It is that time of year again to vote for Lallis & Higgins Insurance for the best of wickedlocal.com. This year they are also giving away a $500 gift card. Deadline to vote is Wednesday February 14th.

Write in your choice of the BEST in your area for each of the categories. In order to be eligible, each vote must include the town where your choice is located.

Results will be published in a special section inserted into your newspaper the week of June 25th and will be available online at wickedlocalfavorites.com.

You must vote in at least 10 categories for your chance to win $500.

Ready to vote? Click here.

Lallis & Higgins Insurance thanks you very much for your support.

For six years in a row, the restaurant industry has reported significant sales and job creation growth—thanks in large part to restaurants experimenting with new ways to not only draw us to their tables, but also bring their tables to us.

Today’s restaurants are earning new sources of revenue by sending food trucks on the road or distinguishing their brands with novel cuisines, farm-to-table fare and craft cocktails. Many eateries are tech-savvy, offering diners a wide variety of consumer-facing technologies to order steak and fries online for home or office delivery, or to pick their own choices on a tablet located on the table at the establishment.

These days, bartenders are chemists, chefs are celebrities, restaurant interiors are featured in design magazines and feasting is a sociocultural event.

Dining is as much about the experience as it is about the food. Average food is dead. Fine dining experiences and quality casual dining are excelling. It’s not so much about price as it is quality and food experiences.

More, More, More

These innovative and evolving iterations of what it means to be a restaurant in the 21st century have coalesced to create boom times for the industry, with revenues on track to rise 3.8% in 2015 to $709.2 billion, according to the National Restaurant Association. The industry is also a major job creator, currently employing 14 million Americans—a figure expected to rise to 15.7 million by 2025. Every U.S. state will see their restaurant industry workforce expand over the next decade.

What’s driving the industry’s spectacular growth?

According to the National Restaurant Association, “consumers continue to have substantial pent-up demand for restaurant services.” A recent survey from the association indicates that 38% of consumers would like to eat more often at restaurants, and 41% would like to purchase more takeout or delivery. Few people seem interested anymore in a home-cooked meal.

From an independent insurance agency standpoint, these factors make restaurants ripe for specialization. Agents are able to provide a broad set of insurance products and address the complex exposures of the industry, this makes them excellent at providing value.

With workers compensation prices rising, that’s a sore spot for many restaurant owners. Independent insurance agents can cut down on this pain point.

These businesses need someone who really understands their risks, particularly as their exposures become more complex.

An independent insurance agent who really knows the restaurant business and its myriad exposures has an ability to identify the right carriers to piece together an optimum insurance program. It’s all about having a relationship with the customer, which leads back to specialization. We will always value an agent that understands the nuances that go into a particular class of business.

For more details on unique restaurant coverages, contact Lallis & Higgins Insurance.

iamagazine.com

Clients often think they don’t need renters insurance — “Nothing I have is worth that much,” they’ll say, or “I don’t have a lot of stuff.”

That’s how most people think of renter’s coverage: protection for stuff, and nothing more. After all, it’s inexpensive and it doesn’t even cover the structure itself. So how important can it be, especially if you don’t think you have anything valuable to protect?

Plenty important, because you have more to protect than you realize. You just have to stop thinking only about “stuff.”

Here are three key financial protections a renters policy provides:

Loss of use coverage. What would you do if a fire or other issue forced you out of your home? You’d have to find a temporary place to stay, maybe even for months — which might cost you more than your normal rent. Loss of use helps cover that and other additional expenses.

Personal liability protection. If someone trips and injures themselves in your unit, they could sue you. If your dog bites one of your guests, they might file suit, too. Yes, lawsuits happen — even among friends. Renters insurance can help cover legal expenses and even judgments against you. (Some dog breeds may disqualify you from coverage, so be sure to inform your agent of all dogs in the household.)

Personal property coverage. Wait, doesn’t this mean your stuff? Well, yes. But really, this coverage protects your finances. Even if you don’t think you have anything valuable, take a minute and mentally add up everything you own (note that if you do have any high-value items, such as jewelry or heirlooms, you may need additional coverage). Now imagine how much it would cost to replace it all. It’s probably a higher number than you thought — and that’s why renters insurance is so important.

For more information on renter's insurance, contact Lallis & Higgins Insurance.

Reposted with permission from the original author, Safeco Insurance®.

PREPARE FOR A POWER OUTAGE

Heavy snow and high winds are a recipe for widespread power outages. It’s important to prepare a plan now before a possible outage.

PREVENT ROOF COLLAPSE

If heavy snow begins to accumulate on your roof, remove the snow with a snow rake and a long extension arm that will allow you to remove the snow while standing safely on the ground.

STAY SAFE AND WARM

Inspect your source of heat for any damage which can cause a fire and result in costly property damage. Also, remove combustible items placed near a heat source.

PREVENT FROZEN PIPES

Prevent costly water damage caused by frozen pipes by:

• providing a reliable back-up power source to ensure continuous power to the building;
• insulating all attic penetrations;
• ensuring proper seals on all doors and windows; and
• sealing all cracks and openings in exterior walls.

KNOW YOUR WINTER WEATHER ALERTS

When severe winter weather is on its way, it’s important you know and understand what each alert means so you can respond accordingly.

Read the whole article and find winter weather resources here: disastersafety.org