Courtesy of http://www.iii.org/press-release/what-do-women-business-owners-want-credible-accurate-insurance-advice-022616 Women have made great strides in the business world in the past few decades. And business insurance is essential to protecting their hard-earned capital, according to the Insurance Information Institute (I.I.I.). Forty years ago women owned just 5 percent of all small businesses in the United States. Today, they own one-third, generating nearly $1.5 trillion in revenue and employing over 7.9 million people. Between 1997 and 2015, the number of women-owned firms increased by 74 percent, according to the 2015 State of Women-Owned Businesses Report. And the majority of new women-owned firms launched in 2014 were owned by minority women. “Whether launching a new business, growing your business or competing in the global marketplace, it is essential that women business owners get the right type and amount of coverage,” said Loretta Worters, a vice president with …
Animal Damage and Your Home
Courtesy of iii.org You may have read the recent story featured in the I.I.I. Daily about raccoon damage and homeowners insurance. The gist: raccoons got into a house and caused $80,000 worth of damage. The homeowners were surprised to learn that their insurance wouldn’t cover any of it. So what’s the deal with animal damage and insurance? Homeowners insurance Let’s start with the easy stuff. If your dog Fido rips through your couch or pees all over the wall, you’re out of luck. Standard homeowners policies won’t cover any damage to your house or personal property caused by a pet. And”pet” is a pretty broad term. Doesn’t matter if it’s a Shih Tzu or a Clydesdale horse, pets are any animal you own. What about animals that aren’t pets, like deer or birds or – God forbid – rats? That’s where things get interesting. Building damage: You probably aren’t covered for any damage to the building caused by birds, rodents, insects, or vermin. There also probably won’t be …
Seniors & Driving
Courtesy of iii.org Older drivers are keeping their licenses longer and driving more miles than ever before. The high fatality rates of this age group reflect the fact that older drivers are more easily injured than younger people and are more apt to have medical complications and die of those injuries. There is a growing need to help older drivers sharpen their skills as well as recognize their changing abilities and adapt their driving practices appropriately. Insurers have partnered with state and local governments, and groups such as AARP and the AAA Foundation for Highway Safety to create programs designed to address these needs. Improving Older Driver Safety According to the Governors Highway Safety Administration, impairments in three key areas—vision, cognition and motor function—are responsible for higher crash rates for older drivers. Vision declines with age; cognition, which includes memory and attention, can be impacted by medical problems such as dementia and …