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A loss run report is an insurer-generated history of the claims filed under a policy, typically covering the past three to five years. It lists each claim's date, description, status, amounts paid, and open reserves, and underwriters rely on it to price renewals and quote new coverage.
Loss runs exist for most commercial lines, but employers encounter them most often with workers' compensation, general liability, auto, and employment practices liability. Each entry shows the claimant, date of loss, a short description, whether the claim is open or closed, amounts paid for indemnity and medical, expenses, and the reserve the carrier has set aside for future payments on open claims. Total incurred equals paid plus reserves.
Reserves are the part employers overlook. An open claim with a large reserve counts against your loss experience even if it ultimately settles for far less, and in workers' compensation it feeds the experience modification calculation that multiplies your premium for years. Reviewing loss runs quarterly lets you push for reserve reductions on claims that have resolved, close stale files, and correct claims coded to the wrong class code or entity.
When shopping coverage, brokers request currently valued loss runs, usually valued within 90 days. Carriers are generally required to furnish them on request, and many states set a response deadline. Ask for them well before renewal; a broker who cannot produce loss history often gets less competitive quotes. Use the detail, alongside the injury data you already keep under OSHA's recordkeeping rule, to find patterns such as one location or job class driving most of the frequency, and target safety spending there.
Each entry lists the claimant, date of loss, a short description, whether the claim is open or closed, amounts paid for indemnity and medical, expenses, and the reserve set aside for future payments. Total incurred equals paid plus reserves, which is the figure underwriters and rating formulas actually use.
Because a reserve counts against your loss experience even if the claim eventually settles for far less. In workers' compensation it feeds the experience modification calculation that multiplies premium for years. Reviewing loss runs quarterly lets you push for reserve reductions on resolved claims, close stale files, and fix miscoded entries.
Request them, usually through your broker. Carriers are generally required to furnish loss runs on request, and many states set a response deadline. Brokers marketing your coverage will ask for currently valued reports, typically valued within 90 days, so start well before renewal because missing loss history draws less competitive quotes.