Shaun Cook Independent Insurance Services, Sherlock Group

09/30/2026

Same plans. Higher renewal. Sound familiar?

It doesn't have to be the only choice. For employers with 25+ employees, ACA-compliant group health alternatives can mean better benefits, lower costs, or both. You just have to know where to look.

IM me or email me at [email protected], and we'll connect you with someone who can help at our sister company, Brazos Marketplace.

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09/24/2026

Workers’ comp premium audit surprises usually don’t start in December. They start months earlier with payroll codes, subcontractor records, and overtime not being tracked cleanly.

If you wait until year-end to look at it, you’re already reacting.

I tell business owners to review workers’ comp reporting before audit season shows up. Are employee classifications still accurate? Did payroll shift across job duties? Do you have certificates on file for subcontractors? Can you separate overtime correctly? Those details can change what the carrier includes in the final audit.

A premium audit is not just an accounting exercise. It’s a coverage strategy issue that can affect cost, documentation demands, and how prepared your team is when questions come in.

A short review now can help you spot issues while there’s still time to clean them up.

If your business has grown, changed operations, or added new crews this year, now is the time to take a closer look.



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09/23/2026

Too many employers treat group health renewal like a deadline problem when it’s really a timing problem.

If your rates keep rising, your plan options look the same every year, and “shopping the market” keeps leading back to the same few quotes, it may be time to take a wider look.

I’ve found that many employers with 25 or more employees may have access to options that never show up in a standard renewal conversation. That can include different funding approaches, different networks, and plan structures that may create more flexibility depending on your group.

The key is starting early.

When you wait for the renewal to land, your choices often narrow fast. When you begin 90 to 120 days out, you give yourself time to review real alternatives side by side and ask better questions about where your premium dollars are going.

At Sherlock Insurance Group, we connect eligible employers to Brazos Marketplace to review ACA-compliant group health options from multiple carriers, including current coverage when available.

If your next renewal is on the horizon, now is the time to read the full article and see what steps can help you compare your options before the clock starts working against you.

Independent insurance agency delivering business-first risk strategies, commercial P&C, ACA-compliant group health, and personal coverage from 100+ highly rated carriers.

09/17/2026

A property claim can be reduced long before the adjuster calculates the damage.

One common reason: the coinsurance provision.

If your building is insured below the required percentage of its replacement cost, you may share in the loss even when the claim is well below the policy limit. That catches many business owners off guard.

Here’s the issue in plain terms: coinsurance is designed to encourage accurate values. If the policy requires 80% coinsurance and the property should be insured for $5 million, carrying $3 million can create a penalty at claim time.

That means a partial loss may not be paid the way you expected.

This is why property values should be reviewed regularly, especially after construction cost changes, improvements, equipment purchases, or inflation. The goal is not just having a policy in place. It’s making sure the numbers behind it still fit your operation.

A coverage strategy review can help uncover issues before a loss puts them into focus.



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09/16/2026

Most business owners don’t have an insurance problem. They have an options problem.

When you work with an independent agency, you’re not limited to one carrier’s box. You get access to multiple markets, different coverage structures, and a broader view of how policies may respond when a claim happens.

That matters because price alone rarely tells the full story.

Deductibles, exclusions, sublimits, endorsements, workers’ comp structures, liability limits, and carrier appetite all shape whether a policy fits your operation or leaves gaps you didn’t expect.

Our role is to help business owners compare those options with a clear coverage strategy in mind. Not just what is available, but what aligns with your contracts, payroll, property, fleet, and growth plans.

An independent agency should bring perspective, not just quotes.

If you’re reviewing your current program and want a more informed look at your options, let’s talk.



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09/10/2026

A lot of business owners assume their General Liability policy will respond to employee-related claims.

In many cases, it won’t.

That’s where Employment Practices Liability Insurance (EPLI) comes in.

EPLI is designed to address claims tied to how a business hires, manages, disciplines, and separates employees. That can include allegations involving wrongful termination, discrimination, harassment, retaliation, and failure to promote.

A Commercial General Liability policy is generally designed to address bodily injury, property damage, and certain personal or advertising injury claims. It is not typically designed for disputes arising from employment practices.

EPLI is a coverage I see overlooked frequently, especially as companies grow, add employees, promote managers, or expand to multiple locations.

Business owners are often focused on property, commercial auto, workers’ compensation, and umbrella coverage. Meanwhile, employment-related exposure can remain in the background until a claim brings it front and center.

If you have employees or supervisors, or your HR processes have evolved as your company has grown, EPLI deserves a closer look.

Together, we can review your employment-related exposures and determine whether your current insurance program reflects how your business operates today.



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09/09/2026

Why is it called inland marine insurance if you don’t own a boat?

It’s a fair question.

And it’s one I hear from business owners all the time.

Inland marine coverage generally has less to do with water and more to do with property that moves.

Think:

• Tools traveling between job sites
• Equipment stored temporarily at a project
• Materials waiting to be installed
• Mobile equipment used across multiple locations
• Valuable property transported in company vehicles

For contractors, tradesmen, and other businesses that regularly move equipment or materials, this can be an important coverage to understand.

A standard commercial property policy is often built around property located at a specific insured premises.

But your business doesn’t always stay inside four walls.

What happens when a $20,000 piece of equipment is stolen from a job site?

What if tools are damaged while being transported?

What if materials waiting to be installed are destroyed before they ever make it into the building?

That’s where inland marine coverage can help fill important gaps.

The name comes from the history of insuring cargo and goods in transit. Today, the bigger question is much simpler:

Where does your property go after it leaves your building?

At Sherlock Insurance Group, we look at how a business actually operates, not just what appears on an application.

Because your coverage strategy should follow your property wherever your business takes it.



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09/03/2026

A property claim can fix walls, floors, and equipment.

But what covers payroll, rent, loan payments, and other ongoing expenses if your business has to close for days or weeks?

That’s where business income coverage can matter.

For small business owners, a shutdown after a fire, storm, or other covered loss can create two problems at once: physical damage and lost revenue. Property insurance may help repair the space, but business income coverage is designed to help with the income your business would have earned while operations are paused.

It can also help business owners think more clearly about continuity. How long could your business operate if sales stopped tomorrow but bills kept coming?

This is a good reminder to review your coverage strategy before you need it. A policy that looks fine on paper may leave gaps when downtime affects cash flow.

If you want to talk through how this coverage works and whether it fits your business, I’m always glad to have that conversation.

https://www.sherlockgroup.com/



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08/27/2026

A lower premium can look like a win.

Until a wind or hail claim reveals a deductible your business was never prepared to absorb.

For many commercial properties in Oklahoma and North Texas, the wind/hail deductible may not be a simple flat dollar amount. It can be based on a percentage of the building value.

That difference can be substantial.

A 2% deductible on a $2 million building is **$40,000**.

On a $5 million building, it’s **$100,000**.

Suddenly, the premium savings that looked attractive at renewal can feel very different after a major storm.

That’s why I encourage business owners to look beyond the premium and ask a few important questions:

* What is my wind/hail deductible?
* Is it a flat amount or a percentage?
* What dollar amount does that actually represent based on my building value?
* Does it apply per building, per location, or per occurrence?
* Could my business comfortably absorb that expense if a storm hit this year?

The lowest premium does not always mean the lowest cost.

For a small or mid-sized business, an unexpected deductible can affect cash flow, repairs, operations, and how quickly the business gets back to normal.

At **Sherlock Insurance Group**, we help business owners understand not just what their policy costs, but what it could cost them when they actually need to use it.

If you own commercial property and haven’t reviewed your wind and hail deductible lately, I’d be happy to take a look with you.

Sherlock Insurance Group
Commercial Property & Casualty

https://www.sherlockgroup.com/



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08/26/2026

One of the most overlooked commercial auto exposures starts with a simple assumption: “Their personal auto policy will handle it.”

Sometimes it won’t.

If an employee uses their own vehicle for business errands, client visits, deliveries, or picking up supplies, there may be a gap between what their personal policy covers and what your business is actually exposed to.

That matters when a claim names the company, not just the driver.

Personal auto insurance is built for personal use. Once business use enters the picture, coverage questions can get complicated fast—especially around liability, hired and non-owned auto exposure, and whether your commercial policy is structured to respond.

This is where risk management needs to lead the conversation, not assumptions.

If your team ever drives their own vehicles for work, it’s worth reviewing how that exposure shows up in your insurance program, your policies, and your internal vehicle-use rules.

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If this is a live issue for your business, let’s start with the exposure first and work toward a solution that fits.



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