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Workers Comp Claim Reserving – Follow It Closely

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Workers Comp Claim Reserving

Workers Comp Claim Reserving should be followed closely as part of your workers compensation premium reduction program.

One of the most mystifying areas of Workers Comp is in the area of reserving. I have written often on reserves, as believe it or not, they are just as mystifying to the claims adjusters and supervisors. I can guarantee that if you set down ten adjusters/supervisors in a room, give them the facts on a Workers Compensation file, you will receive a spectrum of reserve levels. Why?

Picture Of Files Claim Reserving On Table
StockUnlimited

One thing to point out early in this post is that setting reserves on any Workers Comp file is an art unto itself. I have seen software packages that will set the reserves for adjusters – SOME OF THEM WITHOUT AN OVERRIDE FUNCTION. You can add the software package to the spectrum of reserve levels in the room of claims adjusters and supervisors.

One caveat is that the expectation of accurate reserves at the start of a Workers Compensation file is not valid. The reserves that are placed on a file in the first 60 days are just not that accurate as the file has not had the time to mature and develop. Please note that in our file reviews we often see the reserves left unchanged throughout the life of the file after the 60 day initial reserve.
 
The other side of the coin is that if a company keeps reminding the adjuster to check the reserves on a file, the adjuster may analyze the file for an increase. Knowing which files to review with an adjuster and at what is the best time to review the reserves is crucial. As I have posted many times, your file reserves feed directly into your Experience Modification Factor (E-Mod).
I will not leave the self insureds out on this one. For budgeting purposes, your self-insured program should have Loss Development Factors (LDF’s) promulgated every year. If you do not, you are throwing away $$$. The reserves on your self insured Workers Comp files feed directly into the LDF just like the E-Mod. LDF’s can make or break a Risk Manager’s budgeting process.
Bottom Line – What is a Risk Manager or CFO or Company Owner or other person handling the Workers Comp to do about reserving? Check my post next time.
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James J Moore - Workers Comp Expert

Raleigh, NC, United States

About The Author...

James founded a Workers’ Compensation consulting firm, J&L Risk Management Consultants, Inc. in 1996. J&L’s mission is to reduce our clients’ Workers Compensation premiums by using time-tested techniques. J&L’s claims, premium, reserve and Experience Mod reviews have saved employers over $9.8 million in earned premiums over the last three years. J&L has saved numerous companies from bankruptcy proceedings as a result of insurance overpayments.

James has over 27 years of experience in insurance claims, audit, and underwriting, specializing in Workers’ Compensation. He has supervised, and managed the administration of Workers’ Compensation claims, and underwriting in over 45 states. His professional experience includes being the Director of Risk Management for the North Carolina School Boards Association. He created a very successful Workers’ Compensation Injury Rehabilitation Unit for school personnel.

James’s educational background, which centered on computer technology, culminated in earning a Masters of Business Administration (MBA); an Associate in Claims designation (AIC); and an Associate in Risk Management designation (ARM). He is a Chartered Financial Consultant (ChFC) and a licensed financial advisor. The NC Department of Insurance has certified him as an insurance instructor. He also possesses a Bachelors’ Degree in Actuarial Science.

LexisNexis has twice recognized his blog as one of the Top 25 Blogs on Workers’ Compensation. J&L has been listed in AM Best’s Preferred Providers Directory for Insurance Experts – Workers Compensation for over eight years. He recently won the prestigious Baucom Shine Lifetime Achievement Award for his volunteer contributions to the area of risk management and safety. James was recently named as an instructor for the prestigious Insurance Academy.

James is on the Board of Directors and Treasurer of the North Carolina Mid-State Safety Council. He has published two manuals on Workers’ Compensation and three different claims processing manuals. He has also written and has been quoted in numerous articles on reducing Workers’ Compensation costs for public and private employers. James publishes a weekly newsletter with 7,000 readers.

He currently possess press credentials and am invited to various national Workers Compensation conferences as a reporter.

James’s articles or interviews on Workers’ Compensation have appeared in the following publications or websites:

  • Risk and Insurance Management Society (RIMS)
  • Entrepreneur Magazine
  • Bloomberg Business News
  • WorkCompCentral.com
  • Claims Magazine
  • Risk & Insurance Magazine
  • Insurance Journal
  • Workers Compensation.com
  • LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook and other social media sites
  • Various trade publications

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