Workers’ Comp & PEO FAQ

Straight answers to the questions business owners ask us most about workers’ compensation and PEOs. If your question is not here, email sales@tarsusrisk.com and we will answer it directly.

What does Tarsus Risk Management do?

Tarsus Risk Management is an advocate for business owners in two areas: placing hard-to-place workers’ compensation coverage, and negotiating PEO pricing and terms. We also provide PEO education and consulting so owners can decide whether a PEO fits before they sign anything. We work for you, not the carrier.

What is a PEO?

A PEO, or Professional Employer Organization, co-employs your staff and handles payroll, taxes, benefits, and workers’ compensation under a shared arrangement. Your employees are covered under the PEO’s master workers’ comp policy rather than a policy in your own name. A PEO can be the fastest path to coverage for new or hard-to-place businesses.

What does “hard to place” workers’ comp mean?

Hard to place means standard carriers are reluctant to write your coverage, usually because of a high experience mod, difficult class codes, prior claims, a coverage lapse, or a new venture with no history. It does not mean impossible. It means the account needs creative program structures and carrier relationships to place competitively.

How does the “if you don’t save, you don’t pay” PEO negotiation work?

When we negotiate your PEO pricing, our fee comes out of the savings we create. We break your proposal down line by line, benchmark it against the market, and negotiate on your behalf. If we cannot save you money, you owe us nothing.

What is an experience mod?

Your experience modification rate, or mod, is a multiplier that compares your business’s actual claims history to what a business of your size and class was expected to have. A mod above 1.00 raises your premium; a mod below 1.00 lowers it. It is calculated from several years of loss history by a rating bureau.

Can I get workers’ comp coverage with a high mod or prior claims?

Usually yes. A high mod or claims history makes an account hard to place, but creative program structures, the right carrier relationships, and in some cases PEO placement can deliver competitive, compliant coverage. That is the core of what we do.

Do you work with businesses in my state?

We work with business owners across a range of states and industries. Workers’ comp rules and rating bureaus vary by state, which is exactly why having an advocate who knows those differences matters. Email us with your state and situation and we will tell you how we can help.

How do I get started with Tarsus Risk?

Email sales@tarsusrisk.com with a short description of your business and what is on your desk, whether that is a tough placement, a renewal increase, or a PEO deal you want reviewed. We respond within one business day.