Fuller Insurance Blog

Paul Renfroe: Life Insurance and Annuity Expert at Fuller Insurance

Fuller Insurance welcomes Paul Renfroe as our in-house expert for Life, Health, Disability and Long Term Care insurance, and Annuities. We had to compete with the best agencies around in order to bring him on board with us, so we are glad he chose Fuller Insurance!

Everyone wants the most retirement income possible without running out -- and that's what Fuller Insurance can now deliver for you with Paul in our office. Paul's favorite word is "GUARANTEES" and he often quotes Vince Lombardi's 1st rule for winning: DON'T LOSE. 

During his 17-years in the insurance industry, Paul has created many highly successful Asset Protection and Asset Spend-down plans for those with retirement concerns. Most importantly, he genuinely cares for you, the client, and is always working to help you get the best deal possible for your hard-earned money. This priority on your value over our profit stands in stark contrast with the many insurance advisors who promote based on what they are paid.

Paul explains it this way: "I have found that if I put the client's interest before mine, like the Bible says to do, then it enables clients to trust me with multiple financial concerns. Plus, clients feel confident to refer their friends to a real servant in the financial field like me. And I sleep with a clear conscience each and every night."

Paul is a Certified Senior Advisor (CSA). When added to his years of service to individuals and business owners, this breadth of experience uniquely qualifies Paul to understand our clients' concerns.

Paul Renfroe and Fuller Insurance look forward to helping you with these important new services.  Schedule your no-cost insurance and asset review by calling Fuller Insurance at 622-5283.

Florida Vacation Rental Home Insurance

The Emerald Coast needed 2011. After the collapse of the housing market in 2008 and 2009, and the BP oil spill in 2010, we needed a great year - 2011 has been a come back year.

Just ask our long-time customer Dr. Michael O'Donnell ... in this Destin Log article, he says his Emerald Waters Village vacation rental home "stays booked from March till November and despite the down economy he enjoyed his busiest year ever in 2011."

Do you own a Florida vacation rental home? Are you thinking about taking the vacation rental approach? Dr. O'Donnell said "it has actually worked out really well for us."

If you are getting ready to purchase a Florida vacation rental home, you generally need to purchase a dwelling-fire insurance policy instead of a homeowners policy. A dwelling-fire policy is written on homes that are rented out to other people, as opposed to a homeowners policy, which is written on owner-occupied homes.

Depending on the location of your vacation rental home and the distance from tidal water, you may need a separate windstorm policy and possibly a separate flood insurance policy. If you have an umbrella policy, you will need to ensure your vacation rental home insurance satisfies the liability requirements on your umbrella policy.

Would you like some professional guidance on Florida vacation rental home insurance? Call Shelley Carmichael at our office. She will be more than happy to answer your questions.

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State Farm Drops Florida Churches

State Farm announced recently that it will stop insuring churches in Florida and non-renew all of their Florida church policies. State Farm has a long history of writing Florida church insurance, especially for the small to medium size churches in central and north Florida.

If your Florida church is being dropped by State Farm, you can call Chris Jayne at Fuller Insurance. Chris specializes in writing insurance for Florida churches from reputable A++ rated companies. 

Florida churches need certain specialized liability coverages for day-care, pre-school, and church school operations, including 15-passenger vans and mini-buses. In addition, Florida churches need to ensure they have the proper amount of fire, windstorm, and flood insurance coverage on buildings and contents.

For a competitive Florida church insurance quote and honest answers to your questions, call your church insurance specialist, Chris Jayne at Fuller Insurance.

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Military Discount for Florida Motorcycle Insurance

I was working on our Florida Motorcycle Insurance web page this morning and came across a new military discount from Dairyland Insurance. Active and Retired Military members get an extra 10% discount on motorcycle insurance. 

Another great Dairyland Motorcycle Insurance discount is for those military members that have completed the Military Training Safety Course - this qualifies for the Rider Safety Course Discount.

Finally, if your motorcycle is a Harley, you qualify for the Harley Owners Group Discount.

Lots of great discounts on Florida motorcycle insurance from Dairyland Insurance Company!

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October is Fire Prevention Month: Test Your Fire Safety Skills

Most Florida residents and visitors know that hurricane season starts June 1 and ends November 30, after all, hurricanes have been in the news quite a bit over the last few years. But did you know that after hurricane season ends, the Florida brush fire season begins?

The drier and colder winter months increase the potential for brush fire, and lead us to use space heaters and outdoor fireplaces. This is why October is National Fire Prevention Month.

How much do you know about fire safety around your house? Take this 5-Question Fire Safety Quiz and find out!

Flood Insurance vs. Disaster Assistance: Flood Insurance is a Bargain

Are you putting off purchasing flood insurance because you think the government or FEMA will provide disaster assistance if your home is flooded? Check out this summary of the difference between flood insurance and disaster insurance provided by United Property and Casualty Insurance Company:

 

FLOOD INSURANCE	DIASTER ASSISTANCE
The insured is in control.  Flood insurance claims are paid even if a disaster is not declared by the President.	Most forms of federal disaster assistance require a Presidential declaration.
Between 20 and 25 percent of all claims paid by the NFIP are outside of Special Flood Hazard Areas.	Federal disaster assistance declarations are not awarded in all flood incidents.
There is no payback requirement.	The most typical form of disaster assistance is a loan that must be repaid with interest.
Flood insurance policies are continuous, and are not non-renewed or cancelled for repeat losses.	The duration of a Small Business Administration (SBA) disaster home loan could extend to 30 years.
Flood insurance reimburses you for all covered building losses up to $250,000 and $500,000 for businesses.  Contents coverage is also available up to $100,000 for homeowners and $500,000 for businesses.	The average Individuals and Households Program awarded for Presidential disaster declarations related to flooding in 2008 was less than $4,000.
The average cost of a flood insurance policy is a little more than $500 annually.  The cost of a preferred risk policy is less than $300 annually, depending on where you live.	Repayment on a $50,000 SBA disaster home loan is $340 a month or $3,880 annually at 4% interest.

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Dog Bite Claims Are No Joke

The Insurance Information Institute released a report that shows dog bite claims have grown by 37 percent in recent years.

About one-third of all homeowners liability insurance claims are dog-bite claims.

In 2010, the average amount paid by insurance companies on a dog bite claim was $26,000 and the total paid for all dog bite claims was $413 million.

Many Florida homeowners insurance companies either exclude or limit the liability coverage from dog bites. If you own a dog (or any pet) you need to check your homeowners insurance policy so you know exactly how much coverage you have in case a dog bite claim bites you!

To reduce the chances of a dog biting someone, the following steps are recommended:

• Consult with a professional (e.g., veterinarian, animal behaviorist, or responsible breeder) to learn about suitable breeds of dogs for your household and neighborhood.



• Spend time with a dog before buying or adopting it. Use caution when bringing a dog into a home with an infant or toddler. Dogs with histories of aggression are inappropriate in households with children.



• Be sensitive to cues that a child is fearful of or apprehensive about a dog and, if so, delay acquiring a dog. Never leave infants or young children alone with any dog.



• Have your dog spayed or neutered. Studies show that dogs are three times more likely to bite if they are NOT neutered.



• Socialize your dog so it knows how to act with other people and animals.



• Discourage children from disturbing a dog that is eating or sleeping.



• Play non-aggressive games with your dog, such as “go fetch.” Playing aggressive games like “tug-of-war” can encourage inappropriate behavior.



• Avoid exposing your dog to new situations in which you are unsure of its response.



• Never approach a strange dog and always avoid eye contact with a dog that appears threatening.



• Immediately seek professional advice from veterinarians, animal behaviorists, or responsible breeders if the dog develops aggressive or undesirable behaviors.

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Tips for Driving Safely With Children

According to a National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) report, motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for children ages three to 14.

Reduce the risk and implement these tips for safe driving when there are children in your vehicle:

 

1. Young Children
   • When children have outgrown a convertible safety seat, they should use a booster seat until they are 10 years old.
   • Even when young children are tall enough to use an adult seat belt, they should ride in the backseat until they are 13 years old.
2. Toddlers
   • Keep toddlers in a rear-facing, convertible safety seat for as long as possible.
   • When the child outgrows the safety seat, toddlers should sit in a forward-facing safety seat complete with a full harness.
3. Infants
   • Always drive with infants in a rear-facing safety seat.
   • Once a child exceeds the manufacturer's height and weight limit of the seat, infants should continue to ride facing the rear in a convertible safety seat.

Remember, car seats are only effective in keeping children safe if they are installed correctly. Before driving with any child passengers, double-check that the safety seat is mounted correctly, locked in place and that all buckles and straps are intact.

Are you a safe driver? Take the National Drivers Test from GMAC Insurance and find out how you score against your family and friends on Facebook.

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Florida Commercial Property Insurance: It's Complicated

If you own commercial property in Florida, you know how difficult and complicated it is to get Florida commercial property insurance. The difficulty increases the closer you are to the Gulf of Mexico or Atlantic Ocean.

Most people assume that the only parties involved in the insurance transaction are the insurance company and the customer. However, this is not necessarily the case in Florida, especially when it comes to commercial property insurance. In the most difficult commercial property insurance situations, you have several players involved:

Customer: the person, business, or organization that needs the insurance coverage.

Agent: the person that sells the insurance.

Broker: the person that quotes the insurance and that (usually) binds the coverage.

Insurance Company: the business that underwrites the insurance and pays claims.

Finance Company: the business that finances insurance premiums for the customer.

Inspection Company: the company that inspects the commercial property and reports back to the insurance company.

Adjuster: the company that inspects damages and potential claims, and reports back to the insurance company.

Having so many different people and organizations involved in the insurance transaction not only complicates the process, but also delays processing day-to-day business (like payments, claims, etc). So, when it comes to Florida commercial property insurance, just remember "it's complicated".

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Life Insurance Helped Keep Lamar Odom on the Path to Success

He may be living under a high intensity celebrity spotlight as a Los Angeles Lakers forward and star of the hit reality TV show Khloé & Lamar, but Lamar Odom had much simpler beginnings.

His journey began in a single-parent household in Queens, N.Y. Even though his mother, Cathy, earned a modest income working as a corrections officer, she sent him to Catholic school because of concerns about the public schools in their rough-and-tumble neighborhood. Sadly, she didn’t live to see Lamar’s success. She died of colon cancer when he was just 12.

Read more about Lamar Odom or view the video below: