Compared with other areas of the country, Houston has long enjoyed a strong and growing economy due to the diversity of our industries and business-friendly tax laws. Because of our robust economic growth, businesses must compete even more with their competitors to gain an edge and win a larger share of their market. One way that businesses can stay ahead of their competitors is by a full range of quality commercial insurance.

During the holiday season, many businesses such as retail stores, restaurants, delis, and bakeries depend on temporary workers to help handle the barrage of additional customers and sales. Although they offer relief to swamped business owners, temporary workers can also create potential liability issues when they are not properly trained in all areas of safety and business operations.

During the holiday season, business owners often plan team-building exercises and company functions to celebrate the company’s successes, reward hardworking employees, or serve the local community as a team.  However, sometimes company functions can get out of hand when employees celebrate a little too much, or they are injured while participating in an event, creating a potential Workers Compensation issue.

Business owners typically secure commercial insurance to protect their company from damages caused by theft, fire, floods, and utility disruptions. However, another type of threat looms large for many businesses: civil lawsuits. Unfortunately, many businesses forgo insurance protection from lawsuits because they falsely believe they won't be sued, or they are unaware that such commercial insurance protection exists.

With Halloween less than a month away, many businesses have begun planning out their Halloween festivities and parties, whether for employees or customers. Activities might range from simple costume or pumpkin decorating contests to full-blown parties with alcohol, live music, and spooky events and games. Although Halloween can be a great opportunity for companies to attract new customers, or provide a fun event for employees, there are some risks with Halloween parties and activities that can pose liability threats.

There are a myriad of risks that small-business owners face, including theft, weather disasters, and unfavorable online reviews. However, one of the most common threats to any business comes from General Liability lawsuits. Thankfully, businesses can take proactive steps to reduce these largely preventable claims and protect the future of their company. Today's blog post will highlight four simple tips that can help reduce a company's exposure to General Liability lawsuits.

For business owners, the different types of commercial insurance policies and insurance terminology can be daunting. Since there is no standard guideline on how to insure a business or protect company assets, some business owners may find themselves either getting the wrong type of insurance, or overlook crucial forms of commercial insurance because of confusion regarding the coverage, exclusions, and regulations of the policy.

Business owners know that there are a variety of obstacles to overcome in order to achieve success and growth in their business. In addition, businesses must avoid common pitfalls and mistakes that have doomed other businesses, such as hiring the wrong people, buying poor quality equipment, or choosing the wrong location for their office or storefront. In today's blog post, we'll look at three insurance mistakes that all new businesses should avoid, to ultimately help their businesses achieve future success.