When most people buy a car, they don’t anticipate the many hidden costs that are associated with regular maintenance of a vehicle. Apart from the main services, cars are also prone to minor damage like scratches and dents from the elements, errant shopping trolleys or careless parking.  It is worth keeping your car in peak condition so that it retains a high resale value.

Servicing and maintaining your car

If you purchase a new car, you might receive a motor plan with your purchase which covers general servicing for a certain number of kilometres, or until the car is a specified number of years old.

What happens when this runs out, though? Most vehicle owners don’t actively save money to pay for their car’s annual services, and even fewer have cash available if something unexpected goes wrong.

Fortunately, there are insurance policies which can be purchased to provide an extended motor warranty for your car. From good insurers, these policies are available to cover both new and used vehicles, as long as the car is less than 10 years old and has fewer than 200,000 kilometres on the clock.

This extended car warranty policy will provide cover for the cost of unforeseen mechanical breakdowns and assists in the expense of maintenance.

What about minor vehicle damage?

In addition to the costs of regular vehicle maintenance and repairs to the engine or moving parts of your vehicle, there are other associated costs with running and maintaining a vehicle. These include repairs for minor damage such as scratches, chips and dents.

Very often, this type of superficial damage is not covered by comprehensive motor insurance as it falls below the excess of many policies. Additionally, it’s often not financially feasible to repair small dings and dents as this may increase the cost of your car insurance premiums, or affect your no-claims bonus.

Over time, minor damage can turn into a bigger problem, particularly if rust starts to set in. To keep your vehicle in top market value, it’s worth ensuring that it is kept in the best condition.

It is possible to take out a car insurance policy to cover the cost of repairs for minor vehicle damage. A monthly premium will ensure that you won’t have to pay out any excess on claims for repairs done under this plan.

Certain insurance cover even provides for on-site repairs. Mobile repairmen will come to your home or office to repair the damage, saving you time and offering you the highest convenience.

In South Africa, where there is a thriving used-car market, it makes sense to preserve one of your biggest assets to ensure that you are able to receive the highest resale value when you either sell your car or trade it in.

Speak to a specialist insurance broker about car insurance that works for you. This will help you budget for life’s little mishaps and will also keep you on the road in a vehicle that looks and runs as good as new.

Source by NEO@OGILVY

Gone are the days when you had to make a trip in to a travel agent to organize your travel insurance. The magic of the internet has produced a new and exciting way to organize and insure your life, your belongings, and your travel plans. Not only can you obtain quotes from as many online travel insurance companies as you like, but you can then purchase your travel insurance online. With many comprehensive websites available to peruse at your leisure from the comfort of your couch, there has never been an easier and hassle free way to purchase travel insurance Australia online.

Travel insurance is a necessity when traveling anywhere in the world – whether it be domestically or internationally, on a once a year holiday, or jet setting around the world many times a year. The benefits of online travel insurance far outweigh the cost of purchasing the travel insurance on line. Peace of mind alone, when traveling, can only add to the pleasure of your traveling experience, knowing that if something were to go wrong that you would be able to re-coup some, if not all of the expenses that you may have faced.

One of the many benefits of online travel insurance is that you can compare many different policies and levels of cover easily, without having to speak to someone unless you want to. Many online travel insurance companies have a call center where friendly staff are available to assist you and explain anything over the phone that you don’t understand. However, many online travel insurance companies have a very comprehensive and easy to use quoting system, where adequate explanations of cover are available 24/7 from anywhere in the world.

Some online travel insurance companies even allow you to organize your travel insurance once you have commenced your journey. Because you can easily obtain a quote and then order the policy online, you are able to take out your travel insurance policy from where ever you are in the world, whenever you decide you need it – although a waiting period usually applies.

The general rule seems to be that if you can’t afford to take out travel insurance, then you can’t and shouldn’t afford to travel. Having the peace of mind that you can travel with confidence that most, if not all situations that may befall you will be compensated for, is the smartest way to travel. Purchasing that travel insurance online is the smartest way to buy the peace of mind that comes with the security and safety of traveling with insurance.

The convenience of using travel insurance Australia online websites to quote and purchase travel insurance, is such that you don’t have to wait in a queue to speak to someone, you don’t have to wait for the call center to be open, or wait on hold for ages while the operator asks their supervisor questions. You can do it in your own time, in your own home, or even from the comfort of your hotel room! Experience the advantages today!

Source by Peter Jones

If you rent an apartment, you might believe your belongings are protected by insurance.  After all, the landlord has to have insurance on the apartment building, right?  However, this insurance does not protect you at all.  Usually, this type of insurance covers the structure of the complex, as well as a few other areas.  It might even cover the structure of your apartment.  It will not protect your belongings, though.  Apartment contents insurance is what you need.  How do you know if you really need this insurance, though?

The best way to determine if you need apartment contents insurance is to use an insurance calculator.  These are online tools that can help you determine the value of your possessions.  This can be a helpful thing in determining if you need this type of insurance, as well as in how much insurance you need to purchase.  However, do not fall victim to the mentality that you have nothing worth protecting.  You have more than you might think.  Consider the cost of replacing your laptop or your iPod if it were stolen or damaged in a fire.  This can be a considerable amount of money – the right insurance plan will protect these belongings.

Using such a calculator can give you a good starting point to compare apartment contents insurance plans.  All plans vary from company to company.  Even with a single company, you will find numerous ways that you can customize your policy with different sorts of protection, different “named threats” and through other means.  The most important things to consider are the types of “named threats” against which you are protected, as well as the amount you have to pay as a deductible.

Many people will choose a higher deductible in hopes of saving on the monthly premiums.  However, this usually results in a very high cost when you need to use the insurance.  The best option is to find a deductible that you can live with, but doesn’t force you to pay an exorbitant amount when you need to use it.  In this way, you can find the apartment contents insurance that you need, without having to spend a fortune.  In addition, you should check into different payment arrangements – some companies charge monthly, but others may bill you quarterly, or even annually.  One of these options might suit your financial needs better than another will.

Source by Ross Quade

How a vehicle misfortune assertions Company can Help in a street Accident?

According to national statistics, an automobile accident happens every 10 seconds. While being a protected and attentive person driving drastically reduces the risk of becoming a statistic, there is no guarantee that a collision won’t take location. A collision can result in multiple scenarios that variety from secondary vehicle damage to grave bodily wound. Whatever the case, there will be some hardships ahead not to mention some grave logistical obstacles with the insurance businesses. To make the process run more smoothly on your end, you may want to address hiring a vehicle misfortune claims professional.

What is a Car Accident Claims business?

A vehicle misfortune accident insurance claim company is easily a company that assists you sort through the logistical nightmare affiliated with management  an misfortune assertion. They will work with the RTA claim insurance  businesses engaged and help you navigate through any paperwork and articles that need to be filled out and marked. It is furthermore their job to communicate third party insurers and take legal activity in the happening they dispute the liability. Assertions businesses will take any essential action that encompasses gathering eyewitnesses, conveying in accident reconstruction experts and funding court appearances if need be.

What a vehicle misfortune assertions Company can do for You

An automobile collision can outcome in several hardships both short and long-term depending on the severity of the smash into. A claims business will be able to help you with the following:

• Car Rental – If your car received substantial damage, then you will need to get a rental while awaiting fixes.  Assertions company can coordinate with a vehicle rental business beside your area so that a rental is prepared for pick-up the minute you reach at the bureau.
• Cash town – In the happening that your vehicle is after repairable, a assertions business can help you receive a money town founded on the worth of the vehicle.
• health – If you maintained whole body wound as a result of the crash, the company will furthermore organise for medical evaluation and treatment.
• Uninsured drivers – The business can also handle claims involving a collision initiated by an uninsured or foreign person driving.

It is normally suggested to search guidance from a car accident claim uk professional rather than letting your protection business handle the position. Your insurer normally only has one thing in mind and that is to make a earnings. This means that they are proceeding to proceed with a course of action that advantages them rather than what is in your best interest. They may, for example, try to assure you to get your vehicle fixed because they obtain a charge from the repairers. They may convince you to proceed this course even if it would be better to simply proceed for a money settlement.

Source by faisal2962

The CFP Certification is the designation awarded to those financial planners and other professionals who were able to complete the formal CFP course program and passed the Certified Financial Planner Certification Examination. And we know that the CFP Certification Examination is said to be the most challenging exam in the financial services industry. With that being said shows even more the importance of the financial education that you must have.

Through studying in a Retirement Education you are certain of getting the best financial education that can help you in achieving your goal. This school is best known when it talks about the field of financial services because they prioritize on providing a quality education in both financial planning and financial services field. They provide a high standard of education in the field of financial services. On top of that this school is working closely with the Financial Planning Association (FPA) that is why you are rest assured to get a high quality of financial education. One of the best things that this school caters is that you will be learning from financial experts and in this way you are certain that you will undergo a good CFP education classes.

In your CFP education classes you will be able to have a complete and thorough discussion in all Certified Financial Planner Courses. The CFP Course Program is organized by the Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards to ensure that a complete and in depth training in financial services will be provided to those individuals who aim to become a Certified Financial Planner professional. Through this CFP course curriculum the industry will be able to ensure that all financial professionals will be able to get complete training on topics such as financial planning program, insurance planning program, investment planning program, estate planning program, retirement planning program and other more financial services.

The educational track for becoming a Certified Financial Planner is completing the formal CFP course program. In this program you will be taking courses that are significant in financial services. This course program is what you need in order for you to successfully pass the Certified Financial Planner Certification Examination. Your classes are very important because through this you will be able to learn and understand more about the financial services. It helps a lot that you have good classes on these courses. The following are the courses that you are going to take:
1.    Fundamentals in Financial Planning Program
2.    Estate Planning Program
3.    Employee Benefits Planning Program
4.    Insurance Planning Program
5.    Income Tax Planning Program
6.    Investment Planning Program
7.    Retirement Planning Program
8.    Case Study in Financial Planning Program
9.    Capstone Course in Financial Planning Program

Source by markwilim14

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, otherwise known as the health reform bill will impact almost every American. One of the most important ways it will affect individual health insurance is that insurance companies will not be permitted to deny insurance to those with preexisting illnesses. Another important affect is that all Americans will be required to hold insurance. Insurance companies will be prohibited from placing annual and lifetime limits on coverage. Group health exchanges may also help to reduce the cost of insurance plans, giving individuals the buying power of large companies. You will be able to purchase insurance through a state exchange from 2014. The exchanges have yet to be formed, but the intended goal is to provide more affordable and subsidized individual plans. The Obama effects on individual health insurance addresses the biggest weaknesses in the individual health insurance market. Easy To Insure Me

As the reform bill was passed policy rates were climbing. A report revealed that members of the middle class were losing health insurance faster than any other income group. Those who missed the Government provided safety net because of their income were thrown on the mercies of the individual market. Here, insurers have been denied coverage based on preexisting conditions and are vulnerable to charges of high and ever increasing premiums.

The limits insurers placed on who gets coverage is one of the three major problems that needed to be addressed in the individual market. The other two are the affordability and whether the policy would pay for what is needed when the insured gets sick. A study found that excluded conditions varied by insurer. In a 2001 study by the Georgetown Health Policy Institute, researchers 37 percent of applications were rejected. There were insurers who would turn you down if you had hay fever. The public thus was a victim of a roulette insurance market. How easy is it for individuals to wade their way through the market to insurers who would cover them is a question. Although federal law requires insurers to sell policies to certain people who lose group coverage, including those who lost their jobs due to lay offs; but places no limits on what an insurer can charge. In February 2010, Connecticut announced that health premiums for individual medical plans rose in price by 20 percent over in 2009. In this void have stepped some states in varying degrees. Maine, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York and Vermont required insurers to sell individual policies to everyone, irrespective of their health. Washington state required insurers to take individuals with some health problems. While, Iowa required insurers to cover preexisting conditions in new applicants, if they had insurance previously for those conditions and did not let the insurance lapse.

Of those who do buy their own insurance the health insurance market works well for some; but, not for others. In the individual market prior to the reform bill, in order to lower their risks insurers preferred the healthiest applicants. In most states, insurers may consider the health history of the applicant in deciding coverage and its cost. Unlike group plans offered by employers which provide coverage to everyone, there is no guarantee in most states individuals can obtain insurance. It has been realized that solving problems in the individual market would improve the health care crisis. In California, Connecticut and several other states regulators have taken actions against insurers who revoked individual coverage after policyholders fell ill. Before the President won the election Senators Ron Wyden, a Democrat from Oregon, and Bob Bennett, a Republican from Utah were supporting a bill that would shift workers getting coverage through employers to purchase their own insurance. The intention of their proposal was to break the link between employment and insurance. The two supporters of the bill believed this would let people keep their coverage even when they lost or switched their job. The proposal would have required everyone to have coverage and insurers to sell insurance to all applicants. The health reform bill has addressed these failings. Both presidential candidates had expressed the desire to improve options for people who buy their own coverage. Candidate Obama wanted to allow individuals and small firms to have the bargaining leverage and purchasing power of latge firms by creating ways for individuals to buy insurance in groups. Advisors to candidate McCain had acknowledged the current system was broken. Douglas Holtz Eakin, who was a senior policy adviser noted that he did not want to give the impression the individual or small group market is a good place to be, as it was not

The public hospitals have been at the vanguard of the victims of inadequate and absent coverage. They have provided for the uninsured and those under insured by Medicaid, that reimburses them at below cost. They are also unable to compete with private and nonprofit hospitals for patents with private health insurance coverage. Yet, the cost of providing care to the uninsured and under insured has climbed and taxpayer support remained static.

Currently employers are looking to shift more burdens to their employees due to rise in the cost of health insurance. A Reuters research team in analyzing claim data has discovered that smaller employers saw costs rise the most. According to a report released in March 2010, the cost for an employer to offer individual plans to workers increased by 43 percent over a eight-year period. The amount employees paid for the single plans increased over 64 percent.

Large corporate employees have enjoyed the most secure and highest quality coverage in the nation during their employment. They have not been victimized during their employment with revocation or denial due to preexisting conditions. Nevertheless, a recently released annual survey by the National Business Group on Health has indicated that the impact of rising costs means this island of safety is about to be buffeted. This surveyed large employers indicated they were considering shifting more of the cost on their employees.

Harvard researchers looking into what portion of bankruptcy filers filed for medical reasons found some enlightening information. They found that illness caused the majority of filings. The study looked at a year that preceded the housing bust; but reveals what is the general scenario absenting this reason. The larger segment of filers were covered by insurance they lost or proved to be inadequate. Majority of these were middle class homeowners who had college degrees. The study revealed the vulnerability of Americans who were literally one major illness from bankruptcy. There are big Obama effects on individual health insurance coverage. Certainly there are due to be major Obama effects on individual health insurance.

Source by Health Insurance

One of the key guiding principle of insurance is Don’t Risk More Than You Can Afford To Lose, which means having all major risk areas in your life well covered with insurance and it requires choosing a right professional insurance advisor.

Automobile, home, boat umbrella and other personal policies, as they’re sold off the shell, rarely, if ever, cover all your major property and liability risks. But they will cover most, if not all, of those major risks if they’re customized to your needs with proper coverage limits & appropriate coverage endorsements. Customizing a policy requires a great deal of coverage expertise & care. And that’s why, for most people, locating & hiring the best possible advisor has to be the very highest priority when it comes to buying insurance.

We’ll try to understand the insurance with the help of the following story before finding a right advisor:

Suppose you’ve been told you need brain surgery. If you shop for it the way many people shop for insurance, here’s what you do: You start calling around town, getting quotes over the phone. You probably aren’t exactly sure what kind of brain surgery you need, so you decide to get a price for the type that you think you probably need. You get quotes from all over – from surgeons, clinics, hospitals and even medical school interns. You’re not concerned about skill – just price. After all, it’s only brain surgery.

You find a clinic that will do the surgery you think you need for the lowest price. You sign up for the brain surgery. The intern who answered the phone when you called does the surgery, even though one of the top brain surgeons in the area works for the clinic and would do the surgery for the same price as the intern. The intern, lacking the expertise to diagnose the exact type of surgery you need, performs the surgery you asked for in the quote. The top brain surgeon would have known enough to recognize that what you requested was the wrong procedure for you and would put you at the risk for serious brain damage. She would have recommended a different, more expensive, but much more helpful surgery instead.

Insurance isn’t brain surgery. But it isn’t a commodity either. The moral of the story is that if you shop for insurance like this, you’ll probably end up with the wrong diagnosis, with possible serious side effects, and with a less skilled advisor than you need and could have had for the same price.

Asking these questions to yourself will help find an insurance advisor easily:

Do I want my life, health, disability, long term care & other coverages with the same advisor? You’ll have the best designed program if you can find one advisor with the expertise to oversee your whole program – expertise in every kind of personal policy. At the very least, it’s wise not to have more than two advisors that you work with.

Is a regular, yearly review important to me? If so, add this to your shopping list. I recommend regular reviews. A well designed insurance plan starts to rust with coverage gaps if it’s not polished up every year or two.

Do I have a home business? If so, you must find someone with small business insurance expertise. Add that to your list.

Are top claim skills important to me? Do you want the best possible claims coaching, to maximize your claim when you file it? Do you want an advisor skilled enough to fight, successfully, for your rights if your claim is unjustly denied or underpaid?

Apart from these, word of mouth is always one of the best sources when seeking a professional insurance advisor.

Source by David Nian

Social work is a great profession meant for those people who possess strong desires to help others and improve their lives. Mainly the role of social workers is to assist people to cope with the issues of everyday life, deal with their hampered relationships and solve their family and personal problems. Some of the social workers also conduct various researches, advocate for many improved services and engage actively in policy or planning development. There are times when the advice given to the clients, their planning processes or their services are not as beneficial as intended to be and their clients file a suit against them.

In order to deal with such cases, it is crucial that social workers insurance is availed by the social workers of all fields. The professional liability social worker insurance is available easily for both independently working social workers and for those who work in groups such as with the NGOs. This insurance protects the social workers against the claims made by their clients alleging their negligence or the failure of providing with adequate services. As it is very human to commit an error or any unintentional act, social workers need such an insurance to hold up to their dignity and social standards. This insurance coverage is also referred to as the “malpractice insurance” many times.

Good Social Worker Insurance policies can also be availed online from where the application forms can be easily downloaded, filled and submitted. This saves a lot of time and makes it easier to make decisions are going through various insurance polices available. Though it is not necessary to be related to any of the professional associations for buying the coverage but the social workers have to be duly licensed. License is very important requirement for availing social worker insurance. Once the application form is submitted, there are just some nominal formalities to be fulfilled after which the policy can be availed successfully to cover up any unforeseen claims.

Source by Roberto Luongo

Certain things in life need to be considered, even if they’re not the most pleasant of things to think about. And for many people, life insurance sits at the top if this list – especially if they are over a certain age. However, equipping yourself with knowledge on the different life insurance options available to you will help you make an informed decision, quicker – so you can focus on the people and things in your life that matter to you most.

When searching for life insurance, many people might assume that older age equates to a compromised policy. However, what many people don’t realise is that there are policies which cater specifically to people over a certain age. For example, individuals over 50 years of age can secure a policy specific to their needs, and which address some of the most common fears that accompany purchasing this type of insurance at an older age.

For example, older insurance customers often worry that insurance companies will require a medical before they sell their policies – the reason being that many health problems come with older age, and many insurance companies won’t cover prospective buyers if they show signs of serious health problems. However, older buyers needn’t worry; there are many insurers out there who don’t require any such medical examinations before selling insurance. Some even guarantee acceptance if you fall between a certain age range, increasing your chances of gaining cover.

Another fear that older insurance buyers have is that their family members won’t receive a sufficient payout if they die soon after their policy is secured. But while this might be true of some insurers, buyers should keep in mind that there are always exceptions on the market. Some insurers require a policyholder to remain alive for a much shorter period of time – such as a year – in order to guarantee a payout. Moreover, some of these insurers offer lump-sum payouts in order to help with funeral expenses and unpaid bills after your death.

And finally, one of the biggest misconceptions about life insurance – particularly for older buyers – is that a comprehensive policy is bound to cost a lot. However, it is possible to find very affordable policy offers on the market; even for buyers over a certain age. Therefore, it is important that you don’t let common fears of insurance-buying prevent you from securing a policy. Of course, investigating life insurance for over 50s may not be something you look forward to, but it does pay to understand what it can offer for you and your family.

Source by Adam Singleton

Short term health insurance is a popular medical coverage plan that features extremely low premiums and temporary benefits. Most major insurers offer this type of policy to individuals and families. Although premiums are very affordable, short term plans are most effective when the need for coverage is less than a year.

Typically, a temporary plan is designed to bridge the gap between two permanent policies. Ideally, this type of coverage works best for graduating students, unemployed persons, laid off workers, persons between jobs or anyone waiting for benefits to begin from a new employer. Also, since COBRA premiums are extremely high, it is often considered if COBRA benefits are just about to begin.

Rates for short term plans are considerably less than most other forms of coverage. It is not unusual for premiums to be 40%, 50% or even 60% less than a standard comprehensive policy. Rates will vary, depending on the state, but generally, UnitedHealthcare, Blue Cross and Celtic offer competitive rates in most areas. Rates are adjusted by most carriers a few times per year so it is a good is a good idea to keep current on your quoting information.

Deducible options range from $500 to $5,000 with most companies and coinsurance options typically, 0%, 20% and sometimes 50%. Of course, the lower the deductible and coinsurance, the higher the rate will become. Since the vast majority of policies are never utilized for claims, higher deductibles are the most popular option. A deductible usually can not be changed during the period of coverage.

Coverage generally provides benefits for most major medical claims, such as in-hospital and outpatient expenses, emergency room, professional fees of doctors and surgeons, anesthesia and many other items. Office visits and outpatient prescriptions are usually not covered or subject to the deductible. Pre-existing conditions are also not covered on this type of policy.

While standard individual health insurance applications often take approximately 3-6 weeks to approve, temporary medical plans usually are approved within 48 hours. The application is short, with less than 10 medical questions and takes less than 30 minutes to complete. Most companies offer the option to apply online, via fax or through email. Although monthly billing is the most common option, paying for the full term of coverage will result in a lower average monthly cost.

Short term temporary plans are not designed to be kept on a permanent basis. However, with their low rates, flexibility and quick underwriting, they will continue to be a popular option for persons needing individual health insurance.

Source by Ed Harris

If you’re working in the architecture field, you’ve probably run into situations in which a client requires you to carry liability insurance. Maybe you run a small architecture firm with a few employees, or perhaps you’re a solo architect, draftsman or designer. Either way, you might find yourself wondering: Do I really need all this insurance coverage?

Of course, if a client says you or your on-staff architects need insurance, you have to have it if you want to get the work. But the good news is this: getting the required insurance coverage can be both affordable and good for your business.

Typically, clients want to see proof of some or all of the following three types of insurance from their architects:

General liability insurance

This type of liability insurance for architects covers damage or injury to your client’s people or property. Although many clients require it, architects, designers and draftsmen might wonder if general liability insurance is really practical and necessary. After all, what are the odds that someone making drawings in his or her own office will do any kind of damage to a client’s property?

Don’t take it personally. The fact is, client companies often require all vendors who may come to their office or job site – from construction crews to delivery people to architects – to show proof of general liability insurance. Often, it’s the corporate risk managers who set the requirement, demanding insurance for architects as well as all other contractors because they want to reduce the company’s risk of liability.

Thankfully, general liability insurance isn’t expensive. Architects who have it gain peace of mind from knowing that if one of their employees visits a job site and accidentally injures someone or damages something, it’s covered. Your landlord may also require you to carry general liability insurance if your architecture company has its own office space.

Professional liability insurance

Professional liability insurance is like malpractice insurance for professional architects, draftsmen and designers. It covers you for errors and omissions that you or your architecture consultants might make on the job. There’s a good reason that clients require professional liability insurance for architects: You’re only human, and people do make mistakes.

Your client’s greatest risk in hiring you as an architect is that you might make a miscalculation or error that causes a lawsuit or other financial loss. Although your company may be small, your client wants you to have deep enough pockets to compensate it for any potential losses if something should go wrong on a project.

For example, suppose your architecture firm is hired to design a new office complex. Once the building is complete, a design flaw is revealed that that allows water to seep into the building, causing masonry damage and mold problems. At a minimum, your client is likely to go after compensation from you to pay for the renovations needed to make the building safe. Without professional liability insurance, architects have to pay for their own legal defense as well as any settlement the court orders them to pay.

Without professional liability insurance, architects are fully liable for the rapidly increasing costs required to defend themselves from claims of errors or omissions. That’s a particularly dangerous situation for a smaller firm.

Workers’ compensation insurance

For professional architects, like any small business owners, workers’ compensation insurance can be confusing. While some states require that even solo practitioners and small firms carry it, others don’t. If your client’s company is based in a state that requires workers’ compensation insurance, your architecture firm will probably be asked to carry it, even if it’s not required by the state where you live or work.

Why? In some states, if you were to be injured while working on the client’s job, your client would have to cover you with its own workers’ compensation policy. And, in some states, your clients’ insurance carriers would bill them for coverage for all subcontractors who don’t provide their own certificates of coverage. In both instances, your client would pay more in premiums.

If your architecture company has even one employee, it’s just a good idea to protect yourself and those who work for you with workers’ compensation coverage. If you’re an independent architect, designer or draftsman and have your own health insurance, workers’ compensation insurance may actually be redundant. But in the end, when getting the coverage means getting the job, it’s worth the extra expense.

Source by James Dawson

Top Home Insurance Renewal Tips

Just when you think you’ve cleared your major outgoings for the month, your home insurance renewal letter hits the door mat. Following this new, unexpected burden on your finances, you wouldn’t be the first person to think about simply letting your home insurance renew without checking the market for a better deal. But you could stand to lose out on a lot of money if you don’t spend a few minutes to compare home insurance when it comes to renewal time.

Your home insurance renewal letter is likely to offer you a quote from your current home insurer which is not drastically different to your previous quote. Some will grant you the benefit of an additional year’s no claims bonus. Others will even put the price up to try to recoup their marketing costs and bank on laziness on your side.

What should you do about your insurance renewal?

If you don’t want to renew your policy with the same insurer, you must get in touch with them. Your home insurance is likely to automatically renew if you do nothing. This ensures that you maintain any legal obligations on your side to maintain a home insurance policy. But if you find a better deal and buy that policy, you’ll still be charged unless you notify your previous insurer.

If you want to find a better quote, you’re faced with two options. You can either go to twenty or thirty major home insurance companies, or you can fill in one online form to find the best insurer for your needs. That’s the role of a home insurance comparison website – designed to get you to your best insurer in as short a time as possible.

When you’re comparing various home insurance quotes and matching them up against your home insurance renewal offer, you must remember to compare like-for-like policies. The cover within a home insurance policy is not standardised across the various insurance companies. Therefore, your cheapest quotes could be coming on the back of reduced protection.

One important tip to bare in mind is that it wise to keep your existing home insurance cover until you’ve found and bought your new policy – if you can find a better deal and decide to switch that is. Otherwise, you run the risk of running out of time and leaving yourself without cover for a short period.

And finally, don’t just use the same details as the previous year. Over time, the value of your contents, the risks they’re exposed to, plus the modifications/improvements and value of your property is also likely to change. Keeping this information up to date will ensure that you’re protected should you ever need to make a claim.

Your home insurance renewal check list

• Remember that your existing policy is likely to automatically renew
• Always compare like-for-like policies – protection and quotes will differ
• Use a home insurance comparison website to cover the ground quicker
• Don’t cancel your current policy until you’ve found and bought a new one
• Make sure your details are up to date to ensure you are protected

Source by Harvey McEwan

It is said that the state of Pennsylvania is blessed with natural beauty. This natural beauty is best to be observed in open air. Some people prefer to ride a motorcycle and enjoy the scenic beauty. This makes Pennsylvania motorcycle insurance inevitable.

All one needs to check is that what kind of services are provided by an insurance company. What are its facilities and does it provide maximum coverage or not. Be it medical, hospital, natural calamity or any other damages, how does an insurance company cover it? These are something that a customer needs to find out.

What is needed to be done is a good research to curb all the apprehensions. All you need to do is search on Pennsylvania motorcycle insurance and you will get all the information. It could be online through the thousands of companies present and make available all the information. You can also chat online with live representatives about the same.

You can also contact the Pennsylvania motorcycle insurance companies by calling on them as most of the companies have a 24/7 customer support. Alternatively you can also take reference from your friends, colleagues or relatives on any insurance provider. This will give you firsthand information about everything.

With the increase in road mishaps, we find a sudden hike in the Pennsylvania motorcycle insurance rates. All the more when you are shopping around for premium rates and facilities, you need to keep that on your mind.

Pennsylvania motorcycle insurance quotes are also the same. Before signing up for any insurance company, it is advisable that you check for its authenticity. It could be done by looking out for accreditation’s from the likes of BBB, D&B or Trust Link. You can also read the testimonials of satisfied clients in addition.

While enrolling in an insurance company all you need to remember is that it has a history of providing good service. Be it a Pennsylvania motorcycle insurance company or any other state insurance, there has to be a trust built on the basis of which you can go ahead and get your vehicle insured.

Source by Dan Williams

Often the next step after buying your new vehicle is to take out car insurance so you are protected if a collision occurs. Finding the best insurance deal is still possible during the recession and premiums can be significantly reduced if you shop around. Many drivers choose to purchase cars from websites and internet auctions and they benefit from the vast choice available online. Indeed, shoppers are likely to have found the number of cars available has recently increased, especially used vehicles.

Motor trade analysts, EurotaxGlass, recently released figures which indicate that the decline in enquires for new vehicles have had a positive impact on the used car trade. Retailers have responded to the decline by snapping up used cars, meaning that prospective motorists have more choice when choosing their vehicles. Consequently you may be able to find the car which is the cheapest for you to insure as premiums are dependent on the make, model and age of the vehicle.

Whether you choose to buy a new or used car depends on your budget but both have advantages and disadvantages in terms of motor insurance. For instance, if your car is fairly cheap to buy the insurance tends to be lower as parts are likely to be more affordable. However, if your motor is past a certain age Insurers can consider it unreliable and a hazard and consequently increase your premiums.

Newer cars sometimes have insurance included although if they are involved in a collision parts will be more expensive and when the time comes for you to pay the policy it may prove costly. An advantage with newer vehicles is that they often feature devices which make it difficult for the car to be stolen, such as immobilisers.

Car security can play a large part in the price of your policies and this means an older vehicle without anti-theft devices may prove more expensive in terms of insurance. When you are browsing for your car remember that the larger your vehicle the more costly your insurance payments will be. If you can get by with a small economical car you will reap the benefits as these kinds of vehicles attract the most affordable premiums.

Be aware that any cars you buy that have been modified can have a negative impact on your insurance. Modified motors significantly increase the amount you pay as the car is considered more of a hazard. Both new and used cars have higher premiums if they feature metallic paint as this is more expensive to replace than non-metallic varieties.

Source by Rochelle Martinez

Unfortunately, there are times when a homeowner will submit a claim for legitimate and covered damages and their insurance company will deny the claim unjustifyably. When this happens, the homeowner must be persistent to ensure that they receive a fair claim settlement.

Most consumers assume that their first decision about their claim is final. But, it is only final if you accept it. If your homeowners insurance company denies your claim or only allows for a disproportionately small settlement, you do not have to accept this outcome.

The first thing you should do is submit for a re-inspection. During a re-inspection, your insurance company will take another look at your property damage situation. A re-inspection will often be performed by a different person than that who performed the original inspection. Hopefully, the re-inspector will render a more fair decision.

But, even if your insurance company refuses to handle your claim appropriately after a re-inspection, you can proceed further by taking your claim to the next level. This next level is often called “appraisal” or “arbitration.” The procedure may be slightly different depending on the state from which the claim oringinates, but the goal is to reach a final and fair outcome.

The appraisal procedure often will involve several third party officials, one to represent each side and another to be the “umpire.” The decision rendered from this procedure is generally considered final, but there still may be other avenues worth your exploration such as hiring a lawyer.

One important thing to remember is that your insurance company spends more money the longer your claim drags on. If they know that they owe you more than they initially allowed for, they are likely to be much more fair the second time around. After all, if they know that they are on the hook for the claim, they don’t want to spend a lot of money trying to be unfair and then also pay for the claim. That would be like paying for a claim twice.

Still, if the insurance company believes that their claim decision is fair and consistent with policy, they may be willing to spend as much money as necessary to defend this decision. So, the most important question to ask yourself is, “Should my claim be covered?” If it should be covered and yet it is not being covered or not being covered enough, you should proceed. If not, don’t.

Of course, these types of questions should be answered before you ever file for a claim. Because of this, you may want to consult with an experienced insurance restoration contractor before doing so. A contractor that specializes in your damage recovery will likely be able to make better sense out of your situation and help you throughout the entire claims process.

Source by NIRCL

“Health is wealth” is a famous proverb. It gives you the beautiful meaning.  We the humans are always in search of money or possessions. First we have the money but it has been totally reversed, now money is having us; we got addicted to money and forgot that our health is wealth. Due to the depletion of ozone layer and because of our selfishness and carelessness many new varieties of diseases are spreading and people are getting affected. We the people should give preferences to our health first and everything next.

Insurance- the policy of wealth:
Peoples now started to realize many things. They want their family to be financially protected after their life gets over or they want to be financially strong after their retirement from work. Insurance policy was introduced in order to safeguard the people from risk and loss. The first insurance company in u.s was started in 1732 in Carolina. Benjamin Franklin helped to popularize the insurance.

Benefits of insurance:
We obtain many benefits through insurance policies. The following are the benefits we obtain from insurance

•    It provides you the financial security
•    Acts as a asset saver
•    Insures safety for your future
•    Provides security to your family members
•    Enhances security to your cute pets
•    Reduces your income tax
•    Enhances you to take loan

Types of insurance:
The different types of insurance are as follows

•    Health insurance , Dental insurance, Home insurance, Life  insurance, casualty insurance, auto insurance,  crop insurance, pet insurance, builders risk insurance, flood insurance,  terrorism insurance, auto insurance, liability insurance, credit insurance, risk insurance, social insurance, boiler insurance and self insurance etc.

Investment plans in life insurance:
Many are unaware regarding the Investment options in insurance.  Insurance is some type of investments for future savings. The types of investment options vary depend upon the individuals. We can adopt the plan which best suits us. You can pay your premium monthly, quarterly, half yearly or annually. You can also make arrangements to deduct the premium from your salary.  The minimum premium amount is 500 and the maximum premium amount varies depends upon the companies.

How to select the best insurance companies:
Decide what type of insurance you are going to avail.  Generally two types of insurance are there such as life and property insurance, it depends on our decision. Many insurance companies act as both life and property insurance companies and there are also separate companies for each types of insurance. Overall 3,000 insurance companies are there in U.S and people may find difficult to select the best insurance companies. Select the company which gives you financial assurance, proper service, effective premium rates, return back of money without delay. Blue shield of California, health net, PacifiCare health care are the companies which satisfies the customers in all aspects.

Source by Peterjohn

Renters insurance can be confusing, to say the least. Here’s a renters insurance FAQ that explains the basics of renters insurance in simple terms.

Why do I need renters insurance?

Natural disasters like floods and hurricanes are on the rise, theft and vandalism are increasing, and if you don’t have renters insurance you could lose everything you own.

Many renters think their landlord’s insurance will cover damages to their personal possessions, but it won’t. Your landlord’s insurance only covers the building you live in.

What does renters insurance cover?

Renters insurance provides three basic areas of coverage:

1. Personal property coverage pays to replace your possessions when they’re damaged by fire, vandalism, and storms, or when they’re stolen.

2. Loss-of-use coverage pays your hotel and restaurant bills when your residence is being repaired due to damage by fire, vandalism, or storms, and you need temporary living quarters.

3. Personal liability coverage pays for another person’s medical bills and property repair bills when you, your family, or your pet are found responsible for injuring them or damaging their property. It also covers your legal fees if you’re sued.

What’s not covered?

Renters insurance does not cover damage caused by earthquakes or flooding. There are also limits on coverage for expensive items like jewelry, silverware, furs, antiques, and computers. If you live in an earthquake or flood zone, or have expensive items that aren’t fully covered, you can purchase additional insurance.

How much coverage do I need?

You need enough personal property coverage to pay for all your possessions if they’re destroyed, and enough liability insurance to cover all your assets if your sued. Take an inventory of your possessions and use the total value as your coverage amount. Then total your assets – bank accounts, stocks, bond, CDs, etc. – and make sure you have enough coverage to protect them.

How much does renters insurance cost?

Renters insurance is cheap. It can cost as little as $16 a month for $20,000 worth of personal property coverage with $300,000 liability coverage. That’s less than the cost of a music CD to insure all your personal property and all your assets are protected.

Where can I get cheap renters insurance?

The best place to get cheap renters insurance is at an online insurance comparison website. These sites let you get quotes from different companies by filling out a simple questionnaire with information about your residence and the amount of insurance you want. The best of these sites feature a service whereby you can talk with an insurance expert and get answers to your renters insurance questions for free. (See link below.)

Visit http://www.LowerRateQuotes.com/renters-insurance.html or click on the following link to get cheap renters insurance quotes from top-rated companies and see how much you can save. You can get more insurance FAQs in their Articles section.

Source by ryan@thesatellitetvguide.com

A lawyer in Charlotte, NC purchased a box of very rare and expensive cigars and insured them against fire among other things.

Within a month, having smoked his entire stockpile of these high quality cigars and without even paying the first months premium on the policy the lawyer filed a claim with the insurance company.
In his claim, the lawyer stated the cigars were lost “in a series of small fires.” The insurance company refused to pay, citing the obvious reason: that the man had smoked the cigars!!

Incredibly, the lawyer sued the insurance company….and won!

In delivering the ruling the judge agreed with the insurance company that the claim was frivolous. The judge stated nevertheless, that the lawyer held a policy from the company in which it had warranted that the cigars were insurable and also guaranteed that it would insure them against fire, without defining what is considered to be “unacceptable fire,” and was obligated to pay the claim.

Although the insurance company were amazed by this ruling they accepted the ruling and paid $15,000 to the lawyer for his loss of the rare cigars in the “fires.”

The reason they decided to settle at this stage was to minimize their legal costs which was likely to cost much more than the $15,000 settlement.

However this incredible story doesn’t end there. Obviously still reeling from the court judgement the insurance company decided to play the lawyer at his own game and reported the situation to the police who arrested him on 24 counts of ARSON!

Using the paperwork from his own insurance claim and testimony from the previous case against him, the lawyer was convicted of intentionally burning his insured property and was sentenced to 24 months in jail and a $24,000.00 fine!

About the Author:

This article was written by Anthony Woods who is a director of Keystone Insurance, Irelands leading supplier of Public Liability Insurance & Construction Insurance.

Keystone do not insure cigars but do have a sense of humour and felt this story was too good not to share!

Source by Anthony Woods

Arizona is the home for classic cars, with the nice dry weather and many retirees living in the state. Many classic car and muscle car owners are older men, the baby boomers that fueled the muscle car craze in the late 1960’s and early 1970’s. They want their old cars that they once drove (and raced), now that they are retired and can maybe spend the extra money and time they need for them. Finding the right auto insurance for your classic car in AZ should not be difficult, as long as you know a few basics of the law and standards in classic car insurance.

A few requirements will be needed to be qualified for classic car insurance in Arizona. First off, a garage will be required for your classic car. I’m sure this won’t be a problem for most, since that blistering summer sun can do some damage to any paint job if left out long enough. If your car is being restored or not in great condition from the start, you may be able to get away with having a canopy or other type of shelter. Make sure you explain to the insuring company the exceptions, and they may be able to work with you. As I will show later, contacting a specialty collector car insurance company may give you more relaxed policies depending on your specific needs. Typical auto insurance companies used for daily driving vehicles may not work with your exceptions as well as specialty car insurers.

The next requirement is having a driver’s license for at least 10 years, and it must be a fairly clean driving record. The decision about the driving record will be made by the individual insurance company, so you may need to shop around if your record is not that great. Furthermore, you will need a daily driving vehicle. NO insurance company will insure your classic car if you do not have another vehicle to use for your daily commuting. The daily driving vehicle does not have to be insured by the same company, but having the car is a requirement. Nearly all insurance companies put a mileage restriction per year on miles driven on the classic car, usually 2,500 to 5,000 miles. The more miles allowed, the higher the premium.

Most car insurers will classify the term “classic car” to mean anything older than 15 years, and sometimes 20 depending on the insurance company standards, so keep that in consideration when shopping around. For most situations, you should choose the ‘Agreed “Value” policy. You and the insurance company will determine a full replacement amount on the vehicle, and you will be covered to that amount always. The other policy sometimes offered is the “stated Value”. You do not want this one, since the depreciation value will be taken off the value of the vehicle.

The biggest tip that can be offered is to compare specialty collector car insurance providers. You could end up finding cheaper rates, better coverage, and the process could be a lot simpler than going through a typical auto insurance company. Specialty car insurance companies only deal with specialty and classic cars, so they know how to properly value a car, and can guide you through the process easily. Not only will you have less headaches, but you will be able to properly value your car.

Source by Dan Fehn