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When shopping for insurance for your business for the first time, you may find yourself confused about the various types of policies around and feeling unsure about what you need for your business. Many business owners find it beneficial to have coverage that includes property damage and crime so that they may be able to access reimbursement for expenses related to natural disasters, theft, and vandalism. It is also important to ensure your business meets the State insurance requirements, which include Colorado Workers Compensation.

According to the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment, Colorado employers must provide workers’ compensation coverage for both full and part time employees. There are certain exceptions to this requirement which may include:

• -Where employees earn $2,000.00 or less annually for casual maintenance or repair work.
• -Volunteers may be excluded from this requirement in certain instances.
• -Real Estate brokers and agents who work on commission.
• -Domestic home-maintenance operations in certain instances.
  
  

You should never assume you’re exempt. Failing to obtain Colorado Workers Compensation without a valid exemption could lead to various consequences, including hefty fines or a court order to shut down your business until insurance is obtained. Speak to your insurance agent if you need clarification about workers’ compensation and feel free to ask questions about any other types of Colorado business insurance you are interested in.

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The cost of an on-the-job injury may be severe, but with Colorado workers compensation, you could receive aid in paying for the associated expenses. As a business owner, your goal should not only be reducing costs, but also minimizing risk. Here are some quick pointers to keep in mind.


Communication is essential. Having a staff that is well-versed in their responsibilities and well-trained in safety concerns could help avoid injuries from occurring in the first place.

Give your workplace environments the appropriate signage, detailing the DOs and DON’Ts of safe job performance. Have this information also available for those working in the field and placed in any fleet vehicles used by your business.

Make sure that all management and supervisors know the appropriate steps to take in the event of an on-the-job injury. They should assess the situation and immediately clear out the area if necessary to prevent anyone else from getting hurt.

A comprehensive report should be generated detailing everything relative to the situation. Getting the whole story is important, which is why collecting statements from eyewitnesses could be invaluable. This should be considered a time-sensitive issue, as memories fade and people move on.

When confusion arises, consider reenacting the incident to look for the cause and to help other employees to avoid repeating the incident. Reiterating the details on a somewhat regular basis may help to prevent a similar situation from occurring.

Accidents can happen anywhere, anytime. A Colorado workers compensation policy may help pay for the medical bills and lost wages of your employees for injuries sustained while working. You may have done your best to prevent or predict such events, but there are no guarantees and your insurance is therefore an essential requirement.


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Is there a need for insurance Colorado? Some business owners might say not. Some of these individuals take comfort in the fact that unfortunate events do not happen every day. Before you agree with these individuals, consider the risks your business may face.

• A variety of natural disasters could hit the Centennial State. Snow storms and blizzards are common during the winter. Tornados, floods, and earthquakes are also possible.
• Liability claims could arise throughout the year, but especially when winter turns your property into an icy obstacle course. How many people have slipped on your walkways?
• Have you ever experienced a burglary? Many crooks target small businesses because they believe these establishments have fewer impediments to overcome. By beefing up your security equipment to include alarms and video cameras, you may be able to deter thieves and fraudsters.
• Vandalism includes a variety of acts including spray painting walls, breaking windows, egging buildings, and tearing down signs. These events could cost you hundreds of dollars or more in repairs.


Does your business have insurance Colorado? Every day you lack property coverage, you could be at risk of severe financial burden. How much loss and damage could your business cover on its own before it would go bankrupt? Speak to your agent about getting the best insurance to financially protect your business.


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Is coverage for counterfeit losses included in your business insurance Colorado? A growing problem in the United States is counterfeit currency. This funny money could be made in a variety of ways. A popular technique is to bleach bills of low currency and use the paper to print the image of a more value bill. This process makes counterfeit detecting pens obsolete since the paper the bills are printer on is real. What are other ways you can tell a bill is counterfeit? Here are five clues the Secret Service suggests you look for when concerned about the authenticity of money.


• Does the portrait blend in with the background? On a genuine bill, the portrait will stand out in the forefront against the lighter color of the paper.
• The points on the seals of the Federal Reserve should be sharp. The same goes for the Treasury seal.
• The border around the bill should not be blurry. You should be able to clearly make out the details of the scrollwork.
• Take a look at the serial numbers. They should not only be the same color as the Treasury seal, but they should also be uniform in size, color, and space.
• The paper should not have red and blue dots printed on the background. Genuine currency paper has colored fibers actually embedded in it.


You do not have to lose money to counterfeiters. With the right type of insurance, Colorado business owners could be compensated for the losses experienced because of false currency.


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Part of being a successful business owner is obtaining the right type of insurance. Do you have Colorado workers compensation? It is required for most businesses that employ people. There are a few exceptions, however, as outlined by the Colorado Department of Labor. Does your business fit into any of these exempted categories?


• Businesses with no employees besides the business owner may choose to not purchase workers comp.
• This benefit may not be required for individuals who perform irregular maintenance task if your business makes less than $2,000 in a single year.
• You may also be exempted if you have a part time domestic, maintenance, or repair business for private homeowners.
• Commissioned real estate agents and brokers may not have to be covered by workers’ compensation.
• Individuals who are independent contractors could be considered a legal exception to this law.
• Contract carriers may skip coverage for drivers under lease agreements.

Are you required to provide Colorado workers compensation? It is best to purchase coverage right away because there are consequences to being caught running your business without the mandatory insurance. Penalties could include hefty fines of $500 a day and local authorities shutting down your business until you obtain coverage.


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Are you considering a move to the beautiful state of Colorado? You may be curious about how the move could affect your home and health insurance. Colorado has stunning mountains, active lifestyles, and major cities such as Denver - all reasons for a recent surge in relocations to the area. Insurance rates for your home may vary based on your location, but there are several things to consider when choosing to live in Colorado.

Did you know that Colorado boasts the lowest obesity rate in the United States? Consider a home near parks, bike routes, and sidewalks to make the most of the healthy and active lifestyle that is common here. Over time, a healthy lifestyle may significantly reduce your healthcare and insurance costs.

Colorado has some of the most significant snowfall in the U.S. during winter, but also has one of the highest rates of death during the spring and summer due to lightning strikes with an average of three deaths a year according to the NOAA. It’s important to consider the range of weather risks your area is exposed to and ensure that either these are covered by your home policy, or a separate policy for the risk concerned.

With a relatively low crime rate and a gorgeous climate, now might be the best time to move to Colorado. There is a large market in real estate, so you should be able to easily find the home that is right for you. Once you choose a home, be sure to ask an insurance agent to shop around for the best rates in health and home insurance Colorado.

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After a disaster, it’s generally easier to return to normal if your business has a recovery plan in place. This includes adequate Colorado business insurance coverage, pre-disaster risk reduction strategies, evacuation procedures in a disaster, protection of important data and information, good communications with clients and staff, and preferably, alternative premises to operate from temporarily if the business building is not safe.

When disaster hits, it’s important to prevent further damage or injury from occurring to your building by doing some temporary repairs if necessary. You should call our agency to report the disaster, and get a building inspection and damage assessment done. It may also be necessary to get your premises safely cleaned up to remove debris and damaged items. Should the building be unsafe, it may be necessary to find an alternative premises to keep the business running – at least partially, until repairs are done.


To benefit from business interruption coverage, you will need business income records such as sales, profit & loss statements, and/or income tax records. The extra expenses you might incur from moving to another premises may also be covered, so it’s important to keep your receipts.

Working quickly in this way may help to get your business back to normal faster. It may also mean that your Colorado business insurance claim is processed more quickly. For more information on getting your business back to normal, see the Insurance Information for Business and Home Safety’s “Open for Business” tool kits!


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When it comes to your Colorado business, insurance provides some financial protection in the event of damage from extreme weather conditions such as major winds or storms. To help prevent damage occurring in the first place, it’s important to do a little building inspection and maintenance. Some things to look for include:

• Roof problems such as rusting iron or nails, cracked or missing tiles, leaks, and loose flashing.
• Roof and ground gutters blocked with debris, such as leaves and twigs, which could prevent proper drainage.
• Trees too close to buildings, especially if they have not been properly trimmed/maintained.
• Poor run-off, which could make buildings more prone to flood damage.


To remedy these situations, roof and building problems should be attended to promptly, gutters should be regularly cleared, and trees pruned or removed altogether if they are considered to be too close to buildings. Surge arrestors and lightning protection systems are also a good idea to help prevent damage in an electrical storm.

Extreme weather can cause extreme damage to an unprotected and vulnerable building. This may mean not only the possibility of flooding and fire, but the problem of business interruption. This is inconvenient even if you have Colorado business insurance and business income protection. A little regular preventive maintenance for your property can go a long way towards helping reduce your risk of damage from extreme weather such as wind and storm!


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In CO, road safety laws are designed to minimize the risk of the occurrence of crashes and injuries. They cover areas such as alcohol, cell-phones, speed limits, young driver learning and licensing systems, older driver licensing, safety belt and child restraints, and red-light and speed cameras. Improving safety on the roads should hopefully lead to fewer accidents and less need for filing CO auto insurance claims in the process.


More detailed information on these safety laws can be found at the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. They include:

• Driving while intoxicated (DWI): blood alcohol is illegal at 0.08, and may involve a 3 month license suspension for the first offense, but not necessarily vehicle forfeiture for multiple offenses as in some States.
• Young drivers: must be 15 to attain a learner’s license and this must be held for at least 12 months. A driver’s license cannot be attained until the learner is at least 16.
• Cell-phones: there is no ban on hand-held cell-phones while driving as of now, but there is a full ban on texting.
• Speed limits: these are 75mph maximum in rural and 65mph in urban areas.

Research indicates that crashes have been linked to driver behavior, so any attempt to improve safety is beneficial. As a driver in CO, it’s important to put safety first while on the road by understanding the laws and driving safely. It’s also important to take time to review your CO auto insurance policy to ensure that coverage is sufficient for your financial protection!


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For any business in Colorado, business insurance policies may provide coverage for losses incurred during a power outage. However, if you own or operate a Colorado business, you may have considered purchasing a portable generator to see you through those times when the power is down. If you do purchase one of these devices, it’s important to be very mindful of safety to avoid fires and shocks. Guidelines include:
• Always read the manufacturer’s instructions thoroughly, especially regarding the grounding of the generator.
• For connection, you can either call a licensed electrician to connect it with a transfer switch, or you can plug appliances directly into generator outlets via heavy-duty, outdoor-rated extension cords.
• Do not connect the generator to a power outlet as this can “back feed” electricity back into power lines, which could cause electrocution to personnel who are working to restore power.
• Only use a generator in areas with good ventilation, and direct the exhaust outside to avoid carbon-monoxide poisoning.
• Do not overload the generator – use it only for essential power needs until full electricity is restored.

Carefully following instructions and guidelines in the use of your generator helps to reduce the risk of fires, shocks, and carbon monoxide poisoning. The correct and safe use of a generator may mean you are able to keep your business running and avoid the need for filing a claim on your Colorado business insurance policy!


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