Thank you for visiting us. At Combined Underwriters of Miami, our goal is to meet all your insurance needs and make the process as easy and convenient as possible. With highly competitive rates and superior customer service, we’ll find the policy that is right for you. Located in the heart of South Florida, we are conveniently located to offer you personal, one-on-one assistance. Let’s work together to determine the insurance program that is both effective and economical, while offering you security and peace of mind.
To our valued clients and partners:
We are all settling into what everyone is calling “our new normal” during this pandemic crisis. Even though none of us can foresee how long we’ll be facing this challenge, we can feel secure in the fact that our country is resilient and we will come through this stronger than ever.
Even though most of us have set up shop remotely, we are working together and staying connected to ensure that we stay in contact with our clients, companies and brokers to seamlessly provide the caliber of service you have come to expect from our agency.
Staying safe and informed should be a priority for every one of us, but we take our responsibility to you seriously and will continue to be available by whatever means is convenient. You can call, email or fax and we’ll be there without fail.
Thank you for doing business with Combined Underwriters. We won’t let you down.
Sincerely,
- Ronald M. Laster
- Susan Sanchez-Armengol
- Rosa M “Nia” Yasher
Important Information about CORONAVIRUS | COVID-19
The coronavirus has not only sickened tens of thousands of people, killed several hundred, and disrupted life for millions, but has also sharply impacted the second-largest economy in the world. Many Chinese companies have suspended operations, and international companies like Starbucks, Apple, McDonald’s, KFC, and Pizza Hut have closed their stores in Wuhan and elsewhere. Disney has closed its parks in Shanghai and Hong Kong. Luxury brands have seen their stocks fall. Tesla and other companies have suspended operations. Companies that do not have operations in the geographic areas that are most acutely affected by the outbreak but depend on businesses in those areas as part of their supply chain are also impacted.
Loss of Business Income Coverage
Policyholders may be questioning whether their property insurance policies have coverage for business interruption losses that may exist even if there is not physical loss or damage to covered property.
In most property insurance policies, business interruption coverage is triggered when the property at issue suffers “direct physical loss or damage.” For coverage there must be Structural damage to the property. Other reasons that Companies may suffer a loss of income could be from contamination or other relatively intangible conditions like bacteria, gases, and fumes that “rendered the insured property temporarily or permanently unusable or uninhabitable. Losses for communicable disease are likely excluded from coverage, however we always recommend for the insured to review their policy for terms and conditions. Additionally, a few insurance policies may include civil authority coverage, which covers losses that occur when government authorities restrict access to the area where a business is located or that the business depends on for its operations.
Workers Compensation
Workers compensation insurance policies generally cover occupational diseases and injuries, i.e., those that: (1) are due to causes and conditions that are characteristic of and peculiar to a particular trade, occupation, or employment; and (2) are not an ordinary disease to which the general public is equally exposed outside of employment.
There are, however, instances in which “ordinary diseases” may be covered if it is possible to establish a direct connection between the workplace and the circumstances through which the disease was contracted. For example, if an illness is triggered by an event at the workplace and directly flows from the work that is being performed, it may be argued that the resulting disease has been the result of an accident causing bodily injury. The coronavirus is spread by respiratory droplets and is so highly contagious that health care workers are wearing full hazmat suits while treating those infected. Accordingly, if it is determined that an employee contracted the virus at work, it is quite likely that workers compensation insurance would respond to the injury. Of course, in such a situation, the business’s primary concern would be protection of its employees and the public from any other contraction of the disease, with insurance issues to be resolved in due course.
It is important for policyholders to consider all potentially applicable insurance policies when evaluating coverage for coronavirus- related claims and losses. Consulting with Combined Underwriters of Miami, your trusted insurance expert can put policyholders in the strongest position to maximize their insurance recovery in the event of a loss or claim resulting from the coronavirus.
Florida Small Business Emergency Bridge Loan Program
Florida has activated its emergency bridge loan program to help small business owners located in all Florida counties that experience economic damage as a result of COVID-19.
| Florida Small Business Emergency Bridge Loans These short-term, interest-free working capital loans are intended to “bridge the gap” between the time a major catastrophe hits and when a business has secured longer term recovery resources, such as sufficient profits from a revived business, receipt of payments on insurance claims or federal disaster assistance. The Florida Small Business Emergency Bridge Loan Program is not designed to be the primary source of assistance to affected small businesses, which is why eligibility is linked pursuant to other financial sources. Note: Loans made under this program are short-term debt loans made by the state of Florida using public funds – they are not grants. Florida Small Business Emergency Bridge Loans require repayment by the approved applicant from longer term financial resources. Eligibility and Loan Process Who do you contact for more information? For questions regarding the Emergency Bridge Loan Program, please contact the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity by email at toll-free at (833) 832-4494 or email FloridaBusinessLoanFund@deo.myflorida.com Congressional Action Also, Congress is poised to pass a huge stimulus plan and there is major small business financial assistance in the Senate bill. The current deal would allow small businesses and non-profits with up to 500 employees in a single site location to apply through qualifying banks for loans backed by the Small Business Administration. The loans would be converted to grants that don’t have to repaid for amounts spent on items such as payroll, rent, or utilities, with grants reduced when workers are laid off. The loans would be capped at $10 million and cover wages up to $100,000 a year. More to come when the legislation is finalized. |