Important California Workers Compensation Update

Final Workers' Compensation Insurance Regulations have been released.  If you purchase this type of coverage please take the time to read the full article linked below. 

The following is quoted from the attached article from the California Chamber:

The DWC amended regulations on MPN and employee information. Employers and insurers must revise their employee notices and workers’ compensation posters to comply with the new regulations. The amendments to the regulations include, but are not limited to, the following:

Allows MPN notices to be distributed electronically to all covered workers.

Eliminates the 14‐day MPN implementation and change of MPN notice period.  

Reduces distribution of both the Change of MPN notices and the Termination/Cessation of Use of MPN notices only to covered injured workers.

Requires an MPN contact e‐mail address to be included in notices.  

Requires access to the MPN contact through the toll‐free number. 

Updates the Employee Poster and Notice of Potential Eligibility and DWC Claim Form.
(Source: DWC)
The full article is attached at the link below:
Click here to find out what you need to do

Manage Your Employees - Ideas for Better Results

MANAGEMENT
Managing your employees with improved skills 

Management and leadership are two different animals. Leaders are imaginative, passionate risk takers. They are visionaries who can inspire people and stir emotions. Their main focus is on ideas.

Managers, on the other hand, need to be rational, organized problem solvers who can execute strategies, make decisions, co-ordinate and balance opposing viewpoints, reach compromises, and mediate conflicts. Their focus is on goals and outcomes.
 
As the head of a small to midsize enterprise (SME), you may well wear both hats. Thus, you must develop managerial acumen and skills, whether they come to you naturally or not.
 
Skillful management is a tremendous competitive advantage for SMEs. Good management leads to greater productivity, better morale, employee and customer loyalty, and service and sales excellence, and it sends a positive message about the organization to employees, customers, suppliers, industry peers and other business associates. Well-managed companies are far more likely to succeed than those that are not well-managed.
 
Following are some tips to help you manage for business success: 

Delegate: Good managers are able to let go of the reins and delegate tasks and responsibilities. They allow people to make mistakes, test limits and grow in their jobs.
 
Foster Teamwork: As a manager, it's up to you to hire good people and leverage their abilities. Top managers are able to develop and utilize diverse talents while also keeping people aligned with company goals.
 
Focus on Value Creation: Although managers are responsible for delivering results, wise managers allow people to be creative and individualistic and apply their own work styles to achieving outcomes. They do not micromanage, but instead set goals and focus on delivering results.
 
Build Relationships: Great managers make it a priority to build relationships. They spend a lot of time with people, including employees, competitors, and others in their industries and communities.
 
Seek Feedback: Good managers seek out feedback, especially negative feedback that can reveal where improvement is needed.
 
Develop Others: The best managers plan for the future. Fostering managerial skills in others is an important aspect of management.
 
Establish Standards: Managers need to set clear standards for themselves and others. It's important that employees see their managers walking the walk.
 
Treatment: Good managers treat people with respect and dignity.
 
There are some characteristics that are common to both managers and leaders. People in both roles need to be trustworthy, ethical, fair and principled. They need to be able to think big picture and plan long term. The ability to accept responsibility, shoulder blame, acknowledge mistakes and take charge when necessary goes with both territories. Communication skills are also essential to both.
 
The days of top-down management where the job of the boss was essentially to give orders and maintain the status quo are long gone.
 
Today's managers need skill sets that will enable them to motivate, coach and support their people.

Liability Insurance for Websites and Cyber Commerce Insurance

Website and Cyber Liability 

The decade long explosion of the world wide web is creating a new and broadening liability to individuals, families, and business.

Emails, social media, and websites all create an increasing array of exposure to risk of lawsuit. Cruising around the web with its undeniable freedom to write and think later might be akin to roaming around town during the wild west of the 19th century. You never know when someone might take a shot at you.

Almost everyone and every enity from private business to governments to your family members has a website or is doing something on the web. From conducting commerce to simple emails the risks are varied as there are species of bugs.

Protect your your Assets.

What they do not have is liabiity insurance coverage in most instances for mistakes that can be made on postings, or pricing or.........he risks of  

What? Why? When? How?

This limited list from a major carrier speaks to the types of situations, persons, business groups,

Proprietary On-line Services

Internet Access Providers

Web Site Developers, Designers and Consultants

Web Hosts and Administrators

Web Site Owners

Bulletin Board, Chat Room, Forum and News Group Hosts

Cyberspace Software Developers

Interactive Electronic Environments

Internet Content Providers

Intranet/Network/Extranet Hosts

Managers & Consultants

Search Engine Providers

Electronic Commerce Providers

 

 

Business Marketing - LinkedIn to Grow

MARKETING

Using LinkedIn to Grow Your Business

LinkedIn is an ideal networking tool for small and midsize businesses and solopreneurs.
 
There are many ways to leverage the power of LinkedIn to grow your business.
 
Following are some ways you can use LinkedIn effectively:
 
Announce News About Your Company: Update your profile with information about new product launchings, special service offerings, new locations, and other happenings or changes in your business.
 
Create a Link From Your LinkedIn Company Profile to Your Website and Vice Versa: This directs LinkedIn contacts to your website and also helps raise your site's visibility on search engines such as Google.
 
Position Yourself as an Industry Expert: Contribute to forum discussions and answer questions from other LinkedIn users, and you will soon become known as a subject matter expert and an industry leader or even a spokesperson. This enhances your personal reputation and is great for your business.
 
Generate Leads: Sort your contacts by such things as industry, title or geography to obtain a targeted list of prospects. Ask these leads for recommendations and referrals as well as for their business.
 
Find Decision-Makers and Influencers: By looking at the job titles, you can identify the decision-makers in an organization and reach out to them directly, bypassing the gatekeepers.
 
Build Your Reputation: When a client is pleased with your products/services, ask for a LinkedIn recommendation.
 
Tap Into Expertise: Occasionally, you may have questions or need advice about best practices or certain aspects of your business. Use LinkedIn Answers to tap into the knowledge and experience of others.

 Linkedin to grow business

Picture credit.

Life Insurance Beneficiaries : Basics

Life Insurance Beneficiaries: What to Consider 

One of the most important insurance decisions you can make is purchasing life insurance - it ensures that your loved ones will not suffer financial hardship in the event you are no longer there to care for them.

However, life insurance is a complex legal contract, so it’s essential to understand how to properly select a beneficiary in order to provide the needed protection and reduce the risk of extended legal battles.

Decide Who Will Be Your Beneficiary

Typically a spouse, a child or another relative is named as beneficiary, but when the designation is properly set up, a charity, a trust or even an estate can be named as the beneficiary instead. It’s also possible to have more than one beneficiary. For example, your spouse may be listed as the primary beneficiary, with the children listed as secondary beneficiaries in the event something were to happen to both of you.

Calculate Amounts

Determine how much to buy based upon need. For example, a newly married couple with toddlers at home may have significantly greater need than a middle-aged couple with grown children. Likewise, a sick spouse or a child with special needs may require additional care throughout his or her lifetime. The goal is to replace the care, compensation and other essential financial measures you contribute to their lives.

Understand the Rules

Depending upon your state and individual situation, there may be legal considerations that mandate how the insurance policy is to be written. For instance, many states require a spouse to sign a waiver if he or she is not listed as primary beneficiary on a policy. Likewise, taxes and other considerations should be carefully reviewed in order to understand the implications for the prospective beneficiary.

Plan on Change

It’s important to periodically review your policy to make needed changes, especially if you have experienced a major life event such as a change of marital status or the birth of a child.

Insurance - Environmental Pollution Policy may right for you?

Do You Need an Environmental Pollution Policy?

While the BP / Gulf oil spill financial costs are being added up a business owner needs to think seriously about the exposure and financial risks. The media is filled with articles about legislation that's designed to reduce the impact of environmental pollution.
 
Unfortunately, the media tends to focus on the impact on large corporations, leaving many small-business owners under the mistaken impression that environmental pollution risk is nothing they need to think about. However, the actual situation is much more complex.
 
Pollution liability is a growing concern for business owners of all sizes. From contractors to industrial manufacturing, your business could be at greater liability risk than you ever imagined.
 
An environmental pollution policy helps protect against a wide range of potential issues, including bodily injury and property damage as well as remediation costs both on a primary site and off-site or non-owned locations. 

Environmental pollution protection can be purchased as a primary policy, a rider on another policy, per project or on a multiyear basis. Other popular options include the ability to protect against completed projects or projects in operation as well as owner-controlled or prime contractor/sub-contractor options.
 
There are many situations - both known and unknown - where a small-business owner may need an environmental pollution policy. One example could be when a company-provided vehicle spills hazardous materials and contaminates the surrounding area. Another could be when a builder inadvertently installs toxin-containing materials in new construction, leading to serious illness or injury among the occupants. Whatever the source, environmental pollution insurance is increasingly viewed as a valuable addition for transportation providers, including truckers, shippers, air and sea cargo vendors, construction industry professionals, manufacturing plants both small and large, disposal vendors, chemical suppliers and service industry providers.
 
The advantages of obtaining an environmental pollution policy go beyond the obvious risk factors. It's an increasingly common option used by owners of businesses of all sizes to help reduce risk when purchasing a new property or business, obtaining funding or even attracting top talent.
 
For example, in most instances the directors' and officers' liability insurance will not cover litigation arising from environmental conditions. The addition of pollution insurance can dramatically reduce the uncertainty surrounding serving on the board of a growing company. Likewise, the purchase of a new business property or concern is an exciting time, but it also requires a leap of faith as the buyer is usually required to assume the environmental concerns - both on-site and off-site - of the acquired company.
 
The addition of environmental pollution protection is a great sales tool and also provides an increased level of protection against financial uncertainty. 
 

Does Your Home Business Have Insurance?

INSURANCE
Is Your Home Business Properly Insured?

As more small-business owners work from home, there's a growing need for special insurance to protect visitors against accidental injuries or illness associated with the business function of your home. Following are some things to consider:

Limitations: Many small-business owners are surprised to learn their traditional homeowner policies won't cover accident and injury claims if visitors are a normal part of the daily business activity. Instead, it's often necessary to purchase an additional liability insurance policy to protect business visitors, delivery drivers and even couriers conducting business at your property. Without proper protection in place, a simple slip by a delivery driver dropping off business items can turn your profitable home business into a major catastrophe.

Legal Considerations: Another commonly overlooked issue that results in coverage gaps involves zoning, health regulations, statutes and other legal considerations at the state or local level. Any claim arising from a location or business practice outside of the law is typically void, so it is essential to verify that all legal mandates are carefully followed.

Frequently Forgotten: Two of the most frequently forgotten areas of concern for the small-business owner include auto coverage and product liability coverage. Like your homeowner policy, most personal auto policies specifically exclude the business use of a vehicle. Likewise, product liability coverage is an especially important type of policy for those who create, design or manufacture an item - even something as simple as home-baked breads for resale. Protect clients and your assets against accidental injuries or claims by speaking with your agent today.

Health Insurance - HMOs and PPOs Basics

HMOs and PPOs: What Are the Differences?

Managed care is a term that describes the services provided by entities such as health maintenance organizations (HMOs) and preferred provider organizations (PPOs). Care provided via these organizations is meant to help reduce the cost of health care for both individuals and families.

HMOs provide a full range of health care services. They have a high concern for wellness and therefore also provide many preventive care options.

Care recipients in an HMO plan generally pay one fixed monthly premium, regardless of how much care is received during that time. In return, members must obtain their care from doctors and other facilities that are within that particular HMO network.

One of the benefits of an HMO includes low out-of-pocket costs. Rather than worry about a wide range of deductibles and co-payments, a member's monthly fee covers a great deal of the costs. This arrangement also reduces paperwork for the member.

In addition, there is usually no lifetime maximum benefit with HMO plans. Therefore, members will continue to be covered for as long as they need treatment and are in the plan.

PPOs have contracts with a wide variety of physicians and hospitals in order to provide care to members at a discounted rate. PPOs generally have deductible and co-payment requirements. Unlike with HMOs, PPO members' monthly premiums might not cover all their care, so they may be billed for the difference.

Advantages of a PPO include open access and choice of providers. For example, PPO members may see a care provider who is out of the network, although they will likely receive a higher reimbursement amount if they see in-network providers.

With a PPO, a member's out-of-pocket costs are also typically limited for services that are covered within the plan. There is normally an out-of-pocket cost cap for individuals as well as for families.

Regardless of whether you choose an HMO or PPO, it is important to read over the specifics of each plan to know what's covered.

Heath insurance in California is generally packaged to fit your price expectation so learn the differences. There are hundreds of plans available. An independent agent that represents many carriers can simplify the process of choosing a plan that's right for you. 

California Insurance - Homeowners and Replacement Costs

Replacement Costs: What You Need to Know

Now that market values of many homes throughout the nation have dropped, it's more important than ever to obtain reliable replacement valuations when purchasing insurance.The following tips can help you estimate replacement costs and obtain the right level of protection for your family and financial future:

1. Don't Confuse Market Valuation With Replacement Cost
Undoubtedly this has led to a great deal of confusion, especially in markets that have experienced significant numbers of short sales and foreclosures.Market values in many areas have dropped below the cost required to rebuild the home.While it might sound like a quick way to save some money, dropping replacement coverage is often costly in the long run. Remember, replacement coverage provides the protection required in the event you must rebuild or replace the home rather than the actual depreciated value of the property or item in question.

2. Overages
Most policies stipulate you must have at least 80% or greater coverage in order for the replacement value to go into effect, but during rapidly changing conditions, inflation or tight labor markets it's not unusual for repairs to become more costly than originally anticipated.It's possible to purchase an additional rider that provides enhanced protection against any overages.  Used in combination with replacement coverage, it helps ensure that you have the protection needed in the event of a claim.

3. Zoning and Ordinances
Replacement value alone may not be sufficient, especially if you live in an older home or an area that has implemented new zoning or ordinance changes.
Standard replacement value covers the original item but may not include zoning, ordinance or other regulatory changes required to rebuild. Ask your agent about a zoning and ordinance policy to make sure you are completely covered.

Julie Green live music in Newport Beach, California

Meet the wife of Peter Green Insurance Agency, Julie Green!  She performed this new song a few weeks ago at Alta, Newport Beach, California.  She also just completed her music therapy degree from the University of Chapman, in Orange.  

Congratulations Julie!