Merchants Insurance Introduces New Cyber Liability Coverage For Businesses
In a world with growing concern over cyber security and online information breaches, a new “Cyber Liability” coverage for business policies is being offered by Merchants Insurance Group.
Merchants Insurance Group is working with NAS Insurance Services (NAS) to introduce Cyber Liability coverage for business policyholders. The new optional coverage may be added to a Merchants Advantage Plus® (MAP®) Auto Repair, Businessowners, or Contractors policy as well as Commercial Package policies. Cyber Liability will be available for new business policies effective December 1, 2017, and renewal policies effective February 1, 2018.
Cyber Liability provides comprehensive data security and privacy coverages that address both first party losses and third party liability claims. A $100,000 limit is available with no separate application required.
Policyholders with this coverage have access to NAS CyberNET®, an online resource offering advice from expert cyber risk advisors, plus 24/7 online training courses, sample data security and personnel policies, vendor agreement templates and more.
The coverage helps insureds lessen data and privacy risks and recover from a breach with services including a “breach coach” and legal counsel services; IT security and forensic experts; public relations/advertising support; breach notification; call center and website support; and credit monitoring and identity theft restoration services.
Gaudreau Group Donates $2,500 to Baystate Health Foundation
Several members of the Gaudreau team grew beards for No-Shave November to raise awareness of men’s health issues such as prostate and testicular cancer. The Gaudreau Group then donated $2,500 to the Baystate Health Foundation.
The Gaudreau Group donated $2,500 to the Baystate Health Foundation to support men’s health initiatives. Several members of the Gaudreau team grew beards for No-Shave November to raise awareness of men’s health issues such as prostate and testicular cancer. They treated themselves to an old-fashioned hot towel shave at Tony’s Famous Barber Shop in Springfield after their campaign was completed.
“We had a lot of fun raising awareness for this very serious issue. Each time we met with a client who commented on our beards, we took it as an opportunity to tell them about our work to encourage men to take care of themselves and be healthy,” said Jules Gaudreau, President of The Gaudreau Group.
According to the Movember Foundation, 73 American men will die every day from prostate cancer, and testicular cancer is the most common cancer in young men aged 15-34 years.
Founded in 1921 and headquartered in Wilbraham, The Gaudreau Group is a fourth generation, family owned independent Insurance, Employee Benefits and Financial Services firm which insures over 6,000 businesses and families in 14 states. Their team is comprised of 30 professionals, including one of the largest Employee Benefits divisions in the region.
For those interested in learning more about this agency, please refer to Agency Checklists’ March 1, 2016 interview, “The Agent Advocate: Jules Gaudreau of The Gaudreau Group.”
Soderberg Insurance’s Annual Candy Drive Builds a Sweeter Christmas for The Homeless
This past year, Soderberg Insurance Services has sponsored a candy drive at their Lynnfield, MA location to support the homeless. They have sold hundreds of delicious See’s chocolate bars to raise money for neighbors in need. 100% of the money raised by the insurance agency was donated to this important organization.
Boston Rescue Mission helps individuals with rehabilitation services for drug and alcohol addiction. The shelter also helps individuals who have lived in homelessness for extended periods of time reintegrate into society through job training and job placement.
Boston Rescue Mission has been providing food and shelter for the homeless in Boston for over 100 years, giving the homeless a safe haven to hit the “restart button” on their lives.
“The work done at Boston Rescue Mission is a visible reminder of how lucky most of us are to have a roof over our head and a nutritious meal each day” states agency president Kathryn Soderberg, CPCU.
She adds “The needs of homeless people knows no season. We are thankful to the North Shore community for supporting this great cause.”
Christmas is the least popular holiday for auto thefts says NICB
The National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) has released its annual Holiday Vehicle Theft report with updated data showing that a total of 22,705 vehicles were reported stolen during the past 11 holidays in 2016.
NICB, which pulls its theft data from the National Crime Information Center’s (NCIC) stolen vehicle file, notes that a total of 803,719 vehicle thefts occurred in the U.S. during the past year.
As for the most thefts during the holidays, Halloween was the top holiday with 2,578 reported thefts. Following Halloween in descending order is Labor Day(2,258), New Year’s Day (2,242), Memorial Day (2,139) and New Year’s Eve (2,110).
On the upside, the holidays with the fewest thefts logged in 2016: Christmas Day (1,664), Thanksgiving (1,777), Valentine’s Day (1,789), President’s Day (2,008) and Christmas Eve (2,054).
The following is an infographic, the NICB created based on this data: