Greg Burton, President and CEO of Brickstreet Mutual Insurance Company, a tax-exempt entity (that status expires in January) that grew from one of the rare remaining state-run workers' compensation monopolies describes the situation.

"From 2003 to 2005, workers' compensation was considered an economic deterrent for allowing businesses to come into our state. Since January 1 of '06, there's been about a 30.5 percent rate reduction in what employers are paying in West Virginia," About $150 million came out of the system in what employers are paying." And as of last July, the market was thrown open to other private firms. So far, more than 100 companies within and from outside West Virginia have written workers' compensation policies. What's more, "claims are getting paid faster than they ever have," says Burton. Claim resolutions that used to average 42 days now average 12. "That means that the injured worker, the key person here in the whole equation, they're getting the care they need, and they're getting back to work faster than they ever have."