Disconnect Health Insurance from Employment

It’s reasonable for health insurance companies to ask policyholders about their lifestyles. After all, that’s a key element in the risk equation. But when insurance is provided by the employer, privacy becomes a major issue. Individuals may have lifestyle and other health-related issues they’d rather people at work didn’t know about. Orlando Sentinel columnist Beth Kassab says she is getting “used to”...

It’s Party Season – Are You Liable?

Let the Parties Begin But protect yourself from liability during the holiday season   Once the holiday season is in full swing, along with the fun, the parties, and the gift exchanging comes some increased exposure to personal and business liability. While you don’t want to turn into a Scrooge when it comes to holiday celebrations, you still need to reduce your potential risk. For example, it’s not...

If you’re renting, are you properly insured?

The rate of home foreclosures across the country has turned a lot of homeowners into renters. In the trauma of the foreclosure process, these former owners who are now tenants may overlook something very important: the need to insure their belongings.   When you own a home with a mortgage, the lender usually requires you to have property insurance. Homeowner’s insurance policies typically include...

Disaster planning issue

Does your disaster response/recovery plan include accommodations for your disabled employees and customers? Your evacuation plan should consider the needs of people with disabilities that may make it difficult for them to see or hear instructions or to move quickly move around. Your plan for backup facilities (should your own location be inaccessible) should address disability access. These are issues you...

Should insurance companies notify consumers when their bad credit is used against them?

The essential question is: Are insurance companies violating the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) when they make an adverse decision based on information contained in a credit report and fail to tell the consumer? The U.S. Supreme Court has agreed to hear two consolidated cases that address the issue. According to the Supreme Court of the United States blog: Although the facts for each plaintiff-respondent...