Workers' compensation is a reliable source of state questions on the Georgia exam, and Georgia runs a fairly conventional, competitive system—unlike a few states that use a monopolistic state fund. This standalone guide explains the national "grand bargain" fundamentals, then focuses on Georgia: the competitive market, the State Board of Workers' Compensation that administers claims, who must be covered, and the categories of benefits an injured worker receives. Learn the structure and the regulator's name carefully.

The national fundamentals (quick version)

Across the country, workers' compensation rests on the "grand bargain" or exclusive remedy doctrine:

• Employees give up the right to sue their employer over a job-related injury.
• In exchange, employers provide guaranteed, no-fault benefits—medical care, lost wages, rehabilitation, and death benefits—regardless of fault.

Covered injuries are those arising out of and in the course of employment (AOE/COE), including sudden accidents and occupational diseases. A standard policy has Coverage A (statutory benefits, no dollar limit) and Coverage B (Employers Liability, with limits), and premium is based on payroll per $100 times a classification rate, adjusted by an experience modification factor. Georgia follows this model closely.

Georgia runs a competitive market

Georgia does not operate a monopolistic state fund. Instead, employers obtain workers' compensation coverage in a competitive market:

• Buy a policy from a private insurer licensed in Georgia, or
• If large and financially qualified, operate as an approved self-insurer (individually or through a group self-insurance fund).

Employers unable to find coverage in the voluntary market are generally served through an assigned-risk / residual market mechanism. The takeaway: Georgia coverage comes from private carriers and self-insurance, not a government monopoly.

Who must be covered

Georgia generally requires an employer with 3 or more employees to carry workers' compensation (counting both full- and part-time workers)—verify the current threshold, as it is a commonly tested figure. Certain categories (for example, some agricultural labor, domestic servants, and certain independent contractors) may be exempt or treated specially. When coverage applies, it provides the exclusive remedy shield: the injured employee's recovery is through the comp system rather than a lawsuit against the employer.

The State Board of Workers' Compensation

Georgia administers the system through the State Board of Workers' Compensation (SBWC)—a distinct agency, separate from the Office of Commissioner of Insurance:

• The SBWC administers and enforces the Georgia Workers' Compensation Act.
• It oversees claims handling, dispute resolution, hearings, and benefit delivery.
• It resolves disagreements between injured workers, employers, and insurers through its hearing and appeals process.

A classic trap is to attribute workers' comp administration to the insurance Commissioner. On the exam, the State Board of Workers' Compensation is the agency that runs comp claims; the Commissioner regulates the insurers.

Georgia benefits for injured workers

When coverage applies, an injured worker's benefits fall into recognizable categories. Georgia ties income (wage-replacement) benefits to a percentage of the worker's average weekly wage (AWW), subject to state maximum and minimum weekly amounts that the Board adjusts periodically:

• Medical benefits — reasonable and necessary treatment for the work injury (often delivered through a posted panel of physicians), generally with no dollar cap on appropriate care.
• Temporary Total Disability (TTD) — wage replacement (commonly about two-thirds of the AWW, capped at the state maximum) while the worker is entirely unable to work during recovery.
• Temporary Partial Disability (TPD) — partial wage replacement when the worker returns at reduced earnings.
• Permanent Partial Disability (PPD) — benefits paid by schedule for a permanent impairment once the worker reaches maximum medical improvement.
• Permanent Total Disability (PTD) — for catastrophic injuries leaving the worker permanently unable to earn.
• Death and burial benefits — payments to eligible dependents plus a burial allowance.

Because the weekly caps and the number of weeks for certain benefits change over time, focus on the benefit categories and the AWW-based structure rather than memorizing exact dollar figures. (Verify current TTD percentages, weekly maximums, and any duration limits.)

Key Georgia numbers to memorize

Common exam traps

• Georgia is a competitive market—there is no monopolistic state fund.
• The administering agency is the State Board of Workers' Compensation, not the Commissioner of Insurance.
• Coverage is commonly required at 3 or more employees—verify the threshold and don't assume "1 employee."
• Benefits are no-fault: the employee need not prove employer negligence, and fault generally doesn't bar recovery.
• Georgia uses TTD/TPD/PPD/PTD income-benefit labels—don't substitute another state's custom acronyms.
• Medical care is often steered through a posted panel of physicians; using a non-panel doctor improperly can affect benefits.

Quick recap

• Georgia runs a competitive workers' comp market served by private insurers and approved self-insurance—no monopolistic state fund.
• Coverage is commonly required once an employer has 3 or more employees (verify), and it provides the exclusive-remedy, no-fault grand bargain.
• The State Board of Workers' Compensation administers claims, hearings, and disputes—distinct from the insurance Commissioner.
• Benefits include medical (generally uncapped, panel-of-physicians), income benefits (TTD, TPD, PPD, PTD) based on average weekly wage, and death/burial benefits, with weekly caps the Board updates over time.