Ask PIA

Coverage considerations when hiring au pairs

Our clients are planning to hire an au pair through a foreign agency to clean house, watch their children, etc., in exchange for room and board for six months to a year. What are the insurance considerations?

Building permits proof of workers’ compensation insurance

I know there has been some confusion about the proof of workers’ compensation insurance requirement for building permits where the work is being done by a sole proprietor. How was all this resolved?

Definition of ‘employee’—real-estate exception

Could you fill us in on a law that was passed a while back exempting real-estate brokers from workers’ compensation? We don’t want to make a mistake in this area.

Managed care rules

Under Connecticut Workers’ Compensation Law, can an employee be required to go to a specific doctor?

Recovery against employers’ UM/UIM not barred by WC award

Our client has a commercial auto policy. In March 1993, one of their employees was injured in a company vehicle. The employee recovered under workers’ compensation, but now is putting a claim in under the employer’s uninsured/underinsured motorists coverage. Can the employee bring a claim against the auto policy? Was there a change in the law? If the employee can make a claim under the UM/UIM coverage, would a workers’ compensation carrier have a lien on the proceeds payable to an insured employee who has collected uninsured motorists or underinsured benefits under the employer’s auto insurance policy?

Relapse from recovery

We have an insured who has an employee scheduled for knee surgery. The employee wants to be paid under workers’ compensation for the time he will be out. He had the same surgery 17 years ago on both knees while working for a different employer. The surgery was paid for by workers’ compensation.

The employee was not re-injured on the current job. Can the employee legally collect workers’ compensation benefits, or does this surgery claim have to go to the health carrier?

Volunteer officers

How do we handle workers’ compensation for a corporate officer of a not-for-profit corporation? These officers are not paid; they function on a volunteer basis. Do they require workers’ compensation?

Workers’ compensation district office listing

Where can I obtain a list of all the workers’ compensation district offices in Connecticut?

Connecticut workers’ compensation for principals

Could you review the requirements regarding officers, partners, LLC members, and sole proprietors with respect to workers’ compensation coverage in Connecticut?

Employee vs. independent contractor—audit

Is there any way to dispute an audit if the policyholder does not believe certain workers should be classified as employees?

Workers’ compensation—covering working family members resident in the employer’s household

Does Connecticut exempt from its Workers’ Compensation Law resident family members working in the (non-farm) business of the employer?

Stopgap insurance

Could you explain “stopgap” insurance? How is it provided?

Workers’ compensation—Florida domestic employees

We’re not sure where to turn to obtain workers’ compensation for a domestic employee who will be coming into our clients’ Florida home to care for the husband. Their homeowners carrier says we have to go through the Florida state plan. The state plan says it will provide coverage only if there are four or more employees. What should we do?

Covering workers’ compensation exposures in the Virgin Islands

We need to cover a possible workers’ compensation exposure in St. Thomas, Virgin Islands. Does St. Thomas require workers’ compensation and how can I provide it?

Temporary work in Canada

Our client will be doing well drilling in Ontario, Canada. How do I cover the workers’ compensation exposure?

Audit time frames

According to the insurance carrier, the wrong rates were used to rate workers’ compensation coverage for a construction business in 2023-24. In 2026, after a third audit, the company discovered the rate discrepancy and is now suing the business for the difference. Can they do this?

Workers’ compensation fines

Can members of a limited liability company or officers of a corporation be held personally responsible for workers’ compensation fines when the employer has failed to comply with the insurance requirements?

Form 154 requirements for out-of-state businesses when operating in Massachusetts

What workers’ compensation insurance requirement applies to a business domiciled in another state, but operating in Massachusetts?