08/13/2026
Another great LeTip of North Country meeting this morning, featuring two outstanding speakers who reminded us that one of the greatest benefits of LeTip goes far beyond referrals.
🎤 First up was Nicholas Kurdziel of Steadwise Wealth Advisors, our Life, Health & Disability Insurance seat holder.
Nick gave an extremely informative presentation on planning for Long-Term Care and the role that hybrid insurance policies can play in that planning. These policies can combine life insurance with Long-Term Care benefits, helping provide funds for care if they're needed while still preserving a life insurance benefit if they aren't.
One number really got everyone's attention: Nick explained that the cost of nursing-home care here on Long Island can average approximately $11,000–$12,000 PER MONTH.
That's the kind of expense that can dramatically affect a family's finances and makes planning ahead so important.
Nick discussed different approaches to preparing for Long-Term Care expenses and why these conversations are much better to have before a need arises. A true professional—knowledgeable, thorough, and able to make a complicated subject understandable.
👏 Great presentation, Nick!
🎤 Our second speaker was Michael Chestaro of the DeVito Insurance Agency, Inc., who brought decades of insurance experience to a fascinating discussion of some of the more sophisticated strategies available to businesses.
Michael spoke about insurance wrap-up programs, commonly used on larger construction projects to consolidate certain insurance coverages for contractors and subcontractors under one coordinated program.
He also discussed self-funded group health plans, where an employer assumes more direct responsibility for employees' healthcare claims rather than simply paying a traditional insurance premium. This can potentially give an employer greater control over its healthcare costs and plan design, but it also requires careful planning and an understanding of the additional financial risk involved.
Michael then took us into the world of captive insurance, where businesses may participate in or establish an insurance company to insure certain risks themselves. Captives can potentially provide greater control over risk management, claims and insurance costs—but they also come with additional financial exposure, regulatory requirements and responsibilities.
Michael did an excellent job explaining both the risks and potential rewards of these strategies.
Decades of experience were evident throughout his presentation. Michael is extremely knowledgeable and truly a wealth of information.
👏 Great presentation, Mike!
And that's one of the things we enjoy most about LeTip of North Country.
Yes, we're here to build relationships, generate referrals and help one another grow our businesses. But there's another benefit that's just as valuable:
Every week, we have the opportunity to learn from experienced professionals in fields outside our own.
Our chapter currently brings together professionals in Commercial Insurance, Property & Casualty Insurance, Financial Advising, Mortgage Loans, Accounting/CPA Services, Life, Health & Disability Insurance, Floristry, Residential Real Estate, Merchant Services and Security Systems.
Think about the amount of real-world knowledge represented around that table.
When one of our members gets up to speak, they're not simply telling us what they do or asking for referrals. They're sharing the knowledge and experience they've accumulated throughout their professional careers—and the rest of us get the benefit of learning from it.
That's an important part of what makes LeTip of North Country valuable.
🤝 The referrals can help grow your business.
🤝 The relationships can help build your network.
💡 And the knowledge shared around the table can make all of us better-informed businesspeople.
And we're always looking to add quality professionals in categories that aren't currently represented.
One profession. One seat. No competition within your category.
If you're a business owner or professional interested in growing through relationships, referrals AND shared knowledge, we'd love to have you visit a meeting and see what LeTip of North Country is all about.
