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176.185 Policy of insurance.

Subdivision 1. Notice of coverage, termination, cancellation. (a) Within ten days after the issuance of a policy of insurance covering the liability to pay compensation under this chapter written by an insurer licensed to insure such liability in this state, the insurer shall file notice of coverage with the commissioner under rules and on forms prescribed by the commissioner. No policy shall be canceled by the insurer within the policy period nor terminated upon its expiration date until a notice in writing is delivered or mailed to the insured and filed with the commissioner, fixing the date on which it is proposed to cancel it, or declaring that the insurer does not intend to renew the policy upon the expiration date. A cancellation or termination is not effective until 30 days after written notice has been filed with the commissioner in a manner prescribed by the commissioner unless prior to the expiration of the 30-day period the employer obtains other insurance coverage or an order exempting the employer from carrying insurance as provided in section 176.181. Upon receipt of the notice, the commissioner shall notify the insured that the insured must obtain coverage from some other licensed carrier and that, if unable to do so, the insured shall request the commissioner of commerce to require the issuance of a policy as provided in section 79.251, subdivision 4. Upon a cancellation or termination of a policy by the insurer, the employer is entitled to be assigned a policy in accordance with sections 79.251 and 79.252.

(b) Notice of cancellation or termination by the insured shall be served upon the insurer by written statement mailed or delivered to the insurer. Upon receipt of the notice, the insurer shall notify the commissioner of the cancellation or termination and the commissioner shall ask the employer for the reasons for the cancellation or termination and notify the employer of the duty under this chapter to insure the employer's employees.

(c) In addition to the requirements under paragraphs (a) and (b), with respect to any trucker employer in classification 7219, 7230, 7231, or 7360 pursuant to the classification plan required to be filed under section 79.61, if the insurer or its agent has delivered or mailed a written certificate of insurance certifying that a policy in the name of a trucker employer under this paragraph is in force, then the insurer or its agent shall also deliver or mail written notice of any midterm cancellation to the trucker employer recipient of the certificate of insurance at the address listed on the certificate. If an insurer or its agent fails to mail or deliver notice of any midterm cancellation of the trucker employer's policy to the trucker employer recipient of the certificate of insurance, then the special compensation fund shall indemnify and hold harmless the recipient from any award of benefits or other damages under this chapter resulting from the failure to give notice.

Subd. 2. Conditions. A policy of insurance covering the liability to pay compensation under this chapter written by any insurer licensed to insure such liability in this state shall in every case be subject to the conditions of this section hereinafter named.

Subd. 3. Provision for benefits conferred by this chapter. Where the employer's risk is carried by an insurer the insurance policy shall provide compensation for injury or death in accordance with the full benefits conferred by this chapter.

Subd. 4. Compulsory provisions. Every insurance policy which insures the payment of compensation shall contain provisions declaring the following:

(1) Notice to or knowledge by the employer is notice to or knowledge by the insurer.

(2) Jurisdiction of the employer for any purpose is jurisdiction of the insurer.

(3) The insurer is bound by an award rendered against the employer.

(4) The employee has an equitable lien upon any amount which the insurer owes under the policy to the employer. Where the employer is legally incapacitated or otherwise unable to receive this amount and pay it over to the employee or the employee's dependent, the insurer will pay the amount directly to the employee or dependent. This payment by the insurer directly to the employee or dependent discharges the obligation of the insurer to the employee, and the obligations of the insurer and the employer to the employee or dependent.

(5) The insolvency or bankruptcy of the employer does not relieve the insurer from its obligation to pay compensation.

Subd. 5. Agreement that employee pay part of cost of insurance. Subject to the provisions of subdivision 6, an agreement between an employee and employer under which the employee is to pay any part of the cost of insuring the employer's risk is void. An employer who makes a charge or deduction prohibited by this subdivision is guilty of a misdemeanor.

Subd. 5a. Penalty for improper withholding. An employer who violates subdivision 5 after notice from the commissioner is subject to a penalty of 400 percent of the amount withheld from or charged the employee. The penalty shall be imposed by the commissioner. Forty percent of this penalty is payable to the assigned risk safety account and 60 percent is payable to the employee.

Subd. 6. Joining risks with other risks in policy. Where the agreement has been approved by the commissioner of the department of labor and industry the employer and employee may agree to carry the risk provided for in this chapter in conjunction with other and greater risks providing other and greater benefits in the form of additional compensation, or accident, sickness, or old age insurance or benefits. This agreement may provide for appropriate contribution by the employee.

Subd. 7. Notice, effect. Where an employer has properly insured the payment of compensation to an employee, and posts a notice in conspicuous places about the place of business stating that there is insurance and the name of the insurer, and files a copy of that notice with the commissioner of the department of labor and industry, the employee, or the employee's dependent, shall proceed directly against the insurer. In such case but subject to subdivision 8, the employer is released from further liability in this respect.

Subd. 8. Repealed, 1977 c 342 s 28

Subd. 9. Application of section. Where an employer, who has been exempted from the requirement to insure liability for compensation under this chapter, insures any part of that liability, this section applies to such an employer to the extent that its provisions are applicable.

Subd. 10. Data collection contracts. The commissioner may contract with other parties regarding the collection of appropriate data to assist in meeting the requirements of this section.

HIST: 1953 c 755 s 23; Ex1967 c 1 s 6; 1969 c 178 s 1; 1973 c 388 s 51-53; 1983 c 289 s 114 subd 1; 1983 c 290 s 119,120; 1984 c 655 art 1 s 92; 1985 c 248 s 70; 1986 c 444; 1987 c 332 s 51; 1990 c 522 s 5; 1992 c 510 art 3 s 21; 1995 c 231 art 2 s 75

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Revisor of Statutes