Insurance Incorporated

When applying for business insurance of any type it is extremely important that you provide not only the legal name of your business, but any d.b.a.’s (Doing Business As). Why you ask? Because if  a lawsuit is filed against a name that is not listed on the policy you may find yourself without coverage. This includes sole proprietorships and partnerships. Make sure all parties on a sole proprietorship (spouses) or, partnership are listed on the policy. The cost to include the extra names is usually nothing as long as the names do not pertain to a different set of operations.

In order for a child to be exempt from a surcharge on a child only health insurance  plan  the child must enroll within the month of their birthdates or have had prior continuous coverage during the 90 day period prior to submitting the application to be exempt from the surcharge.

Enrolling outside of an enrollment period may result in higher rates. as much as 20% for a period not greater than 12 months if the applicant did not have continuous coverage during the 90 days prior to the date of the application and is not a late enrollee compared to the rates available during an open enrollment period. 

Applicant may also qualify for late enrollment if they meet other qualifying events. Those events include:

* Loss of coverage due to:

1. Termination or change in employment status of the child or the person whom the child was cvovered

2. Death, of the person through whom the child was covered

3. Cessation of employers contribution.

4. Legal separation or divorce

5. Loss of coverage under Healthy Families Program, Access for Infants and Mothers Program or Medi-Cal Program

6. The adoption of a child.

* The child became a resident of California during a month that was not the childs birth month

*The child is born as a resident of California and did not enroll in the month of birth

* The child is mandated to be covered pursuant to a valid state or federal court order

* The child is within 63 days from their date of birth or adoption

Please note that children must apply for coverage within 63 days from the qualifying event in order to be considered a late enrollee.

For more informationcontact one of our offices in Southern California (City of Industry, Fillmore or Riverside) for a free quote call our office at 877-898-9333

Our agency will donate $20 to the Riverside Poly High School Marching Band when you insure with us!

How does your insurance company stack up with Mercury Insurance?

Contact us today for a fast, free quote to see how much you can save! If you are a college graduate don’t forget to ask about additional discounts!

Call 877-898-9333 or log onto www.insuranceinc.com today for more information!

Graduating from college is a huge accomplishment. In fact in 2007 only 29% of all Americans had earned a bachelors degree. So attaining a college degree puts you in a pretty exclusive club and hopefully, better prepares you for the exciting life ahead.  One downside to leaving campus and entering the “Real world” is losing your school sponsored health insurance benefits. So what is a new grad to do?

Unless you have a job lined up that offers benefits, you will need to find a way to cover yourself. Sure it’s easy to opt out of health coverage as you are probably a young health kid. But this is not a wise decision.

While you are in search of a new career you can get health benefits through your parents until age 26 under the new Obamacare. You can also consider going out and finding your own coverage. By utilizing the resources of Insurance Incorporated, an indpendent insurance agency, you can shop the top carriers in the country with one phone call to find you health coverage that is affordable and reliable. Our dedicated agents will take the time to find you a policy that you are comfortable with.

Contact us today at www.insuranceinc.com

Whats new at Insurance Incorporated you ask–well this month, we’re giving away 4 field level tickets to an Angel game! It’s easy to participate, just simply fill out our quick contest form. Drawings will be held on April 2nd, 2011.

How do you feel about your current auto, home, or business policy? Has it been updated recently to coordinate with any changes that have happened in the last year? Are you comfortable with your coverage? Do you think you could be getting a better value?

While you’re at insuranceinc.com to enter for a chance to win 4 tickets to the Angels game why not grab a free quote to see if we could be saving you more!

Act Before March 1^st to get Lower Premiums for the Health Care Your Children May Need!!

Due to many employers cutting back on employers health insurance, more families are resorting to purchasing insurance on their own for their child or family. That being said, Californians need to start shopping around in these “individual markets” to find the right protection. However, it can be expensive. The California Department of Insurance had announced new health care options for uninsured children. Keep these in mind when you are shopping around:

• No More Denials for “Pre-Existing Conditions”
  Because of the new federal health care law, all children must be offered health coverage if they apply. Insurance companies can no longer deny kids coverage because of a “pre-existing condition” like asthma or diabetes.
• Apply Before March 1^st to Avoid Much Higher Costs
  If you wait and apply after the “open enrollment period” ends on March 1^st, you could face much higher premium costs since there are no limits on premiums outside the open enrollment period. After March 1st, the next “open enrollment period” is the month your child was born. For example, if your child’s birthday is August 8^th, you can apply during the entire month of August, without facing significantly higher premiums. (There are other open enrollment periods based on changes in family circumstances such as a birth, divorce, job loss, or loss of public coverage.)
• Keep Your Children Insured to Avoid Higher Costs
  You may face a significant penalty premium increase (20 percent) if you let your child’s coverage end and then apply again, so keep your children insured.
• You Have Protections if Your Child is Denied Coverage
  Remember, the health care law means that no child should be denied insurance for health reasons. If your child is denied coverage for any reason, call the state health insurance hotline at 1-888-466-2219.

You’re probably wondering how Superbowl Sunday has anything to do with insurance. However, a major part of the pizza industry has to deal with insurance:pizza delivery.

According to Pizza Today, Americans will consumer 30 million slices of pizza on Sunday, making Super Bowl Sunday one of the busiest day of the year for pizza chains. Papa Johns, the official sponsor of Superbowl XLV, expects to sell more than 900,000 pizzas at its 2,800 U.S. restaurants.

That’s a lot of pizzas being delivered. Of course, the vehicles making those deliveries need commercial auto insurance. Having all these pizzas delivered, in addition to the time guarantee that most pizza chain implement, there is an increase of risks and claims.

Having a safer workplace can have a siginicant impact on your employee productivity, but most importantly, your costs. When practicing a safe work environment, it could help control the cost of workers comepensation. When there are fewer losses and claims, it ultimately leads to a lower experience modifcation, or ex-mod, which could save you a ton of money! For example, another business in the same category, or class code, as you could be paying more or less depending on the ex-mod. It could be either a credit or a debit (Ex. 1.20 or .80) which is multiplied by the total premium on the policy.

Here are some tips for you to help create a safe work environment:

1. Define Measureable Program Objectives

Align all executives with key program metrics such as frequency and severity reduction, while requiring unilateral commitment to the safety program.

2. Provide Appropriate Employee Training

Initiate formal training at the top of the organization before filtering it down to the front line employee level.

3. Determine Roles & Responsibilities

While training remains on-going, assign specific safety enforcement tasks to each level of management including senior executives, managers and supervisors.

4. Enforce and Reward Program Performance

Require constant and consistent enforcement of safety rules, while incorporating performance of these tasks into formal reviews and reward programs.

5. Establish Loss Control Plans

Following a loss, help employees feel productive as quickly as possible through formal Return to Work programs, while establishing an open and honest dialogue with the injured worker and claims examiner. This is important!

Keep in mind, in the State of California, failing to have workers’ compensation coverage is a criminal offense. According to Section 3700.5 of the California Labor Code makes it a misdemeanor punishable by either a fine of up to $10,000 or imprisonment in the county jail for up to one year, or both.

Here at Insurance Incorporated, we want to help promote a safe work environment for you and your employees. Visit our website for more details or give us a call at our office today!

If you hire subcontractors who do not have their own Workers Compensation or General Liability insurance your premium calculations can be modified to include any amounts paid for their labor and you may be liable for damages they cause. 

Although subcontractors may appear to be independent businesses, claims filed by them (or their employees) are common after an injury or loss. Under Workers Compensation law, the legal definition of “employee” is much broader than the common understanding of that term.

In addition, many states make you – as the contractor – AUTOMATICALLY responsible for certain expenses due to work related injuries to your independent subcontractors or their employees. For these reasons carriers can charge appropriate additional premiums unless the subcontractors have their own in-force Workers Compensation and General Liability insurance coverage during your entire policy period and you are able to provide acceptable proof of this coverage to your carrier prior to completion of your final audit.

Evidence of just General Liability, pre-determinations or statements of independent contractor status, hold harmless agreements, etc may not be acceptable substitutes and no exceptions will be made for sole proprietors or others on the grounds that such parties are NOT REQUIRED to purchase (or cannot purchase) Workers Compensation insurance or General Liability insurance. The risk of a claim against your policy from an uninsured subcontractor is the same , regardless of his or her reason for no coverage. Furthermore, these additional charges will be imposed when applicable, even if exceptions have been granted to you by another carrier in the past.

NOTE: A “subcontractor” is a person or organization paid to assist you in providing a product or service to your customer or client (and not just to you). Workers Compensation laws in most states presume that such vendors are “employees” who, therefore, often files claims seeking benefits.

Most General Liability or Business Liability policies have exclusions that void coverage if you use a contractor or vendor who does not have their own General Liability with limits at least equal or greater than what you carry.

We urge you for your protection to require Certificates of Insurance for both General Liability and Workers Compensation insurance from all subcontractor’s or vendors with a “Waiver of Subrogation” requirements and that they name you as additional insured on the General Liability Insurance with Primary and Non Contributory wording as well.

Refer to your policy for specific coverage, warranties and exclusions for your specific requirements.

If you have any questions or would like more information about this, please feel free to call our office.

There have been substantial amount of cases dealing with unlicensed contractors. It has been such an issue that lists have been compiled containing unlicensed contractors. It is illegal to hire unlicensed contractors in California. It often could result to your arrest if you are caught doing so, but most importantly, when you hire an unlicensed contractor, it usually means they are uninsured and also, you have no coverage from your homeowner’s insurance if any damages have incurred to the contractor, you, or your property. It’s important to be prepared when you decide to hire a contractor to work on your home.

All contractors need to have:

• At least 4 years of experience/education in the field, must be fingerprinted, have an FBI background check, and be bonded.
• A contractor’s state license from CSLB if anyone is performing construction work in California that totals $500 or more in labor and materials.
• Insurance for the employees performing construction work
• A contractor’s bond that must be in the amount of $12,500 written by a licensed surety company to maintain the active license

The last one is very important. If you hire an unlicensed contractor, they automatically become your employees, which means, you are the one who may be sued for the injured worker. If you deal with a licensed contractor, the contractor is responsible for any of its employees’ injuries.

To make sure the contractor is confirmed licensed, you can:

1. Go to the California State Contractor’s License Board and verify that they are licensed. You can enter by the contractor’s license number or the name of the company.
2. After your search, you will be able to acquire whether or not they have up-to-date insurance and bonds.
3. Call the telephone number provided by the CSLB and confirm that the person you are dealing with is a legitimate employee of that company
4. Obtain copies of their contractor’s bond and workers’ compensation insurance so you have it on file.

As a homeowner, you MUST DEMAND that the contractor can prove to you:

• Bona Fide Employee or Owner: the person you are dealing with is truly an employee or owner or authorized agent of the contractor.
• Documentation: be sure that the contractor has all the proper insurance and bonding documents

      If the contractor refuses or cannot satisfy these demands, chances are they are an unlicensed contractor.

GET IT IN WRITING. Obtain a firm WRITTEN quote from the contractor detailing the exact work to be performed, the exact cost for the work, the date the work will begin, and the time it will take to complete the work.

GET AN EXACT PRICE QUOTATION. DO NOT sign any contracts or agree to pay a contractor based on “open time and materials” needed to perform the work. GET AN EXACT PRICE. Time and materials is vague and unclear as to how much it will cost, and the contractor has no incentive to finish quickly or efficiently.

GET ALL CHANGES IN WRITING. Just as with the original contract, DO NOT approve changes in the price or scope of work verbally. Insist that all changes in price or scope of work be in writing signed by both the contractor and the homeowner.

YOUR RIGHT TO RESCIND. DO NOT waive (give up) you 3 day right to rescind the contract unless the work you need done is truly an emergency that cannot wait to be started for 3 days. DO NOT fall for “getting the work done at a discount because the contractor just happens to be in the area”. This is an old trick that the homeowner falls for thinking he will be getting a price break.

DOWN PAYMENT. By law, the contractor cannot ask for more than 10% of the entire contract price or $1000.00 (which ever is less) for a down payment before any work is done. DO NOT allow anyone to talk you into deviating from this.

ADVANCE PAYMENTS. By law, the contractor cannot ask for payments for any work that has NOT YET BEEN DONE. DO NOT prepay for materials not yet delivered either. As a requirement for getting a contractors license, the CSLB requires that all contractors have enough money or credit (at least $2500) to be able to fund the project at the beginning. Also, any legitimate contractor will have credit terms with suppliers, usually 30 days before they have to pay the invocies. It is possible to pay for materials directly, which should be a bargaining point since you are now financing the contractors project.

WAIVERs AND RELEASES. DEMAND that your contractor provide an “Unconditional waiver and release” from all their material suppliers and subcontractors used by the contractor for the work you have already paid for BEFORE you pay for any more work. Even if your contractor gives their own written guarantee that its suppliers and subcontractors have been paid, those suppliers and subcontractors may still record a “Mechanics Lien ” against your property if your contractor fails to pay them. This is very important, DO NOT let the contractor talk you out of these. It is for your protection.

PAYMENT and PERFORMANCE BONDS. If the work to be done is significant, the homeowner should consider requiring the contractor to obtain a payment and performance bond This is above and beyond the $12,500 bond required by the CSLB for all licensed contractors. The principal cost of the bonds may have to be paid by the homeowner (which is a percentage of the value of the work to be performed taking into consideration specific factors relating to the contractor). However, it is a red warning flag if the contractor has trouble qualifying for the payment and performance bonds, or if the premium required is higher than the average premium.

Knowing all this could really help protect you in a financial loss. This is your property, this is your home, and a stranger is working on your home. Now, that may sound alarming, but knowing they are licensed and have all the necessary insurance and bonds, it provides a better sense of security, not just for your property, but yourself as well.

Sources: Scholefield – Construction Attorneys