Montana State Fund
Carrier website links, underwriting access points, mapped product lines, and appetite notes in one place.
This appetite summary is only a guide. Confirm eligibility, submission requirements, restrictions, and binding authority directly with the carrier or underwriter before relying on it.
Carrier appetite summary
Montana State Fund currently publishes workers’ compensation coverage and producer guidance primarily through its agent portal plus public coverage/application pages. Appetite is broad for Montana workers’ compensation risks rather than a class-specific preferred/declined list. Preferred submissions are Montana-based employers needing statutory workers’ compensation, including businesses that want agent-represented placement or self-service quoting. MSF also supports Other States Coverage for Montana businesses if the insured has Montana operations insured with MSF, a physical Montana location, and Montana payroll. Geographic guidance is important: Montana residents are covered when duties are primarily performed in Montana or controlled from Montana, including while temporarily out of state; nonresidents are covered when their principal duties are regularly performed in Montana; and out-of-state construction employers must provide Montana-specific coverage for employees working on Montana projects. Common exempt or restricted worker categories noted by MSF include sole proprietors, partners, member-managed LLC members, certain officers/managers meeting statutory criteria, dependent family members/spouses in qualifying sole proprietor/partnership situations, household/domestic employees, ministers/religious order members, and volunteers; volunteer worker coverage is only available for government, not-for-profit, or nonprofit entities. Independent-contractor handling is a key underwriting/compliance issue: all ICs, including out-of-state ICs, must carry workers’ compensation coverage or hold a Montana ICEC, and if they do not, the hiring business can become responsible for premium and claims exposure. Submission requirements currently published include use of MSF’s 2026 workers’ compensation application, listing each business location needing coverage, describing operations and employee duties by location/job, estimating annual payroll, identifying all owners/officers/LLC members and whether elective coverage is requested, and indicating operational factors such as post-offer physicals, health plans, written safety program, work-from-home concentration, and other-state workers’ compensation. The application allows quote-only or issue-policy requests; if quote-only is selected, MSF issues a quote proposal letter before binding. Earliest effective date shown is the day after MSF receives the request to issue coverage. Submission instructions on the application direct completed forms to stfpolicy@mt.gov or by mail to MSF in Helena. Broker/producer notes: the verified agent page functions mainly as an agent landing page with general coverage information, marketing materials, useful forms, and a password-protected area for application forms and special news, rather than a public appetite bulletin. Agents can place business at no extra cost to the insured, and producers can use the agent locator/agent section for access and support.