| Greetings!
I had the incredible privilege of officiating at my daughter's wedding this weekend. No, I'm not a reverend, but I did become "JP for a Day" so that I could perform the ceremony... and what an honor it was!
The bride was beautiful (and I'm not at all biased - see for yourself!). The setting was serene. The celebration was sacred.
It got me to thinking about relationships. The French actress Simone Signoret once said, "Chains do not hold a marriage together. It is threads. Hundreds of tiny threads which sew people together through the years. That is what makes a marriage last..." I agree. No one enters marriage (or any other relationship, for that matter) viewing it as a prison. In spite of the old "ball and chain" cliché, when couples get married, they are typically entering this new life together, excited about what the future holds. As each day unfolds, memories are made. Lives become entwined and dreams realized, one step at a time, and the threads are sewn. At first, the bond may feel tentative, but as time goes on and experiences draw the two closer together, those tiny threads begin to form a magnificent tapestry.
Of all the vows that are exchanged, "for better or worse" pretty much sums up the nature of a lasting relationship. Come what may, marriage is a commitment, and the lovers pledge to weather the storms of life together.
At Mason & Mason, we view our relationship with our clients in a similar way. We're dedicated to providing you with the best coverage possible, at a cost you can afford. When we enter into an agreement to develop a comprehensive insurance program for you, we're not just here when the going is easy. We stand by you in difficult days as well. Perhaps that's even more important. Should you suffer a loss, you can trust that we'll be hard at work on your claim, making sure you receive the compensation you deserve. We don't run when things get risky. Instead we use the situation as an opportunity to sew more threads into our relationship with you. We know how important faithfulness is, and we're privileged to be here for you.
Tom Messier, Vice President
Mason & Mason Insurance Agency M&M Assurance Group
P.S. If you enjoy this newsletter, check out our website at www.mmins.com. Click the "Clients" tab at the top of the page and then enter the site with username: "Client" and password: "INFO4U". You'll find more helpful articles on a wide range of topics. You can also check us out on Facebook! If you have any questions, give us a call at (800) 298-0802. We'll be happy to hear from you! |
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Prevent Workplace Injuries by Implementing a Substance Abuse Program
According to statistics from the United States Department of Labor, 40% of industrial fatalities and 47% of individual injuries received on the job are due to intoxication from alcohol. This combined with the fact that businesses suffer related losses of five hundred million workdays and over eight billion dollars each year underscores the fact that alcoholic and drug-dependent employees are very dangerous for businesses. These unfortunate laborers drain the economy of much-needed growth and productivity.
Today, the troublesome situations created by employees suffering from addictions do not just apply to the usage of heavy machinery. Employees also have access to sensitive information about the company. This information when improperly handled leads to gaping liabilities that can exact a high toll on businesses.
The prevailing wisdom about alcoholic or drug-dependent employees is that they can be found in businesses of every size and more importantly every kind. Research actually reveals a different picture...
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Understanding Workers Comp Waivers of Subrogation
It is very common for the insurance requirements in a construction contract to include a provision requiring the subcontractor to waive all rights against the owner and general contractor for recovery of damages to the extent these damages are covered by the sub's workers' compensation and general liability or commercial umbrella liability insurance. Owners and general contractors insist on this provision because they want to protect themselves from being held liable for injuries to a subcontractor's employee. Typically, the contractor giving the waiver asks its insurance company to attach a "waiver of subrogation endorsement" to its workers' compensation policy.
The endorsement states that the insurance company will not enforce its right to recover payments it makes to an injured worker from the person or organization listed on the endorsement. It applies only to the extent that the employer insured by the policy performs work under a written contract requiring the employer to obtain the insurance company's waiver. It does not directly or indirectly benefit anyone not listed on the endorsement. With this endorsement on the policy, the company cannot attempt to recover payments it made to an injured worker from the company listed on the endorsement, even if that company was responsible for the injury. Consequently, the loss impacts the employer's experience modification, probably increasing future premiums. In addition...
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About Mason and Mason
For more than 20 years we've been committed to meeting the insurance and bonding needs of the construction industry. The success and leadership of our practice has led to strategic and proprietary relationships with insurance companies similarly committed to the industry. Our clients benefit from our insurer relationships in the form of products designed with their special needs in mind. Our access to many construction specialty insurers also assures our clients are afforded a range of options at various cost levels in order to match the level of protection for their particular needs. As important as these insurer relationships are, our true competitive edge is the people who serve our clients. We have team of construction insurance professionals who understand the complexities of the worker's compensation and general liability insurance regulatory environment as applied to the industry. We leverage this specialized knowledge and our broad risk management expertise to the benefit of our construction industry clients.
Mason and Mason Insurance M&M Assurance Group
458 South Avenue 3304 White Mountain Hwy
Whitman, Massachusetts 02382 North Conway, NH 03860
T (800) 759-1452 T (800) 298-0802
F (781) 447-2832 F (603) 356-9290 |
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Many thanks to those of you who have already contributed to the Africa Bike Drive! We're over the 300 mark, but we're not giving up yet. We need all the help we can get to make our goal of 500. Please contact me today to see how you can help out this great cause! |
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Our family is growing!
We're shifting some things around at Mason & Mason, and we'd like to share some important news with you.
After many years of professional service to our Personal Insurance customers, Julie Turner has decided to leave the agency to be able to spend more time with her family. We are certainly grateful for all the contributions she has made in various roles, and wish her the best as she moves on.
While losing Julie is sad for us, we are excited to announce that another long-time employee, Christine Zuendt, will be stepping into Julie's shoes and taking over the Personal Lines department in Whitman. Christine has been a licensed MA agent for years, providing the highest level of consultative, knowledgeable support to our business clients, and we are sure she will bring that commitment to our Personal Insurance clients as well.
We'd also like to welcome two new team members to our Commercial
Lines department. Linda Hollstein will be taking over for Christine, and Gretchen Houghton will be joining our team as well, writing new business in Commercial Lines. Linda has several years of experience in the insurance industry, and will do a fine job of picking up where Christine left off, and we're excited at the opportunity to expand our business division by hiring Gretchen also.
We're pleased to have such a diverse and talented group of individuals to meet the needs of our clients. We're sure that you'll be pleased as well. :)
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Exercise Caution to Prevent Employee Claims of Invasion of Privacy
It's not easy being an employer. The business must offer competitive wages and benefits without over-paying. It must keep employees happy but still maintain workplace discipline. It must protect its customers and its assets without seeming to distrust its employees. Without being overbearing or acting as a strict parent, it must ensure that employees are doing their work and doing it well. Many employers, using modern technology, are keeping an eye on workers -- literally. A 2007 study by the American Management Association and The ePolicy Institute revealed that:
- 66% of employers monitor employees' Internet connections
- 65% use software to block employees' access to some Web sites
- 43% monitor employees' e-mail
- 45% monitor the time employees spend on the phone and the numbers they call
- 16% record employees' phone conversations
- 9% monitor voice mail messages
- 7% monitor employees' job performance using video surveillance
Also, in certain industries employers search workers' workstations and lockers, perform drug tests and physicals, investigate their backgrounds, and even monitor their activities outside of work. When an employer disciplines or fires a worker based on information it learned through one of these methods, the worker might become angry enough to sue the employer for invasion of privacy. Although federal and state laws generally permit employers to monitor workers' activities and use of employer property, some suits succeed and all of them divert financial and human resources away from the employer's main business. There are several things employers can do to avoid this...
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