As the economy recovers and Californians head back to work, the Sacramento Bee reports that total direct written premium in the Golden State’s workers’ compensation market continues to rise. Workers’ comp premium reached $9 billion last year, which was $1.2 billion above 2011, the California Workers’ Compensation Institute reported. That marked the third consecutive year of premium growth, and it brought premium back up to the amount in 2007.

California premium level hit a low point of $6.9 billion in 2009 after soaring to a record $16.1 billion in 2004, CWCI said.

The Oakland-based nonprofit analyzed data compiled by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners and released by the California Department of Insurance.

In other findings, State Compensation Insurance Fund lost market share to 10 percent in 2012, down from 12.9 percent the previous year, CWCI said. Even so, State Fund, a quasi-public group, is still California’s largest provider of workers’ comp insurance.

Zurich Insurance Group maintained the second spot, with the next three slots filled by Travelers Group, Hartford Fire and Casualty Group and Berkshire Hathaway Group.