Check out the latest edition of our newsletter!
Protection Team News A RARE KIND OF SPRING Good News on Hurricanes, Insurance, and the Rays
Sunshine After the Storms Page 1 Tampa Bay’s Hidden Gems (According to Our Staff) Page 2 VOL 18, ISSUE 5 The Silent Burnout Behind ‘I Don’t Care, You Choose’ Page 3 Fresh Spaces. Spotless Savings Page 3
Spring is here, and I have to say, this is one of those rare newsletters where I get to share nothing but good news. We could all use some of that right now. The biggest question I get every spring is always the same one: How bad will hurricane season be? This year, the forecast is genuinely encouraging. AccuWeather and other leading meteorologists are projecting a near- to below-average 2026 Atlantic hurricane season, largely because of a developing El Niño.
Now, I never want anyone to get too comfortable; all it takes is one storm making a direct hit to make any season feel terrible. June 1 is not far away. Please don’t let a favorable forecast be a reason to delay reviewing your coverage or getting your hurricane plan in order. On the homeowners insurance front, I have more good news. Citizens Property Insurance recently announced its first statewide rate decrease since 2015: an average reduction of 8.7%, with some South Florida counties seeing cuts above 14%. State Farm has filed for a 10% reduction statewide, and several other carriers have followed with double-digit reductions. The 2022 and 2023 legislative reforms that eliminated abusive assignment-of-benefits and litigation practices are working. Seventeen new carriers have entered the Florida market, competition is returning, and policyholders are finally starting to feel it. We have been waiting years for this. If your policy is up for renewal, call us before it auto-renews. You may have more options than you realize. Finally, the best story of the spring: The Rays are back home. After Hurricane Milton tore open the roof of Tropicana Field in October 2024 and forced the team to spend all of 2025 playing at Steinbrenner Field in Tampa, the Rays came back on April 6 and beat the Chicago Cubs 6-4 in front of a packed, electric house. The $57.7 million restoration brought a new roof, new turf, and a refreshed ballpark. This community has been through a lot over the past couple of years, and there was something genuinely special about watching a full house welcome baseball back to St. Pete. Welcome home, Rays. Until next month,
Referral Winner Page 4
Wacky May Holidays Page 5
Puzzle Time! Page 5
When You Wish ...
Sizzling Chinese Pepper Steak With Onions Page 5 April Puzzle Winner and March Referrals! Page 6
NOAA expects El Niño to emerge this summer and persist through the end of the year. For those who don’t follow weather closely, El Niño increases wind shear over the Atlantic. It's essentially high-altitude winds that tear apart developing storms before they can intensify. The last time we had a quiet season was 2015, and forecasters believe we could be in for another one this year.
–Darren
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TEAM PICKS: Tampa Bay Edition
Happy hour favorite: Irish 31 Pub House, Seminole, with my girls. Hidden gem: I love the outside market on the second Saturday each month at Coachman Park. COLLEEN SPARKMAN Go-to relax spot (beach, park, etc.): The Book Rescuers. This is the biggest book warehouse I have ever been in. They have books, board games, DVDs, and VHS. It’s a gold mine. Buying books gets expensive, and all their books are priced at $1–$3, so it’s perfect for a cheap splurge.
CHRISTINE EARLE Best casual bite: Texas Roadhouse. Our family loves steak and ribs. They opened one in Odessa, which is our go-to spot. Coffee stop: We are from Massachusetts, so it has always been Dunkin. Go-to relax spot: Dunedin Causeway (Honeymoon Island). We love to go and watch a sunset or look for dolphins.
Happy hour favorite: Caledonia Brewing, Dunedin. Often there for music trivia, my bands play there, and I DJ there every third Friday!
Dunedin Causeway at Sunset
John & his band performing at Caledonia Brewing
Hidden gem: Pickles Plus Deli in Clearwater. Great food and service, try the Hot Joey! MARY RIVERA ABRAMS Best casual bite: I’m from PA (close to Philly), and I love Delco’s cheesesteaks! Coffee stop:
Happy hour favorite: Frozen drinks like pina colada or strawberry daiquiri on a rare occasion. Hidden gem: We try new restaurants all the time. Unfortunately, I am a one-and- done person; if I get a meal I didn’t like, I do not return to try something else. LOL! JOHN O’BRIEN Best casual bite: Eddie’s Bar & Grill (Dunedin, Largo, Bay Pines, Westchase) The boneless wings over fries with the “Killer” sauce is a staple in our house.
Ice Cream and Beans in Missouri, where one of my HS mentees works. Go-to relax spot: It’s always the beach. The sunset is a given with my sweetie.
The Book Rescuers Warehouse
SARA BORGESON Best Casual Bite/Coffee Stop/Hidden Gem: I enjoy Le Belleair Café in Clearwater for delicious coffee and tasty croissants.
Mary & her high school mentee at Ice Cream and Beans, where she works!
Boneless wings over fries with the "Killer" sauce at Eddie’s Bar & Grill
Coffee stop: Not a coffee drinker, but we frequent Wawa for grab-and-go. Go-to relax spot: The record stores of Pinellas County, that’s my happy place.
Mary & Sara at the outside market at Coachman Park
Le Belleair Café in Clearwater
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1200 Belcher Rd. S., Suite 1 Largo, FL 33771-3315 Phone: (727) 748-2886
You just got home from work and exchanged greetings with your spouse or significant other. Before long, the dreaded question is going to come up: “What do you want for dinner?” You hem and haw, pondering your choices before asking them if there is anything they want. They respond similarly. Is it indifference, or is your brain too worn out from making decisions all day? Every day, we make countless decisions. Some are conscious, such as choosing what to have for lunch or deciding which work tasks to do first. However, we also make subconscious decisions while driving, talking with coworkers, and progressing through our day. As we make more and more choices, our brains get worn out, leading to decision fatigue. From that point until we go to bed at night, it becomes almost impossible to provide clear answers to direct questions or make any other decisions. Decision fatigue feels similar to brain fog. You’ve used your brain to the point of exhaustion, and now, it’s going to look for any shortcut when you try to make another decision. Your mind may encourage you to put off the decision until later, act impulsively against your better judgment, or avoid the thought altogether. When none of those options present themselves, you’re left with indecision. It may seem impossible to limit our choices throughout any given day, but it’s necessary if we want to avoid decision fatigue. Some beneficial strategies include setting strong daily routines, delegating decision-making to coworkers or family, and stopping any thoughts that lead you to second-guess a choice you’ve already made. If the simple questions your spouse, kids, or friends ask you create stress for you after a long day of work, you’re likely experiencing decision fatigue. Awareness of this issue is the first step toward finding a reprieve from it! YOUR BRAIN ISN’T INDECISIVE It’s Exhausted!
Whether you greet spring-cleaning with sheer delight or utter dread, it doesn’t need to be expensive or complicated. While supermarket shelves are stocked with pricey products that will clean out your wallet as much as your clutter, there are simpler, less costly ways to make your home sparkle for the season. Here are a few surprising household cleaning hacks that will beautify your living space while being kind to your budget. GIVE YOUR SCRAPS A SECOND CHANCE. It’s often shocking how much we throw away without giving these items a helpful new purpose. You know all those used dryer sheets you toss away without a second thought? In addition to having a fresh scent, these frequently discarded pieces of cloth can work well as makeshift dusters for everything from your TV to your blinds. Speaking of blinds, don’t rush to throw out your next pair of worn-out socks. When dampened and slipped over your hands, they can remove dust and dirt from your slats as pristinely as most store-bought cleaners. ELIMINATE EVERYDAY ANNOYANCES. Now, let’s focus on two of the most frustrating cleaning chores imaginable: getting the mounds of dust and dirt off a ceiling fan and ridding your windows of those annoying streaks left by paper towels. For the first obstacle, you can find an unlikely solution in your bedroom. If you have a spent pillowcase that’s ready for the trash, use it instead to capture the crud on your fan! Put it over each blade and slowly wipe down the surface. The cloth will catch the dirt, and the space in the pillowcase will trap it, preventing it from spilling onto your floor. As for those streaked windows, life can be made simpler if you’re a coffee drinker. Why? Because unused filters are super-absorbent and can remove those lingering lines in a flash. With a bit of resourcefulness and creativity, your spring-cleaning routine can keep your home blissful without breaking the bank. Cost-Savvy Clean CHEAP AND CLEVER SPRINGTIME HOME HACKS
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Toll free (800) 828-2226 Fax (727) 577-4991
vermost.com newsletter@vermost.com
BE A LIFESAVER We want to thank everyone who referred their friends, family, and coworkers to Vermost Insurance throughout 2025. When you refer someone to us, you receive rewards for each referral and are entered into 2025 REFERRAL WINNER! 2026 REFERRAL PROGRAM
monthly and annual drawings for additional, even bigger prizes. Your referrals mean a lot to us, and we want to reward you for helping us grow our Vermost Insurance family. The annual grand prize winner of our 2025 referral program was Richard Claybrooke. He received a $500 Amazon gift card plus a $250 donation to the charity of his choice. If you want a shot at the 2026 prize, keep sending referrals our way. Your referrals make us happy, and we hope our referral program makes you happy, too!
Richard Claybrooke was our 2025 referral winner of a $500 Amazon gift card plus a $250 donation to a charity of his choice.
Be Entered in MONTHLY Drawings for • A $50 GIFT CARD • PLUS ... ANNUAL Drawing for a
• EACH Referral • $5 Starbucks Gift Certificate • 3 FL Lottery Scratch-Off Tickets • A chance to win prizes! • $5 donation to our spotlight charity: Pinellas Hope
$500 Amazon Gift Card plus a $250 donation to the charity of the winner’s choice
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1200 Belcher Rd. S. Suite 1 ● Largo, FL 33771-3315 ● Phone: (727) 748-2886 Largo, FL 33771-3315 Phone: (727) 748-2886 1200 Belcher Rd. S., Suite 1
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Wacky May Holidays
• •
May 1: National Mother Goose Day
• • • • • • • • • • • • •
May 17: National Cherry Cobbler Day May 18: National No Dirty Dishes Day
May 2: National Truffle Day
• May 3: National Two Different Colored Shoes Day • May 4: National Orange Juice Day • May 5: National Hoagie Day • May 6: National Nurses Day • May 8: National Have a Coke Day • May 9: National Butterscotch Brownie Day • May 10: National Clean Up Your Room Day • May 11: National Eat What You Want Day • May 12: National Nutty Fudge Day • May 13: National Frog Jumping Day • May 14: National Dance Like a Chicken Day • May 15: National Chocolate Chip Day • May 16: National Sea Monkey Day
May 19: National Roadie Day
May 20: National Pick Strawberries Day May 22: National Vanilla Pudding Day
May 23: National Taffy Day
May 24: National Scavenger Hunt Day May 25: National Brown-Bag-It Day May 26: National Paper Airplane Day May 27: National Grape Popsicle Day May 28: National Hamburger Day May 29: National Paperclip Day May 30: National Water a Flower Day
• May 31: National Speak in Complete Sentences Day
SIZZLING CHINESE PEPPER STEAK WITH ONIONS
WORD SEARCH
Ingredients
Steak • 1 tbsp soy sauce • 1 tbsp oyster sauce • 1 tbsp grated fresh ginger • 2 cloves garlic, minced • 1 tsp sesame oil • 1 lb beef strips (sirloin or rib eye) • 3 tbsp vegetable oil, separated
• 1 large
onion, sliced • Salt and pepper, to taste • Steamed rice or noodles
Sauce • 2 tbsp soy sauce • 2 tbsp hoisin sauce • 2 tbsp rice vinegar • 1 tbsp cornstarch
Directions 1. In a medium bowl, whisk together soy sauce, oyster sauce, ginger, garlic, and sesame oil. 2. Toss beef strips in marinade; let sit 10–15 minutes. 3. In a skillet over medium heat, heat 1 tbsp vegetable oil, then add sliced onions. 4. Sauté until soft, slightly caramelized; season with salt and pepper, remove from pan, and set aside. 5. In the same skillet, heat 2 tbsp vegetable oil over high heat. 6. Add marinated beef strips; stir-fry for 2–3 minutes until browned. 7. In a small bowl, whisk together soy sauce, hoisin sauce, rice vinegar, and cornstarch. 8. Pour sauce over beef and simmer until thickened. 9. Add sautéed onions back into pan; stir to combine. 10. Serve hot over steamed rice or noodles.
BLOOM CINCO COMIC DERBY
EMERALD GEMINI GRADUATION LILY
MEMORIAL MOTHER RENEWAL VETERANS
You can fax, email, or mail your completed puzzle for a chance to win our monthly prize!
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Toll free (800) 828-2226 Fax (727) 577-4991
vermost.com newsletter@vermost.com
PRST STD US POSTAGE PAID BOISE, ID PERMIT 411
1200 Belcher Road South, Suite 1 Largo, FL 33771 vermost.com (727) 748-2886
You Make Us Happy
We Insure More Than Just Cars and Homes Here’s a list of some of our lines of protection:
People who referred clients to us in March:
• Carol Patnode • Lou Manivog • Justin Orr/ Priority One LLC • JY Rogers
• Keith King • Deborah & Kevin Chambers • Rebecca Bacon • Cindy Boso • Marines Aviles Garcia
› Antique vehicles › Annuities › Auto › Boat/RV › Bonds › Builder’s risk › Commercial auto › Commercial property › Condo › Disability
› Flood › General liability › Home › ID theft › Life › Mobile home › Motorcycle/Jet Ski › Notary public
April Puzzle Winner: This Could Have Been You! March Referral Winner: Juliet Rogers
Guardianship Services LLC/ Juliet Rogers
› Umbrella › Workers’
compensation
... and more!
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1200 Belcher Rd. S., Suite 1
Largo, FL 33771-3315
Phone: (727) 748-2886
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