Washington state workers compensation premiums will increase by an average of 4.9% next year, the state’s Department of Labor and Industries said.
Rates are increasing to keep up with rising costs for indemnity and medical benefits, the department said. It also said the increase is less than what it expects will be needed to cover 2026 claim costs but that it plans to use its contingency reserve to cover any difference, as it has in recent years.
The 4.9% increase is an average for all industries. Rates for employers can vary “depending on their recent history of injuries that led to claims,” the department said in announcing the hike last week.
As a result of the increase, employers and workers will pay an average of $1.37 more per week for each full-time position, the department said. In Washington, where the state provides all worker comp insurance, employers pay about 75% of the premiums and workers cover the remaining portion.