The Carpal tunnel is the passageway through the wrist that protects the nerves and tendons that extend into the hand. The meridian nerve that passes through it is close to nine tendons and if any of these become injured or if the tissues of the tunnel become swollen and inflamed, this nerve will get compressed. This causes numbness, tingling and often and incredible pain that shoots up and down the arm and is always worse at night.

This is the single most common occupational illness now reported and is always the result of repetitive movements causing repetitive strain injuries (RSI), such as typing on a computer keyboard.

Natural Methods for coping with RSI

Some sufferers have been shown to be deficient in vitamin B6 and in trials, a number of patients taking 100mg twice a day for 12 weeks, were able to reduce their intake of painkillers and avoid surgery.

RSI is caused by inflammation. Taking Natural anti-inflammatories will help bring the inflammation down.

Here are a few Natural anti-inflammatories you can use:

Did you know…

In the UK, the NHS bill for treating gastric bleeding caused by anti-inflammatory drugs is currently running at £367 million a year. This is a good reason to investigate what the natural world has to offer.

Boswellia

Also known as Indian frankincense, this can inhibit enzymes that would otherwise trigger the inflammation causing arthritic conditions and RSI. Take 400mg 3 times a day. There are no reported contraindications.

Bromelain

Known as the tissue healer, this increasingly popular anti-inflammatory agent is derived from the stems of fresh pineapples. If you are scheduled for surgery, do not leave home without this remedy. It has great post-operative and post-traumatic anti-swelling properties. Take 500mg 3 times a day. Do not combine with zinc as this can inhibit the activity of Bromelain and avoid potatoes and soy products which can do the same thing. Avoid altogether if you know you are allergic to bee venom.

Ginger

This herb has lots of different actions in the body, and one of it’s properties is it’s potent anti-inflammatory properties. Take 250mg 3 times a day. There are no reported contraindications.

Glucosamine

This is produced naturally in the body. There is it used to make cartilage. This is great because it doesn’t simply treat the symptoms, but it can actually slow the progress of joint diseases caused by wear and tear. It is especially good for treating osteoarthritis. Glucosamine supplements are made from chitin, a substance found in the shells of shrimps, lobsters and crabs. You will often find combination formulations that include chondroitin, another naturally occurring substance which can protect the joint from wear and tear. Take 500mg 3 times a day.

Methylsulphonylmethane (MSM)

This is a form of organic sulphur which is present in all living organisms and plays a key role in tissue healing. It is often prescribed by surgeons. You can get MSM from lots of foods including fresh cow’s milk and fresh vegetables as well as meats and seafoods. It is easily destroyed by cooking and food processing techniques, making it impossible to get a therapeutic dose from your diet. Instead, it is advisable to take a supplement of 1g a day with food to promote internal healing and alleviate inflammation. Arthritis sufferers who take this supplement report the welcome side effect of thicker, glossier hair and stronger nails.

Turmeric

A member of the ginger family, turmeric has many medicinal actions including anti-inflammatory properties that can help alleviate the pain of RSI and arthritis. Take 400-600mg a day. In some arthritic patients, turmeric in the diet can exacerbate arthritic-type conditions. Unfortunately, there are no predictors for who may be adversely affected in this way. You will have to monitor your reactions and stop using this remedy if your symptoms worsen.

At http://www.naturalremedies4u.com, we recommend three online health stores where supplements made from the products above can be obtained.

Simon Brown offers a free ebook titled 47 Simple Herbal Remedies. Get your free copy at http://www.be-prepared.naturalremedies4u.com.

Submit and use articles for free at http://www.thearticlelibrary.com

No matter your age, no matter your current health condition, as
soon as you quit smoking you will immediately begin to
experience a number of very important changes. Some are visible
from the outside, while others happen unseen by the human eye,
but all are significant reasons to quit smoking now.

Reason 1: You’ll live longer

Taking all other causes into account, smokers are twice as
likely than non-smokers to die within 15 years. When you give up
cigarettes, you increase your chances of a longer and healthier
life.

Reason 2: You’ll reduce your risk of heart attack

Smokers are at a much higher risk of having a heart attack than
people who don’t smoke. When you quit, this risk drops
dramaticallyand immediately. In fact, within 24 hours of
quitting the habit, your risk is halved.

Why? Well, nicotine (a primary component of cigarettes, as you
know) has a devastating effect on the body’s blood stream. It
contributes to blood clots, which in turn can trigger heart
attack. Therefore, when you get nicotine out of your body’s
system, you decrease the likelihood of blood clot formation.

Reason 3: Your Lungs Will Thank You

Smokers are much more prone to decreased lung function than
non-smokers, and years of smoking wreak permanent damage on
these delicate organs. Unfortunately, there’s not much you can
do to undo that damage. But by giving up your cigarettes you
will prevent further damage from occurring. Moreover, if you
stay away from cigarettes for 15 or more years, your risk of
developing lung cancer goes down by as much as 90%.

Reason 4: You’ll Breath Easier

You know that hacking cough you’ve become accustomed to? It’s
called smoker’s cough, and it got that name for a reason. This
problem commonly plagues people who are active smokersbut
quitters experience a rapid reduction in this annoying side
effect of cigarette addiction. In fact, within a few months
you’ll probably have no cough at all!

Reason 5: Keep the People Around You Healthy, Too

We all know that second-hand smoke is as devastating for others
as cigarettes are to those who smoke them. So all the dangers of
smokingheart disease, lung cancer, strokeare there for
nonsmokers too if they happen to be near you when you light up.
Quitting the habit means that your loved ones, coworkers, and
friends will also feel happier and healthier.

Still undecided about quitting?

Maybe this will help,

Smokers are twice as likely to die from heart attacks as
non-smokers

Based on data collected from 1995 to 1999, the US Center for
Disease Control (CDC) recently estimated that adult male smokers
lost an average of 13.2 years of life and female smokers
lost 14.5 years of life because of smoking

If you quit smoking you will obviously save yourself from the
hazards of smoking, gain better control over your life, regain
your self-esteem and feel a whole lot better about yourself. You
will also be setting a good example to others, especially
children, because if you smoke there is a very good chance that
they too will become a smoker.

But the most important point that you should put down is that
you should try and quit in order to make it healthier and safer
for those who live around you especially your friends and
family. Hey come on, you really owe it to them and yourself.

There’s a funny scene in Romancing the Stone when Michael Douglas’ character meets Kathleen Turner’s character and agrees to take her to a phone booth hundreds of miles away. He simply refuses to help her carry her completely impractical luggage and a few scenes later goes even further by chopping the heels off her shoes so she can actually walk in them. This little fiasco encompasses the essence of packing for adventure travel. Less is most definitely more!

When in a foreign country it is usually pretty easy to spot the experienced traveler from the novice. The novice is usually dragging a giant suitcase or trying to lug a brightly coloured backpack that is even bigger than they are. They are dressed in the latest “must have” adventure gear from the most expensive adventure stores and have “trekking” shoes worth hundreds of dollars.

This is not the way to do it for several reasons. The first is comfort. You will usually be doing a lot of walking whenever you go on a vacation and walking with 50 kg of luggage is both tiring and difficult. You will also, most likely, be getting extremely dirty and ruining whatever clothing you take (even if it’s expensive “adventure clothing”) and don’t forget that some of your gear may even be stolen (sometimes by other travelers). If you show up with all the best and most expensive gear you are also a walking target for hustlers and thieves. With all of this in mind here are a few tips:

Luggage - If you are going to be doing anything even remotely physical and walking any further than a few hundred meters, then a backpack is definitely the way to go. But not all packs are created equal! Think small and inconspicuous. Dark colours like brown and black will attract less attention than a bright purple or red pack. Make sure it is the type of pack that has a flap on the top that closes over the pack’s opening to keep out water (the types that zip up WILL get your stuff wet). You will also want to put your clothing in waterproof stuff bags - I use standard plastic shopping bags, but there are tougher ones that you can buy from disposals and camping stores. You also want your pack to be as small as possible. Especially if you are only touring (mountaineers may need something bigger). I use a 30 liter pack but would say 45 liters is an absolute maximum for general purpose use. You will be carrying it around a lot and if you cannot fit something in then you probably don’t really need it.

Clothing - Think light and breathable! Cotton is always good. Three shirts is usually enough because you can wear one, wash one and have a spare. Take ones with collars to keep the sun off your neck if you are going anywhere remotely sunny. For pants, I like cargoes that can zip off the legs and turn into shorts (which can also double as swimming trunks). Dark colours are always going to hide the dirt and grime so that’s also a good idea. Usually, other than underwear and socks, I don’t take much more than this. Remember that if you need something you can always buy it there and usually for a fraction of the price than at home! Don’t forget to take some type of hat as being sunburnt is a real drag when you are traveling.

Shoes - Unless you are doing some serious mountaineering then you probably won’t need those $300 Scarpa trekking boots. In many poorer countries you can buy those $300 Scarpas at the local markets for $10 anyway, because some idiot tourist left them outside his door to dry and an enterprising local stole them to sell at the markets! Think comfort - I usually go for Converse All Stars, but any type of cheap canvas shoe will probably be ok. On a trek across England my Converse shoes allowed my feet to get wet about 10 minutes before my buddy’s feet got wet - he was wearing the $300 Scarpas! Once again, if you need something better, you can probably buy it at your destination for a cheaper price.

Other stuff - There are a few things I will never travel without. Sunscreen is the main one because I REALLY hate getting sunburnt. A small multi-tool is often pretty handy too - don’t get a leatherman because you will lose it or get it stolen. You can often buy multi-tools for $5 anyway that work perfectly well. I also always take a lighter ($1 plastic kind) for anything from lighting people’s cigarettes to sealing the ends of ropes.

The trick to packing for adventure travel is to pack light, inconspicuous and cheap. This avoids you becoming a human pack-mule or a target for thieves and hustlers. You will also find that you will enjoy your traveling more because you won’t be so tired now worrying about your gear so much.

Rob Wood is a regular traveler to third world countries. He helps run a site over at Polo’s Bastards on extreme adventure travel.

http://polosbastards.com

Logistics leads us to understand the uproar of aftermarket
motorcycle parts. Here are the ways of its overwhelming
support…

When we try to track the logistics of aftermarket motorcycle
parts we can say that it is doing good. Different parts may mean
different distribution strategies. Aftermarket spark plugs and
filters, for instance are placed in several layers of
distribution between producer and end user.

Aftermarket parts have high outourcing percentage. In fact, some
companies are even supplying the European market. Some of these
companies have centralized warehouses. Aside from that, they
also provide emergency back up for vehicle-off-road (VOR)
demands through airfreight. Negotiations and sales are made more
accessible and effective because they are extending their
facilities through agents. Nonetheless, some are relying on
their franchised dealers for distribution, sale and delivery.

Delivery nowadays is more efficient than the past. A conclusion
has been arrived at stating that we have faster deliveries
because the broader range of stock. Another factor is the
availability of back up and facilities to support it. The supply
chain is maintained and bolstered. The delivery notes of
aftermarket motorcycle parts is quite impressive.

Every aftermarket motorcycle parts manufacturer is battling with
their competitors. They compete in different ranges. Some are
improving the aftermarket’s quality in order to compete with the
Original Equipment Manufacturer parts. Others are trying to
slash the price down and are creating a cheaper version of
aftermarket motorcycle parts.

There is an stigma attached to the minds of the motorcyclists.
It is all about the presumed poor quality of the aftermarket
motorcycle parts. This is definitely a misnomer. There are
aftermarket motorcycle parts that can actually compete with the
OEM’s quality. However, there are also those wh cannot topple
its well-established identity. Nonetheless, what is important is
the rider’s choice. Whether he choose aftermarket or not, the
choice lies in his discretion alone. However, his choice must be
guided by the knowledge, observation and experience. They should
be reminded of how to choose the best choice.

Aftermarket motorcycle parts logistics are getting better and
better. This is also brought about by independent aftermarket
motorcycle repair shops. These shops recommend the use of
aftermarket motorcycle parts. Consequently, this phase has
proved a more profitable aftermarket sector. They are the ones
who boost the sales of aftermarket parts without the need too
much marketing.

The accumulated help coming from pools of experts from
warehousing, transport, inventory, sale and logistics make the
aftermarket market bigger, better and more effective!

(This Article Is Not To Be Construed As Providing Medical Advice. Always Check With Your Doctor Before Following Any Weight Loss Program.)

To lose weight intelligently, progressively and systematically, you need some type of accurate feedback device to monitor your weight! A scale is just such a device! It provides you with daily feedback about your weight loss or gain and if you’re making progress or not! In addition to this you need a workable weight loss plan that’s based on the facts and realities of losing weight!

Here it is!

The facts are that if you stop eating altogether your body would eventually be reduced to nothing but skin and bones! So the first thing you obviously need to do is to reduce the amount of food you regularly eat! In fact you should cut it in half depending on how much and how fast you want to lose weight! But you don’t want to lose too much too fast because that’s not healthy!

If you cut the amount of food you eat for a month (depending on the amount you cut) you should lose about 2-3 pounds a week or 8-12 pounds per month! Do you think losing 8-12 pound a month for 3 months would make a difference in your appearance?

How to Do It!

The way you start is, if you’ve been eating two slices of bread you eat only one slice! If you usually drink two glasses of milk, you only drink one glass! If you’ve been eating a whole steak, you only eat half that amount! You do this whenever you eat and at every meal! Vegetables, salads (low fat dressing) and fresh fruit you can eat as you please! You’re guaranteed to lose weight if you stick to this method because, the amount of food you eat is a large part of how much weight you’ll lose, gain or maintain!

So you don’t necessarily have to stop eating your favorite foods and only eat “bird” food to lose weight! You just have to cut the amount of food you eat in half! This still may be a challenge for many of you! If you find this method to be too drastic, you can cut your food intake to a lesser degree but the amount of weight you lose will vary depending on the amount of food you consistently eat!

And of course if you want greater results, cut out high fat foods, do aerobic activities for 20 minutes or more (check with your doctor first) and workout with light weights for greater muscle tone!

That’s it! Is this simple or what? You can do it if you really try and are willing to go through what you have to go through to accomplish your weight loss goals!

May the Light never cease to Lighten your Minds!

Copyright 2006 El-Veasey Publishing Inc

El Veasey holds Ph.Ds in counseling, political critiques and psychosocial commentary from the University Of Hard knocks Ghetto Town, USA.

Email: elveasey at yahoo.com

Blog1: http://el-veasey.blogspot.com

Blog2: http://lveasey.blogspot.com

Website http://www.blackmerda.com

Do you know what’s going on in your home when you’re away at work? Do you have a reliable home security system that can relieve you of your worries and concerns when someone is breaking into your home when you’re away? If you already have a home security system in place, how reliable and steadfast is it? Has anyone ever broken into your home even with your current home security system in place? Do you know that you can now install a home security system that utilizes the Internet so that the home security system can actually alert you of unusual activities at home?

That’s how far the home security system technology has advanced. If you’re still having one of those old home security systems that blares a siren whenever there’s an intruder, then you’re not doing the best you can to protect your home. How many times have you heard one of those sirens cut through the silence of the night and ignored it because the siren is turned off about a minute later? Intruders who break into homes know how to turn off the old types of home security systems and they can usually break through any of those home security systems easily.

With the advancement of technology, home security systems have developed into more than just an electronic alarm system that detects opened windows or doors. Conventional home security systems have sensors built into the home security units that detect interruption in the flow of electricity. Whenever the home security system detects the interruptions, it will either let out a deafening siren or activate strobe lights to attract attention.

But have you ever thought about this - what if others choose to ignore the sirens and lights?

What you really need is a home security system that will silently alert guards and you of the activities in the home. Combining the advancement of the technology used to create and develop home security systems together with the Internet, the home security system will silently send signals of the intrusion to a call center run by the home security company. It will also send a message to your cell phone or make a call using your telephone line to you to alert you of a possible break in. With the home security system’s silent method of alerting various parties, the intruder is not alerted but YOU are. Therefore, it will give the police and the relevant authorities enough time to act and catch the intruders in action.

In fact, the latest home security systems in the market today allow you to activate and deactivate your home security system via the Internet or through your phone. This is what I call a TOTAL convenience to home security systems.

Dakota Caudilla, journalist, and website builder Dakota Caudilla lives in Texas. He is the owner and co-editor of http://www.at-home-source.com on which you will find a longer, more detailed version of this article.

About the Author

Dakota Caudilla, journalist, and website builder Dakota Caudilla lives in Texas. He is the owner and co-editor of http://www.at-home-source.com on which you will find a longer, more detailed version of this article.

http://www.Success-Bussiness.com/pips.html

The “I Cant’s” are numerous and ubiquitons. Their numbers are
astonishing. A curious statistician estimates that about
one-half of the children born into the world, are furnished by
Nature with a remarkable lingual facility for the utterance of
this brief and cowardly sentence. Neither time or experience
enables them to abolish from their vocabulary these fatal words,
and from the cradle to the grave, they drag a slip-shod life
spent in accomplishing nothing from the fact, that they lack the
energy and will neccesary to accomplish.

These human drags are recognizable anywhere under any
circumstances, history furnishes many examples to need
illustration at our hands. Of titled members of the order, of
the lower degree, the world is cursed with a less number than
formely, for the reason, that the race is dying of insanity; but
in the great world, among the masses, it is astonishing what a
host of drones share the honey of the bees’ gathering. Regarding
everything they do as a harship, looking upon labor as an evil,
it seems to be a sort of moral duty with such men to do as
little as possible, and get all they can for it. “I Can’t,” is
their shibboleth and shield. Propose to them the accomplishment
of whatever new work, anything out of the beaten track, any
little addition to what they have done, and see! how, like
trained jack-daws their beaks fly open without a moments
consideration of the possibilty of desirability of the doing
and, out it comes! like the “pretty Polly!” of a pet parrot “I
can’t!”

We have said you may know them everywhere, in the legislative
halls, on the battle-field, in the council-chamber, at the bar,
in your house, at work, for they are spawned everywhere; and
among all classes of industrials, merchants or mechanics, you
may know “I can’t” as well by what he does, as by what he will
not try to do; and a miserable, mumbling, mealy-mouthed,
mountain-rising, and mole-hill moving mummy of a man, will you
find him in any of these persuits. He is always for delay. “He
has’nt time, or he has’nt the tools; he lacks means; or he must
have more help,” you “had better wait ,” or he knows “it is
impossible;” anything rather than do it. “I’ll try!” never comes
into his head, as it did into Captain Bragg’s; to try being just
what he wishes to escape from; while to say “I can’t,” is the
easiest, as well as the meanest method of accomplishing his
desire.

These are questions which all the past have asked, and which all
the future will continue to inquire. None ever acknowledge its
full attaintment. To most the shadow of its approach is never
visible. What is it that every individual desires-in some
measure, at least; strives for, yet never finds? Is it a reality
or a fancy? the cob of corn fastened by a pole before a donkey,
which advances as he advances; just before but never reaches,
but to attain which he toils and strives? or is it an ignus
fatuus, which deludes by false glare and brightness, and
vanishes just when reached?

Man is so constituded that fatigue and disgust come with the
object sought. This world conquered, it is thereforth worthless,
and new worlds are longed for. What was once supposed to be
success, is found to be of naught. The astronomer enlarges his
insturments by his endeavor to examine an indistinct planet; but
his double telescope reveals to him new stars and opens to him
new systems of which he had not before imagined. There is always
something beyond, and discontent in consequence will always be
the lot of man.

At times and in certain cases, it is hard to say what is
success. Did Milton obtain it? One of the greatest works of man
was the result of his labors. Posterity and futurity acknowledge
his claims, but the present gave him poverty and neglect, and
his fate has been that of many since. Is that success? How is
the question answered?

One very important requisite at the present day is to gain the
public attention. All seem aware of this, although some will not
descend to forcing it. Still it is indispensable that there be
real merit at the bottom, to satisfy after having attracted.
Genin must not be content with turning the community by signs
and paintings toward his warehouse, or by putting his name and
business into the mouths of an entire people. He knows that now
that he is universally spoken of, it is of the utmost importance
that it be commendingly, that his merchandise be good of its
kind, and his character unimpeached.

The theories of today have grown up with a mushroom rapidity and
are eagerly embraced, but time shows that they lack substance
and a true organized vitality, and subsequent analyzation
reveals that the thin froth raised up by a rapid yeast contains
no substance, is mere air no better than a soap bubble which
glittered in the light, till the beams of a sun rapidily
evaporated it, and showed the emptines within.

Look at the visions of the past, the theories of great thinkers
and the systems of philosophers, once the reverenced opinions of
entire nations, and we wonder how they could have ever been for
a moment credited. Was this success?

And it doesn’t require centuries to effect these changes.
Success is the peace of mind which springs from right impulses
and which promises a serene future. Peter Cooper was considered
successful when he had accumulated his hundreds of thousands;
and when he afterward received the grateful steem of a city and
a nation. But higher than all, his success must be found in his
internal sense. Fire, war, and revolution may destroy every
trace of his charitable magnificence, but the growth of soul,
heightened and stimulated by acts like his, cannot be forgotten.

Now I have found an amazing yet simple way to achive success,
network marketing on the web is a powerful way to reach this.
What if all the tools were provided to you, simple know-how
step-by-step instructions. Do you want to work for 40 years or
more to make $40,000 a year or less, just so you could retire on
40% of what wasn’t enough in the first place? Did you know the
U.S. Social Security Board reports that 85 out of 100 Americans
reaching age 65 don’t aquire as much as $250, and only 2% are
self-sustaining (the rest dependent on family, church, or the
goverment). Want to know what the “2-percenters” know that you
don’t know?

Me and my partner will build a Money-Making website for you
that’s 100% ready to take orders and pull in massive profits for
you right now…Guaranteed. Plus, you’ll get your own
pre-written ezine-in-a-box customized and setup for you
absolutely Free within 24 hours!! Skepticism is healthy and
encouraged because there are some dishonest people and scams
going around the Internet. Fortunately, these are the exception,
not the rule. It’s important for you to feel 100% confident
about using my service to help you make money online before you
sign up today.

That’s why I encourage you to research these respected
organizations I belong to (iCop and Better Internet Bureau) as
part of my commitment to uphold the highest business and ethical
standards possible. Get more information at:
http://www.PlugInProfitSite.com/main-8996

>From The Author, Berenice Cervantez

Regular news reports and some stray studies suggest that some online games are affecting children. Parents are worried and blame the gaming industry. This approach is similar to blame the alcohol industry if your child starts drinking or blame the tobacco industry if your child becomes a smoker. What about parental responsibility? If your child attends the best of schools and colleges and does not manage to learn, is the school solely responsible? It is becoming easy for parents to blame all outside effects that can trouble their children. Same is happening with online games. The solution lies in taking your responsibility.

Talking about online games, the varieties are many and the levels at which the games can be played are also many. As apparent, play the game with your child for some days in the beginning. Watch his/her reaction while playing the online game. Find out the violence of the game. Find out if the online game can benefit your child. Many online games can sharpen your child’s skill. Rather than blaming something that your child will continue with, take responsibility and help your child learn from that. Your children will also love your togetherness. You will also spend some quality time with your children while playing online game with them..

Today’s parents are becoming so busy that they have very less time for their children. Once the child stops getting parental love and affection the child tries getting joy with other activities. Society does not produce bullies for no reason. Your children are dependent on you for all their emotional support and guidance. Please give it to them. Please join them in doing what they love. Trying to order and ask them to stop will not serve your responsibility. A responsible parent has to go much beyond that. Join them and play the online games they love to play. You can easily control the time period for which they play online games and have peace of mind.

The author, C.D.Mohatta writes fun quizzes and fun tests at http://www.funquizcards.com/ on topics like love, personality, dating, relationships, friendship, movies, tv, music, business, etc. The second site, the author writes for, is http://www.ecarduniverse.com/ which has free ecards on holidays, birthday, love, friendship, family, expressions, celebrations and all events and occasions. One more site associated with the author is http://www.yourfungames.com/ - it has free flash games which anyone can play online.

Believe it or not, when it comes to shopping for auto insurance,
the premium amount isn’t the only thing that should shape your
purchasing decision. Unfortunately, many consumers aren’t aware
that there are other factors to consider when buying car
insurance–and end up regretting their decision.

So before you sign on the dotted line, consider the following
factors and make a smarter decision about your car insurance
purchase!

Proper Licensure

Unfortunately for consumers, there are dishonest agents and
insurers in the marketplace that aren’t licensed to sell
insurance. As you compare policies and insurance companies,
remember to verify whether your agent and the company he or she
represents are licensed to sell insurance in your state.

Go beyond verbally asking your prospective agent and check your
insurer’s credentials through the Department of Insurance (DOI)
in your state. In addition to information about insurance, the
DOI also keeps track of insurers licensed to sell insurance in
your state.

If the DOI doesn’t have record that your prospective agent is
licensed to sell insurance, don’t buy a policy from that company
or agent–doing so will only open yourself (and your wallet) up
to becoming a victim of insurance fraud.

Financial Strength

If you’ve never thought about checking the financial solidity of
your prospective insurers, you’re not alone. It is one of the
single most overlooked factors by consumers shopping for car
insurance.

The reality is that the cheapest car insurance in the world
won’t do you any good if the insurer goes bankrupt or doesn’t
have enough money to pay out your claim. Save yourself the
heartache of doing business with a financially unstable insurer
and check the financial standings of every insurer you’re
thinking about buying a policy from.

Independent rating agencies like AM Best are great resources for
investigating would-be insurers–and can usually be accessed for
free.

Customer Service

Your insurance company, its agents, claims adjusters and all
other representatives should answer your questions and file
claims in a friendly and efficient manner. You can avoid the
frustration of doing business with an insurance lacking in
customer service by doing a little research before signing a
policy with them.

You can usually get a good idea of the insurer’s customer
service skills through casual interaction with them. You can
also ask your prospective agent if there’s a customer service
department or claims representative, which will typically make
it easier for you to contact someone if you need to file a
claim. Some consumers even call the insurance agency to see how
long they’re put on hold before being connected with someone who
can help them. And, of course rating agencies like AM Best
typically disclose customer service ratings for inquiring
consumers.

Your Gut

During the auto insurance shopping process, pay attention to gut
feelings and reactions. If you see a red flag during your
interaction with potential insurers, don’t ignore it. You’re
better off taking your business to an agency and agent that you
feel comfortable with.

Applying Lessons Learned

While nobody likes to spend a lot of money on auto insurance,
you can make the most of your premium dollars by taking the
abovementioned factors into account. So, while you’re on your
quest for cheap car
insurance, remember these tips to make sound purchasing
decision!

About InsureMe

InsureMe links agents nationwide with consumers shopping for
insurance. Specializing health, home, life, long-term care and
auto insurance quotes, the
InsureMe network provides thousands of agents with insurance leads every
year. For more information, visit InsureMe.com.

(NC)It just got easier for Canadians to do their part to reduce greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to climate change thanks to a new federal incentive that provides extra motivation for improving the energy efficiency of your home.

Beginning this fall, homeowners who undertake renovations may be eligible for an incentive of up to $3,348 if they can demonstrate that the project has made their home more energy efficient. The incentive is part of the EnerGuide for Houses Program, launched by Natural Resources Canada’s Office of Energy Efficiency in 1998 to help homeowners identify and undertake energy efficiency upgrades.

With the EnerGuide for Houses service, an independent energy advisor visits the home, performs a basement-to-attic energy evaluation, calculates an energy efficiency rating and recommends measures to reduce energy consumption while maintaining a healthy living environment. After the homeowner has completed some or all of the recommended upgrades, the advisor performs a follow-up evaluation and determines the new energy efficiency rating.

Among the more commonly recommended improvements are caulking and weatherstripping around doors and windows, upgrading insulation and replacing old, inefficient heating systems. In addition to reducing energy bills and increasing comfort, such measures are good for the environment - the less energy a home consumes, the fewer greenhouse gas emissions it produces.

Now, the Government of Canada has introduced an incentive that will allow eligible homeowners to recoup some of their investment when they implement improvements recommended by an EnerGuide for Houses advisor. The amount of the incentive is calculated based on the home’s rating before and after upgrades are completed - the greater the improvement, the larger the incentive.

The incentive is part of the government’s strategy for implementing the Kyoto Protocol, under which Canada is committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions to 6 percent below 1990 levels by 2012. Homeowners who renovated after using the EnerGuide for Houses service achieve average energy savings of 32 percent and greenhouse gas reductions of 2.2 tonnes per year, putting these families well on their way to meeting the government’s challenge to Canadians to reduce their personal production of greenhouse gases by one tonne per year.

For more information about the incentive program or to locate a licensed EnerGuide for Houses agent in your area, visit energuideforhouses.gc.ca or call 1 800 387-2000 (toll-free) or
995-2943 in the National Capital Region.

- News Canada

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