Dustin Awtrey Agency

Happy Monday!! 😀 ALABAMA ROOF🏠 REPLACEMENT OR ....NOT?🧐
Creator | C. Knighten
Source | Gemini

Insurance coverage for your roof has changed over the last couple of years....and there are honeowners who have been caught off gurad....when they least expected it! 😭

Alabama’s severe spring/summer, and often fall storms can bring high winds, micro-bursts, tornadoes, and often very destructive hail. When storms like this hit, your roof is the first thing to receive these destructive forces. Depending on the age of your roof and the materials used....if you end up with damage you may also be in for an unfortunate and sometimes devastating surprise?!

In addition to the age and materials there are other factors that you may not have considered....like whether your provider uses 'RCV' or "ACV"? 🤔

First, lets' share these definitions so you understand what your current policy covers.
RCV = Replacement Cost Value, which means that it covers the cost to repair or replace your damaged property with brand-new items of a similar kind and quality, without any deduction for depreciation
ACV = Actual Cash Value, which means that it only covers the replacement cost value minus depreciation.....this is where the crying may begin!

REAL WORLD EXAMPLE:
If you have a 15 year old roof and a severe hail storm causes $15,500 in damage:
RCV POLICY:
Pays out the full cost minus your deductible (leaving you to pay roughly your deductible)
ACV POLICY:
Subtracts heavy depreciation first.....this is often 50% to 80% for roofs over a decade old! Which means they pay out closer to $2,900..... leaving you on the hook for a $12,600+ difference out of pocket!🤪

KEY ACTION TAKE AWAYS:
REVIEW YOUR DECLARATIONS PAGE:
Don't second guess your coverage......look at your policy documents to see if your roof is listed as 'RCV' or 'ACV'.
CHECK FOR AGE-BASED ACV CLAUSES:
Discover if your insurer has an age trigger (10 or 15 years) that drops your RCV down to an ACV payout automatically?
INSPECT AND DOCUMENT:
Know the exact age and condition of your shingles. If your roof is approaching 10–15 years old, a local storm could leave you with a massive financial gap.
CONSIDER FORTIFIED ROOF UPGRADES
These products are supported by organizations like IBHS (Insurance Institute for Business & Home Safety) , as they have been designed to withstand high winds, tornadoes, hurricanes, and hail.

Keep in mind, we are a multi-line agency who wants to ensure that you are not blind-sided by an unexpected event....like a nasty hail storm. We are happy to review your current policy and share options to give you peace of mind!

Have a great day!😀

Happy Friday!! 😀 HALLOWEEN HISTORY FROM THE DARK AGES!🎃
Creator | C. Knighten

I have heard all kinds of stories since I was little....but, rather than falling for 'old wives tales"....lets explore the true history!

CELTIC ROOTS:
🎃SAMHAIN THE ORIGINAL CELEBRATION:
Well before the phrase "trick-or-treating", the ancient Celts celebrated the festival of Samhain. The festival, which began the night of October 31st and conitunied until sunset on November 1st, celebrated closing out the harvest and welcoming the dark of winter. They believed the veil between the living and the dead thinned, allowing spirits to roam the Earth. To confuse and ward off these ghosts, people wore animal skins and masks.
🎃IN HONOR OF CHRISTIAN MARTYRSP
It was only natuarl, when Pope Gregory III, designated November 1st as All S:aints' Day to honor Christian martyrs....that the night before would become known as All Hallows' Eve. It was much later that the name would be condensed and "Halloween" was born!
🎃GOT SOUL CAKES?
During the Middle Ages in Britain, poor citizens practiced "souling!" What is 'souling?" Souling is the practice of going door-to-door to pray for dead relatives in exchange for "soul cakes." Young people in Scotland and Ireland, practiced "guising,".... dressing up to perform songs or tricks for food and coins.
🎃AMERIAN DEBUT:
It wasn't until the 19th Century that "Halloween" arrived on the shores of America. When waves of Irish and Scottish immigrants arrived, they brought their folklore to North America! They also got Pumpkins in the deal, discovering that they were much easier to carve than gourds!

From rowdy pranks to todays' Trunk or Treat and costume competitions....All Hallow's eve has come a long way.....

We wish you a safe and happy Halloween!!😀

Happy Wednesday!! 😀 IT'S NATIONAL FIRE🔥SAFETY MONTH!!🧑‍🚒
Creator | C. Knighten

This topic is near and dear to me, as I am a house fire survivor. That was many years ago and has provided a great deal of respect for how easy it is have a major accident from a simple mistake. 🧐

We hope you will use these precautionary measures to keep your family stay safe during the upcoming holidays!

🍗SAFETY IN THE KITCHEN!
🚶DON'T LEAVE!
Rule #1 should be... never leave anything cooking on your stovetop. This becomes even more important durring Thanksgiving and Christmas, when family is about.
🛍️CLEAR THE FIELD:
In other words, ensure that towels, paper bags, pot holders, and especially children, are kept away from the stove burners.
🦃DEEP FRYER SAFETY:
Turkey fryers are meant for outdoor cooking only! Choose a flat surface, away from your home and prior to putting the turkey in, enusre it is completly thawed!!

🔥OPEN FLAMES & CANDLES:
🕯️MAINTAIN SPACE:
All lit candles should be kept at least 12 inches away from anything that can burn.
🚶‍♀️NEVER LEAVE:
Before leaving a room, going to sleep, or stepping out the front door....ensure that candles are put out!
🕎MENORAHS AND KINARAS:
These should always ve placed on non-flammable surfaces and kept 3 feet away from anything that can burn.
🕯️POPULAR ALTERNATIVES:
Flameless candles have come a long way, consider switching to them as a safer option to live flames.

⚡️ELECTRICITY AND HOLIDAY LIGHTS:
😳DON'T BE IN A RUSH!
Always take the time to inspect electrical cords, extension cords and all light strands or electic decorations. pect cords: Throw away everything with frayed, cracked, or pinched wires!
🤓PAY ATTENTION TO THE LIMITS!
Read the manufacturers best recommendations....Do NOT connect more than three strands of standard incandescent lights together, as a rule. If the manufacturer allows more....your option.
🔍DOUBLE CHECK:
Review the type of load recommended for your electrical outlets and extension cords. Do NOT overload your system.
🔌TIMER SWITCHES TO THE RESCUE:
Whether you are going to bed or going away for the weekend, be sure to unplug lights and all electrical decorations for safety. Using timer switches can be very helpful in managing this process.
🔨NO NAILS!
When fastening lights to your home indoors or out, use insulated clips to prevent damage to the wire insulation.

🌲GREENERY AND CHRISTMAS TREES!🎄
🎄LIVE TREES;
If you have chosen a live tree, remember that they must be watered daily! Needles will easily dry out and catch fire....be cautious!
KEEP YOUR DISTANCE!
LOL....actually keep your tree a distance....a minimum of 3 feet away... from fireplaces, radiators, space heaters, and heat vents.
🚪SAFETY EXITS:
When placing your Christmas tree, ensure it does not block any doors or exits from the room.
🎄RECYCLE OR DISPOSE"
Once your tree becomes dry, it must be removed from your home....not only will it drop needles everywhere.....you will find them all the way into summer...but, it is an even greater fire hazard than before.

Have a great day and share these safety rules with those you love!!😀

Happy Monday!! 😀 IT'S NATIOAL PUMPKIN DAY!🍁
Creator | C. Knighten

Here in the south.....especially 'old school' south...family connections often run generations deep....with roots spreading across the southeast connecting us one to the other, just like pumpkin!

In fact, you may not have been aware.....but pumpkins are kin to cucumbers, zucchni, and watermelons.....which are all part of the 'gourd' family, classifying them as fruit!

While 'pumpkin spice' is a modern trend, the pumpkins's roots run very deep, with a legendary history over 5,000 years old!

THE EVOLVING LEGEND:
🤔WHAT'S IN A NAME? In the 1500s, French explorer Jacques Cartier called them "gros melons." In English, this translates to "pompions," which evolved into our present day "pumpkin"!
🎭TO BE OR NOT TO BE A JACK-O-LANTERN:
All pumpkins are not created equal. Basically, there are two types of winter squash.....ones for carving, and others for baking.😋

HISTORICAL JOURNEY:
🦃A HOLIDAY APART: Originally, Jack-o'-lantern's adorned the tables of festive folk gathering for Thanksgiving. It wasn't until the 1920's that people would carve them and light them up, to celebrate Halloween. 🎃
🌶️A SPICY REVOLUTION: A Starbucks challenge encouraged guests to alternate sips of espresso and bites of pumpkin pie.....you guessed it....creating one of the most recognized 'seasonal flavors' every invented: the Pumpkin Spice Latte! I don't think 350 Million PSL's
🥧A TON OF PIE: In, 2019, a grower from Connecticut smashed records at the Topsfield Fair🎠 with a pumpkin weighing over 2,000 pounds and a sweet prize to the tune of $8,000.

🌱NUTRITIONAL BENEFITS OF PUMPKINS!!
Pumpkins are much more than front porch decorations....even theiir seeds are a powoerhouse snack packed with protein, magnesium, copper, and zinc!

PUMPKIN FACTOID:
🎃Pumpkins, or Curburbta, were domestcated in Mesoanerica dating back between 7,000 to 8,500 BC With history sharing that they have been cultivated by humans for roughly 7,500 to 10,000 years BC.

Have a great day!😀

Happy Friday!! 😃 SOMETIMES YOU GOTTA LAUGH!!😂
Creator | C. Knighten | Sozo Digital Media
Source | Vince The Sign Guy - Real

From Night of the Living Dead, back in 1968....until today's The Walking Dead series.....we have been fascinated with idea of reanimated dead people! Perhaps we should credit Mary Shelley ....afterall, Frankenstein was created from other dead peoples body parts?

STRANGE FACTOIDS ABOUT ZOMBIES:
ORIGINS: Originally from West Africa Bantu languages....the word The word zombie or zombi, zonbi.... means ghost or spirit.
ROOTS: During the 17th and 18th centuries, enslaved Africans helped plant this myth.
THE LEGEND: Haitian Vodou takes us in another direction. A zombie was not a reanimated dead person, but instead a soulless human who was being controlled by a sorcerer (bokor).

ZOMBIES FROM THE 1930'S-1950'S
FILM DEBUT: White Zombie was the first cinematic debut starring Bela Lugosi in 1932.
THE TROPES: Early films stuck closer to their Haitian roots with zombies portrayed as mindless, tranced-out slaves controlled by voodoo masters!

MODERN REBIRTH.
NEW BREEDS: Director George A. Romero redefined the genre in 1968, with "Night of the Living Dead.
JUST A JUMP TO THE LEFT: Romero didn't call his flesh-eating, corpses 'zombies; and in fact, based their reanimations on either a plague or strange side effect of radiation!
THE SOCIAL SEQUENCE: Subsequent sequels, like Dawn of the Dead in 1978 poked satirical fun at consumerism, racism, and societal collapse.

PANDEMIC INSPIRIED:
VIRAL ZOMBIES: In 2002, the pace changed when the movie 28 Days Later introduced a contagious virus that-infected runners instead of slow-moving corpses.
SPEED WALKING: By 2010, the mainstream media and the series The Walking Dead took the world by storm.....and we haven't tired of zombies since!!

Strangely, while I am not a horror movies fan, I love the Walking Dead. My dad just didn't get it.....and I had to explain that once you got past the gruesome, gory stuff.....it was about people and the dynamics....or lact there of ...that fascinated me!

We wish you a great Friday, watch out for Zombies.....and have a wonderful weekend!!😀

Happy Wednesday!! 😀 TRICK OR TREAT🎃... SMELL MY FEET!🫣🤢
Creator | C. Knighten

Only kidding😆....We simply want to remind parents that this should be a fun event to celebrate with your kids and we want to ensure that whether they are younger or older, everyone has a great time! Here are some Saftety Tips to consider before you go trick-or-treating with your crew!

COSTUME SAFETY!
🦺SAFETY FIRST: Before purchasing costumes, accessories, and props......check the labels to ensure they are 'flame-resistant!"
👻GET YOUR FITTINGl Try on your costumes....especially for little children, prior to trick-or-treating, to ensure that they fit well and are not too long to walk in. LIttle ones tripping with a bucket full of candy on a sidewalk is not fun for anyone!

VISIBILITY & PEDESTRIAN SAFETY!
🔦BE SEEN! Buy reflective tape or stickers and add them to costumes , trick-or-treat bags, or have children carry glow sticks and flashlights.
👽DITCH THE MASKS! Masks block a child's peripheral vision, making non-toxic face paint or makeup a wise choice.
🚶CROSS STREETS PROPERLY: Teach children how to cross the street safely. Always cross from the corners or crosswalks. "Look left, right, and left again before you step off of the curb!"
📱NO DEVICES! Distracted walking causes 1,100 to 1,500 emergency room visits a year....remind teenages to keep their eyes up and cell phones down while crossing streets.
🚙SIDEWALKS ONLY: Only walk on designated paths. Or, if there is not a sidewalk, walk on the far edge of the roadway facing traffic!🛻

CANDY INSPECTION!
🍕ALWAYS EAT DINNER FIRST: Before heading out, eat a nutritious meal...so children are less tempted to snack on unverified candy.
AN ADULT REVIEW: Adults should check the candy....throw away unwrapped candy, anything with loose wrappers, and items that look punctured or tampered with!
🥜ALLERGY MANAGEMENT: Always check ingredient labels and carry an epinephrine auto-injector, if your child has food allergies. **Consider looking for homes participating in the Teal Pumpkin Project for non-food treats.

NEIGHBORHOOD RULES!
🧒YOUNG CHILDREN: All children under 12 should be accompanied by an adult.
👨‍🦰OLDER KIDS: Map our a route in advance, stick to familiar neighborhoods in well-lit areas, and always use the "Buddy System".....stay together in a group!
🏘️OUTSIDE RULES: NEVER go into a stranger's home and don't approach homes withour porch lights on.

We wish you a great day and be safe out there!! 🎃

Happy Monday!! 😀 It's National Retirement Security Week!!💵
Creator | C. Knighten

As we appraoch retirement age, it is always a great idea to review your plan, put your paperwork in order and then sit back and relax!! Note, however, life often throws us curve balls ....changing our original plans. If that if your situation....it might be time to review places that can help s-t-r-e-t-c-h....your nest egg a little further!!

According to a 2026 analysis by WalletHub, the following are the very best states to assist you in living your best life while retired! Different factors were reviewed to formulate this group: Housing Costs, Tax Burdens, and Health Care were the top priorities considered to put people in the most optimal circumstances on a fixed income.

TOP TEN MOST AFFORDABLE STATES!
🤠 WYOMING:
Lowest total tax burden in the U.S., no income tax, and an average 0.55% property tax.🤓
☀️ FLORIDA:
No state income tax or tax on retirement withdrawals, ranking #2 overall for affordability.
🏖️ DELAWARE:
Zero sales tax and up to $12,500 in retirement income exclusions for seniors.
⛰️ TENNESSEE:
No income or inheritance tax, though grocery and sales taxes remain high.
🎰 NEVADA:
No state income tax and light property taxes offset by an 8%+ sales tax.
🌊 SOUTH CAROLINA:
Low 0.5% effective property tax rate and no tax on Social Security.
🌲NORTH CAROLINA:
Income tax dropping to 3.99% this year with full Social Security exemptions.
🏡ALABAMA:
Gentle care costs and incredibly low property taxes averaging just $890/year.
📈 MISSISSIPPI:
Ranked #1 in the nation for housing affordability.
🌳MISSOURI: Zero taxes on Social Security benefits and great public pension exemptions.

Fortunately, for us, Alabama falls into the Top 10....and while our weather is a roller coaster event waiting to happen.....at least we don't get sub-zero termperatures or Chinook Winds!! 🥶

For the record.....retiring is another one of those milestones we help you work through, ensuring that you are living your best life with peace of mind!! Have a great day!😀

Happy Friday!! 😃 SOMETIMES YOU GOTTA LAUGH!!😂
Creator | C. Knighten | Sozo Digital Media
Source | Vince The Sign Guy - Real

I have concluded that every October should have unique Halloween themed punnies....like this one from Vince The Sign Guy - Real!! I don't know about you, but I have hosted a couple of and attended several Halloween parties in my day.

They were always lots of fun and I truly enjoyed creating costumes that were more made at home than ones you can purchase. Some of my favorite costumes incuded a couple that came dressed in green sweat suits.....she made two pea pods and sewed them to their shirts....they were "Two Peas in a Pod!" 😂 Another friend of mine, she and her husband created their costumes....he came as a deck of cards, made from cardboard boxes....and she was a stack of poker chips!

Costumes like that are inventive and often hysterical. To me, if you are a contractor👷 or work in the construction industry showing up as a screw driver or even a hammer....maybe even a 'wrecking crew' if you have little ones. (look it up...they painted the pumpkin black and suspended it!) is a great idea!!🤣

There are lots of way to have fun with costumes, so what is your 'go to' or do you have a great idea in mind....? Regardless of what it is....we hope you turn a few heads and win the prize!! 🤯

Have a great Friday and wonderful weekend!!😀

Happy Wednesday!!😀 IT'S NATIONAL BREAST🩷 CANCER AWARENESS MONTH!👨‍⚕️
Creator | C. Knighten

Among women in the United States, breast cancer remains the most commonly diagnosed cancer. According to the newest American Cancer Society data, an estimated 321,910 women and 2,670 men will be diagnosed with invasive breast cancer this year, making up nearly 1 in 3 of all new female cancer diagnoses.

While incidence rates continue to edge up slightly.....particularly among women under 50.....there remains great hope! Thanks to early detection and advanced treatment options, the death rate has dropped by more than 40% over the last few decades, and the overall 5-year survival rate stands at 92%.

When breast cancer is caught early in the localized stage, the 5-year relative survival rate is over 99%! Knowing the facts, performing self-exams, and staying on top of scheduled screenings...truly saves lives.

🎗️ BREAST CANCER STATISTICS:
🩷NEW CASES-WOMEN: ~321,910 invasive and ~60,730 non-invasive (DCIS) cases.
🩷NEW CASES-MEN: ~2,670 cases, proving that breast cancer affects men too.
🩷LIFETIME RISK: 1 in 8 women (13%) will face a breast cancer diagnosis in their lifetime.
🩷THE POWER OF EARLY DETECTION: 66% of cases are caught early, where survival is at its highest.
🩷GROWING COMMUNITY: There are now more than 4.2 million breast cancer survivors living in the U.S. today.

WHAT YOU CAN DO!
👩LEARN YOUR BODY: Check for unusual changes, lumps, or skin differences.
👩‍⚕️TALK WITH YOUR DOCTOR: Discuss your family history to understand your personal risk.
📲SCHEDULE SCREENINGS: Annual or biennial mammograms are typically recommended starting between ages 40 and 45.
😃KNOWLEDGE IS POWER. Share this post to spread awareness, and remind someone you love to prioritize their health today.

One important fact I have learned this year....two fold: Cancer does not care about your age or health, and paying attention to your body 'NOW" is of the utmost importance. Please schedule your screenings as soon as you notice anything unusual.....your life depends on it!

We wish you a great day! 😀