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: 

As baby boomers reach retirement age, many are choosing to work longer, thus changing the demographic makeup of your workforce. There are proven benefits – they are some of your most loyal and experienced employees, which makes it important for risk and safety professionals to look for targeted strategies to safeguard the safety of their aging workforce.

Studies show that one in four workers will be older than age 55 by 2030. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the numbers of workers age 55 and over will increase from 19 million in 2020 to 32 million by 2015. Workers have several motivators for working longer including improved medical treatment, financial needs (short-term and for retirement), the opportunity to use their talents and skills, to keep mentally and physically healthy, and the enjoyment of work. Regardless of the motivating factor, it is clear that the aging workforce trend is going to be bringing changes to the workforce in the years to come.

Maintaining a safe workplace is key to business success. Having a safe work environment will not only keep the probability and severity of occupational injuries at bay, but also give your workers the peace of mind to focus on their tasks without fear of physical threats. As WorkMT, a non-profit organization, explains, "A serious workplace injury or death changes lives forever – for families, friends, communities, and coworkers too." Occupational injuries, illnesses, and deaths in your business evoke fears and uncertainty; the mentality of "it could have been me" or "would I be next" will play against your workers' psychology, making them feel insecure and anxious.

Having workers who are constantly worried about getting injured will detrimentally affect your business productivity and reputation. Creating a safe workplace then becomes a goal for all business owners. When it comes to operating a forklift that can handle tons of loads in any given transaction, your chance of having a major injury automatically increases. Because of that, it is important for you to observe the following five safety steps and learn to create a worker-friendly environment:

It seems like every week the news is reporting another active shooter incident; these incidents have truly become an epidemic. In the past few years we’ve seen schools, universities; movie theaters, military bases, and businesses face threats, scares and shootings. There are two ways to approach these active shooting situations: 1) Prevention and 2) Damage Control.

As a law enforcement officer, I spent a lot of time focused on damage control. However, as a Risk Advisor I would say that although we absolutely have to be able to respond if an active shooting were to occur, we would be much better served if we were able to recognize and prevent the shooting before it happens.

Publicly-traded, privately-held and not-for-profit organizations must continuously be on the look-out for ways to minimize or eliminate risk. Consequently, they purchase commercial insurance policies to pass on all types of risks associated with running day-to-day business operations. While the typical commercial general liability insurance policy offers important coverage for businesses, it does not provide sufficient protection for corporate executives from the personal liability they face from their capacity as business leaders.

All you need for a workplace strain or sprain to occur are stairs or a floor. While there has been an encouraging decline in workplace injuries overall, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reports a slight increase in musculoskeletal injuries classified as sprains, strains, and tears. And, that includes an increase in injuries to the lumbar region, which are typically long-term and expensive to care for.

The property and casualty marketplace evolved favorably in 2013. According to the Insurance Services Office (ISO), despite persistently low interest rates undermining insurer investment returns over the past few years, the industry experienced an increase in underwriting profits in 2013, as follows:

Whether in the workplace or at home, leading by example is a powerful motivating force. As a parent, you teach your children by example. As a supervisor at work, you can have a great, positive influence by not only your actions but also your expectations.

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.