by Kory Wells, WorkCompEdge Blog Editor
In this blog entry, we introduce a new feature we’re calling “Work Comp Heroes” which will focus on individuals who are making a difference in workers compensation costs or productivity for their employers or clients.
Nominate your own Work Comp Hero by emailing blog editor Kory Wells.
Our first Work Comp Hero is Vicki Hagan, a WorkCompEdge employer member from Crossville, TN. When Vicki joined Action Heating & Cooling, Inc., in 2004, she inherited a mod of 1.40 – and a disputed premium audit bill of $12,000. “I knew absolutely zero about work comp insurance,” Vicki says. She rushed to educate herself, searching the Internet, downloading ebooks, purchasing books, borrowing a Scopes Manual, and calling on NCCI and the state Commissioner of Insurance for information.
Although it took a lot of persistence, Vicki was able to obtain a second audit from the insurance company. Their final audit bill was less than half the original.
After that, Vicki developed Excel spreadsheets (similar to the WorkCompEdge premium audit workbook) to perform a mini-audit of payroll and renumerations on a weekly basis. “So,” she says, “when the auditor sits down in my office, I have a neat, tidy package to hand over, and he or she knows how proactive I am about controlling our costs. It simply works!”
Work Comp Hero: A Profile
Name: Vicki Hagan
Company: Action Heating & Cooling, Inc., Crossville, TN
Type of Business: Heat and air installation, maintenance and repair for both the residential and commercial sectors
Number of employees: 22 full-time employees; 7 part-time or seasonal employees
Job Description: As is common in small business, Vicki wears a lot of hats…Accounts Receivable/Payable, Comptroller, Human Resources Manager,”Insurance Battle Queen”, Computer Tech, Advertising Manager, Office Manager, Loss Control Officer.
Mod History: Inherited a 1.40 mod in 2004; current mod is 0.84!
Recommended work comp resources (other than WorkCompEdge, of course!)
Best Advice:
Vicki says:
- Scopes Manual (if you can afford one, or are lucky
enough to have a friend with one you can borrow!) - NCCI (Maureen Longenacre was a tremendous help to
our company during our 2004 audit battle) - Master Your Workers’ Comp Modifier booklet by
Specific Software Solutions (in conjunction with the ModMaster
software) - Ultimate Guide to Workers’ Compensation Insurance:
Secrets of Reducing Workers’ Compensation Costs by Edward J. Priz (he’s
awesome!)
Vicki says: “A fool and his money soon part ways. As easy as it is for a person to educate himself/herself these days with the help of the Internet, there is no excuse for someone to dread a WC audit, and even more so, the WC audit bill. With an education and a little bit of daily effort, it is very simple to control your workers’ comp costs. For our 2007 audit period, we actually received a refund from our insurance company! How’s that for proof in the pudding??”
She also says, “Never give the auditor more information than he/she asks for…and never just let him/her wander around the office. Have a specific place for them to work while at your office.” That’s advice you’ll also find in the WorkCompEdge module “Eliminate overcharges by taking control of the premium audit.”
WorkCompEdge members can learn more of Vicki’s experiences – and view other member comments in the forum topic Ensuring Correct NCCI Codes at Policy Issue.
Several of us here at WorkCompEdge have talked to Vicki, and we’ve all come away impressed with her passion for work comp issues. We thank her for sharing her insight and experience with us!
Work Comp Heroes can be found in all sorts of places – working for an employer in HR, accounting, or on the factory floor; working in an insurance agency, insurance company, or other risk management position. They might be heroes because they save money, because they have a stellar record on safety, because they’ve inspired co-workers to quit smoking or lose weight, because they are empathetic but firm leaders…you get the idea. Nominate your Work Comp Hero by emailing blog editor Kory Wells and telling us a little about the person whose story inspires you.
Filed under: Work Comp Heroes | Tagged: premium audit, work comp resources
