The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) reports that over 13.1 million Americans are victims of identity theft each year. As a result, they are unable to use their credit cards, cannot obtain new loans and, in some cases, are subject to criminal investigations for crimes they did not commit. One of the fastest growing crimes in America, identity theft, can cost a victim a significant amount of time and money as they try to repair their good name and credit. As business increasingly moves towards e-commerce and away from face-to-face transactions, the risk of ID theft will only continue to grow.

​Social media has grown by leaps and bounds over the past decade. What many people don't understand are the unique risks that come along with social networking.

Anyone using Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn or any other social networking site should exercise extreme caution in what they decide to say online.

​It's a nightmare scenario for any new car buyer. You drive it off the lot and a few days later another driver runs a red light, smashing into your car and severely damaging most of the front end and irreparably damaging the frame - essentially totaling the vehicle.

Luckily nobody was injured, but will insurance cover the total loss? Are you expecting the insurer to pay off the loan? That may not always be the case.

Since the other driver was at fault, their insurer will be the one picking up the tab for your vehicle and, as repairing it is out of the question, it will have to pay you for the damage.

But, if you only put a little bit of money down when taking out a loan on the car, you could end up having to pay off at least some part of the loan balance that's left over after the insurer pays you for your vehicle. 

​In the business world, barely a week goes by without a major cyber incident happening. To help guide businesses toward cyber preparedness, Hiscox has come out with its 2019 Cyber Readiness Report.

This year’s report shows that of the companies surveyed, most experienced one or more cyber attack in the past year. The cost and frequency of these attacks have increased significantly, as well as the risks involved for small and medium sized companies.

​Perhaps you remember the embarrassing scenario for NASA in early 2019, when the space agency was forced to cancel its first-ever all-woman spacewalk because they didn't have two suits on the International Space Station that fit them.

While most people were shocked, women in professions that require them to wear personal protective equipment (PPE) know the challenges they face in getting equipment that fits properly.

​Many businesses that produce some type of pollutant throughout the course of daily operations don't know they are doing so.

Those businesses that know they are producing pollutants have processes and safeguards in place to reduce their release into the environment. However, it’s important to understand that a business can be held liable for some very costly damages when these byproducts pollute another property or harm another individual.

Pollution liability clauses were once part of general liability policies, but the extensive asbestos problems in the 1970s spurred most insurers to remove pollution protection from their general liability policies.

​Summer has finally arrived! With all the fun these few short months hold, it’s easy to overlook the dangers that may be lurking.

Whatever your summer plans, take the following steps to protect your children and family to ensure that you have a safe summer free of avoidable accidents: