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Workers' Comp for Security Companies in Florida

Code 7720 (Unarmed) — 2026 FL filed rate $2.57/100 • Code 7723 (Armed) — $2.48/100 of payroll.

Security Guard Workers' Comp in Florida — Two Codes, One Key Decision

At our agency, we recognize that Florida's thriving security industry, which serves a vast array of sectors including hospitality, theme parks, healthcare facilities, commercial real estate, and event security at stadiums, convention centers, and entertainment venues, necessitates specialized workers' compensation solutions. As a result, we inform our clients that the state's Division of Licensing, operating under the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, is responsible for overseeing security guard licensing, and that Florida-licensed security companies, like those we serve, must adhere to specific workers' comp requirements as a condition of their license.

Workers' comp classification for security companies hinges on one distinction: armed versus unarmed. Code 7720 — Security Guard (Unarmed) covers guards who do not carry firearms in the course of their duties. The 2026 filed rate is $2.57/100 of payroll. Code 7723 — Security Guard (Armed) covers guards who carry and may use firearms. The rate increases to $2.48/100. The difference reflects the elevated severity exposure associated with armed guard work — altercations involving an armed guard carry higher potential injury cost for both the guard and any involved parties.

<p>At our agency, we guide our clients through the complexities of workers' comp for security personnel, ensuring they understand the importance of separating payroll for armed and unarmed guards by code. When a company employs a mixed workforce, we advise them that a single policy will be subject to audit by job classification. For instance, if guards hold a Florida Class G license but are assigned to unarmed posts, we recommend that our clients document their assignments by post, rather than just by license type, as <strong>carriers</strong> will audit payroll allocation based on actual job duties performed, not the credentials held by the guards.

Code	Description	2026 Rate	Covers
7720	Security Guard — Unarmed	$2.57	Unarmed commercial guards, patrol guards, access control, event security without firearms
7723	Security Guard — Armed	$2.48	Armed guards with Class G license, bank/jewelry/cash-in-transit armed escorts

Florida's Security Market — Hospitality, Theme Parks, and the Event Circuit

At our agency, we recognize that the unique characteristics of Florida's industries significantly influence the workers' compensation exposure for security companies. As we work with our clients in the security sector, we've found that the specific locations where their guards are assigned play a crucial role in determining their overall risk profile, ultimately impacting both the frequency and types of claims they experience.

At our agency, we recognize the significant role that theme park and entertainment venue security plays in the Orlando area, and we're committed to supporting these employers. Our clients in this industry often have guards working long shifts in crowded environments, which can lead to a range of challenges, from crowd management and medical assist situations - such as guests becoming ill - to occasional altercations. We've found that the physical demands of these jobs, including standing for 8-12 hour shifts on hard concrete surfaces in the Florida heat, can take a toll on guards' bodies over time, particularly for long-tenured employees, resulting in musculoskeletal claims that often affect the knees, hips, and lower back. Furthermore, heat illness is a notable exposure for guards working in outdoor areas, such as queue areas and parking facilities, making it essential for our clients to prioritize their employees' health and safety.

At our agency, we recognize that hospitality security - encompassing hotels, resorts, clubs, and bars - presents a unique set of challenges, particularly when it comes to the risk of altercations. Our clients in this sector often face situations where guards must intervene in guest disputes, restrain individuals, or manage aggressive patrons, resulting in a high frequency of injuries. Notably, injuries sustained by guards during these altercations are considered compensable workers' comp claims, even in instances where the guard was acting in self-defense as the aggressor. We've observed that South Florida's vibrant nightlife scene contributes to a significant proportion of these types of claims, highlighting the importance of adequate workers' compensation coverage for our clients in this industry.

The Real Injury Drivers — Slips, Falls, Fatigue, and Altercations

Slip-and-fall injuries — Security guards working in retail, hospitality, and healthcare environments are on their feet in the same wet, waxed, and trafficked surfaces as the premises they are protecting. Guards responding quickly to incidents slip on the same wet floors that create liability for property owners. Slip-and-fall is the single highest-frequency claim type for security guards nationally and in Florida specifically.
Altercation injuries — Physical confrontations with subjects generate strains, sprains, fractures, and soft-tissue injuries to hands, wrists, shoulders, and knees. Guards trained in use-of-force who execute takedowns and restraint techniques still sustain injuries in the process. These claims are well-documented, medically definable, and legitimate workers' comp injuries.
Overnight shift fatigue injuries — A significant portion of Florida's security workforce works overnight — retail loss prevention, construction site patrol, healthcare after-hours. Fatigue-related injuries spike on overnight shifts due to reduced alertness, slower reaction times, and impaired coordination. Guards who trip, fall, or are injured during responses on overnight shifts represent a disproportionate share of frequency claims relative to their hours worked.
Vehicle patrol injuries — Security companies that run patrol vehicles have an additional exposure category: auto accidents and injuries from repeated ingress/egress from vehicles during patrols. Patrol guards who exit and re-enter vehicles dozens of times per shift sustain knee and back injuries from the repetitive motion that are classified as workers' comp.
Dog handler injuries — K-9 security companies have a specialized exposure that includes dog bites to the handler during training and operational scenarios. Dog bites to security guards from their own animals are workers' comp claims, not general liability claims.

Slip-and-fall liability vs. workers' comp — the distinction matters. When a security guard slips on a client's wet floor and is injured, that is a workers' comp claim against your policy. When a visitor slips on that same floor, it is a general liability claim against the property owner. Your guards are not covered by the client's premises liability policy — they are your employees covered by your workers' comp. Security companies sometimes discover this the hard way when a client's insurer denies coverage for an injured guard's claim.

Frequently Asked Questions — Florida Security Companies

Yes. Security companies are employers, and any company with employees in Florida is required to carry workers' comp if those employees are not in the construction industry (construction requires it at one employee; most other industries require it at four). Security guard companies with even one W-2 employee trigger the four-employee threshold immediately in most cases. Florida's Division of Licensing also expects active workers' comp certificates as part of security agency licensing — a lapsed policy can put your agency license at risk.

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Yes. Workers' comp follows the employee, not the worksite. Your guards are your employees covered under your policy regardless of whether they are stationed at a client's hotel, retail center, or event venue. The client's property insurance does not cover your employees' injuries. When a guard is injured at a client location, the claim runs through your workers' comp policy. This is one reason security companies should carry adequate limits and maintain a clean experience mod — you are responsible for every guard on every client site.

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You need one policy that correctly separates payroll by code. Armed guards (Class G license, carrying firearms) go under code 7723 at $2.48/100. Unarmed guards go under code 7720 at $2.57/100. The separation happens within a single policy via payroll allocation, not via separate policies. At audit, you will need to provide payroll records broken down by guard classification. If your guards carry firearms on some assignments but not others, the assignment logs — not just the license held — determine which code applies.

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Yes. Injuries sustained by a guard during an altercation with a third party in the course of their employment are compensable workers' comp claims. This includes injuries from restraining subjects, being struck, falling during confrontations, and muscle strains from use-of-force applications. The fact that the injury involved another person does not change the workers' comp analysis — the guard was performing their job duties when injured. Your workers' comp policy covers the medical treatment and wage replacement. A third-party liability claim against the subject or property owner is a separate legal matter.

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This is a significant compliance risk for Florida security companies. Guards who work regularly for your company, under your direction, at assignments you arrange, and who do not independently operate their own licensed security agencies are employees under Florida law regardless of 1099 status. The Division of Licensing has specific requirements about security personnel working under a licensed agency — they must be licensed officers working for that agency, which creates an employment relationship that undermines the 1099 argument. DFS audits security agencies specifically and uninsured guard payroll generates penalty assessments.

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