The Sky is Falling!

The National Weather Service announced that the loud boom and shaking ground reported Saturday, January 1, 2022,  by people across suburban Pittsburgh was probably caused by an exploding meteor.

Experts suggest that the meteor event happened while falling through the atmosphere.  Exploding meteors, also called airbursts, are a kind of cosmic traffic accident when a larger piece of space rock collides with the Earth’s atmosphere and explodes.

Every year, the Earth is hit by about 6100 meteors large enough to reach the ground. That’s about 17 every day. The vast majority fall unnoticed, in uninhabited areas.

However, there are roughly 180 known impact craters (caused by  meteors, asteroids and comets) worldwide and  a third of them—including some of the biggest—are located in North America.

The earth is pelted with 40 tons of space debris a year. Most of that is in teeny dust particles. To do real damage, a meteor usually has to be bigger than a Volkswagen when it enters the atmosphere.

So what happens if your business or personal property is hit by a meteor, asteroid of comet?

Falling objects, including satellites, asteroids, meteors and space debris are covered by standard homeowners and business insurance policies. These policies would cover the damage that the falling object causes to your home or business. If your property, equipment or other objects are damaged, your policy should cover that too.

What about your personal or company car? If a meteor damages your vehicle, you will be covered under the optional comprehensive portion of an auto insurance policy.  If space debris causes an auto accident, the liability portion of the policy would cover medical expenses or related lawsuits.

But what if a meteor hits one of your employees, at your place of business? Medical expenses would be paid for under health insurance. And in the very unlikely event of a death,  a life insurance policy would ensure you’re covered.

The likelihood of getting hit (or killed) by a meteor is about 1 in 250,000. For context, the chances of you being struck by lightning is estimated at 1 in 135,000. The odds are in your favor.

Now you know.

Are your ready to review your policy or are you in need of new or additional coverage? Let our team go to work for you.

 

The Office Party – Are You Covered?

Thanks to the pandemic, you were forced to cancel the holiday party at your office last year. But because your company has come to grips with how to navigate around COVID-19, your company holiday party has been given the green light. Your employees always look forward to the event and you welcome the opportunity show your gratitude, by ensuring the affair is upscale and entertaining. You’ve decided to hold the event at your corporate office, and your employees from around the nation are looking forward to flying in.

Although the focus will be on the merriment of the holidays, it’s also important to make sure you that have the coverage you require to protect your business.

Your general liability insurance will cover most issues. However, you should make sure you speak to your Enscoe Long insurance agent, to assess any additional areas where you may be left vulnerable.

Have you considered what type of coverage you may need if one of your employees injures themselves, while decorating the office or by simply attending the party? Talk to your Enscoe Long insurance agent about this issue.  Your agent will help you understand the complexity of workplace injuries at the office vs. a company sponsored event at restaurant, hotel, or banquet hall, etc.  If you do decide to host your party at a restaurant, this allows you to share the liability with the restaurant or hotel—although you may still be liable in many cases.

If you are going to be serving alcohol at the party, you could need additional coverage. This coverage could be an add-on to your general liability insurance. You may also want to consider special event insurance that specifically covers alcohol related issues. It’s also important to note that special event insurance also includes coverage for the cost of the party,  if the event has to be canceled due to weather or other circumstances beyond your control.

But what about a sexual harassment claim? You would hope that it would never happen at your company, but it’s your job to make sure you have protected your business from any threat, no matter how distasteful.

The best way to avoid a holiday party incident is to set your expectations ahead of time. Make sure you communicate those expectations to your employees via the holiday invitation, an email or a company newsletter.

Things you may want to consider:

  • Make sure your employees understand that you have a zero-tolerance policy, with respect to discrimination or sexual harassment.
  • Set the tone of the party by making sure that your management team does not drink in excess.
  • Offer an Uber, Lyft or cab service to all your employees free of charge.
  • Hire professional bartenders to watch out for anyone who is drinking too much.
  • Contact your maintenance team to review any areas that may be a cause of concern, such as icy sidewalks or any other areas that are under construction, etc.

The best way to ensure a safe, fun and relaxing holiday party is through careful thought and preparation. The Enscoe Long team will be there to give you the peace of mind you need, so you can enjoy the party too. To get started, drop us an email and we’ll make sure you have everything you need to protect what matters most. Happy Holidays!