3 ways to borrow without getting a business loan Borrowing money is often problematic for small-business owners. If you don't have substantial physical assets in the business, banks are often hesitant to offer a direct business loan. Even if you can get a business loan, a lender often wants you to personally guarantee it. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- So, sometimes it can make sense to look for loan money aviation insurance companies houston auto insurance outside the world of business loans. Here are three ways of raising some funds for your business without filling out a business loan application. (I'll discuss possible ways of enhancing your chances of getting a direct business loan in a future column.) 1. Life insurance You may be able to borrow against your life insurance policy if it's a policy that has a cash surrender value. The automobile insurance quote houston auto insurance amount you can borrow is determined by this value, not by the size of the policy. For example, if you have a $300,000 policy with a cash value of $50,000, your borrowing capability will be based on the $50,000 cash value. Typically, you can borrow against up to 100% of the cash surrender value of your policy. You may only have to make annual interest payments on houston auto insurance houston auto insurance the loan; principal payments could be optional. You might even skip interest payments, adding them to the principal loan balance. A note of warning here: This all sounds attractive, but remember that life insurance is, for most people, supposed to be life insurance. Skip interest payments, don't repay loans, and you'll reduce or could even eliminate the death benefit your heirs get on the policy. 2. Retirement plans principal dental insurance houston auto insurance Individual Retirement Accounts can