California work comp combined ratio increases

California workers compensation insurers' combined ratios climbed during 2009 to the highest level since 2001, while average claims costs continued increasing, according to a quarterly report on insurer experience released Thursday. The ultimate accident-year 2009 combined ratio is estimated to have reached 124%, the San Francisco-based Workers' Compensation Insurance Rating Bureau of California said in its "Summary of March 31, 2010 Experience." That is 14 percentage points higher than for 2008 and the highest level since 2001, when it declined to 143% from 184% in 1999.