Did you know that the more employees you have, the harder it is to stay safe as a business owner? As a general contractor in California, if you have more than 50 employees, knowing the requirements for workers’ compensation coverage and the associated costs is crucial to running a successful business. Let’s take a look at what you need to know about workers’ compensation in California.
Legal Requirements for Workers’ Compensation Coverage
In the state of California, businesses with more than 50 employees must have workers’ compensation insurance. This protects your business from lawsuits related to workplace injuries and illnesses that occur during work hours or on-site. It also provides benefits for medical care and lost wages for injured employees. Additionally, it covers death benefits if an employee should pass away due to a workplace injury or illness.
Cost of Coverage
The cost of workers’ compensation can vary greatly depending on many factors like the size of your company, number of employees, type of industry, and job duties performed by each employee. The more dangerous the job duties, such as construction or manufacturing jobs, the higher premiums will likely be due to the increased risk of accidents and injuries incurred on the job site. The cost also increases if there is a history of workplace accidents or claims filed by employees previously employed by your business. It’s important to understand these factors so you can accurately budget for this safety net which will protect both you and your employees in case something goes wrong on the job site.
Finding Coverage
Finding coverage may seem daunting but it doesn’t have to be! Mainline Insurance offers workers’ compensation coverage at competitive rates that fit most budgets. Working with an experienced independent agent like Mainline Insurance can help narrow down your options as we are aware of all available plans and can customize coverage based on your individual needs as a general contractor in California with more than 50 employees. They can guide you through every step of the process so that you get exactly what you need in order to keep yourself and your team safe on the job site day after day!
4 Helpful Tips to Stay Safe on the Job
Evaluate Potential Risks – “Walk the floors” of your business regularly to spot potential hazards. Thinking critically about how and where your employees could get injured is important in mitigating the risks associated with potential hazards
Plan & Problem-Solve – Once you’ve identified a potential hazard, write it down and share the procedures that employees should follow to reduce the safety risk. Oftentimes, the solutions are simple and straightforward.
Practice Makes Permanent – Reinforce proper procedures by making sure workers practice safety procedures. Ask your workers’ compensation insurance carrier or agency, Mainline Insurance, for available training materials.
Remind – Placing signage in bathrooms and areas of high risk, help keep safety policies front and center for all workers. OSHA has safety information and posters that can be accessed online at no charge.
Get the workers’ compensation coverage you need
Finding adequate coverage does not have to be difficult; working with an experienced independent agent can help guide you through every step ensuring that all parties involved are properly protected no matter what!
Let Mainline Insurance help give you peace of mind as you go about working hard.