New Jersey Compensation Rating and Inspection Bureau

Forms must be filed before a policy, information page, endorsement, cancellation or reinstatement form may be used. In 2006, the amount of specimen policy forms reviewed was 1,113. During the previous year, 1,461 were reviewed.

The Bureau is designated by the Commissioner of Insurance to receive policy filings to establish the record of coverage required by R.S.N.J. 34:15-78. The filings include the information page and all endorsements, cancellations and reinstatements notices applicable to each policy.

Policy material, correspondence, reports of experience and inspection reports with respect to a given New Jersey employer are housed in individual risk files. Each file is identified by a six-digit number. The file number is determined from the name of the employer through the use of a computer inquiry system by the Alpha Search Department of the Policy Review Division.

During 1998, the Bureau completed the conversion of all hard copy individual risk files to a computerized data filing system. A total of 1,074,123 documents consisting of correspondence as well as inspection and audit reports were imaged over a six year period. In 1999, an additional 136,465 documents were imaged. This represented new incoming material as well as material located by reviewing the existing filing system for documents which were not previously imaged. In 2000, 130,545 documents, almost exclusively new incoming materials, were imaged. In 2001, 229,715 documents were imaged. In 2002, 201,836 documents were imaged. In 2003, 232,128 documents were imaged. During 2004, 247,076 documents were imaged. In 2005, 200,314 documents were imaged. During 2006, 193,753 documents were imaged. At the present time, each Bureau employee has immediate access to all information for a risk. This includes correspondence, policies, endorsements, cancellations, reinstatements, audits, inspections, statistical reports and rating data.

Record of coverage filed with the Rating Bureau is subpoenaed in certain cases where the State prosecutes an employer for failure to carry workers compensation insurance. A representative of the Rating Bureau is required to appear with the records to give testimony regarding such records either before a Grand Jury or in court in connection with a trial.

Most inquiries into the record of coverage are received by letter from attorneys representing claimants. Other inquiries are received from the Department of Labor and from insurance companies to confirm their records or to identify subcontractors as respects premium audit matters. Coverage records are also available at the NJCRIB web site. As displayed below, the 7,026 written requests from attorneys resulted in a decrease of 19.7% from 2005. This decrease is a result of increased use of the web site. Inquiries made via the web site cannot be quantified. We also received 822 letters from the Department of Labor, 89 e-mails from insurance companies, 150 letters requesting copies of cancellation notices and transmittal letters and 250 letters from insurance companies and labor unions.