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There's a LOT to know about insurance. So, whether you've got a specific question or just want the 411 on what we do, click around on the articles below.
Identifying and Retaining Key Employees
Identifying and retaining key employees is especially important in light of ongoing attraction and retention difficulties many employers have been facing. According to Zywave’s 2022 Attraction and Retention Survey, more than 75% of employers consider attraction and retention to be among their top five business challenges.
Understanding the Difference Between RSV, Flu and COVID-19
Health experts warn of a “tripledemic” surge this winter as Americans face the threat of severe respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), influenza (flu) and COVID-19. In the last couple of years, both the flu and COVID-19 have been prominent in the United States, but with the addition of RSV’s prevalence this year, there are new risks when catching any of these illnesses.
A Primer on Medical Trend
Current health care costs in the United States are high and rising. For many individuals, their health care costs outpace their wages. Since 2010, medical trend has grown by 73%, according to the Council for Affordable Health Coverage (CAHC). This is approximately four times faster than the average American’s wage and five times quicker than the consumer price index.
Pay Transparency
Pay transparency is when an employer openly communicates pay-related information through established practices to current or prospective employees. Employers can provide this information through various channels, such as online job sites, job postings or during an interview. As a result of changing labor markets, more and more employees are demanding pay transparency.
Summary of the 2022 Employer Health Benefits Annual Survey
Each year, the Kaiser Family Foundation conducts a survey to examine employer-sponsored health benefits trends. This document summarizes the main points of the 2022 Employer Health Benefits Survey.
Inflation Guard
In the commercial property insurance space, rising inflation increases the risk of undervaluing property. A rise in building costs due to factors such as labor shortages, worker wage growth, supply chain disruptions and raw material price increases can increase the severity of a property insurance claim and create potential underinsurance issues for the policyholder.
Duties in the Event of a Commercial Property Loss
Most people understand that insurance companies have a duty to reimburse insureds for commercial property damage not excluded by their policies. What’s lesser known is that if a loss does occur, insureds also have duties they owe to their insurance company. Many commercial property insurance policies include language detailing steps that must be taken following a loss.
Understanding the Effects of Deep Sleep and Tips for Improving It
Sleep is crucial for your overall health and well-being. There are generally considered to be four sleep stages—awake, light, deep and REM sleep. Deep sleep is the key repair and restorative stage of sleep, and it’s necessary to feel your best each day.
Commercial Risk Advisor | December 2022
Office holiday parties can give employees the opportunity to celebrate a successful year of business, but they can also open companies up to liability risks, especially if alcohol is involved. However, with some advanced planning, employers can minimize those risks and enjoy the holiday celebration.
Construction Risk Advisor | December 2022
Severe weather conditions can be detrimental to job sites, placing additional strain on construction employers. While there’s no way to completely safeguard worksites from the elements, there are measures that can be taken to reduce the risks posed by extreme weather events. Such weather can come in many forms, each of which require their own preparations in order to protect job sites.
2022 Hurricane Season Third Most Expensive to Date
The North Atlantic hurricane season—which lasts from June 1 to Nov. 30 annually—featured 14 named storms, eight of which reached hurricane strength, in 2022. While this year’s hurricane season produced fewer storms than originally predicted, it was still the third most expensive hurricane season to date.
Active Assailant Insurance
The frequency and severity of active assailant attacks are on the rise, and they can have a significant financial impact on the owner of the premises or business where the event took place. As a result, organizations should safeguard against potential losses stemming from an active assailant attack by securing sufficient insurance.
Employee Engagement Tips to Prevent Quiet Quitting
“Quiet quitting” continues to be an emerging trend where workers only do what their job description entails without going above and beyond. Or, this could mean only doing work directly assigned to them by a manager, while not looking for other ways to contribute to a team.
Key Differences Between Commercial Excess Liability and Umbrella Insurance Policies
Commercial excess liability insurance and umbrella insurance are secondary coverage policies that attach after primary insurance policy limits—such as general liability, employer’s liability and commercial auto insurance—have been exhausted. This additional coverage can protect your business from the financial consequences of large losses that exceed what your primary insurance can cover.
Safety Focus | December 2022
Presenteeism in the workplace occurs when an employee comes to work despite feeling tired or unwell, considerably reducing their productivity. This problem is especially common among remote or hybrid employees, as they are more likely to not feel the need to take sick leave when they’re feeling unwell.
Understanding the Importance of Skin Health
The largest and most visible organ of the body is the skin. Your skin helps protect you from harmful organisms and regulates body temperature. Healthy skin plays an important role in physical well-being and leads to better overall health, so it’s essential to pay attention to the signs your skin is giving you.
Employer Takeaways From the Speak Out Act
On Nov. 16, 2022, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Speak Out Act, prohibiting courts from enforcing nondisclosure and nondisparagement clauses between employers and their employees and independent contractors that were in place before sexual harassment and assault disputes. The U.S. Senate signed the bill on Sept. 29, 2022.
Job Openings Dropped in October but Remain High
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) recently released its October Job Openings and Labor Turnover Summary. The month’s reported number of job openings decreased by 353,000 to 10.3 million as the Federal Reserve (Fed) increased interest rates in an effort to cool the labor market. October’s number of job openings is down 760,000 compared with a year ago, resulting in 1.7 job openings for each unemployed worker.
Older Driver Safety Awareness Week Is Dec. 5-9
According to the Federal Highway Administration, the number of licensed drivers over 70 increased 75% from 1997 to 2020. This is partially due to U.S. demographics, in which Americans over 65 represent the fastest-growing sector of the U.S. population. But it also reflects a trend in American driving habits. Older adults are generally driving more miles and keeping their licenses longer than previous generations.
Creating a Cybersecurity Culture
Employees are an organization’s first line of defense against cybercriminals. For this reason, they are also commonly targeted. In fact, the vast majority (88%) of data breaches are caused by employee mistakes, according to Stanford University. Unfortunately for organizations, a single mistake can result in costly losses, reputational damage and lost or stolen data.