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Oftentimes employees don’t understand the workers’ compensation process and may be afraid to report a claim for fear of losing their job or impacting a daily count of injury-free days that are tied to an incentive program.
Educate employees on the workers’ compensation system. During the hiring process, consider explaining how workers’ compensation coverage protects your employee when an injury occurs. Your employees should understand that it is their responsibility to report an injury immediately and follow the company’s guidelines for seeking medical attention. Explain your return to work policy and have your employees sign an agreement stating they understand the process.
Note: Actual policies must be consulted for specific terms and conditions.
Many employers are concerned about their next OSHA visit. Worried about citations and fines, employers see OSHA as the enemy. Sound familiar?
OSHA’s On-site Consultation Program offers free and confidential safety and occupational health advice to small and medium-sized businesses in all states across the country, with priority given to high-hazard worksites. On-site Consultation services are separate from enforcement and do not result in penalties or citations. Consultants from state agencies or universities work with employers to identify workplace hazards, provide advice on compliance with OSHA standards, and assist in establishing injury and illness prevention programs.
Note: Actual policies must be consulted for specific terms and conditions.
When your employees become injured, they may need time to recover. As an employer, you may be tempted to rely solely on the workers’ compensation insurance company and/or your employee’s medical provider to communicate throughout the process. If you do, the process can become unnecessarily prolonged.
As the employer, let your insurance company and your employee’s medical provider know that you have a return to work program in place. Ask the medical provider to refer to the job description that has been provided for the injured employee. As soon as the employee is medically cleared, offer a light duty position and ask them to report to work. If needed, your employee can continue to receive treatment while they continue to recover.
Note: Actual policies must be consulted for specific terms and conditions.
Are you about to hire your next workers’ compensation claim? In an effort to get a position filled quickly, you may take shortcuts that could cost you thousands of dollars.
Prospective employees should be required to complete a pre-hire physical. A copy of the intended job description can then be given to the medical provider with the physical requirements of the position. This helps to ensure only those capable of doing the job are hired and keeps other employees safe.
Note: Actual policies must be consulted for specific terms and conditions.
Sometimes employees are trained to do a job well, but are not trained to do their job safely. Many work-related injuries can be avoided by effective training.
Your insurance broker should be able to organize monthly training classes. Many insurance carriers offer training tools at no charge and your broker can help you utilize these tools to your advantage. For example, topics such as proper lifting techniques can be critical for many job functions. Also, using tools like payroll stuffers can be very effective.
Note: Actual policies must be consulted for specific terms and conditions.
Your employee may become injured and you might be tempted to rely on someone else to communicate with them. As a result, your employee may be confused by the workers’ compensation process and unsure where to turn.
You and your supervisors need to stay in constant communication with your employees. Your insurance broker can provide some coaching and guidance throughout the process. Above all, your employees should feel that you care about their injuries and that you will be involved in helping them recover. Your direct supervisors play a key role in this process and should be trained to effectively communicate with your employees throughout the injury.
Note: Actual policies must be consulted for specific terms and conditions.
Claims can remain open longer than needed due to poor communication between you and your employee’s medical provider. As a result, you may be unaware that your employee is well enough to return to work on a modified basis.
Get to know the doctors that are helping your employee heal. Your insurance broker should foster this relationship by assisting you in the selection of the medical provider prior to a claim. Meet with the medical provider, interview them, tour their facilities, ask them to tour your location, and explain your return to work program. Job descriptions can be provided to the medical provider and an agreement of services can be achieved. Once a claim takes place, a clear line of communication should be established so you are kept aware of your employee’s status.
Note: Actual policies must be consulted for specific terms and conditions.
Statistically, your company’s Experience Modification Rate (EMR) has more than a 70% chance of being incorrect. Your EMR is a number used by insurance companies to gauge any past cost of injuries and future chances of risk. In addition, over 80% of payroll audits are done incorrectly. Both factors impact your workers’ compensation coverage.
Trust your insurance advisor and have them assist and advocate during the annual payroll audit conducted by the insurance company. Your agent should also monitor all claims, but especially claims reserved over a $10,000 threshold. Larger claims should have a quarterly report prepared by your insurance agent to let you know the status of the claim. Your agent should work with your insurance company’s claims adjustor to close any claims as quickly as possible.
Note: Actual policies must be consulted for specific terms and conditions.
You have many exposures associated with your business vehicles, whether they’re owned or leased. With a fleet of cars, trucks, vans, or other types of vehicles used in the course of business, a single accident can potentially put your business in financial jeopardy.
Business auto insurance provides coverage for vehicles owned or leased by a business and provides coverage for bodily injury, property damage, and other exposures, as well as comprehensive and collision coverage.
Note: Actual policies must be consulted for specific terms and conditions.
If one of your employees receives an injury or becomes ill due to a work-related occurrence, you are required by law to have the proper coverage in place.
Workers’ compensation insurance protects your employees in the event that a job-related injury or sickness occurs during the course of their employment. This coverage is required by law, so be sure that your business has it.
Note: Actual policies must be consulted for specific terms and conditions.
Any commercial property is at risk for damage due to fire or other events. Not only are your building and other structures on your property susceptible, everything inside from office furniture to inventory is at risk as well.
Commercial property insurance can help protect the property your business owns or leases, including things like equipment, inventory, furniture, and fixtures. Whether you own your building or lease the space, commercial property insurance can be purchased separately or can be combined with other necessary coverage to protect your business’ physical assets.
Note: Actual policies must be consulted for specific terms and conditions.
Warehouses can hold all sorts of items and materials, including hazardous and flammable materials. If there is a leak or spill, you’ll be responsible for the cleanup and any damage caused to not only your own property but the property of a third party. Cleanup can be very costly, even if the property damage is minimal.
Pollution cleanup insurance offers protection in the event of a chemical or hazardous material spill or leak. It may cover the cost of the actual cleanup, damage to first- or third-party property, and possibly regulatory liabilities.
Note: Actual policies must be consulted for specific terms and conditions.
Warehouses typically have a variety of equipment to help keep the business running. This could include conveyors, robot and picking systems, forklifts, sorters, as well as HVAC and refrigeration systems. If any one of these breaks down, you could be faced with hefty repair or replacement costs, as well as a potential loss of revenue or damage to inventory.
Equipment breakdown insurance can help cover repair or replacement costs of certain equipment in the case of a covered event. Some policies also cover damage to goods you are responsible for, as well as costs associated with an interruption to your business.
Note: Actual policies must be consulted for specific terms and conditions.
If you have to temporarily suspend your business due to a covered peril, you’ll likely face significant revenue loss. You may also incur extra expenses if you have to relocate your business. However, you may also have to halt operations if there’s a similar covered loss at the location of a supplier or customer. For example, if you store and handle goods made by a particular manufacturer and they have a fire that causes them to shut down, you may not have the inventory to store and handle, which will hurt your business.
Business interruption helps to cover lost revenue and extra expenses that arise from a covered peril. This could include replacement of income, payroll, temporary office space, or other costs. Contingent business interruption covers losses you incur as the result of a covered peril occurring at the location of a customer or supplier your business depends on.
Note: Actual policies must be consulted for specific terms and conditions.
On average, it’s estimated that three out of five businesses will be sued by their employees. While there is nothing you can do to prevent someone from filing a lawsuit, you can limit the costs of defending a legal claim with proper insurance coverage.
Obtain employment practice liability insurance (EPLI) to protect your business from alleged employment-related acts such as wrongful termination, failure to promote, discrimination, and sexual harassment.
Note: Actual policies must be consulted for specific terms and conditions.
Nobody wants to make mistakes. But the fact is, they do happen. For example, the wrong products could be packed and shipped, delays could lead to a breach of contract, or there could be a labeling error. Sometimes a client will feel you’ve made an error and file a lawsuit that must be defended against.
Errors and omissions (E&O) coverage will provide coverage for legal defense and damages awarded in the event you are sued for a wrongful act. Even meritless claims must be defended and most defenses are costly.
Note: Actual policies must be consulted for specific terms and conditions.
A major part of your warehousing and logistics operations includes taking temporary possession of the property of others. While these items are in your care, they can be damaged or stolen, resulting in significant loss for your business.
Often a part of warehouse legal liability policies, bailee and property of others coverage offers protection in the event of property damage or direct physical loss of items you are responsible for. This could include losses at your main warehouse or overflow facilities, or even during the process of various services you provide including storage, package, labeling, or transporting.
Note: Actual policies must be consulted for specific terms and conditions.
The internet has spun a whole new web of liability exposures. E-commerce, social networking, cloud storage, and other technologies bring great benefits to large and small warehousing and logistics companies alike. But with these benefits also come challenges, including protection of privacy, data, and the financial information of your customers.
Cyber liability insurance protects your practice in the event of unauthorized access to electronic data or software within your network. It also provides coverage for spreading a virus, extortion, accidental release of personal identifiable information, and resultant damage caused by a lost or stolen laptop or other mobile device. This coverage is quickly becoming more and more important as you embrace technology to help run your business.
Note: Actual policies must be consulted for specific terms and conditions.
What happens when your business faces a large liability loss that exceeds the basic limit of your standard policy?
A commercial umbrella insurance policy provides high limits of insurance, typically between $2 million and $10 million. Coverage is extended over your general liability, workers’ compensation, and business auto insurance. It provides a great safety net and helps to secure protection for your business.
Note: Actual policies must be consulted for specific terms and conditions.
There are times a trailer needs to be handed off from one trucker to another to finish the shipment. The contract that arranges this transfer is known as a trailer interchange agreement. The parties to this agreement would need trailer interchange insurance.
If a trailer is damaged, the trucker currently in possession of it would be responsible for them. Trailer interchange insurance offers protection for these damages for the period of time the policyholder is in possession of the trailer.
Note: Actual policies must be consulted for specific terms and conditions.
Owner-operators under their own authority and motor carriers can find themselves responsible for their mistakes. A customer injury, a delivery mistake or damage to goods, or damage to property caused by their truck or the actions of a driver can all be very costly.
Motor truck general liability insurance may provide coverage for bodily injury and property damage, personal or advertising injury, and other damages caused by the company’s own negligence.
Note: Actual policies must be consulted for specific terms and conditions.
Tow trucks carry a unique risk involving the property of someone else. The tow truck could be involved in an accident and the vehicle it is towing could become damaged. Also, it’s not unusual for a towed vehicle to be stored overnight at the garage of the towing company. In either scenario, special insurance is needed to cover the towed vehicle.
On-hook insurance provides protection in the case of damages to a vehicle while it is being towed. Garagekeepers insurance would cover losses sustained when a vehicle is being temporarily stored at the towing company’s location.
Note: Actual policies must be consulted for specific terms and conditions.
The type of trucking insurance you need can vary based on a number of factors. Private carriers who are hauling goods in their own truck or for an employer will need insurance designed for private trucking. Owner-operators will have different needs depending on whether they are operating under their own authority or under permanent lease to a motor carrier.
Having the right insurance for the situation is essential. For example, an owner-operator under permanent lease to a motor carrier may have their primary liability insurance provided by the motor carrier. However, there are other coverages they’ll want to consider. Additionally, the type of truck, driver experience, and goods hauled can all affect coverage needs as well.
Note: Actual policies must be consulted for specific terms and conditions.
A truck that’s been damaged in an accident will need to be taken off the road for repairs. When the truck can’t be used, the business will lose money.
Rental reimbursement with downtime may cover the cost of truck payments and other bills while the truck is inoperable due to a covered loss. It may also provide reimbursement for a temporary replacement truck.
Note: Actual policies must be consulted for specific terms and conditions.
For-hire truckers are often hauling something for someone. For the time that the freight or goods are in the possession of the trucker, the trucker is responsible for any damage to the goods. Whether the goods are damaged in a collision, are spilled off the truck, or damaged during loading and unloading, the expenses associated with this damage can add up fast.
Motor truck cargo insurance, sometimes simply referred to as cargo insurance, may cover the cost of the damaged cargo, removal expenses if the cargo is spilled, lost cargo, legal fees, and freight charges if the cargo is not delivered.
Note: Actual policies must be consulted for specific terms and conditions.
Sometimes a truck is driven without a trailer attached. This could include when the driver is on their way to pick up a load, has just dropped off a load, or is in between loads. When a truck is driven this way under someone else’s trucking authority, a coverage gap can exist if the truck is involved in an accident and found liable for bodily injury or damage to property.
Bobtail insurance is a liability policy that provides coverage for legal fees, damages awarded, and medical expenses for times when a truck is driven under someone else’s trucking authority and there is no trailer attached.
Note: Actual policies must be consulted for specific terms and conditions.
If a truck is damaged in an accident and another driver is not held liable for these damages, the truck’s owner would be responsible for the repairs. The truck’s owner would also be responsible for damages caused in other ways, such as if something falls on it, it is vandalized, it catches fire, or it is stolen.
Physical damage insurance covers the cost of repairs to your own vehicle if it’s damaged by you or it is damaged by some other factor that you cannot be held responsible for. For vehicles that are owned outright, this coverage may be optional. However, if the truck is being leased or financed, this coverage may be required by the bank.
Note: Actual policies must be consulted for specific terms and conditions.
Trucks that are under permanent lease to a motor carrier are typically covered under their liability coverage, which offers protection when the truck is used for business purposes. But what happens if the truck is involved in an accident and is liable for damages caused while being driven for non-business purposes?
Non-trucking liability insurance offers protection when a truck is driven for personal reasons, for example while running personal errands on a day off. It covers medical expenses, property damage, and legal fees related to the driver.
Note: Actual policies must be consulted for specific terms and conditions.
If a building is contaminated by mold, lead, asbestos, or other hazardous materials, it may be deemed uninhabitable. Owners who are unable to collect rent from tenants can suffer from significant income loss as a result.
A premises pollution policy can also provide coverage for business interruption losses including rental income, relocation, mitigation, net profits, and payroll.
Note: Actual policies must be consulted for specific terms and conditions.
Asbestos is a heat-resistant material that was commonly found in insulation, drywall, ceilings, and floor tiles up through the mid-1970s and later. Asbestos is known to cause severe lung damage.
Because asbestos was so prevalent in construction materials and can still be found in buildings today, purchasing premises pollution insurance that includes coverage for asbestos remediation, property damage, legal defense for bodily injury claims, and medical monitoring can protect your financial investment.
Note: Actual policies must be consulted for specific terms and conditions.
Many old apartment buildings contain lead-based paint, which is now known to be very harmful if absorbed into the body. Small amounts of lead can cause serious health issues and larger amounts can be fatal.
Premises pollution policies provide coverage for removal of lead-based paints and other lead hazards. It can defend against legal claims of injury caused by the lead as well as medical monitoring for ongoing concerns.
Note: Actual policies must be consulted for specific terms and conditions.
Some water leaks are very obvious so they’re able to be repaired timely. Others are more discreet, causing mold to grow unnoticed. Mold is a health hazard that can make tenants very sick.
Premises pollution policies can include coverage for remediation of mold and damage to the property. It can also provide coverage for defense of claims of bodily injury as well as court-awarded damages.
Note: Actual policies must be consulted for specific terms and conditions.
A broken pipe or the misdelivery of heating oil can result in a hazardous spill and a costly clean up. Other chemical spills can be equally detrimental for building owners. Spills can also go beyond the property line, causing third-party damage.
It can be very expensive to clean up after a hazardous material spill like oil or gasoline. If the damage extends beyond your property onto your neighbors, those costs go up exponentially. Because this sort of accident can happen quite easily, proper premises pollution insurance is essential to help mitigate the financial risk.
Note: Actual policies must be consulted for specific terms and conditions.
If your business experiences a data breach or violation of confidential information during regular business operations, you may be found in violation of privacy laws and be required to pay fines for the violations or other regulatory issues.
You may be eligible for regulatory claim coverage which would offer protection in response to proceedings related to disclosure laws and other governmental actions that can result in defense costs, fines and/or penalties. Coverage does vary and may be restricted by local law.
Note: Actual policies must be consulted for specific terms and conditions.
If your company is faced with a data breach or cyber-attack, you may be forced to cover breach-related expenses such as crisis management, hiring a public relations firm to manage a data breach incident, costs associated with forensic analysis, the cost of repairing and restoring computer systems if there is a virus that destroys business software and data, and the loss of business income resulting from a data breach.
First-party coverage will insure your business for losses to your own data or lost income or for other harm to your business resulting from a data breach or cyber-attack. This coverage will pay you for things like business interruption, the cost of notifying customers of a breach, and even the expense of hiring a public relations firm to repair any damage done to your image as a result of a cyber-attack. Having this funding available in the event of a crippling hack can keep the lights on till you’re able to resume your normal business operations.
Note: Actual policies must be consulted for specific terms and conditions.
If hackers gain control of critical systems, they may demand a ransom be paid to avoid additional consequences. Sometimes these can be empty threats, but it’s impossible to know for sure. Paying the ransom can be costly. Taking a chance by choosing not to pay can sometimes put a company out of business.
Coverage for ransom and cyber extortion can be included in cyber liability policies and can help cover the cost of ransom to regain control of network systems. This is often not included in a standard policy, may include a separate sublimit and deductible, and may require adherence to certain conditions set forth by the insurer.
Note: Actual policies must be consulted for specific terms and conditions.
What would you do if an email virus impacted the operation of your database and prevented you from serving clients for a day or more? Or what if a hacker or cyber-criminal caused a system outage or extended downtime, leaving your business inoperable? These and other events can destroy your ability to serve clients and bring in revenue, which can have a major long-term impact on the viability of your business.
Business Income and Business Interruption coverages help with financial hardships, such as loss of income or operating costs, that you bear due to a covered incident.
Note: Actual policies must be consulted for specific terms and conditions.
If your business handles sensitive customer data (such as email lists, credit card records or other files), data breaches pose a serious threat to your financial stability. A lawsuit resulting from a data breach means your business is responsible for paying legal fees, court-ordered judgments or settlements and other court-related costs.
Third-party coverage protects you in the event of a lawsuit brought by a customer or partner for a data breach that your business’ actions or negligence allowed.
Note: Actual policies must be consulted for specific terms and conditions.
The Internet has spun a whole new web of liability exposures. E-commerce, social networking, cloud storage, and other technologies bring great benefits to large and small businesses alike. But with these benefits also come challenges, including protection of privacy, data, and financial information of your customers. If this information is lost, stolen, or compromised, your company is at risk. In fact, you may even be required by law to alert those impacted by the breach and to pay for any financial loss incurred.
Cyber liability coverage offers protection due to unauthorized access of electronic data or software within your network. It also provides coverage for spreading a virus, computer theft, extortion, or any unintentional act, mistake, error, or omission made by an employee. This coverage is quickly becoming more and more important as you embrace technology to help run your business.
Note: Actual policies must be consulted for specific terms and conditions.
