Protective Insurance Company’s average rate increase by +6.02% — effective 10/1/2026
10/02/2026
Protective Insurance Company has filed new California workers’ compensation base rates with the California Department of Insurance for policies effective October 1, 2026.
How are average rates changing?
| Issuing Company | Average Rate
10/1/2025 | Average Rate
10/1/2026 | % Change |
|---|
| Protective Insurance Company | 6.64 | 7.04 | +6.02% |
*Average rate calculation does not include per capita or per race rates (7707 – Firefighters – volunteers, 7722 – Police, Sheriffs – volunteers, or 8278 – Jockeys).
Does the average change apply to every policy?
Not necessarily. A carrier’s average rate change provides useful context, but individual class rates may move differently. The effect on a specific policy depends on the classifications and exposures involved.
The examples below show how some of Protective Insurance Company’s individual advisory rates are changing compared with the prior policy period.
| Class – Description | Advisory Rate
10/1/2025 | Advisory Rate
10/1/2026 | % Change |
|---|
| 7219 - Trucking Firms | 9.47 | 11.32 | +19.54% |
| 7198 - Parcel Delivery/Messenger Service | 15.62 | 16.43 | +5.19% |
| 8017 - Stores–retail | 4.24 | 4.31 | +1.65% |
| 8871 - Clerical Telecommuter Employees - N.O.C. | 0.15 | 0.15 | 0.00% |
| 3632 - Machine Shops | 4.10 | 4.02 | -1.95% |
| 4611 - Drug/Medicine/Pharm Preparations Mfg | 2.55 | 2.04 | -20.00% |
What does this mean for an individual account?
The average rate increase is only a starting point. To understand the potential effect on a specific policy, review the applicable classifications and compare how those rates changed.
With WorkCompare, users can generate a Pre-Quote Estimate to evaluate how current rate changes may affect potential pricing before formal quotes arrive.