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R&R Insurance Blog

Defining Hired and Non-Owned Auto Liability

Posted by Michele Janquart

health-care-brokerHired and Non-Owned Liability coverage creates special concerns for businesses. The Hired Auto Liability coverage applies in a situation where a business owner or any other person with the business owner’s permission uses a “hired” auto in the course of business. A hired auto means any auto you lease, hire, borrow or rent.

 

Non-Owned Auto Liability coverage applies in cases involving employees driving their own vehicles on business for their employer. Non-Owned Liability refers to autos the business does not own, lease or hire. Some scenarios where Non-Owned Auto Liability applies are food or other types of delivery, or an employee running errands for their employer. The coverage protects the employer’s interest and is excess coverage for the employer. The employee must have their own auto coverage, which will apply first to a claim.

 

Some businesses use drivers on bicycles or golf carts to deliver food or other products. Since bicycles and golf carts are not licensed for road use, they do not fall under the Business Auto’s Non-Owned Liability coverage. If the driver causes an injury or property damage, any coverage that may apply will be picked up by the General Liability policy.

 

Regarding Non-Owned Auto Liability employers should have procedures in place to verify that employees have their own coverage in force. Driving records should be checked periodically and confirmed that they meet the insurance companies requirements.

 

Many insurance companies offer the coverage and limits greater than $1,000,000 are available from some insurers. Contact a Knowledge Broker at R&R Insurance for additional information.

Topics: Business Insurance

Community Action Agencies | Prepare Employees for Slip & Fall Exposures

Posted by Scott Shaver

As we reach the end of the year and the weather continues to get colder, Community Action Agencies face some renewed challenges. From weatherization activity to home health care visits, snow and ice will present employees with slip and fall exposures. Preparing employees for those exposures will reduce the likelihood of a workplace injury.

 

John Brengosz, our Loss Control Specialist shares 3 slip and fall prevention tips to protect your employees from incidents this season.

 

Topics: Business Insurance

Preventing Cold Weather Hazards

Posted by the knowledge brokers

Cold-Weather-HazardsA cold weather plan for your facility should be an integral part of your overall maintenance plan for the building and equipment, as well as part of your emergency response/contingency plan that helps your business respond to and manage an emergency event. Hanover Insurance Group provides these helpful tips for preventing cold weather hazards.

 

Before the Onset of Winter

Inspect the Building to Ensure

  • Openings around exterior walls such as windows, doors, or other openings are sealed
  • Equipment penthouses are secured from cold air infiltration
  • Louvers are closed or sealed
  • Dampers on ducts leading to the outside are closed (if possible)
  • Attics and other areas are susceptible to the cold are properly insulated
  • Adequate air flow to maintain heat in all areas of the building to a minimum of 40 F
  • Roof is in good condition or make repairs as needed

 

Identify & Align Resources

  • Qualified contractor to remove snow and ice from the roof
  • Emergency generator
  • Fuel supplies for critical operations such as fire protection equipment, processes, or on-site generators
  • Snow removal services to ensure access to the property

 

When a Winter Storm and/or Deep Freeze is on the Way

  • Monitor weather reports for information to include power outages, potential damage, access to facilities and prepare for action
  • If needed, activate the emergency response team
  • Monitor temperatures in areas susceptible to freezing or significant temperature fluctuations
  • Monitor snow loads of roofs, especially in areas subject to drifts, and take action as needed
  • Clear snow from outside sprinkler control valves and hydrants to keep them accessible
  • Prepare for possible power outages
  • Remove ice dams

 

After the Storm

  • If needed, conduct a damage assessment and secure resources to complete repairs
  • Initiate salvage operations
  • If power was lost, make sure you have a plan to bring electrical loads back on line to prevent power surges that could damage equipment

 

For additional resources on cold weather hazards, contact a Knowledge Broker at R&R Insurance.

Topics: snow and ice, snow, winter hazards, ice damage, Business Insurance, winter

Work Comp Update: Carnac the Magnificent Goes to Madison

Posted by Scott Shaver

Workers-Compensation-UpdateNo one has ever accused me of being a clairvoyant. Heck, if I had the ability to predict the future, I never would have traveled out to Denver to watch the Packers get pushed around by the Broncos. But every so often, I accumulate enough information to make an educated guess on future events. That includes events that could change the worker’s compensation landscape in Wisconsin.

 

Proposed changes to the work comp act are coming in from all directions but there are definitely some common themes that have emerged. From the Governor's budget bill, to the Worker's Compensation Advisory Council's agreed bill, to a potential bill from State Representative John Spiros, it doesn't take an omniscient soothsayer like Carnac the Magnificent to figure out that change is on the horizon. Here's a summary of most of the changes that I anticipate you will see take effect in 2016. These changes will have an impact on your workers compensation premiums going forward.

 

  • The rate paid for permanency due to injuries and surgeries is going up. Look for increases averaging about 6% each year over the next two years. That bodes well for injured workers and the attorneys who represent them.

 

  • Injured workers who are permanently and totally disabled with an injury date of 1/1/2003 and earlier are going to get a raise in the disability benefits they receive.

 

  • Injured workers who are going to school for retraining will be able to work a part-time job up to 24 hours without having an offset on their disability payments. They now have the potential of making more money on worker’s compensation than they were making at the time they were injured.

 

  • Medical providers will now have limitations on what they can charge for medicines dispensed at their offices.

 

  • Medical providers will also have limitations on what they can charge payers for electronic medical records. That limit will most likely be $10 per request.

 

  • An injured worker will have less time to file a claim against their employer. The statute of limitations will move from 12 years to at least 6 years. Maybe even 2 years.

 

  • Permanency ratings for injuries, provided by physicians, will now be offset by pre-existing permanent disabilities and physical impairments.

 

  • Injured workers on light duty who are terminated for good cause based on UI standards will no longer be able to collect Temporary Total Disability (TTD) payments.

 

  • Administrative Law Judges will have the ability to force you to pay for retraining your injured workers when you are unable to accommodate permanent restrictions, even before they have stepped foot in a classroom. This will increase the settlement value of future claims.

 

So let’s be clear; this is just my speculation. If I truly had the ability to predict the future, I would be sipping pina coladas on a warm beach somewhere right now. But here I am living in Wisconsin and the only thing I know for sure is that it’s going to get much colder very soon. At least I think it will.

 

If you would like to discuss how these potential changes could impact the cost of your worker’s comp, or better yet, if you would like some advice on how to best position yourself to make the most of these changes, please contact me so that we can discuss further.

Topics: Workers Compensation, Business Insurance

Questions to Ask Your Bank Regarding Fraud

Posted by the knowledge brokers

MoneyWhen it comes to our banking relationships many businesses and individuals are lulled into believing that their funds are totally secure. While all banks accounts are insured by the FDIC, many do not realize that the FDIC insurance only covers bank failures and does not apply in the case of theft by fraud. Since fraud, in particular social engineering fraud, is costing businesses billions of dollars, it is vital to understand what your bank’s position is regarding the safety of your money.

Is there any protection that your bank is providing in the event of fraud?

Here are some questions that business owners should be asking their bankers:

  • Is the bank insuring our funds in the event that our user name/password is stolen and used to transfer money out of our account?
  • Does the bank offer any protection in the event that our employee is tricked into transferring money out of our account?
  • If our corporate credit/debit card is lost or stolen is there a limit on any amounts charged that we are responsible for?
  • What are the bank’s responsibilities in the event that a bank employee is tricked into believing that they are talking to our authorized representative and a funds transfer is allowed to be completed?
  • How secure are our funds in the event that the bank itself is hacked into?

In addition be sure to address all types of accounts that you may have, checking, savings, money market, retirement accounts, trusts etc. It is better to have this conversation with your bank prior to money disappearing from your account.

R&R Insurance Cyber Liability eBook

Topics: Cyber Liability, bank fraud, Business Insurance

The Real Cost of Medical Identity Theft

Posted by the knowledge brokers

Stethescope-MedicalLast night TMJ4 aired a story that hits home to residents of Wisconsin. A Monroe woman was sentenced to using the identity of a Puerto Rican woman whose medical ID she bought on the black market for $1500. She used this false identity to have a liver transplant and incur over $200,000 worth of medical bills. The story also talks about a Kenosha couple who ran into problems when applying for a home loan due to unpaid medical bills that were caused by someone using the wife's medical ID.

The theft of medical information is very lucrative for criminals and target all healthcare providers as holders of this vital information.

As a healthcare provider you can be insured but the extent to which insurance applies is complex. We can review your program and advise you where you may be at risk.

Topics: Cyber Liability, Healthcare, identity fraud, Business Insurance, identity theft scam, identity theft, identity theft coverage

The Financial Significance of Reviewing Your Cert Holders List Each Year

Posted by the knowledge brokers

Business OwnerThroughout the course of the year, an insured can accumulate quite a few certificates of insurance that are distributed to various entities. Depending on your business, these certificates could be issued based on complex contracts that provide the holders with coverage from your policy.

 

When it is time for your policies to renew, it is important that you review the certificates that have been issued and determine whether they need to be renewed.

 

Here are some thoughts to consider when reviewing your certificate holders:

  • Are we still on the jobsite or do we have any current work with this customer? In this instance they are most likely going to need to see you still have insurance coverage in place. Failure to do so could result in delayed payments or not be allowed back on to the jobsite.
  • Do we have a completed operations requirement on the contract? It is easy to go through the jobs you had throughout the year and remove anything you have already completed. However, many contracts require completed operations coverage to be held for 2-3 years or even longer. To comply with this portion of the contract, they may need to continue to receive a certificate of insurance. HOWEVER, you may want to take a look at some of the extra costs on these contracts to see if you can remove them. For instance, if your employees are no longer on the jobsite, you may be able to remove the required workers compensation waiver of subrogation as the exposure would no longer apply. This could save you unnecessary costs on your renewal, if the waiver was added specifically for the project.
  • Is the job completed &/or are the requirements of the contract completely met? If so, it is not necessary to renew the certificate and it should be removed from the certificate list completely. Any costs that you were paying for additional insured endorsements, waivers of subrogation, etc. can then be removed from the policy. The savings can really add up!

Topics: Certificates of Insurance, Business Insurance

Tidbits On Trucking

Posted by Lynn Reed

Trucking-Safety

Updates to the FMCSA

A motor carrier with a DOT number is required to update information with the FMCSA (Federal Motor Carrier Safety Adminstration) every two years. This is achieved by updating the MCS-150 information. The key is the last two digits of the motor carrier’s DOT number.

 

  • The last number is the month, with number one being January through zero being October. No one is required to update in November or December
  • The second number from the end is the year determination, even or odd. (ie: 1,3,5,7,9 are odd numbers)
  • Example: DOT #2260594 – to be updated April of every odd year

 

Two areas that must be updated are the number of power units and the annual miles. If a motor carrier has not done so, then they are “flagged”. This means they are now on the DOT Watch List, which could lead to a visit by the DOT.

 

Warning vs. Ticket

Did you know that receiving a warning instead of a ticket is not always the best? Both warnings and tickets show up on your CSA score, however, with a ticket you can go to court and if dismissed you can do a “dataQ” and it will be removed. A warning gives you nothing to fight but still shows on your score. http://dataqs.fmcsa.dot.gov

 

Intrastate vs. Interstate

Did you know that the freight dictates if you are intrastate or interstate? It is in the paperwork.

 

Example #1: If the pallet is processed in Wisconsin and delivered in Wisconsin but is for a company in another state, it is interstate.

 

Example #2: A widget comes from overseas – paper work is for delivery to a specific person/customer in Wisconsin - it is interstate. However, if the company buys to stock at their warehouse in Wisconsin and the specific person/customer buys from them later and is in Wisconsin – It is intrastate even though it came from overseas originally.

 

What is the advice? Motor Carriers should declare they are interstate so they are always in compliance.

 

Click here for additional trucking resources.

Topics: trucking, trucking compliance, Business Insurance, trucking safety

Defining the Commercial General Liability Coverage Form

Posted by the knowledge brokers

Liability-Coverage-BusinessIn the Commercial General Liability Coverage Form the term professional is not defined. There are instances where you could be considered a professional, however, if a claim arises there may not be coverage available in the general liability form.

 

There are also exclusions in the Commercial General Liability Coverage Form for personal and advertising injury if you are in the business of advertising, broadcasting, publishing or telecasting. In some cases you can add some professional liability coverage back on such as the Optical & Hearing Aid Establishment Endorsement, Druggist, and Cemetery Professional to name a few.

 

You may ask yourself, "Why should I purchase a separate professional liability policy?" The Commercial General Liability Coverage Form covers bodily injury, property damage and personal injury as the result of an occurrence. Many professional liability losses are not the result of an occurrence. A stand-alone professional liability policy may offer broader terms than the commercial general liability policy.

 

In certain cases it is hard to determine which policy would respond. For an example, if you are in the medical profession and the doctor orders an EKG for a patient who later falls and becomes injured while getting on the exam table, which coverage would trigger coverage, the commercial general liability policy or a professional liability policy?

 

If you are in the medical profession, accounting field, insurance agent, attorney, design professional, mortician, printer, social worker, trust department, veterinarian, or real estate agent professions we strongly recommend a professional liability policy.

 

There are several options available when considering a professional liability policy. Some of these options include:

  • Would it be best to purchase an occurrence form or a claims made form?
  • If I purchase a claims made form are prior acts covered?
  • Are defense costs within the limit of insurance or outside the limits of insurance?
  • Does the policy indemnify or pay on behalf of?
  • Who has the right to settle a claim?
  • Will the policy include my employees?

 

Contact a knowledge broker at R&R Insurance for more information.

Topics: Business Insurance, Commercial General Liability Coverage Form

The Boring Beetle of Worker’s Compensation

Posted by Scott Shaver

Large Rate Increase for Landscapers Effective 10/1/15

 

Landcape

Over the past 9 years or so, worker’s compensation rates for Wisconsin landscapers have remained relatively flat. Business owners have benefited from predictability in costs for their most expensive line of casualty insurance. With the new rates effective for 10/1/15 – 9/30/16, owners should be prepared for an invasion on their bottom line similar to the effect the Emerald ash borer has had on unprotected ash trees.

 

With rates averaging about $9.72 for every $100 of landscape payroll from 2006 – 2013, the industry saw a 3% rate increase in 2014. This year, with a new rate of $11.35, you are facing a 12.8% increase compared to last year.

 

Unfortunately, you have no control over the landscape rate that is calculated by the Wisconsin Compensation Rating Bureau. You do, however, have control over many other aspects of your business that will have a direct impact on what you pay for your worker’s compensation insurance. But like every great landscaping project, it requires a vision and a plan. Do you have a plan in place to prepare yourself for substantial worker’s comp premium increases next year?

Topics: Workers Compensation, Work Comp, Business Insurance, landscapers