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2020 Year in Review

What. Just. Happened.

This is undoubtedly the question we are all asking when thinking back on this year. If you are reading this, hopefully you, your friends, your family, and your places of work have made it through safely.

2020 offered so many challenges for all of us, personally and professionally. From COVID-19, social issues and subsequent rioting, to the election, this year has been chuck full of questions and uncertainty.

The insurance industry faces challenges as well. Hurricanes, wildfires, distracted driving, increasing auto repair costs, rising litigation costs, and law and statute changes are only a handful of the conditions having a major impact on the industry. All of these factors drive us into a “hard market” which means carriers are restricting their offerings and at the same time increasing rates.

The good news is 2020 is over and the dawn of a new year is around the corner. Vaccines are on the horizon. Normalcy is near.

Hopefully we all come out of this stronger, leaner, and more pliable to change than ever before.

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Cyber Risks for Remote Workers

With COVID-19 came a myriad of changes, both professionally and personally.  Time will tell what the “new normal” will look like, but the ability to work remotely has never been more pronounced.  With remote working comes challenges to businesses, specifically Cyber Threats.  The reality is at-home networks do not have the security protections in place that a business typically does. 

Here are a few things you and your staff can do to protect your remote workers:

1. Have a remote worker policy in force

2. Only connect to the internet through secure networks

3. Only click on links, open attachments and download software from trusted sources

4. Use strong passwords

5. Ensure your network, software and applications are up-to-date

6. Don’t respond to requests for information from unknown sources

7. Use multi-factor authentication in lieu of passwords

8. Make sure your IT department, whether in-house or outsourced, is aware of the new remote layout, so they can be prepared for additional phone calls.

The bad actors are delighted to have more daily online activity.  Don’t be the individual or organization to let them in on the party.