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Employee Benefits Package

Employee Benefits Package Options

Employee Benefits Package

In order to recruit and retain the best possible workforce, it’s important to offer a competitive benefits package. Employers have a wide variety of possible benefits to choose some, so it’s important to select offerings that are both affordable and appealing.

Health Insurance

One of the most crucial employee benefits options to incorporate into a package is health insurance. Some employers are required to offer this type of benefit depending on their size. The scope of coverage and the cost to individual employees in a group plan are among the most determinative factors to consider in choosing a plan.

Short Term and Long Term Disability

Being able to provide employees with disability benefits in the event that they are unable to work due to injury or illness is a benefit that employees will greatly value. It also benefits employers insofar as it enables their employees to support themselves during their recovery and return to their positions.

Life Insurance

Many companies offer employees life insurance policies for their staff. They are effective for the duration of a staff member’s employment and they may be for a set amount or equivalent to an employee’s annual salary.

Ultimately, many prospective employees value benefits offerings as highly as salary. It’s essential that you work with an experienced insurance carrier to build an excellent benefits package.

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Commercial Insurance

3 Essential Insurance Plans For Biotech Companies

Biotech Companies

Companies in the biotech field engage in complex research activities that require sensitive, state-of-the-art equipment and often rely on the use of clinical trials. If you operate a business in this industry, it’s paramount that your company and its employees are protected against the risks they face. While it’s likely that you already have workers’ compensation and directors and officers plans, these are not enough to cover all of your liabilities. Below are three additional plans that are essential to organizations working in biotech.

  1. Commercial Property Insurance

This insurance product will protect your property against damage caused by fire, theft, vandalism, storms and other types of disasters. You should also make sure that your commercial property plan covers damage to any fragile equipment used by your company.

  1. Pollution Liability Insurance

Biotech coverages of this type are particularly important if your organization works with chemicals or produces hazardous waste. It will offer protection from third-party claims of property damage and bodily injury.

  1. Clinical Trial Insurance

While your business may apply rigorous safety measures to all of its clinical trials, unforeseen accidents and mistakes can still occur. Clinical trial insurance will pay for any resulting legal defense costs as well as the costs associated with a settlement or judgement.

The biotech industry has produced many advancements in the medical, agricultural and industrial fields, to name a few. This work is often essential to the continued welfare of humanity. Make sure that you and your employees are able to continue these important efforts by getting the insurance protection you need.

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Coverage Plan Homeowner’s Insurance Insurance Coverage Snow damage coverages

Homeowner’s Insurance and Snow Damage

Snow damage coverages

Winter storms with heavy snowfall and ice accumulation can cause significant damage to a home, including newer constructions. It’s important for homeowners to evaluate the protections offered by their current policies and consider possible exceptions.

Coverage Inclusions

Snow damage coverages typically include damage to a roof from heavy snowfall, damage to a home’s exterior caused by heavy winds, flooding from frozen or burst pipes, and torn gutters and siding caused by ice dams. These coverages may be excluded if they are attributable to a lack of maintenance.

Coverage Exceptions

Typically, a policy will exclude damages that could have been prevented with proper maintenance. In the case of ice dams, for example, dams caused by a failure to clean or care for gutters may be excluded. Likewise, damage caused by rotting trees that weren’t trimmed or removed could be excluded.

Flooding Damage

When the snow melts and floods a home, it’s generally not included within the scope of a homeowner’s policy. A homeowner would need a separate policy specifically covering flood damage.

Homeowners need to be conscientious about what their insurance coverage includes. Moreover, they need to take active steps to maintain their home and surrounding landscaping in order to ensure that they do not experience any type of preventable damage that may be excluded from a policy.

 

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Commercial Insurance Coverage Plan Healthcare claims Insurance Coverage Self-funded Insurance

What Makes Self-funded Insurance Attractive?

Self-funded insurance

As healthcare costs continue to rise, companies find themselves in the position of having to pass along those costs to their employees and raising premiums year after year. Many are turning to self-funding their insurance plans as a way to contain costs.

Basically in a self-funded (self-insured) plan, the employer takes the risk of paying the healthcare claims. This works in the following manner.

  • When the employer deducts health insurance premiums from the employee’s pay, the money is deposited into the company’s health care asset account where the funds accumulate and earn interest.
  • When an employee visits the doctor and incurs a medical claim, that claim is sent to the employer (or their third-party administrator) and the claim is paid from the funds in the company’s health care asset account.

Self-funded insurance becomes attractive to employers for several reasons.

  • No risk pooling costs associated with fully insured plans
  • Monies in the asset account can accrue interest
  • Claims are not paid until incurred
  • Any surplus left in the assets account is kept by the company, allowing the reduction of premiums and offset costs from year to year based on their claim utilization
  • Lower administration costs
  • Greater plan design flexibility to meet a company’s needs

Companies should talk to their insurance carrier to see if self-funding may be a viable option to reduce costs associated with healthcare benefits.

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Commercial Insurance

What Does Commercial Insurance Do To Protect Your Business?

Commercial Insurance

As a business owner, you have an obligation to protect your company from anything that could threaten its financial future. Knowing the basics of commercial insurance can help you evaluate which types of coverage your business may require.

Understanding Policy Types: The Basics of Commercial Insurance

According to Allegiant Insurance Services, there are four main types of essential insurance coverage for small businesses:

1. Liability Insurance

Liability insurance shields your business from legal claims of negligence, harm or other damages allegedly caused by your products or services. It also provides protection for claims of injuries incurred on your property.

2. Workers Comp Insurance

If your business has employees, you will likely need workers comp coverage. Workers comp provides for the medical expenses of employees injured on the job or compensates families for the work-related loss of a loved one.

3. Property Insurance

Safeguard your facilities and inventory against theft, fire or other catastrophes. Property insurance covers everything from office equipment to raw production materials.

4. Business Auto Insurance

Whether you have one company car or a whole fleet of trucks, business auto insurance is indispensable. This type of coverage addresses personal injury and property damage claims that may result if one of your company’s vehicles is in an accident.

Finding the Right Commercial Insurance

Once you understand the basics of commercial insurance, you can work with a qualified insurance agent to get customized coverage. Your agent can bundle several types of insurance into a business owner’s policy that suits your company’s needs.

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Coverage Plan Insurance Coverage

Insurance for Wealthy Homeowners

historical or architectural significance

For those that own homes costing more than $750,000, the insurance needs will be different from that of a typical homeowner. Since the home is worth more, the costs to replace the home or repair damages will be much higher. Buildings of historical or architectural significance, those constructed from rare or expensive materials, or even condos and luxury homes can need insurance for high-value homeowners.

The Challenges of Insurance Coverage

The price of the home is the most significant challenge when trying to secure a comprehensive insurance plan. The personal liability of the owner is also higher, as are the limits needed for personal property. Wealthy homeowners often have more expensive interior furnishings and collections, as well as exterior features that are potentially hazardous. Though higher limits are needed, many high-value policies will come with standard baseline features.

The Coverage Areas

The common baseline areas of coverage include protection against injuries or damages that occur on or off the property. It also covers the legal fees if you are sued. A wealthy homeowner may have a feature like a swimming pool or tennis court, and even if you haven’t given someone permission to use the facility, you could be responsible for injuries that occur. Your policy may also be written to include living expenses, identity theft coverage, sewer or pipe backup, partial loss, or no-cost home inspections.

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Boat Insurance Insurance Coverage

Insurance Considerations for Liveaboard Boaters

iveaboard-boaters

You are finally doing it; you’re realizing your dream and making the move from sticks-and-bricks to hull-and-deck living. Even if you have years of operating a boat for leisure, there are a few unique issues involved when deciding to make your boat your dwelling. Liveaboard boat insurance cost considerations are an important factor for people who choose to live either full time or for a significant portion of the year on their vessel.

The Impacts of Travel on Coverage

The extent you intend to travel plays a role in the types and levels of coverage you will need. For instance, staying docked for much of the year has a different risk profile than being out in open waters for long stretches of time. For those who opt to live and travel seasonally, it is important to acquire a policy that provides appropriate coverage for the times you are aboard versus onshore.

The Impacts of Location on Coverage

Another important element in determining policy costs is location. If you plan to stay in warmer climates year-round, you will not run into the same weather exposures and vulnerabilities experienced in cold weather climates. Likewise, additional protections will be needed if you intend to travel in international waters and dock in foreign countries.

Living aboard your boat can be an amazing experience, providing you with plenty of adventure while reducing your cost-of-living expenses. Making the right insurance decisions ensures you are adequately protected when you move aboard and allows you to live your dream.

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Professional Employer Organizations professional liability insurance

Putting Safety First When Working with Scaffolding

working-with-scaffolding

If your upcoming project requires the use of scaffolding, there are some important procedural details that you need to evaluate before you begin. It’s imperative that you work with a qualified crew that is experienced in safe assembly and use.

Scaffolding Structures Need to Be Installed by Professionals

If you need to use any type of scaffolding structure, you need to enlist professional help. This is true of even small structures meant to accommodate only one worker at a time. Likewise, if there’s a problem with a structure that has already been assembled, you need to call in professional help. Even if you think that you can easily identify the problem, you should have a professional address it so that you can be sure that it’s repaired in its entirety and that the repair will be effective. Scaffolding safety takes priority over all other aspects of your project such as costs or deadlines.

Any Adjustments, Raises, or Relocations Should Be Handled Professionally

If you wish to move or raise an already assembled structured, professional help is absolutely necessary. When a system that appears solid is moved, its structural integrity is compromised. A professional is in the best position to thoroughly evaluate the best and safest way to move a system.

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Home Insurance

Home Insurance in High Fire-Risk Areas

Home Insurance

Living in California has plenty of perks. Compared to citizens of other states, Californians are healthier, attend better schools, and enjoy an overall higher quality of life. The chance of having your home damaged by fire, however, is one of the downsides to life in the Golden State. Therefore, it is crucial to have good home insurance in places where seasonal wildfires are likely to occur.

Expenses Covered by Home Insurance

Home insurance in high fire-risk areas should always cover the following expenses:

  • Repairing or rebuilding your entire house
  • Replanting trees and shrubs on your property
  • Reimbursing up to 70 percent of the value of personal belongings such as clothing, furniture, and sentimental items
  • Staying in a hotel and eating out while your home is repaired
  • Paying for damages if someone else is injured on your property during the fire

All insurance companies do not handle fire risk in the same way, so it is a good idea to shop around. Once you have settled on a policy that covers all the expenses listed above, the next step is to conduct a thorough inventory of everything in your home. Remember, a good home insurance policy and a complete list of assets will protect your investment in case you fall victim to fire.

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Insurance Coverage

Making a Website ADA Compliant

ADA Compliant

The business world has increasingly grown to utilize the internet for marketing and displaying business information. However, it is often forgotten that not everyone can easily access a computer, website or smartphone app. Many potential clients may not be able to read what is on a screen or be able to click, tap and scroll as needed. Such users make up a strong portion of adults in the United States and need to be provided with the same ability to get information on the internet as everyone else.

What is Accessibility?

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was written in 1990 and set out to define requirements to make a business accessible to all people. This started out with explaining the accommodations necessary to access a physical building, but has since expanded to include offerings on a website. As explained by https://www.neilsonmarketing.com/, there are multiple aspects that are used to accomplish ADA website compliance:

  • Alternative ways of providing text such as those capable of being read by automated systems.
  • Providing closed captioning for multimedia content.
  • Ability to modify font size and screen contrast.
  • Utilizing the keyboard for all site functions instead of a mouse.
  • More intuitive site design and navigational features.

You have spent a lot of time seeking an audience for the services you offer. Ensure your marketing is accessible to everyone by developing an ADA compliant platform.