At Labor and Industries, we use data every day to make decisions. Here you will find a collection of data visualizations that examine workers’ compensation in Washington State.
Every two years, the state of Oregon releases a study that examines workers’ compensation rates nationwide. The study ranks states from high to low with the highest cost state receiving a rank of 1. Washington's 2022 premium index rate, at $1.31, ranks 24 out of 50 states in the nation. Read more about the methodology behind the index rate below.
Between 2012 and 2022, Washington’s rates grew closer to the median rates with less year-to-year variability than seen in 2000-2010.
A composite rate is an insurance premium based on the average risk profile of a group rather than the risk profile of an individual policyholder. Changes to the composite rate may not reflect a change to an individual policy holder's rates, but it does suggest a change to the overall rates. The rate is expressed in dollars per $100 of business payroll and an average experience factor of 91%.
Rates go into effect January 1st each new calendar year, with an occasional mid-year adjustment. The below figure displays the year-to-year percent change in the composite rate. A positive percent change represent a general increase from the previous period's rate, whereas a negative value indicates a reduction.
Between 2010 and 2024, Washington had a mean rate of $1.82 per $100 of payroll.