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Benefits and Me: How to Spot Errors on Your Medical Bill

Healthcare advocacy group Medical Billing Advocates of America estimates that up to 80% of all medical bills have errors. While working with high patient influxes and various medical codes, it’s easy for billing mistakes to happen. As such, it’s crucial to look over your bill thoroughly to help save money. Consider these tips for spotting errors:

  • Request an itemized bill with medical codes.
  • Confirm that the charges are for services you received.
  • Verify dates of service and personal information.
  • Compare the explanation of benefits to the bill. 
  • Check for upcoding, a charge for a more expensive service.
  • Be sure there aren’t any canceled services.

Errors on your medical bills are common, but that doesn’t mean you can’t spot them and save yourself money. Take charge of your healthcare dollars by reviewing your medical bills to spot any mistakes.

Why Dental Benefits Are Crucial for Your Overall
Well-being

Selecting and utilizing dental benefits is crucial because the condition of your teeth and gums significantly impacts your overall health. Proper oral health care can help prevent infections, tooth decay, gum disease, and other conditions. Furthermore, good oral health supports not only your teeth and gums but your overall health and well-being.

Here are some of the ways dental hygiene can affect your overall health:

  • Better cardiovascular health. Gum disease increases inflammation in the body, including within heart tissue.
  • Improved respiratory conditions. Bacteria can travel from your mouth to the bloodstream and into your lungs.
  • Reduced risk of diabetes. People with gum disease are more prone to developing diabetes. If you already have diabetes, it’s vital to maintain good oral hygiene for prevention, as you’re more likely to contract gum disease and certain infections.

Talk to your HR representative if you have questions about your dental offerings or other health benefits.

FSA Basics

A flexible spending account (FSA) is an employer-sponsored savings account used to pay for certain out-of-pocket health care expenses. A healthcare FSA limits employee contributions to $3,050 for 2023. Consider these FSA basics:

  • You can use FSA funds to pay for deductibles and copayments for your plan—but not the premium.
  • You can use FSA funds to pay for other qualified health care costs, such as eye exams, contact lenses, and hearing exams.
  • You are not taxed on the money put into the FSA.
  • You typically must use FSA funds within a year, or they are forfeited.  However, depending on your plan, you may be able to carry over a portion of FSA funds into the following year. The 2023 carryover limit is $610.
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Home Matters: Liabilities of Renting Your Home

You may be considering renting out your home for extra income while you’re away for an extended period of time. Though this seems like an ideal solution for homeowners with extra room to spare, it can also pose significant liabilities. If you are thinking about renting out your home, consider this guidance to minimize your risks.

· Ask for references from potential renters—especially those that are looking to stay for an extended period.

· Establish a rental agreement that defines the terms of the rental, including restrictions, liabilities, and occupancy guidelines.

· Request a security deposit that is only to be refunded if there is no damage to your home.

· Consider hiring a property manager to look out for your home if you are renting out your property for a long period of time.

· Set aside a secure and protected place in your home to store personal items, such as clothing and valuables.

· Take pictures of all areas of your home before the rental takes place as documented evidence in case damage occurs while you are away.

· Have your mail forwarded or held until you return to keep guests from having to handle any letters or packages that get delivered during their stay.

· Provide your contact information to both the renters and your neighbors in case of an emergency.

Secure Adequate Coverage

In addition to taking these precautions, be sure to advise your insurance agent that you plan to rent out your home and ask about how this may affect your current coverage.

Keep in mind that standard homeowners insurance policies typically don’t cover losses related to renting out your property. That being said, you may need to secure additional, specialized coverage before renting out your home—such as rental property insurance (also known as landlord insurance).

For more personal risk management guidance and insurance solutions, contact us today.

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The Trendiest Benefits for 2023

insurance benefits

Benefits Breakdown

There’s no denying that employees’ needs have changed in recent years. As such, employers should consider offering benefits to meet evolving worker needs shaped by the lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, a tight labor market, and rising inflation. In 2023, many workers are now paying more attention to their benefits and wondering how to stretch their dollars further.

Benefits have always been crucial for attracting and retaining top performers. In 2023, employers are uniquely positioned to offer more than just a healthcare plan, including holistic benefits, resources, and perks that today’s workers most need. The following benefits are likely to be popular in 2023:

  • Voluntary benefits, such as accident and critical illness insurance
  • Financial wellness benefits, including health savings and flexible spending account contributions, and financial planning assistance
  • Health care full premium coverage
  • Family-friendly benefits

Organizations can start optimizing benefits packages by evaluating employee preferences and thinking about ways to improve offerings or tailor them for their workforce. To ensure offerings and investments will resonate with employees, organizations should consider surveying them first. It’s important to keep a pulse on employees and see what they find most valuable and necessary for their overall well-being.

Strategies for Encouraging Employee Health Care Shopping

Paying more for health care doesn’t necessarily mean the consumer receives a higher quality service or outcome. Shopping around for health care can result in savings for both employees and employers.

One of the first steps in encouraging employees to shop around for health care is education. Employers have a unique opportunity to provide data and information to help employees understand the saving potential of healthcare comparison shopping. Employers can also direct employees to user-friendly tools that break down pricing. These may be available through a third-party benefits administrator or health plan partner.

Aside from education, another way to help make healthcare shopping top of mind for employees is creating rewards for certain consumer behaviors, such as comparison shopping. Incentives may also be rewarded for using employer-provided price transparency tools to compare services and procedures. Some employers may offer cash incentives, while others offer wellness program points.

The rise of health care costs isn’t slowing down any time soon. Fortunately, comparison shopping offers employers an opportunity to take a proactive approach to reduce these costs and make employees feel empowered to take charge of their health.

Contact Midwest Insurance Group For Health Insurance

We do more than recommend policies from a nearly limitless range of casualty and property insurance for businesses and individuals. We help transform our clients’ businesses and households into financially secure, profitable endeavors through coaching programs, technological support, and attentive claims service.

Midwest Insurance Group partners with Erie insurance, one of the nation’s leading auto and home insurers, with an A.M. Best rating of A+ (Superior). Contact MIG at 262-646-5777 to discuss employee health insurance plans for your business.

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Manufacturing Jobs & Hearing Protection: How Loud Is Too Loud?

hearing safety

According to the American Journal of Industrial Medicine, around 46% of all manufacturing workers have been exposed to hazardous noise at some point during their employment. Things like rotors, power tools, stators, gears, fans, impact processes, and electrical machinery can all generate significant levels of noise, which, in turn, can negatively impact your hearing.

Prolonged exposure to excessive noise is particularly dangerous and can lead to tinnitus, which is characterized by ringing, buzzing, and roaring in the ears. In some cases, harmful levels of noise can lead to permanent hearing loss.

To keep employees safe, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has specific regulations related to workplace noise exposure. This flyer provides a general overview of these regulations and ways you can stay safe on the job.

OSHA’s Noise Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL)

Noise is measured in units of sound pressure levels called decibels (dB). Often, decibels are expressed as dBA, which refers to A-weighted sound levels. Essentially, this measurement is more specific than dB alone, as it accounts for relative loudness perceived by the human ear.

There are two specific noise measurements to keep in mind when it comes to hearing protection and workplace safety—the action level and permissible exposure limit (PEL):

  1. Action level—For noise, OSHA’s action level is 85 dBA averaged over an eight-hour workday. When workplace noise reaches this level, employers are required to implement a hearing conservation program and offer hearing protection.
  2. PEL—Per OSHA, the PEL for noise is 90 dBA over an eight-hour workday. At this level, employees are required to wear hearing protection. In addition, for every 5 dBA above the action level, the duration of employee exposure to noise must be cut in half (e.g., 85 dBA/eight hours, 90 dBA/four hours, 95 dBA/two hours). Furthermore, exposure to noise should not exceed 140 dBA.

Protecting Yourself From Harmful Noise

Tinnitus and hearing loss can be debilitating and irreversible. However, being aware of the symptoms of hearing loss can go a long way toward ensuring your health and safety at work. Common symptoms of hearing loss include the following:

  • Straining to understand conversations
  • Needing to have things repeated frequently
  • Increasing television or radio volumes to excessive levels
  • Ringing in your ears or feeling dizzy

If you are experiencing any of these symptoms, speak with your doctor and supervisor. To further protect yourself in the workplace, it’s important to be aware of adverse noise levels that can lead to hearing loss, and follow all relevant workplace safety policies and procedures. For questions regarding workplace noise and safety, speak with your supervisor.

Contact Midwest Insurance Group About Business Insurance

We do more than recommend policies from a nearly limitless range of casualty and property insurance for businesses and individuals. We help transform our clients’ businesses and households into financially secure, profitable endeavors through coaching programs, technological support, and attentive claims service.

Midwest Insurance Group partners with Erie insurance, one of the nation’s leading auto and home insurers, with an A.M. Best rating of A+ (Superior).

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Cyber Update

No Holidays for Hackers: Higher Revenue Losses for Non-weekday Cyber Events

Ransomware events that occur on holidays and weekends cause much higher revenue losses than cyber incidents occurring on weekdays—primarily due to lower staffing levels—according to a survey of over 1,200 cybersecurity professionals.

Security firm Cybereason found that nearly half (44%) of organizations drop security staffing levels on holidays by as much as 70% and under a quarter of respondents reduce their security staff by 90% from normal weekday levels. Just 7% of organizations have at least 80% of their security professionals available on holidays and weekends.

The impact is clear: one-third of respondents said they saw a much greater financial toll from weekend and holiday attacks, up from 13% in 2021’s study. The losses were even higher in the transportation and education sectors, where the number of respondents reporting higher revenue losses jumped to 48% and 43%, respectively.

“Ransomware actors tend to strike on holidays and weekends because they know companies’ human defenses often aren’t as robust at those times,” said Lior Div, Cybereason CEO, and co-founder. “It allows them to evade detection, do more damage and steal more data as security teams scramble to mobilize a response.”

The study also revealed slower risk assessment times during breaks, with 60% of respondents saying it took them longer to fully understand the scope of the attack. This, in turn, slows down recovery time and adds costs.

Cybercriminals already know holidays and weekends are prime attack times, especially as the strain of relentless cyber events takes its toll on security professionals. In fact, multiple high-profile cyberattacks have occurred on holidays. In 2021, hackers made headlines on Mother’s Day weekend (Colonial Pipeline), Memorial Day weekend (meat supplier JBS Foods), and the Fourth of July (software vendor Kaseya). 

The survey indicated a few areas where organizations can improve their resilience to off-hours cyber events. More than a third (36%) of organizations said they had no business continuity plan, despite observing other companies’ struggles to bounce back. Of those firms that have already experienced a ransomware event, nearly a quarter (24%) still don’t have a ransomware-specific contingency plan.

Some industries are better prepared than others. Specifically, the IT/telecommunications sector and construction firms were most likely to be prepared, with 84% and 81% of respondents indicating they have plans in place for weekend and holiday events. Manufacturing (67%) and health care (65%) were less prepared, despite these sectors’ potential for high revenue losses or loss of life.

 

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Cyberthreats Are a Leading Cause of Loss at Hotels and Motels

cyber threats

The nature of the day-to-day business at hotels and motels puts them at high risk of cyberattacks. These organizations handle enormous amounts of personally identifiable information (PII) and personal financial information (PFI), making them lucrative targets for cybercriminals. In fact, Advisen data shows cyber losses account for 18% of all losses at hotels and motels. The following article reviews various cyber risk factors at hotels and motels and provides best practices to protect against cyber threats.

 Hotel and Motel Losses by Category

Hotels and motels are seen as easy and profitable targets for cyberattacks. Here’s why:

  • Technology dependence—Customers rely on online services to make bookings and payments. Digital key access and biometric check-in technology are also commonly used to improve hotel efficiencies.
  • Third-party risk—Most bookings are made through third-party websites. This leaves hotels and motels vulnerable to cyber losses if one of their third-party vendors is compromised.
  • Valuable information—Hotels and motels collect valuable PII, including passport information, addresses, and emails. They also store debit and credit card information from payments, which may be kept for months or even years in advance of a reservation.
  • Connected devices—Digitalization has created a greater surface area for cyberattacks. Smart TVs, elevators, security systems, and ventilation systems have created new vulnerabilities. Each can be used as an entry point for attack.
  • Inadequate security—Most web hosts use low-quality servers that lack adequate security measures. This creates an opportunity for hackers. Heavy reliance on third-party websites also means hotels and motels are exposed to security gaps on external servers.

Hotel and Motel Cyber Losses by Breach Source

Attacks on hotel and motel servers account for half of all industry-related cyber losses, according to Advisen data. Point-of-sale (POS) systems were the second most frequently compromised at 23%, followed by telephone or fax communications at 11%.

Email breaches account for just 5% of cyber losses at hotels and motels. However, Advisen data shows these types of losses have become more frequent in recent years. Common cyberattacks stemming from emails include phishing, spoofing, and social engineering.

 Hotel and Motel Cyber Losses by Targeted Information

According to Advisen data, PFI was targeted in 74% of cyberattacks on hotels and motels. This information is typically seen as a highly promising target for cybercriminals. PII was accessed in 23% of cyberattacks, and personal health information was targeted in less than 3% of all cyberattacks on hotels and motels.

Examples of significant cyberattacks at hotels and motels include the following.

  • A data breach of Marriott’s reservation database from 2014 to 2018 resulted in the information of 500 million guests being accessed. Response costs following the breach were $177 million, Advisen loss data reported.
  • A data breach at 41 Hyatt Hotels in 2015 resulted in the unauthorized access of credit card information for at least 650 guests, according to Advisen.

Threats

Here are some of the most significant cybersecurity threats for hotels and motels:

  • Phishing—These attacks are designed to trick employees into clicking links in official-looking emails. Hackers use these attacks to steal sensitive data, such as credit card information or login credentials, or install malware. Sometimes, the malware installed during phishing attacks is ransomware.
  • Ransomware—These attacks, often initiated via a phishing email, are frequently targeted at hotels and motels. A ransomware attack involves a malicious actor gaining control of a company server in exchange for ransom. Sometimes hackers will threaten to leak sensitive information online if the ransom isn’t paid.
  • Distributed denial of service (DDoS)—The heavy reliance hotels and motels place on their networks for daily operation puts them at high risk for these types of attacks. DDoS attacks take advantage of an organization’s limited website capacity. Hackers will send multiple requests to the targeted website to exceed its capacity and prevent it from functioning properly.

Cybersecurity Practices

Here are some best practices to protect against cyberattacks at hotels and motels:

  • Multifactor authentication—This method of protection requires at least two forms of identification to be presented before permitting access to company systems.
  • Employee training—All employees should be trained to recognize and respond to phishing emails and other scams.
  • Data back-ups—In case of a ransomware attack, having data backed up in a separate location may allow your company to return to business quickly without paying a ransom.
  • Install antivirus programs—Antivirus programs should be installed on all connected devices. These include smart TVs, elevators, security systems, and ventilation systems.
  • Encryption—This technique scrambles data to make it unreadable without a key. This will help prevent unauthorized users from understanding important data if they gain access to it.

Proper mitigation can reduce the likelihood of a major cyber loss will occur. Hotels and motels that employ cybersecurity best practices will also likely receive better pricing, terms, and conditions on their cyber insurance policies.

Contact Midwest Insurance Group About Insurance Protection For Cyber Threats

Cyberattacks pose a serious threat to all businesses. For hotels and motels, which rely heavily on online servers for reservations and payments, the risk is often greater. To learn more about what your organization can do to reduce the risk of major cyber losses, contact MIG today at 262-646-5777.

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How Inflation Impacts Workers’ Compensation Insurance

workers comp

This past year has seen growing inflation concerns, impacting individuals and industries across the board. The commercial insurance market is no exception to these concerns. Similar to other goods and services, inflation can also elevate the cost of insurance.

In the scope of workers’ compensation coverage, inflation issues have become increasingly evident through various sector trends—including labor shifts, rising wages, higher medical expenses, and rate adequacy challenges. With this in mind, it’s important for businesses to better understand these trends and learn what they can do to mitigate inflation concerns within their workers’ compensation programs.

This article provides more information on how inflation impacts workers’ compensation insurance, outlines key factors currently influencing coverage costs, and offers best practices to help businesses keep such costs under control.

Workers’ Compensation Insurance and Inflation

The average change in expenses for consumer goods—also known as the consumer price index (CPI)—has reached 40-year highs over the past year, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). Although these CPI trends highlight the prevalence of inflation issues for individuals and certain industries, it’s important to note that such trends don’t directly impact workers’ compensation coverage.

Rather, this segment is primarily affected by medical inflation, which refers to rising prices for healthcare necessities (e.g., medical devices, treatment, supplies, and pharmaceuticals). These prices are typically determined a year in advance based on projections by Medicare and private insurance contracts. Because such projections took place before inflation concerns skyrocketed last year, medical inflation has remained fairly low compared to CPI trends.

As a result, the workers’ compensation insurance sector has yet to face the full impacts of rising inflation issues. Nevertheless, the coming year’s projections could present increased medical inflation concerns, thus elevating claim costs and affecting overall coverage expenses going forward.

Fortunately, the segment is better equipped to handle inflation issues than other commercial lines of coverage. This is because the sector has stayed resilient in recent years, performing as an outlier by remaining profitable. According to the National Council on Compensation Insurance (NCCI), the segment’s private carrier combined ratio in 2021 was 87, matching 2020’s results and marking the eighth consecutive year of underwriting profit. The sector’s net written premium also significantly declined in 2020 and remained stable in 2021.

Furthermore, many states have fee schedules in place for workers’ compensation coverage, which are predetermined expenses for different medical services. These fee schedules are intended to keep treatment costs for injured or ill employees and associated claim expenses reasonable, therefore combatting medical inflation concerns.

Factors Influencing Workers’ Compensation Insurance Costs

Although medical inflation is the main factor impacting the workers’ compensation insurance segment, there are other elements currently influencing coverage costs. Specifically, the NCCI identified the following trends as key contributors to coverage expenses:

  • Labor shifts—Over the past year, many employees have begun leaving their jobs in search of positions that offer greater work-life balance, flexibility, and benefits, coining a new employment trend known as the “Great Reshuffle.” This trend has led to a surge in short-tenured employees and increased labor shifts between industries. According to the NCCI, short-tenured employees have significantly higher injury frequency rates than their long-tenured counterparts, contributing to additional workers’ compensation claims and driving up coverage costs. The proportion of older employees is also on the rise, with those over the age of 55 predicted to account for nearly one-quarter of the workforce by 2024, according to BLS data. Similar to short-tenured employees, older workers are more prone to occupational injuries. What’s worse, such workers’ injuries are also usually more serious in nature, affecting claim frequency and severity and elevating coverage expenses.
  • Wage growth concerns—In efforts to attract and retain employees amid the Great Reshuffle, many businesses have increased their workers’ pay. Although this trend is happening across industry lines, it has been most prevalent in sectors with a large proportion of lower-wage positions (e.g., leisure and hospitality), according to the NCCI. Because payroll is leveraged as an exposure base to calculate workers’ compensation premiums, wage inflation could prompt increased rates. After all, higher wages are tied to greater benefits, and it’s crucial for benefits and premiums to remain in balance to ensure workers are adequately reimbursed for lost income following occupational illnesses or injuries. The NCCI also reported that the surge in employees receiving raises and moving from lower-wage positions to higher-paying roles could increase the risk of payroll miscalculations and create short-term disconnects between wages, benefits, and workers’ compensation premiums. Most states have an index for wage inflation to make sure premiums and benefits keep up with each other, but it’s still possible for errors to occur.
  • Healthcare technology advancements—As previously mentioned, the full impacts of rising medical inflation issues within the workers’ compensation insurance segment are still on the horizon, with elevated claim and coverage costs predicted in the year ahead. Compounding concerns, various advancements in healthcare technology have led to growing treatment costs. These increased costs have the potential to further exacerbate overall claim severity.
  • Rate adequacy challenges—The initial onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent shift in the proportion of remote employees resulted in major fluctuations in the number of workers’ compensation claims and their associated costs. While these fluctuations have led to reduced claim frequency and severity in recent years, insurance experts are unsure how long such trends will last—making it more difficult to accurately determine businesses’ workers’ compensation exposures and ensure rate adequacy.

Steps Businesses Can Take

Amid growing inflation concerns in the workers’ compensation insurance segment, there are measures that businesses can implement to help mitigate their coverage costs. Here are some best practices for businesses to consider:

  • Ensure accurate payroll projections. Having correct wage information is critical for conducting accurate premium calculations. Errors in payroll projections could present serious consequences, such as inadequate rates, insufficient benefits or a lack of ample coverage following costly claims. As wage inflation concerns continue, it may be beneficial to consult a trusted insurance professional for further assistance with payroll projections.
  • Review fee schedules. Pay close attention to applicable state-regulated and carrier-negotiated fee schedules for workers’ compensation coverage. These fee schedules can help maintain reasonable treatment expenses by establishing set rates for various medical services. Through the utilization of fee schedules, employees can receive much-needed health care for work-related illnesses and injuries without significantly driving up claim costs—even with medical inflation issues on the rise.
  • Promote a safe work environment. To reduce the risk of potential claims and related workers’ compensation costs, it’s important to utilize effective health and safety initiatives on-site (e.g., employee training and personal protective equipment). Additionally, having a return-to-work program in place can help employees safely and successfully resume their job duties following occupational illnesses or injuries, therefore keeping claim costs at bay and limiting the likelihood of further incidents.
  • Manage claims effectively. Lastly, it’s vital to have clear processes established for handling workers’ compensation claims as diligently and efficiently as possible. Effective claim management protocols can often help mitigate claim severity and prevent similar losses from occurring in the future.

Contact Midwest Insurance Group To Discuss Workers’ Compensation Insurance

Overall, it’s evident that inflation is a rising issue within the workers’ compensation insurance sector. By gaining a better understanding of inflation trends and implementing measures to mitigate coverage costs, businesses can maintain effective workers’ compensation programs amid this shifting risk landscape. Contact MIG today for additional workers’ compensation resources at 262-646-5777.

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What You Should Know About Healthcare Benefits

benefits

Benefits and Me

How to Spot Errors on Your Medical Bill

Healthcare advocacy group Medical Billing Advocates of America estimates that up to 80% of all medical bills have errors. While working with high patient influxes and various medical codes, it’s easy for billing mistakes to happen. As such, it’s crucial to look over your bill thoroughly to help save money. Consider these tips for spotting errors:

  • Request an itemized bill with medical codes.
  • Confirm that the charges are for services you received.
  • Verify dates of service and personal information.
  • Compare the explanation of benefits to the bill.
  • Check for upcoding, a charge for a more expensive service.
  • Be sure there aren’t any canceled services.

Errors on your medical bills are common, but that doesn’t mean you can’t spot them and save yourself money. Take charge of your health care dollars by reviewing your medical bills to spot any mistakes.

Why Dental Benefits Are Crucial for Your Overall Well-being

Selecting and utilizing dental benefits is crucial because the condition of your teeth and gums significantly impacts your overall health. Proper oral health care can help prevent infections, tooth decay, gum disease, and other conditions. Furthermore, good oral health supports not only your teeth and gums but your overall health and well-being.

Here are some of the ways dental hygiene can affect your overall health:

  • Better cardiovascular health. Gum disease increases inflammation in the body, including within heart tissue.
  • Improved respiratory conditions. Bacteria can travel from your mouth to the bloodstream and into your lungs.
  • Reduced risk of diabetes. People with gum disease are more prone to developing diabetes. If you already have diabetes, it’s vital to maintain good oral hygiene for prevention, as you’re more likely to contract gum disease and certain infections.

Talk to your HR representative if you have questions about your dental offerings or other health benefits.

FSA Basics

A flexible spending account (FSA) is an employer-sponsored savings account used to pay for certain out-of-pocket health care expenses. A health care FSA limits employee contributions to $3,050 for 2023. Consider these FSA basics:

  • You can use FSA funds to pay for deductibles and copayments for your plan—but not the premium.
  • You can use FSA funds to pay for other qualified health care costs, such as eye exams, contact lenses, and hearing exams.
  • You are not taxed on the money put into the FSA.
  • You typically must use FSA funds within a year, or they are forfeited. However, depending on your plan, you may be able to carry over a portion of FSA funds into the following year. The 2023 carryover limit is $610.

Contact Our Wisconsin Health Insurance Specialists

Use these tips to help understand your healthcare benefits, and contact your Midwest Insurance Group, LLC representative at 262-646-5777 today for more resources.

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Are You Prepared For Cyber Attacks On Your Wisconsin Business?

cyberattack

Unlike physical threats that prompt immediate action—like stopping, dropping, and rolling if you catch on fire—cyber threats are often difficult to identify and understand. Cyber threats include dangers such as viruses erasing entire systems, intruders breaking into systems and altering files, intruders using your computer or device to attack others and intruders stealing confidential information. The spectrum of cyber risks is limitless; threats, some more serious and sophisticated than others, can have wide-ranging effects on the individual, community, organizational and national levels.

How To Protect Your Business Before a Cyber Attack

You can increase your chances of avoiding cyber risks by setting up the proper controls. The following are things you can do to protect yourself, your family, and your property before a cyber incident occurs:

  • Only connect to the internet over secure, password-protected networks.
  • Do not click on links or pop-ups, open attachments, or respond to emails from strangers.
  • Always enter a URL by hand instead of following links if you are unsure of the sender.
  • Do not respond to online requests for personally identifiable information (PII). Most organizations—such as banks, universities, and businesses—will never ask for your personal information over the internet.
  • Limit who you are sharing information with by reviewing the privacy settings on your social media accounts.
  • Trust your instincts. If you think an offer is too good to be true, it probably is.
  • Password-protect all devices that connect to the internet and all user accounts.
  • Do not use the same password twice—choose a password that means something to you and you only. Change your passwords on a regular basis (every 90 days or so).
  • If you see something suspicious, report it to the proper authorities.

The extent, nature, and timing of cyber incidents are impossible to predict. There may or may not be any warning. Some cyber incidents take a long time (weeks, months, or years) to be discovered and identified.

During a Cyber Attack

Here are some of the steps you should take during a cyber attack:

Immediate Actions

  • Check to make sure the software on all of your systems is up to date.
  • Run a scan to make sure your system is not infected or acting suspiciously.
  • If you find a problem, disconnect your device from the internet and perform a full system restore.

At Home

  • Disconnect your device (e.g., computers, gaming systems, or tablets) from the internet. By removing the internet connection, you prevent an attacker or virus from being able to access your computer and perform tasks such as locating personal data, manipulating or deleting files, or using your device to attack others.
  • If you have anti-virus software installed on your computer, update the virus definitions, if possible, and perform a manual scan of your entire system. Install all of the appropriate patches to fix known vulnerabilities.

At Work

  • If you have access to an IT department, contact someone in it immediately. The sooner someone can investigate and clean your computer, the less damage to your computer and other computers on the network.
  • If you believe you might have revealed sensitive information about your organization, report it to the appropriate people within the organization, including network administrators. They can be on alert for any suspicious or unusual activity.

Public Locations

  • Immediately inform a manager or authority figure in charge. If someone has access to an IT department, contact the department immediately.

After a Cyber Attack

  • File a report with the local police so there is an official record of the incident.
  • Report online crime or fraud to the Internet Crime Compliant Center (IC3) or the federal government’s internet fraud resource website. Report identity theft to the Federal Trade Commission.
  • If your Personal Identifiable Information was compromised, consider other information that may be at risk. Depending on what information was stolen, you may need to contact other agencies. You should also contact your state’s DMV for transportation if your driver’s license or car registration has been stolen.

More About PII In Cyberattacks 

PII is information that can be used to uniquely identify, contact or locate a single person. PII includes but is not limited to:

  • Full name
  • Social security number
  • Address
  • Date of birth
  • Place of birth
  • Driver’s license number
  • Vehicle registration plate number
  • Credit card numbers
  • Physical appearance
  • Gender or race

Take these steps if you believe your PII has been compromised:

  • Immediately change all passwords, and change your financial passwords first. If you used the same password for multiple resources, make sure to change it for each account, and do not use that password in the future.
  • If you believe the compromise was caused by malicious code, disconnect your computer from the internet.
  • Restart your computer in safe mode and perform a full system restore.
  • Contact businesses, including banks where you have accounts, as well as credit reporting companies.
  • Close any accounts that may have been compromised. Watch for any unexplainable or unauthorized charges to your accounts.

Contact Midwest Insurance About Cyberattack Protection

In addition to insuring your home, Midwest Insurance Group, LLC is committed to helping you and your loved ones stay safe when disaster strikes. If you would like more information on how to protect yourself from a cyber-attack, please contact us at 262-646-5777 or https://midwestinsurancegroup.com/ today.

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Loss Control Tips To Protect Your Wisconsin Business

Loss control

Nonprofit Organizations

Nonprofit organizations serve their communities by working toward furthering social causes or providing other public benefits. Through charitable donations and other forms of fundraising, nonprofit organizations can help raise awareness on important topics and offer valuable resources or assistance to community members in need. However, operating a nonprofit organization also carries significant risks.

These organizations have to manage numerous property and liability exposures, including working with volunteers, assisting vulnerable populations, serving food and drinks, hosting events or fundraisers and leading various community initiatives. That’s why it’s vital to have effective loss control measures in place. This resource outlines common risks nonprofit organizations must address and offers helpful strategies to avoid possible claims.

Premises Liability

Nonprofit organizations are at risk of various liability concerns. For example, rental or property damage to a third-party caused by a nonprofit organization or its employees can lead to costly claims. In addition, injuries to volunteers, members, or visitors/customers could result in litigation. Therefore, it’s important for nonprofit organizations to take the following measures to limit their premises liability:

  • Keep the parking lot in good repair by conducting regular inspections and maintenance. Make it a priority to fix potholes, cracks and other slip and trip hazards as quickly as possible. Maintain adequate snow removal and de-icing protocols throughout the property during winter months.
  • Ensure all floor surfaces in the building remain clean and dry. Place water-resistant rugs at all property entrances to eliminate slip and trip concerns from excess moisture during adverse weather conditions (e.g., rain, ice and snow).
  • Make sure all emergency exits are properly marked and free of obstructions. Instruct employees never to block an exit, even temporarily. Post property signage that clearly outlines emergency evacuation routes and procedures.
  • Ensure proper food preparation and serving protocols are followed if the establishment hosts events where food is sold or provided.

Professional Liability

A work mistake, failure to provide promised services or alleged negligence can be detrimental to a nonprofit organization, as they could result in major lawsuits or financial losses. To minimize professional liability risks, nonprofit organizations can implement the following procedures:

  • Develop and implement an adequate vetting and application process for hiring both paid staff and volunteers.
  • Ensure a training program is in place for new staff members and volunteers. Volunteers should be partnered with experienced employees until they are able to demonstrate full competence in their designated.
  • Establish adequate protocols for handling allegations of child molestation, sexual misconduct or other forms of harassment against employees.

Contact Midwest Insurance To Discuss Loss Control Strategies For Your Wisconsin Business

Midwest Insurance Group partners with Erie insurance, one of the nation’s leading auto and home insurers, with an A.M. Best rating of A+ (Superior). To Learn the MIG Difference Call us now: 262-646-5777