History

In 1977, the Minnesota State Legislature created a study commission to analyze the state’s workers’ compensation insurance system, with the goals of finding ways to minimize the cost of insurance, ensuring fair compensation to employees for job-related injuries, and encouraging an injured employee’s rapid return to work.

After receiving the study commission’s recommendations, the 1979 Legislature enacted legislation creating the Workers’ Compensation Reinsurance Association (WCRA), an unincorporated, nonprofit association that operates under the direction of a board of directors whose members represent many of the parties involved in the workers’ compensation system.

The Legislature’s purposes in establishing the WCRA were to:

• Promote the availability of workers’ compensation insurance coverage and self-insurer plans.
• Assure the availability of reinsurance protection at reasonable rates.
• Monitor settlement of claims to promote expert administration of serious claims.
• Assure that effective and economical rehabilitation programs are provided for seriously injured employees.
• Provide accurate and comprehensive information to the Minnesota Legislature to assist in evaluating workers’ compensation benefits and costs.

Since its formation, the WCRA has been focused on achieving these objectives in the most efficient and effective manner possible. By working together with its members, the Association is achieving its goal of providing effective reinsurance coverage through sound financial protection, expert claims administration, and reliable information services.