Gowrie Group is proud to sponsor the 9th Annual RIMTA Marine Industry Partnership Breakfast. This year's event will be a hybrid in-person and virtual gathering. Jay Madden, Gowrie Group's Managing Director, will be delivering welcome remarks in-person from the Bohlin exhibition tent in Newport RI. The event will feature a panel discussion with Matt Gruhn of MRAA, Frank Huglemeyer of NMMA, Kathleen Burns of CMTA, and Wendy Mackie of RIMTA. Elected officials from the State of RI will also be offering a Q&A session. Gowrie Group is proud to be a long time RIMTA sponsor and supporter.

Gowrie Group was proud to sponsor the 10th Anniversary National Sailing Hall of Fame Induction, celebrating the Class of 2020. Congratulations to the nine new members of the Hall of Fame. James E. Buttersworth (1817 – 1894, London, United Kingdom) Gordon “Sandy” Douglass (October 22, 1904 - February 12, 1992, Newark, New Jersey), William K. Mattison (August 10, 1928, Elkins, West Virginia), Robert B. Haines, Jr. (March 27, 1954, San Diego, California), David B. Perry (April 18, 1954, Southport, Connecticut), John P. Rousmaniere (March 10, 1944, Louisville, Kentucky), Henry “Hoyle” and Diane Schweitzer (April 8, 1933 & December 28, 1935, Los Angeles & San Jose, California), Lifetime Achievement Award Recipient Briggs S. Cunningham, Jr. (January 19, 1907 - July 2, 2003, West Palm Beach, Florida). These sailors join the other 90 sailors who have been inducted to date into the NSHOF. The NSHOF is now located in Newport RI.

The 2020 Atlantic hurricane season is off to a record start with a surge of early storms and is predicted to continue to be a very destructive and powerful season. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) Climate Prediction Center updated their Hurricane Outlook in August of this year, with both a change in the likelihood of an above-normal season (85% probability), and an increase from a previous 19 to now up to 25 Named Storms. NOAA expects we will continue to see more, stronger, and longer lasting storms as we brace for the rest of the Atlantic Hurricane Season (which runs until November 30, 2020). We invite you to visit Gowrie Group’s Severe Storm Center to access resources that will help you plan, prepare, respond, and recover from hurricanes, flooding, and severe wind storms at www.gowrie.com/hurricane. Read more »

Storm Prep Alert - Hurricane Laura. The 2020 Atlantic Hurricane Season continues to be very extremely active. Hurricane Laura has strengthen and is taking aim at the Gulf Coast. If you are in the storm's track or path, now is the time to get ready. Visit the Gowrie Group Storm Center for preparation resources and claims reporting at www.gowrie.com/hurricane

Now more than ever, having the right health insurance matters. If you lead an active lifestyle on and around the water, in the US or Internationally, Gowrie Group has a health insurance solution to meet your needs. Open Enrollment Period for US Sailing members for the SailorsHealth Insurance by Gowrie Group plan runs from July 1 to August 31. Eligible US Sailing members include: pro-sailors, certified instructors, college sailors, international cruisers, and paid crew/captains. This best-in-class annual health insurance plan features worldwide coverage, prompt access to doctors and hospitals, English speaking customer service, and paperless claims. Questions, contact Gowrie Group at SailorsHealth@gowrie.com or 860.399.3634. To learn more and enroll online now, click here.

When you have a claim, Gowrie Group is here to help. Gowrie’s claim experts work as your advocate and help you manage and expedite the claim process. This guide will help ensure your claim experience goes as smoothly as possible. Read more »

When you have a claim, Gowrie Group is here to help. Gowrie’s claim experts work as your advocate and help you manage and expedite the claim process. This guide will help ensure your claim experience goes as smoothly as possible. Read more »

Storm Prep Alert - Hurricane Isaias. The 2020 Atlantic Hurricane Season continues to be very active. Hurricane Isaias is on track to make landfall in Florida this weekend. If you are in the storm's track or path, now is the time to get ready. Visit the Gowrie Group Storm Center for more preparation resources at www.gowrie.com/hurricane and read our latest Storm Prep Article on Isaias. Read more »

Planning and preparing for hurricanes and other natural disasters can be stressful, even more so during the COVID-19 pandemic. CDC has launched a new website, Natural Disasters, Severe Weather, and COVID-19, that includes information on preparedness and recovery during the COVID-19 response and what the general public can do to keep themselves safe. CDC Natural Disaster Response During COVID

The Connecticut Marine Trades Association (CMTA) has issued smart guidelines for how to keep boating and marine services open, safe, and accessible for everyone to enjoy this spring and summer. Following these simple suggestions will help ensure your own safety, the safety of others, and the safety of marine employees, so we all may enjoy boating in the coming weeks and months. The guidelines from the CMTA reinforce the current recommendations and mandates from the CDC and the State of Connecticut for stopping spread and social distancing best practices. The CMTA updated these guidelines on June 26, 2020. Read more »

Occupational Safety and Health Administration(OSHA) has released guidance for employers on social distancing in the workplace. Read more »

As states continue to reopen their economies post the COVID-19 pandemic, MRAA and NMMA are working together to help marine businesses nationwide identify and assess the retail status in each state. They have launched a dynamic website which is intended to serve as a snapshot to help businesses navigate this rapidly-changing environment. They advise that businesses also consult with regulators within the appropriate jurisdiction and their own stakeholders including legal counsel before making a determination on how to best proceed. You can access the website here

Connecticut’s Governor Ned Lamont released sector rules for June 17th reopening of the state. These COVID-19 guidelines include an emphasis on sports clubs & complexes, gyms, fitness centers, and pools. Read more »

The DEEP of CT has issued guidelines for CT State Parks & Boat Launch Ramps. This includes COVID-19 guidelines for the state beaches and docks at the DEEP boat ramps. DEEP CT State Park & Boat Launch COVID Update

Ogletree Deakins released a state by state overview of federal agency guidance on employee face coverings and employee temperature/symptom screenings. Orders and Guidance to Screen Employees for COVID-19 and to Provide Protective Measures

Ogletree Deakins has released a state by state and major municipalities overview of COVID-19 closure and reopening orders. COVID-19 Closure and Reopening Orders – States and Major Municipalities

CHUBB released their Safeguarding Your Business and Employees guide with several critical government and public health protection sources for reference. These public health protection sources provide critical guidance and direction on a frequent basis for your business. Read more »

Looking for the website of a state or territorial health department? The CDC resource below links to health departments in all 50 states, 8 US territories and freely associated states, and the District of Columbia. CDC: State & Territorial Health Department Websites

Discover Boating unveiled an interactive map to help boaters get on the water during the COVID-19 pandemic. With boating access restrictions varying between states and changing daily, the new tool allows boaters to easily determine the status of their go-to waterways and access points. Interactive COVID-19 Access Map

The Marine Retailers Association of the Americas (MRAA), along with trade association partners from across the marine industry, released a 50+ page publication aimed at helping marine dealers operate safely in a new marketplace concerned with the COVID-19 health crisis. The publication, titled “Guide to Operating Your Boat Business Safely,” provides a manual for running an organization that is safe for employees, customers and communities across North America. Read more »

This communication is part of Gowrie Group’s ongoing commitment to provide our clients and partners with important COVID-19 risk management resources. The high-level guidelines contained in this report are intended to help Sailing Organizations navigate the decisions and planning that your organization is undertaking in a real time complex environment. Ultimately, the operational decisions of when to open, and what programs and services to offer, will need to be made by the organization’s leadership, officers, and legal counsel. The decisions and actions that each and every sailing organization need to make will look different; and what is possible and safe, will differ by state, type of sailing organization, available staff, and capabilities/capacity of each facility, location, and team. These are not easy decisions to make. The health, safety, and welfare of your members and staff should always be your top priority. Disclaimer: The guidelines and recommendations in this document are not legal or medical advice. Given the extremely fluid environment of COVID-19, all guidelines and recommendations are subject to change. Read more »

This communication is part of Gowrie’s ongoing commitment to proactively provide you with critical COVID-19 information during the actively evolving pandemic. The Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak continues to be a rapidly evolving situation that presents health and business risks on a global level. This document includes high-level guidelines and links to help you navigate your business operations, decisions, and return to work strategies during this complex time. Read more »

The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has interrupted many businesses across the country. While it’s unclear how long COVID-19 will continue to affect organizations, many employers are looking to the future of employees returning to work. In preparation for reopening your business and asking employees to come back to work, it’s imperative that your company thoughtfully constructs a return to work action plan for its employees to keep everyone healthy and safe following the COVID-19 pandemic. Read more »

The COVID-19 pandemic has changed many aspects of the current workplace, and soon, employers will begin planning for what their post-coronavirus office will look like. Previously, social distancing and COVID-19-related best practices hadn’t been a topic on the mind of most employers or employees. By updating office layouts, encouraging new behaviors and expanding remote work options, employers can help prevent the spread of future diseases, and protect the health and safety of employees. Read more »

Return to Work Plans Following the COVID-19 Pandemic. The COVID-19 pandemic has interrupted many businesses across the country. While it’s unclear how long COVID-19 will continue to affect organizations, many employers are looking to the future of employees returning to work. Echoing the sentiments of public health officials, a return to normalcy won’t be like flipping a switch, but rather a gradual effort. In preparation for reopening your business and asking employees to come back to work, it’s imperative that your company thoughtfully constructs a return to work plan for its employees to keep everyone healthy and safe following the COVID-19 pandemic. Read more »

The National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA) released their Suggested Best Practices for Resuming Operations. This resource is intended as a set of best practices guidelines to help navigate through the rapidly changing environment of COVID-19. These guidelines include best practices for employees, customers, and suppliers along with suggested daily safety requirements and operations. Read more »

The Department of Environmental Management of RI has put forth guidelines for safe boating during COVID-19. The guidelines cover what to do before, during, and after each boat outing. Read more »

OHSA regulations require businesses to have Written Plans for all perceived emergencies. The impacts of COVID-19 have shown that a “Pandemic Plan” needs to be on that list of required written plans. A Pandemic Plan will not only help you plan ahead and prepare for your response, but also make sure that your business is ready to face the rapid decision making regarding when facing an emergency. Read more »

Rhode Island has issued Phase 1 Operational Guidance for Marinas, Boatyards and Yacht Clubs which will take effect on Friday May 1, 2020. The guidance focuses on 3 key areas of operation: general operations, employees and patrons. Signage is required with regards to safe boating and operations. Read more »

This informative table gives a general picture of benefits that may be available in certain COVID-19 work-related situations. The information is for informational purposes only, is not an exhaustive list of benefits, and should not be construed as legal advice. Read more »

States across the country have issued, and continue to issue, numerous mandates, regulations, and guidance relating to COVID-19. These mandates and guidelines address numerous responses, including States of Emergency, Shelter-in-Place, Gathering Size, Operations of Restaurants, School Closings, and Future Economy Reopening Plans. Nearly every state is enacting daily changes to their responses to COVID-19. Major changes are being documented and tracked by the Council of Insurance Agents & Brokers in this fluid document: CIAB State Guidance on COVID-19

During the COVID-19 crisis, the National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA) is tracking the status of access to the outdoors, including parks, boat ramps, beaches, and recreational boating. A state by state guide can be found on their website here. NMMA - COVID19 - State by State Outdoor Recreation Status

Late Tuesday April 21, 2020, CT updated its "Safe Workplace Rules for Essential Employers" to ease mask requirements for employees working in solitary spaces. Employees working alone in segregated spaces such as cubicles with walls and private offices may remove their masks. The full guidelines for "CT Essential Employers/Employees" can be found on the CT.GOV portal here. Guidelines for CT Essential Employers

Governor Lamont of Connecticut, Governor Cuomo of New York, and Governor Murphy of New Jersey, announced that as of 4/18 marinas, boatyards and marine manufacturers in their states will be allowed to open for personal use as long as strict social distancing and sanitization protocols are followed. Chartered watercraft services or rentals will not be allowed and restaurant activity at these sites must be limited to take-out or delivery only. The CT, NJ, and NY Marine Trades Associations worked together towards this action, in support of the marine industries. A special thank you to the CMTA who led this effort! Read more »

The AMI (Association of Marina Industries) has published guidelines for responsible boating during the COVID-19 crisis. Taking these actions will help marinas, marine services, and public docks to remain open. Following these simple guidelines will help keep boaters and marine employees safe, and allow recreational boating and boat usage to continue this Spring. The guidelines include: 1) Do not raft-up, 2) Do not congregate on docks, 3) Keep your distance from other boaters, 4) Limit passengers to members of your household, 5) Follow the CDC guidelines for Social Distancing and preventing spread. Read more »

The trend toward telecommuting and utilizing remotely located workers is expected to continue after the COVID-19 pandemic. While beneficial in many ways, the move toward home-based workers is not without some additional risk and exposure to the employer and employee. The same hazards presented by working in a physical “main” office are also present in a home-based office setting. This guide discusses the risks, exposures and solutions for important remote working topics including cyber safety, ergonomics, social interactions, time management, routines, breaks, and safety. Read more »

This timely message includes specific updates that pertain to the State of Rhode Island. We have also included links to additional COVID-19 resource pages to help our RI based clients stay current and informed amid this highly dynamic situation. The primary updates addressed in this communication are: 1) Operational Guidelines for RI Marinas, Yacht Clubs, and Harbors. 2) Information on the Newport RI Quarantine Order 3) Private beaches & parks close in RI on April 3rd. 4) CARES ACT 2020. Read more »

This communication is part of Gowrie’s ongoing commitment to proactively provide our clients with critical, timely COVID-19 information and updates. In this message we highlight two important federal COVID-19 actions. We also provided links to additional resource pages to help our clients stay informed amid this highly dynamic situation. Topics covered include: 1) CARES ACT 2020 and the Paycheck Protection Program. 2) Employee Retention Credit for Businesses Impacted by COVID-19. 3) FAQs on Federal Labor & Employment Laws. Read more »

The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) allocated $350 billion to help small businesses keep workers employed amid the pandemic and economic downturn. Known as the Paycheck Protection Program, the initiative provides 100% federally guaranteed loans to small businesses. Importantly, these loans may be forgiven if borrowers maintain their payrolls during the crisis or restore their payrolls afterward. Read more »

The State of Rhode Island has just released Operational Guidance for Marinas, Yacht Clubs and Harbor Masters. These guidelines are created to ensure the safety of your staff, your customers and the residents of Rhode Island. Read more »

Waterway Guide is researching and presenting up-to-date and verified COVID-19 information specific to the status of access to marinas and marine facilities across the country. This digital resource provides an up-to-date list of the regulations and orders being issued by state and local governments, including updates. Recreational Marine and Waterfront Governmental Orders

We understand that companies and organizations will face substantial risks and perils during shutdowns, when operating as an essential businesses, and when facilities reopen and resume operations. Gowrie Group stands ready to advise you and help you navigate through these uncharted waters. This resource provides helpful tips and discussion points to address the major risks for each of these stages of operation. Read more »

Waterway Guide, Dockwa, AGLCA and Snag-A-Slip are reporting the changing status of access to marinas and docks during the evolving response to the spread of COVID-19. The information in this dynamic database is coming live from boaters, marinas, partners, the U.S. Coast Guard, our staff of on-the-water boating editors, and internal teams of experts. Marina Real Time Updates & Closures

In this dynamic, evolving global health crisis, it is important that you stay informed and up-to-date on the latest information and guidelines. Each of our 50 states and many local governments maintain active COVID-19 reference web-pages. The CDC, WHO, and national government also maintain active COVID-19 resource web-pages. We recommend you check these sites frequently to stay-up to date on the most current information for your location(s). This document provides direct links to these sources. Read more »

OSHA Alert to Prevent Worker Exposure to Coronavirus (COVID-19). COVID-19 is believed to spread from person-to-person, primarily through respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs or sneezes. The virus is also believed to spread by people touching a surface or object and then touching one’s mouth, nose, or possibly the eyes. This OSHA briefing provides guidelines for preventing exposure to COVID-19 in the workplace. Read more »

Families First Coronavirus Response Act: Employee Paid Leave Rights. The Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA or Act) requires certain employers to provide employees with paid sick leave or expanded family and medical leave for specified reasons related to COVID-19. The Department of Labor’s (Department) Wage and Hour Division (WHD) administers and enforces the new law’s paid leave requirements. These provisions will apply from the effective date through December 31, 2020. For more information visit: DOL's Families First Response Act Guidance Page

Gowrie Group is committed to proactively providing you with the most critical COVID-19 information you need, combined with providing you a direct link to our new Gowrie COVID-19 Advisory Risk Center so that you have self-service access to the most up-to-date information and advisory messages at all times. As always, we are also available to answer your questions and discuss your concerns by phone and email. You can contact your Gowrie Group account manager directly, or you can reach the Gowrie Group Team at 800.262.8911 or info@gowrie.com. Gowrie COVID-19 Advisory Risk Center

COVID-19 continues to plague the workforce, and employers and their employees are grappling with the challenges of managing the workplace amid this pandemic. Every industry has been affected and employers are faced with tough employment decisions. Our retained legal advisors at Ogletree Deakins offer an up-to-date FAQ Page on their website with the latest federal information and address topics including leaves of absence, work hours and shift changes, remote work, furloughs, related wage and hour issues, and potential reductions in force. (The Ogletree FAQ webpage offers general guidance based on U.S. federal employment law and the current medical assessment of COVID-19. State and local laws may apply, and medical assessments may change, resulting in different conclusions.) FAQS on Federal Labor & Employment Laws

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) developed this COVID-19 planning guidance based on traditional infection prevention and industrial hygiene practices. It focuses on the need for employers to implement engineering, administrative, and work practice controls and personal protective equipment (PPE), as well as considerations for doing so. Read more »

Coronavirus (officially named COVID-19) is having a growing impact on the global supply chain. The following report by HR Workplace Services offers important guidelines to review before implementing new workforce policies. Read more »

COVID-19 Advisory Update Message to Gowrie Group’s Clients & Partners. This 3/20/20 advisory communication is part of Gowrie’s ongoing commitment to proactively provide you with the most critical COVID-19 information you need, combined with providing you relevant direct links so that you have self-service access to the most up-to-date information and advisory messages at all times. Read more »

Graphic overview of smart policies for Social Distancing in the workplace. Read more »

COVID-19 is a rapidly evolving public health crisis that presents both health and business risks on an unprecedented global scale. We are providing this FAQ document to help address some of the most common questions we are hearing from our clients. Topics addressed in this advisory message include Workers Comp, OSHA, Claim Chains, Business Interruption Insurance, and guidelines for those operating "Essential Businesses." This FAQ is not a substitute for consulting with your Gowrie Group account manager directly, and/or the insurance company which underwrites your policy(s). Note, only the insurance company can determine if there is coverage afforded under your specific policy(s). Read more »

This COVID-19 advisory message focuses on Management Liability Insurance, specifically as it pertains to D&O, EPLI, and Cyber Insurance issues related to COVID-19 impacts. Read more »

We are facing a truly unprecedented situation. The global Coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic is affecting everything - our home life, our businesses and our communities. Our hearts go out to anyone who’s been impacted by the virus, either directly or indirectly. Especially to those who are sick we extend our wishes for a fast and full recovery. Gowrie Group, and our parent company Risk Strategies, are striving to balance the safety and health of our colleagues, clients, distribution partners, supply chain and other stakeholders, while preserving business continuity and the quality of technical expertise, advice, and client service that defines our company. This communication details our current actions to navigate this unprecedented situation. Read more »

As Gowrie Group and many of our clients move towards a remote working environment, it is helpful to empower our teams with information, tips, and resources for how best to operate remotely. Gowrie Group's Guide for Productively Working Remotely During COVID-19 has the best practices and guidelines to help you and your teams navigate these changes in the workplace. Read more »

COVID-19 Advisory Message - Claims & Loss Control Read more »

As concerns about the COVID-19 virus continue to rise, employers must know the facts to educate their workers on what it is, how it spreads, and what can be done to protect the workforce and business. Read more »

Our focus is on serving clients during this time by assessing their risks and analyzing coverage to determine if their losses are covered. Risk Strategies, our parent company, is a national specialty insurance firm with experts in over two dozen practice areas. Together we have deep subject matter expertise and access to markets. We’ve compiled this resource to identify the main risks and considerations across our practice areas and to present actionable solutions. Read more »

The Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak is a rapidly evolving situation that presents both health and business risks on a global level. Your VFIS/Gowrie Team, and our parent company Risk Strategies, are continuously monitoring developments worldwide, nationally, and at the state and local levels. Our teams of risk advisors are working diligently in order to help you assess contingency plans, understand coverages, and keep your workforce safe as the situation unfolds. To better understand the coverages, and how to report potential claims, please reach out to your VFIS/Gowrie representative directly. You can reach the VFIS/Gowrie team at 888.834.7763 or vfis@gowrie.com. Read more »

The Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak is a rapidly evolving situation that presents both health and business risks on a global level. Gowrie Group, and our parent company Risk Strategies, are continuously monitoring developments worldwide, nationally, and at the state and local levels. Our teams of risk advisors are working diligently in order to help you assess contingency plans, understand coverages, and keep your workforce safe as the situation unfolds. Read more »

The Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak is a dynamic, rapidly evolving situation that presents enormous challenges to both health and business risks on a global scale. Gowrie Group, and our parent company Risk Strategies, are continuously monitoring developments worldwide, nationally, and at the state and local levels. Our teams of risk advisors are working diligently in order to help you assess contingency plans, understand coverages, and keep your employees, members, and guests safe as the situation unfolds. Read more »

The coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak is a rapidly evolving situation that presents both health and business risks on a global level. Risk Strategies (Gowrie Group’s parent company) is monitoring developments worldwide and our team of risk advisors is working diligently to continue to help you prepare contingency plans, understand coverage, and keep your workforce safe as the situation unfolds. Read more »

Gowrie Group and Chubb are pleased to announce a new multi-year sponsorship extension with US Sailing. The goal of this partnership is to support sailors, sailing organizations, and the sport of sailing in the U.S., by providing high quality and effective insurance programs and safety resources. Gowrie Group will continue to serve as the Official Insurance Partner of US Sailing. Chubb, the world’s largest publicly traded property and casualty insurance company, will underwrite the commercial insurance programs provided to sailing organizations. Read more »

Gowrie Group is proud to announce we are the Title Sponsor of the 2020 CT River One-Design Leukemia Cup. This exciting One-Design Regatta will be held on May 2nd at the Essex Yacht Club, and is jointly hosted by Essex Corinthian, Essex Yacht Club, Frostbite Yacht Club, Duck Island Yacht Club, and Pettipaug Yacht Club. The regatta and related fundraising will benefit the lifesaving work of the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. The Saturday night post-race party is open to the public and tickets can be purchased online or at the door. Read more »

Live Well Work Well - Eating Healthy Doesn't have to be expensive, 5 Sleep Habits You Need to Adopt and Experts are warning of another bad flu season. Read more »

Gowrie Group, the nation’s leading independent insurance agency, is pleased to announce its sponsorship of the 2020 Southern New England Marine Industry Environmental Conference which is being hosted by Rhode Island Marine Trades (RIMTA), Connecticut Marine Trades Association (CMTA), and Massachusetts Marine Trades Association (MMTA). As a longtime member of RIMTA, CMTA, and many other marine trades associations, Gowrie Group is proud to sponsor this important conference as both the lanyard sponsor and a conference speaker. Read more »

Benefits Newsletter - Cadillac Tax and Other Key ACA Taxes Repealed and PCORI Fees Extended for 10 Years Read more »

Live Well Work Well - February is American Heart Month, A Cold is Contagious for Longer Than You'd Think and Ergonomics Is the Way to a Pain-Free Workday Read more »

Gowrie Group is thrilled to announce our Platinum Sponsorship of the upcoming US Sailing Leadership Forum 2020. We are proud to be part of the All-Star cast of sailing leaders who will gather in San Diego in early February for this event. Experts from all aspects of the sport of sailing will lead focused group sessions on important topics such as Growing the Sport, Developing Programs, Safety, Investing in Beginners, the Role of Women in Sailing, Sailing Organization Management Best Practices, and Regattas, Racing, & Rules. The Gowrie Group team of Whitney Connor Peterson, Kellie Thornell Crete, and Steve Schram will be presenting a seminar on “Managing Risk, Insurance, and Safety” on Thursday Feb 6th – we hope you will join us! https://sailingleadership.org/

Through the generous support of over 400 local individuals and companies, the 2019 Gowrie Group Challenge was a huge success – reaching the campaign goal of raising $175,000 for The Shoreline Soup Kitchens & Pantries (SSKP). Since Gowrie Group began this Challenge in 2004, the Challenge has raised over 1.8 million dollars for the SSKP, which equates to providing over 5 million meals to people in need in our community. The 2019 Gowrie Challenge was a milestone campaign in multiple ways, including raising more money for the SSKP than was raised in any of the previous years, selling out the Black Friday SSKP Benefit Concert at The Kate for the first time, and providing more meals to those in need in our community than ever before. Read more »

Live Well, Work Well - Don't Fall Into This New Year's Resolution Trap, It's National Blood Donor Month and This Superfood May Help Prevent Diabetes. Read more »

Warm wishes from the Gowrie Group Team! Read more »

Gowrie Group employees donated cereals of all kinds to The Shoreline Soup Kitchens & Pantries Westbrook Pantry. Gowrie donated 100 boxes of cereal totaling at 144 pounds! Read more »

Gowrie Group is excited to share we have joined forces with Risk Strategies. Risk Strategies is a national, privately-held, specialty insurance brokerage. As we move forward together, the Gowrie team will continue to work directly with all our clients and operate from the same Gowrie office locations that we are in today. We invite you to read the official Press Release to learn more about the additional insurance solutions, advanced technologies, and new services that we look forward to making available to all our clients. Read more »

Our partners at Waterway Guide shared this “Letter from the Editor” about Gowrie Group & IMIS's exceptional customer service and ability to find solutions for complicated marine insurance risks. Read more »

Live Well, Work Well - It's That Time of the Year Again: Flu Season Is Here, An Apple a Day May Help Keep the Doctor Away and This Popular Beverage Is Linked to Earlier Death Read more »

The Annual Black Friday Benefit Concert to benefit the Shoreline Soup Kitchens & Pantries will take place on Friday, November 29th at 8pm at The Katharine Hepburn Cultural Arts Center. With an emphasis on melody, lyricism and harmony, The Meadows Brothers, Ebin-Rose Trio, Moving Target, Hugh Birdsall, Lauren Agnelli & Friends, and Carter Gowrie & Friends will gather to play for this special concert at The Kate to raise funds for The Shoreline Soup Kitchen & Pantries. All ticket and CD proceeds will be matched dollar-for-dollar by the Gowrie Group Challenge which directly benefits the Shoreline Soup Kitchen & Pantries. Read more »

We invite you to join the Gowrie Challenge to help us meet our goal of raising $175,000 by December 31st to benefit The Shoreline Soup Kitchens & Pantries. Gowrie launched the challenge with a $30,000 matching gift. These matching funds, along with additional matching funds from our partner sponsors, are used to double the impact of additional contributions. Since the Gowrie Challenge began in 2004, Gowrie has raised more than $1,650,000 to benefit the SSKP. Donate online at www.shorelinesoupkitchens.org or by mail with this form. Read more »

Every year between November 1st and December 31st, Gowrie Group, a prominent specialty insurance agency, challenges their local community of businesses and friends to team together to raise money to benefit The Shoreline Soup Kitchens & Pantries (SSKP). This year, Gowrie Group has set an ambitious goal of raising $175,000 for the SSKP through their annual challenge. Since the Gowrie Challenge began 15 years ago, this effort has raised more than $1,650,000 to benefit the SSKP. Read more »

It is that time of year to begin preparing your boat for winter. If your boat is hauled out for winter storage, here are some suggestions that will help you ensure that your yacht will be ready for safe and reliable cruising next year. Read more »

Benefits Newsletter - Deadline Approaching: Medicare Part D Notices Are Due Before October 15th and Employers are Expected to Spend More on Health Care and Wellness in the Next Year Read more »

Gowrie Group, New England’s most prominent independent insurance agency, is pleased to announce that the company has once again been ranked in the Top-50 by Insurance Journal, as part of their annual nationwide ranking of independent property/casualty insurance agencies. Gowrie Group’s exceptional performance year after year has resulted in the company being a Top-100 ranked private insurance agency for 15 years in a row and in the Top-50 for the past six years. Read more »

Gowrie Group, New England’s most prominent independent insurance agency, is excited to announce that the company has been selected as a Hartford Courant Top Connecticut Workplace for the ninth straight year! Gowrie is one of only seven companies to be selected nine years in a row for this important accolade. Read more »

Live Well, Work Well - October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month and The Dangers of Vaping Read more »

Gowrie Group, New England's most prominent independent insurance agency and the nation's leading independent marine insurance agency, is proud to be the official insurance sponsor of the 2019 USVI Charter Show. The show will take place November 11-14, 2019 at IGY Marina's Yacht Haven Grande. Read more »

Employer HR Brief - Acting DOL Secretary May Bring Change of Pace and Financial Industry Experienced 3,500 Cyber Attacks in 2019 So Far Read more »

How often does lightning really strike boats? In the last ten years (2009 to 2019), Gowrie Group’s yacht clients filed 111 lightning claims, resulting in almost $2,250,000 in lightning related damages, with an average claim size of $20,000. In the five years prior to that (2004 to 2009), Gowrie yacht clients had 71 lightning claims, resulting in over $1,300,000 in lightning related damages. Sailboat strikes outnumbered powerboat strikes by a 3:1 ratio. What can be done to protect your boat? Read the Risk Report to find out! Read more »

Benefits Newsletter - Open Enrollment: What's Changing in 2020? and Hospitals to Publish Retail Prices Under a New Proposed Rule Read more »

Live Well, Work Well - Getting Outside May Be the Key to Boosting Your Physical and Psychological Well-being, Making Smart Food Choices at a Restaurant and An Increasing Number of Americans Are Making the Switch to Veganism. Read more »

As Hurricane DORIAN strengthens and approaches Florida, the Bahamas, and the Southeastern Region of the US, we want you to know Gowrie Group is standing by to provide you with storm preparation resources, claims reporting information, and recovery support. Projected Storm Path & Timing: The National Hurricane Center (NHC) is currently forecasting that DORIAN will make landfall in Florida on Monday or Tuesday of next week as a Major Hurricane, and that Tropical Storm force winds will begin impacting Florida and adjacent states starting early this weekend. Although the exact storm track is always uncertain, devastating storm surge, flash flooding, heavy rainfall, and extreme winds are expected across all of Florida and many southeastern states in the coming days. We advise you to keep a close watch on DORIAN and to begin preparation steps now. For claims reporting information and direct reporting hotlines visit Gowrie's Claims Reporting page. If you have any questions regarding your insurance policies, storm preparation, or claims, please contact your Gowrie Group account manager directly, or you can reach the Gowrie Group team using our general contact information listed below. Thank you and be safe!

Employer HR Brief - Why You Should Be Encouraging Employees to Use PTO and EEO Deadlines Approaching, Here's Where You Can Find Help Read more »

On Wednesday, August 14th, Gowrie Group employees served their annual picnic luncheon to the Shoreline Soup Kitchens & Pantries (SSKP) community at Grace Church in Old Saybrook. Gowrie employees worked together to provide, prepare, and serve lunch to more than 70 guests of the Shoreline Soup Kitchen & Pantries. Read more »

Benefits Newsletter - Executive Order On Health Costs To Affect Employer Health Plans and Final Rule Expands Options for HRAs Read more »

Kellie Crete, Gowrie's VP of Safety and Loss Control, is a Sperry Local Ambassador for the 2019 Beverly Junior Regatta, a USA Junior Olympic Sailing Festival on August 13-14, hosted by Beverly Yacht Club. Kellie is a longtime Beverly Yacht Club member, volunteer, sailor, and supporter has given back to her sailing community in so many ways. Read more here: US SAILING AND THE SPERRY LOCAL AMBASSADOR PROGRAM – KELLIE CRETE

Live Well, Work Well - 1 in 5 Deaths Worldwide Associated With Poor Diets, Your Heart Rate: Indicator for Health and Fitness and Introducing Foods Early May Help Prevent Allergies Read more »

Employer HR Brief - HSA and HDHP 2020 Limits released and Making Emotional Intelligence Work for You. Read more »

Benefits Newsletter - IRS Releases Inflation-adjusted Limits for HSAs and HDHPs for 2020 and EEOC Delays Amending Wellness Program Regulations to End of 2019 Read more »

Gowrie Group, New England’s most prominent insurance agency, is pleased to announce their continued corporate sponsorship of National Yacht Broker Certification Program at the Silver Level. Read more »

Live Well, Work Well - Going Camping? Here's the Rundown of What You Need to Know, Sunscreen and You and Wearable Tech and Your Health in 2019 Read more »

Gowrie Group, New England’s most prominent insurance agency, is pleased to announce their corporate sponsorship of the Ox Ridge Charity Horse Show. This week long show took place in Darien, Connecticut from June 11th to June 16th. Read more »

Employer HR Brief - DOL Enforcement Actions Are up and Expected to Stay That Way and Lowest Unemployment in Decades Read more »

Join the Gowrie Team at the WoodenBoat Show at the Mystic Seaport Museum to celebrate the launch of our new Classic Yacht Insurance Program. June 28-29th, from 9-12noon, at the Mystic Seaport Museum. Come visit us in the North Boat Area, near the Flagpole (Land C) for a cup of complimentary coffee and learn more about our specialized insurance program for qualifying classic and wooden yachts. Our Classic Yacht Insurance Program is available through the marine insurance experts at Gowrie Group, underwritten by PURE Insurance, and endorsed by the Classic Yacht Owners Association (CYOA). This comprehensive marine insurance offering includes many valuable policy enhancements. Read more »

Gowrie Group, New England’s most prominent insurance agency and the nation’s largest independent marine insurance agency, is proud to announce their support of the 27th Storm Trysail Club Block Island Race Week (BIRW). Gowrie Group is pleased to be a Bronze Sponsor and the Daily Weather Sponsor, in partnership with North Sails. Read more »

Benefits Newsletter - Final Notice of Benefit and Payment Parameters for 2020 and DOL Issues Opinion Letter on Gig Worker Classification Read more »

Gowrie Group, New England’s most prominent insurance agency, is proud to announce their support of New England Science & Sailing Foundation (NESS) as a sponsor of their annual 12-Meter sailing event. Read more »

The 11th annual Robie Pierce One Design Regatta was held on May 30th (Women’s Invitational) and May 31st-June 2nd (Robie Open Regatta) at American Yacht Club in Rye, NY in partnership with Larchmont Yacht Club. This annual disabled regatta is sailed in Ideal 18’s in teams of three (two disabled and one able-bodied sailor). Two sailors from the weekend were presented with the Gowrie Group Sportsmanship Award. Read more »

Live Well, Work Well - Fuel Your Workout the Right Way, Summer Picnic Safety Tips and Superbug Fungus Poses Serious Global Health Threat Read more »

Gowrie Group, New England’s most prominent insurance agency, is proud to announce their support and involvement of Raise the Roof’s 2019 “The Build at Bishops” to benefit Habitat for Humanity. Gowrie Group has supported Habitat for Humanity for many years, through various donations, and opportunities to volunteer. This year, Gowrie Group was the Lead Sponsor for the project along with Shore Publishing. Read more »

Gowrie Group, New England’s most prominent insurance agency, is pleased to announce their corporate sponsorship of the 2019 Devon Horse Show & Country Fair. Read more »

Gowrie Group is proud to announce the launch of our Classic Yacht Insurance Program. The new niche offering which is managed by Gowrie Group and endorsed by the Classic Yacht Owners Association, is underwritten by PURE Insurance. Read more »

Employer HR Brief - May 2019 Vote on Health Care Won't Come Until After 2020 Elections and DOL's Newly Proposed Overtime Rule: What's Included Read more »

Benefits Newsletter - DOJ Supports Federal Court Ruling Invalidating the ACA and Parts of AHP Final Rule Are Struck Down by Federal Court Read more »

Live Well, Work Well - 5 Things You Can Do to Improve Your Daily Mental Health, Eye Health 101 and The Unexpected Ingredient in Your Oats Read more »

Carter Gowrie, Gowrie Group's CEO, was featured as "Person of the Week" for his triumphant efforts to raise money for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society through his role as an organizer and competitor in the upcoming CT River Leukemia Cup. Gowrie Group is proud to be a sponsor of this regatta which is being hosted by Essex Corinthian Yacht Club, Pettipaug Yacht Club, and the Frostbite Club. Check out the full article. Carter Gowrie: On Sail!

Employer HR Brief - When it Comes to Employee Engagement, Communication is Key and The EEOC is Changing Things up by Moving Online Read more »

Benefits Newsletter - Deadline Extended for EEO-1 Filing from March to May 31, 2019 and BLS Data on Worker Access to Family Leave in 2018 Now Available Read more »

Live Well, Work Well - Don't Let Tax Filing Season Get the Best of You, Air Pollution Affects More than Your Overall Health, and 3 Reasons Why Your Stomach Always Hurts Read more »

Gowrie Group to sponsor two Waterfront Resiliency seminars for Marinas and Yacht Clubs. Join RACE Coastal Engineering and Steve Schram, Gowrie Group’s Risk Management Specialist, in an engaging round table discussion on waterfront resiliency and storm response. Topics will include: Storm Preparation and Managing Risk; Storm Damage Assessment and Response (including structural issues such as piers, docks, pilings, seawalls, foundations, breakwaters, and more); Facility Planning for a Resilient Future. Two roundtable events will be held: Wednesday, April 3rd at Larchmont Yacht Club from 7-9pm and April 11th at Pine Orchard Yacht Club, from 7-9pm. This is a FREE event/seminar. To RSVP and learn more, contact steves@gowrie.com or anne@racecoastal.com. Read more »

Gowrie Group and VFIS are pleased to invite you to register for the 2019 VFIS Emergency Vehicle Driver Train-the-Trainer class. Dates: May 23, 8:30-3:30pm, May 24, 8:00-3:30pm Location: Litchfield County Regional Fire Training School, 606 Burr Mountain Road, Torrington, CT 06790 Read more »

Employer HR Brief - Workplace Wellness Is About More Than Just Physical Health and Retaliation Claims Are Up, Are You Prepared? Read more »

Benefits Newsletter - Proposed Notice of Benefit and Payment Parameters for 2020 and DOL Increases Civil Penalty Amounts for 2019 Read more »

Live Well, Work Well - Don't Let Spring Allergies Bring You Down, Your Body May Need a Break, Here's Why and Strengthen Your Financial Wellness Plan with These 3 Tips. Read more »

Employer HR Brief - February 2019 Retaining Talent: Are Your Leaders the Problem? and Calculating OT? Double-check Your Math Read more »

Benefits Newsletter - It's That Time of the Year Again for ACA Reporting and Wellness Plan Incentive Limits Removed By EEOC Read more »

Whitney Peterson, Gowrie Group's SVP Marketing and also the head of Junior Sailing at Sachems Head Yacht Club in Guilford CT, offers her perspectives on strategies for keeping sailing fun and how to retain non-racing teens and tweens in the sport of sailing. She dives deep into how incorporating the RS FEVA can help make that possible! Check out her new article called "Offering Options" featured in the January edition of WindCheck about the importance of offering non-racing and a recreational path for Junior Sailors. Read more »

Kellie Crete and Whitney Peterson of Gowrie Group presented an engaging seminar to sailing educators, industry experts, and sailing program directors at the 2019 US Sailing National Sailing Symposium. Their seminar covered 10 Actionable Ways to Make Sailing Programs Safer. Topics included: Drones, Emergency Action Plans, VHF Radio Usage, Docks & Floats, Boat Racks, Electric Shock Drowning, Electrical Cords, Electrocution, Fire Extinguishers, Flammables & Gas Storage, Prop Guards, and Safety Tools & Templates. Read more »

Live Well, Work Well - 2 Chronic Conditions That Can Cause Cancer and A Common Cold Can Be Contagious for Longer Than You Think Read more »

Through the generous support of over 400 local individuals and companies, the 2018 Gowrie Group Challenge was a huge success – raising $160,747 for The Shoreline Soup Kitchens & Pantries. Gowrie Group kicked off this year’s challenge with a $30,000 dollar for dollar matching donation. Five local companies stepped forward as Partner Sponsors to provide an addition $32,500 in matching funds: LC Doane Company, Tower Labs, BrandTech Scientific, Lenny & Joe’s Fish Tale, and Sound Rigging Services. Since Gowrie Group began this challenge in 2004, the challenge has raised over 1.6 million dollars, which equates to providing over 5 million meals to people in need in our community. Read more »

Employer HR Brief - 2019 Plan Limits and Gen Z is coming: Are You Prepared? Read more »

Each year, the employees of Gowrie Group select a local non-profit to donate to on behalf of the company as an end of the year thank you gift to the owners and partners of Gowrie Group. For the 2018 gift, Gowrie Group employees selected Sailing Heals. The monetary donations from Gowrie Group employees will help Sailing Heals offer individuals experiencing a difficult health setback such as cancer, along with their families and caregivers, a healing day at sea.

Benefits Newsletter - IRS is Beginning 2016 Pay or Play Enforcement: Here's What You Need to Know and FSA Limit to Increase for 2019 Read more »

Gowrie Group was proud to be featured in the Insurance Journal annual Charity Issue for our longtime, meaningful support of the Shoreline Soup Kitchens & Pantries and our commitment to fighting hunger in Connecticut. Read more »

Live Well, Work Well - Beware: New Year = New Fad Diets, Your Guide to Avoiding Winter Illnesses and 3 Tips to Beat the Post-holiday Blues Read more »

Each year, the employees of Gowrie Group select a local non-profit to donate to on behalf of the company as an end of the year thank you gift to the owners and partners of Gowrie Group. This year, Gowrie Group’s Mid-Atlantic office took part in their own charitable giving. For their 2018 gift, Gowrie Group Annapolis office employees selected Chesapeake Region Accessible Boating. The monetary donations from Gowrie Group employees will help Chesapeake Region Accessible Boating offer individuals with disabilities enjoy the “thrill, freedom, and therapeutic value of boating.”

Carter Gowrie, Gowrie Group’s CEO, recently sat down with Insurance Business America Magazine to discuss the company’s marine expertise and the unique offerings, which have come from our deep rooted history in the marine insurance industry. Read the entire article below to learn more about Gowrie Group and our roots. Read more »

Black Friday Benefit Concert at The Katharine Hepburn Cultural Arts Center, The Kate, on November 23rd at 8pm to benefit the Shoreline Soup Kitchens& Pantries. The featured performers include The Meadows Brothers, Carter Gowrie & Friends, and more! Proceeds from the Black Friday Benefit Concert will be matched dollar-for-dollar by the Gowrie Group Annual Challenge which benefits the Shoreline Soup Kitchens & Pantries. This year, Gowrie Group Annual Challenge seeks to raise $200,000 for The Shoreline Soup Kitchens & Pantries by December 31st. Purchase $25 tickets now: Online at thekate.org or by calling The Kate box office. Read more »

We invite you to join the Gowrie Challenge to help us meet our goal of raising $200,000 by December 31st to benefit The Shoreline Soup Kitchens & Pantries. Gowrie launched the challenge with a $30,000 matching gift. These matching funds, along with additional matching funds from our partner sponsors, are used to double the impact of additional contributions. Since the Gowrie Challenge began in 2004, Gowrie has raised more than one million dollars to benefit the SSKP. Donate online at www.shorelinesoupkitchens.org or by mail with this form. Read more »

Join the Gowrie Group Annual Challenge! Gowrie Group challenges the local community to team together and raise money to benefit the Shoreline Soup Kitchens & Pantries. This year, Gowrie Group has set an ambitious goal of raising $200,000 for the SSKP by December 31st. Gowrie Group launched this year’s Challenge with a $30,000 matching gift. Five local companies have stepped forward as Partner Sponsors: LC Doane Company, Tower Labs, BrandTech, Lenny & Joes Fish Tale and Sound Rigging Services. Help us reach our goal by donating now at sskp.org Read more »

Gowrie Group, New England's most prominent, independent insurance agency, is pleased to announce that the company has once again been ranked in the Top-50 of Insurance Journal's Annual Top-100 Independent Property/Casualty Insurance Agencies nationwide ranking, and has been named a 2018 Top Connecticut Workplace by the Hartford Courant. Read more »

Our partners at Chubb offer this useful tool for assessing and identifying areas vulnerable to Social Engineering Fraud. Utilizing Chubb’s guide will enable you to take proactive steps to protect against potential Social Engineering Fraud threats. Read more »

On Saturday, October 20th, Gowrie Group's Public Safety & Municipalities Division (VFIS - Firefighter & EMS), donated 20 framed training posters to the Litchfield County Fire Chiefs Emergency Plan during the “Grand Opening” of its new, state-of-the-art, 14 million dollar Litchfield County Regional Fire Training School. The framed posters hang throughout the reminding students of important topics. Gowrie/VFIS was also mentioned in the opening ceremony as a donor to the school. Jeff Rudzavice of Gowrie Group was on the dedication committee. Read more »

Gowrie Group is honored to be selected as an Elite Insurance Agency by Insurance Business Magazine. Out of the thousands of insurance agencies across the country, Gowrie Group was one of only 35 agencies selected for this prestigious recognition. IBA’s fifth annual Elite Agencies report spotlights the 35 selected agencies that are attaining new heights while reshaping the insurance business of tomorrow. Gowrie is the only elite agency selected in Connecticut and one of just two agencies located in New England. Read more »

Gowrie Group, New England's most prominent, independent insurance agency, is pleased to announce that the company has once again been ranked in the Top-50 of Insurance Journal's Annual Top-100 Independent Property/Casualty Insurance Agencies nationwide ranking. Within the Top-50, Gowrie Group is the fourth largest in New England and the largest in Connecticut. Read more »

Gowrie Group is thrilled to have been elected as a 2018 Top Connecticut workplace for the eight year running. Gowrie was selected from over 800 companies competing for this honor, and Gowrie is among only seven companies selected eight years in a row. Selection for the Top Workplaces designation is based on a comprehensive survey taken by employees about their employer. The survey is administered by the Hartford Courant, and asks employees for their opinions in all areas including career path, working environment, managers, leadership, company vision, and benefits. Some of the special benefits and core aspects of being part of the Gowrie team that are most valued by Gowrie employees are our G-FIT gym, flexible work environment, management's commitment to a positive workplace culture, our engaging professionals, and Gowrie’s commitment to the community such as Gowrie's longtime support of the Shoreline Soup Kitchens & Pantries. Read more »

Gowrie Group has teamed with Chubb Marine to share with you this safety-focused checklist on how to prepare your marina, boat yard, or yacht club for the upcoming off-season. The checklist covers six key focus areas – General Safety, Self-Propelled Trailers, Boat Hoists, Marine Forklifts, Blocking, and Rack Storage – that will help you identify and reduce the likelihood of an accident, injury, or future claim situation. Click here to download a copy of the checklist. Read more »

Gowrie Group was excited to be part of both the Annapolis Sailboat Show and the Annapolis Powerboat Show. The team invited boat show attendees to stop by our booth for conversation, answers to marine insurance questions, and a chance to win a Helly Hansen Duffle Backpack with the Gowrie Group logo!

Gowrie Group is thrilled to be one of Berkley One's first select agent partners in Connecticut. Berkley One specializes in providing insurance solutions for modern, sophisticated individuals and families. Check out the feature story about Gowrie Group on Berkley One's blog. Smooth Sailing with Gowrie Group

As Hurricane Michael approaches Florida and the Gulf Coast, we want you to know Gowrie Group is standing by ready to help you with advice, storm preparation resources, claims reporting information, and recovery support. The National Hurricane Center is forecasting that Michael will make landfall along the Gulf Coast on Wednesday October 10th as a Category 4 storm. Although the exact storm track is still uncertain, Hurricane and Tropical Storm Warnings and Watches are in effect for more than 300 miles of coastline and adjacent inland areas. Potentially devastating storm surge, flooding, rainfall, and wind are expected along much of the Gulf Coast and along the storm’s path. Please keep a close watch on this storm over the next several days and begin preparation steps now.

Our Safety & Loss Control Manager, Kellie Crete had the opportunity to work with the attendees of Rhode Island Marine Trades Association Pre-Apprenticeship Program. Kellie taught a 10 Hour OSHA General Industry Safety Course for them and provided Respirator Fit Testing. This class was held at the brand new Westerly Education Facility, it is AMAZING! Gowrie Safety Training Services

Gowrie Group was incredibly proud to honor Dawn Riley and Oakcliff Sailing as they were presented with the prestigious Mystic Seaport Museum 2018 America and the Sea Award. The prestigious award recognizes those individuals and organizations whose extraordinary achievements in the world of maritime exploration, competition, scholarship, and design best exemplify the American character. The award was presented at a gala fundraiser for the Mystic Seaport at the Metropolitan Club in New York City October 3. Riley stands alone as the first woman to compete in both the America’s Cup and in the Whitbread Round the World Race, two of the pinnacles in the sport of sailing that prior to her had been all but closed to women sailors. Riley also went on to become the first American, male or female, to sail in three America’s Cups and two Whitbread Round the World Races.

Benefits Newsletter - 2018 ACA Reporting Draft Forms Now Available, and Two HSA Bills Passed by the House. Read more »

Gowrie is always excited to be part of this vibrant show which kicks off the fall boat show season and features so many impressive yachts, innovative marine products, and valuable services. The Gowrie Team handed out 600 pounds of fresh apples that came from Bishop's Orchard of Guilford, CT. Thank you for stopping by the Gowrie Group booth to say hello, it was our pleasure to greet you in person.

As Hurricane Florence approaches the East Coast, we want you to know Gowrie Group is standing by ready to help you with advice, storm preparation resources, claims reporting information, and recovery support. Hurricane Florence continues to intensify and presents extreme danger to the East Coast. The National Hurricane Center is forecasting that Florence is likely to be a strong Category 4 Hurricane when making landfall along the Southeast or Mid-Atlantic coast on Thursday, September 13, 2018. Although the exact storm track is still uncertain, States of Emergency have already been declared for South Carolina, Maryland, North Carolina, and Virginia. Potentially devastating storm surge, flooding, rainfall, and wind are expected along much of the East Coast and adjacent inland areas. Please keep a close watch on this storm over the next several days and begin preparation steps now.

Gowrie Group and VFIS are pleased to be hosting an Emergency Vehicle Driver “Train-the-Trainer” Class in Springfield, MA, Oct 17, 2018 . This training will take place during the Massachusetts EMS Conference at the Mass Mutual Center. This course is designed to teach the instructional methodology to potential and existing instructors needed to deliver the following program. The operator of emergency vehicles in today’s society carries a heavy responsibility. The penalty for not adequately training your operators also carries legal consequences. Emergency vehicle operators and the entities they represent have been held both criminally and civilly responsible for their actions. This program was developed to teach the emergency vehicle operator (EVO) proper driving technique, the mental as well as the physical aspects of the driving task. The program points out the long-term impact of an accident involving an emergency vehicle on the operator, the emergency service organization and the community in which they serve. To learn more and enroll Read more »

Live Well, Work Well - HBP Guidelines Have Changed: Do You Know Your Risk?, Foodborne Illness is on the Rise: Protect Yourself, and Fruits and Veggies: How Much is Enough? Read more »

On Wednesday August 15th, Gowrie Group employees served their annual BBQ luncheon to the community at Grace Church in Old Saybrook. Gowrie employees worked together to provide, prepare, and serve lunch to more than 65 guests of The Shoreline Soup Kitchens & Pantries. The Gowrie team was also able to provide to-go meal boxes for many of the guests to take home. This is the 10th year that Gowrie has hosted a lunch for our neighbors in need on the Connecticut shoreline. Read more »

Gowrie Group is pleased to be the corporate sponsor of a very special MJM Rendezvous to be hosted by the Mystic Seaport on August 24th and 25th. Participating owners of MJM boats who register will receive exclusive behind-the-scenes tours of the Museum’s Collections Research Center, lunch, in-water vessel tours, and a cocktail party reception. The event will wrap up with a breakfast, curator discussion, and a boat parade out the Mystic River.

Benefits Newsletter - Association Health Plans Expansion, Critical HIPAA Compliance Gaps Exposed by HHS and Amazon announced it will be purchasing the online pharmacy PillPack. Read more »

Health and wellness tips for your work and life. Read more »

One of Gowrie Group’s core principles is to help our marine industry clients and partners manage and mitigate their exposures to risk. In the marine trades segment, understanding environmental responsibilities and the financial consequences of releases of petroleum or hazardous substances into navigable waters, or to adjoining shorelines, is critically important. This Risk Report addresses how to prevent, prepare, and respond to a release or spill into our waterways. Read more »

Live Well, Work Well - Sunrays Aren't the Only Thing You Can Catch at the Pool, Trouble Sleeping? Your Phone May Be to Blame, and Are You Up to Date on Your Immunizations? Read more »

Benefits Newsletter - ACA Affordability Percentages Will Increase for 2019 and the IRS Announces HSA Limits for 2019 Read more »

Live Well, Work Well - WHO Calls for a Ban on Artificially Produced Trans Fat, Sweating More Doesn't Necessarily Mean You Burn More Calories and Snack Smart, Save Money, Time and Calories Read more »

Image is of Gowrie Group presenting the 2018 sponsorship check to The KATE (LF to RT) Brett Elliott, Executive Director of The Kate; Robin Andreoli, Director of Development & Community Relations of the Kate; Whitney Peterson, VP of Marketing at Gowrie Group; Carter Gowrie, CEO of Gowrie Group. Read more »

Gowrie Group was excited to support New England Science & Sailing Foundation (NESS) as a sponsor of their annual 12-Meter sailing event. Team Gowrie Group was thrilled to get to race aboard American Eagle, an iconic red 12-Meter built by Luders Marine Construction Co. for the 1964 America's Cup campaign and helmed by Ted Turner. Read more »

Warm Weather is in the Forecast, Remind Employees About Your Dress Code and the HSA limit changed again! Read more »

Benefits Newsletter - IRS Announces Second Change to HSA Family Contribution Limit, and DOL Releases New Resources for Mental Health Parity Compliance Read more »

Live Well, Work Well: Strawberries named dirtiest produce for 3rd year in a row by EWG, Over 200 rare antibiotic-resistant genes found in 27 states, and Intermittent Fasting: What it is and why people are doing it. Read more »

Gowrie Group is looking forward to hosting a very special MJM Rendezvous on August 24 & 25, 2018 and the Mystic Seaport Museum. The MJM Rendezvous is open to all MJM owners. While we expect that most attendees will come by water, we will also welcome MJM owners coming by car as general admission visitors to Mystic Seaport. Read more »

Vin Falcigno, Gowrie’s commercial and environmental insurance specialist, spoke on a panel at the Connecticut Business and Industry Association’s 2018 Energy & Environment Conference on May 18th. Vin, Rachel Rosen of Burns & McDonnell and Richard Fil of Robinson & Cole discussed Spill Response and Preparedness. Rachel discussed Practical Considerations, Rich discussed Planning Ahead and Vin discussed the scope of Emergency Response Coverage in pollution insurance policies. Link to Article

Raising the roof and raising funds: Gowrie Group is a Gold Sponsor of Raise the Roof’s Habitat for Humanity Build on the Branford Green. Gowrie Group is proud to announce their support and involvement with Raise the Roof’s 2018 Build Project to benefit Habitat for Humanity of New Haven. Gowrie Group has supported both the New Haven and Hartford chapters of Habitat for Humanity for many years, through various donations, and volunteering activities. To compliment Gowrie Group’s financial support, twelve Gowrie Group employees and their family members assembled on the Branford Green on Saturday, May 12 for hands-on construction work. Read more »

Employer HR Brief - May 2018 Worried about DOL Audits? Get Paid and Education Benefits: A trending way to retain talent. Read more »

Benefits Newsletter - Did You Miss the April 2 ACA Reporting Deadline? Here's What's Next and IRS Updates Employer Guide for 2018 Tax Changes to Fringe Benefits Read more »

Gowrie Group is excited to announce their corporate sponsorship of the 2018 Devon Horse Show & Country Fair. Devon is the oldest and largest outdoor multi-breed competition in the United States. This year's show will take place in Devon, PA from May 24th to June 3rd, and will include some of the finest equestrian competition in the US. Gowrie Group is delighted to be presenting class winner sponsors of the hunter jumper division. Kiley Prime, an accomplished rider and a Personal Lines and Equine Insurance Specialist at Gowrie Group, will be joining Holly Griffin who manages Gowrie Group's Equine, Farm, and Ranch division at the 2018 Devon Horse Show.

Gowrie Group is looking forward to hosting a very special Eastbay Rendezvous on June 9 & 10, 2018 and the Mystic Seaport Museum. The Eastbay Rendezvous is open to all Eastbay owners. While we expect that most attendees will come by water, we will also welcome Eastbay owners coming by car as general admission visitors to Mystic Seaport. Read more »

Live Well, Work Well - Despite CDC Recommendation, Many Adults Still Refusing Shingles Vaccine, Researchers Link New Danger to E-cigarettes, and May is Food Allergy Action Month Read more »

Drone uptake is growing at a steep trajectory, and sailors, sailing organizations, and the sailing industry are taking notice. Before joining in the fun, Gowrie Group recommends that all drone operators and drone owners take time to understand the related FAA regulations, industry requirements, insurance needs, and safety best practices. Significant insurance coverage gaps can arise because there is often an aviation exclusion in standard Commercial General Liability policies for owned drones. Flying a drone without coverage can expose you, your assets, and your organization to significant lawsuits and claims for bodily injury or property damage. To meet this coverage gap, Gowrie Group is pleased to offer our clients two options for purchasing Drone Insurance: an episodic hourly policy by Verifly and an annual policy through Global Aerospace. Both solutions can be purchased online. Gowrie's Drone Insurance Solutions

IRS Announces Revision on HSA Limit for Family Coverage for 2018 Read more »

Employer HR Brief - Compensable Time: What You Need to Know, FBI Warns of Direct Deposit Phishing Attacks Read more »

Gowrie Group has partnered with Verifly, the leading on-demand drone insurance company, to bring our clients flexible drone insurance. Many organizations and individuals may be operating drones without realizing they may have a significant coverage gap. The coverage gap arises because there is often an aviation exclusion in standard Commercial General Liability policies for owned drones. Gowrie Group and Verifly will work together to educate their clients on drone safety, drone regulations, and recommend Verifly's episodic, on-demand drone insurance solution to Gowrie Group’s clients that are looking for a flexible, hourly insurance solution. Learn more about this new on-demand drone insurance solution at www.verifly.com/gowrie and Read Our Drone Risk Report

Benefits Newsletter: How to Handle an ACA Penalty Letter and The Importance of Plan Document Review Read more »

Live Well, Work Well - 5 Healthy Snacks to Satisfy Your Workday Hunger, Signs of a Kidney Stone, and Don't be a Distracted Driver Read more »

Electricity can be an invisible, sometimes fatal, danger in our waters. It most frequently strikes near boat marinas and powered docks. With boating season just around the corner, now is the time to learn what causes Electric Shock Drowning (ESD) and what preventative steps you can take to make sure it doesn't happen. Learn more by reading Gowrie Group’s updated Risk Report on this topic. Read more »

Beginning early Wednesday and continuing through Thursday morning, a nor'easter is expected to bring heavy snowfall and strong winds. Please visit our Gowrie Group Winter Storm Center for storm prep tips, safety recommendations and claim reporting information.

New HHS Secretary is Focused on Opioid Crisis, You Should Be Too and 4 Things You Can Do to Manage Worst Flu in Decades Read more »

Steve Schram, an insurance and safety expert from Gowrie Group, will present a risk management seminar to leaders from sailing organizations and club from GSBYRS on May 3rd. He will cover a range of safety and risk management topics including: fires, storms, medical emergencies, towing & trailers, EPLI, D&O, docks, cyber, safety, and more. Read more »

Beginning tonight and continuing through Wednesday, a nor'easter is expected to develop off the East Coast and bring heavy snowfall and strong winds. Please visit our Gowrie Group Winter Storm Center for storm prep tips, safety recommendations and claim reporting information.

Benefits Newsletter - Spending Resolution Affects ACA Taxes, and New Rules for Disability Claims Take Effect Soon Read more »

Ed Gumbrecht, president and COO of Gowrie Group, is featured in The Source of Madison for his unwavering dedication to giving back. He shares, “I have the privilege to lead an organization that believes in community engagement. We all feel how important it is to align our work with the things we are passionate about… We encourage our staff, clients, and business partners to participate in their community—to be engaged and get involved—and we want to be supportive of the great stuff they do. It’s true that when you lead with your heart, good things happen.” Read more

Caution, winter storm dangers linger! Follow these tips for staying safe after a winter storm from the U.S. National Weather Service (NWS). Read more »

IRS Reduces HSA Limits for Family Coverage for 2018. Read more »

Please visit our Gowrie Winter Weather Center for storm prep tips, safety recommendations and claim reporting information.

Sailing World magazine article "So, the Kid Wants to Teach Sailing," by Kimball Livingston, addresses the current challenge of finding qualified sailing instructors with strong powerboat handling skills. The demand is high and the supply is low. Whitney Peterson, Gowrie Group's VP of Marketing, is quoted in the article, highlighting her views about the importance of hiring coaches that are not only US Sailing Certified Instructors with solid sailing and coaching skills, but that they also have multiple years of experience operating a powerboat. She believes that one solid strategy to help address lagging powerboat experience in new coaches is to offer an on-site, hands-on powerboat class focused on building the specific skills that instructors need from day one when coaching kids – towing, coming alongside a small boat, capsize recovery, setting marks, hovering in place, slow speed maneuvering, etc. Many clubs find that they can fit this important training in during instructor prep-week at the beginning of each season. Read more »

Live well, Work well: Eating Healthy Doesn't Have to Be Expensive, This Deadly Flu Season is the Worst in Nearly a Decade, and Sleep and your health. Read more »

Chubb's marine loss control specialists offer this helpful list of best practices to educate yacht clubs and marinas on how to ensure their docks are electrically safe and sound. Read more »

Gowrie Group was proud to be a Platinum Sponsor of the US Sailing Leadership Forum which took place in St. Petersburg, Florida earlier this month. The three day conference brought together 550 inspiring leaders from all aspects of the sailing community, including sailing education, yacht club and sailing organization management, race officials, marine companies, and industry professionals. More than 90 expert presenters and keynote speakers delivered engaging seminars, and being an expert in risk management and safety, Gowrie was invited to present two seminars at this year’s conference. Thank you to US Sailing, and all the sponsors, speakers, industry professionals, volunteers, and attendees, who together helped make Sailing Leadership 2018 such a fantastic learning event! Read more »

Live well, Work well: 2 Chronic Conditions that can cause cancer, Avocados: A Legitimately Healthy Food Craze and A common cold can be contagious for longer than you think. Read more »

Through the generous support of nearly 500 local individuals and companies, the 2017 Gowrie Group Challenge has raised more funds for The Shoreline Soup Kitchens & Pantries than ever before - a record breaking $173,935! Gowrie Group kicked off this year's challenge with a $30,000 dollar for dollar matching donation, and five companies stepped forward as Partner Sponsors to provide additional matching funds: LC Doane Company, Tower Labs, Lenny & Joe's Fish Tale, Sound Rigging and BrandTech Scientific. Since Gowrie Group began this challenge 14 years ago, the challenge has raised nearly 1.5 million dollars, which equates to providing over 4 million meals to people in need in our community. Read more »

Employer HR Brief - Online Portal for Employment Discrimination Claims and Senate Tax Bill Repercussions Read more »

Gowrie Group is proud to be a platinum sponsor of the upcoming US Sailing Leadership Forum 2018! At the US Sailing SLF 2018, leaders from sail training and education, yacht club and sailing organization management, race officials, and industry professionals from across the nation will meet and learn from one-another at this action packed 3-day conference. Gowrie experts will be leading two seminars: "Junior Sailing Program Safety - Docks to Documents” by Kellie Crete and Whitney Peterson, and "Claims Stories - When Insurance Really Matters” by Ed Gumbrecht. Be sure not to miss our seminars and to stop by our table in the exhibitor hall.

Benefits Newsletter - DOL Delays New Rules for Disability Benefit Claims and ACA Reporting Read more »

According to the National Weather Service, a powerful Nor'easter is expected to bring snow, ice, sleet, strong winds, and rough surf to coastal locations of the Southeast, Middle Atlantic, and New England, starting Wednesday and continuing into Thursday and Friday. Significant potential exists for dangerous travel, scattered power outages, tidal flooding, and dangerously cold wind chills. To help you stay safe and prepare, we invite you to visit the Gowrie Winter Weather Center.

Each year, the employees of Gowrie Group select a local non-profit to donate to on behalf of the company as an end of year thank you gift to the owners and partners of Gowrie Group. For the 2017 gift, Gowrie Group employees selected Bikes For Kids. The monetary donations from Gowrie Group employees will be used to fund bike repairs and purchase new helmets which will be distributed to children for the spring 2018 biking season. The donated bikes from Gowrie staff will be given directly to children who deserve the joy that comes from having their own bike! Read more »

Live well, Work well: January is Thyroid Awareness Month, Winter Sports Safety Tips, and 3 Steps to an Injury-free Workout Read more »

Severe cold weather is forecast for the next week! To help you stay safe, protect your property, and prepare, Gowrie Group invites you to visit our Winter Weather Center to access detailed information and preparation guidelines. Winter Weather Center

Kellie Crete, Gowrie Group’s Safety & Loss Control Expert will be leading a webinar for marine industry professionals on January 3rd, on Blood Borne Pathogens safety in the workplace. This webinar is for you if you or your employees work on holding tanks or marine heads, work at a pump-out dock, are part of a first aid response team, or if you clean your own restrooms. Learn more

We invite you to join the Gowrie Challenge to help us meet our goal of raising $200,000 by December 31st to benefit The Shoreline Soup Kitchens & Pantries. Gowrie launched the challenge with a $30,000 matching gift. These matching funds, along with additional matching funds from our partner sponsors, are used to double the impact of additional contributions. Since the Gowrie Challenge began in 2004, Gowrie has raised more than one million dollars to benefit the SSKP. Donate online at www.shorelinesoupkitchens.org or by mail with this form. Read more »

As of November 1st 2017, Vincent M. Falcigno, along with his team and clients of TFG Insurance Specialties (formerly The Falcigno Group), have joined forces with Gowrie Group, a leading independent insurance agency headquartered in Westbrook, Connecticut. This is an exciting combination of our people and our complementary strengths. Together we can provide a broader array of insurance services and markets, enhanced risk management strategies, and other valuable services. Read more »

Suzanne Redden, Gowrie Group's Mid-Atlantic Branch Manager, was proud to attend the annual Markel Personal Lines 2017 Underwriting Roundtable. In addition to educational sessions, peer to peer networking, and learning about new products and improved coverages, one of the main purposes of the Roundtable is for Markel and their valued agency partners to get to meet face-to-face.

Check out the WLIS radio coverage of the launch of the Gowrie Group Challenge to benefit the Shoreline Soup Kitchen. Bob of WLIS interviews Carter Gowrie CEO of Gowrie Group; Ellen Rabin, Executive Director of The Shoreline Soup Kitchens, and Lindas Dillon, Gowrie Group Benefits Account Manager. Gowrie Group aims to raise $200,000 to benefit the SSKP Read more »

Every year between Thanksgiving and the end of the year, Gowrie Group, Connecticut's largest independent insurance agency, challenges their local community of businesses and friends to team together to raise money to benefit The Shoreline Soup Kitchens & Pantries (SSKP). This year, Gowrie Group has set an ambitious goal of raising $200,000 for the SSKP through their annual challenge. Read more »

Gowrie Group, New England's most prominent, independent insurance agency, is proud to announce that the company has once again been ranked in the Top-100 Independent Property/Casualty Insurance Agencies nationwide by Insurance Journal, and has been named a 2017 Top Connecticut Workplace by the Hartford Courant. Read more »

Announcement! As of November 1st 2017, Vincent M. Falcigno, along with his team and clients of TFG Insurance Specialties (formerly The Falcigno Group), have joined forces with Gowrie Group, a leading independent insurance agency headquartered in Westbrook, Connecticut. This is an exciting combination of our people and our complementary strengths. Together we can provide a broader array of insurance services and markets, enhanced risk management strategies, and other valuable services. Read more »

Live well, Work well: Fight the flu with these simple tips, Starting planning today for a stress-free holiday season, and 6 tips for diabetes prevention Read more »

The latest edition of US Sailing's "This Is What We Do" video series features Carter Gowrie, CEO of Gowrie Group and the architect of the Burgee Insurance Program, discussing the importance of preparing, protecting, and insuring your sailing organization. Watch Video Now

Check out Gowrie Group’s “Always on Watch” fall employee newsletter - company news, events, milestones, accomplishments, and more. Gowrie Fall Newsletter

Kellie Crete, Gowrie’s Environmental, Health and Safety Specialist, will be leading a safety webinar for the International Marina Institute’s Safety Series on November 1, 2017. Her webinar, “Fall Protection & Scaffolding” will educate marine industry professionals on how to work safely in boatyards, marinas, boat building facilities, marine manufacturing environments, and beyond. Learn more and register here: http://marinaassociation.org/ev_calendar_day.asp?date=11%2F1%2F17&eventid=12

Live Well, Work Well: Halloween Safety Tips and Hidden dangers at your child's bedtime Read more »

As fall approaches, many marina and yacht club owners are preparing for haul out and winterization services. These services can be accompanied by significant risk if not handled in a proper and timely manner. Chubb's Marine Facilities' loss control specialists are pleased to share the Preparing Marinas for the Off Season checklist with detailed guidelines to help prevent loss. Read more »

Gowrie Group and National Sailing Hall of Fame (NSHOF) invite you to join us for complimentary coffee and conversation during the United States Sailboat Show in Annapolis. We invite all exhibitors, marine industry professionals, and ticket holders to stop by the National Sailing Hall of Fame dock each morning for a cup of fresh coffee to start your boat show day. Read more »

Benefits Newsletter - Senate rejects ACA repeal efforts, and Updated Form I-9 required beginning Sept. 18 Read more »

We are very excited that Rick Bagnall and Al Golden, two of our insurance specialists, will be representing Gowrie at the 2017 Seven Seas Cruising Association Annapolis Gam. Rick Bagnall will be speaking on selecting the right Health Insurance for Cruisers. The event will take place from September 23-24 at Camp Letts in Edgewater, MD. We hope to see you there!

Live well, Work well: Do you know the signs of Opioid Addiction? Read more »

Hurricane IRMA, a potentially catastrophic category 5 hurricane, continues to head towards the Leeward Islands, Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico with the impact expected to begin later tonight. The current forecast has IRMA remaining a powerful category 4 or 5 hurricane and tracking towards the Bahamas, Cuba, Florida Keys, and Florida Peninsula later this week. Although the exact track is still uncertain, a state of emergency has already been declared for the State of Florida. We advise you to keep a close watch on this powerful storm over the next several days and to begin preparation steps now. www.gowrie.com/stormcenter

The 2017 Hurricane Season is fierce and not over until November 30th. Historically the peak of the hurricane season in the Atlantic Ocean is from late August through September. Gowrie Group encourages you to update your family’s emergency plan, define your plan to secure your boats and property, and restock your storm kits. We advise you to keep a close watch on approaching storms and to always prepare early. www.gowrie.com/stormcenter

We invite you to stop by our booth (Tent D #27) at the upcoming Newport International Boat Show for a fresh apple and smart advice about how to get the right insurance for your boats/yachts, homes, assets, businesses, and lifestyle. Gowrie Group is proud to be the sponsor of the Annual Rhode Island Marine Trades Association Industry Partnership Breakfast which is held Saturday morning at the show. The boat show takes place from September 14-17th in Newport, RI.

On Wednesday August 23rd, Gowrie Group employees served a BBQ lunch to the community at Grace Church in Old Saybrook. Over 40 Gowrie employees teamed together to provide, prepare and serve a BBQ feast to almost 50 guests of The Shoreline Soup Kitchens & Pantries (SSKP). This is the 9th year that Gowrie has hosted a lunch for our neighbors on the Connecticut shoreline. Read more »

We are pleased to share that our Darien office has moved to a new in-town location to accommodate our growing team. Our new address is: 767 Post Road, Darien, CT 06820. Our contact information has remained the same at: 203.656.3644 or 800.262.8911, Fax: 203.656.3970, Email: darien@gowrie.com If you are in the area, please stop in to see our new space and say hello. We look forward to seeing you soon.

Hurricane Harvey continues to intensify and track toward Texas and Louisiana, and is expected to be a major hurricane as it makes landfall. We advise you to keep a close watch on this storm over the next several days and to begin preparation steps early. Visit Gowrie Group's Severe Storm Center to access smart advice and resources for how to best prepare, respond, and recover from severe weather. www.gowrie.com/stormcenter

Benefits Newsletter - HIPAA Cyber Attack Response Checklist and New Fiduciary Rules Read more »

Live Well, Work Well - Prevent Heat Illness, Hepatitis C Rates Triple and Broccoli Strawberry Orzo Salad. Read more »

Gowrie Group is pleased to be the corporate sponsor of a special MJM Rendezvous to be hosted by the Mystic Seaport on August 18th and 19th. Participating owners of MJM boats who register will receive exclusive behind-the-scenes tours of the Museum’s Collections Research Center, lunch, in-water vessel tours, and a cocktail party reception. The event will wrap up with a complimentary breakfast Saturday morning. If you are an MJM owner, we invite you to come join the fun! Read more »

In the event you have employees in New York or if there is a possibility you will in the future, Gowrie Group would like to share with you information on the New York Paid Family Leave legislation which will go into effect as of January 1, 2018. Read more »

Employer HR Brief - House passes changes to Overtime rules Read more »

Benefits Newsletter - What Happens if the ACA Employer Mandate is Repealed? Read more »

Gowrie Group, a leading New England independent insurance agency, is pleased to announce that David Geyer has recently joined the firm as the Director of Commercial Lines and Employee Benefits. Geyer will be responsible for the oversight and management of the service and support teams for Gowrie's Commercial Insurance department and Employee Benefits department. Read more »

Live Well, Work Well: Simple Summer Activities Your Kids are Sure to Love, Do You Know Seizure First Aid?, Grilling Safety Reminders for Your Summer BBQ and Turkey Burger recipe. Read more »

Steve Prime, CIC of Gowrie Group, Newport was recently honored for his ongoing pledge to education, commitment to excellence, and dedication to the insurance profession. The Society of Certified Insurance Counselors (CIC) presented Mr. Steve Prime with a formally-inscribed certificate for his continued participation in the CIC Program. Read more »

Chubb Marine offers these tips for how to protect commercial marinas and yacht clubs from severe storms and hurricanes. The guide offers important steps commercial marinas and yacht clubs can take before, during and after a hurricane to help minimize damage and assist in the recovery. Read more »

Employer HR Brief - Only One-third of Employees are Engaged at Work and Prevent a PR Crisis from Turning into a PR Disaster Read more »

Benefits Newsletter - American Health Care Act (AHCA) passes House and Pre-existing Conditions under the ACA Read more »

Hurricanes have the power to cause widespread devastation, and can affect both coastal and inland areas. FEMA offers this guide for how to protect yourself and your property, and details the steps to take now so that you can act quickly at a time when every second counts. Read more »

The Hartford Insurance offers these guidelines and safety tips for preparing your business for hurricanes and severe storms. Read more »

Live Well, Work Well: Tick and Tick-borne Disease Season is Here, Shop for seasonal produce this summer., and National Fireworks Safety Month: June 1 to July 4. Read more »

Gowrie Group is a proud sponsor of the 15th annual Westbrook Family Day which will be held on Saturday, June 10th (rain date June 11th), at the Westbrook Town Green, from 12-2pm. This event is free, and open to the public. We encourage you to attend or volunteer with the local community.

Gowrie Group is pleased to be the corporate sponsor of a special Eastbay Rendezvous to be hosted by the Mystic Seaport on June 2nd and 3rd. Participating owners of Eastbay boats who register will receive exclusive behind-the-scenes tours of the Museum’s Collections Research Center, lunch, in-water vessel tours, and a cocktail party reception. The event will wrap up with a breakfast, curator discussion, and a boat parade out the Mystic River. If you are an Eastbay owner, we invite you to come join the fun! Read more »

Employer HR Brief - Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) plans to maintain its Bipartisan Enforcement Plan, Trump's Secretary of Labor Nominee Questioned on Overtime Rule Read more »

Soon boats will be launched, kids will be swimming, sailing programs will start, and marinas will be in full operation. With this in mind, now is a the time to increase your understanding of the risk factors which can lead to Electric Shock Drowning (ESD) and learn how to prevent ESD from happening on your watch. Read more »

Live well, Work well: Spring Allergy Alleviation, A Breath of Fresh Air, and Age well in the Workplace Read more »

Benefits Newsletter - ACA Replacement Bill Withdrawn, Now what? and Cost-saving Strategy: Generic Drugs Read more »

Propeller guards can add an important margin of safety for boats operated around children, sailors, and swimmers. However, safe power boat operation should always be the primary safety measure. Read our Prop Guard risk report to learn more. Read more »

The temperatures are rising, the sun is setting later, and boat covers and shrink wrap are coming off. As you dream of summer days on the water, we offer you these helpful tips and resources to ensure you have a safe, trouble-free 2017 boating season. Read more »

Brewer Essex Island Marina will be hosting a marine insurance seminar led by Gowrie Group's boat insurance expert, Mark Gargula on May 20th at 10 a.m. During this exciting seminar, Mark will educate Brewer customers on selecting the best insurance, knowing what to look out for and answer questions. The seminar will take place at "The Shop on the Island" at Brewer Essex Island Marina. Visit Brewer Essex Island

Gowrie Group, a leading New England independent insurance agency, is pleased to announce that Dan Preston has recently joined the firm as an Account Executive, specializing in commercial insurance. Preston will be responsible for bringing Gowrie's insurance solutions and risk management services to businesses, non-profits and organizations alike throughout New England and beyond. Read more »

Employer HR Brief - Retirement Uncertainty and Where to Turn, and Saving with Health Care Literacy Read more »

Gowrie Group is proud to sponsor the Adams Cup Reunion being hosted by the National Sailing Hall of Fame, May 19-21, in Annapolis, Maryland. This weekend event is for all past Adams Cup participants, including those who sailed in the preliminaries, finals, and/or race committee. Participants will share sailing stories, go sailing, celebrate women in sailing and engage the next generation. On Saturday morning there will be a free panel discussion lead by Dawn Riley which is open to all sailors, including junior sailors, on the topic of "Engaging Sailing’s Next Generation". Other speakers, panelists, and sponsors of this event include, Rachael Miller, Dawn Riley, Jan O’Malley, Pam Healy, Louisa Chaffee, Gowrie Group, Oakcliff Sailing Center, and the Rozalia Project. Read more »

Gowrie Group has joined the Rhode Island Marine Trades Association (RIMTA) as an organizational sponsor. In an effort to bolster the RIMTA mission of promoting and strengthening the Rhode Island marine trades, Gowrie Group’s sponsorship will support the organization’s communications as well as key events, including a series of programs designed to cultivate the marine industry’s leaders of tomorrow. Read more »

US Sailing extends its commercial insurance (general liability, marine liability and umbrella) to protect certified instructors (CI). This insurance program is managed by Gowrie Group. Read more »

US Sailing extends its liability policies for the benefit of US Sailing’s certified race officers, certified judges, and certified umpires, and to non-certified officials acting as volunteers for US Sailing (collectively referred to as Certified Race Officials (CRO)). These policies are managed by Gowrie Group. Read more »

Gowrie Group is excited to announce a multi-year sponsorship extension with US Sailing, the National Governing Body of the sport. Through this sponsorship, Gowrie Group will serve as the Official Insurance Agency of US Sailing and the US Sailing Team. Chubb will be the Official Insurance Carrier of US Sailing and the US Sailing Team. Read more »

Gowrie/VFIS is happy to announce we are hosting an Emergency Vehicle Driver “Train-the-Trainer” Class in North Smithfield, RI on May 2-3, 2017 at North Smithfield Fire & Rescue. To learn more and enroll. Read more »

Gowrie/VFIS is happy to announce we are hosting an Emergency Vehicle Driver “Train-the-Trainer” Class in South Windsor, CT on May 4-5, 2017 at the South Windsor Fire Department. More than 30 Fire Departments from across Southern New England are expected to attend. To learn more and enroll. Read more »

Employee Live Well, Work Well - Monitor your rice intake to minimize arsenic consumption, Phlegm: A key player in fighting off illness, and recipe Basic Quiche. Read more »

Gowrie Group has officially opened the Gowrie G-Fit Gym & Wellness Center in Westbrook, CT. At the ribbon cutting on March 23rd Carter Gowrie, Gowrie's CEO and Founder shared, "We invested in you so that you can invest in yourselves. We encourage you to take full advantage of all the fitness and wellness activities and classes that are offered through G-Fit." Read more »

Employer Benefits Bulletin - ACA Replacement Bill Announced, Health Care Literacy Pays off, and IRS Change Affecting Individual Mandate Read more »

Benefits Newsletter: House Republicans release legislation to repeal and replace the ACA, American Health Care Act: What won't change. Read more »

Gowrie Group is proud to sponsor the Mrs. Charles Frances Adams Cup Sailing reunion being held at National Sailing Hall of Fame, May 19-21st. All past Adams Cup participants are invited to attend. The weekend event is for female sailors - Mothers, daughters, granddaughters – to share sailing stories, go sailing, celebrate women in sailing and engage the next generation. Events include: Group sailing on BULL and BEAR, modern reproductions of the 19th century, 28’ LOD, wooden Sandbagger sloops, guest speakers and a panel discussion. Speakers include: Rachael Miller,Co-Founder/Executive Director, Rozalia Project for a Clean Ocean Dawn Riley, Executive Director, Oakcliff Sailing Center, Crew, America3, US Sailing's Rolex Yachtswoman of the Year Jan O’Malley, US Sailing's Rolex Yachtswoman of the Year Winner, First World’s Woman’s Doublehanded Championship Pam Healy,Board, St. Francis Yacht Club ,Olympic Bronze Medalist Louisa Chafee, College Sailing All American US Olympic Sailing Team, Rio Open invitation to all Adams Cup Particpants

Employer HR Brief - Company Culture might be more important than you think and DOL Overtime Rule: Update. Read more »

Live Well, Work Well: Workplace Stress Levels Dropping, Prepare for Tax Season, and Spring Break Travel Tips Read more »

Benefits Newsletter: ACA and Employer Health Plans under President Trump, and Block Grants: What you need to know. Read more »

Steve Prime, Vice President at Gowrie Insurance, led an interactive seminar on the insurance needs of active yacht brokers, with a specific focus on the coverage needed for demonstrations, sea trials, and surveys on a client’s boat. Chris McNally, a maritime attorney with the law firm of Sayer, Regan & Thayer, collaborated with Steve on the topic. They discussed the importance of yacht dealers and yacht brokers knowing who is covered and who is not. Together they stressed the importance of examining the contract language of the brokerage listing, the dockage agreement, and most importantly, the employment status of the broker handling the boat.

Employer HR Brief - Stay Protected from Phone Tax Scams and Employee Leave-sharing and Donation Programs. Read more »

Gowrie Group is proud to be a Platinum Sponsor of US SAILING's National Sailing Programs Symposium to be held in Austin, Texas this week! We look forward to presenting two seminars: Kellie Thornell Crete will be presenting a seminar on "Sailing Program Facility Safety." Whitney Connor Peterson will be presenting a seminar on "Practicing Your Emergency Response Plan." http://nsps.ussailing.org/

For the past few months, employees at Gowrie Group, a leading New England insurance agency, have been taking advantage of the new “G-Streakers” challenge provided by the company’s employee benefit program, G-Fit. Read more »

Did you know Gowrie Group offers comprehensive equine insurance solutions, including Equine Mortality with Major Medical Options? Our in-house equine insurance team is ready to help. Contact us at equine@gowrie.com Read more »

Gowrie Group is proud to announce their continued support of The Katharine Hepburn Cultural Arts Center, Inc. (the Kate), with an annual corporate sponsorship. This generous sponsorship from Gowrie Group enables the Kate to continue to develop unique and diverse productions, as it enters into its seventh year of operations. Read more »

Live Well, Work Well: Protect your child from E-cigarettes, February is American Heart Month, 3 Tips for Hosting a safe big game party and Recipe of the month "Chicken Vegetable Soup with Kale". Read more »

Each year, the employees of Gowrie Group select a local non-profit to donate to on behalf of the company as an end of year gift to the owners and partners of Gowrie Group. For the 2016 gift, Gowrie Group employees selected Sailors for the Sea. Sailors for the Sea was chosen to thank them because of all they do to unite people to help keep our oceans clean, vibrant, and healthy for generations to come. Gowrie Group employees teamed together to personally donate $1,500 to Sailors for Sea's Ocean Guardian Program at the "Ocean Protector" level. Read more »

Kellie Crete, Gowrie Group's Safety & Loss Prevention Expert, is speaking at the 15th Annual International Marina & Boatyard Conference (IMBC) on Jan 27th at the Broward County Convention Center, located in Fort Lauderdale, FL. Kellie's seminar, "FIRE", will explore the physical and environmental risk factors that can lead to devastating fires, and how smart fire safety and fire prevention practices can help to mitigate fire risk. The seminar will also examine the personal, financial, and environmental toll that often smolder long after the flames have all been extinguished. Read more »

The 2016 Gowrie Group Challenge raised more funds for The Shoreline Soup Kitchens & Pantries than ever before - a record breaking $172,919! The Gowrie Group Challenge is an annual fundraising initiative where Gowrie Group announces a dollar for dollar match to benefit The Shoreline Soup Kitchens. This approach doubles the impact of generous donations from local businesses and individuals. This year, over 400 individuals and companies donated to the challenge which ran two months, from November 15, 2016 to January 15, 2017. The contributions from this campaign are used to fill the shelves of the SSKP’s five pantries and serve meals to those who are struggling to feed themselves and their families at the SSKP’s eight meal sites along the Connecticut shoreline. Since Gowrie Group began this challenge 13 years ago, over 4 million meals in total have been provided for those in need through the Gowrie Group Challenge. Read more »

"Marine Industry growth through Collaboration, Communication and Education." Steve Prime from Gowrie Group is proud to be a featured speaker at the upcoming Massachusetts Marine Trades Association Professional Development Conference on January 19, 2017. His seminar, "LETS TALK MARINE INSURANCE," will cover important topics such as: Additional Insureds, Jones Act, USL&H, Dock Values, Radius of Navigation, and Social Engineering Fraud. Read more »

The New Year and How it May Affect Your Benefits, New Year's Resolutions: Lifestyle Changes vs. Quick Changes, and January is National Blood Donor Month. Read more »

Gowrie Group is proud to once again be a Gold Sponsor and the Official Weather Briefing Sponsor of Quantum Key West Race Week 2017. This year marks the 30th anniversary regatta, which is scheduled for January 15-20, 2017. Gowrie Group is one of many prominent brands supporting this annual, exciting regatta. Platinum Sponsors: Quantum Sails (Title Sponsor and Official Sailmaker), Florida Keys & Key West (Presenting Sponsor), B&G (Official Marine Electronics), Gill NA (Official Apparel), Lewmar (Official Marine Hardware), Marlow (Official Rope) and Mount Gay Rum (Official Rum). Gold Sponsors: Classic Harbor Line (Official Spectator Vessel), Foiling RIBs, Gowrie Group, J/Boats, Key West Historic Inns, Red Stripe Beer (Official Beer), Sailing World (Official US Magazine), Seahorse International Sailing (Official European Magazine) and Waterfront Brewery (Official Venue). Silver Sponsors: Chelsea Clocks, Harken, New England Ropes, Offshore Racing Congress (ORC), Rejex, SpinSheet, Team One Newport and Yacht Scoring. Bronze Sponsors: 1800 Atlantic Condominiums, Commander's Weather, Eden House, New England Boatworks, Regatta Ginger Beer and Switlik.

Let's reach into 2017 together Read more »

Let's reach into 2017 together Read more »

Employee Benefits Bulletin - Department of Labor overtime rule update, 2016 Kaiser Health Benefits Summary, The Presidential Election's Impact on Health Care, and 2017 Health Care Compliance Highlights. Read more »

Gowrie Group took on the Mannequin Challenge at our annual holiday luncheon on December 14th. More than 100 Gowrie employees sat still for over 3 minutes while this was filmed. Watch Video Now

As a company, Gowrie Group believes in giving back to our local and surrounding communities. We highlight our 2016 community engagement in this summary. Read more »

Kellie Crete, Gowrie Group's Safety & Loss Prevention Expert, is speaking at the 15th Annual International Marina & Boatyard Conference (IMBC) on Jan 27th at the Broward County Convention Center, located in Fort Lauderdale, FL. Kellie's seminar, "FIRE", will explore the physical and environmental risk factors that can lead to devastating fires, and how smart fire safety and fire prevention practices can help to mitigate fire risk. The seminar will also examine the personal, financial, and environmental toll that often smolder long after the flames have all been extinguished. Read more »

Gowrie Group launches Annual Holiday Food Drive to benefit The Shoreline Soup Kitchen & Pantries. To honor the holiday season, we are collecting special treats not traditionally found at the local pantries - candies, chocolates, cookies, and more. Read more »

Listen to the WLIS radio coverage of the launch of the 13th Gowrie Group Challenge to benefit the Shoreline Soup Kitchen. Bob of WLIS interviews Ed Gumbrecht, President of Gowrie Group; Patty Dowling, Executive Director of The Shoreline Soup Kitchens, and Lindas Dillon, Gowrie Group Benefits Account Manager. Gowrie Group aims to raise $125,000 to benefit the SSKP. Read more »

Every year between Thanksgiving and New Years, Gowrie Group reaches out to the local community to help raise funds to feed the hungry on the Connecticut shoreline, through the Gowrie Group Challenge. This year, Gowrie Group will launch the challenge on November 16th, with our largest matching gift ever: $30,000. Our generous Partner Sponsors – The Safety Zone, LC Doane Company, Tower Labs, Lenny & Joe’s Fish Tale, and BrandTech Scientific – are providing an additional $23,000 in matching funds. Together we hope to raise over $125,000 to benefit The Shoreline Soup Kitchens & Pantries. Read more »

Gowrie Group, is excited to announce we have acquired Mid-Atlantic based International Marine Insurance Services (IMIS). Earlier this fall, Gowrie Group acquired Hartge Insurance Associates. These two acquisitions secure Gowrie Group’s place as the nation’s leading provider of marine insurance. Insurance industry veteran, Suzanne Redden, will lead Gowrie Group’s new Mid-Atlantic Operation. Carter Gowrie, Chairman and CEO of Gowrie Group shared, “We are honored by our new relationship with these two firms and we’re very impressed with the strong business they have built over the past 3 decades. We look forward to working together with their strong teams to bring increased access to insurance solutions to all their clients.” Read more »

Gowrie Group, New England's most prominent specialty insurance agency, is proud to announce that the company has once again been ranked in the Top-50 independent insurance agencies nationwide by Insurance Journal. Based on this ranking, Gowrie Group is also the largest independent agency in Connecticut. The list is published by Insurance Journal, which compiles a yearly list of the top 100 Independent Property/Casualty Insurance Agencies nationwide. Read more »

Gowrie Group was proud to be a Silver Sponsor of Mystic Seaport’s America & Sea Award gala that honored Bob & Rod Johnstone and J/Boats. The award recognizes individuals or organizations whose contribution to the history, arts, business, or sciences of the sea best exemplify the American character. Over the past 39 years, the Johnstone family and their company have influenced American yachting and sport of sailing in incomparable ways. For the Johnstone’s, it all started with RAGTIME, the first J/24.

Each year, more than 4,500 workers are killed on the job and approximately 3 million are injured. The following 10 Workplace Safety & Health Violations, which are the most frequent citations reported by OSHA during workplace inspections, account for the majority of those deaths and injuries. Nearly all of these deaths and injuries could be prevented through the implementation of proactive safety training and safe workplace policies. Read more »

Gowrie Group, New England’s premier insurance agency, is proud to be the presenting sponsor of the upcoming New England Museum Association’s Annual Conference. The conference is being held in Mystic Connecticut on November 9-11, 2016. The Welcome Opening Reception, presented by Gowrie Group, will be hosted at the Mystic Seaport. Kellie Crete, Gowrie Group’s Safety & Loss Prevention Manager, will be leading an interactive seminar at the conference called, “A Night at the Museum: How to Identify and Mitigate Museum Risk.” Read more »

Employer HR Brief - Overtime and the FMLA Leave Entitlement and IRS ACA Penalty Assessments are Forthcoming. Read more »

VFIS is introducing its latest Emergency Vehicle Driver Training instructor update, the 2016 edition, by webinar. The webinar is free of charge to Gowrie/VFIS clients and non-clients. The webinar is approximately 2 hours of interactive program delivery. November 10, 15, and 17. To learn more and enroll: Read more »

The Dyer Dhow Derby is an annual regatta held in honor of the yacht clubs, sailing associations, and individuals who have donated to or supported the Dyer Dhow fleet of more than 50 boats at Mystic Seaport. Gowrie Group, Mystic Seaport’s insurance partner, is the presenting sponsor of this year’s Dyer Dhow Derby (DDD). Saturday October 15th. Read more »

Gowrie Group was proud to be a Gold Sponsor of the Massachusetts EMS Conference held Oct 6-7th. There were over 160 attendees and 40 exhibitors at the conference. It was a great opportunity to connect with our customers and build new relationships throughout the New England area.

Live well, Work well - October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Prevent backpack-related injuries, and Halloween safety tips. Read more »

Benefits Newsletter - Get Ready for ACA Reporting Deadlines and Marketplaces to offer "simple choice plans" for 2017 Read more »

Gowrie Group and National Sailing Hall of Fame invite all exhibitors and marine industry professionals to join us for complimentary coffee and conversation before the show opens on Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday mornings. AT THE ANNAPOLIS SAILBOAT SHOW! OCTOBER 6, 8 & 9; 8:30–10AM at the NATIONAL SAILING HALL OF FAME DOCK Read more »

Gowrie Group, New England's most prominent specialty insurance agency, is proud to announce that the company has been voted a Top Connecticut Workplace for the 6th year in a row by its employees. From among nearly 1,000 companies that applied, Gowrie Group is among a select group of only 61 companies that were selected to be named as a "2016 CT Top Workplace." Of further distinction, Gowrie Group is one of only 7 companies that have achieved this designation six years in a row. Read more »

The Dyer Dhow Derby is an annual regatta held in honor of the yacht clubs, sailing associations, and individuals who support the Mystic Seaport’s Dyer Dhow fleet of more than 50 boats. Gowrie Group, Mystic Seaport’s insurance partner, is the presenting sponsor of the 2016 Dyer Dhow Derby. We encourage sailing organizations and clubs to create a team and come join in this fun day or racing. All races will be held on the Mystic River near the dock at the north end of the Mystic Seaport Museum grounds. Boat are provided, and registration and admission to the Seaport is free to all teams. Registration is at 11am, racing starts at 12:30. Register online at: www.mysticseaport.org/event/dyer-dhow-derby Read more »

THIS EVENT IS BEING MOVED TO SPRING 2017. Gowrie Group is pleased to be the corporate sponsor of a very special Eastbay Rendezvous to be hosted by the Mystic Seaport on October 1st. Participants in the Eastbay Rendezvous will receive overnight dock-age at the Seaport, admission to the Museum, exclusive behind-the-scenes tours of the Museum’s Collections Research Center to explore some of the world’s finest collections of scrimshaw, nautical photography, maritime fine art and artifacts; breakfast on Sunday morning; and complimentary tickets to Mystic Seaport’s 37th Annual International Maritime Art Exhibition opening cocktail party. The East Bay Rendezvous coincides with the Museum’s First Annual Oyster Festival and the 37th Annual International Marine Art Exhibition, both of which provide a wonderful backdrop to this very special boating experience. Read more »

The Gowrie Group team delivered 600 pounds of apples at the Newport International Boatshow, to marine industry clients and partners. The show was held September 15-18th in Newport, RI. The fresh, crisp apples came from our partners at Bishops Orchard, of Guilford, CT. Gowrie Group boat-show team: Dawn Speros, Sarah Davidson, Carter Gowrie, Nancy Sprigg, Kiley Prime, Steve Prime, Dan Cooney, Kellie Crete, Whitney Peterson, Mark Gargula, John Pugliese, Nancy Young, John Owsianik Jr, Barbara Cooper, Steve Schram, Scott Shiland, and more. Read more »

Gowrie Group was proud to be a Presenting Sponsor of the 2016 A-List Awards by Moffly Media - the premiere home design competition. Congratulations to all the winners! Team Gowrie at the awards ceremony included: Dennis Schmelzer, Scott Shiland, and Steve Schram. https://youtu.be/wvKIHSEpwvs

Gowrie Group is excited to announce that we acquired a leading Mid-Atlantic based marine insurance specialist – Hartge Insurance Associates – on September 1. In conjunction with this new agency combination, Gowrie Group also is pleased to announce that insurance industry veteran and Annapolis resident Suzanne Redden, will be joining the Gowrie team to be the Branch Manager of the new Gowrie Group Mid-Atlantic operation and Annapolis area office. Redden has enjoyed a distinguished career in marine underwriting and business development for carriers and agencies. The joining together of Hartge Insurance, Totch Hartge, and Suzanne Redden with Gowrie Group enables Gowrie to expand its geographic presence and bring its insurance and risk management expertise to the strong, established marine communities found in the Mid-Atlantic and beyond. Read more »

Live Well, Work Well - Green Tea - more than just a drink?, Taking responsibility for your retirement fund,and Pokémon Go: Advice for parents Read more »

Benefits Newsletter - Significant changes proposed to Form 5500, and DOL's New Fiduciary Rule Impacts HSAs Read more »

Hurricane HERMINE continues to intensify and track in a Northeasterly direction. While the exact track is still uncertain, Hurricane warnings or watches have been issued from Florida to New Jersey. We advise you to keep a close watch on this storm over the next several days and to begin preparation steps early. Visit Gowrie Group's Severe Storm Center to access smart advice and resources for how to best prepare, respond, and recover from severe weather. www.gowrie.com/stormcenter Read more »

Employer HR Brief - August 2016 Employee Leave: Clarifying STD, FMLA, and ADA and The FMLA and Absence Notification: Is Your Policy Being Followed? Read more »

VFIS is introducing its latest Emergency Vehicle Driver Training instructor update, the 2016 edition, by webinar. The webinar is free of charge to Gowrie/VFIS clients and non-clients. The webinar is approximately 2 hours of interactive program delivery. Five webinars slots are offered between Sept 8-14th at various times. To learn more and enroll: Read more »

The Gowrie Group team of Whitney Peterson, Steve Prime, Sarah Davidson, Nancy Sprigg, Claire Gumbrecht, Casey Gowrie, and Scott Gowrie delivered the New York Times paper to the 147 boats participating in the 160th New York Yacht Club cruise. The boats are part of a week long cruise that started in New York Harbor on August 6th and ends in Newport RI on August 13th. The Gowrie team delivered papers to the cruisers at the midway point, the overnight stop in the picturesque Thimble Islands located in Branford, CT. The next stop on the cruise after the Thimble Islands is Fishers Island, NY. Read more »

Live well, Work well: Zika: Why men should be concerned too, Exercising the body and brain, and avoiding sports-related eye injuries in children. Read more »

Benefits Newsletter - U.K. Votes to Leave the European Union and New Task Force to Focus on Mental Health and Substance Use Disorders. Read more »

Employer HR Brief - The Final White Collar Exemption Rule is Here, EEOC Issues Welcome Guidance on Leave as a Reasonable Accommodation. Read more »

Gowrie Group is proud to offer US Sailing members an annual Crew Medical Health Insurance Program. This specialized health insurance provides worldwide coverage and is ACA compliant. Open Enrollment is from July 1st to August 31st for a September 1st start date. http://www.gowrie.com/USSailingPrograms/CrewMedicalHealth.aspx

Gowrie Group and The Burgee Insurance Program are proud to offer important safety materials and resources to sailing organizations nationwide. We believe one of the most important documents that all sailing organizations should have in place is an Emergency Action Plan (EAP). As you create and practice your EAP, Gowrie Group recommends you also review these 6 Tips to empower your team to respond to an emergency as quickly, safely, and effectively as possible. Read more »

Many people, even experienced marine industry employees, have never heard of Electric Shock Drowning. And even those that have heard of ESD typically don’t realize how many common situations can put people at risk. Learn more from Gowrie Group’s Risk Report on understanding Electric Shock Drowning.

Employee Brochure "live well, work well": SPF claims fall short for many sunscreens, FDA moves to regulate the sale of e-cigarettes, Food labels get a makeover and recipe for California Avocado Summer Wraps Read more »

Benefits Newsletter - DOL issues new overtime payment rules, EEOC Finalizes wellness rules under ADA and GINA and Guidance for employers on bathroom access rights for transgender employees. Read more »

Employee Benefits Bulletin - DOL issues new overtime payment rules, EEOC finalizes Wellness Rules under ADA and GINA, HHS Launches Phase 2 of HIPAA audit program, and ACA's affordability contribution percentage increased for 2017 Read more »

Health Care Reform: PCORI Fees due August 1, 2016 Read more »

For the past few months, employees at Gowrie Group have been taking advantage of the company’s unique new employee benefit program called GFit. GFit by Gowrie Group is an original initiative that includes exercise classes with a range of focus and difficulty, including GRun, GFree GYoga, GTone, GZoomDance, and a GFit Lecture Series. Through these programs, employees spend an hour or two a week exercising and learning about fitness and nutrition, under the guidance of two trainers Gowrie Group has recently partnered with, Jessica DaSilva and Margot Sherwin. GFit has been a huge success for Gowrie Group so far. On Sunday June 19th, a group of 11 Gowrie Group employees in the GRun program, who had been training since the end of March, participated in the Branford Road Race. Gowrie had competitors in the five mile race as well as the two mile health walk – everyone crossed the finish line. Read more »

Gowrie Group recently made a $1500 donation to New England Science & Sailing Foundation (NESS) specifically for the purpose of purchasing more than a dozen VHF handheld radios. VHF radios are a vital safety and communication resource for NESS staff members throughout the year. Read more »

Employer HR Brief - Knowing the difference between exempt and nonexempt; compensation is a rising factor in job satisfaction, and the Department of Labor (DOL) has issued the Employer's Guide to The Family and Medical Leave Act. Read more »

Gowrie Group is proud to have been a Silver Sponsor of the Ox Ridge Hunt Club’s June Horse Show, which took place from June 14th through June 19th. Gowrie Group provides equine programs for owners, horses, farms, and ranches along with access to the premier equine insurance products and services from the industry’s top rated carriers. Ox Ridge Hunt Club is a regional chapter of the nonprofit organization Pegasus Therapeutic Riding (PTR), located in Darien CT and founded in 1914 to serve people with special needs in Fairfield County through therapeutic horseback riding. At the Ox Ridge June Show, parking fees and other voluntary contributions were donated directly to the PTR charity. Read more »

On Saturday, June 4th, the Connecticut River Museum hosted the annual Essex Shad Bake. This shoreline tradition draws seafood lovers from all over New England to the banks of the Connecticut River for a summer kickoff event full of community bonding and delicious food. The Rotary Club of Essex has kept this cookout alive for 59 years, and this year’s bake marks another successful event! Gowrie Group, a leading New England independent insurance agency, served as a “Captain” level sponsor this year. Gowrie Group has contributed to the Essex Shad Bake for many years, and is proud to continue their support. Read more »

Gowrie Group is pleased to announce our joint partnership with Herreshoff Marine Museum (HMM) and PURE Insurance. Gowrie Group and PURE will be supporting Herreshoff’s mission of educating and inspiring the public through presentations of the history and innovative work of the Herreshoff Manufacturing Company and the America's Cup competition. As a 2016 Silver Level sponsor of the Hereshoff Marine Museum, Gowrie Group will support several of HMM’s key events such as the Classic Yacht Symposium and the Herreshoff Classic Regatta. Read more »

On June 8th & 9th, Gowrie Group's Safety & Loss Control expert, Kellie Crete, is teaching a 10-Hour OSHA Outreach Training Program designed specifically for boatyard, yacht club, community sailing, and marina employees. The program provides training for workers and employers on the recognition, avoidance, abatement, and prevention of safety and health hazards in workplaces. The program also provides information regarding workers' rights, employer responsibilities, and how to file a complaint.

Soon boats will be launched, kids will be swimming, sailing programs will start, and marinas will be in full operation. With this in mind, now is a good time to increase your knowledge of Electric Shock Drowning (ESD). Many people have never heard of ESD, and those that have typically don’t realize the common situations that can be putting people at risk for ESD. Read more »

Employee brochure "live well, work well": How to turn a bad day around, Detergent packet poisoning and potential Zika spread mapped by NASA. Read more »

Gowrie Group is pleased to announce that Scott Shiland has recently joined the firm’s as a Senior Vice President and head of the Boston office located on Federal Street. Shiland will be responsible for delivering Gowrie’s broad insurance capabilities to individuals, families, and organizations throughout Massachusetts and New England. Read more »

Benefits Newsletter - ACA's Affordability contribution percentage increases for 2017, Updated HIPAA self-audit tools, and this spring Exchanges will begin notifying employers that they may be subject to ACA penalties if any of their employees are deemed eligible for health insurance subsidies through an Exchange. Read more »

Gowrie Group is pleased to announce that Steve Schram has recently joined the firm as a Senior Vice President and leader of the agency's Family Risk Management practice area. Schram will be responsible for bringing Gowrie's insurance solutions and risk management services to individuals, families, and organizations throughout New England and beyond. Steve has severed on more than 20 corporate boards from a diverse universe of companies and nonprofits, including serving on the board of the National Fish & Wildlife Foundation and the advisory board of Boston Private Bank. He is a trustee and former Commodore of Shelter Island Yacht Club. Steve graduated from University of Wyoming and has an MBA and MAAP from Duke University. Schram will operate out of Gowrie's office in Darien. He can be reached at steves@gowrie.com. Read more »

Gowrie Group is excited to announce their corporate sponsorship of the 2016 Devon Horse Show & Country Fair. Devon is the oldest and largest outdoor multi-breed competition in the United States. This year’s show will take place in Devon, PA from May 26th to June 5th. Gowrie Group is sponsoring the Ladies Side Saddle division as well as providing the Champion and Reserve Champion of each division with a saddle pad. Kiley Prime, an accomplished rider and a Personal Lines and Equine Insurance Specialist at Gowrie Group, will be joining Holly Griffin who manages Gowrie Group’s Equine, Farm, and Ranch division at the 2016 Devon Horse Show. Read more »

Raising the roof and raising funds: Gowrie Group is a Silver Sponsor of Raise the Roof’s Habitat Humanity Build on the Guilford Green. Gowrie Group is proud to announce their support and involvement with Raise the Roof’s 2016 Build Project to benefit Habitat for Humanity of New Haven. Gowrie Group has supported both the New Haven and Hartford chapters of Habitat for Humanity for many years, through various donations, including a long time involvement in golf tournament fundraiser Sticks for Bricks. To compliment Gowrie Group’s financial support, fifteen Gowrie Group employees assembled on the Guilford Green on Saturday, May 21 for hands-on construction work. Read more »

Employer HR Brief - Tips for Implementing Progressive Discipline and Continue to Use Current Form I-9 Read more »

Line of Duty Injury and Disability Retirement Seminar sponsored by Gowrie Group. Chief Roy McNamee (ret.) representing Gowrie Group, and Attorneys John J. Clifford Esq. and Jaime L. Kenny Esq. representing Clifford and Kenny LLP will present information and answer questions on how to effectively manage a line of duty injury claim and disability retirement claim in your organization. May 17, 2016; Barnstable, MA. Read more »

The National Sailing Hall of Fame (NSHOF) and Gowrie Group are excited to announce the continuation of their partnership to collect, preserve, and present maritime stories – this year with a focus on stories related to the Adams Cup. This partnership is a continuation of Gowrie Group’s ongoing support of the NSHOF. In 2015, Gowrie Group was the lead sponsor of the NSHOF’s initiative to collect and preserve Yacht Club stories. Read more »

Insurance companies are becoming less restrictive – and offering more competitive pricing – for insuring direct waterfront homes and homes near the water. That means now is the time to consider new markets for insuring your coastal properties and island homes. The coastal insurance experts at Gowrie Group have the solutions you need to best insure and protect your valuable coastal, waterfront, and island properties. Our team also has extensive expertise in helping clients navigate the complex seascape of primary and excess flood insurance, flood zone determinations, elevation certificates, and FEMA. www.gowrie.com/coastal

Live well, Work well - Healthy Lifestyles and May is National Stroke Awareness Month Read more »

Despite background checks, “bad actors” sometimes slip through the cracks. If one of these individuals is your nanny, driver, housekeeper, or gardener, they may represent your greatest threat for a significant lawsuit, especially if your relationship with them takes a turn south. In addition to the risk of mis-hiring, employer behavior can be misinterpreted and mistakes made. Affluent families with household help should talk to their agents about the benefits of a standalone employment practices liability insurance policy (EPLI) or an endorsement to their existing personal liability policy. While many states don’t require employers to obtain workers’ compensation insurance for their domestic employees, purchasing workers compensation for domestic help is prudent risk management. Lacking this, you could face significant exposure if one of your domestic workers is injured on the job or becomes ill, and choses to file a lawsuit. www.gowrie.com/frm

Benefits Newsletter - Supreme Court hears contraceptive coverage case, Phase 2 of HIPAA Audit program and a tweak to the tax code could allow employers to pay back employees' student debt. Read more »

You’ve worked hard to build a great life for your family. How do you protect what you’ve earned going forward? You’ve built a life full of promise. The question is, are you properly covered to protect your way of life should any number of perils that did not exist even five years ago present themselves? The professionals at Gowrie Group, Connecticut’s largest independent personal insurance agency, lie awake at night worrying about all you have to lose, so that you don’t have to. Read more »

Waterfront homes, coastal properties, island homes, and homes near the coast all by nature face a higher risk of damage from wind, water, flooding, storms, hurricanes, nor’easters, and extreme weather. Gowrie Group understands the complex, multidimensional risks these properties – and their owners – face. Our team has great expertise at creating comprehensive insurance programs to protect these often hard to insure coastal properties. Our team also has extensive expertise in helping clients navigate the complex seascape of primary and excess flood insurance, flood zone determinations, elevation certificates, and FEMA. Coastal Home Insurance

Employer HR Brief - EEOC proposes revised guidance on retaliation, and IRS: Payroll and HR Targets of new phishing scheme. Read more »

Live well, Work well: Coffee may combat alcohol's effect on the liver, Loneliness considered a public health problem, and avoiding spring allergies. Read more »

Benefits Newsletter - Affordable Care Act litigation may affect employers and ACA rule changes for 2017 Read more »

It is time to prepare for the upcoming boating season. As you ready your boats and family for a safe and enjoyable season, we encourage you to take the time to review these helpful resources. Read more »

The Burgee Program and Gowrie Group have developed an Emergency Response Plan "Card" Template to give clubs and community sailing programs a strong starting point from which to create an Emergency Card for their specific location. This template has been developed collaboratively with input from safety experts at Gowrie Group, US Sailing, and sailing programs across the country. The card is designed to be posted in the sailing facility and to be laminated for use in safety boats. Read more »

Meet The Burgee Insurance Program, the most comprehensive insurance program available to sailing clubs, community programs, and sailing organizations. The program is endorsed by US Sailing, underwritten by Chubb, and managed by the marine insurance experts at Gowrie Group. Gowrie Group is proud to say that we insure more than 1,000 sailing organizations nationwide, including more than 100 community sailing programs. One of the best things about the Burgee Insurance Program is the special coverage that is built into the program to protect sailing organizations when they are doing what sailing organizations always do - run regattas, host social events, teach sailing, sponsor rendezvous, and borrow boats. The program also has the right coverage in place for your historic clubhouse, treasured trophies, docks & floats, club owned boats, flag officers, members, volunteers, employees, and more. Read more »

Employer HR Brief - Department of Labor Standards for Joint Employment and Political Discussions in the Workplace Read more »

Important recommendations from ACE to prepare your boat or yacht for fire emergencies: where to locate, what type(s) you need, how to maintain, how to use, and more. Learn what you need and how to handle emergency fire situations on boats. Read more »

Employee Brochure "live well, work well": Lead Water Poisoning, Zika: What you should know, and 3 diets to help you follow the new dietary guidelines. Read more »

Our insurance carrier partners and our clients continue to see a dramatic increase in attempted – and successful – Social Engineering Fraud attacks. We advise you to take the time to understand what these attacks look like, train your employees, evaluate your internal controls, and contact us to discuss strategies to improve your crime and cyber coverage. Read more »

Benefits Newsletter - Recent court rulings raise questions about FMLA and IRS clarifies ACA rules for employer-provided coverage Read more »

Gowrie Group proudly supports the Katharine Hepburn Cultural Arts Center with an annual sponsorship for 2016. The generous sponsorship from Gowrie Group enables the Kate to continue to develop unique and diverse productions, as it enters into its seventh year of operations. Brett Elliott, the Executive Director of the Kate shared, “We are thrilled to partner with Gowrie Group this year to produce wonderful entertainment with creativity and wit, just like our namesake. Carter Gowrie has been instrumental in numerous initiatives here at the Kate, since his time joining the Board of Trustees. It is with great pleasure that we welcome Carter and the Gowrie Group into the family here at the Kate.” Read more »

Employer HR Brief - February 2016: Form I-9 Self-audit Guidance and educate employees on 401(k) loans Read more »

Steve Schram’s focus is to actively manage wealthy families’ insurance coverage in the same way they would expect their investment manager might handle their finances — remain constantly vigilant for oversights and gaps and consistently scout for the best policies from carriers. At one time a senior executive with the Boston Celtics, Schram today is an insurance specialist in the Darien office of Gowrie Group, Connecticut's leading insurance brokerage firm for whom Schram is spearheading the development of Gowrie Group's Family Risk Management practice. Read the full article in the Stamford Advocate or Greenwich Times to learn more. Read more »

Listen to the radio interview of Ed Gumbrecht, Gowrie COO & President, being interviewed for the “Small Business Report” by CBS radio personality, Joe Connolly. Read more »

Live Well, Work Well - The Importance of Good Posture, FDA aims to ban minors from tanning beds, and preventing foodborne illnesses. Read more »

Gowrie Group's 150 employees worked together to collect $750 from each other to give a holiday gift to the partner/owners of Gowrie Group. The gift, a $750 donation on their behalf to the Veteran Angler Charters of West Haven, CT, was presented to the seven partners of Gowrie Group. The Gowrie Group partners were so inspired by their employees' outreach and generosity that they doubled the donation, bringing the donated amount to a sizable $1,500 contribution. Veteran Angler Charters is a non-profit organization based in West Haven, Connecticut. The organization offers memorable fishing trips for active duty, retired, wounded, and recovering veterans and their families at no cost. Gowrie Group is Connecticut's top independent insurance agency and one of the Top-50 agencies in the nation. Read more »

Benefits Newsletter - ACA reporting deadlines delayed and Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) proposes increased out-of-pocket maximums Read more »

The Gowrie Group Challenge has passed the "Million Dollar Mark!" Over the past 12 years the annual Gowrie Challenge has raised over one million dollars for The Shoreline Soup Kitchens & Pantries. Donations from this year's challenge (which ended 1/15/16) reached over $150,000, breaking all previous records for total dollars raised. The Gowrie Group Challenge is an annual fundraising challenge where Gowrie Group announces a $25,000 dollar for dollar matching donation to the Shoreline Soup Kitchens. Read more »

Gowrie Group is proud to be the Platinum Sponsor of the US Sailing Leadership Forum 2016, to be held Feb 4-6th in San Diego. Our presentations include: Insurance Doesn't Matter Until it Does, Junior Sailing Program Safety, JR Sailing Volunteer Chair Survival Guide, and Regatta Safety. More than 1000 yacht clubs, community sailing program, and sailing industry leaders will be in attendance. Representing Gowrie Group will be Whitney Peterson, Steve Prime, Dan Cooney, Kellie Crete, and Rick Bagnall. Read more »

Employer Benefits Bulletin - New spending bill delays Cadillac Tax, Final ACA market reform rules released, IRS releases tax guidance on same-sex marriage issues,and ACA automatic enrollment requirement repealed. Read more »

Dawn Speros and Steve Prime of Gowrie Group will be giving an e-seminar on "Social Engineering & Funds Transfer Fraud" to members of the Yacht Brokers Association of America in February. Dawn Speros and Steve Prime are both marine insurance experts; Dawn specializes in yachts and Steve in marine companies and yacht clubs. Seminar Description: There is an increasingly common type of crime known as “Social Engineering” funds fraud, and 59% of attacks are directed at small and medium sized businesses. Social Engineering Fraud Defined = when an employee is intentionally misled into spending money or diverting a payment based on fraudulent information that is provided to them in written or verbal communication such as an email, fax, letter or even a phone call. Read more »

Our partners at VFIS have published a free cyber self-assessment check list for organizations and companies. 1. Take stock. Know what personal information you have in your files and on your computers. 2. Scale down. Keep only what you need for your business. 3. Lock it. Protect the information that you keep. 4. Pitch it. Properly dispose of what you no longer need. 5. Plan ahead. Create a plan to respond to security. Download the PDF for the full list. Read more »

Employer HR Brief - ACA Reporting Requirements - A Basic Overview, and End-of-year Employee Communications. Read more »

In today's world, where hacking is the new home break-in, it is becoming increasingly difficult for families to protect themselves and their assets from new and emerging threats. Gowrie Group's Family Risk Management (FRM) solution is an innovative new approach to help affluent families reduce and manage their overall exposure to new and latent risks, including cyber-crime, social engineering fraud, teen drivers, domestic help, and more. To announce this innovative new program, Gowrie authored an informative white paper and infographic – New and Latent Threats to Affluent Families – to assist people with understanding the new and emerging risks families and individuals are facing today. Read more »

To support the announcement of Gowrie Group's Family Risk Management solution, Gowrie has published an informative white paper and infographic – New and Latent Threats to Affluent Families – to assist people with understanding the new and emerging risks families and individuals are facing today. This white paper and accompanying infographic are available for complimentary download on Gowrie's website. Download Here.

Employee Brochure "live well, work well": In defense of coffee, sugar substitutes, and New Year's Resolutions Read more »

Benefits Newsletter - ACA repeal passes Senate, Veto Expected and Government investigating rising drug costs Read more »

In December, Gowrie Group’s 150 employees worked together to collect $750 from each other to give to the partner/owners of Gowrie Group as a holiday gift. The gift was presented to the seven partners, Carter Gowrie, Ed Gumbrecht, Skip Young, Chris Pesce, Brad Preston, John Fisher, and Chris Brodeur, as a $750 donation, on their behalf, to the Veteran Angler Charters of West Haven, CT. The partners were so inspired by their employees’ outreach and generosity that they offered to double the donation, bringing the donated amount to a sizable $1,500 contribution. Read more »

ACA Reporting Deadlines Delayed - On December 28, 2015, the IRS issues Notice 2016-4 which extends the deadlines for 2015 ACA reporting under Sections 6055 and 6056. Read more »

Wishing all our clients, colleagues, and friends a Happy Holiday for Gowrie Group at the North Pole! Read more »

Listen to the WLIS radio coverage of the launch of the 12th Gowrie Group Challenge to benefit the Shoreline Soup Kitchen. Bob of WLIS interviews Carter Gowrie, CEO and Founder of Gowrie Group; Patty Dowling, Executive Director of the Shoreline Soup Kitchens, and Lindas Dillon, Gowrie Group Benefits Account Manager. Gowrie Group aims to raise $125,000, which will put the lifetime total of the Gowrie Challenge at One Million Dollars to benefit the Shoreline Soup Kitchens & Pantries. Read more »

On November 15th, Gowrie Group launched its 12th annual Gowrie Challenge with a matching gift of $25,000 to The Shoreline Soup Kitchens & Pantries. Our partner sponsors –The Safety Zone, LC Doane Company, Tower Labs, Lenny & Joe’s Fish Tale, and the Tariq Farid Foundation - are providing an additional $22,500 in matching funds. Meeting this year's goal of raising $125,000 will put the lifetime total amount raised by the Gowrie Group Shoreline Soup Kitchen Challenge over the Million Dollar mark. We are challenging local businesses and individuals to join together to help us reach our goal. The number of people in need in our communities continues to rise; the SSKP has seen a 14% increase in the amount of food distributed at their five local pantries already this year. Now is the time to help. The Gowrie Challenge runs from November 15th to December 31st. Read more »

Live well, Work well: Remember to get a flu shot, Simple tips to reduce food waste, Pack a work lunch to stay healthy and save money and vegetable chili. Read more »

Your accounting department receives new wiring instructions from a trusted vendor. No problem, right? It could be fine, but what if they are mistaken and the email is from someone posing as your vendor. There is an increasingly common type of crime known as “Social Engineering” funds fraud, and 59% of attacks are directed at small and medium sized businesses . In today’s digital and connected world, attackers of this type hide in the anonymity of cyber space; and they pose as a trusted vendor, prospect, client, or employee to deceptively gain the confidence of an employee and induce them to part with money. Read more »

Gowrie Group is proud to be the presenting sponsor of the 2015 New England Museum Association annual conference. We look forward to spending 3 days in Portland, Maine with vibrant, engaged museum professionals, as we all come together to learn, grow, connect, and expand our vision of museum excellence. Gowrie's museum and non-profit experts, Dan Cooney, Rick Bagnall, and Chris Brodeur will present an interactive seminar on November 4, 2015, called "Insurance to Protect Directors, Volunteers, Employees and Yourself!" Seminar Overview: What you don’t know can hurt you. This session will explore why executive protection including D&O insurance and Employment Practices Liability is so important and why Executive Directors and board members must take a pro-active role on insurance matters. You will walk away from this session with specific questions to ask your agent, risk management best practices, and smart advice related to D&O and EPLI, Social Engineering Cyber Funds Fraud, Liquor Liability, ACA, and Volunteer Protection. www.gowrie.com/museums Read more »

Employer HR Brief - Be Informed on Transgender Accommodation, Uber Case Highlights Employee Classification Enforcement, and Did you know giving employees the option to telecommute and work flexible hours may garner loyalty from your current employees and help attract and retain new ones. Read more »

Gowrie Group Claim Services will be presenting a seminar on November 5th in Stoneham MA to municipal officials. The seminar will cover Chapter 41, Sections 100 and 111F Claims, and their administration for municipal officials. Presenters include Chief Roy B McNamee, EFO Ret. Managing Director of Gowrie Claims Services; and John Clifford, Esq., and Jaime Kenny Esq. of Clifford & Kenny, LLP. To RSVP, contact Gowrie Group at 781.536.6920x1603. Read more »

A strong team of Gowrie Group marine insurance experts will be heading to the Annapolis Boat Shows - Power & Sail - October 8th to 18th. Our team looks forward to meeting with clients, marine companies, and the more 150,000 attendees.

Live well, Work well: Monitor physical activity with a fitness tracker, Sleep and your health, and Health benefits of Oatmeal. Read more »

Benefits Newsletter - Guidelines finalized for electronic reporting under sections 6055 and 6056,IRS clarifies section 6055 reporting for HRAs and some workplaces are considering offering repayment assistance for student loan debt. Read more »

Hurricane JOAQUIN continues to intensify. While a complicated atmospheric pattern is making its exact future track difficult to predict at this time, a potential East Coast landfall is possible. Extreme flooding is also a strong possibility. We advise you to keep a close watch on this storm over the next several days and to begin preparation steps early. Gowrie Group's Severe Storm Center contains smart advice and resources for how to best prepare for, respond to, and recover from severe weather. Read more »

The Gowrie Group team had a very successful 2015 Newport International Boat Show, September 17-20th. Our team delivered over 500 pounds of Bishop's Orchard apples to all our clients and friends. Thanks to all our clients that came by and visited with us, we enjoyed seeing everyone. Congratulations to the NIBS team for hosting a fantastic show! Read more »

The Dyer Dhow Derby is an annual regatta held in honor of the yacht clubs, sailing associations, and individuals who have donated to or supported the Dyer Dhow fleet of more than 50 boats at Mystic Seaport. Gowrie Group, Mystic Seaport’s insurance partner, is the presenting sponsor of the 2015 Dyer Dhow Derby. We encourage organizations and clubs to field a team and come race. All races will be held on the Mystic River across from the dock at the north end of the Mystic Seaport Museum grounds. Registration and admission to the Seaport is free to all teams. Registration is at 11am. Racing starts at 12:30. Divisions include: Juniors (under-14), Men’s, Women’s, Double’s, Quarter-Ton. Registration online (free) at www.mysticseaport.org/learn/sailing/dyer-dhow-fleet/dyer-dhow-derby-registration/ Read more »

Employer HR Brief - Department of Labor (DOL) clarifies worker classification and educate employees on cyber security. Read more »

Live Well, Work well - September is fruit and veggie month, Blood pressure readings demystified, understanding food expiration dates and storing food in the refrigerator. Read more »

Benefits Newsletter - Final Rule on Religious Exemptions to Contraceptive Coverage, PCORI Fee FAQs and did you know the IRS released the 2015 draft instructions for reporting under Code Sections 6055 and 6056. Read more »

Come visit Gowrie Group at the 2015 Newport International Boat Show, September 17-20th. We will be in Tent D #24. Once again we will be giving out 500 pounds of Bishop's Orchard apples to all our clients and friends. Read more »

Once again, Gowrie Group is named as one of the Top-50 independent property/casualty insurance agencies nationwide by Insurance Journal, in their annual Top-100 Independent Property/Casualty Agencies report. The Top-100 list is ranked by total property/casualty agency revenue for 2014. Read more »

Summer is here and that means hotter weather and higher risks for heat related illnesses such as heat stress. Many occupations require work in hot environments for long periods of time. Following these safety guidelines can effectively reduce the risk of heat illnesses. Read more »

Employer HR Brief - U.S. Supreme Court Legalizes Same-sex Marriage and DOL Issues Proposed Rule to Expand Overtime Protections Read more »

Our 7th Annual Luncheon to benefit the Old Saybrook Soup Kitchen site was a tremendous success thanks to over 40 Gowrie employees who united to generously donate cash and or ingredients, bake, schlep or volunteer at the site. The Gowrie crew worked in wonderful tandem to provide a nutritious meal, a warm and inviting venue and take home cookie bags. As always, the Soup Kitchen guests shared rave reviews. Claire Bellerjeau, the Director of Development for the SSKP, offered her appreciation by providing a collage photograph. Thanks also to our hardworking intern, Mary Brodeur. Gowrie Group's annual Soup Kitchen Challenge, kicks-off on November 15, 2015; with a goal of raising more than $125,000 for the SSKP. Read more »

Hurricanes have the potential to cause significant disruption in the operations of facilities. In order to minimize the potential for a public impact and to provide continuity of operations, consider the following actions before and after a hurricane impacts your facilities. Each facility/town should have a site specific Emergency Response Plan. Read more »

Barbara Cooper speaks to C5 Crossroads for Kids: C5 New England is a community program run by Crossroads for Kids, a prominent youth development organization that has served Massachusetts since 1936. C5 New England inspires high-potential youth from risk-filled environments to pursue personal success, to prepare them for college, work and life, and to motivate them to become role models for others in their communities. Barbara Cooper and 2 Chubb professionals met at Brook & Whittle’s Guilford office on 8/11 to speak with a group of eight C5 kids and 2 facilitators from the program including Allyson Gunn, the Director of Strategic Partnerships. Chubb sent two individuals who participate in their Diversity Council in the Simsbury office - Shana Stodolski a Specialty Lines Underwriter and Michelle Aroko from the Specialty Claims Service Center. They spoke to the kids about insurance as a business, how to get into insurance, and about education and how important it is to stick with it no matter what. Each speaker shared a story about the unexpected turns life takes and the important of being adaptable and open to change. Barbara shared her thoughts on personal brand and conducting yourself with integrity and excellence no matter what the job or task is. http://www.crossroads4kids.org/index.cfm/page/C5-Teen-Leadership-Program/pid/10272

Safe storage of propane cylinders/tanks, combined with understanding how propane responds to environmental conditions, helps ensure that tanks are not damaged and do not cause damage to surrounding property. Proper storage prevents explosions and prevents having tanks “rocket” through facilities and/or properties. This Gowrie Group Risk Report provides an overview of safe propane storage and handling. Read more »

New England Science & Sailing Foundation (NESS) and Gowrie Group are proud to announce that Gowrie Group will be the Presenting Sponsor for the third annual Mystic Oyster Fest. August 16th, at the Mystic Art Center. Read more »

Benefits Newsletter - U.S Supreme Court Upholds ACA Subsidies in Federal Exchanges, Final Rule Updates the SBC Requirement, the IRS releases 2015 draft versions of the forms that employers will use to report under Internal Revenue Code Sections 6055 and 6056. Read more »

Employer HR Brief - Supreme Court Rules on Abercrombie Religious Discrimination Case, Department of Labor sends proposed Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) Regulations to OMB, Department of Labor has posted new model FMLA medical certifications and notices with an expiration date of May 31, 2018. Read more »

Health Care Reform: PCORI Fees due July 31, 2015 Read more »

Live Well, Work Well - The Effect of E-cigarettes on Health, Shop the Farmers Market, Outdoor summer activities, Pesticides and Produce, and a delicious recipe for Ratatouille. Read more »

Benefits Newsletter - Family plans must embed out-of-pocket limits in 2016, IRS issues new Q&As on section 6056 reporting, the ACAs excise tax (or the "Cadillac tax") is set to take effect in 2018. Read more »

Employer Benefits Bulletin - Quarter 3 Abercrombie discrimination case, King v. Burwell on ACA subsidies, Embedded out-of-pocket maximum for family coverage, PTO trends revealed in recent survey Read more »

Employer HR Brief - June 2015: Making the Case for Good Job Descriptions, EEOC Issues Proposed Rule on ADA and Wellness Programs and Recent survey conducted by Gallup regarding female managers. Read more »

Live Well, Work Well - The health benefits of sunlight exposure, swimming for exercise, and cataract awareness month. Read more »

Benefits Newsletter: Agencies plan to issue final rules for SBC Requirements, Plan offerings now diverging by group size and IRS releases inflation-adjusted limits for health savings accounts (HSAs) for calendar year 2016. Read more »

The 2015 Hurricane Season runs from June 1 to November 30. Gowrie Group encourages you to take time now to update your family’s emergency plan, outline your plan to secure your boats and protect your property, and restock your storm kits. Visit our Hurricane Storm Center to access detailed preparation resources and guides. Hurricane Storm Center

Dawn Speros, Gowrie Group's marine insurance veteran and licensed USCG captain’s, will educate boat owners and future owners about marine insurance, navigation territories, coverage, and claims. Topics will include liability coverage, international medical coverage, north/south restrictions, named windstorm deductibles and the differences between the agreed value and actual cash value policies. She will be giving two seminars on Thurs June 4th on this topic, as a stand alone seminar and as part of the "Boat Buyers Survival Guide" panel. The International Cruising Boat Expo will be held June 4-7 at Brewer Essex Island Marina in Essex, Connecticut. Read more »

Gowrie Group is proud to team with the Connecticut River Museum and the Rotary Club of Essex to sponsor the 2015 Essex Shad Bake on June 6. For shad lovers, the lure is the secret ingredients and the authentic method of preparation and cooking handed down from Connecticut natives. Done in front of the fire, the fish picks up the smoky flavor of the fire with the seasoned oak boards on which it is cooked. Read more »

Gowrie Group is excited to announce our corporate sponsorship of the 2015 Devon Horse Show & Country Fair. Devon is the oldest and largest outdoor multi-breed competition in the United States. It is internationally recognized, USEF-A rated, and one of the most exciting equine events of the year. The event draws top competitors from around the world. This year’s show will take place in Devon, PA from May 21st to 31st. Gowrie Group is partnering with Great American Insurance Group to sponsor the Championship and Reserve Championship of each division and will be giving away saddle pads to the winners. Gowrie Group is proud to insure both the Devon Horse Show and the show grounds.

Gowrie Group / VFIS are proud to be on the scene helping local communities by providing safety training to local fire departments. More than 30 students from fire departments and EMS organizations from across Connecticut and Rhode Island attended the engaging “train-the-trainer” Emergency Vehicle Driver Class held at the CT Fire Academy in Windsor Lock on May 7th & 8th. The course was organized and sponsored by Jeff Rudzavice of Gowrie Group. The attendees were taught the instructional methodology needed to deliver this program to others. The operator of emergency vehicles in today's society carry a heavy responsibility. This program teaches emergency vehicle operators proper driving technique and the mental as well as the physical aspects of the driving task. View class photo >> Read more »

Kiley Prime, an equine insurance expert for Gowrie Group, was interviewed by Equine Journal. She shared smart and practical advice for college seniors, about how to transition from college and barns, to the "real working world." Read more »

Live Well, Work Well - May is skin cancer detection and prevention month, The importance of resistance training, Save money by shopping for In-Season Produce, and monthly recipe. Read more »

Gowrie Group is proud to be sponsoring the 2015 Tour-de-Lyme bike ride and to be conducting a bike drive to benefit Bikes-for-Kids. Bike drive to Benefit “Bikes for Kids” at Gowrie Group on May 21st. Do you have old bikes taking up space in your garage or shed? Great news, you can clear out space and donate your bikes to “Bikes to Kids”. They accept bikes of all types, sizes, and conditions – kids bikes, adult bikes, mountain bikes, road bikes, and more. Donated bikes are repaired, tuned, and then given away with a helmet to needy kids and families in CT. “Bikes For Kids” collects, refurbishes, and distributes refurbished bikes to needy families primarily in New London, New Haven, Middletown, and Hartford. Gowrie Group is sponsoring the 2015 Tour de Lyme bike ride which is taking place on May 17th. The Tour de Lyme is a charity cycling event organized to help support the Lyme Land Conservation Trust’s preservation and stewardship activities of its scenic recreation properties, natural woodlands and wildlife and fish and fowl water, habitats. If you would like to ride, you can register online, make sure to select “Team Gowrie.”

Benefits Newsletter - Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Issues Final Rule affecting ACA for 2016, Few employers cutting hours to avoid ACA fines, and introducing Telemedicine. Read more »

Portable fire extinguishers can be found everywhere; in homes, in the workplace, on boats, in vehicles. But just having extinguishers around is not enough, especially in the workplace. When extinguishers are provided for use by employees, OSHA’s standards for placement, use, maintenance, and testing must be complied with – both for safety and to avoid multiple $7,000 fines. Read more »

As you ready your boat for a safe and enjoyable season on the water, take the time to review these helpful preparation resources. Spring is also a good time to double check your insurance policies and make sure your specified launch date (lay-up) and cruising area (navigation) align with your boating plans for the year. Read more »

Kristen Lincoln,