Insurance

February 12, 2018

UNITEL Client Spotlight: Lynxx

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 […]
June 1, 2017

Why Do I Need Fiduciary Liability Insurance?

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 […]
December 30, 2015

Current State Of The Work Comp Market: Turbulence

Every year, Stephen Klingel, president and CEO of the National Council on Compensation Insurance, Inc. (NCCI), chooses one word to define the current state of the workers’ compensation industry. This year, that word is Turbulence. It’s a word that does not emote confidence; rather, it conveys turmoil, unrest, and instability. Not comforting for employers. Speaking at NCCI’s 2015 Issues Symposium in May, Mr. Klingel noted: Lost time claims decreased an estimated 2% in 2014, which is a smaller decrease than the 2.9% reported in 2013. “Our industry runs in cycles.Watch for upward pressure on claim frequency from new workers in unfamiliar jobs.” The workers’ compensation sector should prepare for “difficult times” as “workplaces and the workforce evolve.” “We are going to see employee relationships with no defined workplace or work schedule. This will lead us to develop new definitions of injuries and complicate investigations into course and scope of employment. Determining whether a person is an employee or an independent […]
October 21, 2015

Cyber Security For Your Business

Question: What are some steps we can take to protect our business, employees, and customers from the threat of hackers and data breaches? Answer: Cyber security is a serious and integral part of any computerized workplace and requires your attention to prevent breaches. To best protect your business, employees, and customers, take the following steps to ensure cyber security at all levels of your business: 1. Start with ensuring that your IT professionals responsible for building and securing your information networks have the capabilities and resources for assessing and managing your IT risk and security needs. This should include, at a minimum, identifying and protecting the proprietary data that could be potentially at risk with a secure, hidden, encrypted Wi-Fi network, password protections and firewalls to prevent hackers from accessing sensitive data. 2. Create concise workplace policies that detail cyber security, how to handle breaches, and penalties for violations. Train all employees on what they can do to prevent these […]
September 30, 2014

UNITEL Recognizes Rand Moritzky

The society of Certified Insurance Counselors recognizes Rand Moritzky, National Program Director, for more than 25 years of steadfast commitment to leadership and excellence through continuing insurance education, which commitment has been manifested in outstanding individual achievement, and in the highest level of professional competence encompassing the major fields of insurance, insurance management and agency operations. Rand was recognized for a very special double milestone. He is now considered a Tenured CIC, a level of recognition achieved by less than 9% of CICs nationally. UNITEL would like to congratulate Rand on this achievement. We are thankful to have such dedicated professionals as Rand, a part of this team.
May 1, 2013

Interest in Personal Gun Liability Insurance Protection

Interest in personal liability insurance for firearms owners has expanded with the media focus on gun-centric events and the public discussion of  liability issues. While coverage is available through gun owner associations and through specialty insurers, the liability component of homeowners and renters insurance policies offers some protection for gun owners…  
April 22, 2013

A Discussion of Health Care Reform

A discussion of health care reform by UNICO MIDLANDS   We have seen countless articles on the subject of what employers will face in the way of penalties if they don’t follow the new federal mandates for health care reform. The following are some of the most recent issues being discussed. Submitted by Mick Sibbel Large Employer Status Only companies that meet the large employer threshold are subject to ACA’s pay or play rules. To qualify as a large employer, a company must have at least 50 full-time employees, including full-time equivalents (FTEs). To determine if a company is a large employer, aggregation rules apply for companies that are related or commonly owned. Specifically, all employees of a controlled group of businesses under Internal Revenue Code (Code) sections 414(b) or (c) or an affiliated service group under Code section 414(m) are taken into account to determine if an employer is subject to the pay or play rules. If the combined […]
August 9, 2012

Buying Home Insurance

Here are a few things you should consider before choosing to buy your home insurance from an agent: What type of home insurance companies do they represent? It’s important to know the financial strength and customer service of your home insurance company. Do I have enough insurance to replace all of my possessions? It is a good idea to conduct a home inventory and estimate the cost to replace your items if they were stolen or destroyed by a disaster. You can insure possessions by their actual cash value or their replacement cost – make sure you discuss what type of coverage is best for you. Is the agent available during non-business hours? Many insurance agents may only be available during regular office hours but many times claims occur in the middle of the night. Check with your agent on their customer service hours to make sure they will be available when you need them. What type of discounts are […]
August 9, 2012

Late Payments and Coverage

Bills. We’ve all got them to pay each month but one of the most important bills to pay on time is your insurance premiums. It is critical to make your insurance payments on time to avoid a potential lapse in coverage. If you let your policy lapse it can have big, long-term consequences. Missed payments and a lapse in coverage can lower your credit rating significantly, making it more expensive to get car insurance in the future. What’s the worst case scenario? Driving without insurance is also against the law and you will be personally liable if you have an accident. You can lose your home and your future earnings could be effected. I recommend having your insurance taken out each month by automatic draft. This way you never have to worry if you are late or forget to pay.