Using Rate Bureau Calculations on WCRI’s Data – Whew!
Most Rate Bureau calculations make people daydream or roll their eyes back in their heads just before they start to drift off to sleep. I have concocted a few statistics using WCRI’s astute statistics and WorkCompCentral’s great data analysis.
Public Use License – JJ
WCRI (Workers Compensation Research Institute) published a plethora/cornucopia of data at their annual conference in Phoenix. Elaine Goodman from WorkCompCentral wrote an article on March 18, 2019.
The article had a few interesting numbers in it when Elaine extracted out the data.
I cannot link you to the article as it is behind a paywall. I think WorkCompCentral provides some of their articles gratis.
The WCRI data – OVERALL AVERAGE – was $42,000 per Workers Comp claim. Elaine’s article pointed out that 15% of the expenses were for benefit delivery.
The rule for Experience Modification Factors (E-Mods X-Mods) cuts out any expense beyond medical or indemnity payments. So let us use a little multiplication. $42,000 * .85 = $35,700.
$35,700 – on the average- would be included in most of the Mod calculations for each claim.
Primary and Excess Loss Rate Bureau Calculation
Most states have 15,000 as the Primary loss part of the claim. Some states have a higher primary loss figure.
So -the 15,000 Primary Loss part of the claims would be included in an average claim with $20,700 as the Excess Loss. Hang with me here.
- $15,000 Primary Loss – where your company’s Mod gets no discount
- $20,700 Excess Loss – the discounted part of the claim (in a way)
The Primary Loss goes directly into your E-Mod equation. The Excess Loss has a discount of .75, so 20,700 *.25 = $5,175.
In the average claim, the primary loss maximum is reached at $15,000. The average Primary + Excess Loss = $20,175.
The Rate Bureau calculations have such things as the ballast to make sure your company does not get hit with the full Mod increase.
Self Insureds Have No Calculation (Then again)
Self insured employers have no calculation as they are outside of the Rating Bureau calculation. Hold on, though as they still have to pay the whole $42,000. Paying $42,000 out per lost time claim could heavily affect the self insured employers budgeting process.
Bottom Line If Confused By Above Figures
The average claim whacks your Mod figures by hitting your company with a $15,000 full bore and then another $$5,175. If that does not cause you to think about increasing your safety efforts, nothing will. Trying to apply loss reduction strategies that we provide to clients after the fact can only do so much to help an employer, or even a self insured.
The best way to keep your company’s workers comp premiums at an acceptable level is to make sure that the accident never happens to your employee. If you take $0 in the formula, then everything is $0 regardless of the rate bureau calculations.
Washington State has shown that creating a community-based program that brings together medical providers, employers, and injured workers helps ensure timely, effective, and coordinated services for injured workers. Now efforts are underway by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP) to pilot this program in eight other states.
