What Are an Employer’s Responsibilities for Workers’ Compensation Claims in Florida?

If an employee sustains a work-related injury, the employer has several responsibilities. While handling a workers’ compensation claim is the job of your insurance carrier, you must comply with Florida laws regarding an employer’s responsibilities in the aftermath of an injury.

According to Florida Statute § 440.185, an employer has several duties for a workers’ compensation claim. First, an employer must promptly report an accident to their insurance carrier and any other necessary agencies after gaining knowledge of an injury. As an employer, you can help your insurance carrier by providing information about the events of an injury. You can also work to prevent injuries by maintaining a safe environment for your employees. In case of an accident, having workers’ comp insurance is crucial to protect your business.

The Florida workers’ compensation insurance brokers at NPN Brokers can help your business find affordable coverage. Our team can match your company with an insurance plan that can protect you financially in case of an accident. To find the right coverage for you, visit our website or call the Florida workers’ compensation insurance brokers at NPN Brokers today at (561) 990-3022.

What Are an Employer’s Responsibilities for a Workers’ Compensation Claim in Florida?

After an employee sustains a work-related injury in Florida, they will likely file a workers’ compensation claim. In Florida, most businesses with more than four employees must carry workers’ comp insurance in case of an injury. Immediately after an injury and in the proceeding weeks, an employer has certain responsibilities.

Report the Injury

After an injury occurs, you should clear the area and get the injured employee medical care. Suppose an injured employee reports the incident to you in the hope of receiving workers’ compensation benefits. In that case, you must then report it to your insurer. In Florida, businesses have seven days to notify their insurance carrier of an impending workers’ compensation claim.

Within 14 days, an employer must also report the incident to the Division of Workers’ Compensation within the Florida Department of Financial Services. Any other additional reports about an injury or an injured employee’s condition must also be reported to both the Division of Workers’ Compensation and your insurance carrier. Basically, employers have to keep all necessary agencies and parties up to date as more information comes to light.

Gather Information

Once your insurer is aware of the incident, they will begin to investigate it. During this time, it is helpful to provide your insurance carrier with any pertinent information. Your security cameras may have caught the injury on camera, adding or subtracting credence from an employee’s story. Helping to connect the dots can provide your insurer with the necessary information to accept or deny a claim. Your insurer will also need information about an employee’s wages and responsibilities. Sending your carrier this information will help them calculate the potential compensation cost for lost wages.

It’s also important that an employer, or their carrier, informs an injured worker about Florida’s Employee Assistance and Ombudsman Office. This agency can help all involved parties get the information they need. It can also help injured workers find future employment. It is required by Florida Statute § 440.185 that employers or their insurance carriers provide an injured employee with this information.

Let Your Insurance Handle It

After that, your responsibilities as an employer are pretty much complete. Workers’ compensation insurance exists to alleviate employers of responsibilities involving work-related injuries. If an employee is injured, it won’t hurt you financially if you have workers’ comp coverage. Yes, the fewer claims, the better. It’s true that your premiums may increase if your business has a history of several work-related injuries. That’s why it’s helpful to work with experienced professionals, like the Florida workers’ compensation insurance brokers at NPN Brokers, to find the right coverage for you. Having a dependable policy allows your business to remain financially unaffected if an employee is injured at work.

What Are an Employer’s Responsibilities to Prevent Workers’ Compensation Claims in Florida?

Although your workers’ compensation insurance carrier will handle the claim, maintaining a safe, responsible working environment is still important. The more claims you have, especially if you’re in a high-risk industry, the more your premiums may rise. Suppose your insurance becomes too expensive and you are looking for an alternate plan. In that case, it can be hard to find an affordable option. Preventing workers’ comp claims in Florida may keep your employees safe from injury.

Sure, sometimes injuries just happen. But you can do your best as an employer to make them few and far between. Firstly, finding insurance through the Florida workers’ compensation insurance brokers at NPN Brokers can help you protect your business. Next, it’s important to maintain a safe working environment for your employees. Keep the working area up to code and have regular inspections. Make sure your employees are aware of safety measures and of their responsibilities. You can easily monitor your work area so that you can see the events of an accident, should one occur. Offering your employees information about how to access their workers’ comp benefits can make the process much easier if there is a work-related injury.

Try as you might, it isn’t always possible to avoid injuries, especially if yours is a high-risk industry. When it’s difficult to find affordable coverage, seek the help of experienced pros like the Florida workers’ compensation insurance brokers at NPN Brokers. You can find a plan that allows you to pay as you go instead of requiring expensive deposits. Despite your best efforts, accidents happen, and employees may get injured. Should that happen, you must have the coverage you need. In Florida, failure to have proper workers’ compensation insurance can result in fines and penalties. Not only that, not having insurance can leave your company financially vulnerable. You may become responsible for compensating an injured employee’s medical expenses and lost wages.

Call NPN Brokers for Workers’ Compensation Insurance for Your Florida Business

Having workers’ compensation insurance can help your business deal with a claim if an employee is injured. To learn more about the responsibilities of an employer for a claim, visit our website or call the Florida workers’ compensation insurance brokers at NPN Brokers today at (561) 990-3022.