Artificial intelligence (AI) is rapidly transforming how small businesses operate, offering powerful tools to improve efficiency, strengthen security and enhance customer engagement. To adopt AI effectively, small business leaders must understand both its strategic advantages and potential pitfalls to make informed decisions that align with long-term objectives. This article explores the key benefits and risks...
The proportion of remote workers surged during the initial onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Since then, some employees have gradually returned to the office, but a considerable share either continue to work from home full-time or utilize hybrid arrangements. Over the years, this trend has posed new occupational safety challenges, making it more difficult for...
As the workforce ages, employers must adapt to ensure the safety and productivity of their older employees. Many baby boomers are delaying retirement or reentering the workforce, so the number of employees aged 55 and older is rising. While these workers bring valuable experience and engagement to their roles, they also face unique safety challenges...
As summertime approaches, it’s important to ensure your employees will be properly protected at the construction site. After all, summer is often the hottest season of the year, typically accompanied by surging temperatures and increased humidity levels. Such weather conditions can greatly increase the risk of your employees experiencing numerous complications on the job—especially heat-related...
Cybercriminals employ various techniques to infiltrate networks and steal sensitive data. Technical support scams, where fraudsters pose as major tech vendors, and IT-help desk scams, where malicious actors impersonate internal IT staff, are two mechanisms they use to achieve their objectives. Small and midsize firms with limited IT oversight and resources often make for attractive...
Although the general liability insurance market is displaying signs of stability, some troubling developments and cost drivers persist. In particular, the United States continues to be a highly litigious environment, prompting a growing number of lawsuits following liability incidents—actual or alleged—and, consequently, heightened legal defense expenses and associated insurance claims. This trend is primarily driven...
The workers’ compensation insurance segment has been an outlier compared to other lines of commercial coverage, with most policyholders encountering softening conditions and modest rate decreases for nearly a decade. According to the National Council on Compensation Insurance (NCCI), strong reserves and manageable claims frequency and severity helped generate an average combined ratio of 91...
The commercial property insurance segment has been grappling with limited underwriting profitability and hardening conditions for much of the past decade, mainly due to surging catastrophe (CAT) losses, inflation issues and property valuation challenges. As such, ongoing premium jumps and restrictive coverage terms have become the norm for most policyholders. Shifting market dynamics helped ease...