Latest Small Business Headlines

All the headlines from our Small Business Topic Page, ordered by recency.

How to Reduce the Expense of cyber business interruption

Jul 6 2020 // According to the IBM “Cost of a Data Breach Report, 2019”, business interruption (BI) represents 36% of the cost of a cyber breach, averaging a whopping $1.42 million per breach. The report states that, for the...

Treasurer: Louisiana Small Business Grant Program to Begin in July

Jun 24 2020 // Some small businesses harmed by the coronavirus pandemic should start seeing grants from a $300 million federally financed program as soon as next month, Louisiana’s state treasurer said.The money is part of $1.8...

Hiscox, Thimble to Offer Short-Term Business Insurance Plans

Jun 23 2020 // Hiscox has partnered with Thimble, a short-term liability insurance provider for small businesses, to offer coverage available by the hour, day or month.The partnership will allow Hiscox to give businesses flexibility,...

$300M Small Business Aid Plan Signed by Louisiana Governor

Jun 17 2020 // Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards has signed a Republican-crafted plan to spend $300 million in federal coronavirus aid to help small businesses recover from the outbreak, agreeing to a grant program that peeled off dollars...

Mississippi Establishes Small Business Website for Virus Relief Grants

Jun 15 2020 // Mississippi has established a website where owners of small businesses can soon start applying for grants funded by a federal coronavirus pandemic relief package, Gov. Tate Reeves said.The site – backtobusinessms.org...

Mississippi Establishes Small Business Website for Virus Relief Grants

Jun 2 2020 // Mississippi has established a website where owners of small businesses can soon start applying for grants funded by a federal coronavirus pandemic relief package, Gov. Tate Reeves said Friday.The site –...

Mississippi to Offer $300M in Virus Relief Grants for Small Businesses

May 20 2020 // Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves said last week that he expects to sign a bill to create grants for small businesses by using part the state’s coronavirus relief money.The governor’s staff was involved in...

Transparency Is Key for Insurance Agents Handling Coronavirus Claims

May 18 2020 // Business interruption insurance has been a much-debated topic during the coronavirus crisis, with some businesses already pushing back against virus-related claim denials.In several cities, groups of businesses have filed...

Small Businesses See Coronavirus Effect Lasting 12-16 Months

May 12 2020 // Eighty-one percent of small U.S. companies surveyed by Veem, a global payments network, expect the new coronavirus pandemic to affect their business over the next 12-16 months, and nearly 90% are bracing for an economic...

Raising Workers’ Total Health With Workers’ Comp The Many Ways a Job Affects a Worker’s Well-Being

May 4 2020 // Workers’ compensation leaders are being urged to move away from thinking primarily about how best to prevent and treat a worker’s physical injury to considering how to help the whole worker.It’s a...

Consumer Groups Oppose Immunity for Businesses From Coronavirus Lawsuits

Apr 30 2020 // U.S. consumer advocates are urging Congress to resist growing demands by companies for protections from coronavirus-related lawsuits as states start to ease pandemic restrictions and businesses begin to reopen.Led by...

Analysis: Insurers Feel Rising Legal Heat for COVID-19 Business Interruption Exclusions

Apr 28 2020 // Daniel Duckett, owner of the Lazy Claire patisserie in Belfast, was hoping for an insurance payout of up to 100,000 pounds ($123,460.00) to cover losses during the coronavirus lockdown. Now he fears for the future as he...

Layoffs, Small Business Exits Likely Major Coronavirus Effects on Workers’ Comp: NCCI

Apr 20 2020 // A new analysis of the economic effects of the coronavirus finds that while layoffs of workers will have the most immediate effect on workers’ compensation, a rise in business failures could pose a major challenge...

As Cyber Risks Grow, So Does the Need for Small Business Coverage

Apr 20 2020 // With cyberattacks on the rise and many small businesses unaware of the dangers, independent insurance agents are in a good position to educate clients about their risks, recommend preventative measures, and provide...

Who Got Money in Small Business Paycheck Protection Program?

Apr 17 2020 // WASHINGTON/SAN FRANCISCO, April 17 (Reuters) – Over two frantic weeks, the U.S. government pledged $350 billion to Main Street businesses across America desperate for cash after coronavirus lockdowns.Now a picture is...

Despite Insurance Industry Concerns, More States Introduce COVID-19 BI Bills

Apr 15 2020 // New Jersey was the first state to propose a bill that would mandate insurers cover COVID-19-related losses under their business interruption policies, and the insurance industry was quick to express its concern. But that...

Small Commercial Drones: Overcoming the Misconceptions

Apr 6 2020 // One of the most interesting and rapidly-growing technologies emerging for small business owners is the use of unmanned aerial vehicles, commonly known as drones. In 2019 alone, there were nearly 1.3 million registered...

How Agents Can Help Small Business Clients Navigate Cyber

Apr 6 2020 // More small businesses may be purchasing cyber insurance today as compared to a few years ago, but agents still have work to do to help clients understand their unique risks and ensure they have the right...

5 Tips to Help Small Business Clients Assess & Manage Cyber Risks

Apr 6 2020 // Agents and brokers looking to expand their relationships with small and mid-sized businesses might try ramping up efforts to help them understand and manage enterprise threats, such as cyber exposures.While hacking...

Reuters: Banks Cite Liability Risks, May Not Participate in Coronavirus Lending Plan

Apr 2 2020 // Thousands of U.S. banks, including some of the country’s largest lenders, have said they may not participate in the federal government’s small-business rescue program due to concerns about taking on too much...