Disability Benefits Insurance Contract Bulletins

Addendum to DBIC-44 dated March 14, 2005

To:  Disability Benefits Carriers Writing NYDBL Coverage

Date:  October 18, 2013

In recent years, New York State statutory disability benefits policies that provide indemnity payments greater than the statutorily prescribed benefit have become commonplace. Most of these policies offer this enhanced indemnity benefit and no other variation. These policies are currently submitted to the Workers' Compensation Board's Plans Acceptance Unit using the paper Form DB-820/829 and accompanying Form DB-820.1, which describes the enhanced benefit. The Board's Bureau of Compliance processes these forms manually.

To further streamline proof of coverage (POC) submissions, the Board has determined that these disability benefits policies should now be submitted electronically. Carriers should submit these policies in the same manner that they currently submit electronic POC. The DB-820.1 is no longer required when the only change is increased indemnity payments.

Carriers may immediately start submitting electronically. However, carriers may also continue manual submission for the next six months while converting their computer systems. After April 1, 2014, the Board will no longer accept paper submissions of Form DB-820/829, except as noted below.

Paper Forms DB-820/829 and the DB-820.1 must continue to be manually submitted when the policy enrichment includes something other than increased indemnity payments such as increased duration of benefits or a waiting period that differs from the statutory seven days.

If you have any questions, please contact the Plans Acceptance Unit at PAU@wcb.ny.gov.