Should Companies Provide Extra Health Insurance Cover or Benefit Limits for Workplace Injuries?
At One World Cover, we are regularly asked thoughtful questions by our clients or prospective clients – and sometimes those questions prompt new ideas and better solutions.
Recently, a member of the senior leadership team from an international school in Singapore asked us:
“If our group health insurance plan caps the number of physiotherapy sessions, what happens if a staff member needs more sessions because of a workplace injury? Shouldn’t they be fully covered?”
It’s a great question, and it got us thinking more deeply about how international schools and companies can best protect both their staff and their budgets in these situations.
How Workplace Injuries Are Typically Handled
Most group health insurance plans include a fixed cap on physiotherapy sessions — for example, 20 sessions per policy year. This cap generally applies regardless of how the injury occurred.
However, if an injury arises in the course of employment (for example, during a school/company-sponsored event, while supervising students, or even just on school/company grounds), companies may have an additional obligation to support that staff member’s medical needs beyond the group plan limits.
In many countries, workplace injuries are typically handled through a separate workers’ compensation insurance policy or employer liability insurance.
But this isn’t always a perfect fit, especially for companies operating across different legal systems and jurisdictions.
A Smarter Solution: Quietly Expanding Coverage for Workplace Injuries
Our recommendation?
Companies could negotiate a higher cap – or no cap – for physiotherapy sessions in cases of workplace injury, without needing to change the standard benefits staff see in their member materials.
Here’s how it would work:
- The standard member-facing table of benefits would continue to show the usual physiotherapy session limit.
- Behind the scenes, the insurance contract would include a special provision for work-related injuries, allowing extended treatment if needed.
- The company would liaise directly with the insurer on a case-by-case basis to confirm workplace injuries and unlock the additional coverage.
This approach offers a tidy and practical solution:
- It protects staff who genuinely need extra rehabilitation after a workplace incident.
- It protects the company from potential out-of-pocket costs.
- It avoids creating an expectation among staff that unlimited physiotherapy is available for all situations.
- It minimizes the risk of premium increases, since the insurer is only exposed to limited, verified cases.
Why This Matters
Musculoskeletal injuries – including back pain, joint issues, and mobility problems – are among the most common causes of sick leave and healthcare claims globally. International schools, where staff are often physically active in their daily work, are no exception.
Being able to support injured staff members properly helps:
- Speed up recovery and return to work
- Strengthen your school’s duty of care to staff
- Reduce the risk of reputational and legal challenges
- Maintain high morale and staff satisfaction
And with a carefully structured agreement with your insurer, companies can achieve all of this without blowing out costs or complicating their core health insurance plan.
Supporting Staff Wellbeing While Managing Risk
At One World Cover, we help companies design smarter, more sustainable health insurance strategies.
Small enhancements like protecting against unexpected workplace injuries can make a meaningful difference – both in terms of staff wellbeing and in long-term financial outcomes.
If you would like to explore options for enhancing your health insurance coverage without adding unnecessary complexity or cost, we would be happy to assist.
Please feel free to reach out to our team to continue the conversation.
To learn more please get in touch: [email protected] or click here to contact us.
