California Comp Bureau’s Study on Economic Downturns and Claim Frequency Examines COVID-19 Impact

The Workers’ Compensation Insurance Rating Bureau of California on Monday released a study looking at the historic impact of economic downturns on workers’ comp claim frequency and the potential impact of COVID-19 on claims.

The study, Impact of Economic Downturn on California Workers’ Compensation Claim Frequency, shows that among other impacts between 1961 and 2017, overall claim frequency decreased modestly more during years of economic recession than during years of expansion. And unlike other claims, the rate of cumulative trauma claims increased during downturns.