Finance FAQs


     
    Thank you for your business! Please see the FAQs below regarding premium payments. If you need further assistance, all questions may be emailed to: [email protected].

    What is exposure?

    • Exposure are the total gross wages, including sick/vacation/holiday hours, for a particular reporting period.

    How do I calculate my total gross wages?

    • To calculate your total gross wages, you will need to add 100% of your straight wages + 2/3 overtime wages + 50% of double overtime = total gross wages.

    How do you calculate overtime?

    • If the records show extra pay earned for overtime separately, the entire extra pay is included.
    • It the records show total pay earned for overtime (regular pay plus overtime pay) in one combined amount, and time and one-half is paid for overtime, 1/3 of this total pay must be excluded.
    • If the records show double time is paid for overtime and the total pay for such overtime is recorded separately, 1/2 of the total pay for double time must be excluded.
    • Note: Overtime and double time exclusions do not apply to Delaware, Nevada, or Pennsylvania payroll exposures. Exclusion of overtime and double time pay does not apply to payroll assigned to any classification under the caption with a code number followed by the letter “F” in any state.

    Which billing date should I select for my reporting period in the portal?

    • For policies that begin with the prefix AMWC, SNWC, KRWC, CCWC or MEWC, if you report monthly and are not enrolled in Pay As You Go, you will select the report with the monthly billing date you are recording for your payroll reporting period. For example, for payroll period 1/1/2024-1/31/2024, you will need to select the payroll template with billing date 1/1/2024.

    When is my Payroll Report due?

    • For policies that begin with the prefix AMWC, SNWC, KRWC, CCWC or MEWC, if you report monthly and are not enrolled in Pay As You Go, your report should be submitted no later than the 10th of the month for the prior month’s payroll exposure. For policies that begin with the prefix BIN, monthly reports should be submitted no later than the 15th of the month for the prior month’s payroll exposure.

    Do I need to report zero payroll?

    • Report payroll for all states on your policy, even if it is 0.

    If I report payroll for more than one company, can I combine them under my one username? Can I set up separate ACH information for each company that is combined under my registration?

    • If you report the payroll for multiple companies that have a policy with Berkley Industrial Comp, you can have them combined by contacting Support at 800-448-5621 or you can send an email to [email protected].

    Do I need to use an Excel spreadsheet when reporting payroll for Payroll Reporting in NV and NY?

    • These states have payroll capping guidelines, so you must use an Excel spreadsheet. You must use a unique ID# for each employee for proper payroll capping purposes. As an example, you can use the last 4 digits of the employee’s social security number. Once your Excel worksheet has been completed, you will upload it in our portal. The capping feature is only supported for policies that begin with the prefix AMWC, SNWC, KRWC, CCWC or MEWC.

    Why are the rates on my payroll report different from the rates on my policy?

    • The rate provided on the quote is the net rate, which is the manual rate modified by an experience modification factor (if applicable) and other adjustments.  It does not include fees, assessments, increases to minimum premium, specific waivers, and other flat charges. The rate provided on the payroll reports is the blended rate, which includes assessments and is used calculate total premium due each reporting period.  For a copy of your Blended Rates, please call Payment Support at 800-448-5621 or email [email protected].

    How do I change my ACH information?

    • For policies that begin with the prefix BIN, you may update your ACH information in our online portal.
    • For policies that begin with the prefix AMWC, SNWC, KRWC, CCWC or MEWC, please call Payment Support at 800-448-5621 or email [email protected]. We will reset your ACH Authorization enrollment which will enable you to enter your new banking information in our online portal.

    What if I make a mistake entering Payroll Report information on the website?

    • If you discover a mistake was made to your payroll upload after you have submitted, please call as soon as possible to have the submission voided. Call Payment Support at 800-448-5621 or email [email protected].

    Can I report for wages that are not endorsed on my policy?

    • No, all states and class codes must be endorsed on your policy. In order to correctly report these wages, you will need to contact your agent. Your agent will then need to reach out to the Underwriter and submit a formal request for an endorsement on the class code(s).

    Why am I getting new payroll report forms to complete? (For monthly reporting policies)

    • We revise the remaining monthly payroll reports on a policy whenever a premium bearing endorsement has been processed to reflect a change in coverage or payroll. Please discard any previous remaining payroll reports you may have on hand. Please contact your agent if you have not made a change to your policy.

    What do I do if I see “You are unable to report payroll at this time.”?

    • You will be unable to report your payroll until 4 days before the reporting period end date. If it has been more than 4 days past your reporting period, please send an email to [email protected].

    What are the rules for reporting?

    • California: Wages deducted for Section 125 Cafeteria Plans are excluded.
    • Delaware: Overtime payroll is not deducted.
    • Georgia: Only five or fewer officers may be excluded.
    • Kansas: Holiday, vacation and sick pay are excluded.
    • Kentucky: Pay or allowance for hand tools is excluded.
    • Missouri: Officers/LLC members/included partners/included sole proprietors must have 10% of their exposure in code 8810 or 8742 if they are not already included.
    • Nevada: Payroll is limited to $36,000 per policy year per employee. This is pro-rated if policy is other than annual.
    • New York: Weekly payroll limitation for certain construction class codes. See state bureau web site for codes and weekly limits.
    • Oregon: Safety bonuses, unanticipated bonuses, vacation pay and profit sharing are excluded.
    • Pennsylvania: Overtime premium is not deducted.
    • South Dakota: Holiday, vacation and sick pay are excluded.
    • Tennessee: Unanticipated bonuses are excluded.

    Why has the amount of my installment invoice changed?

    • We revise the remaining installment invoices on a policy whenever a premium bearing endorsement has been processed to reflect a change in coverage or payroll. Please discard any previous remaining installment invoices you may have on hand. Please contact your agent if you have not made a change to your policy.

    What is the expense constant fee?

    • The expense constant is a one-time policy fee that we charge for issuing, endorsing, and auditing your policy. In the past this amount was billed during the audit, it is now billed at the beginning of your policy period.

    Are there any additional fees?

    • For policies that begin with the prefix AMWC, SNWC, KRWC, CCWC or MEWC:
      • The expense constant, which is a policy servicing fee, is billed at the final audit
    • For policies that begin with the new BIN prefix:
      • All invoices will be sent via email directly to the designated billing contact
      • The expense constant is being billed on the front end at the effective date of your policy
      • Installment fees – up to $15 per installment (No installment fee charged on the down payment)
      • Late fees – up to $25 for payments not received by the due date
      • Reinstatement fees – up to $25 per reinstatement after a cancellation has taken effect
      • During the transition, we will waive fees if you do not receive our invoices on time

    Can I get a copy of the audit worksheets for my policy?

    • Yes. Please send an email to the Audit Department at [email protected] asking for the worksheets.

    Can I make a credit card or phone payment?

    • We do not currently accept credit card or phone payments. Please visit the Pay Online tab to learn about our available electronic payment options or mail us a check to the lockbox address:
      • Berkley Industrial Comp, P.O. Box 639821, Cincinnati, OH 45263-9821
      • Or overnight to: Berkley Industrial Comp, ATTN: Finance, 1 Metroplex Drive, Suite 500, Birmingham, AL 35209

    Who should I contact with audit-related questions?

    • For any questions regarding audits, please reach out to our Audit Team at [email protected] or call us at 866-957-3134.

    Can I make an audit payment on the website?

    • For policies that begin with the prefix BIN, you may send us your audit payment on our online portal.
    • For policies that begin with the prefix AMWC, SNWC, KRWC, CCWC or MEWC, currently, audit payments cannot be made electronically. Please mail us a check to the lockbox address:
      • Berkley Industrial Comp, P.O. Box 639821, Cincinnati, OH 45263-9821
      • Or overnight to: Berkley Industrial Comp, ATTN: Finance, 1 Metroplex Drive, Suite 500, Birmingham, AL 35209

    How do I receive payment if I am due a refund after an Audit?

    • Please mail your check to: Berkley Industrial Comp, ATTN: Finance, 1 Metroplex Drive, Suite 500, Birmingham, AL 3520For policies with the prefixes AMWC, CCWC, SNWC, MEWC, or KRWC: Audit refunds are processed and issued via check during the last five business days of each month.
    • For policies with the prefix BIN: Audit refunds may be issued via check at any time during the month. If there is a balance due on the current policy term, the audit refund will be automatically applied to that balance.

    How do I turn on Auto-Pay in the new portal?

    • Log in to your Berkley Industrial Comp portal account on our website at https://app.berkindcomp.com.
    • Once you’ve successfully logged in, go to the Billing section and click on “Edit.” The Billing settings will open.
    • Toggle the Auto-Pay option from off to on. Note that the option will not be available until the user has set up a default bank account.
    • After you read and agree to the Terms & Conditions and Auto-Pay drafting rule, your Auto-Pay will successfully be set up!
    • IMPORTANT: If you have a balance due before enrolling in Auto-Pay, you must make that payment manually. Auto-Pay will begin on the next invoice generated.

    How do I make a payment over the phone?

    • For policies that begin with the new BIN prefix, you may call our Interactive Voice Response (IVR) and submit a payment over the phone. You will need to know your policy number and zip code to make a payment. The interactive voice response will provide further instructions. We do not accept credit cards so all payments must be made with a checking account. 888-639-0483

    How do I obtain more information regarding Smart Pay?

    • For policies that begin with the new BIN prefix, Smart Pay is a payment plan option offered. All questions related to Smart Pay, may be sent to them directly.  877-905-0786 or [email protected].

    How is double-time handled for policyholders that pay double-time upfront as part of their regular wages?

    •  For policyholders, such as Powerline Contractors performing storm work, who pay double-time upfront as part of their regular wages, the NCCI guidelines handle this pay differently due to the hazardous nature of the work and the need to attract and retain employees.
    • When double-time is paid upfront as part of regular wages, it is treated as straight-time pay for the purposes of calculating workers’ compensation premiums. This means that the entire amount paid as double-time is included in the payroll calculation, rather than just the straight-time portion. This approach acknowledges the hazardous conditions and the necessity of higher pay to maintain a skilled workforce.