Insurance Insights ~ February 1998
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Growing up as kids, our parents did the best they could at teaching us good habits. Despite our wincing and whining every time they had to remind us to wash our hands before we came to the dinner table, or not talk with our mouthful, we soon learned that these were not acceptable behaviors. They knew that good habits were a learned behavior. So, to this end, they consistently reminded us, realizing that through repitition, good habits would soon be a way of life for us.
Safety in the workplace is also a learned behavior.
As professional insurance agents, we take on a role similar to parents.
We want to instill good work habits in our commercial accounts in order
to avoid costly claims. By continually practicing safer procedures, and
raising awareness of safety issues, we will learn to avoid potential hazardous
situations, and will provide employees with a much safer work environment.
The majority of work related injuries can be prevented by simply becoming more safety conscious. Investigate the way you operate. Do your employee's do a lot of lifting? Did you know that the most common work injury is also the one you can most easily prevent? Injuries to the lower back affect half of the nations work force at some time during their working lives. You may think you're in a job that is not prone to back injuries, but take a second look. If you bend at the knees and hug the object close to you, your back stays balanced and the muscles in your legs do the lifting.
Eye injuries account for a large portion of workers
compensation claims. The majority are very easily prevented by following
established safety guidelines and using the appropriate protective eyewear
for the tasks we perform. Among the most common eye hazards are flying particles,
a hazard typical of many machine operations such as grinding, sawing, etc.
Besides eyewear, machine guards should be in place to protect against flying
debris.
Carpel Tunnel Syndrome is yet another common claim which
affects those who use the same hand motions over and over again. Painters,
textile workers, and word processors are just a few who encounter this painful
condition. Wrists ache and swell, fingers feel numb, and you have difficulty
doing even the most simple tasks. The best way to deal with a repetitive
motion problem is with prevention. By learning how to position your hands
properly and exercise your hands regularly, you can relieve excess pressure
on your tendons and nerves that cause the condition. Wrist rotation and
hand stretching techniques are your best defense.
Looking at common hazards found in your industry, you can narrow the scope of potential injuries. To help you uncover these hazards, we offer the assistance of our own loss control specialists in Commercial Services. They provide a wide range of risk management services designed to further prevent workplace injuries. For more loss prevention ideas, feel free to call us at (215) 257-9171, or e-mail us at info@gcwinsure.com.
Have you been obtaining quotes from other insurance
companies and been asked if you have any dogs in your household? What breed
of animal, have they bitten anyone, and how is the animal restrained?
These questions are becoming ever more prevalent in the underwriting process of most major insurers. One-third of all claims filed under homeowner's policies involve dog bites. It has been reported by the New York Insurance Information Institute that insurance companies paid out more than $1 billion in dog-related claims. At Erie Insurance, hardly a week goes by when they aren't putting up a large reserve for a dog bite claim, which is most often for attacks on children.
Did you know 70% of all dog attacks occur on the owner's property? Dogs have been a beloved pet and "member of the family", and also provide protection in a society that is plagued with crime. Unfortunately, innocent people have fallen victim to what may seem like a good idea. Children that find dogs intriguing may not understand that the animal may be old and the only way it can defend itself is by biting. The Humane Society states the number of reported dog bites as high as three million a year. Becoming more aware of this situation and educating the public can only bring this issue under control.
The following information you may find helpful:
Do You Work From Your Home?Congratulations! You have left corporate America and joined the more than 2.5 million people who work from their homes. Your home business is important, and its very success depends on you to make the right moves. You've spent time creating your office space, choosing the right equipment, acquiring inventory, and networking to make the right connections! You're all set, right? Wrong!
What about business insurance? If you are running a business from your home, you may be relying on your homeowner's insurance policy to protect you against loss, however, many homeowner policies EXCLUDE or LIMIT coverage for losses occurring from business activities. You need the right coverage to protect against the many things that can happen. For example:
Any of the above losses could be devastating to your business, and coverage is most likely not included, or very limited, under your homeowner policy. Don't let accidents destroy your business! Contact your insurance professional today, and discuss how to protect you and your business.
Many homeowner policies can be endorsed to include business equipment, inventory, and liability protection. If you need more than is available under the homeowner program, your agent can work with you to develop a separate business policy.
The saying "Nobody plans to fail, they just fail to plan" is especially true in this instance. Don't get caught short because you "failed to plan"! Act now, and secure the proper coverage, so that you can pursue your goals, and make your business succeed.
INSURANCE INSIGHTS is an electronic newsletter published monthly by G. C. Weimer Associates, Inc. Information contained herein is accurate to the best of our knowledge and belief as of 2/1/98. If you have a topic of interest for a future issue, e-mail us at info@gcwinsure.com.
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To contact G.C. Weimer Insurance Agencies, e-mail info@gcwinsure.com
(please read this first).