As companies look forward to the start of a new year, many will choose to close out their year by celebrating their employees' hard work with a party during the holidays. While it can be a great way to unwind and relax, it can also open up businesses to potential liability risks for their owners. In today's Aegis blog post, we offer some suggestions for how to celebrate the holidays safely with employees while also reducing potential liability risks.

For business owners, having Commercial Insurance coverage is an important part of running a business since it offers financial protection and peace of mind in case disaster strikes. Unfortunately, not all business owners make wise decisions when it comes to what kind of policies are needed and how much coverage is needed. As a result, they could find themselves in a major financial bind when they do need to make a claim and discover they don't have the right kind of coverage needed.

As businesses approach the busy holiday season, it can become a stressful time for business owners as they prepare to host holiday parties, welcome an increase in shoppers, and offer a larger amount of merchandise and holiday specials. An important investment for many business owners is the hiring of professional security teams or off-duty police officers to monitor the property and provide extra security during a hectic time.

Companies often make a number of key investments into their business, such as recruiting for quality employees, clear and visible signage, marketing, and equipment and technology upgrades. However, businesses often make the mistake of not investing enough in high quality safety equipment for employees or thorough training for new hires.

In order for a new business to be successful, it needs to have a combination of good services or products, great employees, and experienced leadership. However, another important component is also having reliable utility and service providers that help make the business run like a well-oiled machine. Whether it's electricity, linen service, HVAC maintenance, internet and phone providers, landscapers, or credit card processing companies, businesses need trustworthy vendors and service providers in order to run their daily operations.

With fall weather just around the corner, businesses across Texas are ready to celebrate the arrival of milder temperatures and more pleasant outdoor opportunities for their customers. For retailers, this might mean hosting outdoor events for shoppers and visitors, and for restaurant owners, this might mean additional guests and special events in patios and outdoor dining areas.

Now more than ever, customers are far more likely to do their research online before spending money at a new restaurant, hiring a contractor, or visiting a retail store. They're also more likely to leave an online review of a business on social media accounts, both good and bad. Getting a bad review is part of owning a business since not everyone will love meal, their shopping experience, or their contractor's work.

Even with the economy continuing to feel the impact of Covid-19, many entrepreneurs are still pursuing their dreams and opening their own businesses. With the start of a new business comes several important decisions, such as finding an ideal location, hiring the right staff, and making sure permits, documentation, and financial protection are in place. One of the most important decisions a new business owner can make is having General Liability coverage to protect the immediate and long-term future of their new company.

In a very short period of time, Hurricane Nicholas developed from a line of tropical rainclouds into a category 1 hurricane that hit the Texas coast this week. While the flood and wind damages were not as significant as with past hurricanes, it still left behind flooded properties, toppled structures, and large power outages across the coast.

With businesses facing all types of labor and supplier challenges right now, the last thing companies need is dealing with property damage or losses due to thieves and vandals. A single act of theft or property damage can cause thousands of dollars in repairs, or cause business operations to slow down. Some businesses might not even realize that they have made themselves an ideal target for criminals looking for an easy score.