Simple Household Pest Control Methods

Thu, 21 Jul 2022 14:00:00 GMT

No one likes the thought of having pests in their home, whether they be rodents, cockroaches, ants, or any other common household pests. If pest activity is common in your area, it is important to take steps to prevent them from infesting your home. Try these tips to help keep pests at bay over the years.

Seal Off Access Points

The best way to prevent pest infestations is to stop the pests from ever getting inside your house in the first place. To do this, you'll need to ensure there is no way for them to gain access. Check the weather stripping around your doors and windows, and ensure all vents are covered with screens. This includes in the eaves around your roof, as attics are common homes for pests.

Store Food Properly

Pests typically come inside looking for sources of food, so your goal is to make that task as challenging for them as possible. Once you have opened a package of food, transfer any leftovers to an airtight container rather than leaving it in the package. Pantries are the most common areas for pests to look for food, so make sure everything is sealed up tightly. The same goes for pet food. Invest in a storage container or choose pet food that comes in a resealable bag. If possible, keep it inside the house rather than in the garage.

Use Natural Deterrents

Before you resort to chemical pest control substances, try planting some natural pest deterrents, such as mint, basil, and lavender. Your local nursery or garden store can help you select varieties that are appropriate to the climate in your area, so don't be shy about asking. They can also advise you as to how to properly care for the plants to maximize their pest-deterring properties.

Know When to Call in the Professionals

Despite your best efforts, you may still end up with pests in your home. Particularly with wood borers, such as termites and carpenter ants, time is of the essence in getting rid of them to prevent damage. You generally won't be able to get rid of these types of pests on your own, so be sure to call in a pest control expert right away if you suspect you have an infestation. Regular visits from your pest control service can help keep most other common pests away as well, so you may wish to consider investing in an ongoing service if pests are a constant problem in your home.

Read the full article at www.hendersoninsagency.com

Five Commonly Overlooked Business Insurance Vulnerabilities

Thu, 14 Jul 2022 14:00:00 GMT

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Smart business owners have business insurance, no matter how big or small their company is. But do you have all the coverage you need? Here are five places where business owners often find themselves lacking in insurance coverage.

Severe Weather

You may have property insurance for a business structure you own, but it may not have the coverage required by the uptick in extreme weather incidents recently. Flooding is one type of disaster that is typically not covered by traditional property insurance. You must purchase separate flood insurance to protect your business premises.

More and more places are subject to flooding lately due to increased rainfall, crumbling infrastructure, rising sea levels, and storm surges. You can purchase government-sponsored flood insurance if you live in a flood zone that participates in flood mitigation measures. Or you may buy a private flood insurance policy, which often has the added bonus of higher limits.

While not a weather incident per se, earthquakes are also a concern in many parts of the nation, not just the west coast. And they could become weather-related, as drought and other aspects of climate change stress fault lines. Earthquake insurance is also usually not standard with property insurance, but it can be quickly added as an endorsement to an existing commercial property insurance policy.

Cyber and Technology Protection

Most enterprises today conduct most, if not all, of their business online. But this leaves you vulnerable in multiple ways. Special insurance for cyber crime and technology protection can cover things like:

Employee or customer identity theft
Theft of financial data
Violations of privacy policies
Online errors and omissions
Cyber extortion (blackmail)
Funds transfer fraud
Data restoration
Business interruption

Virtually every business can use coverage for one aspect or another of their operation, even solopreneurs and startups.

Equipment Coverage

Usually, the interior of your business premises is covered with property insurance. However, if you have expensive equipment, you'll want to make sure it has the coverage it needs. Think of it like adding protection to your homeowner policy for valuables like jewelry or fine art.

Many businesses also forget to update their coverage limits when they add new equipment to their office, manufacturing facility, or retail outlet. Always confer with your insurance agent when you add value to your business with new capital purchases.

Additionally, if you transport valuable equipment for someone else, you may need inland marine insurance coverage. For instance, if you make scientific instrumentation for laboratory clients, you'll want to be certain those instruments are protected with insurance from the time they leave your facility until the time they’re installed in the client’s building.

Remote Work

Remote work is a business model that is here to stay for the future. Protect yourself and your employees with insurance for remote workers, such as:

Business-owned office equipment
General liability
Specific liability (such as errors and omissions)
Cyber and technology coverage
Commercial auto
Property insurance
Workers compensation

Personal Vehicles for Business Use

Did you know that if you or an employee uses a personal vehicle for business, an accident will likely not be covered by a personal auto policy? You don’t want to pay liability damages or repairs out of your own pocket when special insurance exists for this purpose. As well as insuring company vehicles, certain types of commercial auto insurance policies can cover the use of a personal vehicle for work, such as delivery of pizza or flowers. These policies can also cover you and your employees when you travel out of town and rent a vehicle for business use. Be sure to consult with an agent about your specific needs to be sure you're properly covered.

Are you worried after reading this that you have gaps in your business insurance coverage? Call Henderson Insurance Agency at 404-289-4261 or send us a message online for a personalized consultation with advice about how to shore up your protection.

Read the full article at www.hendersoninsagency.com

Insurance News

Simple Household Pest Control Methods

Five Commonly Overlooked Business Insurance Vulnerabilities