Capturing your valuables for insurance purposes

Many years ago when portable home video first came on the market I had a small business focused on taking inventories of peoples houses on video tape so that they would be protected if there ever were an insurance need. It was a great idea, something that everyone needs back then and even today. However the shortfall of my business plan at that time was the basic distrust folks had with regard to letting a strange into their house to take video of their stuff. Then of course who could blame them? I was a good honest young man trying to make a living but let's just say I did not set the world on fire with this business. This was even true despite marketing directly to high-income neighborhoods. 

All needed the concept and service but the execution was not great on my part. Now however each and every one of you has the ability to do this for yourselves and it is not too hard. Start with the basics and get as in depth as you think is necessary. 

Take digital pictures of all your stuff, your house, your car, and your collections, everything you love that you own and store it away digitally. You can either store the images on a memory card, which you place in your safe deposit box at the bank, or you can load them off to a CD or DVD disc and store them that way. No need for a box load prints, a VHS tape or two, which may not last more than 8-10 years before breaking down, or a written list of inventory. 

Take the pictures! Do it this weekend and you are all set. Shoot pictures of your new stuff as you acquire it. Here is the plan in short order: 

Start with the big stuff first as this will help you systematically organize your important items such as the car, the appliances, TV, stereo, computers and so on. Computers usually have a variety of items connected to them so make sure to get model numbers and serial numbers of all of them on tape. You can do a v can do a voice over as you go along telling when you think you bought the item, how much you spent, and even where you got it. 

There are certain things that you are going to want to get on tape with good detailed close up shots. Jewelry, silverware, collections, is especially valuable to us and so you want to lay them out on a table. Put down a dark colored cloth first and then spread your items out on the cloth. Make sure there is good light so the details will shine. Put your digital video camera on a tripod and take good close up shots of each item. 

Now you don't have to go crazy shooting video of every single thing in your place but rather find a balance between what you love and what is just stuff. 

When you are done make a second copy of the tape, carefully label both of them and then store them away in your safe deposit box, in home safe or other secure area where you can access it should the need ever arise where you need to document your possessions in the case of disaster or theft.

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The best way to find the right medical insurance plan for you is to assess your personal needs

Many people think that they do not need medical insurance or that they can’t afford medical insurance. Neither of these is actually true. Yes, medical insurance costs seem to be growing all the time, but the alternative is less than pleasant for people who don’t have medical insurance. Everyone needs medical insurance because one major illness or accident could completely destroy a person’s financial security if they have no medical insurance. For those that think they can’t afford it, there are lots of options for cheap medical insurance, especially online. Medical insurance is, quite simply, protection. It is something that everyone needs, regardless of his or her financial situation. 

If traditional medical insurance does not seem to offer the kind of insurance rates and coverage you are looking for, you can always look online. Online health insurance companies offer a variety of plans for complete coverage, partial coverage such as dental, eye or prescription insurance, or to supplement your existing medical insurance if it is not very good. Most online companies will offer you competitive quote based on the information you enter. Of course, the costs will vary depending on your medical background and other mitigating factors such as you being a smoker or having had any serious illnesses in your past. Online health plan quotes are easy to obtain and require no obligation to purchase a plan when you are shopping around the various companies to find medical insurance that is right for your health needs and your budget. 

It makes sense to check out any medical insurance company you are considering. Find out how long they have been in business, what their reputation is, and if they are licensed in your particular state. You don’t want to pay for insurance from an insurance company that is not going to be there for you after paying your premiums. Reliability is an important trait in these types of companies. 

It is also a good idea to decide what kind of coverage you need, such as travel insurance, prescription coverage, dental coverage, eye insurance, emergency care, etc. If you are of retirement age, you need to find out if the medical insurance you are looking at covers long term care, hospice care, pre-existing conditions, etc. The needs of individuals are so different. Medical insurance companies strive to offer reasonably priced coverage for every life stage. 

While medical insurance companies are not perfect, they can usually work out a plan that fits your needs. There are a lot of options in health care coverage these days. The best way to find the right medical insurance plan for you is to assess your personal needs, how much you can afford to pay for medical insurance coverage, and then shop around for the best deal.

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You can find affordable term life insurance, but you need to establish exactly what you need first

Do you need affordable term life insurance? This seems to be the million-dollar question. When you want to purchase life insurance you often do not know how much you need or if there is such a thing as having too much life insurance. What constitutes affordable life insurance and how much you need is totally dependant upon your own situation. 

Don't be fooled into determining the amount of insurance you should have to what your best friend or neighbour has. Remember, every situation is unique and your needs will be unique. Your need will be determined by what you wish to see happen in the event of your death. You do have to look at the life insurance cost of the premiums and decide how much you can afford from your monthly budget. There is affordable life insurance available at very low premiums and that will help your family out in the event of your death. 

When considering what affordable life insurance is needed in a family situation, you need to do a life insurance comparison. This will help you get the most affordable rates and there are countless life insurance companies able to help you in this regard. 

In order to determine how much life insurance you should have, a number of factors need to be considered. For a person with family needs, these may include such things as: 

• Do you have dependants? If so, how long will they be dependant upon you? 
• Do you have children? If so, how old are they? 
• Do you want to insure your children have a post secondary education? 
• Will your household income be greatly reduced upon your death? If so, how much income do you need to replace so your family maintains their standard of living? 
• How long will you need to replace your household income? 
• What taxes may be incurred upon your death? 
• Do you need to cover debt obligations such as loans or a mortgage? 

When you try to determine whether or not you can afford life insurance, think about whether or not your family can afford to be without affordable life insurance. 

You can find affordable term life insurance, but you need to establish exactly what you need first.

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If you’re a life insurance agent then life insurance leads are your lifeblood

Life insurance companies are taking advantage of the Internet by having a website where customers can request free quotes. Even though you are shopping for life insurance, this also gives the agents life insurance leads that they can follow up on, Once you submit a request, the agent that picks it up will send you an email giving you a quote. He/She may follow up on the life insurance leads by making a call to you a few days after you receive the quote. 

Making a living in the life insurance business is hard work. Agents have to constantly search for life insurance leads that will bring them in new customers. They make a commission on each life insurance policy that they sell. They don’t usually go door-to-door selling the policies and they can’t just sit in their offices waiting for clients to come through the door. They actively pursue all the leads hoping that some of them will pay off. More than likely the quote you receive is the lowest life insurance rates that the company offers. 

When you request quotes from at least three life insurance companies, you want to get the lowest life insurance rates. When the agents call based on the life insurance leads you supply, you can barter with them saying you are not interested because you have a lower quote. If they really want your business, the agent may redo the quote and some back with an even lower rate. 

Another way that agents get life insurance leads is through other customers. One customer may tell a friend or family member about the great rate he/she has gotten from a company. Then this person gives the agent a call regarding getting life insurance and purchases a policy. It’s like a never ending cycle. One person tells another and that person tells someone else and so on. 

If you’re a life insurance agent then life insurance leads are your lifeblood.

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An insurance representative will be able to determine what type of policy best meets your needs

You and your landlord share a common goal: You both want to ensure the protection of your interests. Obtaining a security deposit from you -- usually ranging from $100 to a full month's rent, and averaging $250 -- is how your landlord obtains a degree of insurance from you. The deposit covers your landlord should you cause any damage to your apartment while you are a tenant. Your landlord, in turn, may keep the deposit if you fail to pay your rent or you leave before the end of your lease. However, if, as a tenant, you keep your end of the bargain -- following the terms of your lease and leaving your apartment in good condition when you leave -- the deposit is refundable. 

So how do you protect your own interests as a tenant? Renters' insurance. If you're an apartment-dweller, you're probably accustomed to brochures dangling from your door that advertise various renters' insurance policies. And if you're like many renters, you probably disregard them. But you may want to consider taking out insurance. Before you say, "But I'm not going to cause any damage to my apartment," remember that renters don't always cause damage themselves. Mother nature, or other tenants with little regard for your property, could prove to be the source of your problems later. 

According to Metropolitan Life Insurance Company, policies typically provide coverage for the following renters' pitfalls: 

• Damage to personal property from fire or wind 
• Theft 
• Personal liability in the event you are sued over accidental injury to others who are in your apartment 
• Accidental damage to property of others in your care 
• Living expenses if you are forced to live elsewhere while your apartment is being repaired 

This list doesn't begin to elaborate on the multitude of other possibilities for disaster: An electrical surge fries your computer, television, and/or stereo; while visiting your neighbor, you tip over his barbecue and start a fire; or you accidentally cause injury to someone away from your apartment; and the list goes on and on. And of course, as we've all discovered, we can never discount such crazy-sounding possibilities -- because they can and do happen if and only if we're not prepared (or covered) for them. 

Note that renters' insurance policies may differ according to the insurance company in question, as well as the laws in your state. An insurance representative will be able to determine what type of policy best meets your needs. If you've thrown away all of those brochures dangling from your door handle, the Internet is a good place to do your homework -- specifically apartment-search sites. Links to renters' insurance information will fill you in on the details, and you may apply online.

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Health Insurance Plans

Since competition in terms of health insurance is on the rise, it is no wonder that more and more forms of health insurance are being designed. Among these, there are few that are popular and they are briefly described below.

Individual Insurance: Ensuring a person individually is a common mode of insurance. One may be selective about what s/he wants in a plan through this process. Accordingly, one has required premium is calculated, and the insurance plan takes effect.

Group Insurance: Another type of insurance is the group arrangement. Through this type of insurance, one is compelled to abide by what others are going for, and this is dependent on the insurance providers. They are the ones that decide what is feasible to include in a plan, and on that basis, a group insurance can take place.

Indemnity Plan: This plan allows one to go to any doctor when one needs to; there are no restrictions on this, and it is believed to be more of a traditional plan. One does not need permission to go to a particular health care provider. However, usually what happens is that the member pays 20% of the total fee for treatment while the insurance provider pays 80%. In addition to this, there is a period through which one pays up in this manner, and then the company takes over paying the whole 100%.

HMO: The Health Maintenance Organization is one that allows a member to select a particular doctor off the panel. It is these selected doctors that will deal will with members' problems. The selected doctor is the one that will be approached for checkups of any kind, and if there are problems with a member that cannot be handled by him or her, the member is referred to specialists.

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