Business & Insurance Services

Buildings & Property Insurance

Business Income Insurance

Should the unthinkable happen – a devastating fire, a major weather event – can your business survive any potential interruption in revenue? This is the kind of question that can keep business owners awake at night. Carrying sufficient business income insurance, which reimburses you for lost revenue if your business is unable to operate because of a fire or storm-related closure, can help your business endure challenging times. It may even help you sleep through the night. Allow Amplified to custom-tailor a program specifically to your business’s needs.

Cyber Liability Insurance

Cyber hacking is no longer the fictional stuff of offbeat films about awkward adolescents seeking relatively-harmless revenge for a ruined romance. It is now one of the biggest threats companies face. It happens every day in real life and the results can be devastating. Guard your company’s electronically-stored assets against hacking with cyber liability insurance. An effective cyber liability program isn’t your grandfather’s kind of insurance, and Amplified isn’t your grandfather’s insurance agency.

Commercial Auto Insurance

Not every company requires commercial auto insurance. The time to determine whether or not your company does need it – and exactly which kinds and how much – is before an accident happens. The types of companies that typically carry commercial auto insurance are those whose primary business is in the transportation industry. These can include trucking companies and van lines, fuel, petroleum, hazardous material and waste haulers, and specialty transportation companies such as ambulances, school buses and livery operators. Assuming a standard auto insurance policy covers your needs can be shortsighted. At Amplified, don’t assume. We evaluate and offer solutions.

Commercial General Liability Insurance

There are two types of commercial general liability (CGL) insurance; occurrence basis and claims made basis. Both cover the same “what” – damages your organization is obligated to pay because of an issue with your company’s premises, operations and products. It’s the “when” that varies with each type. Occurrence basis covers incidents that happen during the policy period’s coverage. Claims made basis CGL covers claims that are presented during the period of coverage.  Amplified will help you sort through the ‘what, why, and how much’ and make certain your company is fully protected.

Directors & Officers Liability Insurance

Take your business to the next level with insurance that’s designed to protect decision makers. Unlike management liability insurance, which covers the liabilities of a corporation as a whole, directors and officers (D&O) liability insurance protects a company’s individual directors and officers as well. It provides both your company, and directors and officers, with protection against legal action brought about by errors and trademark infringement, and questions of fulfilling contractual obligations. Encourage think-outside- the-box thinking by protecting your team with a D&O program from Amplified.

Employee Benefits Liability Insurance

Mistakes happen. When it comes to today’s ever-changing landscape of the laws governing employee benefits, they’re virtually unavoidable. Even when a company has done its due diligence in researching employee benefits – such as retirement and investment plans, and health insurance –an unintentional error or omission can have a negative financial impact on an employee. When this happens, employee benefits liability insurance provides your company, and your employees, with a safety net by covering monetary loss. What it doesn’t do is provide financial protection or compensation in the case of discrimination or harassment situations. That’s where employee practices liability insurance comes in.

Employment Practices Liability Insurance

What happens when your company is faced with an unforeseen discrimination or harassment lawsuit? It’s a question that concerns every employer. The first step in addressing these concerns is adopting a clear and concise employee policy. The second is in securing comprehensive employee practices liability insurance (EPL). EPL insurance works hand-in- hand with your internal employment practices to provide resources to defend your company. Securing EPL insurance coverage ensures that your company has sufficient protection against employment-related lawsuits.

Errors & Omissions Insurance

While it may be true that “to err is human,” a pithy saying won’t protect your company against lawsuits brought about by an error or omission made by a team member. What will protect your business is a wide-ranging errors and omissions insurance policy (E&O). Also known as professional liability insurance (PLI), this type of insurance protects companies, and individuals within the company who provide professional advice and services, from many of the financial ramifications incurred in defending a claim of negligence. Protect your business and your team by allowing Amplified to review your company’s needs.

Fiduciary Liability Insurance

There are set standards regarding how a company oversees employee benefits plans like financial investments and healthcare benefits. Failure to follow these standards may result in legal liability. Should that happen, fiduciary liability insurance helps cover any costs incurred by the insured. The definition of insured is broad and can include: a trust or employee benefit plan, any trustee, officer or employee of the trust or employee benefit plan, and an employer who is the sole sponsor of a plan, and any other individual or organization designated as a fiduciary.

Products Liability Insurance

It doesn’t matter whether your business manufactures, distributes or sells a product; if someone is harmed by that product, your company could be held liable. While it may seem that products liability insurance – also known as manufacturers insurance – should only be carried by a business that actually creates a product, many states adhere to a ‘stream of commerce’ model which means that wholesale and retail businesses can also be held responsible if someone gets hurt. Amplified will work with you in determining whether or not your business requires products liability insurance, and then ensure that you’re carrying a sufficient amount.

Surety/Bonds

Generally speaking, the purpose of surety bonds is to protect against the incomplete, or incorrectly completed, fulfillment of a promise. For businesses, there are two types of surety bonds; contract and non-contract. Contract bonds ensure that contractual obligations are met. Non-contract bonds cover obligations and performance standards that are not set out in a contract. With so many moving parts, figuring out exactly what your company needs can cause problems. Solve the problem with Amplify.

• Bid Bonds: A bid bond guarantees that if a bid is accepted, the work will get done. If a contractor fails to fulfill that guarantee, the bond offsets the cost of reopening the bid process.
• Contract Bonds: A contract bond’s purpose is to provide a guarantee that work will actually be completed once a contract has been signed.
• License & Permit Bonds: Municipalities and states typically require this type of bond in order to obtain the license required to do certain types of business. These can include: contractors, automobile dealers, insurance brokers, mortgage brokers, and title agencies, to name a few.

Umbrella Insurance

Umbrella insurance provides extra liability protection. A homeowner who also owns a car and a boat might purchase umbrella insurance to offer added protection above each individual policy. For businesses, an umbrella policy serves the same overall purpose, but at higher levels and for a wider range of circumstances. There is no such thing as a “standard” umbrella policy. Each is tailored to a business’s specific needs which can make purchasing umbrella insurance feel like a guessing game. Working with Amplified removes the guesswork.

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Workers Compensation Insurance

If your business employs people, you are required to carry workers compensation insurance. That is a cut-in-stone fact. Beyond that, things get a little muddy. Each state mandates that workers compensation is compulsory, but the specific requirements vary from state-to-state. The kind of business you operate also affects workers compensation requirements. There are also federal laws that focus on non-federal employees working in an area under the control of federal authorities. Clearly, there is no such thing as a one-size-fits-all policy. Right-size your workers comp insurance with Amplified.

Builders Risk Insurance

Builders risk insurance is a specialized kind of property insurance that covers materials, fixtures and equipment that are damaged during construction. It’s often purchased by a general contractor, but property owners may opt to purchase it as well which, for a business owner, can be a smart move. Whether it is the contractor or the owner of business where work is occurring, whoever holds the builders risk insurance controls the flow of funds in the event of damage. Get control by working with Amplified.

Equipment Breakdown Insurance

Commercial property insurance covers damage to your business’s equipment caused by an external force such as a fire. For coverage caused to equipment by internal forces, additional equipment breakdown insurance is required. The list of “internal forces” which this kind of insurances typically covers is lengthy – power surges, mechanical breakdowns, operator error, etc. – making it a great investment for nearly every business. Not only will it help pay for the cost of repairs, it can help cover lost income and other expenses during downtime.

Pollution Liability

Spills of potentially harmful products or the long-term leaching of toxic substances do not need to reach “superfund status” to cause significant problems. Not even close. The smallest mishap, whether sudden or over time, can lead to pollution that causes harm to someone, or someone’s property. Pollution liability insurance provides coverage for property damage and bodily injury caused by work performed by your company or on behalf of your company. 

Health Insurance

Through our network of top carriers we offer every imaginable type of health insurance, including HMO, POS and PPO plans. We can assist in designing and implementing partially self-funded health insurance and prescription drug insurance programs. Amplified Insurance is also at the forefront of designing and implementing consumer-driven healthcare insurance plans – such as health savings and reimbursement accounts – which can dramatically reduce costs.

Dental Insurance

Take a bite out of your health coverage concerns with dental insurance. Amplified works with all of the major carriers and can provide your company with cost-effective solutions including indemnity, HMO and PPO plans.

Group Life Insurance

Low premiums and tax benefits for both employers and employees make group term life insurance a win/win. In many cases, employers are able to deduct premiums, while employees do not pay income tax on their own contributions for up to $50,000 of coverage.

Group Disability Insurance

• At Amplified Insurance we offer both short-term and long-term disability insurance coverage. While each provides financial assistance to an employee unable to work due to illness or injury, there are differences between the two, such as:

• • Short-term group disability insurance:
    • Pays fixed weekly amount or set percentage of income
    • Waiting periods from one to 15 days
    • Benefits periods up to 52 weeks
    • Offered many times as a voluntary benefit
    • Can cover up to two-thirds of pre-disability income
    • Coordinates with long-term care
    • Covers maternity leave for women

• Long-term group disability insurance:

• • Pays a set percentage of employee’s regular income – generally until age 65 – and covers incomes up to $100,000
  • Ability to offer different classes of benefits
  • Coordinates to pick up after short-term coverage ends
  • Benefits can be designed to offer “own occupation” benefits, cost of living increases, and tax-free income in the event of a disability

Long-Term Care Insurance

This can allow a person to maintain independence by reimbursing the cost of services associated with activities such as eating, dressing and bathing, and household chores. Care can be provided at home, or in an independent living community or assisted-living facility.

Vision Plans

Vision coverage is typically offered as an added benefit on most major medical plans. Coverage generally includes an eye exam and one pair of glasses – or contact lenses – per year. In some instances, vision coverage also includes contact lenses prescribed following cataract surgery.

Employee Assistance Programs

An employee assistance program (EAP) encourages a healthful lifestyle and emotional wellbeing by providing employees with a range of services. Services can include short-term counseling and referrals to other practitioners, among other things.

Health Care Funding

Flexible Spending Accounts are benefit plan arrangements that allow employees to pay for certain medical care, or dependent care and transportation expenses, on a pre-tax basis, providing both employers and employees with financial benefits. Options include a Flexible Spending Arrangement (FSA), a Health Reimbursement Arrangement (HRA), and a Health Savings Account (HSA).

• An FSA is a type of cafeteria plan authorized under Section 125 of the Internal Revenue Code. It allows separate accounts to be set up to cover a variety of expenses including premiums, qualified medical expenses, and dependent care expenses.
• An HRA is employer funded and reimburses employees for qualified medical expenses.
• An HSA is an employee-funded, tax-exempt account created to pay for qualified medical expenses. It is paired with High Deductible Health Insurance, with coverage kicking in after a certain amount of money has been paid.

Retirement Plans

As the economy has rebounded, employee retention has become a critical part of a successful business plan. With more than half of employees citing retirement benefits as an important reason to stay with a company (Source: Willis Towers Watson), providing your employees with long-term financial stability lets you retain top talent. Amplified will work with you in choosing a plan that suits the needs of your company and your employees. We’ll identify goals, and explore the costs of various options and the pros and cons of offering an employer contribution.

Workplace Wellness

• Workplace wellness programs can be an important tool for increased employee productivity and employee retention. It is something we strongly believe in at Amplified and yes, we do practice what we preach. Within the last couple of years, we’ve made tons of changes at our office including twice-a-week deliveries of fresh, healthy food that’s offered to employees at cost, and a quiet place for our team to unplug and recharge.

We can work with you in implementing a range of options including:

• Creating an environment that promotes physical activity throughout the workday
• Promoting the use of walking or biking trails near your office
• Bringing healthy food into the workplace
• Offering healthy food options in vending machines and at events
• Making ergonomic modifications to workstations
• Creating an environment that reduces stress

Voluntary Benefits

Voluntary Benefits are typically employee funded, although some employers may contribute a portion of funding, that are offered in addition to traditional health insurance programs. Options include vision and dental, life insurance, disability insurance, cancer and critical illness insurance, and accident insurance. Additional choices include financial planning, career development and online education. Recent studies have shown that offering Voluntary Benefits boosts employee morale and attracts new talent.

Wellness Management

Fostering a healthy workplace is a classic case of “win-win.” Healthy employees are happier employees. They’re also more productive which means a healthier bottom line for employers. Wellness Management programs vary greatly and are often customized to fit a business’s specific needs and goals. Options include behavior modification programs that address poor habits, health risk assessment, disease management which provides support to people with chronic illnesses, and programs that offer information designed to foster better health-related decision making and a healthier lifestyle.

Cost Containment

Cost Containment

Were Benjamin Franklin alive today, he may have amended his famous “Nothing is certain but death and taxes” quote to include “… and rising health insurance costs.” With this inevitability in mind, Amplified is dedicated to containing your company’s health insurance costs, not just as we begin working together, but on a regular, ongoing basis. We continually monitor the health insurance claims of employees and, with each quarter, present you with statistical benchmarking and predictive modeling. Based on this info, we’ll make cost containment suggestions that typically pair traditional concepts – such as utilizing generic medications – with more cutting-edge options like telemedicine to replace ER visits with virtual ones, and wellness initiatives.

Managed Service Plans- Ongoing & Retainer

Our Managed Service Plans are tailored to your organization. Whether you need full-time, part-time, interim, or retainer based services. We’ve got you covered!

Project-Based Services

We offer a full range of project-based consulting services which can be customized to fit your needs and budget. These services include:

• HR Audits
• Employee Handbook Revision and/or Development
• Policy & Procedure Development
• Training & Development Course Curriculum and Delivery
• Job Description Development
• Salary Surveys, Benchmarking and Compensation Analysis
• Incentive Plans
• Performance Management Program Development and Execution

HR Technology Solutions

Our Technology Solutions Coordinator will analyzes your companies HR needs, recommend the best technology platform from our extensive database, and assist with implementation.

We are constantly researching and utilizing the most innovative technology trends and understand the importance of staying current in an ever changing world. We work closely with the Technology Vendors to ensure a smooth transition and also offer continued support.

Technology Solutions Include:

• Online Benefits Enrollment & Administration
• Recruitment, On-boarding, and Management of Employees
• Payroll Management and Integration
• Performance Management & Employee Engagement Tracking
• Incentive Programs

Employee & Management Training

An effective training program is the bedrock on which your business is built. Amplified Insurance offers training program development as well as a full suite of HR-related instruction for both employees and managers.

We also provide ongoing off-site workshops which focus on today’s ever-changing, critical HR issues including:

• Anti-Harassment Training
• Managers Legal Compliance
• Safety and OSHA Training
• Effective Communication Training
• Essential Skills HR Boot Camp

Recruitment

If your company is in need of an HR professional, consider having Amplified Insurance Partners handle the recruitment. We’ll present you with carefully-vetted candidates saving you both time and money. And if your business is experiencing a period of high growth, you may find you’re in need of temporary HR support. We can provide you with a highly-skilled HR professional who will work with you on-site at your organization on a short-term basis.

• Application Review
• Interviewing
• Offer/No Interest Letters
• On-Boarding Program Development

Legal Compliance

We are not lawyers but we certainly have experience with Legal Compliance when it comes to HR related issues. We are fully prepared to guide you and offer recommendations when issues arise.

• Anti-Harassment Policy Development
• Harassment/Discrimination Investigations
• DUA (Unemployment Notifications)
• Review of all company forms
• Employee File Maintenance
• American’s Disability Act (ADA)
• COBRA Requirement
• HIPPA- Confidentiality Obligations
• FMLA & SNLA

Compensation

• Salary Analysis & Bench-marking
• Job Description Development
• Design and Performance Evaluations
• Employee/Sales/Management Incentive Plans

Safety

• Developing/Review of Safety Program
• Development of Safety-related Policies
• Safety Walk-through’s
• Develop Safety Committee
• OSHA Training

Loss Control Surveys

You know the old adage “Forewarned is forearmed”? We suspect it may have been coined by someone who handles loss control surveys. A loss control survey is conducted, typically at a business or commercial property, to identify potential hazards. The possible problems can include water leaks, fire risks, issues with an overall structure such as decay, and potential hazards to employees and visitors. Can a loss control survey be mildly disruptive? Yes. It is a critical component in ensuring safety and attaining competitive insurance rates? Absolutely.

Document Destruction

The rumor that we now live in a paperless world “has been greatly exaggerated.” Even the most tech-savvy company generates paper; lots and lots of paper, much of it in the form of important documents. Once those documents have become outdated, or scanned into a digital format, what do you do with them? You have them destroyed; safely and securely. That’s where we come in. We’ve partnered with a leading company which provides secure containers and onsite document destruction.

Underwriting Inspections

An underwriting inspection is often performed prior to – or just after – a new property insurance policy takes effect. They can also be done periodically throughout the duration of a policy’s coverage. These are a straightforward, standard way to ensure that the physical assets of your business have been properly classified and are in good condition. In addition to reviewing the exterior of all buildings, a full inspection of interior areas and mechanical systems is also done.

Data Warehousing

Cutting-edge data warehousing can take your business to the next level. By securely gathering vast amounts of information – both current and historic – from multiple sources within a business, and then analyzing it, data warehousing reviews the facts and recognizes trends, and determines outlooks, that can improve a business’s overall performance. While data warehousing may not perform to IBM’s Watson’s standards, it can far outperform even the most skilled analyst in providing salient information.

Property Replacement Costs

Things lose value as they age, or they become obsolete. The cost of things also changes over time. There can be a great disparity in the value of a particular “thing” as well. A 15-year-old bargain-basement computer is not as valuable as a top-of-the-line computing system. Insuring your business’s physical property and equipment using a property replacement cost model, rather than an actual cash value one, means that should that top-of-the-line computing system be destroyed, you will be reimbursed based on how much it will cost to replace it with a current version of a similar product.

Workers Comp Risk Management

Workers comp risk management is a multi-pronged approach for reducing employee injuries. It has a dual benefit of increased productivity and decreased workers comp insurance claims and premiums. Thorough workers comp risk management identifies and analyses risk factors and the potential of workers comp insurance claims. It then recognizes elements to manage that risk. The final prong is creating a system to minimize the potential for injury moving forward. It’s a common sense method that benefits both employees and business owners.

Tool Box Talks

In industries such as construction and manufacturing, safety is something that needs to be part of the daily conversation. Toolbox talks do just that. They are typically an informal chat at the beginning or end of employees’ workday that focus on a particular issue. As a supervisor is laying out the tasks of the day, he or she may spend a couple of minutes talking about the importance of wearing safety glasses. The next day, the topic might be hardhats or “lifting with the knees, not the back.” Regular toolbox talks keep safety on everyone’s minds.

Safety Consulting & Training Tools

For businesses with a greater potential of worker injury, such as the building industry, utility companies and manufacturers, engaging an outside agency to address safety issues and training procedures can be a smart investment. The services provided often include identifying potential risks, and then enacting systems and processes for improved safety, and ensuring OSHA compliance, in an effort to reduce injuries and workers comp insurance claims.

Business Contingency Planning

How will your company fair if the worst happens? Should an unlikely catastrophe occur, will your business be able to survive? Business contingency planning is the part of the loss control and risk management equation that addresses this. A thoughtful contingency plan, one that takes into consideration a wide range of potential problems and the resulting outcomes, can allow your company to withstand an unexpected upheaval.