Monthly Archives: November 2025

Stay Safe Online This Cyber Monday

Posted on by

With the colder weather comes one of the busiest times of year: the holiday season.

Thanksgiving is up next, and right after that comes a day everyone seems to love (maybe a little too much): Cyber Monday. It’s the day when people jump online, click every button in sight, and buy all the things — whether they really need them or not. It’s fast, it’s fun, and sometimes it’s a little chaotic.

But while you’re online filling your cart, remember this: the bad actors are online too.

Hackers know Cyber Monday brings millions of shoppers to the web, and they work overtime trying to steal valuable information to make their holidays merrier at your expense. That means now is the perfect time to slow down, stay alert, and protect yourself.

How to Stay Safe While Shopping Online

Here are a few things to keep in mind before you click “Buy Now”:

1. Double-check the website you’re on.

Scammers love creating look-alike sites with nearly identical names. Always review the URL carefully before entering any personal or payment information.

2. Be skeptical of emails.

If you get an email about a deal that seems too good to be true, pause. Make sure you recognize the sender, and watch for red flags like misspelled words, weird phrasing, or urgent messages demanding immediate action.

3. Never share sensitive information over email.

No retailer needs your Social Security number, date of birth, or bank account information to confirm a purchase. If someone asks you for it, it’s a scam — full stop.

4. Avoid clicking links you weren’t expecting.

One careless click can lead to malware, viruses, or even ransomware. When in doubt, visit the retailer’s website directly instead of using email links.

Protect Your Holidays

Cyber Monday should be fun — not something that ruins your holiday season. A few extra seconds of caution now can save you from a whole lot of stress later.

Be careful, stay vigilant, and shop smart.

Application Management

Posted on by

Today I wanted to share an important reminder that too many attorneys learn the hard way: renewal application management matters. In fact, it can make the difference between keeping decades of prior acts coverage… or losing it overnight.

A Real Conversation With a Real Consequence

I recently spoke with an attorney who was considering switching their legal malpractice coverage over to us. They told me they’d had continuous coverage for more than 20 years — never a lapse, never a break.

But when I reviewed their current policy, something immediately stood out:

Their retroactive date was only a couple of years old.

If you’ve carried uninterrupted coverage for two decades, that should never happen. So I asked, “What’s going on with this retro date?”

The answer was painful.

A few years back, their firm submitted their renewal application late. The carrier still issued a quote — but with a new retroactive date. That single change wiped out nearly 20 years of prior acts coverage. One late renewal. One technicality. A massive loss of protection.

Don’t Let This Happen to Your Firm

We’re heading into the busy season — holidays, year-end work, family commitments, and a general whirlwind of “I’ll get to it later.” But your legal malpractice renewal application is not something to push back.

Treat it like you would a statute of limitations.
Put it in your calendaring system.
Enter reminders at 120 days, 90 days, 60 days, and even 30 days before renewal.

Whatever you do, don’t assume you can complete your application on December 30 for a January 1 renewal and expect the carrier to turn it around in time. Most carriers need 20–25 days to properly underwrite your file. You might get lucky once — but luck is not a strategy.

The Stakes Are Too High

Imagine carrying legal malpractice insurance your entire career — 20 or 30 years — only to lose all those prior acts because your renewal was late by a day or two.

It happens.
It’s brutal.
And it’s completely avoidable.

Final Thoughts

If you take nothing else from this story, take this:
Calendar your renewal like a critical deadline.
Protect your prior acts coverage.
Don’t give a carrier any reason to strip away decades of protection simply because paperwork arrived late.

Why You Should Be Protecting Company Devices This Fall

Posted on by

It’s officially fall. And with fall comes football season. And with football season… comes fantasy football.

While I was at the coffee shop today, I couldn’t help but notice how many people were glued to their phones and laptops — talking about who to start at quarterback, what team to bet on, and furiously updating their lineups.

As I watched, one thought crossed my mind:


How many of those devices are company-issued?

The Overlooked Risk of Company Devices

If you’re an employer — whether you have five employees or five hundred — and you provide laptops or mobile phones for work use, it’s worth asking:

Do you really want your company devices being used for things like fantasy football, online betting, or personal gaming?

Beyond productivity concerns, there’s a serious cybersecurity angle here. Those fantasy sports platforms, betting apps, and community forums aren’t always the most secure. Employees visiting those sites on a work device could be exposing your company’s data to malware, phishing attempts, or data leaks — all while trying to swap out the Green Bay Packers’ defense for the Pittsburgh Steelers’.

Why You Need a Clear Device-Use Policy

If your company doesn’t already have a policy in place outlining what employees can and can’t do on company-issued technology, now’s the time to create one.

A clear, written policy helps:

  • Protect your network from unnecessary exposure.
  • Reduce legal and compliance risks tied to inappropriate or unsafe use.
  • Set expectations so employees know what’s acceptable during work hours (and on work devices).

It doesn’t have to be complicated — just clear, consistent, and enforced.

A Simple Step Toward Stronger Security

As an insurance guy, I’ve seen firsthand how one small oversight — like an unsecured login on a fantasy sports site — can lead to costly consequences for a business.

So while I finish my cup of coffee and enjoy the crisp fall air, here’s my advice:


Take a look at your company’s device-use policy (or create one if it doesn’t exist yet). It’s a small step that can save you from a big headache later.

Until next time — stay smart, stay secure, and enjoy the season.