Workers’ Comp for Home Caregivers
As a caregiver, you are a nurturing person. You’re compassionate, and looking after people comes naturally to you. You’re used to taking care of others, but don’t forget to look after yourself as well with the right kinds of home care business insurance.
If you happen to get hurt on the job or experience a work-related illness, workers’ compensation will come in handy. And many contracts require some form of workers’ compensation coverage anyway.
Workers’ compensation insurance is very important for home health care providers because your work is very physical. Moving and lifting items, assisting people to get around, and transporting your patients may seem mundane to you, but in reality, it comes with great risk.
Here are some of the benefits of workers’ comp:
- Medical costs due to work-related sickness or injury
- Services needed to help recover and return to work
- Reimbursement for lost wages
- Protection from employee lawsuits (for medical expenses and lost wages)
Does workers’ comp cover home care?
Providing companion care, personal care, and dementia care isn’t easy. Not only is it emotionally taxing, it can wear on you physically, too. If your job title is an acronym, you’ve got a lot of responsibility. That’s right, we’re talking to you, RNs, HHAs, and PCAs.
People depend on you to go about their day. Maybe some of your patients aren’t able to go outside without your help, or even make lunch. Without your assistance, your patients’ quality of life wouldn’t be the same. That’s why it’s so important for you to take care of yourself — so you can be there for your clients.
Yes, workers’ comp covers home care, and yes, you should consider home care workers’ comp.
Why is home health workers’ comp important?
In your line of work, you’re not sitting at a desk all day eating trail mix. You’re constantly moving and shaking, and you’re always on the go. You might even feel like you can skip the gym, because you’re moving humans all day.
Helping the elderly get in and out of bed, up and down stairs, or even across the street is (quite literally) a lot of weight on your shoulders. If Bernard or Betty takes a tumble, it’s up to you to prevent them from falling, or if they do fall, your job is to help them get back on their feet.
With these types of sudden movements, it’s easy to injure yourself. Workers’ comp insurance is perfect for caregivers, because if you get hurt on the job, this policy will cover those illnesses or injuries. Benefits of workers’ comp include medical bill coverage, as well as a reimbursement of lost wages, should you have to take time off work to recover.
Am I required to have workers’ comp as a caregiver?
It depends. If you have employees, you’re most likely legally required to have workers’ compensation insurance. But it depends on where you live. Workers’ comp is a state-regulated coverage, so different locations have different rules and regulations. Even if you don’t have employees, you may still be required to purchase this coverage.
Ask an expert if you’re required to have workers’ comp.
The party hiring me is mandating I have my own workers’ comp policy
If the company or individual contracting work from you requires you to have your own workers’ comp, you may want to consider a ghost policy. Also known as a minimum premium workers’ comp policy, ghost policies are popular because they’re very affordable.
Ghost policies provide you with your Certificate of Insurance, but at a fraction of the cost compared with a traditional workers’ comp policy. This is because this policy excludes the owner from coverage. So, you can prove you have workers’ comp coverage, but won’t have the big bill that’s attached to it because you won’t be paying for yourself to be included in coverage.
Get more for less
Our minimum premium workers’ comp product doesn’t totally leave you without coverage. We have tacked on a bonus accident policy to our ghost policy, providing business owners 24-hour accident coverage in case an accident occurs. The great thing about our accident policy is that it protects you on or off the job. And, if you switch jobs, the policy stays with you.
What other types of insurance do home home care providers need?
If you’re injured on the job, workers’ comp covers you, but not your client. If you want to protect yourself and your business, should a patient file a claim against you for property damage, general liability insurance will protect you.
Working closely with patients, and handling medications, comes with many liabilities. Consider professional liability insurance to make sure you have the right protection.
How much is home health workers’ compensation insurance?
It really depends on what you do,where you live, and the number of people you include in your policy.
In general, it’s probably not as expensive as you think. In some states, if you have zero employees you may be able to get a Certificate of Insurance for as little as $750/year.
Learn more about workers’ comp price factors. Or, to find out how much your home health workers’ comp will cost, get a free estimate.
How to save on home health workers’ comp
If you’re interested in saving money, purchasing a minimum premium workers’ comp policy is the right option for you. The great thing about our ghost policy is that we’ve packaged it with an accident policy, so you’ll have 24-hour accident protection in the event of a work incident. With us, you get more protection, and at a cheaper cost compared with our competitors.
The best way to find out is to get a workers’ comp quote and see what your options are. Why not?
We can save you money.
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