Insights
Passenger Vans Carry Loads of Potential Risk for Nonprofits
Nonprofit organizations wear many hats, and sometimes one of those includes “chauffeur.” From transporting volunteers to a conference or staff to an outreach event, vans offer a convenient, budget-friendly way to move people from point A to point B. But they also come with serious safety considerations, and overlooking them could expose nonprofits to liability claims and lawsuits. Let’s dig deeper into 15-passenger van safety to understand the safety guidelines and...
How to Protect Valuables That Often Go Overlooked
Your clients might assume their homeowners policy has them covered when it comes to their most treasured possessions. But the truth? Many people only discover their coverage limits after a loss, and by then, it’s too late. Standard homeowners insurance often comes with sublimits — dollar caps on what the insurer will pay for certain types of...
With Jewelry Theft on the Rise — Here’s What Agents Need to Know
Jewelry may symbolize love and legacy, but for thieves, it represents opportunity. According to a recent article, claims for high-end jewelry theft have surged by a staggering 43%, with opportunists growing bolder and more strategic in their attempts to snatch luxury watches, diamond rings, and bespoke heirlooms. These aren’t isolated incidents...
Here Comes the Claim: Safeguarding Engagement Rings
From Taylor Swift’s rumored engagement ring to Hailey Bieber’s viral oval-diamond trend, celebrity engagement rings often make headlines. But while social media obsesses over carats and cuts, one important question often gets overlooked — what kind of protection does wedding jewelry require? The reality is, even the most stunning ring isn’t...
2025 Trends in Home Health Care
Home health care has always been a balancing act — managing patient needs, caregiver shortages, and compliance challenges in unpredictable environments. But in 2025, rising costs and rapid technology adoption are reshaping the industry faster than ever. With labor and supply expenses climbing, agencies are seeking ways to streamline operations...
The Adult Day Care Business Boom
The way we care for our aging population is changing. As life expectancy increases and more seniors express a desire to age in place, families are looking for alternatives to traditional nursing homes and round-the-clock, in-home care. Adult day care centers are emerging as an essential solution, offering structured, daytime support for seniors...
Drug and Alcohol Treatment Center Risk Management Tips
Drug and alcohol treatment centers provide essential services to individuals on their journey to recovery. Approximately 48.5 million Americans struggled with a substance use disorder in the past year, emphasizing the need for effective addiction recovery programs. These facilities — many of which operate as Allied Health providers — offer...
What Is Legal Malpractice Insurance? Help Your Attorney Clients See the Value
For many solo practitioners and small law firms, legal malpractice insurance, or Lawyers Professional Liability (LPL), is a line item they’d rather skip — until they really need it. Some assume they’d never make a costly mistake, while others focus on price instead of coverage quality. But as an insurance agent, you know that professional...
The Silent Threat: How Social Engineering Attacks Are Targeting Law Firms
Cybercriminals don’t always rely on brute-force hacking to breach networks. They often exploit something far more vulnerable — human trust. This is the essence of social engineering, a cyberattack strategy that manipulates individuals into divulging confidential information. And for law firms, where vast amounts of sensitive client data reside,...
Predecessor Firm Coverage: What Agents Need to Know
A solo attorney merges with a small legal practice specializing in real estate. The merger goes smoothly, the firms combine their client lists, and everything seems to be on track for growth. But two years later, a claim lands on their desk. A former client of the predecessor firm alleges negligence in handling a property title, and now, the...
Update to California’s Fair Debt Collection Statute: What Self-Storage Businesses Need to Know
California self-storage businesses need to be aware of changes to the state’s fair debt collection statute to ensure they are in compliance with the expanded scope of the law. The California Self Storage Association (CSSA) warns that several lawsuits alleging noncompliance have already been filed since the amendment’s effective date of January 1,...
MiniCo at 50: The Pioneering History of a Specialty Insurance Powerhouse
Once upon a time in Phoenix, an entrepreneur spotted an opportunity and launched a company that became a leader in specialty insurance program administration. Space for Innovation In the early 1970s, the concept of self-storage was relatively new for consumers and the business world. Fewer than 1,000 facilities dotted the U.S. For Hardy Good, an...
Navigating P&C Insurance Trends: A Q&A with Jencap’s Mike Schofield
Mike Schofield The property and casualty (P&C) insurance market was one of the most talked-about topics of 2024. With 2025 in full swing, what’s the outlook for 2025? To help make sense of the issues, particularly for the self-storage industry, we sat down with Mike Schofield, Chief Revenue Officer at Jencap Program Administrators, to discuss...
MiniCo Introduces New Lawyers Professional Liability Program
MiniCo’s new Lawyers Professional Liability program offers enhanced coverage specifically designed for law firms of 25 or less, with both admitted and non-admitted options available. MiniCo Insurance Agency (MiniCo), a Jencap company, has introduced a new Lawyers Professional Liability program. The exclusive program is specifically designed for...
The Gift of Protection: Specialty Collectibles Insurance
The holiday season is a time for gratitude, celebration, and giving. For insurance agents, it’s also the perfect time to connect with clients — not just to thank them for their loyalty but to provide something even more valuable: peace of mind. Though not all of your customers are likely to be avid collectors, chances are you have some...
Travel Risk Assessments: Proactive Protection for Employees on the Move
From medical emergencies and accidental injuries to stolen documents and missing luggage, business travelers sometimes find unexpected items on their itineraries. With both business travel and potential risks on the rise, travel risk assessments are an important part of protecting employees on the road. Combined with business travel accident...
On the Road Again: Top Business Travel Trends and Risks
While leisure travel has seen a swift rebound over the past few years, corporate travel has taken a more cautious approach. Health concerns, cost controls, and a shift to virtual meetings initially slowed the return to pre-pandemic levels of business travel. But work-related travel is expected to reach or even exceed 2019 spending levels by the...
Covering the Bases: Protecting Club Sports with Participant Accident Insurance
Remember the thrill of stepping onto the field as a kid? Whether it was the crunch of cleats on grass or the squeak of sneakers on a gym floor, youth sports taught you about teamwork, competition, and resilience. But with every game came risks — bumps, bruises, and, sometimes, more serious injuries. Today, club sports are bigger than ever, but...
Protecting Participants: The Importance of Comprehensive Accident Insurance
In the U.S., injury-related visits to emergency rooms have been steadily rising. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), approximately 35 million people visit the emergency room annually for injury-related incidents, and about 16.2 million of those visits result in hospital admissions. From recreational sports leagues...
Why Collectors Need More Than Homeowner’s Insurance: A Must-Read for Agents
Collectors are the experts when it comes to curating their valuable treasures. But when it comes to figuring out how to insure collectibles and protect the investment those items represent, agents are the best resource. From rare autographs to sports memorabilia to one-of-a-kind works of art, many private collections are insured under standard...
Top 5 Lawsuit Triggers for Allied Health Providers
In our increasingly litigious culture, the healthcare industry has become a popular target for lawsuits. What once may have been considered an innocent oversight or small grievance can now be leveraged into a lucrative payday. More than one in three physicians face a medical liability lawsuit at some point in their careers, but doctors aren’t...
Flood Evacuation Planning
Ensure the safety of your employees and customers by developing a flood evacuation plan for your business that includes the following: Conditions that will activate the plan Specific evacuation procedures Maps of evacuation routes Procedures for accounting for all personnel Emergency functions with staff assignments Emergency equipment Don’t...
Driving in Flood Conditions
If you need to drive in flood conditions, be mindful of the risks and take the necessary precautions. According to the National Weather Service, almost half of all flash flood fatalities occur in vehicles, so it is important to be prepared. Six inches of standing water can stall some cars. One foot of water can float a vehicle. Two feet of moving...
Surviving a Wildfire
According to the National Interagency Fire Center, federal wildfire suppression costs range from $1-2 billion annually. Here are some tips to help you survive during a wildfire. Call 9-1-1 to report a fire. Don't assume that someone else has reported it. Monitor the Emergency Alert System (EAS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration...
Fire Prevention Tips for Customers
Educate your tenants and customers about fire prevention to help reduce risk at your property.3 Ways to Educate Customers About Fire Prevention Signage: Post signs around the property to remind customers that smoking, candles, and open flame are prohibited. Monthly Bills: Add a fire prevention tip or other safety reminder to each monthly bill or...
Creating Defensible Space for Wildfires
Defensible space is a zone in which vegetation, debris, and other combustible fuels have been cleared, minimized, or treated with the goal of slowing the spread of fire to and between buildings. Here are tips from the Department of Homeland Security's website www.Ready.gov.6 Tips for Creating Defensible Space Choose fire-resistant materials for...
Pre-Wildfire Mitigation
According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), an average of 70,000 wildfires are set ablaze across the United States each year. Lightning can trigger burns, but they are frequently initiated by humans through intentional or unintentional means. Property owners can help mitigate potential wildfire losses, but some don’t take these...
First Aid for Heat Exhaustion
First aid actions for heat-related illness: Call a supervisor or co-worker for help. If no one is available, call 911. Have someone stay with the person until emergency medical personnel arrive. Move the person to an area that is air conditioned or shaded. Remove the person’s outer clothing. Fan the person and mist them with water. Apply ice bags...
Know the Signs of Heat-Related Illness
Working outdoors in the summer months can mean coping with hot, humid weather conditions. It is important for you and your facility managers to understand the symptoms of heat exhaustion and heat stroke to help prevent these dangerous, and possibly deadly, situations. Symptoms of heat exhaustion: Headache, dizziness, or faintingWeakness and wet...
Watch Out for Heat Stress
In many parts of the country, the summer months mean high heat and high humidity – a combination that can be a serious health hazard for you and your facility managers who have to work outside. Here are some tips for avoiding heat stress and heat-related illness: Wear light-colored, loose-fitting clothing made of breathable fabric.Drink small...
Here Comes the Sun
During the warm-weather months, it's important to take precautions to protect yourself and your employees from the hazards of sun exposure while working outside. Ultraviolet (UV) radiation in sunlight causes premature skin aging, wrinkles, cataracts, and skin cancer. Remember: there are no safe UV rays or suntans. Here are a few ways to stay safe...
Employment Practices Complaints
High-profile cases involving employee claims of sexual harassment, discrimination, and wrongful termination by their employers make headlines on a regular basis. Self-storage businesses are not impervious to this type of trouble. In today’s litigious environment, all employers would be wise to consider employment practices liability coverage to...
Employment Practices Liability Coverage
No business is immune to the possibility of employment practices complaints, which most commonly involve complaints of sexual harassment, discrimination, and wrongful termination. With this in mind, it is important to discuss employment practices liability coverage with your insurance agent. Employment practices liability coverage may be...
Fireworks Safety
In the weeks surrounding the July 4th holiday, an average of 180 people per day wind up in the emergency room due to fireworks-related injuries according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. Fireworks are synonymous with Independence Day celebrations. But in the midst of the festivities, it can be easy to overlook the fact that...
Pest Control
The last thing your tenants want to discover is evidence of damage to their valuable stored items as a result of insects, rodents, or other pests. Your facility risk management plan should include a monthly pest control prevention program that includes regular inspections and treatment. Hiring a licensed, insured pest control vendor to perform...
Maintaining Gates and Elevators
Gates, gate operators, and elevators are some of the most frequently used features at a self-storage facility. Now that spring is on the way, it's a good time to inspect these systems and make any necessary repairs. This action ensures that these systems are operating at peak efficiently while helping to minimize the potential for costly property...
Spring Roof Inspection and Maintenance
As you plan ahead for the busy summer rental season, one of the first tasks to address is a thorough roof inspection. Roofs and gutters can take a beating during the winter months, and it is important to address any issues before a problem escalates into a leak causing costly damage to the facility or tenants' stored items. Be sure to inspect the...
Hurricane Emergency Plan
With the 2022 hurricane season underway, it is critical that you be prepared. The first step is to create an emergency preparedness plan, a basic requirement for all businesses regardless of location. Once the plan has been developed, it is important to communicate it to your managers and employees. Training – Provide ongoing training for your...
Hurricane Season Forecast
June 1st marks the official start of the Atlantic hurricane season. This year's extended-range forecast by Colorado State University research scientist Dr. Philip Klotzbach anticipates above-normal activity. His forecast for the 2022 Atlantic hurricane season predicts 19 named storms including 9 hurricanes with 4 classified as major hurricanes...
Downed Power Line Safety
Downed power lines can be deadly. They can energize the ground for up to 35 feet (or more in wet conditions). The Electrical Safety Foundation International (ESFI) recommends that downed power lines should always be assumed to be live to reduce the risk of severe injury or fatality. Here are...
Electrical Safety and Hurricanes
The Atlantic hurricane season runs from June to November, and severe storms can strike across the country at any time. The storm preparation checklist for your self-storage facility should include electrical safety considerations. The Electrical Safety Foundation International (ESFI) offers recommendations for before, during, and after a...
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