Category Archives: News

Treatment of Contract Labor and Subcontractors

The Kentucky Workers’ Compensation Act requires an employer to provide coverage to employees, including employees of any uninsured subcontractor hired. KEMI will collect premium from the policyholder for any employee of an uninsured subcontractor. If the subcontractors have their own workers’ compensation insurance, you must provide KEMI with a valid Certificate of Insurance for the period that work was performed. A KEMI auditor may then make the determination not to charge premium for the insured subcontractors.
 
Revised Independent Contractor Review Process – Effective January 1, 2022
 
As stated above, KEMI will collect premium from the policyholder for uninsured contract labor. If a policyholder wishes to consider any portion of their contract labor as an independent contractor(s), the following information is required to assist in the determination of an employment relationship or independent contractor status:
 
  1. Signed copy of contract detailing independent contractor relationship or copy of bid/proposal for jobs completed by contractor.
  2. All invoices for material and labor used during the policy period between insured and the contractor.
  3. Valid General Liability certificate of insurance (covering at least 6 months of policy period of insured).
  4. Signed affidavit regarding employees, contract labor, casual labor, or subcontractors used for any of the work performed for the insured.
       – Independent Contractor Affidavit | Independent Contractor Affidavit (Spanish)

To be excluded from coverage, all information above must be received during the premium audit process and must disprove an employee relationship.

KEMI reserves the right to charge for labor on a contractor, despite having all required information, based on additional information received during the policy period or at final audit.

Please note that KEMI will no longer utilize the Independent Contractor Questionnaire (ICQ) for new or renewal policies.

If you have questions about this change, please feel free to contact us.

KEMI Announces $8 Million Policyholder Dividend

The dividend follows an $8.1 million dividend paid in November 2020

KEMI, Kentucky’s leading workers’ compensation insurance provider, is issuing a dividend of $8.2 million to eligible policyholders. The dividend is a result of proactive management of claims by KEMI and its policyholders.

“Kentucky businesses have shown great resilience following the devastating effects of the global pandemic, and we believe this dividend will further accelerate the economic recovery for our policyholders,” said Jon Stewart, president and chief executive officer of KEMI.

Over 13,500 policyholders will receive a dividend payment from KEMI, and the average check per policyholder is $600. To qualify, policyholders must have a current active policy with KEMI and a loss ratio of less than or equal to 65% for the 2018 policy year. Dividend checks will be printed and mailed by KEMI starting on August 4, 2021.

In November 2020, KEMI issued a dividend of $8.1 million and lowered overall rates by 6.4% which resulted in substantial savings for our policyholders. KEMI issued a refund of $6.75 million to the Kentucky School Board Insurance Trust (KSBIT) Workers’ Compensation Fund, bringing the total returned to those schools over the past two years to over $16 million.

KEMI also took over the Kentucky Coal Workers’ Pneumoconiosis Fund in 2017. Further demonstrating our commitment to proactively managing workers’ compensation claims and supporting Kentucky businesses, KEMI anticipates returning an estimated $20 million of excess funds to eligible coal operators. Refund checks will go out by the end of August.

Media Contact:
Ryan Worthen
KEMI Communications
rworthen@kemi.com
859-425-7800