As a self-insured administrator how long do you have to maintain the claims file?

• A. Five years from the date of injury and one year from the date of the last payment of benefits
• B. Five years from the date of injury or the date on which the last provision of compensation benefits occurred, whichever is later
• C. Five years from the date of injury and one year thereafter
• D. Two years from the date of the last payment of compensation

Answer: (B)

Maintain the claims file for five years from the later of the injury date or the date the last compensation payment was made. You start counting from that later date and keep the file for five years. For example, if a worker was injured on January 1, 2015 and the last compensation payment was on December 31, 2017, the file must be kept until December 31, 2022. If no benefits were ever paid, five years from the injury date applies. This rule ensures records are available for audits, potential appeals, and any regulatory inquiries that could occur after benefits end. Other options don’t fit because they anchor the period to only one date or use a shorter span, rather than the later-of-two-dates rule.