INDIVIDUALSMEDIAMEMBERS
 FACTS AND STATISTICS 
Workplace Safety/Workers Comp
WORKERS COMPENSATION INSURANCE

Workers compensation insurance provides for the cost of medical care and rehabilitation for injured workers. It also provides for lost wages and death benefits for the dependents of persons killed in work-related accidents. Workers compensation systems vary from state to state.

Workers compensation combined ratios are expressed in two ways. Calendar year results reflect claim payments and changes in reserves for accidents that happened in that year or earlier. Accident year results only include losses from a particular year and may present a better picture of the industry’s performance at a given point in time.
WORKERS COMPENSATION INSURANCE, 1999-2007




 

 

 

Combined ratio (1)       

Year

Net premiums written (2) ($000)

Annual percent change

Calendar year (3)

Annual point change

Accident year (3)

Annual point change
1999$23,090,325 -4.7%120.0NA1429 pts.
200026,185,92813.4114.9-5.1 pts.136-6
200127,123,2993.6117.32.4123-13
200230,612,12712.9108.7-8.6105-18
200332,919,3407.5108.90.296-9
200436,734,51411.6105.5-3.488-8
200539,724,5808.1100.5-5.085-3
200641,820,3585.393.8-6.784-1
200740,858,588-2.399.35.592 (4)8
(1) After dividends to policyholders. A drop in the combined ratio represents an improvement; an increase represents a deterioration.
(2)  After reinsurance transactions, excluding state funds.
(3) Calendar year data are from National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) Annual Statement Database, via Highline Data, LLC., calculated from unrounded data. Accident year data are from the National Council on Compensation Insurance (NCCI).
(4) Estimated by NCCI.

NA=Data not available.

Source: National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) Annual Statement Database, via Highline Data, LLC. Copyrighted information. No portion of this work may be copied or redistributed without the express written permission of Highline Data, LLC; National Council on Compensation Insurance.

TOP TEN OCCUPATIONS WITH THE LARGEST NUMBER OF INJURIES AND ILLNESSES, 2006 (1)

(000)


Rank

Occupation (1)

Number

Percent of total
1Laborers (nonconstruction)85.17.2%
2Truckdrivers, heavy 66.05.6
3Nursing aides, orderlies49.54.2
4Construction laborers40.53.4
5Retail salespersons33.22.8
6Janitors and cleaners28.32.4
7Carpenters28.02.4
8Truckdrivers, light26.82.3
9Maintenance and repair workers (general)21.61.8
10Stock clerks and order fillers20.91.8
 Total, 10 occupations399.933.8%
 All occupations1,183.5100.0%
(1) Nonfatal injuries and illnesses involving days off from work for private industries; excludes farms with fewer than 11 employees.

Source: U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics.

CAUSES OF WORKPLACE DEATHS

According to the U.S. Department of Labor, the most dangerous occupations in 2007 were fishing workers, with 111.8 deaths per 100,000 employees, followed by logging workers, aircraft pilots and flight engineers and iron and steel workers. The all-industry average was 3.7 deaths per 100,000 workers.
WORKPLACE DEATHS BY CAUSE, 2006-2007(1)




 

Fatalities   

 

2006

2007  

Cause

Number

Number

Percent of total
All transportation (includes vehicle crashes)2,4592,23441%
     Vehicle crashes1,3561,31124
Contact with objects and equipment99391617
Assaults and violence (includes homicides)78883915
     Homicides54061011
Falls82783515
Exposure to harmful substances or environments5474889
Fires and explosions2021513
Total workplace fatalities5,8405,488100%
(1) From intentional and unintentional sources.

Source: U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries.

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