COI requirements by state / Alaska
State guideAlaska contractor insurance requirements
What Alaska law says about workers' comp, contractor license insurance and indemnity clauses, and what to check on a contractor COI for a project there.
Workers' comp required at
1 employee
License insurance minimum
$50K/$100K BI, $20K PD
Anti-indemnity statute voids
Sole negligence
Workers' comp in Alaska
Every employer with one or more employees in Alaska must carry workers' comp, unless approved to self-insure. Sole proprietors, partners, and LLC members and corporate executive officers with at least 10% ownership don't have to cover themselves, but must cover everyone else who works for them.
The agency in charge is the Alaska Division of Workers' Compensation. It can tell you whether a specific business needs coverage, and most states let you look up an employer's policy online.
Contractor licensing and insurance
Alaska contractor registration requires general liability of at least $50,000 for injury to one person, $100,000 for injury to more than one, and $20,000 for property damage, plus a bond ($25,000 for a general contractor).
Indemnity and additional insured clauses
Alaska's anti-indemnity statute (Alaska Stat. § 45.45.900) voids construction contract clauses that make a contractor indemnify another party for that party's sole negligence. Clauses that cover shared fault are generally allowed.
What to check on a contractor COI for a Alaska project
- Workers' comp. Nearly every contractor with employees needs it in Alaska. A contractor with a crew and no workers' comp on its COI is a gap. For an out-of-state contractor, confirm Alaska is listed on the workers' comp policy.
- General liability. A Alaska license only shows the contractor met the state's floor. Compare each limit on the COI with your project requirements, which are usually higher.
- Additional insured. The endorsement is a separate promise from the indemnity clause, so check both. Ask for the endorsement itself, not just a box ticked on the certificate.
- Dates. Every policy should run through the end of the job. A COI only shows coverage on the day it was issued, so check again at each renewal.
Forsured checks every contractor COI against your project requirements, then keeps checking for the life of the project. Send us one project's requirements and a contractor COI or two for a free COI risk check.
Common questions
Do contractors need workers' comp in Alaska?
Every employer with one or more employees in Alaska must carry workers' comp, unless approved to self-insure. Sole proprietors, partners, and LLC members and corporate executive officers with at least 10% ownership don't have to cover themselves, but must cover everyone else who works for them.
Does Alaska require contractors to carry general liability insurance?
Alaska contractor registration requires general liability of at least $50,000 for injury to one person, $100,000 for injury to more than one, and $20,000 for property damage, plus a bond ($25,000 for a general contractor).
Can a Alaska construction contract make a contractor cover another party's negligence?
Alaska's anti-indemnity statute (Alaska Stat. § 45.45.900) voids construction contract clauses that make a contractor indemnify another party for that party's sole negligence. Clauses that cover shared fault are generally allowed.
Sources
- For-profit employers: workers' compensation requirements, Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development
- Construction contractor bond and insurance quick facts, Alaska Division of Corporations, Business and Professional Licensing
- Anti-Indemnity Statutes in All 50 States (2023), Gordon Rees Scully Mansukhani, 2023
- State Workers' Compensation Officials, U.S. Department of Labor
This guide is general information, not legal advice. Laws change and every contract is different, so confirm with the state agency, your broker or your attorney before you rely on it. Last reviewed Oct 28, 2026. Spotted something out of date? Write to hello@forsured.ai and we'll fix it.