Construction

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Return to Work Programs: Best Practices for Handling Workers’ Comp Claims

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Author, Casey Craig, Account Executive, Rancho Mesa Insurance Services, Inc.

How do you handle the situation when a great employee is injured but not quite ready to return to full duty? We do all that we can to prevent injuries and make sure once they do happen our employees are taken care of quickly and properly. The one true variable we have in our control, after a claim has been filed, is how to accommodate employees that are injured but not able to return to normal duties until deemed fully recovered.

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Focus on Frequency with a Small Work Comp Deductible

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Author, Drew Garcia, Vice President of the Landscape Group, Rancho Mesa Insurance Services, Inc.

Economies of scale create leverage for landscape businesses as they grow. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) 2022 table of incident rates notes that the landscape industry has an incident rate of 3.4 per 100 full time employees. Landscape is classified by BLS under Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services; this sub class has an incident rate of 1.9. The average for all other industries is 3.0.

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WCIRB Files for Workers’ Comp Rate Increase

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

Earlier this month, the Workers’ Compensation Insurance Rating Bureau (WCIRB) recommended a nominal .9% increase in the advisory pure premium rates. The reason given, increased loss development for medical costs and higher claims adjustment expenses. This recommendation is now sent to the California’s Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara for approval. If approved, the increase in rates then take effect September 1, 2024.

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Property Insurance in California Continues to be a Ticking Time Bomb

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Author, Jeremy Hoolihan, Partner, Rancho Mesa Insurance Services, Inc.

Insurance industry experts and legislators continue to work with Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara and the California Department of Insurance (CDI) to address the overwhelming crisis in the insurance property market.  On March 26th, 2024, there was a public hearing to address the crisis.

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Rising Reconstruction Costs and the Impact on Building Owners

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

The continuing trend of catastrophic claim activity over the last several years, rising number of nuclear settlements due to increased litigation funding, and hyperinflation are impacting all economic sectors. One of those sectors is the commercial property insurance market and the rapid increase in reconstruction costs.

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Navigating Contractor Challenges in 2024: Insights from the Surety Association of San Diego

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Author, Andy Roberts, Surety Account Executive, Rancho Mesa Insurance Services, Inc.

In a recent special StudioOne™ Podcast episode, I’m joined by my three fellow board members of the Surety Association of San Diego as we explore some of the biggest challenges facing contractors in 2024 and beyond.

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Empower Your Crew: The Importance of Heat Illness Training and Preparedness

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Author, Greg Garcia, Account Executive, Rancho Mesa Insurance Services, Inc.

As the calendar turns to April and warmer weather into spring time, now is a great time to take a look at your current Heat Illness Prevention Plan (HIPP), as well as make sure all crew members are up to date on their heat illness training.

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Dual Wage Thresholds Set to Increase Again

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Author, Matt Gorham, Account executive, Rancho Mesa Insurance Services, Inc.

In an effort to keep up with wage inflation, California’s Workers’ Compensation Insurance Rating Bureau (WCIRB) has recommended increases to all 16 construction dual wage thresholds, which, if approved, would impact policies beginning on September 1, 2024 and could drive up insurance premiums for those unaware.

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Litigation Funding Contributes to Higher Claim Amounts and Premiums

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Author, Sam Brown, Vice President, Human Services Group, Rancho Mesa Insurance Services, Inc.

The first quarter of 2024 is in full swing and the insurance industry is already feeling the rising cost of insurance claims, often referred to as social inflation. Commonly discussed reasons for social inflation include socioeconomic, legal, and behavioral trends that produce costly lawsuits, according to research conducted by The Institutes. In addition to these familiar observations, a relatively new factor is now playing a role in large lawsuits: third-party litigation financing.

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Performance Bonds for Private Equity Contractors

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

We have entertained several recent submissions from our construction division prospects looking for bonding support of their companies that are majority owned by a private equity firm. The traditional surety market will push back on private equity submissions pointing out the goodwill and large amount of debt listed on the balance sheet. Throw in the limited indemnity package offered in support of the bond program and we have created a perfect storm for the account to be declined without any actual underwriting taking place. But there is hope!

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California Rainy Season Offers Online Training Opportunity for Employees

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Author, Megan Lockhart, Client Communications Coordinator, Rancho Mesa Insurance Services, Inc.

Californians have experienced record storms this year along with other parts of the United States. However, with Spring on the horizon, construction companies are preparing for rainier months still ahead. When job sites close due to rain and flooding, it's a good opportunity for employees to use that time to revisit safety and operational skills with online training.

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How to Strategically Grow Your Construction Company

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Author, Casey Craig, Account Executive, Rancho Mesa Insurance Services, Inc.

One of the biggest ongoing challenges in the construction industry today is hiring and retaining quality employees that can help build on a company’s foundation. Growing a construction company in a sustainable way through internal promotions while also integrating new hires can separate one company from its competitors.

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Optimizing Landscapers’ Commercial Auto Insurance

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Author, Drew Garcia, Vice President of the Landscape Group, Rancho Mesa Insurance Services, Inc.

Lawn and landscape professionals across the country have seen the direct impact of a very difficult and challenging commercial auto market.  In particular, green industry businesses who specialize in service and maintenance, which require a larger fleet, have felt more of the direct market pressure.

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Top 5 OSHA Violation Trends and Solutions

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

Every year, Federal OSHA conducts thousands of inspections and issues costly citations to companies. So, it is imperative for business owners and safety managers to be aware of the most common citations and how to avoid them through effective safety programs.

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Unlocking Working Capital in Construction: Options for Reducing or Releasing Retention

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Author, Andy Roberts, Surety Account Executive, Rancho Mesa Insurance Services, Inc.

Retention is a very common practice within the construction industry that typically involves 5-10% of each payment to the subcontractor being withheld until the project has been completed. The purpose behind this is simple, it is designed to make sure that subcontractors satisfy their contractual agreements before they receive their last payment for the work they have done.  While this practice serves a real purpose, it can cause significant issues for subcontractors if the payments are delayed.

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Navigating the Construction Labor Shortage: Factors and Strategies for Success

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

Construction companies nationwide are grappling with a shared challenge: a labor shortage propelled by various factors. In this article, we will explore these factors and highlight key areas that can contribute to managing bottom lines effectively.

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Cracking the Code: Deciphering the Primary Threshold’s Impact

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Author, Greg Garcia, Account Executive, Rancho Mesa Insurance Services, Inc.

Every business owner understands the correlation between their Experience MOD (XMOD) and what they will pay in workers’ compensation premiums.  When the XMOD increases, there is a good chance that the workers’ compensation rates or premiums will rise as well.  This is why it is so crucial to really hone in on company safety procedures to limit work-related injuries as much as possible.  The reality is that even the safest company that does everything the right way is going to run into a workers’ compensation claim from time to time.

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The Billion-Dollar Cost of Working at Height: The Critical Questions to Ask Before Climbing a Ladder

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Author, Casey Craig, Account Executive, Rancho Mesa Insurance Services, Inc.

Every year, OSHA publishes a “top 10 most frequently cited standards” list. Without question, ladders and fall protection consistently make the list. A Liberty Mutual 2023 workplace survey found that $6.26 billion was spent on falls as a result of working at height. Working at height is inherently dangerous but becomes more so when the incorrect ladders are used or improper setup for a job. Sending your employees to a jobsite without conducting a proper analysis to guarantee you have the proper equipment is setting yourself up to have preventable claims.

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Need a License, Permit, or Court Bond? Rancho Mesa Can Help

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

During our recent budget discussions for the 2024 fiscal year, the Rancho Mesa Surety Department looked at a breakdown of the bonds we wrote in 2023.  As expected, 90% of our bond revenue was represented by the typical performance and payment bonds, subdivision bonds, bid bonds, bond riders, and consents of surety for our construction clients.

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