Late Intro by Astrix

2090 Views 7 Replies 4 Participants Last post by mendelectric, Aug 18, 2009

Astrix

Discussion Starter · Aug 17, 2009

Hi All,
I've actually been around since February, but haven't logged an intro yet. I figured I should get one on as I've noticed a couple of times that regular members have asked newbies to intro themselves before getting down to heavy discussions.

For those with whom I've had to pleasure of exchanging thoughts, you've already figured out that I am not a contractor. I work in an insurance brokerage and I specialize in commercial insurance for the construction trade. All-in-all I've been in the insurance industry for over 25 years. I've been in my current job of looking after construction clients exclusively for the past 12 years. I am well-respected in my field and have written various articles on construction insurance in local trade magazines. I also mentor new guys starting out in an insurance career who want to specialize in construction risk. I love my job, and the guys that are my clients, and the projects that I've helped get going because I've arranged the required insurance for them.

I am confident that I am qualified to answer any insurance related question, however, unfortunately, I won't be telling you the name of my brokerage or what my real name is. The reason for that is that in the job of giving advice to people, I am open to professional liability exposure (errors & omissions). While doing my job for my customers, my employer protects me with their errors & omissions liability insurance policy. They frown on doling out advice to friends and family over the dinner table, because even if that person is not a paying client, they could hold me responsible for giving them the wrong advice. So as a rule, we (employees) are not to discuss insurance unless it is with a paying client as part of the brokerage's book of accounts.

On the flip side though, I want to help out when someone does have questions about insurance. Especially in the case where it is obvious that an agent/broker/adjuster or some other insurance person is "screwing" over a regular Joe because Joe didn't know the rules or what his rights were. That is actually the reason I first started posting here. I was kind of surfing around, came across the site, and answered a few questions that were posted. Like most of the regular CT guys I feel I have come to know by reading your posts, I also have pride in my line of work and want to do the best job possible for my clients and am frustrated by the "hacks" that give my industry a bad name.

By the way, I am Mrs. Astrix, not Mr. Astrix. (Mr. Astrix is a drywaller.) So, that's about it for an intro... unless you need to know my breast size. :shifty:

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mendelectric

· #2 · Aug 17, 2009

Great intro, I havnt put one together yet but I can welcome you formally. Welcome !
Nice to see so many helpful souls out there all in one forum
So you are an insurance broker ? I have a few questions to throw your way
Why is it so important for the lone wolf contractors. as I am, to be required to carry workers comp when you dont have employees
to benefit from it. Its always required in the contract documents, I presume to protect the owners, but there should be an opt out clause if
your an owner operator. I have been fillin those comp pockets for a long time +/- 30k with no way of benefitting from it. What a scam. But its NY, its all a scam!
Also, what is the different standards up there in Can -eh - da.

ps: Do you actually have breasts, if so how big are they and is there pics to prove it?...jk

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cleveman

· #3 · Aug 17, 2009

Good deal. I won't comment on any of the key words and phrases (heavy discussions, pleasure, exchanging thoughts, I am confident, screwing Joe, and of course breast size).

You've already had good posts.

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MALCO.New.York

· #4 · Aug 17, 2009

The ONLY Astrix that I know!

http://www.myspace.com/astrixmusic

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Astrix

Discussion Starter · #5 · Aug 18, 2009

First off, for those who are asking, I’m a size 95.

Next, re your question about Worker’s Comp for a sole proprietorship: You’re right, it doesn’t seem to make any sense to have to pay premiums for employee coverage when you have no employees and, as owner of the business, you can not claim under a standard W/Comp plan.

From the perspective of the job owner (and the one writing the job contract and requiring proof that all trades on-site carry W/Comp), it is easy to see that they want to make sure they don’t end up paying medical expenses. Regardless of whether you are an employee or an owner, you can be injured if you are the one doing the work; so they are trying to make sure you have arranged for coverage.

General insurance is pretty much standard throughout the USA and Canada, but W/Comp is not. Canada is more of a “socialist” country and our W/Comp is all government-controlled. You can’t buy it through private insurers like you can in most U.S. states. Even the different states have different rules, so there isn’t one answer that fits all. The following info may not apply in your state, however, this is how it works in Ontario and maybe this info will be a starting point for you to investigate the exact rules where you live.

In Ontario, WSIB (our version of W/Comp) gives sole proprietors the choice of applying for coverage, even though the standard is that owners are usually excluded. You fill out a form whereby the definition of "employee" is altered to include "sole proprietor" thereby making you eligible for coverage. You then declare 1 employee and pay the corresponding premium. If you don’t want to take the optional coverage through WSIB, then you should still get some kind of private insurance on yourself, such as a personal Accident & Sickness Policy or an AD&D Policy (Accident, Death, Dismemberment). Despite what a contract might require you to prove re workplace accident insurance, it would be wise to protect yourself. After all what would happen if you were injured on the job and had no medical insurance? Owners of a big company may stay in an office all day and have no risk, but as a sole proprietor, you are the guy doing the work, so the danger of injury is definitely there.

Most of the contracts I review have the W/Comp requirement written something along the lines of: “….the Contractor shall provide evidence of compliance with workers’ compensation legislation …” or “… the Contractor will provide a current CAD-7 certificate or equivalent ….” If you chose the optional sole proprietor cover through WSIB or you bought a private AD&D policy, you would be in compliance with the contract requirements. The only other thing you would have to prove to the job owner is that you will not bring anyone else on site, even as a temporary worker for 5 minutes, after they have accepted your alternate personal insurance policy (because then the job owner is on risk again for injuries to your newly hired and uninsured employee).

Oh, I guess I should clarify that since Canada uses the metric system, my size 95 is in centimeters which makes me a standard 38”. Also, it’s a good thing I didn’t write about my clients the paint strippers or the steel beam erection guys, because some people here might read innuendo into that.

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mendelectric

· #6 · Aug 18, 2009

Astrix said:
First off, for those who are asking, I’m a size 95.

Next, re your question about Worker’s Comp for a sole proprietorship: You’re right, it doesn’t seem to make any sense to have to pay premiums for employee coverage when you have no employees and, as owner of the business, you can not claim under a standard W/Comp plan.

From the perspective of the job owner (and the one writing the job contract and requiring proof that all trades on-site carry W/Comp), it is easy to see that they want to make sure they don’t end up paying medical expenses. Regardless of whether you are an employee or an owner, you can be injured if you are the one doing the work; so they are trying to make sure you have arranged for coverage.

General insurance is pretty much standard throughout the USA and Canada, but W/Comp is not. Canada is more of a “socialist” country and our W/Comp is all government-controlled. You can’t buy it through private insurers like you can in most U.S. states. Even the different states have different rules, so there isn’t one answer that fits all. The following info may not apply in your state, however, this is how it works in Ontario and maybe this info will be a starting point for you to investigate the exact rules where you live.

In Ontario, WSIB (our version of W/Comp) gives sole proprietors the choice of applying for coverage, even though the standard is that owners are usually excluded. You fill out a form whereby the definition of "employee" is altered to include "sole proprietor" thereby making you eligible for coverage. You then declare 1 employee and pay the corresponding premium. If you don’t want to take the optional coverage through WSIB, then you should still get some kind of private insurance on yourself, such as a personal Accident & Sickness Policy or an AD&D Policy (Accident, Death, Dismemberment). Despite what a contract might require you to prove re workplace accident insurance, it would be wise to protect yourself. After all what would happen if you were injured on the job and had no medical insurance? Owners of a big company may stay in an office all day and have no risk, but as a sole proprietor, you are the guy doing the work, so the danger of injury is definitely there.

Most of the contracts I review have the W/Comp requirement written something along the lines of: “….the Contractor shall provide evidence of compliance with workers’ compensation legislation …” or “… the Contractor will provide a current CAD-7 certificate or equivalent ….” If you chose the optional sole proprietor cover through WSIB or you bought a private AD&D policy, you would be in compliance with the contract requirements. The only other thing you would have to prove to the job owner is that you will not bring anyone else on site, even as a temporary worker for 5 minutes, after they have accepted your alternate personal insurance policy (because then the job owner is on risk again for injuries to your newly hired and uninsured employee).

Oh, I guess I should clarify that since Canada uses the metric system, my size 95 is in centimeters which makes me a standard 38”. Also, it’s a good thing I didn’t write about my clients the paint strippers or the steel beam erection guys, because some people here might read innuendo into that.

thats alot of info for me to suck up. Actually its 5 times more than I got from my insurance agent. To bad your up there, I could .....and would .... bring my underwriting to you. Thanks for that descrpitive report, I will bring that idea up to my agent ASAP.
Maybe I save some $$$$$. and then some consulting may be in order.

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Astrix

Discussion Starter · #7 · Aug 18, 2009

I get a bit longwinded... sorry. I am trying to write shorter posts but then important points get left out.

By the way, if you do take this to your agent to get a discussion started, I would suggest you edit out the first and last paragraphs. :shifty:

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mendelectric

· #8 · Aug 18, 2009

Astrix said:
I get a bit longwinded... sorry. I am trying to write shorter posts but then important points get left out.

By the way, if you do take this to your agent to get a discussion started, I would suggest you edit out the first and last paragraphs. :shifty:

hehehe Ill just try to improv it without the tele prompter

sama:

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