1. What is Group Retrospective Rating?

Group retrospective rating is an alternative rating program offered by the Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation (BWC). Group retrospective rating allows employers of a similar industry to join together through a sponsoring association to earn refunds (or be charged assessments) based on the performance of the group. Employers in a group retrospective rating program pay their individually merit-rated premium to the Ohio BWC.

2. What does participating in the program give me access to?

Participation in the Group Retrospective Rating Program administered by CompManagement, Inc. (CMI) provides:
• Ability to earn refunds based on performance
• Claims management services performed by CompManagement
• On-line claims access 24/7
• Onsite safety gap analysis and report within 90 days of program implementation

3. When are group retrospective rating applications due to the BWC?

The BWC deadline to file enrollment applications for the 2009 group retrospective rating program is July 31, 2009. However, enrollment information must be received in our office no later than Wednesday, July 29, 2009 in order for submission to the BWC.

4. What are the BWC eligibility requirements?

The two (2) primary requirements are that all BWC premium payments be made timely and that there are no overdue balances.

5. What are the safety requirements for membership in the program?

The participating member will agree to the following safety requirements:
• Implementation of BWC’s 10 Step Business Plan
• Compliance with applicable OSHA required programs and associated training
• Completion of progress report for areas identified in gap analysis provided during the program implementation

6. Can I stack discounts from other BWC programs if I enroll in a group retrospective rating program?

No, the BWC will not allow employers to receive discounts associated with other BWC programs while participating in a group retrospective rating program.

7. When will I know if the group earned a refund or has to pay an assessment?

The BWC will review claims losses for each group retrospective policy years three times. The first evaluation will be 12 months after the end of the policy year. For the July 1, 2009 to June 30, 2010, the first evaluation would take place in July of 2011. Subsequent evaluations would take place in July of 2012 and July of 2013.

8. How much of a refund can I earn?

Refunds will be based on the performance of the entire group. If the group has no claims during the policy year, the group would earn a refund equal to the difference between your merit-rated premium (as paid to BWC) and the minimum premium (basic premium). For most groups, this can be up to 70%. However, with claim costs included most groups can expect to save between 5% and 20%.

9. How much can I be assessed?

The sponsor of the group retrospective rating program will select a maximum assessment amount that will limit the assessment that any participant can pay. The maximum assessments range from 5% to 100%, with most groups expected to select between 5% and 15%. Be sure to know what level your group has selected prior to enrolling.

10. How can I obtain additional information about group retrospective rating and other BWC programs?

For more information about group retrospective rating and other BWC programs, contact CompManagement’s Customer Support Unit at (800) 825-6755, option 3.