Clear, simple answers about your money — how we bill you, how we make things right, and how refunds work. No jargon.
Your money matters to us. This page explains, in plain English, exactly how billing works and what we do the moment something looks off. If you ever think a charge is wrong, you don't have to figure it out alone — that's our job, and we'll make it right.
If you have an active workers' compensation policy with one of our carrier partners, you pay your premium based on the payroll you actually run. Every time payroll is reported, we calculate the exact premium owed for that pay period — down to the penny — and then collect it securely from the bank account on file.
We collect by bank transfer (ACH) or through a securely linked bank account (Plaid). Depending on your policy, billing may be:
Per payroll — you pay as you go, each time you report a payroll.
Monthly installments — a set amount spread across the policy term.
The one rule that never changes: you only ever pay for payroll you actually reported. No payroll, no charge.
Who collects your payment
It helps to know exactly who is taking the payment, because Audit1 sits between you and your insurance company. Depending on your insurer and policy, one of two things happens — and either way, your money goes to your workers' comp premium:
We collect and pass it along. For some insurers, Audit1 collects your payment into a dedicated account and then forwards it to your insurance company on your behalf. The money is held only in transit — it is never Audit1's to keep.
We collect on the insurer's behalf. For others, the payment is collected directly for your insurance company through our platform. Audit1 runs the calculation and the transfer, and the funds settle to the insurer.
In both cases the amount is the same penny-accurate premium for the payroll you reported. If you're ever unsure who a charge is from, the date and amount will match a row on your reporting schedule — and you can always ask us.
When the money actually moves
Once a payroll is reported and the premium is calculated, the charge travels through a few banking steps. You'll usually see it move through three simple stages:
Scheduled — the charge is lined up and will be sent to the bank on its date. Nothing has moved yet.
Processing — the charge has been sent and is on its way through the banking network (drafts are grouped into a nightly batch).
Collected — the money cleared and now counts toward your premium. Nothing more is owed for that draft.
If a charge can't go through, you'll see one of two honest words instead of "Collected": Returned (the money came back after it settled — usually not enough funds, a closed account, or no authorization) or Failed (it was rejected before any money moved — for example a wrong account number). Either way, no payment is lost in silence — we see it and reach out to sort it out.
Business days & bank holidays
Bank transfers (ACH) only move on banking business days, and money typically lands 1–2 business days after it's sent. Transfers don't process on weekends or U.S. federal bank holidays — New Year's Day, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Presidents' Day, Memorial Day, Juneteenth, Independence Day, Labor Day, Columbus Day, Veterans Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. When a holiday falls in the window, your draft simply moves to the next business day — nothing is skipped — and we let you know ahead of time whenever a holiday shifts the schedule.
If a payment is returned or fails
Sometimes a bank transfer doesn't go through. It's common, it's usually easy to fix, and we never just give up or pile on fees. There are two cases:
Returned — the payment looked fine but the bank sent it back after the fact. The usual reasons are everyday banking ones: not enough money in the account that day, an account that was closed or changed, or the bank needing a fresh authorization.
Failed — the payment was stopped before any money moved, usually because of a typo in the bank details (for example a routing or account number that's off by a digit).
When either happens, here's what we do:
1
We notice right away
The return or failure is flagged automatically — nothing slips through unseen.
2
We reach out
We let you know in plain language what happened and what (if anything) needs fixing — like updated bank details.
3
We try again
Once it's sorted, we re-attempt the payment for the correct amount. The premium you owe doesn't change.
Your insurance coverage isn't dropped over a single returned payment — we work with you to get it through. If a payment keeps failing, we'll get on the phone and help.
How your premium is calculated
Your workers' compensation premium is based on the wages you actually report — but not every dollar of payroll is counted the same way, and those rules are set by each state, not by us. For every payroll, we:
Sort the wages into categories — regular pay, overtime, bonuses, and so on.
Apply your work state's rules for which wages count toward premium. States differ — for example, many states don't count the extra "premium" portion of overtime. We follow each state's official inclusion and exclusion rules, wage type by wage type.
Apply the officer inclusion / exclusion choices from your policy, in line with your state's rules.
Use your class codes and rates to calculate the exact premium owed.
The result is simple: you're charged on the right wages, under the right state's rules, every time — with no double-counting of items like overtime or tips.
How we read your payroll
Payroll files come in every shape — different software, different column names, different layouts. You don't have to reformat anything to match us. Our system reads your file automatically, recognizes the columns, and maps 4,400+ different header names to the right wage category — so "OT," "O.T.," and "Overtime" all land in the same place. Everything is normalized to one consistent standard before any premium is calculated.
If a file ever arrives with no real column names at all, we detect that and add the correct headers first, so the numbers are still read correctly. The goal is that your payroll means the same thing on our side as it does on yours.
Year-end audit & true-up
Workers' comp premium starts as an estimate based on the payroll you expect for the year. Because you pay as you actually report payroll with Audit1, there are usually no surprises at the end — you've been paying on real numbers all along, not a guess.
At the end of a policy period, your insurer reconciles the estimated premium against the actual payroll on record. This is the "audit" or "true-up." One of three things happens, and we show you the math in plain numbers:
You paid the right amount — nothing more to do. This is the common case when payroll was reported steadily.
You overpaid — the difference comes back to you as a refund (see Refunds).
A little more is owed — we show you exactly how it was calculated before anything is collected.
Reporting payroll on time, every time, is what keeps the year-end true-up small or zero. That's the whole idea behind paying as you go.
We never charge you twice for the same payroll
Our promise: one payroll equals one charge, one time. Our system is built so the same payroll can never quietly turn into two charges.
Sometimes the same payroll reaches us more than once — for example, your payroll company sends it and the file also arrives through an automatic connection. When that happens, we keep every copy on record for your protection, but we only ever bill once. The extra copies are never collected.
And if a duplicate charge ever does slip through, we don't wait for you to catch it. We find it, we tell you in plain English, and we give the money back. You can read exactly how that works next.
Refunds — how they work
When you're owed money back — whether it's a duplicate charge, a charge that was higher than it should have been, or a payment that didn't go through the way it should — here's what happens:
You don't need to do anything. If we find the mistake, we start the refund for you. You don't have to prove it, fill out a form, or chase us.
We confirm the exact amount. Before we send anything, we check it against your real bank record the same day, so the refund matches your original charge to the penny.
We send it back to the same account. The refund goes straight to the bank account the original payment came from — no new details needed.
It arrives quickly. Most refunds are sent within a few business days of being confirmed. Larger or older items can take a little longer while the funds are recovered, and we'll keep you posted.
One favor that helps everyone: if your own bank already reversed the charge for you, please let us know — that way we don't refund you twice by mistake.
Corrections — fixing the numbers
A "correction" is when the details behind a charge need fixing. That can be a wrong job classification (class code), a wage amount, a premium rate, or a state. When we spot one — or you point one out — we correct the record and recalculate your premium to the exact right amount.
If a correction means you paid too much, the difference becomes a refund (see above) — automatically.
If it means a little was still owed, we show you the difference clearly, in plain numbers, before anything else is collected.
Corrections are about accuracy, not surprises. The goal is simple: the number you pay should always match the payroll you actually ran.
Adjustments — when your premium changes
Workers' comp premium is based on real payroll, so it can move up or down over time as your business changes. An "adjustment" is a planned change to what's owed — for example, a true-up at the end of a period, or a fix to a reporting schedule so the right amount lands on the right date.
We never spring a surprise charge. Any adjustment that changes what you owe is shown to you first, explained in plain numbers, so you always know what's coming and why.
If you miss a payroll
If a payroll report is late or missed, you are not charged for payroll you didn't report — there's no penalty draft pulled from your account out of nowhere. What actually happens is simpler:
Your reporting schedule shows the period as still expected, so it's easy to see what's outstanding.
We send a friendly reminder so the payroll can be reported and that period catches up.
Once you report it, that period is calculated and collected normally — just on its own timing.
Reporting on time matters because workers' comp coverage is tied to it, and steady reporting keeps your year-end true-up at or near zero. If you've fallen behind, the fastest way to catch up without logging in is Express Report / Pay — just your policy number and you're done.
When a charge is paused for review
Sometimes a charge is automatically put On Hold before any money moves. This isn't a problem — it's a built-in safety check. We pause and have a real person review a charge when the amount looks unusual compared to your own history, for example when it's:
Much larger than usual — far above your normal premium, or a very large amount.
The first charge on a brand-new account and it's a large one.
A big jump well above your typical amount.
While a charge is On Hold, no money is taken. Once we've confirmed it's correct, it's released and collected as normal. If it turns out to be wrong, we fix it first — so a mistake never reaches your bank account.
We do the same thing with your payroll data: if a single line can't be confirmed — an unrecognized job code, an unknown employee, or a missing detail — we set just that line aside so we never bill you on data we haven't verified. We process everything that's good and ask for the one detail we're missing.
Your bank details are safe
The bank account you pay from is protected with bank-level security. You can connect it securely through Plaid — the same trusted service used by major banking and finance apps — so your login details are never seen or stored by us. Account information is encrypted both while it's moving and while it's stored, and access is tightly restricted.
You're always in control. You can update or change the bank account on file at any time from your portal, or by contacting us.
We only use it for your premium. Your bank details are used to collect the workers' comp premium you owe — nothing else.
We never email or text asking for full bank numbers. If you ever get a message like that claiming to be from us, don't reply — contact us directly at [email protected].
For more on how we protect your information overall, see our Privacy Policy.
How we catch and fix problems
Behind the scenes, every payment is watched in real time. When something doesn't look right, we don't guess and we don't rush — we follow the same careful steps every time:
1
We watch
Every charge and payroll is monitored automatically, so problems are usually caught before you ever notice them.
2
We investigate
We check the issue against multiple records — your payroll, your bank, and the carrier — before deciding what happened.
3
We fix it safely
Money changes are made carefully and double-checked, with a full record kept, so a fix never creates a new problem.
4
We tell you
You get a clear, plain-English explanation of what happened, what we did, and whether you need to do anything (usually, you don't).
If something looks wrong
If a charge, a refund, or a number doesn't look right to you, reach out — you don't need to be sure, and you don't need to explain it perfectly. Just tell us what you're seeing.
We look into every billing question and respond within 15 business days — usually much faster.
We'll explain what happened, what we're doing about it, and what (if anything) you need to do.
This page is a plain-English summary to help you understand your billing. It works alongside our Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy. Where a specific charge or refund is concerned, the actual amounts in your account and your bank records are what govern.
Plain-English glossary
A few words you might see around billing, in everyday language:
Premium — the amount you pay for your workers' comp insurance.
Workers' compensation — insurance that covers employees who are hurt on the job.
Class code — a number that describes the type of work an employee does; it affects the rate.
Rate — the price per $100 of payroll for a type of work, set with your insurer.
Payroll report — the wages you send us for a pay period, which we use to calculate premium.
ACH — an ordinary bank-to-bank electronic transfer; how the money moves.
Plaid — the secure service that lets you link your bank account without sharing your login.
Installment — one scheduled piece of your premium when it's spread across the year.
True-up (audit) — the year-end check comparing estimated payroll to actual payroll.
Inclusion / exclusion — each state's rules for which wages count toward premium.
Officer inclusion / exclusion — whether owners or officers are covered and counted in premium.
Refund — money returned to you when you paid too much or were charged in error.
Correction — fixing a wrong detail and recalculating premium to the right amount.
Adjustment — a planned change to what you owe as your payroll changes.
On hold — a charge paused for a person to review before any money moves.
Returned / Failed — a payment the bank sent back, or one stopped before any money moved.
Quick answers
Can I be charged twice for the same payroll?
No. One payroll equals one charge. Our system is built so the same payroll can't turn into two charges, and if a duplicate ever slips through, we find it and refund it.
I think I was charged twice — what should I do?
Just tell us — email [email protected]. You don't need proof. We'll check your charges against your bank record and, if there's a duplicate, send the money straight back to your account.
Do I have to request a refund if you find a mistake?
No. If we find the mistake, we start the refund for you automatically. You don't need to fill out a form or chase us.
How long do refunds take?
Most refunds go back to your bank account within a few business days of being confirmed. Larger or older items can take a little longer while the funds are recovered, and we'll keep you updated.
What's the difference between a correction and an adjustment?
A correction fixes a wrong detail (like a class code or wage amount) and recalculates premium to the right number. An adjustment is a planned change to what's owed as your payroll changes over time — like an end-of-period true-up. Both are always shown to you in plain numbers.
Will you ever charge me without telling me first?
You're billed for the payroll you report, as described in your policy. If an adjustment ever changes what you owe, we show you the difference first, in plain numbers — no surprise charges.
How long does a payment take to go through?
Bank transfers (ACH) move on banking business days and usually clear within 1–2 business days of being sent. They don't process on weekends or U.S. federal bank holidays — when a holiday falls in the window, the charge moves to the next business day, and we let you know in advance.
Why is one of my charges "On Hold"?
It's a safety check, not a problem. If a charge looks unusually large compared to your history, we pause it for a person to review before any money moves. While it's On Hold nothing is taken; once we confirm it's right, it's released — and if it was wrong, we fix it first.
How do you decide which wages count toward my premium?
We follow each state's official workers' comp rules for which wages are included or excluded — for example, many states don't count the extra "premium" portion of overtime. We sort your wages into categories, apply your work state's inclusion/exclusion rules and your policy's officer choices, then use your class codes and rates to calculate the exact premium.
Do I have to format my payroll file a certain way?
No. Our system reads your file automatically and maps 4,400+ different column names to the right wage category, so "OT," "O.T.," and "Overtime" all land in the same place. If a file has no real column names at all, we detect that and add the correct headers before anything is calculated.
What happens if my payment doesn't go through?
It's common and usually easy to fix. If a payment is returned (sent back by the bank) or fails (stopped before it moved, often a typo in bank details), we notice right away, tell you in plain language what to fix, and try again for the correct amount. We don't pile on fees, and a single returned payment won't drop your coverage — we work with you to get it through.
Will I owe a big bill at the end of the year?
Usually not. Because you pay as you actually report payroll, you've been paying on real numbers all year instead of a guess — so the year-end audit (true-up) is usually small or zero. If you overpaid, the difference comes back as a refund; if a little more is owed, we show you the exact math before collecting. Reporting on time keeps the true-up near zero.
Is my bank information safe?
Yes. You can link your bank securely through Plaid — the same service major finance apps use — so your login is never seen or stored by us. Your details are encrypted in transit and at rest, used only to collect your premium, and you can change the account on file anytime. We'll never email or text asking for your full bank numbers.
What if I miss reporting a payroll?
You're never charged for payroll you didn't report — there's no surprise penalty draft. The period stays marked as expected on your schedule, we send a reminder, and once you report it, that period is calculated and collected normally. The fastest way to catch up without logging in is Express Report / Pay — just your policy number.
