Blurbs & Newsletters
Our "blurbs" are brief periodic emails about current events, legislation or other hot topics that may be of interest to our clientele or just tips on the hospitality industry. Our newsletters, published quarterly, cover a variety of topics and are geared toward more in-depth education about your industry and coverages and other topics that may affect your business.
Both are available to anyone who requests to be added to our distribution lists. Current clients are automatically added if we have an email address for you. Some of the older ones may be in .pdf format, which may require Adobe Reader to open. Click here to subscribe to our email list and follow us on Facebook here.
Note: To find a particular topic a bit easier, try using the search function (press Ctrl + F on your keyboard at the same time) to open the keyword search in your internet browser. Type the word you're looking for to view any matches in our newsletters and blurbs.
Issue | Posted | Topics Explored |
8/29/18 | Beware: Burglars Bolder Than Ever | |
11/17/17 | Preserving Evidence for Potential Claims - Don't Let Good Evidence Go Bad | |
8/3/17 | Illinois' Mandatory Human Trafficking Posters | |
9/2/16 | Illinois Liquor License Fee Increase in 2017 | |
7/22/15 | Culinary & Hospitality Modernization Act Enacted ("Happy Hour Law") | |
6/1/15 | Mandatory Liquor Training in Illinois, Happy Hour returns | |
1/23/15 | 2015 Illinois Dram Shop Limits Set | |
10/31/14 | Halloween Makes for Good Cover for Minors in Your Bar | |
9/19/14 | Significant Proposed Changes to Smoke Free Illinois Act | |
8/28/14 | Increased Scrutiny During Liquor Inspections (IL) | |
7/2/14 | Does Discounting Help or Hurt Your Restaurant? | |
5/22/14 | Taking Your Loyalty Program Digital | |
3/7/14 | Proposed Soda Tax (IL) | |
2/28/14 | IL - Expect Increased IGB Inspections | |
2/14/14 | IL - Temporary Visitor Driver Licenses | |
2/7/14 | 2014 Illinois Dram Shop Limits Set | |
1/31/14 | IL - Online Liquor License Renewals in Illinois | |
1/10/14 | Illinois Concealed Carry is Here: Required Postings for some businesses | |
1/3/14 | IL Gaming Licensees: Keep your gaming license active - remember your Department of Justice annual filing | |
Fall 2013 | Oct/Nov | |
8/30/13 | IL Gaming Licensees: State warns "no renewal grace period" | |
Summer 2013 | July | Scrutinizing Recommendations, Can Online Reviews Make or Break You?, Spotlight On: First Party Claims, Benefits of BDI's Partnerships, Auto GAP Coverage |
Spring 2013 | April | Don't Roll the Dice on Liquor Liability Coverage, Spotlight On: Flood Insurance, Caution with Tornadoes, Illinois: New Unique Gaming Endorsement Available, Social Media Use & Personal Liability |
Winter 2013 | February | Make Your Camera System Work For You, 2013 Illinois Dram Shop Limits Releases, Spotlight On: Workers Compensation, Illinois Gaming Endorsements Coming, Homeowners: Pooches & Policies |
Fall 2012 | November | Understanding Renewal
Notices, Winter Fire Safety Tips, Spotlight On:
Crime Insurance, IL Gaming Update, Covering
Personal Articles, Mine Subsidence |
Summer 2012 | August | Rising Homeowners &
Property Prices, Preventing Foodborne Illness,
Property Valuation Types, Illinois Gaming
Update, Insuring Older Buildings, Claims Review:
Horrors of Subrogation |
Winter 2012 | January | Debit Card
fee reductions, Controlling Work Comp Costs,
Spotlight On: Aggregate Liability Limits,
Personal & Auto Winter Tips, A Word of Caution
with Homeowners Claims, Standard Markets vs. E&S
Markets |
Fall 2011 | October | Another
Lesson in Video Surveillance, BDI Classifieds
are Back, Spotlight On: Business Auto Coverage,
Winterizing Your Building, Reviewing Replacement
Cost, Our Newest Partner: AFLAC |
Special Edition | 7/29/11 | Protect
Yourself Against AC Unit Theft |
Summer 2011 | July | Illinois Work
Comp Reform, Mine Subsidence Changes,
Understanding Utility Services Coverage,
Avoiding Heat Exhaustion & Stroke, Home Prices &
Insurance, Wedding Insurance |
Spring 2011 | May | Construction
Season Jeopardized, How to Identify Work Comp
Fraud, Prepping for a Tornado, Liquor Training
Recap, Understanding Audits |
Winter 2011 | February | 2011 Illinois
Dram Shop Limits, Safe Handling of Waste Rags,
Spotlight On: Broadcasting Pay-Per-View Content,
Benefits of an Automatic Payment Plan, Liquor
Training Recap, Using Technology to Document
Your Possessions |
Fall 2010 | November | Revised Flood
Maps to have Dramatic Impact, Safely Using
Backbelts, Spotlight On: Assault & Battery
Coverage, Keeping the Cost Down on Auto
Insurance |
Spring 2010 | May | Another
Reason to join an Industry Association, 2010
Illinois Dram Shop Limits, Spotlight On: Mine
Subsidence Insurance, Considering Liquor
Liability in Missouri, Reducing Slip & Falls |
Winter 2010 | Dec '09 | Preventing
Christmas Tree fires, Indiana Server Training
Law, Preventing Metal theft, 2010 Illinois Fire
Suppression Mandate |
Fall 2009 | November | Holiday
Schedule reminder, Thanksgiving Cooking Fire
Warning |
Fall 2009 | September | Look Beyond
Price: Invest in Risk Management, The Value of
Security Cameras, What Food Industry Workers
should know about Hepatitis, 2010 Illinois Fire
Suppression Mandate |
Summer 2009 | July | Illinois:
Beware of Workers Comp Inspections, Important
Changes to Loss Control, Indiana Cracking Down
on Alcohol Retailers, St. Louis Puts Smoking Ban
Discussion out for the summer |
Summer 2008 | July | Reduce Claims
Through Effective Risk Management, Spotlight On:
Dependent Property Coverage |
Winter 2008 | January | Watch what
you put on the Web, Illinois 2008 Dram Shop
Limits, Spotlight On: Ordinance or Law Coverage |
Fall 2007 | October | Employee
Safety: Preventing and Reducing Work Comp
Claims, Health Insurance as Easy as 1-2-3,
Spotlight On: Flood Insurance |
Summer 2007 | July | Are you
Underinsured?, Golf Tournaments, Bus Trips &
Street Fairs - Are you covered? Spotlight On:
Utility Services |
Spring 2007 | April | Why Join a
Restaurant or Tavern Association? Spotlight On:
Mine Subsidence |
Winter 2007 | January | Understanding
Workers Compensation, Spotlight On: Spoilage
Coverage |
Fall 2006 | October | Protective
Safeguards, Illinois Workers Comp Penalties,
Spotlight On: Business Income |
Summer 2006 | July | Our Value
Added Service, Renewing Your Insurance, BDI &
Illinois Bowling Proprietors Team Up |
Spring 2006 | April | Preparing for
a Liquor Control Inspection, Contacting You in
an Emergency, Tenants Need Equipment Breakdown |
Winter 2006 | January |
The Unseen
Threat - Food Contamination,
Foodborne Illness
Diagram |
Fall 2005 | October | In the
Aftermath of New Orleans: Are you prepared for a
Catastrophe?, "It's That Time of the Year" Part
2 - Coverage Options for Special Events |
Summer 2005 | July | Controlling
your most valuable asset - Cash, New 24/7
Customer Service Hotline now Operational, "It's
That Time of the Year" - Part 1 - Coverage
options for Special Events |
Spring 2005 | April |
Why use a
"preferred" vendor for loss control, Buy or Sell
Equipment at
www.bretdixonins.com, Driving
Intoxicated Could Cost You - about $4435, to be
exact. |
Winter 2005 | January | What to do
when you have a Property claim, Bret Dixon
Realty, Insurable Interest |
Fall 2004 | September | Why you
should use Incident Reports, Life Insurance,
Understanding Loss Control |