The first is to consider increasing your comprehensive and collision deductibles. Taking your deductibles to the next level (e.g., from $250 to $500, $500 to $1,000, etc.) can offer real savings that can quickly accumulate to cover the increase in deductible amount.

Next, examine how you are paying your premiums along with how you are receiving your policy materials. In other words, enroll in e-billing and/or e-policy delivery if available, as some companies offer discounts for this. Also, consider enrolling into an automatic EFT payment plan, as installment fees are often reduced on such pay plans. Finally, if your budget allows for it, consider paying the full-term premium up front, as companies often provide a paid-in-full discount that applies when the full premium is paid up front.

With school being back in session, don’t forget to let us know if you have any drivers who are eligible for a good student discount! Also, if you have a college-aged student without a car more than 100 miles away from home, please advise us so that we can add the appropriate discount.

Lastly, if your driving record is good, consider adding telematics onto your auto insurance policy. Most companies offer a mobile application that will measure driving activities such as when your vehicle is driven, how the vehicle is driven (turning, speeding, acceleration, and braking), and whether the driver’s cell phone is being used while driving. Telematics discounts vary by insurance company, so reach out to your agent or account manager for additional details.

For starters, consider increasing your deductible. While you may be hesitant to increase your deductible from $500 to $1,000 or from $1,000 to $2,500, the accumulated overall savings that results from the deductible change may offset the increased out-of-pocket exposure in just a few years.

Some insurance companies offer discounts for enrolling in e-billing and/or e-policy delivery services, so be sure to take advantage of that if you aren’t already.

Finally, let us know if you have installed any of the following systems designed to protect homes against losses, as you may be eligible for additional discounts on your home insurance:

· Central station-monitored burglar and/or fire alarms

· 24-hour signal continuity on monitored alarms

· Temperature monitoring systems

· Water detection systems and/or automatic water shut-off systems

· Permanently installed back-up generators

· Explosive gas leak detection systems and/or automatic seismic shut-off gas line valve

· Lightning protection systems

Please contact your agent or account manager with any questions or to further discuss adding any applicable discounts to your homeowner insurance coverage.

In total, a combination of inflationary factors, catastrophic storms, legal system abuse, and regulatory restrictions are causing headaches for many insurance companies. As the Wall Street Journal noted in an August 14, 2023 article titled "Wildfires and Thunderstorms Are Throwing Insurance Market Into Turbulence," secondary perils such as “wildfires, major thunderstorms, river floods and landslides have been collectively racking up increasingly sizable insurance losses in recent years.”

In fact, there have already been 14 events in the U.S. in the first half of 2023 that caused insured losses of at least $1 billion. According to PropertyCasualty360.com, this contributed to the 4th highest amount of insured losses on record for the first six months of a year, with a worldwide total of $53 billion.

These results come after many of the largest insurance companies reported very poor results from 2022 in which underwriting losses and expenses well exceeded premiums earned during the year.

David Sampson, president and CEO of the American Property Casualty Insurance Association (APCIA), told Fox Business that decades-high inflation has played a key role in the cost of covering losses. He noted that since the start of the pandemic, home-related construction materials are up more than 35% in cost, whereas the cost of labor is up 30%. Similarly, vehicle parts and equipment costs are up 30%. Autos are also taking longer to repair, which in turn causes insurance companies to pay out more in rental reimbursement coverage.

While storms, wildfires, and inflationary factors are the most visible of the factors affecting insurance rates, legal system abuse is taking a toll on the cost of insurance as well. Similarly, worsening regulatory restrictions in various states impede the ability of insurance companies to properly manage their risk or charge an adequate rate that properly covers their risk.

To cap it all off, the cost of reinsurance is increasing while capacity is shrinking. Reinsurance, often called “insurance for insurance companies,” plays a critical role whenever catastrophic loss events occur. Increased costs of reinsurance eventually get passed down to consumers while decreasing capacity in reinsurance markets is causing insurance companies to tighten their underwriting guidelines, withdraw from specific lines of coverage or classes of business, or withdraw from states completely.

The Uhl Agency is here to help during these difficult times and our team is ready to speak with you to address any concerns you may have. As an independent insurance agency, we represent multiple insurance companies and can advise you if changing your insurance program is in your best interest. For additional tips on how to reduce your personal insurance costs, please read our tips on how to reduce your home insurance costs along with how to lessen your auto insurance costs.

Some may be tempted to cut back on their insurance programs as a result, feeling it is an unnecessary intangible expense. However, we urge our clients to resist that temptation, as proper insurance coverage is as important now as it has ever been.

Consider the following:

• The cost of building materials has increased close to 30% since January 2020.

• The average price of used cars is over 40% higher than they were last year.

• It is taking much longer than usual for auto dealerships and repair centers to get replacement parts, so clients involved in auto accidents need rental cars for periods of time that are longer than usual.

Reducing or eliminating insurance coverage may end up potentially costing you more in the long run should you have a claim. Click here to learn more about current trends affecting insurance.

The Uhl Agency is an independent insurance agency that represents multiple insurance companies, so if you would like to speak to your agent or account manager to ensure your personal insurance program is the right fit for you and your budget, please email us or give us a call at 937-434-9090.

Following are a few areas that can help get you started:

1. Repair any loose or damaged gutters as well as clean them out.

2. Check windows and their caulking. By repairing windows, window wells and caulking, you can help lower the AC costs during the warmer months.

3. Check up on your exterior paint. A fresh, new coat of paint can protect your home from the elements.

4. If your driveway or sidewalk cracked or shifted during the winter, make sure you get this repaired to protect yourself and guests from falls.

5. Make sure all porch rails and handrails are in good repair. To help prevent falls, make sure they are secured.

6. Check your fire extinguisher(s) to ensure that the pressure range is in the “green range”. If the pressure is outside the “green range,” you should promptly replace the extinguisher.

7. Look out for leaks and corrosion on your water heater. Check your owner’s manual for any recommended maintenance.

8. If you have a wood-burning fireplace, have the chimney cleaned (along with the clothes dryer vent).

9. Check the batteries in your smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors.

10. If you have a battery backup for your sump pump, check the battery life to ensure it is in proper working order.

A little home maintenance can go a long way toward safety and preventing potential homeowner insurance claims. If you happen to install any new preventive/safety systems such as an alarm system, a water shutoff system, or a sump pump battery backup system, be sure to let us know – you may be eligible for additional premium discounts!

• Phone scams: Criminals have been known to impersonate IRS agents and continue to be ongoing threat to taxpayers. Generally, calls from the IRS are rare and typically they mail correspondence, so be leery of anyone claiming to be from the IRS on the phone.

• Fake charities: There are groups masquerading as charitable organizations to solicit donations, so take a few extra minutes to ensure that your money is going to reputable charities. The IRS has a search tool taxpayers can use to choose a tax exempt charitable organization.

• Phishing: Taxpayers should be alert to potential fake emails or websites looking to steal personal information. Be wary of emails that do not look legitimate. The IRS will never initiate contact about a bill via email.

• Ransomware: Ransomware is a form of malware that will require victims to receive a ransom request that usually demands payment in a virtual currency. The IRS encourages to use multi-factor authentication (MFA) to protect against data thefts.

• Return preparer fraud: The vast majority of tax professionals provide honest, high-quality service. However, there are some that operate each filing season to scam clients that hurt taxpayers. The IRS has a great page with tips for choosing a preparer.

Identity theft is scary and can be quite expensive for both individuals and businesses; however, there are ways to protect yourself! Head over to the IRS website to learn more about how to identity potential signs of identity theft and take action if you become a victim. Additionally, you can ask your agent or account manager at The Uhl Agency for more information about identity theft coverage or cyber insurance.

Discussing your business operations with one of The Uhl Agency’s professionals will help to ensure that you have the protection you need for the exposures your business faces. Coverage can be tailored to new exposures your business has along with changes to existing exposures.

Examples include:

New exposures

· New locations

· New buildings or facilities

· New vehicles or drivers

· New equipment

· New products being manufactured/sold

Exposure changes

· Vehicles sold

· Equipment sold

· Location or building sold

· Increase or reduction in inventory

· Increase or reduction in sales

In addition, our team can keep you apprised of underwriting requirements needed to keep certain types of coverage in place (such as multifactor authentication requirements for cyber insurance policies) as well as best practices to make your business more attractive to the insurance marketplace (such as fleet safety programs and information security programs).

These are only some of the changes that you may experience or be subject to. This checklist is a great starting point when considering your insurance exposures, but any changes to your business – large or small – should be considered when evaluating your business insurance program coverage.

If there’s only one resolution you follow through on this year, make sure a conversation with your Uhl Agency business insurance team member is the one you complete!

A reasonable response to either situation might be, “I have full coverage on my car, so I’m all set.” And while this may be true for repair costs stemming from a covered comprehensive or collision claim (less the applicable deductible in either case), what about a rental vehicle while your car, truck, or SUV is getting repaired?

This is where rental reimbursement coverage comes into play. This type of auto insurance helps cover a rental car’s expense while your vehicle is being repaired in the body shop after a covered accident, such as a collision with another vehicle, crashing into a stationary object, or hitting deer or other wildlife on the road.

Rental reimbursement coverage usually has a per day limit (such as $40 per day) as well as a number of days limit (typically 30 days), so if your vehicle is deemed to be a total loss, you should begin to look for a replacement as soon as possible.

What about instances where you aren’t involved in an accident, but your car simply breaks down? Towing and labor coverage is a common add-on option to auto policies that will cover costs when such a situation occurs. This coverage has a limit of insurance that applies per disablement (such as $75) and will typically include services such as towing, delivery of oil and gas, battery assistance, lockout assistance and tire changes. It won’t cover the cost of parts (such as a dead battery) but may pay for a jump start or a tow to a repair shop so that you may purchase a new battery.

In some instances, auto policies will automatically include limited amounts of coverage for rental reimbursement as well as towing and labor coverage. If you don’t have either coverage, they are inexpensive to add. Similarly, if you have one or both coverages but feel that the limits are insufficient, it is relatively inexpensive to increase the limits of insurance to where you feel they are needed.

Renting a car for a few days can add up and there's no telling how long a repair will take, especially given our current market conditions where parts are increasingly hard to come by. Rental reimbursement coverage will help to keep a covered claim from affecting your bank account too much.

Likewise, unless you have a service through your auto manufacturer or through a third party such as AAA, towing and labor coverage can eliminate a potential expense for you.

Talk to your agent or account manager at The Uhl Agency to learn more about these valuable coverages!

Key person insurance policies are set up so that a key employee is the insured on a life insurance policy, but the business owns the policy, pays the premium on the policy, and is the beneficiary on the policy.

Key person insurance can cover a range of risks. It could be used to:

• Help with finding, hiring, and training a placement employee

• Pay off debts and outstanding loans

• Buy out deceased partner’s share of the business in a partnership

• Replace lost profits

• Fund a smooth transition of ownership

• Provide severance to employees

• Provide extra collateral when securing future loans

Many factors affect the cost of key person insurance, including the health of the person being insured as well as the amount of death benefit provided. The cost will also depend on whether you purchase a term life policy or a permanent life policy.

Term life is almost always cheaper, which is why it is typically the most popular option. In this case, premiums are paid on the policy during a set policy period, and if the insured passes away anytime during the term of the policy, the death benefit is paid out.

Permanent life insurance policies remain in effect for as long as you pay the premiums, although these types of policies may have a maturity date between 95 and 121 years old where either the cash value or death benefit is paid out on the insured person’s birthday should they reach the maturity date.

While it can be hard to place a monetary value on a key employee or owner’s impact to a business, there are some common formulas for calculating key person insurance coverage:

• Cost to replace: In this formula, add up the costs required to find, hire, and train a replacement for the insured owner or employee. You should also include any lost business income during this time.

• Multiple of compensation: Take the key person’s compensation and multiply it by the number of years that your business will take to fully recover from their loss.

• Contribution to earnings: Multiply the revenue or profit that the insured individual brings to the business, by the number of years your business will take to replace those earnings.

Though you may have other insurance coverages to purchase for your company, key person insurance is not one to neglect. If you have any questions or would like to discuss obtaining a quote for this valuable coverage, please reach out to The Uhl Agency at 937-434-9090!

• Legal costs to defend your business in a lawsuit

• A customer’s medical expenses if they were to injure themselves in your business or from a product you produce

• Costs to fix damaged property to a client caused by your employee

• Settlements from a client’s lawsuit

• Advertising injuries such as copyright infringement from your business’ ads

• Reputational harm resulting from libel and slander

No business is immune from general liability claims, which is why we encourage all business owners to purchase general liability insurance to protect them from a range of unexpected incidents.

The price of general liability insurance will vary based upon what type of business you operate. If you own a construction company, you are typically at a higher risk, therefore charged a higher rate. However, an office-based business will likely have lower rates because their risk will typically be lower. Of course, there will be other factors that will influence how much coverage will cost. Some of these factors include:

• Location

• Size

• Insurance claims history

• Years of experience

Although it isn’t usually required by law to carry general liability insurance, it is still a good idea to have this type of insurance coverage. Many customers and clients will request that you have this coverage before they sign a contract with your business. Proving that you have general liability insurance by a certificate of insurance will satisfy these types of requests.

Reach out to the knowledgeable team at The Uhl Agency to learn more or to obtain a quote!

Life insurance is not always an easy topic to discuss, but it is certainly an important one. You work hard, you save what you can, and you try to prepare for what is next. By purchasing life insurance, you can have peace of mind knowing that the future of your loved ones will be protected. Should the unexpected occur, you family can move forward with the benefit that is provided from a term life or permanent life insurance policy. This money can be used for a wide variety of purposes such as education costs, income replacement, paying off debts and mortgages, and other expenses.

No matter what your situation is, there is a life insurance option to consider to provide financial support to those closest to you. Also, keep in mind that the insurance that the death benefit your family needs will most likely change as your life changes, so even if you have a life insurance policy in place, you may need to consider an additional amount of insurance.

Use this calculator to determine your life insurance need.

Disability insurance provides income to cover expenses and bills when an injury or illness keeps you away from work. If you’ve lost your ability to earn income, disability insurance can help ensure that you still have some form of income while you’re away from work.

Disability insurance can be purchased with a variety of different options, including different waiting periods and benefit periods, so be sure to reach out to an agent at The Uhl Agency to learn more.

If you depend on the income from work to pay for your everyday expenses, it is a good idea to purchase disability insurance. Accidents happen more often than you think, and it’s better to be over protected than under protected. These accidents don’t have to be catastrophic events. Many disability claims are more common conditions such as back pain, depression, and pregnancy.

Use this disability insurance calculator to determine your need.

1. Red cars cost more to insure

• Many people think that red cars cost more to insure because Insurify found that drivers of red vehicles were 2 times more likely to have received a speeding ticket vs. green vehicles. Color is not a factor.

2. Vandalism and weather damage is covered by collision coverage

• Collision coverage does not protect drivers from damages cause by theft or weather. To be 100% protected against all risks of physical loss, drivers should get collision and comprehensive coverage.

3. Homeowners insurance covers cars parked in a garage

• Again, comprehensive coverage is needed to protect against claims such as theft or fire

4. Homeowners insurance covers flooding

• A typical home insurance policy will cover certain water damage depending on how the loss occurs. Flooding caused by a storm or hurricane isn’t usually covered, and flood insurance would be needed to cover those losses.

5. I don’t need flood insurance if I don’t live near the water

• Flooding can happen anywhere, even if you don’t live near a body of water. Things like heavy rain, hurricanes, or problems with water systems can cause flooding, no matter where you live.

6. Umbrella policies provide blanket coverage against all types of claims

• Umbrella policies are a type of liability coverage that provide excess liability over underlying policies such as home, auto, watercraft, and more.

7. Only rich people need umbrella insurance

• Many people believe that umbrella insurance is only for the wealthy, but that is not the case. Anyone can find themselves in a situation where their standard policy doesn’t completely cover costs associated with their loss.

If you have any other questions or preconceived notions about insurance, please do not hesitate to ask! We’d be happy to walk you through anything you may be unsure about.

Customers seem to want to obtain insurance with ease and go with someone who provides a rate that won’t break the bank. With commercials with taglines like “15 minutes could save you 15% or more”, it may be hard to realize that insurance agencies might be a better option to choose. Although saving money is a nice bonus, we all know that we should not make that the most important factor when choosing an insurance carrier, and more research should be conducted.

Independent insurance agencies are the best of both worlds, as they do business with multiple insurance carriers/companies. This not only helps them to shop you around for the best insurance coverage and rates, but it also means that they are a one-stop-shop for you and all of your different insurance needs and can provide you an impressive number of benefits.

Think of an insurance agency as your personal shopper. It’s very similar to working with a real estate agent. Similar to how a realtor takes in all of your needs and wants to find you a house, an insurance agent will review many different insurance companies’ rates and coverage to ensure that the policy will best suit your needs. This all comes at the same price that you would pay by going directly through an insurance company.

Insurance agencies will also provide top tier customer service. Whether it is reporting a claim, making a policy change, or asking a billing question, your local independent agent is there to help you.

Insurance agencies are likely located in your city, and they may also help your local community. By constantly supporting or giving back to the community, you can feel confident about doing business with them. Additionally, they may have great knowledge of the community. This can help you better understand your risks and protect your assets.

Insurance agencies are there to save you time, and hopefully money too! By having many different companies, independent insurance agencies are able to determine what policy suits you the best. It may seem a bit foreign or daunting but take the time to look into an insurance agency and not falling victim to jumping at the first big advertisement you see. By doing this, you may be overpaying, and dissatisfied with the service. The top priority of insurance agencies is to provide you proper protection and peace of mind.

Market value is defined as the estimated price which your property would be sold on the open market between buyer and seller. It is the amount a buyer would pay to purchase your home in its current condition. This often includes the value of land, site improvements to the land, and sometimes personal property. Market value is also influenced by factors such as proximity to good schools, availability of similar homes, and the local crime statistics.

The term market value can be used interchangeably with open market value, fair market value or fair value. However, it is not the same as actual cash value, which is when the insurance company calculates the replacement cost of a covered property and then depreciates it according with age. Some insurance companies are beginning to utilize an actual cash value payment on roof losses that are caused by wind or hail while the rest of the home may be covered on a replacement cost basis. This is to encourage homeowners to replace older roofs as a maintenance task.

Finally, replacement cost is the cost needed to rebuild a building or property at current prices. It factors in prices for materials, labor, overhead and fees at the time of the appraisal and does not include any sort of depreciation.

None of these valuation methods include the cost of land, as insurance only covers damage to physical improvements that are made on the land (houses, garages, barns, pools, etc.).

Again, in most situations, the replacement cost of a home is more than the market value because the costs to build home from the ground up is much higher as opposed to purchasing a finished home. Don’t be alarmed when your insurance shows a limit of insurance that is higher than the current market value of the property!

There are many different factors that play into replacement costs. Factors that affect property replacement costs are:

• Having an older home. By having an older house, replacement of those materials used (especially with houses built before 1940) may be hard to find and could result in added costs. In addition, some of the construction techniques and features that were utilized earlier in the 20th century differ from today’s standards.

• Contractor’s overhead and profit. Labor costs continue to increase, and it is more costly for a contractor to rebuild a single house after a total loss than it is for them to construct multiple homes in a new development.

• Building code conditions. Bringing a home up to code after a loss can be costly, especially if the home is older and hasn’t been fully updated.

• Materials and labor. The construction cost of the home may increase each year, and the price will also depend on the area. The costs of different classes of building materials has skyrocketed over the past year, so replacement costs have increased as a result in many cases.

• Contactors cannot maximize savings. For new developments, materials and labor costs can be lower due to purchasing in bulk and having many available crew. However, ordering materials for one specific house and lining up the contractors needed to construct the house can be costly.

While most of our homeowner and rental dwelling insurance policies are written on a replacement cost basis, there are times where it makes sense to insure a property on a market value or actual cash value basis. Speak to your agent or account manager to further discuss this or to confirm how your coverage is provided.

Part of the sensitivity to timely claims reporting revolves around the fact that many executive liability coverages are written on “claims-made” insurance policy forms. This means that coverage is triggered when the claim is made against the insured and reported to the insurer prior to the end of the policy period (or extended reporting period if applicable). If a claim isn’t reported until after the end of the policy period or extended reporting period, no coverage would be available.

This differs from occurrence-based coverage that covers claims as long as the loss occurs during the policy period and is promptly reported – even if the claim wasn’t discovered until after the policy period concluded.

As an employer, ensuring that your management team communicates with one another regarding potential claims is of utmost importance. The reason for this is that when claims-made policies renew, it is common for the renewal application to ask if the insured is aware of any situation that may give rise to a claim. If the person completing the application isn’t aware of any issues, but a manager or supervisor in a different department knows of a situation, this can be problematic. Coverage could be in jeopardy should the claim be reported after the policy renews if the renewal application states that there were no situations present that could result in a claim.

No matter the form of the insurance, it is extremely important for insureds to report claims as soon as possible and include all details to your knowledge. Be sure to reach out to your agent or account manager if you have any questions on this!

Simple acts such as stretching can be very beneficial to alleviate muscles and joints that are tight and sore. We first recommend addressing your posture. Additionally, you may want to think about sitting on an exercise ball for short intervals throughout the day. This tactic helps to engage your back, abdomen and legs while helping you maintain posture.

Our FREE service, Resource One, provides the following suggestions for stretching during the work day:

• Stand, then stretch your arms to the ceiling. Breathe for 5 seconds. Repeat.

• Grab your right elbow with your left hand and stretch your arm across your chest. Hold for 5 seconds. Repeat with the other arm.

• Inhale and shrug your shoulders to your ears. Hold this position for 5 seconds. Release and repeat.

• Extend your arms out to your sides with your palms facing downward. Then, extend your fingers and stretch. Breathe in and out and rotate your arms forward.

• Hug your legs with your arms while sitting and allow your chest to rest on your legs.

• Interlock your fingers behind your back and roll your shoulders back. Stretch your elbows and arms, holding for a few seconds.

If you are typing frequently through the day, you can implement short breaks to stretch out your fingers, hands, and wrists. Clench your fists, stretch your hands out parallel to the ground and do 10 wrist circles in each direction. This will alleviate pain from typing and/or clicking for so long throughout the day. Another effective stretch is to extend your arm to the floor and push your fingers with your opposite hand towards your body. Hold this stretch for 5 seconds and then switch hands.

Additionally, you should make it a point to get up and move as often as you can. Set reminders every hour to get up and stretch, go for a short walk, fill up water, or use the restroom. A few short breaks throughout the day will help keep you moving and loose so your muscles and joints are not getting tight and unused. During your lunch break, get outside and eat, walk, stretch, or move in any capacity to ensure that you are staying flexible and on top of your injury prevention.

If you feel that you could use some more movement or stretching throughout the day, follow the ideas above! It may not seem like much, but simple changes like these can be very effective for your physical and mental health.

We hope to assist you with keeping you and your employees healthy! If you would like additional resources on this topic or other topics for your business, check out Resource One, which is our FREE service provided to you with access to thousands of documents, policies, manuals, toolkits, and graphics for you to use at your leisure. Resource One provides documents like this or you and your business to have, use, and share. If you have not signed up for this FREE service, learn more about it here.

Some homeowners are hesitant to install a security system because of potential high costs and the hassle of dealing with the systems. Unbeknownst to many, there are plenty of affordable home security systems in the marketplace, including do-it-yourself setups that offer central station monitoring capability.

Not only do home security systems scare off intruders and notify the police when there is a break-in attempt, they deter crime. Robbery attempts typically decrease in areas where multiple homeowners have signs displaying alarm systems are in place.

As we progress with technology, these systems have gotten smarter, more convenient, and easier to set up with wireless capabilities. Modern security systems allow you to monitor your home remotely from your mobile device. Cameras can be installed inside as well as outside your home and connect to your phone, so you will be able to see any movement or suspicious activity. Additionally, some of these security systems allow you to integrate smart lighting, smart locks, and smart thermostats to your phone’s monitoring capability, so you can trust that your home is protected even when you are away.

Additionally, some systems will send notifications if smoke alarms or carbon monoxide detectors go off. Also, you can remotely change or modify many of your home’s electrical, heating, or air conditioning settings from anywhere. Perhaps you went on vacation and forgot to change the thermostat… you can change the temperature right from your phone! Or maybe you left for the day and forgot to unplug your curling iron. You may have the ability to turn off the outlet (and lights) right from your device.

Most insurance companies offer lower rates on homeowner’s insurance when an alarm system is installed and is monitored by the alarm company. Plus, depending on your home security system provider, you may be eligible for additional discounts if the alarm company monitors your home for fire, gas, water pressure and/or temperature problems in your home.

In addition to the convenience features and homeowner insurance discounts, home security systems provide peace of mind. The days of worrying or making an emergency trip back home to check if you left something on will be long gone once you implement this smart technology. Additionally, a security system will give you another layer of defense against intruders, which will help you sleep better at night!

If you’ve recently added a home security system or upgraded your current one with new features, please contact us to see if you are eligible for any additional discounts on your homeowner insurance policy.

A business continuity plan helps you to have a system of prevention and recovery from potential threats and will ensure that your business can get back up and running as soon as possible. Without a plan, your business could suffer from a poor reputation, a decrease in stability, or could even face closure. Of course, your business can also suffer from financial loss, so it’s important that you have business income insurance in place to protect your business against covered direct physical losses. You can read more about business income here.

When creating a business continuity plan, one should identify all potential risks that your business may face. From there, determine how those risks will affect operations from both a short-term and long-term perspective, then list out the appropriate safeguards to mitigate risks accordingly. Be sure to periodically review the process to make sure that it is accurate and up to date.

If you need help getting started, be sure to log onto Resource One and search “business continuity.” You will find that we have business continuity plan creation toolkits available as well as business recovery checklists available at no cost to you!

If you are unfamiliar of what Resource One is, be sure to read about it here. This is a FREE service offered by The Uhl Agency that includes additional services and products to help you protect assets and minimize losses.

As a business owner, it is important not to rely on insurance alone, as it may not cover all of the costs and losses you may potentially encounter. By implementing a business continuity plan, you will be sure to set your business up for success and will be fully prepared for any situation that may arise.

As always, if you have any questions, please reach out to The Uhl Agency at (937) 434-9090.

Natural disasters and life-changing events have seen a dramatic increase over the past decade. These events can destroy property and affect you and your family in a large way. We want you to have a plan in place before a disaster strikes.

Our very own Dayton, Ohio was hit by a tornado outbreak that was the worst natural disaster to hit the area since the infamous 1913 flood. This series of tornadoes left thousands without homes, clothing, food, and other necessities for months. Not only were individuals plagued by this situation, but businesses were destroyed as well, and the storms caused $1 billion in total damage. It is important to note that without proper materials to survive, some of these people and businesses would have struggled more so than they already did.

We believe that it should not take a disaster to strike for you to take action. Create a plan just in case something like this were to happen to you. To create a plan, you will want to prepare supplies that can last at least a week – maybe even longer. In certain circumstances, vital services provided by authorities and first responders may take days to restore.

First off, you should create a family emergency plan and make your family members aware of it. Additionally, you should be practicing this plan often to ensure that in the case of an emergency, you will be well prepared. Secondly, be sure that you are aware of the various emergencies that can occur within your community and stay up to date on appropriate responses to these events. Oftentimes, communities have an emergency planning board or committee. Consider involving yourself in these types of groups. You can be certain that you will know the proper way to handle these situations and can also allow yourself to make others aware of these processes as well. This process is likely continuously changing, so by being involved, you will be properly aware of any new changes, ideas, or protocols regarding emergency planning.

Aside from being properly aware of certain processes and protocols, you should consider taking various other actions. For example, being CPR and first aid trained is a great way to ensure your safety and the safety of others as well.

Also, having an emergency supply kit can prove to be very helpful in the event of a disaster. The American Red Cross recommends a basic starter kit of water, food, battery powered radio, flashlight, first aid kit, prescription medication, cash, blankets, lighters, extra batteries, whistles, moist towelettes, local map and extra chargers for your mobile devices.

The most important part of assembling your supply kit is determining your family’s specific needs. You can customize your kit to family members’ ages, medical conditions, physical limitations and even pets.

As always, if you have any questions, please reach out to The Uhl Agency at (937) 434-9090.

In order to prevent tree-related damage, it is essential that you identify potential problems early on. It is vital to regularly assess the health of your trees so that if there is a problem, you can address it right away. Here are a few issues that seem to be the culprit of most tree-related damage:

• If your tree has dead branches, those branches will fall and they can cause damage to roofs, cars, or even people. If you see a dead branch that poses immediate danger, remove it right away.

• If your trees have rotting or holes at the base, it could potentially harm people. Plus, if the tree is weak, it has a higher change of falling and causing damage.

• If a tree is dead, it has potential to cause tremendous damage. If these trees are located near your home or where people are present, it is in your best interest to remove right away.

• If a tree leans in one direction, especially towards a house, office, or garage, you should have this tree assessed because the roots could lift out of the ground.

If you find that you have any of the issues above, it is in your best interest to contact an arborist who can offer you professional advice as well as tree trimming and tree removal services.

If your property is damaged, you are generally responsible for your own repairs since the claim would most likely be considered an act of God situation (like a tornado or hailstorm). However, there are situations when your neighbor might be responsible for tree damage to your home or vice versa. Here’s a short video you can watch to learn more about these types of situations.

As always, if you have any questions about tree damage or your insurance coverage, please reach out to us by calling 937-434-9090.