Workers’ comp market underwrites profitability 

• U.S. workers’ comp insurers could underwrite profitably between 2019 and 2022 even as significant changes occurred in the nation’s workforce due to the pandemic, according to the Insurance Information Institute.
• Since 2014, workers’ compensation insurers cumulatively saw a net combined ratio of below 100.
• That figure has consistently stayed below 90, with a 2022 net combined ratio of 87.4 for workers’ compensation insurers, since 2017, when including state funds, in comparison to 84.0 for private carriers only.
• U.S. auto, home, and business insurers, across all insurance lines, had a net combined ratio last year of 102.4, according to the brief.
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Illinois Supreme Court makes changes to workers’ comp law

• The Illinois Supreme Court ruled that the exclusivity provisions of the Workers’ Compensation Act do not bar a claim for statutory damages under the Biometric Information Privacy Act.
• This means potential more changes for BIPA claims and damages.
• The plaintiff she and other potential class members working for affiliated healthcare facilities were required to use a biometric information system to scan fingerprints and authenticate identities as well as track time.
• The court concluded that the plaintiff’s loss of her privacy rights was not a psychological or physical injury that is compensable under the Act.
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Texas concludes major workers’ comp conference

• More than 700 industry leaders and stakeholders gathered July 10-12 in Austin for the annual Texas Workers’ Compensation Conference hosted by the Texas Division of Workers’ Compensation.
• The conference was one of the most well-attended to date, and the sessions proved to be both popular and educational for attendees from across the state and nation.
• The conference theme, “Basics and Beyond,” gave newcomers and veterans both a basic overview of the industry and latest in workers’ compensation trends.
• The 22 sessions included workplace safety issues, a legislative overview, and several expert panels, among many others.
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Man gets benefits after long wait

• A Milwaukee man received benefits he needed to pay his bills after more than a year and a half wait.
• The man tore his rotator cuff in January 2022 and underwent shoulder surgery four months later.
• Since then, he’s been just as preoccupied with his workers’ compensation claim as his recovery.
• His workers’ compensation eventually provided $92,000, including medical bills and back pay.
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