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Contractors, how confident are you in your contractor insurance coverage? Did you know that there might be a potentially costly gap in your Commercial General Liability Insurance policy (CGL) that you may not be aware of?

CGL is a standard insurance policy that protects you against liability claims for bodily injury and property damage related to your business activities.

It helps cover legal costs such as court costs, attorney fees, and police report costs in the event of a lawsuit filed by an employee, contractor, client, vendor, etc. and judgments or settlements that result in the lawsuit.

Many banks and clients require this coverage, which makes CGL one of a contractor’s best friends.

Errors in Judgment are Usually NOT Covered by CGL Insurance

But with progressively more complicated projects and blurred lines between professional services and construction duties and responsibilities, financial loss due to errors in judgment are increasing and are usually not covered by CGL. There is also an exclusion in most CGL policies - the “absolute pollution exclusion” - that can leave a gap in your coverage and expose your business to risk.

 

Pollution & Professional Insurance (CPPI) – 4 Key Coverages

Contractors pollution and professional insurance (Aka contractors protective professional indemnity coverage or CPPI) addresses most of the pollution and professional liability coverage gaps in a CGL with four key coverages.

#1) Professional liability coverage

On a traditional project, an architect or engineer provides the design services, and a contractor implements the design. However, as projects continue to increase in complexity, the line of responsibility between the design firm and contractor are becoming blurred, and contractors are taking on nontraditional risks that a CGL policy may not cover.

Professional liability coverage extends beyond the traditional understanding of “professional services” to include engineering work, design work, construction management operations, and construction process services such as shoring and dewatering. 

#2) Protective liability coverage

This extends coverage when you are held responsible for the actions or omissions of another person. Protective liability coverage provides excess coverage over the contracted design professional’s policy if its policy limits are insufficient, protects you if the design professional’s coverage is no longer available, and acts as a difference-in-condition coverage if the CPPI is broader than the underlying professional policy.

#3) Mitigation expense

It’s usually less expensive to fix a problem discovered during construction right away rather than wait until after the project is completed. This coverage – also called “mistake coverage” - allows you to fix a problem before it becomes a claim. 

#4) Pollution liability

With the increased focus on the environment and a growing list of pollution sources, contractors are more exposed to pollution and environmental losses than ever. Even if you aren’t engaged in pollution remediation, you probably work with and dispose of fuels, solvents, and other chemical wastes.

Most CGL policies offer limited coverage for bodily injury and property damage caused by pollutants, but the absolute pollution exclusion (and similar exclusions) included in most CGLs and auto policies leave contractors open to liability for damages such as the incidental transportation of waste or the development of contaminated sites. CPPI covers claims such as damage to soil, water, air, animal life, and plant life caused by a pollutant release; the cost to clean up, treat and restore damaged resources as a result of a pollutant release; and pollution losses related to the transportation of a pollutant.

If You’re a Contractor You Likely Need CPPI Protection!

A broader understanding of what “professional services” are and the various exclusions in most CGL policies mean that almost every contractor should have CPPI coverage, so if you're a contractor, don't take chances!

Contact Us for the Right Contractor Insurance Protection

Call our experienced independent agents at American Insuring Group at (800) 947-1270 or (610) 775-3848 or click here to connect with them online to learn if there are any potentially costly gaps in your CGL policy.

You can rest assured that they’ll find you the right coverage at a great price!

Every industry comes with its own unique set of issues and concerns when it comes to insurance; the food industry is no exception. And of course, each individual restaurant is unique. There is no one-size-fits-all when it comes to restaurant insurance.

When choosing the best insurance for your business, you need to look at what coverages are required by law and possibly by your lender, and what your risks and needs are.

Here are four questions you need to ask yourself if you want to protect your restaurant:

#1. What type of business are you insuring? 

We use the broad term “restaurant insurance,” but that can mean many different types of “restaurants”: bars, nightclubs, pizzerias, caterers, food trucks, full-service restaurants and the list goes on. Each type of business comes with its own unique risks.

#2. What are the primary types of restaurant insurance that most restaurants are required to have? 

There are three types of property and casualty insurance that every restaurant owner needs to consider: property, commercial general liability (CGL), and workers’ compensation.

Property insurance will protect the things you own such as the building, equipment, etc. The right property insurance will help you replace or repair your property if it is damaged due to a fire, storm, or theft. It may even include business interruption insurance. If you sustain damage to your restaurant that requires you to suspend operations for a period of time, business interruption insurance covers your loss of income (the profits you would have made had your restaurant been open) while the damage is repaired. 

Commercial general liability insurance (CGL) protects you from liability claims against your restaurant for property damage and bodily injury. For example, if someone in your restaurant falls and sustains injuries, they may decide to sue you. CGL insurance will help cover legal costs and any judgments or settlements against you.

Workers’ compensation insurance (WC) is mandatory in most states for most businesses with employees. WC pays for an employee’s lost wages and medical costs if they’re injured on the job. It can also help protect your business against accident-related lawsuits from your employees. 

#3. What are other risks I need to consider?

Once you have an idea what the basic types of insurance will and will not cover, you need to consider other risks that could affect your restaurant. Here are just a few examples. If you use a car to deliver food, you need to have commercial auto insurance. If you serve liquor, you should have liquor liability insurance. An experienced commercial insurance agency like American Insuring Group will help you consider all of your risks and determine which coverage is best for you.

#4. What other factors affect the cost of my insurance?

Every insurance policy is unique. An underwriter will ask lots of questions and conduct some of their own research before providing an insurance quote. Here are some of the factors insurance companies consider when determining the cost of your premium:

• Years in business
• Location
• Hours of operation
• Size of business including the number of employees, sales volume, and square footage of your property.
• Loss history
• Types of activities like entertainment, mechanical bulls, and off-premise catering.
• Percentage of alcohol sales

It’s probably no surprise that a nightclub with live entertainment that serves light fair (but mostly alcohol) and stays open until 2 am is going to pay more for insurance than a pizza parlor that doesn’t serve alcohol and is only open until 10 pm.

Obtaining the Right Insurance Policy Requires Expertise - Don't Risk It!

Purchasing the best insurance for your restaurant – one that covers all your risks at a reasonable rate – is not a simple process. It takes an experienced insurance agent to ask the right questions and offer the best solutions. That’s just one reason why trying to buy restaurant insurance online is usually not your best options.

It’s also important to note that there isn’t just one insurance company that can offer all types of restaurant insurance at the best price.

Get The American Insuring Group Advantage!

Independent insurance agencies like American Insuring Group represent many different insurance companies (in our case, lots and lots of companies!), so we can find you the best rate for any type of restaurant insurance you need.

So give us a call at (800) 947-1270 or (610) 775-3848 or connect with us online for a free insurance review!

American Insuring Group has teamed up with Progressive Insurance to help commercial trucking companies comply with the new Electronic Logging Device (ELD) mandate.

As the #1 commercial truck insurer, Progressive understands not only the advantages of ELD but also the cost of implementing an ELD.

As a partner with Progressive, we can offer our Progressive truck insurance customers FREE USE of an ELD device or up to $500! It’s an easy and smart way to comply with the ELD mandate at no cost to you while getting great truck insurance coverage at the same time! Contact us for more information.

 

ELD Compliance and Benefits

An ELD records a driver’s Record of Duty Status (RODS) electronically and replaces the paper logbook traditionally used by some drivers to record their Hours of Service (HOS) compliance. While many fleets are already equipped with electronic logging technology, it’s important to ensure that the equipment is compliant with the new mandate.

The information captured by ELDs goes beyond RODS such as Driver Vehicle Inspection Reports (DVIR), IFTA Automation, and even driver behavior (speeding, idling, and hard braking). Some ELDs are also equipped with map and route solutions to help drivers avoid construction and high-traffic areas.

Many trucking companies installed ELDs prior to the mandate because of the many benefits an ELD provides such as saving time, reducing paperwork, slashing fuel costs, increasing driver communication, and keeping dispatchers up-to-date on a driver’s status, so they can plan for loads better.

 

About the Electronic Logging Device Mandate

The ELD mandate, part of MAP-21, requires commercial motor vehicles (CMVs) involved in Interstate Commerce, to use an ELD. The deadline for compliance set by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s (FMCSA) went into effect December 18, 2017.

Here are the key rules of the Electronic Logging Device (ELD) rule according to the FMCSA:

• Requires ELD use by commercial drivers who are required to prepare hours-of-service (HOS) records of duty status (RODS)
• Sets ELD performance and design standards, and requires ELDs to be certified and registered with FMCSA
• Establishes what supporting documents drivers and carriers are required to keep
• Prohibits harassment of drivers based on ELD data or connected technology (such as fleet management system). The rule also provides recourse for drivers who believe they have been harassed

The mandate applies to most motor carriers and drivers who are currently required to maintain records of duty status (RODS). The rule applies to commercial buses as well as trucks.

The FMCSA allows for the following limited exceptions to the mandate:

• Drivers who operate under the short-haul exceptions may continue using timecards; they are not required to keep RODS and will not be required to use ELDs.
• Drivers who use paper RODS for not more than eight days out of every 30-day period.
• Drivers who conduct drive-away-tow-away operations, in which the vehicle being driven is the commodity being delivered.
• Drivers of vehicles manufactured before 2000.

 

How to Get a FREE ELD or up to $500

In response to this new mandate, Progressive Insurance launched its SMARTHAUL program, and as a representative of Progressive, we can offer it to our commercial trucking customers.

There are two options for the SMARTHAUL program:

1. The free use of an ELD - This includes the monthly subscription/service fees as long as you share your driving data with Progressive. The device would need to be returned if you decide to opt-out or cancel your coverage with Progressive.
   
   
2. The compensation program - If you purchase your own Rand McNally ELD 50 or DC200 and agree to share your driving data with Progressive, you’ll receive $100 for plugging it in and an additional $100 for each quarter that the device stays plugged in – up to $500. You will be responsible for the monthly service fees, but the $500 compensation should cover those costs. 

Data collected by these ELDs will help Progressive better understand driving behaviors of truckers, and it will not be associated with you or your policy.

 

Contact Us For All Your Truck Insurance Needs 

To learn more about the SMARTHAUL program or any trucking insurance need, give American Insuring Group a call at (800) 947-1270 or (610) 775-3848 or click here to contact us online. But don’t wait; the SMARTHAUL program is only available for a limited time.

We live in a litigious society, and no matter how careful you are or how small your business is, you may find yourself at the wrong end of a lawsuit. Every year more than 100 million lawsuits are filed in the U.S. every year, according to Rocket Lawyer.

Thirteen percent of small business owners have faced a lawsuit, according to Hiscox. And according to courtstatistics.org, the median cost for a business lawsuit starts at $54,000. “Nearly half of these cases resulted in negative consequences, including financial impact, loss of customers or damaged reputations,” according to Thrive.

Commercial General Liability Insurance

Commercial General Liability Insurance (CGL) is essential if you want to protect your business from lawsuits. CGL covers your business in the event of a liability claim for bodily injury and property damage and from advertising and personal injury liability caused by your services, business operations or employees. It usually covers the cost of your legal defense and any damages if you are found liable (up to your policies limits).

The Insurance Information Institute offers these examples of circumstances that are generally covered by a CGL policy:

• A customer visiting your business trips on a loose floor tile and is injured.

• An employee forgets to turn off the water and causes significant damage to a customer’s property.

• Someone files a class action lawsuit against your business, alleging advertisements constituted misleading information. 

Faulty Workmanship and CGL

We are all human. Sometimes things go wrong: an improper installation or a defective product. What if you install a water heater incorrectly, which causes an explosion with significant damage to your customer’s property, and they sue you for the damages? Will your CGL policy cover you?

Generally, the answer is yes. The CGL policy is designed to pay for property damage to a customer's property, even if the contractor installed it improperly.  It is not designed to pay the contractor to rip it out and replace it in the proper way.  That would be the Workmanship exclusion, but damage from a water heater explosion would typically be covered.

Every policy is unique, but here are two common exclusions in CGL policies that may result in a claim being denied:

• “Your Work” Exclusion – This exclusion is meant to prevent someone from using a CGL policy as a guarantee of their work. It usually excludes coverage on property damage that is caused by faulty or defective workmanship

• “Your Product” Exclusion – This exclusion prevents coverage for damage to an insured’s product in the event of a defect in that product.

These are just two of the exclusions that may be included in your CGL policy. There are many other exclusions that can result in your claim being denied. Understanding these exclusions and knowing your options will help you protect your business. For example, there is optional insurance that can be purchased that may cover you in the event of faulty workmanship - Contractors Faulty Workmanship Coverage or an Errors and Omissions Insurance Policy.

 

Get Help - Contact the Commercial Insurance Experts!

CGL policies can be complex, so it’s always a good idea to speak with an experienced and knowledgeable independent insurance agent. At American Insuring Group, we pride ourselves on answering questions you may not have thought to ask and making sure you have the right insurance for your business, all at a great price.

Call American Insuring Group at (800) 947-1270 or (610) 775-3848 or contact us online to learn about Commercial General Liability Insurance of all kinds, including Contractos Faulty Workmanship Coverage and Errors and Ommissions Insurance.

If your company has never been struck by catastrophe, consider yourself lucky! But that doesn’t mean that your luck will hold out forever. There’s always a flood, hurricane, explosion, earthquake, lightning, or terror attack waiting around the bend.

And you and your entire company must be ready for it. With wildfires destroying over ten-million acres last year and winter storms causing $3.5 billion in insured losses earlier this year, businesses cannot afford to assume that they will be exempt from a catastrophe that strikes without warning. Getting the right business insurance is an important first step, but there are many practical things you can do to be prepared and to lower the cost and impact of a disaster.

Consider the following as you prepare your organization for a disaster:

1. Prepare safety equipment, including:

• Fire extinguishers
• Fire-fighting equipment
• Personal protective equipment that includes steel-toe and slip-resistant footwear, hardhats, eye protection, high visibility clothing, gloves, hearing protection, dust masks or respiratory protection
• First-aid kits
• Wireless communication equipment

2. Engineering controls

Escape paths, lockout tag-out controls, shut-off valves, guardrails, and exhaust ventilation that will minimize exposure to airborne hazards must be planned and inspected. Battery-powered emergency lighting, strategically placed, must be set up to go on immediately after you lose power.

3. Maintain emergency equipment

• Check and test the emergency generator
• Check fuel levels regularly on generators and fire pumps
• Check all roof-mounted equipment to ensure that it’s securely connected
• Check roof drains to make sure they are clear and able to handle heavy rains
• Check the roof and make any repairs, no matter how minor

4. Provide training

Establish an emergency response team with participants from all parts of your organization. Then, conduct disaster management drills to ensure all members of the emergency response team and all other employees know their responsibilities. Conduct daily safety briefings that discuss hazards and controls. Identify and eliminate or control existing or potential dangers that you discover after any disaster. Job performance appraisals should be tied in with compliance on all employee training.

5. Secure your data

• Copy your valuable papers and records, and put them in a safe place.
• Make sure that back-ups of computer records are current and kept in a safe location off-site.
• Confirm that any of your third-party vendors or cloud providers are also prepared for any natural or man-made disasters.

6. Work with your local government before a catastrophe hits

File a copy of your emergency response plan with local law enforcement officials, and provide them with new versions as you update them. Make sure that the local government’s emergency response team has contact information for your company. Give them updates whenever anyone on your team leaves the company or changes roles.

7. Patrol your facility during the emergency

As long as it’s safe to be there, your emergency response team should be patrolling the facility. The team should be concentrating on the following:

• Make sure all equipment is functioning properly.
• Repair any structural damage, if possible 
• Correct any potential fire hazards 
• Monitor the water pressure for your sprinkler heads.
• Deploy sandbags if flooding seems imminent.

8. Emphasize workplace safety after the disaster

Once your business has resumed normal operations, it’s important to reinforce standard safety measures:

• Ensure that your employees are using proper lifting techniques, and provide material handling equipment to keep manual lifting to a minimum.
• Limit the amount of employee exposure to hazardous conditions. 
• Minimize exposure to dangerous situations by rotating employees.
• Make personal hygiene and sanitation your company’s priority, and give workers an area where they can clean up after each shift.

Get the Right Insurance Protection for Your Business - Contact Us to Learn More

To learn more about preparing and protecting your business with the right types and amounts of commercial insurance, contact American Insuring Group online or call us at (800) 947-1270 or (610) 775-3848.

You invested a lot of money to start your own for-hire trucking business. Now it’s beginning to pay off as your schedule fills and you are spending more time on the road.

Being busy is what you hoped for, but it’s vital that you remember that you are now responsible for the business end of this venture, and protecting it has to be your top priority.

Motor carrier insurance is a type of truck insurance designed specifically for your kind of operation, and choosing the right insurance coverage will protect your investment and your business.

Here are some tips for getting the maximum coverage for your stuation:

For motor carriers who use for-hire independent truckers

If you are permanently leased to a motor carrier, there’s a good chance they will provide Primary Liability insurance coverage for you. The terms will be contained in your lease agreement, and, if the carrier provides the insurance, it will cover injuries and damage to other people and property if you are at fault during an accident.

If your carrier covers the primary liability, you will still need to purchase other for-hire trucking insurance. These are important:

Non-trucking liability: If you are not hauling cargo—you’re getting your truck washed or taking it for repairs—this coverage provides you with limited liability insurance protection.

Physical damage coverage: This insurance covers your truck and trailer against collision, fire, theft, hail, windstorm, earthquake, flood, or vandalism. The lien holder of your vehicle will require this coverage.

Motor truck cargo insurance: If you are responsible for lost freight or damaged goods, you are protected with this policy. The premium will vary depending on the load you’re hauling.

If you work on your own authority:

If you work independently—officially called operating under your own authority—you’ll need to purchase your mandatory primary liability insurance coverage which, as noted earlier, pays for damages you cause to other people and their property.

Other essential coverages:

Physical damage: This insurance pays for repairs to your truck if it's damaged in an accident, whether it's caused by a collision with another vehicle or a falling tree branch.

Motor truck cargo insurance: Pays for damages to the load that you’re hauling in the case of fire, theft, or an accident.

Uninsured motorist coverage: Pays for injuries and damages to you, your passengers, and your vehicle, which was caused by drivers who either don't have insurance or don't have enough insurance to cover your injuries and damages.

Medical payments insurance: Mandatory in some states and unavailable in others, this coverage would pay medical bills for you and any passengers in your truck in case they are hurt in an accident or auto-related injury.

Trailer interchange insurance: If a load needs to be transferred to a different trucker, the motor carrier that has possession of the trailer is responsible for any damage to it, whether or not the trailer is attached to the tractor. Trailer interchange insurance covers physical damage caused to a non-owned trailer under a trucker’s care.

 

Get Help - Get the Right Trucking Insurance

Signing on with a reputable motor carrier can mitigate some of those insurance expenses, but whether you drive under permanent lease or your own authority, you will need to sit down with an expert on for-hire trucking insurance to help you get the best coverage at a competitive price.

We can help, so contact the experts at American Insuring Group online or call us at (800) 947-1270 or (610) 775-3848.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) estimates that power industrial trucks (PIT), often called forklifts or lift trucks, cause approximately 85 fatal accidents each year, almost 35,000 accidents that result in a serious injury, and about 62,000 non-serious accidents.  Accidents can be trajic for employees and can affect workers compensation insurance rates.

Drilling down to the details behind the statistics, 42% of PIT-related fatalities involve being crushed by a forklift that tipped over, while another 25% come from someone being crushed between the vehicle and a surface. Manufacturing (42%) and construction (24%) lead the fatality list. Sadly, most of these accidents could have been prevented, according to OSHA.

 

Here are twelve rules for the safe operation of a forklift that are easy to follow:

1. Qualified operators

This should go without saying, but anyone who uses a forklift must be trained and licensed to do so.

2. Appropriate clothing

Loose-fitting clothing can get caught in machinery. Operators should be wearing a hard hat, safety glasses, steel-tipped shoes, earplugs, and a high-visibility shirt or jacket.

3. Do an equipment check before driving

Before driving, the operator should do a routine check of the lift truck, paying particular attention to brakes, steering, controls, warning devices, and tires. Any problems must be reported immediately and the vehicle parked until repairs are completed.

4. Pay attention to your surroundings

Follow worksite rules and guidelines. Drive only in designated aisles near machinery, and observe all signs, particularly those that refer to load capacities and clearance limits.

Be careful near the edge of a loading dock or ramp; you don’t want to go over the edge. And be aware of your load height and mast when entering or exiting a building.

5. Operate your lift at a safe speed

Obey posted speed limits. Make changes in direction slowly and gradually. And avoid tipping by slowing down before taking corners and turns.

6. Check your load

• Don’t lift anything that’s not stable and secure
• Check overhead before lifting or stacking your load
• Tilt the forks back and keep them low to increase stability
• Position the load so that it’s balanced across the forks
• Stack the load correctly on a skid or pallet
• Secure your load with ropes or cords if required
  
  

7. Steer clear of hazards

Avoid uneven or loose ground and slippery conditions. Use your horn near a corner, at entryways, and to warn pedestrians. Always keep a safe distance from other trucks, and make sure you have plenty of space to stop safely.

8. Forklifts are not passenger vehicles

You’re not doing anyone a favor by giving them a ride on your forks. It’s dangerous.

If you must lift someone, attach a work platform and cage to your forks, and carefully follow the operating instructions.

9. Make sure you can see clearly

Operate the forklift in reverse if it improves your visibility. Make sure you can clearly see the racks on which you will position your load. If visibility is poor, either stop driving or get someone to act as a ground guide for you.

10. Stay away from the mast

Don’t allow anyone to walk under your raised load. And keep your hands and feet clear of the mast’s cross members to prevent a serious injury as you lower the mast.

11. Be careful on ramps

Drive up a ramp in forward come down in reverse. And never load and unload or make turns while you’re on a ramp.

12. At the end of your shift

Park your lift truck in an authorized area. Lower the forks and apply the parking brake. Turn it off and remove the key. You should never leave the engine running on an unattended forklift.

Get Help in Selecting the Best Workers Comp Insurance for Your Business 

To learn how to further protect your employees and your business with Workers’ Comp Insurance, contact American Insuring Group online or call us at (800) 947-1270 or (610) 775-3848. As independent agents, we're free to shop among competing carriers to find the right insurance at the right price. Click or call today to get started. 

Starting an independent trucking business is expensive. But, if you get a good return on your investment, it’s worth it. You can be your own boss and have a career that offers excellent earning potential. And, you have a choice to lease your trucks and services or to become an independent carrier.

Whether you're an owner-operator who is under permanent lease to a carrier or you drive under your own authority, you will need truck insurance to protect your business investment. Your insurance needs will be specific to the direction you choose to follow. 

Here are some trucking insurance tips to get you off on the right foot:

1. If you are under permanent lease

With this arrangement, your insurance needs will be determined by your lease agreement with the carrier. Most will provide Primary Liability coverage, which covers injuries and damage to other people and property if you are at fault for an accident.

Even if your carrier covers this liability, you are still left to purchase other owner-operator insurance that includes:

• Physical damage coverage: This insurance protects your truck and trailer against collision, fire, theft, hail, windstorm, earthquake, flood, or vandalism. This coverage is likely required by the lien holder of your vehicle.
• Non-trucking liability: If you are not under dispatch—you’re getting your truck washed or taking it for repairs—this coverage provides you with limited liability protection.
• Motor truck cargo insurance: This insurance is needed to protect the carrier in case of lost freight or damaged goods. There is a maximum load limit per vehicle with this policy. And the premium may vary depending on the cargo you’re hauling.

 

2. If you are operating under your own authority

When you are under your own authority, it’s up to you to carry all of the important commercial trucking insurance coverages. Here are four you should consider first:

• Primary liability: You pay this yourself now, and it protects you against property damages and bodily injuries to others.
• Physical damage: Pays for repairs to your rig whether it's damaged by a collision or by golf ball-sized hail stones.
• Motor truck cargo: Pays for damages to the cargo that you’re hauling in the case of fire, theft, or an accident.
• Trailer interchange insurance: Sometimes a load needs to be transferred to a different trucker to complete the delivery to the final destination. Motor carriers frequently haul trailers that are owned by other motor carriers. This move is often made to facilitate scheduling through a "trade" of trailers that are in different locations.

A trailer interchange agreement makes the motor carrier that has possession of the trailer responsible for any damage to the trailer, whether or not the trailer is attached to the tractor. This is where Trailer Interchange Insurance plays a part. It covers physical damage caused to a non-owned trailer under a trucker’s care.

Get the Help You Need - Contact Us Today!

Signing on with a reputable trucking company can mitigate some of those insurance premiums, but whether you are driving under permanent lease or under your own authority, you will need to sit down with an expert on trucking insurance to help you get the best coverage at a competitive price. Contact American Insuring Group online or call us at (800) 947-1270 or (610) 775-3848 to learn more about how to protect your business investment.

Most employers know that to reduce their workers compensation insurance costs, they must cut their claims costs. What they might not know is that the quality of claims handling by the workers comp adjuster can contribute significantly to the overall cost of a claim.

Here are five steps that any employer can take to get the most from a relationship with an adjuster.

#1. Make the insurance adjuster your partner

This might sound elementary, but getting along with a workers compensation insurance claims adjuster is a big step toward making progress in the claims process. Being a claims adjuster is already an underappreciated job. Don’t ruin the relationship with an attitude of superiority or by dictating how the adjuster should do his or her job. Working as partners will smooth out the process and bring it to a quicker (and more mutually beneficial) conclusion.

#2. Communicate promptly

As you get new information, make sure to relay it to the insurance adjuster immediately. The first communication should be right after the accident, and subsequent messages—any type of medical information that was not previously known, for instance—should be sent to the adjuster that same day. Conversely, you should let the adjuster know that you expect him or her to be in touch as soon as anything new and important arises.

#3. If possible, choose your workers comp adjuster

After a few claims have been processed for your company, you will be able to evaluate the work of the insurance adjusters who have managed those claims. Ask your insurer to assign the most efficient of those to your future claims. There are benefits for doing this:

• The adjuster will become familiar with you, and you will be made more significant to him or her
• As the adjuster learns what you consider essential, he or she can tailor the work to your needs
• When the adjuster gets to know your company, it is easier to contact the right person to obtain information and ask questions

#4. Be proactive with information

Information is the key ingredient in the workers compensation claims process, and if you can provide it before the adjuster requests it, you are speeding up the process and saving your business money. For example, if your adjuster needs a job description to get an employee back to work and you have anticipated that by sending it in advance, you will have saved time and created goodwill with your adjuster. Or, if the injured employee will be off work longer than expected, sending the worker’s earnings history the adjuster, rather than having to ask for it, will make for a quicker process.

#5. Do your part to get an injured employee back to work

The sooner your worker gets back to work, the easier it will be to resolve the workers compensation claim. After your employee’s first visit to a medical provider, request the return-to-work restrictions. Accommodate modified duty for the worker if it’s possible. If it’s not, stay in touch with the adjuster and, as soon as the restrictions are lifted or eased, bring the employee back to limited duties. The adjuster will appreciate your cooperation, and your company will end up saving money.

In Summary

Taking these steps will help to get your workers’ compensation insurance claims settled quickly and without needless expense. Bottom line: Your overall workers’ comp costs will be lower for your business.

Want to Lower Your Workers Comp Insurance Costs? Contact Us!

To learn more about lowering your workers comp costs, contact American Insuring Group online or call us at (800) 947-1270 or (610) 775-3848.

We'll leverage our independent agency status to compare your needs to policies offered by many competing insurance providers, so you'll be assured of getting a workers comp policy that meets your needs and does so at a competitive price.

Call or click today to get started!

Most medical statistics that you read or hear about are not designed to brighten your day.

Well, here’s another one: Once you reach the Medicare-eligible age of 65, you have a seven in ten chance of needing long-term care at some future point. A good long term health care insurance policy can provide both peace of mind and valuable protection against the high cost of care. 

Long term care may be provided be at home, in a skilled nursing facility, or in assisted living. It is a surprise to many that the average annual cost of care in a nursing home is a whopping $81,000 for a semi-private room or $90,500 for a private room. Those are national averages, but you can expect similar costs in Philadelphia, Allentown, Reading, Lancaster, Harrisburg, Pittsburgh and elsewhere throughout Pennsylvania.

“Well, so what?” You’re probably thinking. “I might have underestimated the cost of long-term care, but my Medicare will be there to foot the bill.” Well, maybe not

Medicare Falls Short When It Comes to Long-Term Care

It's wise to consider long-term care insurance to supplement Medicare. Here's why: If you are recovering from an acute illness, condition or injury, Medicare will cover the services performed by a skilled medical professional. Your physician must certify to Medicare that these specialized services are necessary and that you are required to be housebound to receive these services. Any custodial care--bathing, eating, dressing, etc.--will be covered by Medicare only if the care accompanies your need for skilled acute care and is concurrent with it.

If you require long-term care in a nursing facility, Medicare will pay at least a portion of your care for up to 100 days, but only after you have satisfied a hospital stay of at least three days and you still need daily medical attention. For instance, physical therapy following a joint replacement or wound care after surgery would qualify.

Note: Medicare will cover 100% of your full costs for the first 20 days only. You are responsible for a co-payment of $157.50 per day on days 21 through 100. If you have Medicare Supplement insurance, it will pick up this co-payment. After 100 days of skilled nursing care, you are on your own for all costs. 

Why the confusion over Medicare?

Much of the misunderstanding arises because Medicare helps to cover certain services at home, but only if these services are medically necessary due to an acute medical need. But Medicare specifically excludes from coverage custodial care from chronic and disabling illnesses. As previously noted, custodial care refers to ongoing assistance with the activities of daily living such as bathing, eating, dressing and toileting. Skilled acute care and custodial care are decidedly different, yet skilled nursing facilities and home care agencies provide each type of care, which just adds to the confusion.

What about Medicaid?

People often do not distinguish between Medicaid and Medicare. Medicaid does cover 100% of long-term care custodial costs within a state licensed and certified Medicaid nursing facility. But Medicaid is a program for individuals and families with low income and insufficient resources to pay for health care. Additional confusion comes from not knowing this distinction.

You are responsible for your health care

Long term care can deplete your assets and shift the burden to your loved ones. You can ease these costs by properly planning for your future long-term care insurance needs. Doing so will help to preserve your savings and assets while providing you with options for the type of care that best meets your needs, whether it’s assisted living or in-home care. 

 

Contact Us for Help in Evaluating Your Long-Term Care Insurance Needs 

Seek professional assistance before planning for your long-term care. There are a variety of policies from which to choose, from traditional long-term care insurance to hybrid plans that will return your premium should you not need care. There are also decisions to be made within each policy type that may require expert advice.

To learn more about long-term care insurance, contact American Insuring Group online or call us at (800) 947-1270 or (610) 775-3848. Call or click today to get started!