Worker’s Compensation Insurance
Worker’s Compensation Insurance is compulsory for every employer as required by law. Protect your business and your employees with a Worker’s Compensation Insurance.
Overall, these laws and guidelines create a worker’s compensation and workplace injury management framework that provides for:
- Prompt treatment of work-related injuries
- Effective and proactive management of such injuries
- Medical and vocational rehabilitation following injuries
- Income support for workers during incapacity
Overall, the system is designed to create a fair, affordable and financially viable compensation system and it ensures contributions by employers are aligned with the risks faced in the industry.
Why you should consider it
Any organisation that employs staff and pays employee wages is obligated to take out appropriate workers compensation insurance (in PNG it is compulsory by law). It is important you, as an employer, understand your obligations and indeed, the level of cover you need for your business and industry.
There are many rules, requirements, and obligations in providing the right workers compensation coverage, so talk to us about getting yours right.
What does it cover?
In general:
- Medical coverage: : Includes doctor visits, hospital care, prescription medications, physical therapy and other medical treatments
- Disability: Provides a partial replacement of income lost when workers are unable to work due to an on-the-job injury. The disability may be temporary or permanent, and partial or total.
- Vocational rehabilitation:Enables workers who cannot return to their prior occupation to learn a new skill based on their current capabilities.
- Death Benefits:These benefits are afforded to the spouse and minor children of a worker killed on the job.
Talk to us about ensuring your workers compensation cover is appropriate for your business.
Enhancement & Extensions to the standard Worker’s Compensation Policy in PNG.
To assist our clients and their employees, please discus with Wereck Insurance Brokers who can arrange a range of solutions which help to extend and/or top-up the amounts that an employee may be entitled to under only the Statute.
Provided below are levels of coverage and extensions available:
Worker’s Compensation (Statutory Cover)
Insurance for all employers in PNG, providing protection for workers if they suffer a work-related injury or disease as prescribed by the PNG Workers’ Compensation Act 1978 (as amended).
Worker’s Compensation – Common Law
Protection against settlements and awards given at common law, arising from worker related injuries and illness and the subsequent claims. Coverage or amount of cover is up to the limit of cover specified by you (example, K1,000,000 Common Law Limit).
Worker’s Emergency Transportation and Hospitalisation Abroad (WETHA)
Extension
Workers’ sometimes experiences injuries or illness as a result of their employment, and their condition cannot be effectively treated in Papua New Guinea because of the nature or extent of the circumstances, or the prognosis requires a higher level of specialist care and expertise. WETHA cover provides this additional protection subject to terms, conditions and limits.
Extra – Territorial Worker’s Compensation Insurance
Many businesses send employees overseas on business or work-related trips. This can be for a variety of reasons. If your employee is injured or becomes ill from a work-related incident, it is likely that your employee is protected and entitled to protection, equal to that of the Country in which they are injured. Extra -Territorial Worke’s Compensation provides the gap cover between the level of cover provided under the worker’s Compensation Policy in PNG and the Statutory limits and covers set by the overseas Country where the injury or illness occur. If you have any employees travelling overseas, this cover is vitally important for you.
Salary Continuance and Make-up Pay (work related injuries)
The statutory limits of cover provided for workers in PNG is very low in some circumstances.
Accident Make Up Pay is intended to cover the short fall between workers’ compensation and the amount the employee would have received if they had performed their normal duties for up to 52 weeks.
Funeral Benefits
A much higher amount of cover can be chosen for funeral benefits under Workers’ Compensation relating to work related deaths.