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As a business owner, you're likely aware of the importance of commercial insurance in protecting your business from various risks and liabilities. However, many business owners face the challenge of high insurance premiums, which can significantly impact their bottom line. Balancing the need for comprehensive coverage with the desire to reduce costs can be a difficult task, but it's essential to ensure the financial health and stability of your business. This article will explore the problem of high commercial insurance premiums and provide practical strategies for lowering your costs without compromising the protection your business needs. By assessing your business risks, implementing risk management strategies, maintaining a safe work environment, selecting the appropriate deductibles, and exploring discounts and bundling options, you can effectively manage your commercial insurance expenses and safeguard your business against potential risks. 1. Assess Your Business Risks and Coverage Needs Risk Assessment: Identifying Potential Exposures The first step to lowering your commercial insurance premiums is to evaluate your business's unique risks and coverage needs. Work with an insurance agent who understands your industry and can help you identify potential exposures. By tailoring your coverage to match your specific requirements, you can avoid paying for unnecessary coverage while ensuring that you have adequate protection in place. 2. Implement Risk Management Strategies to Lower Insurance Costs Effective Risk Management Practices and Their Impact on Premiums Insurance companies often consider a business's risk management practices when determining premium rates. By implementing effective risk management strategies, you can potentially reduce the likelihood of claims and, in turn, lower your insurance premiums. Examples of risk management practices include: Regularly reviewing and updating safety procedures Training employees on workplace safety and hazard prevention Installing security systems to prevent theft and vandalism Implementing cybersecurity measures to protect against data breaches 3. Maintain a Safe Work Environment through Risk Management Workplace Safety and Its Impact on Commercial Insurance Premiums A safe work environment can directly impact your commercial insurance premiums, especially for policies like workers' compensation and general liability insurance. By maintaining a safe workplace, you can reduce the likelihood of accidents and injuries, leading to fewer claims and lower premiums. Strategies for maintaining a safe work environment include: Regularly inspecting and maintaining equipment and facilities Identifying and addressing potential hazards Providing appropriate safety gear and equipment for employees Enforcing safety rules and policies 4. Choose Higher Deductibles One way to lower your commercial insurance premiums is to choose higher deductibles. A deductible is the amount you pay out-of-pocket before your insurance coverage kicks in. By opting for a higher deductible, you can significantly reduce your premium costs. However, it's essential to ensure that your business can afford the higher deductible in case a claim arises. 5. Shop Around and Compare Quotes To find the best insurance rates for your business, it's essential to shop around and compare quotes from multiple providers. Different insurance companies may offer different coverage options, discounts, and rates. By comparing quotes, you can identify the provider that offers the most cost-effective solution for your specific needs. 6. Take Advantage of Discounts and Bundling Options Many insurance providers offer discounts for businesses that meet certain criteria or demonstrate a commitment to safety and risk management. Ask your insurance agent about any available discounts, such as those for bundling multiple policies or maintaining a history of few or no claims. Taking advantage of these discounts can help you lower your commercial insurance premiums. Conclusion: Balancing Cost and Coverage through Risk Management Lowering your commercial insurance premiums is an important goal for many business owners, but it's essential not to compromise on the coverage your business needs. By implementing risk management strategies, maintaining a safe work environment, choosing appropriate deductibles, and exploring discounts and bundling options, you can effectively balance cost and coverage while ensuring that your business remains protected against potential risks. Take Action with Colsa Insurance Agency If you're looking to lower your commercial insurance premiums without sacrificing coverage, the experts at Colsa Insurance Agency can help. Our team is dedicated to understanding your business's unique needs and finding the best insurance solutions to protect your assets and minimize costs. Call us today at 281-815-2003 or visit our website at www.mycolsa.com to get started on optimizing your commercial insurance coverage.
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I remember when one of my children had their one and only accident (thus far – knock on wood) and they called me to inform me. I was expecting a nervous and fearful teen, probably in tears trying to explain me the situation. Surprisingly, it was all the opposite. A calmed, assertive teen, letting me know what had happened, assuring me everyone was ok, and the process they had followed to a T. We had the conversations and process before my children were allowed to get into a car and start driving. Is it any different when it comes to filing Business Insurance Claims? There are many issues that can cause setbacks for businesses. Electrical fires can damage inventory and equipment as well as shut down a business temporarily. Customer injuries can lead to lawsuits, natural disasters can destroy property and burglaries can result in thousands of dollars of losses in equipment and valuables. After any of the above events you'll have to file a claim with your insurer. But if you aren't prepared, take too long to file your claim or fail to document all of your losses, you may not receive a full claims payout. You can avoid that by following these tips (or have processes in place): Gather all Information - Before you file a claim, you have to first understand what happened, because the insurer and your claims adjuster will need detailed accounts of the event and circumstances leading up to it. Look at the insurance policy to see if there are any other necessary steps to take. Some policies include instructions about what to do if certain types of insurable losses occur. Don't procrastinate during this time. It's important that you quickly collect and document all the pertinent information. File your claim with your insurance company - The most efficient way to get your claim started is by contacting the insurance carrier directly. The best way to get the claim underway is by visiting your carrier's website and going through their claims process. Many offer a convenient online method, but also provide an 800 number to call if you prefer to speak to someone one-on-one. Whether you do it online or over the phone, you will be walked through the claims intake process. Be prepared to provide the information you gathered in the first step because your insurance company will need to know all the details about what and when it happened to properly assess your claim. Most insurers will contact you within 24 to 48 hours after you file your claim. Inform US of the claim - Once your claim has been started, it's now time to inform us, your insurance agent. In addition to answering any questions, we can explain your coverage and properly set expectations for what's to come. Additionally, if your claim has any complexity or nuance, we will be able to work with the carrier and/or provide useful advice and guidance. Create an inventory of losses - While you wait for the claims adjuster to contact you or for them to come out to assess the damage, you can work on creating an inventory of your losses. This is essential for providing a clear picture of the loss or damage. Include descriptions of items, their original values and estimated current values. It is also helpful to include a description about the condition of the item before it was damaged. If it is possible to photograph the damaged items, take photos for the insurer. Find copies of any receipts for damaged items. It is also helpful to do a walk-through of the damaged area with a video camera or a cell phone video camera. Videos help show the damage live and from multiple angles. Use them to supplement photo files. Show proof of the loss - Insurers require policyholders to sign sworn statements that show proof of their losses, and the required information must be sent along with the statement. This statement must be made and signed within 60 days of the insurer's first request for it. Make temporary repairs if needed - If temporary repairs must be made to prevent further damage or to protect other assets, they can be completed before the adjuster surveys the property. Do not order any unnecessary repairs. The only types of temporary repairs that should be made are those that will prevent further damage or prevent a possible liability. For example, a temporary roof repair may be necessary to prevent it from collapsing and injuring people, or a broken window may be fixed to prevent rain from coming into a building and causing water damage. Since repairs are included in the settlement, keep receipts for any services and items purchased. For contracted work, obtain two written bids from separate companies before hiring someone. The takeaway - Always stay organized when going through the claims process. Have a process – in writing -- Keep all papers accessible and have information ready in the event that an agent or adjuster calls. When talking to any repair companies or other related parties on the phone, keep track of calls and the reason for the calls. Save receipts for any items that are purchased in relation to the damage. To learn more about what to do during the claims process, give us a call. Construction Firm Tips for Avoiding Insurance Disasters
When you're in the construction industry you already have lots to worry about: Keeping your workers safe in one of the most dangerous industries, uninsured or underinsured subcontractors, and finding experienced employees from a shrinking pool of talent. Not only that, but lawsuits lurk in any project, exposing you to serious losses that can threaten the survival of your business. For these reasons, it's important that you understand your insurance coverages and that you know how to address any deficiencies that may exist in your risk management strategy. To make sure that you are not left exposed, we recommend the following: Choose the right insurance company We can help you find an insurance company with the experience in writing policies in your industry and the resources to tailor coverage to your needs. Remember, some large projects and lenders require that you are covered by only an A-rated insurer. Don't buy the cheapest policy If the policy price is significantly lower than other insurers, that may be a red flag. Make sure the insurer will be covering what the project owner, your lenders and other stakeholders require. If you find out your policy is deficient after you've purchased it, you'll have to cancel it and buy a new one. There go your profits. Understand your policy All policies have exclusions and you should understand what the insurance company will cover and what it won't. We can sit down with you and review every line of your policy, including any additional insured endorsements or exclusions, so you know exactly what's covered and what isn't. Don't buy insurance you don't need We can do a thorough review of your business and its risks with your help. It's important your coverage meets your needs and that you don't carry coverage for risks you're unlikely to face. Use the correct class codes It's easy to misclassify certain employees, and if you err it can come back to haunt you. When it's time for renewal, go through your books and make sure you have job descriptions for all of your employees. Keep track of your staff so that you get it right the first time. Also, keep track of new employees that you hire (or let go) during the course of the year, so that adjustments can be made to your policy. Avoid the independent contractor trap During the last few years, the IRS, the Department of Labor and a number of state agencies across the country have been cracking down on the practice of worker misclassification. There are many implications for classifying someone who is an employee as a contractor, and all of them are costly. You could be looking at back taxes, owing additional workers' comp premiums, lawsuits, and more. Don't understate payroll If your insurer audits your business and they find that your numbers just don't add up, you could end up having to pay additional premium or risk policy cancellation. Understand how 'claims-made' coverage works "Claims-made" policies have lower up-front and ongoing costs and they only let you make a claim during the policy year during which a project is being built. The biggest drawback of these policies is that if you have to file a claim years after the project is completed, you may be out of luck, especially if you've switched insurance companies. Check your subs' insurance certificates Know whether or not your policy will cover subcontractors or if they need to carry their own liability coverage. Verify that any subcontractors you use have valid and current certificates of insurance. Keep your policies current and up to date Many factors should prompt you to revisit your insurance policy: Hiring new employees, buying new equipment or vehicles, or opening a new office. These types of changes should prompt you to review your coverage with us to ensure you stay fully protected. A new survey has found that cyber risks have risen to become the number one concern among businesses, replacing the COVID-19 pandemic and business interruption as the top risks in 2022. The second-most cited risk was business interruption and supply chain disruptions, followed by natural catastrophes, according to the "Allianz Risk Barometer 2022." The rankings follow a year that saw an explosion in cyber attacks, massive business interruption and supply chain disruptions that have left factories idle and store shelves bare, and record damage caused by natural catastrophes. This annual survey provides perspective on the number and variety of threats businesses face, and which ones are causing the biggest headaches. Here are the rankings of the top eight risk cited by risk managers in the Allianz survey: 1. Cyber risks — Ransomware has become the number one cyber exposure for business, according to the barometer, just ahead of data breaches. Cyber criminals have refined their business models and tactics, which has made it easier for them to carry out ransomware attacks. Hackers have also started targeting technology and software supply chains, physical critical infrastructure or digital single points of failure. 2. Business interruption — The COVID-19 pandemic has caused the greatest global supply chain disruption in history, which in turn can lead to business interruption, particularly for manufacturers unable to secure much-needed parts. The supply chain has been disrupted by a number of factors, including pandemic-induced port closures in China, port congestion and factory closures. The biggest supply chain concern is cyber attacks on infrastructure and on supply chain and logistics technology. 3. Natural catastrophes — In 2021, the U.S. experienced 20 separate billion-dollar weather and climate disasters, putting it in second place for the most disasters in a calendar year, behind the record 22 billion-dollar events in 2020. 4. COVID-19 pandemic — Pandemic risk dropped from the number two spot in the 2021 rankings as businesses have become more confident in their contingency plans and safety protocols. "Many companies are taking advantage of the increased awareness of business interruption, and we have seen more organizations investing in tools and systems to improve transparency of supply chains, work through scenarios and update their business continuity," said Philip Beblo, global property industry lead for Allianz. 5. Regulatory and legal changes — Under the Biden administration, there's been an uptick in regulatory activity, including workplace safety standards for protecting workers against COVID-19 infection. There are also new state laws and regulations that require businesses to make operational and organizational changes to comply. 6. Climate change — The U.S. continues to see increases in the frequency and intensity of storms, wildfires and tornadoes, which are causing more expensive property damage, business interruption and insured losses. "The risks to businesses from global warming are being experienced with increasing force and immediacy — as direct damage after extreme weather events, but also leading to tightening regulation, and as threats to brand and reputation," said Line Hestvik, chief sustainability officer at Allianz. 7. Fires and explosions — Fires (excluding wildfires) and explosions caused in excess of $15 billion worth of damage globally between 2013 and 2018, according to an Allianz analysis of 470,000 insurance industry claims during the period. Besides property damage, a major fire or explosion can prevent companies from operating for some time and such incidents are the most frequent drivers of business interruption insurance claims. 8. Shortage of skilled workers — Another issue that the pandemic has exacerbated is the skilled worker shortage. Nearly seven in 10 companies reported talent shortages — the highest in 15 years, according to a ManpowerGroup survey. As the economy has reopened in the wake of business closures during the start of the pandemic, companies in most sectors have had trouble finding new staff and hanging on to valued employees as competition for talent is fierce. As more Americans work from home than ever before, many employers are wondering about their obligations under OSHA as well as how to reduce the chances that workers may be injured while telecommuting.
Obviously, the chances of an injury when working from home are small. The most common issue that is likely to arise is long-term injuries from poor workstation design, which can result in carpal tunnel syndrome and other stress and ergonomic injuries that develop over time. For the most part, employers should approach workplace safety for telecommuting workers as they would safety for office workers, particularly workstation design and arrangement (ergonomics) as well as work scheduling and distribution. Duties under OSHA OSHA's General Duty Clause applies to any place an employer has staff working, be that at the company's facilities or worksites, at a customer's worksite, or even if they work from home. Under the clause, employers have a general duty to "furnish to each of his employee's employment and a place of employment which are free from recognized hazards that are causing or are likely to cause death or serious physical harm to his employees." Fortunately, most workplace safety specialists say that employers have little responsibility in ensuring a safe workplace. In fact, OSHA has issued guidance stating that it:
Workers' comp still in play While that is good news, employers are still responsible for any injuries an employee suffers while working from home under workers' compensation laws. For an injury to be considered work-related it must:
With that in mind, employers do have an obligation to ensure that a home worksite is safe in order to prevent injuries, even if OSHA does not require it. The international law firm of Foley & Lardner, LLP recommends that employers:
Specific tips
The takeaway While you as an employer are not required under OSHA regulations to inspect your workers' home's for compliance, it is a good idea to give them guidelines for how to set up their home office and also work with them to supply any needed furniture or accessories they would need to safely carry out their work tasks. You may also want to consider asking them to install a smoke alarm in their home and that they have a plan to evacuate in case of fire or other emergency. Also if they have a lot of electrical equipment, there should be sufficient ventilation. One of the biggest mistakes you can make if you incur damage to your business premises is to wait too long before filing the claim with your insurer. The owners of a hotel in Dallas learned this the hard way when a U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals held that the business had waited too long to file a claim with its insurer after suffering hail damage. The court ruled that because the hotel had waited more than 19 months to file the claim, it was impossible for the insurer to ascertain exactly when the damage had occurred. The hotel's property policy required that the insured make "prompt notice" of any claims. But the insurer rejected the claim when it received it for a hailstorm that had happened more than a year and a half earlier, on the grounds that it could not determine what had caused the damage or when the damage occurred. This was crucial since the policy had expired 17 months earlier - two months after the storm had allegedly damaged the hotel. Believe it or not, filing late is a common problem and it is one of many mistakes business owners make when filing claims. The following are surefire ways to risk having your claim denied or disputed by your insurance company: Not contacting your insurer immediately While most insurance policies state that you must notify the company promptly of a loss, what counts as "prompt" may be a little vague. However, you can wreck your claim by reporting a loss so late that it "prejudices" the insurance company. For the most part, you should take steps to notify your insurer as soon as possible after you become aware of a loss. Failing to document the damage Take pictures and itemize everything that was damaged. Often, you will have to make repairs immediately to prevent additional damage, or move machinery to a new location. If so, be sure to photograph the original scene to document how it was before you started your clean-up effort. Also take photos of any repairs you make. Disposing of damaged goods If your business clean-up includes removal of items such as water-damaged merchandise, flooring or insulation, keep it all, even if it has to pile up in the parking lot. The damaged materials are all evidence of the impact of the disaster on your business. Not appealing an insurer's low estimate After the claims adjuster inspects the damage, the insurance company will give you a damage estimate. If you think it's too low, you can appeal. We can help if you feel the estimate is too low. But some businesses will hire an outside adjuster to make a second estimate, and then the claim will go to mediation for a final resolution. Not reading your policy You should understand exactly what your policy covers. For the most part, commercial property policies will not cover flooding or earthquake damage. That kind of coverage will often require a separate policy or rider. Not being prepared If your business suffers damage, you'll be better off if you know what to do in advance. Some advance steps you can take are:
A final word… Filing a claim is usually not a difficult process, but you should be prepared in advance, like making sure you keep good records of all your assets, including receipts, payment schedules and more. Finally, if you are unsure whether you should file a claim on any of your commercial policies, you can always give us a call to discuss the event and we can assist you. One of the keys to managing risks when you first start a business is getting the right insurance to cover your operations, property and potential liabilities.
Unfortunately, many business owners fail to update their policies and just renew them year after year even if the company has grown, expanded operations and facilities, and added new equipment and property. If this is the case, the old coverage would be insufficient. Business owners should review their policies every year to catch any omissions and make sure they are not underinsured. It is common for smaller businesses to secure a basic business owner's policy (BOP) and workers' comp when they first get started. A BOP includes:
Outgrowing BOP coverage As your business expands, you may outgrow the BOP and need additional coverage to manage your risks. Some examples include the following:
Depending on the business, some or most of these insurance options may be required for adequate protection. Annual reviews with us are ideal for discussing your options. Make sure these elements are considered:
As the economy continues expanding, companies need to be careful about properly managing their risk, according to a report by Advisen Inc., an insurance research and data firm. Increased activity typically means proportionally additional losses. For example, more trucks driving more miles will inevitably result in more accidents. However, there are other kinds of risk that can actually increase more than the jump in business activity. We look at three such areas here. Workplace safety Workplace injuries can increase as firms hire workers that have less experience. Typically, when employers expand their workforce to meet the growing demand for their products and services, the number of workers' compensation claims tended to rise disproportionately. New employees with less experience typically are more likely to sustain a workplace injury. At the same time, experienced staff may look for new job opportunities as compensation begins to take priority over job security. What you can do: One option is to hire a temporary-staffing firm to fill positions. In these relationships, the client company is not responsible for covering temporary workers. But you should be aware that OSHA requires what is known as the "dual employer doctrine", under which temps are considered employees of both the agency and the company using them. And you are also not off the hook for providing them with a safe work environment and safety training specific to their job. And remember: Check to make sure the temp agency has workers' comp insurance. Litigation increases The risk of being sued rises as employees make mistakes due to pressure on existing staff to increase production, and again when less experienced workers are added to the payroll. Your workers may be putting in extra hours. But fatigued workers make mistakes. For example, some of the worst industrial disasters have been in part the result of tired workers. Bhopal, Chernobyl and the Exxon Valdez oil spill all involved decisions made late at night or extremely early in the morning by people working long hours. In addition, inexperienced employees are more like contribute to incidents where outsiders are hurt. What you can do: Conduct thorough interviews, check references and carry out background investigations when appropriate to avoid hiring people with known problems. You are responsible for the actions of your employees. Also, make sure that you are not overworking your staff. Provide proper breaks so they can rest, especially in jobs that require attention and strength. Labor law violations Trends in litigation and regulation make it more likely that companies will be charged with labor law violations. Employees are braver now about filing complaints, thinking they have a good chance of landing a new job if they are fired. In addition, the federal and many state governments have cracked down on wage and hour law violations. As well, some companies may try to add to their worker pool by using more independent contractors, in order to avoid hiring new workers. But the federal government has mounted a serious crackdown on companies that inappropriately classify employees as independent contractors. What you can do: Pay close attention to your payment systems and audit your systems to make sure you comply with wage and hour laws as well as meal and rest break laws. The takeaway The lesson is to increase your vigilance in managing your risk and review your existing risk management strategies for gaps due to business growth. You can take the following steps to reduce your chances of increased claims:
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Linda is a junior partner in a law firm and drives a car that the firm owns and insures. The firm's auto insurance covers her as a partner and she doesn't own another car, so she sees no need to have her own policy.
Most of the time, this is not a problem. However, spring break comes and she takes her kids to DisneyWorld. She rents a car at the Orlando airport and never gives a thought to whether her firm's insurance will cover her if she has an accident with the rental. In this case, a phone conversation with the firm's insurance agent would have been a great idea. While driving to her hotel one night, Linda rear-ends a new Lexus. The damage to the other car is extensive; Linda looks to her firm's auto liability coverage for the cost of repairing it. The ISO Business Auto Policy covers the person or organization shown in the policy declarations (the information page at the beginning.) In this case, the name shown in the policy Declarations is the name of Linda's firm. The policy goes on to say that, for liability insurance, the firm is an insured and so is anyone else using, with the firm's permission, a covered auto the firm owns, hires or borrows, with some exceptions. Unfortunately for Linda, the firm didn't rent the car; she did … in her own name. Consequently, the firm's insurance will not cover her liability for this accident. She will be forced to pay for it out of her own funds. However, there are a couple of policy endorsements that her firm could have purchased that would have solved Linda's problem. Drive Other Car Coverage - Broadened Coverage for Named Individuals The insurance company will require the insured to list the names of one or more individuals on the endorsement. The change extends several of the policy's coverages so that they apply to the listed individuals and their resident spouses. This endorsement comes with some significant limitations:
Individual Named Insured An alternative to this endorsement is to list individuals' names in the policy declarations along with the firm's name and attach an endorsement called Individual Named Insured. The endorsement covers the individual listed in the declarations and automatically covers the person's resident spouse and family members. It also covers these individuals should they injure another of the firm's employees. These policy changes affect several coverages, including liability, uninsured motorist, medical payments, and physical damage. If you are considering doing this, you should consult with us to discuss the endorsements' details and identify the one that will best insure the concerned individuals. With the right coverage in place, Linda can enjoy her vacation without having to worry about who will pay for the fender-bender. |
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