Texas comp division releases COVID-19 claims data

Workers compensation insurers in Texas reported nearly 100,000 COVID-19 claims and 472 fatalities between March 2020 and April of this year, and more than half of both involved first responders and correctional officers, according to new data made public by the Texas Department of Insurance, Division of Workers’ Compensation.

A factsheet released Friday shows that comp insurers denied about 39% of COVID-19 positive test claims, but only 258 disputes had been filed with the division as of April 30.

The figures also show just over 34% of COVID-19 claims included both medical and indemnity benefits. Most claims involved indemnity payments only.

The division reported that the total number of comp claims filed between March 2020 and March 2023 was 15% higher than during the 37-month period immediately preceding the pandemic.

Most of the COVID-19 comp claims reported involved male workers less than 40 years of age, and a majority of the claims were concentrated within 10 Texas counties.

The figures were based on administrative claims data provided by insurers based on benefits paid as of May 5 on claims reported as of March 31.