Have you ever been victim to a frivolous lawsuit?

Did you know that included in many insurance policies is liability coverage.  There are many different types of policies and liability coverage.  Your homeowner or renters policy usually provides personal liability.  This type of liability is very broad and covers "you" anywhere.  Most people think that the liability coverage provided on this type of policy only protects you if someone gets hurt on the property.  Actually, it is much broader than that.   This is the type of liability coverage I am going to focus on today.  Here is some more specific information, in hopefully easy to understand language:

Personal Liability:  Found on  your homeowners or renters policy.  You must read your specific policy language for specifics of what is covered or not covered.  Who is covered is also defined in your policy language.  However, in most cases "YOU" are a named insured and any resident relatives.  Also, in most cases the policy language states that they will pay all sums up to the amount shown on the declaration page which anyone we protect becomes legally obligated to pay as damages because of a personal injury or property damage resulting from an occurrence during the policy period.  

A good example is if you are in the supermarket and you accidentally hit someone or perhaps their vehicle with your shopping cart.  If you are sued, your insurance company will hire and attorney, investigate, and if necessary go to court and pay any claims up to the limit on your policy.

If your son or daughter, who lives with you, is playing in the yard and accidentally knocks a ball through a window - a neighbors house or car, again you will be protected.

Here is the most important thing I want you to know about this coverage and the least known:

Personal liability coverage is the LEAST expensive coverage on  your policy. Often times $100,000 worth of coverage is automatically included in your premium. Did you know that usually for $20-$30 approximately more a year you can make that $1,000,000.  

Please contact us if you would like a free review of your current home or renters policy, even if you are with another agent or if you would like to increase your coverage.

You can also contact us on the web and get a free homeowner quote or visit us at one of our three locations.

SPECIAL REPORT: How to Protect & Improve Your Credit Score

Did you know that having a good credit record could save you $6,000 in interest when buying a $20,000 car over four years? Multiply that by the size of the loan and a longer period and you'll get some idea of the dramatic difference in repayments on a mortgage -- with a poor credit record you could pay as much as $40,000 more on a $300,000, 30-year loan.

Lenders use what's known as a FICO score to decide how much interest you should pay, or if they should even lend to you at all. The higher your score, the lower the likely interest rate. So it obviously makes sense to do all you can to protect and improve that score.

But how do you do that?

Well, your credit rating is under attack on two fronts: First, from the way you run your finances; and second, from crooks who steal credit cards or even assume someone else's identity and run up huge debts.

Managing Your FICO Score

Let's talk about your finances first. Your FICO score is calculated by a secret formula by a private company, based on information from the credit reporting agencies. The agencies -- Equifax, Experian, and Transunion -- maintain records of all your credit cards and loan payments, including how much you owe and whether you made your payments in time.

You can get a free copy of your credit report from each of the three agencies once a year via the site AnnualCreditReport.com. Avoid other sites offering a free service because this will usually have strings attached. You can't get your FICO score for free though (except as an opening incentive to get you to sign up for a recurring-fee, score-monitoring service), but you can buy it for about 20 bucks from myFICO.com.

A good score is 760 or above and a really bad score is 620 and the difference between the two can account for up to a couple of percentage points in the interest rate you pay. Here are some of the things you can do to keep your score as high as possible.

• First, and most obviously, always make your payments on or before the due date. If this is likely to be a problem, contact the lender to discuss arrangements.
• Try to keep your credit or store card spending at 30% or less of your limit. Note that even if you pay off your card every month, the agencies report on how much you owed before the payment.
• So, bearing the above in mind, spread your payments between several cards to keep that percentage down, and don't ask the card companies to reduce your credit limits!
• For the same reason, consolidating all your debt on to one card may push you over that magical 30% on the chosen card, which could go against your score.
• Hold on to and use your "old" cards -- the ones you've had the longest (and kept in good health) seem to rate highest in calculating your score.
• Monitor you credit reports using the free service mentioned above. Stagger the three reports across the year -- one every four months -- and check for errors in things like credit limits and late payments.
• If you find errors, contact the card company or ledner and ask them to correct them. They may even agree to remove one late payment notice if you've otherwise been a good customer.
• Generally, don't have too many cards, although successfully applying for credit when you've had past financial troubles can sometimes help lift your score.

Protecting Your Credit Record from Crooks

Monitoring those credit agency reports will flag up anything unusual with your cards -- for example, cards or loans taken out in your name that you know nothing about. But you need to be much more vigilant than that because, by the time you identify this kind of activity, your credit record and score may already have been wrecked and it takes an age to set them straight.

Instead, you should also monitor all your financial accounts as often as possible to spot discrepancies. If you can access accounts online, you could set up a routine that ensures you check at least one of your accounts every day. If you only get printed statements once a month, check every item carefully.

If you discover any spending that's not yours, notify the card company (there should be a 1-800 number on the back -- keep a separate note of this) or other lender. You should also notify the credit reporting agencies (Equifax 1-800-525-6285; Experian 1-888-397-3742; Transunion 1-800-680-7289)  -- and the police, of course.

If either threat to your credit record really worries you, you might consider having your records and accounts professionally monitored. Services usually cost around $15 a month. Search online for "credit record monitoring."

A good credit score will save you money and a good credit record may even be a factor in employment. It pays to look after them.

Please feel free to visit us online or contact us at one of our three locations

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What May or May Not be Covered on a Standard Homeowner Policy

Did you know that the following may not be covered on a standard homeowner policy?

All insurance policies are limited as to the coverage that they provide, if they did not we would all be paying much higher premiums.  Among the things that are not covered, we have identified some coverage options you may want to add to your standard homeowner policy.  

• Sump Pump Failure, sewer and drain backup
  
• Any at home business including daycare
  
• Any collections, jewelry, guns, furs, silverware, antiques, money, & cold all have very limited coverage
  
• Earthquake coverage
  
• Sinkhole collapse
  
• Watercraft Coverage including their trailers
  
• Trailers and campers
  
• Ordinance or law - if at the time of a loss a building code requires you to rebuild to comply with the ordinance - this coverage provides the extra expense to do this.
  
• Trees, Shrubs, Plants & Lawns

To find out more information or to find out if your policy covers any or all of the above please feel free to visit us on the web or contact us at one of our three locations.  

We also offer FREE insurance reviews even if you are not our customer. Contact us and we will go over your current policy and point out any coverage gaps.

Snowmobile Registration & Insurance

It’s almost that time of year again! Time for snowmobiling.  Here is some helpful information from the NYS Office of Parks and Recreation and the Department of Motor Vehicles.

Display of Registration:

Registration numbers are permanently assigned to a snowmobile when it is registered for the first time.  These numbers stay with the machine from owner to owner until it is destroyed or permanently removed from the state.  DMV provided registration number decals must be displayed on both sides of the cowling of the sled at all times.  The cowling is defined as the forward portion of the sled surrounding the engine and clutch assembly.  Any display position behind the sled cowling (tunnel or seat area) or on the windshield is illegal and could result in an expensive citation for violation of the registration law.

Insurance Requirements:

All snowmobiles operated on any part of a roadway or shoulder of a highway in NYS must be covered by minimum liability insurance.  NYS Parks law requires snowmobilers to carry liability coverage in the minimum amount of $25,000 for an accident involving one person, 50,000 for an accident involving two or more persons, and $10,000 property damage from one accident.  These are bare minimum limits of insurance and are not recommended .   Proof of Insurance must be carried by the snowmobiler and must be displayed upon request of any magistrate, law enforcement officer, or anyone who has suffered personal injury or property damage as a result of the snowmobilers actions.

Trailers and Trailer Registration:

Trailers manufactured specifically for snowmobiles are usually the best choices.  Your tow vehicle should be big enough and have enough power to handle the trailer easily or you will put yourself and your snowmobiles in a very dangerous situation.  All trailers operated on NYS public highways must be registered, inspected and display a license plate with an annual validation tag.  The vehicle used to tow the trailer must be insured.  You must provide the DMV with all required items to receive a valid registration and license plate for your trailer.  Custom built trailers must meet all equipment requirements of section 375 of the vehicle and traffic law and must be assigned a VIN number by the DMV.  Contact your county’s weights and measures office for local weighing stations.

Snowmobile  insurance is generally fairly inexpensive and something we can do quickly.  Visit us on the web or give us a call at one of our three offices for a quote!

For more information about what is needed to register your sled visit : http://www.nydmv.state.ny.us/

CARS & DRIVING TRIVIA

I came across these facts about cars and driving and thought it was very interesting to say the least!  I hope you enjoy reading them also.

• On average there is about 3,000 feet of electrical wiring in every car.
• If you drove at 100mph for four years you would still not cover every stretch of road in the USA.
• Car airbags explode at 200 miles per hour.
• On average a human being spends two weeks of their entire lives waiting for traffic lights to change.
• The first person to be killed in an auto accident in the United States was Henry H. Bliss, a 68-year old real estate broker.  On September 14, 1899, in New York City, Mr. Bliss stepped from a streetcar, turned to assist a woman passenger, and was  hit by a cab.
• The 1st automobile racetrack in the US was the Indianapolis Motor Speedway which consists of 3 million cobblestones.
• In 1916, 55 percent of the cars in the world were Model T Fords, a record that has never been beaten.
• In 2003, 17,013 people were killed in alcohol-related crashes in the United States.  This amounts to one death almost every half-hour.
• The city with the most Rolls Royce’s per capita is Hong Kong.
• The first product Motorola started to develop was record player for automobiles.  At the time, the most known player on the market was the Victrola, so they called themselves Motorola.
• Since the 1970’s microchips have doubled in power and halved in price.  If the same thing happened to cars than a Rolls Royce would do 100,000 miles to the gallon and would only cost you $41.00 for a brand new one.
•  Petroleum companies report profits of $1500 per second, $90,000 per minute, $5,400,000 per hour, $129,600,000 per day, for a grand total of 11.68 billion in income during the second quarter of 2008.

      At Tanner Insurance Agency, Inc. we have been in business for 29 years, we specialize in business insurance but also write auto, home and life insurance.  Check us out on the web or contact us at any one of our three locations.

Winter Driving Safety Tips

Some say it is going to be a rough winter.  I have lived in NY all my life (which is over 4 decades) and so I am used to it.  However, not all of us are.  Here is some advice for those not experienced in driving in the winter snowy months.  The best advice for driving in bad weather is not to drive at all if you can avoid it.  If you have to drive make sure your car is prepared, and you know how to handle road conditions.

Start With A Checkup:

· Check ignition, brakes, wiring, hoses, and belts

· Change and adjust spark plugs

· Check air, fuel and emission filters

· Inspect the distributor

· Check the battery

· Check tires for air, sidewall wear, and tread depth

· Check antifreeze levels and the freeze line

Necessary Equipment:

An emergency situation on the road can arise at any time and you must be prepared.  In addition to making sure you have the tune up, a full tank of gas and fresh antifreeze you should also carry the following items in your trunk:

· Properly inflated spare tire, wheel wrench and tripod-type jack, tow and tire chains

· Shovel, bag of salt or kitty litter, woolen blanket

· Jumper cables, tool kit, non perishable food items, hard candy etc.

· Working flashlight and extra batteries, two flares

 If You Become Stranded:

· Do not leave your car unless you know exactly where you are, how far it is to possible help, and are certain you will improve your situation.

· To attract attention, light two flares and place one at each end of the car at a safe distance away.  Hang a brightly colored cloth from your antenna.

· If you are sure the car’s exhaust pipe is not blocked, run the engine and heater for about 10 minutes every hour or so depending upon the amount of gas in the tank.

· To protect yourself from frostbite and hypothermia use the woolen items and blankets too keep warm.

· Keep at least one window open slightly. Heavy snow and ice can seal a car shut.

· Eat a hard candy to keep your mouth moist

For more safety  information visit the National Safety Council website at http://www.nsc.org

We offer discounts for reduced use vehicles as well - those vehicles only driven during winter or summer months.  Visit us on the web at www.tiains.com for a free quote or contact us at one of our three locations!

Fire Prevention Week 2013

This is national fire prevention week.  There was actually a presidential proclamation declaring this week in 2013.

Cooking fires are the leading cause of home fires with heating related fires close behind.  Here are some tips to help prevent and put out fires:

1) Make sure you have a smoke detector in every room of your home, but not in the kitchen
2) Unplug appliances when not in use
3) Don't use metal in the microwave, beware dinnerware sometimes has metal paint on the trim
4) Keep your stove & oven clean and in good repair
5) Be extra careful when cooking with oil or grease - be sure you don't over heat or over fill
     NEVER pour water on a grease fire, use sand, baking soda or a fire extinguisher.
6) Be sure all flammables are kept away from the stove & oven - like pot holders, dish & paper towels
7) Around the holiday, if you have a real tree, water daily and keep several feet from heaters.
8) Be sure your chimney was cleaned before the start of the heating season
9) Have your existing furnace inspected and maintained by a professional regularly

Follow this CHAIN:

CALL 911 for help
HAVE a fire plan in place - arrange meeting place away from the home - and have fire drills
ASK your local fire department for window stickers to alert there are children or elderly in the home
INSPECT your portable fire extinguisher & keep in an easily accessible spot - Every home should have one.
NFPA the National Fire Protection Association has many more tips visit them & make a plan.

We also have more information direct from many of the fire insurance companies we work with.  They want to help you prevent fires.  Visit us on the web at http://www.tiains.com , stop in to one of our three locations or give us a call for more info or to get a free quote for fire insurance.

Workers Compensation Insurance for the Construciton Insdustry & Contractors

In October of 2010, the New York Construction Industry Fair Play Act took effect.  The law created a definition specifically for the construction industry as to who was an 'employee'.  There will also now be penalties for employers who fail to properly classify the employee.

Here is how you determine whether someone is an independent contractor. (They must meet all three of the criteria below):

(1) Free from control and direction in performing the job, both under contract and in fact.

(2) Performing services outside of the usual course of business for the company and;

(3) Engaged in an independently established trade, occupation or business that is similar to the service they perform.

In the past the company that hired the subcontractor used to have to pay for workers compensation coverage for all monies paid to the subcontractor but in a lessor expensive class code used solely to identify subcontractors.  Now if they don't meet the criteria above the monies paid will all be put into the governing class code on the policy.  For carpentry or roofing this could be VERY expensive bill at the end of the year.

There are SEVERE penalties for employers who violate the newly enacted law.

Today, most companies that have a workers' compensation policy in place will require that any person they hire as a subcontractor also has their own insurance.

You can read about the Fair Play Act here:  http://www.labor.ny.gov/formsdocs/wp/P738.pdf

Here is a poster also provided by NYS Department of Labor: http://www.labor.ny.gov/formsdocs/ui/IA999.pdf

If you are interested in more information or a worker's compensation quote, please feel free to check out our website at www.tiains.com or stop by one of our three locations.

Flood Insurance

We have received an extensive amount of rain which caused flash floods in several areas in our community.  Fortunately, FEMA stepped in and gave some of the local area homeowners some monetary assistance.  Unfortunately however, in most cases it was not enough to replace some irreplaceable items or to purchase another property. 

Homeowner policies cover some important perils, like fire, wind, vandalism, and many more perils are available depending on the level of coverage selected. There is also a coverage called water backup that is sometimes available, usually by endorsement.  This may have given some limited coverage for sump pump failure or backup of sewers.  Flood is ALWAYS excluded on a homeowner policy. 

In order for the peril of flood to be covered you need a flood insurance policy.  Flood insurance policies are not just available for homeowners.  You can rent or own a mobile home and still purchase a flood policy.  Flood policies can cover the building or contents or both.  Replacement cost policies are available. 

Often times when people think flood insurance, they think “expensive”.  That is not always the case.  It all depends on where you live.  If you live in an area that is prone to floods or your home is built below the base flood elevation (BFE), yes it is probably going to cost more than a couple hundred dollars.  With that said, many homes in our area were affected by the flood and are still in a preferred flood zone and a policy may be very affordable.

Flood insurance quotes are free.  Why not ask your agent for a flood quote and then you can make an educated decision as to whether or not you want to spend money on this additional policy?  When I quote a policy for someone, I give them a copy of the property profile report from the tax assessor’s database, a report on the Flood Zone determination and a copy of the quote.   It is especially important if you are thinking of purchasing a property to get a flood quote before you purchase. 

Much more information on what to do before, during and after a flood is available online by going to: http://www.fema.gov/

You can also obtain a free flood insurance quote along with all the reports I mentioned above by going to http://www.tiains.com or contact us at any one of our three locations.

Contractors and Fall Protection

This has become a major issue for Contractors in the State of NY.  Fall claims have driven up the cost of insurance and a lot of standard insurance carriers in NY are no longer writing contractors that have a height exposure.  This applies to carpenters, electricians, heating and air conditioning contractors and commercial snowplowing just to name a few.  It is not so much the fact the insurance companies even end up having to pay out anything on these types of claims.  However, the insurance companies still have to hire and pay an attorney, go to court and then pay any required claims.  This could take years to finalize and cost insurance companies hundreds of thousands of dollars just in attorney fees.

If you have had continuous insurance and have a good claims history and have a safety plan in place there is a good chance you can still get insurance with one of the standard carriers in NY. 

Following are some resources to develop your own safety plan:

http://www.osha.com/store/written-safety-plans.html

http://www.ehso.com/sampleplans.php

http://freeonlineoshatraining.com/index.html

https://safetyskills.com/

http://www.nsc.org/products_training/Training/Pages/OnlineTraining.aspx

Once you have a safety plan in place it is important to give a copy to your employees, go over it in detail and have them sign off on it.  It is important to do this at least once a year and definitely upon hiring someone new.  Check for updates too.

If you are interested in more information or a quote, please feel free to contact us at www.tiains.com.

Fall Tips for Homeowners

Fall has arrived and that is the perfect time to do some basic home maintenance that may prevent a loss from occurring.

1)Heating System:  Now is a great time to give your heat system a check up before you turn it on.  If you have baseboard heaters, you should vacuum them to keep them free from dust and debris.  While your there be sure nothing lays on them like drapes for example.  If you have a furnace, you should call in an insured HVAC contractor to come and give your system a tune up.  Certain items need to be cleaned and replaced on the furnace directly. They also may be able to clean out any heating ducts for you or direct you to someone who can.  (This will help with allergies too!)  If your furnace uses air filters buy a bunch, keep them on hand and change them every month.

2) Detection:  You should change batteries in smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors.  Every home should have a carbon monoxide detector in the room where the furnace is located and in the kitchen.

3)Windows:  Make sure all windows are closed and locked.  If you still feel drafts you can always get those plastic window insulation kits or save even more money by buying a roll of plastic and cut and measure yourself.  Use thin cardboard strips around the edges and cover with the plastic so it is flush against the window and thumb tacks to secure in place. 

4)Doors: Check for drafts around your doorways too.  If you have glass panels you can plastic them too.  Also if it is entrance you are not using you can get weather strip and place along the door jam.  Just be sure you can still get out in case of emergency.  They also sell strips for the bottom of the door that still allow the door to be opened and closed regularly.

5)Chimney: If you have a fireplace or wood stove it is critical that this be cleaned regularly.  Otherwise buildup and residue inside can start a fire.  Also be sure and keep any stacks of wood away from your home. Not inside or too close to the wood burning unit.

6) Outside:  Don’t forget about outside too.  Look for any loose boards, bricks or stones in walkways, & rake any leaves these all pose trip, slip and fall hazards especially once the snow and ice start to build up.  Clean out your gutters, the clogs could cause water to not drain properly and may cause ice buildup in the winter or excess along the foundation and walkways. Don’t leave leftover fuel from mowers or weed-whackers in the equipment. If left in the equipment it can cause sediment and possibly prevent the equipment from working properly when you need them again. Be sure to store gas cans in a safe place and out of reach of children.

Lastly, have a safety plan in place.  Go over exits with children, have a fire drill, teach your children where and what the detectors are and what to do if they go off.  Designate a meeting place across the street or neighbors to meet in the event of an emergency.

Contact us if you have questions or need more information at www.tiains.com

Routine Maintenance

It's Monday and for some of us it means the beginning of the work week.  Which brings me back to my post Last week.  Computers at work...

Friday or Monday is a great day to do all your routine maintenance on your Windows based computer at work.  Before you leave the office today, take a few minutes and do the following:

1)Disk Cleanup:  Found in the accessories folder under system tools.  Helps clean-up any temporary files, recycle bins and other files that may be cluttering up your hard drive and even slowing it down.

2)Defrag:  Also Found in the accessories folder under system tools, helps to organize your files (in the background).  Every time you open and close a file, or delete something off of your hard drive it leaves "bits" and pieces behind.. yes pun intended!  This puts everything back where it should be.  When you run defrag the computer will ask you to analyze it first.  I wouldn't even bother doing that often times what it thinks is acceptable level is not acceptable to the user.  Just run defrag, do not analyze.

3)IE:  If you are using Internet Explorer (IE), it is a good idea to clean it out regularly also.  Here are a few suggestions to keep it running smoothly.  Go to tools, internet options and delete your browsing history - temporary internet files, cookies, form data, passwords and in private filtering data.  You may think it saves time to have the PC save this information, but it could pose a security risk.

4)Updates:  Windows should be set to download and install updates automatically.  This will help your computer stay up to date on security patches, bug fixes etc.  Also if you have an Anti-virus or Anti-Malware program installed like Microsoft Essentials or Malwarebytes it is very important these are also set to download  & install automatically.  You can also open these programs and choose update to be sure.  You should also run a "quick" scan about an hour before you are scheduled to leave for the day.  This will slow you down but ensure you are virus and/or malware free!

5)BACKUP:  Most of our work is done on internet based software programs.  However, if you save files to your hard-drive or if you have a server in the office you should be doing regular backups.  Keep one back up in the office and one off-site.  USB storage devices are very inexpensive and can easily be transported. There are also several companies now offering online virtual storage for you. Like icloud for example.  Do your homework before choosing one of these options. To be sure the site is legitimate, safe and secure.

6)Dust:  Dust is responsible for many hardware failures.  It can clog important pieces of equipment inside your computer and prevent them from operating or cooling properly.  You should never use a liquid on your computer inside or out!  Invest in a can of 'air' and spray your keyboard and the rear of your computer by the fan.  Just be sure you are not blowing the dust back inside, hold it at an angle so it blows dust out and away.

All the things I mentioned above should be done once a week to keep everything running smoothly. You should also do these things at home, depending on how much you use your computer you might get away with bi-weekly.

Your Employees Are Being Attacked!

Your business could be in jeopardy.  Employee PC’s are the most common form of a security breach.  It is really easy to trick someone into clicking on a link or opening an email and in return you open the door for cyber criminals potentially giving them access to your business data and even can shut down your entire operation.

Here are the most common threats and what you and your employees can do to avoid them:

1)      Phishing:  In a phishing scam, usually an email or link is sent via a social network trying to get you to download malware unknowingly or to type in sensitive information.  Often times it appears to come from a legitimate source or addressed specifically to you.  However, If you look closely something is just not right.  Often times there is a spelling error or the address it is from is not the company or individual it appears to be from, but some other odd name with with the actual name in it to sound legitimate. Take steps to recognize and delete suspicious emails.

2)      Malware or Scareware:  In these types of attacks we unknowingly go to a website, perhaps it came up in a search engine and you clicked on it.  Suddenly, a message pops up saying you are infected or your PC has been compromised or you have registry errors and even that your PC has been confiscated by the government!  In order to solve the problem you just need to “click here” and magically all the problems will be solved…that is after you give out sensitive information like your credit card because it will only cost $9.95!  Unfortunately after you enter your information, nothing happens… there is no fix and actually you just downloaded a virus.  A little education can go a long way in teaching your employees how to spot these type of attacks.

3)      File Sharing:  Everyone likes free stuff!  It is really tempting to sign up for a peer to peer network and share files that you would other wise have to pay for like music for example.  Unfortunately this too is a very common way for viruses to infect your computer.  It opens an door to your computer and therefore your network!  It is a good idea to prohibit Peer to Peer networks in the office.  Often times they are also illegal.

4)      Social Networking:  Social networks are becoming more and more popular and even more popular with cyber criminals.  The posts you see “Click if you like if you want her dad to quit smoking” or “click like if you want this kitty reunited with her owner” are ways of tricking you to click like.  The more likes the post gets the more money they can make.  The page might be called something you can relate too, and they post things that you like, then once they get enough followers they sell the page to someone else. There are several examples of links spreading on social networks that are infecting unsuspecting computers.  Again, training employees to spot scams and keeping your profile and information private (friends only) are steps in the right direction.

5)      Mobile Malware:  Now that smart phones and tablets are becoming more and more popular, it is important to note that cyber criminals realize this too.  iPhones and iPads are pretty secure because iTunes & the app store really monitors and regulates what is available for download on those types of devices.  However, android and no name brand tablets are at risk.  There are what appears to be legitimate applications free for download and in fact it is malware in disguise.  Do a little research if you are not familiar with an app before you agree to download.

6)      Cross-Site Scripting (XSS):  Often time we think of security breaches coming from going to illicit or illegal websites and they do, but XSS comes from the smartest cyber criminals hijacking a legitimate website and changing the HTML code to their own malicious code.  This lets them at the very least steal your info and it could be very detrimental.  Protect yourself by keeping your security programs up to date, disable Java and any other unnecessary features.

7)      Drive by Download:  This refers to a system vulnerability, usually in your browser that allows viruses and malware to be downloaded automatically and installed on your computer – often times without you even knowing.  Ways to protect your self and your PC, make sure your browser is up to date and any applicable security patches installed.

The bottom line?  Training and education and regular system maintenance it the best way to protect your employees and your business you worked so hard to build.

Children and Identity Theft

Experts say kids are easy targets largely because they don’t do things like open bank accounts, apply for jobs or take out loans that would make them aware of any problems on their credit report. As results, thieves can often use a child’s identity for years, even decades without anyone knowing it. Many parents are not aware that their Children’s information is of considerable value to identity thieves.

What’s a parent to do?

Luckily, there are precautions that lower the risks of your child becoming a victim.

-Use extra caution at school. Ask how your child’s personal info is being uses before sharing it and verify that sensitive documents are stored in a safe/secure location. Also think twice about having your child listed in the school directory since thieves could obtain a copy of it.

-Keep SSN’s under wraps. Keep your child’s social in a locked safe or safety deposit box. Always ask anyone who requests it how it will be used and whether an alternate form of ID can work. Teach your child to be equally selective about revealing his or her SSN to anyone. Most thief's will use one child’s name, another's SSN and a fake DOB.

-Monitor the mail. A credit card offer, income tax return or letters from a collection agency in your child’s name are all signs that something is fishy.

-Request an annual credit report and manual search. It’s good practice to get a credit report for yourself and your child each year. You can visit Annualcreditreport.com to order a free report. While credit reports show whether anyone is illegally using your child’s name, only a manual search will reveal is your child’s SSN is being used under another name. The credit bureaus are required to conduct a no-cost manual search when it’s requested.

-Report any problems ASAP! Do not wait to file a police report if you or your child’s identity is at risk.

Most homeowners or renters policies in NYS offer Identity theft coverage automatically or by endorsement for a small fee.  Contact your current agent to confirm whether or not you currently have this coverage and whom the coverage applies in your home.

If you have questions or would like more information stop in to one of our three offices. (Bring your current policy even if it is with another agent if you have one).

-Tanner Insurance Agency, Inc.

http://www.tiains.com