Oregon Says Employers will Pay $33.4M Less in Workers’ Comp Fees

Employers will pay $33.4 million less in state worker compensation fees in Oregon next year, officials said Thursday.

Employers also can expect average worker compensation insurance rates to remain at the same level in 2006, according to the Oregon Department of Consumer & Business Services.

The fees include worker safety programs and inspections.

It will mark the fourth straight year without an increase in the so-called average “pure” premium rate employers pay for Oregon worker compensation insurance.

The state had posted 12 consecutive years of rate reductions before leveling off, setting a national record that has resulted in cumulative cost-savings worth billions of dollars to Oregon employers, officials said.

“Low workers’ compensation costs are a critical tool for expanding and recruiting business in Oregon,” Gov. Ted Kulongoski said.

Cory Streisinger, director of the state consumer and business services agency, also noted that benefits for permanently disabled workers in Oregon have increased dramatically since worker compensation reforms began in the 1990s.

Oregon’s worker compensation rates are released each fall for the following year.

In neighboring Washington state, officials recently proposed an average premium increase of 3.8 percent for next year. California rates are also significantly higher than Oregon, officials said.

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Topics Commercial Lines Workers' Compensation Business Insurance Oregon