SNOW LOAD ALERT – PROTECT YOUR ROOF The unprecedented snow load on roofs in the Northeast in recent past has led to some building damage and collapse. According to reports from several localities, schools, churches, commercial and residential buildings, carports and awnings have been affected. As the next series of winter storms moves into the region, property owners and residents …
The Holiday Fraud Alert
Christmas is supposed to be the most wonderful time of the year but sometimes bad things happen. I am one of those people who always see the best in people but we also need to beware. There are different types of holiday fraud that you need to be aware of. Holiday Gift-return scam Identity Theft Loan Frauds Mobile Payment fraud …
Christmas Tree Safety
If you haven’t already, you’ll be putting up your Christmas Tree very soon. We want to make sure you properly care for your tree and avoid any potential fire risks associated with Christmas Trees. We found some valuable information from National Fire Protection Association that states, U.S. fire departments responded to an estimated annual average of 210 home structure fires that began with Christmas trees in …
Managing Workers’ Compensation costs through Claims Management
For high risk industries such as manufacturing and construction, Workers’ Compensation insurance is a big portion of the P&L Statement – right behind payroll and employee benefits. Containing costs starts with mitigation and follows through to managing the claims process. Let’s start at the beginning – the new hire. Best in class companies have well established employment practices, pre-hire screenings, …
Workers’ Comp Fraud: How Social Media Plays a Role
Workers’ compensation fraud costs at an estimated $7.2 billion a year, according to the National Insurance Crime Bureau. But how do you know if a claim is fraudulent? There are several warning signs. Some include Monday morning reports of an injury that happened the previous week, conflicting descriptions of how the injury occurred, or no witnesses and a repeated history …
Managing Your Organization’s Volunteers
Millions of volunteers donate their time and hard work year after year for non-profit organizations, and are considered a tremendous resource for the organization. Without these volunteers, many organizations wouldn’t be able to run programs, service their communities, or provide vital resources to their clients. However, even though volunteers may mean well, there are cases of volunteers causing harm due …
3D Scanning – is it the New Manufacturing Quality Control Process?
We work quite a bit within the manufacturing world, helping with supply chain management, loss control and risk management. In any business, Cash is King and Quality Control is a close second. When problems aren’t caught, recalls happen, inventory is lost and so do profit margins. Whether you’re manufacturing your millionth ball bearing or your first foam seat cushion, your …
The Tech Savvy Construction Site – Should we worry about Smart Wearables?
From using smartphones and tablets for viewing plans and managing schedules to using drones for mapping and surveying, today’s construction sites have transformed and are no longer the “blue collar” industry of yesteryear. Add in “smart” buildings becoming the standard and wearable devices aimed at improving safety – technology has invaded the industry and we don’t see it leaving any …
Are Independent Insurance Agency startups a dying Breed?
I’ve been in the insurance world my entire career. I’ve seen a lot of changes. “Back in the day” it was fairly easy to hang up a sign and open an insurance agency. There weren’t a ton of startup costs. Technology was fairly non-existent. There were no computers, no management systems – you had files, phones, and typewriters – and …
When’s the last time you did a home inventory?
When’s the last time you did a home inventory? We don’t stop to think about how many things we have added to our homes over the years. If you have been in the same house for over 15 years there is a pretty good chance you have collected a variety of items. Many of these items may be of value. …