Insights

Why California Landscapers Face an Uphill Climb in 2025
California has never been an easy place to operate a landscaping business. But for your clients in the Golden State, 2025 may be the most complex year yet. A string of devastating wildfires has left more than 12,000 structures destroyed and over 100,000 people displaced in Southern California alone. Even if that were the only consideration, it would still be enough to strain local contractors. But it’s not the only pressure point in the California business...

How to Insure Antiques and Fine Collectibles
It’s a $42,000 mistake that happened recently at an art exhibit in Miami. The most famous balloon dog sculpture in the U.S. was accidentally knocked over by an attendee — and it shattered into pieces. Wait a minute..? Why didn’t they place that sculpture under protective glass or something? Good point! But the bigger question is, “Who’s going to...

PEZ Outlaws, Beanie Babies, and the Need for Insurance
There’s a group of collectibles that deserves to be in its own category. And because the right name for it doesn’t exist yet, we came up with an acronym of our own. We’re calling this group the CCC — short for “collectible cash cows.” You may already know a bit about these high-value collectibles that have become internet sensations. For one,...

MiniCo Announces Sale of its Publishing Division to Storelocal
Phoenix, AZ (March 8, 2023) – MiniCo Insurance Agency LLC (MiniCo) announced today that it has finalized the sale of its Publishing Division, effective March 1, 2023, to Storelocal Media Corporation (Storelocal). “It’s very exciting,” said Travis Morrow, Storelocal’s CEO, “Mini-Storage Messenger is not about just a magazine–it’s what it...

Myths About Nonprofits: How to Protect These Organizations
There are about 2 million nonprofit organizations in the U.S. With their entrepreneurial spirit and mission-guided purposes, these nonprofits play a tremendous role in our society. Nonprofits champion humanitarian goals, advocate charitable causes, lead the forefront in scientific research, serve as guardians for the environment, and more. ...

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...

Insider Perspective: 2023 Trends to Watch in the Self-Storage Insurance Market
Insurance rates are rising, media is buzzing about a possible recession, and capital is becoming harder to find. We spoke with MiniCo VP of Underwriting and P&C Insurance expert, Josh Leykam, about how these factors are impacting commercial self-storage and what we can expect in the year ahead. Although no one can say for sure what 2023 will...

Can Homeowners Insurance Cover a Storage Unit? What You Should Know About Off-Site Storage
Comedian George Carlin famously said that all we need in life is “a place for our stuff.” More than 11 percent of Americans — nearly 15 million households at last count — turn to local self-storage facilities because they have more stuff than their closets and garages can hold. Renting a self-storage unit is a convenient solution for many of us....

International Ransomware Network Cripples over 1,500 Victims Before Being Dismantled
The U.S. Department of Justice last week announced the outcome of a multi-agency, multinational operation that dismantled an international ransomware network with thousands of targets. With a narrative worthy of a fictional espionage thriller, the news release dated January 26, 2023, described a months-long campaign of disruption waged against...

Top 7 Most Unusual Collections We’ve Insured
We’ve all heard stories about the Hollywood stars and athletes who take out insurance policies to cover specific body parts. World War II pinup model and actress Betty Grable was famous for having a $1 million insurance policy on her legs. More recently Proctor and Gamble insured the flowing locks of its shampoo spokesperson (and former...

When Winter Drops a Bomb: Understanding Bomb Cyclones
Winter Storm Elliott made headlines in December 2022 for its incredible ferocity and destructive power. Amid the reports, many of us first encountered the term “bomb cyclone.” While not a rare phenomenon, bomb cyclones don’t usually cause the level of damage that Elliott inflicted. Air travel during the 2022 holiday season produced moments...

Protecting Nonprofits and Their Volunteers
‘Tis the season for end-of-the-year charitable giving! As fundraising efforts ramp up and volunteers pitch in, make sure your nonprofit clients have the coverage they need. The last few weeks of the year are critical for charitable organizations when it comes to fundraising. The holiday message of giving to others combined with the...

Rising Catastrophic Losses Underscore the Importance of Property Valuation
For the past several years, catastrophic insurance claims of all types have been occurring more frequently and with increasing severity. The Insurance Information Institute reported $92 billion of insured losses in the United States in 2021 as a result of natural catastrophes to include severe storms, wind, hail, wildfire, flood, and earthquake....

Self-Storage: Opportunity Behind the Rollup Doors
4 Reasons Why Insurance Agents Should Give Self-Storage Risks a Closer Look Self-storage is a superstar in the commercial real estate market. Over the past half-century, the industry has proven itself to be resilient to the vagaries of consumer trends, economic recession, and even global pandemic. As the industry continues to grow, so...

MiniCo Recognized as 5-Star Program Administrator by Insurance Business America
MiniCo has been chosen for this award for the second year in a row by voters within the insurance industry. MiniCo Insurance (MiniCo), a Jencap company, has been recognized for the second consecutive year as a 5-Star Program Administrator by Insurance Business America. Program administrators were nominated by insurance industry professionals...

How to Get Your Underwriter to Get Behind Your Risk
Communicating the story of your client’s risk profile can yield optimal coverage at the best rate. One of the most effective ways an agent can streamline the quoting process and get the best rate for a commercial client is by telling your underwriter a story. The story you craft probably won’t begin with “once upon a time,” but it may result in a...

Hurricane Season at Halftime: What Do Forecasters Predict for the Atlantic?
Does a quiet July indicate a mild season overall? Not so fast! Since the official start of the Atlantic hurricane season on June 1st, the U.S. coastline and Gulf Coast have been quiet. According to the Tropical Weather and Climate Research team at Colorado State University (CSU), the three named storms that have developed so far accounted for...

Cyber Liability is An Important Protection for All Industries
Which of your commercial clients need cyber coverage? All of them. Any organization that has a computer network, handles confidential information, or collects and transacts with personal identifiable information is at risk of a data breach. This exposure has the potential to pose a significant financial threat to any business or entity involved....

Higher Construction Costs Lead To Increased Insurance Rates
The construction industry is facing its share of challenges lately. COVID-19-related shutdowns are causing ongoing product shortages. Supply chain disruptions are making it difficult to secure materials and leading to project delays. Soaring inflation is causing construction material prices to skyrocket by as much as 26.7%—which is having a...

MiniCo Insurance Agency Named Best of Business in Self-Storage Commercial Insurance for Eleventh Year
For the eleventh consecutive year, MiniCo Insurance Agency has claimed the top spot in self-storage commercial insurance among voters in the self-storage industry. MiniCo Insurance Agency (MiniCo) has been selected by readers of Inside Self-Storage magazine as a Best of Business winner in the category of best commercial insurance for the eleventh...

Loss-Control Tips for Private Collectors
Billion-dollar insurance losses have been on an upward trajectory for the past several decades in a trend that shows no signs of slowing down. The latest data from The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) indicates a dramatic increase in both the total number of billion-dollar events each year as well as the cost of insured...
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