Workplace accidents are an unfortunate inevitability, regardless of your company’s commitment to safety. Even in relatively low-risk industries and work environments, employees may suffer injuries or develop other health conditions. As an employer, you bear responsibility for your staff’s well-being, and workers’ compensation insurance can make all the difference.

Is Workers’ Compensation Insurance Required?

Most states, including Georgia, have stringent laws requiring employers to carry workers’ compensation coverage. Failing to abide by these mandates could impose significant penalties, including fines and shutdown orders. Even if your company qualifies for certain exemptions, such as those available to sole proprietors and independent contractors, retaining a suitable policy may be advisable. Without workers’ compensation coverage, you’d potentially face devastating financial losses that would need to be paid out of pocket.

What Can My Policy Cover?

Workers’ compensation insurance can help your business respond to various incidents that may occur in many workplaces. Specifically, covered employees could submit a claim for financial assistance in response to the following:

• Slips, trips and falls
• Sprains and strains
• Lacerations
• Burns
• Exposure to hazardous materials
• Repetitive stress injuries
• Respiratory illnesses

If approved, your employees’ workers’ compensation claims may garner payouts that can assist with the following losses and expenses:

• Medical bills, such as if work-related injuries or illnesses require employees to seek professional health care
• Wage replacement, such as if employees are unable to work due to a workplace incident
• Vocational rehabilitation costs, such as if staff cannot return to their previous job and need to be trained and educated for a different position
• Death benefits to compensate employees’ families should work-related injuries or illnesses prove fatal

Additionally, workers’ compensation insurance typically includes employers’ liability coverage, which can help pay for attorney fees, settlements and judgments should affected staff decide to sue your business.

We’re Here to Help

Contact Atlantic International Company of Georgia today to learn more about coverage options or get a free workers’ compensation insurance quote.