Heritage Insurance Ltd

Updating Your Business Insurance for 2012

2012-01-20T15:31:00.002-06:00

As you complete your 2012 insurance review for your business, consider some of the following points.

Have you invested in any new equipment? As the value of your business’ property grows, so too should your contents limits.
Are you renting or leasing any office supplies? If you rent or lease large office supplies and equipment, it’s important you factor in the value to the lender in your coverage limits.
How much of your merchandise do you generally have in-office? Supplies and merchandise that you have in the office but not out on display still need to be valued so you can maintain adequate coverage.
Have you changed the type of merchandise you offer? Is it more expensive? If you now stock merchandise that is more expensive than the merchandise you offered in the past, then you may need higher policy limits. Even if you have the same merchandise but its cost has gone up, new coverage limits may be necessary.
How much risk do your services entail? If your employees and/ or you provide a service that introduces risk to your clients or your company, you may want a commercial umbrella policy to provide additional liability coverage.
Have you used your personal vehicle for any company errands? Have your employees used their vehicles? Commercial auto insurance is important even if your company doesn’t own your vehicle and you or your employees simply use a personal vehicle for company errands.
Are your liability limits sufficient and are you covered for all your activities? From product liability insurance to employment practices liability insurance to professional liability coverage, there are many specialized liability policies that can offer specific protection for your business’ needs. This year, make sure you get all those that apply.
Have you hired more employees? If you have, you may need worker’s compensation coverage, if you don’t already have it. With worker’s compensation, your injured employees can get the payments they deserve while you protect yourself from their claims.
Do you have any key employees? Key employees can hurt your business when they pass away. If you have a key employee whose passing would negatively impact your income, invest in key person life insurance.
Is your buy/sell agreement still valued correctly? If you and your partner have a buy/sell agreement, you need to occasionally review your company’s value to make sure the buy/ sell life benefits are adequate.
What speciality insurance could you use? Depending on your industry, there may be many specialty insurance coverages you can invest in to give yourself a full range of protection. This can include equipment coverage, crop coverage, business interruption insurance and more.

It can be overwhelming to consider all the different types of insurance policies a business needs. At Heritage Insurance, we’re here to help you sort through all your options and get the right Moose Jaw business insurance policiy for your company and risk exposure.

Do Virtual Employees Need Insurance?

2011-12-16T10:02:00.000-06:00

In the last few years, business has begun going places once unthinkable. Along with the Internet came the creation of virtual offices, which meant that businesses could choose to have no on-site employees. With a virtual office, a business owner in South Dakota could hire employees all over the world without even meeting them.
If you have hired these virtual workers as employees, however, and not simply retained their services as contractors, you still have some insurance responsibilities; even if they don’t work in your office with you.

Worker’s compensation: If you can’t self-insure potential worker’s compensation needs, then you must have a policy to cover your virtual employees. Although these individuals will be working in their own space, should they become injured while doing work for your company, they may be eligible for worker’s compensation benefits.
Group insurance benefits: Although not required in most locations, giving group health, life and dental benefits to virtual employees can help your employee retention and advocate a sense of loyalty to your business. This loyalty is something that may be more difficult for the owner of a virtual office to foster. Some of these benefits, such as health and dental, can keep virtual employees and their families healthy and reduce their need to take medical leave or sick time.
Liability protection: Every business, whether virtual or brick and mortar, has exposure to liabilities. Customers can be given the wrong information, products can be faulty, and services can be conducted late. All of these instances can result in damages that your customers can sue you for. Your business needs general liability and may also need product liability, but it may even need professional liability to cover the specific duties of your employees.
Disability: Some states require disability insurance benefits be provided to employees, even though this covers injuries and illnesses that are not work related. If you hire a virtual employee in any of the following states, you should find out if you are required to offer disability coverage:
- California
- Hawaii
- New Jersey
- New York
- Puerto Rico
- Rhode Island

There are many variables that factor into what a virtual employer may be required to offer his or her employees. These variables can depend on the location of the employee (whether domestic or abroad), the hours worked, the number of overall employees and the type of work that is completed. In order to get specific answers about virtual employee insurance requirements for your business, request an appointment with one of our agents. Together, we can ensure that your business interests, and your employees, are properly covered.

To discuss your Regina Business Insurance policy, contact your agent at Heritage Insurance today.

How is the insurance premium determined for Homeowner’s Insurance?

2011-08-24T14:43:00.000-06:00

How insurance premiums are calculated can be different from company to company. However, most companies will use the following when determining what to charge you for your homeowner’s insurance.

Location
Insurance companies will take into consideration the crime rate in your area, how close your home is to a fire department, and the likelihood for weather-related claims.

Type of constructionWhether your home is made of wood, stucco siding, brick, or stone.

Age of homeNew homes can typically qualify for discounts.

Amount of coverageThe amount of coverage you purchase on your home, the contents of the home, and the liability limit will play a role in the cost of your policy.

Loss valuationHow your policy will pay for your home in the event of a claim, whether it will pay the actual cash value or the amount it costs to replace the items lost.

Deductible
How much of a loss you are willing to pay before you insurance kicks in. If you have a mortgage on your home, the maximum amount of your deductible many times will be dictated by your lender.

Contact Heritage Insurance Agency today for your Moose Jaw Home Insurance policy!

Three Misconceptions About Home-based Business Insurance

2011-08-03T15:01:00.000-06:00

Starting a home-based business is easy, but that doesn’t mean that tax and insurance planning for the business is simple. And unfortunately, many small, home-based business owners skip the insurance planning part altogether, assuming that it doesn’t apply to them. But no matter how small your business is, or where you conduct it, insurance is a practicality that should not be ignored.

Let’s take a look at three common misconceptions about home-based business insurance, and the truth behind them.

1. My business is small—I don’t need insurance for it. Your business exposes you to a set of liabilities that you’ve not been exposed to before. As a business owner providing a service or product to clients, you can be found liable for damages that your product or service causes. Without professional liability insurance to protect yourself, you could be exposing your business or personal assets to loss.

2. My homeowners insurance will cover everything. Home insurance is a personal insurance product and does not automatically provide protection for commercial activities that take place in the home. It does not automatically protect business property that is stored in the home and does not cover liabilities that are brought on by business activities. Your home insurance policy, when your agent and insurer are notified of your business, may include special coverage for these items. If not, then you need to consider separate commercial insurance for business property and, as mentioned above, liability insurance.

3. Since my business doesn’t own my car, I don’t need commercial auto insurance. Your business entity does not need to have ownership of your car in order for you to need commercial auto insurance. The type of auto insurance you need is not determined by the ownership of the car but by the purpose behind the use of the car. If you drive your automobile for business reasons, such as picking up clients, delivering products or buying supplies, or if you ever store business or client property in the vehicle, then commercial auto insurance is likely necessary.

The goal of commercial insurance is to protect your financial liabilities and ensure that you are insulated from the financial damage that insurable incidents can cause to you and your clients. But more than that, commercial insurance products act almost as a business continuation plan by ensuing that you won’t lose business assets over liability, damage and accident expenses left uncovered by an insurance product.

Let Heritage Insurance take care of your Regina Business Insurance today!

Remodeling and Home Insurance

2011-07-18T08:49:00.000-06:00

Remodeling your house, either to increase the resale value or to increase quality of life while you live in it, is almost a no-brainer. But the activity of remodeling, and the results that follow, can have a drastic effect on your home insurance coverage.

Insurance during the Remodel

While you remodel your home, you need to make sure that you have the proper liability coverage in place. If you hire contractors to work on the home, they may have their own coverage. But handymen and friends of the family, if injured, will have the ability to place a claim against your home insurance policy.

Certain working conditions may create a more hazardous environment in your home and expose the interior to damages. Make sure that you do your best to minimize exposure so that you are not negligent and exposing yourself to more risk than is necessary.

The materials you choose to use during the home remodel could have an effect on your home insurance premiums. Make sure to follow the most recent code guidelines when making improvements and invest in materials that fortify your home against damage so you can see a discount reflected in your home insurance policy.

Finally, think about your contents during the renovation. In some rooms, you may have to find temporary, offsite storage for the contents. This can take them out of the purview of your policy and expose you to risk of loss unless you have a supplementary plan of coverage for them while they are offsite.

Insurance after the Remodel

Once you remodel your home, your property value will increase as will your replacement costs. And if any redecoration is included in the remodel, the value of your personal property might have increased as well. All of this translates into a need to update your home insurance policy to reflect your new values. Raising your limits ensures that you can get exactly what you need out of your policy in the event of a post-remodel insurable incident.

It’s not difficult to update your home insurance policy to reflect these changes. Just call your agent and let them know what you’ve updated, and they can help you decide what your new property and contents limits need to be. Since this will likely increase your insurance premium, you can consider raising your deductible a bit in order to balance it out.

Contact us at Heritage Insurance today to make sure your Regina Home Insurance policy is all up to date!

Why Small Businesses Need Insurance

2011-06-15T15:31:00.000-06:00

Small business owners often try to make do with minimal fuss. With the explosion of the internet, many small business owners are able to work out of their own homes to save on lease and rent expenses, hire freelancers to save on taxes and employee benefit expenses, and take classes to learn how to handle their own accounting, web design and other sophisticated needs.

Attempting to save money as a small business owner is smart and effective, but for each measure you attempt to save money with, you need to look beyond the “now” and try to determine whether or not this approach will actually cost you more in the future.

As an example, let’s talk about accounting. The small business owner who attempts to do his or her own accounting could be opening themselves up to future expenses in the form of additional taxes, fines and corrections if they are not dedicated to taking the time to learn how to do these things correctly.

This leads us right to the topic of insurance. Small business owners—especially those who work out of their home—routinely skip out on getting appropriate coverage for their business. Often, these individuals feel that the cost of the insurance premiums outweighs their risk exposure. Unfortunately this leaves them exposed to numerous liabilities and losses that could easily result in the closure of their business and the depletion of their personal assets as they attempt to make themselves or their clients whole.

One of the most important forms of insurance for small businesses is professional liability insurance. This protects you, as an acknowledged professional in your field, from the liabilities associated with errors, omissions, and malpractice.

Another important insurance for a small business to consider is commercial property coverage. Whether you are working out of your home or renting space to conduct your business, the insurance covering your location does not extend to your business property. You could lose all of your electronic equipment, machinery, supplies and stock without any recompense after the incident.

Finally, commercial auto insurance is a policy that many small business owners should consider. Personal auto insurance coverage will not cover insurance claims related to the business use of your automobile—even if that use is something as simple as picking up supplies at your local office supply store.

Insurance is a valuable asset to our personal lives as well as our business lives. Without it, we leave ourselves exposed to losses that we may not be able to recover from.

Make sure your Regina Business Insurance covers everything you need with Heritage Insurance!

Commercial Package Policies

2011-05-09T16:34:00.002-06:00

There are many different types of risks that a business owner might be exposed to and each requires its own insurance policy. When buying individual insurance policies to cover each risk, it can get confusing, which is why there are commercial package policies available to help business owners organize the insurance policies they need to protect their business into one convenient package. Often, this package can also afford an insured some discounts which makes it even more advantageous.

Not every type of insurance can be offered in a commercial package policy, however. Business owners can create their package using any of the following:

Property coverage
General liability
Employment practices
Auto
Inland marine coverage
Machinery coverage
Crime coverage
Boiler coverage
Farm coverage
Professional liability coverage

While the policy package may have some limitations, it is not cookie cutter. You individual package may have declarations, endorsements and conditions specific to you and the needs of your business. For instance,

Each package will have what is called a common policy declaration, which spells out the details of who and what is covered. It will include the insured’s name, the date of coverage start and end, a description of the nature of the business covered and the premiums.
Another package-wide spec is the common policy conditions, which spell out the responsibilities and obligations of the insured that is named first on the declaration. This ensures that, in the case of a business with multiple owners who are all named on the policy, one individual owner is responsible for making premium payments and responding to inquiries rather than having each business owner assume that another is handling it when none of them are. This is also the only individual on the policy with the power to cancel it. In order to do so, he or she must send the request in writing to the insurer. If the first named insured wishes to transfer these responsibilities to another, the request must also be made in writing and must be approved by the insurance company.

In this type of package policy, it’s also important to note that the insurance company is generally permitted to audit the insured company’s books and records at any time while the policy is in-force and for up to three years after it is canceled. They can also make an inspection or survey any time while the policy is in-force.

Be sure you understand your Regina business insurance policy with Heritage Insurance today!

5 Safe Driving Apps for Your Teen Driver

2011-03-01T13:05:00.000-06:00

Being the parent of a teen driver is not a relaxing experience. As you watch your teen bound out the door each day, car keys in hand, a million fears run through your mind. And while you can’t protect your teen from every driving risk they face once they walk out that door, you can take advantage of some phone apps that help enhance teen safety while they drive.

Text Disablers
There are many apps out there that can disable your teen’s ability to read or send texts while they are in a moving vehicle. These include: TextArrest and Key2SafeDriving. Other apps, like Drivesafe.ly Pro, read texts aloud and allow your teen to create an auto response that the phone sends on its own. Think of it as hands free responding.

Learn about the other available Safe Driving Apps for Your Teen Driver from Heritage Insurance today!

Benefits of having Homeowners Insurance

2011-01-25T14:41:00.000-06:00

There is no doubt that a homeowners insurance policy offers you and your family the financial reimbursement you will need to get your life back on track after an insurable incident. But the financial benefits of having homeowners insurance are not experienced by policyholders unless they endure an insurable incident with a financial impact that exceeds their deductible. Of course, that doesn’t mean that there are no intangible benefits to enjoy as you pay your premiums each month.

Peace of Mind is Priceless
When you know that you have an insurance policy protecting your family, then you have peace of mind. That might not prevent an incident, but it can certainly help you sleep at night. Without homeowners insurance you are left with a subconscious nagging prompted by the insecurity that being uninsured brings with it. In this state, a lot of mental and emotional energy is used up wondering how you would rebuild your family’s life if your home were to become ruined in an insurable incident.

Guarantee Your Continued Financial Security
Insurance also ensures your financial stability. You probably have big plans for your retirement, your children’s educational future and the repayment of all your debt. But without homeowners insurance to ensure that your personal savings do not need to be utilized after an insurable incident, there is no guarantee that you will be able to realize any of these plans and dreams in the manner you want. Instead, you may be forced to use the money you so carefully saved just to rebuild your home after a fire or other tragedy. Saving money without knowing that you will be able to use it the way you intend can leave you feeling insecure and may even impact your motivation to save.
Insurance is a serious topic. It’s not a fun purchase and it isn’t something that you will use in your everyday life. A homeowners insurance policy gives you permission not to dwell on how expensive and devastating an insurable incident can be and the confidence to know that you will be able to recover financially after one.

Be sure to learn more about your own Regina home insurance from Heritage Insurance today!

Comparing Homeowners Insurance Quotes

2011-01-04T11:23:00.000-06:00

It is easy to get tunnel vision when looking for homeowners insurance quotes. Sometimes, in the midst of many quotes and hours spent looking for policies, shoppers can resort to simply narrowing their selection down to price and choosing the cheapest quote rather than considering the actual value of the policies they are considering buying compared to all the other policies they have looked at. But doing so isn’t the best way to make sure you are getting the best and most affordable policy to actually fit the individual needs of your home and your family. Instead you must evaluate all aspects of the policy, from coverage to deductibles, and the cost in order to get the best deal. Here is a list of items you should review before you commit.

Dwelling amount: The amount of the dwelling coverage is the amount you would get for the actual structure of your home. This includes the building that you consider your home and any other attached structure—like an attached garage.
Contents amount: The actual structure of your home isn’t the only part of your property with value. The items you fill your home with are also valuable, both financially and emotionally. Contents coverage is what you are insured for on damages to your possessions like your furniture, electronics, clothing, etc.

Read more factors to know about when shopping for your own Saskatchewan Homeowners Insurance from Heritage Insurance today.

Why Carry an Umbrella Policy

2010-11-24T16:34:00.002-06:00

How often do you hear on the news about an injured car accident victim who received a million dollars in damages because the driver of another car accidentally crossed the double yellow or ran a red light? We all feel bad for the victim, but have you ever wondered who pays that million dollars? It's the other driver. And what if that other driver—who had no malicious intent but who simply looked away for just a second—were you? And what about the small business owner who must close up shop after someone slips and falls in her store and she can't afford to stay open while paying the awarded injury claim?

Put yourself in that hapless driver and business owner's shoes. You've been ordered to pay a million dollars in damages. Your car or business insurance policy covers $300,000, then the courts go after your personal and business assets. Soon, you're ruined—all because of a careless mistake. Fortunately, this doesn't have to happen if you protect your liability with a personal umbrella insurance policy.

Read the rest of this story with Heritage Insurance and see about changing your Saskatchewan Business Insurance into an umbrella insurance policy.

Prairie provinces embark on prevention initiatives

2010-10-22T12:35:00.000-06:00

by Michelle Morra | Canadian Occupational Safety | October 7, 2010

Manitoba and Saskatchewan have the highest workplace injury rates in Canada and have shared that dubious distinction for years. And those lost-time injury statistics do not include the agriculture sector, where 1,769 workers were killed between 1990 and 2005, according to the Canadian Agricultural Safety Association.

We know farms are dangerous — what’s happening in the rest of the industries in these two provinces?

Looking at workplace injury statistics across all Canadian jurisdictions, “Saskatchewan and Manitoba stick out like a sore thumb,” says Phillip Germain, executive director for prevention at the Workers’ Compensation Board of Saskatchewan.

Manitoba and Saskatchewan share the top two spots for having the highest lost-time injury rates (LTI) in all of Canada. Despite a decreasing trend in these prairie provinces’ LTI per 100 workers — dropping from 5.6 to 3.8 between 2000 and 2009 in Manitoba, and from 4.9 to 3.44 between 2002 and 2009 in Saskatchewan — these rates are still high compared to the national average of 2.12.

“We certainly see that as something that needs to change,” says Mike Carr, Saskatchewan’s associate deputy minister, labour, employee and employer services division, Ministry of Advanced Education, Employment and Labour.

Saskatchewan is the province that pioneered occupational health and safety legislation in Canada in 1972. Carr believes that Saskatchewan’s regulatory regime still stacks up with the best in North America.

“But we need to engage in some positive social marketing about the hazards of work, and about the obligations that employers and employees have to ensure their safety,” he says. “We don’t intend to be a leader in the highest injury rate category, but a leader in the lowest injury rate. We take that very seriously.”

In Manitoba, there has been a shift as injuries in the manufacturing sector dropped by 35 per cent from 2000 to 2006 and continue to improve. Manufacturing represents the major influence in overall trends observed in recent years, but now the service sector has surpassed manufacturing for the first time.

The increase in service sector injuries, according to the WCB’s 2009 annual report, was driven by health care and its ongoing problem with musculosekeletal injuries (MSIs). These are being addressed with a direct marketing campaign for health care professionals, including web-based videos on how to transfer patients.

Even as Manitoba’s LTI improves along with that of other Canadian jurisdictions, the number remains steady for one group of workers — those over the age of 45. The WCB has recently identified and is in the process of researching different tactics to address the issue.

“We’re still trying to figure out why exactly that is,” says Warren Preece, director of communications for the Manitoba Workers Compensation Board, “but it’s becoming clear that older workers are going to become an important demographic. It could be because of many factors — older people re-entering the workplace, people staying longer than they used to, or simply more older workers.”

Manitoba and Saskatchewan face the same workplace health and safety challenges as the rest of Canada. As for why Manitoba has the country’s highest LTI rate and Saskatchewan is a close second, there are theories.

Read the rest of the article here

Contact Heritage to check on your own Saskatchewan Business Insurance today!

Local woman left uninsured after basement flood in June

2010-09-30T15:01:00.000-06:00

by Brian Rodgers | September 29, 2010 | The Mercury

On June 23, more than 12,000 gallons of rainwater poured into Cheryl Alexus' basement at 434 First Street. The water had flowed downhill from Perkins Street and began steadily pooling up against a berm, out in front of Alexus' house. The berm, which was put up to protect against flooding, was evidently no match for the large amount of rain flowing down the street. Soon, the water overtook the temporary blockade, and began gushing into Alexus' basement through a hole in the front yard, which had been made earlier in the day while crews put in new sewer lines.

"All of a sudden the water just started to shoot through. It just let loose, and it filled the basement in 10 minutes," said Alexus' boyfriend, Tim Wishart, who was in the house at the time.

The water came in so quick, and in such huge supply that there was little Alexus and Wishart could have done to reduce the damage. The debate now, however, is whether more could have been done in the hours beforehand in order to prevent the catastrophe from happening.

Insurance companies, both Alexus' personal one and the City's insurance provider, have held the line and deemed the flood an act of nature, leaving the homeowner with a $40,000 bill to account for damage and loss of property.

Alexus and Wishart, however, believe the flood happened due to human error, and want to see the City workers held liable for negligence. The City maintains it had no wrongdoing in the matter.

Meanwhile, Alexus has spent nearly three months without a home to stay in, and just wants some help to have the damage debts paid off.

Her story is very different, although equally as harrowing, as those of the flood victims in Maple Creek and Yorkton.

Alexus had moved into the house on First Street about four weeks before the flood took place. Shortly after moving into her new home, she decided to have the sewer lines replaced in the 53-year-old house. While doing so, a plumber advised Alexus that she have the sewer lines on the outside of the house checked as well. Soon after, City workers visited the house to check on the sewer lines running from the street to the curb (the City's responsibility), and determined that they, too, needed to be replaced.

Having already put new sewer lines in her home, and with plans in place to have the City's sewer lines replaced, Alexus thought it would be appropriate to have the remaining sewer pipes, from the yard to the curb, updated as well.

Glen Peterson Construction Ltd. arrived at the house on June 23, contracted by the City to replace the lines on both sides of the curb. City workers did the work on the street side, while Peterson's employees did the work in Alexus' yard. The Peterson track hoe was used by both parties to complete the work.

At about 3:30 p.m., after all of the new piping had been put into place, the City worker in charge told the hoe operator to shut down - they would return the next day to have the topsoil put back on the yard, which would mark an end to the project.

At this time, the entire yard had been dug up, and a large mound of dirt stood at the front of the yard, with a large hole exposed, leading into the basement.

As was the case during much of the spring, thunderstorms were in the forecast for the entire day.

The Peterson track hoe operator, who was of the mind that the hole should be filled that afternoon, said he would be able to have the topsoil put back into place within an hour-and-a-half. The track hoe, however, was unable to get at the dirt and get close enough to the house to fill the yard because the gas line to the home, which runs along the street in front of the house, had been uncovered during work on the City's sewer lines.

In order to allow the track hoe a chance to get at the mound of dirt, the City would need to bring in a back loader to fill the street. According to Wishart, the City was unwilling to pay the overtime to bring in the loader and shut down the operation until the next day.

"They shut down our operator and the hoe, and it was something to do with overtime, that's what my operator told me," said Tyler Peterson, general manager of Peterson's Sand and Gravel Division, who was unable to go into further detail due to possible insurance ramifications on his company's side, as well.

"We were just the contractor hired by the City, that's all we were ... we would normally fill our holes every night, but when you're shut down..." Peterson trailed off.

The workers on the scene did, however put up a temporary blockade along the street to protect the open yard, in case of heavy rainfall.

Needless to say, less than three hours later, at 6:10 p.m., the rain started coming down in droves, and the neighbourhood became a flood zone.

Read the rest of the story here

Make sure you're covered for all your insurance needs with Heritage Insurance Ltd

Is your Small Business Prepared for a Disaster?

2010-08-31T13:32:00.001-06:00

Earthquakes, hurricanes, tornadoes, floods – all can be devastating if not fatal to a small business. Disasters can prevent access to your business, can destroy vital records, and may even put employees in harm’s way. According to the American Red Cross, as many as 40% of small businesses do not reopen their doors following a disaster. Planning ahead and taking the necessary precautions can prevent your business from becoming just another statistic.

Below we have listed some steps to begin a disaster recovery plan:

Phone Lists. Compile a list of emergency numbers for employees so they know who to contact in the event of a disaster. The phone list should include emergency management agencies, key personnel, utility companies, insurance company/agent, suppliers, contractors, and the landlord if applicable.

Create an immediate response plan. Educate employees whom they should notify in the event of a disaster and what steps to take to prevent injuries or further property damage.

Develop a communication plan and venue. Decide what method would be best to communicate with your employees, vendors, and customers in the event your premises are inaccessible. Ideas could include email, website, or an offsite phone messaging system.

Keep duplicate records. Regularly back up your computer files offsite. Also talk to your software providers to see if there is a way to access that data outside of the office.

Create an emergency kit. Have emergency supplies available – water, first aid kit, and tools. Be sure all employees are aware where the kit is stored.

Review your insurance policy. In addition to insurance for your property, talk to your insurance agent about Business Interruption coverage. This valuable coverage keeps income coming in when business comes to a halt.

Get a free Saskatchewan Business Insurance quote online or call us today at 1-800-667-7640.

Costs rising for province's assistance program

2010-07-09T16:10:00.002-06:00

By Angela Hall, Saskatchewan News Network; Regina Leader-Post
July 7, 2010

The Saskatchewan Party government is facing a growing tab as flooded residents make claims under a disaster assistance program, but it's too soon to estimate the overall cost, says Public Safety Minister Yogi Huyghebaert.

The province will also be looking to the federal government to help pay the flood bill, the minister said.

More than 70 communities have applied for assistance from the Provincial Disaster Assistance Program because of damages caused by heavy rain, including Saskatoon, Maple Creek and Yorkton.

Huyghebaert said only a small, base amount of money is budgeted in the program each year because there's no way to predict whether a natural disaster will strike. But additional funds will be found to pay the eligible claims that are made in the coming weeks and months, the minister said.

Read more

Find out more about flood insurance or call 1-800-667-7640 for a free insurance quote.

Regina-based First Nations University gets $4M lifeline

2010-06-07T11:37:00.007-06:00

June 2, 2010 CBC News

First Nations University has about 800 students at its main campus in Regina and satellite campuses in Saskatoon and Prince Albert.
The federal government will give financially strapped First Nations University of Canada another $4 million, relieving concerns that the Regina-based university could close.

Indian Affairs Minister Chuck Strahl said Wednesday the money will cover the period from Sept. 1 to March 31, 2011, which is the end of the fiscal year.

Strahl announced earlier this year that the Indian Affairs Department was cutting its entire $7 million grant to FNUC, citing concerns that the university had serious problems and wasn't fixing them fast enough.

However, in March, after a deal was struck that put the University of Regina in charge of FNUC's finances, Strahl restored $3 million through the Indian Studies Support Program.

That money, along with the $4 million announced Wednesday, will flow to FNUC through the U of R, the federal government said.

Full Story

Regina Business Insurance

2010-05-11T10:08:00.003-06:00

(Photo courtesy of Our Drive to Alaska)

Regina is the capital of Saskatchewan, Canada. The city is the second largest in the province (after Saskatoon), and is a cultural and commercial metropole for southern Saskatchewan. Regina was named in 1882 after Queen Victoria, i.e. Victoria Regin. Regina's importance was further secured when the new province of Saskatchewan designated the city its capital in 1906. Wascana Centre, created around the artificial focal point of Wascana Lake, remains Regina's signal attraction and contains the Provincial Legislative Building, both campuses of the University of Regina, the provincial museum of natural history, the Regina Conservatory (in the original Regina College buildings), the Saskatchewan Science Centre,the Norman MacKenzie Art Gallery and the Saskatchewan Centre of the Arts. Regina is Canada's 18th-largest metropolitan area by population. In recent years, Saskatchewan's agricultural and mineral resources have come into new demand, and it is anticipated that it will enter into new period of strong economic growth.

Regina has a spectacular downtown with exciting and innovative architecture that rivals other large Canadian cities, but in its heart Regina is the government and business centre for the province of Saskatchewan. Heritage Insurance Ltd is located in Moose Jaw which is about 80km away from Regina. They specialize in Regina Business Insurance as well as home and trucking insurance. Call 1-800-667-7640 today for a no-hassle quote or visit us at www.HeritageInsurance.ca.

Canada May Moderate Insurance Rules

2010-04-13T09:25:00.000-06:00

By Sean B. Pasternak

April 9 (Bloomberg) -- Canadian Finance Minister Jim Flaherty’s request that banks drop online advertising for their insurance services may be “moderated,” the head of Bank of Nova Scotia’s domestic banking unit said.

Flaherty asked banks in October to “quickly” remove marketing for insurance products from their Web sites, saying it violates government restrictions. Bank of Montreal is the only bank among Canada’s five biggest lenders that has removed the insurance services link from its main Web site.

“I think that it will be moderated somewhat,” Christopher Hodgson, Scotiabank’s head of Canadian banking, said yesterday in an interview in St. John’s, Newfoundland. “I’m not thinking that it will be dramatically different than what they’ve suggested originally.”

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President Obama slams health insurance companies, says Canadian health care "works"

2010-03-11T11:22:00.000-06:00

By Sheldon Alberts, Washington Correspondent, Canwest News Service March 8, 2010

WASHINGTON — U.S. President Barack Obama cast America's private health insurance companies Monday as the premium-hiking villains in the nation's health-care crisis and hailed Canada's publicly funded medicare as a system that "works."

But as he embarked on a spirited and far more partisan phase of his campaign to pass landmark health-care legislation, Obama defended himself against liberal critics who feel betrayed the White House has abandoned plans to create a U.S. government-run insurance program.

"On one side of the spectrum, there were those at the beginning of this process who wanted to scrap our system of private insurance and replace it with a government-run health-care system like they have in some other countries," Obama told an audience in Glenside, Penn.

"Look, it works. It works in places like Canada, but I didn't think it was going to be practical and realistic to do it here."

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Creating a Home Inventory

2010-02-17T15:13:00.000-06:00

If a disaster strikes, the last thing you want to worry about is sitting down and trying to create a list of all of your property. Creating a home inventory beforehand can save you a tremendous amount of stress, help you determine the correct amount of insurance to carry, and will help to get a claim settled faster.

It can appear to be a daunting task, documenting everything you own, but there are several tools out there that can ease the process. Some choose to write everything down in a notebook, room by room. Other options include taking photos or videotaping your property. If you choose any of these methods, just be sure to store the list somewhere other than your home. Another option is to download the free home inventory software at www.KnowYourStuff.org.

Always be sure to remember to update your home inventory from time to time, especially if you make a significant purchase. Certain items such as collections, jewelry, and artwork may need to be insured separately, so have your home inventory handy when discussing your Moose Jaw Home Insurance needs with your agent.

Moose Jaw Home Insurance

2010-02-03T12:29:00.001-06:00

Heritage Insurance Ltd specializing in Moose Jaw Home Insurance as well as business and trucking insurance in Moose Jaw and Regina, Saskatchewan.

Read our Testimonials or even join Client Referral Club. Each friend, family member, associate or client you send to Heritage Insurance Ltd for a quote on their auto, home, commercial or farm insurance needs, we will automatically enter your name into our Client Referral Contest. You will have a chance to win a New 42” Plasma TV in our Annual December draw as well as our monthly $50.00 gas gift certificate. You can also Subscribe to our Newsletter. Stay in touch with the latest events, news and offers at Heritage Insurance LTD.