By Julie Beezley, Leavitt Group
Handling work-related injuries, managing claims, and even investigating how an injury occurred may not be the most glamorous part of being a business owner or manager, but are nonetheless necessary activities.
Having the right insurance consultant with an aggressive and proactive workers compensation claims management staff can make a significant difference in the number and severity of claims that may come against you. You can and should expect a workers compensation claims management department that actively advocates on behalf of employers.
Here are some of the ways a workers compensation claims management team can help you:
Acts as a Liaison Between You and Your Insurance Company
Your claims management team can act as a liaison between you and your insurance company when the need arises. The team should also remain aware of time-sensitive responses and take time to explain to you the steps in the handling of any claim.
Provides Employers with Support and Answers to Questions
Between investigating the cause of an injury and making sure the injured employee is being taken care of, it is easy for you to become overwhelmed when a claim has to be filed. A good claims management team will provide training, support, and answers to any questions that you may have.
Monitors Indemnity Claims
Critical to the resolution of any claim is ensuring that the adjusters are aggressively moving the claim towards resolution/closure. You should expect active oversight and monitoring from your claims management team to help ensure claims are being moved continuously, thus helping to reduce overall claims cost.
Works with the Adjusters
Your claims manager should have a high enough level of understanding of your business that they are able to work with the claims adjusters to develop corrective action plans specific to your situation and assist in mitigating the exposure. This action plan should be communicated to you so you are aware of the steps being taken to close your claim(s) in an effective manner.
Facilitates/Coordinates Claims Review
It is during these reviews that many employers realize how empowered they really are in the management of any claim. During these sessions, your claims manager should review the status of each open claim with you. Expect your claims manager to explain the status of each claim, the cost of each claim to date, how much it will end up costing, as well as the next steps that need to be taken to continue moving towards closing the claim.
Contact your Leavitt Group advisor for more information about claims management services.
The coverages discussed herein are for illustrative purposes only. The terms and conditions of your specific policy may differ from those described. Please consult the provisions of your policy for the terms, conditions, and exclusions that apply to your coverage.