Nobody likes to receive bills, even at the best of times. But when debts and expenses are mounting faster than we can keep up with, the common bill can cause considerable problems. Unless dealt with quickly, the situation can eventually become too much. So what is a solution? Debt consolidation loans for one.
There are several steps that a bad credit borrower can take to set about addressing their debt situation, but not all of them are effective. However, clearing existing debts in one go makes a hugely positive impact on it – though it is important to realize that consolidation results in the debt being replaced rather than removed completely.
So with that in mind, how beneficial are consolidation loans when it comes to dealing with mounting debts? Can it really be the perfect solution that everyone claims it is? In almost every way, the answer is yes.
So What Is Consolidation?
Understanding what consolidation is and how it works is the first step in working out if it will be as beneficial as hoped. The basic idea is that everything (in this case all individual debts) are gathered together into one sum and paid off using a single debt consolidation loan.
It might seem like simply replacing the debt with a new one, and that is not a million miles from the truth. However, the single loan has a single interest rate and is therefore less costly than the combined interest paid on 5 or 6 individual loans with different interest rates.
Also, by clearing existing debts in this way, there is a chance to better structure the debt repayment schedule. So, while the combined monthly repayments on 6 loans might have been $1,500, the consolidation loan can have repayments of $750, depending on the terms of the loan.
Factors That Make The Loan Ideal
Of course, it is the terms of the loan that actually makes a debt consolidation loan affordable or effective. So, it is important to choose a loan deal that is right for your specific needs. But what are the particular factors that applicants should look out for?
The first is interest rate, which obviously is a chief concern for all loan applications. Keeping the rate as low as possible is important. This is where going to the right lender is effective, with online lenders especially charging very competitive rates even when lending to bad credit borrowers.
But to make this method of clearing existing debts as affordable as possible, the term of the consolidation loan is extended to beyond the normal period. For example, instead of a 5-year loan, a 10-year loan is granted. And when the debts are large ($50,000 or more), the term can extend to 30 years.
Qualifying For A Consolidation Loan
This not a particularly difficult task to complete, with no surprises to be wary of. Applicants seeking a debt consolidation loan need to meet the same criteria needed for every other loan. So, as long as they have a full-time job to show a means of making the repayments, there should be no problem.
However, there is a loan limit set by the debt-to-income ratio, which restricts the amount to be committed to loan repayments to just 40% of your income. This means that an income of $3,000 has a restriction of $1,200 in total debt repayments.
After clearing existing debts, this should not be a problem but the repayment limit affects the size of the actual loan – so keep this in mind too. And remember that a consolidation loan does not necessarily have to clear all debts. Even clearing half of the debt can make a huge difference to the borrower.
Wednesday, 30 January 2013
Sunday, 27 January 2013
What To Know When Working With A 3pl Company
When it comes to adages such as “time is money” and “a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush," applying these to the way you operate your business often leads you to engaging a third party logistics (3PL) company to facilitate your supply chain operations.
Your businesses bottom line can be impacted negatively if there is an inefficient supply chain established. Essentially, a 3PL company acts as the intermediary between you and shipping and delivery carriers. To ensure your goods reach their destination in a timely manner, a 3PL company can incorporate services such as warehousing and transportation services, integrated packaging and much more at the best price. With the supply chain being such an essential element of your business, outsourcing these services can save you time and also have a positive impact on your customer service by professionally putting the bird into the hand. These particular skills in-house for supply chain are not needed when engaging a third party specialist which enables you to direct attention to other elements of your company. Since they are able to get certain volume special discounts, these 3PL companies can save on your shipping and transportation expenses.
When it comes to outsourcing tools these logistical services, you are going to want to check the stability of the 3PL credit. In this respect it can be a good idea to find out from the freight companies they service what they are like to do business with. Because this is a company who could be representing you and your business, you really need to make sure your reputation is not damaged in any way by an unprofessional company working on your behalf. Get a perspective by speaking with freight companies about what a 3PL firm is really like. Do they have a good reputation? Are they really on a financial basis secure? Are they really in financial stable and in fact pay their bills on time. Additionally it is important for you to be clear about your obligations should your 3PL company fail to deliver. Arrangements will have to be discussed and what type of insurance coverage is there for your protection. A report on the 3PL credit rating can be obtained by a credit checking company who will present you with helpful information.
When going into an agreement with this type of company, you need to be clear about what your expectations are and if the 3PL company is equipped to fulfill them. The partnerships your company already has in position and the scale of logistics needs can be deciding factors when it comes down to your 3PL company preference. One of the add-on services a 3PL can provide you is access to data and reporting components that can provide assurance to you on the exact costs of shipping and also provide you with an insightful and accurate glimpse of every stage of the supply chain that may be difficult for you to ascertain on your own.
Working with a 3PL company is a business relationship that could be helpful to you overall. It can help to think of them not as an outsider but as an extension of your business. You subsequently need to have a clear a precise idea of who you will be dealing with. It is ideal if they know you and your business well to ensure that them to represent your interest effectively. Finding a company that can change and grow with you and be forthcoming in terms of identifying aspects of the supply chain that you could improve upon, or finding solutions for you that you may not have considered, can lead to long-term and mutually beneficial relationships.
Your businesses bottom line can be impacted negatively if there is an inefficient supply chain established. Essentially, a 3PL company acts as the intermediary between you and shipping and delivery carriers. To ensure your goods reach their destination in a timely manner, a 3PL company can incorporate services such as warehousing and transportation services, integrated packaging and much more at the best price. With the supply chain being such an essential element of your business, outsourcing these services can save you time and also have a positive impact on your customer service by professionally putting the bird into the hand. These particular skills in-house for supply chain are not needed when engaging a third party specialist which enables you to direct attention to other elements of your company. Since they are able to get certain volume special discounts, these 3PL companies can save on your shipping and transportation expenses.
When it comes to outsourcing tools these logistical services, you are going to want to check the stability of the 3PL credit. In this respect it can be a good idea to find out from the freight companies they service what they are like to do business with. Because this is a company who could be representing you and your business, you really need to make sure your reputation is not damaged in any way by an unprofessional company working on your behalf. Get a perspective by speaking with freight companies about what a 3PL firm is really like. Do they have a good reputation? Are they really on a financial basis secure? Are they really in financial stable and in fact pay their bills on time. Additionally it is important for you to be clear about your obligations should your 3PL company fail to deliver. Arrangements will have to be discussed and what type of insurance coverage is there for your protection. A report on the 3PL credit rating can be obtained by a credit checking company who will present you with helpful information.
When going into an agreement with this type of company, you need to be clear about what your expectations are and if the 3PL company is equipped to fulfill them. The partnerships your company already has in position and the scale of logistics needs can be deciding factors when it comes down to your 3PL company preference. One of the add-on services a 3PL can provide you is access to data and reporting components that can provide assurance to you on the exact costs of shipping and also provide you with an insightful and accurate glimpse of every stage of the supply chain that may be difficult for you to ascertain on your own.
Working with a 3PL company is a business relationship that could be helpful to you overall. It can help to think of them not as an outsider but as an extension of your business. You subsequently need to have a clear a precise idea of who you will be dealing with. It is ideal if they know you and your business well to ensure that them to represent your interest effectively. Finding a company that can change and grow with you and be forthcoming in terms of identifying aspects of the supply chain that you could improve upon, or finding solutions for you that you may not have considered, can lead to long-term and mutually beneficial relationships.
Friday, 25 January 2013
How To Stop Losing Money Using Stop Losses
There is nothing stable about the markets. They are extremely volatile and can change from one second to the next. That's why it’s important that you are a smart investor and know how to protect yourself and avoid losing all of your money when things start to go south. One such way to do this is to use stop losses.
To set up a stop loss you have to decide up front how much you are willing to lose before you sell that stock off. And doing it this way is actually the best way to go because you haven't invested any of your money yet which means you are more objective. Once you have invested money it becomes emotional and you can easily end up making bad decisions.
Of course everyone has a different opinion when it comes to stop losses and what percentage you should use. I am going to give you my opinion and you can use this information as a guide to help you come up with your own percentages as you become a more savvy investor.
25% is a good stop loss percent to use. That means if you are investing $1000 once it falls to $250 you would sell it. That way you would be left with $750 instead of losing the whole $1000. Generally speaking you will find that a stop loss in the range of 21% - 27% will get you the best results.
If you set the stop loss too low it will cause you to stop out of investments too often. On the other hand, if you set the stop loss too high you can lose a lot of money before selling off the stock. Its really a delicate balance. You don't want to lose too much and you don't want to stop it too soon as it could turn around and go back up.
That's really the basics of how to stop losing money using stop losses. But let me just give you a quick little warning. When your money is on the line it can be very hard to stick with the plan. Many times your emotions will come into play and override all of your sensibilities.
You will see a stock going down but you will hold on to it as long as you can because you think it might come back up. It will be the hardest thing ever for you to take the 25% loss because you are hoping and praying the stock will rise again.
Don't be that person. If you set a stop loss stick with it. Because if you don't the scenario usually plays out like this. Instead of going up the stock no goes down by 35%. You continue to hold on to it and then it goes down by 50%. At this point you are in a panic and hold on to the stock because you want to recover at least some of your money.
Then it drops by 75%, then 90% and then all of your money is gone. So you can either lose all of your money or you can use the stop loss and only risk losing 25% of your money. I think we all know what the better option is here.
To set up a stop loss you have to decide up front how much you are willing to lose before you sell that stock off. And doing it this way is actually the best way to go because you haven't invested any of your money yet which means you are more objective. Once you have invested money it becomes emotional and you can easily end up making bad decisions.
Of course everyone has a different opinion when it comes to stop losses and what percentage you should use. I am going to give you my opinion and you can use this information as a guide to help you come up with your own percentages as you become a more savvy investor.
25% is a good stop loss percent to use. That means if you are investing $1000 once it falls to $250 you would sell it. That way you would be left with $750 instead of losing the whole $1000. Generally speaking you will find that a stop loss in the range of 21% - 27% will get you the best results.
If you set the stop loss too low it will cause you to stop out of investments too often. On the other hand, if you set the stop loss too high you can lose a lot of money before selling off the stock. Its really a delicate balance. You don't want to lose too much and you don't want to stop it too soon as it could turn around and go back up.
That's really the basics of how to stop losing money using stop losses. But let me just give you a quick little warning. When your money is on the line it can be very hard to stick with the plan. Many times your emotions will come into play and override all of your sensibilities.
You will see a stock going down but you will hold on to it as long as you can because you think it might come back up. It will be the hardest thing ever for you to take the 25% loss because you are hoping and praying the stock will rise again.
Don't be that person. If you set a stop loss stick with it. Because if you don't the scenario usually plays out like this. Instead of going up the stock no goes down by 35%. You continue to hold on to it and then it goes down by 50%. At this point you are in a panic and hold on to the stock because you want to recover at least some of your money.
Then it drops by 75%, then 90% and then all of your money is gone. So you can either lose all of your money or you can use the stop loss and only risk losing 25% of your money. I think we all know what the better option is here.
Thursday, 24 January 2013
Professional Indemnity Insurance - What Makes It Beneficial for Professional Businesses
Any business that offers professional services or gives advice should consider taking professional indemnity insurance (PII). Any faulty advice or service provided can make the business legally liable to the claims made by the client/sufferer. In such cases, professional indemnity insurance helps the business handle all the legal costs that arise from the claims made by the clients.
Some of the professions which need to take professional indemnity insurance are - medical professionals, building/maintenance contractors, financial consultants, advertising and PR agencies, designers, etc. For some of the professionals, professional indemnity insurance is made mandatory by UK government so as to get their professional authorization. They include accountants, architects, solicitors, mortgage intermediaries, insurance brokers and financial advisers.
The insurance protects the professional business against liability coming up apparently due to negligence, error or omission, loss of data or information, violation of confidentiality, employees dishonesty, etc., which may affect the business's reputation and financial stability badly.
Benefits of taking this policy
As an individual professional/a professional business owner, it is important to protect yourself from legal liabilities while executing your profession because, loss due to any kind of errors or negligence on part of yourself/your employees, may prove to be costly.
• Ensures smooth run of the business
Professional indemnity insurance protects you by covering the expenses involved in the whole process and by providing legal aid so that you run your business smoothly. The rightly timed assistance provided by this insurance policy will not let you stop your business at the time of crisis, thus, ensuring smooth running of your business.
• Covers the risks associated with employee negligence
Your employee may delete or lose some crucial information related to your client accidentally while at work. This may lead to the client to bring lawsuit against you. Having PII, you can be rest assured, as this policy also offers cover to the damage caused by your employees' negligence.
• Saves from financial losses during lawsuits
Lawsuits sometimes can lead into thousands of dollars, which can be a huge burden for you. Sometimes, you will have to bear the expenses of litigation as well the indemnity to be paid to the client. Having the PII insurance would rule out these financial problems and thus, saves you from the financial losses.
• Offers support from expert attorneys
The advantage of this insurance is that it offers support from expert attorneys. As a professional business, you cannot tackle the enormous loss of time and the intricacies involved in the litigation. This needs an expert legal adviser to do the job. PII insurance in this matter would be a great help to you.
Approach a reputable brokerage firm while choosing this insurance
There are many things you need to consider while choosing professional indemnity insurance. Some of them include: premium calculation method, the risks involved in your business, the nature of business activity or the potential indemnity, etc. You should also check for the statutory authority and reputation of the insurance company.
It is always advised to take help of a reputable insurance brokerage firm while choosing this insurance. This should be so because these firms deal with several firms' insurance products. They are well aware of the market. They would advise you the most appropriate amount of cover for your business.
Monday, 21 January 2013
Conforming To Aml Compliance Laws Without Damaging Your Revenue
Often mentioned in the media and in movies or television, money laundering is a recognized practice many would never attempt. Still wide spread today, money laundering is certainly a real serious criminal offense. The defense against this criminal activity is through various laws put in place by AML compliance.
In simple terms, money laundering is the act of "cleaning" money that, due to its source, is considered "dirty." When any entity with financial activity makes money, that cash comes from somewhere, and is usually listed multiple times as having come from that source, whether in financial records, spending figures, or any other documents. There are many reasons apart from legal ones for which a company may keep strict records of its finances. If money that a business or entity has made comes from a source that the entity would like to hide, such as a drug deal or any other illegal financial transaction, they have to ‘launder’ it before they can use it, or its source could be traced, and they could be charged for their participation in whatever crime was committed.
So, precisely what does laundering dirty money involve? The dirty money must go through a series of financial transactions, more or less getting lost or clean along the way. These can be simple operations, in which money is laundered slowly and carefully, such as a laundromat or other small establishment. Perhaps the guilty will try in mix the money in a casino or other business that deal in considerable amounts of cash and would not be noticeable. The casino would accept the dirty money and claim it as a legitimate income, this way large amounts of cash can be laundered with none the wiser. The nature of the establishment helps ensure that nobody will suspect the money of being dirty, and since the casino makes plenty of legal income on a regular basis, it can be given back to the person legitimately. Once all of the money has been circulated to the point that its source can no longer be traced, the operation is complete. Since investigating professionals will often look for dirty money and its source as evidence for a prosecution, the money laundering process will keep criminals safe in that regard.
So, exactly what do legitimate business entities do when it is hard to tell whether money they are receiving or processing is legitimately-acquired? AML, which refers to anti-money laundering, is regarded as the popular form of defense against this crime in the USA. AML compliance laws, which impose requirements on finance institutions and money transmitters in efforts to prevent money laundering, are as complex as they are varied. As a result, it may be beneficial to have a company that can train you and your staff the appropriate AML-compliant behavior, so that you can follow the law without sacrificing your own productivity in the process. The exact requirements that are imposed by the AML on your business might be difficult to understand. Applying techniques and strategies to protect against money laundering while also maintaining your company's budget needs to be done in the best way possible. The initial step to ensuring that your organization is as legitimate and profitable as possible, locate a proper AML compliance training company and educate yourself and staff to prevent illegal activities from adversely impacting you.
In simple terms, money laundering is the act of "cleaning" money that, due to its source, is considered "dirty." When any entity with financial activity makes money, that cash comes from somewhere, and is usually listed multiple times as having come from that source, whether in financial records, spending figures, or any other documents. There are many reasons apart from legal ones for which a company may keep strict records of its finances. If money that a business or entity has made comes from a source that the entity would like to hide, such as a drug deal or any other illegal financial transaction, they have to ‘launder’ it before they can use it, or its source could be traced, and they could be charged for their participation in whatever crime was committed.
So, precisely what does laundering dirty money involve? The dirty money must go through a series of financial transactions, more or less getting lost or clean along the way. These can be simple operations, in which money is laundered slowly and carefully, such as a laundromat or other small establishment. Perhaps the guilty will try in mix the money in a casino or other business that deal in considerable amounts of cash and would not be noticeable. The casino would accept the dirty money and claim it as a legitimate income, this way large amounts of cash can be laundered with none the wiser. The nature of the establishment helps ensure that nobody will suspect the money of being dirty, and since the casino makes plenty of legal income on a regular basis, it can be given back to the person legitimately. Once all of the money has been circulated to the point that its source can no longer be traced, the operation is complete. Since investigating professionals will often look for dirty money and its source as evidence for a prosecution, the money laundering process will keep criminals safe in that regard.
So, exactly what do legitimate business entities do when it is hard to tell whether money they are receiving or processing is legitimately-acquired? AML, which refers to anti-money laundering, is regarded as the popular form of defense against this crime in the USA. AML compliance laws, which impose requirements on finance institutions and money transmitters in efforts to prevent money laundering, are as complex as they are varied. As a result, it may be beneficial to have a company that can train you and your staff the appropriate AML-compliant behavior, so that you can follow the law without sacrificing your own productivity in the process. The exact requirements that are imposed by the AML on your business might be difficult to understand. Applying techniques and strategies to protect against money laundering while also maintaining your company's budget needs to be done in the best way possible. The initial step to ensuring that your organization is as legitimate and profitable as possible, locate a proper AML compliance training company and educate yourself and staff to prevent illegal activities from adversely impacting you.
Friday, 18 January 2013
Sell Your House The Fastest Way By Using These Tips
If you are going to ask the opinion of experts, then they will tell you that an average home will sell in less than three months. But don’t you know that you can sell your home the soonest? There are just important things you need to take into account before selling your house. In this article, we will discuss some of the efficient things you can do in order to sell your house fast.
Prepare your house
• Repair and maintenance- Preparing your house would mean checking your house for any signs of damage and repair. It would help a lot if you are going to focus on issues that need repair. As you know, potential house buyer notices major repair the first time they laid their eyes on your home.
• Cleaning the home- Take a look at the interior and exterior of your home. You have to make sure that your house is clean inside out to make it even more inviting to potential buyers. As much as possible, arrange the furniture and appliance well and make the house free from clutter.
Set the price
To be able to sell your house fast, you should have a competitive price. Through this, you will be able to get the attention of prospective buyers. The price of your house should be in accordance with the average selling price of house with the same structure as yours. It would help a lot if you are going to lower the price of your house a few dollars below from your competitors.
Use good photos
In this internet age, a lot of people prefer to search for house for sale online. Hence, uploading great photos of your home can certainly help you sell your house the soonest possible time. Take a photo of the different angles and views of the house. You can also use video walkthroughs so as to capture the interest of potential buyers.
Hire the service of experts
If you are having difficulties selling your house on your own, then you can always hire the service of experts. There are so many real estate agents dedicated in helping you sell your house the soonest possible time. Hiring the service of expert is indeed a good idea, but this should be only your last resort. Selling your house on your own isn’t that hard at all as long as you make use of the above mentioned tips.
Prepare your house
• Repair and maintenance- Preparing your house would mean checking your house for any signs of damage and repair. It would help a lot if you are going to focus on issues that need repair. As you know, potential house buyer notices major repair the first time they laid their eyes on your home.
• Cleaning the home- Take a look at the interior and exterior of your home. You have to make sure that your house is clean inside out to make it even more inviting to potential buyers. As much as possible, arrange the furniture and appliance well and make the house free from clutter.
Set the price
To be able to sell your house fast, you should have a competitive price. Through this, you will be able to get the attention of prospective buyers. The price of your house should be in accordance with the average selling price of house with the same structure as yours. It would help a lot if you are going to lower the price of your house a few dollars below from your competitors.
Use good photos
In this internet age, a lot of people prefer to search for house for sale online. Hence, uploading great photos of your home can certainly help you sell your house the soonest possible time. Take a photo of the different angles and views of the house. You can also use video walkthroughs so as to capture the interest of potential buyers.
Hire the service of experts
If you are having difficulties selling your house on your own, then you can always hire the service of experts. There are so many real estate agents dedicated in helping you sell your house the soonest possible time. Hiring the service of expert is indeed a good idea, but this should be only your last resort. Selling your house on your own isn’t that hard at all as long as you make use of the above mentioned tips.
Wednesday, 16 January 2013
Why Should You Approach Ww Finance Solutions
The real estate scenario in the country is looking up in the recent months and it is now time to think of a suitable investment in this sector. Along with your search for an appropriate property and home, you should also finalize the services of a competent firm who would help you home finance, home loan refinance and home refinance that would translate the plans that you have made for a real estate investment into reality. You should make the appropriate selection of the property before you approach the firm as it would give a concrete idea on the quantum of finance that you would need for proceeding further with your acquisition.
WW financial solutions is one such firm that is engaged in providing a full suite of financial services including home finance, home refinance etc. it is always better to approach the financial institution of your choice with all your papers in proper order as it maximizes the chances of your application being approved. All the hard work that you have put into identifying the right property for your needs would be justified only if you manage to be successful in getting the home finance that you had wanted.
Even if you have already got a home for yourself, you can opt for home loan refinance to get a better deal on the interest rates that are charged on these loans. This is a common practice these days as you should be always looking to reduce the incidence of interest on all the loans that you are currently repaying. This will leave more money in your hands to fulfill some of the other requirements that you or your family may have.
Apart from these useful services, WW financial solutions also provide their customers with some useful value added services like credit repair, forensic loan audit and foreclosure consultation. The current financial mechanism works on the basis of a detailed credit record that is built up against each and every person who has availed of a loan or credit facility. If you have had some issues with some of the other loans that you have taken, it would affect your chances of getting house finance for buying the home that you have selected for yourself and your family.
In such a situation, it would be better to go for services such as credit repair that are offered by competent firms like WW financial solutions so that you may present the best possible case for home finance to the lending institution. This will dramatically increase your chances of securing the requisite home finance or home refinance.
Now that you have seen the importance of signing up for the services of a competent firm like WW financial solutions before approaching the lenders with your application for home refinance, you should take the necessary steps to put your financial records in proper order. This is most essential as the personnel from the financial solutions firm will need to go through these in detail before offering the necessary advice and preparing your financial documents to help you get the home finance that you had applied for.
WW financial solutions is one such firm that is engaged in providing a full suite of financial services including home finance, home refinance etc. it is always better to approach the financial institution of your choice with all your papers in proper order as it maximizes the chances of your application being approved. All the hard work that you have put into identifying the right property for your needs would be justified only if you manage to be successful in getting the home finance that you had wanted.
Even if you have already got a home for yourself, you can opt for home loan refinance to get a better deal on the interest rates that are charged on these loans. This is a common practice these days as you should be always looking to reduce the incidence of interest on all the loans that you are currently repaying. This will leave more money in your hands to fulfill some of the other requirements that you or your family may have.
Apart from these useful services, WW financial solutions also provide their customers with some useful value added services like credit repair, forensic loan audit and foreclosure consultation. The current financial mechanism works on the basis of a detailed credit record that is built up against each and every person who has availed of a loan or credit facility. If you have had some issues with some of the other loans that you have taken, it would affect your chances of getting house finance for buying the home that you have selected for yourself and your family.
In such a situation, it would be better to go for services such as credit repair that are offered by competent firms like WW financial solutions so that you may present the best possible case for home finance to the lending institution. This will dramatically increase your chances of securing the requisite home finance or home refinance.
Now that you have seen the importance of signing up for the services of a competent firm like WW financial solutions before approaching the lenders with your application for home refinance, you should take the necessary steps to put your financial records in proper order. This is most essential as the personnel from the financial solutions firm will need to go through these in detail before offering the necessary advice and preparing your financial documents to help you get the home finance that you had applied for.
Sunday, 13 January 2013
IT Training Needs For Insurance Professionals
Information Technology is now being used in every walk of life. Insurance Service Organizations are among the biggest users of IT. It is a challenge for Insurance Companies to keep their manpower updated on IT knowledge so that they can make best use of IT deployment. It is often seen that huge amount of money is spend on implementing a technology and at a later time found that either this was not the one needed or it remained under utilized.
If we try to categorize the use of Information technology in Insurance service, we can put various uses in following three categories -- Document and Knowledge Management, Workflow automation, and Analytics and Business Intelligence. Let us map these with some of the important Insurance functions such as Underwriting, Product Design, Product packaging, Policy Administration, Claims Management, Customer Relationship Management etc.
Activities like Underwriting risks and Product design/ packaging depend a lot on Knowledge management, powerful analytics and Business Intelligence techniques. Every Insurance Organization must be having some software for Knowledge management and Business Intelligence or if not so, they must be implementing them in near future. For making best use of knowledge management and business intelligence techniques, users must have sufficient knowledge about when and where what technique can be useful.
At the same time, they also need sufficient working knowledge on the software/ tool implemented or to be implemented in the organization. This knowledge is software dependent. If the software is changed in future, the screens and options will change and users will need to be trained again on the new software. However, the first set of knowledge that is about the techniques itself is not dependent on software. This knowledge keeps getting enriched with use and experience and make user more powerful in applying them in practice.
Policy Administration and Claims Management are such activities where document management and workflow automation techniques are mostly deployed. Customer Relationship Management requires good analytics and Business Intelligence techniques as well. In all such implementation and applications, we find that two sets of knowledge are required at users level to make best use of them. First set of knowledge is about the techniques itself and the second set is about the tools implemented to apply the techniques.
For example, Business Intelligence (BI) is useful in almost all the functions of an Insurance organization. For this, the organization implements some Business Intelligence software. To make effective use of it, first a person needs to know about various BI techniques such as clustering, association rules etc. A user need not know the algorithm used in these techniques, but he should be aware of the meaning and use of them. Learning the features available in the software implemented for this purpose is relatively easy and can be learned easily by use. But, if one only learns the software and the features available in that and thinks that he can use BI with that knowledge, then it doesn't work.
In Insurance Organizations, IT Project implementations are regular activities. Project Management techniques such as CPM/ PERT (Critical Path Method/ Program Evaluation and Review Techniques) helps the project team manage the project better. There are more failure stories in IT Implementation Projects than success stories. IT personnel in the organization have to work as interface between the internal users and technology partners. Knowledge of project management techniques and skill to interpret data to convert to smart decisions play important role in success of IT projects.
To summarize, the IT training needs for Insurance professionals fall under two categories-One related to techniques and the other related to tools deployed to use those techniques. Training on Business Intelligence techniques, Workflow design, project management techniques, document and knowledge management techniques etc. are necessary. Tool specific training is generally provided during implementation. There should be some plan to train more number of people on tools by those who are already trained. These tools can be best learned by using and practicing. However, these can be of use only when the user understands the techniques to workable level.
In addition to these topics, everyone should be fully aware of the information security issues and IT policy of the organization. With properly designed training based on above considerations, an Insurance Organization can make best use of Information Technology.
Saturday, 12 January 2013
Professional Indemnity Insurance - What Is It All About?
The field of insurance is always a tough one to comprehend with. In case you are aware of this field then you must have heard a lot about professional indemnity insurance. It is a simple insurance policy which indemnifies the policy holder from monetary loss due to several claims from the other involved party. There are different kinds of professional indemnity insurance policies that can be chosen by a business house in dissimilar industries. Here, we are going to render you complete information regarding professional indemnity insurance.
Let us now talk about some of the most essential things in regard to this topic. You should pay proper attention towards the below mentioned points.
Advantages
A professional indemnity policy offers a number of advantages to the policy holder. In case a simple claim is acquired against the policy holders, the insurance firm is going to conduct a proper investigation on their behalf. Here, the insurer of the policy needs to reimburse for the legal fees that accumulates.
Types
Professional indemnity insurance is usually acquired by experts whose companies directly affect customers by offering recommendations, services or advice. Some of these professionals might include: accountants, financial advisors, doctors and lawyers. In case you are planning to opt for such an insurance policy you should know more about its types first of all. This is an imperative thing for you to do.
Considerations
In case you are considering such an insurance policy you need to remember that the firm offering you policy evaluates the total amount of risk of granting coverage by carefully assessing the data provided on the client's application. Claims, business and industry history are some of the factors that should be taken in to consideration here. The entire policy is based on a number of crucial things and they need to be taken in to consideration carefully.
Misconceptions
An expert's accountability can easily remain unrestricted. In case experts wish to cover themselves just after cancelling an insurance policy for the purpose of closing their business, they can buy run - off coverage. Such a policy is going to safeguard them for a consistent amount of time. The misconceptions here are huge and so a professional should research hard before going in for such a policy.
Warning
Professionals and experts that are functioning in medical industries might be needed to carry a suitable indemnity insurance policy. The policy holder is responsible for the additional amount in case the policy insurance amount doesn't really cover the sum to be reimbursed out in a legal claim.
So, all in all we can easily conclude that a professional indemnity insurance policy can offer you a wide range of benefits. You should however research hard regarding it before investing your money. With a little bit of knowledge and skills you can surely make the most out of this coverage policy. For any other assistance, you can surf the net and seek out some professional help. I hope this article could provide you some crucial information in regard to this policy.
Tuesday, 8 January 2013
Credit Card Cash Advance Or Payday Advance?
People will always have some reason for needing cash that they do not have. It does not always have to be an emergency such as unexpected expenses in between paychecks. It could also be because they want buy big-ticket items or go on a grand holiday. For whatever reason, two of the fastest ways to get funds is through credit card cash advances or payday advances.
Both have its advantages and disadvantages. It all boils down to the borrower’s ability to pay. Below is a comparison between the two options:
§ Payday advances have a higher interest rate than cash advances from credit cards. The $10 to $30 finance charge per $100 borrowed may not seem too much to pay at first, especially if the borrower is able to pay off the loan after two weeks. However, if the borrower cannot pay on the deadline, the finance charge is compounded for every week that the loan is unpaid, a rate of increase much faster than for credit cards.
§ Credit card cash advances can take a longer time to pay. The usual practice of credit card companies is to apply payments to any existing balance first before paying off the cash advance itself. Unless the payment is large enough – certainly well over the combined minimum payment for the current balance and the cash advance – it will take a long time for the borrower to make a dent on his credit card debt.
§ Payday loans have no effect your credit history. Because the terms are quite short and the loan is guaranteed against the borrower’s next paycheck, payday advances do not contribute to or detract from your credit score. This is unlike credit card cash advances, which are included in your credit history.
§ Borrowers get cash faster with payday advances than with credit card cash advances. There are usually less requirements, no faxing of documents and credit history checks, making the loan process faster and the loan guaranteed, more or less. On the other hand, credit card cash advances are subject to credit history checks and is not guaranteed.
Based on the pro’s and con’s listed above, fast cash loans, like payday advances, seem to be the better choice over credit card cash advances. However, the borrower has to keep in mind that fast cash loans are short-term loans only and should not be used as a long-term financial solution. It is better only if the loan is sure to be paid on or before the deadline.
If the borrower is not sure that the loan can be paid in two weeks, a credit card cash advance would be better because of the longer period for payment. However, one should not make a cash advance on a card with a large balance or, worse, maxed out. People should avoid maxing out their credit cards because it becomes harder to pay several of these at once. In the end, only the borrower can decide which of the two options – payday advance or credit card cash advance – is more suitable for the situation.
Both have its advantages and disadvantages. It all boils down to the borrower’s ability to pay. Below is a comparison between the two options:
§ Payday advances have a higher interest rate than cash advances from credit cards. The $10 to $30 finance charge per $100 borrowed may not seem too much to pay at first, especially if the borrower is able to pay off the loan after two weeks. However, if the borrower cannot pay on the deadline, the finance charge is compounded for every week that the loan is unpaid, a rate of increase much faster than for credit cards.
§ Credit card cash advances can take a longer time to pay. The usual practice of credit card companies is to apply payments to any existing balance first before paying off the cash advance itself. Unless the payment is large enough – certainly well over the combined minimum payment for the current balance and the cash advance – it will take a long time for the borrower to make a dent on his credit card debt.
§ Payday loans have no effect your credit history. Because the terms are quite short and the loan is guaranteed against the borrower’s next paycheck, payday advances do not contribute to or detract from your credit score. This is unlike credit card cash advances, which are included in your credit history.
§ Borrowers get cash faster with payday advances than with credit card cash advances. There are usually less requirements, no faxing of documents and credit history checks, making the loan process faster and the loan guaranteed, more or less. On the other hand, credit card cash advances are subject to credit history checks and is not guaranteed.
Based on the pro’s and con’s listed above, fast cash loans, like payday advances, seem to be the better choice over credit card cash advances. However, the borrower has to keep in mind that fast cash loans are short-term loans only and should not be used as a long-term financial solution. It is better only if the loan is sure to be paid on or before the deadline.
If the borrower is not sure that the loan can be paid in two weeks, a credit card cash advance would be better because of the longer period for payment. However, one should not make a cash advance on a card with a large balance or, worse, maxed out. People should avoid maxing out their credit cards because it becomes harder to pay several of these at once. In the end, only the borrower can decide which of the two options – payday advance or credit card cash advance – is more suitable for the situation.
Sunday, 6 January 2013
Debt Consolidation Loans For Bad Credit Management: How Effective Are They Really?
The biggest problem with missing a single loan repayment is that over just a short time, with fines and charges, the sum can become extremely high. For those facing large debt repayments each month, this is a major problem. But the availability of debt consolidation loans for bad credit borrowers means there is a way out.
But just how effective is consolidating existing debts and taking out another loan to repay them? Is it not simply a case of replacing a set of crippling debts with one single crippling debt? Or is there sound reasoning behind the strategy? After all, there are other options to consider too.
We take a look at some of the factors that answer these questions, and establish that taking out a debt consolidation loan really does provide a practical solution to the problem of meeting debt repayments that are just too large to manage.
Understanding The Mechanics Of Consolidation
Before addressing the questions, however, we should look at how consolidation works. By definition, consolidation means bringing resources together in order to strengthen a position. In financial terms, that translates to combining all the different loan balances in order to manage them better. This is exactly the purpose behind applying for a debt consolidation loan for bad credit management.
The reason why this is done? Well, it comes down to fact that clearing separate debts in full with a single debt creates a much more manageable financial situation. This is because individual loans have differing terms, like interest rates, repayment schedules etc. If there are 5 loans, then there are 5 dates on which to make a repayment, and 5 interest rates charged, complicating the whole situation.
By consolidating existing debts this complexity is reduced to a single repayment that is easier to focus on. And with a single debt consolidation loan to face, there is a single interest rate that ultimately means less interest is paid and a single repayment structure to worry about.
Why Replacing Debts Works?
But how can replacing the debt work? How can the financial pressure be alleviated? The fact is that, when securing a debt consolidation loan for bad credit management, the debt is being restructured. This in turn means the pressure is alleviated, but only if the terms are right.
For example, the most important factor to consider when consolidating existing debts is the term of the loan deal. The key reason for financial pressure is the size of the repayments each month. If the size is reduced, then the pressure is lessened.
When taking out a debt consolidation loan, the length of the loan term decides the size of the repayments. If the total sum is $45,000, then a 10-year term means monthly repayments of around $400. Over 20 years, it would be a mere $200. In contrast, the existing structure could have combined monthly repayments on 5 individual loans as high as $1,000, placing extreme pressure on the borrower.
Other Advantages To Consider
So, what are the other advantages that should be considered, especially when compared to the alternatives? Well, the first alternative is to declare bankruptcy, thus removing the pressure created by debt completely. But there is the consequence of a black mark against your credit for as long as 2 years.
Getting a debt consolidation loan for bad credit management means all debts are repaid in full, leaving no reason for any negative consequence. In fact, the credit score improves instead and worsens because as far as your credit report is concerned, the debts were repaid.
This means the terms on future loan deals can be better, ensuring consolidating existing debts is the most beneficial method to clearing debts - as long as the terms of the debt consolidation loan are right.
But just how effective is consolidating existing debts and taking out another loan to repay them? Is it not simply a case of replacing a set of crippling debts with one single crippling debt? Or is there sound reasoning behind the strategy? After all, there are other options to consider too.
We take a look at some of the factors that answer these questions, and establish that taking out a debt consolidation loan really does provide a practical solution to the problem of meeting debt repayments that are just too large to manage.
Understanding The Mechanics Of Consolidation
Before addressing the questions, however, we should look at how consolidation works. By definition, consolidation means bringing resources together in order to strengthen a position. In financial terms, that translates to combining all the different loan balances in order to manage them better. This is exactly the purpose behind applying for a debt consolidation loan for bad credit management.
The reason why this is done? Well, it comes down to fact that clearing separate debts in full with a single debt creates a much more manageable financial situation. This is because individual loans have differing terms, like interest rates, repayment schedules etc. If there are 5 loans, then there are 5 dates on which to make a repayment, and 5 interest rates charged, complicating the whole situation.
By consolidating existing debts this complexity is reduced to a single repayment that is easier to focus on. And with a single debt consolidation loan to face, there is a single interest rate that ultimately means less interest is paid and a single repayment structure to worry about.
Why Replacing Debts Works?
But how can replacing the debt work? How can the financial pressure be alleviated? The fact is that, when securing a debt consolidation loan for bad credit management, the debt is being restructured. This in turn means the pressure is alleviated, but only if the terms are right.
For example, the most important factor to consider when consolidating existing debts is the term of the loan deal. The key reason for financial pressure is the size of the repayments each month. If the size is reduced, then the pressure is lessened.
When taking out a debt consolidation loan, the length of the loan term decides the size of the repayments. If the total sum is $45,000, then a 10-year term means monthly repayments of around $400. Over 20 years, it would be a mere $200. In contrast, the existing structure could have combined monthly repayments on 5 individual loans as high as $1,000, placing extreme pressure on the borrower.
Other Advantages To Consider
So, what are the other advantages that should be considered, especially when compared to the alternatives? Well, the first alternative is to declare bankruptcy, thus removing the pressure created by debt completely. But there is the consequence of a black mark against your credit for as long as 2 years.
Getting a debt consolidation loan for bad credit management means all debts are repaid in full, leaving no reason for any negative consequence. In fact, the credit score improves instead and worsens because as far as your credit report is concerned, the debts were repaid.
This means the terms on future loan deals can be better, ensuring consolidating existing debts is the most beneficial method to clearing debts - as long as the terms of the debt consolidation loan are right.
Thursday, 3 January 2013
Insurance Professional Sales Tips - Do Worthless Insurance Purchases Bother You?
Insurance Professional sales tips rarely reveal the split personality of many insurance sellers. The agent may sell prospects worthless insurance purchases initially while closely reviewing all insurance later. See how these sales practices are so unprofessional, yet how frequently they are used.
Beneath the clean cut skin of an insurance sales agent is often a diamond-eyed, double talking boneless reptile with one goal.. That goal is to always make a money-making sale, needed or not. A word of caution though, a stack of bills to pay, can transform an honest agent into a very slippery snake. What else makes this agent make sales in a manner that no insurance professional would normally do?
The sales tips the agent were originally taught is the cause of evil devious doings. The agent eyes converge on commission spotlights. Instead, the agent must focus the center of attention towards what is right for the prospect. Nevertheless, most agents do not experience a guilt trip if they have someone purchase a rather useless insurance policy. If a prospect needs a major medical plan, should sales of accident only coverage or cancer insurance be offered? What if the prospect says the major medical coverage is not affordable? Then should the agent walk away with no sale, or convince the prospect that cancer insurance or accident only coverage might at least be a partial solution, thereby making the sale?
Tomorrow, the day after the say, is always a time of reckoning for the agent. Either the manager will give out a tongue lash for not making a sale, or give a pat on the back for at least selling something. My sales tips indicate some unprofessional truth. Even when an agent finally becomes a professional, they still revert to making any kind of sale on their first visit. Few are truly professional enough to walk straight away, knowing that making the wrong sale is easy on the wallet and hard on the conscience.
If an insurance agent lasts long enough to review his present clients insurance, suddenly wings of an angel start to sprout. Here is where the policy review session reveals all. The insured brings out all life and health insurance in effect bought from any agent. Immediately an experienced agent can spot if there is a huge unfilled gap in insurance coverage. Also uncovered are any worthless insurance purchases made by the client. Here again $$ cloud the agents eyes. Two paths are available, but which should be taken?
The easy path is the least challenging, and has the largest change of success, however it is not professional. The insurance agent has to simply crumble up the unnecessary policies bought, and tell the client it was good the coverage was not used. Then these premiums are used to pay for some added coverage that the client needs. Same payments and better coverage can sound like a winner.
A true winner (professional) agent bets on personal quality and skills, with the determination to do a better job. He or she risks it all by telling the policyholder that all the coverage owned may be outdated. Purchasing proper life insurance, major medical, and disability income might mean a 50% increase in yearly premiums. Dropping less critical coverage might lower the amount of increase. Does the client want the best possible coverage for the least money, or does the client want every agent that comes along to write another insurance policy?
These are Insurance Professional Sales Tips that require ethics that many money hungry agents will never acquire.
Tuesday, 1 January 2013
Boston Estate Planning Is Very Important
Boston estate planning is very important as it helps the testators or the owners' wealth and assets be distributed well among its beneficiaries. There are various benefits attached to estate planning. Contrary to popular belief that this sort of planning will benefit only those affluent, this sort of planning benefits everyone and it doesn't depend on the size of your wealth. Estate planning offers substantial benefits to your spouse and kids long after you are gone. One of the largest benefits of planning is a reduced estate tax. This benefit reduces the value on an estate thereby reducing the tax against it.
The goal of a Boston estate planning service will be to make sure that all the testators or the owners financial wishes are met upon their death rather than decided by a court. An attorney will help plan the estate through several legal entities. These include trusts, wills, power of attorney, health care and many more. This is an important part of the process because it helps the beneficiaries of the will to attain the assets rather than the estate going into probate and awaiting the judgment of the court. To begin planning, finding an attorney who is an expert in this is a must.
The first step involved in Boston estate planning is getting all the related documents in order. An estate might have several parties attached to it. It's important to have the information related to bank accounts, insurance plans, inventory lists to household items and debts in order before meeting the lawyer. In case there are any more documents required the lawyer will ask for it. There is no limit to the information that needs to be provided to the lawyer. The more the information, the more it will help the lawyer plan better. However there are a couple of aspects that a testator or the owner must know before hiring a service.
Some Boston estate planning services can charge a huge sum of money. It's better to find out the cost of the estate planning before opting for it. Reducing tax on the estate is important. This is the information which only your Boston will lawyer can provide. This is to make sure that there is no issue with transferring your assets to your beneficiaries after your death. The will lawyer can also provide important information on how often the will needs to be updated. Once you have all this information you can ask your lawyer to begin planning your estate.
References and recommendations are the best way to find a Boston trust lawyer. The impact of planning your estate is more psychological rather than financial. The fact that your family is well cared for long after you are gone will bring you peace of mind. Lawyers help with planning depending on the priorities of the testator. Different types of planning has different charges and some can be expensive than the other; but it's worth it. Estate planning is better than the estate going into probate and the court deciding on the distribution of the wealth.
The goal of a Boston estate planning service will be to make sure that all the testators or the owners financial wishes are met upon their death rather than decided by a court. An attorney will help plan the estate through several legal entities. These include trusts, wills, power of attorney, health care and many more. This is an important part of the process because it helps the beneficiaries of the will to attain the assets rather than the estate going into probate and awaiting the judgment of the court. To begin planning, finding an attorney who is an expert in this is a must.
The first step involved in Boston estate planning is getting all the related documents in order. An estate might have several parties attached to it. It's important to have the information related to bank accounts, insurance plans, inventory lists to household items and debts in order before meeting the lawyer. In case there are any more documents required the lawyer will ask for it. There is no limit to the information that needs to be provided to the lawyer. The more the information, the more it will help the lawyer plan better. However there are a couple of aspects that a testator or the owner must know before hiring a service.
Some Boston estate planning services can charge a huge sum of money. It's better to find out the cost of the estate planning before opting for it. Reducing tax on the estate is important. This is the information which only your Boston will lawyer can provide. This is to make sure that there is no issue with transferring your assets to your beneficiaries after your death. The will lawyer can also provide important information on how often the will needs to be updated. Once you have all this information you can ask your lawyer to begin planning your estate.
References and recommendations are the best way to find a Boston trust lawyer. The impact of planning your estate is more psychological rather than financial. The fact that your family is well cared for long after you are gone will bring you peace of mind. Lawyers help with planning depending on the priorities of the testator. Different types of planning has different charges and some can be expensive than the other; but it's worth it. Estate planning is better than the estate going into probate and the court deciding on the distribution of the wealth.
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