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Halloween: that spooky and crazy time of year when we all get to embody the look, personality and overall essence of our favorite pop-culture icons. (If only for one night) You’ll see everything from Mario Brothers to Blues Brothers, Angels to Zombies, Nurses to Witches, Batman to Hello Kitty. And as much fun as it is to pretend to be someone/thing else for the night, it’s easy to see how certain people “loose themselves” in their attempts to portray their respective character. With that in mind, here are some helpful tips to make sure your Halloween night is equally as safe as it is EPIC.

DO NOT drink and drive. I know this puts a damper on a lot of adult-centric Halloween festivities, but the fact of the matter is not only does the percentage of DUIs increase exponentially on Halloween night, as do the number of vehicular accidents. Instead, plan ahead. Designate a sober driver for you and your guests, pay for a cab or rideshare transit, or even make use of public transportation for the night. No amount of Halloween fun is worth the devastation caused by drinking and driving.

Be mindful of the people around you. Some people take advantage of being able to hide in plain sight in the midst of Halloween craziness. Real-life horror stories include: theft of valuables, spiking drinks, sexual assault, quick costume changes to deter suspicion, and even impersonating someone else in a similar costume.

As for the children-centric Halloween festivities, simply abide by the normal PSA spiel that have been around for decades.

Inspect any and all candy/treats/etc. before letting your children eat it

Turn on some form of outdoor lighting to your home, especially if you are not home

Clear any tripping/falling hazards from your yard, sidewalk, and porch for visiting Trick-or-Treaters

Avoid lighting any candles/matches/etc. that children could gain access to (Instead, consider using battery-powered lights for your decorations)

Isolate any pets you may have from visiting Trick-or-Treaters (territorial animals and unknown children on a sugar-high don’t mix)

Incorporate some sort of reflective component into your child’s costume so while they are Trick-or-Treating around a dark neighborhood they can easily be seen by oncoming traffic

Finally, here are a few common Halloween mishaps that you can rest easy about because they are covered in most homeowner’s insurance policies. (Or… if it ALL happens, your umbrella policy would step in to help cover the remaining exposure. If you have it, that is. MMMWWWWWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA)

· Vandalism to your home (standard polices cover the damages from your typical egging, toilet papering and other vandalism)

· Injuries to Trick-or-Treaters (the homeowner liability portion of your policy will help cover any injuries sustained on your property)

· Fire caused by decorations (candles or other open flames are recommended to be switched over to an electric alternative, however, fires started by decorations are, in fact, covered up to your policy limit)

Insurance for Restaurants

Is your Restaurant a safe Investment? - Nobody expects the worst to happen but if it does, will you have the protection you need to reopen?

Insurance requirements by your landlord?

You can't open without meeting your lease insurance requirements. We are your Restaurant Insurance specialists. Let us guide you to the best fit for your Restaurant Insurance protection.

Special Insurance Issues for Restaurant Owners

Kitchen Fires - Prevention is your best insurance! Be sure that you have appropriate fire suppression systems in place and maintained. Insurance companies typically require that your heat producing cooking equipment, particularly grease sources (fryers, grills, ranges), have a wet chemical fire suppression system and vent hood overhead. Also, grease handling in the kitchen is very important. Insurance industry statistics indicate that 1 in 100 restaurants will suffer a fire during a given year and that 60% of these fires are related to kitchen cooking oil and grease. Electrical Fire - Second to a cooking or a grease fire, overloaded or malfunctioning electrical equipment is a particular risk for restaurants. Austin had three restaurants burn to the ground due to Electrical Fires in 2006 (Chili's on Stassney, Berts BBQ and a Chinese Buffet). Slip & Fall Lawsuits - While having a customer slip and fall is a risk for any business open to the public, restaurants are at particular risk because of the large number of customer visits and the added hazard of food spills. Falls by customers account for approximately 40% of all liability claims for food service businesses. General Liability Insurance protection is critical for you risk to the public. Food Related Lawsuits - Restaurant owners can be sued after a customer becomes ill after eating and contracting a food borne illness. Safe handling of food is an important priority for any restaurant. Liquor Liability - If you serve beer, wine or other liquor, be sure you are protected from lawsuits resulting from alcohol-related incidents. Claims involving liquor liability can be very expensive and result in business failure without insurance protection. Property Risks - Operating a restaurant often includes considerable equipment, building improvements and food stock. Adequate property insurance protection is critical and may also be required by your lease.

Theft & Burglary - Restaurants are "cash" business and often handle considerable amounts of currency and checks. Restaurants are often target by burglars because of the potential of stealing both money and equipment. A monitored alarm system and appropriate cash handling can reduce these risks. Appropriate insurance protection is often available including Crime Coverages. It is important for the restaurant owner to understand what is covered for crime losses on their business insurance now and not after a crime. Employee Injury Lawsuits - A food establishment is very much a people driven business. Your hired help is your biggest asset and one of your biggest lawsuit risks. Worker’s Compensation Insurance is critical liability protection for any employer. Also see Essay: Why Work Comp

Employment Practices - Any employer can be held liable for mistakes in handling employment relationships. Small and mid-sized business are particular venerable since they won't have the "HR Department" to enforce compliance with the legal requirements of non-discrimination and other employment rules. Employment Practices Liability Insurance can be important component of your company's protection.

It’s Your Store (part 6/6)

It’s Your Store

By David W. Crump

Evolution and Listening to Your Customers

The wolf at the door can be the driver of innovation needed to survive in retailing. Faced with an expensive mall store with flagging sales, I had all three staff members writing down anything that our customers asked for that we didn’t have. This act of listening was why we survived the unfavorable mall lease and led us to a new niche that made real money. We found many good individual product line extensions based on requests of 2 or 3 customers, but we added an entire new product segment with 153 votes for Nintendo. My partner and I were initially completely deaf to this big wave that was engulfing the game, movie rental and toy business. Nintendo was extraordinarily “hot” and people expected a “Game Store” to have it. Without capital for a big expansion into this very expensive area, we developed a low capital approach of a small selection of new games, taking trade-ins and then renting them by the week or selling them used for a good markup. It was a cash engine and actually pushed us into “percentage rent” (our nasty mall lease had a provision to charge a percentage based on sales). Retailing is never a steady state. We cornered the “Best Value in Nintendo” market for several years but the market never stays still. The big money (Blockbusters, Funcoland – now Game Stop, et.al.) invaded our niche of used games sales and extended video game rentals. One of my conflicts with my ex-partner was that we had to push our envelope again and find new niches. He resisted any increase in our product selections and insisted that we stay focused on cost cutting and not growth. Insight - Retailing requires listening to your customers and paying attention to what they want. The evolution of new product niches is part of the business of retailing. Failing to grow your concept or change your product selections to stay focused on your customers will doom any store.

Summary

I hope my vignettes of my personal retailing experiences have been helpful. Retailing was a passion of mine for many years and helped mold the insurance salesman that I now have become. I don’t miss the long hours, weekend shifts or the bounced paychecks but I still have fond memories of my years in retailing.

It’s Your Store (part 5/6)

It’s Your Store

By David W. Crump

Lease Smart

Most small retail stores are in leased space and getting the right location with an acceptable lease is a critical business decision. My second retail venture was a Game Store chain. Envision a store that featured chess, dominoes, board games and adventure games (Dungeons & Dragons, etc.) and not a video game store. We had a successful location in Amarillo but wanted to move into a large market and were enamored with malls. Dallas was the “Land of Oz” to the eyes of a small city retailer. The only Dallas mall that would offer a lease was Red Bird Mall in far South Dallas. As I assessed the mall opportunity, I made the key mistake of seeing the location from the perspective of Amarillo and not the needed perspective of the big city. This was a mall in decline in the wrong part of town and we had just signed a five year lease in hell. The financial wounds of this bad choice eventually lead to our enterprises’ demise. As a commercial insurance salesman, I often see new store owners sign the lease without any understanding the insurance requirements that they have agree to. The insurance required by the lease can be extensive, sometime ridiculous and well beyond any affordability. Lucky me, I get to be the messenger. While this is a different error, it can have similar results. Insight – Your location and lease are critical to your financial success in retailing. Be sure you have understanding of your market and have a professional review your lease terms before you sign-up. By all means, have an insurance agent quote the insurance required by the landlord. A bad or overpriced lease or a lease for the wrong location is a quick way to bankruptcy.

It’s Your Store (part 4/6)

It’s Your Store

By David W. Crump

Be the Destination

As a small retailer, you need to achieve and maintain “Destination” status. I ended my career in retailing rather than yield to my ex-partner of our three game store chain in Dallas, Texas over maintaining “Destination” status with adequate inventory selection. Let’s face it; Wal-Mart will beat you on price and advertising spending on any market segment they want. Your store must develop a small niche that the big retailers don’t want and then dominate it. This is the classic “Big Fish in the Small Pond” approach. If you become just another “Small Fish in the Ocean” your store’s going out of business sale will be in the near future. In game retailing, the focus is a selection including the new game releases and having a wide range of accessories in stock. My ex-partner, after I sold out, paid off the IRS and other creditors by not refilling inventory for four months. He then refilled but had lost “Destination” status and our regular customers had left for other better stocked stores where they could buy what they wanted. The chain was liquidated a couple months later.

Insight – Decide on your small niche and do what it takes to be important for your regular clients. Be the destination for your chosen niche. You have to provide a reason for your customers to come, buy and bring their friends.

It’s Your Store (part 3/6)

It’s Your Store

By David W. Crump

Ertl Riding Tractor

I still dream about assembling the big green Ertl John Deere Riding Tractor (Lubbock was Cotton Farm country and this was the prime “just like daddy” large gift for five to eight year-old boys). None of the consumers ever successfully assembled this expensive toy. There was no point in selling them the kit in the box because it would only become a messy mangled return. It took an hour per unit, even with practice, to get this beast put together. As assistant manager, I became the designated expert assembler. We sold the heck out of them in 1978 and 1979 when I worked at the Lubbock Toys by Roy as assistant manager. Insight – Retailing is about adjusting to your customer product wants and delivering it. An assembled Ertl Riding Tractor was something our clients could not get anywhere else. We had them in stock and happily put them together. We delivered what they needed – the other local stores didn’t care. We won both the large sale on the tractor and often a whole family Christmas gift purchasing event and repeat off-season visits from the thrilled parent that had obtained their son’s critical “under the tree” gift without the torture of putting it together Christmas Eve. Insight – Your product in retail is the whole shopping experience, not just the item sold. Our “product” included broad selection, help finding the right toy, location, free gift wrapping and yes, free assemble of the Ertl Riding Tractor. We were never the low price leader for toys but had a loyal clientele because of the whole product we offered.

It’s Your Store (part 2/6)

It’s Your Store

By David W. Crump

Rite of Passage: First Christmas In the Toy Business

In the toy retailing business, you must show your mettle by working the Christmas gift buying season. Toys, more than most retailing, are very seasonally focused on the Christmas gift buying event. The whole year is focused on being ready and having the right selection to “bring home the bacon” during November and December. Last year’s “must have” toy is now only an OK seller and the two years ago hot toy is in the clearance aisle. Your buyer (that’s you in the small retailer world), had to guess at the January Toyfair, what will be the hot items for this year’s Christmas season. Half your total sales will happen between mid-November and December 24th. The manager and assistant manager are expected to work long hours and stay focused. Being willing and able to work the 80+ hour per week for the entire Christmas sales season is “the Rite of Passage” in toy retailing. My baptism as an Assistant Manager in the toy business was the Star Wars toy crazed Christmas of 1978. Insight – Hard work and long hours come with the retail store territory. You will earn your markup.

It’s Your Store (part 1/6)

It’s Your Store

By David W. Crump

Introduction

Small store retailing gets in your blood. Prior to being in the insurance business, I was the manager of a small store and after a five year pause in the game publishing business, a partner of a small retail store chain. It is good now to look back from my new perspective as an insurance professional and bring forward insights for small retail store owners.

Love What You Sell

My path into retailing started as a holiday job at the Lubbock mall toy store (South Plains Mall – Toys by Roy). This was in my Junior year at Texas Tech (Go Raiders!) and my parents had gone crazy about my first college job (compliant desk at the Lubbock newspaper from 5am to 9am) because I made the mistake of bragging that I was sleeping though my morning classes but still “Acing” them. I applied as a holiday clerk in the hobby area selling model trains, Estes Rockets, plastic models and other fun stuff. The manager, Phil Hixon noticed my work ethic and understanding of model trains (my older brother was a model railroader) and I was kept on as part-time hobby clerk. While completing my fourth year of my Business degree, I evolved into being the hobby section manager of this large specialty toy store. I loved selling hobbies and wanted our customers to have what they needed for their projects and soon took over ordering for the entire hobby area. I was a Business Major focused on retailing studies after all and this was my first time to put my learning into practice. I also embraced selling children’s toys as an additional passion. I was hooked and while I had several large retailer job offers in the Spring of my senior year, my journey was to be toy & hobby retailing because it was what I loved to sell. Insight – One of the secrets to success in small store retailing is to love what you sell. Your passion will attract loyal customers. Your personal interest in your products will help you see trends and correctly balance your inventory with the right stock selections.

Insurance for Retailer Stores

Is your Retail Store a safe Investment? - Nobody expects the worst to happen but if it does, do you have the insurance you need? We are your Retail Store Insurance specialists. One of our Sales Representatives, David Crump, was a retailer for eighteen years prior to becoming an insurance representative -- we've been in your shoes! Let us guide you to the best fit for your Store Insurance protection. Buy the insurance coverage you want at a competitive price from an Austin based insurance agency. Professional service makes a difference!

Special Insurance Issues for Store Owners

Public Liability (General Liability) - While having a customer slip and fall is a risk for any business open to the public, retail stores are at particular risk because of the large number of customer visits. Have you inspected your store's public area for slip & fall hazards? Does you store's insurance policy have sufficiently high limits for premise liability to protect you?

Inventory & Fixtures - Most retail stores have a substantial investment in goods for sale, store equipment and sales fixtures. These business assets are at risk for damage or loss from fire, tornado, theft and other perils. Do you have adequate protection for your seasonal peak inventory level? See Commercial Property Insurance for more information. Store Improvements / Tenant Improvements - Many retail stores are in leased spaces and have a substantial risk on the building out of their leased space. Your landlord's insurance will rebuild the center's building but not your store! If your store was damaged in a fire, do you have the protection you need to rebuild your space and reopen? Robbery & Burglary - Retail stores are at an increased risk for crime. Prevention is your best insurance! Most insurers require monitored alarm systems and proper money handling procedures. This helps reduce your cost of insurance, but also keeps you safer from crime risks. Be sure your store's insurance policy includes the Crime Coverage you need. Business Income / Extra Expense - Reopening quickly after a major casualty is particularly important for retailers. A closed store sends your customers to your competitors and you could lose your clientele. Many stores fail after a major loss because of the cash flow problems and lost customer base. Be sure you store's insurance package includes this vital protection. Delivery Vehicles - Offering delivery can be an important service to attract customers and grow sales. If you own and use a delivery vehicle for your retail store, be sure it is insured to protect your business. See Business Vehicle Insurance for more information or to request a quote. Employee Injuries - Retail Stores can have a large staff of salesclerks, managers and support employees. Working at a retail store can involve considerable physical activities such as lifting, carrying and walking that increases the risk of an employee getting hurt while at work. A Worker's Compensation policy is important protection from the legal risk that a business owner has from a worker getting hurt while on the job. See Worker's Compensation on the main Business Insurance page for more information. See also - Essay: Why Work Comp Lease Requirements - Many retail stores lease spaces at shopping centers. Read your lease insurance requirements and be sure that your insurance program has what is needed to satisfy your Landlord. Typical requirements are Public or General Liability Insurance plus property insurance protection for Tenant Improvements and contents. Worker's Compensation coverage is becoming a more common lease requirement. Most leases also have a "Hold Harmless" or "Indemnity" clause which can trigger an additional commercial insurance requirement.

Employment Practices - Any employer can be held liable for mistakes in handling employment relationships. Small and mid-sized business, like local retailers, are particular venerable since they won't have the "HR Department" to enforce compliance with the legal requirements of non-discrimination and other employment rules. Employment Practices Liability Insurance can be important component of your company's protection.

Employment Practices Liability Insurance (part 3/3)

Employment Practices Liability Insurance

Claims Made Form

A "Claims Made" Liability form will respond to a claim event that occurs during the time the policy is in force or its retroactive date and also reported during the allowed reporting period. A normal reporting period is the policy term plus sixty days. A "Claims Made" Liability policy can lead to an additional vendor requirement of "Tail Coverage" (extended reporting period for claims) which can be a large, additional expense.

Important Terms for a Claims Made Policy

Retroactive Date - When you buy a renewal of your Professional Liability Insurance contract, you want to include your prior policy period in your new plan. This so-called "Retroactive Date" is the start of your continuous coverage. If a Professional Liability claim erupts that happened in this prior contract period (i.e., after the "Retroactive Date") but is reported during the current policy term, the current Product Liability policy will respond to it. Insurance companies will rate for this added retroactive exposure. Standard Reporting Period - The time during which the insurance company will respond to a reported claim. This is normally the policy term plus sixty days beyond the expiration of the policy. Tail Coverage (Extended Reporting Period) - This is an extended reporting time period that can be purchased when a policy is not renewed in which a claim during the policy term can be reported and the insurance respond. Tail Coverage is typically sold in year increments and is often quite expensive.

Employment Practices Liability Insurance (part 2/3)

Employment Practices Liability Insurance

Employment Practices Liability Insurance (EPLI)

Employment Practices Liability Insurance (EPLI) is protection for claims based on alleged failure to handle employment relationships to legal standards. There are both State and Federal statues that set these legal standards including ADA (Americans with Disability Act), Equal Pay Act of 1963 and the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Equal employment opportunity is the law. At the Federal level, the employment practices statues are enforced via the EEOC (Equal Employment Opportunity Commission).

EPLI is offered as a "Claims Made" type of liability contract. This means that the claim event both has to occur during the coverage period and also be reported within a specified reporting time-frame. See below for more information on a Claims Made policy form.

EPLI can be sold as a stand-alone policy. For most small to medium sized businesses, it is normally bundled with their main insurance plan such as a Businessowner's package or a Director's & Officers insurance plan.

A basic EPLI plan will include coverage for legal defense costs to handle a potential claim event up to a specified limit. Broader EPLI packages can include insurance coverage for the added risks of government fines, third-party claims and punitive damages. Liability limits are typically offered up to $1 million.

Employment Practices Liability Insurance (part 1/3)

Employment Practices Liability Insurance

Protect your business from the potential losses involving employment litigation. Lawsuits from disgruntled potential or past employees against business owners is part of the legal environment today and even false claims expense to defend.

Got Insurance Requirements? - Do you have the insurance coverage needed to protect you business investment? We are your Business Insurance specialists. Let us review your contract insurance requirements and guide you to the insurance coverage you need to get the job.

What is Employment Practices?

Employment practices include your process of interacting with your hired help. This includes the hiring process, how employee discipline and promotion is handled, employment contract disputes and the termination process. Another source of employment practice related claims has to do with alleged discrimination in hiring and promotion. An example is gender bias in promoting men over qualified women or failure to consider minority job applicants fairly.

Business Insurance for Medical Offices (part 2/2)

Business Insurance for Medical Offices

Liability Risks:

Public Liability - Any business open to the public can have a patron trip and fall. A medical office has a constant flow of patients. Public Liability coverage is normally purchased as part of the General Liability policy or included with a business insurance package or "Businessowners" plan.

Tenant Liability - You are liable for damage you cause to the landlord's space your business occupies. Do you have an adequate amount of this important component of your insurance protection? Tenant Liability coverage is normally purchased as part of the General Liability policy or included with a business insurance package or "Businessowners" plan.

Professional / Malpractice Liability - Any professional offering medial services has a professional errors & omission or malpractice liability risk

Employee Rated Risks:

A medical office normally will have several support employees such as an receptionist, office manager and nurses. Like any employer, a dentist will have important employee related insurance needs.

Employment Practices - Any employer can be held liable for mistakes in handling employment relationships. Healthcare office businesses are particular vulnerable since they won't have the "HR Department" to enforce compliance with the legal requirements of non-discrimination and other employment rules. Employment Practices Liability Insurance can be an important component of your company's protection.

Employee Injuries / Worker's Compensation - Healthcare workers are more vulnerable to infection transmission than most other professions. Direct care also has physical injury risk from overuse, slip & fall events and injury from sharp instruments. Any employee injury can put your professional office at risk making Worker's Compensation Insurance critical protection.

Group Employee Benefits - Your employees are your most critical resource. Part of attracting your employees is the challenge of a employee benefit program including health and dental insurance. We can help with small employer programs from Blue Cross Blue Shield and Humana. Call our office at (512) 444-3366 and ask for David or email me at [email protected] for more information.

Disability Income:

A healthcare professional is dependent on their skills every day. If the dentist is unable to work due to injury or other infirmary, no income can be earned.

Business Insurance for Medical Offices (part 1/2)

Business Insurance for Medical Offices

Need insurance for your medical office? Do you have lease requirements you need to satisfy? Nobody expects the worst to happen but if it does, do you have the insurance protection you need?

Special Insurance Issues for Medical Offices

Professional medical businesses often have intense insurance needs well beyond a standard office situation.

Lease Requirements - Many office buildings require a substantial package of insurance from their business tenants. These requirements can be complex. Has an insurance professional reviewed your insurance program to be sure that your office is in compliance? Typical lease requirements include General Liability (including Public Liability), Property Coverage and Worker's Compensation.

Property Insurance & Related Risks:

Tenant Improvements - Do you have a large investment in finishing out your office? Substantial build-out of a leased space is very typical of a modern medical office.

Your landlord's insurance will rebuild the building but not your office interior! If your office was damaged in a fire, do you have the protection you need to rebuild your space and reopen? Coverage for Tenant Improvements also can be a lease requirement. Tenant Improvements are normally purchased as part of the Commercial Property policy or included with a business insurance package or "Businessowners" plan.

Contents & Equipment - Modern healthcare requires a substantial investment in equipment. Adequate insurance protection is important.

Computers and Data - Medical professionals keep patient billing, appointment and medical records electronically make your computer system a critical business system.

If you are depending on your computers to operate your medical office, what do you do if the computers are damaged? Electronic Data Processing (EDP) insurance coverage can help! EDP coverage is normally purchased as part of the Commercial Property policy or included with a business insurance package or "Businessowners" plan. Business Income / Extra Expense - You can't provide service to your patients with a closed office. With Business Income and Extra Expense, your insurance can help with a temporary office plus help accelerate reconstruction or relocation to a new permanent location. This loss of use coverage is normally part of a business insurance package or "Businessowners" contract.

Business Insurance for Dentist Offices (part 2/2)

Business Insurance for Dentist Offices

Liability Risks:

Public Liability - Any business open to the public can have a patron trip and fall. A dentist office has a constant flow of patients. Public Liability coverage is normally purchased as part of the General Liability policy or included with a business insurance package or "Businessowners" plan.

Tenant Liability - You are liable for damage you cause to the landlord's space your business occupies. Do you have an adequate amount of this important component of your insurance protection? Tenant Liability coverage is normally purchased as part of the General Liability policy or included with a business insurance package or "Businessowners" plan.

Professional / Malpractice Liability - Any professional offering medial services has a professional errors & omission or malpractice liability risk.

Employee Rated Risks:

A dental office normally will have several support employees such as an office manager, dental hygienist and dental assistants. Like any employer, a dentist will have important employee related insurance needs.

Employment Practices - Any employer can be held liable for mistakes in handling employment relationships. Healthcare office businesses are particular vulnerable since they won't have the "HR Department" to enforce compliance with the legal requirements of non-discrimination and other employment rules. Employment Practices Liability Insurance can be an important component of your company's protection.

Employee Injuries / Worker's Compensation - Healthcare workers are more vulnerable to infection transmission than most other professions. Direct care also has physical injury risk from overuse, slip & fall events and injury from sharp instruments. Any employee injury can put your professional office at risk making Worker's Compensation Insurance critical protection.

Group Employee Benefits - Your employees are your most critical resource. Part of attracting your employees is the challenge of a employee benefit program including health and dental insurance. We can help with small employer programs from Blue Cross Blue Shield and Humana. Call our office at (512) 444-3366 and ask for David or email me at [email protected] for more information.

Disability Income:

A dental professional is dependent on their skills every day. If the dentist is unable to work due to injury or other infirmary, no income can be earned.

Business Insurance for Dentist Offices (part 1/2)

Business Insurance for Dentist Offices

Need insurance for your dental office? Do you have lease requirements you need to satisfy? Nobody expects the worst to happen but if it does, do you have the insurance protection you need?

Special Insurance Issues for Dentist Offices

Professional dental businesses often have intense insurance needs well beyond a standard office situation.

Lease Requirements - Many office buildings require a substantial package of insurance from their business tenants. These requirements can be complex. Has an insurance professional reviewed your insurance program to be sure that your office is in compliance? Typical lease requirements include General Liability (including Public Liability), Property Coverage and Worker's Compensation.

Property Insurance & Related Risks:

Tenant Improvements - Do you have a large investment in finishing out your office? Substantial build-out of a leased space is very typical of a modern dental office.

Your landlord's insurance will rebuild the building but not your office interior! If your office was damaged in a fire, do you have the protection you need to rebuild your space and reopen? Coverage for Tenant Improvements also can be a lease requirement. Tenant Improvements are normally purchased as part of the Commercial Property policy or included with a business insurance package or "Businessowners" plan.

Contents & Equipment - Modern dentistry requires a substantial investment in equipment. Adequate insurance protection is important.

Computers and Data - Like other modern medical professionals, dentists keep patient billing, appointment and medical records electronically.

If you are depending on your computers to operate your dental office, what do you do if the computers are damaged? Electronic Data Processing (EDP) insurance coverage can help! EDP coverage is normally purchased as part of the Commercial Property policy or included with a business insurance package or "Businessowners" plan. Business Income / Extra Expense - You can't provide service to your dental patients with a closed office. With Business Income and Extra Expense, your insurance can help with a temporary office plus help accelerate reconstruction or relocation to a new permanent location. This loss of use coverage is normally part of a business insurance package or "Businessowners" contract.

Insurance for Offices

Need insurance for your office? Do you have lease requirements you need to satisfy? Nobody expects the worst to happen but if it does, do you have the insurance protection you need?

Special Insurance Issues for Offices

Computers and Data - If you are depending on your computers to operate your office, what do you do if the computers are damaged? Electronic Data Processing (EDP) insurance coverage can help! EDP coverage are normally purchased as part of the Commercial Property policy or included with a business insurance package or "Businessowners" plan. Lease Requirements - Many office building require a substantial package of insurance from their business tenants. These requirements can be complex. Has an insurance professional reviewed your insurance program to be sure that your office is in compliance? Typical lease requirements include General Liability (including Public Liability), Property Coverage and Worker's Compensation. Tenant Improvements - Do you have a large investment in finishing out your office? Your landlord's insurance will rebuild the building but not your office interior! If your office was damaged in a fire, do you have the protection you need to rebuild your space and reopen? Coverage for Tenant Improvements also can be a lease requirement. Tenant Improvements are normally purchased as part of the Commercial Property policy or included with a business insurance package or "Businessowners" plan. Business Income / Extra Expense - You can't get the job done with a closed office. With Business Income and Extra Expense, your insurance can help with a temporary office plus help accelerating reconstruction or permanent relocation. This loss of use coverage is normally part of a business insurance package or "Businessowners" contract. Tenant Liability - You are liable for damage you cause to the landlord's space you business occupies. Do you have an adequate amount of this important component of your insurance protection? Tenant Liability coverage is normally purchased as part of the General Liability policy or included with a business insurance package or "Businessowners" plan.

Employment Practices - Any employer can be held liable for mistakes in handling employment relationships. Small and mid-sized business are particular venerable since they won't have the "HR Department" to enforce compliance with the legal requirements of non-discrimination and other employment rules. Employment Practices Liability Insurance can be important component of your company's protection.

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