Staebler Insurance

Thank you to our clients, partners, industry friends, and families for voting for us in this year’s Waterloo Region Record – Readers’ Choice Awards. Thank you so much for your support – we couldn’t do it without you! As you may have seen, earlier this month, our brokerage was honoured to be selected as three-time Diamond Readers’ Choice winners.   We won the Diamond award in these categories : • Best Insurance Brokerage in Waterloo Region • Best Car Insurance in Waterloo Region  • Best Insurance Company   We know that achieving this level of recognition takes an entire team. In March, our office began a hybrid work model that allows our employees to choose where to work, based on their unique situation. We believe this has created a better environment, promoted important work-life balance, and led to better customer experiences.   Our very own Personal Solutions Broker, Tori Wood , was also selected as the Platinum Winner in the Best ...

If you’re a business owner, you’ve probably heard quite a bit lately about cyber insurance. Not only are you hearing about the usual stats about cyber attack this and cyber breach that, but now the difficulty in even being able to get cyber insurance coverage for your business.  So, what does it actually mean to be "Cyber Insurance Ready”? How do you prepare yourself, your employees, and your organization to be in the best position to get a cyber insurance quote? And how will being cyber ready protect you in the future from things like hacks, ransomware, social engineering, and phishing schemes (just to name a few)? We’ve partnered with Fortify , our network solutions provider, to run down the nine key areas to focus on before your application for cyber insurance is submitted. Many insurance companies are saying the following are now the bare minimum "table stakes” for organizations to get the proper cyber insurance coverage: 1. Access Control Providing a barrier to e...

Joel Westman has been a Staebler broker for more than seven years and has experienced a fair share of challenges and growth over the years. However, what Joel has experienced in the last eight months, has been the biggest challenge yet!   Joel, along with his wife, Colleen, are raising their first child, all while balancing work, family, friends, and the other demands of life.     » This blog is a part of our Staebler Employee Experiences category.    In Joel’s words, the growth he has seen from his newborn daughter has been nothing short of "amazing”.   "Watching [Abigail] grow, learn and become so curious about new things,” Joel said. "She is sitting up on her own and now onto learning how to crawl which I am sure she will master soon. Watching her personality start to shine through has also been amazing.”   After Staebler’s office reopened in March 2022, a Remote Work Policy that allows for hybrid work environment for employees was ins...

Car thieves are becoming more sophisticated and, despite the latest technologies, these criminals are discovering new ways to thwart anti-theft devices. They are most often targeting vehicles with keyless entries to help them quickly steal a car. As stolen vehicle statistics continue to rise – don’t be the next one! Here are the top ways to stop your car from being stolen. Signal Relay Attacks The technology in your key fob can be wonderfully convenient for you. Unfortunately thieves are also finding it convenient to gain access to your car and starting it. They are using a device that amplifies and relay’s the fob’s signal to your vehicle and allows them in. How to Stop this Theft : A faraway bag or box can block your key fob’s signal so it won’t be picked up by a thief’s relay device. It’s also recommended that you don’t lock your vehicle from a distance. For example, in a mall parking lot, the act of locking your car from a few rows away can help a thief "steal” your signal...

September is here and back to school time means back to sharing the road with school vehicles and being extra careful with students walking. To help keep everyone safe, Kitchener, Waterloo, and other areas of Waterloo Region have lowered speed limits and added speed cameras. Knowing these new rules and laws can save you from big fines and potentially even bigger increases in your insurance premiums.   Kitchener council has reduced speed limits from 50 km/h to 40 km/h in neighbourhoods, while school zones are further reduced to 30km/h. Meantime   Waterloo council has approved a 30 km/h speed limit  through residential streets. Another significant step towards improving road safety, Waterloo Region introduced Automated Speed Enforcement (ASE) cameras in a number of school zones. Much like automatic red light cameras that we’re used to, these units capture a picture of the offending car and licence plate, then send a ticket to the car’s owner. Where are Waterloo Re...

We heard from clients in Kitchener, Waterloo, Cambridge, Waterloo Region, and beyond that our referral program needed an update – so we did just that! Over the years we have helped hundreds of clients with our Staebler Supporters Referral Program . We've now made it even easier to receive a referral reward. (See the reward levels below.) What's Changed? Now when you become a Staebler Supporter (your referral becomes a new client), we'll email you an Everything Card where you can use its value toward the reward of your choice! It works out to less waiting and more choice for you. Here To Help Our continued mission is to help you with all types of personal and business insurance. With the refresh of the Staebler Supporters program, gift cards can also can help with everyday essentials like: Grocery runs, gas tank top-ups, or a much needed treat for you and your family.   Consider referring a friend, co-worker, or family member today and see just how quickly you c...

Heading down the entrepreneurial path and opening a business can be a rewarding experience. Of course, there are challenges along the way, from staffing to supply chains to marketing and sales. There are also lurking risks that can befall an owner when they least expect it. Recently the industry has seen an increase in cases of small business owners forgoing insurance. Our brokers have heard that some owners don’t believe that they need it because they’re not big enough, while others assume that their personal insurance will respond if they suffer a loss. In addition, the COVID-19 pandemic and its associated shutdowns financially affected all kinds of businesses in Waterloo Region and beyond. As a result, we’ve heard that small business insurance is one of the areas that some owners are trying to cut costs or not purchase altogether.   We understand the financial pressures, because we’ve seen it from time to time, but we want to make sure that you’re aware of the facts wh...

In a previous blog, we discussed how insured property values may need to be increased because of a number of inflationary factors affecting restoration costs. These continue to include high construction costs (material, labour, etc.) and increased demand for these services. Another issue arising that’s just as critical for business owners is the business interruption coverage timeline following a loss: The global supply chain and its continued challenges to keep up with increased consumer demand. In the case of a loss, weeks turn into months, and months turn into years, causing your business interruption policy’s indemnity period to be put to the test. Well, how long does BI Coverage last? Business interruption claims stop when the earliest of one of the following happens:         » The property is repaired (in the case of Gross Earnings coverage) or the profit levels are back to normal (in the case of Profits coverage);         » The in...

Summer is a great time to get outside and enjoy the weather with friends and family. While fires can be great for socializing and enjoying the outdoors, they do come with inherent risks. Here we will try to outline the common issues, considerations, and guidelines to help everyone enjoy fires safely this season.   In addition, each city or jurisdiction, has different rules, bylaws, and regulations for backyard fires. Read on to find out the backyard fire rules for Waterloo, Kitchener, Cambridge, and Wilmot Township.  But First, Safety There are some great resources and tips to ensure the safe enjoyment of campfires.  One such source is the Ontario Association of Fire Chiefs (source below).  Here are a few recommendations:  » Check with local authorities on open-air burning restrictions and follow local burning regulations  » Keep up-to-date on fire bans in the area  » Build campfires where they will not spread; well away from tents, trailers, ...

Please note our phone lines and internet are currently down, and regular service is interrupted. We're sorry for the inconvenience and appreciate your patience as we wait for restoration.  from Staebler Insurance https://www.staebler.com/blogs/friday-july-8-service-interruption via Staebler Insurance

Two summer seasons have come and gone, with festival cancellations, postponements, and too many sad face emoji accompanying regretful social media posts from organizers. But this summer the wait is finally over and the return of community events and festivals will help punctuate the best season ever! Waterloo Region is lucky to be home to many diverse and engaging events to keep you, your family, and friends entertained over the next few months. Summer festivals in Kitchener, Waterloo, Cambridge, and the townships of Wellesley, Wilmot, Woolwich, and North Dumphries, are a hallmark of the season. For 2022, being able to welcome back visitors is also a welcome relief for local organizers, event companies, hotels, restaurants, and more. If you are coming from out of town for one of Waterloo Region‘s festivals, be sure to take advantage of the 20% Ontario Staycation Tax Credit . You can claim vacation expenses of up to $1000 for an individual or $2000 for a family. So grab a pen an...

Since 2020, the world has seen supply chain problems, catastrophic weather events, wars, political upheaval, and viruses.   All of these events have put upward pressure on costs for everything, including construction costs. Costs of labour and materials have significantly increased, due to increased demand, in amounts that are well outpacing consumer inflation rates.  This creates new risk for businesses who may need to rebuild after a property loss during this period of increased construction costs. Due to the steep construction inflation increases, businesses should consider reviewing their property coverage (i.e. building, equipment, stock, etc.) limits on their insurance policies now, rather than waiting until their next renewal time, to ensure that the amounts insured will still be adequate in the face of a loss. It is important to recognize that replacement cost from an insurance perspective can often be more than the market value of an item. Construction costs can...

As the school year winds down once again and the summer season officially begins next week, thoughts turn to vacation planning and what to do with the kids for two months ahead. Our Staebler team jumped at the opportunity to present some tips and tricks for the road tripping families to make sure you know what to bring and what to do before you pack up and hit the road! The following tips and tricks comes from years of practice from Kim & Steve Philpott, two former Presidents at Staebler Insurance, and their experiences camping and road tripping with three kids to provincial parks in Ontario and longer trips into the United States. Feel free to add your own additions or substitutions depending on your situation and leave us a comment below if we’ve missed anything. PREPARATIONS -         Camping bins for each person o  Plastic Rubbermaid storage bins (with lids) o  Write the person’s name on their bin o ...

Many times throughout the day, Bev and Melanie get goosebumps. It’s caused by the stories and the special moments they share with their team of volunteers at the newly-opened supply centre for refugees from the Ukraine.   Located at 130 Weber Street West in Kitchener , the Waterloo Region Support For Our New Ukrainian Neighbours started to take shape in March, when the crisis in eastern Europe was unfolding. Despite only just meeting on March 15, Bev Finnegan and Melanie Todd collectively knew they had to take action and do whatever they could. Momentum began when the St. Sophia Ukrainian Church in Waterloo called and said they needed their basement full of supplies cleared out in one day. They jumped at the chance to get a local supply chain started, by moving the boxes into a church in Baden and sorting the goods, before moving in the new location on April 28. Bev and Melanie then opened the donation and collection centre doors on May 9 with clothing for all ages, toy...

The province of Ontario has shifted to a no fee licence plate sticker program and issued refunds for those that paid in the past. To avoid any confusion, yes, you still need to renew your licence plate  once a year, or once every two years (the choice is yours!).  Your best option is to renew online every two years. In most cases you don't need to visit a Service Ontario location, as  Ontario.ca has an online form that walks you through the entire process.   Before you begin, be sure that you have the following information handy:  • Your licence plate number  • Your vehicle permit number  • Your insurance company name and policy number ( Click here to download a Digital Pink Slip, containing your policy details)  • Your current odometer reading  • Pay any defaulted fines, tolls or fees  • Pay for your renewal fees (not applicable to passenger vehicles, light commercial vehicles, motorcycles, and mopeds)  • An emission...

PSA: Mother’s Day is less than a week away! Don’t panic, there is still time to do something special for Mom. Instead of getting her another gift card or an apron with cats on it, you should splurge for a nice brunch out. Support local while leaving the cooking and clean up to the professionals. Two weeks ago, we surveyed the Staebler Insurance team for the best brunch spots in Waterloo Region - to give you a break by doing the legwork and research for this very special day! The following list of best brunch restaurants brunch covers Kitchener, Waterloo, and Cambridge (no city discrimination here!). Facebook Contest! Want to win brunch for Mom? Head over to our Facebook page and leave a like and comment for your chance to win a $100 gift card to the brunch spot of your choice. Staebler Insurance will also be making a donation to Women’s Crisis Services of Waterloo Region in support of their Hats Off To Mom campaign. (Contest closes Wednesday, May 4, 2022 at 12 Noon. Good luck!) ...

With the weather warming,thoughts of summer jump into many people’s minds, and with it comes the urban rituals of parks, splash pads, and food trucks! Who doesn’t love a tasty meal or a quick bite from a food truck on a summer day? In the last several years,food trucks in Kitchener, Waterloo, Cambridge and surrounding areas, have significantly grown in popularity. They pop up around the cities;in parks and playgrounds, at festivals, and neighbourhood churches. They can attract a pretty loyal following as well as a walk up crowd that’s gathered nearby. According to Travel with TMC, there are more than 28 food trucks operating throughout Waterloo Region! Check out A Delicious Guide to the 28 Waterloo Region Food Trucks READ MORE: KW Food Trucks breaks down the many options available at any given time. From tacos to poutine to specialty coffee and desserts to die for, it’s never too difficult to quench a craving A few of our favourites include: BeaverTails Mobile KW – Originating i...

Special guest blog by Yolande Charest, VP, Finance at Staebler Insurance   It was early spring of 2020 when my sump pump started making a very loud noise and I could smell burning oil. At first I thought it was because the sump pump had been working overtime draining the snow that was melting around the house. I immediately called a plumbing service to come out and take a look at the problem. They determined that the floatation ball on the sump pump was not working properly and causing the motor to run nonstop. They replaced the flotation ball and everything seemed to work fine. Fast forward to June of 2020, we had a weekend of nonstop rainfall and I was away at the trailer. Imagine my surprise when I returned home, entered the storage room to start putting some items away and stepped into two feet of ice-cold water. I immediately checked the sump pump and noticed it was overflowing, and clearly it had not been running for some time. That was the beginning of my first home cla...

Most drivers in Kitchener, Waterloo, Cambridge, Ontario will also no longer need to pay a licence plate sticker fee every year. Get all the details here.   In February, the Ministry of Transportation in Ontario announced the end of licence plate stickers and their associated renewal fees for most personal vehicles . It is seen as a financial break for Ontario car owners who are facing record-high gas prices every time they’re at the pumps. How do I get my Licence Plate Sticker Refund? The province says this is an automated process and refund cheques will be mailed out based on the address they have on file associated with your Drivers License. Licence plate sticker refunds are being processed and expected to arrive in vehicle owners’ mailboxes soon.   If you paid renewal fees for your licence plate sticker for any: Individually owned passenger vehicle, light commercial motor vehicle (under 3000 kg), motorcycle, or moped between March 1, 2020 and March 12, 2022, and yo...