disability insurance

Most of us insure our homes, our cars, even our phones—yet the one thing we rely on most, our income, often goes unprotected. The truth is sobering: 1 in 4 workers will experience a disability during their working years, and the average long-term disability lasts 2.6 years. Imagine the strain of being unable to work for that long. Mortgage payments, utilities, groceries, medical bills—life doesn’t pause when your paycheck does.

Too often, families assume disability “won’t happen to me,” but disabilities aren’t always dramatic accidents. They can be the result of illness, back injuries, or other conditions that arise without warning. And while Social Security disability benefits exist, they are difficult to qualify for and rarely enough to cover the cost of living.

Disability insurance steps in to protect what matters most: your financial security and peace of mind. It replaces a portion of your income if you’re unable to work, ensuring you and your loved ones can focus on recovery instead of worrying about bills piling up.

At Ford Insurance Agency, we understand how personal this protection is. Our team takes the time to explain your options, tailor coverage to your needs, and make sure you’re not left vulnerable.

Don’t wait for a crisis to find out you’re unprotected. Reach out to Ford Insurance Agency today and learn how disability insurance can safeguard your future.

student coverages

As students head off to college, it's vital for parents to review their insurance coverage—beyond packing dorm essentials—to ensure students’ belongings and liability remain protected.

Many homeowners insurance policies extend personal property protection to full-time students under age 25, but the level of coverage can vary significantly. Some policies treat a campus residence as a secondary home and offer coverage up to a specified percentage—often around 10%—of the home’s personal property limit (e.g., $7,500 out of a $75,000 limit).

Other policies provide broader protection by including the student’s possessions and liability as part of the existing personal property limit without a defined percentage, offering more seamless coverage.

Alternatively, families may consider taking out a separate renter’s insurance policy in the student’s name—especially if the student will live off-campus or otherwise maintain a residence away from home for most of the year. Renter’s policies typically include liability protection but could be more costly, and roommates may each need their own policy.

If your student will have a car at college, make sure to notify your insurance agent and update the “garaging address” to reflect the school location. Even if they won’t drive year-round, their change in residency status could affect your policy’s premiums—potentially reducing costs in some cases.

In short, whether through adjustments to your family’s homeowner policy or by securing a separate renter’s policy, reviewing coverage now—and consulting with your independent agent—can provide peace of mind and proper protection while your student is away at school.

Charging Electric Vehicles Safely

With the rising popularity of electric vehicles (EVs), understanding how to charge them safely is essential. Improper charging can result in electric shock or even fires, especially when using high-powered Level 2 chargers or fast-charging systems. Share the following safety tips to help protect EV owners and their families:

Get a Professional Electrical Inspection
Have a licensed electrician evaluate your home’s electrical capacity to ensure it can safely support an EV charger. They should install a dedicated circuit for the charger if one doesn't already exist. Overloaded circuits can overheat and pose serious hazards.

Use Certified Charging Equipment Only
Avoid off-brand or third-party chargers. Always use the manufacturer-supplied charger or purchase one that’s certified and recommended by the vehicle’s maker. This ensures compatibility and safety.

Never Use Extension Cords
Extension cords are not designed for the high current draw of EV charging. They can easily overheat and become fire hazards. Always plug the charger directly into a properly installed outlet.

Have the Right Fire Extinguisher on Hand
Lithium-ion battery fires require specialized extinguishers. Keep one designed for lithium-ion batteries nearby—standard ABC fire extinguishers are not effective for this type of fire.

Safe EV charging starts with proper planning, certified equipment, and the right safety tools.

Storm and Disaster Recovery for Small Businesses

Natural disasters can devastate small businesses. According to FEMA, 40–60% of small businesses that close due to a disaster never reopen. Proactive preparation is essential to survival and quick recovery. Here’s how you can prepare:

Identify Risks and Outcomes
Understand what types of disasters (storms, floods, wildfires, etc.) are most likely in your area. Assess the potential impact on your operations, property, supply chain, and staff. This helps prioritize resources and planning.

Develop a Communication and Response Plan
Create a detailed disaster recovery plan. Outline how employees will be contacted, how data will be protected, and how customers will be informed of closures or changes. Assign roles to key personnel. Keep both hard and digital copies accessible.

React and Recover
Once disaster strikes, focus on employee safety first. Then begin implementing your recovery steps—restoring data, securing property, and communicating with vendors and customers. A strong plan can help you reopen quickly.

Ongoing Preparedness Tips:

• Conduct semi-annual drills to evaluate your readiness.

• Train all new employees on emergency procedures.

• Review and update your recovery plan annually to adapt to new risks or technologies.

Preparation doesn’t prevent disasters—but it does make survival and recovery far more likely.

Fraud Prevention in Small Businesses

Small businesses face mounting risk from fraud—whether by employees, vendors, or external perpetrators—with the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners reporting average losses of about $8,300 per month and schemes often lasting up to a year before detection.

Common scams include counterfeit invoices, phishing and SMS (“smishing”) communications, social media compromise, utility imposter threats, business identity theft, and employee embezzlement. Owners are advised to scrutinize invoices closely, educate staff to verify any billing or contact requests, and be skeptical of urgent payment demands.

Defensive measures center on both behavioural awareness and structural safeguards. The company recommends ongoing employee training to recognize scam tactics, fostering a culture of reporting concerns, and maintaining robust cybersecurity: enabling firewalls, SSL, antivirus tools, and regular backups.

Preventing internal fraud also depends on separation of duties and limiting access to sensitive systems and financial records. Dual sign-off procedures, independent review of bank statements, audit logs, and verifying vendor legitimacy all help reduce opportunity for misconduct. Monitoring and evolving these controls is crucial as new fraud methods emerge.

In short, small business owners should combine anti‑fraud policies, employee education, vigilant oversight, and sound technology practices to detect, deter, and mitigate losses from fraudulent activity.

life insurance

Building workplaces where equity extends beyond the office

A letter from the desk of Caitlin Anderson...

In dual-income households, the majority of working mothers still carry a disproportionate share of childcare and household management, despite also contributing significantly to the family’s income.

Some key numbers:

• According to Pew Research (2023), 80% of mothers say they manage their children’s schedules and activities, compared to 53% of fathers.

• A study published in Gender & Society found that working mothers perform 65% of the household’s cognitive labor, including planning, organizing, and managing family needs—even when both parents work full-time.

• The American Time Use Survey shows that women spend nearly double the time on childcare and household tasks than their male partners, regardless of employment status.

So what’s driving this?

Many working fathers believe they’re balancing the load by taking on traditionally "male-coded" responsibilities (such as yard work, car maintenance, and finances) rationalizing that their role as the primary financial provider offsets the need to be equally engaged at home.

But this overlooks a critical element: mental load, or the invisible labor of anticipating needs, tracking details, and constantly managing logistics. This work is not only time-consuming; it’s mentally and emotionally taxing.

Unlike physical chores, mental load is hard to see and even harder to measure. But it impacts everything: productivity at work, emotional well-being, and long-term career advancement (especially for women with young children).

However, this isn’t about blame—it’s about awareness.

• If we want to promote equity at work, we have to examine what’s happening at home.

• If we’re serious about supporting women’s careers, we need to acknowledge the invisible labor many are doing before and after hours.

• And if you're a working dad, this is an opportunity, not a criticism, to recalibrate, engage, and lead more fully at home.

The first step is asking: "Who’s carrying the load that no one sees?"

On a personal note, I feel incredibly fortunate to work for a company that does see this. Ford Insurance not only recognizes the complex demands placed on working parents, but actively supports flexibility, empathy, and trust in how we manage our time and responsibilities. That kind of leadership matters, and it has made all the difference.

Let’s keep building workplaces where equity extends beyond the office and into the realities of everyday life.