Why you can’t insure against mould damage Mould is invariably associated with damp conditions. Australia has experienced its fair share of those in the summer of 2021-22, with widespread flooding across Queensland and northern NSW as well as scores of soggy days elsewhere around the country. April 2022, for instance, saw many sites in [...]

Australia has one of the highest rates of illicit methamphetamine use in the world and the highest use among English-speaking countries. Since 2015, a drug lab bust has taken place almost every day in Australia, with estimates claiming as few as one in 10 labs are discovered by authorities. The majority of laboratories detected [...]

Equipment costs can make a large dent in the budget of a small business. So, is it better to lease or buy what you need to operate? Given the circumstances of every business differ, there’s no simple answer to the lease or buy conundrum. But it’s worth considering the upsides and downsides of each [...]

Small business owners tend to be born optimists with little inclination to think about what could go wrong. That’s why it pays to have an insurance broker in your corner to safeguard what you’ve worked for. Paul Harrison’s family-owned shoe shop in Sydney’s Neutral Bay has operated out of various locations for more than [...]

QLD and NSW have had a very wet summer thanks to the La Niña weather system that has persisted since late 2021. But the end of this weather pattern is in sight, with the Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) forecasting the La Niña weather pattern to ‘decay’ in autumn. Meanwhile, the federal government is finalising [...]

If you're just starting out in business, insurance should be a top priority. This is because once you have opened a new business, insurance can be one of the most important factors in ensuring you stay open. According to John Clark, Steadfast’s Broker Support Manager, your first priority should be ensuring you have the [...]

Opening a new restaurant is an exciting time. There’s so much to think about – setting it up, branding and finding staff, for instance.  Aside from these basics, insurance is one of the most important considerations you will need to make. Let’s say you you’re opening a new Thai restaurant, for the purpose of [...]

A customer has made a complaint about the behaviour of one of your team. Not only is your customer relationship at risk, but the way you handle the complaint could have an even bigger reputational impact with other customers than the initial incident itself. Calling a customer 'dim-witted' is clearly not the ideal way [...]

You've got your tools, you've got your ute, you've got your ABN. You're all set, right? Not so fast. It's important to cover your back, too – here’s a guide to what insurance you’ll need and when. Most tradies like to run their own race. And fair enough. If you wanted someone looking over [...]

Running a small business is certainly not for everyone – the long days (and weeks), potential staff issues, not to mention BAS statements – though many owners wouldn’t have it any other way. Still, there are plenty of logistical challenges that small businesses find themselves dealing with day in and day out. Here are [...]