Protecting customers from identity theft
Identity theft can have devastating financial and psychological consequences for the individuals whose information is stolen. When thieves make purchases, empty bank accounts, or take out loans under peoples names, it can take months, or even years, for victims to restore their credit records.

Using life insurance for business ends
Life insurance is an important feature of many business arrangements. While most business owners are familiar with providing life insurance as an employee benefit, many may not fully appreciate the variety of other business uses that are available. Here are some of the more common ways you can use life insurance to help benefit and solidify your business:

Product liability insurance: who's at risk?
Lighter manufacturing standards and enhanced quality control are perhaps the ideal ways to prevent a product liability lawsuit. Manufacturers, distributors, wholesalers, and retailers are increasingly at risk when customers incorrectly use their products and become injured.

Protecting your business against theft
All businesses are susceptible to crime associated with theft of their computers, office equipment, or cash. Generally, insurance coverage for theft is only a marginal provision under business policies and should be obtained under separate endorsements.

Workers compensation protects employer and employee
The idea of workers compensation has some strange roots. While you might think the concept has its origin in the industrial revolution of the late 18th and early 19th centuries, the notion actually dates to the 17th century and was born on the high seas.

Examine the health and safety laws for working teens
Every industry has its unique occupational hazards. For instance, food service jobs may expose workers to slippery floors, hot cooking equipment, and sharp objects. Janitorial work may include contact with hazardous chemicals.

Reduce workplace stress?improve your company?s health
In today?s increasingly demanding work world, it is not surprising that workplace stress is on the rise. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH, 2005) reports that 40% of workers describe their jobs as ?very or extremely stressful? and 25% of employees view their jobs as the most stressful area of their lives.

Keep your business insurance current with regular reviews
With the varied tasks and responsibilities of a busi- ness owner, it is impossible to find time for everything. However, one thing you should not overlook is a regular business insurance review.

Environmental liability: a concern for businesses
Environmental liability: a concern for businesses usinesses of all sizes and types can potentially face pollution liability, the effects of which could be devastating to a company?s finances and its ability to continue business operations. For many, obtaining environmental impairment liability insurance coverage?either through a separate policy or by obtaining a specific endorsement?is becoming a critical part of risk management.

Making your business more energy efficient
Low energy prices over much of the last two decades have permitted U.S. companies to put improving energy efficiency near the bottom of their lists of business priorities. Taking the steps necessary to ensure your facilities, equipment, and vehicles are energy efficient is certainly an investment, but it is one that can bring substantial dividends.

Employee fraud: costly problem, low cost solution
Small to mid-sized businesses are often vulnerable to employee fraud because they tend to place more trust in employees who have access to company assets, and they generally have fewer financial and security controls in place. The most commonly targeted assets are cash, tangible assets, intellectual property, and time.

Scrambling to stay awake on the job
If it seems that, nowadays, employees look like they have not had a good night?s sleep for some time, it is probably because they have not. Em-ployee fatigue appears to be a growing problem for many companies. As a result, pressure on employees, as well as employers, is building.

Protecting your company from disaster
Recent catastrophic events, ranging from natural disasters to terrorist attacks, have clearly demonstrated that the homes, businesses, and communities Americans have invested in over many years can be wiped out in a matter of hours. While there is little you can do to prevent a disaster from striking, there are steps you can take to protect your business from ruin should you be faced with an emergency

E-commerce & communication: a few insurance tips
Business opportunities in the virtual world of electronic com- merce continue to grow, but this technology comes with exposure to risks and possible losses. In today’s Internet economy, business owners who operate in cyberspace may be subject to risks that are not necessarily covered under their insurance policies.

Report claims immediately
We are constantly looking for new and better ways to help control your insurance costs and improve our service to you. You can help us achieve both of these goals by immediately reporting any claims you may have or incidents that could possibly result in claims. We can then offer suggestions on what steps to take next and promptly notify your insurance company of the details.

An environmental issue: something in the air?
Indoor air quality (IAQ) is a grow- ing concern for many companies. Whether you are a business owner or building owner, you should take potential IAQ problems seriously.

Facts you should know about flood insurance
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA 2005) reports that flooding causes over $2 billion in property damages each year in the U.S. Considering its relatively low cost and attendant peace of mind, flood insurance may be a valuable addition to your business insurance program.

Auto theft?how to avoid becoming a victim
Auto theft is an all too common, and costly, occurrence. A motor vehicle is stolen every 26 seconds in America, according to the Insurance Information Institute (III, 2006). Many stolen vehicles are never found, and those that are recovered are often stripped, vandalized, or destroyed.

Protecting your business against mold
One of the worst effects of water damage comes in the form of mold. Whenever water enters a building, fungi commonly referred to as mold can form on a wide range of materials, including drywall, wood, and carpeting.

Guidelines for employment recordkeeping
Good recordkeeping can help minimize your risk in the highly regulated arena of employment. There are many federal and state regulations regarding how long certain records must be kept in order to protect an employee?s privacy, meet auditing standards, and serve as documentation in the event of a lawsuit.

Occupational safety and repetitive stress
If you spend time each day at a computer keyboard, you are probably familiar with one effect of repetitive stress—carpal tunnel syndrome, which can result in pain and/or numbness in the wrist and fingers.

Cleaning up after a disaster
Once the shock of a disaster wanes, it’s time to regroup and pick up the pieces. When cleaning up after a fire, storm, or flood, the business owner is left to decide what can be salvaged and what must be thrown away.

Insurance certificates: the key to effective risk management
If your business hires contractors and other vendors, it may be important for you to confirm that these companies have appropriate insurance coverage. In the event of a problem stemming from the work of a subcontractor you hire, you may be held liable if that company does not have the proper coverage.

Insurance claim tips
Consider what might happen if your company?s building was vandalized by a thief or damaged by a storm or fire. You know you should file an insurance claim, but the time and effort you believe it will take may cause you to delay this crucial process.

Six simple tips to trim auto insurance costs
Many business owners who use vehicles as a part of their operations recognize that auto insurance is an essential and valuable means of protection. However, increased repair costs, medical expenses, theft claims, and injury lawsuits are all adding to the cost of auto insurance.

Want a safer workplace? try an incentive program
Achieving a safe workplace is nearly impossible without full employee cooperation, so consider an incentive program. By providing small rewards to those who demonstrate safe behavior, you may motivate your workers to help you reduce on-the-job accidents, which may also help reduce your insurance costs.

Elements of an EPLI policy
In today’s litigious society, businesses are susceptible to a host of employment-related lawsuits, including claims of discrimination, sexual harassment, wrongful termination, and invasion of privacy. Such claims stem from employer monitoring of voicemail, email, office computer systems, and the Internet, as well as daily interactions between staff and management...

Securing your business—inside and out
Crime and violence seem to be everywhere—on the nightly news, in the movies, on television programs, and maybe even at the business down the street from you. Despite this fact, you may think it will never find its way to your company. Unfortunately, crime is often random in occurrence, and there’s no way of knowing who will be the next victim...

Do you need rental car insurance?
The cost of rental car insurance continues to increase each year. While, understandably, you may feel compelled to decline this coverage from the rental car agency, make sure you consider the following points first...

Building a company without adequate insurance: it?s risky business
You never know when disaster may strike, causing severe damage and disruption to your business operations. Business insurance should be considered a regular cost of doing business; it is important to expect the unexpected and manage your risks accordingly.

Professional liability insurance
Today, claims of “negligence” seem to arise more frequently than ever before. This is usually bad news for professionals, since the failure to provide reasonable service can be cited in many far-reaching situations and circumstances. Negligence may be claimed in conjunction with a mistake, an oversight, or a failure to deliver services in accordance with standards set by your peers...

Computer security: breaking the code
Security breaches on the information superhighway seem to be an increasingly serious problem for corporate America. Hackers, disgruntled employees, computer viruses, and fraud may wreak havoc that could threaten the stability and existence of any business...

Additional insured?not just a name
As a business owner, from time to time, you may enter into relationships with businesses, government agencies, other entities, or individuals. These relationships may expose you to risk, such as liability arising from another party’s negligence or faulty/hazardous products. “Hold harmless” agreements—provisions where one party assumes liability by indemnifying the first party—are a popular way to protect your company against potential liability; however, in many situations, it may be best if you are also covered as an additional insured by an insurance policy owned by that party.

Filling the gaps with endorsements
Companies may be hard-pressed to find affordable insurance policies that meet all of their business needs and objectives. Businesses concerned with stretching coverage over a wide array of possible risks could potentially broaden those policies by obtaining endorsements. Endorsements address exclusions and limitations under a basic insurance program. There may be many choices available for filling gaps in coverage.

The preferred course for business continuation
It takes years of hard work to build a successful and profitable business. To protect your investment, it is important to consider how you will keep the business running smoothly if something should happen to you or one of your business partners. Death, disability, or retirement of key shareholders can threaten the survival of your company if proper planning is not in place.