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Ridgemark Insurance Services
New Laws for 2023 part II
This is the second half of a two-part article on the new laws and regulations affecting businesses in California. 6) Contractor workers’ comp A new law will require almost all contractors in California to carry workers’ compensation coverage, regardless of if they...
New Laws for 2023 part I
As 2023 draws near, so does a slew of new laws and regulations that will affect California businesses. Every year, a raft of bills are passed by the state Legislature and signed into law by the governor. The end result is another round of new laws that employers need...
Playing It Safe During the Holidays
As the holiday season nears, your business will have new safety considerations to confront. From holiday parties and risk of electrical shock to fires and trips and falls, companies have a set of safety and risk management challenges that may not be present during...
Many Injured Workers Feel Unsupported, Frustrated by Claims Process
A recent study has found that injured workers are often left feeling frustrated and fending for themselves after they file a workers' compensation claim. The survey of injured workers by researchers at the University of Waterloo in Ontario, Canada found that workers...
Costlier Reinsurance Is Feeding into Higher Commercial Policy Rates
Commercial insurance companies are raising rates in most of their lines to account for increasing claims as well as the cost of claims, but another factor is forcing them to increase their rates further: reinsurance. When insurance companies underwrite policies, they...
Workers’ Comp Insurers Continue Cutting Their Rates
Despite the Workers' Compensation Insurance Rating Bureau recommending that benchmark rates in California be increased in the last two years, the rates that insurance companies are charging for coverage continue falling. But the party may soon be coming to an end,...
Contractors Will Need Comp Coverage Even If They Have No Workers
A new law will require almost all contractors in California to carry workers' compensation coverage, regardless of if they have employees or not. According to the author of the bill, State Sen. Bill Dodd, D-Napa, the new law was necessary due to the tendency of many...
State Moves to Ban Sale of Non-Electric Big Rigs, Semis in 2040
Under a new proposal by the California Air Resources Board, all new big rigs and other large trucks sold in the Golden State will have to be zero-emission vehicles, starting in 2040. The proposed rule would bar manufacturers from selling medium- and heavy-duty trucks...
Vacant Buildings Pose Risks, Insurance Challenges
Office and commercial building vacancies have exploded since the COVID-19 pandemic hit, leaving many buildings completely empty of tenants or partially occupied. According to the website Statista.com, the average vacancy rate for offices nationwide in the first...
New Law Bars ‘Discrimination’ Against Cannabis-Using Employees
California Governor Gavin Newsom has signed into law legislation that would bar employers from discriminating against employees and job applicants who use cannabis on their time off. The law amends the California Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA) to prohibit...