Do carriers enroll safety consultants/firms into wrap-ups as usual practice?
Lauren from New York, NY
Lauren, though we have had several programs with various carriers who have agreed to include the safety consultant/firm in the wrap-up, I would not consider their inclusion usual practice. Each consultant/firm should be reviewed on an individual basis for loss history, insurability and exposure. The final decision regarding enrollment will ultimately be left in the hands of the carrier.
At the IRMI conference, a broker mentioned that punchlist work should be excluded from the wrap-up. What are the reasons behind this procedure?
Todd from Charlotte, NC
Punchlist work is a very loosely defined term. So, depending upon the scope, timing and amount of work it is possible for punchlist work to be included in the wrap-up. More often than not, it is excluded because it is typically a small volume of work performed at a time when the project is near or at completion. During this time, there is an increased risk for claims due to public exposure, scaled down safety measures and less control of the site. Determination of the intent to provide coverage for punch list work should be made and discussed at the inception of the program and should be identified in the projects wrap-up procedures manual.
How far past their estimated start date can a contractor be enrolled?
William from Nashville, TN
William, it would vary from carrier to carrier, but you should expect no more than 30 days. Some carriers will backdate beyond that time as long as the contractor submits a letter of No Known Losses; however, other carriers require this letter if an enrollment is received more than 15 days past the start date. Depending upon the location of the project, there may also be fines associated with backdating. As part of our best practices, we require that contractors submit their enrollment information prior to the start of work. This will eliminate any backdating issues.
