Category Archives: Uncategorized

20 Passwords Hackers Can Crack Blindfolded

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Cyber risks for all organizations are growing at a rapid clip. Not a day goes by that we don’t read about another breach of sensitive data or a company paying out a hefty sum to ransomware criminals to unlock the systems they took over.

Your company data is valuable and so are your databases and files. Your company’s computer systems may also be vital to your operations. But all of that can be destroyed if just one of your employees’ passwords is hacked by an outsider who gains entry into your database.

In fact, one of the softest areas for hackers to crack, the weak underbelly of your in-house network, is easy-to-decipher passwords.

While more complex passwords, with a mixture of upper- and lower-case letters as well as numbers and symbols, may also be hacked, the chances are far greater with simple passwords.

Safetydetective.com, an antivirus website, looked at more than 9 million stolen passwords in the U.S., resulting in this list of the most commonly hacked passwords:

  1. password
  2. 123456
  3. 123456789
  4. 12345678
  5. 1234567
  6. password1
  7. 12345
  8. 1234567890
  9. 1234
  10. qwerty123
  11. qwertyuiop
  12. 1q2w3e4r
  13. 1qaz2wsx
  14. superman
  15. iloveyou
  16. qwerty1
  17. qwerty
  18. 123456a
  19. letmein
  20. football

The next step

Safetydetective.com recommends that you require all of your staff to set passwords that are at least eight characters long.

Also, passwords should not be common words or pop culture names or sayings, and should contain at least one capital letter and one digit. To make passwords even stronger, they should contain at least one punctuation mark or other special character. For example: uSo38&_Xv3!0@

Require your staff to change their passwords every 90 days.

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

Disaster Recovery Checklist for Business Owners and Executives

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If a natural disaster were to strike, would your company be ready? Has your management team hardened the business to continue operating in case of a disaster?

With natural catastrophes growing in number and severity, businesses more than ever need to have in place plans for a quick recovery for the sake of their investors, customers, employees and vendors.

Here are some basic tips to ensure the survival of a small business in the event of a disaster:

  • Create a written disaster preparation and recovery plan. This document should be in hard copy in your office and e-mailed to all workers, so that they can access the plan even if your offices are inaccessible.
  • Inventory on-site first aid kits and other emergency supplies.
  • Secure backup data offsite. What will happen if your servers are destroyed in a flood or fire at your office? If your business would be affected, you should prepare ahead of time by backing up your files at a remote location or in the cloud on a daily basis.
  • Designate an alternate meeting site. If your office is suddenly destroyed or inaccessible, your employees should know where to report for work. Managers should have a roster of phone numbers.

You should scope out alternate locations in case you need to arrange new office or warehouse space in a hurry.

  • Get a generator. Don’t count on waiting until disaster strikes to get one. There will be a run on supplies.

Ensure the generator has enough output to power your key equipment, whatever it is, from computers and printers to refrigerators.

  • Designate responsibilities. Who will come to the office prior to a massive storm to put up storm shutters? Who will be available to come fill and place sandbags? Who can clean up if there is severe damage, and when?
    Remember that some of your employees may be busy preparing their own homes and ensuring their families’ safety. Others may be members of the National Guard, and may be mobilized for disaster response. Take this possibility into account.
  • Review your insurance coverage. Check all of your polices for the possible hazards they cover, as well as your policy limits to make sure they reflect your needs. Double check flood coverage. Most regular insurance coverage doesn’t cover flooding.
  • Double check key-person life insurance and disability insurance coverage. The same disaster that disrupts your business could disable or kill key people, and cause severe disruption to the rest of the business as well.
  • Consider business interruption insurance. These policies provide a cash benefit to keep a business going in case of a temporary closure. Business interruption insurance can help you continue to meet payroll and even avoid going bankrupt, or to retain valued employees while your business has shut down.
  • Have a public relations plan. Designate a spokesperson for the company. Reach out to the local media with your recovery story. Don’t let people get the impression your business closed, particularly if you have to relocate.
  • Diversify your telephone systems. Hurricanes and other disasters may knock out Verizon phones but not AT&T service, and vice versa. It can take time before workers can repair towers or reroute signals.
    By ensuring your workers have different mobile providers, you can spread the risk out, so that your ability to communicate by cell phone is not wiped out by the loss of any one cell tower.
  • Some businesses need emergency funds if they are unable to operate after a disaster. The Small Business Administration can provide low-interest loans to qualified small businesses to help them keep running through a disaster and its aftermath.
  • Copy your tax returns and other key documents. Keep them online somewhere. Keep hard copies in a fireproof safe or deposit box off-site. If you live on the coast, keep it inland. If you live in a flood plain, keep it uphill.
    Identify your hazards, and don’t expose your valuable assets and papers to the same hazard in two different locations.

The takeaway

There is no cookie-cutter approach to hardening your business to cope with a disaster.

All businesses are different, and one may have different needs than another business next door.

Above all, though, use your judgment, critical thinking skills and work through the different contingencies that may affect your 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.

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

Ensure Safe Driving on Rain-Soaked Roads

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Your truck driver can control many things. They can control their steering and where they stop for the night.

But, one thing that is out of their hands is the weather. Rain, sleet, hail and wind will all present themselves on different days to make their job more hazardous.

The most common bad weather condition is rain, so you need to ensure that your drivers learn how to drive safely in rain, and know how to prepare  the vehicle for it.

Preventative measures before the rain

Your vehicles should be prepared for all kinds of weather, before your drivers actually encounter adverse conditions weather.

Your vehicles can be prepped for rainy conditions by:

Keeping windshield wipers in good working order. Old wipers do not provide you with a clean windshield that you can safely see through.

Properly maintaining tires. Tires that are properly filled and have deep tread will make rainy-day driving much safer.

Testing signals and lights. Before hitting the road, your drivers should test headlights, turn signals and brake lights, and make certain all are working properly. A non-functioning headlight is dangerous both at night and when it rains. The same applies to your brake lights and turn signals.

At the onset of rainy conditions, your drivers should immediately change their driving styles. They should follow these guidelines to keep themselves and others on the road safe:

  • Slow down and follow the three-second rule. Wet roads can impair the speed with which your vehicle comes to a stop. Take the extra time to slow down, and don’t follow the car ahead of you too closely. To begin slowing down, your driver should try taking their foot off the gas pedal rather than braking.
  • Choose the middle lane to avoid puddles in the left and right lanes.
  • Your drivers should never drive through a puddle unless they can see the ground beneath it. If they have no choice but to go through a puddle without knowing how deep it is, they should do so slowly and never go through a puddle deeper than the bottom of their doors. After driving through the puddle, the driver should check their brakes before they begin travelling at faster speeds to make sure they were not adversely affected by the water.
  • If the rain becomes heavy and your visibility is severely limited, they should pull over and wait until conditions are better.
  • They should drive in the tracks of the vehicle in front of them.
  • Your drivers should use their headlights and windshield wipers. If their visibility is restricted due to windows fogging inside the cab, they should turn up the defroster. They can also open the windows to improve the air circulation.
  • Use extra caution when driving through oil patches in the road since these can be especially slick.

How to react to hydroplaning

There are times when water on the road accumulates, and the vehicle can’t push it away from the tires. When this occurs, the vehicle can lose connection with the pavement and end up riding on top of the water.

This dangerous situation is called hydroplaning. Since the vehicle is driving on water there is no traction to be gained and it is simply gliding.

What to do if the vehicle hydroplanes:

  • Slow down by taking your foot off the gas. If you are driving slowly enough, the chance of hydroplaning is reduced. If you end up hydroplaning, further speed reduction is necessary.
  • Avoid using your brakes as it can force the vehicle to slide
  • Avoid turning your steering wheel. This too can cause a slide.
  • As you begin to slow down, your vehicle should come back into contact with the road. When this happens, you will feel more firmness in the steering wheel. At that point you can start pumping your brakes gently to slow down and you can also begin steering your vehicle to gain control.

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

As Risks Rise Business Continuity Plans Are Vital

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The last five years have seen the rise of new and unforeseen risks, like the COVID-19 pandemic, the rapid increase of natural catastrophes and supply chain upheavals of unprecedented proportions.

In today’s business climate, the key to success and survival will be your ability to navigate during times of uncertainty and new challenges that can threaten your operations and even the viability of your organization. Many don’t make it: 25% of small businesses that are hit by disaster never reopen.

The smart players will have business continuity plans in place to help navigate a crisis, be that on a micro scale such as a fire at your business, or a macro-scale incident like a natural disaster or global supply chain disruption (such as the recent microchip shortage that’s disrupted the operations of thousands of companies worldwide).

Developing a plan does not have to be a major undertaking. If you use the right resources and approach it in a methodical manner, you can identify what you need to do to be prepared.

Creating the plan

A plan typically includes five sections:

Plan governance — A business continuity plan is usually managed by a committee that will define senior management roles and responsibilities. The committee is responsible for the oversight, initiation, planning, approval, testing and audit of the plan. It also implements, monitors and updates the plan.

Business impact analysis — Conduct an analysis that:

  • Identifies your firm’s mandate and critical services or products.
  • Ranks the order of priority of services or products for continuous delivery or rapid recovery.
  • Identifies internal and external impacts of potential disruptions (like how long your company can function without a certain service or product and how long clients would accept its unavailability).
  • Identifies areas of potential revenue loss and insurance requirements.

Plans, measures and arrangements — The committee should develop response and recovery plans that ensure continued operations for your enterprise. These plans should detail how your firm would ensure that critical services and products are delivered at minimum service levels within tolerable downtimes.

Continuity plans should be made for each critical service or product. Your plan should include the following five elements for each of them:

  1. Mitigating threats and risks: Ways you can reduce the risks that you are currently able to identify.
  2. Analyzing current recovery capabilities: Look at what plans you currently have in place and match them up against your risks.
  3. Creating continuity plans: Put together plans for how you would respond in case of a disaster or other threat to your business’s operations.
  4. Response preparation: This looks at what you should have in place now so that if a threat arises, you can execute your continuity plans.
  5. Planning for alternate facilities: Your team should identify facilities at which you could ramp up operations if your current worksite is unusable.

Readiness procedures — Once you have a plan, brief all staff on it and inform them of their individual responsibilities should you be faced with an event.

You will also need to train employees with direct responsibilities for tasks they will be required to perform, and be aware of other teams’ functions.

Quality assurance techniques (exercises, maintenance and auditing) — The plan should be reviewed regularly and amended as necessary (such as the identification of new risks). The review should uncover which aspects of the plan need improvement. Review the plan regularly to keep it robust.

Combine planning with insurance

While a continuity plan is essential, it should be combined with insurance. Typical coverages include business interruption, extra expense and contingent business interruption coverage.

You can use the business impact analysis to help decide which insurance coverage you may need, and the corresponding level of coverage. Some aspects of your company may be overinsured, or underinsured. Call us. We can ensure that you aren’t overlooking a risk, as well as that you have coverage for most of the risks you identified.

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

The Option When No Licensed Insurers Will Cover Your Business

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More businesses are finding fewer insurers willing to write their policies for certain types of coverage that are seeing rapidly escalating claims costs, particularly in some liability lines as well as property insurance in areas with exposure to natural catastrophes.

When no insurers that are licensed in your state are willing to write a policy, we as your agent have to go to another market made up of insurance companies that are not licensed or regulated by your state government. It’s called the surplus lines (or “non-admitted”) market, and it can be a valuable alternative for insurance buyers.

As insurers get more selective writing some risks, it’s important for you as an insurance buyer to understand this market.

It is legal in every state for an unlicensed (non-admitted) insurance company to sell coverage. We can access those insurance companies as well by working with specially licensed brokers who are regulated by the state.

Unlike standard insurance companies, non-admitted companies do not have to obtain approval from state regulators for the policy forms they use or the rates they charge.

Why use a non-admitted carrier?

Why would someone buy insurance from an unregulated company? Because it might be the only one offering coverage for your type of risk. Non-admitted companies insure businesses that standard insurers avoid, such as:

  • Business in sectors where the cost of claims is suddenly rising, resulting in fewer licensed insurers willing to write policies.
  • Businesses and industries with histories of frequent or large claims.
  • Businesses with the potential for very severe losses, such as amusement parks or manufacturers of power tools.
  • New companies.
  • Homes and commercial properties that are vulnerable to extreme events such as hurricanes and wildfires.
  • Properties that require very large amounts of insurance.

What non-admitted carriers can do

State regulators limit how much standard insurance companies can charge in premiums. They will not offer coverage if they believe they cannot charge enough to make a profit.

Meanwhile, non-admitted companies can charge what they need to, so they are willing to insure these accounts. They can also quickly and easily introduce new types of insurance that businesses need.

Some types of policies that are standard today, such as cyber insurance and employment practices liability insurance, got their start in the non-admitted market.

State laws typically permit a broker to obtain coverage from a non-admitted insurer only if at least a few standard insurance companies refuse to offer coverage. However, most also have a list of coverages that are not available in the standard market.

When someone needs one of these coverages, no rejections from licensed companies are required. An example might be liability insurance for contractors who demolish buildings.

Risks

There are risks to purchasing insurance in the non-admitted market. Policies may provide less coverage than do standard policies, or there may be restrictions on when coverage applies.

Policies should be reviewed carefully. Also, because the insurers can charge whatever they feel is appropriate, premiums can be higher than you may expect. The policies may also be exempt from state laws regarding notices of cancellation and non-renewal.

Also, in every state but one (New Jersey), non-admitted policies are not backed by a guaranty fund. Guaranty funds cover claims left unpaid when an insurance company becomes unable to pay for them. If a non-admitted company becomes insolvent, the policyholder has no recourse.

The takeaway

Despite the risks, the non-admitted market serves an important function, giving buyers a place to get needed coverage that would be otherwise unavailable.

Those who think they may need to tap this market should consult with us to find the right coverage at an acceptable price.

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

EEOC Issues New Guidance on Vaccinating Employees

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As more Americans get inoculated with the COVID-19 vaccine, employers are wondering where they stand legally on requiring workers to get vaccinated, asking them whether they have been vaccinated and providing incentives for employees to get inoculated.

On May 28, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission updated its COVID-19 vaccination guidance to help employers navigate this risk-fraught territory. The following are the highlights:

Employers may require vaccinations

The EEOC restated its earlier guidance that employers can require staff who enter their worksites to be vaccinated, as long as they can provide reasonable accommodations for workers with disabilities or who hold sincere religious beliefs that prohibit them from getting vaccines.

If one of your employees requests accommodation, you need to enter into the interactive process to come to a reasonable solution. Such accommodations could include:

  • Requiring unvaccinated workers to continue wearing facemasks in the workplace,
  • Letting them work modified shifts,
  • Allowing them to work from home, or
  • Requiring them to undergo regular testing for the coronavirus.

Despite this guidance, many employment law firms have recommended against mandating vaccinations unless it’s a business necessity. Even if you have legal grounds to back up your decision, you can still be sued and incur legal fees even if you eventually win.

Employers can ask staff if they are vaccinated

The EEOC’s guidance also states that employers can ask their workers if they are vaccinated, and that doing so would not run afoul of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

That said, the agency said employers should not ask employees who report not getting the vaccine why they didn’t do so as it could result in them revealing any underlying conditions, which in turn could increase the risk of being sued for disability discrimination if the worker experiences an adverse action by management in the future.

Also, there are state laws that employers would have to contend with in terms of employee data privacy.

For example, the California Consumer Privacy Act requires covered employers to provide written notice of the CCPA and the company’s CCPA-compliant privacy policy before collecting any personal data. Other states are considering similar legislation.

Additionally, there are data security laws. It’s important that employers that collect vaccine data comply with those laws’ storage securitization requirements and are aware of their notification responsibilities in states where vaccination status data is considered “personal information.”

Vaccination status is confidential

While the EEOC says employers are authorized to ask about vaccination status, the information they collect is confidential.

That means vaccination information needs to be stored separately from the worker’s personnel files and treated as confidential information under the ADA.

Vaccination incentives are okay

The guidance states that employers may offer incentives to employees who voluntarily get vaccinated. That could include gift cards, vouchers, cash and other methods.

The EEOC said incentives do not violate the ADA or the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (GINA).

The takeaway

The EEOC’s guidance should be viewed in light of federal and state laws, as well as the potential for legal action by employees who may object to a mandatory vaccination policy. Even if you win the case or successfully have it thrown out of court, you’ll still incur legal fees in defending the case.

If you are considering mandatory inoculation, vaccination incentives and/or plan to ask staff if they have been vaccinated for COVID-19, you should read the EEOC’s guidance carefully. You will need to have safeguards in place that comply with the ADA, GINA and other federal and state laws.

If you plan to offer vaccines to employees, consider limiting pre-screening questions to the Centers for Disease Control’s Pre-vaccination Checklist.

Also make sure to keep confidential any COVID-19 vaccination and other medical information your employees provide you separately from employee records.

Finally, if you are planning incentives for getting vaccinated, make sure the policy reflects employee rights under federal and state laws.

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

Why Workers’ Comp Claims Spike in the Summer

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

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

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

Young workers

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

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

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

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

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

  • They do not understand what can go wrong.
  • They do not always follow the rules.
  • They fail to use personal protective equipment (PPE), or use it incorrectly.
  • They horse around on equipment.
  • They do not ask questions.
  • They think they are infallible.

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

Here are some training suggestions:

  • Repeatedly demonstrate job procedures and safety precautions. Don’t overlook the basics, such as starting and stopping equipment.
  • The step-by-step instructions for any task must include the task’s hazards and how to avoid them. Take the time to clearly explain the risks of not following the proper steps. Use examples.
  • Explain when and how to use PPE, as well as where to get it, how to inspect it, and how to remove and store it properly.
  • Train one-to-one with young workers and observe them performing tasks.
  • Encourage them to report problems and to ask questions.
  • Assign specific clean-up tasks and emphasize the importance of a clean, clutter-free worksite.
  • Control the hours worked. Many popular summer jobs, such as construction workers, landscapers and jobs in hospitality and food industries, require long hours of work in the heat that can lead to fatigue, inattention and stress, increasing the likelihood of injury.
  • Provide a mentor.
  • Demonstrate that safety is a priority at your facility. Words aren’t enough. New workers also need to see actions that reinforce the message: clean worksite, properly labeled hazardous substances and readily accessible safety data sheets, workers wearing required PPE and who are concerned about workplace safety and show it, and so on.

Heat illness dangers

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

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

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

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

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

Long-Term Care and Its Impact on Families

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You probably haven’t thought about it much, but what would you do if you suddenly suffered from a serious health condition, such as a disability? Would a family member be able to take you in and care for you? What would the impact be on their immediate family in regards to finances and emotion?

What if a family member suddenly suffered from a serious health condition? Would you be able to afford taking them in and caring for them? Would you sacrifice money as well as time with your children in order to care for them? Or do you have the extra money to send them to an assisted living facility that can cost nearly $8,000 a month?

There’s a simple answer to these questions: long-term care insurance.

Why more people need long-term care

There’s a good chance you know of a friend or have a family member that has needed long-term care. With people living longer, it has become more of an issue. This is why it’s imperative you talk with loved ones to devise a plan that will protect them in the future.

It’s never too early to start discussing long-term care insurance options. The earlier you get started, the less you will pay over the life of the policy. Likewise, the longer you wait, the more the price will increase. By purchasing a policy now, you could prevent a significant nest egg erosion, which can destroy a family’s worth for generations.

If something unfortunate happened to your spouse, would you be able to afford the long-term medical and rehabilitation needs that can cost thousands of dollars a month?

This is why long-term care insurance is so important. It protects you from having to face such a serious dilemma.

What it covers

Each policy is different, so you’ll need to work closely with us to make sure you choose the coverage you require. But in general, long-term care insurance can help you pay for:

  • Adult day programs
  • Respite care
  • Assisted living
  • Nursing home or specialized dementia care
  • Hospice services.

For older adults who want to age in-place, long-term care coverage can make it possible. Most comprehensive long-term care policies pay for in-home care if you need help with activities of daily living like dressing, or household tasks like paying bills, cooking and light housekeeping.

Comprehensive policies typically also pay for in-home therapies and skilled nursing services you may need, which can mean the difference between living at home and moving to a nursing home.

Other things your long-term care policy may cover include training for a family member who will be your caregiver, and home modifications like wheelchair ramps. If you have questions, feel free to call us anytime.

Each policy has a daily benefit amount, and most set a limit on the number of years that you can claim benefits. There are lifetime-benefit policies, which cost more than term-limited coverage. Because senior-care costs are rising faster than the rate of inflation, you may want to buy a policy that offers inflation protection.

The takeaway

Long-term care insurance won’t only help with finances and emotional stress; it also helps improve the quality of life for the individual in need of care. This can be done by keeping the family member in their own home, a familiar environment where they can enjoy family activities and memorable moments.

When it comes to finances, long-term care coverage will help protect your children’s inheritance, as well as your retirement plans because you won’t have to drain them to pay the care costs.

Long-term care insurance isn’t a traditional investment like stocks or real estate. It’s an investment in your family’s future.

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

The Risks for Businesses As We Emerge from Pandemic

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As the economy starts waking up from the ravages of the COVID-19 pandemic and more companies rehire workers or bring them back to the workplace, businesses will be faced with a number of risks that they may not have had to contend with in the past.

That’s the conclusion of a new report, “New Emerging Risk Insights,” by the Swiss Re Institute. The report notes that the biggest risks for businesses will come from restarting suspended operations or ramping up from lower production levels, which lead to more serious workplace accidents.

There are other potential risks facing companies, including the toll of suddenly starting up equipment and machinery that sat idle as well as new maintenance issues from facilities that may have been operating at limited capacity.

Risk of restarting operations

For many companies with equipment, machinery and vehicle fleets, maintenance schedules often have not been kept up during the pandemic. And facilities that are not well-maintained can also pose their own risks, all of which can end up having significant costs in terms of resulting in large and costly accidents.

“There is heightened accident risk in rushed start-up actions as businesses seek to return to normal. In turn, this could lead to large losses in property and casualty insurance,” Swiss Re wrote.

There are a number of reasons maintenance and inspections may not have been kept up:

  • The facility has been idle.
  • The facility is operating at reduced capacity and there is not enough staff to conduct maintenance and inspections.
  • A lack of qualified contractors that can perform maintenance and repairs, as well as a shortage of equipment and material.
  • Qualified and experienced staff have either been laid off and/or, due to restrictions on mobility in lockdown, not able to travel to sites of work.

For perspective, in the oilfield services sector alone, there was a $20-billion reduction in maintenance budgets in 2020.

The danger in all of this, Swiss Re notes, is that the start-up phase of mothballed facilities and equipment can be a time fraught with “acute risk.” For example, studies have found that 40-50% of process safety incidents and major losses occur during start-ups after a period of being shut down or other issues that interrupted operations for a period of time.

And many businesses under financial pressure and starting up at a time when funds may be scarce can result in a company not planning or devoting the resources required for an orderly start-up. In other words, the start-up could be rushed amid the company’s eagerness to get things moving again.

Additionally, bringing back employees who have not worked much over the past year may result in a spate of workplace injuries. Staff who resume work after a long period of not being around workplace machinery and equipment may be out of practice and rusty, which can result in costly and dangerous mistakes that end in them, their co-workers or third parties being hurt.

Zombie companies

All those government financial relief programs enacted in 2020 and this year have helped many companies stay afloat. These subsidies have helped both viable and non-viable firms continue operations.

The danger concerns the latter companies, firms that are unable to cover debt-servicing costs from their current profits and revenues for an extended period of time. These types of businesses are often referred to as “zombie companies,” since they are not able to sustain their operations without outside financial assistance.

According to Swiss Re, these cash injections can mask an enterprise’s risk of defaulting, which means they could face uncertain insurance policy renewals.

Swiss Re said that these issues make it difficult for insurers to gauge which firms are insurable, since it is not easy to identify those that are being kept afloat by stimulus funds or low-interest loans.

“This distorts markets and, crucially for the insurance industry, makes it harder to distinguish between those at risk of defaulting and those not,” Swiss Re wrote in the report.

It also puts businesses in a bind, particularly if they have unknowingly contracted with zombie companies as vendors or suppliers. If one of those companies suddenly fails, it could leave the hiring company in a serious bind, particularly if that zombie firm was providing essential services or products.

The takeaway

If your firm has been idle or hasn’t been working at full capacity since the pandemic started, it would be wise to resume full operations in a methodical and well-planned manner.

That’s especially important if workers are returning to the job after a long hiatus. They may be rusty and not as attuned to workplace dangers as they were when they were working five days a week.

You may also want to ensure that your suppliers and vendors have seen no ill effects from the pandemic. But just in case, it would be wise to seek out alternative vendors and have a backup supplier should one of your main suppliers suddenly go belly-up.

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

Contractors – Having the Following Issues with Your Payroll Processing &/or Worker’s Compensation Companies?

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Contractors – Having the Following Issues with Your Payroll Processing &/or Worker’s Compensation Companies?   If So We Have Great Fixes!

– 

11 Issues Contractors Have with Their Payroll Processing

  1. High rates and hidden fees
  2. Too Many Deadlines to Keep Track Of                                                                        
  3. Employee Misclassification Problems                                                                      
  4. Generating W-2s with Errors                                                                                
  5. Calculating Unemployment Taxes 
  6. Garnishments and Levies
  7. Compliance Issues
  8. Incompatible software
  9. Tracking employee absence
  10. Organizational issues
  11. Administrative overwhelm

10 Issues Contractors Have with Their Worker’s Compensation Insurance

  1. High rates              
  2. Poor loss experience causing you to be cancelled or skyrocketing your rates
  3. High Experience Modification Factor              
  4. Non-renewed    
  5. No prior coverage causing problems getting coverage              
  6. Misclassification of payrolls    
  7. Employee performing several trades however insurance company charging you highest rate              
  8. Annual audits a hassle              
  9. Have your Worker’s Compensation in a state or assigned risk plan but need coverage while employees work out of state                  
  10. Having trouble getting Worker’s Compensation because you sub out a high percentage of your work or 1099 workers
(We Offer Worker’s Compensation Insurance in States of New York, New Jersey and Connecticut.)
ALL STATES – Fixing contractor payroll processing and Worker’s Compensation issues is what our company has been doing since 2001.
Call 914-806-5853 and tell us what issues you’re having.  We will help solve them and if it’s not possible with your companies then we have 20 other companies to go to and get you services.
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, Payroll Processing 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