New Workers' Compensation Rates Remain Stable
September 3, 2020
Insurance Commissioner Doug Ommen approved the National Council on Compensation Insurance (NCCI) August 3, 2020 workers' compensation rate filing with an overall increase of 0.3%. The voluntary and assigned risk rates will be effective on Jan. 1, 2021. Though this is a slight increase, rates have gone down since 2017 with an average 24.5% decrease overall since that point in time.
ABI member the Business Record also published an article in their daily newsletter yesterday featuring workers’ compensation. The article mentioned that in Iowa more than 500 claims have been filed since COVID-19, attempting to claim COVID-19 as a workplace injury. The article also highlights how other states have addressed this issue, examines SF2338, which is the COVID-19 Response and Back-to-Business Liability Act that ABI spearheaded during the 2020 Legislative Session, and also lays out the role of the Iowa Workers’ Compensation Commissioner in these matters.
ABI’s public policy team believes it will be extremely difficult for a claimant to prove they contracted COVID-19 in the workplace and receive work comp benefits under current Iowa law. This is a topic we will continue to monitor closely and appreciate any feedback about what you have experienced in your company.