Member Benefits

Managing workers’ compensation can feel like navigating a maze of deadlines and invoices. The Ohio Farm Bureau, in partnership with Sedgwick, is committed to simplifying this process so you can focus on running your business. This guide provides an overview of the Farm Bureau Workers’ Comp service options and a clear roadmap that translates into real-world savings.

• Service options
• How program fees work
• How payments work
• How and when is eligibility made?
• The annual workers’ comp cycle

Service options

Group Rating: The Upfront Discount

Group Rating allows small and mid-sized businesses with a strong safety record to “pool” together to behave like one large corporation. By joining this group, your business qualifies for a massive upfront discount on your BWC premiums—up to the maximum allowable 53%. You save money before you even pay your first bill.

Group Retrospective Rating: The Performance Rebate

If a recent claim prevents you from qualifying for upfront discounts, Group Retro could be your path to savings. You pay your individual BWC premium throughout the year, but if the group keeps new claims and costs low, you receive a cash rebate (refund) from the BWC at the end of the year. It’s a “performance-based” way to earn money back while you work to improve your safety score. If the group experiences larger than anticipated claims, there is a potential for an assessment.

How Sedgwick serves members

As the Third Party Administrator (TPA), Sedgwick acts as the professional bridge between your business, Farm Bureau, and BWC. They provide the specialized labor to manage the program, including:

• Program Placement: Analyzing your data to put you in the highest-saving group possible.
• Claims Advocacy: Managing every aspect of a claim to get workers back to health and keep costs low.
• Hearing Representation: Representing your interests at the Industrial Commission so you don’t have to navigate the legal system alone.

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How program fees work

Participation in the Ohio Farm Bureau Workers’ Comp program involves two distinct costs: your Farm Bureau Membership Dues and a Sedgwick Enrollment Fee.

How are fees calculated?

• Performance-Based: Sedgwick’s enrollment fee is typically based on the size of your business and the complexity of your claims history.
• ROI Focus: Fees are structured to ensure the value of the program far outweighs the cost. On average, for every dollar spent on program fees, members save significantly more in BWC premium discounts
• Farm Bureau Membership Dues: Dues are applied annually at $120.
• No Savings, No Pressure: Your initial savings analysis is free. If the analysis shows you wouldn’t benefit from joining a group, there is no obligation to enroll or pay a fee.

The determination for group participation is a multistep process that aligns with the BWC’s annual policy cycle. Because group rating is an upfront discount for the upcoming year, eligibility is determined months before the new policy year begins.

How are they processed?

• Annual Enrollment: Your savings analysis includes all of the documents that are needed to join the program.
• Direct Invoicing: The enrollment fee is typically paid directly to Sedgwick (the program administrator), not BWC. This fee covers your claims management, hearing representation, and safety consultations for the entire policy year.
• Membership Verification: To qualify for these exclusive group rates, you must maintain an active Ohio Farm Bureau membership. Membership dues will be added to your Sedgwick invoice unless the member opts to pay dues separately.

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How payments work

Ohio uses a prospective billing system, meaning you pay for your coverage before or during the time you are protected.

1. Estimated Annual Premium (EAP): In May/June, BWC estimates your cost for the upcoming year.
2. Payment Options:
   1. Annual: Pay in full by early June to receive a 2% Early Payment Discount.
   2. Installments: Pay in monthly, bi-monthly, or quarterly installments as set by your BWC policy.
3. The Aug. 31 “True-Up”: This is the time that you report your actual payroll for the preceding policy year. If your farm/business grew and you paid more in wages than initially estimated, you pay the premium difference. If you paid too much premium initially, the BWC issues a credit to your account.

Two Separate Invoices

You will never receive a “combined” bill for workers’ comp. You will always deal with two distinct invoices:

• • • Invoice from Sedgwick (The “Service Fee”):
      • What it is: This is the “program fee” or “enrollment fee”. It pays for Sedgwick’s services (claims management, hearing representation, and safety consultations). It also includes Ohio Farm Bureau membership dues, unless managed separately.
      • Timing: This usually arrives in the late summer or fall (for private employers) when you are invited to join the group for the upcoming policy year.
    • Invoice from BWC (The “Premium”):
      • What it is: This is your actual insurance premium (the money that pays for worker injuries).
      • Timing: BWC sends “Prospective Billing” invoices in June for the policy year beginning July 1.
      • Payment: You pay this directly to Ohio BWC. This bill will reflect the discounted rate that Sedgwick secured for you.
        

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How and when is eligibility made

How: Eligibility isn’t a “yes/no” switch; it’s a data-driven calculation based on your Experience Modifier (EM).

• • 1. The AC-3 Snapshot: When you submit an AC-3 form (BWC Temporary Authorization form), you give Sedgwick permission to pull your “snapshot” from BWC.
    2. The Group “Fit”: Sedgwick manages multiple groups (pools). They compare your claims history to the requirements of each pool.
       1. The 53% Group: Reserved for businesses with near-perfect safety records and low EM scores.
       2. Tiered Groups: If you’ve had claim losses, you may be eligible for lower discounted groups, group retro, and/or other programs.
    3. BWC Compliance Check: Even if your safety record is perfect, you can be disqualified if you fail to keep your BWC policy in good standing. This includes:
       1. Being past due on any premiums or “True-Up” payments.
       2. Having 40 combined days of coverage lapses in the last 12 months.
    4. The Invitation: Once Sedgwick verifies you meet both the safety and administrative criteria, they send you an enrollment packet showing your projected savings.

When: For Ohio private employers, the core “evaluation season” occurs in the summer and fall. Sedgwick begins analyzing member data during a review period in June and July to prepare quotes for the next policy year.

• • • The Snapshot: BWC takes a “snapshot” of your claims history to help determine your experience modifier. For example, in the policy year starting July 1, 2027, BWC will typically look at your claims history from a specific four-year window (e.g., 2021–2024).
    • The Final Deadline: Sedgwick must file the group roster with the BWC by the third Monday in November for the upcoming policy year. Typically, Sedgwick will require that enrollment documents are received about one week in advance of the BWC deadline to file the roster.

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The annual workers’ comp cycle

This evergreen calendar identifies the core annual cycle for an Ohio private employer. It highlights the recurring deadlines for both the Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation (BWC) payment schedule and the Ohio Farm Bureau/Sedgwick group enrollment process.

Need immediate help?

If you have a specific question about a current claim or want to talk to a Sedgwick representative directly, call 800-825-6755, option 1.