MMA Women’s Champion Ronda Rousey Joins insureon Team

Ronda Rousey will serve as an insureon spokesperson as the company strives to help more of the 45 million small-business owners who fuel the U.S. economy.

CHICAGO—March 22, 2013

Mixed Martial Arts champion and Judo star Ronda Rousey has signed on as a spokesperson with insureon, the nation’s leading online insurance agency for small businesses with over 30,000 clients. Insureon does not protect big business; rather, it focuses solely on the 45 million contractors, landscapers, janitors, nurses, consultants, technology firms, and restaurant owners who are the backbone and the real heroes of the American economy.

The insureon team is delighted to welcome the rising star, who holds the distinction of being the first and current MMA Women’s Bantamweight Champion and will serve as a celebrity coach on the upcoming reality show The Ultimate Fighter. Prior to launching her professional career, Rousey distinguished herself as the first American woman to medal in Judo at the 2008 Olympic games in Beijing.

“We believe Ronda’s mindset is the embodiment of what insureon’s products do for our small-business customers,” said Ted Devine, CEO of insureon. “Nobody can defeat Ronda, and nobody can defeat a small business with appropriate insurance coverage. At insureon, we are committed to providing small businesses with the insurance products that protect their businesses from whatever risks they face. Our clients are fighting to support their families every day. Ronda embodies this fighting spirit.”

To date, Ms. Rousey maintains an undefeated 7-0 record and is among the first professional women Mixed Martial Artists. She has so far won all her fights in the first round and consistently uses her signature “arm bar” move to defeat her opponents, often in less than a minute of fighting.

A pioneer in the world of women’s sports, Rousey’s accomplishments recall those of driver Danica Patrick, golfer Annika Sörenstam, and tennis player Billie Jean King. Like other professional female athletes, Rousey’s accomplishments help empower women around the world – including those who own half of all the small businesses in the United States.

Bringing Ronda to the insureon team was a group effort, acknowledges Devine. All American Entertainment and The Specialized Marketing Group, Inc. (TSMGI) were pivotal players in the negotiations process. TSMGI’s CEO Jordan Bressler is known for his role in helping Chicago’s Aon Corporation secure naming rights for England’s celebrated Manchester United soccer team.

“MMA is rapidly growing here in the U.S., and it’s the perfect representation of what small-business owners do every waking minute: they’re in the ring, they’re giving it all they’ve got, they’re trying a little bit of this and a little bit of that to figure out what works for them,” said Bressler.“Just like small-business owners, Ronda demonstrates the 110-percent effort that is needed to overcome obstacles day after day.”

In the coming weeks, fans of Ms. Rousey will be able to see her in videos on insureon’s YouTube channel and images of her elsewhere on the insureon website, www.insureon.com.

About insureon

Since launching in 2000, insureon has offered insurance protection to more than 30,000 small businesses. Today, the company offers a wide range of business insurance products, including General Liability Insurance, Property Insurance, Cyber Liability Insurance, and more. Insureon has won over owners of small and micro businesses around the country by maintaining a commitment to streamlined, innovative processes, including an all-online application, a team of specialized insurance agents, and an industry-leading quote-to-bind turnaround time. More information about insureon is available at www.insureon.com.

Insureon Protects Non-Profit Boards and Executives with Directors & Officers Liability Insurance

New Non-Profit Directors and Officers Liability Insurance coverage from insureon helps recruit and retain board members by offering them financial protection. Insureon has specialists who know how to meet the unique insurance needs of non-profit organizations.

CHICAGO – March 13, 2013

Insureon, the leading online agent for small-business insurance, today announced the availability of Directors & Officers Liability Insurance designed to meet the needs of non-profit organizations.

The US has over 1.5 million non-profit organizations (Source: National Center for Charitable Statistics), each of which relies on a board of directors for executive-level insight and operational guidance. The members of these boards funnel energy, time, and expertise into the organizations they serve, but they’re also the ones most likely to be named in a lawsuit against those organizations. This is because plaintiffs tend to view directors as more lucrative targets non-profits themselves, which by definition cannot maintain large reserves of cash.

“Non-profits contribute so much to our communities by supporting the arts, education, healthcare, the environment, and any number of other critical needs,” said Ted Devine, CEO of insureon. “However good their intentions, though, non-profits face a wide range of risks that can lead to legal action against board directors and officers. As the founder of 1World Sports, a sports leadership non-profit that helps 1,000 at-risk kids per year, I know first-hand how important this insurance can be in attracting and keeping a great board and executive team.”

To protect non-profit directors and officers from costly lawsuits, non-profit organizations – regardless of size – should carry Non-profit Directors & Officers Liability Insurance (also called D&O Insurance). D&O Liability Insurance offers protection against a variety of claims that a non-profit organization’s board may face, including:

• Claims that employees were improperly treated. This includes allegations of discrimination, harassment, wrongful termination, and similar charges.
• Claims that the non-profit or its directors and officers neglected to perform their duties. Legal claims can allege failure to perform duties if and when the omission caused financial damage or other harm to one or more parties.
• Claims that the directors and officers handled the organization’s assets improperly. This could include a variety of behaviors, from improperly investing funds to spending money on goods or services that do not align with the non-profit’s mission.
• Claims of physical harm from non-profit events. • Claims of physical harm from non-profit events.

Finding Appropriate D&O Insurance for Your Non-profit

Non-profit organizations come in every shape and size, and so do the D&O Insurance policies available to protect them. Because of the great variation in coverage available, however, non-profit organizations should be sure to consult with an insurance agent about exactly what their D&O policies cover.

In most cases, non-profits should consider a number of variables when choosing a D&O Insurance policy, including policy limit, the desired reporting period, and what specific events are covered by the policy. Insureon has non-profit specialists who can guide customers through the process of selecting a Directors & Officers Insurance policy that suits their organization’s needs.With insureon as their online insurance agent, non-profits gain access to some of the nation’s most respected, A-rated business insurance carriers as well as licensed insurance agents who are specialists in the unique insurance needs of non-profits. For more information on insureon’s non-profit offerings, please visit www.insureon.com.

About insureon

Insureon, the leading online business insurance agency for small businesses, specializes in serving the fast-growing micro-business sector, which includes the self-employed and organizations with 10 or fewer employees. Insureon allows small businesses to apply online for insurance and receive multiple quotes from leading insurance carriers — completing in minutes a process that otherwise would take a week or longer. For more information, please visit insureon sitesTechInsuranceandBusiness Insurance Now.

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Online Business Insurance Agent insureon Honors “Small Business Heroes” with $500,000 in Micro Grants

Micro-Business Owners and Employees Can Apply to Receive Micro-Grants for New Equipment and Supplies Needed to Grow Their Businesses

CHICAGO—February 25, 2013

For each of the 45 million small businesses in the U.S. with fewer than 10 employees, success is often based on a collection of small triumphs. Insureon, the leading online agent for small-business insurance, today introduced “Small Business Heroes,” a new way to give back to these micro businesses that drive economic growth and spur innovation in America.

CEO Ted Devine announced that insureon, which serves approximately 40,000 micro-business clients across the U.S., will earmark $500,000 for the Small Business Heroes micro grants.

“At insureon, we talk to thousands of micro-business owners every month,” said Devine. “They’re the true heroes of the U.S. economy. This micro-grant program is our small way of giving back to them.”

Each month, insureon will help up to three worthy micro businesses by providing funding for small but meaningful needs, such as a new snowplow, a computer, or a cash register. “In micro businesses, personal and business finances are often intertwined,” Devine said.“This support will help them not just grow their companies but also support their families.”

Micro-business owners interested in applying for a Small Business Heroes micro grant should email Hero@insureon.com with a 200-word synopsis of their business, their business wish (e.g., equipment or supplies), and what the equipment or supplies might enable them to do. Owners and employees are encouraged to share photos in their application as well. Insureon will share these stories at SmallBusinessHeroes.com, where visitors can provide feedback on which needs should be met.

Insureon helps over 35,000 small-business owners protect and support businesses in industries that range from accounting and engineering to retail and technology. For more information on Small Business Heroes, please visit SmallBusinessHeroes.com.

About insureon

Insureon, the leading online business insurance agency for small business, specializes in serving the fast-growing micro-business sector, which includes the self-employed and companies with 10 or fewer employees. Insureon allows micro businesses to apply online for insurance and receive multiple quotes from leading insurance carriers, completing in minutes a process that otherwise would take a week or longer. For more information, please visit insureon sites TechInsurance and Business Insurance Now.

Mobile Payments Create Opportunity But Produce Risks for Small Business

Insureon Issues Recommendations for Small-Business Compliance with New PCI Mobile Payment Guidelines.

Chicago, IL (PRWEB) February 19, 2013

The U.S. mobile payments industry, powered by the explosion of services like Square and Google Wallet, is expected to grow from $12.8 billion in 2012 to $90 billion in 2017 (Forrester), with much of that growth expected to be among small businesses. Faced with this growth, the Payment Card Industry (PCI) Security Standards Council this month announced new data security guidelines for merchants who accept payment via mobile devices not designed primarily as point-of-sale tools. In response to these new guidelines, insureon, the nation’s leading online insurance provider for small and micro businesses, today released a checklist for small businesses currently using or exploring mobile payments.

Despite the benefits, merchants who turn to mobile payment solutions are introducing new risks to their business in the form of fraud. A 2009 survey by Javelin Strategy and Research found that merchants accepting mobile payments experienced a higher fraud loss as a percentage of revenue than both online and brick-and-mortar stores.

“Small and micro businesses constantly struggle to contain costs while making purchases easier for their customers,” said Ted Devine, CEO of insureon. “Mobile payments can offer a great solution that balances those interests. However, accepting mobile payments also opens small-business owners up to a number of liability risks.”

To help small-business owners mitigate those risks and comply with PCI’s new guidelines, insureon issued the following recommendations for avoiding liability in the event of a data breach related to mobile payments:

• Ensure compliance with PCI Security Standards. Unlike the most recently released guidelines, the PCI standards are thresholds that merchants must legally meet in order to accept credit card payments. Failing to meet these standards could open small businesses to fines, penalties, and even the withdrawal of their right to accept credit and debit cards. The specific standards of a business depend on which payments they accept.
• Review the General Liability business insurance policy to determine whether the business is covered in the event of a data breach. Every General Liability Insurance policy is different. If the business is considering accepting mobile payments or have already started doing so, review the policy to see whether the existing policy covers the business in the event of a data breach.
• Invest in Cyber Liability Insurance if the existing coverage has any gaps. If the General Liability policy doesn’t offer data breach coverage, talk to an agent about a first-party Cyber Liability policy, which protects the business if their employees’ or clients’ data is stolen.
• Secure the business' devices, its software, and the payment system it uses. This involves using complex passwords, changing passwords regularly, installing anti-malware software on any devices, and working only with payment systems known to be secure. While no business can ever be 100 percent secure, protection is about defending off the easiest and most frequent attacks.

Devine notes that every business uses mobile payments differently. Small businesses should use insurance advisers who are familiar with the intricacies in their industry. At insureon, each agent is trained and focused exclusively on businesses within one industry, giving them detailed knowledge that traditional agents may lack.

Insureon gives small and micro businesses access to the nation’s most respected, A-rated business insurance carriers, as well as licensed insurance agents trained to identify insurance products appropriate for their needs. For more information on insureon’s offerings, please visit http://www.insureon.com.

About insureon

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Online Business Insurance Agent insureon Receives Near-Perfect Score for Customer Loyalty

98 Percent of insureon’s Customers Would Recommend the Company to Friends and Family, According to its Net Promoter Score™.

CHICAGO – February 1, 2013

During the second half of 2012, insureon, the leading online agent for small business insurance, earned a Net Promoter Score™ (NPS) of 98%, a level considered superb by customer loyalty experts. NPS levels measure the percentage of customers who are likely to recommend a company to their friends and family. Elsewhere in the industry, USAA earned NPS of 74% for auto insurance, while StateFarm led major life insurance companies with a 28% rating.

In the last six months, insureon added more than 7,000 customers and consistently earned ratings of “excellent” or “good” from those customers. “Every business says it, but independent measures like this show the emphasis that insureon places on customer service,” says Ted Devine, insureon’s CEO. “We listen to what our customers say, and we’re constantly making improvements to our products and processes based on their feedback.”

Fred Reichheld, a bestselling author and customer-loyalty expert, introduced the NPS metric in a 2003 Harvard Business Review article as a way for companies to measure customer satisfaction and guide business decisions. The NPS asks customers to rate their likelihood of recommending a company on a scale of 1 to 10, with 10 meaning that a customer is “extremely likely” to recommend the company.

Through years of in-depth research on customer loyalty metrics, Reichheld determined that customers who rate a company 6 or lower on his scale are “detractors,” those who rate a company between 7 and 8 are “passive,” and those who rate it between 9 and 10 are “promoters.” A company’s Net Promoter Score™ is a measurement of the percentage of promoters minus the percentage of detractors.

A business’s score can range from -100% (meaning all customers are detractors) to 100% (meaning every customer is a promoter). Scores of 50% and above are considered excellent, making insureon’s 98% score among the best of the best.

Since the middle of 2012, customer responses have driven insureon to make a number of changes, including enhancing its website experience, streamlining its operations, and empowering its customer service representatives to make quick decisions that improve their responsiveness to customer queries.

Since its introduction in 2003, the NPS has surged in popularity among CEOs interested in improving long-term growth. This is because Reichheld’s research shows that the single best way to measure customer satisfaction is the same regardless of industry: determine how likely a customer is to recommend a business to a friend.

“We’re thrilled that 98 percent of our customers would recommend us to their friends,” Devine notes. “But we’re also working very hard to change the minds of the other two percent.”

About insureon

For Physical and Athletic Trainers, 78 Million Baby Boomers Present Opportunity and Risk

Insureon's New Specialized Insurance Offerings Help Trainers Protect Against Fitness Injuries

CHICAGO – January 9, 2013

The growing number of health-conscious seniors might seem like a golden opportunity for fitness and athletic instructors; however, with 2.5 million boomers sent to emergency rooms for exercise-related injuries each year, this opportunity also poses a greater risk to instructors’ businesses, according to insureon, the leading online agent for small business insurance.

Athletic trainers are adept at determining just how hard to push subjects to help them realize goals and achieve maximum physical performance. But the difference between peak performance and injury can narrow for baby boomers, causing injuries that lead to medical bills and, potentially, lawsuits.

“Successful business owners identify opportunities within their markets; however, it is as critical to determine where those opportunities also have underlying risks,” said Ted Devine, chief executive officer of insureon. “As trainers look to ensure their services match this growing market, they also need to reexamine their insurance coverage to make sure it is adequate to handle this increased risk– whether it is injury to the client, damage to gym equipment or injury to themselves.”

Though liability waivers have become commonplace at gyms and athletic clubs, courts sometimes invalidate these documents or allow lawsuits to stand. And even if the lawsuit is ultimately won or disallowed, the legal fees alone can be enough to sink a small business.

To protect their businesses, physical and athletic trainers can turn to insureon’s new specialized allied health insurance coverage. The offerings focus on the most urgent insurance needs, including:

• Professional Liability Insurance: Even with the most diligent and safe practices, accidents happen, particularly when every client has different physical abilities. With the high cost of medical bills, a minor strain or muscle pull can be exceedingly expensive. In these cases, liability insurance would not only cover the medical bills businesses are responsible for, but also for any legal fees associated from any errors or misjudgments that led to the injury. Without sufficient coverage, owners might risktheir personal assets in addition to their business.


• General Liability Insurance: For the personal trainer, the exercise equipment is the lifeblood that helps make their jobs easy. Unfortunately, it is also expensive. A general liability policy protects this equipment if it breaks, something that is necessary even if the equipment is covered under a warranty. The general policy also covers the business owner from liability from accidents that happen at the place of work, including slips and falls.

With insureon as their online insurance agent, allied health businesses gain access to the nation’s most respected, A-rated business insurance carriers as well as licensed insurance agents trained to identify the best possible insurance products to meet their needs. For more information on insureon’s allied health offerings, please visit www.insureon.com.

About insureon

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Online Insurance Agent Insureon Takes the Worry Out of Cyber Attacks for Small Business

New Way to Purchase Protection from Damages Associated with Data Breaches

CHICAGO - November 12, 2012 - When they hit a large corporation, cyber attacks make headlines. But an increasing number of small business owners are realizing that their companies are also susceptible to cyber attacks, sometimes with devastating results. Insureon, the leading online agent for small business insurance, today announced a new suite of cyber liability coverage available online and catered specifically to give small business owners peace of mind that their business could survive a cyber attack or data breach.

"No business is immune from cyber threats, and numbers are staggering when it comes to their impact on small businesses," said Ted Devine, chief executive officer of insureon. According to the National Cyber Security Alliance (NCSA), the average cost of cyber attack for small businesses in 2010 was $188,242. He added, "Whether it's a restaurant that processes credit cards or a dental office that stores patient records, our customers are becoming more aware that any type of data breach can put their operation at serious risk."

Symantec reports that a full 60 percent of small businesses shut their doors within six months of an attack. Harm and damages from cyber attacks - an estimated 40 percent of which are targeted at small businesses - include direct costs from investigating what happened, notifying those affected, credit monitoring, litigation and government fines, as well as indirect costs from lost business and damage to the company's reputation.

Insureon's offerings help business owners protect themselves and keep their organizations running in the event of an attack. Devine continued, "With cyber liability protection, small business owners can focus on serving their customers and clients, growing the business and protecting their most important asset. Put simply, cyber liability insurance provides certainty in normal times, while helping owners keep their doors open in the event of an attack. We make it easy to purchase this coverage online."

Small businesses are most susceptible to cyber attacks if they do not have a firewall or up-to-date antivirus software. However, having such precautions does not put business owners in the clear. Businesses are still vulnerable from compromised web pages, phishing emails and unsecured mobile devices, all of which can penetrate defenses and perpetrate harm.

Since there is no way to ensure that a small business will not be victimized by a cyber attack, insureon's cyber liability offering protects small businesses against the largest threats they face, including the disclosure of confidential data, loss of data or digital assets and the introduction of malicious code or viruses.

• Disclosure of confidential data

  The National Cyber Security Alliance (NCSA) reported last year that two-thirds of small businesses have customer data living on their networks, while nearly half have financial reports and records and 18 percent have their clients' intellectual property.

• Loss of data

  Information management can be one of the most challenging aspects of running a small business. Small business owners need to not only protect data from being read or stolen, but also from being corrupted, which could lead to an interruption in business while the data is reassembled.

• Introduction of malicious code or viruses

  Viruses and other malicious code can potentially clog entire networks, using a small business' system to populate itself throughout the Internet. Viruses can also overwrite files and destroy key information on a computer or network's hard drive. In addition to taking time to rebuild, owners can be held responsible for attacks launched from their system.

For more information on insureon's cyber liability insurance offerings, please visit www.insureon.com/cyber-liability/

About insureon

Insureon, the leading online business insurance agency for small business, specializes in serving the fast-growing micro-business sector, which includes the self-employed and companies with 10 or fewer employees. Insureon allows small businesses to apply online for insurance and receive multiple quotes from leading insurance carriers - completing in minutes a process that otherwise would take a week or longer. For more information, please visit Insureon sites TechInsurance and Business Insurance Now.

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