‘Tis the Season for Risk: Winter Hazards That Could Cost Your Business

From holiday decorating and parties to frozen pipes and slick sidewalks, the winter season can create risks that lead to costly claims, disruptions or liability exposure for business owners. The good news: with proper planning, you can significantly reduce wintertime hazards and keep operations running safely and smoothly.

Below is your winter risk management guide, designed to help you safeguard your employees, customers, property and operations.

Holiday Decorating: Festive, Fun—and Potentially Risky

Holiday décor can boost morale and enhance the seasonal atmosphere, but it can also create fire, electrical and safety hazards if not handled correctly.

Common Office Decorating Hazards

• Overloaded outlets and power strips

• Flammable décor near heat sources

• Tripping hazards from cords and lighting

• Blocked emergency exits or fire sprinklers

• Dry, combustible holiday greenery

Holiday Decor Tips for Businesses

• Only use UL-certified commercial-grade lights.

• Inspect all cords for damage before installation.

• Avoid connecting multiple power strips or extension cords.

• Keep all décor at least three feet from heating vents or radiators.

• Do not block sprinklers, smoke detectors, or exit routes.

• Assign someone to oversee décor safety during the season.

A festive workplace shouldn’t create added risk. A few extra safety steps ensure your team enjoys the season without incident.

Holiday Parties: Reduce Liability While Celebrating Responsibly

Whether on-site or off-site, company holiday parties can expose employers to various liability risks—from alcohol-related incidents to workers’ comp claims.

Top Liability Risks at Company Parties

• Over consumption of alcohol by employees.

• Harassment or inappropriate behavior.

• Slips and falls at event venues.

• Employer liability for accidents occurring after the event.

• Increased exposure if attendance is perceived as mandatory.

Holiday Party Risk Management Strategies

• If serving alcohol, hire trained bartenders and offer plenty of food and non-alcoholic options.

• Provide transportation alternatives (rideshare credits, shuttle services).

• Reinforce anti-harassment and conduct policies beforehand.

• Clearly communicate that attendance is voluntary.

• Hold events earlier in the day when excessive drinking is less likely.

• Select reputable venues with appropriate liability coverage.

A well-planned party protects both employees and the business while still delivering a memorable celebration.

Winter Weather and Property Protection

Frozen pipes, roof leaks and structural strain from storms are some of the most common winter property claims. Proactive maintenance can save thousands in cleanup, repairs and business interruption.

Frozen Pipes

When temperatures drop, your building’s pipes are at risk.

Prevention Measures

• Insulate exposed pipes.

• Set thermostats to at least 55°F at all times—even overnight or on weekends.

• Allow faucets to drip during extreme cold.

• Install smart leak-detection or temperature sensors.

• Make sure fire sprinkler systems are properly winterized.

Roof & Gutter Maintenance

Snow, ice dams and freezing rain can cause serious roof damage.

Prevention Measures

• Schedule a pre-winter roof inspection.

• Clear gutters and drainage systems regularly.

• Remove heavy snow buildup safely (using trained professionals).

• Inspect seals around skylights, vents and HVAC units.

HVAC Winterization

A failed heating system can shut down operations and lead to pipe issues.

Steps to Prepare

• Change filters before cold weather hits.

• Have your system inspected by a licensed technician.

• Keep backup heating sources available.

Proactive maintenance is far less expensive than repairing winter weather damage.

Slip-and-Fall Hazards: Wet and Icy Walkways

Slip-and-fall injuries are among the most frequent wintertime claims and can cost businesses tens of thousands of dollars. Even one incident involving a customer, vendor or employee can lead to significant liability exposure.

Key Risks

• Icy parking lots

• Wet lobbies and entryways

• Snow tracked onto floors

• Poor lighting during shorter daylight hours

Risk-Management Tips

• Contract with a reputable snow and ice removal service, and document all services performed.

• Place heavy-duty floor mats at every entrance and replace them regularly when saturated.

• Use clear signage for slippery areas and maintain regular mop-and-dry rotations in high-traffic areas.

• Use slip-resistant floor coatings in areas prone to moisture.

• Improve exterior lighting around walkways, parking lots and entry paths.

• Train employees to report or address hazards immediately.

Commercial Auto and Fleet Safety

If your business relies on driving—whether for deliveries, service calls or employee travel—winter weather increases accident risk.

Winter Vehicle Safety Steps

•  Inspect and service all fleet vehicles before the season.

• Check tire tread, battery strength, wipers and antifreeze levels.

• Equip vehicles with winter kits (blankets, flashlights, ice scrapers).

• Train employees on safe winter driving techniques.

• Implement a weather travel policy to prevent unnecessary risks.

• Review your commercial auto insurance limits and coverages.

Employee Safety and Emergency Preparedness

A safe workforce is essential for business continuity during the winter.

Action Steps for Employers

• Allow remote work when weather creates dangerous commuting conditions.

• Update emergency plans for winter scenarios, including power outages.

• Create a communication plan for office closures or delays.

• Conduct safety refreshers for cold-weather hazards, equipment use and emergency procedures.

• Stock emergency supplies: blankets, flashlights, batteries, first-aid kits.

Supply Chain and Operational Continuity

Winter storms can trigger unexpected delays, closures, supply shortages or shipping disruptions—all of which can impact business operations.

Continuity Planning Tips

• Identify critical suppliers and confirm their winter weather contingency plans.

• Carry surplus inventory of essential materials or products.

• Create backup plans for shipping and logistics.

• Confirm your business interruption coverage is up to date.

• Ensure remote systems are secure and accessible in case employees must work off-site.

Operational preparedness ensures your business can continue functioning despite seasonal uncertainties.

Insurance Coverage Review: Close Gaps Before Something Goes Wrong

Winter is an excellent time to review your insurance policies to confirm you’re properly protected heading into the new year.

Coverage Areas to Review

• Commercial Property: Fire, water damage, snow/ice damage

• General Liability: Slip-and-fall incidents, holiday event exposure

• Employment Practices Liability (EPLI): Misconduct at company events

• Workers’ Compensation: Winter-related injuries

• Commercial Auto: Winter driving risks

• Cyber Insurance: Increased online activity and related scams

• Business Interruption: Weather-related shutdowns

Winter Doesn’t Have to Mean Increased Risk

With the right preparation and proactive risk management strategies, businesses can stay protected all winter long. Addressing holiday safety, weather-related hazards and the right insurance coverage will help you reduce liabilities and avoid preventable disruptions.

Questions about business insurance? Contact the Wallace & Turner team here.

Hackers Don’t Knock — Protect Your Home with Personal Cyber Insurance

In today’s world, “home” doesn’t just mean four walls and a roof—it means smart devices, Wi-Fi, personal data, online banking, and connected everything. As our digital lives continue to expand, the risks do too. Cyber threats aren’t just for big corporations anymore, they’re happening every day to individuals.

Here’s why personal cyber insurance coverage matters more than ever.

The Hidden Risk Isn’t Always What You Think

Savvy homeowners know to protect their property from fire, theft and natural disasters. What often gets overlooked? Digital threats. According to the Insurance Information Institute, 75% of consumers have experienced some form of data loss or cyber-attack, and yet more than 50% of insurance agents say their clients don’t fully understand the value of cyber insurance.

Homeowners insurance traditionally covers physical damage, property liability or theft but not necessarily when your malware-infected smart device triggers a breach or hackers get into your laptop. That’s why personal cyber insurance is becoming a crucial add-on.

Growing Exposure to Cyber Crime

Digital threats aren’t theoretical. They’re happening, and they’re expensive. Three out of four consumers have had their personal information lost or stolen, and 28% of consumers have had a social media account hacked. The average payout for a home cyber claim is more than $10,000.

Your home now hosts a host of entry points for hackers: smart doorbells, Wi-Fi cameras, network-connected thermostats and even your child’s tablet. A single phishing email, ransomware incident or data breach can set off a chain reaction of fees, identity restoration and reputation damage.

It’s easy to assume cybercrime only happens to big companies or wealthy individuals, but most incidents target everyday people. Take, for example, a family whose Wi-Fi baby monitor was hacked, allowing strangers to see and hear inside their home. Or a retiree who unknowingly clicked a phishing link that wiped out their savings account in minutes. Even small events like a teen’s social media account being hijacked and used for scams can lead to legal headaches, reputation damage and financial loss.

What Cyber Insurance Covers

How can personal cyber insurance help you in the instance of a breach?

• Identity theft & online fraud: Coverage for legal and financial institution fees, credit monitoring and lost wages after an identity incident.

• Cyber extortion/ransomware: Services to handle ransomware attacks and recover compromised files.

• Data breach expenses: Costs tied to investigating how a breach occurred and notifying impacted individuals.

• Smart-home device attacks: Help repairing or replacing systems hacked via IoT vulnerabilities.

• Online harassment / cyber-bullying: For families, especially, coverage can help deal with consequences of cyber-bullying or online defamation such as social media monitoring, counseling or reputation management.

Because most standard homeowners policies don’t explicitly cover these scenarios, cyber insurance often comes as an endorsement or separate policy.

Why Cyber Insurance Is So Important Now

Modern homeowners face new risks — from hacked smart devices to stolen identities — and traditional coverage isn’t always enough. Consider this:

• Exposure is everywhere: From remote work to connected devices, your home is a digital hub—and cyber risk follows.

• It’s not about if, but when: Accepting that cyber threats are inevitable is the first step. The right coverage helps you react, not just suffer.

• The right policy matters: Every cyber policy is different in what it covers. Knowing the exclusions, and what your coverage provides, can save you headaches.

• Budget-wise, it makes sense: Personal cyber endorsements can cost a nominal amount compared to what you stand to lose if you’re a victim.

What You Should Do Right Now

1. Ask your agent if your homeowners or renters policy explicitly includes or excludes cyber risk.

2. Consider adding a cyber endorsement or standalone policy if you use smart devices, do remote work, shop online frequently, or have multiple connected family members.

3. Review what’s covered: identity theft response, ransomware recovery, device repair or replacement, reputation restoration, etc.

4. Keep your digital house in order: enable two-factor authentication, use unique passwords, update firmware, and be wary of email links. Prevention is still the most effective first line of defense.

The digital world is part of daily life, but it also brings new risks to every household. Personal cyber insurance is a simple way to protect what matters most—your identity, your data and your sense of security. Having the right coverage in place means you have a partner to help you navigate the aftermath while minimizing disruption to your life.

Contact us to ensure your home is fully protected: 937-324-8492.

Rising Cyber Threats to Ohio’s Blue-Collar Industries: Why Now Is the Time to Assess Your Cyber Insurance

Cybercrime is no longer an issue reserved for technology companies, hospitals or financial institutions. Increasingly, industries that have historically considered themselves “low risk” for cyberattacks, such as construction, manufacturing and distributors, are finding themselves in the crosshairs of cybercriminals. Attackers are going where defenses are weakest, and right now, that includes blue-collar industries across Ohio.

For Ohio business owners, this trend carries significant implications. Many of these industries are the backbone of the state’s economy, employing thousands and supporting vital supply chains. Unfortunately, these same sectors often lag behind in cybersecurity investment, leaving gaps that attackers are eager to exploit.

We’re exploring why blue-collar industries are now prime cyber targets, how attacks unfold and what steps businesses can take to protect themselves against potentially devastating losses.

Cybercrime by the Numbers

The scale of cybercrime continues to rise year over year. In 2023, the FB’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) received 21,489 complaints related to Business Email Compromise (BEC), with reported losses exceeding $2.9 billion. BEC is a sophisticated scheme that targets both businesses and individuals engaged in fund transfers. These scams are often executed by compromising legitimate business email accounts, typically through social engineering or computer intrusion, and then using them to initiate unauthorized transfers of money.

What’s striking is that attackers are no longer just chasing sensitive personal data or credit card information. They’re looking for ways to disrupt operations, lock down systems and extort ransoms – tactics that work just as effectively on a manufacturing plant in Ohio as they do on a tech startup in Silicon Valley.

In fact, a recent IBM Cost of a Data Breach Report found that the average cost of a breach globally reached $4.4 million. Even smaller breaches, affecting fewer than 1,000 records, can cost hundreds of thousands of dollars when factoring in downtime, recovery and reputational harm.

Why Ohio’s Blue-Collar Industries Are Being Targeted by Cyberattacks

1. Legacy Systems and Limited IT Resources

Many construction, manufacturing and distribution firms operate with outdated software, machinery or enterprise systems. These legacy platforms may not receive regular security patches, creating vulnerabilities. In smaller cities like Urbana and Springfield, Ohio, IT teams are often lean, making it difficult to keep up with evolving threats.

2. Operational Disruption as Leverage

Unlike banks or hospitals, blue-collar industries may not store vast amounts of consumer financial data. But what they do have is something equally valuable: production continuity. If a ransomware attack locks up a manufacturing line in Dayton, Ohio, the cost of halted operations can skyrocket within hours. Attackers know this urgency often forces companies to pay ransoms quickly.

3. Supply Chain Weakness

Wholesale distributors and manufacturers are critical links in supply chains. Cybercriminals may target these companies not only for direct profit, but also as stepping stones to larger businesses and clients. A compromised vendor can become the entry point for attacks across an entire network of companies.

4. Underestimation of Risk

Perhaps the most significant factor is perception. Many blue-collar businesses have historically believed they weren’t “interesting” enough for hackers to target. That misconception is changing rapidly and unfortunately, it means many companies are underinsured or unprepared when an incident occurs.

Real-World Examples of Cyberattacks on Ohio Businesses

• Rumpke Waste and Recycling in Colerain Township, Ohio was hit by a ransomware attack attributed to the cybercriminal group Hunters International. The attackers reportedly demanded a ransom within 24 hours to prevent further data exposure.\

• Crown Equipment, a manufacturing company based in New Bremen, Ohio with nearly 20,000 employees, was forced to shut down temporarily due to a cyberattack in 2024.

• The City of Athens lost $700,000 in a phishing scam when scammers faked a bank transfer agreement that looked like it was coming from Pepper Construction, the company that built the city’s new fire station and is remodeling the Armory building.

These cases highlight that no business, regardless of size or industry, is immune.

Cyber Liability Insurance in Ohio

Even the most diligent cybersecurity strategy cannot guarantee 100% protection. That’s why cyber liability insurance has become an essential tool for Ohio businesses.

A strong cyber liability policy can cover:

• Data Breach Response Costs – including forensic investigations, legal fees and notification to affected parties.

• Business Interruption Losses – compensating for lost income during downtime caused by an attack.

• Ransomware and Extortion Payments – helping businesses respond if criminals demand payment.

• Third-Party Liability – covering damages if an attack on your systems impacts clients, partners or vendors.

• Reputational Harm and Public Relations Support – assisting in managing customer trust after an incident.

It’s important to note that not all cyber insurance policies are created equal. For example, some exclude coverage for social engineering fraud, while others may cap payments for ransomware incidents. Businesses should work with a trusted insurance partner to carefully review their existing coverage and identify gaps.

How Ohio Businesses Can Strengthen Their Defenses Against Cyber Criminals

Beyond insurance, companies in construction, manufacturing and distribution should take proactive steps to reduce risk:

1. Employee Training
   Human error is often the weakest link. Regular training on phishing, password hygiene and suspicious email recognition is critical.

2. Patch and Update Systems
   Keeping operating systems, industrial control software, and even IoT devices updated closes many of the most common security gaps.

3. Implement Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)
   MFA significantly reduces the risk of compromised credentials being used in attacks.

4. Conduct Regular Risk Assessments
   Independent IT security audits can identify vulnerabilities that internal teams may miss.

5. Develop an Incident Response Plan
   Knowing exactly how to respond when an attack occurs – who to call, how to isolate systems, and how to notify stakeholders – can save precious time and minimize damage.

For more guidance, the Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) provides helpful resources for small and mid-sized businesses.

Why Now Is the Time to Asses Your Cyber Insurance

Cyber threats are not slowing down. With the rise of artificial intelligence, phishing scams are becoming more sophisticated, and ransomware groups are growing bolder. For businesses, this means the risks are not only growing, but evolving.

Choosing to ignore these risks could result in devastating financial losses, legal liability and reputational harm that takes years to rebuild. On the other hand, businesses that proactively invest in cybersecurity measures and review their cyber liability insurance are positioning themselves to survive in this expanding digital environment.

Wallace & Turner’s Cyber Coverage for Ohio Businesses

At Wallace & Turner Insurance, we’ve served businesses across Ohio for more than a century, and we understand the unique challenges facing our region’s construction firms, manufacturers and distributors. Our team can help you:

• Evaluate your current cyber liability policy

• Identify potential gaps in coverage

• Benchmark your protection against industry best practices

• Provide risk management resources to strengthen your overall cybersecurity

Whether you’re a manufacturing company in Dayton, a construction firm in Urbana or a distributor in Springfield, we’re here to make sure your business is prepared for today’s evolving cyber threat landscape.