A question from one of our readers - How long do we have to dispute the payroll audit results that we just received? Should we call in NCCI to do an inspection?

We have often seen where the insurance carrier tells the employer that they have ten days to pay or dispute an audit when sending an audit billing. Most State Rating Bureaus and the NCCI allow a dispute up to 30 days after receipt of the audit results. That does not mean the receipt of the billing if a notice of audit adjustment has preceded the billing.

Calling in your State Rating Bureau or the NCCI and disputing the audit may cost your company more than it is worth. It is usually best to dispute the audit with the insurance carrier. If you call in NCCI, you will have to pay for the inspection, which can be expensive. What happens if the NCCI causes your rates to be ever higher after their inspection? You can possibly cost your company even more Workers Comp premiums. There are certain times such as these to call in an expert such as J&L to examine the premium audit.