Business Store and Financial Management

Archive for December, 2011

As a business owner, you probably think of your business as your baby, something that must be taken care of properly, with everything just so, in order for it to grow. You agonize for an hour over which colour to use on your signs, you drive your employees batty moving displays or work stations around, trying to get everything just right. So why, when it comes to business electricity suppliers, do so many business owners complain about spending a half an hour to find the best supplier?

Be just as picky when it comes to your business electricity. There are only six major business electricity suppliers in the UK: British Gas, EON, EDP energy, npower, Scottish and Southern. It doesn’t take all that long to get quotes and check what tariffs they have available. If you honestly can’t spend the time, let one of the comparison websites do some of the leg work for you.

Remember, if your business is in the UK, there is a good chance you’ll be signing a contract with one of the business electricity suppliers. Since the contracts run for at least one year, you’ll want to be certain that you are happy with your supplier and the rates and services they offer. Research them all or get help with the research, the time is a very worthwhile investment in your baby.

We’ve all heard of the most common types of insurance: homowner’s, health, life, flood, etc. But did you know that there are quite a few incredibly strange types of insurance that are available to consumers? Check out the following bizarre and weird types of insurance that you can buy.

1. Alien abduction insurance

Mike St. Lawrence’s company, UFO Abduction & Casualty Insurance Company, has one specialty: alien abduction insurance. The business has sold tens of thousands of policies at only $25 a pop. This price tag includes lifetime coverage and promises up to $10 million to pay for psychiatric and/or medical care if you happen to be abducted by aliens and make it back to Earth. But that’s not all—Lawrence also sells insurance policies to unsuspecting people who are worries about their reincarnation status in their next life.

2. Fantasy football insurance

You love football. You have a fantasy football team in one of the many leagues online. Many of these leagues are paid—so what happens if one of your picks is injured mid-season? That’s where fantasy football insurance comes in. It’s offered by Fantasy Sports Insurance and promises to refund your league entrance fee if your star pick sits out a specific number of games.

3. Paternity insurance

If you tend to play the field, then there’s a chance that you will, at some point in your life, face a paternity suit. If you’re worried about this possibility, then don’t worry. You can get paternity insurance, which can help cover the costs of a paternity suit and child support if you are, in fact, found to be the baby’s daddy. We have a feeling that condoms would be cheaper, in the long run.

These are the three most bizarre types of insurance that are available to consumers. What other crazy and strange insurance types have you heard of?

Katrina Robinson is a freelance writer who covers a wide range of topics ranging from finances and online insurance quotes to lifestyle and diet.

Taking care of car insurance is one of those necessary chores involved with being an adult car owner. Most states require insurance, and even if yours doesn’t you’d be a fool not to have liability insurance at least. When comparing insurers, supplement online research with word-of-mouth stories from family or friends. Beyond that, here are 4 ways to keep the cost insuring your car at a minimum.

1. Bundle coverage. Whether it’s having multiple cars under one policy, or insuring both your car and house with the same insurer, many companies offer discounts to people who insure multiple things with them.

2. Improve your credit score. This gives you leverage when you get insurance quotes. If you’ve been insured with Company A since you had less stellar credit, get a quote with Company B, and it could be significantly lower now that your credit is awesome. If you still want to go with Company A, tell them about your new, improved credit score and the sweet deal that Company B offered you.

3. Ask for discounts. It sounds too simple, but many insurers offer discounts that they don’t advertise. Some offer discounts for those who don’t drive many miles in a year, and others offer discounts for those who have completed certain education levels. You probably won’t know about them unless you ask: “Hey, I was wondering if you have any discounts I might be eligible for. I just got my Master’s degree.”

4. Drive a more boring car. Trade that bright red pocket-rocket for a blue or tan car that your grandmother might drive, and you’d be amazed how much you can save. Face it: some cars are cop magnets and are more prone to be driven by testosterone-infused 18-year-olds. Those are the cars with the crippling insurance premiums. Find a used 4-door Camry and watch those premiums plummet.