Does the trashing of a college education hold water?

If we look at the numbers, it may be that higher education is in for a rough ride this decade.

More than 57% of adults don’t see the North American system of higher education as worth the money, according to a study by the Pew Research Center.

And even those most biased of sources – college presidents – also have their doubts about the value of this country’s post secondary education system. Only 19% believe the North American system is the best in the world, and even more telling, only 7% believe it will be the best in the world 10 years from now.

The trashing of a college education is one of those “fashionable” ideas that may or may not hold water.

The studies and articles, though, could prove a self-fulfilling prophecy, and at the end of the decade, we may find ourselves in a higher education enrollment crisis.

On the other hand, there are still those who think a college education is worth the money.

A full 74% of college graduates believe their post secondary education was useful in increasing their knowledge and helping them grow intellectually, while 55% think a college education helped their careers.

But perhaps the last word should go to the Pew researchers.

They found that a typical college graduate makes an additional half a million dollars more over a 40-year career than the average high school graduate.

Many auto accidents in the United States could easily be prevented.

• Distracted driving is happening at epidemic levels every day. Not a day goes by that you don’t see someone on his or her cell phone, talking or trying to text while operating a moving motor vehicle. States are now enforcing laws to regulate this behavior. Common sense should rule. Focus on the task at hand and be aware of your surroundings at all times while driving.
• The next most important part in reducing your risk of auto insurance claims is wearing a seat belt. Serious injuries can happen on one-lane back roads just as easily as they happen on main thoroughfares. Be the designated seat belt wearer in your car and make sure all of your passengers are too.
• Be sure to have enough room between you and the car in front of you. Should the vehicle in front of you stop short, you won’t have the amount of reaction time you think you do to stop. A good rule of thumb is to have at least one car length for every 10 miles per hour you are traveling. If something unexpected happens, you’ve given yourself plenty of time to stop and prevent a crash.
• Car safety includes keeping your vehicle up to snuff in the care and maintenance department as well. To reduce your risk of auto insurance claims, keep up on regular oil changes, tire rotations and brake pad inspections. It’ll not only keep your car running in optimum condition, but you also won’t have to worry about your vehicle breaking down while you’re on the road and potentially causing an accident. Likewise, if you see another driver in a beat-up, run-down vehicle, you’ll want to steer clear so you’re not involved in an accident.

Driving can be a fun experience. Do everything in your power to make it that way. Follow these tips and you will reduce your auto insurance claims.

Although being your own boss has many benefits, one of the necessary evils is that of securing your own health insurance. But never fear – there are options available, and they may not be as costly as you may think.

Self-employed individuals – including those who are contractors, freelancers and sole proprietors – are eligible for two primary categories of insurance that are available: individual health insurance coverage and group coverage.

Opting for an individual policy may carry a higher premium amount. However, oftentimes these types of policies are necessary for self-employed persons who have preexisting conditions. This is because each policy is actually written based on the covered insured’s individual medical history.

Group plans available for the self-employed include organized medical insurance networks such as health maintenance organizations (HMOs) and preferred provider organizations (PPOs).

Although an HMO will offer lower premiums in most cases, the insured is required to live in an area where benefits may be received. Going with a PPO, an insured may have more leeway in terms of provider choices and in the geographical area in which services may be received.

So if you are a self-employed person (contractor, freelancer, sole proprietor, etc.) you are eligible for health insurance coverage. Contact your independent insurance agent to find out about the different plans available.

Retirees and pre-retirees who fear that they run the risk of running out of cash may be good candidates for a fixed annuity in today’s volatile economic environment.

An annuity is a contract between an investor and an insurance company.

With a fixed annuity, you make a payment to an insurance company, and the insurance company makes fixed payments to you that can last for a long period or even life. In Orange County there are many independent insurance agents who specialize in annuities.

That stream of income can offer peace of mind to individuals who are worried about running out of money, because it guarantees that they will have a certain level of income whether they live to 80, 90 or 100 years of age.

Of course, no investment is without risk.  For all the peace of mind fixed annuities offer, they can be a tough sell when interest rates are low and many investors are willing to take on the risk of the stock market.

Additionally, some investors don’t like the fact that the money spent on an annuity with no guarantees is gone when the annuity holder dies, leaving nothing for the heirs.

That said, you probably should not  invest all of your retirement savings in fixed annuities.  Some may be in mutual funds through another retirement plan, perhaps. This could potentially provide you with the opportunity for higher returns that could complement your fixed annuity .

Your financial advisor can provide you with more information about what might be suitable for you given your individual financial circumstances, goals and risk tolerance. To find out more about annuity insurance, contact Peter Green Insurance – an independent insurance broker.

General liability is an essential type of coverage for a business owner.  If you run a bakery, manufacture a product or have clients come to your office, there is a liability exposure.

Commercial general liability insurance in California comes with six different components of coverage.

Following is a sample of how the liability coverage page would read for someone with a $1 million to $2 million limit:

• General Aggregate – $2,000,000
• Products-Completed Operations Aggregate – $2,000,000
• Each Occurrence – $1,000,000
• Personal and Advertising Injury – $1,000,000
• Damage to Premises Rented to You – $500,000
• Medical Expenses – $10,000

The General Aggregate and Each Occurrence categories correspond with each other.

If there is a general liability claim (Each Occurrence) such as a slip and fall at the grocery store, it would contribute to the General Aggregate. There can be two claims of this type, up to $1 million each, before the limit of insurance is exhausted.

The Each Occurrence limit corresponds with the Products-Completed Operations Aggregate limit. If a customer swallowed on a piece of one of your products, like food or small plastic pieces, and got sick because of it, this claim would fall under the Products-Completed Operations Aggregate limit of insurance. As with the General Aggregate limit, there can be two claims of this type, up to $1 million each, before the limit of insurance is exhausted.

Personal and Advertising Injury provides coverage for oral or written material that may be libelous or slanderous or that copies another companies advertisement, logo, slogan or other artistic work so closely that it can be confused with the original, as well as discrimination or humiliation that ruins someone’s reputation. The limit of coverage on claims of this type is $1 million. There is no General Aggregate limit provided.

If you are renting the space for your business and you accidentally cause a fire that destroys part or all of the building, the limit of Damage to Premises Rented to You will cover this cost. This coverage is sometimes called Fire Legal Liability. There is no aggregate on this limit either. Insurance carriers offer various limits on this one. Some may offer half of the Each Occurrence limit, while others may offer up to the same limit.

If there is a minor accident that results in some small injury or damage, Medical Expenses will pay the claim, no questions asked, up to the limit of insurance.

Higher limits are also available. Many companies offer $2 million to $4 million limits, and some are even beginning to offer $3 million to $6 million limits as well.  Depending on the limit, other types of coverage listed would be increased proportionately as well.

Also, deductibles do not apply with liability insurance as they do in property insurance.  Insurance carriers have a minimum premium that they charge for commercial general liability insurance in California.  Depending on the size and risks associated  with the business, prices in California start around $450 to $500 for a minimum coverage policy.

An organization’s culture is the shared values and practices of its owners, managers and employees.  Culture is reflected in visible symbols.

Such symbols include everything from the firm’s logo and signage to its marketing materials and premises.  Symbols also include less-tangible factors such as the way people dress and talk, how they treat each other, and how they interact with customers and vendors.

Smart business leaders seek to create a culture that is closely aligned to the firm’s strategic goals and to inculcate cultural tenets through both formal policies and daily practices.  This starts with a mission statement that sets out the stated vision and values.

Physical space is important too.  If the culture is about innovation and creativity, work areas should be open so that people can exchange ideas and work together.

Getting employees engaged in a company’s culture with their heads, hearts and hands is largely dependent on leadership’s focus and commitment.  The best way to build and reinforce organizational culture is through behavior and role modeling.

If employees see that their leaders care about customers, they’ll begin to adopt a customer-focused culture.

If they see managers demonstrating that care about employees, they will emulate that behavior and internalize that value.

A strong company culture motivates people to work hard, take pride in the business and assume responsibility for the firm’s success.

Make sure to follow these tips and you will set up your company for success. Both employees and clients want to be associated with this kind of company.

As the economy continues to struggle, many Americans are cutting back.  And for some, that means going without life insurance coverage.  In fact, about 35 million U.S. households currently do not have life insurance. That’s the highest percentage in more than four decades, according to insurance industry research group LIMRA.

Can going without life insurance be justified?

Of course, only you are familiar with your individual financial circumstances and goals, so only you can decide if life insurance is something that’s necessary for you.

But consider this: Among households with children under 18, four in 10 respondents to a survey by LIMRA said they would have trouble meeting immediate living expenses if the primary wage earner died.  The same survey indicated that three in 10 would have trouble after several months.

Thus, going without life insurance may not be a good idea for those who have dependents.  That said, it can be difficult to justify the expense in today’s troubled economy and times.

Employers have scaled back or eliminated coverage, with the number of households getting life insurance from employers falling, according to LIMRA.

Many people think they just can’t afford to purchase life insurance on their own in today’s economy.  Many people also don’t know how to purchase it, given that the number of company-affiliated life insurance agents has dropped by nearly one-third since the 1970s, according to LIMRA.

Life insurance may be less expensive than you think, however, and many options are available.  Your insurance agent can help you find a suitable policy that fits your budget, given your individual needs and financial circumstances.

If you need assistance with finding a life insurance policy that you can afford, contact our offices at 714-258-2800 or by email. We will be glad to help you.

Theft by employees can be among the top concerns of small to midsize business owners.

Following are some tips to help owners prevent employee theft:

• Employee background checks can be extremely helpful in the hiring process to determine the best candidate for the job. A credit history report will tell you whether or not a person has handled money responsibly.  
• Once employees are selected, institute policies and procedures that protect the business. Establish accounting procedures that give no one person all the control. For example, one person may record payments received and another may handle deposits.  
• Regular audits are a natural part of business. However, unannounced audits are a good indicator of what is truly going on in the accounting department. There should be no difference in results whether employees know that an audit is coming or if one is done at another random time.  
• Have an open-door policy to build the trust of your employees. When they feel something is off, they can feel comfortable enough to come in and tell you about it and they will know it will be investigated.  
• Another avenue is a confidential hotline employees can call to report suspicious activity. Here, they may give information without the threat of retaliation from another employee.

If you follow these five tips, you will help keep your company secure and prevent employee theft.

A new year always brings with it new personal goals. And it’s also a great time to think about setting new goals for your business.  Objectives give you focus, allowing you to trim the fat where needed.

Once you’ve marked your goals, you can go back and review where business efforts aren’t really contributing toward the desired result – saving you both money and time.

Goals will also allow you to spot opportunities that will help you further along your path.
You should be thinking about both long-term and short-term results.

Long-term objectives should be based quarterly and yearly, while short-term objectives are best suited for monthly timetables.

Setting short-term objectives also lets you better manage your time.

You can sort out weekly objectives and better allocate resources to ensure you’re able to achieve monthly benchmarks.
Be careful not to overindulge.

Setting objectives  is not like writing a wish list. It’s not about what you want but rather about what you can realistically achieve.

If you overindulge in goal setting, you’ll completely miss the benefit goals have to offer, and you’re more likely to over-invest both time and expenses in a desperate effort to meet the mark.

Remember that it’s not about shooting out as many arrows as you can to hit as many targets as you can.

It’s about selecting the best targets and hitting them directly with calculated effort. Follow this process and you will be on your way to achieving your goals for 2012.

Now that we are in a new year, thousands of people across the nation will take to the air or the roads to visit family or simply take some much-needed vacation time.

For most people, travel sparks good times and relaxation. But those who travel outside of the U.S. could find themselves without medical coverage. And if an unexpected illness or accident were to occur, it could mean big expenses.

Many health insurance policies don’t cover health problems when policyholders travel internationally. Therefore, traveler and emergency insurance can be a great help should an accident happen or sickness occur while in a foreign country.

There are a variety of different traveler insurance policies. One popular plan is a medical travel plan. These types of policies will cover an insured solely when a medical need arises. These plans are priced based on the policyholder’s age as well as the types of medical limits that the insured selects on the application for coverage. Some of these policies will cover the policyholder for up to one year – so even in extended situations, an insured could be covered.

Another popular type of insurance policy for foreign travelers is the package insurance plan. These policies are more comprehensive than the basic medical plans and will typically help with more than just the medical needs of the policyholder.

For instance, many of these plans offer 24-hour emergency hotlines where the insured can receive assistance with lost passports or luggage, money transfers, and even legal issues in certain cases.

The premiums for a package travel insurance policy are usually based on the age of the applicant as well as the estimated cost and length of the trip.

When planning a foreign trip, traveler insurance should be a consideration, as medical and emergency issues can and do arise.

The cost of the premium for such insurance plans may be a small price to pay in relation to the coverage that could be received in case  a foreign travel health and emergency situation arises.