Fraud adds to workers’ compensation costs for all businesses, but it hits small businesses the hardest as they may not have the resources to identify bogus claims.

According to a new study by workers’ comp insurer Employers Holdings Inc., about 20% of small business owners are not sufficiently prepared to identify workers’ comp fraud.

It’s estimated that at least 10% of workers’ compensation claims are fraudulent, and identifying those illicit claims would keep your workers’ comp claims in check and reduce your premiums.

Claims fraud happens when an employee tries to gain workers’ comp benefits by falsely stating that an injury or illness occurred at work, or by exaggerating an existing injury or illness.

“Workers’ compensation fraud” .can strain business operations, lead to higher insurance costs for businesses, and even undermine honest workers who are legitimately injured on the job,” said Ranney Pageler, VP of fraud investigations at Employers.

The disconnect

The study found that:

• 13% of small business owners are concerned that one of their employees would commit workers’ comp fraud by faking an injury or illness to collect benefits.
• 21% said they are unsure of their ability to identify fraud.
• 24% of small business owners have installed surveillance cameras to monitor employees on the job.

The strongest indicators of potential claims fraud noted by survey respondents include:

• The employee has a history of claims (58%).
• There were no witnesses to the incident (52%).
• The employee did not report the injury or illness in a timely manner (52%).
• The reported incident coincides with a change in employment status (51%).

Nipping fraud in the bud

Investigator Pageler recommends that small business owners look for the following warning signs:

• Monday morning (or start of shift) injury reports. The alleged injury occurs first thing on Monday morning, or the injury occurs late on Friday afternoon but is not reported until Monday.
• Employment changes. The reported accident occurs immediately before or after a strike, job termination, layoff, end of a big project or the conclusion of seasonal work.
• Suspicious providers. An employee’s medical providers or legal consultants have a history of handling suspicious claims, or the same doctors and lawyers are used by groups of claimants.
• No witnesses. There are no witnesses to the accident and the employee’s own description does not logically support the cause of the injury.
• Conflicting descriptions. The employee’s description of the accident conflicts with the medical history or injury report.
• History of claims. The claimant has a history of suspicious or litigated claims.
• Refusal of treatment. The claimant refuses a diagnostic procedure to confirm the nature or extent of an injury.
• Late reporting. The employee delays reporting the claim without a reasonable explanation.
• Claimant is hard to reach. The allegedly disabled claimant is hard to reach at home and does not respond promptly to messages.
• Frequent changes. The claimant has a history of frequently changing physicians, addresses or jobs.

It should be noted that one of these indicators on its own may not be indicative of fraud, so don’t jump to conclusions.

What to do if you suspect fraud

Employers who suspect a worker may be committing claims fraud should first alert the special investigations unit or fraud unit within their insurance company’s claims department.

If your complaint is found to have merit and they believe the claim may be fraudulent, the insurer may report it to the appropriate law enforcement authorities. But that will only happen after the insurance company has conducted its own investigation.

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, Worker’s Compensation, New York State Disability, Group Health, Life insurance, Personal lines and Identity Theft.

Special Contractor Insurance Programs (NY, NJ, CT) – We we have 60+ 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. If you’re a contractor we offer extensive information about insurance markets, coverages, risk transfer, subcontractor screening, ways to lower your insurance costs.

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) Replacing policies that are 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.

 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 – 2021 – BGES Group

Good day!  My name is Gary Wallach and my firm is one of tri-state’s leading “Construction Insurance Specialists” who represent 60+ construction insurance companies and have arrangements with a few carriers/programs which can give YOU that extra competitive edge!

We have special programs for contractor general liability, umbrella liability, business auto, workers compensation and bid & performance bonds.  99.9% of agents don’t have the breadth of companies we do.  And we also have marketing muscle which helps our client’s get excellent rates and coverage!

If you are a “General Contractor” or “Special Trades” we offer in our opinion “THE BEST PROGRAM” around!  Rates are unbeatable and so is coverage!  Question is saving $25,000, $50,000, $100,000+ worth giving us a shot getting you into our program?

98% of our accounts are contractors and if you go to our website you can see that all praise and give us a “5 Star Rating.”

One of the great things working with us is when you call, text or email you get us immediately. No phone tag.  You can get us Monday thru Sunday you just call 914-806-5853 and we are there to ALWAYS lend a helping hand!

Let us take your account and market it to our carrier network.  We will make it as painless as possible.  We can only “BETTER YOUR SITUATION!”

One contractor we worked on was paying $393,000.  We reduced his pricing to $197,000 and got him much better coverage.

Another was paying $146,000.  We reduced his pricing to $78,000 and got rid of height restrictions, subcontractor coverage warranties and type of work restrictions.

Whatever problem you have we can help fix it.

We can help with screening subcontractors insurance.  We have a program in place to help clients.

We can help review contracts to make sure your insurance is in compliance.

We can help you set up a “Written Safety Manual.”

We can help you with getting bonds.

We can help you with getting Group Health Insurance.

Take a minute to watch our videos.  After give us a call.  Again we can only better your situation and when you’re spending tens, hundreds of thousands of dollars, well at least we think reaching out to us in the end can only save you lots of money!

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.

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, Worker’s Compensation, New York State Disability, Group Health, Life insurance, Personal lines and Identity Theft.

Special Contractor Insurance Programs (NY, NJ, CT) – We we have 60+ insurance companies to market your contractor general liability, umbrella liability, business auto, workers compensation, bid & performance bonds and group health coverages. We help contractors set up proper risk transfer. If you’re a contractor we offer extensive information about insurance markets, coverages, risk transfer, subcontractor screening, ways to lower your insurance costs.

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) Replacing policies that are 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.

 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 – 2021 – BGES Group

More than two-thirds of renters are uninsured for fire, natural disaster and burglary.

Why do so many people take this unnecessary risk? Some may think that their landlord’s insurance will cover any claims, or that only houses are broken into – and not apartments.

But the fact is that more apartments are broken into than houses, and apartments also burn. Worse yet, if a fire starts in one unit it will often affect nearby flats, as well. A careless neighbor could be the cause of your next burnt hallway.

But if you’re still on the fence, you should consider the following:

Your landlord’s insurance won’t cover you — While landlord’s insurance policies cover the building and any unattached property they have stored there, that coverage does not extend to a tenant’s belongings.

If your things are stolen or destroyed by a fire or a storm, you’ll have to replace them yourself. Additionally, you’ll be footing the bill for any temporary living expenses you may rack up if your apartment is uninhabitable for a period of time.

You may think your stuff is worthless, but it’s not — If you look around, you’ll find that you do have things of value. Your computer, tablet, mp3 player, clothing, furniture, a DVD collection, to name a few.

Most people have thousands of dollars of belongings and if a fire rages through their apartment, it’s all gone. And there’s an added bonus with renter’s insurance, in that it comes with liability protection against lawsuits by visitors who are injured when in your flat.

Renter’s insurance is affordable — Depending on the amount of coverage you purchase, premiums can be as low as a few hundred dollars a year, or less than $20 a month. Give us a call and we can take you through the steps of determining how much coverage you may need.

We’ll walk you through it

Understanding most insurance products does take a little time, but it’s always easier with the help of a professional insurance agent. We can walk you through the process of how to decide what type of policy is right for you, such as:

• Explaining the differences between actual cost and replacement cost.
• Helping you decide which deductible is right for your budget.
• Explaining policy add-ons such as floaters to cover valuables above the coverage limits of a standard policy.

You will have to decide on one important part of the coverage: actual or replacement value.

If you have expensive items like electronics that are subject to depreciation, you should consider replacement cost coverage. With this type of policy, you would be reimbursed for the current cost of buying a new equivalent item.

This way, if you spent $2,000 on a computer three years ago, you would receive a check from the insurance company that would enable you to buy a new one.

However, if you had an “actual value” policy, the computer would be valued not at what you paid for it originally or what it would cost to replace it, but at its actual value as a used item. So, a three-year-old computer would be covered for its initial cost minus depreciation.

Of course, replacement cost coverage is more expensive.  It’s up to you to decide which type of coverage — actual value or replacement cost — better fits your needs and budget.

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, Worker’s Compensation, New York State Disability, Group Health, Life insurance, Personal lines and Identity Theft.

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.  If you’re a contractor we offer extensive information about insurance markets, coverages, risk transfer, subcontractor screening, ways to lower your insurance costs.

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) Replacing policies that are 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.

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 – 2021 – BGES Group

One major repercussion of the COVID-19 pandemic is that employees are embracing the voluntary benefits their employers are offering them, but they’d like to see more choices and issues such as mental health and voluntary benefits have risen to the fore.

The Hartford’s “2021 Future of Benefits Study” found that before the pandemic, benefits were mainly viewed as a means of attracting and retaining talent. But the pandemic changed all that due to the stress of having our work and personal lives upended, as well as the widespread suffering and grief that the coronavirus has caused.

The most significant shift that The Hartford noted has been in what employees value most and they would like to see employee benefits cover better:

• Voluntary benefits,
• Mental health and well-being,
• Engagement and technology, and
• Paid leave.

Solid voluntary benefits

Most everyone has felt the personal effects of the pandemic, either contracting COVID-19 and being hospitalized or seeing family or friends get sick and check in for treatment. Many have had loved ones die from the disease.

As a result, voluntary benefits have become a larger priority for many workers.

In addition, employees are expressing more interest in supplemental benefits such as critical illness insurance, hospital indemnity insurance and accident insurance. Employers listened and during the last year:

• 36% of companies surveyed added accident insurance, half of them due to the pandemic.
• 32% added hospital indemnity insurance, nearly two-thirds of them adding the coverage in response to the pandemic.
• 29% added critical illness insurance, 84% of which did so due to the pandemic.
• 27% added life insurance, three-fourths of which did so due to the pandemic.
• 21 added long-term disability, nearly two-thirds of them doing so due to the pandemic.

A new focus on mental health

Besides the physical toll that the COVID-19 pandemic took on people who contracted the disease, many have been dealing with mental health and work-balance issues, particularly if they were suddenly thrust into working from home.

That coupled with the overall stress that the pandemic has had on people, has prompted a greater demand for employers to prioritize mental health for their staff. The study found that:

• 59% of workers said their company’s culture has been more accepting of mental health challenges this past year.
• 27% of employees said they struggle with depression or anxiety most days or a few times a week (up from 20% in March 2020).
• 70% of employers now recognize that employee mental health is a significant workplace issue, up from 59% in June 2020.

While the pandemic has brought greater attention to the mental health challenges many workers face, it has also shed light on the opportunities for employers to support their team.

This can be done by ensuring that your health plans include a mental health component, offering your workers an employee assistance program and providing staff with resources, help and education that address wellness and mental health.

Engagement and tech

There was a quantum shift in 2020 to virtual benefits enrollment due to the logistics and danger of turning open enrollment meetings into super-spreader events.

Employers were left having to figure out how to conduct open enrollment and provide benefits education most effectively if a significant portion of their staff was now working remotely. Most employers opted for remote educational and open enrollment events that include teleconferencing and online portals for choosing or renewing health plans.

The survey predicts that the reliance on technology will only increase, with 75% of employers saying their company’s open enrollment strategy will depend more strongly on online resources this year.

The Hartford said that personalization would be key to the success of any employee benefits program:

• 58% of workers surveyed said they would like a personalized recommendation for what insurance benefits they should be buying.
• 76% of employers said that they are offering personalized benefit recommendations during open enrollment, up from 71% in June 2020.
• Story-driven enrollment tools can offer an employee context. Presenting the material in a relatable way and tailoring the message based on an understanding of an individual’s benefits needs, influences and life stage, can help someone better evaluate whether a certain benefit is right for them.

Paid time off

Paid time off has become a much hotter topic since the pandemic started. COVID-19 prompted a number of states as well as the federal government to support paid time away from work through new laws and regulations.

Employers also took note, and 75% of them ended up increasing the types of paid time away from work they provided, beyond state and federal requirements.

Here’s what happened:

• 46% of employers expanded their paid medical leave.
• 46% expanded their paid sick time.
• 39% expanded paid family leave.
• 30% expanded paid parental leave.
• 30% expanded paid time off or vacation time.

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, Worker’s Compensation, New York State Disability, Group Health, Life insurance, Personal lines and Identity Theft.

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.  If you’re a contractor we offer extensive information about insurance markets, coverages, risk transfer, subcontractor screening, ways to lower your insurance costs.

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) Replacing policies that are 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.

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 – 2021 – BGES Group

When was the last time you or the person responsible for safety walked around your facility, warehouse, office or workplace and did an inspection? Your Injury and Illness Prevention Program states that the owner, supervisor or person with authority and responsibility shall conduct periodic workplace safety inspections.

To maintain a safe and healthful workplace, OSHA requires that you use the safety standard to help identify hazards that currently exist or could develop over time, and that includes period inspections. These walk-throughs are not trivial and should be taken seriously, as one oversight can have deadly consequences.

Besides regular, scheduled inspections, you will want to conduct inspections whenever new substances, processes, procedures or equipment are introduced into the workplace as they can represent a new occupational safety and health hazard.

Getting started

You should always be on the lookout for possible hazards, but a complete facility check should be done monthly.

With a busy workplace, employers and employees tend to overlook hazards — but with monthly inspections and corrections, accidents can be prevented.

These inspections can help you ferret out issues that may have just come up, or carelessness by an employee that would otherwise go unnoticed.

Use your own experience to develop a hazard inspection checklist for your facility. Every facility is unique and your managers and workers are the most qualified to understand the main safety hazards in the workplace.

The items should be specific and clear enough so that anyone in your workplace can check the items listed. Make copies, so a new list does not have to be made each time.

What should you be looking for when doing a workplace walk-around inspection? You can start with these items:

• Are telephone numbers, safety data sheets, first aid kits, exits and warning signs posted in their appropriate places?
• Are all workstations clean, sanitary and orderly? Are changes in elevation indicated by signs or painted areas?
• Are electrical panels clear of obstructions, breakers marked in relation to what they serve, and panel doors closed?
• Are first aid kits easily accessible to each work area, with necessary supplies available and replenished?
• Are fire extinguishers mounted, unobstructed, signs posted and an adequate number for the workplace?
• Are exits marked with an exit sign, and non-exits marked accordingly?
• Are exits free of obstructions, and unlocked during business hours?
• Are employer postings in a prominent place, so all employees are likely to see them, and are the posters the latest revisions?

This list is by no means exhaustive. As mentioned, you will best know what to look out for at your workplace as you should be following OSHA regulations for your industry.

Don’t forget: If your inspection finds hazards, correct them immediately.

Once you have done your inspection and noted anything untoward, cite it in your safety meetings. Involve your employees to let them know your concerns for their health and well-being. Ask for safety suggestions or concerns from front-line workers.

Record-keeping is key

The key to a regular inspection program is also to include detailed records of them.

You need to keep records of:

• Notes from every inspection you conduct and any findings and recommendations for abatement of hazards.
• Records from inspections after accidents.

All of these findings need to be communicated with your staff so that you can make them aware of these hazards and what you are doing to minimize them. This also helps in getting the team involved and building in them a sense of workplace safety awareness.

You are also required to indicate the frequency of inspections and identify the person responsible for conducting the inspections and correcting unsafe conditions in all work areas.

Keep these records for a minimum of three years.

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, Worker’s Compensation, New York State Disability, Group Health, Life insurance, Personal lines and Identity Theft.

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.  If you’re a contractor we offer extensive information about insurance markets, coverages, risk transfer, subcontractor screening, ways to lower your insurance costs.

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) Replacing policies that are 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.

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 – 2021 – BGES Group

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.

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, Worker’s Compensation, New York State Disability, Group Health, Life insurance, Personal lines and Identity Theft.

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.  If you’re a contractor we offer extensive information about insurance markets, coverages, risk transfer, subcontractor screening, ways to lower your insurance costs.

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) Replacing policies that are 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.

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 – 2021 – BGES Group

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, Worker’s Compensation, New York State Disability, Group Health, Life insurance, Personal lines and Identity Theft.

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.  If you’re a contractor we offer extensive information about insurance markets, coverages, risk transfer, subcontractor screening, ways to lower your insurance costs.

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) Replacing policies that are 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.

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 – 2021 – BGES Group

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, Worker’s Compensation, New York State Disability, Group Health, Life insurance, Personal lines and Identity Theft.

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.  If you’re a contractor we offer extensive information about insurance markets, coverages, risk transfer, subcontractor screening, ways to lower your insurance costs.

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) Replacing policies that are 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.

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 – 2021 – BGES Group

As violence and mass shootings in American workplaces increasingly make the news, more and more businesses are taking added precautions to prevent acts of violence at their facilities, but they also face substantial costs if violence does erupt.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration reports nearly 2 million people suffer from workplace violence every year, and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health estimates those incidents cost employers more than $120 billion.

While your workers’ compensation policy would cover treatment for any injuries your staff sustain during an event, it does not cover other risks, such as being sued for inadequate safety measures and any lost income you suffer from having to close your operations as police investigate. In the wake of any violence, a business owner may also consider hiring security, which also costs money.

Traditional property and casualty insurance policies very rarely cover acts of violence, active shooters or terrorism in the workplace.

Some of the costs that your existing policies wouldn’t cover include:

• Legal liability. If you are sued for negligence for not doing enough to prevent violence in the workplace, your company’s general liability policy would not cover any legal costs and judgments, as acts of violence are typically excluded from coverage. While employers usually prevail in these types of lawsuits because they often cannot have predicted what was going to happen, the company will still incur legal costs that can quickly run into the hundreds of thousands of dollars, which would have to be paid out of pocket.
• Psychiatric care for affected workers. Your workers’ compensation policy would cover any physical injuries that an employee sustains in a workplace violence episode, but what about the trauma suffered by any witnesses? Depending on the state, workers’ comp may or may not cover psychiatric injuries of being witness to violence.
• Business interruption. Often a business will be forced to close after an act of violence in the workplace as police conduct an investigation and employees are unable to work because they are shaken by the event. The business interruption portion of your business property insurance policy will not cover lost income during that time.

The answer

Fortunately, more and more carriers are introducing policies that do cover costs associated with these types of incidents: workplace violence insurance.

These types of policies are growing in number and they are usually purchased as an endorsement to an existing general liability policy, but there are also stand-alone policies.

While policies vary from carrier to carrier, they typically have these coverages in common:

• Legal liability coverage for expenses from lawsuits that may result from a covered event.
• Public relations counseling costs.
• Costs of psychiatric care for traumatized employees.
• Medical or dental care costs.
• Costs for temporary security measures the business may put in place after an event.
• Death benefits for victims’ families.
• Rehabilitation expenses for any injured parties.
• Business interruption expenses for an act of workplace violence or a stalking threat that results in the business shutting down afterwards due to a police investigation and if employees are too traumatized to work. It will usually cover ongoing operating expenses until the business can resume operations.

The takeaway

Be warned: workplace violence policies vary widely with regard to exclusions, terms and conditions. Also, some are narrowly written policies that exclude certain types of violent acts, the use of vehicles, and limited coverage of employees.

Comprehensive policies will cover everything from the human costs associated with injured people, to the intangible costs of restoring business operations and reputational damage.

Coverage limits can range from $1 million to $100 million on both primary and excess liability.  Premiums start at around $1,800 annually.

Employers can often qualify for lower premiums if they have certain safeguards in place, such as on-site security measures and conducting employee drills and training so staff can know how to respond in case of an incident at work.

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, Worker’s Compensation, New York State Disability, Group Health, Life insurance, Personal lines and Identity Theft.

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.  If you’re a contractor we offer extensive information about insurance markets, coverages, risk transfer, subcontractor screening, ways to lower your insurance costs.

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) Replacing policies that are 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. 

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 – 2021 – BGES Group

The owners of a California flooring installation company allegedly underreported their payroll amounts to workers’ compensation insurers to the tune of $30 million, costing the insurance company almost $4 million in premiums. The men are each facing three felony charges.

These are the potential consequences for those who deliberately falsify their payroll records and reports to the companies providing their workers’ compensation insurance. To avoid this pitfall and the fallout, it’s important that employers understand the vital role accurate payroll reporting and records play in determining premiums.

The importance of payroll records

Workers’ comp premiums reflect the amount of a business’s payroll and the riskiness of its operations. Carpenters suffer more frequent and severe injuries than do architects, so the premium rates for construction firms are higher than those for architecture firms.

Monthly, quarterly or after each policy term, the insurer audits the employer’s payroll records to determine the accurate amount of payroll and the proper classification of the work performed.

The carrier applies the reported payroll to the premium rates, calculates the premium and compares it to the deposit the employer paid at the start of the period. The insurer then returns premium to the employer if the deposit was too high or bills them if it was too low.

If an employer’s records are incomplete or not up to date, the insurer may estimate the classification and payroll based on the information available. Those estimates do not often favor the employer.

Avoiding temptation

While some may be tempted to provide artificially low payroll amounts to insurers (by, for example, labeling some workers as “independent contractors” rather than employees), the consequences can be serious.  An insurance company that determines its customer was untruthful will cancel its coverage at the first opportunity.

Also, the insurance contract gives them the right to pursue the employer for the shortfall in premiums. The employer could end up on the wrong side of a court judgment.

Deliberately concealing information about workers to reduce premiums is also a crime in many states.

A New York construction labor supply broker conspired with his insurance broker to mislead five insurers about the size of his operation and work performed by his employees. Their actions cost one insurer $1 million in reduced premiums and left injured workers without workers’ comp claims payments for more than a year.

The insurance broker pleaded guilty to two felony charges. The labor supply broker is awaiting trial.

Depending on the state and the amounts involved, a conviction for workers’ comp fraud can carry lengthy prison sentences and hefty fines. In Minnesota, someone convicted of insurance fraud for more than $35,000 faces up to 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $100,000. Two people in California received 10-year sentences.

The lesson: Keep accurate and honest payroll records for your insurance company and pay the premiums you owe. It will be better for you and your business in the long run.

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, Worker’s Compensation, New York State Disability, Group Health, Life insurance, Personal lines and Identity Theft.

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.  If you’re a contractor we offer extensive information about insurance markets, coverages, risk transfer, subcontractor screening, ways to lower your insurance costs.

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) Replacing policies that are 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. 

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 – 2021 – BGES Group