Black homeowners continue as the most under insured, over-charged and least compensated for damages of any racial group. Partly because of quiet discrimination (insurance companies call it added risk) and lack of information, Black homeowners continue to pad the profits of insurance companies more than any racial group.With sweeping changing happening in the insurance industry as we speak, few homeowners, especially Black homeowners have a source that can keep them updated on those changes.In this week’s newsletter I’ll discuss one of the major changes insurance companies continue to use on what they call risky (code word … minority, urban homeowners and neighborhoods).More and more home insurers are turning to a secret database called the Comprehensive Loss Underwriting Exchange (or C.L.U.E). Despite record profits as reported in the Los Angeles Times and USA Today, home insurance companies worry about increasing payouts for water and mold damage claims.This new trend could make it harder for you to sell or buy a home that’s had a past water or mold damage claim. Why? Because more insurance companies make it a point to check if there’s any past water or mold damage claims made on a home before insuring or re-insuring a home.In fact, many insurance company experts report an increasing number of companies using the C.L.U.E database to refuse coverage based on a homes record of claims made.Financial institutions have the FICO credit scoring, now home insurance companies have the C.L.U.E database. This is a secret most homeowners don’t know, except the homeowners smart enough to read this newsletter.I’ll show you simple ways to protect yourself later in this article, but first let me tell you a little more about this secret database insurance companies don’t want you to know about.The Comprehensive Loss Underwriting Exchange, managed by ChoicePoint collects, stores and issues reports to members. The information stays in their database for a maximum of five years according to ChoicePoint.Insurance companies continue to look more aggressively for homes that could trigger future claims, like water or mold damage. More home sales continue to fall through because of insurance companies increased use of the C.L.U.E database, if buyers not able to get insurance they can’t finance the deal, simple as that.Now your home could possibly receive black ball status for filing one claim, not to mention getting paid for a claim. This is insane, but true.Despite this alarming new trend used by insurance companies, you have ways to protect yourself and your rights.1. Avoid telling your insurance company or agent about any problems with your home unless your 100% sure you’ll file a claim. Insurance agents can be friendly and a good source of advice in the past, but understand any problems you report could go into the C.L.U.E database. The Result? They could use that information to raise your rates or in some serious cases refuse to renew your policy.2. Consider buying a home warranty and use that as protection for minor accidents and repairs, instead of filing a claim with your insurance company. In most cases it may be better to pay for minor damage yourself than file a claim with your insurance company. In today’s climate you have to consider the risk of filing a claim with your insurance company. I know it sounds crazy – but it’s the new “insurance coverage” reality we live in now.3. Write and support local insurance advocate groups in your state. Even though most do it with limited funds, they’re fighting to make sure insurance companies give you as a fair shake as possible, even when politicians are afraid to. They do it behind the scenes – in the trenches, without the glow of T.V cameras or fanfare. So give them your support and encouragement, they exist to help you. Even if you can’t send them a donation write them a letter of encouragement.4. Get a C.L.U.E. This is another secret most homeowners don’t know – and insurance companies don’t advertise. You’re entitled by law to receive a copy of your homes CLUE report once a year or if you’re denied insurance coverage.You also under protection of federal law have a right to dispute or question any outdated, inaccurate or false information on your CLUE report. Many homeowners have found inaccurate information that affected their insurance rates. Have you checked yours lately?Conclusion.Now that you have a clue about the secret C.L.U.E report insurance companies keep on your home, you have the information to protect yourself better. Just knowing such a report exist will help make you a more informed homeowner and help you keep your rates down.You’ll also have a way to protect yourself from insurance company surprises. In addition, if a surprise should happen such as a drastic rate increase or unexpected cancellation, you have the tools to fight back.I’ll continue to keep you informed of major changes quietly taking place in the home insurance industry. With changes happening so fast I’ll give you new ways to save money and frustration – your friendly agent won’t tell you. Be sure to share this with other homeowners you know.Protect Yourself and Your Rights.
Insurance Companies New Secret Weapon
Advantages of Tracking Website Traffic For Automotive Dealership Websites
Website traffic is an important aspect of Internet marketing for automotive dealers. Tracking website traffic is helpful in lead generation, promotion, and in increasing sales. Measuring the website traffic gives insights in formulating Internet marketing techniques for automotive dealer. It gives valuable inputs on website visitors activity. These inputs help automotive dealers incorporate necessary changes in their marketing campaigns. Also, it enables dealers to decide which marketing technique gives optimum returns on investment.Helps In Better Optimization of Website
Tracking website traffic through various web analytics programs helps the automotive dealers to know what appeals to their customers on the website. The keywords which the customer used to reach the website can be effectively used by dealer in PPC campaigns for effective website optimization. The automotive dealer can know about which car is searched by the customer for maximum times and in which section the customer is more interested. Thereby, the dealer can expand its inventory list and increase lead conversion rates. Based on the customers actions, the dealer can improve the landing page and website content with specific keywords etc. The navigation of the website can be simplified for better usability of customers. All these aspects help in optimizing the website and increasing its search engine ranking.Better Internet Marketing Plan
Website traffic tracking equips automotive dealer with valuable real-time data about the Internet marketing plan adopted to generate traffic to website. Based on the tracking information, the dealers can exactly know about the efficiency of Internet marketing plan in increasing website traffic, lead generation, and specifics like how much cars were finally sold. Tracking helps dealers in identifying suitable keywords for the website and how the marketing campaign needs to be performed. Thus, tracking helps to improve Internet marketing strategy to better target visitors that can turn into potential customers.Monitor the Users and Understand the State Of Customer Base
Tracking website traffic helps automotive dealers to monitor user movements through the website. Also, tracking provides information on what keywords were used by visitor to reach the dealer’s website. Other key information like time period for which the visitor stayed, from where the visitors came like referrals and search engines, bounce rate etc. is obtained. Monitoring the users provides with useful data that helps in better optimization of website. Besides monitoring the user or visitors activities, tracking also provides with information differentiating between real customer and just visitors. Hence, tracking the customer activity gives crucial data about their preferences, choices, interests etc and helps to retain the potential customer base. Thus, website traffic tracking helps to adjust to changing trends and better understand the customer base.Website traffic tracking is an essential part of automotive internet marketing. The tracking information can be effectively used by automotive dealers to better target its customers and also to consolidate its existing customer base.
The Many Benefits of Online Education
Honestly, online education has become increasingly popular at colleges and universities in the past few years because of the improved access that it provides students. Online education refers to courses where at least 80 percent of content is distributed online. Students send assignments online and often participate in chat discussions or message boards that pertain to the course subject.However, while no face to face interaction is found in online degree programs, students are still able to communicate with each other through their computers. A growing number of physical universities, as well as newer online colleges, have begun to offer a select set of academic degree and certificate programs via the Internet at a wide range of levels and in a wide range of disciplines.While some programs require students to attend some campus classes or orientations, many are delivered completely online. In addition, several universities offer online student support services, such as online advising and registration, counseling, online textbook purchase, student governments and student newspapers. The benefits of online education includes, the ability to earn the same degree as an in class student, study at your own pace, convenience student resource center.EducationNevertheless, in higher education especially, the increasing tendency is to create a virtual learning environment which is sometimes combined with a management information system to create a managed learning environment in which all aspects of a course are handled through a consistent user interface standard throughout the institution. E-Learning can also refer to educational web sites such as those offering learning scenarios, worksheets and interactive exercises for children. E-learning services have evolved since computers were first used in education.The main goal of accreditation is to ensure that education provided by institutions of higher education meets acceptable levels of quality. Accrediting agencies, which are private educational associations of regional or national scope develop evaluation crite. Online learning can be a convenient way of getting your education but its not for everybody. Make sure to find out how much your education is going to cost before enrolling. Most colleges and universities now offer online learning also called distance education.Request free information about online teaching preparation programs and online education degrees from some of the most respected schools and colleges of education in your country. These highly respected education schools offer accredited education degrees and teaching preparation programs, delivered in a convenient online format. The internet has revolutionized education as we know it and now it is possible to earn a GED, BA, MA and even a PhD virtually without leaving your home and many other degrees are available with online education.However, the internet has made online education possible in virtually every discipline and for any kind of student. Homework can be handed in electronically and lectures can be watched by downloading video files, online education can replicate the classroom experience and give the student the opportunity to earn a degree while working around job and family responsibilities. Online education is now available for almost every kind of degree.It has made it possible to find a good school anywhere in the world but some people may need learning institutions close to them because they may want to visit the campus, use the library facilities, get to know other students face to face or take occasional exams which are proctored on campus. However, online education is more characterized by writing than by exams, simply because students who are located all over the world can not take proctored exams.LearningE-learning is naturally suited to distance learning and flexible learning, but can also be used in conjunction with face to face teaching, in which case the term blended learning is commonly used. It can also refer to educational web sites such as those offering learning scenarios, worksheets and interactive exercises for children. There is a trend to move toward blended learning services, where computer based activities are integrated with practical or classroom based situations.This idea is generally seen as being distinct from the use of computers in ways where learning is at least a peripheral element of the experience. Much effort has been put into the technical reuse of electronically based teaching materials and in particular creating or reusing learning objects.ConclusionOnline education is a way to increase students knowledge in a particular area of study by giving them access to a wide variety of material on the subject. It is rapidly increasing and online doctoral programs have even developed at leading research universities. It is accommodating in this manner, as it permits an individual to work while being enrolled as a full time college student.Moreover, it is convenient and flexible, allowing you to maintain your professional and personal commitments while pursuing a high quality education. Online education is now available for almost every kind of degree.