The trees are turning umber and hats and scarves are making their first appearances of the year on our commute to the Benchmark office. It can all only mean one thing... Autumn is now in full swing!

And while we're all personally enjoying the marvels of seasonal change on our routes to work (the foliage of East London is looking particularly stunning after the mild summer we enjoyed), as insurance brokers, it's our profession to understand that each new season brings it's own unique risks for businesses and individuals to protect themselves against.

Are you confident in your current cover? At this time of year, it's worth taking stock of your insurance and making sure you, your staff and your business premises (as well as your home!) are protected against seasonal mishaps such as rogue fireworks and the impacts of the upcoming frosty weather.

This newsletter is all about preparation. Whether you're interested in 'navigating the maze' of business insurance, learning about the new apprenticeship levy or want to get to grips with the changes in Insurance Premium Tax, it's definitely worth reading. Looking forward, we've also included a handy winter checklist so you can start planning how to mitigate your risk as we progress further into 2016 and beyond.

Read the Benchmark Autumn Newsletter here