Site icon AdvisorSmith

Workers’ Compensation Insurance for Contractors

Workers' Compensation Insurance for Contractors and Construction

Get a quote on Workers' Comp

In construction and contracting, risks for physical injury are high. Workers’ Compensation Insurance can protect your employees if they suffer occupational injuries or diseases. This protection is required in almost every state.

What is Workers’ Compensation Insurance?

Workers’ Compensation Insurance, commonly known as Workers’ Comp, is a form of liability insurance that provides medical and financial benefits for employees who suffer work-related injuries or illnesses. Workers’ Comp helps to cover medical expenses and lost wages associated with these injuries. Workers’ Comp also provides death benefits for an employee’s dependents in the case of a work-related death.

For construction and contracting businesses, occupational injuries may occur more frequently, and Workers’ Comp can be a critical component to preventing excessive financial burdens on your business.

Example:

In exchange for accepting Workers’ Compensation benefits, an injured employee agrees to not sue your business for the injury. Workers’ Compensation Insurance is no-fault, which means that it pays benefits regardless of whether the employer or employee is at fault for the injury.

What does Workers’ Compensation Insurance cover?

Workers’ Compensation Insurance covers your employees, which are generally defined as any persons who work under the direction of and for the benefit of an employer. Regulations regarding what types of workers are covered vary by state, with some states requiring coverage for undocumented workers, domestic workers, agricultural workers, and more.

A work-related injury is an injury that is related to a worker’s job duties, which includes most injuries that occur while an employee is working. The range of injuries and illnesses covered is broad and may include accidents from slipping and falling to exposure to toxic chemicals. Each state regulates the kinds of illnesses or injuries that Workers’ Compensation Insurance covers, so coverage may vary from state to state.

Injuries that occur on a job site, client site, or outside of your office are covered. Injuries that occur while traveling for work reasons, such as driving from the office to a client site or driving between work sites are also covered, even if driving a personal vehicle.

What doesn’t Workers’ Compensation Insurance cover?

Injuries suffered in the following situations would not be covered by Workers’ Compensation:

What does Workers’ Compensation Insurance pay for?

Injury

In the event of an occupational injury, Worker’s Comp can pay for:

The amount of income replacement offered by Workers’ Compensation depends upon whether the employee’s impairment is total or partial, and whether it is temporary or permanent.

Most states require that benefits be paid for the duration of the disability. Some states specify a maximum number of weeks for the lost wages to be paid, especially for temporary disabilities.

Death

In the event of death at work, Workers’ Compensation Insurance can pay for:

Death benefits for surviving relatives are based upon an employee’s weekly wages. The benefit is a portion (commonly two-thirds but it varies by state) of the worker’s wage at the time of death. Rules vary by state, but for a surviving spouse, the benefit may be paid until their own death or remarriage. For children, the benefits may be paid until the children reach age 18.

Is Workers’ Compensation Insurance required?

Worker’s Compensation Insurance requirements vary by state. In most, coverage is not required until a business has employees who are not owners or partners in the business. However, many states have special requirements for all construction businesses to carry Workers’ Compensation Insurance, even if the business has only a single owner and no employees.

As a contractor, you may find that many of your potential clients will require that you are covered by Workers’ Compensation Insurance. This is due to the client’s desire to remain protected from any liability that may arise in an accident or injury. If a client hires a contractor without Workers’ Comp, and the contractor or one of the contractor’s employees is injured on the job, the client could be liable for the injured person’s medical bills and lost wages.

If your business hires subcontractors, you should require proof of Workers’ Compensation Insurance from all of your subcontractors in order to avoid any unintended liability. Most states treat an uninsured contractor, subcontractor, or their employees as an employee of the hiring company. This means you may be legally liable for the injuries of your contractor or subcontractor if they are injured while doing work for your company.

How do states regulate Workers’ Compensation Insurance?

Workers’ Compensation Insurance is regulated at the state level, with different requirements, benefit amounts, and qualifying conditions. The states determine:

It’s best to check with your state regulations to better understand how to comply with your local laws.

States also have different regulations for providers of Workers’ Compensation Insurance. States generally have one of three systems:

How much does Workers’ Compensation Insurance cost?

Pricing for Workers’ Compensation Insurance is based upon a number of factors, including:

Workers’ Comp premiums are usually quoted as a rate per $100 of payroll, and the range of premiums varies widely. Generally speaking though, you can assume that lower-risk industries and professions, like a desk job, will pay significantly less than higher-risk professions, like a roofer or construction worker.

Final Word

Construction and contracting businesses face higher risk of occupational injury than does the average business. At any moment, an employee of yours could suffer a work accident, potentially keeping them from working for a period of time while in recovery. In order to provide the medical and financial benefits that injured employees need, look to Workers’ Compensation Insurance. This coverage, which is required in most states, provides a safety net for your employees in the event that they suffer a work-related injury or illness.

Exit mobile version