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Five forces that will influence insurance next year

Five forces that will influence insurance next year

From shifts in regulation to advances in technology, the societal landscape is changing, and insurance companies have no choice but to keep up. In order to keep these external pressures from becoming overwhelming, businesses will have to adjust their policies to account for a new environment. Here are some of the most pressing outside concerns. Changes in legislation:Online poker went under in the United States a couple years ago, but it's popped back up ...
December 27, 2013By InterWest Insurance General Insurance News Influencing Insurance 0 Comment Read More »
How to use technology to improve your business

How to use technology to improve your business

There's no doubt that technology makes businesses run more smoothly. Communication is faster, information is more readily available and processes that once took days can now be done in a mere matter of minutes. Despite this, it remains a source of confusion for some companies, who are forced to deal with a level of complexity that they hadn't previously considered. This tension—between facilitation and frustration—highlights the need to deploy advancements intelligently.The world is becoming ...
December 27, 2013By InterWest Insurance Business and IT Insurance Improve Business, Technology 0 Comment Read More »
News Corp acquisition proves even traditional companies need IT contractor liability insurance

News Corp acquisition proves even traditional companies need IT contractor liability insurance

There's a lingering perception that traditional media companies aren't open to technological progress. However, a quick glance at their history of acquisitions suggests that this idea is misguided. On Friday, New Corps further dispelled that myth when the media giant shelled out $25 million for Storyful. The Ireland-based startup curates new-based social media content, including justice-related stories like protests and violent conflict. Newsy, a similar company, was acquired for $35 million by print corporation Scripps. These acquisitions, ...
December 23, 2013By InterWest Insurance Business and IT Insurance Contractor Liability Insurance, News Corp 0 Comment Read More »
Poor contractor performance costs Navy upwards of $20 million

Poor contractor performance costs Navy upwards of $20 million

Sailors aboard the USS George Washington had been at sea for a month when they finally reached Brisbane, Australia. While they were no doubt excited to enjoy themselves on dry land, they were stuck onboard for six hours while a contractor, Glenn Defense Marine Asia, hunted for a runway.  This wasn't an isolated incident for the beleaguered company. Earlier this year, it was dressed down by the Philippine Senate for dumping untreated sewage from Navy ship ...
December 23, 2013By InterWest Insurance Contractor Insurance Contractor, Navy 0 Comment Read More »
Expected rise of cloud computing highlights need for technology insurance

Expected rise of cloud computing highlights need for technology insurance

In technology, like in business, if you don't keep up you'll get left behind. Failure to adapt to changing climates has been the death knell of a slew of companies. On the flip side, positioning your business to take advantage of innovations can be an invaluable asset to success. One such opportunity is cloud computing.  Just as with smartphones, we're quickly approaching a time where using offsite servers to store massive amounts of data is ...
December 20, 2013By InterWest Insurance Business and IT Insurance Cloud Computing, Technology Insurance 0 Comment Read More »
Shady contractors prey on tornado-ravaged towns

Shady contractors prey on tornado-ravaged towns

When last month's tornadoes tore through the Midwest, Indiana residents were left to deal with the fallout of damaged homes. Donations poured in to help affected families, and volunteers around the state pitched in to provide assistance. One group, however, has recently arrived with intentions that are anything but charitable: unscrupulous contractors.  Signs are popping up all over the place advertising their services, and some are even directly approaching homeowners and peddling their shady services. ...
December 18, 2013By InterWest Insurance Contractor Insurance Bad Contractors, Tornados 0 Comment Read More »
California man ordered to pay millions for contractor insurance fraud

California man ordered to pay millions for contractor insurance fraud

When it comes to getting insurance, fraud doesn't pay. Richard Lopez Escamilla Jr. found that out in a big way. The Fresno, California contractor was ordered to pay over 4 million dollars in fines, according to the State Department of Insurance, amidst allegations that that he lied to get lower rates. This gave him a financial and competitive advantage over honest companies, and allowed him to secure contracts he otherwise would not have been able to. ...
December 17, 2013By InterWest Insurance Contractor Insurance California , Contractor Insurance Fraud 0 Comment Read More »
Amazon drones need high tech insurance

Amazon drones need high tech insurance

Imagine pouring yourself a hot cup of coffee and sitting down to do bit of online shopping. You pick out a small item, put it in your cart and check out. Within minutes, it's floating softly to your doorstep, processed and delivered before the steam is even off of your mug.  Until recently, this sort of scene would be impossibly futuristic. For Amazon, it's tantalizingly close to the present.  The company is close to being able to ...
December 17, 2013By InterWest Insurance General Insurance News Drones, High Tech Insurance 0 Comment Read More »
How do I deal with independent contractors?

How do I deal with independent contractors?

Depending on the nature of your business, you might have to deal with independent contractors. While in some ways, they function as other employees do, there are some key nuances that you should keep in mind.  The first is how exactly the worker should be classified. There are specific guidelines for what constitutes a contractor versus an employee, and you should be aware of them as you foster business relationships. If there are strict rules ...
December 13, 2013By InterWest Insurance Contractor Insurance Independent Contractors 0 Comment Read More »
With corporate-owned smartphones on the rise, technology insurance remains important

With corporate-owned smartphones on the rise, technology insurance remains important

After months of the market swinging towards a bring-your-own-device model (BYOD), the corporate-owned smartphone seems to be coming back into vogue. According to Strategy Analytics, corporate smartphone purchases have experienced an uptick over the first nine months of 2013. This suggests an underlying shift in the way that companies are evaluating their mobile technology decisions. Total purchases are up 34 percent over a year ago, with 73 million businesses purchasing directly for their employees in ...
December 12, 2013By InterWest Insurance Business and IT Insurance Technology Insurance 0 Comment Read More »