Connie Carpenter, Services Manager

Landscape Contractors Insurance Services, Inc. Newsletter
Fall 2012
President’s Message
$775,000 in Rebates to be Mailed Mid-November
A
s the leaves begin to fall this autumn, LCIS
is working hard calculating REBATES for
our qualifying insured policyholders to be
mailed mid-November. During this time of year
just before the holidays we receive numerous calls
asking “When am I going to get my rebate?” I am
KIM AYALA happy to say LCIS continues to pay annual rebates
back to policyholders as we have for over 20 years.
President/CEO This year LCIS will pay over $775,000 in rebates.
While membership is no longer a requirement to
receive a rebate from LCIS, you must have a current policy in-force at
the time rebates are paid, which is the same as it has always been.
RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED
PASADENA, CA
PERMIT #740
1835 N. Fine Ave.
Fresno, CA 93727
Landscape Contractors
Insurance Services, Inc.
PAID
PRSRT STD
US POSTAGE
LCIS CHALLENGE
– ROUND 2
The Share & Compare
campaign has been
extended; don’t miss the opportunity
to have your coverages reviewed for
accuracy and completeness.
With multiple changes with CLCA endorsed insurance
programs this year, I would like to remind you that LCIS
remains committed to all landscape contractors and will
continue to provide the best coverages with very competitive
rates while supporting and providing specialized value and
services to our new and existing LCIS policyholders. LCIS
continues to support the local CLCA chapters and is very
active in local CLCA chapter meetings and functions, and
our producers hold local
LCIS continues to support CLCA chapter board
positions. We at LCIS
the local CLCA chapters
have had a solution for
and is very active in local your insurance needs for
over 23 years and will
CLCA chapter meetings
continue to offer you
and functions, and our
the best value for your
producers hold local CLCA insurance premium. As
chapter board positions.
always, LCIS maintains
industry high retention
and we want to thank you for your continued support.
As Workers’ Compensation rates continue to climb over last
year, be sure to read the WC Guru article in this edition of
Complete Coverage regarding important information on the
Workers Compensation market, rates and reform changes.
With insurance rates on the rise I challenge you to “Share
and Compare” your insurance coverages with LCIS. We
have uncovered many differences in limits, exposures and
coverages while at the same time successfully maintaining
your business.
In this newsletter you will learn more about our helpful and
knowledgeable staff. The “Meet the Management Team”
article spotlights someone to whom many of you have
already spoken, Services Manager Connie Carpenter. Connie
is an excellent manager and an effective achiever. She is
service oriented, and we are very fortunate to have her on
our team.
As 2012 winds down, we are gearing up to close the year on a
strong note and carry our success into 2013. I ask you to join
us on our journey.
Kim Ayala
President/CEO
Meet the
Management Team
Meet Connie Carpenter, Services Manager
In this issue we launch a new series of articles that will introduce you to members of our experienced, professional and very friendly LCIS management team.
C
onnie Carpenter, Services Manager
prices. We understand our product is not
has been with LCIS since 2001, but
tangible and therefore want to provide the
has been in the industry for 33 years.
best service possible. We take all feedback
She started with the agency as the first
and review it to continually improve our
Package Underwriter and later became the
customer service,” she emphasized.
Package Underwriting Manager.
Connie believes that staying
Connie developed the underahead of technology trends, helps
writing criteria for program
LCIS achieve its goals in customer
business with input from the
service as well as helping to
carrier at the time, Everest
provide a great product. She is
National Insurance Company.
proud of the fact that LCIS has an
In 2007 she assisted in the due
up to date agency management
diligence process of obtaining a
system and a paperless office that
new carrier and worked closely
allows information to be readily
with the Arch underwriters in
available to all agency personnel;
setting up underwriting guidelines
no more searching for files. “LCIS
CONNIE
for the new program. Seeing a
is always looking to the future,”
CARPENTER
need and seeking new responsibilisaid Connie. “We want to work
Services
Manager
ties, Connie became the Services
as efficiently as possible as we
Manager in July 2008.
provide the best customer service to our
“LCIS is industry recognized and respected
clients. We believe in long-term partnerby carriers and customers alike,” said
ships with our customers as well as our
Connie. “While LCIS has insurance
carriers, and technology gives us a complete
programs and standard markets, we strive
account picture at our fingertips to quickly
to provide the best product at competitive
respond to customer inquiries,” she added.
u MISSION STATEMENT u
“To provide quality insurance
products at competitive prices,
along with superior service
through our commitment of
excellence to our customers
and employees.”
Happy Anniversary
to the Following
Employees:
MAY
Deanna Vietty
Ashley Hissong
Debra Spencer
16 years
10 years
1 year
JUNE
Serena Savala Kim Ayala
Gilbert Gonzalez
Carol Strum
1 year
23 years
8 years
10 years
JULY
Victoria Anderson
Kim Saenz
David Bloodgood
Jamison Luther 2 years
9 years
2 years
1 year
Continued on Page 4
AUGUST
Contact Us
Toll-Free Kim Ayala, President/CEO Sharon Barroca, Program Operations Manager
David Bloodgood, Sales Manager
Connie Carpenter, Services Manager
Debbie Kirby, Administrative Manager
Terry Mahlman, Vice President – Business Development
Janet Schoenfeld, Assistant Vice President of Accounting
Certificate Request Fax
LCIS Website 2
Elizabeth Ngo
Connie Carpenter Claudette Stockbridge
(800) 628-8735
Extension #
511
572
545
552
514
580
513
(800) 440-2378
www.lcisinc.com
5 years
10 years
7 years
SEPTEMBER
Fran Barker
Vivian Garcia
Debbie Kirby
Terry Mahlman
Stacy Manning
Mike Dunn
9
17
4
12
9
15
years
years
years
years
years
years
OCTOBER
Janet Schoenfeld
7 years
Employee
Spotlight
Frances Barker,
Accounting
Representative,
started with LCIS
in 2003 in a clerical
support position and
soon after joined
the accounting
department where
she has spent most of her 9 years with the
company. She likes collaborating with all
departments, working as a team to resolve
problems and provide good service to our
customers.
In her free time, Fran and her husband,
Virgil, take pleasure in camping and
fishing, as well as competing in classic
car shows in their royal blue 1957 Chevy
Bel Air. They have won 1st place trophies
at five different shows in California.
Fran’s true “pride and joy” are her two
grandchildren, Shaun and Carson, both of
whom visit from the Bay Area for vacations
and holidays.
Liz Ngo, Assistant
Services Manager,
has been in insurance
for 11 years and
joined the LCIS team
in 2007 as an Account
Manager. She moved
to Fresno as a very
young girl and has
seen Fresno grow from a small farming
community to the “bigger city” status it
enjoys today. Liz too has grown, building
herself a solid career in insurance and a
strong personal family unit.
Recently celebrating her 5 year anniversary
with the company, Liz particularly enjoys
the camaraderie among the staff and the
kindly way we help each other succeed in
our jobs.
She leads a busy life between work and
home, but during her free time, often
watches movies with her two children,
while sharing a big bowl of buttered
popcorn
3
WC Guru
California Workers’ Comp
Reform – SB 863
O
n the last day
of the 2011-12
legislative
session, the State
Legislature passed SB
863, which entails a significant overhaul
of the California workers’ compensation system. Governor Brown quickly
signed the bill, as he had personally urged
lawmakers to support the legislation.
TERRY
MAHLMAN
VP Business
Development
The reform came as a surprise to many,
as only a small number of representatives
from labor and employer groups worked
behind the scenes with the Director of
the California Department of Industrial
Relations to develop the framework
of the reforms. By the time the bill hit
the floor, nearly all employer and labor
groups, including the California Chamber
of Commerce, provided support for the
bill. The California Applicant Attorneys
Association (applicant attorneys represent
injured workers) was in opposition to the
bill and had generally been excluded from
the negotiations.
The crux of SB 863 is that it is a deal
struck between labor and employers
which provides injured workers with
significantly higher permanent disability
payments (to the tune of $750 million per
year) in return for a series of reforms that
will result in a reduction of litigation and
system costs. Proponents of the bill project
that the reforms will more than offset the
cost of the increased permanent disability
payments and argued that the workers’
compensation system was headed for a
crisis. The reforms are intended to make
the system more “functional,” providing
greater consistency, certainty and timeliness in administering workers’ compensation benefits.
Key elements of the 160-page bill include:
• Elimination of permanent disability
“add-ons” for sleep dysfunction, sexual
dysfunction and psychiatric disorders
arising from compensable physical
injuries.
• Establishes an Independent Medical
Review process that removes workers’
compensation judges from resolving
disputes on the appropriateness of
medical treatments. This allows judges
to focus on matters of law, speeds up
the resolution of the medical disputes
and provides for resolution of medical
disputes by medical experts.
• Establishes an independent bill review
process to resolve medical billing
disputes. Once again, it frees judges to
deal with matters of law.
• Attempts to reduce the amount of liens in
the system by establishing filing fees for
liens (the filing of frivolous liens is thus
avoided). Currently there are hundreds of
thousands of liens strangling the system.
• Establishes reimbursement schedules for
copy services, interpreters, home healthcare and surgical centers.
Continued on Page 4
WC Guru continued from Page 3
The reforms should help to reduce the friction and litigation within
workers’ compensation that slow down the delivery of benefits and
the resolution of disputes.
Workers’ Compensation Rates
So now that we have workers’ compensation reforms, CA WC rates
should be going back down, right? Unfortunately, that’s a bit “iffy”
at this point. WC rates have been steadily climbing the past 24
months and the net savings from the WC reforms may help offset
the rising rates, but not by much.
The Department of Insurance, the Workers’ Compensation
Insurance Rating Bureau (WCIRB) and insurance companies are
currently assessing the impact of SB 863 on 2013 rates. The WCIRB
had recommended a 12.6% WC pure premium rate increase to
the Insurance Commissioner for January 2013. After passage and
analysis of SB863, the WCIRB ultimately recommended a net 0%
change in the pure premium rates for January 2013. That’s good for
California employers.
However, insurance companies are allowed to file their own
individual rates based upon their results and analysis of the
potential profitability of the workers’ compensation line of business.
So far, we have seen State Compensation Insurance Fund announce
a 7% rate decrease to be effective in the first quarter of 2013. We
have also seen two carriers file for rate increases over 20% effective
January. Most carriers have yet to commit as to which direction
they will take, but the general expectation is that more carriers will
be raising rates than those who stand pat or file for decreases.
To give you some perspective on what’s has been happening to
Meet the Management Team
continued from Page 2
Another source of company pride, according to Connie, is the
built-in flexibility in all of LCIS services, which leads to more
satisfied customers. New innovative financing options to allow
lower monthly payments and improve cash flow for our clients,
is just one such example. LCIS has also added online certificate
requests that can be completed by the client and sent directly to our
support staff, greatly expediting the process.
The Account Manager and Certificate departments, which Connie
oversees, “…really care about our customers and it shows in our
renewal retention, as well as customer testimonies. These departments strive to provide the best customer service with quality
carriers at competitive prices. There is a sense of energy and
camaraderie in the Services department.”
California WC rates, let’s flash back to July 2003. At that point, the
pure premium rate (advisory rates) for landscape gardening (class
code 0042) was $13.95. The “base rate” from our lead carrier at the
time was $19.50. Following full implementation of the 2004 WC
reforms, the pure premium rate dropped all the way to $4.48 in July
2007 – a 68% rate decrease.
The pure premium rates hovered near $5 as Insurance Commissioner Poizner disapproved a series of rate increases recommended
by the WCIRB. After Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones took
office, he approved substantial rate increases for 2012, based upon
the severe deterioration of insurance company underwriting results.
The savings generated by the 2004 reforms had largely vanished as
a result of court cases, applicant attorneys finding loopholes in the
laws, and entrepreneurial medical providers and vendors who found
a way to get a bigger “piece of the action.”
The proposed 2013 pure premium rate for class code 0042 is $7.57.
That’s nearly 60% higher than the January 2011 rate, but still 45%
lower than the 2003 high-water mark.
LCIS remains committed to providing the most competitive
workers’ compensation rates for the landscape industry. As you’ve
read in my past rate commentaries, LCIS has a lot of “buying
power” for our customers. This is as a result of our large premium
base and the insurance community’s recognition of LCIS as the
premier insurance broker for landscape contractors. We utilize
a select number of carriers that have competitive rates for the
landscape industry, but we also maintain relationships with many
alternative markets, when the need arises.
Educate (DAE) designations, and is working on her Certified
Insurance Service Representative (CISR) designation.
Not one to rest on her laurels, she believes in “…always working to
better one’s self. Education is an important part of keeping up with
changes and advancements in the industry and helps you grow as a
person.”
Reflecting on the commitment LCIS has toward its clients, Connie
concluded, “We at LCIS work hard to simplify doing business with
us. And we are all dedicated to providing the best customer service
experience possible!”
LCIS at TLE Show
WHILE VISITING
other exhibitors,
LCIS rep Dan
Dvorak (below,
right) ran into his
good friend Randy
Baldwin of San
Marcos Growers in
Santa Barbara.
LCIS is constantly evolving and growing, and is careful in its
selection of the best possible staff that will work well with clients
and fellow employees alike. “Everyone is willing to pitch in and help
to ensure the needs of our clients are met efficiently and to their
complete satisfaction,” said Connie.
Connie has often been recognized by her peers and her industry.
She served as President of Insurance Women of Fresno in
2006/2007 and was voted Insurance Woman of the Year by the
association in 2004. Connie has earned her Certified Professional
Insurance Women (CPIW), Associate Insurance Services (AIS),
Associate in General Insurance (AINS) and Diversified Accelerated
4
WELCOMING ATTENDEES to the LCIS booth
at the Long Beach Landscape Expo show in
October are Pam Kinne, Kim Ayala and
Mike Dunn.
Safety Tips of the Quarter
Fall 2012
Preventing Eye Injuries in the Workplace
By Jenny Mejia, Staff Writer, El Dorado Communications
P
rotecting your eyes from injury
is one of the most basic things
you can do to keep your vision
healthy throughout your life. You may
be somewhat aware of the possible risks
of eye injuries, but are you taking the
easiest step of all to prevent 90 percent of
those injuries: wearing the proper protective eyewear? According to the Center
for Disease Control
and Prevention, each
day about 2,000 U.S.
workers have job-related
eye injuries that require
medical treatment. About
one third of the injuries
are treated in hospital
emergency departments
and more than 100 of
these injuries result in
one or more days of lost work.
Common Causes of Eye Injuries
•F
lying objects (bits of metal, glass or a
kicked up rock from a string trimmer)
•T
ools (improperly stored or misused
rakes, shovels and other hand tools)
•P
articles (from hedge trimmers,
chainsaws, blowers or wind dust)
•C
hemicals (direct or blow-back)
•A
ny combination of these or other
hazards
Wear protective eyewear whenever there
is a chance of eye injury. Make sure each
of your crewmembers has the proper
protective eyewear for the type of work
he or she is doing. See to it that your crew
leaders enforce the protective eyewear
rules in your company. The type of safety
eye protection needed depends on the
hazards in your workplace and should be
compliant with OSHA regulations for eye
and face protection.
IMPORTANT: Anyone working in or
passing through areas that pose eye
hazards should wear protective eyewear as
well. If that is not realistic, post signs and
3
remain alert so that non-workers remain a
safe distance from work areas.
The Right Eyewear for the Job
If you are working in an area that has
particles, flying objects or dust, you
must at least wear safety glasses with side
protection (side shields) along with a
good dust mask. If you are working with
chemicals, you should
wear goggles along
with the proper face
shield/mask. If you are
working near hazardous
radiation, welding, lasers
or fiber optics, you must
use special-purpose
safety glasses, goggles,
face shields or helmets
designed for that task.
Always be sure your eye safety wear is
OSHA-compliant and has been approved
by ANSI (ANSI-approved protective
eyewear is manufactured to meet the
American National Standards Institute eye
protection standard).
Tips to Safer Eyes at Work
• Know the eye safety dangers at work and
follow established procedures in your
company’s Safety Program.
• Eliminate hazards before starting work.
Use machine guarding, work screens
or other engineering controls. Put up
proper safety signage, especially when
tree trimming or chemical spraying.
• Always, always use proper eye protection.
If an eye injury occurs, see an ophthalmologist or go to the emergency room
immediately, even if the eye injury appears
minor. Delaying medical attention
can result in permanent vision loss or
blindness. Because eye injuries can cause
serious vision loss, it’s important to be
able to recognize an injury and appropriately respond to it. DO NOT attempt to
treat a serious eye injury yourself.
Seek Immediate Medical Help When…
• The person has obvious pain or trouble
seeing.
• The person has a cut or torn eyelid.
• One eye does not move as well as the
other.
• One eye sticks out compared to the
other.
• The eye has an unusual pupil size or
shape.
• There is blood in the clear part of the eye.
• The person has something in the eye
or under the eyelid that can’t be easily
removed.
As important as one’s eyes are to all
aspects of life and well being, they come
with very little self protection. This is all
the more reason why we must take extra
care of them…especially in the workplace.
Jenny Mejia is a recent
graduate of Cal Poly
Pomona with a degree
in Psychology. She
intends to pursue a
Master’s Degree leading
to a career in Human
Resources.
Jenny Mejia
Safety Tips Wanted!
Do you have some safety tips that have
made a difference for your company?
Send them to LCIS at the address
below, ATTN: Editor, and they might
appear as future Safety Tips of the
Quarter to share with your fellow
CLCA members.
1835 N. Fine Ave., Fresno, CA 93727
(559) 650-3555 ph / (559) 650-3558 fx
Website: www.lcisinc.com
Consejos de Seguridad
otoño 2012
Previniendo las Lesiones Oculares en los Lugares de Trabajo
Por Jenny Mejía, Redactora de El Dorado Communications
P
roteger sus ojos de una lesión es una
de las cosas más básicas que usted
puede hacer para mantener una visión
saludable a lo largo de su vida. Usted puede
ser consciente de las posibles lesiones
oculares, pero ¿está usted tomando el paso
más sencillo de todos para prevenir el 90
por ciento de esas lesiones?: ¿Usa usted la
protección adecuada? Según el Centro para
el Control y Prevención de Enfermedades,
cada día cerca de 2.000 trabajadores
estadounidenses sufren
lesiones oculares
relacionadas al trabajo
que requieren tratamiento
médico. Alrededor de
un tercio de las lesiones
son tratadas en salas de
emergencia de hospitales
y más de 100 de estas
lesiones resultan en uno
o más días de trabajo
perdidos.
Causas Comunes de Lesiones en los Ojos
• Objetos que salen disparados (pedazos de
metal, vidrio o un pedazo de piedra que
sale despedido de una cortadora de hilo)
• Herramientas (rastrillos que están siendo
mal usados, palas y otras herramientas de
mano)
• Partículas (de las cortadoras de setos,
motosierras, sopladoras o polvo levantado
por el viento)
• Químicos (directos o en contra del viento)
• Cualquier combinación de estos u otros
peligros
Use siempre lentes protectores cuando
exista la posibilidad de lesiones oculares.
Asegúrese de que cada uno de los
miembros del equipo tenga los lentes de
protección adecuados para el tipo de
trabajo que él o ella está haciendo. Controle
que los líderes de su equipo hagan cumplir
las reglas acerca del uso de los lentes
de protección en su empresa. El tipo de
protección ocular necesaria varía según
los peligros de su lugar de trabajo y debe
cumplir con las regulaciones de la OSHA
para la protección de ojos y cara.
4
IMPORTANTE: Las personas que trabajan
o que tengan que pasar por zonas que
representen un peligro para los ojos deben
usar gafas de protección. Si eso no es
posible, coloque carteles y manténgase
alerta manteniendo al no-trabajador a una
distancia segura de las áreas de trabajo.
Lentes de Protección Adecuados para el
Trabajo
Si está trabajando en un área donde hay
partículas, objetos
volantes o polvo, deberá
al menos llevan gafas de
seguridad con protección
lateral (escudos
laterales), junto con una
buena máscara para
el polvo. Si trabaja con
productos químicos, usted
debe usar lentes para
salpicadura junto con el
protector facial adecuado
(respirador). Si trabaja cerca peligros
radiactivos, soldadura, láser o fibra óptica,
usted debe utilizar gafas de seguridad,
gafas protectoras, máscaras o cascos
especialmente diseñados para esa tarea.
Siempre asegúrese de que sus gafas
de seguridad estén en regla según los
estándares de OSHA y que hayan sido
aprobado por ANSI (los lentes de protección
ANSI son manufacturados cumpliendo
con los estándares de protección ocular
del Instituto Americano Nacional de
Estándares).
Consejos para la Seguridad Ocular en el
Trabajo
• Conozca los peligros de seguridad ocular
en el trabajo y siga los procedimientos
establecidos en el Programa de Seguridad
de la empresa.
• Elimine riesgos antes de comenzar el
trabajo. Use la protección que tengan las
máquinas, use pantallas u otros controles
de ingeniería. Coloque la señalización de
seguridad adecuada, sobre todo cuando
esté cortando árboles o realizando
fumigación química.
• Siempre, siempre use protección para ojos
adecuada.
Si se produce una lesión ocular, consulte
a un oftalmólogo o vaya a la sala de
emergencia inmediatamente, incluso si la
lesión en el ojo parece menor. Posponer la
atención médica puede resultar en pérdida
del grado de visión o ceguera. Puesto
que las lesiones oculares pueden causar
pérdida de visión grave, es importante ser
capaz de reconocer una lesión y responder
apropiadamente a ella. NO intente auto
tratarse una lesión ocular grave.
Busque Atención Médica Inmediata
Cuando…
• La persona sufre un fuerte dolor o
problemas para ver.
• La persona tiene un corte o una torcedura
en el parpado.
• Un ojo no se mueve tan bien como el otro.
• Un ojo sobresale más que el otro.
• La pupila tiene un tamaño o forma
anormal.
• Hay sangre en la parte blanca de ojo.
• La persona tiene algo en el ojo o bajo del
parpado que es difícil de remover.
Tan importantes como son nuestros
ojos, son todos aspectos de la vida y del
bienestar personal, y todos ellos vienen
con poca protección por si mismos. Esta es
la razón por la cual hay que protegerlos...
especialmente en el lugar de trabajo
Jenny Mejía se graduó
recientemente con
una licenciatura en
Psicología en Cal Poly
Pomona. Ella tiene la
intención de seguir
una maestría que la
conduzca a una carrera
en Recursos Humanos.
Jenny Mejia
1835 N. Fine Ave., Fresno, CA 93727
(559) 650-3555 ph / (559) 650-3558 fx
Website: www.lcisinc.com