Who Needs Massachuetts Workers Compensation Insurance?

Every Massachusetts employer with one or more employees is required by law to carry workers compensation coverage at all times for their employees, but MA law varies by type of business when it comes to businesses owners. This important coverage will not only pay for injured workers to get medical care and partial wage replacement, it will also protect the insured employer from potentially damaging lawsuits. Here is an overview by type of business.

Corporations

All corporations are required to carry workers compensation for their employees.  Corporate officers who have at least 25% interest in the Corp. may request to be exempt from their workers compensation policy with a form filed with the Department of Industrial Accidents.  Link to  form: Here

LLP, LLC, Limited partnership and Sole Proprietors

Members of the business types above are not required to carry workers compensation for members, partners and sole proprietors. They do have the option to include themselves on their policy if they so choose.  Whether or not they choose to cover themselves they would need to have a policy in place for any employees of the business.

Independent Contractors

Independent contractors in Massachusetts are not considered employees and are not required to be covered by a workers compensation policy.  Although if you have an independent contractor doing work for your business you should take extra effort to make sure they are not improperly classified as an independent contractor.  The insurance company may decide that their wages should be covered under your policy if they do not have a policy for themselves, or if they are improperly classified.  You can read more about independent contractor law: Here

If you have any questions regarding how to best protect your business with Workers Compensation we would be happy to help you with your  MA Insurance, NH Insurance, or VT Insurance needs.

Important Information to Know in the Event of a Loss

An insurance policy can be an invaluable thing to have in the event of a loss.  One of the main purposes of an insurance policy is to replace damaged or lost property or to protect you during a liability claim.  This is part of the responsibility of the insurance company as stated in the insurance contract.   But the insurance company is not the only party that has a responsibility to adhere to the contract.  The Named Insured also has many responsibilities including notifying the insurance company in the event or a loss.  Also notifying the insurance company of any changes, purchases, or additions to that have taken place since your policy was first written is also very important.  In the event of a loss a typical insurance policy would require you to do the following:

Notify your insurance agent or company as soon as you are able.  Notice I did not say “as soon as possible” there is a reason for this.  There may be other circumstances that need your immediate attention before making the call to your agent.  Additionally your insurance company may require you to take pictures of your loss, and to do any necessary fixes at their advisement to avoid further loss.

Inform your Agent of all the details related to your loss.  More information is better that less, if you think it might be relevant let them know.  Who is involved, where the loss took place, and how it happened.   Holding back important information can have a negative effect on the claim, and at the extreme could cause it to be denied.

Allowing your agent to have quick and complete claim information will allow them to do their job to the best of their ability.  If you have any questions about the legal requirements of your New Hampshire Insurance Company or any other insurance company policy please don’t hesitate to contact your agent at Downey Insurance.

Deadline for Disaster Relief from FEMA is Approaching

One week remains for Massachusetts disaster survivors to register for federal disaster assistance.  Along with Massachusetts Insurance companies FEMA has been providing disaster assistance to the people affected by the severe weather of June 1st.

Survivors must register with the Federal Emergency Management Agency and return their U.S. Small Business Administration loan applications by Monday, August 15, to be considered for FEMA and SBA disaster assistance.

The Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency (MEMA), FEMA and its federal partners encourage any person or business owner who had storm-related damage to their home, vehicle, personal property, business as a result of the June 1 severe storms and tornadoes and has not registered to do so quickly.

Anyone in Hampden and Worcester counties who was impacted by the severe storms and tornadoes should apply for assistance, regardless of whether a survivor has insurance or is unsure if they are eligible. Survivors should still contact their insurance companies and file necessary claims.

Disaster assistance may include rental payments for temporary housing for those whose residences are unlivable, grants for home repairs and replacement of essential household items not covered by insurance. There are grants to replace personal property and to help meet medical, dental, funeral, transportation and other serious disaster-related needs not covered by insurance or other federal, state or charitable aid programs.

Anyone who has not registered with FEMA for disaster aid, and has questions about an application or seeks more information about recovery programs, should call FEMA’s toll-free helpline at 800-621-FEMA (3362). People who are deaf or hard of hearing can call (TTY) 800-462-7585. Lines are open from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. and multilingual assistance is available. Online registration is available at www.DisasterAssistance.gov or through a smartphone or tablet at m.fema.gov.

Monday, August 15, also is the deadline for filing an application for a low-interest disaster loan with the Small Business Administration. While survivors are not required to accept a disaster loan, completing the SBA application is essential to receiving other assistance from FEMA.

Low-interest disaster loans are available to homeowners, renters, nonprofits and businesses of all sizes. They are the largest federal source of disaster funds for repairing or replacing damaged or destroyed property.

FEMA’s mission is to support our citizens and first responders to ensure that as a nation we work together to build, sustain, and improve our capability to prepare for, protect against, respond to, recover from, and mitigate all hazards.

Do you have a Farm or Mini-Farm on your property?

If you have a farm or mini-farm on your property we may have a product to fit your needs through Co-Operative Insurance Co. of Vt.  They have farm and mini- farm product for farm hobbyist, specialty farmers, and part time farmers that can fit the needs of any farm.

Small operations can have special coverage needs.  The Mini-Farm policy can provide you with the same important coverage as a regular farm policy just on a smaller scale.  Some of the mini-farm coverage’s include:

  • Farm Personal Liability
  • Personal Property and Out Buildings
  • Machinery
  • Equipment
  • Livestock
  • Hay

The Mini-Farm policy also has an Identity Theft coverage that will cover recovery services if your identity is stolen.  Co-Operative Insurance also has convenient payment plans available that can fit everyone’s needs.

If you would like to explore Farm or Mini-Farm Insurance coverage or any other tyoe of Vermont Insurance please call our office at 888-895-3608.

Equipment Breakdown – Do you need special coverage?

Equipment breakdown is not always included on your Commercial Property Insurance or Business owners policy but can usually be added by endorsement, or in certain circumstances it can be covered under a separate policy.   If you have machinery or equipment that would cause substantial damage or loss to your business if they failed you may want to consider Equipment Breakdown coverage.  Here are some of the coverage that may be available on a Equipment Breakdown policy.

  • Property Damage – Listed or scheduled equipment that is damaged.
  • Expediting Expenses – The cost incurred to speed up the process of replacing or repairing the damaged equipment.
  • Business Income and Extra Expense – The lost income of the business or any extra expenses due to a equipment breakdown.
  • Spoilage – A loss due to a breakdown that causes spoilage to a product due to a lack of heat, refrigeration, excess power, light or steam.
  • Utility Interruption – Usually only covered in conjunction with Business Income or Spoilage, this coverage will pick up a loss due to a loss of utility service.
  • Newly Acquired Premises – Covers newly acquired premises for the number or days stated in the policy usually 30 or 60 days.
  • Ordinance or Law Coverage – This coverage will pay for any increase in cost necessary to bring  the damaged property up to code at the time of the breakdown.
  • Brands and labels – This coverage covers some of the expense to re-label its salvaged merchandize.

Any and all of these coverage’s may be included in an Equipment Breakdown policy.  Please be sure to speak with one of our knowledgeable Insurance agents to discuss what coverage you would need to secure for your business.

Deer collisions can be a scary and unpredictable situation, here are some tips for avoiding and dealing with a deer collision.

According to the Insurance Institute for Highways Safety collisions involving deer have increased by 20% over the last four years.  Why? No one can say for sure.  These heartbreaking collisions can cause thousands of dollars in damage to your vehicle.  They also have resulted in thousands of injuries and hundreds of deaths.  These collisions statistically happen at dawn or dusk, but they can happen anytime.

Our roadways especially for our VT and NH Auto Insurance clients are thatched through the fields and forests that deer call their home.  Deer having no understanding of the danger of a moving vehicle will not always move out of the way, but sometimes stand transfixed by the large shiny object that swiftly approaching.  Avoiding the crash is ideal but anyone who has hit a deer, or had a near miss will tell you that it is a unpredictable situation. 

Here are a few suggestions  that might  help you avoid an accident:

  •  Reduce your speed and watch out for deer and other wildlife while you are traveling through fields or forests, especially around dawn or dusk.
  •  If you find that a deer is caught in your headlights try turning them off and on (if you can do so safely) this may break their gaze enough for them to move on.
  •  Blasting your horn in with long horn blasts can aldo be effective, for deer or any other wildlife that may cross your path.
  •  It is recommended that if a crash is imminent that you maintain your path or travel, while braking firmly.  Swerving might seem like a good idea but it may confuse the deer more casing it to leap into your path anyway.  If you serve you are also more likely to hit an off-road object or another vehicle.
  •  Deer usually do not travel alone, so if you see one there may be more.
  •  Lastly as always, wear your seat be and avoid distracted driving at all cost!

 

The chances of hitting a deer increase from October through December during hunting and mating season.  If you do have a deer collision stay calm and call for emergency assistance.