Four out of 10 small businesses are likely to experience a property or general liability claim in the next 10 years. Check out these top 10 business claim situations and then determine if it's time to review and perhaps update your coverage.

Cyber attacks and data breaches can come from many sources. It’s not just criminals and external threats, but internal causes that businesses need to protect against. Privacy risks can result from lost/stolen documents, mobile devices; USB sticks; employee dishonesty; emails; spyware; viruses; hackers; third-party vendors and websites. Businesses should take a three prong approach to protect private information.

Effectively managing insurance costs goes beyond simply considering coverage limits, coverage options and premium amounts. It also involves considering what costs you are willing to pay out of pocket in the form of deductibles.

Running a business out of your home changes the loss exposures and characteristics of your residence as far as your homeowners insurance company is concerned. Your homeowners policy will cover losses to the property caused by perils such as fire, wind, lightning, and theft. And the liability portion will pay if someone is hurt on your premises. But if you run a home business, any loss associated with that business may be your problem unless you obtain additional protection.

Automobile crashes causing injuries and property damage occur at the highest rates in cities. One study reports that approximately 43 percent of auto accidents are intersection-related incidents. The following intersection safety tips are ones for you to consider...

New Hampshire is the latest state to establish a no use of hand-held electronic devices law effective July 1, 2015. This means no use of hand-held electronic devices capable of providing voice or data communication while driving or temporarily halted in traffic for a stop sign or traffic signal or other momentary delays. This includes cell phones, GPS, tablets, iPods, iPads or other devices that require data entry.

We just learned via the Massachusetts Association of Insurance Agents (MAIA) that the Massachusetts Senate was successful in adding an amendment to its version of the 2016 State Budget that would increase the Property Damage Threshold for Minor and Major accidents. If the language survives the budget conference committee, the new threshold for Minor Accidents will be $1,001 and the threshold for Major Accidents will be $5,001.

In today’s commerce landscape, any business that uses technology and stores customer information has to be on heightened alert for risks related to the possibility of a cyber/data breach. Businesses that provide technology to other businesses or have access to another business’ data must be extra diligent because their exposure extends past their client to all their clients’ customers. Data breaches are frequently in the news, and legislation designed to protect consumers puts a tremendous burden on companies to make sure their infrastructures and products are secure.

Do you have a sump pump in your basement? If yes, it’s important to perform regular maintenance checks to ensure that it’s working properly to keep your home dry and prevent damage from excess ground or rainwater. Periodic checking that your pump is functioning properly can reduce the chances of a failure at the worst possible moment....

Claims are a major driver in how insurance products evolve. At a micro-level , claims trends can influence what loss situations that insurance companies may exclude from insurance policy coverage. On a macro-level, claims largely determine the markets and/or geographic areas in which insurance companies want to do business....