Workers Compensation Insurance Rating Bureau of California WCIRB Report on June 3, 214 Insurer Experience Released: September 11, 214
WCIRB California 525 Market Street, Suite 8 San Francisco, CA 9415-2767 Tel 415.777.777 Fax 415.778.77 wcirb@wcirb.com www.wcirb.com Notice The WCIRB Report on June 3, 214 Insurer Experience (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. 214 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. Each WCIRB member company, including any registered third party entities, (Company) is authorized to reproduce any part of this work solely for the following purposes in connection with the transaction of workers compensation insurance: (1) as necessary in connection with Company s required filings with the California Department of Insurance; (2) to incorporate portions of this work, as necessary, into Company manuals distributed at no charge only to Company employees; and (3) to the extent reasonably necessary for the training of Company personnel. Each Company and all agents and brokers licensed to transact workers compensation insurance in the state of California are authorized to physically reproduce any part of this work for issuance to a prospective or current policyholder upon request at no charge solely for the purpose of transacting workers compensation insurance and for no other purpose. This reproduction right does not include the right to make any part of this work available on any Web site or through any computer or electronic means for any purpose. Workers Compensation Insurance Rating Bureau of California, WCIRB, WCIRB California, WCIRB Online, X-Mod Direct 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 Workers Compensation Insurance Rating Bureau of California, 525 Market Street, Suite 8, San Francisco, California 9415-2767.
WCIRB Report on June 3, 214 Insurer Experience Released: September 11, 214 WCIRB Report on June 3, 214 Insurer Experience The WCIRB has completed its review and analysis of June 3, 214 experience submitted by insurers. This report is based on data reported to the WCIRB by insurers who wrote almost 1% of the statewide market. In reviewing this information, the following should be noted: 1. 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. 2. Some of the figures and ratios shown are based on WCIRB actuarial projections of future claim payments using information reported by insurers through June 3, 214. Although the actuarial methodologies and assumptions upon which these projections are predicated are periodically analyzed and tested 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. 3. 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. 4. Insurer-reported losses, which are compared in Exhibit 9 to the WCIRB s projections of ultimate 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 in Exhibit 9 do not necessarily equate to specific estimates of the adequacy of insurers reserves for unpaid losses. 5. Senate Bill No. 863 (SB 863), which was enacted in 212, increases benefits and provides for a number of structural changes to the California workers compensation benefit delivery system starting in 213. Some provisions of SB 863 impact costs on older claims. WCIRB projections of ultimate losses and ultimate loss severities have been adjusted to reflect the impact of SB 863 on unpaid losses arising from pre-213 injuries based on methodologies developed by the WCIRB s Actuarial Committee. 6. 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. In order to provide consistent comparisons across years, to the extent appropriate, the amounts and ratios shown represent the combined cost of losses and ALAE. In several other exhibits, in order to facilitate consistent comparison from year-to year of medical losses and ALAE, accident year 21 MCCP costs reported as ALAE have been shifted to medical loss and the estimated amount of accident year 211 MCCP costs reported as medical loss have been shifted to ALAE. 1 WCIRB California
WCIRB Report on June 3, 214 Insurer Experience Released: September 11, 214 Exhibits 1 through 9, which summarize the WCIRB s review of reported June 3, 214 insurer experience, reflect the following information: California written premium (gross of deductible credits) for calendar year 213 is approximately $14.8 billion (Exhibit 1). This is approximately 18% above the written premium reported for 212 and 68% above the written premium reported for 29. Written premium for the first six months of 214 is approximately $8.2 billion, which is approximately 9% above the written premium reported for the first six months of 213. The projected industry average charged rate (rates charged by insurers that reflect all rating plan adjustments except deductible credits, retrospective rating plan adjustments, terrorism charges, and policyholder dividends) per $1 of payroll for policies written between January 1, 214 and June 3, 214 is $2.96 (Exhibit 2). This is approximately 4% above the average rate charged for 213 and 41% above the average rate charged for 29. However, the average rate charged for the first six months of 214 remains approximately 53% less than the average rate charged for the second six months of 23. The WCIRB projects total ultimate losses and ALAE for accident year 213 to be $12.7 billion (Exhibit 3). While approximately 6% above the projection for accident year 212 and 27% above the projection for accident year 29, it remains below the highs experienced prior to the 22 through 24 reforms. The WCIRB projects an ultimate accident year loss and ALAE ratio of 88.% for accident year 213 (Exhibit 4). This projection is below that of the prior four accident years primarily as a result of increased premium levels and relatively low claim severity growth in 213. The WCIRB projects an ultimate accident year combined loss and expense ratio of 113% for 213 (Exhibit 5). This projection is below that of the last several accident years primarily as a result of increased premium levels and relatively low claim severity growth in 213. The calendar year combined loss and expense ratio for 213 reported by insurers is 19%, which is somewhat below the combined ratios for the last few years but represents the sixth straight calendar year with a combined ratio of over 1% (Exhibit 6). The WCIRB projects indemnity claim frequency for accident year 213 to be 4.1% above the frequency for 212 and approximately 14% above the frequency for 29 (Exhibit 7). The projected indemnity claim frequency for the first six months of 214 is 1.9% higher than that for the first six months of 213. A preliminary analysis of the 212 frequency increase by the WCIRB largely attributed it to increases in cumulative injury claims, late reported indemnity claims, permanent disability claims, claims involving injuries to multiple body parts, and claims from the Los Angeles area. While projected indemnity claim frequency has continued to increase following the sharp 21 increase rather than returning to the historical long-term decline, the 214 frequency remains more than 25% below the indemnity claim frequency experienced prior to the 22 through 24 reforms. The WCIRB projects the average cost (or severity ) of a 213 indemnity claim to be approximately $87,, which is generally consistent with the projected severities for accident years 211 and 212 (Exhibit 8.1). The projected 213 average loss and ALAE severity reflects an increase of approximately $3, (or more than 52%) since the full implementation in 25 of the reforms of 22 through 24. The projected average indemnity cost of a 213 indemnity claim is fairly consistent with projected severities for the last several years (Exhibit 8.2), while the 2 WCIRB California
WCIRB Report on June 3, 214 Insurer Experience Released: September 11, 214 projected average medical cost (including MCCP costs) of a 213 indemnity claim is somewhat lower than that of the prior year two years (Exhibit 8.3). Despite the enactment of SB 863, which was forecast to decrease ALAE costs, the projected average ALAE cost of a 213 indemnity claim, excluding MCCP costs, is approximately 6% above that of the prior year and approximately 92% higher than the average ALAE severity for 25 (Exhibit 8.4).1 The WCIRB currently projects the total statewide ultimate losses on all injuries that occurred on or before December 31, 213 to be approximately $1.5 billion more than the amounts reported by insurers (Exhibit 9). 1 The ultimate ALAE per indemnity claim amounts shown on Exhibit 8.4 are projected based on March 31, 214 experience. 3 WCIRB California
Written Premium 25 $ Billions Source: Insurer aggregate financial data submissions to the WCIRB 23.5 21.4 21.3 2 Written Premium - Gross of Deductible Credits Written Premium - Net of Deductible Credits 15 15.6 16.4 14.8 12. 13. 12.5 1 5 8.9 7.6 5.7 5.9 6.4 6.6 7.1 5.1 5. 5.3 5.5 5.7 9.1 6.5 8.6 11. 14.8 16.3 15.2 1.8 1.6 9.8 8.8 11.3 8.9 7.6 8. 6.6 7.1 9.2 1.7 8.2 6. 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 1 11 12 13 14 Calendar Year 6 Months Exhibit 1
Industry Average Charged Rate per $1 of Payroll 8. $ Dollars Source: Insurer unit statistical reports through 211 and WCIRB projections for 212 through 214 6. 5.94 6.29 6.5 5.49 4.66 4.96 4.36 4. 3.46 3.5 2.56 2.47 2.33 2.3 2.69 2.85 2.75 2.3 2.15 2.1 2.25 2.32 2.39 2.57 2.85 2.96 2.. 1996 1997 1998 1999 2 21 22 1/3-6/3 7/3-12/3 1/4-6/4 7/4-12/4 1/5-6/5 7/5-12/5 1/6-6/6 7/6-12/6 1/7-6/7 7/7-12/7 28 29 21 211 1/12-6/12 7/12-12/12 213 1/14-6/14 Policy Year Exhibit 2
Projected Ultimate Losses and ALAE by Accident Year 18 $ Billions Source: WCIRB projections As of June 3, 214 15 14.2 14.3 12 9 11.3 12.6 12.7 9.5 8.2 8.7 9.5 1.1 1. 1.8 11.3 12. 12.7 6 3 99 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 1 11 12 13 Accident Year Exhibit 3
Projected Ultimate Accident Year Loss and ALAE Ratios 2 % As of June 3, 214 Source: WCIRB projections 161.7 15 1 9.7 13.5 11.5 112.2 18. 99.1 88. 62.7 71.5 5 38.3 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 1 11 12 13 Accident Year Exhibit 4
Projected Accident Year Combined Loss and Expense Ratios * As of June 3, 214 Source: WCIRB projections Other Expenses 2 193 LAE 22 175 Losses 15 1 5 22 149 2 21 134 151 18 18 115 119 16 15 88 84 15 12 57 6 58 14 14 9 1 37 34 73 16 12 45 98 18 16 64 121 2 19 82 143 146 145 22 23 23 126 24 24 34 2 25 97 99 88 81 113 19 23 71 99 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 1 11 12 13 Accident Year * The cost of medical cost containment programs is reflected in LAE for accident years 211 and subsequent. It is reflected in losses for all other accident years. Exhibit 5
Calendar Year Combined Loss and Expense Ratios 2 Source: Insurer aggregate financial data submissions to the WCIRB Other Expenses LAE Losses 15 1 5 145 138 22 2 2 16 13 12 124 122 18 16 12 12 94 94 16 15 11 8 86 14 1 62 79 14 11 54 74 16 13 45 85 18 14 53 11 2 17 64 122 116 117 114 19 23 22 23 2 19 21 2 25 18 18 73 74 74 76 72 99 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 1 11 12 13 Calendar Year Exhibit 6
Projected Percentage Change in Indemnity Claim Frequency by Accident Year 2 % As of June 3, 214 Source: WCIRB projections 1 6.9-1 -7.9-4.5-4.3 -.1 1. -6.7-1.5-3. -6.4-2.3-3.9-1.9 -.9 3.2 [1] 4.1 [1] 1.9 [1] -13.9-2 -17. 95-96 96-97 97-98 98-99 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 6 months Accident Year (1) The 211-212 estimate is based on partial year unit statistical data. The 212-213 and 213-214 estimates are based on a comparison of claim counts from WCIRB accident year experience as of June 3, 214 relative to the estimated change in statewide employment. Exhibit 7
Projected Ultimate Total Loss* and ALAE per Indemnity Claim 1, $ Dollars As of June 3, 214 Source: WCIRB projections 8, Average Ultimate Indemnity + Medical + ALAE per Indemnity Claim 78,6 83,966 85,915 87,161 87,232 86,845 7,57 6, 53,255 58,952 67,161 67,6 65,267 57,923 56,858 63,437 47,634 4, 2, 98 99 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 1 11 12 13 * Excludes medical-only. Accident Year Exhibit 8.1
Projected Ultimate Indemnity per Indemnity Claim 35, $ Dollars As of June 3, 214 Source: WCIRB projections 3, 25, 2, 21,19 23,338 24,81 27,18 26,285 25,7 2,932 18,822 2,764 22,543 25,126 26,45 25,938 25,939 26,29 26,52 15, 1, 5, 98 99 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 1 11 12 13 Accident Year Exhibit 8.2
Projected Ultimate Medical* per Indemnity Claim 6, 5, $ Dollars As of June 3, 214 Source: WCIRB projections Average Ultimate Medical per Indemnity Claim - Including MCCP Costs Average Ultimate Medical per Indemnity Claim - Excluding MCCP Costs 44,63 47,71 49,229 5,391 5,66 48,575 45,385 44,927 43,378 4, 3, 25,542 29,118 34,428 35,78 33,446 3,948 31,897 35,757 4,245 22,455 2, 1, 98 99 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 1 11 12 13 * Excludes medical-only. Accident Year Exhibit 8.3
Projected Ultimate ALAE per Indemnity Claim (Excluding MCCP Costs) 15, $ Dollars As of March 31, 214 Source: WCIRB projections 1,211 1,748 1,831 11,137 11,768 1, 8,844 7,719 5, 3,989 4,375 5,24 5,553 5,697 6,121 6,43 6,139 6,916 98 99 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 1 11 12 13 Accident Year Exhibit 8.4
Projected Ultimate Losses Less Reported Losses at Successive December 31 Evaluations 24 $ Billions As of June 3, 214 Source: WCIRB projections and insurer reported losses on aggregate financial data submissions to the WCIRB 18 13.4 15.8 14.6 12 8.5 11. 1.5 8.6 1.1 1.6 1.5 6 4.7.3 2.6 1.9 4.4 6.1-6 98 99 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 1 11 12 13 Evaluation Year Note: The cost of medical cost containment programs is excluded from losses for accident years 211 and subsequent and included in losses for all other accident years. Exhibit 9