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Your house is probably the single biggest investment you’ll ever make. But big or small, luxurious or basic, there are certain things without which a house is a little more than a collection of walls, doors and windows with a roof overhead – a building, no different to a million other buildings out there. Something to buy and sell without emotion, a mere commodity. 

But your house is much more than just a shelter from the elements. It is your safe place, both physically and emotionally. It is where your memories live. It is where you connect with your nearest and dearest, and with your inner self. It is where you go when you grow weary of the world, to refresh, recharge and regroup, so that you can emerge again, ready to take on the challenges that help you grow. What is it that makes it that place? It is the things you fill it with, from furniture to personal possessions, from memories to companionship. 

Because of that, your house is perhaps the most important place in your life. And because it means so much to you and those who share it with you, you need to protect it at all costs – from crime, from natural disasters, and from the gremlins that weaken your water pipes and chew through your electric cables. Because some of the things you fill your house with can be replaced, but some cannot. 

While no insurance company can replace the memories, companionship and love that are such important ingredients in making your house your home, furniture can be replaced, and damage can be repaired. The thing is that doing so often costs a lot, and you don’t want to add financial worries to the other woes when fate deals you a hard blow. 

While we often think about our vehicles when we think about insurance, your home is even more important to cover, because loss of or damage to your house will have a much more disruptive effect on you and your family. That’s why buildings and home content insurance is something you shouldn’t be without. But not just any insurance – when you are covering something this important, you need an insurer that is both reliable and experienced. 

With well over three decades of insurance experience, Auto & General fits the bill to a tee. You can rely on their Buildings and Home Contents policy to offer all the protection you need to sleep peacefully in the knowledge that your haven is covered, regardless of what fate may throw your way. Visit our page  for more information or contact us directly .

The TEAM at ES BROKERS

Thank you to Auto &General for this article  .

When a business owner is faced with the loss of revenue, retrenchments or even bankruptcy, it can be hard to keep an entrepreneurial mindset alive. However, it’s often a time of crisis that forces entrepreneurs to focus, evolve and find new innovative opportunities to weather the storm. 

As an intermediary, you are ideally placed to advise and guide your business clients through this unchartered territory. We’ve put together four tips to help bolster their confidence and come out of this storm stronger. 

1.     Employees – the greatest company asset 

It might sound clichéd but it’s true: a company’s employees are their most valuable asset. Firstly, if a business can afford it, it should offer as much financial and emotional support to its employees as possible during this difficult time. If the business is operating during the pandemic, it should put measures in place to protect employees as far as possible. This includes education to fully explain the hazards to their health and safety within the workplace, and precautionary measures to reduce any exposure. Being supportive will encourage employees to keep delivering high quality outputs during challenging times. 

2.                 Reimagine client journeys 

Now’s the ideal time for a business to map out its client journeys at every touch-point – from awareness to post-purchase stage – and work at making them more client-centric. If your clients take a closer look at the entire journey, they will easily identify where interactions can be automated and where the user experience can be improved. Encourage them to ask their clients and staff for input, conduct surveys, and test different solutions. Small changes right now will give quick learnings – without costing them the earth if they don’t work. 

3.                 Get ready for post-lockdown 

Remind clients to use this downtime wisely and spend time reflecting on what works and doesn’t work in their business operations and services. Reviewing these things will show the gaps that might cost them revenue and the opportunities in the market they can cater to. Now’s the time to upgrade to more efficient alternatives, such as updating outdated equipment or implementing key training for staff. 

4.                 Review business insurance 

Work with clients to review all their insurance policies to see if they are adequately insured and to prevent any further losses. Ask them to make a checklist of what is covered and what is not, and help them fully understand their policies without making assumptions. 

Taking these steps – good risk management practices, updated safety training for employees and clients, as well as a solid plan for the new normal – will be make or break for businesses to survive. Santam is doing everything in its power to bolster your clients’ businesses, including a R400-million COVID-19 relief fund to help clients, suppliers, and contribute to the Government’s Solidarity Fund. 

If you have any questions about Santam insurance cover, please get in touch with us. For more advice tailored to intermediaries, please like our page and blog page   for  more articles.

Article complements of SANTAM INSURANEC COMPANY

The TEAM AT ES BROKERS