Latest Washington Headlines
All the headlines from our Washington Topic Page, ordered by recency.
Wash. L&I Adopts 29 Percent Rate Icrease
Nov 28 2002 // The Washington Department of Labor and Industries (L&I) has adopted a 29 percent rate increase for 2003. It is the agency’s first general rate increase in eight years. On Jan. 1, the average rate will rise from...
Washington Casualty Co. Ratings Lowered to ‘Bpi’ from ‘BBBpi’
Nov 5 2002 // Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services said that it lowered its counterparty credit and financial strength ratings on Washington Casualty Co. to single-‘Bpi’ from triple-‘Bpi’ because of the...
Wash. L&I and Labor Ready Reach Accord
Oct 15 2002 // The Washington Department of Labor and Industries and Tacoma-based Labor Ready have settled their dispute over the amount of money the temporary help firm owed the state in workers’ compensation premiums dating back...
Wash. L&I to Hold Public Hearings on Proposed 2003 WC Rate Increase
Oct 3 2002 // The Washington Department of Labor and Industries (L&I) has scheduled seven public hearings to take testimony on a proposed 40.5 percent increase in workers’ compensation premiums in 2003. The hearings give...
Wash. L&I Announces 40.5 Percent Boost in WC Rates in 2003
Sep 12 2002 // The Washington Department of Labor and Industries has proposed increasing industrial insurance premiums by 40.5 percent in 2003. It is the agency’s first general rate increase in eight years. If adopted, the proposal...
Wash. Man Pleads Guilty to Fraud
Aug 19 2002 // A Grays Harbor County, Wash. man has pled guilty to a felony charge of first- degree theft and for fraudulently receiving workers’ compensation benefits. Sherwin D. Phillips, 31, was allegedly receiving...
Wash. Begins Adopting Credit-Scoring Regulation
Aug 15 2002 // Washington State Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler has begun the process of adopting a regulation to implement the new law restricting insurers’ use of credit-based insurance scores. He hopes to adopt a final rule...
Wash. Workers’ Comp Benefits Increase 0.9 Percent with Cost of Living
Jun 21 2002 // Workers currently receiving Washington workers’ compensation time-loss or pension benefits will receive less than a 1 percent cost-of-living increase on July 1, 2002. The new maximum monthly benefit will be $3,722.90...
Seminars Slated for Calif., Wash.
Jun 17 2002 // Insurance Skills Center recently filed a new seminar on “Terrorism and Insurance” with the Departments of Insurance in Calif., Nevada, Oregon, and Washington for 4 CE credits. The class will look at issues...
Wash. LnI Refunds $78 Million in Workers’ Comp Premiums
May 27 2002 // The Department of Labor and Industries (L&I) is returning more than $78 million in workers’ compensation premiums to Washington employers and associations enrolled in retrospective rating plans. 29 professional...
Alaska Committees Consider Two Very Different Scoring Bills
Apr 24 2002 // Two very different bills restricting insurers’ use of credit-based insurance scores are pending in Alaska House and Senate committees with no clear indication as to which is more likely to move. National Association...
Wash. LnI cracks down on unregistered residential wood framers
Apr 24 2002 // The Department of Labor and Industries (L&I) has stepped up its efforts to sign up residential wood framers in the Washington workers’ compensation program, appealing to homebuilders and general contractors to...
Wash. couple charged with fraud
Apr 15 2002 // A Washington couple faces an excess of criminal charges, including the alleged falsification of payroll records to avoid paying workers’ compensation premiums, among others. Clark County prosecutors have filed...
Wash. Gov. Signs Credit-Based Scoring Bill and Construction Defect Legislation
Apr 8 2002 // Gov. Gary Locke has signed House Bill 2544 restricting insurers’ use of credit-based insurance scores. Earlier in the week, he signed Senate Bill 6409, providing an opportunity for corrective action to be taken...
Wash. Man Ordered to Repay $114,000
Apr 5 2002 // A Washington man has been ordered to repay the state $114,000 for benefits and penalties after he allegedly collected disability payments while being employed at various jobs in Central Washington. A laborer and farm...
AAI Urges Wash. Gov. to Sign Construction
Mar 26 2002 // The Alliance of American Insurers is urging Washington Gov. Gary Locke (D) to sign SB 6409, which the organization believes will help reduce the rising costs of litigation faced by the state’s construction...
Wash. Couple Charged with Denying Workers’ Comp Payments
Mar 22 2002 // A Washington couple faces an excess of criminal charges, including the alleged falsification of payroll records to avoid paying workers’ compensation premiums, among others. Charges have been filed by Clark County...
Wash. Legislature Approves Bill That May Raise Mandatory Arbitration Settlements
Mar 13 2002 // The Washington State legislature has approved a bill that could lead to higher settlements in mandatory arbitration cases. The House passed Senate Bill 5373 last week, one week before the 2002 session is to adjourn, and...
PEMCO Insurance Ad Campaign Largest Undertaken by Wash. State Insurer
Mar 8 2002 // PEMCO Insurance has launched its largest advertising campaign to date this week in a series that focuses on the merits and challenges of personal responsibility. The campaign includes television commercials, print ads,...
Wash. Bill Restricting Credit-Based Scores Awaits Gov.’s Signature
Mar 7 2002 // The state Senate has passed legislation restricting insurers’ use of credit-based insurance scores in Washington. House Bill 2544 passed the Senate March 4 by a 36 to 11 vote and now goes to Gov. Gary Locke, a...
