One of the best tools we have to fight crime in our workplaces and homes is technology. October is National Crime Prevention Month, and it's the perfect opportunity to use technology to reduce crime on your residential or commercial property. In today's Aegis blog post, we'll identify four simple ways technology can be used to protect people and property, whether it's in your home or place of 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.

Renting an apartment can offer significant benefits to individuals and families looking for a place to live. It might mean a shorter commute to work, closer proximity to better schools, access to amenities like swimming pools or gyms, additional shopping and entertainment options, or the ease of not having to handle property maintenance. However, apartment renting may also increase the likelihood of personal property damage to renters and their families.

We often believe that home is the safest place we can be, especially when it comes to protecting our children. However, studies have shown that accidents and injuries involving adults or children are far more likely to occur at home than anywhere else. While part of this may be because we spend more time at home, the truth is that our homes aren't always as safe as they could be. Many of the accidents, injuries, and deaths that occur at home are largely preventable, but homeowners just aren't aware of the risks or dangers that exist, or know how to lower those risks.

College is an important rite of passage for young adults, and many new college students will move out of town or even out of state to attend their school. Before saying goodbye to your college-bound student, it's important to have a discussion with them about money, financial responsibility, and insurance coverage. A majority of college students will have health insurance provided by their parent's existing policy, but health coverage is just one type of insurance coverage that they might need while starting this new chapter of life.

We spend a great deal of time, money, and effort to make our homes as safe as possible for ourselves and for our guests. Unfortunately, accidents and injuries can still occur in our homes that leave homeowners vulnerable to costly lawsuits from injured relatives or visitors. In today's Aegis blog post, we'll discuss three things on your residential property that, if not properly secured, could leave your guests injured and you or your family susceptible to an expensive and lengthy lawsuit.

Senior citizens are one of our country's greatest assets, as they have contributed tremendously to our country's growth, innovation, and strength through the years. Unfortunately, seniors are also one of our country's most vulnerable groups, as aggressive salespeople, criminals and scammers, and even dishonest relatives often target them for their money. In part two on our series on protecting senior citizens, we highlight three ways individuals and families can help protect the finances of their senior relatives and loved ones.

One of the most common goals for older Americans is to work hard and save enough to have funds for retirement and their senior years. Unfortunately, dishonest, unscrupulous, or greedy individuals or companies may threaten their hard work and investments. Often, many seniors may be unaware that they've been scammed or overcharged until it's too late, and by then there's no way for them to recover their money.

Thieves are becoming more brazen and aggressive as they look for items to steal and homes to rob. As a result, homeowners must be more vigilant about protecting their property, whether they're home or not. A good first step in protecting yourself, your loved ones, and your personal property is to not make your home an obvious target for criminals. In today's blog post, we look at four ways to keep thieves from targeting your home or rental property.

In the last few years, American consumers have grown increasingly frustrated with large, multinational companies that offer a huge range of services or products, but also have terrible customer service and steep prices. As a result, consumers are flocking to smaller, independent companies that can offer comparable goods and services, but with better customer care and competitive rates. This is especially true in the insurance field, where choosing an independent insurance agency can make a significant difference in the cost, care, and quality of insurance products.