[Stonehenge]

Having worked in middle management for an insurance company I can tell you they will do whatever they can to not pay for something if they have an inkling that they can get away with not paying for it. I could tell you life-destroying horror stories....

Good advice I can give anyone involved in insurance issues - contact your state department of insurance. The person running that office has the power to shake the foundations of an insurance company, and is the most powerful advocate you can have (2nd most powerful - a good attorney).

But for the issue above, have a good read through the policy to see what provisions are there for work-related injuries.

[Dale Wiley]

Jeff is right on the money here... my wife worked as a managed care coordinator, and is now a care management specialist in a large NW university hospital.

She spent a lot of time trying to straighten out which insurance company was responsible and would pay.

In Oregon, WC rates are based upon the work class you are working in at any given time. I keep track of construction, underground, maintenance, shop and office times, as I pay a different rate on each of those classifications. I am covered under what ever catagory I happen to be working in at the time. It is paid by payroll amounts, so if I have time in that classification, thats the rate I pay. If not, then I just pay myself by owner draw.

[justgardens]

My coverage liability is WAY less than that but I am only small company with a quarter million in sales. That changes each year going up, but my rate is good as there have been no claims except a small $200.00 claim for the first time this year. I'm paying a lot more attention to saftey issues. We are making our saftey/training film this year. A video camera will do the trick. It will not be as professional but it will be fine tuned to our company. All employees will watch it , get a CD copy to take home (since they will be the stars in it and sign a form ( to go in the OSHA file) saying they watched and understood our saftey policy.We have been very fortunate on claims.