Kate Betts

Safety tips for apartment living

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If you’re thinking about moving to Atlanta, you might be considering getting an apartment. There are plenty to choose from in the city, and living downtown or in Midtown makes getting to work a lot easier. Actually, there are a lot of perks to being in the city, but it’s also important to be aware of where you live.

When you’re on the hunt for the perfect apartment complex, it’s important to keep your safety in mind. Being in an apartment building in the city creates a lot of risks, both from intruders and from other tenants. We’ve put together some tips to follow while you’re thinking “apartments” that will help you be as safe as possible in your new crib.

 

When you’re looking for apartments…

1. Take note of what the facilities are like.

Does the building look like it’s kept in good repair? Do you get the impression that it’s taken care of? If the complex looks like it’s well tended-to, that’s a sign that the landlord is concerned with maintenance and upkeep. And if the landlord cares about maintenance, they’ll probably be quicker to fix things that provide safety, like lights and smoke alarms.

Speaking of lights, take note of how well-lit the building is, especially places like entrances, the parking lot or deck, and the elevators. Burglars tend to lurk in the shadows, and good lighting helps keep them at bay. Does the complex you’re considering offer sufficient lighting?  

2. Check out the entryways.

If you need a key, code, or buzzer to get into the building itself, that’s an added safety measure. This will help keep people who aren’t supposed to be there out of the building. It will also give you more peace of mind. The security of the building is important.  

3. Do your research.

What’s the neighborhood like? Hit the Internet to find out what the crime statistics for the area are. You can also get in touch with the local police department to find out what they have to say. It’s important to be aware of how safe your potential new neighborhood is.

 4. Observe smoke detector prevalence (and whether or not they’re functional.)

Fire safety is extremely important. You need to be able to get out of the building in case something happens. Make sure there are things like posted fire-escape instructions. Also, smoke detectors are a big part of making sure that your apartment will be safe, so make sure those are present. 

 5. Consider scoping out the place at night.

It might look lovely during the day, but it’s also important that you feel okay there at night. Consider taking a friend and seeing what it’s like after dark. Again—take a friend for safety. The buddy system is a solid plan.

 After you’ve made the place your own…

1. Make sure the locks have been changed.

Ask your landlord if it’s okay to get new locks put on the door. You definitely want to be the only one with keys to your new place.

2. Install a deadbolt.

If your new place doesn’t already have  a deadbolt, you might want to think about having one installed. A deadbolt adds security to the door. Definitely something to consider.

3. Get a security system.

You can find a security system company that will install at apartments, and you’ll most likely be able to find one that will work with you if you need to move. Do some research to find a reputable company that will fulfill your needs in a security system.

4. Trip out the windows.

Make sure all your windows are covered. Get good blinds that prevent people from seeing anything inside your apartment. If you’re not home or if it’s dark outside, keep those blinds drawn. 

5. Install a security bar on sliding doors.

Sliding doors need a little boost to make sure they’re safe. Bolster your sliding door with a security bar.

6. Get renters’ insurance.

Renters’ insurance protects your belongings in case something were to happen to them. If you’re the victim of a fire or theft, you want to make sure you’re covered. You might be surprised to find out that your landlord’s policy won’t cover your belongings, so talk to them to see what the situation is with their policy. Shop around for a renters’ policy to make sure that you have the coverage you need. It’s better to be safe than sorry.

 

There are lots of benefits to living in an apartment, but it’s important to make sure that you’re safe. When you’re looking for an apartment, keep safety in your mind. It’s important that you feel secure and comfortable where you live.

And with your new apartment, you might need some renter’s insurance to protect your belongings. If you want to get a free quote, let us know! We can help you with any of your insurance needs.

Sources:  

http://www.safewise.com/resources/apartment-security

Does my nonprofit need D&O liability insurance?

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nonprofit insurance

Nonprofits strive to make the world a better place. They’re committed to helping people and making a difference. Lately Atlanta has become a real hub for the nonprofit sector. Georgia itself has 16 nonprofits ranked in the top 400 nationally. Five of those nonprofits (all located in the metro Atlanta area) are in the top twenty. Some well-known, powerhouse nonprofits like The Boys and Girls Clubs of America, The American Cancer Society, and CARE have their headquarters in Atlanta. That’s quite an accomplishment.

While the mission of the nonprofit is to make some sort of difference, there are times when things might get off-track. People bring lawsuits against nonprofits for a variety of reasons, and the truth of the matter is that nonprofits don’t always have the money to defend themselves in these situations. Besides, lawsuits can come from anywhere—shareholders, employees, competitors, regulatory bodies, other corporations. But there’s good news: you can invest in D&O liability insurance for your nonprofit organization.

What’s D&O insurance?

D&O stands for Directors and Officers Insurance. Any company, public, private, or nonprofit, can purchase it. The point of D&O insurance is to cover the cost of defending a director or officer of an organization’s board if they have charges brought against them.

D&O insurance gives you coverage for things like errors and omissions, misleading statements, neglect, or breach of duty. Sometimes miscommunications and accidents happen. When they do, D&O takes care of the defense costs and indemnity coverage for the party who’s specified on the policy.

What does D&O do?

When a D&O policy is written, there are usually three parts, or branches. These branches show the insurer’s promise to cover the insured, and they also specify the amount of coverage the organization has.

Think of D&O like a triangle. It has three parts to it, and these parts are known as sides. The three sides that make up the D&O policy are:

  • Side A (D&O Liability Coverage)—This piece of the D&O triangle protects individual directors or officers against losses. Usually a nonprofit will protect their director in the case of a legal mishap—sometimes this is written into the organization’s bylaws—but sometimes they don’t have the funds to cover the costs of doing so. In that case, the director would be in a bit of a pickle, as their personal assets would be at risk. To get to the point, Side A protects the personal assets of the directors and officers. A lot of the time people won’t join boards of nonprofits unless they have D&O coverage, so Side A goes a long way in drawing qualified people to work for the organization.
  • Side B (Corporate Reimbursement Coverage)—Side B of D&O reimburses the nonprofit or organization for the expenses of legally defending its director. These expenses can quickly overwhelm any company, so this part of the puzzle is important.
  • Side C (Entity Coverage)—This section of D&O protects the nonprofit itself. Sometimes the organization is pulled into the mess along with the director if someone brings charges against the entire organization. If that were to happen, Side C would protect the nonprofit’s assets and cover the cost of legal defense.

What’s excluded from a D&O policy?

It’s extremely important to look at your policy closely. Study it with a magnifying glass. Not all D&O policies are the same, and they all might have different exclusions tucked away within the pages of fine print. You really need to understand your exclusions and clarify and questions that you might have.

Here are some of the common exclusions that you might find in a D&O insurance policy:

Exclusions relating to the time of the offense…

  • Known circumstances: Insurance won’t cover a claim about an incident that happened before the beginning of the D&O policy. Typically the premium will not be refunded to the company.
  • Rescission: There’s a section of the insurance application called the Warranty Questions, and these ask if the insured are aware of any situation that could lead to a claim. The carrier will void the policy if they find out that the insured falsified information on their application, although they will usually give the premium back.  
  • Prior acts: This states that the insurer is not responsible for protecting the insured against any wrongful acts that occurred or were attempted before the coverage began.

Exclusions relating to duty to defend…

The insurer might have what’s called right to duty to defend. This gives them the right to choose the insured’s defense and that they have more say in the legal fees and payment method.  

  • Reasonableness of defense: The insurer is only responsible for paying legal fees that are deemed reasonable and necessary.
  • Consent to settle: This means that the insured has to have written permission from the insurer before they settle a claim.
  • Hammer clause: Sometimes the insured wants to keep fighting even though the insurance company has called it quits. 

Exclusions relating to other coverages…

  • “Other insurance”: The D&O insurance policy assumes that the organization has more coverages than just D&O. They may exclude claims that would be covered under a different form of insurance. This is where it becomes really important to be upfront with your agent about what kind of coverage you have and what coverages you don’t.
  • Contractual liability: Policies don’t have to cover claims that relate to a contract between the organization and another party because the contract was entered voluntarily.

Exclusions relating to deliberate actions on part of the director…

  • Conduct exclusions: The insurer does not have to cover claims dealing with allegations of fraudulent or criminal behavior or defend against claims of illegal profits.  

Insured vs. insured exclusion…

  • Insured vs. insured: Insurance claims get messy when one insured party goes after another—for instance if one director who’s insured picks a fight with another director who’s insured. Normally insurance companies like to keep their noses out of office politics. However, if one of the directors was a whistleblower of the allegation, they’ll most likely cover it.

Atlanta is a major center for nonprofits. The city houses many charitable organizations that strive to make a difference. Unfortunately, the good intentions of nonprofits don’t make an organization exempt from a killer lawsuit. That’s why nonprofits need to consider D&O insurance. When looking into getting a D&O policy, it’s important that your agent is highly knowledgeable about D&O and that the insurance company has the financial capability to protect you.

AtlantaInsurance.com has plenty of experience with insuring nonprofits, and we’d love to get to know you and your organization. We can help you identify your risks and find the coverage you need, and we can even provide you with a free quote.

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The benefits of office ergonomics

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The city of Atlanta is full of buildings that stretch for the sky. Those big, beautiful buildings are filled with offices and cubes, right? For city dwellers, office jobs are common. If you’re an employer who works alongside your employees in an office building, you might think that you’re at a low risk of workers’ comp claims. There’s not much risk associated with talking on the phone, typing at a computer, or getting a cup of coffee.

Or is there?

Having an office job that requires sitting at a desk for long, extended periods of time, while not involving physical labor, is still hard on the body. Joints and muscles get sore and strained. Repetitive motions, like typing, can cause stress to joints. Wrists, backs, and necks are all in the line of fire when it comes to musculoskeletal disorders, or MSDs. Some MSDs you might have heard of are carpal tunnel, lower back injuries or strains, and tendonitis.

But the good news is that there are things you can to do to take some of the strain off of your desk-bound employees’ bodies. You can help make your employees more comfortable and reduce their risk of injury.  

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