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Useful Insurance Tips You Should Know

Muzahed I.
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Useful Insurance Tips You Should Know

Getting the right insurance policy can be quite stressful. However, with the right information and advice, you can purchase the best policy without any difficulties. To get the best health insurance policy, you have to try and stop smoking. Smoking can really complicate your chances of finding the right insurer or it may mean paying higher premiums. Usually, after you quit smoking for about a year, you can request to have your insurance premiums reduced. The following insurance tips are very handy.


Shop around for insurance coverage

Do not rush to buy a policy. You have to compare quotes offered by different insurers before you make a decision. You can also visit the websites of several insurance companies and find out what they have to offer. It is prudent to research, investigate and compare various policies before signing up.

Ensure you have complete coverage

When switching from an existing policy or getting a new one, you have to ensure that your policy is comprehensive. It is beneficial to obtain your entire insurance needs like home and auto under a single package. Using the same insurer can also help you save some money. Remember your rates may increase tremendously if you overlook loop holes in your policy.

Get more information about insurers from the relevant agencies

You have to consult your state’s insurance regulatory agency before buying a policy. The agency might have crucial information on the kind of provider you are interested in. They also have valuable information on rates, coverage and outstanding complaints of different insurance companies. With this, it will be easier to choose the best insurance provider for your needs.

Provide detailed information when filing a claim

It is vital to document all the relevant information you have when you are filing a claim. This detailed evidence and facts will provide a strong base for your case if there is any legal complication. On the other hand, your claim will be processed very quickly. Your claim procedure will go smoothly if all the required records are intact.

Avoid filing little claims

Filing minor claims even if they covered in the policy can increase your premiums, costing you more money in the long run. Some insurance providers offer discounts to clients with a claim free history. Your total coverage does not change, therefore you will remain prepared in the event of a major incident.

Read through your cover regularly

Going through your coverage annually will help you establish whether the cover still suits your needs. For instance, it is useless to have collision coverage on a car that is old. You can also discover other new opportunities for extra savings. You should have your coverage adjusted to include your existing family members and current medical needs.

Keep copies of all the policies you hold

It is essential to have a copy of every policy taken together with the insurer’s contact details. You can also ask for business cards from every provider. A safe place to store such documents is inside a fire-resistant safe. You can retrieve the documents even after your house is burnt down.

In case you have shopped for a policy before, you understand it is a difficult process. Nevertheless, defining your needs and knowing who offers the best deal is all it takes to have the right insurance coverage.

6 Ways To Save Big On Your Home Insurance Policy

Muzahed I.
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6 Ways To Save Big On Your Home Insurance Policy

Purchasing home insurance is one of the most important things you can do to guard against a financial loss, but insurance can be expensive. Finding ways to earn discounts on your policy can help you lower the cost of your policy while keeping you well protected.

1. Multi-Line Discount

Bundling services shouldn’t be reserved for your phone or internet provider. When you bundle multiple lines, or different kinds, of insurance policies through your insurance company, you can receive substantial discounts of around 20%. As a bonus, you can often save money on your auto insurance as well if you carry it through the same company. Try pairing your boat, auto, home, and more to discover double-sided discounts.

2. Claims-Free Discount

Insurance is all about risk. One way your insurance company decides how much to charge you for insurance is to determine how much of a risk you are. If your company thinks you are more likely to make claims on your home insurance policy, they will charge you more. Avoid making claims on your home insurance policy unless you have a big loss; the longer you go without claims, the lower your insurance rates can be. Most insurance companies look at the past three years of your claims history to determine discounts.

3. Marital Status Discount

Even in today’s day and age of lifetime partners and single parents, being married is often seen as less of a risk than being single. Maybe it’s because statistically, married people earn more and can afford to pay small losses on their own without turning to their insurance coverage. Regardless of the reason, being married can earn you a small discount of about 5% on your insurance policy at some companies.

4. Protective Devices Discount

Protecting your home makes it less likely that you will have a severe claim on your insurance. If you have smoke alarms in your home, they can alert you to fire sooner; alarm systems can scare away would-be robbers. Adding these devices to your home can give both you and your insurance company some peace of mind; and most insurance companies are more than willing to reward you with discounts on your policy.

5. Affiliate Discounts

Don’t overlook those insurance advertisements you get every time you renew your membership in your alumni or professional organization. Including these ads with their membership materials might mean that your organization is an affiliate of the advertised companies; and these insurance companies may in turn offer you a discount on your insurance for belonging to your organization.

6. New Home Discount

Newer homes have to meet newer building codes, which are stricter than the requirement of years past. Newer homes are often constructed with fire-resistant materials, safety devices, and other precautions that can lessen how much damage is done to your home if something happens. Because your insurance company is less likely to pay out big bucks if there is a loss, you can usually cash in with a discount on your policy.

From multiple policies to affiliate discounts, there are several ways you can lower the cost of your home insurance without lowering the amount of coverage you carry. Ask your insurance agent how you can earn discounts on your policy, and don’t be afraid to shop around for something better.

Image courtesy http://www.flickr.com/photos/mladjenovic_n/3231390927/

How To Snag The Best Car Insurance Rate

Muzahed I.
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How To Snag The Best Car Insurance Rate

Every driver knows that car insurance is expensive, and the premium can continue to grow ever more expensive if you don’t keep up with what the competition is up to so that you’re ready to switch providers if you find a better deal. But there are many factors that go into your car insurance rate, and so knowing how to negotiate the best rate possible from a variety of providers can ensure that you’ll be getting the most coverage at the cheapest available premium.

Below are just a few ways that you can ensure that you’ll be getting a great deal on your car insurance the next time you’re shopping around for a policy that works for you.

Ask for Discounts

Be sure to ask for available discounts whenever you are speaking with a car insurance provider or asking for a quote because the more discounts that you qualify for, the more savings you’ll reap on your yearly premium.

Available discounts may include:

  • Safe Driver Discounts are available to those drivers who have a clean driving record and who haven’t been involved in any kind of accident within a certain period of time, specified by the car insurance company. If you fall into this category, be sure to take advantage of the discount that can be provided to you as a result of your responsible driving habits. Then maintain your safe driving record to continue reaping the benefits of this discount.
  • One Driver Discounts are available to you if you are the only driver on a policy yet you own multiple vehicles. The vehicle that you add to your existing policy will receive a discounted rate, making it easier to afford both policies.
  • No Claim Discounts apply to safe drivers who haven’t filed a claim with the car insurance provider. These drivers will be eligible for savings because they have not had to file a claim in the history of their relationship with their car insurance provider, proving that they’re safe and responsible whenever they get behind the wheel. Some insurance providers will even allow a policyholder to add other drivers, also known as Named Drivers. And if these other drivers also have never submitted a claim, they will receive discounts. In the event you do file a claim, though, your discount will either be reduced or eliminated.
  • Multi-Car Discounts are available to those who want to cover more than one vehicle under the same car insurance plan. The more cars you cover, the higher the potential that you’ll be eligible for a deeper discount, but each car insurance provider is different, so definitely ask plenty of questions while shopping around for coverage that will take care of all of your cars.
  • Good Student Discounts are available to drivers who are in school and who have achieved a certain grade point average. This may entice your teenager or college-age son or daughter to do better in school, especially if they’re required to pay for their own car insurance.

Image courtesy of M – Pics / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Why Doing Your Tax Return Online Could Benefit You

Muzahed I.
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Why Doing Your Tax Return Online Could Benefit You

Many people don’t even know what a tax return is, never mind the benefits of doing it. Even less know about the benefits of doing it online through a company instead of trawling through papers for hours on end and slowly sinking into a state of sadness and frustration. The aim of this post is to try and convince you that an online tax return company can save you time, money and even frustration by doing everything for you.

Who needs to fill in a tax return? There are a few different types of people who will have to fill in a tax return form; the self-employed, company directors (with the exception of non-profit organisation company directors), those who receive income from properties (e.g. rent) and people who don’t get taxed through the usual PAYE system.

So what do you actually have to do to get your tax return? Well, first of all you’ll need to have all details of purchases, deposits, withdrawals and more importantly; the sum of your total paid tax. To get this will take hours alone, as well as slowly working your way through bank statements and receipts. Needless to say this will be very time-consuming and stressful. Then you will need to work out how much tax you have paid and fill all of this into a form. From this and your tax code, the amount of tax return you will get will be worked out.

It all seems a bit daunting doesn’t it? Luckily there’s a way around it in the form of online companies that will do all of this for you. For a percentage of your tax return you can employ a reliable company to work out how much tax return you will get based on the information you give them. You can either trawl through all of your previous records for the year and give them the results or just simply give them all of your records and let them do it themselves. Of course, choosing the latter option will mean that you pay more in the long run for labour costs but considering the amount of money you could receive due to choosing a professional company, it’s not going to be too much off your tax return and you can still pocket a pretty penny afterwards.

So now you know there are professional companies out there that can help you in getting your tax return, what are you doing staring at the pile of papers next to you? Get onto Google, type in “tax return online” and choose a company that you feel you can trust. Then with the time you have saved, get some fresh air. After all, it’s always a lovely day when you can get more money!

Image courtesy of Grant Cochrane / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Have you been the victim of workplace bullying?

Muzahed I.
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Have you been the victim of workplace bullying?

According to the Samaritans, bullying affects eight in ten workers in Britain. And the recession has made people even more report the problem in case they lose their job or receive a bad reference for causing trouble.

Can you tell when you’re being bullied, and do you know what you can do about it?

What counts as bullying?

So many people muddle through the working day not even realising that the way they’re being treated constitutes bullying or harassment – and that they have certain legal rights.

Bullying at work can take the form of:

  • Derogatory comments

Practical jokes that go too far or inappropriate comments (about a woman’s attire or sexual attractiveness, for example) are often brushed aside as workplace banter. It’s these seemingly harmless jibes which can make working life hellish for the person on the receiving end, so it’s important that everyone recognises when a line has been crossed.

  • Spreading rumours

Anyone who tries to undermine your reputation and cause you distress by spreading malicious rumours on the grounds of age, race, sex, disability, sexual orientation or religion is a bully.

  • Intimidation tactics

When somebody rocks the boat at work, there will always be some people who are terrified of being caught out not doing their job well enough or don’t want the status quo to change.

The threat could be a general one, or it could take the form of somebody suggesting that you could lose your job should you not fall in line. This is a bully’s attempt to stop you from reporting them – ignore it.

Even large organisations like the NHS are susceptible to these issues: they have just set up a dedicated whistle blowing phone line to protect staffs who want to come forward with information in a safe environment.

  • Unhelpful criticism

Getting feedback on your performance is one thing, but criticism should be constructive, reasonable and related to the objectives you’ve been set. If your manager is criticising you unfairly, not being specific about why they’re not happy with you (and fail to offer realistic suggestions for how you can do better) or reprimand you in a public space then they are bullying you.

  • Coercion

If a manager asks you to do something out with your normal job description or isn’t allowing you to take your annual leave, it’s important that you don’t feel pressured to do it out of fear of losing your job.

  • Exclusion

Bullying isn’t always overt: passive bullying can take the form of a staff member being deliberately left out of meetings, social events and decisions they should be a part of.

  • Cyber bullying

Bullies can also be cowardly, which is why they love to hide online where they can send offensive emails, use social media to spread rumours or poke fun at a staff member on a blog. Just because it doesn’t happen face-to-face doesn’t make it any less harmful.

Effects of bullying

Chronic bullying is a serious mental health issue, and can take its toll on your quality of life as well as seriously affect your job performance.

Bottling it up can lead to employees feeling depressed, anxious, less willing to speak up in meetings or put their ideas forward because their confidence has been knocked. It can even manifest itself in physical conditions such as skin rashes or weight issues.

What you can do

If telling your bully that their behaviour isn’t acceptable doesn’t work, your first post of call should be your line manager. If the bully is your manager or your manager dismisses your complaint, try taking the issue up with your HR department or a trade union representative and make a formal complaint through a grievance procedure.

But in some cases, a bullying culture might be so entrenched in your company that it’s impossible to resolve the issue internally. When you’ve exhausted all options, many see the only choice as being to look for a new job. While some people prefer to move on as quickly as possible and put the past behind them, you might want to consider taking legal action so they won’t subject anyone else to such hardships.

Speak to a lawyer, they will be able to advise you if you have a case under the protection from Harassment Act or perhaps the Health and Safety Act. Save any documentation you could produce such as emails or screen grabs of social media sites if you’re asked to prove that there’s been a pattern of behaviour.

When choosing a new job, try to look into their workplace culture and processes before you sign on the dotted line. Ask about what their feedback process is like, what their staff turnover rate is, what the chain of command will be and what their disciplinary procedure looks like.

Image courtesy of Ambro & Grant Cochrane / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Brand Awareness: A Business Essential

Muzahed I.
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Brand Awareness: A Business Essential

Getting your brand name out to the public is essential in the business world. Whether it be through print media like advertisements or handouts, or through online media like social networking, there are many efficient and effective ways to promote your company. This article compiles the most effective ways to do so.

Business Cards

Having business cards to hand out to possible clients is a business necessity. When trying to hook a client, you need a quick and easy way to give them all of your contact information including your name, phone number, email and fax number. Having professionally designed business cards will make you and your company look legitimate. It looks much better for your company if you hand out these personalized pieces of print material rather than writing down contact information on a piece of scrap paper.

Brochures

Not only do brochures contain your contact information like a business card, they also allow you to display previous work you have done and future plans. You can use all six panels of the brochure to give good information about your company. Brochures are quick and easy to make, and offer a lot of information efficiently.

Flyers

If you live in an urban city, then your audience is most likely on the move as a working class citizen. Handing out flyers on the street is a great way to quickly spread your product to the world. Flyers are easy to make and people will readily accept the flyer on the street. You can place product pictures and information on the flyers to inform the public about your brand.

Note Pads

Something as simple as note pads are also a great advertising technique for your brand. Simply acquire notepads with the binding strip with your product’s name as an easy advertisement. Note pads are extremely handy for the average citizen, so your name will be in their lives almost daily. A note pad is such a universal business tool that everyone will have a use for it, making it an easy way to promote your brand.

Folders

Much like note pads, folders are another universal tool for business-minded individuals. They can use your folders to store all of their paperwork, so your brand name will also be a part of their daily life. With folders, you can put a very creative design featuring your product or logo. Folders provide visual appeal while being effective at the same time.

Coupons

What better way to attract people to your company or products than a coupon? People nowadays are extremely tight with their money because of the struggling economy, so offering deals that will let your potential customers save money is extremely appealing. Coupons are also very easy to distribute to the public as well.

Banners

Banners are a very effective advertising technique. You can easily display your brand name in a very public location by placing a massive banner over the heads of the public. People are inclined to look up at your banner as they pass by because they are extremely eye catching.

Image courtesy of Suwit Ritjaroon / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Trying To Find A Job? Consider The Insurance Industry

Muzahed I.
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Trying To Find A Job? Consider The Insurance Industry

When you think of a career in the insurance field, chances are good that the first mental image you get is of the typical insurance agent in his or her office or on the go selling their next policy. The truth is that this is an accurate picture but a very small one in a field that has numerous opportunities for those in a wide variety of fields. This article will serve as a sampler of the careers available in the insurance field.

Insurance Agents

To most people, an insurance agent is the most common first image they have of the insurance field, and for good reason. Insurance agents are the most visible of all the insurance professions. Insurance agents normally work in one of two ways: company and independent. Company agents work for one insurance company selling only their products. An independent agent works for a variety of different insurance companies selling the products of different providers to their clients.

Claims Agent

Claims agents are another field of the insurance business that is commonly thought of in the field. Claim agents work with policy holders to assess the nature and amount of a claim that they wish to file to the company or another person who has caused them loss. Claims agents testify as to the accuracy of these claims.

Actuaries

An insurance actuary uses a variety of mathematical and statistical tools to assess the impact or potential impact of certain actions taking place on a covered person or property. Obviously, premiums are paid on the chances that something will happen to the person or property covered by an insurance policy. It is an actuary’s job to determine the degree of risk to the insurance company for covering that person or property.

Underwriter

An insurance underwriter takes statistical programs as well as actuarial data to determine and set pricing for insurance coverage. An underwriter might determine that the risk of loss to the insurance company is great, therefore either denying coverage or requiring a higher premium for coverage of a person or an asset.

Customer Service

Although customer service personnel are often not as highly skilled in their industry as others might be, customer service personnel are critical since they can provide valuable interface between the insurance company and those they wish to serve.

Above are some of the most obvious fields for the insurance industry, but it must also be remembered that insurance is also a business, one that needs many different types of support functions to operate. Just like any business, insurance companies require everything from accountants to support services such as secretaries to function properly. Although many of these can function without insurance specific experience, some cannot, instead possessing considerable knowledge in the field which adds considerably to their abilities and as a result their salaries. It should also be noted that just like many other fields, as the insurance business expands to reach customers and prospective customers who represent other cultures, those with backgrounds in these cultures will continue to be in great demand.

Image courtesy of photostock / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

6 Tips to Improve your Time Management Skills

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6 Tips to Improve your Time Management Skills

If you are someone who is deeply invested in making sure that you make the most out of your time, you need to consider what your time management skills are like. Time management is something that some people seem to be naturally good at, but the truth is that it is a skill that you can pick up. Consider these tips to get you started.

One Thing at a Time
During the nineties, there was a high priority placed on multitasking, the ability to keep a number of things running simultaneously. The issue is that that often involved people dropping at least one, often more, of those things! Instead, take it one task at a time, and do all of those tasks well. Do not allow yourself to get too scattered, and make sure that you are able to get to everything. Stay calm, and work steadily.

Make a List
Think about what you need to do in your day and write down a list. As you go along, you can simply cross things off of that list. Some people need the list to be written down, other people prefer to keep their lists with them on their smartphones. Find a way that works for you and move on from there.

Break Down Larger Tasks
When you have a large task in front of you, you might be feeling a little overwhelmed. Part of good time management is going to be making good use of your time. If you have a large task in front of you, break it down into smaller chunks. Take some time and make sure that you are going to be able to tackle the right parts at the right time. Having everything split down into chunks for you will help you decide what to do first.

Set a Timer
If you know that you only have a certain amount of time to devote to a task, make sure that you set a timer. A good timer will ensure that you do not give one task too much time and that you will be able to get to everything on your to-do list.

Take Breaks
If you let your day turn into one long series of tasks, you are going to lose track of time. If you take breaks every few hours, you will be able to break things down while staying aware of what time it is. This prevents you from suddenly realizing that you have run out of hours in the day.

The Importance of Delegation
Just because you can do something doesn’t mean that you have to. The issue that many people have is that they think that they need to take on every single thing. If you have the option to delegate, do so. This can keep you moving along quickly and easily.

If you are someone who is deeply invested in making sure that you manage your time wisely, consider these six tips. They offer you a great springboard towards getting the right kind of work done in your workplace and in your home life.

Image courtesy of digitalart / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

5 Ways To Get A Good Price For Your Home

Muzahed I.
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5 Ways To Get A Good Price For Your Home

When selling your home you are obviously going to want to get the best deal possible and one which will allow you to purchase your next property or make as much as you possibly can. In a fluctuating industry it is hard to know what is a good price and what isn’t but as long as the figure suits you then you are going to happy with the outcome.

There are many tips and tricks that you can implement which will help you get the price you deserve for your home but at the end of the day, only you can decide if an offer is worthy or not. So let’s take a look at a few ways you can go about getting your perfect price.

Choose Your Agent Carefully –

If you are choosing to sell your house through an estate agent then you need to be sure that you find one that will represent you and your house in the best way possible. It could be wise to avoid overly nice agents as they may be less likely to argue your case and be stern about the pricing. You should also be wary about agents that seem a bit too easy going as they may not be too bothered how much your house sells for or if indeed it sells at all.

Set Your Sights High –

It makes sense that you would price your home as highly as possible so that you have a bit of haggle room if the buyer decides that they aren’t willing to pay that price. If you do end up being bartered down then at least you’ll still be getting a good price and the buyer will feel like they’ve gained something.

Act Like A Buyer –

One obvious factor towards how much you will get for your home is sure to be how it looks to prospective buyers and the only way to see this is to get into the mind-set of one. Analyse the things about your home that they are likely to find fault in and look at rectifying any problems that you find. Don’t forget about the outside of your home either. This will be the first impression for the buyer and so if it screams ‘overgrown rubbish heap’ then you could have lost them even before you’ve started.

Don’t Forget About the Estate Agent’s Share –

The large majority of estate agents will charge a commission fee which means they are entitled to a percentage of whatever you house ends up selling for. There is no legal figure for this and so it is up to the estate agent and the seller to come to an agreement, but a survey in the UK has found that the average is around 1%. You need to keep this in mind when putting a price on your home though and be wary of it if you end up accepting a lower price as it could take a few thousand pounds off what you receive.

Aim Low –

This may contradict an earlier point but it is still a conceivable way to get a good price; albeit a risky one. By putting your home on the market for a surprisingly low price you may be able to start a bidding war which could end up with you receiving a higher offer than you would have done normally. This only tends to work if you have a property in a highly desirable area or the ratio of sellers to buyers is heavier at the buyers end.

© Madmaxer | Dreamstime Stock Photos & Stock Free Images

What Elements Should A Proper CV Contain?

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What Elements Should A Proper CV Contain?

Your CV, also known as your curriculum vitae or your resume, can make all the difference when it comes to whether or not you get the job that you are applying for. Therefore, you definitely want to take the time to work hard at producing a CV that reflects your education, experience, and skills in a way that really sets you apart from the other people who are in the job hunting market alongside you. With such competition out there these days, it is more important than ever before to have a curriculum vitae that employers will take note of, because they receive so many every day and with every application that it is easy for even good applicants to get lost amidst the crowd.

So what elements should be found in a really great CV anyway? Read on to learn more so that you can sit down and create the best CV that will jump start your career, help you find a better position than the one you’re in, assist you in gaining much-needed employment if you are unemployed, or will help you switch to a new, more exciting career that fulfills you.

1. Your Contact Information Front and Center

The first set of details about yourself that should be found on your curriculum vitae is your contact information, including your full name, address, phone numbers, and email. If you have a personal website that has something to do with your work, you may also want to include this here.

2. Your Educational Accomplishments

Your CV should list all of your levels of education, any educational accomplishments you have received, such as graduating at the top of your class or graduating with honors, as well as any special certifications or training courses you have completed over the years. If you achieved a very high grade point average, you may also want to include these details in this area of your curriculum vitae as well, but leave them out if you typically received poor grades instead.

3. Your Work History

Your work experience is one of the most important areas of your CV because this is where you can prove what a great worker you are, show how you have moved up in your career and advanced in various environments, and discuss any special accomplishments or awards you have received as a result of your hard work and dedication to an organisation and its cause.

When writing about your work history, be sure to use action verbs that really show you took initiative and achieved goals. You may want to discuss measurable objectives that were achieved under your supervision or as part of your daily working routine. Be sure to really focus in on those accomplishments and skills that make you a great candidate for the specific position you are now applying for.

4. Skills

Do you know a foreign language? Are you proficient in an art or in a computer program? Here is the part of the CV where you can discuss the skills that differentiate you from the competition.

Image courtesy  http://www.flickr.com/photos/desiitaly/2304874364/

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