diff --git a/lib/insightly/base.rb b/lib/insightly/base.rb
index a6178b8..e7fc7dc 100644
--- a/lib/insightly/base.rb
+++ b/lib/insightly/base.rb
@@ -25,11 +25,11 @@ def self.custom_fields(*args)
         next if method.nil? or method == ""
         method_name = method.to_s.downcase.to_sym
         send :define_method, method_name do
-          @data["#{self.class.const_get(:CUSTOM_FIELD_PREFIX)}_#{index+1}"]
+          @data["#{base_insightly_class.const_get(:CUSTOM_FIELD_PREFIX)}_#{index+1}"]
         end
         method_name = "#{method.to_s.downcase}=".to_sym
         send :define_method, method_name do |value|
-          @data["#{self.class.const_get(:CUSTOM_FIELD_PREFIX)}_#{index+1}"] = value
+          @data["#{base_insightly_class.const_get(:CUSTOM_FIELD_PREFIX)}_#{index+1}"] = value
         end
       end
     end
@@ -57,14 +57,20 @@ def initialize(id = nil)
       load(id) if id
     end
 
+    def base_insightly_class
+      self.class.ancestors.select do |anc|
+        anc.name.split("::").first == "Insightly"
+      end.first
+    end
 
     def url_base
-      self.class.url_base
+      base_insightly_class.url_base
     end
 
     def remote_id_field
-      return self.class.remote_id_field if self.class.remote_id_field
-      self.class.to_s.downcase.gsub("insightly::", "") + "_id"
+      return base_insightly_class.remote_id_field if base_insightly_class.remote_id_field
+
+      base_insightly_class.name.demodulize.downcase + "_id"
     end
 
     def remote_id
diff --git a/lib/insightly/read_write.rb b/lib/insightly/read_write.rb
index 1cc2acb..e0f390d 100644
--- a/lib/insightly/read_write.rb
+++ b/lib/insightly/read_write.rb
@@ -23,13 +23,22 @@ def post_collection(path, params, content_selector = :json)
       else
         content_type = content_selector
       end
-      response = RestClient::Request.new(:method => :post,
-                                         :url => "#{config.endpoint}/#{path.to_s}",
-                                         :user => config.api_key,
-                                         :password => "",
-                                         :payload => params,
-                                         :headers => {:accept => content_type, :content_type => content_type}).execute
-      process(response, content_selector)
+
+      begin
+        url = "#{config.endpoint}/#{path.to_s}"
+
+        response = RestClient::Request.new(:method => :post,
+                                           :url => url,
+                                           :user => config.api_key,
+                                           :password => "",
+                                           :payload => params,
+                                           :headers => {:accept => content_type, :content_type => content_type}).execute
+
+        process(response, content_selector)
+      rescue => e
+        puts "failure talking to Insight.ly #{url}"
+        raise e
+      end
     end
 
     def put_collection(path, params, content_selector = :json)
@@ -47,4 +56,4 @@ def put_collection(path, params, content_selector = :json)
       process(response, content_selector)
     end
   end
-end
\ No newline at end of file
+end
diff --git a/spec/unit/base_spec.rb b/spec/unit/base_spec.rb
index 835eb47..cb02b4c 100644
--- a/spec/unit/base_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/unit/base_spec.rb
@@ -3,4 +3,29 @@
 describe Insightly::Base do
   before(:each) do
   end
-end
\ No newline at end of file
+
+  context "url_base" do
+    it "uses the base_insightly_class's" do
+      base = Insightly::Base.new
+      base_class = double()
+      url = "some url"
+      base_class.should_receive(:url_base).and_return(url)
+      base.should_receive(:base_insightly_class).and_return(base_class)
+      base.url_base.should eql(url)
+    end
+  end
+
+  context "subclass" do
+    before(:all) do
+      class TestTask < Insightly::Task
+      end
+    end
+    it "knows the base class's url" do
+      TestTask.new.url_base.should eql(Insightly::Task.new.url_base)
+    end
+
+    it "knows the base class's remote_id_field" do
+      TestTask.new.remote_id_field.should eql(Insightly::Task.new.remote_id_field)
+    end
+  end
+end