Local Insurance Group

Cyber threats are not just a concern for large corporations. In fact, small- and mid-sized businesses often face increased risk. This Cybersecurity Awareness Month, we are sharing a reminder of a few practical ways to strengthen your cyber defenses.

Of course, even with strong prevention measures in place, a cyber incident can still happen, and the cost of recovery can add up quickly. Having the right cyber liability coverage can help your business respond more effectively.

Have questions about cyber insurance or want to review your current coverage? Reach out to our team today.

On a construction site, safety training is an important part of protecting workers, reducing claims, limiting downtime, and supporting your overall risk management plan. That’s why regular OSHA-focused safety training can help employees recognize hazards, understand how to prevent injuries, and know what steps to take when a concern or incident comes up.

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Establishing comprehensive safety plans cannot eliminate jobsite risk outright, but it can be a crucial step that any operation can take to help avoid risk and keep teams safe. That said, if you would like to talk through how safety training, loss control, and insurance fit together for your business, please give our team a call anytime. We are always happy to help.

Theft prevention is top of mind for many homeowners. Not only can it be deeply unsettling for your space to be invaded, but burglary can also represent significant financial losses for homeowners.

The good news is that a few simple prevention tips can go a long way toward protecting your home. Swipe for more.

While these tips can help deter burglars, they cannot fully prevent theft or mitigate the effects of a home invasion. That’s why it can also be crucial to ensure your homeowners insurance not only includes theft coverage, but that the coverage fully protects your home and belongings.

That said, if you have questions about your homeowners coverage and how it can help protect you in the event of theft, don’t hesitate to reach out to our team. We are here to help you.

The transition into fall is the ideal window to take stock of your home and address small issues before they become expensive ones. A few hours of attention now can prevent thousands of dollars in damage later. Swipe for a few key areas to focus on.

We hope you found this seasonal checklist helpful! If you would like to get recommendations for trusted, local providers that can be of assistance, please feel free to reach out. And as always, if you have any questions or any other needs our team can assist you with, just give the office a call. We are here to help.

Back-to-school season presents a good opportunity to ensure your kids are equipped with the habits and knowledge to stay safe throughout the school day. Here are some helpful tips to keep in mind:

🔵Make sure your children know their full names, your phone number, home addresses, and how to reach a trusted adult. A laminated safety card kept in their backpack with this info, plus any medical conditions, can be a good addition.

🔵Teach and reinforce proper hand-washing, and remind them not to share food or drink. These simple habits go a long way toward keeping illnesses from spreading through the classroom.

🔵A backpack should weigh no more than 15% of your child's body weight, and both straps should always be used to evenly distribute the load on your child’s back. An overstuffed bag can cause real strain over time.

🔵Talk with your child about bullying — how to recognize it, how to report it, and who their designated trusted adult at school is if they ever feel unsafe or need help.

🔵 Avoid putting your child's first name on the outside of backpacks or lunch boxes; initials or names on the inside are a safer option for labeling belongings.

At-school safety is a collective effort, and taking precautions for your students can help keep students across your community safe.

As always, if you have questions or other needs this school year, give us a call. We are here for you.

Labor Day is all about celebrating the workforce, and the best way to honor hard work is to take a real break from it. So to celebrate, our team is fully committing to the cause by penciling some cat naps into our schedules this weekend.

A quick heads-up: The office is closed on Monday, September 7th. We will be back on Tuesday, September 8th — recharged, refreshed, and ready to get to work.

We hope you have a long weekend full of good food, good company, and zero emails!

Before your kids head out the door, make sure they know how to get to school safely, no matter how they are getting there. Here are a few tips to keep in mind:

🔵Walking to school? Stick to sidewalks, cross only at crosswalks, make eye contact with drivers before stepping into the street, and always walk in a group when possible.

🔵Riding a bike? A properly fitted helmet is non-negotiable. Remind students to ride on the right side of the road with traffic, come to a complete stop before crossing, and choose a route with minimal intersections and light traffic.

🔵Taking the bus? Students should stand at least 6 feet back from the curb when waiting for a bus, wait for the bus to come to a complete stop before boarding, and never walk behind or in front of a bus without making eye contact with the driver first.

🔵Getting dropped off? If you drive your child to school, obey school zone speed limits, follow your school's drop-off procedure, and never pass a bus that is loading or unloading children.

🔵Teen drivers? Review the basics of safe driving. This includes, but is not limited to, having all passengers wear seatbelts, putting devices away while driving, and driving the speed limit.

We hope you find these tips helpful as students transition back to school. As always, if you have any needs or questions, do not hesitate to reach out to our team. We are happy to help.

Running a business comes with no shortage of moving parts — and making sure you're protected from the unexpected is one of the most important pieces of the puzzle. That’s where commercial umbrella policies come in.

Swipe to learn more about how this coverage works and whether it's right for your business.

If you'd like to talk through whether a commercial umbrella policy makes sense for your business, know that we are always happy to help. Feel free to give the office a call today.

Since we are in the midst of hurricane season, our team wanted to share a timely reminder about one important step of the preparation process: reviewing your personal insurance coverages before a storm even hits.

Here are a few key areas we suggest reviewing this hurricane season:

🔵 Hurricane Deductibles - Some homeowners policies in some states may include a hurricane deductible, which is often a percentage of your home’s insured value. This deductible is separate from your standard homeowners deductible and is the amount of money you must pay toward hurricane-related damage before your insurance company starts paying. Know what triggers it and how much you’d owe.

🔵 Flood and Windstorm Coverage - Flood damage typically requires separate flood insurance, and damage from unnamed windstorms may also be excluded from some policies. Reviewing your coverage and filling any gaps before a storm hits can make a significant difference.

🔵 Filing Claims - Ahead of a hurricane, document the state of your home. Then, after the storm, document damage with photos and videos before you begin cleaning up or repairs. This can help fully showcase any potential damage done by a storm. Additionally, as you make repairs, keep receipts for what you spend.

As always, know that we are here to help if you have any questions about your coverage or if you would like to talk through layering on more coverage. Reach out today, and we can get started.

With back-to-school season top of mind and August being National Traffic Awareness Month, our team wanted to take a moment to share some practical road safety reminders for this time of year.

The return to school brings one of the most significant changes in daily traffic patterns of the entire year. A few moments of extra caution can make an enormous difference. Swipe for a few traffic safety considerations for both motorists and parents of young children to keep in mind as back-to-school season approaches.

By staying alert, following the rules, and looking out for the most vulnerable people on our roads, we can all play a role in keeping the roads safe this school year.

Please feel free to share this with anyone in your network who might benefit from these reminders. And if you ever have questions or need assistance, we are always here to help leverage our expertise for your benefit.