Landscapers Insurance Help – How To File A Workers Compensation Claim July 27, 2010

Savvy landscaping contractors buy workers compensation insurance as part of their landscapers insurance program.  If you don’t and you are paying someone to work for you, whether you consider them a subcontractor or not, then you shouldn’t go a day more without a policy.  But assuming you already have a workers compensation policy, how exactly do you file a claim?

Filing a workers compensation claim is easy and simple.  You want to do this as soon after the employee injury as possible.  In NC the claim form states that you must file the claim within 5 days of the injury.  To do so, you must complete a Form 19 claim form and mail, fax, or email it to your insurance company claims department.  The Form 19 is a standardized claim form to be used for all workers compensation claims in North Carolina.  The reason for this is that the policy and claims payments are all overseen by the NC Industrial Commission.

If you don’t have a form 19 on hand, check your policy as most insurance companies will insert a few blank ones in the policy that they send to you.  It’s ok to make copies of this form when you run out.  You can also get one in pdf form from the NC Industrial Commission website.

The Form 19 will ask for contact information for you and for your injured employee.  They will also need to know the details of the injury, how and when and where it occurred.  This information usually comes from the injured employee’s supervisor.   Next you will need to fill in the occupation of injured person and information about how many hours they work each week and what their wagers are per hour and per day.  This information will help settle the disability portion of the claim.

The rules require that you provide a copy of the completed Form 19 to the injured employee or the employee’s representative (read lawyer) at the same time that the Form 19 is submitted to the insurance company.  Last of all, you must give your injured employee a blank Form 18 which is a form they can use should they wish to contest the claim settlement.  You can obtain blank Form 18 copies the same way you got the form 19, by clicking here,  or you may call the NC Industrial Commission at 800-688-8349.

At Clinard Insurance Group, in Winston Salem, NC, we work hard to help all of our clients become informed insurance consumers.  Understanding how to file a workers compensation claim for your landscaping company is important as you will want to move fast in the event of an accident or injury and spending time trying to figure out how to file a claim will only slow you down.

Should you need help with  your landscapers insurance policies, from workers compensation to your general liability, commercial auto and equipment insurance, please consider us as we specialize in insuring landscapers of all types and sizes all across North Carolina and South Carolina.    We can put our extensive knowledge to work for you with one quick phone call.  Call us, toll free, at 877-687-7557 or visit us online at www.LowRatesForLandscapers.com.

The source information for this article was pulled from articles which can be found in their entirety at www.InsuranceAnswerGuy.com.

Lawn Care Business Insurance Basics May 20, 2010

If you are thinking of starting your own lawn care business, or if you are planning to grow your existing one into a more viable and legitimate business, one of the hurdles you will need to cross is the insurance puzzle and how to solve it for your particular company.  Lawn care companies have some special insurance needs so here is a basic primer on the types of insurance policies that you should consider for your lawn service insurance program.

This guide should serve as an introductory overview of lawn care insurance.  For more detailed information on any of these policies or coverage types, please contact our office and we will be happy to give you more one on one personal help.

Liability Insurance – It won’t take long in your business before one of your commercial clients asks you to prove that you have liability insurance.  This is the most obvious coverage type and the one that lawn maintenance companies usually first purchase.  This is designed to provide you with protection for losses that you cause in the operation of your business for which you are legally obligated to pay.

Workers Compensation Insurance – This policy is often skipped because in NC the law says that you don’t have to purchase a workers compensation policy if you have less than 3 employees.  What people fail to realize however is that if you don’t purchase a policy, then your company is on the hook for paying all claims as though you were the workers compensation insurance company.  Don’t skip this coverage, one bad accident could put you out of business and ruin all that you have worked so hard for.  One last trick, if you have only workers who mow and who don’t do anything else, you may be able to classify them under a code known as parks noc and get a much lower rate.  For more information on this tip read my earlier blog here.

Equipment Coverage – This protection comes in two types.  Coverage for equipment and coverage for hand tools.  Most lawn care business purchase the equipment coverage for mowers, decks, snow blades etc but don’t often purchase any coverage for hand tools.

Business Auto Insurance – If you are titling your vehicles in the company name, then you need a commercial auto policy for those vehicles.  Don’t forget to include your trailers on this policy as well.

Bonds – In NC you will need a bond to work on irrigation systems and it is very possible that by January 2011, a landscaping bond may be required.  If you are strictly a lawn mowing service, then you may be able to avoid purchasing license bonds.

Disability Insurance – What happens if you become injured and can’t work?  Who will do the work and who will run your business?  Disability insurance is a good solution for you to solve this problem.  Most lawn care companies don’t remember to cover this exposure and the failure to do so has fun a few out of business.

It’s clear that buying insurance for a lawn care company is a complicated and specialized process.  You need an agent who specializes in landscapers insurance, and one who can help you navigate the maze of policies and underwriting rules.  At Clinard Insurance Group, in Winston Salem, NC, we specialize in helping all kinds of landscapers with their landscaping insurance all over North Carolina.  We can help you develop a plan that protects your business and saves you money on your lawn care insurance policies.  If you own a mowing service in NC, then you owe it to yourself to call us, toll free, at 877-687-7557 or visit us online at www.LowRatesForLandscapers.com and we will be happy to help you.

The source information for this article can be found at www.InsuranceAnswerGuy.com.

Landscaper’s Insurance – Don’t Forget The Workers Compensation Policy March 5, 2010

Landscaping insurance can be found in many different forms.  One coverage that every landscaper with employees should have is workers compensation.  In North Carolina, the law states that if you have fewer than 3 employees you don’t have to purchase workers compensation insurance.  But what this rule doesn’t tell you is that not buying a policy could put your business assets at risk.

In NC, the workers compensation law does give you an out if you have less than 3 employees.  In fact, there are no real teeth in the law that will catch and find employers who have 3 or more employees who also don’t purchase a workers compensation insurance policy.  So, yeah, you could go years without purchasing a workers compensation policy for your landscaping business.   But that would be a very dangerous choice.  Here’s why:

Although the law may not require that you actually purchase a workers compensation insurance policy, it will require that you pay all of the claims yourself just as if you were the insurance company.  Workers compensation benefits in North Carolina are statutory.  That means that exactly how much gets paid for each type of illness or injury has already been determined by state law.   This means if you are paying out of your own pocket for a claim, you will not have the opportunity to determine how much you are going to pay. 

So, using the loophole in the law to avoid buying a workers compensation policy only gets you out of paying the policy premium.  It does not get you out of paying the costs of any and all claims.  And these claim costs can be enormous.  Imagine coming up with $100,000 to pay for injuries that resulted in permanent disability, then paying disability payments for years after that for one of your employees.  Pretty scary huh?  So even if work comp insurance seems expensive, you should realize that purchasing it is a no brainer because going bare means you are pretending to have the assets of an insurance company.  For most landscapers, that just isn’t the case.

At Clinard Insurance Group in Winston Salem, NC, we specialize in helping landscapers with their insurance needs.  If you have any questions about your general liability insurance, your workers compensation insurance, your business auto insurance or any other insurance policies, please call us toll free at 877-687-7557 or visit our landscaper insurance web page.

The source data for this blog can be found at www.InsuranceAnswerGuy.com.

Construction Insurance in NC – small contractors, don’t forget your work comp insurance December 18, 2009

I hear it so often with artisan contractors, they don’t think they need workers compensation insurance because they have too few employees or the general contractor that they work under provides that coverage.  While these are reasons that allow them to legally avoid buying a policy, in both cases they leave the artisan contractor’s destiny in the hands of others and may ultimately cost the small contractor his or her business.  Here’s the real scoop on workers compensation insurance in North Carolina for small contractors.

It doesn’t matter which area you work in, whether you are hunting for painter insurance, plumbing insurance, lawn care insurance, carpenter insurance, landscaping insurance, grading insurance or even insulation or flooring insurance, you really will do better to always purchase a work comp policy for your small contractor business.  Let’s take a look at the three reasons people don’t purchase workers comp insurance for their small business.

Reason #1  –  Less than 3 employees.  While it is true that in North Carolina, if you have less than 3 employees, then the state will not require you to purchase a workers compensation insurance policy, what is seldom said in  the next sentence is that whether or not you buy insurance, you are still on the hook for the claims.  The workers compensation insurance policy was created as a compromise.  Workers gave up their rights to sue their employers in most cases and the trade off for them was that employers agreed to pay the benefits associated with injuries and sicknesses on the job according to the statutory payouts required by each state.  So, as the employer, you will have to pay for your employees job related injuries, sicknesses and time out of work in accordance with the NC workers compensation statutes.  If they are permanently disabled or even out of work for several months, these costs could run into the tens of thousands and possibly close your business.  Many small contractors are choosing not to buy workers compensation insurance based on their number of employees and this could have a devastating effect on their business.

Reason #2  – It costs too much.   Let’s face it, workers comp insurance can be expensive.  But if you have an agent that specializes in your type of business, then you will have a much better chance of getting your policy set up in a way that saves you the most money while still protecting you from financial ruin.  And really while the short term costs may seem high what is your entire business worth?

Reason #3  – The general contractor covers it.  While for some small contractors, this may be true, there are several reasons why this is a poor choice.  First of all, if the general contractor were to go out of business, or let their insurance cancel through some error, then you are back on the hook and if the claim is large enough, then there goes your company.  Also, if you do work not associated with that contractor then you are back to going bare.  Secondly,  most general contractors add a large premium to the rate that they are charged to carry you on their policy so you will probably find you are paying more than you should to be covered this way.

In almost every case, it is a better choice for small, artisan construction companies to purchase their own workers compensation insurance policy directly.  The risks associated with going bare, or riding on the general contractor’s coat tails are just too high.

At Clinard Insurance Group in Winston Salem, NC, we specialize in helping small artisan contractors of all types with their insurance needs.  We have special insurance programs designed for carpenters, carpet cleaners, concrete and masonry construction, electricians, flooring installation companies, grading and excavating contractors, guttering and siding installation companies, HVAC companies, landscapers and lawn maintenance companies, painters and plumbers.  We work hard to help all of our clients become informed insurance buyers.  If we can help you with your business insurance needs, please call us, toll free, at 877-687-7557 or visit us online at www.TheContractorsHelper.com.

The source information for this blog article was pulled from information which can be found on line at www.InsuranceAnswerGuy.com

Landscapers – When it comes to landscape insurance, here’s a tip that could save you big money November 16, 2009

Landscape insurance comes in many different forms, from general liability insurance to workers compensation and equipment insurance policies.  These policies apply whether or not we are talking about landscaper insurance or lawn care insurance.  And while many landscape jobs overlap from planting to mowing, knowing how to set up your landscape contractor insurance policy to take advantage of the lowest rates can mean more dollars back in your pocket.

The tip that I want to talk about today is for landscape contractors who also perform lawn care or lawn mowing services.  If your company provides both of these services, then you may have a way to simply adjust the classification codes on your work comp policy and reduce your overall workers compensation policy costs.

Here’s the trick.  Most landscapers use the code number  0042 which is titled: Landscaping and Gardening on their workers compensation policy.  This is a catch all code for most all landscaping operations.  But what few landscapers know is that there is another code number 9102 which is titled: Park – NOC.  This NOC stands for not otherwise classified.  If you have employees whose job is just mowing services, then their payroll can be put in this class code 9102 for a cheaper rate.

How much will you save?  Well, generally speaking the rate for the class code 9102 is about 60% of the rate for class code 9102.   You will save somewhere on the order of $3.00 or more for every $100 of payroll.  That’s like cutting your mowers payrolls costs by 3% with one easy phone call.

At Clinard Insurance Group, in Winston Salem, NC, we specialize in helping landscapers all over North Carolina with their insurance needs.  We speak your language and we understand your business.  We have special programs that should help you reduce your overall insurance costs, without sacrificing the coverage you need and want.  If you would like help with your landscape insurance or your lawn care insurance policies, please call our office, toll free, at 877-687-7557, or visit us on the web at the landscapers helper web page.

The source information for this article was taken from articles which can be found at www.InsuranceAnswerGuy.com.