Landscape

CIGA is “Back in Black” - Employers will receive 2% savings on 2019 workers' comp premium

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

For the first time in 20 years, the California Insurance Guarantee Association (CIGA) will not collect its annual assessment. As a result, California employers in the guaranteed cost workers' compensation insurance market will save 2% on their premium in 2019.

Three Question to Ask Before Enrolling in an OCIP/CCIP or Wrap Program

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

Subcontractors in California regularly enroll in OCIP/CCIP or wrap programs. These programs are insurance policies that cover many of the participants in a construction project, including the owner/developer, general contractor and subcontractors. As many contractors learn the hard way, they do not control the program or the coverage terms, leaving the possibility of significant gaps that can impact the contractor in the future.

Case Study: First-Time Bonding for Landscape Professional

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

I recently had the opportunity to work with a new client who is a landscape professional. He wanted to bid on a maintenance project for a local municipality and wasn’t sure if he would qualify for the required performance bond.

Employers Beware! Ten Red Flags You May Have a Fraudulent Workers’ Comp Claim

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

Workers’ Compensation is a form of insurance providing wage replacement and medical benefits to employees injured in the course of employment in exchange for mandatory relinquishment of the employee's right to sue their employer for the tort of negligence. 

Risk Management Center Streamlines Electronic OSHA Reporting

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

The Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA) now require certain employers to electronically submit their completed 2016 Form 300A.  OSHA has created a website that allows employers to manually complete the information or upload a formatted CSV (comma-separated values) file

Federal OSHA Asserts Electronic Data Reporting Requirement Applies to Employers Across All States

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

The federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) announced Monday, April 30, 2018 it has “taken action to correct an error that was made with regard to implementing the final rule” which required some employers to electronically submit their injuring and illness reports via the Injury Tracking Application (ITA) online.

The Changing Definition of Employee: What you need to know about SB 189

Author, Yvonne Gallagher, Landscape Division Account Manager, Rancho Mesa Insurance Services, Inc.

California State Capital Building.

State Bill 189 (SB 189) (Bradford) was recently enacted by the California State Legislature. It is intended to correct issues resulting from the passage of Assembly Bill 2883 (AB 2883) (Daly et. al) in 2017, which changed the requirements for business owners to exclude themselves from workers' compensation coverage.

Workplace Violence Insurance Surges in Aftermath of Shootings

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

In response to the hundreds of mass shootings taking place each year, the insurance marketplace has produced new workplace violence products to help employers and employees recover from a crisis.

The Rising Risk of Metal Theft from Jobsites

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

Metal theft is one of the fastest growing crimes in the country. Copper, aluminum, nickel, stainless steel and scrap iron have become the desired target of thieves looking to make a quick buck.

How To Lower Your Experience MOD by Understanding Your Primary Threshold

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.

Why All Trade Contractors Must Consider Pollution Liability

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.

3 Practical Reasons for Timely Claims Reporting

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. 

Simple Steps to Developing a Personal Protective Equipment Program

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.

Berkshire Hathaway's Steve Hamilton Discusses Workplace Injury Trends for the Landscape Industry in Recent Webinar

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

In this webinar, Steve Hamilton, Senior Loss Control Specialist from Berkshire Hathaway Homestate Companies, reviews workplace injury trends for the landscape industry, along with OSHA’s most cited regulatory violations.

Ask the Expert: Insurance Questions from the Lawn and Landscape Industry

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

Drew Garcia answers common insurance questions for the landscape industry. 

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

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. 

Why Would a Contractor Purchase Employment Practices Liability Insurance?

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?

Highlights of the New Tax Reform Law

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.)

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

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.  

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

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.