What is a CPA?

According to a dictionary definition:
A Certified Public Accountant (CPA) is a public accountant who has been certified by a state examining board as having met the state's legal requirements.

What does a Certified Public Accountant Do?

CPAs hold many different jobs, including these positions in public accounting:

Staff Auditor

- Performs the detail work of a financial audit under the supervision of a Senior.

Staff Auditors will often start to direct small audits after two years.

Tax Staff

- Prepares tax returns, researches tax questions, and counsels clients on tax problems under the supervision of a Tax Senior and/or Tax Manager.

Management Services Consulting Staff

- Provides a variety of consulting and management advisory services and reviews the integrity of client systems under the supervision of a Senior or Manager.

Senior Auditor

- Works under the general direction of an Audit Manager. Responsibilities include the direction of audit field work, assignment of detail work to Staff, and review of their working papers. Also prepares financial statements, develops corporate tax returns, and suggests improvements to internal controls.

Tax Senior

- Works under the general direction of a Tax Manager and/or Tax Partner. Prepares or reviews tax returns for individuals and organizations, researches tax questions, offers suggestions for tax planning and studies law for potential tax savings.

Management Services/Consulting Senior

- Works under the general direction of a Manager and/or Partner. Performs and/or supervises detailed consulting assignments involving various functional areas (computing, personnel, marketing) within client organizations.

Audit Manager

- Supervises Seniors and Staff. Responsible for audit program approval, personnel scheduling, audit working papers review, financial statement disclosure footnotes approval, day-to-day client relationships, determination of billings for engagements, and training and evaluation of Staff and Seniors. Achievement of this level is critical to long-term success within a CPA firm, since it is awarded only to those with Partner potential.

Tax Manager

- Directs and reviews Staff and Senior Tax Staff, approves corporate tax returns prepare by Audit Staff, and is available to Audit Staff for consultation. Also performs tax planning and preparation for individuals, estates, trusts, and small businesses and researches unusual tax matters. Achievement of this level is critical to long-term success within a CPA firm, since it is awarded only to those with Partner potential.

Management Services/Consulting Manager

- Maintains direct contact with corporate personnel. Responsible for internal control procedures, operational control procedures, operational budgets, business financing, analyses of projects or departments, and a variety of special purpose studies. Achievement of this level is critical to long-term success within a CPA firm, since it is awarded only to those with Partner potential.

Partner

- Only about two percent of all those entering CPA firms will reach this coveted plateau. The financial rewards are significant. The Partner normally purchases equity in the firm, and therefore shares in all profits. Typically, a professional must be a CPA to become a Partner. In larger firms, equivalent position of Principal is available to deserving specialists who are non-CPAs. An Audit, Tax or Consulting Partner is typically responsible for overall client-related activities.

Senior Partner

- Performs all the duties of a Partner. The achievement of Senior Partner is obtained as a result of longevity with a firm and expert handling of instrumental accounts. The title of Senior Partner may also be attained through participation as a member of the Executive Committee, which is responsible for developing the firm's policies, planning activities, or providing day-to-day management and administration of one or more branch offices or regions.

CPA Firms

It is no secret that managing today’s CPA firm is complex and demanding. Changes in the economy, the laws, the markets and our profession affect us all.

Does your practice need to achieve greater efficiency?

Would you like to expand into new service areas? Does your technical expertise need outside support?

Can you use help to obtain greater market share? Would you like to upgrade your office technology? Are you having difficulty servicing your clients beyond your market area? CPA Associates International has been helping member firms with important issues like these for over forty years.Founded in 1957, our well established global group of high-quality, independent CPA and chartered accounting firms is market exclusive with members in major cities throughout the world.

Our organized network provides members with the capabilities of the largest accounting firm, yet allows them to maintain their local practice and avoid costly overhead and unnecessary controls.Our mission is to maintain a body of outstanding firms committed to exchanging ideas, information and expertise with the goal of improving the quality and profitability of their individual practices while enhancing client service.

Our key objectives are to:Assist members in expanding their professional expertiseEnhance members' ability to manage in a changing environmentHelp members boost their profitabilityEnhance members' ability to market their servicesAssist members in meeting regulatory and legal requirementsFacilitate communication and exchange of resources among membersProvide referral opportunities for membersThe business of the Association is managed by a Board of Directors.

In addition, our four active regions, Asia Pacific, Europe, Middle East and Africa, Latin America and North America, have Regional Boards that organize activities for the benefit of their members. The activities and day-to-day operations of the Association are administered by a full time staff based in New Jersey, just outside of New York City.

Our major activities for servicing all of our members worldwide are:Regional Networks -- members in Asia Pacific, Europe, Middle East and Africa, Latin America and North America have organized regional networks to assist fellow members that include membership meetings, firm practice surveys, sharing of information and resources, referral and joint engagement work and other services.Membership Directory -- lists addresses, telephone numbers, E-mail and fax numbers, and partners and shareholders of all member firms who are ready to assist fellow members.Association Web Site -- designed to promote our international organization and member firms.Internet Network -- the Association has its own Internet network that offers our members a number of important benefits including instantaneous transmission of messages and documents to fellow members and access to a variety of resources.Member Newsletter -- published during the year to keep all partners and shareholders up-to-date on Association activities.Educational Programs -- a number of programs are held each year covering major areas and niche specialties of accounting firm practice.International Business Consultant -- is available to help our members assist clients in identifying international markets for their products and services.International Staff Exchange -- professionals from our member firms obtain practice experience in other countries and, at the same time, help fellow members during peak seasons.Practice Management Information -- issued quarterly and covers all aspects of managing an accounting practice.

Practice Coverage -- experienced and skilled practitioners around the world are available to assist members and their clients.

The CPA Exam

The four parts of the Uniform CPA exam are called:

Financial Accounting and Reporting

Auditing and Attestation

RegulationBusiness

Environment and Concepts

The American Institute of Certified Public Accountants has made Content Specification Outlines (CSOs) that detail the specific testable content on each of the exam parts available at cpa-exam.org.

Financial Accounting and Reporting (Financial)

Concepts and standards for financial statements

1-Typical items in financial statements

2-Specific types of transactions and events

3-Accounting and reporting for governmental entities

4-Accounting and reporting for nongovernmental and not-for-profit entities

Exam Focus: This section covers skills and knowledge of generally accepted accounting principles for business enterprises, not-for-profit organizations and governmental entities.Exam Format: 4 hours, 3 Multiple-Choice Question testlets, 2 Simulation testlets

Auditing and Attestation (Auditing)

1-Planning the engagement

2-Internal controls

3-Obtaining and documenting information

4-Reviewing the engagement and evaluating information

5-Preparing communications (reporting)

Exam Focus: This section covers knowledge of auditing procedures, generally accepted auditing standards and other standards related to attest engagements and the skills needed to apply that knowledge.

Exam Format: 4.5 hours, 3 Multiple-Choice Question testlets, 2 Simulation testlets

Regulation

1-Ethics and professional responsibility

2-Business law

3-Federal tax procedures and accounting issues

4-Federal taxation of property transactions

5-Federal taxation ? individuals6-Federal taxation ? entities

Exam Focus: This section focuses on skills and knowledge of federal taxation, ethics, professional and legal responsibilities, and business law.

Exam Format: 3 hours, 3 Multiple-Choice Question testlets, 2 Simulation testlets

Business Environment and Concepts (Business)

1-Business structure

2-Economic concepts

3-Financial management

4-Information technology

5-Planning and measurement

Exam Focus: This test section encompasses knowledge of the general business environment and business concepts that candidates need to know for accounting.Exam Format: 2.5 hours, 3 testlets of multiple-choice questions

What are Simulations?

Simulations are a unique question format that allows the examiners to go in-depth in a particular subject area. They are similar to case studies that will test candidates' knowledge and skills using real-life work situations.The Financial, Auditing and Regulation exams include simulations. Currently, the Business Exam consists only of three multiple-choice question testlets.In the three exams that use simulations, 30% of a candidate's score will be related to simulation performance. Approximately one-third of this 30% relates to the candidate's ability to demonstrate effective writing skills.

What Makes a Great CPA?

Few careers require one to be as multifaceted as that of a CPA. Although the idea persists that CPAs excel at "number crunching" — and many do — CPAs bring much more than financial skills to the conference table. It is often those "other" qualities, too, that have traditionally led the public to view CPAs as among the most trusted of business advisers.

Today's CPAs function as business partners, not simply accountants. Sure, they still compile financial statements, perform audits and prepare tax returns, but they also work alongside clients to understand their goals, help solve their problems and steer them toward a successful outcome. This requires the CPA to assume numerous roles.

Sought-After SkillsCPAs must draw on a variety of skills and attributes to meet increasing client demands. Certain competencies repeatedly emerge as the most highly sought after, whether a CPA works in public accounting, government accounting, the nonprofit sector, or business and industry. These in-demand abilities and knowledge areas include:
Technical proficiency.

It is understood that CPAs are well versed in their discipline — after all, the licensing exam requires it. CPAs must exceed the usual education and training standards expected of business professionals. Most states now require 150 hours of college-level education and some career experience before even taking the exam. But the learning does not stop there.To stay abreast of changing rules and regulations in the business and financial worlds, technical skills must be honed and expanded through required continuing professional education courses. CPAs should also join professional associations to stay current with industry developments.
But more important than simply amassing technical knowledge is knowing what information is needed in a situation, where to find it and how to use it to create value for a client.
General business knowledge.

Successful CPAs are capable of consulting with clients on every aspect of their operations to help them create value. This requires extensive knowledge of business processes, risk management, financing scenarios and tax considerations — to name just a few key areas. CPAs are just as likely to assist with forecasting sales or analyzing product profitability as they are to advise clients on tax issues.

Problem-solving ability.

Financial matters cannot be assessed in a vacuum, since they're inevitably tied to business issues. CPAs who are skilled at seeing patterns in the numbers, tracing them to operational problems and proposing creative solutions are in great demand. For instance, a company experiencing dwindling profit margins may need a CPA to examine how product costs accrue, identify areas where expenses are too high and recommend changes to improve margins. In the past, CPAs might simply have calculated the profit margin; today, they may be tasked with improving it.

Aptitude with technology.

CPAs can create value by combining their knowledge of business and technology to enhance the quality of information clients receive. Rather than simply telling a company that the cost of sales is too high, an effective CPA identifies data that illustrates this fact. To deliver actionable information, CPAs must be reasonably literate in the language and uses of technology. Especially in larger organizations, the CPA may need to interact with information technology staff to secure the necessary data. Thus, the ability to function well in an IT environment can enhance the CPA's success.

Desirable Attributes

In addition to having a broad base of knowledge and skills, CPAs are expected to possess an extraordinary range of personal attributes. Clients may even view these qualities as equal in importance to a CPA's professional credentials. They include:
Interpersonal skills.
Qualities such as the ability to listen well and demonstrate a genuine interest in a client's business cannot be taught — and certainly not everyone possesses these qualities to the same degree. It may be these "soft" skills, however, that distinguish the great CPAs from the merely good ones. Those who can establish an easy rapport with clients and inspire confidence will inevitably be successful.

Integrity.
Many universities and continuing education programs offer courses to help accountants improve their awareness of ethical issues, but it's not enough to simply understand the rules of professional conduct. CPAs are ideally their own best watchdogs, and this requires a reliable internal compass that guides one in doing the right thing at all times. Although integrity isn't easily taught, it's a quality that comes naturally to superior CPAs.
Inquisitiveness.

Effective CPAs possess a willingness to raise questions to ensure the best course of action is taken. They continually challenge their own assumptions and conclusions and those of others. This may mean questioning why a business uses cash versus accrual method of accounting, leases rather than buys equipment or believes its internal controls are adequate.
Ability to see the big picture.
Business people can experience difficulty in identifying all the challenges and problems they may face because they are immersed in the many smaller details that demand their attention. An effective CPA aids the client by assuming a more expansive and objective point of view. CPAs who work with family businesses, for instance, are skilled at diffusing conflicts among family members and helping them stay focused on what is best for the business.
Finally,

great CPAs are not necessarily those who know the most, but those who recognize when they don't know enough about a particular area or issue. In these cases, the CPA will bring in others to supply expertise — and clients will undoubtedly consider this attribute a sure sign of a great accountant.

DiscoverCPA - Why Be a CPA

Why Be a CPA?

As a CPA, you can pursue a career in the fast-paced, exciting worlds of professional sports, movies or television, fashion, music, or high tech. Or, discover the rush of crime investigation as an FBI agent. The CPA license allows you to work wherever you want in whatever field that interests you - the sky is the limit.

Whether in public accounting, private practice, consulting, or financial planning, being a CPA enables you to tailor your career to fit your needs while providing unlimited opportunities for career growth and financial success.

Make An Impact

How many businesses can you think of that do not have to pay taxes or keep financial records? If your answer is "none," then you've got the idea. Being a CPA gives you the chance to make an impact on the business practices of individuals and small business owners up to those of Fortune 500 corporations. If you own a business, you either have to be a CPA or hire one. Why not be your own boss? If that doesn't appeal to you, think about the impact you could make on a worldwide corporation or a person who looks to you as a trusted adviser. The CPA license carries enormous weight in business and financial circles. Or what about a struggling non-profit that needs help with strategic planning and budgeting? You could affect change and get it back on track.

Earning Power

CPA license gives you the power to determine your earning potential. On average, starting salaries for college graduates working at a large public accounting firm (such as Deloitte & Touche, Ernst & Young, KPMG, or PricewaterhouseCoopers) range from $35,000 to $48,000 per year. Starting small firm salaries range from $29,500 to $40,750. While in corporate accounting, the starting salary range is $29,750 to $51,000. You can add another 10% to these figures if you are a CPA or have a graduate degree.

Things get even better when you begin to advance your career. A first year partner at a public accounting firm averages $150,000 per year, while a Chief Financial Officer (CFO) can make $81,000 to $356,250, depending on experience and the size of the company.

Safe Auto Insurance

Buying the safest vehicle you can afford and practicing safe driving habits help ensure you get the cheap, “safe auto” insurance you need. And InsureMe can help, too! We can put you in touch with auto insurers in your area who will examine your driving record, offer you safe auto insurance discounts and get you on the road to a pleasant driving experience.

Apply for your free quotes today, and get the best price on your safe auto insurance!

Safety Features Save Lives and Money

We all consider auto safety important—but we seldom consider how safe our cars actually are until we’re involved in an accident—or we get ready to buy safe auto insurance. But simply assuming a particular car is safe and focusing on other issues such as gas consumption, engine power or roominess is a huge mistake which could cost us our lives—and a lot of money.

When shopping for a car or adding safety features to an existing one, it is important to understand what’s available and the effect you can expect it to have on both your life and your pocketbook. Safe auto insurance discounts are available for many safety features, but you should talk to a knowledgeable car insurance agent to determine which ones will save you the most money and help you acquire a safe auto insurance policy.

Seat Belts

Stopping suddenly imposes a great deal of force on objects inside a moving vehicle, including people. Safety features like seat belts protect you from harm by distributing that force to the strongest parts of your body—your chest and pelvis. When purchasing a car, take this into consideration and buy a car with seat belts in each passenger location, keeping everyone safe and making safe auto insurance easier to obtain.

In the most serious of accidents, passengers restrained by seat belts may receive internal injuries, while those without seat belts may be propelled forward inside the vehicle until a steering wheel, dashboard, windshield or other firm object stops them—resulting in severe injury or even death.

Unbuckled passengers can become like missiles, causing injury to other passengers. In the event they are thrown out of the car, these occupants are much more likely to be crushed and/or severely injured upon impact with the ground or other solid object. This type of unrestrained movement greatly increases the incidence of death and the likelihood of insurance claims, and decreases the chances of getting affordable safe auto insurance.

Air Bags

Air bags, located in one or more strategic vehicle location, activate almost instantly in case of an accident, forming a cushion for the driver’s or passenger’s head and chest as they flex forward. This keeps the upper body from impacting with the car’s hard surfaces and makes injury less likely.

Like the seat belt, air bags are widely credited with saving lives—and reducing safe auto insurance costs. Statistics suggest that the risk of fatality in a frontal impact crash is reduced by about 30 percent with the deployment of an airbag.

For safety’s sake, air bags are now offered in more locations than ever before. This includes inside steering columns, dashboards or vehicle doors; over the doors; behind the front seats; and in the roofline. The more air bags your car has, the less your chance of injury or insurance claim, and the greater your chance of survival. Insurers take all this into account when determining safe auto insurance discounts.

Anti-Lock Brakes (ABS)

Anti-lock brakes stop a vehicle quickly and enable the driver to steer the car to safety—without allowing brakes to lock up or the vehicle to lose road traction. This means accidents are actually avoided altogether—before they happen.

When a driver is in a precarious situation and needs to stop quickly, anti-lock brakes enable him to do so without endangering himself or those around him. Safe auto insurance providers understand the life-saving capability of ABS, and often provide sizeable discounts to those purchasing cars containing this safety feature.

Electronic Stability Control (ESC)

More than half of all fatalities caused by crash could be avoided if all cars were equipped with electronic stability control, according to a study by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). This feature, most useful in one-car accidents and second only to seat belts in effectiveness, provides a consistent and reliable way to avert disaster. It works by detecting loss of vehicle control and automatically braking individual wheels to keep the car on its intended path.

ESC helps drivers who lose control at high speeds or on slippery roads regain control of their car, avoiding potentially costly accidents and injury. Any driver, in any type of weather and any type of car or truck, can definitely benefit from this technology. And cars containing this safety device make the roadways much safer for everyone, enabling their owners to get discounted safe auto insurance.

The Overall Picture

Safety features such as seat belts, air bags, anti-lock brakes and electronic stability control are your first line of defense against death or injury by car accident, and against high car insurance prices. So before you buy that new car (or get out on the road in your old one), take a good look at what your own vehicle has to offer. You’ll be thankful you did when that little item saves your life—or even your wallet!

Popular Auto Insurance specialist Companies

The American auto insurance sector is characterized by the presence of a large number of players. Some are large general insurance companies that have diversified into auto insurance and some are pure play auto insurance companies. Here are some of the notable players in auto insurance business.

State Farm Insurance is one such company. It is a national insurance company and one of the biggest general insurance companies in the US. For the year 2003, the company had a revenue of about $56 billion. Headquartered in Bloomington, Illinois, State Farm Insurance is a very popular auto insurance provider in the US. With a nationwide network of branches and attractive discounts for various categories of people SFI has an edge over its competitors. SFI is also the largest insurer of cars, trucks and SUVs in the US.

American International Group or AIG is another big company. It is the second largest general insurer and also the second largest auto insurer in the US. The Farmers Insurance Group of Companies is one of the largest general insurer and the third largest auto insurer in the US. Like SFI, this company has also got a large network of branches in all the states in the US.

Apart from these, there are other players in the American market. Some of them are 21st century Auto Insurance Group, which has its strength in auto insurance space and operates in eight states. Some niche players include Auto Owners Insurance, which has been operating in the nation since 1916 and covers 22 states across the nation.

One feature of the American auto insurance space is that there is room for all players ? general insurers who have diversified into auto insurance business and auto insurance specialists.

Auto Insurance Companies provides detailed information on Auto Insurance Companies, Types of Auto Insurance Companies, Top Auto Insurance Companies, Auto Insurance Company Ratings and more. Auto Insurance Companies is affiliated with Car Insurance Policies .

Compare Car Insurance Quotes Against These Factors

It's critical to compare car insurance quotes in order to find the best rate, service and value. Here are four factors you need to look at when shopping for car insurance.

Rate. The rate is the cost of one unit of insurance coverage -- where one unit may equal $1,000 coverage for example. The rate that you pay depends on several things, including your driving record, your credit score, your age, where you live and the vehicle you drive. Most importantly, the rate can be different for you depending upon the car insurance company. This is why you need to get comparison quotes. Take a look at the rate each company is charging you for each quote.

Coverages. Are you getting more coverages for the same cost from one car insurance company over another? If so, this could add value. Of course, to make sure you're getting the most accurate comparisons you should request the same coverages from each agency or company that's quoting you. The same goes for deductible amounts; they should be the same in all quotes.

Financial stability. Since taking out insurance is based on having the need in the future, you want to feel secure that the company will be around to pay any claims if you need them. You can check the financial rating of any car insurance company through several rating agencies including A.M. Best, Weiss, Standard & Poor's, and Fitch and Moody's.

Service. Like anything, sometimes you get what you pay for. Cheap car insurance may not necessarily go along with good service. Did the insurance company representative or agent respond quickly and professionally? Did they listen to your needs and answer your questions? Have you heard anything about their claims paying service? Claims should promptly be settled -- whether it's in your favor or not.

When you start shopping for comparison car insurance quotes, it's good to organize your information. Have your current auto policy in with you, or write down your desired coverages and deductibles on a piece of paper.

Find the Right Deals Online on Car Insurance

Car insurance is a necessary evil to many. If you have a car, you must have an insurance too. Good things need to be protected and especially a thing as beloved as a car needs protection against all those factors that can threaten to wear off its beauty. Accidents and natural wear and tear or even thefts or burglaries are sad possibilities that cannot be ruled off.

Car insurance comes as a great boon at times as these which may seem inevitable. And if you have set up your mind on going for a good deal on your car insurance, you need to do better research than others who might be wasting money due to unnecessary hurry. You ought to take your time to find the best deals and also, at the same time, keep in kind some basic guidelines that can help you make a match out of it—because in the end, what you would like is to give your car protection and an assurance of good treatment and in the process, not end up hurting your pocket either.

If you intend to go online, you are sure to come across many good web sites that can offer you good deals and give you your money's worth—with clear-cut terms and conditions and hassle-free service when you have to claim your insurance sometime. A bit of tact and good information about the insurance products always stands you in good stead.

One thing to be understood well here is that the cheapest car insurance is more often than not, not the best one. For all you know, they may contain hidden costs or otherwise hassles that you may have to face when you make your claims. Therefore clarity is imperative as to what areas and under what conditions your car insurance is applicable.

Online car insurance quotes also give you the ease of applying while sitting at home and faster application processing at that. Also, since the internet insurance market is relatively new, chances are that you might come across special discounts. Online market is also more flexible and you can strike up customized deals, if you informed enough.

Get Auto Insurance Quotes With 10 Simple Steps

Cost of auto insurance is increasing day by day, which is increasing the number of people searching for cheap auto insurance quotes. But truly speaking, the question “how to find cheap auto insurance” remains unchanged. We will here discuss ten simple steps to find right auto insurance quotes.
I. It’s true that everyone is asking for cheap car insurance policy, but a cheap car insurance quote turn into a nightmare at the time of filing a claim. Don’t divert whole of your mind on auto insurance quotes, always keep an eye on coverage provided by the auto insurance policy you are taking.
II. Try to raise your deductible amount. Auto insurance quotes will be directly related to deductible amount.
III. Model of car, make of car also matter when you request for auto insurance quote. If you own a sports car and want to get an auto insurance quote, definitely it will attract higher auto insurance rates
IV. Drive carefully. It will be very tough for you to get lower auto insurance quote if you had two accidents and three speeding fines in the last year. Auto insurance companies count all these thing while offering you auto insurance quote.
V. Don’t forget installing anti theft and safety devices in your car. If your car is at less risk and safe, then it will be easier for you to find cheap car insurance quote.
VI. Before buying a new auto insurance policy close the older one.
VII. Renewal of auto insurance policy is also required at a fix time. Just paying for it is not the right solution.
VIII. Some times auto insurance companies provide multipolicy discount, that’s don’t forget to look at your other insurers.
IX. Internet is good resource to search cheap car insurance quotes. You can even find discounts.
X. Read the fine print before singing policy

Understanding Auto Insurance

Auto (car) insurance is a type of insurance coverage for damage to and resulting from an auto. Insurance of this type can cover a variety of things depending on the kind of auto insurance that has been purchased.

All auto insurance policies involve a premium, which is the payment a customer makes to have auto insurance. Premiums for auto insurance can be extremely divergent and are determined by a number of factors. Gender is the major determinant for auto insurance premiums. Statistically, men are 80% more likely to be involved in an accident, and therefore have a greater need for insurance. Auto insurance premiums for men are higher than auto insurance premiums for women. Similarly, teenagers are considered high risk and will have to pay higher auto insurance premiums. The auto insurance premium can be reduced if the teenager takes a defensive driving course. Many states require teenagers to take defensive driving courses in order to obtain a driving permit and auto insurance.

It is customary for auto insurance plans to have a deductible that the customer is responsible for before the auto insurance provider offers coverage of expenses. Deductibles can have an effect on the coverage available under an auto insurance plan.

Auto insurance is slightly different than other types of insurance because you can purchase auto insurance that covers specific needs. For this reason there are different kinds of auto insurance. Auto insurance basics are covered by liability auto insurance plans. Liability auto insurance is usually the minimum required by state laws. Liability auto insurance is characterized by a set dollar amount of coverage for damages resulting from accidents or negligence. The coverage amount of liability auto insurance can be applied to property damaged in the accident that is not an auto.

Car insurance also comes as collision auto insurance. Collision auto insurance is meant to cover the cost of repairs to a vehicle involved in an accident, or the cash value of the vehicle if it cannot be repaired.

Comprehensive auto insurance is also available. With comprehensive auto insurance, coverage of fees for repairs is provided for accidents that are not collisions. Comprehensive auto insurance will, for example, cover hail or fire damage.

Whatever type of auto/ car insurance you need, Business Health Insurance can help! We have all of the information on auto insurance in your state.

Tips for Insuring a Second Home

If you are lucky enough to own a second home in which you spend the weekends or holidays, then you will of course need to take out home contents insurance to cover the possessions within it just as you do your main home. However when it comes to insuring a holiday home it is of course more expensive, this is due to the fact that for a large amount of time the home is not being lived in and so is deemed as a bigger risk. However there are steps you can take to lower the amount that you have to pay for your premium.

The biggest reason why it costs more to insure a second home is the fact that you are not residing in it and as such for a large part of the time it is standing empty, which means there is more chance of it getting broken into. Steps you can take to remedy this and to bring down the premium include fitting the latest security features to the home. The better protected the property is, then the lower the risk and the cheaper the premium. Installing the latest alarms which are listed with many insurers can go a long way to making sure your property is secure to the standard listed with insurers.

Other security features which can lower your home contents insurance include installing smoke detectors; doors and window alarms and locks; and making sure your property is totally enclosed by fencing. Insurers believe that the security in and around your home make a 30% difference between it being targeted by thieves and not bring targeted.

If your second home is in a neighbourhood watch area or you have a house sitter or at least someone who can check on your property on a daily basis then this too can reduce the quote for the insurance on your second home.

When looking for insurance for your holiday home then the best way to purchase it is by doing so via a specialist broker. This will allow you to get the best quote for your circumstances.

Companies do vary in what they offer and especially in what is included or not in the policy for the amount that you are asked to pay.

Online Car Insurance

If you have bought or are thinking of buying a brand new car and it is over £5,000 then you will have no choice but to take out what is called “fully comprehensive” car insurance for your new pride and joy. However the name can be a little bit misleading to the majority of people, while you would think fully comp means that you will be covered for all eventualities, this isn’t so. Even by purchasing fully comprehensive insurance there will still be certain things that you won’t be covered for.

The majority of fully comprehensive car insurance policies will cover you for repairs to your cars and any others involved should you have an accident, along with this it will cover you for everything that third party, fire and theft cover will.

Usually fully comprehensive will also cover you for any damage which is deemed as accidental, for instance if damage to the insured vehicle occurs through such as malicious damage and very often includes any damage to the cars windscreen.

New car insurance can be expensive but if you look around for your insurance then you can still make huge savings on your premiums. One of the best ways to make savings is by shopping online, shopping online allows you to get almost instant quotes and along with this you are also able to compare the quotes against other companies which means you get the best deal possible. Along with this if you have an excellent driving record and no claims bonus this can help to reduce your premiums by a large amount. Another great way to cut down on the premium you pay for your new car insurance is to offer to pay a large amount for the excess; this is the amount that you have to pay before the insurance will take over should you make a claim.

There are many other additions you can make to your new car insurance policy and depending on the value of your car you might choose to include one or more with your fully comprehensive cover. Legal expense cover could be included in the fully comp policy so it is worth checking, but this covers you for any legal expenses that could occur as the result of an accident.

You can also take out further cover for such eventualities as damage from storms, should anything fall onto your car and cause it damage or any such thing out of the ordinary. However, again always check the exclusions within the policy as not everything will be covered.

David Thomson is Chief Executive of BestDealInsurance an independent specialist broker dedicated to giving consumers the best insurance deal. They offer great value car insurance, ensuring that their clients have the protection they need, without leaving a hole in their pocket.

What Are The Auto Liability Insurance State Minimums For My State?

As you shop online for the best auto insurance deals you may begin to ask yourself what exactly is required by law when it comes to auto insurance. Fortunately this article outlines the auto liability insurance state minimums that you are required to have in order to legally drive in the United States. No matter what state you drive in all of them have financial responsibility laws and require motorists to purchase minimum amounts of auto liability insurance except for Tennessee, Wisconsin and New Hampshire.

Many websites and advocates of insurance (to include myself) recommend having a minimum of $100,000 for bodily injury protection per person and at least $300,000 for property damage costs and physical injury costs. The main reason for this is due to the increased amount of money needed to rectify an accident is usually more then what the states declare as the minimum amount of insurance coverage needed.

I have compiled the following information from the American Insurance Association, the Property Casualty Insurers Association, and the Insurance Information Institute. It shows the auto liability insurance state minimums as required by each state. In order to understand the numbers you must know what the mean. The first two numbers are for bodily injury liability and the third number represents the minimum amount of property damage liability.

As an example my home state of Missouri shows the following - Missouri 25/50/10. This means Missouri requires as a minimum coverage up to $50,000 for all persons injured in an accident, subject to a limit of $25,000 for one individual, and $10,000 coverage for property damage.

Alabama 20/40/10 Alaska 50/100/25 Arizona 15/30/10 Arkansas 25/50/25 California 15/30/5 Colorado 25/50/15 Connecticut 20/40/10 Delaware 15/30/5 D.C. 25/50/10 Florida 10/20/10 Georgia 25/50/25 Hawaii 20/40/10 Idaho 25/50/15 Illinois 20/40/15 Indiana 25/50/10 Iowa 20/40/15 Kansas 25/50/10 Kentucky 25/50/10 Louisiana 10/20/10 Maine 50/100/25 Maryland 20/40/15 Massachusetts 20/40/5 Michigan 20/40/10 Minnesota 30/60/10 Mississippi 10/20/05 Missouri 25/50/10 Montana 25/50/10 Nebraska 25/50/25 Nevada 15/30/10 New Hampshire 25/50/25 New Jersey 15/30/5 New Mexico 25/50/10 New York 25/50/10 North Carolina 30/60/25 North Dakota 25/50/25 Ohio 12.5/25/7.5 Oklahoma 10/20/10 Oregon 25/50/10 Pennsylvania 15/30/5 Rhode Island 25/50/25 South Carolina 15/30/10 South Dakota 25/50/25 Tennessee 25/50/10 Texas 20/40/15 Utah 25/50/15 Vermont 25/50/10 Virginia 25/50/20 Washington 25/50/10 West Virginia 20/40/10 Wisconsin 25/50/10 Wyoming 25/50/20

Remember these figures only represent auto insurance liability state minimums. Many experts agree that more insurance is needed in order to fully protect yourself in the event you’re involved in an automobile accident.

Timothy Gorman is a successful webmaster and publisher of Best-Free-Insurance-Quotes.com. He provides more insurance information and offers discount home, life and auto insurance that you can research in your pajamas on his websiteOther websites operated by TimCellular-Phone-Solutions.com - Free information and resources regarding cell phones and cell phone plans. Military-Loans-Online.com – Which provides free money saving loan quotes on all of your loan needs to include home equity loan information.

Spend Time And Save Money On Life Insurance

For many people, life insurance is one of those things that is often talked about but seldom bought. Of these people, many will likely have families who might struggle if the chief bread-winner is no longer around to provide. With the cost of life insurance becoming more affordable, there's never been a better time to consider taking out life cover and, with a little time and effort, you can ensure you get the best policy for your needs to provide peace of mind for you and your family.

When it comes to buying life insurance, most people often do so in face to face consultations. After all, buying insurance can be a serious decision and by talking to your local insurance broker you'll be able to get all your questions answered, as well as a competitive quote. However, you should also consider that many brokers have preferred insurers and it is possible that the deal the broker is trying to sell you isn't the best for your needs.

You should also consider whether or not you want your policy to have guaranteed or reviewable premiums. With a guaranteed premium, you know that your payments aren't going to fluctuate throughout the life of your policy. Reviewable premiums, on the other hand, might look cheap to begin with, but can rise depending on several mitigating factors throughout the life of the policy. As a result, you could end up paying more than you need to.

Something else to bear in mind is whether you want level term or decreasing term assurance. With level term assurance, the payout remains the same throughout the length of the policy. Conversely, with decreasing term assurance, the payout is reduced the longer the policy runs. Normally, decreasing term assurance is only used to pay off a mortgage in the event of your death. As the amount outstanding on a repayment mortgage decreases over time, your cover should reduce as well. Furthermore, you can also arrange for your policy to pay a fixed monthly income to your beneficiaries, instead of a lump sum.

Premiums can differ greatly between insurance companies for similar levels of cover and terms. As a result, it is often a good idea to take the time to do a bit of research and shopping around to find the right policy. In recent years there has been a huge upsurge in websites that can provide and compare life insurance quotes from a range of insurance companies. All you have to do is answer a few simple questions about your general state of health, provide some personal details such as your height, weight and age and, within a few seconds, you'll have a range of competitive premiums from a selection of insurance companies that closely match your requirements.

Then, it's up to you to select the policy that’s best suited to your needs, click a button and buy - it really is that simple!

Elisha Burberry is a freelance writer who loves her job and the occasional glass of red wine.

Life Insurance - How To Pay Less For Adequate Coverage

Good things often come at a price. The security and peace of mind that a life insurance policy gives has costs. Thankfully, there are ways to lower your rates. Getting remarkable savings is not really as complicated as you think. Use the following tips if you're really serious about making savings.

Those who get their life policies at a younger age, pay less than those who wait till later (And that's apart from the fact that they protect their loved ones from hard times if the worst happens). More people are more likely to die from an older age bracket within a given period than from a lower age bracket. That increases cost to an insurer. Therefore, to make up for the increased cost, they charge higher rates and sometimes reject some as uninsurable outrightly.

A life insurance policy is a very serious matter. Don't make the mistake of settling with an insurer without finding out their reputation. Different companies have different approaches to business. These shape their future. Make sure you are comfortable with the insurer you want to settle for. Check their ratings across different independent research companies.

Smokers are more likely to die young. In life insurance it means one thing: You're a very high risk and so should pay much more.

You can't sky-dive and expect low life insurance premiums. Such sports come with a hefty price tag as far as life insurance is concerned.

The guaranteed way you can get savings in life insurance is to get and compare quotes from several quotes sites.

A quotes site can return quotes that will show a difference of a couple of thousands between the highest quote and the lowest. The next thing is really as simple as looking for the cheapest offer. It does happen sometimes that the lowest price also has the best price to value ratio. However, that's not always the case. Given the same policy, the features and extent of coverage provided by default for each policy could differ from slightly to a great deal.

The exclusions section in an insurer's policy is an area you must make sure you understand well. Life insurance involves your life so do ensure you are satisfied with the details of an insurer's policy before paying. Remember, they are free and no obligation quotes. If you follow this diligently you'll provide your loved ones the protection you crave and still save a bundle.

Online Insurance Quotes California Auto

Finding insurance quotes for California auto is now pretty easy. There was a time where finding auto insurance at a price we were willing to pay took a lot of driving and calling around. You'd select different agents that represented different companies, call them and repeat the process 4 or 5 times. Then you'd have to wait for a return call for the information. Insurance quotes for California was cumbersome to say the least.

Today we have many services that negotiate a listing fee for their services and the insurance companies happily pay them a slight fee rather than a large commission to give people their rates. That's good business for you and them. Cost effective, time efficient without bias or opinion. These services let you varying amounts, coverage's, deductible and so forth to produce numerous options for you to select from.

When an agent quote your insurance it's usually more time consuming and less thorough as they are limited by the companies they have. They probably want you to think that they have many companies but in reality probably just a few. Also, the bigger and blue chips so to speak are very selective in selecting agents so often times you never even get a quote from them.

There's the issue of direct writers who work directly with the public not through agents and generally speaking their rates are more competitive because the cost of doing business is less and they can pass on those savings to you. You'll be able to decide with your insurances quotes for California auto.