It is once again that magical time of year where it seems to never quit snowing. As you drive around town, you may also notice large icicles hanging off homes and businesses. While they can certainly be interesting to look at, they could potentially be the start of a more serious winter issue, ice damming.  But what exactly is ice damming? What causes it? How do we get rid of it and keep it away? I’m here to answer all of those questions! Ice damming is when you get a buildup of ice on the edge, or eave, of a … Continue reading

When I tell my friends and family that I work in the commercial side of insurance, and issue many surety bonds, I get a lot of blank stares.  The fact is, if you’re not familiar with construction and the world of bonding, it’s likely you’re not aware that surety bonding even exists!  Below I’ve a compiled a few quick tips and facts to help with familiarity and awareness of surety bonding. In its purest form, a surety bond is a financial guarantee that a contract will be upheld and completed for an owner by the contractor or principal. In construction … Continue reading

Working in the insurance industry, I’ve come to find that during discussions with family and friends I’m often having to paint a “prettier” image of the job of an agent and the industry itself. Here, you will find a few of these misconceptions and the reality of insurance as I’ve come to know it first-hand. Working with an agent is more expensive It actually saves time and money when you go to an agent for your insurance needs. Think of it as your one- stop shop. When you go to an agent at VAST, they are able to seek out … Continue reading

  Occupational hazards are a serious aspect employers must consider.  Many safety applications exist to protect workers from harm, including death.  It may surprise you to learn that for Michigan workers, the most frequent cause of death for 2017 was due to falls.  The Occupational Safety and Health Administration, or OSHA, reported falls as the most common cause of work-related deaths for 2016 nationwide, which was 38.7% of all deaths reported. This may bring to mind the image of a construction worker or roofer falling from a high structure. In reality, falls from less than 6 feet can also cause … 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

Motor carrier companies have many tools at their disposal in screening driver applicants. Motor carriers mostly run MVRs (Motor Vehicle Record) checks on potential applicants as part of their hiring process. However, there is another report that motor carriers run on applicants that is not as well-known as the MVRs. It is called the Pre-Employment Screen Program Report, or PSP. The PSP, according to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, is a federally maintained program that allows motor carriers, drivers, and other industry service providers to access commercial drivers’ safety records. You may be thinking wouldn’t a drivers MVR show … Continue reading

What does the term “coinsurance” mean when referring to commercial property insurance?  This word is often misunderstood and confusing to policyholders.  It is a term that is completely different when it comes to health insurance, and it is important to know the meaning and how it works when you insure your building for your business. Coinsurance is commonly found in commercial property policies, but it is also found in many other insurance policies such as dwelling forms, homeowners, federal flood, directors and officers liability, inland marine, and of course health insurance.  Even the use of the word “coinsurance” can have … Continue reading

As part number two of our blogs about commercial driver’s license we will now discuss the specific requirements for obtaining a CDL in the State of Michigan. In the State of Michigan when applying for a commercial driver’s license, an applicant must provide the following information, according to www.michigan.gov : Social Security Number Legal proof of residence in the United States If applying for a hazardous material endorsement (A Class C CDL) you must complete a Federal Security Threat Assessment and a U.S. Citizenship or Lawful Permanent Resident Form A complete application from your potential employer, which should include a … Continue reading

Navigating the many rules and regulations of the trucking industry can be tricky. Not only do motor trucking companies have strict rules and regulations to follow, but those wanting to work as operators (i.e. drivers) have requirements set specifically for them! The biggest requirement for potential truck drivers is the possession and maintenance of a commercial driver’s license, or CDL. A commercial driver’s license is a special license that must be obtained by an applicant in order to operate certain types of vehicles. The commercial driver’s license requirements can be broken down into three classes, according to the Federal Motor … Continue reading

We all can agree that the circumstances surrounding the filing of a workers’ compensation or “work comp” claim can certainly be daunting and potentially costly. It’s easy to fall prey to the notion of “I’ll take care of this tomorrow” or “I probably don’t need to report this”. How much of a difference can early and proactive claims reporting really make? As it turns out, it could save your business thousands of dollars, or prevent the need to even provide a payout at all. From a cost standpoint, consider the unknowns surrounding the evolution of a workers’ compensation claim. Delayed … Continue reading