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Delaware Workers’ Comp
Delaware workers’ compensation statutes require every business with employees to have workers’ compensation insurance.1 Delaware workers’ compensation provides benefits to your employees if they get hurt or sick from their job. It also helps limit your liability for work-related injuries or illnesses.
It’s your responsibility to buy workers’ compensation from a licensed carrier, like The Hartford.
Delaware Workers’ Compensation Coverage & Requirements
Delaware workers’ compensation insurance from The Hartford offers a range of coverage to protect your business and employees.
What’s covered? Delaware workers’ compensation covers employees who get hurt or sick from a work-related cause. It can also help replace some of their lost wages if they are unable to work during their recovery.
Workers’ compensation can help if you have an employee who:
- Strains her back while lifting a box and needs to go to an urgent care center.
- Has severe burns from spilling boiling water and needs physical therapy.
- Develops carpal tunnel syndrome from bad typing habits. And needs ongoing care.
Coverage requirements in Delaware require every business with employees to carry workers’ compensation insurance. The only exception is agricultural businesses, but they can still provide coverage for their employees if they desire.2 If they don’t, they can be liable for any work-related injuries.
Proof of coverage, also known as a certificate of insurance, is a document that explains important details about your policy and helps prove your business has insurance. To receive your proof of coverage, start by getting a workers’ compensation quote today.
What Delaware Workers’ Compensation Covers:
Delaware workers’ compensation from The Hartford gives employees and employers access to a variety of programs to help them recover from work-related injuries or illnesses. These include:
- Prescription Drug Features. Over 65,000 pharmacies in the country can fill prescriptions using a preferred drug list. There are usually no out-of-pocket expenses for the employee.
- Preferred Medical Provider Network. Our nationwide network of over 1 million providers can offer health care services to treat a work injury or illness.
- Pay-as-You-Go Billing Solutions. This program bases employer’s insurance costs on actual payroll.
- Nursed Back to Health. Highly experienced nurse case managers can coordinate care and treatment, as well as physical, emotional and occupational therapies.
The Hartford’s workers’ comp can help cover:
Repetitive stress injuries, like carpal tunnel syndrome that develop over time from repeated use.
Missed wages if your employee needs time off to recover from a work-related injury or illness.
Funeral costs, including death benefits to an employee's beneficiaries after a work-related incident.
Ongoing care if your employee needs physical therapy or additional surgeries to recover from a work-related injury or illness.
Disability benefits if a work-related injury or illness is severe enough to keep someone from returning to work.
Disfigurement benefits for up to 150 weeks if a work-related injury or illness causes a scar, burn, or amputation.3 A year after the incident, your employee can request a hearing for disfigurement benefits.
Exemptions Under Delaware Workers’ Compensation Law
Certain Delaware workers are exempt from workers' comp,4 including farm workers and independent contractors. Even if an employee has a workers’ comp exemption, you can still provide coverage if you desire.
The Delaware Workers’ Compensation Statute
The Delaware Workers’ Compensation Statute is where you’ll find important details about workers’ comp for your state. This includes:5
- Definitions
- Payments and procedures
- Substitute workers’ compensation systems
Read more about Delaware workers’ compensation law on the State of Delaware website.
Delaware Workers’ Compensation & Employee Injuries
If one of your employees gets injured on the job, they should:6
- Notify you and request medical attention right away.
- Provide notice of any disability claim beyond three days after the date of injury.
- File an application with the Office of Workers’ Compensation if there’s a disagreement. The Industrial Accident Board oversees these hearings.
As an employer, you should keep a record of all work-related injuries and illnesses. You must also submit a First Report of Occupational Injury or Disease within 10 days of finding out about an employee’s injury.7 Send this form to both the Office of Workers’ Compensation and your insurance carrier.
Delaware Workers’ Compensation Rates
There are several factors that determine Delaware workers’ compensation rates. Businesses in higher risk industries, like manufacturing, might pay more for workers’ comp. If your business is new, you might pay a higher rate because you don’t have enough experience to prove your safe work environment.
You may be able to reduce your insurance rates by participating in workplace safety programs. These programs can help you keep a safe workplace, reduce workers’ comp claims, and lower costs.
If you’ve run your business for at least three years, you can take part in Delaware’s Workplace Safety Program. This could save you up to 19% on workers’ comp. To apply for the program, you must: 8
- Have three years of workplace injury data
- Pay at least $3,161 in annual workers’ comp premiums
- Pass workplace safety inspections
- Provide a safe workplace consistently
To apply or ask questions about the Workplace Safety Program, call 302-674-7377 or visit the Workplace Safety Program website.
Delaware Workers’ Compensation Fee Schedule
The Delaware workers’ compensation fee schedule is a guide to help business and insurance companies pay medical charges submitted by:
- Physicians
- Hospitals
- Other medical providers
Delaware’s workers’ compensation health care payment system prohibits balance billing. This prevents health professionals from billing and invoicing an employee for any unauthorized charges.9 For example, if your employee receives care for a work-related injury, the provider’s actual charge could be $200. However, the employee’s health insurance decides to only reimburse $80. In that case, the provider can’t charge the employee the $120 difference because it would be balance billing.
Delaware’s Office of Workers’ Compensation provides more information on the state’s fee schedule.
Delaware Workers’ Compensation Claims
Visit our workers’ comp claims page today to file a claim in Delaware.
This article provides general information, and should not be construed as specific legal, HR, financial, insurance, tax or accounting advice. As with all matters of a legal or human resources nature, you should consult with your own legal counsel and human resources professionals. The Hartford shall not be liable for any direct, indirect, special, consequential, incidental, punitive or exemplary damages in connection with the use by you or anyone of the information provided herein.