The last several months consumers have been feeling the pain at the pump, at the grocery store and in insurance costs. The consumer price index indicates a 6% increase in the index for all items from February 2022 to February 2023. There are many things that affect the price of insurance, but four factors we are going to focus on here are building materials, labor shortages, severe weather events and supply chain issues.   Building materials: Building material prices have increased 33% since the start of the pandemic. It wasn’t long ago that the average cost to rebuild was approximately … Continue reading

Insurance for caregivers is a topic that is often overlooked, or it is often assumed there is coverage on the homeowner’s policy, but usually that is not the case. First, let’s cover who is considered a caregiver. A caregiver could be a nanny that watches your children, someone who looks after an elderly parent in their home most or all of the time, or even a housekeeper. Caregivers can be paid by W2 or 1099, but they do not work for a separate business that has its own insurance. They are considered an employee, which is essentially what excludes them … Continue reading

Craft beverages have become a growing trend, not only here in our town, but across the U.S.  According to the Brewers Association, overall beer sales were down 1% in 2017.  However, craft brewer sales continue to grow at a rate of 5% by volume. Craft production has grown the most in microbreweries. Due to the large growth in craft beverages, many insurance companies have specially designed programs for breweries. Here are five insurance coverages breweries should look for in an insurance policy: Product contamination – provides coverage if beverage product becomes contaminated while on your premises or comes into contact … Continue reading

This is an issue that tends to cause a lot of confusion and frustration for many people. If a neighbor’s tree falls on your property, whether it be your home or business, who should have to pay?  Naturally, most people feel that it isn’t their fault, or their tree, so why should their insurance have to pay for the damage?  In most cases it isn’t really anyone’s fault.  The most common reasons trees fall are from storms, which is an act of Mother Nature. There are cases where your neighbor could be liable if their tree damages your property. For … Continue reading

Technology continues to advance in so many ways and this also includes technology for fire safety. Some of the new fire alarms have some really cool features. There are “smart alarms” that will send a notification to your phone if the alarm goes off and can tell you if it is a smoke alarm or carbon monoxide, and also the location of the fire. For example, the alarm will tell you “there is smoke in the kitchen” and when one speaks they all speak, so if you are in a different room you will know there’s smoke in the kitchen. … Continue reading

Fall is my favorite time of year. The leaves are changing colors, and the air is crisp. We are also preparing for Halloween, which is even more fun when you have two little boys whose excitement is contagious. With all the fun there is to be had, it is also important to be safe. Here a few tips to consider whether you are a homeowner or a business owner who participates in trick-or-treating. Be sure sidewalks are clear and there are no obstacles in the way that trick-or-treaters might trip on. Consider using lights or battery operated candles instead of … Continue reading

Building a return to work program can take some time, but the benefits are well worth it. It will be a team effort coordinating employees, medical providers, supervisors, human resources, insurance claims adjusters, and anyone else you feel is important to the process. Here are some tips on how to get started. Establish a key person who will be responsible for managing the relationship with the people stated above. They will be the liaison for all work-related and non-work related injuries and illnesses. Develop a written return to work program and make sure it is a living breathing document that … Continue reading

When an employee gets injured on the job we want to be sure they get the care they need to get better quickly. As an employer, one of the things you can do to help employees recover faster is implement a return to work program. Some of the advantages of a return to work program for the employer are: Retain skilled and valuable employees Keeps employees connected and working Help improve employee morale There are also important benefits for the injured employee: They continue to earn their regular paycheck and maintain benefits Productive use of their skills helps maintain self-esteem … Continue reading

I recently attended a class on workers’ compensation and learned some interesting facts I thought I would share. Did you know workers’ compensation, or workers comp, is one of the earliest forms of insurance and dates back to the 18th century? It was started by pirates. Pirates were considered allies of some governments and as you can imagine they were often injured while “working” attacking ships, and a system was started to compensate the pirates if they were injured. Today workers’ compensation operates in a similar fashion.  If you are injured while working, workers’ comp will pay for medical expenses … Continue reading

Our website has some pretty cool features on it. One of them that most people are not aware of is the ability to issue your own bonds. If it is after hours, or you are a do-it-yourselfer, you can go to our website and issue your own Notary, ERISA or One Day Liquor Bond. The process is easy and you have your bond instantly. Visit our website www.vastsolution.com and go the bottom on the page. You will see “Get A Bond,” click on that, and it will give you bond options. If you are nervous about making a mistake , … Continue reading