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Zoom Hybrid Premium Audits Becoming Standard Procedure

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Zoom Hybrid Premium Audits – Not Just Temporary Pandemic Fix

I had thought Zoom hybrid premium audits were going to fade away once the pandemic settles down to allow in-person meetings again.   Since the beginning of the pandemic, one new type of premium audit came to the forefront.

Clients contacted us concerning a recently received premium audit bill.   That is the normal way we are contacted by businesses.   One thing we started noticing was the premium audit method.

screenshot of Zoom hybrid premium audit meeting
Wiki Public Use License – Sandra Fauconnier

 

The once scoffed at hybrid premium audits became the norm.   The hybrid premium audits process consists of the same steps as a normal audit.  The main difference results from the premium auditor asking the employer to forward the materials to them for review instead of making an in-person visit.

I have not been a fan of client employers allowing very sensitive financial documents to leave their offices.  No insurance policy or regulator makes that a requirement.   The recent events have made premium auditor visits almost extinct.  I must temporarily change my position on sending financial documents offsite.   What else can a premium auditor do in this situation but audit offsite?

Zoom Hybrid Premium Audit Trend

Most companies that perform premium audits for employers do so by the hybrid premium audit process.  We have visited the worksites of many clients.  However, this comes at a high cost to the employer.

Since October 2020, companies have started contacting us with questions where the audit is performed by video with the premium auditor, of course being offsite.   I referenced Zoom in this article.  The video platforms in place beside Zoom would be a very long list.  Check out the amazing list at the last link.

One Key For Hybrid Audits

The one key originates with any workers comp premium audit – organization of the materials sent to the premium auditor.  Sloppy records represent a sloppy company.  With the Zoom hybrid premium audits, the insured employer is judged by the records it forwards to the auditor – neatness and organization count (critical). 

Over the next few weeks,  I will update this article or write a new one on how to prepare for Zoom hybrid premium audits.

Zoom is a trademark of Zoom Video Communications, Inc.  All rights reserved.

 

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James J Moore - Workers Comp Expert

Raleigh, NC, United States

About The Author...

James founded a Workers’ Compensation consulting firm, J&L Risk Management Consultants, Inc. in 1996. J&L’s mission is to reduce our clients’ Workers Compensation premiums by using time-tested techniques. J&L’s claims, premium, reserve and Experience Mod reviews have saved employers over $9.8 million in earned premiums over the last three years. J&L has saved numerous companies from bankruptcy proceedings as a result of insurance overpayments.

James has over 27 years of experience in insurance claims, audit, and underwriting, specializing in Workers’ Compensation. He has supervised, and managed the administration of Workers’ Compensation claims, and underwriting in over 45 states. His professional experience includes being the Director of Risk Management for the North Carolina School Boards Association. He created a very successful Workers’ Compensation Injury Rehabilitation Unit for school personnel.

James’s educational background, which centered on computer technology, culminated in earning a Masters of Business Administration (MBA); an Associate in Claims designation (AIC); and an Associate in Risk Management designation (ARM). He is a Chartered Financial Consultant (ChFC) and a licensed financial advisor. The NC Department of Insurance has certified him as an insurance instructor. He also possesses a Bachelors’ Degree in Actuarial Science.

LexisNexis has twice recognized his blog as one of the Top 25 Blogs on Workers’ Compensation. J&L has been listed in AM Best’s Preferred Providers Directory for Insurance Experts – Workers Compensation for over eight years. He recently won the prestigious Baucom Shine Lifetime Achievement Award for his volunteer contributions to the area of risk management and safety. James was recently named as an instructor for the prestigious Insurance Academy.

James is on the Board of Directors and Treasurer of the North Carolina Mid-State Safety Council. He has published two manuals on Workers’ Compensation and three different claims processing manuals. He has also written and has been quoted in numerous articles on reducing Workers’ Compensation costs for public and private employers. James publishes a weekly newsletter with 7,000 readers.

He currently possess press credentials and am invited to various national Workers Compensation conferences as a reporter.

James’s articles or interviews on Workers’ Compensation have appeared in the following publications or websites:

  • Risk and Insurance Management Society (RIMS)
  • Entrepreneur Magazine
  • Bloomberg Business News
  • WorkCompCentral.com
  • Claims Magazine
  • Risk & Insurance Magazine
  • Insurance Journal
  • Workers Compensation.com
  • LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook and other social media sites
  • Various trade publications

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