Category: General Articles

Caterers’ Insurance – Four Top Benefits

For a small monthly fee, caterers insurance allows you to keep on functioning no matter what happens to your business.

1 – Gain Client Trust

As a caterer, you want to appear as professional as possible when dealing with customers, from the moment they call you up on the phone. One of the first questions any savvy customer will ask is whether you have insurance. Insurance ensures that they’ll get what they’re paying for no matter what accidents may occur. In the event of food poisoning, you’ll have the money to pay for any medical attention. In the event of a vehicle accident, you’ll be able to rent another vehicle to finish the job. The customer won’t be left hanging if you have sufficient caterers insurance.

2 – Catering Insurance Covers Everything

Often, catering vehicles have to be specially modified to be able to handle all the special equipment used by caterers. Auto insurance won’t cover you if you’ve made too many modifications to your vehicle unless you purchase additional options. Furthermore, why would you sign up for multiple types of insurance? You need workplace accident insurance to cover kitchen injuries, liability insurance to cover legal expenses, and auto insurance to cover the car. Why not just roll it all up into one easy monthly caterers insurance payment?

3 – Customers Can Be Difficult

Sometimes a customer wants to take legal action against your business for dubious reasons. If you have the money for it, that’s fine, but if you’re struggling, the additional legal time and expense can be difficult to fund. Catering insurance lets you deal with any unexpected interruptions to the successful flow of your business by effectively being your emergency fund. Every month you pay into the emergency fund, and then when an emergency happens you get a large chunk of money.

4 – Protect Your Food Storage

One ill-timed power outage can ruin your entire business if you don’t have catering insurance. Imagine having all of your food in the refrigerator spoil overnight or over a weekend holiday. No matter how well your business is doing, that can really set you back. When you have caterers insurance, you can rest easy when you’re off work, because the money will be there if anything bad happens to your assets. If there’s a fire, a flood, a power outage or burglary regarding your catering business, you will be provided with enough money to completely replenish the assets that you lost.

Caterers insurance is essential to the proper functioning of any catering business. If you’re just starting up, consider speaking with an insurance broker about ways that you can keep your business safe from its perilous early days of operations through its thriving future.…

5 Great Beaches in Indonesia

With over 17,000 islands, Indonesia has thousands of kilometres of coastline and, not surprisingly, a great selection of exciting beaches that will attract not only hard-core surfers but also travellers who are looking for a beach side experience where they can relax and immerse themselves in a different culture.

When planning your trip to Indonesia give yourself plenty of time to consider your options, take out the best travel insurance package you can afford, and make your bookings well in advance.

Whilst it is well-nigh impossible to narrow down the choice of beaches to a list of five that will suit everybody, let’s take a look at a broad range in our shortlist.

Thousand Islands. By taking a ferry from Ancol in North Jakarta you’ll find yourself in the pristine blue waters of these islands which offer a range of accommodation and resorts as well some of the most beautiful deserted beaches on earth. The islands closer to Jakarta are more popular, especially with day-trippers, so if you really want to get away from it all you’ll need to travel a bit further out to find yourself on powdery white sand with vast expanses of blue water fringed with coconut palms and no one to share it with you.

Banda Islands, Maluku. These islands were once exotically termed the spice Islands, shrouded in mystery and wonder, highly valued by pirates and international traders alike. Today, it has assumed the more sedate name of Banda and whilst spices still grow abundantly the islands are now favoured by holidaymakers seeking quiet rest in a noisy world.

Nusa Dua. Surfers the world over know that Indonesia has some of the world’s best surfing beaches and is home to some of the most amazing ocean waves in the southern hemisphere. Even following the terrorist attacks in Bali a few years ago, surfers continued to visit Indonesia in undiminished numbers, and this was amongst their favourite destinations.

Aloita Resort and Spa. This is a surfers only destination located in Padang which was specially built to pander to your every need as a surfer. It is only five minutes from Telescopes, probably the most famous deserving destination in Indonesia if not the world. The resort’s owners promise to share all the local secrets with their guests but are very tight-lipped about giving out any information prior to your arrival. But, if you read the reviews of surfers who have visited this area, it promises to be something very special indeed.

The Mentawai Islands. This collection of about 70 islands is located off the western side of Sumatra are considered by surfers in the know to have the most consistent surf in the world. From June to September the conditions are nearly perfect for big waves and, as you can imagine is extremely popular.

Of course, surfing can come with some extra dangers so you should always make sure that your holiday insurance policy covers the possibility of an untimely accident. The …

GAD Goes Hand in Hand With Other Disorders

GAD or generalized anxiety disorder is a condition that is characterized by excessive worrying and anxiety over any number of things that are typically not topics of concern for the average person.

Someone afflicted with GAD will typically find daily events cause him or her to be overwrought with anxiety. In addition, the level of stress and worry that they associate with practically everything is excessive. This high level of anxiety tends to cause social, work and relationship problems for those affected with the illness.

An important fact has been discovered that almost all people who suffer from GAD are also afflicted with other disorders. These disorders can range from a variety of mental illnesses such as obsessive-compulsive disorder to depression. They may also suffer from extreme phobias or substance abuse. What complicates this further is that substance abuse especially, tends to exacerbate generalized anxiety disorder. Many of the symptoms that are typical of GAD are also common to many other mental illnesses.

They include:

Fatigue

Excess worry

Irritability

Nausea

Feeling on edge

Unrealistic world views

Sweats

Difficulty concentrating

Frequent urination

Trembling

Sleep problems

Headaches

Tense muscles

Unrealistic problem solving capabilities

The causes of GAD are the same as the causes of many other mental illnesses. Heredity tends to contribute to the illness. Chemical imbalances in the brain are another cause. Events in a person’s life that are particularly traumatic or stressful can also lead to GAD. Such events can also worsen the anxiety level of someone with GAD, particularly things like high stress or withdrawal from dependencies.

Even the treatment of generalized anxiety disorder is similar to other mental disorders. The medications prescribed for it are also prescribed for other such illnesses. Cognitive-behavioral therapy, relaxation techniques and biofeedback are all used for this category of illnesses. Luckily this also means that if a patient is treated for GAD, accompanying disorders like depression, phobias and obsessive-compulsive disorder may also improve.

If you are at risk for GAD, have family members with the illness or have been diagnosed with it, good medical insurance is a must. Even if you presently have group medical insurance, you may be paying too much for it or it may have too many limitations in place to be beneficial to you when you really need it. Anyone with GAD faces treatment that will likely continue for a lifetime, as there is no “cure” for the condition. Therefore it is important to have medical insurance that will meet your needs.…

The Magnitude of Optimism

Years ago I read a manuscript labeled Learned Optimism by Martin E.P. Seligman. The next quotation genuinely opened my eyes to what it takes to become successful in the insurance service.

“Life insurance agents, as a group, are more optimistic than people from any other walk of life we have ever tested: car salesmen, commodity traders who scream all day long in the pits, West Point plebes, managers of Arby’s restaurants, the candidates for the office of President of the United States during this century, major-league baseball stars, or world-class swimmers.”

Learned Optimism is the thought that the skill from delight, akin to any other skills, may be cultivated. This is in complete contrast to “learned helplessness.” Learning hopefulness is done by consciously challenging how you talk to yourself if it describes a off-putting occurrence, e.g. a personal disappointment, that permanently affects all regions of the person’s life.

Changing the damaging abuse you speak to yourself as soon as you come across the disappointments that life throws at most of us is the central theory of Learned Optimism. As a result of understanding the individual destructive inclination of negativity, with its insidious, crippling consequences, we can be taught to ignore its alluring invitation, however intensely seated in the brain or practice it may be. We can decide to learn optimism, and listen to cynicism when it’s reasonable.

2 Sides Of Optimism

1. Optimistic sales people deliver more, particularly under pressure.

Talent only is just not enough.

2. Durable brightness is a noticeable advantage for “high defeat” in addition to “high stress” businesses that involve initiative, perseverance and bold dreaming. If we’re to become managers that are well equipped to take our Company as well as the folks it serves into the future, I suggest we advance a vigorous and flexible brightness. Doing this will authorize ourselves and others to live fuller, richer lives.

As you carry on your path, memorize these words from the German Lutheran pastor and theologian, Dietrich Bonhoeffer:

“The essence of optimism is that it takes no account of the present, but it is a source of inspiration, of vitality and hope where others have resigned; it enables a man to hold his head high, to claim the future for himself and not to abandon it to his enemy.”…

5 Van Facts

Every day we see plenty of vans hitting the streets of Britain, transporting people, possessions, items of trade, and coming to the rescue when we need it most. But there is more to the world of vans than van insurance, being hired to move our goods from one house to the next, or delivering our weekly shop of groceries. Here are five van tit-bits that you may not have known before:

Postman Pat

Postman Pat is well known for his black-and-white cat Jess and his trusty red post van trundling about in the Lake District, but now the show has undergone a makeover. It is now targeted in a fast-paced and high-octane format, where Pat works in a sorting office and rides a helicopter, motorbike, and eco-van [1]. Many would agree that the original show was much more heartfelt, with the red van being a memorable icon.

Van of the Year

What Van? has announced that their Van of the Year 2010 is the Nissan NV200 due to its TARDIS like appearance, as it fits it more than it looks like it would [2]. The only thing is doesn’t manage to achieve is the Doctor Who time travel.

Security is top priority

Out of a survey of 1,200 people, 36 per cent said that security was the most important factor when choosing a new vehicle [3]. In the 2009 Vehicle Security Awards, the Peugeot 207 was announced as the most secure small van.

Specsavers

Our favourite postman resurfaces again, as the original Postman Pat features in an advertisement for Specsavers, where he drives (erratically) around in the countryside delivering vegetables instead of packages and letters [4].

Peace be the journey

In the 1960s and 70s campervans gained a countercultural symbol when their owners expressed anti-war sentiments. This was done by painting their vans different colours, and replacing the VW logo with the peace symbol.

[1] Times Online. (2008). Postman Pat in hi-tech spat as he relocates from Lake District post office.

[2] What Van? (2010). Vans of the Year.

[3] Earth Times. (2010). Which Van for Security?

[4] Campaign Live. (2009). Specsavers ‘Postman Pat’ by Specsavers…

Cheap Car Insurance Company – Tips You Can Use For Finding Auto Insurance

The following advice can lead you to the most affordable auto insurance. While it’s not a large list, these tips can save you a lot of money by finding a cheap car insurance company.

The primary factor in low-cost insurance is your driving record. If you avoid accidents and tickets, your insurance will be low. For each ticket and each accident, your rates will go up. It will take at least three years to remove an infraction from your driving record. In some states, certain infractions like DUI’s can remain for nine years.

Your insurance rate also gets affected by your credit rating. Paying your bills on time will be beneficial to getting lower rates. If your credit score leaves something to be desired, search for providers that omit credit ratings during policy rate calculation.

Always ask for discounts. Even if you don’t qualify, it never hurts to ask. Examples are:

1. Discounts for good driving. Meaning you have been involved in no wrecks or accidents.

2. You may also qualify for senior rates depending on your age. Sometimes, combining health and auto insurance with the same company will slash rates. Joining two separate discounts can also save you more cash if you a cheap car insurance company.

3. If you still think your rates are too high, compare quotes from other companies. In some instances, you’ll find that you have been paying too much by staying with your current provider and discover that other companies will offer similar coverage at lower prices.

4. Even if you think you are getting cheap car insurance run a price comparison check. You may find thar your insurer comes up offering a much lower quote than you are currently paying. This is because prices on the internet are generally a lot lower.

Other tips:

If your vehicle is very old and low in value, consider dropping to just liability (unless your state requires more). Once your vehicles blue book value is less than $2,000, even if it’s totaled, the amount the insurance company would pay to replace would be lower, after the deductible is removed, than what you will spend on insurance in a year.

In today’s economic climate, you can’t afford to pay too much for auto insurance. If you can find better rates, it’s like finding money. Any cash not spent on insurance can be put in savings or used for other expenses if you find a cheap car insurance company.…

Insurance Sales Scripts to Get Your Prospect to Enroll in the Policy Now

Selling insurance is a tough business. Whether you are with a national brand or are an independent broker getting new clients to convert daily can be a challenge while still providing great service to your existing clients. On top of that most of the “help” you get from local marketing services tells you to “build more relationships” and “ask for referrals”.

With referrals and relationships you can get away with less skill on the phone than new prospects. The challenge is that when you count on referrals your business usually struggles. You can only call the same people so often to get referrals! Increasing your skills on the phone with interest piquing scripts will allow you to go after new business, increase the number of policies and get even more referrals.

While each type of insurance has different benefits there are common aspects that you should consider when selling policies. Consider the pain and benefits to your clients. When your scripts pound on pain and carefully reveal benefits prospects will be eager to work with you. The more pain you expose, the more eager they will be to sign up for the new policy on that day.

Most sales scripts fail because they talk about the company. There are countless tired sales scripts out there being taught right now that just share about how “good” the company is that provides the policy. Your prospects don’t care! Your prospects care about their pain and their bottom line so make it clear that is what you care about too. Don’t just tell them; get them to understand you care by asking questions.

Consider the following insurance sales scripts transformed into questions:

Would you like to discover how you could save 15% on your health insurance AND not go through the pain of cancelling your current plan? – Most people selling insurance would state something like “I can save you 15%”, but that is a statement that doesn’t require action on behalf of the prospect. Get them to reach to you for help. Get them to wonder how you could make it painless to change (hint: cancel their other policy for them or give them a written letter to mail).

What would you do with an extra $526 annually? – Notice that the word insurance isn’t even mentioned. You don’t need to cram the word “insurance” into everything. Get your prospects thinking about the money and off the mind of insurance and then they will ask you how they can save.

When was the last time a professional reviewed ALL of your insurance policies AND promised not to sell you anything? – Most people avoid “free reviews” because they don’t want a pitch at the end. You can create a document that says you won’t sell them (unless they ask) and even send it to them in writing. When you take the time to review someone’s policies and show them …

Home Insurance Quotes in Disaster Prone Areas

The whole world is experiencing climatic change, different countries all across the globe have experienced monstrous calamities. The freak rainstorm in Guandong China, major typhoons in Philippines, tsunami in Samoa and even the USA have experienced tragic calamities like Hurricane “Kathrina”.

California is home to many of destructive and devastating natural disasters from wildfires to earthquakes in the US. Because of this, Californians do precautionary measures to help them in the event of catastrophic national disaster. One of which is acquiring home insurance. Many home insurance agencies in California offer fast insurance quotes and even online quoting but how does one choose the right insurance agency? Some insurance agencies claim they have the “friendliest” home insurance quotes but before signing that agreement here are some tips to consider before choosing the right homeowners quotes. It’s all about the policies.

Make sure that the insurance agency has a wide and clear policy coverage. Take for example what has recently happened to the Philippines. A major typhoon has left many Filipino homeowners with home insurance that did not cover the mentioned calamity. Their homes were devastated by massive floods due to heavy rain but according to their insurance agencies flood due to heavy rain is an “act of god” which is not included in their list of policy coverage.

According to the department of insurance almost 90% of homeowners do not have earthquake insurance and California being prone to earthquake; it is highly advisable to make sure your home insurance covers such natural disaster. Damages which origin came from natural disaster are covered in certain insurance agencies’ policies however there are exceptions some of the significant ones are flood, earthquakes and poor maintenance. So if your home is based in earthquake and wildfire prone areas like in California, financial institution will ask you to purchase earthquake and wildfire insurance.

Find out if your home or possession will be insured for replacement cost or actual value amount.

Replacement cost is the exact amount to be used in repairing or replacing your home and possessions without deducting for depreciation while actual cash value is the exact amount after depreciation that will be used to repair or replace your home or possessions.

The owner’s copy of their insurance polices is very crucial in the event that they claim for their insurance. it is highly advisable to keep your copies safe. Avoid it from getting tampered or damaged as it might hinder your claim when the need arises.

Always contact your insurance provider whenever you appraise your home to update you policy accordingly.

Consult your insurance provider to confirm if your policy if covers additional living expenses for a temporary residence if your home is devastated from a disaster and you are unable to live in your home due to the heavy damage it received. This is very important especially to those homeowners who have no relatives living near California.

Most insurance agencies offer “friendly” home insurance quotes to …