We have MOVED to 1648 Port St. Lucie Blvd., just two blocks west of Morningside.

Our phone numbers are the same, but we are now much easier to find!

Like any industry, when you are dealing with insurance quotes, you will find some agencies that are there both to help you and to help themselves.  When that line becomes blurry is when agents are doing their best to “close the deal” and get you the lowest quote possible in an effort to “make the sale”.  The problem is that although nobody is doing anything purposefully wrong, if the quote doesn’t utilize accurate information, then an additional premium could be billed to the insured at a later date.  Nobody wants to end up having a bill that they didn’t expect.  Here are some ways to avoid that:

RCE:  What is it?  Replacement Cost Estimator.  The replacement cost estimator is a tool used within the insurance industry to generate a dollar amount that it will cost to rebuild your home in the event of a total loss.  Much of your quoted premium will be based on the outcome of the RCE.  Many people try to reduce the RCE because in today’s current economy, the RCE value is likely higher (and maybe significantly so) that what the house could actually sell for.

What to watch for to protect yourself:  If you get one quote that is significantly lower others, ask to see the RCE.  Look and see if the RCE is the same as others.  If it is lower then  you can look and see if the features of your home are listed on the RCE used to create a lower premium quote.  Does it list the correct square footage?  Are porches included?  If you have granite counter tops or marble flooring, is it included?

How this helps you to avoid an unexpected bill or additional premium:  If your agent gives you a quote based on an RCE that is too low, your insurance company will likely find that during their inspection and will bill  you for the additional premium based on the RCE that uses the features of your home.  If your quote is seemingly too good to be true, be sure that you won’t be getting billed an additional amount later on down the road.

Wind Mitigation Credits:  What are they?  Wind mitigation credits are applied to homeowners policies that have met certain criteria.  The first criteria is that there has to be an inspection done by an approved inspector.  That inspector will be looking at items including the age of the roof, how the roof is attached to the tresses, the shape of the roof, among other things.

What to watch for to protect yourself:  When you receive your quote, look at it and see whether or not it includes “wind mit credits”.  If it does include wind mitigation credits, be sure that you have had a wind mitigation inspection done and that you have signed it.  This is different from a 4 point inspection.  If you are planning to have a wind mitigation inspection done soon, ask whether or not it is likely that you will qualify for any wind mit credits.  If your quote does include wind mit credits but you don’t qualify, you will be billed the difference at a later date.

Contents Replacement Costs:  What does this mean?  Your policy may insure all of your “stuff”.  You need to know whether you are insuring your material items for “actual cash value” or “replacement cost”.  Actual cash value means that if you have a couch that is 10 years old, you will be collecting an amount that has been depreciated.  Replacement cost means that you will be collecting an amount to buy a couch.

What to watch for to protect yourself:  Look at your quote and be certain that under contents and replacement cost that there is a “yes” if you are expecting to replace what you had.  If one quote is much lower than others, be certain that you are actually insuring yourself the way you think that you are.

We have all been there; we buy clothes that are a bargain only to have them fall apart, we eat less expensive food and end up dissatisfied, we buy sale items that we didn’t even need because it was a great deal.  Insurance can be frustrating enough.  Don’t find yourself in a situation where you think you are getting a great deal only to find that later on you get an additional bill. 

Be certain that when you get multiple quotes that they are in the same ball park.  Be certain that you are insured by a financially strong company.  Be certain that you can trust your agent.  Because isn’t that what you really want?

The secular part of Christmas, from shopping to Santa to the decorating of the Christmas tree, all of it has changed over time.  The Puritans in Massachusetts banned observing the holiday and in Connecticut there was a law forbidding making mincemeat pies.  Today, however, a decorated tree is a sure sign that the holidays are here.

The winter tradition of decorating a tree actually started in Ancient Roman times when trees were decorated with small pieces of metal during their winter festival.  Then during the Middle Ages, an evergreen would be decorated with apples and called the Paradise tree, symbolizing the feast of Adam and Eve which was held late in December each year.

By the 1500’s, the Christmas Tree as we know it appeared in Strassbourg, Germany.  Trees were sold at local markets and people set them up inside their homes, but didn’t decorate them.  There is a record of a tree being decorated with paper roses, apples and candy from 1605.  In 1610 tinsel was invented.  At that time they used real silver and there were special machines invented to pull the silver out into the very thin strips of tinsel.  It was durable but it tarnished quickly!

 In the United States there are many stories of early Christmas Trees.  Some were wooden pyramids covered with evergreen branches,  many started in areas where there were German settlers.  Decorations were made by the young ladies making snowflakes and stars, sewing pouches for sercret gifts of sugared nuts.  They made small bead decorations and used beautiful silver tinsel from Germany.  It was not until the mid 1800’s tht the Christmas tree was widespread in the United States.

In 1851 a man named Mark Carr brought trees from the Catskill mountains to the the streets of New York and opened the first retail Christmas tree lot in the United States.

The first national American Christmas Tree was lighted in 1923 on the White House lawn when Calvin Coolidge was president. 

The Christmas Tree today is obviously a beautiful and memorable part of our shared holiday tradition.

STAYING SAFE WHILE ENJOYING A BEAUTIFUL HOLIDAY TRADITION

Christmas tree fires actually are not that common, but for the people impacted by such a tragedy, it makes a powerful reminder to all of us to be extra careful.  Each year there are between 300 and 400 fires attributed to Christmas trees, and and average of 14-40 deaths.  At Florida Insurance Concepts, we hope that these few hints we have to offer can help keep your family safe.

KEEP YOUR TREE WET!

A dry tree is not a good tree.  If you have a live tree, be sure the branches can bend and not break, they should not snap when bent.  The tree trunk should have sticky sap on it.  Once you have chosen your tree, cut off about two inches off the trunk so that your tree will be able to suck up the water.

Make sure that you keep your tree well watered.  Sure, the dogs and cats may drink the water, but you can just keep on refilling the tree stand.  This is the best thing you can do. 

FIREPROOF YOUR TREE!

There is a myth, and you can google the research and mythbusters, but there is a myth that the following formula will keep your tree from burning.  **Caveat** Anything can burn!  Rocks and minerals can burn, so you better believe that wood can burn.

Instead of water, if you can keep your pets from drinking it, mix together 2 ounces of Clorox, two cups of Karo syrup, two pinches of epsom salts, 1/2 teaspoon of borax, one teaspoon of chelated iron (from a plant store) and a two gallon bucket of water. Fill up your tree stand and every single day add a bit more of the mixture from your two gallon bucket.

Here is the science of why this works:

The sugar feeds the tree.  The boron in the borax allows the tree to move the water and sugar to every branch and needle in the tree.  The magnesium from the eposom salts and the iron from the chelated iron provide the ingredients to produce chlorophyll to keep the tree green.  The bleach prevents mold from growing in the solution.  Wah-lah!  A tree that stays wet… and therefore has less chance of burning.

Don’t count on this to work.  Remember to use only indoor lights, make sure that there are no broken bulbs, no cracked sockets, no loose connections and NO BARE WIRES.

Remember that fires start from places other than the tree.  Dont use more than one extension cord, and don’t use more than three sets of lights per extension cord.

When you leave the house — Turn Off The Lights!

Use the warmth of your relationships to light up your home and tree, and leave the candles far away from the tree.

Have a safe and happy holiday!

Here are some tips:

• Always use turkey fryers outdoors.  Stay away from building or materials that can burn.
• Never use a turkey fryer in the garage.
• Keep the fryer on a flat surface.
• Keep children and pets away from the fryer - children and pets are unpredictable in their movements.
• Oil and Water dont mix — Be certain your washed turkey is completely dry.

IN CASE OF FIRE!

Never use water to extinguish a grease fire.  If you do have a fire started from the amount of oil used to fry a turkey, your best bet is to have a fire extinguisher nearby.  Other options include smothering the fire with baking powder, but remember, you are using a LOT of oil.

Did I mention…your best bet is to have a fire extinguisher nearby.

Bubble, bubble, oil, and trouble –

Remember that oil and water dont mix, and when oil is bubbling up, it can bubble over.  In case of fire, STOP, DROP, AND ROLL!

In the case of an oil burn, if the burn area is larger than the size of a quarter, you need to seriously consider seeing the doctor because oil burns are often deeper than they may at first appear.  Because they sometimes require a tetanus shot, and often require a prescription anti-biotic cream, or silvadene ointment, so it is worth paying attention to.

DO NOT APPLY OINTMENTS, GREASE, OR BUTTER TO OIL (OR ANY) BURNS

DO NOT PRY ANY CLOTHING OFF OF BURNED AREA IF IT IS ATTACHED.  If clothing is burned on, you MUST go see the doctor.

Finally, take Tylenol and apply cool compresses.

With all that scary stuff said and out of the way, fried turkey is a great tradition in the southern United States.  And in Vero Beach, we are still part of the South.  But wherever in Florida you are, Emeril Lagasse and Martha Stewart have made fried turkey a Thanksgiving favorite.

DEEP FRIED CAJUN TURKEY RECIPE

The night before, mix together:

1/2 cup kosher salt, 3 tablespoons onion powder, 3 tablespoons black pepper, 3 tablespoons white pepper, 3 tablespoons dried basil, 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper, 3 tablespoons garlic powder, 1 1/2 tablespoons paprika.

Remove all the giblets and neck from the turkey.  Rinse it well and pat dry.  Rub the interior and exterior of the bird with your seasoning mix.  Dont tie the legs together.  Cut off the wings and rub them well too.  Cover and let sit overnight in the fridge.

The day of:

Add 4 to 5 gallons of peanut oil to a 7 to 10 gallon turkey fryer.

Set at medium-high to heat the oil to 375 degrees.  It will take about 30 minutes.

Put your turkey in the deep fry rack, neck down.

Put on some oven mitts and long sleeves, maybe even some protective glasses -

Lower your turkey slowly into the oil. 

Fry for 3-4 minutes per pound. The breast should be cooked to 180 degrees.

Remove slowly and let drain.

ENJOY!

We have so much to be Thankful for this year, and we wish you a very grateful Thanksgiving.

In the Babylonian kingdom about 2000 B.C., the Code of Hammurabi, one of the first written codes of law in history, provided the first written record of insurance in the form of “bottomry.” This was a practice involving lenders advancing the ship-owning merchant the full cost of the cargo. If the voyage was a success, the ship owner repaid the bank at a certain interest rate which included a premium to reflect the risk of loss. If the ship was lost, the lender forgave the loan. Traders whose cargoes were advanced by merchants were thus protected from debt just in case the cargo was lost. This practice spread throughout the Mediterranean region until finally the Romans provided a general law of compensation for direct and indirect injuries.

In addition, Greek, Indian, and Phoenician traders used an ancient insurance called the “General Average.”  About 700 B.C. , the General Average insurance involved a cooperative effort that if cargo was compromised, the loss must be made good by all interests involved: “That which has been destroyed of all shall be replaced by the contributions of all”. In Europe during the eleventh and twelfth centuries, Danish navigators began forming guilds whose role was to protect its members against loss and damage at sea.

Who could have guessed clear back in ancient times that insurance as we know it today would be of such benefit to people that it would outlast even great societies like the Roman Empire. 

Yet, throughout history, from ancient time to the Great Fires of London to today, there have been the protections of families and neighbors working together in the event of fire, and gracious strangers donating goods to help feed and clothe families who have lost everything due to weather or other unforeseen events.

 As far back as 3000 BC in China, merchants would spread their risk out among ships in order to reduce the risks of losses from piracy or other losses, and ships captains would work together to help with safety or protection…a mix much like today.

In Florida, homeowners insurance policies have two different deductibles.  You will hear agents refer to AOP and Hurricane Deductible.

AOP is an acronym for All Other Perils.  In essence, AOP is the deductible amount for any damage that occurs from a situation that stems from something OTHER THAN a hurricane, EXCEPT for a flood.  A flood policy is a different type of insurance policy that we can save for a different blog post.

The AOP (All Other Perils) deductible is likely set up the way you have always thought of deductibles.  You choose an amount, perhaps $500, $1,000, or $2,500, and if you need to file a claim, the insurance company will deduct that amount from the payment of your claim.  If you have a tree fall on your bay window, and the bay window costs $2,800 to replace, and your AOP deductible is $500, the insurance company will pay $2,300 toward replacing your bay window.

The Hurricane deductible is a percentage value, typically 2% or 5%, but sometimes 1% or 10%.  If you choose a 2% Hurricane deductible, this does not mean that your deductible is 2% of whatever the claim is.  The deductible is actually 2% of the insured amount of your dwelling.

Let me tell it with some examples.  If a hurricane comes along and blows a tree into your bay window and you need to have the bay window replaced, and the cost of the bay window is $2,800, please don’t think that your deductible is $56.  It isn’t. 

On your insurance policy, there is an amount that says “Dwelling”.  The “Dwelling” amount is the replacement cost estimate (RCE) of your home; i.e., how much it would cost to actually rebuild your home.

Your Hurricane deductible is a percentage of the “Dwelling” amount.  Here is a continuation of your example.  Perhaps your “Dwelling” amount is $146,000.  That means it would cost $186,000 to rebuild your home.  On your policy, you chose a 2% Hurricane deductible.  That means your deductible for anything that stems from a hurricane is $2,920.  So if the hurricane comes and blows your house down, you will have to pay $2,920 toward the rebuilding of your home.  If the hurricane comes and blows your roof off, and it costs $18,000 to put a new roof on your home, you will pay $2,920 toward the cost of your new roof.

Those are the two different types of deductibles in Florida.  In Arizona they don’t have a separate deductible for hurricanes.  By having a different deductible from losses stemming from a hurricane, we are all protected.  Because there can be substantial losses during a hurricane, we all count on insurance companies maintaining their fiscal strength so that when many, many people have a claim at once, there is money to make payment on the many, many claims.  By having a different structure for deductibles during a hurricane, the insurance companies are able to maintain their fiscal strength, and you are able to turn to them when you need them.

As we get to know our clients, we have many opportunities to answer many different questions.  With the housing market as it is, one of the questions we often get is, “My house is worth less  now than it was a year or two ago, but my homeowners insurance premium doesn’t cost any less; why is that?”

Here is the easy, if not palatable, answer.

Your homeowners insurance is based on the cost of replacing your home in the event of a total loss.  This means that if your home burns down to the ground, the insurance company will be paying the cost of rebuilding it.  They won’t be buying you a different house at approximately the same value of the home that you lost.  They will be rebuilding from scratch.

When you get your initial quote, one of our agents or customer service representatives will be figuring out a Replacement Cost Estimate…an RCE.  This is typically done with a computer program that virtually all of the insurance companies use.  We will enter in the square footage of your home, the type of floor and wall coverings that you have, what kind of roof material is covering your home, whether or not you have any fancy schmancy features like granite counter tops or jacuzzi tubs, bay windows, etc.  From that point, the RCE program generates a cost to rebuild your home.  Often times, this cost can be MORE than what you could sell your house for today.

There are times when companies, or individuals, may choose to not tell us about any special features, in which case the RCE may be a little less than what it would actually cost to replace your home.  That could potentially decrease your premium just a little bit, but a little bit could be in the range of $15-$30 each month.  Unfortunately if you do have a loss, and you are underinsured, you will not be receiving the payout that you expect.

We know how frustrating it is to see the value of your home be temporarily decreasing, and we know how hard it is to pay for something you hope to never use…we are customers in addition to being your agent.  When we help you insure your home (or any of the assets you value) we will work closely with you to meet your needs.  Let us know what kinds of questions you have because we are here to answer.  And in the event that you do need the financial security that your insurance policies have been offering, we are here to help you then, too.