Winter Weather Preparedness for Small Businesses

Winter weather can take a heavy toll on small businesses. The risks posed by storms, slippery walkways, and power outages can lead to financial losses. Taking steps to prepare your company and employees for the winter season can minimize business disruptions and claims filed for slip-and-fall accidents.

The best overall advice is to be proactive. Evaluate any risks on the property to determine where problems could arise and resolve any issues. While you know your business, here are some common areas for a winter weather preparedness plan.

Employee Safety and Communications

Create a Winter Communications Plan

Get your team on a group text or chat so that when storms hit, you have a coordinated method of informing all personnel regarding whether your business will be operating that day, so employees are updated on changes in business operations and delivery times during storms or other inclement weather.

Train Your Staff for Cold Weather Safety

If your work is outdoors, train staff to identify the symptoms of illness, frostbite, and hypothermia and what to do when these symptoms are observed. Training should include preventing these emergencies by dressing appropriately for the weather and taking regular warming breaks.

Stock a Storm Emergency Kit

Prepare for the possibility that staff and customers could have to shelter on-site in the case of a severe weather event. A standard emergency kit should include the following items:

First-aid supplies
Blankets
Non-perishable snacks
Bottled water
Flashlights and extra batteries
Phone chargers or power banks
Battery-powered radio

Public Information and Wellness

Keep Customers Informed

The storm season comes with unpredictable hours of operation. Ensure you have a communications plan to let your loyal customer base know what to expect in extreme weather. You can use social media or email blasts to keep employees, customers, and clients informed. Publicizing any storm-related closure times increases trust with customers and employees.

Prevent Snow and Ice Hazards

Keep your business safe and accessible by regularly removing snow and ice from walkways and entrances to your property. Salt can be put on sidewalks before a storm; snow melts faster and is easier to remove. After a storm, sand can help increase safety in icy areas. For rainy days, place anti-slip mats at entrances for added protection.

Property Protections

Prepare for Outages and Delays

When the wind and snow kick up, power outages and shipping delays are to be expected. If you are prepared, you can make the best of the situation. Invest in a generator if your business relies on power for the refrigeration of food items or medicine. Backup generators must be correctly installed at a safe distance from vents to avoid the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning.

Increase Your Efficiency

Seal all windows and doors against cold drafts to lower the cost of heating and energy. Replace your air filters and service your HVAC units. A programmable thermostat can save energy when your location is closed.

Conduct Post-Storm Assessments

Always check your property for damage after a major storm. Business insurance can cover property damage or losses that affect your ability to serve your clients. Make a list of cracks, leaks, or damaged equipment or inventory. If you have a business insurance policy, keep all receipts so your provider can reimburse you.

Protect Your Business with Insurance Coverage

We do our best to prepare for dangerous rain, snow, hail, or wind storms. Even with the best plans, disasters happen, and that’s when your business insurance policy can prove to be one of your smartest investments. It’s essential to customize your business insurance policy to match your enterprise. Call our agents today to discuss insurance options that help protect your business against the risks associated with dangerous winter weather.

Safety Tips for Online Shopping

It is that time of year again. Whatever holiday you celebrate, Americans nationwide go to their favorite online retailers to buy holiday decorations, party supplies, and gifts to make the season merry and bright. The convenience of the internet is hard to resist, but the freedom and flexibility of online buying come with some grave risks.

Cybercrime is on the rise. In a recent year, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) received 2.6 million fraud reports, with losses totaling over $10 billion. A significant portion of these incidents were directly related to online shopping scams and identity theft. By being alert and educated, you can keep your holidays truly happy this year.

Use the maxim, “If it looks too good to be true, it probably is.” Scammers often use unbelievable deals to lure in naive shoppers or give a false impression that something is free when it’s just a ploy to grab your bank details. An offer to earn “$17,000 in Bitcoin for free!” when you sign up sounds great, but the platform won’t let you withdraw anything, even after you input your credit card number.

Stick with brands you know; research those you don’t. Big-name brands have a reputation to uphold. They have a duty to the public to ensure online transactions are safe and secure and a more extensive process for protecting against identity theft. When attracted to an item a new e-retailer offers, verify its legitimacy by looking it up on independent review sites. Only purchase from an unknown retailer after some research.

Make payments with credit instead of debit cards. Credit cards work better than debit cards for fighting fraud. You can get actions reversed or canceled by speaking with the company. When a debit card is used, the money is gone as soon as it leaves your bank, and it can be more complicated, or in some cases impossible, to have your money returned to you.

Access only secure websites. Another good tip on website security is to look at the lock symbol in the search bar at the top of your web browser. The symbol means the page is secure; passwords and personal information entered will be private. Another safety indicator is if the URL starts with HTTPS, the “s” stands for secure. If there is no “s,” the site may be more easily hacked—and your information with it.

Consider getting personal cyber liability insurance. Most people do not know that you can purchase insurance that will protect you against certain types of online cybercrime. Personal cyber liability insurance can cover fraud losses, identity theft, and even data restoration after a cyber incident.

Avoid public Wi-Fi while shopping. Public Wi-Fi is precisely that: public! A hacker’s dream. Cyber thieves can record your keystrokes from afar if you enter your details using the public internet. Avoid using public Wi-Fi services if you need to shop online when you are out and about.

Open email links with caution. Scammers are getting smarter every day, posing as your bank, the retailer you just visited, or the store where you recently purchased an item. Look out for messages that pressure you to urgently take action or ask you to “re-enter your credit card details” because your transaction failed. Rather than click the link, visit a reputable website or call the retailer to see if the email is legitimate or a scam.

Use secure passwords. A unique password with upper- and lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols is one of your best defenses against cyber criminals trying to access your accounts.

Track your bank statements regularly. If you keep an eye on your spending as a matter of course, you’ll be able to catch odd charges or indicators of fraud right away before it is too late to have your money returned to you. If you see something suspicious or off, call your bank immediately to report the matter or get the charges reversed.
Avoid storing financial information online. Yes, it is easy to save your credit card details with every retailer you love, so you can “click and go” when at checkout. Remember that any retailer can run into security issues—as has been proven repeatedly. If there’s a breach, your data is at risk. Take an extra 30 seconds to re-enter your card data so your personal information is not saved on dozens of sites across the web.

Stay Safe, Shop Smart

Remaining vigilant and aware can save you from the incredible hassle of resolving financial fraud or identity theft. With these tips, you can shop safely and enjoy the winter holiday.

If you want to know more about personal cyber liability insurance benefits, our local agents are happy to answer any questions. We’re here to help you achieve peace of mind, knowing your financial health is protected online.

5 Risks to Consider When Hosting a Work Party

Work parties boost morale and employee engagement. Your staff appreciates the time to relax, chat with others and maybe win some fun prizes. However, even the best intentions pose some level of risk. Workplace gatherings could bring out your staff’s worst behaviors—especially if you plan to throw alcohol into the mix. From small pizza parties […]

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Before each winter, business owners should spend time preparing to protect their property and operations from the challenges brought by cold weather, snow and ice. Winterizing your business is not just about staying warm—it’s about safeguarding your assets and minimizing potential risks. A well-prepared business can avoid costly repairs and downtime during the winter season. […]

7 Life Insurance Questions to Ask Before You Buy

Purchasing life insurance is not something to be done lightly. It requires researching various policies to find what works best for you, your family, and your budget. Here are a series of questions that can help you as you shop for the best policy.

1. Do I Need Life Insurance?

It’s easy to say everybody needs insurance, but what will you use it for? Take a moment to consider the lives of your loved ones in the event of your passing. You may want to purchase life insurance to:

Protect family income.
Care for a spouse or children.
Leave money to charity.
Cover their outstanding debts.
Support a child with special needs.
Pay for funeral and burial costs.

2. How Much Coverage Do I Need?

It may take some calculations to determine the actual amount of coverage you need. First, consider any immediate costs if you were to pass—such as funeral or medical expenses. Then, consider the debts and obligations you have outstanding. Lastly, consider how much income your loved ones would need to live a comfortable life, free from financial stresses, for a specified period. Add these subtotals to any other expenses and round up to calculate the amount of coverage you need.

3. How Long Do I Need My Coverage to Last?

Insurance can be purchased for a specific term, for example, 10, 20, 30, 40 years, or a lifetime. Shorter periods of coverage are less expensive. Term life insurance policies offer a low-cost option to cover your main period in the workforce, but once they expire, so does your coverage, although some policies can be converted to whole life at specific times. Whole life insurance policies are more expensive but do not expire, and the policy’s value is an asset that can be borrowed against in time.

4. Do I Need a Cash Value Component?

Whole life insurance offers a cash value component that could be useful. After your premiums have covered the policy costs, they accumulate in a separate account. Do you think you will need to withdraw or borrow from the stored cash value in the future? Can you afford the increased cost to have this liquid account available to you? Term life insurance does not offer a cash value option.

5. What is My Current Ability to Pay?

Your income is a consideration when choosing a policy. Term life insurance typically runs in the hundreds of dollars annually, while any type of whole life insurance is likely to be in the thousands. Term is an easier option, but the years of benefit are capped. Whole Life insurance offers policyholders far more benefits, but as with all policies, the premiums must be paid on time, or the policy will lapse.

6. What Type of Life Insurance Best Suits My Needs?

Knowing the five general insurance categories can help you get answers when meeting an insurance agent. In broad terms, they are:

Term life insurance: This lower-cost option provides coverage for a specified time for a set premium that does not change.
Whole life insurance: A pricier policy that provides a death benefit for a person’s lifetime. Premiums are a set rate and are stored in a cash account once the policy is paid. The cash account can be used in various ways, including loans.
Universal life insurance: A version of whole life insurance that offers flexible premiums and a cash account connected to a market index to earn interest. Premiums will increase over time based on the policyholder’s age.
Variable life insurance: A whole life insurance option with an investment component. Instead of the cash account earning simple interest, it is an investment fund operated by the insured. These policies have higher risk and higher growth potential.
Burial insurance: A policy focused only on covering end-of-life expenses and outstanding debt. It requires no medical exam, is often lower cost, and has a smaller cash payout than typical life insurance. Its features make it a potential option for senior citizens or individuals with pre-existing medical conditions.

7. Which Insurance Provider Is the Most Dependable?

When it comes to keeping your loved ones safe and debt-free, trusting a high-quality, financially stable institution is crucial. One way to determine a company’s creditworthiness is to review its rating on AM Best, a global credit rating agency. Read customer reviews to determine if the company has a good reputation for customer care.

Frozen Pipes Could Cost Your Business—Here’s How to Help Prevent Issues

Frozen pipes are more than just an inconvenience—they can cause severe damage to your property. Whether you’ve experienced it firsthand or have heard the stories, it’s important to stay prepared and know what to do if it does happen. Those deep-winter cold snaps can send temperatures plummeting, and homes with exposed or inadequately protected plumbing […]

A Retailer’s Guide to Loss Prevention

More than $112 billion was lost to retail shrinkage in a recent year, according to the National Retail Federation (NRF). Retail loss, or “shrinkage” as it is commonly called, is a severe problem in the United States. A retailer loses a certain amount of inventory due to damage, employee theft, and shoplifting. These losses affect your business’s bottom line and your livelihood. In a world where it pays to be an expert on loss prevention, here is a retailer’s guide to help you avoid financial losses.

Maintain Good Relations with Clients

Maintaining good relations with customers can help prevent retail theft. Be sure to greet all new customers as they come in to let them know you are present and ready to assist them. These actions serve a double purpose of ensuring visitors know they are being seen without feeling intimidated. Providing good service and personalized care for customers inspires a sense of loyalty. Repeat customers, or those who hold you in high esteem, can act as an extra pair of eyes, alerting your staff to suspicious activity.

Hire and Train Employees for Prevention

The NRF estimates that 30% of shrinkage is due to employee theft. You must vet employees thoroughly, performing a standard background check before hiring. Once onboarded, train your employees on best practices to prevent shoplifting by their fellow employees:

Promote open communication. Ensure employees know they are encouraged to communicate and feel comfortable reporting suspicious behavior to a manager. Employees who feel valued and part of a team may be less likely to steal from their employer.
Assign areas to specific personnel. By organizing your store into departments or sections, you can assign one employee responsible for customers and keep an eye out for shoplifters in their area.
Review common shoplifting practices and how to spot them. Ensure each new employee is trained on the signs of potential shoplifting and aware of how to observe these signs in real life. Take time once a week or once a month for the team to rehearse what they would do if they suspect a client is shoplifting to handle it smoothly and safely.
Establish cash handling systems. Rather than allowing many employees access to cash, work out a system for your employees to safely secure cash at the end of the day with multiple checkpoints to prevent collusion.

Organize Your Store for Comprehensive Visibility and Control

Store organization can play an essential role in preventing theft. Some ways to organize your store for comprehensive visibility and control include:

Small items: Place smaller items near the cashier in the line of sight of employees ringing up.
Pricier items: Put pricier retail items behind glass and require an employee to be present while potential buyers evaluate them. The employee should then return the merchandise to the glass case.
Hidden corners: Install anti-theft mirrors so employees and managers can see all store areas.
Shelving: Consider organizing your shelves and inventory so that the staff on duty can view the space more easily. Lower shelves allow customers to be observed at all times.

Monitor People and Inventory with Technology

Using technology to track and prevent retail theft can entail an initial investment, but it will likely pay off in time and money saved. Systems like closed-circuit TV, electronic tags called Electronic Article Surveillance (EAS), and integrated inventory and sales tracking systems can help you monitor the people and inventory on your premises.

Protect Your Investment with the Right Business Insurance Coverage

With the high risk of shrinkage, one of the most effective ways to safeguard your business is with business insurance specifically designed for retailers. Retail insurance can be tailored to cover a number of potential losses, including employee theft, fraud, and embezzlement. Not all insurance policies will cover shoplifting due to the difficulty of managing ever-changing inventory. Still, speaking with an experienced insurance agent will allow you to learn about the policy options that will help you protect your bottom line. Give us a call today to schedule a meeting. Our insurance agency is standing by to help you stay safe and stay in business.

What to Bring When Buying a Car?

That shiny new ride is right in reach. You’ve searched high and low, spent more time reviewing reviews on Google than you want to admit, but the time has come! You are ready to purchase your new (or new to you) vehicle. Before you head over to the dealership, make sure you have all the […]

Driving Safety Tips as Daylight Savings Ends

Fall and the end of daylight savings time is upon us once again. As the clocks are turned back an hour, you can expect your normal sleeping patterns to be disrupted for about a week before they return to normal, as the amount of sunlight in a day is less. Driving to work or around town could be just that much more challenging. Here are some safety tips to consider as we roll through the last few months of the year.

1. Have Your Headlights Adjusted

During the darker hours of the evening, full and proper illumination of the road is key to safe driving. If you can’t see more than 20 to 30 feet ahead, road signs do not appear bright, or the lighting from your headlights looks uneven, it is time to get them checked. Over time, the vibrations of the road and changes in the suspension system can cause headlights to shift. A mechanic can easily and quickly adjust your lights as part of yearly maintenance.

2. Look Out for Animals

When the time changes, many of us drive at dusk or dawn. These are the most active times for animals like raccoons, foxes, rabbits, and deer to forage or hunt when they are more likely to cross busy roads. Using your high beams is advised, as the light will reflect in the retinas of the animals, allowing you to spot their glowing eyes in the dark. Be alert to animal crossing signs and proceed with heightened caution through wooded areas. If you see an animal on the road, do not swerve, or you risk a collision with oncoming traffic. Come to a controlled stop or use your horn to frighten the creature off the road.

3. Avoid Looking at Bright Headlights

Avoid staring directly into bright lights while you are driving. Doing so can cause temporary “flash blindness,” making it difficult to see the road for approximately 30 seconds until your eyes readjust to the dark environment. Flash blindness is particularly dangerous on freeways or high-speed roads. Instead, focus your eyes on the road and slightly avert your gaze if you encounter an approaching vehicle driving with high beams.

4. Clean Your Windshield Well

A clear windshield is imperative to prevent glare and difficulty seeing while driving. A simple, cost-effective solution is to use a small amount of dish soap and warm water with a microfiber cloth to wipe away any film, dirt, or grime. Afterward, use a dry microfiber cloth in a circular motion to remove all moisture or streaks from your windshield surface. Be sure the inside of your windshield is also clean.

5. Get Your Tires Checked

If you experience rain, snow, or a dramatic temperature drop during the late fall and winter, getting your tires checked and rotated can ensure they continue to get traction on the road. A good tire grip keeps you safe from sliding and swerving. As the thermometer drops, so does your tire pressure. Also, ensure your tires are inflated according to the manufacturer’s recommendations to avoid braking and vehicle handling issues.

Safe Driving Brings You Long-Term Benefits

By following these driving tips around daylight savings time, you not only keep yourself and your passengers safe, but you could also save money on car insurance. Lower premiums are often available to people with good driving habits or who go for years without an accident. At any time of year, having the right auto and personal insurance policies will ensure you are covered if something goes wrong. Contact our local insurance agent for guidance on affordable personal insurance.

What Is a Lienholder?

If you’ve recently purchased a car and are wondering why you haven’t received the title yet, you’re not alone. For many first-time car buyers, this can be a bit of a surprise, but in many states, the buyer does not receive the title until the auto loan is paid off. Until then, the title is […]

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