Kingsport Workers' Compensation Insurance

If you are an employer in Kingsport, you are expected to provide your employees with a safe and healthy work environment. Unfortunately, accidents sometimes happen, even when appropriate precautions are taken. If your employees are injured or become ill on the job, your business is responsible for covering their medical treatment as well as the financial losses they may experience as a result. 

Workers’ compensation insurance can provide this coverage. Independent Insurance Agents in Kingsport are available to help you find the best and most affordable workers’ compensation policy to cover your business. You can learn more about this coverage and start comparing customized quotes by contacting an insurance agent near you.

Is Workers’ Compensation Insurance Required in Kingsport, TN?

Many, but not all, employers in Kingsport, TN are required to have workers’ compensation insurance. In the state of Tennessee, you are required to carry workers’ comp if:

• You have five or more employees
• You have any number of employees in the construction field
• You have any number of employees in the coal mining field

When purchasing a policy, it is not necessary to cover sole proprietors, LLC members, partners, or corporate officers, but you do have the option to do so if you wish.

How Much Does Workers' Comp Insurance Cost in Kingsport?

Rates for workers’ compensation insurance are based on the kinds of jobs your workers do and your company’s overall payroll. The more likely your workers are to suffer significant injuries at your place of employment, the more it will cost to cover them. It costs far more to cover warehouse workers than to cover clerical employees. Every kind of job has been given a classification code. 

The Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development assigns rates for each class code that insurance companies are required to use when calculating costs for coverage. However, because insurers are permitted to offer discounts and incentives, it is beneficial to compare a few quotes before you buy a policy. The following are the average rates paid per every $100,000 in employee payroll for the three top industries in Kingsport, TN:

• Manufacturing: $4,510 a year
• Retail Trade: $1,230 a year
• Construction: $10,847 a year

Of course, these rates can vary depending on more specific information about what your company does. Costs to cover manufacturing employees depend on what your company produces. To find out what your business’s actual cost will be, contact a local independent insurance agent to get access to a variety of customized quotes.

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What Does Workers’ Comp Insurance Cover in Kingsport, TN?

Workers’ compensation insurance is designed to cover on-the-job injuries and illnesses. These policies prevent these injuries from causing your employees to suffer unmanageable financial losses and also reduce the chances that your company will face a liability lawsuit. You can expect your Kingsport workers’ compensation insurance policy to cover the following:

• Necessary medical treatment: Workers’ compensation is designed to cover all costs associated with needed medical treatment and follow-up care related to illnesses and injuries sustained on the job, so that the injured employee has no out-of-pocket costs. As the policyholder, you can provide your workers with a list of approved physicians they can see for their medical care.
• Temporary disability: If an employee needs more than seven consecutive days to recuperate from a work-related injury or illness, they can collect a weekly benefit of 2/3 of their average weekly pay until they are approved by their treating physician to return to work.
• Permanent disability: If an employee can never return to their previously held job due to severe injuries or debilitating work-related illnesses, they can receive benefits of up to 450 weeks’ worth of compensation in an amount that is based on both their average wages before the accident and their level of impairment.
• Travel reimbursement: If an injured or ill employee must travel more than 15 miles one way  in order to see an approved physician or necessary referred specialist, workers’ compensation can reimburse them for their mileage and travel expenses like meals and accommodations, if needed.
• Death benefits: In the event of a work-related death, workers’ comp will cover burial expenses up to $10,000 and will provide financial compensation to the employee’s spouse and dependent children. If the deceased employee had no spouse or dependents, $20,000 will be awarded to their estate.

You can get more information about each of these benefits by talking with an independent insurance agent with an office in or near Kingsport.

What If Your Workers’ Compensation Claim Is Denied?

Workers' compensation will not cover:

• Injuries that did not actually occur on the job: If your employee was injured outside of working hours or during a non-mandatory company-sponsored event like a softball game, the injury is not eligible for coverage by workers’ comp.
• Injuries that were intentionally self-inflicted: On occasion, people try to game the system and intentionally get hurt on the job in order to collect benefits. If a claims adjuster believes this to be the case, the claim may be denied subject to further review.
• Injuries that occurred while under the influence of drugs or alcohol: In Tennessee, if an injured employee’s blood alcohol level is at least 0.08 for non-safety positions, or 0.04 for safety-sensitive positions, workers’ compensation will not cover the injury.

If you believe that your workers’ compensation claim was unjustly denied, the decision can be appealed by filing a petition with the Tennessee Bureau of Workers’ Compensation.

Find the Best Workers’ Compensation Insurance in Kingsport

An independent insurance agent can answer your workers’ comp questions and provide you with customized quotes from competing insurance companies that specialize in covering businesses like yours. That way, you can be sure you are getting appropriate coverage at a competitive price. Discover how easy it can be to find the best workers’ compensation policy for your business. 

Find an insurance agent in or near Kingsport to get started.