Off-the-shelf anti-virus and data-encryption software are far from foolproof, and computer hackers know it. Citing a Verizon study of cyber attacks, The Washington Post reports that cyber criminals are increasingly looking for softer targets like small- and medium-sized businesses that may be less protected.

The data risk management experts cited in the Post’s report recommend that small-business owners consider cyber liability coverage in addition to beefed-up security. These owners must determine whether they’re doing enough to protect sensitive information and whether their standard liability policies would cover first- or third-party losses and damages should a data breach occur.

Read the Washing Post Article Below…

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/on-small-business/post/cybersecurity-insurance-what-small-businesses-need-to-know/2011/12/28/gIQAYlL5MP_blog.html

Tags: annapolis, Ellicott City, Insurance Maryland, liability insurance, rhh insurance

About Us

INSUREtrust is a nationwide wholesaler of specialty coverage for emerging risks. We distribute these products through professional independent agents. INSUREtrust is known for having created the first coverage for internet risks in 1997, we are an established authority on emerging risks. Additionally, INSUREtrust provides a wide range of coverages for miscellaneous professional liability, including technology errors and omissions.

What is Cyber Insurance?

Cyber. It’s a word often signifying anything having to do with information zipping across the Internet. In the world of insurance and risk management, it has to do with a broad range of scenarios in which stored information might be damaged or lost. In fact, from an insurance perspective, this information might even live in paper files rather than on a computer.

Electronic or digital data, as well as ideas and confidential corporate information are property. It’s property that may not catch on fire but can certainly be stolen or damaged. The loss of your data property or its inappropriate publication might even limit or eliminate the ability of your business to function.

If data in your care, custody, and control is lost, stolen, or damaged – even if you outsource storage of data to a hosting or cloud computing service – will a lawsuit be filed against you? Do you have a responsibility to notify owners of data in your care about the loss of their property?
Say you’ve got traditional property insurance with business interruption coverage and you have third party liability insurance. You’re already covered, right? In fact, traditional insurance covers tangible property while intellectual property, especially digital bits and bytes, is anything but tangible. For this kind of risk, you will need cyber insurance.

Who’s at risk?

Anyone who collects personal or other sensitive data is at risk. This includes a broad range of service industries from healthcare to stockbrokers, from law firms to retailers and e-tailers, from insurance agencies to educational institutions.

Not sure if you’re in one of those groups? If you’re still wondering if data you store is sensitive, consider whether you handle any of these at risk information types (whether employee or third party information):

• Social Security numbers
• Addresses and/or phone numbers of clients or stakeholders
• Email addresses
• Credit card information and information for billing in arrears
• Financial records including investments, pension and retirement accounts
• Bank information for payroll direct deposit
• Credit information or reports
• User names and/or passwords
• Health records and health insurance information of students or program participants
• Information governed by non-disclosure agreements

Any good cyber insurance policy begins with third party and first party coverage for the loss of or damage to that digital data you store. This is called Network Security and Privacy coverage. Don’t think you need that insurance because you don’t have the exposure? The following scenarios are also covered by cyber insurance:

A company employee takes work home with information stored on a laptop computer. The laptop is stolen from the backseat of the employee’s car while the driver is in a restaurant. Cyber insurance covers the theft of data stored on a laptop and the cost of restoring that data. Continue Reading…

Tags: Cyber insurance, Insurance Policy, INSUREtrust, rhh insurance

Wedding insurance is a little known type of insurance coverage that can be priceless should anything at all go wrong on a wedding day. For the couple themselves, this insurance can help to protect their financial investment and future should anything unexpected happen on their wedding day. And for parents of the wedding couple, wedding insurance can both protect their financial investment and help to insure that the wedding day is perfect.

For most people, a wedding day is the single most expensive day of an entire lifetime of expenses. When planning a wedding, there are outrageous expenses at every turn, from booking the venues to contracting service providers. Enormous amounts of money can be spent quickly to make everything perfect for a couple on their special day, and though hopefully everything will go exactly as planned, there are so many emergencies that can pop up. The smartest thing that anyone who is planning a wedding can do is purchase wedding insurance to cover all the expenses that will be paid for.

Wedding event insurance is perhaps the more popular of the two types of coverage generally offered. This covers the entire event from planning through wedding day, and insures against extreme situations. It covers illness, disaster, or military deployment that can lead to postponement. It also covers all the deposits paid to vendors in the event that they go out of business, are unable to serve a wedding, or simply do not show up.

There are generally two types of wedding insurance that are offered, and most providers offer them both individually and as a package in order to offer the insured the right coverage for their event. Wedding liability insurance is the first type of wedding insurance that is generally offered. This insurance offers coverage for the wedding couple, or their parents, should they be held responsible for property damages or personal injuries either at the wedding or as a result of the wedding. This type of coverage usually also covers alcohol related incidents that can occur at or after the wedding. This coverage is important, as many venues now require renters to have it.

Tags: annapolis, Baltimore, Ellicott City, Insurance Maryland, Maryland Insurance, Wedding Insurance

On behalf of Rossmann-Hurt-Hoffman, Inc., we want to extend our warmest holiday wishes to you, your staff, and your family!  We are very grateful for your continued partnership with us and look forward to a great 2012 with new opportunities to grow together!

In observance of this joyous season, we will be closing early today at 1:00pm, Thursday December 15th for our office luncheon.  On Monday, December 26th we will be closed for the Christmas holiday and on Monday, January 2nd we will be closed for the New Year holiday.

Have a very safe and happy holiday season!!

From Your Friends at Rossmann-Hurt-Hoffman!

Tags: annapolis, insurance, Insurance Agent, maryland, rhh insurance

Contractors insurance is essential to have to protect your business and your personal assets. If you are acting as an independent contractor, this is even more important because chances are you are operating as a sole proprietor and therefore your personal belongings are at risk in a legal dispute.

Insurance is available for all trades, including roofers, electricians, mechanical contractors, HVAC professionals, plumbers and other contractors. When you enter someone else’s premises or property, you can be held liable for any damage that occurs. This can be accidental damage, damage due to faulty equipment or damage due to negligence.

Carrying contractors insurance is a good way to obtain work. Many individuals and businesses will refuse to hire a contractor who does not carry their own insurance. Use your insurance coverage as a selling point when seeking new business. Accidents happen even under the best of circumstances. To work without adequate insurance is just asking for troublesome lawsuits. The cost is very reasonable and would be tax deductible as a business expense.

Visit www.rhhinsurance.com today to receive details regarding contractors insurance that you need. Their insurance professionals can explain what coverage you should have and why you need it. They will look at your particular area of expertise and have the experience to pinpoint the coverage you should have immediately. A checklist of coverages needed for your type of contracting work will be created to ensure that you do have all the coverage you should have in order to conduct business successfully.

Contractors insurance is very helpful and frequently required as a prudent measure to protect the business you are contracting out to. Most business professionals required that subcontractors and contractors carry their own business liabilty insurance. This type of insurance assures protection to clients also, against non-performance and other problems that commonly occur when using contractors.

Tags: annapolis, Baltimore, Contractors Insurance, Contractors Insurance Maryland, Elicott City, insurance, Maryland Insurance, rhh insurance

On November 9th FEMA, DHS and FCC will conduct the first national test of the Nationwide Emergency Alert System test. This test will kick off at 2:00 p.m. (EST). The test will be nationwide, running concurrently across all time zones.

This system test is the first of its kind. It is designed to broadcast a nationwide message to the American public. Nothing like it has been conducted in the history of the country. There have been tests in the past but none to all parts of the Nation at the same time. The test will run concurrently on all radio and TV bands and the message will run for three minutes. Most messages in the past were anywhere from 30 seconds to 1 minute.

There is great concern in local police and emergency management circles about undue public anxiety over this test. The test message on TV might not indicate that it is just a test. Fear is that the lack of an explanation message might create panic.  Please share this information with your family and friends so they are aware of the test.

Below are two websites, that will provide more information…
http://www.fema.gov/emergency/ipaws/eas_info.shtm
https://nationaldialogue-emergencyalertsystem.ideascale.com/

Tags: annapolis, Baltimore, Ellicott City, home insurance, Insurance Maryland, maryland, NATIONWIDE EMERGENCY ALERT SYSTEM, rhh insurance

This new law prohibits all Maryland drivers from using a Cell Phone with a Hands Free Device while operating a motor vehicle. In addition, the new law prohibit’s “a holder of a learner’s instructional permit or provisional driver’s license who is 18 years of age or older from driving a motor vehicle while using a handheld telephone”. The fine for the first offense is $$40 and subsequent offenses would be $100. The new law is a secondary offense, meaning that a driver must first be committing a primary offense such as speeding or reckless driving before they could be ticketed for a Cell Phone offense.

Tags: annapolis, auto insurance, Baltimore, Ellicott City, Hand Held Cell Phone Ban Law, Maryland Insurance

BE BOLD. MAKE AN IMPACT!
SUPPORT SUSAN G. KOMEN RACE FOR THE CURE®
RHH INSURANCE DOES!  HOW ABOUT YOU?

The Komen Race for the Cure® raises significant funds and awareness for the fight against breast cancer, celebrates breast cancer survivorship, and honors those who have lost their battle with the disease.  Find out how you can help. http://www.komenmd.org/site/c.ddJIKPNnFkG/b.2530875/k.BEBF/Home.htm

Tags: annapolis, Baltimore, Ellicott City, October is breast cancer awareness month, rhh insurance

CALL US AT (410) 465-4300 IF YOU HAVE AN EMERGENCY
 
As Hurricane Irene approached our area, we posted important announcements for you on our website and Facebook page. Rossmann-Hurt-Hoffman put detailed disaster plan in place, so even in the event we suffer a loss, you will still be able to reach us for assistance. We are here for YOU!
 
Here are some steps you can take to stay safe.
 
Preparing Your Family
• Check your disaster supplies and replace or restock items as needed.
• Talk with members of your family and create an evacuation plan.
• Make sure you know where the closest local shelter is located.
• Put together an Emergency Supply Kit that includes the following:
- Water-at least a 3-day supply; one gallon per person per day.
 
- Food-at least a 3-day supply of non-perishable, easy-to-prepare
   non-perishable foods such as cereal or crackers, and canned goods. 
 
- Can opener
 
- Flashlights and extra batteries (Count on the power being out for at least a
   day or two)
 
- Battery-powered or hand-crank radio,
 
- First aid kit,
 
- Medications (7-day supply) and medical items (hearing aids with
   extra batteries,
 
- glasses, contact lenses, syringes, cane),
 
- Sanitation and personal hygiene items including toilet paper
 
- Cell phone with charger,
 
- Extra cash (remember that ATM’s will be non-operating),
 
- Emergency blankets,
 
- Map(s) of the area,
 
- If needed, baby (bottles, formula, baby food, diapers) and pet
   supplies (collar, leash, ID, food, carrier, bowl),
 
- Extra set of car keys and house keys,
 
- Extra clothing, hat and sturdy shoes,
 
- Rain gear.
 
- If you have children – computer games will operate for only a limited amount
   of time. Consider packing board games, a deck of cards, arts and crafts
   supplies and crayons.
 
If you need to leave your home be careful to avoid flooded roads and washed out bridges.

Preparing Your Home
• Bring in or secure anything that can be picked up by the wind (bicycles, lawn furniture).
• Close your windows and doors. If needed or advised to do so, windows and doors can be boarded up with plywood.
• Turn the refrigerator and freezer to the coldest setting and keep them closed as much as possible so that food will last longer if the power goes out.
• Turn off all propane tanks
• Fill your car’s gas tank.

General Safety Information
• Drive only if necessary
• Keep far away from loose or dangling power lines and report them immediately to the power company.
• Stay out of any building that has water around it.
• Use flashlights in the dark, avoid using candles.
• Before preparing food or drinking tap water make sure it is not contaminated.
• Watch animals closely and keep them under your direct control.
• Use the telephone only for emergency calls.
 
Preparing your business
Consider taking the following precautions to help protect people and property and guard against disruption of operations:
 
• Review your business continuity plan and communicate emergency evacuation and business interruption instructions to employees. If you don’t have a written plan, now is the time to create one. Each business should have an emergency plan including a detailed procedure for evacuation, a checklist for shutting down processes and protecting buildings, contents, equipment, and yard storage. Procedures should include salvage instructions to follow post-event.
• Back up critical data and computer records off-site so that operations can continue after a disaster. Consider keeping a backup generator and plenty of batteries on hand so your business can continue to operate after a power loss.
• As a hurricane approaches, quick actions should to be taken to install temporary protection features including:  
 
-  Shutter or board up windows to protect them from flying debris

-  Clean out floor drains and catch basins to ensure maximum drainage
 
-  Anchor structures, trailers and yard storage so they are more likely to stay
    put during high winds
 
-  Fill emergency generator and fire pump fuel tanks
 
-  Shut down production processes safely
 
-  Shut off all flammable and combustible liquid and gas lines at their source
 
-  Shut off electrical power at the main building disconnect before the 
    hurricane strikes.
 
• Once the storm has subsided and it is safe to return, a salvage team should be assembled and repair work prioritized, assuring proper supplies are available and safety procedures followed.

These and other tips on how to stay safe during hurricanes and other natural disasters are available on the FEMA website. There is no harm in being overly cautious.  Please be safe!

Tags: annapolis, Ellicott City, Emergency plan, home insurance, Hurricane Preparedness, In case of Disaster, Insurance Maryland, rhh insurance

Are you already tired of hearing about the earthquake that shook the East Coast yesterday? Well, this is one bit of information that will hopefully make you stop and think, “Does my homeowners or business policy cover damage caused by an earthquake?”.

Did you know that Standard homeowners and business insurance policies exclude damage to property caused by an earthquake? Since coverage is usually available by endorsement or by a separate stand alone policy, call and talk to one of our friendly account executives today at 410-465-4300.

Tags: annapolis, Baltimore, Business Insurance, Disaster Preparedness, Earthquake, Ellicott City, homeowners insurance, howard county