How to Boost Your Insurance Payout on Property Damage Claims

Filing property damage claims is a complex process that often results in the property owner being shortchanged. First and foremost, insurance companies are for-profit businesses. They aren't in the business for fun; they're in the business to make money. Insurance companies have two ways to make money: collecting premiums and minimizing payouts.

It doesn't matter if you have a homeowners insurance claim or a commercial property insurance claim, the process is the same. You pay premiums to the insurance company for coverage. If you suffer a covered loss, you file a claim and the insurance company pays you a settlement, less any applicable deductible. However, this settlement may not be enough to fully reimburse you for your losses.

In order to boost your insurance payout, you must not sit back and let the insurance adjuster tell you what they will pay. Instead, you need to take an active role or hire someone to act on your behalf. Remember that the insurance adjuster, no matter how nice he is, serves the insurance company whose goal is to make a profit by minimizing losses - including YOUR losses.

On the other hand, a public insurance adjuster is one that you can hire to represent you. These adjusters document everything and negotiate higher payouts directly with your insurance company. They are licensed and are often former insurance industry employees who know how the insurance claim game is played. They can counter any tactics the insurance company throws your way and aggressively pursue maximum settlement offers. These professionals earn a percentage of the payout, so it's in their best interest to maximize it.

If you want to boost your property damage payout on your own, find a reputable contractor who will be doing the repairs and ask the contractor to be present during the insurance adjuster's visit. The contractor will have the expertise to point out all structural and cosmetic damage - damage that the insurance adjuster may have overlooked on his own. In addition, the contractor will ensure that estimates reflect actual rebuilding and material costs. The insurance adjuster relies on books and software for making estimates while a real contractor has working knowledge of real world costs.

One of the most important tasks when boosting an insurance payout takes a bit of work on your part. You must thoroughly document EVERYTHING. Invest in a digital camera with a huge storage card and take hundreds of pictures. For example, if you have water damage, take pictures showing the standing water and water level as well as pictures of every single damaged item, especially those that you must throw out due to safety concerns.

Next, use a notebook or your computer to write down a complete inventory of damaged items along with their original cost and estimated replacement cost. Include everything, even small items. You'd be surprised at how your small losses soon add up to significant amounts. For example, if the contents of your refrigerator must be replaced due to the power being out for several days during a flood, make a thorough inventory of all items, even condiments. At $2 to $4 a bottle for salad dressing, mayonnaise, ketchup, and olives, it doesn't take long before you have a huge grocery bill just to restock the basics.

Don't forget to keep receipts for any emergency repairs, temporary lodging, and other related expenses and include them on your claim. When filing the claim, be as thorough as possible and make sure that the claim form is complete and legible. Insurance companies love to delay payouts due to "missing or incomplete" information.

By taking a proactive approach to filing a property damage claim, you will definitely boost your payout.

Dryout Inc.
1415 Colonial Blvd.
Fort Myers, Fl. 33907
Mr. Mark Decherd
http://www.dryout.net
239-437-7100
Water Damage

Dryout Inc Emergency water damage restoration, drying, deodorization, decontamination, disinfection, mold removal, water and fire damage repair services by a network of trained specialists, technicians and restoration professionals across the USA.

Tile and Stone Pool Liners - Home Tips

Do you remember back when faux things just didn't look completely real? Fake stone, fake wood, fake anything? They all seemed to come close but just couldn't make it over the finish line in the reality contest. Now prefabricated pool designers have come up with new faux tile and stone pool liners and how do you suppose they stack up in the reality contest?

Incredibly Real Looking - Even Up Close

Get ready, because these new decorative pool liners actually create the exact look of what they are supposed to replicate! Thats no exaggeration either, because even with your nose touching them it is almost impossible to tell the difference.

The Complete Look Of a Tile Pool

OK. Remember that it is an above ground pool though, so how do they pull this charade off? The fact, is that if the pool has a deck around it, the look is totally complete. This is because the deck not only conceals the sides of the pool put the top edge, which the deck rides over is also concealed.

How is it Done?

So in the end all that is there to be seen is wood decking, crystal clear water and elaborate tile work. So how did they do it? Its all the result of state of the art manufacturing process that incorporates the latest plastics moulding technology. So what about fading?

What About Maintaining these Tiles?

With the colors blended right into the plastics that make up the tile, rather than painted on colors, fading is just not a problem. Also, unlike real tile that need to be diligently cleaned and maintained, these faux tile pool liners are as maintenance free as any other standard above ground pool liner.

Written by Alejandra Gibson. Find all the professional information you've ever wanted on Pool Liners plus Swimming Pool Liners on my site.

How To Protect Your Kids at the Pool

A university statistics professor in the United States, Steven D. Levitt, was struck by how many children had drowned in swimming pools. They were the kind of deaths that don't make the newspaper-unlike, for instance, a child who dies while playing with a gun. He got curious, and went looking for numbers that would tell the story.

After conducting a detailed scientific study, he concluded the following; "If you both own a gun and have a swimming pool in the backyard, the swimming pool is about 100 times more likely to kill a child than the gun is."

Drowning is one of the major causes of accidents involving children worldwide, resulting in serious injury and death. Thousands of tragic accidents involving swimming pools highlight the sad fact that kids and pools can be a very dangerous combination. A number of child deaths have occurred while parents have been looking away, or were not in the vicinity. Other heart-rending events have involved children's long hair being caught in pool water pump inlets, which have also led to drowning.

In a number of cases, accidents happened even though the child knew how to swim. The result of this study serves to highlight the significant hazard that swimming pools present to children, compared to other dangers. Toddlers, in particular, often do something unexpected because their capabilities change daily.

Submersion incidents involving children usually happen in familiar surroundings. In another study, 65 percent of the incidents happened in a pool owned by the child's family and 33 percent of the incidents happened in a pool owned by friends or relatives.

Child drowning is often a silent death - there's no splashing to alert anyone that the child is in trouble. Pool submersions involving children happen quickly. A child can drown in the time it takes to answer a phone. 77 percent of the victims had been missing from sight for five minutes or less.

Here are some easy tips you can use to reduce the risk;

Supervise

Never allow your youngster to swim alone without any adult supervision. It is vital that persons be

around, ready to help if needed.

Does Your Pool have a Fence?

Enclose your pool with a fence at least 4 feet (1.2 Metres) high, and a gate which can be locked. Do not leave the pool open and accessible, as children can fall inside. In many communities having a fence around a pool, with a lockable gate, is a legal requirement.

Cordless Phone

Always have a phone nearby the pool. This should ensure that nobody has to leave a child alone in the pool to answer the phone when it rings. A cordless home phone can be a good solution.

Social Gatherings

During social gatherings at or near a pool, appoint a "designated watcher" to protect young children from pool accidents. Adults may take turns being the "watcher." When adults become preoccupied, children are at risk.

Slips & Falls

A number of children are injured when they slip and fall around the pool on wet tiles or concrete; consider having your child wear a pair of anti-slip pool shoes when around and even in, the pool.

Life Saver

You should ensure there is always a life saving flotation device handy, such as; a lifesaver ring or foam flotation device near the pool. This could be very handy if an adult happens to be around to help rescue a child from the edge of the pool - but who cannot actually get in the pool and swim. However, do not use flotation devices as a substitute for supervision. Remove toys from in and around the pool when it is not in use, as toys can attract young children closer to the pool.

CPR

Every parent and guardian should be conversant in basic Cardio-Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) techniques in case of any accident. Survival depends on rescuing the child quickly and restarting the breathing process, even while the child is still in the water. Seconds count in preventing death or brain damage.

Jump, Don't Dive!

Teach your children that diving should only be performed in special pools, or in designated areas. It's very easy to misjudge the depth of a pool, or mistake the shallow-end for the deep-end and suffer a serious neck or head injury.

Long Hair

If your child has longer hair, consider the use of a swim cap which will ensure their hair does not become tangled in pool equipment.

Small Water Bodies

Avoid leaving your kids alone even with small portable pools or other water bodies such as buckets or fountains. There is always a danger of drowning occurring even in small bodies of water.

Again, please watch what your kids are doing whenever they are near water. Supervise their activities and never leave them alone in or near any pool. If a child is missing, check the pool first. Seconds count in preventing death or disability. Go to the edge of the pool and scan the entire pool, bottom and surface, as well as the pool area.

Roger Hall of COEGA Sunwear develops tips and clothing that provide women and children with Style, Comfort and Protection. Find out how to protect yourself with more popular FREE Tips for active women of all ages, available at: =>store.coegawear.com/index.asp?PageAction=Custom&ID=20

Youth Ministry Myths

1. All Play and No Work. Whoever believes this one has never hosted a Junior High Lock-In. As in any ministry, working with youth has many unaccounted hours that the members never see. They see the cookout, but miss the 1 a.m. call from the police station. They see the beach retreat, but miss the flat tire along the way. They see the pizza party, but miss the 10 hour drive back from the work camp.

Tip: Combat this myth by keeping the congregation more informed about mission trips and service projects and less informed on the fun activities (since thats all they think you do anyway).

2. Keeping the Church Informed Will Solve Any Misconceptions. Dont use this as an excuse to keep people in the dark, but there will be some who think the worst of you and your ministry no matter how hard you try to explain it. Some will think the lock-in is a sex-in. Some will think the contemporary praise is Satans tool.

Tip: Combat this myth by thoroughly explaining the purpose behind each event.

3. Working with Christians Is Easy. Christians can be some of the most unforgiving, harsh, and judgmental people you will ever encounter.

Tip: Combat this myth by being like Christ no matter how unChrist-like some of the people you work with may seem.

4. Staff Relations are Fantastic. Sometimes the staff will seem like a dream, and other times like a drip. Jealousy, gossip, clashing personalities, can quickly grip a staff. One co-worker may feel that another is trying to take over his position. Another may feel that she is being pushed out because of age.

Tip: Combat this myth by putting forth your best effort to make the staff fantastic. Never let it be said of you that you are the one being difficult.

5. If You are Open and Honest with Teens, They Will Be Open and Honest with You. You can be as open as an entrance with no door and some kids wont tell you a thing. Instead, they may go behind your back and make fun of your openness.

Tip: Combat this myth by continuing to be open because of the impact it will have on the teen who will choose to open up. Never let the negatives of the few over come the blessing of the many.

Protect your youth ministry from these myths and create a stronger base for your support and longevity.

Al Millergren is the co-founder of Teen Life Ministries a youth ministry resource site. Teen Life's free weekly tips reach over 35,000 youth workers. Sign up at http://www.teenlifeministries.com or visit the youth ministry blog.

Attracting the Leads You Need

With the home contracting market becoming more competitive every year, it is essential for you to attract the leads you need to prosper and grow. Leads can come from a variety of sources, referrals, home shows, and direct marketing can all generate quality leads. With all leads it is important to make sure they are qualified leads. If you are spending a lot of time chasing down leads that are not interested you are wasting too much of your time.

Every contractor in the business knows that referrals are by far the best source for referrals. Turning these referral leads in to sales is your job. Any home contracting company has got to cultivate referral leads. If you are trying to run a business without referrals you are dead in the water. Referrals are crucial to your success.

A company website is becoming more and more important as the internet becomes ever more vital to our economy. On your website you should have your potential customer register so you know their name, where they live, and what they are looking for. It is also important to follow up on these leads immediately. These customers are on the internet to have instant service.

Home improvement shows are also a very good place to find valuable leads. Thousands of people every year attend these home shows. Some are coming just to look around but most of them are looking for a contractor. You and your sales team have to talk to everyone that walks by your booth. One way to get these leads is to offer a drawing for a prize. For the small price of a moderately priced prize you can generate hundreds of leads, as well as being able to weed out the leads that aren't qualified.

Following this simple advice will help you attract the leads you need.

For more information on Attracting Leads and growing your home Contracting Business visit Buildwish

Top 10 Secrets to Small Bathroom Designs

It's official. Small bathroom designs are making an inexorable leap to the frontline in the contemporary interior design firmament. No longer are homeowners treating small spaces with a sense of passive resignation, and are in fact, breaking free from the shackles of convention and weaving magic in small bathrooms.

These homeowners stop at nothing to ensure that their personal space resembles a work of art. Gone are the days when the thought of decorating a small bathroom could dim one's ardor. Today, things stand at polar opposites. One finds an earnest desire to liberate oneself from the constraints of claustrophobic eyesores, even at the cost of demolishing long-standing rules in design books.

Secrets Finally Revealed

If a paucity of ideas to inject a dose of freshness into your small space is your constant gripe, it's time to unlock a few secrets. So shun that innate skepticism, and get ready to fire your imagination like never before. Here's how:

• If bathing luxury is your utmost concern, soak in a small but deep bathtub that does not occupy centre stage in the space.
• A transparent shower screen as against an opaque shower wall highlights your bathroom's intrinsic style quotient, leaving nothing much to imagination.
• Do not shelve plans of installing floating or recessed cabinets. Utilize the space on the wall to the fullest.
• Onlookers are sure to stand up and take note of space saving pedestal and wall-mounted sinks.
• Open doors to innovating space saving schemes with hinged or sliding doors.
• Windows in close proximity to the ceiling provide ample space on the walls for cabinets and shelves.
• Optical illusion is not something that only Chris Angel can perfect. Allow natural light to come gushing into the space through windows and skylights, and watch the extraordinary impact.
• The sparkle of under cabinet lighting and the shimmer of mirrors can take the space from dull and dreary to devastatingly dazzling.
• While vertical lines add inches to the space, the spectacular combination of identical wall and floor tiles creates that crackling chemistry.
• Don't remain in the dark about the colossal impact of light, pastel or neutral shades.

Learn exactly how to generate 100's or even 1000's of positively *BRILLIANT* Bathroom Remodeling Ideas ... FAST ! And here are 25 Dirt Cheap Home Improvement Ideas that could increase the value of your home by several $1000's ...

A New Day For Less Stress

We are in amazing times! Do you believe that in this new day the human body can handle so much stress and excitement? From the economy to the environment the body is bombarded daily by stress inducing factors. Stress is like a fast flowing avalanche of water; stress is the flood and plague of our times.

Although we live in such amazing times with stress levels of immense proportions many ways exist to expunge the body and mind of stress with lightning speed and faster. To clarify one's brain after a stressful day requires some self-initiative and a mindful awareness...hardly a facile task when you're tired and overwhelmed. But when you learn right now the steps to relieve stress in a most powerful way you'll absolutely know in the moments of overwhelm what to do to mitigate the damage and reverse the aging effects that stress induces. And to make sure the mind/body is expunged fully of most stress before we lay down to sleep (an imperative step for wellness) we will focus on an ancient art of body awareness.

This awareness will bring you to a place that is nearly stress free. These crucial exercises important as they are and as powerful are but a warm-up for the one time that can reduce stress levels to undetectable levels. This process we will now discuss is an ancient process old as life itself. Without it we will die in minutes and without a daily period of conscious breathing we absolutely cannot live stress free. Breathing rhythmically and as deeply and fully as feasible before bedtime is like a key that unlocks the deepest secret of stress release. The secret is oxygenated and unencumbered sleep.

It is something that everyone must do yet so few know how to unlock the full potential for stress reduction and healing that can take place nightly. Fortunately you are reading this and will be empowered and perhaps compelled to tell your family and friends of these stress relief techniques. Once you experience the amazing leaps of growth and expansion in your life and the downright astonishing moments of luck and "coincidence" you will be compelled to share your light and truth with the world.

The ancient art of pranayama meaning to lengthen breath and life will change the body from the inside out and allow the body to slip into the deepest level of sleep imaginable. After doing these exercises stress levels will plummet to levels that you may have only experienced when you were a newborn. Many of us have been since birth exposed to stress. Even if the first years were in a peaceful (and smoke free) home nearly all of us and almost everyone reading this is exposed to one of the most prolific inducers of stress of our time...electromagnetic frequencies. Daily stress factors are many but the following combination of powerful breathing exercises and a deep restful sleep is enough to renew the body, mind and spirit. And you'll sleep like a baby.

Before beginning be sure to sit down and keep both feet on the ground (Do not attempt while driving or flying a helicopter, operating a hover craft...get the picture).

The first exercise involves bringing the right hand to the face and covering your right nostril with your right thumb while the index and middle fingers touch the center of your forehead. Now exhale fully out the left nostril then inhale fully...now cover the left nostril with the ring finger and exhale out the right nostril. Inhale through the right nostril then cover it with the thumb. Exhale out the left nostril followed by an inhale...cover it then out the right.

Left, right, left, right, left, right... Do this exercise for two minutes or for ten cycles.

Now the next exercise: sitting tall drop your chin to your chest and tighten your abdominal muscles and buttocks. ("Locking" the chin down and locking the abs and butt will isolate the breath to the upper chest). Take a deep breath and start to inhale and exhale rapidly while the lowest ribs expand and contract powerfully. Do this for 30-50 exhales.

Next: Sit tall and "lock" your chest and shoulders tight; lock the buttocks and inhale deeply into the lower abdomen and belly. Quickly inhale/exhale and deliberately expand and contract the stomach 30-50 times. The stomach muscles should be tightened as much as possible on the exhalation and expanded equally on the inhalation.

And lastly stand up with feet about shoulder width apart or wider. Inhale deeply and thrust the hips up and forward while tightening the muscles of the reproductive organs. Exhale and stick the butt out and squat down slightly while tightening the center of the buttocks. Breathe up and in, then down and out 8-10 times.

The simple and profoundly effective series of breathing exercises we just learned can be done every night before bed. The breath has the effect of massaging the organs, calming the mind and releasing any blocks in energy within the tissues of the body. These benefits have the effect of stimulating the various systems of the body to operate more efficiently and in harmony within the whole system. When this energy is allowed to flow the effect on our sleep is profound.

The brain waves will harmonize into their natural frequency with deeper and longer and even waves. Releasing stress with the breathing exercises allows the mind to detach from the thoughts. The electrical system of the body harmonizes with the breath. All systems are allowed to align with a vibration of peace and well-being. The benefits continue all night long and the amount of surplus energy you gain will propel you to new levels of understanding of yourself and the world. We are in amazing times. Maximize the tools you possess to thrive in these times.

HypnoFreedom is currently offering a free teleseminar series "Clearing Your Path for Abundance: The Best of the Best for Boundless Well-Being". Please learn more and sign up here: http://www.alternativedesignsolutions.com/HypnoFreedom/bestofthebest.html

Shawn Duyette is a martial artist of ten years. He has been trained in several energy healing modalites including reiki, quantum touch, and Native American energy healing. Shawn is also a Certified Hypnotherapist and massage therapist. He has been trained in herbology and Chinese medicine (acupuncture, shiatsu, tui-na bodywork) and is currently on sabbatical from medical school.

Shawn is a life long meditator who began meditating at a very young age sitting for hours in the woods of his suburban childhood home in the northeastern United States.

Shawn enjoys writing poetry and has been published as a poet with some of his works found at http://www.Poetry.com

Currently he is blogging for hypno-freedom and he is working on his first book which is aimed at sharing metaphysical principles with children.