About ULIP

The expensive cover policy.

A few decades back, only money back and endowment policies used to be sold by LIC agents. The enterance of new private insurers marked the regime of new unique policies that suited individual needs. Now-a-days, except for LIC all other companies are busy selling ULIP's. Unit Linked Insurance plans as provide you with a cover along with the benefit of enhanced returns on the principal. Lets have a look at the features of this policy:

1. One can invest a fixed amount monthly, quarterly, semi-annually or annually.

2. Amount saved in a ULIP plan (net of charges) is invested at the applicable Net Asset Value (N.A.V) and denoted in units.

3. Every month a certain amount goes towards charges like the fund management charge or premium allocation charge and so on.

4. The cover provided is generally 5 to 10 times of annual premium.

5. The investor has to choose from a range of sub-options or plans provided by the company. For example a risk averse person can opt for a Protector type fund where 90 to 100 % of the investment is made in Gilts and Money market instruments which are risk free. Similarly an investor with a greater risk appetite can invest in Aggressive fund where 60 to 100% will be invested in equity and equity related instruments.

6. The term of the policy can be between 3 to 60 years with minimum and maximum age at entry and exit differing from policy to policy.

7. Different types of bonuses are declared during the term and on maturity of the policy that either increases the fund value or additional units are added to the policy.

8. You can opt for a single premium or regular premium ULIP plans.

9. In case of death of the investor during the term the company pays out the fund value + bonuses (if applicable) or the Sum Assured (cover) or both. This too differs from policy to policy.

10. Tax benefit u/s 80C for premiums paid upto Rs. 1 lakh p.a. Also surrender value or maturity benefit is exempt from taxes.

11. One can surrender the policy after three years of policy existence and can redeem the fund value as on that date.

Samir Kunvaria

Directors and Officers Liability - Bleak Days For Directors and Officers

In a June 18th webinar sponsored by Zurich Financial Services in London, a forum was held to discuss director and officer liability exposures.

These are bleak days for corporate directors and officers.

In 2008 there were over 150,000 insolvencies in Western Europe alone. In the first quarter of 2009, the United States had over 5,000 corporate insolvencies. Mario Vitale, CEO of Zurich's Global Corporate Division, predicts over 62,000 American corporate insolvencies for 2009, an increase of over 56% from the previous year. And the bankruptcies are not limited to the financial sector. They are widely spread over every type of business.

Vitale asserts that there is a direct relationship between corporate insolvencies and lawsuits filed against corporate directors and officers. In one American court jurisdiction alone, considering all the public company bankruptcies filed in 2008, 77% had a class action lawsuit filed against them.

One of the other daunting challenges to today's corporate officer or director are the massive changes that have occurred in securities law. The Securities and Exchange Commission is holding officers criminally responsible for what they say regarding the financial health of their companies, including the information in their annual reports and financial statements.

Today's economic uncertainties are dangerous for corporations. They must consider:

- Whether their line of credit is secure
- Whether their bank, who issues the line of credit, is financially healthy
- The financial health of the companies in their supply chain
- The financial health of their customers. Can they pay their invoices?

So, for public corporations seeking investors, what can they tell prospective investors about the financial health of their company when the future cannot be accurately forecast in any substantive way?

What you can be absolutely certain about is when there is a corporate insolvency, the shareholders, hedge funds and the "vulture funds" will be picking the bones of the company's financial documents to find the slightest half-truth for their basis for lawsuits.

Francis Kean, attorney at partner at the UK firm Barlow Lyde & Gilbert, boldly stated that the worst event "by a country mile" that could happen to a director or officer is the insolvency of the company upon whose board they serve. A director's responsibility is to the company he serves and helps to control. However, in a bankruptcy, the Court takes control. It must not only settle financial claims against the company, but analyze the reasons for the insolvency, including whether or not directors can be found liable.

The other wild card is that the potential claim can be "sold" to the highest bidder because the claim can be perceived as an asset against the directors.

German corporate securities law stipulates that once a company's directors decide that the company should be liquidated, the directors only have 21 calendar days to place the company into insolvency. Failure to meet this deadline can result in criminal charges against the directors with a maximum jail term of three years.

Anything like that here in the United States? Are you sure?

Why would anyone choose to be a corporate director in this sort of business and regulatory climate?

So, how do directors and officers of corporations protect their own assets in this hostile business environment? The corporate director or officer cannot be certain that the company they serve will be there to defend and indemnify them in case of insolvency and subsequent legal challenges.

Can the director simply resign from the board? Not really. The director must eventually prove that he did everything humanly possible to minimize the losses for the creditors. Anything short of that effort could be considered a claim against the director.

The director must plan ahead, and prepare for the worst.

First, know your liabilities. Know who might be a plaintiff and the reasons they might file a lawsuit against you.

Second, buy a Directors and Officers (D&O) Liability insurance policy at the time you are either a director or officer. But buy the coverage while your company is still solvent. Buy from an insurance company that also has a strong balance sheet, and is going to be there when you need the protection.

Here is a new complication for directors, though. Some insurers are coming out with Insolvency Exclusions. Some are broadly worded, some narrowly worded. Be very careful of the wording of your policy.

Also be aware that most of these policies are "Claims Made" policies, which means that the trigger event must have happened within the policy period. But, is the bankruptcy the triggering event, or is the claim date the trigger? The claim may be made months after the bankruptcy filing and by that time, the policy may have expired. This question will be determined in the courts.

I recommend carrying your D&O policy for a couple years after you leave the Board of any company. I also recommend high policy limits.

Protect your assets with Directors and Officers Liability insurance.

Copyright 2009 by Russell D. Longcore

P.S. WARNING!! Do Not Buy Insurance, or Submit an Insurance Claim Without Visiting This Website!

Liability Insurance For Beginners

Liability insurance is a type of insurance which will protect any individual or business from the fear of being sued against any malpractices or injuries caused. Any business man or self employed persons must have liability insurance. The importance of having it should be considered as early as starting to chalk out the business plan. Any kind of business right from clerical, manual or professional trade must have one for them.

The important benefits of a public/products liability policy are that you are insured for your legal liability for injury or damage caused to the property that occurred during the period of insurance. Under liability insurance, the interest of the policy holder is not with held. The damages caused unintentionally to the other party will be covered by this policy. It will protect the insurance holder from being responsible to pay the charges of damages.

Liability insurance is cheap when compared with other kinds of insurance policies. It is intended to pay the amount to the third party who is suffering from the loss and who is not a party to the insurance. The companies will try to act in favor of their clients in most cases. They do not cover up the fee for damages caused intentionally. The three main areas are public, product and employers liability insurance.

All the organizations are forced to have the public liability insurance. It will cover up the damages caused to any public, visitors, trespassers, and contractors etc who may be physically injured inside the business organization's premises on their presence. The insurance will cover up the fee if they are made unintentionally. The need for this kind of insurance should not be neglected. A simple example can be a trespasser may walk along the side of your house and a dead branch of a tree may fall on him causing injuries. The policy would cover the hospital bills for the injured person.

Product insurance is very much essential for the business people and company owners. Companies who tend to render their services or sell products in the market must compulsorily have this. Any unintentional damages caused to the clients or consumers can be covered up with this kind of policy. This policy is not mandatory for business owners but it is essential from their business perspective to have one.

Employer liability insurance is very important in case if any employee is injured during the working hours. Even companies with very few employees can opt for this and certain countries make it mandatory to have employer liability insurance. The company must have this provision for their employers even if they are not hired on a full time basis. The insured amount will be dependent on the combined wages of the employees.

Insurance plays a crucial role in our lives helping us financially. People can be free from their worries on expenses caused due to activities which are beyond their control. Liability insurance plays a big part in making people comfortable in doing their business happily.

If you are looking for more information then feel free to visit Auto Insurance Questions and Professional Liability Insurance.

Insurance Quotes - Save Hundreds of Dollars, Prevent Financial Disaster

Insurance quotes are a terrific way to help lower your monthly expenditures. I used a quote service earlier this year and saved $590 on my homeowners and car insurance package.

In today's economy millions of people have lost their jobs. Millions more will lose jobs as the economy worsens. Millions of unemployed persons have stopped looking for new jobs, which skews the national unemployment figures, and makes the unemployment rate appear smaller than it actually is.

Some people have had to accept pay cuts just to keep their jobs. Add to that the number of unemployed people who just closed an economy-sensitive business.

I have a good friend who is a home designer. She has been in business for over 25 years, and was a nationally-renowned designer. In 2008, her business stopped like turning off a water faucet. She has just gone out of business. Will her business ever come back? No one knows.

Colleges and universities across America just finished commencement ceremonies, where tens of thousands of young graduates got their degree and a handshake. However, job prospects look bleak for this graduating class. According to an ABC News story, last year over 51% of graduates had a job when they left school. This year, the number is only 20%. But they still live in homes and drive cars every day.

An increasing number of people are allowing their insurance policies to lapse, or they are canceling them outright. They simply made a decision that they cannot pay the premiums anymore.

What a horrible and tragic decision! Cancel your cell phone...your cable TV...your internet connection...your gym membership...your electrical service. But don't go without insurance!

"Cancel my home's electrical service??" I hear you sputter. "Have you lost your mind?"

Listen to me. You could temporarily live without electrical service in your home and your life would not be destroyed. But just have ONE insurance loss without coverage, and your financial life could easily be destroyed for the rest of your life.

A fire could wipe out your home or business. An auto accident could destroy your vehicle. If the accident is your fault, the claimant could sue you for damages, which could run into the hundreds of thousands of dollars.

In every example shown above, those people have homes, cars and businesses. In the area of auto ownership, every state in the USA and every Canadian province requires auto insurance by law. So, if you cancel your auto insurance, not only are you without coverage, but you are also committing a misdemeanor in most jurisdictions.

In addition, if your home, business or vehicle is financed, your lender requires you keep Property coverage on the property at all times. If the lender finds out that you have canceled your coverage, they likely have the right to declare you in default on your loan, and require payment of the balance. They could repossess your car, home or business. At the very least, they could purchase coverage on your car, home or business property for the loan balance and charge you for it. This is called "forced-placed coverage," and is very expensive, inferior coverage.

Before you make a choice to cancel your insurance policy, stop and consider getting insurance quotes that could lower your insurance premiums.

The process of getting insurance quotes is simple and IT COSTS YOU NOTHING! All you have to do is go online and use the search term "Insurance Quotes." You'll find hundreds of quote websites, all eager to get that quote for you.

Simply fill out an easy information form, giving the quote services details about what you want to insure and submit the form. Within minutes, you'll begin receiving contacts from agents and insurance companies who want to compete for your business. Make sure that the coverage quoted are the same, and choose which vendor offers the best deal. Most times, the agent will do all the paperwork for you if you are switching from one company to another. Then, choose your new insurance company and breath easier with YOUR SAVINGS!

My Insurance Quote website will get you great insurance quotes and also give you valuable claim strategies if you have a loss. You have nothing to lose and everything to gain. Think like a claims adjuster! No other insurance quote website can give you great rates AND claim strategies that WORK EVERY TIME!
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Business Basics - Purchasing Shop Insurance For Your Business

As a business owner, purchasing shop insurance is one of the most important decisions you will make. Protecting your business from potential loss and liability can be costly, but appropriate coverage is a worthwhile investment.

Businesses are vulnerable to damage from natural disasters, theft, and lawsuits from both employees and customers. An important step in determining what type of coverage your business needs is to understand what coverage is available.

In cases of natural disasters such as fire or flood, all assets and valuables held by the company can be insured by shop insurance to ensure maximum coverage if the worst should happen. Customer and employee theft can also be covered, and cash that is kept on site can be insured as well.

All businesses that hire employees must carry coverage that protects them from claims that arise from accidents or illnesses that occur during the course of employment. If you plan on hiring help, this type of insurance is required by law.

Another area of potential liability is claims that customers make in the event of injuries that occur on the premises. Slip and fall injuries, cuts from glass or metal shelves, and injuries that result from tripping over boxes left in the aisles are all examples of possible claims. Your company must be adequately covered in the event of these types of losses.

Premiums for shop insurance are based on the amount and types of coverage required for each business. Shopping for the best rates will help keep the cost of protecting your business to a minimum.

Insurance brokers who have experience in your industry can help determine what coverage is best for the unique needs and risks of your business. Many insurance companies offer multiple policy discounts. Compare the policy details and rates for several different companies, paying close attention to what is covered and what the policy limits and exclusions are.

Are you a member of a local business group or trade association? If not, you may want to consider joining one. Often one of the benefits of belonging to such organizations as the Chamber of Commerce is that insurance policies can be purchased at group rates. Group rates can be significantly less than the cost of purchasing individual policies.

Trade journals or business publications specific to your industry can be a great resource for determining what coverage your business may require. Networking with the owners of similar businesses in your area may also be beneficial.

A little research into trends in your industry may prove to be valuable when making the decision about shop insurance for your business. If there have been recent lawsuits against businesses that are comparable to yours, review the settlements. What policy limits would be sufficient to cover the loss if your business faced a similar lawsuit?

Purchasing shop insurance is one of the most important decisions you will make when laying the foundation for the success of your company. Investing time in researching the best policies for your business will help to ensure that your company will be properly protected from potential loss.