October 2, 2020
These specialized technology insurance terms are some of the most common you will need to know to best understand your technology insurance protections.
August 28, 2020
UNITEL's Chris Danielson received the Minnesota Telecom Alliance' 2020 Safety Leadership Award at MTA's Annual Convention
July 1, 2020
April 29, 2020
UNICO Group (UNICO) would like to congratulate Rand Moritzky on his upcoming retirement as he has announced he is retiring from the industry effective May 31, 2020.
September 18, 2019
On September 5th, AM Best affirmed National Farmers Union and all National General entities the rating of A- XV with a stable outlook.
August 1, 2019
UNITEL Insurance is excited to partner with National General Holding Corp. after its recent acquisition of National Farmers Union Insurance.
April 4, 2019
November 19, 2018
October 25, 2018
February 12, 2018
1. Brief description of your operations Lemonweir Valley Telephone Company was established in 1907 with the purpose of bringing telephone service to residents, farmers and various businesses in the rural areas of Juneau County, Wisconsin. The company was originally named New Lisbon Mutual Telephone company. The name was changed in 1931 to Lemonweir Valley Telephone Company. It is a stockholder owned company with many of the stockholders’ families having owned stock for multiple generations. Today there are more then 200 shareholders. As the company has grown over the years, Lemonweir Valley Telephone and LVT Corp (a subsidiary of Lemonweir Valley Telephone Company) created a DBA named Lynxx Networks. This name reflects both the local fiber network connecting its residential and business customers and the external statewide network provided by the Wisconsin Independent Network also known as WIN. Lynxx Networks provides voice, internet and television services. Its ILEC area is covered by a state of the art fiber optic network. As […]
December 8, 2017
Using Communications Operations to Fight Cyber Crime For those of you that have been following my newsletter in recent months, this issue (December) represents the wrap up of my 3-part series on cyber security in small business, with an emphasis on our core specialty, the independent communications industry. To recap briefly, last October we talked about the basics of cyber security for your business, the many ways you can evaluate the cyber risks that may threaten your operations as well as timely security tips. In November we looked at putting together an anti-ransomware plan, steps you can take towards better small business cyber security and a few simple ways to up your cyber protection game. Point in fact, I have published a couple of these subjects before but I chose to re-print some of them in this 3 part series for added emphasis. In this last segment of the series, we examine ways that small communications operations can fight cyber- […]
June 14, 2017
June 1, 2017
Fiduciary Liability Insurance What is Fiduciary Liability Insurance? Fiduciary Liability Insurance pays, on behalf of the insured, legal liability arising from claims for alleged failure to prudently act within the meaning of the Pension Reform Act of 1974. “Insured” is variously defined as a trust or employee benefit plan, any trustee, officer or employee of the trust or employee benefit plan, employer who is sole sponsor of a plan and any other individual or organization designated as a fiduciary. Group life and medical expense plans, as well as pension and retirement plans, are within the scope of the law. Two other types of coverage are related to fiduciary liability insurance. • Fidelity bonds are required by law (ERISA bonding). This is a form of insurance for dishonesty situations. When dishonest administrators or trustees have financially harmed an employee benefit plan, these bonds may be used, but only for the benefit of the plan and the plan’s beneficiaries. This bonding insurance […]
February 24, 2017
It is February already and I think I can see a hint of Spring just over the horizon. I don’t know about you but I can’t wait to get there. I am tired of cold, wind, rain and snow and I am willing to bet that you are too. As we head towards that ultimate destination, here are a couple of things to think about regarding your risk management activities. You may want to take this relatively “quiet time” to think ahead and get ready for the busy plant construction season that includes the use of contractors as they can bring a substantial amount of liability and extra costs to you. They must be “good” contractors that you have vetted completely (before hire) or else the possibility exists that they will bring you more trouble than you planned on. See my data sheet elsewhere in this issue for the full details on selecting a contractor. You will be glad you […]
October 25, 2016
Every business handles some sort of data – on operations, products, customers, and more. That means every business stands to lose something valuable if it were to suffer a data breach. Data breaches have become increasingly common among small businesses, so it’s more important than ever to protect your business against these types of incidents. Watch the video above to learn more about cyber exposures and how to safeguard your business. If you’re looking for an expert in Cyber Insurance, UNICO Group has you covered. Give us a call to today to learn how to protect yourself from cyber crime! Content for this article was originally published by Liberty Mutual Insurance at http://passiontoprotect.libertymutualgroup.com/cyber-crime
June 1, 2016
March 30, 2016
Employee handbooks are an essential part of effective human resources (HR) management and positive employee relations. Handbooks can also play a critical role in demonstrating employment law compliance. Properly used, employee handbooks: Communicate policies and procedures. Play a key role in the orientation process for new employees. Serve as a valuable employee relations vehicle for educating current and prospective employees. Contribute to uniform and consistent application, interpretation, and enforcement of company policies. Protect against claims of improper employer conduct and employee lawsuits. While carefully drafted employee handbooks can be an important part of employee relations media, handbooks that are unskillfully or improperly drafted can create organizational and legal headaches. Employers must carefully review every policy and procedure in a handbook to minimize potential contract claims and be prepared to update them periodically. Since employee handbooks are not required by law, organizations may determine the best method and most effective means to communicate important HR-related information to their employees. Factors that affect an organization’s need for a written […]
March 23, 2016
Lisa Henning, Executive Wellness Consultant, UNICO Midlands: New Year’s Resolution…a term we are all familiar with over the years. This is the time when we renew our commitments and “make good” on our promises. Wouldn’t it be nice if we could always do the right thing all year instead of having to renew our promises! Essentially, that is what culture change is about. Businesses have changed their company culture to one where wellness is front of mind. ALL of the companies that have been successful with culture change have strong leadership! This is a slippery slope. While most business leaders are aware of the financial benefits of a wellness program and want to reap the benefits, few are truly willing to commit financially to a comprehensive program. As with most things, wellness is relational…you get what you pay for. If you purchase baggies with fold over tops, you get stale bread. If you invest in the zip close baggies, your […]