Employers Say Self-Insurer Data Shows Cost Pressures Persist

By Greg Jones, Western Bureau ChiefCalifornia claim costs are increasing at about the same rate for all businesses, whether they are self-insured or purchase coverage from an insurance carrier, a fact that employers say highlights the need to identify areas of savings before costs escalate even further.For self-insured employers, average paid indemnity at the first report increased 33% from 2005 to 2011, and average paid medical is up 51%, according to a California Workers’ Compensation Institute analysis of data reported to the state. Average incurred liability, the sum of paid claims p...