Save On Home Insurance 5 Ways

By Vic Shallow

This article will examine a recent increase in home insurance costs, What is causing the increase, and what steps can you take to keep premiums down.

A dramatic increase in the severity of natural disasters is one contributing factor. More than $100 billion in catastrophe-related losses have been paid by insurers. An average of about $700 million per month since 1990. In addition to such well-known events as Hurricane Andrew, many smaller disasters have occurred such as wildfires, storms, ice, etc. Virtually every part of the country is at risk for a billion dollar disaster.

Construction costs have seen sharp increases which are impacting insurance premiums. Due to these increases, the average homeowner probably needs to carry additional coverage to cover the cost of replacing his or her home in the event of major damage. In fact, some 45 million U.S. homes are reportedly underinsured.

Mold and water damage are yet another cost factor in rising insurance premiums. Though water damage and mold in homes is nothing new, the public is more anxious about this issue because of recent high profile lawsuits and insurance claims. Before they're overwhelmed by claims related to water damage; Insurance companies are taking steps to limit coverage. Premiums have already risen to cover the increasing number of mold claims.

Here are 5 ideas to save money on premiums.

1. Buy Your Home and Auto Policies from the Same Insurer.

Discounts are available from some companies who sell homeowners, auto, and liability coverage. Discounts can be as much as 5 to 15 percent if you buy two or more policies from the same insurer.

2. Make Your Home Safer

By installing a burglar alarm, smoke detector , or dead-bolt locks ,you can qualify for discounts of at least 5 percent.

3. Consider Raising Your Deductible

You could save 15 to 30 percent or more by raising the deductible on your homeowners insurance. Keep in mind that if you raise your deductible you'll have more out of pocket expense in the event of a disaster. Weigh the options.

4. Protect Your Family From Fire

Installing a sprinkler system and a fire and burglar alarm that signals the police, fire department, and other monitoring stations, can qualify you for savings of 15 to 20 percent on your premium. Find out what kind your insurer recommends, not every system qualifies for a discount. Find out how much the device costs, and how much you will save on premiums. Once you know how much you'll save you can decide if it's worth the cost to install the system. Remember You'll also be protecting your home and your family.

5. No Smoking

Let your insurance company know if your home is smoke free. You could qualify for an additional discount if nobody in your household smokes.

Following these ideas could save you a substantial amount of money. There can be a big difference from one insurer to the next, so always comparison shop. Get quotes from several companies.

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Reverse Mortgages For Seniors - What Are They They? Are They Worthwhile?

By George Carpenter

In these times of financial insecurity, many of us are struggling to make ends meet, none more so than the elderly. However, reverse mortgages for seniors are an option to relieve monetary stress should it start to become overwhelming for them.

They can represent an ideal solution, and many people have already taken advantage of the benefits that they offer. That's not to say that they are right for everyone though, which is why it is important to research the ins and outs of them before making a decision.

A reverse mortgage can be explained most simply as a type of home equity loan for which no repayment is necessary until the homeowner dies, sells the property, or no longer uses the property as a permanent residence.

They are generally easily obtainable for senior citizens, since the eligibility process does not consider the homeowners income or any credit scores.

There are stipulations for eligibility, including:

- The homeowner must be at least 62 years of age

- The property in question must have been paid for in full, or have just a small balance remaining on the mortgage

- Taxes, homeowners insurance, mortgage insurance, and a hefty closing fee, must be paid by the homeowner

- Attendance at a mandatory counseling session is required to ensure full understanding of the mortgage process

What happens with a reverse mortgage is pretty simple to understand. The homeowner is given a loan based on the equity in their home. The amounts of the loans will vary, depending on the value of the home and the equity therein.

The homeowner can opt to receive monthly payments, a line of credit or a single lump sum payment; whichever suits their needs best. Homeowners are free to spend the loan on whatever they see fit to, with paying bills, making home improvements and going on trips being just a few of the options available.

No repayments are made in reverse mortgages for seniors. That is to say, no repayment for as long as the homeowner makes the home their primary residence and is still alive. Full repayment of the mortgage is due when one of the following occurs:

- Death of the homeowner

- Sale of the house by the homeowner

- The homeowner permanently leaves the property; i.e., taking up residence in a nursing home, with a family member or hospice facility

In many cases, a reverse mortgage is a benefit for its recipients. When looking at the benefits though, still bear in mind the fact that a large closing fee may be due on the signing of the mortgage papers. This fee is typically larger than that of a traditional mortgage and it can vary significantly from place to place..

Reverse mortgages for seniors are not a decision to be taken lightly and, as with all financial decisions, all paperwork should be closely examined before making a commitment. Don't let the paperwork put you off though as professional assistance and counseling is available.

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Learn More : Reverse Mortgages For Seniors

Importance Of A Legal Advisor

By Simon P Jennings

A solicitor is a lawyer who deals with legal matters, but does not appear in the court on behalf of his/her clients. In the UK, lawyers can be either solicitors or barristers, the latter being lawyers who conduct court proceedings, but do not give legal advice. Thus, both types of lawyers usually work as a team to provide clients with complete legal services. In other countries, the roles are not that defined, and a solicitor can sometimes act as a barrister or vice versa.

Presently, several methods have been devised to resolve various legal issues. It is not essential to resolve every issue in court. The legal advisor aims to make you understand the technicalities of your case, and gives you the best advice on the matter. There are many common problems, which can be resolved with the suitable advice of the legal advisor such as making will, injury compensation claims, buying, or leasing a property, and financial and business matters.

It is the duty of a solicitor to coordinate with their clients, give them suitable advices, and carry out the discussions, and preparation of the client for legal proceedings are also a part of solicitor's duty. However, a solicitor cannot conduct the court proceedings on behalf of the client as a lawyer. It is also the duty of a solicitor to help the client to the maximum.

There is the Law Society of England and Wales, which constitutes solicitors, as an essential part. The other representing bodies are The Solicitors Regulation Authority and the Legal Complaints Service.

In order to find the right solicitor, one has to keep certain issues in mind. It is better to hire a solicitor who represents a well-reputed law firm as that would guarantee good legal services. Secondly, it would be helpful to find a solicitor who specialises in the particular area of law that you need help with. Location is also essential, as it is better to hire a solicitor that you can visit easily. Nowadays, it is also easy to find solicitors that can speak languages other than English, or are expert in the laws of areas outside the UK.

Finding a solicitor is not a difficult task anymore, as it can now simply be done over the internet. The easiest way for people in the UK is to log on to the website of the Law Society of England and Wales, or of Ireland, and find solicitors depending on specific requirements, such as location or area of expertise.

To find a suitable solicitor is no more an issue now. Internet is full of information regarding solicitors and their area of expertise. In the UK, people are facilitated with the option of logging on to the website the Law Society of England or Wales or Ireland. The information is available on the website according to the location as well as the area of expertise. You can easily have a meeting with the solicitor by having the contact information from the website first.

It is essential to understand that you have a right to be dealt professionally by your solicitor. It is the duty of a solicitor to act in your interest, and obey the law. In the UK, the Code of Conduct of Solicitors 2007 has been drafted to ensure professionalism on part of the solicitors. If not satisfied, complaints can be forwarded to the Legal Complaints Service.

About the Author:

Simon P Jennings is a personal insurance consultant. To make guaranteed Negligence Claim you may take his services. To know more about making claims you can contact him today at http://www.claimsadvicecentre.com.

Why You Need Auto Insurance For The Short Term, Too

By Graham McKenzie

A short term automobile insurance policyowner could either be a comprehensive coverage or a third party liability coverage. These are the same kinds of coverage that you would most likely have on your existing auto insurance coverage. Comprehensive coverage?s, while they do not necessarily cover all contingencies, indemnify the insured for more coverage items than a third party liability coverage.

It covers not only accidental injury plus property destroy to a third party but also those damages on yourself or a temporary driver who's named insured plus on the insured vehicle. A comprehensive auto insurance coverage would cover other perils as collision, theft, vandalism, extreme weather, plus fire among others. Even those expenses for own damages that are not caused by the insured temporary driver himself are covered under a comprehensive policyowner. Third party liability is only limited in coverage to include only those damages that are caused by the temporary driver to another person or property.

These different policies are much like the ones you have on your existing auto insurance, they could either be a comprehensive coverage or third part liability coverage. Comprehensive coverage is just what the name says; comprehensive whereas third party is only limited in coverage to include only those damages that are caused by the temporary driver to another person or property. Comprehensive, while not necessarily covering everything that could go wrong covers most issues; it covers accidental injury and property damage to a third party like the third party liability, but also covers yourself, and any insured drivers.

A temporary automobile insurance coverage or a short term auto insurance coverage gives you the same kind of coverage that your own automobile insurance policyowner provides but only for a specific number of days for which you will be using another automobile. Such a short term insurance coverage also works well when a temporary driver will be operating your automobile for a few days. Instead of naming the temporary driver in your existing automobile insurance policyowner, you can take out a short term policyowner so that the temporary driver?s specifics do not get in to your automobile insurance policyowner permanently plus do not affect your automobile insurance premium rating.

There are many ways to get short term auto insurance quotes from various insurance companies, many of which you can do from your own home, on your own time! Many websites offer comparative quotes for many of the companies in one website, saving you the trouble of inputting your information all over again for each policy, and you can see a side by side comparison of different policies.

These comparative quotes will usually get to you through your email account. You will have the chance to properly assess these comparative quotes using your own parameters. As these comparative quotes are issued based on the specifications that you only enter in these comparative quote web-sites only one time. The same specifics plus information are used by the insurance companies offering short term automobile insurance coverage?s. This would make it not as hard for you to assess the quotes as you will be able to compare these quotes apples to apples.

Do not make the mistake of taking the lack of auto insurance policyowner for granted simply because you?re driving circumstances are only temporary. There is no guarantee that no accidents will happen during this temporary change in your driving arrangements. You would not need to be caught unprepared when something happens during this period. The amount of money you will spend for your short term automobile insurance coverage is well worth the peace of mind that comes with knowing that your are fully covered.

About the Author:

Graham McKenzie is the content syndication coordinator for Carinsurancesa.co.za, a leading South African Car Insurance portal.

How to Simplify the Process of Making an Insurance Claim

By Adriana Noton

Insurance is an important and necessary life investment. Insurance protects you against any unfortunate events that result in damage or loss. Making an insurance claim does not always mean that you will receive compensation for everything you claim. It is important to know what you are doing when you file a claim in order to receive compensation. Although insurance companies may have different requirements for filing claims, especially for different types of insurance policies, below is a list of general tips to filing a claim that will help with obtaining successful compensation.

Determine Whether You have a Valid Insurance Claim: It is important to read over your insurance policy to see what your coverage entails. Make sure you look at the "exclusion" section. You should also find out all of the requirements that you have to meet to be considered for compensation. Find out the amount of the deductible you have to pay. It is important to be aware that sometimes it will cost you less to make a repair or replacement than if you file a claim. If you have made several claims in the last few years, your insurance premiums could go up.

Contact your Insurance Provider: Contact your insurance provider shortly after the event happens. Provide your name, address, policy number, and the date and time of the event. You should also write a letter to them detailing what happened. Keep a copy of the letter. It is important that you do not delay filing your insurance claim. Most insurance providers have a toll free claim number.

Notify Appropriate Organizations: Contact any department that needs to make a report such as the police. Your insurance provider will need proof of what happened that caused you to file a claim. If you are in an accident, make sure you do not admit that you are at fault.

Gather Important information: Depending on the particular insurance claim you are filing, it is important to collect all relevant information. This can include: receipts, photographs or video of the scene of the event, an itemized list of what was lost, stolen, or destroyed, a list of witnesses, the names and badge numbers of police and emergency personnel, any expenses you sustained as a result of the event. You should write down any details as soon as possible after the event. Make sure your details are accurate and thorough. As well, make sure you get a copy of all police and medical reports.

Obtain Multiple Estimates: If you are filing a claim for damage, make sure you get three quotes of the estimate of the cost of repair. As well, check to see if the insurance provider has a list of accepted repair companies.

File the Insurance Claim: Once you have collected all of the important documents, submit your claim. Most policies have a deadline when submitting a claim so check your policy to find out your insurance provider's deadline.

An incident that causes a person to file an insurance claim can be very stressful. Knowing what to do prior to an event, will make the claims process much easier and faster.

About the Author:

After purchasing a car, the next step is to look for auto insurance quotes. Choosing the right one is important because you could potentially be using it for many years. Researching for car insurance online can definitely be helpful.

The Importance Of Travel Insurance: Umpteen Wonderful Tips

By Brenda Carly

When you are planning a trip overseas, there's so much that you will need to do. You need to be sure your passport is up-to-date, learn about any special dietary concerns, purchase clothes apt for a new climate, prepare for security checkpoints, and get any needed vaccinations prior to the trip. You in addition need to buy travel health insurance. Let us speak more to you on the subject of this matter...

The majority of foreign countries have different standards of cuisine than the United States has. Food possibly will be prepared with more fat or sugar than a person who suffers from diabetes or high cholesterol is used to. If you are on a restricted diet for health reasons or simply have a sensitive stomach, the difference in how food is prepared may well gravely impact your health.

Before purchasing a new plan for travel purposes, you ought to call your current health care coverage provider and learn if you are covered internationally under your current plan. Various plans have limited coverage for incidents arising in foreign countries. Make sure you are covered both for illness and accidents, specially if your travel plans include participating in sports for example skiing or skating while you are away.

For this reason, you should check with your health coverage provider to realize what, if anything, is covered while you are away from home. In an ideal world, you should be protected in case of both accidents and illnesses. Ensure the terms are spelled out; certain policies exclude sports-related accidents, like injuries sustained while skiing or skating, from coverage.

If your current insurance company does not cover foreign travel or charges very expensive fees to add this coverage to your plan, contemplate paying money for a short-term insurance policy.

This kind of policy will cover you just for the extent of your trip. Unless you travel considerably for business, you shouldn't require a more extensive plan. It is customarily cheaper to get short-term coverage than a whole new plan, and you won't need it except during the time you expect to be out of the country.

Travel health insurance is not an optional item when planning a trip. Nobody wishes to think about getting sick while on vacation, but you must plan for the worst when you visit a foreign country.

About the Author:

You may wish to read about low price temporary health insuranse CA and other kinds of health insurance at Quote4Health.

Importance Of Insurance Shopping By Teens

By Graham McKenzie

Its common to hear many parents tell their children to grow up and take responsibility for their actions. Sometimes, especially when your child wants to get a driver?s license you may wish he or she was still the small kid you used to tuck in bed every night. This is the time most parents think about the turmoil and turbulence most teenagers have to put up with.

The initial joy and pride when your child obtains the driver?s license will soon be over when the reality of insurance costs sets in. the family income may be stretched to the limit by these new insurance costs. The only consolation perhaps is the emergence of insurance companies, which claim to be teen friendly.

This question is as far, as the parent, as we should go in investigating insurance prices and policies for our teenagers. Our teen, son or daughter, has taken the responsibility of getting his or her driver's license. We have to believe that to some extent they are maturing and ready for new responsibilities. It is time for them to do some of the work involved. Investigating costs and prices of insurance policies might actually be an eye opener for them. It may even help them take driving more seriously if they know all of the details involved. Putting them on the right track is our job. We should point them toward the internet and suggest they do the insurance shopping themselves.

The best idea is to give them an outline of what they should be looking for in an insurance company's quote. Keep in mind, however, that if they are not footing the insurance bill they may not be as thorough with their research. Set a minimum number of comparisons that they should have to complete in order for the exercise to be finished. Look for ways that the cost will affect them, either directly or indirectly.

When your child is allowed to search for the right insurance, they will understand the importance of finding the affordable rates. This will help them to go by the guidelines and rules the Insurance Companies are offering especially when the insurance payments are made by themselves.

Through this exercise, the teenagers become aware that getting an affordable quote is not that easy especially in that age bracket. This in turn means they are more likely to follow the guidelines set by the insurance company. The teenagers also feel they are being treated as adults when they are allowed to do the insurance shopping themselves. This can influence them to behave in a more responsible manner while driving.

There is an additional bonus by giving the responsibility. The child will clearly understand the problem in buying a new car besides the money factor. This insurance research would teach them to compare the different rates in accordance with the cost of vehicle.

About the Author:

Graham McKenzie is the syndication coordinator a leading South African Insurance information website, which amongst others specialises in Household Insurance .