According to the Alberta Urban Municipalities Association (AUMA), the average of the heaviest snowfall that Alberta last winter was cited as a factor contributing to failure of the roof over two dozen buildings. Some examples of high-level include: partial roof collapse of the oldest bullring in the city of Sylvan Lake, shortly after midnight January 20, 2014; and the collapse of the roof of the curling club in the town of Drayton Valley in the afternoon of January 24, 2014 (several people were in the building at the time). The same pattern was reported in Saskatchewan communities, with also cited winds

time change can impact any business. extreme cold, high winds, heavy snow and ice can immobilize a building, installation or zone leading to physical damage and disruption of business operations. Winter storms can also cause power outages, floods, closed transport networks and blocked roads. . geographic locations that do not generally experience such extreme weather now see these effects more frequently

Examples of risks associated with the winter include:

• Heavy snowfall or accumulation of ice on the roofs of buildings, outdoor equipment, power lines, leading to a potential collapse.
• low temperatures causing the freezing water filled pipes, including treatment and sprinkler systems.
• blocked roof drainage systems and gutters leading to save water and subsequent penetration into buildings.
• Temporary heaters creating potential fire hazards
• failure of the heating system leading to low temperatures in the facilities

Here are some tips to help you minimize the damage that can occur from winter: ..

• Arrange for snow removal on roads, roofs, doors, gates, outdoor valves, fire hydrants, etc. It is recommended that anyone you hire for this task is carried out and / or related and have references or experience with these specific operations.
• Identify and consider removing all the large trees or limbs that could fall because of snow or loading ice and damage buildings, outdoor equipment, power lines, etc.
• Ensuring all buildings are "tight schedule." Close all windows, doors, vents, etc. and seal all openings in the exterior walls, ceilings, roofs, etc.
• indoor temperature for all heated buildings must be constantly maintained above freezing or at least 4 ° C
• all unoccupied or vacant buildings should be checked every 72-96 hours and maintained a journal each inspection.
• Assess the snow load capacity of your roof. Be prepared to remove the excess snow accumulation during storms if necessary. Accumulations below are for guidance only, as ice or wet snow may cause a heavier load:

• For commercial buildings, condominiums or apartment buildings, the code of the Alberta building states that the withdrawal should be considered after 20in or 50cm of snow accumulation.
• for a typical house roof, the snow removal should occur once 16in or 40cm accumulated.

• Inspect roofs for all structural problems or obvious maintenance than repair if necessary: ​​...

• Cracked or curved beams, joists or columns
• rusted or deteriorated decking
• Cracked or damaged roof coverings
• all areas where water is pooling or accumulation.

• Check all roof drains, drainage pipes and gutters are free of debris and have adequate drainage of water.
• Inspect all heating systems (heating and boilers, furnaces, ovens, heaters, etc.) to ensure proper operation.
• Inspect all processes, water, fuel, steam, tanks, etc. lines subject to freezing for good insulation. Check these systems for cracking, deformation or leakage.
• Empty any equipment charged with water or pipes located in unheated areas or unoccupied / vacant buildings.
If you have questions, give us please call or send us an email

Blog Author Daya Aliya | Commercial Account Executive | Rogers Insurance Ltd.

Most Canadians carry home / tenant / owner of the typical political condo unit providing coverage for their physical assets (fire, water damage, etc.) and liability coverage against claims by third parties such as a slip and fall on its place / property.

But if you were the third?

What if you were the one who suffered the slip and fall on the premises of someone else? What if you hired a contractor who has left disastrous work? What if you disagree with the position of your auto insurer in the settlement of your auto claim? What if you were unfairly dismissed without cause? This and many more situations are common, and usually brushed horrible luck and hope that by pursuing costly litigation against the party at fault -. We can recover financial compensation

However, as many already know, its policy does not meet the demands of the first part as these, and only the legal fees can deter individuals from pursuing legal action -. even when they know they are in the right to pursue legal action

According to DAS Legal Canada. † - the average cost of two-day civil trial in Canada is currently estimated at $ 18,420 CAD and climbing

This is the case of insurance legal costs comes in - it not only ensure the customer is covered (see list) & reasonable legal fees are covered up to the limits of the policy (see list below), but most of the major operators offer unlimited access to legal advice 24/7 hotlines connecting clients with comprehensive legal system to assist in the pursuit of legal action. However, it is important to note that the coverage of legal costs / expenses are not unlimited (eg there is no coverage for the family court or criminal / DUI), and legal fees specifically usually meets following legal actions:

• labor disputes;
• disputes contract;
• property disputes;
• bodily injury;
• tax issues;
• legal defense;
• evaluation of total conflict of loss resulting from motor vehicle accident;
• Statutory Accident Benefits claims against your auto insurer;
• the protection permit to drive
• issues arising from driving or being a passenger in the vehicle owned by another person;
• Court participation. spending

Quote: DAS Legal 2014
† http://www.das.ca/Products-Services/DASlive-drive.aspx

Other limitations such as 30 days waiting periods, disciplinary hearings of the employer, drug / alcohol related offenses and other exclusions apply; as such, it is important to review these policies and the specific legal actions that they do not provide for legal fees. Nevertheless, many of the instances described legal expense cover does not answer, is well worth a look to look and see if it would be beneficial for the management of risks and potential legal strategies.

Despite this cover has been around Europe since 1917, it is fairly new concept on the North American market - personal and business. However, for both personal and business it is easily accessible to brokerage houses like ours, and is a cost-effective tool in the development of its personnel management and occupational risk and legal strategies.

As individuals are not aware that their legal rights, the financial impact and implications that legal costs alongside the illegal action themselves can cause - it is important to ensure that as an injured party, it is not deterred by the fees and potential legal fees in pursuing a legitimate action justice. A policy of legal fees can help facilitate his choice to pursue a lawsuit, and have no concern or worry retainer fees, attorney fees, and general anxiety or not action should be taken when resources (such as 24/7 legal advice lines) provided by such policies can help to ease and facilitate many of these overwhelming concerns.

for details of how a legal expenses policy can benefit you personally or professionally (for commercial purposes), do not hesitate to contact your local broker today

Blog Author :. Samantha Millar, CAIB, ACS | Broker Marketing | Rogers Insurance Ltd.

Over time, the electrical and mechanical equipment will eventually deteriorate from many variables such as loading on a circuit, vibration, fatigue and age, etc. If not found, the faulty connections can lead to defects, mechanical failure and possibly fire.

a potential failure of the system in your plant or business can have disastrous effects on productivity and operations. Although all conditions can be controlled, you can use infrared technology as a preventive maintenance tool.

Infrared Thermography is the use of thermal infrared camera equipment that detects the invisible infrared energy to the human eye and converts the energy into a measurable temperature value. The use of this technology will help detect and correct a possible defect before it becomes a serious problem.

Infrared thermography is an analysis of your electrical and mechanical systems without contact and does not require stopping your equipment. Reading the temperature of the equipment under load and in use is examined and compared to similar equipment in operation to determine whether your systems are operating in a normal range. Equipment that produces excessive heat is usually an equipment failure indicator

Digital Heat Image behind the screw head - .. 59.1 degree Celsius difference revealed a loose connection with a bow producing

the major benefits of the realization of infrared analysis are:

• Increased safety
• Reduce unplanned outages resulting downtime
• Improved system reliability due to fewer stops
• reduced repair costs of equipment failures

in the context of possible equipment failure detection, identify and correct minor and intermediate defects can save money society inefficient use of electricity.
infrared test is a preventative maintenance program and must be conducted every 1 to 3 years depending on your type of operation. Only qualified infrared thermography training in accordance with the guidelines of the American Society for Nondestructive Testing (ASNT) SNT-TC-1A is used.

We can provide a certified ASNT and infrared camera operator for this service. We do ask that you provide a qualified person qualified to assist and work on energized electrical equipment in the analysis. Please contact us to discuss this program.

Q ?. How renovation plans affect insurance coverage

Personal:

Depending on the renovation and how much it will cost when complete will determine if the person needs a course of construction policy during the renovation. But because the renovation is a significant change in the risk before you start, you must contact your broker and they will then advise the risk insurance company. It is up to the insurance company at that time to decide whether they want to pay a premium

Commercial :.

Many policies contain a provision allowing the insured to make renovations as they do not alter the structure. Given the amount of a gray area that is, we always encourage our customers to contact us for a review. We will usually inform the subscribers so that it is in the file, and if necessary get the customer a COC policy. We also recall them, and help them to confirm that their subcontractors are properly insured with the right limits and guarantees.

In this era of globalization, it is essential for an organization to have a diverse workforce if they want to be competitive. the diversity of the workforce refers to the similarities and differences of employees with regard to age, cultural background, physical ability and disability, race, religion, etc. Rogers Insurance staff and we hire the best. The best can come from a variety of backgrounds.

Why is it important for your organization to have a diverse workforce?

• Increases employee morale
• Allows a company to bring a multitude of skills and experience
• Generates creative ideas
• appeals to a wider audience of customers
• Creates a positive reputation in the industry

to promote a diverse workforce, an organization must ensure that discrimination in their company policy is not tolerated. Here are the ways an organization can increase its diversity:

• Evaluate their recruitment methods. What the public are targeted? More public, more diverse your candidates will be
• Promoting diversity through your current employees. This could be recognizing the different cultural events, or get a more detailed idea of ​​cultures and backgrounds within your organization
• Build relationships with other organizations that are diverse and promote diversity
• Encourage employee feedback and participate in a survey on diversity or study

How your organization to promote diversity of the workforce

Blog Author :? Andrea Racette | Human Resources | Rogers Insurance Ltd.

Summer brings some great attractions in Alberta: the Jazz Festival, the Calgary Stampede, Westerner Days and more again. People who travel to these events can get expensive and difficult to find housing. In previous years we have seen a surge of people open extra rooms in their homes for short-term tenants, or even renting their entire apartment or house for the duration of the major events. For the host, this puts a little extra money in their pocket; for travelers, it offers a place to rest your head after a day of discovery of our cities. However, there are some things you'll want to consider before temporarily renting rooms this summer

Some property insurance companies allow a short-term rental at a major event (eg: . Vancouver Olympics). However, you will not know if this applies to you until you call your broker to discuss. When you talk to your broker about your intentions, they can check if your insurance company has officially approved locations of this nature; otherwise, your dealer may seek approval for your own specific plans, allowing the insurance company to change your policy and charge a premium for the increased risk of occupancy tenants.

If your insurance company has not widely granted this kind of permission, your policy probably excludes loss or damage caused by tenants and / or occurring while they are local -. leaving you unexpectedly at risk of financial consequences if the damage claims by your tenants are denied

Second, by providing your house freely to others on a short-term rental (including services like Airbnb) may be a reason for insurers to cancel your policy unless you have given that exposure in your application and have been approved by the insurance company. some insurance companies will hire highly of this nature, so that all those who do this without first facing severe enough coverage implications.

Our best advice? Call your broker before you offer rental of any kind. The rental can save you some money, but excluded claims due to the use of rent to black could end up costing you much more.

From your small business is an exciting time, but it also has its challenges. Part of the configuration includes the realization that you are adequately covered. By industry and type of business you run, there will be some differences in the coverage you need, but here are some common types of insurance for small businesses:

Every company should have property, general liability, workers' compensation (managed by WCB Alberta), and health / life / disability insurance.

as needed, most companies should also consider having self, cyber / privacy violation, dishonesty crime / employee, business interruption, and umbrella / excess liability.

many companies also have professional liability / errors and omissions (E & O) coverage / Malpractice (all names for the same thing), directors and officers liability (D & O), of pollution, cargo / goods in transit. contractors and equipment

If you have a specialist business, specific insurance industry may be needed, eg air traffic control, good, rip & tear, garage, and many other

the best thing you can do in the implementation of your business planning process is to consult an insurance broker. Your broker will be able to guide you through an insurance program and guide you in choosing the right guaranteed to meet your needs.

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If you've spent time along the path of the Bow River, March 22, you've probably seen some of them well known (and not so well known) superhero. Captain Canada to Superman, these men and women were mysterious masked some of the many volunteers who joined during marshals and over 400 riders to support a charity of the most popular races of the insurance industry . Run 2014 L'Arche

The fourth annual Calgary charity race has raised over $ 150,000 for L'Arche Calgary programs for people with intellectual disabilities. "It was cold, but it is encouraging to see so many people come out and support the Ark," said Dave Tod, Director of Development at L'Arche Calgary. "The race is one of our major fundraisers, with money wooded go directly to our programs and facilities.

official starters for this year's race were all the community of L'Arche Calgary. Despite the strong and less optimal conditions over time, a new record of half marathon course was set by Francis Leboeuf in 1:12:54. A volunteer dressed as the character of Batman Poison Ivy, said runners: "They are the true heroes - the achievement of their goals, never give up. It was a joy to be there to support them. "

The Calgary annual charity race also saw Facebook and Twitter explode with runners and tweeting the message display on the more than 125 volunteers tracks, including a group dressed as a superhero." your volunteers are the best! Nothing beats those in costume! "And" Best cheerleaders ever! "

Run for L'Arche and its partners would like to thank the organizers, volunteers, sponsors and the community for their continued support in one of Calgary's most successful charity races.

The February 17 edition of the News of Thompson Insurance world reported the results of a survey of 6,135 consumers in the life and general insurance in 11 countries . They concluded that Canadian consumers were the most loyal group to their current insurance provider and they had the lowest probability to switch suppliers over the next 12 months. After the election, a leading broker was quoted as saying he was "encouraged by the fact that Canadians recognize the importance of having qualified people deal with their insurance."

Although his comments are true to some extent, it is dangerous to read too much into these results.

JP Getty once said, "in times of rapid change, experience could be your worst enemy." as precious as the history and the experience can be even more valuable is. ability to embrace and evolve with the changing trends

In a McKinsey report called "Agents of the future: the evolution of the distribution of general insurance," they say, "the Internet has fundamentally changed consumer behavior and moved their interaction with insurance providers, as well as expectations of quality"

Consider this :. Canadian consumers has not known the huge amount of publicity that will lead them to buy a quick and simple online insurance ON- (eg carriers designed to work directly with customers spend over a billion dollars in advertising to give the perceived direction of the relationship with the consumer.) Keep in mind that Geico is one of the most recognized brands in Canada insurance, Geico but are not sold here. Even in an article published today by the CIP Society, they found that the easy website navigation is a top draw for young insurance buyers; This is a phenomenon that was produced in the UK and elsewhere for some time.

Keep in mind that 71% of consumers use the Internet to research insurance before making a purchase and they are not just research online, they ask for quotes. In addition, JD Power has identified five main ways people interact with the insurance sector:

(1) No interaction

(2) Interaction with the agent only

(3) interaction with agent that uses emerging technology

(4) interaction with an agent that uses the traditional technology

(5) interaction with a non-single agent

When they analyzed the customer satisfaction level five, agents who used emerging technology is the group with the highest satisfaction. Surprised?

Now, because of the extreme popularity of this method of buying insurance in other parts of the world, I think we will see Canadian consumers follow the trend before too long. When trends are ignored, you run the risk of losing ground and brokerages that fail to identify these changes in consumer behavior, do so at their own risk.

previous capacity Soley trust and customer experience serving in recent years will not be enough. Which reminds me of a quote from Lee Iacocca (known for engineering of Ford Mustang and Ford Pinto cars) that 'the consumer does not know yet what they want. "

In terms of qualified people- the broker channel should not be too quick to feel a false sense of security.

the biggest gap for most brokerages is currently a shortage of talent. the talent war is which means successful brokerages must become capable of human resource skills, recruitment, selection, training, coaching and so on. Rogers is not immune either. Throughout brokerages countries struggling with the shortage of qualified staff. and not all brokers will be able to make this transition. Indeed, the number of brokerages that sell to insurers and conglomerates each year is largely a testament to their inability to perpetuate the company internally.

In an exchange of first hand, a broker from a small center said they were forced to use unauthorized personnel because they just could not find the necessary staff licensed. What will brokerages as successful as the survey suggests is adopting new trends and technology early and ensure that the most qualified and the best talent is acquired to service clients.

But as trends in the UK and elsewhere have shown us, loyalty is much less a factor in the future. Customers will move much more easily to the brokerage that does the best job to communicate their value proposition and one that will provide the best value proposition. The future will be very different from the present. current behavior surveys are not much use to predict what the future will be.

Thus, instead of asking: "Are Canadians loyal to the broker channel" We should really ask, "Canadians remain faithful to the broker channel?"

Last week, Rogers Insurance was challenged to take part in the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge Sherif Sharp Insurance. The crew at Rogers rarely supports from a challenge, so we gladly accepted to help raise awareness and funds for the ALS Society of Alberta. Atop our sixth floor balcony, braving colder than the average temperature in August (8 degrees), we proudly watched 25 employees (including our COO Bruce Rabik) of our Calgary office plunged into ice water. (More photos here.) They completed the challenge in honor of Victoria Malloy, grandmother to an employee at Rogers Insurance.

With several colleagues looking to support, we collected nearly $ 00 for the ALS Society of Alberta.

When all was said and done, we went to challenge Larry to our Mooney Insurance office in Red Deer (see the video here) and Marshall Sadd at Lloyd Sadd (see their video here.) And we seem to have started a trend because Lloyd Sadd continued to defy Capri CMW insurance and insurance.

We are incredibly proud of our employees to participate in the challenge and also for their generous donations. Thank you to continue to prove how Rogers has the best in the industry! Let's see how the insurance brokerage firms will participate and donate to ALS!

Look at the Rogers Insurance employees are soaked for the #IceBucketChallenge ALS.

What is ALS? (From the ALS Society of Alberta website)

ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis) is also known as Lou Gehrig's disease. ALS is a rapidly degenerative neuromuscular disease, always fatal. It attacks the nerves that the body would normally use to send messages from the brain to the muscles, resulting in weakness and atrophy. Finally, the individual with ALS is left completely immobilized, with loss of speech and eventually an inability to swallow and breathe.

Sensory neurons in people with ALS continues to function normally so that they continue to feel the sensations of heat, cold, discomfort, etc. The mind often remains completely alert and lucid. The result is often an intact mind trapped in a living body immobilized. The average life expectancy from onset of symptoms is 3 to 5 years; the real challenge in the medical community as a whole is correctly diagnose ALS in the early stages, so the ALS Society of Alberta is able to provide the maximum level of aid to the person with the SLA and the family of this person.

About 3,000 Canadians live with ALS and two to three Canadians a day die of ALS.

There is no known cure or cause for this devastating disease.

Did you know that if you leave your car or recreational vehicle into a shop and the shop turns around and sells and / or stolen, you can not have coverage of your insurance policy?

the Alberta auto policy excludes loss or damage "caused by the conversion, embezzlement, theft or secretion by any person in lawful possession of the automobile under a mortgage, conditional sale, lease or other similar written agreement. "

many motorhomes are covered by auto insurance policy. Some policies trailer Travel (motor homes and) have a similar exclusion. They also exclude coverage if you have willingly parted with the title, even if you are not paid by the buyer. In fact, many policies exclude RV intentional loss or damage caused by those you have entrusted your property.

It is recommended that you leave your car, RV, or camper with a reputable service shop and / or dealer for maintenance or sales for your coverage may be limited where possession of these types of businesses.

If you want to know more about your car insurance policy, please contact one of our expert dealers.

Owner: Courtney, Commercial Lines

Willow , 3 ½ years Siberian Husky
"I knew about the dog policy, but was surprised that I could bring Willow because of its size. I usually brings in Willow on Friday. The ladies in my office to ask me; if I do not bring him, they say they miss him. We met a lot of people because they come to visit him and bring treats when she's in and I love seeing other dogs in the office. I was told by my colleagues that to see better days makes the dogs and they love when she comes to visit. I know this makes me feel less stressed to be able to reach down and pet her after a difficult call. It is pleasant to take for walks during my lunch and a little escape. I think Willow is special because she likes to argue if she wants something and you say no; she speaks with a dog smile. She showed me why they call dogs best friend and someone who knows me, knows that it is my human world. "

Owner: Andrea Racette, HR

Jackson , three years Chihuahua

"I am extremely surprised by political and thought there had to be some kind of catch. It is so nice to be able to do them in and not worry about home. They like to come now and make their daily morning visits to various offices on my floor for treats! I had several people say how much they love them and how they make their day when they are here. I am capable of more people from different floors and departments because they come to visit Jackson and Parker when they are here. Their presence here forces me to go out for some fresh air and overall improves my mood during the day. "

The cyclical nature of the oil and gas industry creates significant challenges one of which is the use of low equipment, especially during downturns . With lower oil prices, drilling activity, as well as maintenance oil field is significantly impacted. For Alberta companies involved in the oil and gas industry, this means that some pieces of heavy equipment (that can still be insured but are no longer in operation) have a chance to recover some overhead. So what do you do with the equipment that is not used, but it is always assured

Single:. change your insurance program to reflect the change in the use of equipment

Equipment premiums are classified according to the use (eg your company only pays for the exhibition, so if a piece of equipment was valued at $ 1 but now you use it only 85% of the time, it would now be worth $ 0.85)

during those periods when the equipment is used and operating budgets are tight, it is an opportunity to recoup some expenses by having your valued equipment. It is a relatively simple process to revise the policy; the most important factor is to ensure that the minimum premium on your policy is low enough to allow you to benefit from low use of or stacked equipment.

Now that the Christmas chaos and excitement of the New Year has passed, it may be time to think about the great (and perhaps not so great ) moments of the past year. . Birth, marriage and other important changes in our lives if they bring us great joy or not, are things to contemplate as we enter a new year

Like many of us look back on the events important - especially with the ongoing changes in our lives, it is an excellent opportunity to examine the recipients of our personal life insurance policies (and other similar policies, such as critical illness, disability, etc.) to ensure that these policies respond according to our intentions. Consideration of things such as limits and recipients ensures that these policies reflect and pay in a way that honors his personal wishes when passing. Movement in the life of this is inevitable and continuous and easily missed. However, with these ongoing changes, it is important to ensure that your broker or agent took care of your personal insurance needs for your family and loved ones to be taken care of when you are gone.

Rogers Account Executive of insurance in life, travel and benefits - Aline Barker comments: "One of the advantages of life insurance policies is in which they offer an option to have a beneficial designated to receive the funds without going through succession and probate court and their costs - it is also important to note that all non-group benefits (purchased individually) life insurance policies are paid tax free the beneficiary. "

expansion on Barker's comments, the beneficiaries of these policies listed above are franchise tax profit (as long as they are paid with after-tax dollars, almost all individual policies are life insurance or supplied as a taxable benefit under a group plan) and typically circumvent or bypass estate and judicial approval - and as many may (unfortunately) know, probate fees (by province ) range of fixed costs as a percentage of the property value. Knowing this, it is important that policyholders should carefully consider their current beneficiaries and potential beneficiaries on their life insurance policies (and again, similar policies). The changes and stages of life of so it is marriage, dissolution of marriage, children born, or even death to an existing beneficiary should be examined thoroughly with a broker or agent.

Discussion with a broker or agent shall disclose in addition other personal insurance needs such as discussion of appropriate life insurance limits, other products such as critical illness, care long term and more. Other needs can come to light with the newly acquired assets as a new home, or changes in lifestyle and overall personal development and financial goals.

The beneficiaries are sometimes most of us are aware of when it comes to our life insurance policies, but that potential beneficiaries?

Barker elaborates on the importance of the potential beneficiaries, "always make sure that you have a potential recipient's name, especially when your spouse is the primary beneficiary as spouses spend more time together and can be involved in the same unfortunate circumstances that can have both go together. The children are often identified as potential beneficiaries with a trustee should they be minor if paid "She added," Naming the "field" as beneficiary or contingent beneficiary may also not be the best idea because it makes then return funds in approval. "

expanding on comments from Barker, it should be noted that the beneficiaries are indeed paid in case of "pass (before or in conjunction with the designated person), and are the main important beneficiaries as primary beneficiary during the consideration of how we want their policy to help their families and their relatives after its passage.

as we take time to reflect on the past year and ensure that family and relatives we intend to have supported with our policies are indeed listed and appointed - and if not corrected immediately with the help of a broker or agent and a thorough review of all of its financial requirements / long-term insurance.

Blog Author: Samantha Millar, CAIB, ACS | Broker Marketing | Rogers Insurance Ltd.

Sorry, but you are looking for something that is not here.

Although you may be an excellent driver and low risk of causing an accident, it can not be said for every driver on the road in Alberta. The most conflicting claims are those caused by others when you are absolutely no fault. If this happens, you can at least take comfort in knowing that their insurance will pick up the bill for your injuries and property damage, right?

Wrong.

Although the vast majority of Alberta drivers wear decent insurance with limits of liability of $ 1,000,000 +, there are several notable exceptions that can leave you with a significant financial burden without fault your own. The first is that the driver may not have sufficient limits to cover your injuries and serious property damage, or they may have injured a number of providers so that their policy will be quickly exhausted. Then you could be hit by an unknown driver who fled the scene, leaving you hurt and not knowing who caused the loss. Unfortunately, no other witnesses, it is rare for the police to track down the party at fault in a hit-and-run.

Worst of all, you could be hit by someone without insurance at all. This, unfortunately, is the most common result and most undesirable of all. Although the penalties are stiff Alberta (minimal fined $ 2,875, even at the first offense), about 10-15% of drivers choose to drive without insurance cover legally mandated liability. In some provinces, such as Ontario, and in many US states, that number is even higher (up to approx. 1-4 drivers in Florida). As a result, these drivers are often those who have trouble getting insurance because of their poor driving record (DUI, license suspension, etc.) or who are unable to afford it. This means that if you are hit by one of these drivers, even if you are legally allowed to continue for any damages caused, good luck to collect a judgment.

There are several ways to protect yourself. With collision coverage, your physical loss to your vehicle is covered, regardless of who is at fault. Regarding the injury, it is more complicated, but the basic coverage is also provided in Section B of accident benefits, which required in Alberta. Unfortunately, it is limited to a number of ways, including a maximum total payable of only $ 50,000 under this article. If you are seriously injured and off work for a significant amount of time, the accident benefits are not likely to cover you properly for your loss.

Fortunately, there is also coverage available under the SEF 44 endorsement Protection of family, as well as the uninsured motorist Alberta Fund. In case after obtaining a legal judgment, you are not able to recover from an uninsured driver responsible, underinsured or unidentified, you can go to recover Fund (up $ 0,000) and to the SEF 44 coverage for any balance remaining after. The limit on your SEF 44 is the limit of the coverage of the liability, so it would typically be $ 1,000,000, $ 2,000,000 or more. Considering that this rider is often less than $ 4 per month, it provides a significant amount of protection against the most at-risk drivers on the road, people without adequate coverage.

If you want more information, or to confirm that you are well protected, speak to one of our brokers today

Blog Author :. Kevin Lea | Commercial Account Executive | Rogers Insurance Ltd.

It seems that every day there are new stories in the news about cyber attacks. That hackers actually damage or destroy a network or a computer system, the threat of such a situation is just as worrying.

What is a cyber attack?

The attacks are divided into two categories: syntax and Semantic

Most people are familiar with the attacks syntactic - those -ci are performed by malicious software such as viruses, worms and Trojans. . While semantic attacks occur when there are changes and dissemination of correct and incorrect information.

How can you prevent a cyber attack?

1. Never click on links in emails or social media sites from an unknown source. Also keep in mind that a common attack is the email hacking and send malicious phishing emails. So even if the email comes from a trusted source (a.k.a. Someone you know), it could really be an attack.
2. Never open attachments from an unknown source. Again - if the email looks suspicious, be careful when opening attachments. One way to avoid problems is to disable the option to automatically download attachments.
3. Change your passwords regularly. Yes, change your password is often boring, however, it is better to change and make it more complicated than the usual ABC123! And although using a password based on personal information is easy to remember, it also makes it easier for an attacker to guess or "crack".
4. Do not use the same password for multiple services. Example:. Email and social sites
5. Make sure your antivirus software is up to date. Also, make sure you apply the software updates when available and necessary.
6. Keep an eye out for phishing scams. These are e-mails you receive from people in Nigeria or "overseas" say that some rich guy wants to give you millions of dollars. All you need to do is click on a link and share your financial information. Never share financial information from an unknown source. Sounds like common sense, but every year 80,000 people fall for these scams!

Want to learn more about cyber attacks or cyber liability insurance? Ask an Expert!

Spring usually signals the beginning of real estate high season. According to Time magazine, the best time to sell a home in the spring. After the long winter months, buyers with a tax refund check in the bank may be more motivated to pay full price (or almost). In Calgary, resale-housing prices are rising despite the higher levels of inventory, the city has seen in many years. In Airdrie, houses are still on average $ 397,867 in Cochrane are $ 445, 033 and Fort McMurray average house costs a whopping $ 707, 216. Despite being known for the purchase price a house, oil prices decline and a slight change in the cost of buying a home, have a lot of demand on home insurance.

Availability, affordability and sustainability are all areas of concern for insurance companies in Canada. In recent years, Alberta has seen a huge increase in natural disasters cost millions in recovery. Now for home insurance is available and sustainable from the perspective of the company, the insurance companies are raising premiums. This is directly related to the rising costs of disasters across the country. They also started limiting guarantees regarding water, wind and hail to ensure they remain viable on the market

Examples of disasters that affect the steps:.

• 2013 Alberta floods: + $ 6 billion ($ 1.7 billion insured)
• 2012 Calgary hail, wind storms: $ 552 million
• 2011 Slave Lake fire: $ 700 million
• 2010 Calgary hailstorm: $ 400 million
• 05 Alberta floods: $ 400 million
• 1998 Que.-Ont. -NOT. B. Ice Storm: $ 5.4 billion
• 1997 Man. flood: $ 3.5 billion

If you're like most Canadians, your insurance company will probably raise your premiums and you shop for the best coverage at the best price. Examples of what you can expect this year for insurance

• Average increase 20% on homes without claims

• Home with multiple claims to increase premiums 55% - 60%

Keep in mind that this is not just a bad year that affects the change in premiums or coverage.

changes offers for personal lines are similar to commercial insurance, in that the formulations are changed, deductibles are high, they are limiting the covers and in some cases no coverage available depending on where the house and / or the risk is situated regardless of mitigating the insured prepared. (Ex. Installing sump pumps and back water valves.)

A quick Google search can be misleading, so to ensure you get the best coverage at the best price, talk to your insurance broker and discuss your options.

Yesterday we hosted the Annual Seminar Rogers Stieg Transportation 14. With a full house and presentations on security and compliance, participants left with several learning keys. We talked to one of the organizers of the seminar and Rogers Stieg Executive Senior Account, Lorri Christensen, to get her take on the afternoon

Seminar Speakers :.

Sandy Johnson

Bio
Introduction

Key message: to improve your bottom line, the companies must have a solid understanding of Pro vs rate travel permit. Am I allowed to travel or Pro level? Sandy best advice is to seek a professional in the field because it could save your company time and thousands of dollars!

Michael Aasen

Bio
Introduction

The preparation is essential. When employers do business with employees, employers need to be informed and have a clear understanding of the laws on employment standards. In addition, particularly when dealing with contract employees, as the owner / operator in the trucking industry, a clear and concise contract signed immediately when hiring help to alleviate problems in the future if to "fall out of relationship." He stressed that all employees should have an employee's contract. They can be as short as a letter of offer, or in the case of higher profile positions, they should be more detailed. * An employee contract: terms that govern the relationship between the employer and the worker. They may include implied conditions, and should never be lower than what the labor laws allocate.

Scott Claffey

Bio
Introduction

"Vision led culture" - everyone in company knows and understands where the company is going and what its core values ​​are driven society values. Every employee should know and have a clear understanding of the company's values. He spoke Behaviour Based Safety -. Employers can not expect employees to act in any other way that you authorize to act

One of the most famous golf events for Albertainsurance industry - Golf Tournament Charity Jim Sinclair - will be celebrating its 20th anniversary June 2, 2014 at Heritage Pointe Golf club.

In 1994, a small group of adjusters Calgary, managers and brokers in the insurance industry launched the Golf Tournament Charity Jim Sinclair. The tournament was designed to give back to the community through the support of the insurance industry through sponsorships, donations and volunteering. "The industry has been very good for many people and those of us who can, simply having a responsibility to give back to our community," said Jim Sinclair, a retired insurance Guardian Senior Vice President whose tournament is named for .

Each year the event is sold in record time, with sponsors rolling everywhere. original founder, Bob Shaw said: "The P & C industry has provided very good career and business opportunities for many, many decades. What began with "two quartets and an idea" in 1994, Sinclair has evolved into the largest insurance event all the charity industry in Western Canada. While recognizing the important career of our tournament boss Jim Sinclair, the event allows all aspects of the business P & C to take advantage of a trading day, lots of laughs and an opportunity to give back to their community. Now if only we can fix the damn time in early June! "

The Sinclair remains only industry fundraising event of the Alberta assurance of its kind and in 20 years has raised over $ 0,000 for charity. All funds raised this year will support MRU Bissett School of business Scholarship and women in Insurance Cancer Crusade (WICC).

Check the website for more information or to learn how you can support the event !

The Sinclair website

At Rogers, we often ask about the third party liability insurance. It is a term that can be somewhat confusing to many people and has some misconceptions that surround it.

Fortunately, it is not nearly as difficult to understand as you might think. Here is a basic overview of what you need to know about party liability insurance.

What is the third party liability insurance?

These days, a life-changing incident can happen in the blink of an eye - be it a car accident, an injury in your home or an accident at your place of business. But did you know you could be held financially responsible for an incident, even if it's not your fault? That's where liability insurance comes in.

In other words, liability insurance protects you against your actions and, in certain circumstances, the actions of others. For example, if you cause an accident while driving, or a friend is driving your vehicle and cause an accident, liability insurance would cover the cost of injury / damage to the other driver and / or vehicle. Here is how it is broken down:

Part = you
Part = your insurance company
Part = other parties involved in the incident

It is important to note that the liability insurance only covers legal fees, medical or related to others involved in the incident, not yourself even. If you have been found to be directly at fault in a particular incident, you and your property will be protected if you have coverage from part one.

Who needs third party liability insurance?

This unique form of insurance is available to individuals and businesses. It can protect your car, your home and your business in the event of medical, legal or related related to an incident caused by you or in some cases, someone else (as an employee, family member or a friend).

• cover companies: many companies carry third party liability insurance to cover a wide range of specific risks, including legal costs associated with employee claims, the costs associated with injuries to customers and claims against your products or business services
• cover automotive :. Say you lend your car to your neighbor Jim who has an accident and seriously injures Sally, an innocent bystander. As it was your car, you might Sally and Jim continue. Liability insurance will cover all medical and related costs incurred by Sally that you would be held responsible
• Cover Home :. A similar situation could occur in your home. Say you are a party in your backyard. Jim accidentally injures a guest while on your property. You and Jim would again be protected by liability insurance (each under your own policy owners) that would cover legal, medical and related costs of the guest injuries resulting from the accident.

So there you have - a basic overview of how works of third party liability insurance and how it can protect you when the unexpected happens

For Learn more about how the third party liability insurance can protect your home, car or business, contact Rogers. insurance today for a FREE quote

. NOTE: This blog is intended to be advisory in nature and should not be considered as legal advice or a definitive statement of the law in any jurisdiction. No responsibility is assumed by Rogers Insurance for all measures taken as a result of the information contained in this blog. For more information on anything discussed in this blog, visit a Rogers Insurance.

The companies may be affected by a number of hazards that can cause a loss resulting in downtime and loss of profit. These risks may adversely affect the businesses to the point where no planning in place, it is estimated that more than half of them do recover in their respective markets.

The exposure can be one of the following risks, but not limited to:

natural disaster
• Hurricane
• Tornado
• Flood
• Earthquake
• Ice Storm

economic factors
• recession - local
• recession - global
• civil Unrest (Occupy Movement)

Man-Made Conditions
• fire / explosion
• Lockout work
• disturbance Utility
• terrorism
• Cyber ​​terrorism

the objective of continuity planning activities is to minimize the downtime of the company is exposed and for maintaining critical operations during the restructuring period. In planning the company can ensure that critical business activities continue immediately after a disaster. Preplanning can also help the company avoid purely automatic reactions instead of carefully planned the thought which in turn can avoid costly mistakes.

But usually what happens when there is no planning in place, the reconstruction of the operation may take longer and cost more than necessary

Here's an example: .. fire in your building

Phase 1 :. the original investigation to determine what happened

Phase 2: Clean Up and debris removal

Phase 3: Develop plans

Phase 4: get permits

Step 5: Work to restore the pre-fire operations

Phase 6 :. Reconstruction

what to expect during the reconstruction if you do not have a business continuity plan:

• Decrease in employee retention If you can not retain employees during the reconstruction period, you. losing trained and skilled workers. Expect to start the process of rehiring and retraining.
• delays. Although the building is the equipment could be ordered but delivery will coincide with the completion of the building. Expect a couple of weeks to set-up and test the equipment and adjust the settings to your specifications.

business continuity plan centers on what a company will do in the case of an interruption of their operations. It identifies the cause of loss and crisis management plan (the plan to act in that loss.) Your company can afford to go without a business continuity plan? Learn more about continuity planning.

You've probably heard of Stuart Brown and Annie, they are the couple in Markham, Ontario fights with Johnson Insurance on their insurance pay. There are nearly a year, the house of the Browns was destroyed by a fire caused by Christmas tree lights. They settled on an amount for the loss of their home, but are still fighting over the value of content.

Unfortunately, this kind of story is not an anomaly. Following the floods in Alberta, we have seen insurance companies honoring the policies of some owners, but refusing neighbors dealing the same damage. Please be assured that the feeling of disappointment and frustration is felt by those of us who understand the insurance, as far as those who do not.

Regularly, we have people asking us to review and advise them on the status of their current insurance policies, both personal and commercial. And unfortunately, we often identify significant gaps and how grossly misinformed they are about their coverage. But before we delve too far, first let's establish the difference between an insurance broker and an insurance company

Insurance Broker (Rogers): independent insurance companies, broker has the ability to shop around on your behalf, with access to the best products for the greatest value. They take the time to ensure that you know and understand all of your options and receive the coverage you need. Your broker is your advocate for the entire insurance process, the new policy of claims

Insurance Company (eg. Johnson Insurance) :. is one company, only offering their products and prices. In a statement of claims, they are both judge and jury. With this configuration, you are left alone to advocate on your behalf.

For thirty years, the Browns paid their insurance premiums believing they had taken the necessary precautions to protect their valuables (they assured of their total household contents for $ 396,000). However, the Brown discovered after the fire, there were limits on certain types of content, such as art and antiques, and so they were covered up these sub -limites. As the majority of their assets were in categories with sub-limits, only about a quarter of their contents have been covered by their policy. These sub-limits were probably buried deep in the language of politics, where few care to look much less understand.

Unfortunately, if the Browns had known, they could have asked Johnson to increase or completely remove the sub-limit of art and antiques for a minimal premium. Now, it is still unclear if this limit was explicitly communicated to them before the fire, but as insurance professionals, it is our duty to know our customers and our products; advise and communicate what their policy entails in terms they can understand. And it is our responsibility to communicate to them until they understand.

For many brokers, we live and work in the communities we do business. We spend years building relationships with our customers, so when disaster situations arise after years of getting to know people, see families grow and advice by life changes, we develop a responsibility deep towards them. Following the floods in Alberta, where the insurance companies refused to pay claims for our customers. In these situations, we have taken certainly on our behalf of clients and helped us get overturned decisions.

But we get it. Insurance can be boring and most people do not know or care about the differences between an insurance broker and an insurance company necessarily.

But we're here to tell you that there are fundamental differences that you should know.

• We work for you, not the insurance company.
• We take the time to make sure you know all your options include them and get the coverage you need.
• and when the rubber hits the road, as in a demand situation, we recommend it for you, not the insurance company.

Whether you choose an insurance broker on an insurance company, the most important thing is to find a provider that you trust and who has your best interests in mind.

Owner: Andrea Racette, HR

Parker , 4 years Chihuahua

"I am extremely surprised by political and thought there had to be some kind of catch. It is so nice to be able to do them in and not worry about home. They like to come now and make their daily morning visits to various offices on my floor for treats! I had several people say how much they love them and how they make their day when they are here. I am capable of more people from different floors and departments because they come to visit Jackson and Parker when they are here. Their presence here forces me to go out for some fresh air and overall improves my mood during the day. "

Have you ever taken the time to review your auto insurance policy? If so, you may have noticed that usually contain a lot of "SEF" numbers on it, some for a small additional premium, with a minimum of explanations as to why they are there and what they are. Over the next two weeks we will try to debunk what they are and why they are an important part of politics.

Generally, an insurance policy is developed by an insurance company with the same standard wording for all investors, and then customized using endorsements, changing the language of the policy to meet the individual needs. This is an easy and cost-effective approach to provide a comprehensive insurance coverage without the hassle of a complete rewrite of the policy each time.

Car insurance takes a little further, and in each province, the language of the Auto policy is written by the provincial government and the law of each insurer must use the wording of Government at the 'automatic broadcast coverage. This ensures that everything is standardized and consistent for everyone. In Alberta, the government's policies are known as standardized policy forms (PSSA) and mentions that change are known as the forms standard approval (SEFS). It is similar in Ontario with OAPs (Ontario Automobile Policy) and OPCFs (Ontario Policy Change Forms). As Rogers is based in Alberta, we will use Alberta abbreviations for the rest of the posts in this thread.

Stay tuned for next week when we get into the details of the first 5 of the 10 most common! Endorsements

Blog Author: Kevin Lea | Commercial Account Executive | Rogers Insurance Ltd.