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There are many businesses that employ truck drivers, from waste management to long-haul trucking. Do you own or manage a transport related business? Did you know that transport workers are at fairly high risk of a work-related injury that results in a Missouri workers compensation insurance claim?

What are the most common injuries?

• Falls from a height.
• Falls from the same level.
• Struck by, or against an object.
• Vehicle related injury, collision or non-collision.
• Musculoskeletal Disorder.

What basic preventative steps can be taken?

• Keep drivers off elevated surfaces, especially walking on top of freight. Stop drivers from jumping from their cab and trailer to the ground. Provide fixed ladders and hand holds where climbing is necessary.
• Falls from the same level often occur when drivers are avoiding a falling object. Train your drivers in correct stacking techniques.
• Identify and highlight blind corners and hazardous areas around the truck.
• Remind drivers to adjust their driving to the weather conditions. Ensure all drivers are fully trained in defensive driving.
• Where possible provide mechanical aids to load and unload vehicles. Train drivers to avoid excessive pushing or pulling, especially on uneven ground.

The above list is only a small number of the precautions you can use to help keep your drivers safe. Researching your specific industry will give you more practical options and ideas. Training your drivers to continually evaluate risks will go along way towards preventing injuries and keep your business moving along smoothly.

It’s often said that when it comes to real estate, location is of prime importance. The same can be said of PA homeowners insurance. Location may impact on the amount you pay for your insurance, and will certainly affect the type and amount of coverage that you have in place.

This is particularly important to remember when you move to a new town or state. You may have lived all your life without having ever encountered an earthquake for instance, only to be transported to an area prone to such natural disasters. In such cases it’s important to update your insurance coverage and/or speak to an insurance agent to discuss your potential needs. Earthquake for instance will generally not be covered by a standard PA homeowners insurance policy, and will need to be purchased as a separate cover.

It need not all be bad news however. If you move away from a disaster prone area or from a big city to a small country town, you may see your premiums reduced if it is seen as a ‘safer’ area by the insurance provider.

The important point to remember is that insurance policies need to be monitored and updated where required. Location does matter.

If you’re a homeowner you definitely have Florida house insurance, but the question is, do you have enough coverage to cover rebuilding costs if your home was to burn down? For many homeowners, the answer is no.

There are many reasons for this. One is that the insurance policy may have been taken out when the home owner was low on funds and trying to avoid paying hefty premiums. Another reason may be that the home owner is living in a low cost area and has insured based on the low market value of the home, rather than the cost of re-building it..

And yet another reason people can find themselves under-insured is because they have undertaken renovations to their home over the years without reviewing the amount of insurance they have. If you’ve replaced an old kitchen and bathroom, constructed a shed or garage, added a room, or installed a pool or outdoor entertaining area, then you may have increased the cost of re-building your home.

You should regularly reassess the level of your homeowners insurance. It’s best to do it every couple of years rather than waiting for disaster to approach: note that many insurance companies won’t extend coverage if a disaster is imminent.

And of course, it goes without saying that you should ensure you keep your insurance paid up.

After 2014 under “non-discrimination”, no insurance company will be able to exclude a person from enrolment in any Connecticut insurance plan, or charge higher premiums, due to a disability or pre-existing condition. By this stage you will have the same access as anyone else under a new organization in CT called an “Exchange”. In the meantime, there are certain protections available for you if you are refused coverage.

Employer-sponsored plans:
At the present time, if you are in a job your employer’s group insurer cannot refuse to enroll you in their job-based plan due to a disability or pre-existing health condition you may have. They may be able to exclude coverage for a pre-existing condition, but this is temporary only, generally for no more than one year.

Individual plans:
If you are refused enrolment in an individual plan you may be able to access coverage through either:

- A state High Risk Pool (HRP) program, available in a number of states; or
- A Pre-Existing Condition Plan (PCIP). This option is available for people who have been uninsured for 6 months or more, and unable to get coverage due to their health status.

Of course by 2014 these options will be phased out, and even if you have a pre-existing condition or disability you will be able to access the same health insurance coverage as the general population.

Buying a first home can be a very long process but rewarding process. Many people take years to save for their down payment and secure a loan. If you have the loan in place and are now shopping around, it’s important to remember all of the financial requirements in buying and setting up a home and being prepared for the uncertainty and unknown that can accompany a home purchase. Always remember to take into account the cost of taking out a comprehensive California homeowners insurance.
These costs will need to be factored into your budget when you buy, but the costs don’t stop there for home owners. Once in your new home, you’ll be faced with a whole range of expenses you didn’t incur as a renter:
- Property tax – you’ll now be making a contribution that goes to support the facilities in your area.
- Home maintenance – from lawn mowing and clearing your gutters to fixing leaky taps, re-painting the fence, and repairing or replacing heating and cooling systems, all of these are now yours to pay for!
- Emergency repairs – from broken windows to burst pipes, all yours!
- The cost for monthly deductibles for your homeowners insurance, flood insurance and additional coverage will be on your regular expense list too.

Of course, despite the added costs involved in owning a home, there’s nothing quite like being in control of your own living space.