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  • Want to save money on car insurance? Check it out here

    Want to save money on car insurance? Check it out here

    Technology is taking over the conventional modes of driving and is being replaced by the autonomous cars. They are designed to keep us safe and will take us places as we want. But, even they are prone to any kind of accidents if there is a system failure. If the system loses its control over the car, it could lead to consequences. It is better that we keep our cars and automobiles insured upfront.

    Insurance for our vehicle is a must and we know that we need to pay for the insurance. It will be helpful for us to claim it in the future, if at all there is any kind of damage. Insurance is done for the purpose of accidental damage or theft in any case. There are certain things we need to consider before we go ahead and apply for insurance for our car. This isn’t too much of problem for motor traders, as they can get a traders insurance policy for any car they drive. However, all other people, they must have a personal policy that covers their personal vehicles.

    There is a list of factors which the car insurance providers will be considered to know the actual quote for our car. Right from our age, to the income we earn through our job, everything needs to be examined. The first thing we need to look into is the form we will be filling out for our car insurance. The information provided should be appropriate enough to have an equal sharing amount in paying.

    Insurance for our vehicle is a must and we know that we need to pay for the insurance. It will be helpful for us to claim it in the future, if at all there is any kind of damage. Insurance is done for the purpose of accidental damage or theft in any case. There are certain things we need to consider before we go ahead and apply for insurance for our car.

    There is a list of factors which the car insurance providers will be considered to know the actual quote for our car. Right from our age, to the income we earn through our job, everything needs to be examined. The first thing we need to look into is the form we will be filling out for our car insurance. The information provided should be appropriate enough to have an equal sharing amount in paying.Car Insurance

    Fill appropriate details in the form

    In most cases, the car owned by a person will be used by oneself or more. If they one or more persons who use the car on a regular basis. Then the primary and secondary driver details must be furnished so as to avoid unequal payment from the respective parties. We as well need to consider, is the interval time we are taking to pay for the insurance.

    Depending on the interest rates and the time interval of our payment, it will help us to save more money. It is better that we provide genuine details while we are applying for insurance. If we end up providing false information, then we are the ones who will be in jeopardy. We need to check the quotes which the insurance companies are willing to cover for our car.

    Check on the quotes for the coverage

    We tend to think that, if the quote for the cover is more we need to pay more for it, but that may not be the case. It is better that we check what we are paying and in turn what we will be getting out of it. There could be chances that we are paying more than we need to pay, if we can keep a close check on it. We can certainly save more money than we are paying for the insurance.

    There is another easy way around to save that extra money, is by taking forward the excess. This will indeed help us to get lesser quotes from the companies rather than the higher ones. It is a fact that we are paying a bit more upfront, but on the other side, it is giving us the benefits of lesser quotes. A few companies may charge us more or less depending on the circumstance of our car driving.

    Compare the policies

    It is a good thing that we compare the quotes which these insurance companies make through their websites. It will provide us the details of which company is best for our preferences. That will save us some more money apart as will get the discounted rate. The business tactics which they follow is that, not comparing the complete quotes from the traders.

    Not all the comparisons will give us the best deals; there can be chances that we may not get one. For us to get the best deals for our coverage, it is better that we fill in all the details in the form. It will be easier for the search engine to give us the guidance on which one will be the best one for us. Try to avoid certain options which will mention priorities, a common search will give us better results.

    Aim for details from all the corners

    We can also look out for options which will provide us the details of the insurances available in complete market. It will be an added advantage if we can opt for an insurance which will provide us cash back guarantee. Before we switch to any other insurance provider, it is always better that we discuss it with our current insurance provider as well.

    The best way to get away with insurance at low cost is by paying it at a nominal price. It is better that we own our car rather than leasing it out to someone else. We are the ones who are paying for the insurance for our cars and it is ought to be used by ourselves. If we give it away on lease to someone else, the regulations set are by the organization.

    Driving the car for personal use

    So, it is better that we keep it to ourselves and use it for our own personal purpose. If at all we want to lease it out, we need to make sure that we are getting a compensation for the vehicle. We should not be paying for the damage occurred by a third party, if we do so it will our loss. Then there will be no question of saving our money, instead we will be spending more.

    There two types of insurances which we can opt for when it comes to car insurances. One which will pay for the damages made to our vehicle by us. Another option is the one which pays for our own property damage as well as others property damages. This is not recommended to any of us, we may end up paying more, as it includes third party properties as well.

    Minimum coverage

    The best option we can always go with is, considering the minimal allowances we would like to have for our car. This will reduce the rates for our insurance cover and will save those last few dollars. There is a question; if by any chance we hurt someone else will it be covered. Yes, it will be covered and there is no doubt about it.

    Driving less will eventually make the insurance agents to make lesser quotes. That is another way of saving a bit more money than the usual. Driving our car for longer distance is much preferred than shorter distance. It will keep us within the limit of miles to be used per year. If we drive less we can easily avoid all the consequences which we may face due to reckless driving.

    Build skills to avoid accidents

    It is good that we learn better driving skills from a professional to avoid accidents. As a matter of fact, the insurance company will give us an insurance based on our skills. They don’t want us to make them pay big time money for our mistakes. Though we are the ones who are paying for our insurance coverage, it is a loss for both the parties.

    Every year there are changes in the rates for insurance companies, so we need to keep ourselves updated. We can buy a better insurance, which will be reliable for us and cost effective as well. If possible, we should pay for our policy upfront when the interest rates are less. Requesting for a discount based on the insurance we are applying will lessen the cost.

    We should never our insurance to breach the set time, period and make sure that we are always insured. A smart thinking will always lead us to better options and save us from the pitfalls. If we can follow all this then we are going to definitely save money through our car insurance.

    Anand Rajendran is a freelance writer living in Chennai, India. His interest in personal finance and budgeting began when he was earning an MFA in theater, living in one of the most expensive cities in the country (Chennai, TN) on a student’s budget. Today, he writes for a number of websites and keeps up his own Classic Car Insurance company named Sysive in UK.

     

  • Attaining Optimal Fire Safety in the Workplace

    Attaining Optimal Fire Safety in the Workplace

    Fire is a potent and unpredictable element that poses a hazard to all types of businesses. It can cause immense damage to the company quarters, stock or equipment. Many small business fail to recuperate after a great fire. What’s worse, the life and well-being of employees and visitors is at stake as well. That’s why adhering to safety measures should be the responsibility of every person in the workplace.

    Vulnerable groups

    If you’re wondering whether your business is more susceptible to fire breakouts, these are some of the aspects you should pay attention to:

    • Use of heat processes
    • Storage of inflammable gases or liquid, as well as other combustible materials
    • Poor upkeep of electrical systems and related devices
    • Isolated groups of workers
    • Public access (arson risk)

    Fire Safety

    Legal requirements and duties

    For instance, the Australia’s Work Health and Safety Regulations include the variety of subjects that are standard for most countries. This involves the emergency plan, hazard prevention, storage of volatile substances and combustible materials, closed space conditions, sources of ignition and adequate firefighting devices, among other things. Naturally, there’s a number of duties that an employer has to take care of, such as building code and risk assessment.

    Fire detectors and alarms

    Dependable fire warning system is a mandatory element every serious firm should have installed in their office building. An effective alarm should be able to detect the fire quickly and immediately notify the occupants to run to safety. This sound should be loud enough for everyone to hear it from the most distant corners of the building, and known to all the workers. To prevent malfunction due to power cuts, connect the electrical system to an auxiliary power source.

    Fire exits

    The well-thought out and adequately labelled fire escape routes are a prerequisite for all public buildings and sites. First of all, you should include the means of exit in your emergency plan. All the workers must be notified about it and trained to use it, with additional poster-reminders placed in target spots around the premises.

    The exit signs should be appropriately illuminated and easy to identify. Last but not least, the exits must be designed to accommodate the number of people who are likely to use it and be placed on strategic locations that allow employees to get to safety in time.

    Special conditions

    We mustn’t forget about the workers with some type of disability, and their special needs in case of fire, so an individual evacuation plan must be put in place in cooperation with disabled employees.

    The covered types of disability include wheelchair users, people with impaired hearing or complete deafness, people with visual impairments and employees who struggle with anxiety or some other mental illness. In most cases, a co-worker should be assigned to assist them in emergency situations.

    Fire extinguishers

    Sometimes a fire breakout is relatively small and can be put out by prompt and adequate use of fire extinguishers. Make sure the apparatuses are functional, noticeable and evenly distributed throughout the office premises, especially near fire hazards. The workers should receive all the necessary information and proper training on its use. The presence of quality, reliable fire-fighting units can make a world of difference for local, small-scale accidents.

    Testing and maintenance

    To ensure the equipment and routes are ready for use and functional at all times, some maintenance and testing procedures have to be performed regularly. All exits and light signs should be checked, along with the alarms and other fire detecting tools. The fire-fighting gear should be tested and maintained by trained, experienced individuals.

    Good practices

    1. General advice: The workplace should be clean and tidy, ridden of combustible waste. The flammable sources and materials should be strictly controlled.

    2. A solid emergency plan is mandatory. Compile it with a help of local fire department trainers. Make the plan known to employees and organize regular drills.

    3. Perform safety check-ups at shutdown (windows, electricity, doors, dangerous chemicals and sources).

    Small number of companies manage to rise from the ashes after a great fire in their building quarters. That’s why it’s important to take the necessary fire precautions and keep your employees and your assets safe.

  • Price Determining Factors of Auto Insurance Policy

    Price Determining Factors of Auto Insurance Policy

    There are a number of factors that can actually determine your auto insurance rates. According to a research, men pay an average $15,000 more for auto insurance in their lifetime compared to the American women. It might be tempting for you to reduce the amounts of coverage for lowering your car insurance premium. But, it is also essential for you to build a clear conception about the other price determining factors of Auto Insurance.

    So, here is a list of the factors which has the capacity of affecting the price of your auto insurance policy.Auto Insurance Policy

    Marital Status:

    It has been noted that married people are less prone to meet with an accident, compared to the single people. Thus, getting married can significantly help you to cut down the rate of your auto insurance. Although, the decreasing rate of the policy highly depends upon your driving history. If you belong to that group of people who has never met with an accident before, you would be able to witness the rates going down to a great extent.

    How much you Use the Car?

    This is also one of the most essential factors which can determine the price of the policy. The more miles you drive, the chances of meeting with an accident also increases. If you are using the car for work or driving it to a long distance regularly for reaching your work place, you will pay more. On the other hand, if you are driving your car occasionally- what some companies have tagged as ‘pleasure use’, you will definitely pay less.

    The Car you Drive:

    Some cars can be more expensive to repair or more likely to be stolen than the other cars. Larger cars are generally considered safer than the smaller ones. Therefore, a lot of people are picking larger cars to have a safe drive. However, cars with larger engines relative to body size tend to have higher rates. The cost of your car itself can be the major rate factor. The cost of repairs, size of the engine also has the capacity of providing an impact over the insurance premiums.

    While fixing the rate of your auto insurance policy, the insurer will not only look at the safety of the occupants, but they will also look at the potential damage a car can do for the other. If a car has the capability of inflicting a huge amount of damage to another car, then the insurer might charge you with an extra amount of money.

    Where you Live?

    In most cases, it has been noted that a lot of accidents occur closer to the homes. Thus, the location of your house can affect the amount of your auto insurance directly. If you are living in a populated neighborhood with a lot of cars around you, then you are at a higher risk of meeting with accidents or collisions.

    Repairing your cars in some places can actually be quite costly. There are many urban areas where the ratio of uninsured cars are very high due to the problem of unemployment. Some expensive cities of America like Philadelphia has a higher range of auto insurance, because of the high traffic density. If you are living in a place, where the chances of theft is greater than the price of your auto insurance policy will automatically hike.

    The Gender:

    According to a study, women are prone to pay more for their life insurance policies compared to the other policies. While on the other hand, men pay a higher amount of auto insurance premiums. According to the statistics, women belong to that group where there is the chance of getting into an accident is very low. A study has revealed the fact that, auto insurance rates can be 68% lower for a married woman with a college degree and a job. This ratio can be altered in the case of a single woman with a high school degree.

    As more male teenagers have accidents than female teenagers, young men have to pay higher rates for their auto insurance policies. Thus, it is one of the most common factors used by the insurance companies in determining the rates of your car related policy.

    Driving History:

    If you have been in accident previously, the insurance company will definitely charge an extra amount from you. If your driving record is bad enough, some insurance company might also refuse to provide you with an insurance at all. Generally this defect tends to fade away over the time. So, try to drive more slowly and carefully for avoiding all hazards.

    Paying for the car insurance is one of the most crucial parts of owning a car. So, you need to be more cautious about doing all the needful things for lowering the rate of your auto insurance. You can also think about taking the help of a local agent to understand which deductibles, coverage or limits would be appropriate for you.

    James Paul is the editor and personal finance blogger at Basic Finance Care where he writes about personal finance and money management tips. He is also a regular contributor to many other personal finance blogs.

  • How to Score a Great Vehicle at Online Auctions

    How to Score a Great Vehicle at Online Auctions

    Overspending on a vehicle is something many people do quite often. In most of the cases, this happens because they don’t know that there are better options available. Right because of this, you should make sure you always do thorough research before buying a vehicle. Checking out online auctions is a great way to find the best possible deal. That’s why we have come up with 5 tips that are guaranteed to help you score a great deal on one of these.

    Vehicle at Online AuctionsChoose a Legitimate Auction

    No matter if you have found a real bargain if the auction it is listed on is not legitimate. That’s why it is very important that you always first check the auction itself before you start browsing the vehicles. Even though most of these are completely honest, you can never know when you are going to come across someone who is going to take your money without giving you the vehicle. It’s always a good idea to turn to the third party who can deal with the auction for you. They are always going to provide you with a list of websites that are safe to do business with. But again, don’t forget to check the third party and their legitimacy as well.

    Never Overbid

    One of the worst things you can do when buying a vehicle on an online auction is overbid. This is something that happens to many first-time auction buyers. If you place a bid and someone come and outbids you, you always have to think about whether the vehicle is worth bidding for once again. If you just keep bidding without stopping to think for even a second, you might end up overbidding quite a lot. A great way to avoid this is to stay away from bid wars. If you see there are many bidders for the same vehicle, chances are you won’t get it cheaply and there is no point bidding for it. Also, you should only increase your budget when you are 100% sure that the vehicle is worth it.

    Make Sure You Will Save Money

    One of the best things about buying a vehicle on an auction is that you can get great quality at a very low price. Still, when buying a cheap vehicle like that, you have to make sure it is really worth the price. Many of these are so cheap simply because they require a lot of work to be done on them. It is completely up to you to find out more about what type of work has to be done and how much those repairs are going to cost. If a vehicle seems like a good purchase even after you learn how much money you would have to invest in it, then you can start bidding on it.

    Think About the Location of the Vehicle

    Another big mistake many first-time auction buyers make is not stopping to think about what is the location of the vehicle they are buying. If you find a real bargain but it is on the other side of the country, does it make sense to buy it? Quite often this is not the case, and the money you save on the auction will have to be spent on getting the vehicle to you. That’s why it’s always recommended that you stick to the local auctions. Of course, you should always choose proven options, such as this website for car auctions in Melbourne and Sydney for the residence of these two cities, for instance. If you opt for a local website, you might even get a chance to take a closer look at the vehicle before buying it.

    Make sure you follow all of these tips and you are guaranteed to find what you were looking for. Just remember that you should never make any rush decisions and only bid when you are 100% sure that’s the vehicle you want.

  • Top Misconceptions about Health Insurance

    Top Misconceptions about Health Insurance

    “Health care is not a privilege. It is a right as fundamental as civil rights. It is a right as fundamental as giving every child a chance to get a public education.” –Rod Blagojevich

    Having a good health is not a privilege, but a fundamental right for every individual. However, even if we did practice great sleeping habits, follow a strict diet regimen, avoid unhealthy foods and exercise daily, some ailments would still plague us—whether they may be hereditary or not. For this reason, the idea of safeguarding one’s health by having a contingency plan should anything awry happen was conceptualized. By then, health insurance plans and policies emerged and provided a great alternative to breaking the bank whenever individuals got sick. Health insurance plans are not exactly luxuries, but rather necessities, yet a surprising number of people who remain uncovered and uninsured would prove otherwise. Today, a huge number of Filipinos remain uninsured despite the wide variety of insurance policies in the Philippines. Our health is not a trifling matter; in fact, it is something we should take excellent care of—especially if we have families who depend on us.

    common misconceptions about health insuranceWhether one should get a health insurance coverage plan or not has been the subject of many internal and external debates and discussions, but leaving one’s self in a precarious notion wherein you are uninsured in the event of a sudden disease should not be countenanced. Perhaps if individuals were not left woefully ignorant about what truly entails having a health insurance plan, they would be more receptive to getting themselves one. So, in order to dispel some misunderstanding about health insurance plans and shed some awareness to what people are missing out on, this article has enumerated ten of the biggest misconceptions about health insurance plans below.

    1.) “I already have government health insurance. I do not need private health insurance.”

    In the Philippines, it is customary for a fraction of a Filipino employee’s salary to go to Philhealth, the national health insurance program which was designed to provide universal medical coverage for Filipinos. Although having Philhealth works to your advantage, it would not necessarily cover you for any extraneous health issues and necessities.
    Philhealth only covers a select number of packages and services and certainly has its limit. Medicines, dental care, various forms of rehabilitation services and other therapies would be excluded. Having a health insurance coverage separate from Philhealth would ensure that you do not have to pay out of your own pocket for these essential services.

    2.) “I am healthy, I do not need health insurance.”

    Some individuals do not see the need for a health insurance coverage as they have never experienced anything direr than the flu or an occasional cough and colds. But this false sense of immortality could be very precarious as when they do experience a crippling disease; they could potentially cause their financial ruin by paying for everything with what available monetary resources they have available. Do not squeeze your savings dry just because you have been afflicted with a disease, get insured instead.

    3.) “Cashless is the answer.”

    Potential health insurance buyers are under the false impression that a cashless cover would solve all their medical woes. However, before availing this, it is imperative that you need to check whether your chosen hospital is affiliated with your insurance provider and whether they have a cashless program. Should the hospital be a non-network hospital, no cashless program would work.

    4.) “I cannot afford private health insurance.”

    Whenever an individual contemplates about getting insured, the cost is always an associated concept. A lot of individuals are under the misguided notion that private health insurance is expensive and would hardly look at the options. The truth is that health insurances are relative to one’s age and health. You would only need to choose a supplementary one which would meet your lifestyle’s needs. There is no absolute need to pay exorbitantly for coverage you do not need.

    5.) “Maternity program would not be covered.”

    A common misconception of prospective health insurance buyers is that pregnancy would not be covered by health insurance plans. This might be the case a few years ago, but a lot of insurance companies have started to offer this as part of the benefits in their health insurance cover. All you would need to do is research for these enterprises.

    6.) “The money used for insurance premiums can be better used elsewhere.”

    A hackneyed adage once said that health is wealth. Similarly, individuals should not be so indifferent in regards to their health and start investing in programs to protect it. Remember, one serious illness or injury could be depleted your life’s savings, and a health insurance policy would make sure that does not happen.

    7.) “I have a pre-existing disease.”

    Prospective health insurance buyers would often worry about the pre-existing condition clause of a policy. But, almost every health insurance as of late would come with this clause and should this affliction be over, it would cover your pre-existing health condition or disease as stated in the policy. Additionally, insurance companies would expect prospective buyers to have a thorough medical examination and should you not have any pre-existing diseases; the clause would not be applicable.

    8.) “Buying policy only is risky.”

    Considering how everything and anything can be bought online, even insurance policies are offered through digital purchase. However, many potential buyers would think that this is risky but when you buy a policy online, nothing is hidden from you and the paperwork involved would be reduced. If you are skeptical, have a little background about the insurance company before proceeding with the transaction.

    9.) “Only the earning member of the family would need insurance.”

    Many individuals are under the impression that only earning members of the family would need insurance. This is because more often than not, they are economically reliant on them. However, diseases, injuries and other maladies and afflictions do not distinguish, and it could certainly happen to anyone whether they may be earning or not. It is imperative that every member of the family would have a health insurance coverage so that the family is better prepared for anything that may happen.

    10.) “I would only need insurance when I am older.”

    No one is ever too young to get a health insurance coverage. You might want to explore your options but do not wait too long. Remember, some insurance policies are more expensive the older you get and with the increasing cost of prescription drugs, health care, and other medical services, it is imperative that you get insured immediately.

  • 10 Steps Towards A Cheap Car Insurance

    10 Steps Towards A Cheap Car Insurance

    Car insurance is a legal requirement by the law of USA. It is also beneficial to cover financial losses happens due to unforeseen events like theft, fire and accident. When you go to buy auto insurance, your first requirement is to get a suitable and cheap insurance plan. You require a reliable auto coverage with the best services at reasonable price. When I particularly talk about California, then there are many companies who offer similar insurance products at competitive prices. It is quite a task to get the best suitable insurance coverage. Now what to do to get best auto insurance plan at cheap price in California? Here is your answer. There are some points that determine the cost of your car insurance and how you can lower the premium amount.

    Are you interested in the best car insurance quotes? Some important things to be sure about could be having the right insurance for your car. You need to check the various quotes from numerous companies to ensure you’re getting the cheapest quotes for your insurance policy.

    1. Your car – Your car is the first thing which determines the cost of insurance plan. Generally collision and comprehensive coverage depends on your car. The model and make effect the premium. Inexpensive car will make your premium low and expensive one will increase it. To cut your cost on insurance premium you could drive the car which is cheap to insurance.

    2. Insurance limits – Every state of America has set the minimum liability coverage. It includes bodily injuries and property damages. You need to know the minimum coverage required by the state. For this you could search it on state commission website and lower your cost on insurance.

    3. Install safety devices – Installing safety devices in your car such as anti-lock, alarm, air begs etc. will help you get cheap insurance. Safety devices reduces the risk involvements. The high risk involvement you have, the higher you get premium. Make sure that you have necessary car safety devices installed.

    4. Deductibles – Deductibility is the best way to get cheap insurance. It means that when you are at fault so how much you are going to pay out from your pocket. The rest will be paid by the insurance company. The higher your deductibility, the lower your premium. You could choose $1000 deductible amount instead of $250 and according to your choice and budget. It helps you get the cheap insurance plan for your car.

    5. Credit score – Insurers require the details of your credit before providing you insurance. They check your past history and determine the cost. If you have bad record of credit such personal bankruptcy, overdueetc. so this could lead to high premium. Maintained credit record will lower the premium. It is the helpful step to towards a cheap insurance for your car.

    6. Talk to an agent – Talking to an agent is the best way. An agent has proper knowledge of plans. Agent can understand your individual requirement and assist you for the coverage. Doing this could also lower your premium.

    7. Ask for discounts – When you are buying insurance, you could ask for discounts. Insurance companies have discounts as well. If you are buying car insurance from an insurer and also buying home insurance then insurer will give you discount. Because of this, the premium of insurance will be low.

    8. Leave the unnecessary coverage – if you are driving old car and having collision and comprehensive. Then it is not going to give you that much benefit. It is just making your premium higher. So you could drop this coverage and get cheap insurance plan. So leaving the coverage which you don’t need will help you get your cost low on premium.

    9. Govt. insurance program – California’s govt. has been running low cost or no cost insurance programs for the people, their household income is equal or less then poverty level. If you qualify in the program so it will help you get cheap car insurance. Check the programs running by the govt. to make lower the cost of insurance.

    10. Review your policy – Reviewing your policy once in a year gives you more details about your requirement for a auto insurance .If you are using your car to travel less than earlier then it can lessen the premium you pay for your auto insurance. More travel has more associated risk and make the premium higher.