Are 'Flash Mobs' a Real Threat to Retailers?

Crain's Chicago Business recently reported on the phenomenon of 'flash mobs' committing crimes in Chicago's shopping and tourist districts. Groups of mostly young people are apparently using social media to coordinate shop lifting and robberies. The idea seems to be that a large enough group of perpetrators can overwhelm store security and police so that everyone has a good chance of avoiding capture.

Teen-friendly retailers (think Ambercrombie or H&M) are more likely to be targets according to some experts.

-Crain's Chicago Business, June 7, 2011

At this point, probably no one knows if these are isolated incidents or if flash mob crimes are indeed an on-going issue. But it doesn't hurt to stay connected to neighboring merchants, and to keep your employees informed.

Can Insurance Companies Make the World Greener?

CNA Insurance, one of our insurance partners, is offering a new product that does just that.

The "CNA EcoCare® Property Upgrade Extension Endorsement for Small Business" provides for green building upgrades as a result of a covered loss to a building or contents. Normally when buildings are destroyed by fires or storms, insurance pays to re-build them as they were before.

With this endorsement a building can be re-built using green technologies, even at higher costs than typical construction methods.

Automatic additional coverages include:

· Vegetative roofs

· Recycling additional expenses

· Architect and engineering expenses

· Certification or recertification expenses

· Ventilation of reconstructed buildings

Similarly, Hartford offers a feature with its Commercial Auto coverage that will pay you extra if you replace a totaled vehicle with a hybrid. Under the company's broad form endorsement, you can receive an additional 10% of the Actual Cash Value of your old vehicle, up to $2,500, to pay for the upgrade.

Our Continuing Series: Unpredictable Business Lawsuits

An Ohio man was detained and charged with shop lifting by Wal-Mart. He later plead guilty to a lessor charge. He is now suing Wal-Mart alleging that he was falsely imprisoned, and that excessive force was used against him causing bodily injury. His allegation is that while he was in store custody, a store loss-prevention officer shoved him twice, injuring his shoulder.

In Mississippi, a store manager for a discount grocery store was in the habit of bringing her dachshund puppy to work with her. One day a customer who was extremely afraid of dogs saw the animal. In fear, she ran down an aisle, turned, and sought escape from the dog by leaping on top of a freezer. The dog never touched the customer, but the jump aggravated a previously existing hip injury. The customer was initially awarded $130,000 in her lawsuit against the store and the store manager.

-San Francisco Examiner, July 10, 2011  

Sears and a mall management company are being sued for after a 4 year-old boy fell to his death in an Auburn, MA shopping mall. The boy fell through a gap between the up and down escalators.  The wrongful death lawsuit asserts that the replacement escalators that were installed created a dangerous condition between the escalator and the railing at the mall.

-New York Injury News, June 4, 2011

'Weird' Insurance Policies

Use Extra Caution Around Pool Chemicals This Summer