Creating and running a successful business is a combination of a great idea, hard work, good employees, and the business property and assets needed for daily operations. However, it's important to protect businesses with quality commercial insurance in the event a catastrophe occurs. A closure of any length of time can spell disaster for companies, especially if the business suffers property damage and needs time to replace valuable and business-critical equipment.

Nearly half of all small businesses are likely to experience a commercial property claim in their lifetime, with damages ranging from minor to catastrophic. Without the right kind of insurance protection, commercial property damage can be financially devastating, leading to the loss of customers and revenue and in some cases, total business closure. In today's blog post, we look at the three most common causes of commercial property claims, and what companies can do to avoid them to ensure their long-term survival.

Workers Compensation Insurance is a cornerstone of many commercial insurance policies, but in the state of Texas, it is only recommended, and not required by state law. To their detriment, some businesses skip having Workers Compensation coverage with the belief that it's unnecessary because they have little to no workplace accidents. The reality is that insurance protects against the issues, accidents, and damages we can't ever plan for, and having Workers Compensation coverage is a smart business decision, regardless of the industry or size of the company.

Tension in the workplace can arise from a variety of causes. For example, a business can become a hostile environment because of words, such as discussions regarding work performance, politics, pay, race, religion, or personal issues. In addition, workplace tension can escalate because of circumstances, such as layoffs, missed promotions, failed office romances, excessive overtime, coworker clashes, health issues, or personal strife at home. The goal of business owners should be to identify and peacefully diffuse workplace tension before it escalates into workplace violence.

One of the biggest innovations to impact the business world in the last few years has been the use of drones for commercial use. Drones are used in industries across the world, including farming, manufacturing, art, real estate, construction, retail, and everything in between. While they provide incredible and unique perspectives for businesses and their customers, the commercial use of drones comes with substantial risk for property owners.

In this era of global corporations and multi-national businesses, it can be hard for the average commercial consumer to be noticed or feel appreciated by their service providers. Clients might feel like they are simply nothing more than an account number, especially when they are in need of customer service. Thankfully, commercial insurance customers do have choices, and one of the best ones they can make is choosing an independent insurance agency instead of a large, faceless insurance corporation.

As 2016 comes to a close, many businesses begin planning out strategies for the new year to increase revenue, win customers, improve efficiency, and lower costs. However, many companies miss out on important growth opportunities because they fail to perform a thorough year-end review. A year-end review can help identify successes, failures, and areas of improvement from the past year, all of which can help put businesses in a better position to thrive in the new year.

Winter weather in the Gulf Coast region is typically milder than in the rest of the country, but Texas often experiences high winds and strong gusts as cold fronts approach our area. Sometimes these strong winds cause little to no property damage, while other times a freak windstorm can topple trees, down power lines, and cause extensive damage to businesses, retail centers, restaurants, and office complexes.

Texas has seen its fair share of disasters, including record-setting flooding, major hurricanes, severe windstorms, and wildfires. When these catastrophes impact homes and businesses, there is often a major response from assistance groups, federal agencies, and contractors ready to help rebuild. Unfortunately, along with legitimate assistance groups come scammers and fraudulent organizations hoping to make money off of both victims and individuals and businesses wanting to help in some way.

Disasters can strike at any time and their unpredictability, combined with the damages they cause, leads to major issues for homeowners, renters, and businesses. Although catastrophic events can never be fully prevented, there are proactive measures that can be taken to reduce damages and expedite recovery times. One prime example is having a property inventory for personal or commercial assets.