Comp rate hike proposed in Washington state
- August 17, 2025
- Posted by: Web workers
- Category: Workers Comp
The Washington State Department of Labor and Industries is proposing to increase by 4.9% the average hourly rate employers and workers pay for workers’ compensation coverage.
The department is recommending an average rate of $1.37 per full-time employee.
The increase is less than what the department said it would need to cover 2026 claim costs, but it plans to use its contingency reserve to cover the difference.
“By maintaining a healthy contingency reserve through consistent, careful management of the premiums paid by workers and employers, L&I can cover some of the costs instead of passing higher premium increases on to employers and workers,” the department said. “Without the reserve, rates could go up nearly 13% to cover expected 2026 claims costs.”
The department is holding public hearings on the proposal Oct. 28 in Tumwater and Oct. 29 in Spokane Valley. The department is also holding a virtual public hearing Oct. 30.
Work Comp Central is a sister publication of Business Insurance. More stories here.
