Labor Day Closing
All Syndicated and PayGo Plus offices will be closed for Labor Day on Monday, September 2, 2024.
Allied Healthcare Providers
You’ve written your business plan, filed the appropriate paperwork, and set yourself up to manage your own business as an allied healthcare provider. You are accepting clients who pay for your specialty services from the get-go. You are well on your way to becoming a successful entrepreneur.
No matter what type of allied healthcare service you offer—from yoga instruction to massage therapy to social work—your focus is on creating, growing and expanding your business opportunities.
You keep reading all the lists to make sure you’re doing it right. Google has become your best friend as you research and absorb all the advice from the “Top Five Ways to Grow Your Business” to “Lessons for Independent Business Owners.”
There is so much to focus on when you run your own business, even if the only person on your payroll is you. Your checklist of things to accomplish is long. But you are confident and focused on creating a unique and genuine business model that is sure to succeed.
Your immediate reaction is to run out and find many clients as quickly as you can. At the same time, you need to create your website, print business cards, and find opportunities to market your services. As you seek opportunities to build your brand and customer base, you discover that you can offer your services by plugging in as a contractor through existing businesses.
Part-Time Opportunities Can Grow Your Client Base
There are many ways to grow your business opportunities as an independent contractor or small business with a handful of employees. Perhaps you’re a yoga instructor or massage therapist at your local gym two days a week. Or maybe you’re a nutritionist or life coach that provides counseling support one day per week at an existing clinic. You could be a licensed independent social worker working as a contractor at a senior living behavioral health center. You may create opportunities that connect your small team of employees with any of the part-time jobs.
Whatever the case may be, you’re on your own and experience the many freedoms of being your own boss. It is glorious to have the flexibility set your schedule and earn more money while you maintain a work-life balance. If you have a small team supporting you, you’re probably enjoying passing along work-life balance to them, too.
With the many freedoms you’re experiencing being your own boss, there is no reason you could fail. Or is there?
When you—or members of your small business—go work with other people you’re offering expert services to others. But no matter how carefully you or your team members work, there are risks that your business can encounter daily.
Liability Incidents Could Potentially Ruin Allied Healthcare Providers
Consider what could happen when you or your employees visit a client’s offices or use a third-party location for any business-related activity. Unexpected accidents, such as trips and falls, could result in unforeseen medical bills that you have to pay.
In today’s lawsuit happy society, you could find yourself needing an attorney because someone sues you for libel or slander. Without even trying, you could find yourself in uncertain situations which create unanticipated financial risks that could leave you bankrupt or at least in a world of hurt.
Most business owners are already aware of the hidden risks. So you shouldn’t be caught off guard when you are required to show proof of insurance to an existing business which you discuss offering your services.
Not convinced yet? There is proof in the numbers…
Small Business Disaster Facts & Numbers
You can have everything aligned for your allied health business to succeed. But, if you get sued or have to pay medical expenses, your business could unexpectedly close the doors. As an independent contractor or small business owner, here are some statistics to consider:
50% of small businesses survive five years or more (Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics 2016)
10% of small business claims come from customer slips and falls (Source: The Hartford)
22.2% of small business owners experienced a client complaint or dispute. (Source: Insureon’s 2016 Survey)
If that isn’t enough, Insurance Journal cited the following top most costly liability claims for small businesses: reputational harm ($50,000), customer injury or damage ($30,000), customer slip and fall ($20,000), and struck by an object ($10,000). They went on to share that 35 percent of all general liability claims results in a lawsuit.
So what should you do?
Get Peace of Mind With A Cost Effective Easy Solution
Don’t become another failed business statistic because you didn’t take steps to protect your business. Get a general liability insurance policy so when a lawsuit or unexpected medical claim arises, your hard earned money isn’t at risk.
The minimum cost for a general liability insurance policy can bring you peace of mind and potentially save your business from financial ruin.
Are you an independent contractor or small business owner that provides allied healthcare services? You can enroll online in about 3 minutes and receive a policy by email the same day you sign up. If you’re still not sure, learn more here.
Are you a broker who wants to offer general liability to your clients? Learn more or get a quick quote. You can even add the application on your website.
How to change homeowners’ insurance with an escrow account
Paying your home insurance through escrow can be convenient, but if you want to change insurance providers, sometimes it can become a little tricky. Among other things, you need to make sure your mortgage lender knows where to send your premium payment. Otherwise, your premium could go to the wrong carrier causing a lapse in your home insurance coverage. While you and your insurance agent can rectify the situation, it can cause your mortgage payments to drastically increase over the next 12 months if an escrow shortage occurs.
Step 1: Find a new carrier
If you want to change homeowners’ insurance companies, your first step is to shop around. In some areas of the country like Coastal Florida (for example), some quotes will exclude wind coverage. You have to ask questions and it’s best to work with an agent to make sure you compare apples to apples. Once you get quotes and choose a company, you can proceed to the next step.
Step 2: Confirm the mortgagee’s information
Before you purchase your new policy, you’ll need to know exactly how your mortgage lender should be listed. This is called the mortgagee clause and includes your lender’s official name and the address to all policy documents will be sent.
The mortgagee clause is not just your lender’s name and the address to which you send your monthly payments; most companies also have unique addresses for insurance documents.
To ensure you include the correct information on your new insurance policy, call your mortgage company to confirm. Then, relay the information to your new insurance carrier before you purchase your new policy. Often, the purchase of the policy automatically generates documents to be sent to the mortgage on file, so the mortgagee clause needs to be correct from the start to avoid confusion.
Step 3: Purchase your new policy
Once you know the mortgagee clause on your new policy is correct, you can go ahead and finalize the purchase of your new policy. An agent or company representative will walk you through the steps, but you’ll likely have to sign an application and any other required forms related to your coverage. Because you’ll pay your insurance with escrow, you will not need to make a payment out of pocket. Your new insurance company will send a bill to your mortgage institution.
Step 4: Cancel your prior policy
Now that you’ve purchased your new policy, contact your current home insurance carrier to cancel your prior policy as of the same date your new policy is effective. Ensuring the dates are the same will prevent any overlap or gap in coverage. Even if your new policy is effective in the future, it’s still a safer process to start the new policy before canceling your old one. That way, if there are any issues getting your new policy started, you still have coverage through your old policy.
Step 5: Notify your mortgage company
Your mortgage company should receive a cancellation notice from the prior insurer and a declaration page from the new insurer, but it can help avoid confusion by letting your mortgage company know that you’ve switched insurance providers. You’ll likely need to provide the cancellation date of the prior policy and the effective date of the new policy (which should be the same date to avoid a lapse), as well as the name of the new company and the policy number.
Step 6: Send any premium refunds to your new escrow account
You may receive a prorated premium refund from your prior insurer if you switched insurance carriers mid-term. If you switch companies at your renewal period, you won’t get a refund, as all of your annual premium has been used.
Generally, you should contact your mortgage company to find out how to send this money back to your escrow account. While you could keep it, doing so could mean that your escrow will have a shortage and you’ll have to pay higher monthly mortgage payments to rebuild your escrow amount.
Prepare for Tomorrow’s Risks Today
The concept of expecting the unexpected continues to serve insurance brokers and agents well as we move into the years to come. Why? Because preparing for potential risks in the future is your sweet spot.
It is no secret that substantial challenges have found many small businesses reinventing the way work gets done. Those business leaders who have prepared in advance are positioned for continued growth throughout uncertain risk environments.
Are all of your clients and prospects prepared for what the future may hold? In today’s shifting times, most employers find themselves waiting for the other shoe to drop.
Since the only thing that is certain is death and taxes, use this time to help your clients prepare for the what ifs of tomorrow and the unknowns. Now is the best time for insurance brokers and agents—like you—to help employer clients prepare for tomorrow’s potential risks with a flexible mindset.
Help Employer Clients Succeed
Become a hero they remember by anticipating your existing and prospective employer client needs. Help them transform potential pain into power. Remind them that things aren’t as bad as they seem because they could be worse. Here are four ways you are well-positioned to help them succeed:
Offer Your Expertise. Don’t wait for employers to knock on your door. Proactively reach out to remind them that you’re available to help with risk preparedness for the coming year. The counsel you provide today will help employers remember you when it comes time to renew any of their insurance policies.
Provide Meeting Options. If you haven’t made the shift already, set things up so you’re able to accommodate virtual and in-person meetings. Make yourself accessible in a variety of ways to connect in a way that makes your clients comfortable. Consider options like Zoom, Skype, FaceTime for live meetings. Send free personalized video messages using Loom. When it is possible, offer outdoor coffee meetings for a change of pace.
Offer Payment Plans. With shifting payrolls, paying monthly insurance premiums based on traditional workers’ compensation systems is next to impossible. Eliminate estimates and ensure accurate payments by offering a pay-as-you-go plans. Your clients’ cash flow will improve, and end-year audits will be much easier to conduct. Short-term periods that rely on weeks instead of months will save time and money.
Find Needed Solutions. Meet your customers’ needs right where they are by finding solutions to protect their shifting workforce. With different norms created from temporary positions and short-term commitments, risk management loss control programs are critical. Spend time educating clients about ways to cut costs and share risks.
Access Free Support. Realize you’re not in this new normal alone. Syndicated Insurance Resources is well-equipped to help you find what your clients need. With access to 150+ markets and more than 40 unique customized solutions for small businesses, we specialize in helping you meet small businesses’ needs with seasonal ebbs and flows.
Contact us today to help find what you need: 877-333-8195.
Achieve Big Dreams
| A Guide on How to Achieve Big Dreams |
| Ever made a New Year’s resolution that you then worry is unrealistic? The good news is there’s no such thing. Here are five steps for following the dreams you really want to achieve.
Picture your dream clearly. Focus on what your dream is. Picture it as fully and vividly as possible, and then write down exactly what you see and how you see it. Research from Dominican University’s Dr. Gail Matthews has shown people who write their goals down are 42% more likely to achieve them. Ignore any negativity coming your way. A marathon runner is far more likely to take advice from someone who’s run a marathon than an armchair-dwelling naysayer. Take feedback from those who want you to achieve your dreams, not those who’d rather shoot you down. Surround yourself with positive influences. Now that you’ve filtered out the negative ideas and people who’d seek to hold you back, it’s time to fill your headspace with stories and people who have achieved supposedly “unrealistic” dreams. Finding strong role models for yourself is a powerful way to break away from any limiting beliefs you may have previously had. Spend a moment in your future self’s shoes. Think about what kind of life you’d like to look back on when you’re nearing the end. Do you want to have stories to tell, or would you rather have the regrets of not having tried? Even knowing that you did your best will leave you with a much more positive outlook. Take action! A bodybuilder doesn’t gain muscle by just thinking about lifting weights or reading weightlifting magazines. Once you know what you want, put the tangible work in to start achieving. |
Prepare for Tomorrow’s Risks Today
While everyone has encountered trials during 2020, the concept of expecting the unexpected continues to serve insurance brokers and agents well as we move into the years to come. Why? Because preparing for potential risks in the future is your sweet spot.
It is no secret that substantial challenges have found many small businesses reinventing the way work gets done. Those business leaders who have prepared in advance are positioned for continued growth throughout uncertain risk environments.
Are all of your clients and prospects prepared for what the future may hold? In today’s shifting times, most employers find themselves waiting for the other shoe to drop.
Since the only thing that is certain is death and taxes, use this time to help your clients prepare for the what ifs of tomorrow and the unknowns. Now is the best time for insurance brokers and agents—like you—to help employer clients prepare for tomorrow’s potential risks with a flexible mindset.
Help Employer Clients Succeed
Become a hero they remember by anticipating your existing and prospective employer client needs. Help them transform potential pain into power. Remind them that things aren’t as bad as they seem because they could be worse. Here are four ways you are well-positioned to help them succeed:
Offer Your Expertise. Don’t wait for employers to knock on your door. Proactively reach out to remind them that you’re available to help with risk preparedness for the coming year. The counsel you provide today will help employers remember you when it comes time to renew any of their insurance policies.
Provide Meeting Options. If you haven’t made the shift already, set things up so you’re able to accommodate virtual and in-person meetings. Make yourself accessible in a variety of ways to connect in a way that makes your clients comfortable. Consider options like Zoom, Skype, FaceTime for live meetings. Send free personalized video messages using Loom. When it is possible, offer outdoor coffee meetings for a change of pace.
Offer Payment Plans. With shifting payrolls, paying monthly insurance premiums based on traditional workers’ compensation systems is next to impossible. Eliminate estimates and ensure accurate payments by offering a pay-as-you-go plans. Your clients’ cash flow will improve, and end-year audits will be much easier to conduct. Short-term periods that rely on weeks instead of months will save time and money.
Find Needed Solutions. Meet your customers’ needs right where they are by finding solutions to protect their shifting workforce. With different norms created from temporary positions and short-term commitments, risk management lost control programs are critical. Spend time educating clients about ways to cut costs and share risks.
Access Free Support. Realize you’re not in this new normal alone. Syndicated Insurance Resources is well-equipped to help you find what your clients need. With access to 150+ markets and more than 40 unique customized solutions for small businesses, we specialize in helping you meet small businesses’ needs with seasonal ebbs and flows.
Contact us today to help find what you need: 877-333-8195.