Author: Heather

Heather is a skilled content writer with a strong background in English literature and business management. She creates compelling content for small businesses, combining engaging storytelling with data-driven insights to fuel growth and provide real-world insights.

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Small Business General Workers' Compensation

Easy Workers’ Compensation Guide: Gild Edition

Workplace injuries aren’t just a big business problem. Whether you run a salon, a bakery, or a construction crew, accidents can happen fast and cost you even faster. That’s why every small business owner needs to understand the protections that come with workers’ comp. This Easy Workers’ Compensation Guide will walk you through what’s covered, how to get started, and how Gild Insurance helps you stay protected without the hassle.

Why This Easy Workers’ Compensation Guide Matters

Workers’ compensation insurance is a type of coverage that provides medical care, lost wages, and other benefits to employees who are injured or become ill due to a work-related incident. In return, it generally protects employers from lawsuits related to those injuries.

This system creates a safety net for everyone involved, helping your business stay compliant while giving employees the support they need to recover.

Even a minor slip or repetitive stress injury can lead to weeks of downtime and mounting medical bills. Workers’ compensation isn’t just a legal requirement in many states; it’s a financial lifeline for your business and your team.

With Gild Insurance, securing workers’ comp is simpler than ever. Our digital process lets you make an appointment with an agent, manage your policy easily, and access resources that help you create a safer workplace.

What’s Covered Under Workers’ Comp?

Workers’ compensation insurance offers five core protections for job-related injuries or illnesses:

  • Medical Expenses: From emergency care to surgery and rehab, workers’ comp pays for approved treatment so your employees can recover.
  • Lost Wages: If an injury keeps someone from working, coverage includes a portion of their regular pay.
  • Disability Benefits: Partial or total disability compensation helps support employees who can’t return to their role.
  • Rehabilitation: Includes physical therapy or training for new job duties.
  • Death Benefits: If the worst happens, workers’ comp supports surviving dependents and covers funeral costs.

Gild works closely with each client to help determine the right level of protection for your industry and risk level. Need help understanding state-specific rules? Our team’s got your back.

How to Get Workers’ Comp with Gild

This isn’t another paper trail nightmare. Follow these four quick steps to secure coverage:

  1. Check Your State’s Requirements: Most states require workers’ comp once you hire your first employee. Check your state’s laws, then talk to Gild and we’ll help you make sure your coverage meets local regulations without overpaying.
  2. Get a Quote Online: Our digital platform makes it easy. Answer a few quick questions and get matched with a workers’ comp policy tailored to your business.
  3. Implement Safety Protocols: Workers’ comp coverage helps when accidents happen, but prevention is still your best protection. Establish safety protocols, provide regular training, and make sure employees know how to respond to injuries—including those that may be less visible, like head trauma. Not sure where to start? Check out our blog on Concussion Protocol for Small Businesses for practical tips you can implement today
  4. Educate Your Team: Make sure employees know how to report injuries and when to seek care. This minimizes downtime and confusion if an accident occurs.

Ready to Protect Your Team? Let’s Get You Covered

Accidents happen—but you don’t have to be unprepared. This Easy Workers’ Compensation Guide is your reminder that protecting your business doesn’t have to be complicated or expensive.

At Gild Insurance, we make it fast and easy to get a workers’ comp policy tailored to your business size, industry, and budget. Whether you’re hiring your first employee or already have a growing team, we’re here to help you stay compliant, confident, and covered.

→ Start your quote today with Gild Insurance and protect what you’re building.

Categories
Insurance

Smart Ways to Manage Florida Gift Shop Tariffs Now

Business owner thinking about Florida gift shop tariffs

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

Two people preparing food safely to promote food safety compliance

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

A person paying with a credit card showing that Gild Insurance Partners With Corpay

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
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