Not that we want to come over allpessimistic, but this recession has been going on for a long time now andthere’s no real sign it’s going to come to an end anytime soon. Looking around,the property market is still in deep trouble. Foreclosures were slowed by therobo-signing problem, but banks are picking up the pace again. The unemploymentrate is stuck in the 9.5% area nationally. Locally, of course, it can be farworse, particularly among the young and the older workers. So what do you do ifthe worst happens and your job is suddenly on the line? Well, the first part ofthe answer is you negotiate to stay in work. Even though you may have to worklonger hours or take a cut, this is better than no money coming in. Other thanthat? Well, it all comes down to how careful you’ve been with your money.

Looking back, some of the moralists havedrawn on nature for models of how best to live. Some animals are reallyindustrious during the summer. This is the time of plenty but they run aroundlike there’s no tomorrow, collecting food and burying it or putting itsomewhere safe for the hard times during the winter. Others sit around gettingfat and, when the food runs out, they starve and die. Well, it’s the same withus humans. If you not only stay within your budgets, but save while the boomyears give you plenty, you’re well set-up when hardship comes. But if youborrowed heavily and never paid down your debts, you’re in trouble when the paychecks stop.

The big question should you be given apink slip is what happens to your health coverage. During all these happy yearsof security, there’s been no need to worry about the world of privateinsurance. Now, suddenly, you’re negotiating the final package of severancepay. If you’re lucky, your employer may offer some help in finding somewherenew to work and, while all this is going on, you need to research theConsolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985 (better known as COBRA). Read the rest of this entry

If you’ve seen the commercials talking about accident forgiveness, no doubt you’ve been interested. The insurance company makes themselves out to be extremely friendly and trustworthy, like they just want to help you. And because they only want to help you, they are going to let you get away with one collision-no consequences.

Sound too good to be true? Read on.

What exactly is Accident Forgiveness?

Accident forgiveness is essential a clause in your insurance agreement that says that your rates will not rise after the first collision you are responsible for. Why is this so valuable? Because normally your rates would shoot up as much as 40% after being at-fault for a collision. That means that an accident forgiveness clause could potentially save you hundreds of dollars a year from the time of your first collision to your next.

What’s the catch?

You have to pay higher premiums in order to get that clause. Significantly higher premiums. How much higher depends on your driving history. If they think you will get into a collision soon, you’ll have to pay a lot for the clause. If it’s unlikely you’ll get into a collision anytime soon because of your great record, you won’t have to pay much at all-but do you even need it in that case?

Who even qualifies for it?

As a matter of fact, very few people will be offered an accident forgiveness clause. You have to have a well-established, safe driving record for them to offer it to you.

For the people who need it, people who have trouble staying out of collisions, you just don’t have a shot.

Accident Forgiveness-Who should and who should not

People looking to save

This will only add to your premium. Just drive extra safely. If you don’t get into a collision for a year or two, then your decision will have been a good one. If you have a pretty clean record already, you rates won’t rise all that much after one accident anyhow.

Teens

Surprisingly, teen rates usually don’t go up at all after one at-fault collision anyhow. This is because teens are kind of assumed guilty until proven innocent. Teens get the rates that bad drivers get, so one accident doesn’t change their profile. Accident forgiveness makes no sense for teenage drivers.

People with Bad Driving Records

If it makes financial sense for you to get this, then you probably don’t qualify for an accident forgiveness clause. Read the rest of this entry

When you are looking for insurance for your home, you want to make an educated and informed decision. Insurance for your home is a requirement, but you also know that it can be an expensive one. At the same time, your home is the one asset you have that you have worked your entire life for, and will continue to, so you want to be sure that you have the very best and most comprehensive coverage. Is it possible to have your cake and eat it too when it comes to protecting your home investment with insurance? Can you find an insurance policy that will give you everything you need, without making you go broke for your home? The fact is that yes it is possible, but if you don’t know enough about this kind of insurance, it could be very easy to spend more than you have to, or wind up with a policy that won’t cover you for everything. Read here to find more information on useful insurance tips that you will need if you want to save money on your house insurance.

When you are seeking insurance quotes, you will find they can vary widely from one company to the next, and this is because insurance companies will each have their own checklist on risks they are willing to take with house insurance. There are steps you can take ahead of time to prepare your home to minimize these risks before you start asking companies to take a risk on you. You want to check out the location of your home, or the one you are purchasing, and see if there is any additional measures in your location that will help to minimize your risks.

If for example you live near a police or fire station, insurance companies may consider your proximity to fire protections enough protection to lower your insurance premiums. You also want to be aware that the materials used to construct your home will play a big role in the quotes you get on house insurance. Any new features such as new wiring for electricity will minimize fire hazards, as will brick foundations versus wood foundations.

Raising the deductible on your insurance policy will also help you lower your insurance premiums. This is a very commonly used strategy in insurance, so you also want to check with your mortgage company to see if this strategy comes with any caps. Some mortgage companies will limit the amount of a deductible, so set up your policy that you insure what you will need replacement on in the event of loss.

You can also see deductions in home insurance if you combine policies with other insurance policies you have. Combining your vehicle and home insurance policy with the same company will often lead to greater discounts on both sets of premiums. When you are looking for homeowners insurance quotes, be sure that you ask your prospective insurance company if they offer this combined discount. Read the rest of this entry

The real question is to decide exactly what government is for. One side may say there is no real need for centralized services of any kind except for defense and broader economic management. The other side will say government is there to offer some degree of protection to all the people who live in the country. This can be supporting minimum standards of education and healthcare, offering a safety net if there is unemployment, and so on. Thus, the little government side would always avoid regulation, saying it was for the markets to regulate themselves. While the big government side would be there with regulation every time it felt the markets were not working properly to protect people’s interests. There is no right answer. Capitalism as a system works well so long as the economy is sound. It gets confused about what should happen when a recession hits. Read the rest of this entry