By on Nov 16, 2015 in Down to Business |

You’ve poured your heart and soul into your business—shouldn’t you protect it? Evaluating your insurance needs is a critical part of business planning, one that will help you protect your investment by minimizing risks, liabilities and losses. Of course, it’s also a difficult road to navigate alone. Whether you’re just starting up, hiring your first employee, or...

By on Nov 2, 2015 in Down to Business |

Increasingly, despite the economy, businesses are turning to temporary workers as a way of getting the job done. In fact, by 2020, more than 40% of the US workforce will be free-lancing. That’s nearly 60 million people and it’s pretty easy to see why. Not only is it easy to hire temps as needed, or as revenue allows, they are also typically exempt from benefits and...

By on Oct 16, 2015 in Down to Business |

From a worker who is unqualified for the job to an employee who steals from the office, bad hires are potentially costly. How much so? According to the U.S. Department of Labor, the price tag on the average bad hiring decision is equivalent to 30 percent of the individual’s first-year earnings. Fortunately, careful pre-employment screening can go a long way towards...

By on Oct 1, 2015 in Down to Business |

  Questionable claims are worker’s compensation claims insurers refer to the NICB for closer review and investigation because they appear to be fraudulent. According to the NICB’s analysis, insurers reported 3,474 claims as questionable in 2011. That number continues to increase based on data analysis of the first six months’ reported questionable claims. Insurers...

By on Sep 14, 2015 in Down to Business |

Tornados and earthquakes, fires and flooding, chemical spills and terrorist attacks—disasters, natural and otherwise, can happen anytime and anywhere. Even if an unforeseen event doesn’t directly damage your property, the power outages and travel disruptions that occur during many emergencies may prevent you from shipping and receiving products and supplies or...

By on Aug 31, 2015 in Down to Business |

Remote employees are increasingly common in today’s businesses. According to a New York Times article published last year, the number of remote workers—which includes full-time telecommuters, self-employed freelancers, and other professionals whose work is traditionally done outside an office—could presently be as high as 30 percent of the American workforce. As an...