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

• A. 5 years from the DOI and 1 year thereafter.
• B. 5 years from the DOI and 1 year from date of last payment of benefits.
• C. 2 years from the date of the last payment of compensation
• D. 5 years from the DOI or the date on which the last provision of compensation benefits occurred, whichever is later.

Answer: (D)

In this topic, you’re looking at how long claims records must be kept. For a self‑insured program in California, the file must be retained for five years from the date of injury or from the date of the last provision of compensation benefits, whichever date is later. If no benefits were paid, the five‑year period starts at the injury date. If benefits were paid, the countdown begins with the last payment date, which will typically be later than the injury date. This ensures the file remains available for any potential reopenings, disputes, or regulatory inquiries during the period these issues could reasonably arise. The other options don’t fit because they set the retention period to shorter times or anchor it to only one date, which could prematurely end the required retention.