insurance Archives - Competitive Edge Insurance

EPLI: Does Your Construction Business Need It?

December 5, 2022/in Construction, High-Risk Insurance, News

In the world of insurance, there are so many acronyms to keep track of. Today, let’s chat about Employment Practices Liability Insurance (EPLI).

More specifically, we’re going to cover the industries that need EPLI as well as answer the question, does your construction business need it? If so, why?

WHAT IS EPLI?

Employment Practices Liability Insurance, or EPLI, is insurance that “provides coverage to employers against claims made by employees.”

WHAT DOES EPLI COVERAGE COVER?

Employment Practices Liability Insurance policies typically extend coverage to the following:

Wrongful Termination
Sexual Harassment
Wage-Related Claims
Claims of Unequal or Unfair Pay
Discrimination Claims (i.e. age, race, gender, sexual orientation)
Third-Party Claims

According to Amtrust Financial, the below are also common employer missteps that may be covered:

Failure to Hire or Promote
Libel, Slander, Defamation of Character, or Invasion of Privacy
Wrongful Infliction of Emotional Distress
Wrongful Discipline or Demotion

WHY IS EPLI IMPORTANT?

According to Advisen, only 32% of all construction firms with 50 to 200 employees and 20% of all firms with fewer than 50 employees have stand-alone EPLI coverage.

This statistic is low and frightening as the costs associated with EPLI claims can be shocking.

EPLI claims can be detrimental to businesses of all sizes and types. EPLI helps protect against many kinds of employee lawsuits, which is why it’s important for businesses to invest in coverage.

WHAT INDUSTRIES NEED EPLI?

The fact of the matter is that some industries are more susceptible to these types of claims than others. These industries include:

Healthcare
Professional services
Restaurant and food services
Retail, and
Manufacturing

An additional industry that should consider EPLI is construction. Continue reading to find out why.

DOES YOUR CONSTRUCTION BUSINESS NEED EPLI?

The answer is most likely ‘yes.’

The construction industry is known for its rapid growth and often accompanying layoffs, which can lead to a particular job being eliminated or terminated.

Additionally, due to the fluctuating nature of contract work, contractors may find themselves vulnerable to wrongful termination and potential discrimination claims.

Employees also often introduce post-employment wage and hour claims, which stem from improper overtime and breaks.

Lastly, when contractors work, they often come into contact with the public which can lead to remarks or actions that other people find objectionable. It is difficult for employers to prove these allegations due to not being present for the incidents in question.

HOW TO MINIMIZE EPLI CLAIMS AS AN EMPLOYER

So, how can an employer minimize expensive EPLI claims against their construction business?

Most importantly, study and adhere to the guidelines established by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). Some of these guidelines include:

Clearly define employment practices and policies

Schedule training workshops
Keep your eye on your workplace
Let your workforce know employment practices violations will not be tolerated
Maintain an “open door” policy

A Final Word

EPLI is important for any business, but it’s especially important for construction companies. If you’re in the construction industry, make sure you have the right EPLI policy in place to protect your business from employment-related lawsuits.

As discussed above, hiring employees carries inherent risks. Because of this, we’ve put together a few tips on how to reduce your risk when hiring, in California specifically.

Top Tips to Recession-Proof Your Business

November 21, 2022/in General Business Insurance, News, Workers' Compensation

Over the past several months, most business owners, and individuals alike, have heard mutterings about a recession.

Although we in no way can predict what’s coming, at Competitive Edge Insurance, we thought it’d be helpful to provide business owners with the top three tips they can take to recession-proof their businesses.

Let’s dive in; first, with an overview of what’s going on.

What Is Going On?

Many Americans might already be feeling the heat with decades-high inflation, record gas prices, and hefty grocery bills.

Bloomberg Economics says there’s close to a 75% probability there will be a recession by the start of 2024.

But how did this happen? And what is a recession?

What Is a Recession?

A recession, as defined by the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER), is a “significant decline in economic activity that is spread across the economy and that lasts more than a few months.”

This period of time is when the economy contracts and business activity slows down. This can be caused by a number of factors, including a:

decrease in consumer spending
increase in taxes
decrease in government spending
natural disaster

Businesses typically suffer during a recession, as there is less money circulating and people are more likely to save rather than spend. This can lead to layoffs, closures, and decreased profits.

As a business owner, it is important to recession-proof your business as much as possible. This means taking steps to ensure that your business can weather a recession and still remain profitable.

Contributing Factors

There are many contributing factors that have led the U.S. economy to tip its way toward a recession—inflation, supply chain issues, a nationwide labor shortage, the list goes on.

Moreover, The Washington Post notes that the Federal Reserve’s efforts to temper demand and tame prices have also been a contributing factor.

Oracle writes that “since 1950, recessions have lasted between two and 18 months.” This period can be “stressful for business owners, since they don’t know how long it will last. A business can freefall without an end in sight — if it isn’t ready.”

So let us help you prepare.

How Can You Recession-Proof Your Business?

There are many things you can do to recession-proof your business. For example, business owners can create a business emergency fund, assess their risk tolerance, reduce overhead, and more.

Minimize Workers’ Compensation Claims

One thing you don’t want in the midst of, or prior to a recession, is workers’ compensation claims being filed against your business. Why? It’s expensive.

Employers face both direct and indirect costs when a workers’ comp claim is filed.

Most obviously, when an employee is out on workers’ compensation, a business owner essentially “loses” their work. You then have to pay for another employee to pick up the slack (overtime in some cases), which can be costly.

Additionally, workers’ compensation claims can:

Increase your insurance premiums
Damage your public reputation, and
In some cases, a business can be penalized up to $136,532 per person by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) for repeated or willful violations

(Yikes, that’s a lot of money!)

This considered, it’s crucial (especially during this time of teetering toward a recession) to do everything you can to make your workplace safe, and therefore, reduce workers’ compensation claims.

Interested in learning how workers’ compensation plays out for remote workers? Read our article “What Does Workers’ Comp Look Like for Remote Employees?”

Create Trust and Safety Among Employees

Significant layoffs can already be observed across the nation. This considered, a recession can be an especially scary time for your employees.

During this time, as a business owner, it’s especially important to create trust and safety among your employees. Consider doing the following to build employee retention:

Keeping an open, honest line of communication
Listening to your employees
Utilizing employee engagement data
Offering consistent and effective feedback
Recognizing a job well done
Not letting team building fall to the wayside
Encouraging health and wellness and work-life balance

Invest in Insurance

The last thing you want during a recession is to get hit without the proper insurance. Typically, business profit is already top-of-mind during a recession.

If a cyber attack occurs, you receive high levels of workers’ comp claims, or an injury takes place on your commercial property, you want to be sure that you have the right insurance in place to keep your business financially protected.

Without proper insurance, a business owner may have to pay out-of-pocket for costly damages and legal claims against their company.

Additional Steps to Help

Minimizing workers’ comp claims, creating trust and safety among employees and investing in insurance are our top three tips, but there are so many other steps that you can take to help your business during a recession, such as:

1. Diversify your revenue streams

Don’t rely on just one source of income. If possible, try to have multiple, different streams of revenue coming in. That way, if one or two of them dry up, you’ll still have money coming in from the others.

2. Cut costs where you can

During a recession, every penny counts. Take a close look at your budget and see where you can cut costs. Even small savings can add up over time and make a big difference.

3. Build up your cash reserves

Having a healthy cash reserve is always a good idea, but it’s especially important during a recession. This will help you weather any tough times and keep your business afloat.

4. Focus on customer retention

During a recession, it’s more important than ever to hang onto your existing customers. Keep them happy and they’ll stick with you, even when times are tough.

5. Invest in marketing

Marketing is vital for any business, but it’s especially important during a recession. Why? Because that’s when people are scaling back their spending and being more particular about where they spend their money. If you want to stay top of mind, you need to keep marketing.

Keep Your Eye On the Prize

It’s easy to get discouraged during a recession, but it’s important to remember why you’re in business in the first place. Stay focused on your goals and don’t let tough times get in the way of your long-term success.

As a business owner, recession-proofing your company is vital to ensuring that success.

Interested in learning more about how to keep your business safe? Read on to find out what types of insurance your business needs during a recession.

Additional Insured vs. Loss Payee: What’s the Difference?

October 9, 2022/in General Business Insurance, News

There are a lot of terminologies to keep track of in the commercial insurance world—two of them being additional insured and loss payee.

While additional insureds and loss payees are endorsements that extend insurance coverage to a third party, there are key differences in the scope of coverage provided in each.

Below, we’ll discuss the difference between an additional insured vs. a loss payee.

Additional Insured

An additional insured is a third party—either an individual or business entity—who is added to an insurance policy at the request of the named insured because they have a liability exposure in the relationship.

Typically, an additional insured would be someone who is working with the named insured on a project. For example:

A business partner
Contractor

Insureon provides a great example: Say “the owner of an office building hires a janitorial company to clean its premises. If a visitor gets injured after tripping on a box the owner left in a hallway, the janitorial firm could be exposed to litigation.”

Therefore, “to protect itself, the janitorial company would ask the property owner to list it as an additional insured on the owner’s general liability insurance or business owner’s policy (BOP). That way, if the injured visitor sues the janitorial services company for negligence, the building owner’s insurance policy will defend the company.”

When listed as additional insured, the party is then protected under the terms of the policy just as the named insured.

Loss Payee

A loss payee, on the other hand, is a third party who is entitled to receive payment from an insurance policy in the event of a loss.

The loss payee is typically a lender (i.e. bank, mortgage company, the lender who financed the purchase of a piece of equipment insured under the policy) who has a financial interest in the property that is insured under the policy.

If that property is damaged or destroyed, the loss payee will receive compensation from the insurance policy.

Sound a little complex? Here’s a great example from Embroker:

You own a pizza restaurant (yum!) To make your delicious pizzas, you’ve rented “your pizza ovens from another company. If you add that company to your commercial property policy as a loss payee, both you and that company could receive payments if a fire breaks out in the restaurant and damages… the rented ovens.”

Why do both parties receive payments? “Because both have insured interest in the property that was affected.” It’s important to note, however, that the loss payee has first rights on insurance claim payments rather than the named insured.

A loss payee is added to a policy via a “loss payable clause,” which is typically added to a commercial auto or a commercial property insurance policy.

Key Differences: Additional Insured vs. Loss Payee

While additional insureds and loss payees are both parties who are protected under an insurance policy, the scope of coverage that each provides is quite different.

The key difference between an additional insured and a loss payee is that additional insureds receive liability protection whereas loss payees receive property damage coverage.

Additional insureds are protected in the same way as the named insured, while loss payees are only entitled to receive payment in the event of a loss.

Moreover, additional insureds are typically added to a policy at the request of the named insured, while loss payees are typically lenders who have a financial interest in the property that is insured under the policy.

When deciding whether to add an additional insured or loss payee to your policy, it’s important to understand the difference between the two so that you can choose the endorsement that properly protects your interests.

Learn More

In any project, it’s important to make sure you have the proper insurance to protect yourself and all parties involved.

A Certificate of Insurance (COI) gives a summary of what coverages someone has, whether it be general liability, workers’ compensation, or property. A COI can also include a description of coverages that might be there or attached; such as additional insured status or waivers of subrogation.

Read on for more on what you need to know about certificates of insurance.

Get to Know Our Founder: Her Rotary Involvement

October 2, 2022/in News, Video

Brenda Jo Robyn is not like most business owners. Her background in epidemiology, love for running, and involvement in the Rotary Club of Coronado, California set her apart.

Watch the video below to hear more about Brenda Jo’s involvement in rotary, and the three primary causes that she supports.

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What is Rotary?

First, what is rotary? According to the official website, “Rotary is a global network of 1.4 million neighbors, friends, leaders, and problem-solvers who see a world where people unite and take action to create lasting change – across the globe, in our communities, and in ourselves.”

Their Mission

At Rotary, their mission is to “provide service to others, promote integrity, and advance world understanding, goodwill, and peace through our fellowship of business, professional, and community leaders.”

Brenda Jo’s Rotary Involvement

As you can see from her t-shirt, Brenda Jo is part of the Coronado Rotary Tech Team. This is one of three areas she focuses on in the rotary.

“During COVID we wanted to keep meetings going,” says Brenda Jo. “So, a gentleman in our club started doing Zoom meetings, and I joined a year and a half ago to help out.”

Today, the Rotary Club of Coronado conducts hybrid meetings with international speakers and past youth—this is where Brenda Jo helps out.

“I am on the Tech Team and get to help set up. I do the actual recording [and] help with making the video afterward. It’s been really enjoyable, and it’s kept me up to date with tech as it keeps moving forward!”

The other two areas of Brenda Jo’s focus include:

End Polio Now (Did you know polio is still not eradicated?), and
Low Tide Ride and Stride

The Low Tide Ride and Stride event happens every year.

“Once a year,” says Brenda Jo, “you get to run, [walk], or ride your bike on the beach… on super low tide.”

The Low Tide Ride and Stride event is the “Coronado Rotary Club’s biggest fundraiser with a majority of the proceeds going to help support local combat-wounded veterans and first responders.”

“We raise quite a bit of money every year for these organizations and their families,” says Brenda Jo. In fact, hundreds of thousands of dollars have been donated over the years.

When we asked for Brenda Jo’s final thoughts on rotary, all she had to say was, “I love Rotary. Love, love, love Rotary!”
Interested in hearing Brenda Jo chat more about another area of her expertise—commercial insurance!? Read on to learn about understanding classifications for workers’ comp dual wage.

Understanding Classifications for Workers’ Comp Dual Wage

September 25, 2022/in Construction, News, Workers' Compensation

What is happening with workers’ compensation insurance coverage in the construction industry today?

Well, according to Brenda Jo Robyn, founder of Competitive Edge Insurance, workers’ compensation rates are increasing in the construction industry.

Although rates vary by class, dual wage thresholds are going up—and what does this mean for employers? As dual wage thresholds increase, employers will be forced to pay their workers more to get them out of the higher-rated classes and into the lower-rated classes.

Interested in learning more? Click the video below to learn how to understand classifications for workers’ comp dual wage.

What is a Dual Wage Classification?

There are several classifications in The Workers’ Compensation Insurance Rating Bureau of California® (WCIRB) for workers’ compensation.

These tiers classify employees within a category into two levels. Either:

An apprentice, or
A journeyman

An apprentice is essentially a beginner in the field whereas a journeyman knows their trade.

Using actuarial data for losses, the WCIRB found that journeymen, those who know their trade, have fewer injuries—so they give them credits.

The Apprentice Classification

The apprentice wage, or lower wage, pays more per hundred dollars than the journeyman for workers’ compensation because lower-wage workers have the most claims.

Why? Simply put, they have less experience. An apprentice is more likely to hit their finger with a hammer than someone a journeyman who has been in the role for 20 years, for instance.

The Journeyman Classification

Journeyman wages, or the high wage, receive credits and therefore, pay less per hundred dollars for workers’ compensation coverage.

Why Was Dual Wage Classification Created?

The dual wage system was created, in the highest risk classes of construction, in order to avoid penalizing the entire group of construction.

Workers who are experienced journeymen are charged less for workers’ compensation per every hundred dollars than workers who are newer to the industry.

In short, the dual wage is based on their wages.

Dual Wage is Increasing

The WCIRB has suggested levels over time on where the split is that delineates who’s an apprentice vs. a journeyman.

These levels have gone up over the years. In fact, most dual wage will increase by dollar $2 every two years.

There are 16 classes in the construction area which move back and forth. Some of them haven’t moved since 2018. For instance, for roofing, their split level is at $27 and has been that way since 2018.

Others move every couple of years. Carpentry, for example, was $35 in 2021. Now, in 2022, it’s increased to $39.

That’s a big jump! That’s $4 to move someone into the journeyman wage.

How Does a Business Owner Save Money on Their Workers’ Compensation Insurance?

So, how do you combat these raises? Risk mitigation. This includes:

Managing your experience modification rating (essentially the number that the WCIRB gives you to grade you for losses)
Maintaining a safe workplace
Supporting mental health awareness to reduce burnout
Emphasizing proper employee training
Developing and distributing an employee handbook and code of ethics policy
Implementing a handbook auditing procedure

Interested in learning more? Read on in our article “Insurance Trends in 2022: What to Watch For.”

The Manufacturing Industry and the Supply Chain Crisis

September 11, 2022/in News

The supply chain crisis continues to have a massive impact on businesses in nearly every industry. As you might guess, the manufacturing industry has experienced this impact the most.

So, what can manufacturing businesses do to help combat the effects of supply chain issues?

What Is Causing Supply Chain Disruptions?

There are a variety of factors that have led to the supply chain crisis that we’ve experienced over the last few months.

Some of these factors include:

The COVID-19 Pandemic

Though it feels like we’ve surpassed the COVID-related closures, we’re still seeing the effects of business closures due to employees being unable to go to the office in person.

Port Backlogs

Everyone remembers seeing the Long Beach port overrun with ships containing products that were unable to get unloaded. With a shortage of workers to move the ships along, backlogs occurred, and as a result, shipping prices increased.

Cyber Risk

As companies move to a more digital-focused environment, critical data is being shared in a far-reaching global supply chain. With the increase in digital usage comes an increased risk of cybersecurity breaches.

These breaches can cause damage to your business’s operations, finances, and reputation.

Driver Shortage

In 2021, the American Trucking Association stated that the truck driver shortage could hit historical lows of 80,0000 unfilled truck driving jobs in the US. This shortage led to even more backlogged ports, as products cannot be moved.

Production Issues

The increased demand for specific products alongside the factory closures in 2020 and 2021 has caused production issues across various industries.

Natural Disasters

Lastly, the effects of natural disasters always affect the supply chain. Whether it’s a hurricane, flood, blizzard, fire, or any other natural disaster, they may be responsible for postponed deliveries, closed ports, and canceled cargo shipments.

How Can You Reduce the Effects of the Supply Chain Crisis in Your Manufacturing Business?

It’s important to understand how you might be able to mitigate the effects of the supply chain crisis. Below is a shorthand list of what your manufacturing business can do.

Diversify Your Supplier Base

Using one sole supplier for all your business needs can easily cause massive disruption in your manufacturing business’ entire supply chain. Having diversified suppliers allows for the disbursement of risk and reduces the impact of potential disruption.

Ensure You Have Backup Suppliers and Vendors

Similar to a diversified supplier base, you can also combat supply chain issues by ensuring you have backup suppliers and vendors. If, for whatever reason, your supplier is unable to complete an order, you’ll have a backup supplier in place to cover the disruption.

Work Toward End-to-End Visibility

Visibility into the supply chain operational stages allows you to forecast where problems may arise while also tracking progress and ensuring a quick response to issues that might come about.

Have a Risk Management Plan in Place

Risk management is one of the most effective ways to combat any issues within your business. This plan allows you to identify and assess current and potential risks that could disrupt business operations. Procedures and responses can be prepared in this plan, as well as processes to adapt to disruptions within your business.

Invest in Cybersecurity Insurance and Protocols

Investing in cybersecurity protocols helps mitigate the common risks that affect supply chain processes, including breaches, data leaks, and malware attacks.

Alongside the additional protocols and cybersecurity measures, it’s important to invest in a separate cybersecurity policy to ensure your business is protected in the event of an attack.

Review your Insurance Coverage

There are a few insurance policies that can help reduce the impact of supply chain disruptions on your business. Some of these include:

Contingent business interruption insurance
Extra expense coverage
Supply chain Insurance
Natural disaster insurance, and
Production process problems

As a manufacturing company, the supply chain crisis is likely one of the most important issues you may face.

On top of that, there are insurance requirements your business needs to follow to remain in business. Take a look at our article “Complying with Insurance Requirements: Construction, Manufacturing, Tech Start-Ups” to guide you through this process.

Don’t Create Your Own Labor Shortage

August 28, 2022/in General Business Insurance, High-Risk Insurance, News

Since even before the pandemic, millions of Americans have left their jobs. In fact, we have more than three million fewer Americans participating in the labor force today compared to February of 2020, according to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

So, how can you ensure you don’t create your own labor shortage as a business owner? Read on for our best tips.

Create a Strong Company Culture

What are the signs that a business has great company culture? High employee retention, transparent communication, employee benefits, employee recognition, opportunities for development… The list goes on.

But how do you get to this level? To create a strong company culture, you should consider the following:

Determine what this culture looks like
Ask for employee input and LISTEN to what they have to say
Hire for culture
Encourage (and model!) work-life balance
Make sure employees know your expectations regarding culture

Of course, this is a shorthand list of things you can do. Building a strong company culture is crucial to ensuring you maintain the workforce you do have, and don’t create a labor shortage for your own business.

Ensure Your Workplace is Safe

Your workplace, regardless of your industry, needs to be safe. This includes big-ticket items like following any regulations and codes as well as small things like ensuring rugs are adhered to the floor to prevent tripping, for example.

Ensuring your workplace is safe will help increase employee retention and lower your risk of receiving workers’ compensation claims against your business. It’s a win-win.

Read on to learn more about rising workers’ compensation claims and what you can do.

Provide Growth Opportunities for Employees

What opportunities are you providing to help your employees grow? Are you paying for outside training? Seminars they’d like to attend?

Increased employee retention is one of the best benefits of a successful learning and development (L&D) strategy. In fact, according to a LinkedIn study, “94% of employees would stay at a company for longer if the business was investing in their career development.”

Implementing learning and development opportunities for employees can help:

Retain top talent
Increase job satisfaction and morale
Improve productivity, and
Earn more profit…

In fact, research shows that “businesses that have actively interested and dedicated employees see 41 percent lower absenteeism rates, and 17 percent higher productivity.”

Consider: What training and development might your employees benefit from?

Invest in the Right Insurance Coverage

Of course, we wouldn’t be who we are without mentioning insurance. Having the proper coverage for your business makes for safer operations and employees.

Although the types of insurance your business needs vary on a case-by-case basis, most businesses need the following types of coverage at a minimum:

General Liability Insurance
Workers’ Compensation Insurance
Commercial Property Insurance
Cyber Liability Insurance
And more

Read on to learn how much business insurance should cost.

Focus On What Matters Most

Our biggest overarching rule is this: Focus on what matters most. Employee retention is all about making your workforce feel special, valued, and safe. Take some time today to think about how your specific business might achieve this.

Interested in learning more about the labor shortage? Read on to see how the California labor shortage is affecting the construction industry.

Workers’ Compensation Rates are Rising: What Can You Do?

August 21, 2022/in Construction, General Business Insurance, News, Workers' Compensation

As many business owners may have noticed, workers’ compensation rates are rising. What does this mean? Why is this happening? And most importantly, what can you do as a business owner in response?

Read on to find out.

Why Workers’ Compensation?

If you’re a business owner or an individual who is planning on employing workers when starting a new business, California state law requires you to invest in workers’ compensation insurance.

Why? Employers purchase workers’ compensation insurance to cover the medical costs and lost wages for work-related injuries and illnesses of employees. In turn, workers’ compensation protects your company against employee lawsuits.

Worker’s compensation coverage can help pay for:

Immediate medical costs (i.e. emergency room expenses)
Ongoing medical costs (i.e. physical therapy)
Partial lost wages while the employee is unable to work

Lack of proper coverage can result in fines and even criminal exposure.

Workers’ Compensation Rates Are Rising

Over the past couple of years, workers’ compensation rates have been steadily increasing across the board. They’ve been rising by 7% on average; however, this figure depends on each industry.

Moreover, in July 2022, the Workers’ Compensation Insurance Rating Bureau of California® (WCIRB) submitted its September 1, 2022, pure premium rate filing to the California Department of Insurance (CDI).

The CDI regulates California workers’ compensation rates with the help of the WCIRB, who makes recommendations based on the state’s loss ratio.

In this July 2022 filing, the WCIRB proposed a set of increased premium rates. On average, these rates are 7.6% higher than those approved the year prior on September 1, 2021.

According to the WCIRB, the average of the proposed September 1, 2022, advisory pure premium rates is $1.56 per $100 of payroll.

Read on for the WCIRB filing.

Why Are Workers’ Compensation Rates Rising?

So, why have these premiums been increasing in the first place?

The bottom line is that workers’ compensation rates are rising because there are simply more workers’ comp claims being filed.

Research shows there are many reasons why claims might be increasing, including:

Medical inflation
Workforce changes
The increasing average age of the workforce
Increased indemnity costs, and
Rising wages

Moreover, as individuals have begun to return to work in person, the number of claims regarding health and safety in the workplace has increased as well. These claims typically include:

Employee concerns about exposure to COVID-19 due to unsafe working conditions, or
Situations where employees allege they were wrongfully denied a request for workplace accommodation or leave

What Can Business Owners Do?

With this rise in claims, what can you do to protect yourself as a business owner? You can prevent workers’ comp claims by:

Prioritizing risk mitigation
Maintaining a safe workplace
Supporting mental health awareness to reduce burnout
Emphasizing proper employee training
Developing and distributing an employee handbook and code of ethics policy
Implementing a handbook auditing procedure

While this list only showcases a few of many ways to avoid high workers’ compensation premiums, it’s important to remember that it’s up to all employers collectively to keep their employees safe—thus, lowering the number of claims being filed annually.

How Much Risk Does Your Business Hold?

If writing your hefty workers’ compensation check has begun to pain you, at Competitive Edge Insurance, we challenge you to ask yourself a question: “Am I, as a business owner, doing everything in my power to create the safest workplace possible?”

If the answer is no (which it typically is), get in touch with our team today to learn what else you can do.

Learn more about 2022 workers’ compensation changes by reading our article “Insurance Trends in 2022: What to Watch For.”

Why an Advisor Should Work with an Insurance Broker

August 7, 2022/in General Business Insurance, News

Wealth advisors who seek the support of an insurance broker not only set themselves up for success but most importantly, they also do so for their clients looking to purchase real estate.

An insurance broker provides a wealth of knowledge to help understand what potential liabilities ensue from the real estate purchase, as well as mitigate risk.

This partnership will help you as an advisor, guide your client to make the best financial decision as well as plan for the future with the guidance of an insurance broker. Let’s dive into why an advisor should work with an insurance broker.

Infographic of Why an Advisor Should Work with an Insurance Broker

Types of Insurance Needed

The right insurance to cover your client’s upcoming real estate purchase depends on a variety of factors.

What kind of real estate is your client purchasing?
Where is the real estate located?
What is the size of the real estate?
What is the purpose of the purchase (personal or for business)?
Is the real estate located in a climate that requires additional coverage (i.e. fire zone, earthquake zone, etc.).
And more

All of these answers will help advisors understand potential additional costs that may go towards insurance coverage (or even potential damage should an unforeseen issue arise).

The different types of insurance policies your client may need for their real estate purchase include:

Homeowner’s insurance
Fire insurance
Flood insurance
Earthquake insurance
The list goes on

The Benefits of Working With an Insurance Broker

An insurance broker can assess the real estate property to see what potential risks the property has. If the piece of real estate is located in a fire zone, the insurance broker can identify what coverage would look like.

Essentially, working with an insurance broker helps list out all of the different insurance possibilities your client needs. Basic homeowners insurance or umbrella insurance may come with exclusions for coverage for fires, floods, etc.

Knowing what additional policies may arise allows you to sit with your client and discuss their financial strategy to help them maintain their goals.

Once you have the full picture from the insurance broker you’ve partnered with, you can then budget appropriately. You then have all of the materials necessary to make sure you can give a holistic overview to your client and tell them, “this is a financially smart decision” or, “let’s find a different route for you.”

The main benefits of working with an insurance broker can be boiled down to these three factors:

You help your client mitigate risk
You save your client money both short term and in the long run
Your client will have better knowledge of the real estate investment they are making
As a broker, you will then understand where you can save your clients money and where they may have to invest more

Read on for more information on risk mitigation.

Understanding D&O Insurance: What You Need to Know

July 17, 2022/in General Business Insurance, News

While the term ” D&O insurance” may seem like just another one of the many acronyms floating around the insurance world, this form of liability insurance is essential in protecting corporate directors and officers.

Let’s chat about directors and officers liability insurance, also known as D&O insurance. We’ll break down what it covers, who needs it, and why all corporate directors and officers should be familiar with this little acronym.

What is D&O Insurance?

Directors and Officers (D&O) liability insurance is insurance coverage that helps protect “the personal assets of corporate directors and officers, and their spouses, in the event they are personally sued… for actual or alleged wrongful acts in managing a company.”

The parties suing a director and/or officer could include:

Employees
Vendors
Competitors
Investors
Customers, or
Other parties

What Does D&O Insurance Cover?

Typically, D&O insurance helps not only protect your business but also helps pay for lawsuit-associated losses (i.e. legal fees, settlements, etc.) when the insured is found liable.

There are, however, three types of insuring agreements—titled Side A, Side B, and Side C—in a typical D&O policy. Read on for more on the different types of directors and officers liability insurance.

What Does D&O Insurance Not Cover?

While “breaches of fiduciary duty, failure to comply with regulations, lack of corporate governance, creditor claims, and reporting errors” are typically covered by D&O insurance, according to Investopedia, D&O insurance does NOT cover the following:

Outright fraud
Illegal profits
Criminal activity, and
Lawsuits between managers within the same company

Who Needs D&O Insurance?

So, when do D&O claims pop up? Most often, directors are officers are sued for:

“Breach of fiduciary duty resulting in financial losses or bankruptcy
Misrepresentation of company assets
Misuse of company funds
Fraud
Failure to comply with workplace laws
Theft of intellectual property and poaching of competitor’s customers
Lack of corporate governance”

This considered, you might be wondering: “Does my business need D&O insurance coverage?” The answer might be yes—depending on the size and nature of your business.

Any business that has a board of directors or similar corporate or advisory committee—whether you’re private, public, or even a nonprofit—should consider investing in D&O insurance.

Why? Claims against businesses and their directors are increasing. Plus, if you work with vendors or government entities or even just have employees or customers, you are prone to exposure that could make your organization vulnerable to costly D&O claims.

Interested in learning more about what insurance you need as a business owner? Read on in “how does a building owner know if they are underinsured?”

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