Benchmark report highlights

The latest industry benchmarking report compares the performance of various segments of the workers’ compensation insurance industry. Depending on the source, the segments include data from other state funds, as well as Oregon data for private carriers and the self-insured market.

Here are a few we think you'll be interested in.

Median days to disabling claim decision

Oregon law requires a decision on whether to accept or deny a claim within 60 days after knowledge of a claim. Accepted claims include an accidental injury arising out of and in the course of employment requiring medical services or resulting in disability. The days are calculated based on the employer knowledge date to the date of decision.

SAIF, self-insureds, and private carriers experienced minimal changes in 2015 compared to 2014.

Timeliness of first time-loss payment

Temporary disability benefits are considered timely if a payment is made within 14 days of the date of employer knowledge. All carriers and the self-insured market are required to meet the standard at least 90.0 percent of the time. Temporary disability benefits consist of temporary partial disability (TPD) and temporary total disability (TTD).

In 2015, SAIF and self-insureds exceeded 90 percent; the private carrier average did not.

Average time-loss days paid

The data are limited to accepted disabling claims reported by the most recent year of claim closure or claim disposition agreement (CDA). This may be different from the injury year or year of acceptance. The data excludes permanent total disability (PTD) and fatal indemnity. The time-loss days and dollars include estimates for claims with a CDA prior to closure. Indemnity costs incurred include temporary disability (TD), permanent partial disability (PPD), disputed claims settlement (DCS), CDA, and vocational assistance costs.

In 2015, SAIF’s average increased (by 6.7 percent), while the average for self-insureds and private carriers decreased.

Average indemnity claim costs

Indemnity claims are those where the injured worker is unable to immediately return to work. Indemnity claim costs are influenced, in part, by the state average weekly wage used for benefit rates and by the number of time-loss days paid at claims resolution.

Just as with the average time-loss days paid, the data are limited to accepted disabling claims reported by the most recent year of claim closure or claim disposition agreement.

In 2015, SAIF’s average cost increased slightly (by 1.2 percent), while the average cost for self-insureds and private carriers decreased.