Reported Florida COVID comp claims hit low in March

The Florida Division of Workers’ Compensation on Monday reported the lowest number of workers compensation COVID-19 claims since the start of the pandemic.

In March, the state received data on 72 indemnity — or wage replacement — comp claims, a drop from the 581 reported in February. Claim counts in Florida have ebbed and flowed since the start of the pandemic, with a total of 34,797 reported in 2020 and 30,564 in 2021, according to the report.

Insurers in the state have paid $85.8 million in closed COVID-19 claims and $103 million in claims that remain open. The average paid per closed claim was $3,219, according to the report. Since 2020, 35,430 claims have been denied.