Hassle-Free Health Coverage: Coverage Issues

Certain payments will be the sole responsibility of your employer and not the insurance company. Any required payments which are in excess of the benefits regularly provided by the law are not covered by the policy. Such penalties may be required if you employer is guilty of serious or willful misconduct, or knowingly employs someone in violation of law, or fails to comply with health and safety regulations.

Penalties may also be imposed for discharging, coercing, or discriminating against an employee.

Some legal provisions will apply automatically. These provisions declare that the insurance company and your employer are one and the same with regard to notice of injury given by a worker, and with respect to matters of legal jurisdiction. Bankruptcy of the employer will not relieve the insurance company of its policy obligations. The insurance company agrees to be directly and primarily liable to anyone entitled to insurance benefits.

The policy says that the insurance conforms to the workers' compensation law, and any policy provisions in conflict with the law are automatically changed to conform with it.