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In the event of severe damage to your home or business, having a current inventory of your possessions — including their make and model numbers — can help you get your insurance claim settled faster, verify losses for your income tax return and help you purchase the correct amount of insurance. While most people think of their home when discussing an inventory, it is important to document the contents of your business as well. Watch "Emergency Preparedness: How Taking a Home Inventory Can Help You Recover Sooner" Here are some suggestions for getting started. Take a picture. Take pictures of rooms and important individual items. Label pictures with a description, including where you bought it and the make, model and serial number. Remember items that are in storage closets or drawers. Video record it. Walk through your home or office with a video recorder or tape recorder and describe the contents. Create an electronic file – Use your computer or mobile device to create and store your inventory list. Take advantage of mobile applications or free online software like www.knowyourstuff.org to organize pictures or descriptions of your belongings by room or category. Store the list, photos and tapes. Regardless of how you create it (written or electronic list, flash drive, photos, video or audio), keep your inventory along with receipts in your safe deposit box, on a disk or at a friend or colleague’s home. Doing so will help ensure you will have something to give your insurance representative if your home is damaged. When you make a significant purchase, add the information to the inventory while the details are fresh in your mind. Consider expensive items. Valuable items like jewelry, art and collectibles may have increased in value since you received them. Check with your agent to make sure that you have adequate insurance for these items. They may need to be insured separately. This information was taken from an article from the Insurance Information Institute (www.iii.org)

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.

"But he that filches from me my good name/Robs me of that which not enriches him/And makes me poor indeed." - Shakespeare, Othello, act iii. Sc. 3. Identity theft is a huge problem in the United States. Did you know that identity thieves stole approximately $21 Billion from victims in 2012? This equates to one incident of fraud every three seconds. That’s scary. In every minute, 20 acts of fraud occur. When you keep adding up the numbers it looks horrific. Most victims don’t know until it’s too late that they have become a victim of identity theft. If you are one of the victims of identity theft, we have listed a few things for you to do: Contact the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) whether online or by phone, 877-438-4338. If necessary, send mail certified and request a return receipt. Contact your bank and let them know of the fraud. Contact all of your credit card companies and credit reporting agencies (Equifax, Experian and Trans Union) and inform them of the situation. Contact your insurance companies and make them aware of the theft. Keep a detailed filing system. Keep all your originals, only send copies of originals to requestors. Follow all deadlines. Keep a timeline of when you spoke to a person and set up a follow up date. Following the above guidelines will help minimize any future thefts. We hope that you never have to use this list.

Although you have insured the business property on your premises, this protection does not extend off site - unless you carry Inland Marine insurance. This type of policy goes back as far as the 17th century when Lloyd's of London extended coverage on ship cargos beyond ocean voyages to their final destination "inland." Today, Inland Marine covers the property of a business when it's in transit - or stored at a location away from the premises - as well as the property of third parties that's held on the premises. Because this property is essentially "floating," these policies are also known as Floaters. Inland Marine coverage would apply in such scenarios as: A truck carrying designer handbags for an upscale department store is hijacked at a rest stop. A hailstorm damages bulldozers on a machinery dealer's lot. A fire at a dry cleaners scorches customers' clothing. A defective sprinkler system in a "big box" store warehouse soaks dozens of TVs. You can buy Inland Marine insurance on either a "named peril" basis (which lists the specific risks covered) or as an "all risk" policy (which covers losses from all causes not specifically listed). This coverage can provide valuable protection for the mobile or moveable property of almost any business, large or small: everything from camera shops and computer manufacturers through building contractors and jewelry stores to museums/art galleries and trucking companies. As Business Insurance professionals, we can tailor a comprehensive Inland Marine policy to the needs of your company. Feel free to get in touch with us at any time.

With the new year comes the tendency to make resolutions that are designed to help a person address what they perceive to be as their own shortcomings. While resolutions such as "exercise more" and "lose weight" are often at the top of the list, these types of resolutions often fall by the wayside all too soon after the first of the year. The following insurance resolutions for the new year are simple to implement and can have long lasting effects. 1. Purchase Life Insurance This is a resolution that should be on everyone's list but it does not always seem to make it to fruition. Make 2015 the year you talk to your insurance agent and find the ideal life insurance plan for your circumstances and your budget. You'll rest easier at night knowing that your loved ones are taken care of and your assets are protected. 2. Take a Fresh Look at Your Homeowners Insurance Did you or a member of your family receive an expensive gift this holiday season? If so, you might want to take a look at the deductibles that you previously chose for your homeowners insurance. While a high deductible often looks attractive because it can make your payments lower, if it is too high it can be difficult to replace items that are covered unless you dip into savings or other monetary reserves. 3. Does it Make Sense to Bundle? If you have insurance with more than one company, you could be missing out on significant savings. Most insurance companies have a bundle plan that allows you to save money if you have more than one policy with them. Much like car insurance policies that give you a multi-car discount, bundling your insurances with one company can often allow you to enjoy savings on your policies.

Cyber and workforce risks rising concern for U.S. businesses. American business leaders worry about the same major risks as they did in 2014, however rising levels of concern over cyber risks and the ability to attract and retain talent have shifted the ranks in some subtle and no-so-subtle ways. 1. Medical Cost Inflation - Medical cost inflation still leads the list of top perceived risks despite a nearly 10 percentage point drop in general concern from 67% in 2014 to 60% in 2015. 2. Cyber Risks - Making the greatest leap from fifth in 2014 to second this year, concern over cyber risk has grown considerably, particularly among large businesses. In fact, 9 out of all 10 industries surveyed report cyber risks and data breaches among their top 5 concerns. 3. Increasing Employee Benefit Costs - Closely related to concerns over medical cost inflation, worry over increasing employee benefit costs, has also fallen, from 62% to 56% since last year. 4. Legal Liability - Although general concern over legal liability has decreased only 2% since last year, its ranking has dropped to fourth from third in 2014. 5. Attracting & Retaining Talent - U.S. businesses are increasingly worried about the challenge of finding and retaining skilled labor, with a 3% increase since last year resulting in a jump from last to fifth on the list of top risk concerns. 6. Regulatory Compliance - Nearly unchanged since last year, among the 51% of all businesses concerned about complying with laws and regulations, 29% worry a great deal. 7. Broad Economic Uncertainty - U.S. business owners showed a slight reprieve from worry over the economy, with concern about broad economic uncertainty down in level (by 6%) and ranking (by 4 places) since 2014. Many U.S. Businesses Still Feel Unprepared for Top Risks While the ranking of top concerns may have slightly shifted, the gaps between how much U.S. businesses worry verses how prepared they feel to manage these risks remains large. In fact, the top risk concerns are often among the 3 to 5 risks businesses feel the least prepared to handle. Furthermore, only 50% of companies report having a written business continuity plan. Global and Political Conflict, Extreme Weather Emerging Concerns While not quite making the cut of top risks, concern over geopolitical conflict has risen significantly among U.S. business leaders. One-third surveyed (32%) worry about global and political conflicts, while one-quarter believe political unrest is of greater concern today than it was five to 10 years ago. More than half of all business surveyed (52%) believe the frequency of severe weather events has increased over the past few years. More importantly, one-third believe these increases in extreme weather also increase the threat of damage to company property and equipment.

"The best of all gifts around any Christmas tree: the presence of a happy family all wrapped up in each other." - Burton Hillis, columnist and author” It all starts with Black Friday, Cyber Monday and spills over daily through Christmas Day.  Shoppers toughing out the crowds, beating down the doors to get the best prices they could get their hands on.  You spend your time and money (and sanity) to get everything on your loved ones’ list. But what happens after Christmas? The credit card statements start trickling in one by one.  All those wonderful things you had purchased for your family need to be paid in full.  You silently wonder, ‘Did I go overboard?’ and that little voice in your head says, ‘Nah, did you see their faces?’  And you go on about your day content that you had done the right thing. The excitements of those gadgets wear off before you have paid off your credit card.  This holiday season we have listed a few tips so that you don’t break your bank. Cut up those credit cards.  You will be paying much more than the $18.99 you paid for that doll in the long run.  Use your debit card or plain hard cash.  You’ll save yourself the interest rate payment. Budget…and stick to it!  You don’t have to go overboard.  Your wallet will feel better in the long run if you say to yourself, “I’m sticking to this budget.  Everyone will enjoy what they get.” BOGO Combo Deals!  I just purchased a pair of much needed winter boots and then I saw the sign, “Buy 1 pair of shoes and get the 2nd pair for $1!”   Needless to say, I took them on their offer.  Finding deals like that means you can buy two gifts for one. Compare prices!  There are several shopping apps that you can easily download and do comparison shopping before making any purchases. Nothing says LOVE like a homemade gift.   Get your creativity on and have some fun.  Knit those sweaters, bake that incredible dish, host a huge party, or design a beautiful portrait.  Your hard earned time means more to your loved ones than anything your hard earned money can buy. This Christmas make sure that Santa’s bank is as satisfied as your loved ones are. Content provided by Transformer Marketing.

Unfortunately, there are all too many bullies in the workplace -- and, all too often, their abusive behavior has led to violent, even fatal, employee rampages that have made the headlines. It makes sense for business owners and managers to deal with on-the-job bullying before it escalates into a potentially deadly situation. Recognizing a bully in the workplace can be difficult. These people often have "Jekyll and Hyde" personalities: They can be extremely charming, polite, and respectful in public. However, as a rule, bullies: 1) don't believe in following the rules of society; 2) crave negative attention; 3) try to put others down by manipulating and degrading them in front of their peers; 4) seek power; and 5) spread untrue rumors in the workplace, disrespect their victims, and refuse to listen to them. Because there are no federal or state laws against workplace bullying, it might be hard to fire a bully right away. However, there are ways to deal with this problem. Institute a zero-tolerance policy toward bullying. Your employee handbook and codes of conduct should set a clear definition of the consequences and punishment for bullying, with a specific list of actions for dealing with it. Enforce the policy. When it's time to discipline a bully, sit down with the accused person, their supervisor, and someone from your human resources department. If the bully offers to apologize and promises never to repeat the behavior, you might settle the matter by writing a letter of reprimand to be kept in their personnel file. You might also put the employee on probation, with close supervision by their supervisor, and let them know that any further bullying will result in termination. If you'd like advice on creating and implementing an anti-bullying policy for your workplace, just give us a call.