WCIRB Quarterly Experience Report As of September 3, 218 Enter Report
P. 2 Table of Contents 1. Written Premium 2. Industry Average Charged Rates 3. Ultimate Accident Year Loss Ratios 4. Projected Accident Year Combined Ratios 5. Percent of Open Indemnity Claims Closed in Next Year 6. Change in Indemnity Claim Frequency 7. Cumulative Trauma Claims per 1 Indemnity Claims 8. Ultimate Total Loss & ALAE Severities 12. Ultimate Medical Cost Containment (MCCP) Severities 13. Change in Medical Service Cost Levels 14. Change in Pharmaceutical Cost Levels 15. Number of Liens Filed 16. Ratios of Paid ALAE to Paid Losses 17. Projected Ultimate Losses Less Reported Losses General Notes More Info 9. Ultimate Indemnity Severities 1. Ultimate Medical Severities 11. Ultimate ALAE (excl. MCCP) Severities
P. 3 Chart 1 Written premium for 217 is 2% below that for 216. The decrease in 217 following 7 consecutive years of increases is primarily driven by decreases in insurer charged rates more than offsetting increases in employer payroll. Written premium for the first nine months of 218 is 3% below the same period for 217. Written Premium Gross of Deductible Credits As of September 3, 218 $ Billions 25 23.5 21.4 21.3 2 17.6 18.1 17.7 16.4 16.5 15.6 14.8 15 13. 13.1 12. 12.5 1.6 1.8 9.8 1 8.8 7.1 6.4 5.7 5 95 97 99 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 1 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 Calendar Year 9 Months
1996 1997 1998 1999 2 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 21 211 212 213 214 215 216 217 218 P. 4 Chart 2 Average charged rates for the first nine months of 218 are 1% below those for 217 and 23% below the peak in 214. The January 1, 219 approved advisory pure premium rates are on average 42% below those for January 1, 2.82 215. 2.57 2.39 2.33 2.35 Industry Average Charged Rates As of September 3, 218 Rate per $1 Payroll 8. 6. 4. 2. 3.47 4.66 6.2 5.73 4.74 3.24 2.9 2.97 2.96 2.8 2.52 2.15 2.1 2.25 2.32 2.5 2.53 2.28. Policy Year
P. 5 Chart 3 The projected loss ratio for 217 is 2 points above that for 216, driven by higher medical severities for 217 and lower premium rates. Despite the increase in 217, projections for other years are below those projected in prior quarters as a result of favorable loss development continuing to emerge. Ultimate Accident Year Loss Ratios As of September 3, 218 % 2 15 113 13 1 13 94 5 Loss Ratio (Incl. MCCP through 21) Loss & ALAE (Incl. MCCP) Ratio 158 148 142 128 144 123 134 128 117 11 95 84 62 54 41 38 35 33 11 99 93 86 83 68 88 69 86 63 61 59 61 75 76 48 67 59 56 51 49 47 49 42 95 96 97 98 99 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 1 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 Accident Year
P. 6 Chart 4 The projected combined ratio for 217 is 4 points higher than 216 as premium levels have lowered while average claim severities increased moderately. Despite the recent increase, combined ratios for 214 to 217 remain the lowest since the 24 through 26 period. Projected Accident Year Combined Ratios As of September 3, 218 % 2 183 191 171 16 149 15 144 134 13 128 118 121 111 17 1 9 93 83 86 84 83 68 59 56 5 87 95 96 97 98 99 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 1 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 Accident Year
P. 7 Chart 5 Indemnity claims continue to settle quicker, improving significantly over the last 6 years. The ratio for 218 represents a 19-year high. Percent of Open Indemnity Claims Closed in Next Year As of September 3, 218 4% 35% 34% 35% 32% 3% 3% 3% 28% 27% 27% 27% 27% 28% 26% 25% 25% 23% 22% 23% 23% 23% 2% 2% 1% % 98 99 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 1 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 Calendar Year Ending September 3
99- -1 1-2 2-3 3-4 4-5 5-6 6-7 7-8 8-9 9-1 1-11 11-12 12-13 13-14 14-15 15-16 16-17 17-18 P. 8 Chart 6 Claim frequency increased by 11% from 29 to 214, but has decreased by 4% from 214 through the first 9 months of 218. Change in Indemnity Claim Frequency As of September 3, 218 % 2 1 6.8 Frequency increases since 211 have largely been attributed to increases in cumulative injury claims and claims from the Los Angeles Basin area. -1 1. -6.8-1.5-3. -6.5-2.3-3.9-2. -.2 3.4.2.7 -.8-2.5 -.8 -.2-13.9-2 -17. Accident Year
P. 9 Chart 7 Cumulative Trauma Claims per 1 Indemnity Claims Cumulative trauma (CT) claim rates increased by over 75% from 25 to 215. The ratio for 216 declined modestly suggesting the CT claim growth is beginning to level off. Recent sharp increases in CT claims is focused entirely in the Los Angeles and San Diego areas. 2 15 1 5 9.5 9.3 9.6 1.4 12. 12.2 12.6 13.4 15. 15.9 16.8 15.7 See the WCIRB s recent report on the world of CT claims for more information. 5 6 7 8 9 1 11 12 13 14 15 16 Accident Year Preliminary
P. 1 Chart 8 Projected claim severity for 217 is 2% higher than that for 216, following several years of relatively flat severities. Severity growth over the last several years has been relatively modest as increases in average indemnity and ALAE costs have been in part offset by declines in average medical costs. Ultimate Total Loss and ALAE Severities As of September 3, 218 $Dollars 1, 8, 6, 4, 2, 66,448 66,527 65,97 57,527 57,52 56,54 Average Ultimate Indemnity + Medical + MCCP + ALAE per Indemnity Claim 6,763 76,896 73,634 77,19 76,32 69,776 68,467 72,86 7,343 69,353 69,539 66,977 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 1 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 Accident Year
P. 11 Chart 9 Indemnity severity increases in 214 are largely attributable to SB 863 increases to PD benefits. Indemnity severities since 214 have been relatively flat. Ultimate Indemnity Severities As of September 3, 218 $Dollars 35, 3, 25, 2, 27,15 26,252 25,865 22,58 21,91 2,774 19,52 25,499 24,695 25,917 24,832 25,175 25,112 25,78 25,48 25,137 24,344 15, 1, 5, 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 1 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 Accident Year
P. 12 Chart 1 Decreases in medical severities from 211 to 215 were driven by the medical cost savings arising from SB 863. The projected 217 medical severity increase of 2% represents very modest growth compared to other post-reform periods of medical inflation in California. Ultimate Medical Severities As of September 3, 218 $Dollars 45, 4, 35, 3, 25, 2, 15, 1, 29,4 29,311 27,972 25,862 26,624 29,51 36,987 35,12 32,441 37,13 36,894 34,697 3,64 29,311 32,4 29,816 29,767 5, 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 1 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 Accident Year
P. 13 Chart 11 Projected ALAE severity for 217 is 5% higher than that for 216 and 14% higher than that for 211. Average ALAE costs have tended to rise shortly after the implementation of reforms, even during periods where medical costs have declined. Ultimate ALAE (excl. MCCP) Severities As of March 31, 218 $Dollars 15, 1,73 11,187 1,595 1,84 12,37 11,411 11,47 1,727 1,744 1, 9,688 7,546 8,67 8,57 8,838 8,88 8,146 7,818 5, 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 1 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 Accident Year
P. 14 Chart 12 Projected MCCP severity for 217 is 3% below that for 216 and 29% below that for 211. Average MCCP costs have declined in recent years as average medical costs have moderated and claim settlement rates have accelerated. Ultimate Medical Cost Containment (MCCP) Severities As of March 31, 218 $Dollars 6, 5, 4, 3,657 3,361 3,119 3,12 3, 2,871 2,668 2,597 2, 1, 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 Accident Year
P. 15 Chart 13 Medical service costs per claim decreased 18% from 212 to 216, primarily driven by a 22% decrease in the number of transactions per claim. Overall medical cost levels were relatively flat for both 217 and the first six months of 218. Change in Medical Service Cost Levels As of June 3, 218 % 2 15 1 5-5 -1-15 Change in Paid per Transaction Change in Transactions per Claim Change in Paid per Claim 4.4-1. -4.1-5. -1.1 2.1 2.5 2.1-2.4-1.9-4.8-6.1-5.6-7.6 1.3.2.2-1. -2 12-13 13-14 14-15 15-16 16-17 17-18 Service Year 6 Months
P. 16 Chart 14 Pharmaceutical costs per claim decreased 69% from 212 to 217. These reductions have been driven by SB 863 s IMR & IBR, reduced utilization of opioids, and changes to Medi- Cal reimbursement rates. Pharmaceutical costs continued to decrease significantly through the first six months of 218, the first period in which the new drug formulary is in effect. Change in Pharmaceutical Cost Levels As of June 3, 218 % 3 Change in Paid per Transaction Change in Transactions per Claim Change in Paid per Claim 2 1 4.9 5.3-1 -5.6 -.9-4.7-3.3-9. -14.6-2 -15.2-18.8-19.1-2.1-22.9-22.8-3 -26.5-27.2-29.6-4 -35.4-5 12-13 13-14 14-15 15-16 16-17 17-18 Service Year 6 Months
P. 17 Chart 15 SB 116 and AB 1244 made changes to the lien filing process effective 1/1/217. Some of the lien activity in the fourth quarter of 216 through the first quarter of 217 may be impacted by the transition to the reforms. The number of liens filed in the most recent four quarters are 5% below pre-sb 116 and AB 1244 levels. Number of Liens Filed As of September 3, 218 In Thousands 2 15 17 18 16 14 98 1 87 77 69 72 54 46 47 48 51 5 41 41 45 4 42 45 37 3 28 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 4 1 2 3 213 214 215 216 217 218 Filing Year & Quarter
P. 18 Chart 16 Ratios of ALAE to loss increased significantly from 211 to 215 in part due to increased cumulative injury claim filings and the transition to SB 863. From 215 through the first nine months of 218, ALAE costs have generally paced with total benefit payments though remaining at the higher post-sb 863 level. Ratios of Paid ALAE to Paid Losses As of September 3, 218 % 3 25 2.8 21.9 21.6 2 18.6 19.5 17.2 15 13.9 15.1 15.2 14.9 15.3 13.4 13.6 13.1 1 5 22.2 22.2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 1 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 9 Months Calendar Year
P. 19 Chart 17 Projected total statewide ultimate losses for 212 through 217 evaluations are below the amounts reported by insurers. Projected Ultimate Losses Less Reported Losses As of September 3, 218 $ Billions 22 16 11.2 13. 11.3 1 6.7 4.5.2-2 -8-4.2-2.5-3.8-2.2-1.3 -.1 -.9-3.1-5.7-8. -1.3-1.9-14 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 1 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 Evaluation Year
P. 2 General Notes This report reflects a compilation of individual insurer submissions of accident year and calendar year premium and loss data to the WCIRB. While the individual insurer data submissions are regularly checked for consistency and comparability with other data submitted by the insurer as well as with data submitted by other insurers, the source information underlying each insurer s data submission is not verified by the WCIRB. Some of the figures and ratios shown are based on WCIRB actuarial projections of future claim payments using information reported by insurers through September 3, 218. Although the actuarial methodologies and assumptions upon which these projections are predicated are periodically reviewed by the WCIRB s Actuarial Committee, the actual costs that will ultimately emerge could differ from the amounts projected. Many of these projections will be updated regularly by the WCIRB as more mature information on these claims is reported in subsequent quarters. The amounts and ratios shown represent statewide totals based on the amounts reported by insurers writing workers compensation insurance in California. The results for any individual insurer can differ significantly from the statewide average. An individual insurer s results are related to its underwriting book of business, claims and reserving practices, as well as the nature of its reinsurance arrangements. Beginning with claims incurred on policies incepting on or after July 1, 21, the cost of medical cost containment programs (MCCP) is reported to the WCIRB as allocated loss adjustment expense (ALAE) rather than as medical loss. As a result, some portion of MCCP costs for accident years 21 and 211 has been reported as medical loss and some portion has been reported as ALAE. For consistency, the amounts and ratios shown in these exhibits are adjusted to either include or exclude MCCP costs for all years shown to the extent possible.
P. 21 More Info Chart 1: Written Premium Source: WCIRB aggregate financial data calls. Written premium is gross of deductible credits. Chart 2: Industry Average Charged Rates Rates are based on WCIRB unit statistical data through 215 and estimated based on aggregate financial data calls for 216 and later. Rates are per $1 of payroll. Rates are averages over policies incepting in the year (December 1 to December 31). Chart 3: Ultimate Accident Year Loss Ratios Ratios are projected based on WCIRB aggregate financial data call data as of September 3, 218. MCCP costs are included in loss ratios for accident years 21 and prior. MCCP costs are included in loss and ALAE ratios for all years shown. Chart 4: Projected Accident Year Combined Ratios Ratios are projected based on WCIRB aggregate financial data call data as of September 3, 218. Combined ratios include losses, loss adjustment expenses, and other insurer expenses. Chart 5: Percent of Open Indemnity Claims Closed in Next Year Source: WCIRB aggregate financial data call data as of September 3, 218. Figures represent the number of indemnity claims aged between 21 to 15 months closed during the year as a ratio of the number of claims open as of September 3 of the prior year. Chart 6: Change in Indemnity Claim Frequency Frequency is based on indemnity claim counts per exposure adjusted for wage level changes based on WCIRB unit statistical data through accident year 216, and changes in reported indemnity claim counts compared to changes in statewide employment based on WCIRB aggregate financial data call data for accident year 217 and the first three quarters of 218. Chart 7: Cumulative Trauma Claims per 1 Indemnity Claims Source is WCIRB unit statistical data based on partial accident years. Claim counts are developed to an estimated ultimate level. Accident year 216 data is preliminary. Chart 8: Ultimate Loss & ALAE Severities Severities are projected based on WCIRB aggregate financial data call data as of September 3, 218. Includes data for indemnity claims only.
P. 22 More Info ( continued) Chart 9: Ultimate Indemnity Severities Severities are projected based on WCIRB aggregate financial data call data as of September 3, 218. Chart 1: Ultimate Medical Severities Severities are projected based on WCIRB aggregate financial data call data as of September 3, 218. Includes data for indemnity claims only. MCCP costs have been excluded from all years for consistency of comparison. Chart 11: Ultimate ALAE (excl. MCCP) Severities Severities are projected based on WCIRB aggregate financial data call data as of March 31, 218. Includes data for indemnity claims only. MCCP costs are excluded from all years for consistency of comparison. Chart 12: Ultimate Medical Cost Containment (MCCP) Severities Severities are projected based on WCIRB aggregate financial data call data as of March 31, 218. Includes data for indemnity claims only. Chart 13: Change in Medical Service Cost Levels Source: WCIRB Medical Data Call data as of June 3, 218. Chart 14: Change in Pharmaceutical Cost Levels Source: WCIRB Medical Data Call data as of June 3, 218. Chart 15: Number of Liens Filed Source: the Division of Workers Compensation. Chart 16: Ratios of Paid ALAE to Paid Losses Source: WCIRB aggregate financial data calls. MCCP costs paid on policies incepting prior to July 1, 21 are considered loss and costs paid on policies incepting after July 1, 21 are considered ALAE. Chart 17: Projected Ultimate Losses Less Reported Losses Insurer-reported losses include insurers estimates of incurred but not reported (IBNR) losses that may, in part, reflect allocations of IBNR losses to line of business, state, and accident year, and are on a basis that does not reflect anticipated reinsurance recoveries or employer-paid deductibles. As a result, the amounts shown do not necessarily equate to specific estimates of the adequacy of insurers reserves for unpaid losses. Projected ultimate losses are based on WCIRB aggregate financial data call data as of September 3, 218.
P. 23 Notice & Copyright The WCIRB Quarterly Experience Report (Report) was developed by the Workers Compensation Insurance Rating Bureau of California (WCIRB) for the convenience of its users. The WCIRB has made reasonable efforts to ensure the accuracy of this Report. You must make an independent assessment regarding the use of this Report based upon your particular facts and circumstances. 218 Workers Compensation Insurance Rating Bureau of California. All rights reserved. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including, without limitation, photocopying and recording, or by any information storage or retrieval system without the prior written permission of the Workers Compensation Insurance Rating Bureau of California (WCIRB), unless such copying is expressly permitted in this copyright notice or by federal copyright law. No copyright is claimed in the text of statutes and regulations quoted within this work. Workers Compensation Insurance Rating Bureau of California, WCIRB, WCIRB California, WCIRB Connect, WCIRB Inquiry, WCIRB CompEssentials, X-Mod Direct, escad, Comprehensive Risk Summary and the WCIRB California logo (WCIRB Marks) are registered trademarks or service marks of the WCIRB. WCIRB Marks may not be displayed or used in any manner without the WCIRB s prior written permission. Any permitted copying of this work must maintain any and all trademarks and/or service marks on all copies. To seek permission to use any of the WCIRB Marks or any copyrighted material, please contact the WCIRB at customerservice@wcirb.com. Workers Compensation Insurance Rating Bureau of California 1221 Broadway, Suite 9 Oakland, CA 94612 888.CA.WCIRB (888.229.2472) wcirb.com