Most people would probably agree that the Aflac duck is adorable and a great marketing tool; what everyone can’t agree on is whether or not it’s wise to choose one of their many insurance policies.

Aflac, a Fortune 500 company based in Columbus, Georgia and founded in 1955 by the Amos brothers, Paul, Bill, and John, is available to everyone in the U.S. as well as various overseas markets. In fact, Aflac is the insurance of choice for a fourth of the households of Japan.

Aflac shares have been performing quite well lately, proving that the company prides itself on offering and providing high-quality products and services at competitive prices. Additionally, Aflac is consistently reported to be one of the -most employee-friendly companies, especially so for working mothers and minority women.

Aflac offers term life insurance, whole life, or a combination of both. You won’t be required to have a medical exam or blood tests when applying for insurance with Aflac, so the company can’t disqualify you based on your current state of health. The coverage you’ll receive will include a Waiver of Premium Benefit and an Accelerated Death Benefit.

Aflac consistently receives grades of A+ (the best being A++) from a variety of independent insurance rating companies. Generally speaking, Aflac shows customers as happy with the insurance coverage they’ve received; they like the flexibility of its plans and the quickness of fulfillment of claims.

Aflac carries a wide variety of insurance including long-term care, life insurance that can be used to care for your family should you die or as retirement income, insurance that will cover your expenses should you be unable to work, cancer insurance (not available in all states), and supplemental health insurance (to work in combination with health insurance you already have or to diminish the costs of healthcare if you are not able to afford regular insurance).

As a former Aflac salesperson, I can personally recommend the company if you have a need for unique coverage; excellent and affordable, Aflac can be a great addition to the coverage you already have.

Business Insurance

There are, as most of us are aware, myriad types of insurance to consider when thinking of what type is right for your particular business, some, of course, being more important than others.

Some common forms of business insurance include:

1. Worker’s compensation
2. Malpractice and errors and omissions coverage
3. Disability insurance
4. Liability insurance that covers premises, activities, and products
5. Business interruption insurance
6. Unemployment insuance
7. Surety and performance bonds

One particularly important type of insurance is Worker’s Compensation; any business that has employees is required by law – in every state – to have Worker’s Compensation coverage; this type of insurance will benefit an employee who becomes injured on the job while performing the requirements of his or her position. In most states, Worker’s Compensation insurance is available through private insurance companies, but in a few, the coverage must be purchased through an agency of the state’s government. Oftentimes, there are contractual requirements that mean businesses must carry certain types of insurance. You will need to personally find out what the requirement of your state is.

Disability insurance and unemployment insurance are also types of coverages that are required by law. Each state, of course, will have varying requirements, so it is best to check with your insurance company or government office to determine your business’s exact needs when it comes to these required coverages.

When entering into a contract or lease, your business should carefully review them for any insurance requirements; if a business borrows money, it is often required that insurance must be maintained in an amount sufficient to cover office equipment leases, property, and liability exposures. Should you fail to acquire the necessary amount of insurance, your contract or lease could be terminated.

It is generally advisable that businesses purchase liability insurance to cover any business-related activity and be specifically tailored to the type of business you’re conducting. Professionals who are likely to face greater levels of legal liability, such as architects, engineers, dentists, and healthcare workers are especially advised to obtain business liability, or malpractice, insurance.

Whether or not you need a particular type of insurance will depend on the activities of your business as well as the amount of liability exposure that your particular company is likely to have. It is always best to contact your business’s insurance company or a local provider of insurance to assure you have all the coverage you need.