Vermost Insurance Agency - December 2020

Vermost Insurance Agency - December 2020

Protection Team News

JUST WHEN YOU THOUGHT 2020 COULDN’T GET ANY CRAZIER Mother Nature Laughs at Us

VOL 12, ISSUE 11

This hurricane season has not been kind to our friends in Louisiana this year; five storms have hit their shores, and Mother Nature isn’t done just yet. As I write this article (during the first week of November), we are still watching the tropics for a possible storm to come our way. Normally, I look forward to Halloween as a time when things usually quiet down, but this is 2020, and all bets are off. Let’s hope we don’t get a late season hit or an early Christmas present. By now, I’m sure most of you have experienced the rate increase we are seeing in property insurance here in Florida. I said back in January that things were not looking good, and unfortunately, I was right. Not that I wanted to be right on this prediction, but the signs were all there to see. I can tell you now that the rates are still going up, and next year will be about the same, if not worse, than this year. Just last week, two insurance companies were on the verge of being placed in receivership by the State of Florida. At the last minute, a knight in shining armor swooped in to pick up the pieces and try to save them. With all the hurricanes hitting the Gulf Coast and all the wildfires in the West, rates are going up again, and the number of available options is getting smaller. Enough of the doom and gloom — let’s talk about the amazing run the Tampa Bay Rays had this shortened season. Who can forget Brett Phillips’ game-winning pinch-hit in Game 4 of the World Series! The Rays made it all the way to Game 6 before, in my opinion, someone made a bad call and pulled Blake Snell from the mound. We can only wonder what would have happened if Blake was left in the game longer. Except for that moment, the team played well and eliminated two

When You Thought 2020 Couldn’t Get Any Crazier Page 1 5 Ways to Make Your Holiday Extra Eco- Friendly This Year Page 2 Understanding Business Interruption Insurance Page 2 Did You Know ... Page 2 Want to Make Your Holidays a Little Easier? Page 3 Inspiring Happiness With Our 2020 Referral Program Page 4 Delightful December Holidays Page 5

Noelle is stressed, blessed, and pumpkin obsessed.

of the highest payroll teams in the MLB during their run this year. I wonder what they have in store for us next year. My first hope is that we’ll have actual fans in the stadium and not just cardboard cutouts. One more item of good news to end this month: How about those Buccaneers! TB12 has started to exert himself as the team leader and help the team win. It is certainly fun watching the team light up the scoreboard. Both sides of the ball are playing well and contributing to the team’s victories. The Bucs are looking up for a deep run in the playoffs this year, especially with the Super Bowl in Tampa. Just saying … Until next month, –Darren

Word Search Page 5

Festive Apple Cider Page 5 October Referral Rewards and Puzzle

Winner! Page 6

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Toll free (800) 828-2226 Fax (727) 577-4991

www.vermost.com [email protected]

PROTECT YOUR BRICK- AND-MORTAR BUSINESS With Business Interruption Insurance If there’s anything 2020 has taught us, it’s that the unexpected can happen at any moment. But we’ve learned another valuable lesson: It pays to be prepared. If you’re a business owner who has been working hard to make it through this year and start 2021 with renewed vigor, congratulations are in order! Now is the time to start thinking about the best practices to implement in the new year to keep your business as protected as possible. That means it’s an excellent time to consider business interruption insurance. Business interruption insurance is critical if your business suffers a property loss that could cause business to slow down or close while repairs are made. The event that causes your business harm could be anything from a fire to a natural disaster, like a hurricane. If such an event befalls your business, it could mean partial or complete revenue loss depending on the time frame and the damage. That could spell disaster for your livelihood.

5 WAYS TO MAKE YOUR HOLIDAY EXTRA ECO- FRIENDLY THIS YEAR Sustainability is the gift that keeps on giving, so if you'd like to give a gift to the environment this December, make your holidays anti-plastic! Here are five ways that you can use the latest eco-friendly technology to make sure your Christmas is just as convenient as ever. Set up recycling bins. Nobody wants to sort through trash on their holiday, especially if you’re hosting all the parties! To avoid dealing with the waste, set up recycling and composting bins before any home holiday festivities. It’ll make your next trip to a local recycling center so much faster because everything will be organized and easier to manage. Use paper containers for leftovers. Give your celebration a restaurant-from-home feel by storing and giving away leftovers in paper containers rather than plastic. Paper will dissolve and leave behind much less chemical residue than plastic. Want to make it look extra posh? Stamp the exterior with the family initials! Change up your giftwrap. Why use wrapping paper every year when you can make your packaging extra interesting, colorful, and creative? Use newspapers, magazines, comics, posters, maps, or even art by your kids to conceal your gifts this year. Rent, borrow, or rethink your tableware. If you’re missing proper tableware for your holiday celebration, don’t despair — some companies will actually let you rent out their dishes for your special evening! You can also borrow tableware from friends and family. But you don’t have to use metal tableware. Try following another culture’s customs and serve your food on local ingredients, like palm leaves, coconuts, or wood. Localize as much as possible. If you can buy ingredients like fresh meat or vegetables from local farms, you won’t use as much plastic packaging and you’ll support small businesses at the same time! Never buy one-use plastics if you don’t have to. For every holiday tradition, ask yourself: Can I reduce, reuse, or recycle any components to this? We hope you have a happy, eco-friendly holiday!

Vermost Insurance now has a relationship with Chuck Chucri, who offers Financial

Planning & Investment

Did You Know ...

Advisory Services.

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1200 Belcher Rd. S. Suite 1

Largo, FL 33771-3315

Phone: (727) 748-2886

4 Tips for a Less Exhausting Holiday Season The holidays are an incredibly busy time of year. Between work and home, it can feel like there isn’t enough daylight to get everything done. We have projects to complete, emails to answer, dinners to plan, gifts to buy — and family is coming in from out of town. Is it possible to take care of everything and not be completely exhausted by the end of it? While we can’t answer that definitively, we can share a few “holiday hacks” to help you get more out of your time. Put work aside. Give yourself blocks of time to focus on one thing at a time. You may be tempted to multitask, but for your mental health, don’t do it. Focusing on one thing at a time produces better results (this applies equally to cooking as it does to client work) and you’ll feel better through the process. Holiday Hacks for the Busy Professional Delegate — at home! You delegate assignments at work, so why not do the same at home? Start with your immediate family and work your way out. Give everyone a task: Someone does the grocery shopping. Someone is in charge of a main course dish. Another is on side-dish duty. Others get dessert. Don’t forget to assign a clean-up crew. Save yourself for the tasks you REALLY want to do. Take frequent breaks . When you have a lot going on, frequent 5–10 minute minibreaks can go a long way in easing the mental pressure. Don’t hesitate to take brain breaks throughout the day. Go for a quick walk around the building or neighborhood. Read a chapter of your book. Play a quick game on your phone. Say no to the kitchen. When your time is precious, why spend a lot of time in the kitchen? While some find cooking a joy, others find it burdensome. If you’re in the latter group, it’s okay to go the boxed or prepared meal route when time is short. Boxed meals can still be prepared with love, and you can get high-quality frozen dishes or freshly prepared meals from your favorite grocery store. The time and energy you save is worth the investment. In 2020, we have more options than ever to make life easier. So, enjoy the holidays a little more by doing the things you love and using these tips to make the most of your time and energy this season.

If you have business interruption insurance, from the time the loss occurs until your business is running again, it can replace your lost profits and provide a source of money to pay for your necessary continuing expenses like rent, payroll, taxes, and more. It can also cover operating expenses, like moving to a temporary location to continue work and even loan payments. Keep in mind, however, that standard business interruption insurance does not reimburse policy holders if the business is closed due to a pandemic. This insurance is intended to replace lost income as the direct result of physical loss or damage to the business property that prevents business services from being carried out. At Vermost Insurance Agency, we most often offer business interruption insurance as an add-on to your existing business insurance policy rather than as a separate policy. But make sure you reach out to us to discover what plan might work best for you and your business. We’re here to help you head into 2021 with as much peace of mind as possible.

CALL FOR DETAILS OR TO MAKE YOUR APPOINTMENT TODAY (727) 748-2886 Chuck Chucri, CFP® , CLU®, ChFC®, FLMI Financial Planner The Prudential Insurance Company of America Prudential.com/advisor/chuck-chucri Chuck Chucri offers financial planning and investment advisory services through Pruco Securities, LLC (Pruco), doing business as Prudential Financial Planning Services (PFPS), pursuant to separate client agreement. He offers insurance and securities products and services as a registered representative of Pruco and an agent of issuing insurance companies. Call (800) 778-2255. Vermont Insurance is an independent organization and is not an affiliate of Prudential Financial.

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Toll free (800) 828-2226

Fax (727) 577-4991

www.vermost.com

[email protected]

1200 Belcher Rd. S. Suite 1 Phone: (727) 748-2886 1200 Belcher Rd. S. Suite 1 ● Largo, FL 33771-3315 ● Phone: (727) 748-2886 Largo, FL 33771-3315

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What’s Going on in December?

• Dec. 15: National Cat Herders Day • Dec. 20: National Ugly Sweater Day

• Dec. 4: National Cookie Day • Dec. 5: International Ninja Day • Dec. 7: National Pearl Harbor Day of Remembrance • Dec. 10: Chanukah • Dec. 12: Gingerbread House Day

• Dec. 25: Christmas • Dec. 26: Kwanzaa • Dec. 30: National Bacon Day

WORD SEARCH

FESTIVE APPLE CIDER

If you’re cutting back on calories, skip the eggnog and buttered rum this year and fill up your mug with this delicious mulled cider!

Ingredients

• 1 lemon • 1 gallon pure apple cider • 1 large orange, thinly sliced crosswise • 2 tsp whole cloves

• 2 tsp allspice berries • 1 inch fresh ginger, thinly sliced • 2 tbsp honey • 3 cinnamon sticks

Carol Cheer Cocoa Family Gift Holiday

Holly Peace Shovel Sledding Snow Turquoise

Directions

1. Using a paring knife, shave the lemon peel off in curls. Reserve the curls and save the lemon for use in a different recipe. 2. In a large slow cooker, combine the lemon peel with all other ingredients. Cook on low for 3–4 hours. 3. If desired, use a sieve to strain the spices. Serve and enjoy!

Inspired by BoulderLocavore.com

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Toll free (800) 828-2226

Fax (727) 577-4991

www.vermost.com

[email protected]

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 & 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!

› Antique Vehicles › Annuities › Auto › Boat/RV › Bonds › Builders Risk › Commercial Auto › Commercial Property › Condo › Dental › Disability › Employee Benefits

› Flood › General Liability › Health › Home › I.D. Theft › Life › Mobile Home › Motorcycle/Jet Ski › Notary Public

People who referred clients to us in October:

Caketastic Frank Harrison Jon Bumford

Michelle Dahl EX2 Jay Beyrouti Lakeview Park Land Denise McCabe Victor Whale Roxanne Hagedorn

Nancy Singleton Virginia Lavoie John Freeborn Justin Dirheimer c/o Strange Cloudz, LLC

October Puzzle Winner: Shirley Harrison

› Umbrella › Workers'

Paul Carter Debra King Adam Rauman Laura Frid

October Referral Winner: Debra King

Compensation

... and more!

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1200 Belcher Rd. S. Suite 1 Largo, FL 33771-3315

Phone: (727) 748-2886