Friday, June 29, 2007

Getting a Comprehensive Definition of Renter's Insurance

Before you get any type of insurance, you should first of all be aware of its definition. The definition of renters insurance, in a nutshell, is a type of insurance that covers your belongings as a person who is renting a residential area.

Renters insurance could cover a lot of things. It could cover everything from your car to your jewelry, and to health and safety plans. Each insurace company you look up for help will give you a different definition of renters insurance, so you have to be careful when choosing your insurance provider.

Why do you need this safety measure in the first place? For one thing, as someone who is just renting a home, your basic payment to your landlord would normally cover only the area of the building or lot that you occupy. You don't have any insurance that could cover damage incurred by your property, or the damage incurred by the property of others through an event in which you will normally be held liable.

An example of such an event is if you accidentally leave the water in the tub running and flood out not only your apartment, but also cause some damage to the living spaces adjacent to and directly below yours. Renters insurance could not only protect your property, but also protect you from liability lawsuits. At the very least, you should be able to receive a good compensation in the case of accidents in your company where others are harmed.

Theft is another thing that renters insurance can protect you from. Make sure to ask, however, if the compensation for your stolen or damaged valuables is for "actual cash value" or "replacement cost." Actual cash value (ACV) is the amount of money your item was worth at the time it was purchased. Replacement cost approximates the current value of the item, sans the usual deductions. Replacement cost may be more practical if you plan to keep your renters insurance for an extended period of time.

Depending on the value of the items that you own, renters insurance could go as low as $10 or $20 per month. This way, even college students who work part-time and are renting a private dormitory room or boarding house can afford this sort of insurance.

To get cheaper premiums, people would normally opt for the most "standard" coverage. In order to get the best deal from your provider, ask the representative first for a good definition of renters insurance plans from their company.

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Thursday, June 28, 2007

Cheap Insurance Coverage for Renters - How to Get It

If you rent a home, apartment, or condo, you need renters insurance to protect yourself from loss. Think you can't afford renters insurance coverage? An insurance comparison website will help you find cheap renters insurance coverage quickly and easily.

But I Don't Need Renters Insurance Coverage!

You may be relying on your landlord's insurance policy to protect you from loss. But a landlord's insurance only covers the building you're renting. You need renters insurance to help replace your personal property in case of fire, theft, vandalism, water damage, or natural disasters. You also need insurance to help pay for another place to live while your rental home is being repaired after a loss.

Take an Inventory

As a renter, you may not realize how much your personal property is worth. Before you buy renters insurance you should take an inventory of your belongings. Be sure to include the following items:

* Furniture

* Clothing and linens

* Books, CDs, and DVDs

* Jewelry

* Tools and sports equipment

* Electronic equipment, such as computers, TVs, cameras, and phones

* Appliances and kitchen goods such as plates, glasses, and utensils

Find the Cheapest Renters Insurance on the Internet

To help you get cheap renters insurance, visit an insurance comparison website. At an insurance comparison website you'll complete a simple form with personal information, such as your name, address, and age.

You'll also need to enter information about the residence you're renting such as:

* Type of construction

* Type of heating unit

* Number of connected units

In addition, you'll need to enter the coverage amount and deductible amount you want for your insurance.

The best insurance comparison websites also offer a chat feature. If you have any questions as you complete your form, you can talk online with insurance professionals and get fast, accurate answers. (See link below.)

Once you enter this information, you'll receive quotes from multiple A-rated insurance companies. Then you can simply compare the quotes and choose the company with the best rate.

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Tuesday, June 26, 2007

Why is Age-Related Mortgage Payment Protection Insurance (MPPI) Different From Other MPPI?

Age Related Mortgage Payment Protection Insurance

Age-related mortgage payment protection insurance has flexible premiums that are dependent on the age of the applicants. Instead of having flat premiums, as other products do, the premiums are calculated according to the age of the customers. This means that younger customers, in particular, can make large savings on their premiums. According to figures released by the Council of Mortgage Lenders (CML), 18-24-year-olds could save around 35%, 25-29-year-olds 25% and 30-34-year-olds 15%. In fact, anyone who is under the age of 50 will have lower premiums than those for standard mortgage payment protection insurance. There are two main reasons for this. The first is that, in general, younger people are less likely to suffer from long-term health problems. Also, if a younger person loses their job it is likely to take them a shorter length of time to find new employment than someone who is over 50.

Why Choose British Insurance for your Age-Related Mortgage Payment Protection Insurance?

British Insurance is an award-winning provider of payment protection insurance. They consistently appear at the top of many of the mortgage industry's best buy surveys, and won the Mortgage Magazine 'Best Insurance Broker 2006 ' Award. British Insurance Ltd has also received glowing reviews for their products in the National press. Recommendations have also appeared in The Mail on Sunday, The Sunday Telegraph, The Daily Mail, The Daily Mirror, and numerous consumer money and mortgage insurance publications. Consumer television programmes, including 'Tonight' with Trevor McDonald, and the BBC's 'Money Programme' have also stated that British Insurance products offer great value. Unlike many other providers they pay out after only 30 days, and your payments are backdated to day one of the period that you are claiming for. Other companies will not pay out until after a 60-day exclusion period. There are a number of different cover options available, and premiums start from as low as £2.15 per £100 of monthly benefit. This is less than half the premiums of standard mortgage payment protection insurance. Further details, and an instant quote service, are available on the British Insurance website.

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Friday, June 22, 2007

Cheap Car Insurance in Tulsa, Oklahoma

Like many states, Oklahoma has some basic legal minimums when it comes to car insurance coverage. Motorists can choose to not purchase certain types of coverage if they indicate they've declined it. This indication has to be in writing, but if the individual feels they are justified in not accepting it, it will result in a lower premium. This isn't for everyone though as some people simply feel more comfortable having enough coverage to protect them in the event they end up in a serious collision.

There are ways to find cheap car insurance in Tulsa, Oklahoma without skimping on coverage. One easy way is to raise the deductible level. Many companies automatically set the deductible at $250. If a motorist raises that to $1,000, the savings ends up being quite noticeable. Although they'll have to pay more should they need to use the coverage at some point, the savings in premiums helps to average the cost out.

For someone who rarely drives, it may not even be worth it for them to keep and insure a motor vehicle. Many adults now care for their elderly parents and if that parent is living with them, it may be prudent for them to sell the car and cancel the auto insurance. If this isn't an option because they still enjoy driving and their freedom, combining both or all the cars in the home on one policy is a great approach to saving money.

This technique works well for the teen drivers in the home too. If they've saved up enough to buy a car of their own, putting it on their parent's policy may lower the cost of their insurance. Young drivers often pay the most in premiums, so any discount they can take advantage of helps a great deal to lower the cost to a more reasonable level.

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Wednesday, June 20, 2007

How to Get Cheap Homeowner's Insurance Online in Virginia

If you are web-savvy you are probably already aware that you can find and purchase homeowner's insurance online. This is a great resource for anyone looking to either purchase a new insurance policy or switch from one company to another. With all the information contained on the homeowner's insurance companies' websites in Virginia, residents there can be well-informed when they start looking for cheap rates.

Many companies now have the option of allowing potential or present customers the chance to get a quote online. All the customer has to do is supply the age of the home, the neighborhood, some facts about themselves and they quote process is underway. Every homeowner insurance company uses different factors to price policies but there are some common denominators.

One is the level of deductible they use. Most homeowner's insurance companies in the state of Virginia calculate premiums based on a deductible of $250. If a customer requests to have that raised during the online quote process they'll see their premiums drop in price.

Almost all insurance companies also don't quote for flood insurance yet some homeowner's feel this is mandatory. If this is the case you'll need to purchase a separate policy for that after you've gotten the quote and spoken to an agent. It can be a pricey addition to a homeowner policy and depending on the area in which the person lives, it's not always necessary.

Keep track of what coverage each insurance company is offering at what cost. Then you can make an informed decision on which works best for you. Although you can certainly continue the online process by buying the insurance through the website, many people just aren't comfortable unless they've spoken to an actual person. Either way, the Internet really has become an invaluable tool for locating the cheapest homeowner's insurance.

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Thursday, June 14, 2007

Rent Guarantee Insurance - Why Should I Bother?

This is a question that we get asked frequently by landlords. The majority of landlords see this type of cover as an extra un-necessary expense that simply eats into their profits. The landlord has obtained glowing references for their tenants from the previous landlord & current employer so there does not seem to be any risk. Well, this is where they are wrong. Every credit check and reference under the sun can be obtained but this can only ever show the tenants past history. This is obviously all we can go by as none of us have a crystal ball to see into the future but you only need to talk to other landlords or indeed watch the 'Tenants From Hell' programmes on ITV to realise that things can change at the drop of a hat.

A tenant previously stated as a 'model tenant' can turn your buy to let investment into a nightmare. A bad break-up with a partner or unexpected redundancy are a couple of common problems that cause a tenant of good repute to go 'off the rails'. Think, if your tenant defaults on their rental payments for 2-3 months would you be happy to absorb this? Could you afford to fund the mortgage payments yourself? What if the tenant will not communicate with you or leave the property, you stand to loose thousands of pounds in lost rental income and legal expenses incurred to fight the tenant and you should also take into account the time and stress involved.

There are generally two types of Rent Guarantee Insurance policies, Percentage Rated and Entry Level.

Percentage Rated

The majority of Rent Guarantee Insurance policies are charged at a certain percentage of your annual rental income. This is typically around 4% plus Insurance Premium Tax (IPT) of 5% on the premium. A landlord with a monthly rental income of £800 per month would pay £420 for this cover.

Entry Level

These policies are more basic and do not have all the 'bells and whistles' but are much cheaper. For around £100-£150 per annum you can purchase an entry level policy that includes legal expenses cover and will pay you your rent arrears up to a certain limit (typically £2,500 per month) with a maximum indemnity limit for rent arrears of around £10,000 per claim. These entry level policies are seen as a more viable way of providing landlords with that extra protection for their buy to let investment. The costs are more justifiable and usually the cover provided is sufficient for the landlords needs.

What are the differences?

Typically the main difference between the policy charged on a percentage of rental income and the entry level policy is when the rent arrears payments start and finish. The percentage policy may not have an excess period and may continue to pay rent arrears after the tenant has been evicted to assist while you search for a new tenant. These payments are normally made for up to 3 months after vacant possession is obtained and pay around 75-90% of the normal rental income. The Entry level policies usually have a 1 month excess and will cease to pay rent arrears as soon as vacant possession has been obtained. You should carefully examine the 'Summary of Cover' or 'Key Facts' document for each policy to see where your money is going.

Both types of policy will generally require you to obtain references and carry out a credit check on your proposed tenant(s). 9 times out of 10 the Rent Guarantee Insurance provider will be able to offer you a referencing service, usually via an approved third party. If you have not already arranged a tenant reference or credit check, it makes sense to use the insurance providers approved service to assure you comply with the policy referencing requirements to avoid a claim being declined to due insufficient referencing.

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Tuesday, June 12, 2007

Your Guide To UK Home Insurance

Home owner insurance is and essential form of protection for every homeowner around the world, regardless of where they happen to live. Some countries' insurance provisions are far stronger than others though. The UK home insurance standard is higher than most and provides individuals with great property protection from the moment the home building and contents insurance UK policies come into force. There are some key pieces of information that you need to know before you take out a UK home insurance policy though.

In this day and age, high street lenders and banks have to diversify in order to keep profit margins high and ensure that they retain customers year after year. As a result, both banks and specialist insurance companies routinely provide UK home insurance. Banks that provide UK home insurance actually sell it as their own product but have specialist insurance companies behind the cover so that your bank based home owner insurance policy is just as good as those offered by said companies.

Unlike some other countries that require you to undergo a credit check before they approve your home owner insurance application, UK home insurance and finance regulations state that this is not necessary to obtain a basic home insurance policy in the UK. The Financial Services Authority, the regulating body of UK home insurance, has stated that treating customers fairly is a must for all financial institutions and that discriminating on the basis of credit history is unfair. Everyone should have the right to basic protection and therefore home building and contents insurance UK companies only take the actual address into consideration.

An address can reveal so much about the house. It is actually run through a database packed full of information about every location in the UK. The database can reveal the housing band, type of area, surrounding environmental elements and so on. Your quote is then based on that information as well as any other questions that you may be asked.

UK home insurance providers do not usually insure properties outside of the UK as a matter of principle. They cannot control factors outside of their own company and would have no way of monitoring and verifying claims. If you are purchasing property in the UK but currently reside abroad then it is possible to set up home owner insurance to commence on your arrival in your new home though. However, this does require special provisions that an insurance company can discuss further with you.

UK home insurance is a lot more comprehensive and simpler in nature than a lot of other countries' insurance. The system and its regulating body have been designed specifically to benefit the consumer as well as make a profit. The claims process is generally simpler too so there can be no excuse for not protecting your property there!

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Tuesday, June 05, 2007

How To Get Cheaper Home Contents And Building Insurance

There are many ways in which you can make huge savings when it comes to taking out home contents and building insurance and here are just a few off them.

The first step you should take when it comes to taking out a policy is to shop online for it. The internet is a great resource for not only making huge savings but also is a great way to find information relating to policies. Shopping online gives you the ability of making comparisons from company to company and the prices can be very different. You should aim to check out at least four different insurers and look into what is and is not covered by the policy. Or use an independent and specialist broker who can do all this for you!

Another way you are able to make huge savings on your policy is to offer to pay a larger sum of money for the excess. The excess is what you will pay when you make a claim before the insurance will pick up the bill and the premium is usually lower because the insurer sees it that you aren't likely to make a claim for smaller things if you have a large excess amount to pay.

The security features in you home and around it can make a big difference to the amount you have to pay. Installing features such as alarms, window and door locks and outside lighting can reduce the amount it costs when it comes to insuring your home.

Don't be complacent when it comes to your insurance, never stick with the same provider year after year. The chances are that you can get a much better offer and a cheaper one, simply by switching providers.

If you have items that are valuable then having a safety box in which to keep them can help to lower the cost of your insurance. While it will cost you to rent a safety box it can work out cheaper than paying out a large premium on your insurance.

Make sure that you haven't over quoted on your home contents insurance, take a pen and paper and go around your home working out exactly how much your possessions are worth. If you take out too much insurance then of course your premium will be higher, so make sure you only take out the amount of cover that you need.

These are just some of the ways in which you can help to reduce the amount you are quoted for your premiums when it comes to insuring yourself and your home. However, when taking out insurance always remember to read the small print in your policy as this is where the exclusions are hidden. Always make sure you know exactly what is covered and is not covered in your policy.

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