As consumers, let alone real estate investors, we tend to flinch whenever the insurance bill arrives. Many times, for good reason: rates are higher, coverages seem to diminish, and for what? We have never even filed a claim! However, if we stop thinking of our insurance policies as just another drain on our cash-flow, and more as a legitimate part of our business plan, that premium notice may be a little bit easier to open...

Most of us consider insurance as a "purchasing endeavor". That is, we either buy it, or it is sold to us. Therein, in my opinion, is the foundational fault of the process. The misconception is still prevalent: insurance is mysterious, difficult to understand, and, at best we hope we can trust the person that is selling it to us. We buy it, because we "have to have it":... As a licensed "agent" in over 40 states, I cringe whenever I hear the word "quote". Not that getting the best rate for appropriate coverage shouldn't be our goal, but "quoting" tends to lead to, in many situations, an inadequate transaction between seller (the agent) and end-user (the policyholder). Inadequate, because the agenda for the agent may not fit the needs of the customer (or, as I prefer, client). Please do not misconstrue this as a generalization that all insurance agents are inherently indifferent, or less than legitimate. The attitude that insurance should be treated as a commodity can be blamed on the industry itself, who, as a knee-jerk reaction and effort to grow market share, seem to not really understand the needs of the public. Their Contact us to save $XXX on your Coverage advertising campaigns reinforce the public attitude that insurance is a "one size fits all" industry and getting the lowest rate makes the most sense. Unfortunately, when you really need it, this planning, or lack thereof, has hurt more consumers than it has ever helped.

Too many of us, when building our real estate investing portfolios, consider our insurance program an afterthought. Those of us who do understand some of it's value, may not fully comprehend it's place in our business plan/model. I consistently receive calls and emails from people who ask if I think an LLC, an S-Corporation, a Land Trust, or any other entity created to buy/own real estate is the best option over another for them. These bevy of inquiries bolster my theory that the right advice is still not promulgated in our industries (insurance AND real estate investing) to a sufficient degree. Contrary to most opinion, insurance should not be the foundation of an asset protection strategy. Think of your assets, whether personal or business, as the items within your castle that you desire to protect. The legal entities that you create, with the advice and assistance of a legal professional, are the castle walls, the moat, and the watchtower you build to help protect them. What you choose to create is a summation of the needs and issues in which tax, financial, and even estate planning must be taken into consideration. Acknowledge that insurance is the archer in the watch tower, or the knights with the boiling oil, that attempt to keep nasty things like liability claims, fire, windstorms and other catastrophes at bay. We all know insurance does not cover everything. The list of exclusions in most policies is more than a paragraph. Likewise, the archer does not hit every target. That stated, the archer and knights (insurance) need to work in conjunction the walls and the moats legal entities) to appropriately protect your "stuff". Protecting your assets is more complex than simply finding the cheapest insurance rate.

"That is a nice explanation, and worth consideration, but how does that help me when my next premium comes due", you may be thinking... Inadequate coverage, whether relating to your property or liability, may be just as damaging to your business model as no coverage at all. There are many cost-saving mechanisms that you can employ, far short of short-changing coverage. These are but a few:

Higher deductibles---Take a glance at the deductible you have on all your insurance policies. Chances are, if you increase each of them to the next higher incremental level, the premium savings generated will more than offset the difference. A solid rule-of-thumb is to take the minimum claim you would file, double it, and use that as your preferred deductible on any policy. If you would never file a $1000 claim, then certainly don't carry a $500 deductible. Besides, as real estate investors, we typically don't pay "retail" for supplies or labor when it comes to construction/rehab/repair...A deductible is, by definition, "self-insurance". I am an advocate of self-insuring that which you can control or is of a known amount (a deductible, or even the vacant property you got at a tax sale for $10,000). However, self-insuring unknown risk, such as liability, even with an asset-protection strategy in place, is rarely a good idea.

Combining coverages---The more opportunity you have to combine coverages on either the same policy, or with the same carrier, usually the better rate you get. If you have 6 rental properties on 6 different policies, not only are you potentially paying a higher rate due to internal policy fees, etc... on each, you may end up paying far more than you think in the event of a catastrophe, such as a wind or hailstorm. On separate policies, you have separate deductibles...If multiple locations are damaged, your deductible will apply per location. On a master, or "blanket"-type policy, where all properties are combined, the deductible usually applies per occurrence. Knowing this, and choosing a deductible that is appropriate for your business, goes a long way in helping you when you really need it...In the recent windstorms as a result of Hurricane Ike, I had one client that had over 150 properties damaged. She had a $5000 deductible. Thank goodness she only had to deal with it once, because her properties were combined on one policy. Otherwise, her 10 years of building a large portfolio of properties may have been wasted...

Dropping coverages you do not need---A quick review of a policy will usually indicate how much you are paying for unnecessary coverages. As real estate investors, many of us have been financially blessed, even in the current economic turmoil. With multiple vehicles at home, do we really need to pay for the "rental car coverage"? If our vehicles are newer, many times "Roadside Assistance" is built in to our purchase or lease. If you are still paying for "Towing" coverage on your auto insurance policy, it's probably a waste of a few dollars. I realize that many of these items are "nickels and dimes". However, they are yours, and you should spend them on things that you need. Consider re-allocating these premium dollars into higher liability limits, for instance.



Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Tim_Norris

When you are considering your own business an independent insurance agency is a great business that provides you with many benefits. Many people never think about becoming an insurance agent because they feel that the procedure might be complicated and expensive. The truth is about anyone can start their own agency with little to know formal training. There are many small insurance providers who will sponsor small agencies. You need to make sure that you are licensed properly through the state you reside, make up a business plan and then contact providers that will permit you to sell their policy.

In most states you are required to take a test in order to get your license as an agent before a license will be issued. You can go to the Secretary of State Office and get training manual that will help you before you take your test. It is very easy to get a license as an agent who sells auto owners and home owners insurance but rather difficult to be licensed to sell life insurance. Many of the companies that you plan on using in your agency will provide you with training materials and a book of business.

The book of business is usually from a previous agent or an agent that lives a distance from where you are and since you are closer the client may want to change. Never assume that because you have inherited a book of business that everyone will become your client. You will need to obtain your own clients or book of business as it is referred too. When you do obtain a license to sell insurance you should also consider getting your organizational license making sure that you are licensed as LLC so that you will not be sued personally. This is vital for many agents because the client may decide to sue you or your business as well as the carrier that is providing them the insurance.

Next you will need a surety bond which basically a guarantor that you will be taking care of business to your customers. The surety bond is very inexpensive and a must for any agency. Then you will need an E & O insurance which protects you from any errors and omission that you might have performed that caused a significant loss to your clients. After you have acquired all the necessary agreements and insurance then you are ready to start your agency with the carrier(s) that have approved you to sell their premiums.



Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Tom_Tessin

It's great when you are confident in safety of your money in general, and in your insurance company's reliability in particular.

Unfortunately, the credit crisis affected virtually every sphere of life, and in times of the financial turmoil, like it is going now, many began worrying about its consequences for insurance and wonder to what extent the insurance industry was affected.

What are the risks that this financial crisis might pose to the insurance industry? What if my insurance provider won't be able to pay for the claim? Should I switch the insurer, or even quit my insurance cover? All these questions are very urgent for many people today.

First of all, you should know that there is no reason to worry if you are satisfied with your insurance company and the way they work. Have they paid for the claims in time? Were there any problems with their quick and adequate respond to your claim? Make sure that you are aware of your insurer's latest rates, and if they are ok for you, you can rest assured (whatever it meant).

Additionally, there are independent sites where you can learn practically every insurance company's rating. The rating shows the company's stability and reliability from an independent point of view, whether it will be able to meet its obligations in future, i.e. to pay for claims. According to the rating you can always decide if you should "quit" or switch your insurer.

Some more good news for you:

- an insurer's activity is strictly regulated, and in most cases an insurance company is not involved in those risks which unregulated industries are vulnerable to; besides, the industry is now under tight control because of the banking crisis, which doubles reliability;

- in case an insurer is in bad financial condition, it will get aid from the state insurance regulators, for the purpose of anticipating its bankruptcy, and the state which the insurer belongs to will take measures to save the company; moreover, it is a strict obligatory rule for insurance companies to pay into guaranty funds; so, a policyholder has nothing to worry about anyway, as he/she is going to get the money even if the insurer is insolvent;

- in some states there is a so called pre-assessment system,

- a kind of a pool for insurers to annually contribute money to, so as to secure future claim- payments.

As you may see, the sphere of insurance is rather protected from the threats of the world-wide financial crisis. Anyway, if you still have doubts, just shop around for a good and reliable insurance company, be careful and stay tuned.



Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Alexei_Liteev