Fuller Insurance Blog

Destin & South Walton Small Businesses Save Up To 20% with New Florida Blue Plans

Florida Blue / Blue Cross &  Blue Shield of Florida now offers Destin & South Walton small businesses the new Blue Select Health Plans.

With the new Blue Select plans, small businesses can save up to 20% over older Blue Option plans. Plus, the Blue Select plans include the Sacred Heart Hospital and Doctors network.

If you are a small business in Destin or South Walton, it will pay you to talk to Fuller Insurance about your group health plan.

Call Garrett Fuller or Chris Jayne at 622-5283 for more information. (Click the Blue Select map for a larger image).

Invest with Fuller and Don't Lose Money in the Markets

Many expect financial difficulties to continue in our economy after last night's election results. We hope they are wrong of course, but one thing is certain either way --

Clients who invest with Fuller Insurance do not lose money in the market. Period. We use insurance company products to ensure that your assets will not go down in the market.

Many feel that upsetting market developments are likely. Two crises arrive in the next 50 days alone: first is the federal "fiscal cliff" set to occur December 31, and second is the federal debt ceiling which federal borrowing will hit in mid-December.

Financial markets will also react to the win of an administration which relies upon federal debt without a long-term plan, creating a drag on markets. Non-financial concerns also are casting their shadow, such as the Benghazi investigation and the fondness of the Obama administration for executive orders.

Fuller Insurance offers you the opportunity to insulate yourself from the volatility and turmoil of the financial markets. With us you can have both fixed rate accounts paying much more than CDs, and no-loss market annuities which enable you to have market returns but never have a decline. All come with guaranteed lifetime income choices--income you cannot outlive.

Fuller uses insurance company products, which undergird your values with the safest industry in history. Consider that not one insurance company failed during the Great Depression! Think how safe you will feel with such backing.

You will feel more secure if right away you contact our Retirement, Annuity and Life Insurance Specialist, Paul Renfroe, paul@fullerinsurance.us. He is an expert planner and helps you weigh possible alternatives that fit your desire for more security. You can learn more about Paul by clicking here.

Sincerely,

Garrett Fuller

Flood Insurance Rates Going Up for Vacation Homes, Second Homes, and Rental Homes

**UPDATE** - This change only affects Pre-FIRM homes, that is, homes with contruction dates before the initial flood insurance rate map (FIRM) date for the community. For Walton County, Florida, the initial FIRM date is 11/16/1977. To find your community's FIRM date, look at the NFIP Community Status Book.

 

Summer is winding down and kids are back in school. While you were enjoying your Memorial Day and July 4th celebrations, do you recall that Congress passed and the President signed into law:

1. on May 31, 2012, H.R. 5740, an Act that reauthorized the National Flood Insurance Program through July 31, 2012, and

2. on July 6, 2012, the Biggert Waters Flood Reform Act, that reauthorized the National Flood Insurance Program for another 5 years. 

These new laws made many changes to the National Flood Insurance Program. The biggest change that will affect homeowners on the Emerald Coast is that the National Flood Insurance Program will no longer subsidize the flood insurance rates for Vacation Homes, Second Homes, and Rental Homes (i.e., any non-primary home, see FEMA Bulletin 12043).

The law mandates that the premiums for non-primary homes be increased 25% each year until the average risk premium is equal to the average risk premium for actuarially-rated properties begining on July 1, 2012. In short, if you have flood insurance on a non-primary property, expect significant rate increases. FEMA anticipates these rate increases will be implemented starting January 1, 2013.

Other key changes include:

1. Indexes maximum coverage limits to inflation

2. Increases annual limitation on premium increases from 10 to 20 percent.

3. Allows policyholders not subject to escrow requirements to pay flood insurance premiums in installments.

If you need help determining your flood insurance needs, call the flood insurance experts at Fuller Insurance in Santa Rosa Beach, Florida.

Buddy 'Cake Boss' Valastro Talks About Life Insurance

September is Life Insurance Awareness Month. This year Buddy Valastro, the 'Cake Boss' on the TLC television show, is the 2012 Life Insurance Awareness Spokeperson.

Buddy was 17 when his dad died without any life insurance. Buddy had to drop out of high school and help run his family's bakery. He worked 12 to 18 hour days, 6 days a week, to help his family pay the bills. This experience made Buddy a big believer in the importance and value of life insurance.

Play this video to hear Buddy tell his story:

  

Top 10 Reasons Hurricane Season is Like Christmas

Here are the Top 10 Reasons hurricane season is like Christimas, from our friends at Bankers Insurance:

10. Decorating the house (boarding up windows)

9. Dragging out boxes that haven't been used since last season (camping gear, flashlights, etc.)

8. Last minute shopping in crowded stores

7. Regular TV shows pre-empted for "specials"

6. Family coming to stay with you

5. Family and friends from out-of-state calling

4. Buying food you don't normally buy...and in large quantities

3. Days off from work

2. Candles

 And the number one reason hurricane season is like Christmas...

1. At some point you know you're going to have a tree in your house.

 

Do You Know What NASA Did Last Night? Incredible! Curiosity and 7 Minutes of Terror.

You may have been like me - noticed on the news or internet that NASA was about to land another rover or robot on Mars. I figured they would drive it around, take some pictures, and do some science. Fairly cool stuff but nothing new. 

But wait a minute. This new rover called Curiosity is the size of a small car, and how they put it on Mars safe and sound is an incredible accomplishment. Great work NASA! Take a look at this NASA movie for how they did it:

 

I Love Pimento Cheese, but Palmetto Cheese is Awesome

If you like Pimento Cheese like I do, then you want to try Palmetto Cheese Spread from Pawley's Island Specialty Foods. I just tried it, and it is awesome.

I bought it at Publix at Grand Blvd (Miramar Beach, Florida), but other Publix stores should have it too.

The website is: http://www.pimentocheese.com.

:) ##

Forgot Your Storm Shutters? Citizens Will Penalize You!

Citizens Property Insurance Corporation announced that they will begin to penalize Citizens policyholders that receive a discount for having Windstorm Protective Devices (i.e. hurricane or storm shutters) but do not close and secure shutters during a tropical storm or hurricane.

If you fail to close or secure your storm shutters during a tropical storm or hurricane watch or warning, Citizens will penalize you on the payment of partial loss claims:

Class B - Basic Shutters - 9% claim payment penalty

Class A - Hurricane Shutters - 15% claim payment penalty

The penalty does not apply to tenant or mobile home policies, or in the case of a total loss.

This change will take effect on September 1, 2012 for new policies and October 1, 2012 for renewal policies.

So be sure to put those hurricane and storm shutters up even during a tropical storm watch or warning - because you want to be sure to collect your full claim payment should you have a claim.

A Video About Why Insurance Rates Increase

Here is a video from Tower Hill Insurance about why insurance rates increase. At Fuller Insurance, we write both homeowners insurance and commercial insurance with Tower Hill Insurance.

Your Homeowner's Policy May Not Cover All Your Jewelry

You planned your dream vacation for months and finally got to go. Memories of your trip are swimming in your head as you return home and pull into your driveway.

You unlock the door and something seems off. You notice multiple drawers are left open and have been riffled through. You run upstairs to your jewelry box and your grandmother’s ring is missing. You think to yourself, “Have I been robbed?”

Words cannot describe the feelings of confusion and violation when you realize someone has been in your house, gone through your things and taken your belongings. The home is a place you want to feel protected and safe. Thankfully, you have an insurance policy. It may not bring the ringback, but it can help you be made whole again.

Make sure your policy has the coverage that you need in the event of the unthinkable. Homeowners policies have special limits for personal property. This includes, but is not limited to, jewelry, money, silverware, guns and trading cards.

If you know that you have items of value, call us to discuss your needs. The best protection for you may be an inland marine policy, sometimes called a personal articles floater policy.

With an inland marine policy, you can individually schedule your property to be sure that you have adequate insurance to cover your valuables in the event of a loss.

Consider an inland marine policy, so if you find yourself in this situation, you know you are protected. Great coverage equals great peace of mind.