Construction

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How To Lower Your Experience MOD by Understanding Your Primary Threshold

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Author, Drew Garcia, NALP Program Director, Rancho Mesa Insurance Services, Inc. 

The Experience Modifier (i.e., experience MOD, MOD, XMOD, experience modification rating, EMR) weighs heavy on the calculation of your workers' compensation premium. With a MOD rating of 1.00 signifying unity  (i.e., the average for your industry), any MOD above 1.00 is considered adverse. Thus, any MOD below 1.00 is considered better than average. Higher MODs will debit the premium, resulting in higher workers' compensation premiums, while lower MODs will credit the premium, resulting in lower workers' compensation premiums.

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Why All Trade Contractors Must Consider Pollution Liability

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Authors Sam Clayton, ARM, CRIS, Vice President, Construction Group and Daniel Frazee, ARM, CRIS, Executive Vice President, Rancho Mesa Insurance Services, Inc.

Contractor’s Pollution Liability (CPL), once viewed as expensive and unnecessary, has now become an integral part of every trade and environmental contractor’s insurance program. The industry is seeing requirements for this coverage from a combination of building owners, developers and general contractors for projects of all sizes.

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3 Practical Reasons for Timely Claims Reporting

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Author, Jim Malone, Claims Advocate, Rancho Mesa Insurance Services, Inc.

When a work-related accident occurs, as a business owner or manager, it is our nature to want to analyze the situation in order to learn how to avoid it in the future. However, the reporting of the incident is equally as important. With the recent requirement to report first aid claims, timely reporting for all claims is recognized as being critical for a number of reasons. 

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Simple Steps to Developing a Personal Protective Equipment Program

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Author, Jeremy Hoolihan, Account Executive, Rancho Mesa Insurance Services, Inc.

In the workplace, employees can be exposed to potentially harmful hazards. Identifying these hazards and using precautionary measures such as personal protective equipment (PPE) can mean the difference between a safe jobsite and an injury.

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Reminder: 2017 OSHA Summary of Work-Related Injuries and Illness Must Be Posted

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Author, Alyssa Burley, Client Services Coordinator, Rancho Mesa Insurance Services, Inc.

According to a recent memo, the State of California Department of Industrial Relations would like to remind employers that they are required to physically post their 2017 annual summaries of work-related injuries from February 1, 2018 through April 30, 2018. 

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Why Would a Contractor Purchase Employment Practices Liability Insurance?

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Author, Kevin Howard, CRIS, Account Executive, Construction Gorup, Rancho Mesa Insurance Services, Inc.

Insurance is often considered a necessary evil by business owners. It can represent a significant line item on a profit & loss statement rivaling the cost in some cases of payroll, material costs and rent. With deductibles that can range from $15,000-$25,000 per claim, why then would a business spend dollars on an insurance policy that is not required by either state law or part of any General Contractor’s insurance specifications?

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Experience Modification Factors and the Pre-Qualification Process

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Author Sam Clayton, Vice President, Construction Group, Rancho Mesa Insurance Services, Inc.

As we enter 2018, government agencies, project owners and general contractors often require subcontractors to enter their pre-qualification process.  Many of these entities will look closely at your Experience Modification Rate (EMR).

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Building an Effective Fall Protection Program

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Author, Daniel Frazee, Executive Vice President, Rancho Mesa Insurance Services, Inc.

In a Census summarizing fatal occupational injuries from 2016, those originating from falls continued a steady upward trend that began in 2011 and increased another 6% in 2016.  More specifically, falls increased more than 25% for roofers, painters, carpenters, tree trimmers & pruners.  Since 2013, fall protection citations have been #1 or #2 on OSHA’s most cited violations.  Now, more than ever, it is essential for employers with personnel who work at heights to provide comprehensive fall protection.

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Highlights of the New Tax Reform Law

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Article provided by, Kevin Brown, Managing Partner, RBTK, LLP.

The new tax reform law, commonly called the “Tax Cuts and Jobs Act” (TCJA), is the biggest federal tax law overhaul in 31 years, and it includes both good and bad news for taxpayers. 

Below are highlights of some of the most significant changes affecting individual and business taxpayers. (Except where noted, these changes are effective for tax years beginning after December 31, 2017.)

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OSHA Accepting Electronic Form 300A Data Submissions Through End of Year

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Author, Alyssa Burley, Client Services Coordinator, Rancho Mesa Insurance Services, Inc.

In a recent news release from the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL), the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) will be accepting electronically submitted 2016 OSHA Form 300A data through midnight on December 31, 2017.  The previous deadline had been December 15, 2017.  

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California Workers Compensation 2018 Annual Officer Payrolls Minimums and Maximums, Assessment Rates, and Dual Wage Thresholds Announced by WCIRB

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ICW Group Insurance Company, the largest group of privately held insurance companies domiciled in California, recently released an announcement that outlines the details and is attached for your review.

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3 Steps to Developing Your 2018 Safety Training Calendar

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Author, Alyssa Burley, Client Services Coordinator, Rancho Mesa Insurance Services, Inc.

The end of the year is the perfect time to evaluate your company’s overall safety program. One important element in a successful safety program is the weekly safety meetings (aka training shorts, tailgate talks, or toolbox talks). 

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OSHA Pushes Back Electronic Reporting Deadline

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Author, Alyssa Burley, Client Services Coordinator, Rancho Mesa Insurance Services, Inc.

In a recent news release from the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL), the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) announced it has extended its electronic reporting deadline from December 1, 2017 to December 15, 2017.  

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Small Performance Bonds No Longer Require CPA Financial Statements

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Author, Matt Gaynor, Director of Surety, Rancho Mesa Insurance Services, Inc.

In the past, many Surety Bond carriers required financial statements from a Certified Public Account (CPA), bank lines of credit, tax returns, etc. for contractor bond programs, whether the client required one bond a year or a large bond program. This is no longer the case.

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OSHA Announces Top 10 Cited Violations for FY 2017

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Author, Sam Clayton, Vice President, Construction Group, Rancho Mesa Insurance Services, Inc.
 
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) released its preliminary top 10 citation list for fiscal year 2017 at the annual National Safety Council (NSC) Congress and Expo, held in late September 2017.

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3 Steps to Protect Your Employees from San Diego’s Recent Hepatitis A Outbreak

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Author, Alyssa Burley, Client Services Coordinator, Rancho Mesa Insurance Services, Inc.

Whether you work in the human services sector like healthcare, community outreach, or schools, or you are in the construction industry working in areas like downtown San Diego, your employees may come in contact with the Hepatitis A virus. 

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Workers' Compensation Dual Wage Thresholds Increases for Construction Classes in 2018

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Author David J. Garcia, C.R.I.S., A.A.I., President Rancho Mesa Insurance Services, Inc.

In an effort to keep you informed, so that you can begin to plan your 2018 budget, we wanted to let you know of a potential change in the dual wage classes, for many but not all, the dual wage construction class codes.

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3 Topics to Discuss with Vendors, Independent Contractors, and Partner Agencies Prior to Working Together

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Author, Chase Hixson, Account Executive, Human Services, Rancho Mesa Insurance Services, Inc.

Recently, a non-profit client of mine asked the question: What are the steps I should take with vendors, contracted professionals and partner agencies to make sure my organization is protected should a claim arise as a result of their work?  This is a common exposure to many of our clients, and there are several steps that can be taken to protect your business.

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5 Steps to Avoiding Workers’ Compensation Claim Litigation

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Author, Jeremy Hoolihan, CRIS, Janitorial Group Leader, Rancho Mesa Insurance Services, Inc.

Workers’ Compensation claims can cost a company time, money, employee productivity, and morale. Litigation is one of the most costly results of a workers’ compensation claim. Once an employee hires an attorney, the time and money it takes for the claim to close drastically increases.

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Assembly Bill 72 Passes to Limit Unexpected Medical Costs to Californians

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Effective July 1, 2017, Assembly Bill 72 (Bonta) went into effect by protecting Californians from unexpected medical bills when visiting in-network facilities (i.e., hospitals, labs, and imaging centers). No longer can providers who aren’t contracted with a patient’s health plan step into the operating room, for instance, and charge the patient more than the patient would have expected to pay an in-network provider. Furthermore, the patient can only be billed for his or her in-network cost-share, meaning in-network benefits apply to all providers seen, and services rendered, in an in-network facility.

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