Champaign Workers' Compensation Insurance

If you employ workers in Champaign, you are responsible for providing them with a safe and healthy work environment. Unfortunately, accidents can happen any time, any place, and to anyone. If one of your workers is injured on the job, your business is responsible for covering their medical treatment and other financial losses. This is where workers’ compensation insurance can help.

Independent insurance agents can shop around to help you find the best and most affordable workers’ compensation policy to cover your Champaign business. Contact an insurance agent near you to get started.

Is Workers’ Compensation Insurance Required in Champaign?

All businesses in Champaign must remain in compliance with the state’s employment laws.  The state of Illinois mandates that all employers must carry workers' compensation insurance, even if they only have a single part-time worker.

There are a few exceptions. It is not necessary have coverage if you are self-employed, unless you work in a hazardous industry like roofing or construction. It is also not required that you cover family members who meet one or more of the following criteria:

Coverage may be purchased through a commercial provider; or, if approved, your company may opt to self-insure.

In Illinois, failure to carry workers’ compensation insurance knowingly and willingly is a Class 4 felony. It can result in a fine of $500 for each day not covered (with a minimum fine of $10,000) and jail time for corporate officers. If in doubt about whether you need this coverage, you can consult a local independent insurance agent.

How Much Does Workers' Compensation Insurance Cost in Champaign?

From nurses at Carle Hospital to professors at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, there are a many workers representing a wide range of industries in this city. Your workers’ compensation cost is calculated according to how likely your employees are to be hurt on the job, based on the types of jobs they do.

Every occupation is assigned a classification code, and rates for each of these class codes are regulated by the Illinois Workers’ Compensation Commission. Each code is assigned a coverage rate that is based on how likely a worker in that occupation is to suffer a significant injury on the job.

Insurance companies use these designated base rates when calculating costs. Because insurance providers do have some leeway when it comes to offering discounts and incentives, it is in your best interest to compare a few policies and quotes before making a selection.

Let’s take a look at the average rates paid per every $100,000 in employee payroll for three of the top industries in Champaign, IL:

These are average rates based on large industry segments. Within the accommodation & food services industry, for example, there can be significant differences in cost. A clerk at the front desk of a hotel is likely to cost less to insure than a fry cook at a diner. For assistance getting actual, customized quotes for your particular business, contact a local independent insurance agent.

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What Does Champaign Workers’ Compensation Insurance Cover?

Workers’ compensation insurance (sometimes referred to as “workman’s comp”) is designed to cover the costs associated with on-the-job injuries and occupational illnesses. This shields your employees from large financial losses as a result of these injuries, and it also significantly reduces your company’s risk of facing a liability lawsuit.

You can expect your policy to cover the following:

• Medical treatment:  Workers’ comp will cover all costs associated with medical treatment and follow-up care for work-related illnesses and injuries. You may assign a list of authorized providers that your employees may go to for treatment. If an injury is life-threatening, the employee may be seen and treated at the closest emergency room.
• Mileage reimbursement: If your employees must travel a significant distance for their medical care, they may qualify to receive reimbursement for their travel expenses.
• Short-term disability: If an employee needs more than three consecutive days to recuperate from a work-related injury, they will be able to collect a weekly benefit of two-thirds of their average weekly pay until they can return to work.
• Permanent disability: If a work-related injury is so severe that the injured worker will be unable to ever return to work, workers’ compensation insurance can provide weekly benefits for a period commensurate with the severity of their injury.
• Survivor benefits: If a work-related injury or illness proves fatal, workers’ compensation can cover burial expenses up to $8,000, and can provide the employee’s spouse and dependents with compensation for 25 years or $500,000, whichever is greater, to ease the financial burden.

You can learn more about each of these benefits by talking to a local independent insurance agent.

What If Your Workers’ Compensation Claim Is Denied?

Occasionally, a workers' compensation claim may be denied. This might happen if your insurer suspects that the injury did not actually occur while on the job, the injury was intentionally self-inflicted, the injured employee was under the influence of drugs or alcohol at the time of the accident, or the accident occurred while the employee was committing a crime.

If you believe that your workers’ compensation claim was unjustly denied, or if you are unhappy with a proposed settlement amount, the decision may be appealed.  You can do this by filing a petition with the Illinois Workers’ Compensation Commission.  

An arbitrator will be assigned and a hearing will be scheduled to review the facts of the case.

Find the Best Workers’ Compensation Insurance in Champaign, IL

If you are looking for a workers’ compensation policy to cover your Champaign business, an independent insurance agent can help. These agents can match you up with an insurance provider that specializes in covering businesses like yours. Your agent can also help you compare rates from competing insurers so that you can be sure you are getting your coverage at a competitive price.

Discover how easy it can be to find the right workers’ compensation policy for your business. Contact an insurance agent in or near Champaign to start comparing customized quotes.