Industry News
Author, Megan Lockhart, Client Communications Coordinator, Rancho Mesa Insurance Services, Inc.
Recently, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) made its final ruling to expand recordkeeping requirements for high-hazard industries, such as construction. The new requirements will take effect January 1, 2024 and will expand on what injury and illness information is needed to be electronically submitted to OSHA.
Author, Greg Garcia, Account Executive, Rancho Mesa Insurance Services, Inc.
One of the most important practices for any landscape professional is fleet safety. Whether you have 10 trucks or 100, the exposure and risk remain the same. Explore a prior podcast episode, Episode #251, in which I delve into compelling statistics that shed light on the increasing frequency and severity of auto accidents each year.
Author, Megan Lockhart, Client Communications Coordinator, Rancho Mesa Insurance Services, Inc.
October is Fire Prevention Month. The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) dedicated this month to spreading awareness for fire safety and prevention. The construction industry is particularly vulnerable to fire danger, making this a good time to re-evaluate your company’s fire hazards and training protocol.
Author, Anne Wright, Surety Relationship Executive, Rancho Mesa Insurance Services, Inc.
The goal of the surety, in any relationship, is to ensure that the bonded job is completed successfully, is profitable for their client, and is without claims.
Author, Megan Lockhart, Client Communications Coordinator, Rancho Mesa Insurance Services, Inc.
Are random acts of violence OSHA recordable? This is a question many companies, particularly those that are required to report to OSHA annually, may ask. Whether the incident involves construction workers building in a high-crime area, or employees encountering hostile customers, determining if violent injuries are work-related is not always a black and white decision.
Author, Lauren Stumpf, Marketing & Media Communications Specialist, Rancho Mesa Insurance Services, Inc.
In a recent podcast episode, Daniel Frazee, Executive Vice President at Rancho Mesa, sat down with fellow Agency Principal Sam Clayton to explore a crucial topic in the realm of general liability insurance policies, the subcontractor warranty endorsement. This endorsement outlines essential requirements that contractors should pay close attention to when working with subcontractors.
Author, Megan Lockhart, Client Communications Coordinator, Rancho Mesa Insurance Services, Inc.
The construction industry stands as one of the biggest contributors to the U.S. economy. With the rapid advancements in technology, however, it still stands out as one of the least digitized industries in the world. While traditionally, construction companies have been loyal to paper methods, digitalization in construction brings many benefits such as increased efficiency, improved safety, and enhanced communication.
Author, Rory Anderson, Account Executive, Rancho Mesa Insurance Services, Inc.
As a tree care company operating in wildfire-prone areas, the safety of your crew, equipment, and vehicles is paramount. Wildfires can be unpredictable and devastating, posing a significant threat to your valuable assets. To mitigate risk of potential losses, it is important to have an effective asset relocation plan in place. This plan ensures that in the event of a wildfire, your vehicles and equipment have a safe place, reducing the risk of damage or total loss. This safe relocation address should be in an urban area, surrounded by buildings – not rural vegetation. It can be a mall parking lot or any urban lot. Let’s explore the reasons why having an asset relocation plan is crucial for tree care companies.
Author, Casey Craig, Account Executive, Rancho Mesa Insurance Services, Inc.
We are going into uncertain times as some commercial auto carriers are electing to no longer write new business in California. This is leading to other carriers, that are still willing, to be overwhelmed with requests for insurance quotes. Carriers are limited in the increases they can take from one policy period to the next and have had increasingly bad losses which has made it impossible to be profitable. This will lead to carriers inevitably charging more over time as the losses have become staggering. Let’s take a look at what you can do as an insured to help your company look like a better risk for these carriers and mitigate premium increases?
Author, Megan Lockhart, Client Communications Coordinator, Rancho Mesa Insurance Services, Inc.
Since the release of ChatGPT this year, it seems every technology platform is incorporating Artificial Intelligence (AI) into their products. However, concerns are quickly rising about the effects AI technology may have on industries. As more companies begin to incorporate AI into their products and operations, now is the time to reevaluate the necessity of an AI policy for your organization.
Author, Megan Lockhart, Media Communications and Client Services Coordinator, Rancho Mesa Insurance Services, Inc.
As schools begin filtering back into session, more vehicles flood the roads in the mornings and afternoons. The “rush hour” traffic is back in full swing. From construction workers on their way to the jobsite to parents rushing their kids to school, more vehicles on the road means more risk for accidents, and an uptick in insurance claims.
Author, Lauren Stumpf, Marketing & Media Communications Specialist, Rancho Mesa Insurance Services, Inc.
In Episode 339 of Rancho Mesa’s StudioOne™ podcast, Vice President of the Construction Group Sam Clayton interviews Executive Vice President Daniel Frazee as they discuss the importance of Residential Exclusions in General Liability (GL) Policies for companies in the construction industry.
Author, Matt Gaynor, Director of Surety, Rancho Mesa Insurance Services, Inc.
We often receive questions from our contractor clients regarding if/when they should require a subcontractor to provide the protection of a performance & payment bond for a project. Although the premium charged for the bond will add cost to the project – on many occasions the benefit of the bond will far outweigh the cost.
Author, Megan Lockhart, Media Communications and Client Services Coordinator, Rancho Mesa Insurance Services, Inc.
California can experience high heat in the late Summer and early Fall months, which increases the risk of heat illness for employees working outside.
Author, Jack Marrs, Associate Account Executive, Rancho Mesa Insurance Services, Inc.
In this second installment of exploring an Injury and Illness Prevention Program (IIPP) we will be taking a closer look at the procedures for identifying and evaluating workplace hazards, investigating occupational injury or illnesses, and correcting unsafe or unhealthy conditions, work practices and procedures.
Author, Kevin Howard, Account Executive, Rancho Mesa Insurance Services, Inc.
Mechanical HVAC contractors are essential to making sure that buildings around the globe have controlled temperatures and are energy efficient. Nationwide, the demand for mechanical HVAC contractors often keeps these businesses with full backlogs. These companies use various materials that create the potential for a pollution liability claim. Refrigerants, gases, flammable liquids, and lubricants are examples of these types of pollutants. If leaked or exposed, walls, ceilings, and floors can develop damage or mold that is not covered by standard commercial general liability policies.
Author, Megan Lockhart, Media Communications and Client Services Coordinator, Rancho Mesa Insurance Services, Inc.
On July 20, 2023, the Cal/OSHA board approved a petition that requested an emergency temporary standard for respirable crystalline silica, a byproduct of manufacturing and cutting artificial stone material.
Author, Andy Roberts, Account Executive, Rancho Mesa Insurance Services, Inc.
Obtaining bonding for public works projects can be a complex process but understanding what bonds are, why they are required, and what information the bond company needs can take a lot of the mystery out of the process and make it seem a lot less daunting.
Author, Megan Lockhart, Media Communications and Client Services Coordinator, Rancho Mesa Insurance Services, Inc.
With summer in full swing and the autumn months close ahead, landscapers are at their busiest time of the year. During this time, landscape companies often increase their employee numbers with temporary hires to meet the seasonal demands. Due to this, employers are encouraged to be more cautious of the increased risk of injuries to their workers, particularly those who are young and less-experienced.
Author, Sam Brown, Account Executive, Rancho Mesa Insurance Services, Inc.
On Friday, July 14th Rancho Mesa hosted a popular workshop titled “Cyber Liability Explained: Hacking Trends for 2023” with presenter Beau Bechelli of Evolve MGA. His 60-minute presentation educated the audience on the cost of cyber-attacks, the most common types of attacks, and practical ways to help reduce the threat of a breach.
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