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Robbin Davidson

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Most people don’t like to think about death, but it’s one of life’s few inevitabilities. Are you protecting your loved ones with a life insurance policy?

If you’re a primary provider for your family, it’s crucial that you have life insurance (even if you’re young). Selecting life insurance providers isn’t easy, however.

We’re here to help you find the right life insurance company for your needs. Read on to learn all about several factors that you should keep in mind when you’re making your decision.

  1. Reputation and Credibility

Getting life insurance is a major investment. You want to make sure that the life insurance provider is reliable, credible, and has a good reputation.

There’s a reason that there are popular life insurance companies that you’ll see in advertisements. While marketing is a factor, reliability is another one. The business wouldn’t have the ability to spend a lot of money on marketing if they didn’t have financial stability (which makes them more reliable).

You can also consider references and reviews. Ask friends and family members about their own life insurance policies to see if they have any recommendations for you.

Look at online reviews before committing to a provider.

  1. Customer Service

Great customer service is key when it comes to working at a life insurance company. If you contact the company to inquire about policies and you don’t feel as though the representative is giving you good customer service, it’s a red flag.

Policies are complicated. You want to have a representative on your side who can explain insurance terms and conditions and any potential problems that can arise.

For example, the Paradigm Life MEC explanation shows that they have good customer service because they’re interested in helping customers avoid the complications that come alongside an MEC. Some

Some options for insurance providers are only interested in money and it shows.

  1. Policy Options

Not all life insurance policies are alike. Before committing to a company, browse the policies and add-ons that they have available to you. If the policies are unclear online, don’t be afraid to reach out and talk to a representative to clarify anything that’s confusing.

You want to make sure that you get a policy that helps you and your loved ones. Not everyone is a good candidate for every life insurance policy.

  1. Affordability 

While price shopping is never the best idea, you still need to take the cost of available life insurance policies into consideration. A life insurance policy won’t be helpful to you if you can’t afford it.

When you’re comparing insurance costs, make sure to look for any hidden fees as well as the costs that can come with add-ons. Again, if you’re confused, talk to a representative before you make your decision.

Selecting Life Insurance Providers Can Be Tricky

Selecting life insurance providers isn’t as simple as it looks. With all of the available policy options, it can be confusing. Reach out to several credible life insurance providers and don’t be afraid to spend a lot of time asking questions.

For more helpful articles about the top trending topics, visit the rest of our site.

Did you know that people in the Balkans processed gold 6,500 years ago? Previously, the oldest discovered processed gold was the Varna Gold, considered the oldest gold objects in the world.

Where did gold come from, and what’s the history behind it? We dive deeper into the history of gold so you can find out.

Where Did Gold Come From?

As we mentioned above, a recent archaeological discovery uncovered a tiny gold bead in Bulgaria. It’s supposedly the oldest bit of processed gold in Europe and possibly the world.

Prior to this finding, the Varna Gold found outside the Black Sea port of Varna was thought to be the oldest found gold objects.

Archaeologists discovered 13 pounds of processed gold objects in the necropolis. The ancient people that lived in the area were understood to be farmers, and there’s still quite a bit of mystery surrounding their civilization.

The gold bead found in Bulgaria may push the processing of gold back 200 years.

Around 3600 BC, goldsmiths in Egypt would melt gold ore.

Spanish explorers also encountered the Inca people, who had a high appreciation for silver and gold. Gold was used for their ritualistic objects, in jewelry, and to make coins.

The precious metals silver and gold have historically proven themselves an excellent source of value.

Gold in the Earth                                            

There are two theories about how gold was actually first formed. One theory involves the explosion of supernova stars creating a nuclear fusion that results in gold. The other theory is that a collision of neutron stars resulted in a gamma-ray burst.

It’s unknown when exactly humans started to mine for gold. Gold mining is at least 6,500 years old if the oldest processed gold is correctly dated. Gold exists deep inside the earth, and it’s transported by volcanic eruptions, molten lava, earthquakes, and water.

Geologists have discovered gold rocks that are billions of years old. In fact, the Witwatersrand in South Africa holds the world’s largest known gold reserves. It’s a 300km radius crater believed to have been created by a meteor impact more than 2 billion years ago.

Gold Today

Is gold a good investment today?

Gold is as coveted now as it was thousands of years ago. In fact, many people invest in gold and precious metals as it’s a solid financial strategy. Whether you invest in gold bullions, jewelry, stocks, or other types of gold, it can be a great hedge against inflation and a store of value.

You can learn more about Gold IRAs and converting your IRA when you check out this link Raremetalblog.com/advantage-gold.

All That Glitters

All that glitters may not be gold, but you can rest assured gold itself remains a great investment. It’s as treasured today as it was thousands of years ago and likely will be for many years to come.

When other people ask, “Where did gold come from?” You can confidently tell them all you know.

To learn more bits of knowledge, be sure to check out some of our other posts. Our bite-sized articles are perfect for learning something new.

Did you suffer injuries in a car crash that wasn’t your fault? Were you injured in a slip-and-fall accident? Are you a victim of medical practice? You need to get an attorney on your side. Victims of personal injury accidents often step back from calling a lawyer because they are worried about the costs. Medical bills can pile up soon following an accident, and you could be out of work due to injuries for a considerable time. Seeking legal help may seem more like an additional expense. Thanks to the contingency fee arrangement, hiring Philadelphia, PA personal injury attorneys doesn’t have to be expensive. Below is an overview of what you need to know. 

No upfront fee

Family and criminal lawyers usually ask for a fee for each hour of work, which is called the hourly rate. The attorney may work on a retainer fee or flat fee in some cases. In that context, personal injury lawyers are different. They work on a contingency fee for most cases. The lawyer cannot (and would not) ask for an upfront fee. The lawyer only gets paid when the client wins a settlement. What happens when you don’t win the lawsuit after all the work? The lawyer cannot ask for a fee – simple! This arrangement allows victims of personal injury cases to get justice and recover compensation, even when they don’t have the money to pay a lawyer. 

How is the contingency fee decided?

A professional attorney will discuss the contingency fee and costs of the case in advance. The fee depends on several factors. The first aspect is the complexity of the lawsuit. For instance, if you have a share in fault or the case requires extensive investigation, the lawyer may charge more. The attorney’s experience is also a factor, besides the nature of injuries and damages. If the case is expected to go to trial, the lawyer will take more than the standard fee of negotiating a personal injury claim. The fee varies from 25% to 40% of the final settlement for most personal injury cases. 

Contact a lawyer sooner

If you have suffered a personal injury because of someone, consider consulting an attorney soon. It is necessary to seek advice from an attorney who is experienced and can handle a trial if needed. The lawyer can investigate the case, gather evidence, and take appropriate steps to ensure that the client gets all the support they need.

Business travels involve various reasons why they take place. Firms often do this to close a business deal. Aside from that, it is a way to create a good partnership with another firm. But then again, these trips need proper planning. Some trips may be out of town or out of the country.

Given this point, you have to make sure that everything’s settled. This post will provide a guide on how you can achieve hassle-free business travel. It is best to prepare to avoid travel mishaps that can affect the purpose of the business trip.

Ways to Secure a Smooth Business Trip

Keep in mind that you have a good reason why this trip has to take place. Its success will mean something for your business. In this case, the tips below can help you ensure smooth corporate travel:

Check the company’s corporate travel policy.

It is best to read the policy before you depart for a business trip. In this case, the policy includes how reimbursements will take place. That includes repay for the following items:

  • Hotel stays
  • Rental cars
  • Meals
  • Work-related incidents
  • Wi-Fi’s connection

You have to ensure that your travel arrangements follow what’s written in the policy. This way, you will not deal with any issues once you come back. For this reason, it is best to clear things up before you leave.

Create a detailed itinerary.

It is best to have a clear schedule of how your business trip will go. In this case, an itinerary is your number one option to make your travel successful. You can type it using Word or Excel, then print a copy that you can have along with you. In effect, you can prevent stress upon arriving at your destination.

Prepare business cards.

This business trip can open up more opportunities to expand connections. Various firms from the industry will come as well. For this reason, it is best to bring a stack of business cards with you. Handing these cards out to everyone you meet may require effort. However, you are helping your company grow its relationship with other business sectors.

Organize your documents.

Be sure to keep all the vital records in one place. It is best to keep a scanned or photocopy of these documents. That includes the following items:

  • Plane tickets
  • Passport
  • Visa (if there’s any)
  • Confirmations from the hotel
  • Car rental receipts

Keep in mind that losing any of these items can get you in trouble. So, put everything in a safe place for your travel.

Think about safety and security during your business trip.

You have to act accordingly while on the trip. It is best to keep yourself and your colleagues safe at all costs. The following can help ensure safe and secure corporate travel:

  • Use a digital wallet or e-wallet instead of bringing too much cash with you.
  • Always let others know your whereabouts and provide details of how they can contact you.
  • Don’t engage yourself in any criminal activity or violence. Instead, choose to walk away from it.
  • If you traveled as a team, make sure to account for everyone in case of split-ups. Be sure no one’s left behind.

During your trip, keep in mind that it’s not for leisure. It is a corporate trip. You are carrying the name of your company, so act accordingly. This way, you can prevent putting yourself and the company at risk.

Pack efficiently.

Don’t pack too much. Excess baggage can incur additional costs. In this case, it is best to limit your outfits, not unless the itinerary requires you various attires. This way, you can prevent over-packing. You can also avoid the need to pay for it.

Always have a backup plan.

Sometimes, things may get out of the way you planned them. In this case, it is best to have a contingency plan if things go wrong. These issues are often beyond your control, so you need to come prepared for these scenarios. One of the usual issues is a flight delay. You have to make it up with your client, such as a virtual meeting or sending a proxy.

Business trips are essential to make your firm expand its connection with other firms. But then again, preparing beforehand is a vital aspect to ensure smooth corporate travel. Aside from that, your preparedness can save you from stress.

Meanwhile, if something goes wrong, keep your calm and don’t panic. You have to think of a way to solve what’s wrong. Panicking can’t help you at all in your situation. So, if you target to have the best business trip, make a concrete plan for it.

No matter how much we ruminate about what has passed, the pandemic has already happened and its damage cannot be reversed. Looking back should not be the only option, though. Here is how your business can charge forward from the destructive effects of the pandemic:

Revisit the Vision Board

For the past two years, your team might have been too caught up with putting out day-by-day fires to the point of obscuring your vision of the bigger things you have laid out for the immediate and distant future. Still, with all the challenges you have never encountered before until the pandemic, it should be no surprise that those market analyses and strategies your team has consolidated in the past would barely even be relevant in today’s business climate.

The pandemic accelerated industrial change in speeds we not once imagined possible. The global supply chain being stifled in the earlier stages of the pandemic, for instance, pushed logistics companies to bridge the automation gap. And, businesses that for so long relied on the brick and mortar retail model were pushed to get over their e-commerce resistance.

That is why, if you’re set on mending the damage caused by the pandemic, it is best to go back to your business’s core. Perhaps, there are elements in your vision and mission statements that are already outdated and need some tweaking to better guide people down the lines about how your clients today prefer to be approached and what it takes for a company today to compete in the advanced playing field.

Then, you can proceed with drafting more concrete marketing, sales, product development, and training objectives and their corresponding measures of success based on current industry averages. Nevertheless, there’s no right time to revisit your vision board as the pandemic is not the only problem to be worried about.

Clearance Sale

After you’ve revised your company’s vision and subsequent strategies, it must be tempting to jump onto rebranding or launching new products. But, if your company has incurred major losses in the past months, appearing larger than life should be the least of your priorities. Rather, it is saving what is left when things have calmed down.

You may have stocked surplus after intermittent interruptions to your store operations. With the help of your quality assurance team, separate those items that are still good for sale and consumption and announce a clearance sale. You lost a significant amount of time, but before you can make up for it, at least realize that other resources can still be maximized.

Besides, a clearance sale is a perfect channel for you to reconnect with your patrons. Through this event, you can make it known that you’re coming up with greater and fresher things and that they should anticipate. You can drive the hype and, in turn, bank on this for your upcoming releases.

Downsizing

At this crucial point in your business, most of your efforts should be dedicated to your audience. Right now, you are not exactly in a position to expand or invest a lot of time on big-ticket purchases even if these would help your machinery to move more efficiently. Make sure that your team is on the same page, and so decisions like downsizing would be easy for them to process.

If so, moving to a smaller office or plant should not be an issue. The sooner you can hire a moving company, the more you could save on rent or amortization. Having done so, you could now redirect your precious funds into boosting production, marketing campaigns, or up-to-date training, whichever you think is of the highest priority.

Cost Consciousness

Strategically speaking, the easiest to control when the business is at threat are operational expenses. Enjoining employees in saving office supplies, energy, and water would help a lot.

Printing could be limited to documents that require physical signatures and notarization by legal representatives. You could also require that all lights and electronics be turned off during lunch breaks. Limiting company vehicle use for travels categorized as important could also help you save a lot.

A Grand Comeback

A high budget allocation for new product launches does not necessarily produce an outstanding outcome. Likewise, just because you underspent for a new product does not mean it would not be met with massive support. The key is to thoroughly plan your comeback plan considering your limited resources at the moment.

Sometimes, promoting a product idea before it is produced in bulk could be the most practical idea because you get to gauge audience response before you even spend on raw materials and production expenses. Think of this particular product conception phase as your last to prove to your audience that you’re still very much up for the challenge of innovating and adapting to their changing needs.

The pandemic leaves businesses with many questions but also reveals a lot of new ideas. For your business, recovering may seem like a lost cause but, if you can look past the seemingly insurmountable problems you can get a hold of opportunities.