Today’s businesses are paying greater attention to their employees’ wellness. Some are even taking a more holistic approach in which “wellness” is being supplanted by “well-being.” Whether your business is providing employees with fitness programs, diets, and screenings or adding meditation and massages into the mix, your employees reap tangible benefits…and so do you.

A healthy employee is more productive, has less absenteeism, does higher quality work, and gets injured less often. Production and quality help a company to be profitable and competitive. Fewer injuries lower workers compensation rates.

Sounds great, right? Why doesn’t every employer do this for their employees?

Connecting Wellness Programs to Workers Comp Insurance

While all of these wellness initiatives play an important role in improving employee satisfaction--along with the company’s bottom line--it is worth noting that if an employee is injured during an activity that was encouraged by the employer, it may be compensable. That's where having the right level of workers compensation insurance can make a real difference.

An Injury at a Fitness Center

Recently, an employee of a New York business suffered a spinal cord injury while participating in an exercise class at a fitness center. His employer had made the center available for all employees during working hours. The employer had also offered to pay some of the employees’ cost of the center. A Workers’ Compensation Law Judge determined that the claimant’s injury arose out of and in the course of his employment, and ruled that the employee was entitled to compensation for his injury.

The New York Appellate Division agreed. The court reasoned that the employer encouraged the claimant to have a gym membership, and offered reimbursement to its employees for half of their center’s membership fees. The court also noted that the claimant’s position required him to develop contacts with clients, and the claimant stated that he advanced that objective by taking classes at the fitness center. Since the employer sponsored the fitness center activity in this manner, the claimant’s injuries were ruled to be compensable.

A Lunch-time Basketball Game

In Pennsylvania, a Commonwealth Court found that an employee, injured while playing basketball on his lunch hour, was entitled to workers’ comp insurance benefits. The Court found that the employer had encouraged employees to engage in physical activities to improve their health, relieve stress, and to give them a better mental attitude at work. The employer encouraged such activities with postings on a bulletin board and by allowing its employees to use company facilities, including their gymnasium. Based on these facts, the Court found that the claimant was furthering the business interests of his employer when he was injured.

The Implied Requirement and the Need for Workers Comp Insurance

The South Carolina Supreme Court recently ruled that a man who organized a voluntary kickball game for fellow employees and shattered his leg during the game must be covered under workers’ compensation. In its decision, the court cited the testimony of the man’s supervisor, who said that while attendance at the game was not mandatory, he would have been “surprised and shocked” if the employee had not attended after organizing the event.

The case turned on the court’s view that the man was “impliedly required” to attend the event because of his role in organizing it. The decision doesn’t necessarily apply to other employees who are injured at an event where employees are encouraged--but not required--to attend. It does suggest, however, that employers should be aware that encouraging attendance may be regarded as an implied requirement.

Getting the Right Level of Workers Compensation Insurance Protection

For most employers, the benefits of promoting workforce wellness far outweigh the potential liability. But if your company is considering a wellness initiative, or continuing an existing one, it would be wise to seek the advice of an attorney in order to develop initiatives that promote the goals of the program while minimizing the risk of legal exposure.

Also, click here to contact us or give us a call at (800) 947-1270 or (610) 775-3848 to ensure that you have the right level of worker's compensation insurance to properly protect both your business and your employees.

Question: How much life insurance do you need?

Answer: It all depends…

This answer implies that there is work ahead. There is no standard lump-sum figure or, at the very least, a formula that can be used to arrive at the right amount of life insurance for you. In the past, traditional schools of thought have suggested that seven to ten times a person’s annual salary should be sufficient coverage.

But, does this one-size-fits-allapproach apply to your situation? Maybe, maybe not.

What Factors Go Into Determining How Much Life Insurance You Need?

First off, be aware that the amount of insurance that you need today may change dramatically in the future. For instance, the single, carefree young man--whose need for life insurance today is minimal--might become a married homeowner with a couple of kids in a few years. The responsibilities that have been added into his life will considerably increase the amount of insurance that he should carry. Here are some of the factors that must be taken into consideration in deciding how much insurance coverage is right for you:

• Money for final expenses (funeral, burial plot, etc.)
• Replace lost income
• Pay off a mortgage
• Pay off other debt (auto loan, credit cards)
• Provide an education fund for your children

And remember, just because you are a stay-at-home parent without income doesn’t mean you can forego life insurance. Childcare is expensive and hiring someone to take over your household responsibilities could put a sizable strain on your family’s budget.

Replacing Income: Vital to a Family’s Financial Survival

If you have long-term financial goals, now is the time to think about how those plans would be affected by the loss of your paycheck. If your children are young, your life insurance might be needed to support them for quite a few years in your absence. In the case of a special-needs child, it will probably be for a lifetime.

In addition to your income, your family will likely be losing your employer-provided health insurance, which would amount to thousands of dollars in premiums each year to replace it. Consider that your family will have to trade in an aging vehicle at some point or that a teenage driver might need a car for school, a part-time job, or commuting to college. If these and other long-term goals are part of your planning today, it is important to provide for them in your life insurance estimates.

Coming Up With an Insurance Protection Estimate

Once you have determined how much lost income you will need to replace, you can add that amount to any mortgage, debts, final expenses and education funds you want to cover. This is your life insurance number. From that figure you can subtract:

• Personal life insurance policies that you already own
• Life insurance you have through work
• Liquid assets your family can use

One important consideration about life insurance at work is that it is only a benefit as long as you are working at that company. If you change jobs, you might end up with less coverage or none at all. For that reason, it might make sense to exclude this coverage from your calculations.

Underestimating your future financial needs will leave you underinsured. And if you believe that you can buy more insurance in the future, understand that will only work if you are as healthy then as you are now. Unexpected illnesses could make your future life insurance premiums prohibitively expensive—if you can get coverage at all.

We Can Help With Your Life Insurance Needs

Coming up with an accurate life insurance amount can seem like a daunting task, but you don’t have to tackle it by yourself. Click here to contact us or call us at (800) 947-1270 or (610) 775-3848; we can guide you through the process, and help you to arrive at a life insurance number that’s right for you.

Having the right type of restaurant insurance coverage is key to protecting your business in the event of a food recall. That's because food recalls have become a major concern for restaurant owners and others in the food businesses in recent years.

The number of recalls has nearly doubled since 2002, costing many of these affected businesses more than $10 million for each incident, with some going as high as $100 million. Most of that money is spent on product disposal costs, business interruptions, and customer reimbursements. And those figures do not include the reputational damage that lowers profits for food producers.

A 2013 report by the U.S. Department of Agriculture indicated that nearly nine million people were sickened by contaminated food that year, costing the U.S. public health system a stunning $15 billion in hospitalization costs and lost wages.

Food recalls are triggered for several reasons, nearly half of which are for microbiological contamination. Another 25% come from incorrect or missing labelling. Defective packaging, physical and chemical contamination, and unapproved ingredients round out the list. 

Food Product Recalls and Restaurants

As a restaurant owner, it’s imperative that you keep on top of all food recall information – from both the FDA and the USDA. You can do that by regularly checking www.foodsafety.gov. You can also get recall information sent right to your email inbox or by uploading an app.

If you discover that there is a recall on a product that you serve, check to see if the items you have in stock are part of that recall. Then, find out the reason for the recall. As we mentioned, food can be recalled for everything from microbiological contamination to inaccurate ingredient labeling. If you do have recalled product, identify and separate those products. Finally, contact the manufacturer to determine whether to return or throw away the recalled product and to ask for a refund.

Contaminated foods can have a devastating effect on a food manufacturer or restaurant’s reputation. Also, consumers who have been poisoned by contaminated food can file claims for financial compensation. All of this points to restaurant insurance as a means of mitigating the financial impact of a recall. There are several possible solutions:

Product Liability Insurance provides compensation of justified third-party claims and defense costs for injury caused by a contaminated food product.

Product Recall Insurance reimburses expenses for the recall of any food product that was accidentally contaminated or labelled incorrectly and resulted in sickness, disease or death. It covers the company’s expenses related to the recall such as notification, testing, disposal, product replacement, and reimbursement of the purchase price.

Contaminated Product Insurance pays expenses that are associated with accidental contamination, malicious contamination, or product extortion demands. Specific losses that are covered include recall expenses, pre-incident consulting, post-incident crisis management, third-party expenses, loss of gross profit, and rehabilitation expenses.

Get the Right Restaurant Insurance for Your Peace of Mind 

Each of these types of insurance addresses a specific need. Click here to contact us or give us a call at (800) 947-1270 or (610) 775-3848 to find the right insurance solution for your company based on your risk exposure and the level of protection that you need.

It's every homeowner's worst fear. Imagine… You pull into your driveway after a lovely evening with your spouse and as you approach your front door – key in hand - you see broken glass and notice that the door isn’t shut completely. For a few seconds, you’re confused. Then, you realize that someone has obviously forced their way into your house. Your heart starts pounding and your mind begins racing. Your home has been burglarized. What do you do now?

You are now a statistic—one of the 3.7 million home burglaries that happen each year. Regardless of how much homeowner's insurance you have you will be angry, anxious, or maybe even panic-stricken. But there are actions you must take to minimize the effects of the burglary…and the order in which you do them is critical.

1. Call the police and file a report

In the above scenario, it is best to retreat into your car and dial 911. You can’t be certain that the burglars aren’t still in your house, and you don’t want to be the one to confront them. If you’re already in the house and certain that the burglars are gone, call the police, but don’t touch or disturb anything, as it might be key evidence. When the police arrive, walk through your house and make a list of the items that were taken, and take pictures of any damage that was done during the burglary. Make one copy of the list for your homeowners insurance company and give the other to the police.

Within 24 hours you will need to file a report with the police. This puts the incident on record, which is the first step in filing an insurance claim. The report is also needed in the investigation, and this may lead to apprehending the offenders and recovering your property.

2. Contact your homeowners insurance company and file a claim

File an insurance claim with your carrier as quickly as possible, while the details are fresh in your mind. The list of stolen and damaged property that you supply should include a value for each item and receipts, if possible. There may be an insurance adjuster assigned to your case, and any documentation--in addition to the police report--will help him or her work through the details. While FBI statistics show that only about 13% of break-ins are solved by law enforcement, filing a well-documented claim should enable you to recoup a fair amount of your loss.

3. Clean up

Once the burglary has been properly documented, you can clean up. Your emotional healing will begin with the physical act of putting things in order. Remove any appliances or furniture that can no longer be used, clean up anything that has been broken, and repair and paint over any damage to the walls. You might want to consider changing the previous look of a ransacked room by rearranging furniture or painting the walls a different color. All of this can be emotionally challenging, but these are important steps for moving on after a break-in.

4. Plan for the future

Restoring order to your home, while difficult in itself, is easier than restoring your sense of security. Being burglarized causes emotional trauma, and being proactive about your future can help you recover. Here are some of the steps you can take:

• Buy or upgrade door and window locks
• Install motion-sensitive lights outside your doors
• Put your lights on timers, both inside and outside
• Consider a home security system with alarm monitoring—the system should include door and window alarms along with motion detectors

Having the Right Homeowner's Insurance Helps Your Peace of Mind

To ensure that your valuables are properly protected in the event of a home burglary, click here to contact us, or give us a call at (800) 947-1270 or (610) 775-3848 to review your homeowner’s insurance policy.

Commercial auto insurance and personal auto insurance are two completely different things – mainly because a commercial vehicle faces more risks and needs more protection than a personal vehicle.

Commercial auto insurance is designed to protect you, your employees, your vehicle, your equipment, your business (in the event of a lawsuit), and other individuals. It has some of the same coverages as personal insurance, but usually includes higher liability coverage and additional add-ons not offered with personal auto insurance.

If you are conducting business in a vehicle that is only covered by personal auto insurance and that vehicle is involved in an accident, you risk having your claim denied.

State and Federal Insurance Requirements for Your Personal or Commercial Vehicle

Each state has different requirements, but nearly all of them require that any registered vehicle be covered by – at least – liability insurance, and some states require that you purchase uninsured motorist coverage and no-fault car insurance. Pennsylvania is one of those states, and these requirements – and often more - apply to your commercial vehicle.

If you transport hazardous materials or you transport goods or passengers from state to state, you are also subject to federal requirements for commercial auto insurance. For instance: a commercial vehicle carrying 16 or more passengers across state lines is required to have $5 million of insurance and a vehicle carrying less than 15 passengers across state lines is required to carry at least $1.5 million of insurance.

Often, you will find that insurance companies will only sell you policies that include coverage that is higher than the state’s minimum requirements for personal vehicles, because providing coverage for a commercial vehicle increases the risk. Plus, financial intuitions may require additional coverage.

Do you need commercial auto insurance?

If you own or lease a fleet of vehicles, you probably understand that you need commercial auto insurance, but even if you own just one of the following vehicles and use it for business purposes, you should have commercial vehicle insurance:

• Trucks – dump trucks, refrigerator trucks, etc.
• Vehicles outfitted with work equipment
• Utility vans
• Limousines
• Taxicabs
• Flatbeds

You might be surprised to learn that you should also have commercial insurance for a “regular” car, pick-up truck, or SUV if any of these circumstances apply:

• You use a vehicle or vehicles for your profession or business (other than commuting to work)
• The vehicle is owned or leased by a business, partnership, or other corporation

• The vehicle is equipped with…
• Snowplowing equipment.
• Cooking or catering equipment.
• Bathrooms.
• Altered suspensions.
• Hydraulic lifts.
• Racing equipment.
• The vehicle is consistently driven by you or your employees for both business and personal use.

Add-on insurance to consider for your commercial vehicle:

• Collision: This covers your vehicle for damage incurred in a collision/accident.
  
  
• Comprehensive Insurance: This covers you if your vehicle is damaged by something other than a collision, such as theft, fire, or vandalism.
  
  

• PIP and medical payments coverages: Personal injury protection (PIP) and medical payments coverages help take care of expenses, such as the loss of wages, incurred when you and/or your passengers are injured in an accident.
  
  
• Emergency roadside insurance: If you’re battery dies, you get a flat tire, need your car towed, run out of gas, or lock yourself out of the car, this insurance can come in handy.
  
  
• Personal effects insurance:  This insurance covers your personal belongings in the event of a theft.

Contact Us for the Right Commercial Vehicle Insurance 

If you want to protect your employees, your vehicle, your equipment, your business, and other individuals, give us a call at (800) 947-1270 or (610) 775-3848 or click here to contact us.

As independent insurance agents, we can help determine the right auto insurance at the right price for your vehicle by shopping among competing insurance carriers. Click or call today.

When you start a business, you’re full of hope and dreams. The last thing you want to think about is what would happen to your business if you, a co-owner, or a key person within the business were to become disabled or – God forbid – die.

But, as a business owner it is your responsibility to think about these things and plan how you will protect your business, your employees, and your family in the event of one of these tragedies. In order to do that, you need to ask yourself these two questions and then get the proper business insurance to meet your needs:

Here are 4 Types of Business Insurance to Consider:

Disability Buy-Out Insurance

Business Overhead Insurance

If an owner were to become disabled, this insurance would reimburse the business for overhead expenses – such as salaries, taxes, employee benefits, rent, mortgage, utilities, etc. – for one or two years. This often means the difference between a business surviving or closing until the owner can get back on his or her feet.

Individual Life Insurance

What if you or one of the owners were to die? What would happen to your business? You might assume that your family or remaining owners could sell or liquidate the business to ensure their financial security. Unfortunately, this doesn’t usually work. First, who wants to think about selling a business while grieving for the loss of a loved one? Second, when the family is forced to sell the business quickly, they may have to sell at a discount or during market conditions that make the business less attractive. In other cases, the business may be worth very little without the proprietor or partner. Individual life insurance can protect your family by providing funds to cover debts, ongoing living expenses and future plans, in the event that something happens to you. Life insurance can also be structured to fund a buy-sell agreement.

Key Person Insurance

This is another essential component of a smart business continuation plan. Key person insurance is life or disability insurance purchased by the business on an employee/owner that is essential to the running of the business. It is payable to the business. When a key person dies or becomes disabled, insurance can help make up for lost sales or earnings or cover the cost of finding or training a replacement.

Need Help Finding the Right Business Insurance?

Don’t take chances. It’s your responsibility for protecting your family, employees, and your business. Make sure that you plan for the unexpected with the right business insurance and individual life insurance.

Contact us at (800) 947-1270 or (610) 775-3848; we can help you determine the right insurance to protect your assets. As independent insurance agents, we'll shop among competing insurance providers to find you the right insurance at the best price. Call or click today.

Businesses today face challenges in managing a workers compensation insurance program, and these challenges can seem daunting immediately after a job-related injury.

Supervisors must make decisions for which they are not trained. Complicated medical questionnaires and claims forms must be filled out, leading to late and inconsistent reporting. These delays can create an opportunity for injuries to be embellished and, therefore, to become more costly.

Once an injured employee enters the medical system, the cost of a claim will escalate. A pre-claim nurse triage program addresses these issues and can provide help for rising workers’ comp costs.

What is Workers Compensation Pre-Claim Nurse Triage?

Telephone triage consists of specially trained nurses who are available 24/7 to receive calls following a worksite accident. This is a pre-claim activity in which the injured employee and a supervisor speak with a nurse who, in turn, assesses the injury and determines medically appropriate treatment. All recommendations come from an evidence-based medical protocol that ensures objectivity and uniformity. If the injury is minor, the nurse will provide first aid instructions that are specific to the injury. More serious injuries are referred to an off-site care facility. All information is recorded at the time of the accident, and the nurse collects all of the necessary data for reporting.

Workers Comp Benefits to the Employer

• The nurse triage system is easy to use.
• Company supervisors are no longer responsible for making decisions on injuries.
• The process is handled in a timely manner, leaving less chance for an employee to exaggerate the injury.
• Workers with minor injuries avoid unnecessary and costly treatment.
• Employees return to work sooner.
• Detailed reports of the incident are completed by the nurse and sent to the company.
• Typically, the money saved from claims reduction is substantially greater than the cost of the triage service.

Workers Comp Benefits to the Employee

• Immediate access to a medical professional who is trained to assess injuries.
• Medical attention is given sooner, resulting in better health outcomes.
• Early medical attention alleviates fears and concerns.
• Medical information acquired by the triage nurse prepares the employee’s primary care physician to determine a course of treatment, if needed.
• The employee is given self-care advice and instructions.

Your Workers Compensation Insurance Program Can Gain a Competitive Advantage

Today, business owners must be proactive and address the risks they face in injury management. In the past, costly trips to the hospital emergency room or unnecessary visits to urgent care and clinics may have adversely affected your bottom line. Pre-claim nurse triage can eliminate many of these trips and make your workers’ compensation program more efficient.

Typically with the use of a nurse triage, half of all sprains, strains, contusions, and lacerations, which collectively comprise about 70% of total injuries, are never entered into the medical system. Instead, a triage nurse is able to direct appropriate first aid treatment, resulting in significant savings.

This valuable program is not only for Fortune 500 companies. Any company, regardless of size, can take advantage of 24/7 nurse triage. Businesses report an average return on investment of 6:1 after one year in the program. Overall, workers comp claims are reduced by 44%. Less time off from work means greater productivity from employees. Add to this the decreased probability of fraud and lawsuits from disgruntled workers, and you have savings that find their way to your bottom line and give you a competitive advantage.

We Can Help Create a Better Workers Comp Insurance Plan

Workplace injuries occur in the safest companies.

Call American Insuring Group at (800) 947-1270 or (610) 775-3848 or click here to contact us for help in creating a better workers compensation plan. 

Most drivers are aware that the rates they pay for auto insurance are a result of factors such as their driving record, the type of car, van, truck or RV they own, the distance of their commute, and various demographics like their age and gender.

But there are also lots of myths about vehicle insurance that, in some cases, could end up costing them substantially more than the premium.

Let's shine the light of truth and dispel all 8 myths right now!

Auto Insurance Myth #1:
A Red Car is the Most Expensive to Insure

Although this myth has persisted for many years, there is no basis for it. The sticker price of your car, its safety record, the cost to repair it, and the likelihood of theft are all considered in the premium. The color makes no difference. Simply put, the premium on a silver Mercedes 260E will be higher than on a red Honda Civic.

Auto Insurance Myth #2:
Older Drivers Pay More to Insure their Vehicles

The truth is that senior drivers (usually 55 and over) have the opportunity for discounts that may not be available to younger drivers. Both AAA and AARP offer defensive driving courses for mature drivers. These may be taken online and, upon successful completion, could result in as much as a 10% reduction in your vehicle insurance premium.

Auto Insurance Myth #3:
When it Comes to Car Insurance, Credit Score is not Important

Actually, it is very important. Almost every insurance company uses a credit-based insurance score to determine eligibility and premium rates, and it is based, in whole or in part, on the information found in your consumer credit report. For most people, a good credit score will translate into lower insurance rates and vice versa.

Auto Insurance Myth #4:
If Your Car is Stolen, Damaged, or Vandalized, You Will be Covered

Not necessarily. Comprehensive vehicle insurance, which covers theft, vandalism, and an array of non-collision damages to your car, is optional coverage. Many drivers choose not to carry this on an older car as a way of saving money. Keep in mind that if a car is to be fully protected, both collision and comprehensive coverage need to be in force.

Auto Insurance Myth #5:
The Minimum Amount of Auto Liability Insurance Required by Law is Sufficient

State minimum liability requirements don’t come close to covering the cost of a serious accident. The old idiom “penny wise and pound foolish” applies here. Saving a few dollars a year on inadequate coverage may end up costing thousands more. Actual liability coverage limits should be four to six times higher than the state minimum.

Auto Insurance Myth #6:
If Someone Else Drives Your Car, Their Insurance Will Cover Them in an Accident

In most states, car insurance travels with the vehicle. So remember, if you’re loaning out your car, you’re agreeing to take responsibility for that driver. Your rates may be at risk if the driver has an accident.

Auto Insurance Myth #7:
Members of the Military Pay More for Insurance

This is not the case. In fact, many insurance companies offer savings to active members and veterans of the armed forces and their families. This makes sense since, statistically, members of all branches of the armed services are responsible, law abiding and safe – all traits that make them a lower risk.

Auto Insurance Myth #8:
Personal Insurance Covers Both Personal and Commercial Use of Your Vehicle

Proceed with caution here. If you are self-employed and use your vehicle under a personal policy, you risk having a claim denied. The rules that determine what constitutes commercial vehicle insurance vs. personal insurance use are complex. Make sure you are covered under the proper policy for your situation.

Get the Facts - Get the Best Car Insurance to Meet Your Needs and Budget

Now that we've dispelled some common myths of auto insurance, give us a call to learn more at (800) 947-1270 or (610) 775-3848, or click here to contact us. We'll help you obtain reasonable premiums without sacrificing vital coverage.

We're independent agents who offer car insurance policies from competing insurance companies. That means we can find you the best insurance at the best price. We've been serving the vehicle insurance needs of Reading, Philadelphia, Allentown, Harrisburg, Lancaster, Pittsburgh, Erie, PA and beyond for over 25 years. Call today.