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Holiday decorating safety tips

Holiday decoratingDecorating your home, yard or office is a fun, festive way to celebrate any season, holiday or special occasion. However you get into the spirit of the season – from Halloween to Hanukkah, Christmas to Kwanzaa, Bar Mitzvahs to birthdays, and everything in between – here are some tips from Travelers Risk Consultants to help keep your family and friends safe around your decorative displays.

Lights and electrical décor

  • Purchase lights and electrical decorations (animatronic dolls, train sets, air-blown yard decorations, etc.) from reputable retailers.
  • Use lights that have been tested for safety – look for a certification mark from UL, CSA, ETL or other nationally-recognized laboratories. Consider using LED lights when possible – they run cooler, use less energy and last longer than incandescent lights.
  • Carefully inspect all lights and decorations for cracks, damaged sockets and loose or bare wires prior to use – these defects can cause a serious fire or shock.
  • Never exceed the maximum number of strings or devices that may be linked together, as indicated on decoration packaging.
  • Plan your displays according to the number and location of available outlets, and avoid overloading electrical outlets.
  • Unplug electric lights, devices and decorations before replacing bulbs, changing parts or attempting other repairs.
  • Turn off all lights and electrical decorations before leaving your home or office, or going to bed.

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Celebrating safely through the winter holidays

Celebrating SafelyFor many of us, the winter holidays are a time of joy, celebration and tradition. We look forward to hosting or attending festive gatherings. We travel near and far to share in the spirit of the season with family, friends and co-workers. We cook more, shop more and decorate more.

However, all that extra cooking, traveling, shopping, celebrating and decorating we do can post potentially serious hazards at home, in the office and on the road. Reports from leading safety organizations indicate that the time from Thanksgiving through the New Year is also one of the most dangerous for homeowners.

Whether you are planning or participating in the festivities, knowing the risks and how to help avoid injury, theft and damage to property through the holiday season are important however you choose to celebrate.Read More »Celebrating safely through the winter holidays

The Hartford Broadens Professional Liability Offerings for Tech Companies

The Hartford has enhanced its FailSafe suite of professional liability offerings to address the evolving needs of technology companies with expanded coverage for data, systems and networks. “Professional liability is one of the most significant risks for technology companies today,” said Joe Coray, vice president of The Hartford’s Technology & Life Science Practice.  “An alleged failure of a product or service that causes economic loss to a client’s business can result in a costly lawsuit and reputational damage.” According to The Hartford’s data, professional liability claims against technology companies average more than $200,000*. Most of these claims include allegations of… Read More »The Hartford Broadens Professional Liability Offerings for Tech Companies

Faulty Workmanship Coverage Endorsement

What is the Faulty Workmanship Coverage Endorsement? Contractors Faulty Workmanship Coverage is a new and unique endorsement that provides a $10,000 limit to protect your clients against claims arising out of faulty workmanship, materials or products. These claims would otherwise be excluded by the “business risk” exclusions found in every standard ISO Commercial General Liability policy. In states that require a contractors license bond, claims arising out of faulty workmanship, materials or products may also be made against the contractor’s license bond. If the bonding company pays any such claim, the contractor must repay the bonding company. The contractor’s failure… Read More »Faulty Workmanship Coverage Endorsement

100-Car Naturalistic Driving

A 100-car “naturalistic” driving study conducted by the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute (VTTI) says that fatigue is a cause of 20% of car crashes, rather than the 2%-3% previously estimated based on surveys, simulator studies and test tracks. Plus, the study found, 18- to 20-year-olds account for significantly more fatigue-related crashes than any other age group. Adolescents’ sleep patterns shift to later hours; however, the school day still tends to start early, resulting in daytime sleepiness. Older drivers can face similar issues with late nights and early work times, but have more experience coping with moderate fatigue – although, not… Read More »100-Car Naturalistic Driving

Insurance for Personal Trainers and Fitness Studios from $150/yr.

Insurance for personal trainers and fitness studios is specifically designed to meet the unique insurance needs of Fitness Trainers, Group Fitness Instructors, Spinning Instructors, Dance Instructors, Martial Arts Teachers, Pilates Instructors, and many more categories of fitness instruction without any restriction of age or gender of your students. Abuse and Molestation – INCLUDED!

The Fitness and Wellness Insurance program for Fitness Studios covers many types of studios including Aerobics, Exercise, Spinning, Fitness Training, Strength Training, and Pilates Studios with equipment. It also covers activities such as weightlifting, swimming, saunas, tanning booths, sport courts and group exercise. Dance Studios are eligible under Performing Arts.

Coverage available for:Read More »Insurance for Personal Trainers and Fitness Studios from $150/yr.

Loss Control: Electrical Power Strips

The problem: With today’s heavy use of electrical devices, it is quite common to run short of electrical outlets in the office, home or workshop. Add a power strip to help alleviate the problem, but often people will add a second or even a third strip by plugging it into the original power strip, a practice known as daisy chaining. Unfortunately, daisy chaining can create a potentially serious fire loss due to overloaded electrical circuits. Every year thousands of fires result from the misuse and overloading of power cords, power strips and surge protectors. The NFPA – National Fire Protection… Read More »Loss Control: Electrical Power Strips

Traveling Tips for the Holiday Season

The holiday season is probably one of the busiest for the majority of us, for many reasons. Add any holiday travel plans into the mix and stress levels can begin to rise. With stricter security guidelines and long lines, it’s easy to focus merely on making it to your destination. However, this time of year is also busy for thieves who will often seize opportunities when the unsuspecting victim is distracted or otherwise unaware of his or her surroundings. Stay vigilant this year when traveling for the holidays by using the tips below, and ensure your holidays stay as they… Read More »Traveling Tips for the Holiday Season

The Growing Problem of Medical Identity Theft

The growing problem of medical identity theft and the havoc it wreaks with its victims is highlighted in a recent Bloomberg article. Medical identity theft victims are usually reticent to share the details of the crime since the theft is felt as such a personal violation. Details of the theft are shared here, as well as ID Experts’ investigative and restoration efforts on the victim’s behalf, including the challenges to unraveling the tangled web of medical identity theft. “Arnold Salinas knows a lot about the person who stole his identity. He’s 5-foot-9, 190 pounds. He pays for pizzas with forged… Read More »The Growing Problem of Medical Identity Theft

More Workers Claiming Job Discrimination Over Language, Accents

More people in the workforce are claiming discrimination over their English-speaking ability or foreign accents, according to federal officials. Workplace discrimination complaints based on national origin — which often involve language ability — rose by 76 percent from 1997 to 2011, when more than 11,800 complaints were lodged with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Read more