EXCELLENCE IS OUR STANDARD My Staff Makes It Happen
727.835.1500 | 386.446.4226 THEWELCHGROUP.NET
It isn’t until they’re put to the test that you truly know what kind of a staff you have — and I’d say I have the best. Eighteen months into the pandemic and my office has certainly been through the ringer, but I owe it all to my employees for keeping us afloat day in and day out.
sick for that 10–14-day period, more work and stress fall on everyone else. Much like a restaurant with 12–13 people on the floor on a Friday night, things can get messy when you are down to only 4–5 people working. While we would like to be up to full capacity, that hasn’t always been the case. My team handles this without flaw — each employee has worked diligently without a complaint. It’s actually really awe-inspiring to watch everyone collaborate so well in such uncertain times. The pandemic has certainly made everything much slower as well. We’ve had longer than normal wait times with our carriers, so our staff has been bogged down, taking much longer on projects just to get basic answers for our clients. All businesses are feeling the effects. When this happens, our staff can only field a few phone calls a day, which means we are slower getting answers to customers. For this, I am not only grateful for my staff and their tenacity, but also for our clients’ understanding. With Labor Day this month, I pause to reflect on the hard work my team puts in day in and day out. Throughout it all, not one person has shown any negativity, and all are willing to go above and beyond. From safely meeting face-to-face with many of our clients who still wish to do so, to putting in the extra effort and time, they make it happen. My employees make The Welch Group possible. In times of uncertainty, I couldn’t have asked for better team players to step up to the plate.
SEPTEMBER 2021
I have 11 staff members and I’m very blessed, especially in the crazy insurance world in Florida, to have each of them. My very first employee, Debbie, is still with the company today, and Jim has been with us for 11 years. This speaks volumes to the quality of our employees and their value to The Welch Group. My team is the face of the company. I must be honest — I interact with very few clients. As with any company, I truly feel that when you go into a place of business, the demeanor, f riendliness, helpfulness, and positivity of the employees tells you everything you need to know about that business. My team is the backbone of the group. As we are based in Florida, we have been very fortunate to have remained open and operating. Although, last year, we had to close our doors for some time for the health and safety of everyone in the height of the pandemic. We’ve been hit by COVID-19 in the office itself. When employees go out
-Matt Welch
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727.835.1500 | 386.446.4226 | THEWELCHGROUP.NET
5 WAYS TO FIT EXTRAMOVEMENT INTO YOUR DAY
If you’re restless at your desk, extra exercise and movement might be exactly what the doctor ordered. Even just a little bit of unplanned movement every day can help boost your mood and maintain good blood circulation. Here are five ways you can fit in extra movement without losing your productivity!
An Assignment of Benefits, or an AOB, is a document which, when a policyholder signs it, allows a third party such as a roofing company, glass restoration company, plumber, or water extraction company to seek payment from the policy holder’s insurance company directly. The name of the AOB says it all — essentially, if you sign an AOB, you are signing over all your insurance benefits to the company that did the work for you. AOBs have been around in Florida for a long while now. However, they are often abused and, thus, drive up costs for many homeowners state-wide. Note also: When you sign an Assignment of Benefits, you may become involved in a company’s lawsuit against an insurance policy if a dispute arises regarding the claim amount.
No. 1: Park farther away. It might be more convenient to park as close to your destination as you can, but parking farther away can add some extra steps. It’s a small difference that certainly can’t replace regular cardio, but it doesn’t hurt either! No. 2: Drink more water. Drinking plenty of water is healthy for flushing out bacteria in your system,
Also, prices may be raised much higher, unethically. For example, if a roofing company tells you that due to hail damage, you need a
but it’s also a great way of helping you get up from your desk. The more water you drink, the more times you’ll have to refill it in your kitchen or at the watercooler. And, on your way back to your workspace, take the long way around to say hi to your coworkers! No. 3: Stretch in doorways. Our shoulders and neck can quickly get sore from the amount of time we spend slouching in front of our screens. An easy way to relieve the stress is to press your hands on either side of a door frame, then lean forward as far as you can. If you don’t have a doorway to use, you can try doing shoulder shrugs or neck rolls right at your desk to ease some stress or even just clear your head. No. 4: Do more calf raises. One of the easiest exercises to do in public or at home are calf raises. Do this by simply raising your feet high off the ground one at a time. Squats and lunges are also easy to do but may require more flexible clothing than you’re wearing and a space where you can move freely. No. 5: Walk for all of your phone calls. Sometimes, people start walking naturally while they’re on a phone call. Why not make it an intentional movement every time you take a call? Studies show that walking will keep your body in high gear by encouraging energy and productivity!
TAKE A BREAK
SOLUTION
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727.835.1500 | 386.446.4226
Insurance 101 ASSIGNMENT OF BENEFITS ANDWHAT IT MEANS FOR YOU
THE BATTERY BARRIER
new roof and they can get you one if you sign an AOB, this means that once you sign, they can then tell the insurance company that the roof and materials ended up costing $35K instead of $12K, which may not have been the case without an AOB. This is because some companies will raise the prices on materials once an AOB is signed.
Every year, newer and newer pieces of technology come to rely on electric motors for locomotion and power. From cars to bicycles to power tools, a lot of companies have invested in the electric battery revolution as we see it — and yet, we haven’t arrived at that future just yet. With no fuel to haul or burn, an electric car could have a thousand-mile range. Failing that, they could have a 10-minute top off — recharging the battery in the same time it takes to fill a big tank of gas. And yet, we’re not there yet. What gives? It turns out that efficiency isn’t everything it’s cracked up to be and sometimes comes at the cost of battery power. How do we fix this? A few bold companies are trying. In an era where we should only be limited by the human imagination, we find ourselves up against a familiar barrier: our technology. Battery life just isn’t “there” yet — we’re lucky to get a few hours out of an electric car running full-bore, and the same is true for bikes, scooters, skateboards, power tools, and anything else that uses a brushless motor to do work. That’s what makes NanoGraf ’s work in energy cell density so exciting, with a 28% lifetime improvement over traditional batteries.
So, how can you protect yourself? Before signing an AOB, do the following:
• Understand your insurance policy completely. • Be aware of your responsibilities in the event of a loss. • Know the AOB rules with your insurance company. • Check if your insurance company partners with any vendors. • Before signing an AOB, contact your insurance carrier. • If the AOB has fill-in-the-blank areas, don’t sign!
If you have any questions or concerns about an Assignment of Benefits, contact the professionals at The Welch Group today for assistance!
Watermelon Jicama Salad WITH JALAPEÑO AND LIME This late-summer salad hits every flavor note and is a great way to get acquainted with jicama, a root vegetable native to Mexico that you’ve probably passed numerous times in the produce section! It’s easy to prepare ( just peel and eat) and has the crispness of an apple and the satisfying starch of a potato.
Batteries have come a long way since the advent of the Energizer Bunny. For that, we can thank Elon Musk’s company, Tesla, which has long realized that its weakest link is the batteries themselves. Tesla has consistently driven innovation in this area and has found that its research has applications in other fields besides gas- free vehicles. Recent Tesla innovations include “tabless” battery cells that supposedly increase battery capacity five-fold. If true, it would be the largest jump in battery technology in years. Musk, however, doesn’t seem too willing to share, which makes sense from a business standpoint. But from a futuristic perspective, there are few good reasons to start thinking about batteries long before you consider bringing a design to fruition; these are the real limitations on a product, and they can only be overcome in so many ways. Until we see Tesla and NanoGraf ’s technology on the open market, we don’t know if it can meet the needs of tomorrow’s consumers — regardless of the hype being generated today!
INGREDIENTS
DIRECTIONS
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1 3-lb seedless watermelon
1. Prepare the watermelon by removing the rind and cutting the melon into 2 1/2-by- 1/2-inch sticks. 2. Peel the jicama with a vegetable peeler, then cut it into sticks the same size as the watermelon. 3. In a large bowl, combine the watermelon and jicama with jalapeño, scallion, cilantro, and lime. Sprinkle with kosher salt, toss gently to combine, taste, and adjust seasoning.
1 small jicama
1 jalapeño pepper, thinly sliced 1 scallion, thinly sliced 1/2 cup cilantro, coarsely chopped 3 tbsp fresh lime juice
• •
• •
Kosher salt, to taste
Inspired by BonAppetit.com
THEWELCHGROUP.NET
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727.835.1500 | 386.446.4226 THEWELCHGROUP.NET
PRSRT STD US POSTAGE PAID BOISE, ID PERMIT 411
17221 CAMELOT CT., STE. 101 LAND O LAKES, FL 34638
INSIDE 1 Employee Appreciation 2 5 Ways to Keep Yourself Moving 2 Assignment of Benefits 3 Easy Foil-Grilled Sausage and Vegetables 3 The Battery Barrier 4 Rising Insurance Premiums
Why Did My Insurance Premium Go Up?! The Science Behind Insurance Spikes
You, like many other Floridians, have likely noticed spikes in your insurance premiums. We already have the highest property insurance rates in the nation, so what gives? Why is owning a home becoming more and more expensive in the Sunshine State? Gulfstream has gone bankrupt, and three other major companies are on the brink of bankruptcy if things don’t change. This means that residential property policies are being dropped and equivalent policies are sometimes double or even triple the premium.
The main goal of reinsurance is to provide a buffer between insurers and large losses. So, certain companies will reinsure other companies. Insurance companies will then share the risk of losses by buying insurance policies f rom different insurers. This limits their total loss in the event a disaster occurs. Essentially, it makes sure enough money is available to pay out claims if a large storm occurs in Florida. Although no major weather events have happened in the state recently, many insurance companies are still playing catch-up f rom years prior. The recent rise in insurance is almost making owning a home unaffordable. The insurance market in Florida is certainly one of the most complex nationwide. Claim increases are affecting the property market as claims are simply becoming more expensive, and litigation, larger catastrophe claim losses, and skyrocketing reinsurance costs are to blame!
Litigation via Assignment of Benefits (see Page 2), which leads to heftier
For assistance finding the best premium and rate that works for you and your family during these times of uncertainty
costs for insurance companies and negative consequences for consumers, is partially to blame but not fully. Fraudulent lawsuits also play a big role in this sudden increase. But reinsurance is another culprit.
in the insurance world, contact us at The Welch Group for help today!
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727.835.1500 | 386.446.4226 | THEWELCHGROUP.NET
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