Employer Can Do This To Quickly Wreck Their Workers Compensation Program
There is one thing that an employer can do to wreck their Workers Comp program. It is a mistake that can be remedied very quickly.
The mistake is not reporting claims timely. With so many of the states requiring the adjuster to make a compensability decision within a short time frame, the employer must report the accident quickly. Most companies do report accidents from their main office very quickly. It is when they have branch offices and/or divisions/departments that problems occur with timely reporting.
This is one of the Five Keys To Saving On Workers Comp that I have written and spoken about for many years. Letting the workers compensation adjuster know of an accident quickly allows for a more thorough investigation. The injured employee will receive their proper benefits when they need them if the investigation begins quickly.
Most claims are stamped in stone within 48 hours after their occurrence. Reporting a claim more than a few days late to the insurance carrier or Third Party Administrator sets the stage for an expensive claim.
One of the effects that employers may not realize is the adjuster that is setting the reserves on their claims will very often base some of the reserves on the “reputation” of the employer. An employer that chronically reports claims late may be seen as more of a higher risk. The adjuster may set the reserves much higher which will cost the employer a much larger amount of premiums. The worst first impression to an adjuster is an employer that reports their claims late.
Late reporting can also affect an employer at renewal time. Quite often, an adjuster will let the underwriting department know when an employer has reported a claim late. These late reports are usually compiled and provided to the underwriter at the time of renewal. We have often seen employers not being renewed by their insurance carriers for reporting late.
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