<\/p>\n
This article is directed at the small farms in California. \u00a0The big farms out there (and there are a lot) do things differently than the regular folks. \u00a0They self insure, they form their own captive insurance company (a different article for a different time) or they join a SIG (self insured group).<\/p>\n
The small farm typically doesn\u2019t have the ability to arrange or participate in\u00a0any of the above scenarios which means they must participate in the traditional workers comp system. \u00a0How does a small farm find a good workers comp policy? \u00a0While most insurance companies in California do not insure farms, there is\u00a0a good handful that do, and do it well.<\/p>\n
This, then, is a guide for you, Mr.\/Mrs. Small Farmer, as you seek to find a reliable, well priced workers comp company.<\/p>\n
Here they are, the best workers comp companies for the small farm:<\/p>\n
One<\/strong>\u00a0\u2013 Zenith. \u00a0(www.thezenith.com<\/a>) Zenith has been involved in workers comp for the farming industry since 1949. \u00a0 Over the years they have developed a reputation for being tough\u00a0at fighting fraud, which is an increasing concern among employers in California. \u00a0They use their own claims team to handle workplace injuries rather than outsourcing the job to a Third Party Administrator. \u00a0Zenith also has a ton of resources on their website and recently added Zenith University, which has over 100 free webinars, seminars, and courses for policyholders that help you create a safe and healthy workplace culture. \u00a0Zenith also specializes in taking clients with high Xmods and helping get them lowered.<\/p>\n Two<\/strong>\u00a0\u2013 Nationwide. (www.nationwide.com<\/a>). \u00a0Yes, you heard it right; Nationwide \u2013 the company that is \u201cOn Your Side.\u201d \u00a0They are new to workers comp in California as of 1\/1\/2017, but they have writing workers comp in just about all the other states for almost 100 years so their knowledge and expertise in workers comp runs deep. \u00a0Nationwide uses its own claims adjusters rather than outsourcing the work\u00a0to a Third Party Administrator. \u00a0They offer help and support for employers seeking to create a safer workplace. \u00a0One thing to keep in mind is that Nationwide only offers workers comp to its\u00a0farm clients which means that in order to get workers comp with Nationwide, you must also have a farm policy with them. \u00a0Lastly, they offer huge discounts if you\u2019re a\u00a0Farm Bureau<\/a>\u00a0member.<\/p>\n Three<\/strong>\u00a0\u2013 AIG. \u00a0(www.aig.com<\/a>) AIG likes them a little bigger than the others. \u00a0Their minimum premiums usually start around $20,000, however they will often insure higher risk farms with unique operations that many other insurance companies will only insure if the premium is over six figures. \u00a0AIG uses its own claims staff rather than outsourcing the task to a Third Party Administrator. \u00a0One great feature they offer is monthly self reporting. \u00a0With monthly self reporting, you can report your payroll each month and pay based on that stated payroll. This is works out well for farms that have fluctuating payroll and reduces the likelihood of a large final audit bill.<\/p>\n Four<\/strong>\u00a0\u2013 Berkshire Hathaway. (www.bhhc.com<\/a>). \u00a0Much like AIG, Berkshire Hathaway likes the farms that they insure to be a little bigger than some of the smaller farms that other insurance companies will insure. \u00a0Just about everything about Berkshire Hathaway is first class. \u00a0They have their own claims team rather than outsourcing those duties to a Third Party Administrator. \u00a0They are tough on fraud. \u00a0Berkshire also offers the option of monthly reporting, which is a great feature for those farms that have fluctuating payroll and helps prevent big final audit bills.<\/p>\n Five<\/strong>\u00a0\u2013 ICW (www.icwgroup.com<\/a>). \u00a0Insurance Company of the West (ICW) is a solid company. \u00a0They, like Zenith, are known for being tough on fraud. \u00a0They offer monthly payroll reporting, which as discussed above, is great for fluctuating payroll and helps prevent big final audit bills. \u00a0They handle their own claims instead of using a Third Party Administrator. \u00a0They offer a ton of free resources online that help you create a culture of safety. \u00a0 Like Zenith, one of their specialties is helping their clients lower their Xmods.<\/p>\n There you have it. \u00a0The top five. \u00a0 The best of the best.<\/p>\n Oh, and there\u2019s also State Fund (www.statefundca.com<\/a>). \u00a0I can\u2019t put them on the list as a standout company, but in many cases they are the only company willing to insure a small farm. \u00a0If you\u2019ve been lapsed, if you are a start up, if your work is a little more risky than a traditional farm, if you\u2019ve had a lot of claims, if you are very small and generate very small amounts of payroll, or a combination of any of the aforementioned, State Fund may just be the only company willing to insure you. \u00a0If you want to know about State Fund, read my article here:\u00a0How To Deal With State Fund If You Must<\/a><\/p>\n Operating a farm in California is not an easy venture and it\u2019s not for the faint of heart. \u00a0But then again, farmers are built a little tougher than the rest of us. \u00a0They are the ultimate self sufficient survivalists I know of. \u00a0And for that, they deserve a good workers comp policy.<\/p>\n \n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Farming is a big industry in California. 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