Category: Personal Insurance

Will General Liability Insurance Cover Customer’s Broken Belongings After an Accident

insurance signA person walks into a business, falls, and damages his expensive watch. Is the business responsible for that loss? This is a common example of a general liability insurance claim. In many cases, business owners need to have this type of financial protection in place to limit any type of loss they have just by opening their doors. Take a closer look at when damaged property may be covered on your policy.

Does General Liability Insurance Cover Property Damage?

General liability insurance aims to help business owners avoid the financial burden of paying for losses their customers, clients or third-party visitors experience. There is the expectation that your business will be safe for a person to walk into and use.

Yet, problems can happen many times over, even as you try to avoid them. Proving that there is negligence happening is more complex, however.

Let’s say that someone does suffer a loss on your property. Will your insurance help you? In most cases, the answer is yes.

If the person is able to file a general liability insurance claim for the incident, then any losses he or she had during that period may have coverage. For example, if someone enters the property and slips on a wet floor, he or she may damage their watch, a laptop, or any other item they are carrying with them. If the claim applies to any injuries they suffer, it may cover the property damage, too.

Proving Negligence Is Complex

That’s not to say that anyone can file a claim though. What if the person walking in tripped over a table because he was not paying attention to where he was going? What if there was a clearly marked wet floor sign and someone was working on cleaning it up? The good news is that the individual has to prove that the business was negligent in the situation. That may not be as easy as it seems.

In a situation like this, your first step is to contact your insurance agent. Report the claim. Then, an adjuster will work with the person filing the claim to determine what happened and what type of loss they suffered. It is best to try to refrain from providing any promises to the individual, though. Let the agent handle all of these inquiries for you instead. It can help alleviate the frustrations involved.

Ways to Stay Healthy in the Workplace

image of heart and stethoscopeIf you work in an office, you might worry about the toll that sitting at a desk all day takes on your health. It might impact everything from your posture to your blood pressure. It’s your responsibility to to minimize the impact of sedentary work on your health.

Staying healthy at work is important for everyone. Often, if you work in a healthier environment, you become more productive and happier with your job. Take steps to keep your wellness in check, even on the job.

Tips for Improving At-Work Health

Working every day means that you’re likely in the same place for long periods of time. This routine might negatively impact anyone’s health. However, consider some of the ways you can stay healthier at work.

  • Bring your own lunch (and even breakfast) to work. This will reduce the frequency that you have to eat out. You can have control over preparation of your own food, and you can often invest in healthier options. Not only that, you can usually save money.
  • If you need to snack at work, try to avoid candy or carbohydrate-laden food. Try eating nuts, dried or fresh fruit or protein bars instead of sodas and candy bars.
  • Drink plenty of water. Set milestones to monitor how much you drink throughout the day. For example, attempt to drink one 8 oz. glass of water by 10 a.m., another by noon and so on. You will be able to improve your hydration while avoiding sugary, unhealthy drinks.
  • Keep a sanitary work space. Always wash your hands, and clean up after using common areas like break rooms.
  • Commit to time away from your computer. You need to give your eyes periods of rest after staring into lighted screens. For example, eat lunch and take breaks away from your desk. Read a book or magazine during this period.
  • Take work breaks throughout the day, if you can. This can help reduce stress and help you focus on your work when you return. Many companies even require employees to take periodic breaks.
  • Move around. For example, take time during your break to walk around outside or do some stretches at your desk. This can help improve your muscle tone and circulation.
  • Consider enhancements to your desk like a standing platform or posture straightener. These mechanisms might help you remain more active and engaged in work.

If you try to stay healthy at work, you might lessen your risk for illness or other negative health developments like obesity, arthritis or diabetes. This means that you’re less of a risk in the eyes of your health insurer. You might even pay less for your coverage as a result.