Workers’ compensation insurance is essentially an insurance policy for workers insuring workplace accidents, illnesses, and death. If an individual employee becomes ill at work using a machine and later sues the manufacturer of said machine, that manufacturer can, in turn, sue the individual employer for negligence on their behalf. The basic premise behind this kind of insurance policy is to reimburse the insurer for the cost of medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, and even damages to property. If one’s company becomes involved in an accident on the job, the insurance policy will cover the costs of any property damage. In addition to providing financial assistance to the employees, it is also important for employers to have the policy so that they are legally permitted to conduct business in a safe manner.
Workers’ compensation insurance policy for self-employed individuals is different from those that are typically required by employers. Self-employed individuals may be responsible for their own coverage requirements. Depending on the laws in your state, the liability of an independent contractor may be limited or eliminated entirely. For example, if an independent contractor is contracting with a building firm to do some work on the structure of the building but working on the job under a regular employment contract, the employment contract will usually supersede any other insurance policy.
Some states require an employed individual to purchase additional coverage called self-employed liability insurance. This type of insurance policy covers the individual for injury that occurs on the premises of the employer. This includes incidents that occur off-site such as car accidents. Self-employed liability insurance does not typically cover incidents that happen on the employer’s property or within the employer’s offices. An exception to this could apply if the employee is performing work under a job contract that specifically authorizes an employer to be held liable for injury on his or her property. Some states do allow for the exclusion of employer liability insurance, if the employee was engaging in “unauthorized activities” on the employer’s property.
In addition to no-fault coverage for personal injuries, an insurance policy for workers comp may also include coverage for hospital bills, disability payments and temporary loss of earnings. Typically the cost of these types of services will depend on how much the worker is scheduled to work. The insurance company will determine a weekly rate that will be used to calculate these payments. If the worker has a wage that is substantially lower than the insurance company’s weekly rate for workers comp coverage, the worker may not need to obtain this coverage. You can get more information about Bookkeeping Insurance
Another type of coverage which may be available for self-employed individuals is the option to pay for legal fees. The cost of legal fees can vary depending on the type of case and the location where the court proceedings will take place. In some cases, this type of coverage is mandatory for all employees to have while at the same time some may choose to forgo this coverage if they believe that they will be able to avoid having to incur legal fees in the future.
In New York State, if an individual has been injured at their place of work and it was ruled that they caused the injury through their own negligence then they may be entitled to receive financial benefits. Typically this will be determined by the courts and an adjuster will be assigned to the case to determine the amount of workers compensation coverage that will be paid out. Workers’ compensation claims are often very time-consuming, complicated and difficult to resolve. Therefore, an employer should consider their liability insurance as part of their overall business protection plan. An insurance policy for workers’ compensation coverage will provide peace of mind and allow an injured employee to return to work quickly and confident knowing that they will not incur any financial hardships from their injury.
