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:

Workplace health and occupational safety programs, when combined, offer more benefits to employee health and quarterly profits than either can when implemented separately, according to recent research by the Harvard School of Public Health.

Most workers appreciate the need for workplace safety because they cannot afford the personal pain and financial loss when injured at work. Owners, executives, and HR decision makers cross their fingers, appreciating the economic impact that workplace injuries have on their business. A good risk management plan can reduce workplace injuries and protect both employees and employers, but it will only be effective if you know how to obtain management commitment to workplace safety.

What is a safety culture and how can it help your business? Safety culture is the sum total of all the efforts undertaken by organization members with the goal of improving the workplace every day. To create a true culture of safety, the principles of occupational health and environmental safety should be enshrined in all risk management efforts.

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.

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.

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 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?