As technology has developed, so has people’s ability to overcome the traditional communication barriers of time and distance. ​Using telecommunication to bridge the gap of time, distance, and affordability is a step forward in the health care industry, reaching patients in need of medical attention.
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​Every year, September is recognized as National Preparedness Month. The campaign's goal is to create awareness of the planning needed to prepare for an emergency or disaster. This year’s theme is “Prepared, Not Scared.”

Not every trip needs to be insured; however, if the cost, risk of illness, or potential for interruption has you feeling cautious, then trip insurance may be a wise investment. Asking yourself the following questions may help you decide:

• Are you traveling abroad or more than 100 miles away from home?
• Are you hyper-aware of the cost of your travel arrangements?
• Are you concerned an injury or illness of you or a loved one may affect your trip?
• Are you traveling during a heightened risk of severe weather, like the winter holidays or hurricane season?
• Does your trip include pre-paid home rentals, car rentals, or event tickets?

When considering a plan, take inventory of the components of your trip. Pre-paid vacation home rentals, car rentals, and event tickets are unique items to insure, yet they can be costly if forfeited due to an unexpected circumstance. If these costs are added to the total pre-paid price of the trip, a comprehensive travel insurance plan could protect you if your trip should be canceled or interrupted.

Recognizing employees for their hard work is an essential component in improving employee engagement. Despite the importance of employee recognition, a Deloitte survey reveals that 45% of U.S. workers reported they haven't been recognized at work in at least six months. 
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Did you know that one third of all households would feel adverse financial impacts within one month if a primary wage earner died?
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Life insurance isn’t a fun thing to think about, and it may seem like an unnecessary expense. But if you have people who depend on you for financial support, then life insurance is really about protecting them in case something happens to you – your designated beneficiary would collect a financial benefit upon your death. Life insurance can be confusing, so here’s a rundown of the basics.

Both employers and employees both have much to gain from a successful voluntary benefits program. 
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Workplace injury rates rise during the summer months. When summer rolls around, companies in many sectors, including agriculture and construction, significantly increase production.
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​If someone is using your personal or your company's financial information to make purchases, get benefits, file taxes, or commit fraud, that's identity theft.

We were recently contacted by a client who was the victim of a scam in the area where someone is buying cell phones using a businesses’ EIN (Employer Identification Number). The insured does have Identity Theft Expense Reimbursement coverage; however, no expenses were incurred. 

While insurance is still necessary and important, it's just one part of protecting yourself and your business. ​One of the best things you can do is to take steps to protect yourself before identity theft occurs. The website Fraud.org offers many tips on how to do this, including:

• Review your credit report for suspicious activity.
• Avoid giving out personal information.
• Don't use the same password and change your online passwords frequently.
• File your taxes as soon as possible. (One form of theft is to file for tax returns before you do.)

If you are a victim, take the following steps to report the fraud:

1. Report the fraud to the IRS Identity Protection Specialized Unit at 1-800-908-4490
2. File a complaint with the FTC at https://www.ftccomplaintassistant.gov
3. Make a report with your local police department 
4. Contact one of the three major credit reporting bureaus and ask them to place a “fraud alert” on your credit report. (Contact one, and the report should automatically be placed with the other two.)
5. You could also consider requesting a “security freeze” on your credit report from each of the three credit reporting agencies. This would probably only be necessary if you’re afraid of someone opening lines of credit with your identity.

For additional information, the Federal Trade Commission put together the document, "Identity Theft - A Recovery Plan," to guide victims of identity theft through each step of the process.

When you apply for life insurance or open a retirement account, you'll be asked to name beneficiaries. This is an important step in financial planning.
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Prevent Blindness has declared August as Children’s Eye Health and Safety Awareness month. The goal of this month is to inspire and encourage parents to make their children’s vision health a bigger priority. 
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