Author: Ellen Lichtenstein

The start of a new year is a great time for personal reflection, which also plays a role in your career success. Personal reflection is all about paying attention to your own thoughts, emotions, and behaviors in hopes that you will learn something about yourself. By becoming aware of your own habits and behaviors, you can start to change the ones you don’t like and grow as a person. While it may sound challenging, we are all capable of self-reflection. Not sure where to start? Try these three essential skills to improve your self-reflection. 

Reflection is also important when it comes to your insurance! If you’re not sure how thoroughly your coverage protected you last year, we’d be happy to review your policies and provide recommendations for optimizing your insurance coverage.  Schedule a no-cost review of your current insurance today!

As the new year begins, you’re probably thinking of ways to improve your business this year. One concern that’s likely at the top of your list is how to keep your employees motivated and wanting to improve. Self-reflection is an important part of business, which is why it’s important to encourage your employees (and yourself!) to take the time to reflect on last year’s performance and achievements, as well as areas to grow this year. Your end-goal as a business owner is always to succeed, and a great way to encourage success in your employees is to ensure they are given the time and space to self-reflect. 

Reflection is also important when it comes to your insurance! If you’re not sure how thoroughly your coverage protected you last year, we’d be happy to review your policies and provide recommendations for optimizing your insurance coverage. Schedule a no-cost review of your current insurance today!

It happens every year. You set the same goals you did last year, only to get caught up in the same old cycle of forgetting about it or failing to complete it. But it doesn’t have to be this way! All you have to do is create more defined, achievable goals and then take action to achieve them. Don’t just think about your goals, write them down, give yourself deadlines and assess your progress throughout the year. Follow these steps and there’s no way you’ll be setting the same goals again next year.

If one of your goals is to make sure your personal or business insurance is properly protecting you, reach out to us at UWIB for a no-cost insurance review.

Whether you celebrate Thanksgiving or not, November is a time when many people check in with themselves and take stock of all they have to be thankful for. For some, words can be hard. Luckily, there are many ways to tell someone you love, or appreciate them, without actually saying those three words. Showing someone how much you care about them can be as simple as writing a thoughtful note or participating in one of their favorite hobbies. Whether it’s family, friends, or coworkers, here are 20 unique ways to say (and show) how much you appreciate and care for those in your life. 

In June of this year, the nation was left shocked by the sudden collapse of a condo building in Surfside, FL. The tragic event left nearly 100 people dead and millions of people questioning how this could have happened. After it was revealed that the collapse was likely due to over four decades of overdue repairs and structural damage, many turned their scrutiny toward the condo and homeowner association boards tasked with upholding these maintenance requirements.

Prioritizing a building’s maintenance repairs benefits everyone. Tenants can rest easy knowing they are safe from any damages caused by overdue repairs or structural damage and homeowners association boards can be confident their property values are increasing and their risks are decreasing.

So how can insurance professionals help?

As an independent agent, there are steps you can take to help manage risk for your board of director clients.

Step 1: Review current liability coverages
One of the easiest ways to help your board of directors clients mitigate risk is by reviewing their current liability coverages to identify any gaps. Most associations will have adequate property, general liability, and D&O coverages, but may be missing out on other crucial coverage such as:

Crime and Fidelity
Crime and fidelity insurance protects a board of directors from any costs incurred in the event of embezzlement or fraud.

Umbrella Insurance
Sometimes, general liability insurance isn’t enough to protect against unforeseen losses. In these instances, umbrella insurance can help a board of directors cover excess costs.

Workers Compensation
Workers compensation coverage can provide security when a board of directors uses a service provider who is not insured, without being aware of it. Workers compensation can also provide coverage to volunteers and board members who get injured on the job.

In addition, depending on the property location(s) agents should talk with clients about whether flood, earthquake, or hurricane insurance could be right for them.

Step 2: Encourage preventative measures
Detecting a maintenance or structural issue early can save your client a significant amount of work and money down the line and prevent avoidable tragedies. Discuss the measures your client is currently taking to assess the structural integrity of their property. Help your client be proactive in assessing and addressing building upkeep by encouraging them to take the following preventative measures:

Conduct a Reserve Study
The main purpose of a reserve study is to provide a board of directors with a financial plan for allocating reserved funds. Conducting a reserved study can help your client determine how well they are currently keeping up with general property upkeep as well as the board’s ability to cover damage costs in case of emergencies.

Perform a Property Assessment
While many states now require homeowners associations to conduct periodic structural assessments, many still have no such requirements. If your client is not required to perform property assessments, encourage them to do so anyway. By periodically evaluating a building’s structural integrity, you can address areas in need of maintenance before they lead to more serious issues.

Agents should remind clients that these preventative measures are not a one-time thing. Reserve studies and property assessments should be conducted on a regular basis to ensure no preventable damages or injuries occur. A structural engineer can help your client best determine how often these measures need to be taken.

Step 3: Advocate for transparency
Lack of transparency from homeowners associations can cause tenants to lose their trust, their money, and in extreme cases like the collapse of the Surfside condo, their lives. It is critical that these associations keep property tenants informed of any building needs and potential costs – no matter how big or small. Encourage your client to remain transparent with their property tenants about any structural damages or other maintenance needs as well as their plan to address them.

As an experienced insurance agent, you know a lot about mitigating risk. If your board of directors clients are feeling uncertain about their ability to manage their property risks, let them know that you are here to help. By working closely with your board of directors clients to review coverages, encourage preventative measures, and advocate for transparency you can help them feel more confident, save money, and most importantly avoid tragedies big or small.

Although it may feel like it, Halloween is not a national holiday. This means that for many of us, Halloween is spent in the office, but that doesn’t mean it has to be like every other workday. From costume contests to spooky decorations and themed luncheons, here are 9 ideas for celebrating Halloween at the office while still motivating employees and increasing morale.

As an adult, you may not be trick-or-treating anymore, but that doesn’t mean you can’t still celebrate Halloween. A great way to celebrate Halloween as an adult is to throw a party with your friends or family. Whether you want to go all out with themed decorations and drinks or just keep it simple with a scary movie marathon, here are 10 creative Halloween party ideas sure to get your guests in the holiday spirit. 

Think you’re safe from financial fraud? Think again. Financial fraud can happen to anyone, at any time. Financial fraud doesn’t always look the same, it can come in many different shapes and sizes and the financial stress it causes can have a huge impact on your physical and mental well-being. The best way to protect yourself from becoming a victim of financial fraud is to be informed. Know what to look for and be cautious of anyone asking for personal information. 

Use these tips to spot financial fraud before becoming a victim of it. 

Does your business insurance help you cover the losses associated with being a victim of financial fraud? If you’re not sure, then get in touch today for a no-cost review of your policies!

Fourth Quarter 2021 is looming. With another year feeling a bit “lost” to COVID-19, it’s important to take stock what you have achieved despite the challenges that continue each day.

As the year winds down, it’s also a good time to review the goals you set for yourself at the beginning of the year. Be proud of any goals you have achieved and note any that you may still be working on. Having trouble achieving any of your goals? Here are 6 habits that you can adopt today to help you reach your goals by the end of the year. 

If any of your goals include making sure your personal or business insurance coverage is doing its job and providing you with the protection you need, please get in touch with us for a no-cost insurance checkup.  

If you believe the science that says sitting is the new smoking, it’s more important than ever to make sure to get up and take frequent walk breaks.

10,000 steps a day has long been the goal for battling our sedentary lifestyle, but how do we even begin to achieve that? For many of us working from home, staring at our computer all day, the best we can manage is the 50 steps from our office to our kitchen for a lunch break. The good news? Getting your 10,000 steps in each day is a lot easier than you may think, it just takes a little creativity. You can work more steps into your everyday life with little changes, like taking the stairs instead of the escalator (if you are back in an office) or change up your routine by taking a walk during that 30-minute business call or on your lunch break.

Getting in some steps has numerous physical and mental benefits. As hard as it can be to take a break, you’ll be even more productive when you get back to your desk – and healthier!

For more ideas on how to reach your 10,000 steps, click here.