Just in from the Washington Research Council blog, Washington holds its spot as the most expensive state in the nation…
“The National Academy of Social Insurance released its annual report on workers’ compensation benefits. There is a data lag, so the new numbers are for 2012.
The report shows that Washington still had the highest benefits paid per covered worker in 2012, at $840.16. (Alaska follows with $797.65 and California with $783.94.) That is slightly lower than 2011, when Washington’s benefits paid per job were $855.78.
In terms of benefits paid as a percent of covered wages, Washington continues to rank third, behind West Virginia and Montana, at 1.63 percent. (In 2011, Washington’s benefits as a percent of covered wages were 1.72 percent.)
As we have noted consistently, benefits paid are the best indicator of workers’ compensation system costs for Washington.”