Nica?
 

Any messengers on here ever put in a claim with NICA? I've heard a lot of the bad s--t about them, was hoping someone had a personal experience so I know what to look out for.

What is NICA

National Independent Contractors Association, it's the company that allows messenger companies to designate messengers as independent contractors, which is good for them tax wise. They provide some sort of insurance to messengers, but the details on it are really shady. I want to find out more about it, cause I need to go to the ER but instead I'm sitting around at home trying to get info on my coverage (or lack thereof).

What happened?

And maybe it's just me, but if you *need* to go the ER, it's pretty stupid to be delaying that to find out about your insurance coverage. Health and body first and foremost, money later.

They're very shady.

If you need to go to the ER, just go, worry about paying for it later. They can't turn you away for not having money or insurance.

I got doored - a cab passenger opened the door right up to the edge of a truck next to it. It was snowing today so the roads were all wet, so I skidded right into the door. I hit my leg - I'm hoping it's just a deep bruise but I want to check if it's broken at the ER.

I don't really have the luxury of going to the ER without finding out about my coverage first. You know a few x-rays and a checkup will cost like $800+ <----(rip-off). I'll pay a deductible but that much is too much for me to handle without insurance. Definitely too much if I want to keep buying bike stuff. Also my front wheel is messed up now so I'll have to get a new one. My body can wait for a little bit, especially if it's for my bike's well-being.

NICA has been pretty helpful so far, but I'd still like to know if any messengers have experience with them. The actual claim is with Gallagher Basset. Obviously I have to wait until y'all get off work... at least I got off early today and can watch the NCAA tournament.

Paraleisure - sorry to hear about that. Too much bad stuff going down in Chicago.
Do you really think it might be broken? I don't think there's too much of a "grey area" in terms of pain and movement between a break and a deep bruise, especially talking about the femur - that's supposed to be the most painful break (hardest bone to break). Or is it your fibula or tibia?
Good luck, sorry I know nothing about NICA.

It's not broken... I went to the hospital and got it checked out. Just a very deep bruise. Yeah, you're right Ryan - the nurse there said that that bone is the hardest to break in the body. It's the thigh - I'm not sure which bone that is. Looks like it will be less than my deductible so NICA probably won't even have to be involved.

Problem solved. Except I can't bike for a bit.

Thanks for the well-wishes, Ryan.

True, but it could have been worse! Mend fast Para (and who are riding for now?)!

i just saw this.
this fixie curse is gettin scary!!

there are tons of community health centers that will do things low cost. i work at one on the north side near california and peterson. while we dont do emergency care, we can get very low-cost xrays, scans, etc. our health center (and others) has a sliding fee scale, so you pay what you can afford.
please keep this in mind for future reference. while america's health care system is s***e, and there are getting to be more uninsured than insured people, everyone should know there is always an alternative no matter where you are, whether it is a community based health center or a university hospital.

/end lecture/

If you're paying NICA you should stop. Read carefully re: your coverage. Originally the coverage offered (to bike messengers via their agencies) specifically provides no coverage if injured while riding a bicycle. That didn't sit well and even the most manipulative agency owner couldn't defend it so it was changed to provide coverage while riding but only if wearing a reflective and orange safety vest. That didn't work for riders that use uniforms or those that don't. Visibility is one thing, but you still may want to look slick to make the big bucks whether uniformed or not. At this point the gentleman that discovered this info terminated all involvement with NICA but lost $1500 getting involved at all.

NICA is considered by likely 99.99% of the community to be a shell game devised, constructed and promoted by unscrupulous courier company owners and they often fool honest courier company owners/administrators.
It's thought of that way because that's exactly what it is. Exactly. It comes from only the very worst of intentions and takes advantage of those with good intentions.
For more first hand accounts like the one above that came to you courtesy of a friend and coworker of mine down in Texas just search the archives at http://www.dccourier.com/messengers/archives.htm

Also peruse the new site.
http://www.stopnica.org

If your agency tries to convince you to pay into or join NICA you should refuse and organize all of your compadres to do the same even if it means losing your job. If you work for a good and honest agency, recruit them to StopNICA as well. It's one thing when agency owners/administrators organize to exchange ideas and information to further the industy and their interests in it (MCAA and others), it's another thing entirely to create an organization to those same ends that knowingly proceeds by marginalizing and taking advantage of the worker.

Just for ships and wiggles I reviewed the specific insurance policy for bike messengers again to see if it had changed, it hasn't. Para if you use NICA and weren't wearing a vest and or headgear at the time they will not pay any claim whatsoever in the most helpful way. They will determine this by reviewing the police report of the accident, asking you....and asking the owner/administrator of the company you contract for.
Buyer beware and all that, but if your company doesn't make it clear what's required of you to be a part of the program and ropes you in anyway it is only to protect their interests in your IC status, they have no interest in your well being.

That is how NICA promotes itself to companies. "Use our service to protect yourself from paying Workers Comp, withholding taxes or providing benefits to your workers by calling them ICs, a claim we can help you substantiate with their participation in NICA while you can now or continue to treat them as employess with no rights or benefits. Just tell your workers to sign on the dotted line...or find new workers, dumber ones."

To be avoided, and if you work in the industry to be ready to warn others about them.

Yes- NICA is a total scam.
But Cook County Hospital has helped with many of my injuries for free. Always remember Cook County. Want to see my scars? Clavicle?

Up above the line here. I estimate that I pay a couple of grand per year for health insurance that would cover a triple bypass and or major reconstructive surgery.
This is not age determinate but income determinate. What would this cost on average below the line?

Out of another pocket through my employer, I have an income security insurance that gives 60% of salary for long term (rest of your life) insurance. I have known two people to get on this because their 'alcoholism' could not be cured.
Another story. Can you imagine sending an employee home with 60% of a $65,000 per year salary (not my salary) to spend on booze? Maybe it is cheaper in the long run.