Understanding Indemnity Agreements and their Uses

By: David Gass

An Indemnity Agreement is a contractual agreement made between two parties. One party signs a legal document proclaiming to be a guarantor for a corporation or a company. The other party sends a representative of the company such as its president to sign the document. They make these agreements when the company in question has no assets to pledge or use as collateral for a loan and another person or company signs an indemnity agreement to be a guarantor for the loan. Insurance companies will indemnify a policyholder for any loss or damage to property or assets, which the policyholder had insured.

The Guarantor And The Indemnified Corporation:
The Indemnity Agreement is signed between the guarantor and the indemnified company. The guarantor, if it is a corporation, must provide sufficient documentation that it has the corporate power, authorization, consent, and approval needed to carry on its usual business while entering into the agreement. The corporate officers authorized to bind the company to this agreement must sign the agreement. They execute, deliver, and perform under the terms of the agreement on behalf of any non-corporate guarantor. Signing the agreement should not constitute a default under any provision of applicable law, regulation of the charter, certification of incorporation, bylaws, agreements, injunctions, judgments, decrees or orders to which it may be subject.

Conditions:
The guarantor must agree to certain provisions. If the guarantor is a company or a partnership, the indemnity agreement binds each partner or party who has a beneficial interest in the guarantor. Each party must agree to be bound jointly and severally to the indemnity agreement. The guarantor cannot terminate the agreement as long as the indemnified company provides a replacement bond assuming all outstanding liabilities in amounts no less than that provided by the guarantor. The guarantor must give at least 90 days notice in order to terminate the agreement.

In the indemnity agreement, both the parties have certain rights and certain duties to carry out. The indemnified company must protect the guarantor against default and act in good faith to the trust the guarantor has shown in them, not causing any damage to the reputation of the guarantor. The guarantor needs proof from the indemnified company that its board of directors has good business acumen and can carry out the bargain effectively. Some companies indemnify their directors or officers to ensure good conduct and good management while the company itself is indemnified. The directors or officers may refuse to hold their position in the company until they are adequately protected. The company protects its directors or officers and pays any expense incurred through a lawsuit against its officers if the officers prove they were acting in the best interest of the company and are not guilty of any fraud. If they are guilty of causing harm to the company, the company may nullify its indemnity agreement with these employees.

Additional Help:
There are several software packages that offer various kinds of indemnity documents and advice in filing these documents. There are reputable companies, which document and protect all the documents of corporations.

Article Source: http://www.homebusinessresourcedirectory.com

Authors Bio: David Gass is President of Business Credit Services, Inc. His company publishes a free weekly e-newsletter on Small Business Consulting at their web site http://www.smallbusinessconsulting.com

Note: You may use this article for reprint ONLY if you DO NOT change the article in ANY way, AND you keep the source and bio IN TACT with ALL links ACTIVE!

Business Law Knowledge That Is Integral To The Running Of A Company

By: David Gass

It is essential to know about business law before starting a business, as it will help you operate your business without the hindrances of ignorance. It is better to seek the expert guidance of an accountant and an attorney to learn about the latest business laws that will affect your business.

Below is a list of the most important business laws.

Business structure laws: There are different laws for different business entities. Be certain you learn about the business laws that govern the kind of business entity that you choose to start. The major types of businesses are C, S and closed corporations, limited liability companies, and sole proprietorships.

Zoning Laws: It is essential to know about zoning laws, as certain zones are restricted in certain areas. It deals with the kind or type of business allowed in certain areas, how the land surrounding a business is used, signboards, advertisements, and parking.

Licensing Laws:
In order to operate a business certain licenses are required and there are some important business laws you need to know. If a business operates without these licenses, it is illegal and the business may be dissolved or forced to close.

Trademark and Patent Laws:
These are laws that deal with ownership; intellectual property rights, and inventions. They are necessary to protect the business.

Employment Laws: These are laws regarding the hiring and firing of employees, their rights, compensation, safety, work place discrimination, child labor laws, overtime pay structure, disability laws and unemployment laws.

Tax Laws:
This section deals with filing of tax returns and depends on the kind of business entity and the state the business operates in, sales tax. These include franchise tax, income tax and other state and federal tax requirements of a business. These are very important business laws you need to know before starting a business.

Environmental Laws:
The government enforces the environmental laws for the discharge of hazardous waste and the recycling laws pertaining to the business.

Health Department Permits: This is necessary if your business deals with food products. You must get health department permits to operate your business.

Fire Department Permits and Air and Water Pollution Control Permits:
There are laws that certain kinds of business entities must get permits from these departments to operate.

Beware Of Laws

The list above contains basic business laws you need to know before starting a company. It is necessary to take precautions that you are not violating any law by operating your business. You must obtain all the necessary permits and licenses from the appropriate authority.

Additional Help
There are firms that offer their services and products to help make the process of starting and running a business very simple and easy. There is also software to make sure your company remains legitimate.

Article Source: http://www.homebusinessresourcedirectory.com

About the Author: David Gass is President of Business Credit Services, Inc. His company publishes a free weekly e-newsletter on Small Business Consulting at their web site http://www.smallbusinessconsulting.com

NOTE: You may use this article for reprint ONLY if you DO NOT change the article in ANY way, AND you keep the source and bio IN TACT with ALL links ACTIVE!