Southern California Fire FAQs and Resources

It’s recommended that employers be proactive and notify their insurer’s auditor of the complete or partial destruction of their payroll records. Employers that refuse to provide access to payroll and other required records at the time of audit may be considered uncooperative employers and subject to penalties that could significantly increase billed premium. Employers should work with their insurer’s auditor to determine if they possess any records that could be used to verify or substantiate the information required to resolve the audit.

If the final policy premium exceeds the physical audit threshold and a physical audit was not performed because the employer’s payroll records are destroyed, then the estimated audit code on the USR should reflect a “Y,” indicating that the employer’s payroll records are not available due to circumstances outside of the employer’s control. The insurer will need to submit a statement indicating the reasons why the audited exposure figures cannot be obtained – for example, the records were destroyed by fire. An estimated audit code of “U” should be reported if the insurer determines that the employer was uncooperative and failed to make their payroll records available at audit.  

Agents and brokers can reach out to the WCIRB Contact Center for help troubleshooting any problems or to answer any questions they have about workers’ compensation insurance in California.

WCIRB Contact Center Online Inquiry Form

Telephone: 888.CA.WCIRB (888.229.2472)
Hours: Monday – Friday, 7:45 AM – 4:45 PM PT

Workers’ Compensation Insurance Rating Bureau of California
1901 Harrison Street, 17th Floor
Oakland, CA 94612
Attn: Contact Center 

The Ombudsman is a resource for employers to obtain, evaluate and understand workers’ compensation insurance information pertaining to loss experience, claims, classification assignments, experience modifications and other factors that impact their policy premium. The Ombudsman can also act as an intermediary between employers and their insurance company and/or the WCIRB.

Policyholder Ombudsman – Request for Assistance form

Phone: 415.778.7159
Email: [email protected]

Workers’ Compensation Insurance Rating Bureau of California
1901 Harrison St., 17th Floor
Oakland CA 94612
Attn: Policyholder Ombudsman

The California Workers’ Compensation Coverage Inquiry website is a WCIRB service. The purpose of the website is to help obtain the name of the insurer that wrote a California workers’ compensation insurance policy for a specific employer on a specific date within the last five years.

Coverage information shown on this website is not proof, evidence or verification of workers’ compensation insurance. This website does not contain any information about self-insured employers or entities that are not otherwise legally required to obtain workers’ compensation insurance. 

The agent, broker or insurer may also be able to assist the employer in obtaining coverage information or a copy of the policy.

The WCIRB has temporarily suspended inspections and test audits in the wildfire affected areas. If an employer receives a letter notifying them of an impending inspection that needs to be canceled or rescheduled due to wildfire related matters, reach out to the WCIRB Contact Center or the Classification and Test Audit Department Field Representative named in the letter.

The WCIRB conducts inspections to ensure that insurers use the proper classification assignments when reporting payroll and loss information for an employer’s workers’ compensation insurance policy to the WCIRB. Employers can contact their agent or broker or the WCIRB Contact Center for assistance in understanding changes in activities that may affect the classification assignment. Any classification assistance provided by the Contact Center over the phone or via email is not confirmation of a change in the classification assignment unless a request for inspection is submitted to the WCIRB by the insurer, agent or broker and a WCIRB inspection is performed to confirm the applicable code. 

If employers have a Standard Exception employee performing duties outside the scope prescribed by the classification, bear in mind that barring one exception, it is not permissible to divide an employee’s payroll between a Standard Exception classification and any other classification. Part 3, Standard Classification System, Section III, General Classification Procedures, Rule 4, Standard Exceptions, of the California Workers’ Compensation Uniform Statistical Reporting Plan—1995 (USRP) directs, “It is not permissible to divide a single employee’s payroll, within a single policy period, between a Standard Exception classification and any other classification, including another Standard Exception classification, with the exception of a single permanent job reassignment.”

The Wildfire Operations and Classifying Disaster Cleanup and Restoration Operations newsletters are available on the WCIRB website to help employers, agents, brokers and insurers understand how to classify these operations. The Disaster Cleanup newsletter includes the classification of first response cleanup, restoration and reconstruction and additional non-emergency cleaning operations such as carpet or upholstery cleaning on a stand-alone basis, residential cleaning services and commercial janitorial services including incidental carpet cleaning.

It is important to notify the insurer of any changes in business operations as soon as possible, including the relocation of the business, the addition or cessation of business activities or operations or changes in employees or exposure. The agent or broker can provide support and assistance in handling these matters.

Policyholders have several options for insurance assistance: 

• The California Department of Insurance homepage has many resources for policyholders affected by the fires.  
• Contact the insurance company, agent or broker.

The Division of Workers’ Compensation website has many resources for employers related to the workers’ compensation claim process. Employers may also call 1-800-736-7401 during normal business hours to speak to a live representative at the Division of Workers’ Compensation Information Services Center.

Employers can find the workers’ compensation insurance company’s contact information on their policy. If the employer cannot locate the insurance company’s contact information on the policy, follow these steps to obtain the information: 

1. Go to the Company Profile Search page on the CDI website.
2. Enter the name of the insurance company in the Company Name search field and click the Get Companies button. 
3. Select the name of the insurance company in the search results.
4. Employers will find the main number for the insurance company in the company profile at the top of the page. 
5. If the employer needs to speak with the insurance company representative designated to handle policyholder issues and disputes regarding their workers’ compensation insurance policy contract, navigate to the left margin of the page and select “Workers’ Compensation Complaint and Requests for Action/Appeals Contact Information.”

• Commissioner Lara Orders Insurance Companies to Provide Advance Payments on Claims to Speed Recovery for Wildfire Survivors
• State Fund Offers Extended Credit to Policyholders Affected by Southern California Fires
• Los Angeles Department of Economic Opportunity (DEO): Los Angeles County Emergency Resources for Workers and Businesses
• The California Employment Development Department (EDD) may provide Unemployment Insurance benefits, Disability Insurance and Paid Family Leave 
• Disaster assistance through FEMA is available for individuals affected by the wildfires