Workers' insurance in Oklahoma

Workers’ compensation insurance provides financial assistance to employees who were injured or became ill as a result of completing job-related duties. While the majority of businesses in America are required to carry workers’ comp insurance, requirement variation exists from state to state. These differences in requirements are normally about what types of businesses must carry it, the amount of compensation and rates, and any exemptions that may apply.

While variations between states exist, Oklahoma insurance rules are fairly “standard” because they are similar to workers’ compensation policies in many other states. Texas and Kansas are commonly referenced as outliers when it comes to workers’ comp law, as Texas does not require businesses to carry workers’ insurance, and Kansas uses a payroll minimum to determine which businesses must carry coverage.

With few exceptions, all Oklahoma businesses employing at least one person are required to carry workers’ compensation insurance. However, workers’ comp is a standard requirement in most states, as it protects workers and businesses alike.

In Oklahoma, workers’ compensation insurance typically does not cover or apply to:

• Injuries caused by pre-existing conditions
• Accidents that occur while off of work premises and outside of scheduled working hours, such as during a lunch break
• Injuries incurred while the employee is under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol
• Independent contractors

Types of workers’ compensation benefits under Oklahoma insurance

In Oklahoma, workers’ compensation benefits can include:

• Medical care to cover work-related injuries or illnesses
• Partial payments for lost wages
• Disability compensation for temporary or permanent disability
• Death benefits to cover funeral and burial expenses
• Career retraining for workers who are unable to return to their prior occupations due to work-related injuries or illnesses

An employee may be eligible for more than one of the benefits outlined above. For example, depending on the type and severity of the injury, the employee could be eligible to receive both medical care and disability payments. The worker may also be eligible to receive vocational retraining if they are unable to return to their previous job due to the injury.

Disability compensation has certain rules and requirements. There are four types of disability compensation: permanent total disability, permanent partial disability, temporary total disability, and temporary partial disability. Each state has its own way of calculating how long workers’ comp lasts for an injured or ill employee. Typically, how long workers’ comp lasts depends on the type of injury or illness, the severity of the injury or illness, and whether it prevents the employee from returning to their former job.