Insurance

If you just found out that you require spine surgery, it is imperative that you locate the best surgeon you can to perform the operation. Finding a competent doctor to perform your specific procedure is as an important a decision as anything you have ever made in your life. Yet finding a qualified physician minimizes your risks when putting all your trust in their level of experience.

1. Seek the advice of your primary health care physician.

Because your general practitioners or primary health care physicians refer patients for specialized care, they generally have a large knowledge base on exactly which physicians in your area are the best. The patients he or she has previously referred out to qualify physicians have returned to them for general care. They have first-hand knowledge on the positive or negative results of spine surgery performed by the specialized physicians they are referring for you.

2. Your insurance provider will offer you a list of doctors.

While it is true that your insurance provider will only give you a list of doctors that are currently working with the insurance carrier, it only seems logical that they would refer someone who would do the job well enough to not require additional surgeries. Doing it right the first time saves the insurance carrier money in the end, and they are likely to refer only highly qualified specialists.

3. Seek references from the specialized physician.

The doctor who has been recommended to perform your surgery has obviously done the procedure many times before. Asking for recommendations of patients of theirs, who have gone through similar operations, and are willing to talk about their experiences, can help you determine if you should go ahead with the spine surgery from this physician.

4. Online forums are a great tool for information.

Many online forums and physician's websites can offer you a lot of information by people that have been in the same situation and required your type of spine surgery. Communicating directly with these previous patients can answer many of your questions to help you understand what questions to ask your physician prior to your spine surgery.

As a new ZamZoo internet marketing site owner, you have come to the realization that owning your own business is the only guarantee for financial independence. Zamzoo is a great brand but lets face it, just having a great brand is not enough to build a massive downline that will produce a long-term residual income. Many network marketing representatives are in shock because they are not signing up new reps like the top directors in the company. What is the secret to their success? The secret in most of the directors' success is the use of attraction marketing.

Attraction marketing is in basic terms the use of marketing techniques that educate a potential customer on a product or service, and show how that product or service can provide a solution or address a specific need the customer may have. Attraction marketing focuses on "you" as the product and not the company. How can you be the product? You can become the product by doing exactly what the definition of attraction marketing instructs. Become a problem solver, a supply to a need. For example, if you are in the market to buy a new home, and you are approached by both a real estate agent and an insurance agent, who are you most likely to buy from? The real estate agent of course because the real estate agent is more trusted and knowledgeable in the housing market. The real estate agent can educate you on the specifics of a home purchase and better fulfill your specific needs for a home. If you were in the market for insurance, you would rely on the expertise of the insurance agent to help provide a solution to your insurance needs.

Internet network marketing is no different than any other market or service. Building a MLM downline requires a rep to position him or herself as an expert in the field. Look at your MLM upline directors. The ones at the very top. ZamZoo is not the only product being marketed. Think about the lectures and trainings the leaders are conducting. Notice how some even have their own books. Why? The more positioned as an expert, problem solver, and business guide, the more their perceived value becomes and the larger their organization becomes. As their organization grows, the more money is made as a result.

To position yourself as an expert does not require a ph.d, a large business budget, or being a guest on Oprah. With the accessibility of information on the internet and the use of social media, one can effectively establish himself as an expert or a solutions provider. If you can target a group with a specific need that matches your product which is in this case a ZamZoo shopping portal, and show how "you" can effectively guide them as their trusted ally, building a large MLM downline will become less challenging than using the old model MLM prospecting techniques.

Families experience great joy as they welcome their newly adopted or foster child into their family. When a child comes home, parents might start counseling right away or the need may not arise until a later time, such as adolescence. Finding the right therapist can be a challenging task, especially if a parent is not familiar with the counseling field. This article gives parents direction on choosing the right adoption counselor for their child. There are many factors to consider from insurance and office location, to the therapist's degree and training. Any reputable therapist will be happy to answer questions about themselves and their practice. Some questions to ask the prospective therapist include:

1. Do you have a Masters degree (or above) in a counseling related field? Counseling related fields include: psychology, social work, psychiatry, and marriage and family therapy.


2. Do you have a license to practice independently? Each state and degree has different requirements but a license indicates the therapist passed state boards showing competency in their degree.


3. When did you finish your counseling degree? It is preferable for the therapist to have completed their degree more than five years ago. Of course, more experience is desirable.


4. Do you take my insurance? If the therapist is IN network with your insurance, call the company to request benefit information and an authorization (if it's needed.) If the therapist is OUT of network, call the company to determine your benefits. You will want to ask about your deductible, co-pays, co-insurance, and requirement for authorization.


5. How many years have you worked with foster and adoption children? An effective counselor will have at least two to three years expertise in the area of foster care or adoptions. And ideally, 30% to 50% of the therapist's practice should be with foster or adopted children.


6. What is the location of your practice? Ask about location as it can make a difference in your choice.


7. As the parent, will I stay in the room during my child's sessions? Typically, an adoption therapist keeps parents in the therapy session with the child. The parent remains in the room for information and attachment opportunities.


8. How were you trained to work in this area? There are many acceptable treatment models and some options are: Theraplay, Narrative therapy, EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing), and Dyadic Developmental therapy. Research whichever model the therapist uses so that you are familiar with the process and know what to expect in sessions.


9. What additional training do you have that augments your chosen model? It is suggested that therapists have additional training in: individual therapy with children and adults, family therapy, child development, trauma work, and Cognitive and Behavioral therapy.


10. Will we meet alone with you in the first session or do we bring our child? A general rule of thumb is parents attend the first session alone unless the child is an adolescent, then the child may accompany the parents.


11. These last questions are for the family to ask themselves after the first visit or two: Do we feel this therapist is a positive and comfortable fit for our family? Is the counselor open to our questions about the therapy process? You want to be able to answer "Yes" to both these questions as the therapeutic relationship is interactive and built on trust and respect.

Use these questions as a guide in selecting an adoption therapist who can offer the most expertise to your child. It is essential that your child's therapist has received specialized training and knowledge to effectively help your family.

Nowadays, you can earn money from your mechanical bull in a couple of ways. For one, you could sell rides at festivals and fairs and secondly you could lease your bull to persons who want a unit for parties and other events. A mechanical bull can be a good business investment, but it is best to conduct some research prior to buying one of these units.

In the event that you are renting one of the mechanical bulls from a retailer, the safety functions would be the most essential aspect of any purchase decision. An inexperienced bull rider will require a safe ride than a real rodeo cowboy. The slightly older bulls had been hydraulic, which makes it more difficult to manage. They are also significantly more challenging to insure. Whenever you are selecting between hydraulic and electric systems, it is best to opt for the electric one. These are safer, simpler to manage and when you select the new multi-ride units you will find a large number of attachments which can alter your bull for numerous themed rides.

Besides that, you need to ensure that a safety stop is on the bucking machine. This means whenever a participant falls off, the bull will stop automatically. Additionally, even though it is very uncommon for somebody to flip on top of the bull head, you will need a bull with a very soft head. As a result, this will prevent people from any possible injury, particularly when younger players want enjoy the rides.

In addition, several insurance providers demand a certain inflatable size to ensure that the manufacturer that you select provides an inflatable bottom which is as huge as the insurance mandates.

In case you want to know where to purchase a mechanical bull, there are many companies making them these days. Some of the things to pay attention to is the length of time that a company is in business; important safety features they offer; can you find parts locally; can the company sell these units in your state and also if they are approved by insurance companies.

Merchants are discovering a way to stop paying their merchant card processing fees and have their accounts paying them instead. It's an old trick similar to credit card cash back systems with a totally new game changing twist added. Merchants as well as affiliates can refer others and earn commissions from their accounts as well.

It begins with 20% cash back when a merchant joins while keeping his same processing equipment and rates. The merchant also receives a commission from the affiliate who referred him. They partner, refer other merchants and affiliates who also share commissions and in a very short time both are setting on a mountain of money. The next logical question is where do all these commissions come from?

It appears that competition among processors has reduced rates to an all-time low and there is no way to lower rates and still be profitable or is there? The only variable in processing costs appear to be the salespeople who go door-to-door to entice merchants to switch processors or set up totally new business accounts.

Formally, salespeople were required to sell the system by answering all the merchants' questions and showing him how he would save money by switching service providers. Then, the salesperson would be required to install the equipment and be a technician to handle any system glitches.

The training required to produce such an extraordinary salesperson is expensive and time-consuming not to mention other expenses such as workman's comp, health insurance, payroll, social security, uniforms, tools and supplies plus travel related costs just to mention a very few. Centralizing all these processes thereby eliminating salespeople is a key factor in cost reduction.

You may have noticed ads on TV for insurance or other services where you simply go to a website, submit your information and get a certificate of insurance almost immediately. If a state license is required to handle the process there's an agent on duty somewhere with his "approved stamp" close at hand. The result is thousands and thousands of field insurance agents are replaced by one agent with a rubber stamp and a TV commercial.

Next you also eliminate the advertising costs by allowing anyone who can walk, talk and possibly use the web to do company advertising. By allowing anyone to sign up as an affiliate and introduce merchants to a 20% cash back system, the advertising cost has been eliminated in a most unique way. Word-of-mouth from business to business is highly cost-efficient and of course free.

When a merchant discovers there is additional money to be made from his processor, he in turn refers other merchants and gets an affiliate commission from accounts he refers. This self replicating system has other far-reaching advantages. Under the old-style system, the employed company salesperson received a monthly residual on each account sold but under the new business model affiliates and business owners share this income for as long as an account exists.

Handling the required equipment technology in this new business model is done by local experts who operate computer installation and repair services. Existing businesses keep their same rates and equipment with nothing changing except the service provider. New installations for business start ups are thus handled by local experts who are also affiliates.

Now you can stop paying merchant card processing fees and earn a significant six or seven digit income by adapting the new patented business system which was once upon a time a business expense. It should come as no surprise the only processor offering this patented opportunity was also the top award-winning processor in 2010.

Have you recently begun to notice excess skin pulling down on your eyelids? If so, you may be curious regarding your corrective options. While most middle aged individuals will eventually experience this condition, there are options available to you to address it. In this article, we will provide you with a little insight to help you assess whether eyelid surgery is right for you.

Step 1 - Take a closer look. Excess skin surrounding the eyes can lead to impaired vision and added pressure, making it more difficult to make your eyes stay open. Droopy eyes can have the effect of making you appear sad or angry when you're actually feeling rather well. Additionally, excess skin can make individuals appear older and tired. If you feel as though a corrective procedure will work to improve your eyesight and make you appear younger, then it just may be right for you.

Step 2 - Contact your health insurance provider and find out whether the procedure is covered under your current plan. If so, you should obtain information regarding the deductible amount in order to assess the costs that you will be incurring.

Step 3 - Schedule an appointment with a qualified Ophthalmologist for an exam. During your meeting, it will be determined wither you have excess skin and it will likely be recommended that you prove the interference through a series of tests. The physician will then take photos of your condition for insurance purposes.

Step 4 - Wait to hear back from your insurance agent pertaining to whether or not your procedure will be covered. During this time, you should be looking into various physicians and facilities to have your treatment and figuring out the various costs associated with them.

Step 5 - Once you've gained approval from your insurance company, it's time to decide whether you will move forward with the procedure. Your Ophthalmologist will provide you with a few recommendations regarding local surgeons, and you can visit with each in order to find the one who best suits your individual needs. Gather information regarding each candidate in reference to their background, experience and past patient experiences. Take notes and discuss any concerns or questions you might have that could possibly influence your decision in any way.

The surgery will be an outpatient procedure and takes roughly half an hour. Most patients are able to return to work within a couple of days, and within 2 weeks, you'll have little more visible than a faint red line indicating where the stitches where placed. After 2-3 months, the swelling and redness will have all but completely subsided and you will be fully recovered.

If you or someone you know are interested in learning more about this type of procedure, the best course of action is to get in touch with a board certified plastic surgeon who specializes in eyelid surgery. He or she will best be able to evaluation your specific condition and make recommendations to best suit your individual goals.

Holiday Jabs- try and avoid a last minute panic and book in to see your travel clinic nurse 6-8 weeks before your trip to see if you need any travel vaccinations. Last minute holidays to places like the Gambia may seem like a good idea but you will need a yellow fever vaccination (preferably at least 10 days before you go) and malaria tablets. Don't leave home unprotected.

Sun Protection- ensure you have packed plenty of sun protection. Most skin experts recommend nothing lower than SPF 15 (Sun Protection Factor). Make sure which ever protect you choose they protect against both UVA and UVB rays. Take a good 'aftersun' gel/cream just in case you burn. Products with a high aloe vera content are especially soothing.

Insect repellents- mosquito and other insect bites can be annoying but in many parts of the world you may also risk contracting a disease such as malaria or yellow fever. Take an effective insect repellent either containing DEET or lemon eucalyptus. More adventurous travellers may wish to take mosquito nets impregnated with insecticide.

First Aid- take an appropriate first aid kit with you. For most holiday makers a basic kit containing such things as plasters, bandages, tweezers pain killers and antiseptic cream will be sufficient. Those travellers going off the beaten track in developing countries may wish to take a more extensive kit with sterile needles and syringes.

Motion Sickness- if you suffer from motion sickness it's best to be well prepared, many of the medications that help need to be taken a couple of hours prior to travel. Some people find the bands which apply pressure on acupuncture points on the wrist helpful in alleviating the symptoms of nausea.

Existing Health Problems- many health problems encountered overseas are due to pre-existing conditions. Ensure that any health problems are relatively stable prior to travel- you may need to speak to your doctor or specialist to check whether they are happy for you to travel. If you take any regular medication then ensure you pack extra, it's also a good idea to split them between different bags in case any luggage goes astray. You might also want to consider wearing an identity bracelet containing any relevant medical information and drug allergies in case of emergencies.

Insurance-it's always important that you have adequate medical insurance for your trip. The UK has now adopted the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC). This will be issued to those who apply for the new E111 form and entitles individuals to free or reduced cost emergency health care in EU countries. Ensure that additional insurance covers any pre-existing illness and activities that you'll be undertaking whilst away.

Going abroad should a time of relaxation and good health- being well prepared before go should take the headache out of travelling!

Organising a Home Move? Here's How to Make It a Piece of Cake

Moving home is a stressful experience which can be made much easier with a little forward planning. It is well worth spending the extra time to get everything properly organised and to alleviate those last minute panics.

Do it yourself or hire the professionals?

One of the first things to do will be to arrange how you are going to move, as to whether you will hire a van or hire professional movers to do it for you. It is obviously a lot cheaper to move yourself, but it's worth taking a good hard look at all your stuff and asking yourself if it's feasible to do it yourself. It may well be possible if you live a minimalist existence, or if you have a small army of willing helpers, but you should try to calculate how many trips it will take with an average sized van, and then ask yourself if your back is up to it.

There is no denying the professionals are more expensive, but they will be able to move all your possessions in one hit, and while they are busy loading up you can get on with all the last minute details such as cleaning the home for the new owners.

Packing up

If you have hired a firm to move you then they will be able to supply you with boxes, or you can buy them from storage companies, or beg them from your local supermarket. Its fine to wrap some of the items in newspaper, but think about buying a supply of clean white paper from the removal firm for your kitchen china and cutlery as this saves washing everything when you unpack. Purchase a supply of bubble wrap for delicate items, and a tape gun will save a lot of time when assembling the boxes. Be sure not to over pack boxes, especially with heavy items such as books. Many removal firms will supply boxes specifically designed for books as they are a lot shallower, and they also have special boxes for clothes which are long enough to take a full-length coat or dress.

It's well worth starting to pack as soon as you can, as it will probably take longer than you think. This is also a great chance for a clear out, as its really not worth taking all the stuff you have had in storage for the last ten years to your new home so it can spend another ten years without seeing the light of day. Label each box after you have packed it, and indicate which room it needs to go in at your new home. You may want to list the contents, especially for those boxes that need to be opened first.

Moving checklist of everyone you need to contact:

1. Utilities; you will need to arrange for the meters to be read on the moving day at both your old and new addresses and will need your account number handy when you phone although you will want to take your own meter reading on the moving day

2. Council tax;have your account details and your new address to hand as they will need to know where to send any rebate if you are moving out of the area

3. Telephone; remember to arrange connection at your new home

4. Mobile phone

5. Cable or satellite services including any Internet connection

6. TV license; you can update this online up to 3 months in advance

7. Vehicle registration and driving license; you can change your details online with the DVLA

8. Bank and building society

9. Content and buildings insurance; be sure to arrange contents and buildings insurance for your new home

10. Inland Revenue

11. National Insurance

12. Credit cards

13. Pensions

14. Savings plans

15. Life insurance

16. Your employer

17. Post office redirection services can be arranged over the Internet for a period of three, six or twelve months

18. Contact your doctor, dentist and optician to let them know your new address

19. If you have pets try to arrange for someone else to look after them during the move and have new name and address tags made

20. Send out change of address cards to friends and family or better still do it by e-mail

Three days before you move:

Do any last-minute laundry and make sure that you can either disconnect your washing machine yourself or arrange for a plumber to come in and do it. It's quite possible that a moving firm will do it for you but it's almost certainly not in the job description. Defrost the freezer and start to clear out your fridge. Have a chilly bin or cool bag ready to transport any remaining food items on the day.

Pack an overnight bag with all toiletries you need and the change of clothes and towels. Make sure you have a good supply of tissues and toilet rolls and light bulbs. Pack anything that is especially valuable such as jewellery and documents so they can go in the car with you on the day.

Check with your neighbours to ensure that the removal van will have adequate parking outside your old and new homes. Find out where and when you can pick up the keys and where to drop off your old keys.

One day before you move:

Take down any curtains and fixtures and fittings you are taking with you, and also dismantle any pieces of self-assembly furniture. Do any last-minute bits of packing.

Pack a box of cleaning materials and put aside your vacuum cleaner so that you can clean your old home and also give you a new one a quick once over before beginning to unpack. It's also a good idea to pack a box containing coffee, tea, sugar and biscuits and cold drinks along with a kettle and mugs.

Day of the move:

Strip the beds and mark the box clearly. Finish packing all your toiletries so that you can clear everything out of the bathroom, clean it and shut the door. Load up your car with everything you want to take with you so that it does not end up accidentally being packed in the van, and clear out your fridge. Once the removal van arrives then walk around your home with the foreman to make sure they know exactly what is going. Put the kettle on and expect to make an awful lot of tea as moving home is well known to be incredibly thirsty work.

Once they have packed up a room it makes sense to get in there as quickly as possible and start cleaning. Make sure you check in any cupboards or drawers for any missed items so that once you have freshened the room up you can shut the door. In next to no time your entire home will be fully packed and cleaned. Walk around your home one final time to ensure everything has been packed before the van leaves. All that will remain is to wait for the phone call from the solicitors, read the meters, drop off and collect your new keys and move on.

A hot subject of discussion in this modern day day is Medicare Insurance. Medicare is for folks over the age of 65, it is a government funded wellness insurance strategy. All senior citizens are needed by law to use medicare, but this has its ups and its downs. For those of us who weren't fortunate sufficient to have health insurance with an employer or private firm, Medicare is a fantastic step ahead. But for those of use who had been doing just fine using the well being insurance we already had, Medicare has caused a whole lot of problems.

Contemplating all US senior citizens are needed to enroll in Medicare, the folks who had some thing greater and are now not allowed to use it are relatively upset. They are subject to a gap in coverage. Everyone experiences this gap, and no 1 can do something about it. In everyone's program, there is a point in between coverage where Medicare does not pay for something at all. Many individuals hit this gap about the middle of the year and are back out again prior to the year ends. Simply because of this, the gap in coverage is frequently referred to as the donut hole, and can trigger serious financial problems for everyone. Senior citizens are at risk already on account of having to be on so several recurring every day medications, and opening them as much as coverage holes like this, some say, is crossing the line.

Regardless of whether or not you believe Medicare needs some attention, there are a lot of seniors available going with out food and shelters due to the fact they have to pay for a lot of high-priced medicines their doctor has convinced them they will need and now aren't paid for by Medicare, whether only part of the year or all year round. It is a horribly designed technique, and it actually does need a bit of reform.

PPI is taken to curb the risk lenders face when giving out their loans. If a borrower happens to fall ill or gets into an accident that renders them unproductive, the PPI policy settles the debt thus minimizing the risk. The borrower is the one to take this insurance and may sometimes be wrongly sold PPI. In this case, they are within their rights to make a reclaim where the money they spent may be refunded. Not many know how this works and that is why we have this article. Here are some scenarios that will help you know whether you have been mis-sold the insurance policy.

You are wrongly sold PPI when your lender forces you to take it. A lender may refuse to offer you their services unless you take the policy. If you go through the payment without any problems and you clear everything out, then you will be in a position to make your claim.

You are also wrongly sold PPI when you find out that the lender's sales adviser failed to tell you that the loan came with the PPI policy. When this is the case, you will just assume that the company forced you to take it and thus can make the claims once you are through repaying the debt.

A lender may also assume that you want the ppi insurance policy and add it to your loan without your knowledge. When this happens, you are wrongly sold PPI and thus are within your rights to ask for a refund.

Many companies will give their employees this kind of protection insurance in case they are unable to pay their debt for some reason. Lenders might fail to check this out and add the PPI to your loan without your consent. The PPI they offer you will be worthless as your employer already has this covered. When you are through paying up the loan, you are qualified to ask for the refund as it was pointless of the lender to add the whole thing to your contract in the first place.

Making a claim after being wrongly sold PPI might save you a lot of money, sometimes adding up to thousands of dollars. The lender may reject your claim for many reasons but this doesn't stop here. There is the Financial Ombudsman Service where you can forward your case and see the whole issue to a conclusive end.

As the economy recession continues to drag on for years, the group of unemployed individuals and families only gets larger. One of the first cost that they are forced to cut is health insurance. Unemployed individuals simply cannot afford to pay for COBRA insurance while trying to live off of a small unemployment check. As they search for new employment, they find themselves gambling with the risk of having no medical insurance and can only hope that a medical emergency does not strike them.

This group of people is a group that typically cannot afford to pay for medical bills out of pocket so the hospital must write off the cost as a loss. This results in a the hospitals having to raise the cost of services on the insured group in order to be able to stay in business and operate at break even or profitable standards. Many think the unpaid medical bills are never paid, but that is not always the cost. Hard times are making hospitals look at unpaid bills, including ambulance charges as asset that they should be able to get some money from.

One state that is typically a first to act on any matter is the state of New York. Recently, it has been reported that New York City Fire Department sold off $150 million in unpaid debt that mostly resulted from the uninsured receiving ambulance rides from the GDNY. They are considering selling off an additional $50 million this year. Imagine if out of the $200 million, only 1% of the money was recovered. How many firemen, nurses and the like can be employed with that extra $2 million dollars per year. Furthermore, how many services could be improved and because of that how many lives could be saved? Collection agencies usually aren't the most popular businesses on the block but in some cases they are needed and the results they generate have positive results.

Many uninsured people will simply not pay the debt, regardless of how many times a debt collector calls and begs for money. But the fact is, a handful of people will start paying the debt even if it is only a small amount per month. In the current economy, every dollar counts and every job saved is a huge victory. As always, every life saved is the biggest victory of all.

Israel is a breathtaking country filled with many cultural and historical delights. If you are one of the persons who appreciates this sort of thing and are making plans to visit then the best way to get to see the country and experience what it has to offer is to find a car hire in Israel.

It does not matter where you plan to rent your car from. The infinite rule is that you always read the fine print before you sign any document. There are also certain conditions and limitations of car hire that you have to be aware of as well.

Before you fly off to adventure ensure that you have a B type license before you consider a car hire in Israel. There are specifications to age and the number of years that you have under your belt as a driver as well.

What are the other things that you need to consider when thinking of finding cars to hire in Israel? The first thing that comes to mind is mileage. Some companies will offer limited or unlimited mileage depending on the type of package that you choose. You have to ensure that you confirm the details of which one you have as you will incur extra charges if you exceed the mileage on a limited plan.

Ensure that you are clear on the car hire issue as it relates to gas usage. More often than not you will have to pay for any gas that you use while you have the vehicle. The best thing that you can do is to refuel it before you return it.

The next major thing that you have to consider is insurance. It really does not matter where you rent a car, it is essential that you pay for some form of insurance. The type that you get is determinant on your needs and the company's requirements. Most package come will cover most of the fundamental aspects like Personal Accident Insurance, Collision Damage Waiver, Supplemental Liability Insurance and Loss Damage Waiver.

1. Obey the Law. As stated above, might sound like common sense, but laws differ wildly in different parts of the world. What may be justified in one area may be a capital offense elsewhere. Even if by your standards, you don't agree with the law, you must always live by it. There have been countless stories about tourists believing they are above the law only to find themselves in a heap of trouble (without their embassy's help) and legal woes.
2. Passport/ visa. Make sure yours is up to date and relevant. Also be aware that simply owning a visa does not always grant you entry into a country.
3. Travel insurance. Insure your trip if something comes up and you have to cancel. And, while you're at it, insure yourself. A lot of people don't do this. But if you know you're going to do some whitewater rafting, play polo, go rock climbing, insure yourself for the sports and activities that you'll be indulging in.
4. Check the latest travel advisories and warnings. Each country produces a list of these at their consulates and home countries. It's always good to know before you go. And enemies tend to keep changing. Be aware.
5. Before traveling overseas, register your trip and contact details online. Every pilot has to file a flight plan before they take off. As much as this feels like big brother, it actually presents a documentation of exactly where the plane is going in case something terrible happens. This is much the same. Your embassy can look this information up and help in case you go missing.
6. Make copies of everything: Your passport, your credit cards, your important information. Carry one set and leave the other at home, in a safe deposit box.
7. Check with your doctor to make sure you are immunized for the area you will be traveling in.
8. Ensure your passport/ visa have 6 months validity left- oftentimes countries look at this much overlooked fact.
9. Leave a copy of your travel plans at home or with a loved one. Also, leave some lights on at home and have someone designated to pick up your mail and feed your cat.
10. Research whether holding a dual nationality passport holds any implications, whether positive or negative for where you're planning to visit.

Marketing has evolved over the years from a product and sales centric environment to one more concerned with life-time customers; customer focus is more important than a quick sale.

A marketing strategy is a business direction to help guide a company when making decisions. The strategy is based on objectives, a competitor and market review and set against timescales.

In truth, anybody can register a company at companies house, open a bank account and even acquire clients. For a business to be successful you need a marketing strategy which segments, targets and positions your product at a specific customer, at the right price and at the right time.

Segmentation

Consumers come in different shapes and sizes. Segmentation enables a business to split these buyers into different groups and monitor their characteristics so as they can better meet the customers needs.

The most common segmentation is by gender, age and geographic region. Other segmentation variables can include;

- Socio- economic: societal class (A, B1,B2 etc)
- psychographics: beliefs and values

Targeting

After segmenting the entire market the next step is to target your product or service at a key area. The alternative is mass marketing; a product promoted to all segments of the market.

An example of targeting can be found in the insurance industry. There are car insurance providers just for women. The gender has been split because women are statistically safer drivers, which is what insurance providers want.

Positioning

Positioning your product is very much in the mind of the consumer. It's the responsibility of the company to convey the segment and target audience they want. For example, there are some car insurance companies targeting women by positioning their product using catchy jingles and pink cars.

The marketing mix (7P's)

Your marketing strategy will support your marketing mix (marketing plan). The marketing mix is a plan to focus your business, set standards and target specific markets.

The marketing mix consists of;

Product - What do you sell? Who do you sell it to?
Price - How much does it cost? Are there any discounts? Is your pricing strategy one of penetration or skimming?
Place - How does your product get to market? What channels do you sell through?
Promotion - How do you communicate and sell your product?
People - Who is involved in the process? What do they say about you?
Process - What happens during the manufacture / buying process?
Physical evidence - Are buildings, leaflets or packaging (anything tangible) important? If so what is your position regarding these?

A marketing strategy will differentiate your brand from competitors whilst your marketing mix will enable you to focus your product in a specific market for a specific consumer.

Most companies think strategically but fail to put it down on paper. This is a hazardous approach when your business begins to grow and you employ staff. Everybody has a view of how a company should grow, but only the CEO or owner can guide the company and everybody else must follow their direction. A marketing strategy will guide the business in the short, medium and potentially long term too.

Almost no Australian companies do it. Yet prequalifying your contractors before they start work can be the difference between litigation and a slap on the wrist. It also enhances your control over workplace safety.

When you have an understanding of your contractors' insurance status, WorkCover registration and HSE compliance, you are able to proceed with confidence - or take the required steps to help them become compliant.

The Problem with Pre-Qualification
It's difficult. Obtaining this information directly from your contracting companies is not only time consuming, it's unreliable. Furthermore, the amount of companies that are non-compliant is shockingly high. One of Australia's largest property developers found that 91% of their contracting partners were non-compliant when they installed a pre-qualification system.

What Pre-Qualification needs to achieve
A good pre-qualification system should provide you with a reliable gatekeeper, so you can feel confident when contractors come onto your site. It allows you to always be on top of your contractor obligations.

In order to achieve this, your contractor management system should include the following:
ABN Check: A good contractor management software system will connect to ASIC when the contractor enters their ABN and return their company name.
Insurance Check: By entering the contractors insurance details into your contractor management system, you can track expiry dates and stop them from entering the site if their insurance runs out. Uninsured contractors can a be a very expensive liability.
WorkCover Registration Check: Again, you should be able to enter information into the system for automatic tracking.
HSE Check: The ability to create a questionnaire allows you to determine a contractors compliance.

If you've ever been in a car accident, you are no doubt familiar with the all the red tape you have to wade through to get compensation from an insurance company. It can even be difficult to get minor repairs done in a timely manner for a small car accident like a fender bender. That's because an insurance company is a business. Their main concern is running a financially successful company not giving handouts to accident victims. That's why it may be necessary to get legal help after an accident, especially if you are seriously injured. If you've been in an accident and you're wondering whether or not to hire a lawyer, here are a few tips.

One of the most difficult situations for you as a responsible driver is when you've been hit by someone who is uninsured. Although every state requires some form of auto insurance, many drivers still take to the roads without and it can cause big problems for everyone else. This is especially true if you've been seriously injured in an accident caused by an uninsured driver. If this is the case for you, you need to find legal help quick. Some states have time limits for getting compensation after an accident involving an uninsured driver. Another accident that can be a pain to get compensation for is a hit and run. Hit and run accidents claim many lives and cause many injuries every year. It may be difficult to get fair compensation from your insurance company if you've been injured in a hit and run accident. Talk to a lawyer right away.

PPI or Payment Insurance Plan as we all know helps consumers to cover their dues, when they are unable to work due to unforeseen circumstances like illnesses, accidents or job loss. The bank would cover you for a period of one year. After the stipulated period you need to find other sources to pay back. The longer the payout the higher is the premium.

Besides this a claimant has to wait for around 120 days before making a claim, which means he hasn't paid his debts for four months before actually being able to claim. By that period he would have found a new job. For those wanting a shorter waiting period are required to pay steep premiums. The rates of these premiums can be reviewed, which means if the insurer finds that unemployment rates have risen sharply, he may come back and demand a higher premium. There are so many loopholes in the policy that its now part of a major scandal where banks have ripped off enormous amounts of money from hapless and ignorant consumer either by missell or misinformation.

Cases of missell include instances where the buyer is not informed that he is free to make his choice and need not necessarily buy the PPI from the bank. There are so many instances where people have been told that buying a PPI is probably the only way to ensure that the bank approves the loan. Also there are so many factors that make the claimant not eligible for claims. For example people with pre existing medical conditions, people with inconsistent, insubstantial and variable income and people who receive full sick pay when absent from work, may find their claims refused. Financial Advisors often don't ask people about these conditions before selling the PPI. A claims company helps out with PPI claims. But the problem with them is that they charge a settlement fee of 25-40% on successful PPI reclaims. You could seek help from the FSA or the Financial Services Authority, the Financial Ombudsman, which helps you to win your claim.

Once you've identified that you've been missold a PPI, the next step is to make a claim to the bank (and not the insurer) stating reasons for the missell. Regulations made by the FSA, has now forced banks and financial lenders to take into account legitimate claims. In cases where the banks refuse to consider your plea, you could obtain a letter of deadlock from the bank and file for compensation to the FSA.

It's extremely important that you protect your dental business from lawsuits. Lawsuits are a normal fear in the hearts of those who work in the healthcare field, and dentists are no exception. Dentists are typically worried about lawsuits that come in the form of malpractice, employee compensation, or general liability. All of these types of suits can be primarily safeguarded through good practice and insurance.

However, some of the most popular lawsuits of the last few years revolve around things that are not necessarily covered by any type of insurance. So learning to protect yourself from a variety of lawsuits has become a necessary component of running your dental business.

Here are some of the threats to those in the dental field and tips for protecting your dental business from these lawsuits.

Employment Compliance Protection
In recent years there has been a dramatic rise in businesses of all type losing money and lawsuits in the form of employee discrimination cases. Almost all forms of discrimination lawsuits are on the rise from sexual harassment suits to age discrimination, which is up nearly 30%. These types of lawsuits are not necessarily covered by any of the typical liability insurances that you probably have for your dental business. In order to protect yourself and your practice from these types of lawsuits you need to be extra savvy about the law and practice some techniques to protect yourself. Check with your insurance provider to see what your coverage is, and learn the laws for your state.

At-Will Employment Laws
Many dentists believe that at-will laws will protect their dental business should they choose to hire or fire a member of their dental staff. However, these notions are far outdated and often superseded by more modern and politically correct laws aimed at protecting employees.

One way to protect yourself and your dental business from this issue is to be very careful about what you say to your staff and prospective staff. And be even more careful about what you put into writing. Many employee discrimination lawsuits are won by the prosecution thanks to poorly written employee manuals, vaguely implied contracts, and job terms such as "career employee" or "tenure". It is important that you are careful about writing anything down or implying anything that may come back to haunt you. At-will laws are very unlikely to protect you from a hiring or firing practice that may be deemed unfair.

Arbitration
Arbitration, which keeps disputes out of court and instead has them mediated by an unbiased third party, was designed to protect your dental business in many ways. Many dentists have their dental employees, and sometimes their patients, sign arbitration agreements so that any legal issues affecting your dental business will not be brought to court. This helps to protect your practice from a bad public showing. However, not all arbitration is as air tight as it once was. For one thing, many of the outlets that employees go through when they have been discriminated against can still land you in court, simply because the particular outlet is not subjected to the same agreement that their client - your staff member - may have with your dental business.

In general it is vital that you make sure your dental employee handbook is clear, up to par with all laws, and legally binding. Have a lawyer look over anything you sign or have put into writing where you employees and even your patients are involved. This, as well as always following best practices and using your better judgment, are the best ways to protect yourself and your dental business from lawsuits.

When you are moving your family between states, you will not help but seek the help of a moving company that's licensed to operate across states. The professional support that such companies offer cannot be underestimated hence its imperative that you make your choice pretty well. Before hiring long beach movers to help you with your move, there are some things that you will need to do before. First, you will need to plan ahead by starting with determining your inventory of those things that will help you move in very smooth way.

Among the first things that you should factor into your inventory is the professional long beach movers that you can rely on to offer you the best service while making your across the state s move. Taking stock of all the items that you will carry and also taking the necessary transit insurance also top the list of most important things. You need not leave your pets and plants behindd hence you will need to seek the necessary written permission from the inspectorate of plants and also make the necessary arrangement that will help ensure that your pets are transported to your new home.

There is on thing that may seem complicated and tedious but it's mandatory that you do it. You must have a checklist of all your goods since this is the same e list that will correspond with the bill of lading. You will use this list to determine whether all your stuff arrived at your new destination after v handing them over to the long beach movers or not. It's this list also that will enable you determine what you will carry and what not to carry early in advance before the actual day of the interstate move. Your goods and their condition s should be signed by both you and the packing and Removals Company and this will be used to determine the state of the goods after you have reached your destination.

Although the long beach movers may provide insurance cover to certain extend, some unavoidable things may happen during your move. This makes s it necessary that you get an additional insurance cover to cater for those unforeseen events that may happen. The best time to do this is just a few moments before your move is affected by its also advisable that you get your transit insurance well in advance.

There are your personal items that are ineligible for the move. While you can carry your furniture, clothes, kitchen appliances and many more. Live plants will have to be transported after you have obtained the right certificate from the relevant authorities. Long beach movers will not accept to carry explosives, liquids and solid that has the potential to catch flames, toxic and hazardous goods. These are dangerous things that can cause havoc on the way hence you will either dispose them off locally or look for an alternative way of getting rid of them since they are not eligible for the interstate move.

During the high school years, college bound students are taking Algebra, Geometry, Trigonometry, Pre-Calculus, etc. They are NOT taking "real life" classes like Math for Everyday Living. Thus, these teens are not learning anything about buying cars, renting an apartment, getting a loan, etc. Teens truly have NO CLUE about the actual cost of everyday living. One of the most important things you can do for you teen is to expose him/her to "real life" math by including him/her when you are budgeting, grocery shopping, cooking, paying bills, etc. You teen is very close to graduation. Your teen needs you to:

1. Give a reality check on the costs of monthly and yearly expenses. Several times during his/her high school years, have your teen "help" you pay bills. Ask him to list the items he thinks you have to pay and have him guess how much you pay. Be sure to include everything: groceries, utilities, rent or house payment, trash service, car payments, gasoline for the car, health insurance payments, cell phone, cable/internet, and so on. Then have him compare his guesses with reality. Then add the real figures together for a monthly total. Then multiply by 12 for the yearly total. Then add in the "once in a while" expenses like dentist, doctor, car insurance, eye glasses, clothing, and car repairs. Your teen needs to understand that a minimum wage job won't cover his necessities--let alone his desires.

2. Make certain he/she understand bills and pay stubs. If your teen has a job, compare that pay stub with yours. Discuss the various deductions (state tax, federal tax, social security, medical insurance, dues, etc.). Be sure the your teen understands that most of the deductions are based on a percentage of the income. This means that getting a raise means all of those deductions increase, so the final result will not be as much of a raise as was first thought. Be sure your teen understands how to read the various statements that come and the importance of checking them for mistakes. Credit card statements and utility bills can be very difficult to understand. Credit card companies just recently were required to add to their statements information about how long it will take to pay off the bill if nothing else is purchased and only a minimum payment is made. This is often shocking to see. Be sure to point it out!

3. Practice budgeting. Have your teen practice setting up a budget using realistic estimates of what he thinks he will make. Have him research the job he wants and get a realistic starting salary estimate. Also have him research car payments (and insurance payments) for the car he wants, and rent for the apartment he would like to have. His first budget should be a "worst case scenario"--meaning calculating with minimum salary and maximum expenses. Will his job support his desires? Most likely it won't. Then discuss more realistic choices of car, apartment, clothing, etc. Remind him frequently that he can't expect to start off having everything you have. (This is especially true with electronic equipment. They think they must have it all from the very beginning.)

4. Practice with newspapers/computers. Newspapers contain much more information than just local and national news and sports. A person should be able to look for jobs, find cars, find just about anything for sale, find the weather, find movies, find rummage sales, find stock quotes, and much more. Be sure your teen knows how to use the paper even if it is on the computer. Also remind them they may not always have a computer to use. Young people just starting out on their own often find out they need to make choices about purchases over time. A car might be needed before a computer.

5. Become familiar with building directories. Teens are generally quite comfortable navigating around the local mall, but they need to be equally comfortable in strange places, like a hospital or a large office complex. Being able to read and understand the building directory can be difficult. Go on some outings to a hospital or large office building and practice finding a particular office, the restrooms, or a cafeteria.

6. Make certain that they can read and interpret charts and graphs. As you come across various types of graphs in magazines, newspapers, online, etc., ask your teen to tell you what information is being presented, ask why that type of graph was used, ask why a graph was used at all rather than just explaining the information and so on. Be aware that teens especially need practice with the percents in circle graphs. They can tell which section of the circle is bigger, but not what value it indicates. They need help with this.

7. Practice using the phone book. Yes, I know your teen thinks he will never need to use one; but he does need to be aware of just how much information is in there. He should be able to locate emergency information, postal information, area codes, business section, yellow pages, maps, etc. As hard as it will be for him to believe, sometimes locating information is quicker with the phone book.

8. Take a field trip to a bank and learn about loans. (Make an appointment first and explain what you need.) The process of borrowing money can be confusing and frustrating, especially if low credit scores cause a denial of credit. Ask the loan officer to be very blunt with your child about the problems associated with bad credit. Many young adults dig themselves into a very deep financial hole very quickly.

9. Practice map reading. Only a small amount of attention is given to map reading in math classes except as an introduction to coordinate graphs. And students think they will have navigation systems, so who needs to read a map. (I have a new car with a navigation system that gets lost in Denver! When I need to go to Denver, I have to get out the map. If you've been to downtown Denver, you will understand the need for a map.) Necessary map skills include finding and understanding the legend, understanding and using the grid system, and being able to estimate distances.

Being realistic with you, if your teen is a senior, he/she will probably think this is "stupid." So, if possible, start working with your teen during the freshman year. Even if your teen is a senior, remember that your active parenting days are declining in number very quickly, and these skills are important!

When you need to file a personal injury claim, you need an attorney to assist you. In my personal opinion, I don't encourage people to go for negotiations and settlements. You should protect your rights and bring the case to the court. You should not be afraid of the legal proceedings. Filing a lawsuit is a simple task, especially when you manage to get a lawyer to represent you. When you are suffering personal injury, you should take legal action so that you can be compensated in a fair manner.

To be frank, in today's competitive business world, most of the responsible parties prefer to settle injury claims as quickly as possible at an economical rate. They don't want to go through a lengthy litigation process. In many circumstances, some unethical insurance companies try to take advantage from the injured insurers. They tend to reduce the compensation during negotiations. As a result, the injured insurers have to bear higher medical costs and other expenses in the future.

Being the victim of an accident, you should protect your rights. It is not compulsory for you t o accept the settlement offer. You need to get a professional to assist you. You should hire an attorney to estimate your losses carefully. All the related future costs must be taken into account. You are reminded not to depend on the adjuster only. You should not accept any offer from the responsible party immediately. You will be taking higher financial risks if you don't make your judgment carefully.

For people who have no idea about legal terms, they may find it extremely hard to understand the complex language of insurance policies as well as the related law. Some adjusters are not sincere in assisting you. Hence, you are advised not to handle the case alone. You should allocate some money to consult the lawyer for professional advice. Take fast action to hire a reliable lawyer before your time limit runs out. Once the time set is over, you will lose your rights to sue the responsible party.

During economy downturn, not everyone can afford to pay legal fees. Is getting a lawyer a logical step when you don't have much money? According to the American Bar Association, if someone is seriously injured in an accident, seeking legal counsel is a need. The lawyer plays an important role here. He or she helps the victims to navigate the legal procedures to ensure that they are not losing the money which they should be entitled for.

The above mentioned are the top reasons why you need to hire an attorney to assist you. There are also situations where you don't need him or her. For instance, you have already been offered a very fair claim settlement by the responsible party or your injury is not serious and you are recovering soon. You don't need to spend extra money to get a lawyer to assist you.

REVIEW - "Surrogacy: Wombs for Rent" aired on PBS, Public Broadcasting System on September 18, 2009 on the weekly news-magazine, NOW, hosted by David Brancaccio along with senior correspondent Maria Hinojosa. The story, Surrogacy: Wombs for Rent, was about an infertile couple seeking surrogate mother - Marcio and Beth Mardones from Chicago. Back in 2000 Beth had cervical cancer. In February of 2000 doctors had removed her uterus to save her life. The Mardones couple were in the surrogate motherhood research stage of finding a surrogate mother to have their baby. They were willing to pay the cost of egg donation IVF surrogacy using Marico's sperm. They then contracted with a California gestational surrogacy agency called SurroGenesis.

According to the wombs for rent story, commercial surrogacy is not allowed in most countries of the world nor in most states in America. There are no laws on banning or against surrogacy here in California, by the way. Remarkably, it is a $500,000 fine and 10 years in prison to pay a surrogate or egg/sperm donor in Canada. We are proud to be one of the good and honest California commercial gestational surrogacy agencies. The Mardones couple sold their apartment for $50,000. They deposited the money into an escrow account at the Michael Charles Group, an escrow account company. This was at the direction of SurroGenenis. SurroGenesis then started finding a surrogate mother.

Subsequently, M/M Mardones were matched with Salina Ramirez who was willing to become a surrogate mother. She would take the steps to becoming a surrogate mother at an agreed upon surrogate fee of $20,000 plus expenses. Salina, a single mother with two children, worked for a medical office in Sacramento the state capital of California. The frozen sperm from Marico was flown in and a separate anonymous egg donor was found. Salina became with child on the first try. Since Salina's insurance did not cover surrogacy, SurroGenesis had arranged (falsely apparently) to employ Salina so they could put her on the company group insurance plan with Blue Shield. This, by the way, is not allowed and can be considered fraud.

Then, when she is four months pregnant, Ms Ramirez gets notice in the mail that the insurance policy was canceled due to non-payment. Tonya Collins, owner of SurroGenesis, had taken some $2,500,000 in deposits from 60 clients and skipped. Michael Charles Group, the supposedly neutral escrow company was actually owned by Collins. Collins had complete access to all the money. This NOW expose', Surrogacy: Wombs for Rent, is an exception to the caring, honest and hard-working surrogacy and egg donation agencies plus all the fertility clinics, doctors, OBGYN's and non-profit organizations involved with ART (assisted reproductive technology)worldwide.

A Ms. Spar, author of the book "Baby Business" was interviewed by NOW for the wombs for rent story. She said, "I think it is womb selling or womb renting. So, I think there's no doubt that a surrogate mother is providing a bodily service for a fee. It's clearly a relationship marked by vast inequities. You have rich people buying bodily functions of poor women."

Back in California, Ramirez was contemplating getting an abortion. M/M Mardones, however, agreed to buy a new expensive insurance policy from Lloyd's of London, a surrogate healthcare provider, and to go ahead with the surrogate pregnancy. Salina had the baby by C-section and only got part of her surrogate fee. In fact, she may still owe some money for the delivery expenses. M/M Mardones took the child back to Chicago. Blue Shield is now claiming fraud.

On NOW's web site there is copy of a 25 page lawsuit against Ms. Collins along with full video and full written transcript of the whole TV program, Surrogacy: Wombs for Rent. See: http://video.pbs.org/video/1267855478

Onewonders why Tonya Collins went rogue? Was there a problem with surrogacy issues with another client and a lawsuit developing? Was there a battle with estranged husband, James Collins, who may have been part owner of SurroGenesis? They were apparently separated and the marriage was on the rocks. Anyway, the FBI is investigating. In my mind the problem would not have gotten out of hand if all parties had used an attorney versed in surrogacy law and used the attorney's trust fund account for paying out the money.

The lesson here is to make sure the funds are in a neutral escrow. Also make sure there is a fully signed surrogacy contract agreement that typically govern how the monies are disbursed and the surrogate fee is to be paid. In the United States there is no Federal over site or licensing of commercial surrogacy. Laws on surrogacy are different in every state. This is probably due to the, Roe v. Wade, court decision about abortion that gave women rights to their own bodies. Every since, Roe v. Wade, there has been a hands off policy on the subject of embryos by many levels of government.

There are no laws on banning or against surrogacy in California. The main benefit of surrogacy arrangements handled by a California commercial surrogacy agency is that there is good court history of acceptance. A 1993 California surrogacy court case, Johnson v. Calvert, gave parents all rights to the child. Then in a 1998 case, Buzzanca v. Buzzanca, the court ruled that the child was lawfully to go to the intended parents even though there was no genetic link to the child by either of them (surrogates egg & anonymous sperm donor). This makes California the land of opportunity for infertile couples seeking surrogate mother along with lesbian mothers and gay men wanting to do same-sex parenting. Watch the "Wombs For Rent" show on link or Google - "wombs for rent".

There's gold jewelry and there's gold plated pieces. Depending on your situation, you can put either one to good use. In many cases, it has been seen that gold plated necklaces work very well in today's times. The economy is still in the state of recovery and it can be very difficult to obtain something made out of solid gold. For your budget, gold plated pieces come in more affordable prices than jewelry of solid gold.

Just as there are many choices for solid gold jewelry, there are also a variety of choices for gold plated pendants, earrings, necklaces and bracelets. It is all thanks to modern technology and new techniques in fashioning metals into accessories. Plated necklaces also withstand the test of time just as if they're made all gold. They keep their beauty and their luster throughout the years.

Basically, plated necklaces get favor for their prices. In jewelry stores and online stores, they offer many kinds of jewelry at reduced cost. When you purchase gold plated jewelry, you have the ability to buy more and while saving a hefty amount of money. You can easily start a collection for gold plated pieces. They're unique, innovative and fine enough to keep as a collection.

For every occasion you want to wear these, you can easily do so. You only have to mix and match workmanship and design to an outfit and you can be out and about in style. Plated necklaces also have their appeal in that they have lower insurance costs tagged to them. With solid gold pieces, getting insurance for these require complicated and expensive security measures! Aside from that, you have to deal with high premiums too.

For plated jewelry, you can even go without insuring them. If you do get insurance, you'll have lower premiums and a lower price to pay to keep these safe. When you buy gold plated necklaces, you have more room to spend your other earnings on the more important things in life. You can even start another collection of other gold plated items like hairpins. Through technological advancements, it's easier to indulge yourself in this society.

You can wear beautiful jewelry without having to pay high end dollars. Generally, you will get very similar quality without having to purchase solid gold jewelry. It's excellent quality at affordable prices, what else is there to think about? Know one will ever know the difference!