Construction Industry

Author, Casey Craig, Account Executive, Rancho Mesa Insurance Services, Inc.

Rising insurance costs in California continue to put pressure on contractors. While many companies focus on finding lower premiums, the most effective way to control insurance costs is to reduce risk before claims occur.

Author, Jessee Keirstead, Risk Control Consultant, Rancho Mesa Insurance Services, Inc.

Across the United States, construction equipment theft is on the rise. And, for companies that depend on small and/or heavy equipment to operate, a stolen piece can have devastating consequences that result in project delays and lost revenue.

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, Kyle Dunlap, Account Executive, Rancho Mesa Insurance Services, Inc.

Best-in-class construction contractors treat hiring as a strategic function. When scaling quickly after winning large contracts, these employers use structured recruiting, safety-focused screening, and disciplined onboarding to reduce risk, protect their workforce, and control workers’ compensation costs and their experience modification rate (EMR).

Authors, Sam Clayton, Vice President, Construction Group, 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.

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.

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, Matt Gorham, Account executive, Rancho Mesa Insurance Services, Inc.

The insurance landscape that California plumbers and HVAC contactors currently face looks noticeably different than that of recent years. A prolonged period of sharp economic and social inflation has driven up claim costs for carriers, forcing many to exit or reevaluate their positions in the market. As carrier appetite shifts and capacity is constrained, contractors are largely experiencing frustration arising from limited carrier options, reduced coverage, and rapidly rising insurance premiums.

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, Kevin Howard, Account Executive, Rancho Mesa Insurance Services, Inc.

StudioOne™’s Episode 603 was packed with safety knowledge as I had the opportunity to interview and spotlight Rancho Mesa’s long time client, Century Painting Corp.

Author, Casey Craig, Account Executive, Rancho Mesa Insurance Services, Inc.

As insurance requirements become increasingly stringent across California’s construction industry, specialty contractors are facing more scrutiny from both general contractors and insurance carriers. It has become standard practice for prime contractors, and sometimes project owners, to require specialty contractors to sign detailed subcontractor agreements outlining scope, pricing, claims procedures, termination rights, indemnification, and strict insurance requirements.

Author, Kyle Dunlap, Account Executive, Rancho Mesa Insurance Services, Inc.

Fleet maintenance is essential for electrical contractors that rely on service trucks, vans, and heavy-duty vehicles to transport employees, tools, and materials safely to job sites on a daily basis. When contractors prioritize clean, safe, and well-maintained vehicles on highways, back roads, and active construction zones, they protect their workforce, prevent costly mishaps, maximize fuel consumption and reduce insurance challenges at renewal.

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, Jeremy Hoolihan, Partner, Rancho Mesa Insurance Services, Inc.

The construction industry operates in one of the highest‑risk environments. Contractors work with heavy machinery, multiple layers of subcontractors, hazardous jobsites, strict contractual obligations, and constant exposure to the public. These conditions create significant exposure to large liability claims. And, although general liability, auto liability, and employers’ liability insurance make up the foundation of a contractor’s risk management program, these primary policies often do not provide enough protection when a major incident occurs.

Jason Fischbein of Fisher Phillips sits down with Matt Gorham to discuss some of the primary labor and employment law issues currently impacting contractors, especially those within the HVAC and Plumbing 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.

Authors, Sam Clayton, Vice President, Construction Group, Rancho Mesa Insurance Services, Inc.

The use of heavy equipment by grading/excavating, street/road and water/sewer contractors is vital in their daily operations. Outside of their employees, this is their 2nd most valuable asset and also very expensive to replace, if stolen. Contractors across the country have seen an increase in heavy equipment theft. According to the National Equipment Register (NER), heavy equipment is nine times more likely to be stolen than vandalized and five times more likely to be stolen than encounter fire damage.

Author, Kevin Howard, Account Executive, Rancho Mesa Insurance Services, Inc.

As insurance advisors, we have a responsibility to keep our clients (and any business within earshot) informed about emerging risks that could impact their operations. One area that has grown significantly in recent years is Private Attorneys General Act (PAGA) lawsuits.

Author, Casey Craig, Account Executive, Rancho Mesa Insurance Services, Inc.

California’s insurance market has shifted dramatically in recent years, creating challenges for both carriers and insureds. While premium increases are often the most visible sign of a hard market, the underlying issues are far more complex.

Author, Matt Gorham, Account executive, Rancho Mesa Insurance Services, Inc.

Commercial auto insurance continues to be problematic for plumbers and HVAC contractors as skyrocketing premiums are eroding profitability.

Authors, Sam Clayton, Vice President, Construction Group, Rancho Mesa Insurance Services, Inc.

Street and road, general engineering and trade contractors understand the importance of having a written and executed subcontract agreement in place when using different subcontractors to complete a project. This agreement serves to protect both parties by clarifying responsibilities, managing risk and providing legal protections in the event of a dispute.

Author, Kevin Howard, Account Executive, Rancho Mesa Insurance Services, Inc.

November is National Diabetes month and a chance to pause and think about prevention, early detection, and long-term care. For companies, it is also a reminder that chronic health conditions can quietly influence safety, mental health, work performance and even workers’ compensation exposures.

Author, Casey Craig, Account Executive, Rancho Mesa Insurance Services, Inc.

This year has brought significant challenges for many of our clients. Amid economic shifts, project delays, and labor uncertainty, one concern has become increasingly common in conversations with construction leaders: the difficulty of attracting qualified younger employees and the growing struggle to replace retiring leadership.

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.

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.

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.

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).

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.

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.