State insurance guide
Alaska Business Insurance Guide 2026
Every Alaska employer with one or more employees in Alaska must carry workers' compensation insurance unless the Alaska Workers' Compensation Board has approved it as a self-insurer. Auto liability minimums and paid leave rules follow, each with its official source.
Explore Alaska requirements
Open the state requirements checklistEvery Alaska employer with one or more employees in Alaska must carry workers' compensation insurance unless the Alaska Workers' Compensation Board has approved it as a self-insurer (Alaska Division of Workers' Compensation: Workers' Compensation Requirements for Employer). Auto liability coverage must be at least $50,000 per person and $100,000 per accident for bodily injury and $25,000 for property damage (Alaska Statutes § 28.22.101 (Alaska Legislature)). According to NCSL's table, there is no state paid family leave or disability insurance program to fund.
Sources checked October 3, 2026. This is general information; the agencies linked below decide how each rule applies to your business.
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Workers' compensation
Who must carry it: 1 or more employees (Alaska Division of Workers' Compensation: Workers' Compensation Requirements for Employer).
The Alaska Workers' Compensation Act requires each employer having one or more employees in Alaska to obtain workers' compensation insurance, unless the employer has been approved as a self-insurer by the Alaska Workers' Compensation Board.
Source: Alaska Division of Workers' Compensation: Workers' Compensation Requirements for Employer
Exemptions and exclusions
Alaska has no exemptions by type of business. The division bases every exemption on the work a person does, and lists examples such as part-time babysitters, non-commercial cleaning persons, harvest and similar part-time or transient help, amateur sports officials, contract entertainers, commercial fishers, certain taxicab drivers, and qualified real estate licensees and transportation network company drivers under specific arrangements (Alaska Division of Workers' Compensation: Workers' Compensation Requirements for Employer).
The agency to ask is the Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development, Division of Workers' Compensation. The workers' compensation guide covers what a policy pays, and the workers' comp calculator works through payroll, rate and modifier figures you enter.
Auto liability minimums
The minimum auto liability coverage in Alaska:
- Bodily injury liability: $50,000 per person and $100,000 per accident
- Property damage liability: $25,000 per accident
- Start date: not stated in the source; confirmed in force on October 3, 2026
- Source: Alaska Statutes § 28.22.101 (Alaska Legislature)
A motor vehicle liability policy must also provide uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage in the same amounts unless the insured rejects it in writing (AS 28.22.101(e); AS 28.22.201). Ask your insurer whether these also apply to your commercial and fleet policies.
For business vehicles, treat these figures as a starting point: commercial and for-hire vehicles can face different or higher federal or state requirements (see the commercial auto guide).
Paid leave and disability insurance
Alaska has no state paid family and medical leave insurance program and no state temporary disability insurance program, according to NCSL's table, last updated November 7, 2025 (NCSL: state family and medical leave laws; cross-checked on October 3, 2026 with the U.S. Department of Labor Women's Bureau).
A 2026 law may not appear in that table yet, as Virginia's new program shows (Code of Virginia § 60.2-801); for a later payroll year, check with the Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development.
Other requirements to check
Your trade license, lease or client contracts in Alaska can set their own conditions, for example general liability limits or certificate wording. Keep track with the certificate of insurance checklist, and see the requirements-by-state guide if you work across state lines.
Where to verify
- Workers' compensation: Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development, Division of Workers' Compensation
- Auto liability minimums: Alaska Statutes § 28.22.101 (Alaska Legislature)
- Paid leave and disability insurance: NCSL state family and medical leave laws and the U.S. Department of Labor Women's Bureau
Bring the questions from our state requirements checklist when you contact them. If you want PolicyBenchmark to follow up on your Alaska business, request coverage help.
Frequently asked questions
Does an Alaska business with one employee need workers' compensation?
Generally, yes: Alaska applies the requirement from the first employee (Alaska Division of Workers' Compensation: Workers' Compensation Requirements for Employer). Exemptions listed above can still apply to particular workers or owners; the agency to ask is the Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development, Division of Workers' Compensation.
Are Alaska's auto minimums enough for business vehicles?
Alaska's minimums are $50,000 per person and $100,000 per accident for bodily injury and $25,000 for property damage (Alaska Statutes § 28.22.101 (Alaska Legislature)). They are the lowest limits the law allows, not what your business needs, and commercial or for-hire use can bring different or higher requirements.
Does Alaska require employers to pay into a paid leave program?
No, according to NCSL's table, last updated November 7, 2025 (NCSL): Alaska has neither a state paid family and medical leave program nor a temporary disability insurance program. Confirm before planning a future payroll year.
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This content is for informational purposes only and does not constitute insurance advice. Always consult with a licensed insurance professional before making coverage decisions.