Alaska workers' compensation insurance: Your ultimate resource

Who is covered?

Policies include protection for full, part-time and temporary workers.

Exemptions from workers’ comp in Alaska may include, for example:

• Non-commercial cleaning persons
• Sports officials for amateur events
• Contract entertainers
• Commercial fishers 
• Taxicab drivers under specific contractual arrangements
• Transportation network company drivers

Covered injuries and illnesses

Workers' compensation covers a range of work-related injuries and illnesses, including physical injuries resulting from an accident and occupational diseases that may develop over time due to job conditions. 

Benefits provided

Alaska workers’ comp insurance provides three types of benefits for work injuries:

• Medical benefits
• Lost wages 
• Death benefits

These benefits include:

• Medical treatment for work-related accidents, injuries and/or illnesses 
• Temporary disability benefits 
• Permanent disability benefits
• Benefits for funeral expenses and surviving dependents

Alaska workers’ compensation rates

The weekly compensation rate in Alaska is 80% of the employee’s spendable weekly wage, which is gross weekly earnings minus payroll deductions. This amount is not to exceed or fall below a maximum and minimum rate determined by the state. In Alaska, sole proprietors and partners are excluded by default. However, corporate executive officers and LLC members are considered employees by default and must be covered, counting toward the one-employee threshold. The exemption: Alaska law allows executive officers and LLC members to exempt themselves from coverage only if they apply for and receive an official Executive Officer Exemption from the Alaska Workers' Compensation Board.

Find more information on Alaska workers’ compensation benefit rates.

Filing a workers' compensation claim

In the event of a work-related injury or illness: 

Step 1: Employee reports injury to employer 

Employees in Alaska should report their injury to their employer immediately but no later than 30 days from the accident.

Step 2: Seek medical care

The employee should immediately seek medical attention. 

Step 3: Employer reports injury

Once notified of the injury, employers should file a report of the accident within 10 days to their workers' compensation insurance partner. The report must also be filed with the state Board (not just the insurance partner) within 10 days, and failure to do so can result in civil penalties.

Step 4: Receive benefits

If the workers’ compensation claim is accepted, an injured employee may begin to receive workers’ compensation benefits, such as lost wages and medical benefits.

Step 5: Return to work

Following their recovery, a worker is expected to resume work safely. If a work injury has left an injured employee unable to do any type of work, the employee might be entitled to permanent disability benefits.

Choosing a healthcare provider 

In Alaska, the injured worker can choose their treating doctor. They may change their treating doctor once but must notify the workers’ compensation partner. If they want to change doctors twice, the injured worker must obtain the workers' compensation partner's written approval. Changing doctors more than once without approval may result in the injured worker being responsible for the medical bills. 

Payment of medical bills

The employer’s workers’ compensation partner has 30 days to pay a medical bill once it receives a medical report and the accompanying bill.

Compensation for missed work

If an employee is off work:

• Less than three days: They are not eligible for temporary total disability payments. 
• More than three but less than 28 days: They are eligible for lost time benefits beginning on the fourth day. 
• More than 28 days: They are eligible for benefits retroactive to the first day they stopped work.   

Resolving disputes

If an employee or employer wishes to dispute a claim, they can contact the Workers' Compensation Adjudications Section for mediation services. Mediation is an informal process where an unbiased third party facilitates a discussion to come to an agreement between the two parties.