments. And, when monthly payroll reporting is done accurately, it helps avoid surprises at audit.”

Summit keeps underwriting, claims, loss prevention, and most audit functions in-house. Adjusters typically manage one or two states, allowing them to stay closely aligned with jurisdictional rules that influence outcomes.

As Paul notes, “This is about relationships and access. You’re working closely with in-house people who are accountable for outcomes.”

Large construction projects often involve wrap-up programs, project wide insurance programs that cover all contractors and subcontractors under one policy. These programs can potentially impact any workers’ comp claims related to the project. Summit verifies wrap-up program involvement early and reviews subcontractor coverage to help protect our policyholders from statutory employer exposure.

Knowing what to ask, and when to ask it, prevents surprises later.

Managing construction claims is demanding. Injuries are more severe, claims stay open longer, and early decisions can have long-term consequences. For independent agents who are placing workers’ comp for construction, the quality of the carrier you choose will directly affect outcomes for your clients and stability of your book.

Craig Campbell, assistant vice president of claims, oversees Summit’s Florida catastrophic claims unit and has spent years handling serious construction injuries. As he explains: “The most common and severe claims we see are falls from heights, mostly off ladders, roofs, and multilevel structures.”

When such injuries occur, Summit deploys local resources to hospitals and jobsites to gather facts early, assess equipment and conditions, and support urgent medical decision-making.

“The sooner we get involved, the better your outcomes. Early involvement supports faster treatment decisions, clearer liability assessment, and more effective return-to-work planning.”

Construction-related businesses produce a significant share of catastrophic losses, including traumatic brain injuries and spinal cord injuries. These claims are handled by Summit’s catastrophic claims specialists, a team of our most experienced adjusters who manage severe cases every day. This skilled specialization provides long-term care and communication consistency for injured parties and employers that are navigating the process.

Summit’s catastrophic experts are supported by in-house clinical nurses and medical directors who give adjusters an expert perspective on treatment issues. Paired with advanced medical management tools, this drives timely care decisions and better long‑term outcomes.

The data on construction claims reinforces why experience matters.*

• Lost time injuries: Approximately 30% of contracting claims result in lost time, compared to about 20% for other industries.
• Severity: Construction claim severity is approximately 64% higher than other industry groups.
• Duration: Only 34% of construction lost-time claims close by the first calendar year-end report, compared to 42% for noncontracting claims.
• Medical complexity: Since 2018, construction claims have consistently spent 5 to 16 percentage points more in medical costs on inpatient hospital care than non‑contracting claims.

*Statistics based on Summit’s internal data

These factors make early field response, disciplined medical management, and return-to-work planning essential. Summit’s claims and medical teams are structured specifically to address these realities.

Summit quotes roughly 46% of all construction submissions we receive from agents, and we’re actively seeking to grow that number. To increase the likelihood that your next construction submission receives a quote, remember that strong submissions tell the story of the business, not just the class code. Be sure to include:

• Loss and payroll history
• Leadership’s approach to safety, supervision, and jobsite accountability
• Use of subcontractors and how certificates are verified and monitored
• States of exposure

• Summit’s loss prevention consultants are experts in construction hazards and provide practical, job-specific guidance that helps reduce the frequency and severity of injuries.
• Monthly payroll reporting, when used accurately, strengthens cash flow predictability for contractors with fluctuating payrolls.
• Summit brings deep experience managing serious and catastrophic construction injuries, helping clients navigate their most challenging claims with confidence.
• Claims teams respond early, stay engaged, and drive decisions that support better medical outcomes and lower long-term costs.
• Adjusters understand state regulations, construction-specific exposures, and the risks of complex jobsites, which can lead to more accurate decisions and fewer surprises.

Send your next construction submission to Summit.