A guy with Laptop

How Does a Workers’ Comp Waiver of Subrogation Affect Your Business?

It is very common for the insurance requirements in a construction contract to include a provision requiring the subcontractor to waive all rights against the owner and general contractor for recovery of damages to the extent these damages are covered by the sub’s workers’ compensation and general liability or commercial umbrella liability insurance. Owners and general contractors insist on this provision because they want to protect themselves from being held liable for injuries to a subcontractor’s employee. Typically, the contractor giving the waiver asks its insurance company to attach a “waiver of subrogation endorsement” to its workers’ compensation policy.

The endorsement states that the insurance will company will not enforce its right to recover payments it makes to an injured worker from the person or organization listed on the endorsement. It applies only to the extent that the employer insured by the policy performs work under a written contract requiring the employer to obtain the insurance company’s waiver. It does not directly or indirectly benefit anyone not listed on the endorsement. With this endorsement on the policy, the company cannot attempt to recover payments it made to an injured worker from the company listed on the endorsement, even if that company was responsible for the injury. Consequently, the loss impacts the employer’s experience modification, probably increasing future premiums. In addition, the endorsement carries an additional premium for the employer, normally some percentage of the premium attributable to the job.

The endorsement and the waiver agreement in the contract do not bind the injured employee. He still has the ability to sue the owner and general contractor for his injuries. However, it is also common for construction contracts to require the subcontractor to defend and indemnify the owner and general contractor from any such suits. Therefore, it is probable that the employer will have to pay an additional premium for the endorsement, pay higher future workers’ compensation premiums for the loss, and pay higher future liability insurance premiums because its policy will cover the other parties’ liability.

For example, assume the sub’s employee suffers serious injuries when tools and materials fall off a scaffold and strike him. He collects workers’ compensation benefits for his medical costs and lost wages. The sub’s workers’ compensation policy includes the waiver of subrogation endorsement, so the insurance company cannot recover any of its payments. The worker sues the owner and general contractor for his pain and suffering. However, the contract requires the sub to cover the owner’s and general’s liability, so the sub’s liability insurance pays for the pain and suffering lawsuit. The sub’s insurance pays twice for the same injury to the same worker.

Owners and general contractors require waivers of subrogation for several reasons. Insurance consultants, brokers, and risk managers usually encourage them to require waivers. Waivers protect their liability insurance and reserve it for other claims. Because a waiver reduces potential liability losses, they become more attractive to liability insurance companies and probably pay lower premiums. Also, subcontractors often do not resist these requirements because they feel they lack negotiating leverage and their insurance companies are usually willing to provide the endorsement.

A few states have curbed the use of waivers of subrogation in their workers’ compensation systems. At least four states have passed laws making the requirements unenforceable, and other states allow the employer to recover from the injured employee some of the proceeds of pain and suffering lawsuits.

In the majority of states that allow waivers, contractors should work with professional insurance agents experienced in providing construction insurance. They can suggest insurance companies that will offer the needed coverages at a reasonable cost and assist with contractual issues such as waivers of subrogation. Above all, contractors must read and understand their contracts so that their agreements do not become an ugly surprise after a loss.

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.  

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.

Contractors Make More Sales – Close more sales with easy, affordable financing options for your customers.  Everything can be done from your phone.  Thirteen banks to get financing from.  No hidden fees. Click here to learn more.

Identity Theft – Over the past year hundreds of thousands of people have had to deal with identity theft.  This has become such a huge problem so we now offer Identity Theft Protection. We heard stories of kids going for car loans and learning they owe $200,000+ to companies they never heard of.  Under our program you can protect yourself, spouse and children.  Anyone you know can purchase this protection though our plan!  Click here to learn more or sign up.

Soon To Be The Best Artificial Intelligence Technology Marketing Platform In The World To Get You New CustomersSick and tired of paying social media experts thousands of dollars to do your marketing?  Paying Google, Facebook, Linkedin hundreds/thousands of dollars for lousy results?  How would you like to dominate your business niche?  How would you like get in on the ground floor and earn a massive new cash flow every month?   Click here to learn more.                  

 

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 – 2020 – BGES Group

workers comp insurance

Are your Workers Employees or Independent Contractors?

The United States Department of Labor and the Internal Revenue Service have combined their efforts to help various states share resources and information that will expose worker classification violations. Employers found to be in violation could face paying back taxes, back pay to workers, missed overtime, retroactive benefits, interest, fines, staff effort charges and legal fees. With situations where there are multiple violations or willful negative intent, the penalties and fines are worse. In addition to the money a violation would cost, employers would also face the negative effects of this damaging information being made available to the public.

The IRS has made it clear that it is not easy to classify independent contractors and employees. Every case they evaluate is different based on a wide variety of factors. To start, employers may think about whether they have control over a worker’s performance and work outcomes. This is not based on whether an employer decides to exercise control. It is a matter of whether the employer actually has the legal ability to control the workers in these areas. The IRS has a set of rules called the Common Law Rules, which cover the categories of financial control, behavioral control and relationship classifications. None of these factors are individually decisive. The entire situation must be evaluated to make an accurate determination. In addition to these evaluations, employers may take the Economic Reality test from the Department of Labor. This test is based on the Fair Labor Standards Act and includes six factors that are similar to those used by the IRS.

One of the best ways to show that a worker is not an employee but an independent contractor is to show proof of that individual’s ownership of a business. In addition to this, employers can show proof that the worker’s tasks are not an integral part of the employer’s business. Workers who are free to be hired by others or who perform freelance work are not considered employees. For every independent contractor used, businesses should keep vendor folders on file. The following paragraphs outline what information should be included in each file.

W-9 Form
Every independent contractor should complete a W-9. This is necessary for creating a 1099 tax document. If the individual does not claim exemption, employers should withhold taxes. For current tax withholding percentage information, discuss the topic with an agent. However, independent contractors should be encouraged to check the box and file their own self-employment taxes.

Invoices
Keep every invoice the contractor submits. Payment should be made based on these documents. If a worker is not an employee, he or she should not submit expense reports. Since mileage and equipment are a contractor’s business expenses, contractors should not bill for these items. Make sure all invoices match 1099 forms, which must be sent to the independent contractor after the end of the year.

Proof Of Separate Business
If an independent contractor has his or her own business, keep any items that reflect proof of this. Business stationery, advertisements, brochures, business cards or any similar items are acceptable. For contractors who have their own sites on the Internet, it is important to print copies of any online pages where services are outlined.

Written Contracts
It is important to have a written contract for every independent worker. This document should clearly state the nature of the relationship between the business and the worker. In addition to this, the project’s details should be outlined. A contract should include what the business expects from the contractor, the payment terms and any deadlines. Make sure the document is dated and signed by both parties. If a contractor has a tax identification number, this should be included. New contracts should be created for each project when the same contractor is hired for multiple projects.

Before classifying a worker as an independent contractor, it is important for a business owner to do his or her homework carefully. Employment laws today are very strict, so discuss any concerns with Gary Wallach by calling 914-806-5853.

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.      

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.

Contractors Make More Sales – Close more sales with easy, affordable financing options for your customers.  Everything can be done from your phone.  Thirteen banks to get financing from.  No hidden fees. Click here to learn more.

Identity Theft – Over the past year hundreds of thousands of people have had to deal with identity theft.  This has become such a huge problem so we now offer Identity Theft Protection. We heard stories of kids going for car loans and learning they owe $200,000+ to companies they never heard of.  Under our program you can protect yourself, spouse and children.  Anyone you know can purchase this protection though our plan!  Click here to learn more or sign up.

Soon To Be The Best Artificial Intelligence Technology Marketing Platform In The World To Get You New CustomersSick and tired of paying social media experts thousands of dollars to do your marketing?  Paying Google, Facebook, Linkedin hundreds/thousands of dollars for lousy results?  How would you like to dominate your business niche?  How would you like get in on the ground floor and earn a massive new cash flow every month?   Click here to learn more.                  

 

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 – 2020 – BGES Group

earching Social Media During Hiring Process

Why Having Your Worker’s Compensation Insurance Directly With an Insurance Company Can Be Hazardous To Your Wealth!

We would like to start by asking if you had a tax problem, the IRS was claiming you owe $275,000, without help, would you talk to them or hire a tax specialist?  What if you needed brain surgery?  Are you going to use an internist or a brain specialist?  Lastly, divorce.  Going to use a local generalist attorney who handles 1 divorce a year or a specialist who handles 100?

Get my point!  Cutting corners by using inexperienced people may appear saving you money but in the end costs hundreds, thousands, tens of thousands more!

Like taxes, medicine and legal issues, Workers Compensation has a manual that’s 500+ pages thick.  It’s packed with rules.  If you have not read the manual and know the ins and outs, companies whose personnel operate in factory like mode probably don’t know them and if they do probably will not explain them to you!

That is why you want to bring us into the picture!  BGES Group, a New York’s Workers’ Comp Specialist, offers EXPERT advice to New York, New Jersey and Connecticut business owners.  Companies we are GREAT at HELPING are:  Construction, Limousine, Manufacturing, Wholesale, Distributor, Office, Real Estate, anyone that owns a business in the tri-state area!

Audits – This is where so many employers get hurt!  Paying thousands, tens of thousands more than you should be!  Many insurance companies use outside firms to do their audits.  They do such volume it’s our opinion 30%+ have mistakes, especially if you are a contractor!  Every month we go back and forth with companies straightening out auditor mistakes and over charges.  We’ve encountered mistakes of up to $120,000+.  Do you think your company is going to scour your audits for mistakes?  Do you think they even know what to look for?  If you have to get your accountant involved what are they going to charge you?  In our opinion so many businesses are overpaying, they have no clue though.  Guess what, this no longer has to be the case!  BGES Group reviews client audits.  We find the mistakes, get on the phone and get our client’s audits corrected so they pay no more than they have to.  Are you a contractor?  Then you need us on your side!  Every month we find mistakes in contractor audits!   Would you like to avoid an annual audit?  We may be able to help you do that!

Has anyone told you about this financially crippling issue?  You are a contractor.  Your home office is in state A.  You get a job in State B.  Job will take three (3) months.  Two months into job your employee falls from a ladder and breaks his back.  This employee happens to live in State B so his family takes him to their local hospital.  Do you have coverage under your policy or not?  In our opinion at least 50%+ DO NOT!  Do you know why?  Do you know what kind of financial nightmare you are looking at?  Do you know how many years you could be dealing with this financial nightmare?  Do you think your employee will get legal representation?  Can you afford fighting them for 5, 10, 15+ years?

Limousine Companies.  This is a very tough class of business to insure.  We know of just a few companies offering coverage.  At least one has no financial rating.  Most are insured with one organization.  But there’s a second company we feel offers better protection.  We also feel they offer great audit, billing, customer service and rates!  Limo companies drive in many states.  It is critical to be with a company that can provide THE RIGHT protection in multiple states!   We represent this excellent company and we are guessing you are not with them.  Call 914-806-5853 we will get you a quote.

Experience Modification Factor – Do you know what an Experience Modification Factor (EMR) is?  It is an adjustment of an employer’s premium for worker’s compensation coverage based on the losses the insurer has experienced from that employer. An experience modifier of 1 would be applied for an employer that had demonstrated the actuarially expected performance. Poorer loss experience leads to a modifier greater than 1, and better experience to a modifier less than 1.  Let me ask you, do you think a factory like mode insurance company is going to check your EMR?  Do you think the front line customer service personnel even know where to start?  Do you know what an EMR of 1.40 does to your cost?   How it prevents you from getting new business?  Do you know how to lower it?  That is another reason to turn to BGES Group for your coverage needs.

There is a Workers’ Comp manual that is 500+ pages thick.  It discusses payroll classifications, credits, EMRs, definition of payroll, the list goes on and on.  How would you like to work with one person who knows the rules and can help you save money?  Unlike accountants or other professionals we do not charge for our service!   Do you think using rules to your advantage can save you hundreds, thousands, tens of thousands of dollars?  We know they can!

We are here to help!  We want to help!  Call Gary at 914-806-5853 and you get to speak to a New York expert who is knowledgeable, helpful, professional and who knows how to talk and treat people!

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.  

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.

Contractors Make More Sales – Close more sales with easy, affordable financing options for your customers.  Everything can be done from your phone.  Thirteen banks to get financing from.  No hidden fees. Click here to learn more.

Identity Theft – Over the past year hundreds of thousands of people have had to deal with identity theft.  This has become such a huge problem so we now offer Identity Theft Protection. We heard stories of kids going for car loans and learning they owe $200,000+ to companies they never heard of.  Under our program you can protect yourself, spouse and children.  Anyone you know can purchase this protection though our plan!  Click here to learn more or sign up.

Soon To Be The Best Artificial Intelligence Technology Marketing Platform In The World To Get You New CustomersSick and tired of paying social media experts thousands of dollars to do your marketing?  Paying Google, Facebook, Linkedin hundreds/thousands of dollars for lousy results?  How would you like to dominate your business niche?  How would you like get in on the ground floor and earn a massive new cash flow every month?   Click here to learn more.                  

 

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 – 2020 – BGES Group

A guy with Laptop

Here are Some Unwritten Truths About Liability and Workers Compensation Policies and The Insurance Industry

1. Your liability and workers compensation auditors work for your insurance company, not you!  There’s a lot they aren’t telling you which can cost thousands, tens of thousands of dollars.

2. Is your liability policy preventing you from getting jobs?  Lots of contractors are unaware of how bad their liability policy’s are.  There are brokers selling these policies and in our opinion they are doing an incredible disservice to the construction industry.  How many of you work with general contractors, owners?  Are they asking you to sign contracts?  Do you know if your policy covers what they require in their contract?  Let’s face it most insurance companies do not want to pay claims and their policies are designed to do just that.  Is your policy one of the real lousy ones?

3. Quite a few New York contractors have liability policies that are inexpensive but their insurance company has a very low financial rating, Labor Law exclusions, no contractual liability, the company is Black Listed.  Then there is the other extreme, liability policy’s that have exclusions acceptable to customers but are outrageously expensive.   How would you like a liability policy that has limited exclusions and good pricing?  With 50 companies we think we can find you one.

4. It is our opinion there are workers compensation companies that insure a lot of contractors and they do everything possible to charge you as much as they can.   Instead of doing what is in the customer’s best interest they do what is in their best interest. We have better options for you.

5. Why should a customer dislike the company they’re with?  Why when they need help they get tortured?  When they call they don’t get a return call?  When they have a problem no one seems to want to help?   It shouldn’t be this way right?

6. You really are not going to like hearing this!  Most agency people are limited in what they know (they are so poorly trained it’s a disgrace).  They do not know the ins and outs of the liability or the worker’s compensation system.  They do not know about special credits, rating structures, experience modification factors, payroll rules, how to properly classify payrolls, etc.  And this goes for all areas of coverage: Liability, Umbrella Liability, Business Auto, Bonds, Group Health, etc.

7. Most insurance agency customer service people are paper pushers.  They have so much work they do not have time to properly check your liability and worker’s compensation policies.  Yes they are pleasant but they miss a lot of what it takes to properly service your account.

8. BEWARE!!!  If you have your workers compensation through a state or assigned risk program and you operate in other states you are exposed to a HUGE financial liability which may NOT be covered!   Most of you are not aware of this liability but one claim and you can be knocked out of business!   If you are in a state or assigned risk program and operate outside your state we STRONGLY RECOMMEND you look into this matter.

How We Can Help You

1. For contractors we have 50 liability insurance and 12 workers compensation companies to choose from.  More options mean better pricing and coverage!

2.  Regarding General Liability and Umbrella Liability we have companies that have less restrictive exclusions than others.   It is so critical you deal with an insurance broker who is a specialist, who understands the exclusions rather than a generalist.  Believe us most agencies even though they know more than you they still do not know what they’re doing.  We do not like to knock others but a lot of brokers and customer service personnel do not know what they are doing.

3. How would you like to get away from annual workers compensation audits?  Would you like to set up your policy from the start so you don’t overpay?   How about not owing large additional amounts at the end of your policy period?

4. Two of our companies allow you to take back control of payroll reporting.  So many contractors, on audit, are overpaying thousands, tens of thousands of dollars because their company is keeping important information from them.   From the beginning, we eliminate this problem.

5. Having cash flow problems?  One new customer whose premium was $49,100 only needed $427 to bind coverage.  His incumbent company was requiring a renewal deposit in excess of $8,000.

6. We DO NOT charge 10% service fees or separate $500 to $2,500 policy fees.  How agencies come up with these fees is baffling.  Actually it’s not.  It’s called greed.  We are that “Diamond in the Rough!”  We don’t do this to our customers (unless we have to insure you through NYS program…they do not pay us a commission.)

7. We have been in the insurance business since 1981.  We offer boutique service. We are specialists, experts and you personally will be dealing with the president who has 38 years experience.

Coverages We Offer – We Have 50 Insurance Companies To Choose From

Worker’s Compensation

Commercial General Liability

Commercial Umbrella Liability

Professional Liability

Bid & Performance Bonds

Business Auto Policy

NYS Disability

Property, Inland Marine

Examples of Savings

Long Island Plumber was going to pay $57,000.  We reduced his premium to $49,100, deposit was $427.  That was a $7,000+ savings!

Bronx Carpenter was paying $22,000.  We reduced his premium to $15,700.  That was a savings of $6,300!

Hudson Valley Roofing contractor was paying $57,000.  We reduced his premium to $44,500.  That was $12,500 savings!

Manhattan GC was going to pay $154,000.  We reduced his premium to $136,000.  That was a $18,000 savings!

Westchester Carpenter, Painter, Tile Contractor was going to pay $39,000.  We reduced his premium to $33,700.  That was a $5,300 savings!

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.  

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.

Contractors Make More Sales – Close more sales with easy, affordable financing options for your customers.  Everything can be done from your phone.  Thirteen banks to get financing from.  No hidden fees. Click here to learn more.

Identity Theft – Over the past year hundreds of thousands of people have had to deal with identity theft.  This has become such a huge problem so we now offer Identity Theft Protection. We heard stories of kids going for car loans and learning they owe $200,000+ to companies they never heard of.  Under our program you can protect yourself, spouse and children.  Anyone you know can purchase this protection though our plan!  Click here to learn more or sign up.

Soon To Be The Best Artificial Intelligence Technology Marketing Platform In The World To Get You New CustomersSick and tired of paying social media experts thousands of dollars to do your marketing?  Paying Google, Facebook, Linkedin hundreds/thousands of dollars for lousy results?  How would you like to dominate your business niche?  How would you like get in on the ground floor and earn a massive new cash flow every month?   Click here to learn more.                  

 

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 – 2020 – BGES Group

Reduce Chance of Lawsuits with Strong Employee Handbook

How Workers’ Comp Experience Rating can Save you Money

How does safety pay dividends to the business owner? Time and resources spent on developing a culture of safety repays the business in the long run. Safety cultures rely on reducing the number of workers compensation claims, in return, the odds of a disastrous claim are reduced.

Business owners with workers’ compensation experience modifications above 1.25 need to review their safety policies with professionals. It is possible one year or even one claim causes this situation; but it should not be ignored. Discover and repair the root cause.

A 1.01 to 1.25 modification indicates worse than average experience. State rates can be less than adequate for a short period of time. The actuarial or mathematical calculations just incorrectly reflect the average expected claims. Slightly elevated modifications may be caused by these issues; however, review your losses by department in these cases and see if a problem area exists.

For slightly elevated modifications, review the safety program and types of losses. Seek out a professional risk manager for help if needed. Look for patterns in the losses, and consider changes in safety equipment or procedures to reduce problem issues.

Proactively nurturing a safety culture will pay long-term dividends. Experience modifications will decrease with positive results. How?

Each state calculates workers’ compensation experience modifications independently. Many states do utilize the services of the National Council on Compensation Insurance (NCCI) to gather data and promulgate base rates and experience modifications; but each state regulates its own workers’ compensation system.

Workers’ compensation experience rating predicts future behavior by analyzing past performance. It is a consequence of loss control performance, neither a reward for no losses nor a punishment for too many claims.

The generic formula for experience modifications follows some rules:

Just as payrolls are the basis for the standard premium, they form the basis for expected claims. Payroll is multiplied by an average claim factor to produce total expected claims.A discount factor is then applied to predict the potential severity of the claims.The product of this equation is expected losses.Actual medical only (MO) claims combine and report as a number of claims/total amount. Some states designate the MO claims as primary (maximum average) and excess, and then apply a discount rate to one or both of these amounts.Most states set a limit on the value of any one claim, and then discount large claims on a sliding scale.This historical claim experience is divided by expected losses. That quotient is the experience modification.

The insurance industry spends millions of dollars to find ways to predict the future. Loss analysts discovered one important fact: the best predictor of future claims is the frequency with which companies suffer losses in the past.

Frequency reflects the number of claims per employee, usually expressed as claims per payroll unit ($100), claims per year, or claims per time unit. Frequency, however, more importantly, reflects the safety culture of the business.

If the frequency of claims is predictable, how about the severity of an individual loss? No, severity, the magnitude of the loss, is not predictable. With greater frequency, however, comes greater odds that a severe claim will occur.

Experience modifications indicate the status of the safety culture within a business. Good management listens to risk management and loss control experts who ultimately reduce workers’ compensation costs.

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.

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.

Contractors Make More Sales – Close more sales with easy, affordable financing options for your customers.  Everything can be done from your phone.  Thirteen banks to get financing from.  No hidden fees. Click here to learn more.

Identity Theft – Over the past year hundreds of thousands of people have had to deal with identity theft.  This has become such a huge problem so we now offer Identity Theft Protection. We heard stories of kids going for car loans and learning they owe $200,000+ to companies they never heard of.  Under our program you can protect yourself, spouse and children.  Anyone you know can purchase this protection though our plan!  Click here to learn more or sign up.

Soon To Be The Best Artificial Intelligence Technology Marketing Platform In The World To Get You New CustomersSick and tired of paying social media experts thousands of dollars to do your marketing?  Paying Google, Facebook, Linkedin hundreds/thousands of dollars for lousy results?  How would you like to dominate your business niche?  How would you like get in on the ground floor and earn a massive new cash flow every month?   Click here to learn more.                  

 

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 – 2020 – BGES Group

workers comp insurance

Why Every Contractor Should Require Workers Comp Insurance

Two construction workers died on the job every day in 2013, according to the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration. One out of every 25 construction workers got hurt on the job that year. Workers in this industry need the protection of Workers’ Compensation benefits more than most.

Most states require employers to carry Workers’ Compensation insurance, but not in all cases. Many states exempt one-person operations from the requirement, for example. Regardless, it is a good practice for project owners and general contractors who hire subcontractors to require the subs to carry this insurance, whether the law requires it or not.

A typical construction project involves three types of entities: The owner who is paying to have the project done; a general contractor or independent contractor whom the owner hires to do the work; and subcontractors whom the GC hires to do portions of the work. The relationships between these entities and their employees differ.

While most states require employers to provide Workers’ Compensation benefits to employees, their laws also define who exactly is an employee. If someone is working on my property, but the law does not consider that person to be my employee, then I do not owe that person Workers’ Compensation benefits. States use several criteria to determine whether two parties are in an employer-employee relationship. These are similar to the criteria the Internal Revenue Service uses, such as control over when and how work is performed.

Typically, state regulators do not find a construction worker to be an employee of a project owner. The same cannot be said about independent contractors and employees of subs, however. Some sole proprietor subcontractors who suffer worksite injuries claim Workers’ Compensation benefits under the policies of the contractors who hired them. Often, state Workers’ Compensation law judges rule that these individuals were acting as employees of the hiring contractors, not independent contractors.

In addition, many state laws require an independent contractor who hires a sub to provide Workers’ Compensation benefits to the sub’s employees if the sub fails to obtain insurance. The injured subs or their employees end up collecting benefits even though that was never the intention of the hiring contractors. Consequently, insurance companies can and do charge independent contractors additional premiums when they find that uninsured subs have worked for them.

In a worse case scenario, both the independent contractor and the sub may fail to buy Workers’ Compensation insurance. Leaving aside the legal problems that will result for the employers, this leaves injured workers without sources of the benefits to which they are entitled. Their logical recourse is to sue the project owner. They may seek damages for an alleged failure to maintain a safe worksite or for negligence in the hiring and supervision of contractors. Since the project owners are not the employers of these injured workers, their own Workers’ Compensation policies will not help. Rather, they will have to seek legal defense and the payment of any awards from their liability insurance companies.

For these reasons, project owners should insist and verify that all contractors working on the job, including subs, carry their own Workers’ Compensation insurance. Independent contractors should do likewise with the subs they hire. Project owners may want to supplement their protection by making the independent contractors responsible for verifying that the subs have insurance, and by requiring the independents to hold the owners harmless from any lawsuits resulting from workplace injuries.

Construction is dangerous work. Every contractor setting foot on a job site should carry its own Workers’ Compensation coverage, whether the law requires it to or not.

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.  

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.

Contractors Make More Sales – Close more sales with easy, affordable financing options for your customers.  Everything can be done from your phone.  Thirteen banks to get financing from.  No hidden fees. Click here to learn more.

Identity Theft – Over the past year hundreds of thousands of people have had to deal with identity theft.  This has become such a huge problem so we now offer Identity Theft Protection. We heard stories of kids going for car loans and learning they owe $200,000+ to companies they never heard of.  Under our program you can protect yourself, spouse and children.  Anyone you know can purchase this protection though our plan!  Click here to learn more or sign up.

Soon To Be The Best Artificial Intelligence Technology Marketing Platform In The World To Get You New CustomersSick and tired of paying social media experts thousands of dollars to do your marketing?  Paying Google, Facebook, Linkedin hundreds/thousands of dollars for lousy results?  How would you like to dominate your business niche?  How would you like get in on the ground floor and earn a massive new cash flow every month?   Click here to learn more.          

 

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 – 2020 – BGES Group

A guy with Laptop

What Is a Workers Compensation Rating and Why Does It Matter?

Most business owners and executives understand the value of workers compensation insurance not just to protect the worker, but to protect the company as well. Fewer, however, are aware of the mechanics of how premiums are arrived at, and how their own company’s safety track record figures into their rating.  Understanding the process, however, may well enable you to qualify for lower premiums down the road, saving your business money and making you more competitive.

Industry underwriters set workers compensation premiums using a process similar to how most companies price group health insurance: They look at the actual claims experience for similar workers in your area, and if there is a history of claims, at your company specifically. Where there is insufficient local claims experience to look at, underwriters turn to the National Council on Compensation Insurance, a clearing house of workers injury and compensation data.

Generally, underwriters will take your payroll and multiply it by an average claim factor for that type of worker. This produces a baseline average of the total number of expected claims, which they subdivide as claims per $100,000 of payroll, claims per year, or claims per time unit. The frequency of claims is considered to be a close proxy for the safety culture of the individual business. They then account for the average severity of claims for that type of worker in your industry and combine the two to arrive at a baseline prediction for expected losses.

Underwriters must then try to assess your business and answer the following question: Given the policies and procedures in place at your business and your claims history, is your company likely to produce losses that are higher than the industry baseline or lower?

Over time, underwriters have discovered that the most likely future claims predictor is a past history of claims at your company. Therefore, to save money on workers compensation premiums, it behooves the company to invest aggressively in preserving the safety of the work environment, both in terms of resources and management focus.

Your workers compensation agent and underwriting team will assign your company an insurance rating, with 1 deemed equal to the average claims experience in your industry for the area.

Any rating higher than 1 indicates a worse-than-average risk for workers compensation claims. If your rating comes out higher than 1, you may be able to qualify for lower rates in future years by reviewing your safety program and the types of losses your company has incurred. Identify any patterns and refcurring themes. You may benefit from bringing in a risk management consultant for an outside set of eyeballs. Some investment in equipment or improved training may be needed, or you may need to be more vigilant for workers compensation fraud in a few cases.

Best Practices

In the long run, your safety record is a reflection of your overall safety culture. That’s not something limited to the rank and file worker and shop foremen, though. The most important link in the safety culture chain is at the top.

  • Invest in training your workers in all aspects of safety relevant for their jobs.

  • Appoint a senior manager with clout to monitor your safety and OSHA compliance, and empower him or her to enforce it throughout the company.

  • Empower any worker to halt work activities if he or she becomes aware of an unsafe work condition, until that condition can be corrected.

Everyone is part of your workplace safety culture – but senior management is the most important link in the chain, because management sets the tone throughout the organization.

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.

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.

Contractors Make More Sales – Close more sales with easy, affordable financing options for your customers.  Everything can be done from your phone.  Thirteen banks to get financing from.  No hidden fees. Click here to learn more.

Identity Theft – Over the past year hundreds of thousands of people have had to deal with identity theft.  This has become such a huge problem so we now offer Identity Theft Protection. We heard stories of kids going for car loans and learning they owe $200,000+ to companies they never heard of.  Under our program you can protect yourself, spouse and children.  Anyone you know can purchase this protection though our plan!  Click here to learn more or sign up.

Soon To Be The Best Artificial Intelligence Technology Marketing Platform In The World To Get You New CustomersSick and tired of paying social media experts thousands of dollars to do your marketing?  Paying Google, Facebook, Linkedin hundreds/thousands of dollars for lousy results?  How would you like to dominate your business niche?  How would you like get in on the ground floor and earn a massive new cash flow every month?   Click here to learn more.       

 

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 – 2020 – BGES Group

Coronavirus Tax

Preparing for a Workers’ Compensation Audit

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.

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.  

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.

Contractors Make More Sales – Close more sales with easy, affordable financing options for your customers.  Everything can be done from your phone.  Thirteen banks to get financing from.  No hidden fees. Click here to learn more.

Identity Theft – Over the past year hundreds of thousands of people have had to deal with identity theft.  This has become such a huge problem so we now offer Identity Theft Protection. We heard stories of kids going for car loans and learning they owe $200,000+ to companies they never heard of.  Under our program you can protect yourself, spouse and children.  Anyone you know can purchase this protection though our plan!  Click here to learn more or sign up.

Soon To Be The Best Artificial Intelligence Technology Marketing Platform In The World To Get You New CustomersSick and tired of paying social media experts thousands of dollars to do your marketing?  Paying Google, Facebook, Linkedin hundreds/thousands of dollars for lousy results?  How would you like to dominate your business niche?  How would you like get in on the ground floor and earn a massive new cash flow every month?   Click here to learn more.                

 

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 – 2020 – BGES Group

workers comp insurance

OSHA Asks Employers to Investigate Worker COVID-19 Claims

COVID-19 and workplace safety has been a moving target for OSHA and it has released a number of advisories, including one in March that said new cases were recordable events and then another one in mid-April saying employers are not required to report new cases among employees.

But in May OSHA issued new guidance, once again asking employers to investigate COVID-19 cases among their workers and report them to the agency for cases they deem as having been contracted in the workplace.

The guidance recommends that employers investigate the genesis of all COVID-19 cases among employees, which could be a significant burden on businesses as discerning where exactly someone contracted the coronavirus is difficult for people who are not medical professionals.

Under the revised enforcement policy, employers must “make reasonable efforts” to investigate confirmed cases of coronavirus in the workplace to determine if they were more likely than not contracted in the workplace.

OSHA said it would not expect employers, especially small employers, to undertake extensive medical inquiries of workers, given employee privacy concerns and most employers’ lack of expertise in this area.

It will be sufficient in most circumstances for the employer, when it learns of an employee’s COVID-19 illness, to:

  • Ask the employee how they believe they contracted the COVID-19 illness;
  • While respecting employee privacy, discuss with the employee their work and out-of-work activities that may have led to the illness; and
  • Review the employee’s work environment for potential COVID-19 exposure.

OSHA also recommends that the employer look for other employees who may have been exposed to the coronavirus at work, particularly if they work in close proximity to a co-worker who later tests positive.

Only COVID-19 claims that were determined to have come from the workplace and required hospitalization or days away from work need to be recorded, according to the guidance.

The guidance also states that if multiple employees in a particular business unit test positive for COVID-19, the assumption is that these coronavirus cases are work-related.

What to look for

When investigating cases, the employer should look for evidence that may more readily point to a case or cases having been contracted at work, such as:

  • COVID-19 illnesses are likely work-related when several cases develop among workers who work closely together, and there is no alternative explanation.
  • A COVID-19 illness is likely work-related if it is contracted shortly after lengthy, close exposure to a particular customer or co-worker who has a confirmed case of COVID-19, and there is no alternative explanation.
  • An employee’s COVID-19 illness is likely work-related if their job duties include having frequent, close exposure to the general public in a locality with ongoing community transmission, and there is no alternative explanation.
  • A COVID-19 illness is likely not work-related if the individual is the only worker to contract COVID-19 in their vicinity and their job duties do not include having frequent contact with the general public.
  • An employee’s COVID-19 illness is likely not work-related if they closely associate with someone outside the workplace and who has COVID-19.

The takeaway

The new guidance is a lot to swallow, particularly as many employers do not have the expertise to conduct illness investigations.

OSHA stresses that it doesn’t expect perfection, but that it does expect employers with more than 10 employees to conduct investigations as prescribed above, particularly interviewing the employee and investigating if others who work with them also contracted COVID-19.

Given the nature of the disease and the ubiquity of community spread, however, in many instances it will be difficult to determine whether a COVID-19 illness is work-related, especially when an employee has potentially been exposed both in and outside the workplace.

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.

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.

Contractors Make More Sales – Close more sales with easy, affordable financing options for your customers.  Everything can be done from your phone.  Thirteen banks to get financing from.  No hidden fees. Click here to learn more.

Identity Theft – Over the past year hundreds of thousands of people have had to deal with identity theft.  This has become such a huge problem so we now offer Identity Theft Protection. We heard stories of kids going for car loans and learning they owe $200,000+ to companies they never heard of.  Under our program you can protect yourself, spouse and children.  Anyone you know can purchase this protection though our plan!  Click here to learn more or sign up.

Soon To Be The Best Artificial Intelligence Technology Marketing Platform In The World To Get You New CustomersSick and tired of paying social media experts thousands of dollars to do your marketing?  Paying Google, Facebook, Linkedin hundreds/thousands of dollars for lousy results?  How would you like to dominate your business niche?  How would you like get in on the ground floor and earn a massive new cash flow every month?   Click here to learn more.        

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 – 2020 – BGES Group

A guy with Laptop

What Business Insurance Policies Cover Rioting, Looting

As protests around the country descended into rioting and civil unrest, many businesses that have been looted, or seen their shops damaged or completely destroyed, will obviously be turning to their insurance to file a claim.

While many companies were unsuccessful in filing business interruption claims for the COVID-19 crisis, claims for damage and theft from rioting and looting are more likely to be paid. A number of coverages will come into play depending on the damage and lost income a business suffers at the hands of rioters, vandals and looters.

Property damage

Standard commercial property policies cover damage to a business property caused by fire, explosion, riot or civil commotion, vandalism or malicious mischief. This would include coverage to the structure of the business, as well as any inventory, fixtures and other contents. Business owner’s policies also include this risk.

The business personal property coverage portion of the policy would cover damage and theft if rioters break into a real estate office, for example, and steal computers, burn furniture and destroy office equipment. That said, the damage would be subject to limits (specific or blanket), as well as any deductibles required by the policy.

Commercial vehicle damage

Automobiles are covered under the optional comprehensive portion of a commercial auto policy, which you should have for all your vehicles. This will pay for damage to the vehicle and its contents caused by fire, falling objects, vandalism or rioting.

Comprehensive coverage will cover the gamut and will pay you if a vehicle is:

  • Stolen,
  • Damaged, or
  • Destroyed (for example, burned).

One of the most common damages to vehicles during riots is broken windshields, which you can usually get covered with an optional glass coverage rider.

Business interruption coverage

Companies that are forced to close as a result of riot and looting damage may have coverage for business interruption under a business property policy.

The policy may also cover lost income because a business had to close after riots. It would often cover dependent properties or have contingent business extensions of coverage. Also, coverage can apply if a business suffers a loss of income because of curfews or if authorities bar access to a property.

Coverage is typically triggered if there is direct physical damage to the premises.

You should note that many policies require a 72-hour waiting period before a policyholder can begin making a claim. That’s because the first three days of business shutdown, access constraints or limited hours of operation because of a civil authority action are often excluded from coverage.

There may also be a limit to the claim period. A standard limit is up to three weeks of losses.

Filing a claim

When filing a claim, read your policy in its entirety to determine how to best present it. It’s important to understand the policy’s limits and deductibles before spending time documenting losses that may not be covered.

If you are going to file a claim, document all damage. You should have receipts for all your inventory and fixtures. Here’s what you should do:

  • Take photos of all damage.
  • Contact your agent and file a claim immediately.
  • Clean up to protect your building, but do not make major repairs until you talk to the insurance company.
  • Keep receipts for any remediation work.

If you’re going to file a business interruption insurance claim, you will need:

  • Pre-riot financial statements and income tax returns.
  • Post-riot business records.
  • Copies of current utility bills, employee wage and benefit statements, and other records showing continuing operating expenses.
  • Receipts for building materials, a portable generator and other supplies needed for immediate repairs.
  • Paid invoices from contractors, security personnel, media outlets and other service providers.
  • Receipts for rental payments, if you move your business to a temporary location.

A final thought: Filing a business interruption claim is not easy, particularly when estimating losses. The process is highly complex and can be contentious. If the insurer disagrees with your loss estimates, they may have specialists audit your claim.

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.  

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.

Contractors Make More Sales – Close more sales with easy, affordable financing options for your customers.  Everything can be done from your phone.  Thirteen banks to get financing from.  No hidden fees. Click here to learn more.

Identity Theft – Over the past year hundreds of thousands of people have had to deal with identity theft.  This has become such a huge problem so we now offer Identity Theft Protection. We heard stories of kids going for car loans and learning they owe $200,000+ to companies they never heard of.  Under our program you can protect yourself, spouse and children.  Anyone you know can purchase this protection though our plan!  Click here to learn more or sign up.

Soon To Be The Best Artificial Intelligence Technology Marketing Platform In The World To Get You New CustomersSick and tired of paying social media experts thousands of dollars to do your marketing?  Paying Google, Facebook, Linkedin hundreds/thousands of dollars for lousy results?  How would you like to dominate your business niche?  How would you like get in on the ground floor and earn a massive new cash flow every month?   Click here to learn more.    

 

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 – 2020 – BGES Group