by Grant Davis | Business Insurance, Employment Practices Liablity, Insurance
Why Do I Need Employment Practice Liability Insurance Policy?
Sorry every once in awhile I will write about an
unhappy stressful topic.
Warning!!! This is an upsetting blog about true
things that just shouldn’t be!
EPLI or Employment Practice Liability Insurance is one of those “let’s not talk about it, and hope it goes away topics”!
As a business owner, we all strive to hire qualified employees to work for us. Unfortunately, as you are well aware, not every hiring decision goes as planned. Even if an employee is a good employee and does a great job, or has to be terminated for a legitimate reason such as poor attendance or unsatisfactory work habits every termination opens the door for potential lawsuits. The funny or not so funny thing such as in the example I am sharing with you the terminated “bad employee” wasn’t the one that brought the suit. It was the “good hard working employee”! This is exactly “Why do I need Employment Practice Liability Insurance” question gets asked.
Many times it is employment practice liability insurance (EPLI) that stands between you, and some things that just shouldn’t be. After almost 4 decades of working with business owners, and owning a business myself I can tell you how sometimes it is actual the ones you care the most about that you need help and protection from. So you and your organization can be saved from costly, frivolous lawsuits
To make my point check this story out! Unbelievable!
When, a business owner, received a complaint that a sales manager (male employee) made crude, disparaging remarks to a female employee during a trade show, the claim was taken very seriously. An investigation was conducted. During the course of the investigation, the owner spoke with another employee (A good hard working “team member” employee) who witnessed the incident firsthand. According to this employee, the sales manager’s actions were offensive and harassing. Ultimately, after much deliberation, the owner fired the sales manager for his behavior. Even after consulting an Attorney specializing in HR issues during the investigation and before taking action. In other words everything was done right. But here is what happened next!
Weeks later, the (Good hard working team member employee) that witnessed the incident sued the owner for $500,000, claiming that after the incident, the owner had passed her up for promotion and assigned her a poor sales territories, all because she came forward with the details of what happened at the trade show. Although the lawsuit was groundless, the business owner racked up hefty legal bills defending against the allegation. Can you believe that? If not I can give you more examples of how ridiculous this can be.
Lawsuits like the one this business owner faced can come out of left field and are much more common than you’d think. In fact, three out of five employers will be sued by a prospective, current or former employee while they are in business. EPLI can help mitigate these risks by providing the necessary resources to defend your company against a lawsuit or pay a claim.
As costs for litigation and damage awards climb, experts predict that employment liability will only become more complex.
For more information visit GDI’s EPLI Page by clicking here: Fill out a few quick questions and we can get you a quote in a 1-2 days. We can go faster also, but as insurance brokers we represent many companies so always strive to get you the right coverage at the lowest costs. While some sites will offer instant quotes they offer those quotes from one company. Every client is different so matching you with the right company is how we help to keep your cost down.
Or just call your GDI Insurance Agency broker 888-991-2929 for more information and help today!
We will help you learn more about EPLI and discuss your employment-related risks.
PS. (Secret Free Gift Worth Thousands!) Just ask and we will give you a free employee manual with access to an HR attorney to help you fill in the blanks!
We also will set you up on your own company HR portal all for free with no obligation. GDI cares and wants to help. Yes we sell insurance and would love to handle yours.
But we don’t need to do that to help you with this issue. All you have to do is just ask. We will do more to help than you will believe for anyone that asks for our help!
“If you have employees, you will get sued.” Grant Davis..
by Grant Davis | Insurance, Solar Installers
Solar Contractors Insurance
Hello this is Grant Davis.
I’m here today to talk to you about solar insurance and solar installers insurance programs. If you’re a solar installer and you’re going to install solar panels of any kind, we have an insurance program designed to save you money on your solar installer’s insurance policies. We have packages that offer worker’s compensation, general liability insurance for solar installers, builders risk for solar installers.
We also have great commercial auto insurance programs for your fleet of vehicles. We have all of that for solar contractors and installers with dozens of insurance companies to choose from so you always get the right coverage at the best rates.
If you’re on your way to a job site with your panels and you get in a car accident, no problem. You leave your solar panels on the job site overnight, tomorrow you come back, they’re gone. No problem, we got those covered for you.
GDI Insurance is Your One Stop Solar Contractors Insurance Agency
Here’s the deal. There’s a lot of places you can just go and they can piece it together, but if you look on our website and look under Construction and Contractors and take a look at credit enhancement bonding and insurance, we’re a dominant player in construction insurance. We can help you get the insurance you need to get started and grow right along with you as your needs grow we have the insurance companies to help you no matter how big you get!
We Understand What You Need to Have in Your Contracts
We understand the subcontracts you’ll be signing, if you’re going to do work for other general contractors or businesses. We understand additional insured forms, in all the varying types. Take a look under our contractors section for the tab Understanding Additional Insured Forms. We understand products completed operations, which is very important to you, because there’s a period of repose or a tail of 10 years after you’re done and it’s lifetime for bodily injury If your panel falls off the roof and hurts somebody, bodily injury is lifetime, you’re responsible for that. So we know how to insure you right.
Not only do we know how to insure your solar construction business right, we have all the insurance companies you can choose from. So you are not stuck with one or two choices.
If you’re a start-up solar installer, we have the market for you. If you’re a big boy and you’re doing a lot of solar stuff, we have those markets, too. If you’re doing it locally, no problem. If you’re doing it nationally, no problem. We can insure your solar farms. We can insure you, as the installer. We can insure everything that you need to. More importantly we know how to insure your solar installation or solar farm insurance for the lowest prices with the right coverage.
In addition to that, we help you become more successful by providing you with your HR systems, your wellness plans, your OSHA compliance, to keep your workers compensation costs down, fleet safety to keep your cars’ insurance rates down, property security, disaster recovery models. We provide you with online portals that just drip that to you, so… The amount of stuff we give you, would take you three months to implement it all. So what we’ve done, is over an 18-month period, is we’ve set it up on an email drip for you, so you just start to get everything you need to be compliant, to be OSHA compliant, and to do all the things that you need to do and train your staff to make sure that you’re up and running. The HR system is really cool, because it comes with a phone number to an attorney, and you can call that attorney free of charge and ask any HR questions you want.
We also have a user group online, where you can ask other solar installers or other solar providers, “Hey, what are you doing about this and that?” We have a online platform for you to do that.
GDI Insurance Agency, Inc.
All you need to do is call 1-888-991-2929, ask for Grant Davis, and we’ll handle all of your solar insurance needs for you, everything that you can imagine, and more importantly, not only will we do it right, we’ll make sure that you have the right coverage. Because we have so many companies we work with, we’ll get you the absolute lowest rate, so we’ll cut the cost. Usually we cut the cost. So when we’re working on it, we look at, “Oh, gee, you’re paying this.” Guess what? We’re 20%, 30% less on average. That doesn’t mean every time, but that does mean, on average, that’s what we are, because we have so many insurance companies to choose from, we can match you with the company that wants your business. That’s the beauty of our size, is because we have those companies to do that for you. Give us a call.
Free General Employee Safety Manual Just for Asking
If you’re on our website… or go to our website, fill out the little form that says, “Hey, give me a quote on solar insurance.” It’s just your contact information. And right away we’re going to email you back a free safety manual, a construction safety manual. Now this is not your complete OSHA safety program. This is just the start, but it’s just a start to say, “Hey, thanks for your time” and we’re going to send that right out to you. The first thing we do when you become a client is we hook you up with a program called Think HR and it gives you your employee manuals and all the things you want, plus videos on all your OSHA compliance. And then we have more and more software for you, to get you all hooked up and so you’re completely compliant.
I look forward to doing business with you. We have a large agency, four locations right now, and we’re all over the place and we’d love to help you with your solar insurance. Thank you so much.
Grant Davis
by Grant Davis | Construction, Insurance, OSHA, Workers Compensation
Keeping Your Construction Safe
Hazardous conditions are a day-to-day reality for workers at many construction sites. To ensure safety on the job site, there are five crucial construction safety measures that every construction worker must follow:
- Double-check work areas. Both scaffolds and ladders are integral parts of most construction sites, and both are associated with a high number of injuries. Inspect both before use to ensure that they are safe.
- Be cautious with electricity and electrical equipment. Always follow the safety precautions provided for the equipment you plan to use or ask for proper instructions from a supervisor.
- Maintain fencing. Avoid dangerous areas with damaged fencing or that lack fencing altogether, and inform your site supervisor of the risk.
- Always wear protective apparel and equipment. This includes a well-fitted helmet, protective eyewear, ear plugs for working in noisy areas and protective gloves when working with toxic chemicals. Wear highly visible clothing as well.
Keep first aid nearby.Basic first aid for minor injuries should be available on-site so workers can receive treatment immediately.
Contractor Fined After Worker Fatality
Although in Alaska, The Department of Labor and Workforce Development fined a contractor $280,000 for failing to follow proper shoring and bracing procedures, leading to the death of a worker after a wall collapsed onto him during a demolition project. CA is much harder on construction safety!
The contractor was also fined for misclassifying his employees—including the deceased employee—as independent contractors in an effort to avoid paying unemployment insurance, workers’ compensation insurance and payroll taxes. There is no such thing as a 1099 employee. There are set rules that govern if a worker is a subcontractor (1099) worker, or a w-2 worker. Beyond this issue it is also felony workers compensation fraud to avoid paying workers compensation on these workers unless they pass the test… just call and ask your GDI Insurance Agency Broker for the rules we are happy to help.
Employers who mislabel independent contractors risk having to pay fines and overdue payroll taxes to the IRS. Furthermore, the state workers’ compensation agency could levy fines and press criminal charges. Also should one of these workers become injured the employer is responsible for the medical, loss of income and any disability themselves.
by Grant Davis | Insurance
What is the Difference Between Admitted and Non Admitted Carriers
There are times when the coverage you need is available exclusively from a non admitted carrier. What is the difference between admitted and non admitted carriers, and what are the advantages and disadvantages of each? Should you be concerned if a carrier is not admitted? Making the wrong choice, or an uninformed choice can cost!
Don’t Panic! Call GDI Insurance Agency, Inc. for help. 888-991-2929
Admitted Carriers
An admitted carrier is one that follows guidelines set forth by the state and is therefore licensed in the state or country in which the insured exposure is located. Of course, these guidelines vary from state to state, and some are more stringent than others. The obligation to follow state regulations and submit rates to a state’s department of insurance limits the flexibility of the insurer. If an admitted carrier becomes insolvent, the state guarantee fund steps in to pay out claims and premium remuneration where applicable.
Non Admitted Carriers
It is a common misconception that non admitted is synonymous with non licensed. In reality, non admitted carriers do not have rates filed with the state and therefore are not as highly regulated, but this also means they are not protected by state funds. Because of this, they are sometimes able to offer better rates – these carriers can base price on specific exposures. Further, certain complex risks require the use of non admitted carriers because the conventional insurance marketplace fails to provide adequate coverage. However, in the case of insolvency, the state will not pay the carrier’s outstanding claims and premium remuneration.
Judging Financial Strength
Since with a non admitted carrier you are not guaranteed payout from the state in the case of insolvency, as you are with an admitted carrier, one of the most important things to consider when purchasing coverage through a non admitted carrier is its A.M. Best rating, which rates a carrier on financial strength and size based on policyholder reserves.
As long as you are aware of market conditions and are sure the carrier is reputable, buying coverage from non admitted carriers can be beneficial in several ways:
They often provide lower rates, absolute control over coverage terms and coverage unavailable through admitted carriers (including specialty risks, risks that are unusual or those that are unusually large).
Choosing Prudently
It is important to note that non admitted does not mean that an insurer is not regulated – many states do regulate non admitted insurers. In fact, many non admitted carriers are actually admitted carriers in other states. Non admitted carriers intentionally opt out of filing rates with the state not necessarily because they are unable to comply, but because doing so provides the advantages mentioned above. On the other hand, just because a carrier is admitted doesn’t mean it is financially solvent. Because of state restrictions on rates and forms of coverage, admitted carriers’ payouts may increase faster than permitted premium increases in certain classes of business, leading to financial instability.
Therefore, when making your choice of insurer, you should not ask yourself only whether the carrier is admitted or non admitted, but rather whether it is financially capable of paying claims in the event of an accident. In CA another issue is that you can not purchase insurance from a Non Admitted Company if an Admitted Company offers the coverage.
Insolvency is a real issue!
As an example Legion Insurance Company was a large well run insurance company. After 9-11 their reinsurance company failed as did they. Clients that were insured with Legion on a non admitted basis had claims delayed, and mostly not paid. While Clients that were insured with Legions admitted side had the state guarantee fund coverage!
In CA today we see California Workers Compensation Companies in trouble. Most of the reform that drove rates down in 2006 has proven not to work. The system is broken, and we have started to see CA workers comp companies pull out of CA, and a few insolvencies. Self Insured Groups, SIGS for CA workers comp are very dangerous as they typically have “joint and several liability” clauses.
Confused by Workers Compensation Insurance?
Contact GDI Insurance Agency, Inc. today at 1-888-991-2929 to discuss Workers Compensation Insurance.
by Grant Davis | GDI Insurance, Insurance
GDI Insurance Agency Inc. is pleased to announce that we have a new Branch Location! GDI Curtis Alkire Insurance Services is our newest location offering top of the line insurance and customer service in Porterville, California. We are also happy to welcome Curtis and Stacey to the GDI team. Learn a little more about them below.
Curtis R. Alkire, AFIS
Curtis received his Fire & Casualty as well as his Accident & Health license in 1997. He began his insurance career writing homeowners, personal auto, and small farm insurance for a local agency. Within a short period of time, he partnered up with a local agent and began writing insurance for larger farms and farmers.
In January of 2000 Curtis became a partner with a large insurance agency in Visalia and spent 13 years there, expanding his book of business and gaining a wealth of knowledge in the insurance industry. In 2007 he obtained his AFIS designation (Agribusiness and Farm Insurance Specialist). He spearheaded couple of niche programs within the agency. His biggest program was the Transportation Division where the primary focus was Livery, Trucking, and Non-Emergency Medical Transport. He developed a book of business that included policies nationwide with a multitude of carriers.
Another program he focused on was the Allied Grape Growers Association, which he partnered up with in 2011 and was their exclusive agent for the farm insurance policies of the members of the association.
Curtis ventured out on his own and started an agency in February of 2013. He has continued a great relationship with many of his clients. In October of 2013, Cutis became a partner with GDI.
Curtis attended Cal State Fullerton on a full wrestling scholarship from 1991-1993. In 1993 he continued his education at California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo where he studied Agri-Business and concentrated on Finance & Appraisal.
On his off-time, Curtis enjoys coaching his son’s football team, hunting, fishing, cooking and staying active with his children and wife.
Stacey K. Williams, AIS, CISR
Stacey began her insurance career in 1997, working strictly with workers’ compensation. She helped grow a small start-up agency to over $9 million in premium within 3 years and handled every aspect of workers’ compensation customer service, including marketing, claims, policy issuance and audits.
In 2002, she started working with Curtis Alkire at an agency in Visalia, CA and expanded her insurance knowledge to include nearly all commercial and farm coverages. She assisted Curtis in spearheading the Transportation Division, where the primary focus was writing and servicing Business Auto, General Liability, Umbrella and Workers’ Compensation policies for transportation related businesses such as livery, truckers and non-emergency medical transport.
Stacey served as the Director and Vice-President of the local Insurance Professionals Assocation and continues to stay educated in the insurance industry.
She is a mother of two and enjoys cooking, roller skating, traveling, crocheting and spending time doing anything fun with her kids.
