Posts Tagged ‘employees’

What Insurance Policies Do Builders Need?

Saturday, August 27th, 2011

Contractors in the U.S. may find it difficult to get jobs without having some form of contractors insurance. Construction specialists, builders, and even handymen benefit from and may even be required to buy contractors insurance.

Contractors insurance protects you, and as a contractor you already know that a lot of responsibility falls on your shoulders. Things such as making sure your paperwork is correct, that the customer’s needs are being met, and safety is being observed are just the tip of the iceberg. But the most important thing on the list may be having contractors insurance. If you live in any state in the US, from California to Texas and clear across to Florida, then the law requires you to have insurance. Things such as failed projects, damaged property, and injuries happen, and they cost time and money. That’s why you need to protect yourself.

There are many types of insurance available to contractors and more than likely you will need to purchase a combination of policies to protect yourself. The best place to start is with general liability insurance. As all contractors realize, absolutely anything can happen at a job site. People can get hurt, property can be damaged, and things can go wrong. You never know exactly what you may be liable for when things go awry, so it’s important that you have insurance to protect your interests.

Another type of policy you should consider is professional liability insurance. If you or one of your sub-contractors makes a mistake or fails to deliver as promised, you can be liable — even if it’s not be your fault. You are the contractor so any mistakes made by your employees will be your responsibility as well. If the worst case scenario does happen, wouldn’t it be nice to know that you’re covered for it?

It’s important that you cover all your bases. While many contractors think that some insurance plans are a luxury, they are unaware that one law suit can ruin their finances, even close down the business.

If you are in the market for contractors insurance, first take time to find out what is required in your state, and exactly what you need to be protected from. Talk to other contractors in your area and get some quotes online. Make sure you deal with a qualified professional such as an insurance agent or better yet, a broker that works in your best interest. This will help you to make the best insurance decisions for your business.

Contractors insurance is required by law just about everywhere in the U.S. If you are a contractor doing building, remodeling, repairs, etc., find out what insurance you need. Visit http://contractors-liability-insurance.org/ before it’s too late.

Is Commercial Liability Insurance Worth The Cost For Your Small Business?

Saturday, July 23rd, 2011

Commercial liability insurance is an important consideration for contractors and small businesses. Accidents happen, and if you’re ever sued for injury or property damage a commercial insurance policy can be a real stress reliever. When a claim is made against your policy, you commercial liability insurance pays part or all of the damages including the cost of defending you.

You would likely have to pay damages and defense costs out of pocket, without adequate commercial liability insurance. Just imagine the financial strain this could put on you or your business if you did not have the right coverage. Consider the risks in your business and then get the amount of coverage you need. The bigger the potential risks, the more coverage you’ll need. This is something your agent can help you determine.

Commercial liability insurance is usually purchased directly or indirectly through an agent or broker. Since independent agents usually represent multiple insurance companies they are able to offer the best rates. Shopping around is the best way to get the best price when buying liability insurance, so make time to get in touch withmore than one agent or company.

A good, reputable agent can offer very specific advice on the amount and types of commercial liability insurance you need. They can also help you shop around for your insurance. But remember, some agents may work with only one or a few insurance companies. If this is the case, they may be unable to get you the best price possible for your policy.

When speaking with an agent, share as much information about your business as possible. This will allow them to explain anything about the available policies that you need to know. Insurance terminology can be difficult to understand, so don’t hesitate to ask any questions you might have. It is your responsibility to know what the policy does and does not cover, what deductibles are in place and what things will NOT be covered. (These are called exclusions.) Also ask what the procedure is to make a claim and exactly how claims are processed. (Remember to report any new claims or incidences immediately without delay after you’ve taken out a policy.)

If you’re considering going without commercial liability insurance consider this: liability insurance is required under federal and state law for many businesses including contractors in nearly all areas. If your area is included, you could be in for other penalties if you’re found to be operating without a license or without insurance. While going without insurance may save you some premium dollars, it exposes your business assets and perhaps even your personal assets to paying for damages. You could even end up paying legal defense costs even if you are not found liable.

Before you go uninsured, get the scoop on commercial liability insurance for contractors and small business at http://contractors-liability-insurance.org/ today.

Red Flag Rules That Retailers Must Obey

Monday, August 23rd, 2010

Beginning November First of 2009, financial institutions and other creditors were told to comply with the Red Flag provisions of the Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act of 2003. The purpose of the Red Flag rules is to prevent and alleviate identity theft. Identity theft might be defined as any fraud involving people getting particular benefits by pretending to be someone else.

Broad in scope, the Red Flag rules define financial institutions as any organization engaged in insurance, banking, or similar activities, and a number of the definitions come with leeway to expand compliance demands. Any consumer account involving multiple payments or transactions that is offered to organizations can be subject to the rules.

The rules in a nutshell state that any financial institution or creditor that might be subject to a reasonable and foreseeable risk of identity theft should master an identity theft prevention program in order to remain in compliance. These programs should include identification on any activity that may be seen as identity theft. They should pursue red flags that have already been identified, and should take action to prevent and mitigate theft. Finally, period review and updating of red flags are necessary to comply with the Red Flag provisions.

In addition, the Red Flag provisions state that an institution’s identity theft prevention program shall be managed and written by senior company management. Training and overseeing this service are required.

Identity theft is an expensive and disparaging issue; business and consumer losses came to about $56.6 billion in 2005 alone. But when one considers how harmful identity theft can be to a business, not complying with these regulations can be even more expensive and harmful. Potential losses, costly investigations, regulatory fines and potential lawsuits are all negative consequences of non-compliance. It seems as though their best bet is to follow the rules.

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