The Washington State Department of Labor and Industries began its Retrospective Rating program (retro) as a financial incentive program to assist Washington employers in cutting the cost of their industrial insurance premiums. Enrollment in a retro requires your active participation to help control costs. By keeping claim costs to a minimum, you have an opportunity for a financial refund.

Here is a short video explaining the retro program

Retro gives you a financial incentive to increase your safety awareness, reduce workplace accidents and get more involved in minimizing the costs of the claims that do occur. In addition to helping you earn retro refunds, you’ll be reducing your experience factor and premium rates.

Who is Eligible?
Your company can participate in retrospective rating on its own or through “group plans” sponsored by many trade associations and professional organizations. There is a minimum level of combined accident fund and medical aid fund premium to qualify individually, but many of the group plans have no qualifying size.

How Do Refunds Work?
L & I adjusts each retro plan year three times. The first adjustment is 11 months after the end of the plan year, with the second and third adjustments each following a year and two years after that. A percentage of the refund is distributed to the individual retro participants at the first adjustment, based on the recommendation of the participants in the retro group. At the time of final adjustment, all remaining refund monies and interest earned is distributed to retro participants on a premium/performance ratio compared with the rest of the participants in the group.

The group’s refund is based on a comparison between the standard premium paid by the group to the Washington State Department of Labor and Industries and the losses developed by the group within the plan year.

Which Retro Groups Does SMART Sponsor?
A-Team - Construction
Dream Team - Construction
Advantage - Retail, wholesale and professional services

SMART Association Retro Groups are managed by Approach Management Services.

For retro information, please contact Liz Evans (206-812-3808) or simply complete the SMART Retro Release Form and email to Liz Evans