Good news for some businesses doing work in the Buckeye State.
A new workers compensation coverage insurance option is now available to eligible Ohio businesses for their employees who work in other states. The new offering will simplify workers comp for these employers, ensuring their employees are protected without the need to manage policies in multiple states with varying laws.
Effective as of March 1, employers can apply for this coverage through policies issued by the Ohio Bureau of Workers Compensation (BWC) through a program with United States Insurance Services (USIS) and Zurich Insurance.
“By contracting with insurers licensed in other states, BWC is able to ensure employers have proper coverage wherever they’re operating,” said BWC Administrator/CEO Steve Buehrer. “Addressing this longstanding concern of many Ohio employers is one of many steps we’ve taken at BWC over the last five years to ensure workers comp is not a barrier to business expansion, inside and outside of the state.”
BWC does generally provide coverage for employees working temporarily outside of Ohio; however, complications can arise when the injured worker files a claim in another state. Treatment can be delayed and businesses can be subject to penalties by the other state.
A law enacted last year granted BWC the authority to contract with an insurer to provide this coverage. USIS and Zurich submitted a program proposal and were selected through a request for proposal process. USIS first installed another state’s coverage option in Maryland in 1996, and first began its agency relationship with Zurich in 2010.
Employers must have the majority of their business in Ohio to be eligible for the coverage option.
Interested employers will apply directly to BWC, which will determine eligibility and the premium cost for the optional coverage. BWC will issue a Zurich policy to cover out-of-state exposures and Zurich will respond to any claims filed out of state.
Author Kori Shafer-Stack, Editor, Amaxx Risk Solutions, Inc. is an expert in post-injury response procedures and part of the Amaxx team helping companies reduce their workers compensation costs by 20% to 50%. www.reduceyourworkerscomp.com. Contact: kstack@reduceyourworkerscomp.com.
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