For many years perhaps right up until the Thatcher years of the 1980s attitudes in business and towards insurance companies in particular, were different; clients tended to remain with the same insurance company for years and there was considerably less “shopping around” than there is today. In turn the insurance company’s approach to the client was different; if you were a loyal client that had been with the company for years they would on occasions consider paying a claim that they might have otherwise rejected. In today’s more commercial world, for an Insurance company to pay a claim, where they believe they have grounds for declining it, the claimant would need to be a very sizeable client, representing a considerable amount of profitability to the company, loyalty is unlikely to play a part in the decision.

When a vehicle is on contract hire, the contract hire company owns the vehicle but the hirer insures it. Therefore when an insurance company refuses to pay a claim, the hirer becomes responsible and contract hire companies are seeing this happen more frequently. In the case of minor accidents, insurance companies rarely look too closely at the circumstances. However in the event of a serious accident, it makes very sound financial sense for the insurance company to examine the circumstances of the accident and take a close look at the driver. An insurance company is answerable to its shareholders and its shareholders would not appreciate it paying out claims when it has good grounds for refusing to do so.

A motor insurance company’s terms and conditions will normally state that a vehicle should comply with the manufacturer’s specifications; if the vehicle is modified by the driver it is essential to inform the insurance company, otherwise it can invalidate the insurance. For this reason it is always advisable to fit the manufacturer’s recommended tyres. It is important to advise employees that they must not make any changes to their company vehicle. It has been known for employees to do what is called “chip” the engine of their company vehicle. This increases the power of the engine and could, if they had not been notified, give an insurer a very valid reason for refusing pay out on a claim. It is worth bearing in mind that this can also invalidate the manufacturer’s warranty and potentially cause a problem with the contract hire company; a vehicle without a manufacturers warranty does not have the same value as one that does.

It is important to remember that an insurer requires the insured to keep a vehicle in a roadworthy condition. A high proportion of company cars are on contract hire; they are serviced regularly and are generally under warranty. Any faults or potential faults are normally rectified, by the dealership under the manufacturer’s warranty, when the vehicle is in for its service. Some companies purchase and keep their company cars for up to 4 or 5 years. Ensuring that the vehicle is always in a roadworthy condition is much more difficult under these circumstances, particularly if the mileage is high.

Of course it is not only the lack of maintenance that can cause a vehicle un roadworthy; depending on the circumstances of an accident, having the wrong tyre pressure, where the tyres are unevenly, over or under inflated could cause the insurance company to deem the vehicle to be in an un roadworthy condition. Incorrect tyre pressure can affect road holding, steering, braking and the overall handling of a vehicle and in an accident can often be a contributory factor, particularly in wet conditions. If a vehicle is involved in an accident, it is not unusual for the insurance company to check that the car is roadworthy; it is in their interests to do so. Of course if the circumstances of the accident were such that it is clear that the accident has been caused by another vehicle, this would not be a factor.

If the circumstances of the accident were different, if say your employee’s vehicle skidded and crashed into another vehicle or failed to negotiate a bend and crashed, then it is quite possible that the insurer will carry out various checks on the vehicle, to ensure that it was roadworthy. Driving with the incorrect tyre pressure can be very dangerous; it can affect braking, steering, road holding and the general stability of the car. Employee’s need to be advised that they must check their tyre pressure on a regular basis, tyres are best checked when they are cold. The incorrect tyre pressure apart from the increased risk of having an accident will also significantly increase your overall fuel bill.

Company cars should have their tyres checked on a regular basis to ensure that wear is within the legal limit. In the past servicing was carried out on average every 12,000 miles, now manufacturers have extended the intervals and it can even be 20,000 miles. Clearly with intervals this long the company cannot rely on the serving department advising them when tyres have insufficient or uneven wear. Driving the vehicle with the wrong tyre pressure can cause uneven wear.

Many company bosses seem unaware or unconcerned, of the risks posed by of a company car being uninsured due to employees driving whilst in excess of the legal alcohol limit, Insurance companies are able to refuse to pay out on a claim, if the driver is under the influence of alcohol. In spite of all the evidence as to how alcohol affects psychomotor skills, there are a hard core of offenders who believe that this does not apply to them and that their years of drinking and driving has allowed them to master driving whilst drunk. There is some evidence to suggest that this not so much the younger driver but often men in their 50’s. 19% of car accidents that result in a death are believed to involve alcohol. Sadly the death is often not the drunk driver but an innocent pedestrian, another motorist or sometimes children. Employers that make it very clear to their employees that they can be instantly dismissed if they drink and drive are not only helping to avoid the company car being involved in an accident without insurance cover but possibly also saving a life.

Companies should also be aware that if an employee drives his company car and has an accident whilst under the influence of drugs, the company could also find itself without insurance. Unfortunately there are also prescription drugs that can affect the ability to drive safely. It is however an employer’s responsibility to ensure the safety of its employees; it may be safer for an employee to ask its employees to advise them if they are taking a medicine that may affect their driving ability, after all many drugs companies advise the user not to operate machinery, or drive whilst taking a particular medication.

Negligence is another area where an insurance company will often refuse to pay out. This is quite understandable because when an insurance company agrees to take on a risk, they will not have allowed for the risk of an opportunistic thief taking advantage of a driver’s negligence; where they leave their keys in the car whilst they pay for their petrol, or if they leave it parked on the road, or on their drive with the engine running. In spite of the risks, many company car drivers do this in the winter, so that the heating works as soon as they get into the car. Many have found themselves having to explain to their employer, that the car was gone when they came out of their house.

There are employers that have never checked their employee’s driving licences, relying instead on a copy provided by the member of staff. Some photocopy the original and feel that this is satisfactory. Not considering the possibility that whilst in their employment the employee could be convicted for drunk driving and continue driving whilst disqualified. In the event of an accident it is inconceivable that the insurance company would be prepared to meet the claim. New legislation introduced in April 2008, makes the employers responsibility for the safety of their employees and others, including whilst the employee is driving on company business; if there were a death the employers could find themselves prosecuted.

If a company’s vehicles are sourced through a broker, the larger and well established contract hire brokers are able to offer a service where they regularly check the employee’s driving licences. They can be checked when they are first employed and then at regular intervals, to make sure there are no new convictions. Once employees are aware this system is in place they are much more likely to come forward and declare a new conviction. Apart from protecting the company as far as it’s insurance is concerned; it also affords it protection from prosecution under the new legislation.

If an insurer rejects a claim, it does not necessarily follow that they have acted correctly. There have been many such decisions by insurance companies, which have subsequently been overturned by the Financial Ombudsman, the body that deals with disputes or complaints against insurance companies. In a case that involved one of our clients, the insurance company refused to settle a claim in excess of 60,000 following a car jacking. They justified this because the vehicle did not have tracker fitted, in spite of the fact that they had told the client on many occasions that it was a requirement. The client, who disagreed with the insurer’s decision, called in an expert. The expert said that whilst the insurer had told the client he must have Tracker fitted, they had not written to the client and told him they were no longer providing cover. The expert’s views were made known to the company and the claim was settled in full, soon after.

The following may help to prevent a claim from being declined by an insurer; company cars should be maintained regularly and tyre pressures need to be measured frequently to ensure pressures are correct and wear is even. It should be made clear to employees that they must not modify their car in any way and that they should not ignore any warning lights that show up. It can help to reduce drink driving amongst employees if they understand that they are likely to loose their job as well as their driving licence, if caught. They should also be advised of the risks of driving if taking any form of drugs, including some prescription drugs. Make employees aware that if they leave the car with the engine running there is a very real risk of it being stolen. Also using a contract hire and leasing broker to check employees driving licences, will avoid the risk of employees driving with undeclared convictions, or whilst disqualified.

Negligence is a major factor when motor insurance companies refusing to pay claims. There was a reported case in the United States, apparently perfectly true, where the purchaser of a new motor home set out on a journey and after setting the vehicle to cruise control, went to the back of the vehicle to fix himself a drink. Understanding that cruise control meant the vehicle would drive itself. Not surprisingly it crashed. Of course being America he was able to sue the manufacturer for not telling him that, cruise control doesn’t work like that.

When asking for loans, insurance, credit cards, and so on, there is always the possibility for you to experience a rejection. The first thing you need to do is that you should check to see if your credit score is the reason for this rejection. The credit report itself is the very one that provides the necessary information for your creditors, but not only. Fortunately, regular people also have access to their credit report. A law called the fair Credit Reporting Act, is in their benefit, and through this law, any institution that might turn down your application for credit, insurance or employment is compelled to provide the client with this report, upon request, within 60 days of being notified the rejection.

Several different credit reporting agencies exist, and different creditors can prefer to work with specific ones or with all of them. While many people know that credit reporting agencies exist, they may not be sure as to exactly what services these agencies perform.

The Fair Credit Reporting Act was amended a few years ago to beef up consumer privacy. Under its rules, you are legally entitled to obtain your credit report from a credit reporting agency. This includes receiving a list of everyone that has requested your report.

If you have been denied credit based on information in your credit report (the creditor must provide a reason for denial), you have 60 days from the day you receive a denial notice to receive a free copy of the credit report. Additionally, the law also entitles you to receive a free credit report every 12 months if you are unemployed and seeking work within the next 60 days, are on welfare or if your report is inaccurate as a result of credit fraud.

Alongside of the compiling of reports from creditors, the credit reporting agencies are also responsible for generating your credit score so that potential lenders and creditors can try and determine how much of a credit risk you may be. Your credit score has the potential to change with each positive or negative report that is received and placed into your file… positive reports can improve your score, while negative reports bring it down.

Credit report companies can play an important role in helping you with loans and credit, if you find a good one. But what exactly can they do to help you when you decide it’s time to employ their help. Here are a few things you can expect from credit report companies.

If you only check your credit once a year, you can find a free report. You can only get it once a year this way, but if that is all you need, that works just fine for many. This was introduced a few years ago, and when you can get your free report is often decided by your last name. If you have yet to get one, you probably have one waiting for you. You do have to enter information to get the report though, which is to keep your report safe. You may be asked about old address and cars you may have owned in order to gain access to your online credit report.

You can also sign up to get a free online credit report if you pay for a service. This service allows you access to your reports whenever you want so that you can keep your eye on things that are going on. This is great for someone who might be worried about identity theft, or is trying to repair credit to buy a home or make some other type of major purchase. This type of online credit report is not only convenient, it is quick and easy as well. If you have an account password associated with this type of service, make sure you keep it hard to figure out and change it often so no one else but you can have access to your information.

Some people may be a little skeptical about requesting a copy of their free credit report and may wonder if it is as good as a copy that you would pay for. But rest assured that a free credit report contains the exact same information that you would receive if you had paid for a copy directly from the credit bureaus.

You may be wondering why would companies provide you with a free copy of your credit report and is there a catch? Most companies that will grant you a free copy of your credit report require that you sign up for a credit monitoring service of some sort. But as long as you cancel the service before the free trial period ends, then you never pay a penny and still get to keep your free credit report. However, there are some really good credit services out there if you choose to keep the service. Many people have greatly improved their credit situation with these types of services. So make sure that you know all of the benefits before canceling a credit service that may accompany your free credit report.

Because the information required to obtain a free credit report is of such a sensitive and confidential nature, I will definitely want to make sure that the company I’m dealing with is completely above-board and trustworthy. That means performing adequate due diligence, like checking the company’s rating with the Better Business Bureau and with other consumers to see if any red flags pop up.

Today, there are numerous types and brands of credit cards that are available to the general public. This makes it very hard to choose a credit card that is perfect for you. There are many things you should think about before you decide upon a certain credit card; however, this can prove to be a little tedious as well as overwhelming. Here are a few great tips to use that should help you in this process.

1. The Right Card - The right card will give you what you need and help make your life easier at the same time. There are different types of cards such as Standard, Secured, or rewards. The choice you make should depend on exactly what you need from your credit card.

2. How You Use the Card. How you plan to use the credit card should most definitely impact the type of credit card that you decide you want. If you want to be able to carry a balance, you want a credit card that offers you a low interest rate. If you plan to pay off the balance every month fully, the interest rate on the card probably isn’t as important to you. If you intend to carry a balance from one card to a different card, you want one that allows you to make balance transfers at a reasonable rate.

3. APR. The APR is most definitely important when deciding which card you want. Some cards have great introductory rates, but sometimes after this rate, the things that come after aren’t too appealing. The APR impacts all of the finance charges that you will see on your monthly bill. This is highly important to those who plan to carry a balance on their credit card. When choosing a card, find one that has an appealing APR, especially when it comes to purchases, cash advances, and balance transfers.

4. Fees. Most, if not all credit cards have charges and fees for many different actions. Sometimes credit card companies will charge you for a cash advance. Be aware of annual fees and see if the card you want has one or not. Also know if your card has any other types of fees such as a fee if you exceed the credit card limit. There are many other types of fees that your credit card company might have such as how you pay your bill, statement copies, and returned checks. It is best that when you choose your credit card that you have no surprise fees that you did not know about beforehand.

5. Do You Want Rewarded - Many people choose a credit card based on the rewards that they can receive through regular use. Many credit cards have no begun to offer you incentives for using their card. For example, perhaps you can earn frequent flyer rewards, discounts, gift cards, or even cash back. There are specific credit cards for specific vendors as well, which could give you exciting incentives for their specific business. However, the problem with many reward cards is that their fees, interest rates, and other elements are generally higher than a traditional credit card.

In any case, it is very important that you take the time and effort to understand the credit card that you will be using. Make sure you understand all of the terms and conditions as well as any other types of fees that may exist.

If you are like the many users, you are getting your personal credit report via the internet. If you have not and are considering doing so, there may be a few things you should know. Were you aware that you could get a free printable online credit report through the many places that offer credit reports online? Most of the web sites that offer credit reports will offer a printable version as well.

One of the greatest advantages is the opportunity to view your credit report any time you feel the need. You can have a look at it just before turning in for the night or just after waking or any time in between. Another distinct advantage of getting an online credit report is the fact that it is much quicker than the postal service, it is right on your monitor. This is ultimately important when you are preparing a plan to improve your credit or just want to see if the plan is working.

An online instant credit report may not be infallible, as there may be mistakes such as wrong or misspelled names, faulty addresses and erroneous social security numbers. Anyone requesting a credit report must keep a vigilant eye on the credit history. There may be mistakes in reporting delinquencies, or missed payments might be mentioned that may not have occurred. Any discrepancy in the credit report must be reported to the credit bureau within a month. The company will look into the complaint and clear up the confusion.

Since September 1, 2004, every person is entitled to one free credit report a year from all three credit bureaus. But, if the person asks for a credit report more than three times, there is a fee of $10 or more for 30 day access to the account. This period includes all requests for modifications and corrections in the report.

Many of the web sites on the internet offering credit reports online, offer a free 30 day trial. Take advantage of this trial and receive a free printable online credit report. After you receive this, you can then cancel the membership to that web site if you think you will no longer need to use their services.

Credit reporting agencies maintain electronic records of your credit activities. Today, there are three major national credit bureaus: Equifax, Experian and Trans Union. If you are planning on applying for a loan or credit anytime in the near future, it’s a good idea to obtain a copy of your credit report.

There are three nationwide consumer reporting agencies, which compile the credit reports. These can also be purchased form any of these three agencies, or any other company, that offers the credit reports as part of a larger package. The total cost is not high and, those that wish to verify their credit score, are free to do so, thanks to the law, but only once every 12 months are you legally entitled to receive a copy. The initial copy is free of charge, and once you have the report, you can be your own judge, and see whether or not you have a good or bad rating. Any verification for errors of your report is also free of charge, and any discrepancies in your credit can be repaired.

The Fair Credit Reporting Act was amended a few years ago to beef up consumer privacy. Under its rules, you are legally entitled to obtain your credit report from a credit reporting agency. This includes receiving a list of everyone that has requested your report.

To find a credit reporting agency, you can simply go online and do a web search for the term “credit agencies.” This will give you a list of results that will probably lead you to one of the three major credit agencies in the USA. These would be the Equifax, Trans Union, and Experian agencies. They are the ones who are responsible for calculating your credit score and providing your credit report to banks and other lenders.

A bit more detailed than your credit score, credit reporting agencies also produce full credit reports for those creditors or employers who request them. These reports show your credit score as well as a listing of the reports that you’ve received over a period of time… this time can vary from 6 months to several years. You can also request a copy of your own credit report, either by ordering it from a credit agency or by applying for a free credit report via certain government agencies (depending upon where you live) or credit monitoring services who in turn will try to sell you a subscription to their service which tells you when changes are made to your credit report.

If you find incorrect information in your credit report, or if you see a debt listed in your report that you know is not yours, you should dispute your credit record to the credit bureau in order to have the item removed.

You have the right to dispute any inaccurate or incomplete information that is contained in your credit report. There is no charge for this. If an account is not being reported 100% accurately, by law the credit bureau must remove it from your report.

Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act the reporting company and the information provider are responsible for correcting any credit report disputes. However, they must first be made aware that you have credit report disputes. A person can report and correct errors in their credit report by following two easy steps

If you have been a victim of identity theft, you will need to get the authorities involved in helping you dispute your credit record. Begin by reporting any information about the theft occurrence to your local police department. They will begin an investigation of your case and will direct you to other agencies that can help you as well.

It is important to clean up your credit report as soon as you possibly can. Failure to do so will result in being denied for any type of credit whether it is credit cards, loans, apartment or house rental or even a job opportunity. Using a free dispute credit report letter will allow you to correct errors and fraudulent entries that were not a result of your actions.

If you are having a difficult time getting a derogatory item removed from your credit report, you are allowed to submit to the credit bureau, a one hundred word statement with an explanation of any extenuating circumstances regarding the debt. Although this statement does not act to remove the item from your credit record, it at least offers an explanation to potential creditors your version as to why the item is being reported.

A credit report is a powerful piece of paper. Lenders look at it closely when deciding whether or not to give you a loan. Insurance companies can use it to determine your rates or whether they will cover you at all. Employers can access it and use it as a factor in offering you a job or promotion. With that much significance placed on your credit report, it is absolutely essential that the information it contains paints you in a good light.

According to the Fair Credit Reporting Act, consumers can dispute mistakes in their credit report for free. It can be a little time consuming to pull your report, document the error, type up a letter and send it in, so many people hire credit repair agencies to do the boring work for them. There is no real reason, other than the issue of time, to pour out money for work that you can easily do yourself.

Don’t be fooled into thinking that you don’t have the knowledge to clean up your credit report and that a credit repair agency knows a bunch of angles that have eluded you. Everything you need to know in order to fix errors on your credit report is readily available and there is nothing in the process that is required to be done by a third party or professional agency that specializes in credit repair.

If any information on your credit report is inaccurate, out-dated, unverifiable or misleading, you can dispute this information. The portion of the FCRA which relates directly to attempts to legally repair credit scores has to do with disputing inaccurate, unverifiable, misleading and outdated information included in one’s credit report. The next thing to learn about how to repair credit scores is how to report inaccurate information.

If you really don’t want to repair your credit by yourself, you can pay a credit repair company to do it for you. Be careful though. There are many credit repair scams out there that you need to watch for. I don’t recommend paying a credit repair company, because you are at a higher risk for identity theft by giving strangers your personal information. If you really want to pay a company, make sure you do proper research and investigate these credit repair companies before diving into it too fast.

Some may know that credit report is actually your credit history. It contains the data collected from various sources by the credit bureaus. Credit report gives detailed information about financial position in your business life. This report also reflects your late credit payment. Hence it’s very important that you pay all your debts on time.

There are currently two ways to obtain your instant credit report online, one is more cost efficient than the other depending on your specific needs. The first is a free annual, or even in some cases biannual, instant credit report. These types of free instant credit reports do not usually contain all three reports or a credit score. The second way is to pay a competitive fee including a three in one report from Equifax, Experian and Trans Union complete with a credit score. Paying for your instant credit report can be a little more complicated, as more choices accompany this option. You can go directly to the credit reporting websites or use a credit service company. With a credit services company, you will usually receive a free one-time instant credit report for agreeing to purchase many others throughout a set period, usually one year. However, with these companies you will not receive the free instant credit report information available at the major reporting agency sites.

The consumer credit report is also an account of the consumer’s credit history given by any of the three national bureaus. It differs from the annual because it can be demanded for any personal reason at anytime. The free annual report is an obligation of the consumer companies to produce yearly while the consumer report is not free. You can get an instant consumer credit report any time you need it online by paying for the service rendered.

Obtaining an online instant credit report requires that you have access to an online computer and have all your personal information ready to enter. It really is as simple as that to get your instant credit report. As with any online interaction that involves personal information it is always important to remember to check that the website is secure before entering any details and requesting your instant credit report.

An online instant credit report may not be infallible, as there may be mistakes such as wrong or misspelled names, faulty addresses and erroneous social security numbers. Anyone requesting a credit report must keep a vigilant eye on the credit history. There may be mistakes in reporting delinquencies, or missed payments might be mentioned that may not have occurred. Any discrepancy in the credit report must be reported to the credit bureau within a month. The company will look into the complaint and clear up the confusion.

Obtaining an annual free credit report can keep you on top of your credit and allows you to check if there are any errors on your credit report. By receiving a credit report annually you can keep one step ahead in making sure there are no problems with your credit score.

In the past, an annual credit report would cost a consumer about $9 each. And, considering that each of the credit reports from the three major bureaus could be different, consumers found it simpler to avoid the issue of credit repair. Those consumers that had been denied credit could, however, obtain a copy of their credit report from the bureau that offered the low credit score. This would allow the consumer to see the reason for a low score. But now, with identity theft on the rise, consumers are being urged to keep an eye on their reports, even if there has been no reason to suspect misinformation. An annual credit report review is the future of credit management.

Identity theft can occur swiftly and go undetected for months. With a free annual credit report, consumers can now monitor their credit reports for unauthorized activities that may be occurring on their charge cards or banking accounts. With a free annual credit report, consumers can also watch their credit report closely for criminals attempting to obtain a credit card with their credit information. A free annual credit report will definitely help consumers in an offensive attack against identity theft.

The free annual credit reports available can be downloaded over the Internet. Consumers need to go the Annual Credit Report website and follow instructions for receiving their own free annual credit report. The annual credit report web page will also give consumers a telephone number to request reports by phone, and an address to send written request to. At this time two thirds of the United States can access this annual credit report, and by September 1, 2005, free annual credit reports will be available to the entire U.S. Take control of your credit history statements by downloading your free annual credit report today.

Your free credit report score is a great way to just get a glance at your credit rating. You will see where you are on a scale based on the bank’s rating system. There will be a side of the bar that is green that will indicate that you have a high credit rating, but there is also a red side of the bar, which of course indicates that you have a bad credit rating and you need to improve it sooner rather then later. Your rating will be written down and you will see where you are on their chart. You will obviously want to be nearer the green side of the bar when you receive your free credit report score.