Think of the last time you paid a visit to your doctor. What type of care or treatment did you receive? Did you know the cost? Chances are, you didn’t. You probably knew the amount of your deductible, coinsurance, or copayment, but who cares about the total bill, right? After all, your health insurance covered the rest. But therein lies the problem. Not only do we lack that information, but also the motivation to seek that information with the current third-party payer system.

Today we’re sharing insight from guest blogger Greg Downes, Chairman Emeritus at Gibson. Tim Leman is taking the summer off from writing his weekly blog to spend time on an exciting project focused on culture and leadership. We hope you enjoy Greg’s wisdom and perspective.

My good friend and business partner, Dave Gibson, told me years ago after I had become one of the owners in Gibson that we should always “run the business like we’re going to sell it”. Quite frankly, that statement really startled me. The main reason I had come to Gibson was that Dave was fiercely independent. He made it clear during my recruitment that his intention was to always keep Gibson that way. Which is exactly what he did. What did he really mean? If we do what should be done, we won't have to sell it.

You experience a power surge at your home and everything plugged in gets fried – including your big screen TV and electronics. Are you covered with your standard homeowners policy?

What about if someone spills a glass of wine all over your brand new area rug, or perhaps you spill bleach on your couch on the way to the laundry room? Does your policy cover you for those losses?

Someone has a little too much to drink at your summer party and accidently knocks over your entertainment center, breaking your TV and stereo system? Will you be covered?

Have you ever texted while driving? Or perhaps ate your breakfast on the way to work? Maybe you attempted to reroute your navigation system while at the wheel? Unfortunately these have become habits and most of us are guilty of distracted driving at some point. We know the risks of distracted driving, but why aren’t we changing our actions?

Think that only novice drivers are at risk of distracted driving accidents? It is time to dispel that notion. Distracted driving is not just a concern for teenage drivers. Yes, statistics from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) show that 25% of teen drivers acknowledge that they text once or more each time they drive. But, they are not the only distracted drivers; drivers of all ages are involved in distracted driving situations. NHTSA surveys show that at any given daylight moment, there are 660,000 drivers using cell phones or electronic devices while driving.

Today we’re sharing insight from guest blogger Ryan Colvin, Principal at Gibson. We hope you enjoy Ryan’s wisdom and perspective.

A recent Gallup study shows only 30% of Americans are engaged at work. What remains is 70% of workers whose engagement level leaves something to be desired. But what does this mean to businesses? According to Gallup, approximately 20% of employees are “actively disengaged,” they are unhappy at work and even act to undermine the organization. This group of actively disengagedemployees costs the US about $450-550 billion annually. A strategic and purposeful employee engagement strategy can help cut these costs and result in a significant impact to their bottom line.

For most of us, an active shooter incident is over as soon as the next news cycle begins. We hear the basics, as well as a bit about the shooter and his—almost never her—motivations. But other than with the most severe situations, we quickly move on with our lives.

For communities and schools that experience an active shooter event, moving on isn’t so easy. The incident itself may be over quickly—the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut lasted just five minutes—but its effects are long lasting. And they are both personal and widespread.

As you get ready for barbeques, pool parties, and fireworks to celebrate our nation’s independence, take some time to remember the importance of fireworks safety.  

Injuries from fireworks occur throughout the year, but there is a significant increase around the Fourth of July. In fact, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) reports that 60% of all fireworks injuries occur during the 30 days around Independence Day. Over half of these injuries are burns to the face, head, and hands.

Fireworks also pose a risk to your property. According to the National Fire Protection Association, fireworks caused approximately 17,800 reported fires in 2011. Of these fires, 1,200 were structure fires, 400 vehicle fires, and 16,300 outside/other fires. An estimated $32 million in direct property damage resulted.

How can you celebrate safely this Fourth of July?

Whether you are building a new structure or renovating an existing one, there are significant risks of loss during the process. In 2011, commercial property losses due to wind and thunderstorms exceeded $30 billion. Meanwhile, fires caused $13.3 billion in direct property damage that year. These are just a few of the risks that construction projects face each day.

Technical knowledge, professionalism, responsiveness, industry knowledge, and transparency are some of the characteristics risk managers are looking for in a broker. In recent years, transparency has been put under a microscope.

The 2 most common ways insurance brokers are compensated are: