Auto Insurance Collision Repair and You – What You Need to Know

The auto insurance claim and repair process simplified for you.Screech… Skiddd… Craaash is the last thing anyone wants or needs during their busy day to day life. When it does happen it can be very stressful and a bit intimidating having to deal with the insurance company claim process and a repair facility. Not knowing the facts makes it even more difficult to make the right decisions when processing an insurance claim. You may think that your insurance company is there to help you but the last thing they want to do is spend time and money fixing your car.When they have to process your claim there is only one thing on their mind and that’s get it done as cheap as possible. Your best interest is not their main concern their own interest is. The insurance industry has two main focuses and one is taking as much of your money as possible and two is to keep as much as possible in any way they can. After over a hundred years in the business they have concocted some very ingenious ways to do so.I own a licensed auto body/collision repair facility and for educational purposes for the best interest of my customers. I went to school and got educated in insurance and got licensed as an adjuster and producer. I decided to do this in 2000 when lightning struck my body shop and burned it to the ground. During my claims process I got no help from my agent and the assigned adjuster only knew one word and that was “NO”, everything I asked for he denied even when he knew I was entitled to the reimbursement of the loss. It took a year and a half to finally conclude the claim and all those “no’s” turned into “yes’s” by the time I was done. This just further showed me the mindset of the insurance industry in the midst of a claim.One way insurers save money is the use of aftermarket “AM” parts and when you get into an accident most insurers will use these parts in the repair without telling you because in most states all they need to do is write it in the repair estimate and you as a customer need to find it in the stack of paper, read it and ask questions. There is an organization called CAPA.org that is financed by the insurance industry to certify Taiwan parts to install on your vehicle even though your vehicle never came with Taiwan parts. at the end of this article is a link to the parts manufacturers that insurers use as replacement parts on your vehicle, as you can see their mostly all Taiwan manufacturers. Some insurers have a policy option to only use OEM parts but never tell anyone about the option and use it as an excuse to use AM parts in the repair telling the consumer that they could have purchased the option even though they were never even offered it. In my opinion the consumer should be verbally offered by law an option to use OEM parts at the time of policy inception, it should be the consumers choice 100% of the time what goes on their car.Here is a list of things that will happen during a repair process.1. Have your car towed if it is not drivable, your insurance company will pay for the tow to a storage yard and then to the collision shop of your choice. You shouldn’t have to pay anything out of your pocket for these tows as the collision repair shop pays for the tows when the car arrives at the shop and gets reimbursed from the insurance company. Although a small group of insurers may require you to pay for the tow and they will reimburse you for the costs.2. Pick a shop to do the repairs. Remember it is your legal right to choose who will work on your vehicle. An Insurance company cannot force you or badger you into going to one of their direct repair shops for repairs. Insurers save millions of dollars processing claims at these claims clearing houses so they will do or say everything they can to get you to go there. (See Direct repair below).3. File a claim with your insurance company. When filing a claim you have to make sure you have the “At the accident scene” information as the claim rep will ask for this information. If you think you may not want to file a claim because the damage may be less than your deductible or your at fault accident may raise your rates higher than the cost of the repair, you need to do the math at this point. There are certain times that an insurer can raise your rates and /or cancel your policy. You need to know that when you have broad collision coverage your deductible will be waived if you’re less than 50% at fault and also all deductibles pertain if you have standard collision. The claim rep will ask where it happened what happened and what time and date.This is what is called a “proof of loss statement” and you have sixty days to file a proof of loss statement with your insurance company or they can deny your claim. The claim rep will require you to make a choice at this time as to where you want to have your car repaired if you don’t already have it at a repair shop (it is your legal choice to go where you want to). Claim reps sometimes try to persuade you to go to their DRP shops by stating that they can’t guarantee any work done by any other shop except their DRP shop, The reason why is that there is a law that states if they’re going to send customers to their DRP shops to save money that they have to warrant the work of that DRP shop. Insurers tried in the past to slam cars together at DRP shops as cheap as possible and didn’t want to take any responsibility for the shoddy repairs; the government stepped in and forced them to be responsible by law. The purpose of a DRP hasn’t changed; it’s all about saving money in the eyes of an insurer. The fact is that all shops with a State license and liability insurance fully cover the quality of the repairs performed by that repair shop. Another ploy is that insurers may say you may be responsible for costs over and above the insurance estimate if you go to a non preferred shop, not true you will only be responsible for any cost that you may be responsible for if you went to their DRP shop such as deductibles and no more,pick a quality shop and just make sure in writing that they have to agree to the insurance company agreed upon quote.4. Collision Repair Process, after you have selected a shop you can call the tow company to release the vehicle and have the vehicle towed to the repair shop. The shop will cover all the tows and storage and add it to the claim. At this point you can get your rental car if you have the coverage. Getting rental coverage is a good idea if you don’t have another car to use in case of an accident. Your insurance company will insure any vehicle you borrow for full coverage with a $500.00 deductible when you’re having your car repaired even if you do not have full coverage on your personal vehicle. So if you have a friend with a car and you want to borrow it, it’s insured for full coverage as long as your car is in for repair and being repaired. They will also insure any rental cars you rent for the same period.Direct repair/Preferred shop is a collision shop who has a contract with an insurance company and the contract lists what labor rates will be charged what parts will be used(aftermarket Chinese parts or used), what procedures will be used, what percentage of discount on parts and materials. DRP is nothing but cut rate claims processing centers. The DRP shop usually has two price structures, one for the insurance company and one for the general public.Picking a Quality Repair Shop: Any shop that has been in business for a good amount of time, which has a clean record with the State Bureau of Automotive Regulations and has liability insurance would probably be a good choice. As far as DRP insurance preferred shops go, they put the insurance company first and the customer second because after you’re gone they still have to deal with the insurance company over and over again on other claims. You will be none the wiser when you leave as they will tell you the least as possible concerning your claim. Most DRP shops have to process twice the amount of work for the same profit as a non DRP shop. DRP puts the insurance company in control of the whole repair process, a quality repair facility will put all parties on the same level with Knowledge, education and experience.Aftermarket parts link: http://www.capacertified.org/participating-manufacturers/participants/

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Lifestyle Solutions For Everyone

The truth is that not everyone thinks in terms of improving their lifestyle. The entertainment industry makes everyone aware of the distinctions in lifestyles, but very few people view lifestyle solutions as a potential choice. Winning the lottery, although not a solution, is the limit for most imaginations.The mindset that confines most people within their specific life experience is a combination of what they learn and the environment they know. Breaking free of the rut they recognize usually means finding a better job. Discovering a uniquely different lifestyle from what they know, requires a new mindset. By shifting our thoughts from the comfortable pattern of our lives, we uncover abilities, and possibilities never imagined.Few people ever come upon the realization that self confidence isn’t a fixed commodity. Anyone who can dream of a new lifestyle, can through thoughtful application of proven principles, discover the solution. In fact dreaming is an actual step in the process. Desire continually draws us closer to our dreams when we follow a specific plan. Unless we lose the desire for our goal, self confidence grows as a by-product of our activity.Specific lifestyle solutions aren’t found by accident. A solution always includes a problem. When we accurately identify the problem, we’ll be able to clearly define the solution. The problem will involve specific details regarding our current lifestyle. The solution will explain our desired lifestyle after we’ve added and subtracted certain elements from the problem.So the current lifestyle comes under close observation and raises these questions:1. Are you looking for more money?
2. Are you looking to relocate?
3. Are you getting adequate return on investment for your time?For most people the lifestyle solution always involves more money. However, we cannot assume that this demands increased revenue. A financial study for the average person in North America shows that the elimination of debt not only creates an immediate budget surplus, but transforms the cycle of debt into a savings opportunity.Even if the lifestyle goal is to become a self sufficient farmer, the financial advantage puts that individual into a unique category. Wherever we find people who are content with their financial situation, we witness a lifestyle that appreciates freedom from the fear of poverty. Not everyone will know contentment at the same financial level, just like not everyone will desire the same lifestyle.Part of the solution is to determine how much money is enough to satisfy us in life. We can’t arrive at an unspecified goal. If the sum hasn’t been defined, neither has the solution. So anything added or subtracted from our current situation simply reflects variations in our problem.Where we live isn’t necessarily part of our problem, but our home involves more than its location. Typically our vision of an improved lifestyle includes improvements to our home, or a new one. If our new lifestyle demands a house on the beach, it doesn’t mean we have to move. Choosing to move, like choosing a new beach house, or any luxury item, are all variables in the formula we use to reach the solution.The solution might include relocation for many different reasons. If we dream about returning to the small village in England where we grew up, then it is part of our solution. If however we dream about visiting that village on a regular basis, the solution isn’t the same. If the answer to our quest for the perfect lifestyle has us traveling the world until the end of our days, the relocation portion of our solution will look like a travel guide.The person who accepts a promotion at work so that their family can appreciate a better quality of life, is similar to the person who accepts the responsibility to discover a new lifestyle. The demands of a higher paying job usually include longer hours and may include extended business engagements away from home. Lifestyle solutions include a measurable value of time.Without including an accurate expectation of the time it will take to maintain my new lifestyle, it is reasonable to believe I won’t have any.The executive or business owner that makes a decision to sacrifice time for the rest of the items in the solution, only complicates the problem. Our time is more valuable than anything else we can include in a perfect lifestyle. Unlike money or new homes, time cannot be replaced.So the style of life I desire looks something like this:1. The establishment of financial freedom as a legacy for my family.
2. The freedom to reside wherever we want, whenever we want.
3. The time to enjoy life with those I love.The details of my specific lifestyle goals reflect the deep desires and ambitions which are mine alone. Within the greater explanation of my solution these three components can be found. Without them I don’t have an accurate answer to the problem. With them I have lifestyle solutions that will work for anyone.

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The Evolution of Financing a Small Business

For years I have read the popular business magazines, all having so called experts write articles for entrepreneurs on how to finance their business. “The top 10 strategies for financing your start-up”, “How the SBA can help your small business”, “Personal credit is the key for entrepreneurs” and so on. In most cases I’m willing to bet those writing these articles are journalists that have never had a successful start-up. How can I come to that conclusion you may ask? Because of the bad advice they give.Going to the SBA for a loan, using your retirement funds, tapping all your personal credit cards or giving up 75% of your idea to an investor are all ideas I have read from the popular magazines. The thing is, in every one of these cases you are using your personal credit and not separating you from your business. You are putting 100% of your credit and assets at risk.I have worked with thousands of small business owners who have been very successful without the need to use their personal credit cards, retirement funds or fill out stacks of paperwork and wait months for a response from SBA backed banks. In fact I have seen entrepreneurs with access to hundreds of thousands of dollars without giving up a percentage of their company or having any of the money show up on a personal credit report. Sounds good right? Well, there is one catch. You will need to go through the evolution of financing your business. You can’t start at the end. This is the problem with most entrepreneurs. They want fast results and aren’t willing to wait. By taking the quick fix they give up ownership and put their personal credit at risk.The evolution of business financing starts with a solid foundation for your business. A solid foundation is comprised of several parts. The first of which is structuring your business entity appropriately. I recommend to every entrepreneur that you use a Sub Chapter S-Corporation, C-Corporation or Limited Liability Company to operate the business. This is the first step in separating the business owner from the business. The next phase of building the solid foundation is to ensure the business is in compliance with the lending markets. Several business owners are surprised when I tell them most lenders we work with when reviewing a credit application will first call directory assistance to see if your phone number is listed. It’s a simple check, but it’s the first flag that will be raised for them if the business isn’t listed. Why would a lender finance a company that doesn’t want anyone to find them?There are hundreds of other due diligence phases that a company must go through in order to ensure the owner and business are not considered “high-risk” for obtaining credit and financing. The more a business has in place to show that it is a real business the more likely a lender will grant credit to that company.The second step in the evolution of small business financing is to define what the business does, what makes it unique and why it will be successful. The business owner must create a one-page “sales pitch” for the business, also referred to as an executive summary. The executive summary can be used when applying for credit, seeking investors and developing marketing campaigns.Business owners need to keep in mind when seeking financing that the most important thing for a business is to produce a profit. Without revenue there will be no profit. Marketing the business will help produce the revenue and the executive summary will help create the marketing.Third, a company must build a business credit report separate from the owner’s personal credit. By working with trade credit, the single largest source of lending in the entire world, a small business can tap into limitless leverage for buying goods and services they need to start, run and grow the company. The beautiful thing about trade credit is in many cases it’s free money. If a vendor grants terms of net 30, a business owner has the ability to use the vendors goods or services for 30 days without interest before they need to pay the vendor. The other wonderful part of trade credit is that there are companies offering products and services small business owners need who will report the credit to a business credit bureau. The reporting of the trade line will create a business credit profile separate from the personal credit of the business owner. Eventually the business will be able to access more and more credit under the business name only if it maintains a positive business credit score.The more credit received under the business name the more likely other companies will grant that business credit. No one wants to be the first in line to grant a business $50,000 in credit, but if others already have they will be more inclined.Fourth, is to use the owner’s positive personal credit score in combination with a positive business credit score as leverage for obtaining hundreds of thousands of dollars in unsecured lines of credit for the business. The key is to do this with lenders that don’t report the accounts to the personal credit bureaus but rather the business credit bureaus. Many banks offer business lines of credit and loans, however finding the right type of product from these banks can be tricky. A business owner needs to make sure the loan or credit line they apply for reports only to the business bureau.By keeping business debt separated from the personal credit report, a business owner has the ability to keep their personal credit score high. The more a business owner uses their personal credit in the business, the lower the score will drop. Credit scores determine the ability to buy homes, rates on car insurance, and several other factors. Keeping a personal credit score above 720 is extremely helpful in the business owner’s personal and business life.The fifth stage of the business financing evolution is to look at other alternative financing the business may be able to obtain. Leasing is one key area. Why use precious cash reserves to buy equipment or software when you can make a small monthly payment? In addition 100% of the payment on the lease is expensed.The final stage deals with investors. The majority of investors don’t want to look at companies unless they have already progressed through the business evolution stages outlined above. Keep in mind that an investor is not just investing in a business they are investing in the business owner as well. If the business owner has tapped every available resource for credit and cash personally and never taken the time to establish business credit, financing or lease arrangements an investor will toss that company’s proposal in the garbage quickly.Not every business owner will find themselves at the stage they need an investor. They may have a combination of enough cash-flow, credit and financing in place from the early stages that they won’t need additional capital. However, if a business needs to grow with the help of additional capital or financing there are two typical ways an investor will look at the deal.The first is through debt financing and the second equity financing. Debt financing with an investor is where they provide a loan to the business in exchange for a pre-determined amount of interest. Equity financing is where an investor puts money into a business in exchange for ownership. There can also be a combination of debt and equity.The majority of small business owners believe this is where they should start, with the investor. In reality this is the last place a business owner should look. Investors want to use their money to grow a business by having the money spent on revenue generating activities. The typical small business owner that goes to an investor says “I need a million dollars to start my business.” When asked what they’re going to use the money for they say, “start-up costs and payroll”. This is where the investor walks away. No investor wants to fund a project so the business owner can make payroll, buy office furniture, equipment or office supplies.This is the perfect example of the evolution of business financing. The company starts out as an idea, then structure is put in place. Next, the business becomes real with licenses and a sign outside the building. Next, the business creates an identity with the right message. Then the business obtains trade credit that separates the personal and business credit in order to obtain larger lines of unsecured credit. All of which is used to build the infrastructure of the business without maxing out all the available credit for the business or business owner. Last, the business has the ability to seek investors because it has done everything required to create the solid foundation.

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A Guide to Help You Pick the Best Air Purifier for Your Loved Ones

Holidays are around the corner. This is the time of year when people start purchasing gifts for their loved ones. If you are going to purchase an air purifier for someone you love, we have some helpful tips for you. If you want to purchase the best unit, you may be able to use this guide to your advantage. Read on to find out more.

1: Set Your Budget

Just like anything you purchase, make sure you have set your budget first. The price of the unit will vary based on a lot of factors, such as the capacity, filter type, features, and brand of the unit. If you don’t have a flexible budget, we suggest that you go for a product that is available to purchase for less than $300.

2: Consider the Needs of the Recipient

Your next move is to consider the needs of your recipient. If you are going to purchase this unit for everyday use, we suggest that you go for a unit that comes with a HEPA filter. On the other hand, if your loved one has a specific need, we suggest that you consider a specialized unit.

For example, if they are more prone to respiratory issues, such as allergies and infections, we suggest that you get a UV purifier for them. The devices are designed to neutralize viruses and bacteria.

3: Think About the Available Space

Another primary factor is to consider the available space in the office or house of the recipient. For example, if they need a general-purpose unit for a small apartment, you may want to consider a filterless unit.

On the other hand, if they have plenty of free space, you may consider a bigger unit that features a higher airflow rating. These units are powerful enough to cover a large face.

4: Consider Extra Features

Lastly, we suggest that you consider additional features that they will just love. For example, some units come with an indicator that turns on when the filter needs to be replaced. This will allow the user to change the filter so that the device continues to work properly.

So, you may want to consider these features before you place your order. These features may not be important to you, but your friend may just be over the moon.

Long story short, we suggest that you consider these four tips if you are going to purchase a gift for your loved one on these holidays. Since the air is full of pollution during winter days, nothing can make a better gift than an air purifier. Therefore, you should consider these tips before looking for an online or physical store to make your purchase decision.

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The Significance of Pure Air Inside Your Home

Have you ever climbed up mountains? If so, what do you do when you reach the top? Most people open their arms, close their eyes, and take a deep breath. That is the special thing about clean and fresh air. You feel like taking a pause and inhaling fresh air. Over the past year, we have faced several waves of coronavirus. These days, we have been warned about another wave of this virus. Therefore, the importance of clean air has been increasing day by day. In this article, we are going to find out why air quality is important when it comes to our indoor environment.

The impact of pollution on your indoor air

No matter where you go, you will have to face the consequences of poor quality. Even if you are alone in your home, you will still be prone to polluted air. Every year, more than 1 million people lose their life because of air pollution.

According to some reports, India is among the top 10 countries in the world with the worst air quality. The effect of polluted air is more evident as people spend over 90% of their time inside their homes. Another research study found that residents are at a greater risk of covid-19.

As a matter of fact, indoor air pollution has become an international concern. We can say that pollution levels inside and in closed spaces are up to five times higher. Since most pollutants are not visible to the naked eye, you may not be able to aware of the dangers of dirty air.

Indoor air pollutants may be generated by common household items, such as cleaning agents, cooking fuel, furniture polish, pet dander, and paint. Apart from this, domestic appliances such as refrigerators and heaters may also be the common source.

Since homes are not airtight, air pollutants can easily get in. For example, smog, smoke, mold spores, and dust can get into your house through your windows or doors. Air conditioners can be used to cool down your rooms. But the downside is that they can also boost the movement of pollutants across your house.

What can you do to purify your indoor air?

Basically, air purifiers are simple devices that receive dirty air and put it out after passing it through powerful filters. Nowadays, you can choose from hundreds of air purification units available in the market. They are based on a wide range of technologies. They are available in different sizes to cover rooms of different sizes.

Nowadays, most types of air purifiers depend on HEPA technology. Initially, this technology was introduced in the 40s in order to capture pollutants from the air. Although these filters have been used for the filtration of particulate matter, they may not be that effective when it comes to eliminating volatile organic compounds.

Therefore, if you are worried about your health, we suggest that you invest in a type of device that comes with a HEPA filter. With these units, filtering your indoor air will be a piece of cake. Therefore, you can count on these devices to and ensure clean air inside your house.

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