Insurance for Nonprofits and
Human Services Organizations
Specializing in Risk Management for the Nonprofit and Human Services Industry
We understand that nonprofit and human services organizations have exceptional challenges in providing valuable services to our communities. In turn, it takes an insurance professional with the skills and expertise to adequately protect your cause, mission and clients.
We partner with insurance carriers who specialize in the unique arena of non-profit and social service organizations. Our long term relationships and credibility with these carriers allow us to design and competitively price insurance options that will protect your organization from physical and financial loss.
Coverages
Worker’s Compensation
Management Liability
Cyber Liability
Employment Practices Liability
General Liability
Professional Liability
Abuse & Molestation Liability
Special Events
Property
Commercial Automobile
Volunteer / Participant Accident
Our Clients
Boys & Girls Clubs/Camps
Charter and Private Schools
Community Action Organizations
Daycare Centers
Developmentally Disabled Services
Foster Family Services
Health Clinics
Homecare
Hospice
Rehabilitation Facilities
Rebeca Valenzuela, Esq., Director of Human Resources, Toward Maximum Independence
"Having Rancho Mesa in our corner makes us feel safe, knowledgeable, and confident in daily business operations. Thank you!"
Residential Care
Shelters
Skilled Nursing
Social Service Organizations
Veteran Services
Dennis Haggar, Director of Human Resources, Interfaith Community Services
“Rancho Mesa’s support and commitment towards our agency’s risk management goals has been unwavering since day one!…”
Nonprofit & Human Services Safety & Risk Management Podcast
Rancho Mesa’s Executive Vice President and Principal, Daniel Frazee, sat down recently with Francis Parker School’s Head of Operations/CFO Mike Rinehart to learn more about his background growing up in San Diego, the many facets to his impressive career in finance, and what is now his second “chapter” back at Francis Parker. The two also discuss the longtime partnership between Rancho Mesa and Francis Parker, regarded by many as San Diego’s premier traditional independent college-preparatory school.
Rancho Mesa’s Client Technology Specialist, Brenda Colby sit down with Client Technology Coordinator, Chad Winder to talk about improving hiring practices in a tough labor market.
Account Executive Raysan Benito sits down with employment law attorney Bob King and breaks down how PAGA works, why it has become one of the most feared compliance challenges for home care agencies, and the practical steps business owners can take to reduce their exposure and protect their organizations.
Rancho Mesa’s Alyssa Burley and Client Technology Specialist, Brenda Colby sit down to talk about the tools RMI offers for the Electronic Visit Verification (EVV) system, which federal law requires personal care services and home health service companies use if they are funded by Medicaid, as a way to ensure patients receive the care they need.
Human Services Group Vice President Sam Brown interviews Arnulfo Manriquez of the Manriquez Group to explore the evolving challenges facing nonprofit leaders, from funding pressures and board governance to leadership transitions. With his decades of experience in the nonprofit world, Arnulfo shares practical insights on adaptability, strategic decision-making, and how nonprofits can position themselves for long-term sustainability in a changing environment
Account Executive Raysan Benito sits down with Dana Charumbira, CPA and founder of Home Care CPAs, to explore how home care leaders can use financial insights to drive smarter decisions and sustainable growth. They break down key concepts like gross margin, automation, and financial clarity, offering practical ways to turn numbers into meaningful strategies for scaling a business.
Rancho Mesa’s Alyssa Burley sits down with Vice President of the Human Services Group Sam Brown to talk about the essential steps non-profit leaders should take during the pre-renewal process.
Rancho Mesa's Alyssa Burley sits down with Associate Account Executive Jack Marrs discuss operational breakdowns within residential care facilities for the elderly (RCFE) and how they can turn into claims.
Rancho Mesa’s Marketing & Media Communications Specialist Megan Lockhart sits down with Vice President of the Human Services Group Sam Brown to talk about closing coverage gaps for cross-border teams with foreign voluntary workers’ compensation insurance.
Rancho Mesa's Alyssa Burley sits down with Associate Account Executive Jack Marrs discuss how having kidnap, ransom and extortion (KR&E) insurance benefits board-recruitment for nonprofits.
Rancho Mesa's Alyssa Burley and Vice President of the Human Services Group Sam Brown talk about mitigating risk for ERISA retirement plans, which Rancho Mesa offers to clients to attract and retain talented employees, reduce turnover, and build employee trust.
Rancho Mesa's Alyssa Burley sits down with Associate Account Executive Jack Marrs talk about the value of safety committees in human services organizations.
Rancho Mesa's Alyssa Burley and Vice President of the Human Services Group Sam Brown talk about why it’s important for nonprofits and human service organizations to carefully complete the insurance applications and the type of information they can expect to provide.
Rancho Mesa's Alyssa Burley sits down with Associate Account Executive Jack Marrs talk about how to avoid surprise premium increases by collecting subcontractors’ certificates of insurance.
Rancho Mesa's Alyssa Burley and Vice President of the Human Services Group Sam Brown talk about the hardening insurance market for non-profit organizations and how to prepare for the 2025 renewal process.
Rancho Mesa’s Alyssa Burley and Client Technology Coordinator, Brenda Khalil, discuss the importance of keeping your employee count up-to-date in Rancho Mesa’s RM365 HRAdvantage™ Portal.
Rancho Mesa's Alyssa Burley and Vice President of the Human Services Group Sam Brown talk about the insurance marketplace for healthcare organizations, specifically for sexual misconduct liability insurance.
Rancho Mesa's Media Communications & Client Services Manager Alyssa Burley and Account Executive Casey Craig discuss how employers can handle cumulative trauma claims.
Rancho Mesa's Alyssa Burley sits down with Associate Account Executive Jack Marrs discuss how healthcare staffing agencies can prevent claims.
Rancho Mesa's Alyssa Burley and Jeremy Hoolihan, Partner and Account Executive of the Janitorial Group, discuss the best practices for insuring janitorial companies.
Rancho Mesa's Alyssa Burley sits down with Client Technology Coordinator Brenda Khalil to discuss how to get started digitalizing an organization’s risk management program.
Rancho Mesa's Alyssa Burley and Vice President of the Human Services Group Sam Brown discuss the importance of reporting claims to the carrier right way.
Rancho Mesa's Alyssa Burley sits down with Client Technology Coordinator Brenda Khalil to discuss her position and how she works to support Rancho Mesa Clients using the HR Portal and our SafetyOne™ mobile app.
Rancho Mesa's Alyssa Burley sits down with Associate Account Executive Jack Marrs discuss the important topic of leaky roof claims and why it can be so difficult to get them approved.
Rancho Mesa's Alyssa Burley sits down with Partner Jeremy Hoolihan to discuss the July 1s legislation that was passed by California Governor Gavin Newsom to reform the Private Attorney’s General Act (PAGA).
Commercial real estate owners may face significant exposure nationally due to vacancy clauses and policy exclusions. The vacancy permit endorsement can potentially fill a major coverage gap within commercial property policies for landlords. Today Alyssa Burley sits down with Kevin Howard, a partner with Rancho Mesa to discuss the vacancy permit endorsements and why they’re important for property owners.
This year has seen several changes to minimum wage in the State of California. On January 1, 2024, the California general minimum wage increased to $16 per hour, regardless of tips. However, as of July, several individual industries across the State, including healthcare, saw minimum wage increases.
Alyssa Burley from Rancho Mesa is joined by Carmen Cisneros, San Diego Area Manager of Cal/OSHA's Consultation Services. Together, they explore the range of services available to California business owners to ensure workplace safety for their employees.
Rancho Mesa's Alyssa Burley and Marketing & Media Communications Specialist Lauren Stumpf discuss the July 1st deadline for Workplace Violence Prevention plans in California.
Rancho Mesa's Alyssa Burley and Vice President of the Human Services Group Sam Brown discuss wage and hour claims.
Nonprofit & Human Services News
Rancho Mesa President and CEO Dave Garcia speaks with California State Fund CEO Vern Steiner about the current state of California’s workers’ compensation market. They discuss key industry trends, cost drivers impacting employers, and offer considerations for the future of the workers’ compensation system in California.
Author, Daniel Frazee, Executive Vice President, Rancho Mesa Insurance Services, Inc.
General engineering contractors deal with a myriad of risks on a daily basis. Even though these risks are typically few in frequency, they are high in severity. This means the claim is going to be significant and could ultimately impact your company’s financial and reputational standing within the industry. Too many times I have seen contractors only focus on the claim after it happens, which is reactive. I recommend taking a proactive approach and have your foreman and project managers focus on the near misses.
Account Executive Raysan Benito sits down with employment law attorney Bob King and breaks down how PAGA works, why it has become one of the most feared compliance challenges for home care agencies, and the practical steps business owners can take to reduce their exposure and protect their organizations.
Author, Sam Brown, Vice President, Human Services Group, Rancho Mesa Insurance Services, Inc.
Human Services Group Vice President Sam Brown interviews Arnulfo Manriquez of the Manriquez Group to explore the evolving challenges facing nonprofit leaders, from funding pressures and board governance to leadership transitions. With his decades of experience in the nonprofit world, Arnulfo shares practical insights on adaptability, strategic decision-making, and how nonprofits can position themselves for long-term sustainability in a changing environment.
The Workers' Compensation Insurance Rating Bureau (WCIRB) has approved the recommended increase in hourly wage thresholds for all 16 construction dual wage classifications. The increases range from $2 to $5 depending on the classification and will go into effect for policyholders renewing September 1, 2022 and thereafter. The chart below outlines the increases for each classification.
Author, Jeremy Hoolihan, Partner, Rancho Mesa Insurance Services, Inc.
Recently, the Workers’ Compensation Insurance Rating Bureau (WCIRB) of California released its Quarterly Experience Report that offers insight into the state of the California workers’ compensation market. While at a glance, the market may seem stable; however, there are evolving claim patterns that are creating challenges for insurers and employers alike.
As part of Rancho Mesa’s ongoing efforts to support meaningful reform around cumulative trauma claims, I want to share an important update on recent developments within the California workers’ compensation system.
Account Executive Raysan Benito sits down with Dana Charumbira, CPA and founder of Home Care CPAs, to explore how home care leaders can use financial insights to drive smarter decisions and sustainable growth. They break down key concepts like gross margin, automation, and financial clarity, offering practical ways to turn numbers into meaningful strategies for scaling a business.
Author, Jadyn Brandt, Client Communications Coordinator, Rancho Mesa Insurance Services, Inc.
Claims involving Cumulative Trauma (CT) injuries are growing significantly, across California. Data collected by the Worker’s Compensation Insurance Rating Bureau (WCIRB) shows growth of these types of claims accelerated in 2022, 2023 and 2024. The WCIRB now estimates that more than 25% of indemnity claims involve CT.
Author, Jeremy Hoolihan, Partner, Rancho Mesa Insurance Services, Inc.
On April 22-24, I had the opportunity to attend the Big “I” Legislative Conference in Washington, D.C. The Big “I” is the national organization affiliated with IIABCal and IIAB San Diego. It represents and supports independent insurance agencies at the federal level and maintains a strong presence in Washington, advocating tirelessly on behalf of independent agents and our carrier partners.
Author, Sam Brown, Vice President, Human Services Group, Rancho Mesa Insurance Services, Inc.
Non-profit organizations and their leadership often rely heavily on their insurance agent’s experience and insight, gained from working with similar organizations, when considering insurance buying options and risk management throughout the year.
Rancho Mesa would like to provide you with an update on our efforts related to the growing cumulative trauma issue impacting the California workers’ compensation marketplace. As many of you have experienced firsthand, cumulative trauma claims continue to rise and are having a significant, negative effect on premiums and experience modification rates (EMRs) across all industries.
Author, Megan Lockhart, Marketing & Media Communications Specialist, Rancho Mesa Insurance Services, Inc.
The National Equipment Register (NER) plays an important role in protecting heavy equipment owners from theft by maintaining a national database of equipment ownership and stolen machinery that is used by both law enforcement and insurance agencies.
Author, Jack Marrs, Associate Account Executive, Rancho Mesa Insurance Services, Inc.
In Residential Care Facilities for the Elderly (RCFE), most claims do not start with just one huge mistake. They usually begin with small breakdowns that get repeated and eventually one incident turns into a complaint, a licensing issue, or a lawsuit. In my experience working with RCFEs, there are several areas that tend to lead to claims.
Author, Sam Brown, Vice President, Human Services Group, Rancho Mesa Insurance Services, Inc.
In San Diego County, with its diverse workforce and cross border business activities, employers increasingly consider hiring talent from nearby Tijuana or have employees travel into Mexico for business purposes. In other scenarios, American employees decide to move and work remotely from Mexico or commit to a daily commute into the US.
Author, Jack Marrs, Associate Account Executive, Rancho Mesa Insurance Services, Inc.
High-caliber directors—retired Fortune 500 leaders, public figures with reputational exposure do not join boards on faith. They review bylaws and audited financials, D&O policies and look for a solid approach to managing risk.
Rancho Mesa President David Garcia and Erik Vandermaus, Executive Vice President with BrokerPRO, a data and insight company that’s transforming the insurance industry. Discover how their technology is empowering brokers to streamline workflows, personalize client interactions, and stay competitive in a rapidly evolving market. discuss how to deal with current or former employees who post slanderous videos online, and ways to prevent it from occurring.
Author, Sam Brown, Vice President, Human Services Group, Rancho Mesa Insurance Services, Inc.
In this competitive labor market, employers may offer ERISA (Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974) compliant retirement plans to draw and retain a talented workforce. It makes sense; data shows that retirement benefits reduce turnover, build employee trust, and offer predictable retirement savings.
Author, Jack Marrs, Associate Account Executive, Rancho Mesa Insurance Services, Inc.
Human services organizations operate in challenging environments. Staff regularly work in close contact with individuals who may have physical, cognitive, or behavioral needs. This can involve lifting and transferring clients, managing unpredictable situations, or navigating unfamiliar environments. National data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) shows that these situations elevate the risk of workplace injuries.
Rancho Mesa’s Alyssa Burley and President David Garcia discuss California's approved 8.7% workers' compensation insurance rate increase, its impact on businesses, and practical steps business owners can take to prepare for the changes effective September 1st.
In the final episode of a three-part series, President David Garcia and Margaret Hartmann, Sr. VP and Chief Marketing Officer with BHHC, discuss the WCIRB's proposed 11.2% workers’ compensation rate increase in California. They explore how this may impact employers, and actionable steps businesses can take to mitigate rising premiums.
Author, Sam Brown, Vice President, Human Services Group, Rancho Mesa Insurance Services, Inc.
As the insurance market for nonprofit and human service agencies continues to harden, with fewer and fewer insurance companies willing to insure valuable community programs, careful completion and review of the insurance applications will ensure proper pricing and coverage following an insurance claim.
In the second episode of a three-part series, President David Garcia continues his discussion with Margaret Hartmann, Sr. VP and Chief Marketing Officer with BHHC, and explains how companies can mitigate cumulative trauma claims in light of the WCIRB’s recent 11.2% recommended rate increase.
President David Garcia sits down with Margaret Hartmann, Sr. VP and Chief Marketing Officer with BHHC, to offer insight on the outcome of WCIRB’s recent 11.2% recommended rate increase, what areas are driving this increase, and what employers can do to mitigate it.
Author, Jack Marrs, Associate Account Executive, Rancho Mesa Insurance Services, Inc.
In the nonprofit world, every dollar matters. Whether you are running community programs, providing housing, or supporting individuals with disabilities, it is important to keep operating costs predictable and under control. There is one area where we are seeing many nonprofits get blindsided during workers’ compensation audits and it often leads to unexpected premium increases.
Author, Sam Brown, Vice President, Human Services Group, Rancho Mesa Insurance Services, Inc.
Non-profit and human services leaders started experiencing a hardening property and casualty insurance market in 2024 illustrated by reduced limits of liability, higher deductibles, and increased premiums. And, the market shift still may not have been enough to right the ship.
Author, Jack Marrs, Associate Account Executive, Rancho Mesa Insurance Services, Inc.
Social engineering fraud is when cybercriminals impersonate a trusted individual to manipulate others into performing actions such as making wire transfers, sharing confidential information, or granting access to their systems. It is often confused with hacking, but the two are fundamentally different. Hacking involves identifying vulnerabilities in software to breach a system, where as social engineering fraud relies on impersonation and manipulation to trick individuals into helping the cybercriminal.
Author, Sam Brown, Vice President, Human Services Group, Rancho Mesa Insurance Services, Inc.
Rancho Mesa’s insurance brokers specializing in healthcare, education and non-profit organizations continue to navigate the hardening insurance marketplace, characterized by tighter underwriting guidelines, reduced limits of liability, increased deductibles, and higher policy premiums.
Author, Sam Clayton, Vice President, Construction Group, Rancho Mesa Insurance Services, Inc.
When reviewing insurance requirements that contractors receive from municipalities and/or general contractors, two lines of coverage that are often misunderstood are umbrella and excess liability. These terms are commonly interchangeable in the contract, but have subtle differences. In addition, the limits required by contracts are increasing significantly.
Author, Jack Marrs, Associate Account Executive, Rancho Mesa Insurance Services, Inc.
Healthcare staffing agencies play a vital role in maintaining patient care standards. That is why it is critical for staffing agencies’ employees to be properly vetted, kept informed, and trained prior to being placed to reduce the likelihood of claims. Preventing such claims requires a collaboration between the healthcare staffing agency and the facility where employees are being placed. Healthcare staffing agencies can take steps to prevent claims and protect their operations.
Client Services
SafetyOne™ Mobile App and Website
Rancho Mesa’s SafetyOne™ mobile and desktop application is designed to streamline the implementation of an effective safety program within your organization through real-time data and intuitive technology.
This is the last safety application you will need.
Claims Advocacy
Our goal is to minimize the impact of any losses our clients may experience.
Our dedicated team is responsive, experienced and results-focused. Each Claims Advocate has extensive experience in the administration of workers’ compensation claims and is uniquely qualified to work aggressively on your behalf.
RM365 Advantage Safety Star Program™ in Human Services Safety
The RM365 Advantage Safety Star Program™ is a proprietary program designed to provide safety education to supervisors, foremen, safety coordinators and upper management in order to lower their company’s probability of work-related injuries while promoting a safety culture.
Meet our Human Services Group Leader
Sam Brown, Vice President, Human Services Group
Sam began his insurance career working for General Electric, a national insurance carrier. Desiring more interaction with clients and risk managers, he then joined Rancho Mesa Insurance Services in 2010 to grow the Human Services department. Sam values his role in the industry and community, joining the Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers Association of San Diego in 2012 and serving as President in 2015.