EFM&A President Joe Floss was the featured guest for the full hour of WBEN’s Home Improvement Show, hosted by Domenic Cortese.
A wide variety of topics were covered – and Joe was happy to answer questions from listeners!
Click the link below to listen to the full episode!
EFM&A proudly announces the appointment of Steven Buzzelli as the Director of Marketing and Medicare Solutions. With a robust background spanning marketing, business development, and expertise in Medicare solutions, Buzzelli brings a wealth of knowledge to his new role.
Steven Buzzelli holds a Bachelor of Science in Health & Fitness from Springfield College, complemented by an MBA from Canisius College. His journey into healthcare and marketing began with notable time at renowned companies such as Northwestern Mutual, BlueCross BlueShield, and Fisher-Price.
In his most recent endeavor, Buzzelli’s role as Director of Marketing and Medicare Solutions at EFM&A commenced in March 2024.
Throughout his career, Buzzelli has established significant partnerships and achieved organizational goals. Notably, he forged a successful collaboration with the Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, providing financial education to medical students.
Beyond his professional achievements, Buzzelli is deeply committed to community service. He serves on the Board of Directors of several local organizations. He has been recognized for his philanthropic endeavors, including being named the East Aurora Boys & Girls Club Man of the Year and co-chairing United Way’s Day of Caring for Western New York.
“Joining EFM&A is an exciting opportunity to continue my passion for marketing and contribute to the company’s success,” said Steven Buzzelli. “I look forward to leveraging my experience and skills to drive growth and provide exceptional Medicare solutions for our clients and the community.”
Steven Buzzelli resides in East Aurora, New York, with his wife Anne, where they have raised their children.
His dedication to both professional excellence and community enrichment embodies the values that EFM&A stands for.
Emerling Floss Murphy & Associates has been named one of the Best Places to Work in Western New York by Buffalo Business First. This is our 4th consecutive year receiving this honor, and also the highest ranking we have received in company history.
This is an honor we take seriously at EFM&A because we believe that providing a positive work culture attracting strong talent from the industry while maintaining strong customer service will directly impact the client experience.
Here’s how it works:
The United States Environmental Protection Agency has announced that March 18th – 24th is “Fix a Leak Week.” As your insurance agency, we find this a good time to remind you that finding and fixing those leaks not only helps the environment but also can help you financially and prevent serious damage to your home or business.
The average household’s leaks can account for nearly 10,000 gallons of water wasted annually; ten percent of homes have leaks that waste 90 gallons or more daily. Common types of leaks found in the house are worn toilet flappers, dripping faucets, and other leaking valves. These types of leaks are often easy to fix, requiring only a few tools and hardware that can pay for themselves in water savings. Fixing easily corrected household water leaks can save homeowners about 10 percent on their water bills.
To check for leaks in your home, you first need to determine whether you’re wasting water and then identify the source of the leak.
Here are some tips for finding leaks:
Any and all things that connect to water could have the potential to leak!
Showerheads
Toilets
Bathtubs
Appliances
Outdoor Water Areas
February 1st is Car Insurance Day – a day where we celebrate the importance of car insurance!
This day also serves as a reminder for motorists to review and ensure the adequacy of their auto insurance policies. Whether it’s protecting against accidents, theft, or unforeseen circumstances, car insurance plays a crucial role in providing financial security and peace of mind on the road.
Car Insurance is Mandatory in Most States
In the U.S., most states require drivers to have auto liability insurance before they can legally drive a car.
Your Credit Score Can Impact Your Premium
Many insurers use credit information to price auto insurance policies. Research shows that those who effectively manage their credit have fewer claims.
Your Vehicle Model Affects Your Insurance Cost
Your vehicle’s make, model, and year can heavily impact your car insurance rates. Cars that are often stolen or expensive to repair might have higher insurance costs.
You Can Get Discounts for Safe Driving
Many car insurance companies offer discounts if you prove to be a safe driver over a certain period. These rewards can significantly lower your premium. CLICK HERE to sign up for a defensive driving course today!
Car Insurance Covers More Than Just Collision
Besides collisions, car insurance policies can cover various issues, such as damage from weather events, theft, and personal injury, depending on the type of policy purchased.
Car Insurance Checklist:
Below are some things to consider regarding your Auto Insurance. Please contact your EFM Agency Account Manager if you have any questions about your current program.
Coverage Types and Limits:
Deductibles:
Discounts:
Policy Exclusions and Limitations:
Claims Process:
Policy Renewal Terms:
Vehicle Changes:
Driving Record:
Emergency Roadside Assistance:
Policy Documents:
Bad habits. We all have them. And sometimes, they can be hard to shake. This is especially true when it comes to driving. Depending on how many years you’ve spent behind the wheel, certain habits may be deeply ingrained by now. And many of them can be bad for your car.
Whether you’re running late and forget to fill up, or you’re just not paying attention to your fuel gauge, finding yourself low on gas can happen from time to time. But running out of gas is more than just inconvenient; it can also be hard on your car.
Why? Because critical components, like your vehicle’s fuel pump, aren’t designed to operate without gas. The fuel pump is submerged in the gas tank, where it uses fuel to cool and lubricate the mechanisms in the pump. Most fuel pumps can last for the life of your vehicle.
But when you run your car on empty, the pump can overheat, which could lead to a costly failure. And because the gas tank typically needs to be drained and removed to replace the pump, this labor-intensive job could cost upward of $1,000 to repair.
If you approach any kind of flooding, including large puddles of groundwater, you may be tempted to drive right through. But your best—and safest—course of action is always to turn around and find another route. What may not seem like a lot of water can in fact be quite dangerous when you’re behind the wheel.
For starters, it can be hard to gauge how deep the water is, and you can’t see what debris or other hazards may be below the water.
On top of that, driving through deep water can damage or destroy your vehicle’s engine, transmission and other critical components. It can also cause irreversible damage to your car’s complex electrical system. Because of this long-lasting damage, a flooded vehicle is often considered a total loss by insurance providers.
Every vehicle manufacturer recommends following a routine maintenance schedule to keep your car running in tip-top shape. In the short term, it may seem like there’s no harm in skipping an oil change, air filter replacement or tire rotation. But the truth is, taking care of these preventative maintenance tasks now can save you from needing major repairs later.
Modern cars feature a host of warning lights, and each is there to notify you of a particular problem with your vehicle. Ignoring these warning lights could leave you with a major repair down the road. Depending on the problem, it could even jeopardize the safety of you and your passengers.
So don’t make a habit of ignoring your vehicle’s warning lights. The next time that “check engine” light starts flashing, consult your car’s manual and if need be, take your car to a qualified mechanic to get it checked out.
One of the easiest car maintenance tasks to ignore is checking your tire pressure. After all, if your tire isn’t flat, what’s the big deal? But not running your tires at the manufacturer’s recommended air pressure can cause a host of problems ranging from premature or uneven tire wear to bad handling and poor fuel economy.
For that reason, experts recommend that you make a habit of checking your tire pressure once a month. And remember that when it’s cold, your tire pressure will drop between one and two pounds per square inch (PSI) for every ten-degree decrease in temperature. So pay extra attention to your tires as the seasons change.
Your car’s brakes represent one of its most important safety systems. But hitting the brake pedal too hard, or using the brakes too often, can leave this system severely compromised.
For example, applying the brakes for a prolonged period of time (like when slowing your car down a long hill) can cause them to overheat. And when your brakes get too hot, their stopping power is greatly reduced.
Overuse of your brakes can have long-term consequences, too. More braking means you’ll wear through pads and rotors faster, which translates to more frequent service intervals. You can also expect to pay more at the pump, thanks to lower fuel economy caused by frequent braking.
To “break” this bad habit, try to leave some extra space between you and other cars on the roadway. And if you’re descending a long hill, try shifting your car out of overdrive and into a lower gear; this will allow the engine to do some of the braking for you.
Speed bumps are installed to help slow down traffic, making areas safer for pedestrians. If you drive over a speed bump at a slow speed, your car will be unharmed. But hit a speed bump faster than about 10 miles per hour, and you can do serious damage to your car.
The sudden impact of a speed bump could cause your suspension to bottom out, damaging your shocks and struts. It could also bend other important suspension components or knock your car out of alignment. So take it slow!
Parking your car for extended periods of time can take its toll on your vehicle. The time it takes for your vehicle to be damaged by long-term storage will vary based on several factors, including the location of your parked car and how well you’ve prepared it.
However, the negative effects of time on an undriven vehicle can be observed sooner than you may think.
When your car is left undriven, the fuel and battery can go bad. Tires and rubber belts can crack. Rust can begin to form. And rodents could even make your car their new home.
If you have a college student away, for example, consider using a battery maintainer while the car sits. Since maintainers are used for maintenance during periods when cars aren’t going to be used, time isn’t of the essence when charging. This means that a maintainer can give a battery a “low and slow” charge, which is better for its health than a faster charge or a jump.
If you live in an area that sees cold winters, the constant freeze-thaw cycles can make potholes a common sight on the roadways. When driving, you should do your best to avoid hitting them at all costs.
Potholes can cause damage to your vehicle ranging from flat tires or bent wheels to much pricier damage to your suspension, steering system or exhaust system. Next time you encounter a pothole, try to swerve around it. If swerving isn’t possible, reduce your speed to lessen the impact—and any potential damage.
Everybody can appreciate how good a freshly washed car looks. But the benefits of a clean vehicle extend far beyond the visual appeal. If you go long periods of time without washing your car, all that dirt and grime will embed itself in the painted surfaces and will eventually eat away at the clear coat, causing permanent damage.
The consequences are even greater if you live in an area that uses road salt to melt the ice and snow. That’s because salt creates chemical reactions that can corrode the components on your car. This is especially true for any exposed metal, like brake lines and fuel lines.
If you’re looking for ways to tighten your monthly budget, there’s an unexpected place you can look: Your garage.
No, we’re not telling you to sell your car (although that’s certainly an option). Rather, it’s time to take a closer look at the way you drive and take care of your vehicle. As gas prices climb, both of these habits can make a bigger impact on your wallet than you think.
And if you’re looking for affordable car insurance, we can help with that, too.
Gas mileage (also known as miles per gallon or MPG) is measured by calculating the number of miles that a vehicle can travel using a single gallon of fuel. Fuel economy is another term that’s commonly used. It’s often referred to in relation to improving fuel efficiency — which means using less gas when you drive.
Since 1977, auto manufacturers have been required to publish some form of miles per gallon metric on new car labels. For modern vehicles, this includes ratings for city, highway and combined MPG values.
In general, vehicles tout better gas mileage during highway driving rather than city (i.e. stop and start) driving. But the combined MPG rating, which represents 55% city driving and 45% highway driving, provides a quick and easy way to compare the fuel efficiency of gasoline vehicles — which is especially helpful if you’re shopping for a new car. You can find these values for your current vehicle through a quick internet search.
If you want to measure the real-world gas mileage of your car, it’s easier than you might think. Follow the steps below from the U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy:
Getting good gas mileage means that you can travel further using less gas.
As a general guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has designed a fuel economy rating that evaluates vehicles on a scale of 1 (worst) to 10 (best). These numbers can also be found on new car labels. For the 2020 model year, vehicles earning a 1 rating return an MPG of 14 or less, while a score of 10 requires 44 or more MPG.
But there are a lot of other variables that factor into this ‒ from the type of vehicle you drive to the way you drive it. And all of these can add up when it comes to how much you end up spending on gas.
Regardless of what kind of vehicle you drive, all of these factors can negatively impact gas mileage:
The U.S. Department of Energy’s Office of Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy and Consumer Reports offer several ways that you can improve your MPG:
Winter driving has its challenges. But throw an inexperienced — or inconsiderate — driver into the mix, and your daily commute can get much more difficult.
It’s always aggravating when other drivers put you at risk. Getting stuck behind a driver who is spinning their tires or not paying attention isn’t just annoying… it’s dangerous.
Winter driving calls for quick decision making, patience and a little bit of know-how. Below you’ll find ways to spot a rookie winter driver — and how to avoid looking like one yourself:
Here are six common mistakes of winter drivers:
Fall is a favorite time of year for many. Changing leaves, plaid shirts and pumpkin spice everything is just a start. But we also get shorter days, falling leaves, and that first frost of the season.
Drivers should be mindful of these changes, as this can alter your driving in ways you might not expect.
As the weather cools down, the rain picks up. Combine that with lower temperatures and you’ll find your tires may have less grip than they did in the summer months.
To start, always drive cautiously in wet conditions – that includes driving slower than you would on a dry road. And be on the lookout for wet leaves, which can be as slick as ice.
It’s also important to check your tires to ensure they have enough tread. Insert a penny into your tread with Abraham Lincoln’s head upside down and facing you. If you insert the penny all the way and all of Lincoln’s head is still showing, that means your tread has worn down and it’s time for new tires.
Driving too fast for the conditions or cruising on worn tires can lead to hydroplaning.
Deer are most active from October to January, especially during the dusk and dawn hours. If you’ve ever seen the aftermath of a deer collision, you know it can do severe damage to your vehicle.
Avoid deer on the roadways by slowing down during peak hours, paying attention to road signs and using your high beams to increase visibility when possible.
The days get shorter in the fall, so you’ll find yourself driving in the dark more often. This is another peak time for accidents.
Make sure you’re staying alert during nighttime hours. Be on the lookout for pedestrians and turn your headlights on during dawn or dusk hours. Keep a safe distance from other vehicles and know when to swerve if there’s an object in the road.
The kids are back to school. The house is quieter. But if you drive just before the school day starts or after it ends…you’re in for lots of crosswalks and bus stops.
Since more kids are walking and biking to school, you’ll need to stay alert around schools and neighborhoods. Be aware of bus safety and school drop-off procedures as well. And if you’d like to avoid the risk altogether, consider finding a new route to avoid these high-traffic areas.
It’s always important to be prepared. But even the most cautious drivers can find themselves face-to-face with something unexpected.
