One of the by-products of the digital revolution – with most people staring many hours each day at tablets, smart phones and computers – is eye strain.

According to The Vision Council, the average U.S. adult spends more than two hours a day looking at electronic screens. Looking at such screens for too long can result in dry and irritated eyes, blurred vision and eye fatigue, as well as headaches.

Besides the trouble for eyes, using these devices can also result in back and neck pain from that hunched-over position that many people use when on these devices.

Prolonged use can cause “computer vision syndrome,” which manifests itself in a number of symptoms like eye strain, dry eyes, blurred vision, red or pink eyes, burning, light sensitivity, headaches and pain in the shoulders, neck and back.

To help prevent digital eye strain, you should ensure that:

• Your employees sit with their eyes about 30 inches from their computer screen,
• Your employees rest their eyes every 15 minutes, and blink frequently, which helps keep the eyes moist. It’s been found that when people work on computers they blink about one-third as much as they typically would.
• You have proper lighting in the office. Eye strain often is caused by excessively bright light, either from outdoor sunlight coming in through a window or from harsh interior lighting. When you use a computer, ambient lighting should be about half as bright as that typically found in most offices.
  If possible, turn off the overhead fluorescent lights in your office and use floor lamps that provide indirect incandescent or halogen lighting instead.
• Upgrade your displays. If you have not already done so, replace your old tube-style monitor (called a cathode ray tube, or CRT) with a flat-panel liquid crystal display (LCD), like those on laptop computers. LCD screens are easier on the eyes and usually have an anti-reflective surface.
• Adjust computer display settings, which can help reduce eye strain and fatigue. Ask your employees to adjust the brightness of their display so it’s approximately the same as the brightness of the surrounding workstation. They can also adjust text size and contrast.

Consider vision benefits

If you don’t already do so, consider offering your workers vision benefits.

First off, your employees would be more apt to get a much-needed pair of glasses that have anti-glare attributes for when they work on computers.

Computer glasses are specially designed for optimizing vision when viewing content on screens, and they can be provided with or without a prescription.

Wearing computer glasses can help users experience more relaxation, sharper focus and reduced blurriness and pixilation, which can cause discomfort unless corrected. The lens designs allow the eyes to relax, adjusting to intermediate-distance objects and reducing glare during prolonged use of digital devices.

Also, workers with vision benefits tend to get regular eye exams, which can identify serious chronic conditions, including diabetes, high cholesterol, hypertension, multiple sclerosis and some tumors.

Detecting these symptoms can lead to early diagnosis and better treatment of the conditions.

BGES Group, located in Larchmont, N.Y. are New York Construction Insurance Specialists that represent 50+ companies and all the BEST general & umbrella liability programs!  We offer every coverage you need including property, builders risk, inland marine, general liability, umbrella liability, auto, bid & performance bonds, workers’ compensation, N.Y.S. disability and group health.  We are extremely responsive, responsible, trustworthy, fast, minimize your insurance headaches, we don’t charge ridiculous policy or service fees and when you call, text or email, whatever time of day, even weekends, we are ARE THERE to help YOU! 

BGES Group are Workers’ Compensation Insurance Specialists for Tri-State Business Owners: Unhappy with your rates, company, being cancelled, losses causing difficulty getting coverage, in the middle of an audit dispute, payrolls misclassified, whatever your issue, we can help!  We have special programs for: Auto Service, Contractors (especially New York), Limousine Services, Logistic Companies, Manufacturers, Recyclers, Truckers, we can help ANY tri-state business owner.  We are considered “Preferred Agents” for this one program that if we can get you in, their pricing is excellent, offers long-term coverage stability and can cover multi-state operations. Program takes the hassle out of doing annual audits too.

If you would like to speak with us call Gary Wallach at 914-806-5853 or click here to email or click here to visit our website.

Company: BGES Group, 216A Larchmont Acres West, Larchmont, NY 10538

e-mail: bgesgroup@gmail.com

website: http://www.bgesgroup.com

© – Copyright – 2024 – BGES Group

The cyber-security landscape changes constantly. This year, experts are predicting greater threats to business computer networks and individuals seeking to keep their information private.

For employers, it’s important to stay on top of these threats so that they can ensure that their security protocols and internal procedures are up to the task of beating them back.

Recent reports from cloud-computing provider Google Cloud and cyber-security vendor Netwrix forecast several trends, including:

• Tighter cyber insurance requirements. Insurers already insist that their policyholders implement employee security training, multi-factor authentication and security patch management. Netwrix predicts that in 2024 carriers will also require user identity and access management practices.
• Artificial intelligence will have negative and positive effects. Google Cloud says criminals will use AI to make phishing attacks and information-theft attempts more convincing. However, it will also make event response and analysis faster.
• Theft of encrypted data will become more frequent.Netwrix says criminals will bet on future improvements in technology that will permit them to eventually unlock encrypted data that is unintelligible today.
• Criminals will seek out and exploit ‘zero-day vulnerabilities.’ These are security holes in software that are unknown to the manufacturer or vendor when it is released. Criminals will look for these weaknesses and use them to infiltrate systems.
• AI will make criminals convincingly multilingual.Netwrix expects criminals to use AI to write e-mails in languages other than English and with better grammar. This will make phishing e-mails more difficult for even wary users to spot.
• Security fatigue will become a greater problem.Experts and organizations warn users often about cyber-security risks and require frequent training. However, the constant warnings and admonitions about passwords may wear them out.
  Users accessing systems remotely may have to enter as many as five or six passwords before they even begin working. Security fatigue can cause user errors that security is supposed to prevent.
• Current events will influence and be influenced by cyber crime.The 2024 U.S. elections, the Summer Olympic Games, military conflicts around the world and animosity between the U.S. and China may lead cyber criminals to select certain targets. They may also use technology to impact these events.

What to do

These new challenges can seem overwhelming, but there are things individuals and businesses can do to face them:

• Regularly assess cyber-security risks and implement improved mitigation methods to address them.
• Make encryption one facet of data protection, not the only one. Invest in incident detection technologies and create a written plan for incident response.
• Recognize that stolen encrypted data may not be used immediately. Monitor the internet for future use of the data.
• Update phishing training for users so they will be more suspicious of even convincing e-mails.
• Similarly, train non-English speakers on the potential for phishing e-mails in their languages.
• Require users to have unique strong passwords that they must change every three months or less.
• Limit and control the use of system administrator access.
• Tailor awareness training to the needs of specific user groups to avoid overwhelming all users with security information they might not use.

The takeaway

Computer network technology runs the world. Systems and data will always be inviting targets for criminals. Constant awareness of the threats coupled with effective mitigation steps will help protect individuals and organizations from the worst effects.

BGES Group, located in Larchmont, N.Y. are New York Construction Insurance Specialists that represent 50+ companies and all the BEST general & umbrella liability programs!  We offer every coverage you need including property, builders risk, inland marine, general liability, umbrella liability, auto, bid & performance bonds, workers’ compensation, N.Y.S. disability and group health.  We are extremely responsive, responsible, trustworthy, fast, minimize your insurance headaches, we don’t charge ridiculous policy or service fees and when you call, text or email, whatever time of day, even weekends, we are ARE THERE to help YOU! 

BGES Group are Workers’ Compensation Insurance Specialists for Tri-State Business Owners: Unhappy with your rates, company, being cancelled, losses causing difficulty getting coverage, in the middle of an audit dispute, payrolls misclassified, whatever your issue, we can help!  We have special programs for: Auto Service, Contractors (especially New York), Limousine Services, Logistic Companies, Manufacturers, Recyclers, Truckers, we can help ANY tri-state business owner.  We are considered “Preferred Agents” for this one program that if we can get you in, their pricing is excellent, offers long-term coverage stability and can cover multi-state operations. Program takes the hassle out of doing annual audits too.

If you would like to speak with us call Gary Wallach at 914-806-5853 or click here to email or click here to visit our website.

Company: BGES Group, 216A Larchmont Acres West, Larchmont, NY 10538

e-mail: bgesgroup@gmail.com

website: http://www.bgesgroup.com

© – Copyright – 2024 – BGES Group

In the course of doing business, you may sometimes find yourself entering into contracts requiring that your business be named as an additional insured on another party’s insurance policies.

This is often done to make sure that your own insurance is not depleted by defense and indemnification costs for losses for which you may be legally liable as a result of the business relationship you have with the other party, and that are not due to your own firm’s direct negligence.

An additional insured is defined as an individual or entity that is not automatically included as an insured under the policy of another, but for whom the named insured’s policy provides a certain degree of protection.

When to opt for additional insured statusThere are many instances when you may want your firm included as an additional insured on another’s policy. Here are just a few examples:

• If you are a building owner, you want to be an additional insured on the property and general liability insurance of your tenants in case one of them damages your building or in the event that a visitor to the property is injured.
• If you are the owner or a contractor on a construction project, you want to be an additional insured on the general liability insurance of your contractors and subcontractors in case there is an injury to one of their employees.
• If you are a distributor or a retailer, you may want to be an additional insured on the insurance programs of the manufacturers of the products that you sell.
• If a contractor comes onto your property to perform work of any type, including erecting displays or other maintenance or structural work, you will want to be named as an additional insured on their policy in case the display falls on someone, or someone is injured due to the work they are performing. You don’t want to be held responsible for any dangers or injuries created by the contractor’s work.

If you are to become an additional insured on another company’s policy, you need to confirm that the other party has indeed named your company as an additional insured with its insurance company. Their word alone is not good enough.

You should demand a copy of the policy that explicitly lists your company as such. You want to see a copy of the policy and not the certificate of insurance, which is not sufficient proof that your company has been added.

Additional insured status is effectively conferred through an additional insured endorsement to the other party’s original insurance policy. An endorsement essentially serves as an amendment to the terms of an insurance policy that is incorporated into the relevant insurance policy.

These amendments can take the form of an endorsement that specifically names a particular additional insured, or a general endorsement that identifies some class of parties as additional insureds.

But, if there is ever a dispute about your company’s status as an additional insured, you will want to have in hand not only the other party’s certificate of insurance, but also a copy of the policy itself and the endorsement that makes your company an additional insured.

Ensuring your status is properly secured

There are a few best practices that you can implement to help make certain your firm’s status as an additional insured has been properly secured:

• At a minimum, always insist on receiving a copy of the relevant additional insured endorsement, as this is the instrument that establishes additional insured status;
• An additional insured endorsement does not, however, state an insurance policy’s terms and conditions. In order to avoid being surprised by unexpected policy terms (such as strict notice requirement or unfavorable notice of cancellation provisions), you should ask for and receive a copy of the entire insurance policy under which you are an additional insured, and be sure to read it; and
• Retain additional insured endorsements and the relevant insurance policies for as long as there is any potential that claims triggering those policies might be made.

BGES Group, located in Larchmont, N.Y. are New York Construction Insurance Specialists that represent 50+ companies and all the BEST general & umbrella liability programs!  We offer every coverage you need including property, builders risk, inland marine, general liability, umbrella liability, auto, bid & performance bonds, workers’ compensation, N.Y.S. disability and group health.  We are extremely responsive, responsible, trustworthy, fast, minimize your insurance headaches, we don’t charge ridiculous policy or service fees and when you call, text or email, whatever time of day, even weekends, we are ARE THERE to help YOU! 

BGES Group are Workers’ Compensation Insurance Specialists for Tri-State Business Owners: Unhappy with your rates, company, being cancelled, losses causing difficulty getting coverage, in the middle of an audit dispute, payrolls misclassified, whatever your issue, we can help!  We have special programs for: Auto Service, Contractors (especially New York), Limousine Services, Logistic Companies, Manufacturers, Recyclers, Truckers, we can help ANY tri-state business owner.  We are considered “Preferred Agents” for this one program that if we can get you in, their pricing is excellent, offers long-term coverage stability and can cover multi-state operations. Program takes the hassle out of doing annual audits too.

If you would like to speak with us call Gary Wallach at 914-806-5853 or click here to email or click here to visit our website.

Company: BGES Group, 216A Larchmont Acres West, Larchmont, NY 10538

e-mail: bgesgroup@gmail.com

website: http://www.bgesgroup.com

© – Copyright – 2024 – BGES Group

For the most part, when a business needs to file an insurance claim, the carrier accepts the claim and sends out an adjuster to assess the damage, after which it starts paying the claim.

But the process sometimes doesn’t go smoothly, particularly if the insurance policy includes any number of exclusions. And many companies make mistakes in the claims process that may violate their policy’s conditions.

It doesn’t have to be that way, though. Fortunately, there are steps you can take to ensure your claim is paid, as follows:

Contact your insurer immediately — When an accident or loss occurs that’s potentially covered by your policy, you should contact your insurer right away. The earlier the better as it’s easier for a carrier to assess any damage shortly after an incident.

If you are late in filing your claim, the insurer may question the severity of injury or damage.

Also, most business insurance policies require policyholders to promptly file claims for damage or loss. If you fail to report a loss or claim within a reasonable amount of time, your insurer may deny coverage on the basis that you’ve breached the insurance contract.

Review the insurance policy carefully — Review the insurance policy to understand what it does and doesn’t cover. Be sure to read the entire contract, including all endorsements. If you have trouble understanding the wording, feel free to call us for assistance.

Review your policy again before you file a claim. Be sure you understand the duties you are obligated to fulfill to obtain payment for a loss.

Create an inventory of losses — This is essential for providing a clear picture of the loss or damage. Include descriptions of items, their original values and estimated current values. You should keep receipts for high-cost items and equipment as backup documentation.

It is also helpful to include a description about the condition of the item before it was damaged. If it is possible to take photos of the damaged items, do so and submit them with your claim.

Show proof of the loss — Insurers require policyholders to sign sworn statements that show proof of their losses, and the required information must be sent along with the statement.

This statement must be made and signed within 60 days of the insurer’s first request for it.

Prepare for the adjuster — Be ready for the adjuster to inspect the property. Document any losses that occurred and take as many photos as necessary to provide a clear image of the losses.

If there is a large number of photos, you can create a file on the cloud or save them on a thumb drive that you can provide to the adjuster.

It is also helpful to do a walk-through of the damaged area with a video camera or a cell phone camera. Videos help show the damage live and from multiple angles. Use videos to supplement photo files.

Make temporary repairs if needed — If you have to make temporary but necessary repairs, you can do so before the agent or adjuster surveys the property, but contact your insurer first to let them know. Do not order any unnecessary repairs.

The only types of temporary repairs that should be made are those that will prevent further damage or prevent a possible liability. For example, a temporary roof repair may be necessary to prevent the roof from collapsing and injuring people, and a broken window may be fixed to prevent rain from coming in a building and causing damage.

Since repairs are deducted from the settlement, keep receipts for any services and items purchased. For contracted work, obtain two written bids from separate companies before hiring someone. 

A final word

Always stay organized when going through the claims process. Keep all papers and files accessible and have information ready in the event that your adjuster calls.

When talking to any repair companies or other related parties on the phone, keep track of calls and the reason for calls. Save receipts for any items that you purchased in relation to the damage.

If you have any questions about filing a claim on one of your policies, feel free to give us a call.

BGES Group, located in Larchmont, N.Y. are New York Construction Insurance Specialists that represent 50+ companies and all the BEST general & umbrella liability programs!  We offer every coverage you need including property, builders risk, inland marine, general liability, umbrella liability, auto, bid & performance bonds, workers’ compensation, N.Y.S. disability and group health.  We are extremely responsive, responsible, trustworthy, fast, minimize your insurance headaches, we don’t charge ridiculous policy or service fees and when you call, text or email, whatever time of day, even weekends, we are ARE THERE to help YOU! 

BGES Group are Workers’ Compensation Insurance Specialists for Tri-State Business Owners: Unhappy with your rates, company, being cancelled, losses causing difficulty getting coverage, in the middle of an audit dispute, payrolls misclassified, whatever your issue, we can help!  We have special programs for: Auto Service, Contractors (especially New York), Limousine Services, Logistic Companies, Manufacturers, Recyclers, Truckers, we can help ANY tri-state business owner.  We are considered “Preferred Agents” for this one program that if we can get you in, their pricing is excellent, offers long-term coverage stability and can cover multi-state operations. Program takes the hassle out of doing annual audits too.

If you would like to speak with us call Gary Wallach at 914-806-5853 or click here to email or click here to visit our website.

Company: BGES Group, 216A Larchmont Acres West, Larchmont, NY 10538

e-mail: bgesgroup@gmail.com

website: http://www.bgesgroup.com

© – Copyright – 2024 – BGES Group

When you’re in the construction industry you already have lots to worry about: Keeping your workers safe in one of the most dangerous industries, uninsured or underinsured subcontractors, and finding experienced employees from a shrinking pool of talent.

Not only that, but lawsuits lurk in any project, exposing you to serious losses that can threaten the survival of your business. For these reasons, it’s important that you understand your insurance coverages and that you know how to address any deficiencies that may exist in your risk management strategy.

To make sure that you are not left exposed, we recommend the following:

Choose the right insurance company — We can help you find an insurance company with the experience in writing policies in your industry and the resources to tailor coverage to your needs. Remember, some large projects and lenders require that you are covered by only an A-rated insurer.

Don’t buy the cheapest policy — If the policy price is significantly lower than other insurers, that may be a red flag. Make sure the insurer will be covering what the project owner, your lenders and other stakeholders require. If you find out your policy is deficient after you’ve purchased it, you’ll have to cancel it and buy a new one. There go your profits.

Understand your policy — All policies have exclusions and you should understand what the insurance company will cover and what it won’t. We can sit down with you and review every line of your policy, including any additional insured endorsements or exclusions, so you know exactly what’s covered and what isn’t.

Don’t buy insurance you don’t need — We can do a thorough review of your business and its risks with your help. It’s important your coverage meets your needs and that you don’t carry coverage for risks you’re unlikely to face.

Use the correct class codes — It’s easy to misclassify certain employees, and if you err it can come back to haunt you. When it’s time for renewal, go through your books and make sure you have job descriptions for all of your employees. Keep track of your staff so that you get it right the first time.

Also, keep track of new employees that you hire (or let go) during the course of the year, so that adjustments can be made to your policy.

Avoid the independent contractor trap — During the last few years, the IRS, the Department of Labor and a number of state agencies across the country have been cracking down on the practice of worker misclassification.

There are many implications for classifying someone who is an employee as a contractor, and all of them are costly. You could be looking at back taxes, owing additional workers’ comp premiums, lawsuits, and more.

Don’t understate payroll — If your insurer audits your business and they find that your numbers just don’t add up, you could end up having to pay additional premium or risk policy cancellation.

Understand how ‘claims-made’ coverage works — “Claims-made” policies have lower up-front and ongoing costs and they only let you make a claim during the policy year during which a project is being built.

The biggest drawback of these policies is that if you have to file a claim years after the project is completed, you may be out of luck — especially if you’ve switched insurance companies.

Check your subs’ insurance certificates — Know whether or not your policy will cover subcontractors or if they need to carry their own liability coverage. Verify that any subcontractors you use have valid and current certificates of insurance.

Keep your policies current and up to date — Many factors should prompt you to revisit your insurance policy: Hiring new employees, buying new equipment or vehicles, or opening a new office. 

BGES Group, located in Larchmont, N.Y. are New York Construction Insurance Specialists that represent 50+ companies and all the BEST general & umbrella liability programs!  We offer every coverage you need including property, builders risk, inland marine, general liability, umbrella liability, auto, bid & performance bonds, workers’ compensation, N.Y.S. disability and group health.  We are extremely responsive, responsible, trustworthy, fast, minimize your insurance headaches, we don’t charge ridiculous policy or service fees and when you call, text or email, whatever time of day, even weekends, we are ARE THERE to help YOU! 

BGES Group are Workers’ Compensation Insurance Specialists for Tri-State Business Owners: Unhappy with your rates, company, being cancelled, losses causing difficulty getting coverage, in the middle of an audit dispute, payrolls misclassified, whatever your issue, we can help!  We have special programs for: Auto Service, Contractors (especially New York), Limousine Services, Logistic Companies, Manufacturers, Recyclers, Truckers, we can help ANY tri-state business owner.  We are considered “Preferred Agents” for this one program that if we can get you in, their pricing is excellent, offers long-term coverage stability and can cover multi-state operations. Program takes the hassle out of doing annual audits too.

If you would like to speak with us call Gary Wallach at 914-806-5853 or click here to email or click here to visit our website.

Company: BGES Group, 216A Larchmont Acres West, Larchmont, NY 10538

e-mail: bgesgroup@gmail.com

website: http://www.bgesgroup.com

© – Copyright – 2024 – BGES Group

There are many issues that can cause setbacks for businesses. Electrical fires can damage inventory and equipment as well as shut down a business temporarily. Customer injuries can lead to lawsuits, natural disasters can destroy property and burglaries can result in thousands of dollars of losses in equipment and valuables.

After any of the above events you’ll have to file a claim with your insurer. But if you aren’t prepared, take too long to file your claim or fail to document all of your losses, you may not receive a full claims payout. You can avoid that by following these tips:

Gather all the information — Before you file a claim, you have to first understand what happened, because the insurer and your claims adjuster will need detailed accounts of the event and circumstances leading up to it.

Look at the insurance policy to see if there are any other necessary steps to take. Some policies include instructions about what to do if certain types of insurable losses occur.

Don’t procrastinate during this time. It’s important that you quickly collect and document all the pertinent information.

File a claim with your insurer — The most efficient way to get your claim started is by contacting the insurance carrier directly.

The best way to get the claim underway is by visiting your carrier’s website and going through their claims process. Many offer a convenient online method, but also provide an 800 number to call if you prefer to speak to someone one-on-one.

Whether you do it online or over the phone, you will be walked through the claims intake process. Be prepared to provide the information you gathered in the first step because your insurance company will need to know all the details about what and when it happened to properly assess your claim.

Most insurers will contact you within 24 to 48 hours after you file your claim.

Inform us of the claim — Once your claim has been started, it’s now time to inform us, your insurance agent. In addition to answering any questions, we can explain your coverage and properly set expectations for what’s to come.

Additionally, if your claim has any complexity or nuance, we will be able to work with the carrier and/or provide useful advice and guidance.

Create an inventory of losses — While you wait for the claims adjuster to contact you or for them to come out to assess the damage, you can work on creating an inventory of your losses.

This is essential for providing a clear picture of the loss or damage. Include descriptions of items, their original values and estimated current values. It is also helpful to include a description about the condition of the item before it was damaged.

If it is possible to photograph the damaged items, take photos for the insurer. Find copies of any receipts for damaged items.

It is also helpful to do a walk-through of the damaged area with a video camera or a cell phone video camera. Videos help show the damage live and from multiple angles. Use them to supplement photo files.

Show proof of the loss — Insurers require policyholders to sign sworn statements that show proof of their losses, and the required information must be sent along with the statement. This statement must be made and signed within 60 days of the insurer’s first request for it.

Make temporary repairs if needed — If temporary repairs must be made to prevent further damage or to protect other assets, they can be completed before the adjuster surveys the property. Do not order any unnecessary repairs.

The only types of temporary repairs that should be made are those that will prevent further damage or prevent a possible liability. For example, a temporary roof repair may be necessary to prevent it from collapsing and injuring people, or a broken window may be fixed to prevent rain from coming into a building and causing water damage.

Since repairs are included in the settlement, keep receipts for any services and items purchased. For contracted work, obtain two written bids from separate companies before hiring someone.

The takeaway

Always stay organized when going through the claims process. Keep all papers accessible, and have information ready in the event that an agent or adjuster calls.

When talking to any repair companies or other related parties on the phone, keep track of calls and the reason for the calls. Save receipts for any items that are purchased in relation to the damage. To learn more about what to do during the claims process, give us a call.

BGES Group, located in Larchmont, N.Y. are New York Construction Insurance Specialists that represent 50+ companies and all the BEST general & umbrella liability programs!  We offer every coverage you need including property, builders risk, inland marine, general liability, umbrella liability, auto, bid & performance bonds, workers’ compensation, N.Y.S. disability and group health.  We are extremely responsive, responsible, trustworthy, fast, minimize your insurance headaches, we don’t charge ridiculous policy or service fees and when you call, text or email, whatever time of day, even weekends, we are ARE THERE to help YOU! 

BGES Group are Workers’ Compensation Insurance Specialists for Tri-State Business Owners: Unhappy with your rates, company, being cancelled, losses causing difficulty getting coverage, in the middle of an audit dispute, payrolls misclassified, whatever your issue, we can help!  We have special programs for: Auto Service, Contractors (especially New York), Limousine Services, Logistic Companies, Manufacturers, Recyclers, Truckers, we can help ANY tri-state business owner.  We are considered “Preferred Agents” for this one program that if we can get you in, their pricing is excellent, offers long-term coverage stability and can cover multi-state operations. Program takes the hassle out of doing annual audits too.

If you would like to speak with us call Gary Wallach at 914-806-5853 or click here to email or click here to visit our website.

Company: BGES Group, 216A Larchmont Acres West, Larchmont, NY 10538

e-mail: bgesgroup@gmail.com

website: http://www.bgesgroup.com

© – Copyright – 2024 – BGES Group

Emergencies usually happen without notice, but if you have an emergency action plan in place and have trained workers to respond quickly and appropriately, you have a better chance of weathering the event, relieving anxiety – and potentially saving lives.

Management commitment and worker involvement are essential to an effective emergency action plan.

The action plan should be explained to workers and reviewed whenever the plan or responsibilities change.

But, how good is your emergency action plan? Does it account for different types of emergencies and set out steps employees need to take?

Find out by asking yourself and your workers the following questions:

General questions

• Is there a means of reporting emergencies and accounting for personnel before and after an incident?
• Who is the person responsible for decision-making during emergency conditions?
• Does everyone in the workplace know the procedures to follow in various emergency scenarios (e.g., fire, explosion, earthquake, chemical spill, workplace violence)?
• Do workers know the escape routes and evacuation procedures, including where to reassemble for a headcount or for further instruction?
• Do they know where emergency supplies are located?

Medical questions

• Do your employees know how to respond in the event of a medical emergency?
• Are there workers trained in cardiopulmonary resuscitation and first aid? Does the worksite have first aid equipment that corresponds to the possible injuries workers may encounter (e.g., emergency wash stations, personal protective equipment (PPE), oxygen tanks, ice packs)?
• Are emergency response phone numbers (fire department, ambulance, medical facility, etc.) clearly posted where they can be readily accessed?

Fire questions

• Does the worksite have fire extinguishers that match the possible fire hazards?
• Have workers practiced using the fire extinguishers so that they’re aware of their operation and limitations?
• Have the fire extinguishers been recharged within the last year? (They must be tagged to indicate the recharge date.)

Spill questions

• Does the worksite have absorbent material that matches the quantity and type of chemicals which could spill?
• Do you have relevant PPE that would be needed to respond to a chemical spill?
• Have employees been properly trained in how to safely respond to a chemical spill?

The next step

The answers to the above questions should be in your emergency action plan and/or should be accounted for in your training and safety materials for your workers and supervisors. If your plan is silent on any of the questions, you should take the time to update it.

If you don’t have an emergency action plan, you can use the questions to guide you as you create one.

Once you have established your emergency action plan, make sure employees are trained and retrained in the possible emergencies they may encounter, the emergency procedures they should follow, any first aid or rescue procedures, and in the location of emergency response equipment and phone numbers.

In an emergency, an immediate, educated response can save lives, the business operation and thousands of dollars in potential losses.

BGES Group, located in Larchmont, N.Y. are New York Construction Insurance Specialists that represent 50+ companies and all the BEST general & umbrella liability programs!  We offer every coverage you need including property, builders risk, inland marine, general liability, umbrella liability, auto, bid & performance bonds, workers’ compensation, N.Y.S. disability and group health.  We are extremely responsive, responsible, trustworthy, fast, minimize your insurance headaches, we don’t charge ridiculous policy or service fees and when you call, text or email, whatever time of day, even weekends, we are ARE THERE to help YOU! 

BGES Group are Workers’ Compensation Insurance Specialists for Tri-State Business Owners: Unhappy with your rates, company, being cancelled, losses causing difficulty getting coverage, in the middle of an audit dispute, payrolls misclassified, whatever your issue, we can help!  We have special programs for: Auto Service, Contractors (especially New York), Limousine Services, Logistic Companies, Manufacturers, Recyclers, Truckers, we can help ANY tri-state business owner.  We are considered “Preferred Agents” for this one program that if we can get you in, their pricing is excellent, offers long-term coverage stability and can cover multi-state operations. Program takes the hassle out of doing annual audits too.

If you would like to speak with us call Gary Wallach at 914-806-5853 or click here to email or click here to visit our website.

Company: BGES Group, 216A Larchmont Acres West, Larchmont, NY 10538

e-mail: bgesgroup@gmail.com

website: http://www.bgesgroup.com

© – Copyright – 2024 – BGES Group

The owners of a new company found a building on the market for an affordable price, so they bought it. Built in the 1940s to manufacture aircraft for the war effort, the metal structure had a large open space.

The company occupying this space was in the software development business and the building was much larger than it needed, but the price made it seem like a sensible move. However, the owners got a surprise from their insurance agent about property coverage.

Most commercial insurance policies will cover the cost of replacing a building and its contents exactly as everything was before the loss. But the cost of reconstructing this old building to its original state was much higher than both its purchase price and that of other similar properties due to its unique architecture and out-of-production artisan materials used in its construction.

The company did not need that much insurance, and paying the higher premium for it would have been wasteful, so the owners asked the agent for alternatives. What if, they asked, we don’t rebuild our building as it was and go for a less expensive replacement?

After a fire or some other catastrophe destroys a building, its owners may decide not to rebuild or replace with a similar structure for a number of reasons:

• As was the case with the software company, the current building’s design may be impractical. If it were to rebuild, it would almost certainly choose a smaller building with a different layout.
• Old buildings often include materials that builders do not commonly use today, such as plaster and lathe. Reconstruction with these materials is expensive and often unnecessary for the continued operation of the business.
• The company may decide to consolidate the operations of two locations into one and not rebuild the property at all.
• Depending on the building’s age, it may not meet current building codes. Rebuilding the structure up to code could be extremely costly.

The insurance options

There are two standard business property insurance policies:

An actual cash value policy — This pays for the cost of replacing any damaged property, minus an amount for depreciation.

A replacement value policy — This type of policy compensates for the full cost of replacing damaged property and contents using new materials of the same quality. This naturally entails higher premiums than for actual cash value coverage.

Due to the lower premium, the software firm opted for an actual cash value policy. This would allow them, in the event of a claim, to replace the building with a new one that costs less to construct than replacing the structure — or they could cash out and not replace the building.

The actual cash value policy may also provide a small amount of additional insurance (typically the lesser of 5% of the insurance on the building, or $10,000) to cover the increased cost of construction resulting from changes in building codes.

Other alternatives

If you feel that your business does not need an exact replacement of its current building(s), you should ask us about adding a “functional building valuation” endorsement to your policies.

This type of endorsement establishes a limit of insurance somewhere between actual cash value and full replacement cost and allows the property owner to replace the building with one that fulfills the same function as the old one at a lower cost.

It would also be wise to look at increasing your policy’s “ordinance or law” coverage to provide additional insurance for higher costs from new building codes.

With the right attention to detail, a business can get the property insurance it needs without having to waste money on unnecessary coverage.

BGES Group, located in Larchmont, N.Y. are New York Construction Insurance Specialists that represent 50+ companies and all the BEST general & umbrella liability programs!  We offer every coverage you need including property, builders risk, inland marine, general liability, umbrella liability, auto, bid & performance bonds, workers’ compensation, N.Y.S. disability and group health.  We are extremely responsive, responsible, trustworthy, fast, minimize your insurance headaches, we don’t charge ridiculous policy or service fees and when you call, text or email, whatever time of day, even weekends, we are ARE THERE to help YOU! 

BGES Group are Workers’ Compensation Insurance Specialists for Tri-State Business Owners: Unhappy with your rates, company, being cancelled, losses causing difficulty getting coverage, in the middle of an audit dispute, payrolls misclassified, whatever your issue, we can help!  We have special programs for: Auto Service, Contractors (especially New York), Limousine Services, Logistic Companies, Manufacturers, Recyclers, Truckers, we can help ANY tri-state business owner.  We are considered “Preferred Agents” for this one program that if we can get you in, their pricing is excellent, offers long-term coverage stability and can cover multi-state operations. Program takes the hassle out of doing annual audits too.

If you would like to speak with us call Gary Wallach at 914-806-5853 or click here to email or click here to visit our website.

Company: BGES Group, 216A Larchmont Acres West, Larchmont, NY 10538

e-mail: bgesgroup@gmail.com

website: http://www.bgesgroup.com

© – Copyright – 2024 – BGES Group

Imagine it’s a typical July day. You own a 30,000-square-foot office building that is 85% occupied. And the air conditioning and ventilation systems stop working. The outside temperature is in the 90s and the humidity is high. It doesn’t take long before the tenants start to complain.

The contractor you summon determines that an electrical arc fried the circuit board that controls the systems.

The board must be replaced, but it will take up to five business days for it to arrive. In the meantime, the building is unfit for people to work in, and the leases oblige you to credit tenants’ rents for periods when the building is uninhabitable for more than a day. In short, you face thousands of dollars in repairs and much more in lost rents.

While your property insurance policy will cover property damage from events such as fires or explosions, it will not cover the equipment or lost income from the downtime during repairs.

But equipment breakdown insurance will.

Equipment breakdown insurance

This form of insurance is not a substitute for other property coverage. It will not pay for damage caused by fire, lightning, explosions from sources other than pressure vessels, floods, earthquakes, vandalism, and other causes of loss covered elsewhere.

Equipment breakdown policies are designed to fill in the gaps left by other policies, not to replace them. Also, they do not cover mechanical breakdowns that result from normal wear and tear as a device ages.

Also known as boiler and machinery insurance, or mechanical breakdown insurance, equipment breakdown insurance helps cover:

• The cost to repair or replace damaged equipment, including time and labor
• Lost income
• Spoiled inventory
• Necessary expenses incurred during the restoration period

There are five categories of equipment that equipment breakdown insurance typically covers:

1. Mechanical.  This includes motors, engines, generators, elevators, water pumps and specialized production and manufacturing equipment.
2. Electrical. This includes transformers, electrical panels and cables.
3. Computers and communications. This includes computer systems, phone systems, voice mail systems, security systems and fire alarm systems.
4. Air conditioners and refrigeration systems
5. Boilers and pressure equipment

Why you need it

Many businesses rely heavily on machines in their daily operations, from computers and printers to refrigeration equipment, elevators and manufacturing equipment.

For some, the cost of repairs to this equipment and resulting downtime can have a serious impact on company finances. Such businesses should seriously consider buying equipment breakdown insurance.

Call us if you would like to discuss this crucial form of coverage.

BGES Group, located in Larchmont, N.Y. are New York Construction Insurance Specialists that represent 50+ companies and all the BEST general & umbrella liability programs!  We offer every coverage you need including property, builders risk, inland marine, general liability, umbrella liability, auto, bid & performance bonds, workers’ compensation, N.Y.S. disability and group health.  We are extremely responsive, responsible, trustworthy, fast, minimize your insurance headaches, we don’t charge ridiculous policy or service fees and when you call, text or email, whatever time of day, even weekends, we are ARE THERE to help YOU! 

BGES Group are Workers’ Compensation Insurance Specialists for Tri-State Business Owners: Unhappy with your rates, company, being cancelled, losses causing difficulty getting coverage, in the middle of an audit dispute, payrolls misclassified, whatever your issue, we can help!  We have special programs for: Auto Service, Contractors (especially New York), Limousine Services, Logistic Companies, Manufacturers, Recyclers, Truckers, we can help ANY tri-state business owner.  We are considered “Preferred Agents” for this one program that if we can get you in, their pricing is excellent, offers long-term coverage stability and can cover multi-state operations. Program takes the hassle out of doing annual audits too.

If you would like to speak with us call Gary Wallach at 914-806-5853 or click here to email or click here to visit our website.

Company: BGES Group, 216A Larchmont Acres West, Larchmont, NY 10538

e-mail: bgesgroup@gmail.com

website: http://www.bgesgroup.com

© – Copyright – 2024 – BGES Group

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission continues seeing a steady flow of complaints for one of the more common forms of workplace bias — age discrimination.

The number of court filings the EEOC made under the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA) in fiscal year 2023 was more than double that of fiscal year 2022. As the EEOC steps up its efforts under the Biden administration, it’s crucial that employers have in place policies and employment standards to avoid any appearances of discrimination against workers based on age.

The ADEA prohibits harassment and discrimination on the basis of a worker’s age for individuals over 40. This extends to any aspect of employment, including hiring, job assignments, promotions, training and benefits.  

The law even applies to employers that use third party recruiters to screen job applicants, according to EEOC guidance.

For an idea of how costly an age discrimination lawsuit can be, consider the following recent actions (keep in mind that these numbers don’t include attorneys’ fees):

• In March 2023, Fischer Connectors settled with the EEOC for $460,000 over accusations that the manufacturer fired a human resources director and replaced her with two younger workers after she had spoken up about company plans to replace other older workers.
• In September 2023, two former IBM human resources employees — both over 60 — sued IBM after they were terminated, alleging age discrimination.
• Wisconsin-based Exact Sciences agreed to pay $90,000 to settle a lawsuit alleging that it had discriminated against a 49-year-old job applicant based on his age after it turned him down for a medical sales rep position in favor of a 41-year-old.
• A 52-year-old woman sued a Palm Beach restaurant, alleging violations of the ADEA and the Florida Civil Rights Act of 1992. She claims that after working for 10 years as a seasonal server, she was terminated on the grounds that the restaurant was moving to year-round employment, yet continued to hire young seasonal workers.

What you can do

Ageism in the workplace doesn’t just negatively affect employees. It also affects your company. Over the past 15 years, age discrimination cases have accounted for 20-25% of all EEOC cases — and they typically receive the highest payouts.

Ageism is bad for business in a number of ways. Not only do you risk a large settlement, but you also miss out on a large talent pool of older workers in your hiring practices. You also miss out on the major contributions that older workers can make to your organization.

To prevent age discrimination at your firm:

• Train your managers and supervisors on age discrimination and that it won’t be tolerated. Have in place consequences (and follow through on them) for managers that discriminate against an employee due to any protected status, including age.
• Consider taking out any sections of your application form that disclose information about an applicant’s age. Removing the date that an applicant graduated or completed their degree is helpful. This can allow hiring managers to focus on the skills and experience an applicant brings to the table rather than their age.
• If you have to go through a layoff, ensure you don’t make any decisions based on age. You should focus only on two things during this process: making choices solely based on performance and the necessity of the position they hold. Even a seniority-based system is acceptable.

The takeaway and insurance

Often when the EEOC settles these cases, they will require the employer to sign a consent decree requiring them to implement age-discrimination training for hiring managers. You shouldn’t wait for an order by the agency to do the same.

Finally: In the event you are sued for age discrimination, if you have in a place an employment practices liability policy, it may cover your legal costs and any potential settlements or verdicts.

Besides age discrimination, these policies will cover a host of other lawsuits by employees.

BGES Group, located in Larchmont, N.Y. are New York Construction Insurance Specialists that represent 50+ companies and all the BEST general & umbrella liability programs!  We offer every coverage you need including property, builders risk, inland marine, general liability, umbrella liability, auto, bid & performance bonds, workers’ compensation, N.Y.S. disability and group health.  We are extremely responsive, responsible, trustworthy, fast, minimize your insurance headaches, we don’t charge ridiculous policy or service fees and when you call, text or email, whatever time of day, even weekends, we are ARE THERE to help YOU! 

BGES Group are Workers’ Compensation Insurance Specialists for Tri-State Business Owners: Unhappy with your rates, company, being cancelled, losses causing difficulty getting coverage, in the middle of an audit dispute, payrolls misclassified, whatever your issue, we can help!  We have special programs for: Auto Service, Contractors (especially New York), Limousine Services, Logistic Companies, Manufacturers, Recyclers, Truckers, we can help ANY tri-state business owner.  We are considered “Preferred Agents” for this one program that if we can get you in, their pricing is excellent, offers long-term coverage stability and can cover multi-state operations. Program takes the hassle out of doing annual audits too.

If you would like to speak with us call Gary Wallach at 914-806-5853 or click here to email or click here to visit our website.

Company: BGES Group, 216A Larchmont Acres West, Larchmont, NY 10538

e-mail: bgesgroup@gmail.com

website: http://www.bgesgroup.com

© – Copyright – 2024 – BGES Group