Know what your wall colour has to say about your personality

Heard the saying ‘if these walls can talk?’ Well, they can! Design experts say that the colour of your walls say a lot about your personality, along with affecting your mood as well. And not only just the colour, but the brightness, shade, and saturation of the colour used are also influenced by your personality.

Environmental psychologist Sally Augustin says that extroverts tend to opt for brighter and more saturated colours such as red, while introverts go for lighter hues as blues or greens. Those who pick unusual shades for their walls have a desire to stand out or a need for uniqueness.

Colours Do the Talking

If you are done painting your walls with your favourite colour, see what that colour says about you:

• Yellow – Yellow is always associated with the sun. People who pick yellow for their walls have a sunny personality. Extroverts prefer yellow because it denotes liveliness and complements their happy, outgoing personality! Paint common spaces in your home such as the living room or kitchen yellow for a warm atmosphere.


• Red – Red is the colour of energy, which makes it a favourite for go-getters and extroverts. Since it is also a colour that demands everyone’s attention, it’s appropriate for someone who wants to be the centre of attention.


• Orange – Orange indicates that the person is warm and reserved to a certain extent. It also denotes confidence, especially with regards to their style. Since it is an earthy colour, it also signifies that the person is outdoorsy.


• Green – Green signifies a deep love for nature and the great outdoors, which is why adventurers prefer this colour. This soothing colour also boosts creative thought, making it an ideal choice for your home office or studio.


• Blue – Blue stands for constancy and loyalty, both of which are valued by someone who prefers this colour. Since it is the colour of the sky and the ocean, it also brings in a calm, soothing, effect. Blue, especially lighter shades of the colour, also signifies that the person is an introvert.


• Purple – Purple stands for sophistication and indicates that the person likes to be on trend with everything. Softer purples create a meditative atmosphere and fuel creativity, while darker shades stand for someone who loves luxury.


• Brown – Earthy and warm, this colour implies that the person is friendly and social. Lighter shades of brown such as tan make spaces seem larger, while darker shades signify a bolder taste.


• Grey – Grey is the colour of sophistication, which proves that anyone with grey walls has a classy taste. Apart from that, it also indicates that the person is more reserved and enjoys having their personal space.


• White – Someone who has white walls in their home is a lover of minimalism or maybe they don’t love too much colour. On the other hand, white also acts as a backdrop to experiment with other elements of your décor.

If you are creating your own dream home, before picking your wall colour, avail a home insurance policy for yourself. All you need to do is compare home insurance plans and opt for the one best suited to your needs.

Demystifying the coverage of burglary insurance

While insuring your assets is essential in today’s time, the question of adequate coverage often remains unanswered. This fact is substantiated by the annual report of the Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority of India (IRDAI) for the financial year 2014-2015, which reflects the low insurance penetration in our country and the claims incurred ratio for the general insurance sector.

The insurance gap in the country can only be filled by complete knowledge of coverage and disclosure of facts by the insured. Thus, understanding the minute details of your policy document becomes utterly crucial. And, when it comes to customised policies such burglary and special perils, observations reveal that policyholders often miss out on coverages or pay for a coverage they won’t need.

What is covered under a standard burglary policy?

A standard burglary policy can be classified into three types, namely, total loss, first loss and stock declaration policy. A total loss policy covers for the full value of the property insured, whereas a first loss policy allows a proposer to insure a certain percentage of stocks when the probability of the entire stock being stolen is less.

Thus, under a first loss policy, in case you anticipate that only a certain amount will be burgled, you can opt to insure only the maximum amount you wish to be protected for. Although, it ensures you pay lesser in premiums, the same may back fire in case the losses extend beyond your sum insured.

If your inventory keeps fluctuating the year round, you will need a stock declaration policy. Under this policy, the sum insured will be fixed at the maximum value of your inventory that you anticipate to hold at any point of time.

Such policies cover the loss or damage caused to the property only by forcible and violent entry into the premises as under the definition of ‘Burglary’. Damage caused by any other means is not covered and the compensation provided will be to the extent of the basic value of the property, subject to maximum limit.

What is excluded from a standard burglary policy?

The insurer will not be liable for the theft of luxury watches, jewellery, money, gold, precious stones, drawing artefacts, etc. unless these are specifically insured. The insurer will also be not liable for the loss if the damage is caused by insured or any member of insured's household or staff.

Besides, the policy ceases to exist if:

• The property is left uninhabited for more than a week
• The material is positioned at a relatively riskier place
• The interest of the insured has passed on to another person through will or operation of law

How to make a claim?

In the event of a theft or burglary, you should immediately report the police and also notify the home insurance provider within a period of 14 days to submit your claims for the loss or damage sustained. Any claim notified beyond the stipulated period will be rejected by the insurance company.

With proposed amendments to the Motor Vehicles Act, the premium for third party insurance for motor vehicles could increase by at least 10-15%. Third party car insurance, which is the only mandatory component of a motor insurance policy, accounts for 30% of the premium.

The main objective behind the proposal is to increase the compensation offered to accident victims and provide timely assistance to them. If passed, the amendment seeks to revise the present compensation of ₹ 25,000 to ₹ 2,00,000 in case of death due to hit-and-run accidents.

For grave injuries, the proposed compensation is ₹ 50,000, as compared to the present compensation of ₹ 12,500. In case of fatal accidents where the offending vehicle and owner have been identified, there is a provision for compensation up to ₹ 10,00,000. Additionally, insurance companies will have to pay the compensation within 30 days.

Investing in a property along with loan must go hand in hand when it comes to securing your home while applying for an home insurance. Basically, as per a study made by experts it has been observed and come to a conclusion that individuals opting for property as an investment must also invest in buying an home insurance.

Home loan insurance: Today there are many banks that provide home loans and even home insurance because of their tie-ups with many other general insurance companies. This option has become a compulsion in many countries, because such a combination of home loan with home insurance provides enough cover to the insured and his property. Many banks in India too provide good coverage on insurance. For instance: a bank covers against various misfortunes i.e. incase of illness, accidental death,permanent total disability. In case of any employment loss, then there are certain banks that cover three EMI payments. This policy also covers in times of earthquake, loss of property or damage to the building and/or any of its contents. There are also certain companies that provide comprehensive coverage for structure and contents against the listed natural and man-made calamities. Also, people are given the option of continuing with the same policy even if the loan term ends.

According to National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), 7 structures have collapsed each day in India during 2010-2014. The structures mainly comprised of residential buildings and commercial buildings with 4919 and 1610 fatalities respectively. In addition, Uttar Pradesh reported the highest number of deaths caused due to collapse of structures, followed by Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Tamil Nadu.

Such alarming statistics only point towards a need for greater awareness while choosing a site for construction or a home to live. While it may not be possible to safeguard one’s home from the ill effects of a calamity, it is possible to control the extent of damage. Here are a few precautions to reduce the likelihood of you becoming a victim of a building collapse:

Check the Foundation

It all begins with the kind of foundation you build for your home. In case the property is located around a swampy ground, a stronger foundation is required as compared to solid grounds. But having said that, one cannot overlook the fact that even solid grounds require robust foundations.

Build Earthquake-Proof Constructions

A seismic zone map released on September 20, 2016 by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and Building Materials and Technology Promotion Council (BMTPC) states that 59% of households in India are vulnerable to severe and moderate earthquake.

Effective pre-planning carried out by the government and builders and general awareness in this regard has the potential to save thousands of lives. Thus, it will be a wise step to learn from other earthquake-prone countries such as Japan that is several steps ahead from the rest of the world in building earthquake-proof structures. Among the several methods, the most common is installing beams that transfer the sway, dissipation units, and incorporation of flexible material.