When you become injured or unable to work due to an accident or illness that occurred at your place of work or is caused by your working conditions, you may be entitled to receive workers’ compensation. Workers’ compensation can help to cover the costs of your medical expenses and lost income due to missed work. Workers’ compensation benefits are paid to you through workers’ compensation insurance purchased by your employer, and it is provided to you for forfeiting the right to sue your employer in civil court. Employers’ Requirements Your employer is required to offer workers’ compensation to employees in almost all cases, with only a few exceptions, such as domestic workers, agricultural workers, and undocumented workers. They have the option to choose how to insure their employees through different licensed insurance agencies, of which there are many. Or, if your employer is a large and profitable company, they may be self-insured. Each state has its own different requirements for choosing a workers’ compensation insurance company, and the federal government has its own requirements for federal employers, such as post offices and government agencies. Regardless of state, your employer must offer some sort of workers’ compensation to employees. Aside from this requirement, they also must post signage that explains employees’ rights when it comes to workers’ compensation, as well as provide claim forms in a prompt manner to employees who have been injured. Top Workers’ Compensation Insurance Companies Insurance companies calculate their premiums, or the total amount that companies pay for workers’ compensation coverage, each year. Some of the top workers’ compensation insurance companies over the past few years have been: Travelers Group: 4.5 billion dollar premium in 2015 The Hartford Insurance Group: 3.3 billion dollar premium in 2015 Zurich Insurance Group: 2.9 billion dollar premium in 2015 AmTrust Group: 2.7 billion dollar insurance premium in 2015 AIG: 2.6 billion dollar premium in 2015 Learn More About Your Coverage If you’d like to learn what insurance company your employer purchases workers’ compensation with, it is quite easy to find out. All you need to do is look up your employer and their workers’ compensation insurance company by searching “Employer Workers' Compensation Insurance Verification Search” and your state online. Each state has its own website dedicated to searching for employers and their related insurance information. If you know already know the name of your workers’ compensation insurance company, you can use a tool called the North American Insurance Company (NAIC) Lookup to find more information about it. You can also learn about the specific workers’ compensation coverage laws and insurance company requirements for your own state by going to the U.S. Department of Labor website and searching for your own state. Hire a Workers' Compensation Lawyer If you want to file a workers’ compensation claim, you should always hire a workers' compensation lawyer to help you start the process, navigate your claim, and ensure that you are able to get the compensation that you need and deserve for your injuries.
