You've put in a lot of effort to get your company to where it is now. It might help to keep it successful if you have the correct insurance coverage. Protect your life sciences company with insurance designed specifically for the hazards that your industry confronts.
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We understand the problems that will shape the industry's future, and we can provide comprehensive insurance solutions for businesses of all sizes, backed by professional underwriting, risk engineering, and claims services.

Your Risks Are Real

Supply Chain
When raw material or component suppliers experience disruptions, life sciences organizations might expect production delays and an inability to satisfy demand. The coronavirus epidemic attracted additional attention to weak supply chain links, as well as the associated risks and responsibilities. Businesses should completely evaluate a supplier's raw materials, production procedures, business practices, financial strength, and continuity plans before doing business with them. 

Regulatory Risk
Diverse legal and regulatory regimes in each country where they do business present a challenge to global life sciences enterprises. They undertake clinical trials in various nations to develop new pharmaceuticals and technologies, each with its own insurance laws and regulations for clinical trials and insurance requirements, which typically involve the purchase of insurance from a licensed insurer in that country.

Cyber Risk
With so many health sciences organizations adopting new technologies like mobile applications and internet-connected sensors due to competitiveness, the requirement to transport sensitive data often will skyrocket.

COVID
As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, many life sciences companies are accelerating clinical trials and pharmaceutical production, using new technologies, and shifting their supplier mix; new or enlarged liability concerns are anticipated to emerge.

Our insurance agency's reputation for representing the best insurance companies, providing excellent customer service, and competitive pricing to our clients has been earned and proven for over 25 years. We take great pride in finding you the best coverage and backing it up with prompt personal service. We have been serving the Dallas/Richardson, Texas area for over 25 years and have recently expanded to the Austin, Cedar Park, and Round Rock areas.
 

Whether you're dealing with chemicals or arranging research studies, you're probably exposed to a variety of risks on a regular basis. We understand that biotech and life science companies face particular problems, which is why we've developed insurance coverages to keep your company safe.

You may rely on our products, services, and financial strength throughout the life cycle of your organization, from start-ups with a single promising molecule to clients bringing several therapeutic targets through worldwide clinical trials.

Common Risks
Companies in the life sciences and biotechnology industries use sophisticated equipment and materials, which exposes you to hazards such as:

• Regulations that are quite strict
• Interruptions in the supply chain
• Injuries to patients
• Product or sample loss, recall, or spoilage are all possibilities.

While it's critical to manage these risks, you'll also have to deal with other concerns that small businesses confront, such as property damage and bodily injury. That's why we provide commercial insurance to keep your business protected no matter what happens.

A Business Owner's Policy can help biotech companies and other businesses in the life sciences industry (BOP). This policy combines three types of company insurance into one simple package:

• Property
• Liability
• Product Recall
• Cyber Liability
• Professional Liability
• Crime
• Equipment Breakdown
• Auto
• And More

Give our team a call today, allow us to help you protect your business. ​Strive Insurance Group, Inc. is a full-service independent insurance agency that has been serving insurance customers since 1984 (formerly Gordon Lund Insurance). Don't worry, nothing has changed, but our name. We are licensed in Texas, California and Missouri. 

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.

Do you own or manage a restaurant? Then you know that it is a great deal of work, but it can be very rewarding as well. There are risks that come with restaurants, and insurance is a good method of transfer. Here are a few common restaurant insurance issues you may want to better understand:

Liquor Liability
The single most important insurance coverage your restaurant or bar needs is Liquor Liability. Liquor Liability will defend you against charges, losses, and claims resulting from your negligence arising out of serving or selling alcohol. If your operation were found liable you could lose hundreds of thousands of dollars.

If you serve a customer alcohol and they are involved in an accident, the injured party and the person to whom you served the alcohol can file a claim against your business for damages.
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Liquor Liability Insurance is available, but not always included, under Commercial General Liability policies. In fact, most standard liability policies exclude Liquor Liability. Liquor Liability can be purchased as an endorsement to your Commercial General Liability policy. If you serve or sell alcohol at your restaurant, bar, tavern, we recommend you add this coverage.

Food Poisoning
Food poisoning does occur infrequently, and it is not limited to restaurants that have poor hygiene standards or obtain their foods and ingredients from less-than-reputable sources. Guests can become sick from not only the food itself, but also the preparation and cooking methods

Employment Liability
Whether you are a large or small restaurant you know the employer – employee relationship has changed. In today’s world, employers can no longer assume all employment relationships will go smoothly. Finding a suitable Employment Practices Liability Insurance (EPLI) program has become one of the most important things owners and managers can do.

We have many more insurance products for restaurants and can create and deliver real solutions for you.

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.
 

Contractors insurance policies range significantly in terms of what they offer. Most will have a business owner's policy (BPO) that will provide:

• General liability insurance
• Workers' compensation insurance
• Commercial vehicle insurance
• Other insurance products you need

 
Why Do I Need Liability Insurance?
Good liability risk management can reduce the chances that your business will be sued, but it can never eliminate the risk entirely. You or a member of your organization can make a mistake that injures someone or damages property. Your mistake could harm the reputation or interfere with the privacy of a customer, client, competitor or member of the general public. When such injuries occur, you may be legally liable to pay damages to someone who suffers a loss due to your actions or inaction.
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Everyone in society has a duty to take reasonable care that his or her actions do not injure others. The same rule applies to business entities. Not repairing a pothole in a parking lot, not lighting a dark stairway, failing to train workers how to do their jobs safely and legally or failing to provide directions for the safe use of a product can constitute negligence if a client, customer or member of the general public is injured as a result. The legal meaning of negligence is failure to exercise reasonable care.

The law of the state where the lawsuit is filed sets the rules for the determination of liability and damages. The amount of damages imposed in any particular case is, of course, in part a function of the economic losses the plaintiff can prove he or she has endured due to the defendant’s negligence. In some states plaintiffs may also be awarded damages for.

What Kind Of Liability Policy Should I Get?
For small businesses the most efficient and least expensive way to purchase liability insurance is usually as part of the Business owners Policy (BOP) which combines property and liability insurance in one contract.

Your liability insurer will pay damages that you are legally obligated to pay as a result of “bodily injury,” “property damage” or “personal and advertising injury,” up to the policy limits and subject to your deductible. Punitive damages are generally not covered, although there may be some exceptions.
 
Bodily injury means injury, sickness, disease or death; it may include injuries that are emotional or mental, such as post-traumatic stress syndrome or humiliation.
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Personal and advertising injury includes libel, slander or any defamatory or disparaging material or a publication or utterance in violation of an individual's right of privacy; infringing the privacy or copyright rights of another in your advertisement; wrongful entry or eviction, or other invasion of the right of private occupancy; and false arrest or wrongful detention.

Who Is Insured?
BOP liability coverage insures a sole proprietor, partners or partners named in the policy "Declarations," but only with respect to their duties on behalf of the business. The spouses of sole proprietors or partners are also covered. If your organization has officers and directors, they are insured, as are your stockholders, but, once again, and this applies to all parties, only with respect to their duties or liabilities in connection with the business. Employees and volunteer workers are insured for acts committed within the scope of their employment in your business.

​As football season starts and fall is here, it is an excellent time to think about your insurance and any changes you might need to make. Having the right personal insurance is important in that it protects you and your family in the event of loss, damage or accidents. The number of insurance claims varies according to the season. The fall season offers new forms of hazards and new patterns in personal insurance claims, along with the falling leaves and reducing temperatures.

Here Are A Few Types Of Insurance You Might Think About
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Auto Insurance, we assist you in obtaining coverage according to on your needs, driving habits, geographic area, budget, and other factors. The following are some coverage protection choices to consider during the fall and winter months.

• Roadside assistance
• Towing coverage
• Accident forgiveness
• Snowmobile insurance

Home Insurance, as local independent insurance agency, we are always willing to walk you through the measures necessary to secure your home. Your agent can assist you in reviewing coverage alternatives during the fall and winter months.

• Earthquake or flood insurance
• Loss of use coverage
• Property away for your premises
• Sewer back-up

Fall Safety Tips
As the weather cools and the leaves begin to fall from the trees, it's vital to remember a few important fall safety tips. Your family may enjoy the crisp fall weather while avoiding some of the dangers that come with the season if adequate precautions and safety knowledge are taken.

• Service your furnace and AC units
• Clean your gutters
• Inspect four fireplace
• Clean up trees and shrubs around your home
• Inspect your rook for damage
• Use Caution with Space Heaters

Be sure to speak with an insurance agent or broker about your coverage and additional things you can do to check your home and property for seasonal liabilities.

Technology companies should have an E&O policy. E&O stands for Errors and Omissions. An E&O policy provides a different type of coverage than what a general liability policy provides.

Examples include breach of contract or negligence of your professional services.

E&O policies generally start at 1 million of coverage.

How Much is Enough?

Is 1M, 2M, 5M the appropriate amount of insurance for my company? 
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This is a difficult question.

To many companies I speak with allow their clients contracts requirements determine their company's insurance coverage.

Example:

To do business with a new client, they may require 5M E&O limits from your company.

You comply because you want the contract. You call your agent and request to raise your limits to 5M.

Is this enough insurance? Too Much?
My recommendation is to have a conversation with your agent.

Questions to Help Kick Start Your Conversation

1. What liability limits do peers in my industry buy?
2. What are some common liability claim scenarios in tech space (SAAS, FINTECH, EDTECH etc.)
4. How does the number of clients I serve or the amount of revenue per client affect my limits?
3. What best practices should I put in place to protect my brand and reputation?

This brief list is not meant to be exhaustive.
The intent is to build your confidence and start a conversation.

If you would like to have this conversation with me here is a link to my calendar.

Terry Grier is an agent in Austin Texas serving technology and life science companies.

Personal Insurance
Our goal is always to give our clients the best possible combination of coverage, price, and service. We are not in the business of offering low-cost insurance that does not meet the needs of our clients. 
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There are many ways we help our clients with their personal insurance while keeping our promises. By believing that insurance is about understanding the needs of our clients and then developing personal insurance solutions around your needs, our clients will be better off. 

Here are some ways in which we provide unique insurance solutions for our clients. 
Home Insurance – Do you have true replacement cost coverage. Are you insuring your loss of use if your home were destroyed?

Auto Insurance – We recommend buying more than the state minimum requirements for liability coverage. The small additional premium can help protect your financial future. 

Motorcycle Insurance - 24-Hour Roadside Assistance, your bike breaks down in the middle of a long road trip. Count on roadside help with this coverage

Watercraft Insurance - Protect your watercraft and trailer, including options for agreed value and emergency services.
Here is how we get you the right insurance. 

We place your personal insurance with the right companies.  
We understand that not all insurance companies are alike. Some companies have great motorcycle rates, while others offer competitive rates on homeowner or renter’s insurance. We have many years of experience, which helps us know which insurers keep their promises. If insurers stop keeping their promises, then we stop using them. All our insurance companies have proven records of accomplishment of delivering on their promises. That means they pay their claims promptly and with minimum problems. 

Our staff is licensed and trained.  
We believe that having a team that is licensed and trained is the best way to deliver on our promises. We promise to take the time to understand your needs and be transparent in all our dealings with our customers. We may not be perfect, but we will always work hard to make sure your needs are our number one priority. 

We find the right personal insurance coverage for your needs.  
We can provide personal insurance options that fit your individual needs. That may mean a personal umbrella for added protection, competitive coverage for a vacation home, life insurance, disability insurance, or even mortgage protection coverage. It may also mean we advise you to increase your deductibles on older vehicles. If you have a custom home, we would recommend adding the feature to your homeowner’s insurance that is designed to provide the needed replacement coverage in the event of a loss. 

You may need special personal insurance coverage.  
There are many special or unique kinds of personal insurance coverages that you may require. These can include identity theft, coverage for fine arts, guns, and other collectibles, plus others. If you are traveling to a foreign country, you may need special health insurance or trip cancelation coverage. All these safeguards are part of how we try to keep our promise to you. 
 
We provide only the personal insurance you need.  We can provide the necessary personal insurance coverage and limits; we will not try to sell you something you do not need. If you are a young family, we might recommend term life insurance, but if you are in your later years, term life insurance might not be your best option. If you are a high net-worth individual, we are going to recommend at least a $1,000,000 personal umbrella policy to protect you and your family. These policies can often include coverage for reputation management services and defense services, which are part of the policy. 

We would rather teach than sell.  
Our office is located where you live and work. We love to meet with our clients and educate them on what kind of individualized personal lines insurance is best for them. We do not use call centers; we have licensed professionals ready to serve you. Our team is here to help you along every step of the way, from designing a competitively priced personal insurance program to helping you settle a claim. 

We use our experience and knowledge to help you with all your personal insurance needs by presenting you with the best possible combination of coverage, price, and service. Our promise is to help you understand your personal risks, provide you with competitive options, and be there for you when you have a claim. We will respond to your requests promptly and look out after your interests first. 
 
Give us a call
 

There are more remote workers in American today than at any time in our recent history. Many employers are embracing this trend, but there are new risks to consider. As a result of this distant work environment, a crucial problem arises in new security threats. In our digital age, businesses have had to improve their cybersecurity, yet cybersecurity dangers have increased significantly due to remote labor. Employees who work from home are at a significantly higher risk than those who work in offices.
Ransomware attacks are also a big concern for more than two-thirds (69%) of IT executives, who anticipate that the hybrid workplace will be a target for ransomware. Targeted organizations faced a threat to their business continuity as a result of these attacks.
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Sharing a computer and using it for personal purposes are two different things. It may seem self-evident, but sharing a business computer with family or roommates can be a security concern. This should be avoided at all costs, especially if your work result contains sensitive customer information.
Cyber Tips For Remote Workers

• Keep devices patched and up-to-date.
• Accommodate the increase of remote VPN workers.
• Proved employee training.
• Require passwords to be updated regularly, use PW managers.
• Use cloud software for file management.
• Use only secure Wi-Fi.
• Have good backup systems

Have a good cyber liability insurance plan in place. Cyber liability insurance is a type of insurance that offers a variety of coverage choices to help organizations protect themselves from data breaches and other cyber security risks. It's not a question of whether, but when your company will be hacked. Policyholders with cyber insurance can also use tools and services to manage and minimize cyber risk both before and after a breach.

For remote employees, cybersecurity necessitates ongoing monitoring. Give us a call if you're concerned about your present remote security practices. We'll examine and put safeguards in place that will allow your remote workers to work securely and productively.

Summer is the time when many homeowners start to think about and plan for, various home remodeling projects. If you are thinking about updating your kitchen, putting on that new roof, or even landscape projects, it pays to do some pre-planning. Whatever the project, you need to protect yourself from the financial risks and hazards associated with a home remodel project.

• What’s your project? Are you looking to remodel one room or make minor updates to a small space? The type of project determines whether you’ll need a general contractor or someone more specialized.
• Check-in with your local homebuilders’ association. You’ll be able to search contractors within your area and put together a list of potentials.
• Get referrals. Ask your friends, family, and coworkers who they’ve worked within the past. They may have a great contractor you haven’t heard of — or know of a few you should stay away from.
• Prepare ahead. Compile a list of reputable contractors before you need one. The stress of an emergency repair might impair your judgment.
• Get multiple estimates. If the price is a big concern, checking with only one contractor won’t guarantee you the best price. But the cheapest estimate also doesn’t ensure the best work. If you have the time, try and get a second or third quote.

If you plan on hiring a contractor, you should consider these tips to help make sure your project is completed the way you want. 

• Plan on permit costs from your local government. 
• Ask contractors about their experience with your specific project. 
• Make sure the contractor is licensed. You can usually go to the State Contractors Board for this information. 
• Provide the contractor with guidelines for working in and around your home. 
• Check local directories for recommendations. Yelp can be a good resource. 
• Be specific in your project; this would include type of products used and even brands you desire. 
• It is ok to get more than one bid.
• The lowest price may not be the best quality.
• Always have a written agreement with your contractor. It should include a timeline and competition date.
• Never pay 100% upfront. It is customary to pay one third down, one third as you go and one third upon completion. 
• Go visit other homes on which the contractor has worked. 
• Make sure the contractor has liability and worker’s compensation insurance. Your homeowner’s insurance will not cover the contractor or his work. If the contractor causes damage to your home, you will want their insurance to provide restoration. Ask for a certificate of insurance. 

When you buy insurance, whether it’s for your home, your car or your business, you want an advocate who will properly assess the risks you face and give you an objective analysis of the marketplace, it’s up to you to make the final choice.
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Our team of agents continually pursues additional professional education and certifications. It is our goal to ‘wow' you with the best service every time you call

Cyber Liability Risk
Every business is at risk for a cyber breach. Even the White House has experienced a cyber breach. Cyber breaches are now a fact of life, and every state now has mandatory requirements for data breach notification. Statistics show 41% of all cyber incidents affect businesses with fewer than 100 employees. If you store data, including private information on computers, use   e-mail, generate revenue online, or use your computer to control production, manufacturing, or inventory, your company is at risk!
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Best Practices For Cyber Risk
While cyber liability insurance should be considered by every business, in addition, we also recommend specific procedures and defensive programs to limit or reduce your risk.

• Make sure you comply with all state and federal laws
• Have a written cyber breach policy
• Follow all HIPAA laws
• Hire an IT Director, or make one person responsible for network security
• Focus on using long passwords (longer than 13 characters) and change frequently
• Develop notification procedures
• Do not open emails or open attachments from email addresses you do not recognize
• Train employees on the use of laptops and out of office access
• Invest in the latest anti cyber software
• Verify that all your vendors comply with laws and statutes

 
Cyber Liability Insurance
Most business large and small now purchase 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. The level of coverage your business needs is based on your individual operations and can vary depending on your range of exposure.