Business Insurance Archives - Page 6 of 10

What kinds of insurance coverage do tow trucks need in Atlanta?

October 25, 2020February 14, 2019 by dee barnett

Get the right insurance coverages for your tow trucks.

Towing can be a risky business to get into. So, whether you’re starting up your own Atlanta tow truck business or you’ve been in business for a while, you want to make sure that you’re properly insured. However, a lot more goes into insuring tow trucks than covering your drivers and your towing hook. So, here’s a rundown of the major types of insurance coverage you’ll need for a tow truck.

What insurance coverages do I need to tow cars in Atlanta?

Auto Liability Insurance

The auto liability portion of your tow truck insurance is a vital part of what protects your business in an accident. Auto liability insurance is usually broken up into two parts: Bodily injury liability and property damage liability.

The bodily injury portion of this coverage can help you cover the medical bills of another driver if you’re in a wreck. It can also help you pay the legal fees that come along with the accident if the other driver decides to sue. The property damage portion of auto liability can help you pay for the cost of repairs or the cost to replace the other driver’s car.

In the state of Georgia, all tow trucks are required to have:

A $100,000 coverage limit per person for bodily injury or death
A $300,000 limit per accident for each person injured or killed in an accident, and
$50,000 in property damage coverage per accident.

Although these are the minimum limits for tow truck auto liability in Georgia, your towing contracts may have different coverage requirements. So, be sure to check with the people you’re contracted with and tell your agent about these limits when getting insurance quotes for your business.

It’s very important to note, though, that auto liability for tow trucks only covers the damage done to the other vehicle. So, what do you do if your tow truck is damaged in an accident?

Physical Damage Insurance

Physical damage insurance is the part of your coverage that can help you cover repair and replacement costs for your tow trucks. This type of insurance is also usually broken up into two parts: collision and comprehensive coverage.

Collision coverage for tow trucks can help you cover the costs of repairing your truck specifically if you’re involved in an accident. Comprehensive coverage can help you handle expenses from basically every other incident that could befall your tow trucks, including: fire, vandalism, theft, lightning, hitting an animal, and more.

On-hook/in-tow coverage

Regardless of the type of towing contract you have, if something happens to a client’s car, you could be held liable for the damages. Auto liability and physical damage coverage won’t help you cover that kind of risk. That’s what on-hook-in-tow coverage is for.

Let’s say that you’re driving to your yard with a client’s vehicle and it’s raining hard. Something happens and your tow truck loses traction. The truck itself and the driver are safe, but the client’s car got tossed in the chaos and has severe damage. You could be held liable for these damages, but your on-hook/in-tow coverage can help you cover the cost of the car’s damages.

Again, our insurance agents will be able to take into account the minimum requirements that Georgia has for on-hook/in-tow insurance, the minimum requirements of your towing contracts, and how much coverage you actually need for your business when you call in to get your quotes.

Garagekeepers insurance

Garagekeepers insurance can help you cover your clients’ cars while they’re in your care, custody, and control – for example if they’re on your premises. Garagekeepers will generally help you cover the cost of damage to a customer’s car due to:

Fire
Theft
Vandalism
And more depending on your specific policy

For example, if one of the cars in your yard has been vandalized, your tow truck business’s garagekeepers insurance can help. Any tow truck operator in GA must have at least $50,000 in garagekeepers coverage limits.

Garage Liability insurance

Garage liability coverage, however, is important because it can help you cover the costs of liability issues that come about because of the services you provide. This part of your tow truck insurance can help you cover you if the services you provide cause property damage or bodily injury.

For example: Let’s say that you provide roadside assistance, and you’re called in to help a customer change a tire. You drive out to them, change the tire, then the driver thanks you and drives off. However, a few miles down the road, the tire comes off, which results in an accident. You could be held liable for the accident since you changed the tire.

In the state of GA, all tow truck operators must have at least a $50,000 coverage limit for their garage liability insurance. Keep in mind that these are only the minimum requirements for garagekeepers and garage liability insurance in Georgia. Depending on the factors of your specific business, such as the type of cars you handle, the size of your business, and your towing radius, you may need more coverage. (But that doesn’t have to mean that your coverage will be more expensive – especially when you work with our agents to find quotes.)

Wrongful repo insurance

If your tow truck business also handles the repossession of vehicles, you’ll need a type of coverage that can protect you against human error. Tons of things can go wrong when repossessing a vehicle (besides a few angry customers):

You may not have checked with the bank before you picked the car up. The person may have already made their payment and the bank was a bit delayed in relaying this information to you. Wrongful repo insurance may cover the costs of any legal fees that happen because of the misunderstanding. However, to avoid this mishap, make sure you check with the bank before you leave to tow the car.
There was no written notice to you or the customer about the repo. A spoken agreement between you and the bank is not enough to tow the car. So, make sure you have written consent.
You could just take the wrong car. Accidents happen, but this oops could have very dire consequences for your business if you don’t have the right coverage.

These may seem like a lot of coverages to have for a tow truck business, but they’re vital for keeping you, your drivers, and your business safe and out of a major financial pickle. It can be tough to look for all of these types of insurance by yourself and get the right amount of coverage for your particular towing business and tow trucks.

That’s why our insurance professionals are here to help. Call us at 404.352.0304, fill out our online form, or chat with us to find out why we have a 9.8/10 review on TrustPilot after helping tons of towing companies get the Atlanta tow truck insurance they need.

Source:

http://www.gamccd.net/NctFaq.aspx

What you need to know about Georgia tow truck insurance

September 27, 2022February 7, 2019 by Kate Betts

Here are some answers to some common Georgia tow truck insurance questions.

If you work with tow trucks in Georgia, you know that there’s a lot of adventure that goes along with towing cars. Which is exactly why there’s tow truck insurance – when accidents happen or things go wrong, having the right insurance can really save the day. So, you know that you need to get tow truck insurance, but there are plenty of questions that go along with it. We’re going to tackle five common tow truck insurance questions to shed some light on the strange thing that is Georgia tow truck insurance.

Do I need tow truck insurance?

There are a variety of businesses that could benefit from tow truck insurance. Basically, if your line of work involves a tow truck or a wrecker, you’ll probably need to consider getting skilled insurance that includes specific coverages to protect your vehicle.

Businesses that might need Georgia tow truck insurance include (but are not limited to):

Auto body shops
Roadside assistance businesses
Towing services
Repo companies

What insurance coverages do I need to tow cars?

As you can imagine, there are plenty of business insurance coverages to consider to protect your towing business. Some of the coverages towing businesses get include…

Auto liability insurance: Auto liability insurance can help cover your legal obligation to the other driver and their passengers if you’re at fault in an accident. It can help you if they decide to sue you.
- Bodily injury liability: This part of auto liability insurance can help you cover the medical expenses, pain and suffering, and lost wages of those that you injure in a car accident.
- Property damage liability: This part of auto liability insurance can help you cover the costs of repairing or replacing the property of others that you might damage in an accident – for example, the other driver’s car if you’re in an accident.
Physical damage insurance: This coverage can help you get your tow truck back on the road ASAP if it gets damaged. (Liability insurance won’t cover damages to your own tow truck.)
- Collision insurance can help you repair or replace your tow truck if it’s damaged in an accident or if you otherwise collide with something.
- Comprehensive insurance can help you repair or replace your tow truck if it’s damaged by something other than an accident, such as fire, theft, vandalism, and falling objects (i.e. trees).
On-hook/In-tow insurance: On-hook insurance can help protect you if one of your client’s cars is damaged while it’s attached to your tow truck.
Garagekeepers insurance: Garagekeepers can help protect you if you ever have care, custody, or control of your clients’ cars (for example, if you ever have to store them on your premises.) Examples of covered losses include fire, theft, and vandalism.
Garage liability insurance: Garage liability can protect you against claims of bodily injury or property damage arising from the day-to-day operation of your business and the services you provide.
Wrongful repo insurance: Wrongful repo insurance can protect you if you accidentally manage to repossess a car that you’re not supposed to.

How much does tow truck insurance cost?

You’re probably wondering how much Georgia tow truck insurance costs. The thing is that tow truck insurance rates depend on a lot of different factors. Insurance companies look at a lot of details about your business because they want to know how much of a risk you are to insure. (Businesses who present more risk will probably have higher rates.)

Some of the details that affect tow truck insurance rates are…

Your location
How long you’ve been in business
Your tow truck
Loss history/Claims
Tickets and traffic violations
The kind of towing you do
Your drivers and their MVRs
Your towing radius

How can I save money on tow truck insurance?

Another thing that you might be wondering about is how to save money on Georgia tow truck insurance. It’s important to emphasize safety at your towing business – this will help you avoid claims and therefore save money on towing insurance. The following can help you save money on your premium:

1. Have written workplace safety policies to outline driver behavior and safety expectation.

2. Have a pre-trip vehicle inspection procedure.

3. Have a thorough hiring process and hire safe drivers.

4. Conduct regular safety meetings with your employees.

5. Don’t forget to ask about tow truck insurance discounts.

6. Raise your deductible if you’re financially comfortable doing so.

7. Avoid filing minor claims against your insurance.

8. Get multiple quotes for tow truck insurance.

How do I get Georgia tow truck insurance quotes?

It’s important to get multiple tow truck insurance quotes so you can compare coverages and pricing. But how does one go about doing that? We’ll explain our quoting process.

1. You fill out our online quote form or give us a call.

2. Our agent gets some details about your tow truck business.

3. We go shopping and get you competitive quotes from different carriers.

4. We go over your insurance options with you and you decide which policy will work for you. Then we help finalize your coverage.

5. We’re here to answer any questions you may have and to assist with any insurance-related queries you may have.

So, those are the answers to several important tow truck insurance questions. If you need tow truck insurance quotes, we would be happy to help. Our tow truck insurance professionals can help you get the business insurance coverage you need to protect your company from risks. We’re also pros at making insurance easy. To get started with your quotes, fill out our online quote form or give us a call today.

6 tips for choosing a group health insurance plan for your small business

August 21, 2019November 8, 2018 by Kate Betts

It's important to evaluate each plan when you're choosing Atlanta group health insurance.

f you’re a small business owner in the Atlanta area, you might be considering getting group health insurance for your employees. But there are a lot of options out there – and we mean a lot. Which begs the question, how does a small business owner go about choosing a group health insurance plan? We’ve got six tips to help you evaluate and choose Atlanta group health insurance for your small business.

What is short term vs. long-term disability insurance?

August 27, 2020November 1, 2018 by dee barnett

Offering short-term and long-term disability to your employees can help give you a leg up on the competition when hiring great people. But how exactly do short and long-term disability work? What are the differences? And how can you use them for the benefit of your business?

Short-term disability insurance

Short-term disability lets an employee get paid a portion of their wages if they’re unable to work for a while. It makes sure that an employee can still cover their living expenses if they have a serious illness or injury.

Some conditions that can be covered by short-term disability are:

Back problems
Arthritis
Childbirth

Short-term disability coverage can last anywhere from 9 weeks to two years, depending on the policy. However, short-term disability payments usually won’t kick in until about a week or two after the employee is unable to work.

Once short-term disability runs out for an employee, it may be time to move them into long-term disability if they still can’t come to work.

Long-term disability insurance

Long-term disability is an extended version of short-term disability. This benefit can help if there is an injury or illness that keeps someone from working for an extended period of time (you guessed it – depending on the policy).

First, long-term disability usually covers 50-70 percent of an employee’s salary. The typical length of long-term disability is 5 – 10 years, but a worker can claim disability as long as they are disabled until they’re 65.

Conditions that are usually covered by long-term disability are:

Cancer
Musculoskeletal disorders
Nervous system disorders
Accident injuries

Additionally, mental health issues can also qualify as a disability.

Some details can still be a little fuzzy when you’re deciding whether to offer short-term disability insurance, long-term disability insurance, or both to your employees. Our insurance agents are professionals at figuring out the particular details of what will fit your business. So, give us a call at 404.352.0304 or fill out our online form to start getting customized quotes on benefits that could be crucial to your business!

What does an employee need to claim disability?

Some employers require the employee to work for them for a certain amount of time before being eligible for the benefit. Some employers require that the employee use all of their sick days before they qualify for disability. Some employers require full-time status or even additional paperwork for the employee to claim disability.

When you apply for short and long-term disability insurance, your carrier may also place certain exclusions on pre-existing conditions or conditions where disability won’t really help the employee’s condition. So, it really just depends on how you would want it to work for your individual business.

How is disability insurance different than workers comp?

Workers comp is specifically different from disability benefits because the former takes care of injuries or serious illness that happens at work or due to work-related activities. Disability benefits are for injuries that happen outside of work but are still severe enough to put someone out of commission for a while. There are massive benefits for your business should you choose to offer disability benefits.

Why should I offer short or long-term disability?

Companies that offer disability insurance and even other group benefits have major advantage when they’re hiring employees. It can really help you show that you value your employees.

So, why wait to improve your business from the inside out? Connect with one of our insurance professionals today, so that they can get to know you, your business, and what will make your employees the happiest! Just give us a call or fill out our online quote form to get in touch with our team.

Sources:

https://www.patriotsoftware.com/payroll/training/blog/difference-short-term-long-term-disability-insurance-coverage-qualify/

https://www.thebalancecareers.com/what-is-long-term-disability-insurance-1918178

https://www.officevibe.com/blog/10-statistics-compensation-benefits

Atlanta group health insurance: HMO plans and PPO plans

August 27, 2020October 25, 2018 by Kate Betts

Two options for Atlanta group health insurance are HMO plans and PPO plans.

If you’re a small business owner in Atlanta, you might be considering offering group health insurance for your employees. Unfortunately, all the terms, abbreviations, acronyms, and so on can be bamboozling. In considering what sort of plan you want to offer, you’re wondering what the difference is between an HMO (Health Maintenance Organization) plan and PPO (Preferred Provider Organization) plans. Well, apart from having different letters, that is. Anyways, we’ll explain what HMOs and PPOs are and why they’re different.

What is a Health Maintenance Organization (HMO) plan?

One type of Atlanta group health insurance is offering an HMO plan to your employees.

Basically, the Health Maintenance Organization creates a network of healthcare providers that work with them. These providers have agreed to be paid set amounts for the services they provide. This means that the HMO is able to keep costs fairly low for people who are on these plans, making it an affordable health insurance option. The premiums and copays (fees for visiting a doctor or professional) can be more affordable than those of a PPO plan.

However, there’s a catch:

Remember how we mentioned the network of healthcare providers? If your employees are on an HMO insurance plan, they can only go to doctors who are in that network in order for expenses to be covered. They can’t see a doctor who is out-of-network unless it’s a complete medical emergency.

So, employees could see lower costs as far as premium, copay, and out-of-pocket expenses, but they lose the flexibility of being able to see whichever doctor they please.

Another thing about HMO plans is that the employee will most likely to be required to choose a Primary Care Provider from the network provided. This doctor will become their doctor, who they’ll go to for check-ups, when they get sick, and so on. And if there’s ever a time that they need to see a professional, the Primary Care Physician would refer them to a professional in-network. (The referral is a must – kind of like a Golden Ticket.) The professional’s care would be covered after the copay and deductible are met by the employee.

So, HMOs could work for your employees if they’d rather pay lower premiums and they’re okay with being limited to choosing doctors in the network. Generally, HMOs can work for people who don’t need more than basic care in the form of checkups, vaccinations, and so on.

(We can help you get the Atlanta group health insurance that’s right for your business. Get started with your quotes by filling out our online form or giving us a call today.)

What is a Preferred Provider Organization (PPO) plan?

Another Atlanta group health insurance option is to offer a PPO plan to your employees.

A PPO plan also consists of a network of healthcare providers, and these providers have agreed to offer set rates for their services to members. However, the employee would have the option to go to a doctor or hospital that’s out of that network. (Although choosing one of the in-network providers will most likely cost less.) Basically, you can go to any doctor, in-network or out-of-network.

These plans offer more flexibility and options as far as doctors go, but the premiums can be higher, as can the copays. (But, like we mentioned, choosing an in-network doctor can help save money.) These plans usually require enrollees to pay a co-pay when they visit a provider, and there may be an annual deductible that needs to be met before insurance will cover certain claims. There are more options with these plans and it can be easier to see a provider when away from home or if there’s an urgent medical situation.

Another way that these plans offer more flexibility is that the employee doesn’t have to choose a primary care physician and don’t need a referral to see a professional. They can just go without needing a primary care physician to act as a liaison. If you offer a Preferred Provider Organization plan as group health insurance for your small business, employees would most like to be able to keep their current doctor, which is helpful if they wouldn’t want to switch.

So, PPOs can provide more flexibility and choices for your employees since they don’t have to visit an in-network health care professional, but they’re often a little more expensive. It’s a trade.

And that’s the difference between an HMO plan and a PPO plan. When selecting Atlanta group health insurance for your small business, it’s important to consider what your employees would prefer and how the plan will help them get the care they need. Your employees need group health insurance that will work for them.

If you’re looking for small business health insurance, we can help. We’ll go over your options for Atlanta group health insurance and help you find the right benefits package for your employees and your business. We can also help you get workers’ comp insurance, general liability insurance, and more. Get started with your Atlanta business insurance quotes by filling out our online quote form or calling us today.

Sources:

https://www.humana.com/all-products/understanding-insurance/what-is-hmo

https://www.humana.com/all-products/understanding-insurance/hmo-vs-ppo

https://www.humana.com/health-and-well-being/what-is-ppo

What are the requirements for workers’ compensation insurance in Georgia?

September 30, 2021October 18, 2018 by dee barnett

Georgia has set requirements for workers' compensation insurance.

You may have heard the term “workers’ comp” thrown around a lot, especially in Atlanta where a lot of industrial and unconventional industries thrive. But what exactly is workers’ compensation insurance? What does it cover? Why does your business need it? We’re here to help you answer all these questions and more.

So, What is Workers’ Compensation Insurance?

Although many of us don’t like to think about Murphy’s Law (whatever can go wrong, will go wrong), it’s nice to be prepared for it. Worker’s compensation is a state-mandated way that a business can cover an employee’s medical bills and part of their wages if they’re hurt or made sick at work. It can even cover death benefits in a very worst-case scenario.

It may seem like the type of insurance that you’ll never use as an employer, especially if you promote workplace safety as a number one priority. However, you can think of it as a way to protect your business as well. Workers’ comp claims provide an alternative to an employee lawsuit. When someone gets hurt or sick as a result of working, the last thing anyone wants to do is go through a lengthy legal process. So, by simply filing a workers’ compensation claim, you and your employees know that there is a system in place to take care of everyone should an accident happen.

What Kind of Workers’ Comp Coverage Do I need in Georgia?

Since workers’ compensation laws are determined by the state, the amount of workers comp. coverage you need will vary. The Georgia Workers’ Compensation Act (WCA) outlines the requirements and minimum amount of coverage that business owners would need across our state.

What Are the Requirements for Workers Compensation in Georgia?

So, for Georgia, these are the minimum requirements that the WCA lists:

1. You must have three or more employees in the same business to maintain your coverage.

2. You must post both the Official Notice regarding workers compensation and the Bill of Rights for the Injured Worker where every employee is able to see and reference them.

3. You must keep a record of all employee injuries. If an employee has to be out of work for more than a week, the employer has 21 days from the notice of injury to file a report with the Board.

4. You must get your coverage from an authorized insurance carrier or get the Board’s approval to self-insure.

(But to be completely honest, self-insuring can be a total pain considering some of the start-up costs are a $250,000 minimum deposit to the WCA AND the fact that you’ll be covering an employee injury out-of-pocket.) Luckily, you’ve got professionals right here get you the best rates on authorized workers comp carriers! Call 404.352.0304 today for a free quote tailored to your Atlanta business.

5. You must establish a “Panel of Physicians” who can provide medical treatment to an injured employee.

6. You must be able to pay the medical costs of the employee directly to the treatment provider within 30 days of being billed, and you must reimburse the employee for mileage to receive treatment if your employee files a mileage claim.

7. You have to issue weekly payments the injured employee for lost work time within 21 days of the incident.

How Much In Workers Compensation Do I Need to Pay in Georgia?

So, exactly how much in wages do you need to pay an injured employee? The usual rate that the WCA states is about two-thirds of an employee’s average weekly wages. There are also minimum and maximum amounts of workers’ compensation that are paid. The range of weekly compensation can be anywhere from $50 – $575/week.

Sometimes, the WCA also limits the dollar amount or amount of time that an employer pays for workers compensation. For example, the cap on paying TTD benefit payments is about 7 years (with no dollar amount), while the cap on paying TPD benefits is an amount of $134,050. The specifics of what these acronyms mean are pretty tricky but can be found on the WCA website or in your workers’ compensation notices.

They also list regulations for, again, the worst-case scenario of death benefits. In the event of employee death, an employer must pay a maximum of $7,500 in funeral costs and $575 per week to the family of the deceased until the payment total reaches $230,000.

How Can I Prevent a Workers Compensation Claim?

There are a few ways to make sure that a workplace accident doesn’t turn into a workers’ comp claim. As an employer, it’s your job to make sure that all of your employees know the safety measures to follow, are trained on these safety measures, and that you investigate any incidents that may have resulted from not following safety practices. (And not only will this help keep your employees safe, but it can also help you lower your workers’ comp premiums.)

It may also be a good idea to implement a Return-To-Work program at your company, where an employee may return to work with modified duties according to their injury.

In general, you want to make sure that your employees trust you and the company they work for to take care of them in a worst-case scenario. Your workers should know that if they’re injured, they can not only feel safe in filing a workers compensation claim as soon as possible but that they will be taken care of if an on-the-job accident happens.

Whether you’re in a high or low-risk industry, our insurance professionals are here to learn about your business and what type of workers compensation plan will work for your Atlanta business. Fill out our online quote form or call us today at 404.352.0304 to speak with an agent about how you can get the best rates on the perfect workers’ comp plan for your business.

10 tips for organizing your Atlanta home office to boost productivity

October 27, 2020August 9, 2018 by Kate Betts

Check out these tips for setting up your home office.

If you work from home or have a home-based business, you’re going to need a sweet space to work from. You’ve got a lot to do, but working from home is great – you’ve got your pets, comfort, and the best commute ever. However, it can also be very distracting, which is why it’s important that your space allows you to be productive and allow you to be the best “you” you can be. Check out the following tips for organizing your home office to boost your productivity.

10 tips to organize your home office to boost productivity.

1. Stake your claim and have your own space.

In order to get everything done that needs to get done, you’re going to need your own space. Your home office should be somewhere that you can settle down and work. Find a place where you can work well that will be free from distractions. You may need to find your own room and stake a claim, declaring it to be your space where you can focus.

2. Don’t let technology get out of hand.

Keep all of the electrical cords from your computer, phone, and other gadgets out of the way and store them safely. (And think about the things you might need to plug in and unplug regularly so you can be sure to keep those things in easy reach.) Having everything neat and tidy beats having a huge clump of electrical cords taking up room on the floor, and it can also help you prevent an electrical fire.

3. Have a to-do list for each day.

Being at home might make it tricky to get into the “work” mindset. Make sure to equip your home office with an agenda, planner, or notepad to keep track of what needs to get done and when. You can create a to-do list for each day so that you keep track of your goals.

And crossing things off on a list is extremely satisfying and fun.

4. Dress in real-people clothes and have a routine.

While it’s extremely tempting just to schlep down to the home office in your pajamas, getting dressed in “real people” clothes can help you get in the right frame of mind to work. Yes, pajamas are amazingly comfortable, but they also make you feel sleepy.

Try too start your mornings consistently and develop a routine. Take a shower to freshen up, get dressed, eat breakfast, dance around the kitchen to your favorite music, then settle down to work – or whatever works for you. This helps your mind get ready to kick into work-mode.

5. Make sure your office is comfortable.

It makes sense to make your home office a comfortable space – you’ll be spending a lot of time there, after all! Okay, moving a bed and pillows into the office might be going too far, but make sure you’ve got a nice, comfortable chair and place to work. Your computer station should be set up so that you can sit comfortably and work without straining your body.

6. Put your desk by a window.

You might worry that having the desk by the window would be distracting, but give it a try. The natural sunlight streaming into the room will help your body keep track of what time it is. Your internal clock is a real thing, and if you’re easily able to see and feel the sun as it moves through the sky you’ll be able to feel the day progressing. You can even decorate the area outside the window with plants and such to give a peaceful, distraction-free view that will give you something pretty to look at.

7. Make sure your space is functional and designed with purpose.

Before you start decorating and rearranging your home office, you also need to consider exactly what kind of work you’ll be doing and what’s needed to get the job done. From there, you can make decisions about what sort of storage you’ll need, what equipment you need, and how best to organize everything.

Many home offices aren’t the biggest, and you can work with that with some creative planning. Utilize the vertical space in the room with tall bookcases or cubbies for storage. Once you’ve established exactly what needs to go into the office, you can plan accordingly. Try to keep things off your desk by using shelves, or invest in vertical file folders to sit on your desk. This will help you keep your workspace clear and clean.

Of course, that doesn’t mean that you need to sacrifice the aesthetic appeal of the room. Your space should be your space. It should be comfortable and welcoming – a place that you’re content to settle down and get to work.

8. Consider what color to paint the walls.

Why not go the whole hog and paint the room? Choose a color that works for you. Some people like yellows, lime greens, or oranges because they’re energizing and cheery. Others like calming shades like pale blue or aqua. Bottom line: choose a color that’s going to help you work. As crazy as it sounds, colors can have a profound effect on your mood.

9. Have a designated routine for breaks.

You’re also going to need some time to take breaks and clear your mind. It’s healthy to have a change of scene during the workday – your brain uses a lot of energy, so it needs a rest from time to time. Getting up to stretch and take a mental break is good for you. When you settle back down to work, you’ll be recharged and reenergized.

10. Take care of your eyes.

Staring at a computer screen is not your eyes’ favorite thing to do. The light emitted from a screen is hard on them, and as a consequence, it’s easy for your eyes to get strained if you’re spending a lot of time on the computer. So, be mindful of your eyes and take care of them! Also, try to avoid having a glare on the computer screen. That isn’t helpful and it won’t make your eyeballs happy.

11. PRO TIP: Make sure you’re insured.

You’ve probably got a lot of business-related equipment in your office. It’s really important to make sure that you’re properly insured. Business equipment and such is very expensive, so you need to check out your home insurance policy to see if it covers any business-related items. If you have a full-blown home business, you need to make sure that you’ve got the right home-based business insurance.

Speaking of insurance, we can help you get the insurance you need, whether that’s home-based business insurance, home insurance, or auto insurance. Our team of insurance professionals are pros at helping Atlantans save on their insurance by shopping their rates. You can compare pricing and coverage options by filling out our online quote form or giving us a call today.

Source 1 | Source 2

How to protect your Atlanta business from phishing scams

August 19, 2019March 22, 2018 by Kate Betts

We've got tips to help you avoid online phishing scams.

We’ve all heard horror stories of businesses getting hacked and customers getting their personal information stolen. Chances are you’ve also heard the story of the Google Docs phishing scam that tricked people into allowing hackers access to their accounts and contacts. Online scams and hacks don’t just affect personal email accounts – businesses are susceptible, too. One online scam you need to be aware of is called phishing.

No, it has nothing to do with fish. But you’ll see the reason for the name in a moment.

Anyways, we’ll explain what phishing is and how to keep your business safe from it.

What is phishing?

Phishing is pretty diabolical. A hacker pretends that they’re a reputable entity, such as your bank, and tricks people into giving up their personal information (passwords, credit card numbers, Social Security Number, or business information.) They try to get you to give them access to things they shouldn’t have access to. There’s even a type of phishing called spear phishing in which the hacker specifically targets their victim by impersonating someone they know.

Anyways, if your business gets caught up in a phishing scam, the results could be disastrous. If one of your employees gets phished, the hacker could grab your business financial information, customer personal information, or sensitive business documents. A breach could mean lost business, a tarnished reputation, lost income, and legal nightmares. Even more unnerving is that the breach could go unnoticed, meaning that the damage carries on.

But enough doom and gloom. The good news is that there are ways to prevent phishing.

How to prevent being phished.

1. Talk to your employees about email security.

It’s important that everyone knows not to send personal or financial information using email. You don’t want someone to respond to a fake email with sensitive information. Besides, emails can be hacked.

2. Raise your eyebrows at “urgent” emails requesting personal information.

Remember what we said about spear phishing. Even if you “know” the person who sent you the email, don’t send your business or personal information to them. Their account may have been hacked or someone could be pretending to be them. Give the person a call if they absolutely need personal information…and if they act really confused, break the news gently that they may have been hacked.

3. Monitor your business’s bank statements and finances.

Keep tabs on your financial information and bank statements and look out for anything unusual. It’s best to catch problems early and get in touch with the bank ASAP if something doesn’t seem right.

4. Don’t let your cybersecurity get lax.

Be sure to keep your firewalls and anti-virus software current. New threats appear all the time, and hackers are pros at using the weaknesses in security to muscle their way in. Keep your cybersecurity updated.

5. Caution your employees about social media.

Hackers know how to use social media, too. Unfortunately, they oftentimes use it to gather intel so that they can raise their chances of successfully tailoring their attack to their victim. Social media has its good points, but it’s crucial to be careful while using it.

6. If there’s a link, don’t click.

If you get an email that seems suspicious, don’t click on any links or attachments that might be included, especially if you don’t recognize the source. When in doubt, don’t click. Delete the email and clear you Junk folder – don’t let that thing sit around on your computer. The same goes for any spam message you receive.

7. Tell your employees how to recognize secure sites.

If you ever have to send sensitive information online, make sure that the website is secure. You’ll see https:// in the URL. You can also verify the security certificate by clicking on the lock icon.

8. Go with your gut.

When an email makes you feel skeptical, it’s probably not legitimate. Follow your instincts. Don’t mess with anything that gives you weird vibes.

So, that’s the basics of phishing and how to prevent your business from falling prey to it. Don’t let your business be a victim of a phishing attack that could hurt you.

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Sources:

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/safety/online-privacy/phishing-symptoms.aspx