Injury and Illness Prevention Plans Save You Money, Period!

Contractor Insurance – The 10 Questions You Should Ask

  If you’re a contractor who is unhappy with   general & umbrella liability insurance rates or coverage we want you to know there is a way to get HELP!

Questions:

  1. Is your liability insurance with a “Main Street” or “Surplus Lines” company?   Preferably you want to be with a “Main Street” company but the majority of New York insurance brokers don’t represent all the right ones.  We DO.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  —
  2. If your liability insurance is with a “Surplus Lines” company, is YOUR insurance broker a “Construction Insurance Specialist” or “Generalist?”  They can be the nicest people in the world, friendly, issue certificates timely but if they do not understand (95% DO NOT) policy contract wording they are hazardous to your financial well being!                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         —
  3. It’s hard to comprehend, actually mind boggling but contractor liability rates are expected to increase 10%+ in 2021.  Is your insurance broker shopping your insurance for this year’s renewals?                                                                                                                                                          —
  4. “Surplus Line” companies have more exclusions and restrictions than ever.  Examples: “Labor Law”  “Height”  “Subcontractor Hammer Clause.”  The list goes on.  Most insurance brokers are “Order Takers.”  They have no real understanding of policy contract wording.  You can no longer risk being with a “Generalist Broker.”  “Surplus Line” policies are tailored designed for “What You Tell Them You Do.”  Take a job that goes outside your scope of work and you’re exposed to an “Uncovered Claim.”                                                                                                                                                                                                                                —
  5. When it comes to “Client Insurance Requirements” do you really understand what you are signing?  When clients request coverage for 5, 10, 15 “Additional Insured’s”, think they’re ALL covered?  Maybe, maybe not.  That’s why it’s so important to work with a “Construction Insurance Specialist.”                                                                                              —                                                                                                                                      
  6. Use subcontractors?   Screen their insurance?  Make them sign “Subcontractor Insurance Agreements?”  Obtain “Certificates of Insurance with all the right coverages?  Know which insurance companies are acceptable and which aren’t?  Get copies of your subs policies?  Does your broker review them with you?  Due to cost, many subcontractors have lousy insurance.  A claim caused by their negligence can trigger YOUR insurance company to deny coverage or make you liable for tens of thousands of dollars.  BECAUSE WE ARE “CONSTRUCTION INSURANCE SPECIALISTS” WE HAVE A DEPARTMENT SET UP TO SCREEN CLIENT’S SUBCONTRACTOR INSURANCE.                                                                                                                 —                                                                                                                                   
  7. Does your broker help with client contract reviews?  Do they have a risk analysis department that can assist with contract wording?  Proper “Risk Transfer strategies?”  It’s much better to understand what you’re signing before you sign then learn the hard way after a claim.  Do you really want to be faced with a multi million dollar lawsuit your insurance carrier denies coverage for?  That’s why it’s so important to deal with a “Construction Insurance Expert!”                                                                                                                                                                                       —
  8. Let’s take a break from discussing liability insurance.  Let’s talk about Workers’ Compensation.  Have employees who work out of state weeks at a time?  Are you insured through a state plan?  If so, there’s a good chance you WILL NOT have proper coverage for a claim occurring out of state that is filed in that state.

Example: You are a contractor who takes a job in New Jersey. Job lasts 5 weeks.  You have coverage through your state’s plan.      Employee sustains a back injury.  He hires an attorney and files claim under New Jersey workers compensation laws.  Most likely your plan will deny claim or only pay according to your states benefit laws.  Can you afford $50,000, $100,000 out of pocket?  Do you want to deal with his attorney for years and the financial drain it will cause?

Note: many contractors who work out of state are faced with this problem and do not even realize it.  We have a VERY GOOD solution.                                         —

9.  Bonding – Is your insurance broker a “Bonding Expert?”  Have their own “Bonding” Department?  Do they represent the TOP bonding carriers?  Do they have relationships with bonding carriers dating back 50+ years?  If you need higher limits, better rates, less hassle, better service, it’s important you deal with OUR bonding department.                                                                            —

10.  Unhappy with your Business Auto insurance rates?  Looking for ways to lower them?  We represent all the TOP carriers for construction auto insurance needs.

About Our Agency:

  • We are construction insurance specialists.
  • Been insuring contractors since 1981.
  • Do $200 million in business.
  • We have “Main Street” programs for New York City contractors (we cover NY, NJ, CT) that just a handful of agencies have.
  • We have purchasing leverage and can get you excellent rates.
  • On any given day we have a great pulse on the market place.  If there is a new program out there that you can benefit from we will find it.
  • We have a program to screen all your subcontractor’s insurance policies so you don’t have to do it.
  • We offer Property, General Liability, Umbrella Liability, Business Auto, Bid & Performance Bonds, Workers’ Compensation, N.Y.S. Disability, Group Health and Personal Lines (Homeowners, Personal Auto, Personal Umbrella, Boat, Jewelry, Fine Arts) insurance policies. 

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

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

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

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

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

e-mail: bgesgroup@gmail.com

website: http://www.bgesgroup.com

© – Copyright – 2020 – BGES Group

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