According to a study conducted by Simply Business, almost half of small business owners cancel social plans at least once a week because they are too busy with work-related matters and 25% have fallen ill due to stress and overwork. As a small business owner, it can be easy to fall into the trap of being stuck in ‘work mode’ but it’s important to look after yourself to avoid an inevitable burn out. We take a look at some tips that may help you reach a happy equilibrium between your work and personal life.

Take a techno-free hour 
Set aside an hour of every evening to turn off your phone and any other technology where you can truly take time out for yourself without any distractions. Don’t be tempted to sit and scroll through social media and pass that off as downtime, either. It will be all too tempting to check your emails or pick up a message.

Keep doing what you love 
Whether it’s spending time with your family, taking long walks, playing sports or something else, it’s important to make time for your hobbies and interests as a small business owner. While it may be difficult in the first few years of operation to take extended time off, there’s no reason why you can’t take an extended lunch break with your friend or enjoy a quiet afternoon walking the dog. It’s easy to forgo these things for a seemingly endless list of tasks to complete but with good timekeeping and prioritisation, it’s possible to have the best of both worlds. 

Build a support network 
Running a small business can sometimes be incredibly isolating, and that’s not just for those who work alone. It can be difficult if you have nobody to work through challenges with or bounce ideas off. To tackle this, there are many networks of small businesses across the UK where you can network with other like-minded entrepreneurs and build up your list of industry contacts. Try to schedule in a meeting at least once a week with a mentor, a close friend or relative, no matter how informal, to get any worries off your chest.

Schedule your day 
While many believe that setting your own hours is a major perk of being a business owner, it can prove detrimental to your mental health if not done effectively. Schedule your day with set times to wake up, have lunch and clock out for the day. Within your schedule, don’t forget to take time out, whether that’s in your lunch break or through a series of small, regular breaks. If you work from home, you have the added benefit of playing to your strengths. If you’re not a morning person, push your working schedule into the afternoon and use the morning to kick back and look after yourself.

Avoid overburdening your schedule 
It can be tempting to want to take on anything and everything when you’re running your own business because at the end of the day, who can do it better than you? Yet one of the key skills of effective management is effective delegation. Consider at what you’re doing now and decide what it is that only you can do and what you can outsource or delegate to others. This will free up your time to work on important tasks and make some time for yourself.

If you’re worried about your insurance and feel overwhelmed at the number of options available to you, Fulwood Insurance Services Ltd are here to help. After having a chat with you to find out the nature of your business and what you need from your cover, we will find a policy that meets your unique requirements. We won’t bombard you with jargon or brush over the small print. We’ll talk you through exactly what you need to know so you can focus on growing your business. Call us on 01772 663703 to book your free insurance review. 

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Owning a second home is a multi-faceted venture. It can be a getaway for you and your family when Blighty gets the better of you, providing winter sun or summer shade. For business heads, house ownership is a solid investment regardless of what you plan on doing with it. You can rent it out in the meantime, or keep it unoccupied, ready for your use as and when you please.

As well-known holiday home insurance brokers, we get lots of questions on second and holiday home ownership, so have put together a little Q&A to help with the most common problems.

Q: I haven’t decided where to buy my second home yet. Does location matter?
A: Aside from being a huge factor in your decision, location can mean everything for your insurance, too. Quieter, more secluded areas often pose a smaller chance of theft and other crimes. Flood risk areas naturally pose water damage issues, but it doesn’t mean we’re not able to include this in your policy. The key aspect is to find somewhere that suits you.

Q: Do I need second home insurance? / Can’t I just buy regular home insurance?
A: Whilst some policy features may overlap between the two policies (buildings and contents), the conditions are very different. Emptiness, theft and storm damage are insurers’ primary concerns when insuring second homes. As you won’t be around, you won’t be able to quash or minimise an issue, either.

Q: What happens if I just tell my insurer that I live full-time at my second home?
A: For your own sake, you should always be honest with your insurance company. If you’re not and something happens, your insurance company may be reluctant to pay out if it is deemed you withheld the truth. In turn, this could leave you with significant shortfalls to make up and your assets could even be in jeopardy.

Q: Can I let the property out?
A: Many of our clients rent their second home out over winter, summer or even the whole year. It’s advised you consider public liability insurance. This cover can pay for legal and compensation costs if, for example, your tenant falls in your premises and injures themselves due to your negligence or omission.

Q: Can I employ somebody to check over and clean my second home every so often?
A: That’s fine. In fact, we recommend it, as it could deter would-be criminals planning a burglary. If you do employ a member of staff, however, you’ll need employers’ liability to protect you and your employee. This is a legal requirement and it can cover legal and compensation costs in an incident was due to your negligence.

Q: What are some common ways to reduce the chance of a claim?
A: Having somebody go into your property can help drastically, even if it’s simply a family member or friend. Keep the property looking ‘lived-in’, ensure gates, doors and windows are locked and secure. It’s worth checking your policy document as some insurers demand you use a specific type of key.

Q: Is there anything else I should look out for?
A: Take necessary precautions in relation to the location of your second home. For instance, if it’s very cold during the winter months, consider insulating your pipes. If there’s lots of rain, ensure drainage systems have no chance of becoming blocked. If your home is abroad and experiences unpredictable or extreme weather, try to plan for this where possible.

We have considerable experience in providing second home insurance, as well as an array of other policies, and are more than happy to answer any other query you may have.

Give us a call on 01772 663703 to speak with one of our team.

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Lone working can apply to anyone. Whether someone spends all day away from the business premises or they’re only alone for half an hour each day to open or lock up, it’s essential to consider the health and safety of any employee who works on their own or with little close supervision.

Lone working accident claims have been on the increase in the last year, resulting in many serious injuries and fatalities. One recent incident involved a mechanic who, whilst working alone at the weekend, was found by colleagues on the Monday morning having died underneath a car when the jack failed whilst changing a wheel.

Whilst we have noticed an increase, it is important to stress that a lot are avoidable with some simple risk management measures in place.

What are the risks?
Lone working carries risks, some of which may include:

• Lack of access to assistance in the event of emergency or accident
• Lack of supervision
• Exposure to assault
• Lack of communication
• A general lack of support

Control measures should be in place and employers should ensure that someone always knows if employees are working outside of core hours or at weekends. Employers should also consider whether family members know work patterns for employees and who to contact if they are late. Additionally, everyone should understand the emergency procedures on site.

Why consider lone and mobile workers?
Employers, the self-employed and contractors are responsible for risk assessments and must take into account both normal work related risks and also any additional health and safety factors presented for those who work on their own or with little or no close supervision – during the whole of the work period or just for short periods of time.

What key actions should be taken?
Lone and mobile working should be the subject of a recorded risk assessment in the same way as all other work-related activities. Those undertaking this require a thorough understanding of the work to be done, and consultation with workers and safety representatives is an essential element of the process.

The findings should be recorded and safe systems of work developed. Workers should be informed of the risks, and formally instructed and trained in the work and the operation of the risk control measures. Training records should be maintained and the employee’s signed acknowledgement of such training recorded.

Lone workers should be made aware of their duties to cooperate and comply with the safety instructions and training they have been given, to take reasonable care of their own safety and that of others, and to report any matters requiring correction or review.

Working alone is not a risk in itself. However, if something happens which is out of the lone worker’s control, such as a fall or medical emergency, there needs to be a plan in place to mitigate the danger that could arise from such a situation. Recognising that lone working exposes employees and others to certain hazards is an essential first step in protecting them.

This article originally appeared on Allianz.

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Should I take out insurance?
At the risk of instilling gloom, you can take the greatest of care with your health and still meet with an accident or be diagnosed with an illness that takes you away from your work.

If you’re employed, you’re entitled to statutory pay for 28 weeks. At £92.05, this doesn’t even come close to the average household spend of £554.20 a week, according to 2017 figures from the Office of National Statistics.

And that’s assuming you’re employed. If you’re self-employed, you’re not entitled to Statutory Sick Pay but may qualify for Employment and Support Allowance.

There are a handful of insurance policies that are designed to take the pressure off, including income protection, mortgage repayment cover and accident, sickness and unemployment.

Consider the cost of the premium and whether your savings would be enough to tide you over.

Should I tell my insurer about existing conditions?
If you hold back on a pre-existing illness and your healthcare insurance provider receives a claim relating to the condition, they’ll almost certainly reject it. Don’t assume that you won’t be able to get insurance if you have had a health complaint either currently or one from which you’ve now recovered.

You can still get healthcare insurance, but the insurer may implement an exclusion period whereby you won’t be able to make a claim related to this condition. This is normally around 2-3 years. Don’t declare it and you could be wasting money on a policy which is not going to serve you when you need it.

What about the excess?
As with any policy, a higher excess means a lower premium. With products such as income protection and mortgage repayment, the excess relates to the number of days before you can begin claiming – which might be 30 or 60. Consider how you would afford to carry yourself and potentially any dependants in the time before your payments from the insurer start coming through.

If you have any concerns about your income flow and want to know how insurance can ease these worries, speak to Fulwood Insurance Services about the cover options available.

01772 663703

A source of help and advice

Nikki

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Every year, homes and businesses are affected by the disruption caused from a wide range of events including
major losses linked to fires and flooding, etc. If the worst should happen, your insurance company are likely to
appoint their own Loss Adjuster or other specialists to act on their behalf.

So we think you might need some help:

• Would you know what to do and how to prepare and negotiate a major, complex or difficult claim?
• How would you get back to normal quickly and minimise any disruption to your home or business?
• If you needed help, how would you fund the cost of obtaining professional Loss Adjusting expertise?
• Would you know how to quickly engage your own claims experts to act directly on your behalf?

Well thankfully, Fulwood Insurance Services has made things easier for all our clients and have teamed up with the experts at CEC Claims who provide us with a market leading Claims Consultancy for policyholders. The CEC “bronze” level
of service provides 5 hours of claims support with access to your own Chartered Loss Adjuster who will
provide remote telephone assistance. As well as the Bronze entry level of service, you may need additional
support, so with this in mind, we are able to offer enhanced levels of service as set out in the product table below.

Service Levels     Product Features                           Product Pricing                                                      *Post Loss Fee

Bronze           Up to 5 hours telephone support     £5.00                                                                        *Maximum fee 7% of settlement
Silver              Up to 10 hours technical advice     £30.00                                                                      *Maximum fee 5% of settlement
Gold               Up to 30 hours technical advice     £100.00                                                                    *Maximum fee 3% of settlement
Platinum       Unlimited technical advice             £250.00                                                                     *Maximum fee 1% of settlement

For full details please ask us for the
relevant Benefits Document

The benefits…

Immediate Response – We are always here for our clients and once we are told about your claim,
we will arrange a Loss Adjuster visit within 24 hours.
Rapid Settlement – Your Loss Adjuster will liaise with the insurance company or their Loss
Adjuster to minimise the length of your claim and any period of disruption.
Fair Outcome – Your Loss Adjuster will negotiate the best possible outcome for you under the
terms of your insurance policy.

What will your Loss Adjuster do?

Important – The level of support you choose will determine which tasks the Loss Adjuster can
undertake within the allocated hours provided by you selected product.

• Contact you within 1 hour of notification by us
• Visit you within 24 hours to discuss your claim or at a time requested by you
• Attend joint meetings with your insurer’s representative to conclude any enquiries
• Provide contractor approval to make your premises safe with costs initially paid by you
• Advise you on how to mitigate your loss
• Provide guidance on any salvage arrangements
• Explain how to minimise any disruption
• Appoint specialists if needed such as engineers or contractors etc.
• Provide advice regarding alternative premises or increased cost of working
• Assist with quantification of the overall loss
• Present all evidence relating to your claim to the insurers
• Negotiate settlement with the insurer’s own Loss Adjuster
• Arrange interim payments where required
• Resist any unjustified attempts by your insurers to repudiate a claim
• Offer technical advice on all aspects of your claim

In summary, the CEC Claims Consultancy Service provides market leading advice and access
to independent Chartered Loss Adjusters 24 hours per day 365 days a year. Please contact us today to
discuss your requirements. We look forward to talking with you.

office@fulwoodinsurance.co.uk

01772 663703

Fulwood Insurance Services Ltd
1st Floor Burnaby Villa
48 Watling Street
Fulwood
Preston
PR2 8BP

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Does your list of New Year’s resolutions look a little something like mine?

• Visit the gym at least three times a week
• Save more money
• Give up drinking and cakes – unless it’s the weekend
• Drink less ‘branded’ coffee
• Get more than 8 hours sleep

New Year’s resolutions are great, that is, if we keep them. Unfortunately, statistics reveals that 80% of all New Year’s resolutions have already been broken by February. This is mostly because we set ourselves the highest of standards which cannot usually be reached without the strongest of willpowers and more time than we have available to us.

Whilst the odds may be against you, it’s still worth setting yourself achievable goals to measure your performance by and what better time to start at the start of a shiny new year?

We take a look at some business New Year’s resolutions that are achievable, measurable and realistic.

Review your mission
It’s good to re-evaluate your business plan, your company mission and your USPs at the start of each year in order to ensure that you, your employees and your customers are up to date, on the same page and working towards the same goals.

Create measurable goals
Think about setting SMART goals, that is – Specific, Measurable, Actionable, Realistic and Timed.  Think clearly about what you want to achieve and the timescales in which you want to achieve it. Ensure that your goals are realistic and think of a way you can measure the progress and success of a goal. Try not to leave the timescale open-ended, working to a deadline can keep your team on track.

Reflect on your business expenditure
Take time to look over your business expenditure and try to identify areas in which you can cut costs. Maybe you’re leasing equipment when it would now be cheaper and more efficient for you to buy it outright, or vice versa? Now’s the time to make some changes to free up your budget.

Delegation
Review the roles of your employees to see if certain tasks can be delegated across roles to free up more time for work which only certain members of staff can complete. It can be tempting to take on everything yourself to ensure it’s done right but allowing other to take care of time-consuming tasks can leave you with more time to concentrate on growing your business.

Take advantage of social media
Many of us put social media on the backbench when things get busy, however, this can be detrimental to your customer engagement, marketing strategy and digital presence. If your business currently doesn’t have the funds or capacity to accommodate a full-time social media guru, you can take advantage of a content planner which allows you to create and schedule posts months in advance, so you’re covered during the busier periods.

Draft up a timeline
Make a simple list of what you want to accomplish during the year and note them down on a timeline for the year, broken down by the month. Doing this alongside more concise goals can be a great way to get both an in-depth perspective and a broader overview of whether you’re staying on track throughout the year.

Check that your insurance is up to date
Finally, you need to ensure that your insurance is still suitable for your business, taking into account any changes throughout the past year. For help with this, call Peter or myself at Fulwood Insurance Services on 01772 663703. We will evaluate your existing cover and recommend any changes or a policy which may be more suitable to your future operation.

Happy New Year to all existing clients. Thank you for your support and to all our future ones in 2019! 

Nikki x

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