Industry News
Success Soars with SafetyOne™: Improve Workplace Safety and Lower Costs
Author, Jadyn Brandt, Client Communications Coordinator, Rancho Mesa Insurance Services, Inc.
In today’s complex insurance environment, workplace safety is not just a regulatory requirement, it’s a necessary strategy to keep employees safe and costs low.
Navigating the Hard Market in Tree Care Insurance: What Business Owners Need to Know
Author, Rory Anderson, Partner, Account Executive, Rancho Mesa Insurance Services, Inc.
The tree care industry has always carried a unique set of risks, but in today’s insurance climate, business owners are facing challenges unlike anything they have seen before. What used to be a straightforward cost of doing business has evolved into one of the more complex and expensive aspects of running a company. Nearly every major coverage line is feeling rate pressure, stricter underwriting standards, and fewer carriers willing to take on the exposure.
Using Rancho Mesa Resources for Return-to-Work Programs
Author, Jadyn Brandt, Client Communications Coordinator, Rancho Mesa Insurance Services, Inc.
Avoiding injuries on the job should be every employers goal but despite their best efforts, injuries can still happen. If an employee’s ability to work is limited for an extended amount of time, that employee could be at risk of leaving their job or dropping out of the labor force entirely. Return-to-work programs are essential in managing the impact of work-related injuries or illnesses, and to help your employees successfully reintegrate to the workplace.
Protecting the Organization and Employees When Offering Retirement Plans
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.
Training Your Team for Safer Driving This Fall
Author, Jadyn Brandt, Client Communications Coordinator, Rancho Mesa Insurance Services, Inc.
Summer break is coming to a close and as students return to the classroom, drivers can expect an influx of cars on the road. Whether you’re dropping the kids off at school or operating a commercial vehicle, busier commutes mean more risk. Safe driving should always be a priority, but with more people rushing to their destinations, this is a time to be extra vigilant behind the wheel. Drivers will likely encounter more school busses, cyclists, pedestrians, and teenage drivers still getting the hang of operating a vehicle than in the summer months, which can pose additional hazards.
The History, Importance and Value of Surety Bond Requirements for Contractors
Author, Anne Wright, Surety Relationship Executive, Rancho Mesa Insurance Services, Inc.
Surety bonds, in the world of construction, guarantee that the obligations of the contract will be properly completed and all costs paid. The concept of surety – which is a guarantee of one party for another’ party’s debts or obligations – literally goes back to ancient times.
Navigating Risk A Holistic Approach to Mechanical Trades Safety with UFG
Account Executive Matt Gorham sits down with Gary Clevenger, VP of Risk Control at UFG Insurance, to discuss a consultative approach to risk management in the mechanical trades. They cover how a holistic risk assessment, strong partnerships, and modern tools like the DOS framework can elevate your safety and insurance strategies.
Staying Compliant: Updating Your Human Resources Policies
Author, Jadyn Brandt, Client Communications Coordinator, Rancho Mesa Insurance Services, Inc.
In today’s rapidly changing legal landscape, it is more important than ever to ensure your company’s policies and procedures are kept up-to-date. Updating your employee handbook is a vital step in ensuring employees are aware of new policies and understand what is expected of them.
Training Your Landscape Fleet Drivers with Rancho Mesa
Author, Drew Garcia, Vice President, Landscape Group, Rancho Mesa Insurance Services, Inc.
Landscape businesses are well aware of the risks associated with their employees operating vehicles on a daily basis. The commercial insurance market has also taken notice of the risks and responded with rate increases and a diminishing appetite to write the policies.
Six Ways Contractors Can Prepare for Higher Workers’ Compensation Rates
Authors, Sam Clayton, Vice President, Construction Group, Rancho Mesa Insurance Services, Inc.
Over the last couple of months, we have published multiple articles and podcasts on the Workers’ Compensation Insurance Rating Bureau’s proposed rate increase and now the approved 8.7% increase to the pure premium rates effective 9/1/25. But, what we have not touched on are the specific steps our best-in-class contractors are doing to position their companies to offset these increases.
Updates to OSHA Penalty Guidelines and Reductions for Small Businesses
Author, Jadyn Brandt, Client Communications Coordinator, Rancho Mesa Insurance Services, Inc.
Small businesses are set to be the beneficiaries of new Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) penalty adjustments. The U.S. Department of Labor has updated its penalty and debt collection procedures in OSHA’s Field Operations Manual, expanding the number of businesses that fall under small business guidelines.
The Value of Safety Committees in Human Services Organizations
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.
Top Work-Related Injuries for Landscapers
Author, Greg Garcia, Account Executive, Rancho Mesa Insurance Services, Inc.
Travelers Insurance’s peer data from 2020 to 2025 report showcases the top work-related injury causes within the landscape industry. Looking at the top of this list, slip/trips/falls as well as strains account for roughly 40% of the injuries reported.
Signs of Future Increased Costs in Workers’ Compensation Continue
Author, Kevin Howard, Account Executive, Rancho Mesa Insurance Services, Inc.
Senator Anna M. Caballero recently introduced Senate Bill 555 (SB 555), also known as the Workers’ Disability Adjustment Act. While the bill is currently stalled in the Senate Appropriations Committee, SB 555 could, if signed into law, increase weekly Permanent Disability (PD) benefits for injured workers in the California workers’ compensation system, adjusting these annually to reflect economic inflation through a cost-of-living adjustment (COLA).
Have you Experienced Turbulence in Your Commercial Auto Insurance Renewal?
Landscape maintenance contractors with large fleets of service trucks are tough to place in the current insurance market. This, along with a hardening general liability market has lead to some frustrating insurance renewals.
Rancho Mesa Insurance’s Green Industry Practice Group has helped over a 100 landscape and tree care customers currently operating across the country with navigating this turbulent market. Connect with them for a more detailed review of your company’s insurance placement needs.
CA Insurance Commissioner Lara Approves 8.7% Workers Compensation Increase
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.
Mid-Year Insurance Outlook for Contractors: Rising Costs, Tighter Margins
Author, Casey Craig, Account Executive, Rancho Mesa Insurance Services, Inc.
As a contractor in California, you are likely feeling the squeeze, right now. Material costs are up, labor is more expensive, and insurance, typically a predictable line item, is becoming a growing burden on your bottom line. 2025 is proving to be one of the most challenging years yet for construction business owners. Even companies with best practice risk management controls in place are getting hit with premium increases that are hard to absorb.
Preparing for the Summer Heat: Heat Illness Prevention Resources from Rancho Mesa
Author, Jadyn Brandt, Client Communications Coordinator, Rancho Mesa Insurance Services, Inc.
As temperatures continue to rise through the summer months, heat illness prevention is essential to protect employees from the dangers of extreme weather. Rancho Mesa has a variety of safety resources available for employee training and incident reporting.
Liquidated Damages: What Every Contractor Needs to Know
Author, Andy Roberts, Account Executive, Rancho Mesa Insurance Services, Inc.
For a surety agent and underwriter, there are specific provisions within a contract that are important. One of the more critical provisions, references Liquidated Damages (LD). Often overlooked by contractors, LDs represent important elements of the contract that can cause significant financial losses on a project. So what are LDs; why are they important; and, what can contractors do to make sure the LDs in their contracts are fair?
A Contractor’s Best Practice Approach to Price Escalations in the Current Market
Author, Anne Wright, Surety Relationship Executive, Rancho Mesa Insurance Services, Inc.
Historically, market conditions and economic factors have contributed to both contractors and subcontractors having to deal with price escalations. Today, the uncertainties of how the tariffs will impact the construction industry is causing many to rethink their pricing models and contracts.