Steps To Protect Your Assets If A Hurricane Approaches

By Atty Chris Lim

he 2008 Hurricane Season is upon us; having started on June 1st, the hurricane season runs through November 30th. The 2008 Hurricane Season was predicted to be "above average", however to date the season and the tropics have been relatively quiet with only a few named storms, and only one that impacted south Texas. Historically however, the worst storms form in August through October. One needs to look back to the volatile 2004 and 2005 seasons when seven (7) storms crashed upon the U.S. coastlines killing scores of people and causing billions of dollars in property damages. Guess who has not forgotten about past storms ? Answer: Your insurance company. Policy owners in effected coastal and hurricane zone areas have seen rate increases year after year to pay for past losses and payouts for property damages. As a result, now is the time for home and property owners to evaluate their property casualty insurance to assure that they are covered in case of storm damage loss. The following hurricane insured preparedness tips should assist the policy owner when pending storms are imminent.

Images are of your property are important. Take pictures and video of you personal property and Real Estate. Make sure the insurance company can see the condition of your house before the storm.

Be ware of Shrubbery and Trees - Make sure you keep them maintained. trees and shrubbery branches often become trajectories during a storm. They can be a danger to your house and your neighbors.

Take photos immediately after the storm of damages - It is critical to take photos to show any immediate damages to property and personal property to disclose the causation factor. In other words, the storm caused the damages. Many times insurance companies will attempt to deny damages.

Keep your important documents and records in a safe place - A small lock box, or hand held file carrier can be transported easily and is a safe way to transport records and documents with you if you are required to evacuate your house.

If you lose power, save all receipts for food, hotels, and other expenses - Often you may be forced to vacate your house quickly with a pending storm. From the time you leave your house, until your return, your insurance company is responsible for your out of pocket expenses for spoiled food, hotel stays, and other expenses for having to leave your home.

Contact your insurance company immediately after the storm - Don't wait to contact your insurance company to see if you have damages, more then likely the insurance company will be swamped with calls for damages; get inline and contact your insurance carrier to assess your damages.

Keep time for how long it takes you to clean-up. It may reimbursable. - Keep a small notebook and write down your daily expenses for being out of your home. Things such as hotel, gas, and even food receipts may be reimbursable under your policy.

Record the name and date of the insurance adjuster that visited your home. - Your insurance company has an affirmitive duty to record dates and times of calls regarding your case. But guess what ? They rarely track as closely as they should. Your evidence that you contacted and informed them of your damages may become a key issue in case their is a dispute regarding your damages.

Make sure the insurance company gives you a claim number - Once you contact your insurance company ask them for a claim number and note the time and date of your call and if possible the person you spoke with on the phone. Keep track of every conversation and keep notes.

Do not sign any contracts or documents that say 'release' - If your insurance company ask you to sign a release with a check- don't do it ! Damages can sometimes manifest themselves months after your loss. It is important you realize that you may have latent damages to your home that may not be outwardly visible in the hours and days right after the storm.

If you feel you have been underpaid on your claim contact an attorney that specializes in first party contract claims. Insurance companies are in business because they take in more then they pay out, and the first pass of reimbursement for damages may not amount to what you are due under the policy for final damages as a result of your loss.

If you feel you have been underpaid on your claim contact an attorney, your insurance commissioner, or even a public adjuster if your state allows that specializes in first party contract claims. Insurance companies are in business because they take in more then they pay out, and the first pass of reimbursement for damages may not amount to what you are due under the policy for final damages as a result of your loss. - 31514

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Suggestions For Planning Your Spring Break Beach Trip

By Liliana Fabian

Spring break is the time everyone wants to let lose and have fun. This does not mean you should start flashing cameras and acting crazy like we are use to seeing on TV. You can party during your spring break beach vacation even if you are not drunk. It is always better to remember how you got to your room the night before. When planning your trip the first thing you need to consider is the cost.

Traveling for spring break can be expensive especially if you are taking a trip to Punta Cana or Cancun. Everyone wants to visit Cancun or Punta Cana during spring break but it is much more expensive that vacationing in Panama City. Cancun is where everyone wants to be.

Start booking your vacation after you decide where you will be going. If you are flying to Punta Cana or Cancun it is important to book in advance to save money. It is cheaper to book anything in advance. Flights or even hotels should always be booked well in advance to save money.

After you have decided on whether you will be flying or driving you then have to decide on how you will get around once you are there. Even if you drive to your destination you still have to decide how you will get around because the chances are that you will be drinking on your spring break vacation.

It is always important to be safe so leave the keys at the hotel when you go out. Cabs are a cheap way to get from place to place safely while you are vacationing. Be sure to include extra money in your budget for cab fare. You will also need to find a hotel or condo to stay at while on vacation.

While vacationing at the beach condos are a great accommodation. You can rent a two or three bedroom condo on the beach for a great rate. When traveling with your friends it is much cheaper to split the price of a condo so everyone has more room. A hotel room is not as spacious as a condo.

After booking your accommodations it is time to plan your vacation activities. In Cancun Mexico there are beautiful beaches to lounge on. If you are visiting Panama City beach you should take some time to do some shopping in all the great shops along the beach. Where ever you go you will find many things to do while on vacation. - 31514

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Vacationers Help Coastal Communities Sell Luxury Home

By Hubert Miles

Talk about luxury homes on the ocean and you'll probably picture waves crashing on the coast with large homes overlooking sand dunes. These mental images likely came from a trip to some of the most famous beaches in the United States. This images offer many fond memories and offer families a rich heritage to build off of.

Some of the most beautiful destinations for tourism are small historic towns and large urban cities along the Atlantic, Gulf, and Pacific coastlines of the USA. Markets like this help to drive the real estate markets for not only the immediate areas, but in some cases the entire state.

Quiet resort towns like Plymouth, Massachusetts and the Outer Banks of NC provide opportunities for those looking to own a piece of history. These historic towns are rich in historical significance. Many of these coastal areas are small fishing villages that have some sort of historical impact on the United States.

Of the new construction properties, perhaps the most popular home choices are the fantastic condo developments that line the coast. These beautiful condos offer fantastic ocean views, spacious open living spaces, gourmet kitchens, master bedroom suites and a reduce maintenance lifestyle that is attractive to retirement couples and second home owners.

Recent years have seen the evolution of these coastal towns and urban areas in very different ways. Urban areas have created thriving investment atmospheres with vacation rentals forming a solid backbone for the real estate industry. Smaller coastal towns still struggle to maintain their sense of history and independence. Many preserve their way of life through enforcing zoning ordinances that put restrictions on commercial construction.

In Closing

If you feel it is time to own your own home on the ocean or in a coastal community, why not contact one of the local real estate professionals in an area you would like to live in for a list of current homes for sale. - 31514

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Let the Images of Playful Dolphins Swim Across Your Bank Checks

By Alan Plastin

Only a small amount of animals are as dearly loved as the dolphin. With their jarringly human-like distinctiveness and their mischievous nature, dolphins are fanciful creatures that millions of people around the world love and want to care for. Now, you can even include images of these playful creatures on your personal bank checks.

It is no wonder that so many people love dolphins. They are considered to be one of the most intelligent animals in existence and their playful nature has made them very popular with animal lovers around the world. They are social mammals and love living in groups that can include up to 1,000 members.

They have their own form of communication and are able to talk to one another using a series of clicks and whistles. They can even establish social bonds with people. They are also very protecting creatures and will sometimes even go out of their way to protect members of different species from predators. Dolphins have been known, for example, to protect humans from sharks, who fear dolphins.

In these beautifully designed dolphin-inspired checks, you can instantly be transported into an underwater world where dolphins frolic playfully and the sunlight sparkles through dappled water. The various images show adult dolphins dancing across the tops of the waves while baby dolphins glide with their mothers through colorful coral reefs. Every time you write a check, you will be reminded of the glorious creatures that the dolphins really are.

There are a variety of dolphin checks to choose from, from images that are beautifully painted to photographed images, too. Most check series come with rotating images of 4 so that each check will be different from the one before it. You can also purchase matching address labels and checkbook covers to go along with your checks, too.

If you are looking for a way of making your checks more interesting and exciting then you might want to consider purchasing these dolphin inspired checks. Perhaps in the past you avoided ordering checks because they were expensive or it took too much time to go to your local bank and order them, but this no longer has to be the case.

These days, you can buy your checks online and save a little money as well as time. By using a reputable and protected site you can save as much as 50% off the price of the checks that you might have paid at your local bank. As an added benefit, you will have a wider variety of checks to pick from which means that you won't have to settle for something that you're not particularly interested in.

It generally takes around 3-5 days to receive your checks in the mail, which might even be less time than it took for your bank to get them to you. Just keep in mind that when you order them, you need to have your checking account number as well as your routing number on hand so that they can be printed onto the checks themselves. - 31514

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