The Bureau is granted authority from three sources to exercise its enforcement responsibility.
The following summarizes the authority granted to the ICRB:
Bureau Membership
Indiana Code 27-7-2-3 provides that “…every insurance company authorized to effect worker’s compensation insurance in this state shall be a member of the worker’s compensation rating bureau of Indiana. The bureau shall be composed of all insurance companies lawfully engaged on July 1, 1935, wholly or in part in making worker’s compensation insurance in Indiana or who shall after July 1, 1935, be issued a certificate of authority to make worker’s compensation insurance in this state.”
Adherence to law
Indiana Code 27-7-2-20(a) provides that “Every company shall adhere to manual rules, policy forms, a statistical plan, a classification system, and experience rating plan filed by the bureau and approved by the commissioner.”
Failure to comply
Failure to comply with the workers compensation law is a class C infraction per Indiana Code 27-7-2-38. Consequences can be the suspension or revocation of a license, fine up to $1,000 per violation, or a fine up to $10,000 for each willful violation.
Enforcement authority
The Basic Manual, Introduction-Application of Manual Rules, BM‐INTR‐A0162, conveys the right for the Bureau to conduct inspections, assign classifications, and determine the propriety of carrier classification assignments. If the Bureau finds that a policy needs correction, it notifies the carrier. The carrier must make the correction within 30 days. Also see the document titled “Dispute Resolution” for an overview on the formal dispute process.
Experience Rating Mandatory
Below are several references in the Indiana Code and Experience Rating Plan Manual that indicate the experience modification produced by the ICRB must be used by insurance companies. In other words, insurance companies may not file their own experience rating plans nor deviate from the published modification factor that the ICRB issues for each qualifying employer in Indiana.
- IC 27-7-2-3.1 (10)
- 27-7-2-3.1. Powers of bureau.
- The bureau, in addition to other activities not prohibited, is authorized to do the following:
- (10) Prepare and distribute rules and rating values for the experience rating plan. Calculate and disseminate individual risk premium modification.
- IC 27-7-2-20
- 27-7-2-20. Reporting of statistical information.
- (a) Every company shall adhere to manual rules, policy forms, a statistical plan, a classification system, and experience rating plan filed by the bureau and approved by the commissioner.
Experience Rating Plan Manual Rule 2A
| 1. | The Experience Rating Plan Manual for Workers Compensation and Employers Liability Insurance (the Plan) applies on a mandatory basis for risks that meet the premium eligibility requirements. Refer to the state rules for exceptions to this Plan’s national rules. A policy cannot be cancelled, rewritten or extended for purposes of enabling a risk to qualify for, or avoid application of, this Plan. |
| 2. | Any action taken in any form to evade the application of an experience rating modification determined in accordance with this Plan is prohibited. |
Appeals
Indiana Code 27-7-2-20.3(c)(2) states that the Bureau shall provide a reasonable means so that “…any person aggrieved by…Bureau filings may be heard…” The Bureau By-laws, Article X establishes the Dispute Resolution Committee (DRC) for this purpose. Appeals to DRC decisions are made to the commissioner. For assigned risk policies, the dispute resolution procedure can be found in the Indiana Basic Manual Workers Compensation Insurance Plan Section IX Indiana Code 27-7-2-27 states that an order or decision by the commissioner is subject to review by the circuit or superior court of Marion County, with appeal possible to the supreme court.
The Indiana Code
