How Cyber Insurance Protects Your Business

Cyber insurance is a type of liability coverage that can come in handy for most businesses. Virtually every business has an online component these days, and cyber problems can cause serious damage. If your business doesn’t have cyber insurance, contact us at Martin Insurance Team in Evergreen Park, IL.

Data Problems

One of the main problems that encourage people to get cyber insurance is data breaches. These happen to businesses of all sizes. You don’t have to be a large, well-known business for this to happen. When a data breach happens, your company information, banking records, passwords, and other important information can be put out there for all to see. What is especially damaging is that the data you have on your customers, and employees, can be posted online after one of these breaches. That means credit card numbers, personal information, etc. 

Your Liability

The problems really start to mount when your customers have their data stolen. Even if it isn’t used right away, it can be posted online so that it can be used at any time. Many people have to cancel credit cards, put a hold on their credit, etc. And if the data is used right away, it can end up costing them a lot of money. This is why so many companies have had to make payouts to their customers for data breaches. If this happens to your business when you have cyber insurance, they handle much of the aftermath so that your business doesn’t go bankrupt. It’s important to have this coverage if your business has a website, but it is even necessary if you simply use a computer system for storing customer data. 

Get Your Cyber Insurance

To protect your business against catastrophic fines and lawsuits filed against you. Get cyber insurance to keep your business protected. Call us today at Martin Insurance Team in Evergreen Park, IL to find out more. 

What every business owner in Evergreen Park, IL needs to know about general liability insurance

As a business owner in Evergreen Park, IL, knowing what works for your business is the most significant step you can take to achieve your targets. One of these steps is having general liability or business liability insurance. According to the Martin Insurance Team, it’s a critical policy that every business owner must-have. So what makes it so unique, and how does it help a business achieve goals? Read on to find out!

It’s all about lawsuits

As a business owner, you are legally responsible for anything that happens in your business. If another party gets hurt or their property gets damaged while at your business, you may be held liable and policy helps pay medical expenses and legal costs in case you are sued. It also covers you for property damage and injuries that could result from your employees, products, operations or services.

Liability claims can be costly

Lawsuits in Illinois are not cheap. They can quickly sweep your bank accounts clean if you are not well-prepared. If you don’t have general liability insurance, you might have to cover these costs from your pocket. If someone sues your business for slander or libel because of something you or your employees wrote, said or did, general liability can help cover legal costs. Similarly, if your business gets sued for copyright infringement, like using other people’s photos in your advertisement without permission, the policy can cover the costs.

General liability fits in all types of business

It doesn’t matter whether you run a small, mid-sized or large company. It also doesn’t matter whether you provide services or deliver goods; every business in Evergreen Park, IL, needs general liability insurance. You can be sued by a client, another company or even an employee. If you don’t have enough liability, your business can easily crumble down due to a lack of funds.

For more information about general liability insurance, contact Martin Insurance Team today!

What Is Workers’ Comp Insurance, And Why Do I Need It?

What would your Evergreen Park, IL business be without the employees? Naught. Nada. Zero. Your employees are the most valuable assets in your business. In light of this, you need workers’ comp insurance from Martin Insurance Team to protect your most prized investment. 

Why you need workers’ comp insurance

Whether you are a startup or seasoned business in Illinois, the state requires you to carry workers’ comp insurance. Failure to have this insurance will expose you to civil and criminal lawsuits. However, besides compliance, carrying workers’ comp insurance offers the below benefits.

Protects your business

Can you imagine the actual costs of accident-related medical expenses? It can be massive, and not many businesses can survive the blunt of work-related injury expenses. Thankfully, when you carry workers’ comp insurance, you don’t have to pay for employees’ medical expenses, saving you substantial finances and loss of productivity.

Businesses may view workers’ insurance comp as an unnecessary expense, but the premium is far less compared to the medical treatment of an injured employee. As a matter of fact, one significant work-related injury claim can cause unspeakable financial damage to your business. Would you want that for your business? 

Protects your employees

Regardless of how safety-conscious your work environment is, accidents can still happen. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, over 6 million Americans suffer from work-related injuries every year! Given the inescapable fact that injuries are never far off from the workplace, workers’ compensation insurance becomes no-miss insurance. This insurance protects your employees by covering their medical expenses and paying wage replacement benefits where applicable. 

Having proper workers’ comp insurance is a smart move to protect employees and your business. If you need workers’ comp insurance for your Evergreen Park, IL business, you can trust Martin Insurance Team to ensure your business is well-covered. Contact us today to partner with us.  

What Is Included in a Cyber Insurance Policy?

In Evergreen Park, IL, the agents of Martin Insurance Team are available to discuss the benefits of cyber insurance and how it can protect both individuals and business owners who rely heavily on the internet for their day to day activities and operations. 

Covers the Loss of Confidential Information Caused by Data Breaches

Data breaches can affect everyone. While many people believe that businesses are the primary target, individuals are sometimes targeted as well. Confidential information like social security numbers, birthdates, and other identifying information is compromised which can lead to stolen identities and other suspicious activities. Cyber insurance can minimize your risk if this type of breach occurs.

Restores Financial and Personal Information

Cyber insurance also can assist you in recovering your personal information and restoring your financial accounts. This includes credit cards, bank accounts, and any investments you may have. Restoring your personal information may require the services of an attorney. Most cyber policies include payments to attorneys and other recovery professionals.

Recovers Damages to Computers and Other Devices

Hackers and other cybercriminals often use malicious software and viruses that can damage your computers and other electronic devices. Cyber insurance offers compensation that covers any repairs that may need to be made. It will also cover the cost to replace any equipment that cannot be prepared.

The agents of Martin Insurance Team are experts when it comes to dealing with cyber insurance and the many issues involved in hacking and cybercrime. If you live in the Evergreen Park, IL area and want answers, all you have to do is call and schedule an appointment with one of their agents. Don’t risk your financial security. Schedule your appointment today!

Why should I get workers comp insurance in Illinois?

When someone is going to start a business in the Evergreen Park, IL area, there are a lot of important decisions that need to be made along the way. One item to spend time thinking about is your need for business insurance. One form of insurance that you and your organization may need is worker’s comp coverage. There are a variety of reasons why a business in Illinois should get this type of insurance for their organization. 

Protects Employees 

One of the main reasons to get a workers comp insurance is that it can protect your employees. No matter what type of business you operate, there is going to always be a risk that someone could get hurt while they are at work. If this happens, a workers comp insurance policy will ensure that your employees have their medical bills taken care of. This is can protect all members of your team.

Required by Law

You should also get workers comp insurance for your business because it is required by law for many employers. Due to the benefits and importance of workers comp insurance, the state of Illinois is similar to many other states by requiring that you carry proper insurance coverage. When you do get this insurance, it can help to ensure are in compliance with state law and are able to avoid penalization.

If you are looking for a new worker’s comp insurance policy in the Evergreen Park, IL area, you should call the Martin Insurance Team. At the Martin Insurance Team, the insurance professionals are focused on helping their customers build and choose policies that properly protect their organizations. This can include helping you better understand all of your insurance obligations and answering any questions that you have when it comes to worker’s compensation insurance coverage. 

Is Your Commercial Insurance Enough Right Now?

Most American’s have not seen a health emergency at this level in their lifetime. In fact, the last time anything comparable happened in the United States was in 1918. Many businesses did not expect the sudden crash to their clientele and to say most were unprepared is an understatement. After all, we know to prepare for storms, floods, even power outages in those cold winter months, but not a global pandemic that shut down much of the economy. At Martin Insurance Team we have been there for our clients through this new form of a storm, and we will continue to help businesses’ thrive in and around Evergreen Park, IL. Now may be a good time to ask yourself if your commercial insurance is enough right now, and how can you improve it to protect yourself if this particular event ever happens again. 

Business Interruption Insurance May Not Cover Virus and Pandemic Closures. 

Many business owners across Colorado are discovering that their business interruption insurance does not include, or specifically excludes loss or closure due to a virus or pandemic. The reasons vary but the main one is that pandemic coverage is rarely underwritten, or considered when purchasing commercial insurance. 

Colorado Division of Insurance spokesman Vince Plymell stated that “This particular insurance coverage is being discussed in all states right now, as well as at the Federal level”. We are all navigating these new waters carefully and pandemic specific insurance will likely be a clear add on in future policies. 

Contact us at Martin Insurance Team to learn more about the exact coverage you need to protect your commercial assets in a pandemic, flood, storm, or other occurrences. We are also happy to discuss your current policy and find out if your commercial insurance will be enough. As we recover from this pandemic there will likely be changed to the wording of policies to clearly include or exclude events such as these. We serve Evergreen Park, IL. 

 

What Is Cyber Insurance?

All business owners in the Evergreen Park, IL area likely know that they need to have some form of business or commercial insurance. While commercial insurance has been around for a long time, unique challenges for organizations continue to develop. Today, many business owners would also benefit from getting cyber insurance. This form of insurance provides a unique set of insurance protections that likely are not covered by a traditional commercial policy. 

Provides Liability Related to Data Breaches

Data breaches seem to be in the news on a daily basis. Major organizations can spend a significant amount of money correcting these breaches after they have occurred. For smaller organizations, the cost of these data breaches could be substantial from a liability perspective. When you have cyber insurance, you will have specific liability coverage against these situations. 

Covers Variety of Expenses

When you do have cyber insurance, the coverage will handle a wide variety of expenses that are related to a data breach. To start, it will cover all legal expenses, settlement, and judgment expenses that could have occurred as a result of the data breach. Additionally, the policy will provide coverage for other related expenses as well, which can be quite expensive. These can include, but are not limited to, expenses related to notifying customers of the data breach, helping to recover any lost or compromised data, and helping to restore information and credit of impacted customers. 

Businesses in the Evergreen Park, IL area need to carefully consider their cyber insurance needs. Those that would like to learn more should contact the Martin Insurance Team. The insurance professionals at the Martin Insurance Team can help anyone get into a cyber insurance policy that provides the company with these unique protections and benefits in the digital age. 

Why Every Business Absolutely Must Have General Liability Insurance

Are you a business owner? Are you ready for some startling statistics? Forbes says that around 36% to 53% of the small businesses in America are going to face a lawsuit each year. At any point in time, 90% of all small businesses in the USA are involved in litigation. Americans are some of the most litigious people on the planet. If you own a business, the question is not if you will be sued but when you will be sued.

Risk of Workers Suing

As long as you are not negligent, the risks from on-the-job accidents that can cause serious injury and/or death is why you need to have workers’ compensation insurance. It is the law that you must have this type of commercial insurance if you have just one employee.

Risk of Clients, Customers, and Strangers Suing

This risk is more severe because usually, you do not know about the problem until after it arises. If a clumsy customer falls down at your business, even if it is their fault, you may have exposure to a lawsuit.

This is why, even though it is not a legal requirement to have general liability insurance for your business; still, you must have it. A business owner would have to be crazy not to carry general liability insurance and risk everything they own.

General liability insurance is one of the most important types of insurance for a business. It is the foundation upon which all other insurance coverage is built. Work closely with your agent at Martin Insurance Team, serving Evergreen Park, IL, and the surrounding area, to make sure your coverage is adequate.

Your agent will conduct a thorough commercial insurance review and make suggestions of what level of general liability insurance is appropriate for your business as well as suggest other commercial insurance that goes along well with it to increase your protection from other risks.

Contact your agent at Martin Insurance Team in Evergreen Park, IL to get a quote for general liability insurance and for all your other commercial insurance needs.

Who Needs Workers’ Compensation Insurance?

If you own a business in Evergreen Park, IL and you have employees, it may be a good idea to familiarize yourself with workers’ compensation insurance options. If you’re just opening a business, you are probably aware that workers’ compensation is required by law. However, not all policies are created equal. Your agent at Martin Insurance Team can help you find a provider that best meets the needs of you and your employees.

What Is Workers’ Compensation Insurance?

Workers’ compensation insurance covers illness and injury experienced by someone who works for you during the normal course of business. There are some exemptions, so ask your agent for clarification on when workers’ compensation is mandated for your business. 

Whether or not you qualify for an exemption, you may want to consider getting coverage. Just one incident can generate medical and related expenses that may threaten your business’s financial standing. If you are legally required to have workers’ compensation and don’t get it, you could end up with a fine.

What’s Not Covered?

Injuries that occur outside of work or while commuting aren’t covered, nor is an intentional injury. If the employee comes to work under the influence of drugs or alcohol, they are not entitled to workers’ compensation.

Who Does Workers’ Comp Cover?

The answer depends on where your business is located. For example, seasonal employees may not be covered.

Should You Get Workers’ Compensation for a Sole Proprietorship?

Sole proprietors don’t typically need worker’s compensation.

When you need answers about workers’ comp in Evergreen Park, IL, contact Martin Insurance Team. You can ask any questions you have regarding insurance to protect your home or business. Make an appointment to get a quote that covers all your insurance needs. 

Does Commercial Insurance Cover Vandalism?

Vandalism is a sad reality for many business owners and paying to have it cleaned up can be pricy. You can, however, use your commercial insurance policy to help foot the bill. For those that live in the Evergreen Park, IL area, the agents with Martin Insurance Team can help you to find the policy that works best for you.

Your commercial policy covers more than you might think and the cost of repairing or covering up vandalism is one of those coverages. For the most part, your commercial policy, no matter who you have it through, is going to help cover the cost of repairs that are associated with vandalism within reason. It is likely not going to pay fully to have your building repaired but it may cover a portion of the cost. Some factors to keep in mind are the location of your building, where your business is located may make your insurance cost more than in other places.

If you have your business in a high crime area you may want to install cameras to help cut the cost of your insurance and make taking care of vandalism a bit easier. For the most part, it is not impossible to use your insurance to help pay for the cost of repairs associated with vandalism. You may have to do a bit more leg work but with a good agent on your side you should be able to get the claim handled. For those in the Evergreen Park, IL area, the agents with Martin Insurance Team can help you to get your commercial property protected, even from vandals. You put a great deal of work into your business and taking the time to get a policy that fully protects it is a must.