The Down East Seniors Club held its Dec. 9 meeting at the Blind Center of North Carolina in Washington. President Stewart Rumley led the meeting. Jim Hackney played for the singing of “God Bless America” and Charlie Mike Smith gave the invocation. Dick Paul provided humor.

Jim Hackney introduced Dick Barber with Morris Insurance as the guest speaker. Barber spoke about insurance concerns of retirees. He recommended the addition of $1 million of umbrella coverage in addition to regular liability coverage in auto and homeowners policies. Wind/hail coverage and flood coverage are now separate from regular homeowners coverage. Flood insurance was created in 1968 through the government sponsored National Flood Insurance Program. This program was self-supporting until Hurricanes Katrina and Sandy drained it. As a result, flood insurance rates were greatly increased. Health insurance rates in the Affordable Care Act are increasing because more people with health issues enrolled than those who were healthy, thus causing greater benefits to be paid.

Ed Hamrick reminded the club of the Dec. 16 Christmas party to be held at the Washington Yacht & Country Club at 6 p.m. He also said that the next regular meeting will be Jan. 6, 2016.

Bill Cates won the 50/50 drawing.