In today's economic environment, many companies have difficulty hiring and retaining sufficient staff to operate. More small and mid-sized companies without dedicated internal administrative or HR staff partner with Professional Employer Organizations (PEOs) to help offload administrative burdens. In addition to providing HR, benefits, and payroll administration, PEOs often offer Employment Practices Liability (EPL) coverage to protect client companies against employee claims of wrongful termination, retaliation, harassment, discrimination, or other workplace claims.

The deadly collapse of a 12-story beachfront condominium north of Miami Beach sent shockwaves through the Florida insurance market. One wing of the 40-year-old Champlain Towers in Surfside, Florida, crumpled to the ground suddenly on June 24, 2021, killing 98 people. Several carriers have exited the Florida property market as total settlements rise to more than $130 million, and others are pulling back on property and liability coverage. Faced with the potential for steep losses, insurers are raising rates and deductibles and becoming much more selective. In such a challenging market, it’s crucial to work with experienced, knowledgeable brokers who can provide guidance through a more complex, demanding placement process.

When faced with the promise of a new year, many people look ahead – leveraging lessons from the prior year to chart a path forward, overcome obstacles, and reach for a new goal. The best in the insurance industry often do the same thing as they examine market conditions and strive to meet client needs in an ever-evolving landscape.

Over the last few years, the rate of ransomware attacks and other cybercrimes have skyrocketed in both frequency and severity. As employees continue working from home due to the lingering pandemic, they create, access, and share more data remotely, causing the number of security blind spots to balloon and creating space for costly attacks.

The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) reports that there are around 1.3 million U.S. contractors with annual revenues of less than $5M. While virtually all are protecting their businesses with General Liability, Workers Compensation, and other insurance coverages, many have failed to consider purchasing professional/pollution liability insurance, even though both are not covered under a typical commercial general liability (CGL) policy.