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This is blog was created to help the security guard professional better understand their insurance options.

Working with a line of people who need help for mental/health problems, can put your client at risk for being exposed to claims made against them. Psychologists need to be careful when they are treating others because they can be held responsible for an accusation made even if they did nothing wrong!

Social services help thousands of people daily from child counseling to helping a single mother who can’t afford to feed her children. They help those who are not able to help themselves due to many reasons such as mental issues, elderly people, abused children, or the disabled. They assist people in managing their daily lives, coping with issues, navigating relationships, and solving personal and family problems.

You want to make sure your client is getting all of the coverage they are looking for, but for the lowest premium they can get. If you are able to get your client a good deal, then they are more likely to both continue working with you, and refer you to their friends and family.

Have you ever had a client ask you to quote coverage for their long haul trucking business? If you’ve spent any time working as an agent...

Contrary to popular belief, identity fraud does not always begin online. According to Travelers claim data, 44 percent of ID fraud cases happen when a person's purse or wallet has been lost or stolen. Thieves can use the information they find inside for ID fraud, so here are some critical steps to help protect yourself and your identity. Watch Your Wallet and Purse Many people store personal information in their purses and wallets, making it easier for thieves to commit identity fraud. Help secure your identity by keeping your purse and wallet in a safe place and carrying only essentials when you go out. Leave credit cards you will not be using in a secure place at home. Unless it is absolutely necessary, avoid carrying Social Security cards, birth certificates or passports as they contain key pieces of personal information thieves could use to steal your identity. Monitor Your Mail Whether you are sending or receiving mail, take steps to help keep it safe from prying eyes. Never put outgoing checks, bill payments or financial information in your unlocked home mailbox. When you need to send out sensitive documents, consider using a secure postal mailbox or send them from the post office. If you have not signed up for electronic statements, be aware of when your credit card statements are scheduled to arrive. If they are late, call the credit card company to confirm if the statement was sent. Be sure to shred old bills and unnecessary financial records containing personal information. Keep a Careful Eye on Your Credit According to our data, nearly half of ID fraud cases are committed using the victim's current accounts. On a regular basis, review your credit report and bank statements to monitor your accounts, and take these extra precautions: Make a list of all your credit card and bank account information, and store the list in a secure place, such as on a password-protected flash drive or in a fire-proof safe. Include account numbers, expiration dates, credit limits and phone numbers or emails of the customer service and fraud departments. If your card is missing or stolen, you will then be able to quickly notify your credit card provider to prevent fraudulent charges. Review your credit report and notify the credit bureaus of any mistakes. The U.S. Government Fair Credit Reporting Act gives consumers the right to receive one free copy of their credit report every 12 months from each of the three main credit bureaus (Experian, Equifax and TransUnion). Order one report from a different bureau every four months to see credit activity throughout the year. To order your credit report, visitwww.annualcreditreport.com. Keep Your Social Security Number Safe Social Security numbers are often used to open fraudulent accounts or to access financial information or assets. Do not have your Social Security number printed on your checks or allow merchants to write it on them. If a business requests your Social Security number, ask them why. If it is not a valid reason, do not provide the information they request. Also, never give confidential information to an unsolicited phone caller who claims they represent a financial institution or creditor. Instead, get the caller's name, location, phone number and reason for the call. Then call the phone number on your billing statements to verify the caller's identification. Get additional tips for helping protect your identity while you are online. Consider buying identity fraud insurance, a relatively inexpensive add-on to your renters or homeowners insurance policy. This coverage typically reimburses the cost of reclaiming your identity and rebuilding your credit, such as attorney's and notary fees and replacement of IDs. It is a low-cost investment against a high-expense crime.

Roadwork can be frustrating, but it is a necessary fact of life.  When you have to be somewhere and traffic builds because of roadwork, it can be easy to become impatient – which can be dangerous in a work zone.  Did you know work zones are a major cause of auto accidents? During 2012, these accidents resulted in 609 fatalities and about 32,000 injuries.¹ Here are some tips that can help you and others stay safe when there is roadwork ahead: Be prepared for the unexpected. Things can change quickly in work zones. Slowed or stopped traffic, a traffic lane closure, or equipment and workers on the roadway are all possible. Slow down. More than one-third of fatal accidents in work zones are caused by speeding.² Obey the posted speed limit, even if you do not see any work currently in progress.  Keep a safe following distance. Rear-end collisions account for 30 percent of work zone accidents.³ Keep a safe distance between you and other cars and construction workers and equipment to help avoid accidents. Obey road crew flaggers and road signs. Flaggers and warning signs are there to help all drivers move safely through the work zone. Stay alert and focused. Your full attention should be on the road. Multitasking while driving is never recommended, especially through a work zone.  Keep up with traffic. Do not slow down to watch the roadwork. Plan ahead. Before hitting the road, check a traffic report for delays. Be sure to plan enough time to help you reach your destination on time. Be patient. While roadwork can be an inconvenience, remember that the crews are working to improve roads and make everyone’s drive safer. ¹ http://www.ops.fhwa.dot.gov/wz/docs/nwzaw2014factsheet/nwzaw2014factsheet.pdf ² http://www.ops.fhwa.dot.gov/wz/docs/nwzaw2014factsheet/nwzaw2014factsheet.pdf ³ http://www.ops.fhwa.dot.gov/wz/docs/nwzaw2014factsheet/nwzaw2014factsheet.pdf

The severity and frequency of Workers’ Compensation claims has a direct bearing on the policy premium. The WCIRB uses both of these factors to determine the Xmod, and frequent small claims are a cost driver. Too many claims, or large claim amounts, can result in an XMod that increases the premium.  Having a good claims history can result in an Xmod that reduced the premium. This is an incentive for businesses to provide a safe place of business and to help reduce or prevent claims. As a business, how can you administer claim to keep the claim cost minimized? Many companies do not have any procedures in place for workplace injuries or incidents. Small to medium size businesses often erroneously think that only large businesses need to have incident reporting plans and set procedures. No matter what size business you have, having a plan in place before any injuries occur is how businesses can effectively manage their claims. What are the action steps for a Workers’ Compensation Claim? All injuries, even minor ones, should be reported to the appropriate person. This can be a manager, a supervisor or the owner. An injury reporting plan is your first defense against managing claim severity and frequency. Untreated injuries can turn in to larger claims later, which is why all injuries need to be reported to the appropriate person to be assessed, treated and documented. Your injury reporting plan should clearly define what an injured employee, or other employee, should do if another employee is injured. First aid stations or kits should be easily accessible. It is your duty to provide immediate medical treatment in the event of an injury. If no first aid is required at the time of the injury, the injury still needs to be reported and documented fully for your records. Documentation is vitally important in the management of Workers’ Compensation claims. Not only should the time and nature of the injury be listed, but what the employee was doing at the time of the injury and what factors contributed to it. If possible, document the injury and the area where it happened with photos. In addition to having the employee complete the incident or injury report, any witnesses should also provide their written statement relating to what happened. Statements should be taken as soon as possible and documented fully. This helps not only to provide a clear idea of what happened, but can help protect your business from fraudulent claims. If the injury is severe, or the medical issue is beyond the scope of basic first aid, make sure that the employee is seen by a medical professional. Emergencies should necessitate a call to 911 without delay. If the employee needs to see a doctor, but it does not require an ambulance, have a plan in place to get them to a hospital or clinic. Your injury procedures should include a plan of how to determine the severity and scope of the injury in order to easily determine if 911 should be called or if they employee should be taken to a clinic or emergency room, or if they are okay to take themselves. Some states require that there is a designated doctor for injuries and illnesses that are work related. This information should be posted in a visible area along with the required postings for Workers Compensation that the states require. If the injury requires further attention, the employee needs to specify when they are seen that it is a work related injury when they arrive at the clinic, doctor or emergency room. Usually, the sooner medical help is received, the better the treatment outcome and the claim costs are lower. Delaying getting medical help can increase claim costs in the long run. If an injured employee refuses medical help, make sure that refusal is documented as well. Claims should be reported as soon as possible to your Workers’ Compensation carrier. Prompt reporting helps to mitigate the total cost of the claim. Carriers would like that all claims be reported but with claim frequency having an impact on the Xmod, it is a management call if first aid claims get reported or just documented. If you do not report a minor first aid claim to the Workers’ Compensation carrier, one of your written procedures should be to follow up with the employee and document the follow up. If you do report a first aid claim, make sure that it is reported specifically as a first aid claim. First aid claims are usually closed quickly with only medical costs being reported and paid directly to the clinic. Once you report the claim, give as much information as you have regarding the incident, first aid steps taken and where the employee was treated. All of the incident documentation should be sent along with the first notice of claim. Your Workers’ Compensation policy will have details on claims reporting. What happens after I report a claim? Once you report a claim, you can still take steps to minimize the total claim costs. To minimize time off work employers should have a back to work plan to accommodate injured employees. Light duty (modified duty) programs help lower overall claim costs by eliminating total disability payments. Make sure that the employee is medically cleared for light or modified duty before allowing them back to work. Stay in contact with your employee to stay on top of their progress. You can establish procedures to check in with them weekly, or every few days, to find out how they are doing. Communication is a great tool, and employees should feel like they have an open line of communication with management. The goal is not to pressure them to come back to work, but to make sure they know that they are valued as an employee and their wellbeing matters. Work with them to establish a return to work timeline and what work restrictions to expect when they come back. This will help you create a light duty plan to accommodate their injury or illness. Make sure that they get their medical restrictions in writing so you can have documentation for the file. As with any type of claim, documentation is important. With Workers’ Compensation claims, not only are their immediate medical costs, but they involve reserve amounts that are set aside. By taking steps to minimize injuries, and to immediately handle them, companies can help claims cost be lowered by having clear lines of communication to get their employees back to work, even with light duty. In addition to having an injury reporting plan, it is also recommended to have an accident investigation plan. In the event of an accident, it should be investigated as to what caused, or contributed to the injury, and what steps can be made to prevent it from happening again.

Using our claim data, we have developed a list of the most common causes of fire-related losses as well as some things you can do to help prevent them. Faulty Wiring and Outlets Are One of the Top Causes of House Fires. Check the electrical cords throughout your home for signs of fraying, and replace all frayed wires. Do not pinch or cover electrical cords with items such as rugs. Be aware of the capacity of your home's electrical system. Do not overload your circuits. If you have questions about your home's electrical system, you may want to consult a licensed electrician. Understand the difference between surge protectors and power strips - both allow you to plug in multiple electronic devices, but only the surge protector will help protect these devices from a power spike. Use surge protectors to protect valuable electronic devices, such as computers and televisions. Carelessness in the Kitchen May Also Lead to a House Fire. Never leave your pots or pans unattended on your stove. Keep a kitchen fire extinguisher readily available and know how to use it. Keep your stove and oven clean. Built up food splatter or grease can later ignite when the stove or oven is turned on for cooking. Read more tips to help prevent cooking fires, and what to do if one occurs. Clothes Dryers are Another Common Source of House Fires. If you are installing your own dryer vent, follow the directions in the manufacturer’s installation instructions, using the recommended duct material. If you are unsure about how to properly install the vent, consider hiring a professional to do the installation. Clean out the dryer vent regularly. Clean out the lint filter after each load. Lint may also collect under and behind your dryer, so do not forget to clean these areas. Alternative Heating Sources May Also Create a Fire Hazard. Avoid using an older space heater, as it may not have adequate safety features compared to newer units. When purchasing a new space heater, ensure it is UL Listed and pay attention to the safety features. Do not place a space heater near furniture, curtains or other objects that could easily catch fire. If you plan to install an alternative heating system, such as a wood or pellet stove, follow the instructions. If you are unsure about how to properly install the system, consider hiring a professional to do the installation. Before installing a wood or pellet stove, check to ensure it complies with the laws of your state and municipality. Dirty Chimneys Also Pose a Fire Hazard. Have your chimney inspected annually by a Chimney Safety Institute of America (CSIA)-certified chimney sweep. Have a professional clean and repair the chimney as needed, especially before the cold months, when you will be using it frequently. Use seasoned wood only. Never burn green or damp wood. Never burn cardboard boxes, wrapping paper, trash or trees in your fireplace - these can all spark chimney fires.