Bob Doruma Journal

Saturday, December 6, 2008

Condo Rental Tenants Need To Protect Themselves With Renters Insurance

Condo rental tenants frequently fail to purchase renters insurance because they think the property manager's insurance already covers them.Tragically, many of them don't realize they have made this mistake until after something happens and they are left with nothing.Renters insurance will cover you, your loved ones, and all of your belongings in the event that something does happen.

Why Tenants Should Purchase Renters Insurance


Contrary to what many people believe, those living in a condo rental need to purchase their own insurance rather than relying on their property manager's policy.

Their plan will only cover the building itself and the losses that the property's owner suffers.Coverage for renters is the only way you will be compensated for your personal belongings including collectibles, furniture, and other items that may be in your possession.This means if there is a fire, natural disaster, or even a break in, your policy provider will financially compensate you for your loss.It will also cover a lawyer's fees if someone would happen to get hurt while in your home.

What Happens With A Condo Rental Policy


The policy purchased by the property manager will compensate him or her for any damages or losses associated with an event that causes damage to the building or land.

Renters insurance covers you in much the same way.If something bad does happen, your plan will give the money needed to repair or replace your personal belongings.You want to be careful here, however.The provider determines exactly how the policy works.They decide what events they will cover you for, the amount of coverage you will have, and the actual cost of the policy.These variables change with each provider.Always go with a reputable company and make certain you understand the entire contract before you agree to anything.

What You Are Covered For


Monetary compensation for your personal items is the main area these plans cover.

Make sure they cover for natural events such as wind, smoke, fire, and flood.They should also cover human events such as accidental water damage, theft, and vandalism.The money doesn't do anything to make up for the stress and emotional strain of losing your items, but it will definitely make a difference if you are forced to start over.

Because the property manager's policy will not offer you any help if someone is hurt while in your condo rental, make sure your plan includes liability.This will provide help if someone is injured or killed while in your condo rental.It will also cover any belongings they bring with them that are lost or damaged.For example -- if you lean against the wall with your hand, slip off, and accidentally hit someone and break their teeth, your policy will pay the medical bills and your lawyer's bills if it comes to that.

Many tenants feel that renters insurance is expensive and a waste of money.If you were to figure out how much your personal belongings are worth and how much medical and lawyer's bills can be, it is the most cost-effective solution by far.If you are looking to save money, consider combining this plan with your auto and personal insurances.Just be certain to check for the limitations and exceptions providers include in their contracts to ensure that it covers everything you need it to.Renters insurance is designed specifically to help you as a tenant while working with the property manager's plan to make serious events as easy on you as possible.


About the Author

Christine O'Kelly writes for a leading property manager in Chicago, Beal Properties.

With more than 80 years in the industry, Beal Properties is proud to provide renters and property owners with a pleasant and positive rental experience.

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Friday, December 5, 2008

What to Do When Your Assessments Aren't Working

Is your assessment program working?Are you utilizing it in the correct manner?This article will provide you with an assessment program checklist that will help you determine its true effects on your business.Whether you're an executive, a manager or a team leader, the following information will be beneficial to you.

Is your assessment program working?Are you utilizing it in the correct manner?This article will provide you with an assessment program checklist that will help you determine its true effects on your business.Whether you're an executive, a manager or a team leader, the following information will be beneficial to you.

Recent conversations with assessment users and providers have indicated it is probably worthwhile to visit this issue.If your assessment program appears to be having less effect than you anticipated or no effect - or worse, a negative effect, it is time for a thorough checkup!

Here is a list of questions for your assessment program checkup:


Do you actually have a program?

Examine the process your business is using to administer and apply assessments.Are the procedures written, consistent and used as designed?

Are you using the assessment results to affect your decisions?

Too often, close examination of the usage of assessment information exposes a simple fact: Results are simply being ignored, underweighted or "explained away" by the people on the front lines of the decision process.

A simple analysis of a prescreening program, for example, will often reveal there is simply no significant difference in the assessment results of those hired and those not hired after assessment.(It's not being used!) In these cases, the front-line decision makers may well believe they are using the information and will often passionately defend the reasons for not using the assessment information in specific decisions.

Is each assessment being used appropriately?
In the Department of Labor's (DOL) Testing and Assessment: An Employer's Guide To Good Practices, this is a cardinal principle.Use assessments as they were designed to be used and for purposes tested in the validation process.

Are your outcome measures job-related, specific, measurable and repeatable?
The selection of outcome measures is critical to the success of your program.The less subjective your outcome measures, the more likely you will be to properly implement, adjust and maximize your program.

Beware of "fuzzy" measurements such as managers' opinions of effectiveness, self-scoring of variables like happiness and satisfaction and correlations with other variables with low or no established reliability of their own.

Are you using a "whole person" approach?
Referring to the DOL once more, this is a crucial question.Assessment programs are, at the most basic level, simply intended to provide information.Information, from any source, is subject to error.It is important to have information from a variety of reliable sources, and any single assessment's information should be combined with information from other sources to minimize error and increase the probability that a good decision will result.

Complete this checkup now and repeat it at regular intervals.

Designing and implementing an assessment program is a process, not a single action.Constant review, continuing measurement and an open mind are the hallmarks of an assessment program that works!

Assessment programs can be used to match people with the work they do.By measuring the essential factors that mark the difference between success and failure in specific jobs, your organization put the right person into every position, allowing them to utilize their talents without limitations.This leads to greater job satisfaction and improved morale because your organization is staffed with a workforce of people who are highly productive, skilled and committed to doing their very best.

By uncovering clues as to why some employees perform at extraordinary levels and some at only average levels, your business will be able to solve many organizational challenges.Assessment programs give you the power to reduce turnover, effectively promote the best employees, increase productivity, identify essential skill sets, improve communication, eliminate stress, create successful managers and develop new leaders.


About the Author

Jim Sirbasku is co-founder and CEO of Profiles International, a leading provider of human resource management solutions and employment assessments for businesses worldwide.

Learn more about how assessments can help your organization - visit our website.

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Thursday, December 4, 2008

The Many Benefits of Company Formation

For many successful small businesses there will come the inevitable point where the question has to be asked, should the small business become a registered company?Company formation is something that lots of people strive for as it indicates a sign of success and demands some respect in many areas of the business world.

There are many aspects to consider when making the decision to go down the route of company formation and although it is not the right move for everyone for many it can be the platform to greater things.Company formation depends on several factors not least of all the company's annual earnings.

The process of registering as a company is straightforward but can seem longwinded as there are several documents that need to be completed and depending on whether you chose to register as a private or a public company.The company formation process for both is simple but with subtle differences that can often be confusing.

The process involves, among other things, choosing a company name, selecting an area to trade from and a business type, registering any company directors and specifying what type of shares in the company are offered.

It is worth considering taking advice on company formation from specialists.There are lots of companies that now offer to take care of the whole process for you, for a fee.If you are unsure about the process or do not feel confident to handle the whole process alone it may be that getting help will ensure that no mistakes are made which can slow the process down and even incur financial repercussions.

Once registered you are obliged to adhere to certain rules and guidelines, the company name must be clearly displayed outside any business premises and the company name and registration details must be visible on all company correspondence; letters, invoices etc.Specialists in company formation will be able to advise on all these matters and many more.

There are four types of company:


1.

Private company limited by shares - A private limited company has a share capital.Shares cannot be offered for sale to the general public.The liability of its member is related to the amount unpaid on shares that each member holds.

2.Private company limited by guarantee - Members do not purchase shares but agree to contribute to the company's assets if the company is ever wound up.

3.Private unlimited company - This type of company can have shares but doesn't have to.There is no limit to members' liability and this type of company does not have to offer up as much information as other types.

4.Public limited companies are identified by several factors.A public limited company has a share.Shares may be offered for sale to the general public and can also be quoted on the stock exchange.The liability of its member is related to the amount unpaid on shares that each member holds.

In an increasingly litigious world many small and medium sized businesses are seeing the insurance benefits of company formation.Registering as a company legally separates the obligation of the individual and the business and recognizes the fact in law.This is useful for unseen circumstances including accidents to employees.

As well as the benefits of liability there are tax benefits.Often the rate of tax can be brought down considerably after the process of company formation.Raising money for a registered company is easier as it involves selling shares.It is also easier to value a registered company as it does not involve an individual's assets and so is easier to measure.


About the Author

Dominic Donaldson is an expert in the company formation industry.


Find out more about company formation and how it could benefit you.

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Tuesday, December 2, 2008

Factoring: a Great Help to Truckers during a Recession

The whole world is paying a high price for the unexpected rise in fuel prices and truck owners especially are bearing the brunt of the resulting recession.With higher fuel prices reducing their margins drastically and a lower volume of freight to move around, truckers will require exploring alternate avenues to maintain a workable cash flow that lets them meet their expenses and allows them to plan for the future.One such tool that can help truckers during a recession is factoring.

Unlike traditional businesses, where employers might have fixed monthly expenses, truckers cannot plan some of their expenses.While drivers might need to be paid on a weekly basis and the rest of the staff on a monthly basis, there might be other expenses lurking in the dark, such as a high fuel bill for a long haul or sudden expenses due to truck repairs, accidents, etc.These unexpected expenses along with a delay in receiving money from credit clients could literally choke the truckers' cash flow and even put them out of business.A practical solution to this problem is factoring.

Truckers can sell their credit invoices to a factoring company, who will then arrange to wire the invoices amount to the truckers' account within 24 to 48 hours.This amount will be minus a small factoring fee of 1.5% to 5% depending on the credit period extended to the client by the trucking company, the client's credibility as assessed by the factoring company and the overall business that the trucking company can provide to the factoring company.The factoring facility could also be of the 'non-recourse' type, where the factoring company will be ready to bear the loss, if the client does not pay the invoice amount even after the due date or it could be of the 'recourse' type, where the trucker will have to pay back the invoice amount to the factoring company, if the client does not pay the money.

The biggest advantage in any of the above factoring types is that the trucking company will receive almost the entire invoice amount within 48 hours of issuing the credit invoice to the client.This will help the truckers to pay the drivers and staff wages, pay for fuel and other repairs and also put into motion any expansion plan that might have been bogged down due to lack of funds.

A positive cash flow will also enable the truckers to go in for larger and longer hauls, which would not have been previously possible.If the truckers enter into a 'non-recourse' contract with the factoring company, then they would also be able to divert all energies in increasing the business, instead of chasing after late-paying clients.In other words, factoring will enable the truckers to remain in control of their businesses and also help them to expand it.While it might take some time for the economy to turn around or fuel prices to stabilize, tying up with the right factoring company will help truckers to successfully survive any downturn.

A recession can be an alarming phase for any business and truckers are no exception.The trucking industry is totally dependent on the health of other industries.But, with the help of the right factoring company, truckers can safely ride out the storm and confidently face the future.


About the Author

Freight Bill Factoring with the best rates and service.

Current factoring rates can be found here: http://www.phoenixcapitalgroup.com


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Sunday, November 30, 2008

Eco-Friendly Hotel Chains Fill Lodging Niche

In an environmentally conscious world, filled with pleasure seekers and international travelers, there is a seemingly significant absence of eco-friendly hotels.That is to say, if you don't want to room in a hut while on vacation, there are limited environmentally friendly choices when choosing where to stay.

Fresh new hotel chains are now getting some attention, since they offer the eco-savvy traveler a place to kick off their Birkenstocks, as well as a place to take pleasure in the modern amenities of the 21st Century.

For example, chains like Oriens Travel and Hotel Management Corp.give peace of mind to travelers who pay attention to preserving the environment, especially in the fertile jungles and environs of developing countries like Costa Rica, Panama and Nicaragua where eco-friendly hotels are primarily located.

Eco-friendly hotels make energy conservation and waste disposal core concerns.In simple terms, these hotels want to impact the environment and protect the surrounding ecosystems for future generations of the local inhabitants and the eco-savvy traveler.

These new brand of eco-friendly branded hotels provide clean, upscale styles to the traveler looking for economic accommodations.Guests can enjoy crisp clean interiors and world-class service at a fraction of the cost of three and four star hotels.

Rooms can come complete with all-white bed sheets to all-white linens.Some sport white porcelain tiles with subtle shades of grays.Free flowing window drapes and contemporary furniture complete the white, South Beach Miami concept.

Some lodging accommodations of these new hotel chains are 3.5 star hotels with warm and cozy interiors.Rich colors and textured woods make these hotels the perfect place to relax and get away from the world.Some are designed with elegant Mediterranean-style architecture, modeled after the traditional Spanish paradores and quaint European boutique hotels, makes these resorts unique in selected regions.

These hotel locations offer all the expected amenities of a four-plus star resort, coupled with European refinement and a warm tropical touch.
Some of the eco-friendly hotels even have resorts bed and breakfast style locations that place an emphasis on cleanliness, tidiness, exceptional services, and most important of all, affordable pricing, aimed at drawing in the eco-tourism market.

These properties are a wonderful experience for someone looking for a quiet retreat, warm intimate services and a relaxed atmosphere.Their bed and breakfast style accommodations offer travelers a less corporate atmosphere.Each location may have no more than 25 rooms, giving guests the opportunity to embrace pure tranquility.Services can still be very impressive, some featuring complimentary breakfasts, Internet access and phone service.

These eco-friendly hotel chains offer a wide range of hotel and resort options to the eco-savvy traveler.Whether you are looking for that bed and breakfast to enjoy with your special someone, or just for an eco-friendly place to take your family, these fresh new hotel chains are now getting some attention, since they can offer the eco-savvy traveler comfortable and eco-safe lodging.

DISCLAIMER: This article written by e-media Direct, with the expressed permission of its client (OTHM), and the information and research contained herein do not represent a recommendation of investment advice to buy or sell stocks or any financial instrument nor is it intended as an endorsement of any security or investment.Neither e-media direct (including the author) can assess, verify, or guarantee the suitability of any particular investment to any personal situation and the reader of this article bears complete responsibility for its own investment research and should seek the advice of a qualified investment professional prior to making any investment decisions.

This article and any sponsoring websites are provided solely for informational purposes, and they do not constitute an offer or solicitation to buy or sell any securities.All opinions expressed and information and data provided herein are subject to change without notice.e-media Direct and their respective officers, directors, employees and/or associated entities, including the author, may have positions in and may from time to time make purchases or sales of the securities discussed or mentioned in this article.e-media Direct, Inc.has been compensated by a third party consultant ten thousand dollars in cash.In exchange for this compensation, OTHM will receive investor relations services, this written article and promotion of this article on e-media Direct websites, other non-e-media Direct sponsoring websites and various media forums.


About the Author

Rodney Marvel is currently the Director of Operations for e-media Direct (www.

e-mediadirect.com).He has five years of experience in the marketing and financial industries.You can contact him at: http://www.e-mediareport.com or rmarvel@e-mediadirect.com or 866.284.2835.

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