Most organizations could benefit from a comprehensive assessment of their file management systems. With so much dispute and litigation, we have become hoarders of mounds of paper. This overload is barely controllable for talented administrators and uses so much valuable space. Today’s employees are increasingly dependent upon electronic media and try to diligently avoid handling actual paperwork. So with the goals of eliminating paper and helping staff be more proficient the reasonable solutions seems to be presenting itself – conversion from paper to electronic documents is a great opportunity worth pursuing.

Some tips to keep in mind as you develop your computer systems filing system. If you choose to use acronyms or abbreviations in your folder or file names (i.e. PT=Patient, CLT=Client), ensure that an index is furnished to all employees to aid them in being consistent. Consistency is a very valuable tool in developing a system that is both efficient and user-friendly. Identify personnel who may need some supplementary support in implementing the new system. Set up training sessions with them to build up their confidence and improve meaningful use of your records management system.

Each company should designate an adept supervisor to take charge of the transition process. This leader should capitalize on the positive aspects of the current system and those staff members who can offer team members support. Adopting this strategy will make everyone more at ease with the changes and will help those who may feel intimidated by the change to follow the new protocols. Administrators should be familiar with business standards, including state and federal regulations, when implementing the system since these rules could govern or have an impact on your record-keeping procedures.  Typically, electronic transactions are subject to the same confidentiality and privacy laws and restrictions that paper files are.

Be sure to assign someone the task of "weeding out" old files and checking to be sure that files are properly filed.  Archival folders should be established and a procedure setup to manage records that have retention requirements such as financial records which typically must be held for seven years before they can be destroyed. Following a consistent maintenance schedule can keep folders from getting too full and overwhelming to evaluate. This protocol may help reveal problem areas which could inspire future staff training sessions.

Electronic document management is the record system of the future.  Today’s older generation can still remember the paper trails and has lived through the transition of the typewriter to the personal computer.  Although there is comfort in old systems, the new systems bring new efficiencies that the old could not provide.  This transition from paper to e-documents is sure to reveal equally advantageous benefits.  We can look forward to fewer file cabinets and shrinking loads of paper. 

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The information presented in this blog will review necessary steps in starting a career in insurance and opening your own insurance office. Now that you have made the choice to work for yourself—you have realistically reviewed your experience and resources. You have recognized your potential sales ability and have a positive reputation with other business professionals but have not worked in the insurance trade. You need to determine if you are interested in becoming an independent agent or working for an established national insurance firm such as Farmers or Allstate. If you opt to go into business with a national insurance company, you will find that they and will help you obtain your license and get the education you need. If you desire to be an independent agent, you have some hard work ahead of you; however, you are starting on an exhilarating journey and will be proud of your investment in the future.

Number One—Get Licensed!  You can find out about the qualifications for becoming an insurance agent by contacting your home state's department of insurance.  Each state manages the insurance market and its agents in order to maintain consumer protection and to delegate a fair competition among the state’s insurance professionals.  In reviewing the state prerequisites then decide what type of insurance you want to sell. The types of insurance are personal lines, property and casualty, and life insurance. Personal lines are the most generally known and include non-commercial products such as auto and homeowners insurance. Property and casualty (also known as P&C) lines encompass advanced personal and commercial insurance like professional liability and commercial auto insurance. Life insurance is a good product to add to your lines because typically this kind of insurance clears the best payout.

As you begin researching sources for funding, consult your attorney, accountant, and other business experts as support in evaluating your needs and for aid in executing a focused business plan. The Small Business Administration in your region can offer excellent counsel on what you need to do to obtain capital for your new venture. If you are looking for financing, be ready to offer detailed information about your start-up expenses and any capital needs you may have. Financial institutions will review your objectives and assure you have a levelheaded business plan before they take on the risk involved in making a loan to you.

As a small business owner, it is reasonable to think about forming a limited liability company (LLC) or corporation in order to guard yourself from personal liability claims. Your counsel and/or accountant will be able to counsel you on this and help you in obtaining a state business license. By setting up a legal business entity, you can protect your personal assets and make your business more credible.

Be sure to secure protection for your business by obtaining a surety bond. A surety bond is comparable to insurance in that it pays the purchaser if a contractual service or agreement has not been carried out as agreed. You will also have to procure errors and omission (E&O) insurance. Most insurance companies that you work with will direct you to have an E&O policy in place.

Now you are primed to pursue the education and training necessary to obtain your license. Some educational resources accessible online include Kaplan University, AdBanker and WebCE. These organizations offer professional and continuing education sessions to help prepare one for licensing exams and to fulfill the state requirements for license renewals. Warning: if you decide on online classes, verify that the curriculum meets the requirements in your state. Most states order training in ethics and a concentration in a specialty area such as flood insurance. Call the department of insurance to discover what these requirements are in your state. Keep in mind that once you have obtained your license you need to meet continuing education requirements in order to renew your license each term.

Next as a licensed agent, you need to get appointed by insurance underwriting companies. As an independent agent, you will have to speak to the insurance carriers and sell yourself. Consequently, you will need to be ready to provide your business agenda and plans for growth so that they can make an informed determination. It is helpful if you have an inside association who can help you with the appointment process. This effort will probably be the most difficult obstacle you have come up against so far. If you have difficulty getting authorized by these companies, initially you may want to use a surplus lines broker or managing general agent (MGA) such as Insurance Noodle or Smart Choice. Typically, these MGA firms charge a membership fee and take a portion of your commission for supplying access to insurance companies that quote and guarantee your policies. Even though those fees raise overhead expense, it provides you versatility in the products you can offer and provides you time to build up clientele and knowledge.  An alternate avenue for a start-up agency is to join a cluster, alliance or network group such as ISU Network which uses the authority of the body to obtain appointments.

Have your new website up and running from day one as this can be a premier part of your public relations strategy. Also look at the convenience of advertising your business via social networking sites like Facebook. By using these resources you can inform people about your new business and set the stage for referrals and building your client base. Be sure to keep these posts personal and casual with an occasional marketing ad-you don't want to be tagged as a spammer.

If you were once an agent for a captive or national insurance company, give consideration to any non-compete contracts with those companies before you solicit your previous client base. If this agreement exists, discuss the restrictions with your lawyer so that you do not disobey any state laws. If you are just starting out as an agent, bear in mind that picking the appropriate agency name can be an adept part of your business plan. Utilizing your name in the agency name builds recognition and assists customers to identify you more easily. Make sure to check out the local advertising channels such as your local newspaper or chamber of commerce depending on your target audience.

As you inspect your office management requirements, you need to check out your plan for retaining records and being familiar with information that can affect your business. Numerous insurance companies invest in various software systems such as insurance rating systems, agency management systems and customer relation software in order to be more efficient. You should place emphasis on obtaining an agency management software system to help in keeping accurate documents on your clients and their policies.  As you familiarize yourself with the idiosyncrasies of the insurance industry, you will learn about ACORD, a global non-profit organization that develops standards and systems that benefit the insurance and related financial industry in the assimilation of information. They have developed consistent forms, known as ACORD forms, to automate the acquisition of data. In order to meet legal and standardized regulations you will need access to these forms. Many software companies offer assess to these forms so a thorough evaluation of ACORD licensed software systems will help you reach the most advantageous verdict for your office.

Yes, there’s a lot of homework to do but if you are prepared to roll up your sleeves and get to work, with lots of diligence you will be proud of the investment you have made in your future and the strong firm you have developed.

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This blurb will review the increasing popularity of social media sites like Facebook and Twitter, and companies' need to insure they have sufficient insurance coverage to address these specific risk exposures.

As the latest social media technologies present new opportunities for the business market as well as individuals, the challenges are a critical interest that must be addressed. Many organizations are overlooking these opportunities and risks at their own jeopardy. Those who assume a proactive attitude can enlarge their client base, develop new business and increase their brand recognition. Those who do not can be subject to negative advertising and possible legal claims stemming from employee or consumer allegations. A memo dated May 30, 2012 published by the National Labor Review Board (NLRB) reveals the increasing danger that businesses run into concerning their social media standards. It is paramount that businesses adequately inspect their risk management policies and insurance protection to include social media vulnerability.

In regard to employees' social media use, businesses need to ascertain what types of control are right for their specific situation. Do assistants use social media as a part of their job? Are they allowed to use company resources even when posting on personal sites? In the NLRB memo mentioned earlier, many businesses were cited as using unlawful practices to control their employees' social networking activities. Many businesses were vague or too broad in the language used and the language could possibly be taken as a censorship of their free speech rights. Walmart was supported for their social media practice because they made clear any ambiguous language so as not to ignore any associate's First Amendment or state-constitutional free speech rights. Failure to enact appropriate controls have the potential to lead to illegal employment practices, misleading advertising, discrimination against a legally protected status (e.g. race, gender) or breaking of federal and state laws. There could also be other dangers to those businesses under the purview or supervision of a regulatory body.

In regard to business records management (RM) strategies, Symantec among other security control organizations accentuate the importance of building a proper retention plan to safeguard against risks. A Forbes.com article about social media risks included a declaration from Gartner Group estimating that by the end of 2013 half of all corporate litigants "will be asked to produce material from social media websites for e-discovery". Lack of a dependable RM policy could undermine the ability to produce records mandated by the court as well as increase the possibility of unintentionally releasing facts that would otherwise be kept from public exposure. Development of a clear-cut and executable program can protect against legal liability or an embarrassing public relations snafu.

The community likes the right to connect through social media so the business industry needs to respond, adapt or lose an opportunity to realize the great possibilities that come with the multiplying social media technologies. One way some organizations are taking advantage of the chance is by developing "canned" text or pre-approved topics/statements that may be posted by employees. This approach can be an smart way to launch a proactive social media policy and safeguard their interests at the same time.

In essence, businesses need to acknowledge the risks and concentrate on social media policies in regard to crisis/risk management, intellectual property, client/employee privacy, and compliance with federal and state laws and industry regulatory restrictions. With the increasing use of technologies, businesses should also speak to their insurance agents to ensure they have proper insurance coverage - some providers require special riders in order to administer coverage against social media exposure.

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