March 2009


The Insurance Way30 Mar 2009 05:44 am

If you drive a car, you need to understand auto insurance. Believe me; it’s much better to learn now than it is after an accident. Here are 19 ways to get the most coverage for the least money:

1. Spend your money wisely

Put your money towards the things that could wipe you out financially.

Most people will spend a lot of money to get a $500 deductible and ignore the fact that a $500,000 lawsuit could bury them forever. You should raise your deductible and increase your liability coverage. The premium change will balance itself out to about the same amount you are paying now. Raising your total liability coverage from the standard $300,000 to $500,000 will only cost you about $60 more per year on two cars.

Look at the trade-off: what you are saving in premiums vs. how much risk you can accept. You can save on your premiums by shaving off your personal injury protection. This is often called the medical payments coverage. If you already have health insurance, it will pay your medical bills after an accident. You are basically paying for the same coverage twice.

2. Look at your liability coverage per person

Have your agent write your policy so that the total amount paid per accident and per person are the same amount.

If you have $300,000 in total liability, often only $100,000 is payable for each person injured. If you are sued by an individual for $200,000 - you are responsible for half. Your $300,000 worth of coverage should reflect $300,000 worth of coverage.

3. Buy an umbrella policy

If you have a considerable amount of assets, or plan to, consider taking out an umbrella policy that covers both your home and autos for liability. These policies usually start at $200 to $300 annually for up to $1 million of coverage.

4. Good advice is worth looking for

Make sure that you get your advice from neutral, credited professionals. When shopping for an agent, look for experience. You don’t want to necessarily go with an agent that has only had one weeks worth of training! Look at their education and industry credentials. Look for those who are members of the CPCU, CIC and AAI.

5. Good credit ratings count

Your credit rating is used to determine your insurability and your premiums. Good credit equals affordable insurance.

6. Your insurance company pays for your rental

If you have been in an accident and your car has to be in the shop, make sure that your policy covers the costs of renting a similar car. While a week with your car in the shop doesn’t sound like all that long, one-week worth of rental fees can add up to the hundreds of dollars.

7. Shopping around pays off

Premiums vary widely from company to company. You can often pay more than double for the same insurance. Make sure that you call around for quotes from brand name companies and independent agents.

Don’t assume that going with a well known company will cost you more. Insurance companies with the best ratings often have the best prices.

Don’t just get a quote - ask for the exact numbers on the exact coverage you need. You want to compare apples to apples.

8. Take advantage of discounts

Discounts can help to save you a lot of money. If you haven’t had an accident in years, if you store your car in your garage, if you don’t drive many miles - you may be eligible for a discount. Companies will also give you discounts for safety features and anti-theft devises. More than one car or more than one type of policy with a company gives you a discount also.

Paying your premiums annually instead of monthly can save you over $100 a year. Driving classes and good grades while in school can save you also.

9. Teens that aren’t driving don’t need to be insured

If you teen is away at college and is no longer driving your car, take them off of your policy. Teen drivers add anywhere from 50% to 500% to your premium. If your teen is driving, make him or her get their own insurance. Its time for them to start learning about insurance on their own.

10. Older cars don’t need collision insurance

If you have an older car, you often don’t need to carry collision insurance. You will be paying more in premiums for it than the car is worth. Ask your agent what your car is worth and how much of your premium goes towards collision insurance. Chances are you could just save the extra money for a year and have plenty set aside for replacing your car.

11. Shop for the best service

You need to find a company that is responsive, responsible and easy to deal with. Chances are that you are going to file a claim at some time in your life. You need an agent that will work with you towards a common goal: your satisfaction.

A good agent will act like a coach. He or she will advice you on how to present your claim to adjusters and will help you in any disputes. Don’t settle for a 800- number that never lets you talk to a real person.

12. Understand the claims process

Have the agent explain to you the claims process before you chose which company to go with. Find out if your insurance pays for brand name, generic or used parts to fix your vehicle. Are you limited in your choice of garages? Make sure that you have everything in writing.

13. Diminished value - ask about it

This is a very hot topic when it comes to auto insurance. Is a car worth less after an accident? If it is, should the insurance fix the car and pay you the difference in values? Ask your agent what your state regulations and rulings are regarding diminished value.

14. As soon as you have an accident, call your agent

There are time limits for most claim reports, usually 48 hours. If you want to ensure that all is being taken care of, call immediately.

15. Keep claim records

Write down everything that happens after an accident - names, dates and what was said. Keep track of when and who you speak with regarding the accident. You may be able to record any phone conversations. Save all of your receipts, get estimates and pick up a copy of the accident report.

16. Keep your claim moving

Shop around and get any necessary estimates. By jumping right in and doing so, you will be prepared and save everyone time.

17. Include everything in loss estimates

If you total your car, you may be able to recover the entire cost, including your sales tax and registration fees. Contact your agent to find out what estimates you need to have.

18. Be patient with your adjuster, but keep pressuring

An adjuster is just like you or me, they make mistakes. If you keep your temper and politely work your way up the chain of command, you will get much further. Have all denials put in writing with reasons included. Compare the explanation with your policy.

Your agent is there to make calls on your behalf. Ask to have the matter reviewed. You can choose to go into arbitration, but you will pay half of the costs. This is often quicker than taking the matter to court. See what the record of customer satisfaction is with the company’s arbitration hearings. Your last resort is suing.

19. If you switch companies, cancel your old policy

But don’t cancel it before you have new insurance. You want to have no gaps. Some companies will report that you are driving without insurance and you may face a suspended driver’s license. If you get a letter from the state, make sure that you provide your proof of insurance immediately.

Martin Lukac - EzineArticles Expert Author

Martin Lukac, represents http://www.RateEmpire.com and http://www.1AmericanFinancial.com, a finance web-company specializing in real estate/mortgage market. We specialize in daily updates, rate predictions, mortgage rates and more. Find low home loan mortgage interest rates from hundreds of mortgage companies!

The Insurance Way30 Mar 2009 01:41 am

It is difficult to find which is the most suitable and affordable insurance to purchase from the numerous insurance policies available. Life insurance provides a source of income for the family to cope with the loss of income in the event of insurer’s death. This is a great help in taking care of the expenses and in paying of bills and final expenses. You have to understand how the insurance works for your benefit.

Life Insurance- Evaluate The Options Available

Basically, Term and Permanent life insurance are on sale in the market. Term life insurance has a specific premium for specified period and does not accumulate cash value. If insurance is purchased at a younger age you end up paying lesser premium. Permanent life insurance is slightly different in that it remains active until maturity or the insurer fails to pay his/her premiums in time.

However, this type of insurance has the disadvantage of being expensive because of reduction in risk amount due to building of cash value. There are three types of permanent life insurances - Whole life, universal life and endowment.

Whole life insurance has a number of advantages. There is a guaranteed cash value and death benefit. Annual premiums are fixed without any reduction in mortality and expense charges. You can opt for increasing the death benefits by paying additional premium or using dividends. The disadvantage with such policies is that the premium rate cannot be changed. The beneficiary receives death benefits only and not the cash value.

Universal life insurance tries to overcome the disadvantages of whole life insurance. The premiums are lower, flexible, the internal rate of return is high due to volatile nature of the market and guaranteed interest as fixed by the company is credited to the policy. It also provides cash account which keeps swelling as premiums are paid.

The biggest advantage is that provides an option to opt for payment of face amount or face amount plus cash amount at the time of death. The disadvantage of the policy is that it lapses if sufficient premiums are not paid, the cash values are not guaranteed, mortality and administrative charges are reduced from the cash value.

Endowment life insurance is more expensive than whole and universal life insurances because of shorter period of payment of premiums. This type of policy matures before the normal endowment age.

A permanent policy cannot be cancelled by the insurer except when insurance is purchased by fraudulent means by the insurer. The time limit for cancellation is within a period of two years.

An expert on life insurance can guide you through the most affordable insurance plan that fit your needs.

For more free content see: Music Articles and Natural Health Directory and Articulos Espanoles

The New Age Parlor28 Mar 2009 01:53 pm

Over 33 years ago, a friend of mine asked our Zen master, What is the most important question? Our teacher very calmly and, with a sweet smile, slowly said, “The most important thing is…to find out what is the most important thing!”

Can the most important thing be found by separating different areas of our life and asking what is the most important thing here and there? For example, what is the most important thing in a hypnotherapy practice? Is it technique? Many people have excellent technique, and end up offending clients because the client feels manipulated.
Is it rapport then? Many people get into such deep rapport they loose their recognition of whose feelings are whose, or they are so accepting that they don’t take opportunities to offer an appropriate intervention.

Is it your outer activity at all? Or is it your inner state that is important? Once a famous comedian came before one of my teachers and confided that, though he made people laugh for a living, he felt dry and sad inside. My teacher asked, “What makes you think you give people anything of lasting value if you cannot feel true joy yourself? Make yourself happy, then you won’t have to do anything to make others happy. They will be happy just to see you.” Is this a relevant challenge only to comedians?

Another friend of mine gave a great talk to a large group of people. They felt very inspired and uplifted and many pursued him to tell him so. This, naturally, was extremely gratifying to him. Our teacher walked by and handed him a small peace of paper as she walked on. When he had a quiet moment to himself, he opened it. It read, “Do you love to talk, or do you love the people you talk to?”

Has the most important thing been found if there is stress and a lack of lightness and humor. Is it important to acquire success even if success is defined as helping others?
Is it important to keep track of your efforts, treating them as intangible property? My current teacher has said, ” If you do something as an offering, it stops being a burden.”

What is the most important thing?

©2001, Jack Elias, All rights reserved, Permission to reprint granted to Trek Assoc. 2/23/01

Jack Elias
Author, Finding True Magic: Transpersonal Hypnosis and Hypnotherapy/NLP
American Institute for Transpersonal Hypnotherapy/NLP
www.FindingTrueMagic.com

Jack Elias, a Clinical Hypnotherapist in private practice, is founder and director of The Institute for Therapeutic Learning, a licensed Vocational School in Seattle that trains and certifies Transpersonal Clinical Hypnotherapists. Jack presents a unique synthesis of Eastern and Western perspectives on the nature of consciousness and communication, teaching simple yet powerful techniques for achieving one’s highest personal and
professional goals. Since 1967, Jack has studied Eastern meditation, philosophy and psychology with masters such as Shunryo Suzuki Roshi and Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche. Before beginning his teaching and counseling career, Jack worked for 20 years in sales, marketing and financial planning.
Jack offers dynamic experiential workshops and seminars, and his Finding True Magic courses are eligible for credit at various universities.

Leisure + Recreation& Travel Tips + More27 Mar 2009 07:17 pm

It’s standard for static caravan proprietors to hire out their static caravan to give supplemental income. The charge of supplemental income will depend on the numbers of weeks per year for which the caravan for sale is taken for.


1 of the main considerations of renting out a static caravan for sale is the price of selling the caravan to ensure adequate levels of booking. There are two fundamental ways of selling. First, is to self promote the caravan to carry through bookings. Second, the park operator will ofttimes market and sell your caravan for you. They will look after the total operation including masterminding bookings, payment, cleaning etc. The park operator will however need a commission percentage of the caravan sale as their fee.


If you are marketing your caravan yourself there are individualistic options:


Friends and Kinsperson ” easy and tried option
Word of mouth / recurring business ” no marketing prices and easy
Localised Press Advertising - cheap ways of promoting
Nationalist Publications “e.g. Daltons Weekly
Personal Website ” technological and difficult to operate
National 3rd party websites ” can be cost effective


In addition of the commercializing, you will have to also consider with:


Advertising and Selling
Taking with enquires via phone or electronic mail
Compiling and chasing deposits
Garnering and tailing balances
Confirming reservations and terms and conditions
Dealing with issues such as cancellations
Cleanup and maintenance


The most price efficient form of direct selling for owners is often friends and family as this involves no financial disbursal. Many individuals also like this approach as these users tend to be reliable.


Thus caravan owners will choose for the parkland operator subleasing their static caravan for sale on their behalf, merely because it transfers a lot of the work load associated with hiring the caravan yourself.


Scottish Caravans for Sale

The New Age Parlor27 Mar 2009 06:58 am

What has been your wake-up call? Why do improvements no longer help you? And what should you do to change?

Business activities are always subject to improvements. There is always something that could be done better. This is a process that can easily be managed. You can plan them as if they where day to day activities. It is a linear process where you can determine the result by some kind of extrapolation of the past. Improvements are best managed by action and less by thought; just continue your walk. If you stop and think too long you will destabilize the process. Everything was going alright.

To manage a change you first need a wake-up call. A nice example of such a call is present in the film “American Beauty” where Lester (Kevin Spacey) wakes by ‘the call’ of a young cheerleader. If you have seen that movie you know that the young girl has done no harm. There was something wrong - with Lester’s life - before she entered the scene.

A wake-up call will help you to start thinking and stop doing. Imagine that you are walking in some kind of a direction and after a time you experience that rather approaching your target you are moving away from it. You find yourself in an area that you do not recognize and you feel that you might be lost. How long will you keep on walking? And when will you recognize that you are indeed lost? Many of us keep on walking (doing), where they should stop (and think). Am I lost? Or are we still on the right track?

When scared by a wake-up call, the first thing to do is to check what has been happened around you. It takes quite a while to construct a new building. It takes years to develop a big shopping-center where all the discounts are gathered. If you are managing the little shop around the corner you could have seen that they where coming. The question is; when did it wake you up?

© 2005 Hans Bool / Astor White

Hans Bool - EzineArticles Expert Author

For supporting tools to manage change - both personal and organization wide - you could visit Astor White. The human side of Change.

Gardening Hub& Hall Of Home Improvements& Internet Hardware20 Mar 2009 10:45 pm

A manual log splitter is used both commercially as well as by the individual who cuts his own firewood or enjoys home projects. hydraulic log splitters come in several varieties. Deciding on the one that’s right for your project or job can make a big difference in the long run.

If all you are doing is carving up some lumber to be used for firewood, a common single blade splitting axe will work just fine. The simplest electric log splitter, the common wood splitting ax, works when the ax blade cuts into the lumber forcing it to split along the grain. For those familiar with using a basic wood splitting axe, one or two swift blows will easily split a good size piece of firewood. For the healthy and strong individual, using a basic log splitting axe to split logs can provide an excellent upper body workout.

Investing in a hydraulic manual wood splitter may be the best choice for those who need more than just a few pieces of firewood. There are a few different kinds to choose from. You’ll need to decide whether a horizontal or vertical loading electric wood splitter is best for your project. wood splitters are manufactured with the option of a gasoline powered or diesel engine. Either of these varieties are excellent for outdoor use. For individuals who basically work indoors or at a workshop, an electric electric log splitter works well.

The powerful electric log splitter is pretty easy to understand. It works by the log being driven through the razor sharp blade by the piston.

A good hydraulic log splitter will need the least amount of effort by the operator and be free of mechanical problems. A wood splitter, operating at peak performance can cut a jobs completion time by an incredible amount. As with any powerful piece of machinery, proper safety precautions should always be taken.

Those near the electric log splitter should maintain a safe enough distance to avoid injury. For safety reasons, the operator should wear eye protection and wear safe clothing that cannot become caught in the electric log splitter.

For the builder or do-it-yourselfer who works with wood often, purchasing a hydraulic log splitter is a wise choice. A hydraulic log splitter can be used to split timber to be used for a variety of satisfying projects. If you are ready to purchase a electric log splitter, check the places where other logging machinery is found.

The Insurance Way18 Mar 2009 07:23 pm

Students are often portrayed as being lazy, indolent, or, perhaps most damningly of all: scruffy. But today’s students are often more active and involved than their parents, and they demand the rewards that come with this behaviour. Valuable pieces of equipment are de rigueur in many of the UK’s student halls; parents having lavished attention upon their offspring in the form of gifts, money and, increasingly, credit cards - cards immediately used to go out and purchase more shiny offerings.



In fact the operation involved in conveying a freshly minted student to the halls of their choosing can take on a military bearing as their hi-fi, decks, television, and computer are loaded into and on top of the car chosen to risk the soon-to-be-familiar route to the student halls. This, of course, is not to mention the miniaturised electronics that go hand in hand with their larger brothers: the mp3 player and omnipresent mobile phone (fortunately these are, now, becoming one and the same) - all are essential student equipment.



It doesn’t stop at electrical goods either, as expensive clothing hits higher on the priority list of our average student - today’s student is, after all, on display for their sartorial elegance as much as for their intellectual prowess.



All of which begs the question: what if it all just…disappears?



Theft, as it always has, runs rife throughout the UK - a recent survey by the Home Office shows that there has been a 4% rise in robbery in April to June 2005 compared to the same period a year earlier, while UK crime figures have increased generally for the first time in six years. Apart from the figures, student insurance has become more of a priority as UK consumer society tightens its grip on another generation of students.



The task of insurance, however, usually falls to the parent. This has not gone unnoticed by the UK banking industry and, aside from the traditional insurance providers, the high street banks plus their myriad financial solution offshoots (see Barclays for an example of the sheer range of products available), there are a growing number of new competitors to the insurance market. The icing on the cake is that even from within individual insurance services there are usually a number of differing insurance packages to choose from. Making the right choice from so many insurance packages can ease the financial burden of insuring your child through their student years.



It’s often a good idea to use an insurance provider database service like Moneynet to check on the current rates and insurance packages available, if only because services such as these are constantly updated with the latest insurance or, indeed, banking, information. However, the next stage comes down to personal choice: do you want to extend your home insurance to cover student possessions away from home? Or perhaps you want a separate service from a provider catering specifically to the student insurance sector? Or, and this might be just a touch too far, do you want a service that your new student can monitor themselves, thus learning the importance of financial considerations to modern lifestyles?



Well, it’s risky, but the choice is yours.



Disclaimer

All information contained in this article is for general information purpose only and should not be construed as advice under the financial Services act 1986.

Author:
Michael Hanna

About Michael
Michael is a keen writer, and internet marketer living in Scotland:

Contact details:
E-mail: samqam@googlemail.com
Phone: 0131 561 2251

Michael’s Website: Taxi Belfast

The Insurance Way18 Mar 2009 06:35 pm

Texas has mandatory laws regarding the operation of a vehicle on the roads. All Texas drivers must carry liability limts of at least:

$20,000 Bodily Injury Per Person

$40,000 Bodily Injury Per Accident

$15,000 Property Damage Liability

Q. What does Bodily Injury Per Person Mean?

A: Bodily Injury Per Person means that when you hit someone in an accident, and it is found to be your fault. Your Texas auto insurance policy must indemnify (pay) the injured party for any bodily injuries they may substain in the accident. Texas auto insurance laws require that you must carry liability limits of at least $20,000 per person injured in an accident.

Q. What does Bodily Injury Per Accident Mean?

A: Bodily Injury Per Accident is the amount your auto insurance policy must indemnify (pay) the injured parties (more than one person) for any bodily injuries they may substain in the accident. This is the TOTAL amount of bodily injuries, death, hospitalization your policy must cover to drive legally in Texas. Texas auto insurance laws require that you must carry liability limits of at least $40,000 per accident injured in an accident.

Q. What does Property Damage Liability Mean?

A. Property damage liability is the amount of money the insurance company is legally obligated to pay damaged parties for repairs to their automobiles in the event of an accident where the insured was found to be at fault.

There are other Texas auto insurance coverages available. These are the state mandated “state minimum” limits.

David Clanton is a professional Texas insurance agent. He has been licensed in Texas for over 15 years and involved in agency management and sales. He has published many articles. Visit David’s site at http://www.texasinsurancezone.com and the Texas Insurance Weblog at http://www.texasinsurancezone.com/weblog/

Betting& Casinos + Gambling& Sports Info15 Mar 2009 11:17 am

A new generation of risk takers will have come upon the phrase “offshore sports betting”, though a few may not be altogether in the know what that suggests. A foreign betting internet site inherently acts out of the administration of a single state instead it could be an web based gambling website which bases its file servers within the borders of a state where networked sports gaming isn’t currently vetoed. Briefly therefore, it’s best described as a sports gambling business running extraneous to the national territory of the betting lover. Internet based gaming web sites are all modulated by means of three administrations. These organizations are OSGA (the Offshore Gaming Association), IGC (Interactive Gaming Council) and the Fidelity Trust Gaming Association FTGA.

The OSGA are an autonomous authority which audits the thriving offshore sports gambling business in an enterprise to also present sports betting devotees a way to to easily select reputable sites to play betting games with. The agency aims to defend customer’s rights, and also they do not impose any enrollment costs.

The Offshore Gaming Association are a proficient and nonpartisan third party agency which expresses unbiased information, based on your feedback, unbiased examination, chats, insider advice and additionally to impart industry information.

The Interactive Gaming Council are a nonprofit organisation. The council has been created to allow a forum for worried people to talk about problems also to advance mutual worries in the worldwide interactive gaming business, in an effort to establish scrupulous not to mention efficient industry rules and forms that heighten customer faith in internet based gaming products and utilities, and to help as the gambling industry’s inclusive practise interpreter furthermore the IGC provides an info hub.

The IGC have developed a regard for advancing trustworthiness, integrity also solidity by reason of the criteria it establishes, and in addition its allure to business enterprises of high standing. The Interactive Gaming Council regularizes offshore gambling via implementing an original ten point operational procedure and in addition bills gambling businesses fees to display their logo. Dissatisfied gamblers can also mention their disagreements to the IGC.

The Fidelity Trust Gaming Association has been formed in an effort to generate a benchmark which will upgrade the policies of machine-accessible sports betting operations. The authority trust that doing business with sites of good reputation, they are able to hammer out a coalition of the most fair and most professional cyberspace gambling operations worldwide.

To summarize, these are bodies that regulate the procedures practised by web based sports betting and which should hopefully aid to mitigate any uneasiness experienced by gamblers. World wide web based gaming web sites are today absolutely secure, due to the fact that individual data shouldn’t be submitted and the rewards and the odds are exactly as uniform and reasonable as a regular Vegas-type sportsbet. These sites lower travel time, but nonetheless preserve the underlying ethos, but today you are able to wager in your own home.

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The Insurance Way10 Mar 2009 06:07 am

Term Life Insurance is one of the purest forms of life insurance in the sense that it provides a level death benefit in exchange for a premium.

Death benefits for term life insurance are traditionally level, neither increasing nor decreasing over the term of the policy. This is in contrast to mortgage life insurance where the death benefit declines with your mortgage balance, or universal life insurance where the death benefit may increase over time with the investment portion of the contract.

Premiums are also normally level for the the term of the policy. Term life policies are normally categorized by the duration that premiums are projected to be level. Ten, twenty and thirty year term polices are all common, with the premiums for the policy being level for 10 years, 20 years, or 30 years respectively.

While in most cases the face amount of the policy will be guaranteed for the term, the premium may not be fully guaranteed. For example while many ten year term policies will also guarantee that the premiums will remain level for the full ten years, in other cases companies will agree to guarantee the premiums for only five years, after which time the premiums are only projected to be guaranteed - but may be increased or decreased by the company.

When shopping for level term life insurance policies, one should also consider the renewal premiums available at the end of the term. In the event that you are uninsurable at the end of the term you may be forced to retain your current policy at which point these renewal premiums will become very important. Some companies will offer another level term period without underwriting, others will provide a schedule of future premiums that increase every year. These annually increasing renewals can quickly become unaffordable leaving the uninsurable with a tough choice - continue without insurance or pay the higher premiums every year. A situation like this is one example of why even informed consumers should deal directly with a knowledgeable life insurance agent who can provide guidance on the vast array of term life insurance products in the marketplace.

Term life insurance makes sense for consumers looking to provide protection for mortgages, to maintain your family’s standard of living in the event of the death of a breadwinner, or for shorter duration insurance needs.

This article provided by Financial One.

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