(Please Note this program is designed for contractors and is not a State or Assigned Risk plan.)

Workers Compensation Program:

• Savings up to 40%.                                                                                                                                                    
• Our program was created to provide worker’s compensation coverage to contractors in NY, NJ, CT.                                                                                                                                                                          
• Our program offers long-term coverage stability.      It is NOT a state or assigned risk plan                                                                                       
• We have one of the best claims services in the industry.  If a claim is questionable we know how to fight it and we will.  We want to keep your experience mod low and rates too.                                                                                                                                                                         
• We cover you with THE RIGHT coverage while operating outside of your home state.  For example, if you are a NY contractor and take a job in NJ that will last 1 ½ months, the NY state plan will not cover a claim arising from that job.  Did you know New Jersey’s medical benefits are substantially higher than New York’s?  Not having the right coverage can knock you out of business.                                                                                                                                                                   
• To bind we require a low up front deposit.  On renewals, NO deposit is required.                                                                                                                                    
• Proper payroll assignments.  Payrolls will be assigned to the right class codes.  You are given control over this.                                                                                                                                                                                   
• Proper payroll caps – Our program caps payrolls as required by your state’s worker’s compensation rules.                                                                                                                                             
• Simplified audits – Our auditors just want to make sure you classified workers correctly.  They also want to make sure your subs have coverage.  They can be in and out in 15 minutes.                   
• You can issue your own certificates on-line.  C105.2’s for DOB and DOT done by our organization in less than 10 minutes.                                                                                                                                   
• FIRST CLASS service.  You will work with one person who has 37 years experience and when you call or email responds immediately.  This person is very responsible, picks up the phone when you call even on weekends and is a pleasure to deal with.  He is knowledgeable, street smart and gets the job done.                                                                                                                               
• We DO NOT charge $500 to $5,000 policy or 10% service fees.  We provide V.I.P. service to every client we work that’s in program.                    

BGES Group’s office, located in Larchmont, NY is a full service insurance agency offering, Property, Liability, Umbrella Liability, Business Auto, Bid & Performance Bonds, Inland Marine, Funding for the Construction Industry, Worker’s Compensation, New York State Disability, Group Health, Life insurance and Personal lines.                                                                                                     

BGES Group are Worker’s Compensation Specialists for the States of New York, New Jersey and Connecticut – Issues we address: 1) Lowering pricing – we have specialty programs that can save you up to 40%; 2) Finding a new company; 3) Being cancelled or non renewed; 4) Audit disputes; 5) Company creating fictitious payroll at audit time; 6) Lowering high experience modifications factors; 7) Misclassification of payrolls; 8) Lowering or eliminating renewal deposits;   9) Getting coverage when you’ve been without for a few months; 10) Covering multiple states under one policy; 11) Eliminating 10% service or policy fees; 12) Timely issuance of certificates; 13) Always being able to get someone on the phone or by email when you need to.

Special Contractor Insurance Programs (NY, NJ, CT) – We we have 50+ insurance companies to market your general liability, umbrella liability, business auto, workers compensation, bid & performance bonds and group health coverages.  We help contractors set up proper risk transfer mechanisms.  If you’re a contractor we offer extensive information about insurance markets, coverages, risk transfer mechanisms, subcontractor screening, ways to lower your insurance costs that lower them.                                                                                                                               

New Jersey and Connecticut Contractors:  We have a fiercely competitively priced (savings up to 50%)  General Liability, Umbrella Liability, Business Auto, Workers Compensation program.  Want to lower these costs?  Get a quote today!                                                                                                    

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.                                                                                                                                           

Home

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

e-mail: bgesgroup@gmail.com

© – Copyright – BGES Group

Workers’ compensation fraud costs the insurance industry roughly $5 billion each year, according to estimates by the National Insurance Crime Bureau. And depending on whom you ask, fraud accounts for as much as 10% of the costs of all workers’ comp claims.

This type of fraud is typically associated with malingering employees who fake injuries in order to collect compensation and some paid vacation time.

In tougher economic times, particularly as lay-offs mount, some experts think there is an increased exposure for employees to claim a work-related injury for a variety of manufactured reasons, such as for an injury that occurred on personal time.

Anytime you feel you have a suspicious claim on your hands, look for these tell-tale signs of potentially fraudulent claims. Usually one of these items alone is not enough to point to fraud, but if you have two or more of them, it could suggest a problem.

1. Late reporting. If you have an employee who suffers a legitimate on-the-job injury, they will generally report it right away. Late reporting may not always be indicative of a fraudulent claim, though, because sometimes the true effects of an injury may not be known until the following day. 

2. The Monday morning claim. If the injury allegedly occurred on Friday, usually late in the day, but did not get reported until Monday, there is reason to suspect there might be a little more going on than meets the eye. The logic is that the employee likely suffered an injury over the weekend and does not want to pay for it themselves if they lack health coverage, or if they don’t want to foot the bill even for their coverage deductible.

3. Lack of witnesses. Often your employees won’t be working in a solitary environment and there ought to be somebody on your staff who witnessed the accident. Still, not every claim has a witness and this should not be used solely to determine fraud.

4. Sketchy details or conflicting descriptions. Most claimants can recall the details of their injury. If the claimant seems to be fuzzy on the details and gives vague responses to questions, it could be a warning sign. 

Also, if the employee’s description of the accident conflicts with the medical history or First Report of Injury, there may be a problem. This could arise if, upon further investigation, the employee keeps changing the story and adding or removing pertinent information – a good reason to suspect it to be a fraudulent workers’ compensation claim.

5. Disgruntled employee. A disgruntled employee is more likely to place fraudulent claims than an employee with high job satisfaction.

6. Financial hardship at home. Workers’ compensation benefits are sometimes seen as a way out of a tight financial situation at home. Although temporary disability benefits are lower than normal working wages, the worker could use the time to “double dip,” that is, take on extra work when they are supposed to be at home recovering from the alleged injury.

7. Hard to reach. This ties in with number 6. If this occurs every time the claimant is called, there is a possibility of fraud.

8. Misses medical appointments. If an employee is truly injured, they want to get better and will make sure to go to all medical appointments. Missing appointments is another reason to suspect fraud.

9. Engaged in activities not consistent with the injury. If your employee reported a back injury and other employees find that he is playing softball on the weekends or renovating his yard, there is good reason to suspect fraud.

10. Employment change. The employee reports the injury right before or after being laid off, near the end of a contract job or near the end of seasonal work.

11. Post-termination claims. If an employee files a claim after being laid off or fired, red flags should pop up.

12. Frequent moves and changes. The claimant has a history of frequently changing physicians, addresses and places of employment.

13. History of claims. If the claimant has filed suspicious or litigated claims in the past, they could be a person who feeds off the system.

14. Employee refuses treatment. There should be no reason that a legitimately injured worker refuses a diagnostic procedure to confirm the nature or extent of an injury.

15. Rigorous hobby. If the injured worker has a pastime that could cause an injury similar to the alleged work injury, the claim could warrant further investigation.

Remember, if you suspect fraud, you should talk to your broker or the insurance company claims representative to alert them. All insurance companies are required to have special investigation units that look into claims fraud. It benefits both you the employer and the insurer if the insurance company investigates and ferrets out a fraudulent claim.

If the insurer suspects fraud, they can reject the claim and report their suspicions to the local district attorney’s office and the Department of Insurance.

Gary Wallach Call 914-806-5853 or email: bgesgroup@gmail.com

BGES Group’s office, located in Larchmont, NY is a full service insurance agency offering, Property, Liability, Umbrella Liability, Business Auto, Bid & Performance Bonds, Inland Marine, Funding for the Construction Industry, Worker’s Compensation, New York State Disability, Group Health, Life insurance and Personal lines.  

BGES Group are Worker’s Compensation Specialists for the States of New York, New Jersey and Connecticut – Unhappy with your workers compensation pricing?   Company?  Service?   In the middle of an audit dispute? Payrolls misclassified?  Owe large amounts at audit? Have to come up with a 25% renewal deposit?  We have a program that can lower your premium by up to 40% and addresses your issues.   

Special Contractor Insurance Programs (NY, NJ, CT) – We we have 40 insurance companies to market your general liability, umbrella liability, business auto, workers compensation, bid & performance bonds and group health coverages.  We help contractors set up proper risk transfer mechanisms.  If you’re a contractor we offer extensive information about insurance markets, coverages, risk transfer mechanisms, subcontractor screening, ways to lower your insurance costs that lower them.    

ALERT NEW JERSEY & CONNECTICUT CONTRACTORS:  We have an extremely competitively priced (savings up to 50%)  General Liability, Umbrella Liability,  Business Auto, Workers Compensation program.  Want to lower these costs?  Get a quote today!   

For Help Contact Gary Wallach Call 914-806-5853 or email: bgesgroup@gmail.com

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

e-mail: bgesgroup@gmail.com

Just the mention of a workers’ compensation audit can stir up the butterflies in your stomach and add a serious dose of stress to your existence.

But, if you are scheduled for an audit, there is no need to dread it. A small amount of preparation and common sense can save you a lot of aggravation and money.

Timing

Devoting a few hours of effort now can save you a lot of time in the future. Give your full attention to the auditor and remain with them throughout the entire process. The process may take a couple of hours to complete, so make sure that the time and date of the scheduled audit are convenient for you. Call to reschedule the audit if it has been scheduled at an inopportune time.

Documentation

As soon as you learn about the audit, begin to collect and organize:

• Payroll records,

• Overtime payroll records,

• Classification divisions, and

• Insurance certificates.

This should give you plenty of time to compose a summary of each, which will help you to better communicate important data during the audit process. Information that is well organized will also expedite the process. If you can reconcile your calculations to payroll records, such as W2s and payroll stubs, the auditor might be more comfortable trusting your data.

You will also want to make any needed adjustment to payrolls; for example, subtracting bonus pay from overtime pay.

If applicable, you will need to apply the maximum and minimum payrolls to the calculations. This part may take a little research, since the minimum and maximum will vary based on state, career, and even among sole proprietors, partners and executive officers.

Classification and subcontractors

Before the audit, review the different employee job classifications and make sure that each person is correctly classified.

This is a key element to ensure that the audit flows smoothly. If there’s any question about how to classify an employee, call us. The auditor is most likely going to ask you about the classification and job duties for multiple different employees, so be prepared and armed with knowledge.

One last important preparation concerns subcontractors. Payments issued to subcontractors can go against your workers’ compensation in the event that the subcontractor did not have a certificate of workers’ compensation.

You can get a copy of the certificate, but make sure that it is current and shows coverage during the time the subcontractor worked for you.

D-day

Once the audit arrives, you’ll be glad that you took a little time collecting, organizing and summarizing your information. You will also find that the auditor is not a nemesis, especially when you provide honest answers and organized paperwork.

At the conclusion of the audit, ask the auditor for the audit worksheet. Then ask us to review the accuracy of the final audit.

You have a legal right to ask for a corrected audit anytime you think there were any errors. If any overpayment was made under the last three preceding audits, you also have a legal right to recover it.

Choosing the right dental benefits plan for your employees is always filled with compromises and difficult decisions, no matter if this is the first time you offer a dental plan at your company or you are just revising the benefits currently on offer.

The process becomes even more difficult when you look into the variety of options and types of dental benefits there are today. Here’s some information to help simplify the situation:

Coverage types

There are three basic types of dental coverage employers typically offer:

Indemnity plan – These fee-for-service style plans are the most common type. They require employees to pay monthly premiums to the insurance company, which agrees to reimburse dentist offices for the costs of the services provided.

What makes these plans so popular is the freedom that covered individuals have in choosing their own dentist. Fee-for-service plans cost more than other plans, but many people are willing to pay more to retain the ability to choose their own practitioner.

Preferred provider organization – PPO dental plans are less expensive than indemnity plans, while still providing a large pool of dentists to choose from. Individuals covered under PPO plans are given the choice of receiving care from any provider within the plan’s dentist network or choosing a non-network dentist and paying a little more in out-of-pocket expenses.

Dental health maintenance organization – A DHMO is the least expensive type of plan. Covered individuals are given an even smaller pool of in-network dentists and may not receive coverage if treated at a non-network facility. DHMOs are able to cut costs by placing a strong focus on preventative care and by offering a selective number of dentists to choose from.

Services covered

Besides choosing one of the three styles of dental insurance, the employer must decide on a benefits program that covers specific services. For example, some plans are comprehensive and cover everything from preventative care to major procedures, while others only cover preventative services.

In dental terms, preventative care refers to semi-annual check-ups and cleanings, yearly x-rays, and fluoride treatments and sealants for children covered under the plan. Basic dental care would refer to basic oral surgeries and restoration procedures. Major dental care refers to root canals, extractions, crowns, prosthetics and advanced surgeries.

Dental plans can also be customized to include services like orthodontics and cosmetic dentistry procedures through the use of riders and options. For a small fee, supplemental services can be added to bulk up basic coverage plans.

The takeaway

When facing such an important decision, numerous factors play into your choice. You must juggle the wants and needs of your employees with the cost and range of each plan. Is it better to have choices or to pay less in premiums?

The more communication you have with your staff, the better you will understand how to formulate a dental insurance plan that meets their expectations.

By promoting good oral health within the workplace and through a benefits program, you will be doing a great service to your employees and your business.

BGES Group’s office is a full service agency offering funding, property, liability, umbrella liability, auto, bid & performance bonds, inland marine, worker’s compensation, New York State Disability and health insurance coverages too.

BGES Group are worker’s compensation specialists (NY, NJ, CT) insuring contractors, limousine services, auto services, local truckers, manufacturers and staffing agencies (Note: we can insure any business).  Workers Compensation issues we address:  1) Lowering rates – our specialty programs have been able to save businesses up to 40%; 2) Being non renewed?  3) Audit disputes; 4) Lowering high experience modifications factors; 5) Misclassification of payrolls; 6) Lowering or eliminating renewal deposits; 7) Getting coverage when you’ve been without for a few months; 8) Covering multiple states under one policy; 9) Eliminating 10% service or policy fees; 10) Timely issuance of certificates; 11) Always being able to get someone on the phone or by email when you need to.

Special Contractor Insurance Programs (NY, NJ, CT) – We we have 50 insurance companies to market your general liability, umbrella liability, business auto, workers compensation, bid & performance bonds and group health coverages to.

Alert New Jersey and Connecticut Contractors:  We have an extremely competitively priced General /Excess Liability program.  You want to lower these costs, get a quote today!  Call Gary Wallach at 914-806-5853 or click here.To Speak With Us Call 914-806-5853, click here to email or click here to visit our website .

http://www.bgesgroup.com or http://www.workerscomp.store

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

e-mail: bgesgroup@gmail.com

(C) – Copyright – BGES Group

When stores lease real estate spaces or construction firms win jobs, the party on the other end usually has a very specific set of requirements.

One of the main requirements is that the tenant, contractor or borrower show proof that he or she has adequate insurance.

Copies of insurance documents may be sufficient. But, not all companies want copies of documents sitting around.

A very helpful substitute for document copies is a certificate of insurance.

How it works

A certificate of insurance is a standardized document that will show:

• The types of coverage the policyholder has purchased

• The effective and expiration dates of the policy, and

• The limits of liability coverage.

In short, it provides evidence that a company is insured. This item is simple to create and store. Unfortunately, not all firms and insurance buyers fully understand them.

ACORD constructed the forms that are most commonly used. According to their instructions these certificates are intended for informational purposes.

When some businesses receive these certificates, they think the items are contracts. But, the certificate is simply a snapshot of insurance provisions. It indicates that a policy exists, but it is not the document that actually provides coverage. The only document that actually provides coverage is the policy itself.

When you need one

Companies and individuals that hire contractors want to be certain that they will not be held liable for injuries, damages or substandard work. For this reason, they will frequently request to see a certificate of insurance.

If your company has been contracted to do work and is asked for proof of insurance, we can provide you with a certificate of insurance if you have purchased coverage through us.

Many businesses want these certificates to have specific terms, phrases or words. But agents have legal boundaries for such requests. The only way agents can add wording to a certificate is if the listed policies contain that wording. Changes are not always allowed.

Many states prohibit agents from handing out certificates implying provisions that are not included in the policies.

For example, a certificate holder may want the item to state that coverage is primary and noncontributory. However, policies that do not reflect such information cannot have certificates that indicate otherwise.

Before you sign papers for leases or construction jobs, you should verify coverage requirements with us.

Don’t be alarmed or taken off guard if a client requests the addition of their name or business as a certificate holder on your certificate.

Oftentimes, this is easily accommodated, but you must submit a request to your insurance agent so that they can review and issue your certificate accordingly.

Act now

Don’t wait until a client asks you to provide evidence of business insurance coverage. You can be proactive and have your document ready.

When working with a new client, the last thing you want is to hurt your company’s reputation and lose clients because you have not requested your insurance certificate in advance.

If you don’t already have one, call us today.

[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eWFmjYirlkw[/embedyt]

What We Can Do for You:

1)    We have a network of fifty (50) insurance companies.  Represent THE BEST PROGRAMSfor N.Y., N.J., C.T. construction companies.  Depending on what you do, we will market your account to these companies and get you “The Right or Better Coverage at The Best Rates.”  We will help you better your situation.

2)    Make sure you have “The Right Coverage” by analyzing your needs then coverage.  There are a lot of exclusions in policies.  DO NOT wait for a claim before learning you have the wrong coverage.  For FREE, have your needs analyzed by a team of “TOP NOTCH EXPERTS!”                                                                                                                                                                              3)   There are a lot of insurance companies on “Black Lists.”  Typically these companies have exclusions that are not acceptable and prevent you from working with new customers.   Our companies are NOT blacklisted.

4)    Help screen customer contracts so you are in compliance with their insurance requirements.  A lot of your customers have risk advisors that screen their contractor insurance policies.  We can help you deal with them.

5)    Have a written safety manual?  We can help put one together for you.

6)    Are you screening your subcontractor’s coverage?  A lot of liability policies have strict subcontractor insurance requirements.  If there’s a claim, and your subs have the wrong insurance, you will have NO coverage.  We can help you screen your subs insurance.

7)    Using a good subcontractor hold harmless and insurance agreement?  This is very important because when marketing your account insurance companies want to see proper risk transfer mechanisms in place.  We can help you put one together.

8)    We can help you with OSHA compliance, employee background screening, stewardship reports, coordinated loss control survey and inspections, claims management services and disaster recovery.

9)    Working out of state and have your workers compensation with a state or assigned risk plan?  A lot of contractors who work out of state have their workers compensation with a state or assigned risk plan.  Most DO NOT realize if an employee gets injured and files claim out of state there’s probably NO coverage.  Employees file claims out of state because it’s more convenient or they receive higher payments.  Getting a second workers comp policy is a starting point however, at audit, complications arise (having your payroll records set up correctly becomes very tricky) and carrier double charging occurs.  Can you afford to pay $50,000, $100,000 or more and deal with employee’s attorney for years?  We have an EXCELLENT program to offer YOU that provides “The Right” protection.

10) Unhappy with your Workers Compensation?  Issues we address:

 A) Lower your rates – Our programs can save you up to 40%.                                                             B) Unhappy with your company’s service?  Ours is FIRST CLASS.

 C) Being non-renewed?   We have 10 companies to go to for you.                                                         D) In the middle of an audit dispute?  We can help you.

 E) We can help you lower a high experience modifications factor.

 F) Misclassification of payrolls.

G) Lowering or eliminating renewal deposits.

H) Getting coverage when you’ve been without for months.

I) Cover multiple states under one policy.

J) Eliminating 10% service or policy fees.

K) Timely issuance of certificates – Option – You can issue your own on line.

L) You will be able to reach someone by phone, email, text within seconds.

11) Deal with a broker who has 38 years experience.  Who when you call answers their phone.  Who when you email emails you right back.  Who when you text texts you right back.  Who when you have a problem is within seconds there to help you.  We are old school.  Offer boutique service.  Every day we deal with contractors, their issues, solving their issues.  We represent “The Top” construction insurance  programs in the tri-state area.  Have a great reputation.  We are NOT insurance generalists, we are construction EXPERTS.  If you are unhappy with what have contact us today!  914-806-5853  Email: Click here.

BGES Group’s office, located in Larchmont, NY is a full service insurance agency offering, Property, Liability, Umbrella Liability, Business Auto, Bid & Performance Bonds, Inland Marine, Funding for the Construction Industry, Worker’s Compensation, N.Y.S. Disability, Group Health, Life insurance and Personal lines.

BGES Group are Worker’s Compensation Specialists (NY, NJ, CT) helping contractors, limousine services, auto service, local truckers, manufacturers and staffing agencies (note we can help any business).  Workers Compensation issues we address:  1) Lowering rates – our specialty programs have been able to save businesses up to 40%; 2) Unhappy with your company’s service, are they difficult to work with?  3) Being non-renewed? 4) Audit disputes; 5) Lowering high experience modifications factors; 6) Misclassification of payrolls; 7) Lowering or eliminating renewal deposits; 8) Getting coverage when you’ve been without for months; 9) Covering multiple states under one policy; 10) Eliminating 10% service or policy fees; 11) Timely issuance of certificates; 12) Always being able to get someone on the phone or by email when you need to.

Special Contractor Insurance Programs (NY, NJ, CT) – We we have 50 insurance companies to market your general liability, umbrella liability, business auto, workers compensation, bid & performance bonds and group health coverage’s.  We help contractors set up proper risk transfer mechanisms.  If you’re a contractor we offer extensive information about insurance markets, coverage’s, risk transfer mechanisms, subcontractor screening, ways to lower your insurance costs that lower them.

New Jersey and Connecticut Contractors:  We have a fiercely competitively priced (savings up to 50%)  General Liability, Umbrella Liability, Business Auto, Workers Compensation program.  Want to lower these costs?  Get a quote today!

To Speak With Us Call 914-806-5853, click here to email or click here to visit our website .

http://www.bgesgroup.com or http://www.workerscomp.store

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

e-mail: bgesgroup@gmail.com

(C) – Copyright – BGES Group

Workplace injury rates rise during the summer months. When summer rolls around, companies in many sectors, including agriculture and construction, significantly increase production.

Increased road construction raises risks for workers and drivers. Many of the newly hired workers are young and inexperienced, creating a high potential for workplace injuries.

Toiling in the sun is also a leading cause of weather-related injuries, including heat stroke, heat cramps and heat exhaustion. Heat illnesses occur when the body overheats to the point it cannot cool off, even with profuse sweating.

Young workers

Too often, young workers enter the workforce with little or no on-the-job safety training, heightening safety risks.

Recently, the Washington State Department of Labor & Industries released a report showing that teens are twice as likely to be hurt on the job as adults.

In Washington state, a total of 547 youths aged 17 and under were injured in the workplace in 2014, up nearly 14.7% over the previous year. Of the total, 173 were in the food and hospitality industries. The next largest total, 80, was reported in both the retail trades and agriculture.

Falls to the floor increased 77%, to 55 cases, as the chief cause of injury.

Young workers, aged 14 to 24, have more accidents because they lack the knowledge, training and experience to prevent them. Some common issues employers encounter with young workers are:

• They do not understand what can go wrong.

• They do not always follow the rules.

• They fail to use personal protective equipment (PPE), or use it incorrectly.

• They horse around on equipment.

• They do not ask questions.

• They think they are infallible.

It’s also important for supervisors to recognize the physical, cognitive and emotional developmental differences between young and adult workers. It takes extra effort to train and supervise seasonal employees on working safely.

Here are some training suggestions:

• Repeatedly demonstrate job procedures and safety precautions. Don’t overlook the basics, such as starting and stopping equipment.

• The step-by-step instructions for any task must include the task’s hazards and how to avoid them. Take the time to clearly explain the risks of not following the proper steps. Use examples.

• Explain when and how to use PPE, as well as where to get it, how to inspect it, and how to remove and store it properly.

• Train one-to-one with young workers and observe them performing tasks.

• Encourage them to report problems and to ask questions.

• Assign specific clean-up tasks and emphasize the importance of a clean, clutter-free worksite.

• Control the hours worked. Many popular summer jobs, such as construction workers, landscapers and jobs in hospitality and food industries, require long hours of work in the heat that can lead to fatigue, inattention and stress, increasing the likelihood of injury.

• Provide a mentor.

• Demonstrate that safety is a priority at your facility. Words aren’t enough. New workers also need to see actions that reinforce the message: clean worksite, properly labeled hazardous substances and readily accessible safety data sheets, workers wearing required PPE and who are concerned about workplace safety and show it, and so on.

Heat illness dangers

While there are many excellent resources on dealing with heat, it’s important for employers to recognize that there are individual differences among workers and those who are struggling may be hesitant to complain.

The American Society of Safety Engineers calls heat the “unseen danger” at construction sites because the symptoms of heat illness can be subtle and misinterpreted as mere annoyances rather than signs of a serious health issue.

Workers new to outdoor jobs are particularly vulnerable. Implementing an acclimatization program, providing adequate water and frequent breaks are all critical, but the best way for employers to prevent heat illnesses is to consistently interact with workers to gauge how they’re feeling and provide current information on weather conditions.

Also, using apps, such as OSHA’s Heat Safety Tool, is a good way for workers to monitor their risk levels.

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 status

There 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’s office, located in Larchmont, NY is a full service insurance agency offering, Property, Liability, Umbrella Liability, Business Auto, Bid & Performance Bonds, Inland Marine, Funding for the Construction Industry, Worker’s Compensation, N.Y.S. Disability, Group Health, Life insurance and Personal lines.

BGES Group are Worker’s Compensation Specialists (NY, NJ, CT) helping contractors, limousine services, auto service, local truckers, manufacturers and staffing agencies (note we can help any business).  Workers Compensation issues we address:  1) Lowering rates – our specialty programs have been able to save businesses up to 40%; 2) Unhappy with your company’s service, are they difficult to work with?  3) Being non-renewed? 4) Audit disputes; 5) Lowering high experience modifications factors; 6) Misclassification of payrolls; 7) Lowering or eliminating renewal deposits; 8) Getting coverage when you’ve been without for months; 9) Covering multiple states under one policy; 10) Eliminating 10% service or policy fees; 11) Timely issuance of certificates; 12) Always being able to get someone on the phone or by email when you need to.

Special Contractor Insurance Programs (NY, NJ, CT) – We we have 50 insurance companies to market your general liability, umbrella liability, business auto, workers compensation, bid & performance bonds and group health coverage’s.  We help contractors set up proper risk transfer mechanisms.  If you’re a contractor we offer extensive information about insurance markets, coverage’s, risk transfer mechanisms, subcontractor screening, ways to lower your insurance costs that lower them.

New Jersey and Connecticut Contractors:  We have a fiercely competitively priced (savings up to 50%)  General Liability, Umbrella Liability, Business Auto, Workers Compensation program.  Want to lower these costs?  Get a quote today!

To Speak With Us Call 914-806-5853, click here to email or click here to visit our website .

http://www.bgesgroup.com or http://www.workerscomp.store

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

e-mail: bgesgroup@gmail.com

(C) – Copyright – BGES Group

DANGER!  Working With These Companies Can Be Hazardous To Your Wealth!

Some Questions:

1. Who is watching my rates?  Do you think an insurance company wants to lower or raise your rates after the first year of being with them?

2. Am I getting all the credits I’m entitled to?  If you’re dealing directly with an insurance company, we doubt it.  It’s our opinion they lure you in the first year with price then each year raise them.  We have never seen an insurance company, on renewal call up a policy holder to discuss all the credits they are entitled to.

3. Do I have the right coverage?  In a state or assigned risk plan?  You may not.  If you have employees who work out of state you may have a financially crippling uncovered exposure.

4. Am I being charged correctly at audit time?  We know plenty of companies whose auditors are in and out.  They give the policyholder no information about payroll or classification rules. They have their marching orders and we’ve seen many business owners pay thousands, tens of thousands more at audit.

5. Who is servicing my account?  When you call is the person you speak to a customer service representative (CSR) or experienced professional?  Let’s face it.  Most CSR’s are nice, pleasant but robot, paper pushers. They have such a volume of work they don’t have time to think let alone give your account the attention it deserves. They have a low level of insurance knowledge and most appear to be part timers or licensed insurance brokers with years of experience.

6. In a program where a “Program Manager” charges you a 10% service fee?   Did you know the reason you have to pay them is not based on servicing but based on “They Control the Program and You aren’t Getting in Unless You Pay Their Membership Fee.”  One Program Manager wanted to charge our client $40,000, another client $30,000.  Ridiculous!  What have they done for you lately?  Do they ever call you?  Come see you?  Are they there for you when a problem arises (i.e. audit dispute)?

7. Is my payroll company transparent?  Are you aware of all their fees?  Is your company’s compliance department making it tough to do business?  Are the people servicing your account knowledgeable, do they ask you questions about your operations so you are covered properly?  We find it hard to believe that payroll companies with hundreds, thousands of accounts can service them properly.

8. Does your insurance agency service hundreds of accounts?  If so how in the world can they service anyone’s account properly?  Usually their CSR’s have so much work they are paper pushers, robots.  They process your policy (and make plenty of mistakes doing so), make no recommendations, do not understand the technicalities of most policies, do not remarket your account, you’ll never hear from them unless you call and charge policy and service fees that are arbitrarily made up.  Agencies have become factory like.  Increasing costs have caused them to cut staff and require inexperienced CSR’s to service way too many accounts.

What We Can Offer You:

1. Having your account taken care of by our principal who is a Worker’s Compensation Specialist (one of his areas of specialty) and has 38 years experience.  When you call he will answer.  When you need anything it will be taken care of immediately.  This person knows the rules and regulations of the workers compensation system and will save you every dollar you are entitled to and make sure you are covered properly.

2. The ability to have your policy quoted by up to 15 companies.

3. You’ll ALWAYS receive “Very Important Person (VIP)” service.  We operate like our father and grandfather did.  Very personnel,  make office visits, frugal with your money, sincerely and genuinely care about you as a client. You will not be billed for ridiculous policy fees, service fees.

4. In a nutshell if you are sick of working with financial institutions that are greedy, whose service is poor, whose personnel have limited knowledge, are overworked and are robot, paper pushers and rather deal with a “Firm Principal” who has 38 years experience, a street fighter, frugal with your money, genuinely caring, who gets the job done?

Business owners who form a corporation or a limited liability company (LLC) may question the need for the business to carry insurance. A major benefit of these forms of business organization is that they shield the owners’ personal assets. Because of this, they may believe insurance is unnecessary.

A corporation is a legal entity separate from its owners. It acts as an artificial legal person. It can do the things that individuals may do, such as:

• Enter into contracts

• Incur debts

• Earn income

• Make investments

• Sue others, and be the target of lawsuits.

It gives its owners a legal shield against many of its obligations. In other words, an individual owner of a corporation (called a “stockholder”) does not have to pay for the business’s debts out of his or her own funds.

An LLC also shields its owners (known as “members”). However, tax laws apply differently to LLCs than they do to corporations. If a corporation earns $10,000 in income, it must pay tax on that $10,000. If an LLC earns $10,000, the money is distributed to the members and they individually pay taxes on it.

Corporations and LLCs shield their owners and members from liability for the entity’s debts.

Suppose someone sues the business, claiming that its product injured them. A court orders the business to pay the injured individual $1,000,000. The business must pay that amount out of its assets. But, the individual owners or members do not have to cash in their bank accounts or homes to pay it. The most they stand to lose is the amounts of their investments in the business.

Legal shield only goes so far

The shield is not absolute. A court may hold individual stockholders and members liable in some situations. If they personally and directly injure someone, the shield does not protect them.

The court may also decide that the corporation is a sham entity. It could do this if the business has not conducted the normal activities of a corporation, such as:

• Holding regular stockholder meetings.

• Keeping business records separate from those of the owners.

• Investing adequate capital in the business.

Regardless of the shield, the business should carry insurance. The shield cannot protect the time and effort that goes into building a business. An uninsured accident can wipe out all of the business’s assets. Without large additional investments, it might not survive. The stockholders’ investments in money, time and work will have been wasted.

Also, an individual acting on the business’s behalf may incur personal liability. For example, while driving on company business, a member may injure someone in a car accident. Business liability and auto insurance policies usually insure individual stockholders and members for acts they perform in their roles with the business. Without this coverage, the individual would have to hire their own lawyers and pay judgments out of pocket.

For these reasons, wise business owners buy insurance. They should insure the business’s buildings, property and liability risks. The personal liability shield is no substitute for insurance protection.