What are you worth? A practical insight into covering up
Almost anything can be insured these days: breasts, legs, your goldfish, your mental health, physical health, your own life, your child's life. You can insure against the bad weather, good weather, political events?.This week in Scotland, triathlon competitors were insured for ?1 million in case they were injured by the Loch Ness monster according to the BBC?.life insurance perhaps? It would seem that recent rumours of Nessie seeking a more exotic meal of wild venison and exploring the loch shores have finally reached the corporate world. ( http://www.lochnesstooth.com/ )But is Nessie the real monster in this, what other terrible creatures lie hidden in the complexity of insurance documents? The insurance small-print is usually the last thing most people take to bed to induce a soporific state and who could blame those opting for Dick Francis, Gilly Cooper or Joan Collins? In terms of personal insurance, there are eight general areas of insurance in which the consumer should be interested:?Buildings insurance?Contents insurance?Life insurance or life assurance?Health insurance?Family legal protection?Pet insurance?Travel insurance?Car insuranceBuildings insurance covers your property against damage typically caused by fire, flood, subsidence damage, temporary accommodation and the cost of replacing broken or lost keys. External buildings in the vicinity of the insured property may also be covered, such as sheds and garages. The website, yourable.com which provides insurance information for disabled people, makes the statement that building insurance should be the bare minimum people take out, not only to protect the property, but to protect the mortgage.
Alongside buildings insurance, contents insurance should also be considered. Contents insurance is frequently packaged with buildings insurance and covers your furniture, equipment and personal belongings against fire, lightning, flooding, theft or vandalism. Accidental damage can be included, but may be sold as an optional extra.Yourable.com advises that the three main priorities when taking out building (or content) insurance should be:?To decide how much cover you want ? the more you want covered, the higher the cost.?To decide what excess you're prepared to pay ? the site advises that in most cases, increasing the excess will reduce the premium?To identify any particularly expensive single items in your home, including costly adaptations to the home?To isolate any property which is regularly taken outdoors, as contents insurance may also protect bicycles, money and credit cards etcHealth / medical insurance typically covers private treatment for an operation or illness and may be extended to include specific circumstances or events such as specialist consultations and out-patient treatment like physiotherapy. Family legal protection may provide some financial assistance in the event of involvement in a court case. Such insurance normally covers contract disputes, personal injury claims, employment disputes and jury service.
Pet insurance is often widely available for cats and dogs, though sometimes is less common for other animals, the cost of kennel and cattery fees are normally covered in pet insurance policies. Travel insurance and the importance of shopping around for the best policy, has been widely publicised recently, with consumer website moneynet ( http://www.moneynet.co.uk/ ), in particular, urging consumers to shop around for the best deal, including undertaking some research online. Some of the high street players who offer travel insurance, such as Thomas Cook and Travelcare, levy premiums that are typically twice as expensive as purchasing cover online.With regard to car insurance, there are three types of policy available: 3rd party, 3rd party (fire and theft) and comprehensive. Third Party is the most basic and will cover damage to third party property, usually with some protection for legal expenses. This compares to comprehensive, where additional protection is available for both parties.**********************For further information:http://www.moneynet.co.uk/insurance/index.shtml (Consumer information on life insurance, motor insurance, travel insurance, household insurance, student insurance and mortgage life insurance)http://www.lochnesstooth.com/ (Some lighter reading post insurance homework)http://www.cashzilla.co.uk/ (Some light hearted banter on personal finance issues)http://www.youreable.com/TwoShare/getPage/09Money/Site/Introduction (Finance information for disabled people).
About me:Rachel writes for the personal finance blog Cashzilla:http://www.cashzilla.co.uk/Cashzilla is a personalfinanosaurus and a source of personal finance wonder.New Website for Insurance Specialist
(ContentDesk) September 11, 2005 -- InsuranceMeans provides insurance services to both corporate and private clients.
The company offers a friendly, professional service combined with quality products and financial security.The InsuranceMeans website lists the company's full range of commercial insurance services, as well as the household, health, leisure and motor insurance policies that they provide to private individuals.
Steve Pickard, Director of Insurance Means comments 'Insurance Means are focused on providing full commercial & personal insurance solutions. The introduction of an online presence will help us to promote our business across the Internet and into the businesses & homes of potential clients'".About InsuranceMeans:InsuranceMeans was originally formed in 1983 as East Hertfordshire Insurance Services, with an ethos to fully understand client needs and provide suitable recommendations and solutions.
Following extensive business planning, the...
Auto insurance > New Website for Insurance Specialist
Volvo 850, Providing a Large Range of Choices for Consumers
The United States knew the Volvo 850 as a 1993 model. However, if one looked further back into the history of this vehicle, he would come to know that the rest of the world was introduced to this vehicle as a 1992 model which was a year older than in the US. The Volvo 850 was the very first vehicle model in the US to feature a front wheel drive system as well as an all aluminum engine with twenty valves and five cylinders.
The Volvo 850 comes as either a saloon or an estate. It combines a dynamic driving performance with total flexibility and generous space. The company and the engineering of this vehicle guarantee owners and users that it would provide outstanding road holding, comfort, security, and safety, which is the most common knowledge about Volvo vehicles.
This vehicle is no exception. There are seven different model specifications for this vehicle. Aside from that, interested parties also are given a choice of seven engines. These engines could...
Volvo 850, Providing a Large Range of Choices for Consumers
Auto insurance > Volvo 850, Providing a Large Range of Choices for Consumers
Term Life Insurance and Permanent Life Insurance
Term insurance and permanent insurance are two basic types of life insurance. Term life insurance is temporary, and it covers only a specific period of time called the relevant term. Permanent life insurance is the type of insurance where the policy is for the life of the insured and the payout is assured at the end of the policy. Term life insurance builds on cash value while permanent life insurance accrues cash value. Now let's look at the pros and cons for term life insurance and permanent life insurance.
Term insurance has two advantages. First, its initial premiums are usually lower than the initial premiums of permanent insurance. Secondly, term insurance is better for covering needs such as loans or mortgages, which will disappear in time.There are a few disadvantages in term life insurance: Coverage might become too expensive to keep or terminate at the end of the term. Also, the premiums increase with ages. Besides, paid-up insurance and cash value are usually not offered....
Term Life Insurance and Permanent Life Insurance
Auto insurance > Term Life Insurance and Permanent Life Insurance
Booking Your Holiday Online - Made Easier
With the introduction of low cost airlines, and the rapid growth of internet users, booking the perfect holiday has become easier for the inexperienced internet user.
Gone are the days, where the only people surfing the net are techie's - welcome to the internet age, where people of all ages are now using the internet to go about their normal life. "You look forward to your holiday all year and you want to book it easily, and save money," says Darren, a holiday rental specialist who runs, Worldwide Holiday Homes. "If you automatically think ?travel agent,' you're missing out on the internet world. Just ask the thousands of people who reserve villas, apartments and cottages through our companies website.
Booking your holiday online means you can look for the best deals, and search in the comfort of your own home." Darren says the rise of the Internet has made it easier and more convenient to seek out and reserve a holiday home, why stay in an overcrowded hotel, when you...
Booking Your Holiday Online - Made Easier
Auto insurance > Booking Your Holiday Online - Made Easier
Surety Bonds
The construction industry is a very good competitive marketplace. Contractors used to come across several projects that require them for as long as surety bonds guaranteeing their recital of the contract and looking out for sustaining a steady flow of work as well. Surety bonds are required of contractors on public projects let directly by federal, state or local government agencies. Private owners are in need of bonds for their contractors. Generally trade contractors are linked to the public owner depending on the projects employing a construction manager of their own; and subcontractors may also be mandatory to 'bond back' to the general contractor on projects whatever it might be public or private.
Here come the basic categories of contract surety bonds:
? The bid bond presents financial assurance that the bid has been submitted in good faith and that the contractor proposes to enter into the contract at the price bid and also provide the required performance...
Auto insurance > Surety Bonds
Brighten Up Your Life: How to Pick the Right Contractor for Your Window Replacement Project
Sometimes the toughest part of any home remodeling project is finding the right person for the job. Here's how to take the fear out of fixing your windows.
Pick a Number, Any Number
Insist on an estimate that itemizes the materials, labor and time involved ? and make sure that that estimate is based on reality. The estimate should take into account your actual window sizes and types (single, double-glazed, storm, etc.). An estimate will be meaningless without specifics because you won't be able to compare it with other contractors' estimates. If the estimates you get from different contractors are based on different assumptions, it's like comparing apples to oranges ? and you're likely to get a nasty surprise.
Once you've got your estimates from a few contractors, don't immediately zero in on the lowest bid.
It may be the most expensive choice in the end.
Conversational Gambits
Don't stop at the estimate...
Auto insurance > Brighten Up Your Life: How to Pick the Right Contractor for Your Window Replacement Project