SandStone Insurance Partners

10/15/2026

When did your company last review its cyber risks?

This Cybersecurity Awareness Month, take a few moments to swipe through three common exposures every business should be aware of.

Check out our latest blog to learn practical steps to reduce these security gaps and protect your business: https://sandstoneins.com/blog/hidden-cybersecurity-risks-for-small-businesses-2026-awareness-month-guide/

10/08/2026

The hours before a hurricane are your opportunity to prepare for any damage that may follow. With Hurricane Isaias expected to make landfall late Friday or early Saturday, that window is now.

Swipe through the key steps to take before and after the storm, along with the Florida claim deadlines every homeowner and renter should know. Save this post for reference, and share it with family, friends, and neighbors in the storm’s path.

For more information, read our complete Hurricane Isaias preparedness checklist and claims guide: https://sandstoneins.com/blog/hurricane-isaias-florida-hurricane-prep-checklist-and-insurance-claims-guide/

10/05/2026

Commercial auto insurance has risen every single quarter for 15 years straight, over 59 consecutive quarters, even in years when every other commercial line was flat or falling.

That's not a pricing strategy; it's insurers trying to catch up: commercial auto liability claims have cost more than insurers collected in premiums every year since 2014.

A few forces are driving that gap. Jury verdicts against commercial vehicle operators have climbed into the tens of millions, newer vehicles need costly sensor calibration after even minor collisions, and new tariffs are adding to the price of parts and repairs.

None of that is within your control, but how your business responds at renewal is.

In our latest blog, we break down what underwriters are rewarding right now and what to ask before your next renewal.

Click to read: https://sandstoneins.com/blog/why-commercial-auto-insurance-rates-keep-rising-in-2026-and-what-it-means-for-your-renewal/

Understand the impact of rising commercial auto insurance rates on your business. Discover strategies to manage costs and improve policy coverage.

10/01/2026

Last week, SandStone Insurance Partners proudly joined the Nature Coast Manufacturers’ Association for a meeting and plant tour at Aeronautical Systems Engineering, Inc. (ASE).

Don Burgher, Senior Advisor at SandStone and Secretary/Treasurer of NCMA, joined Matt Carullo and Faiek Zora of Aeronautical Systems Engineering to bring local manufacturing and business leaders together for industry discussion and a firsthand look at the facility.

Attendees also heard from representatives of SandStone Insurance Partners, YourMedPlan, FloridaMakes, and Pasco County’s Planning, Development, and Economic Growth office.

Thank you to NCMA and Aeronautical Systems Engineering for hosting a great afternoon of connection, collaboration, and insight into the local manufacturing community!

09/18/2026

Many homeowners assume their insurance covers flooding; however, it doesn't, not in Florida, not in Georgia, not anywhere. That gap catches more people than you'd think: nearly a third of flood claims filed over the past decade came from homes outside FEMA's high-risk flood zones.

The timing matters too. Congress has until September 30, just days away, to reauthorize the National Flood Insurance Program, or FEMA loses the authority to sell or renew flood policies nationwide.

If you haven't reviewed your homeowners policy with this in mind, now is the time, not after the next storm. Click the blog below to learn more: https://sandstoneins.com/blog/do-you-need-flood-insurance-in-florida-or-georgia-what-homeowners-should-know-right-now/

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Discover the importance of flood insurance for Florida and Georgia homeowners. Learn about policy requirements, risks outside flood zones, and more.

09/14/2026

Most small businesses don't think of resume-screening software as "AI," but courts don't care what it's called. If it's ranking, scoring, or auto-rejecting candidates, judges treat that decision the same as one made by a hiring manager.

In 2023, iTutorGroup paid $365,000 to settle the first case of its kind, after its hiring software automatically rejected older applicants in violation of the Age Discrimination in Employment Act. Similar lawsuits against several major hiring-technology vendors have since followed.

Employers, not just the vendors that built these tools, are increasingly facing these lawsuits directly. That raises a question most businesses haven't asked: would your EPLI policy actually cover a claim like this?

Now is the time to find out, not after a claim lands on your desk. Company size doesn't change the risk, and it shouldn't change how seriously you take it.

Click the link below to explore EPLI exposure resulting from AI-driven hiring practices:
https://sandstoneins.com/blog/ai-in-hiring-is-creating-new-epli-exposure-for-employers-in-2026/

Explore AI's impact on hiring litigation, its influence on EPLI insurance, and legal challenges firms face with AI-driven employment decisions.

09/11/2026

Twenty-five years ago today, the world changed in a single morning. We remember the 2,977 lives lost on September 11, 2001, the first responders who ran courageously toward danger, and the loved ones who have carried this day with them ever since.

Today, we pause to honor their memory and the resilience of a nation that came together in its hardest moment. Never forget.

09/03/2026

Labor Day weekend is the last big send-off for summer boating season, and it's also one of the most dangerous.

Florida logged 694 boating accidents and 51 fatalities last year, and in Georgia, the region around Lake Lanier accounted for 13 of the state's 19 boating-under-the-influence arrests over Labor Day weekend alone.

Boat owners typically assume their homeowners policy has them covered. However, it often doesn't, especially when it comes to larger vessels and sinking watercraft.

Before you head out this weekend, click the link below to explore what your policy actually covers:
https://sandstoneins.com/blog/watercraft-insurance-in-florida-and-georgia-what-boat-owners-need-to-know-before-labor-day-weekend/

Prepare for Labor Day boating with watercraft insurance. Learn why it's crucial in Florida & Georgia to prevent accidents and avoid out-of-pocket costs.

08/27/2026

Nearly half of companies that self-fund their health plan reported a claim over $1 million last year, more than double the share that did the year before. Cancer treatment, newborn care, and specialty drugs are among the biggest drivers of this trend, and a strong network discount alone likely isn't enough to offset it.

In our latest blog, we broke down what's changing in 2027 and key factors that finance and HR leaders should consider before the upcoming renewal season: https://sandstoneins.com/blog/self-funded-health-plan-trends-for-2026-what-employers-need-to-know-before-renewal/

Discover the evolving landscape of self-funded health plans, from rising million-dollar claims to new PBM rules. Navigate renewals with strategic insights.

07/31/2026

At SandStone, we build our internship program around meaningful contributions, not busywork.

This summer, Logan Blankenship worked hands-on with our agency management system, supporting client documentation and policy administration alongside our team. He developed proposals, ran coverage gap analyses, and prepared quote comparisons for clients.

He also contributed to a carrier database project for our commercial team, using AI to help streamline how we track carrier fit for client placements. That work directly improved both client programs and internal workflows.

Beyond the desk, he attended carrier meetings and broker lunches to learn about industry relationships and market trends firsthand, and assisted with a client inspection to gain firsthand experience in underwriting and risk assessment.

That's a summer well spent, and it's exactly the experience we want every intern at SandStone to have.