Insights
The Future of Technology in Agribusiness
Understanding The Future of Technology in AgribusinessThe digital revolution is making great strides in the agriculture business, and for good reason. For one, digital technologies in agriculture have helped improve crop yields and fine-tune the food system from beginning to end. MiniCo’s VP of Underwriting, Nathan Garrett, has some great insights on how advances in agri-tech will introduce new risks and liabilities: AI tech is definitely a part of agriculture....
MiniCo Insurance Agency Wins Internet Advertising Competition Award From The Web Marketing Association
The award recognizes MiniCo’s integrated marketing campaign launching the company's upgraded specialty business owner policy for self-storage risks. MiniCo Insurance Agency has won an Internet Advertising Competition Award from the Web Marketing Association in the category of insurance integrated advertising campaign. MiniCo was recognized for...
Cybercrime Trends for the Global Pandemic
All businesses are vulnerable to the risk of cyberattacks and data breaches, but many owners of small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) underestimate the threat. In fact, SMBs are prime hacking targets precisely because they tend to downplay the risk and devote fewer resources to cybersecurity. The financial impact of cybercrime can be...
Protecting Sports Memorabilia
It seems like almost everyone has heard a story about someone's cherished collectible that either went missing or was destroyed. Maybe you or one of your insurance clients are the someone who experienced this loss. For serious collectors, it can be an emotional and often financial loss to discover that a treasured item has disappeared or has been...
A Hardening Insurance Market Signals Changes for Business Owners
At the start of 2019, insurance industry analysts predicted market hardening, but the pace and severity of the changes is such that the impact being felt in the third quarter is much greater than was anticipated earlier in the year. The publication Business Insurance in June reported reinsurance rate increases of up to 30 percent, which is an...
Get to Know Your Insurance: Insuring Jewelry
Get to Know Your Insurance: Insuring Jewelry Along with the excitement of the winter holidays and the New Year, lots of things could be changing in your clients' lives. Did a client get engaged? If an expensive ring or other precious jewelry came into a client's life, you should have a talk with them about protecting their newly acquired...
Winter Temperatures: Know Your Weather Risks
Winter Temperatures: Know Your Weather Risks In most areas of the country, winter means colder weather. Frigid temperatures, slippery ice, and frozen pipes aren’t the only things to worry about. Hail and wind can cause a lot of damage. Be sure you are aware of these cold weather risks and take steps to prepare for them. Cold weather Cold...
Level up Your Agency!
Take Your Small Insurance Agency to the Next Level If your agency has been around for a while and you feel like numbers and leads are flat, consider making a few changes. People like companies that are exciting and engaging. Follow these tips to start getting out your message in new ways that can help attract and keep clients. Standing Out Stand...
Back to the Roots: Classic Insurance Marketing Methods
Old Marketing Tricks That Still Work Being fully immersed in the digital age, it can be easy to forget the basics of traditional marketing. Remember that some of the most effective ways to market don’t always have to be about email, SEO, and social media. Here are few traditional marketing methods that can freshen up your way of doing things....
3 Tips for Preventing Water Damage in Self-Storage
Protect Your Stored Valuables from Water Damage Water damage is no joke. Flooding and water damage is not a concern only for people in coastal regions. No matter where you are, water can find its way into a self-storage unit. Here are three ways to help protect stored valuables from potential moisture and water damage. Insurance Self-storage...
Storage Unit Fire Hazards and Fire Prevention
Are Your Clients Aware of Fire Risks? Fires can be a very serious risk for self-storage units. While your clients may be responsible storage tenants, the tenant in the next unit may not be. Self-storage facilities do not provide insurance for your clients' items stored in the rented unit. They need to provide their own insurance coverage to...
Insurance Agency Management: 3 Ways to Improve Employee Productivity
Agency Management: 3 Ways to Improve Employee Productivity As a busy agency owner, it’s critical that your employees have the ability to work independently and productively, allowing you to focus on sales. The following are four ways you can increase agency productivity without having to hire additional staff. Establish a basic training program...
4 Ways to Keep Books Safe While in Storage
4 Ways to Safeguard Books Kept in Self-Storage Units Whether someone is in the middle of a move or has outgrown capacity at a current location, there are many reasons for people to put books in storage. And, although books aren’t as fragile as breakables, they are vulnerable to humidity, insects, mold, and other hazards. If you have clients who...
5 Self-Storage Tips to Utilize During the Hot Summer Months
5 Warm Weather Tips for Self-Storage Every year, approximately 40 million people in the U.S. relocate, with more than 50 percent moving during the summer months. Those contemplating a big move while the days are longer and the kids are out of school may have a need to put some of their personal property in storage. Here are five "good-to-know"...
4 Ways to Improve Your Password Strength
4 Ways to Improve Your Password Strength Your agency’s information is only as safe as the security measures you practice. A key element of information security is practicing password habits to insure no one except authorized employees will have access to secure information. Here's how to improve your password strength. Passphrase Password check...
Email Like It’s 2018: Part 1
Email Like It’s 2018: Part 1 It’s not 1990 anymore. Of all the tech that has come and gone in the past 20+ years, email is still here. Emails are being used every day in every industry and in many ways. You are probably already using email to communicate to your clients and leads; however, are you doing it right? This is part one of two posts...
A New Way to Post Content: The Facebook 2018 Update
A New Way to Post Content: The Facebook 2018 Update Facebook has recently been making a lot of headlines. Controversy over the personal information they collect and how it’s used has sparked Facebook to change many of the ways they run ads. A lot of brands and advertisers are worried about how this will affect their content. The answer is to keep...
A Written Narrative Can Help Clients Manage Their Insurance Costs
May 2018 A Written Narrative Can Help Clients Manage Their Insurance Costs When it comes to writing commercial insurance for self-storage businesses, there are many risk characteristics that underwriters evaluate to calculate the premium. Some of these, such as geographic location, are beyond the property owner's control. However, there are...
Organize Your Daily Content to Enhance Relevancy
Organize Your Daily Content to Enhance Relevancy The content you write and when it’s posted has a significant impact on how your audience sees your agency. Your website is the main source of content. Your emails and social media accounts provide different avenues that lead to your site. You want the information you share to be relevant and to...
Is Your Website Mobile-Friendly?
Is Your Website Mobile-Friendly? It is essential to be mobile-friendly. These days practically everyone has a smartphone or some sort of device that connects to the internet. You need to get your content out to where your clients are: the internet. Is your website mobile-friendly? Mobile-Friendly Mobile version of website Responsive and adaptive...
The Internet of Things: Privacy Concerns for the Self-Storage Industry
The Internet of Things: Privacy Concerns for the Self-Storage Industry The internet is everywhere these days, not just on your computer or on your phone. Everyday household objects are becoming internet equipped. These are the “Internet of Things.” It can be as simple as a coffee pot that turns on when you program it to, or the smart TV in your...
Top 5 Cybersecurity Threats
Self-storage facilities can be prime targets for cybercriminals who can use customer information to rob bank accounts via wire transfers, steal customers’ personal identity information, and commit other fraudulent activities. In general, many small businesses are vulnerable to data breaches for three key reasons: · They don’t believe they...
Flood Hazards
In the aftermath of a flood, there are a number of hazards that you may encounter. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) identifies the following hazards associated with floods.· Electrical hazardsTree and debris removalLifting injuriesMoldRodents, snakes, and insectsChemical and...
Flood Evacuation Planning
The growing frequency and severity of weather events such as wind, hail, and torrential rain can increase the risk of flooding. Before flood waters approach your self-storage facility, make sure to put an evacuation plan in place to ensure your personal safety and that of your employees and customers. A thorough evacuation plan should include:...
Flood Watch vs. Flood Warning
Which flood alert is more critical – a watch or a warning? It's important to know the differences in the warning system alerts and understand the appropriate action to take for each alert level. Flood Watch Meaning: Flooding is possible. Action: Monitor radio and television stations for more information. Flash Flood Watch Meaning: Flash flooding...
Safety After a Wildfire
The hazards associated with wildfires may persist even after the flames have been extinguished. Here are some tips for staying safe after a wildfire. · Monitor information from authorities as to when it is safe to return to an area and whether water is safe to drink. · Avoid hot ash, charred trees, and smoldering debris. · Wet down debris to...
Communicating With Tenants About Fire Prevention
September is National Preparedness Month, and creating a communications plan is a top priority when it comes to fire prevention at a self-storage facility. Regular communication to customers can go a long way toward mitigating the risk of fire on the property. Examples of tenant communication include the following: Signage: Post “no smoking”...
Creating a Defensible Space Against Wildfires
One of the most important and cost-effective steps you can take to mitigate the risk of wildfire damage at your self-storage operation is to create and maintain a defensible space around the facility. This is a zone in which vegetation, debris, and other combustible fuels have been cleared, minimized, or treated with the goal of slowing the...
First Aid for Heat-Related Illness
If you suspect that an employee or tenant is showing the symptoms of heat exhaustion or heat stroke, it is important to take action quickly. Time is of the essence in order to minimize the risk of serious injury or death. First aid actions for heat-related illness: Call a supervisor or co-worker for help. If no one is available, call 911.Have...
Happy National Safety Month!
June is National Safety Month, and the National Safety Council (NSC) is marking the occasion by focusing on workplace safety education and awareness. The most recent data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics is from 2020, and the NSC's analysis of the numbers indicates that workplace injuries are on the rise. In 2020, nonfatal injuries that...
Floods and Electrical Safety
Over the past five years, all 50 states have experienced floods or flash floods, and, on average, more deaths occur due to flooding each year than any other weather-related hazard. Safety precautions during floods should include considerations for electrical safety. Guidance from the Electrical Safety Foundation International (ESFI) includes the...
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...
Safety After a Tornado
Once a tornado has passed, it is important that you take steps to stay safe while navigating the debris and damage left behind. Here are some tips to keep in mind. Get HelpCover your mouth with a cloth to avoid breathing dust. If you are trapped, try to send a text, bang on a pipe or wall, or use a whistle to summon help. If you are not...
Pre-Wildfire Planning
The Department of Homeland Security's website www.Ready.gov, recommends the following steps to prepare for wildfires. Stay Informed Sign up for your community's warning system.Monitor alerts from the Emergency Alert System (EAS) and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Weather Radio.Know your community's evacuation plan. Make a...
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