HSBR Insurance
9055 SE Bridge Road
Hobe Sound, FL 33455
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Are You Making These Insurance Blunders?

• 6 portabella mushrooms, insides carefully scooped out, chopped and set aside
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 zucchini, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
• 1½ cups cooked rice or quinoa
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• ¼ cup finely chopped walnuts

Malcolm Forbes

B. F. Skinner

Keep a Weather Eye on Wind and Hail Insurance

The days of having one deductible for all property insurance claims are gone.

Insurance companies have introduced varied deductibles, depending on the type of claim.

Wind/hail deductibles are showing up more frequently on both personal and business insurance policies, thanks to the number of claims from windstorms, hailstorms and hurricanes in the last decade.

If you have any type of claim other than those listed above, you would pay your chosen standard deductible, perhaps $1,000.

When it comes to a wind or hail claim, the deductible is calculated a little differently.  It is a percentage of your building/dwelling limit (coverage A).

The percentage can be from 2% to 5% of that building limit.

This means that if you have a $100,000 building with a 5% wind/hail deductible, your deductible becomes $5,000 rather than $1,000 for that claim.

A "named storm endorsement" is another option a carrier uses, depending on the hurricane proneness of the state. Here, the percentage deductible would apply for damage as a result of a named hurricane by the National Weather Service. In the event of wind or hail damage in a non-named storm, your deductible goes back to your standard deductible.

The cover or declaration page of your policy will list whether or not there is a separate wind/hail deductible and, if there is, the percentage. Have your insurance agent take the time to explain the deductibles on your policy and how they would affect you at the time of a claim.

Is Your Business Covered if Data Gets Compromised?

Security breaches seem to be in the news on almost a daily basis.

Just recently, a worker went to a local bar with a thumb drive of his employer's sensitive customer information in his pocket.

When he left the bar, he left behind that thumb drive, leaving that sensitive information at risk.

In today's technological age, small to midsize businesses with websites and computer networks that are conducting business across the Internet are at risk of having information compromised.

The insurance industry has responded to the problem by offering cyber-liability insurance to business owners.

First- and third-party coverage is typically provided.

First-party coverage deals with the losses due to a breach of security or privacy caused by an employee.

Coverage may also be provided to notify customers and handle public relations after an event has occurred.

Third-party coverage would deal with losses due to an outside element breaking into computer networks.

Cyber extortion or cyber terrorism - like a threat to initiate a virus if a demand is not met - may also be covered in a cyber-liability policy.

Each insurance carrier has its own type of cyber-liability program. Your agent can help you determine how much coverage you may need and which carrier offers the best plan to meet those needs.

Is Bypassing the Salt Good for Your Heart?

Some may still be rimming their margaritas with it, but just about everyone else is trying to reduce their salt intake.

After more than a century of warnings from the medical community, most of us get the fact that high levels of salt intake are linked to hypertension (high blood pressure), which, in turn, is linked to heart attacks, strokes and death.

Cut back on salt and reduce your risk of heart disease.

Seems logical.

However, not one study has conclusively demonstrated a direct causal relationship between salt and death from heart disease.

Even more confusing, some recent studies have gone so far as to suggest that the less sodium consumed, the greater the risk of dying from a heart attack. That's what was reported in a May 2011 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.

So should we go back to happily shaking salt on our whole wheat pasta?

Maybe it's a cop-out, but moderation may be the answer. Lightly seasoned good-for-us veggies certainly trump the plain-Jane version, and if something tastes better, we're more likely to consume it.

Then again, it may not be about salt at all.

So pass the homemade margaritas.

The Ins and Outs of Home Insurance Policies

Once the dust has settled from moving into your home, you may want to review your home insurance policy. Indeed, it's always a good idea to regularly review your policy to give you peace of mind that you have properly protected your most valuable asset.

The policy is usually divided into two parts. The first section typically deals with property coverage, and the second section usually deals with liability coverage. The section on property coverage includes the following groups:

Dwelling: This includes your home.

Other Structures: This includes things like garages and sheds.

Personal Property: This is quite broad and includes all of your stuff anywhere in the world. It also includes other people's stuff while it is kept at your home.

Loss of Use: This covers costs associated with additional living expenses.

Coverage is provided, presuming that the limit requested is on an "insurance to value" basis. This means if the cost to rebuild your home in the same condition it was prior to the claim is $100,000, then the limit of insurance is $100,000. This is also called replacement cost.

In addition to knowing your limit of coverage, it is also important to know how your insurance carrier settles claims.

The conditions section of the policy outlines the loss-settlement provision, including whether you purchased replacement coverage or Actual Cash Value.