workers’ compensation News

Colorado Issues Workers’ Comp Audit Guidelines

The Colorado Division of Insurance this week issued a bulletin directed at insurers that conduct workers’ compensation audits. Bulletin B-5.30 provides guidelines for insurers regarding the fees they charge when an employer fails to participate or cooperate in a workers’ …

Alabama City Reaches Settlement with Injured Off-Duty Cop

A workers’ compensation case between an off-duty police officer and the city of Montgomery, Alabama has been dismissed after the officer agreed to receive full retirement benefits in lieu of workers’ compensation benefits. Corporal David Brown filed suit against the …

Audit Criticizes Administration of Defense Base Insurance Program

A recent governmental audit of the workers’ compensation insurance program for U.S. government contractors working on Afghanistan reconstruction is highly critical of the program’s administration by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The Office of Special Inspector General for Afghanistan …

Texas Mutual Distributes $155M in Policyholder Dividends

Texas Mutual Insurance Co. announced it is distributing to policyholders $155 million in workers’ compensation dividends. Texas Mutual estimates that about 77 percent of its policyholders will earn a dividend based largely on their premium sizes, workplace safety records and …

Study: Workers’ Comp Drug Costs Higher in Texas, Louisiana

A new study indicates that Louisiana had the highest workers’ compensation prescription costs among the 17 states studied and that Texas also was among the states with the highest cost of prescription drugs per workers’ compensation claim. The study published …

BrickStreet Bids to Keep West Virginia Workers’ Comp Accounts

BrickStreet Mutual Insurance Co. has decided it wants to continue providing workers’ compensation insurance to state agencies. BrickStreet had said earlier this year that it wasn’t interested in continuing the coverage. The state then began seeking bids from other insurers. …

Oregon Class held on Workers’ Comp for Harbor Workers

The Chartered Property Casualty Underwriters Society Oregon Chapter in partnership with SAIF Corporation is hosting a Four Hour Continuing Class on United States Long Shore and Harbor Workers Compensation, on July 27, 2011, at the SAIF headquarters building, 1500 SW …

Illinois Governor Appoints 12 to Workers’ Comp Advisory Board

Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn has appointed 12 new members to the state’s Workers’ Compensation Advisory Board as part of the implementation of recently passed workers’ compensation reform legislation. The Advisory Board will make recommendations on the appointment of arbitrators, among …

Ohio Workers’ Comp Administrator Cites Successes, Areas for Improvement

In an overview of his first six months on the job, Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation Administrator/CEO Stephen Buehrer said he has identified three primary areas improvement: reducing medical and indemnity costs that are outpacing national averages; reducing recent increases …

New York Workers’ Compensation Cost Hike Approved

New York regulators have approved an average 9.1 percent hike in loss costs used by insurers, which is less than the 10.4 percent increase sought by the industry. The New York State Insurance Department approved the increase to be effective …