What is the Subsequent Injury Fund (SIF)?
The Subsequent Injury Fund was created on a state-by-state basis after World War II to encourage the hiring of injured veterans by providing lifetime income benefits (LIBs) to employees with pre-existing injuries. Today, the fund continues to help encourage employers to hire employees with pre-existing conditions, by reducing the liability employers face should the employee receive a new injury while at work that would entitle them to LIBS. The SIF has also expanded to include reimbursement of over paid, unrecoupable, workers’ compensation benefits under specific circumstances prescribed by statute.
Blaise Gerstenlauer serves as the SIF Administrator and is the primary contact.
SIF@tdi.texas.gov
512-804-4418 phone
512-804-4759 fax
How is the SIF funded?
The SIF is funded, by law, from death benefits that insurance carriers must pay on fatal workers’ compensation claims where there are no eligible beneficiaries.
Related information: Actuarial Analysis of the Texas Workers’ Compensation Subsequent Injury Fund
Lifetime income benefits
Texas Labor section 408.162 indicates (a) If a subsequent compensable injury, with the effects of a previous injury, results in a condition for which the injured employee is entitled to lifetime income benefits, the insurance carrier is liable for the payment of benefits for the subsequent injury only to the extent that the subsequent injury would have entitled the employee to benefits had the previous injury not existed. & (b) The Subsequent Injury Fund shall compensate the employee for the remainder of the lifetime income benefits to which the employee is entitled.
- How does an insurance carrier apply for lifetime income benefits for a covered IE from the Subsequent Injury Fund?
If you believe you have a claim that may be eligible to receive lifetime income benefits from the SIF, please contact the SIF at SIF@tdi.texas.gov.
What can the insurance carrier request reimbursement for?
The SIF reimburses the insurance carrier or self-insurer for all benefits paid to an injured employee that qualify. A carrier can be reimbursed for:
- pharmaceutical services
- over payment of benefits
- death benefits paid
- benefits paid to employees who are claiming multiple employment
I’m an insurance carrier and I want to:
Be reimbursed for benefits paid to an eligible employee.
- DWC Form-095, SIF Reimbursement Request Form - Overturned Order or Designated Doctor Opinion
- DWC Form-096, SIF Reimbursement Request Form – Refund of Death Benefits
- DWC Form-097, SIF Reimbursement Request Form – Multiple Employment
- DWC Form-098, SIF Reimbursement Request Form – Pharmaceutical
Electronic submission of requests for reimbursement to the SIF is encouraged. Completed forms can now be submitted through secure electronic file transfer or faxed to 512-804-4759.
Make a death benefit payment to the SIF.
Please contact the SIF at SIF@tdi.texas.gov to allow the SIF staff to calculate the amount owed before submitting payment.
Submitting information to the SIF
- How do I submit documentation electronically to the SIF?
You may submit documentation by FAX at (512) 804-4759 or set up an SFPT box by contacting eFiling-Help@tdi.texas.gov. Once an account is established you may go to Secure File Transfer Protocol (SFTP) Standards (texas.gov) to secure information about how to specifically submit documentation to the SFPT box.