There are three types of insurance that are mandatory for all workers (including migrant workers) in Taiwan: health insurance, labor insurance, and occupational accident insurance. In accordance with the Labor Occupational Insurance and Protection Act, workers who got injured or ill while performing their job are entitled to receive occupational accident insurance benefits.
Depending on the worker’s situation, he/she may receive medical benefits, illness benefits, disability benefits, and other types of assistance. Notably, occupational accident insurance is not the same as general labor insurance. It is paid solely by the employer, unlike general labor insurance, which is shouldered by both the employer and the employee.
Guide to Claiming Occupational Accident Insurance Benefits
Before we talk about how to claim occupational accident insurance, we should first define what occupational injury is. We will also be discussing the different types of benefits involved.
What is an Occupational Injury?
It is considered as an “occupational injury” when a worker:
- Gets involved in a traffic accident or other incidents when commuting to or from work;
- Get injured while performing his/her job responsibilities;
- Gets involved in an accident that happens during break time from work.
NOTE: When the accident is caused by the worker’s reckless driving or violation of traffic rules, it is not considered an occupational injury.
Types of Accident Insurance Benefits
According to the official website of the Ministry of Labor’s (MOL) Workforce Development Agency (WDA), here are the various types of benefits involved in occupational accident insurance cases:
- Medical Benefits. This covers the cost of medical treatment for an occupational accident or illness. It also covers part of the cost of board and meals during hospitalization periods up to 30 days.
- Injury or Illness Benefits. This is provided as a salary subsidy for employees who are unable to work because of an occupational accident or illness. They will be paid 100% of their average monthly salary for the first two months; afterwards, they will receive 70% of their average monthly salary for a maximum period of two years. This benefit may be issued as early as four days after the occurrence of an occupational injury.
- Disability Benefits. This is given to workers who have become temporarily or permanently disabled because of an occupational accident or illness.
- Death Benefits. Survivors of a worker who has passed away as a result of an occupational accident or illness can claim death benefits. This will be given over a period of five months, based on the average monthly insured salary of the deceased worker at the time of death. They can also claim survivor’s pension or a lump sump payment.
- Disappearance Benefits. If a worker has gone missing while working, or has disappeared as a result of an occupational accident, his/her family can claim 70% of his/her average monthly insured salary as a “missing” allowance. This benefit is given until: (a) one day before the worker is rescued; (b) one day before he/she has been missing for one year; or (c) one day before he/she is officially declared as deceased.
How to Apply for Accident Insurance Benefit
To apply for occupational accident insurance benefits due to an injury or illness, you’ll need to present the following documents to a health insurance-designated hospital:
- Hospitalization application or outpatient bill due to occupational injury or illness (medical documents);
- Health insurance card; and
- Alien Resident Certificate (ARC).
NOTE: If you need emergency treatment due to an occupational injury or illness, but are unable to obtain medical documents immediately — you can state your name, describe what happened, and reclaim your self-paid medical costs from the Bureau of Labor Insurance (BLI) at a later date.
Meanwhile, for questions and concerns about occupational accident insurance, you can contact the BLI by calling 02-2396-1266. If you need interpretation and translation services, call the 1955 Foreign Workers Hotline.
Free Health Check-up
Aside from occupational accident insurance, you may also be eligible for a free annual health check-up, with the cost fully shouldered by the BLI. You may qualify for this benefit if you meet these criteria:
- You work in an environment that involves one of 32 types of hazardous operations (e.g. high temperature, noise, dust, etc.);
- You have previously worked in one of 16 specific hazardous operations (e.g. ionizing radiation, formaldehyde, nickel, etc.); or
- You have had labor insurance for at least one year.
If a health concern is found during your free annual check-up, the BLI will ask you to seek a follow-up evaluation at the hospital. If it is confirmed that you have an occupational illness, you can apply for occupational injury insurance benefits.
Coverage for Live-in Foreign Workers
Live-in foreign workers such as caregivers and caretakers are also entitled to occupational accident insurance. This would be helpful in case they suffer from an accident while working.
Just like with other types of workers, the full cost of live-in foreign worker’s occupational accident insurance should be shouldered by their employers. If the employer charges them for this insurance, workers can contact the 1955 Hotline and file a complaint.
Occupational Accident Prevention App
Recently, the Center for Occupational Accident Prevention and Rehabilitation (COAPRE) has released the “Occupational Accident Prevention” mobile app, which provides timely to support to all workers. Using this mobile app, workers can:
- Get information about the latest occupational accident regulations;
- Access real-time location tracking for fast location of the nearest occupational accident-approved hospital or clinic;
- Easily contact various government services; and
- Apply for expert services for assistance in specific cases.
Notably, the app is available in multiple languages (i.e. Chinese, English, Indonesian, Thai, and Vietnamese) for easy communication. You can download the app from Google Play Store.
We never know when occupational accidents could happen, leading to injury or illness. Fortunately, thanks to the mandatory occupational accident insurance for workers, employees in Taiwan can rest assured that they can get the help they need in these situations.
If you need more information about occupational accident insurance and how to claim benefits, you can get in touch with the Direct Hiring Service Center (DHSC) by calling their toll-free hotline 0800-665800 or by contacting the 1955 Foreign Workers Hotline.
Likewise, check out this article to learn more about the Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA), which services as the legal basis for the country’s practices and regulations with regard to occupational safety.