Mega retailer Target revealed last month the unauthorized access of its customers' credit card data to hackers. Approximately 40 million credit and debit card accounts may have been adversely impacted by this breach. This is not the first time hackers have illegally accessed credit card information, and it won't be the last.

No, it’s not the latest Hollywood movie about guys and their need for speed. For those of you who know me well, sarcasm is one of my most endearing traits! So as a follow up to Tim Leman’s New Year Safety blog, I thought it would be fun to share my top driving annoyances. While no one reading this is guilty of any of these driving violations, I’m sure we all can think of someone who is. Not surprising, many of these habits cause the majority of claims each year.

According to recent research from Protivit Inc. and North Carolina State University, loss of business income relating to specific issues (such as economic slowdown, increasing competition, legislative changes and volatile financial markets) has grown 14 percent in only 2 years, while risk management and crisis readiness have fallen 7 percent. These figures indicate that many organizations have been unable to anticipate and respond effectively to evolving business threats. By simply identifying and assessing these risks, you can protect your organization and take advantage of favorable circumstances which will help boost your bottom line. Here are the top seven risks businesses should fear most in 2014.

Workers compensation fraud can be a major expense and therefore a significant risk to any employer. However, it is easier to prevent that you think. With a few easy steps, you can help prevent fraud from happening within your company.

Earlier this year the Memphis-Shelby County Airport Authority was forced to postpone the planned demolition of the Regency Hotel, located on airport grounds. In September, the authority announced that it would rebid the demolition project due to an increasingly common issue faced by contractors and local authorities – bad surety bonds.

The lowest bidder, Nelson Inc, was awarded the $485,000 contract to demolish the hotel, but the bid went out the window after it was found that the surety bond, bearing the name of Chubb Insurance, was bad.

Business Continuity/Disaster Recovery or BC/DR can be a frustrating topic to nail down, but it is a critical part of any business risk management strategy. Outlining the process is quite frequently harder than actually implementing it, and there are a number of fundamental concepts worth understanding that will easethe process and make you feel comfortable knowing you have a reliable roadmap.

During 2012, 55 percent of small businesses experienced at least one data privacy breach and 53 percent encountered multiple breaches, according to the Ponemon Institute. Despite this, the National Small Business Cybersecurity Study found that only 10 percent of small businesses have an allocated staff member who is responsible for online and cyber security.

A return-to-work program has many benefits, and the pros far outweigh the cons! The proper understanding and communication of the rationale for a return-to-work program will help make the naysayers change their minds. Consider these three benefits:

A bartender is legally liable for serving alcohol to a patron who becomes intoxicated and then injures a third party. Does a business face a similar exposure when it hosts a social event where alcohol is served, such as an open house, holiday party or employee picnic?

With winter fast approaching, and now is the time to properly safeguard your home from the harsh elements of this season. These steps can lessen your chances of a loss due to inclement weather.