Worst Passwords of 2011

The Insurance Journal did a piece not too long ago on the worst passwords of 2011.  As we are inching our way closer into 2012, maybe it's time to review the top 25 worst passwords and see if any match up with your current passwords.  A good password is the first defense to a cyber attack.  If any of your passwords hit upon this list, it's time to make a change - pronto! 

Do I Really Have to Report Every Workers Compensation Claim?!?!

This past week I did a presentation on what a reportable claim is and how first aid differs from a reportable claim.  After the presentation I quickly realized that many people in the room, let alone my current clients, probably had no idea they had an option when it comes to reporting workplace injuries.  So in the next few minutes, I'll attempt to explain what a first aid vs. reportable claim summary situation actually is.

Shopping Around - Is It Worth It?

Towards the end of the year it seems like I get a wave of panic from clients and potential clients.  As many insured's renew around the first of the year, they all are wondering if they are getting the best deal or if there's anything else they should be looking at.  If I owned my own business, I would be doing the same thing.  I would want to know I was getting the best deal with the best coverage.  And, if you have an ethical broker, they should be marketing your renewal out annually.

Gene Simmons Insured His TONGUE?!

Some celebrities have some amazing "assets" and have specifically decided to insure certain body parts.  Being in the insurance industry for quite some time, I have heard the rumors of J Lo's bum being insured and Mariah Carey's legs, as well.  But were those rumors really true???  Turns out, they are.  And many times it's a sponsor or advertising partner that has put up the cash for these crazy policies.  Here are some of my favorites from the outrageous list.


$317,000 Mustache, MERV HUGHES, Cricket Player

So What Do You Think This Will Cost Me?

I've been flooded with a slue of submissions lately and some companies are start-ups or fairly new in business.  After my initial meeting with the insured and getting to know their company a bit, the ultimate question is posed: "So what do you think this will cost me?".  If only I had a magic wand!  I would wave that wand and poof, an accurate number would appear.

9/11 is My Generation's Pearl Harbor

Yesterday marked the 10 year anniversary of 9/11.  Pictures, memories and stories came flooding back as I remembered exactly what I was doing, exactly where I was, the morning these unfortunate events happened.  Everyone has their story.  But for me, I was sleeping in my college dorm.  I was in the midst of my collegiate soccer days and our team was scheduled to fly to play an opponent the following day.

Thanks but No Thanks

One of the difficult parts of my job is learning when to say no to a client.  It's in my nature to want to help everyone and if I can't help them, point them in the direction where they are able to get help.  But the other day, I had a law firm call on me and they were interested in receiving a quote for their professional liability.  I started asking the usual questions: how many lawyers, any claims I need to be aware of, how much does the firm gross, etc.  Then the firm let me know that they have two other brokers looking at their renewal. 

Top 10 Most Stolen Vehicles in U.S.

According to the The National Insurance Crime Bureau, Honda's were busy in 2010...busy being jacked!  As reported in the Insurance Journal, "The National Insurance Crime Bureau examined vehicle theft data submitted by law enforcement to the National Crime Information Center (NCIC) and determined the vehicle make, model, and model year most reported stolen in 2010."

What is the Difference Between a Deductible and a SIR?

Many people that have liability insurance for their business may not even know the difference between a deductible or self insured retention.   For the most part, they serve the same purpose.  They can offer a cost savings to an insured who anticipates small and infrequent losses, and they can reduce an insurer’s reluctance to write an account with a loss frequency problem.

Why am I Paying State Taxes & Fees for my Insurance Policy?

When I am working on placing insurance on behalf of a business, I first assess which "markets" will be the best place for this risk. There are two types of insurance markets: Admitted Insurance Carriers and Non-admitted Insurance Carriers (otherwise known as Excess & Surplus lines carriers). I've done a brief outline of the two sides below.

Your Online Reputation and How to Protect It

As a business owner or an employee of any company, I think we have all come in contact with a disgruntled employee of some sorts.  I know in my insurance career, I've definitely been around and experienced at least a handful of employees that truly felt like they were either not being treated fairly or that they were not valued enough.  Even if the accusations are false, the perception of the employee is all that matters.  

Who is wearing a Tiger Shark Costume to Work? This TEAM!

Today starts a sales competition here at Bozzuto.  All the producers and account managers are split up into three teams.  As you can see from the picture below, my team is serious about spirit and WINNING. 

 

Here at Bozzuto we're sincere about customer service and building a long lasting relationship with our clients.  And that is why our Tiger Shark team is looking for any insurance referrals.  Help our Tiger Shark team win!  If you refer three or more referrals to our team, we'll thank you by sending you a generous gift card.   Feel free to email us with any referrals at joileneh@dbinsurance.com! 

GO TIGER SHARKS!!!

How are Vacancy Insurance Issues Affecting the Real Estate Market?

In previous real estate years, we really never had to worry about vacancy issues, especially in Silicon Valley.  Everyone wanted to work here and therefore, move here.  Businesses, families, recent grads, start-up enthusiasts and Southern California transplants were itching to get their own piece of the Silicon Valley success pie. Now, whether you're buying and selling or buying and holding real estate for your own portfolio or the portfolio of the company you work for, vacancy issues scattered amongst the real estate world is creating quite an insurance nightmare for some property owners. 

Hire a Lawyer. Then Sue Your Lawyer....

Refreshed, relaxed and picking up a slight Chicago accent from a week long vacation, I came back to work with a few potential clients interested in lawyers E&O.  Somewhat organically, recently I've been gaining traction in the errors and omissions insurance arena with law firms.  I've worked with many different types of law firms to date: insurance law, construction defect, personal injury, labor employment, etc.  The list could go on and on.  As many different types of law as there are, there is one disturbing trend that is rising: malpractice or professional liability claims filed against law firms in 2011.

They Asked You What In An Interview?

Many of my friends have been going through the interviewing process attempting to either move from their current employer or are unemployed and looking for work.  Most of us know that asking how old someone is or what nationality they are, are not appropriate questions in an interview.  And, if people are asking you those types of questions, they are leaving themselves and their organizations open to discrimination lawsuits.

Making sure your hiring managers and human resource personnel know what they can and can't ask is key when beginning the hiring process.  And it may be a good idea to double check that your firm has Employment Practices Liability Insurance coverage, as well. 

I came across some hilarious and intriguing interview questions and answers on the Mindflash Blog. 

Camps, Clinics and Tournaments - Get In The Box!

Summer is upon us and finally we have some warm weather!  What does this mean?  Sports camps, tournaments and clinics are on the horizon!  If your league, school or association has organized or is putting on a camp, clinic or tournament, you need to make sure that you are properly covered with general liability and participant accident coverage.

Lately, I've seen some people who have taken some short cuts, believe that personal medical insurance covers all of their sports and entertainment liability and signed waivers are the solutions to all of their problems.  I cannot stress enough that if someone is seriously injured during a tournament, clinic or camp, that your association or organization is still liable and will be named in suit. 

Spider-Man, Spider-Man, Spider-Man!!!

As I was watching the Tony Awards last night, U2's lead singer, Bono, came on screen and I thought to myself "Ohhhh yeahhh.  What ever happened to his Spider-Man Broadway show anyways???"

Back in February, Spider-Man created some major waves in the insurance industry and then again in March due to their alleged unsafe working conditions.  The Broadway Show costs approximately one million dollars a week to run and has been plagued by cast injuries.  The most serious injury being Chris Tierney who fell 30 feet while performing an aerial stunt due to a "human error" involving the harness which propelled him across the stage. 

"We Sell Doughnuts, Not Crystal Balls"

According to an article published in the Insurance Journal today, "A Dunkin’ Donuts employee mistakenly put sugar rather than artificial sweetener into a diabetic woman’s coffee, triggering a reaction that sent the woman to the hospital, according to a civil lawsuit filed Thursday in Philadelphia.  The woman is seeking unspecified damages due to the fact that the employee added sweetner out of the customers presence."
 

Hired & Non-Owned Auto Coverage And Why Your Business Needs It

We all know how quickly auto accident bills can rack up.  Now think about those bills being pushed back on you as a business owner.  If I had my way, none of my clients would be able to deny Hired & Non-Owned Auto coverage.  If you own any type of business, you should have this coverage.  Period - End of Story. 

Are We All In For a Sony Security Breach?

High School Hay Prank Gets Moldy

It's about that time of year when Senior Ditch Day is in full effect and we begin to hear about all the funny high school pranks that clever seniors come up with.  I've heard of an old car in the school pool, thousands of cups of water lining school hallways and staircases and placing all of the desks and chairs on top of the school roof. 

Occasionally we hear of a high school prank going wrong.  But closing down a school for 4 days?  I don't think I've ever come across a prank that was that intense.  Until now. 

When is Enough, Enough?

I recently came across a company that was interested in receiving a comparative quote.  They were a large commercial construction company subbing out most of their work.  After reviewing their current insurance program, I found out they were insured with seven different insurance companies.  Yes, SEVEN.

How many insurance companies do you have insuring your business?  One insurance company?  Two, three or even four insurance companies?  When is enough, enough?

Trust Me, Trust Me Not...

I was reading one of my favorite blogs this week: Mindflash.  And one of the contributing authors, Mark Anderson, had a great cartoon: 

Everyone recalls this infamous trust building/team building exercise:  Come on!  Fall backwards into my arms and I will catch you!  (*Insert mini panic attack here)

Communicate, Deliver, Be Honest

One thing that was drilled into my head while working at Tri-City Brokerage in San Francisco was "manage your clients expectations". I can't tell you how many times my boss, Brian Duffy, uttered that phrase. It was so often that I could hear those words ringing in my head before I nodded off to sleep. *Shutter...

What the heck is Cyber Liability?

I had a meeting yesterday with one of my clients and brought up Cyber Liability. She quickly asked "What the heck is Cyber Liability?". I realized that most of my clients had no idea what this coverage was about or how this risk could potentially bankrupt their business.

Will Ferrell..Afterall it is Fun Fact Friday

"I am swept up with royal wedding fever."
– Will Ferrell, explaining his formal attire – and why he sent curtseys and kisses to "very good friends" "Kate and Willie", on The Late Show. - www.people.com


One thing Will Ferrell knows well is how to have fun.

Synergy...is it a load of BS?

I met with Colin McCarthy, J.D., of Robinson & Wood this morning over coffee. Check out his recent blog post here: "Injured Burglar, Seeking Lawyer...". I recently applied for membership to a networking group that Colin belongs to and wanted to get some feedback from him on the group.

Lazy Insurance Brokers and How They Cost You Money

Recently I've been seeing a trend with clients that are moving their business over to me:
Their prior commercial insurance broker was lazy.

In a World Of Quantity....

I received a hand written thank you card the other day from a potential partner of mine. It got me thinking of the last time I wrote a hand written thank you note vs. an email. When WAS the last time I wrote a thank you note???

The Pros and Cons When Working With Two Insurance Brokers

I recently had a client decide to split up her insurance renewal between two commercial insurance brokers. As an insurance broker, I see the pros and cons to splitting up your insurance book.