Kate Betts, Author at Atlanta Insurance

5 reasons to drive safely (Hint: You could save on Atlanta car insurance)

October 5, 2020October 10, 2017 by Kate Betts

Driving safe can help you save on your car insurance.

Driving in Atlanta is always a bit of an adventure. Narrow streets, roadwork, limited parking, and, of course, figuring out how to survive Atlanta traffic! Perhaps even more intimidating than driving in the city is car insurance. It’s important to learn about car insurance so that you can answer common car insurance questions, but you might dread thinking about auto insurance because the rates can be so expensive. But there’s a simple, easy way to save on your car insurance – driving safe. We’ll give you five car-insurance-related reasons to be a straight-A driver.

1. Your car insurance premium is related to your driving record.

When an insurance company goes to give you a quote on your car insurance, they look into your driving record. They’ll most likely check your record for accidents and tickets from the past three to five years. From your record, they’ll determine how much of a risk you and your family are to insure. The higher a risk you are, the more you’ll have to pay for insurance. And since insurance companies consider accidents and tickets to be risky … you get where we’re going.

2. If you have no tickets or accidents, you might be able to get lower quotes when you shop.

If you have good driving habits and have a clean record, your premium will reward you and you’ll end up paying less for your auto insurance. The quotes you’ll receive from auto insurance companies will be lower – you may even be pleasantly surprised!

3. After a few years of good driving, you may be able to get a discount on your rates.

If you go for a good amount of time with no tickets or accidents, you could qualify for a discount on your auto insurance rates (depending on your carrier, of course.) Insurance companies like to reward drivers who drive safely. The fewer claims you have, the better. You want to present as little risk as possible to the insurance company, and that means no accidents. And that means no distracted driving, speeding, drowsy driving, or other risky driving behavior. Sure, we can’t control the actions of other drivers on the road, but we can control our own actions. And that means making conscious choices to be a safer driver and avoiding distracted or unsafe driving.

4. By driving safe, you might be able to qualify for accident forgiveness.

Usually, having a car accident would make your rates go up – insurance companies don’t like risk, remember? If you’ve had a clean driving record for a good amount of time, your carrier might allow you to have accident forgiveness. That means that if you do happen to have a car accident, your rates would not go up. Ask if your carrier has accident forgiveness.

5. Depending on your insurance company, you may be able to lower your deductible.

The deductible is the amount that you agree to pay if you have a claim before the insurance company will step in to help you cover costs. Of course, this all depends on your insurance company. But if your company does allow you to lower your deductible for having a clean driving record, that means less money out of your pocket if you ever have a claim.

Being a safe driver and keeping your full attention on the road is important to help you avoid a car accident. This is your health and life that we’re talking about, along with the safety of other drivers on the road. Apart from preventing accidents and injuries to yourself and others, being a safe driver can help you save on your car insurance. So, as you can see, there are many reasons to be a careful driver and avoid risky driving when you get behind the wheel.

Looking for a car insurance quote in Atlanta? We would love to help you get the car insurance you need so you can hit the road with peace of mind. All you have to do to get in touch with one of our insurance agents is fill out our online quote form or give us a call today – we’d be happy to help you with all of your insurance needs!

What coverages do you have to add to a BOP to protect your Atlanta business?

August 27, 2020October 5, 2017 by Kate Betts

We recently talked about the magic that is a business owner’s policy (aka BOP) and how they make insurance wonderfully convenient for businesses. But it’s important to note that there are some things that simply aren’t covered in a business owner’s policy. BOPs (catchy nickname, right?) typically cover general liability, commercial property, and business interruption insurance. However, the risks covered by the three types of insurance bundled into a BOP may not be enough to fully cover your business. There are lots of other disasters out there. To help you ensure that your business is fully insured, we’re going to go over some coverages and losses that aren’t bundled into a BOP.

Coverages that can be purchased as separate policies:

There are some coverages that you would purchase as separate policies for your business. Here are some coverages that you might want (or need) to get for your business.

Workers’ compensation:

Workers’ comp insurance is essential for businesses. It protects your employees if they get hurt or get sick because of their jobs. It can provide them with medical payments so that they can get back on their feet. It also reimburses them for a portion of the wages that they lost while they weren’t able to work if they’re medically approved to take time off. Depending on your business and state, you might be required to carry workers’ comp insurance.

Group health insurance and disability insurance:

These coverages can be procured separately if you want your employees to be able to get health insurance through their jobs.

Professional liability:

Professional liability can help you if you’re in a business where you offer advice and then politely ask for money. If a customer accuses you of negligence, giving bad advice, or not acting in good faith, they might sue you, professional liability insurance can help you cover the costs of the lawsuit.

Coverages that you can add to your BOP:

BOPs can bundle more than general liability, property, and business interruption insurance. There are other types of insurance that can be added to a BOP policy if you so choose. Some of those coverages are…

Crime coverage:

Crime coverage includes protection for a variety of theft that your business could face, including employee theft and commercial burglaries. Usually, you can add between $1,000 and $5,000 of coverage to your policy.

Data breach coverage:

With how dependent businesses are on technology and computers, data breaches are a very real risk. That’s why it’s important to protect your business from cyber risks. Adding data breach coverage to your BOP will help your business with the costs of…

Telling people who have had their information stolen from your company that their information has been stolen from your company.
Hiring consultants who can help you sort out the ensuing chaos.
Defense and settlement costs from potential lawsuits.
Replacing income that you lost due to the breach.
Extortion/ransom (Believe it or not, holding computer files or systems hostage and demanding money for their release has become a favorite of hackers, as far-fetched as it may seem. It’s a real thing.)

It’s important to make sure that you understand exactly what your BOP will and won’t cover. If there are any areas of risk that are not included in your BOP, you need to fill your coverage gaps. Disasters have a nasty habit of striking those areas that aren’t protected by insurance. Don’t underestimate the power of Murphy’s Law – whatever can go wrong, will go wrong. You don’t want to fall prey to a loss that isn’t covered, so review your insurance carefully and bolster any areas that are missing coverage.

Do you need to get some business insurance? We’d love to help you out with that! We can help you identify the risks that your business faces and build an insurance plan to protect you from them. We can get you some business insurance quotes for free. All you have to do to get started on your quotes is fill out our online quote form or give us a call today.

Did you know the answers to these ten Atlanta car insurance questions?

September 17, 2020October 3, 2017 by Kate Betts

Auto insurance can get confusing. You just want to be able to drive and get yourself to where you gotta go. It’s easier to put insurance out of your mind and assume that you’re covered for the what-ifs, but there are a few questions that you should know the answers to when it comes to car insurance. Knowledge is power, especially when you start talking insurance.

So here we go: ten questions about auto insurance and the answers – in fun-sized packages!

1. Is the minimum level of car insurance enough?

Probably not. The limits of car insurance that states require, called minimums, do give you some protection for your car. They might seem like a lot – for instance, Georgia requires $25,000 of bodily injury liability per person, $50,000 of bodily injury insurance per occurrence, and $25,000 of property damage liability insurance. But if a serious accident happens, chances are that those limits will be exhausted quickly, leaving you to take the fall for the remaining amount. So, it’s up to you as far as what limits you want on your insurance, but you may want to consider going above the minimum.

2. Will bundling my home and auto insurance help me save?

Yes, it very well might! Insurance companies often offer a significant discount if you get both your home and auto insurance from them (this is called bundling.) Insurance companies love it when their customers like them so much that they get multiple products from them.

3. If a tree or branch falls on my car, am I covered?

Only if you have comprehensive auto coverage. This is different than the liability insurance required by the state, so it’s important that you know what comprehensive car insurance covers and if you have it. Comprehensive insurance covers your car if it’s damaged by something other than an accident. So, if a tree squishes your car into a pancake, you’d be covered if you had purchased comprehensive insurance.

4. Do I still need to keep my teen on my auto insurance when they go to college?

Yes. Your college student will still be able to access the car when they’re home on breaks – chances are they’ll be begging you to borrow a car, so yes, they need to be on your insurance. You need to make sure your college student is properly insured.

5. Do I need to get rental car insurance from the agency?

Well, that depends on your personal auto policy. You may or may not need to get insurance from the agency – you’ll have to check your auto policy and see if your own insurance carries over to the rental vehicle, and you’ll have to decide what levels of coverage you’re comfortable with.

6. If I’m in an accident and have to rent a car while mine is being repaired, am I covered?

You would have to add rental reimbursement to your policy for a small additional charge for the rental car expenses to be covered. Cars are often in the shop for two weeks following an accident, so it might be worth it to think about getting this extra coverage.

7. What happens if an uninsured driver hits me?

Your uninsured motorist coverage or collision coverage would take care of it if you’ve purchased either of these coverages. Again, these are not included in the minimum liability insurance coverages required by many states, so you’ll have to make sure that you’re fully covered.

8. If I drive a friend’s car, am I covered?

Their insurance would follow the car and kick in if you’re in an accident, but you have to be extremely careful because if their limits of coverage aren’t high and the damage goes above them, your own insurance would come next.

9. And if a friend borrows my car?

The same goes if your friend borrows your car. If they’re just borrowing it a few times, your policy should cover them. However, if they start driving your car more than you do, your premiums could be affected – the premiums are based on the primary driver and the vehicle itself. If they’re borrowing your car and using it more than you are, you should have them added to your policy to prevent any coverage mishaps.

10. Will car insurance cover things stolen from my car?

No. The belongings that you have in your car may, however, be covered by your home insurance or renters insurance, which should follow your possessions regardless of where they happen to be. So, if you have a suitcase in the trunk and it gets stolen, your home or renters insurance would be the best place to start. But you’ll have to check your policy.

Now, as far as things like sound systems or radios go, those are not covered. So, if you’ve tripped out the stereo system in your car, you may want to consider purchasing additional insurance to make sure that it’s covered in case of theft.

Phew. Auto insurance can be tiring. You may have noticed that a lot of the above answers include a fancy form of saying “it depends.” You need to make sure that you’re familiar with your auto policy and the coverage you’ve purchased to know exactly what you are and aren’t covered for. Don’t take any chances when it comes to insuring your vehicle – accidents can become very costly, and you don’t want to find out the hard way that you don’t have as much coverage as you thought.

If you’d like to get some free quotes for auto insurance, we’d love to help you out with that! We can help you do your car insurance shopping. To get started with your car insurance quotes, all you have to do is fill out our quote form or give us a call today!

What’s a business owner’s policy and can I get one for my Atlanta business?

July 10, 2019September 28, 2017 by Kate Betts

A business owner's policy, or BOP, combines three different types of business insurance.

Have you ever seen one of those commercials for a hair care product that claims it’s shampoo and conditioner, all in one? Believe it or not, there’s an almost-equivalent for small-to-medium sized businesses when it comes to business insurance. It’s called a business owner’s policy, but since no cool coverage is complete without a nickname or acronym, it’s called a BOP. Basically, a BOP is handy to have because it combines several coverages into one convenient policy. You can get the coverage you need for your business in a simple, neat package – and it’s way better than 2-in-1 shampoo/conditioner.

Let’s dig deeper into this insurance mystery.

What does a business owner’s policy include?

There are three main coverages that a BOP can bundle together for your insurance convenience. Those coverages are…

1. Commercial property insurance.

What it does: Commercial property covers losses that happen because of common perils, like fire. It can cover you for your office equipment, furniture, inventory, machinery, raw materials, computers and other such essential business items. Plus, you know, the building itself.

2. General liability.

What it does: General liability is your “slip-and-fall” insurance. It covers your legal responsibility if your business causes harm to someone else, up to your policy’s limit. It will usually cover attorney fees for defending your business in court and the medical fees of anyone to whom your business caused bodily harm. It can also help in the event of a property damage claim.

3. Business interruption insurance.

What it does: Business interruption puts lost income back in your business’s pocket if you get hurt by a covered disaster that causes you to close temporarily. While property insurance helps you rebuild your business, BII helps you make sure that there’s still money in the bank when you have your grand reopening. It reimburses you for lost income.

Together, these coverages form the foundation of a small business insurance plan. Of course, they don’t cover every disaster or loss that could befall your business, so you may have to consider getting additional coverages if necessary.

Is my business eligible for a business owner’s policy?

Now, not every business is a candidate for a BOP. As we said before, BOPs are most appropriate for small to mid-sized businesses. Apart from that, there are a few checkmarks your business may need to meet before being stamped for BOP approval.

A physical location (whether it’s your home or premises – you may be able to insure a home-based business with a BOP)
Property that can be swiped (think product, cash, furniture, digital property, etc.)
Risk of lawsuits
Fewer than 100 minions employees
Fewer than $5 million in sales annually

Aside from these basic qualifications, there are a few other things that a carrier will consider before declaring you BOP-worthy. You may or may not be BOP-able depending on your type of business, the size of your main location, your revenue, and the class of business you are. It might seem like a lot of hoops to jump through, but it’s all in the interest of making that your business has the coverage you need.

How much will a BOP cost?

The premiums for BOPs depend, of course, on a few things. Your business’s eligibility factors play a part in your insurance rates. The financial stability of your business does, too. The building itself also gets considered, as do security features and fire hazards. The general rule of thumb for insurance is the more risk you have, the higher your rates. Insurance companies are highly allergic to risk, remember.

Pro tip: You might qualify for a discount if you have a security system. However, there are a few things you should know before hiring a company to install a commercial security system.

While insurance rates vary from business to business, the bottom line is that it’s important to make sure that you have enough coverage for your business and that there are no gaps in your insurance. That might mean adding some extra coverage to a business owner’s policy or forgoing a BOP entirely in favor of getting bigger policies.

BOPs are great when it comes to protecting small businesses. If you’re BOP-able, you get to enjoy commercial property, general liability, and business interruption insurance all bundled into one convenient policy. It is, however, important to consider that you may need to add coverages to your business owner’s policy. If you think your business might be a candidate for a BOP, congratulations! Insurance just got a whole lot easier.

Want to get a free quote on your business insurance? BOP or no BOP, we’d love to help you find the insurance your business needs to protect it from the risks you face every day. We’d love to help you save on said insurance, too. To reach one of our friendly agent-folk, all you have to do is fill out our online quote form or give us a call today. Then we can help you get started with getting your insurance!

Practical tips to protect your Atlanta home against burglary and prevent break-ins

August 22, 2020September 26, 2017 by Kate Betts

No one wants to think about what would happen if their home got burglarized. But it does happen. Your home is supposed to be a safe place, a haven for your family, and that peace of mind would be shattered if you came home to find that someone had broken into your home. Yes, your home insurance might help you replace your belongings, but nothing can replace your sense of security. However, there are things you can do to help prevent a burglary. Check out these tips to keep your Atlanta home safe.

1. Keep doors and windows locked tight while you’re at work.

Most burglaries don’t happen in the dead of night. They happen in the middle of the day (8 am – 4 pm) when people are at work. Burglars go for homes that are going to be empty. You should always keep your doors and windows secure, but especially when you’re at work.

2. Set up some automatic timers for lights.

Set some timers to turn on some lights in different rooms in your home. You can even set the timers so that the lights go on and off and move from room to room to make it look like someone’s home. By switching the lights from room to room you can keep it from looking like a pattern.

3. Have motion-sensor lighting around your home and garage.

Lighting is a great deterrent to burglary. Motion-detected lighting will brighten the exterior of your home and hopefully keep the thieves away. Plus, it’s handy for you when you get home late at night! But even if you don’t have motion-detected lighting, you can turn on exterior lighting around your home at night to protect it.

4. Amp up the defenses on your doors to protect them against burglary.

Your doors can be strengthened by adding deadbolts and chain locks, and you can also think about having a peephole put in to add extra security. You should also make sure that your doors are made of solid wood or wood-wrapped steel. These doors are harder to break in, and they’ll provide more security. Another way to protect doors is to reinforce the windows next to them with Plexiglass. That’ll make it harder to break them and unlock the door through the opening.

5. Get a security system.

A security system is another deterrent to burglary. A home that has security monitoring is not an easy target. And an added bonus is that you might get a discount on your homeowners’ insurance if you have a security system.

6. Stash your valuables.

Don’t leave your valuables in plain sight of the windows. That’s just asking for trouble. You can even come up with creative hiding spots to stash things that you want to keep safe – just don’t forget where your hiding spots are! You should also keep the blinds or curtains drawn on your windows. You don’t want to advertise the contents of your home.

Speaking of the contents of your home, it’s important to take a home inventory so that you know exactly what’s in your house. If you have a fire or burglary, having a list of your belongings will help make the claims process easier when you work with your insurance company.

7. Maintain your bushes and trees.

Having a clear view outside will help you to keep tabs on anything suspicious happening near your home. It also means there are less hiding places for potential burglars.

8. Be smart when you go on vacation.

If you’re planning to be on vacation, make plans to have your home looked lived-in. Remember, burglars go for homes that look empty. If you’re planning to be away, you can ask a trusted neighbor to keep an eye out for anything suspicious. They can also pick up newspapers from the driveway since papers piling up are a sure sign that no one’s home. You might also want to have someone cut the grass – if the lawn looks shaggy, that’s a sign that no one’s there to take care of it.

9. Be technology-smart when you’re on vacation.

Don’t mention anything about being away on your voicemail. Also, don’t post anything about your vacation plans on social media, and wait to post pictures until after you’ve returned.

10. Consider a “Beware of Dog” sign.

Sure, you know that your Jack Russel terrier couldn’t scare a fly, but a burglar doesn’t know that it’s not a pony-sized Doberman on the other side of the door. Even if you don’t have a dog, a “Beware of Dog” sign deters burglars from breaking into your home. Dogs are very protective of their territory, and burglars know it.

11. Get to know your neighbors.

You should be familiar with the people who live in your neighborhood. Once you get to know people, you’ll be able to notice things that are suspicious or out of the norm more easily. It’s important that you know who should be hanging around on your street and who shouldn’t.

12. Don’t dump boxes for fancy new purchases on the curb next to the trash.

This tells any potential burglars exactly what’s in your home. If you have a box for a brand new computer sitting outside your home, the burglar will know there’s something there that they want. Break down all boxes and stuff them securely in the trash.

It’s scary to think about your home being burglarized. Take steps to make your home look occupied when you’re not there – remember, burglars tend to avoid striking when someone’s home. And don’t forget to secure your home when you leave for work in the morning. The middle of the day is the most common time for a burglary to occur. By bolstering your home’s defenses, you can lower your chances of being burgled.

Looking for home insurance or renters insurance? Great! We’d be happy to help you out with any of your insurance needs. We’ll get you a free quote for your home insurance, and we can help you create an insurance plan to protect your home and your family. You can fill out our quote form or give us a call today and we’ll be happy to help you with all your insurance needs.

How to create a disaster response plan for your Atlanta business

October 26, 2020September 21, 2017 by Kate Betts

Many businesses faced with disasters never open again. There are many types of disasters, from big (think hurricanes) to small (minor fire.) But even the less severe disasters come with a deluge of difficulties and problems for a business owner, even if they do have business insurance. It’s important to make sure that you have a plan to cope with a disaster so that your business can survive. Preparation is essential. To help you get ready for a disaster, we’ve got a few tips for planning.

1. Figure out what your risks are.

You can’t plan for something if you don’t know what it is. You need to think of what scenarios are likely to happen to your business, but don’t forget to plan for things that maybe aren’t super likely but are still possible. For example, what would you do if your business was faced with a fire? A severe storm? Flooding? Do you know how to lower your cyber risks? There are a lot of things that need to be planned for because it’s hard to know the odds of a particular disaster hitting your business.

2. Think about how your business would be affected.

What would happen if one of these disasters hit your business? What would you need to do to compensate and adjust? How would you cope with the losses? Would you have to relocate? How would you keep your business going while your facility is out of order?

3. Get some safeguards and procedures in place to lower your risks.

You’ll need to enlist the help of some of your employees and make them the disaster planning team. Their job will be to brainstorm some procedures to help you keep going in the face of a fire or flood. You should come up with some plans and backup plans for how you deal with the disaster situation. That might include figuring out a location that you can work out of while you can’t be in your building and knowing who to call to repair the damage. You should also know how you’re going to notify employees and customers about the situation, and make sure they know how you’ll be in touch.

Your goals should be to protect your customers and employees from risk and maintain customer service by reducing disruption as much as possible. Your procedures should also include steps to protect your facilities and assets – for instance, taking steps to prevent a burglary at your business. It’s also important to lower environmental contamination risks and protect your organization’s brand and reputation.

4. Test your disaster procedures.

It’s not just enough to talk the talk. Everyone has to be able to walk the disaster plan. You need to have an idea of how your procedures will unfold in practice. That might mean training your employees about the procedures and making some calls to find out about the feasibility of your plans. You need to make sure that your plan will actually work when it’s time for you to use it.

5. Keep the disaster plan up to date.

You also need to make sure to revise the plan as you need to. Things change. You need to take into account anything that could cause a need for adjustment or change in the disaster plan.

6. Know how to handle an evacuation.

Apart from planning on how to keep your business going when there’s a disaster, you need to know how to get everyone out of your building safely if there’s something like a fire. To do that, you need to…

Know when an evacuation is needed.
Have a chain of command.
Know who’s going to set the evacuation in motion.
Post evacuation routes and plans with multiple ways out of the building.
Have a place for people to gather so you can take a headcount.
Get a list of names and pinpoint the last known location of missing people.
Have practices and training.

Having a clear evacuation plan can help you limit injuries and organize the chaos of an emergency. If everyone knows what to do and how to proceed, they’ll be much calmer and safer in the event that they need to clear out of the building.

If you have a small business, you need to know how you’re going to cope with a disaster situation. Take some time to think about how you’re going to keep the ship afloat and how you’re going to make everything as smooth as possible. Having a plan and knowing what to do will spare you from a lot of uncertainty when it comes to handling a disaster, and it’ll help your employees and customers feel much less stressed and frustrated with the situation. Being prepared never hurt anyone.

If you need insurance for your business, we would love to help you out with that! We can get you free quotes for your business insurance, including property, general liability, and workers’ comp. All you have to do to get started with getting your insurance is fill out our quote form or give us a call today.

Why a security system can help you save on your Atlanta home insurance premiums

August 22, 2020September 19, 2017 by Kate Betts

A home security system can help you save on your home insurance.

If you’ve ever gotten a quote for your home insurance, you’ve probably been asked the question, “Do you have a monitored burglar alarm?” At the time, you might have wondered why that’s any of the agent’s business. Why should they care if you do or don’t have a security system in your home? Well, it all comes back to risk. The thing is, having a home security system lowers your risk of burglary, and a lower risk means that you have a reduced chance of having a loss that the insurance company would then have to cover.

Okay, having a security system isn’t a guarantee that your home won’t be broken into. There’s a chance that you could still face a burglary by an intrepid and fearless thief who just has to have your 60” flat screen (which is why you should take steps to prevent a burglary.) Insurance companies know that. Plus, the police are alerted that much quicker.

So, insurance companies like monitored burglar alarms. They like them so much that they just might give you a discount on your home insurance if you have one. If your agent hasn’t ever asked if you have a security system or you have one installed to protect your family, give them a shout and let them know. It never hurts to ask if there’s any kind of discount on your premiums because of your snazzy security system!

Et voila – your security system gains an added bonus. It protects your family, helps you feel more secure, and saves you money! It’s a win-win-win.

Pro tip: While you’re thinking about your security system, you should also consider taking a home inventory. This can help you with filing a home insurance claim if you do ever have a burglary or fire.

Now, if you’re thinking that getting a security system sounds like a great plan, we’ve got some tips to help you pick one that will suit your needs.

1. Choose a company that has a strong reputation of quality products and trustworthy service.

2. Find out if their products are listed with Underwriter’s Laboratories, a consumer testing service, and check out their Better Business Bureau rating.

3. Ask to see references and contact them about their experience with the company.

4. Make sure that you have a good monitoring service for your system.

5. Check and see if the monitoring service has backup plans if the power lines go down. Do they have a cellular or radio way to monitor your home if you lose power?

6. Find out how the monitoring service tests their system, how often they run tests, and how they handle problems if they find them.

7. See if they offer annual maintenance as part of their cost.

8. Ask if there’s a way to turn your security system turned into a fire alarm system. This will help the fire department respond faster if a fire starts when you’re not home. Extra protection for your home!

A home security system can grant you peace of mind. It can help you protect your family and your home, making you feel more secure and safe. Those are some pretty big benefits right there. But that’s not where the perks stop. You might qualify for a discount on your homeowners insurance if you have a monitored security system. You can also consider turning your system into a fire alarm that will alert the fire department. So, even though it might seem expensive to have that security system installed, there are plenty of reasons to do so. And one final thought – don’t forget to make sure that you have enough home insurance for your house.

If you would like to get a free quote for your home insurance, we can help you out with that! All you have to do to get started with your quotes is fill out our quote form or give us a call today and we would be more than happy to get you a free quote – taking your home security system into account.

How to reduce cyber and computer risks at your Atlanta business

September 2, 2020September 14, 2017 by Kate Betts

Are you controlling your business's cyber risks?

It’s impossible to escape the influence of technology in our lives. If you’re a small business owner, you may have had to make changes to adapt to the constant evolution of technology. While technology and computers certainly make our lives easier and help us be more efficient, they also present risks to your business in the form of viruses, hackers, and data breaches. You know to protect your business from risks like burglary, but what about invisible risks? Many businesses, including small businesses, have been targeted by hackers. Fortunately, there are a few simple things you can do to protect your business against cyber risks.

1. Train your employees in cybersecurity.

It’s worth it to take some time to educate everyone about how to be smart online. You can inform your employees about scams and how to identify suspicious emails and websites. Remember the GoogleDocs phishing scam that went around a while back?

2. Get antivirus and antispyware software for every computer.

It’s important to protect your computers against viruses and hackers. You need to keep your antivirus software updated and current. Make sure that you don’t skip any computers – devices that aren’t protected could become infected, and they could spread the virus to the healthy computers.

3. Don’t skip the firewall.

Firewalls are great at keeping snoops out of your computer systems. You can even get a network firewall if you have over five devices to protect your entire network.

4. Have backup copies of important data.

If you lose your business’s valuable records or data due to a cyber attack, you’d be in a real bind if you don’t have backups. At least one of your backup sets should be kept off-site in a secure location that only a few trusted individuals can access. Lock up your backup data.

5. Control access to your computers and networks.

How many movies have you seen where the hacker or super spy poses as a janitor and then hops on a computer, stealing information by downloading it onto a flash drive in the nick of time? Make sure you know who’s coming in and out of your business and don’t let people play with your computers.

6. Secure your Wi-Fi network.

Your Wi-Fi network should be password-protected. Wi-Fi networks are easy ways for hackers to gain access to things that you would rather they didn’t. The password needs to be strong and something not easily guessed. Throwing in some numbers and special characters can’t hurt, either.

7. Have individual accounts for all employees.

It’s a good idea for each employee to have their own sign-on account to your computers. That makes it easier for you to keep track of who’s doing what online.

8. Limit authority to install software.

If one of your employee’s computers does get compromised, imagine the look on the hacker’s face when they realize they can’t download software. Their plot would perhaps be foiled. Only authorized personnel should be able to download things onto your business’s computers.

9. Have a password policy for your business.

A simple way to protect your computers is to have strong passwords on them. Your password policy can encourage employees to change their passwords every three months and to make them hard to guess. Like we said, it’s important that passwords include letters, numbers, and special characters. That makes them harder to crack than a simple password like abcde.

Another simple means of protecting your passwords – make sure your employees aren’t in the habit of writing them down and leaving them lying around. This is why passwords should be easy to remember but hard to guess.

10. Consider cyber liability insurance.

Cyber insurance protects you in the event of a data breach or hack that renders your computers broken. It can protect your business from breaches and cyber extortion (hackers have gotten quite creative and will sometimes take over a system, demanding ransom for the computer’s release. Scary.) If your business relies heavily on computers or stores the personal information of your customers, you might want to consider adding a cyber policy to your business insurance plan.

Yes, computers are great. They can do lots of cool things and help us run businesses more efficiently. Plus, they help businesses connect with clients. However, they’re also a huge liability. The plastic and metal box sitting on your desk might seem nice and secure, but the danger lies on the inside. Don’t forget about your computer risk when you go about creating a disaster response plan for your business. Make sure that you take steps to protect your business’s computers and limit your cyber risk.

If you want a quote for cyber insurance or business insurance, we can help! All you have to do is fill out our online quote form or give us a call today and we’d be happy to get you a business insurance quote. We can help you identify your risks and stay protected from them. We’ll help you create a customized insurance plan that’s just for your business.

Source:

https://www.forbes.com/sites/mikekappel/2017/11/08/5-ways-to-improve-your-small-business-cybersecurity/#1d597ae51f6f

Fiery secrets: Did you know your clothes dryer is a fire hazard?

August 3, 2018September 12, 2017 by Kate Betts

Modern appliances are wonderful. They’re convenient. They’re fast. And they spare us from a lot of hard work. One of the appliances that we’ve grown accustomed to in daily life is clothes dryers. We throw laundry into the dryer without even thinking about it, but did you know that your dryer, your innocent, wonderful, convenient little dryer, is a major fire hazard?

According to a report by the National Fire Protection Association, there were 15,970 fires started due to washers and dryers each year between 2010 and 2014, and 92% (about 14,700) of those were started by dryers.

That’s nothing to sneeze at. Yes, you have home insurance to help you if you do ever have a fire, but why not do everything you can to prevent one in the first place? To help you keep your dryer as non-combustible as possible, we’ve got 11 safety tips. With these tips, you can help your appliance decide not to catch on fire.

1. Clean the lint filter.

Cleaning the lint filter before and after each load of laundry can help avoid lint buildup that could cause a fire. In the aforementioned NFPA report, it was noted that the most common cause of dryer fires is the failure to properly clean the machine. Fires are usually started when something being dried or a byproduct of drying (such as lint or dust) ignites.

You should also clean the area behind the appliance, too. Lots of dust, lint, and other nasty stuff can build up back there.

2. Don’t overload the dryer.

Take it easy on your dryer. Don’t cram clothes in there, as this could cause the machine to break and just give up.

3. Clean up the laundry room.

Don’t keep flammable items near the dryer. It can get pretty hot, and you don’t want that heat to cause something in your laundry room to go up in flames.

4. Be outlet-smart.

Check and make sure that the right kind of plug and outlet are being used for your dryer. It’s important to always use outlets and electricity the way that they were intended to be used (this doesn’t just go for dryers.)

Speaking of electricity, make sure that your dryer is properly grounded. It’s always important to choose a reputable electrician to help you.

5. Enlist the help of professionals.

When you’re having your dryer installed, make sure that you have a qualified professional come out to do the job. That also goes for having your dryer serviced or cleaned. You should have a technician clean the interior and ventilation system to remove lint buildup from time to time. Once a year is a good idea, but you might need to have it cleaned more frequently if you notice it’s taking forever for your clothes to dry.

You can ask the person who comes to clean your dryer to make sure that the air exhaust pipe isn’t blocked at all, and you should also ask them to make sure that the outdoor vent flap is opening properly when the machine is in use.

6. Don’t use your dryer without a lint filter.

There’s a reason that thing’s there. Don’t use the dryer without it. Bad plan.

7. Keep your dryer in good working order.

If you have a gas appliance, make sure to have it checked over by a professional to make sure the gas line and connection are good to go and there are no gas leaks anywhere.

8. Ditch plastic or vinyl exhaust hoses.

Replace plastic or vinyl exhaust hoses with metal venting.

9. Be careful what you dry.

If any of your clothes have come in contact with anything flammable, like alcohol, cooking oil, gasoline, dry cleaning solvents, or the like, don’t toss them in the dryer. Instead, lay them outside and wait until they are completely dry before washing them and drying them as usual.

10. Dry while you’re at home and awake.

Turn the machine off if you’re going to be out. As tempting as it might be, don’t throw in a load of laundry and take off. Only run the dryer while you’re home, and don’t run it if you’re going to go to bed.

11. If a fire starts inside the dryer…

If a fire starts, don’t open the door to try to extinguish it. This might be your first reaction and gut instinct, but you’ll only let in more oxygen, possibly making the fire worse.

Yes, you love your dryer. It makes laundry so much easier. The rumbling growl means fresh, warm clothes that smell amazing. But you also have to take care of it so that it doesn’t catch fire. Maintain your dryer so that your faithful friend doesn’t turn into a fiery one and protect your family by making sure that you have enough home insurance.

Source:

http://www.nfpa.org/public-education/by-topic/safety-in-the-home/dryers-and-washing-machines

Need a quote for your home insurance or renters insurance? Great! We’d love to help you out with that. We’ll get you free quotes for your insurance, and we’ll also help you design an insurance plan that’s just for you. We know that insurance can be bewildering, so we encourage any questions you might have! All you have to do is fill out our quote form or give us a call today. We’re happy to help.

What does Atlanta general liability insurance for my business cover?

August 14, 2019September 7, 2017 by Kate Betts

General liability will protect your business from claims of bodily harm or personal injury.

If you’re a business owner, general liability insurance is one of the most important ways to protect your business. It’s kind of the bread and butter of your business insurance plan. General liability is a lifeline if you ever face a liability-related claim, meaning that someone is bringing charges against your business because they think you caused them physical harm or property damage.

But what exactly will general liability protect your business from? And how much of it do you need? Those are the million-dollar questions, so let’s dig into what general liability does.

What does general liability protect my business from?

To put it in handy-dandy bullet points, general liability insurance can protect your business from claims of…

Bodily injury or another physical injury.
Personal injury (libel or slander).
Advertising injury.
Property damage.

That’s putting it in broad terms. GL covers the expenses of legally defending and settling claims of liability from the situations above. Your general liability insurance could take care of the claim by covering the costs of damages you’re legally obligated to pay (up to the policy’s limit).

What does GL cover?

Every insurance policy is different, so it’s important to make sure that you know exactly what is and is not covered. The following situations may be covered by your general liability insurance (depending on your policy):

Automatic additional insured: This can protect you from liability resulting from written contracts/agreements.
Personal and advertising injury: If you or your staff makes a comment that makes somebody super angry, this can protect you from the lawsuit that could result. This can protect you from allegations of libel, slander, disparagement, or copyright infringement.
Defense costs: This can cover the legal expenses if someone brings a general liability claim against you, no matter if you actually did what they said you did or not.
Medical expenses: If someone is hurt on your property, like they tripped over a rogue chair, this can cover their medical expenses.
Premises and operations: This means that GL covers you if someone is injured on your premises or due to your business’s operations.
Products liability: This provides coverage for bodily injury or property damage that happens to someone due to your products.

Pro tip: General liability is included in a business owner’s policy, or BOP, along with property insurance and (possibly) business interruption insurance. You might want to find out if a BOP is right for your business.

How much GL coverage does your business need?

Well, that depends on your business itself. No two businesses are the same, but there are a few things that will determine how much coverage your business needs to make sure that it’s protected from any of the liabilities that could come its way.

1. Perceived risk: How much risk or danger is associated with your business operations and functions? As you can imagine, a factory might have more risk than, say, an office building.

2. Where your business is located: Is your state known to award the injured party in liability lawsuits high damages? If they do, you might want to make sure that you have a robust general liability policy.

3. Type of product manufactured: Do you supply or create a product that’s dangerous? Your risk is going to be higher, which means that you need more insurance coverage.

Ways to bolster the power of your general liability:

There are some situations that general liability won’t cover. To make sure that your business is protected, you’ll need to consider different coverages, such as property insurance, crime insurance, or commercial auto. You can also get umbrella coverage, which can cover additional costs if your policy’s limits are exhausted. Umbrella is pretty much an “in case of emergency” coverage.

General liability is essential when it comes to protecting your business. You don’t know what’s going to happen next week, tomorrow, or even in five minutes. You never know when an accident might happen or a lawsuit might get served. To avoid being caught facing the costs of legally defending your company, not to mention paying out the money that you’re legally required to pay to the injured party, make sure that you’ve got enough general liability to truly protect your business from anything that could come your way.

If you’d like to get a free quote on your commercial general liability insurance, we’d be glad to help you out with that. We’ll take the time to get to know your business and understand your specific risks, and we can help you find the best possible rate on your insurance. All you have to do to get started with your quotes is fill out our online quote form or give us a call today.