#Or how about the fact that old age pensions are below living wage | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

nehigrape · 3 years

Text

Roaches

The Roaches by Thomas M. Disch

Miss Marcia Kenwell had a perfect horror of cockroaches. It was an altogether different horror than the one which she felt, for instance, toward the color puce. Marcia Kenwell loathed the little things. She couldn't see one without wanting to scream. Her revulsion was so extreme that she could not bear to crush them under the soles of her shoes. No, that would be too awful. She would run, instead, for the spray can of Black Flag and inundate the little beast with poison until it ceased to move or got out of reach into one of the cracks where they all seemed to live. It was horrible, unspeakably horrible, to think of them nestling in the walls, under the linoleum, only waiting for the lights to be turned off, and then ... No, it was best not to think about it.

Every week she looked through the Times hoping to find another apartment, but either the rents were prohibitive (this was Manhattan, and Marcia's wage was a mere $62.50 a week, gross) or the building was obviously infested. She could always tell: there would be husks of dead roaches scattered about in the dust beneath the sink, stuck to the greasy backside of the stove, lining the out-of-reach cupboard shelves like the rice on the church steps after a wedding. She left such rooms in a passion of disgust, unable even to think till she reached her own apartment, where the air would be thick with the wholesome odors of Black Flag, Roach-It, and the toxic pastes that were spread on slices of potato and hidden in a hundred cracks which only she and the roaches knew about.

At least, she thought, I keep my apartment clean. And truly, the linoleum under the sink, the backside and underside of the stove, and the white contact paper lining her cupboards were immaculate. She could not understand how other people could let these matters get so entirely out-of-hand. They must be Puerto Ricans, she decided--and shivered again with horror, remembering that litter of empty husks, the filth and the disease.

Such extreme antipathy toward insects--toward one particular insect may seem excessive, but Marcia Kenwell was not really exceptional in this. There are many women, bachelor women like Marcia chiefly, who share this feeling though one may hope, for sweet charity's sake, that they escape Marcia's peculiar fate.

Marcia's phobia was, as in most such cases, hereditary in origin. That is to say, she inherited it from her mother, who had a morbid fear of anything that crawled or skittered or lived in tiny holes. Mice, frogs, snakes, worms, bugs--all could send Mrs. Kenwell into hysterics, and it would indeed have been a wonder, if little Marcia had not taken after her. It was rather strange, though, that her fear had become so particular, and stranger still that it should particularly be cockroaches that captured her fancy, for Marcia had never seen a single cockroach, didn't know what they were. (The Kenwells were a Minnesota family, and Minnesota families simply don't have cockroaches.) In fact, the subject did not arise until Marcia was nineteen and setting out (armed with nothing but a high school diploma and pluck, for she was not, you see, a very attractive girl) to conquer New York.

On the day of her departure, her favorite and only surviving aunt came with her to the Greyhound Terminal (her parents being deceased) and gave her this parting advice: "Watch out for the roaches, Marcia darling. New York City is full of cockroaches." At that time (at almost any time really) Marcia hardly paid attention to her aunt, who had opposed the trip from the start and given a hundred or more reasons why Marcia had better not go, not till she was older at least.

Her aunt had been proven right on all counts: Marcia after five years and fifteen employment agency fees could find nothing in New York but dull jobs at mediocre wages; she had no more friends than when she lived on West 16th; and, except for its view (the Chock Full O'Nuts warehouse and a patch of sky), her present apartment on lower Thompson Street was not a great improvement on its predecessor.

The city was full of promises, but they had all been pledged to other people. The city Marcia knew was sinful, indifferent, dirty, and dangerous. Every day she read accounts of women attacked in subway stations, raped in the streets, knifed in their own beds. A hundred people looked on curiously all the while and offered no assistance. And on top of everything else there were the roaches!

There were roaches everywhere, but Marcia didn't see them until she'd been in New York a month. They came to her--or she to them--at Silversmith's on Nassau Street, a stationery shop where she had been working for three days. It was the first job she'd been able to find. Alone or helped by a pimply stockboy (in all fairness it must be noted that Marcia was not without an acne problem of her own), she wandered down rows of rasp-edged metal shelves in the musty basement, making an inventory of the sheaves and piles and boxes of bond paper, leatherette-bound diaries, pins and clips, and carbon paper. The basement was dirty and so dim that she needed a flashlight for the lowest shelves. In the obscurest corner, a faucet leaked perpetually into a gray sink: she had been resting near this sink, sipping a cup of tepid coffee (saturated, in the New York manner, with sugar and drowned in milk), thinking, probably, of how she could afford several things she simply couldn't afford, when she noticed the dark spots moving on the side of the sink. At first she thought they might be no more than motes floating in the jelly of her eyes, or the giddy dots that one sees after over-exertion on a hot day. But they persisted too long to be illusory, and Marcia drew nearer, feeling compelled to bear witness. How do I know they are insects? she thought.

How are we to explain the fact that what repels us most can be at times--at the same time--inordinately attractive? Why is the cobra poised to strike so beautiful? The fascination of the abomination is something that ... Something which we would rather not account for. The subject borders on the obscene, and there is no need to deal with it here, except to note the breathless wonder with which Marcia observed these first roaches of hers. Her chair was drawn so close to the sink that she could see the mottling of their oval, unsegmented bodies, the quick scuttering of their thin legs, and the quicker flutter of their antennae. They moved randomly, proceeding nowhere, centered nowhere. They seemed greatly disturbed over nothing. Perhaps, Marcia thought, my presence has a morbid effect on them?

Only then did she become aware, aware fully, that these were the cockroaches of which she had been warned. Repulsion took hold; her flesh curdled on her bones. She screamed and fell back in her chair, almost upsetting a shelf of oddlots. Simultaneously the roaches disappeared over the edge of the sink and into the drain.

Mr. Silversmith, coming downstairs to inquire the source of Marcia's alarm, found her supine and unconscious. He sprinkled her face with tapwater, and she awoke with a shudder of nausea. She refused to explain why she had screamed and insisted that she must leave Mr. Silversmith's employ immediately. He, supposing that the pimply stockboy (who was his son) had made a pass at Marcia, paid her for the three days she had worked and let her go without regrets. From that moment on, cockroaches were to be a regular feature of Marcia's existence.

On Thompson Street Marcia was able to reach a sort of stalemate with the cockroaches. She settled into a comfortable routine of pastes and powders, scrubbing and waxing, prevention (she never had even a cup of coffee without washing and drying cup and coffeepot immediately afterward) and ruthless extermination. The only roaches who trespassed upon her two cozy rooms came up from the apartment below, and they did not stay long, you may be sure. Marcia would have complained to the landlady, except that it was the landlady's apartment and her roaches. She had been inside, for a glass of wine on Christmas Eve, and she had to admit that it wasn't exceptionally dirty. It was, in fact, more than commonly clean-but that was not enough in New York. If everyone, Marcia thought, took as much care as I, there would soon be no cockroaches in New York City.

Then (it was March and Marcia was halfway through her sixth year in the city) the Shchapalovs moved in next door. There were three of them--two men and a woman--and they were old, though exactly how old it was hard to say: they had been aged by more than time. Perhaps they weren't more than forty. The woman, for instance, though she still had brown hair, had a face wrinkly as a prune and was missing several teeth. She would stop Marcia in the hallway or on the street, grabbing hold of her coatsleeve, and talk to her--always a simple lament about the weather, which was too hot or too cold or too wet or too dry. Marcia never knew half of what the old woman was saying, she mumbled so. Then she'd totter off to the grocery with her bagful of empties.

The Shchapalovs, you see, drank. Marcia, who had a rather exaggerated idea of the cost of alcohol (the cheapest thing she could imagine was vodka), wondered where they got the money for all the drinking they did. She knew they didn't work, for on days when Marcia was home with the flu she could hear the three Shchapalovs through the thin wall between their kitchen and hers screaming at each other to exercise their adrenal glands. They're on welfare, Marcia decided. Or perhaps the man with only one eye was a veteran on pension.

She didn't so much mind the noise of their arguments (she was seldom home in the afternoon), but she couldn't stand their singing. Early in the evening they'd start in, singing along with the radio stations. Everything they listened to sounded like Guy Lombardo. Later, about eight o'clock they sang a cappella. Strange, soulless noises rose and fell like Civil Defense sirens; there were bellowings, bayings, and cries. Marcia had heard something like it once on a Folkways record of Czechoslovakian wedding chants. She was quite beside herself whenever the awful noise started up and had to leave the house till they were done. A complaint would do no good: the Shchapalovs had a right to sing at that hour.

Besides, one of the men was said to be related by marriage to the landlady. That's how they got the apartment, which had been used as a storage space until they'd moved in. Marcia couldn't understand how the three of them could fit into such a little space--just a room-and-a-half with a narrow window opening onto the air shaft. (Marcia had discovered that she could see their entire living space through a hole that had been broken through the wall when the plumbers had installed a sink for the Shchapalovs.)

But if their singing distressed her, what was she to do about the roaches? The Shchapalov woman, who was the sister of one man and married to the other--or else the men were brothers and she was the wife of one of them (sometimes, it seemed to Marcia, from the words that came through the walls, that she was married to neither of them--or to both), was a bad housekeeper, and the Shchapalov apartment was soon swarming with roaches. Since Marcia's sink and the Shchapalovs' were fed by the same pipes and emptied into a common drain, a steady overflow of roaches was disgorged into Marcia's immaculate kitchen. She could spray and lay out more poisoned potatoes; she could scrub and dust and stuff Kleenex tissues into holes where the pipes passed through the wall: it was all to no avail. The Shchapalov roaches could always lay another million eggs in the garbage bags rotting beneath the Shchapalov sink. In a few days they would be swarming through the pipes and cracks and into Marcia's cupboards. She would lay in bed and watch them (this was possible because Marcia kept a nightlight burning in each room) advancing across the floor and up the walls, trailing the Shchapalovs' filth and disease everywhere they went.

One such evening the roaches were especially bad, and Marcia was trying to muster the resolution to get out of her warm bed and attack them with Roach-It. She had left the windows open from the conviction that cockroaches do not like the cold, but she found that she liked it much less. When she swallowed, it hurt, and she knew she was coming down with a cold. And all because of them!

"Oh go away!" she begged. "Go away! Go away! Get out of my apartment. "

She addressed the roaches with the same desperate intensity with which she sometimes (though not often in recent years) addressed prayers to the Almighty. Once she had prayed all night long to get rid of her acne, but in the morning it was worse than ever. People in intolerable circumstances will pray to anything. Truly, there are no atheists in foxholes: the men there pray to the bombs that they may land somewhere else.

The only strange thing in Marcia's case is that her prayers were answered. The cockroaches fled from her apartment as quickly as their little legs could carry them--and in straight lines, too. Had they heard her? Had they understood?

Marcia could still see one cockroach coming down from the cupboard. "Stop!" she commanded. And it stopped.

At Marcia's spoken command, the cockroach would march up and down, to the left and to the right. Suspecting that her phobia had matured into madness, Marcia left her warm bed, turned on the light, and cautiously approached the roach, which remained motionless, as she had bidden it. "Wiggle your antennas, " she commanded. The cockroach wiggled its antennae.

She wondered if they would all obey her and found, within the next few days, that they all would. They would do anything she told them to. They would eat poison out of her hand. Well, not exactly out of her hand, but it amounted to the same thing. They were devoted to her. Slavishly.

It is the end, she though, of my roach problem. But of course it was only the beginning.

Marcia did not question too closely the reason the roaches obeyed her. She had never much troubled herself with abstract problems. After expending so much time and attention on them, it seemed only natural that she should exercise a certain power over them. However, she was wise enough never to speak of this power to anyone else--even to Miss Bismuth at the insurance office. Miss Bismuth read the horoscope magazines and claimed to be able to communicate with her mother, aged sixty-eight, telepathically. Her mother lived in Ohio. But what would Marcia have said: that she could communicate telepathically with cockroaches? Impossible.

Nor did Marcia use her power for any other purpose than keeping the cockroaches out of her own apartment. Whenever she saw one, she simply commanded it to go to the Shchapalov apartment and stay there. It was surprising then that there were always more roaches coming back through the pipes. Marcia assumed that they were younger generations. Cockroaches are known to breed fast. But it was easy enough to send them to the Shchapalovs.

"Into their beds," she added as an afterthought. "Go into their beds." Disgusting as it was, the idea gave her a queer thrill of pleasure.

The next morning, the Shchapalov woman, smelling a little worse than usual (Whatever was it, Marcia wondered, that they drank?), was waiting at the open door of her apartment. She wanted to speak to Marcia before she left for work. Her housedress was mired from an attempt at scrubbing the floor, and while she sat there talking, she tried to wring out the scrubwater.

"No idea!" she exclaimed. "You ain't got no idea how bad! 'S terrible!"

"What?" Marcia asked, knowing perfectly well what.

"The boogs! Oh, the boogs are just everywhere. Don't you have 'em, sweetheart? I don't know what to do. I try to keep a decent house, God knows--" She lifted her rheumy eyes to heaven, testifying. "--but I don't know what to do." She leaned forward, confidingly. "You won't believe this, sweetheart, but last night . . ." A cockroach began to climb out of the limp strands of hair straggling down into the woman's eyes. ". . . they got into bed with us! Would you believe it? There must have been a hundred of 'em. I said to Osip, I said--What's wrong, sweetheart?"

Marcia, speechless with horror, pointed at the roach, which had almost reached the bridge of the woman's nose. "Yech!" the woman agreed, smashing it and wiping her dirtied thumb on her dirtied dress. "Goddam boogs! I hate 'em, I swear to God. But what's a person gonna do? Now, what I wanted to ask, sweetheart, is do you have a problem with the boogs? Being as how you're right next door, I thought--" She smiled a confidential smile, as though to say this is just between us ladies. Marcia almost expected a roach to skitter out between her gapped teeth.

"No," she said. "No, I use Black Flag." She backed away from the doorway toward the safety of the stairwell. "Black Flag," she said again, louder. "Black Flag," she shouted from the foot of the stairs. Her knees trembled so, that she had to hold onto the metal banister for support.

At the insurance office that day, Marcia couldn't keep her mind on her work five minutes at a time. (Her work in the Actuarial Dividends department consisted of adding up long rows of two-digit numbers on a Burroughs adding machine and checking the similar additions of her co-workers for errors.) She kept thinking of the cockroaches in the tangled hair of the Shchapalov woman, of her bed teeming with roaches, and of other, less concrete horrors on the periphery of consciousness. The numbers swam and swarmed before her eyes, and twice she had to go to the Ladies' Room, but each time it was a false alarm. Nevertheless, lunchtime found her with no appetite. Instead of going down to the employee cafeteria she went out into the fresh April air and strolled along 23rd Street. Despite the spring, it all seemed to bespeak a sordidness, a festering corruption. The stones of the Flatiron Building oozed damp blackness; the gutters were heaped with soft decay; the smell of burning grease hung in the air outside the cheap restaurants like cigarette smoke in a close room.

The afternoon was worse. Her fingers would not touch the correct numbers on the machine unless she looked at them. One silly phrase kept running through her head: "Something must be done. Something must be done." She had quite forgotten that she had sent the roaches into the Shchapalovs' bed in the first place.

That night, instead of going home immediately, she went to a double feature on 42nd Street. She couldn't afford the better movies. Susan Hayward's little boy almost drowned in quicksand. That was the only thing she remembered afterward.

She did something then that she had never done before. She had a drink in a bar. She had two drinks. Nobody bothered her; nobody even looked in her direction. She took a taxi to Thompson Street (the subways weren't safe at that hour) and arrived at her door by eleven o'clock. She didn't have anything left for a tip. The taxi driver said he understood.

There was a light on under the Shchapalovs' door, and they were singing. It was eleven o'clock. "Something must be done," Marcia whispered to herself earnestly. "Something must be done."

Without turning on her own light, without even taking off her new spring jacket from Ohrbach's, Marcia got down on her knees and crawled under the sink. She tore out the Kleenexes she had stuffed into the cracks around the pipes.

There they were, the three of them, the Shchapalovs, drinking, the woman plumped on the lap of the one-eyed man, and the other man, in a dirty undershirt, stamping his foot on the floor to accompany the loud discords of their song. Horrible. They were drinking of course, she might have known it, and now the woman pressed her roachy mouth against the mouth of the one-eyed man--kiss, kiss. Horrible, horrible. Marcia's hands knotted into her mouse-colored hair, and she thought: The filth, the disease! Why, they hadn't learned a thing from last night!

Some time later (Marcia had lost track of time) the overhead light in the Shchapalovs' apartment was turned off. Marcia waited till they made no more noise. "Now," Marcia said, "all of you.

"All of you in this building, all of you that can hear me, gather around the bed, but wait a little while yet. Patience. All of you . . ." The words of her command fell apart into little fragments, which she told like the beads of a rosary--little brown ovoid wooden beads. ". . . gather round ... wait a little while yet ... all of you ... patience ... gather round . . ." Her hand stroked the cold water pipes rhythmically, and it seemed that she could hear them--gathering, scuttering up through the walls, coming out of the cupboards, the garbage bags--a host, an army, and she was their absolute queen.

"Now!" she said. "Mount them! Cover them' Devour them!"

There was no doubt that she could hear them now. She heard them quite palpably. Their sound was like grass in the wind, like the first stirrings of gravel dumped from a truck. Then there was the Shchapalov woman's scream, and curses from the men, such terrible curses that Marcia could hardly bear to listen.

A light went on, and Marcia could see them, the roaches, everywhere. Every surface, the walls, the doors, the shabby sticks of furniture, was motley thick with Blattelae Germanicae. There was more than a single thickness.

The Shchapalov woman, standing up in her bed, screamed monotonously. Her pink rayon nightgown was speckled with brown-black dots. Her knobby fingers tried to brush bugs out of her hair, off her face. The man in the undershirt who a few minutes before had been stomping his feet to the music stomped now more urgently, one hand still holding onto the lightcord. Soon the floor was slimy with crushed roaches, and he slipped. The light went out. The woman's scream took on a rather choked quality, as though ...

But Marcia wouldn't think of that. "Enough," she whispered. "No more. Stop.”

She crawled away from the sink, across the room on to her bed, which tried, with a few tawdry cushions, to dissemble itself as a couch for the daytime. Her breathing came hard, and there was a curious constriction in her throat. She was sweating incontinently.

From the Shchapalovs' room came scuffling sounds, a door banged, running feet, and then a louder muffled noise, perhaps a body falling downstairs. The landlady's voice: "What the hell do you think you're--" Other voices overriding hers. Incoherences, and footsteps returning up the stairs. Once more, the landlady: "There ain't no boogs here, for heaven's sake. The boogs is in your heads. You've got the d.t.'s, that's what. And it wouldn't be any wonder, if there were boogs. The place is filthy. Look at that crap on the floor. Filth! I've stood just about enough from you. Tomorrow you move out, hear? This used to be a decent building."

The Shchapalovs did not protest their eviction. Indeed, they did not wait for the morrow to leave. They quitted their apartment with only a suitcase, a laundry bag, and an electric toaster. Marcia watched them go down the steps through her half-open door. It's done, she thought. It's all over.

With a sigh of almost sensual pleasure, she turned on the lamp beside the bed, then the other lamps. The room gleamed immaculately. Deciding to celebrate her victory, she went to the cupboard, where she kept a bottle of crime de menthe.

The cupboard was full of roaches.

She had not told them where to go, where not to go, when they left the Shchapalov apartment. It was her own fault.

The great silent mass of roaches regarded Marcia calmly, and it seemed to the distracted girl that she could read their thoughts, their thought rather, for they had but a single thought. She could read it as clearly as she could read the illuminated billboard for Chock Full O'Nuts outside her window. It was delicate music issuing from a thousand tiny pipes. It was an ancient music box open after centuries of silence: "We love you we love you we love you we love you."

Something strange happened inside Marcia then, something unprecedented: she responded.

"I love you too," she replied. "Oh, I love you. Come to me, all of you. Come to me. I love you. Come to me. I love you. Come to me."

From every comer of Manhattan, from the crumbling walls of Harlem, from restaurants on 56th Street, from warehouses along the river, from sewers and from orange peels moldering in garbage cans, the loving roaches came forth and began to crawl toward their mistress.

0 notes

generouslyteenagealpaca-blog · 6 years

Text

How much for a 17 year olds car insurance with a sports car?

"How much for a 17 year olds car insurance with a sports car?

Hi im 17 and im wondering about how much more would it cost if i went from a sedan to a sports car?

BEST ANSWER: Try this site where you can compare quotes: : http://saleinsurancequotes.xyz/index.html?src=tumblr

RELATED QUESTIONS:

Why do we expect employers to provide health insurance? Why not get your own?

The republicans want to repeal the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, what are they offering as an alternate given that half the population does not have health insurance.""

Cheap insurance?

my 20yo son has 6 points and no ncb its his 1st car can anyone tell me a insurance company who not charge him a fortune please...........

My car insurance increased $ 500 because my sister doesn't have a car.. Is this legal?

I have been a driver for over 5 years and I have no points in my license. I was paying $1800 a year full coverage and yesterday I received a letter saying that my insurance will be $2300 a year. when I called them they said the reason why was because my sister have a driver license and she doesn't have a car in her own . excuseee me? What do I have to do with it? I told her she is not using my car I own the car and I am paying for it why do I have to pay for my sister ? She had her own car and insurance but she cancelled it because she sold her car . They automatically put her in my insurance as a driver. I told them she doesn't use my car and I can't afford paying all that money specially when I am an experience driver and no license.., does it even make sense? 500 dollars in one shot!! What? Is this even legal and right? What should I do?""

""Massachusetts auto tax, insurance rates?""

If owning a family sedan, What are the typical annual rates in MA for (1) insurance (2) vehicle tax (registration ?)""

Can you get seperate car insurance in the UK?

When I pass my driving test, I will be sharing my mums car and then going away for a year to work on a cruise ship. Is it possible to not be put on her insurance, and get a complete different insurance for me so I can build up some no claims years?""

Will a ticket for driving without a license (underage) affect my insurance rates?

Hi, I'm 15, about to get my license, but I NEED to go somewhere tonight. My parents' only reason for not letting me drive is because they are misinformed as far as what the penalties would be if I got stopped. The likelihood of me even getting stopped by a police officer is incredibly low becuase I don't speed, I have all proper licenses, inspection passed, no modifications on my truck).., but they are convinced that if I do get stopped, the officer will unrelentingly give me a ticket, which they claim is a $500 fine (when I KNOW for a fact that here in Texas, the first violation is only $20-100).....But either way, I would pay for it... They are simply concerned about insurance, the one thing they do pay for. They believe that my liability (I don't have collision and comprehensive, just liability) insurance rates will immediately spike, when I get my license, as a result of a single moving violation for not having a license. I have USAA insurance, and I'm in Texas. Please, anybody who knows about this sort of thing please help me, I haven't been able to find any info anywhere else. Please provide proof as well. Thanks!""

Got my first speeding ticket. How much will my insurance go up?

I was on my way to work and I got clocked at 65 mph in a 50 mph zone. I haven't told my parents and I am scared for when they find out. It's my first speeding ticket and even the first time I had ever been pulled over. The ticket was for $103.33. I paid for it and it is all taken care of I think. I was driving my mom's new car. My brother has had a lot of traffic tickets on the same insurance too, but not the same car. So how much do you think the insurance is going to go up? Or do you think it is going to go up at all?""

How can we get or is it possible to put a freeze for one or two years on health insurance cost?

I see BCBS is going up over 7% for 2011. Is there no stopping these rising costs? my poor pension.

Unemployment Insurance for Teenagers?

The business I have worked at for 3 years has just announced they are shutting their doors at the end of the month. I am only 17 but have been told that I am still able to apply for unemployment benefits...which I know next to nothing about. Basically, I've only worked 10-20 hours a week for a wage slightly above minimum. It's just been a part time job for me since I'm a student and involved in several sports and challenging classes. However, I'm still trying to save money for college, so...what do I actually get when I file for unemployment and am hunting for a job? Anything? Sorry if this question sounds ditzy...I don't know much about the workforce.""

I want to go to school to learn about car insurance.?

How do I find courses or schooling that can teach me about car insurance

The cheapest way to change insurance to a new car whilst keeping current car insured whilst i sell it?

Hi, I am 20 years old and I have just bought a new car. I am trying to find the best and cheapest way to change my current insurance ( with one years no claims) to my new car and then i need to insure my old car whilst I sell it. My current car insurance policy on my car runs out on 15th February 2013 and I have cancelled my renewal. I have received the renewal which is proof of my no claims which will be transferred to my new car. Another question is... can I claim the one years no claims on my new car whilst it still runs out for a week on my old car? I have looked at temporary insurance for my current car but this was almost 400 for 28 days?!?!? If insurance companies want me to do it the legal way, they are not making it very easy! Any advice on the best way around this would be great. I know it's confusing! Thanks, Adam White""

What is the cheapest business insurance out there?

I'm looking into starting a new small business owned by myself and a partner. What are some less expensive business insurance companies out there?

How much should I expect to pay for car insurance?

Im not 100% what year but I am planning on getting an 09-10 Mazda speed3. Maybe a new one but its a long shot. I am currently 19 and in the police academy. So I don't know if being a cop will affect my coverage. I am actually waiting until I graduate before I buy the car. I just want to determine what I would pay to see if I can afford it. When I actually get the car it would be my 3rd year with a license. I have never had a car in my name before either. This will be my first one. I am also planning on financing the car. What should I expect for monthly payments?

Insurance for teens ?

I just recently got my g2 and I was just wondering if I can drive with out insurance and if not what are the consequences if I get caught by the police. And can I drive on the highway with out the assistance of an experienced driver. Btw I live in Ontario, Canada.""

Auto Insurance help thanks?

I am 16 thinking about getting me a car in the next year (17) can i get on my own insurance plan or try to get on my moms (me and my mom don't look eye to eye) so i don't think she wouldn't do it and if not how much would it cost if i get on my own insurance and what would be the best insurance for my age thanks so much.

How much would the insurance cost for a 16 year old in tx driving a dodge challenger?

With a good student discount and a defensive driving course. Also how much would it be for a charger

How much would car insurance be on a Mini Cooper (approx) for a 1st time driver?

I'm a 20 year old female in London. Hoping to take my test soon and just curious about insurance on a Mini Cooper! (I know it's expensive!) thanks x

What are the best car insurance sites for a 17 year old male?

Im just looking what sort of prices id be looking at for insurance for small cars (1.0/1.1 engines) and cant get a quote under 3000. Who are the best insurance providers for recently passed 17 year olds?

Would I still need to keep the insurance up on my truck if my license was suspended for DUI?

I was wondering if I still need to keep my insurance during the suspension period or do I cancel it and then wait till the end of my suspension period. I got my DUI on May 6th. I guess for now I'm sticking to riding a bicycle anytime I want to go somewhere which it takes longer but at least it gets the most gas mileage of any vehicle which is infinity miles per gallon.

Tell me how it is right that insurance companies charge young adult males more than female for car insurance?

The answer I seem to get is it can be statistically proven that males are more aggressive,speed and get into more accidents. That may be the case, but I am sure you can prove that a particular ethnicitiy gets into more accidents too, or that people with a particular eye color get into more accidents or that people with an IQ below 100 get into more accidents. So why don't they charge them more for car insurance too? You can say insurance companies have the right to charge more if an event is more likely to happen, like Earthquake insurance is more expensive in California than it is in Michigan. The difference there is that when you charge Californians more there, you are basing it on an uncontrollable act of nature that is almost certain to happen, but when you charge that male more for car insurance you are making judgements about a person's character, making assumptions about his future behavior and financially punishing him for it before he has even done anything. Tell me where I am wrong""

What is auto insurance?

what is auto insurance? and.. Auto Insurance Homeowners Insurance Health Insurance Renters Insurance Life Insurance can someone explain these to me?

Motorcycle Insurance?

I'm 20 years old and just passed my written test and now I'm going to buy a motorcycle that I can train on to my skills test. How much can the insurance cost more or less???

Why did Democrats call their health insurance scheme the Affordable Care Act?

When in reality its making it more expensive for the middle class?

Can I put my motorcycle on my moms insurance?

For my 18th birthday im going to get my self a Ninja 250R, but I already have a 2009 Toyota and my mom also has a 2009 Toyota, because i am much younger my insurance will be very expensive... i was wondering if I can put the bike under my moms name so that I can give her money to pay it at a lower rate? or can it only be the owner of the bike? Also could I have her buy it under her name so it looks like she is the only owner or does that matter?""

MINI One for first car? Insurance?

Desperately want a mini for my first car but they're quite expensive - especially insurance! Was wondering the approx cost of insurance on a mini one for a 17 year old after passing, I haven't passed yet so can't get a quote :/ Also, are 2003-4 reg minis more prone to problems & break downs? Loads of people I know have minis so can't be that bad? Or their just wealthy haha""

How much for a 17 year olds car insurance with a sports car?

Hi im 17 and im wondering about how much more would it cost if i went from a sedan to a sports car?

Car Insurance coverage?

I was driving in a dirt parking lot at my school, I drove over some 3 foot tall weeds, I didn't see there was rocks underneath and as a result, damage to the under carriage occurred to my vehicle as follows: 1. Radiator crack 2. Transmission oil pan bent, 3. Exhaust damage total est cost $1,800 I am wondering whether or not this will be covered by insurance this happened yesterday I have not yet contacted my insurance company it occurred within 100 Yards of a paved road.""

What would insurance on a er-5 be like for a 17 year old?

I recently asked how much gsxr400 insurance would be for a 17 year old, however being a sports bike it costs more, but what would it be like for a bike like the ER-5. also i would go ...show more""

How much is moped insurance?

getting a scooter , how much will my insurance be?""

What is the best begeners motercycle in Canada insurance and operating cost wise.?

Are cruisers cheaper to insure then sports motorcycle for the same displacement engines? And what are some good models in the market? Thankyou

What is Excesses and cover level in Car Insurance?

Hiya, I am just trying to get Car Insurance quote, in some of the web sites I am being asked to enter the amount for Excesses and cover level , the more amount I am selecting for Excesses and cover level the less insurance premium it comes up with. Can any one tell me how does it work? What is the benifit of paying Excesses and cover level, should I go for less or large amount for Excesses and cover level? FYI.. I just got my Car Driving license so I don't have Driving experience in UK.""

What will happen to me if i can not provide proof of insurance in the state of California?

What are the laws regarding vehicle proof of insurance in the state of California?

When do you have to get your own health insurance? ?

im 17 will soon be turning 18 and will be starting college in the fall . i have a medical card and im under my moms health plan/insurance. but when do i branch off to get my own insurance/plan ??

""Had a car accident , no insurance ?

I got into a car accident and I have expired insurance. I was wondering if I could pay the late fee on my insurance and would they still pay for my car problems. And for it to get out of the car lot. PGAC is closed today

Is it legal for me to drive this antique car?

Hello. My dad has just offered me his old MGB. During the talk about it, he said if I get it running I can have it. But he also said that I might need to be 21 to drive a car with antique plates. We have Geico. Is this true? Thanks guys.""

Do I need insurance if I have a drivers license but no car?

Im Juss Got My License and i dont have insurance And Wondering If I Can Drive My Parents Car They Have Insurance And Gives Me Permission To Drive It, so if anyone knows the correct answer please let me know and by the way i live in tx.""

Insurance on a 01/02 Ford Mustang for a 17 y/o?

Around how much would insurance cost for either a 2001 or a 2002 ford mustang (v6 engine) for a 17 y/o male in New York? Ive been through drivers education also so thats 10% off. Id REALLY like one of these cars, granted im expecting insurance to be very high and idk if id be able to afford it. Thx :) p.s. Also how much more would it be if it was a convertable? Having one would be awesome (i can dream cant i? :) (This is a serious question though)""

Car insurance when go to college?

i'll be living in the dorm for college this fall, and my parents decide to cut my car insurance since i only come home for thanksgiving(7 days), winter break(1 month), spring break(10 days), and summer(2 months). is it possible to buy insurance temporarily for those breaks that i come back? thanks""

Work hourly - my health insurance in CA is $400.00 per mo. Where can I get cheaper H insurance?

I have migraines and take low dose seizures meds (no seizure in 5 years) so work insurance would not insure me. Other insurance is $400 per mo. and $500 deductible for meds. Where can I find cheaper Health insurance in LA, CA. Deparate""

Cruiser vs. Sportsbike Insurance?

I am 18 years old and looking to buy my first motorcycle. I like both styles of motorcycles but was wondering which type would be easier on my wallet. I am assuming a sports bike would be more expensive but how much more? Input would be great.

Question about switching auto insurance?

Currently I'm with state farm and I recently changed back accounts without telling them accidently so now I am a month behind and they took away my coverage. I am thinking about switching to a cheaper insurance company but would I still have to pay state farm the rest of what I owe for the 6 month contract I have with them?

Insurance coverage question?

I was involved in a three car accident, the car that started it came in to main street and got hit by one car, consequently he lost control of his car went across the next lane and hit me. His insurance already told me they are taking liability and will pay both drivers' damages, but he said that California minimum liability is only $5000, so they are planning to divide the $5000 to cover both drivers. However the damage in my car and the other guy's car exceeds $5000. I thought the limit if indeed is $5000 it should be $5000 for each driver and not for both. What do you think? Maybe they're just giving my the short end of the stick or twisting things for their convenience. Anybody knows for sure how it should work?""

Texas Insurance Question.?

My parents always freak out when I have to drive their car because mine is in the shop. We have different insurances and I am not on theirs. If a cop stops me will he take their car because my name is not on their insurance. This is my parents worry and I am also not really sure. This is in Texas of course.

Can you get car insurance on someone who does not permanently live in your household?

Could I insure my sons car even though he only stays with me on the weekends. He is under 18 and can't get a policy himself

Which cars are cheapest to insure?

I've had some problems in the past and my insurance is through the roof. I'd like to finance a car, but I don't want to have to rob banks to afford it. Does it cost different amounts to insure cars? Which are on the cheaper end of that spectrum?""

Whats the insurance for a first driver teen?

Im gonna be driving in a couple mths and i need to know a ins rate. I will be getting a 1998 Ford Mustang V6. I live in Houston, Texas. If u know leave an answer. Thx""

Can I Switch my Auto Insurance to Full Coverage Just To Get It Fixed????????????????

Currently I have liability auto insurance and i hit a deer. I have a really nice car but can't afford to get it repaired at the moment.(THE DAMAGES COSTS SOOOO MUCH!!!!!!!!!) Is there anyway that i can switch my car insurance to FULL COVERAGE JUST to get it fixed????? I heard that some people get full coverage and are able to fool the insurance company into paying for there damages, BUT HOW. IS THAT REALLY POSSIBLE WITHOUT GETTING CAUGHT. IF SO , PLEASE EXPLAIN TO ME HOW. I REALLY LOVE MY CAR, BUT CAN AFFORD TO GET IT FIXED. I REALLY NEED SOME HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!""

Car Insurance Coverage?

My husband and I each have our own cars. We are covered by the same insurance company (multi care policy). My car is a 1998 in excellent condition, however due to its age I dropped the collision. MY husbands car is a 2011 with full coverage. We were told by a friend (not the insurance compny) that if my husband is driving my car and involved in an auto accident that any repairs would be covered under his insurance policy since he has full coverage. Is this correct?""

How much would the car insurance cost on an 87 Jeep Cherokee?

Trying to get info on what Im looking at insurance wise on the car Im interested in. Its an 87 Jeep Cherokee 4 wheel drive. Completely stock other then that.

What factors affect car insurance premiums?

My mom is going to give me her old car once she gets a new one, and she said insurance is about $100/mo. My friend asked what insurance would be and I told her, and she thought that was really low The car is a 1999 saturn SL1 and it's standard, is the insurance cheap for this car? My mom has a great driving record I'm now wondering what affects car insurance premiums? I know age, gender, driving records, and other stuff.. but what else?""

FL health insurance?

Can anyone tell me how FL health insurance works? I am moving here from MA. In my state, health insurance is mandatory. What is the case in FL? Can I keep my MA health insurance while living in FL? How much do FL health insurance plans cost?""

How much for a 17 year olds car insurance with a sports car?

Hi im 17 and im wondering about how much more would it cost if i went from a sedan to a sports car?

Is the cost of car insurance increased when you drive a coupe as opposed to a sedan?

I want to buy an acura integra and i want to know if the 2 door would be more expensive to insure than the 4 door because of the 2 door's sportier appearance. I'm almost 19.

Do I need to buy car insurance before I buy the car?!?

I'm going to buy my first car. Do I have to show the dealership proof of insurance before they will let me go with the car? OR I can buy the car just fine and it's not their business whether I have insurance or not ? I doesn't make sense to me to buy insurance for a car I don't have yet. How does this work? thank you.

Is anybody looking for affordable health care insurance?

I work with ASSURANT HEALTH, I can get you a free quote just let me know.""

How much will my insurance go up?

I accidentally backed up into the corner of someones parked car going about 3-4 mph and there were some paint scuffs and a 4-5 inch crack.

Do I have to have car insurance?

I use to own a car and had insurance I now sold the car and drive a company car 100% of the time. I called my insurance guy and told him to cancel it and he says that Illinois has a state law that says I have to have insurance on a car since I live at home with my parents and everyone in the house has a car. I could potentially get in to one of there cars and be uninsured. I told him I don't cuz I still a car with company insurance he said I have to have a policy with my name on it by law is this true?

Insurance For My Daughters Scooter?

My 16 yr old daughter is being stupidly high prices for her scooter insurance - she has a 49cc and has past her CBT test. can anyone suggest a company who specialise in young riders ?

Where can I find affordable but good coverage for health insurance?

My bf is currently paying out of his check $70 a week for ins and dental, Blue Cross. This includes him and our son. But we barely are making our bills right now. There has got to be another health ins company that Drs will take that is affordable. Please help ;)""

When will my motorcycle insurance lower?

i live in florida im going to start riding soon probly start out on a ninja 650r but i wana move up 2 a zx14 after a while(my dream bike) but the insurance is nuts on it like 800 a month now on the 14 the 650 is like 120 with amazing insurance and 250 deductables when will my insurance drop? does it go by age or experience?

My insurance quote on a 2SS 2010 Camaro?

I just wanted to get an estimate of what my insurance cost would be for a 2010 Camaro since I'm 16 yrs old. In the quote I put my mom and dad also as drivers of the car and I told them I took a driver's ed course and that I had a really good gpa (which I do). My quote was $186 per month on a 2SS Camaro and I'm 16 yrs old. That thing has freakin over 400 HP. I was just wondering if I'm getting a good deal or a bad deal. Thanks for all the help everyone

How much would the Insurance go up for a sports exhaust. 10 POINTS?

Hi at the moment my boss pays my insurance on his business fleet as I work in his office in the week, therefore I have a business car (ford feista) I asked him as he's my uncle can I get sports exhaust for it if I pay for it and the additional cost Of the insurance every year IF it goes up. I'm 18 he pays 1200 for the year and I think that goes to about 600 this year.. As he's got 5 business cars on the same fleet. How much extra will it cost me?""

Cheapest Car Insurance Companies For A 17 Year Old Boy?

I've done a lot of research and can't find anything less than around 2500 a year, any good companies that can can give me a better quote? I'm thinking about getiing a Renault Clio or a VW Fox if that helps. Any tips or suggestions for good insurance companies would be much appreciated!""

AAA car insurance wont return my phone calls?

i was in a car accident on the fourth of july and the guy ran a red. he hit my car and totaled it leaving me injured and now out of work for almost a month. the police report was sent to both insurances (mine & his) saying he is at fault. i and my insurance (state farm) have tried calling his AAA agent several times and they still have not called back. i have also called the supervisor with no returned phone call from her as well. ive asked my insurance and they basically told me to wait for them to call. im getting impatient and i was just wondering if anybody else has ever had this problem? im frustrated and not sure what to do.

My daughter had a car wreck with my car causing my insurance to go up.?

My daughter had a car wreck with my car causing my insurance to go up. Technically I didn't cause the insurance, so if I was to switch insurances, will it still show up. It would just be me in the policy now.""

How much does insurance run for a 16 year old in North Carolina?

My Son gets his Licenses on August 17 of this year. So i am trying to figure out about how much its gonna run for him to have car insurance

Does anyone know whats the cheapest car insurance in NY ?

I have a 2003 Mitsubishi I'm 24 and i want to know which is the cheapest insurance that i can afford. I check a lot of the insurances out there but they are all so expensive. i just want something with the basic cover in order for me to be able to afford it. If someone knows of anything cheap please let me know thank you so much

How much is car insurance for a new driver in London?

I'm 27yrs and I'm looking at buying 2000 VOLKSWAGEN POLO 1.0 E 3dr Hatchback. I want to get my full driving licence before I buy the car which means I would be a new driver when I want to get the insurance. I just want to have a rough idea of how much I will be paying annually. I know i cant get the right figure, just need a rough idea of the minimum/maximum i would have to pay. Any contribution will be highly appreciated.""

""On buying a new car, should I get insurance for it immedliately?""

I am buying a new car in a day or so. Am I legally required to get insurance before I take it out of the dealership? I heard that dealer should keep insurance for 1 month. Is that true? If it is true, what is covered - just the car? Driver? Passengers? New-car buyer in Texas""

How can i get cheap auto insurance in texas being 20 years old?

im 20 years old and im finally getting my own truck but I don't really have a whole lot of money so I cant pay an outrageous price for auto insurance. liability is fine with me but what is the cheapest I can get.

What is a private jet's insurance price? and maintenance costs? Averagely.?

For College I have to do a business plan. We are creating a fictive private jet renting company in Colombia but i can't find these informations. It is really important as i is part of our financial statements. Thank you very much.

Does a rear view camera affect car insurance rates?

Will installing a rear view camera on my car affect my insurance rates? The reason I ask is because late last year the news media began reporting the fact that the federal government is considering mandating rear view cameras on every new vehicle sold the United States.

What are my options for extremely decayed teeth and no insurance?

I have extremely bad tooth decay and I have no insurance. I really need to do something about it before it starts causing more serious problems. I am assuming they will all need to be pulled and I will need dentures, or at least pretty close. There are not many teeth in my mouth that have not shown signs of decay. Is there any good options for me that will not leave me in tons of debt? I am not looking to pay nothing, I just can't afford to be left with huge bills that will take me years to pay. Thanks for any help.""

Teenager boy Car insurance?

i am 17 years old and I just got my license. I try to get some quotes under my moms name and it came out to be around 3000 to 5000, in other words, 2 to 4 grand every six month just for me. How much is normal teenager boy insurance rate it NY State? One of my friends(they are twins) and they pay 20 total under their parents insurance. They own really creppy car costs like 1700 but still I thought guys under 30 pay the most expensive rate in car insurance. What exactly is the average rate for teenager boy? I DO NOT Want any recommendation to go get a quote in insurace companies or wutever.""

Where can I find affordable life insurance for sr citizen in-laws?

I read a previous thread suggesting MediCare, but I am not talking about HEALTH insurance. They only have term life insurance tied to current job, and they need to retire. They have no burial policy, and each is worried about leaving the other with burial expenses and debts. I have seen a few ads online, but when you get to the fine print, they seem mostly like scams. They probably wouldn't get a very good rating if a health exam were required. Probably $15 -$25K max would be the amount needed. They live in Texas if that matters.""

""In Florida, How much (if any) will my auto insurance rate increase with 3 points on my license?

I got a ticket for improperly changing lanes and I'm electing not to go to traffic school (since I only have one more chance for traffic school based on two times/year) for such a minor offense. Would it make sense to skip 8hr school ($70.00) or would I end up paying more in the long run because of my 3 points?

Would having a baby affect you car insurance rate?

I just had a baby 3 months ago and I was jw if it would affect my rate if i told the company.

How much for a 17 year olds car insurance with a sports car?

Hi im 17 and im wondering about how much more would it cost if i went from a sedan to a sports car?

""Can Doctors offices charge you, when they lost your medical insurance card?""

I got my appendix removed in California and used the state insurance at the time (since I was low income and never had insurance). All the hospital bills are payed for; however, the surgeon has charged me an additional 1,445.00. I never even saw the surgeon after the hospital. I went in for follow-ups to his office but would always miss him. I gave my insurance card to front desk girl and she told me she didn't need it but just in case she made a copy. Now two years later I come to find out that there is this bill. What can I do?""

Will i lose my health insurance?

i am a full time college sudent, 17 years old. i have HIP health insurance derived from my mother. (i have it since im the child). if i change my mailing address to be different then hers, will the insurance still cover me? thanks.""

How many American do not have health insurance?

Car Insurance in the UK?

I am not a UK Resident , I am here in the UK from Australia for 5 months on Holidays . This is my forth trip here and after the first time when I hired a car for 7 weeks at a cost of 1400.00 pounds i found out that it would be much better to buy a car as I was going to be here for 5 months. A few days ago i took my rent-a-car back the i had for 7 days and cost me 150.00 pounds , I found a car to buy at a cost of 1200.00 pounds but first went looking to find someone to Insure the car . I spent overs 2 hrs on the phone and there was on one that would do it for me apart from one . I have 3rd party insurance only for this car and at a cost of 1230.00 pounds for 12 months . I am at a loss as to WHY i have to pay this amount and WHY no one will do it . MY Question is why is it that there no question asked when i hire a car for as lond as i like and am covered be insurance BUT if I try to buy a car and have it Insured that is a joke , Am I a diferent driver if it is my one car ?""

How much would insurance be?

how much would insurance be for a mustang convertible perhaps 90's-2002 no more than 2003. the car is around 6 grand im thinking it would be about 3k a year but i don't know. i get bad grades i get about 150 a week at my job. when i bye the car i will be about 18 years old

CAR INSURANCE NYS??????

if you missed your car insurance payment by a few days and u got into a accident (a deer hit u) should your car insurance still cover you...

I was rear ended. Does my insurance go up if I contact them?

I have Mercury Insurance and someone hit me in the back at a stop light. I got all of there info, but I was wondering if we went through this with our insurance companies would my rates go up? thanks :D""

Car insurance help in NC?

If your insurance is canceled will I have to pay to get the tag legal again,if so how much.Thanks in advance :)""

Would a MINI COOPER 1275 CLASSIC be a good first car?

I will be 17 in July and soon after will be learning to drive. My dad said he will get me a car for my birthday. I really like this model of a classic mini and the ones I have been looking at are going for about 640+ but I am willing to pay about 1000 (maybe a little more!! ) for one. I am aware that Classic Minis are going up in price. Will this be a good car for a new driver??

Can i shop for auto insurance before i buy a car?

I'm going to be buying a car sometime within the next month, but I'm trying to determine what's within my budget. Can i get auto insurance quotes online without actually owning a car yet? Also does anyone have any recommendations as far as Insurance providers are concerned?""

In Michigan do you need to keep full coverage on your motorcycle even if it is in storage when you have loan?

You get your full coverage on the motorcycle when you purchase it but winter comes and you have the insurance company reduce it to storage insurance. Can you do that and if you can is the insurance company required to let the title holder know of the insurance coverage change?

How much would insurance be on a 1986 honda civic si hatchback?

I need to know asap how much estimated it would be to add this car to insurance. (state farm) I just bought it for 800 bucks and i need to know also how much in total it would be to get on the road.. register, title switch , tags all that good stuff...im un VIRGINIA btw.. need any more info ask..""

When I turn 25 does my car insurance automatically go down or do I have to notify them? (AAA car insurance)?

I heard when you turn 25 the car insurance rates go down a lot, but is it automatic or do I have to tell them?""

What is the vehicle code in california that requires automobile insurance?

Why does Health Insurance have so many deductibles?

I am not complaining because I have really great insurance, just wondering why there is a deductible for everything? I mean you pay for the insurance every month, plus I have a deductible for dr visits, one for prescriptions, one for dental etc. So just wondering why so many? My dr deductibles are $300 a person, but my prescription deductible is $150 which I will probably never meet cause I am on no meds and rarely go to the dr for a sick visit. So why so expensive? Thanks in advance!""

What is the cheapest insurance for a road trip around europe?

3 guys, age 19, 3 weeks in august, had licenses for a year, driving a small car. Anyone know what company would be the best to look at? And im fed up of looking through comparison websites :P""

Does alaska have state insurance like Tenn.Care?

Does Alaska have state insurance?

Costco car insurance?

a friend of mine the other day told me that she pays 90 dollars/month on her full coverage car insurance and she is 16 years old. I just wanted to know if there is a catch because it sounds too good to be true.

Which car insurance company offers the cheapest price for a teenager??

Quad bike insurance help?

Im lookin into getting a quad bike possibly but have searched to get an insurance quote online but no one seems to want to help me ive got a full car and full bike liscence but just wanna get a quote to see what im dealing with can any help or advise many thanks

I'm 17 years old looking for a car with cheap insurance?

I have 3,000 and I'm looking for a manual car that's somewhat fast I don't want a super slow car and I know I can't find a super fast one either but something kinda fast in the price range and not a but load for insurance""

""My 18-year-old brother is addicted to meth. He wants to quit, but can't afford rehab, no insurance.?""

He is not interested in NA or any faith-based program. Are there any proven state-funded programs or at least semi-affordable programs? He lives in Cali. He dropped out of high school and has little motivation to do anything, despite being smart and good-looking. My parents basically let him do whatever he wants, and I don't trust them to change or be able to help. He wants to learn to discipline himself and get a job, etc. but first he needs to kick the drugs.""

Will getting a speeding ticket affect my insurance rate?

I was going 71 in a 55 zone which is 16 over. I am 18 and still on my parents insurance and want to know if and how much my insurance rate will go up and if there is anything I can do. I got the ticket yesterday and haven't told them yet. I really want to just pay it and get over with it but if my insurance goes up I am looking at a whole other problem! Thanks for all your help in advance.

How much would insurance cost for a 16 year old for a 2000 toyota corolla.?

I just got my g1 and I'm planning on buying a used car. Can someone tell me what car a beginner could start off with. But it must be cheap; budget around $1000-$3000. And if you can please tell me the price of the insurance.

How much money does car insurance go down when you turn 17?

I'm 16 years old and turning 17 in a few months. I am currently paying about $435 for insurance in a 6 month period. Will that rate decrease when I turn 17, not having any tickets or accidents?""

How much for a 17 year olds car insurance with a sports car?

Hi im 17 and im wondering about how much more would it cost if i went from a sedan to a sports car?

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/low-car-insurance-19-year-old-male-shockley-altagracia"

0 notes

tornadorojo5 · 6 years

Text

Average Americans Vs. Average Europeans |How Different are they|

The United States of America was officially formed on July 4th, 1776, when 13 states declared their independence from the kingdom of Great Britain, this was centuries after this region, which was part of what they called, "the new world", was officially discovered by Christopher Colombus. In the centuries that followed, European settlers will arrive with many of the first expeditions arriving from Spain, France, Germany, Holland, Scottland, and England, among other European nations claiming some slice of the American pie.

Today, many Americans have European ancestors, while not necessarily sharing much in common with their ancestors. Thomas Jefferson mentioned in America's declaration of independence that "all men are created equal" but what if we explore how equal Americans and Europeans really are.

Ok, first, let's take a look at how much European is flowing through the American's bloodstream, but before we get into that, let's take a look at the whole picture.

According to the Census Bureau, approximately:

49 million Americans affirm to have German Ancestry (Famous Americans of German descent: Sandra Bullock, John Steinbeck, Ben Affleck, Jessica Biel, Tom Cruise, Uma Thurman, David Letterman, Walt Disney, Henry J. Heinz, and Oscar Mayer).

36 million Irish Ancestry (Notable Americans of Irish descent include John F. Kennedy, Neil Armstrong, Henry Ford, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Conan O'Brien, Derek Jeter, Elvis Presley, and Bruce Springsteen)

27 million English Ancestry (Notable Americans with English ancestry include Justin Timberlake, Clint Eastwood, Orson Welles, Seth MacFarlane, George Clooney, Cher, Liza Minnelli, Ernest Hemingway, and Bill Gates)

18 million, Italian Ancestry (Famous Americans of Italian descent include Maria Bartiromo, Robert De Niro, Francis Ford Coppola, Quentin Tarantino, and Madonna)

10 million Polish Ancestry (Notable Americans of Polish ancestry include John Krasinski, Lisa Kudrow, Frank Gehry, Gloria Steinem, and Richie Sambora)

9 million French Ancestry (Notable Americans of French descent include Warren Buffett, Louis Chevrolet, Zooey Deschanel, Ellen DeGeneres, Paul Revere, Henry David Thoreau, and Anthony Bourdain).

6 million Scottish Ancestry (Notable Americans with Scottish heritage include Reese Witherspoon, Lucille Ball, Robert Downey Jr., Johnny Cash, Lyndon B. Johnson, Edgar Allen Poe, and Malcolm X)

5 million Scotch-Irish Ancestry (Famous Americans of Scotch-Irish descent include Ulysses S. Grant, Elvis Presley, and Andrew Jackson)

5 million Dutch Ancestry (Notable Americans of Dutch ancestry include Thomas Edison, Walt Whitman, and Theodore Roosevelt)

4 million Swedish Ancestry (Notable Americans of Swedish descent include Mark Wahlberg, Buzz Aldrin, Matt Damon, Phil Mickelson, Mamie Eisenhower, and Charles Lindbergh)

4 million Norwegian Ancestry (Famous Americans of Norwegian descent include Lance Armstrong, Sally Ride, Michelle Williams, and Renée Zellweger).

3 million Russian Ancestry (Notable Americans with Russian ancestry include Michael Bloomberg, Leonardo DiCaprio, Milla Jovovich, Sean Penn, Natalie Portman, Joan Rivers, and Michelle Trachtenberg).

2 million Welsh Ancestry (Notable Americans of Welsh descent include Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, Hillary Rodham Clinton, and J.P. Morgan)

1.5 million Czech Ancestry (Notable Americans of Hungarian descent include Milton Friedman, John Kerry, Paul Simon, Paul Newman, Louis CK, Kate Hudson, Steven Spielberg, Drew Barrymore, and Calvin Klein)

1.4 million Portuguese Ancestry (Famous Americans of Portuguese descent include Teresa Heinz Kerry, Tony Coelho, Katy Perry, Tom Hanks, and James Franco)

1.4 Danish Ancestry (Famous Americans of Danish descent include Mary Kate & Ashley Olsen, Scarlet Johansson, Lars Ulrich of Metallica, the Hanson brothers, and Iggy Pop)

1.2 Greek Ancestry (Americans with Greek ancestry include Jennifer Aniston; Bob Costas; Tina Fey; John Stamos; Frank Zappa; and George Papanicolaou, creator of the Pap smear)

So, with this Euro connection in mind, how much does the average American have in common with the average European citizen.

The median age, that means when half the population is younger and half the population is older, is 42.7 years for the EU and 37.9 years in the US, life expectancy in the EU is for women 82.4 years and 76.6 years for men, the American women will live in average 81.9 years and American men 77.1 years, that is, in the case of the Americans that if you are a man reaching 65 years of age, you can expect to live until you are 84.3. If you are a woman that is turning 65 years old today, you can expect to live until you are 86.6 years old.

When it comes to making babies, American women are slightly more active than European women, with an average number of births per women of 1.84 and European women giving birth to an average of 1.56. Just for clarification purposes, this does not mean that women miraculously bearing partial 0.84 or 0.56 human, this is rather an average taking from the average of the female population and the number of births.

Now, let's get some physical factors.

The height of American vs. Europeans.

the average height for an American man is 5 foot and 9.5 inches (which is 176.4 cm) while collective data from the whole EU is pretty hard to come by, however, we are talking about a continent with the highest people of the world, with the Dutch coming in first, at an average height of 6 feet (182.6 cm) for men. Dutch women are also at the top, with an average height of nearly 5.7 feet (169.9 cm) whereas American women are on average 5.4 feet (162.9 cm) tall. Just to get it right, most European countries have an average height for men and women higher than the American average.

Body Weight: American vs. European

We know Europeans beat us at height, but that cannot be said when it comes to weight, with America regularly coming at the top 5 countries of the world for average weight. The average male in the US weights 191 pounds (87 Kg) while the average women weights 164 pounds (74.4 Kg). In Europe the heaviest men average is found in the UK, weighing 185 pouns (84 Kg) and 152 pounds (69 Kg) for women.

Penis Size: American vs. European...and Let's Mention Africa

Why is this relevant enough to spend time and money to carry out studies? I don't know (in a medical or demographic point of view) but somehow we all would get curious about this whenever someone talks about this topic, so here are the results.

Although there is evident variation between individuals from different countries, this variation is completely within the normal range. So, American's best friend is 12.9 cm (5.08 inch) long on average when erect while Europe average is 14.31 cm (5.63 inches), and Africa, well the smallest guy on average is 14.9 cm (5.87 inches) and the average guy is roughly 32.73 cm (12.9 inches), I mean...we better go to Asia to be seen as Greek gods.

Money: Americans vs. Europeans

Now that we have looked at mortality and the body, let's get into some money matters. Americans are traditionally thought as a hard-working bunch of people, culturally ambitious, with our pension coming first, this might be reflected by the fact that the USA is the country with more multi-millionaires in the entire world with a number of 565, one of them, Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates being the richest of them all, with a fortune around 91.2 billion dollars, in comparison, Europe has 489 multi-millionaires, with the richest being the Spanish magnate Amancio Ortega with 71.4 billion

dollars.

But that elite of people is way out of our league, how about the average Joe?, well the average American gross wage per household for the workers in the US is 43,585 dollars per year, wich is the 6th highest in the world, In the case of Europe, the highest average gross wage per household was found in Luxemburg, that is 52,493 dollars per year, followed with other higher averages than the US in Sweden and Danmark.

In terms of income tax, the US is below most of the EU countries with an average income tax paid in the US of 22.7%. In Europe, the highest tax rate was found in Belgium with a 42.8%, and of course, this affects the quality of life, although this is a difficult thing to judge, and where ever you look, is measured in a different way, for example, the US says that the national income, which is the spending power of the individual is only behind the Europe country of Luxemburg. The standard of living is another matter, it lists different since the top 10 highest standards of living is dominated by Europe countries, Canada, Australia and New Zeland. Europe countries are also ranking higher on the world's happiness report where 7 European states being in front of 13th place America. Many of these countries rank higher in spite their higher cost of living, which may seem confusing given that they report being so happy. Some factors may help explain this.

The highest cost of the world in terms of healthcare is, yeah, in the USA, also, for being a highly developed country, Americans work really hard, with the US ranking in the 13th place for working the most hours and, although some EU members are above the US, they rank lower in the world's happiness report.

Taking annually paid vacations into account, in Europe, the law states that every worker should have at least 4 weeks of vacation every year, while there is a non-paid vacation for Americans (by law). This decision is left to the employer. This decision means that on average, Americans take 10 days of vacation every year, which is far lower than in the EU. The average paid vacation time for 20 years of services in the US is 20 days.

Education: American vs. European

America is a fairly an expensive place to receive University education since the average student's debt in America is $29,000, but still, this is much lower than England where students owe almost double that amount ($ 56,000) after graduation. Other EU countries like Spain, Belgium, France, Germany, Italy and Czchec Republic, have extremely low tuition fees to none, while in Finland, Sweden and Danmark, the University is free.

Household

The US has a lower household Debt/GDP than most Europe nations, including the big borrowers, Denmark, Netherlands, Sweeden, and Belgium. This puts the USA in 10th place on the Household debt/GDP rank.

And this is what these countries get for their money.

Houses

American live in much bigger houses than Europeans, with the average house size iquals to 2000 square feet (186 square meters), compared to houses in Europe, where you can find the biggest houses of all EU in Denmark with an area of 1500square feet (139 square meters), while in the UK, the area of an average house is 800 square feet (74 square meters).

Cars

Americans also have more motor vehicles per person, being the third biggest owners of vehicles in the world, according to a 2015 report, with 797 vehicles owned by 1000 people, when compared with Europeans that are being really far behind.

Drinking Habits

When it comes to entertaining, lots of money are spent on alchool. The Europeans are by far the world's most formidable drinkers with the biggest alcohol consumption per capita in the world and almost all the EU countries drinking more than the USA. One of the most relevant factors for this is the cost of drinks, in Slovakia and the Czche Republic, beer costs around $1.5 on bars or supermarket, compared to US average that more than double that amount.

And Finally, There is Love...Aside from Penis Sizes.

The average age of men and women in the US getting married is 29 and 27 respectively, which is much lower than about all the countries in the European Union, whose couples often wait until well after 30 years of age.

The divorce rate in 2015 was 2.0 for the EU, almost half of the marriage rate. The US had a similar rate of marriage to divorce rate at 3.6.

The most sexually satisfied countries in the EU were Spain, Italy, Greece, The Netherlands, and Germany. In the case of the USA, sexual satisfaction is showing a lower rate when compared to most EU countries.

So, all comes to money, winky size, and education, but what if we start being more confortamble with what we have, even penis size, in case you have not notice it yet, it is a lot what we have, we should not complain so much and start living happier.

Sorry for the long post, here is a German Sausage and a pretty cool video. Cheers.

youtube

http://ift.tt/2HavRrK

#What If-Nowadays Interesting Facts #https://whatifinteresting.blogspot.com/2018/03/average-americans

1 note · View note

uniteordie-usa · 7 years

Text

The Great Retirement Con

http://uniteordiemedia.com/the-great-retirement-con/ http://uniteordiemedia.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/retirement-meme-11.jpg The Great Retirement Con This is where government solutions get us. P.D. The Origins Of The Retirement Plan Back during the Revolutionary War, the Continental Congress promised a monthly lifetime income to soldiers who fought and survived the conflict. This guaranteed income stream, called a “pension”, was...

This is where government solutions get us. P.D.

The Origins Of The Retirement Plan

Back during the Revolutionary War, the Continental Congress promised a monthly lifetime income to soldiers who fought and survived the conflict. This guaranteed income stream, called a “pension”, was again offered to soldiers in the Civil War and every American war since.

Since then, similar pension promises funded from public coffers expanded to cover retirees from other branches of government. States and cities followed suit — extending pensions to all sorts of municipal workers ranging from policemen to politicians, teachers to trash collectors.

A pension is what’s referred to as a defined benefit plan. The payout promised a worker upon retirement is guaranteed up front according to a formula, typically dependent on salary size and years of employment.

Understandably, workers appreciated the security and dependability offered by pensions. So, as a means to attract skilled talent, the private sector started offering them, too.

The first corporate pension was offered by the American Express Company in 1875. By the 1960s, half of all employees in the private sector were covered by a pension plan.

Off-loading Of Retirement Risk By Corporations

Once pensions had become commonplace, they were much less effective as an incentive to lure top talent. They started to feel like burdensome cost centers to companies.

As America’s corporations grew and their veteran employees started hitting retirement age, the amount of funding required to meet current and future pension funding obligations became huge. And it kept growing. Remember, the Baby Boomer generation, the largest ever by far in US history, was just entering the workforce by the 1960s.

Companies were eager to get this expanding liability off of their backs. And the more poorly-capitalized firms started defaulting on their pensions, stiffing those who had loyally worked for them.

So, it’s little surprise that the 1970s and ’80s saw the introduction of personal retirement savings plans. The Individual Retirement Arrangement (IRA) was formed by the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) in 1974. And the first 401k plan was created in 1980.

These savings vehicles are defined contribution plans. The future payout of the plan is variable (i.e., unknown today), and will be largely a function of how much of their income the worker directs into the fund over their career, as well as the market return on the fund’s investments.

Touted as a revolutionary improvement for the worker, these plans promised to give the individual power over his/her own financial destiny. No longer would it be dictated by their employer.

Your company doesn’t offer a pension? No worries: open an IRA and create your own personal pension fund.

Afraid your employer might mismanage your pension fund? A 401k removes that risk. You decide how your retirement money is invested.

Want to retire sooner? Just increase the percent of your annual income contributions.

All this sounded pretty good to workers. But it sounded GREAT to their employers.

Why? Because it transferred the burden of retirement funding away from the company and onto its employees. It allowed for the removal of a massive and fast-growing liability off of the corporate balance sheet, and materially improved the outlook for future earnings and cash flow.

As you would expect given this, corporate America moved swiftly over the next several decades to cap pension participation and transition to defined contribution plans.

The table below shows how vigorously pensions (green) have disappeared since the introduction of IRAs and 401ks (red):

(Source)

So, to recap: 40 years ago, a grand experiment was embarked upon. One that promised US workers: Using these new defined contribution vehicles, you’ll be better off when you reach retirement age.

Which raises a simple but very important question: How have things worked out?

The Ugly Aftermath

America The Broke

Well, things haven’t worked out too well.

Three decades later, what we’re realizing is that this shift from dedicated-contribution pension plans to voluntary private savings was a grand experiment with no assurances. Corporations definitely benefited, as they could redeploy capital to expansion or bottom line profits. But employees? The data certainly seems to show that the experiment did not take human nature into account enough – specifically, the fact that just because people have the option to save money for later use doesn’t mean that they actually will.

First off, not every American worker (by far) is offered a 401k or similar retirement plan through work. But of those that are, 21% choose not to participate (source).

As a result, 1 in 4 of those aged 45-64 and 22% of those 65+ have $0 in retirement savings (source). Forty-nine percent of American adults of all ages aren’t saving anything for retirement.

In 2016, the Economic Policy Institute published an excellent chartbook titled The State Of American Retirement (for those inclined to review the full set of charts on their website, it’s well worth the time). The EPI’s main conclusion from their analysis is that the switchover of the US workforce from defined-benefit pension plans to self-directed retirement savings vehicles (e..g, 401Ks and IRAs) has resulted in a sizeable drop in retirement preparedness. Retirement wealth has not grown fast enough to keep pace with our aging population.

The stats illustrated by the EPI’s charts are frightening on a mean, or average, level. For instance, for all workers 32-61, the average amount saved for retirement is less than $100,000. That’s not much to live on in the last decades of your twilight years. And that average savings is actually lower than it was back in 2007, showing that households have still yet to fully recover the wealth lost during the Great Recession.

But mean numbers are skewed by the outliers. In this case, the multi-$million households are bringing up the average pretty dramatically, making things look better than they really are. It’s when we look at the median figures that things get truly scary:

Nearly half of families have no retirement account savings at all. That makes median (50th percentile) values low for all age groups, ranging from $480 for families in their mid-30s to $17,000 for families approaching retirement in 2013. For most age groups, median account balances in 2013 were less than half their pre-recession peak and lower than at the start of the new millennium.

(Source)

The 50th percentile household aged 56-61 has only $17,000 to retire on. That’s dangerously close to the Federal poverty level income for a family of two for just a single year.

Most planners advise saving enough before retirement to maintain annual living expenses at about 70-80% of what they were during one’s income-earning years. Medicare out-of-pocket costs alone are expected to be between $240,000 and $430,000 over retirement for a 65-year-old couple retiring today.

The gap between retirement savings and living costs in one’s later years is pretty staggering:

Nearly 83% of retired households have less saved than Medicare costs alone will consume.

One-third of retired households are entirely dependent on Social Security. On average, that’s only $1,230 per month – a hard income to live on. (source)

34 percent of older Americans depend on credit cards to pay for basic living expenses such as mortgage payments, groceries, and utilities. (source)

As for Medicare, the out-of-pocket costs could easily soar over retirement. The Wall Street Journal reports that the current estimate of Medicare’s unfunded liability now tops $42 Trillion. Such a mind-boggling gap makes it highly likely that current retirees will not receive all of the entitlements they are being promised.

And the denial being shown by baby boomers entering retirement is frightening. Many simply plan to work longer before retiring, with a growing percentage saying they plan to work “forever”.

But the data shows that declining health gives older Americans no choice but to leave the work force eventually, whether they want to or not. Years of surveys by the Employment Benefit Research Institute show that fully half of current retirees had to leave the work force sooner than desired due to health problems, disability, or layoffs.

Add to this the nefarious impact of the Federal Reserve’s prolonged 0% interest rate policy, which has made it extremely hard for retirees with fixed-income investments to generate a meaningful income from them.

The number of Americans aged 65 years and older is projected to more than double in the next 40 years:

Will the remaining body of active workers be able to support this tsunami of underfunded seniors? Don’t bet on it.

Especially since their retirement savings prospects are even more dim. With long-stagnant real wages and punishing price inflation in the cost of living, Generation X and Millennials are hard-pressed to put money away for their twilight years:

(Source)

Public Pensions: Broken Promises

And for those “lucky” folks expecting to enjoy a public pension, there’s a lot of uncertainty as to whether they’re going to receive all they’ve been promised.

Due to underfunded contributions, years of portfolio under-performance due to the Federal Reserve’s 0% interest rate policy, poor fund management, and other reasons, many of the federal and state pensions are woefully under-captialized. The below chart from former Dallas Fed advisor Danielle DiMartino-Booth shows how the total sum of unfunded public pension obligations exploded from $292 billion in 2007 to $1.9 trillion by the end of 2016:

(Source)

And the daily headlines of failing state and local pension funds (Illinois, Kentucky, New Jersey, Dallas, Providence — to name but a few) show that the problem is metastasizing across the nation at an accelerating rate.

Affording Your Future

The bottom line when it comes to retirement is that you’re on your own. The vehicles and the promises you’ve been given are proving woefully insufficient to fund the “retirement” dream you’ve been sold your whole life.

That’s the bad news.

But the good news is that the dream is still attainable. There are strategies and behaviors that, if adopted now, will make it much more likely for you to be able to afford to retire — and in a way you can enjoy.

In Part 2: Success Strategies For Retirement, we detail out these best practices for a solvent retirement, including providing 14 specific action steps you can start taking right now in your life that will materially improve your odds of enjoying your later years with grace.

For far too many Americans, “retirement” will remain a perpetual myth. Don’t let that happen to you.

Click here to read Part 2 of this report (free executive summary, enrollment required for full access)

read more: https://www.peakprosperity.com/blog/113449/great-retirement-con

#defined benefit plan #defined contribution plans #Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA)#Individual Retirement Arrangement (IRA)#Retirement

0 notes