If you believe you don’t need Workers Compensation insurance, here’s a reality check:
Myth. I only have a few employees, or mostly part-time employees.
Reality: Workers Comp makes sense no matter how many employees you have. It helps cover medical expenses and lost wages for employees with job-related injuries and protects against lawsuits from injured workers if you’re found negligent. What’s more, some customers and clients may require you to carry it.
Myth: My employees won’t sue me.
Reality: Never say never. Injured workers might well sue to pay medical bills that could run into millions – not to mention pain and suffering or punitive damages. Workers Comp provides legal defenses that can slash your liability.
Myth: Workers Comp is too expensive. If one of my employees is injured, I’ll just pay out-of-pocket.
Reality: Weigh the cost of coverage against potential losses from an injury, especially if the employee sues. The longer a worker is off the job, the more it costs to cover lost wages and productivity. Severe injuries can take weeks or months to heal– or even lead to permanent impairment.
Myth: I provide a safe workplace. My employees won’t get injured.
Reality: Mistakes happen even in the “safest” workplace. Many companies post signs proclaiming the number of days without an injury on the job, but rarely do they read “365 days” Even the most minor mishaps can cause major damages.
Myth: Medical costs in the Workers Comp system are too high.
According to the National Council of Compensation Insurance, the medical cost inflation rate for Comp has been similar to that for Group Health insurance during the past several years. Legislation and regulations have led to the expansion of cost-containment programs.
To make sure you have this essential protection, at an affordable cost, just give us a call.
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Owning a home is a lot of responsibility and with that comes great reward too. Many love the sense of security home ownership offers as well as the financial benefits of maintaining an asset over the long term. However, there are many headaches and challenges that potentially can arise with owning a property – there’s no landlord to call. Many homeowners carry an insurance policy to protect their assets if an unfortunate event occurs – water damage, broken pipe, structural damage, fire, or other unforeseen circumstances. This has become common knowledge, but are personal belongings and valuable collections also covered?
At the basics, a homeowners policy is in place to reimburse owners for damages caused to the property and belongings in that property. For example, if a home has a small electrical fire, in which the smoke caused terrible damage to the walls and furniture. The likelihood is that repainting and cleaning expenses are covered under the policy, in addition to structural repairs. A home guards valued possessions and even prized collections. What protects those collections if water damage destroys an art collection, gun collection, or other valuables? Is a homeowners policy enough to protection? The answer is, no. When a collection grows past a basic threshold, typically $1,000, the items must be listed in a separately purchased rider for the collection.
The situation of improper insurance coverage typically occurs because homeowners set it and forget it. This means that the policy is purchased at the time the home is purchased and year after year the same policy is renewed. Having a policy is better than no policy, the problem is that the home evolves, assets grow and the original policy becomes outdated. This is why it is vital to have an insurance agent periodically review your policy. Having a professional evaluate a homeowners current state of affairs is the best way to prevent unfortunates scenarios of improper coverage.
Content provided by Transformer Marketing.
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When you smoke, your risk of developing lung, throat and mouth cancers as well as heart disease, stroke and diabetes increases. You also may experience shortness of breath and increased life insurance premiums. Up to 480,000 people die each year from the effects of smoking, but you can quit. Try four holistic methods as you seek to improve your health today.
1. Exercise
Sweat out the buildup of nicotine in your body, relieve depression and reduce boredom when you use exercise to stop smoking. Whether you run, swim, walk or try a different sport, the physical activity increases your odds of quitting.
2. Limes
In addition to flavoring entrees and beverages, limes boost your immunity and decrease your body’s acidity. Use them to quit smoking when you cut the quarters of a lime into quarters. Chew on one small piece, skin and all, whenever you feel a cigarette craving.
3. Self-Massage
Professional massages relax your body and your mind, which helps you handle nicotine cravings. However, you don’t have time for a full-body massage every time you want to smoke. Instead, learn self-massage techniques that are easy to perform multiple times a day.
*Use your right thumb and slight pressure to draw a circle in the palm of your left hand. Switch hands frequently.
* Massage each finger gently from bottom to top.
*Rub your ear lobes in circular motions.
4. Meditate
Reduce tension, stress and anxiety caused by nicotine withdrawal when you meditate. Start by lying down on your back and breathing deeply from your abdomen. Envision yourself cigarette-free and healthy as you exhale and inhale. Spend 15 minutes meditating, and your entire body will be calm and relaxed.
Smoking increases your risk of developing a number of deadly illnesses and diseases. It also affects your ability to afford beneficial life insurance coverage that gives your family peace of mind and financial security. Use four holistic methods to quit smoking today, and commit to healthy living.
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The California drought has gotten out of control. That is why a private company stepped up and paid $1 billion for a new desalination plant located in Carlsbad.
The drought has really impacted Southern California within this last year, however, the drought has been drying up some parts of California for years.
What is desalination?
Basically, it’s a sifting process which removes salt and other minerals from salt water that is retrieved from the sea. This process will make the water safe for drinking and irrigation. Desalination is a more expensive process to provide potable water.
Alternatives
There are alternative methods to providing drinking water which are less expensive than desalination. The methods include ground water, which is obtaining drinking water from natural resources including rivers, lakes, and even digging underground for water.
Another method is water recycling. In Orange County, California, water recycling is underway. Since 2008, Orange County has provided residents with billions of gallons of potable water from the recycling facility. By 2015, Orange County will be providing an additional 30 million gallons per day, all thanks to their expansion efforts.
The drought in California has gotten so bad that even wells in Bakersfield, have run dry.
Content provided by Transformer Marketing.
Sources: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Desalination and http://www.slate.com/articles/technology/future_tense/2014/06/desalination_vs_purification_why_californians_will_soon_drink_their_own.html
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Everyone knows that homeowners insurance will cover any structural damage done to your home inside and out. Your roof gets hit by lighting and has damage? Homeowners insurance will cover it. A nasty storm knocked a tree into your kitchen and destroyed it? Homeowners insurance will cover it. But that’s not all homeowners insurance will cover. There are some surprising little known coverages in your homeowners policy. Such as:
- Any mandated upgrades. If an ordinance passed stating that all homes needed to have solar paneling, and you needed to get your roof fixed, homeowners insurance would cover the addition of the solar paneling. Check with your policy, because there generally is limits.
- Food replacement. Yup, that’s right, your homeowners insurance will replace any food that is no longer edible. Most policies will have a $500 limit.
- Are you getting sued for slander? Your homeowners insurance will defend and cover you.
- Did Marmaduke bite the postal worker? Your homeowners insurance will all damages associated with your pooch.
- Did your neighbor hit run over you with her bicycle? Some homeowner’s policies will cover your medical expenses. Homeowners insurance will cover a number of accidents similar to this. Scurich Insurance Services can help you navigate through the specificities of your policy.
- Rough winters. Rough winters can damage your pipes, the weight of snow on your roof can cause damage and other winter damages, can cause you to have to find temporary shelter with additional living expenses. Your homeowners insurance will cover your additional expenses.
To find out everything else that your policy covers, contact Scurich Insurance Services today.
Content provided by Transformer Marketing.
Source: http://www.bankrate.com/finance/insurance/things-your-home-insurance-covers.aspx#slide=1
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Labor Day falls on Monday, September 1st this year. In observance of the holiday, Scurich Insurance Services offices will be closed on Monday. We will reopen on Tuesday, September 2nd.
Not sure how you want to make the most out of your Labor Day weekend? Here are a few suggestions:
- Go on a nice long hike with your family. Some great hikes to go on? Meadow Trail Loop at Mount Madonna, Mt. Madonna Loop, or Sprig Trail and Merry-Go-Round Loop. Don’t forget to pack a picnic!
- Spend your time giving back. Volunteer at your local charity organization.
- Indulge your taste buds. Food festivals happen all the time and man do they have some delicious tasting treats for you. Go ahead and yum it up!
- Go fly a kite. Okay, so this doesn’t happen as much as it did in the past, but flying a kite is a lot of fun. Head out to the beach and take your kite with you.
- Go camping. In your backyard. Remember the good ol’ days, when you pitched a tent in your backyard and pretended you were camping. The thrill and excitement of it all? Get in touch with that inner child and camp.
Whatever you decide to do this Labor Day weekend, we hope it’s a fantastic one! Be safe!
Content provided by Transformer Marketing.
Sources: http://www.rd.com/slideshows/10-ideas-for-labor-day-family-fun/#slideshow=slide2 and http://www.everytrail.com/best/hiking-watsonville-california
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