We all are aware of the dangers of not only texting but using our cell phones while driving…but many of us forget.  Many of us think, “One quick text won’t cause an accident” or “I won’t respond to the email but I need to read it”.
Here are few statistics and a website to remind us all, “It’s not worth it!”

• 25% of all Crashes in 2009 were caused by distracted drivers (Cell phones #1 distraction)
• 18% of all Fatal crashes involved a cell phone
• Using a cell phone while driving, whether it’s hand-held or hands-free, delays a driver’s reactions as much as having a blood alcohol concentration at the legal limit of .08 percent.
• Drivers that use cell phone are 4 times more likely to get into a crash.

To hear some stories and to help raise awareness of the dangers of texting while driving, visit www.txtresponsibly.org.

While fire may be a common worry among homeowners, claims data from Travelers suggests their homes could be as much as 10 times more likely to be damaged by water than by fire.

Fortunately, much of this water-related damage can be prevented, and taking a few simple home maintenance steps can help increase the chances of keeping a property safe.

Travelers recently analyzed its homeowners insurance claims in North Carolina, excluding claims related to catastrophes, and found that damage caused by water accounted for 28 percent of its property claims in the state, compared to three percent for fire. Furthermore, of those water damage claims, weather accounted for only five percent, meaning that proper maintenance within the home may help homeowners avoid some of these problems.

“When considering annual household cleaning projects, it’s a great time to inspect and perform maintenance on household systems and appliances,” said Ron Stephens, Regional Vice President for Travelers. “Checking washing machine hoses, ice maker connections and the plumbing around water heaters are a few simple actions you can take to prevent both damages and a lot of headaches.”

After examining the most common causes of water damage for Travelers customers in North Carolina, claim and risk management professionals from Travelers have developed a number of easy steps homeowners can take to help avoid many of these non-weather-related water problems. The following list provides preventive measures to help avoid the top four common causes of non-weather related water damage:

• Leaks from washing machine hoses

  Washing machine hoses should be inspected annually and replaced every five years – or immediately, if there are any signs of cracking or bulging.

• Leaky plumbing around water heaters

  Plumbing should be inspected annually and repaired if there are any signs of leaks or corrosion. When possible, water heaters should be installed in an area with floor drains to minimize damage if leaks should occur.

• Leaks from refrigerator ice machines

  Ice maker connections, usually located behind the refrigerator, should be inspected annually and hoses replaced if they appear cracked or corroded.

• Clogged drain lines on air conditioning units

  Air conditioning drain lines should be checked yearly.

Wellness issues important to you – brought to you by the insurance specialists at Arnett Insurance Services

If you believe that employee health and wellness is truly important to your company’s success, you may want to take your wellness program one step further by incorporating wellness into your company mission statement, value proposition or goals. To hold employees accountable, consider adding a wellness component to your annual employee performance review process.

How to Get Started

If you decide this approach may be a good step for your company, start at the top. Add some type of wellness statement to your published corporate vision, mission, beliefs or goals. This demonstrates to management, employees and the community that employee wellness is a priority.

The next step is incorporating wellness into performance reviews. This should not be in the form of reaching a certain weight or focused on fitness level or physical appearance. Rather, encourage each employee to formulate one or more wellness goals that are relevant and beneficial for achieving or maintaining their own healthy lifestyle.
Management and supervisors should not only have their own goals, but should also be held responsible for being a positive wellness leader. This includes following through on their own goals and helping their subordinates achieve success as well. You may want to assess manager performance on each of those two factors separately, giving an overall larger weight to wellness objectives than general employees.

For employee goals, have each supervisor work with his or her subordinates to formulate relevant, meaningful goals. This could include participation in certain wellness programs, attending certain classes or meetings, achieving certain safety objectives, quitting smoking or whatever your company deems appropriate and measurable.

Formulating Your Program

An important aspect to the success of this initiative will be supervisor training and clearly defined examples of what is acceptable and unacceptable for a goal. Simultaneously, it is vital that employees have the freedom to choose goals that truly represent their lives and health needs, so that each employee feels he or she is getting a benefit from meeting the goal and that being assessed on the goal is fair. Examples of employee goals may include:

• Cooking healthy meals with the family three times a week
• Drinking water during the day at work, instead of soda or juice
• Completing the company-sponsored smoking cessation program
• Taking company-sponsored safety classes related to the employee’s job
• Participating in a disease management program to manage a chronic condition
• Logging a certain number of daily or weekly steps on a pedometer

The relationship between the supervisor and employee will be especially important in evaluating this goal. Together, they will need to not only establish the goal(s), but also decide how the goal will be documented throughout the year and how success will be measured. For instance, the sample goals listed above can each be tracked and/or measured in some way on a regular basis. Develop a process to have upper management review and approve each goal, to ensure consistency in standards and evaluation throughout the company. Due to the unique nature of some employees’ goals, this many not be an easy process; the more guidelines you can establish beforehand, the easier this will be for all parties.

Be sure to communicate clearly with employees when deciding to incorporate wellness into corporate and individual performance goals. Emphasize foremost how you see wellness as integral to your company’s success and explain why. Demonstrate how tying wellness to performance will allow each employee to contribute more to the company, while also helping them develop healthier, safer habits that will benefit their own lives.

Also important to this initiative is having a comprehensive wellness program already in place, so that your employees have the resources to help them accomplish their goals. Using the above goal examples, each could easily be supported by a company program, whether it is nutrition education and access to healthy recipes, company-sponsored classes or free pedometers for all employees.

One of the biggest concerns facing employers this time of year is the spread of the flu and in particular, the threat of H1N1 virus. Companies may face huge increases in absenteeism and are being advised to take precautions by implementing a plan in advance. This year, employers may also want to consider an alternative or revised sick leave plan, as it is important that ill workers feel able to stay home without any retribution. It is important to not have employees return to work too early when they might still be contagious or may not have fully recovered from their illness. It may be difficult during these tough economic times to implement flexible leave policies, however, doing so will help prevent an outbreak among your employees, which can be extremely costly to any business.

Below is a sampling of tips distributed by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention:

To Prepare for Heavy Absenteeism:

• Develop flexible leave policies for workers who must stay home to care for other family members.
• Have an understanding of your organization’s normal seasonal absenteeism rates and know how to monitor your personnel for any unusual increases through the fall and winter.
• Cross-train personnel to perform essential functions so the workplace can operate even if key staff members are absent.
• Explore whether you can establish policies and practices such as telecommuting and flexible work hours.
• Ensure that you have the information technology and infrastructure needed to support multiple employees working from home.

To Help Keep Employees Healthy:

• Ask sick workers to stay home for seven days or until they have been symptom-free for 24 hours.
• Encourage hand washing and covering coughs and sneezes.
• Clean commonly touched surfaces regularly.
• Encourage employees to get vaccinated both for the seasonal flu and for H1N1.
• Consider canceling nonessential business travel.

Know the Difference between Cold and H1N1 Flu Symptoms

- Stephanie O’Dell

Many consumers are tightening their budgets, reevaluating their financial goals, and trying to reduce unnecessary expenditures. Auto insurance is one thing in the budget that cannot be eliminated. When it seems like you can’t shell out the money for your auto insurance; dropping it may appear to be a good idea, but that ends up being a bad decision for many reasons. You are setting yourself up for some serious problems which may result in irrevocable damage. There are both long and short term consequences. For awhile, you might think you are getting away with something by avoiding any collisions. Even if this is the case, you are by no means off the hook. At best, you will make it until it is time to renew your license tags. To purchase your tags, you must provide proof of insurance. Auto insurance companies will want to know who you are currently insured with, and they do verify it. If you are dishonest about being currently insured, it will be discovered and you will see a major change in premium. For a minimum of six months, you will have to pay inflated rates at amounts that are simply unreasonable. Troubles will only escalate if you are involved in a collision. You will be stuck paying for medical expenses, repairs, etc. not just for yourself, but for everyone involved. If you get pulled over, police always require your insurance documents. If you can’t provide these for the officer, you will probably get a costly ticket and you could even get your driver’s license suspended. Points will show up on your record which will cause your rates to go up even further. After all these possible consequences, you will wish you had just paid the premium when you had the chance. Maybe you believe that you can’t afford auto insurance, when in reality, you can’t afford not to have it!

There are a number of ways to achieve more affordable auto insurance, beginning with everyday behaviors and choices. For example; the premium will be higher if you have a luxury model that is expensive to repair. The age, model, safety record, and features of a car are all factored in when we provide quotes. If your car has antilock brakes or a built in alarm system, it can help reduce your premium. If you are in a high theft city or drive a car frequently targeted for theft, your costs are likely to go up. Slow down. Speeding tickets are another item that will make your premiums increase. You can explore modifying some of the components of your policy as well. Adjusting your deductible is an example. If you increase your deductible, it will lower your premium; however, it is important to be confident that you can cover the cost of that deductible should you need to rely on your policy. Many insurance companies offer discounts if you purchase multiple policies (such as homeowners and auto) with them. You may also get a reduction in premium when you sign up for automatic bill paying agreements. If you are interested in trying to lower your auto insurance premiums, we can look at altering components of your policy. We want to help you make smart decisions that will cut costs, while still providing the protection you need.

- Bryce Arnett

Business Interruption insurance compensates you for lost income if your company has to vacate the premises due to disaster-related damage that is covered under your property insurance policy, such as a fire. Business interruption insurance covers the profits you would have earned (based on your financial records) had the disaster not occurred. The policy also covers operating expenses, like electricity, that continue even though business activities have come to a temporary halt.

What is Extra Expense?

Extra Expense insurance reimburses your company for a reasonable sum of money that it spends, over and above normal operating expenses, to avoid having to shut down during the restoration period.

Why do I need this coverage?

The goal of this insurance is to “make you whole again”. Purchasing Building and Personal Property insurance returns your location to the same physical condition it was in prior to the loss. Business Income coverage, however, is meant to put you in the same fiscal position you would be in if no loss occurred.
Think of Business Income insurance as protecting the existence of the business itself. To put it another way, if you neglect to purchase Business Income Coverage, the business may simply cease to exist following a prolonged shut down created by a covered cause of loss.
It’s hard to believe, but with the historic focus of property insurance on the prevention of loss and preservation of property, little thought has gone into insurance for post loss recovery. Even more importantly, most insureds that are aware of this key exposure tend to be concerned about covering lost profits, often overlooking the equally important impact of continuing expenses. Continuing expenses can often exceed the insured’s monthly profit.

- Brigham Curran

Sending an employee on an errand? Or have an overzealous outside sales person on board?
Sending one of your employees across town to pick up those company brochures from the print shop might not be as great an idea as you might think. If that employee is involved in an auto accident, an injured party could come after your business for compensation.

There are several potential legal hot spots that businesses can easily overlook because such concerns may seem trivial.

• Cell Phones or PDA devices with email and Texting

  It is common practice for businesses to equip their employees with a company cell phone so that clients or other employees can reach them when they are away from the office. It seems to make good business sense, and overall efficiency is increased, which is good news to any employer. Cell phones are now proven to be the majority of caused accidents.

• Pagers

  Although pagers might be viewed as less distracting to the user than cell phones, they still can create legal waves for a company

• Non-Designated Drivers

  Most companies painstakingly investigate and insure their on-the-job drivers, such as delivery people and truck drivers, but they usually overlook the small errands for which they sometimes send non-insured employees, such as office workers.

What can companies do to protect themselves?

• Set employee policies regarding employees not using the cell phone or PDA’s while driving.
• Provide cellular phones and pagers only for essential personnel.
• Before giving an employee an assignment that requires driving, make sure they have a valid driver’s license.
• Better yet, keep employees in their hired roles. If they were hired for office work, keep them there. Let the company drivers do the driving.

– Brad Arnett

With increasing job instability and the value of paychecks and investments going down, you may be tempted to cut corners on your insurance. While there are many smart ways to save money on insurance, there are also mistakes that could result in being dangerously underinsured. The following are two insurance mistakes you should avoid.

Insuring a Home for its Real Estate Value Rather than the Cost of Rebuilding

With the value of real estate going down, some home buyers may think that they can reduce the amount of insurance on their home. Insurance,  however, is designed to cover the cost of rebuilding a home. It is not linked to the sale price of the home. Homeowners should be careful to purchase enough insurance coverage to completely rebuild their home and replace their belongings.

• A better Way To Save MoneyConsider higher deductibles. If you were to raise a $500 deductible to as much as $1,000, you may save up to 25 percent on many home insurance policies. The average person only files a claim every eight to 10 years, so most homeowners will save money over time.

Only Purchasing the Legally Required Amount of Liability Protection for a Car

Every state has financial responsibility laws for drivers requiring you to buy a minimum amount of liability coverage. However, if you buy only the minimum coverage, you may end up paying significantly more out-of-pocket in the long run.

• A better Way To Save MoneyBefore you buy a new or used car, check into insurance costs. Your premium is based in part on the car’s sticker price, the cost to repair it, its overall safety record and the likelihood of theft. Many insurers offer discounts for features that reduce the risk of injuries or theft like air bags, anti-lock brakes, daytime running lights and anti-theft devices.

- Bryce Arnett

On June 30, 2009 an advisory committee to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration recommended that the FDA restrict the use of acetaminophen, one of the most widely-used pain medications. Some of the more popular medications containing acetaminophen are over the counter drugs such as Tylenol, Excedrin and NyQuil as well as other prescription brand-name medications such as Vicodin, Percocet, Lortab, and Tylenol w/codeine.

If taken in the recommended doses, acetaminophen is a safe and effective fever reducing and pain medication, however, it is widely overused. The average healthy adult has the recommended maximum dose of acetaminophen over a 24 hour period of 4000 mg. Each extra-strength Tylenol pill currently contains 500 mg, and each regular strength pill contains 325 mg. Overdoses occur when individuals multi-medicate to treat various symptoms not knowing that acetaminophen is a common ingredient in each of the medications being taken. A common mistake occurs because it is often difficult to identify products containing acetaminophen as it is often labeled as APAP on pharmacy containers. Another common overuse of acetaminophen is the PM version of Tylenol. Many individuals take Tylenol PM on a regular basis to medicate for sleep deprivation or insomnia. This combined with daily pain medications often result in accidental overdose.

Acetaminophen overdose causes severe liver damage and have been linked to 56,000 emergency room visits, 26,000 hospitalizations, and 458 deaths during the 1990’s according to the FDA. The agency cited another study, a 2007 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention population-based report, that estimated acetaminophen was the likely cause of most of the estimated 1,600 acute liver failures each year.

The FDA isn’t trying to eliminate the use of acetaminophen, but has suggested restrictions on its use that will reduce the recommended dosages and eliminate some popular prescription products that contain acetaminophen such as Vicodin and Percocet.

We recommend that you become familiar with the manufacturers dosage recommendations and adhere to all warning labels and guidelines in order to avoid accidental acetaminophen overdose.
References: FDA, “Joint Meeting of the Drug and Safety and Risk Management Advisory Committee with the Anesthetic and Life Support Drugs Advisory Committee and the Nonprescription Drugs Advisory Committee Meeting Announcement,” June 29-30, 2009. Source.

– Stephanie O’Dell