Do I Need Professional Indemnity Insurance

A professional indemnity insurance policy is a financial product to compensate the insured (your business) in the undesirable event of damages accrued from a claim being made against the business due to contravention of duty within the policy period for neglect, error, or omissions. Still not sure? In its most basic form, this insurance policy covers your business for a loss that may arise from negligence caused by your business while carrying out such business. Professional indemnity insurance policies have a tendency to vary greatly in the amount of cover the policy provides.

There are a number of instances in which a business may have need to call upon their professional indemnity insurance policy. The first possibility is that a business provides a service to the purchaser, and due to a negligent act, a negligent omission, or other type of negligent error, carries out the work in a slipshod manner, which may lead to further issues arising down the road.

The same scenario could also apply to advice given by a business. PI insurance also protects against allegations of the supply of false, or otherwise generally misleading information. The third most common situation that may require the use of a PI insurance would be the unknowing or otherwise accidental encroachment of the intellectual copyright of another, be it an individual, a business, or other organisation. Intellectual material is also considered property, and the same copyright laws protect it.

A PI insurance policy may have a variety of aspects of coverage, but there are also particular elements that for a number of reasons have been excluded from the policy. Often, the insurance policy will include protection against claims made against your business from a civil liability case, claims that have arisen from the loss of documents, or if documents have been damaged. Legal costs such as those that may arise in the defence case include, but are not limited to, the hiring and retaining of lawyers, the court costs, hiring of professional witnesses or experts of the industry, and so forth, may or may not be included dependent on your selected policy.

Other elements not covered will usually include elements pertaining to war and terrorism (including nuclear activity), pollution unless considered as a breach of duty of the business, potential claims known about when the policy was first purchased, and claims that should be covered under an additional policy, such as buildings, contents, or employers liability.

Any physical products (except possibly software and programming products used for the business that have been amended in some way) are not covered by PI insurance. The insurance policy will also not cover any fines and penalties, or claims from by an insurance company unless a judgement has been received declaring otherwise. Certain warranties set by your business may also affect the coverage provided by your PI insurance, such as a guarantee of outcome, whether express or implied.

So who may need to have a professional indemnity insurance policy? The most common industries where businesses shop for an insurance quote are those whereby a service is provided as opposed to a physical product. This includes businesses in the fields of accounting or other financial services, graphic design firms, marketing and internet marketing businesses, and surveyors, and management or consultancy businesses.

Other, more product based rather than service based, businesses, may be better with a shop insurance quote. It is always possible to get a shop insurance quote and compare the two to see which will provide your business with the most appropriate coverage. Bear in mind that it is very easy to shop for professional indemnity insurance online. It is recommended to get a few quotes for comparison, and ensure you select a policy that is comprehensive enough for your requirements. For example, some policies are more inclusive and will cover the bracket of 'any civil liability'.

Long-Term Care Insurance - Two Questions to Ask Your Insurance Professional Before Buying

Yes, I want you to consider buying long-term care insurance. No, we don't sell long-term care insurance, so it doesn't matter who you buy from. But, after nearly 20 years in the long-term care insurance field, I have learned that there are smart questions to ask before you sign on the dotted line.

With that in mind, I would like to share those questions and some explanation why each can save you money ... get you better coverage ... or even a combination of the two.

Question 1. Do you have access to policies from more than one company (and how many have you compared for me)?

There are between 40 and 50 different insurance companies today offering long-term care insurance policies. Each sets their own rates and depending on your age, health, marital status there can be quite a variance. For example, the Association recently requested rates for a 55-year-old from four leading insurers (Genworth, John Hancock, New York Life and Northwestern Mutual). These are all excellent companies.

There was almost a $1,000 a year spread (we won't tell you who was the highest because they could be the lowest had we changed some of the circumstances). But, this demonstrates the importance of having your insurance agent get rates from multiple companies. If they only have access to long-term care insurance from one company, they can't compare on your behalf. So you should.

Question 2. Do you think I can qualify for "Preferred" health discounts with the company you are recommending? If not, is there another company that to me?

Just as there are significant differences between what insurers charge, there are important differences between what health conditions they will find acceptable. Keep in mind that NOT everyone who applies for long-term care insurance gets accepted.

A preferred health discount can generally save you 10% each year. The best news is that once you qualify, the discount is not changed when your health changes (and it typically will).

Most agents today will not quote a rate showing a preferred health discount. They don't want to come back and tell you that you'll be paying more for protection. But some will. It's important to ask whether the rate they are projecting includes that discount. Or, if it doesn't ask them whether they think you might qualify for that savings based on their experience (you're not only looking for that information ... but to get a general sense of how much they really know about long-term care insurance).

These are probably the two most important questions you can ask. If you are comfortable with the answers, they sign away. If you are not, then you might want to see a second opinion. About two thirds of buyers today actually speak to more than one insurance professional before buying long-term care insurance.

Navigating the home refinancing process

(BPT) - With interest rates near historic lows, now is a good time to consider refinancing your home. Refinancing a mortgage can potentially save you money over the life of a loan. Here are a few tips to help you navigate the refinancing process:

* Choose a reliable and trustworthy mortgage banker.

A mortgage banker is someone you should feel comfortable with, who should be frank with you about fees, flag potential issues, and help you make choices that best fit your financial situation. But where can you find the right mortgage banker?

"A quality mortgage banker will try to understand your goals and match your situation with the best possible loan, that doesn't contain hidden fees or surprises," says TJ Freeborn, mortgage professional at Discover Home Loans. "Mortgage bankers who are not looking out for you might sell you strictly on low interest rates or offer you a too-good-to-be-true deal without asking the proper questions or evaluating your needs."

Start by doing research online with unbiased resources. Reach out to family and friends who also have refinanced or are in the process and compare research. Also, if you know a tax advisor or a real estate professional ask them about any questions or concerns. They may be able to provide new insight to help with your decision.

* Do your homework on loan options.

All mortgages are not created equally. It's important to understand the components that go into determining the price of a mortgage, including points and fees, so you can accurately compare the offers. To find descriptions of home loan options, you can visit www.discover.com/home-loans/loan-options.

For instance, based on the situation you may choose an adjustable-rate mortgage versus a 15 year or 30 year fixed-rate loan. Make sure to evaluate your options with your mortgage banker and discuss what works best for you.

* Secure your low interest rate by locking it in.

Interest rates change almost daily and it's important to talk to a mortgage banker about ensuring the best time to lock in your rate. If the loan process takes too long, there is a chance your approved rate may expire and therefore potentially increase. You may have the opportunity to get an extension, but often the fee for an expired rate can be costly. Make sure to lock in your interest rate to avoid closing at a higher rate.

* Understand the costs and fees of refinancing.

Before you jump into refinancing, make sure you understand not only the mortgage refinancing rates but the costs associated with refinancing. Closing costs generally include fees for origination, the appraisal, attorney review, lender and title, as well as insurance, taxes and escrow. Check with your mortgage banker to make sure that the closing fees are reasonable and that you are aware of all the factors that impact your refinancing cost.

Refinancing may be a worthwhile savings opportunity, but make sure to consider all of the factors before concluding it's a wise financial decision for you.

Getting Consolidation Loans With Bad Credit: Making A Difference To Credit Card Debt

There can be no doubt that credit cards are a major contributor to personal debt. In fact, in the US, the average homeowner has 4 credit cards creating a combined debt of as much as $50,000. So how can the problem be dealt with? Thankfully, being able to get consolidation loans with bad credit means there is a way out.

With the exception of a mortgage, most Americans count their credit card debt as their most worrying debt. This is partly because of the prevalence credit cards have in society, with most consumer spending being done via these plastic cards. As a result, clearing this debt alone can make a huge difference to the overall financial state of an individual.

Of course, having low credit scores means securing loan approval can be a challenge in its own way. But lenders are always open to financial solutions. With a consolidation loan, the intention is clearly constructive so approval is more likely than for regular loans. But can this loan really make a difference?

Clearing Your Credit Card Debt

The short answer to that question is Yes. What is more, because getting a consolidation loan with bad credit is not particularly difficult, it can be have an immediate effect on the financial status of the borrower. All that is needed is to secure the right terms.

Consolidation is an effective strategy because it gathers together the balances on multiple debts and replaces them with a single loan. With credit cards, for example, 4 cards with a combined balance of $40,000 can be cleared by a single $40,000 loan.

The advantage is that the credit score of the borrower is adjusted upwards to reflect the fact that these dents have been cleared. But there are other advantages to opting for a consolidation loan that show the move is worthwhile.

Lower Debt Repayment Costs

One of the biggest problems with credit cards is the interest rates charged, and the high costs that can be incurred so quickly. It does not take long for the debts to mount and the trouble to begin. But even when getting a consolidation loan with bad credit, the costs involved in clearing the debt can be much lower.

The simple reason is that the interest charged on 4 credit cards with late balances is much higher than the interest charged on a single loan repaid in line with an agreed schedule. In fact, by securing loan approval, even when the loan is $40,000, the repayments can be significantly less than the monthly minimum repayment.

The result is that funds otherwise eaten up by a credit card debt are now be freed up, and can be diverted to other debts that may need attention. In this way, getting a consolidation loan just to repay credit cards has a positive domino effect. However, the loan might also be large enough to cover all debts.

Choosing A Debt Consolidation Company

Banks and other lending institutions can offer relatively good terms to individuals seeking consolidation loans with bad credit. But these loans are usually restricted in size to perhaps $50,000. When the debt is more, then a debt consolidation company is the best option.

The companies specialize in clearing debts, especially credit card debt, and can help in instigating a strict financial schedule that should see your debt fall steadily each month. These companies will effectively clear your debt on your behalf, then accept repayments over an agreed period of time.

There are advantages, of course, to securing loan approval from regular lenders, but the key advantage of a debt consolidation company is that they take over your finances, thus removing the risk of failure. A consolidation loan is effective, but only if the debtor can stick to the schedule – which is not easy.

Spreadsheets And Accounting – Is It Time To Move On?

Since its first introduction, the use of spreadsheet technology has become wide¬spread. It’s accessible, affordable, powerful, simple and intuitive to use. But more than 25 years have now passed, should we move on?

Understanding the popularity behind spreadsheets in accounting
There is no doubt that spreadsheets can be extremely useful tools and require very little knowledge in order to quickly develop complex models, from monthly management reports through to annual budgets. The endurance of their popularity is staggering, but it is quite understandable when you think that many accountants and financial professionals would prefer to stay within their com¬fort zone whilst ignoring all the inefficiencies of spread¬sheets.

As the demands and scale of businesses have changed, the humble spreadsheet has struggled to keep up and there is more and more debate over whether its limitations are actually slowing down the growth of an organisation. So what is exactly wrong with spreadsheets?

Certainly one of the biggest problems with spreadsheets is their ac¬curacy. Studies have revealed that 90% of all spreadsheets with 150 rows had errors. This is of course human error, and the likelihood of spotting these mistakes gets smaller and smaller with every change that’s made to the file.

So how can you reduce the reliance on spreadsheets?
I think we all agree that there’s a place for spreadsheets, they’re still a great tool for a number of tasks. But the lack of security and the likelihood of human error means that substitutes must be explored. The answer? Use a modern piece of accounting software, one that integrates with other systems and is available to non-financial staff, keeping all finance data in one place. Here are some more examples of why spreadsheets can be unreliable, and how devolved accounting techniques can solve these problems.

There’s no formula for control
What happens when workbooks are distributed and worked on by a variety of users at different locations? If there is a change in formula in one document, there is no safety mechanism to ensure that this has been amended in all the others. With a devolved accounting system, the work previously done in Excel can now be carried out within the accounting software. This increases accuracy of the data stored as it’s going to be updated in real-time.

Security and the ever-used ‘cut and paste’ function
Within the spreadsheet itself there are other pitfalls to consider. Because it is simply a file, it lacks security in terms of how and by whom it is accessed and there is also the danger of it simply being deleted.

Duplicating information can also be a major headache, because you are often cutting and pasting information from one system to another without taking into account that the data may well have already changed by the time it is put back into the system.

Nowadays, it’s easy to get your accounting software inte¬grated with all your other applications, so all the data is stored centrally. No more duplicating data or re-keying in numer¬ous times. All data is always synchronised in real-time.

So, try and look beyond the rose-tinted glasses when thinking about spreadsheets. Yes, they’re intuitive and sit within our comfort zone. But try to take a few minutes to think about how much time and money could be saved through eliminating inaccuracies and duplications – there are alternatives out there!

Get A Home Loan With Consideration

Whether you are buying an existing home or trying to have a new one built, it is a big deal to get a homeloan. It could quite possibly be the most important purchase of a lifetime. Due to this, it is important to choose your finance company and options very carefully. A mistake in your decision can cost you a lot of money.

As with many other types of financing, credit histories and scores are a major factor. Lenders will use your credit as a way of determining your reliability with paying bills. They use your score to see how much credit you have. If you obtain a copy of your report ahead of time, you can see for yourself what will be looked at. You also have the advantage of catching and repairing any abnormalities before they can cause a problem with your approval.

Your budget will be another thing that you should plan out ahead of time. You will need to set a maximum amount that you can pay every month. Remember to count all of your other debts and expenses, including groceries, utilities, and household needs. Lenders will use these same guidelines during the application process. There are a lot of factors that lenders take into consideration, but your debt to income ratio is a large portion of it.

Get all of your necessary documents before you start the process. There still may be specific documents that are needed in addition to what you provide initially, but at least there will be less to worry about. Proof of income, tax records, and proof of residence going back at least two years will be needed. You will also need to provide all the names and contact information for several references.

There are a few types of loans. They are each different. Each type is structured to have different terms. You will see that time of repayment, requirements, and the interest rate will differ between them. Your monthly payments are also affected by the type of mortgage.

When you start looking for financing companies to apply with, do your homework. Look for reviews from clients and check with local monitoring agencies for serious complaints. You should also look for how long the companies have been in business and if there is adequate financial stability. Build a list of reputable lenders to contact.

There are different ways to access mortgages. You can go with a broker, bank, or credit union. A bank will offer financing for just about everyone that is credit worthy but there will be higher interest rates and more strict terms. Credit unions generally only offer mortgages to their customers and usually have lower interest rates and more selections for terms. Brokers do not offer financing themselves, but they work with multiple lenders on your behalf to negotiate competitive terms for loans.

Many people think that it is a difficult and lengthy process to get a homeloan. The truth is that it only takes a long time or has problems when buyers are not educated or prepared. Making an effort to learn about as much as possible and having things already put together can help avoid delays and stress.

Same Day Loans: Quick Money Without Any Apprehension

If you are in some sort of financial difficulty and need additional financial help the same day, same day loans are for you. When you do not have finance and facing small cash problems due to shortage of money, here is the solution for you. This loan service can be termed as a feasible financial solution that meet your cash deficits without and hard and fast eligibility.

In order to get same day loans, you just need to be a permanent citizen of UK with the age of eighteen years or more. Moreover, you should be a regular employed earning at least £1000 per month. A bank account should be necessary to hold for direct transfer of money. After meeting the above requirements, you can easily get same day loans without any restriction and obligation at all.

No need to get hassle about undergoing long and messy credit checking process. This short term loan is free from credit checking process that remove the embarrassment of holding poor or blemished credit scores. Thus, no matter what type of credit status you have, you are eligible to get same day loans for unemployed help with ease and comfort.

To get the application on easy terms and conditions, online method is preferable. With online application, you are just required to fill a single application form with the details regarding your income and checking account. The amount that you had borrowed will get into your account without letting you leave your home or office.

The amount that can be borrowed can be ranges from £100 to £1500 for the time period of 14 to 31 days. There can be many expenses that you can meet with this money like unexpected medical bills, utility bills, purchase a home appliance, pay school fee of your child and so on.

Same day loans will get you quick cash without any fear of getting loan rejections. To meet your financial needs without any trouble and mess, this loan service can be the better financial option for you.