(Originally posted at: http://www.insurancestylist.com/blog/fight-back-against-unfair-chargebacks​)

As most small business owners know, accepting credit cards is a necessity in today’s competitive and fast-paced environment. Technology makes it easier than ever to accept payments from your customers.

You can even use your cell phone or tablet if your business is mobile. While credit cards can be great for ease, they do pose some cons for business owners when it comes to fees—specifically chargebacks.

Chargebacks were originally designed to protect customers from fraud. Unfortunately, chargebacks are sometimes used for “friendly fraud”. This type of fraud occurs when a customer receives a product or service, but contacts the credit card company to complain that the item was never received or they never made the charge. The credit card company will investigate the complaint and refund the customer if they find in his or her favor. If the complaint is found in favor of the seller, the business will still be charged a fee for the investigation. A January 2016 study found that 80% to 90% of successful chargebacks were resolved in favor of the customer.

Customers sometimes have valid complaints about products and services that do warrant a chargeback situation, but what happens when your business requires appointments to book services and your customer is a no-show? Businesses such as salons, automobile repair shops, and hotels often have to deal with this very issue. Many businesses need to know the number of customers they will serve in a given day for planning and staffing purposes. When a customer doesn’t show up for an appointment, it is the business that has to deal with lost revenue. Many service industries require notice when a customer is not able to make an appointment or reservation. For example, many hotels will charge the equivalent of a one-night stay if the customer doesn’t give a 24-hour cancellation notice. Salons and spas often charge a cancellation fee for the same reason. This practice makes sense for many service-oriented businesses, because without notice you are not able to rebook the time slot or date with another customer.

The problem is that many customers call their credit card companies to dispute these cancellation fees. Here are a few ideas to help you avoid getting stuck in this situation and to fight back against unfair chargebacks:

• Put your cancellation policy in writing. If you allow online bookings, make sure your policy is clearly stated. For those who don’t use online reservations, it is best to have your customer sign a form that outlines your cancellation policy.
• Deal with issues in a timely manner. Contact your customer right away and explain why the cancellation charges are in place and why you will be disputing the chargeback.
• Purchase investigative technology to help you with disputes. Some companies offer businesses an online solution to customer service issues. The online platform may include case management, automated files, and email templates for your business to use. Online platforms can be costly though—around $550 per month.
• Look into a payment service option. One payment service option, known as Square, gives customers free protection for chargebacks up to $250 per month. According to Square, they will notify a business of a chargeback via email by posting to the business’s account dashboard. As an owner, you will have seven days to respond and, if Square determines you have followed their best practices, they will cover the chargeback up to the monthly limit.

Chargebacks can be a frustrating battle—especially when your business is appointment or reservation based. Hopefully with these tips you will be able to cut down on hassles and find a little more peace when dealing with customer credit card disputes.


Sources:
http://www.creditcards.com/credit-card-news/8-merchant-tips-avoid-chargebacks-1455.php
https://www.nerdwallet.com/blog/credit-cards/credit-card-chargebacks/Entrepreneur Magazine, November 2016. Page 20-21

This post was written by Deidre R., a Product Analyst in the Commercial Lines Marketing Department at Acuity. Deidre’s experience also includes nine years as an Account Manager at an insurance agency. She received her bachelor’s degree from St. Norbert College in De Pere, Wisconsin, and her master of organizational behavior from Silver Lake College in Manitowoc, Wisconsin. Her hobbies include volunteering and event planning for a local women’s shelter, yoga, crafting, reading, and biking. She also enjoys spending time with her husband and dog.

We recently asked our fans to tell us the most common questions about insurance that they have or that they hear from others. Here are some simple answers for those questions.

• Why did my premium go up when I haven’t had any claims?

Premiums may have gone up for all insureds in your class. Insurance involves a lot of people sharing the losses of a few people. When, overall, losses go up, your share (in the form of your insurance premium) goes up.

• Why did the amount of coverage on my house go up when the value has gone down?

That depends on how you define “value.” If you’re talking about market values which have declined in the current real estate market in the past couple of years, the resale value of your home may be depressed. However, insurance covers the cost to rebuild or replace your home or property. The real estate market has little to do with that. If construction costs rise, your policy limits should increase accordingly.

• Do I need to buy the coverage when I rent a car?

We suggest that you purchase the loss damage waiver in case the vehicle is damaged. While most auto insurance extends to rental cars, your policy probably has exclusions that aren’t in the loss damage waiver. Likewise, there are things the loss damage waiver doesn’t cover that your insurance does. Having both makes it less likely that you will have an uncovered loss.

• Why did my business liability insurance after 18 years and never had a claim go from $17,000 a year to almost $30,000 a year?

Premiums may have gone up for all insureds in your class. Insurance involves a lot of people sharing the losses of a few people. When, overall, losses go up, your share (in the form of your insurance premium) goes up. In addition, your premium may be based on payroll, sales, or some other factor that has increased substantially. If your business is growing rapidly, your exposure to loss probably is too. Your insurance premium may be reflecting that growth.

• Is it true a red sports car costs more to insure than a black sports car (same year, make & model)?

Nope. The color of your car has absolutely nothing to do with the cost of insurance. This myth may be based on the premise that a red sports car is flashier than a black one and might attract the attention of local law enforcement if you’re driving a bit too fast. Getting speeding tickets almost certainly will increase your insurance costs.

• Why does my car insurance go up when my car keeps getting older?

The component of your premium that pays for physical damage claims to your car usually goes down with age. However, other coverages like liability might go up. In addition, experience for that model car or for all insured cars in general may be going up so your increase is similar to that being experienced by others insured by your insurance company.

• What’s my credit got to do with my insurance?

Statistical studies have demonstrated that loss experience is directly proportional to an insured’s credit score. For that reason, some insurance companies use that as a factor in establishing rates if permitted by law in your state.

Courtesy: The Trusted Choice

Today more than 43 million Americans are operating full- or part-time businesses from the comfort of their homes, and these numbers continue to grow every year. One of the secrets to running a successful home-based business is being able to separate your business activity from your home activity. Jon Jepsen of SentryWest Insurance in Salt Lake City, Utah understands these principles and can help guide you through the challenging maze.

Whether you spend two hours or 62 hours per week on your at-home endeavor, it remains a business with all the risks and rewards associated with owning a business. To safeguard against the risks, Jon Jepsen wants you be aware that your homeowners insurance policy offers limited or no protection for your business while it is being operated from your home.

If you rely on your homeowners policy as your only means of insurance protection, you may find your business underinsured or uninsured in the event of a loss.

Doesn’t My Homeowners Policy Cover My In-Home Business?

Homeowners policies were never intended to cover business exposures. Consequently, coverage for the items you use in your business such as computers, fax machines, filing cabinets, tools and inventory are limited to $2,500 in your home and $250 away from home under most policies. And your homeowners coverage provides no liability insurance for your home-based business.

How Do I Get The Coverage I Need?

First, let’s take a look at what coverage you may need. Insurance coverage generally falls into two categories. This is true of homeowners, auto and most business policies. Those two categories in business terms are:

• Property Coverage–Your business structures and possessions are covered against loss or damage caused by certain covered risks such as fire and theft.

• Liability Coverage–This means that if you become legally obligated to pay money to another person for bodily injury or property damage caused by your business, your insurance company will cover those costs (up to the maximum indicated in your policy), including the costs of defending your business in the lawsuit. This liability coverage extends to medical payments for injured parties, for which you may be held responsible.

Of course, every business has its own special requirements. There are many specific insurance coverages available to address the needs of your in-home business.

What Are My Policy Options?

There are several types of insurance policies available for in-home businesses. They include:

• Incidental Business Endorsement–Depending on your business, you may be able to attach an “incidental business endorsement” to your existing homeowners policy which will cover other structures or equipment on your premises that you use for business. This endorsement can also be tailored to include your business liability.
• Business Owners Package Policy–If your in-home business does not qualify for coverage under the “incidental business endorsement” you can purchase coverage for your home-based business under a business owners package policy, referred to as a BOP, which provides property and liability coverage.
• In-Home Business Owners Policy–Some insurance companies offer policies that combine homeowners and business owners coverage into a single policy, designed specifically for in-home businesses. These policies provide both business coverage such as business liability and replacement of lost income, and homeowners coverages such as fire, theft and personal liability. These policies eliminate gaps and duplications in coverage, and the rates reflect the in-home status of your business.

Check with Jon Jepsen at SentryWest Insurance or your independent insurance agent to determine which of these coverages is appropriate for your in-home business.

Vehicles Used In Your Business
If you have a personal vehicle that you sometimes use for business or if your in-home business is the owner of one or more vehicles, Jon Jepsen, or your Trusted Choice® insurance professional, can advise you whether you will need to purchase a Personal or Commercial Automobile Policy.

Protecting Yourself

If your in-home business is your full-time occupation, you may need health and life insurance and a retirement plan. In other words, you may need to provide employee benefits to yourself. Some options to consider are:
• Life Insurance–The insurance company pays a stated amount of money upon your death to the person(s) named as beneficiaries by you.
• Disability Insurance–This insurance provides for payments to be made to you if sickness, disease or bodily injury prevents you from being able to work.
• Health Plan–There are various plans available that cover doctor visits, hospital services, medical tests and other costs incurred in medical care.
• Annuities–These are periodic monetary payments made over a specified term or for your life. You make payments to the insurance company in a lump sum, periodically, or as you arrange with the insurance company. It may be possible to purchase a combination of annuity and life insurance.
• Workers Compensation–If you hire employees, you will need to know about this type of insurance. All states require employers to purchase it if they have employees. Workers compensation insurance offers a schedule of benefits, without regard to liability, should an employee become injured as a result of a job-related accident or suffer an illness attributable to a workplace cause. If you own an incorporated business, workers compensation also can cover you in case you are injured.

A Final Note
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Remember that in order for any business to be successful it must be run like a business, regardless of its location. A crucial element in business success is the ability to minimize risks which can be accomplished with a comprehensive insurance program. Check with Jon Jepsen of SentryWest Insurance, or your Trusted Choice® insurance professional, for the best business coverage for your in-home business.