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.

No matter what you're in the market for, there's a good chance you'll have multiple options or several companies vying for your business. This is true whether you're buying a car, boat, home, clothing, or even a loaf of bread. Consumers have a bounty of choices, but the quality and value among them can vary greatly, especially in the world of personal and commercial insurance.

Homeowners, renters, and business owners are often reminded of the importance of having personal and commercial insurance coverage. However, college students are some of the most vulnerable victims when disaster strikes, and are rarely protected with quality insurance coverage. Sadly, college students have little financial recourse when their possessions are lost or damaged by severe weather, or when they are victims of accidents or injuries on campus.

Although handy for home improvement projects and construction jobs, ladders are one of the most dangerous pieces of equipment found in homes and businesses. According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, over 43% of fatal falls in the home involve the use of ladders, while in the business world, ladder falls account for 20% of all falls on worksites, and over 80% of falls in the construction industry. Their instability, combined with frequent misuse, makes ladders a dangerous piece of equipment to use if not handled safely.

Studies have shown that a growing number of Americans reach retirement age and find themselves ill prepared financially for retirement, and they are forced to remain in the workplace for far longer than anticipated. Often, they fail to foresee future living and health expenses and do not save enough, or they make financial mistakes that impact them for years. For those not yet near retirement age, there are proactive steps that can be taken now to have more financial security and be able to enjoy retirement instead of dreading it.

Companies that offer health insurance benefits to their employees will also typically offer life insurance policies to cover employees and their immediate family members. Although employees might believe their employer-provided life insurance policy is sufficient for their needs, the reality is that individuals and families benefit from having a diverse life insurance policy portfolio in order to ensure maximum protection if the unthinkable happens.

When disaster strikes, some of the most vulnerable people are those renting apartments, as there is not often a clear-cut emergency plan or exit strategy in place. Residents fleeing a fire or other major catastrophe are often confused about where to go or safe places to find shelter or help, and they risk losing their lives or suffering from major injuries because of these delays.

While summer can be a busy time for families as they plan vacations and road trips, it can be an even busier time for thieves looking to steal what they can from residential properties. In almost no time at all, and with very little effort, criminals can quickly make off with hundreds and even thousands of dollars worth of personal property. Today's blog post looks at the top four things thieves target on residential properties during the summer months.

Summer is typically the time when families plan fun outdoor vacations and spend a great deal of time in backyards, at beaches, or in parks. While summer fun can lead to many happy memories, it can also lead to health issues if proper precautions aren't taken during the brutal summer heat. Heat-related health issues can result in severe, and sometimes fatal, injuries, turning happy summer memories into tragic ones.