374.270. 1. The department of insurance, financial institutions andprofessional registration may elect, under the provisions of section 287.030,RSMo, to come under the provisions of chapter 287, governing workers'compensation, and that law is extended to include all employees of thedepartment of insurance, financial institutions and professional registrationunder any contract of hire, express or implied, oral or written, or under anyappointment or election. The state of Missouri may be a self-insurer andassume all liability imposed by chapter 287, in respect to the department ofinsurance, financial institutions and professional registration employees,without insurance. The attorney general shall appear on behalf of and defendthe state in all actions, when the state is a self-insurer, brought byemployees of the department of insurance, financial institutions andprofessional registration referred to herein under the provisions of theworkers' compensation law.
2. The workers' compensation coverage may be provided by the purchase ofinsurance or by the deposit in the commissioner of administration's office ofa fund from which workers' compensation benefits to employees shall be paid.Purchase of the insurance or the deposit of a fund shall be made from generalappropriations.
3. The department of insurance, financial institutions and professionalregistration shall adopt rules classifying the employees mentioned herein whomay be eligible for compensation under this section, and its classificationshall be decisive as to whether or not an employee falls within the definitionof an employee eligible for workers' compensation coverage under this section.
4. The director of the department of insurance, financial institutionsand professional registration is authorized to perform such duties as may benecessary to carry out effectively the purposes of this section.
(L. 1967 p. 516)