§3750-3762

3750  Nothing in this division shall affect:

   (a) The organization of any mutual or other insurer.

   (b) Any existing contract for insurance.

  (c) The right of the employer to insure in mutual or other insurers, in whole or in part, against liability for the compensation provided by this division.

   (d) The right to provide by mutual or other insurance, or by

arrangement with his employees, or otherwise, for the payment to such employees, their families, dependents or representatives, of sick, accident, or death benefits, in addition to the compensation provided for by this division.

  (e) The right of the employer to waive the waiting period provided for herein by insurance coverage.

3751

   (a) No employer shall exact or receive from any employee any contribution, or make or take any deduction from the earnings of an employee, either directly or indirectly, to cover the whole or any part of the cost of compensation under this division. Violation of this subdivision is a misdemeanor.

    (b) If an employee has filed a claim form pursuant to Section

5401, a provider of medical services shall not, with actual knowledge that a claim is pending, collect money directly from the employee for services to cure or relieve the effects of the injury for which the claim form was filed, unless the medical provider has received written notice that liability for the injury has been rejected by the employer and the medical provider has provided a copy of this notice to the employee. Any medical provider who violates this subdivision shall be liable for three times the amount unlawfully collected, plus reasonable attorney's fees and costs.

3752  Liability for compensation shall not be reduced or affected by any insurance, contribution or other benefit whatsoever due to or received by the person entitled to such compensation, except as otherwise provided by this division.

3753  The person entitled to compensation may, irrespective of any insurance or other contract, except as otherwise provided in this division, recover such compensation directly from the employer. In addition thereto, he may enforce in his own name, in the manner provided by this division the liability of any insurer either by making the insurer a party to the original application or by filing a separate application for any portion of such compensation.

3754  Except as provided in paragraph (12) of subdivision (f) of

Section 1202.4 of the Penal Code, payment, in whole or in part, of compensation by either the employer or the insurer shall, to the extent thereof, be a bar to recovery against each of them of the amount so paid.

3755  If the employer is insured against liability for compensation, and if after the suffering of any injury the insurer causes to be served upon any compensation claimant a notice that it has assumed and agreed to pay any compensation to the claimant for which the employer is liable, such employer shall be relieved from liability for compensation to such claimant upon the filing of a copy of such notice with the appeals board. The insurer shall, without further notice, be substituted in place of the employer in any proceeding theretofore or thereafter instituted by such claimant to recover such compensation, and the employer shall be dismissed therefrom.Such proceedings shall not abate on account of such substitution but shall be continued against such insurer.

3756  If at the time of the suffering of a compensable injury, the employer is insured against liability for the full amount of

compensation payable, he may cause to be served upon the compensation claimant and upon the insurer a notice that the insurer has agreed to pay any compensation for which the employer is liable. The employer may also file a copy of such notice with the appeals board.

3757  If it thereafter appears to the satisfaction of the appeals board that the insurer has assumed the liability for compensation, the employer shall thereupon be relieved from liability for compensation to the claimant. The insurer shall, after notice, be substituted in place of the employer in any proceeding instituted by the claimant to recover compensation, and the employer shall be dismissed therefrom.

3758  A proceeding to obtain compensation shall not abate on

account of substitution of the insurer in place of the employer and on account of the dismissal of the employer, but shall be continued against such insurer.

3759  The appeals board may enter its order relieving the employer from liability where it appears from the pleadings, stipulations, or proof that an insurer joined as party to the proceeding is liable for the full compensation for which the employer in such proceeding is liable.

3760  Every employer who is insured against any liability imposed by this division shall file with the insurer a complete report of every injury to each employee as specified in Section 6409.1. If not so filed, the insurer may petition the appeals board for an order, or the appeals board may of its own motion issue an order, directing the employer to submit a report of the injury within five days after service of the order. Failure of the employer to comply with the appeals board's order may be punished by the appeals board as a contempt.

3761(a) An insurer securing an employer's liability under this

division shall notify the employer, within 15 days, of each claim for indemnity filed against the employer directly with the insurer if the employer has not timely provided to the insurer a report of occupational injury or occupational illness pursuant to Section 6409.1. The insurer shall furnish an employer who has not filed this report with an opportunity to provide to the insurer, prior to the expiration of the 90-day period specified in Section 5402, all relevant information available to the employer concerning the claim.

    (b) An employer shall promptly notify its insurer in writing at any time during the pendency of a claim when the employer has actual knowledge of any facts which would tend to disprove any aspect of the employee's claim. When an employer notifies its insurer in writing that, in the employer's opinion, no compensation is payable to an employee, at the employer's written request, to the appeals board, the appeals board may approve a compromise and release agreement, or stipulation, that provides compensation to the employee only where there is proof of service upon the employer by the insurer, to the employer's last known address, not less than 15 days prior to the appeals board action, of notice of the time and place of the hearing at which the compromise and release agreement or stipulation is to be approved. The insurer shall file proof of this service with the

appeals board.Failure by the insurer to provide the required notice shall not prohibit the board from approving a compromise and release agreement, or stipulation; however, the board shall order the insurer to pay reasonable expenses as provided in Section 5813.

   (c) In establishing a reserve pursuant to a claim that affects

premiums against an employer, an insurer shall provide the employer, upon request, a written report of the reserve amount established. The written report shall include, at a minimum, the following:

  (1) Estimated medical-legal costs.

  (2) Estimated vocational rehabilitation costs, if any.

  (3) Itemization of all other estimated expenses to be paid from the reserve.

   (d) When an employer properly provides notification to its insurer pursuant to subdivision (b), and the appeals board thereafter determines that no compensation is payable under this division, the insurer shall reimburse the employer for any premium paid solely due to the inclusion of the successfully challenged payments in the calculation of the employer's experience modification. The employee shall not be required to refund the challenged payment.

3762 (a) Except as provided in subdivisions (b) and (c), the

insurer shall discuss all elements of the claim file that affect the employer's premium with the employer, and shall supply copies of the documents that affect the premium at the employer's expense during reasonable business hours.

    (b) The right provided by this section shall not extend to any document that the insurer is prohibited from disclosing to the employer under the attorney-client privilege, any other applicable privilege, or statutory prohibition upon disclosure, or under Section 1877.4 of the Insurance Code.

     (c) An insurer, third-party administrator retained by a

self-insured employer pursuant to Section 3702.1 to administer the employer's workers' compensation claims, and those employees and agents specified by a self-insured employer to administer the

employer's workers' compensation claims, are prohibited from

disclosing or causing to be disclosed to an employer, any medical

information, as defined in Section 56.05 of the Civil Code, about an employee who has filed a workers' compensation claim, except as follows:

  (1) Medical information limited to the diagnosis of the mental or physical condition for which workers' compensation is claimed and thetreatment provided for this condition.

  (2) Medical information regarding the injury for which workers'

compensation is claimed that is necessary for the employer to have in order for the employer to modify the employee's work duties.