San Francisco, CA – On August 9, 2013, the WCIRB submitted its January 1, 2014 Regulatory Filing to the California Department of Insurance proposing changes to the Insurance Commissioner’s regulations contained in the California Workers’ Compensation Uniform Statistical Reporting Plan – 1995 (USRP), the California Workers’ Compensation Experience Rating Plan – 1995 (ERP), and the Miscellaneous Regulations for the Recording and Reporting of Data-1995 (Misc. Regs.). The Insurance Commissioner held a public hearing on September 30, 2013 to consider the proposed changes.
On October 17, 2013, the Commissioner issued a Decision approving all of the WCIRB’s proposed changes as filed. Among these changes approved effective January 1, 2014 are:
- Numerous changes to the Standard Classification System contained in Part 3 of the USRP
- Changes to data reporting requirements to conform to national data reporting specifications
- Amendments to the audit rules to allow for the use of collective bargaining agreements to validate an employee’s hourly wage rate for dual wage classification assignment purposes
- Amendments to facilitate the bifurcation of pure premium rate filings and regulatory filings
In addition, the Commissioner approved a number of regulatory changes to be effective on January 1, 2015 including amendments to the USRP pertaining to policy reporting requirements and significant amendments to the ERP limiting the impact on an employer’s experience modification of a single claim incurred during the experience period to 25 points.
The Commissioner’s Decision pertains only to the WCIRB’s January 1, 2014 Regulatory Filing and does not address the WCIRB’s January 1, 2014 Pure Premium Rate Filing which contains proposed changes to pure premium rates for 2014. The Commissioner has scheduled a public hearing regarding January 1, 2014 pure premium rates for October 28, 2013.
The WCIRB cannot issue experience modification for policies incepting January 1, 2014 and beyond until the Commissioner issues a Decision with respect to the pure premium rate filing.
The WCIRB is currently updating the USRP, ERP and Misc. Regs. to reflect the Commissioner’s Decision. Once completed, copies of these documents will be posted to the Publications and Filings section of www.wcirb.com. In the interim, the WCIRB has created the Quick Reference Guide 2014 summarizing the approved changes to the regulations.
The Decision, Filing and all related documents are available in the Regulatory Filings section of www.wcirb.com.
Source: CA WCIRB