We all have watched movies where we know tragedy could be lurking around the corner for a main character, but they are unaware of the potential disaster. Watching consumers contemplate earthquake insurance can be a little like that for insurance professionals. However, unlike at the movies, with earthquake insurance we can actually provide a warning…
It sounds like the plot of a Hollywood thriller, but the all-too-real scenario played out this month at a large Los Angeles hospital: Hackers seized control of critical computer systems and the hospital paid a $17,000 ransom to release them. Source: NY Times By STACY COWLEY and LIAM STACK So-called ransomware attacks have increased significantly…
Thefts put a Hickory, NC urgent care center out of business 12 employees lost their jobs when Piedmont Urgent Care closed Lincolnton woman will spend 3 years, 1 month in prison A Lincolnton, NC woman whose embezzlement put a Hickory urgent care center out of business was sentenced this week to three years and a…
BY MANDY LOCKE Gov. Pat McCrory’s warning Friday to bosses who cheat workers by pushing them off the books and into limbo: We are watching. Months after legislators failed to pass a bill that would crack down on companies that illegally treat employees as contractors, McCrory used his own authority to direct state officials to…
If you don’t already have excess personal liability insurance, it’s time consider buying it. Such a policy could save your assets. Also called umbrella insurance because it protects you over and above the liability coverage that’s part of your existing homeowner’s and auto insurance, this special type of liability insurance can pay for the monetary…
As a driver, you can forget about greed and gluttony. Instead, you need to beware of other deadly sins that could mean you’ll have a devil of a time when it comes to purchasing auto insurance. If you commit one of these sins — which range from driving under the influence to letting your auto…
New year resolutions for HOA boards By Michael Hunter Charlotte attorney Michael Hunter focuses on community and condominium association law for the firm of Horack Talley. Another year has come and gone, and I have witnessed a great many homeowners’ association (HOA) conflicts, some of which might easily have been avoided. HOA disputes can be…
RALEIGH, N.C. North Carolina’s insurance commissioner on Monday began deciding whether to allow homeowners’ coverage costs to rise by as much as 35 percent even as more insurers demand even higher rates in agreements with customers. Craig Smith has seen the annual insurance premium for his rural Pitt County home double to $2,000 since he…
Hurricane season runs through November, but you don’t have to be living in a coastal area to be affected by flooding. During the past 54 years, the amount of rain or snow falling from the top 1% of intense storms has increased in every region, especially in the Northeast and Midwest, according to the latest…
Misconception #1 Cyber breaches are mostly a result of foreign offshore sophisticated hackers who are only targeting large retail and healthcare systems. In reality, the most common types of breaches are: Lost, stolen or missing electronic assets Improper disposal of data Paper documents not shredded File cabinets with sensitive contents Prescription bottles X-Ray images Electronic…