Last weekend was the Winter Park Chamber of Commerce’s 66th Annual Christmas Parade. If you were in attendance on Saturday, you might have been lucky enough to catch a peek of the special guy in charge. That’s right, our very own agent Tom Rossello was the Chairman of the Winter Park “Ye Olde Hometown” Christmas Parade this year! Tom has been a member of the Winter Park Chamber of Commerce for over 30 years. Of course the parade was a wonderful success with him in charge, and continued its well-established tradition of bringing joy to our community. In fact, the long history of this event actually makes it the oldest continuous holiday parade in Central Florida!
This time of year always serves as a reminder for us to reflect on all we are grateful for and how we are able to give to others. We have a lot to be thankful for at Jallad Insurance, one of which is the nonprofit organization, Give Kids the World. If you are unfamiliar with the organization, Give Kids the World provides cost-free, weeklong, whimsical vacations for critically ill children and their families to enjoy time away from hospital visits and medical procedures and just have a little fun together! The nonprofit was started by a Holocaust survivor, Henri Landwirth. He said he understood what it felt like to have childhood snatched away, so over 30 years ago he created a place where children battling illnesses could remember what it was like to laugh, play, and just be a kid. No child is ever turned away.
According to the Give Kids the World website, “Each year 27,000 children in the United States are diagnosed with a critical illness. Half of all children eligible for a wish through a partnering wish-granting organization choose to visit Central Florida and its collection of theme parks and other attractions.” Having a child with a critical illness is incredibly difficult and impacts all aspects of life for the child and their loved ones. Which is why we appreciate the mission of Give Kids the World and are happy to support their efforts to bring joy to critically ill children and their families.
So if you are looking for a charity to give to this holiday season, we hope you will consider adding Give Kids the World to your “Nice” list!
It’s that time of year again! The 2019 Health Insurance Open Enrollment period for the ACA Individual market starts November 1st and closes December 15th. Once the enrollment period passes, individuals will not be able to enroll in a health plan again until the next open enrollment or a qualifying event occurs during the plan year. Qualifying events typically include Marriage, Divorce, Employment Status Change, a Birth, or a Death in the immediate family. Employer Group Health Insurance is a little different, as open enrollment is based on the plan anniversary date, but typically follows the same rules.
A common topic of discussion during this time of year relates to Health Spending Account (HSA) and Flexible Spending Account (FSA) benefits. We created this handy chart to break down the biggest differences, so you can better decide which option works best for you!
It’s important to note that contributions to both accounts are pre-tax and have differing contribution limitations. You may not know this, but the IRS is actually the organization that decides which expenses are eligible for each type of account. More information can be found on www.IRS.gov. If you have other questions about your health insurance policy, be sure to reach out to our Health Insurance Specialist via our department email - This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.!
This Saturday, November 10th, Jallad Insurance’s team members will be participating in the Autism Speaks Walk at Cranes Roost Park in Altamonte Springs, FL. The event will begin at 10am (check-in starts at 9am) and will include opening ceremonies, a 3-mile walk, and after-party festivities for the whole family to enjoy!
The Autism Speaks Walk is the world’s largest fundraising event to enhance the lives of people with autism today and accelerate a spectrum of solutions for tomorrow. According to the CDC, 1 in 68 children in the US is diagnosed with autism. In fact, one of our team members, Lory Gonzalez, has an 8 year old son with Autism. Izaak was diagnosed at age 2 and although he is nonverbal, he is able to communicate with the family by utilizing their tablet. With the support of his therapist, Izaak’s speech has been progressing and they have faith that he will be able to communicate verbally with them one day. Izaak is a very bright and loving boy with a big heart. He loves electronics, rockets, trains and music and is a joy to his family.
Your policy expiration date is fast approaching, and it is time to start thinking about your renewal. It is important to evaluate changes that may have occurred in the past year that might affect your insurance needs. To get your wheels turning, we've prepared a list for you - just one more way that we’ve got you covered!
Home improvements or additions – roof, windows, plumbing, AC, water heater, electric, hurricane protection
Change in mortgage lenders/lien holders
Personal items - jewelry, collectibles, electronics
Business
Lifestyle
Extended international travel
Quit smoking
We know this isn't a comprehensive list, so please let us know anything else that may have happened over the past year. We are looking forward to hearing more about your year and making sure we help set you up for success this coming year!
It is fitting that October, the spookiest month of the year, is also Cyber Liability Awareness Month. Cyber scams and attacks are definitely a creepy part of commerce nowadays. Thankfully, there are insurance products to help protect and prevent those tricksters from harming your business. You might not be aware of just how much power a cyber attack wields, so to give you a better understanding I’ll share a truly frightening statistic – just about 60% of hacked small and medium sized businesses close within 6 months.
Many of us have received an email from a Nigerian Prince, or maybe a call from someone saying a family member has been arrested and they urgently need you to wire them money - or better yet, an IRS impersonator threatening you regarding an outstanding tax balance. The point is, the scammers have gotten smarter, but so have we. There is an insurance product now that will protect you from hackers and wire fraud, so you won’t have to pay the penalty for malicious actions taken against you or your business. Now, that doesn’t mean everything is covered, so be sure to review the limits with your agent to better understand what is included and excluded in your Cyber Liability policy. As most businesses have unique risks, there are additional ancillary coverages to make sure you have the best possible coverages for your needs.
