Employers are legally and morally required to provide their workers with a safe work environment as well as a fair wage. Since accidents are commonplace at the workplace, employers are also required to provide their workers with some form of accident protection. When an accident occurs and workers are injured, the accident cover will help cover the cost of treating the injured workers. The most common form of employee accident protection program or injury benefits program in the United States is the workers compensation insurance. In some states, it is mandatory for employers to provide their workers with workers compensation insurance. Failure to do so can lead to prosecution, which may lead to legal and financial sanctions.
Alternatives to Workers Comp
It is important to note that in some states, such as Texas, workers compensation is only one of many options. Employers and employees should know that there are many workers comp alternatives, so they need to carefully consider all their options to ensure they find the best work comp alternative for their needs. Obviously, the ideal alternative should rival workers comp. If not, then sticking with workers compensation insurance is recommended. Therefore, you need to compare all your options based on the following factors:
Premiums
Accidents do occur at the workplace, so it is foolhardy to think that you will not get injured at the workplace. Therefore, it’s crucial you look for an injury benefits program that will provide you with the best coverage against accidents. If you have to spend more on the accident cover, you should do so only if the coverage offered by the plan is better than what work comp can offer. Therefore, you have to compare the premiums quoted by different insurance providers to identify the most affordable work comp alternatives.
Reputation
It would not make much sense to choose a new injuries benefit program because you may not have enough information to make an informed decision. By taking time to read reviews, check ratings and read a couple of testimonials written about the top-rated programs, you should be in a position to identify the most trusted and most reliable program. You want to sign up for a program with a proven track record of taking care of workers’ needs.
Coverage Offered
Some schemes do not cover certain types of incidents, so you have to do some research on the coverage offered by the shortlisted programs. You want injuries or illnesses arising from all accidental incidents covered. Therefore, you have to read the exclusion clauses of the shortlisted programs. Be sure to also check the benefits offered. The ideal plan should offer medical benefits, wage replacement benefits, permanent disability benefits, death and funeral benefits among others. The amounts paid out as benefits should also be compared to ensure you find the best program for your needs.
Claims Processing Speed
A program may offer the best benefits in the industry, but the process of approving claims may take months or years. That is why you need to compare the speed of claims processing. The faster the process the better. The success rate of claims filed must also be considered.