Vacant Houses - Advice About Lead Paint

Vacant Houses - Advice About Lead Paint

Lead was commonly used in paint right through to the mid-1960s (in addition to a large number of common household products). Used mainly as colour, but also preferred for its fast drying properties, durability and increased resistance to deterioration causing moisture. 

Now prohibited in the UK, a result of better awareness regarding the adverse health and environmental problems lead involves, it is still found in several houses across the country from previous applications. Usually seen on woodwork, windows, doors and some metal items; lead is harmful to health whenever inhaled or ingested, so it is essential that you learn to identify it and get rid of it correctly where feasible.

There are a variety of methods that lead paint can become damaging to your health. When paint ages it is prone to peeling or flaking, or can become chipped by knocks or regular contact. If it is chewed by children or pets it is likely to place them at risk, and when paint is burnt or sanded off (to prepare for repainting) if it contains lead it could become an airborne threat. Although individuals who work with lead on an every day basis are at the most threat of encountering a problem involving lead poisoning, in the home it is children and women that are pregnant who are in danger.

Even though it is now illegal for companies to add lead in to domestic paints, some exclusions remain for restoration and restricted artistic applications. One method to spot if your property has lead paint is to think about its age. Houses built over the past 40 years have very little chance of including lead paint, although it is by no way an impossibility. Older properties with heavy paintwork (of multiple coats that have accumulated over the years) may possibly hold lead in the older sub-layers. If the newer outer layers are in good condition and you do not plan to eliminate them through redecoration, then the under-layers are not an immediate problem.

There are testing kits available, to be purchased in certain redecorating retail or trade outlets throughout the country, which can be used to determine whether lead exists in your paintwork. If you think that you have lead paint within your home, then there are a variety of ways you might be able to take care of it safely. Painting over the lead paint with layers of contemporary paint will not remove the issue, but will go a certain way toward stopping the paint from presenting an immediate threat. If you choose to remove the paint, it is essential that you avoid using methods which produce dust or fumes.

In the event you decide to tackle the problem yourself, you have to remember to take all relevant safety measures and wear the required safety clothing/equipment. If you are not great at such tasks, it may be worth contacting a specialist and hiring an independent contractor. If you are planning to let out your vacant property, it has to be made secure and liveable for the renters. Lead paint could present a health risk if not resolved appropriately.

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Living in a Tiny Home

Living in a Tiny Home

Sometimes when you look at moving into a new home or space you try to get one that has the right amount of space for you. Getting a three or four bedroom home for one person is a little much and can make a person feel uncomfortable. 

However, if you are a family of four and live in a two or three bedroom home, you may feel cramped and as though you can't invite people over to entertain. Well, what if you lived in a home that was only about 80 square feet or 120 square feet?

There are many people who are finding that these tiny homes allow them to be efficient and eco friendly while giving them enough space to make them feel nice and cozy. Some of these homes don't have internal plumbing and rely on rain water that is stored up over time as their main water supply. They may even recycle the used water that they have. For example, some of them will use the water from last night's shower to water their plants. So, not only would you be recycling water and being eco friendly to the environment, but you probably wouldn't have a water bill letting you keep some extra bucks in your pocket.

As far as electricity goes, some people rely on nature to take care of that for them as well. These tiny houses are designed to use very little electricity. Since they are so small, it wouldn't take much to heat or cool the space, and for some people, they find that just their body heat warms the place up and the cool of the night can keep it at a comfortable temperature. Of course you have some people who don't want to rely on solar, wind, or water to generate their electricity, so they pay their electric bill every month, granted it's probably a whopping $10 to $20 a month.

Some people with these tiny homes like the fact that they can be mobile at times, and because of their size, there is no disruption of land. For those who have their homes mobile, they like that they can move to just about anywhere, but they also enjoy the fact that no destruction comes to the land around them. The displacement of land varies greatly depending on how big a home is, where it is, and if it is part of a neighborhood or not. For the tiny homes that are permanent, many of the people who live in them find ways to give back to the environment, like recycling water, growing their own garden, or even growing a garden on top of their home.

When it comes to insuring these homes, it can be tricky. Some of the homes are so tiny that they do not meet the standards and regulations to be considered a home. That can make it very difficult to get your home insured. However, if you can get insurance, it will be well worth your while. In larger homes, if there is an accident like a fire or a storm destroys the house, there are hopes that not everything was destroyed. If you have a tiny home and there is a fire or a storm, you better hope you have insurance; chances are not much would be left afterwards.

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The Best Tips On How To Get House Insurance

The Best Tips On How To Get House Insurance

There are different ways to get house insurance such as meeting up with insurance agents, getting referrals from friends and families who have purchased their homeowners policies by using the internet. The best and easiest way to get homeowners coverage is by using the internet. 

One advantage of getting a home insurance policy that is offered at different shopping websites is the convenience of using online tools such as the homeowners insurance calculator that lets a policy holder compute the amount of claim that a policyholder can get in the event of a loss.

Another helpful tool that is available online is the glossary. The glossary lets a potential policy holder become familiar with the terms and this will enable him to choose the type of coverage and add ons for his home insurance. Frequently asked questions, tips and advices and a customer question and answer section are the other helpful tools that are available online. Home insurance blogs, articles and news are also posted on different websites to help educate home and property owners of the things that they need to consider when getting a home insurance.

The type of coverage, how to make claims, the types of home insurance and what makes up a home policy which are usually the liability coverage, perils coverage, deductible, excluded perils, coverage for home structure, coverage for home structure and coverage for property structure. These articles and blogs consist of reviews and testimonials from other policy holders. These reviews and customers' experiences will help potential policy holders make more informative decisions. The acceptable rates and fees are also posted so that home owners will have an idea of how much they should pay for the best home insurance.

Another beneficial online tool is the free quotes that can be requested from different insurance providers. Home insurance quotes will let a person compare the rates and decide on the policy that he will not only benefit from but will also give him the chance to save for other expenses. To get house insurance quote from an insurance provider, a property or home owner must provide some information about the house such as the year the house was constructed, the zip code, the construction type, the amount for the dwelling coverage and the square footage. Some personal information such as the name and last name, phone number, email address and physical address are also required.

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Flooding - Reporting a Flood

Flooding - Reporting a Flood

Flooding isn't defined as one single type, there are actually several types which can be encountered on a daily basis. Reporting these problems to the appropriate authorities as soon as possible means that they will be fixed quicker allowing you to return back to your normal daily routine. Different types of flooding have different authorities who deal with them. This guide is aimed at helping you to understand the different types of flooding and who exactly is in charge of resolving them.

Main River or from Watercourses

Contact: The Environment Agency.
The Environment Agency should be notified as soon as any river or watercourse starts to overflow. The Environment Agency also provide a 24hr 'Flood line' for information and advice.
Should your property be adjoined to a river or watercourse, you are then responsible for the maintenance of the banks, verges as well as keeping it free from debris. If you fail to do this and it leads to the damage of other properties, you could be held liable for lack of maintenance contributable to flooding.

Flooding isn't defined as one single type, there are actually several types which can be encountered on a daily basis. Reporting these problems to the appropriate authorities as soon as possible means that they will be fixed quicker allowing you to return back to your normal daily routine. Different types of flooding have different authorities who deal with them. This guide is aimed at helping you to understand the different types of flooding and who exactly is in charge of resolving them.

Burst Water Mains

Contact: The local water supplier - details of who the local water supplier is can be found at the Water UK website.

The local water supplier is responsible for your water supply and pipes which also include the stopcock on the boundary of your property. If the flooding originates from within your property, then you are in charge of contacting a plumber to resolve the problem (or the landlord if applicable). Should the flooding spread to neighboring properties and cause damage, you are then held accountable and you could be liable for compensation claims.

Drains and Roads

Contact: Local authorities in charge of road maintenance - details of who to contact in your local area can be found on the Directgov website.

Notifying the local council (who have copies of all sewage and drainage systems) will enable them to contact the utility provider responsible for maintaining public drains and sewers. Direct details of the utility providers can also be found on the Water UK website (see above). Alternatively, some sewers and drainage are owned privately therefore making the property owners using them liable for maintenance. Seeing as these situations can arise at any time, it is best to check with you insurance provider that you are covered for flooding.

Insurance

Floods can arise at any time for any reason, therefore it is best to ensure that you have the appropriate home insurance. For those who live within an area at a greater risk of flooding, obtaining the necessary insurance cover can be somewhat difficult. Insurers perceive these areas to be 'high risk' and try to avoid providing coverage for this reason. However, there are a number of insurance providers will to provide the appropriate insurance coverage where need irrespective of your situation.

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How and Why You Should Compare Insurance Quotes

How and Why You Should Compare Insurance Quotes

Did you ever think that someday you would compare insurance quotes from the privacy of your own home? I bet you never thought that you would compare insurance quotes from a Panera Bread or WIFI hotspot. What a great world we live in these days. We can accomplish almost everything we need to sustain life-online.

Let's talk briefly about attaining car insurance. The main tip for buying your insurance online is to compare insurance quotes and compare policy content. This can be quite easy as there are websites that will do the work for you.

Just keep some things in mind while you compare insurance quotes:

Decide on what you "must" have
You need to decide what best suites your family's needs in the policy you are shopping for. Know the limits you need and any of the extra riders you may want on your policy before you start to compare insurance quotes.

Be completely honest

Your insurance company will want to know about that "fender bender" you may have had last month or the speeding ticket your teenage daughter received. Don't try and lie about these items, they will run a DMV history on each driver on your policy and find out  don't want to risk them increasing your rates after you've already attained the policy because you omitted some important details. So, be smart when you compare insurance quotes.

Consider taking defensive driver courses

There are courses that your states DMV offers that are usually reasonably priced (under $50.00) and only take a few hours to complete. Completing these courses will make your insurance company much happier and will lower your premiums. Take the whole family along - it can't hurt to teach your teenagers a thing or two about safe driving.

Know the key items that will trigger discounts

Of course every insurance carrier is different and will offer different details on your policy. There are some common items that most carriers will provide discounts for and it would be in your best interest to learn those.

I had been recently interested in possibly changing my insurance carrier to see if I could save some money, so I figured I would compare insurance quotes and see who was the cheapest. While I was talking on the phone to my current carrier, Progressive, I found out about three different programs that I could implement that would save me money.

After speaking with the agent, I ended up saving $125.00 a year from the three items I had changed. The great thing about the changes I made is that they won't affect me in anyway.
Read further for a few ways you can save when you compare insurance quotes.


Paying your premium in full for the year will create a cheaper premium. All insurance companies offer several options to make payments on your insurance policy but will charge you extra for the "luxury" of having those payments.

Giving all your business to one company can lower your premium. If you have a motorcycle, boat, motor home or other item you need to insure it will provide a good bargaining tool that you can negotiate with a carrier to get lower premiums.

Clean driving records are a great way to save money. Your tickets, accidents or other motor vehicle infractions will remain on your record for 3 years and your insurance company will increase the premiums as they view you as a risky driver.

If you cannot get your teen driver to study, here is a good way to encourage them. A lot of insurance companies will offer a discount for teen drivers if they maintain an A-B average in school. You can make your teen responsible to pay the difference the insurance company will charge you if they do not sustain an A-B average.

I recently found out that my insurance carrier, Progressive, offers a discount if I chose to be paperless. This means you no longer receive those pages and pages of policy information that you never read anyway. You can easily log onto the carriers website to print up any needed documents. We all need to do our part to save a few trees and this will save a tree and will save a few pennies.


Of course there are many more discount opportunities; you should do your homework before you compare insurance quotes. Being prepared with knowledge is going to give you leverage when it comes time to haggle with your carrier.

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How to Find Homeowners Insurance Quotes Online

How to Find Homeowners Insurance Quotes Online

With the price of all the products and services increasing, you need to think twice before you buy something or take up any services. Even if you need to buy a showpiece or gadget you have to first analyze your budget and then make the decision to buy the required item or postpone it for a later date. So when you have to plan adequately for even buying a small product, then you need to properly analyze all the aspects and scrutinize your finances before buying your home.

As buying a home is a major investment you do it after thorough research and saving for years. You buy the property according to your budget and your personal choice. After finalizing the deal you are actually very elated and start making a list for the necessary items to enhance the functionality and charm of your home. The first item which you need to add in your list is searching for different home insurance quotes.

Just like you take proper care of your children and family members, you always safeguard your home from any issues. Thus you use proper paints, install security systems, best locking devices and so on. But you can never foretell the disaster that can occur anytime and destroy your precious home. For instance an earthquake can lead to your home falling in bits and pieces to the ground. All your hard work over the years and sacrifice for your dream home will be washed away in the shambles. You cannot move back the clock but you can always get the right value for your home to construct another through home insurance quotes.

You can take the help of internet to study different home insurance quotes of various insurance companies and then pick the one which you feel suits your requirement and budget as well. Before making your decision you need to first analyse the coverage which the insurance provides. You also require reading various clauses and abide by it to avoid any payment issues. For instance you need to intimate the insurance company about any reconstruction plans or renovations in your home.

You also require documenting everything, right from the starting phase of renovation to the end. After reading the clauses and going through the premiums to be paid, you can decide on the best home insurance policy which suit your need and pocket and then finalize it with the insurance provider.

If you take a package deal, like two insurance from the same provide then you may become eligible for some discounts. Apart from home insurance, you can also study free car insurance quotes of the insurance company and you if find it viable, you can take both insurances at the same time and save substantial amount of money.

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Home Insurance Tips

Home Insurance Tips

It is important that when you owe a home, you have home insurance. We know that anything can happen at any time. To be prepared for such things so as not to have to pay a fortune when the impossible happens, there are some things to learn about this.

The first thing you will learn about home owners insurance is that you have to look at what your plan covers. We have found that many people need to get home insurance quotes to see how much you are going to have to pay in home insurance rates for when natural disaster occurs. This is especially so if you are in the zone of natural disasters such as flooding, earthquakes, tornadoes and such.

Now, you will find that when you go to get home insurance quotes, you need to see what sort of deal you can get. Now, they will not figure discounts in right with the house insurance rates. These are the things that you have to consider. If you have certain insurance with them, you can get a discount. When you learn how much they can take off and so forth, you could be in theory paying less. You can talk to a representative that can tell you about how much you would be playing when you put in such considerations. This will give you a more accurate look at what you will be paying for these.

You want to know what you will get and check out different plans. You have to think about what you might be able to deal without and what you might need. Sometimes, the law might say people in such zones have to have this or that. You need to be aware of this and an insurance agent can help you with this.

When you get a quote you can see without any help and no discounts, how much this is going to cost you. It can cost you a great deal. You want to be sure that you don't pay a whole lot as you still have other expenses in which you are responsible for paying. These are the things that someone has to look at when they are choosing.

You should also look at the reputation of the company as well. Talk to people who have used them or are using them to see if this is the one for you. These are some things you should know about this. So, find the coverage which everyone should have by keeping this in mind. These are the things one should know about, no matter what sort of home you own as by knowing these things you can choose a better home insurance policy.

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How To Find The Best House Insurance Quotes

How To Find The Best House Insurance Quotes

This article aims to provide tips on finding the best house insurance quotes. People's homes are one of the biggest investments people make, financially and economically. 

Not only does it serve as a place for them to stay in at night, it also keeps them protected from the dangers outside, ensuring that they and their family are safe from harm. As such, it's important to get coverage for your property, which is why you need to be very discerning when it comes to making house insurance quotes. This article discusses everything you need to know about homeowners insurance policy, from its different types to tips on how to choose the best one.

Kinds of Home Insurance Coverage

As you may hear when you get insurance quotes, there are broadly three kinds of home insurance to choose from:

Actual cash value. This type of insurance policy provides policy owners with the cash value of their home when they make claims. Do note that it's possible that some money will be deducted due to depreciation.

Replacement cost. This type of insurance policy will pay for the costs involved in repairing or rebuilding your house. This doesn't make deductions for depreciation.
Guaranteed or extended replacement cost. This provides the highest level of protection, paying for the value of the property, including those inside the home, prior to it being damaged or destroyed.

What Affects House Insurance Quotes?

It's not just the different rates that make home insurance quotes different. There are several factors that can affect how much you will be asked to pay to get coverage for your home. Some of these include:
The type of home you have. Condo insurance premiums will be different from the premiums of a house-and-lot property.

The age of home. The age of your home can also affect how much you will be charged on your premiums. The older the property, the higher your premiums you will have, since these have more risks than newer houses.

Materials used. The poorer the quality of the materials, the more expensive your premiums will be.
The amount of security your home has. The more security features are installed in your home, the better the price you will be given in your house insurance estimates. For example, a home that has a burglar alarm, a smoke detector, and a fire sensor will be charged for coverage more cheaply than a home that has none of these.

Location.

Location can also affect your house insurance quotation. It's not only the safety of the neighborhood your property is in that plays a role in how much your premiums will be; the closer your home is to fire and police stations, the cheaper the house insurance quotes that will be given to you. Furthermore, your premiums are higher if you live in an area that's prone to flooding, earthquakes, and other disasters. You can also get specific apartment insurance if you live in an apartment or condo.

Factors to Consider in Getting House Insurance Quotes

When it comes to home insurance, don't just consider the home insurance quotes if you want to be fully protected from any dangers or damages. To get the best coverage possible, please consider the following factors:

The amount of coverage you want.

First of all, you need to weigh in which is more important to you: the amount of coverage, or cheap house insurance. The cheaper the premiums, the less coverage you have; conversely, the higher your house insurance quotation, the more your properties will be protected. If you have the budget, do get for the comprehensive coverage.

You may end up spending more money, but you will have the protection you need in case anything unexpected happens. However, if you don't have that much money, try to balance between good house insurance quotes and good coverage to get the best possible deal. At the very least, get the essentials, both from manmade and natural disasters.
The value of your property.

Make sure that you get your property appraised to get house insurance estimates that corresponds to the value of your home.

The contents of your property.

If your budget can afford it, do get the properties inside your home covered as well. Your house insurance quotes may be higher, but at least you can have peace of mind knowing that all of your properties are covered by your insurance.

How to Get House Insurance Quotes Quickly and Easily

The quickest and easiest way for you to get house insurance quotes is by going online and comparing the offers of the different insurance companies. These websites are pretty easy to use: all you will need to do is to enter your ZIP to go to a page with home insurance quotes that fits your needs.

When it comes to home insurance, be sure that you don't jump into anything without evaluating what your options are. Compare the house insurance quotes of the different insurance companies so you can see which one provides the best deal and the coverage that you will need.

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Review Before You Renew Your Insurance Policy

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With many aspects of our financial lives; it's quite common to just "set it and forget it." This can work out well when we're setting up a savings plan that automatically transfers money from a checking account to a savings account; but in the case of insurance; this strategy can end up working against you. Just because you have insurance doesn't mean you're covered. 

So much can change within the span of a year; and unless you take some time to review your coverages; you may be surprised when it comes time to use them.
This topic is so important that we're writing a series of blogs on what to look for when reviewing various kinds of insurance policies.
What to Do When Reviewing Your Insurance Policies
Review Coverage
Do you understand what your policy does and doesn't cover?

Assess Your Situation

Is this policy appropriate for your lifestyle today? Your insurance agent can't insure what they don't know about; so help them help you minimize surprises when you have to file a claim.

Need Help Reviewing Your Policies?

Keep yourself ahead of the game by partnering with a qualified insurance agent to help you with your insurance planning. Insurance might be considered a commodity by some; but advice is not. With in-depth product knowledge and experienced-based insight; a professional insurance agent can help you build a custom plan that works best for your situation.

Have You Reviewed Your Home Owners Insurance Lately?

Most people don't give much thought to their home owners insurance coverage until a tree destroys their roof or a basement transforms into an indoor swimming pool. The fact is, a periodic checkup on your house insurance coverage can make for a healthier policy and a healthier wallet. Home insurance coverage is more expensive than ever thanks to a rising number of claims - but every year just passively renewing your policy could cost you more than it needs to.

Here's why, when and how you should review your home owners insurance coverage:

Why? To make sure you have what's right for you before you have a loss
When? Periodically (at renewal) or whenever you know there's been a significant change such as a remodel, purchase or sale of an expensive item
How? Set up an appointment with your agent to go over your policies.

10 Questions to Ask During a Home Insurance Coverage Review

1. Is our dwelling coverage adequate? The amount of dwelling coverage should be enough to cover the cost of rebuilding your home in the event of complete loss. This insurance is based on replacement cost of dwelling not market value and it does not include land. If the dwelling is underinsured, you may get penalized. Does your insurance agent know about your home addition, or newly renovated kitchen or bathroom?

2. Do we have an all-risk or a named peril policy? When choosing disaster insurance, you basically have these two choices. The primary difference between them is that a named peril policy covers what is "named" (included) in the policy while an all risk covers everything except what is excluded. Typically, an all-risk policy offers much more comprehensive coverage.

3. Do we have replacement cost or actual cash value coverage on our dwelling and contents? Replacement cost coverage and actual cash value insurance refer to the amount of money your provider will pay out if your home or its contents are damaged or destroyed. Replacement cost coverage doesn't deduct for depreciation while actual cash value insurance does.

4. Do we need building ordinance or water sewer backup coverage? In the event of a claim, your insurance company may deny paying for increased costs or demolition expenses incurred due to local building ordinances that call for the destruction of a dwelling. This coverage is particularly important for homes older than 25 years. You'll also want to consider coverage for water and sewer backup.
5. Do we have or need a property inflation adjustment on our policy? While most insurance companies automatically adjust your policy to keep pace with building cost inflation, you should check into this. You probably have seen your premiums go up to cover the rising cost of replacement but the annual increase for this is usually minimal.

6. Do we have or need special coverage for other structures on our property? Most policies automatically provide this coverage. However, if you have a swimming pool, tool shed or detached garage on your property, you need to double-check that they are adequately covered.

7. Do we have adequate contents coverage? The value of your clothing, furniture and other belongings adds up quickly. These items are typically insured as a percentage (50% to 75%) of your dwelling coverage. It is very important to understand how much and what is and is not covered.

8. Do we have or need special coverage for any of my personal items? What kind of coverage limits does your policy have with regard to jewelry, fine art, musical instruments, etc.? Is an appraisal required to get this special home owners insurance coverage? Without it, your engagement ring may not have enough, or any, coverage if the diamond falls out of its setting.

9. Has our insurance company changed our policy coverages or added any new discounts? While they are required to notify you of policy coverage changes, it's a good idea to ask just in case you missed the notice. There may be ways for you to save money on your house insurance coverage. Whether it's changing deductibles or installing protective devices, you'll want to find out what you're missing.

10. Is my liability coverage adequate for what I need to protect? Your home owners liability coverage protects you against the financial uncertainty arising from injury (or property damage) caused by you or a resident family member. Usually, your liability coverage will apply if the injury or property damage occurs on or away from your property. If you don't have enough liability insurance, then your assets could be at risk.

The liability coverage on your home owners policy can help you protect your retirement accounts, investments in stocks and bonds, checking/saving accounts, home and other real estate equity. It is very important to discuss the assets you need to protect with your agent to determine the level of liability coverage that is right for you.

When it comes right down to it, one of the best ways to stay educated about your home owners insurance policy is to ask the right questions of your insurance agent. Don't assume that just because you have home insurance coverage that you're fully covered.

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Buying Your First Rental Property With 0% Deposit

Buying Your First Rental Property With 0% Deposit

Today we visit some of the fundamentals of getting into an investment property. As many New Zealanders embark on their love affair with houses, a few use it as some type of retirement plan. Surprisingly some of our astute investors have paid little from their own pockets to buy a second and then third property. This is due to equity being used as a deposit for another home.

With low interest rates and high rents you can have your tenant paying the mortgage off for many years. Lets look at the numbers in a little more detail.

0% deposit

Below is a very simplified version of what equity is and how it can be used as a deposit on another house. The difference between what your house is worth now and the loan, is called equity. Equity is essentially what you "own" of the house and can be used as a deposit on another house. However the thing to remember is that your banker will earmark some of that equity for the original deposit.

No repayments

In the current climate with low rates and high rental returns particularly in main city centres you might find that you can kick start your investment portfolio with little or no payments from your pocket. As an example lets look at a loan of $270,000 used to purchase a rental property.
In the current market we are able to usually fix a rate of 5.50% for 3 years after a bit of negotiation. Apart from the loan repayments you will find that in this scenario the council rates and house insurance will be around another $50 per week. This amounts to around $2,600 per year from your pocket to own another home. Request loan assessment

Risks involved

If using your own home to buy another house, the major risk is if the future situation changed and the bank forced you to sell due to non payment of the mortgage. In this type of situation the bank could sell either house. There are things you can do to minimise this type of risk, such as;

- Keep some back up funds from day one so that you can pay for both mortgages if your tenant should move out
- Buy well within your budget so that any extra maintenance required or change of tenants does not mean major stress
- Do you homework and have a close look at other costs which can come up

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More Life Insurance: Exceeding the Basic Insurance Policy

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The best way to ensure that the family is adequately catered for in the event of an accident or death is by taking up an insurance policy. Some life insurance polices exceed the basic insurance policy in terms of rewards as well as what an individual has to pay. Before selecting an insurance provider, it is advisable to choose one that caters for your needs.

Having an understanding of what you need before choosing gives you an opportunity to filter and sort through the available options to find the desired choice. The financial sturdiness is a cause that needs to be considered before selecting a company. This information is obtained by verifying the ratings of an insurance company gathered by third-party organizations showing the financial capacities.

Providing for the family long after your demise:

Purchasing life insurance for the dependents is a way of providing for them long after you have gone. Filling the required forms and getting the finances in order are important ways of planning for the unexpected. Although the basic life insurance is important, the additional life insurance is equally important, since it offers some of the most popular policies available in the industry. This extra coverage caters for things that the basic insurance coverage may not fully cover. Therefore, it helps the family to take good care of the things that occur after the demise of the 'bread winner'.

Having a dependable added insurance cover fills in the gaps that many of the basic life insurance covers leave behind. This type of cover offers the insured a safety net that makes you secure the family's financial future. With the life insurance, the insured gets a convenient opportunity of choosing the level of coverage that works for them and their family. In case the finances are limited, then the insured can choose a policy that is more affordable for them to pay. Choosing coverage with a higher amount can be done easily as well. However, the insured will need to prove to the life insurance company that they can afford to pay the higher amount.

The extra policy provides extra security in addition to the basic insurance policy. Offering this kind of protection for the family as well as other beneficiaries allows them to pay up for the expenses without having to worry about running out of financial resources. The usual expenses catered for include taxes, credit balances, medical bills and funeral expenses. Most of these insurance policies have been made available at affordable rates to enable the insured to budget carefully the monthly bills.

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Why Should You Obtain a Life Insurance?

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No one knows when death will strike, and a sudden tragedy can leave one's family in dire financial straits. For this reason, it is recommended that you consider the benefits of coverage policy. With a quality insurance plan, one can ensure that a lump sum of money is paid out to their loved ones immediately after death. And with the benefit of the Internet, finding great deals on insurance quotes is a simple task.

The number one reason to consider purchasing an insurance policy is to safeguard the future of one's family. We especially recommend this to anyone with children. Being a parent is a large responsibility, one that does not end with death. Adolescents need financial support, and college tuition can prove quite expensive. To keep a child on the right path, coverage can prove crucial.

Even for those without children, insurance may be required to support a significant other. If a death will leave one's life partner with a void of lost income, insurance coverage can fill this void.
The right life insurance policy can wipe out all of one's business and personal debts immediately upon death, ensuring that their family does not get stuck with these obligations. Furthermore, all funeral costs can be paid out of a life policy.

While many individuals choose to wait until old age to purchase a life insurance coverage plan, acquiring it while relatively young will lock down a lower rate on insurance premiums. These low premiums allow a policyholder to build up an impressive amount of capital.

To locate life insurance quotes online, all one must do is utilize an online quotes service. By filling out a simple online form, one will be able to scroll through a list of life quotes from the industry's leading insurance providers. This helps a consumer to save both time and money while acquiring their ideal life insurance plan.

Life insurance should be an important factor in everybody's life. Especially if you are married or have a family, there are many different companies out there that offer it. However the key is to find the right one for your needs and you can do that by a simple click. Comparing quotes and services are important when choosing a life insurance company, so make sure to do your homework before making a decision. You can get life insurance online, or if you prefer you can call the company you are interested in. You will be happy that you have made such a great decision for your family.

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Reasons Why You Need Life Quotes

Reasons Why You Need Life Quotes

Life is filled with uncertainties and unexpected events. You need to make sure that you provide for these events as well as you are able to do so. One of the ways that you can use to do this is by making use of life insurance. before you get life insurance you need to make sure that you get life quotes. Let us look at why this is so.

Options for life insurance

When you get life quotes you are, to all intents and purposes, gathering options together for your life insurance policy. It is important to make sure that you have options as this will enable you to make the best choice when it comes to which life insurance policy you want to take. You will need to take a look at the various options and decide which one is going to give you the best value for money in terms of amount of cover. You also need to be sure that you take a look at what kind of cover you are getting, in terms of when the policy will pay out and when you are going to forfeit your cover.

Terms and conditions

If you request life quotes you will get the terms and conditions that will apply to the policy. This means that you will be able to take a good look at them and ask any questions that you may have before you actually agree to the policy. Make sure that you understand everything before you sign on the dotted line.

Time to discuss

When you get life quotes you will notice that you are given a certain amount of time to decide if you want to accept the quote or not. This means that you have got time to sit down with your significant other and decide if the options that you have are good ones or if you should keep looking. You are not obliged to accept any quote immediately, or at least you should not be obliged to accept any quote immediately. Make sure that you get a second opinion on the life quotes that you get before you accept any one of them.

It is important to make sure that you have some kind of life insurance in place before it is too late. You need to be sure that you are going to be able to take care of your family even after you have left this earth and this is what life insurance policies are for.

Once you have decided which of the life quotes you are going to accept, make sure that you notify the insurance company that sent it to you so that they can activate your policy and start billing you. a quote on a life insurance policy does not mean you are covered. You have to accept the policy terms and conditions first. Trust me though, a life insurance policy is not money wasted if you have a family that depends on you to take care of them.

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When Is the Ideal Time to Buy Term Life Insurance?

insurance life, life insurance, Life Quotes,

There are a number of choices when you buy life insurance and one of these - the one that is getting more and more popular - is term life insurance. But what exactly is term life insurance? How does it differ from other insurance policies? What are its key advantages? When should you purchase this type? - These are just some of the questions you usually get from buyers. Below are some facts regarding that you should know before buying a term policy.

The advantages:


It is the least expensive life insurance type; you can buy a substantial death benefit on a coverage amount per premium dollar basis over a specific period of time;

It is really a straightforward policy, easy to understand, and it allows for personal choice

You can select specific terms of coverage (e.g. 10, 20, 30 years)

Good for short-term needs such as college education coverage for your children or to cover mortgage

It is recommended for covering specific needs that will disappear in time like mortgage (as mentioned above) or car loans.

It can help provide for a family's loss income

It can cover short-term debts and needs


What's the difference between term life and whole life?
There are a number of characteristics that set the two apart from each other; however, when it comes to the basic difference, term insurance is intended for life coverage only while the whole life is a combination of life coverage and investment component - the reason why whole life is more expensive than the term life.
So, when is the ideal time buy a term policy?


When you seek only a death benefit - beneficiaries are guaranteed to receive the exact amount based on your agreed coverage in case the insured die.

You are not older than 50 - because it is hard to get a term life insurance policy when you are more than 50 years of age; if fact, it is almost impossible to find one when you are 65 and up. On the contrary, you can find pretty cheap term insurance when you are under 50.

When your health situation could change - because you can upgrade or change to a new term life insurance policy even without undergoing a medical examination, it is considered to be the ideal choice if your health situation could change. You can have term life insurance policy that can cover even serious illnesses, diagnosis payment, and organ transplant - and even hospital confinement bills.

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Guaranteed Life Insurance Policies

insurance life, life insurance, Life Quotes,

What is a guaranteed life insurance policy? And are there policies that don't require medical exams?
A guaranteed life insurance policy is a type of insurance that won't require you to undergo medical exams for approval. With this type of policy, insurance companies and their agents won't even ask you about any underlying health problems you have, so you won't have to worry about qualifying for approval.

In other words, being sick, or having a high-risk lifestyle, won't be a detriment if you are interested in getting this plan. That's because this is designed purely for those who are above fifty, or individuals who have possible terminal health conditions.

What Benefits Can I Get from A Guaranteed Life Insurance?

This type of insurance also works the same way as other traditional policies. They can also provide you with services to help you set up arrangements for leaving your beneficiaries the money necessary to cover burial and other funeral expenses, settle final debts, and manage your assets and your estates after you have passed away. This saves your family time and money, and assists them in preparing for life after your death.

Apart from those basic coverages, this plan is also easy on the pocket. That's because these are commonly of smaller value, when compared with traditional policies. And that's not the only reason. You will also be spared from having to worry about getting a physician's approval of your health condition to get an affordable insurance policy (a full physical appraisal and a medical certificate will generally cost you a fair amount).

Of course, acquiring a life plan of your own also gives you the satisfaction and comfort in the thought that your family's future is secure if something were ever to happen to you.

Insurance Policies, Benefits and Pitfalls

If you're an individual who is above the age of sixty, and you still aren't insured, it would also be convenient and ideal to acquire a guaranteed life insurance; no medical exams are required for these, so any current or acquired diseases or illnesses that you may have at this point in your life.
However, you should be aware that guaranteed insurance policies have limited coverage and limited features when compared with traditional life plans. It is best that you read and understand your policy first, and understand the restrictions and coverage of your contract.

On the other hand, some companies may offer guaranteed insurance with policies that you can just manually renew every time the period expires. After all, having insurance is still better than nothing, limitations or no. However, be sure to always stay on top of your policy by keeping in touch with your insurance company or agent. Always consider the risks you may be taking with your policy, and always be sure that you are familiar with the terms and conditions.

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What's the Difference Between Term Life and Whole Life Insurance?

insurance life, life insurance, Life Quotes,

When it comes to life insurance, this is the probably one of the most frequently asked questions. Neither is really 'better', but each type of policy serves its own purpose and has its own advantages and disadvantages.

Let's start with term life. Term life (sometimes referred to as temporary life insurance) is probably the most commonly purchased type of life insurance, mostly because it is also the least expensive. A term life insurance policy is only meant to cover a person for a specific period of time (the term). Term policies are typically issued in 10-, 20- and 30- year increments, with the shorter term policies being less expensive than the longer. On most policies, the premium is locked in for the length of the term.

A 10- year term policy, for example, will have a fixed premium, and pay a fixed death benefit to your beneficiary if you pass away within 10 years after purchasing the policy. If you are still alive after 10 years, then the policy lapses, you are no longer insured, and you get nothing back (term policies typically do not have cash value accumulation). If you still need life insurance, you start from scratch. Considering will be 10 years older, the premiums on your new policy will likely be much higher. You also face the risk that your health could change, and you may no longer be insurable in 10 years.

Most companies will give you the opportunity to keep the policy after the term ends; however, the premium is no longer fixed, and will increase dramatically each year that you keep the policy in force. Most insurance companies will also give the policy owner the opportunity to convert all or a portion of their term life policy to whole life (or another form of permanent life insurance) at a higher premium. There is often an age restriction on converting.

Term life policies are often purchased with a specific purpose in mind. People often purchase term life when they buy a home, so that their spouse can pay off the mortgage in the event of their death. Once the mortgage is paid off, there is no longer a need for the insurance, so therefore the temporary nature of this type of policy is practical.

This is often referred to as 'mortgage protection' insurance.
People also tend to purchase term life when they have children, since their children will usually be financially dependent on them for the first 20 years or so of their lives. A 20-year term policy may be ideal for a new parent without a great deal of expendable income (to purchase whole life) but who would like a policy in place to make sure their kids are taken care of monetarily should a parent pass away before the child is an adult. Again, this is a temporary need, since once the child or children are grown, they are no longer financially dependent, and the insurance need is no longer there.

Whole life insurance, on the other hand, is a permanent form of life insurance. There is no term length, and it is designed to insure a person for their entire life. While this does sound ideal compared to the temporary nature of term life, the biggest disadvantage is cost. Whole life is considerably more expensive than term life.

Most companies will offer multiple payment options on whole life insurance. For example, they may offer a 10-pay or a 20-pay whole life policy. That means that you only pay premiums for 10 or 20 years. After the pay period, no more premiums are due on the policy, and the policy stays in force until your death, no matter when that might be. If you pass away before the pay period ends, the full death benefit is still paid, and no more payments are due.

Some carriers also offer single premium whole life insurance, where you pay a single lump sum upon purchasing the policy, and you have a policy in force for your entire life with no further premiums due.

Another advantage of whole life is cash value, which accumulates within the policy over time, and can be borrowed against by the policy owner as a source of funds. Within the policy these cash values grow tax-deferred. Policy loans will decrease the cash value and death benefit of the policy. Whole life cash value tends to accumulate slowly within the first few policy years, and then start to accelerate as time goes by. Upon purchasing whole life insurance, your agent is required to provide you with an illustration which shows how the cash value and death benefit of a policy will change over time.

As you can see, both term and whole life have their advantages. Which one is better depends on the situation of the individual purchasing it. Term life is by far the less expensive option, but is not permanent, and does not have as many benefits. While whole life will cost you more, the permanent death benefit and cash value accumulation might be worth the extra premium for some people. In any case, it is a good idea to talk to a professional and weigh the differences before making your decision.

Term Life

-inexpensive compared to whole life
-premiums are fixed for a period of time
-ideal for someone with a temporary life insurance need (such as dependent children, mortgage)

Whole Life

-you cannot outlive the death benefit
-accumulates cash value, which can be used by the policy owner
-much more expensive compared to term insurance
-premiums will never increase

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What Is a Term Life Insurance?

insurance life, life insurance, Life Quotes,

Term insurance in its simplest form is life insurance that stays in effect for a specific number of years. The most common range is from 5 years up to 10 years, and can go up to 30 years. After the time period is up, the policy ends. If the insured person dies within the time period of the plan, the beneficiary listed in the policy would receive the full value of the policy.

Permanent policy

Most insurance companies give the holder the option to convert the term policy into a permanent policy within a specific period of time. For example, there may be an option to switch within the first 4 years of the policy. This clause is particularly attractive in case you have developed some type of ailment or disease that prevents you from buying additional life insurance. If the term insurance policy includes a conversion clause and it is still within the period you can convert to permanent, then you may do so even though your medical condition may not qualify you under normal circumstances.

Other life insurance policies

Aside from term policies, there are other options such as a yearly renewable term policy. It is one of the least costly, though it can become quite expensive in the long run. The way it works is that the policy starts out very low but increases each year and the cost of the insurance goes higher as you get older due to the increasing chance of developing some aliment as you age. Another popular life insurance policy is the decreasing term life insurance policy. It is well liked by many because it is used for mortgage protection. Whenever a homeowner dies, usually it's the family that pays off the remaining balance. In a decreasing term policy, the balance is paid off when the homeowner dies.

Other popular policies are the 5, 10 or 15 year term life insurance. These insurance policies will differ in the length of the coverage period but they appeal to people for various reasons. For example, the 5 or 10 year insurance may be the preference of someone who would like to see his kids finish school even if something happens to him.

In closing, a term insurance is a policy that sets up the immediate capacity to cover expenses in the event of your death, and to provide additional monetary support to your family.

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What's the Best Way to Fund a Buy/Sell Agreement for Your Business?

insurance life, life insurance, Life Quotes,

Many small business owners have entered into their chosen profession looking to make a real impact on the world. The majority of us who are in business for ourselves got here thinking that we have something to offer society. Many times we go it alone, and many times we take on one or more partners. We often times have different provisions to protect ourselves in the event of disagreements, or financial hardships such as articles of incorporation or a shareholders' agreement.

There is one major problem that many business owners may not even have thought about, let alone addressed. What happens if one business owner can no longer contribute to the company in the event that one of life's unthinkable moments comes along and removes them from the equation of the business such as premature death or disability? What happens to their shares, and what happens to the remaining partner?

This is where another important business document comes into to play known as the buy/sell agreement. The agreement generally states that if one partner passes away that the other surviving partner will buy out their shares (usually from their spouse). This does two things: 1. It ensures that the family of the deceased gets the current equity available in their business, and 2. It ensures that the surviving partner does not inherent a reluctant partner.

There are three important pieces to any good buy/sell agreement that need to be crafted in order to ensure that all parties are benefited.

1. The shares of each partner need to be valuated. This is usually down by an accountant, and may have a provision for future valuations in the event that the share increase in value.

2. A lawyer who actually draws up the agreement.

3. A source of funding for the each partners shares in the event that something happens.
A good financial advisor will usually act like a quarterback in these situations directing all parties to come to a quick and easy resolution to the problem at hand.

Number 3 is where the problem generally lies. Most business owners have the majority of their capital tied up in their businesses and do not have the immediate cash available to buy out their partner's family which can be a large issue especially in the survivors need cash to pay off the deceased's debts and live. Most lawyers will word the agreements to state that one partner will buy the other out over time, but this is not favorable for everyone involved.

So, how do we create immediate tax free cash?

Life insurance is the absolute best way to fund a buy/sell agreement. If two partners own a business equally that is worth $1 million then they should each own a $500,000 policy on the other if the shares are split 50/50 of course. Immediate cash is created, tax free, while bypassing probate for the beneficiary. The survivor's family gets paid, and the surviving owner is free to pursue the original direction of the business.

This is the most affordable way to take care of the cash shortage. And, the premiums may be tax deductible to the business if the policies are corporate owned.
Who knew that funding a buy/sell agreement could be that easy?

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Senior Life Insurance Issues

Senior Life Insurance Issues

Fortunately Life life insurance polices are now available for seniors at different point in their lives. It is important for Seniors to get a policy at an early age generally soon after 50 in order to avoid high monthly premium cost. Today as seniors get to the later stages of their lives they are finding it difficult to find affordable options. 

As seniors are living longer some are finding no options available to cover even a small funeral. It is very important that seniors lock in to getting a whole life policy at an early age in order not to find themselves un-insurable later on in life. The benefits of getting a policy early is significant in avoiding family financial frustration as your lived ones plan for on unexpected funeral event. You can protect you family in the event of one's unfortunate death bay having a policy.

Before you get a senior life insurance policy, it is important that you compare quotes, companies and policies. It is very important that you know your life insurance policy. A whole life policy must last your whole life. Topically with whole life policies coverage is up to age 121. You need a policy to be in force for as long as you live.

The benefits of purchasing such a policy will be realized when seniors passes away in their nineties and are happy to know they had policy in place thereby avoiding a financial emergency for which family members are not prepared. A you look at each senior life insurance company be sure to look at how long the company has been around. If they have been around for a long time you know they have survived the ups and down of the economy.

Thus having a good track record that gives you the confidence of knowing that they will be there in the future when your loved ones need them. It is always advisability to consider the advantages and disadvantages of a term life policy verses a whole life policy.

One of the major benefits of having senior life insurance policy coverage is that your loved ones can easily go on and plan the funeral when that time comes. Thus having the peace of mind of knowing the funeral expenses can quickly and easily be paid and allowing no frustration due to lack of funds.

As such, senior life insurance policy can be the safe line needed for future funeral events for which one is not prepared. While many seniors may be concerned about pre-existing medical conditions, a senior life insurance application often require no medical exam. Thus, most seniors can easily qualify for a final expense policy to cover burial expenses.

As most concerned families are looking for a senior life insurance policy for their senior parents, it is always important that they speak with a licensed life insurance agent who can guide you in selecting the right policy.

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connected to their team's lead purchase

connected to their team's lead purchase

 Securus Vs NAA - What Is an Insurance Marketing Organization?
Securus and NAA are both fairly large Insurance Marketing Organizations (IMO). IMOs primarily function as a major and marketing resource for both independent and captive agents. They also function as the liaison between an agent and the various carriers.

Some Insurance Marketing Organizations allow you to contract with carriers in and outside of their portfolio while others only contract captive agents. This means their agents can only contract with the carriers in which they are contracted or can only sell their suite of products. Both Securus and NAA are non-captive. Although it may or may not be to your advantage, you can contract with other carriers while maintaining a contract with them.

Once you contract with a carrier through either of these companies generally, you cannot contract with the same carrier independently or through another IMO for a period of six months to a year. Most waiting periods are only six months but with NAA it could be as long as twelve months. Some carriers do offer dual contracting; however, they can only offer you a contract that's equal or lower than your current contract.

While there are many differences between NAA and Securus, I found the major differences in their lead purchasing structure and their training platform. If you plan to eventually build a team of agents, you will want to ensure that you understand lead purchasing as it relates to you and your team as a whole. You will also want to know the quality and the cost of training. Viable lead sources and or programs and proper life insurance sales training are two of the major keys to long-term success in the insurance industry.

With Securus, each individual is responsible for the purchase of their own leads. As a result, you are never required to pay for or to contribute any monies towards your team's lead purchases. NAA's lead structure requires you to be responsible for purchasing your own leads as well as having to pay a portion of the leads purchased by your team. This includes your personal recruits and also your team's recruits. Also, if one of your personal recruits orders leads and they fail to pay for them, that lead bill becomes your responsibility. An outstanding lead bill generated by anyone on your team whether or not you recruited them if left unpaid can roll up to you as well.

The money is automatically deducted from your bank account and you cannot purchase new leads until the lead debt has been paid. According to NAA, having to pay a portion of your team's lead bill will prompt an agent to work hard to help team members achieve their individual success goals. Some agents may see this as a negative.

While they may provide stellar agent support and training, they have no control over an agent's implementation. As a result, they do not want to assume any financial responsibilities
Having been a member of both IMOs, I found that another notable difference between Secures and NAA lies in their training and marketing platforms. While both companies offer quality training, I found Securus' training to be very structured and consistent. Every aspect of agent activity from the beginning of the sales process to the end is broken down into detailed training modules and scripts.

Their training is totally free and every agent has access to all of the training via their back office. On the other hand, I found NAA's training to be a lot less structured with little consistency. Also, the majority of their training was fee based either through purchasing cd's or via a monthly fee deducted from your bank account for their weekly training.

From a marketing standpoint, Both Securus and NAA offer affordable targeted leads to their team of agents. Securus however does have a free program in place to help agents learn to produce their own leads. Their literature indicates that ultimately they expect purchased leads to become a supplement if needed as opposed to an agent's main source of marketing. According to Securus, this marketing strategy is designed to keep agents' expenses low therefore resulting in more "money in the pocket".

Although there are various other differences between Securus and NAA, the ones noted touch upon important aspects that will aid you in choosing the IMO that is right for you. Before choosing, it is imperative that you have a clear understanding of your financial goals and objectives and how well they align with the IMO's overall business plan and their daily method of operations.

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Planning the Future Easily With an Over-50 Life Insurance

Planning the Future Easily With an Over-50 Life Insurance

 Many insurance shoppers above the age of 50 years feel that they are too old to access life insurance cover. However, there are leading insurance companies available in the market who are willing to offer insurance at highly competitive rates to cater for persons above the age of 50 years. If you are above the age of 50, you will be able to benefit from a specialist cover that has the capacity of suiting your needs. Therefore, it is advisable to select a reputable life insurance company.

There are many reasons why insurance shoppers should take life insurance even if they are over-50 years. Shoppers in the prime of their life can plan easily the future with an over-50 life insurance cover. The policy can generate peace of mind with the knowledge that the loved members of the family will be catered financially in the event of the unexpected happening. You will be in position to leave a substantial cash lump sum amount to offer gifts to those who have been left including children and grandchildren. In addition, a substantial amount of money can be left to settle unpaid bills and cover funeral costs. The life insurance can be used to pay off mortgage, credit card debts or loans that might have accrued.

With many of the leading insurance companies, there is no need for undertaking medical examinations neither are health questions asked. All you have to do is to decide the amount of lump sum cash intended to be passed on to the beneficiaries when the policy expires. For purposes of ensuring greatest benefits, the agreed premiums do not rise and neither do the fixed cash sums reduce.

The over-50 life insurance quotes can be accessed once an application has been made by submitting information to basic information including the age, weight, height and state of residence. A single one- stop shop gives you an opportunity to access several insurance companies that you would ordinarily not locate in one place. Different quotes give you an opportunity to compare rates.

Comparing quotes from different insurance companies is advised highly. This comparison overcomes the tendency of making an application with the first insurance company you meet. As a result, you end up paying for a policy that is of low quality.

The over-50 insurance policies are different; some offer an immediate death benefit while other demanding a waiting period. Therefore, it is important to scrutinize the quotes carefully so that you can get a policy that suits your needs.

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Senior Life Insurance Quotes: Coverage for the Elderly Above the Age of 55

Senior Life Insurance Quotes: Coverage for the Elderly Above the Age of 55

Senior life insurance provides coverage for the elderly above the age of 55 years. Senior citizens need a policy with a small face amount. With insurance, you are in a position to cut the liabilities of the estate. After the children have grown up, the applicant can retire. Nonetheless, there are still expenses, including the fact that the spouse needs to be supported.

A shopping that gets you lower rates:

There are two main types of insurance policies, namely the term and the permanent insurance. The senior term life insurance policy pays for compensation in the event that the holder dies during the term of the policy. The permanent senior life insurance policy caters for the entire life of the policy holder.

Shopping around for insurance is important; this is borne to get you lower senior life insurance rates. Furthermore, you will avoid paying up for low quality products. Nevertheless, a one-stop shop is a better place to find the right insurance company. It will save you the trouble of checking out on an endless list of insurance companies available online. Many insurance shoppers often fall prey to inferior products and services by failing to shop around.

The internet gives you an opportunity to access the most favorable insurance quotes. By filing in some basic information including your age, gender, height and weight you will be able to access several quotes that cater for your needs. Furthermore, different quotes drawn from leading insurance companies can be compared to find the best offer.

According to statistics, most of the people do not let the insurance company make the payout. Some of the people choose to sell the policy to investors. Many of the investors pay up to 20% of the face value in the event that the policy holders meet the requirements. Statistics show that 90% of the policies failed to pay out; the reason being that people fail to make the payments, allowing the policies to expire. Another reason is that the life insurance is sold to investors. However, it is highly recommended that the policy remains active so that an inheritance can be left for the children.

Insurance companies often charge higher premiums during the early years because of higher pay out costs as the person grows older. When he grows older, he loses his ability to work and to generate income. Therefore, the senior life insurance rates will be higher in the earlier years.

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Best Ways to Increase Your Life Insurance Sales

Best Ways to Increase Your Life Insurance Sales

If you've chosen insurance sales as your career path, you've definitely chosen one of the more difficult but rewarding options for making a living. With the severe competition and possibility of rejection by potential customers, insurance sales can either make or break you. 

That's why it's important to use all of the strategies that are available to you so you have a better chance of success. If you want to know the best ways to increase your life insurance sales, here are some suggestions for you to use.

Play the Numbers Game

One of the most important strategies of being a successful life insurance sales agent is to play the numbers game. That means that you should try to set up appointments with as many people as you can. The more people you meet with, the higher possibility of finding someone who will become a loyal client instead of a prospective customer. Set up some direct mailing campaigns and set aside some time each day to do some cold calling to reach as many people as you possibly can.

Perfect Your Presentation

If you want to sell more life insurance policies, you can't just "wing it" when you are giving a presentation. Even if you have been selling life insurance for 20 years, you should always create presentations that are interesting and informative. You should also know your presentation backwards and forwards. Your customers can tell if you aren't fully versed in the products and services that you are trying to sell so if you notice any weak points in your presentation, work on them so you can have the best presentation possible.

Become an Expert

Because of all of the competition in the life insurance industry, you want to make yourself stand out from the rest so customers will remember you. You can do this becoming an expert on a certain niche. Your niche can be a certain demographic, a certain policy or anything else that sets you apart from the rest. Then create connections with people based on that niche. You can become the recognized leader of your particular niche which will create confidence in the people in your demographic so they will be more likely to come to you to serve their needs.

Have Conversations, Not Lectures

Nobody likes to get lectures and, unfortunately, that's what many life insurance sales presentations become. This can turn people off very quickly and negatively impact your sales. Instead, just have conversations with people. You can guide the conversation towards the topics that you want to talk about and you can have a presentation ready to help answer any questions or concerns that they have. Simply sitting down and talking to potential customers will do wonders for the number of life insurance policies that you sell.

These are just a few of the best ways to increase your life insurance sales in the upcoming months and years. Of course, every agent is different and you have to find the strategies that work for your needs. These suggestions will help you get started along the right path, though.

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Do You Need Life Insurance Yet?

Do You Need Life Insurance Yet?

Life insurance sounds like one of those big adult phrases you use only when you get older and start thinking about the inevitable end. In fact, that is probably not too far off the mark. Life insurance should be purchased by people who have income that others depend on. To understand how life insurance works and whether you need to purchase it, read the rest of this article.

Taking out an insurance policy on your life (my, that just sounds ominous) is something that you must consider if you have anyone depending on your income, like children or an elderly parent. If you have just started your family or are thinking about getting started soon, start looking into the kinds of rates you can get on your policy now. You will be much more likely to get a great rate right now, while you are still younger.

If you already have children, it is imperative that you take out a policy on yourself right now. Whether you are a stay at home mom/dad, or you both work in an office, you both need to purchase coverage for yourselves. You may not have considered purchasing coverage for a stay at home parent, but the fact of the matter is that you will need to cover the costs of someone doing the chores around the house and whatever else your stay at home spouse does.

Consider your current situation. Are you married but do not plan on having children now, or maybe even ever? If this is the case for you, then sit down with your spouse and talk about the incomes you both bring in. If one of you were to pass away suddenly, would the other be comfortable living on their paycheck only? This is important, because if you are not able to maintain your living expenses on one paycheck, then you really need to think about taking out a life insurance policy for each of you.

The bachelors and bachelorettes of the world can decide whether they feel this type of insurance coverage is important based on the following things. If they were to pass away suddenly, would there be enough money to their name to cover funeral costs? If so, they do not need to be concerned with purchasing a life insurance policy. Do they currently take care of an elderly parent or ill sibling who depends on their income? If so, they would definitely want to take out an insurance policy on themselves so that these dependents would be able to have their lives taken care of.

Speaking of the elderly, there should not be a need to take out a policy on an elderly person unless they are unable to cover the costs of a funeral if they were to pass away in the near future. Unfortunately, if you wait until you are practically nursing home bound, your policy will cost you dearly. This is why it is much better to take care of insurance costs early on, and try to get the best rates you can when it comes to this type of coverage.

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Affordable Term Life Insurance Online Quotes

Affordable Term Life Insurance Online Quotes

The idea of taking a medical exam first before getting insurance coverage may be a challenge to many people. The reason is that they may not have time to go to the doctor to get medical checkups. To counter this challenge, the best solution is taking a term life insurance with no exam. This policy allows the policyholders to take up coverage without the need for a medical checkup. 

This is an excellent option because the insurer pays the face value benefits to the beneficiaries. This monetary benefit is paid out to the client's beneficiaries after the premature death of the client.

For people to qualify for such coverage, they need to answer a few questions on their general health. They can find the question and fill them out in an application form. The applicant can also get the coverage instantly as compared to other forms of traditional insurance. This is because many forms of insurance policies take a long underwriting process. This is convenient for people who wish to get immediate cover without the need to wait for a long time to get insurance cover. The absence of exam, however, means that the client needs to pay more premiums because the insurance company cannot calculate the risk of insuring him.

Getting term life insurance quotes online is one way of minimizing the time it takes to get quotes. Many potential policyholders do not know how to start the process of finding the best term life insurance online quotes. Many companies offer term life insurance quotes online through their websites. Clients can fill out application forms in the websites so that the company can decide the premiums rates available according to their circumstances. After this, a client can decide to contact the insurance company to find the best policy that suits his needs.

Before purchasing a term insurance with no exam, a client should know that many companies do not insure every applicant. Companies and insurance service providers offer their services to low risk applicant. Most of the time, clients who have no medical conditions such as chronic illnesses and non-smokers are readily accepted by insurance companies. They also check driving records of applicants to decide if they are insurable or not. Applicants with a record of driving under the influence have a poor chance of getting such an insurance policy. Insurance companies also prefer potential policyholders with a healthy physical record.

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