Like so many other sectors of the economy, the commercial real estate market has taken a beating since the COVID pandemic began more than a year ago. Between the widespread retail shutdowns and millions more people working from home, the demand for space has plummeted, leaving more vacant properties than ever.

Running a business has always been a risky venture. These days, the risks are greater than ever with the continuing rise in liability claims. That means it’s more important than ever to have financial protection in place to guard your business against a potentially costly liability claim.

It’s no secret that construction is one of the most dangerous occupations around. According to OSHA, one in every 10 construction workers is injured every year, and the industry accounts for roughly 20 percent of all private industry fatalities.

Storm damage adds up fast. Power outages can result in spoiled food. Power surges can fry electronic devices and appliances. Freezing temperatures can lead to broken pipes and flooding. The same wind that caused the power outages can also cause downed trees, broken fences and other damage.

Now that the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines have received FDA emergency use authorization, many employers are eager to get their workforce vaccinated. Some employers may want to make the COVID-19 vaccine mandatory for all workers. While this approach may be effective, it may also come with potential downsides.

In 2020, one of the largest data breaches in history was perpetrated against several companies and government agencies, including the network management software firm SolarWinds. Around 18,000 of SolarWinds customers were affected. It was a major and long-running attack, and the full impact is still being sorted out.

If you run a construction business, nothing gets done without your heavy equipment. Those pieces of machinery are your workhorses and keeping those machines operational is a full-time job.

Icicles hanging off the rooftops always make for a beautiful winter scene. But if those icicles are hanging off your roof, it’s nothing to be taken lightly. Why? Because the very same conditions that formed those icicles are to blame for ice dams. And that can turn into a costly problem.

In an effort to support small businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Raising the NYS Bar Restaurant Recovery Fund offers reimbursement grants of up to $5,000 to eligible businesses. The $3 million program is intended to support full-service restaurants during the winter months when outdoor dining is limited and as restaurants adjust to New York State’s COVID-19 safety restrictions and new mandates.

Few businesses have gone unscathed from the COVID-19 pandemic; perhaps none have been more impacted than our beloved restaurants and eateries in New York. Although this state has responded to the mandated restrictions with finesse and fresh ideas, new COVID-19 strategies created unknown risks. Here’s a look at how the pandemic continues to transform exposures and how NY restaurants can approach these risks innovatively.