Section 48.140.050. Annual report.

Beginning in 2010, the commissioner must prepare an annual report that summarizes and analyzes the closed claim reports for medical malpractice filed under RCW 48.140.020 and 7.70.140 and the annual financial reports filed by authorized insurers writing medical malpractice insurance in this state. The commissioner must complete the report by June 30th, unless the commissioner notifies legislative committees by June 1st that data are not available and informs the committees when the summaries will be completed.

(1) The report must include:

(a) An analysis of reported closed claims from prior years for which data are collected. The analysis must show:

(i) Trends in the frequency and severity of claim payments;

(ii) A comparison of economic and noneconomic damages;

(iii) A distribution of allocated loss adjustment expenses and other legal expenses;

(iv) The types of medical malpractice for which claims have been paid; and

(v) Any other information the commissioner finds relevant to trends in medical malpractice closed claims if the commissioner:

(A) Protects information as required under RCW 48.140.060(2); and

(B) Exempts from disclosure data described in *RCW 42.56.400(11);

(b) An analysis of the medical malpractice insurance market in Washington state, including:

(i) An analysis of the financial reports of the authorized insurers with a combined market share of at least ninety percent of direct written medical malpractice premium in Washington state for the prior calendar year;

(ii) A loss ratio analysis of medical malpractice insurance written in Washington state; and

(iii) A profitability analysis of the authorized insurers with a combined market share of at least ninety percent of direct written medical malpractice premium in Washington state for the prior calendar year;

(c) A comparison of loss ratios and the profitability of medical malpractice insurance in Washington state to other states based on financial reports filed with the national association of insurance commissioners and any other source of information the commissioner deems relevant; and

(d) A summary of the rate filings for medical malpractice that have been approved by the commissioner for the prior calendar year, including an analysis of the trend of direct incurred losses as compared to prior years.

(2) The commissioner must post reports required by this section on the internet no later than thirty days after they are due.

(3) The commissioner may adopt rules that require insuring entities and self-insurers required to report under RCW 48.140.020 and subsection (1)(a) of this section to report data related to:

(a) The frequency and severity of closed claims for the reporting period; and

(b) Any other closed claim information that helps the commissioner monitor losses and claim development patterns in the Washington state medical malpractice insurance market.

[ 2006 c 8 § 205.]

NOTES:

*Reviser's note: RCW 42.56.400 was amended by 2007 c 197 § 7, changing subsection (11) to subsection (10).

2006 c 8 § 205.