Insurance Insights

A new proposal to raise minimum wage by 2015 may have large businesses concerned with their ability to increase employer wages, but small business owners are reportedly more open to the change.

Whether you’re a small business owner or simply the person handling the benefits packages you offer to employees of your small business, it’s a good idea to understand the basic differences between employee wellness programs and employee assistance programs. This will help you make important decisions about the type of benefits packages you offer your employees now and in the future. With so many businesses today facing painful cost-cutting measures, it’s good to get the facts before cutting out a program that provides more benefits to the business than you really see in the price tag.

As a sole proprietor, you’re responsible for the legal implications of owning and operating your own business. While you have built it from the ground up, giving your time, energy, and money to create a business you can be proud of, there are risks involved in owning your business. These risks should be considered when choosing the right type of business insurance. Along with the help of your insurance agent, it’s important to identify your business risks to be sure your bases are covered in the event of an emergency, unexpected catastrophe, or any other disaster that can cause you financial struggle.

Natural disasters can devastate communities, regions, and even entire states. But, most of the news coverage is about what happens to the masses and not what happens to one or two small business owners in the aftermath of those disasters. Rebuilding takes time, patience, and careful planning.

Fuel prices appear to know only one direction these days—up. They keep rising and rising, which puts many small businesses that rely on mobility in a bit of a bind. This leaves small business owners everywhere facing the decision of whether or not it’s better, for the sake of their businesses, to raise prices to cover the costs of fuel, or to find new ways to reduce the impact those costs have on them. One solution that many small business owners are considering is the electric vehicle. But, is it the right answer? Here are a few facts you may want to consider as you decide whether or not an electric vehicle is the right choice for your small business.

A locksmith has the important responsibility of helping homeowners and building owners get into their homes and buildings when they have lost their keys.  A locksmith may also have other job duties, including building and repairing locks that have malfunctioned, duplicating keys, and installing new lock systems and other safety devices in buildings. Locksmiths also have risks and liabilities to contend with due to the type of job they perform, equipment they use, and overall business risk. Some common risks of a locksmith include liabilities when you have made an error in judgment in regards to opening a lock, bodily injury from the type of equipment you’re using, and business liabilities. Protect these types of risks by obtaining the right kind of locksmiths insurance.

Food trucks are changing the way people “do lunch” in large and not-so-large cities throughout the country. They may offer big business potential, but they also pose a significant amount of risk to the people who own, operate, and buy from them. Here are just a few risks of food trucks, from a business perspective, you should consider if you’re a food truck owner or simply wish to become one.

Ever dreamed of owning your own business? Or dreamed of being your own boss? Many people have this dream. Some have worked hard, sacrificed, and saved to achieve that dream. If you’re at a point in life where you want to move beyond dreaming and on to planning your own business, you might want to consider a vending machine business for many reasons that include lower startup expenses, relatively high profit margin, and operating a business that doesn’t require 20-hour work days week after week in order to get off the ground. But, how do you actually break into the business of vending machines? These tips will help you get started.

A personal trainer works with individual clients who want help losing weight and getting fit. It is the personal trainer’s responsibility to work with their clients on a regular basis, getting to know their physical fitness level and building a personalized fitness plan around their capabilities. While this is a rewarding career for individuals with a passion for fitness and health, it also comes with its own set of risks. Liability and other types of insurance are required to protect the personal trainer from certain risk exposures such as a client getting injured during their fitness routine, getting into a vehicle accident while driving to a client’s home, or damaging gym equipment. Most fitness centers will require liability insurance from their personal trainers before hiring them, but trainers working as independent contractors should also obtain other types of personal trainer insurance.
General Liability

A personal trainer works with individual clients who want help losing weight and getting fit. It is the personal trainer’s responsibility to work with their clients on a regular basis, getting to know their physical fitness level and building a personalized fitness plan around their capabilities. While this is a rewarding career for individuals with a passion for fitness and health, it also comes with its own set of risks. Liability and other types of insurance are required to protect the personal trainer from certain risk exposures such as a client getting injured during their fitness routine, getting into a vehicle accident while driving to a client’s home, or damaging gym equipment. Most fitness centers will require liability insurance from their personal trainers before hiring them, but trainers working as independent contractors should also obtain other types of personal trainer insurance.
General Liability