DBA insurance icon.

Defense Base Act (DBA) Insurance

International Workers’ Compensation Coverage

What is DBA Insurance?

Defense Base Act insurance, or DBA insurance, is a law that requires insurance coverage for employees working on a US Government contract outside of the United States. Benefits workers can get from DBA include:

  • Disability compensation
  • Coverage for medical expenses
  • Death benefits
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Who is Covered Under
DBA Insurance?

The Defense Base Act insurance applies to any employee, regardless of nationality, who:

Is a subcontractor (Prime Contractor is responsible for ensuring that the subcontractor has required DBA insurance)

Works on public work contracts with any US government agency, including construction and service contracts in connection with national defense or with war outside the US

Works for the private sector on US military bases or overseas on lands or in territories used by the US for military purposes

Works on overseas contracts approved and funded by the US under the USAID Foreign Assistance Act

Works for American employers providing welfare or similar services outside of the United States for the Armed Forces

Get the Best Price for Your DBA Insurance

Clements works as an independent international broker and has access to all leading workers’ compensation insurers to find the best Defense Base Act policy for your organization.

Get Quotes from All the Top DBA Insurance Providers

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Defense Base Act Insurance Benefits

We will help you find, comprehensive DBA insurance coverage and support at the time of claims that includes:

Statutory workers’ comp benefits paid to employees, their dependents or medical providers in case of job-related fatalities or injuries

Benefits are paid regardless of employer’s responsibility for the injury

Employer’s liability coverage for suits arising from work-related injury or illness, including negligence claims

Types of DBA Coverage Provided

Defense Base Act insurance covers the following if workers on a government contract are killed or injured during their employment:

Medical: Any government contractor who gets injured on the job is entitled to medical treatment by a physician of their choice or as the injury requires.

Burial Benefits

Indemnity for Loss of Wages and Income: Whether you were severely injured or killed while on the job, you can recover a portion of your wages.

  • Disability Benefits: Compensation for total disability is 2/3rds of the employee’s average weekly earnings. In some cases, disability compensation can be paid out for life. Employees can get up to 2/3rds of their weekly earnings, up to a current maximum of $1,726.98 per week. Compensation is also available for partial loss of earnings.
  • Death Benefits: Allows surviving spouses and/or children to collect partial earnings from the deceased employee. In some cases, beneficiaries can receive payments for life under DBA permanent total disability and death benefits coverage. These payments can also be subject to annual cost of living adjustments. Half of an employee’s weekly earnings are payable to the surviving spouse or to one child. Some may be eligible for 2/3rds of a deceased spouse’s earnings if there are two or more surviving family members.

No Benefit: If a contractor is killed on the job and they don’t have qualifying dependents like a spouse or children, they do not qualify for death benefits.

Additional Coverage to Consider

Having comprehensive coverage offsite is crucial. DBA insurance only covers you on the job, but these policies can provide additional protection while you serve out your government contract:

General Liability: Covers employees liable for bodily injury or property damage. It also reimburses medical expenses for injured parties. It also covers lawsuits alleging property damage or injury due to a contractor’s services.

Travel Accident Coverage: Provides 24/7 coverage for your employees outside of their home country, even if they go on vacation. Coverage can include everything from disability insurance to emergency medical evacuations.

Kidnap/Ransom: Covers employees in the event they are kidnapped. It can also cover the cost of crisis negotiations, extortion, ransom and illegal detention.

Life: Pays out an employee’s spouse or other designated beneficiary if they die. Qualifying events can vary between contracts. Speak with a Clements advisor to get more details.

Health: Covers in-patient, out-patient and emergency expenses for incidents that occur off the job.

Examples of Employees Covered Under DBA

All employees working on a government contract, regardless of their profession, are required to have Defense Base Act insurance. A few examples of those include:
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Engineers

Consultants

Project Managers

Facilities Maintenance Services

Educational Institutions

IT Providers/Professionals

Logistics Professionals/Support Services

Media Personnel

Healthcare/Medical Professionals

Security Guards

DBA Quote Checklist

Before you start looking for a DBA quote, you’ll want to do the following:

Choose a qualified broker that has access to major carriers

Review the DBA application with your broker and provide supporting documents such as:

  • – Scope of work proposals
  • – Contract number/solicitation number
  • – Estimated payrolls

 

Give brokers these documents so they can present them to the insurance market

Have broker present quote options to you

Work with your broker to finalize the terms and choose your initial coverage carrier

Submit Your DBA Application

Complete this form to receive a DBA quote.
Request a DBA Quote

Defense Base Act Insurance FAQs

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We are Here to Help

Still have questions? Fill out the form below and get in contact with a Clements Business Insurance Advisor today.

From quote to claim, our licensed account executives can service all your commercial insurance needs.