WC news News

US Workers’ Comp Line Still Showing Strong Profits, Lower Claim Frequency

Net written premium in the U.S. workers’ compensation insurance market grew by just 1% from 2022 to 2023, a far smaller percentage than most other property/casualty lines. However, the workers’ compensation line remains the most profitable segment, with a combined …

Georgia Governor Signs First Responders’ PTSD Benefits Bill Into Law

Starting in January, Georgia’s first responders will be eligible for limited, supplemental benefits to help cover treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder, after Gov. Brian Kemp signed House Bill 451 into law. The law requires municipalities and other jurisdictions to provide …

NC News Chopper Crash Likely Caused by Shaky Inspections, Loose Parts, NTSB Finds

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Investigators found disconnected and missing hardware aboard a helicopter that crashed in 2022, killing the pilot and a North Carolina television station’s meteorologist, according to the National Transportation Safety Board. The NTSB’s final report on the …

Florida Saw Jump in Workers’ Comp Cost per Claim in 2022-23, WCRI Report Shows

Call it the effects of wage creep during the pandemic, along with a little bit of creep in the duration of benefits. Employers and insurers in Florida saw a 7% increase in total cost per workers’ compensation claim in 2022 …

Death of 4 Officers in Charlotte Shows Risks Police Face When Serving Warrants

(AP) Arrest warrants must be served to alleged criminals if society is going to function. But there is no guarantee of safety for police officers knocking on their doors. The grim risks came into stark relief Monday when four law …

16 Nabbed in Florida Sting Operation for Failing to Get Workers’ Comp Coverage

A sting operation in Manatee County, Florida, has led to the arrest of 16 men who were working without a contractor’s license and without securing workers’ compensation insurance on their employees. The sting was led by the Manatee Sheriff’s office …

BNSF Signs Anonymous Federal Safety Hotline for Workers

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — BNSF will become the second major freight railroad to allow some of its employees to report safety concerns anonymously through a federal system without fear of discipline. The Federal Railroad Administration announced Thursday that the railroad …

Price or Safety? Priorities Change for Small Businesses After a Workers Comp Claim

Previous workers’ compensation claims can present an opportunity for agents serving small-business clients. The Hanover’s “2024 Small Business Risk Report: A Focus on Workers’ Compensation,” which surveyed 300 small business owners, found that a workers’ compensation claim experience can influence …

Workers’ Comp Apportion Evals Must be Well-Reasoned, WV Supreme Court Says

West Virginia law, like statutes in a number of states, allows employers to try and apportion contributions to a worker’s injury, including how much a pre-existing condition may have played a role. The employer/insurer holds the burden of proof. In …

TN VW Employees Vote Overwhelmingly to Join United Auto Workers Union

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (AP) — Employees at a Volkswagen factory in Chattanooga, Tennessee, overwhelmingly voted to join the United Auto Workers union Friday in a historic first test of the UAW’s renewed effort to organize nonunion factories. The union wound up …