You’ve come to trust Cornerstone Underwriting Partners (CUP) as your connection for many types of challenging Workers Compensation (WC) placements. One of those classifications is trucking.

WC for truckers can be challenging because the trucking industry is loaded (pun intended) with the potential for injury to drivers. It regularly ranks near the top of “most dangerous” occupations; to illustrate why, here are a two significant exposures that truckers are presented with:

Crashes: Contending with crashes is a part of the job for truckers and impacts the driver’s welfare. Truckers deal with the same issues as all drivers deal with but the issues are bigger in a truck. First, roads are busy again - the miles driven are at pre-pandemic levels which means truckers share congested roads. To state the obvious, trucks are big and require more space than other vehicles. Trucks also weigh significantly more than private passenger vehicles which contributes to a longer stopping distance. These physical attributes contribute to a more challenging driving experience and potentially leading to conflict with other vehicles.

While all drivers experience weather, not all drivers experience all types of weather – but a trucker can. On top of the physics mentioned in the preceding paragraph, truck drivers routinely operate vehicles in “good” weather as well as more difficult conditions presented by snow and ice during winter weather. Black ice and the extra challenge presented by bridges and overpasses during winter weather also contribute to a hazardous environment. If any of the circumstances are not right, it becomes harder to avoid a crash in a heavy truck than it is in a private passenger vehicle. In short, crashes make the work environment for truckers dangerous.

Health Risks: Deadlines for the delivery of goods make it tempting to continue driving at the expense of healthy living. Fatigue and the onset of other health conditions are constant concerns.

Fatigue is typically managed by tracking on-duty hours and failing to do this may lead to crashes. On-duty can include all the time spent inspecting the truck before/after the trip, waiting to be dispatched, driving time, loading/unloading and repairing the vehicle. It also can include time performing other work for the employer as well as performing compensated work for someone that is not their employer. Having a robust monitoring system for on-duty hours is critical for countering issues brought on by fatigue.

The working environment for truckers is not one of just sitting and driving for hours. When this is the case, the work unfortunately gives rise to ailments such as back, hip, knee and neck injuries. Also due to the demands of the job, truck drivers are more prone to obesity, hypertension and poorer mental health. These are long-term consequences of the neglect of healthy living and encouraging healthy eating and exercise are important to minimizing affects.

Truckers are important to the quality of life we all enjoy and keeping them fit and available for their duties is critical. Keeping these items in mind helps understand the exposures that truckers deal with and can help with the placement of this class of business. Fortunately, you have a partner in CUP that understands this. Please call us to help with your Trucking WC accounts.

Keith Woodland (865) 425-7430 [email protected]	Garrett Davidson (865) 425-7306 [email protected]

 

 

Whether they are building things, demolishing things, fixing things, moving things or mowing things, contractors get things done! From the start of a project to its end and at all points in between, contractors do all types of work - and sometimes surprise us with the things they have agreed to do. This entrepreneurial spirit keeps them going all year long; not just during the time of year when the weather is best.

Clearing snow and ice is a natural application of a contractor’s employees and equipment to keep producing revenue during the “off” season. With a modest investment in equipment, your contracting accounts can keep working during the winter weather by tending to sidewalks, parking lots and private roads. The types of contractors that fill this critical need tend to be in the landscaping, excavating, general construction or building maintenance spaces. THIS is the moment to be aware of because many General Liability (GL) policies specifically exclude snow removal operations.

As with anything a contractor does, the BI/PD exposure is significant and needs to be accounted for in their insurance program. The premises exposure is pretty large in terms of safety for those in close proximity while the snow/ice removal is taking place as well as possible damage to cars and the buildings themselves. Experience in controlling the site for the safety of the public is critical. The completed operations exposure is very significant. After your contractor completes their work and leaves the site, there is still potential exposure to loss and claims.

Be sure to have the conversation with your contracting accounts to make sure there are no “unknowns” when it comes to these winter activities. Many times, the markets that typically write contractors will not have an appetite for contractors involved in snow removal operations – but we can help. Cornerstone Underwriting Partners (CUP) is here and has years of experience handling this exposure for contractors that serve the following operations:

Office complexes Condos/HOAs Convenience Stores

Small Retail Stores Schools Strip malls under 25 units

Private streets/roads Motels/Hotels Industrial or warehouse ops

Key features include enhanced optional coverages and $1M/$2M CGL limits. These coverages are available for established snow/ice removal contractors, new ventures and accounts utilizing subcontractors. If you are a retail agent, help your clients by calling or e-mailing:

Art Torrington (704) 360-4478 [email protected]	Jennifer Rigler (267) 495-2268 [email protected]

If you are a wholesaler, help your clients by calling or e-mailing:

Jackson Seals (865) 425-1022 [email protected]

Kristofer Roe (865) 425-7356 [email protected]

 

 

"Insurance for Fire Suppression contractors"

It’s 8:13 AM on Monday and you are assessing claims that occurred over the weekend. Along the way, you learn that two customers need a binder because they are closing on their mortgage tomorrow, the bathroom sink is backing up for the 3rd time in two months and your biggest client just asked for a bid bond they need in 32 minutes. Sound like a typical day of insurance agency “fires” to be put out?

It’s different for your customers who deal with “real” fires – those that operate in the Fire Suppression industry. In its most basic form, these people have a goal to extinguish, control or perhaps even entirely prevent fires from starting or spreading.

Fortunately, these clients have a chance to anticipate what is coming and prepare for it (unlike the insurance pro who has to work things into their day). Quality Fire Suppression contractors consider several things in carrying out their duties, among them:

• The materials being protected,
• The building construction in which the suppression measures are taking place, and
• The equipment being used to prevent/limit the expansion of fire.

Like most industries, the Fire Suppression industry has a need for insurance coverage and many of these needs can be handled with coverages you work with every day - Business Personal Property or Inland Marine, Workers Compensation, Business Auto and General Liability.

• Business Personal Property or Inland Marine (IM):  In most cases, this exposure is similar to your current contracting accounts. These coverages will be used for office equipment and the equipment used by the technician in the field. Standard property and IM underwriting would be appropriate for Fire Suppression contractors.  
• Workers Comp:   Good hiring practices, insured subcontractors, the training of employees and a strong commitment to safety are keys to a desirable WC account. Also, answering the question “What are your duties?” is critical and it should make sense when paired with the rating of the business auto policy and the Commercial General Liability (CGL).    
• Business Auto:  Firms in the fire suppression industry generally operate service vehicles such as vans or pickups so typical auto liability underwriting will suffice to handle this exposure. For physical damage coverage, it is common for vehicles to be modified with attached toolboxes or other equipment to support the technician in the field. Due to this, be sure to anticipate the value of this equipment plus the value of wraps on the vehicle.
• CGL Coverage:   Firms in the Fire Suppression industry have control of the premises in ways that are similar to any contractor doing work on the jobsite.
  • Prem/Ops exposures should be evaluated similar to the best contractors. Signs of a contractor with a favorable Prem/Ops exposure include:
  • A safe worksite which has control over visitors to the premises,
  • Doesn’t present other hazards such as slip/fall or overhead hazards, and
  • Has good, insured subcontractors with proper risk transfer in place.
  • Products/Completed Operations activities is where most of the exposure with these contractors resides. After the sitework is done and the contractor turns over the premises to the owner, the work of the fire suppression contractor is expected to respond to a fire event. If the work does not respond as intended, significant property loss is likely to occur which could possibly give rise to liability for the contractor.

It’s a great time to serve the Fire Suppression industry. If you are new to it, you may wonder what the insurance marketplace for Fire Suppression contractors looks like. To give an idea of a progression from easiest to hardest operations to place, the following generally applies:

• Installation/Service/Repair (ISR): Coverage is readily available for contractors working with traditional wet sprinkler systems, wet/dry sprinkler systems and ISR for hand-held fire extinguishers.
• Restaurant Systems ISR, Restaurant Hood Cleaning and a heavy amount of residential work will see more limited coverage opportunities.
• Design work involves high level of skills and requires professional liability coverage. If your client is involved in design work, they likely need Professional Liability coverage. The best accounts have tenured people, good “sign off” procedures in place with their customers and good claims history.

Distinguish yourself with well-crafted insurance recommendations which consider:

• Mastering the basics mentioned above.
• Understanding accounts whose traits make a good fit for a market.
• Understanding of the professional liability exposure.

The next step is to connect with the best underwriters in the Fire Suppression space and those underwriters are at Cornerstone Underwriting Partners. We’ve got the experience and are here to help you with capabilities for both retail and wholesale placement.
Please call today to begin.

Tyler Petcoff (248) 262-5998 [email protected]

 

 

“Safeguarding” means to protect something from potential threats and describes the security industry well. But who protects the protectors? Insurance. Firms providing security services possess similar needs for coverage that many of your other clients have because of some common elements: people, cars and places. Security firms (like contractors, restaurants and offices) employ people which means a need for workers compensation and auto liability. These firms also have a heavy Prem/Ops exposure - like a contractor - which leads to a need for CGL coverage. Like other industries, there is also a need for coverage under an Excess liability coverage. This seems a lot like the things you do every day. While the basics are similar, the details are not. Like all your clients, there are specific things that keep them up at night and this is where a well-crafted insurance program comes in. The basic things to understand about the security industry are:

• Workers Comp:  Understanding the number and type of employees is a good place to start.  As with most clients, questions such as “What are your duties?” are critical.  The results should make sense when paired with the rating of other policies such as business auto and Commercial General Liability (CGL). 
• Business Auto:   Firms in the security business generally operate private passenger type vehicles such as sedans, SUVs or pickups.  The radius of operations normally is small and well controlled – possibly involving a single property.  Good fact-finding will help you see if what you are being told fits with the operation.  To demonstrate this point, if your customer has a fleet of heavy trucks that are traveling across the nation, are you really talking to a firm in the security industry?    
• CGL Coverage:  The greatest exposure for firms in the security industry lies in their activities which fall under the Prem/Ops coverage.  In fact, the products exposure for many classifications is small enough to be accounted for in the Prem/Ops rate.  Your role is to understand your client’s duties which typically center on the evaluation and/or recommendation of security measures for their customer.   The security provider has control of the premises in a similar way to a contractor doing work on the jobsite.  Understanding for whom your client conducts their activities is critical.  Do they provide security for acceptable operations such as patrolling habitational buildings, construction sites or industrial buildings?  Or are they working with more challenging exposures such as security for large sporting venues, airports or high net worth personal protection.
• Excess Liability:   Handling loss severity is a consideration for most industries and the security industry is no different.  Excess Liability coverage addresses infrequent severity of loss because the policy will not respond until the underlying policy’s limits are exhausted.    Typically, this policy anticipates the adjustment of claims to be taken care of by the primary policies and the excess is simply there to provide higher limits for covered claims, if needed. Excess liability is good for the policyholder.  It also is desirable for the producer because it generally require only a modest bit of additional underwriting. Today’s market for security is better than ever before which makes it a great time to be in a position to serve that industry.   We’re here to help you serve the security industry with capabilities for both retail and wholesale placement.

Tyler Petcoff (248) 262-5998 [email protected]

 

 

“Grip in and Risk it?  Think again”

Grip, stance, backswing, downswing and tempo are the fundamentals of a golf swing according to those that know, Golf.com.   Sure, a “grip it and rip it” approach might be quicker (and maybe more exciting), but without solid fundamentals, the results are unpredictable. The takeaway? Mastering the basics gives you the foundation to do more advanced things well. 

The same principle applies in commercial insurance - particularly with Workers’ Compensation.

You can make your Work Comp customers desirable to an underwriter by helping them demonstrate these fundamentals:

• Good hiring practices,
• Development of employees with strong training,
• An effective return to work program, and
• A documented commitment to safety that shows corrective action is used when needed and rewards are given for improvement.

These aren’t just checkboxes. They lead to tangible business benefits— lower employee turnover and better loss experience, which leads to lower mods and savings for the insured. 

Lack of focus hurts a good round of golf.  In the same way, new markets enter the Work Comp space regularly and offer shiny distractions.  Without expertise in the claims/underwriting/risk management/audit functions, results can become unpredictable.   

Think of Cornerstone Underwriting Partners (CUP) as your golf swing coach.  When you have accounts with these best practices, CUP can help you place them.  We have multiple outlets reaching coast to coast. 

Our strengths include contracting classes, transportation, healthcare, solar operations and security classes.  CUP also specializes in complex scenarios such as new ventures, lapsed accounts, no-prior coverage accounts, those with high mods and much more.

Let Cornerstone Underwriting Partners help you turn fundamentals into winning results:

 

Keith Woodland (865) 425-7430 [email protected]	Keith Lyons (865) 425-7303 [email protected]
Valerie Taylor (865) 425-7315 [email protected]	Garrett Davidson (865) 425-7306 [email protected]