Entrepreneurs Need Insurance Too!

Blood, sweat, and tears go into a new business startup.  You have enough to worry about with establishing your corporate structure, your accounting system, your location, your office layout, your stock, your inventory, and more --- but you also need to protect your investment -- and you need HELP!

This is where a good Trusted Choice Insurance Adviser comes in (www.southgroupgulfcoast.com).  Your Independent Insurance Agent will conduct a through Risk Assessment and will offer suggestions for mitigating or eliminating your risks.  If the risks cannot be eliminated, your Trusted Adviser will provide you with options to insure your exposure.

Forbes (www.forbes.com) provided a good outline of some coverages you will want to consider for protecting your assets and your investment.

1) General Liability Insurance - provides both defense and damages if you, your employees or your products or services cause or are alleged to have caused Bodily Injury or Property Damage to a third party
2) Property Insurance -  provides building, and business personal property, including office equipment, computers, inventory or tools protection from fire, vandalism, theft, smoke damage etc.  You may also want to consider business interruption/loss of earnings insurance coverage to protect your earnings if the business is unable to operate.
3) Business Owner's Policy - Often, BOP’s will include business interruption insurance, property insurance, vehicle coverage, liability insurance, and crime insurance- and you can tailor it to your specific needs.
4) Commercial Auto Insurance - protects a company’s vehicles and vehicles that carry employees, products or equipment.
5) Worker's Compensation -  provides wage replacement and medical benefits payments to employees who are injured on the job.
6) Professional Liability Insurance -  provides defense and damages for failure to or improperly rendering professional services, and is critical for any professionals such as lawyers, accountants, consultants, agents, and any profession providing services.
7) Directors and Officers Insurance - protects the directors and officers of a company against their actions that affect the profitability or operations of the company.
8) Data Breach Coverage -  provides protection in the event of data loss of sensitive or non-public information and all of the compliance requirements and legal action necessary following a breach.
9) Homeowner's Insurance - protect against damage to your home and against damage to items inside the home, and protects you for accidents for which you are deemed personally liable.
10) Renter's Insurance - protects against damage to the physical property, contents of the property, and personal injury within the rented dwelling.
11) Life Insurance - provides funds to your family or beneficiary in the event of your death.
12) Personal Automobile Insurance - protects against both physical damage and bodily injury resulting from a crash, and also any liability that might rise from the collision.
13) Personal Umbrella Insurance -  an extension to an already existing insurance policy and covers beyond the regular policies.

Your Trusted Choice Insurance Agent, SouthGroup Insurance Gulf Coast wants you to know you can call on us with your questions or concerns seeking more helpful advice or answers to your pressing insurance questions. A full insurance review is always your best bet to make sure you have all of the adequate coverage for your personal insurance needs. Remember, we offer a personalized insurance review to anyone who is interested at no charge – just visit any one of our 3 convenient coastal locations!

We are your LOCAL Trusted Choice Advisors, SouthGroup-Gulf Coast http://www.southgroupgulfcoast.com ,  SALES AND SERVICE AGENTS: Angelyn Treutel Zeringue, Tammy Garfield, Tammy Hogue, Brittany Jones, Denise Russell, Melissa Moran, Alex Treutel, Anne Gillam, Ashlie Moody, Mark Strickland, and Whitney Zimmerman at SouthGroup Gulf Coast. You can reach us by snail-mail or in person: 412 Hwy 90, Suite 6, Bay St Louis MS 39520, email: info@southgroupgulfcoast.com , phone: 228-466-4498 fax:888-415-8922,  FaceBook www.facebook.com/southgroup.gulfcoast, or Twitter www.twitter.com/atreutel !

We have 3 Gulf Coast locations to serve you - 2505 Pass Road - Biloxi, 5400 Indian Hill-Diamondhead, and 412 Hwy 90 Suite 6-Bay Saint Louis, MS. We write coverage in 40 different states and can assist you with Mississippi insurance, Louisiana insurance, and Alabama insurance and many other states.

Insurance is stressful, but we make saving easy.  We help you save money on insurance!

#southgroup   @stateauto  @libertymutual @TRV_insurance @safecoinsurance @progressive #savemoney @atreutel

Got a Trailer? You Need Proper Insurance Coverage!

With all the "toys" out there - boats, campers, jetskis, animals, belongings --- sometimes the only way to get it to where you need it is to hitch it to the back of a vehicle and tow it.  But are you protected from damage or theft or liability?  You need to be sure your have the correct insurance coverage!

Not all companies include protection for trailers, so check with your Trusted Choice Agent (www.southgroupgulfcoast.com).

Types of Commercial and Personal Trailers

• Horse trailer
• Livestock trailer
• PWC trailer
• Boat trailer
• Auto trailer
• Camping trailer
• Commercial trailer (used to transport equipment or goods used in a business)

Trailer insurance is not required by law, but is a good investment if the trailer and its contents are critical to your business or important to you personally.
 
What Does Trailer Insurance Cover?

The right policy depends on your particular circumstances. Your independent agent will ask about your situation and explain the various coverage options, which may include:

Liability: This portion of the policy covers damages caused to others for which you are legally liable, including bodily injury or property damage. Trailers are sometimes covered under the boat, auto, or homeowners liability policy, but coverage may not be adequate to protect you in an accident.

Comprehensive Coverage: This portion of the policy reimburses you for loss associated with several kinds of events, such as:

• Fire, smoke
• Severe weather such as hail, wind or lightning
• Theft and vandalism

Be sure to ask whether accessories attached to the trailer are covered. These might include items such as awnings, TV antennas, satellite dishes and air conditioning units.

Total Loss Replacement: Different insurance policies may cover the same items, but not for the same amount. “Actual cash value” (ACV) is typically lower cost coverage than “replacement cost” because ACV accounts for depreciation.

Contents Coverage: All trailer policies cover the trailer, but you and your agent should discuss whether you want the trailer’s contents to be covered. The contents coverage may be at an extra cost, but it may be well worth it if you tow valuable items such as show animals or an expensive boat. Contents coverage is designed to protect the cargo you're hauling from theft, vandalism, and damage.

Emergency Expenses and Roadside Assistance: Some trailer owners want the insurance policy to cover breakdown expenses such as flat tire, battery issues, fuel delivery and jump starts. Your trailer may get stuck in snow, mud, water or sand or may need to be towed to a repair shop. You may need a locksmith.

Other Options:

• Full-timer coverage covers liability similar to that provided under a homeowners policy
• Stationary Travel Trailer Coverage covers comprehensive, contents and liability.

You will most likely need to supply answers to the following questions to your Trusted Adviser to ensure that you have the appropriate coverage:

• Will the trailer be used for personal or commercial use?
• What is the type of trailer?
• Is the trailer custom made?
• What is the make and model, age of trailer?
• How much did the trailer cost?
• What will the trailer contain?
• What is the size of the trailer?
• Who will drive the vehicle towing the trailer (driving record, age, gender)?

Your Trusted Choice Insurance Agent, SouthGroup Insurance Gulf Coast wants you to know you can call on us with your questions or concerns seeking more helpful advice or answers to your pressing insurance questions. A full insurance review is always your best bet to make sure you have all of the adequate coverage for your personal insurance needs. Remember, we offer a personalized insurance review to anyone who is interested at no charge – just visit any one of our 3 convenient coastal locations!

We are your LOCAL Trusted Choice Advisors, SouthGroup-Gulf Coast http://www.southgroupgulfcoast.com ,  SALES AND SERVICE AGENTS: Angelyn Treutel Zeringue, Tammy Garfield, Tammy Hogue, Brittany Jones, Denise Russell, Melissa Moran, Alex Treutel, Anne Gillam, Ashlie Moody, Mark Strickland, and Whitney Zimmerman at SouthGroup Gulf Coast. You can reach us by snail-mail or in person: 412 Hwy 90, Suite 6, Bay St Louis MS 39520, email: info@southgropugulfcoast.com , phone: 228-466-4498 fax:888-415-8922,  FaceBook www.facebook.com/southgroup.gulfcoast, or Twitter www.twitter.com/atreutel !

We have 3 Gulf Coast locations to serve you - 2505 Pass Road - Biloxi, 5400 Indian Hill-Diamondhead, and 412 Hwy 90 Suite 6-Bay Saint Louis, MS. We write coverage in 40 different states and can assist you with Mississippi insurance, Louisiana insurance, and Alabama insurance and many other states.

Insurance is stressful, but we make saving easy.  We help you save money on insurance!

#southgroup   @stateauto  @libertymutual @TRV_insurance @safecoinsurance @progressive #savemoney @atreutel

Save Your Business Headaches! Retain Your Good Employees with Good Employee Benefits!

Every business owner knows that having the right employees can make or break your business, so careful selection is important. Conversely, a potential employee needs to decide whether you’re a desirable employer to work for. One of the biggest factors that influence employee retention is good hiring practices and great benefits.  No matter the size or type of business you have, an attractive employee benefits package can help to provide security for your current and future employees that can help you to optimize your investment in your staffing.

Some of the employee benefits you can consider include retirement income, workers compensation, short term disability, long term disability, healthcare coverage, dental and vision plans, life insurance, identity theft protection and paid time off. If you are a public company, or a company that is considering going public, your offering may include employee stock options as well.  Working with a good Trusted Choice independent agent can help you put together the right employee benefits plan.

Four Major Types of Employee Benefits

• Medical insurance: These plans can cover hospital visits, doctor visits, surgeries, prescriptions and possibly vision and dental. As the employer, you will cover the majority of the premium.
• Life insurance: If your employee dies, this benefit will provide financial payments to the employee's named beneciaries; these benefits can help that person's family to cover funeral costs and ongoing living expenses.
• Disability Insurance: You can choose to offer short term and/or long term disability insurance. In the event that your employee is injured or has a lengthy illness, this benefit provides payment during the period of time your employee cannot work.
• Retirement Benefits: The most common type is a 401(k) which allows employees to deduct a certain amount of each paycheck to put towards retirement savings. Some businesses choose to match that deduction amount.

Employee Benefits Required by Law

• Social Security taxes: If you hire an employee, you must deduct social security taxes from that employee’s wages, pay the taxes to the IRS, and report the wages to the Social Security Administration (SSA). In return, your employee may receive Social Security and Medicare benefits later in life.
• Unemployment insurance: For each employee, you must pay unemployment insurance taxes to your state government. Those fees are given to qualified unemployed individuals. Procedures and requirements vary by state.
• Workers compensation: This is a type of employee benefits insurance that works for both parties. By agreeing to pay for injuries and illness that an employee may suffer on the job, you limit your risk of an employee lawsuit. Workers compensation is required by most but not all states; in states where it is required, typically companies that have over three employees must provide this coverage.

Employee Benefits Not Taxable 
      * Tuition reimbursement: If your business participates in an education program and agrees to
          reimburse an employee for tuition, that payment is not taxable income.
      *  Employer lodging: If you provide housing for an employee for business purposes and certain
          requirements are met, the rent amount cannot be included on an employee’s taxes.

• Services and discounts: If you have a partnership with a telephone company and employees receive 20% off phone bills, for example, the money saved is not taxable.
• Random perks: The occasional office lunch shouldn’t go on and employee’s W-2.

Your Trusted Choice Insurance Agent, SouthGroup Insurance Gulf Coast wants you to know you can call on us with your questions or concerns seeking more helpful advice or answers to your pressing insurance questions. A full insurance review is always your best bet to make sure you have all of the adequate coverage for your personal insurance needs. Remember, we offer a personalized insurance review to anyone who is interested at no charge – just visit any one of our 3 convenient coastal locations!

We are your LOCAL Trusted Choice Advisors, SouthGroup-Gulf Coast http://www.southgroupgulfcoast.com ,  SALES AND SERVICE AGENTS: Angelyn Treutel Zeringue, Tammy Garfield, Tammy Hogue, Brittany Jones, Denise Russell, Melissa Moran, Alex Treutel, Anne Gillam, Ashlie Moody, Mark Strickland, and Whitney Zimmerman at SouthGroup Gulf Coast. You can reach us by snail-mail or in person: 412 Hwy 90, Suite 6, Bay St Louis MS 39520, email: info@southgropugulfcoast.com , phone: 228-466-4498 fax:888-415-8922,  FaceBook www.facebook.com/southgroup.gulfcoast, or Twitter www.twitter.com/atreutel !

We have 3 Gulf Coast locations to serve you - 2505 Pass Road - Biloxi, 5400 Indian Hill-Diamondhead, and 412 Hwy 90 Suite 6-Bay Saint Louis, MS. We write coverage in 40 different states and can assist you with Mississippi insurance, Louisiana insurance, and Alabama insurance and many other states.

Insurance is stressful, but we make saving easy.  We help you save money on insurance!

#southgroup   @stateauto  @libertymutual @TRV_insurance @safecoinsurance @progressive #savemoney @atreutel