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Monthly Archives

June 2016

How to Choose Cloud Storage for Your Small Business

By Risk Management Bulletin

1606-RR-2Cloud storage lets you manage client data, project details and employee records. There are several options available to you, so consider this checklist as you choose one that’s right for your small business.

Is it Secure?

You have an obligation to keep your client’s information and employee data safe. File Transfer Protocol, or FTP, is a common way to transfer files, but consider Managed File Transfer instead. It’s encrypted and allows you to share one or multiple files with specific users. Look for this option and other safety precautions that ensure your business’s valuable information remains secure.

Does it Follow Compliance Regulations?

Several federal and industry standards regulate data storage. Be sure the cloud storage company you choose follows all the rules, including the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) that specifically handles security of credit and debit card numbers. By using compliant storage, you lower your liability risk.

Is it Easy to Share?

Your small business operates successfully because your employees and customers can share data easily. The cloud storage provider you choose should give you the same flexibility. Look for a “Drag and Drop” option that doesn’t’ overload your email system or compromise safety.

Does it Transfer Files Fast?

Transferring large files can be challenging if your connection is slow. You can’t keep your clients waiting, though. Your cloud storage should support fast file transfer, including files with videos, tables and large amounts of data.

Is it Compatible With Your Devices?

Certain cloud storage options don’t work with certain devices. Check to see that your cloud storage option is compliant with your phones, computers and other devices. Also, make sure it will operate with the Mac, Windows, Android or another system you and your clients and employees use.

Does it Stay Turned On?

Power outages or a server shut down erases any data that’s not saved. Protect your work with cloud storage that never turns off. Users can still access the data even if your internet or server is down temporarily.

Does it Improve Collaboration?

Whether your employees work in the office, at home or at the client’s location, they need to collaborate. A quality cloud storage option lets different authorized users make notes and changes as needed.

Is it Affordable?

Some cloud storage options charge monthly fees, others charge annually, and there are some that offer free services up to a certain number of files. Research the costs before signing up for a service. Consider how much your business will expand, too, to ensure you have enough space to grow.

Managing your data is an important task for your small business. Carefully choose a cloud storage option as you manage your small business.

Prevent Sexual Harrassment in Your Small Business

By Risk Management Bulletin

1606-RR-1Sexual harassment complaints can be prosecuted under the same laws that prevent race, gender and religious discrimination. As a small business owner, you cannot afford to break the law. Protect your business, employees and clients when you prevent sexual harassment.

What Is Sexual Harassment?

Any unwelcome sexual conduct or advance that’s intimidating or offensive is considered sexual harassment. It can include derogatory comments, explicit jokes, suggestive emails, demeaning remarks, sexual threats or physical touch.

Both men and women can be victims of sexual harassment. However, it is more common for women to file sexual harassment complaints.

How Can You Prevent Sexual Harassment?

As an employer, you have a responsibility to prevent sexual harassment. If you don’t, you put your employees and clients at risk, could face severe liability and potentially destroy your business. Take these steps as you ensure your workplace remains safe.

    • Write a concise and clear sexual harassment policy. It defines sexual harassment, clearly clarifies that it is not acceptable or tolerated, explains consequences and outlines the reporting and investigating process. Update it regularly with any changes.
    • Train employees. Some states require annual sexual harassment training. Whether or not yours does, everyone who works for you should understand the seriousness of sexual harassment. They should undergo regular training that provides any policy updates and shares examples of unacceptable sexual harassment. They should also know the procedure for recognizing and reporting any claims.
    • Monitor your workplace. Check in regularly with your staff as you make sure sexual harassment isn’t an issue. You don’t have to be “big brother”, but you should be aware of anything that seems off. You also should not allow any actions that appear remotely close to sexual harassment. Jokes, groping or derogatory remarks should all be unacceptable.
    • Cultivate an open door policy. Your employees are more likely to share sexual harassment concerns if they know that you are always open to listen. They also need to know that their jobs are not in jeopardy if they share something with you.
    • Take complaints seriously. Your employees must know that you take sexual harassment complaints seriously and will not ignore or brush them aside. That includes investigating every complaint no matter who is involved.
    • Respect everyone. Model the behavior you wish to see in your employees when you respect your employees, clients, vendors and everyone who walks into your workplace.

Sexual harassment is a serious thing you want to prevent in your workplace. Protect your employees, clients and your business. For more information about how to create a workplace that’s safe for everyone, talk to your attorney.

Your Fitness Tracker Could Lead to Identity Theft

By Personal Perspective

1606-PP-4Six in 10 Americans track their regularly according to a Pew Research Center study. Do you? If so, you may use a fitness tracker. It’s a convenient way to meet your health and wellness goals, but it also can lead to identity theft. Take precautions as you get and stay healthy.

What is a Fitness Tracker?

You used to need a pencil and notebook to track your daily calories and exercise routines. Now, you can wear a device on your wrist or waistband that calculates how many calories you burn each day, how many steps you walk at work and how well you sleep. By 2018, as many as 780 million fitness trackers will be in use.

The information collected by your fitness tracker is synced to your computer or smartphone. Use the data to measure your progress, meet fitness goals and achieve your desired weight.

Who Has Access to Your Fitness Tracker Data?

It might seem strange that anyone would want to know how you sleep or how much you walk. However, fitness trackers can also include data like your gender, age, height and weight. This data can be valuable to companies that wish to market their diet, exercise and wellness products to consumers like you.

Additionally, fitness trackers offer real-time and location-based tracking. Burglars with access to that data know where you live, when you’re home and when you’re away from home. You and your family could be at risk.

How do you Protect Yourself?

Protect yourself from identity theft when you take five steps.

  1. Review the privacy policy of your fitness tracker. It will tell you who has access to your personal information and if the company sells or shares your data. The policy should also tell you if your data is encrypted, where it’s stored and how long it’s stored for. Contact your fitness tracker provider if you can’t find this information.
  2. Disable location tracking. Don’t share your location with social media sights, and turn off your Bluetooth when it’s not in use.
  3. Use strong passwords. Mix letters, numbers and symbols in a unique password that you keep secure from others.
  4. Don’t use unsecured networks. Instead of transmitting data from a public place, wait until you’re home and on your secure network.
  5. Install updates. When security fixes are available for your device and its app, install them.

Your fitness tracker is an invaluable tool in keeping you healthy. Take several precautions as you prevent identify theft and stay safe. You can also talk to your insurance agent about identity theft protection coverage that gives you added peace of mind.

Secure Insurance for Your Trailer Before you Travel

By Personal Perspective

1606-PP-3Summer time fun for you might include hauling a trailer. It secures your ATV, boat, a second car, camper, horses or camping gear. Before you hit the road, make sure your trailer is properly insured.

Why do you Need Trailer Insurance?

Many states accept your auto insurance coverage when you haul a trailer behind your insured vehicle. Your homeowners or renters insurance policy may cover the items you haul. However, this coverage is typically only for liability. Plus, you face several risks when you haul your trailer on the road.

    • If you’re not used to hauling a trailer, your risk of causing an accident increases.
    • You may turn too sharply and damage someone’s property.
    • You could hit a slippery stretch of highway that causes your trailer to slide into another vehicle and damage it or push it off the road.
    • While unloading or loading your trailer, you could damage it or the item you’re hauling.

These and other accidents are possible. Trailer insurance adds valuable protection that gives you peace of mind as you travel.

What Type of Coverage is Available?

The type and amount of trailer insurance you need depends on your trailer’s type and size and on the value of the items you will haul. Typical trailer insurance provides several valuable coverages.

  1. Liability – Cover the costs associated with bodily injuries or property damages your trailer causes to other people or their property and belongings.
  2. Comprehensive – Repair your trailer if it is damaged from theft, vandalism, fire or weather.
  3. Collision – Repair your trailer if it is damaged during a traffic collision.
  4. Contents Coverage – Pay to replace damaged items that are stored on or hauled in your trailer.

How do you Purchase Trailer Insurance?

Talk to your auto insurance agent about trailer insurance. He or she will review your auto insurance policy’s current types of coverage and limits to ensure it’s adequate for your trailer. Your agent will also review your homeowners or renters insurance policy and ensure it covers the items you are hauling.

If your current policies are not adequate to cover your trailer and its contents, increase your coverage types or limits or purchase a separate policy. You may need to shop around for trailer insurance if your current agent does not carry it.

With trailer insurance, you can travel this summer with confidence. If your trailer causes property damage or bodily injury or if the items you haul are damaged, you can pay for the liability or repairs. Talk to your agent before your next trip to make sure you’re properly covered.

13 Ways to Stop Overpaying for Car Insurance

By Personal Perspective

1606-PP-2You have to buy auto insurance, but you don’t have to overpay for it. Consider 13 tips that can cut your auto insurance costs without compromising your coverage.

  1. Maintain a clean driving record. Claims, moving violations and at-fault accidents all potentially increase your insurance costs. Enjoy competitive rates and stay eligible for discounts when you practice good driving.
  2. Increase your deductible. Your premiums decrease as your deductible increases. As long as you can afford the deductible, this move can be a good way to save money.
  3. Drop collision and comprehensive coverage. Check out your car’s value on NADA Guides to see a rough estimate of what your insurance company would pay you if your car would be totaled. If the value is less than $1,000 consider dropping your collision and comprehensive coverage from your insurance policy.
  4. Drive less. Some insurance companies give discounts for low mileage. Contact your agent to find out what your annual mileage limits are for lower premiums.
  5. Ask about car safety discounts. Certain safety features, including antilock brakes, air bags and alarms, could score you big savings.
  6. Get an insurance quote before you buy a new car. Some cars are cheaper to insure.
  7. Be loyal. Your insurance company may be willing to reward your loyalty, especially if you’ve been with them for more than five years.
  8. Check your credit. In some states, Insurance companies reason that you will make fewer claims if you have good credit. That’s why it pays to check your credit regularly and keep your score high.
  9. Join a club. Professional groups, large employees and civic organizations might offer discounted insurance that costs less than your current policy.
  10. Monitor your teens. Since teens are expensive drivers to insure, participate in a monitoring program. Cameras that record aggressive driving incidents and GPS that tracks speeding can cut your insurance costs and keep your teen safe.
  11. Purchase usage-based insurance (UBI). This option requires you to plug a temetatics device below your steering wheel. It tracks when, how often and how you drive, and good driving habits could decrease your insurance costs.
  12. Bundle coverages. Buy your homeowners or renters insurance policy from the same company that issues your auto insurance, and you’ll receive a multi-policy discount.
  13. Shop around. Other insurance companies might offer better rates, so shop around. Be sure to use the same coverage limits as your current policy to ensure you receive accurate quotes.

Auto insurance is essential, but it doesn’t have to break your budget. Use these 13 tips to save money. Talk to your agent today for more money saving tips.

What is Wedding Liability Insurance?

By Personal Perspective

1606-PP-1June is the most popular month of the year for weddings, and you want your special day to be perfect. What happens, though, when things don’t go as planned? Purchase wedding liability insurance to cover your loss or hardship.

Who Does Wedding Liability Insurance Protect?

The average wedding costs $20,000. Traditionally, the bride’s parents paid for the wedding. Today, though, the couple usually foots at least a portion of the bill. Protect your investment with wedding liability insurance.

This coverage can protect you and the venue, including the rehearsal dinner location and reception hall. Whether you get married in a traditional church or synagogue, plan a destination wedding or choose a nontraditional venue like a museum, park, zoo or forest, you can be covered if accidents happen.

What Does Wedding Liability Insurance Cover?

Accidents and other unfortunate incidents can wreak havoc on your wedding day.

    • A guest may trip and injure himself while walking down the aisle before the ceremony.
    • Someone may get sick after eating the shrimp cocktail appetizers
    • A bridesmaid might knock over an expensive item in the reception hall as she tries to catch the bouquet.
    • One of your guests may drink too much and fall while dancing.

These and other accidents could result in expensive lawsuits or medical liabilities for you and your loved ones.

Purchase liability insurance to protect yourself. The policy gives you peace of mind that even if something happens, you have financial coverage. It’s not a fun expense like your dress, cake or rings, but it is important as you start your marriage on solid financial footing.

What are Some Features of Wedding Liability Insurance?

When choosing liability coverage, look for a policy that meets your needs. There are several features you may wish to consider.

  1. It should cover you, your soon-to-be spouse and both sets of parents.
  2. The locations of your rehearsal dinner, ceremony and reception should be covered for one low price.
  3. It can be purchased up to the day of your wedding.
  4. The coverage may include liquor liability to protect you and the venue against alcohol-related accidents.
  5. If you purchase coverage online, a certificate of insurance is emailed to the venue.
  6. You may receive a discount if you also purchase wedding cancellation insurance.
  7. The limit options should be flexible to meet your needs and budget.

Your agent can discuss all these details with you as you choose the features that you want.

How do you get Wedding Liability Insurance?

Your insurance agent can provide you with this valuable coverage. Talk to him or her today about how to get a wedding liability insurance policy that protects you on your special day.