That depends on the insurance company and your expected length of incapacity. There is no law requiring it, but some insurance companies will establish direct deposit when your injury is catastrophic or severe enough that you are expected to be out of work for many months or years. However, as a matter of practice, insurance companies do not like to establish direct deposit because it forces the adjuster to look at your file at least once a week when she has to authorize release of your income check.
Most insurance companies mail the checks . The post office sometimes loses or delays delivery of a check, in which case it would be difficult to hold your employer or the insurance company responsible. However, in workers’ compensation cases, Georgia has something commonly called the “mailbox rule.” If the check is mailed by the insurance company from within the State of Georgia, the envelope must be postmarked no later than the last day of the week period that is being paid. If the insurance company mails the check from outside of the State of Georgia, then the enveloped must be postmarked no later than 3 days before the last day of the week period that is being paid. If your check is late, it is important that you note the postmark in the envelope and keep it if the insurance company is not adhering to the mailbox rule. Insurance companies that make late payments are subject to a 15% penalty for the late payment.
If the treating doctor has placed you on a no-work status, the employer/insurer must issue the first weekly benefit check on or before the 21st day after they have knowledge of the work injury – which is normally the day that it happened. After that, the income benefits must be paid in weekly installments.