4.28.2008

Home Mortgage Loan : Things You Need to Know

Home Mortgage loan can be an important event in your life. It will help define your credit history from that point on. Moreover, a home mortgage loan will help you to save equity in your house. Thus, it is important for you to know everything relevant about a home mortgage loan so that you can make the best possible decision. Home mortgage loans are classified in two ways:

1) Fixed Rate Home mortgage: In this type of a mortgage, the interest rate is fixed and thus your monthly payments will not change. This means that if you get a house mortgage for 20 years and your monthly payment is $760, then you will continue to pay $760 every month for 20 years.

2) Variable Rate Home Mortgage: This is a type of a mortgage in which your interest rates will vary. Usually your interest rates will be reappraised every 1 to 3 years. In this type of a mortgage, your monthly payments can change and you may end up paying less. However, you will need to take into account economic crisis etc. as in those situations you may end up paying more.

As far as the functionality of the home mortgage loans are concerned, there are two main types of mortgage.

1) Primary (First) Mortgage: This is the mortgage that you get, when you first buy your house. This mortgage will continue until you either pay off all your mortgage debt on the house or until you sell the house. When you sell the house, you will be responsible for paying off your debts so that the deed can be transferred to the new owner. If you default on your payments, then you may face a foreclosure on the house by the bank.

2) Equity Loan(Second Mortgage): This is the loan that you can get based on the amount of equity that you have on the house. It is called the second mortgage, as the creditor will be the second holder of the house, after the first creditor for the first mortgage. This type of a loan is generally used for debt consolidation purposes.

Now whenever you are thinking of getting a mortgage, then you should review your options carefully. Whether you are getting your first mortgage or a home equity loan doesn’t matter. You have many options that are available to you and you should use them to the fullest of your ability. You should search various banks and lender institutions for competitive interest rates. This is important as the mortgage will be with you for 10 to 30 years and thus it is not a light decision to make. You should review all of your options carefully. If possible, hiring a mortgage broker can help you solve your problems easily. This way you can make sure that you are getting all the information that you need in order to make well informed decision. In addition, you can save substantial money in the process.

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Verify This When You Get A Free Car Insurance Quote

When you get a car, it means that you have independence, mobility and the ability to get around, but it also means that you also need to think about getting car insurance! Car insurance is one of the cold hard facts of driving, but you'll quickly find that not all types of car insurance are created equal!

When you start shopping for car insurance, you'll soon realize that a free car insurance quote can be your best friend. In many places, both online and off, you can get them without any problems. When you are looking to get information on your car insurance, there are a few things that you should know.

When it comes to car insurance, the first place that you can look is online. This is a great way to learn about what is out there, and you can focus searches that will tell you which plan will help you. When you are looking for a free car insurance quote, take a look at the calculators that you will see, but even when you do this, there are things that you should remember.

First, remember that you need to compare plans that are quite similar. Comparing insurance plans solely on the basis of a single fact will create a deceptive picture. Make sure that all of the factors are compared, from the liability to the coverage to the deductible. Find out what extras are offered and make sure that you are in a good place to qualify them. A spreadsheet, whether on the computer or on a sheet of notebook paper can keep things straight for you.

When you have a few companies that you have managed to get a good free car insurance quote from, remember that it is time to get information from other sources. Do any of your friends have dealings with the insurance company? Word of mouth is still a great way to get car insurance. Make sure that before you buy a policy online that you give the company a call to judge them on their customer service. Similarly, it is worth figuring out who you would need to file a claim with in the area should it become necessary. You may also want to call the Better Business Bureau to figure out if any complaints have been made against the company, and you might also want to contact your state's Department of Insurance as well.

There are many different things that you should keep in mind when you are buying your car insurance, but a free car insurance quote can be a great place to start. This is a good way to figure out exactly what you can pay and how to maximize the money that you spend. But above all, make sure that when you are comparing various quotes, that you are really comparing apples to apples. The standard coverage on one policy might be an optional coverage an another policy, so take the time to make sure that you are comparing identical quotes before you decide which one is most cost effective for you.

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How Insurers Make a Car Insurance Estimate

The things that are looked at in a car insurance estimate can be mystifying. Why should it matter whether your car is paid off? And who cares whether it is a Ford or a Dodge?

Insurers know what they're doing. Their estimates are based on a wide variety of factors that go together to determine their risk. When you take out an insurance policy, what you're really doing is asking them to take some of your risk and paying them to do it – so the only fair way to determine this is to look at all your risk factors.

The most obvious factor as to whether you are likely to cost them money is you and your driving record. Are you a safe driver? Do you have tickets, and have you been found at fault in accidents before? Even if you were not at fault in an accident where you were a driver, insurers take this into consideration because people who have an accident where they were 100% not at fault still have accidents at a higher rate after this first one. If you have taken a driver safety course, you may be able to get a lower rate.

Your age is a consideration; very young drivers, especially teenage males, tend to have more accidents. Very old drivers also have accidents at higher rates. A good car insurance estimate takes this into consideration, as well as smoking and drinking habits if it has a record.

Beyond your risk of being in an accident at all, insurers want to look at how much damage will actually be done to passengers in an accident that does occur. If you do not wear your seat belt, you will pay a higher rate because you are more likely to be seriously injured. (Ironically, motorcyclists who don't wear helmets often get a lower rate because they are likely to be killed in an accident, which costs the insurance company less.) Safety devices like airbags count for something, as does equipment on your car like anti-lock brakes. You may pay a higher rate with some insurers if you have a lot of passengers on a regular basis, like if you drive the neighborhood soccer team to practice. And if you drive more, you'll also be hit with higher rates.

Where you live is a factor. Some neighborhoods have higher rates of vandalism and theft, and some also have higher accident rates. The insurers can charge you more just based on your zip code. In some states, insurers are legally required to cover certain repairs no matter what, like damaged windshields; in others, tight, winding, snowy roads may lead to more accidents. Either case ratchets up your payments.

If you have full coverage (as you must if there is still a bank lien on it), your insurance company will charge even more based on a variety of factors: how old the car is, how much it is worth, what its safety record is, how much it typically costs to repair damage to the vehicle. In addition, some insurers take into account things like car color. They look at car model – it's more tempting to drive a red Mustang convertible fast than it is to speed in a lime-green minivan. And they look at that specific car's overall accident record to see if it's higher than the average.

You can minimize your car insurance estimate by looking at all these factors and eliminating the ones that are in your power. Never pay more than you must for insurance.

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The Harsh Reality of Insurance Fraud

One of the reasons so many commit this crime is a failure to recognise it as an offence. It is a common held belief that home insurance companies make vast sums of money out of people's fear and misfortune, and it is therefore acceptable to, for example, claim for a bigger more expensive television, than the old stolen one.

However, insurance fraud is a serious offence, and an individual found guilty of is liable, upon conviction, to a maximum penalty of five years imprisonment. The same applies if you deliberately lie on any aspect of your original home insurance application to achieve a lower premium. For example, stating there are heavier duty locks in place for a cheaper quote is "obtaining a pecuniary advantage by deception", and again, is punishable by up to five years.

It is interesting to note that all these offences are covered by The Theft Act 1968. However, the majority of people involved in this "white collar" crime, would be appalled at the idea of stealing from a shop. It is a both a psychological, and sociological question as to whether people commit home insurance fraud because they think they'll get away it, or whether it is because they think it's something they're entitled to.

Ultimately it is a class issue, and people who commit this type of fraud should examine their hypocritical attitude. They should question their motivations. Why do they think they're entitled to something for free if they believe a mother should be sent to prison for stealing to feed her family? Why are they more entitled to claiming a bigger television than the person who stole theirs in the first place?

Insurance fraudsters claim they are not getting something for nothing. They have paid for their premiums, and they themselves have been a victim of crime. However, home insurance companies argue the reasons their prices are so high is because of the number of fraudulent claims. If this is the case, then fraudsters are doing nothing more than stealing from those more honest than themselves.

There is nothing wrong with insurance fraud per se. However, there is something inherently wrong with hypocrisy. There are no moral justifications - it is about greed. If you're not prepared to support those committing other crimes, often for far better reasons, then don't commit fraud.

The reality is most people engage in insurance fraud because it's a soft option which they can falsely justify to themselves. We need to seriously rethink our attitude towards "crime" and apply some consistency. This could mean we decide to screw capitalists at each and every opportunity. It could simply mean we re-evaluate how we view others committing crime. Or it could mean we banish all crimes of fraud and deception from our lives. Any of these options are better than an erroneous morality only benefiting those already wealthier than the majority of the world's population.

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Financial Success with Immediate Annuities

Immediate annuities have been getting a good deal of attention lately. Simply stated what they do is allow an individual to convert a lump sum of money into an immediate source of income. With payments generally starting about a month after the immediate annuity is purchased, allowing you to supplement your current income.

Immediate annuities offer something no other retirement plans do the opportunity to start getting income right away by allowing you to receive a stream of income now, with payments structured to fit your needs.

Originally developed to provide guaranteed and convenient periodic income payments immediate annuities shouldn't be confused with deferred annuities. When considering this type of annuity you should be aware and keep in mind that they are not intended to offer liquidity or growth potential. This is a security in which the insurance company immediately begins payments for life or for a specified amount of time in exchange for your one-time contribution. What they do very well is provide dependable financial security in the form of a stream of income payments guaranteed to continue for the rest of your life or for a period you select.

Just like deferred annuities they can be fixed or variable, and also just like deferred annuities you are able to convert a lump sum into an income stream over a set period of years or for as long as you live. Providing income for your lifetime, regardless of how long you live.

Immediate annuities are funded with a single payment because income payments begin shortly after the contract is purchased. They are known as an excellent option if you are seeking the security and convenience of a periodic income payment. Often purchased by retired individuals who no longer work or who require additional income to supplement part-time employment.

Immediate annuities may also suit people who are near or already retired and want to fix the amount of income they will have every month.

You’ll find many immediate annuities are offered by life insurance companies.

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