Big Up DatE

Guiding Principles in Florida

2008-02-23T09:54:00.000+07:00

Helping employees in Florida get answers to their personal health benefits questions is a common responsibility for benefit administrators (BAs).

Many employees turn to their company’s benefit administrator for assistance because they feel the BA is in a better position to get accurate and timely information from the health insurance carrier. However, there are rules and restrictions that govern how BAs can obtain specific health information for employees.

In the past, BAs could simply ask the health insurance carrier a question related to the personal health of an employee and the carrier could provide the answer directly to the BA. However, this has changed. In today’s workplace, there are rules and restrictions for obtaining health information on a specific employee. The federal and state governments have issued strict guidelines with severe penalties concerning the misuse or unauthorized disclosure of an individual’s protected health information (PHI).

Therefore, it is important that companies and their designated benefits representative understand these rules and regulations and how they pertain to sharing an employee’s PHI.

Getting permission

Benefit administrators can still help employees obtain answers to their personal health questions but they must now follow the guidelines set forth by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA). The HIPAA regulations, effective April 14, 2003, impose specific policies and procedures governing the use and disclosure of an individual’s protected health information.

In order to make an inquiry on an employee’s behalf, the BA must obtain written consent from the employee. The authorization form is usually specific to the health benefits company to which the inquiry is being made and must contain certain elements required under HIPAA, including the limitations of the authorization, effective and termination dates, and information regarding the individual’s rights under the authorization.

Some health benefits companies will only accept an original consent form; others will accept a faxed copy.

Receiving a response

Once the appropriate form is received by the health benefits company, a response to the BA’s inquiry can be released. The information that will be reported back to the BA will be the “minimum necessary” — the least amount of information necessary to answer the question, limited to the range of permission.

For example, if the initial inquiry was regarding whether a claim had been processed for payment, the health benefits carrier would provide a response of “no” or a response of “yes” that would include the date of payment. Based on the scope and wording of the question, what the claim was for and the amount paid may not be disclosed.

If this additional information is needed, it must be addressed in the initial question and would have to be included in the range of permission that the employee granted. HIPAA guidelines are in place to protect each individual’s personal health information. The federal and state governments are clear as to what can and cannot be shared without authorization and may impose civil and monetary fines and penalties for noncompliance.

However, these regulations do not mean that BAs cannot help employees receive answers to their personal health questions. Understanding HIPAA guidelines and your health benefit company’s policies regarding authorization forms will allow your BA to continue to help employees find out answers to important health benefit questions.

For more information on HIPAA guidelines, visit www.hipaa.org or review the HIPAA Regulations at the Department of Health and Human Services Web site, www.hhs.gov.
Article Source: http://www.Free-Articles-Zone.com-By Linda Jackson Jones

Start Spreading the News in Florida

2008-02-22T12:38:00.001+07:00

For most companies in Florida, open enrollment is a 30-day period in which employees have the opportunity to select their benefits for the next year.

Making an informed decision about which health plan to select is critical for employees, but it can be a little overwhelming, especially if there are several plans to choose from. To assist employees in their decision-making process, it may be helpful to hold a series of on-site open enrollment meetings. These meetings provide a forum for employees to meet with a representative from the health insurance carrier to discuss details about each available plan and ask questions.

The key to planning a successful open enrollment campaign is preparation, preparation, preparation. If you plan ahead and enlist assistance from your health benefits company, you can offer employees an educational campaign that will equip them with the information they need to select the best health plan for them.

So many choices

The first step is to determine the health benefits options that will be available. The plans that you offer to employees may change from year to year.

Prior to open enrollment, many employers revisit their health plan package to make sure they are getting the most for their company’s health benefits dollars.

Whether you select a new health insurance carrier or renew with your existing one, be sure to find a plan that packages core medical benefits with additional services designed to improve health and reduce costs. For instance, ask your health benefits company if it has a disease management program to help employees with chronic conditions such as diabetes.

Typically these programs provide employees with tools and instructions to help them monitor their health status and manage their disease to a point where health risks are as minimal as possible. Participation in disease management programs can also help employees avoid costly hospital admissions and reduce your bottom line.

Set the agenda

Once you have determined the health benefits plans that will be available to your employees, it is time to develop an agenda for open enrollment. An effective open enrollment campaign should do more than simply inform employees of their health benefits options; it should also educate them on how to get the most from their health benefits plan.

Open enrollment is a great time to inform employees about cost-effective options that are built into their health plan. These options can significantly reduce an employee’s out-of-pocket expenses, but often employees don’t know they exist. For instance, with many plans, receiving services from an urgent care center for a nonlife-threatening illness or injury (such as a minor cut, cold or insect bite) may be cheaper than receiving the same services at a hospital.

Open enrollment is also a good time to educate employees on the importance of a healthy lifestyle and make them aware of any worksite wellness programs. If the available health benefits plans feature discounts on fitness club memberships or complementary and alternative medicine therapies, be sure that this information is made available to employees.

Promotion, promotion, promotion

The final step to a successful campaign is to communicate the schedule of open enrollment meetings to your employees and encourage their participation. If your company has a newsletter, include the meeting schedule in it. E-mail is a good communication tool; you may also want to consider posting signs.

Open enrollment does not have to be a stressful time for you or your employees. With the proper planning and assistance from your health benefits company, you can conduct a successful campaign that educates employees so that they select a health plan that makes sense for their health care needs and budget.
Article Source: http://www.Free-Articles-Zone.com-By Linda Jackson Jones

Educated Choice in Florida

2008-02-19T19:31:00.001+07:00

How to control health care costs in Florida continues to dominate discussions among benefit administrators, chief financial officers, CEOs, insurance brokers and health benefit companies. When you lower your costs, your employees often react by thinking they will receive fewer benefits.

Offering a choice of plans, having a sensible contribution strategy and providing employee education can hold costs down and satisfy employees.

Choice, choice, choice

Offering a choice in benefit plans, choice in network access and choice in monthly costs are some of the best ways to keep health care costs affordable. Whether you have 20 employees or 1,000, find a health benefits company that can offer you several plans for employees to choose from.

Typically, employers offer very little choice in health benefit plans. Successful benefit administrators understand that every employee has unique health care needs. Why not offer employees three or four plans to choose from?

The level of benefits employees choose will relate directly to how much they utilize health care services and what they can afford.

Most health benefit companies offer the following types of plans.

Traditional HMO. Lowest-cost plan, all care is coordinated by a primary care physician; employee must stay in network

Open access. A slightly higher-priced plan allowing the employee the freedom to self-refer to specialists in the network. More freedom equals a higher cost.

Point of Service (POS). A less affordable plan for most, with more freedom; employee can access HMO benefits/network and/or pay higher co-insurance and choose any doctor

Preferred Provider Organization plan (PPO). Greatest freedom, highest cost; total network access and out-of-network benefit, self-refer to specialist

Developing a contribution strategy

Now that you have decided to partner with a carrier that can offer your employees the choices they need, how do you stay within your company’s budget? The answer is simple — be fair and consistent by implementing a defined contribution strategy that fits your company’s budget. This process can be accomplished in two easy steps.

1. Determine what dollar amount per employee your business can afford.

2. Select a carrier that can offer you four plans that will satisfy your employees’ health care needs.

Here’s an example of how a defined contributions strategy could work for you (based on a health benefits budget of $180 per employee, per month).

In the example in the chart above, your company accomplished two very important goals: You controlled your company’s costs and you offered your employees choices.

With a defined contributions strategy, your employees are responsible for evaluating what they need and how much they are willing to pay.

A choice of plans with a defined contribution strategy is two-thirds of the employer’s cost saving equation. By adding employee education, you could see a change in behavior that can lead to significant savings. The more informed employees are about the true cost of health care and how their choices directly affect their pocketbook, the more likely they are to become “partners” in controlling costs.

Most health benefit carriers provide members with an Explanation of Benefits for all claims processed, which contains the cost of services. Web-based tools offer plan information and are user-friendly. At workshops and mandatory open enrollment educational meetings, employees can speak directly with a carrier representative.

As health insurance premiums continue to rise and more employers face very difficult decisions, offering a choice of plans can keep your employees happy and satisfy your bottom line.
Article Source: http://www.Free-Articles-Zone.com-By Cathy Aguirre

Worksite Wellness in Florida

2008-02-19T19:29:00.000+07:00

Employers in Florida increasingly are realizing the value that worksite wellness programs deliver as an effective tool to improve employee health, increase productivity, reduce absenteeism and lower health care costs.

A 2003 report published by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) highlighted how important it is for employers to incorporate health promotion as part of their business strategy. The report asserts that preventable diseases place a heavy toll on business, including lower productivity and higher health insurance costs.

The HHS estimates that $1.66 trillion was spent on health care in 2003. and it attributes a majority of those costs to chronic diseases and conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, obesity and asthma. Sadly, the money allocated for preventing or controlling these conditions is negligible.

In a recent article, American Cancer Society CEO John Seffrin reported twothirds of cancer deaths in the United States could be prevented through lifestyle changes in diet, exercise, cancer screening and “especially” tobacco use. A well-designed worksite wellness program, provided by your health benefits company, serves the best interests of both employer and employee.

Bottom line return on investment

Ron Goetzel, a nationally recognized expert in the field of health management, data analysis and applied research, said in a recent interview that with an investment of $100 to $150 per employee per year in health promotion, an employer can expect an average return on investment of approximately $3 for every $1 invested ($300 to $450 savings per employee per year). Goetzel says, however, that these returns are not typically realized until two to three years into the wellness program.

Legislative incentives

Sen. Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) has been an outspoken proponent in seeking legislative solutions for a strained health care system. “As a nation, we have a ‘sick care’ system that is focused on helping people after they get sick, rather than a ‘health care’ system which focuses on keeping healthy people healthy,” he says.

Harkin introduced the Healthy Lifestyle and Prevention (HeLP) America Act of 2004. One of the initiatives under Title II - Healthier Communities and Workplaces, provides tax credits to businesses that offer comprehensive programs to promote employee health and grants for small business.

Worksite wellness, getting started

Implementing a worksite wellness program with your health insurance carrier can be accomplished with simple, lowcost strategies.

Offer incentives for participation.

Create a wellness campaign.

Schedule seminars on nutrition, diabetes and cholesterol.

Establish programs such as fitness, sleep diary, smoking cessation and injury prevention.

Offer chair massages or simple stretching exercises to do at the desk.

Change vending machine options to offer healthier, low-fat snacks and drinks.

Work with a health insurance carrier that can implement, manage and maintain your program. Actively promote employee participation.

A successful worksite wellness program can boost company morale, enhance productivity, reduce organizational conflict, attract superior workers and lower the rate of employee turnover.

The case for establishing a worksite wellness program is well worth the effort.
Article Source: http://www.Free-Articles-Zone.com-By Cathy Aguirre

Fixing Health Care in Florida

2008-02-18T19:41:00.001+07:00

The cost of health insurance in florida continues to climb unabated. As the number of uninsured in America swells to 45 million people, many look to our political leaders for answers and relief.

Presidential campaign rhetoric about how to control skyrocketing health care costs provides only short-term solutions focused on the sticker price. But the administration should address long-term solutions to the spiraling crisis.

In 2002, the United States spent $1.6 trillion, or nearly 15 percent of GDP, on health expenditures. Medicare, the government’s single payer model for seniors, spent $267 billion.

Analysts project national health care expenditures to reach $3.1 trillion by 2012 — nearly twice the amount spent in 2002. The dramatic numbers have a tendency to overstate the obvious — for many, the cost of insurance can be as much, if not more, than rent or a mortgage. Until the administration places its focus on the rising cost of health care, those
costs will continue to escalate far exceeding the rates of earnings. Whether you subscribe to a higher monthly premium charged by an HMO or a payroll tax collected by Uncle Sam, someone has to pay the bill. Shifting the burden from our premium bill to our tax bill is not an acceptable solution.

There are basic initiatives that policymakers need to address in an effort to streamline the delivery system and minimize the soaring cost of health care.

First, encourage investments in technology improvements across all levels of thehealth care delivery system, including insurers, hospitals and physicians. For a $1.6 trillion industry in the 21st century, the technology employed is comparable to driving a Model T on a highway full of modern cars.

Consider the banking industry. A simple piece of plastic, from any bank, allows you to purchase anything from antiques on eBay to milk at the local grocery store. In health care, the piece of plastic serving as an ID card serves little purpose other than to inform the physician where to send the bill. Physicians and their staffs then spend an inordinate amount of time completing the proper paperwork to get paid.

Inefficiencies are expensive. Administrative expenses are the fastest-rising component of health expenditures. In 2002, public and private insurance spent $105 billion on administrative expenses, almost 13 percent more than in 2001. Support for developing common standards and technology improvements is necessary to eliminate the costly inefficiencies that contribute to rising health costs.

Next, support the release of cost and quality information. Most of us know where we can find the best deal on a car, mortgage or even shoes. But how many people can afford to buy something without ever knowing the price?

Do you know the average cost of a physician office visit? We have grown accustomed to the minimal office co-payment as the benchmark for the cost of delivering care. Yet who would seriously consider a $10 co-payment a sufficient amount for physician treatment?

As consumers, we are asked to bear a greater share of health care costs. In return, we should demand more information about price and quality. Disclosure of such information has the potential to have a profound effect on consumer behavior and the cost and quality of health care. Such transparency should reform inequities and deficiencies in the cost of
health services.

There is no single magic bullet to solving the issues facing the American health care system. Our system is an immense and complex web of interdependencies. Expanded public financing and subsidies will provide only short-term relief unless the drivers of health care expenditures are resolved. Solely addressing the problem by throwing more money at it, public or private, while ignoring the elephant in the living room serves little to alleviate the large financial burden the health care system has become.

We must accept the fact that health care in the United States is expensive and get to work on long-term solutions that will effectively control costs. We have the ability to control health care costs in this country; what we lack are the commitment and stamina to get it done.
Article Source: http://www.Free-Articles-Zone.com-By John Cantillo

Health Care Costs Rising in Florida

2008-02-18T19:40:00.000+07:00

The cost of providing employees with health insurance coverage in Florida continues to increase at a double-digit rate. We’ve read a lot about cost drivers in health care — exorbitant hospital charges, rising prescription drug costs, expenses associated with developing new technologies and treatments, an aging population and litigation. Nurturing these factors is an environment in which the demand for health care seems to be increasing.

For the most part, there is little employers can do to control what is driving health care costs out of their reach. Health benefits companies can and do negotiate discounts, and while those help, the underlying costs continue to skyrocket. The increases created by these cost drivers flow through the health benefits companies and eventually trickle down to employers in the form of higher health insurance premiums.

In this soft economy, declining revenue is putting a squeeze on company expenses. It is likely that you will experience a 15 percent to 20 percent increase in your group health insurance when a renewal form lands on your desk.

Can you raise the cost of your company’s product or service as quickly as your health insurance premiums are increasing? Probably not. However, there are steps you can take to gain some control over your health care costs.

Finding a solution

Employers can exercise some control over their costs by finding a health benefits company that provides the “best” value for their company’s premium dollars. The way in which you “shop” a health plan can impact the price. I’ll use an analogy. Your travel agent has a great deal for you — air, car, hotel and meals included. You tell your agent to book it. Coincidently, your neighbors just booked that same trip for $1,000 less through their travel agent. One agent shopped for the best price, the other agent arranged the trip through his or her vendor of choice.

Whether it’s a family vacation, buying a car or choosing a health benefits plan, how you shop can impact your cost. Make sure your insurance agent doesn’t “arrange” your health plan for you. How many providers are enough? The more participating providers a health plan has, the more you’re likely to pay in premiums. If you are considering a health plan that doesn’t include a few desired physicians, request that the carrier add them to its network.

Physicians participate in many different health plans and are usually willing to participate in one more. Don’t get caught in the trap of paying 10 percent to 15 percent more for your health insurance premiums because one or two doctors are not participating in the plan. It’s reasonable that an employee can find another physician out of the thousands on the plan.

The power of marketing

Living in the United States affords us exceptional opportunities and choices. Along with that privilege comes a barrage of communications designed to influence our decision-making. What we read in the papers, see on television, hear on the radio, see flashed across a billboard, get stuffed in our mailboxes or pops up on the Internet is designed to predispose us to a company or its product.

Marketing can be an effective tool, and depending on how much is spent, can be quite influential. What marketing cannot do, however, no matter how much is spent, is replace what it takes to come up with an affordable health benefits solution that works for you.

Be sure to look for a health benefits company that is flexible, listens and is willing to roll up its sleeves to provide you with a package of health benefits that you can afford.
Article Source: http://www.Free-Articles-Zone.com-By Peter Joseph

Financing Solution in Florida

2008-02-17T16:10:00.002+07:00

In this era of creative financing and cost management tools, many employers in Florida are looking for new ways to help employees finance their health care expenses.

As an employer, you want to provide good coverage, but the cost increases in recent years have been tough to handle. A typical response to these increases may be to select a high-deductible insurance product that lowers your cost. However, there is a better solution.

Think HMO. That’s right — health maintenance organizations. The HMOs of today offer a whole new generation of health care financing tools that every employer should consider.

It’s not your father’s HMO.

You may have heard bad stories or had a rough experience in the past. However, times have changed. HMO plans today offer extensive provider networks, excellent coverage for preventive care, the ability to frequently change a primary care physician and outstanding prescription drug coverage through broad pharmacy networks.

HMOs take the surprise out of the bill.

With most health insurance plans, an employee is responsible for a percentage of the cost of care, often 20 percent or 25 percent. This can add up very quickly, and employees can’t predict what their expense is going to be.

With an HMO structured co-pay plan, an employee knows up front the expenses associated with most covered services. For example, an employee may have a $20 copay for a primary care physician (PCP) visit, which will include all services provided in that visit. Each time employees go to their PCP, they can expect to pay $20 — no surprises there.

Higher co-pays offer savings.

The days of nickel sodas and 25-cent phone calls are long gone — and so are $5 and $10 co-pay plans. It’s time to rethink the value of co-pays. New HMO plans have higher co-pays, some as high as $30 for a primary care visit and $50 for a specialist. But that covers all services provided during that visit. That’s a valuable cost limit these days.

HMOs offer bold new designs.

New HMO plans have fresh cost-sharing strategies that provide low employee out-of-pocket expenses in some areas while controlling your costs by increasing employee expenses through deductibles in other areas.

In most deductible-based plans, employees have a high deductible that applies to all services. However, with these new focused-deductible HMO plans, the deductible is limited to specific services, such as hospital care or prescription drugs. After the deductible is satisfied, a co-pay also applies to that service.

Furthermore, with these plans, employees continue to have a co-pay instead of a deductible for highly utilized areas such as physician or specialist visits.

HMOs are FSA and HRA compatible.

Many HMO plans can be used with flexible spending and health reimbursement accounts, enabling employees to decide how some of their health care dollars are used. Many carriers are also developing health spending account-compatible HMO plans.

HMOs offer more than health insurance.

Today’s HMO plans offer health improvement programs such as discounted fitness club memberships and valueadded options that let employees take charge of their own health.

There are two primary reasons to revisit today’s HMO — savings to you and savings to your employees. Rediscover today’s HMO — you’ll be pleased with what you find.
Article Source: http://www.Free-Articles-Zone.com-By Stephen Russell

Financing Solution in Florida

2008-02-17T16:10:00.001+07:00

Resolve to Get Involved

2008-02-17T12:44:00.000+07:00

As you review your goals for the New Year, include engaging employees in their health care decisions on your list. Educating employees on their part in medical care can lead to increased quality of life and productivity, and decreased sick leave and health care expense.

Consider the impact of employee health empowerment in these terms: When an employee chooses to see a primary care provider or visits an urgent care facility instead of taking an unnecessary trip to the emergency room, it can save thousands of dollars in medical expenses. And early detection and prevention bring the priceless benefit of longer, healthier lives.

Use information resources

Health plans work hard to offer quality health care, but employees still play an important part in the process. Excellent employee resources include access to online information, on-site health fairs and case managers who help with serious medical conditions. These trained professionals can help people make educated decisions about seeking treatment. Supplying employees with a book covering basic health problems and distributing health information brochures also educates them. Inviting local doctors, nurses and health insurance representatives to put on presentations can further enhance employees’ access to health knowledge.

Choose a doctor

Employees’ first step to becoming more involved entails finding doctors who will work with them in caring for their health or letting their current doctors know they desire to actively participate in their treatment. Encourage employees to look for the following qualities in a primary care physician.

• An attentive listener who wants to work with the patient

• A clear communicator who explains the diagnosis in a helpful manner

• Solid medical training and experience, including board certification

• Accessible in terms of office hours, appointment availability, response to messages and hospital locations

Supply a thorough list of questions employees should consider when choosing a physician. Also, make sure they understand how to locate a physician within their health plan.

Evaluate the condition

Thorough self-evaluation before calling or seeing a doctor can help employees determine when to see a medical provider and make their visits most productive. Consider providing copies of a form or placing a document online that lists the questions asked at the beginning of every doctor visit.

• What are your symptoms and when did they begin?

• Is this the first time you have experienced this problem?

• Do you have any idea why you might have
this condition, including life changes or people around you having these symptoms?

• Are you taking any medications?

Before and after going into the doctor, employees should try to research their condition. Asking the doctor for reference material, searching the Internet for reputable information and referring to employee health guides can help them develop a sense of what might be wrong and what treatments are available.

In learning about their conditions, patients actively participate in their health care.

Ask questions

While employees are at a visit, they should always feel comfortable asking questions.

Make sure employees know to ask:

• What tests, medicines and treatments are you recommending?

• Why are these actions necessary?

• Are there risks involved in these procedures, and are there alternatives?

• What procedures do I need to follow when taking tests or medicines?

• Do I need to call for results or to schedule another appointment?

• Should I look for certain warning signs?

Patients have a right to know and understand what a doctor recommends. They also have the responsibility to learn about the choices available to them.

Encourage employees to ask questions and to make a record of their doctors’ answers. Patients should never feel pressured to make a quick decision. Depending on people’s medical history, values and preferences, they may choose a different alternative than the first option the doctor suggests.

Partnering in their health care enhances employees’ medical care and also plays a significant role in containing health care costs. Make employee health education one of your top goals for 2006 and contribute to a healthy, happy new year.
Article Source: http://www.Free-Articles-Zone.com-By Peter Joseph

Understanding Different Types of Auto Insurance

2008-02-17T12:43:00.000+07:00

Auto Insurance policies can be divided into different categories according to the coverage they provide. Broadly speaking there are four kinds of policies known as Collision Insurance, Comprehensive Coverage Insurance, Uninsured and underinsured Motorist Coverage policies and No Fault Automobile Insurance policy. Besides these, there are policies that take care of other needs like covering an auto loan, paying for towing expenses or paying for the cost of a rented car while your vehicle is being repaired.
The most common insurance policies are:
Collision: Any property damage caused to your vehicle due to an accident caused by any other vehicle or object is covered under this policy. The claim amount cannot exceed the actual cash value of the vehicle and is subject to any deductible.

Comprehensive: Any property damage to your vehicle that is caused by non-collision factors like fire, theft, vandalism, and even natural disasters like flood, hurricane or earthquake is covered under this policy.

Uninsured Motorist Coverage (UM) and underinsured motorist (UIM) coverage: takes cares of any injury that may result to you or to persons insured in your policy from an accident that takes place with another uninsured or underinsured driver or vehicle owner. Generally only body injuries are covered under this policy.

No Fault Auto Insurance Policy: Irrespective of who caused the accident, the insurance company pays for the medical expenses and for the loss of wages that the insured suffers on account of a collision under this policy.

Some other additional coverage that an auto insurance policy holder can buy are:

Property Damage Liability and Bodily Injury Liability: These two policies protect the insured from any claims made against him for causing damage to property including vehicle belonging to another person or for causing any bodily injury or loss of life to other individuals up to the amount mentioned in the policy.

Auto Lease Protection: is an additional protection that you may add to your collision or comprehensive auto insurance policy to take care of any gap that exists between your auto loan amount and the cash value of your vehicle.

Full Tort and Limited Tort: available only in the state of Pennsylvania allows the insured to retain unrestricted rights to bring a lawsuit against a negligent party or recover expenses incurred for certain damages.

Rental Expense: Known as Extended Transportation Expense Coverage, the policy pays for a rental car while your vehicle is being repaired or replaced.

Medical Payments Insurance covers medical expenses for injuries sustained in an accident involving any vehicle for the insured, his passengers and other parties irrespective of whose fault it is.

Towing and Labor: An additional coverage option that can pay for all necessary towing and labor costs to tow your damaged vehicle to a work shop or another location.
Article Source: http://www.Free-Articles-Zone.com-By Marcus Dubois

What the insurance companies aren't telling you about your premium

2008-02-16T15:26:00.001+07:00

Although insurance companies offer peace of mind to the policy holders, it is important for all customers to remember that they are for profit companies, and accordingly your own personal interest is not their number one priority. Consequently, any insurance company will capitalize on every opportunity to extract money from its customers. The primary source of income for an insurance company is the premiums which it levies from its customers.

The premium is the fee which keeps the insurance policy alive. Each company collects the premium on a regular basis. The policy holder is expected to pay the premium on time. Delayed payments may lead to consequences such a fine or even termination of the policy. If a lapse in your payments does take place, this will render the earlier premiums paid by the policy holder useless. So, in order to reinstate oneself, the policy holder might even have to renew the entire policy.

There has also been a recent trend of policies being sold at inflated prices by a few agencies. Some of these companies that claim to be consulting organizations fail to ask important questions such as salary and mortgage details that are essential to assess the appropriate cover. So, an ideal solution to this problem would to make selling of insurance more transparent. But like all practical solutions, it is not in everyone’s interest to do so. As a result, insurance companies have lobbied congress men and women very heavily to ensure that despite the benefits of transparency, obscurity remains the law.

Another problem with insurance that is often never disclosed by sellers, is that the insurance premium is also very unstable. The rates may even change between consecutive billing cycles. For example, a driver with a recent accident history will have a pay a much higher premium than a regular driver. Such a driver will be left with no other option but to pay a high premium, since insurance has been made mandatory for driver in many states.

Insurance premiums are also very relative. They are based on extensive research and statistics. For instance, a policy holder who smokes might have to pay as much as twice the amount paid by a non-smoker. Some companies also have a provision wherein the premiums are reduced if the policy holder changes his habits. However, evidence based on medical tests will have to supplement this argument. Premiums may also fluctuate according to market trends.

As stated previously, it is not always in the best interest of the insurer to be up front with you regarding the many pitfalls which surround the purchase of insurance. However, by understanding not only some of the omissions as well as grasping the underlying motivations of insurers customers can be must better situated to make good decisions regarding their insurance needs
Article Source: http://www.Free-Articles-Zone.com-By Marcus Dubois

Insurance for Newbies

2008-02-16T15:24:00.000+07:00

Insurance is the coverage offered by an insurance company to an individual or an organization against a specified loss in return for the earlier premiums received from the policy holder. A premium is a periodic amount of money charged by the insurance company to provide active coverage.

The premium is usually collected on a monthly or half-yearly basis. The insurance company will normally terminate the policy, if the policy holder fails to make the scheduled payment. To renew this lapsed policy, the policy holder will have either have to pay the balance of the insurance premium or get reinstated.
The chief advantage of an insurance policy is the feeling of financial security that it offers to the policy holder.

The different types of insurance polices broadly defined include; Health Insurance, Life Insurance, Auto Insurance, Homeowners' Insurance and Appliance Protection.

The premium for the same service can vary depending upon the service provider and a host of other factors. The premium amount is primarily based on statistics. Individual habits and history can also play a role in influencing the insurance company’s decision on the cost of the premium. For instance, a younger driver with a sports car might have to pay a higher insurance premium than a middle-aged driver who drives a regular sedan, due to the higher probability of risks.

Because of the variability in rates and the variability in the formulas that individual companies use to determine rates, is very essential to get several insurance quotes before purchasing an insurance policy. Every insurance policy will have its own merits and demerits. However, the lowest premium quote price need not necessarily be the best insurance policy, since it may offer only a lower level of coverage. So, one will have to understand the different clauses and complexities in the policy. One will also have to do a check on the reputation of the insurance company, by considering factors such as percentage of rejected claims and timely reimbursement.

An insurance agent or broker would be aware of the different insurance schemes offered by various companies. The agent will also be of great assistance in calculating the insurance premium estimate based on the basic information obtained and help in determining the best insurance policy for you the first time insurance purchaser.
Article Source: http://www.Free-Articles-Zone.com-By Marcus Dubois

The differences between regular auto insurance and insurance bought online

2008-02-10T11:56:00.000+07:00

The unlimited advantages that the Internet has brought to our lives have even transformed the way we go about availing something as routine as auto insurance. With the option of applying for auto insurance online, car owners are spared a tremendous amount of time, effort and trouble that is involved in applying for regular auto insurance through an agent.

It isn’t merely the convenience of being able to compare quotes but also to be assured of comparing the best rates available for auto insurance. The option of applying for auto insurance online offers the additional benefits of learning about new discounts and doing away with the need for locking in on a long term relationship with a particular insurance company.

The old days of going through the tedious process of getting quotes from auto insurance companies are behind us as you can get all the insurance quotes you desire and the type of coverage you want. The online option of comparing quotes also means that you will be able to go through each plan in detail on the insurance sites in order to assess both the quality of the coverage as well as the rates.

Discounts are a major advantage of online auto insurance as they enable you to save in hundreds in premiums. A variety of discounts can be found and qualified for online from opting from an alarm system in your vehicle to enrolling for certified defensive driving courses that reduce premiums for some of the companies. The more you explore auto insurance sites online, the more discounts you will find.

The Internet is of course, synonymous with the amount of time you can save, not to mention of convenience of being able to do things at your own pace. This means not just doing away with having to schedule appointments with agents but also filling forms in the middle of the night and completing them the next day. Online insurance companies arrange to have the completed paperwork sent to you for your signature and presto, the process is over without having to miss out on a single day at work.

Switching insurance companies is also made extremely easy with online auto insurance. Prior to the advent of the Internet, it was the norm to stick to the same insurance company irrespective of their rates. Online, however, it is up to you to check as often as you like on the availability of low rates. Every time you come across better rates, you can make the switch to another company in no time at all.

The essential secret to online auto insurance is research, as rates can be widely varied between the make of vehicles and models. Discounts can also be found on accessories and features to ensure that eventually you are paying the lowest insurance rates possible.
Article Source: http://www.Free-Articles-Zone.com-By Marcus Dubois

The 411 on different types of auto insurance

2008-02-10T11:53:00.000+07:00

The basic reason why anyone requires auto insurance is for protection for both you and your car. Depending on your location you have a number of options to choose from for the type of auto insurance you require. Initially, it can be confusing with the plethora of choices available to consumers today. But by getting an understanding of the different types of auto insurances, the task is certainly made easier.

Apart from a handful of states, all the others require a minimal amount of liability insurance. This type of insurance is mainly meant to protect the occupants of the other car when you are responsible for any damage. It covers their medical bills and car repair but not you or your vehicle. For yourself, the insurance you need is comprehensive or collision insurance.

Auto insurance quotes for collision insurance are much higher than liability insurance mainly due to the fact that the coverage is a lot more. It pays for the repairs required for your car as well as your medical bills irrespective of whether or not you were at fault in an accident. Comprehensive insurance covers a majority of other kinds of damage to your vehicle including fire, vandalism or natural disasters.

Based on the particular circumstances, various deductibles can be opted for that will alter the total estimated annual cost for collision and comprehensive auto insurance quotes.

Medical payment and personal injury protection are also available with some companies. They increase medical coverage and sometimes even cover lost wages, childcare costs and related expenses owing to accidents.

Bodily injury coverage is an important coverage in addition to the minimum requirement coverage. This is for auto accidents where you were at fault and in situations where the injury of the other vehicles’ occupants exceeds their personal injury coverage. Lacking this coverage gives the victim of the accident the right to legal action which may result in a financial responsibility being placed by the state on you and your motor vehicle report. This would remain for three years. It is also referred to as an SR22.

Uninsured motorist and underinsured motorist insurance take care of you when you happen to be in an accident with those who either don’t have or have insufficient liability insurance.

Rental reimbursement and towing and labor insurance are other additional options. These costs are usually classified as add-ons or endorsements to your policy.

For auto insurance quotes companies require details about driving records, age and duration of a license, apart from inspection of your car for the purpose of certifying it.
Article Source: http://www.Free-Articles-Zone.com-By Marcus Dubois

Life Insurance: Term or Universal

2008-02-09T16:05:00.001+07:00

Deciding on the wrong life insurance plan might leave a family without financial resources at the worst possible time.

Choosing between term and universal life insurance plans can be confusing. Only with some research and planning can a responsible choice be made.

Do You Even Need Life Insurance?

Before deciding between term and universal coverage, consumers need to determine whether or not life insurance is actually needed.

When you come right down to it, it's a matter of money -- if death would cause a financial burden for the family, then life insurance is critical. Financial matters to be considered include funeral costs, college tuition, and all outstanding and upcoming debts. For single people without children or dependents, life insurance is really optional.

Once you've made the decision to buy life insurance, then it's time to determine which kind of policy is right. This is when you need a reputable insurance agent, referred to you by someone you trust. The agent can help you deal with the details of the various benefits and costs of multiple policy types.

Term Life

Term life insurance policies are among the most flexible and economical types of life insurance coverage available. These policies are designed for those who want basic coverage for a set time period without a savings account built in. This means that there will be no return on the money paid into the policy over the years.

Premium rates for a term life policy vary with the policy. Policies are usually purchased for 10, 15, 20, 25 or 30-year periods, and they may be renewable. Apart from low rates, the variety of term periods is one of the most appealing features.

For instance, a couple with a child entering college who want to ensure that tuition will be paid for in the event of their death, can purchase a term life policy for just those years. There is no reason to purchase a lifetime policy for a short-term need. Term policies with increasing or decreasing coverage are also available.

A disadvantage of term life policies is the inconsistency of their rates. While premium rates start out very low, they usually rise as policyholders age. Also, policyholders who want to renew after the initial term has ended, may find the renewal fees prohibitive.

Universal Life Insurance

Universal life insurance policies will pay any necessary death benefits, but also provide policyholders with an additional tax-deferred savings account advantage. Generally these policies must be held for a minimum of 15 years before resulting in any return from the savings account. They provide policyholders with a stable long-term investment that can be borrowed against or cashed out.

The premium rates and coverage provided by universal life policies remain constant throughout the years. Premium rates tend to be higher than with other policies, largely due to agent commissions, but under some plans the rates drop as the policyholder ages and may even disappear altogether. Unless the policy lapses, there are no renewal fees to contend with.

While some financial experts argue that there are better investment options available for educated consumers, many recognize universal life policies as having sound investment benefits.
Article Source: http://www.Free-Articles-Zone.com-By Ron King

Do I need Health Insurance

2008-02-09T16:04:00.000+07:00

If you think you do not need Health Insurance; then think again. The unpredictable nature of life is itself a valid reason to own a health insurance. Life is filled with risks. Wherever there is an element of risk, risk management is indispensable. Insurance is just a form of sensible risk management.

So, what is health insurance? To put it in simple terms, a health insurance policy is an agreement between an individual and an insurance company. The policy will include a host of benefits such as medical tests, medicinal drugs and other medical treatments. When an Insurance policy is issued by the company, then it implies the insurance company has agreed to cover the cost of a particular set of benefits listed in the policy, which are known as "covered services".

So, when a particular service is not covered by the insurance company and you have it performed anyway, the insurance company "denies the claim." In such a situation, the individual will be left with no other choice, but to pay for the service out of his own pocket. However, the policy holder has the right to challenge the insurance company’s denial, by following the appeal process mentioned in the plan handbook. But, it is advisable to do so after consulting the doctor in this regard.

It is also very important to read the terms and conditions of the insurance policy clearly, before signing up for one. This is to ensure that your hard-earned money is not invested in a policy that does not meet your needs. It is also important to bear in mind the fact that decisions pertaining to what will be and what will not be reimbursed are made by the company, and not by the doctor. So, even when a shadow of a doubt about the policy arises, it is advisable to call the insurance company for support.

In conclusion, when considering the purchase of health insurance it is important to consider all of its merits. One has to realize that the money that is involved in purchasing a medical insurance is very little, when compared to the cost incurred in undergoing some major medical services. Moreover, insurance policies may also be tax deductible, in which case you can be said to be paying for your policy with money you might have otherwise given to the tax man. These are some of the financial incentives of having an insurance policy. Excluding the protection to family and oneself, however, the greatest benefit is that possessing a health insurance policy would also ensure peace of mind to the policy holder, a significant psychological benefit. In light of all these advantages, it really wouldn’t be such a bad idea to own a health insurance policy.
Article Source: http://www.Free-Articles-Zone.com-By Marcus Dubois

Life Insurance: Is it Right for You

2008-02-08T15:16:00.002+07:00

Though Life Insurance is neither an investment plan nor a savings scheme, it still plays a significant role in the financial portfolio of most individuals. The main purpose of Life Insurance is to protect the dependents of a person from financial loss in the event of his death.

Financial obligations arise out of many situations in life like when getting married or divorced, having a baby, buying a house, sending your child to college, starting a business, taking care of a parent who is aged or sick or on retirement. If a person is shouldering these responsibilities he must ensure that these obligations continue to be fulfilled even after his death. If he has a family who depends upon his earning capacity, he is a perfect candidate for life insurance. A person should consider the long term as well as the short-term financial obligations to decide whether he needs life insurance. The questions to ask are:

1. Do you have people including family and business partners who are financially dependent upon you over a long period of time?

2. In the event of your death, do your dependents have enough assets and resources including liquid cash to take care of all their needs and to pay off your financial debts?

The second question requires a further assessment of the short-term financial needs of the family of the deceased. These include working out the following factors:

Inheritance procedures can be time consuming and the family will need funds till they get access to the property of the deceased.
The availability of other liquid assets like bank accounts or stocks can reduce dependency on life insurance.

The existence of a large amount of non-liquid assets as against liquid assets makes it necessary to have insurance.
The amount of debts and taxes the person stands to owe after his death.

Businessmen must ensure there is enough cash flow in the business for his inheritors to maintain his business.

Considering the above questions, one would find most people do need life insurance, though one can do without it if one has no dependents or young kids to support. Still, other obligations like a home mortgage or a sole proprietary business or planning for a comfortable retirement for yourself or your spouse are some of the reasons why a life insurance is still a good financial program to pick up.
Article Source: http://www.Free-Articles-Zone.com-By Marcus Dubois

The benefits and drawbacks of buying your auto insurance online

2008-02-08T15:16:00.001+07:00

With the Internet providing great shopping experience to most online buyers, people are now willing to buy more than just books and gifts on the net. The shopping list now includes financial products like insurance and mortgages.

An auto loan is one such product that you can purchase on the net with some great advantages. Instead of approaching several different automobile dealers or banks and credit unions, one only needs to fill in one simple form to get multiple quotes from several auto insurance providers. The quotes are free and receiving them does not subject you to any prior commitment. This allows the prospective buyer to browse, consider and compare all the possible options available to him and choose and change insurance companies according to his requirement.

Most online auto insurance companies offer very competitive rates that are made possible by the low overhead costs of their virtual offices. In addition, the cutthroat competition in the segment adds to a price war that works in favor of the customers as it has virtually eliminated application fees and made costs cutting a company priority for insurers.

Online shopping for auto insurance includes not only finding the lowest rate of interest but also exploring the various discounts that are available on different policies. You may qualify for a discount if you fulfill certain requirements like installing a vehicle safety alarm system or taking a certified driving course or already carrying multiple insurance policies from a particular auto insurance company.

The biggest advantage of buying online is the convenience it gives. One can connect to the net at one’s own convenience and complete all the necessary steps right from inquiry, to comparing the quotes to actually applying for the insurance policy. One need not schedule a meeting with any auto insurance agent or endure his sales gimmicks.

The facility of payment calculator available on auto insurance sites gives a precise knowledge of what impact a particular payment rate, (monthly, quarterly, semi-annually etc.) has on the total payment due on the policy. Shoppers can work on the calculator to work out which policy suits him the best.

Though there are certain disadvantages to purchasing auto insurance online, most them get outweighed by the benefits. When purchasing online, one has to be very careful about submitting the accurate personal and credit information. Any error can rob you of the best possible quotes. Check for any non-disclosure agreements on the site of the insurance company and internal security measures taken by the company so that you know that any sensitive information about your credit doesn’t get circulated on the net.

Another common error is to value flash over substance. Don’t get fooled by impressive looking web sites and quotes that look too good to be true. Before making any final decision, ensure that the company has a physical address, a good customer support system and that someone from the company has actually bothered to get in touch with you personally. Overall, a little caution can do away with the risks of buying online and get you a good auto insurance policy.
Article Source: http://www.Free-Articles-Zone.com-By Marcus Dubois

Auto Insurance ??? Which Type Is Right For You

2008-02-08T15:15:00.000+07:00

Auto insurance is a form of insurance available to consumers who own cars, trucks and other vehicles. It covers the insured party against the risks involved in owning or driving a vehicle. This may be a car accident, damage caused to other cars or property, loss to passengers in your car, and damage to your car itself.

Optional Covers

There are different levels of insurance available depending on what risks you wants to cover. You can cover against the costs of repairing your vehicle after an accident. You can cover the cost of purchasing a new car should yours be stolen or damaged beyond repair. These are optional covers.

Liability insurance on the other hand is compulsory for all drivers. This will cover the risk of claims being made against you as the driver or owner of the vehicle that caused damage to the property of another, the vehicle of another, for medical expenses of others injured as a result of an accident, including passengers in your car. If you have liability insurance, it will only cover these risks. If you have comprehensive insurance it will cover also the risks to yourself and your own vehicle.

GAP Insurance

However, even comprehensive insurance will not fully cover your risks. First of all there is the issue that, as soon as you buy a new car, its price suddenly drops significantly because it is no longer new. It is used. So if you were to destroy your car the day after buying it, the insurance company would likely assess the value as something less than what you paid for it, even though you may still owe a good deal more than that in payments and financing.

To cover the chances of this happening, so called GAP insurance was developed. This covers the difference in the actual value of your car, and the amount you still owe in payments. The growth of vehicle leasing has also led to GAP insurance becoming more important.

Extra Cover

In the US, the insurance policy will generally cover the owner of the vehicle and any others who drive the vehicle so long as they do not live at the same address. For those living at the same address, you should have them specifically added to your insurance policy for an extra fee. This means that if you crash someone else’s car, while driving it with their permission, you will be covered by their policy, not your own. Non-owner policies are available to cover you on other people’s cars but these will only be available if you do not own your own car.
Article Source: http://www.Free-Articles-Zone.com -By Joseph Kenny

Life Insurance and Life Assurance are not the same!

2008-02-08T15:14:00.000+07:00

The average man in the street assumes that Life Insurance and Life Assurance are names for the same form of insurance. How wrong they are! But don't hang your head in shame, many financial commentators get it wrong too! Life Insurance and Life Assurance perform different financial roles and are poles apart in cost - so it helps to surf for the correct product.

Life Insurance provides you with insurance cover for a specific period of time (known as the policy’s “term”). Then, if you were to die whilst the policy is in force, the insurance company pays out a tax-free sum. If you survive to the end of the term, the policy is finished and has no residual value whatsoever. It only has a value if there is a claim – in that context it’s just like your car insurance!

Life Assurance is different. It is a hybrid mix of investment and insurance. A Life Assurance policy pays out a sum equal to the higher of either a guaranteed minimum underwritten by the policy's insurance provisions or its investment valuation. The value of the investment element is then a reliant on the Insurance Company’s investment performance and length of time you have been paying the premiums.

Each year the insurance company adds an annual bonus to the guaranteed value of your life assurance policy and there is normally an extra “terminal bonus” at the end. Therefore, as the years go by your life assurance policy increases in value as the investment bonuses accumulate. The value of these bonuses are then determined by the insurance company’s investment performance. Once investment value has been assigned to the policy, you can cash it in with the insurance company. However, most people get a far better price for their life assurance policy by selling it to a specialist investment broker rather than cashing it in with the insurance company.

If you were to die during a Life Assurance policy’s term, the policy pays out the higher of either the guaranteed minimum sum or the accumulated value of the annual investment bonuses. However, if you are still living when the policy terminates, you usually get a bigger payout. This is because with most insurance companies, an additional terminal bonus is awarded.

There is a also a specialised form of life assurance called "Whole of Life". These policies remain in force for as long as you live and as such, have no preset term.

There is also a practical difference for the internet user. Whereas you can buy life insurance online, the Financial Services Authority view life assurance as fundamentally an investment product. As such they believe it is best suited to being sold by a Financial Adviser with advice based on the Advisors full understanding of your personal details. Therefore, you will be unable to buy life assurance online. However, you can use the internet to find a suitable financial adviser with whom you can meet and discuss your requirements.

What are Life Insurance polices and Life Assurance policies used for?

Life Insurance is usually a focal point of the family's financial protection. It is ideally suited to ensure that known debts such as a mortgage, are repaid in full in the event of the policyholders death.

When it comes to providing a lump sum for general use in the event that the policyholder were to die whilst the policy was in force, either life insurance or life assurance can be used. The differences are that with life insurance the size of payout would be preset whereas with life assurance it would depend on the guaranteed minimum and the insurance company's investment performance. But remember, at the end of the policy's term life insurance is worthless, whereas life assurance should payout a sizeable investment sum. In this context Life Assurance seems far more worthwhile but in practice more people elect for life insurance. Why? It's a matter of cost. Life Insurance is considerably cheaper than Life Assurance. Furthermore, in recent years, investment returns on Life Assurance policies have fallen significantly and many insurance companies have placed penalties for cashing in policies early. This has adversely affected the resale value of Life Assurance policies.

Finally, if you want a product to provide a lump sum on your death whenever that is with a minimum payout guaranteed, you'll probably elect for Whole of Life insurance. It's really a form of lifetime investment with the benefit of a guaranteed minimum. They're particularly useful for Inheritance Tax Planning.
Article Source: http://www.Free-Articles-Zone.com-By Michael Challiner

Life Insurance and the Law. A layman's introduction.

2008-02-08T15:13:00.000+07:00

There are no laws in the UK that require a person to have life insurance. It’s an entirely voluntary insurance. About 40% of the UK's working population are covered by life insurance either through their own policy or via an arrangement through their employer.

So the simple things first. You have to be a UK resident in order to buy a life insurance policy from a UK based insurance company. This is not a requirement laid down in UK law, but UK laws and tax arrangements make it impossible for a UK based insurance company to offer insurance to anyone other than a UK resident. But be aware that if, having taken out life insurance, you later live abroad, your policy will be invalidated. Naturally, invalidation does not apply if you are on holiday but if you have a short-term work assignment abroad you are well advised to inform your insurance company before you go.

All UK Insurance Companies are subject to UK Corporate Laws. However, there are special regulations that only apply to insurance companies. These control the value of the risks the companies take on in relation to their financial reserves. These regulations are designed to ensure that your insurance company will be in a position to pay if you claim.

The Data Protection Act 1998 is concerned with way all UK businesses store, safeguard and use the data they collect about people. This is particularly important within the life insurance industry as the companies store significant amounts of very personal information about you – including your age, health record and life style. One of the key provisions of the Data Protection Act says that if a business wishes to pass on your information for marketing purposes, the business collecting the data must tell you of its intention and give you the opportunity of refusing permission for your data be used in that way. Incidentally, all reputable web sites selling life insurance will have a “Privacy Statement” which tells you how they handle your information and how it is used.

The Financial Services and Markets Act (2000) is the most important piece of legislation affecting the promotion of financial services in the UK including life insurance. The Act is highly complex but is primarily concerned with protecting you the customer. The implementations of the Act is overseen by the Financial Services Authority (FSA). The FSA regulates all forms of the promotion of financial products and services including the activities of financial and mortgage advisors in the UK. Their aim is to ensure you receive clear professional advice that reflects your personal circumstances. They also ensure you have a route to compensation should it be proved that you received inadequate or poor advice.

For the layman, the FSA's biggest impact is reflected in the advisors they talk to. The FSA seeks to ensure that all financial advisors are trustworthy and competent which includes being well supervised and well trained, and that any advice is given in your best interests. The FSA also ensures that you are given full and accurate information about the products you are being advised to buy both before and after you have bought them. They also closely oversee the organisations that actually create the financial products.

In fact everyone and every organisation giving financial advice in the UK must be authorised by the Financial Services Authority.

However, the Act makes a distinction between financial products bought as a result of a recommendation from a Financial Adviser and “Execution Only” business. Execution Only is where a customer is wholly responsible for the selection of the investment and therefore the financial advisers' sole responsibility is to process the purchase efficiently. Under Execution Only, the Adviser bears no responsibility for the products suitability for the clients needs.

You should be aware that many of the web sites promoting life insurance operate on this Execution Only basis. However, most web site operators provide extensive information to enable the client to make an informed choice. Sometimes the information is published on the web site and sometimes provided during a follow-up telephone call. Either way, within their Terms of Business the web site will have to tell you on what basis they provide financial services and as part of your application, you will normally be required to confirm that you have read those Terms.

Those Terms of Business will always include details of a complaints procedure. In outline, if a customer wishes to complain, then the customer must detail the complaint in writing and send it to the Compliance Officer for the business employing the advisor. That business then has to investigate the complaint and reply to the customer in writing. If the Compliance Officer upholds the complaint, and the customer has suffered a financial loss as a result, then the business must agree a financial settlement with the customer. Ultimately, if the customer has suffered financial loss and cannot accept either the organisations’ conclusions or their proposed financial settlement, then the situation can be referred to the Financial Ombudsman. The Financial Ombudsman’s service is free to the customer and they are wholly independent. The Financial Ombudsman’s decision is usually binding on both parties.

The other central piece of protection for the customer is the Financial Services Compensation Scheme. This provides the customer with a level of protection if a financial organisation regulated by the FSA becomes insolvent and cannot properly meet its financial responsibilities to its clients.

Postscript
The above information represents the legal aspects we think you will have found most useful. The information is neither definitive nor exhaustive but is simply an introduction for the layman.

If you would like more detailed information relating to the regulation of life insurance companies, insurance brokers, or financial advisers you should visit the Financial Services Authority’s web site at: www.fsa.gov.uk
Article Source: http://www.Free-Articles-Zone.com-By Michael Challiner

Car Insurance. How can you lower your premiums

2008-02-08T00:18:00.001+07:00

Many factors influence the premium for your Motor insurance policy. Your insurer will have asked you many questions whilst producing your quote - some of which will affect your premium and some will not. Below we discuss the key variables that are within the policyholder's control.

Consolidating policies

By insuring a number of vehicles with the same insurer, or by trying to take out home and life insurance through your car insurer, you may be able to secure a ‘bulk buy’ discount.

Location

A big influence on the cost of your car insurance is where you live. The chance of your car being broken into or stolen is a key concern for the insurer. More urban areas traditionally facing greater risk of theft and therefore tend to be more expensive than countryside locations.

Excess

By agreeing to pay a greater excess on each claim you can reduce your car insurance premiums. This is because you are reducing the liability of the insurer and therefore in return they are able to offer you a lower premium.

Your Vehicle

The cheaper and slower your vehicle the lower your premiums are likely to be. If you are looking to buy a new vehicle make sure you fully consider the cost of insurance – you may be able to buy the car but can you afford to run it?

Mileage

You can control your insurance premiums by restricting your annual mileage. However, be aware that if you exceed the restricted number of miles you'll then become uninsured!

Parking

Where you park your vehicle overnight is also very important to the insurers. If it is kept in a locked garage, you should be offered a lower premium than if you leave it unattended in the street.

Security

Security devices that prevent or hinder theft may also reduce your premium. Common examples include alarms and immobilisers, however, be aware that as we improve the quality of our security devices the thieves just become better at bypassing them. No Claims Discount

Save up your no claims discount by avoiding making small claims upon your policy. After a set number of years, 4 or 5 typically, you'll often be offered the option to pay an additional small premium to protect your no claims bonus. This can prove very helpful if you subsequently end up having an accident.

Advanced driving skills

By taking an advanced driving course you may also be able to reduce your premiums. The Institute for Advanced Motorists and the Royal Society for Prevention of Accidents each offer membership which provides you with discounts for both the cost of driving courses and your car insurance premiums. Two key variables NOT within the policyholder's control.

Your Sex.

Women are statistically less likely to have an accident and, if they do, it's less likely to be serious. Because of these statistics women benefit from lower premiums. It is also worth noting that if you represent one half of a couple you should consider having the female as the primary driver with the male as the second driver.

Your Age

The older you are, the less likely you are to make a claim. As a result insurance companies charge lower premiums for more mature drivers.

One final piece of advice.

A large percentage of car insurance is now sold on the Internet. That's because it's convenient and cheap. Many insurers now give a further 10%-15% discount if you buy online.
Article Source: http://www.Free-Articles-Zone.com-By Michael Challiner

Senior HealthCare on the Net

2008-02-08T00:17:00.002+07:00

When a good friend of mine inquired where he could obtain information about medical insurance for his out-of-state, elderly mother, I told him to try the Internet.
He reported back to me about a week later, in desperation: "I am giving up, I am too confused." He had taken on an overwhelming project with his widowed mother, living in another state. As the only child, and following the sudden death of his father, it was his responsibility to care for his mother.
In this world of technology, the family unit is often living in different geographical areas and the family members are usually quite involved with their own lives, careers, and families. In addition, when both parents are alive, often one or both parents are quite independent and do not require a lot of assistance. As time goes on things, of course, change, and sometimes change very suddenly. There can be a crisis, with regard to the health care needs of one or both aging parents.
With our baby boomers facing this problem in ever increasing numbers, and with the information highway in full bloom, there is a definite need for planning. Protecting your parent's assets and health is a huge and daunting undertaking, which requires a tremendous amount of education and practical application. Our seniors face many diverse responsibilities upon reaching age 65. To name just a few: Estate planning, taxation, Medicare, social security, wills, insurance, and various other legal and financial matters. All of these different areas require expertise from accountants, lawyers, estate planners, insurance agents, home brokers, financial advisors, and others.
The Internet is a good starting point for most people to find resources for questions and solutions for your problems. There is, however, no replacement for good solid intelligent advice from an expert. Twenty years ago, insurance for elders was sold by "senior insurance specialists," with just a handful of companies in each state. The programs were most often Medigap or Medicare supplemental policies, which covered the expenses not covered by Medicare, including hospital and doctor deductibles, durable medical devices, and non-approved Medicare costs. Ironically these specialists did not sell a lot of nursing care policies, even though Medicare paid a national average of less than 2% of these expenses. With the advent of "financial and estate planning" and more insurance companies entering this market, a more broad and diversified product line became available to agents, brokers, planners, and seniors. Part of this new diversification was the "home health care plan," sold by itself, and in conjunction with senior health insurance products. The appeal of the "home health care policy" was that a senior could stay at home and still receive medical and custodial benefits, allowing a person to recuperate in the comfort of their own home. This was the answer to a huge problem. The last place an older person wanted to go was a "retirement home," or "rest home," or, God forbid, the "nursing home." It appeared that seniors could now rely on this new innovation without worry of having to move out of their home environment in the event of a health problem. As with most things," if it is too good to be true." ... The home health care policy is no exception. The problem is, there is not enough coverage for a lengthy illness or recuperation time. The fact is, the new trend is toward an "all in one" type facility, allowing for a variety of levels of care all in one location. In other words a senior could start off with little or no health care concerns in an independent, less expensive area, and then go to an assisted living, or nursing care facility, all within the same compound. A "nursing home" requires a nurse on the premises 24 hours per day, assisted living is just eight hours. The advantages to this are financial. The patient or senior is only charged according to the care level required during the time he or she is admitted to that facility. Another benefit is it alleviates a lot of planning because the care is delivered, as it is needed. The medical attention is available to all residents regardless of their current health. Some people are offered a lifetime package , which covers their care for the rest of their life, regardless of their current age. It also allows for social outlets to an otherwise somewhat isolated group. On-line shopping services have become a huge business. It is definitely here to stay and many insurance policies are purchased from Internet quotes and on-line applications. There are literally hundreds of thousands of insurance agents and brokers advertising on the Internet. Most of them will provide instant on-line quotes and even applications for the potential insured. I highly discourage a layperson to purchase insurance in this fashion. A little knowledge can be dangerous. The federal government has mandated to all states through legislation, the standardized senior health insurance policy guidelines, which are governed and regulated by each state insurance department. There are plans for almost every level of health. Some are designed and priced for a less than healthy individual. Others are for a person with minimal health concerns. The whole concept of insurance is to provide protection for "unanticipated" sickness or injury, especially catastrophic expenses, which would devastate a person's net worth. The more small expenses a person is willing or able to pay (self-insure), the lower the rate. I recommend this strategy when evaluating your insurance options. Another consideration when reviewing various insurance plans is to look at the company itself. How long has the company been selling this type of insurance? Do they have a lot of complaints filed with the local department of insurance? Are the rates stable? Does it pay claims on time? Service? Most agents talk about the rating. These ratings are as follows: A+, A, A— B+, B, B— C+, C, C— or "not rated." Do not be fooled by rating alone. It is good to have a high rating, but it is far better to have a company that has longevity, stability, innovation, service, and expertise. The problem is that some companies enter into a market and quickly leave without explanation. This does not give security to the policyholder. The most important consideration should be a review of the profit/loss ratio for that product. This will establish stability, and longevity in the market. An insurance company with a moderate profit in a particular line of business will remain in that market. On the other hand, a company with losses will make changes and possibly even withdraw. This is information not normally available to Internet users. Before entering into an insurance contract , the senior person, the family, and other advisors must be realistic, and a careful evaluation of the entire picture must be examined. The age, the health of the senior, the financial resources, the personality and attitude of the senior, and most importantly the desires of the senior, should all be considered. Early planning is important, as qualification becomes increasingly more difficult as the applicant's health declines. The senior health care market is complex. I will offer some words of advice to attempt to alleviate potential pitfalls. *C hoose a well-informed, seasoned, and service oriented agent or broker to assist your decision making process. The professional can offer invaluable information, but do not be afraid to ask a lot of questions and even get a second opinion. *Do not wait until your parent or loved one is sick, or injured. Plan ahead and take the time needed to cover all the options. *C hoose an experienced insurance company. A Company that has been in the marketplace for a significant time and has maintained a balance of rates and benefits and sound risk selection with moderate rate increases over time is your best bet. *T he plan should be flexible, with a broad range of options and benefit selections to the insured. There should be no tricks, or complicated language for the coverage. An incredibly low rate is a red flag for trouble in the future. *Do not rush or be rushed by an over aggressive sales person. This policy will not be inexpensive and will need to be read and reviewed for a clear understanding of the contents. This is one advantage to the Internet. You are allowed to read indefinitely before you act.
A long-term care program, with or without insurance coverage, will only work if the senior has input into the care selection process. If there are any questions about the accreditation of a facility please call the "Continuing Care Accreditation Commission at 202-783-7286.

http://www.empirehealthstore.com
Article Source: http://www.Free-Articles-Zone.com-By william pritchett

Using The ???Autograph??? To Get Cheap Motor Insurance

2008-02-08T00:17:00.001+07:00

What if your motor insurance provider told you that you could get up to 25 percent discounted from your next car insurance policy simply by showing them that you were a safe driver? It would sound obvious won’t it - after all, basically, isn’t that what a no claims bonus is all about? Well, you can guess again, because with the new “autograph” device getting up to 25 percent discounted on your car insurance policy in the years to come is going to be a very real experience!

What Is The Autograph?

Basically, an “autograph” is a device that you ask a garage to plug into the diagnostic part of your car (which can be found underneath your steering wheel). The autograph will then record all of your driving skills, including how fast you drive, your average speed, whether or not you need to suddenly break (and, if so, how often), the times of the day that you like to be out and about on the roads, what your average mileage is, what your longest and shortest journeys are. In fact, the list is endless. After a pre-determined period, say three or six months, you then return to garage that installed the autograph and they will uninstall it and replace it with a new one. The old autograph is then plugged into a computer and all the requested recorded data is feed into a computer and sent to your motor insurance provider. Your motor insurance provider can then take a look at all of this recorded data and can decide, more accurately, if you are a high or low risk driver!

Benefits of the Autograph

If you are a good driver, the benefits of agreeing to use an autograph are easy to see – after all, recorded data rarely lies! The downside to using an autograph is the fact that it is recording the data collected in the car. This has two effects – first, you have to have a car capable of recording this data (i.e., not too old); second, the data collection cannot differentiate between drivers. As such, if you have a car in your house that is driven by several different people, the autograph will not be able to tell who is driving the car at any given time. Consequently, if you have your son or daughter on your car insurance and they tell you they like to drive at 50 miles an hour, while the autograph tells the motor insurance provider they like to drive at 120 miles an hour, it’s not likely you are going to be getting the 25 percent policy premium discount you were looking for!

All in all though, as with pay per mile car insurance, getting cheap car insurance using an autograph device, although being the way of the future, is here to stay and will most probably benefit far more motor drives than it inhibits.
Article Source: http://www.Free-Articles-Zone.com-By Joseph Kenny

Insurance Rate Methods

2008-02-08T00:16:00.001+07:00

The price of insurance depends ultimately on the risk the insurer is taking on on behalf of the customer. Simply put, this will depend on the chance of the insured event occurring, and the likely cost of the outcome. The way insurers calculate this risk, and quantify the amount of the premium, is through the use of what is known as actuarial science. Using certain probability and statistical mathematical models, the insurance company can predict with a fair degree of accuracy, the approximate cost of future claims.

For example, supposing a someone wishes to insure their $100,000 home against fire. For argument’s sake, lets assume that 1 in a 1000 homes in this area burn down every year. This would mean that just to break even, on the mathematical model, the insurance company would have to charge $100 a year for the premium. What the insurance company will in fact do is charge something more than $100, say $120. This extra $20 will cover the overhead costs of the insurance company’s operation. It will also cover an amount for profit of the insurance company. The only other way the insurance company generates profits is by investing all the policy premiums it is paid. That way, all the premiums earn interest, or investment returns, while they are in the possession of the insurance company. While this method represents a significant income for the insurance company, the majority of insurance company’s funds do actually come from the payment of premiums.

It has been argued that those who pay premiums and do not have to make a claim lose out by effectively wasting their unused premium. In this sense, the insurance industry can not be held to produce any net gain for society, and therefore, the huge profits they generate are unwarranted. Defenders of insurance companies however claim that the peace of mind they offer to all their customers is a significant societal benefit which they provide. Simply knowing that you will be compensated if disaster strikes you is worth something to people, even if the disaster never strikes.

The funds the insurance company holds, from premiums that have not been claimed for payouts, is called its float. Massive profits can be generated from the float alone. While losses are just as possible as gains with all investments, the profits made from insurance company floats, for the five years ending 2003, was $68.4 billion. In the same period, insurance companies paid out $142.3 billion in insurance claims. Some do not believe that the insurance industry will be able to sustain itself for ever on profits generated by the float and so predict large premium rises for the future.
Article Source: http://www.Free-Articles-Zone.com-By Joseph Kenny

Life Insurance ??? Medical history increases the cost for 66% of applicants

2008-02-08T00:15:00.000+07:00

Lucky applicants for life insurance can be insured within 48 hours and at the premium quoted - but 2 in 3 applicants are faced with delays plus the prospect of having their premium loaded.

So who are the lucky ones? Basically, you’ll have to be as fit as a flea with no family history of serious illness, under 45, in an office type job and probably applying for less than ?250,000 cover. For everyone else there is going to be some hassle.

When an insurer provides an initial quote for life insurance, all they know is your age, sex and smoking status. They use these details to make an initial prediction of how long you are likely to live and on that basis they give you an initial quotation. They call it their “Standard Terms”.

If you want to progress your application you’ll have a multi-page application to complete. This isn’t as daunting as it may seem, as most online operators take your details over the phone and send you a copy of the completed application for you to check over. But the questions are extensive and if you miss out anything that later turns out to be significant, your insurance may well be invalidated. So be warned and take care!

The insurers use your application details to look out for anything that signals current or future concerns about your health or life style. Besides the obvious questions that reveal health problems, they also evaluate your weight, alcohol and nicotine intake, and any potentially inherited health problems. So if your father died of a heart attack or mother died from breast cancer, they’ll be concerned.

Then there’s your life style. If you’re in a type of job where accidents do happen, construction jobs are a good example, or you are involved in any form of dangerous sport or flying, your premium is in line for loading. They’ll even want to know whether you regularly travel to countries that are known to represent health risks for visitors. And whilst the law doesn’t allow discrimination against same sex relationships, the insurance companies will almost always insist on a medical for these applicants.

Insurers freely admit that the number of questions they ask is increasing. They claim it’s to reduce the number of claims they refuse. Whilst that may be partly true, the trend has also coincided with an increase in the proportion of applicants who are seeing their premiums loaded. Some years ago it was nearer 40% - today’s for some insurers the level is virtually 66%.

How much extra might you be asked to pay? That’s a bit like how long is a piece of string. But to give you a feel, a woman aged 40 receiving medical treatment for post-natal depression was recently faced with a 50% loading on an initial quotation of ?7.60. A woman whose mother had breast cancer similarly faced a 50 % loading. Seriously overweight people can also expect loadings of 50% to 100% or even refusal.

Faced with a loading what can you do? It’s important to appreciate that the insurance companies giving the cheapest initial quote are also likely to have particularly choosey medical criteria. That’s how they keep their quoted prices low. So if you’re faced with a loading, the best advice is shop around, Try one of the more expensive providers like Friends Provident who are sometimes a bit more lenient.

Whilst this may sound overly complicated, remember that over the years, an extra ?10 a month on a 25 year policy represents ?3,000 of your hard earned money. If you don’t have the experience or time to do this, and after few of us do, speak to an online life insurance broker.

Competition is high on the Internet and online brokers will normally reduce your premium by cutting their commission. Their systems are also well versed in finding alternative providers to alleviate loading problems. So keep things simple. Let your keyboard fingers do the walking and let the online broker do all the hard work!
Article Source: http://www.Free-Articles-Zone.com-By Michael Challiner

Offset Mortgages. A dream for well off homeowners.

2008-02-07T19:33:00.002+07:00

Offset mortgages represent one of the biggest mortgage innovations seen in recent years. Six years ago there was hardly an offset mortgage to be seen. Now they and the current account mortgage, to which they are closely related, account for ?10 out of every ?100 of new lending.

What’s more, one of the UK’s large lenders believes that 25% of existing mortgage holders would be better off with an offset mortgage. So if you’re in the market for a mortgage you need to know what they’re all about. Otherwise you could be missing out.

Firstly, how does an offset mortgage work?

The basic idea is that besides borrowing money from the mortgage lender, you also run savings or deposit accounts with them. Then you are charged interest not simply on what you have borrowed but on what you have borrowed less the balance in your savings and deposit accounts. So, if you had an offset mortgage of ?100,000 and had ?20,000 in their savings account you would only be charged interest on the difference, ?80,000. In these circumstances, no interest is paid on your savings – the interest is offset.

It doesn’t sound like a ground breaking idea – where’s the benefit?

Quite simple. Whilst the full benefit of your savings is reflected in a lower interest charge on your mortgage account, legally you have not received any interest. If you have not received interest you can’t be charged tax on the interest. Step away Mr Taxman!

This means that offset mortgages are especially attractive for higher rate taxpayers who would otherwise pay-away 40% of the interest they receive in tax.

Consider some figures. If you had a ?100,000 mortgage paying a competitive rate of 4.69% plus ?20,000 on deposit, how would the figures work out? Well over a typical 25 year mortgage, without offset you would pay ?85,351 in interest but with offset you would pay just ?41,998 – that’s a saving of ?43,353. What’s more you would repay the mortgage five years and eight months early. That’s because the monthly repayments are based on the full mortgage debt before offsetting is taken into account so borrowers are effectively overpaying their debt each month.

And doesn’t Mr Taxman look sorry! In theory, a standard tax payer saved ?9,538 in tax and a higher rate taxpayer a whopping ?17,341 in tax.

Flexibility can also be a major advantage. You can typically pay off capital without penalty, underpay and take payment holidays so long as you’ve made sufficient overpayments throughout the years.

Too good to be true – where’s the catch?

Historically borrowers have had to pay a higher interest rate for the benefit of an offset mortgage. But the good news is that with banks and building societies fighting for a bigger share of the offset market, offset interest rates are falling.

This means that you need to look carefully to ensure that the apparent tax savings you could make are not eliminated by the slightly higher interest charge. Quite honestly this is not an easy calculation so it’s best left to your professional mortgage adviser.

But as a guide, a standard taxpayer needs around ?20,000 in savings behind a ?100,000 mortgage to make the offset deal better value than a traditional mortgage. For a higher rate taxpayer the savings requirement drops to around ?10,000. (These figures are based on a typical 4.69% fixed offset rate, compared with a typical 4.49% rate for a tracker.) These figures will change as interest rates vary and, in all probability, as the cost differential between an offset and a traditional mortgage closes.

Not all Offset Mortgages are the same!

As you would expect, with the offset lenders fighting for your business lots have added bell and whistles to the basic concept. Free property valuations and free legal work are relatively common. Then some banks will include your current account in the offset calculation, some lenders enable two nominated savings accounts to be offset, some will even agree an additional borrowing facility with a cheque book that can be used at any time.

On the interest rate front you’re bound to be offered a low starting rate fixed for six or twelve months. You might also be offered a tracker which is below the Bank of England base rate for six months and which only rises above after six months or a tracker which exactly tracks base rate plus a tiny premium for a few years. There are lots of variations.

The interest rate can also depend on what percentage of the house valuation you want to borrow. For example, one lender is currently offering 5.6% if you are borrowing less than 50% rising to 6.45% for up to 99%.

Like so many things, whilst the basic concept is simple, it then gets complicated! This clearly underlines the need to talk things through with an independent mortgage adviser. It’s their job to ensure you get the right type of mortgage and the best deal.

If you have savings, there’s a big chance they’ll recommend an offset mortgage.

*Indicative figures correct as at November 2005
Article Source: http://www.Free-Articles-Zone.com-By Michael Challiner

Critical Illness Insurance. Do you really need it, or is it a waste of time

2008-02-07T19:33:00.001+07:00

GREAT NEWS! There’s now a one in five chance of you winning the lottery before you retire.

Getting excited? Think it’s just a matter of time before you win? Think again, it’s not going to happen - but it got you thinking!

Now think of the same odds but this time about bad news. There is a 1 in 5 chance for men and a 1 in 6 chance for women that a long-term critical illness will prevent them from working. Sorry - this time it’s true.

Insurance cannot change those odds but it can alleviate the potential financial wreckage caused by being unable to work through long-term illness and still having a family and home to support.

Convention declares that every good family man should have life insurance. It’s easily understood, it’s accepted and your next door neighbour has it too. But what about it’s close cousin critical illness insurance? You’ll have to walk several streets to find someone who has it. Given the odds, why? After all it pays out a tax-free lump sum immediately an insured critical illness is diagnosed.

The usual reason given is its expense. Yes it is more expensive than life insurance but after all it’s providing cover for a greater risk. You’re much more likely to experience a critical illness than die before your normal retirement age. Indeed, the average age for a claim is 47. So clearly there is much more to the public’s resistance.

Not understanding the risks or “head in the sand syndrome” are certainly major factors. After all alzheimer's disease, bacterial meningitis, brain tumours and leukaemia plus the long list of other illnesses typically covered by critical illness insurance, are not matters we care to think of nor know much about.

Could there be another reason? Well there have been repeated newspaper articles about people who claim on their critical illness policy only to have it turned down on an apparent technicality – the inference being that the insurance company cannot be trusted. Indeed, Standard Life freely admits that it turns down around 20 % of critical illness claims.

The truth is that behind every story of rejection there’s a harrowing story of illness, distress and sorrow - and potential copy for the journalist. But that in itself, is not evidence that the insurance company is guilty of devious behaviour.

Yes insurance companies do make mistakes, but more often than not the claim was invalid from the outset. There are two main causes. Firstly, the policyholder is claiming for an illness that is not one of the critical illnesses scheduled in the policy documentation. Regrettable, but it’s a fact that if the illness is not listed it isn’t insured and the policy won’t pay out.

The moral is to closely compare the illnesses covered by competing insurance companies and buy the one with the most extensive coverage of illnesses. If you don’t, sods law will prevail …….

The second major reason for refusal is a failure to disclose all relevant matters on the original application form. For example, if the applicant fails to disclose in response to the insurance company’s questions that his father a died of a heart attack aged 50 or that he is having medical tests for headaches, then the insurance company will wrongly assess the risks it is being invited to insure. Had the insurance company known this extra information they might have increased the premium, or asked the applicant to go for a medical examination, or waited for the outcome of tests, or even refused to provide cover. By failing to disclose, the applicant has effectively obtained cover on false pretences or at least on inaccurate information.

Thereby lies the second moral. Always provide the truth and the full truth on your application form. Anything remotely relevant to your medical condition must be disclosed.

All this points to the need for professional insurance advice. Critical Illness policies do vary and it can take an experienced eye to evaluate the best policy for your circumstances and pocket. This doesn’t mean that you have to miss out on the discounted premiums available online - but do thoroughly talk it through with one of their telephone based advisers and do make sure you read the schedule of claimable illnesses when it arrives in the post.

Then sit back knowing you’ve taken another important step to protect your family’s finances. Lets all hope that you’re one of the majority who are happy never to claim.

It’s now time to concentrate on enjoying life.
Article Source: http://www.Free-Articles-Zone.com-By Michael Challiner

Life Insurance - Helpful Tips For Getting A Cost Effective Policy

2008-02-07T19:32:00.002+07:00

Many things factor in with getting a cost effective life insurance quote and policy. It is wise to take some time out and do some important research first. With online access, it is much easier today than it used to be. There are many affordable life insurance offers on the Internet that would greatly benefit the beneficiaries we love. Taking the time out to educate yourself can be well worth your while.

Finding a life insurance policy is something that we should not rush into. There are some things we should learn about a cost effective life insurance policy, to be able to come up with a decision that would be the most cost effective. Here are some helpful tips in getting a cost effective life insurance policy.

When choosing a cost effective life insurance policy, price should not be your only consideration. The lower the cost of the life insurance, the better for us, of course. But, there are more things about cost effective life insurance programs than just the price.

The life insurance policy you are considering should be offered by a company that has proven credibility and reliability. Nothing beats the assurance of having your life insurance taken care of by a company backed by years of excellent service and proven track record. Be sure to look into the BBB of the life insurance companies you are considering first and be sure there are no unresolved issues.

Looking into the period by which you would pay the life insurance policy should also be considered, and this should be compared with all the life insurance companies you are considering.

The amount that would be due once the life insurance policy has matured, should be of a substantial amount. Some life insurance policies pay up to $250,000 for a 30 year period of a monthly $35 payment you make for the policy. This would be a great offer for a life insurance policy, with the great value of the life insurance policy itself, the realistic time period , and the monthly amount demanded. Be sure to read the fine print, before you sign up with a life insurance policy.

A life insurance policy will not benefit you directly, but a cost effective life insurance policy will benefit your stated beneficiaries upon your demise. You can rest assured that your loved ones will be taken care of financially with the right life insurance policy.

There are many benefits that can be derived from a life insurance policy, if paid out in one large payment. This would be very convenient for the beneficiaries, because of many long term issues that could arise over time.

Most life insurance policies are generally given favorable tax options to you and your loved ones. Be sure to retain an experienced accountant to explain the benefits to you.

When choosing a cost effective life insurance policy, take time out to educate yourself with the important things to consider with life insurance. You will know you have made a well informed decision for yourself and the loved ones in your life.
Article Source: http://www.Free-Articles-Zone.com-By Dean Shainin

Buying Life Insurance online ??? is it a really good idea

2008-02-07T19:32:00.001+07:00

The advent of the internet has opened up the possibility of cheaper life insurance for all.

In years gone by, if you were considering life insurance you would probably have invited an insurance salesman from your favourite insurance company to meet you or alternatively gone to your local insurance broker. But rarely would you have been courageous enough to get competitive quotations. It just wasn’t done. You trusted the salesman to do the best for you and surely you thought, life insurance is somewhat technical and requires specialised knowledge. All very cosy. All very expensive. How life has changed!

People now realise that life insurance is not that complicated. If on a scale of 1 to 10, buying car insurance online rates 9, life insurance must be a 7 or 8. This has opened up the Internet as a prime arena for cut-price life insurance. That’s not to imply that life policies bought on the Internet are in any way substandard. No, you’re most likely to end up with a policy from one of the UK’s big insurers like Norwich Union or Legal & General and they’ll be exactly the same policies as you could buy anywhere else. It’s just that the intense competition on the internet and efficiency and simplicity of the system, means that most online brokers decide to cut the commission and roll back the savings into lower prices.

Ah yes I hear you saying, 7 or 8 implies that life insurance is more complicated than car insurance. Yes it is - but that doesn’t mean that it represents a problem. The companies selling life insurance online recognise that many clients feel that some level of personal advice is useful and indeed, necessary. They accommodate this with a mix of useful information on the web site and more often than not, with a short telephone conversation with a life insurance adviser prior to you buying. This provides reassurance and helps to ensure you really do get the policy options you need all at rock bottom prices.

Buying online certainly is a good idea.
Article Source: http://www.Free-Articles-Zone.com-By Michael Challiner

Buying Life Insurance, One tip to save you ??thousands

2008-02-07T19:30:00.000+07:00

It’s simple, always have your Life Insurance policy “Written in Trust”. This may sound technical but it is easy to understand and it’s so easy to organise.
“Written in Trust” ensures that in the event of a claim, the policy will pay directly to the beneficiaries you name on the policy when you first take it out. If you do not do this, the policy will payout to your legal estate and this inevitably means that the money stays in your solicitor’s hands for some time.
Yes, that implies legal delays and, of course, your solicitor takes a small cut!
Then, if the value of your taxable estate exceeds ?275,000, and remember your home can easily account for the lion's share of the ?275,000 limit without much difficulty, your estate will have to pay Inheritance Tax. This represents 40% of the estate’s taxable value in excess of ?275,000. So, if your estate has to pay Inheritance Tax and the proceeds of your life policy go to your estate, the taxman gets his hands on 40% of your life policy!
But it’s so easy to avoid all these problems.
Simply get your policy “Written in Trust”. Then the life insurance company pays out immediately, directly, and totally tax-free, to the persons you have named on your policy. All you have to do is tell the online brokerage organising your policy that you want your policy “Written in Trust” and they will automatically sort it out for you.
This advice remains sound even if the policy is designed to pay off your mortgage. Rather than your estate using the insurance payout to pay off your mortgage, the policy can be written in trust and paid to your partner and then he or she can use that money to pay of the mortgage. The benefit? Well if your taxable estate exceeds the IHT threshold the mortgage is effectively paid off tax-free.
The extra good news is that all the brokers we’ve met will arrange for your policy to be “Written in Trust” as a free of charge service. So it’s a win win situation and there aren’t many of those around these days !
Article Source: http://www.Free-Articles-Zone.com-By Michael Challiner

Life Insurance - Money Saving Top Tips

2008-02-07T00:41:00.002+07:00

More and more people are buying life insurance online and the numbers seem to be doubling every two years. The reasons are clear. Prices are lower on the Internet and life insurance is fundamentally a simple insurance product.

Despite the underlying simplicity of life insurance, most web sites channel their online clients through a telephone based help and advice service manned by experienced personnel. They represent your safety net so if a little technical knowledge is called for, help is at hand.

But it’s always a good idea to have a few Top Tips in your back pocket when you’re shopping online for life insurance. They’ll help you ask the right questions and find the best policy.

1. Always have your Life Insurance policy “Written in Trust”.

This means that in the event of a claim, the money goes directly and immediately to the person(s) you nominate when you first take the policy out. It also avoids all possibility of your estate having to pay Inheritance Tax on the proceeds of your policy and that could represent a 40% tax saving !

All you have to do is tell the online brokerage organising your policy that you want your policy “Written in Trust” and the names of the people who the life insurance company pay in the event of a claim. They will then sort it all out for you. The extra good news is that this service is invariably free of charge. So it’s a win win situation and there aren’t many of those around these days !

2. In the early years a Reviewable Life Insurance Policy will be cheaper but a Guaranteed Policy will work out a better buy in the longer term.

With a “Guaranteed Policy” the insurance company guarantees never to increase your policy’s premium.

With a “Reviewable Policy” you agree that your insurance company can review the cost of your policy at regular intervals. But don’t be kidded – in our experience a “review” is just another word for a price increase. After all, who’s ever heard of an insurance company passing up a chance to charge you more! The review intervals are usually between 2 to 5 years but this does vary between insurance companies. You will find the details of the review intervals on the documents sent to you before you accept the insurance – these are called The Key Features Documents.

So, comparing otherwise like for like policies, in the early years the premiums for a “Reviewable Policy” will undoubtedly be lower than the premiums for a “Guaranteed Policy”. Thereafter, the premiums for a Reviewable Policy increase eventually catching up with and overtaking, the premium for a “Guaranteed Policy”.

In our experience, you can expect the monthly premiums for a Reviewable Policy to exceed those of a Guaranteed policy in about 7 to 10 years and then within the following 10 years, more than double again. If your budget is currently tight then by all means choose a Reviewable Policy - after all your salary may increase in coming years and ease the strain. On the other hand, if the premiums for a Guaranteed Policy are affordable, we think they represent your best buy.

A footnote. Many insurance companies have stopped offering “Guaranteed” rates for standalone critical illness insurance policies. This because they have experienced much higher claim rates than they initially expected. However, you may still find a Guaranteed life insurance policy that also provides critical illness cover. As we have explained, “Guaranteed” rates are especially good value and if you can get a quote for a Guaranteed life policy that includes critical illness cover, you may have a real bargain.

3. Thinking about a Joint Life Insurance Policy?

A Joint Life Insurance policy is usually written on a first death basis. This means that the policy will pay out on the death of the first policyholder, subject to the policy being in force at the time. This leaves the second person uninsured and older. Older people can struggle to get life insurance at an affordable premium, so rather than a Joint Policy consider taking out separate policies now. Overall it will work out a little dearer - but you get twice the cover and double the peace of mind.

4. Taking out a Life Insurance Policy? Now would be an ideal time to include Critical Illness cover.

Are you likely to need Critical Illness Insurance in the future? Yes? Then consider adding it now to the life insurance policy you’re arranging. Why? There are three reasons.

Firstly, a Life Insurance policy combined with Critical Illness cover will work out significantly cheaper than buying two separate policies. Secondly, as we have already explained in the footnote to Tip 2, you may be able to buy a combined Life and Critical Illness policy with a guaranteed premium. That could be a real bargain. Finally, premiums for critical illness cover increase rapidly as you get older – so the sooner you take it out, the cheaper it will be.

5. Don’t confuse Terminal Illness cover with Critical Illness cover.

There’s world of difference between Terminal Illness and Critical Illness cover so it’s important to understand the difference.

Terminal Illness cover pays out the insured lump sum if a Medical Doctor diagnoses you with an illness from which the Doctor expects you to die within 12 months. Most good life policies automatically include Terminal Illness cover at no extra cost. It’s basically an early, and welcome policy payout.

A Critical Illness policy pays out the insured lump sum if you are diagnosed with one of a wide range chronic illness and there is no life expectancy criteria. Indeed, with many of the insured illnesses you could expect to survive for many years. For example: certain cancers, heart disease, stroke, multiple sclerosis, loss of speech, sight or hearing, onset of Parkinsons or Alzheimers disease, third degree burns etc. Say you were an engineer aged 40 and you lost your sight. A Critical Illness policy would pay out immediately and that money could well be vital in helping you and your family through many difficult financial years ahead. If you just had Terminal Illness cover there’d be no chance of a payout.

So as you can see, Critical Illness cover is far more comprehensive than simple Terminal Illness cover and for that reason critical illness cover always costs you extra.
Article Source: http://www.Free-Articles-Zone.com-By Michael Challiner

Term Life Insurance: The differences between Term and Whole Life policies

2008-02-07T00:41:00.001+07:00

Life Insurance quite generally is a policy whereby you pay a company a premium so that if you die while covered your descendents receive financial benefits. Within the larger Life Insurance window there exist two broad categories of policies, Term and Whole life (Whole Life is also known by the equivalent term Universal Life Insurance). Term Life is exactly what its name implies, valid only for a certain period of time, whereas Whole life lasts the duration of one's life.

Price Differences

Because Term Life has a structured beginning and end, typically from 1 to 30 years, it is normally quite a bit cheaper than Whole Life. That is because under Whole Life it is assured that the insurer will eventually pay out (as we all eventually die). Under Term Life, however, there is a very good chance that you will live through the period of the policy and thus the insurance company can simply take your premiums without ever having to pay out anything.

Benefits Differences

Another important distinction between Term and Whole Life is the fact that at the end of the Term Policy, the policyholder is left with nothing but his own health. On the other hand, with a Whole Life Policy the insurer often takes a portion of the premium and places it into a savings account for the policyholder. In case of emergency later in life, the Whole Life Policy Holder can access that money to meet some needs while still living. As you can imagine, the Insurance Company raises the price they charge for access to all of this.

Deciding Between the Two

So, how does one decide between Term and Whole Life Insurance? To best answer that question it is important to ask why you need the insurance in the first place. Is it because you have young children and a spouse who does not have the earning potential to get your children through college? Or is it because you work in a dangerous industry and will regularly face the prospect of death over the next few years? These are both excellent candidates for Term Life Insurance. In the first case, it is important that the provider ensure enough financial support for approximately 10 years and then the need drops off, while the second example may require a shorter 3 - 5 year Term Life Policy.

On the other hand, let's imagine that you have a mentally handicapped person you will support indefinitely, or a spouse that has never worked at all. These may be better candidates for Whole Life as the financial need they feel responsible for extends not only to some definite period in the future, but as long as the other person is alive. Under these circumstances, paying the premium for Whole Life might be worthwhile.

Term and Whole Life Insurance fill an important void in many lives by providing some assurance that in case of an accident, loved ones will not be left stranded. It is important to remember, however, that the policies are not panaceas. The savings rate on Whole Life Policies is usually dismal compared to open market rates, and with Term, you are making payments on a product you may never use. Ultimately, the decision to purchase either of these products should involve weighing your personal risk and health, your current and expected financial situation, and alternative uses for funds you have earmarked for a policy.
Article Source: http://www.Free-Articles-Zone.com-By Dan Johnson

Wake Up And Smell The Smoke

2008-02-07T00:40:00.000+07:00

Saturday morning I woke up alone. Slowly before opening my eyes I began to stretch. Taking inventory as I moved one limb at a time, yes, all the usual aches and pains were still there. I don’t know whether I felt or heard it, but there was a major thump on the bed signaling the arrival of the very large cat, that I share living quarters and a wife with. My inventory had reached my right hand, it was working and I could control it. I slowly reached for my glasses. Forcing my eyes open, I see a very agitated cat pacing back and forth like an expectant father.

Cat is shouting at me, I respond “what” the cat rushes to my head. Now standing four inches from my face he explains loudly in no uncertain terms that Brenda, our wife, is missing and his bowl is empty! I remember now, Brenda left an hour earlier, she’d be back about noon. I tried to explain, but cat got even more upset. It was clear, I had to get up.

Finally 12:15 and Brenda arrived. I kissed her, told her I loved her, and said I’m hungry. The cat demanded to know how dare she leave before his breakfast, and he’s hungry, despite his half full bowl. She said lets go yard saleing and I’ll buy you lunch. I was happy, and with a few strokes to his soft under belly the cat was placated.

Three disappointing yard sales and one garage sale later, none had really wanted to sell the yard, we reached Burger King. Hunger satisfied, we decided to drop in on our friend Jim Dixon. I write about Jim in “One House At A Time / Finding And Buying Single Family Rentals” he’s the maintenance man for one of my real estate investment students. Leaving Burger King we had to wait for a speeding fire engine going our way. Finding two yard sales on our way to Jim’s and still no yard for sale, we heard more sirens. Leaving the second sale we spotted thick black smoke, in Jim’s direction. Jim lives in one of three houses one of our investor owns at that location and that’s where the smoke is! No more distractions, we went straight to Jim’s. Happily for Jim and our investor the fire was a block away.

Real estate Gurus, myself included, tend to write about the sexy parts of real estate investing. Good Gurus do teach the mundane but even we emphasize the exciting subjects. Smelling that smoke had me thinking about insurance! Most of us rarely think about Insurance, but we should!

Here in Las Vegas most homes have doubled in value in the last three years, yet very few home owners and investors have increased their insurance coverage. It’s likely that your mortgage lender is covered by your insurance, they are very careful to protect their interest. But, are you covered for your liability and your equity?

A few things home owners and investors need to know about insurance:

1. You must have it! Insurance protects your liability, your lender, and your equity.

2. You must have an insurable interest, if you don’t really own the property you don’t have any protection for your (potential) equity. If you control a property, by a lease option, option, or sales agreement, you may have liabilities regarding the property but you don’t have insurable equity.

3. You must be “named” on the insurance policy, if your name is not on the policy, you’re not insured!

4. Don’t depend on inflation protection! If your insurance company uses a inflation factor as opposed to a current appraisal you’re probably way under insured.

5. Your lender is only concerned that you have coverage sufficient to pay off their loan.

6. Your real estate agent, your guru, your escrow agent, your attorney, and not even your insurance agent are responsible for you having sufficient insurance!

7. You’ve worked too hard creating equity to lose it through the careless acts of a tenet. Saturday’s fire was caused by an octogenarian on oxygen who had to have a cigarette before getting out of bed.`

Notes to investors flipping houses:

1. You are liable even if you haven’t taken or recorded title. The seller’s insurance never protects you and may not cover the seller for monies you still owe him.

2. Vacant houses are an attractive nuance they draw vandals, squatters, drugies, and young lovers, like bugs to a light.

3. It’s insane to have people working, for you, in an uninsured property. Your cheap help may get extremely expensive if they hurt themselves.

4. It’s hard to insure a vacant property because the insurance companies know the risk. If the insurance companies think there is a big risk, how can you afford to be unprotected?

Flood insurance is not part of your hazard insurance! Lenders will require flood insurance if you’re in the hundred year flood plain. Many of the recent floods were on land never included in any previous flood plan. Water runs down hill, so unless you live on top of a mountain, you maybe flooded someday. Flood insurance is a federal government program, so your insurance agent is not going to be reminding you, you need it. Flood insurance is priced based on the risk factor, if you’re at a high risk it’s costly but cheap. If you’re in a low risk area it’s inexpensive.

So check your insurance before you wake up and smell the smoke.
Article Source: http://www.Free-Articles-Zone.com-By William J Archambault Jr

Landlord Insurance for beginners

2008-02-07T00:39:00.000+07:00

Landlord insurance, also commonly known, as buy to let insurance is something a landlord should begin to consider even as early as considering the purchase of a property. Failure to put in place insurance on a property could leave you with nothing to show for your money should something go wrong. In some cases it can be extremely difficult or highly expensive to put insurance in place for a property and for this reason it is important to have a structural and local survey for the property and look for appropriate insurance policies before purchasing the property. Failure to do so could result in inflated insurance premiums, which ultimately could severely impact your profitability as a landlord.

Many landlords will mistakenly be under the impression that their standard household insurance will still cover the property while they rent it out, this is often not the case. Many household policies offer no cover for buildings nor contents while the property is being let out and for this reason it is crucial to make sure you have a landlord policy or that your current household policy can offer this cover while the property is let out.

Each insurance company offers different levels of cover. Generally there are two options available for buildings cover and two options for contents cover. The first being standard cover which generally covers the building and contents for the following:

?Fire, lightning and explosion
?Riot civil commotion, strikes, locked-out workers or malicious people
?Malicious damage by tenant
?Theft or attempted theft
?Earthquake
?Impact by aircraft, road vehicles or animals, falling of trees, branches, telegraph poles, lamp-posts or pylons or falling aerials
?Escape of oil
?Storm
?Flood
?Escape of water
?Subsidence, ground heave or land slip
?Property Owners liability ?2,000,000

Some insurers will also include free additional cover such as the following:

?Accidental breakage of sanitary fittings, fixed glass, solar panels and ceramic hobs
?Accidental damage to underground services which extend from your home to the public mains for which you are legally responsible
?Loss of rent or alternative accommodation
?Communal contents cover

The second option available is accidental damage for buildings and/or contents. This is as clear as the title, any accidental damage caused to the building or contents by the tenant will be covered. It is important to note that most insurers charge extra for accidental damage cover and many will not offer such cover for contents. An example of accidental damage to the building would be a tenant banging a nail into the wall for a picture and accidentally hitting (and damaging) a pipe.

As noted above property owners liability usually comes as standard with a landlord insurance policy. This would cover you in situations such as the tenant holding you liable for an injury, which was caused within your property.

The excess of a policy is how much you must pay when making a claim. The excess on a policy will vary between different insurers and a discount on the premium is often offered in exchange for a higher excess. For example if the excess on your policy was ?100 then you would have to pay the first ?100 of any claim you made, regardless of the final settlement value. As above the standard excess on a policy will often vary from ?50 upwards while a subsidence excess of ?1000 is usual with most insurers. The type of tenant you have in the property can effect your excess, for instance several students in a property will often mean your excess will be higher than if the property was occupied by a professional family.

Something to be aware of when insuring the property is that you need to insure it for the reinstatement value and not the sale value. The only accurate way to obtain the reinstatement value is to have a structural survey undertaken by professionals. The reinstatement value should take into account the following:

? The cost of building the property to its original state(take special note for older buildings)
? Clearing the site
? Surveyor costs
? Architect costs
? Complying with government and local authority requirements
? Miscellaneous fees

Insurers will only pay as much as the building is insured for so failure to insure for a sufficient amount could result in expensive costs if a claim should arise but at the same time too high a reinstatement value could result in you paying a higher premium. While there are tools available online which aim to provide a reinstatement value based on several factors you must input, we have found they often produce inaccurate results.

Most insurers will index link your policy meaning that the sums insured will increase each year based on information from the association of British insurers. This means that as long as your original reinstatement value is correct then it should be at a sufficient value each following year as long as you follow your insurer advice.

The Financial Service Authority (FSA) regulates all British insurers. Due to this regulation insurers must provide what is known as key facts or a policy summary for any insurance policy they have available. These are perfect if you want a quick overview of what the policy does and does not provide cover for.

An instant quotation can be gained by clicking the following link www.ashburnham-insurance.co.uk/landlord-insurance.html
Article Source: http://www.Free-Articles-Zone.com-By Stephen Robert Richard Hill

Take Motorcycle Saddles into Consideration

2008-02-07T00:37:00.000+07:00

The efficiency of your motorcycle saddles affects you as a rider. Poor quality saddles can lessen your excitement to keep going and finish the course. On one side, if you have good saddles, you will feel comfortable throughout your ride.

Saddles can also be a controlling factor that determines your overall performance. Thus, we have to select one meticulously and with fervor. Just think that you’re gonna be on it most of the time. How would you feel if you unfortunately fell into a bad choice? Can you withstand the agony and other resultant consequences?

The crown jewel of a motorcycle is its seat. It can be made stylish yet the primordial consideration over anything else is comfort. It is incomparable when you ride and comfortable in all you do. Nonetheless, don’t you worry because you can have both!

A rider must sit and drive with comfort. . It is very unlikely that instead of enjoying the scenery and the company of your brethren, you worry on the remedy that will put an end to your fidgety, aching and uncomfortable ride. Whether he rides for a long period or otherwise, he is unconstrained to a free-spirited, vivacious, safe and comfortable journey.

How will you remedy this plight? There are motorcycle accessories store that are offering good and high-performing saddles. They design and make saddles with rider’s needs in mind. The line includes hand-crafted saddles which are done according to the specifications of the rider. These stores are even offering warranty and refunds. The seats are warranted against defects in material or workmanship for 1 year under normal usage.

There are seats that are unsatisfying. Some of these seats are made of soft gel and pillows which work against the riders. They create pressure points that further turn into centralized pressure due to the hot spots in the saddle. These kinds of seats are painful thus, considered a drawback for riders. To circumvent this, it will be helpful if the seats are designed with a contoured shape since it will reduce or eliminate pressure points. Saddles must also have excellent weight distribution factor to reduce the tendency of having a painful ride. Save your butt, increase your performance!
Article Source: http://www.Free-Articles-Zone.com-By Maricon Williams

Factors that Change the Price of Your Car Insurance Quote

2008-02-06T01:14:00.001+07:00

When looking for a good car insurance quote that combines the coverage you need with a good, affordable cost there are many factors that will culminate in the price of your car insurance quote. Principally this will include the area you live in, if you live in a desolate area of the country with very few cars on the road and virtually no theft or vandalism then your premium should be considerably lower than if you were to live in the middle of a city with a very high accident rate, crime rate and vandalism rate.

All about you.

Your age and sex will also play a big part in determining the end price of your car insurance quote. Young male drivers are a higher risk category of people when compared to mature ladies and even women of the same age. For this reason young male drivers are the group of people that will be faced with the highest car insurance quote.

About your car.

The type of car or vehicle you are driving is also taken into consideration; sports cars, cabriolets and generally more desirable cars will have a higher car insurance quote because they are both more likely to be stolen and, in the case of sports and high performance cars, involved in a greater number of accidents.

Your history.

Your car insurance quote will be dependant on your previous driving and insurance history. If you have regularly claimed on your insurance or if you have numerous speeding tickets then you will be penalised for this and your car insurance quote will be higher than somebody with a clean driving license and few previous claims.

Wouldn’t change a thing.

As you can see there is little you can do about most of these problems. You certainly aren’t likely to consider moving in order to save a couple of hundred dollars on your car insurance quote and similarly you aren’t able to change your age or sex. The only one you could possibly do something about is the car you drive, but do you really want to change your car just to get a cheaper car insurance quote?

What you can do to get a cheap car insurance quote.

The only feasible steps you can take to ensure you get a cheap car insurance quote for your circumstances is to shop around. Get as many quotes as you can and make sure they all have exactly what you want. If necessary ring a couple of them back to tell them they aren’t the cheapest just to see if they can do anything to either improve their price or give you another value added service like free roadside recovery.

Copyright 2005 Stacey Zimmerman
Article Source: http://www.Free-Articles-Zone.com-By Stacey Zimmerman

Are you suffering from payment protection overload?

2008-02-06T01:13:00.000+07:00

Critical illness insurance will cover you in the event of a serious illness such as cancer, coronary artery by-pass surgery, heart attack, kidney failure, major organ transplant, multiple sclerosis and stroke. Additional conditions covered by this insurance can include aorta graft surgery, benign brain tumour, blindness, coma, deafness, heart valve replacement or repair, loss of limbs, loss of speech, motor neurone disease, paralysis/paraplegia, Parkinson’s disease, terminal illness and third degree burns. Not all insurance companies will necessarily cover all of these illnesses, whilst some insurance companies will cover more; it is always worth reading the terms and conditions before you sign anything.

Critical illness insurance policies typically offer a tax-free lump sum if you are diagnosed with one of the above illnesses and meet the conditions outlined in the policy contract. The lump sum is most often used to cover the remainder of the mortgage, although can be spent on home alterations or medical care etc.

Life insurance:

Life insurance is usually taken out if your family or partner is financially dependent on your income. Life insurance can also be purchased as life assurance and in this form, can offer a method of protection cover and savings. However, most people simply use it as a form of financial protection for their mortgage and therefore their family. There are three main types of life insurance: term insurance, whole life insurance and endowment insurance. More information can be found on these forms of life insurance on the Association of British Insurers’ website, listed in the resources section of this article.

Mortgage life insurance:

Mortgage life insurance is essentially the same as a decreasing (lump-sum) term life insurance policy and is designed to pay out a lump sum upon the death of the policy holder, should it occur during the term of the mortgage. The size of the lump sum will decrease over the term of the life insurance policy, in the line with the outstanding mortgage repayments. E.g. As you pay off your mortgage, the amount of cover will decrease as the need is less significant.

Mortgage protection:

Mortgage protection, also called mortgage payment protection, is a type of insurance that can help protect mortgage payments and associated household costs in the event of unemployment, illness or an accident. Through mortgage payment protection, you can insure your monthly mortgage payment, monthly life premiums and the monthly cost of your buildings and content insurance. Typical mortgage protection cover could include:
* Unemployment and disability insurance cover
* Accident or sickness
* Unemployment only insurance cover
* Disability only insurance cover

Loan payment protection:

Loan payment protection policies are designed to protect the repayments to any loans you may have taken out. They work on a similar basis to mortgage payment protection, but for a wider scope of borrowing. Premiums for loan payment may be greater than those for mortgage protection.

Income protection:

In the event of unemployment, sickness or an accident, income protection insurance offers a limited income. Do make sure you understand the terms of the policy however, as the income that you received through cover may be significantly less than the income you receive through employment.

Private medical insurance:

Private medical insurance is a policy which will provide financial cover for medical treatment in the event of an acute condition. According to the Association of British Insurers, the majority of insurers define an acute condition as “a disease, illness or injury that is likely to respond quickly to treatment which aims to return you to the state of health you were in, immediately before suffering the disease, illness or injury, or which leads to your full recovery.”

Private medical insurance provides reassurance for people who know that treatment is available promptly should they become ill or injured.
Article Source: http://www.Free-Articles-Zone.com-By Rachel Lane

Critical illness insurance ??? critical or ridicule?

2008-02-06T00:04:00.001+07:00

Critical illness cover (CIC) is a type of insurance which provides a significant one-off payment if you are diagnosed with a specified life-threatening condition – specified being the important term, because if your illness isn’t in the terms and conditions – you won’t get the payment. Over recent years, critical illness cover has gained in popularity due to lower costs and apparent simplicity.

Critical illness insurance can be sold as part of a mortgage package or additionally as a stand-alone policy. Critical illness cover can also be commonly associated with life insurance, with certain CIC policies paying out either on the diagnosis of a particular illness or on death, but not both, whilst other CIC policies pay out in both events.

When you first purchase the critical illness insurance policy, there might be an option for buy-back insurance, this would permit you to buy additional critical illness cover or life insurance, typically at a minimal cost, after you have made a claim on your existing CIC policy. It is often worth considering such an option, as the survival rates from a critical illness are usually very good and it can be extremely difficult to obtain new cover following a critical illness. Buy-back critical illness cover usually protects against the three major critical illnesses: heart attack, stroke and cancer from which you are most likely to recover, but also risk an attack later in life.

Bear in mind that when you take out life critical illness insurance, there is a standard waiting period between diagnosis and possible payout, from six months to a year for certain conditions, such as total permanent disability. However, if the diagnosis is very transparent, it is possible that the insurer would consider waiving the waiting period. The maximum payout varies from policy to policy thought it’s not unusual to see capped payouts of ?500,000 or ?1 million, though cover for higher amounts might be available on request. When the policy is sold as part of a mortgage package, the lump sum is designed to pay off the loan on the home, but with other policies, there may be no restrictions on how you use the money. Suggested uses may encompass covering living expenses whilst you are off work, though the money could additionally pay for private medical treatment, carer services, home improvements, career retraining, help for your dependents and even a holiday or break away.

Nearly all critical illness insurance policies cover seven main conditions: cancer, heart attack, stroke, kidney failure, coronary artery bypass, multiple sclerosis and major organ transplant. Policy exclusions in critical illness insurance may include Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s disease if diagnosed after the age of 60. Don’t be seduced by long lists of ailments – as other policies may include these but under a broader heading. It is important to note prior to taking out a policy that there may be certain exclusions in the insurance contract which may prevent payout due to life choices and circumstances. According to the Association of British Insurers, the most common exclusions include:

* Aviation
* Criminal acts
* Drug abuse
* Failure to follow medical advice
* Hazardous sports and pastimes
* HIV/AIDS
* Living abroad
* Self-inflicted injury
* War and civil commotion

The consumer organisation Which? estimates that two thirds of the population suffer from a critical illness at some point in their lives. However, whilst the principle of critical illness insurance might be relevant, it is always worth ensuring your policy meets your exact needs, so if the worst happens, you’re not caught out by the small print. It’s important to shop around for quotes and different policies. Comparison sites such as moneynet and moneysupermarket will allow you to do this.
Article Source: http://www.Free-Articles-Zone.com-By Rachel Lane

Which Car Should You Own To Keep Your Insurance

2008-02-06T00:03:00.001+07:00

Do you consider the cost of insurance before you buy your dream car? You should. The Highway Loss Data Institute analyzes the cost to insurance companies from theft, collision, and injury claims as they relate to cars. They look at the color of the cars, how many doors they have, and even break them down type.

The Highway Loss Data Institute is a nonprofit public service organization. It is closely associated with and funded through the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, which is wholly supported by auto insurers. HLDI gathers, processes, and publishes data on the ways losses vary among different kinds of
vehicles.

4-Door cars have a 93% less chance of having a claim related to theft than their sibling 2-Door cars. Buy a Buick LeSabre and have relatively no chance of a theft loss. Compare that to the convertible Chevrolet Corvette that has over 5 times the average theft rate. You may have known that. However, did you know that the Toyota Celica has a 67% higher chance of theft than the Toyota Camry?

In addition, even though the 2002 Lexus IS 300 gets a "best pick" rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety for its performance on crash tests, previous years' models of the same car are some of the most costly in terms of collision claims.
"One of the factors that come into play there is the cost of repairing an expensive vehicle," says Russ Rader, with the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.

What about safety? You may be surprised at some of the results. For example, the Porsche 911 has a 67% less chance for injury
claims than the norm. Go figure. The mitsubishi Lancer has almost double the injury claim rate over the norm.

Where does you car fit for injury theft and collision? What about your dream car? Take a look at this run down based on 2000-2002
HLDI data:

Models that are among the most expensive for theft claims
include:

Cadillac Escalade four-wheel drive
Chevrolet Corvette Convertible
Lincoln Navigator four-wheel drive
Jeep Cherokee four-door
BMW 3 series Convertible

Models that are among the least expensive for theft claims
include:

Buick LeSabre
Buick Park Avenue
Volvo V70 Station Wagon
Mercury Grand Marquis four-door

Models that are among the most expensive for injury claims
include:

Suzuki Esteem four-door
Kia Rio four-door
Mitsubishi Mirage two-door
Kia Sepectra four-door

Models that are among the least expensive for injury claims
include:

GMC Sierra 2500 two-wheel drive
Chevrolet Silverado 2500
GMC Yukon XL 1500 four-wheel drive
GMC Sierra 2500 four-wheel drive
Chevrolet Tahoe two-wheel drive

Models that are among the most expensive for collision claims
include:

Subaru Impreza WRX four-wheel drive four-door
Lexus IS 300 4 door
Hyundai Tiburon two-door
Porsche 911 Coupe
Acura RSX

Models that are among the least expensive for collision claims
include:

Ford Excursion two-wheel drive
GMC Safari four-wheel drive
GMC Sierra 2500
GMC Yukon XL 1500 four-wheel drive
Source: The Highway Loss Data Institute
Article Source: http://www.Free-Articles-Zone.com-By Jon Register

Factors That Affect Your Car Insurance Premium

2008-02-06T00:01:00.001+07:00

Many factors affect the premium you will pay for auto insurance.Each is a statistically based risk for a specific population. The higher the risk associated with a person, the more he or she is likely to pay for coverage. We have elaborated on some of the risk factors below, but there are numerous others, including driver's gender, miles driven per year, purpose for using the vehicle (commuting to work, using for work, leisure only), etc.

Factors you CANNOT easily change that affect your car insurance rates:

. Age

Statistically, drivers under the age of 25 are at greater risk of being in an accident than those over age 25. Drivers between the ages of 50 and 65 generally have the safest records.

. Gender

Women are statistically safer drivers.

. Marital Status

A married person will pay less than a single person with an identical driving record. Factors you CAN change that affect your car insurance rates

. Geography

Where you live makes a difference. Folks living in areas with little or no traffic are likely to spend less on insurance than those living in congested cities or suburbs because areas with a lot of traffic tend to see more accidents. Some neighborhoods also have a higher rate of vehicle thefts, which can result in a higher premium.

. Driving Violations

Having an accident or moving violations on your record (speeding tickets, DWI, reckless driving, etc.) put you at a higher risk for accidents and will likely mean a higher premium. Some insurance companies will penalize you for your record for as many as five years from when the incident occurred. However, keep in mind, as your record improves, your premium will get lower.

. Vehicle Type

El cheapo car will cost less to insure than that status symbol SUV sitting on 24" rims baby.

. Accident Claims

A driving record that is clean and free of accidents will hold fare better for you than lots of tickets and/or accidents.

. Credit Rating

Many insurance companies view having a poor, or even no credit history as suggestive of higher risk and thus, charge you a higher premium.

. Occupation

Insurers have statistically found a correlation between your occupation and risk. For instance, a newspaper delivery person is most likely a higher risk than the personal banker sitting at their desk all day.

Other factors that help determine premiums:

- Driving distance to work
- Miles driven each year
- Years of driving experience
- Business use of the vehicle Whether or not you currently have auto insurance
- Theft protection devices (often results in discounts)
- Multiple cars and drivers (another opportunity for discounts)
- What can I do right now to make sure I have the lowest premium?

Shop around and compare quotes from different insurers. They base their premiums on their claims experiences, which naturally differ. One company may see your area as a higher risk than others may. Another may charge more because of your occupation. Shopping at http://www.carinsurance.com makes it easier because you can quickly see multiple companies and their rates for your particular situation.

Where do I go for quotes?

One stop can take care of it all. Go to
http://www.carinsurance.com where you can receive multiple quotes, pick the best price, and then purchase. Get covered immediately on-line or over the phone. It REALLY is the easiest way to purchase car insurance.
Article Source: http://www.Free-Articles-Zone.com-By Jon Register

Seven Steps to Filing Your Car Insurance Claim

2008-02-05T23:59:00.000+07:00

Having even a teeny-tiny car accident can be one of life's least enjoyable moments. However, accidents happen, and sooner or later, we all have the experience of meeting one of our fellow road travelers up close and personal. Using the following seven steps to filing your claim will help you get over this speed bump as smoothly as possible.

Step 1: Understand your policy

Before a loss, sit down and carefully read your insurance policy. Call your agent or company if you have any questions about what is or is not covered.

Step 2: Exchange information

If you are involved in an accident, get the other driver's name, address, phone number, insurance carrier, and insurer's phone number. Be prepared to give the same information about yourself to the other driver. You can find insurers' telephone numbers on the proof-of-insurance cards that should be carried on your person when operating a motor vehicle.

Step 3: Identify witnesses

Ask witnesses to the accident for their names and phone numbers in case their account of the accident is needed.

Step 4: File an accident report

Contact local law enforcement officers to have an accident report prepared. If law enforcement is not reachable, accident reports and detailed instructions are available at all police departments, sheriff's offices, your local Department of Motor Vehicles office, and on your local Department of Motor Vehicles' web site.

Step 5: Notify your insurer

Contact your insurance company about the accident as soon as possible. An insurance adjuster will review the accident report to determine who caused the accident. If the accident was not your fault, you can have either your insurance company or the at-fault driver's insurance company handle the repair or replacement of your vehicle. If you use the other driver's company, you will not have a claim on your automobile policy and you will not have to pay a deductible.

Step 6: Do not release insurers too early

Do not relieve your insurance company of its responsibility until the damages are settled to your satisfaction. For example, have your insurance company handle the claim if the other party's insurance company questions its policyholder's negligence or offers an unacceptable settlement.

Step 7: Consider these settlement factors

Bodily injuries: You may be entitled to a monetary settlement for injuries caused by another at fault (liable) party. It can take several days for some injuries to become apparent.

Damages: The insurance company is responsible to pay for the reasonable cost of repairs to your vehicle. An insurance adjuster will assess the damage. Usually, insurance companies and auto body shops negotiate disagreements about what should be repaired. If you disagree with their conclusions, you have the right to obtain another appraisal at any auto body shop.

Appraisal clause: Most auto insurance policies include an appraisal clause, which can be used to help settle disputes about physical damage claims between you and your insurance company. (The appraisal clause does not apply for claims you file with the other party's insurance company.) If you cannot reach an agreement with your company, you or your insurer can initiate the appraisal clause. Your appraiser and your insurer's appraiser then select an independent umpire to try to resolve the dispute.
Check your policy or ask your agent or insurance company for more information about the appraisal clause.
And that is it. While filing a claim is certainly no fun, following these seven steps will make the process almost as easy as getting free quotes and purchasing your car insurance at http://www.carinsurance.com.
Article Source: http://www.Free-Articles-Zone.com-By Jon Register

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Article Source: http://www.Free-Articles-Zone.com-By Jon Register