Archive for the ‘Insurance’ Category

A Man And His Car

Wednesday, February 13th, 2008

A man and his car, a man forms a special bond with his car, he learns to feel everything that the car is doing, he knows if a tire is low just by the feeling the car gives him, he feels the power of the engine as he shifts through the gears, his car becomes a part of him, and extension of his body and a creative out, he loves to put time it to his car and make it look and run better. He likes to make it go faster, he love how it makes him feel to drive it, a man will always enjoy bragging about his car and showing it off, he gets excited when events come to town where he and his car can join in, especially if it means that he could win a trophy, plaque or some other prize to show his car off. Men are car crazy, and if your not one of us then you’ll never understand why we’re that way, just roll with the punches and learn to love the car as much as the man does, cars give us men an outlet for our creative endeavors, and a way to enjoy being creative, a man can invite all his buddies over for the week end to help work on his car, and since their men they will be glad to help work on the car, all they need a some cold beer and pizza and their off and running. A guy loves everything about his car, and it doesn’t matter if the car is done yet, he will drive it half way done and be proud to do so, he was impressed when he bought the car, and he will still be impressed with it years from now, a man does not get sick of his car, he will spend his entire life trying to make it exactly what he wants, rather that happens to a custom car, or a factory prefect restoration his car will be what he wants. He doesn’t care, nor will he listen to any suggestion that would take him away from his car for any length of time, he doesn’t want to sell it to buy a newer car, a man loves his car to the very end, and though you might try, you will never change that, if the car bug gets in to a man’s blood, he will never get rid of it, it doesn’t matter how hard he tries, I know because I tried to shake it my self, and I know how hard it can be. I went to computer school, because I thought I was going to be getting out of the automotive business, and getting in to a business that made more money, boy was I wrong, I make a lot more doing what I know, and have fun doing it, I was bitten by the bug at age 12, and have never gone back yet, though I have tried to no avail. I still get all giddy just like a school girl every time a see a cool car, a car that I know a man has put a lot of time in, a car that is now a part of that man, a car that gives him freedom, his car will never scream at him, and it will always do what he likes, a man’s car will never let him down in any way. Form the out side looking in, you might think that the man has gone insane, but this is just a good sign that you have no idea what he likes, nor do you care, if you don’t understand, please have him help you learn, and maybe you can be a part of this very select number of people who go nuts at the sight of a pretty car. The only way that you could ever understand this, is to be a part of it, and once your in, you can never get out, so get ready to take it on.

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Credit Protection Insurance — Just Another Consumer Rip-Off

Tuesday, January 15th, 2008

Credit protection insurance is a good example of a consumer rip-off that affects millions of people, yet receives little attention in the financial media. Simply stated, you should NEVER buy "credit protection insurance," or a "payment protection plan" or any other similar type of credit-related insurance. Let’s take a look at how these programs work and why they are a bad deal for the average consumer.

First, let’s dispense with the scam version of this insurance. With identity theft in the news so much lately, con artists have set up telemarketing boiler rooms to call people and try to scare them into buying worthless credit insurance products. Representatives will try to convince you that you’re at risk if someone gets hold of your card and starts making fraudulent purchases in your name. When they call, they may even pretend to be from the "security department" of your bank. In fact, they may actually be part of an identify theft ring, with the goal of getting you to disclose personal information over the phone. Or they may simply be trying to make a fast buck by selling you an insurance policy that you absolutely don’t need.

Under Federal law, you are limited to a maximum of $50 liability for unauthorized use of your credit card. If you didn’t authorize a charge, don’t pay it! Follow your credit card bank’s procedure for disputing bogus charges. You simply don’t need insurance to protect yourself from a situation that is already covered by Federal law!

Now, what about those "payment protection plans" offered directly by the big credit card banks? These are plans that promise to cover your minimum monthly payments for an extended period of time (usually 12-24 months) if you get laid off from your job, become hospitalized due to an accident or illness, or become disabled. On the surface, a plan like this sounds like a pretty good idea. After all, how could you keep up with your payments if you suddenly lost your job or became too ill to work?

Of course, you should not be carrying balances on your credit cards anyway. If everyone paid their balances in full every month, then credit protection insurance would not even exist in its current form. You are charged for the insurance based on the amount of debt you’re carrying on the card, so if the balance is zero, then there is no fee. In fact, some bank representatives use this as part of the sales pitch when trying to entice people to sign up for that "free 3-month trial" on their payment protection plan! They attempt to talk you into adding the insurance now, while you don’t need it and when there is no cost, in the hope that one day you will start carrying a balance. By then, you’ll probably have forgotten you signed up, and you’ll wonder what those mysterious charges are on your statement every month.

If you do carry balances on your cards, credit protection insurance is still a very bad deal. To see why, let’s look at the math here. A typical loss protection plan costs 85 cents for every $100 of balance carried on the card. So if you’re carrying a debt of $5,000 on the credit card, it will cost you $42.50 per month to buy the insurance. Over the course of 12 months, you will spend $510 under this scenario. That’s equivalent to paying an extra 10% in annual interest!

A light bulb should be shining over your head right about now. Why not take that same $42.50 per month and use it to pay down the balance faster? Good question. When you consider that most consumers who have credit protection carry it year after year, without ever becoming eligible for a claim against the insurance policy, the amount of wasted money can add up to a truly staggering sum.

Continuing with our $5,000 example, with a typical minimum payment of $125/month, it will take more than 26 years to pay off the balance in full, at a cost of $7,115.42 in interest. By applying that extra $42.50 per month that would otherwise go toward the insurance, for a total monthly payment of $167.50, you’ll have the debt paid off in only 40 months! And you’ll have saved $5,435.22 in interest charges. It simply makes no sense to waste this money , especially when you consider that the credit protection plan is normally only good for 12-24 months anyway.

There’s another important factor involved here. Credit protection is also a bad deal because the eligibility requirements are so very restrictive. When you read the fine print, you’ll realize that there are all kinds of situations that aren’t covered. Let’s say, for example, that you’ve been fighting a medical condition for some time. So you buy the insurance thinking it’s a good idea. Eventually, you end up in the hospital for treatment and recovery. Can you breathe a little easier knowing your credit card payments are covered? Nope. Most of these policies have exclusions for pre-existing conditions. And there are numerous other loopholes that allow the bank to deny your claim under the policy. In view of the lousy math and the restrictive nature of this type of insurance, these programs should really be named "bank profit protection" instead of "credit protection insurance." Instead of spending good money on an insurance plan that you will probably never use, you’re far better off applying that same amount toward paying off the debt early.

 

Article Source: http://www.articledashboard.com

 

Charles J. Phelan has been helping people become debt-free without bankruptcy since 1997. A former executive in the debt settlement industry, he teaches the do-it-yourself method of debt negotiation. Audio-CD material plus expert personal coaching helps consumers achieve professional results at a fraction of the cost. www.zipdebt.com

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Factors That Affect Your Car Insurance Premium

Sunday, January 6th, 2008

Many factors affect the premium you will pay for auto insurance. Each is a statistically based risk for a specific population. The higher the risk associated with a person, the more he or she is likely to pay for coverage. We have elaborated on some of the risk factors below, but there are numerous others, including driver’s gender, miles driven per year, purpose for using the vehicle (commuting to work, using for work, leisure only), etc.

Factors you CANNOT easily change that affect your car insurance rates:

Age
Statistically, drivers under the age of 25 are at greater risk of being in an accident than those over age 25. Drivers between the ages of 50 and 65 generally have the safest records.

Gender
Women are statistically safer drivers.

Marital Status
A married person will pay less than a single person with an identical driving record. Factors you CAN change that affect your car insurance rates

Geography
Where you live makes a difference. Folks living in areas with little or no traffic are likely to spend less on insurance than those living in congested cities or suburbs because areas with a lot of traffic tend to see more accidents. Some neighborhoods also have a higher rate of vehicle thefts, which can result in a higher premium.

Driving Violations
Having an accident or moving violations on your record (speeding tickets, DWI, reckless driving, etc.) put you at a higher risk for accidents and will likely mean a higher premium. Some insurance companies will penalize you for your record for as many as five years from when the incident occurred. However, keep in mind, as your record improves, your premium will get lower.

Vehicle Type
El cheapo car will cost less to insure than that status symbol SUV sitting on 24" rims baby.

Accident Claims
A driving record that is clean and free of accidents will hold fare better for you than lots of tickets and/or accidents.

Credit Rating
Many insurance companies view having a poor, or even no credit history as suggestive of higher risk and thus, charge you a higher premium.

Occupation
Insurers have statistically found a correlation between your occupation and risk. For instance, a newspaper delivery person is most likely a higher risk than the personal banker sitting at their desk all day.

Other factors that help determine premiums:

. Driving distance to work
. Miles driven each year
. Years of driving experience
. Business use of the vehicle
. Whether or not you currently have auto insurance
. Theft protection devices (often results in discounts)
. Multiple cars and drivers (another opportunity for discounts)

What can I do right now to make sure I have the lowest premium?

Shop around and compare quotes from different insurers. They base their premiums on their claims experiences, which naturally differ. One company may see your area as a higher risk than others may. Another may charge more because of your occupation. Shopping at http://www.carinsurance.com makes it easier because you can quickly see multiple companies and their rates for your particular situation. Where do I go for quotes?

One stop can take care of it all. Go to www.carinsurance.com where you can receive multiple quotes, pick the best price, and then purchase. Get covered immediately on-line or over the phone. It REALLY is the easiest way to purchase car insurance.

Visit http://www.carinsurance.com for your low premium quote.

Jon Register is a representative of CarInsurance.com. You can visit CarInsurance.com at http://www.carinsurance.com or contact them at 1-877-327-8728.

CarInsurance.com’s online insurance marketplace gives an opportunity to consumers and to insurance companies. We offer the ability to shop for car insurance online.

Consumers can receive quotes from many insurance companies, in some states you are able to purchase your insurance instantly, online. You don’t have to drive your car to buy car insurance. Buy online…anytime!

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How To Switch Car Insurance Companies

Saturday, January 5th, 2008

It may be easier than you think!
There are many reasons why you may choose to move your auto insurance coverage to another company. You might have changed jobs and are eligible for a group discount through another insurer, or maybe you’re unhappy with the service that your present company provides. Perhaps you’ve simply found another company willing to offer you the same level of coverage for considerably less money. Nowadays, many insurance companies provide 24-hour rate information through their toll-free numbers or websites, so investigating your options has never been easier. Another valuable source of information is your state’s Department of Insurance.
Why switch to a new insurance carrier?
Regularly review your auto coverage to make sure that you’re receiving the best insurance value for your money. You’ll discover that it pays to shop around. In some states, premiums for identical policies vary widely among different companies. The reasons for this price variation can be very complicated, but they boil down to a company’s claims experience with policyholders in your coverage group (e.g. people of similar age, number of accidents, type of vehicle). For example, if a large number of people in your coverage group files claims during a given year, your rates will likely rise. When this happens, better discounts and lower overall premiums may be available at other companies, although some states strictly regulate the price of coverage. When you decide to switch your auto insurance to another company, you’ll find that it’s fairly easy to do so.
How to cancel your old policy
Generally, all you need to do to cancel your auto policy is to inform your insurance company in writing, specifying the date you want the policy canceled. In some states, your new agent must notify your previous agent of the policy change. Some companies ask that you send back the actual printed policy. Your insurance company will send you a cancellation request form that you should sign and return. Examine the form carefully to make sure that all information regarding your policy is correct. If you do not receive such a form within two weeks of sending your letter, call your agent or the company immediately to check on the status of your cancellation. Don’t just walk away from your old policy without formally canceling it. Otherwise, the insurance company might assume you wished to continue your coverage, and it might eventually terminate the policy for failure to pay premiums and report your lack of coverage to your state’s Department of Motor Vehicles. This can hurt your credit rating and your ability to get a new policy.
Be sure to get a new policy first
Always have a new policy in place before canceling your old auto insurance coverage. You don’t want to have a gap in protection for even one day. Fortunately, there is little danger of this happening. Most states require all drivers living within their borders to carry a minimum level of auto insurance. So, most insurance companies now require policyholders to present proof of new coverage before they will cancel an active policy. You may need to show your old carrier copies of a new insurance identification card or the Declarations Page of your new policy. Your new company will be able to time the onset of your new policy to coincide with the cancellation of your old coverage.
When to switch policies
The best time to switch auto insurance carriers is just before your old policy is about to renew. This will allow you to avoid paying for printing and start-up expenses the company incurs as part of the policy renewal process. You also avoid the inconvenience of figuring out the amount of any unused premium that should be returned to you. A renewal notice will be sent to you approximately a month before a new policy period begins, depending on the regulations in your state. The notice will describe your coverage, discounts, and the amount of premium you owe. Should you decide to switch policies, you’ll need to line up a new policy by the time your current policy renews, although most states allow about a month after renewal to switch. If you miss the deadline, you may end up paying a cancellation penalty.
You don’t have to wait until renewal
All standard auto insurance policies contain a provision giving you the right to cancel your policy at any time, once proper notice is given to the insurance company. You don’t necessarily have to wait until renewal time. Cancellation after a policy has renewed is most convenient at the end of a payment cycle. That way, you’re not forced to deal with recovering the unused portion of your paid premium. But if you choose to cancel in the middle of a cycle, the company will prorate your latest premium payment up to the cancellation date and return the remainder to you. However, a special "short rate" (cancellation penalty) will be deducted to pay the administrative costs of renewing the policy.
How long does it take to switch?
When you switch companies, your new agent or insurer can execute the change in as little as one day. You’ll need to provide a cancellation date, your former agent’s name, and the name of the insurer. It would also be helpful to show your new agent a copy of the old policy’s specifications page in order to match the coverage. Please note that this description/explanation is intended only as a guideline. For more information about auto insurance please go to: Insurance.com

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Extra Income Work At Home Mom

Friday, January 4th, 2008

Site Design…Or Site Disaster…What Do Your Visitors See???? So you got your own website now. Exciting isn�t it? You’re ready to start putting your website to work for you. What will you do first? So many ideas going through your head…you want to make it the best website on the internet. You want to make it unique and different from anyone else’s. So many ideas popping in and out of your head you want to do so much. After all besides things in our home, when do we really get to design anything? Before we know it we have added a little of this and a little of that and maybe some more of this. It’s almost like waving a magic wand over everything giving it color and making it pretty. To us, our web site looks great we have color and we have animated graphics we also have a lot of content, after all that is what gets website recognition, isn�t it? But wait, take a closer look, is all that content really necessary? We know google likes content but maybe some of us are confused as to which kind of content google is looking for. I admit, I once thought content is content. But I was very wrong, not all content is created equal. If your website is a business related site then your content should be business related as well. Your content should be interesting and helpful. Something you know your visitors would enjoy. Color and graphics is not useful content. Many websites have articles on their site. This is probably one of the best contents to have on your site. Most articles are interesting and provide useful information. What makes articles on your site even better? If they are your articles. Articles are not hard to write just pick a subject you are familiar with and write an article about it. Just remember to keep your article topics related to the type of site you have. Let’s talk color, is all that bright color really what our visitors want to see? Some colors are way too bright and can be sensitive to peoples’ eyes. If you need to have color make them more down to earth colors not something that is going to make your visitors want to run from your site. Not having any color is also good . Color is optional, just choose it wisely. Animated graphics, who is guilty of those? I know I am, and it’s understandable as they are cute and neat to look at. Or are they? Too many things flashing on your site is not appealing. Also, too many graphics will draw the attention away from what is really important – and that is your text. Your text is your message to your visitors. If you insist on having them on your site then I suggest just having maybe one. Make sure your visitor focuses more on your text, not the graphics. Another point to keep in mind is �keyword rich text�. You want to mention your keywords throughout your website. Every chance you get mention your keywords. Work them into your sentences. When writing articles make sure you add some of your keywords to your article title. This also helps your website get noticed by the SE (search engines). I write this article because I want everyone to learn from my mistakes. I am guilty of all of the above. It took a new computer to realize how loud my color was (old computer color looked dull) . After realizing how bright it was I panicked. It was like a slap in the face because I thought what an awful color and if I thought that of my own site what were my visitors thinking? I asked the advice of a good friend and thank god this friend is open and honest in her opinions. She helped me to take a step back and really look at my site. My only thoughts were, �What have I been thinking?� I don�t even remember when or how my site got the point it did. I felt like I had this whole other life I knew nothing about and that person was taking over the designing of my site. But thanks to the new computer and my good friend, I have taken the control back of my site and since I have done so the visitors to my site have actually doubled and the length of the visit has also increased. I am back on the road to success.

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