| About the Claim-Free Discount |  | |
What is a claim-free discount and why is it important?
L&I has established a special category to reward companies that prevent workplace injuries. L&I's claim-free discount saves employers and workers between 10 and 40 percent on the workers' compensation premiums they pay.
The discounted rate is held for employers who have gone at least three years without a claim in which wage-replacement benefits or a permanent partial disability (PPD) award were paid. Claims in which only medical benefits are provided do not count against the claim-free discount if no accident fund costs were paid on any claim.
Be aware, though, that a single compensable claim resulting in a time-loss payment, permanent partial disability award, or death, may raise your rates dramatically, and may keep them high for the three years that such a claim remains in your experience period. So it's in your best interest to put in place an effective injury prevention program, and to understand what you should do in the event one of your employees is injured on the job.
L&I offers a variety of services designed to help you keep your workers' compensation insurance costs as low as possible. Those services include:
- No-charge workplace safety consultations.
- Advice about the benefits of early return-to-work and returning the the injured worker to a light-duty job.
- Advice on when it would be in your best interest to keep an injured worker on payroll.
- Who to contact if you think a fraudulent claim has been filed against your company.
Each employer with a workers' compensation account at L&I has an Account Manager who can answer your questions or assist you should a workplace injury claim be filed that could impact your rates. You can find his or her name and phone number on your quarterly report, or you can call 360‑902‑4817.
To schedule a safety consultation, call the Labor and Industries office nearest you.
L&I. We're here to help.
