-A company’s bank allegedly sent it a letter advising of a new security program. The company then received an email that appeared to be from their bank. The company’s employee opened the email, which allowed a Trojan horse computer virus to get in. It was able to read key strokes from the insured’s computer, thereby enabling the perpetrator to obtain banking and password information and initiate a fraudulent electronic wire transfer from the insured’s account. This ended up causing a loss to the company of $683,000.

Computer Fraud

-A company’s website was hacked into by an employee of one of its customers who changed her employer’s bank routing code on the web site to her own. When the company paid her empoyer for services rendered, the money went directly into her account instead.

-After he’s fired, a former employee used his supervisor’s password to enter the insured’s unlocked building and used the supervisor’s computer. He initiated transactions using his bank routing code to receive fake reimbursements purportedly made to the company’s customers.

 An Experienced Market Leader

-Since 1853, we’ve provided effective insurance solutions to a wide range of industries.

-A.M. Best has assigned Travelers a financial strength rating of A+

-With over 50 offices, we possess national strength and local presence.

-Our dedicated claim group offers extensive industry and product knowledge.

 Get the Protection you need, today and tomorrow

Choose Travelers for your electronic funds transfer fraud and computer fraud coverages and you’ll have access to risk mitigation articles, security guidelines and discounted McAfee software security. To learn more about this comprehensive program, talk with your independent insurance agent or visit Travelersbond.com

There is no question that the ownership and use of our autos present us with the greatest personal liability exposure. But our normal daily activities can expose us to the potential of a large liability claim that could threaten our personal assets. One of the best ways to understand the need for a personal umbrella policy (PUP) is to review actual claim examples. Listed below are actual personal liability claims that illustrate the need for higher personal liability limits.

Loss #1
A couple hosted a pool party for their teenage children. They did not provide any alcohol, but it was brought by some of the guests and was available. After leaving the party, one of the guests was severely injured in an auto accident, and the injury was attributed to his consumption of alcohol. This case went to the Wisconsin Supreme Court which decided that anyone who sells or furnishes alcohol to a minor is responsible for the minor’s injuries as well as any injuries caused by the minor. The opinion of the court was that the homeowners should have prevented the consumption of alcohol by minors on their premises. Both the homeowners’ and personal umbrella policies responded to this claim.

Loss #2:
The insured hosted a party at his home. Among the guests was a family friend, who was also the insured’s financial advisor. The friend brought his wife, their 2-year-old child and their baby to the party. The insured gave them a jug of spring water to mix formula for the baby. The 2-year-old child also had a drink of the water. Shortly thereafter, both children became ill. The family left the party and took the children to the hospital. The hospital confiscated the water jug which was found to contain arsenic. An old label was found wrapped around the handle with the words “weed killer” printed on it. The insured had mistakenly given the jug, which was similar to the ones containing spring water, to the family. The baby died and the 2 year old survived after being in critical condition several days. The personal umbrella liability limit was paid.

Loss #3:
The insured’s 18-year-old son was driving his parents’ car to the store with his 19-year-old girlfriend. He left the roadway and hit a tree. The son told the police that another car cut him off, but there were no witnesses, and the girlfriend had no recollection of the accident. She was hospitalized for over a month with multiple fractures and internal injuries and received extensive physical therapy. The personal umbrella insurer settled with the girlfriend for the policy limit.

Loss #4:
An 18-year-old college student was struck by a fraternity paddle during initiation. He sustained facial fractures and blindness in his left eye. The fellow fraternity members and their families were sued. The court awarded $1,300,000.

Loss #5:
A 28-year-old engineer dove into a friend’s above-ground swimming pool, struck his head on the bottom and, as a result, became a quadriplegic. He sued both the homeowner and the pool manufacturer. The court found the homeowner to be 60 percent responsible and the pool manufacturer to be 40 percent responsible, and awarded $10,000,000.

Loss #6:
A babysitter left a 5-month-old infant unattended in a walker. The infant toppled the walker, struck her head on the floor and suffered brain damage. The parents of the infant sued the teenage babysitter and her parents. The court awarded the parents $11,000,000.
The above losses show the consequences of situations that can quickly exhaust the liability limits of the underlying policies.

For less than the cost of a cup of coffee a day, most folks can purchase a personal umbrella policy with a limit of $1,000,000, possibly $2,000,000 or even $5,000,000.
Jerry Milton, CIC, contributed this resource. The legal profession recognizes him as an expert on insurance coverages. He is also an education consultant for IA&B, working with CISR, CIC and on-demand CE programs.

The data risk management experts cited in the Post’s report recommend that small-business owners consider cyber liability coverage in addition to beefed-up security. These owners must determine whether they’re doing enough to protect sensitive information and whether their standard liability policies would cover first- or third-party losses and damages should a data breach occur.

Read the Washing Post Article Below…

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/on-small-business/post/cybersecurity-insurance-what-small-businesses-need-to-know/2011/12/28/gIQAYlL5MP_blog.html

INSUREtrust is a nationwide wholesaler of specialty coverage for emerging risks. We distribute these products through professional independent agents. INSUREtrust is known for having created the first coverage for internet risks in 1997, we are an established authority on emerging risks. Additionally, INSUREtrust provides a wide range of coverages for miscellaneous professional liability, including technology errors and omissions.

What is Cyber Insurance?

Cyber. It’s a word often signifying anything having to do with information zipping across the Internet. In the world of insurance and risk management, it has to do with a broad range of scenarios in which stored information might be damaged or lost. In fact, from an insurance perspective, this information might even live in paper files rather than on a computer.

Electronic or digital data, as well as ideas and confidential corporate information are property. It’s property that may not catch on fire but can certainly be stolen or damaged. The loss of your data property or its inappropriate publication might even limit or eliminate the ability of your business to function.

If data in your care, custody, and control is lost, stolen, or damaged – even if you outsource storage of data to a hosting or cloud computing service – will a lawsuit be filed against you? Do you have a responsibility to notify owners of data in your care about the loss of their property?
Say you’ve got traditional property insurance with business interruption coverage and you have third party liability insurance. You’re already covered, right? In fact, traditional insurance covers tangible property while intellectual property, especially digital bits and bytes, is anything but tangible. For this kind of risk, you will need cyber insurance.

Who’s at risk?

Anyone who collects personal or other sensitive data is at risk. This includes a broad range of service industries from healthcare to stockbrokers, from law firms to retailers and e-tailers, from insurance agencies to educational institutions.

Not sure if you’re in one of those groups? If you’re still wondering if data you store is sensitive, consider whether you handle any of these at risk information types (whether employee or third party information):

• Social Security numbers
• Addresses and/or phone numbers of clients or stakeholders
• Email addresses
• Credit card information and information for billing in arrears
• Financial records including investments, pension and retirement accounts
• Bank information for payroll direct deposit
• Credit information or reports
• User names and/or passwords
• Health records and health insurance information of students or program participants
• Information governed by non-disclosure agreements

Any good cyber insurance policy begins with third party and first party coverage for the loss of or damage to that digital data you store. This is called Network Security and Privacy coverage. Don’t think you need that insurance because you don’t have the exposure? The following scenarios are also covered by cyber insurance:

A company employee takes work home with information stored on a laptop computer. The laptop is stolen from the backseat of the employee’s car while the driver is in a restaurant. Cyber insurance covers the theft of data stored on a laptop and the cost of restoring that data. Continue Reading…

In observance of this joyous season, we will be closing early today at 1:00pm, Thursday December 15th for our office luncheon.  On Monday, December 26th we will be closed for the Christmas holiday and on Monday, January 2nd we will be closed for the New Year holiday.

Have a very safe and happy holiday season!!

From Your Friends at Rossmann-Hurt-Hoffman!

Insurance is available for all trades, including roofers, electricians, mechanical contractors, HVAC professionals, plumbers and other contractors. When you enter someone else’s premises or property, you can be held liable for any damage that occurs. This can be accidental damage, damage due to faulty equipment or damage due to negligence.

Carrying contractors insurance is a good way to obtain work. Many individuals and businesses will refuse to hire a contractor who does not carry their own insurance. Use your insurance coverage as a selling point when seeking new business. Accidents happen even under the best of circumstances. To work without adequate insurance is just asking for troublesome lawsuits. The cost is very reasonable and would be tax deductible as a business expense.

Visit www.rhhinsurance.com today to receive details regarding contractors insurance that you need. Their insurance professionals can explain what coverage you should have and why you need it. They will look at your particular area of expertise and have the experience to pinpoint the coverage you should have immediately. A checklist of coverages needed for your type of contracting work will be created to ensure that you do have all the coverage you should have in order to conduct business successfully.

Contractors insurance is very helpful and frequently required as a prudent measure to protect the business you are contracting out to. Most business professionals required that subcontractors and contractors carry their own business liabilty insurance. This type of insurance assures protection to clients also, against non-performance and other problems that commonly occur when using contractors.

This system test is the first of its kind. It is designed to broadcast a nationwide message to the American public. Nothing like it has been conducted in the history of the country. There have been tests in the past but none to all parts of the Nation at the same time. The test will run concurrently on all radio and TV bands and the message will run for three minutes. Most messages in the past were anywhere from 30 seconds to 1 minute.

There is great concern in local police and emergency management circles about undue public anxiety over this test. The test message on TV might not indicate that it is just a test. Fear is that the lack of an explanation message might create panic.  Please share this information with your family and friends so they are aware of the test.

Below are two websites, that will provide more information…
http://www.fema.gov/emergency/ipaws/eas_info.shtm
https://nationaldialogue-emergencyalertsystem.ideascale.com/

The Komen Race for the Cure® raises significant funds and awareness for the fight against breast cancer, celebrates breast cancer survivorship, and honors those who have lost their battle with the disease.  Find out how you can help. http://www.komenmd.org/site/c.ddJIKPNnFkG/b.2530875/k.BEBF/Home.htm

Preparing Your Home
• Bring in or secure anything that can be picked up by the wind (bicycles, lawn furniture).
• Close your windows and doors. If needed or advised to do so, windows and doors can be boarded up with plywood.
• Turn the refrigerator and freezer to the coldest setting and keep them closed as much as possible so that food will last longer if the power goes out.
• Turn off all propane tanks
• Fill your car’s gas tank.

General Safety Information
• Drive only if necessary
• Keep far away from loose or dangling power lines and report them immediately to the power company.
• Stay out of any building that has water around it.
• Use flashlights in the dark, avoid using candles.
• Before preparing food or drinking tap water make sure it is not contaminated.
• Watch animals closely and keep them under your direct control.
• Use the telephone only for emergency calls.
 
Preparing your business
Consider taking the following precautions to help protect people and property and guard against disruption of operations:
 
• Review your business continuity plan and communicate emergency evacuation and business interruption instructions to employees. If you don’t have a written plan, now is the time to create one. Each business should have an emergency plan including a detailed procedure for evacuation, a checklist for shutting down processes and protecting buildings, contents, equipment, and yard storage. Procedures should include salvage instructions to follow post-event.
• Back up critical data and computer records off-site so that operations can continue after a disaster. Consider keeping a backup generator and plenty of batteries on hand so your business can continue to operate after a power loss.
• As a hurricane approaches, quick actions should to be taken to install temporary protection features including:  
 
-  Shutter or board up windows to protect them from flying debris

-  Clean out floor drains and catch basins to ensure maximum drainage
 
-  Anchor structures, trailers and yard storage so they are more likely to stay
    put during high winds
 
-  Fill emergency generator and fire pump fuel tanks
 
-  Shut down production processes safely
 
-  Shut off all flammable and combustible liquid and gas lines at their source
 
-  Shut off electrical power at the main building disconnect before the 
    hurricane strikes.
 
• Once the storm has subsided and it is safe to return, a salvage team should be assembled and repair work prioritized, assuring proper supplies are available and safety procedures followed.

These and other tips on how to stay safe during hurricanes and other natural disasters are available on the FEMA website. There is no harm in being overly cautious.  Please be safe!

Additionally, RHH offers life insurance to provide for your surviving loved ones upon your passing. This is crucial to cover any estate costs, pay for burial and for any other bills your family may incur. Health insurance is also another product to help cover health care costs. It’s very important to have in the event of unforeseen medical emergencies that could potentially be extremely expensive. By having health insurance you would then alleviate much costs and future debt. RHH even has a wedding protection plan.

RHH is upfront and honest and is sure to provide you with the necessary details to ensure you choose the right coverage plans. Their website provides informative feedback with a Frequently asked Q & A section. An added feature is their online insurance quote form. You can input your information in and receive a quote instantly without leaving home but if you want to speak with someone you can always call them using their toll-free number 1 (866) 847-0449. RHH insurance agents will be happy to explain all policy information to make sure there is no content that’s unclear to you. Go ahead and get your price quote today. http://www.rhhinsurance.com/personal-insurance.html