Imagine for a moment a customer slips outside your store and ends up in the hospital. An employee wrongfully accused of theft sues you for defamation of character. Or a fire destroys your building as well as your neighbors’ property.

If you’re not properly insured, a major lawsuit could ruin the business you’ve worked so hard to build—and could even tap into your personal assets.

When you’re thinking about insurance, your jewelry inventory isn’t the only valuable property you should cover. Think about everything else that’s in your store, from your computer to your desk. That business personal property should be covered by a Businessowners Policy.

With New Year’s Day just ahead, now is the time that many jewelers choose to conduct a thorough annual inventory of all their jewelry stock.

Performing this task at least once each year is an important step in protecting your business.

Jewelers Mutual Insurance Company announced on Tuesday that the board of directors has selected the successor to President and CEO Darwin Copeman, who will be retiring in 2015. Darwin Copeman has been president and CEO of Jewelers Mutual since 2009.

Think for a moment about your own shopping experiences. When you’ve walked into a store and heard a salesperson say hello, you probably felt welcomed. That warm welcome may have even encouraged you to make a purchase because you felt comfortable and valued!

Greeting your potential customers in the same manner not only allows you to appear friendly and appreciative of their business, but also gives your staff the opportunity to direct shoppers to the items that they may be most interested in purchasing.