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Insurance

Smart Ways to Manage Florida Gift Shop Tariffs Now

Tariff pressure is mounting, and Florida’s gift shops are caught in the crosshairs. From coastal boutiques to theme park souvenir stands, many small retailers rely on imported inventory, especially novelty, seasonal, and custom-branded items. But with Florida gift shop tariffs rising on imports from China and Mexico, your costs could spike before you even restock.

At Gild Insurance, we help retail owners understand these risks and insure against them. More than just paperwork, insurance is part of a broader risk strategy, and it starts with knowing how tariffs threaten your margins and what to do next.

Florida Gift Shop Tariffs: What’s Changing

Tariffs are no longer an abstract trade issue; they’re a direct hit to your bottom line. In 2024, Florida imported approximately $117 billion in commodities, excluding goods transported from other states, making it the 10th largest importer in the U.S.

Key imports affected:

  • Plush toys and stuffed animals
  • Ceramic mugs, magnets, and decor
  • Branded apparel and accessories
  • Seasonal novelties (e.g., holiday merchandise)

Rising costs aren’t just shipping. They ripple into pricing, purchasing, and profitability. If your suppliers raise rates or delay fulfillment, you could be left scrambling during peak seasons.

Tip: Use our Survive Tariffs Runbook to review which categories are most at risk and how to proactively manage vendor contracts and stocking cycles.

Don’t Absorb the Costs—Manage Them Strategically

Facing tariff-driven increases? Here’s how Florida gift shops can respond:

1. Reassess inventory mix: Shift toward U.S.-sourced or tariff-free suppliers where possible. Negotiate for longer lead times or volume discounts.

2. Protect your shipments: Delays, damage, and loss are more painful when costs are high. Gild’s shipment protection coverage ensures peace of mind every time goods are in transit.

3. Lock in business income protection: If tariffs create product shortages or unexpected closures, business interruption insurance can help you recover lost revenue.

4. Build a better buffer: Start thinking in terms of risk layers: inventory risk, supplier risk, and liability risk. Our Survive Tariffs Runbook helps you map this out in a single page.

When you understand the full picture, you can insure smarter—not more.

Why Insurance Matters When Florida Gift Shop Tariffs Rise

When Florida gift shop tariffs rise, you don’t just face higher prices; you face increased exposure. A delay in one shipment can cascade into missed sales, frustrated customers, and even long-term reputational damage. That’s where Gild Insurance steps in.

Our tailored policies can help gift shop owners:

  • Cover lost revenue during seasonal disruptions
  • Protect goods in transit with cargo or inland marine coverage
  • Bundle liability, property, and interruption coverage under a single quote

And if a storm or theft adds fuel to the fire? Gild’s Claims Concierge service steps in fast for property claims, helping you rebuild with licensed contractors and streamlined documentation. That’s one less thing on your plate when the market is already tight.

Next Steps: Plan Smarter and Insure with Gild

Tariffs may be unpredictable, but your response doesn’t have to be. The best Florida gift shops know that risk planning is part of doing business—not a last-minute reaction.

  • Download our Survive Tariffs Runbook
  • Talk to a Gild agent about bundling business insurance
  • Explore shipment protection and income loss policies

Florida gift shop tariffs aren’t going away but with the right support, they don’t have to sink your business.

👉 Get a quote online or schedule a call today to build your protection plan.

Categories
Food Trailer Liability Insurance Restaurant

World Food Safety Day: Food Safety Compliance as a Brand Value

Food safety compliance isn’t just a regulatory hurdle—it’s a reflection of your brand’s values, credibility, and care for customers. On World Food Safety Day, we’re reminded that food safety isn’t a checkbox. It’s a promise. At Gild Insurance, we help food businesses, from bakeries to catering companies, protect what they’ve built through tailored insurance coverage and strategic partnerships. In today’s climate, protecting your business starts with treating food safety compliance as a core part of your identity, not just a requirement.

Why Food Safety Compliance Is More Than Just Regulation

When customers choose your product, they trust you with their health. That trust can be won, or lost, based on a single food safety slip. While meeting local, state, and federal food safety standards is essential, true success comes from embedding food safety compliance into your everyday operations.

Benefits of going beyond the bare minimum:

  • Builds long-term customer loyalty
  • Reduces risk of claims or shutdowns
  • Strengthens your market reputation
  • Makes your brand stand out in crowded categories

In the event of a claim, businesses without proper documentation or procedures often find themselves on the defensive. That’s where Gild’s tailored insurance solutions, including general liability and product liability coverage, make a difference.

How to Strengthen Your Food Safety Compliance Today

Food safety isn’t just a back-of-house issue. It starts at the top and should be part of every process, from sourcing to service. Here are actionable steps to elevate your standards:

  • Conduct regular staff training on handling procedures, cross-contamination, and storage.
  • Implement traceability tools to track ingredients and products from supplier to shelf.
  • Keep detailed records of inspections, audits, and employee certifications.
  • Use third-party tools like Rocket Lawyer to create or review your food safety policies.

Pro tip: Schedule quarterly reviews of your safety protocol to catch gaps before regulators, or customers, do.

The Insurance Side of Food Safety Compliance

No matter how cautious you are, mistakes can occur. That’s why smart operators pair strong compliance with strong coverage.

Key coverages for food businesses include:

Gild Insurance can help you customize a policy to match your operations, whether you’re running a high-volume café or a specialty food shop. And if a property issue disrupts your business, our Claims Concierge Service is here to guide you through repairs, replacements, and recovery—fast.

Partner Resources to Support Compliance and Growth

We work with partners who support your business on every level—not just insurance.

  • Rocket Lawyer: Create food safety policies and employee handbooks.
  • Envision Payroll: Maintain compliance logs and streamline OSHA reporting.
  • RangeMe: Get shelf-ready faster by meeting retailer safety documentation requirements.

These partners work hand-in-hand with your Gild policy to keep you protected, compliant, and prepared.

Protect Your Reputation and Your Revenue

Food safety compliance isn’t just about passing an inspection. It’s about proving to every customer that your business is worthy of their trust. On World Food Safety Day, take the next step to protect your name, your team, and your future.

Schedule a call with a Gild Insurance agent today and discover how food safety and risk management can work together for a stronger brand. Prefer to get started now? Get a quote online in just a few clicks.

Categories
Insurance Partners Small Business General

Gild Insurance Partners with Corpay: A Smarter Way to Spend

At Gild Insurance, we’re always looking for ways to help small business owners protect what they’ve built and power what’s next. That’s why we’re excited to announce: Gild Insurance partners with Corpay, a global leader in spend management, to bring Gilders early access to the Corpay World Elite Mastercard®.

This premium business card is more than just a payment method. It’s a growth engine built specifically for small business owners offering cashback rewards, global purchasing power, and mobile-first spend management that keeps your finances as agile as your operations.

What Happens When Gild Insurance Partners with Corpay? A Smarter Business Card Is Born

Now available through Gild, the Corpay World Elite Mastercard® is designed to help small businesses scale smarter. With no annual fees and 1.5% cashback on every purchase, the card delivers value with every swipe. It also includes:

  • 1.5% cashback on all purchases
  • No annual fees for primary or authorized users
  • Real-time spend tracking
  • Customizable controls and alerts
  • Access to 1,500+ airport lounges through Priority Pass™
  • Global acceptance at 100M+ merchants
  • Fraud protection and paperless expense management

From managing job site expenses to booking last-minute travel, this card simplifies your operations and delivers rewards with every transaction.

Why Gilders Love It

This partnership brings more than just convenience; it’s about access. Many small business owners struggle to find credit options that actually meet their needs. With Corpay, Gilders can streamline how they spend, manage cash flow more effectively, and track every expense from a single, mobile-friendly platform.

By integrating the Corpay World Elite Mastercard® into our ecosystem of insurance, payroll, legal, and financial tools, Gild Insurance continues to deliver on its promise: helping business owners build stronger, more resilient operations, without added complexity.

About the Partnership

Gild Insurance partners with Corpay as part of our broader commitment to simplifying business ownership through smarter tools and trusted partners. From affordable insurance to business banking, legal support, and now spend management Gild Insurance helps you move forward with confidence.

Be the First with Access

We’re proud to bring this opportunity to Gilders before it becomes widely available. To learn more or get started, simply fill out this form and a dedicated Corpay specialist will follow up with the next steps.

👉 Be the First with Access to the Corpay World Elite Mastercard® now → https://yourgild.com/small-business-credit-card

Disclosure: Gild only features partners we value. Occasionally, if you directly purchase a product from a featured partner, Gild Insurance Agency may earn a referral fee. 

Categories
Small Business General

Concussion Protocol for Small Businesses

A single head injury can throw your fitness business into crisis. Whether it happens during a group class or a personal training session, concussions are one of the most common and costly liability claims in the fitness world. The good news is that a clear concussion protocol can help protect your clients and your business. It’s not just about safety—it’s about being prepared when accidents happen. At Gild Insurance, we help fitness professionals take proactive steps to reduce risk and stay covered.

Why a Concussion Protocol for Small Businesses Is Essential

According to the CDC, a concussion is a type of traumatic brain injury (TBI) caused by a bump, blow, or jolt to the head. This sudden movement can cause the brain to bounce or twist within the skull, triggering chemical changes and potentially damaging brain cells. A forceful impact to the face, neck, or even other parts of the body can also lead to a concussion.

In high-movement environments like gyms and fitness studios, this risk becomes a serious liability.

That’s why having a concussion protocol for small businesses, especially those in the fitness space, isn’t just a recommendation. It’s a proactive protection plan. A well-defined protocol outlines clear steps to identify, respond to, and document suspected concussions, helping you protect your clients, your team, and your coverage. Key components typically include:

  • Initial evaluation: Recognize common symptoms like dizziness, nausea, and confusion.
  • Immediate action: Remove the individual from activity if a concussion is suspected.
  • Referral to medical care: Seek evaluation by a licensed healthcare professional.
  • Return-to-activity guidelines: Only resume workouts after receiving medical clearance.

Need help getting started? The NCAA’s Concussion Protocol is a helpful real-world model that small fitness businesses can adapt.

Tools and Resources to Build Your Protocol

Start strong with trusted, evidence-based resources:

  • CDC’s Heads Up: A national campaign offering detailed information on signs, symptoms, and prevention strategies. Great for staff training and client awareness.
    👉 CDC Heads Up
  • American Academy of Neurology: Access clinical guidelines and a professional concussion checklist to assess severity and determine next steps.
    👉 American Academy of Neurology

How Gild Insurance Helps You Stay Protected

Having a concussion protocol is a smart first step—but it’s only part of a strong risk management plan. Gild Insurance offers tailored coverage designed for fitness professionals, giving you the protection you need from multiple angles.

Here are a few products that can help safeguard your business:

Whether you’re a personal trainer, studio owner, or fitness consultant, Gild makes it easy to get the right coverage for your specific business needs.

👉 Get a quote online today

👉 Schedule a time to speak with a Gild agent to build your protection plan.

Categories
Insurance Small Business General Tariffs

Surviving Texas Small Business Tariffs

Tariffs are tightening the squeeze on small businesses in Texas. For retailers in sporting goods, toys, and home goods, the pressure is building fast. In 2023, Texas imported $92 billion worth of goods from China and $107 billion from Mexico, but with Texas small business tariffs now hitting both sources, costs are rising, and margins are shrinking

Whether you’re managing tight inventory or trying to stay competitive against big-box retailers, the trade landscape is shifting—and fast. At Gild Insurance, we’re here to help you face it head-on with the tools, protection, and practical strategies outlined in our Survive Tariffs runbook to help your business stay resilient.

Let’s take a closer look at how Texas small business tariffs are affecting retailers and what you can do right now to reduce your risk.

The Real Impact of Texas Small Business Tariffs on Retailers

Retailers importing products like yoga mats, dumbbells, or children’s toys are facing an uphill battle. Tariffs on Chinese imports have fluctuated significantly, at times reaching levels that substantially increase costs—particularly for small businesses that lack the purchasing power and profit margins of larger competitors. Even at the low end, Chinese tariffs remain above 30%. 

Many are also grappling with supply chain slowdowns at Gulf Coast ports, making restocking difficult and expensive. And in regions near the border, price-sensitive customers are shopping in Mexico, adding another layer of competition that favors big-box stores.

For small businesses in cities like Houston and Dallas, where they play a vital economic role, these tariffs are not just a nuisance—they’re a threat to survival.

3 Ways Texas Retailers Can Stay Resilient

If you’re in retail—especially in toys, sporting goods, or home décor—here are a few actionable strategies to consider:

  • Diversify Sourcing: Shift more of your imports to Mexico or other tariff-exempt countries to reduce reliance on Chinese goods.
  • Blend Domestic Inventory: Integrate U.S.-made products into your offerings. They may have higher sticker prices but can offer stability and branding advantages.
  • Adopt Lean Inventory Practices: Use just-in-time inventory systems and smarter demand forecasting to avoid tying up cash in overstocked, high-tariff goods.

These tactics won’t eliminate risk but they will give your business more control in an unpredictable environment.

How Inland Marine Insurance Helps You Handle Texas Small Business Tariffs

When importing goods or managing a mobile inventory, there’s one more step you can take to shield your business: Inland Marine Insurance.

Unlike standard property policies, Inland Marine Insurance covers:

  • Goods in transit
  • Inventory stored offsite
  • High-value movable property

If a shipment is delayed, damaged, or stolen on its way to your retail floor, you’ll be glad to have this extra layer of protection. And in the current tariff climate, that peace of mind is worth its weight in gold. Schedule a time to talk to an agent and get the protection your business deserves

Stay Protected with Gild Insurance

While you can’t control international trade policy, you can control how you protect your inventory and manage your risk. At Gild Insurance, we specialize in helping small businesses like yours stay resilient through changing times—with insurance solutions that work the way you do.

Want to learn more?

👉Download the Tariffs Runbook today to stay informed, stay protected, and stay ahead. 

👉Want personalized help? Schedule a call with Gild Insurance and discover smarter ways to protect your business—now and into the future