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December 14, 2011
The holidays are almost here, which means hauling out the holly, stringing up the lights, and dashing through the snow. The holidays also mean lots of fun, festive parties to celebrate the season. These celebrations usually feature an array of delectable foods and tasty drinks that are dangerous to your waistline, but if you’re hosting a party, you have more to worry about than added pounds or lumpy gravy.
According to the Center for Disease Control, an estimated one in six people in the United States come down with food poisoning every year. And whether you’re preparing the food and drinks for your party yourself or purchasing them, you could be liable if your party guests get sick. Food poisoning doesn’t just happen to bad cooks either. Foods, such as bagged spinach — that’s supposedly pre-washed and ready to eat — can contain E. coli, which is undetectable to even the most well trained chef.
Fortunately, most homeowner’s insurance policies cover food poisoning situations in which your guests incur medical expenses or endure “pain and suffering” (i.e. missing work because they’re hovering over a toilet bowl). There are limits to both of these coverages and intentional poisoning is not covered (so don’t try slipping something into your pesky aunt’s pumpkin pie), but most policies provide protection from unintentional food-borne illness.
The best way to avoid a food-poisoning claim is to take the proper precautions when preparing your holiday fare. Here are some tips to ensure your guests leave with leftovers and fond memories, not food poisoning.
1. Wash your hands thoroughly after handling raw meat or poultry.
2. Use an anti-bacterial cleaner to wipe down any surfaces, including counters and cutting boards, that come into contact with raw meat or poultry.
3. Check the expiration date on foods before using them to cook or offering them to guests.
4. Wash all produce, even the kind that’s “pre-washed,” before using it.
5. Avoid cross-contamination by using separate utensils to stir raw and cooked food.
6. Make sure all foods are cooked to the appropriate temperature. This rule doesn’t apply to just meat and poultry either. Eggs, seafood, and even potatoes can cause illness if they are undercooked.
7. Don’t leave foods that require refrigeration or freezing out for more than two hours.
8. When in doubt, throw it out. If you’re unsure about any food – raw or cooked, prepared or homemade – don’t use it.
If you have questions about whether you homeowner’s policy covers food poisoning or any other party-related risk, your Trusted Choice® independent insurance agent is happy to answer any of your policy questions. You can even invite him or her to your party, just be sure the food is cooked!
September 6, 2011
Every new “like” on the Trusted Choice® Facebook page during July sent $10 to children’s charity.
ALEXANDRIA, Va., Aug. 8, 2011 – Trusted Choice®, the consumer branding program for independent insurance agents and brokers recently wrapped up a special social media campaign to raise money for the Make-A-Wish Foundation®. For every new “like” on the Trusted Choice® Facebook page (www.facebook.com/TrustedChoice) during the month of July 2011, Trusted Choice® donated $10 to the Make-A-Wish Foundation, with a minimum donation of $100,000 and a maximum donation of $300,000.
“Through this promotion, Trusted Choice® will help change the lives of the children we serve,” says David Williams, president and chief executive officer of the Make-A-Wish Foundation of America. “A Make-A-Wish® experience is an incredible gift that can make seriously ill kids stronger and more optimistic – and we’re grateful to have supporters like Trusted Choice to help us make even more wishes come true.”
The Trusted Choice® Facebook page grew by 17,159 new “likes” during the month long campaign resulting in a $171,590 donation to the Make-A-Wish Foundation.
“Trusted Choice® is proud to have used social media in such a positive way to raise money and awareness for the Make-A-Wish Foundation,” says Dave Evans, Trusted Choice® executive director. “Independent insurance agents and brokers have a strong track record with countless charity efforts in their communities and this successful campaign was an amazing way for us to join forces for a very worthy, national campaign.”
About the Make-A-Wish Foundation: The Make-A-Wish Foundation grants the wishes of children with life-threatening medical conditions to enrich the human experience with hope, strength and joy. Founded in 1980 when a group of caring volunteers helped a young boy fulfill his dream of becoming a police officer, the Foundation is one of the world’s leading children’s charities, with 64 chapters in the United States and its territories. With the help of generous donors and nearly 25,000 volunteers, the Make-A-Wish Foundation grants a wish every 40 minutes and has granted more than 200,000 wishes in the United States. For more information about the Make-A-Wish Foundation, visit wish.org and discover how you can share the power of a wish® with the Make-A-Wish Foundation.
Trusted Choice® was launched by the Independent Insurance Agents & Brokers of America (IIABA or the Big “I”) and several independent agency companies to highlight the benefits independent agencies and brokerage firms offer consumers—choice of companies, customization of policies and advocacy support. It is the premier consumer brand for independent insurance agents and provides national advertising and other strategic tools to reach consumers.
Trusted Choice® educates consumers about the benefits of using independent agents and brokers for their insurance needs: choice of companies, customized policies and advocacy support. Trusted Choice® is the consumer marketing identity for more than 13,000 independent insurance agencies and brokerage firms and 61 leading insurance companies. For more information, go to www.TrustedChoice.com.
April 14, 2010
Thought you would find this short article on how health reform could affect small business interesting. This is from Independent Agent Magazine, Insurance News and Views.
On the Hill
Health Care Reform Hits Small Businesses with New Rules
Regardless of size, agencies may face new requirements and some potential new grant and tax credit opportunities.Last week’s IN&V included “What Does the New Health Care Reform Law Mean for Agents?”, a piece examining the health care reform from a health insurance sales standpoint. This week, IN&V looks at the new law from a small business perspective. Whether you have a small, medium or large agency, you may be facing many new requirements and some potential new grant and tax credit opportunities. Much like the health insurance delivery aspect, many of the specifics affecting small businesses will be somewhat of a question mark as the law’s implementation occurs over the next four years.
For example, starting in 2011, small businesses will be eligible to receive federal grant money to set up “wellness initiatives” that some Big “I” members may be interested in pursuing. Aside from stating that such grants will be available, the law does not specify who would be eligible, how small businesses would apply, or what exact “wellness initiatives” they would need to undertake. All of these issues would be left to future rulemaking by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the states. However, despite the uncertainty over many of the specifics of the new law, the Big “I” can provide some generalities about what the bill may mean for small businesses.
Although the new law does not contain a true employer mandate, by 2014, employers with more than 50 employees will face a penalty if they do not offer health insurance coverage AND at least one of their employees gets coverage through an Exchange and gets a premium credit. The penalty will be a $2,000 per full-time employee penalty (the first 30 employees will be excluded from the calculation). In determining whether a business has 50 employees, part-time employees will have their aggregate hours combined, with 30 hours a week counting as a full-time employee. For example, if an agency has two part-time employees working an average of 15 hours per week, that will count as one full-time employee. Meanwhile, employers that do offer health insurance coverage but have at least one employee who receives a premium credit through an Exchange are required to pay the lesser of $3,000 for each employee who receives a premium credit or $750 for each full‐time employee.
Some small businesses may be eligible for temporary tax credits to help them adjust to the new law. In 2010, small businesses with less than 25 employees and average annual wages of less than $50,000 are eligible for tax credits of up to 35% of the employer’s contribution toward the employee health insurance premium. The full credit will be available to employers with 10 or fewer employees and average annual wages of less than $25,000. The amount of the credit will decrease as the business size and average wages increase, to a maximum of 25 employees and average wages of $50,000. Employers must subsidize at least 50% of their employees’ premiums in order to be eligible for the tax credit. In 2014, this tax credit will change, and the eligible small businesses will have tax credits up to 50% of the employer’s contribution; again the amount of the credit would phase down as the size and wages of the business increase. After 2014, these credits would only be available for two years to any particular small business.
All employers, regardless of size, will have to abide by a litany of new administrative requirements. In 2011, all employers must include the aggregate cost of employer-sponsored health benefits on each W2 tax form. If an employee receives health insurance coverage under multiple plans, the employer must disclose the aggregate value of all such health coverage but exclude all contributions to HSAs and Archer MSAs and salary reduction contributions to FSAs. Also in 2011, all employers will be required to enroll employees in a new national public long-term care/disability program called the “CLASS Act” unless the employee opts out. By 2013, employers will have to provide written notice to employees on the existence of state-based exchanges. Starting in 2014, employers that have a waiting period before health insurance coverage becomes effective cannot have that waiting period exceed 90 days.
These are just a few of the many changes on the horizon for small businesses as the health care reform law is implemented. Big “I” members will undoubtedly continue to have many questions about how the new law will impact them, as health insurance professionals and small businesses; and the Big “I” and each state association will continue to work to ensure that agents and brokers have the tools necessary to both survive and thrive in this new health care world.
Click here for a short chart summary of the health care reform law.
John Prible (john.prible@iiaba.net) is Big “I” vice president of federal government affairs.
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