Business Continuity | Consolidated

Surety Bonds: The Safety Net for Construction Projects

What protects a business from a construction project that doesn’t go as planned? As much as we hope and expect that things will go well and according to contract, occasionally a contractor is unreliable, or even goes bankrupt in mid-project, creating a nightmare scenario for the client. Surety bonds are the safety net that protects…

Why COI? Certificates of Insurance

If you run a business, you have more than enough to worry about … your own risk management profile, for one. But when it comes to risk, business owners need to look beyond their own exposures and consider the risks presented by those who are working on their behalf, or working on their property. That’s…

Commercial Fire Coverage

There’s no good time or place for a fire, but a fire at your place of business can be especially costly. In many cases the costs associated with the physical damages and restoration take a backseat to the costs of the interruption to business activities. Income can very quickly slow to a trickle or stop…

Credential Stuffing: The Path of Least Resistance for Hackers

With all the high-profile hacking and ransomware incidents in the news lately, from Baltimore City’s ransomware woes to Atlanta losing eight years’ worth of body-camera video, you’re probably wondering what steps you can take to insulate your company and yourself. The answer begins with understanding how many hackers operate. You might picture a hacker hunched…

Consolidated’s Customer Portal – More than Insurance..

At Consolidated Insurance, our belief has always been that we best serve our clients as not just a broker, but as a partner in helping their businesses better manage their risk. To that end, we’re proud to re-introduce MyWave Connect, a time-saving online resource that puts clients in control of customized compliance information and much…

Succession Planning – Insurance and more…

When you hear the term “succession planning,” you probably think of exit strategies for a business owner: selling the business or handing it off to one or more family members when it’s time to retire, or when death or illness mandates a change. But true succession planning goes far beyond who will own the company…

Clearing the Air about Pollution Insurance

Pollution insurance? Who needs it? If you’re just about any type of contractor, you probably do. The word “pollution” conjures up images of huge smokestacks belching contaminants into the air, or factories draining waste into nearby bodies of water. That’s not us, you say. But change the word “pollution” to “contamination” and you begin to…

Construction Contracts – Insurance and Beyond

It goes without saying that any contract should be carefully reviewed before signing. But construction contracts can be especially tricky, given their unique language and the potentially far-reaching consequences when something goes wrong. This is why we highly recommend a lawyer or in-house counsel review all contracts. Here’s an overview of the highlights – and…

Workers’ Compensation Audits – Don’t Get Hit in the Wallet

One unhappy trend we’ve been seeing lately is more and more employers being hit with audit noncompliance penalties from their workers’ compensation carriers. These penalties can be very significant, up to twice the annual premium, so let’s take a look at how to avoid them. Like any insurance policy, a workers’ compensation policy is a…

Health Plan Audits: What You Need

Much as the Internal Revenue Service has the authority to audit tax returns, the Department of Labor (DOL) has a broad mandate to investigate and audit an employee benefits plan’s compliance with the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA). Audits are performed by the DOL’s Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA), and will often focus on…