(a) The Legislature finds and declares that the insolvencies of more than a dozen workers’ compensation insurance carriers have seriously constricted the market and led to a dangerous increase in business at the State Compensation Insurance Fund. Yet more than 200 insurance companies are still licensed to offer workers’ compensation insurance in California. Unfortunately, many employers do not know which carriers are offering coverage, and it is both difficult and time consuming to try to get information on rates and coverages from competing insurance companies. A central information source would help employers find the required coverage at the best competitive rate.

(b) On or before July 1, 2004, the commissioner shall establish and maintain, on the Internet Web site maintained by the department, an online rate comparison guide showing workers’ compensation insurance rates for the 50 insurance companies writing the highest volume of business in this line during the two preceding years.

(c) The online comparison shall display rates for each class set forth in the classification system adopted by the commissioner pursuant to Section 11734, shall include the effective date of each rate, and shall list the rates for each class from the lowest to the highest rate.

(d) The rating organization designated by the commissioner as his or her statistical agent pursuant to Section 11751.5 shall determine the cost savings achieved in the 2003 workers’ compensation reform legislation. Each insurer shall certify, in the form and manner determined by the commissioner, that its rates reflect those cost savings. The certifications shall be made available to the public on the Internet Web site maintained by the department.

(Added by Stats. 2003, Ch. 635, Sec. 11. Effective January 1, 2004.)