#Business Insurance Specialist

[dkginsurancebrokers]

Shielding Your Success: The Role of a Business Insurance Broker

Welcome to our comprehensive guide on protecting your business with the right insurance coverage. As a business owner, you understand the myriad of risks and uncertainties that come with running a company. That's why it's crucial to have a robust insurance strategy in place to shield your business from potential financial setbacks.

Navigating the world of business insurance can be complex and overwhelming, which is why we are here to provide you with expert guidance and valuable insights. In this blog, we'll delve into the importance of Business Insurance Specialist brokers, the pivotal role of insurance brokers, and the benefits of working with these professionals to safeguard your business.

Understanding Business Insurance

The foundation of protecting your business lies in understanding the types of insurance available. From general liability to property and workers compensation, each type of coverage serves as a vital layer of defence against unforeseen circumstances.

Imagine a scenario where a customer slips and falls on your business premises, resulting in a costly lawsuit. Without general liability insurance, your business could face significant financial strain, potentially leading to insurmountable challenges. Similarly, property insurance protects your physical assets from damage or loss due to events such as fire, theft, or natural disasters.

The consequences of being underinsured or uninsured can be devastating for a business. From legal expenses to property damage costs, the financial burden of unforeseen events can jeopardise the stability and growth of your company. By highlighting relatable examples, we aim to illustrate the critical importance of having adequate insurance coverage in place.

The Role of a Business Insurance Broker

Now, let's delve into the role of a business insurance broker and why their expertise is invaluable in the realm of insurance. Unlike insurance agents or direct insurers, brokers work independently to assess risks, customise policies, and navigate the intricate landscape of insurance products and terminology.

Picture this: your business faces a complex and unique set of risks that demand a tailored insurance approach. This is where a skilled broker steps in, leveraging their knowledge and experience to craft a customised insurance strategy that aligns with your business's specific needs. 

Whether it's understanding the nuances of policy clauses or advocating on your behalf during claims processes, a broker serves as a trusted ally in safeguarding your business's financial security.

Benefits of Working with a Business Insurance Broker

Partnering with a business insurance broker offers a multitude of benefits that can significantly enhance your insurance experience. One of the most compelling advantages is the tailored approach that brokers bring to the table. By understanding the nuances of your business operations, a broker can craft a customised insurance portfolio that addresses your specific risks and budget constraints. 

Additionally, the time-saving aspect of working with a broker cannot be overstated. Rather than navigating the complex landscape of insurance policies and conducting extensive research, you can rely on a broker to handle these intricate tasks on your behalf. From policy comparisons to claims management, a broker's expertise streamlines the insurance process, allowing you to focus on driving your business forward.

Wrapping Up

Safeguarding your business with the right insurance coverage is a pivotal step towards ensuring its long-term success and resilience. With the guidance of a business insurance broker, you can navigate the complexities of insurance with confidence, knowing that your business is shielded from potential risks and liabilities.

By leveraging the expertise of a professional business insurance broker, you can embark on a journey towards comprehensive protection and peace of mind. As you embark on the path to securing your business's future, know that you have a dedicated partner in navigating the complexities of business insurance. Together, let's shield your success and pave the way for a resilient and thriving business.

Source: Shielding Your Success: The Role of a Business Insurance Broker

[audiovisualrecall]

This is a start, anyway. Lots of research and work ahead.

[oysterie]

I just have to clean nowww augh.

[apathetic-moth]

small town chronically ill life can be very interesting in a lot of ways.

one of those is the mild existential crisis of realizing you’re probably the only person in your town taking a certain medication

[2-2-78-09]

Pathology billing attracts a lot of rejections and denials owing to claim errors. Learn the everything about it to maximize revenue. Outsourcing can assist to increase revenue collections. Call Info today!

[privateinvestigatorsuniverse]

What kind of cases do private investigators solve?

When you hear of any scam or a story of a cheating spouse. The first striking point is whom to call. A good friend of yours will suggest going for the private detectives as they have the right key to solve the case diligently. Now private detectives are none but private investigators. They can solve any crime, whether it's business related or personal. So before moving on, let's discover some details about the type of cases private investigators Brisbane do solve.

Matters related to business

Suppose you have a company with several staff working for you. Therefore, to run the company properly, you need to acquire specific information about them. Now the question is how you will verify that. In that case, as a valid resort, you can always knock on the door of the private detectives. The professional can carry out a concealed investigation and find out all the details regarding the employee. They will give you all sorts of information like their previous record, working places, bank details, educational verification documents and many other things, in a great way to prove that the person is not a threat to the office.

Personal Problem

When you think of a personal problem, many are there. However, one most important is the case of spouse cheating. Of course, private detectives can find out the truth, constantly disproving or confirming the suspicion. Besides that, they also play an essential role in solving cases related to child custody. The role of a private investigator is quite incredible when it comes to finding any missing person.

Investigate Criminal defence cases

 It also happens that law firm’s work hand in hand with private investigators to solve cases on criminal defence. A Private investigator does help when it comes to getting the truth from the witnesses. 

Final thought

Hence, these are the notable places where the TSCM Investigator succeeds.

[bunnyb34r]

Tried again and got through 🤙 appt made now I can nap 🤙🤙

Cool cool cool got a sharp migraine and every time I call my dr to make an appt (not ab the migraine) I get through to the office but it's just a busy signal once I hit the menu number I need 😠 what the fuck man

[mostlysignssomeportents]

Cigna’s nopeinator

I'm touring my new, nationally bestselling novel The Bezzle! Catch me THURSDAY (May 2) in WINNIPEG, then Calgary (May 3), Vancouver (May 4), Tartu, Estonia, and beyond!

Cigna – like all private health insurers – has two contradictory imperatives:

To keep its customers healthy; and

To make as much money for its shareholders as is possible.

Now, there's a hypothetical way to resolve these contradictions, a story much beloved by advocates of America's wasteful, cruel, inefficient private health industry: "If health is a "market," then a health insurer that fails to keep its customers healthy will lose those customers and thus make less for its shareholders." In this thought-experiment, Cigna will "find an equilibrium" between spending money to keep its customers healthy, thus retaining their business, and also "seeking efficiencies" to create a standard of care that's cost-effective.

But health care isn't a market. Most of us get our health-care through our employers, who offer small handful of options that nevertheless manage to be so complex in their particulars that they're impossible to directly compare, and somehow all end up not covering the things we need them for. Oh, and you can only change insurers once or twice per year, and doing so incurs savage switching costs, like losing access to your family doctor and specialists providers.

Cigna – like other health insurers – is "too big to care." It doesn't have to worry about losing your business, so it grows progressively less interested in even pretending to keep you healthy.

The most important way for an insurer to protect its profits at the expense of your health is to deny care that your doctor believes you need. Cigna has transformed itself into a care-denying assembly line.

Dr Debby Day is a Cigna whistleblower. Dr Day was a Cigna medical director, charged with reviewing denied cases, a job she held for 20 years. In 2022, she was forced out by Cigna. Writing for Propublica and The Capitol Forum, Patrick Rucker and David Armstrong tell her story, revealing the true "equilibrium" that Cigna has found:

https://www.propublica.org/article/cigna-medical-director-doctor-patient-preapproval-denials-insurance

Dr Day took her job seriously. Early in her career, she discovered a pattern of claims from doctors for an expensive therapy called intravenous immunoglobulin in cases where this made no medical sense. Dr Day reviewed the scientific literature on IVIG and developed a Cigna-wide policy for its use that saved the company millions of dollars.

This is how it's supposed to work: insurers (whether private or public) should permit all the medically necessary interventions and deny interventions that aren't supported by evidence, and they should determine the difference through internal reviewers who are treated as independent experts.

But as the competitive landscape for US healthcare dwindled – and as Cigna bought out more parts of its supply chain and merged with more of its major rivals – the company became uniquely focused on denying claims, irrespective of their medical merit.

In Dr Day's story, the turning point came when Cinga outsourced pre-approvals to registered nurses in the Philippines. Legally, a nurse can approve a claim, but only an MD can deny a claim. So Dr Day and her colleagues would have to sign off when a nurse deemed a procedure, therapy or drug to be medically unnecessary.

This is a complex determination to make, even under ideal circumstances, but Cigna's Filipino outsource partners were far from ideal. Dr Day found that nurses were "sloppy" – they'd confuse a mother with her newborn baby and deny care on that grounds, or confuse an injured hip with an injured neck and deny permission for an ultrasound. Dr Day reviewed a claim for a test that was denied because STI tests weren't "medically necessary" – but the patient's doctor had applied for a test to diagnose a toenail fungus, not an STI.

Even if the nurses' evaluations had been careful, Dr Day wanted to conduct her own, thorough investigation before overriding another doctor's judgment about the care that doctor's patient warranted. When a nurse recommended denying care "for a cancer patient or a sick baby," Dr Day would research medical guidelines, read studies and review the patient's record before signing off on the recommendation.

This was how the claims denial process is said to work, but it's not how it was supposed to work. Dr Day was markedly slower than her peers, who would "click and close" claims by pasting the nurses' own rationale for denying the claim into the relevant form, acting as a rubber-stamp rather than a skilled reviewer.

Dr Day knew she was slower than her peers. Cigna made sure of that, producing a "productivity dashboard" that scored doctors based on "handle time," which Cigna describes as the average time its doctors spend on different kinds of claims. But Dr Day and other Cigna sources say that this was a maximum, not an average – a way of disciplining doctors.

These were not long times. If a doctor asked Cigna not to discharge their patient from hospital care and a nurse denied that claim, the doctor reviewing that claim was supposed to spend not more than 4.5 minutes on their review. Other timelines were even more aggressive: many denials of prescription drugs were meant to be resolved in fewer than two minutes.

Cigna told Propublica and The Capitol Forum that its productivity scores weren't based on a simple calculation about whether its MD reviewers were hitting these brutal processing time targets, describing the scores as a proprietary mix of factors that reflected a nuanced view of care. But when Propublica and The Capitol Forum created a crude algorithm to generate scores by comparing a doctor's performance relative to the company's targets, they found the results fit very neatly into the actual scores that Cigna assigned to its docs:

The newsrooms’ formula accurately reproduced the scores of 87% of the Cigna doctors listed; the scores of all but one of the rest fell within 1 to 2 percentage points of the number generated by this formula. When asked about this formula, Cigna said it may be inaccurate but didn’t elaborate.

As Dr Day slipped lower on the productivity chart, her bosses pressured her bring her score up (Day recorded her phone calls and saved her emails, and the reporters verified them). Among other things, Dr Day's boss made it clear that her annual bonus and stock options were contingent on her making quota.

Cigna denies all of this. They smeared Dr Day as a "disgruntled former employee" (as though that has any bearing on the truthfulness of her account), and declined to explain the discrepancies between Dr Day's accusations and Cigna's bland denials.

This isn't new for Cigna. Last year, Propublica and Capitol Forum revealed the existence of an algorithmic claims denial system that allowed its doctors to bulk-deny claims in as little as 1.2 seconds:

https://www.propublica.org/article/cigna-pxdx-medical-health-insurance-rejection-claims

Cigna insisted that this was a mischaracterization, saying the system existed to speed up the approval of claims, despite the first-hand accounts of Cigna's own doctors and the doctors whose care recommendations were blocked by the system. One Cigna doctor used this system to "review" and deny 60,000 claims in one month.

Beyond serving as an indictment of the US for-profit health industry, and of Cigna's business practices, this is also a cautionary tale about the idea that critical AI applications can be resolved with "humans in the loop."

AI pitchmen claim that even unreliable AI can be fixed by adding a "human in the loop" that reviews the AI's judgments:

https://pluralistic.net/2024/04/23/maximal-plausibility/#reverse-centaurs

In this world, the AI is an assistant to the human. For example, a radiologist might have an AI double-check their assessments of chest X-rays, and revisit those X-rays where the AI's assessment didn't match their own. This robot-assisted-human configuration is called a "centaur."

In reality, "human in the loop" is almost always a reverse-centaur. If the hospital buys an AI, fires half its radiologists and orders the remainder to review the AI's superhuman assessments of chest X-rays, that's not an AI assisted radiologist, that's a radiologist-assisted AI. Accuracy goes down, but so do costs. That's the bet that AI investors are making.

Many AI applications turn out not to even be "AI" – they're just low-waged workers in an overseas call-center pretending to be an algorithm (some Indian techies joke that AI stands for "absent Indians"). That was the case with Amazon's Grab and Go stores where, supposedly, AI-enabled cameras counted up all the things you put in your shopping basket and automatically billed you for them. In reality, the cameras were connected to Indian call-centers where low-waged workers made those assessments:

https://pluralistic.net/2024/01/29/pay-no-attention/#to-the-little-man-behind-the-curtain

This Potemkin AI represents an intermediate step between outsourcing and AI. Over the past three decades, the growth of cheap telecommunications and logistics systems let corporations outsource customer service to low-waged offshore workers. The corporations used the excuse that these subcontractors were far from the firm and its customers to deny them any agency, giving them rigid scripts and procedures to follow.

This was a very usefully dysfunctional system. As a customer with a complaint, you would call the customer service line, wait for a long time on hold, spend an interminable time working through a proscribed claims-handling process with a rep who was prohibited from diverging from that process. That process nearly always ended with you being told that nothing could be done.

At that point, a large number of customers would have given up on getting a refund, exchange or credit. The money paid out to the few customers who were stubborn or angry enough to karen their way to a supervisor and get something out of the company amounted to pennies, relative to the sums the company reaped by ripping off the rest.

The Amazon Grab and Go workers were humans in robot suits, but these customer service reps were robots in human suits. The software told them what to say, and they said it, and all they were allowed to say was what appeared on their screens. They were reverse centaurs, serving as the human faces of the intransigent robots programmed by monopolists that were too big to care.

AI is the final stage of this progression: robots without the human suits. The AI turns its "human in the loop" into a "moral crumple zone," which Madeleine Clare Elish describes as "a component that bears the brunt of the moral and legal responsibilities when the overall system malfunctions":

https://estsjournal.org/index.php/ests/article/view/260

The Filipino nurses in the Cigna system are an avoidable expense. As Cigna's own dabbling in algorithmic claim-denial shows, they can be jettisoned in favor of a system that uses productivity dashboards and other bossware to push doctors to robosign hundreds or thousands of denials per day, on the pretense that these denials were "reviewed" by a licensed physician.

If you'd like an essay-formatted version of this post to read or share, here's a link to it on pluralistic.net, my surveillance-free, ad-free, tracker-free blog:

https://pluralistic.net/2024/04/29/what-part-of-no/#dont-you-understand

[astrojulia]

Tarot Cards as Professions

Navigation:   Masterlist✦Ask Rules✦Feedback Tips

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Major Arcanas:

The Fool: Work with abroad, connections with imports, language teacher, multinationals, entrepreneur, intern, college student, art major.

The Magician: Entrepreneur, job that needs skill with the hands (acupuncture, hairdresser, artisan), actor, salesperson, influencer.

The High Priestess: Education, especially children, nutrition, psychology, cook, housewife, food engineering, toy factory, fortuneteller, spiritual advisor, librarian.

The Empress: Management, business administration, foreign trade, secretariat, translation, decoration, stay-at-home mom, model, cook, farmer.

The Emperor: Business administration, work related to areas of technological innovation, the military or sportsmen, CEO, tycoon.

The Hierophant: Philanthropic areas, ONGs, religious work, social work, diplomacy, and a degree, journalism, writer, editor, priest, spiritual guru, politician.

The Lovers: Sales area in any sector, tourism, theater, advertising, the arts in general, porn star, stripper, masseuse.

The Chariot: Activities related to transport, cars, the latest technology, chauffeur, mechanic, athlete.

Strength: Aesthetics, physical education and various body therapies, medicine, zoologist.

The Hermit: Teacher, writer, doctor, antique dealer, restorer, librarian, gardener.

Wheel of Fortune: Financial market, exchange offices, casinos, lottery houses, stock exchanges, and areas related to public relations, hospitality, game show host.

Justice: Public jobs, won through competitions, politics, police, with government positions, in the diplomatic area, law, insurance company worker.

The Hanged Man: Nurse, auditor, inspector, porter, secretariat, general assistants, yoga instructor, prison guard, philanthropist.

Death: Doctor, farmer, geologist, business administrator, gardener, accountant, assassin, death row executioner, surgeon.

Temperance: Working with liquids in general or with what is transported in liquid form such as alcoholic beverages, medicines, juices. chemist, chef, food critic, regional or even international traffic.

The Devil: Does not limit the individual to a professional wing, so he can also go to extremes for the desire he has, such as landlord, drug lord, sex trafficker.

The Tower: Social assistance, humanitarian aid, medicine, firefighter, police officer, construction worker.

The Star: Music, painting, sculpture, poetry, cinema, makeup artist, dressmaker, beautician, agent, promoter, sound artist, astronomer, harpist, dealer, meteorologist.

The Moon: Oceanographers, sailors, fishermen, owners of bars and restaurants or nightclubs, artists in general, medium, hypnotist, psychiatrist.

The Sun: Motivational speaker, entertainer, comedian, social relationships, work with the public, artist in general, member of society.

Judgment: Work done at home, connection with the law, lawyer, judge, work with disabled or people excluded from society, social assistance, board member, executive producer, director.

The World: Pharmacist, massage therapist, scientist, teacher, community leader, religious leader or priest, fashion designer, makeup artist, interior decorator.

Wands:

Creative industries such as advertising, marketing, and graphic design.

Entrepreneurship and starting your own business.

Athletics, sports coaching, or physical training.

Outdoor jobs like park ranger or tour guide.

Event planning or organizing.

Firefighters or rescue workers.

Ace of Wands: Entrepreneur, startup founder, motivational speaker, fitness coach, personal trainer.

Two of Wands: Business strategist, project manager, travel agent, international consultant, import/export specialist.

Three of Wands: Sales representative, marketing manager, e-commerce entrepreneur, market researcher, international trade coordinator.

Four of Wands: Event planner, wedding coordinator, party organizer, festival manager, hospitality industry professional.

Five of Wands: Conflict resolution specialist, mediator, lawyer, debate coach, competitive sports coach.

Six of Wands: Public relations manager, spokesperson, social media influencer, motivational speaker, winning athlete.

Seven of Wands: Defense attorney, human rights activist, political campaigner, advocate, civil liberties lawyer.

Eight of Wands: Courier, delivery driver, airline pilot, travel blogger, expedition guide.

Nine of Wands: Security guard, bodyguard, soldier, endurance athlete, self-defense instructor.

Ten of Wands: Overworked entrepreneur, project manager, event organizer, professional organizer, heavy equipment operator.

Page of Wands: Assistant in a creative field, aspiring artist, intern in a startup, social media coordinator, apprentice.

Knight of Wands: Travel journalist, adventure tour guide, professional athlete, race car driver, stunt performer.

Queen of Wands: CEO, business owner, charismatic leader, life coach, influential speaker.

King of Wands: Executive manager, entrepreneur, leadership coach, consultant, director of a creative agency.

Cups:

Counseling, therapy, or social work.

Hospitality industry, including restaurant management and bartending.

Wedding planner or event coordinator.

Artistic fields like poetry, writing, or acting.

Healing professions such as nursing or holistic therapy.

Psychologist or counselor specializing in emotions and relationships.

Ace of Cups: Therapist, counselor, social worker, holistic healer, emotional support specialist.

Two of Cups: Marriage counselor, matchmaker, relationship coach, wedding planner, love psychic.

Three of Cups: Event organizer, party planner, celebratory event coordinator, community organizer.

Four of Cups: Meditation teacher, mindfulness coach, spiritual counselor, psychologist, therapist.

Five of Cups: Grief counselor, trauma therapist, hospice worker, emotional healing practitioner, bereavement support.

Six of Cups: Child psychologist, teacher, daycare worker, children's book author, pediatric nurse.

Seven of Cups: Creative writer, fantasy novelist, imaginative artist, dream analyst, visionary.

Eight of Cups: Travel blogger, adventure seeker, spiritual pilgrim, explorer, wanderlust photographer.

Nine of Cups: Life coach, happiness consultant, gratitude coach, self-help author, wellness retreat organizer.

Ten of Cups: Family therapist, marriage and family counselor, foster care advocate, wedding planner, family mediator.

Page of Cups: Creative writer, artist in training, intuitive healer, aspiring therapist, dream interpreter.

Knight of Cups: Actor, romantic poet, musician, art therapist, love and relationship coach.

Queen of Cups: Psychic reader, intuitive healer, counselor, compassionate caregiver, therapist.

King of Cups: Therapist, counselor, intuitive mentor, emotional intelligence trainer, psychologist.

Swords:

Legal professions like lawyers, judges, or law enforcement officers.

Journalists, reporters, or investigators.

IT specialists, computer programmers, or hackers.

Teachers or professors specializing in critical thinking or philosophy.

Military or defense-related careers.

Strategic planners or analysts.

Ace of Swords: Lawyer, judge, legal consultant, investigative journalist, strategic planner.

Two of Swords: Mediator, conflict resolution specialist, negotiator, diplomat, relationship counselor.

Three of Swords: Divorce lawyer, grief counselor, trauma therapist, emotional healer, heart surgeon.

Four of Swords: Rest and relaxation specialist, meditation teacher, spiritual retreat organizer, yoga instructor.

Five of Swords: Military strategist, competitive sports coach, lawyer specializing in litigation, debate coach.

Six of Swords: Travel agent, relocation consultant, therapist specializing in transitions, boat captain.

Seven of Swords: Private investigator, spy, intelligence analyst, cybersecurity expert, undercover agent.

Eight of Swords: Social justice lawyer, human rights advocate, disability rights activist, therapist specializing in limiting beliefs.

Nine of Swords: Insomnia specialist, anxiety therapist, nightmare counselor, sleep coach, mental health counselor.

Ten of Swords: Surgeon, coroner, forensic scientist, mortician, grief counselor.

Page of Swords: Researcher, journalist, fact-checker, apprentice in a legal field, investigative reporter.

Knight of Swords: Military officer, police officer, attorney, competitive fencer, conflict resolution specialist.

Queen of Swords: Judge, lawyer, critic, journalist, literary agent.

King of Swords: Judge, attorney, CEO, strategist, military general.

Pentacles:

Financial advisors or investment bankers.

Real estate agents or property developers.

Agriculture, farming, or gardening.

Architects, builders, or construction workers.

Conservationists or environmentalists.

Accountants or bookkeepers.

Ace of Pentacles: Financial advisor, investment banker, wealth manager, entrepreneur, luxury goods retailer.

Two of Pentacles: Financial analyst, accountant, bookkeeper, event planner, stock trader.

Three of Pentacles: Architect, contractor, project manager, teamwork facilitator, craftsman.

Four of Pentacles: Wealth manager, investor, financial planner, asset protection specialist, treasurer.

Five of Pentacles: Social worker, philanthropist, charity organizer, financial counselor, volunteer.

Six of Pentacles: Philanthropist, humanitarian worker, non-profit manager, social worker, charitable fundraiser.

Seven of Pentacles: Gardener, farmer, agricultural consultant, sustainability expert, botanist.

Eight of Pentacles: Craftsperson, artisan, apprentice, skilled tradesperson, technical trainer.

Nine of Pentacles: Luxury brand manager, independent business owner, successful entrepreneur, vineyard owner, art collector.

Ten of Pentacles: Real estate developer, property investor, family business owner, generational wealth manager, financial advisor.

Page of Pentacles: Intern, student, apprentice in a practical field, aspiring entrepreneur, entry-level employee.

Knight of Pentacles: Accountant, financial planner, farmer, skilled tradesperson, meticulous worker.

Queen of Pentacles: CEO, business owner, property developer, hospitality industry entrepreneur, financial advisor.

King of Pentacles: CEO, business mogul, successful investor, high-level executive, financial consultant.

(CC) AstroJulia Some Rights Reserved

[just-horrible-things]

'Verse: BBU

PSA: Stop taking your human pets to the vet!

Human pets are biologically human. It's right there in the name. When they are sick they need to be seen by a human doctor. 

Don't bring them to your local vet! I am more qualified to treat an emu than a human pet, and I'm not a specialist in birds or exotic animals. 

We learn about the common ailments of all kinds of animals in veterinary school because you never know when someone's going to bring you a critically ill sugar glider or a deer they hit with their car and as a generalist I'm expected to at least be able to provide the very basics before a specialist can get to the scene. But do you know what one animal we don't study? 

Humans! 

Because there's another profession for that and they're called doctors!

Okay, yes, there are optional modules on human anatomy in a lot of courses, and yes humans are mammals and there is some overlap. Don't be a pedant about this.

I am not trained or qualified to treat humans, regardless of their legal status. Don't bring me your human pets. I can't help them, and I don't want to see them. It's a waste of everyone's time, including yours. But especially mine. 

On the same topic, please stop referring to doctors who will treat human pets, and “pet medical specialists”, as vets.

It's insulting to vets, it's insulting to the doctors, and it encourages this misconception that it's okay to bring a human pet to an actual vet.

Obviously I personally think that veterinary medicine is just as challenging and intellectual a discipline as human medicine, but I think you'd be hard pressed to find a doctor who's okay with being called a vet just because they treat human pets. Especially if that's only a part of their business, as it is for many “pet-friendly” practices.

I know people say this as a joke, or because they think it's cute or funny, but it's just a way to distance yourself from the reality that you are keeping a biologically human person as a pet.

If you can't handle that reality, you really shouldn't be owning one in the first place.

While we're at it:

“Pet medical specialists” – also called “Pet health specialists”, “Pet health advisors”, and “Pet vets” – are not real medical professionals. They do not have medical degrees, or veterinary degrees, or nursing qualifications. Calling them vets is an insult to my entire profession. 

And don't take your human pet to a “Pet health specialist”.

They do not know enough medicine to safely make diagnoses or prescribe treatment. It is not safe to take your human pet to these clinics. 

They exist in a legal gray area where they claim to only be giving “health and lifestyle advice”, which is only remotely permitted because human pets lack any effective right to adequate medical care.

If they tried this in the regular medical sector they would very rapidly be prosecuted for practicing medicine without a license. 

So don't entrust the health of your human pet to these people. They're effectively scam artists, passing themselves off as medical professionals to human pet owners who don't understand the difference.

Especially do not rely on these services if you think there is any risk your human pet may have a serious injury or illness. They need to see a real doctor. If you can afford to keep a human pet, you can afford insurance for them that covers actual medical care.

If the problem is minor – like a superficial cut or a head cold – and you absolutely must take your human pet to one of these “Pet clinics”, at least insist on seeing a real nurse. They should at least know enough not to make the problem worse, and enough to know whether an actual doctor needs to get involved.

This has been a PSA from a vet who is sick and tired of being asked to provide illegal or borderline-illegal medical care to the wrong species. Please stop doing this to me. Thanks.

[dkginsurancebrokers]

Understanding the Vital Role of a Business Insurance Broker

When it comes to safeguarding your business from unexpected risks and liabilities, having the right insurance coverage is paramount. 

However, navigating the complex landscape of commercial insurance can be daunting without expert guidance. This is where a business insurance broker plays a crucial role. Let's delve into the responsibilities and benefits of working with a Business Insurance Specialist to protect your enterprise.

What is a Business Insurance Broker?

A business insurance broker is a licensed professional who acts as an intermediary between businesses seeking insurance coverage and insurance companies. 

Unlike agents who work for specific insurers, brokers work independently and represent the interests of their clients. They have a deep understanding of various insurance products and can provide tailored advice to match your business needs.

Assessing Your Insurance Needs

One of the primary responsibilities of a business insurance broker is to assess your specific insurance requirements. They start by understanding the nature of your business, its operations, and potential risks. 

By conducting a comprehensive risk assessment, brokers can identify areas where insurance coverage is essential. This could range from general liability and property insurance to specialised coverage like cyber liability or professional indemnity insurance, depending on your industry.

Navigating the Insurance Market

The insurance market is vast and ever-changing, with multiple insurers offering different policies and coverage options. Business insurance brokers leverage their industry knowledge and network to navigate this market on behalf of their clients. 

They can solicit quotes from multiple insurers, compare coverage features, and negotiate terms to secure the most suitable policies at competitive rates. This saves businesses valuable time and ensures they get comprehensive coverage tailored to their needs.

Providing Expert Advice

Understanding insurance policies can be complex, with intricate terms and conditions that may not be immediately clear to business owners. Here's where a broker's expertise shines. 

They interpret policy language, explain exclusions, and advise on the scope of coverage. Brokers also stay updated on regulatory changes and market trends that could impact your insurance needs, ensuring your business remains adequately protected.

Claims Assistance and Advocacy

In the unfortunate event of a claim, a business insurance broker serves as your advocate. They assist with claims preparation, ensuring all necessary documentation is submitted accurately and promptly to expedite the claims process. 

Brokers work closely with insurers to advocate for fair claim settlements, helping businesses recover from losses efficiently without unnecessary delays or disputes.

Benefits of Working with a Business Insurance Broker

Partnering with a business insurance broker offers several advantages:

- Customized Solutions: Brokers provide personalised recommendations based on your business's unique needs, ensuring you have the right coverage without paying for unnecessary policies.

- Time and Cost Savings: Brokers handle the legwork of insurance shopping, saving you time and potentially reducing insurance costs by securing competitive premiums.

- Risk Management Expertise: Brokers are skilled in risk assessment and mitigation strategies, helping you proactively manage and minimise potential risks to your business.

- Ongoing Support: Beyond initial policy procurement, brokers offer continuous support, reviewing and adjusting coverage as your business evolves or market conditions change.

Conclusion

A business insurance broker is a valuable ally for any business looking to protect itself from unforeseen risks and liabilities. By leveraging their industry knowledge, market access, and advocacy skills, brokers ensure that your business is equipped with comprehensive insurance coverage tailored to its unique needs. 

Whether you're a small startup or a large corporation, partnering with a business insurance broker can provide peace of mind and safeguard your business's future.

Source: Understanding the Vital Role of a Business Insurance Broker

[the-guilty-writer]

Big Biggie

Request: from @itmejado

Could you write an imagine where Rossis daughter has an asthma problem and has to go to hospital for antibiotics and stay for a few days and the team comes and spends time with her, like playing chess with Spencer, penny makes cookies, she watches sports with Derek?

David Rossi x daughter!reader, Platonic!BAU x rossi!reader

Summary: reader with asthma finds herself in the hospital while her dad is away. The team steps in to keep her company.

A/N: I don't have asthma so I did research to try to get as accurate as possible. I hope this captures everything okay. If not, I am always open to feedback in order to make the next request better. Thanks!

CW: reader has asthma, minor swearing, hospitals, IVs, reader is sassy (as I'd imagine Rossi's daughter would be)

---

You hated frat boys

No. That statement didn’t cover it all; you hated frat boys that didn’t have the decency to cover their damn mouths when they coughed. Of course, not everyone had been raised in a mansion, but sometimes the level of common sense people lacked completely baffled you. After just one class of sitting next to a guy from Sigma-Phi-Disease-Factory claiming that he “just has allergies” you ended up with pneumonia.

No biggie, right?

Yes biggie. Big biggie.

Because having athsma made treating pneumonia far more complicated than taking a trip to the student health center.

The persistance of your wet cough and the burn in your chest as you heaved air in and out of your lungs became increasingly concerning. You weren’t sure if you had so much pain in your chest because you felt like you couldn’t breathe, or if you felt like you couldn’t breathe because of the pain. When your temperature skyrocketed and your skill chilled, you had your roommate drop you off at the ER.

It didn’t take the doctors long to decide you needed to be admitted, and immediately after finding out the pneumonia was bacterial, you were glad you hadn’t waited any longer than you did. Growing up with athsma meant you had been through enough treatments, seen enough specialists, and had enough infections to know that you’d be laid up in the hospital on IV antibiotics for at least five days.

Staring at the ceiling, you found yourself craving company, but you weren’t sure who to call. Your roommates were busy working and your dad was on vacation. Well, actually he was on his book tour, but that was the closest thing David Rossi got to a vacation. You didn’t want to bother him.

The problem with that- you were still on his insurance plan. You’d have to bother him some time before you got discharged. It was probably better that you did it now rather than later.

“Ah, if it isn’t my favorite girl," he answered after the first ring. “I was just about to call and tell you about this fantastic restaurant I went to last night. I think it’s the best carbonara I’ve had since your great-grandmother was alive.”

“That’s great, dad,” you managed to choke out.

“(Y/N), what’s wrong?” Your dad said, his voice filled concern.

You wanted to sigh, but it came out as a cough. “I’m in the hospital,” you managed to say between heavy breaths. “Bacterial pneumonia. I have to be on an IV for a few days, but I’ll be okay.”

“I’ll catch the next flight home-”

“Dad, no.” You coughed, the speed at which you cut him off causing mucus to come up your throat. “There’s only one more day left of your tour. You deserve to have some fun every once in a while. I’ll be fine. Bored, but fine.”

You heard your dad hesitate. Rossi had raised you on his own. Every minute he didn’t spend working to catch the most dangerous criminals in the country, he spent taking care of you. The man deserved a break.

“Okay,” he said. “But if you need me all you have to do is call and I’ll be there.”

“Okay, dad.” Your eyes felt heavy. “I love you.”

“I love you too, kiddo.”

---

You weren’t sure how long you were asleep for, but when you woke up there was someone next to your bed.

“Who are you and why are you eating my jello?” You muttered, your eyes still only half open.

“Good morning to you too, (Y/N).” Derek chuckled. “How are you feeling?”

“Never better,” you replied, followed by a wheeze. “Why are you here? Let me guess, one of the nurses here is a serial murderer- wait no. Dr. Super Genius managed to get shot again.”

At that, Derek burst out laughing, nearlying dropping his empty jello cup on the floor. “You are your father’s daughter, aren’t you?” he said. “I’m here because I heard a certain Rossi told her dad not to come home from his book tour early and I couldn’t let the BAU’s favorite oldest kid be bored and alone.”

“I appreciate that, Derek, but you really didn’t have to. There isn’t much to do around here.”

“You didn’t let me finish,” Derek grabbed the remote for the TV. “The Commanders are playing the Bears today and there was no way I was going to miss an opportunity to watch my home team beat yours.” His smile turned cocky.

You wanted to back-talk him but you began coughing violently, mucus rising in your throat, chest heaving as you struggled for air.

“Let it out, kid,” Derek rubbed your arm softly. “Let it out.”

Just then another agent you knew all too well walked into the room, but this one was far less fun- Agent Hotchner. Though you had known him the longest of anyone on your father's team, he didn’t make for great company. Unless, of course, one considered filling out copious amounts of paperwork in silence a fun activity.

“Morgan, what did you do?” He asked.

“Nothing, Hotch!” Derek said defensively.

He was right- it wasn’t his fault your body decided that it needed to try to eject your lungs from your chest. But Hotch wasn't looking at you, instead, he walked over to the table with not one, not two, but three empty jello cups.

Your coughing subsided and Derek turned to look at his boss, who raised a suspicious eyebrow. “I might have participated in the jello.”

Hotch let out a small, rare smile and turned to you. “Your dad gave me the information to get your forms filled out so you don’t have to worry about it. I have to go, but you can call me if you need anything.”

“Thanks,” you managed to get out.

Hotch nodded. “Of course. Get some rest.” The interaction was short, brief, and to the point, but Aaron Hotchner leaving work to fill out medical forms so you didn’t have to do it later was his way of letting you know he cared.

“Now,” Derek said. “Where were we?” He turned up the volume on the TV just as the Commanders scored a touchdown.

“You’re going down.” You smirked at him.

---

“Ha! The Commanders win 14 to 7!” You cheered weakly. The antibiotics were starting to kick in, making the suffocating feeling in your chest far less painful than before.

Derek rolled his eyes. “Alright, alright, kid. But they only won because that ref made a bad call.”

“It doesn’t matter. They still won.”

“Who won what?” Penelope Garcia toddled into the room on bright pink heels. She was wearing a black and white polkadot dress with a cardigan to match her shoes. Sometimes you wondered if she had to bribe someone to get around FBI dress code.

“The Commanders beat the Bears,” you told her, smirking at Derek.

“Ooo!” Penelope squealed. She didn’t understand sports, but she understood enough to ask “So your team beat Derek’s team?”

You nodded.

“Do you know what that means?”

You shook your head. 

“It means that you get to pick out your cookie before he does.” Penelope smiled and pulled a box of cookies out from her purse, offering them to you. They were the good kind- the ones that she spent hours icing and designing to look like cartoon kittens.

“Penny, you are the best,” you told her. You picked out a cookie that looked a whole lot like Sergio and took your time enjoying the delicious treat. “So good.” 

Derek nodded in agreement as he finished off his first cookie and went to grab another one. Penelope swatted his hand away.

“I made one for each of us,” she said.

“But there’s one left,” Derek observed.

Before Garcia could reply, Spencer Reid made his way into the room and grabbed the last cookie. Derek looked defeated.

“Hey, (Y/N),” Reid said, putting down his satchel and taking a seat before starting on his dessert.

“Hey, Spencer,” you replied, then furrowed your brow in confusion. “You came in here without a hazmat suit on?” Spencer was known for having a slight problem with germs.

“As long as we stay five feet away we should be fine,” he countered. “Plus I want a rematch of our annual holiday game.” He pulled a chess board from his satchel and began to set it up on a small chair.

“Reid,” you started. “How are we supposed to play if I can’t even reach the board?”

“Morgan can move the pieces for you,” Spencer said with a mouthful of cookie.

“Penny can’t do it instead?” you asked, half to tease Derek and half because you were sure the guy had never played chess in his life.

“Hey, ouch!” Derek said, bringing his hand to his chest and pretending to be hurt. “But you are right. I think Penelope would be the better choice.”

“I’m on it!” Garcia got up from her seat to move closer to Reid, who had placed himself as far from your bed as possible. 

The game took far longer than normal, with Spencer having to guide Garcia through what moves you were asking for, and the match ended in a stalemate. You were about to start another round when a nurse came by, letting everyone know that visiting hours were up.

You said your thank you's and goodbye's to your father's team members. After that, it wasn’t long before you fell asleep.

---

“Yes, and according to Morgan, her and Reid’s chess match ended in a stalemate. I have a feeling he might not be able to wait until the holiday party for a second rematch,” Hotch told Dave over the phone.

“Thanks for doing that, Aaron,” Rossi said. “It means a lot.”

Before Hotch had a chance to answer, a flight attendant tapped Rossi on the shoulder. “Excuse me, sir. I’m going to have to ask you to put your phone on airplane mode for the flight.”

Rossi gestured that he just needed one more minute and put the phone back up to his ear.

“What time are you getting in tomorrow?” Hotch asked.

Rossi sighed. “Not till the afternoon at least. I forgot that layovers are a huge pain in the ass.”

“Well, try not to worry too much about (Y/N). Emily and JJ have something planned to keep her occupied.”

Rossi smiled. “I’m sure she’ll love it.”

“Well,” Hotch said, taking on a bit of a playful tone. “As Garcia might say, it’s no biggie.”

“Sir.” the flight attendant came back, this time looking far more annoyed.

“I’ve gotta go. Thanks again, Aaron.” Rossi hung up the phone.

It’s no biggie.

But it was. Even when he couldn’t be there for his daughter, his team- their second family- always would be. And that was a big biggie.

[timkonshipper]

Tim Drake headcanon

He took a dip in the pit but came back from it stronger. It took a while to overcome the side effects but he redirected it into bankrupting Ra's and weakening his assasin empire.

He lured a couple hundred assassins away from Ra's to keep for himself. The small voice in his head told him he had already took a bunch of Jason's shticks and made them better so why not add another to the list.

He buys a big mansion somewhere in the middle of nowhere and starts his own assassin organisation

He takes the computer specialists and assigns them to scouting targets and draining their bank accounts(to be split among the assassins - tim had enough money).

He organises the rest by their specialities. Whenever he takes a new target he checks out their insurance coverage and replaces it with a really bad one. Then he sends out his groups according to the new insurance plan. For example if there is no dental insurance then the dental group will knock them up real bad. Combined with no money in their bank accounts, painful injuries and hospital bills that are not covered by insurance the targets feel emotionally drained(retribution for whatever they do to others). Then the special attack group ends them when they least expect it very painfully.

All in all he gets around gotham and branches out throughout the entire country.

But in the end he never has blood directly on his hands so he counts it a win.

He is also a shark in the boardroom and definitely uses his skills to his advantage. No-one questions him because they're scared shitless of him. He's practically a legend in the company.

Despite his many lucrative businesses he always makes time for date nights with kon and hangouts with kon, bart & cassie ♡ They all know of his assasin group but dont care since he's happy.

Also he ditches the dumb name and costume. He goes by peregrine and designs an actual costume - spiked leather jacket(inspired by kon), black onepiece(fitted with standard bat procedure) and black greek style circlet with wings(inspired by bart and cassie). He uses his bo staff but attaches retractable blades to make him seem like the bringer of death in a way

[y0urn3ighb0rsc4t]

Hey, I've never posted on here before but I don't know what else to do. I'm trying here and reddit.

I want to ask u guys for advice.

Mainly on the topics of:

Dissability(mainly undiagnosed cptsd or bipolar, neurological and possible ortho in my knees) + ptsd and ~fibromialgia~

Remote jobs

OHP

So I have been working at a restaurant that is very busy as a host, bus, where I bus tables and greet people + get them drinks. It's complicated, but long story short my boss got burned by my ex parents (part of the cause of the ptsd and cptsd) and is understanding of my situation with them. She works us on a skeleton crew all year round because of us being in a small tourist town, where the summers are busy and the wunters are a flood of layoffs due to lack of customers. So she keeps on only what she can during the winter ALL YEAR. which when we have 3-4 waitress/host busses for the restaurant with multiple large rooms it is intense on even the most able bodied and minds.

Basically the trade off is he'll in the summer for job security in the winter.

Which i would totally be in for, except my body and brain don't seem to be down for the ride of 36hr weeks >:[

And I'm worsening, fast. Especially with the secuall assaults related trauma, making it increasingly dangerous for me to drive to and from work, which is almost 30 min away.

I want to quit so bad, I technically already have and said that I'll try to work 2-3 weeks more, mostly out of guilt.

The second main problem is that my ohp, oregon Healthcare could be taken from me if I quit a job without already securing another. Which I have not.

I'm going to keep applying to Amazon, and other large companies and a few small ones for a remote job and search a but on the area to for an office job (which would not be ideal, but still better).

But I'm quitting today, school just let out which means even more than what I already have had and I'm pretty sure that I met my replacement yesterday.

I honestly don't know what to do, I'm legally homeless and couch surfing and have to wait a week or two to even try to get my fafsa approved. (Which I might be able to get a job at the community college, IF I take at least one class)

I want to get a degree like paralegal, but thats after I fix my credit.

Lil vent:

It's so frustrating when it feels like my body and mind are holding me back from who I should've been... I should've been the person who worked hard despite her past and made a good savings and future for herself. I'm trying to get into a therapist and pursue a specialist who can help, but if I loose my health insurance I'm screwed. Gods, this sucks.

But seriously, the heck am I supposed to do ʕಠᴥಠʔ

[probablyasocialecologist]

“Growth” under capitalism is a bit of a misnomer: it’s the correct word, just not the correct usage. Capitalist growth is better understood as “a growth,” that is to say, “an abnormal proliferation of tissue (such as a tumor),” rather than the implied meaning, “progressive development.” That is because capitalism has a single, completely amoral value: profit maximization. It is incapable of caring about anything else, and it does not pause even if the consequences of capitalist growth threaten capitalism itself, such as in the case of climate collapse. As a result, capitalist growth and human needs only align incidentally: if capitalism creates things that humans require—food, clothing, shelter—this is not because humans need them, but because they offer the highest possible average return on capital invested under specific circumstances (all investment options are not available to all capitalists, so while higher returns may be possible elsewhere, they are not accessible to all; this is a key reason why “the rich get richer.”) As a consequence, there is no inherent alignment between capital’s lone priority—maximizing profit—and human priorities: subsistence, joy, a viable biosphere, etc. The result is immense, unnecessary suffering and degradation: billions starve because preserving their lives is not more profitable than investing in guns, water is made undrinkable because doing so improves stock prices, our air is poisoned to keep industrial firms afloat, our lives are made meaningless and empty in pursuit of someone else's profits. Ultimately, capitalism is a doomsday machine, the architect of its own destruction and ours, too. Like a tumor, it never stops growing, robotically creating unneeded tissue that eventually kills its host & itself. This is our fate if we do not stop capitalism.

[...]

The only way to fix this is to reduce economic activity overall, even as we grow underdeveloped sectors. This is called degrowth. The word may sound austere until you consider that much of our activity under capitalism is useless or destructive or both. We will not be impoverished by having less busy work or toxic garbage or weapons of war or advertising or planned obsolescence, we will be enriched by it. Having fewer managers and lawyers and mortgage brokers and insurance adjusters and health care administrators and HR specialists will be a relief, both for them and for the rest of us. People do not actually enjoy producing bullshit—they feel the emptiness of their work strongly, in fact—but they need to sell their labor to survive under capitalism. Despite the overall reduction in economic activity called for by degrowth, it paradoxically offers us much more than capitalism. It does this because it is oriented towards human need, rather than profit and productivity. If a good life could be measured by the quantity of energy and resources used by the economy, then capitalism might indeed triumph. But the two issues raised above—the vacuous, precarious nature of life under capitalism, and its inability to stay within planetary boundaries—mean that is incapable of offering a good life even to the most privileged among us.

[lastoneout]

See this is why I don't buy into that whole "universal healthcare means long wait times so privatized is better" bcs I've been playing phone call tag for like three fucking months trying to figure out what doctors will even DO this test for me and the answer seems to be "either harass your insurance until they give you the info you need or pay $5k and travel to another fucking CITY" like?? Wow yeah privatized healthcare sure seems to be working great I fucking love it here in the glorious US of A, all hail capitalism!!

Like goddamn waiting for a few months and then traveling to Phoenix for the day part wouldn't even be that bad if not for the whole PAY FIVE THOUSAND FUCKING DOLLARS OUT OF POCKET part. Plus for my other doctors I STILL have long wait times. It takes like 3-4 months to get in with literally ANY specialist. My primary schedules out like two months in advance because she's so busy. I'd take universal healthcare over this cluster fuck any day, at least then I wouldn't have to fucking pay to be treated like subhuman garbage by someone trained to think every single patient they see is the stupidest human who's ever lived and doesn't even fucking PAY ATTENTION WHEN I TELL THEM THINGS.