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Ask the Master Newsletter Archives
Welcome to the previous editions of the Ask the Master newsletter.
On your left you will find links to tips and the how to’s of
running a Virtual Assistant practice. We hope you enjoy your stay
and if you have a question you’d like answered send it to submission@vatp.ca.
Ask
The Master
June 2006 - Volume 5/Issue 6 |
Business Property Insurance
You’ve made a big investment in your business. How well are
you protecting your investment?
There are lots of things to consider and issues to address with running
a business. We put our heart and souls into creating an aspect of
ourselves that is professional, unique, fulfilling and financially
viable. In addition we are responsible for the safeguarding of client
information and/or product(s). And all of this is most likely taking
place in our home. We need to take precautions to protect our investment.
Let’s consider what some of those precautions may be.
Warmly,
Mary-Lou Ashton
Master Virtual Assistant
Questions In This Edition
(Click on the links to go to that question.) What can I do
to improve communication with a client?
Do I need insurance?
I recommend every VA have business insurance for their company.
You want coverage not only for your computer but also your peripheral
equipment, software, and office supplies. Consider what you would
need if you had to start from scratch and include all those items
in your coverage. Take a careful look around your office; you will
probably be surprised at how much stuff you do have.
You want to explore various policies and their coverage. For example
what if your laptop is stolen from the airport? Is that covered?
What about a flood in your home caused by a sewer break? The cost
of a policy obviously depends on the company and the coverage however
it should be in the ballpark of $400/year. Definitely a worthwhile
investment.
Can I just use
my home insurance? You need to make sure that your home
insurance will cover items belonging to a home based business. Your
home insurance may cover some but not all of your assets. Check
to see if they can add an addendum to the policy to specifically
cover the business items. Don’t assume your home insurance
will cover what you need for your business.
What else do I need
to consider? While insurance may cover the products you
own it will not cover the data you have. Often your data is more
valuable than the physical items as it’s hard to put a price
on time, research and creativity. Losing your data is more likely
to put you out of business.
How
can I protect my data from disasters such as fires and floods?
Obviously backing up your data is critical for preventing data
loss in the event of a computer crash however how do you protect
the back up copies? Several options are available. You can back
up your data onto a secure server on the Internet. You can store
your back ups off site at another location or you can purchase and
store them in fire and water proof containers in your home.
What about someone
stealing my computer? Having someone steal computer means
they may have or gain access to confidential information, both yours
and client’s. There are a couple of things you can do to try
to prevent the data being accessed. First by making sure your computer
is password protected, and in addition, any area of the computer
where sensitive or confidential information is stored also be password
protected.
Obviously home and car security may prevent the theft occurring
in the first place so be sure to explore your options for protecting
your investment.
Brought to you by
Virtual Strategies
and the Virtual Assistant Training Program
Making dreams reality!
www.vatp.ca
info@vatp.ca
1-604-483-3740 |
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