Workers' Compensation & Employers Liability Insurance

[CM4Me]

As I understand the law, here in the LOS, requires all permanent employees be covered by Workers Compensation Insurance. I am correct????

I would think many expats, Thai middle & upper class like me employ a house maid, &/or a driver, &/or a gardener/general maintenance man/farmhand etc.

I wish to comply with my understanding of the Thai law & therefore have appropriate insurance for my (one)1 employee, but I DO NOT opperate a business. But I do desire to have insurance cover for my employee which also indemnifies me (the employer) against:

Accidental Bodily Injury / Death or Sickness occurring during and as a result of work by the employee (commonly called, I believe, Workers' Compensation & Employer's Liability Insurance).

I have spoken to a number of insurance agents, & searched the web, all to no avail.

Can anyone advise me of where I can obtain such insurance. many thanks Kevin

[halarpohala]

i see that there has been no response to this question. i have the same problem and trying to understand what kind of workers compensation insurance i need for contract workers working on my property and where i can get it. do you have any new information to share?

[dracula]

Hi. There is no such inssurance in Thailand. I would advise you to visit the Labour Department in your area and seek additional informations related to contract workers. But most likely they will advise you to make a private inssurance for your employees as goverment does not provide such inssurance.

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[citizen33]

The Workmen's Compensation Scheme dates back to about 1974 and was one of earliest bits of social security legislation in Thailand. It continues to be administered by the Social Security Organisation alongside the Social Security Scheme (SSS), and since 2002, subject to certain exclusions, covers employees in enterprises with one or more employees.

Workmen’s Compensation Act 1994

http://thailaws.com/...ws/tlaw0391.pdf

[You also need to check the 2002 amendment]

This is not really my specialist area so I am rather hazy about exactly how this works from the employer's point of view. My impression is that employers signing their employees up for the SSS will also sign them up to the WCS, but I think some direct mandatory payments must also be made by the employer following accidents or an employee's death. Here is an extract from a document on said scheme

_______________________

3.1.3.

(...)

The Workmen’s Compensation Act is not applicable to:

Employees in agriculture, forestry, fishery and livestock that do not hire the employees throughout the year.

Employees in government officials of the central, provincial and local administration.

Employee of non - profit organisations.

State enterprises employee.

Private school teachers and headmasters (according to Private Scholl Law)

3.1.4 Contribution rate

The scheme is financed by employers only at the rate of 0.2% - 1% of payroll per year depending on the risk classification. For the fifth year, contribution rate depends on experience rate and degree of loss.

3.1.5 Types of Benefits

Medical compensation benefit

The medical compensation benefit is provided fee for service as required for the treatment of employment injuries or diseases. The maximum expenditure limits of 35,000 baht per case. In case where the medical service expense is not sufficient, it can be added up as necessary to not exceeding 50,000 baht. In case of severe injury and chronic diseases, it can be paid up to 200,000 baht as stipulated in the Ministerial Regulation on Rates of medical services expenses, 2005.

10

Cash benefits (monthly peyment equal to 60% wages)

- Temporary disability (1 year)

- Partial disability (10 years)

- Total disability (15 years)

- Death : paid to the survivors for 8 years plus funeral grant

at 100 times highest minimum daily wage.

Rehabilitation services provided by the Industrial Rehabilitation Centres (IRC)

_____________________________________

There is a bit more blurb here:

http://bic.thaiembassy.sg/node/122

I suggest you read the 1994 Act and do a google search. You will see that this is primarily a public rather than a private insurance scheme. My guess is that it is possible for an employer to purchase private indemnity insurance to cover against their liabilities under the Act (but they would still pay the monthly employer contribution along with employer's contribution to the SSS), but that few in Thailand do this. At least this should get you started!

Edited May 12, 2012 by citizen33

[kokesaat]

MSIG Insurance just quoted me 2148 Baht to insure both my live in maid and live in gardener for one year. I'm not sure what exactly it covers, but I'll opt for one year and see what the actual insurance pamphlet says. My gardener is climbing trees, whacking jungle, killing or removing snakes, along with routine maintenance/landscaping of 3.5 rai of land. I'll sleep better knowing that he and his wife are covered in case of injury.

I've had house/contents insurance with MSIG for several years.....made one claim via email (photos and signed forms all done via email) with a prompt payment by MSIG.