Georgia carpentry ghost policies·by Quinn Alliance LLC
Georgia carpentry ghost policy quotes, fast.
Workers comp certificates for carpenters and framers who work alone. Subcontract work out? If so, and your subs are insured, you can be considered with a quick application.
Do you have any employees or 1099 workers, or use subcontractors?
What's your trade?
A licensed agent reviews every quote before anything is bound.
Where should we send your quote?
Frank Quinn, licensed Georgia agent · Lic. 244699Every quote is reviewed by a licensed agent. Prefer to talk? (470) 648-6767
Ghost policies available throughout Georgia
From metro Atlanta to Savannah, Augusta, Columbus, Macon, Athens, Albany, Valdosta, Rome, Dalton, Gainesville, and Brunswick, we write ghost policies in every Georgia county.
Quick answer
Carpentry ghost policyGeorgia · NCCI 5645 or 5403 · online quoteA Georgia carpentry ghost policy is a minimum-premium workers comp policy for a framer or finish carpenter who works alone or uses only insured subs. Residential framing is usually rated under NCCI 5645 and other carpentry under 5403, and owner-only quotes can often be done online. Builders get the certificate they ask for, but the owner is not covered.
Georgia basics
A ghost policy is a minimum-premium workers comp policy for a business with no employees, where the owners are excluded from coverage. It gives you a valid certificate, but it covers no one. It usually fits if you work alone, your owners exclude themselves on Form WC-10, and any subs carry their own workers comp. It does not fit if you have employees or uninsured 1099 workers, or if you want coverage for your own injuries.
Full rules, glossary, and county list: Georgia ghost policy guide. Not a fit? Quinn Alliance places standard workers comp too.
Carpentry and framing ghost policies
Builders and GCs almost always want a workers comp certificate from the carpenter or framer before work starts. Owner-operator framers and finish carpenters are a common ghost policy fit.
Class code
Carpentry and framing are usually rated under NCCI carpentry codes, such as 5645 for detached one or two family dwellings or 5403 for other carpentry. Your carrier assigns the final code based on the work you do.
Crews
Carpentry and framing crews are often paid by the job or the square foot on a 1099. If a crew doesn't carry its own workers comp, the carrier can charge that pay to your policy at audit. A ghost policy only fits if you work alone or every crew has its own certificate.
You are not covered
A ghost policy excludes the owner, so it pays nothing if you are hurt on the job. Ask us about options that cover you too.
Not a carpenter? See every trade we write in Georgia.
Who asks for your certificate
| 01 | Production and custom home builders before framing or trim starts. |
| 02 | Remodelers and GCs who sub out framing, decks, or trim packages. |
| 03 | Framing labor brokers who place crews with builders and need a certificate for each crew. |
| 04 | Commercial GCs on tenant build-outs, often with extra certificate wording. |
Audit traps for carpenters
| Trap | What happens |
|---|---|
| Square-foot framing crews | A crew paid by the square foot is still payroll at audit if it has no workers comp of its own. Get the crew's certificate before the first wall goes up. |
| Selling the whole job | If you contract the full framing package and hire other crews to do it, you are the hiring contractor. Under Georgia's statutory employer rule (O.C.G.A. 34-9-8), you can be responsible for their uninsured workers. |
| Code drift | A trim carpenter who starts taking framing jobs, or the reverse, can be reclassified at audit. Tell us when your work changes. |
| Deck and porch builds | Exterior decks are usually still carpentry, but heavy demolition or concrete footings by your own helpers can add exposure. List all of it. |
Licensing and permits
Georgia lists rough carpentry and finish carpentry as traditional specialty trades that do not need a residential or general contractor license, as long as the work meets state and local codes (Georgia Secretary of State specialty contractor policy). That changes if you contract directly with an owner for work outside your trade: a residential contractor license applies to jobs over $2,500, and licensed contractors must show proof of general liability and workers comp as required by state law (O.C.G.A. 43-41).
Example
How it works
Answer one question
Just you, workers, or subs.
Get your quote
Owner-only quotes online. With insured subs, we process your application.
Agent review
We check the class code and exclusions before binding.
Certificate issued
Sent to your GC or permit office once bound.
Quotes can come back quickly. Binding can take more than a day, depending on the carrier.
You'll need your legal name, FEIN, entity type, owners and ownership percentages, a short description of your work, years in business, and the certificate holder's name and address. The premium depends on your class code, the carrier's minimum premium, fees, and whether you use subs. Anyone can check a Georgia business's coverage with the State Board's online coverage verification.
Questions
Is framing rated differently from finish carpentry?
Often, yes. Residential framing is commonly 5645 and other carpentry 5403, but carriers look at the work you actually do. Describe framing, trim, and decks separately on the application.
Do I need a contractor license to frame houses in Georgia?
Rough and finish carpentry are listed as specialty trades, so a residential or general contractor license usually isn't required when you work within that trade. Contracting directly with an owner for a broader remodel over $2,500 is different.
My builder pays my crew directly. Does that count against me?
Payroll follows who pays. If the builder pays the crew, they are not your payroll. If the money passes through you, it can be.
Can I add a helper for one big job?
Not on a ghost policy. Anyone you pay directly needs to be covered, so call us before they start and we will adjust the policy.
Will a framing labor broker accept a ghost policy?
Most accept any active workers comp certificate in your business name. Some also want a waiver of subrogation in their favor.
Does a deck job use the same code as framing?
Usually a carpentry code applies, but it depends on the carrier and the scope. Footings, demolition, and railings with welding can change the picture.
What happens at audit if I used subs?
The auditor asks for each sub's certificate covering the dates they worked. Missing certificates are the most common cause of a surprise bill.
Does a ghost policy cover me if I fall off a wall?
No. The owner is excluded, so the policy pays nothing for your own injuries. Ask us about options that cover you too.
How much does a ghost policy cost?
There is no single price. It depends on your class code, the carrier's minimum premium, policy and underwriting fees, and whether you use subs. You see a price only after a carrier quotes it.
Who runs GhostPolicyNow?
GhostPolicyNow.com is operated by Quinn Alliance LLC, an independent Georgia insurance agency specializing in construction trades. Principal: Frank Quinn, Georgia License 244699. Call (470) 648-6767.
About the agency
GhostPolicyNow is the ghost policy resource of Quinn Alliance LLC, an independent Georgia insurance agency that specializes in contractors. Beyond ghost policies, Quinn Alliance places general liability, standard workers comp, commercial auto, tools and equipment, and surety bonds for roofers, tree services, GCs, and the specialty trades.
Principal Frank Quinn is a licensed Georgia agent (License 244699, NPN 22134534). You can confirm any Georgia agent's license through the Georgia Commissioner of Insurance license lookup.
We write ghost policies in all 159 Georgia counties. Our deepest experience is across metro Atlanta: Fulton, DeKalb, Cobb, Gwinnett, Clayton, Cherokee, Forsyth, Henry, Douglas, Paulding, Fayette, Rockdale, Bartow, Coweta, Carroll, Newton, Hall, Barrow, Walton, and Spalding counties.
OFFICIAL SOURCES: SBWC EMPLOYER INFORMATION · SBWC COVERAGE VERIFICATION · SBWC BOARD FORMS · GEORGIA OCI · NCCI
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