The Mississippi Workers’ Compensation Commission adjudicates job injury claims and awards compensation to injured workers. Under state law, employers may join self-insurance groups to provide coverage as a more economical alternative to buying coverage from an insurance company. The commission is responsible for regulating self-insurance groups to insure that they are financially sound and comply with state laws and commission rules. However, the commission has not performed in-depth field examinations, relying instead on commission actuaries’ limited reviews of documents the self-insurance groups file with the commission.
Because the Workers’ Compensation Commission self-insurance duties are similar to those the Department of Insurance performs relative to insurance companies, the Legislature should consider transferring the duties to the Department of Insurance. The commission concurred in PEER’s recommendation.
For a paper copy of this report, contact PEER by telephone at 601-359-1226 or by e-mail at reports@peer.ms.gov.