Ashley Thomas
Program Manager, Gallagher Franchise Solutions
Ashley Thomas
Program Manager, Gallagher Franchise Solutions
I have been managing the insurance needs of franchise owners for more than 10 years and I absolutely love it. I think it’s the challenge of finding you the right insurance for your franchise and getting you the absolute best rate that keeps me going. It’s fun to put myself in your shoes for a while so you can focus on your business and not worry about all the complexities of business insurance – that’s where I come in. It’s a lot like football. I look at the playing field, find where you might be vulnerable and then make sure you have all the blockers (protection) in place so you can hold on to the ball and score. Just like insurance, no two plays are alike and you have to know your stuff.
As a business owner, finding ways to manage the rising costs associated with doing business is important. While your insurance coverages provide a vital safety net in the event of a loss, heightening premiums and claim costs can overburden an already tight budget.
Working as a landscaper or nursery employee is physically demanding, requiring your employees to move heavy materials and tools. Injury or hospitalization is a real risk, making Workers’ Compensation an essential insurance policy. Workers’ compensation helps your business and employees by covering expenses arising from these incidents, such as medical bills, lost wages and ongoing care costs.
The risk of loss due to commercial liability is a fact of life for nearly every business. In the event of a claim or litigation, nursery or landscaping companies like yours can face a variety of consequences.
Here’s a thought that keeps small business owners up at night: If something unexpected happens to your owned or rented building, such as a fire or break-in, how will you restore your business to normal? Could you manage that critical — and costly — task while ensuring your employees get paid during this stressful time? If you're not adequately covered, the potential losses could shutter your doors for good.
As a landscaping company or nursery owner, you might use employee benefits to encourage prospective employees to join your team. You’re not alone — amid the country’s ongoing labor shortage, comprehensive benefit packages can make all the difference when a candidate is weighing your hiring offer against a competitor’s.
Commercial auto insurance is an essential policy all landscapers and nursery owners should carry to ensure the risks of the road don’t become business-ending blunders.
The new year is ideal for landscapers and nursery owners to review their insurance policies. Over the past 12 months, your business might have celebrated exciting new milestones that could impact your insurance needs. Annually checking on your insurance policies is crucial to ensuring your business is properly protected in the event of a claim.
You might think your business is too small to become the target of a lawsuit, but that’s wishful thinking. No matter the size of your business or industry, business owners from all walks of life and industries find themselves the target of legal claims.
For many landscapers and nursery owners, the end of the year is a valuable opportunity for your team to grow closer and celebrate the year’s accomplishments with a company-sponsored holiday party. Still, these events are notorious for reputation-eroding blunders stemming from high spirits and too much alcohol.
