Now, that we're all excited lets get right to it. Segregated funds are professionally managed portfolios provided by insurance companies that have a guaranteed return on maturity or upon the death of the investor. The odd name is based on the fact that these funds are not part of the insurance company's assets but rather from a separate pool of money dedicated to paying out the holders of the policy.

These funds are similar to mutual funds because they are professionally managed, offer diversification, have a variety of different types of focus to choose from, the profits are taxed unless these funds are held in a retirement account. The big difference is that segregated funds are variable annity contracts provided by life insurance companies that usually guarantee a return of at least 75% if held over a period of at least 10 years.

Besides the guaranteed return there are a few other benefits of segregated funds:

1) Reset options - Most segregated funds have the option of 'resetting' the investment amount to include the gains made in the portfolio. Their usually a maximum number of increases permitted depending on the contract and also the increase in the amount could extend the date of maturity of the investment.

2) Protection from creditors - As long as the annuity contract has existed for at least two years, and estate taxes are not owed, the investment held in segregated funds is not accessible by creditors. Even if the account holder files for bankruptcy or faces other financial difficulty the beneficiaries of the life insurance have first rights to the annuity.

3) Liquidity - Investors can usually withdraw upto 10% of the investment amount each year without a penalty. If these funds are held in retirement accounts then this figure increases to 20%.

4) Estate Planning - The process of wealth transfer is faster and cheaper because the investment in segragated funds is not subject to probate. The funds go directly to the account holder or the beneficiary.

As expected there a few disadvantages associated with segregated funds:

1) The cost of investing is higher than that of mutual funds.

2) Early redemptions above the limits usually have penalties upto 6% in the first year but they decrease by 1% in subsequent years to 0%.

3) If you decide to change the area of investment there can be additional fees and there is a limit on the number of times you can initiate such transfers.

Overall, segregated funds provide a great investment opportunity for all with room for growth and protection from losses.

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OK, well, they're A rated, not A+, so they're good.

Your REAL problem comes when you have questions or claims. See, you're acting as your OWN AGENT. You have to pick your own coverages, and give yourself your own professional advice. Risky, if you don't know what you're doing.

That is NOT going to save you as much money as you think. I strongly suspect that if you called a few insurance companies in your area, you'd find out that there are companies WITH AGENTS that would work for you, with premiums around what Unitrin is quoting you.

Even I, an insurance agent with GOBS of experience, have my personal insurance through ANOTHER agent (that I don't work with).

Michigan auto insurance law requires you to carry the minimum Bodily Injury Liability limits of 20/40/10. This means you have coverage for $20,000 per injured person up to a total $40,000 per accident. This also comes with property damage liability of $10,000. In the state of Michigan property damage is automatically increased and covered up to 1 million dollars.

There is also PIP coverage included in your Michigan auto insurance policy as well. This covers personnel injury for all reasonable medical costs, wage loss for the driver and passengers if any. This also covers wage loss for people unable to go to work, clean their house, etc...

Collision coverage is an optional coverage that will reimburse for damages to the actual vehicle in the event of an accident. This comes three forms. The first is broad form collision. With broad form collision you only pay the deductible if you are more then 50% at fault in the accident. This is considered the better option out of the three. The next is basic, or standard collision. With this coverage you have to pay the deductible no matter who is at fault. It still provides excellent coverage, you just carry some of the risk no matter what. The last coverage is limited collision. This coverage only provides reimbursement if you are less then 50% at fault in the accident. If you are 51% at fault you wouldn't have any physical damage coverage.

Apart from the all the above coverages we described, there are few more coverages available like comprehensive coverage, uninsured or underinsured coverage. This is always good to talk to your insurance professional to get a policy that meets your specific needs.

As you can see, there are various kinds of coverage for the different purposes when it comes to Michigan auto insurance. In the end you have to go with what meets your needs best. The more coverage you purchase and the less risk you take on yourself is going to mean more expensive insurance bills. This isn't always bad though in the long run. Paying a little more now for excellent coverage can save thousands in the long run when you need it. On the other hand, insuring a vehicle that is worth a few hundred dollars with all the extras might just be a waste of money. Getting quotes online from multiple carriers is one huge way to lower those bills too.

Check out more about north Carolina Auto Insurance and Michigan car insurance.

Your policy is liability only.
You do not have Collision or Comprehensive coverage.

As such - Enterprise is requiring you to purchase collision/Comprehensive coverage from them. This coverage protects their rental car should it be damaged. They are not going to let you drive away with their car -- and no protection for it if it gets damaged while it is in your car. You can chose to not carry this coverage on your own car if you want to. But if your car gets damage -- you suffer the loss. Enterprise chooses not to take this risk on you.

AIG is not required to purchase insurance for the rental car. They are only required to provide you reasonable reimbursement for the loss of use of your vehicle. This usually means they will pay the daily rate plus tax. They will not purchase insurance coverage for the rental car.

If there is a Hertz in your area - you may want to check with them. They also do insurance replacement rentals - however, in my area they do not require you to purchase insurance to protect their car. They will, however, hold you personally liable for any damage that happens to their car while it is in your possession.

If Hertz is in your area and does the same thing - see if you can transfer from the Enterprise car to a Hertz car.

Are you looking for a great way to compare auto insurance companies and the rates available to you? Then you need to check out the Auto Insurance Center at www.autoinsurancecenter.com. There are wonderful articles to read as well regarding various auto insurance topics. Find out how to keep your auto insurance rates low and the consequences of driving without vehicle insurance.

The terminology surrounding auto insurance can be quite confusing at times. Auto Insurance Center offers a great section that explains all the terms in very simple language. This really helps to take the complexity out of deciphering the various terms involved with auto insurance quotes and policies.

Hopefully, you will never be involved in an auto accident, but should it happen, do you know what to do? Go through the check list provided on the site to find out what items you need to carry in your vehicle for such incidents as well as the information you need to collect and share. Also find out the process for reporting the accident to the authorities and to your insurance agent.

Auto Insurance Center allows you the convenience of entering all your information and then getting several great insurance quotes. This is the perfect way to find out who can offer you the very best deal on auto insurance without having to spend hours on the phone compiling the information yourself. They feature insurance quotes for every state so you are sure to find the valuable information you need.

If you don’t find everything you need at Auto Insurance Center, you can contact them by phone or email. They offer a very friendly and knowledgeable customer service team that can assist you with any questions or concerns. In addition to auto insurance, you will find information on renters insurance, health insurance, and life insurance.

The Auto Insurance Center offers consumers a great one stop resource for all of their auto insurance needs. The site offers quotes that allow you to compare prices, information on getting the best rates, and wonderful articles to help you stay on top of the events taking place in the world of auto insurance. All of this information is free to use, so take the confusion out of your auto insurance needs and start using Auto Insurance Center.

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Install a car alarm. Though some people may find them troublesome, car alarms are proven to reduce the risk of vehicle theft to an insurance company. This means it is less likely they will have to cash out a claim in the event of a car disappearing in th middle of the night (or day!). To an insurance company, that means that you are a lower risk customer and therefore could potentially benefit from lower premiums each month. While it's true that some car alarms may be fairly expensive you may find that you will have any costs paid back in the near future and savings alone and will actually save (read: EARN) substantial amounts of money in the months to come.

Find a safe place to live. This may seem like a no-brainer, but living in a safe place is better for more things than just your health. As we all know, some areas of cities are more prone to theft and other forms of crime than others. By living in an area that is known for safety and security an insurance company will take this into consideration when deciding your liability as a customer. External influences such as the area in which you live can play a big part in convincing insurance provider that you are out a lower risk of having something happen to your car and therefore they're less likely to have to spend money on a claim of yours.

Get an ugly car. This may sound funny, but it all actuality it can be a real asset to you and your insurance company. Yourself this question: what kind of car would I want to steal if I were a thief? Once you answer that question don't buy that car. The fact is that thieves are more likely to steal certain kinds of cars than they are to steal others. Use this to your advantage and purchase a car that will most likely be low on a thief's radar. Insurance companies will most likely reward this with lower monthly premiums and other benefits to you as a customer. A good place to start looking at is Ezquoteguide.com for various insurance providers that can help you out in your area.

If you're stuck and need some help finding good information online try using Ezquoteguide.com for finding the right local insurance information you need right away to help you fulfill your auto insurance needs.

About the Author:

I focus on saving people money and writing on affordable niches. My primary focus is on affordable insurance. In addition, I have had a passion for affordable dental and medical care.

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com - Cheap Los Angeles Auto Insurance - Three Ways to Save on Monthly Premiums

If you mean start your own firm then I dunno. If you want to work as a producer for a brokerage then contact all that you can find and apply for a job. 9 of 10 will pay for your licensing and teach you the ropes.

Some "captive" companies like State Farm & Allstate offer franchise opportunities but then you can only sell their insurance

Casualty Loss Can Generate Massive Tax DeductionsA casualty loss may occur as a result of a flood, hurricane, tornado, mudslide or other natural disaster. The intuitive thought pattern is: “My apartment complex worth $5,000,000 suffered major damage totaling $1,500,000 for repairs and rent loss. Fortunately, I was completely covered for both physical damage and rent loss, other than a small deductible. There is clearly no casualty loss I can claim as a tax deduction, right?”

Tax deductions are the basis for tax reduction. Tax deductions reduce taxable income but do not directly reduce federal income taxes. For example, $100,000 of tax deductions reduces federal income taxes by $35,000 ($100,000 X 35%), assuming a 35% tax rate. Most tax deductions require a cash expenditure (labor, material, supplies, utilities, etc). A current period cash expenditure is not required for some real estate tax deductions and may not be required for a casualty loss. Most real estate owners and investors do not consider casualty losses as a source of tax deductions. Few investors claim the casualty loss tax deduction the federal income tax code allows them. Let’s review the criteria for a casualty loss tax deduction and the thought process regarding acquisition of a property that has suffered a casualty. Real estate owners suffer a casualty loss when the market value immediately after the casualty plus insurance proceeds is less than the market value immediately before the casualty. The complex issue is how to value the property immediately after the casualty. Let’s consider a 1-story suburban office park in Mississippi which suffered 3-feet of flooding due to Hurricane Katrina. Let’s further assume: 1) 8 feet of sheet rock must be replaced in the entire property to rebuild, 2) although the property was 90% occupied before the flood, occupancy is expected to only be 5% while rebuilding occurs, 3) stabilized occupancy after renovation is not clear since some businesses may not return, 4) construction will take 12-18 months due to the labor constraints and 5) the owner has casualty insurance to rebuild but did not have rent loss/business interruption insurance. It is clear the market value after the casualty is less than the market value before the casualty less construction costs. Other factors to consider are: rent loss, market risk that not enough tenants will be available after construction is completed, cost of construction management, a illiquid market with few buyers just after the casualty, construction risk, interest rate risk (rates could rise during the construction period negatively affecting value), risk that operating expenses could increase during the construction period (perhaps insurance) and compensation for entrepreneurial effort to induce a buyer to coordinate labor capital, management and compensation for capital during the reconstruction and releasing process. A careful analysis by an appraiser might show the improvements have no value after the flood. In appraisal assignments performed by the writer, a casualty loss of 10-30% of the market value before the casualty has occurred (in a straight-forward, defensible analysis) is typical. This can generate a meaningful casualty loss (and tax deduction). For example, a property with a market value of $5,000,000 suffers a 30% casualty loss. While the casualty is a serious hardship for the owners, the $1,500,000 ($5,000,000 X 30%) tax deduction will mitigate the financial loss. Congress provided a casualty loss tax deduction to encourage investment in real estate. If you have the misfortune to suffer a casualty loss, take the helping hand offered by congress and take the tax deduction. Click here for a FREE preliminary analysis of income tax savings for your property. Cost segregation produces tax deductions and reduces federal income taxes across the country and in every size market. Below are just a few examples of cities where cost segregation generates meaningful tax deductions. City:

• Memphis, TN
• San Francisco, CA
• New Orleans, LA
• New York, NY
• Hartford, CT
• Las Vegas, NV
• Los Angeles, CA
• Atlanta, GA
• Orlando, FL
• Miami, FL
• Louisville, KY
• Salt Lake City, UT
• Boise, ID
• Lakeland, FL
• Wichita, KS
• McAllen, TX
• Columbus, OH
• Ft. Lauderdale, FL
• San Antonio, TX
• Durham, NC
• Allentown, PA
• Youngstown, OH
• Little Rock, AR
• Greensboro, NC
• Greenville, SC
• Kansas City, MO
• Raleigh, NC
• San Jose, CA
• Palm Bay, FL
• Honolulu, HI

Cost segregation produces tax deductions for virtually all property types, including the following:
Property Type:

• Regional mall
• Service station
• Drugstore
• Night club
• Supermarket
• Racket club
• Auto service garage
• Airplane hangar
• Nursing home
• Subsidized housing

Almost every industry, including the following, can generate cost-efficient tax deductions by using cost segregation.
Industry:

• Nondurable good wholesalers
• Durable good wholesalers
• Day care facilities
• Computer and electronic manufacturing
• Health care facilities
• Chemical manufacturing
• Printing activities
• Warehousing and storage
• Electronic and appliance stores
• Apparel manufacturing

O'Connor & Associates is a national provider of commercial property real estate consulting services including cost segregation studies, due diligence,
income tax
, abandonment studies, business personal property valuations, commercial appraisals,
feasibility studies
, highest and best use analyses, and lease audits.

Our services benefit owners of all commercial property types including multi-family housing, retail stores, hospitals, hotels, industrial properties, manufacturing facilities, medical offices, commercial offices, restaurants, self-storage units, shopping malls, shopping plazas and warehouse/distribution centers.

About the Author:

Patrick C. O'Connor has been president of O'Connor & Associates since 1983 and is a recipient of the prestigious MAI designation from the Appraisal Institute. He is also a registered senior property tax consultant in the state of Texas and has written numerous articles in state and national publications on reducing property taxes. He continues to set the standard in direction and quality of our appraisal products, adding services ranging from business valuations and business appraisals to cost segregation analysis for income tax reduction.

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com - Casualty Loss