TUBE Winner

Vaughan Schow was the big winner from The Top of Utah Business Expo put on by The Ogden Weber Chamber of Commerce that was held at the Golden Spike Arena. Vaughan guessed the closet correct number to the amount of money in the jar. Congrats Vaughan!

FLO!

The Insurance Center helped to organize a charity golf tournament for the YCC in Ogden and Progressive Insurance Participated in it. Golfers were given a prize for the person who hit the closet ball to Flo. Here is shot of The Insurance Center staff with Flo. From left Jason Call, Kierstin Goodell, and Scott Millward.

Raptors Pictures

Here are photos of The Insurance Center's Customer Appreciation Night at The Raptor's baseball game. Due to techinal difficulties we are still working on posting the video of the big night.


Steve George plays the Strike-O-Baseball Toss during the middle of the fifth inning.


Lucy Davidson sings the national anthem before the game.


Porter Iverson enjoys a pre game dinner while his brother Jace looks on.


Carston and Dax Iverson show off their mad jumping skills before the game.


While his older brother Jace smiles Jett Iverson shows off why he enjoys coming to Raptor's games.


Jamie Phippen and her children Liz and Brandon come to support the Raptor's.


Nancy Millward of Megaware Keelguard and her friend enjoy their dinner before the big game.


Chad Stephens, owner of Comfort Solutions, and his daughter Maya Stephens get checked in.


Troy and Kristy Iverson are pictured here along with two of their four children.


Here are sister's Sheri Norseth and Stacey Dixon entering the park with their families along with Sheri's husband Clint.


Here is Val Iverson, owner of Get Air, with his sister Carol Ann talking to Insurance Center employees Kierstin Goodell and Candice Burke.


Here is Shawn Iverson, owner of The Insurance Center, greeting Steve George of Riverside Electric and his family.


Here are Scott and Robin Maughan agents from the Logan office.


Here are Bob and Pamela Moore two of the Raptor's biggest fans!

Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA)

According to Independant Agent Magazine last Friday, a three-judge panel at the Atlanta-based 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals struck down the individual mandate portion of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA). The court sided with the 26 states, led by Florida, which filed suit against the law stating that the federal government did not have the power under the U.S. Constitution to require individuals to purchase health insurance. This case was notable both because it is arguably the most high-profile of all the court challenges to the PPACA, and because it makes the likelihood of a U.S. Supreme Court decision before the 2012 elections all but certain.

Most court-watchers believe this latest ruling against the constitutionality of the individual mandate has greatly increased the chances of the U.S. Supreme Court taking up a case on this issue in its next term, which begins this October and ends in June 2012. This is because two appellate courts have now ruled in opposite directions on the constitutionality of the law, since the 6th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled to uphold the law in June Also, since the Obama Administration lost this particular case, it is up to them to file an appeal. Most believe the Supreme Court would be loath to turn away the Administration in a case as high profile and wide in scope as this one.

Customer Appreciation Night at The Ogden Raptors!

Last night was The Insurance Center's annual customer appreciation night at The Ogden Raptors. Although The Raptors didn't win our insureds still had a great time at the ball game. Some of our insureds participated in activies that occured between innings such as the bat spin and baseball toss. Video of these events and others are to be posted soon on our blog and facebook page. Remember to get a free quote for insurance that fits your lifestyle to give The Insurance Center a call today!

Raptors Night!

For the past five years The Insurance Center has sponsered a "Night at the Raptors". This year the event will be held this year on Tuesday August 2, 2011. Free tickets can be printed off our website at www.insurancecenterUT.com or you can stop by our office at 3020 Washington Blvd Ogden UT 84401 to pick up tickets. See you there!

Summer Fun!

With the Fourth of July almost here and the middle of summer approaching there is a new trampoline park opening this weekend in Roy. Check it out for tons of summer fun!



Their website is www.getairsports.com where you can find more information and directions to the park along. Below is a description from the website about the facility.

"We are Utah’s newest trampoline arena! Our trampoline park includes 4 pit trampolines with competition rectangular trampolines. The dodge ball arena includes 4 - ten feet wide, fifty-one feet long tumble tracks with angled sides. We have two Aeroball Courts for competitive players. Aeroball is a combination of volleyball, basketball and trampolining merged into one. Another section includes an AirJam basketball. In addition we have a large free jump area and “Small Air” for children under 48 inches in height."

"Our trampolines are built of the finest quality materials with your safety and enjoyment in mind. We would love for you to come by and check us out!"

Summer!

Summer may finally be here and families are headed off on vacation. The photo above shows Shawn, one of our agents, on a past family vacation with his family. Many people hit the open road like Shawn and his family did and drive to their vacation destinations. Here at the insurance center we can give you a quote for auto insurance and save you money. Give us a call today for a free auto quote!

Gold Award

The Insurance Center was presented today with the Gold Award from Auto Owners Insurance. We were the the top production leader for Life Insurance for the Northern Utah Territory in 2010. Shown in the picture above from left to right is Jason Call, Matt Hedquist, Shawn Iverson, and Scott Millward. Matt is the marketing rep for Northern Utah for Auto Owners while Shawn, Jason, and Scott are all life agents at the insurance center. If you are looking to purchase some life insurance give The Insurance Center a call today!

Disability Awareness Month

May is Disability Awareness Month. Disability insurance can help protect your paycheck if you are injured or ill and unable to work. Why not insure one of your most vauable assets? www.protectyourpaycheck.com is a good website to check out with information about disability insurance and a personal disability quotient calculator that calculates your chance of becoming disabled. Here at The Insurance Center we write disability policies and would be happy to do a quote for it.

UAIIA Convention

The Utah Association of Independant Insurance Agents Connvention was held this past weekend at the Eccles Conference Center in Ogden. All the agents from The Insurance Center were able to attend and enjoyed it very much. Shawn Iverson was able to take some picture with some of the vendors that were at the trade booth fair last Friday.



This is Shawn Iverson with Charlie Anderson who is the president of Multico.



This is Wayne Spence of Advanced Restoration with Shawn Iverson.

Big Winner!

Congrats to Jason Call from our office who won the Young Agent of the Year Award at the UAIIA Convention which was held in Ogden this past week. Jason has worked at the insurance center for over seven years and we are proud of the hard work he does!

Facebook

Check out our new page on facebook and like us! Our new facebook page is designed to let you let know what the insurance center is about and what is going on at the agency as well as to receive feedback from you our clients on how you feel about us. Make and comment and let us know what you think!

Real Salt Lake

Here at The Insurance Center we have employees who are huge fans of Real Salt Lake. Shawn Iverson the owner and his family were able to attend the big game last night and support their favorite team while showcasing their true colors. Although Real Salt Lake did lose the team put up a good fight and acheived what no other MLS team has been able to accomplish before them. They will continue to finish out the season and earn their second MLS cup while the Iverson family cheers them on from the sidelines.

Healthcare Reform Timeline

Now that it's been a year since the Affordable Care Act Coverage was passed here a timeline of what changes occurred last year and what will happen in the future.

Effective 2010
Expands dependent coverage to include adult children until age 26.

Eliminates lifetime benefits caps on basic health benefits and restricts annual caps.

Keeps plans and insurers from charging more for emergency services that are obtained out of a plan network.

Requires plans to cover preventive services without cost to members.


Effective 2011
Requires plans to spend at least 85% of large group revenue and 80% of individual and small group revenue on health care and quality improvement.

Creates a system for reviewing "unreasonable" rate increases.


Effective 2013
Limits deductibility of health insurance company executive compensation.


Effective 2014
Creates a health insurance exchange distribution system

Creates a health insurance purchase subsidy tax credit

Requires health insures to sell coverage on a guaranteed issue, mostly community-rated basis.

Requires states to make Medicaid available to individual and families with incomes up to 133% of the federal poverty level.

Anniversary

Yesterday was the one year anniversary of when President Obama signed the Healthcare Reform Act into a law. Changes have taken place in the last year with more to come until the transition is complete in 2014. While popular opinion at first was supportive of the law lately more and more individuals are questioning if this law is really beneficial.

House GOP Votes to Defund Healthcare Law

According to the NAHU newsletter the House voted on Friday, February 18th, to block funding for the healthcare law in several ways. Republicans charged the law is an unconstitutional government takeover of healthcare and a budget-buster, while Democrats blasted attempts to eliminate consumer protections, such as allowing individuals with pre-existing conditions access to health coverage. President Obama announced he 'strongly opposes' it before the new amendments even passed. In fact, the Administration stated, "If the president is presented with a bill that undermines critical priorities or national security through funding levels or restrictions, contains earmarks, or curtails the drivers of long-term economic growth and job creation while continuing to burden future generations with deficits, the president will veto the bill."

Obamacare

A federal judge yesterday ruled that the health care reform is unconstitutional. The judge said that the federal governement cannot require Americans to buy health insurance. 26 states have joined together to fight the law. In December a federal judge in Virgina issued a similiar rulling although two other federal judges have upheld the law. Many expect the fight to reach the Supreme Court.

New Employee

The Insurance Center would like to welcome Candice Burke to our agency. Candice has worked in insurance before and is a great addition to The Insurance Center. She enjoys snowbarding and golfing and is a huge Steelers fan and looking very much toward the Steelers winning the Superbowl this year!

House Repeals Health Reform Law, but Senate Will Not Follow Suit

According to NAIFA on January 19 the GOP-controlled House of Representatives approved H.R.2, the bill to repeal the health reform bill enacted into law last March. The repeal vote was followed on January 20 by a vote on a resolution (H.Res.9) to instruct the House committees of jurisdiction to craft replacement health reform legislation.
It is widely expected—by supporters of H.R.2 as well as by opponents—that the Democratic-controlled Senate will not even consider H.R.2. And should the bill somehow unexpectedly get through the Senate, President Obama on January 6 issued a Statement of Administration Policy (SAP) stating he would veto any legislation that would repeal the PPACA.
House and Senate GOP lawmakers say that the largely symbolic House vote on H.R.2 is important as a prelude to the party’s real strategy, which is to dismantle the PPACA piece by piece.
It is not yet clear what kind of bill the House GOP will offer as an alternative to the PPACA. However, certain elements are likely. They include authority for interstate sales of health insurance, tort reform, and expansion of self-directed health plans - high deductible health plans (HDHPs) in conjunction with health savings accounts (HSAs). House GOP health reform legislation is also likely to include reenactment of some of the more popular insurance reforms contained in the PPACA—for example, limits if not outright bans on use of preexisting conditions, and/or requiring health plans to allow plan participants to insure their children up to age 26.