Protecting Holiday Packages From Theft: An Easy Guide

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As online holiday shopping continues to increase in popularity, it should be no surprise that package thefts are on the rise. For thieves, stealing a package often involves less risk than shoplifting and the packages themselves often contain a number of valuable items that are prime for resale. As the holidays approach, the number of these packages grows exponentially leaving thieves salivating at the easy and numerous pickings. If you are planning on ordering off of websites such as Amazon, there are several steps you can take to minimize damages and avoid the heartbreak and stress of losing a package to theft.

Utilize Special Delivery Instructions

Many online retailers will have a place to add special delivery instructions. In this area, consider putting clear instructions detailing a safe, hidden place to leave packages. This can be somewhere off to the side of the house, in some densely clustered bushes, or over a fence of some sort. Very few thieves will go looking for packages, especially when neighbors may have theirs readily visible and easy to take.

Require a Signature

Consider marking the package as requiring a signature so that the delivery is given to a trusted person. If you are close with your neighbors, you may consider asking them to sign for you and hold the package if you are not home.

Choose a Delivery Date/Place Strategically

In the age of two-day shipping, it may seem as though sooner is better. However, there are often different shipping options that can be chosen at checkout. Consider choosing a day that you or another family member will be home or have them delivered to your place of work. Alternatively, you can ask for packages to be held at your local post office or delivered to the house of a trusted family member or friend until it is convenient for you to retrieve them. Choosing these options will keep packages from being out in the open for any period of time.

Security Devices: For Packages and More

Lately, home security has become easier than ever with many affordable camera services. These security measures can record video evidence or deter thieves from taking a package, even if it does end up placed on your porch. Options like the Ring doorbell system will alert you of people approaching your door via your phone and even allow you to talk to visitors.

Insurance from the Carrier

Finally, you may want to check and see what insurance is available from the carrier. Many carriers insure items that cost $100 or less. For more expensive packages, you may be able to buy more insurance from the carrier. Be sure to check and see what packages and to what extent they are covered.

If Package Theft Occurs

You can file a credit card dispute with the sender (if it is a big company like Amazon) and they will take care of the issue from their end since they are the ones utilizing the mail service. If the package was sent by a relative, you will need to make a claim of theft.

From all of us here at Conrey Insurance Brokers, we want you to have happy and safe holidays; that’s why we encourage everyone to take proper precautions during this season. We hope that you’ll keep these tips in mind when ordering presents online. Additionally, now is a good time to brush up on homeowner’s insurance or consider an umbrella policy. These policies may compensate in cases of theft allowing you to be reimbursed for the content of your packages. For more information, schedule an appointment. We’ll be happy to review your policy; whether it’s with us or another insurance brokerage.

Call us at 1-877-450-1872 or contact us here, and experience The Conrey Difference for yourself.

Congratulations to Our Players of the Month and Quarter

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“When we strive to become better than we are, everything around us becomes better too.”

Paulo Coelho, The Alchemist

 

At Conrey Insurance Brokers, it’s all about our people. It’s been widely said that “the people” are the backbone of any organization. To that end, we believe we have the BEST backbone in the industry – so we make it a point to recognize team member excellence on a monthly and quarterly basis.

 

The Conrey Insurance Brokers “Players of the Month” for June, July and August, AND the Player of the 2nd Quarter 2018 are: (Drum roll)

 

Gabriela Villa Gutierrez

Player of the Month – June  

Gabriela was chosen as Player of the Month for her great positive attitude, her ability to learn new skills and immediately put them to use – and for her great demeanor as a professional and all-around team player. Gaby is a great account manager that knows no boundaries of what she can achieve.

 

Linda Worthington

Player of the Quarter – 2nd Quarter 2018

Player of the Month – July

It’s not surprising that Linda is “Double Player”, because each and every day she brings a fresh and “can do” attitude to every responsibility or task assigned – and she does it all with aplomb, expediency and accuracy. I have nothing but praise for Linda and her contributions to our on-going success.

 

Marsha Multz

Player of the Month – August

Marsha is our August Player of the Month because of the significant impact her sales success has brought to the agency – combined with her efforts with Alex to land some great new accounts. Marsha brings decades of experience to the table, along with a renewed commitment to “The Conrey Difference” – which based on her recent performance is proving to be a great combination.

 

Thank you Gabriela, Linda and Marsha for all you have done and achieved – and keep up the great work.

 

“Innovation distinguishes from a leader and a follower.”

Steve Jobs

 

Prepare, Protect and Plan: Three Key Steps to Fire Safety

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If you live in California, every season is fire season. It is imperative that every homeowner is properly protected before the Santa Ana winds begin to blow. Here are three things that we recommend in order for you to be prepared:

  1. Document Your Belongings in Order to Get Full Replacement Value

It is recommended by most insurers that you document your belongings in order to be able to easily claim the full replacement value. Without these documents, insurers may offer the cheapest comparable replacements. There are several methods that can be used, including keeping a photographic log of items and their receipts (in the case of more expensive items like electronics and jewelry), or a video showing the items in your household. Remember to make sure that any model numbers or identifying features are visible.

  1. Review Your Homeowners Policy – You May Not Be Fully Covered

In order to make sure your homeowner’s insurance covers fire damage, review your existing policy. In some cases, plans limit how much compensation can be given for fire damage; this may mean that your coverage is not enough to replace the full value of your home and belongings. While most homeowner’s insurance provides fire protection, it often only does so to an extent. For instance, in an area that has been widely affected, labor and material costs may rise as people rebuild. Homeowner’s insurance may also neglect to cover the cost of certain aspects of clean up such as ash and debris. For this reason, it is important to consider reviewing your policy to ensure that the coverage you have is adequate for your property, especially as we enter the driest month of the year.

  1. Download Our Guide

In your home, there is only one thing that is truly irreplaceable: Your Family. That’s why we’re offering this helpful guide that provides important safety tips and information on what to do if you are the victim of a fire. Click here to download our free fire safety guide.

We believe in proactively protecting the things that you’ve worked so hard to build; it’s The Conrey Difference. Download our comprehensive fire safety guide and schedule an appointment today to discuss your coverage and manage your risk. We’ll be happy to help.

 

Call us at 1-877-450-1872 or contact us here, and experience the Conrey Difference for yourself.

How to Protect your Business from Cyber Threats: A Short Guide

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Data breaches, hacking, and other cybersecurity threats seem to be becoming more and more prevalent as technology becomes more ingrained in businesses large and small. As a business owner or someone with primary responsibility for business operations, it can be a difficult threat to manage, especially as most cyber attackers are anonymous. Business executives may believe that the security breaches won’t affect them, however, more frequently, small to medium-sized businesses have become targets as a result of their relatively low levels of security and inability to fight back against their attackers. According to Forbes, “If a business suffers two or more attacks, it will most likely be unable to recover. Moreover, the business is also at risk of facing a class action lawsuit from the individuals who suffered from a loss of data because of the cyber attack.” For a business of any size, an attack can be devastating.

Realizing this threat, we’re proud to offer cyber liability insurance that provides legal and financial support to businesses in case of a breach. In some cases, your professional liability insurance may already include cyber liability insurance or can be modified to include it.

At Conrey Insurance Brokers, we strive to keep you informed on the best ways to protect what you love, which is why we’ve created an informative guide to help you determine whether or not cyber liability insurance is right for you. We encourage you to educate yourself with our guide, which can be downloaded here. Then, set up an appointment so that we can evaluate your coverage; we’ll be happy to help find a plan to protect your business.

Call us at 1-877-450-1872 or contact us here, and experience the Conrey Difference for yourself.

Be Heat Wise with this Heat Illness Prevention Guide

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The Occupational Safety and Health Administration enforces standards for the health and safety of workers through regulations and education. This Heat and Illness Program explains types of heat illness, symptoms and prevention. Also, included are a list of responsibilities for employers and employees to prevent heat-related injuries. Download the free California Code of Regulations here.

At Conrey Insurance Brokers and Risk Managers, we aim to keep you informed about topics that are important to you. Want more interesting articles? Keep checking our blog for updates. Have any questions, or want to review your insurance? Just speak to a member of the Conrey Insurance Brokers team at 1-877-450-1872 or contact us here.

College 101: A Comprehensive Guide to Insurance for Students

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Preparing for college can be hectic. With so much to do before the first day of school, changes in insurance may be at the back of your mind. Moving out for the first time can present unique considerations, especially depending on your student’s image of a perfect college lifestyle. Here are a few major considerations you shouldn’t overlook.

Health Insurance

While in many cases, a student will be covered under the parent’s policy until they are 26, there is a chance that the number of providers may be limited if a student chooses an out of state school. It’s worth checking to make sure that your student will have sufficient coverage under their current policy.

Renters Insurance

Some college students will choose alternative housing options instead of a dorm. If a student will be living off-campus, it is important to understand what would happen in case of break-in or damages. In some cases, off-campus living arrangements may be connected to the school and offer some coverage, but in others, renters insurance can help cover damages that occur to the apartment itself and the property it holds (much like homeowner’s insurance would).

Auto Insurance

Whether your student decides to take their car with them to college or not, there are a few actions you’ll want to take to ensure proper coverage. If they will not be taking their car with them, you will want to meet with an advisor to discuss the possibility of an “away at school” discount. Since the car will be used less or by a more experienced driver, liability goes down. If a student will be taking their car, the policy may need to be repriced based on the school’s location. This can also reduce your cost while ensuring your student will receive suitable coverage in their new area.

Life Insurance

College is expensive, so if you’re helping to pay your student’s tuition it helps to have the assurance that even if something happened to you, you would still be able to help cover the cost of college. If you haven’t already looked into life insurance policies, the ability to help pay tuition is a strong incentive.

Here at Conrey Insurance Brokers, we know how hard it is to see them go. That’s why we want to help guide you through the many ways you can protect them even from afar – that’s the Conrey Difference. If you’re seeing off your student this semester, we invite you to make an appointment to ensure you, and your student, are properly protected.

Call us at 1-877-450-1872 or contact us here, and experience the Conrey Difference for yourself.

Health Insurance and Sports: How to Make it a Home-Run!

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Sports injuries are relatively common, and while they are generally covered by your regular health insurance plan, it may be worth checking to see if your coverage is sufficient. Whether trying out for the varsity team or just starting Little League, it can be easy to forget about insurance in the hustle and bustle of a busy season.

Many schools or club teams provide optional insurance that can be paid for alongside any fees, however, the overage they provide varies by team, district, and level. Be sure to find out what types of injuries are covered (and to what extent). Often times, policies do not cover cosmetic extras including dental or plastic surgery. If a tooth is chipped or knocked out or a broken nose needs to be repaired, general insurance may not cover it. It is worth comparing the price and coverage of a team plan to a private plan, which can be made to suit your child’s specific needs or piggyback off of general coverage in order to fill in the gaps and ensure you’re covered in every situation.

There are also a few special cases that can affect your general insurance. For some high-risk sports such as BMX, Football or MMA we may recommend different coverage than for non-contact sports- or that you add a little extra coverage to your general policy. Your coverage may also be affected by whether or not the team travels- if the games are local your child will likely be covered, but if your child plays out of state (or internationally) they may need slightly different coverage.

No matter what happens on the field, we’re here to cheer on your family- that’s the Conrey Difference. We’ll be happy to help evaluate your coverage, whether your child is trying something new or continuing in their athletic pursuits. It’s as simple as contacting a member of our winning team- within minutes you’ll be ready to get back to the action.

Call us at 1-877-450-1872 or contact us here, and experience the Conrey Difference for yourself.

Is your Swimming Pool Putting you at Risk?

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During hot summer days, nothing is more refreshing than taking a dip in the pool. Many people believe that swimming pools are safe, so long as everyone is behaving well and there are other people around. Unfortunately, this is not necessarily the case, and last year swimming pool drownings led to the deaths of 163 people during the time period between Memorial Day and Labor Day alone (U.S. CPSC). For this reason, it is important to be informed about how to prevent drownings and keep safe at the pool.

  • Restrict Access to the Pool

Young children are the most at risk group in pool drownings. It can be easy for children to slip away from sight and on a hot summer day, the pool can seem alluring. Putting up a safety fence to prevent young children from accessing the pool on their own can help prevent drownings.

  • Know the Signs of Drowning

All too often, people believe drowning is apparent; in movies and TV, it is often depicted as flailing and yelling for help. In reality, drowning tends to be silent and can often be quick. Among the most common signs of drowning are gasping, sudden quietness, and trying to swim but getting nowhere. To read a full list of signs from Medical News Today, click here.

  • Learn How to Swim

Whether learning how to swim yourself or making sure any little ones know how to, knowing how to swim can save lives and reduce the risk of drowning. To find a class near you, visit the Red Cross’ class finder page.

  • Be Careful Around Alcohol

While drowning in swimming pools is much more common in children than adults, Pool Safely reports that 51 adults drowned in pools in 2016. One of the most common factors in these deaths was the involvement of alcohol. Watch intoxicated adults similarly to toddlers, and be on the lookout for signs that they are in distress.

  • Don’t Assume Someone Else is Watching

All too often, when someone drowns others around them will claim that they thought someone else was watching. Make sure that when around pools, someone is acting as a lifeguard and pay careful attention to swimmers that are at the highest risk. Never leave young or incapacitated swimmers alone in the pool and be extra alert if it becomes suddenly quiet.

Here at Conrey Insurance Brokers, we know the importance of keeping loved ones safe and we want to help. For more pool safety tips, visit The American Red Cross. For those homeowners who have a pool or are considering one, contact one of our agents in order to learn more about your liability and make sure that you’re properly protected so you can play the day away without worry.

Call us at 1-877-450-1872 or contact us here, and experience the Conrey Difference for yourself.

Group Benefits: What you Need to Know about CA Health Insurance Mandates

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State health insurance mandates are laws regulating the terms of coverage for insured health plans. This Employment Law Summary contains a chart outlining California’s benefit, provider and person mandates for group health insurance plans. Download your free guide here.

At Conrey Insurance Brokers, our goal is to make sure your business – and your employees – are properly protected. World-class service is our promise – that’s the Conrey Difference. Read more about our Employee Benefits offerings here.

Call us at 1-877-450-1872 or contact us here, and experience the Conrey Difference for yourself.