What Must Employers Pay to the Second Injury Fund in Minnesota?

Compliance Corner

In Minnesota, state law directs provides how employers contribute to the second injury fund. Thanks to Simply Research, we highlight how the North Star States makes its calculations.

Reports, Assessments

On or before April 1 of each year, all self-insured employers shall report paid indemnity losses and insurers shall report paid indemnity losses and standard workers' compensation premium in the form and manner prescribed by the commissioner. On June 1 of each year, the commissioner shall determine the total amount needed to pay all estimated liabilities, including administrative expenses, of the special compensation fund for the following fiscal year.

The commissioner shall assess this amount against self-insured employers and insurers. The total amount of the assessment must be allocated between self-insured employers and insured employers based on paid indemnity losses for the preceding calendar year.

Methods, Due Dates

The method of assessing self-insured employers must be based on paid indemnity losses. The method of assessing insured employers is based on standard workers' compensation premium. Each insurer shall collect the assessment through a policyholder surcharge. On or before June 30 of each year, the commissioner shall provide notification to each self-insured employer and insurer of amounts due. Each self-insured employer and each insurer shall pay at least one-half of the amount due to the commissioner for deposit into the special compensation fund on or before August 1 of the same calendar year. The remaining balance is due on February 1 of the following calendar year. Each insurer must pay the full amount due as stated in the commissioner's notification, regardless of the amount the insurer actually collects from the policyholder surcharge.

Apportionment

The portion of the total assessment that is allocated to self-insured employers is the proportion that paid indemnity losses made by all self-insured employers bore to the total paid indemnity losses made by all self-insured employers and insured employers during the preceding calendar year. The portion of the total assessment that is allocated to insured employers is the proportion that paid indemnity losses made on behalf of all insured employers bore to the total paid indemnity losses made by all self-insured employers and insured employers during the preceding calendar year.

The portion of the total assessment allocated to self-insured employers that shall be paid by each self-insured employer must be based upon paid indemnity losses made by that self-insured employer during the preceding calendar year. The portion of the total assessment allocated to insured employers that is paid by each insurer must be based on standard workers' compensation premium earned in the state by that insurer during the current calendar year. If the current calendar year earned standard workers' compensation premium is not available, the commissioner shall estimate the portion of the total assessment allocated to insured employers that is paid by each insurer using the earned standard workers' compensation premium from the preceding calendar year.

The commissioner shall then perform a reconciliation and final determination of the portion of the total assessment to be paid by each insurer when the earned standard workers' compensation premium for the current calendar year is calculable, but the final determination must not be made after December 1 of the following calendar year. An employer who has ceased to be self-insured shall continue to be liable for assessments based on paid indemnity losses arising out of injuries occurring during periods when the employer was self-insured, unless the self-insured employer has purchased a replacement policy covering those losses. An insurer who assumes a self-insured employer's obligation under a replacement policy shall separately report and pay assessments based on indemnity losses paid by the insurer under the replacement policy. The replacement policy may provide for reimbursement of the assessment to the insurer by the self-insured employer.

Collecting Assessments

Insurers shall collect the assessments from their insured employers through a surcharge based on standard workers' compensation premium for each employer. Assessments when collected do not constitute an element of loss for the purpose of establishing rates for workers' compensation insurance but for the purpose of collection are treated as separate costs imposed on insured employers. The policyholder surcharge is included in the definition of gross premium only for premium tax purposes. An insurer may cancel a policy for nonpayment of the policyholder surcharge. The policyholder surcharge is excluded from the definition of premium for all other purposes, except as otherwise provided in this paragraph.

Workers' Compensation Assigned Risk Plan

For purposes of this section, the workers' compensation assigned risk plan shall report and pay assessments on standard workers' compensation premium in the same manner as an insurer.

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