Jan 08
Atty Chris LimFlorida asset, attorney, civil, claim, consideration, coverage, Florida, Hurricane, insurance, investment, lawyer, liability, ocean
It has been three (3) years since Hurricane Katrina devastated both Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama. The 2005 Hurricane Season was one of the worst on record and caused billions of dollars in damage. The 2008 Hurricane Season is now upon us; having started on June 1st, the hurricane season runs through November 30th. The 2008 Hurricane Season was predicted to be “above average”, however to date the season and the tropics have been relatively quiet with only a few named storms, and only one that impacted south Texas. Historically however, the worse storms form in August through October. Your insurance company has not forgotten about the damages paid out in previous years. Policy owners in effected coastal and hurricane zone areas have seen rate increases year after year to pay for past losses and payouts for property damages. As a result, now is the time for home and property owners to evaluate their property casualty insurance to assure that they are covered in case of storm damage loss.
Take photos and make a list of your personal property – Normally your insurance policy has different coverages for property and personal property damages (i.e. clothes, food, furniture). By taking photos or video of both the internal and external property of your house and taking an inventory of the major items will greatly assist any claim against your insurance carrier.
Be ware of Shrubbery and Trees – Make sure you keep them maintained. trees and shrubbery branches often become trajectories during a storm. They can be a danger to your house and your neighbors.
Take photos immediately after the storm of damages – Again, a photograph or even a short video is worth a thousand words. If you end up in an eventual dispute with your insurance company regarding damages the photos and videos you take right after the storm are normally your best evidence to show that damages occurred.
Keep your important documents in a safe place – Assure sure you have birth certificates, auto titles, deeds, financial documents, and any other important documents. A small lock box, or hand held file carrier can be transported easily and is a safe way to transport documents with you if you are required to evacuate your home.
In case of a Power Outage save all receipts for food, hotels, and other expenses. If you are forced to leave your home hastily by authorities as a result of an approaching storm; make sure you save your out of pocket expenses for spoiled food, hotel stays, and other expenses for having to evacuate your home.
Contact your insurance company immediately after the storm – Don’t wait to contact your insurance company to see if you have damages, more then likely the insurance company will be swamped with calls for damages; get inline and contact your insurance carrier to assess your damages.
Keep time for how long it takes you to clean-up. It may reimbursable. – Keep a small notebook and write down your daily expenses for being out of your home. Things such as hotel, gas, and even food receipts may be reimbursable under your policy.
Write down the date and name of the insurance adjuster that visited your home. – It is critical when an insurance adjuster visits your home that they have the correct licenses and general liability coverages required for your state. Insurance companies rarely track as closely as they should. Dates and times may become a key issue if the case goes to court.
Make sure you are given a claim number by the insurance company – Once you contact your insurance company ask them for a claim number and note the time and date of your call and if possible the person you spoke with on the phone. Note every call you make to the insurance company regarding your claim.
Do not sign any documents that say ‘release’ – Do not sign any releases on your claim. Depending on your state statutes, you may have several years to report a claim for damages.
If you feel you have been underpaid on your claim contact a Lawyer, your insurance commissioner, or even a public adjuster if your state allows that specializes in first party contract claims. Insurance companies are in business because they take in more then they pay out, and the first pass of reimbursement for damages may not amount to what you are due under the policy for final damages as a result of your loss
If you receive a check, go ahead and deposit it as long as you do not sign any releases on your claim.
Do you have hurricane damage call Attorney Chris Lim at (800) 979-1937 or visit the website at Orlando Lawyers. CHris has experience helping home owners as well as condo associations with there legal calims. For help in Ohio call Cleveland lawyers KNR Legal.
Jan 05
Mallory HintonAfrica Africa, finance, global investment, investment
Africa is a continent with a checkered history. From ruthless dictators such as the infamous Idi Amin in Uganda, to the shocking apartheid regime that ruled South Africa for decades, Africa has been considered a country ravaged with corruption, despair and poverty. The new image of Africa is radically different. Rich in a diverse range of commodities, Africa has attracted many foreigners who are making strong returns on their African investments.
Fifty of Africa’s 53 countries are enjoying a fast growing economy which is creating numerous investment opportunities. While western countries are treading water in floundering economies, Africa can boast economic stability in most of its countries. More than 50 percent of the continent’s population is under 20 years old, so there is a potent work force.
Morocco, in North Africa, is one of the most beautiful of all African countries. With a spectacular coastline and awe-inspiring landscapes, it is catching the attention of foreign investors in real estate. Because of its location, the culture in Morocco is a combination of African, Middle Eastern and European.
Botswana has been successful in encouraging much foreign capital. Investors have ploughed lots of money into Botswana’s wealthy industries such as coal mining, glass products, leather goods, and tourism. Countries that have invested strongly in Botswana are India, Portugal, the United Kingdom, Mauritius and China.
Kenya has become Africa’s third biggest foreign exchange earner. The top two places go to South Africa and Morocco. Kenya’s booming tourism industry is a result of many liberalization policies. The government is committed to maintaining political stability. This is a major reason for the number of people investing in tourism. Another lucrative investment opportunity is Kenya’s burgeoning film industry.
South Africa foreign investment figures have soared in recent years. Having survived decades of isolation because of its infamous apartheid regime, South Africa and its new democratic government have attracted millions of dollars in foreign investment. Of course much of the world’s new image of South Africa was created by Nelson Mandela. Opportunities are plentiful in many sectors of commerce and industry.
Nigeria is another country that has made a concerted effort to bring in foreign earnings. Nigeria generates most of its wealth through its involvement in the oil industry. Foreign investors are now confident about the potential profitability in Nigeria. The most popular choices are investments in oil companies, as well as investment trusts and unit trusts.
Malawi is another African country that has caused would-be investors to prick up their ears. Those who invest in Malawi’s vibrant agricultural industry are enjoying healthy returns. Because of its ideal climate and fertile land, Malawi is making a name for itself as a major food producer in Africa.
Uganda is an African country that welcomes foreign investments in almost all of its economic sectors. With a steady economy and a government with vision, more and more investors are seeing Uganda as a secure investment opportunity. Investors are permitted to retain a 100 percent shareholding in their investments. This is a big factor for potential investors.
Learn more about african investment. Stop by the African Infrastructure and Global Connection’s (AI&GC) site where you can find out all about investment in africa and what it can do for you.
Dec 30
Jay BergAfrica Africa, finance, global investment, investment
In terms of an investment opportunity, the idea of committing finance to Africa can never really been on top of the agenda for most investors. With so many different options for investment elsewhere, and much safer options at that, why consider making African investments that could quite easily be lost without any potential reward?
The question is, why invest in Africa when there are safer opportunities elsewhere? Well, there are certainly big profits to be made, as well as the fact that you will be helping the poorest continent on the planet. The country does suffer from serious problems, from famine, disease and civil war, and this has put many people off investing for a long time. That is not to say that there is not great potential however.
Africa’s best chance for building itself up and digging itself out of all its woes is not on continued foreign aid and charity, but on continued foreign enterprise and investment from private companies. A couple of years ago roughly 1% of foreign investment throughout the entire world is invested in sub-Saharan Africa, yet this is changing. As the World Bank has said, Africa offers the highest returns on foreign investment for any region of the world.
with different risks such as political problems and currency fluctuations it is possible that your investment will fall into a black hole. However, in many parts of the continent, countries are seeing a rise in democracy and a stabilisation of their economies, which has in turn led on to the growth of new markets and industries.
Sub-Saharan Africa has been seeing its best economic performance for years and is fast on the increase. The largest areas of growth within the nations are infrastructure, finance, tourism and vehicles. Timely investments in these industries have seen very good returns for investors who are not risk-averse.
If you just look at the stock markets of these areas, it is plain to see that there is serious progress being made, as they outscore world averages consistently. At the same time the number of exchanges have seen a rise from eight to ten over the previous decade. Furthermore, the powerhouse of the continent, South Africa, has continued to see positive growth which is fundamentally important to the entire region seeing as it account for about 25% of the GDP.
Timely investments in Africa could provide some very good returns for the canny investor. Within their growing markets and industry, there are safer bets, and more risky ones. It all really depends on how much you are willing to risk in order to gain potentially large rewards.
For those therefore, keen on locating a fund that will offer then high potential investment returns, there are some available, in most cases, just be sure that you can take the hit of losing the money you have invested.
Want to find out more about african investment, then visit the African Infrastructure and Global Connection’s (AI&GC) site on how to choose begin investing in this economy.
Dec 23
Owen JonesUncategorized advice, beauty, diamonds, environment, fashion, finance, gems, gemstones, gifts, guide, investment, jewelry, other, Uncategorized, Weddings
Everybody likes diamonds and no one looks bad in diamonds, do they? It is not really within the remit of this article to propose whether diamonds are a first-class investment or not, but their supposed worth is enormous. Instead, I would like to discuss where the best place to buy a diamond is, because it is more important that you buy your diamond from a reputable merchant with a guarantee than that you believe you got a good deal on eBay by means of buying somebody’s granny’s engagement ring, which might not be authentic.
Therefore, before you begin browsing for diamonds, think about dealing with a bonded jeweller. Bonded jewellers sell bonded diamonds and there are not many bonded jewellers in the world. In deed, of the jewellers in the world, only approximately 5% of them are bonded.
Buying a bonded diamond will cost more than purchasing a non-bonded diamond, but when you consider what you get with the bonded alternative, you will observe that it is well worth the additional expense.
First, bonded diamonds have a buy-back policy for the life of the diamond. No matter how long you keep the diamond, you can take it back to the bonded jeweller and sell it back to him or her, for a 100% refund.
If a jeweller does not offer a 100% buy-back promise, for the life of the diamond, then you ought to take a nearer look at the diamond to see what is amiss with it. Just joking, they will always offer you a 100% buy-back guarantee or tell you why not.
Bonded diamonds also have a breakage policy. If the stone breaks or chips, the bonded jeweller will replace it with a new one – one time. No jeweller would ever offer such a policy on any stone that was not 100% natural, so just the offer of such a policy should give you peace of mind concerning the quality of the diamond. Bonded diamonds are natural and untreated.
Bonded diamonds improve in worth, with a fixed appreciation rate that is designed to keep up with inflation. This means that a diamond that is worth a particular amount of money today will be valued at more in the future, as the price of diamonds continues to rise. This generally does not relate to buy-backs, although. It usually applies to trade-ins.
On the other hand, by buying a bonded diamond, you are protected against the prospect of a market collapse. If a market collapse does happen, the price of diamonds will go down. However, the bonded jeweller guarantees to reimburse you the discrepancy between what the diamond is now worth and what you paid for it before the market crash.
It could be tricky to find a bonded jeweller in your vicinity, but if you can, this is who you need to do business with, as opposed to dealing with a non-bonded jeweller. Specifically inform the jeweller that you are only interested in bonded diamonds. You can discover a bonded jeweller in your area by using various online resources like Google or Yahoo, or by calling the local jewellery stores.
If you are interested in buying diamonds, go over to our web site right now to read articles and tips on buying diamonds http://buying-diamonds.the-real-way.com
Dec 22
Bob JonesUncategorized bonds, finance, funds, investment, loans, Money, mortgages, Mutual Funds, online trading, other, pensions, saving, shares, stockmarket, Uncategorized
There are, of course, many different ways that you can spend the money that you have worked for and investing in a mutual fund is one of them. Furthermore, the many different mutual funds have many interesting options for you to investigate. However, you will also need to find the best mutual funds in order to decide which are most suited for your needs.
Currently, you will probably find that Janus, Fidelity Funds and the Vanguard Group are among the best mutual funds available. The first thing to do is look how the funds compare with each other. There are many studies to provide you with the information you need for choosing the right mutual funds.
However, before you invest in a mutual fund, you ought to understand what a mutual fund is, how it operates and how it will be of help to you. Basically, a mutual fund is an investment company and this investment company pools the money of its investors, which it then uses to buy various kinds of stocks, shares and bonds.
Every investor owns a percentage of the various stocks and bonds that are in the portfolio equal to the amount he put in. The professional fund managers in the corporation try to keep the clients’ portfolio growing by investing in rising stocks, shares and bonds. Although, I have over-simplified this, I hope that it helps the novice to understand how mutual funds work. However, if you want more information, you can obtain it from the Internet or from a trusted financial adviser.
The best way to look for the right mutual fund is to be methodical. There are just so many mutual funds on the market, that it can be rather difficult to know which are the best mutual funds to invest with. You could look at the reviews in the Morningstar to see which of the mutual funds are performing well. This initial research will help you see the direction the mutual funds you are interested in are heading.
Then, once you have chosen a few of the best mutual groups to investigate more deeply, you should see what types of funds they offer. Since some of these funds have hidden charges, it pays to understand what these funds’ charges or fees really are. You can find this information on the Internet, in the financial press or you can ask a financially-savvy person to clarify the details for you.
Even though all of the mutual funds offer reasonably good investment possibilities, there are always risks that potential clients face. Therefore, you should give the matter of investing your money in mutual funds some serious thought. The bottom line is that no matter how super the best mutual funds are performing right now, tomorrow is another story, so take your time and invest wisely.
If you are interested in Investing in Mutual Funds or saving at all, please go along to our website entitled Saving in Mutual Funds
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