Does Ohio Have an Assigned Risk Plan for Workers’ Comp?

Ohio employees injured in a work-related accident face a lot of challenges.  Families of injured workers typically must wrestle with lost wages, medical expenses, personal upheaval, and a great deal of uncertainty about the future.  Fortunately, Ohio’s workers’ compensation laws do provide a level of security for those hard-working Ohioans injured on the job.

But what happens if an employer cannot obtain workers’ compensation insurance?  Is that something that can happen in Ohio?  Do employers have access to an assigned risk plan to guarantee coverage?  These are just some of the questions many non-lawyers have regarding workers’ compensation coverage.

If you have these or other questions regarding a workers’ compensation claim, call or email Lowe Scott Fisher Co., LPA’s experienced workers’ comp lawyers now for a completely free consultation.  To check out the answer to questions about assigned risk plans in Ohio keep reading below.

What is an Assigned Risk Plan?

Employers provide workers’ compensation insurance to cover their employees in all fifty states.  In most states, employers work directly with private insurers to obtain workers’ compensation insurance policies to cover their employees.  But, in some instances, an employer cannot find a single insurer willing to offer a policy or coverage.

For this reason, states around the country have assigned risk plans (also called assigned risk pools).  An assigned risk plan is an insurance option, created and usually operated by the state, from which employers can obtain workers’ compensation insurance when they are unable to obtain coverage elsewhere.

Since it would be unfair for states to mandate workers’ compensation insurance and then punish those who cannot obtain it, the states make ARP insurance available.

Does Ohio Have an Assigned Risk Plan?

No, Ohio does not have an assigned risk plan.  Nevertheless, Ohio does provide workers’ compensation insurance.

Unlike most other states, the Ohio government actually has something like a monopoly on the state’s workers’ compensation insurance market.  Ohio employers either pay premiums into the state fund, or they apply to the state to be self-funded employers.  The “default” is that an Ohio employer pays premiums into the state fund until given permission to do otherwise.

The state fund then pays out approved workers’ compensation claims, acting as the insurer of working Ohioans.  Rather than acting as a “last resort” insurer for employers, Ohio’s state fund is the “first resort”—and in many cases the only option for employers.

Ohio Workers’ Compensation Lawyers Can Help You File or Appeal Your Claim

Whether you are considering filing a claim or have recently had your workers’ comp application denied, having an experienced attorney representing you can help you get the benefits and assistance you need.

Call or email Lowe Scott Fisher Co., LPA today and find out how our team will fight for you and your family.