http://www.getagreatquote.com/blog/View ABM Insurance Services's Website Blogen-uspostmaster@www.getagreatquote.comInsurance Website Builder - www.insurancewebsitebuilder.comurn:uuid:b497c517-bd26-44a7-b497-7c5884134f45urn:uuid:126350c8-5171-4255-b2de-dec94baff242HOUSTON (KTRK) -- State Farm customers who live along the coast need to check with their agents to see if the company still plans to offer them homeowners insurance. &nbsp; State Farm has decided not to renew thousands of homeowner policies in parts...Fri, 17 Feb 2012 19:40:54 -0600<p class="storyIntro">HOUSTON (KTRK) -- State Farm customers who live along the coast need to check with their agents to see if the company still plans to offer them homeowners insurance. </p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <div class="relatedMod">State Farm has decided not to renew thousands of homeowner policies in parts of five coastal counties. Those counts are Jefferson, Brazoria, Orange, Chambers and Galveston counties. </div> <p>There are homeowners here who have been with State Farm for more decades, and they say they are stunned to learn the company no longer plans to insure their homes.</p> <p>Thousands of homes sit right along the Gulf of Mexico, and it's no surprise getting insurance can be tough; but nine miles inland, homeowners policies were not a problem in the Jones Creek community -- until now.</p> <p>"He told me as of 2013 my insurance, homeowners, would no longer be carried through State Farm, I'd have to go elsewhere," State Farm customer John Hudspeth said.</p> <p>Hudspeth says he's been a State Farm policy holder for 19 years, but that's coming to an end because the company is not renewing 11,000 costal county homeowners beginning May 1.</p> <p>"I feel like I'm being ripped off, I feel like this is another case of the American, hard working people being ripped off by a giant corporation," Hudspeth said.</p> <p>While Hudspeth's agent told him about the company's decision, neighbor Roger Courts, who has been with State Farm for 25 years, said he did not know his coverage was coming to an end until he heard it from Hudspeth.</p> <p>"I just think it is not right; we have been loyal to them and they got a slogan 'Like a good neighbor.' Well I feel like this is not being a good neighbor, not to just drop somebody after all those years of loyalty," Courts said.</p> <p>Both men say Texas Windstorm covers them from hurricane damage and federal flood insurance covers them from high water damage, so they are not sure why State Farm lists them among homeowners the company will not renew.</p> <p>In a statement, a State Farm representative told us quote, "We must find the appropriate balance between our exposure, the resources available to maintain a quality level of service and our ability to meet our financial obligations."</p> <p>Hudspeth can renew his policy for one more year; Courts just did and is not happy State Farm did not tell him about the decision sooner.</p> <p>"I paid almost 20 years for them to cover me in premiums. Now all of sudden they are going to back out, drop me?" Courts said.</p> <p>The Texas Department of Insurance says they are looking into State Farm's decision and it is interesting to note, this area suffered no major problems with Hurricane Ike, and longtime residents say it's never flooded.</p> <p>State Farm on Thursday afternoon issued the following statement.</p> <p>"To our knowledge, no notice of non-renewal has gone to a policyholder. It is our understanding that State Farm has announced its intent to non-renew a certain number of policies in the future. At this time it appears State Farm's actions are in compliance with statute.</p> <p>Consumers who receive notification about a non-renewal are urged to shop and compare premiums and coverage among the 100+ insurers offering homeowners insurance in Texas. TDI's HelpInsure.com is an online resource where Texans can compare sample prices and other characteristics of insurers that write home and auto policies in their area. </p>urn:uuid:4ae25c88-8653-4177-87c3-0082f4c7d31f Did you know that 39% of all unpaid insurance claims happen because of unreported changes in property, vehicles, or your lifestyle? Call your insurance agent.... at least every 6 mths to discuss your coverage. ...Thu, 16 Feb 2012 10:52:23 -0600<ul id="home_stream" class="uiList uiStream uiStreamHomepage translateParent UIIntentionalStream_Content" data-referrer="home_stream"> <li id="stream_story_4f3d33d2b87553052415972" class="uiUnifiedStory uiStreamStory genericStreamStory uiStreamBoulderHighlight aid_1746020760 uiListItem uiListLight uiListVerticalItemBorder _wm_scanned" data-ft="{&quot;qid&quot;:&quot;5709776880845999706&quot;,&quot;mf_story_key&quot;:&quot;-3528410071038494882&quot;,&quot;c&quot;:&quot;m&quot;}"> <div class="storyContent"> <div class="UIImageBlock clearfix"> <div class="storyInnerContent UIImageBlock_Content UIImageBlock_MED_Content"> <div class="mainWrapper"> <h6 class="uiStreamMessage" data-ft="{&quot;type&quot;:1}"><span style="font-size: 24px;">Did you know that 39% of all unpaid insurance claims happen because of unreported changes in property, vehicles, or your lifestyle? Call your insurance agent.... at least every 6 mths to discuss your coverage.</span></h6> </div> </div> </div> </div> </li> </ul>urn:uuid:a3af05fb-8c51-48f0-b648-693cb5b4e615IRS Releases New Notice on W-2 Reporting Requirements with&nbsp; Few Changes Employers that filed 250 or more W-2 forms in 2011 will be responsible for reporting to employees the total cost of their group health benefit plan coverage on their 2012 W-...Wed, 15 Feb 2012 16:36:16 -0600<p style="margin-bottom: 12pt;"><strong>IRS Releases New Notice on W-2 Reporting Requirements with</strong><strong>&nbsp;</strong><strong><br /> Few Changes</strong></p> <p style="line-height: 12pt; background-color: white;">Employers that filed 250 or more W-2 forms in 2011 will be responsible for reporting to employees the total cost of their group health benefit plan coverage on their 2012 W-2 forms issued in January 2013. This reporting requirement is informational only and does not mean that coverage will be subject to&nbsp;income tax.</p> <p style="line-height: 12pt; background-color: white;">On Jan. 4, 2012, the IRS issued Notice 2012-9 on the W-2 Reporting Requirement of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. See how this recent notice and the W-2 requirement may affect your clients filing more than 250 W-2 forms in 2011.&nbsp;<br /> <br /> <strong>Reporting Requirements</strong><br /> Employers that are required to file fewer than 250 W-2 forms in 2011 will not be required to report the cost of&nbsp;health coverage&nbsp;under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. This transition relief will continue until further guidance is issued. Any additional guidance will not&nbsp;apply to&nbsp;any calendar year beginning within six months of the date the guidance is issued.</p> <p style="line-height: 12pt; background-color: white;">Employers are not required to report the cost of health benefit coverage on any W-2 forms furnished to employees prior to January 2013.</p> <p style="line-height: 12pt; background-color: white;">It's important to note that only covered employees that elect the coverage and pay the premiums or contribution amounts will receive cost of coverage information on their W-2 forms. For example, if a husband and wife work for the same company and are covered under the same health benefit plan, and the husband signed up for the plan and pays the premiums, he is considered the covered employee. Only the husband, in this case, would have the cost of coverage reported on his W-2. The wife is considered a beneficiary or dependent on the plan and would not have the cost of coverage on her W-2.</p> <p style="line-height: 12pt; background-color: white;">Cost of coverage is reported on W-2 forms for 2012&nbsp;<a href="https://broker.uhc.com/assets/IRS%20draft%20W-2%20for%202011.pdf" target="_blank"><strong>in box 12, using code DD</strong></a>.</p> <p style="line-height: 12pt; background-color: white;"><strong>Calculating Cost of Coverage</strong><br /> The cost of coverage generally includes both the portion of the cost paid by the employer and the portion of the cost paid by the employee, regardless of whether the employee paid for that cost through pre-tax or after-tax contributions.</p> <p style="line-height: 12pt; background-color: white;"><strong>Coverage that Does Not Need to be Reported</strong><br /> Notice 2012-9 confirms that applicable employer-sponsored coverage does not include:</p> <ul style="list-style-type: disc;"> <li style="line-height: 12pt; background-color: white;">Coverage for excepted benefits under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) (such as long-term care, accident, disability income, liability and supplemental liability insurance, automobile medical payments, and workers' compensation insurance)</li> <li style="line-height: 12pt; background-color: white;">Coverage for a specific disease or illness or hospital indemnity insurance</li> <li style="line-height: 12pt; background-color: white;">Coverage provided by the federal government, state government or agency of the government under a plan that is maintained primarily for members of the military and their families</li> <li style="line-height: 12pt; background-color: white;">Coverage under a self-funded plan that is not subject to any federal continuation requirements Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA), Public Health Services Act (PHSA) continuation, Federal Employee Health Benefits Program (FEHBP) continuation, such as a group health benefit plan sponsored by a church</li> <li style="line-height: 12pt; background-color: white;">Coverage under a health reimbursement account (HRA)</li> <li style="line-height: 12pt; background-color: white;">Contributions to a health savings account (HSA) or Archer medical savings account (MSA)</li> <li style="line-height: 12pt; background-color: white;">Salary reduction contributions to a health flexible spending account (FSA) unless the amount of the FSA benefit exceeds the salary reduction election. In this case, the reportable cost would include the amount that exceeds the salary reduction election.</li> <li style="line-height: 12pt; background-color: white;">Coverage under a "stand-alone" dental or vision plan if the plan satisfies the requirements for being excepted benefits for purposes of HIPAA</li> <li style="line-height: 12pt; background-color: white;">Coverage for employee assistance program (EAP), wellness program, or on-site medical clinic, if that employer does not charge a premium for this type of coverage under COBRA</li> </ul> <p><strong>We will continue to provide information as it becomes available to us.&nbsp;&nbsp; Additionally, we will be consulting with our insurance carriers as well as our human resource advisors and will provide guidance regarding this and future changes.</strong><strong></strong></p> <p><strong>If We can be of any assistance, Call US at 800-362-2809.&nbsp; We appreciate your business!</strong></p>urn:uuid:57ed1a74-dbab-4f22-a858-63be7d5170b0<img src='http://www.Getagreatquote.com/img/%7Ewww.Getagreatquote.com/iStock_000000234424XSmall.jpg' align='left' />General Liability If you have a personal umbrella liability policy, there's generally an exclusion for business-related liability. Make sure you have sufficient auto liability coverage. Unfortunately for every business owner, the chances of getting ...Fri, 03 Feb 2012 17:52:57 -0600<h2>General Liability</h2> <img src="/img/%7Ewww.Getagreatquote.com/iStock_000000234424XSmall.jpg" style="width: 200px; height: 150px; float: left; margin-right: 7px; border-width: 0px; border-style: solid; margin-top: 7px;" alt="Safety Manual and Gloves" />If you have a personal umbrella liability policy, there's generally an exclusion for business-related liability. Make sure you have sufficient auto liability coverage.<br /> <br /> Unfortunately for every business owner, the chances of getting sued have dramatically increased in the last decade. General Liability insurance can prevent a legal suit from turning into a financial disaster by providing financial protection in case your business is ever sued or held legally responsible for some injury or damage.<br /> <br /> General Liability pays losses arising from real or alleged bodily injury, property damage, or personal injury on your business premises or arising from your operations. The Hartford's liability programs extend far beyond the provisions of typical policies, with broadened coverage and increased limits in over 30 areas.<br /> <br /> <h2>Workers Compensation</h2> Workers compensation laws were created to ensure that employees who are injured on the job are provided with fixed monetary awards. This eliminates the need for litigation and creates an easier process for the employee. It also helps control the financial risks for employers since many states limit the amount an injured employee can recover from an employer.<br /> <br /> Workers Compensation Insurance is designed to help companies pay these benefits. As a protection for employees, most states require that employers carry some form of Workers Compensation Insurance. Workers Compensation Insurance is not health insurance. Workers Compensation is designed specifically for injuries sustained on the job. <br /> <br /> In most states, if you have employees, you are required to carry Workers Compensation coverage. Even in non-mandatory states, it can be a very good idea, particularly if you have many employees, or if they are engaged in hazardous activities.<br /> <br /> Let ABM Insurance &amp; Benefit Services, Inc. find coverage that meets your needs and your budget. <a title="Contact" href="http://www.getagreatquote.com/contact.aspx">Call us for a fast, FREE quote!</a> We have access to multiple insurance companies for your <strong>business &amp; commercial and workers compensation</strong> coverage throughout the <strong>Houston, Spring, Conroe and Webster areas in Texas</strong>.