Fraud is everywhere, and if you’re not careful, your family or business could become the next victim. International Fraud Awareness Week runs from November 15 to 21, and this is a great time to make sure you know how to protect yourself.

September is National Preparedness Month. This is a great time to review your personal emergency preparedness and confirm the adequacy of the insurance coverage protecting you and your assets.

Insurance is not a one-size-fits-all product. The assets you need to protect and the exposures you need to protect against are unique. In many cases, the traditional bundle of home, auto and umbrella coverage is not enough.  

When you plan your holiday events this year, don’t forget to consider your liability risks. Every time you welcome guests to your home, you take on some responsibility for their well-being. If a guest is injured on your property, you could be held legally liable. You may even face legal liability for what happens to guests after they leave a party you’ve hosted. Take precautions to keep your guests safe and your exposures under control.

The pictures and tragic stories from the Bahamas following Hurricane Dorian have been heart wrenching. A tropical island paradise was turned to rubble in a matter of hours. Damage was estimated at over $7 billion, there were at least 50 deaths, and at least 70,000 people were left homeless.

According to Statista.com, more than 312 million people in the U.S. regularly used the internet in 2018. Seventy-nine percent of the population had a social media presence. And with the explosive growth of smart devices and mobile connectivity in recent years, most of us are online every day. In a recent Pew Research Center survey, 28 percent of adults in the U.S. even report they go online “almost constantly.”

Sometimes you get more than you bargain for. When you agree to volunteer on a board, for example, you might expect to contribute to your community while proving your leadership skills and increasing your professional network. You’ll get all of that and a heavy dose of risk.

Wine lovers are a passionate bunch. Whether you have a few bottles on the counter for special occasions or a state-of-the-art wine cellar with a $200,000 collection, you’re serious about your wine. And sales statistics prove it. More than $60 billion worth of wine was sold in the U.S. in 2017 according to wine industry marketing firm Wines & Vines.

Does more money really cause more problems? Perhaps not – but it certainly brings a different set of challenges. After all, successful families and individuals have more to lose – and more for other people to go after.

If you live or vacation on the Atlantic coast, you’re no stranger to inclement weather. And you know June through November is hurricane season, with disaster always just one storm away. Yet things seem oddly quiet this year. Before this hurricane season started, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) predicted a 75 percent chance the season would be average or above average. But with little happening so far, NOAA has downgraded its predictions and now expects the season to be less severe.