Erie Insurance’s priority is always to do right by you, our valued Customers. Although an insurance audit may seem like bad news, the truth is that it may not be as troublesome as you may think. In fact, it could be beneficial to your business.

If you have workers’ compensation and/or general liability coverage for your business, it’s likely that your insurer will conduct an audit. This common practice helps ensure that the insurance company doesn’t overcharge or undercharge your business for coverage. In the end, you’ll be reassured that your coverage is up to date and you’re paying the proper amount.

The good that comes from an insurance audit

When you purchase your policy, the initial premium charged for workers’ compensation and general liability coverage is estimated using different rating bases as well as the proper classifications and rates that apply to the business and the work during the policy term. Premiums for workers’ compensation insurance are estimated based on payroll. Premiums for general liability insurance are calculated based on different variables, such as payroll, receipts, sales, units and the like.

Throughout your policy term, your sales, payroll and other variables will fluctuate. The audit takes place at the end of the policy period to collect the updated information and calculate your final premium.

For example, if business is better than you expected and you have hired more employees than you planned, your payroll will be higher and you will potentially have a greater exposure for someone to file a workers’ compensation claim. It’s a smart move to reconcile any differences.

There are three basic types of audits:

• Questionnaire audit: You will be mailed a letter that provides a website address and a password that allows you to sign on and complete a questionnaire.
• Telephone audit: An auditor will contact you by phone and interview you to complete the audit. You will initially receive a letter with a date and a two-hour window when the auditor will call you.
• Physical audit: An auditor will meet with you in person to complete the audit information.

What happens if my estimates are not accurate?

Estimates should be as close as possible to the actual amount of payroll and sales incurred during the policy period. If the estimate is too high, you’ll receive a refund, usually a credit to your current policy. If it is too low, you’ll receive a bill for the additional premium for the audit period and the current year.

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With business auto insurance, customers often ask us how coverage works in certain situations. A couple examples would be when employees drive company vehicles for personal reasons or when they drive their personal cars for their job.

With most business auto policies, the coverage follows the vehicle. So if the employee has permission to use the business vehicle for personal reasons, coverage will typically be extended.

Using a personal car for work

If you’re a business owner and your employees use their personal cars for work, coverage is not provided automatically for you through a commercial auto policy. You would need to add hired and non-owned coverage to your policy, which would provide liability coverage if you are sued following an accident. The employee’s car insurance would usually cover the physical damage to the vehicle.

“The commercial auto coverage provides protection for your interests as the business owner, but the employee’s auto coverage may still be required to cover the claim,” says Leo Heintz, vice president and product manager, commercial auto insurance, at Erie Insurance.

Other ways business auto insurance can help protect you

For both owned and leased cars and trucks, business auto insurance offers coverage for:

• Damages if your car is damaged or destroyed by something other than an accident, such as theft, vandalism or hail when you purchase comprehensive coverage.
• Uninsured/underinsured motorists if an at-fault driver is unable to pay for damages associated with your injuries.
• Liability if you’re responsible for harming others or for damaging their vehicles or property.
• Medical costs for you or your passengers’ injuries as the result of an auto accident.

It can be helpful to work with an insurance professional like an Erie Insurance agent, who can help you select the best coverage for your business and tell you about policies suited to your specific industry.

There’s an exciting career revolution taking place – say hello to the “gig economy” (AKA, the side hustle), a booming new job market characterized by workers who call their own shots, set their own schedules and control their own destinies.

According to the Chicago Tribune reports, “There’s no hard data yet on the size of this labor force. Some say it represents less than 10 percent of the domestic workforce but is growing rapidly, while other studies say it makes up nearly 25 percent. The U.S. Department of Labor is conducting a study to determine its size.”

No doubt, it’s a trend that is on the rise. That – of course – got us thinking: What do insurance needs look like in the gig economy?

• The Gig Gap: For decades, having a job meant being an employee of a company—often for life. Today, it’s a different story. Many people are a part of the “gig” economy. Upsides like freedom and flexibility attract people to this work. Yet there are downsides like hustling to find jobs and managing a fluctuating income. Another lesser known one is not having enough—or even any—business coverage. Fortunately, there are easy ways to fix that.
• You’re Invited: Remember the “exchange chain letters?” If you sent a single kitchen towel to the first person on a typewritten list and then mailed the letter to six of my friends, you’d receive the bounty of 36 kitchen towels. These days, invitations continue, but the requests aren’t coming through the U.S. Postal System—they’re coming via email, text and, more often than not, social media.
• How to Cash in on the Gig Economy: Whether you’re a new graduate looking for a job, a retiree looking for some extra cash or a stay-at-home parent hoping to grow your nest egg, there are many advantages to joining the gig economy. Here are a few.
• [INFOGRAPHIC] Evolution of the Gig Economy: Gig economy. Side Hustle. Welcome to the 21st Century workforce. Check out a few ways some of the most popular side gigs have evolved over time.