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February 2022
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 Snowy morning. BMW 4 series ($45,000) and Tesla Model S ($77,000) up ahead.
Do you have enough Liability coverage to protect you in case you hit one? or both? What if someone is injured? The state of Virginia requires all auto policies carry at least $25,000 for bodily injury and $20,000 for property damage. What's on your policy? Brock-Norton recommends limits of $100,000 / $300,000 / $100,000 or higher. Talk to us about how you can improve your protection.
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EMPLOYMENT PRACTICES LIABILITY4/8/2019  A male Salesperson filed a discrimination claim against his employer when he learned about the compensation of his female counterparts. His complaint? The female Sales staff were being paid the same amount that he was. He felt his salary should be higher because he was a male. This really happened. A plaintiff alleged his employer discriminated against him on the basis of his age and disability. He further alleged that he was terminated in retaliation for filing a workers compensation claim and for complaining about the discrimination. Travelers spent more than $175,000 defending the case and paid $142,000 in settlement costs. This really happened. Employee harassment and discrimination claims affect all types of companies. The EEOC has reported double digit increases in the number of cases received each year. Legal costs to combat these claims can run $250,000 or more. How is your company protected? Employment Practices Liability Insurance will help your company defend itself against cases like these. The policies cover Discrimination, Harassment, and Wrongful Termination claims brought by employees, job applicants, volunteers and other outside parties. Most EPL carriers also provide complimentary advice and feedback to help their policyholders strengthen procedures and navigate potentially sticky situations.  Resources:
Travelers has a EPL site with tools to help companies better understand and manage their risk. The Best Defense is a Good Offense. Institute company policies to prevent discrimination and harassment in your workplace. Add Anti-Harassment and Anti-Discrimination policy wording to your employee handbooks. The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission's Small Business Resource Center is a great place to start. It provides tips and best practices advice for employers. We are always available to answer your questions and help find you the right protection. Reply to this email if you'd like more information about Employment Practices Liability coverage.
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SMART TIPS FOR SMARTPHONE USE3/6/2019  Great article provided by Encompass Insurance...
Given their global and cultural impact, it seems a bit hard to believe that smartphones are still a young technology. Facebook and Twitter, for example, both predate the first versions of the iPhone. In fewer than 10 years, smartphones have gone from non-existent to essential. According to a report from Pew Research Center, nearly 80 percent of U.S. residents own smartphones — a number that rises to 92 percent for those under the age of 30. Because smartphones are still relatively new, it's not always easy to ensure that the technology is being used in the safest manner possible. Take steps to help ensure that you (and your sensitive data) remain protected. Safeguarding your information Your smartphone is an extension of you — that's one of the reasons it can do so many important things. It contains a vast repository of information about you, your family and friends, your education level and work history, your financial transactions and much more. As a result, a smartphone is an inviting target for those who would like to steal your data. A study conducted by Nokia showed that malware intrusions are becoming more common on smartphones, representing 60 percent of all “attacks” in the mobile space. So how can you protect all your valuable data? Here are a few tips:
By following these guidelines — and using up-to-date security applications - you can help ensure your sensitive information remains safe. Take a break from your smartphone When it comes to smartphone safety, data is only half of the equation. While business and life demands may make unplugging from our smartphones a virtual impossibility, it's also important to incorporate some downtime into your schedule. Constant screen time isn't the best outcome for anyone, so try to take a break whenever possible. Even a short walk or some brief stretching can help clear your mind and allow you to refocus. The takeaway Smartphones have become deeply integrated into the fabric of our lives. Because of this, it's important to use them safely.
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REASONS FOR CAR INSURANCE12/17/2018  By: Marie White
A friend of mine asked me to read her nephews essay that he wrote for one of his scholarship applications. It is a very good essay and clearly explains what many people don't understand about why we all need car insurance. Please take the time to read and if you have any questions about your own insurance, don't hesitate to contact me directly. Marie White Any person can venture on an insurance company website to find the list of ten or fifteen different reasons to get insurance ranging from “It is the law,” to “Peace of Mind.” However, personally, I believe we need to look at the family to realize that not having insurance can have a devastating impact on the financial and personal well-being of all individuals. Dealing with medical cost and property damage to one’s own vehicle or that of others can be overwhelming. If one does not have insurance, the majority, if not all of his/her assets can be relinquished or lost due to the extensive costs. Whether the accident was caused by the family member or by an uninsured motorist, the damages are costly. Imagine having to personally pay for damages while trying to support a family. Food and clothing costs have skyrocketed in the last few years. Health insurance costs are also high. Raising a family, education costs, and utility costs are incredible. Families need to work to pay for all of these. Often this means traveling an hour or better to get to work on some very busy highways. What happens if an accident occurs no matter who is to blame. Temporary loss of employment, injury, or property damages have a truly negative impact of the family. Many families have only one car, don’t live near a metro-stop or train station, and may not have someone to watch children while they are incapacitated. Any or all of these instances may occur. Where do you turn? Who can you trust? What if your car is stolen or vandalized? Who would take care of that without insurance? The cost would fall to the family and again cut into the normal living costs. Car insurance is the safety net to help people monetarily as well as medically. Besides helping to pay for property damages, it may also supplement your health insurance by covering injuries you may sustain as a result of the accident. It also provides legal protection for the family and possibly even an attorney to handle any legal issues which stem from the accident. It may also prevent the family from declaring bankruptcy which would impact their future buying power by changing the family’s credit rating. It could also affect their use of credit cards almost immediately. This has a major impact of family life causing even more stress than may have been previously experienced. Your loan companies won’t stop asking for payments for the mortgage, credit card balances, or car payments. Groceries will still be needed to feed the family. Medical insurance still needs to be paid. Companies don’t stop asking because you are in a hospital bed unable to work or a family member has been seriously injured or killed. You, as the driver, have a responsibility to your family to mediate this possibility by looking at your insurance coverage. It is important for a family to weigh the options which are offered by insurance companies. Of course, we all know that insurance is mandatory even though some drivers still choose to take the chance of not having any. More important, however, is the cost of not having insurance. Because accidents do happen, more than six million car accidents per year according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, and the average cost of an accident is $9,300 without including disabling injuries, no one can really afford not to include car insurance in their budget. Also, as a driver, you must be aware of what is in your policy. Some insurance covers liability others may not. You should get to know your insurance agent as well so you are fully aware of what is covered and what is not. Be insurance savvy. Your agent is not your enemy. What is also important is that you are a safe driver. Abide by the rules of the road. Don’t drink and drive. Be aware of weather conditions. We often think about ice in the winter, but what about the rain in the spring, or the sun shining in your eyes in the summer, or even the wet leaves on the road in the fall. All of these can be hazards. Make sure your car is in safe working conditions and that your tires are not worn. Make sure your gas gauge is not on empty and your oil has been changed regularly. If you have a broken window, make sure it gets fixed. You, as the driver, are the most important person in the car. You have the life of your passengers in your hands. Distracted driving has been a major problem and is getting worse. Cell phones, texting, ear-buds, and even loud passengers can distract you. There are so many variable that affect driving. Being tired or stressed also can affect anyone and the result may be disastrous. Insurance companies cannot monitor these conditions, but you can. Again, you are responsible for yourself, your car, and your passengers. You truly are in charge. I have learned a lot in my short two-year driving career. Fortunately I have not had to experience a catastrophe due to an accident, but I have seen other people injured because of another’s inexperience or carelessness. My family has stressed the importance of putting the cell phone in the back seat and keeping music at a low volume. Now I have other brothers and sisters who will be driving soon. Hopefully, I will have set a good example for them as well as keeping them safe while they are riding with me. We all need this “Safety Net.” Accidents are just that, accidents. Some may be due to driver error or weather conditions, but usually no one purposely causes an accident. Insurance is your protection against whatever conditions you encounter. Your family needs this protection in order to maintain their lifestyle no matter what that lifestyle may be. Protect your family and protect yourself from whatever may occur on the highway. Be responsible, courteous, and safe. Written by Jacob McCabe |
