Melissa Samaroo - The Complete Dictionary of Insurance Terms Explained Simply

A few years back we lost our beloved pet dog Bear, who was not only our best and dearest friend but also the Vice President of Sunshine here at Atlantic Publishing. He did not receive a salary but worked tirelessly 24 hours a day to please his parents.

Bear was a rescue dog who turned around and showered myself, my wife, Sherri, his grandparents Jean, Bob, and Nancy, and every person and animal he met (well, maybe not rabbits) with friendship and love. He made a lot of people smile every day.

We wanted you to know a portion of the profits of this book will be donated in Bears memory to local animal shelters, parks, conservation organizations, and other individuals and nonprofit organizations in need of assistance.

Douglas and Sherri Brown

PS: We have since adopted two more rescue dogs: first Scout, and the following year, Ginger. They were both mixed golden retrievers who needed a home.

Want to help animals and the world? Here are a dozen easy suggestions you and your family can implement today:

• Adopt and rescue a pet from a local shelter.
• Support local and no-kill animal shelters.
• Plant a tree to honor someone you love.
• Be a developer put up some birdhouses.
• Buy live, potted Christmas trees and replant them.
• Make sure you spend time with your animals each day.
• Save natural resources by recycling and buying recycled products.
• Drink tap water, or filter your own water at home.
• Whenever possible, limit your use of or do not use pesticides.
• If you eat seafood, make sustainable choices.
• Support your local farmers market.
• Get outside. Visit a park, volunteer, walk your dog, or ride your bike.

Five years ago, Atlantic Publishing signed the Green Press Initiative. These guidelines promote environmentally friendly practices, such as using recycled stock and vegetable-based inks, avoiding waste, choosing energy-efficient resources, and promoting a no-pulping policy. We now use 100-percent recycled stock on all our books. The results: in one year, switching to post-consumer recycled stock saved 24 mature trees, 5,000 gallons of water, the equivalent of the total energy used for one home in a year, and the equivalent of the greenhouse gases from one car driven for a year.

DEDICATION

For Gabriel.

Owning and operating a business is, in many ways, similar to being a first-time parent. Just like a new baby, the entity you have brought into the world needs your constant care and attention, all day. In both situations, many people find themselves ill-equipped and unprepared for the level of responsibility. Regardless of how you plan and prepare, many things can unexpectedly go wrong. When something catastrophic does happen, you must pick up the pieces in a timely manner and trudge forward. It is in those times that insurance can help the businessperson to salvage the situation.

As a business owner or working professional, the exposure to risk one faces can be enormous. There are an infinite number of situations in which an honest, hardworking person or partnership can face financial ruin due to a complete accident or simple oversight. Purchasing the right kind of insurance coverage in a sufficient amount can mean the difference between success and failure for a business owner. But this in itself is much more difficult than it seems. Insurance contracts are crammed with stipulations and fine print, and the terminology used in them is as foreign as another language. Using an insurance agent may be a wise course of action, but the added expense can mean the difference between a business turning a profit or recording a loss.

For those who find themselves in need of insurance coverage but mystified by the terminology, this book can be a cost-effective source of help. The terms commonly used by insurance companies, agents, and brokers are defined in simple language. The category or categories to which the term belongs are also listed directly before the definition, making it easy to interpret the different contexts in which the term may be used. Case studies from professionals in the insurance field also shed some light on the best way to approach determining your need for insurance, purchasing the coverage, and filing a claim.