CVRM’s Backpack Bonanza

Start collecting your
 “Back to School Supplies”     
For the Coachella Valley Rescue Mission’s Annual
“Backpack Bonanza”
August 18th, 2012 8:00 a.m. – 12:00 noon
You can drop off all of your school supplies at
Doug Motz Insurance Agency
 43875 Washington St. Suite A in Palm Desert
Call 760-200-0270 or go to www.DougMotz.com
for further information.

Let's Trade!

Trading goods and services without the use of money is called bartering.
The art of bartering is as ancient as human civilization and is becoming very popular in this economy.

Anyone can barter!

It is a great way to take what you have, such as products or services, and trade them for what others have, namely more products or services.
Bartering for professional business services can include, but is not limited to:
Accountants, Lawyers, Doctors, Dentists, Web Tech Services, Painters, Plumbers, Electricians etc.

Here are a few examples of bartering:
If you work in a salon you can trade services with other professionals you work with, trade highlights for facials, massages, manicures, etc. But it is not limited to just the people you work with. You may have a client who has a cleaning service & do a trade for coloring & cutting her hair in exchange for cleaning services for your home. You may have a client who owns a jewelry store and trade your services for that beautiful tennis bracelet you have always wanted, but couldn’t afford.

Another example would be the owner of a coffee shop has a regular customer who has an art gallery next to your coffee shop. He gets free food/coffee and you get credit for his art gallery. In turn, when you get enough credit you can go into the gallery and pick out that piece of art you have been eyeing.

Or, the owner of the art gallery needs an attorney to set up a corporation for his art gallery. The art gallery owner does a trade for something from his gallery in exchange for attorney fees. Keep in mind that when you do this you set up in advance how much credit the attorney will get for merchandise in the gallery.
Let’s say you have an extra room in your house and you know someone who is trust worthy and responsible. You can give that person free rent for anything from mowing your lawn & gardening, to daycare or babysitting, pet sitting, running errands, house cleaning, handyman repairs, construction, etc…

You can barter your home or vacation home with someone else who would like to come to your area and you want to go to their place. Be sure to do your homework to be certain they are trustworthy. Check out the site Online House Trading @ www.onlinehousetrading.com for more details.

Barter anything from vehicles, boats, appliances, furniture, collectibles, art, electronics and just about anything else you can think of.
There are several online websites for bartering. Craigslist has a bartering section, SwapThing.com, lists almost 3.5 million "things" available for trade, U-Exchange.com makes it easy for bartering Goods and Services, Business Bartering, Trading Vehicles or Home Exchanging for Vacations.

The easiest way to find businesses to barter with on your own is to sit down and think about what you have to offer and who could benefit from it. Then narrow the list further by who on that list YOU could benefit from. Since bartering without a network means you have to trade specifically with the people you offer your products or services to, it makes no sense to approach someone with something you don’t need or want.

Barter Networks
There are also Barter Networks. A great way to get started with bartering is by joining a professional Barter Network. The benefit of being a member of the network is that you can trade with one company and gain barter dollars which you can then spend with another company.

Bartering Tips and Tricks

1. Set Specific Boundaries Be specific about what you are bartering for, what you are willing to give and what you will get in exchange. An example would be that you are looking for someone to give you legal services in exchange for piano lessons. Legal services usually cost more than piano lessons so be sure each of you have a beginning and an end amount of time or value.

2. Work Out the Details in Advance
If you are exchanging goods, decide on who pays for postage and packaging. If you are exchanging services decide in advance the time and dates you are willing to give and precisely what you are going to do and for how long.

3. Have an out Be clear about the terms of your relationship, but also give yourself and the business or person you are bartering with an out so you can end the contract in the event either party is dissatisfied.

4.Taxes Be sure to ask your accountant about this before you do any bartering.

Call Doug Motz Insurance Agency for further information at 760-200-0270 or go to www.DougMotz.com

Errant Golf Ball Damage…Who is Liable?

Who is responsible for damages when a golfer hits a ball that in turn hits a house or a car causing damage when playing a course that is located around a residential area or a busy street? This question is NOT as black and white as it may appear. The law varies from state to state and from case to case. In most cases if you ask the golfer, he will say it is the homeowner and should be covered on their homeowners insurance. In other cases if you ask the homeowner he will say the golfer is responsible. You also have to catch the golfer! There is clear California case law on these points of law. However, if the golfer intentionally or recklessly hits a ball at a home/car, then the golfer may be responsible. Also, there may be rules that members of golf clubs consent to be bound by that contractually put responsibility for damage on the golfer regardless of responsibility under tort law. Check the golf course rules. If you are playing golf and hit a home or a car which is parked in a parking lot adjacent to the golf course or driving down a nearby street with your golf ball, normally you are responsible. Many courses and near-by buildings do have insurance in place to cover it so check that as well if the issue cannot be resolved. If your home or car is hit and you are in the position of not knowing who hit the golf ball you can ask the golf course if their insurance will pay for your damages, but typically this would be excluded. If the golf course will not take responsibility for the damages then you will likely need to put in a claim with your physical damages portion of your insurance policy. Comprehensive coverage will normally cover damage. You will need to pay the deductible associated with this coverage There are several ways you can protect yourself from getting hit in the pocketbook. It is advisable that before you buy, look at where the house is in relation to the hole. If the home is behind the tee box, it's unlikely to get hit. But it's going to get hit all the time if it's 150 to 250 yards out on the right. Why is this? Because most bad golfers are habitual slicers. If you live on a golf course, you assume risk. Contact your insurance agent to see if your personal liability coverage on your homeowner’s insurance would pay for "damage to property of others." There will be a dollar limit stated in your policy. For further information call: Doug Motz at Douglas Motz Insurance Agency at 760-200-0270 or go to www.DougMotz.com

"Carpooling for Hire" for Stagecoach or Coachella Fest

In the past, many people have been known to “carpool for hire”, meaning they will drop off & pickup passengers at Stagecoach or Coachella Fest for a fee. Did you know that your auto insurance policy has an exclusion that will deny coverage if you use your vehicle for "public conveyance", which simply means if you use your car to “carpool for hire” and use it as a taxi cab. Your personal auto insurance will most likely not cover you in the event of an accident.

The basis for having the "public or livery conveyance" exclusion is that when you are hiring out your vehicle for transport, you are in a commercial activity and that's where your personal auto insurance policy draws the line. You will have an increased number of passengers in the car, which also increases the risk.

Be sure you check with your insurance agent and the dmv BEFORE you decide to “carpool for hire”.

Call Doug Motz at Douglas Motz Insurance Agency
@ 760-200-0270 or go to www.DougMotz.com
for any questions regarding this situation.

Do You Plan on Renting Your House or Condo for Stagecoach or Coachella Fest?

Many homeowners in the desert rent their houses or condos for Stage Coach or Coachella Fest, thinking they are going to make A LOT of extra money for a weekend. But, they assume their homeowner’s insurance policy will cover their property in case of a fire, theft, damage or a liability claim. Homeowners insurance covers owner-occupied structures, your personal property such as furniture, TV’s, clothes, personal liability for lawsuits and medical bills resulting from injuries sustains on your property.

If you decide to rent your house or condo for the weekend or week you will need to purchase a Short Term Vacation Rental Policy. Keep in mind this in NOT the same thing as a “landlord policy” which is for a long term lease. Renting the home you live in for a weekend or a week has different insurance requirements than if you were to have a long term rental. When you rent your home long term the risk is not as high as if you are renting it short term. Most homes, when rented long term, have minimal appliances and furniture. When you rent the home you are living in it will most likely have all of your furniture and personal possessions in it.
Your primary homeowners insurance policy will not offer protection if you decide to rent out the home you live in.

Be sure you check with your insurance agent BEFORE you make any changes or decisions no matter how small or insignificant you think a situation might be.

Call Doug Motz at Douglas Motz Insurance Agency @ 760-200-0270
or go to www.DougMotz.com for any questions regarding renting your house/condo for Stagecoach or Coachella Fest.

Business Etiquette

At many business functions and other networking events I have come across, many business owners or employees in management positions, treat some business or service professionals as if they are beneath them. Networking and business events give business professionals and their employees an opportunity to meet and confer with colleagues and potential clients. From educational breakfasts and social luncheons, to after work happy hours, to more formal networking events such as conferences, expos or trade shows, no matter the setting or event, it's important that attendees exercise the same respect for one another. Be sure when you are at these events you are not constantly “hounding” the business associates you meet to get them to buy the product or service you are trying to sell. Of course you want to introduce & inform them of what it is your are selling, but do not keep after them, or when they see you at the next function they are going to avoid you.

As business professionals, we need to treat EVERY business owner, professional service person, clients/customers, co-workers, managers, business associates and most importantly, volunteers, with respect and consideration. We need to be polite to one another no matter who we are dealing with. Business etiquette is about carrying yourself in a professional manner and using self control. When you are not respectful to others they will want to avoid you and will NO longer want to do business with you. How you present yourself says as much about your credibility as a good reference ever could. Your personal character has the power to ignite your professional success or it can ruin your progress.

If someone calls you or emails you, be sure to have the courtesy of returning their phone call or email. You might think it is not important & that they do not count because they are JUST a business associate and they are NOT a customer or a client. They may be calling because they either need to use your business or have a referral for you. There may be a day when you might either need to hire that business or refer that business. Remember we are ALL in business TOGETHER; we ALL need one another at some point in time.

If you call someone and they do not return your call or email right away DO NOT keep calling and leaving, messages, especially if it is the same day. Chances are they are VERY busy & will return your call when they get the chance. At least give the person 24 hours to return your call or email before calling them again. Also, be sure to check your messages, they may have left you a message that you did not check.

It is especially important in all areas of business to conduct yourself with integrity and professionalism, demonstrating manners at all times. This will help avoid any tension or conflict with clients, co-workers or colleagues while upholding your reputation within the business community.

And most importantly is “The Power of a Thank You”! Many people have gotten away from just saying a simple “Thank You”, it is a very powerful message. It needs to be said to those who have helped you in ANY way, even for the small things. People want to feel appreciated.

Thank you for taking the time to read this article.

For further information call Doug Motz at
Douglas Motz Insurance Agency @ 760-200-0270 or go to www.DougMotz.com

Financial Peace University FREE Preview Class

Shadow Mountain/Shadow Rock Church will be holding
Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace University
beginning October 16, 2012 on Tuesdays at 6:00p.m.,
at their Thousand Palms Church location:
75580 Ramon Rd
Thousand Palms, CA 92276

Financial Peace University classes will meet every Tuesday for 9 weeks, during which time the average family pays off $5300 in debt and saves $2700. The cost for the 9 week course is $100.00 per family.

What is Financial Peace University?
Financial Peace University (FPU) is Dave's life-changing program that teaches you to achieve your financial goals by eliminating debt, saving for the future, and giving like never before. More than 1 million families have attended FPU with amazing results. You will be challenged and motivated to make a plan for your money and change your family tree forever!

What will you learn in Financial Peace University?
In 9 action-packed lessons, you'll learn how to beat debt, build wealth, find bargains, invest for the future, give like never before, and much more! This information will change your life!
Doug Motz from Douglas Motz Insurance Agency will be the class moderator.

To sign up for this class or for further information please call:
Shadow Mountain @ 760- 343-0550
or call
Doug Motz @ 760-200-0270