Category: Personal
With the continued adoption of Smart Home products, many homeowners welcome devices that promote energy efficiency, cost savings benefits, and added security. These protected homes may present a lower risk for insurers and reduce claims expenses, but are insurers optimizing…
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Category: Cyber, Home, Personal, Prevention, Technology
Tags: behavioral data, exposure data, Hartford Steam Boiler, Home Health Score, HSB, IoT, smart devices, smart home, smart phone, smart technology, smart TV, technology advances
We recently posted about Deepfakes being a new cyberthreat for 2021. There are a few more threats to be aware of this year, and knowledge about them is the best defense.
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Category: Cyber, Home, Personal, Prevention, Technology
Tags: artificial intelligence, cyber security, cyberthreat, data breach, hackers, IoT, machine learning, malware, phishing, ransomware, technology
The threat landscape of cybersecurity changes daily, with hackers and cybersecurity professionals in a perpetual cat-and-mouse chase; hackers discover new ways to infiltrate and exploit their targets, and the cybersecurity industry looks for vulnerabilities, tries to anticipate new threats, and…
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Category: Cyber, Personal, Prevention, Social Media, Technology
Tags: artificial intelligence, cyber security, cyberattack, CyberScout, deepfakes, hackers, Personal Cyber Protection, phishing scams, ransomware, scams
Christmas time is known far and wide as “The most wonderful time of the year,” and while 2020 has left many of us saying “humbug,” this year should be no exception to spreading love and cheer- from near or…
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Category: Home, Personal, Prevention, Risk Management
Tags: candle safety, chimney safety, Christmas tree safety, cyber fraud, holiday safety, holiday safety tips, ladder safety, online shopping
The 2020 holiday season is coinciding with a major spike in COVID-19 cases and fatalities and many families are opting to avoid travel and potentially exposing elderly and/or vulnerable relatives. Hosting gatherings on video conferencing platforms such as Zoom or Google Meet…
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Category: Cyber, Personal, Prevention, Social Media
Tags: cyber security, CyberScout, cybersecurity, encryption, fraud emails, Google, hacking, phishing scams, social media, typosquatting, Zoom
Unscrupulous and dishonest collision repair operators are key contributors to the nation’s insurance fraud problems. There are many types of collision repair fraud scams, ranging from airbag fraud to chop shops that dismantle and resell stolen vehicle parts, to…
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Category: Accident, Auto, Claims, Personal, Prevention, Risk Management
Tags: airbag fraud, anti-fraud, auto repair, bandit tow trucks, chop shops, collision, collision repair, fraud, scam, towing
In January 2020, The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) released its 2019 Consumer Sentinel Network Report showing that they received a total of 23,963 reports from home repair, improvement, and product fraud. This is a staggering amount of fraud reported…
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Category: Central, Claims, Home, Personal, Prevention, Risk Management, Weather
Tags: fraud, home repair, insurance fraud, roof contractor, roof damage, roofer, roofing scam, scam, storm chasers
It’s that time of year when all the deer are roaming around, so it can be dangerous for people traveling on the road (see our recent blog post Oh Deer! Drive Defensively this Season). We also know that ice and snow are coming…
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Category: Accident, Auto, Personal, Weather
Tags: auto insurance, collision coverage, comprehensive coverage, deer, deer crashes, personal auto insurance, road conditions, road safety
As I’ve mentioned before in previous blogs, I find it sad that personal insurance has gotten commoditized to the point where many consumers buy based upon funny commercials and/or cheapest price. However, it’s a battle that agents face every day…
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Category: Home, Personal
Tags: cash out settlement, coverage choices, coverages, deductible, dwelling coverage, homeowners, homeowners insurance, homeowners policy, independent agent, insurance quote, perils
Halloween is here and children and adults alike are anxious to have a “normal” Halloween…put on a costume, get candy from neighbors, attend a party dressed like a vampire, or even just hand out goodies from your front door. But…
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Category: Personal, Prevention
Tags: candy, COVID-19, face mask, Halloween, Halloween tips, hand sanitizer, PPE, reflective tape, safety, Safety Tips, sidewalks, social distancing, Trick-or-Treat