As we approach the beginning of a new year, health and weight loss are hot topics, weighing heavy on most people’s minds.

While many individuals start thinking about health as the end of a year draws near, their employers likely think about health issues year-round. That’s because insurance premiums continue to rise as more and more Americans are overweight and partake in unhealthy lifestyles.

As noted in a recent Business First article, many employers wonder whether they’ll be able to afford insurance altogether. Scary, but true.

Our agency President, Matt Schwartz, who serves on the Mayor’s Healthy Hometown Worksite Wellness Committee, was asked to weigh in on this issue. He stated that many businesses are taking steps to fight back by implementing employee wellness initiatives and offering more consumer-driven health plans.

Wellness plans are an interesting solution. Many businesses who offer wellness programming also provide incentives for those who participate. Some offer reductions in premiums, gift cards and even paid time off. Schwartz stated that under current law, companies can offer premium discounts up to 20 percent while the new health care reform legislation will soon increase that allowable discount to at least 30%.

So this begs the question, how healthy is your business? As an employer, would you or do you offer wellness programs? And as an employee, do you or would you participate in them? As Americans continue to live with many unhealthy habits and insurance costs continues to rise as a result, this could be a solution for many employers.

It’s never too late to begin a “health” plan and stick to it. And as the new year approaches, what better time than now to get started? Contact us for a fresh look and a review of the latest cost control strategies available for employee benefits.

In a recent edition of Business First, Matt Schwartz, President of Schwartz Insurance Group, shared insights on improving the REAL bottom line. That’s something every business needs, regardless of size or industry. As a leading authority in employee benefits and communication, Schwartz Insurance Group takes an advisory role in helping employers succeed.

Matt recommends starting improvement to the REAL bottom line with a strategic plan for employee benefits. In most businesses, employees are your organization’s most valuable assets. Does your employee benefits plan communicate that value to your employees?

Most benefits plans are not fully understood and therefore not fully appreciated. Do your employees understand the benefits they have with your organization and how to use them to their best advantage? If not, they might not see the real value of the plan as part of their total compensation package. That could mean that you’re paying for benefits and services that are not being used properly. That can have a negative effect on the REAL bottom line for your business.

Finding ways to retain good people is one of the best ways to improve your business and your bottom line. Schwartz Insurance Group takes a unique approach to employee benefits planning with The Benefits Prism, a unique process we created to help you assess where you are now, what you want to achieve and the steps to take to get you there.

Contact us to schedule a coverage review and let us show you how to take advantage of best practices in benefits planning. Make sure you get the most out the money you invest in your employee benefit plans in order to attract and retain top talent and improve your REAL bottom line.

The holiday season is upon us! Can you believe the year is almost over? Every December, it’s a great time to pause and reflect on the passing year and consider where we succeeded and where we could improve. It’s an exciting time as we re-set our plans for the year(s) ahead.

We also like to take this opportunity to let our associates and our clients know how much we appreciate them. The people we work with every day help make our business shine … and we are fortunate to enjoy a fun, positive and unique culture! Last week, several of us volunteered at a program run by The Dream Factory – it was another great reminder for each of us to be thankful for what we have and to enjoy the people around us.

We are grateful for the loyalty of both our associates and our clients and we look forward to continuing to build those relationships as we enter a new year. Hopefully, the excitement of the holiday season lingers a bit as we enjoy time with family and friends over the next couple of weeks.

Everyone at Schwartz wishes you a joyous holiday season and memorable times with family and friends. For each of us, 2012 holds the promise of a new year … let it bring health, happiness and success!

Our holiday hours are listed below.

• December 23: closing at 3 pm
• December 26: closed for the day
• January 2: closed for the day

If you’ve achieved the accomplishment of owning your own business, then you owe it to yourself to ask this question: Does my business have enough commercial insurance coverage?  Without it, even a minor loss or lawsuit could spell disaster.

To ensure your business isn’t vulnerable, make sure you have adequate coverage and that it’s obtained from a reputable insurance provider—one you can trust.

Our business clients know they can count on advice from their Schwartz team to protect their businesses. One great example is Melissa Stewart, Business Client Advisor … she takes the time to talk with you and understand your insurance needs. She asks questions that can reduce rates, like whether the building has a sprinkler system, or an alarm system installed. Both features can lower insurance premiums. And she can help you assess the replacement value of your business property and your liability coverage needs.

If you lease office space, you’ll want to start with a renter’s property insurance policy. Renters are responsible for their own coverage on the property. Landlords, or property owners, carry insurance to cover their own interests — the building structure and their liability risk – this policy does NOT include coverage to the business leasing the property.

Next on the list should be business liability insurance providing protection against injury or damage claims made by other parties, usually resulting in protection from lawsuits. The general rule here would be, MORE is better. If you have a claim, you’ll never wish you had LESS coverage.

You may want to consider a Business Owners Package which combines your liability, property, and other types of coverage into one comprehensive policy which can help you save time and money on your total insurance program.

Unless your business has a few million in the bank, securing the right amount of insurance is a critical decision for your protection, and for the long term success of your business. Contact us today and we can tell you more about these important plans and what will make sense for you.

Schwartz Insurance Group makes giving back to the community a top priority – one that we enjoy. And one of our favorite organizations to help through donations of time and money is The Dream Factory.

The Dream Factory is all about the KIDS. They make visits to Kosair, bringing small gifts to the critically and chronically ill children, and make the parents aware of what The Dream Factory does – make dreams come true for the kids.

I’m sure you can understand why we enjoy our involvement with The Dream Factory. It’s something we started years ago and intend to continue.

Buddy Schwartz, the founder of Schwartz Insurance Group, first became involved with The Dream Factory in 2004. Following Buddy’s death, we created The Buddy Schwartz Memorial Classic golf tournament in 2007 to bring clients and friends together to benefit the kids through The Dream Factory.

The annual donation we make to The Dream Factory on behalf of our clients now goes directly into the endowment fund that we created in 2007. We are proud to have started something new – and lasting – and were gratified to receive their Corporate Appreciation award in 2009, thanking us for establishing the endowment.

Some of our staff members have really gone all out to get involved with The Dream Factory. There are so many opportunities to serve the kids and their families and so many ways to donate both time and money.

Maureen Lippy, Client Services Director here at Schwartz Insurance Group, describes her personal involvement with the Dream Factory. —

“I began volunteering for the Dream Factory in 2009. I am involved with various events including the annual Christmas party for the children and their families who have received dreams. The Dream Factory serves a meal. Gifts and prizes are given to the children and families, there are games, face painting, etc. Santa comes and there are Christmas carols sung.”

“I also have been involved with collecting donations for events such as the Celebrity Forks & Dreams. This was a dinner where celebrities not only baked the dessert items auctioned off, but also waited on those who purchased the tickets. There was a silent auction as well.”

Building on a legacy is one of our Core Values … and is the perfect description of this effort started by Buddy Schwartz which continues to grow each year. We greatly appreciate our relationships with clients and the trust they place in our agency and staff. We work hard to live up to our reputation and to find ways to give back to our community.