http://www.artipot.com/authors/16713/michael-challiner/ Latest articles by Michael Challiner from Artipot - your one-stop resource for free articles. http://www.artipot.com/articles/478066/storm-damage-and-your-insurance.htm If you or your family has been unfortunate enough to have suffered from flood or storm damage to your home, you'll know just how much heartbreak it can cause Fallen trees ripped up hedges and battered fences can make the outside of your home look like a disaster area Fri, 13 Nov 2009 13:54:07 +0000 http://www.artipot.com/articles/478066/storm-damage-and-your-insurance.htm http://www.artipot.com/articles/477188/landlords-rents-suffer-as-market-is-saturated.htm As the rental market rapidly soars tenants are being forced to reduce rents or take the risk of losing their tenants This is due to the amount of homeowners who are now renting out their properties rather than selling them for a cut price Thu, 12 Nov 2009 08:53:49 +0000 http://www.artipot.com/articles/477188/landlords-rents-suffer-as-market-is-saturated.htm http://www.artipot.com/articles/477185/home-insurance-dont-cry-over-spilt-milk.htm One of the major insurers recently reported an increase of 25 per cent in the number of claims for accidental damage and loss claims made, in just three months, in comparison with the identical period last year Top of the bill in the cause for claims is not rampaging vandals, but simple clumsiness Thu, 12 Nov 2009 08:46:44 +0000 http://www.artipot.com/articles/477185/home-insurance-dont-cry-over-spilt-milk.htm http://www.artipot.com/articles/477180/home-insurance-storm-warning.htm We're all aware of the terrific damage storms have caused in recent years, but despite all the suffering they cause, we all tend to forget about it when the sun's shining and the birds are singing That's a shame really, as it's just at that time when you could get around to making sure that your home is secure against storm damage Thu, 12 Nov 2009 08:39:44 +0000 http://www.artipot.com/articles/477180/home-insurance-storm-warning.htm http://www.artipot.com/articles/477178/home-insurance-check-your-cover.htm The "high season" for claims on home insurance policies is during the summer-time The fact that the children are at home for the long summer holidays and long days mean that the house and garden are more likely to suffer wear and tear and the odd accident Thu, 12 Nov 2009 08:32:45 +0000 http://www.artipot.com/articles/477178/home-insurance-check-your-cover.htm http://www.artipot.com/articles/472349/i-will-you-my-rabbits.htm It makes sense to make a will Most of us realize that, but actually getting around to it seems such a hassle Thu, 05 Nov 2009 03:25:20 +0000 http://www.artipot.com/articles/472349/i-will-you-my-rabbits.htm http://www.artipot.com/articles/472348/making-a-will-do-it-now.htm Writing a will can save a whole lot of confusion and chaos financially for your family when you've gone Not writing a will could create all kinds of problems for them Thu, 05 Nov 2009 03:18:13 +0000 http://www.artipot.com/articles/472348/making-a-will-do-it-now.htm http://www.artipot.com/articles/472346/leaving-a-will.htm It's important that you should be aware of what will happen to your possessions and money if you should die without leaving a will A recent case of an elderly gentleman who died thinking his estate would go to a great friend simply because he'd named her as next of kin when he went into hospital for his final illness shows this Thu, 05 Nov 2009 03:11:22 +0000 http://www.artipot.com/articles/472346/leaving-a-will.htm http://www.artipot.com/articles/472345/where-theres-a-will.htm If you die without leaving a valid will it's the law that decides how your estate is divided The intestacy rules will be used and it may not be what you'd have expected or wished Thu, 05 Nov 2009 03:04:13 +0000 http://www.artipot.com/articles/472345/where-theres-a-will.htm http://www.artipot.com/articles/472339/writing-a-will-sort-it-out.htm So you're planning to finally get around to sorting out your will One of the first things to do is to sort out just what you have to leave Thu, 05 Nov 2009 02:25:26 +0000 http://www.artipot.com/articles/472339/writing-a-will-sort-it-out.htm http://www.artipot.com/articles/471035/pay-the-premium-for-pampered-pets.htm There are some pet owners who treat their pets as family members and are willing to pay whatever is necessary to keep them fit, healthy and safe It's amazing how many people are now considering treatments which sound major even for humans - hip replacements, open heart surgery and even stress management Tue, 03 Nov 2009 13:32:34 +0000 http://www.artipot.com/articles/471035/pay-the-premium-for-pampered-pets.htm http://www.artipot.com/articles/471021/possible-substitutes-for-payment-protection-insurance.htm Especially in the present climate job loss is a worry and accident or illness can happen at any time It is wise to have income protection Tue, 03 Nov 2009 13:11:39 +0000 http://www.artipot.com/articles/471021/possible-substitutes-for-payment-protection-insurance.htm http://www.artipot.com/articles/471020/is-ppi-the-only-option-for-borrowers.htm The employment market is grim and many people might be faced with the reality of redundancy and how to pay for credit, loans and mortgages Around 13 million people have Payment Protection Insurance (PPI) in place to help with monthly outgoings if they are not able to work which sounds very sensible in the present situation, but at what cost Tue, 03 Nov 2009 13:04:49 +0000 http://www.artipot.com/articles/471020/is-ppi-the-only-option-for-borrowers.htm http://www.artipot.com/articles/471019/pet-insurance-watch-the-puppy-fat.htm So you've made the decision to get a puppy It's not something to take on without a lot of thought Tue, 03 Nov 2009 13:00:03 +0000 http://www.artipot.com/articles/471019/pet-insurance-watch-the-puppy-fat.htm http://www.artipot.com/articles/467768/healthcare-your-choice.htm You'll get far faster access to specialist than you would if you joined the NHS queue and if you need treatment you don't have to worry about laying out large sums of money for treatment It's amazing just how much you'd have to pay for even simple procedures if you chose to go privately without the back-up of health insurance Fri, 30 Oct 2009 06:11:11 +0000 http://www.artipot.com/articles/467768/healthcare-your-choice.htm http://www.artipot.com/articles/467766/long-term-sick-pay.htm For a long time now, one of the most attractive "perks" in job advertisements has been "private sickness insurance" For those who start employment with a firm that offers this, it's an appreciable benefit Fri, 30 Oct 2009 06:00:14 +0000 http://www.artipot.com/articles/467766/long-term-sick-pay.htm http://www.artipot.com/articles/467765/cheers-good-health.htm The results of a recent study which was carried out in Southern Denmark show that more than 50 per cent of babies born at the present time can expect to live until the amazingly ripe old age of 100 Not only will they live far longer, but they can expect their increased years to be healthier and with less disability than at present Fri, 30 Oct 2009 05:52:49 +0000 http://www.artipot.com/articles/467765/cheers-good-health.htm http://www.artipot.com/articles/467763/dental-care-when-you-need-it.htm If you're astute enough to have a dental insurance plan in place, are you sure that it covers everything you need People take out dental insurance for the family, take a quick look through the policy and continue to pay the premium each year Fri, 30 Oct 2009 05:39:24 +0000 http://www.artipot.com/articles/467763/dental-care-when-you-need-it.htm http://www.artipot.com/articles/466654/wills-and-pets.htm Some people say if you make a will you can make sure that no inheritance tax will be charged on your estate, as if a blanket rule applies In actual fact some estates won't involve inheritance tax as they are under the allowance Wed, 28 Oct 2009 10:18:25 +0000 http://www.artipot.com/articles/466654/wills-and-pets.htm http://www.artipot.com/articles/466653/dont-leave-a-mess-leave-a-valid-will.htm More and more wills are being contested The number of court cases in relation to will and inheritance disputes rose by 175 per cent in one 12 month period recently Wed, 28 Oct 2009 10:11:15 +0000 http://www.artipot.com/articles/466653/dont-leave-a-mess-leave-a-valid-will.htm http://www.artipot.com/articles/466651/inheritance-tax-intestacy-and-more.htm Nowadays, when the term "married couple" crops up, this refers to registered civil partners as well as married couples This includes civil partners of the same sex Wed, 28 Oct 2009 10:04:30 +0000 http://www.artipot.com/articles/466651/inheritance-tax-intestacy-and-more.htm http://www.artipot.com/articles/466609/could-heir-hunters-be-coming-your-way.htm If someone dies without leaving a will, there's a certain way which their estate is handled, according to the laws of intestacy In most cases it's a long drawn out process but something that has to be done Wed, 28 Oct 2009 08:32:12 +0000 http://www.artipot.com/articles/466609/could-heir-hunters-be-coming-your-way.htm http://www.artipot.com/articles/466607/first-or-last-will-and-testament.htm Probably the first time in your life that you should consider making a will is when you get onto the property ladder for the first time Even if you are not married or in a civil partnership, you would want a say in whatever equity you have in your home Wed, 28 Oct 2009 08:25:18 +0000 http://www.artipot.com/articles/466607/first-or-last-will-and-testament.htm http://www.artipot.com/articles/464769/repossessions-continue-to-rise.htm Statistics from City watchdog the Financial Services Authority reveal some staggering figures regarding home repossessions Repossessions climbed by almost 100 per cent last year, with 13,161 families being evicted between June and September alone Sun, 25 Oct 2009 01:53:15 +0000 http://www.artipot.com/articles/464769/repossessions-continue-to-rise.htm http://www.artipot.com/articles/464767/mortgage-arrears-and-repossession-things-to-consider-when-looking-at-your-options.htm The first thing that a lender will do is to try to get you to agree to pay your arrears over a period of time at the same time as making your regular monthly repayments They may try to make this easier for you by agreeing to accept interest only monthly payments or by lengthening the period of your mortgage - both of these will reduce the amount you have to pay each month Sun, 25 Oct 2009 01:39:15 +0000 http://www.artipot.com/articles/464767/mortgage-arrears-and-repossession-things-to-consider-when-looking-at-your-options.htm http://www.artipot.com/articles/464757/mortgage-borrowers-may-face-restrictions-on-minimum-deposits-and-income-multiples.htm Under a tightening of rules being considered by The Financial Services Authority (FSA) homebuyers could face having to raise a deposit of at least 15 per cent before they can get a mortgage The Authority has also hinted that the amount that mortgage lenders could provide as a multiple of income could also be controlled Sun, 25 Oct 2009 01:04:03 +0000 http://www.artipot.com/articles/464757/mortgage-borrowers-may-face-restrictions-on-minimum-deposits-and-income-multiples.htm http://www.artipot.com/articles/464756/help-im-in-mortgage-arrears.htm As the economic recession continues, losing your job and as a result, your home is the nightmare uppermost in many people's minds But if you are worried that redundancy could be followed by your home being repossessed, there have been two positive developments Sun, 25 Oct 2009 01:00:12 +0000 http://www.artipot.com/articles/464756/help-im-in-mortgage-arrears.htm http://www.artipot.com/articles/463344/income-on-retirement-smokers-take-note.htm The stark facts are that smokers are likely to die earlier; therefore one insurer reckons that they can offer them better payouts than non-smokers To qualify for these better rates, you need to be aged 50 plus and you need to fit the exacting requirement of having smoked at the very least, ten cigarettes a day for ten years or more Thu, 22 Oct 2009 14:00:02 +0000 http://www.artipot.com/articles/463344/income-on-retirement-smokers-take-note.htm http://www.artipot.com/articles/463337/great-britain-is-officially-in-recession-so-how-can-you-protect-your-savings-pension-and-home.htm If you are made redundant, from the 13th week after this happens, the Government will pay the interest on your mortgage up to 200,000 pounds Although, for couples both need to lose their jobs to qualify and it will not pay for any other borrowings Thu, 22 Oct 2009 13:38:49 +0000 http://www.artipot.com/articles/463337/great-britain-is-officially-in-recession-so-how-can-you-protect-your-savings-pension-and-home.htm http://www.artipot.com/articles/463331/retirement-can-you-afford-it.htm The latest news on retirement is that it's a very expensive luxury Maybe your grandparents seemed to lead a blissful existence, with Grandad happily pottering in his greenhouse and Grandma having plenty of time to enjoy hobbies and planning their days out Thu, 22 Oct 2009 13:11:05 +0000 http://www.artipot.com/articles/463331/retirement-can-you-afford-it.htm