Washington L&I Workers' Compensation Guide

What is Washington L&I?

L&I is the Washington State agency that oversees workers' compensation insurance, workplace safety, and related programs. It runs the State Fund, which insures most Washington employers, and supervises employers that are approved to self-insure.

Workers' compensation basics

Workers' compensation is insurance that can cover medical care and certain other benefits for workers who are injured on the job or develop an occupational disease. Whether a claim is accepted and which benefits apply are decided under Washington law, not by your clinic.

State Fund vs. self-insured employer claims

• State Fund: the employer pays premiums to L&I, and L&I manages the claim.
• Self-insured: the employer (often through a third-party administrator) manages the claim directly, with L&I oversight.
• The way you file and who you contact about your claim differs between the two.

Filing a claim

L&I describes the ways to file, including through a healthcare provider at your first visit or directly with L&I. If your employer is self-insured, the process goes through the employer. See L&I's filing page for current instructions.

Medical benefits and follow-up care

L&I's medical benefits page explains what treatment may be covered on an accepted claim and the role of the L&I provider network for ongoing care.

Check your claim and find providers

L&I's online tools let workers view claim information and search for network providers.