Monday 17 December 2012

5 MOST COMMON CAR INSURANCE SCAM SCHEMES

Vehicle insurance frauds occur in increasing frequency today due to financial problems or simply to file claims to companies to be able to get financial advantage. But this is not always the case because chances are these businesses are now on guard about car insurance frauds.
The most common of these is car theft or report of cars being stolen in public places or even in their own garage. Some may resort to having an accomplice just to achieve success in such crimes. After years of dealing with this kind of fallacy  people in insurance business are now aware of what to do if ever this problem occur.

The second one is the staged accident method wherein one arranges his vehicle to seem to appear as the victim but in truth the owner intentionally collided it with another vehicle with the aggrieved party as the perpetrator. In this kind of fraud, the owner of the car who crashed first will file the claim.

The third one is often made by auto repair shops just to have a major portion of the client’s financial claims. They often collaborate with the insurance company to deceive the car’s owner of repairs done without being actually made and overcharging exorbitant fees. In the end, almost all of the money will go directly to the repair shop which usually leaves the owner with a hole in his pocket. 

The fourth one is the intentional hit-and-run accidents which usually appears fake if given further attention. They aim to file reports that are half-truth or a big lie in the first place. In this type of fraud, damage is evident in the vehicle but the claimant will do almost anything just to prove it to be true. Insurance companies are now aware of this problem which is one of the most common insurance scam in vehicles.

Lastly, the fifth one is a fire accident that can destroy a vehicle in just a few minutes. It can be made to appear as arson or done by a madman but if one looks deeper into it the victim is basically the suspect who wants to lay claim on his car insurance benefits. Insurance frauds are noted to be one of the common scams existing today. If given sound advice and follow the right intuition, both the company and the car owner will benefit from each other without resorting to such fraudulent acts.

Author bio: +Juree Goode loves to eat and travel. She mainly loves the outdoors and has a thing for rough roads. During her free time, she watches Australian off road racing and Dakkar when it’s in season. Her favorite past time is to write whatever runs through her head, which most of the time filled with images of the next 4wd ute, or pickup truck she's eyeing on.

5 SIGNS THAT YOUR CAR INSURANCE IS A SCAM

Almost all vehicle owners avail of car insurance the minute they buy the car but they should be aware of the fast growing insurance scams on the market today.
One sure way of knowing if the company they patronize is really reliable when accidents happen and claims are made is to check the payment methods because fraudulent transactions are common in these companies. They sugar-coat their terms and conditions to make the people believe that they are after the vehicle and the owner’s welfare. Once you sign the contract the company will gradually ask for some payments not previously stated in the contract.

Second, the flow of transactions are not transparent shadowed by doubts and uncertainty on the payer’s part. It causes undue stress and financial pressure especially in times when the claim is badly needed. What the owner should do is to check ahead of time about testimonials regarding the company’s reputation to its customers. If there are more than one reason not to continue with the insurance policy then the public should not anymore continue getting the service of that particular company.

The third thing to watch out is that they try to water-down the claims of the customer meaning they are not getting what they should have got depending upon the damage done to the vehicle. Owners are usually left clamoring upon the insurance company for more consideration. When this thing happen, it’s time to say goodbye to that service provider.

Moreover, the delay in terms of action during the time of accident and after should give a hint to whatever motive the company has for the owner. The lack of prompt response will indicate how slow the service will be delivered that can leave the customers hanging.

Lastly, what one should also know about is the registration of the said insurance company to whatever registration authority is recognized in the country.
It ensures the public of the validity of the business’ existence and if something happens like when the company declares bankruptcy, people can claim their payments thereafter. Getting a car insurance should be hassle-free and fast, and keeping the things mentioned above in mind before putting hard-earned cash into their accounts.

Author bio: +Kristen Francis is a tire dealer by profession who loves to indulge herself in good food during her free time. She not only loves food, she also loves to write reviews on food and automobiles as well. She currently has her energy focused on her new 7 seat suv. A foodie by heart, she stays true in her writing craft.."To write is to appreciate the things that you love."

How to Hire Your First Few Employees For Your Startup Business

Hiring your first employees is very vital to your startup business. They will be the people of your workforce who will be present in your operations floor and helping you run your company. Since you’re new in the biz, you might not have HR group who are experts of the recruitment field. In this article, we will provide you with five qualities to look for when hiring your employees for your startup business.

5 Qualities to Look for Your Startup Employees

1. Loyalty
It’s not as if these candidates would be your dogs who will become loyal to you for eternity. However, loyalty is one of the greatest credential that you should check up on when hiring an employee. You can determine or rather measure their loyalty through the number of company transfers they have had in a short period of time. As well, you need to ask for reasons for these movements. If for instance, the applicant was just not contented with the pay and who’s always in the lookout for employers who give out higher salaries, there is no true loyalty in this guy.

If you’re just starting up, consider to hire employees who would stay for long. Instead of taking new hires and accepting their resignation every month or so, choose ones which would last for an ideal time of 2-3 years.

2. Adaptable
Find candidates who are quick to adapt to a new working environment. Since there are many expected changes in the org structure and policies of your startup, a person who is not good in adapting may be lost in track and won’t be able to keep up with the fast changes in culture. When employees settle with adjustments every now and then without problem, they can better secure a long-term success for your company.

The key here is to not focus on the things written on the applicant’s resume but to ask him personally through interviews to cite examples when he/she showed adaptability during his/her previous work experiences.

3. Innovative
If you are your own boss, you are not responsible to do all the thinking and decision-making all the time. Your employees are hired to give you creative and innovative inputs to improve your resolve on company matters. They should be capable in integrating interesting stuff to your start up to help it grow faster.

4. Determined
In testing the determination of an employee, don’t trust your instincts. Give prospect candidates what-if scenarios and ask questions to test their willpower. If the job requires 9 hours of working (which is one hour more than the regular eight hours) or if it involves weekend working hours, just know the reasons why or why not the respective candidates would want to get the job.

5. Committed
Related to loyalty, this quality should also be foremost in your checklist. Employees who are committed lowers down turnover rate and thus your time and financial resources to recruit for new hires to fill in the position upon separation. Commitment empowers them to follow your directives and adhere with the goals and missions of your company. It is therefore important to know if their personalities, attitudes and backgrounds are aligned to your startup’s objectives. Applicants who have conflicts with your standards at the start show that they would not be as committed as you expect them to be.

Conclusion
Hiring your first few employees for your startup business is critical as they determine how to achieve your first few milestones as well. Before discussing and preparing a job offer, know the implications of hiring a person. This is very critical as part of your business strategies.

Author bio:
+Tony Evans is a freelance web designer, an alumna of Project Management at Upskilled Australia  and a mother of a beautiful daughter, Athena. She has a passion in Aerobics and cooking healthy recipes.

Wednesday 12 December 2012

Effect of Divorce and Debt on your Finances

Divorce in itself is not at all a petty matter, and what if it leads to excessive debt? Debt is a thing which can never be considered to be good. Though it is true that some amount of good can be considered to be good, for without incurring a few debts, it may never be possible for you to establish credit, debt, in general is bad for you and your finances. Finance is a complex thing and so is debt and divorce. Divorce can very easily lead you into debt, in addition to what you have incurred till date, and this is going to result in faltering finances.

Family Finance – Divorce and Debt
As said above, divorce isn't a simple process. So, while considering divorce, you will have to keep in mind that there can be mainly two types of debts. One is the family debt, which are mainly the living expenses. The other is the community property debt. The second type of debt causes the debt amount to increase in leaps and bounds after divorce.
In a community property state, you are considered the legal owner of the assets owned by your spouse. However, these assets will have to be attained within the lifetime of the marriage. Similarly, the debts incurred within this period, get divided in between the both of you at the time of the divorce. So, this can lead to a situation where you will be required to pay down the debts incurred by your spouse to.

And so, the question is, how can you avoid such problems? In order to avoid such problems, you will be required to talk to your spouse regarding the debt pay off methods, even before you two can file for divorce. Lower the other expenses as much as possible, so that you can afford to pay down the debts as fast as possible. This may help you in doing away with the debts, that you aren't required to quarrel over the debts during divorce; so that the debts do not make the proceedings even more complex.This is how you may be able to solve the debt issues which can result out of a divorce filing. It is important to nip the problem at the bud, so that it does not grow into a huge problem later, which may seem to get even more unsolvable.

Author Bio: Suzana Daniels is a Content Strategist; a financial writer associated with few financial communities. She is a contributory writer for Oak View Law Group and guest author for many blogs. Her interests include writing columns related to debt settlement, debt management, bankruptcy, travel, health, technology and personal finance.

Tips on How to Protect Your Laptop from Theft?

At present, it seems that everybody is using notebook or laptop computer to do their work, either they are on the road or in the office. However, the popularity and portability of laptops have made them one of the easy targets for theft. If someone gains access to your laptop, or if your device is stolen, there are chances that all the important details including your financial data and your company and personal information get exposed. If you own a MacBook, check out the article on macbook pro security lock.

Let’s find out how you can protect your laptop from theft.

1. Don’t Use Computer Bags
When you carry a computer bag, it looks obvious that you are carrying a laptop inside it. You can instead use padded suitcase or briefcase.

2. Secure your Laptop with Strong Passwords
Use of strong passwords that are hard to guess or break can stop unauthorized access to the operating system and individual files. Without the important access numbers or passwords, it will be tough for the thieves to access your corporate and personal information.

3. Encrypt the Data
You can choose to encrypt folder and files with the operating system of Windows. Even if someone attempts to access to your file, they won’t be able to decrypt it and see the information.

4. Carry the Laptop together with you
It is better to keep your laptop along with your while you are on the train or plane instead of keeping it with the luggage. It is easy to lose the laptop and the luggage. If you are inside the car, then you can lock the laptop inside the trunk.

5. Don’t Put the Laptop on the Floor
It is easy to lose track or forget about the laptop that you put on the floor as you order your latte or talk at a ticket counter. In case you need to put it down, place it between your feet, so that you are all the time aware of it.

6. Purchase Laptop Security Program or Device
In case you have to leave the laptop at your desk or inside a room, you can use a laptop security cable to attach it to a desk, table or chair. The cable will prevent your laptop from being taken away by someone. There are also devices and programs which will automatically track the location if the laptop is stolen. Such programs and devices work when the laptop is connected to the internet and report the physical location of the laptop. For example, the software LoJack is extremely popular for such purposes. This program not only tracks the stolen laptops, but also deletes or retrieves the data, disable the missing computer, and many more.

7. Don’t Ever Leave the Laptop inside the Hotel Room
It is easy to lose your belongings in the hotel rooms. These rooms are not totally safe and secure. If you have to leave the laptop inside the room, make sure you put the sign “Do not disturb” on the door. This will keep the hotel staff out. Leaving the laptop at the front desk is also not so appropriate.

Author Bio: Scott Garcia is an experienced technical writer. He has written lots of articles related to laptops and smartphones including iPhone 5 and Samsung Galaxy S3.