http://fciains.socialautopilot.com/?page_id=3&group=1 Simple:Press Forum Version 4.1.3 http://fciains.socialautopilot.com/?page_id=3/business-owners-insurance/finding-the-right-commercial-auto-policy/#p6 Business Owner\'s Insurance http://fciains.socialautopilot.com/?page_id=3/business-owners-insurance/finding-the-right-commercial-auto-policy/#p6

Know the insurance company you’re dealing with. What is their reputation for handling claims. It does you no good to get “cheap” coverage if in fact they don’t pay claims, and this could cost you more in the long run. Also, make sure the company specializes in commercial coverage. An independent insurance agent will generally have several choices of insurance companies.

Look for discounts. Before seeing an agent for a quote on your commercial auto policy, get your company’s loss and financial records together. It may help you save quite a bit of money. There are a lot of discounts for things like increased liability limits in the past, if your employees consist of experienced drivers, or if your company’s credit rating is good.

Don’t let your coverage lapse. If you have continuous coverage, your costs will be lower than if you let your policy laps, so never let your insurance policy lapse.

Check driving records before hiring. Make sure you request a Motor Vehicle Report (MVR) for every potential hire if they will be driving company vehicles.

As your independent agent can help you find the right coverage through the right company, and know the discounts that each of these companies offer. ]]> Mon, 19 Apr 2010 22:18:40 +0000 http://fciains.socialautopilot.com/?page_id=3/business-owners-insurance/who-wants-to-be-you-identity-theft-a-common-risk-for-consumers/#p5 Business Owner\'s Insurance http://fciains.socialautopilot.com/?page_id=3/business-owners-insurance/who-wants-to-be-you-identity-theft-a-common-risk-for-consumers/#p5 Nine million! That’s how many Americans have their identities stolen each year, estimates the Federal Trade Commission. From January 2005 until October 2007, a staggering 215 million personal records were breached, reported the Privacy Rights Clearinghouse. The FTC noted that, in half of the criminal incidents in 2005, thieves obtained goods or services worth $500 or less. In 10 percent of cases, thieves stole at least $6,000. ID theft has only been a crime since 1998, when Congress passed the Identity Theft and Assumption Deterrence Act, but it’s escalated as a problem. Not only do criminals use identity theft to steal assets, they also commit crimes in the name and character of the victim. The FTC urges a “deter-detect-defend” approach to battle ID theft, which costs consumers and businesses plenty of money and time. Deterring means safeguarding personal data to make it harder to steal and misuse. Detecting means monitoring and becoming aware of irregularities that indicate data has been stolen. Defending means reporting the crime and then taking steps to regain data security, recover stolen assets and fix misused information. Identity theft criminals commonly use six methods to steal consumer and business information: 1. “Dumpster diving” for papers with personal information 2. “Skimming”—stealing credit/debit card numbers when a card is processed 3. “Phishing”—pretending to be a financial institution or company and sending spam e-mail messages to get people to reveal personal information 4. Changing an address by completing a change of address form to divert bills to a criminal’s location 5. Stealing wallets, mail, checks, employer personnel records and other paperwork—through breaking-and-entering physically or electronically or bribing employees who have access to information 6. “Pretexting”—using false pretenses or tricks of social engineering to obtain personal information from consumers, financial institutions, telephone companies and other sources. Identity theft robs a victim of time that must be urgently spent to alert police, credit bureaus, financial institutions, medical providers and others. A victim has to prove an identity loss or financial loss; close accounts; write letters to government entities; and even work with a legal advocate to recover and rebuild a stolen identity. Likewise, the costs for legal fees can quickly add up and overwhelm a stressed victim. The loss of work time also can be costly, at the very time when financial resources are under attack by a criminal. Personal and business insurance can play a key role in the “defend” stage of the identity theft battle. Insurers offer services to help consumers and businesses report identity theft and recover from it. Sometimes these services are included as part of a homeowners insurance package or even a business insurance package; the cost may be included or additional. An identity recovery package may include reimbursement of legal fees related to identity theft, as well as costs of credit reports and postage, phone, shipping fees, lost wages and child/elder care for those forced to spend time away from family to resolve the situation. The ID package also might include a limited benefit for mental health counseling for crime victims. The first step in checking on whether you’re covered for identity theft? ]]> Wed, 03 Feb 2010 23:29:28 +0000 http://fciains.socialautopilot.com/?page_id=3/business-owners-insurance/small-businesses-dont-let-business-risk-share-your-home/#p3 Business Owner\'s Insurance http://fciains.socialautopilot.com/?page_id=3/business-owners-insurance/small-businesses-dont-let-business-risk-share-your-home/#p3 Property insurance for buildings and contents of the business. Home-based business might not need coverage for their property, since it’s already insured against risks of fire, lightning and windstorm. But if there are additional risks to the structure because of the presence of business operations, those won’t necessarily be covered by homeowners insurance. Your Trusted Choice^® insurance agent can help determine if a special endorsement or a separate policy are most appropriate. Home-based businesses might not have adequate coverage through homeowners insurance because homeowners policies often have “sublimits” restricting coverage for business property. For instance, the homeowners policy may cover business property, but typically only up to $2,500 while it is “on premises” and up to $500 while the property is “off premises.” One example of inadequate coverage was a home-based retail cosmetics/personal care business that kept $20,000 of inventory in a garage that caught fire. The inventory was covered only up to the sublimits of the homeowners policy. Another instance: Coverage would be limited to the “off premises” limit of $500 if a laptop computer valued at $1,500 that is stolen while the business owner has it away from home. Property insurance for buildings and contents of the business. Home-based businesses might not need coverage for their property, since it’s already insured against risks of fire, lightning and windstorm. If there are additional structures on a residential property where the homeowner operates a business, those won’t necessarily be covered by homeowners insurance. For example, a detached garage that serves as a small-engine repair shop would not be covered by homeowners insurance; that business owner would need a policy endorsement to gain coverage. Business interruption insurance. This protects against loss of income resulting from a fire or other covered event that disrupts the business. This coverage can also include the extra costs a business shoulders while it works from a temporary location. A fire in a home can be double trouble for a home-based business. Liability insurance. This protects the small business for legal responsibility for the damage it causes to other people or entities. Liability insurance is usually priced according to the risk of the industry in which the business operates. A business that manufactures toys, for example, faces different risks than a consulting firm. Liability insurance shields a business and its employees if they cause bodily injury or property damage. Not included in a BOP are professional liability coverage, automobile insurance, workers compensation, medical insurance and disability insurance. All can be covered with separate policies. Check with us. We are a Trusted Choice^®  insurance agent and can help you with insurance protection of your small business—especially if it is a home-based business. ]]> Wed, 07 Oct 2009 10:08:30 +0000