MVAs Counter Claims Trend
Smartphones might be the reason for a recent surge in motor vehicle accident (MVA) claims in workers’ compensation as overall claims frequency has declined, according to a report by the National Council on Compensation Insurance (NCCI).
The report, Motor Vehicle Accidents in Workers’ Compensation, notes a “striking similarity” between the expansion of smartphone ownership from 2011 to 2016 and the sudden jump in all MVAs over the same period. NCCI cites other factors including driving under the influence, failure to use safety belts, fatigue, failure to obey traffic laws and miles traveled, in these key findings:
- MVA claims rose five percent from 2011 to 2016 while frequency for all claims fell 17.6 percent.
- MVAs accounted for over 40 percent of fatal workers’ compensation claims in that time.
- MVA claim severity is 80 to 100 percent more costly than that of average claims.
MVAs generally increased across all major industry groups (most among taxi drivers, truckers and salespeople) but also rose nearly six percent for office and clerical workers.