According to the National Safety Council, the use of a cell phone while driving causes an estimated 1.6 million accidents each year. In 2018 alone, 4,637 people died in a car accident due to cell phone use. 14% of fatal crashes involved cell phones. Distracted driving is an epidemic.

Starting July 1, 2020, there will be a new Indiana State Law for distracted driving. This bill will extend the 2011 ban of texting while driving to banning all physical use of a cell phone unless using hands-free technology. We encourage you to take a little extra time to consider the dangers of distracted driving and get to know the laws for distracted driving in your state.

Don’t let the new year get off to a bad start! Keep safety in mind to ensure you, your family, and your friends have an accident-free New Year’s Eve celebration!

Have you made any New Year’s resolutions? Perhaps to spend more time getting in shape? Eat healthier? Your health and wellbeing are very important, but we’d also encourage you to consider some personal risk management resolutions this year!

Here are 4 suggestions to help you improve your risk management strategy this year:

The holiday season is upon us once more! 'Tis the season for family and giving, festive decorations, social gatherings and office parties, tasty sweets, family meals, shopping, and more.

With so many jolly activities to participate in, it's important to make sure you, your loved ones, and your organization are safe and healthy this holiday season. Consider the following resources to get you ready for the holidays!

We at Gibson would like to extend to you and yours our best wishes for a Happy Thanksgiving this year! We are thankful for you - our friends, family, clients, and colleagues. Give thanks, and enjoy the family, food, and frivolity!

We all have our favorite Thanksgiving traditions. It could be eating turkey and pumpkin pie, spending quality time with family, watching the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, cheering on your favorite football team, preparing for Black Friday shopping, or perhaps you’re someone who loves to start the day by running in a local turkey trot race. This week is a time to gather with friends and family, and to give thanks for our blessings.

Liz Misenar, Principal at Gibson, discusses personal liability protection. Accidents happen and unfortunately so do lawsuits. The amount of the settlement has nothing to do with your financial resources and you are legally obligated to pay whether you have the funds or not. To hear what Liz has to say, check out the video below:

Life insurance is one of those necessary evils that many of us don’t like to think about. While you hope you never need it, the chances are at some point you will. Life insurance is a wonderful way to help protect your family’s financial future whether you have a spouse, kids, parents that depend on you for financial support, or just debt. Life insurance provides a tax-free benefit to fulfill your needs, and those of your family, should you pass away andcan help your family pay for, and pay off, expenses such as:

• Funeral cost
• Uncovered medical expenses
• Mortgage
• Loans and credit card debt
• College funding
• Retirement funding
• Ongoing living expenses for your dependents

Summer is coming to an end. For some, that means it’s time to prepare the summer house for winter, put items into storage, and say goodbye until next Spring. The checklist below will help you remember what you need to do to ensure that your home is safe and secure until next year.

Prepared, Not Scared.

That is the theme for this year’s National Preparedness Month. Annually, FEMA and other government organizations dedicate the month of September to educating individuals, families, businesses, and communities on the importance of taking action to prepare for emergency situations.The weekly themes include:

• Week 1 (Sept 1-7) - Save Early for Disaster Costs
• Week 2 (Sept 8-14) - Make a Plan to Prepare for Disasters
• Week 3 (Sept 15-21) - Teach Youth to Prepare for Disasters
• Week 4 (Sept 22-30) - Get Involved in Your Community's Preparedness

Though we hope you’ll consider disaster preparedness an important aspect of your risk management strategy all year long, this is a great time to check on your planning – both personally and in your organization. We’ve gathered a collection of resources to help you develop, implement, and test your emergency plans.