High-risk activity insurance (SCTR) in Peru

SCTR, the Seguro Complementario de Trabajo de Riesgo, is a mandatory supplementary insurance for high-risk activities under Law 26790. It sits on top of ordinary health coverage through EsSalud (the public health insurance system funded by an employer contribution) and is one of the obligations foreign companies most often misjudge, either because their activity does not look dangerous from a group perspective or because they assume the global insurance program already covers it.

The business problem

The obligation applies to employers that carry out activities listed as high risk in the regulations implementing Law 26790, and it covers all their workers exposed to that risk. It also reaches companies that contract works or services with workers exposed to those activities. Whether a specific operation falls within the list is a question of classification, and the answer can change when the company opens a new site, starts a new line of business or brings contractors onto its premises.

SCTR has two parts: health coverage for occupational accidents and diseases, provided through EsSalud or an EPS (a private health provider), and pension coverage for disability and survivors, provided through the ONP (the public pension office) or a private insurer. A gap in either part becomes visible at the worst moment: after an accident, when the injured worker or the authorities ask who was covered. Our note on occupational health and safety obligations in Peru explains how SCTR fits within the wider safety system.

How we approach it

We begin with classification. We review the entity’s activities, sites and tasks against the regulatory list and identify which workers are exposed. Where the answer is not obvious, we explain the reasoning and the risk of each position so that the company can decide with full information.

We then compare the policies and certificates the entity holds with the workforce actually exposed. The most common gap we look for is contractors: companies often verify their own coverage but not that of the contractors whose personnel work on site. We draft contractual clauses requiring coverage, and a simple verification routine so that no contractor worker starts without evidence of it. The same logic appears in our note on what to check before hiring an outsourcing provider.

What the engagement includes, and its limits

The service covers the classification opinion, a review of existing coverage, contractor clauses and checklists, a map of mandatory insurance obligations for the regional risk team, and a protocol for evidencing coverage during an inspection.

We are not an insurance broker and do not place, price or recommend specific policies or insurers. We do not assess the technical risk of tasks; that is the work of safety professionals. Our role is the legal question of what must be covered and how the company proves it.

Coordination with the parent company, finance and payroll

Regional risk managers need to know how SCTR interacts with the group’s global program; we provide a short bilingual map of mandatory local coverage, including Vida Ley, the life insurance every employer must provide from the first day of employment. SCTR premiums are usually processed alongside payroll, so we confirm with the payroll provider that the list of covered workers matches the list of exposed workers, and we flag changes that require updating it. This service is usually coordinated with our occupational health and safety work, within the framework described in our guide to employment compliance in Peru.

Getting started

A first review requires a description of the entity’s activities and sites, current policies or certificates, and a list of contractors working on the premises.