If you’ve been a builder for more than a few years you’ve been through a lot. When the housing bubble burst; you survived. Now that the market is better and your business is growing, you’re starting to realize the rewards of surviving. There are still plenty of challenges and one of them is to find qualified subcontractors.

Recently, you started a new subdivision and hired a flat concrete contractor you’ve never worked with before, to put in the sidewalks. This morning you got a call from your new sub; the kind you never want to get. A woman was walking her dog next to your project around dusk last night. She tripped over a mason’s line that was left across a section of sidewalk that had been poured earlier that day. The new flat work guy left the site without setting up any cones, fencing or signs. In fact, he did nothing to warn the public of what is commonly referred to as a “trip & fall hazard.” The woman suffered fractures to both wrists as well as lacerations to her face when she fell. Her injuries will require surgery and she’ll be unable to work for several months. Her pain and suffering have yet to be determined.

Your new sub has his own general liability insurance that should respond to this claim. You required him to have his insurance company add you to his policy as additional insured. That way they will defend you if and when the woman’s attorney sues you as well as your sub. The certificate of insurance you required your sub to provide shows all of this. Everything should be fine. But, trip & fall claims can spiral out of control.

Disputes can arise over who should have protected the worksite. Subcontractors or, their attorneys, can argue that’s the general contractor’s job. You feel that you don’t have time to hover over every job site making sure each sub is placing the proper emphasis on safety. Besides, you hired them to do a job and that includes doing it safely. Doesn’t it? All your subs understand this, don’t they?

In most states, you as the general contractor, are ultimately responsible for worksite safety. That doesn’t mean the subs get a free pass. But it usually means the general contractor has to do more than just assume everyone is being safe. That means holding periodic safety meetings, making sure new subs understand what you expect from them before starting work each morning, during the workday and after shutting down for the night. Active worksites are dangerous places even when they are nothing more than a partially completed sidewalk in poor light where an unsuspecting woman takes her dog for a walk.

Holding regular safety meetings doesn’t have to take a lot of time or cost you much money. Meetings don’t have to be held every day; just regularly enough to make it clear to everyone concerned that you are committed to preventing accidents involving both the public and anyone else at your worksites.

The RWC Insurance Advantage is dedicated to loss prevention. To prove it, we offer up to 25% off your new general liability premium if you provide us with a copy of your written safety program. If you’re already insured with us, we’ll even offer the same incentive on your next renewal if you haven’t already received it.

Call us today at 866-454-2155 to find out if you qualify and receive a free, no obligation quote.

Today’s home buyers are tech-savvy shoppers who routinely turn to the internet when searching for new homes. As a successful builder, you understand the vital importance of maintaining a solid presence on the internet so potential buyers can find you, learn about what you offer, and discover what makes you better than “the other guys”.

RWC has an entire section of our website dedicated to educating the homebuyer on everything from how to choose a home builder to understanding what a new home warranty is all about. The following resources can help explain the value of your decision to provide an RWC warranty on your home:

• The Value of an RWC Warranty to Your Home Buyer
• What Your RWC Membership Means to Your Buyer
• Tips on Choosing a Builder (of course being an RWC Member factors in there)
• What’s the Difference Between a Structural Warranty and an Appliance Warranty
• Important Warranty Terms to Know and Understand

Something ‘extra’ you provide which sets you apart from the competition is the fact you offer a 3rd party insured warranty – and not just any warranty – but the RWC warranty. The sales process is complex with a variety of topics to discuss with potential home buyers. Our goal is to make the warranty explanation easier for you by expanding our online resources for your homebuyers. Hopefully, this section will become your “go to” resource for warranty information for your staff and your buyers.

Obviously, it makes perfect sense to provide your buyers with information about your warranty. Simply link your site to the RWC Homeowner section to point them in the right direction and we’ll tell the story for you! We suggest linking to www.rwcwarranty.com/homeowners as your starting point. Your buyers will learn about the extra mile you travel to demonstrate your professionalism and customer service by providing them with this written RWC warranty.

Did you know that as a member of RWC or HOME of Texas you may be eligible for our General Liability Insurance Program through RWC Insurance Advantage? If you would like to learn how we might meet your general liability coverage needs, call RWC Insurance Advantage today at 866-454-2155 or click here to get a quote. Plus, be sure to read on for some helpful hints about certificates of insurance, subs and staying on top of policies.

Insurance agents hear it all the time; are certificates really that important? If my subs’ certificates aren’t current, am I on the hook for what their policies don’t cover? What about exclusions on my policy? Maybe a hypothetical claim will help provide some answers. Let’s say you contract with a roofer. He’s not the roofer you usually work with but, he has a good reputation and he gives you a certificate of insurance that shows he has his own General Liability policy. It has the same limits as your policy with the RWC Insurance Advantage program. No worries here. His policy will respond first to injuries or damage to others that he might cause while working on your behalf. However, you also notice his Workers Comp is due to renew in about a week but, he assures you the renewal is going to happen and he’ll provide you with an updated certificate just as soon as he gets it from his agent. You need to get your latest project under roof as soon as possible because the weather has been uncertain; so, you decide to take a chance. Besides, it shouldn’t take a week to do a roof. What could go wrong?

The weather takes a turn for the worse. By the time the roof is started it’s been over a week. Then you get the news one of the roofer’s employees has been injured. He didn’t fall but, he hurt his back. Only then do you remember the promised certificate hasn’t appeared. Then your roofer admits his policy was not renewed because he failed to make a payment. Your policy doesn’t cover injuries to the employees of subcontractors. That’s because workers compensation insurance is available to them and is designed to cover the medical bills and lost wages of his employees. As it turns out, waiting for a renewal certificate of insurance might have avoided you being held liable for a loss that isn’t covered under your policy.

• Make sure all your subcontractors provide you with up-to-date certificates of insurance.
• Ask them if they have any open or, unreported claims.
• Be aware of what your policy does and does not cover.

Don’t let someone else’s lack of planning become your problem.

On August 14, 1173 Bonanno Pisano, began construction on an 183’ high marble and stone bell tower in Pisa, Italy. It took nearly 200 years to complete, but trouble started long before. Within five years of breaking ground, the bell tower began to lean due to a shallow foundation set in unstable subsoil. The design was flawed from the beginning. A builder’s worst nightmare? Just the opposite. Today the Leaning Tower of Pisa is one of the world’s most visited tourist destinations.

For the rest of us less able to make lemonade from the occasional lemons we’re handed, we need help. Fortunately, for Pisa, the tower’s lean hasn’t caused it to fall over on all those cash-carrying tourists…yet. If that ever happens, the contractor responsible for maintaining the famous landmark better have general liability insurance. Otherwise, it could become the world’s most famous uninsured construction defect claim. Of course, the tower has been standing for over 600 years without falling, so what else is there to worry about? Each year in this country more than seven million injuries are attributed to “slip and fall” accidents. Imagine how many tourists may have slipped or fallen going up and down the steps of the Leaning Tower of Pisa. Now imagine how many would-be buyers might slip or fall at one of your model homes or active job sites.

Nobody likes thinking about third party liability claims. Bonanno Pisano didn’t have to because he didn’t live to see his project completed. You’re probably planning on being around for a while and I’m guessing those plans don’t include losing everything you’ve worked for because someone was seriously injured at one of your job sites. If my guess is right, we’d like to help. Give RWC Insurance Advantage a chance to review your current general liability coverage. Call us at (866) 454-2155 and ask for Ron Sweigert or click here for a free no obligation quote.