Insurance payments in Azerbaijan will now be determined based on the degree of loss of professional working capacity rather than the assessment of disability status. This change is part of recent amendments to the Law "On Mandatory Insurance against Loss of Professional Working Capacity as a Result of Industrial Accidents and Occupational Diseases," signed by President Ilham Aliyev.
According to the Operative Information Center-OMM, the updated legislation clarifies that the degree of loss of professional working capacity is defined as the percentage of continuous loss of professional ability that the insured person possessed prior to the insurance event. This shift aims to standardize the evaluation criteria for insurance payouts, ensuring that one-time payments are directly linked to the degree of professional incapacity rather than solely relying on disability certification.
Under the new regulations, one-time insurance payments will be issued when the degree of loss of professional working capacity is determined without a specified re-examination period. The concept of loss of professional working capacity inherently encompasses the loss of bodily functions associated with disability assessments.
Furthermore, the amendments address the insurance coverage for volunteers. While previous versions of the law included volunteers in mandatory accident insurance, the mechanism for premium payments remained undefined. The new Article 14.2-1 establishes that for volunteers, insurance premiums must be paid within 15 working days from the date their contract enters into force. For students and pupils undergoing industrial training, this 15-day period commences from the start date of their internship.
These legislative updates reflect the ongoing efforts by the Azerbaijani government to modernize social protection mechanisms and ensure fair compensation for citizens involved in industrial accidents or occupational illnesses.
