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COVID-19 RESOURCE CENTER

PMA Companies' Response to COVID-19

PMA Companies has taken the steps necessary to ensure the safety of our employees and provide seamless service to our clients, brokers, and business partners. All of our employees have transitioned to remote work and are operating at full capacity.

Mid-Year Update from John Santulli, PMA Companies President & CEO

COVID-19 Response Letter from John Santulli, PMA Companies President & CEO

We understand that the COVID-19 situation raises questions and concerns. Below is important information which you may find helpful. As always, please contact your PMA Representative if you need further assistance.

We are ready to work through this together.


Information Regarding Our Essential Services

We will continue to provide you with the exceptional service, underwriting expertise, and industry knowledge you have come to expect. Please direct any questions to your local PMA Companies contact.

Billing

PMA Companies is here to assist with questions and concerns that you may have regarding billing matters. We understand that many businesses will be financially affected as a result of COVID-19 and are committed to working through this period by discussing individual needs as they arise. Please contact your Underwriter, Account Executive, or Accounts Receivable Representative for assistance.

Risk Control Services

During this unprecedented time, employers are finding it challenging, yet imperative, to demonstrate their commitment to the continued health, safety, and well-being of their employees.

PMA Companies’ Risk Control Services team is ready to help our clients, brokers, and business partners with a full range of services, including work-at-home safety, personal protection, and employee wellness. And because of our training and technology, our services can be effectively delivered virtually.

For additional information and available resources, please contact your Risk Control Consultant or email us at: heretohelp@pmagroup.com.

Claims

PMA Companies has taken extensive measures to ensure there is no change in the way our clams professionals engage with injured workers, clients, and business partners. 

View PMA's Claims Service Response Plan

We continue to offer telephonic, fax, email, and online reporting capabilities to customers and business partners without interruption. For additional information regarding our claims capabilities and reporting options, view the "Report a Claim" section on our Contact page. 

Customer Service Center

Our Customer Service Center (CSC) representatives are available 24/7 to assist our clients and address their individual needs and concerns.

Learn More About PMA's CSC

Claims FAQs

What Steps Have You Taken to Limit Employee Exposure During the Pandemic?

PMA Companies is paying very close attention to the conditions in all of our operating territories as well as statements by public officials. We have implemented the following measures:

  • Enabled and transitioned nearly all employees to a work from home environment.
  • Increased the capacity of our core business applications to support remote work for a sustained period of time.
  • Temporarily substituting conference calls for face-to-face meetings unless physical presence is essential and approved by executive leadership, and as recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and the World Health Organization.
  • Performing frequent deep cleaning of our offices and reminding the limited number of employees who remain in the office to practice social distancing and frequent hand washing.
  • Instituted consistent and proactive communication with all employees to ensure there is no disruption in the fulfillment of our business commitments.
How Are You Communicating With Customers, Brokers, Injured Workers and Claimants?

PMA Companies has equipped our staff with the necessary technology to fully function remotely, including telephonic capabilities to ensure the execution of our business operations without interruption. Our Claims, Managed Care and Customer Service employees can be reached via their regular office lines or mobile phones during this time, and all client-facing staff remains available and ready to assist with any questions or concerns that may arise.

John Santulli, President & CEO of PMA Companies issued a statement to all our clients and broker partners on March 17, which provided an update regarding our efforts. We will continue to provide applicable and relevant updates as this situation develops.

What Are Your Technological Capabilities Related to Key Claims Functions?

PMA Companies has provided Claims employees with the ability to work from home during this time, including the necessary technology, equipment and access to core business systems. Our Information Systems Department has worked diligently to support members of our staff and ensure sufficient system capacity and bandwidth. Employees will maintain their regular business hours during this time. Claims staff will continue to utilize our Claims systems to intake, process, and adjudicate claims without interruption. These capabilities include indemnity and medical benefit payments and check issuance, compensability determinations, managed care services and all other activity which normally occurs during the claims adjudication process.

PMA Companies established deliberate redundancies around our key business functions to ensure continuity of service in the event of increased exposure or absenteeism in any specific local areas.

We are offering additional solutions to injured workers, including direct deposit and telemedicine, where appropriate.

PMA Companies has extensive quality assurance, production management, and reporting capabilities for our supervisors, managers, and leadership to ensure productivity and adherence to the commitments we have made to our customers and partners.

Should I Expect Any Changes in My Ability to View or Access PMA Cinch, the Risk Management Information System (RMIS), or Associated Data?

As a part of our commitment to our clients, brokers, and business partners, PMA Companies has ensured that PMA Cinch, our Risk Management Information System (RMIS), continues to function and remains supported by our dedicated teams within the Information Systems Department. Should you experience any challenges with accessing PMA Cinch, please contact your PMA Client Service Manager or call 1-888-476-2669.

Are There Any Changes to the Claim Intake or Claim Reporting Process?

PMA Companies has taken extensive measures to ensure there is no change in the way we conduct business. This includes our claim intake and reporting capabilities. We continue to offer telephonic, fax and online reporting capabilities to customers and partners without interruption. For clients which have elected to use it, our PMA Care24 Nurse Triage service will continue under normal protocols.

What Additional Tools and Services are Available to Me During this Time?

For those customers that utilize PMA Care24 Nurse Triage, we have enhanced our protocols to include COVID-19 clinical guidelines and implemented special review procedure to identify suspected cases. Notice is provided to our claims teams upon identification, so that further action can be taken.

PMA Companies is offering certain telehealth services where permitted by law. These services can provide technology-enabled health care delivery for occupational office visits and physical therapy appointments. Telehealth solutions can help ensure continuity of care for your employees during this time. Please contact your PMA Client Service Manager if you have questions.

PMA Resources

Claims Service Response Plan

Below you will find our Claims Services Response Plan related to the COVID-19 pandemic. It includes detailed answers to the questions that you may have regarding our critical business operations and the steps we have taken to ensure that our claims service commitments are fulfilled.

"PMA Perspectives" – Conversations About COVID-19

State-Specific COVID-19 Resources

Colorado

PMA Companies (Pennsylvania Manufacturers' Association Insurance Company, Manufacturers Alliance Insurance Company, and Pennsylvania Manufacturers Indemnity Company) want all their business property and casualty policyholders in Colorado to have payment flexibility to maintain coverage during the disruption caused by the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak. Until further notice, upon request by a Colorado policyholder, PMA Companies will extend premium grace periods for 60 days, suspend any cancellation stemming from non-payment of premium, and defer non-renewals. No late payment fees will be charged. In situations where policies would expire absent these accommodations, PMA Companies will provide a continuation of coverage.

To minimize interpersonal contact and ensure prompt receipt of your premium, we encourage you to utilize available electronic payment options. While we want to work with policyholders to provide some relief with respect to payment timing and coverage availability, PMA Companies is not waiving the premium owed for the risks insured.

Should you need an accommodation, contact your broker or PMA Companies directly at at customer_service@pmagroup.com or 888-476-2669.

New Jersey

New Jersey Workers’ Compensation Presumptions for Essential Workers Regarding COVID-19

New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy signed Senate Bill 2380 into law on September 14, 2020. The law amends the New Jersey Workers’ Compensation Act to establish a rebuttable presumption that contracting COVID-19 by an essential employee is work-related.

The law takes effect immediately and is retroactive to March 9, 2020, when the Governor first declared the public health emergency by Executive Order.

Below is a summary of the new law.

In general, the law creates a "rebuttable presumption" that if an "essential employee" contracts COVID-19 while working at a place of employment other than the individual's own residence, the contraction of the disease is considered work related.

An employer can rebut the presumption by a "preponderance of the evidence showing that the worker was not exposed to the disease while working in the place of employment..."

A preponderance of the evidence is more than 50% or, more specifically, under the preponderance standard, a litigant "must establish that a desired inference is more probable than not."

An "essential employee" is defined as a:

  • public safety worker or first responder;
  • an individual involved in providing medical and other healthcare services including services provided in health care facilities, residential facilities, or homes;
  • an individual who performs functions which involve physical proximity to members of the public and are essential to the public's health, safety and welfare including preparation, storage, sale and distribution of essential goods such as food and fuel; or
  • anyone "deemed an essential employee by the public authority declaring the state of emergency."

A health care facility is defined as including an intermediate care facility, rehabilitation facility, residential treatment facility, skilled nursing facility and adult day care center.

The presumption does not require a positive test or even diagnosis ("an individual contracts coronavirus disease..."). However, an injured worker will still have the burden of proving his/her claim through competent medical evidence.

The presumption may be rebutted by evidence showing that the worker was not exposed to COVID while working in a place of employment other than the individual's own residence.

Any claims paid based on the presumption "shall not be considered in calculating an employer's Experience Modification Factor."

PMA believes it is important for employers to be aware of changes to the Workers’ Compensation Act. These changes outlined above heighten the significance of employer evidence in the investigation and adjustment of workers’ compensation claims involving COVID-19.

PMA will continue to work collaboratively with our brokers and clients to ensure the effective management of their workers’ compensation program. If you have questions, please reach out to a member of your PMA service team.

Questions or Inquiries? PMA is Here to Help.