Month: February 2014

Car Care Tips for Colder Temperatures

Posted on by shasha insurance

With the winter season upon us, it is important to ensure that both you and your vehicle are road-ready and prepared for winter weather.  The first signs of car trouble often arrive with the first signs of winter. Sluggish performance, rough idling, and difficult starts are all potential warnings of problems that could get worse as the temperature drops.

Here are some key tips to make sure your vehicle doesn’t leave you stranded in the dead of winter:

Check your vehicle’s fluid levels. Maintaining a 50/50 mix of antifreeze will prevent your engine coolant from freezing as temperatures drop. Be sure your engine oil is ready for the season — when having the oil changed, remember that severe cold weather can require a switch to a different oil viscosity for better lubrication at lower temperatures. And don’t forget to check that your power steering, transmission and brake fluids are properly filled.

Test electrical system.Lighting on long, dark nights, combined with cold starts and heater operation, increase electrical demand. While most modern batteries are sealed and cannot be filled, a charge test will ensure enough cranking power to start your engine as temperatures fall. Also check starter, alternator and drive belts to ensure your electrical system is up to the task.

Examine braking system.Check hydraulic brake fluid to make sure it is clean and change it more than two years or 50,000 miles old. Ensure system components and the parking brake operate freely and safely.

Ensure all lights are working.Winter driving also comes with shorter daylight hours — and a greater likelihood of at least some portion of your commute being driven in the dark — so it is important to check all vehicle lighting. Check not only your headlights, but your taillights, instrument lights, back up lights, turn signals, parking lights and brake lights. These lights are important not only because they help you to see, but also serve as a way to help you communicate clearly with other motorists.

Keep an emergency kit.Motorists need to have supplies if they get stranded. Be sure to have a working flashlight, ice scraper, water, candy bar, kitty litter, shovel, blanket, fully charged cell phone, etc.

Replace worn tires.Make sure tires are inflated, according to your owner’s manual, and have sufficient tread. Take a penny, insert it into the tire tread, and if you can see the top of Lincoln’s head, consider a new set of tires.

Install new windshield wipers.Don’t use your wipers to clear your windshield of frost – use a plastic ice scraper or your vehicle’s defrost button. Replace brittle or torn wipers.

Is Your Intellectual Property At Risk?

Posted on by shasha insurance

Intellectual property is the crown jewel of any business, no matter its size. That’s why R&D departments exist and also why companies incur great expense to obtain patents. In fact, the race to innovate has heated up dramatically. But as Tom Aeppel noted in an October 25, 2004 The Wall Street Journal article entitled “Patent Dispute Embroils Industries,” the growing drive to be first has also ushered in another phenomenon:

“The number of U.S. patents issued annually has more than tripled over the last two decades to 187,017 in 2003 as companies try to distinguish themselves among other global competitors with new products or processes.  But patents are also the source of growing litigation. There were 1,553 patent-infringement lawsuits filed in 1993 in U.S. federal court, compared to 2,814 last year.”

In the past, many businesses relied on the coverage provided under the advertising injury portion of their comprehensive general liability insurance to protect them if they were accused of violating intellectual property. The parameters of advertising injury in these polices included coverage for the unintentional acts of misappropriating advertising ideas, or the infringing upon copyright, title or slogan that occurred during the course of advertising goods, products, or services. However, since most companies’ activities go well beyond the scope of what could realistically be defined as advertising, the protection provided by commercial general liability is obviously too limited in this area to be of real value. Under the typical commercial general liability policy, infringement of intellectual property claims that resulted from activities other than advertising would not be covered. By the same token, intentional acts of infringement are also not covered.

The gap between what is and what is not covered in terms of intellectual property infringement under commercial general liability presented a serious problem as competition increased. That’s why insurers developed a specialized type of coverage called Intellectual Property Insurance. This type of coverage has two forms. The most popular form is defense coverage. This is designed to underwrite both the cost of mounting a legal defense against an intellectual property infringement lawsuit and the cost of any settlements or judgments that result from it.

The second type of coverage is called enforcement or pursuit coverage. This policy is for the party that has been wronged so that it can pursue anyone that has infringed upon its intellectual property. This type of coverage is especially appealing to a company that has a valuable patent, but may not be positioned in terms of its capital to exploit that patent’s potential as well as one of its larger competitors. Having this coverage safeguards the company’s intellectual property rights while it acquires the capital it needs and enables it to go after a competitor who violates those rights.

Losing one’s intellectual property can mean the death knell in the current global economy. As companies find themselves having to compete both domestically and in emerging markets abroad, it’s clear that innovation is the only way to stay in front of the herd. If that’s the case, then it stands to reason that Intellectual Property Insurance is one more necessity for doing business in the new economy.

Tips to Prevent and Combat Residential Electrical Fires

Posted on by shasha insurance

Nearly every home in America has a powerful and primed source of fire at this very moment, and it’s called electricity. From overloaded outlets to dated or defective wiring, there’s likely to be at least one electrical fire hazard in some corner of your home.

The United States Consumer Product Safety Commission reports that faulty electrical wiring in residential homes cause over 40,000 fires each year. Over the last decade, defective electrical wiring has caused an average of 350 deaths per year.

According to the National Electrical Safety Foundation, homeowners can use the following fire prevention tips to help create a fire-proof home electrical system:

* Use child-proof outlets to prevent small children from sticking an object into the outlets.

* Do periodic checks of all electrical cords, replacing any damaged or frayed ones, untangling knotted cords, and ensuring that none have been placed under carpets or rugs.

* Never overload outlets or extension cords. Although not always present, it could be a sign of an overloaded circuit if your appliances aren’t working up to par, the television has a poor picture, the HVAC isn’t performing properly, and/or the lights are dimming on their own. You might also ask an electrician to tell you what the maximum capacities are for the circuits in your home. By knowing this, you can add up the wattage of all the electrical devices plugged into each circuit and be able to ensure that the total load for each circuit is below its maximum capacity.

* Consider updating the entire electrical system with copper wiring in homes 40 or more years of age. Older homes with dated aluminum wiring are more prone to electrical fires than those with more fire-resistant copper wiring.

* Use the proper wattage bulb for every light fixture and lamp in your home, ensuring that you never exceed the recommended wattage.

* Arc fault circuit interrupters (AFCI) can be installed to help protect against electrical fires caused by arc faults, which are simply electrical currents being discharged across a gap. Wire insulation that’s pinched, overheated wires, and improper electrical connections are common sources of arc faults.

* Ground fault circuit interrupters (GFCIs) can be installed in your bathrooms, utility room, and kitchen to help protect your family from the risk of electrocution. GFCIs will detect any imbalance in electricity and shut down the electrical system.

* Use a power surge protection device for your computer and other large electronics. Electrical devices plugged into a circuit that receives a power surge, or sudden rush of voltage, can be damaged beyond repair.

Of course, despite all precautions, you still need to know what to do should an electrical fire start.

For an electrical fire at a wall outlet, you can either turn off the main switch -or- if you can do it safely, immediately try to pull anything that’s plugged into the outlet out by pulling on the end of the cord furthest away from the outlet. CO2 fire extinguishers can be used for small electrical fires, but do remember never to use water on an electrical fire.

In the event the electrical fire is large or otherwise uncontrolled, then you should evacuate the home and immediately alert the fire department that you have an electrical fire. It’s important that you tell the fire department if you suspect the fire could be electrical since they may be able to shut off the main power source and prevent it from spreading.

Don’t Wait until a Fire Ignites on Your Construction Site to Start Fighting Fire

Posted on by shasha insurance

The wildfires experienced by Californians over the recent years are just one of the many examples we see when it comes to just how threatening and damaging fire can be. Since job site fires pose a constant threat to construction projects, contractors should prepare for a potential fire by periodically confirming that their risk management plans adequately address the issue.

Don’t wait until you actually have a fire on-site to start your fight against fire. The following tips have been recommended by the International Marine Underwriters Association to help keep construction sites free from the threat of fire:

1. No smoking – have and enforce a no smoking policy on the construction site.

2. Loss control plan – the written loss control plan should comprehensively address the risks of fire exposure and include specific objectives to be enforced by management on the job site, general safety measures, and a named person to be in charge of on-site safety coordination.

3. Inspections and logs – project managers should do daily on-site inspections of all materials and equipment, the work area, and any other nearby location with potential hazards. A running log should be kept of these daily inspections.

4. Hot works – cutting, brazing, welding, and other hot works operations should have a person designated to observe the working area, as well as areas adjacent to it. The person should maintain a line of sight and watch combustible products, sparks, and slag. The surrounding areas should be inspected for a minimum of 30 minutes after the hot works operation ceases.

5. Portable heating equipment – place all portable heating equipment on non-combustive platforms or flooring. Use recognized standards and/or the manufacturer’s specifications for ensuring the appropriate maintenance, fueling, and clearance.

6. Enclosures – construct temporary enclosures with designated paths for transporting materials. For the best results, only construct the temporary enclosure with non-combustible approved materials and locate it away from overhead exposures.

7. Flammable materials – the labeling and identification requirements of gas and flammable liquid containers should be reviewed carefully before they’re brought on the construction site. Make sure that safe storage areas for flammables have been clearly designated and that the area includes surrounding barriers and signs.

8. Firefighting equipment – keep firefighting equipment on-site and easily available at all times. The project manager should ensure that there is always a reliable water supply available for the equipment to connect to and that the equipment will adapt to local fire department equipment if necessary.

9. Rooftops – roof vents should be adequately cleaned to decrease sources of ignition like lint. Additionally, a minimum of one portable fire extinguisher should be located at-level during rooftop operations. Make sure the extinguisher has sufficient capacity for the fire risk.

Insurance Mistakes That Will Cause You to Lose Money

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Fear is an important motivator when it comes to buying insurance. We worry about what will happen to assets like cars or homes if they are involved in a disaster, so we buy insurance to help us maintain their financial integrity if something should happen.

But in spite of the fact that insurance is designed for this purpose, sometimes it can’t give us the outcome we expect. That’s not because of something inherently wrong with the policy, but rather it is the result of human failure. When you bought your policy, you failed to take into consideration the level of coverage you really needed, and what you have isn’t sufficient to restore your assets to pre-disaster condition.

That’s just one of the most common insurance mistakes that could end up costing you.

Here are some others:

·   Thinking you’re saving money because you bought the cheapest policy you could find – Initially those low premiums will seem like a savings; but if the cost of an accident ends up being more than your policy coverage limits, the rest of the expense will be out-of-pocket. In addition, the other parties involved could sue you, and if you don’t have any coverage, you could end up losing a large part of your assets.

·   Failing to pay your premiums on time, or not at all – There could be a legitimate instance in which you don’t pay on time. However, when you don’t pay, your insurance company isn’t required to cover you. To avoid a disruption in coverage, set up automatic payments through your bank or insurer.

·   Making assumptions about what is covered – There are limitations to the coverage a homeowner’s or auto policy will provide for high-ticket items. You should never assume that all of your possessions are covered. What you can do is add extra coverage to your policy with an endorsement, which gives you higher limits on these types of items.

·   Overlooking the importance of umbrella liability policies – These policies got their name because they protect you from a financial downpour. They can be purchased separately or you can obtain one from the same company that insures your car or home. Buying from the insurer you already have usually entitles you to a premium discount on the liability coverage. Umbrella policies are usually sold in increments of a million dollars. Generally you would pay between $100 to $300 a year for the first million dollars worth of coverage and another $50 to $100 for each additional million. Keep in mind that when determining your premium, your insurer may take into consideration such factors as the number of traffic tickets you’ve received over the past few years, and your credit report.

·   Failing to inform your insurance agent about changes that could affect your coverage needs – If you’ve added on to your home, or purchased an expensive sound system, you need to contact your agent to see if the policy you have still meets your needs. Your agent can also find ways to help you save money on premiums that won’t affect the quality of your coverage such as enrolling in a driver safety class, installing a home security system, increasing your deductible, or taking advantage of multi-policy or good student discounts.

Employee Crime Poses a Significant Threat to Small Companies

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Research conducted by the Chubb Group of Insurance Companies revealed that over 36 percent of private companies have been victims of an employee theft within the past five years.  The dollar value of these thefts has averaged nearly $350,000. The researchers also pointed out that more companies are facing similar situations as they reduce staff and make budget cuts. Both actions motivate employees to steal funds, equipment and inventory. 

The insurer reported in its 2005 Chubb Private Company Risk Survey, that 31 percent of companies polled plan to outsource some aspect of their operations, 21 percent plan to eliminate employees, and 20 percent plan to reduce or completely eliminate some employee benefits this year. These actions will be the catalyst for an increase in employee theft.

Larger companies are better equipped to absorb the financial impact of employee crime, but theft of this magnitude could spell financial disaster for a smaller company. Interestingly, the insurer’s research shows that in spite of the possibility of losing everything due to employee theft, more than two-thirds of private companies don’t have crime insurance.

To help small businesses identify and eliminate the potential for employee theft, Chubb is offering a booklet titled “A Guide to Workplace Fraud Prevention” on its website (www.chubb.com/businesses/chubb3331.html). KPMG Forensic developed the booklet. This unit of KPMG International is made up of employees with expertise in a variety of disciplines connected with fraud detection and investigation.

One of the recommendations the authors make is to start by developing an ethical corporate culture. Have a written code of ethics that incorporate the firm’s key ethical values and be sure it is communicated to employees. Many companies also require an annual written statement from every employee that they understand the code and are in complete compliance with it.

Along with the development of an ethics code, KPMG recommends that companies develop an effective fraud response plan that includes:

·   Limiting fraud opportunities by establishing strong internal controls and limiting overrides of those controls.

·   Managing pressures and incentives to steal that are inherent in the business process to the extent possible.

·   Focusing fraud detection and prevention efforts on risks where potential financial loss is the greatest or where cumulative losses from smaller frauds may be significant.

·   Fostering a strong “perception of detection” through proactive fraud identification, detection and investigation efforts.

·   Responding to identified fraud by consistently applying a “zero tolerance” policy.

Timing Is Everything When It Comes to Car Buying

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You’ve been eyeing that new car for some time now, and finally your budget gives you the green light to go for it. So should you rush right out to the dealership? Only if you want to pay more than you should.

That’s because finding the best car deal is affected by when you purchase.  For the optimum bargaining position, the first thing you need to pay attention to is the time of the month. Both the dealership and its sales personnel have to meet monthly quotas. Shopping just before the month is about to end gives you more leverage because sales figures will soon be turned in for the month. A salesperson that has a slow month will be eager to make a deal to give those figures a last minute boost.

The second time factor that affects the deal is the season of the year. In early fall, dealerships are anticipating receiving inventories of next year’s models. To make room, they put remaining inventories of the current year’s models on sale. Typically this means taking significant markdowns so they can move the merchandise, which means big savings for you. The other seasonal advantage comes at Christmas time when shoppers are busy buying gifts, not cars. The light showroom traffic makes salespersons anxious to close the deal with a serious shopper.

Even the weather comes into play when you are trying to negotiate. Bad weather is another time when a dealer’s showroom will be empty. That leaves more time for a salesperson to try and make you happy enough to leave the lot the proud owner of a new car.

Of course, timing alone isn’t enough to put you in the driver’s seat without spending a fortune. You also need to do your homework and research prices before you set foot on any showroom floor. The Internet is the best place to find the information you need.

There are three web sites that you can use to research the dealer cost (invoice price), and the manufacturers suggested retail price (MSRP), or list price of the model you’re interested in:

1.   Kelley Blue Book (https://www.kbb.com)

2.   Edmunds (https://www.edmunds.com)

3.   MSN Autos (https://www.autos.msn.com/Default.aspx)

Always start your negotiations from the invoice price, not the MSRP.

You can also use Kelley Blue Book and Edmunds to find out what car buyers actually paid for the model in your region, based on your zip code. When you are using these sites to research a car model, don’t forget to use the “incentives” tab to see if the manufacturer is offering purchasers any kind of rebate. You can also find a full list of rebates on MSN Autos by logging on to https://autos.msn.com/home/rebates_all.aspx.

New Study Surveys Teen Driving Attitudes

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Many teens do not take personal responsibility for safe driving and continue to engage in dangerous driving behaviors, this according to a new survey commissioned by Allstate Insurance. The survey also revealed that while the majority of teens polled were making New Year’s resolutions about getting better grades, or exercising more, only a small number of them were resolving to be safer drivers.

Ninety percent of the teens surveyed said they hoped their friends would be safer on the road in 2008; but only 11 percent answered that “driving more safely” was one of their personal New Year’s resolutions. Thirty-four percent of teens surveyed said that they had been frightened as a passenger because the driver was being careless, but did not say anything to the driver.

Fifty-seven percent of the respondents said they had driven more than 10 miles per hour over the speed limit, 22 percent admitted to having raced another vehicle, and 19 percent reported receiving a traffic ticket. Eighteen percent of the teens surveyed said they had been a passenger in a car being driven by a teen who was under the influence of alcohol or other drugs.

While the teens that were polled were willing to break the law, they were not as agreeable to looking the other way when it came to their friends. Forty-one percent of the respondents wanted their friends to stop engaging in unsafe practices including driving without seatbelts and speeding. More than two-thirds of teens surveyed said they wanted their friends to avoid technology distractions, such as text messaging, talking on a cell phone, and scrolling through an MP3 player, while driving.

There was an important positive outcome revealed by the Allstate survey; more teenagers are familiar with driver’s contracts, which means parents are taking a more active role in promoting driving safety. Approximately 30 percent of teens that have heard of these agreements have signed one. The researchers added that the dialogue opened by discussing the contract can be just as important as the signed agreement itself. However, if the contract is to be truly effective, that dialogue between parent and teen must be ongoing.

When parents start a dialogue with their teenage drivers, they can influence their child’s behavior. The survey indicated that almost half of the teens polled are having ‘good conversations’ with their parents about the importance of safe driving. But one conversation is not enough. Such dialogue needs to be frequent and meaningful if it is to deter teen drivers from engaging in unsafe driving behaviors.