The Travelers Companies, Inc., one of the nation’s largest providers of workers’ compensation insurance, has released its 2025 Injury Impact Report. This latest report examines more than 2.6 million workers’ compensation claims spanning two distinct five-year periods — before and after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. The findings reveal that while injury rates have declined, the costs tied to these incidents continue to rise.
“Over the last ten years, we’ve seen the growing impact of delayed retirements, sustained turnover, and prolonged recovery periods,” said Rich Ives, Senior Vice President of Business Insurance Claims at Travelers. “This report is meant to help employers understand the factors driving increased claim severity, so they can adapt more effectively, safeguard their workforce, and maintain operational continuity.”
Workers’ Compensation Claim Frequency Continues Downward Trend
Travelers’ analysis indicates a decrease in injury claim frequency over the past decade. The company processed 1.2 million workers’ compensation claims from 2020 through 2024, down from 1.4 million claims submitted between 2015 and 2019.
Increased Injuries Among First-Year Employees Amid Workforce Turnover
The past decade brought significant changes to employment patterns, including heightened turnover during and following the pandemic. This led to a consistent flow of new employees, who are often more susceptible to injury.
According to the report, employees within their first year on the job accounted for roughly 36% of all injuries and 34% of total claim costs over the most recent five years. This marks an uptick from the prior period, which saw 34% of injuries and 32% of claim costs attributed to first-year workers.
The Growing Influence of an Aging Workforce
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics anticipates that by 2033, approximately 24% of the workforce will be 55 or older—a sharp rise from 15% in 2003. Travelers’ data mirrors this trend, showing an increasing share of injury claims involving older employees.
From 2020 to 2024, workers aged 50 and above represented 41% of injuries, with those aged 60 and older making up 16%. This is an increase from 39% and 13%, respectively, during the earlier five-year window. Though older employees are injured less often, their injuries tend to require longer recovery times and result in higher claim costs.
Recovery Times Have Grown Longer Since the Pandemic
Injured workers missed an average of 80 workdays per incident between 2020 and 2024, more than seven days longer than the average from the 2015–2019 period. Those aged 60 and up were out for nearly 97 days on average, exceeding the overall average by nearly 17 days and increasing by 14 days compared to pre-pandemic data.
Travelers’ Approach to Mitigating Workplace Injuries
Many workplace injuries are preventable through effective safety practices. Travelers promotes injury prevention through its Workforce Advantage® program, which supports employers across three focus areas:
- Training and onboarding to instill safe work habits
- Fostering a safety-first culture that engages employees
- Managing incidents with the Corridor of Care® post-injury process
“By studying the details of claim frequency, severity, and causes, we aim to give businesses tools to anticipate risks and put practical safeguards in place,” said Chris Hayes, Assistant Vice President of Workers’ Compensation and Transportation, Risk Control, at Travelers. “Helping employees feel protected and valued plays a crucial role in maintaining a resilient and safety-minded workforce.”
Report Methodology and Access
The 2025 Injury Impact Report is based on analysis of over 2.6 million indemnity claims—those in which workers could not immediately return to work and required medical care—submitted over a 10-year period by organizations of varying sizes and industries.
Additional details are available at Travelers.com/InjuryImpactReport. For more insights on promoting safer work environments, visit the company’s Workplace Safety Resources page.
About Travelers
The Travelers Companies, Inc. (NYSE: TRV) is a top-tier provider of property casualty insurance for automobiles, homes, and businesses. A member of the Dow Jones Industrial Average, Travelers employs more than 30,000 people and reported over $46 billion in revenue for 2024. Learn more at Travelers.com.
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