Please click on the links below to view some handy insurance tips we have assembled. As always, our staff will be happy to provide you with all of the information you need about the coverage we provide.

Commercial Advantage Loss Prevention Tips
E-Commerce Advantage Loss Prevention Tips
Light Manufacturing Advantage Loss Prevention Tips
Wholesalers’ Advantage Loss Prevention Tips
Contractors' Advantage Loss Prevention Tips
Protecting Your Computer Equipment
Business Interruption Prevention
Office Loss Prevention Tips
Commercial Vehicles Loss Prevention Tips
Repair Garage Loss Prevention Tips
Retail Loss Prevention Tips
Slip and Fall Loss Prevention Tips

Commercial Advantage Loss Prevention Tips

• Maintain exterior/interior walkways to prevent tripping, slipping, and falling.
• Keep a written log of all winter maintenance operations.
• Have adequate lighting both inside and outside of the premises.
• Store stock raised off the floor to minimize the effects of water damage.
• Use double pronged hooks for safer display of retail merchandise on walls.
• Move target stock from the front of the store after hours. Use iron bars or protective film on display windows.
• Keep minimal cash on hand, and store it in a burglary resistant, safe (anchored to the floor).
• Monitor electronic security systems with a ULC supervisory service.
• Install dead bolt locks that comply with life safety requirements on exterior doors.
• Keep duplicate computer data at an offsite location to minimize the effects of business interruption.

E-Commerce Advantage Loss Prevention Tips

• Develop policies for all aspects of e-commerce transactions (such as shipping, refunding, use of personal or financial information) and make them available on the web site.
• Promote the security of transactions (confidentiality, integrity, authentication and non-replication).
• Provide documents of completed transactions (such as printable invoices with essential tracking information).
• Use a firewall to protect the network as well as an Intrusion Detection System (IDS).
• Stay current with security patches on all devices, operating systems, anti-virus signatures and software.
• Monitor the site’s daily usage and log all daily activities.
• Get to know clients and their interests to help monitor and identify fraudulent orders.
• Protect stored data by encrypting client information on a server not connected to the internet.
• Use address verification to keep track of consumers who are known to abuse the web site.

Light Manufacturing Advantage Loss Prevention Tips

• Post and enforce “No Smoking" signs inside the plant area.
• Conduct all spray and powder coating operations in facilities constructed in accordance with NFPA*33 Spray Applications.
• Store and dispense flammable and combustible liquids in accordance with NFPA*33 Flammable Liquids.
• Implement a formal permits system when conducting maintenance welding operations.
• Keep combustible packaging and waste materials to a minimum.
• Establish a formal fire plan with the help of local fire authorities.
• Schedule regular preventative maintenance for machinery, compressors and material handling equipment.
• Install adequate surge protection on all computers, machinery and equipment.
• Employ legal counsel to review all contractual liability, agreements, labels and warranties associated with products that are manufactured or distributed.

*National Fire Protection Association
Wholesalers’ Advantage Loss Prevention Tips

• Protect against theft with deadbolt locks, high security padlocks for overhead doors, and monitored electronic security systems.
• Install an automatic sprinkler system that is monitored by a ULC listed supervisory service.
• Elevate all stock and materials to protect against water damage.
• Store bulk supplies of combustible pallets or shipping containers at least 50 feet (15.25M) away from the building.
• Work with local fire authorities to identify conditions that could impede firefighting efforts.
• Place portable fire extinguishers throughout the premises (serviced and tagged annually).
• Install sturdy posts and barricades around shipping doors to protect against vehicle impact.
• Employ legal counsel to identify and review all contractual liability (like hold harmless agreements) as they apply to products being distributed.

Contractors' Advantage Loss Prevention Tips

• Maintain equipment by qualified personnel according to the manufacture’s specifications.
• Protect tools, equipment and materials after hours with fencing, lighting, locks and a guard service.
• Obtain certificates of insurance from all subcontractors and service personnel working at the job site.
• Provide formal job site training and orientation for all new employees.
• Place portable fire extinguishers around the job site and train staff in their use.
• Protect the general public by restricting access to the job site to authorized persons.
• Implement an active safety program to reduce hazards on the job site.

Protecting Your Computer Equipment

• Clamp or lock computer hardware (e.g. laptops, external hard drives, towers) to desks/work stations. Security kits are available at nominal    cost.
• Backup data and programs on a regular basis and store them offsite in a secure location.
• Laptop computers are portable and easy targets for theft. Do not leave them unsecured or unattended.
• Maintain records of serial numbers for all of your computer equipment.

Business Interruption Prevention

• Employ the services of a professional accountant to:
• Prepare financial statements.
• Perform an annual audit of your books.
• Maintain a list of secondary suppliers of materials in the event your primary supplier suffers a loss.
• Be prepared with a plan of action as to how you will continue to service your customers while your premises are being repaired after a loss. This will help you to avoid losing your customer base. Consider availability of temporary premises where you can resume operations immediately.
• Duplicate your business records and store them off-site; in the event that your premises are damaged, you will have documents to substantiate any business interruption loss.

Office Loss Prevention Tips

• Avoid overloading of electrical outlets, particularly in older buildings equipped with fuses instead of circuit breakers.
• If existing electrical service is inadequate, ensure that any required electrical modifications are done by a professional electrician.
• Ensure that life and safety features such as fire alarms, exit signs and emergency lights are operational and serviced as per applicable fire code specifications.
• Clean all spills or wet floors immediately, post signs warning of wet or damp floors and check floor surfaces for potential hazards on a regular basis. Non-slip rugs should be used during the winter months.

Commercial Vehicles Loss Prevention Tips

• Be selective when hiring drivers for your vehicles by obtaining pre-employment checks on all employees. Your vehicles should be suitable for the type of work you do and the relative experience of your drivers. A safety conscious driver, with a clean driving and operating record, is the key to reducing the risk of personal injury to the driver and passengers as well as any damage or injury to others.
• Drivers should never pick up hitchhikers or allow anyone who is not authorized by the owner, to ride in the vehicle.
• Proper maintenance improves road safety and should be completed by experienced and qualified mechanics. Regular maintenance schedules and records should be kept to prevent accidents caused by unexpected mechanical failures.
• Inspect your vehicle every day against a standardized checklist. Keep your vehicle equipped with a flashlight, good spare tire, jack and flares in case of emergencies.
• Proper use of vehicles extends the life of your vehicle as well as preventing damage to the property of others. Drive on well-maintained and well-traveled roads. Travel at speeds that are not in excess of the posted speed limit. Properly secured loads prevent your load from spilling on the roadways causing damage to others. Improper loading or overloading leads to load shift and/or upset or rollover. Vehicles should only be used for their intended purpose.
• Always lock your vehicle and take the keys with you, even if it is only for a few minutes.
• Never leave the engine running while your vehicle is unattended.
• Safeguard your keys - never keep your vehicle keys or business keys on the same key ring and never attach identification tags to them.
• Valuable items exposed to view are an invitation to thieves, e.g. log books, delivery schedules, cash, cheques. Drivers should never reveal the contents of their vehicles, their loads, their destination or leave their loads unattended.
• Deliveries should not be made unless the receiving party signs them for.
• Parking in well-lit areas is important for personal safety and for the protection of your vehicle and cargo. Keep your vehicle in a locked garage or protected location when not in use.
• Choose your anti-theft devices carefully. There are many types of anti-theft devices available to protect your vehicle and cargo. Choose the mechanical device, alarm or electronic immobilizer that is best suited to protect your vehicle and cargo.

Repair Garage Loss Prevention Tips

• Establish, post and strictly enforce a rule forbidding customers from entering the service bay area. By establishing a clean, safe waiting area for customers, you will significantly reduce the possibility of "slip and fall" types of losses. An added benefit is that customers will not disturb your mechanics while they are working on vehicles.
• Ensure that you always get signed customer work orders that outline the authorized repairs. This will eliminate any disputes as to the work that was authorized by the customer.
• When preparing a customer's work order, all completed repairs should be listed along with all recommended repairs declined by the customer; the customer should sign-off the work order. Including declined recommendations in the work order could protect you from a potential liability loss.
• Make sure that the front, rear and interior of your business premises are well lit, particularly when closed for business.
• When overnight storage of customers' vehicles is necessary, they should be stored inside if possible. If outside storage of vehicles is required on a regular basis, the area should be well lit, adequately fenced and padlocked overnight.
• Establish a key control procedure with employees to limit access to customers' keys. Keys should be kept under lock and key, within your office premises. This will reduce the accessibility of keys to potential thieves and vandals, reducing the possibility of customers' vehicles being stolen or vandalized.
• Limit the amount of cash in the till by using a safe or money-limiting device. Make regular bank deposits, varying the time of deposits and the route taken.
• Ensure that you maintain accurate inventory records for all stock, including tools, automobile parts and miscellaneous retail items. In the event of a theft loss, accurate records will make it easier for the insurance adjuster to settle your claim fairly, quickly and equitably.
• Obtain driver abstracts for all employees on a regular basis. This will help you to determine which employees should be test-driving customers' vehicles.
• Establish guidelines for employees as to when and who is permitted to test drive customers' vehicles.
• Ensure that test drives follow a predetermined route, in areas that have relatively light vehicular and pedestrian traffic. This can significantly reduce your chance of suffering a loss with a customer's vehicle.

Retail Loss Prevention Tips

• Never store combustible material, such as cardboard or paper, near heaters or electrical equipment and remove combustible waste on a regular basis.
• In sprinkled buildings, keep stock more than 18 inches below the sprinkler heads, so as not to interfere with the system's effectiveness in the event of a fire.
• Avoid overloading of electrical outlets, particularly in older buildings equipped with fuses instead of circuit breakers.
• Keep all of your stock off the floor, stored on skids, shelves, or racks.
• Make sure the front, rear and interior of your business premises are well lit, particularly when closed for business.
• Arrange the interior layout of the store so that the till area is clearly visible from the exterior of the building.
• Limit the amount of cash in the till by using a safe or money-limiting device.
• If your store is open long hours, consider the installation of closed circuit television cameras and hold-up alarms.
• Make regular bank deposits, but vary the timing of the deposits and the route taken.
• Install anti-shoplifting devices and surveillance equipment or keep high priced merchandise under lock and key in display cases.
• Ensure that life and safety features such as fire alarms, exit signs and emergency lights are operational and serviced as per applicable fire code specifications.
• Do not block exits with stock or equipment. Ensure that all exit doors are unlocked during store hours.

Slip and Fall Loss Prevention Tips

• Inspect the interior of your premises on a regular basis for unsafe conditions that could lead to a slip and fall loss. Maintain a daily log of when the inspection was done, what conditions were noted and what corrective action was taken.
• Floors should be kept clean and in good repair at all times, with loose or defective flooring being replaced immediately.
• Ensure that aisles are kept clear and free of fallen merchandise or stock. (e.g. fruit, vegetables, clothes, etc.)
• During periods of inclement weather, all entrances should have mats or rugs to help keep the floor clean and dry. Damaged mats should be replaced as soon as possible.
• Non-slip wax should be used on floor surfaces, where required.
• Water and other spills should be mopped up immediately and a Caution-Wet Floor sign should be posted.
• For surfaces that are consistently slippery, specialized non-slip epoxy coatings or non-skid flooring materials may be used.
• For spills involving oil or other industrial materials, absorbent non-combustible cleaning materials should be used.
• Ensure that all entranceways and aisles are clear of obstructions and/or promotional displays.
• Inspect the exterior of your premises on a regular basis for unsafe conditions that could lead to a slip and fall loss. Maintain a daily log of when the inspection was done, what conditions were noted and what corrective action was taken.
• Any damage to stairs, sidewalks and pavement should be repaired as soon as possible, with signs and barriers posted, until such time as repairs are completed.
• A snow and ice removal program should be implemented and adhered to, with a single individual having responsibility for the program.
• Have the appropriate equipment, tools and materials available for use by your staff, in the case of a weather related emergency. e.g. shovels, salt, sand, etc.
• Professional snow removal contractors should be contracted to plow, sand and salt your parking and walkway facilities. Ensure that the contractor keeps a comprehensive log of the work performed.
• Clean gutters and downspouts and ensure that melt water is directed away from sidewalks and walkways. Check that exterior lighting is adequate and check on a regular basis for malfunctioning light fixtures.
• Establish and maintain a daily garbage removal program, whereby the walkways and sidewalks are swept and the debris removed on a regular basis.