After witnessing the devastation brought by Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria last year, business owners across the Gulf Coast will have a weary eye on the tropics as hurricane season begins in just a couple of months. However, businesses have the opportunity to take actions now that can help limit business closures, mitigate potential income losses, and reduce damages in the event our region is struck by another hurricane or major weather event. In today's Aegis blog post, we look at three things companies should be doing now before the start of hurricane season on June 1.

It's common for individuals and families in the market for a new home to start their research in the spring. Many will closely examine floor plans and home amenities, subdivisions and deed restrictions, nearby school districts, shopping and entertainment centers, and traffic conditions. However, there are three other important factors to consider that can impact your future home's property value, as well as insurance coverage needs. In today's Aegis blog post, we'll examine these three additional factors to research before buying a new home.

Over time, a business owner may find it necessary to consider relocating their office, either because they have outgrown their current location, or they need to downsize to something more manageable and affordable. Unfortunately, office relocation can be a complex and challenging process, especially if business owners are not fully aware of all the factors they need to consider. Without the right information, a company could end up in a terrible location that dooms the future of their business.

Hurricane Harvey has been a major wake-up call to individuals and families across the country about their own level of preparedness in the face of a natural disaster. Improved technology has made it slightly easier to predict certain types of natural disasters and their expected pathways, but it's still next to impossible to predict their full impact or level of destruction. For example, Texas residents knew several days in advance that Hurricane Harvey was approaching our coast, but no one knew that we would receive multiple tornadoes and catastrophic, record-shattering flooding.

In the wake of Hurricane Harvey, thousands of homes and businesses across the Gulf Coast need repairs and renovations, either because of wind damage, tornadoes, or the floodwaters that devastated our region. As a result, contractors and repair companies have inundated our area to provide these much-needed services. But, there are some contractors who are only here to take advantage of unsuspecting or vulnerable customers, and some property owners may find themselves becoming a victim again because of these scammers and their fraudulent work.

The Houston area is still deep in recovery mode from the devastating floods caused by Hurricane Harvey. Businesses and their employees have been impacted across a wide expanse of the city, and for some companies, the damage may be too great to overcome. However, many companies were completely spared from major damages or flooding, and there are several important lessons they can learn from the damage inflicted on our area. In today's Aegis blog post, we look at three lessons companies can learn from Hurricane Harvey and its aftermath.

Houstonians rely greatly on their cars and trucks, largely because of our city's vast size and minimal public transportation options. However, over 19,000 of area vehicles experienced some form of vehicle flood damage during the historic Tax Day floods of 2016. While some of these flooded vehicles were completely submerged and sent to salvage yards, many were cleaned up and resold to unsuspecting buyers or used car lots.

When it comes to starting a new business, there are a variety of misconceptions and incorrect theories regarding how best to begin and successfully operate a business. Some business owners might believe that location doesn't really matter, that quality isn't an important issue for customers, and that most business insurance isn't really necessary. In reality, location is a critical issue for new businesses, most customers insist on high quality, and business insurance is always necessary to have, especially for companies with higher risks and liability issues.

Texas has long been home to some of the most dynamic restaurants and top dining experiences in the nation, offering customers bold flavors, inventive techniques, and stunning plates. Because of our state's stable economy, growing population, and business-friendly environment, restaurateurs continue to flock to Texas to begin their own dining establishments. While owning a restaurant can be exciting and highly rewarding, it can also come with a host of issues and liability risks for owners.

The 2016 hurricane season is officially underway, and with it comes the unease of knowing the Gulf Coast could take a direct hit from a hurricane or other serious tropical storm. Although hurricane preparation is often directed towards individuals and families, businesses should also take time to prepare for a hurricane to protect against severe losses and minimize commercial property damage.