Wednesday, September 30, 2009

Using Multiple Pets to Find Pet Health Insurance for a Low Cost

You love your pets. They are the first things you see when you wake up in the morning. They lay at your feet while your eating breakfast, they run with you as you get your early morning exercise, they look heart broken when you leave them behind, when you get home from a long day at work they are so happy to see you that they can hardly contain their joy, they listen attentively as you rant and rave about the trails and tribulations of your day, at night they crawl into bed with you and keep the nightmares at bay while you sleep. What they don't do is criticize you, judge you, or abandon you.

There is very little you wouldn't do for your pets. That’s what you think almost everyday of the year but on the days you have to take them to the vet and pay the obligatory bill you have to wonder. All your cat had done was a treatment for a mild case of ear mites. And your dog had been a yearly rabies vaccination. The whole processes for both pets took less then fifteen minutes. How could it possible cost so much?

You might be able to see the benefits of pet health insurance. You might salivate at the idea of not dealing with the ginourmous vet bills you get every six months ago. You might even daydream about the day you don't dread the financial repercussions of taking your dog or cat the vet. But right now you simply don't think you can afford to monthly bill a pet health insurance bill would put on your budget, after all its not like having pet health insurance would make the vet bills completely disappear, more then likely you would still have to pay the office visit.

You might not think you can afford pet health insurance at the moment but don’t walk away from an offer, not yet. Looking at a policy does not mean that you have to walk away from it. If you are a clever bargain shopper there are ways to find pet health insurance at a low cost.

If you have more then one pet you probably automatically qualify for a lower premium. Lots of pet health insurance companies offer multiple pet discounts. There is one little catch, a lot of the companies only offer multiple pet discounts if the pets are the same species. In other words if you have two cats that you insure you will pay a lower premium but if you have a cat and a dog lots of pet health insurance companies will consider it two completely different accounts.

Are you starting to despair? Don't worry two much, while many companies don't consider pets of separate species ground for a multiple pet discount a lot of those same companies have a policy that offers discounts to customers who carry more then policy with the company. The multiple policy discount usually takes about ten percent off the total bill but a good bargains shopper can find companies that offer higher discounts all they have to do is be willing to spend the time to shoe around.

Morning news roundup

Here in Washington, Crosscut writes about the situation in Green River Valley, where the Army Corps of Engineers may have to spill more water than usual from the Howard Hanson dam, increasing the probability of flooding downstream. Homeowners and businesses are scrambling to find coverage, and businesses in particular are finding it hard to find major coverage. (We also have a few suggestions.)
Good -- and comprehensive -- primer on the health care debate in the NY Times this morning. Also from the Times:
In U.S. News & World Report: States May Face Huge Bills Without Healthcare Reform

In the Philadelphia Inquirer has a story about Realpoint joining the ranks of traditional rating agencies (like Standard & Poors, etc.) approved by the SEC, Federal Reserve and National Association of Insurance Commissioners.

Regulators denounce “scare tactics” by insurers re: health care reform

Insurance regulators are denouncing recent “scare tactics” by insurers apparently trying to alarm senior citizens about the effect of federal health-insurance reform on Medicare.

“State insurance regulators take scare tactics directed at senior citizens very seriously,” the National Association for Insurance Commissioners recently wrote to Senate Finance Committee chairman Max Baucus and ranking member Charles Grassley.

In the letter, insurance commissioners Roger A. Sevigny (NH) and Sandy Praeger (Kansas) urge Congress to restore state insurance regulatory authority over Medicare private plans. They cite “deplorable marketing and sales abuses…we have witnessed firsthand” in the Medicare Advantage marketplace.

The letter comes after the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) criticized a letter sent by insurer Humana, Inc. to enrollees. In it, the insurer says that “millions of seniors and disabled individuals could lose many…important benefits and services” under federal health care reform. The letter urges enrollees to contact Congress.

CMS called the information “misleading and confusing” and said it may violate federal Medicare regulations. It ordered Humana to stop sending such letters.

Sen. Baucus also blasted the move, calling the letter “wholly unacceptable” and saying that his bill “strengthens Medicare and does not cut benefits covered under the Medicare program.”

How To Set Up an Internet Control Access System

By Mark Victor Balotelli

In the business world today, most organizations and individuals are moving away from traditional communication techniques to modern and more advanced techniques influenced by internet technology and these require businesses to have internet access control software. Most businesses can no longer perform their daily business activities without the internet since it is user-friendly, fast and convenient and thus it is very crucial to have internet access control software in every business. The internet serves different purposes to people such as searching for online games, job application and purchase of online items. Before one is able to gain internet access, setting up a web or internet system is necessary and for one to be able to monitor any internet activities, internet access control software will come in handy.

Having control over internet access is vital to any organization, home and business, which use internet regularly. Managing and regulating internet activities for employees saves the company money because generally most employees might keep browsing for personal items and forego working. In home settings where there are children, it is essential to control how children use the internet mostly for young ones because they may tend to go to websites that are not appropriate for them like pornographic sites. There is software, which is applicable in regulating browsing and general internet usage.

Majority of internet access and control programs somehow have similar functions with some slight differences, which are significant especially during the set up process. Following the steps that follow enables users to put in place a system, which controls and limits internet access from other individuals.

Server installation is the first step involved when one wants to access the web and it entails subscribing to that local area, internet service provider. Servers automatically register each user who logs in an internet system, and information users provide online for instance form registration. Servers are capable of monitoring internet activities through storage of data showing which site individuals visited when using the internet.

Every user needs a username and a password after the installation of a server. Thereafter, internet control, access and monitoring programs can then be installed which allow controlling and monitoring of internet activities by duplicating a copy of every activity that users do while online and this copy can only be accessed by someone who has administrative rights to that computer system.

Afterwards, check if an internet control program has configuration settings which are so important and are made up of the log file mask, log file format and log directory, though the log file format depends on the kind of software being used. It is suitable for the internet control and access programs to be installed on a primary server, which is separate from a proxy server and then share internet connection to other computers through networks.

There are several other internet access control software that are normally accompanied by simple to follow instructions when using a setup wizard with guidelines on the steps required to follow when installing. It is vital to know that internet access control software has to be installed in the log files directory. To improve on how the internet control and access system works, ensure during installation that all log files are in the right format and are not corrupted.

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Pool Table Light: Clear Picture Of The Game

By Pamela Smith

Ten years ago, pool or billiards was typically considered a game believed in a seedy under-lit pool halls infused in thick cigarette smoke with shady characters of all stripes betting on a languid parlor game. In the movie, The Color of Money, which starred Tom Cruise and the late Paul Newman, it showed his role of a veteran pool shark that won for him his only Academy acting award and it has confirmed in the mind of the public the dubitable nature of pool. It is said that you need to develop your skill to play pool and have sufficient lightings to play the game well. This is turn will call for the need of a pool table light.

With its newfound respectability, you can see pool games in ESPN and the best players earn hundreds of thousands of dollars in prizes and more on product endorsements. You will notice these games aired on TV that the pool halls are very well lighted, which is pretty similar to indoor basketball games at night.

A pool table light will serve to provide sufficient luminescence for the playing surface, the billiard balls, the cue stick, and everything involved in the game to be visible. They can also create an environment intensifying the playing experience and the surrounding adornments. Because of longstanding prejudices, many conceptualized that an old ceiling light fixture is adequate to illuminate the pool table and everything else on it.

But just liken in any work activity, a focused source of light along with the ambient lighting given off by flush-mount or semi-flush ceiling fixtures are needed. This will illuminate the playing surface better and maybe even improve play. The added balance to the subtle style of the decor is a bonus.

Direct and indirect lighting fixtures are no same matters entirely. When you play the game of pool, this needs utilization of direct luminescence. A blinding spotlight over the pool table is not necessary for this purpose, illumination on the playing surface that does not cause glare or eye strain is what is necessary.

Typical lightings such hanging lamps or pendants are most suitable for pool tables. With the basic design of pool tables being long and narrow, the lights must match the design. A billiard lamp as long as a billiard table is desired, but pool tables usually measuring eight feet long, is not practical. A small light fixture over a pool table light blends well in this part of the game.

Just be sure that the light is at the center over the table. Players want see clearly the corner pockets in this game of angles. Shadows that smaller pool table light fixtures cause affect the outcome of the game, besides producing a gloomy atmosphere that harks back to the seedy period of this sport.

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Granite Countertops Ambience

By JD Theis

Granite countertop provides you with a real look and touch of the latest style and class. Suppose if you plan to build a new residential house or building, first you need to visualize what size, quality, design match. For this, it may take some time initially to arrive at a decision. However, the available variety of color choices makes your granite counter top as the best preferred one. The basic colors such as grey and beige are available in the market at cheaper costs but you can even get the stunning effect with many other varieties i.e. rose, green, gold and etc. The colors are more neutral and easier to fit and preferred with some natural variation. .

While choosing a granite countertop, look for a natural product with a neutral variation. A standard slab is approximately 108 - 128 inches long and 56 - 72 inches wide. Anything bigger than this, may not be seamed. Even though if you choose a color closely matching with your slab, the seam would be never be completely invisible because of the granite natural shading.

Only a better choice for the granite countertops is to use floor tiles just like any other on a base of plywood. For this, one has to cut the tile as per the required size and use it better. Choose a grout matching with the color of regular tiling. When you select the granite countertops, consider all the fixtures and fittings and the thorough information on this to be known well beforehand as the slab requirements to be cut as per the need.

Resealing your granite countertop at least once in a year has to be done to remove the stains and prevent cloudiness. People would love to afford granite countertops because it is affordable, different color varieties and choices, easy to clean or maintain, durable, heat, water resistant. Granite found little crystals which helps to appear bright and catch a light and change the appearance of a countertop. To maintain granite countertops, we can use mild soap or detergent with warm water, spills will be wiped immediately and a soft cloth to clean it..

Granite countertops option to reseal your home or kitchen is the best but before that you need to check with the manufacturer about the various options available or maintenance process and other details as required beforehand. Make sure it should be nontoxic as it is used for the preparation of food. Approaching the granite professional and making the arrangement after discussing is the best course of action to move ahead successfully and decorating your home or building with a bright ambience.

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Are You Willing To Follow Some Simple Tips To Make Money From Home?

By Noel L. Donne

There is an option to slogging away working the 9-5 hum drum job. You can start working from home today by searching for money making opportunities online.

The internet has been continuously contributing to a lot of things. One is by being a meeting place for employers and employees. If you want to make money from home, once recommendation you can get here is to join affiliate marketing with Cash Making Power Sites. With this, you will be earning by promoting products and services.

Included in the package are five Cash making Power Sites that can add up to your income automatically. You can even get them started in just few minutes. You can make these power sites up and running by activating them in just a click! What will you be doing then? Check MaverickReviewer.com.

A business with Cash Making Power Sites is not complicated at all. The five sites included are specially built to fit everyone regardless of knowledge. The line of duty is not intricate and easy to manage as well. The system of Cash Making Power Sites is very clear-cut that it wouldn't need any advanced technical skill from you.

How will I collect money through Cash Making Power Sites? That is a very good question and the answer is simple, the sites' main purpose is to advertise products and services online and for every sale you make, you will be getting commissions. This is not like many other internet programs which turn out as hype. If you want to know more about this gain opportunity, check MaverickReviewer.com.

Unlike any other business dealings online, with Cash Making Power Sites, you will be earning from the line of duty endlessly. How do you get the people visit your site? That will also be given by CMPS so you surely don't have something more to ask. The sites are also loaded with videos to cause the sites more exciting to check out. There other things included in this program so desirable check it out today.

Start making good decisions today, check MaverickReviewer.com and stay at your own home while earning the finances you always wait for.

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Tuesday, September 29, 2009

Businesses in S. King County scrambling to find coverage, but with worries about dam, it's hard to find

As the Seattle Times reported this morning, the chorus of officials urging people to buy flood coverage if they live below Howard Hanson dam has had a predictable-if-unfortunate effect: scaring insurers out of the market.

The Army Corps of Engineers has said that a weakened abutment on one side of the dam may force the corps to spill more water than usual to protect the weakened dam during the rainy season. (The dam itself is not believed to be at any risk for failure.) For homeowners and businesses in parts of the Green River Valley, that means a significantly higher risk of flooding.

What to do? First, contact an agent to get flood coverage under the National Flood Insurance Program, a federal plan with policies written by private insurers. And do it now. The coverage doesn't take effect until 30 days after the policy is written, and flood season starts Nov. 1.

As the Times noted, however, the situation is pretty bleak for many of the businesses downstream from the dam. The federal flood coverage only covers up to $500,000 for the building and $500,000 for contents. In the industry-heavy valley, some of the machinery alone could be worth more than that.

At this point -- with the fall rains starting -- the best option for businesses is to talk to their agents and brokers about finding "surplus lines" or "excess" coverage. This is a sector of the market that our office does not regulate. It will be hard to find coverage, and it now may be very expensive. One broker our office talked to yesterday saw a quote mushroom from $30,000 to $150,000. And a big complication is the fact that government flood-risk maps have apparently not yet been updated to account for the potential increased spillage from the dam. Worse, many non-government flood policies exclude a loss caused by an act of government.

There's one bit of good news. If you can find (and afford) the extra flood coverage, the policies typically do not have a 30-day waiting period like the federal coverage does.

But there's no avoiding the fact that it's a very tough situation for property owners below the dam. We cannot force insurers to cover a known risk. One surplus lines official I spoke to this morning compared the situation to someone standing beside a haystack with a match and asking if anyone wanted to write hay coverage. While that may be an exaggeration -- the risk of flooding below the dam is believed to be less than one in three -- it's clear that insurers are skittish about writing new policies in the area now.

Also, home- and business owners should try to mitigate the threat. Move key documents and computer equipment upstairs, if possible. If it's practical to raise machinery on a platform, consider that. And make contingency plans for how to keep the business running.

Also, King County is reportedly developing plans to try to steer floodwaters into parking lots, ballfields and agricultural land where possible, using a series of temporary levees.

A radio reporter asked me this morning if it was a mistake for Corps, state and local officials to repeatedly urge Green River Valley residents to buy flood coverage, seeing as how the insurance market has reacted. But given the alternative -- trying to hush up the risk for fear of spooking the market -- disclosure clearly seems like the best course. And some insurers were aware of the risk months ago. Mutual of Enumclaw, for example, sent out letters in mid-March urging its homeowners' policy holders to look into federal flood coverage.

Ways to Earn Money Online - 3 Methods of Creating a Thriving Internet Home Business

By Claire Mercer

Making money from home and creating financial freedom so that you can spend your time doing what you love is something most people dream about. This article will discuss 3 ways to earn money online which will allow you to create a profitable home internet business.

1. Decide on a Business Model: To create anything of value it is best to have a plan. In advance of starting an internet business, you should decide on a business model. You'll want to decide between creating your own website to sell products or sending traffic to an existing sales page that will pay you a commission if there is a sale. Is there a product of your own you wish to sell or should you just sell another person's product?

Although you can pocket all of the profit from your own product, if you have nothing in mind it might be easier to start by selling someone else's product and make a commission for the sale. Once you have established a business model, you can begin work on your home internet business. It is completely fine for your business model to change over time, meaning you can eventually create your own product and sell it at a later time. The important thing is to take action and not get stuck in the details.

2. Choose an Advertising Method: The next step after choosing a business model is to choose an advertising method. There are paid methods as well as free methods you can choose from and if you have a website, Google Adsense is also an option. Of course advertising offline is something you can do, but more often than not these efforts won't be necessary as the other three choices are more than enough.

When you advertise with pay-per-click or article marketing it is important to choose keywords that are related to your topic. This will ensure that you get the right kind of people visiting your site. If you send people to your website who are not interested in what you have to say or what you are selling your profits will go down. Google Adsense results will do the same since uninterested parties looking for what your website or articles are about will be less inclined to click them since they aren't about their interests. Although Google Adsense is not a way to get people to your website, it is a great way to earn some additional income after they are there.

3. Reinvest Your Business Profits: Each time your business makes a profit, you can build your business that much quicker by choosing to reinvest those profits back into your business. Although many people would love to take those profits and use them for practical purposes, or simply have a shopping spree, by reinvesting them you are ensuring the overall success of your business. You will be able to create a much more lucrative business by doing this one simple thing.

This third method is often the most difficult one for people to do. It is far too easy to take your money and run to the store with it, whether you are spending it on necessities or not, money is fun to spend. If you can control yourself and take your earnings, however small, and use them to pay for outsourcing or advertising, you will be surprised by the results. The growth will be much faster as you will be driving more traffic to your site or by outsourcing you'll be freeing up your time to work on different parts of your business.

In this article we visited 3 methods of creating a thriving internet business. When you decide on a business model, pick an advertising method and reinvest your profits, you will be able to earn money online. Each of these steps will help you work towards a goal each day of having a profitable online business that you can run from home.

The 3 techniques discussed above are the best steps you can follow to create a home business using the internet, but this is only the beginning...

Want to learn more?

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Some Quick Full Length Film Plot Summaries

By Tania Hinton

We have some film reviewed in the following paragraphs. If you want to download these movies do some searches to find what is out there. There are a lot of different phrases you can use, try "Download Full Length Movies", "Download Full Length Movies", or "Download Movie Online Rental".

Rebel: Tiresome, justifiably vague time tablet characterizing Stallone, pre-stardom, as a disassociated political extremist (a fascinating balance to Rambo). Cast includes Antony Page, Sylvester E. Stallone, Rebecca Dirties, and Henry G. Sanders. (112 minutes, 1974)

Me without You: Timid, tender Williams and un-tight, extroverted Friel have been best friends as long as they can remember, however as they come of age their kinship is compromised. Conceivably captivating girl friend film has some strainful minutes, but it doesn't quite gel. Cast includes Anna Friel, Michelle Williams, Oliver Milburn, Trudie Styler, Marianne Denicourt, Steve John Shepherd, Nicky Henson, Allan Corduner, Kyle MacLachlan, and Anna Popplewell. (107 minutes, 2001)

The Gorgeous Hussy: Megastars fill the cast in this fictionalized historical drama of Peggy O'Neal, President Andrew Jackson's secret lover. The cast is beautifully costumed in well assigned settings. The movie is based on the novel by Samuel Hopkins Joyce. Cast includes Joan Crawford, Robert Taylor, Lionel Barrymore, Franchot Tone, Melvyn Douglas, James Stewart, Alison Skipworth, Beulah Bondi, and Gene Lockhart. (102 minutes, 1936)

In for Treatment: Easy, pointed, commanding tale of a middle-aged mam who checks into a clinic for an examination although is seriously dying of cancer. He must handle a remote, maddeningly impersonal health center system. Hard to watch due to the subject, however still poignant and by no means maudlin. Cast includes Helmert Woudenberg, Frank Groothpf, and Marja Kok. (99 minutes, 1979)

Lost Command: Tgus film is a tight, well-made tale of French-Algerian guerrilla warfare in North Africa, with Quinn as the peasant who has risen to a position of request. Fine global cast, excellent direction, and some top notch action roles mix extremely well. Cast includes Anthony Quinn, Alain Delon, George Segal, Michele Morgan, Maurice Ronet, Claudia Cardinale, Gregoire Asian, and Jean Servais. (130 minutes, 1984)

Afurika Monogatari: Guide Sayer crashes his jet in wilds of Africa and comes upon a game conserve. Even old Jimmy is uninteresting. The movie was filmed in Kenya. Cast includes James Stewart, Philip Sayer, Kathy, Eleanora Vallone, and Heekura Simba. (120 minutes, 1981)

The Painted Veil: In 1925 London, a socially backward bacteriologist hastily solicits an appealing lady to wed him, and she concurs. While he sees that she's been cheating, he forces her to go along with him to a remote outpost in China where there's been an eruption of cholera. Albeit meant as punishment, this experience steadily changes and deepens their relation. Cast includes Naomi Watts, Edward Norton, Liev Schreiber, and Toby Jones. (125 minutes, 2006)

The Believer: Brutal evaluation of a yeshiva informed youthful guy in N.Y.C. who opts to become a neo-Nazi skinhead. Gosling gives a stellar performance as a Jew (loosely based on truth) whose rationale is controversial however whose desire is genuine. Cast includes Ryan Gosling, Summer Phoenix, Billy Zane, Theresa Russell, Glenn Fitzgerald, Ronald Guttman, and Henry Bean. (98 minutes, 2002)

Commandos: Stereotype-filled war drama with typical structure; Italian commandos, led by a few stalwart Americans, need to secure a vital retreat in the North African desert before Allied landings. Cast includes Lee Van Cleef, Jack Kelly, Giampiero Albertini, Marino Marie, Pierre Paulo Capponi, and Duilio Del Prete. (89 minutes, 1964)

Did you find something good to see? Remember to use search terms like "Download Full Length Movie" and "Online Video Rentals" when looking for movie sites. If neither of those work use "Music Services".

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Points To Consider When Buying Full HD TV

By Robbie Densmore

Ask anybody in the world who knows about televisions which one is the best. They will all tell you the same thing without hesitation or stutter. The best TV out there today is the full high definition television. Also known as the full HD TV. It does however have a couple more names and these are always being added upon. All these other names agree too that the full high definition TV is the best. It is the true high definition TV.

The difference between the high definition television and the full high definition TV is very huge. The high definition TV uses digital high definition broadcasting system at a high resolution. This high definition is achieved by the increased number of horizontal lines used to form the image. The highest resolution high definition TV has a resolution of 1080i. The full high definition TV has almost double that of the high definition TV.

Being of higher quality the full high definition TV will therefore come at a different price too. The high definition TV's start from anywhere around three hundred and fifty dollars and go up to about five thousand dollars. The full high definition TV is priced at almost double this price. If you ask me though I think it is very worth it. Some may say they would rather wait for the prices to come down but this will take quite a while.

If you want to experience the maximum video sharpness of the full hd TV then you will know that size really does matter. If you compare a full high definition TV that is less than forty two inches with a hd TV you will almost not notice a difference. If you therefore intend to buy a full hd TV then you better do it big.

There are very many different brands offering a variety of full high definition TVs. There are those which however manage to corner the market and dominate it because of their features and quality. One of the leading full high definition TV brands is the Sony bravia. It has managed to identify and capture its consumer market.

As the full high definition TVs' work on such a high resolution, media manufactures had to adjust to this. Now the DVD's and discs are all in high resolution formats. Otherwise the full high definition TV would be able to show high resolution but would have no high resolution media to play. They therefore now have the HD DVD and the blue-ray disc for them. These come with the movies and games in high resolution formats of 720p to 1080.

The hardest part of choosing a full high definition TV over, the next thing is the screen type. They come in two distinct types. The first one is the plasma screen and the other is the LCD screen. As per my research the LCD screen is ideal for multimedia entertainment. It is also easy to fit into any environment around the house without a hustle of glare or lighting.

The full high definition TV will then only be left to choose by smaller considerations. One of these is the viewing distance in your house. Some of them are meant to be watched from a far to get the highest quality experience.

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Affiliate Marketing Is One Of The Most Cost Effective Ways To Advertise

By Matt P. Jacobsen

Affiliate programs have become very popular. This is a way for Internet Marketers to promote their products by providing affiliates with traffic generating promotional tools. Affiliates earn commissions by placing text links and banner ads on their website to drive traffic to the sales page of the advertiser. The promoter pays commissions to the affiliate for driving traffic and making sales. Its as simple as that, or so it seems.

Affiliate marketing can be very challenging at times. You can waste a lot of time and money unless you use some of the latest information. The objective of this article is to provide you with the most updated techniques for successful affiliate marketing.

Following are the reasons why Internet Marketers prefer to use affiliate programs to promote products and services online.

1. Saves money

Many are scared to go on a home based business because of the capital required. In affiliate marketing, you don't have to spend much to start raking in moolah.

2. No inventory

Product management fuss could be very stressing. An inventory is not asked to be maintained. The merchant does the maintenance required.

3. Income potential is unlimited.

In a typical employment situation your income is determined by the hours and the days that you work. With affiliate marketing your income is determined by the traffic that is sent to your site. Once you set up your ad copy and affiliate links the passive income generated is potentially unlimited. While not every program provides an unlimited income, the possibilities for success are still limitless if the right techniques are applied.

4. Go worldwide

As an affiliate you are free to promote products across the globe. The whole world is your marketplace. With the right niche products and the right affiliate program your website gets international exposure.

5. Very limited risk

One of the biggest reasons affiliate marketing is so attractive is the low risk involved. With very little or no start up costs anyone can get started with earning a passive income.

6. No closing time

The whole wide world is your market place. Products and services are available around the clock. You drive traffic to sites using a the tools provided by the merchant. That's affiliate marketing.

But all of these will be put to waste if you don't have the right niche product and all the other important tools to make it big in affiliate marketing, i.e., well-SEO-ed website. So better work on this first before ever considering those benefits.

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Monday, September 28, 2009

Work from Home Online: Hot Tips; Discover How To Get Paid While Learning!

By David Lloyd



These days, a work from home online business will offer more benefits to the online business owners. Now these business owners can exhibit their products and services among the worldwide audiences. Product promotion on the global screen seems to be becoming every businessman's desire. An online business exactly supporting this notion in a great way. Once you announce an online business, you are allowed to do business across the globe. In this way, you can generate a huge customer periphery as well as can increase the sales rate for your services and products. Best of all, you will draw the benefit of having full control of your time, so that you can accomplish other business tasks conveniently.

Well, the answer is right here! The Work from home online businesses are offering enough good reasons for people that want to move out from the daily hectic schedules of the office, and in the meantime, desire to generate more revenue. With the desire and persistence, you can get paid while you learn.

In this regard, you can get some effective thoughts right here! Work from home online business is effective for those people that seek for a chance to get rid of hectic official schedules and at the meantime they can look for some effective methods to gain more money. The value of learning while getting paid is priceless, and you can exploit it.

With work from home online business opportunity you can work at your own time. Online businesses are always good to draw more business related advantages. Other business formats bring you a limited amount of benefits at a time. You will be allowed to promote your product on the global screen, you can make more money, and you can make your own schedule to work. These are some of the prime benefits that an online business owner can draw. Your business process will remain open for trading 24 hours in a day and seven days in the week. Customer can access your products and services throughout the year.

With the help of the Internet, you can generate a huge customer base. Market for your business will become much wider. Such scenario can bring you a great opportunity to reach customers that are located far beyond, and to your existing business community. With a work from home online business you set the time you must punch the clock, if you want to take your spouse to breakfast one morning you can.

Accessing such a big marketplace will enhance your chances for a larger market share. Then, at the same time you can aim at different business objectives. When you are able to promote your services or products across the globe, the work from home online business opportunity you deal in will gain many financial rewards.

Once you get involved in work from home online business you are not only going to expand your business periphery, but also you can draw much-required business related information. In this way, you can learn new business strategies quickly.

Most of the beginners in a work from home online business prefers to have a niche product. If you are a niche type person you will evolve as an expert in your business circle through the daily experiences. On the other hand, if on a broad scope, then you will start to learn lots of things in business related to industry fundamentals. No matter what sort of business you will select, work from home online business will bring you enough diversity to learn new things. You will be testing yourself every day. We all know knowable is power and power will lead to wealth.

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A Sampling Of Quick Hollywood Movie Plot Lines To Go Over

By Danny Mitchell

In the past you had to go to a store if you wanted to rent or buy a movie. These days you can stay at home and get movies from a movie download site. Let's look at what you might find to watch using a movie download site.

Rich Girl: Incredibly gentle time filler in reference to "meager little rich gal" Schoelen leaving her life of comfort in her daddy's Bel-Air mansion and trying to make it on her own, ultimately hooking up with a blue-collar rock singer. Cast includes Jill Schoelen, Don Michael Paul, Sean Kanan, Ron Karabatsos, and Paul Gleason. (96 minutes, 1991)

The Truman Show: Truman Burbank starts to get a strange feeling. He can't quite explain it, but something just isn't right. It turns out that Truman is right. In fact everyone else in town is an actor, and every day is The Truman Show.

The Stepford Wives: An up to date remake of the 1975 film of the same name. The town of Stepford, on first look, seems like the perfect place. Everything in Stepford seems perfect. Newcomers to Stepford Joanne and Bobbie are starting to wonder what is going on. Will they figure it out before it is too late?

Alaska: Adolescent venture on a grand scale, as a brother and sister take off looking for their dad and his downed plane. Structured like an old B movie melodrama, however implemented with conviction contrary to magnificent, snowy landscape and characterizing an irresistible polar bear who befriends the youngsters. Heston, whose child prompted the drama, plays a mean, cunning old man. Cast includes Thora Birch, Vincent Kartheiser, Dirk Benedict, Charlton Heston, Duncan Fraser, and Gordon Tootoosis. (110 minutes, 1996)

Marjorie Morningstar: Wood is only satisfactory as Herman Wouk's heroine in this story of a N.Y.C. gal striving for greatness although ending up a suburban housewife, with Kelly being her summer romance. Cast includes Gene Kelly, Natalie Wood, Claire Trevor, Ed Wynn, Everett Sloane, Carolyn Jones, Martin Milner, Martin Balsam, and Ruta Lee. (123 minutes, 1958)

Hollow Man: Sebastian Caine is working on a top-secret assignment for the U.S. government. He is trying to unlock the keys to human invisibility. After succeeding on laboratory animals, he can't resist, and takes the serum himself. He becomes irreversibly invisible, and feels threatened by those trying to cure him.

Downhill: This film charts a gentleman's spiritual skid, beginning while, as a schoolboy, he is disowned by his family after an indiscretion with a gal, and later as an adult while his spouse wastes away his inheritance. Lesser Hitchcock film still shows the master's visual ability. Cast includes Ivor Novello, Ben Webster, Robin Irvine, Sybil Rhoda, Lillian Braithwaite, Isabel Pants, and Ian Hunter. (95 minutes, 1927)

On Guard: A loyal swordsman saves a child princess from the evil grasp of her malevolent opponent. The toddler's dad was also the swordsman's mentor. A deliciously old-styled popcorn film that is full of action and set in the France of Louis XIV. Cast includes Daniel Auteuil, Fabrice Luchini, Vincent Perez, Marie Gillain, Yann Collette, Didier Pang, and Philippe Noiret. (128 minutes, 1997)

House on 92nd Street: Arousing documentary style drama-based movie. It's about truth and orchestrated on true locations about FBI counterespionage exercises throughout WW2: Nazi representatives, operating in N.Y.C. try to steal part of the atom bomb secrets. Charles G. Booth made an Oscar for this story. Cast includes William Eythe, Lloyd Nolan, Signe Hasso, Gene Lockhart, Leo G. Carroll, and Lydia Clair. (88 minutes, 1945)

To find downloads for music or games, try phrases like "Online Movie Rentals". If that phrase gets you nowhere, try another phrase. To get new search results type in "Downloadable Movies Online".

About the Author:

Why Do You Have To Have Ad Tracking?

By Anne Torres

If you're running online ads, you know how important it is to track them. In fact, it is crucial that you know exactly what these ads are doing for you. Ad tracking makes you aware of the source of your traffic. Otherwise, you'll never be able to gauge just how much your campaign has been doing for you, if, at all, it is doing anything for you to reach your goals. When you track your ads, you are also given an opportunity to compute your ROI or return of investment.

Being devoted about your business is fine but you have to make sure that you don't just leave your ads there. You have to be aware of how much exactly you campaign is giving back to your business and make sure it is revenue and not a loss. This is even more important when you run numerous campaigns. Fact is, you need to know exactly where you money is going to and unless you do, everything could go up in smoke and you'll simply be sitting in a corner helplessly wondering how it all happened.

Needing a tracker is inevitable if you want quality work. If you already have a tracker but has an imperfect capacity, you are just wasting your precious time with it. What you want is something that gives you meaningful results, meaning, ad tracking that will actually make a difference when it's time for you to make those all-important marketing decisions. This is especially true when you have a multi-media campaign. With a reliable ad tracking system in place, you can monitor all of your products or services which you promote through each of the marketing strategies that you are using.

Just search the Internet and you will immediately find a list of ad tracking service providers or software. What you must think about when choosing which of these to go with is control and flexibility.

You will need a system that will give you all the chances and all the opportunities that will give you the capacity to track your ads that can help your business This means you should be able to have as many trackers set up as needed. You should also be able to monitor your expenses in order for your ROI to be easily determinable for each of your campaigns.

When you do use a lot of trackers for the many ads you're tracking, you should be able to have simultaneous access for those ads so you would know which ones are actually working and which need to be improved. While this may sound very theoretical, this is in fact the point when you are best poised to make your business perform better because only when you know how many people are coming to you, from where they are and for what particular reasons will you be able to really give them what they want. This is, of course, your only route to customer satisfaction and, absolutely, enormous sales!

About the Author:

Easy And Free Network Marketing Leads With Article Marketing

By Kurt Henninger

Often, when brand new distributors begin working their business online, they are first inclined to find out how to get free network marketing leads from the internet. However, there is a lot of confusion around the subject and methods that both work and those that aren't worth pursing.

You see, tons of self-proclaimed "gurus" go and and on about their own particular methods of generating free network marketing leads, with tools like video publication, social media networking and forum participation.

But, when you really look at it, there is one technique of generating free network marketing leads that has been working for years and continues to do so, article marketing. Now, when coupled with different tools and procedures it has become doubly powerful.

An excellent way to use article marketing in order to get free network marketing leads is to fully use the resource box on articles. These include links that lead back to wherever you wish, your main website, a squeeze page, or to a blog and is an excellent way to get links back to your web pages.

In addition, website owners who are hungry to content often go to article directories to use your content for use on their own webpages. That is even the original purpose with article directories. But, when they do go and use your articles, they will go ahead and use the resource box that you provide, along with the rest of the article. The links that you provide go along with it, all pointing back to your website, helping you get more free network marketing leads.

More and more your content gets picked up, your links in the resource box go all over the internet, this generates backlinks to your web pages. This in turn makes your own content look like its more relevant to search engines like Google, Yahoo and Bing. This helps you in your effort to get free network marketing leads.

A very unique and new twist to this is combining article marketing and social media marketing to help get free network marketing leads. One excellent example is when a particular webpage owner too one of my articles to publish on his own website. Then he went ahead and used Twitter to get traffic to his site, and in particular the article of mine he had taken from an article directory. Picture another website owner using social media to get traffic to your own content on his site, with links back to your content, increasing their popularity in the search engines.

That is the power of using articles to get free network marketing leads today. The combination of several different mediums, and even other people to help propogate your content all over the internet.

To learn even more ways to help you generate free network marketing leads, read below and click on the link for more information.

About the Author:

Friday, September 25, 2009

WA insurance commissioner re: weakened King County dam: Buy flood coverage now

With fall rainy season fast approaching in the Pacific Northwest, Washington state Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler is urging insurers to get the word out about flood coverage for homeowners downstream from a weakened dam.

State and local officials are concerned about the Howard Hanson Dam, where a weakened abutment may require the Army Corps of Engineers to release more water than usual. The dam itself is not believed to be at risk for failure, but the need to keep the pool behind the dam low heightens the risk of flooding downstream in the heavily developed Green River Valley. That includes parts of the Washington cities Auburn, Kent, Renton and Tukwila.

"If there's any good news in all of this, it's that we still have time to take measures to prevent and mitigate problems before the storms hit," Kreidler said in the letter. He said "every homeowner in the Green River Valley should have this important coverage."

He wants them to tell their customers in the area about the National Flood Insurance Program. (That federal site includes a "one-step flood risk profile" in which you can type in your address and instantly see the property's flood risk, examples of premiums, and a list of local agents participating in the program.)

Kreidler said that flood insurance doesn't take effect until 30 days after a policy is written. With the flood season beginning Nov. 1, he said, it's critical for people to act quickly.

For homeowners, Kreidler's also recommending:
-considering installing a sewer backflow valve to prevent sewer drain lines from backing up into the house,
-documenting home contents with photos or a video,
-moving important papers upstairs, and ideally making copies and storing those off-site,
-and planning for evacuation, including an easily portable cache of medicine, food, flashlight, key papers, radio, toiletries and pet- and baby supplies.

Wednesday, September 23, 2009

Noninfectious Reasons to get Health Insurance for the Family Cat

Many people do not think of buying health insurance pet the family cat, simply because it seems as if the cats are sick. Concern veterinary cat owners are more concerned about what will happen if their family cat is hit by a passing car. Cat owners who keep their cats at home are not even worry. The truth is that there are many health problems that can cause the family cat to the vet may need to visit family and most of them are expensive. On rare occasions, cat owners are faced with a bill that want control of emergency that had purchased a policy of health care for their pet cat.

When humans think cats allergies they automatically assume we are talking about people who are allergic to cat dander what you do not realize is that cats can have all the allergies that can plague them for the rest of their lives. Some cats suffer from inhalant allergies, these allergies are caused by inhalant allergens are airborne particles that irritate the respiratory system. Inhalant allergies are often obvious cases of asthma, as symptoms. Some cats suffer from inhalant allergies will also have skin lesions and hair loss. Dusty kitty litters, pollen, perfumes, cleaning sprays, deodorants, dust and smoke are all things that your family cat might be allergic a.

A second type of allergy to cat allergies are asked to contact allergies are caused by physical contact with a substance that causes a physical reaction (often hives, swelling and / or hair loss). Contact allergens cat house could be exposed are plants, carpet fresheners / cleaners, detergents, dust, synthetic fibers, wool fibers, a flap of skin medicated crams, and ink.

If your cat has any kind of allergies are not treated with an over-the-counter anti-allergy medications without the advice of the veterinarian. Some cats require veterinary treatment for anal gland problems. Anal glands are glands are small glands in the anal sphincter muscle. Sometimes these glands become, struck, wounded, or infected and require veterinary care.

Veterinarians say that most cat constipation is caused by a ball of fur that is connected to the system of the cat. If the hairball is very large your veterinarian may need to perform immediate surgery to remove it. Like their human owners some cats suffering from diseases of the liver and kidneys. Liver and renal disease is more common in older cats, although some younger cats suffering from diseases of the liver that can be caused by parasites, medications, infections, cancers, and toxins. Blood tests are usually necessary for accurate diagnosis of liver or kidney disease.

A potentially lethal inflammation of the pancreas is called panaceatitis. Pancreatitis can be caused by infections, shock, infection, trauma, and / or metabolic disorders. Cats pain usually have pancreatitis have abdominal discomfort, fever, heart rate high. If you suspect that your cat is suffering from pancreatitis, try holding the food and push the water spiked with electrolytes. The veterinarian should be consulted immediately.
Pancreatitis is often associated with diabetes.

A Comparison of Five Pet Health Insurance Plans

No matter if you have already decided to purchase health insurance for the company of family or if you simply. When comparing the quote of a quote health insurance that another remember that the base doller amount is not the only number you need to consider. In addition to the monthly payment be sure to also check exactly what type of veterinary care and treatments are covered (some basic insurance plans do not include cancer treatment), what kind of deductible you, the owner must pay c 'is an annual limit for medical expenses, and what kind of discounts are available.
At the moment there are only a handful of companies offering health insurance company. Five of the company's most popular animals are Best Pet Insurance, Veterinary Pet Insurance, ShelterCare, Pets Health and PetCare.
An insurance plan through Pets Best Pet Insurance will cost approximately $ 32.00 per month ($ 384.00 per year). Best cover pet sterilization provided that the owner PET purchases a plan for further prosperity. Pets Best does not cover pre-existing medical conditions have a pet so its best to ensure their early years of life before problems develop. Pets Best has a lifetime limit of $ 99,750 U.S. dollars per animal. Pets Best health insurance plans come with $ 75.00 deductible. Multiple pet discounts are available. Pet's Best health insurance company covers cancer.
Veterinary Pet Insurance is a company that offers a pet owner $ 14,000 cap on an insurance plan for years, which costs only about $ 20.00 dollars a month. Veterinary Pet Insurance offers plans with a deductible $ 50.00 (after the deduction that pay ninety per cent of the bill) on plans that include pet sterilization and cancer coverage. Veterinary Pet Insurance does not accept pre-existing conditions and does not offer multi-pet discounts.
ShelterCare is an insurance company that the owners of pets cost about $ 29.95. $ 29.95 for that there is absolutely no deductible and cancer treatments are covered. ShelterCare not pay for pet sterilization nor will cover any pre-existing conditions. ShelterCare has no benefit cap. ShelterCare offers premium discounts for multi-pet plans, medical service, and micro-chip.
Policy pet health insurance through the insurance company PetsHealth will cost the owner approximately $ 37.17 per month. PetsHealth covers 80% of pets vet bill after the $ 100.00 doller deductible is paid. PetsHealth has a cap doller $ 13,000 per year. PetHealth not insure pre-existing conditions after ninety days. Multi-pet discounts are available through PetHealth. PetsHealth not offer health insurance company plans that cover cancer a case by case basis.
PetCare is a company of pet health insurance that estimates the average cost of a policy for a pet is $ 29.95 per month. This plan includes a fifty doller deductible. While PetCare is happy to cover the cost of your pet's cancer treatments, will not pay for any pre-existing conditions or that pay for pet sterilization. PetCare offers discounts for plans of pets and medical care.
None of the estimated monthly prices for these insurance companies include additional insurance riders.
One or all of these companies may change their policies between now and the time at which the purchase of a plan of health insurance company.
Remember to read the fine print before you sign for a plan of pet health insurance.
All five of these companies pet health insurance have their own websites where you can go to get up to date pet health insurance quotes.
There are other pet health insurance companies with different prices, discounts, conditions, and benefits if caps are not satisfied with the previous five comparisons.

Tuesday, September 22, 2009

California and Missouri companies ordered to stop selling unauthorized insurance in WA

The Washington state Office of the Insurance Commissioner today ordered companies in California and Missouri to immediately stop selling unauthorized insurance in Washington state.

Claims & Benefit Management, of Chino, Calif. and the Association for Lifestyle Reform, a Missouri corporation, were ordered "to immediately cease and desist" from:

-Engaging in unauthorized insurance business in Washington, including collecting premiums and advertising,
-and soliciting insurance business in the state.

The order, issued Tuesday, also included Brad Wessler, a California resident who owns both companies. Wessler was also named in similar orders last year in Utah and in Colorado.

Investigators at the Washington state Office of the Insurance Commissioner found that the companies were selling insurance and medical care discount cards in the state. Neither the companies nor Wessler were authorized to act as an insurer or health care service contractor in Washington.

The companies, according to the order, are believed to have used misleading "fax blasts" of unsolicited faxes touting "affordable health care" and $10 doctor visits. The company is also believed to have required customers to provide bank account or credit card information for automatic withdrawals "and then refused or delayed making refunds" when consumers complained.

Tuesday's cease-and-desist order also orders Wessler and his companies to provide a list of all Washington customers and to report any premiums paid.
The companies must also notify all Washington customers of the order and, upon the insured person's request, replace any unauthorized insurance with coverage issued by an authorized insurer.

The cease-and-desist order is posted on the insurance commissioner's website.

Which insurers trigger the most complaints?

Or the least?

Washington's state insurance commissioner's office has built an online tool that allows you to easily compare complaint rates by insurer.

The results include a "complaint index," which compares the number of complaints to the  company's market share. You can also compare the complaint rate based on the total premiums charged here in Washington. The data's broken down by insurance type: auto, homeowners and health. We've got four years' worth of data built into the site (calendar years 2005-2008), so you can also look at who's improving or getting worse.

Inevitably, of course, there's a caveat: Be sure to also look at the total number of complaints. For insurers with a very small number of policies here, even a single can push the complaint index quite high.

Click here to go to the "Complaint Comparison Tool."

Monday, September 21, 2009

Insurance mandates: Would relaxing the number of required health-insurance benefits make coverage dramatically cheaper?

Probably not, according to Washington state's top insurance official. A Q&A published this weekend by The (Vancouver) Columbian includes this exchange:

Some Republican legislators argue that the mandates the state imposes on insurance companies drive many companies away. Does Washington impose an unusually high number of mandates compared with other states?
Kreidler: That depends on how you define mandates. If you look at the ones that cover specific benefits such as cancer screenings, I think our number is fairly consistent with what you see in most states.
We don't allow insurance companies to effectively determine your premium by your health status. Medical underwriting is prohibited for insurers in the small-group market and the individual market. My guess is, the insurance companies consider that a mandate.
If Washington eliminated all the mandates, how much would it save?
Kreidler: The best estimates are about 3 percent.

Washington state mandates 14 health benefits (like diabetes coverage, colorectal cancer exams, mental health parity and mammograms), 10 mandates related to access for specific types of providers (chiropractic care, podiatrists, psychological services) and several coverage requirements (like coverage for dependent children). Insurers must also offer -- although employers don't have to buy -- coverage for things like hospice care and temporomandibular joint disorder.

There are also 11 federal mandates, some of which overlap with Washington's state requirements.

Click here for a detailed description of these mandates and what they mean.

Kreidler on health-insurance reform: "We cannot afford to fail again"

Washington state Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler, in an op-ed piece in today's Seattle Times, writes:

Every day, desperate people seek help from my office.

One woman lost her job and health coverage, only to discover her husband needed a critical operation. Another couple, both 62, struggle to pay $1,400 a month. And a retired couple is trying to help their uninsured son — a heart-transplant recipient — pay $2,000 a month for medication.
Good, affordable health insurance eludes more and more of us. Many people are only one accident or serious illness away from bankruptcy. And even many of those with good coverage know it may not be there tomorrow. Across the country, this anxiety hangs over workers' and families' heads.
I had a front-row seat during the last major attempt at reform. Sixteen years ago, I was a congressman on a key House health subcommittee. We failed then. We cannot afford to fail again.

Sunday, September 20, 2009

Insurance for Your Retirement

If you are like me, it’s easy to get fed up with constantly paying insurance premiums. Writing a monthly check for car insurance alone will drive you crazy. Not to mention the direct withdrawals from your paycheck for health insurance and the hit to your mortgage for home owners insurance and you have a lot of money going out the window to pay for disasters that might not even happen.

But if those disasters do happen, you will be very glad you had insurance. But there is one big life event that is coming that you want to do all you can to prepare for financially and that is old age and retirement. While there is no “old age insurance”, you will find as you do your retirement planning that there are some very valuable insurance policies that are absolutely critical to a retirement life that is enjoyable, safe and prepared for.

We may or may not think of life insurance as part of retirement planning. After all, the benefits of life insurance, at least on the surface are for those who survive you after your death which doesn’t do you a lot of good when you are living and breathing. But you can invest in life insurance that also serves as a long term investment as well. These policies which are sometimes called “whole life” allow the funds you put in to be invested and to build a cash value that you can cash in on when you retire.

So you may want to carry $100,000 insurance when you are in the working world, paying a mortgage and trying to get the kids through college. But if you can then hit retirement, cash in on the investment value of that insurance and spend your golden years with just enough insurance to cover some protection for your spouse and funeral expenses, that is a better way to organize your insurance programs.

Another layer of insurance that a lot of people are taking advantage of is Medicare supplement insurance. Medicare is a great program that benefits a lot of people. But Medicare can only go so far. Those corny commercials for Medicare supplement insurance are goofy but they are on target that you need to have another safety net in the event you find yourself needing more extensive medical coverage than Medicare can provide. If you took the time to set up this kind of insurance early in your retirement planning, it will pay you big time when the need is there during your golden years.

A level of insurance that can be one of the biggest blessings if you become ill in your elderly years is in home health care insurance. Many times illnesses that you endure due to old age are not the kind of thing you would want to get through in an expensive hospital room. You will recover more quickly in your home but you still need someone to make sure you get your medications, take care of the little life details that you cannot tend to when you are poorly and be there if you take a turn for the worst.

This is where the care of an in home nursing service can be so valuable. This insurance can enable you to have care with you right in your home which will give you the care you need and take a lot of worry and work off of your family. And since all senior citizens need medical care at some point in their retirement life, in home health care insurance is a must.

By setting up these different specialized insurance policies early enough in your working life, you can get some value into them when the time comes for you to retire. Then you can you enter retirement with confidence knowing you have policies with reliable insurance providers to take care of the needs that you expect to come up during your golden years.

Thursday, September 17, 2009

Cease-and-desist order issued in bogus insurance case

The Washington state insurance commissioner's office has ordered a former insurance agent to immediately stop selling what are apparently fake insurance policies.

Brenda L. MacLaren-Beattie and The MacLaren Group have been told to immediately cease and desist from:

-transacting the unauthorized business of insurance in Washington,

-acting or holding herself out to be a Washington insurance agent or broker,

-trying to sell Washingtonians any product requiring an insurance license.

MacLaren-Beattie had an insurance agent’s license in Washington until March 12, 2009. She had been licensed in this state since Aug. 25, 1997. The license has expired and will not be renewed due to MacLaren-Beattie’s admitted acceptance of premium payments without actually obtaining the insurance.

The state's Office of the Insurance Commissioner is investigating eight such complaints against MacLaren-Beattie. All are from dentists or oral surgeons who thought they had purchased business coverage from her.

Our office, which served a search warrant Tuesday on MacLaren-Beattie’s office in Des Moines, is investigating. We are also notifying businesses whom we believe to have been victims.

Note: The company named in the order, The MacLaren Group, is NOT related to companies by the same name in Canada and the United Kingdom. MacLaren-Beattie’s company is headquartered in her home in Des Moines, Wash.

A copy of the order is posted here.

Friday, September 11, 2009

Small business insurance tips, from startup in-home daycares to established businesses

Own a small business? Starting one? The Washington state Office of the Insurance Commissioner has come up with a list of tips: what to think about, look for, and beware when shopping for insurance to protect your business.

The advice is geared toward a range of businesses, from someone running a child care business out of their home to larger businesses worried about data theft, vehicle fleets and supplier interruptions. And we start with the basics, like how to choose a good agent or broker. If you've got follow-up questions, we've got a toll-free hotline that doesn't send you to some endless phone tree and recordings. It's staffed, live, by real people who are experts at handling insurance questions.

And remember: We're not trying to sell you anything. We're not insurers, or part of the insurance industry. We're the Washington state government agency that regulates, licenses and disciplines agents, brokers and insurers, as well as those selling insurance illegally.

Click here for the agency's "Small Business Insurance 101" tips.

Thursday, September 10, 2009

Group Health Insurance

It seems that one of the hot topics in the news for the past several years is the changing of corporate America. There have been many changes in the economy and with the changes have come cut backs as well as corporate down sizing. Many people are finding themselves in unemployment situations as well as huge changes in life style. For the people in upper level jobs they can fall back on savings, stock investments and their education, however for the laborer this is a time of crisis.

Many people would be able to make ends meet on a lower end salary, except for the cost of health insurance. There are also many people that would be willing to take an early retirement; however they need to continue to work to take advantage of group health insurance. The high cost of medical care adds to the crisis that many people find themselves in financially. Group health insurance is a benefit that people no longer take for granted when looking for employment. There are many talented people that would like to work for small business owners; however they cannot afford the premiums for health care coverage. For small business owners the cost of providing employees with group health insurance is putting them out of business.

There are many countries’s that have socialized medicine. The national coverage does take away some choices from the patient, however having everyone insured does take away the passed on cost of the uninsured or underinsured which adds to the costs in our country. The large insurance companies are dictating the type and amount of coverage the average person has, so this does not seem that different than a nationalized system. Many Americans are becoming more and more angry with the insurance companies making huge profits every year as they watch their pay checks dwindle from the premiums that they have to pay for group health insurance or individual coverage. This also affects seniors that need to have a supplemental policy to cover the costs that medicare does not cover. This crisis of lack of medical coverage in the most powerful nation in the world is ridicules. Our nation needs to address the high cost of group health insurance in the very near future. Having people go with out medical attention and having to utilize emergency room medical services only add to the cost of the medical care in our country. People should not have to go without medical services because they cannot afford them.

State officials urge insurers to prepare for swine flu

Washington state insurance and health officials are urging health insurers to ensure that as many state residents as possible have access to H1N1 (swine flu) vaccine and treatment.

"So far, this flu has proven less virulent than initially feared," said Washington Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler. "But we want insurers to be fully prepared for what looks to be a challenging flu season."

The H1N1 vaccine is expected to be available in October, with children and pregnant women among the first to recieve it, Washington Secretary of Health Mary Selecky said.

H1N1 influenza A first hit Washington state last spring. About 160 people in the state have been hospitalized so far, and 14 have died from the virus.

In a letter sent out to insurers this week, Kreidler and Selecky ask insurers to do several things:

-optimize coverage for both the swine flu and regular seasonal flu vaccine, including quickly paying health-care providers and reimbursing claims.
-tell people they cover where and how to get vaccinated.
-augment drug coverage to ensure access to the flu-fighting drugs Tamiflu and Relenza.

The Washington state letter is similar to one sent out recently by Kansas insurance and health officials, who urged similar steps.

Friday, September 4, 2009

Health care rally in Seattle reportedly draws thousands...

Washington state political blogger David Goldstein reports that 3,000 people showed up Thursday in Seattle's Westlake Park to call for "strong pro-health care reform."

Goldstein's post also links to this YouTube video with excerpts from the event.

Tuesday, September 1, 2009

Insurance tips for small business

Almost anyone starting a business quickly discovers that they're adrift in a sea of paperwork. You have to register the company, perhaps form an LLC, keep the books, pay taxes, handle employee documents, and much more.

Like it or not, insurance is an important part of that list. To get started, here are some business insurance tips, from the Washington State insurance commissioner's office:

  • Understand the risks to your business. How would a severe storm affect you? Records theft? An accident involving a delivery truck? Supplier disruptions? Insurance lets you transfer risk to an insurer in exchange for paying a premium.
  • Choose an agent or broker. What's the difference? Agents represent one or more insurers. The companies pay them a sales commission. Brokers, on the other hand, typically charge a fee to represent you in the marketplace.
          How to choose? First, talk to other small business owners about their experiences with insurers. Then interview several agents or brokers. Compare the costs of equivalent coverage. And ask how premiums have increased over the past five years.

          Whomever you pick, it's very important that he or she act as your representative to the insurance company. They should understand your business as well as insurers' claims- and rating processes.

          Also:
  • If you offer health coverage to workers, take advantage of the tax benefits to your company. Businesses can generally deduct 100 percent of the premiums they pay to qualifying health plans. Also, consider joining an association to get a group rate on coverage for your employees.
Want more specifics?

-Here's a look at buying and coverage options. If you have a daycare, do you need commercial coverage, or can you add coverage to your homeowners' policy? Click here for more on topics like that.

-And here's a small-business-oriented site set up by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners, which represents the state officials who regulate insurance companies.