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Services
> Frequently
Asked Questions
Q. What
is group rating?
A. Group
rating is a program employers can use to reduce their workers’
compensation costs. The Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation
permits employers to join together and be “rated” as a group
through a sponsoring organization (such as the Southern
Ohio Chamber Alliance – SOCA) to save money.
More
than 90,000 Ohio employers have joined a group rating plan.
SOCA has 87 member chambers and each chamber has many members
who participate in the group rating plan administered by
Hunter Consulting.
Q. Are
all group rating plans the same?
A. No.
Some group rating plans inflate their projected savings
and are not large enough to form stable groups. When this
occurs, employers find their actual savings are less than
anticipated. The SOCA/Hunter plan does not inflate projected
savings and is large enough to form stable groups in 9 of
the 10 industry groups.
Q. What
if I have not qualified for group rating in the past?
A.Your
eligibility for group rating may change from year to year,
meaning that even if you have not qualified in the past,
you could qualify for SOCA/Hunter.
Q. Am
I required to join a sponsoring organization to be in group
rating?
A. Yes.
You must become a member of one of the 87 SOCA chambers.
Their membership fees are considerably less than other sponsoring
organizations and each of the chambers have a variety of
other benefits to offer. See www.joinsoca.com
Q. What
if I am currently in another group rating plan?
A. You
may switch plans on an annual basis, so you can save more
money. Just complete an AC3
(temporary authorization) form, which you can obtain from
your local SOCA chamber. The enrollment period for group
rating ends in February. The group rating year begins in
July and continues through the end of June.
Q. How
much can I save?
A. You
could receive up to an 85% discount on your workers’ compensation
premiums with SOCA/Hunter.
Q. How
do I compare group rating plans?
A. In
return for submitting a completed AC3 form, you will receive
group rating enrollment information with savings projections
for the upcoming group rating year. We can assist you in
comparing service coverage and related costs.
Q. What
benefits do I get with my SOCA/Hunter Group Rating Program?
A. With
your SOCA membership, you can receive:
- Free
Safety Seminars twice a year
- $1,000
Defense Fund
- Low
cost health insurance programs including dental & vision
coverage
- Short
& Long term disability coverage
- Various
benefits offered by the individual SOCA chambers
In addition
to SOCA benefits, you have access to the following Hunter
services:
- Cost-effective
claims management by experienced professionals
- Representation
at hearings before the Industrial Commission of Ohio
- Workers’
compensation education through Hunter Consulting seminars
and newsletters
- Access
to unemployment compensation consultation and representation
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