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Publications – Construction Industry Update

                                                                             
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Feb 2012  Design Build: Risk Management and Insurance Considerations – The Design Build Project Delivery System, which dates back to at least the master builders of ancient Greece, continues to gain in popularity. The major appeal of design build is that it provides the project owner with a single point of contact for both design and construction.

  • Live Well, Work Well
  • Community Bulletin Board
Dec 2011 BIM Use Increases Professional Liability Exposures- Building Information Modeling, or BIM as it is commonly known, provides a digitized representation of the building process from the ground up. It is used by the design team and contractors before construction actually begins, typically on design-build projects. However, when designers and builders do not use BIM correctly, liability issues can crop up.

  • Collaborative Processes Increase PL Exposures
  • Live Well, Work Well
  • Community Bulletin Board
Sep 2011 Surety Outlook 2012: Where’s the Beef? – Does the boom-to-bust of the construction market have you wondering “Where’s the Beef?” If so, you aren’t alone. Hunting down and executing profitable work in the next few years will be critical to the survival of most contractors. Our third quarter Construction Industry Update newsletter provides tips and information on how to survive, and possibly thrive, in the current economy.

  • 2011 Risk Management Seminar Series
  • Top 25 Sureties
  • Live Well, Work Well
  • Community Bulletin Board
Jun 2011 Understanding Your Experience Modification: What You Need to Know- The California experience modification has an effect on the availability and affordability of workers compensation insurance. It also has an impact on contractors’ ability to bid and obtain work; an issue of utmost importance in the current economic environment. In the last two years the Workers Compensation Insurance Rating Bureau has made several changes to the way the experience modification is calculated that are having a direct impact on every employer eligible for a rating.

  • 2011 Risk Management Seminar Series
  • Targeted Inspection and Contruction Fund
  • Live Well, Work Well
  • Community Bulletin Board
Mar 2011 Where There’s Construction, There’s Litigation – How to Survive the Battle- The 2011 1st Quarter issue of our Construction Insurance Update newsletter provides straightforward advice on properly documenting and insuring that you are prepared for the possibility of being sued.

  • 2011 Risk Management Seminar Series
  • Live Well, Work Well
  • Community Bulletin Board
Dec 2010 Surety Outlook for 2011- Look back in time to assess ongoing surety trends and apply them to the coming year.

  • Lead and Your Construction Business – Facts about the recent EPA Lead Renovation, Repair and Painting Rule effective 2010.
  • 2010-11 Risk Management Seminar Series – Upcoming seminars from December 2010 through March 2011.
  • Live Well, Work Well – Health topics courtesy of Cavignac & Associates Employee Benefits Department.
  • Community Bulletin Board
Jul 2010 Advancements in Contractors Professional and Pollution Liability Insurance: What You Need to Know- Growing demand for Contractors Professional and Pollution Liability insurance has resulted in enhanced coverage for these often overlooked and misunderstood policies.

  • Reminder! New Employee Notification Requirements for Federal Contractors – New Department of Labor regulations went into effect on June 21, 2010.
  • 2010 Risk Management Seminar Series
  • Live Well, Work Well – Travel and safety topics courtesy of our Employee Benefits Department.
  • Community Bulletin Board
May 2010 The Liability Implications of the Duty to Defend – Even if your firm is not guilty of negligence, a Duty to Defend provision in your contact can make you responsible for providing a defense for a negligent indemnitee — a situation that may or may not be covered by your insurance program. 2010 Risk Management Seminar Series

  • BULLETIN! Clarification of Workers Compensation Dual Wage Classification Requirements – California law requires employers to maintain time cards or logs and start/stop times for each employee for each day.
  • Live Well, Work Well – Health and financial topics courtesy of our Employee Benefits Department.
  • Community Bulletin Board
Mar 2010 The Liability Implications of Sustainable Design- The Green Building Boom appears to be here to stay. Proactive risk management can help you identify and manage the many additional challenges involved in “green” construction.

  • No Accidents” Doesn’t Mean Safe Employees – Proactively investigating and analyzing near-miss accidents can improve your safety program and prevent catastrophic losses.
  • 2010 Risk Management Seminar Series
  • Live Well, Work Well – Health and retirement planning topics courtesy of our Employee Benefits Department.
  • Community Bulletin Board
Nov 2009 Contractual Risk Transfer

  • 2009 Risk Management Seminar Series
  • ALERT! Employers with 15 or More Employees
  • Live Well, Work Well – Health and retirement planning topics courtesy of our Employee Benefits Department.
  • Community Bulletin Board – News from the San Diego Humane Society and Senior Community Centers.
Jul 2009 Managing Risk in a Construction Company – In an industry with tight profit margins, effectively managing risk can mean the difference between making a profit or not – and in some cases the survival of the business.

  • 2009 Risk Management Seminar Series
  • Fire Prevention Plans – Don’t Get Burned – Due to the substantial risks and costs associated with workplace fires, OSHA requires you to have a fire prevention plan. Is yours in place?
  • Live Well, Work Well – Health and retirement planning topics courtesy of our Employee Benefits Department.
  • Community Bulletin Board
Sep 2008 Contractors Professional Liability: Insurance and Surety Perspectives – Even if you don’t do design-build projects, you may need professional liability protection!2008 FOCUS Seminars – Upcoming training seminars offered in our FOCUS Training series.Fleet Communications – Use GPS to Stay in Touch – Web-based GPS fleet tracking can improve efficiency, eliminate unnecessary mileage, and help in the quick recovery of stolen vehicles.Risk Control Corner: Risk Tip – Layer your equipment security techniques.

  • URGENT! Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR) Summary – Federal rules now require contractors to adopt Codes of Conduct and implement ongoing Ethics Training.
  • Community Bulletin Board – News from the San Diego Humane Society and Senior Community Centers.
Jul 2008 Will You Be Ready If OSHA Comes Knocking? – It’s important to know who and what to prepare for an OSHA inspection.

  • 2008 FOCUS Seminars – Current training seminars offered in our Downtown FOCUS Room.
  • Risk Control Corner: Hazards of Summer Heat – Heat illness prevention measures and tips to keep your employees safe and healthy.
Jul 2007 How to Prevent Injuries from Manual Materials Handling – Reduce the number and severity of manual handling related injuries by using safe work practices.

  • Workers Compensation Experience Modification FAQs – Experience modification allows employers to control insurance costs through measurable loss control programs.
  • 2007 FOCUS Seminars – See a list of Training Seminars being offered in our Downtown FOCUS Room.
  • Risk Control Corner: Safety Attitude and Behavior – Attitude affects almost all a worker does and the way it’s done.
  • Surviving Summer Scorchers – Keep heat-related illnesses from turning a day at the beach into a trip to the emergency room.
Sep 2006 Surety Visits: Looking Beyond the Surface- Find out what surety underwriters are looking for when they visit your office or job sites.

  • Workers Compensation Threshold Wage for Contractors – All contractors who have split or bifurcated workers compensation classifications should be aware of the break-even wage – learn how to calculate it.
  • Risk Control Corner: “Making Do” – Or Tempting Fate? – “Making do” with unsafe substitutes can save workers a trip to the tool room – but too often result in a ride to the hospital.
  • 2006 FOCUS Seminars – See a list of Training Seminars being offered through the end of the year in our Downtown FOCUS Room.
May 2006 Collectively Bargained Workers Compensation – Lowering Your Cost of Risk- Find out how Collectively Bargained Workers Compensation (CBWC) programs can significantly reduce the total cost of risk for union employers.Risk Control Corner: 12 Step Program to Safety – 12 Keys to Creating a Safety Culture – Creating a culture of safety within your firm will save you money by lowering your workers compensation claims and costs.Generic Medications Keep You and Your Wallet Healthy – Cost-cutting tips from our Employee Benefits Department.2006 Training Seminars – A list of seminars being offered in our Downtown Training Room during June-July 2006.
Mar 2006 Equipment Theft- Equipment theft is on the rise! Read why – and how to protect your business.

  • Risk Control Corner: Construction Site Security Checklist – Is your job site protected from theft? Use this checklist to see how your security measures up.
  • Are You Using the Right Vertical Accounting Software? – Simplistic construction accounting software can cost you a bundle as you grow.
  • 2006 Training Seminars – See what seminars are being offered in our Downtown Training Room through July, 2006.
Nov 2005 The Surety Market: Outlook for 2006- Find out what you can expect from the surety bond market in 2006.

  • Risk Control Corner: So I Delay Reporting an Injury – What Can It Cost Me? – Delays in reporting injuries can cost you a lot more than you want to pay!
  • Additional Insured Status vs. Indemnification – Do You Need Both? – Find out how to protect your firm’s contractual interests.
  • Comparing MSAs, HSAs, HRAs and FSAs: Which Approach is Best? – Four plans can help soften the blow of continually rising healthcare costs.
  • Bonding Subcontractors – When in doubt, bond back!
  • Training Seminars – Cavignac Training Seminars for the first quarter of 2006.
Aug 2005 California Prevailing Wage Alert!- ALERT! Read how the California Department of Industrial Relation’s Prevailing Wage determinations affect every general contractor, subcontractor, owner-operator and material supplier that performs work on California Public Works projects.

  • Why Do Contractors Fail? – Every year thousands of contractors, whether in business for two years or 20, face bankrupcy and business failure. Read how surety bonds provide prevention and protection.
  • Risk Control Corner – Fleet Safety: Employer Pull Notice (EPN) Program – Read how the EPN Program can help you manage your Total Cost of Risk.
  • Factors Leading to Increased Healthcare Costs – Why are U.S. healthcare costs skyrocketing? Understanding why is the key to formulating alternatives and solutions to this challenge.
Mar 2005 Risk Control Guidelines – Contractor’s Series: Developing a Construction Contract- Your contract is as important to the success of any project as the estimate. View contract clauses that warrant special consideration.

  • Bid Protest Bond Program – Look out! Find out what the City of San Diego’s new “Bid Protest Bond” ordinance means to you!
  • Risk Control Corner: OSHA Issues Citations for Violations – The average individual violation with penalty adjustments was over $2,300. See the “Dirty Dozen” top Construction and General Liability industry violations.
Jan 2005 Condominium Conversions: What Do Underwriters Look for?  – A solid, documented set of risk management protocols should substantially reduce your exposure to loss and decrease your insurance costs.Contractor Owners: What Is Your Return on Your Investment? – Monitor your investments to made educated business decisions.Risk Control Corner – Reduce Your Work Comp Claims – Instituting a Successful Incentive Program (SSIP) can reduce claims and reward employees for good behavior.
Nov 2004 Surety Market Outlook for 2005- Will the surety market improve in 2005? See what the coming year has in store for the surety bond industry.

  • Year-End Planning vs. Year-End Reacting – Changing your year-end planning meeting’s date, focus and participants will build relationships that can greatly improve your bottom line.
  • Risk Control Corner – Looking for more competitive premiums? First reduce and manage your Total Cost of Risk (TCOR).
  • Need Employee Retirement or Medical Benefit Plans? – Cavignac & Associates is an authorized broker for AGC benefit plans!
Sep 2004 Contractors Professional Liability Insurance (CPL) – Design-build contractors have a significant amount of professional liability exposure. Read why you may need CPL coverage.
Jul 2004 The Longshore and Harbor Workers Compensation Act (USL&H)- Contractors performing work on or “near” coastal waters need to understand how USL&H may affect their construction operations.

  • Safety Incentive Program – Positive reinforcement is the most successful method to motivate employees to work safely.
  • MyWave Client Center – A value-added service exclusively for clients of our Employee Benefits Department.
Mar 2004 Transferring Risk: Current Challenges – Every firm in every business engages in contractual risk transfer. Find out how to shift responsibility for risk to the party best able to control it.
Nov 2003 Construction Professionals – Do They Surround Your Company? Do You Maximize Those Relationships? – Reaching your business objectives and the ultimate success of your company depend on working with the right people.Update Your Business Plan AnnuallyMeasuring performance is critical to success. See our sample outline of information that surety and insurance companies expect to see in a typical business plan.
Sep 2003 Contractors Pollution Liability Insurance- Most contractors have a pollution liability exposure of some type. Find out how to evaluate not only your exposure to this risk, but how to evaluate a policy to cover it.

  • Common Environmental Exposures for General Business Contractors – This article provides an outline of typical environmental exposures common to the construction industry.
  • Contractors Pollution Liability – Case Studies – Case studies illustrate Pollution Liability claims not covered by a contractor’s General Liability policy.
May 2003 The Right Way to Write Builders Risk Insurance – Find out what you need to know to tailor builders risk coverage for your purposes.
Mar 2003 Properly Insuring Construction Projects – General Liability insurance is not enough to adequately cover a project’s exposures to loss. Find out why.Articles
 

 

 Articles
Oct 2002 Surety Bonding No Longer a Sure Thing for Contractors – A growing number of construction firms find it increasingly difficult to obtain surety credit. What’s going on?
May 2001 Does Cash Flow Management Affect Your Surety Credit? – You Bet It Does! Cash is the ulimate measure of your company’s value. All other items on your balance sheet are purely timing issues waiting to affect your cash balance. A proper cash management strategy can allow you to generate income from excess cash, or plan for times when outside funds may be necessary to cover temporary cash shortfalls.