The insurance industry is experiencing a hardening market right now. That means the market cycle is on an upswing, premiums are increasing, and carriers’ capacity for most types of risk is decreasing. While there are various opinions about what a hard market looks like in comparison to a soft market, its underlying causes and repercussions are universally agreed upon. The...
Although more than three-quarters of hiring organizations said improving safety culture alignment among their contractors is the most effective approach for driving down serious injuries and fatalities in the workplace, but only around 20% of organizations believe they have achieved a sustained safety culture, according to a survey by ISN Software Corp. In order to move...
Workers’ compensation fraud takes three main forms — claim fraud, premium fraud and provider fraud — and the effects on honest employers and employees can be devastating. New analysis from the Coalition Against Insurance Fraud found the combined fraud burden for the workers’ comp line weighs in at $32 billion per year. Luckily, new investigation efforts based...
As open enrollment periods approach for 2023 benefits, there’s still time to address employees’ questions and inform them of their options in meaningful ways. Doing so will help them get the most from their benefits, which are especially valuable as employees navigate record-high inflation and work to maximize every hard-earned dollar. This article outlines a...
This August, as Death Valley experienced a 1,000-year rain event, all Steve Tagert could see were the pollution risks. In a matter of hours, nearly a year’s worth of rain poured from the sky. The desert park experienced flooding and road closures. Portions of Highway 190 in California had to be shut down. Tagert, who is...
For most teenagers and young adults, summertime means a break from the books and long hours of studying. However, it doesn’t necessarily mean it’s time to kick back and relax during those long, hot days. In fact, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), between April and July 2021, the number of employed youth...
Earlier this month, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration announced a new initiative to conduct surprise safety inspections for fall hazards. A day later, the agency announced $32,113 in fines for a Florida construction company where a 19-year-old worker died after falling from a clubhouse roof. The fines were far from unusual, but the juxtaposition...
A research note out of Marcus & Millichap on the office market claims there are “bifurcated fundamentals.” Central business district (CBD) offices are seeing faster climbing vacancy rates than those in suburbs, so preliminary second quarter data suggests. What’s causing the unhealthy disparity? Concerns about health. “This is in part due to the increased emphasis...
Fire and explosion, natural catastrophes, and faulty workmanship or maintenance have been the major causes of loss by value of insurance claims over the past five years, according to a new study from Allianz Global Corporate & Specialty (AGCS). “Insurance claims from companies have become more severe over the past five years due to factors such as...
Legislation surrounding the gig economy, single-payer health insurance and marijuana legalization all have the potential to impact the U.S. workers’ compensation system, according to a National Council on Compensation Insurance (NCCI) report. Digital platforms such as Uber ushered in a modern gig economy and renewed public discourse on worker classification. Proposals in numerous states would...