This course provides a comprehensive overview of Georgia Workers' Compensation law, including strategies for the handling of Georgia Workers' Compensation claims.
It covers Georgia State Board of Workers' Compensation Forms and the benefits provided for through the statutory authority, rules promulgated by the State Board and how that authority has been explained or changed by case law, as well as defenses available to Georgia employers and insurance carriers.
By taking this course, you will learn the ins and outs of how insurance companies operate in Georgia. The course is delivered via self-paced, online modules and an end-of-course exam, as described below.
- Georgia Workers' Compensation Insurance System Overview
This module covers the technical aspects of insurance in Georgia including how insurance underwriters determine the premium employers pay and what factors drive up the cost of a workers' compensation insurance policy.
- Statutory Definitions, Overview of Benefits and Procedures for Payment and Suspension
This module covers the specifics of who may be considered an employee, an employer, and what constitutes an injury under the Georgia Workers' Compensation act. We will evaluate how medical care and medical costs are controlled, and discuss statutory benefits, calculation of impairment ratings and payment deadlines. Defenses including willful misconduct, statutes of limitation and unique injury definitions will also be discussed in detail.
- Comprehensive Review of Board Forms and Filing Requirements
As Georgia is a form intensive state with specific filing deadlines, this module will cover the specific forms that the Claims Handler will encounter in their day-to-day practice. Special emphasis will be given to those forms with filing deadlines, those with penalty implications and those which might effectuate a waiver if not timely filed.
- Return to Work, Issues and Strategies for Effective Suspension of Benefits
While some states have deadlines and statutory schemes tied to maximum medical improvement, Georgia is a return to work state. Maximum medical improvement has almost no application in Georgia WC law. Suspension of income benefits must be accomplished with due regard paid to the forms that must be filed, the medical evidence to support that suspension and the way in which the benefits may be suspended. For an injured worker with ongoing restrictions, a simple return to work is translated to a cumbersome procedure that requires medical approval, notice to the employee and Board Forms which, if improperly handled, will invalidate any job offer and unnecessarily prolong the income benefits being paid.
This module will focus on the strategies for returning injured workers to work in either full or limited duty capacity so that income benefits are suspended at the earliest possible opportunity.
- Subrogation Recovery and the Subsequent Injury Trust Fund
With the expense of a worker's compensation claim seeming to be ever increasing, the employer and insurer must pay close attention to those opportunities for recovering the cost of claims.
This module will focus on the recovery through subrogation actions and will include not only a discussion of the law and theory behind subrogation but also strategies for maximizing recovery by the Employer and Insurer as well as strategies for putting the Employer and Insurer in the driver's seat to control recovery by all parties including the claimant.
- Change of Condition, New Accident, and The Employee's Entitlement to Income Benefits After a Termination for Cause.
When an injured worker returns to work for the same or a different employer and experiences additional problems related to his injuries, the question often arises as to whether the employee's current problems should be properly viewed as a function of the old injury, an aggravation attributable to a new accident date or a specific new injury.
This module will explain the difference between "change of condition", "new accident" and "fictional new accident". The course will also offer strategy pointers for shifting liability to a new employer or insurance carrier as well as defending against similar attempts by another employer.
- Exam
One exam is included in the Georgia Workers' Compensation Series. It consists of 50 questions with a 90 minute time period. You must first take the Georgia Workers' Compensation Series training modules before taking this exam. The pass mark is 70%. You will have one attempt to pass this exam. (Additional exams are $50.)
You will receive 3 months of unlimited access to this package. Upon placing your order, you will receive an email with instructions to access your online training. You may begin immediately!
Top FAQs
While Independent Adjusters often earn more than Adjusters who work for insurance companies, it is often feast or famine with regard to work and income.
Prompt reporting, quick action, managing care, and a return-to-work planning.
What you need to track, when you need to track it, and why
Xactimate is most popular software program used by adjusters to assist with claims. Xactimate saves you from having to write claims by hand, reference pricing guide books, and using your calculator to complete an estimate.
Insurance Agents also should understand his or her applicable state's workers' comp rules and requirements, responsibilities of the organization, proper procedures for claims handling and return-to-work, and how to investigate claims of fraud.
Pros include good earnings and travel. Cons include inconsistent hours, some safety concerns from both the accident area and in dealing with insured people who may not agree with your p[ayment assessment.
Workers Comp is an insurance that provides certain wage and other benefits to people who are injured or become ill at work. Coverage and benefits are mandated by each individual state and can vary according to the state in question.
Develop, maintain, and manage the organization's workers' comp program, including communicating with employees, managers, insurance carriers, medical providers, attorneys, and upper management, handling claims, the reporting requirements, medical-related issues, and fraud investigations.
All but 16 states require you to have an Adjuster License. To be licensed, you must take your state-required pre-licensing course, then pass your state's licensing exam. Though some states do not require Adjuster licensing, most people take a DHS course, as it provides the necessary education that most employers prefer. Click through to your state to find out your state's requirements and training options.
oss costs, loss cost multipliers, rates, experience modification factors, schedule credits, premium discounts, expense constant. Unravel the mystery and learn why some employers pay much more than others for the same coverage.
DHS stands for "Designated Home State". Essentially, it acts as 'reciprocity' licening. While all states require licensing for Life & Health or P&C, there are about 15 states that do not require a license to be an Adjuster. That said, many employers want someone who is trained to handle claims. A DHS license certifies adjusters to work residential, commercial, automobile, farm and ranch, ocean and inland marine, and workman's compensation claims.
Adjusters inspect property damage or personal injury claims made by policyholders. They can visit the site of a claim, talk to claimants, interview witnesses, assess damage, to make sure the claim is legitimate and paid out correctly.
