Its Volunteer Appreciation Week

IFS salutes everyone who volunteers their time to help our communities. Below is a short list of activities our IFS team is involved in:

Diane Rose, Account Manager/ Support Specialist - President of Leeds Elementary PTO in Elkton, Maryland

Mike Fallon, Account Executive – Volunteer Fireman at Christiana Fire Company, Cub Scout Den Leader for Pack 283

Kevin Thomas, Jr., Account Executive – Adopt A Highway Volunteer, All the Difference Inc. Volunteer, Sunday Breakfast Mission Volunteer and Volunteer on the ABC Cares Committee

Lori DiBattista, Account Executive - Long time volunteer for Special Olympics, Make-A-Wish Foundation and Making Strides Against Breast Cancer. Certified as a Heart Truth Champion through the National Institute of Health and Christiana Care Health System. Parent volunteer for the Men's University of Delaware Track & Field team.

Bob Briggs, Account Executive - VIPS (Volunteer In Police Service) for the New Castle City PD. Member of the Delaware State Fire Police. 17 year active member of the Goodwill Volunteer Fire Company.

Kevin Campbell, AVP Marketing & Technology – 3rd year coach for Capitol Little League; managing the Minor B Pirates.

Steve Blewitt, VP IFS Benefits – Coaches Brandywine Little League Baseball for the past 5 years and also has volunteered for IHM activities and Brandywine YMCA youth sports programs.

Steve Burnett, Executive VP - Assistant varsity softball coach at AI DuPont High School and Volunteer on the ABC Cares Committee.

Rick LaPenta, President & CEO - Co-Chair Goodwill of Delaware fundraising committee.

We commends everyone who volunteers their time to help those in need and make your community a better place to live.

Job Aid and Flood Insurance Extension

After the senate had allowed the National Flood Insurance Program and the COBRA subsidies to lapse since March 31; the President signed into law an extension of the two programs today.

President Obama signed the bill the Senate and House both approved yesterday. The COBRA subsidy portion of the bill extends the 15 month, 65% federal premium subsidy to May 31 for employees who were laid off. The last extension had expired on March 31. There is pending legislation in the House that would extend the subsidy to employees laid off through the end of 2010.


Click here for the full story.

Bill to Restore Flood Insurance & Jobless Benefits Stalls Again

Votes came just short of passage of the bill which would restore the Flood Insurance Program and extended COBRA benefits.

Click here to read the full story.

Brandywine Little League Opening Day

With over 550 families in Brandywine Little League this year, opening day was a huge success! With sunny skies and a brisk wind baseball was under way. Fortunately for the players, many local businesses, including IFS, sponsor one of the teams. Support like this has made it possible to offer Little league Baseball in North Wilmington for more than 40 years. The IFS team was looking to open the season strong and that they did. The team made lots of plays in the field and generated plenty of excitement with many hits at the plate. IFS's own, Steve Blewitt volunteers his time coaching the squad, as he has done every year since 2004.

Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act Tax Credit

Under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, small businesses who provide health insurance may qualify for a credit toward their cost of health insurance.

Click here for a summary of the Act.


Click here for the 3-step worksheet to help you determine if you qualify for the tax credit.

More States Join Lawsuit Against the New Healthcare Law

Eighteen states in total have filed suit to stop the health care bill from being implemented. The charge by the states filing the suit is that this law is an unprecedented and unconstitutional expansion of the power of the federal government.

Read the full Reuters article here.

Mandatory Sprinklers Spark Debate in PA

The Philadelphia Inquirer posted an article announcing legislation requiring fire sprinklers for new homes built in Pennsylvania after January 2011 has sparked a debate. Lines are drawn between those who believe the sprinkler contractors have "pushed through" legislation which some contest doesn't save property or lives and those who believe residential sprinkler systems do just that.

Some home builders believe these regulations will adversely impact new home sales because of increased costs.

View the full article here.

Mike Fallon, CPIA
Account Executive, IFS.
Mike’s specializations include working with restaurant owners, fire sprinkler contractors, and fire companies. During his sixteen years in the insurance industry, Mike has focused on offering his clients the best choices to protect their business and minimize their risk.