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Am I Covered If I Drop My Computer?

Digital_BrokenLaptopA home is typically the single most valuable asset we own, but while homeowners insurance protects your asset, your family and your household possessions, if disaster struck and contents are damaged or stolen, you probably couldn’t afford to replace everything all at once.

It is important to review your homeowners policy carefully to ensure all the items you believe are covered truly are. The good news is that most homeowners insurance policies have features that allow you to custom design a policy that’s right for you. Whereas, traditional homeowners programs offer protection for your home’s structures, protection for your personal property, and liability coverages, special coverages for computers may not be covered. The good news is that for an additional premium, you can not only cover your computers, you can also broaden the coverage for your computer due to direct physical loss. For example, if the policyholder drops a glass of water on the computer, this would be covered. This endorsement is subject to the policy deductible.

We suggest you review the following optional endorsements to your homeowners insurance coverage. If the coverage does not appear on your Declarations Summary, it is not included in your policy.

• Extended Replacement Cost on Dwelling
• Replacement Cost on Personal Property
• Fire Alarm Credit
• Companion Policy Discount
• Additional Limits of Liability
• Earthquake
• Increase Wind & Hail Deductibles
• Increase Limits on Other Structures
• Water Back up and Sump Overflow
• Increased Limits on Personal Property
• Increased Limits on Business Property
• Scheduled Personal Property
• Special Computer Coverage
• Identity Theft
• Loss Assessment Coverage
• Watercraft
• Personal Injury

Additional endorsements and credits are subject to availability and qualification.

© Copyright 2018. All rights reserved. This content is strictly for informational purposes and although experts have prepared it, the reader should not substitute this information for professional insurance advice. If you have any questions, please consult your insurance professional before acting on any information presented. Read more.

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How To Protect Your Computer

People_Workers_ManOnComputer

The same advice parents might deliver to young drivers on their first solo journey applies to everyone who wants to navigate safely online. A special agent in our Cyber Division offered the following:

  • “Don’t drive in bad neighborhoods.”
  • “If you don’t lock your car, it’s vulnerable; if you don’t secure your computer, it’s vulnerable.”
  • “Reduce your vulnerability, and you reduce the threat.”

Below are some key steps to protecting your computer from intrusion:

Keep Your Firewall Turned On

A firewall helps protect your computer from hackers who might try to gain access to crash it, delete information, or even steal passwords or other sensitive information. Software firewalls are widely recommended for single computers. The software is prepackaged on some operating systems or can be purchased for individual computers. For multiple networked computers, hardware routers typically provide firewall protection.

Install or Update Your Antivirus Software

Antivirus software is designed to prevent malicious software programs from embedding on your computer. If it detects malicious code, like a virus or a worm, it works to disarm or remove it. Viruses can infect computers without users’ knowledge. Most types of antivirus software can be set up to update automatically.

Install or Update Your Antispyware Technology

Spyware is just what it sounds like—software that is surreptitiously installed on your computer to let others peer into your activities on the computer. Some spyware collects information about you without your consent or produces unwanted pop-up ads on your web browser. Some operating systems offer free spyware protection, and inexpensive software is readily available for download on the Internet or at your local computer store. Be wary of ads on the Internet offering downloadable antispyware—in some cases these products may be fake and may actually contain spyware or other malicious code. It’s like buying groceries—shop where you trust.

Keep Your Operating System Up to Date

Computer operating systems are periodically updated to stay in tune with technology requirements and to fix security holes. Be sure to install the updates to ensure your computer has the latest protection.

Be Careful What You Download

Carelessly downloading e-mail attachments can circumvent even the most vigilant anti-virus software. Never open an e-mail attachment from someone you don’t know, and be wary of forwarded attachments from people you do know. They may have unwittingly advanced malicious code.

Turn Off Your Computer

With the growth of high-speed Internet connections, many opt to leave their computers on and ready for action. The downside is that being “always on” renders computers more susceptible. Beyond firewall protection, which is designed to fend off unwanted attacks, turning the computer off effectively severs an attacker’s connection—be it spyware or a botnet that employs your computer’s resources to reach out to other unwitting users.

Risk of Peer-to-Peer Systems

The FBI is educating and warning citizens about certain risks and dangers associated with the use of Peer-to-Peer systems on the Internet. While the FBI supports and encourages the development of new technologies, we also recognize that technology can be misused for illicit and, in some cases, criminal purposes.

Peer-to-Peer networks allow users connected to the Internet to link their computers with other computers around the world. These networks are established for the purpose of sharing files. Typically, users of Peer-to-Peer networks install free software on their computers which allows them (1) to find and download files located on another Peer-to-Peer user’s hard drive, and (2) to share with those other users files located on their own computer. Unfortunately sometimes these information-sharing systems have been used to engage in illegal activity. Some of the most common crimes associated with Peer-to-Peer networks are the following:

Copyright Infringement: It is a violation of federal law to distribute copyrighted music, movies, software, games, and other works without authorization. There are important national economic consequences associated with such theft. The FBI has asked industry associations and companies that are particularly concerned with intellectual property theft to report to the FBI—for possible criminal investigation and prosecution—anyone that they have reason to believe is violating federal copyright law.

Child Exploitation and Obscenity: The receipt or distribution of child pornography and unlawful obscenity over the Internet also is a serious federal crime. The FBI cautions parents and guardians that, because there is no age restriction for the use of Peer-to-Peer services, pornography of all types is easily accessible by the many young children whose parents mistakenly believe they are only accessing music or movies. In fact, children may be exposed to pornography—and subsequently lured by sexual predators—even though they were not searching for pornography, as some network users deliberately mislabel the names of files for this purpose.

Computer Hacking: Peer-to-Peer networks also have been abused by hackers. Because these systems potentially expose your computer and files to millions of other users on the network, they also expose your computer to worms and viruses. In fact, some worms have been specifically written to spread by popular Peer-to-Peer networks. Also, if Peer-to-Peer software is not properly configured, you may be unknowingly opening up the contents of your entire hard drive for others to see and download your private information.

The FBI urges you to learn about the risks and dangers of Peer-to-Peer networks, as well as the legal consequences of copyright infringement, illegal pornography, and computer hacking. For more information about the law, visit www.usdoj.gov/criminal. The FBI takes seriously its mission to enforce the laws against those who use the Internet to commit crime. To report cyber crime, please contact your local FBI Field Office, or file a complaint through the Internet Crime Complaint Center at www.IC3.gov.

Additional Information

Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation, “How to Protect Your Computer” https://www.fbi.gov/ website. Accessed August 30, 2018. https://www.fbi.gov/scams-and-safety/on-the-internet

© Copyright 2018. All rights reserved. This content is strictly for informational purposes and although experts have prepared it, the reader should not substitute this information for professional insurance advice. If you have any questions, please consult your insurance professional before acting on any information presented. Read more.

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Computer Security

Money_People_IdentityThiefHandsComputerScammers, hackers, and identity thieves are looking to steal your personal information – and your money. But there are steps you can take to protect yourself, like keeping your computer software up-to-date and giving out your personal information only when you have a good reason.

Use Security Software That Updates Automatically

  • The bad guys constantly develop new ways to attack your computer, so your security software must be up-to-date to protect against the latest threats. Most security software can update automatically; set yours to do so. You can find free security software from well-known companies. Also, set your operating system and web browser to update automatically.

    If you let your operating system, web browser, or security software get out-of-date, criminals could sneak their bad programs – malware – onto your computer and use it to secretly break into other computers, send spam, or spy on your online activities. There are steps you can take to detect and get rid of malware.

    Don’t buy security software in response to unexpected pop-up messages or emails, especially messages that claim to have scanned your computer and found malware. Scammers send messages like these to try to get you to buy worthless software, or worse, to “break and enter” your computer.

    Your Personal Information Like Cash

    Don’t hand it out to just anyone. Your Social Security number, credit card numbers, and bank and utility account numbers can be used to steal your money or open new accounts in your name. So every time you are asked for your personal information – whether in a web form, an email, a text, or a phone message – think about whether you can really trust the request. In an effort to steal your information, scammers will do everything they can to appear trustworthy. Learn more about scammers who phish for your personal information.

    Check Out Companies to Find out Who You’re Really Dealing With

    When you’re online, a little research can save you a lot of money. If you see an ad or an offer that looks good to you, take a moment to check out the company behind it. Type the company or product name into your favorite search engine with terms like “review,” “complaint,” or “scam.” If you find bad reviews, you’ll have to decide if the offer is worth the risk. If you can’t find contact information for the company, take your business elsewhere.

    Don’t assume that an ad you see on a reputable site is trustworthy. The fact that a site features an ad for another site doesn’t mean that it endorses the advertised site, or is even familiar with it.

    Give Personal Information Over Encrypted Websites Only

    If you’re shopping or banking online, stick to sites that use encryption to protect your information as it travels from your computer to their server. To determine if a website is encrypted, look for https at the beginning of the web address (the “s” is for secure).

    Some websites use encryption only on the sign-in page, but if any part of your session isn’t encrypted, the entire account could be vulnerable. Look for https on every page of the site you’re on, not just where you sign in.

    Protect Your Passwords

    Here are a few principles for creating strong passwords and keeping them safe:

    • The longer the password, the tougher it is to crack.  Use at least 10 characters; 12 is ideal for most home users.
    • Mix letters, numbers, and special characters.  Try to be unpredictable – don’t use your name, birthdate, or common words.
    • Don’t use the same password for many accounts.  If it’s stolen from you – or from one of the companies with which you do business – it can be used to take over all your accounts.
    • Don’t share passwords on the phone, in texts or by email.  Legitimate companies will not send you messages asking for your password.  If you get such a message, it’s probably a scam.
    • Keep your passwords in a secure place, out of plain sight.

    Back-up Your Files

    No system is completely secure. Copy important files onto a removable disc or an external hard drive, and store it in a safe place. If your computer is compromised, you’ll still have access to your files.

    Tagged with: computer security, cyber security, malware, online safety, phishing, security software

Source: Federal Trade Commission, “Computer Security” https://www.onguardonline.gov website. Accessed August 30, 2018. https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/0009-computer-security#security

© Copyright 2018. All rights reserved. This content is strictly for informational purposes and although experts have prepared it, the reader should not substitute this information for professional insurance advice. If you have any questions, please consult your insurance professional before acting on any information presented. Read more.

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IN: If I Drop My Computer Will My Home, Condo Or Renters Insurance Cover It?

Dear Valued Customer,

It is imperative that you adequately insure your personal and business computers. This issue of “———————-” focuses on whether you are covered in the event of an accident.

A standard policy provides only minimal coverage for antiques, collectibles, furs, silver, jewels, cameras, computers, musical instruments, and firearms. For these items you obtain separate coverage to ensure the security of your financial investment. Read on to understand about this topic. It could save you thousands of dollars and a lot of grief.

We appreciate your continued business and look forward to serving you.

Kind regards,