Almost every state legally requires at least some of the businesses within its state lines to carry workers’ compensation insurance. But the laws are unique to each state. A few of the main things that states look at when deciding who has to have workers’ comp are business size, regular versus contract work (most—but not all—exclude contractors from workers’ comp), and industry (mainly relating to how dangerous the jobs are in a particular line of work). So, whether you’re a business owner or an employee, it pays to know your own state’s workers’ comp requirements.