New York State Insurance Fund

Last updated

Logo of the New York State Insurance Fund NYSIF Logo Tag RGB.png
Logo of the New York State Insurance Fund

The New York State Insurance Fund (NYSIF) is a governmental insurance carrier that provides workers' compensation and disability benefits for employers in New York State. NYSIF is financially self-supporting and competes with private insurance carriers. It is required by law to provide the lowest possible premiums to maintain its solvency. [1] As of 2015, NYSIF was the largest workers' compensation insurance carrier in New York, with 46% of the market, and that year it earned $2.48 billion in premiums, placing it in the top ten in the United States. [2] On August 21, 2019, the agency launched a rebranding initiative with a new logo. [3]

Contents

History

NYSIF's Workers' Compensation Fund was established by the Workers' Compensation Act of 1914 to insure employers against work-related injuries suffered by their employees. Its creation was spurred by the 1909 Wainwright Commission, which found that then-current employer liability law was inadequate, and the 1911 Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire. [1] [4]

The Disability Benefits Fund was established in 1949 to insure against off-the-job injury or illness suffered by employees. [1] In 2010, NYSIF began offering enhanced disability benefits in excess of the statutory minimum. [5]

In 2014, a New York grand jury made recommendations on measures to combat clients misreporting the categorization of their workers to illegally lower their premiums. [6] In 2016, part of NYSIF's Manhattan office was displaced by a new New York State Police office. [7]

Changes to workers' compensation premiums have affected sports organizations, [8] horse racing, [9] and puppetmakers. [10] The last of these was a result of them being misclassified under rubber manufacturing rather than theatrical production, putting them in the same risk category as tire manufacturers which work with molten rubber and causing the premium to increase nearly 15 times, before publicity caused the problem to be fixed. [10]

Issues

Private insurance companies have complained that NYSIF has advantages that allow it to outcompete private insurers rather than acting in its intended purpose as a carrier of last resort. These include not making payment to the Aggregate Trust Fund for permanent disability cases, having different reserve requirements, requiring 30-day advance notice for cancellations, and lack of state oversight. In 2008 the Insurance Agents and Brokers of New York trade group supported a bill in the state legislature to remove some of these advantages. [11]

At various times in the past, the New York state government has taken money from NYSIF's reserves to cover other budget shortfalls. Between 1982 and 1990, $1.3 billion was transferred to the state's general fund under Governor Mario Cuomo. In 1996 the practice was banned by state law. In 2013, Governor Andrew Cuomo proposed lowering the reserve requirements for second-injury claims to match those required for private insurers, in order to transfer $1.75 billion out of NYSIF's reserve funds over four years. [12]

Related Research Articles

Insurance Equitable transfer of the risk of a loss, from one entity to another in exchange for payment

Insurance is a means of protection from financial loss. It is a form of risk management, primarily used to hedge against the risk of a contingent or uncertain loss.

Workers compensation Form of insurance

Workers' compensation or workers' comp is a form of insurance providing wage replacement and medical benefits to employees injured in the course of employment in exchange for mandatory relinquishment of the employee's right to sue his or her employer for the tort of negligence. The trade-off between assured, limited coverage and lack of recourse outside the worker compensation system is known as "the compensation bargain". One of the problems that the compensation bargain solved is the problem of employers becoming insolvent as a result of high damage awards. The system of collective liability was created to prevent that, and thus to ensure security of compensation to the workers.

Health insurance or medical insurance is a type of insurance that covers the whole or a part of the risk of a person incurring medical expenses. As with other types of insurance, risk is shared among many individuals. By estimating the overall risk of health risk and health system expenses over the risk pool, an insurer can develop a routine finance structure, such as a monthly premium or payroll tax, to provide the money to pay for the health care benefits specified in the insurance agreement. The benefit is administered by a central organization, such as a government agency, private business, or not-for-profit entity.

Universal health care is a health care system in which all residents of a particular country or region are assured access to health care. It is generally organized around providing either all residents or only those who cannot afford on their own, with either health services or the means to acquire them, with the end goal of improving health outcomes.

Railroad Retirement Board Independent agency of the United States government

The U.S. Railroad Retirement Board (RRB) is an independent agency in the executive branch of the United States government created in 1935 to administer a social insurance program providing retirement benefits to the country's railroad workers.

Liberty Mutual American multinational insurance company

Liberty Mutual Group is an American diversified global insurer and the sixth-largest property and casualty insurer in the United States. It ranks 71st on the Fortune 100 list of largest corporations in the United States based on 2020 revenue. Based in Boston, Massachusetts, and featuring the Statue of Liberty on its logo, it employs over 45,000 people in more than 900 locations throughout the world. As of December 31, 2021, Liberty Mutual Insurance had $156.043 billion in consolidated assets, $128.195 billion in consolidated liabilities and $48.2 billion in annual consolidated revenue.

Social insurance Government-sponsored social program

Social insurance is a form of social welfare that provides insurance against economic risks. The insurance may be provided publicly or through the subsidizing of private insurance. In contrast to other forms of social assistance, individuals' claims are partly dependent on their contributions, which can be considered insurance premiums to create a common fund out of which the individuals are then paid benefits in the future.

Liability insurance is a part of the general insurance system of risk financing to protect the purchaser from the risks of liabilities imposed by lawsuits and similar claims and protects the insured if the purchaser is sued for claims that come within the coverage of the insurance policy.

Workplace Safety and Insurance Board Government agency in Ontario

The Workplace Safety and Insurance Board is the workplace compensation board for provincially regulated workplaces in Ontario. As an agency of the Ontario government, the WSIB operates "at arm's length" from the Ministry of Labour, Training and Skills Development and is solely funded by employer premiums, administration fees, and investment revenue. The WSIB is one of the largest compensation boards in North America and is primarily responsible for administering and enforcing the Ontario Workplace Safety and Insurance Act (WSIA).

State Compensation Insurance Fund

The State Compensation Insurance Fund is a workers' compensation insurer that was created as a "public enterprise fund" by the U.S. state of California, and today has partial autonomy from the rest of the state government. It is required by state law to maintain its headquarters in San Francisco, but has regional offices all over the state.

The New York Disability Benefits Law (DBL) is article 9 of the Workers' Compensation Law and creates a state disability insurance program designed to provide employees with some level of income replacement in case of disability caused off-the-job.

Disability Insurance, often called DI or disability income insurance, or income protection, is a form of insurance that insures the beneficiary's earned income against the risk that a disability creates a barrier for completion of core work functions. For example, the worker may be unable to maintain composure in the case of psychological disorders or sustain an injury, illness or condition that causes physical impairment or incapacity to work. DI encompasses paid sick leave, short-term disability benefits (STD), and long-term disability benefits (LTD). The same concept is instantiated in some countries as income protection insurance.

Australia's insurance market can be divided into roughly three components: life insurance, general insurance and health insurance. These markets are fairly distinct, with most larger insurers focusing on only one type, although in recent times several of these companies have broadened their scope into more general financial services, and have faced competition from banks and subsidiaries of foreign financial conglomerates. With services such as disability insurance, income protection and even funeral insurance, these insurance giants are stepping in to fill the gap where people may have otherwise been in need of a personal or signature loan from their financial institution.

The State Accident Insurance Fund Corporation (SAIF) is a not-for-profit, state-chartered workers’ compensation insurance company in the U.S. state of Oregon. It provides workers' compensation insurance and workplace safety services for Oregon employers, and claim management for injured workers. It is based in Salem, Oregon.

Health insurance in the United States is any program that helps pay for medical expenses, whether through privately purchased insurance, social insurance, or a social welfare program funded by the government. Synonyms for this usage include "health coverage", "health care coverage", and "health benefits". In a more technical sense, the term "health insurance" is used to describe any form of insurance providing protection against the costs of medical services. This usage includes both private insurance programs and social insurance programs such as Medicare, which pools resources and spreads the financial risk associated with major medical expenses across the entire population to protect everyone, as well as social welfare programs like Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program, which both provide assistance to people who cannot afford health coverage.

The Defense Base Act (DBA) is an extension of the federal workers' compensation program that covers longshoremen and harbor workers, the Longshore and Harbor Workers' Compensation Act 33 U.S.C. §§ 901–950. The DBA covers persons employed at United States defense bases overseas. The DBA is designed to provide medical treatment and compensation to employees of defense contractors injured in the scope and course of employment. The DBA is administered by the United States Department of Labor.

The Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation provides medical and compensation benefits for work-related injuries, diseases and deaths. It was founded in 1912. With assets under management of more than $29 billion, it is the largest state-operated and second largest overall provider of workers’ compensation insurance in the United States.

The Virginia Workers' Compensation Commission (VWC) is an agency of the U.S. state of Virginia that oversees the resolution of workers' compensation claims brought in that state, in accordance with the Virginia Workers' Compensation Act. The Commission has exclusive jurisdiction to adjudicate such claims. Its decisions may be appealed to the Virginia Court of Appeals. The Commission is led by a Senior Leadership team consisting of three Commissioners, an Executive Director and a Chief Deputy Commissioner. The Commissioners are appointed by the Virginia General Assembly and serve staggered six-year terms. Honorable Robert A. Rapaport, Honorable Wesley G. Marshall and Honorable R. Ferrell Newman currently serve as Commissioners. The Commissioners elect a Chairman for a term of three years. Commissioner Rapaport currently serves as Chairman. Ms. Evelyn McGill is the Commission’s Executive Director and Honorable James J. Szablewicz is the Commission’s Chief Deputy Commissioner. The Commission is headquartered in Richmond, Virginia, and has offices and hearing locations at various places around the state.

Berkshire Hathaway GUARD Insurance Companies currently insure over 250,000 businesses in the US.

Workers' compensation in the United States is a primarily state-based system of workers' compensation.

References

  1. 1 2 3 "About NYSIF". New York State Insurance Fund. Retrieved November 23, 2016.
  2. ↑ "NYSIF 2015 Annual Report". New York State Insurance Fund. 2015. p. 6. Retrieved November 21, 2016.
  3. ↑ "Great Coverage Has a New Look". ww3.nysif.com. Retrieved September 5, 2019.
  4. ↑ "Instagram photo by NYSIF". New York State Insurance Fund. December 5, 2013. Archived from the original on December 26, 2021. Retrieved November 23, 2016.
  5. ↑ "N.Y. State Insurance Fund expands disability benefits offerings". March 25, 2010. Archived from the original on December 25, 2015. Retrieved December 3, 2015.
  6. ↑ "N.Y. Grand Jury Report Recommends Changes to Prevent Workers' Comp Fraud". Insurance Journal, March 26, 2014.
  7. ↑ "Cuomo plops state police right in de Blasio’s territory". New York Post, By Larry Celona. June 5, 2016
  8. ↑ "Syracuse Silver Knights' 5th season could determine whether there will be a 6th". Syracuse.com. Lindsay Kramer. November 17, 2015
  9. ↑ "Workers' comp issue resolved to avoid shutdown in New York". Daily Racing Form. David Grening, December 21, 2015
  10. 1 2 Pineda, Nina (November 15, 2016). "Monster mistake puts puppeteers on brink of bankruptcy". ABC7 New York. Retrieved November 23, 2016.
  11. ↑ "New York Agents Want to Rein in State Workers' Comp Insurer". May 9, 2008.
  12. ↑ McMahon, E. J. (March 11, 2013). "A risky budget gimmick". New York Post. Retrieved November 23, 2016.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.