The National Council on Compensation Insurance has proposed that Florida reduce its statewide workers compensation by 16.5% for 2008 due in part to a decline in the number of claims and the lower ultimate values of claims paid.  Florida Insurance Commissioner Kevin McCarty believes that if accepted, Florida employers stand to save $650 million.  This rate decrease would be the fifth since 2003, and combined with earlier decreases would result in a 50.4% reduction overall from the 2003 workers compensation rate.