In most states, the law requires employers with full-time employees to maintain worker's compensation insurance. Without the coverage, employees can sue you for compensation should they incur injuries or illnesses while they are working. Continue reading to discover the benefits provided by workers' compensation insurance. 

Medical Expenses Coverage

The primary benefit of workers' compensation insurance is that it caters to medical expenses. Essentially, your employees may have a work-related injury or illness requiring some medical attention. Without workers' compensation insurance, you may be forced to cater to the medical expenses from your pocket. Luckily, the insurance policy provides coverage for medical services, including ambulance services, emergency room visits, and prescriptions. In some cases, the injuries and illnesses may be severe and require ongoing care. Workers' comp insurance will cover the cost of rehabilitative services such as physical and occupational therapy. 

Missed Wages Coverage 

Workers' compensation insurance also caters to an employee's missed wages. Essentially, work-related injuries and illness mean workers will have to stay out of work while they recover. For instance, if a hotel chef gets a severe burn at the workplace, they may be out of work for weeks to months. The labor laws may require the employer to continue paying a wage to the chef, despite the employee being unproductive. With workers' comp insurance, the employee receives a replacement for some lost wages during their recovery period.  

Disability Coverage 

Workers' compensation insurance provides coverage for workplace disabilities. Typically, work-related injuries or illnesses may result in temporary or permanent disability. In this case, temporary disability involves a medium to short-term recovery period. Then, workers may not recover fully when they suffer permanent disability. Whichever the case, workers' comp insurance will provide payments for medical bills and replacement for lost wages. 

Death Benefits 

An employee may lose their life during an unfortunate work accident. Usually, workers' compensation insurance provides death benefits to the employees' beneficiaries. The insurance payment would meet the cost of funeral expenses. Besides, the deceased individual's family would get financial support as part of the death benefits. 

Vocational Rehabilitation 

Workers' compensation insurance has a provision for employees' retraining services. For instance, a machine operator may lose their hand during operations. Such an employee may no longer continue working as a machine operator upon recovery. Thus, the worker would require vocational rehabilitation to learn new work skills. Workers' compensation insurance pays for the vocational rehabilitation services, including training, counseling, and support to find new employment.

Protect yourself from potential personal injury lawsuits from your employees by getting workers' compensation insurance. However, remember that the coverage does not offer protection for reckless and intentional actions leading to work-related injuries and illnesses. 

Contact a workers' compensation insurance service near you to learn more.

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