626.32 Development of rates by bureau.

(1) Acquisition of information.

(a) General. Every insurer writing any insurance specified under s. 626.03 shall report its insurance in this state to the bureau at least annually, on forms and under rules prescribed by the bureau. The bureau shall file, under rules promulgated by the department of workforce development, a record of such reports with that department. No such information may be made public by the bureau or any of its employees except as required by law and in accordance with its rules. No such information may be made public by the department of workforce development or any of its employees except as authorized by the bureau.

(b) Payroll audits. Payroll audits by insurers shall show information classified under the statistical plan and shall be correct as to amount in each classification. The commissioner or the bureau may check any payroll audit and upon written complaint alleging facts that if true would create serious doubt about the accuracy of the payroll audit shall check it.

(2) Classifications and plans. The commissioner shall promulgate a statistical plan, which shall give due consideration to the rating system on file with the commissioner and seek to make the plan as uniform among the several states as is practicable. The statistical plan may be modified from time to time. It shall be used thereafter by each insurer in the recording and reporting under sub. (1) of its Wisconsin loss and country-wide expense experience. The rules and statistical plan may also provide for the recording and reporting of expense experience items which are specially applicable to this state. The bureau shall assign each compensation risk to its proper class, and its classification shall be used by all insurers writing any insurance specified under s. 626.03. On behalf of all members the bureau shall inspect and make a written survey of compensation risks to determine their proper classifications, shall maintain a record of its classification of risks and the written surveys of all risks inspected by it showing such facts as are material in the writing of insurance thereon.

(3) Aids in rate-making. The commissioner and every insurer and rate service organization may exchange information and experience data with insurance supervisory officials, insurers and rate service organizations in other states and may consult with them with respect to rate-making and the application of rates. The commissioner may designate one or more rate service organizations to assist the commissioner in gathering experience and making compilations thereof, and the compilations shall be made available to insurers and rating organizations.

History: 1975 c. 148, 199; 1995 a. 27 s. 9130 (4); 1997 a. 3; 2001 a. 37.