Check out our latest edition!
Protection Team News DON’T FORGET WHAT ONE STORM CAN DO
VOL 14, ISSUE 10
The good news this month is that no other insurance companies have gone under, but we did have two insurance companies announce that they will cease doing business in the state of Florida as soon as they can get approval from the
people will figure it out so we citizens of this great state of Florida will get some rate relief. Speaking of relief, who is ready for fall sports to start up? I am ready for some college football,
Don’t Forget What One Storm Can Do Page 1 3 Outdoor Halloween Attractions Guaranteed to Spook Page 2 Lowering Your Life Insurance Premium Page 2 Did You Know ... Page 2 The Truth Behind Poisoned Halloween Candy Page 3 Check Out Our Referral Program! Page 4 Wacky October Holidays Page 5
Tampa Bay Lightning hockey, and Buccaneer NFL games to start! If things keep progressing, the USF Bulls will soon have their own football stadium on campus. I would never have guessed that the university and boosters would make this major decision. It sure seems like the new President Rhea Law is trying to leave her mark on the campus in a short period of time. The latest timeline is showing a 2026 opening date, and they do not have the first construction drawing or contractor hired. Another timeline that is quickly approaching is the lease on Tropicana Field. While the politicians and owners are trying to figure
state. The one company is publicly traded and decided to stop writing in four states (Florida, Texas, Louisiana, and New York) while selling off three other states. As you can tell, this is NOT just a Florida issue. It is an issue in coastal areas where the losses from storms have been mounting and the insurance market just cannot keep up. As we approach the peak of hurricane season with a whimper and a record for no storms in the month of August, Mother Nature seems to be waking up quickly. I keep saying it only takes one storm to ruin our year and that is true. Look at what Hurricane Ian has done to the East Coast over
Checking out the new flamingo sculpture at the Tampa airport.
Creamy Baked Pumpkin Risotto Page 5
those things out, the team has been on a huge run again. They have been able to get some of their injured players back in the lineup and have been winning. Hopefully, this streak continues into the playoffs. We will know more in October. Until next month, –Darren
the course of a few days. Just look back 30 years … We found out with Hurricane Andrew what one devastating storm can do. Can you believe it has been 30 years? Wow, time flies. Yes, I was living here when Andrew hit the Homestead area. It was the beginning of the insurance upheaval we have been dealing with ever since. It has never been totally fixed and I am not sure it will ever be in my lifetime. There is always a chance that smarter
Sudoku Page 5
September Referrals and Puzzle Winner! Page 6
| 1
Toll free (800) 828-2226 Fax (727) 577-4991
www.vermost.com newsletter@vermost.com
SECRETS REVEALED: The Keys to Obtaining a Lower Life Insurance Premium Right now, everything is pricey, and it’s understandable to want to cut corners and lower payments wherever possible. However, life insurance is not an area where you’ll want to cancel a policy or put off setting one up. Life insurance gives you peace of mind knowing that your loved ones and family will be taken care of in the event that something happens to you. Instead, there are ways you can lower your premium. But first, did you know that insurance premiums are determined by risk categories? From highest risk to lowest risk, these categories are: • Standard • Standard Plus • Preferred • Preferred Plus To receive a better rating and, in turn, a lower premium, here are some tips. Don’t delay. Life insurance isn’t only for the elderly, and if you wait until your golden years to apply for a policy, the likelihood you have some type of health condition is increased. Insurance companies offer lower premiums to young and healthy individuals. Vermost Insurance NOW has a
GET OUT OF THE (HAUNTED) HOUSE With These 3 Outdoor Halloween Attractions Halloween is just around the corner. You’ll soon have trick-or-treaters approaching your door requesting a healthy share of candy. Before then, you may want to go out and feel the thrills of the season yourself, but maybe you’re someone who doesn’t enjoy the cramped spaces of haunted houses. You don’t have to step indoors to experience a spooky attraction though. There are plenty of outdoor Halloween attractions to check out, and below are three of the most thrilling. Zombie Paintball We’ve all watched a scary movie and thought we could do better than some of the characters in these extreme situations. Now is your chance to prove it. There are zombie paintball courses throughout the country, and they can be a great time
for everyone involved. You’ll step aboard a bus or trailer outfitted with paintball guns and
proceed along a course full of zombies and creatures. Before long, your friends and family will get into the competitive spirit to see who can hit the most targets. Haunted Corn Maze Haunted houses are great if you’re trying to experience some jump scares. But if you want to get the haunted house experience in an outdoor setting, you should check out
relationship with Chuck Chucri who offers Financial Planning and Investment
a haunted corn maze. You’ll hear screams coming from all around to help amp up the fear. It’s also a great way to get some exercise! Haunted Hayride So, what if you want the best of both worlds? You may want to feel scared without walking through a maze or using a paintball gun. That’s where haunted hayrides come in. On a haunted hayride, you’ll hop aboard a platform that’s being towed by a tractor or truck as they take you through a dark forest and possibly some barns. Performers will be woven throughout to provide scares at the perfect moments. It’s a great way to get the classic Halloween experience without having to walk through a house or maze.
Did You Know ...
Advisory Services!
2 |
1200 Belcher Rd. S., Suite 1
Largo, FL 33771-3315
Phone: (727) 748-2886
A Terrifying Tall Tale
CALL FOR DETAILS OR TO MAKE YOUR APPOINTMENT TODAY (727) 748-2886 Chuck Chucri, CFP®, CLU®, ChFC®, FLMI Financial Advisor The Prudential Insurance Company of America Prudential.com/advisor/chuck-chucri Our financial advisors offer investment advice, and some may offer financial planning. Our financial advisors and financial planners offer financial planning and/or investment advice through Pruco Securities, LLC (Pruco), under the marketing name Prudential Financial Planning Services (PFPS). A financial advisor or financial planner offers securities products and services as a registered representative of Pruco and offers insurance products as an agent of issuing insurance companies. 1-800-778-2255 Vermost Insurance is an independent organization and is not an affiliate of Prudential Financial. Do not smoke. It’s not a secret that smokers are at a higher risk for a wide range of health issues, and when they apply for life insurance, this is reflected in their premiums. So, if you are currently a smoker, you should quit right away, and if you don’t smoke, it’s wise to not start! Maintain a healthy weight. Obesity is linked to an increased risk of many medical conditions, higher mortality rates, heart conditions, and other health concerns. Many insurance companies rely on a standard table of height and weight to determine if an applicant is overweight, so it’s important to maintain a healthy weight to obtain life insurance at a reasonable cost. Maintain your health. If you have existing health issues such as high cholesterol, high blood pressure, diabetes, asthma, thyroid complications, or another chronic health condition, this doesn’t mean that you’ll automatically be lumped into the group with higher premiums. Provided that you follow a treatment plan and take medications as prescribed, you may still qualify for a lower premium! Avoid living on the edge . Sure, hazardous hobbies such as rock climbing, skydiving, skiing, scuba diving, water rafting, and bungee jumping are thrilling and exciting, but these activities may increase your life insurance premium. To keep your premium low, only engage in safe hobbies and activities! For all questions and concerns about your life insurance policy or obtaining a lower premium, contact us today. The experts at Vermost Insurance Agency are here to help!
Halloween Candy Myths That Won’t Die
Halloween has many rituals: hanging up spooky decorations, choosing costumes, and going trick-or- treating. And one nearly universal routine is parents checking their children’s candy stash and throwing out anything deemed suspicious. People consider it an unfortunate but necessary part of life, and the danger seems vast. There are supposedly razor blades in apples, candy laced with drugs, and sweet treats made with poison. But the fear is almost entirely unfounded. Stories of poisoned Halloween candy trace back to at least the 1960s, and the New Jersey legislature passed a law against tampering with apples in 1968. It seemed prudent since 13 people reported finding razor blades in apples that year. However, at least 75% of those cases were hoaxes, and there was insufficient information about the others to determine their veracity. Several prominent op-eds warned against tainted candy in the 1970s, and fear increased after a 1982 incident where multiple people died in Chicago from cyanide-laced Tylenol. If a maniac could poison consumers like that, people asked, why wouldn’t they target Halloween candy? Meanwhile, the stories have kept coming: a child who died of a heroin overdose, Pixy Stix filled with cyanide, and childhood sweets substituted with cannabis candy. Some stories had a kernel of truth but did not match the original news reports. The heroin overdose originated with a family member’s stash; they blamed candy as a coverup. One father tragically murdered his son with poisoned candy and blamed it on trick-or-treating. And while it’s true that some edible THC products look like regular candy, they’re also far more expensive, and users are unlikely to give them away for free. Sociologist Joel Best has studied claims of contaminated Halloween candy since 1985 and has never once confirmed an intentional poisoning or injury by a non- family member. He speculates that people circulate the legends each year almost as a tradition. Further,
examining potentially dangerous candy makes parents feel in control compared to many other dangers their children face. So, inspect your child’s trick-or-treat haul if you must. After all, it’s tradition. But rest assured that the risk is only as authentic as the fake cobwebs on your front porch.
1007626-00005-00
| 3
Toll free (800) 828-2226
Fax (727) 577-4991
www.vermost.com
newsletter@vermost.com
2022
INSPIRING HAPPINESS!
2022 REFERRAL WINNER!
We want to thank everyone who referred their friends, family, and coworkers to Vermost Insurance throughout 2022. When you refer someone to us, you receive rewards for each referral and are entered into 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 2022 referral program is Pablo Arriola. He received a 55-inch 4K TV plus a $250 donation to a charity of his choice. If you want a shot at next year’s prize, keep sending referrals our way. Your referrals make us happy, and we hope our referral program makes you happy, too!
Pablo Arriola is our 2022 referral winner of the 55-inch 4K TV, plus a $250 donation to a charity of his choice.
4 |
1200 Belcher Rd. S., Suite 1
Largo, FL 33771-3315
Phone: (727) 748-2886
1200 Belcher Rd. S. Suite 1 ● Largo, FL 33771-3315 ● Phone: (727) 748-2886
4
Wacky October Holidays
• Oct. 1: National Pumpkin Spice Day • Oct. 2: National Name Your Car Day • Oct. 4: National Cinnamon Bun Day • Oct. 5: National Get Funky Day • Oct. 6: National Mad Hatter Day • Oct. 9: National Moldy Cheese Day • Oct. 10: National Kick Butt Day • Oct. 12: National Gumbo Day • Oct. 13: National Yorkshire Pudding Day • Oct. 14: Be Bold and Free Day • Oct. 15: National I Love Lucy Day
• Oct. 18: National No Beard Day • Oct. 20: National Chicken and Waffles Day • Oct. 21: National Pumpkin Cheesecake Day • Oct. 22: National Make a Dog’s Day • Oct. 25: National Greasy Food Day • Oct. 26: National Pumpkin Day • Oct. 27: National Black Cat Day • Oct. 28: National Frankenstein Friday • Oct. 29: National Cat Day • Oct. 30: National Candy Corn Day • Oct. 31: National Caramel Apple Day
SUDOKU
CREAMY BAKED PUMPKIN RISOTTO
Inspired by FoodNetwork.com
Nothing highlights fall quite like pumpkin-inspired dishes. Grab your blankets, turn on your favorite movie, and enjoy a delicious meal.
Ingredients
• 5 cups of low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth • 2 cups Arborio rice • 2 cups of pumpkin, diced • 1 1/2 cups canned pumpkin purée • 1/2 yellow onion, minced • Salt, to taste
• Pepper, to taste • 1/2 cup fresh basil, chopped • 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese • 2 tbsp mascarpone cheese • 2 tbsp olive oil
Directions
1. Heat the oven to 400° F and arrange a rack in the middle. 2. In a 3-quart baking dish, combine broth, rice, diced and puréed pumpkin, and minced onion. 3. Season with salt and pepper, then stir until evenly combined. 4. Cover tightly with aluminum foil and bake until water has been absorbed and rice granules are puffed. 5. Remove from the oven and stir in basil, grated Parmesan cheese, mascarpone cheese, and olive oil.
You can fax, email, or mail your completed puzzle for a chance to win our monthly prize!
| 5
Toll free (800) 828-2226
Fax (727) 577-4991
www.vermost.com
newsletter@vermost.com
PRST STD US POSTAGE PAID BOISE, ID PERMIT 411
1200 Belcher Road South, Suite 1 Largo, FL 33771 www.vermost.com (727) 748-2886
INSIDE THIS ISSUE
You Make Us Happy
We Insure More Than Just Cars and Homes Here's a list of some of our lines of protection:
Thank you for recently referring your friends, family, and coworkers to our agency. With your help, our Vermost Insurance family keeps growing! We hope our referral program makes you happy, too! People who referred clients to us in September: Glenda Sasser
› Antique vehicles › Annuities › Auto › Boat/RV › Bonds › Builders' risk › Commercial auto › Commercial property › Condo › Dental › Disability › Employee benefits
› Flood › General liability › Health › Home › ID theft › Life › Mobile home › Motorcycle/Jet Ski › Notary public
Dennis & Sharon Demeyere Henry Nguyen Andrew Evans Chris Robbins Sheri Nymark
Kevin Mahr Anjni Patel Drake Decker Robert Hyclak RH Ent INC
September Puzzle Winner: Catherine DeHaan September Referral Winner: Dennis & Sharon Demeyere
› Umbrella › Workers'
compensation
... and more!
6 |
1200 Belcher Rd. S., Suite 1 Largo, FL 33771-3315
Phone: (727) 748-2886
Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6Made with FlippingBook Ebook Creator