August 14, 2018—According to the National Council on Compensation Insurance (NCCI) in a new report, these accidents can be very severe and are responsible for a significant portion of fatal workers’ compensation claims, reported the Insurance Journal.
“While workers compensation claims have been declining, motor vehicle accidents have been on the rise over the last five years,” said Jim Davis, author of the paper and NCCI director and actuary. “These often involve very serious injuries that can take their toll on injured workers and their families.”
NCCI actuaries found that from 2011 to 2016, the frequency of all claims declined by 17.6 percent, while the frequency of motor vehicle accident claims increased by five percent, according to the report.
Additionally, 41 percent of fatal workers’ compensation claims were the result of a motor vehicle, reported the Insurance Journal.
According to the workers’ compensation rating organization, motor vehicle accident claims cost 80 percent to 100 percent more than the average claim because they involve severe injuries. These claims also tend to represent a higher share of the costliest claims. Over a five-year period, motor vehicle claims accounted for 28 percent of workers’ compensation claims above $500,000, versus just five percent of all claims.
