If we recall history when it became law that all should purchase auto insurance I don’t think we heard a lot from the auto insurance companies about loss of business due to this because they merely sat and waited knowing that you would have to near to them. Not only did they realize that Federal and State government would force people to make them rich they as well placed a stipulation in dealing with credit reports to help up the pot a microscopic penalizing all those with a effect on their credit ratings.

As the Health Care Bill is going we haven’t heard much from health insurance companies in opposition to this disaster because in the end when we are forced to purchase health insurance again these companies will region back and wait as they know we will have to come to them. The slider will be if they throw in a credit rating scheme such as the auto insurance companies did this will aid impose who gets the premium health care and who gets a pulse checked and sent home. I’ve read about 430 pages of the Health Care bull and I can honestly say that if I had of supported it I would not have after reading fair this much of it.

Before everyone jumps on the “Obama nation” (why does that sound like one word) support group find a site and read till your heart is affirm instead of taking the government’s word on it. Call your Senator’s and Congressman/woman and ask questions about what you read and see if they can explain it to you after all if they benefit it they should know what is in the pages.

Any shrimp business, regardless of number of employees, should have at least basic business insurance. Basic business insurance will cover the business from most liabilities. This may not be considered important, but one lawsuit that wins against a runt business could potentially force the business into bankruptcy. Also, potentially if a business does not have insurance, then the owner of the business, may be personal liable for monetary damage or lawsuits. Consider, for example if a puny business sells a product that is foul, and causes physical harm then certainly there is accurate grounds for a lawsuit, even if the small business, was not aware of the despicable product, when purchased by a customer. Many lease companies require any size business, that leases space, have insurance liability. Because the lease company is totally aware of the fact, that if the business was sued, they could be forced to file for bankruptcy, which would make their lease agreement invalid, and the lease company would never get paid. Also, fire or damage cost would be covered in the insurance policy, protecting the leased company from any repair costs or total loss.

Basic insurance for a small business should include property, and liability insurance. Property insurance encompasses the cost of the rent to a leasing company, all property in the business (tables, desks, machinery, heating / air conditioning equipment), coverage against losses from crime (theft, counterfeiting, and forgery), and loss of income from a business interruption. Optional additions to the insurance coverage could include for earthquake, and flood wound. Liability insurance should be a Comprehensive General Liability (CGL), which covers loss to third parties. This includes, fire liability, which is required for renting property from a leasing company, as previously mentioned. This would cover the cost of fire damage for the property owned by the landlord, as a result of negligence of the renter. The CGL would cover medical expenses or medical payments. In the event a customer trips and falls in a business, the coverage would include paying for medical cost from a liability suit, for bodily injury. Also, personal injury, that covers violations of privacy, wrongful eviction, and false imprisonment (example: holding a suspect on false premises for shoplifting) Additional coverage for CGL, would include: products and completed operations and / or personal injury and advertising. The additional coverage depends on the type of service or business provided. Also, coverage for professional liability, malpractice or errors, and omission policy would cover certain type of business or practices, such as dentists, doctors, Realtors, attorney, engineering consultants, or any specialize field.

A Business owner’s Policy (BOP) would include within an insurance package, property, and liability coverage. This would be paid in one premium. This type of policy is only for small, and medium size companies or businesses. Large companies are excluded from this type of policy, because they are considered high risk. The premium amount charged for a BOP considers the following in the calculation: Location of the building, construction material, security of the business, fire hazards, and financial stability of the business or entity.�

If a small business, has employees working on a salary Workers Compensation insurance policy required by law. Especially this applies when an employee is injured or disabled at work. The compensation would pay for the medical cost of the injured worker, based upon the policy. Except the policy would be voided by negligence by the employee.

Other kinds of insurance should be considered for a small business. Coverage could include:

Auto insurance for any damage vehicles the business owns, and health insurance for the employees. Also, having an umbrella policy that would likely cover all the cost for liabilities, above the amount coverage for any insurance policy coverage. Consider that pain, and suffering seems to have almost no limit for compensation.

Small business should consider that most insurance premiums are deductible expenses on a business income tax return. Paying a high deductible would lower the premium on a business insurance policy. Insurance companies, can suggest different approaches to lower premium expenses.

Here are some of the problems I see. As an individual with a household to remove care of, I need to be responsible with my money and have enough foresight to anticipate potential future problems. There is no one that will bail me out if I effect bad decision after bad decision for years. As a matter of fact, I have watched both my parents deal with the problems created from serial bad-decision making. With benefit from relatives and friends and repeated visits to bankruptcy court, they are no closer to being financially comfortable than in the past. Regardless, in order to survive and thrive, we all need to be financially responsible and adapt to changing markets, job outlooks, and changing needs. The American automotive industry has failed to execute this most basic responsibility. Technology is amazing and has come so far, yet the big 3 have failed to keep up with this technology and give consumers the vehicles they want to capture.

GM claims to have more hybrids and vehicles that get over 30mpg than any other car company. These statistics may be suitable, however, the amount of cars GM has on the market far exceeds that of any other company. In addition, I can’t believe that people will buy the claim that gasoline consumption of 30mpg or more is an accomplishment. For one, check out this article from Mother Earth magazine in 1979 about a car that achieved 75mpg. IN 1979! Furthermore, there was the legendary EV1 produced by GM in the 1990′s that, of course, required no gasoline at all. There is even more information on the history and evolution of electric cars on this page. Here’s the clincher, though. Without taking into account the alternative engines and power sources for vehicles, we were still achieving 30+mpg 15-20 years ago. When I graduated high school, I bought a car that consumed 35mpg and wondered how awesome consumption would be in 10 years, 15 years, etc. Well, it’s been 12 years and we haven’t approach far.

Apt now in the mainstream auto industry, there are only a handful of cars that have achieved anything of note in the consumption department. There is the Toyota Prius, available all over the country, and with an mpg rating of about 48. As a Prius owner, I can say that we have consistently achieved about 50mpg with regular use. There is also the Honda FCX Clarity, a hydrogen fuel-cell vehicle available only in California right now. The previously-available Honda Insight (and set to come back for the 2010 model year, according to Honda’s website) had a spectacular consumption rating of 70mpg. Also notable is the Smart car, with gas mileage of up to 41mpg (and an incredibly cute design), and the Toyota Yaris, with gas mileage of up to 40mpg. Both the Yaris and the Smart car have affordable sticker prices, high gas mileage, and nice feature availability.

The other hybrid models on the market are feel-good cars. They improve gas mileage nominally, making the wealthy feel like they are doing something for the environment and saving money and fuel while still driving the car they want to drive. In fact, most of these vehicles have consumption ratings lower than my 2004 manual Kia Rio, that gets me about 34mpg.

So the cars that are really making a dent in consumption are foreign models (which probably have more American-made components than most “domestic” models – even Harley-Davidson uses a carburetor from Japan made by Keihin Fuel Systems). Obviously, Detroit dropped the ball here and is flailing in it’s attempt to catch up.

There are some companies that are changing the landscape of the auto manufacturing industry. An example of what can be done to achieve 0mpg, while maintaining a sports car look and performance, is the Tesla, with its price tag of over $100,000. This car is beautiful and serves those with lots of money who prefer the like cars. Another well-known company to watch is Aptera. This car is a two-seater on three wheels – basically an enclosed motorcycle. Its hybrid model gets 100mpg, while there is also an electric model that (obviously) uses no gasoline. There are also many new commuter car companies making small (1-2 seats) cars just meant for going short distances on a daily commute, like Commuter Cars Corporation, Motor Development International, and Zap (which stands for Zero Air Pollution).

Why does this all matter? This matters because, no matter what you bear, the oil supply on this planet is finite. The price of gasoline will skyrocket again and we will all be feeling the pain. By buying gasoline in the note, we are funding those we consider to be our enemies. The continued spend of gasoline will continue to pollute the environment and race global climate change.

The cutting edge technology is not coming out of Detroit, and it’s nobody’s fault but their own that they decided to stop being innovative. Our country should not be funding the antiquated businesses and technologies embodied by the traditional American auto industry. GM, Ford, and Chrysler all deserve to lose a whole lot of money, downsize like crazy (if not close) and restructure their entore business models, if they remain in business. If the government wants to invest in jobs for Americans, we need to be financing the new companies with new ideas about fuel and technology. Investing in these companies would keep America on the cutting edge of technology and provide plenty of recent manufacturing and sales jobs as the industry grows. The failure of Detroit to keep up with the changing market and changing world conditions does not constitute an emergency on the section of American taxpayers. Period. Let them take responsibility for their actions.

For those that dismiss the importance of roadside assistance, they should ask themselves if they know exactly what the state of their car is. No one can be one hundred percent sure that their vehicle will not break down. Things happen, tires go flat, cars overheat and there is nothing that can be done to prevent it. When this happens it is nice to know that you have someone who is going to respond immediately because you did purchase a roadside assistance plan.

Most people like to purchase roadside assistance especially when they do a lot of night driving. If you have car trouble at night, being stranded on the side of the road at night is not high on people's list of situations that they want to catch themselves in. For those people who have young drivers, it is nice to know that if something should happen that they are not stranded but that the problem will be taken care of immediately.

For those that live in areas with snow, a roadside assistance plan is great to have. When there is snow cars slid off the road and many times get stuck, in addition to the number of people who have a battery go uninteresting due to the intense frigid. When this happens, those with a roadside assistance plan can have a tow or a new battery delivered to them instead of having to wait in the snowy conditions for a friendly person to stop and help.

Roadside assistance is a twenty four hours, seven days a week program, which means that a person is always covered no matter what, even during Holidays.

The cost of the plan is usually covered in the first instance that a person needs roadside assistance. And these plans are offered by many insurance companies as well as independent roadside assistance companies. Those who have newer vehicles may have automatic assistance which is an added perk. It is determined that roadside assistance is a great option to have for any driver to give them the peace of mind that helps them rest better at night.

Source:

“Roadside Assistance: Who Ya Gonna Call? “ Edmunds.com

Lori Todd, “The Basics of Roadside Assistance Programs” Autonation

When shopping for auto insurance, be sure to compare apples to apples. Decide on the coverage amounts and options you’d like to have, and compare those same options and amounts with the various companies to get an good comparison. When deciding on coverage amounts, you may want to speak to an insurance agent who you can trust to tell you what you need, and also what you don’t need in an insurance policy. The amount of liability insurance you need is related to your income and assets, so there is no such thing as one size fits all insurance coverage. It’s important to find out what your needs are so that your insurance policy protects your assets in the event of a liability claim being filed.

Also check the company’s claims process. Get out if they have a 24 hour claims department. Find out if they have a local claims office. If not, repairs will take longer in the event of an accident. Avoid insurance brokers, because they add on a hefty broker fee of anywhere from $75-$200 to your policy. Look for companies that provide a local agent or representative who will personally handle your claim. Check to ogle if the insurance company will allow repairs to be made at the facility of your choice, or if you will be forced to choose from their approved list of repair centers. Determine if you need to add towing or roadside assistance to your insurance policy, and also if you would need a rental car in the event of a claim. Some companies include these services in the price of the policy, and others charge an extra fee. Be sure that you know what the charges are before selecting a policy.

When it comes to paying your bill, some companies offer a discount for paying the whole term upfront. Some companies may offer discounts for being a good driver, having more than one car, or having another policy such as a homeowner’s policy with the same company. Be sure to find out about all the discounts available to you and which ones you may qualify for to ensure you are getting the best ticket possible. Discounts may also apply if you are employed by clear companies or have a profession such as a teacher, nurse, or law enforcement officer, so be positive to check with your insurance company for a complete list of discounts.

Once you have gathered quotes from several companies, purchase some time to compare your results. Carefully review the coverage, charges, claims procedures, company ratings, etc. After you have reviewed all of the information, you can create an educated choice and pick a company that will save you money and also be trustworthy.

Determining your coverage isn’t as hard as it seems. Auto insurance policies are broken down into 2 sections. These are your liability and what most people refer to as full coverage. That seems simple enough, however, these two sections are broken down further into specific coverages. On top of that each state’s requirements are different so there may be more coverage needed depending on what state you live in. Regardless of where you live though, you should at very least understand the basic coverages that don’t vary from state to state.

Your liability coverage is what is required by most states. The only exception here is New Hampshire. The term liability means anything you are personally liable for. This means that your liability portion of your insurance is what pays for the “other” person. This portion of your insurance pays for medical bills and property damage that is caused by you.

The liability portion of your insurance breaks down into numerous areas. Once you understand the insurance terminology this is fairly simple to understand. The first coverage is usually called bodily injury coverage. This is what pays for the medical bills if someone is injured in an accident caused by you. Bodily injury coverage usually has a per person limit and a per accident limit. The per person limit is the highest amount your insurance company will pay out for medical bills on any one person. The per accident amount is what your insurance company will pay out on any one accident. For example if you have bodily injury coverage amounts of 100/300 this means you have a $100,000 maximum for any 1 persons medical bills, per at fault accident and a $300,000 maximum for medical bills, per at fault accident. Using those coverage amounts is you are at fault in a car accident and there was only 1 person in the other car, the maximum pay out for their medical bills would be $100,000. However, if you were in an at fault accident with the same coverage and more than 1 person was injured in the other car, your policy would either pay a maximum medical bill of $100,000 for each person OR $300,000.

The next portion of your liability coverage is called property damage. This coverage is fairly straight forward. It covers any damage caused by you to another person’s property. The limits for this coverage are area at per incident maximum. For example if you have $50,000 property damage coverage that is the maximum your insurance policy will pay out for any 1 accident. If you are responsible for a multi car accident, the $50,000 would be split between all of the cars you damaged.

The only portion of your liability that is optional is your uninsured motorist coverage. This coverage is also broken down into bodily injury and property pain as described above. The difference is that this is what covers you if someone who is uninsured hits you. The bodily injury portion pays for the medical bills for you and anyone in your vehicle and the property damage pays to fix your vehicle.

While those are the basics of liability coverage, some state laws require additional coverage. If you reside in one of these states you may want to review the additional coverage with your auto insurance agent to insure you are properly covered.

The next part of your insurance is the physical damage coverage. This coverage is what most people call “full coverage.” It is broken down into 2 main coverages, these are collision and comprehensive. This sounds more complicated than it actually is. Basically your collision coverage is what pays to repair your vehicle is you are at fault in an accident. Your comprehensive coverage pays for pretty much everything else. Basically comprehensive pays for things that aren’t controlled by you, such as; fire, theft, vandalism, and any losses cause by natural disasters.

These two coverages also normally carry a deductible. The deductible is your out of pocket expense if you have a claim. For example if you have a $500 deductible and you have to file a claim, you are responsible for the first $500 and your insurance company will pay the rest. The higher deductible you have the lower your monthly payments are. However, you want to invent sure you have a deductible that you can afford in case you have a loss.

The last thing people don’t realize about their auto insurance is that coverages like paying for a rental car if you have a loss are optional. You may want to check your insurance policy to manufacture sure your company will pay for a rental vehicle if you have a loss. Some states also offer an optional coverage called “full glass coverage.” This is a good coverage to have if you have comprehensive coverage on your car. It covers your deductible if you have a glass loss. If a rock hits your windshield and cracks it, normally the deductible is higher than the cost of the repair. Although, if you have this optional coverage, your insurance company covers the entire cost of the repair.

Insurance coverage is complex and can be very difficult to understand, but taking the time to understand it can keep you a lot of trouble in what could be one of the worst times of your life. Reading your policy and making sure that you are covered properly can also save you hundreds of dollars each year.

One cannot assume that this electronics, vehicular construction, and specialized tool knowledge somehow appears via osmosis, or perhaps objective from the internet. While an internet walk through may score you the basics of the job at hand, it does not contextualize the process with prior knowledge of many other installations on a particular type of vehicle, and all the little things that can go wrong with it. The electronic design of any car less than 10 year old has become so complex that there are certifications that pay tens of thousands of dollars a year to those professionals that have taken the time to train under that make of vehicle. Let them do their jobs! They are trained by the manufacturer themselves to install the equipment seamlessly, without voiding your warranty, and they are bonded in their work, so if something DOES happen, it can be addressed at no financial risk to you, the owner. I worked on computer systems in the Army, and am a ‘do-it-yourself’ kind of guy, but I don’t consider myself qualified to work on a Patriot Missile system, no matter what I’ve disassembled in the past.

Installing specialized electronics in today’s cars requires a specific knowledge of the vehicle and equipment in ask, and while I agree that any “bargain box/Electronic Store” employee should not do it, I have to question why a do it yourselfer thinks that they will be able to fare any better. At least the box store employee has some access to manuals and specialized tools, and the store is bonded. If you attempt to do it on your own you run the risk of voiding your warranty at best, and at worst creating an unseen problem in the electronics systems of your vehicle that could cause malfunction, injury, or possibly death. If the installation requires more than sticky tape or a few wires in an existing harness than it would be best to leave it to the experts.

There are also many federal incentives. These include;

Federal Plug-in Hybrid Tax Credit: The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 modifies the credit for grand plug-in electric drive vehicles purchased between 12/31/2009 and 12/31/2011. The minimum amount of the credit for qualified plug-in electric drive vehicles is $2,500 and the credit tops out at $7,500, depending on the battery capacity. To qualify, vehicles must be newly purchased, have four or more wheels, have a gross vehicle weight rating of less than 14,000 lbs, and draw propulsion using a battery with at least four kilowatt hours that can be recharged from an external source of electricity. The chubby amount of the credit will be reduced with respect to a manufacturer's vehicles after the manufacturer has sold at least 200,000 vehicles. The credit will then phase out over a year.

Federal Plug-in Hybrid Conversion Tax Credit: The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 provides a tax credit for plug-in electric drive conversion kits. The credit is equal to 10% of the cost of converting a vehicle to a qualified plug-in electric drive motor vehicle and placed in service after Feb. 17, 2009. The maximum amount of the credit is $4,000. The credit does not apply to conversions made after Dec. 31, 2011. A taxpayer may claim this credit even if the taxpayer claimed a hybrid vehicle credit for the same vehicle in an earlier year. See the IRS website for more information on Alternative Motor Vehicle Credits.

Federal Hybrid HOV Waiver: On 03/10/06 the House of Representatives celebrated a $284 billion highway bill (H.R. 3) that included a waiver for states to be allowed to open the HOV lanes to hybrid cars rated at least 45 miles per gallon. Senator Jim Talent's (R-MO) successfully introduced an amendment to the Senate highway bill that would give states the discretion to begin up their HOV lanes to hybrid vehicles that achieve at least a 50 percent increase in fuel efficiency in the city and a 25 percent increase in fuel efficiency in combined city-highway miles over the non-hybrid model, regardless of the number of passengers and as long as it meets any Tier 2 federal emissions standard. This allowed vehicles such as the Ford Escape Hybrid to qualify. President Bush signed H.R. 3 into law the week of 08/08/06. The EPA provided guidance on this law on 05/17/07, noting that hybrid vehicles that achieve at least a 50 percent increase in fuel efficiency in the city and a 25 percent increase in fuel efficiency in combined city-highway miles over the non-hybrid model, and met federal Tier 2, Bin 5 emissions standards would qualify for the exemption, but states can opt to toughen EPA's criteria, though may not reduce them. Details of the EPA guidance can be found here.

Federal Tax Credits for Advanced Vehicles: On 08/08/05, President Bush signed the comprehensive energy bill into law. Included were recent tax credits for advanced vehicle technologies ranging from $250 to $3,400 depending on the vehicle's level of fuel economy improvement. For a limited time, quality hybrids like the Honda Civic Hybrid, Toyota Prius or Ford Escape Hybrid safe for tax credits in the range of $1,700-$3,150. The tax credits were available from January 1, 2006 through December 31, 2010, though they expired earlier for the most popular hybrids. The paunchy tax credits are available until a manufacturer reaches 60,000 vehicles sold (60,000 for Toyota, 60,000 for Ford, etc.). Once a manufacturer has sold 60,000 vehicles, a one-year “phase out” will open after the next complete calendar quarter; 50 percent of the credit will be available for that manufacturer's hybrids in the first two quarters of the phaseout period and 25 percent in the final two quarters.

Update: Toyota, Honda, and Ford have met the 60,000 sales threshold. Federal tax credits are no longer available on hybrid vehicles from these automakers. An IRS list of the currently available tax credits for the 2010 and 2011 models of BMW, Cadillac, Chevrolet, GMC, Mercedes, Mercury, and Nissan hybrids can be found here. Not yet listed on the IRS website is the tax credit for the 2011 Hyundai Sonata Hybrid that will go on sale in mid-December. It will qualify for a $1,300 federal tax credit, however the credit expires on 12/31/10.

Hybrid HOV (bill): HB1634 would extend the period for which states may allow indecent emission and energy efficient vehicles to use high occupancy vehicle facilities from 09/30/09 to 07/01/12. The bill was introduced 03/19/09 and was referred to the Subcommittee on Highways and Transit 03/20/09.

Auto Insurance Option for “Hybrid Upgrade”: Fireman's Fund Insurance company is offering a “hybrid upgrade” as part of their Prestige Auto Premier policy. The upgrade allows owners to upgrade to a hybrid model during the first three model-years in the event of a total loss. This policy is only available in Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Illinois, Maryland and Texas. For more information, visit their web site.

Insurance discount for hybrids (private): Hartford-based Travelers personal lines is offering nationwide a 10 percent discount on auto insurance to customers driving hybrid-electric models. The discount of up to 10 percent applies only to certain coverage's and may not be available in all states. The discount is currently available in Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, District of Columbia, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Novel Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, and Wisconsin.

Insurance discount for hybrids (private): Los Angeles-based Farmers Insurance Group of Companies is offering a 10 percent discount on auto insurance to customers who own a hybrid-electric or alternative fuel vehicle. The discount of up to 10 percent applies to all major coverage's and is currently available in Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Nevada, New York, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming. All new business customers receive the discount as of the new business date, and existing customers receive the discount upon renewal.

Hotel Discounts for Hybrid Drivers (private): A number of hotels are offering discounted or free parking and special room rates to customers who own or rent a hybrid. Guests driving hybrid cars park free at the 60 Renaissance Hotels & Resorts properties across the U.S. Kimpton Hotels offers special promotions for hybrid drivers—up to $20 off rooms, half-price parking, or both—at its properties in Boston, Washington, D.C., Portland and other cities. Additional hotels in California, including the Fairmont hotel chain, the Argent Hotel in San Francisco and the Little River Inn near Mendocino provide similar perks.

Electric Drive Vehicle Deployment Act, Electric Vehicle Deployment Act, Promoting Electric Vehicles Act (bill): H.R. 5442/S. 3442/S. 3511 would increase incentives for purchasers of electric drive vehicles. It would continue to give purchasers of electric vehicles the tax credit of up to $7,500 as well as up to an additional $2,500 to offset the cost of the vehicle, home charging equipment, parking, or other fees. These bills were referred to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure and the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources 05/27/10 and 06/18/10.

Tax Credit for Alternative Motor Vehicles (bill): H.R. 4990 would amend the Internal Revenue Code to extend the [alternative motor vehicle] tax credit for hybrids and diesels through 12/31/12 and increase the maximum potential amount of such credit to $4,000, up from $3,400 and an expiration at the waste of 2010. It would also increase the number of vehicles qualified to receive the credit to 75,000. In addition, it would limit the tax credit to taxpayers whose individual adjusted gross income does not exceed $100,000 ($200,000 for a joint return). Introduced 03/25/10 and referred to Committee on Ways and Means.

Domestic hybrid extended tax credit (bill): Congressman Rahm Emanuel (D-IL) has introduced H.R. 4458, the 'American Hybrid Tax Credit Act of 2005.' The bill would give an additional $3,000 tax credit over and above the currently enacted federal tax credits for “a recent qualified hybrid motor vehicle which is assembled in the United States.” The total tax credit would be capped at $6,000. This would currently apply to the Ford Escape Hybrid and Mercury Mariner. Models expected to be released in 2006 that would qualify for this extended credit would be the Toyota Camry Hybrid (built in Kentucky) and the Nissan Altima Hybrid (built in Tennessee). Referred to the Ways and Means Committee 12/7/05. This bill was not voted on in the 109th Congress, and was not enacted.

Lifting the 60,000 cap on the hybrid tax credit (bill): Senators Evan Bayh (D-IN), Joe Lieberman (D-CT), and Sam Brownback (R-KS) introduced a broad bill (S. 2025) that would remove the cap on hybrid tax credits as part of a package to cleave domestic oil usage. Representative Jack Kingston (R-SC) and Elliot Engle (D-NY) introduced a similar bill (H.R. 4409) in the House. Representative Chris Shays (R-CT) introduced a broad ranging energy bill (H.R. 4384) that in addition to several incentives for renewable energy and energy efficiency across all energy sectors would remove the cap on hybrid tax credits. This bill was not voted on in the 109th Congress, and was not enacted.

Federal Tax Deduction (expired): H.R. 1308 Sec. 319 Working Families Tax Relief Act of 2004
There was a one-time tax-deduction for clean vehicles from 2003-2006.
2004-2005–$2000.00 deduction
Eligibility for this deduction expired on 01/01/06, and was replaced by the federal tax credit for advanced vehicles. Vehicles purchased in 2005 are still eligible for this deduction on 2005 tax forms. Claim information can be found here.

Reference:
http://go.ucsusa.org/hybridcenter/incentives.cfm#top

Associated Utter Article Inspiration Inside the Home

1 – Favorite Book – Take your favorite novel or book off the shelf. Read the cover again. Some idea may jump out at you. You could write an AC article about the author or do a book review.

2 – Photo Album – A photo album holds memories of special people and places. You could write an AC article about places you’ve visited or events captured in the photos.

3 – Cookbook – Browse through a cookbook and see if anything reminds you of one of your own recipes. You could do a cookbook review or you could write an AC article about the benefits of eating distinct foods.

4 – Indulgences – Sort through your collection of perfumes, candles, and bath indulgences. Do a product review or an AC article about using specific luxury items.

5 – Household Chores – As you do those ordinary household chores, consider writing an AC article about cleaning tips, energy saving tips, or modern household products.

6 – Family Events – When the family gathers for an event, why not interview an elder member about his or her life? You could write an AC article about particular family functions or about the family social unit.

7 – Holiday Celebrations – Let decorations inspire you. Write a how-to AC article on making a clear decoration, or write about gift or party ideas for specific holidays.

8 – Outdoor Chores – Mow the lawn, spread fertilizer, dig up garden space, hang the birdfeeder–any one of these outdoor chores could inspire an AC article.

9 – Purse or wallet – Look in your purse or wallet. Every scrap of paper, candy wrapper, or business card has some form of AC article inspiration written all over it.

10 – Catalog – Before you throw out that stack of catalogs, flip through them and look at products. You could do a product review or you could write an AC article about manufacturing or recycling a particular product.

11 – News – Whether it’s on the Internet or television, fresh stories are hot topics. You could write a human interest article about people affected by a natural disaster or a traumatic event. You could write an AC article about something related to a news story–something the story left out.

12 – Magazine – Have you noticed all the ads in magazines? You could analyze advertisements, the use of advertisements, persuasive techniques outmoded to get you to buy, or you could write an AC article about marital bliss or lack thereof.

13 – Mail – You get e-mail and mail delivery. Let your mail and junk mail inspire you. You could write about e-mail viruses, mail theft, identity theft, loss of natural resources–there are so many ways to be inspired by mail.

14 – Radio – Turn your radio setting to a talk show, and let the talk demonstrate topics inspire a persuasive AC article.

15 – Television or DVD – Sitcoms, public broadcasting, infomercials, famous actors or directors, favorite movies, reality TV–there’s a wealth of inspiration to be found on your television.

16 – Neighborly Chat – Lean over the fence and chat with the neighbor. It might inspire you to write an AC article about acts of kindness, interpersonal conflict, barking dogs, parenting issues, or neighborhood crime.

17 – Home Delivery – Many business have home delivery. You could focus you next AC Article on a particular delivery service, or you could focus on the job itself.

Associated Content Article Inspiration Outside the Home

18 – Restaurant – A fast-food or sit-down restaurant offers lots of article possibilities. You could write an AC article about quality control, age of employees, food service, or menu selections.

19 – Public School – Teachers, students, educational practices, bussing, playgrounds, lunch programs–a public school provide lots of AC article inspiration.

20 – Nursing Home – Older and disabled people have many concerns. You could write and AC article about specific disabilities, health concerns, aging, or patient rights.

21 – Hospital – In hospitals you score a many inspirational topics for AC articles, from nursing to patient care. You also gather volunteers, gift shops, surgery, therapy, covered parking, trauma, and natal care.

22 – Sports Events – A baseball game, basketball game, football game–major and minor sports events can offer up lots of AC article ideas. You could focus on the game itself or on players, umpires, or fans.

23 – Home Improvement Center – Home decoration, major appliances, plumbing, electrical, outdoor furniture and grills, indoor lighting–do you examine the possibilities for an AC article?

24 – Car Dealership – Car sales, fresh cars, blue book, mileage, trade-ins, registration, taxes, leasing, and automotive parts could inspire an AC article in a car dealership.

25 – Gym – Think of the article possibilities. You could write about personal training, exhaust equipment, weight management, or a whole host of health-related issues.

26 – Health Food Store – Diets, vitamins, minerals, health food, natural cures, home remedies–these are several of the topics that come to mind when you visit a health food store.

27 – College Campus – On a college campus you find people from all over the word and many walks of life. A campus library, bookstore, course catalog, career center, and testing services could also inspire an AC article.

28 – Farm – Life on a farm inspires writing. You could write an AC article about farmyard animals, ranching, machinery, crops, cost of production, supply and seek information from, or childhood memories of life lived in a rural setting.

29 – Office Supply Store – An office supply store could remind you of vaults and business safes, clerical work, waiting in line, typos, and miscommunication.

30 – Furniture Store – Unique furniture styles, classic designs, art history, manufacturing processes, different woods, plastics, and fabric–these topics are AC article material.

31 – Automotive Shop – Car repair, accidents, accident prevention, driving tips, detailing, automotive parts–so many AC article ideas could come to mind in an automotive shop.

32 – Doctor’s Office – The long wait, medical costs, insurance concerns, privacy issues, malpractice, health conditions–any one of these issues lends itself to an AC article.

33 – Construction Site – On a construction spot, you could be reminded of housing prices, promenade, natural resources, blue-collar workers, unions, the economy, safety, and a whole host of other possible AC article ideas.

34 – Courthouse – The jail, courtrooms, judicial system, police, criminal justice system, moral system, contracts, and fraud are some of the things that could come to mind at a courthouse.

35 – City Park – Walking the dog, playground equipment, feeding the ducks, fireworks, community events–these things happen in the city park.

36 – Supermarket – Go up and down the aisles of any grocery store and you peer trucked-in items, high grocery prices, food additives, organic claims, and a paper or plastic choice at the check out.

37 – Church Sermon – Sunday’s sermon is loaded with possibilities for an AC article. You could do a deeper study on a Bible verse, a church-related article, or a church history article.

38 – Airport – Sit in an airport and peer people walk by. Observe the planes taking off and landing. Watch people collect their luggage or summon a taxi. Transportation and travel AC article ideas could easily come to mind.

39 – City Bus – Read the writing on the outside of the bus. Retract a ride on a city bus. Observe people and note bus stops. Consider transportation costs and savings. You could write an AC article about recession-related issues that are obvious on a city bus.

40 – Country Attractive – Cooking tips, sewing tips, livestock tips, carnivals, and rodeos–there are so many angles for an AC article at a county fair.

41 – Veterinary Clinic – When you visit the vet, you’re advantageous to see dog and cat interaction, pet food, and pet meds. A vet clinic is one spot that could inspires AC articles about domestic animals concerns.

42 – Zoo – For more exotic animal inspiration, you might want to visit a zoo. You could focus on a particular species or you could write an AC article about zoo visitors, maintenance, or public relations.

43 – Nursery – People are eager in plants and gardening. A nursery could inspire an AC article about assorted flowers, vegetable starts, fruit trees, fish ponds, or lawn decorations.

44 – Daycare – Childhood, parenting, arts-and-crafts, educational supplies, child protective services–these are unbiased a few of the AC article topics that could reach to mind in a daycare center.

45 – Movie Theater – Movie reviews, notorious people, games and arcades, dating, and movie rating are subjects that make for a mountainous AC article.

46 – Reunion – A class reunion or family reunion could bring together long lost friends and relatives. It could also inspire you to write an AC article about old times, exact friends, in-laws, aging, careers, or retirement.

47 – Work – Don’t rule out where you work. You could write an AC article about subjects you hear in the break room, or you could screen employee relationships, hiring practices, job hunting, layoffs, downsizing, or management.

48 – Parking – Cost of parking, parking lots, shopping carts, tickets, traffic, lack of parking, and handicapped parking are issues that could inspire an AC article.

49 – Beach – If you live near the beach, take a gradual walk and pick up shells. Let the water remind you of natural resources, shipping, busy lifestyles, fishing, or water sports. You could net considerable AC article inspiration at the beach.

50 – Camping – Pitch a tent, take a hike, hook a fish, or accomplish a campfire; the camping experience could be just what it takes to unlock your writer’s block.

Find inspiration for your next Associated Content article at any one of these 50 places. What are you waiting for? Go get inspired!