Rancho Mesa's Alyssa Burley and Rory Anderson, Partner and Account Executive of the Tree Care Group discuss how companies can maximize the value of their carrier loss control visits.

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Director: ⁠⁠Alyssa Burley⁠⁠

Host: Alyssa Burley⁠⁠

Guest: ⁠⁠Rory Anderson⁠⁠

Producer/Editor: Jadyn Brandt

Music: "Home" by JHS Pedals, “News Room News” by Spence

Transcript

Alyssa Burley: Welcome back, everyone. My guest is Rory Anderson, Partner with Rancho Mesa. He specializes in risk management for the tree care industry. Today, we’re going to talk about maximizing the value of carrier loss control visits.

Rory, welcome to the show.

Rory Anderson: Good morning Alyssa, it’s great to be here. Thanks for having me.

AB: Well, we’re happy to have you. So, from time to time, carriers may ask to schedule a loss control visit with an insured. Why are these visits so important?

RA: Thanks for teeing that up Alyssa, yeah and, there is a few different reasons for a carrier to schedule a loss control visit. Sometimes, a carrier may want to perform a loss control visit before they decide that they want to offer a quote on your insurance program. But, for the purpose of this discussion, I’d really like to focus my attention on the loss control service offering provided directly from the current carrier partner.

And from the perspective of the tree care business owner, uncertainty, skepticism, and hesitation are often the most common initial reactions to an insurance loss control visit. But, rest assured, these visits should not be seen as a negative process. Instead, they actually present a unique opportunity for tree care business owners to really enhance their safety protocols, reduce risks, and ultimately improve their insurability.

AB: Yeah that’s well said. And, you know, Rancho Mesa’s client services team often help our clients find safety resources they can use to address any issues that might have been found during a loss control visit. So there are resources available. And whether it’s performing regular safety observations or weekly toolbox talks, our SafetyOne™ platform can streamline many of the safety program tasks.

So Rory, is it accurate to say that the carrier’s loss control specialist isn’t necessarily trying to get anyone into trouble; they’re really just trying to keep them out of trouble by helping them make their company a little bit safer?

RA: Well said, yeah, it’s quite the opposite, right? And tree care business owners really should remember that the loss control specialists have actually dedicated their careers to understanding risk and safety, so they are committed to make the workplace safer. By engaging with the loss control specialist and reviewing their recommendations more as constructive guidance, tree care companies can make valuable changes that not only improve their overall risk profile, but also potentially lower insurance premiums as well.

AB: Yeah Rory, if a company wants to get the most out of a loss control visit, what do you recommend they do?

RA: So there’s quite a few things, and I have a list here of bullet points here that I want to talk about. So first, make sure that you’re setting clear objectives prior to the visit. So, establishing goals and determining what you would like to accomplish. It’s key to communicate your objectives of the visit with your team members and the loss control representative, once he shows up.

And it’s a good idea to engage your key employees and involve your team for this visit. So that would be your safety officer, fleet manager, and crew leaders, they should all be there. This will encourage participation and help, kind of, cultivate a culture of safety.

And then you’re going to want to share information. So, it’s good to have this information ready; have your safety programs, training records, maintenance records, any other safety information that you have, and be ready to share that. Discuss any type of safety incentive programs that you’ve instilled or initiatives set forth by management.

You’re going to want to—this is a key here—maintain an open mind and practice humility. Because, again, these loss control representatives have dedicated their career to supporting safety and the industry. So, it’s good for you to welcome any feedback and really approach the overall visit with a positive attitude. And view the loss control specialist as a partner and be open to the recommendations that he makes.

AB: Yeah, that is a key part of this.

RA: Yeah, exactly.

And you’re going to want to conduct a walkthrough and a jobsite visit. So, tour your facility and visit a jobsite. I always say visit it unannounced. It’s best to just drop in on your crews without them knowing that you’re going to be there. And what that will do is it will provide real insight into your operations, provide accountability, and seriously identify any gaps in safety compliance.

If you’re not certain that the loss control specialist is going to provide a report to you, make sure that you’re documenting his recommendations as you go. Typically, they will provide that report, but if that’s not the case, make sure that you’re going to record key points and any suggestions that he makes.

And then you’re going to want to create an action plan and prioritize any changes, right? So, after the visit, review the recommendations with your team and then prioritize any changes and the completion of your plan within a certain timeframe.

And then lastly, I have here, build a relationship with your loss control rep. Stay in touch after the initial visit and maintain communication with the loss control representative to discuss ongoing safety improvements and updates. Because, as we all know, safety isn’t linear, right? Things are changing, there’s new equipment, there’s new improvements to the industry and things that you need to stay on top of. So, continuing to stay in touch with your representative is really going to be key.

So, maximizing a loss control visit really strengthens your business by improving safety, reducing insurance costs, and ultimately maintaining a long-term relationship with your carrier partner.

AB: Yeah, I totally agree with everything you just said. And it is easy to view loss control visits as a chore or just another task to check off your to-do list, but doing so overlooks the valuable insights the loss control representative can offer to you.

Instead, Rory, like you mentioned, try to view it as a partnership so that you can leverage the representative’s knowledge to improve workplace practices and create a safer and more efficient operation.

So Rory, if listeners have questions about maximizing their next loss control visit, what's the best way to get in touch with you?

RA: Please give me a call at (619) 486-6437 or you can send me and email at randerson@ranchomesa.com.

AB: All right, well Rory, thank you so much for joining me in StudioOne™.

RA: Thanks Alyssa, have a great day.