Kentucky Workers Compensation Losses Decreased

Annual Workers' Comp Filing Approved

FRANKFORT, Ky. (Aug. 27, 2008) – A 2008 filing most insurance carriers will use to develop rates for workers’ compensation coverage shows the third straight decrease in loss costs, Department of Insurance Commissioner Sharon P. Clark announced today.

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The filing, approved by the state Department of Insurance and effective Oct. 1, is by the National Council on Compensation Insurance Inc. (NCCI), an advisory organization that serves as the oldest provider of workers’ compensation and employee injury data and statistics in the nation.

“As businesses face tough economic times, this is a welcome piece of news,” said Clark. “Workers’ compensation insurance is a large cost of doing business. This also is good news for hardworking Kentuckians since the report shows a continuing decline in the number of workplace injuries and a slight decline in the severity of those claims.”

Data collected from insurance carriers is used to develop loss costs, which is the average compensation for lost wages, based on the level of disability, plus medical benefit payments. Use of the information is voluntary but most workers’ comp carriers use the NCCI loss cost values as a base to which the insurer’s own loss adjustment and overhead expenses are added to arrive at the rates charged to Kentucky employers.

The loss cost figures show an average reduction of 5.1 percent for the 596 industrial classes used in Kentucky. These classes include manufacturing, office and clerical, contracting, and goods and services. For coal classes, underground mining costs dropped 10.5 percent while surface mining decreased 8.7 percent.

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Charlie Pinson Insurance KY  is a Kentucky insurance agency offering a variety of Kentucky insurance products including Kentucky Worker's Compensation and Kentucky business insurance. Employee benefits and Group Health Insurance are available through their sister agency Triple B Insurance of Pikeville. Call 606.433.0031 for more information.

Charlie Pinson Insurance KY...Finalist in Excellence In Entrepreunership Awards

2008 EXCELLENCE IN ENTREPRENEURSHIP AWARDS

RICHMOND, Ky. − Eastern Kentucky University’s College of Business and Technology, Kentucky Highlands Investment Corp. and The Center for Rural Development will present the 2008 Excellence in Entrepreneurship Awards (EIEA) on Monday, Sept. 8 during a 11:30 luncheon program at The Center’s headquarters in Somerset, Ky.
Eastern Kentucky University President Dr. Doug Whitlock will serve as emcee for the event and Kentucky Economic Development Cabinet Secretary John Hindman will serve as the keynote speaker.

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The annual award was established in 2001 to honor excellence in entrepreneurship throughout Eastern and Southern Kentucky. Awards will be given in four categories – Business, Small Business, Start-Up, and Non-Profit Business – and are determined by the economic success of the enterprise, contributions to the community, job creation and operational achievement as measured by innovative business practices, superior safety achievement and superior technology.

The 2008 awards program will include recognition of the Excellence in Entrepreneurship Collegiate Business Concept Challenge award honorees and the first place team in the youth Entrepreneurial Leadership Institute Business Concept Competition.

“We’ve seen that small companies comprise the engine that drives most of our economy,” said Dr. Robert Rogow, dean of EKU’s College of Business and Technology. “We want to do whatever we can through our partnership to foster small-business development and recognize those who’ve been successful in developing companies in Eastern and Southern Kentucky.”

Finalists in the four business categories are:

For-Profit Business: Mr. Richard Rednour, II, owner/president, Rednour Properties, LLC, Clay City, Ky.; Mr. Terry E. Forcht, president/CEO, Forcht Group of Kentucky, Corbin, Ky.; Mr. Shannon Wright and Mr. Kendall Wright, owners, Wright Concrete & Construction, Inc., Dorton, Ky.

For-Profit Small Business: Mr. Jerry W. Rice, owner, Panco Wood Shop, Oneida, Ky.;  Mr. Charlie Pinson,  president/owner,  Charlie Pinson Insurance, Pikeville, Ky.;  Mr. Steve Taylor, president, EST Tool & Machine, Inc., Brodhead, Ky.

Start-Up Business: Mr. Brant Poore, president, and Mr. Raymond Sears, vice-president, Information Capture Solutions, LLC, Williamsburg, Ky.; Mr. Brian Floyd and Mr. Scott Floyd, owners, Floyd Industries, LLC, Liberty, Ky.; Ms. Cindy and Mr. Norm Kelly, owners, EZ Care, LLC, Richmond, Ky.

Not-For-Profit Entity: Ms. Stephanie Richards, artistic director, Artists Collaborative Theater, Elkhorn City, Ky.; Mr. Lonnie Cowan, executive director, Chronic Pain Support Group, Inc., offices in Clark, Jessamine, Bourbon, Laurel, Boyle, Montgomery, Madison and Taylor counties, Ky.; Ms. Debbie Long, executive director, God’s Food pantry of Pulaski County, Somerset, Ky.

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“Supporting entrepreneurs and small businesses is at the heart of the mission of The Center for Rural Development,” said Lonnie Lawson, president and CEO of The Center, “and the encouragement and recognition of Kentucky’s future business leaders is fundamental to the realization of that mission.”

Jerry Rickett, president and CEO of Kentucky Highlands Investment Corp., said “Entrepreneurs are visionaries and risk-takers vital to any community. Whether they succeed or fail, their tenacity and adventurous spirit need to be recognized and applauded. That’s what the Excellence in Entrepreneurship Awards is about.”
2007 award recipients were Stephen P. Branscum, president, Branscum Construction Co., Inc., Russell Springs, Ky – For-Profit Business; Barbara Napier, owner, Snug Hollow Bed & Breakfast, Irvine, Ky. – For-Profit Small Business; Lowell Land, president, Acres of Land Winery, Richmond, Ky. – Start-Up Business; and Wilma
Kelly, executive director, Beattyville Housing and Development Corp., Inc, Beattyville, Ky. – Not-For-Profit Entity. Award recipients in the Collegiate Business Concept Challenge were Patti Holly and Lauren Hale, student honorees; Dr. Bill Davig, EKU Business advisor; and Eastern Kentucky University as the sponsoring school. Also honored at the luncheon was the 2007 Entrepreneurial Leadership Institute Business Concept Challenge team of Rebekah Smith, Staffordsville; Michael Wright, Stanford; Kenna Trent, Morehead; and Richie Mathes, Corbin.
Award winners from previous years will receive invitations to the annual EIEA program and be recognized for their achievement.

For more information on the Monday, September 8 EIEA luncheon program, please visit www.eiea.eku.edu and follow the EIEA links. Information can also be found on the Web at www.centertech.com by following the EIEA links. Reservations for the program are $20 per person and may be made by calling The Center for Rural Development at (606) 677-6000 or by e-mail at enea@centertech.com. Checks should be made payable to The Center for Rural Development and mailed to: The Center, Attn: EIEA Luncheon, 2292 S. Hwy. 27, Somerset, KY 42501.

To be eligible for the Excellence In Entrepreneurship Awards competition, businesses must be in one of the following 55 Eastern and Southern Kentucky counties: Adair, Bath, Bell, Boyd, Boyle, Breathitt, Carter, Casey, Clark, Clay, Clinton, Cumberland, Edmonson, Elliott, Estill, Fleming, Floyd, Garrard, Green, Greenup, Harlan, Hart, Jackson, Jessamine, Johnson, Knott, Knox, Laurel, Lawrence, Lee, Leslie, Letcher, Lewis, Lincoln, McCreary, Madison, Magoffin, Martin, Menifee, Metcalf, Monroe, Montgomery, Morgan, Owsley, Perry,  Pike,  Powell, Pulaski, Rockcastle, Rowan, Russell, Taylor, Wayne, Whitley, or Wolfe.

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Charlie Pinson Insurance KY  is a Kentucky Independent Insurance agency offering Kentucky insurance throughout the Bluegrass state. Representing many different companies, the agency provides many choices to it's valued customers.

Louisville Insurance Fraud KY Business Insurance

LOUISVILLE BUSINESS OWNER INDICTED BY GRAND JURY

Allegedly provided fake liability insurance certificates for business

From The Department of Insurance is an agency of the Public Protection Cabinet.

FRANKFORT, Ky. (July 17, 2008) – A Louisville business owner has been charged with eight felony counts of insurance fraud and eight felony counts of criminal possession of a forged instrument after allegedly presenting fraudulent liability insurance certificates for his business, All Star Trucking Company.

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Robert E. Holbert, 65, allegedly provided the fake documents to at least five companies doing business with All Star Trucking, claiming to have valid coverage when he did not, according to an investigation by the Kentucky Department of Insurance Fraud Investigation Division.

A pre-trial conference is scheduled for Sept. 2 in Jefferson Circuit Court. If found guilty, Holbert faces a prison term of one to five years on each count (not to exceed 20 years); a fine of up to $10,000 per count; or both imprisonment and a fine.

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May is Disability Insurance Month

If you couldn't work; how would your finances fair?

Several news sources have been buzzing about a Harris Interactive poll that indicates is someone became disabled, their first line of defense is retirement savings. Most people have not made preparations for a disability.

Years ago, the industry norm was that disability insurance was the most undersold product in our offerings. Consumers were more apt to buy life insurance than disability insurance; yet the likelihood of disability could be more eminent.

Disability income helps consumers have a bit of financial security. While most products do not replace 100% of an income, they do provide a revenue stream. It could mean the difference between keeping or loosing a home.

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Findings from several different sources indicated that most consumers over estimate the amount of income they potentially could receive from the government. Are you curious about your own situation? The MetLife Disability Insurance Calculator is a good first step in your evaluation process.

This information is presented solely as an educational tool and is not meant to offer financial advice. Always consult an attorney or accountant when working with your finances.

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Charlie Pinson is a licensed representative of MetLife Investors USA Insurance Company, Metropolitain Life Insurance Company, and Met's auto insurance companies.

Smoke Free Laws Don't Impact Employee Turnover

University of Kentucky Media Contacts:
Ann Blackford, (859) 323-6363, x230 Amanda Nelson, (859) 323-6363, x224

LEXINGTON, Ky. (May 7, 2008) − In a recent study published in Contemporary Economic Policy, Ellen Hahn, professor in the University of Kentucky College of Nursing, found that smoke-free laws do not negatively impact employee turnover. The report , “Smoke-Free Laws and Employee Turnover,” was the first of its kind to examine the impact of smoke-free laws on the restaurant labor market.

“We already know from multitudes of other studies that going smoke-free doesn’t hurt business,” Hahn said. “But this is the first one to look at how smoke-free laws may impact employee retention and training.”

The study examined payroll records of a franchisee of a national full-service restaurant chain that operates 23 restaurants in the state of Arizona, a state where several communities have adopted smoke-free laws.

“We thought we might see a short term spike in turnover but we didn’t see that,” said Eric Thompson, associate professor with the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. In fact, they found a decline in the probability of turnover in the initial months after a smoke-free law was implemented as well as evidence that turnover rates were lower 16 to 18 months after implementation. However, over the long-run (a five year period) there was no consistent pattern of either a decline or an increase in employee turnover after the implementation of a smoke-free law.

By focusing on how a smoke-free policy impacted the restaurant workers’ interest or ability to stay on the job, the study supports existing evidence showing that smoke-free laws are positive for business.

“The reactions of the workers to the smoke-free laws showed that they weren’t apt to leave their jobs after their restaurants went smoke-free,” Hahn said.

Health advocates support local smoking ordinances as a public health strategy to enhance the safety of workplaces. But like many safety regulations, smoke-free laws have the potential to introduce economic inefficiencies. One earlier belief was that the introduction of a smoke-free law may cause some workers to leave their jobs at bar and restaurant businesses.

“The concern was that once smoking was no longer allowed, workers would no longer be interested in that particular job," Thompson said. "Ostensibly, when the smoking law changed, the mix of characteristics in their job (such as wages, job responsibilities, the presence of second hand smoke) may have changed and caused people to choose another place of work. But the study did not bear this out.”

Hahn hopes that this study will give the restaurant industry the courage to stop fighting smoke-free laws.

“There’s no reason the hospitality industry should resist smoke-free legislation in light of the huge body of research showing that it doesn’t impact business,” Hahn said.

The Substance Abuse Policy Research Program of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation funds research into policies related to alcohol, tobacco and illegal drugs.

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation focuses on the pressing health and health care issues facing our country. As the nation's largest philanthropy devoted exclusively to improving the health and health care of all Americans, the foundation works with a diverse group of organizations and individuals to identify solutions and achieve comprehensive, meaningful and timely change. For more than 30 years the foundation has brought experience, commitment, and a rigorous, balanced approach to the problems that affect the health and health care of those it serves. Helping Americans lead healthier lives and get the care they need—the foundation expects to make a difference in our lifetime.

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Triple B Insurance is a Kentucky health insurance agency offering Kentucky Group Health Insurance and employee benefits. Family and Individual Kentucky health insurance is also available.

Bulding Kentucky Small Business Goals The importance of a Mission Statement

Thanks for asking

I received an inquiry from a college student in Colorado who works part time at a property casualty agency. He asked several questions about our mission statement.
With permission, I'll share the questions and my opinions and answers.

Here is our Kentucky insurance agent mission statement

Charlie Pinson Insurance is a service-oriented agency driven by sales excellence through client and vendor relations. Based in Pikeville Ky, our market area includes Kentucky and West Virginia. Our multi-line focus includes Commercial and Personal lines, with an emphasis on Kentucky health insurance.

As a family owned business, we believe in a family friendly work environment.
It is our goal to provide clients with the service they deserve and products to fulfill their needs. People make the difference at Charlie Pinson Insurance.

Here's the questions

• 1. Did you have a collaborative team to help you develop a mission statement? If so how was that team chosen?Yes, our statement was a collaborative effort. We established our goals of what we wanted to say; then assigned our copy writer (that's me) the task of sewing the patchwork of ideas together. Like your "scratch" start-up agency, we are small. It was a no-brainer to include all personnel.



• 2. What were some of the steps you used to arrive at your mission statement?First, we established WHY we even needed a mission statement. Our goal was and is, to define our identity for our clients as well as our carriers. Secondly, we were at a defining moment in our growth. Did we want to grow, or did we want to keep the status-quo? We opted for growth; but underlined the paths that had brought us success.



• 3. How long did this process take?We hammered this out in about a week. However, from time to time we revisit our mission statement. New products, new employees, and changes in the market influence who we are and who we strive to be.



• 4. What would you do differently in the process?Not a thing. We sat down and got it down. Don't over think. Don't get bogged down in committee. Put it in writing, and put it out there. It's not written in stone. Change is inevitable.



• 5. Do you feel like your employees are living the mission and vision of your agency? We continually strive to find balance between "service-oriented" and "sales excellence." We are getting there. We always focus on family, and clients.
  
  Our defining statement, "People make the difference at Charlie Pinson" reflects a two-fold philosophy. We believe our staff is one of the best in Kentucky. We also believe our customers are not a policy number. So even though we do business on the internet, as well as in a brick and mortar location, our message is Kentucky people helping Kentucky people. That is what we are all about. So yes, we live the mission and we live the brand.

For my collegiate pen pal in Colorado, I hoped this helped. You may want to check out Troy Korsgaden's "Power Position your Agency." For insurance agents, I think it is one of the best resources for attracting, building, and retaining business. At the moment, my copy is at the house. However, if memory serves Troy had a great section on developing mission statements. I wish you well in your endeavours.

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Joyce Pinson is a Kentucky Health Insurance Agent. With a background in Agricultural Economics, Public Relations, and Marketing she wears many hats (most of them cute) at Charlie Pinson Insurance Agency and it's sister Kentucky Health Insurance Agency, Triple B Insurance.

Travelers Commercial Property Coverage Goes Green

New Endorsement Supports Travelers Efforts to Encourage Environmentally Responsible Behavior

HARTFORD, Conn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 17, 2008--In support of the growing trend toward more efficient and environmentally friendly building practices, Travelers (NYSE:TRV) Commercial Property Division today launched its Green Building Coverage Enhancements for mid-sized businesses. An endorsement to the standard Deluxe Property Coverage, this new product highlights Travelers' ability to keep pace with the evolving sustainable building practices.

"Travelers is pleased to note that a number of federal, state and local agencies across the country are instituting programs that encourage, or require, environmentally friendly building practices," said Rich Waskiewicz, senior vice president, Travelers Property. "Today's announcement supports those efforts and our company-wide initiatives to encourage environmentally responsible behavior."
Travelers' Green Building Coverage Enhancements for mid-sized businesses promote the use of environmentally friendly building materials as replacement components following a covered cause or type of loss. Travelers' Deluxe Property forms are amended to provide the following additional coverages:

• Green Building Alternatives - Increased Cost


• Green Buildings Reengineering and Recertification Expense


• Vegetative Roofs


• Green Building Alternatives - Increased Period of Restoration

"Travelers believes that commercial property owners who embrace 'green' technologies are likely to be more risk management-minded, practicing greater care in building maintenance and operation," said Michael Klein, president of commercial accounts, Travelers. "We are excited to introduce this new product, supporting our middle market customers who implement environmentally friendly initiatives."
For more information on the new coverage enhancements from the Travelers Commercial Property Division, call your local Travelers Commercial Accounts office.

About Travelers

Travelers understands that life and business are inherently dynamic and that the best way to serve agents, brokers and policyholders is to deliver insurance that evolves to stay in-synch with life and business as they change. For more information on being in-synch, visit www.travelers.com.

The Travelers Companies, Inc. (NYSE: TRV) is a leading property casualty insurer selling primarily through independent agents and brokers. The company's diverse business lines offer its global customers a wide range of coverage in both the personal and commercial settings, including automobile, homeowners, construction, small business, oil and gas, ocean marine, surety and management liability, global technology and public sector services. Travelers is a Fortune 100 company, with 2007 revenues of $26 billion and total assets of $115 billion. The company has approximately 33,000 employees.

The content of this release is only for the informational use of the reader. In no event will Travelers or any of its affiliates be liable in contract or in tort to anyone who has access to this information for the accuracy or completeness of the information relied upon in the preparation of this release. Additionally, information contained herein does not constitute and shall not be construed to reflect the adoption of any coverage position by Travelers or any of its affiliates in connection with any of the topics or considerations set forth herein.

CONTACT: The Travelers Companies, Inc.
Media Contact:
Jeffrey Weir, 860-277-8692
jsweir@travelers.com
SOURCE: The Travelers Companies, Inc.

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Charlie Pinson Insurance is a Kentucky Independent Insurance Agency representing many insurers including Travelers Insurance. Working with many Kentucky small businesses, the agency offers products including Kentucky Workers Compensation, BOP Business Owners Policies, and Commercial Kentucky Auto Insurance. Through sister agency, Triple B Insurance, our Kentucky health insurance agents offer group health insurance and employee benefits.

Employers Underestimate Role of Benefits in Employee Loyalty Kentucky Small Businees

EMPLOYEES’ DESIRE FOR WORKPLACE ACCESS TO INSURANCE & SAVINGS PRODUCTS AND ADVICE GROWING, METLIFE STUDY SHOWS; EMPLOYERS UNDERESTIMATE ROLE OF BENEFITS IN EMPLOYEE LOYALTY


NEW YORK, April 7, 2008 – The workplace has become the dominant starting point for building a strong financial safety net. According to MetLife’s Sixth Annual Employee Benefits Trends Study, released today, more than half of working Americans (52%) are now obtaining the majority of their financial and retirement products through the workplace – up from 46% a year ago. Growing financial concerns among employees are creating a greater interest in advice and guidance at the workplace – 44% of employees would like access to general financial planning advice at work, up from 30% last year. Nearly half (49%) of all employees also want their employers to provide retirement advice.

"This increased employee appetite for advice at the workplace is a significant development. It presents a tremendous opportunity for U.S. employers to optimize the real and perceived value of their benefit plans. Having a benefit program that meets the diverse needs of their employees – and communicating more frequently about benefit offerings – can result in improved employee retention, which continues to dominate employers' minds as their top benefits objective," said Bill Mullaney, President, MetLife Institutional Business. For the second consecutive year, retention was rated by employers as their number one benefits objective.

Also among the study’s key findings:

• Benefits, Loyalty, & Retention – Employers underestimate how important benefits are to employee loyalty; benefits are increasingly important factors in employees’ decisions to remain with their employer.

• Growing Focus on Retirement and Aging Workforce issues – Employer focus and spending on retiree benefits is expected to increase; employees have strong interest in retirement benefits.

Loyalty & Retention

When asked about the importance of benefits in retention and workplace loyalty, employees ranked retirement benefits and advancement opportunities as tied for the third most critical factor, behind salary/wages (number one) and health benefits (number two). A loyalty gap can be seen clearly with this example – 72% of employees say retirement benefits are an important factor in loyalty, whereas only 41% of employers say the same.

Benefits are playing an increasingly important role in employees’ decisions to remain with their employer. Significantly, 45% percent of employees say benefits are an important reason why they remain with their current employer, up from 33% a year ago. An additional one-third (33%) say benefits were an important factor attracting them to their current job, up from 28% last year.

More employers are recognizing that benefits drive satisfaction. A majority, 58%, believe that benefits play a very important role in employee retention. That percentage climbs to 65% for employers with 500 or more employees.

However, the study also reveals a significant gap between how loyal employers believe they are to employees and employees’ perception of that loyalty. For example, 55% of surveyed employers say they feel a strong sense of loyalty to their workers, whereas only 41% of employees feel that their employers have a strong sense of loyalty to them. As employers look to use benefits strategically to help improve workforce loyalty and retention, it is essential to find ways to close this gap and better understand how benefits are most impacting feelings of loyalty.

The study also indicates that despite rising benefits costs, employees seem willing to accept paying a larger part of those costs themselves in order to access a portfolio of benefits offerings. In spite of the fact that more than half (56%) of employees say they are paying more now for their medical coverage than last year, benefits satisfaction among employees is up. This year 44% of surveyed employees, compared to 39% last year, say they are satisfied with their workplace benefits. Employees are indicating a willingness to pay more to get more. In fact, 44% of employees are interested in their employer offering a wider array of voluntary benefits – up from 31% last year.

"With retention a key business concern, employers are looking to improve employee loyalty more than ever. This year’s data on benefits behaviors show a gap between what employers think will help drive improved loyalty and satisfaction, and what employees are actually looking for. By better understanding what ways benefits drive employee loyalty in an increasingly diverse workforce, employers have an untapped opportunity to maximize the effectiveness of their benefits plans," said Ronald Leopold, M.D., vice president, MetLife Institutional Business.

Growing Focus on Retirement and Aging Workforce Issues
With a significant number of employees approaching retirement, companies can do more to address the needs of an aging workforce. As the Baby Boomers begin to retire and/or approach retirement, employers need to re-evaluate their benefits offerings. The study reveals that nearly three-quarters (73%) of employers that currently offer retiree benefits expect the dollar amount of these benefits to increase in the next five years, compared to 63% last year.

Employers are implementing a range of programs and accommodations. Large companies outpace smaller employers when it comes to offering retirement guides/information and training. About one-third of companies with 500 or more employees offer resources and programs for an aging workforce. However, smaller employers provide greater flexibility for working part-time in retirement. Among companies that provide resources/programs for an aging workforce, 44% with 2 to 499 employees provide part-time employment to retirees, compared to 35% with 500 or more employees.

Smaller employers are less likely to anticipate being affected by the aging workforce. Only 35% of employers with 2 to 499 employees think they will be greatly impacted, compared to 50% with 500 or more employees. One reason could be that employees at smaller companies expect to work until an older age. While the average employee at companies with 500 or more employees is anticipating retiring from full-time work at age 63, the average employee at smaller employers is planning to retire at age 65.

Call to Action
The study suggests that there are three primary strategies that employers can consider to optimize the value of their benefits plan:

Personalization. A one-size-fits-all approach to benefits is no longer effective. Employers should tailor benefits to different employee segments, including older workers, retirees, and other life-stage groups.

Breadth of Benefits. Employers should provide a broad, cost-efficient benefits offering with a wide range of options to meet the increasingly diverse needs of the workforce. This offering can include voluntary benefits, health and wellness programs, work/life balance programs, resources for aging workers, and retirement plans.

Decision Support and Communications. When asked about the importance of benefits strategies to their companies, over half (55%) of employers indicate that "providing better decision support tools" is very important — up from 47% in 2005. Such tools could include product calculators as well as rules of thumb on what products and coverage levels are appropriate. Also, employers should communicate more frequently to employees about their benefits offerings and how to take advantage of them.

"Set against a backdrop of an aging workforce, escalating healthcare costs and an era of personal responsibility, benefits have become increasingly important to both employers and employees. Employees are looking to secure their financial futures and are primed for action. Providing and promoting a robust suite of benefits offerings represents a win-win for employers and employees alike," adds Mr. Mullaney.

The 6th annual MetLife Study of Employee Benefits Trends is available at
whymetlife.com/trendspr along with a wealth of other related resources, including interactive polls on the latest benefits issues and access to other MetLife research.

Study Methodology

The 6th annual MetLife Study of Employee Benefits Trends was conducted during the third quarter of 2007 and consisted of two distinct studies fielded by GfK NOP. The employee survey polled 1,380 full-time employees, age 21 and over, at companies with at least two employees. The employer survey consisted of 1,652 interviews with benefits decision-makers at companies with a minimum of two employees, representing a mix of industries and geographic regions.

Celebrating 140 years, MetLife is a subsidiary of MetLife, Inc. (NYSE: MET), a leading provider of insurance and financial services with operations throughout the United States and the Latin America, Europe and Asia Pacific regions. Through its domestic and international subsidiaries and affiliates, MetLife, Inc. reaches more than 70 million customers around the world and MetLife is the largest life insurer in the United States (based on life insurance in-force). The MetLife companies offer life insurance, annuities, auto and home insurance, retail banking and other financial services to individuals, as well as group insurance, reinsurance and retirement & savings products and services to corporations and other institutions. For more information, please visit www.metlife.com.



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MetLife Media Contacts:
Karen Eldred (212) 578-9561
Joe Madden (212) 578-3021
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Charlie Pinson Insurance was recently awarded the 2007 Outstanding Productivity and Profitablility Award in Kentucky by MetLife (for Kentucky Auto Insurance). Through our sister agencies, Triple B Insurance and C & B Insurance, Charlie Pinson offers a variety of insurance products for  Kentucky Small Business.

Planning for Disasters- Impacting KY Small Business

Charlie says I am a worrier; and I guess he is right. I want to plan for the positive, but in the back of my mind the "worst case scenario" is doing an irritating tap dance.

Does your Kentucky Small Business have a plan for disasters?

Have you ever thought about how your business would survive if there was a disaster like a flood, tornado, or God forbid something on the lines of Hurricane Katrina? Truth be told, we had not I am embarrassed to say.

Ask yourself

• How quickly can I reopen if the electric goes out for more than 2 days?



• Does your inventory require refrigeration? How can you quickly "power up?"



• If my building where destroyed, how quickly could I set up a temporary office to service my clients?



• How could you recover your computer data, acquire new servers etc?



• If there were a major disaster in your area, do you have a plan in place to be able to contact your employees?



• What would it take to get you up and running quickly?

A few days back, I sat in on a webinar sponsored by a trade publication, and presented by a company called Agility. Agility is an emergency response team for your business. They presented how they had helped an large insurance agency in Louisiana quickly regroup literally hours after Katrina hit. Agility secured modular offices, satellite phones, air conditioners, and numerous other "business essentials" to get the office back in business. (There's an article about the agency in the current edition of Powerful Connections.)

They also recounted situations where they had helped secure refrigeration units and the like, for industries that need such things like meat packers, wholesalers, and grocery stores. Very interesting concepts.

The Agility website has tips for Fire, Flood, Hurricane, Tornado and Earthquake preparedness for business continuity.

Now of course Agility is selling it's services. Living in an area prone to flooding, it surely made me think. We are a family business, and our logistics for re-opening would not be as complex as a company with hundreds of employees. For now, we will forgo outside help. Nevertheless, we need a plan.

If you already have a disaster plan review it. Especially if you have a high dependency on Internet to keep your business open. Establish protocol for your employees to check-in and get in touch. Think about power generators. (Remember a few years back when Lexington KY was under snow and without power?)

We all think it "will never happen to us." But it could. Are you ready?

I'll always be a worrier, but with a new plan in place I will worry a little less about business, and a little more about what hat to wear to the Derby! BIG SMILES

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Charlie Pinson Insurance is a family owned Kentucky Independent Insurance Agency. The above post does not constitute endorsement of a product or service. Charlie Pinson Insurance, and our sister agencies, Triple B Insurance and C & B Insurance, offer Kentucky Workers Compensation, BOP's Business Owners Policies, and a number of employee benefit products including Kentucky health insurance. Call us at 606.433.0031 or check out our website at www.pinsoninsurance.com