Should I Notify My Insurance Company About a New Puppy?

Mon, 07 Nov 2022 15:00:00 GMT

Australian Shepherd puppy by Brett Sayles

Having a new puppy join your household can change your life. The snuggles and kisses make getting up in the middle of the night for potty breaks worth it, but in the whirlwind of change, it’s easy to forget some practicalities. For example, should you inform your insurance company about your new dog? Are there things you can do to keep your puppy safer? What about protecting yourself financially if your dog bites someone? Here’s what you need to know as a dog owner.

A New Puppy and Insurance Coverage

Whether you own your own home or rent, you probably have insurance coverage for the property. And you should definitely let your insurance company know if you have a new puppy because it may change your policy.

First, you want to know if you’re covered for things like damage caused by your dog. Also, you need to find out if you should add more protection (see dog bite liability below).

Pro tip: while you’re inquiring about insurance coverage, it’s worth asking your insurance agent about your vehicle. Are you covered if your pooch chews a hole in the seat (it doesn’t just happen in the movies) or punctures something with its nails?

Keeping Your Pup Safe

Did you know that Great Dane puppies grow as much in a year as the average human does from birth to high school? While your dog may become practically pony-size very quickly, you still need to protect it while it’s tiny. Here are some home puppy-proofing tips, so hopefully, you won’t have to rely on that pet insurance policy:

Remove attractive items like shoes and kids’ toys until your dog learns not to chew on human belongings or can reliably respond to “Leave it!”
Investing in pet gates can protect your puppy from hazards and rooms you want to keep dog-free.
Decide from the start if you want to allow your puppy on the furniture. Once you have a policy, be consistent. It’s perfectly okay to insist your pup sleeps in its own bed and doesn’t romp on your sofa.
Keep your pup on a leash, even at places like the dog park, until its recall (coming when you call its name) is trustworthy. Never walk your puppy off leash in places where this is not allowed, even if you think your dog won’t roam. It can still get into garbage or chase a squirrel into the road.
Seriously consider crate training your puppy. This will give you a safe place to leave your dog in your absence or when you have workers in the house. It’s also great for calming down an anxious or high-energy dog — bonus points for helping with potty training, as dogs generally won’t go where they sleep.
Don’t forget about your yard. It’s best not to leave very young dogs unsupervised there, even for a minute, but you still need to check for toxic plants, gaps in the fence, and other dangers. Make sure gates shut firmly, and consider posting a sign if people enter your yard for landscaping or playtime with kids. Chasing a loose puppy through your neighborhood (they always seem to get away when you’re still in your pajamas) isn’t nearly as fun as it looks!

Find a good vet before you bring your new puppy home or soon thereafter, and they can offer more tips specific to your breed and lifestyle.

The Importance of Dog Bite Liability Coverage

Even the most friendly dog can wind up biting someone if it is scared, or believes it’s defending its owner or home. And of course, some breeds are more protective than others, particularly as they grow, and larger breeds can inflict serious damage with a bite.

That’s why every new puppy owner should discuss dog bite liability coverage with their insurance agent. Your current renters insurance and homeowners insurance policies may cover liability up to a certain amount, but dog owners might want to supplement that with a personal umbrella policy.

Do you need to double check your insurance coverage as a new puppy owner? Call Paravene Insurance Partners at 425-943-9511 today. We can help ensure you’re properly protected when it comes to your new four-legged household member.

Read the full article at www.paravene.com

Heading Back to the Office? Help Your Team Adjust

Mon, 31 Oct 2022 14:00:00 GMT

Businessmen at a desk by Andrea Piacquadio

If your team has been working remotely for the last few years due to the pandemic, you may be returning to the office now that the situation has changed. To help your group adjust, here are five expert tips.

Start With a Hybrid Schedule

It can be tough for people who have worked at home to do a full 180 and head back to work in person on a 9-to-5 schedule. However, many businesses have found success by using a hybrid schedule of half remote work and half office work to ease back into the routine.

This gives employees a break from the sudden change, which can have ripple effects for them at home if they have a spouse or children who must also accommodate this shift. It also lets you evaluate whether you truly need everyone in the office full-time or if a hybrid schedule is the wave of the future.

Make the Work Environment Welcoming

Create an inviting workspace for your team so they feel better about being at the office. Some ways you can welcome returning workers include:

New office furniture, like high-end ergonomic chairs
Better ventilation
Complimentary food and beverages
Free masks
Perks like services that come to the office (dry cleaning, barber, health and wellness classes, etc.)
Dedicated work areas or pods for those who need or prefer more physical distancing (immunocompromised, at-risk seniors, new parents, etc.)

Try Some Team Building Exercises

It may have been a while since your workers were together — understand that it can take folks time to get back to where they were in 2019. Team building exercises can be a fun way to get everyone in sync again.

You can use food or other incentives, like gift cards or PTO, to up the stakes for winners if you use competitive activities, such as those for workers in sales.

Ensure Proper Work Equipment

If you haven’t used your office space in several years, you need to make sure the infrastructure is functioning properly. Be certain heat, AC, and the like are running correctly.

Additionally, check that your computers, monitors, copiers, and other machinery are in good working order. You may need to update software, operating systems, security, or internet speeds to bring everything up to date.

Remain Flexible

Between new illnesses, power grid strains, unpredictable weather, and other factors, working at the office may still have to be flexible as you move forward. It’s best not to be too rigid in case something forces you back to remote work suddenly. Remember, many of the businesses that weathered the past few years best were the ones that already had work-from-home policies in place and were agile enough to go with the flow.

As your business adjusts to the current working environment, you may need to rethink your insurance coverage in light of your current situation. Call Paravene Insurance Partners at 425-943-9511, and let our independent agents help you find the coverage for where your business is today.

Read the full article at www.paravene.com

Insurance News

Should I Notify My Insurance Company About a New Puppy?

Heading Back to the Office? Help Your Team Adjust