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US Fidelis, the beleaguered Wentzville-based seller of extended auto service contracts, has stopped paying refunds to consumers who cancel such protection plans, according to executives at two companies that administer the contracts.
The change means tens of thousands of consumers could find it much more difficult to get hundreds of dollars in refunds that are supposed to be guaranteed in Missouri, Illinois and most other states.
US Fidelis spokesman Ken Fields, of the Fleishman-Hillard public relations firm, would not say whether the company has stopped contributing to cancellation refunds. When consumers want to cancel coverage, US Fidelis "will work with the customer and the relevant administration company to address that customer's situation," according to a company statement.
If regulators force those administration companies to cover US Fidelis' portion of the refunds, the consequences would be "unprecedented" and could threaten to bring down some of those firms, said Paul Stratch, chief financial officer of American Auto Shield, a service contract administrator based in the Denver area that did business with US Fidelis.
Extended service contracts are canceled for a variety of reasons. Sometimes, consumers are unhappy with the coverage. Other times, the plans are dropped because the vehicle is about to be sold, gets repossessed or is simply no longer usable.
When that happens, consumers get one check for the unused portion of the coverage. But that payment usually comes from two different companies that had made money on the sale of the contract. Most comes from the contract's marketer — companies like US Fidelis that sell the coverage — and the rest comes from the service contract administrator, which pays out claims.
Stratch said US Fidelis recently told his company that it would no longer contribute to customer refunds and that it would refer canceling customers to administration firms like American Auto Shield, which was formerly known as Warranty America.
Service contract marketers have failed in the past, and when they have, administration firms have often picked up the full cost of cancellation refunds. But US Fidelis' inability to pay refunds is different from those cases, Stratch said, because there never has been a service contract seller as big as US Fidelis. "Nobody else came close to their kind of volume," he said.
In its heyday, US Fidelis employed more than 1,100 people and claimed to be the nation's leading seller of the auto service contracts, which were often marketed as "extended warranties."
But over the last two years, the company has suffered a stunning collapse.
Watchdog groups have said US Fidelis sells coverage that is virtually useless for many of its customers. Automakers accused the company of misusing their trademarks; class-action lawsuits have been filed, claiming deceptive trade practices. And an investigation of the company continues, involving 43 states.
Late last year, US Fidelis laid off several hundred workers before announcing it would no longer sell the contracts. The company said it would keep a skeleton crew at its sprawling call center, at Interstate 70 and Highway 40, to provide customer service to the approximately 300,000 vehicle owners who had bought coverage from the firm.
Those consumers bought service contracts that typically range in price from $2,000 to $4,000 — depending on the age of the vehicle and the level of coverage. The contract's cost usually is financed over 18 to 24 months, but the coverage period often lasts four years or more.
That means many customers canceling a contract are entitled to a pro-rated refund for the unused part of the service contract. Customers who have driven only half the maximum miles over half of the calendar life of the protection, for instance, are entitled to a refund of half the cost of the contract.
Stratch said American Auto Shield will pay both its share of refunds and US Fidelis' portion. He said his firm won't take a big financial hit because US Fidelis sold fewer than 1,000 service contracts from American Auto Shield.
"But this is going to be a huge liability for other companies," Stratch said. "They could try not to pay (US Fidelis' portion), but the states are going to make sure customers get their refunds one way or another."
Tim Schuur, president of Houston-based Tier One Warranty Services, said US Fidelis also told his company it would stop paying into customer refunds.
Schuur said that his company would continue to pay its portion of refunds owed to canceling US Fidelis consumers but that Tier One alone shouldn't have to cover US Fidelis' obligations to canceling customers.
"The lender needs to get involved," he said. "Mepco needs to get involved."
That's Chicago-based Mepco Finance Corp., a subsidiary of Independent Bank, of Ionia, Mich., that financed most of the auto service contracts sold by US Fidelis. It's also the company's biggest creditor, and last month it became US Fidelis' landlord.
Executives at Mepco did not respond to a request for comment.
Travis Ford, a spokesman for the Missouri Department of Insurance, said consumers who cancel their service contracts and can't get the pro-rated refund owed to them should file complaints with the agency.
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Where do you get started playing casinos online? How do you know if you can trust the people with whom you are placing your money? Is there any way of being able to tell whether playing casinos online is right for you before making big risks? These are just a few of the questions you may have about online casinos. If so, worry not! Following are eight rules for playing casinos online that are sure to keep you away from the riffraff and enjoying the thrill of competitive gaming - whether against the house or other players. Without further ado: 1. Ask before you play. Seek out more experienced gamers. The importance of this point cannot be stressed enough if you are a beginner. However, even the most experienced gamer should stay apprised of the winners and losers in the world of online casinos. It can save a lot of heartache down the road. 2. Play for free. Never risk a dime until you have tried your hand for free. Again, this is a must if you are a beginner, but even experienced players can gain from it by honing their skills in between power plays. 3. Get comfortable with the interface. All online casinos take a little getting used to. Before you start playing, tour the site and make sure it is easy to navigate. A user friendly experience means that you will be in a better position to focus on what you came to do. 4. Budget. Make sure you don't place your hopes and dreams on the world of online casinos. Whether playing casinos online or in the brick-and-mortar locations of places such as Las Vegas, the house has better odds than you do. If you're risking more than you can afford to lose, you will cause yourself great trouble down the road. 5. Play the odds. Again, let it be emphasized - the house owns the odds! That doesn't mean you can't beat it, or use your skills to bend the odds in your favor. What it does mean is that you stand a better chance of winning if you focus on games that favor your skills and your luck more. Blackjack and craps are two such games that work to your advantage. 6. Specialize. As in business, you stand to make more money if you focus on one or two specific areas. Make sure you are comfortable and plow ahead! 7. Know when to hold them, know when to fold them. Perhaps the greatest key to winning is knowing when to walk away. Eventually, the odds will always turn against you. That's why you must know the right time to escape while you're still in the black! 8. Don't let it consume you. Gambling is just as addictive as narcotics or alcohol. Don't fall victim! Knowing these eight rules to playing casinos online (successfully) will make you king (or queen) of the online casinos, instead of slave. Learn them, and play wisely!
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Viral marketing is a great way to use the power and nature of the Internet to reach a large number of people quickly and drive a continually growing flood of targeted web traffic to your website. With a successful viral marketing campaign, your website traffic could go from almost nothing to thousands of hits or even hundreds of thousands of hits per day almost overnight.
Viral marketing is a term used for marketing campaigns that grow and spread like a human or computer virus. In a successful viral campaign, people pass the marketing material on socially so that the marketing campaign grows like a snowball rolling down hill.
The basic idea of viral marketing is that you can increase your sales by increasing your targeted website traffic and you can increase your targeted web traffic by giving away or spreading something for free that people will pass on to their friends, family, or business associates like a virus.
Viral campaigns may spread through emails or eBooks that people pass on or through articles or viral videos that people pass on.
Microsoft's Hotmail service was probably one of the biggest early successes of viral marketing. Free web-based email is common today, but it was a new concept in 1996 when Microsoft first promoted Hotmail by adding a short advertising teaser at the end of its users' email messages. Who would have ever expected how big the results of this marketing campaign could be?
But as huge as the success of Microsoft's viral marketing campaign was for Hotmail, it only set the stage for what was to come during the 2004 American presidential campaign. Who can forget JibJab's flash animation political parody of George Bush and John Kerry singing, "This Land Is Your Land?"
By marrying the concept of flash video on the Web to viral marketing, JibJab took the Internet by storm. According to Internet statistician ComScore Media Metrix, the viral video received over 10.4 million unique hits in July 2004 - more than three times as many visitors as the official campaign websites of the two presidential candidates!
Now you may never experience the phenomenal success that JibJab did with one of your viral marketing campaigns, but the concept is simple and easily implemented. It works on the idea that if people like something or can profit from something, they will pass it on to their friends, family, and associates.
Viral marketing can be as simple as writing an article and having it published in article directories where newsletter publishers and webmasters may pick it up and republish it. Be sure to include an author bio or resource box at the bottom of every article that includes your name, your website link, and a call to action that entices people to click on your link. Webmasters and publishers are always looking for great content, so be sure to provide value.
Alternatively, you could send a funny, informative, or controversial newsletter to your subscriber list. Be sure to encourage people to pass your newsletter on with a short note at the bottom of your newsletter.
When people click through to your website, you would like to capture their email address and get their permission to contact them. Otherwise, they will often surf away, never to be seen again on your website.
Squeeze pages (pages primarily designed to get subscribers) are one proven way to do this, and offering people a free eBook or free report is a great way to get people to subscribe to your newsletter.
Want to kick your viral marketing campaign into even higher gear? Grant people the rights to give away the free eBook or report to their own customers or contacts. Be sure to brand the eBook or report with links to your website, so that anyone who receives it from others will find their way back to your website. Also, if you let your customers rebrand some of the links with their affiliate links or other links, they will really be motivated to pass the eBook or report on!
The Internet is perfect for viral marketing. This is one of the most powerful marketing techniques you can use on the Internet. Because many distribution channels are free (e.g., email and article directories) or relatively low cost (web hosting), viral marketing can be an incredibly cost-effective marketing technique. Once you have launched your marketing campaign, it can potentially grow and spread for years all by itself, making viral marketing possibly the most effective Internet marketing technique of all. |
One Christmas in the early 70's, I received a dazzling Huffy bicycle that continues to rank as one of my favorite presents of all time. This speed demon had a purple metallic-flake frame with shiny chrome fenders, ape hanger handle bars, and a special edition banana seat. I couldn't wait to get outside to ride that beast! Only one problem; that Christmas day there was so much snow and ice covering the landscape that it was impossible to ride. For seven straight days I woke up, looked out the window and wondered if this would be the day, and for seven straight days the answer was NO! I was so freakin' frustrated! Fast forward some 30 years… Today I find myself dealing with that same frustration all over again.
I have been unable to use any of my nifty stuff. For seven days I have awakened, looked out the window and wondered if today would be the day, and for seven straight days the answer has been NO! My frustration is accumulating like the 3 foot snow drift outside my window.So what's a guy to do? How should I deal with all of this pent up frustration? Perhaps I should… - double up my meds.
- lay in the snow while wearing my gear and make a snow angel.
- sing happy songs.
- ride the motorcycle carousel at Chuck E. Cheese
My wife suggested I gear up, go to the garage and close all the doors, then start my bike and pretend I am riding for a half hour or how ever long it takes! :) Any other ideas?
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The Office Equipment Wholesales Industry report, published annually by Barnes Reports, contains timely and accurate industry statistics, forecasts and demographics. The report features 2010 current and 2011 forecast estimates on the size of the industry (sales, establishments, employment) for the 47 largest world countries, such as Japan, China, India, Russia, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, UK, France, Germany, Italy and U.S.. The report also includes industry definition, 5-year historical trends on industry sales, establishments and employment and estimates on up to 10 sub-industries, including cash registers, calculators, duplicators and copiers Paypal is best for online payment
The Office Equipment Wholesales Industry report, published annually by Barnes Reports, contains timely and accurate industry statistics, forecasts and demographics. The report features 2010 current and 2011 forecast estimates on the size of the industry (sales, establishments, employment) for the 47 largest world countries, such as Japan, China, India, Russia, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, UK, France, Germany, Italy and U.S.. The report also includes industry definition, 5-year historical trends on industry sales, establishments and employment and estimates on up to 10 sub-industries, including cash registers, calculators, duplicators and copiers HTML clipboard Table of Contents :
1-Argentina
2-Australia
3-Austria
4-Belgium
5-Brazil
6-Canada
7-Chile
8-China
9-Colombia
10-Czech Rep
11-Denmark
12-Egypt
13-Finland
14-France
15-Germany
16-Greece
17-Hungary
18-India
19-Indonesia
20-Iran
21-Ireland
22-Israel
23-Italy
24-Japan
25-Malaysia
26-Mexico
27-Netherlands
28-New Zealand
29-Norway
30-Pakistan
31-Phillipines
32-Poland
33-Portugal
34-Russia
35-Saudi Arabia
36-Singapore
37-South Africa
38-South Korea
39-Spain
40-Sweden
41-Switzerland
42-Taiwan
43-Thailand
44-Turkey
45-United Kingdom
46-United States
47-Venezuela
48-Appendix: Definitions & Terms |
One thing that most people will end up dealing with at some point in their life is purchasing a car. Owning a car is necessary for a lot of people who are looking to get transportation to and from different locations. It is not uncommon for a lot of people to have to drive a great distance to and from work. A car is a necessary expense for a lot of people who rely on transportation to get to and from work. If you are looking to apply for a no credit check car loan, you will need to find the right lender for your loan. The advantage that people with low credit scores have when it comes to applying for a car loan is that they are secured loans. Because they are secured loans it means that the risk is reduce for lenders because they have collateral for the loan. If you are to default on your loan, the lender would be able to seize the car back from you. Although auto loans are secured loans, they are not 100% secured. Because cars have tendency to depreciate at a very fast rate, lenders do bear some risk when offering these loans. One way that you can get a no credit check car loan approved is put extra collateral against the loan. You can put up other assets that you may have, which will help to further reduce the risk that lenders face. Also, be sure to look around at the different loans that are available because you might find a good deal for your loan. If you are interested in applying for a No Credit Check Car Loan the best place to start looking is online. Using the internet you can look up the different Auto Lenders that are available to give you a car loan. |
In spite of the fact that Federal legislation (the CAN SPAM act) made it against the law, collecting or tracing out email addresses from the web by means of automated robots is still alive and well.
Spammers who have need of brand new email addresses release software program that scrutinize the Internet and take in email addresses off Web pages, visitor books, and everyplace else you may post your email
http://music-video-122net-com.blogspot.com/
Once they get a hold your email address, they will deal it around like 5th graders with a latest pack of Pokemon cards at niche and you can be expecting the flood of email to begin flooding your mail box. With the intention of fight this is still out of control the practice of stealing email addresses from websites and mailing people what they do not want, the following instructions may help you to protect yourself.
Obviously the most excellent way to stay away from getting selected up by an email reaper is not to place your email anywhere on a website as well as on your own. If the only way somebody can get a hold your email is if you provide it to them that create a similar situation to working with an unlisted phone number. If telemarketers cannot search out your telephone number, they cannot call.
If you have to post your email id, post it in such a way that a robot will not be able to recognize it as an email address. Although it appears like an additional step for lawful email, you will find it a extremely helpful technique.
An additional way to decrease on spam originates from your own website is just not to present an email at all. In its place, let the customers and prospects to get in touch with you through a form where they fill up in fields, click a key, and your website e-mail you their message.
Take care of the form script you make use of does not keep your email address noticeable in the form code. If the form code includes the email address, spam robots can hit upon it even if you do not make out it on the page.
At times you will get unwanted email because a spammer guessed your email address. It is not a far draw out to see that someone possibly has the email your domain.com, so spammers will do a "dictionary" assault on frequent user names. The dot makes it almost not possible for spammers to guess your email address. |
Container gardening a growing interest
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"Combine those and you'll know whether you want some kind of container, bed, traditional or a combination," said Marcia Bundi of Bundi Gardens in Great ...
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The Portable Freeware Collection - Total Text Container
Synopsis: Total Text Container is a personal information manager that lets you to store all kinds of different content within a single encrypted XML database, including rich text, images, spreadsheets, URLs/passwords, contacts, ...
The Portable Freeware Collection - http://www.portablefreeware.com/ | Container Garden Update – June 28, 2009 | Information Related to ...
By admin
Just an update on my container gardening. Showing squash, tomatoes, cucumbers, green beans, peas, potatoes.
Information Related to Gardening - http://gardening.related-to.info/ | Container growing - Home Brew Forums
By Wino24
Hi all....anyone have experience growing hops in a container such as Home Depot bucket or something of that nature? I'm wondering how it works out.
Home Brew Forums - http://www.homebrewtalk.com/ | Food container à manger - Gatineau Pet Accessories - Kijiji Gatineau
stack containers! 2 of them for $34. bac a manger "kibbles" superposé! les 2 pour $34 cette annonce a été affichée au moyen de l'application kijiji annonces.. Read & reply to this Gatineau classified ad free.
Latest Kijiji ads. Location:... - http://ottawa.kijiji.ca/f-Classifieds-W0QQcatidZ15QQkeywordZparadigm | Export container packing of vechicles position available | Miami City
By admin
Export company seeking individual with experience loading vechicles in containers for overseas shipment. Must be able to operate fork lift. Knowledge.
Miami City - http://www.miacity.com/ |
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