Earthquake

by Charles T. Wilson

The horrific losses an earthquake can cause are top of mind – so let’s dust off some ideas we’ve discussed before.  Every day businesses are forced into crisis mode by natural disasters like earthquakes, hurricanes, and wildfires.  In California, we regularly hear about the 60+% chance of a devastating earthquake in the next 30 years.  No one in Haiti can remember an earthquake – the last big one was 200 years ago.

[click to continue…]

Print This Post Print This Post

{ 2 comments }

Practical Risk Management

by Charles T. Wilson

Risk Management and its “new & improved” fad, Enterprise Risk Management (ERM), can sound pretty esoteric and mind-numbing to most business owners.  What most firms usually need are practical, reliable loss prevention strategies that can be ring-fenced with basic and appropriate insurance.  Instead of ERM, I propose PRM or Practical Risk Management. [click to continue…]

Print This Post Print This Post

{ 1 comment }

Fences and Neighbors

by Charles T. Wilson

“Good fences make good neighbors.” ~ Robert Frost, Mending Wall
Risk managers and careful business owners definitely equate contracts and agreements with Robert Frost’s fences.  The connection between fences and neighbors isn’t explained, but we can guess:  good fences, like good agreements, clearly delineate property, responsibility, certain risks and expectations, to name but a few.  And [...]

Read the full article →

Top Ten Insurance Blunders

by Charles T. Wilson

We’ve all seen the various top-ten lists – some ad nauseam.
Even with all my years in and around the insurance business and working with hundreds of companies large and small, I’m sure I haven’t “seen ‘em all”!
Here are some of the classics I’ve observed – which you can easily avoid.

Don’t hire friends and relatives.  Do [...]

Read the full article →

What is Insurance to Value Anyway?

by Charles T. Wilson

Recently a client asked, “Why do I have to be careful about insuring for the full value of my stuff?  I’ll never lose it all anyway.”
My answer?  Insurance to value is a big deal, possibly a disaster, and it’s not the place to try to save money.
Here are some reasons why you want to be [...]

Read the full article →

Business Insurance Basics

by Charles T. Wilson

Recently a new client asked, “Can you just help me get liability insurance?  I think that’s all I really need.”
She had a new employee, some part-time helpers, a leased workshop, a collection of unique tools and her services included designing structural elements for high-end residences.  Of course, we had to think again!
Just what are the [...]

Read the full article →

Is Insurance Broker Service an Oxymoron?

by Charles T. Wilson

Lots of my clients struggle with getting what they think is “good” service from their insurance broker.  They ask me, “Why doesn’t this just happen; why is it so hard?”
My usual response is, “You’re probably not being pro-active enough.”
Get to know your broker as an individual and as a business person.  Here’s how to get [...]

Read the full article →