A Texas Business Insurance Update

We understand every business is unique. You serve people first and foremost. Just because you are a small business does not mean you are exempt from litigation. Every business large or small need general liability insurance to protect your organization from unforeseen events.

General liability insurance should be the foundation of your commercial insurance program. general liability insurance provides the following coverage:
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• Bodily Injury- Bodily Injury to a third party.
• Property Damage- Damage to a third parties’ property (equipment building etc.).
• Personal Injury- Injury to the mind or emotions, as opposed to an injury to property.
• Advertising Liability- Damages arising out of advertising, libel, slander and invasion of privacy.
• Products & Completed Operations- Liability arising out of the Nonprofits products or business operations and services conducted, excluding Professional services.
• Premises-Covers liability arising out of injury to third parties while on your premises.
• Medical Payments- A general liability coverage that reimburses others, without regard to the insured's liability for bodily injury while on your premises.

General liability insurance is designed to cover defense costs as well as judgments. It is an important part of your insurance program that we recommend for your organization.

Strive Insurance Group, Inc. is a full-service independent insurance agency that has been serving the insurance needs of the Dallas area since 1984 (formerly Gordon Lund Insurance). Don't worry, nothing has changed, but our name. In addition to having a presence in the Dallas and North Texas area, we have also expanded to Austin and Central Texas with agent representation and the same professional service.

A Texas Business Insurance Update
Insurance coverage is available for almost every conceivable risk your business might face. Cost and amount of coverage of policies vary among insurers. We can advise you on the exact types of insurance you should consider purchasing. The right insurance policies will go a long way toward helping you safeguard your earning power and your future. If you are a business owner there are a few insurance products you may not have considered.
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Business Income or Loss of Rents
Depending on what you do with your building may depend on the specific kind of insurance you need. If you own a building and have tenants you will want to consider loss of rents coverage. Typical the coverage includes reimbursement for loss of rent or rental value in case of fire or other serious incident covered by insurance. Business Income coverage increases a business’ ability to survive a substantial loss. If your business suffers a fire, that stops all operations for three months, the business will want to continue to pay salaries, utilities, rent and other fixed costs necessary for operations. In order for the business to become whole, the business is entitled to reimbursement for net income and operating expenses paid during the recovery period.

Data Breach or Cyber Liability
If your business stores sensitive or non-public information about employees or clients on your computers, servers or in paper files you are responsible for protecting that information.  If a breach occurs either electronically or from a paper file a data breach policy will provide protection against the loss.

Umbrella
Standard business liability coverage will take care of you in most situations, but when serious situations arise, commercial umbrella insurance will help ensure that your business is protected. Here are two examples:

• You have a serious fire and are involved in multiple lawsuits that exhaust your primary limits.
• Your delivery truck is involved in an accident with multiple deaths or injuries.

Strive Insurance Group, Inc. is a full-service independent insurance agency that has been serving the insurance needs of the Dallas area since 1984. In addition to having a presence in the Dallas and North Texas area, we have also expanded to Austin and Central Texas with agent representation and the same professional service.

Business Strategies From Strive Insurance
Like many organizations, your business may rent or lease equipment from time to time. You may be planning a special event and need a tent to accommodate 250 people as part of a business activity. Or, perhaps you are renting a sound system for a concert, or leasing office equipment such as your copier.  These kinds of events create added risk to the organization.

It is essential to have an understanding of who is responsible for the rented equipment and that your knowledge is consistent with the written agreement. Not all rental arrangements are the same. Some rental contracts will include property damage insurance as part of the rental fee. Other rental contracts may require the business to be responsible for all damage. And finally, some rental contracts may expect you to pay a deductible if there is damage. This can be very confusing especially if you are leasing or renting a high-value item.

There are many important things to remember when considering a rental agreement:

• Leasing companies come in many varieties, including banks, brokers, equipment specialists, independents, and companies of all sizes. Each has different levels of flexibility and requirements.
• Understand what the agreement says regarding repairs, maintenance, and upgrades. This applies more to long-term leases rather than short-term leases.
• It may be in your best interest to insure the equipment separately. It may be more cost effective depending on how the agreement is written.

We offer a number of insurance options if you are involved in renting or leasing equipment. Coverage is available for a wide variety of property while, n your care, custody, and control:

•    Property located on or off-premises
•    Property in transit
•    Equipment held on display in showrooms or at other exhibitions
•    Generally all risk of direct physical loss including earthquake

With our agency, you have the option to customize your coverage, limits, and deductibles. You may even select different deductibles for different coverages.  The bottom line is when you are deciding to lease equipment, be certain you are aware of all costs involved in the transaction. Then, balance the costs against the benefits to make the appropriate choice for you and your organization.

As an Independent Insurance Agency we represent many insurance companies to fit your businesses dynamic needs.  Whether you're a new business or a small business, we can help. Being an Independent Agent means we are not only your agent, but we are your insurance broker as well.  We understand every business and industry is unique, so we will work with you to find the best business insurance coverage at the lowest rate. Contact us today for a free quote.

A Business Insurance Update
Businesses Have many different risks to manage including; cyber risk, employment issues, fire and even insider fraud.  Fraud experts have found that the average fraud loss averages $50,000, (The Association of Certified Fraud Examiners).   Your commercial insurance program should include employee dishonesty or fidelity, including losses due to employee dishonesty, credit card forgery, computer fraud and theft, and disappearance and destruction of property. Fidelity policies will cover a business for losses caused by an employee’s dishonest or fraudulent acts. These can provide businesses with the best possibility of recovery.

There Are Ways To Help Reduce Your Risk In This Area

1. Complete background checks on all new employees
2. Create internal policies and procedures that require checks and balances
3. Have a third person approve all purchases or checks over a certain amount
4. Have an outside accounting firm review your records annually
5. Require all employees to take their scheduled vacations
6. Have separation of services between check writing, approval and deposits

Employee fraud is a greater risk than most businesses think. Have us complete a free review of your business insurance program to make sure you have the best possible combination of coverage price and service.
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As an Independent Insurance Agency we represent many insurance companies to fit your businesses dynamic needs.  Whether you're a new business or a small business, we can help. Being an Independent Agent means we are not only your agent, but we are your insurance broker as well.  We understand every business and industry is unique, so we will work with you to find the best business insurance coverage at the lowest rate. Contact us today for a free quote.

A Business Insurance Update
If you think about it, your business faces risks every day.  When you open your doors, you have the risk of having sick or injured employees, customer complainants, and vendors who fail to deliver on their promises.  The world has changed in the past few years and it is important for business owners to make sure their business insurance keeps up.

Recently a large insurer released their annual business risk index. This index identified the top concerns of over 1,000 business owners.  Nearly half of survey respondents believe that the business world is growing riskier, yet just 24 percent said that risk management was a strategic priority for them.

According to the survey, the top seven worries of today's business owners across all industries are:

• Medical cost inflation
• Increasing employee benefits costs
• Legal liability
• Broad economic uncertainties
• Tech and data/cyber risks
• Complying with laws
• Attracting and retaining talent

Source: Business News Daily
Let our agency help you understand how to manage and treat the risks.  We offer a wide range of highly rated insurers that can offer the necessary products to help you manage you risks.
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Strive Insurance Group, Inc. is a full-service independent insurance agency that has been serving the insurance needs of the Dallas area since 1984. In addition to having a presence in the Dallas and North Texas area, we have also 

A Commercial Insurance Update

Let us face the truth; most business owners do not have a fondness for insurance— until they need it.  Business owners have many priorities, and business insurance sometimes takes a backseat to other concerns.  One reason for business owner’s lack of enthusiasm may be how many agents sell insurance.  Most people see insurance as a commodity, meaning the lowest price gets the business.  Business owners dislike going through a review or bid process, mostly because it can be confusing to try to understand the coverage.

We can offer a different approach.  Rather than just focusing on coverage and price, we try to focus on understanding what your business needs and risks are.  Only after we determine what a client’s needs are, do we talk about what kind of insurance might be best for their individual needs.

We also educate our clients about how to lower their insurance costs. These recommendations may include:

• Review deductibles
• Compare the need for different limits
• Consider eliminating coverage’s that are unnecessary
• Compare your actual risks to your coverage, do they match?
• Are there non-insurance options?

Unbelievably many small businesses do not have the right commercial insurance.  Having the right business insurance does not have to cost you any more money.  The key is having an agent who understands your risks and is willing to help you design a business insurance plan that meets your needs.

Strive Insurance Group, Inc. is a full-service independent insurance agency that has been serving the insurance needs of the Dallas area since 1984. In addition to having a presence in the Dallas and North Texas area, we have also expanded to Austin and Central Texas with agent representation and the same professional service.

Business Insurance and Risk Management Trends
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Every business faces risks of various kinds. If you have employees you have the risk of employee injury. You most likely buy workers’ compensation to protect yourself from this risk. No owner or manager wants to believe that their business is exposed to great risks; however, many situations may expose your company to lawsuits, liability and substantial expenses. An unfortunate number of these situations go unnoticed by many business owners until it is too late.

Comprehensive risk management is important to the overall success of your business. Unaddressed risks may result in uninsured losses that could potentially cost your business thousands of dollars.

A good risk management plan starts with reviewing your potential risks then developing a plan to treat or manage these risks. Commercial insurance is a good tool that can address many of your business risks. However, many business owners often don’t consider the following risks.

Some Important Business Risks to Consider

The risk of being sued by employees - There are many state and federal laws that protect worker’s rights. These include harassment, discrimination, retaliation, and civil rights. We can provide you with a quote for employment practices liability insurance that will address many of your employment risks.

The risk of lost income - If you have a loss or damage to your building you may not be able to resume operations for a period of time. Your business is at risk for lost revenues. Business income insurance can offer protection.

Cyber liability risk -  If your business accepts electronic payments, handles sensitive customer information or stores key information on the internet, you are at risk. Cyber liability insurance protects against these risks, and is an important coverage option to explore for many businesses.

We Offer a Fresh Perspective to Your Business Risks
As part of our service we can review and examine your business operations and help you identify the important business risks. Then we will design a risk and insurance program tailored to meet your needs. The goal of risk management is to protect your business from being vulnerable. Many business risk management and insurance programs focus on keeping the company viable and reducing financial risks.

As an Independent Insurance Agency we represent many insurance companies to fit your businesses dynamic needs.  Whether you're a new business or a small business, we can help. Being an Independent Agent means we are not only your agent, but we are your insurance broker as well.  We understand every business and industry is unique, so we will work with you to find the best business insurance coverage at the lowest rate. Contact us today for a free quote.
 

​A Business Insurance Update
We live in a changing world, and your business insurance needs to be changing as well. In order to keep your commercial insurance up to date you need to have the ability to change and update your insurance program on a regular basis.  The insurance industry has developed a number of innovative coverage that your business may just need.

• Business Interruption Insurance covers the loss of income that a business suffers after a covered loss (fire, windstorm, etc.), while its facility is shut down or in the process of being rebuilt.
• Tenant's Insurance is needed if a commercial lease requires a tenants to carry a certain amount of insurance. A renter's commercial policy covers damages to improvements you make to your rental space and damages to the building caused by the negligence of your employees.
• Directors and Officers Insurance is needed even if you are a privately held business.  Directors and officer’s liability Insurance protects your business, owners, executives, and managers if individuals, competitors, third parties, or government regulators make claim for damages.
• Cyber Liability is a risk that every business has. According to the Insurance Information Institute, businesses have a greater chance of having a cyber breach than they do of having a fire.  Most businesses should consider cyber liability insurance, which is designed to cover the costs of investigations, notification, and credit monitoring for affected individuals, regulatory compliance, defending lawsuits, and payment of any resulting judgments or settlements.
• Faulty Workmanship is a new and unique endorsement that provides a specific limit to protect against claims arising out of faulty workmanship, materials or products. These claims would otherwise be excluded by the “business risk” exclusions found in every standard ISO Commercial General Liability policy.
• Equipment Breakdown coverage offers extra protection for electrical, mechanical, or digital equipment used by your business, including heating, cooling, and refrigeration systems; computers and communication equipment; and more. It can pay for the cost to repair or replace the damaged equipment in the case that there is physical damage, as well as cover the cost of service interruption.
• Debris Removal Insurance covers the cost of removing debris after a fire, flood, windstorm, etc. For example, a fire burns your building to the ground. Before you can start rebuilding, the remains of the old building have to be removed. Your property insurance will cover the costs of rebuilding, but not of removing the debris.

Strive Insurance Group, Inc. is a full-service independent insurance agency that has been serving the insurance needs of the Dallas area since 1984 (formerly Gordon Lund Insurance). Don't worry, nothing has changed, but our name. In addition to having a presence in the Dallas and North Texas area, we have also expanded to Austin and Central Texas with agent representation and the same professional service.

We represent, and have established a strategic alliance, with only the highest quality insurance carriers. In doing so, we can provide you with the service and protection to meet your dynamic needs. As your needs change, we can review and collaborate to decide which insurance company or companies are best suited to your situation.

A Professional Liability Update
Architects and engineers have unique exposures.  If they don’t perform to a set of standards they are at risk of being sued and have the possibility of loss of reputation. This is where Architects and Engineers (A&E) errors and omission insurance can help.
A&E Insurance covers liability for alleged or actual damages that result from the performance of professional services.  All design professionals including residential and commercial architects, design/build architects, engineers, landscape designers, and specialty construction consultants, should consider professional liability insurance.

Here are a few actual claims
An architect firm was hired to design an HVAC system in a school.  The design was discovered to have a flaw that caused exhaust to be brought back into the building.  The resulting damages and legal fees totaled over $1,500,000.
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An A&E firm designed a 55-unit apartment complex. Three months after completion there was water damage to 25 units totaling $90,000.  It was determined the A&E firm’s window frame design was incorrect and the firm was held responsible for all damages. The A&E firm incurred over $110,000 of expenses in replacing windows and related damage.

There are things A&E firms can do to minimize risks including:

• Communicate all change orders in writing.
• Use AIA forms whenever possible.
• Meet with your client regularly.
• Recognize the warning signs of a lawsuit; no communication, work stops, or the clients are making accusations.
• Educate your team.
• If you see an unsafe condition at the work site, report it.

As an Independent Insurance Agency we represent many insurance companies to fit your businesses dynamic needs.  Whether you're a new business or a small business, we can help. Being an Independent Agent means we are not only your agent, but we are your insurance broker as well.  We understand every business and industry is unique, so we will work with you to find the best business insurance coverage at the lowest rate. Contact us today for a free quote.

A Texas Commercial Insurance Update
Unbelievably many small businesses do not have the right commercial insurance.  Having the right business insurance does not have to cost you any more money.  The key is having an agent who understands your risks and is willing to help you design a business insurance plan that meets your needs.

Here are some of the kinds of insurance your small business may need.

General Liability: Covers third party liability claims.  Namely claims against you from a customer or visitor on your premises, or who may have been injured by your business activity or product.
Cyber Liability Insurance: If your business operates online, you will need cyber liability insurance.  From cyber-attacks to data breaches, this insurance safeguards your business’s finances and reputation in the event of cybercrime.
Employment Practices Liability:  Covers wrongful acts arising from the employment process.  The most frequent types of claims covered under such policies include wrongful termination, discrimination, sexual harassment, and retaliation.
Business Property Insurance: Insures your building and contents both on and off premises.
Employee Dishonesty Coverage: Protects your company from financial loss resulting from employee theft of money, securities, or property. 
Workers Compensation: Provides compensation for your employees for medical care in the event they are injured on the job, including medical benefits, income benefits, death benefits, and rehabilitation benefits.
Business Auto: Provides insurance coverage for your company’s cars, trucks, trailers, vans, or other vehicles.
Professional Liability: Covers you for the failure to perform professional services. If you design something or perform work which does not meet standards or expectations, you could be sued for the cost of the contract, damages, or lost business revenues by your customer.
Business Interruption Insurance: Provides protection from loss of income and extra expense if your business suffered a loss and you were unable to operate for a period of time.
Equipment Breakdown Insurance: Provides coverage for the accidental breakdown of equipment.
Call our team today for a free review of your business insurance program.  Our goal is to provide the best combination of coverage, price and service.
As an Independent Insurance Agency we represent many insurance companies to fit your businesses dynamic needs.  Whether you're a new business or a small business, we can help. Being an Independent Agent means we are not only your agent, but we are your insurance broker as well.  We understand every business and industry is unique, so we will work with you to find the best business insurance coverage at the lowest rate. Contact us today for a free quote.