Month: November 2015

First Responder: Securing The Accident Scene

Posted on by AgentInsure

Learn about being a first responder. When there is a car accident, you need to know how to secure the scene. This can make it easier for help to arrive, and for the people involved in the accident to walk away.

The first thing you want to do is secure your car. This means pulling it off the road and at least 100 feet away from the accident. You should also put your hazard lights on so approaching cars know that something is going on.

The second thing you want to do is call 911. Even if other cars have called, it’s a good idea to place the call because you don’t know if someone has actually called it in. be ready to tell the operator:

  • The location of the crash
  • The number of cars involved
  • What’s going on
  • Your contact information

After the 911 call, approach the accident carefully. Talk to the victims and find out what’s going on with them. Often, just knowing that help is on the way is enough to keep people calm. If they can get out of the cars, help them to do so. Otherwise, leave them in and assure them that help is going to be there soon. If a person cannot move their back or neck, don’t attempt to move them as it can result in further injuries.

Stabilize the cars, too. This means turning off the ignition and possibly moving the car out of the way so that other cars can’t potentially hit it. This may involve the help of more good Samaritans.

At The Select Insurance Agency, we are prepared to help you with auto insurance in Texas. Call today and one of our friendly agents can get quotes, talk to you about being a first responder, and much more.

 

 

Protect Yourself and Your Property from Theft this Holiday Season

Posted on by Jeri McShan

During the holidays, we’re often times busy and distracted. Here are five types of theft to watch for, and a few things you can do to help protect your purchases, personal information, or business, this holiday season.

Taking steps to protect your personal information, particularly during the holiday season, is key to preventing Identity Theft. Now and through the year be sure to:

  • Monitor your credit report
  • Review your credit card statements carefully
  • Keep a close eye on your wallet and purse while shopping
  • Carry only those credit cards you need, leaving cash, debit cards, and checks at home

To help Protect Your Car (and everything inside) from burglars during holiday shopping, it is best to keep all valuable items, including purchased gifts, out of plain site. Be sure to park in well-lit, safe areas, roll up your windows, and lock your doors.

If you are having packages delivered to your home, you can help avoid the risk of porch pirating by instructing drivers to drop them off in a safe location at a specific time, or opt to pick them up yourself from the nearest facility.

Retailers should be extra vigilant to Protect their Assets and Inventory through the holiday season:

  • Evaluate daily transactions
  • Review security cameras every day
  • Conduct background checks on all prospective employees

Having strong Cyber Security Controls in place to protect your customers’ personal information is always important, but the busy online shopping season is a good opportunity to take stock of your risk management plan to ensure it adequately addresses:

  • The level of sensitivity of the stored, digital data
  • Evaluation of company systems, and policies to protect them
  • Data breach incident response teams and procedures
  • Restriction of access to only necessary employees
  • Separation and protection of payment processing systems

All kinds of Cargo Theft — deceptive pickups, identity theft, misdirected loads, driver-involved theft, and facility burglary — increase during the holiday season. Taking a few extra precautions to help ensure shipments arrive at their intended destinations is the key to keeping cargo safe and secure. Remain on heightened alert throughout the holidays and be sure to:

  • Check driver documentation and credentials closely before releasing shipments.
  • Be leery of drivers arriving early for pickup, especially closer to the weekend, when criminals hope theft will go unnoticed until Monday.
  • Ensure drivers are properly trained in on-the-road safety protocol — such as securing locking devices on trailers, not picking up hitchhikers, fueling prior to loading, calling for help if you see a disabled vehicle, and not discussing details about loads or pick up points with unauthorized personnel.

Protect Your Small Business Against These Risks

Posted on by AgentInsure

You work hard to ensure your small business is thriving. But are you really addressing all of the possible (and costly) problems that can happen? Here are a few risk to protect your business against.

Liability Issues

One of the biggest risks that small businesses face is liability issues. Depending on what your industry entails, this chance of this risk can vary wildly. Those who have a single retail location may only run the risk of having a customer slip or fall while on the premises. A contracting company might face the chance of damaging property at a client’s home or causing an accidental injury.

Liability risk is incredibly hard to gage because there are an infinite amount of scenarios your company can encounter during the normal course of business. Thus, it is important to have a solid insurance policy that covers you for a wide variety of liability incidents.

Worker Injuries

Worker injuries are another risk that small business owners face. Accidents can happen at any time, so it is important to be prepared ahead of time by maintaining safe conditions for all of your staff members. In addition, if you have employees, it is most likely a requirement in your industry for you to have worker’s compensation insurance. This type of policy usually helps cover any medical bills associated with an on-the-job injury, plus compensation for time off work to heal.

Property Loss

You take great care to ensure your home and automobile have the proper level of insurance coverage in case of an unfortunate in incident. However, does your business have the same protection against property damage? Fire, theft, vandalism, and other unexpected events can still occur in a commercial setting. Your business building can become damaged or individual equipment pieces may need replacement after a claim situation, costing you tons of money if you do not have a policy in force. Property damage coverage is usually inexpensive enough for most small businesses and can really make a difference if something ever happens.

Of course, there are many more risks that small businesses face on a regular bases. Learn more about your company’s exact risk level and the type of policy you need for protection. Please contact our team at The Select Insurance Agency today for more information.

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