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Indiana Roof Cleaners · Guest

Workers Comp

guest

Indiana Roof Cleaners wrote:

How many of you guys carry Workers Comp on your employees? In Indiana this is a seperate insurance that you need to purchase to protect yourself, your employees, and your customers. We carry a copy of it whenever we do a bid or are on the job site itself.

Are there are Insurance Companies that specialize in this type of coverage?
We seldom, if ever, get on the roof itself because being on the roof raises your premium tremendously.

Your thoughts are appreciated.

Mike
Indiana Roof Cleaning LLC

Ever consider in calling Labor Ready? the temporary work force people, you can get a worker for under 10.00 and they cover all workmans comp.

Shingle Shiner · Dec 15, 2010

I believe every state is different. In NY the state controls workers comp, insurance agents get a $25 filing fee but NY sets the prices for every trade and business. I am fighting this right now because NY is trying to charge the same as they do roof contractors, minimum $10k per employee. Thats right, $10k a year for a guy to stand on the ground watering plants and we only work 7 months a year if we are lucky.

Shingle Shiner · Dec 15, 2010

Clyde, have you used Labor ready?

Confident Roof Cleaning Houston TX · Guest

We carry it.

Indiana Roof Cleaners · Guest

Clyde,

We started off using Labor Ready but their rate was over $16 per hour plus you never knew what kind of employee you would get (kind of like a box of chocolates Forrest), some guys were good and some down right terrible.

Thanks for your thought.

Mike
Indiana Roof Cleaning LLC

Indiana Roof Cleaners · Guest

Matt,

That's the same problem I'm having. Insurance companies have never quoted this type of work and want to classify us as being roofers, which is a lot higher premium. I've stated we do over 90% from a ladder but haven't had much in the way of results.

Mike
Indiana Roof Cleaning LLC

Confident Roof Cleaning Houston TX · Guest

WC in Texas goes by Payroll. And I think we pay 7% or something like that.

Guest

Scott,
I'm pretty sure they all go by payroll, but the percentage of payroll is classified by the risk category. A roofer in Pennsylvania pays 30%. That is a big nut to swallow for companies classified as roofers. You are fortunate to only pay 7%. If you get an insurance broker that really wants to work for you, he can sometimes get the rate lowered if he explains the process accurately.

Brian

Baltimore MD Roof Cleaning 410-482-4367 · guest

We had them classify it properly for 7or8% and roofers pay up to 50% in MD for comp. Keep trying and you should find the proper rate. It is always a good idea to let your insurance companies know if the way you do your work changes.

Shingle Shiner · Dec 15, 2010

NY is in the ballpark of 30%. Problem is insurance agents dont get paid for righting the policy so they arent very motivated to try and work the state. Ask your insurance agent for the states workers comp board # and do the work yourself.

Confident Roof Cleaning Houston TX · Guest

The Roof Cleaners of Chester County Pennsylvania 610-842-2104 wrote:

Scott,
I'm pretty sure they all go by payroll, but the percentage of payroll is classified by the risk category. A roofer in Pennsylvania pays 30%. That is a big nut to swallow for companies classified as roofers. You are fortunate to only pay 7%. If you get an insurance broker that really wants to work for you, he can sometimes get the rate lowered if he explains the process accurately.

Brian

Thats what I thought but SuperJack was saying they required $10k per employee which would be a set number, not a percentage.

Shingle Shiner · Dec 15, 2010

To initiate WC in NYS you have to pay up front and its based off of a minimum payroll of $31,500 * 32% = $10,080. They do an audit for WC at the end of the year and if you did not have $31,500 in payroll then you get a refund or credit towards the next year, if your payroll was higher then you owe more.

I should of been more clear in my initial response.

guest

Matt I have not used labor ready yet, I am going to though.

I called the office and talked to them and I can get a man for 12 bucks an hour and they cover taxes and WC

that is the rate for someone to water the plants lol

they told me if I wasn't happy with the guy, call the office and they will send another man out immediately at no charge for the first one.

they seemed eager to please

Perhaps the labor rate is cheaper here in FL

SP Cleaning · Dec 15, 2010

Superjack wrote:

To initiate WC in NYS you have to pay up front and its based off of a minimum payroll of $31,500 * 32% = $10,080. They do an audit for WC at the end of the year and if you did not have $31,500 in payroll then you get a refund or credit towards the next year, if your payroll was higher then you owe more.

I should of been more clear in my initial response.

Matt,

That's one of the reasons I moved from Buffalo to South Carolina.

The cost to do business the right way was high............ OK.... the Snow had alot to do with it as well disbelief

Brian Margettes · Guest

He guy my wife is a Workers Comp. Broker out of Florida, but she rights comp. for just about every state. If you want to get a quote PM and I will get her to quote you. I guarantee she will beat any price out there to get your business. Give her a shot.

And WC is tied in to your payroll in every state.

SP Cleaning · Dec 15, 2010

Brian Margettes wrote:

He guy my wife is a Workers Comp. Broker out of Florida, but she rights comp. for just about every state. If you want to get a quote PM and I will get her to quote you. I guarantee she will beat any price out there to get your business. Give her a shot.

And WC is tied in to your payroll in every state.

Brian,

If she can write WC for most states, you might want to have her contact Gary W.

The RCIA Association has an Affiliate Insurance agent that will write us members Liability, theft etc. But they do not write WC. I think we are still looking for an Affiliate WC insurance agent. This could be a great thing for her and for the Association as well.

Chris

Washed-up · guest

In addition to Clyde's comment about Labor Ready, if you have someone that you would like to use, you can have them register with labor ready and they could be exclusive to you, and covered as well. I used this method years ago with Kitchen exhaust cleaning. It served us well for almost 12 years

SP Cleaning · Dec 15, 2010

Washed-up wrote:

In addition to Clyde's comment about Labor Ready, if you have someone that you would like to use, you can have them register with labor ready and they could be exclusive to you, and covered as well. I used this method years ago with Kitchen exhaust cleaning. It served us well for almost 12 years

+1

That is a great tip for those just starting out and wanting to have the correct coverage for employees. In SC the min. coverage WC for an Owner Operator (no employees) is around $890. per year.

Soft Wash Wizard - Harrisburg, NC · Guest

Guys, how timely this thread is for us.

NC law says that a NC corporation or business if less than 3 employees does not have to carry WC. Over 3 it is required by state law. Just yesterday I was told by my insurance agent that in NC the state writes/covers the person for the first 2 yrs of a business before an insurance agent like State Farm or any others can write the WC policy. The state requires full payment up front for the first two years. After that the insurance agent can write the WC policy & bill the contractor on a monthly basis. I was quoted $1,100 for the owner operator. Of course this is based on what classifaction they put you at which most insurance agents or the state classifies us as roofing contractors. I argued with them that we are not roofing contractors even though we clean roofs. I stated we should be classified more as cleaners or power washers which the annual cost would be less.

I sure wish RCIA could offer member's thru an insurance agent / company a realistic WC rates because this is just outragous for small business. Always looking to save some money but not be cheap on proper insurance coverage.

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