While You Are Away, Cybercriminals Will Prey
Travel seems to be on everyone’s calendar this winter. If that’s the case for you, safety and security are likely uppermost on your minds today. So great is the concern that 72% of U.S. travelers said they would pay more for their vacation if they could ensure greater security, according to a recent survey by Travelzoo. What travelers may not realize is that cybercrime is now as much a threat, if not more, than conventional dangers.
Whatever your travel plans, you should be aware of the following safety and security issues:
A Safe-Travel Cyber Checklist
Don’t discuss travel plans on social media. Social media is great for keeping family and friends informed about your travels, but sharing can backfire if cybercriminals find out when you are away and burgle your home. Do not post travel dates or itineraries, and warn your children not to share their own or your travel plans — and never to reveal when no one is home.
Be wary of public Wi-Fi. You should always use secure connections when going online in public places. If you have to use an unsecured connection, never check bank balances, login to credit card or other accounts, or share important personal information. This information can easily be stolen over an unsecure network. Also, turn off Bluetooth and other connectivity features when in a public area, as these features can be just as vulnerable as Wi-Fi.
Be careful getting cash and making payments. Be cautious of where you make payments or get cash, since these are the key access points for identity theft among cybercriminals. Using ATMs at a bank branch is safer than using standalone ATMs, and using a credit card for merchandise purchases is safer than using a debit card, which provides direct access to a bank account. You should be sure that your liability policy has identity theft coverage.
Turn off home computers. Many people leave their computers on as a matter of habit, but always-on computers are more susceptible to hacking.
Back up all data. Storing all sensitive files in a secure facility on the cloud is recommended, as is backing up data onto a removable storage device that can be kept in a home safe.
Change passwords. If you are taking an iPhone on your trip, we suggest you change your Apple ID password to something long and difficult to hack. Also remove credit card information associated with your Apple account and turn on the lock-screen passcode. That way, if your phone is lost or stolen, little information can be accessed. Also turn on the “Find My Phone” feature, which can help you find a misplaced or stolen device and the information stored on it.
Register for the Smart Traveler program. The State Department’s Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) at https://step.state.gov/ is a free service that allows citizens traveling abroad to enroll their trip with the nearest U.S. embassy. Enrollment enables embassies to reach travelers in an emergency, as well as help family and friends contact the travelers.
Protect the home while away. If you will be gone for any period of time you should take the following steps to protect their homes from cybercriminals:
- Alert the home alarm provider so they will know the house is vacant; ask their alarm company if they offer an encryption tool for their home security system to make it less vulnerable to hackers.
- Disconnect the garage door opener and lock it manually to protect from criminals who can crack the electronic code.
- Unplug any devices or appliances connected to the internet.
Investing for the Long Haul
Slip and Falls: Where Do You Stand?
Presented by: Christopher F. Hawthorne, CPCU, CIC
As we settle into winter, it is an appropriate time to revisit the issue of liability from slip and falls (S&F). As mentioned in prior Cleary Quarterly articles, Massachusetts laws have changed, making it easier to establish liability to those involved. As such, we are seeing an increasing number of slip and fall claims filed against our clients. When someone is injured, who is responsible?
S&F claims can be quite large and long-lasting claims. When a person is initially injured, the extent of the damage, medical bills, possible lost wages and other pain and suffering are unknown and therefore a personal injury attorney will often wait as long as possible before filing a lawsuit against the potentially responsible parties. However, it is always a good idea to gain knowledge about how to claim for slip and fall even before visiting the attorney!
As an example, Mr. Smith is walking into a local restaurant and slips on ice. After Mr. Smith falls and injures himself, he or his attorney may identify several potentially responsible parties. Those responsible might be the restaurant, the property owner or a snow removal contractor if one is used. All three will need to notify their General Liability insurance carrier and potentially, three different carriers will then post a reserve on their insured’s file be it the restaurant, the property owner and the snow removal contractor.
All three carriers then will wait to hear from Mr. Smith’s attorney. These losses can sit for several years before the actual suit arrives to allow the loss to grow. Meanwhile all three parties are paying premiums based on the assumption that their insurance is responsible and this can raise the rates for all three.
To avoid this scenario, consider the following risk management steps:
- Risk Transfer between the property owner and the restaurant via the lease. The lease should spell out who is responsible for snow and ice removal and be clear to what degree. (Parking lots, walkways, steps, roof, etc.)
- Risk Transfer between the responsible party above and the snow removal contractor. This agreement should be just as clear in terms of which party will handle the different areas where snow and ice will accumulate.
- In each case an attorney should be used to have the responsible party indemnify, hold harmless and defend the other party.
- Verification of Insurance and the limits for the ultimate responsible party with particular attention to affirming that there is no exclusion in General Liability policy of the responsible party for the removal of ice and snow.
In this example, if the property owner via the lease takes responsibility and also hires the snow removal contractor, then the lease should protect the restaurant and the contract between the snow removal contractor and the property owner should protect the property owner.
The end result after a slip and fall is the easy identification of which party will handle the claim and allow the other two parties to protect their loss history and future premiums. This subject deserves close attention by all three parties to make sure they know where they stand after someone falls.