While the national price tag for workplace injuries soared past $64 billion in 2022, the real story is in the shifting risks and costs impacting your state and your industry.
Key Takeaways
- In 2022, total workers' compensation benefits paid nationwide reached $64.2 billion, marking a 5.1% increase from 2021
- Workers' compensation premiums written in the US totaled $54.7 billion in 2022, up 9.2% year-over-year
- The average cost per lost-time workers' compensation claim rose to $41,757 in 2022 from $39,107 in 2021
- The frequency of lost-time claims nationwide declined 4.2% in 2022 to 0.87 per 100 insured workers
- Medical-only claim frequency fell 5.1% in 2022 to 1.12 per 100 insured workers nationally
- Average duration of temporary total disability claims increased to 146 days in 2022 from 142 days in 2021
- Sprains, strains, and tears accounted for 29.5% of all nonfatal occupational injuries in 2022
- Soreness and pain cases represented 17.8% of workers' compensation-related injuries in 2022
- Fractures comprised 9.2% of nonfatal workplace injuries treated via workers' comp in 2022
- Construction industry sprain/strain claims were 35% of total injuries in 2022
- Manufacturing sector lost-time frequency rate was 1.2 per 100 workers in 2022
- Healthcare workers' comp claims totaled 450,000 in 2022, 18% of national total
- Males accounted for 67% of all workers' compensation claimants in 2022
- Workers aged 25-34 filed 28% of lost-time claims in 2022
- Female workers' comp claim frequency rose 2.1% in 2022, narrowing gender gap
Workers compensation costs increased in 2022 while claim frequency reached a historic low.
Claims Statistics
- The frequency of lost-time claims nationwide declined 4.2% in 2022 to 0.87 per 100 insured workers
- Medical-only claim frequency fell 5.1% in 2022 to 1.12 per 100 insured workers nationally
- Average duration of temporary total disability claims increased to 146 days in 2022 from 142 days in 2021
- Indemnity claim frequency decreased 3.8% in 2022, reaching historic lows
- 1.7 million workers' compensation claims were reported in the US in 2022
- California reported 456,000 workers' compensation claims in 2022, a 2.3% decrease
- Lost-time claims accounted for 25% of all workers' compensation claims in 2022 nationally
- Average indemnity benefits per lost-time claim were $30,200 in 2022
- Texas workers' compensation claims frequency was 1.45 per 100 workers in 2022
- Florida indemnity claims averaged $25,800 per claim in 2022
- New York lost-time claim frequency was 0.92 per 100 in 2022
- Pennsylvania medical-only claims numbered 112,000 in 2022
- 42% of workers' compensation claims involved males aged 25-44 in 2022
- Approval rate for workers' compensation claims averaged 88% upon initial filing in 2022
- Average settlement value for workers' comp claims was $21,800 in 2022
- Illinois reported 98,500 workers' compensation claims in 2022, down 1.5%
- Michigan claim frequency declined 6.2% to 1.03 per 100 in 2022
- Georgia lost-time claims cost averaged $38,500 in 2022
- Missouri total claims reached 45,200 in 2022
- North Carolina claim closure rate was 92% within 12 months in 2022
- Ohio workers' compensation claims totaled 112,000 with 28% lost-time
- Washington state denied claims rate was 9.5% in 2022
- Wisconsin average claim processing time was 45 days in 2022
- Louisiana indemnity claims frequency was 0.78 per 100 in 2022
- Minnesota medical claims per 100 workers were 1.25 in 2022
- Oregon contested claims represented 15% of total in 2022
- Indiana permanent partial disability claims made up 35% of lost-time claims in 2022
Claims Statistics Interpretation
While fewer workers got hurt on the job last year, which is excellent news, those who were seriously injured are facing longer and often more expensive roads to recovery, revealing a troubling split in the nation's workplace safety story.
Costs and Premiums
- In 2022, total workers' compensation benefits paid nationwide reached $64.2 billion, marking a 5.1% increase from 2021
- Workers' compensation premiums written in the US totaled $54.7 billion in 2022, up 9.2% year-over-year
- The average cost per lost-time workers' compensation claim rose to $41,757 in 2022 from $39,107 in 2021
- Nationwide workers' compensation medical loss costs increased by 4.8% in 2022, driven by higher utilization and intensity
- Indemnity loss costs for workers' compensation rose 3.2% in 2022, reflecting wage inflation adjustments
- California workers' compensation pure premium decreased by 1.9% in 2022 to $1.89 per $100 of payroll
- New York workers' compensation premiums generated $4.8 billion in 2022, representing 8.8% of national total
- Texas non-subscriber workers' compensation costs averaged $0.76 per $100 payroll in 2022
- Florida workers' compensation medical payments per claim averaged $28,456 in 2021
- US workers' compensation combined ratio improved to 96% in 2022 from 105% in 2021
- Total workers' compensation cash flow in 2022 showed $62.3 billion in premiums collected against $58.1 billion paid out
- Average workers' compensation premium rate per $100 payroll was $0.88 nationally in 2022
- Pennsylvania workers' compensation premiums totaled $2.9 billion in 2022
- Illinois saw a 7.5% increase in workers' compensation premiums to $2.1 billion in 2022
- Michigan workers' compensation loss costs declined 2.3% in 2022
- Nationwide frequency-adjusted loss costs for workers' compensation rose 2.1% in 2022
- Workers' compensation benefits as a percentage of payroll were 0.78% in 2022
- Georgia workers' compensation premiums increased 12.4% to $1.2 billion in 2022
- Indiana average claim cost reached $37,892 in 2022
- Missouri workers' compensation pure premium was $1.12 per $100 payroll in 2022, down 4.5%
- Total US workers' compensation reserves stood at $52.4 billion at year-end 2022
- North Carolina workers' compensation dividends returned $150 million to policyholders in 2022
- Ohio average workers' compensation premium per $100 payroll was $1.35 in 2022
- Washington state workers' compensation benefits paid totaled $1.8 billion in 2022
- Average national workers' compensation policy premium was $1,200 for small businesses in 2022
- Louisiana workers' compensation loss ratio was 78% in 2022
- Minnesota workers' compensation premiums were $1.1 billion in 2022, up 6.8%
- Oregon pure premium for workers' compensation was $1.45 per $100 payroll in 2022
- Wisconsin workers' compensation benefits averaged $35,200 per claim in 2022
- Nationwide workers' compensation earned premiums grew 8.5% to $58.9 billion in 2022
Costs and Premiums Interpretation
Despite insurers collecting more and paying out less—resulting in a rare, profitable year for them—the rising costs of injuries and care mean that for American workers, getting hurt on the job has never been more expensive.
Demographic and Trends
- Males accounted for 67% of all workers' compensation claimants in 2022
- Workers aged 25-34 filed 28% of lost-time claims in 2022
- Female workers' comp claim frequency rose 2.1% in 2022, narrowing gender gap
- Hispanic or Latino workers had 19% higher claim frequency than non-Hispanic in 2022
- Temporary workers' injury rate was 2.3 times higher than permanent in 2022
- Workers over 55 had average claim costs 25% higher due to severity in 2022
- Union workers filed 15% fewer claims per 100 than non-union in 2022
- Part-time workers represented 22% of claims despite 18% of workforce in 2022
- Black or African American workers had 1.1 cases per 100 vs. 0.9 for white in 2022
- Immigrants filed 18% of total workers' comp claims in 2022
- Claim frequency declined 18% since 2012, reaching all-time low in 2022
- Medical costs per claim increased 42% from 2013 to 2022
- Projected workers' comp premium growth is 5.2% for 2023
- Telework reduced claim frequency by 1.8% during 2020-2022 period
- Opioid prescriptions in workers' comp fell 60% from 2012 to 2022
- Permanent disability claims dropped 12% over the last decade to 2022
- Return-to-work success rate reached 89% within 6 months in 2022
- State legislative reforms impacted 15 states' workers' comp systems in 2022
- Gig economy workers' comp coverage gap affected 10% of workforce in 2022
- Aging workforce projected to increase claim severity 8% by 2030
- Women now 48% of workforce but 38% of claims in 2022
- Millennials (25-40) accounted for 42% of new claims in 2022
- Rural area claim costs 15% higher than urban due to access issues in 2022
- Vocational rehab participation grew 7% in workers' comp cases in 2022
- Long COVID claims projected to add $2 billion in costs through 2025
- Attorney involvement in claims declined to 22% in 2022 from 28% in 2012
- Small employers (<50 workers) had 55% of total policies but 40% of premiums in 2022
- Climate-related injuries up 12% in workers' comp from 2018-2022 trend
- Automation projected to reduce manufacturing claims 20% by 2030
Demographic and Trends Interpretation
The data paints a sobering portrait of a safer but more expensive system, where disparities in risk and recovery stubbornly persist across age, race, and job status, even as innovations like telework and automation begin to chip away at the human cost of work.
Industry Breakdown
- Construction industry sprain/strain claims were 35% of total injuries in 2022
- Manufacturing sector lost-time frequency rate was 1.2 per 100 workers in 2022
- Healthcare workers' comp claims totaled 450,000 in 2022, 18% of national total
- Retail trade injury incidence rate was 2.8 cases per 100 full-time workers in 2022
- Transportation and warehousing had the highest median claim cost of $42,000 in 2022
- Agriculture, forestry, fishing saw 4.6 incidents per 100 workers in 2022
- Construction pure premium was $2.85 per $100 payroll nationally in 2022
- Mining industry's workers' comp claims frequency was 2.1 per 100 in 2022
- Accommodation and food services had 3.2 injury cases per 100 workers in 2022
- Utilities sector claim severity averaged $55,200 in 2022
- Wholesale trade workers' comp pure premium was $0.92 per $100 in 2022
- Educational services claims were 1.9 per 100 workers in 2022
- Professional services had the lowest frequency at 0.6 per 100 in 2022
- Leisure and hospitality median days away from work was 12 days in 2022
- Oil and gas extraction workers' comp costs were $4.20 per $100 payroll in 2022
- Finance and insurance claims frequency was 0.4 per 100 in 2022
- Public administration injury rate was 1.5 cases per 100 workers in 2022
- Real estate workers' comp claims totaled 45,000 in 2022
- Waste management pure premium was $3.10 per $100 in 2022
- Arts, entertainment, recreation had 2.9 incidents per 100 in 2022
- Construction roofing subclass had highest pure premium at $12.50 per $100 in 2022
- Nursing care facilities claims cost averaged $48,000 per lost-time in 2022
- Trucking freight pure premium was $2.95 per $100 payroll in 2022
- Supermarkets injury rate was 3.5 per 100 workers in 2022
- Logging industry claim frequency was 3.8 per 100 in 2022
- Hospitals (general medical) had 5.2 claims per 100 workers in 2022
Industry Breakdown Interpretation
The sobering cost of doing business is clear: whether you're logging trees or logging patient charts, every industry pays a premium for pain, proving that the real bottom line is measured not just in dollars but in days lost and lives disrupted.
Injury and Illness Types
- Sprains, strains, and tears accounted for 29.5% of all nonfatal occupational injuries in 2022
- Soreness and pain cases represented 17.8% of workers' compensation-related injuries in 2022
- Fractures comprised 9.2% of nonfatal workplace injuries treated via workers' comp in 2022
- Cuts, lacerations, and punctures made up 8.1% of reported occupational injuries in 2022
- Musculoskeletal disorders accounted for 32% of all workers' comp claims in 2022
- Slips, trips, and falls caused 25% of workers' compensation claims in 2022
- Overexertion incidents represented 22.7% of nonfatal injuries in private industry in 2022
- Skin disorders accounted for 1.2% of total occupational illnesses compensable by workers' comp in 2022
- Hearing loss claims under workers' comp numbered 12,500 in 2022
- Respiratory conditions made up 4.3% of occupational illnesses in 2022
- Carpal tunnel syndrome claims averaged $29,000 per case in 2022
- Back injuries constituted 20.4% of lost-time workers' comp claims in 2022
- Shoulder injuries accounted for 11% of musculoskeletal workers' comp claims in 2022
- Knee injuries represented 7.5% of lower extremity workers' comp claims in 2022
- Traumatic injuries from machinery caused 5.2% of severe workers' comp claims in 2022
- Poisoning and exposure cases were 2.1% of occupational illnesses in 2022
- Mental health claims under workers' comp rose 15% to 18,000 cases in 2022
- Heat-related illnesses compensable by workers' comp totaled 2,300 in 2022
- Eye injuries from foreign bodies accounted for 4.8% of facial injuries in 2022
- Head injuries comprised 6.3% of all nonfatal workers' comp cases in 2022
- Upper extremities injuries were 33% of total body part claims in 2022
- Lower extremities injuries accounted for 15.2% of workers' comp claims in 2022
- Trunk injuries, mainly back, were 28.4% of claims in 2022
- Multiple body parts injuries represented 12.1% in 2022 workers' comp data
- COVID-19 related workers' comp claims peaked at 245,000 cumulatively by end-2022
Injury and Illness Types Interpretation
The data reveals that the modern workplace is essentially a high-stakes obstacle course where the most common trophies are sprains, soreness, and musculoskeletal mayhem, while a pandemic, rising mental health crises, and the constant threat of a misplaced staple or a vengeful office chair add dramatic, and costly, flair to the proceedings.
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