Wednesday, December 8, 2010

Insurance Deductible Explained

Hi. For many young people who are just getting out from under their parent's insurance cover, there are many such questions that people like to pose. Just what the heck is an insurance deductible anyway? Well, this article will aim to explain the intricacies of Insurance.
Insurance, is essentially exactly like betting against yourself or your property. Insurance takes care of the "if" question. If something happens, then what? Well, then if you have insured yourself correctly, then you will be covered. That is how Insurance is supposed to work.
Now, Insurance does not always work that way. You see, the main motive of Insurance companies is to protect themselves from heavy losses. So they are trying to take in the most cash in the form of premiums and give out as little as possible in the form of claims. Your only insurance against insurance companies is that you read the fine print on your contract so you know exactly what is covered and what is not.
No matter what type of insurance you end up getting (you may even buy more than one kind), you will have to deal with a deductible in most cases. A deductible is what you would pay out of your own pocket should the trigger event occur.
So, for example - If you buy health insurance and set your deductible to be $100, then you get sick and have to go to the hospital; if your bill is for $1000, then your insurance will pay for $900 and you will have to pay $100 out of your own pocket.
Of course, deductibles affect premiums. A premium is what you pay every month for your insurance. Say you are covered for $100,000 in damages. Your premium is the amount you would pay every month to remain covered. The higher your deductible is the lower your premium should be. If you are willing to pay more out of your pocket, then you are effectively buying less insurance therefore you should pay less premium.
It is important to select your deductibles based on how likely you are going to file a claim and how much premium you can afford. Say you are a young athlete. You are less likely to have lifestyle diseases such as heart disease and more likely to break your leg skiing, which would cost a lot of money to fix up in the Emergency Room. So you should probably think of having a higher deductible and lower premium.
This is just an example; please do as much research as possible into the type of insurance you want to buy. Happy shopping and be safe!

Tuesday, December 7, 2010

Sourcing Reliable Insurance

There are many different insurance companies in South Africa, each of them offering you a different package for what you need. The key is to finding a reliable insurance company, and there are some easy ways of doing this.
If you live in South Africa, you will have many insurance needs; for your vehicle, your home, your life and a few other things. It all depends on your assets and your financial needs. Due to the fact that life can be a bit more dangerous in South Africa, it is imperative that you have insurance wherever necessary. Reliable insurance in South Africa is not difficult to come by, you simply need to know where to look. One of your best resources will be the internet. If you look on the internet, you will find that there are many different insurance companies in South Africa. The trick now is to figuring out which one will be best for you. This is where research comes in. You need to read up about insurance, the different policies available out there and how much you should be looking to pay. Educate yourself on all things insurance related, so that you fully understand all the different terminologies. There is nothing worse than going through the quoting process, not understanding anything.
The next thing you need to do is go about acquiring quotes. You need to obtain more than two or three quotes so that you are making an informed decision. How will you know which is the best insurance company for your needs unless you have something to compare it to. Only with several quotes will you be able to determine which insurance policy will be the most affordable for the most amount of cover. Take your time to read through each quote carefully, and ask questions if there is anything that you do not understand. Remember that this is your time to clarify anything you are not sure of, it is also up to you to find out whether you are applicable for any discounts, and to find out what you can do to lower your premium.
In conclusion, it is easy to see that you can find reliable insurance in South Africa, it just takes a bit of dedication and research on your behalf. Educating yourself is key; remember that the internet is there for a reason. Ensure that you are completely certain about the insurance company you choose, as you will be paying valuable money to them every month. This is why the researching is so important in finding reliable insurance in South Africa.

Saturday, November 20, 2010

Car Insurance Liability

The insurance, be it for a car, is a pledge which a automobile word association promises upon a remuneration of a only during certain time of year premium. The automobile word association which insures a cars, trucks or any alternative automobile which manipulate upon a highway provides a word opposite any detriment which might be incurred often as a outcome of a trade accident.

The automobile word association offers a business a coherence to protection for a total of a automobile or any partial of a car. The association divides it in to a insured party, a automobile celebration as well as a third party. Car word companies might come up with a accumulation of word skeleton according to a preference of a customer.

There is a guilt word process charity by most of a automobile word companies in a USA which covers claims opposite a a single who owns a process as well as any alternative user who does not live during a same residence as well as for those, who share a same residential residence to a a single with a process holder. This guilt insurance, however, might not cover a process hilt if he is pushing a automobile alternative than his own.

There have been alternative non-owner policies which cover a hilt for any automobile he drives. The automobile word association additionally provides a guilt trickery which allows a bound financial volume of word which an insurer might turn probable to compensate for any repairs or incident legally. Apart from a most alternative policies, a single which is utterly critical is a incident coverage supposing by automobile word companies. It is written in a approach which will cover a correct of a shop-worn automobile as well as if correct is not probable afterwards repay a worth of a automobile during a time of a accident. There have been most automobile word companies charity a series of word policies in USA.

Harley Davidson Insurance 2

There are a lot of types of insurance. Perhaps some insurance such as health insurance, auto insurance are familiar in your ears. However, there are some more insurance that actually designed or created so meet the specific needs of their clients, for instance is Harley Davidson insurance. From the name of the insurance, it is obviously clear that the insurance is especially created for those who have Harley Davidson in their garages. If you are among those people, surely you are interested to find out more information about this Harley Davidson insurance because through this insurance you could provide the best protection for your Harley Davidson. Well, some of you might be wondering about kinds of coverage that is offered by this Harley Davidson insurance, because surely from the fact that the insurance is having its own classification, you must have guessed that the coverage that is offered is different with current motorcycle insurance.
Basically the system that is used by this Harley Davidson insurance is similar to the tradition motorcycle insurance but what makes them different is the service that is offered. In Harley Davidson insurance you are not only able to provide your Harley Davidson protection that you need as well as the protection for the owner. Actually, there are some aspects that are supposed to be your main concern when you are about to apply to a Harley Davidson insurance. You have to make sure that the insurance provider understands your basic needs toward the insurance. That is why before, you finally decide to choose one Harley Davidson insurance provider, making some comparisons toward some insurance providers are highly recommended for you to do. Internet could help you in this matter and through online insurance quote systems you could find the list of reliable insurance providers that are offering Harley Davidson insurance that have been proven to be reliable and trustworthy.
Furthermore, visiting some forums that are visiting by Harley Davidson fans is highly recommended for you to do because there must be a lot of people who are willing to share their knowledge about Harley Davidson insurance to you.

Insurance for Your Business

The importance of insurance cannot be over-emphasized and neither can the danger of paying for insurance you don't need. It is strongly recommended you solicit the advice of an in-dependent business insurance agent. Don't forget to SHOP! Talk to three or four independent agents and compare notes and prices. An insurance agent will lay out a vast array of insurance coverage much of which you simply may not need. Your situation will be unique and you must consider each insurance element carefully to ensure comprehensive coverage.
Whatever your final insurance program looks like, you should review it at least every six months. Your business can change rapidly, especially in the first few years and insurance needs change with it. Keep your program up to date by calling in your agent and reviewing your coverage. Make changes where necessary.
LIABILITY INSURANCE
This is probably the most important element of your insurance program. Liability insurance provides protection from potential
losses resulting from injury or damage to others or their property. Just recall some of the big cash awards you have read about that have resulted from lawsuits concerning liability of one kind or another and you will understand the importance of this insurance. Your insurance agent can describe the various types of liability insurance coverage that are available. If you will end up with a comprehensive general policy, make certain that the general policy does not include items you don't need. Pay for only the insurance you need. For example, your business may not need product liability insurance.
Do not confuse business liability coverage with your personal liability coverage, both of which you need. Your personal coverage will not cover a business-generated liability. Check to be certain.
Compare the costs of different levels of coverage. In some cases a $2 million policy costs only slightly more than a $1 million policy. This economy of scale is true with most forms of insurance coverage. That is, after a certain value, additional insurance becomes very economical.
KEY PERSON INSURANCE
This type of insurance is particularly important for the sole proprietorship or partnership where the loss of one person through illness, accident, or death may render the business inoperative or severely limit its operations. This insurance, although not inexpensive, can provide protection for this situation. Key person insurance might also be necessary for others involved in your business.
SGC was a small firm run by three partners, a software programmer, marketer, and a general manager. Their product was a complex computer program used by aerospace firms. Al, the programmer, was involved in a severe automobile accident, became totally disabled, and SGC lost their programming capability. The problem was that the computer program written by Al was essentially the company's sole product. Modifications to accommodate the customer became impossible and the time to bring another programmer up to speed was excessive. SGC lost considerable business as a result of this situation. These losses could have been offset by key person insurance.
DISABILITY INSURANCE
You, as a business owner, should be covered by disability insurance whether or not you decide on key person insurance. This insurance, along with business-interruption insurance, described below, will help ensure your business will continue to operate in the unfortunate situation where you are unable to work. Your disability insurance policy needs to provide satisfactory coverage. Particular attention should be paid to the definition of "disability," delay time until payments start, when coverage terminates, and adjustments for inflation.
FIRE INSURANCE
Fire insurance, like all insurance is complicated and you should understand what IS and IS NOT covered. For example, a typical fire insurance policy covers the loss of contents but does not cover your losses from the fact that you may be out of business for 2-months while your facility is rebuilt. Fire insurance is mandatory whether you're working out of a home office or you have a separate facility. You should discuss a comprehensive policy with your agent. Take the time to understand the details. For example, will the contents be insured for their replacement value or for actual value at the time of loss?
Consider a co-insurance clause that will reduce the policy cost considerably. This means that the insurance carrier will require you to carry insurance equal to some percentage of the value of your property. (Usually around 85%.) With this type of clause it is very important that you review coverage frequently so you always meet the minimum percentage required. If this minimum is not met, a loss will not be paid no matter what its value.
If you are working out of your home, your existing homeowner's policy may not cover business property. If this is the case, have your insurance agent to add a home-office rider to your policy.
AUTOMOBILE INSURANCE
You probably already have automobile insurance but it might not include business use of your vehicle. Make sure that it does.
WORKER'S COMPENSATION INSURANCE
If you make the decision to hire employees, you will be required, in most states, to cover them under worker's compensation. The cost of this insurance varies widely and depends on the kind of work being performed and your accident history. It is important that you properly classify your employees to secure the lowest insurance rates. Work closely with your insurance agent.
BUSINESS INTERRUPTION INSURANCE
This protects against loss of revenue as the result of property damage. This insurance would be used, for instance, if you could not operate your business during the time repairs were being made as a result of a fire or in the event of the loss of a key supplier. The coverage can pay for salaries, taxes, and lost profits.
CREDIT INSURANCE
This will pay for unusual losses as the result of nonpayment of accounts receivables above a certain threshold. As with all policies, you must thoroughly understand the details so discuss it with your insurance agent. One of the largest providers of this coverage is American Credit Indemnity, Baltimore, MD. (800) 879 1224.
BURGLARY/ROBBERY/THEFT INSURANCE
Comprehensive policies are available that protect against loss from these perils, including by your own employees. Make certain you understand what is excluded from coverage.
RENT INSURANCE
This policy covers the cost of rent for other facilities in the event your property becomes damaged to the extent that operations cannot continue in your normal location.
DISABILITY INSURANCE
This insurance will pay you an amount each month slightly less than your current salary in the event you become disabled and are unable to work. Cost for this coverage varies considerably depending on your profession, salary level, how quickly benefits start, and when they end. Benefits paid are tax-free only if you, not your company, pay the premiums.
This list could be continued since it is possible to purchase insurance for just about any peril you can imagine ... if you can pay the premium! When considering your insurance coverage, use the following checklist:
INSURANCE COVERAGE CHECKLIST:
o Can you afford the loss?
o What coverage is required by Federal, state, or local law?
o What SPECIFIC items are covered by the policy?
o Are items to be insured for their replacement cost or original value?
o What SPECIFIC items are EXCLUDED by the policy?
o If there is a co-insurance clause, do you have adequate coverage?
o Have you chosen deductibles wisely in order to minimize costs?
o Do any of the policies you are considering duplicate or overlap one another?
o Do you need any insurance based on location, e.g., flood, earthquake?
Use the following checklist to review your insurance plans:
INSURANCE PLAN CHECKLIST:
o Employ an independent insurance agent rather than going to individual insurance companies. Ensure the agent shops for your insurance.
o Talk to and get quotations from at least THREE agents and pick the best one for you.
o Use money saving comprehensive policies, if possible.
o Perform periodic (every 6-months) reviews of your insurance program.
o Have business assets professionally appraised to determine coverage needs.
o Ensure existing personal insurance coverage includes business-related activities and add riders as necessary or obtain additional coverage.
http://www.TotalBusiness.com is a Website that provides business owners with the information they need in order to successfully start, manage, grow, and sell their businesses.
The site features over 3,000 articles and 60 guides on business topics such as starting a business, financing a business, sales and marketing, building a website, setting up an office, hiring employees, and selling a business. The site also contains articles on legal and accounting issues affecting businesses and allows business owners and entrepreneurs to get free expert advice from local lawyers or accountants. The site contains over 1,000 business forms and agreements that are helpful to business owners and provides a business directory with over 1,700 merchants who provide services specifically for small businesses.
Eran Salu, JD,MBA,CPA is the Founder and CEO of TotalBusiness.com

Friday, November 19, 2010

What Do You Need To Know About Motorcycle Insurance

When we expostulate the motorcycle we will have to have insurance. You will need to during slightest have the smallest volume of coverage which we can get from motorcycle insurance. There have been policies which we can get customized for your needs. Motorcycle word is word of motorcycles as well as liabilities outset out of the have make use of of thereof.

When we get motorcycle word we have been fundamentally pity the risks of pushing it in in between we as well as the word company. Insurance for motorcycles is really something which we have been starting to have to have if we have been starting to expostulate the motorcycle. Not usually is it intelligent for we to have the word for motorcycles though we have to have it since it is opposite the law not to have it. You cant shun removing motorcycle word no have the difference how we feel about it.

The motorcycle word coverage will assistance compensate for any monetary detriment or obligations which outcome from the have make use of of of or the tenure of your motorcycle. Insurance for motorcycles is written to give business the assent of thoughts which they need so they can go out upon the open highway as well as not have to be concerned about it. This equates to which if we have the fumble upon your motorcycle whilst we have been pushing it we will be stable from any monetary loss.

Any motorcycle word we get is the stipulate in in between the policyholder (you) as well as the word company. You wish to have certain which we get the cheapest though the most appropriate word for motorcycles which we can. You need to take the time to do the little research, get the little quotes, review the coverage as well as afterwards select the process which will work most appropriate for we as well as the motorcycle.

You need to hit the representative or attorney of the word association which we have alternative word with such as, automobile or home insurance. Then get the allude to from them. They might be means to suggest we the bonus if we have been carrying some-more than the single process with them.

You can get poor motorcycle word if we take the time to demeanour during as most agencies as we can. The some-more quotes which we get the simpler it will be to find the process which we can afford. There have been the lot of word companies which we can check into. It might take we the little time to do though it will be value it when we find the word for motorcycles which will work the most appropriate for we during the cost which we want.

You have to have motorcycle word no have the difference what. So anticipating the most appropriate rates as well as seeking during the opposite coverages will be to your benefit. Insurance for motorcycles doesnt have to be costly or the dreaded thing, we only have to accept the actuality which we have to have it as well as afterwards find the most appropriate word available.

Individual and Family Health Insurances for Californians

If you’re vital in the state of California, who doesn’t have an word coverage, afterwards it’s tall time to get yourself insured. If we have been not removing yourself insured, afterwards we have been certain to face lot of monetary troubles when we go for any healing treatments or emergencies. This is the reason because most doctors as well as experts recommendation people to take up seizure insurances that will assist them during emergencies for their families. Now there have been so most individuals, who need to be reminded to take up their insurances. If we have been singular vital person, that is if we have been vital all alone try to get yourself the California particular seizure word plan. This is the devise that is been created for people similar to we who don’t live with any one or have any dependants that offers we the most appropriate healing coverage.

One of the greatest advantages of removing the California particular seizure word is that it is the cheaper plan, as the result affordable for those who have been vital alone. Coming behind to family seizure insurances, most people consider that there is no need to take up word when the chairman has children. It is easy to consider that way, though we need to assimilate that your children’s seizure is additionally really important. There is an additional critical reason to get the seizure insurance; most people go to revisit their doctors or physicians usually when they come to know that they have been ill or sick. Actually this is an improper approach of keep yourself health! You need to go for unchanging check ups, during slightest for annual check ups to have certain that we have been giveaway from seizure problems. But if we have the seizure complications, such annual or unchanging check ups will assistance we to diagnose your mildew progressing as well as provide we accordingly. Here is where your seizure word comes to the rescue!

If we have the seizure insurance, afterwards your annual seizure check ups becomes cheaper as well as we have been essentially motivating yourself to revisit your alloy often. But if we have been uninsured, we might try to equivocate seizure check ups due to the price cause as well as we have been essentially putting your seizure in to risk, that’s together with your families’ health! If an uninsured particular comes to know that if he or she is pang from the mildew or seizure complications, afterwards the particular needs to compensate out lot of income for the healing diagnosis that will move monetary crises. So get yourself insured.

• Though the insurer does not compensate the full insured amount, the healing word association will compensate the healing price to the insurer during the time of accidents or illness.

• Insurance process is kind of monetary instrument that can be used during healing treatment.

• Medical seizure word process reduces the monetary weight of insurer as well as helps to revoke their payments to the healthcare centers.

• Medical word skeleton have been regularly estimated has distinction for the insurer as well as it additionally provides seductiveness rate for the total insured.

• When remuneration of premiums as well as duration of healing word process is completed, the word association will compensate off the insured volume to the insurer but any fraud.

Nowadays universe is full of uncertainties as well as lots of risk is to be undergone by the people during their march of activity. So to come up with the uncertainties as well as risk, opposite kinds of healing word skeleton has been estimated opposite word company. Generally, healing word process covers the price incurred due to accidents or seizure for the insurer.

Issaquah woman sentenced to $300,000 in restitution in insurance fraud case

A King County Superior Court judge today ordered Issaquah's Linda Ann Rose, 67, to pay and forfeit a total of $300,000 in restitution to insurance companies for fraudulent injury claims after a minor accident in a parking lot.

On Nov. 13, 2004, Rose was involved in a parking lot collision in Issaquah. An SUV backed out of a parking stall and struck Rose's rented Ford Mustang. Photos of both vehicles show minimal damage, but Rose claimed that she suffered severe back injuries as a result of the collision.

In 2007, her attorney demanded $656,874 from the SUV owner's insurer, and subsequently filed a personal injury lawsuit in the case.
Investigators from the Washington Insurance Commissioner Mike Kreidler's Special Investigations Unit subsequently concluded that Rose knowingly provided altered medical records to her attorney, and that she had had an injured back "well before" the accident.
 
Rose entered a modified guilty plea to 3 felony counts of using false claims or proof in an insurance claim. 
 
She was ordered to pay $250,000 to Progressive, $25,000 to Metlife, and to forfeit another $25,000 in a structured settlement from Metlife that had not yet been paid.

Harley Davidson Motorcycle Insurance

Harley Davidson Motorcycle Insurance
On the face of it Harley's should be a low-risk prospect for motorcycle insurers. There are hundreds of thousands of riders buying Harley Davidson Motorcycle Insurance - these bikes are slow compared to sport bikes, and tend to be ridden by more mature riders.
However a couple of factors swing the pendulum the other way:
  1. Harleys are much more expensive than most other motorcycles, which can make them much more costly to repair.
  2. It's the numbers - if 1% out of a million generate a claim that's 10,000. And if you have a $20,000 bike you will certainly claim if it gets nudged over in a parking lot.
  3. Harley Davidson Motorcycles are extremely desireable to thieves - and easy to strip or change the bike's identity.
  4. There have been articles in the motorcycle press about the Harley scene being centered around bars, and the likelihood of driving after a few Bud's. I'm not aware of any public data about this - but interested readers should read the section about Drink & Drugs on our site. In a nutshell, being unfit to drive through drink or drugs invalidates your insurance - Insurance companies are not obliged to consider your claim. This applies to all vehicles - bikes and cars.
Irrespective of the above, Harley's are the most popular motorcycle in the USA and there are many reputable companies catering for this sector, and even more riders looking for the cheapest motorcycle insurance state. Look out for my special reports on Harley Davidson Motorcycle Insurance and cheap motorcycle insurance USA.Accessories and Custom Work - VERY IMPORTANT
This can tranform the price or value of a Harley Davidson enormously - sometimes by a factor of 3 or 4, So if you have a heavily customized Harley Davidson or special or clone, you should make sure your insurers have an agreed value for your bike. I will also have reviews and recommendations of insurers for this sector in an new section soon.
Check back.

Flood Insurance increases AGAIN!!

Before you buy a Spring Texas home located in the 100 year flood zone, you need to stop and consider the rising cost of flood insurance.  In 2009, flood insurance on Spring Texas homes located in the 100 year flood zone averaged a 6% increase and in 2010, they increased an additional 8%.  Now, don’t confuse home owners or hazard insurance with flood insurance because flood insurance is a completely separate insurance policy.
If your Spring Texas home is located in the 100 year flood zone  and you have a mortgage on the home, you are stuck with purchasing flood insurance because it is required by your mortgage lender.  If your home is located in the 500 year flood zone, flood insurance is not required by your mortgage lender and the purchase of flood insurance is totally optional.
Will the rising costs of flood insurance stop buyers from purchasing homes in the 100 year flood zone?  Probably not.
But if you are thinking about purchasing a home in the 100 year flood zone, you need to do your math.  What I mean is let’s say your flood insurance policy is going to cost you $600 a year which is $50 a month.  How much more house could you buy for the same $50 a month if you were not required to purchase flood insurance?  Based upon today’s mortgage interest rates of 5%, the answer is about $10,000. 



Motorbike Insurance – Get Your engine is running!

While driving on the road it's easy to say that a motorcycle is the most dangerous vehicle around. So when it comes to insurance to cover your bike, it can be difficult to find.
Everyone on a bike is always a high risk, and this is something that companies do not want to deal. Because of this risk, you pay more if you are a company that will find you and your motorbike insurance.
Obtaining insurancea car is an easy step. There are many companies that offer a variety of plans to get people to save as much money as possible. However, the number of companies that are willing to ensure motorcycles are not that high. Given the damage done, the bike can, this is quite understandable.
When riding a bike, there are many risks you take. Especially not in an enclosed space makes accidents with motorcycles a lot more serious. There is muchto get easier for the drivers of such vehicles severely injured and dying / o.
Every little mistake can cause a motorcycle accident, so it is very important to be careful always. Why start in a motorcycle accident is easily done, not only in danger of lead, but the others around you to drive a car. These are factors that insurance companies keep in mind, and why their rates might be higher, while the insurance is.
Insteadoffense under the high insurance premiums, while others may have to pay, and you should understand the risk you are yourself. And 'good idea, a clear insurance companies make when trying to get the bike.
If an insurance company provides a reckless driver, with one or two incidents, you will not even give you a plan. To obtain a reasonable price, it is important to always be a good driver.This applies to interest on loans. Improve your credit and debt reduction can help in many areas.
If you want to get a lower discount price for your insurance, you can motorcycling courses. This will help insurance companies know that you lived, and they know what to do with the vehicle.
Once you get your insurance, remember to keep your card in case of emergency. When all is said and doneand you have a motorbike insurance is satisfied, do not forget to always be a responsible driver.

Home owners Insurance

Everyone’s home takes a battering from time to time, whether it’s a storm, flood or earthquakes, all of them are capable of straining finances to their limit; fortunately, eventualities that could cost a great deal of money can be guarded against without too much bother. Other threats of course come from people in the form of arson or vandalism caused when a burglar doesn’t find what they are looking for, and sometimes even when they do. Insurance companies have an agreement whereby they will pay out on your homeowners insurance policy providing you have kept your premium payments up to date since it was set up.
Typical situations covered by most house insurance policies are damage to the property, possessions, theft of items, acts of vandalism and of course, fire. There is normally a limit on how much will be paid out which would cover the average home but there will almost always be a deductible to include In the calculations as well.
The Internet has opened up a whole new breed of insurers many of which do not actually have offices but can supply homeowner’s insurance to cover damage or loss of personal property. It is easy just to visit a number of sites and arrange an online quotation where you can then compare just what each company can provide for the premium they quote.
Remember the cost of cover is not the most important point of the insurance quote but whether or not everything you want covered is included. Almost everyone who has a mortgage will have homeowners insurance to cover costs of any building maintenance issues that require work.
However, if you want to save money, shop around between the different local insurers to see what offers they have on. Many homeowners have learnt they can reduce their monthly insurance premiums by raising their deductible limit, often by two or three times the amount on the policy so this is worth considering.
It is also worth arranging for your policy to ensure that new goods are bought at today’s prices otherwise replacing possessions may be very difficult. The chances are that this won’t happen but you need to be aware that a Replacement Value policy is necessary if you want to replace possessions and household products at today’s prices.
Your home is probably going to be the most expensive thing you ever insure not just for the cost of replacing the building but also for the contents which means personal items and perhaps valuable items. The main benefit of a homeowners insurance policy is just how much it actually covers but that does not mean you can expect automatic cover for valuable personal possessions you have failed to include.

Thursday, November 18, 2010

Different Types of Auto Insurance

Different Types of Auto InsuranceIn case you are a proud car owner you definitely know how annoying and distracting auto insurance might be, especially when you have high rates to pay. Many people complain about their auto insurance policies being too expensive. But do you know that there are different types of auto insurance policies out there on the market? And some of them are much cheaper than the one you carry! That's why before buying a new policy or switching to another provider we recommend learning all types of insurance policies and selecting the one that suits your needs best :

Fully Comprehensive

Fully comprehensive car insurance policies are the most expensive and probably the most widespread policies in the US. A large part of autos in the US are financed through loans or leased, letting auto insurance dealers and lending companies include additional requirements regarding auto insurance, which they gladly apply. Most lending institution require buying fully comprehensive coverage for the vehicles they finance, so if you are the “lucky” one to use this option, be prepared to pay a lot for your auto insurance.

As you can understand from the name, fully comprehensive policies cover the vehicle in virtually all types of insurance situations, starting with collisions to fire and theft. The best part of it is that it will pay regardless of who's at fault in the accident. Even if you had a crash with an uninsured car owner you still can claim against your company.

The hidden catch, however, is the high price of such policies. Moreover, with most insurance companies your policy will cover only a part of the car's cost, not the entire value. Read your policy careful before signing it, as in most cases it will denote a percentage of value, usually around 80%, your car will be insured against.

Third Party, Fire & Theft

Third party, fire & theft policies are the most appropriate type of auto insurance for those who have already settled their loans for financing the purchase of their vehicle, but still having auto car insurance is a middle of the road car insurance package popular with those who have already paid off their auto loans, but who still have a certain level of additional value with the vehicle.

This type of auto insurance is quite similar to fully comprehensive when it comes to insuring circumstances like fire or theft. However, when it comes to collisions with other cars, third party policies will only pay if you are at fault in the accident. In other cases you insurance company won't pay you anything, regardless of how much insurance coverage the other party carries. The same applies to collisions with walls, fences and simple car damage.

Third Party

Third party is probably the most stripped down type of auto insurance. It will cover only a collision with another car when you were at fault. All other situations and circumstances won't be covered by your company. But because of this, it is the cheapest type of auto insurance available on the market and will best appeal to owners of old cars with reduced value.

Evaluating The Various Individual Health Insurance Plans

With particular illness insurance, it positively seems to be the box which we will compensate some-more than we would have to for organisation insurance. This creates it all the some-more critical which we review the opposite options available. The most appropriate recommendation is to emporium around until we get the right cost for your needs.
What Other Options You Have
If we have been deliberation receiving out particular illness insurance, afterwards there have been the series of questions we need to ask yourself. These questions have been as follows:
Does the process cover the doctor’s bills?
Is there the extent upon the series of sanatorium stays, covered?
Do we have to compensate for services prior to the word pays you?
How most do we have to have paid in premiums prior to they will give we the payout?
Are accidents as well as emergencies lonesome by the policy?
How distant does it cover for prolonged station illness problems?
You should never take upon an particular illness word devise prior to we have been utterly transparent of the joining upon your partial as well as what the benefits are. It is the inapplicable designation to take out illness word as well as afterwards pretence what it is dictated to cover. Just in box we have an collision as well as find out which we have been not lonesome by your word for that. Another thing to cruise is either the devise includes visits to the dentist. If it doesn’t afterwards we will need apart coverage for that.
Premiums have been an critical component of the word as well as might start your preference upon which particular illness word devise we take out. Premiums for particular illness word skeleton lend towards to be aloft than organisation skeleton as well as there have been times when premiums might be even higher. This is generally the box if we have existent illness issues – for e.g. we have the weight problem, or have been the smoker.
Premiums have been additionally expected to be aloft if we have allergies or if we humour from asthma. In any of these cases your reward is expected to be aloft than if we were ideally full of illness with no story of any healing problems. This is because, if there is the complaint with your health, we have been the lot some-more expected to be an word risk than not.
Difficulty In Finding Individual Health Insurance
Some people do find it increasingly formidable to find illness word to fit them since most word companies do not accept people who have the healing story which shows they have had problems in the past.
All word companies have been opposite though if:
You have the condition as well as have not consulted the doctor
If we have the illness complaint which your alloy cannot explain
Or, if we have the illness complaint where we have not nonetheless finished diagnosis
You have been expected to be incited down for insurance. This is since an word association is there to have the distinction so they unequivocally do not wish to compensate out unless it is positively necessary. People with ongoing illnesses or people who have been carrying stream healing problems have been the lot some-more expected to record the explain than those who do not as well as word companies do not similar to that!
Short-Term Individual Health Insurance
It is probable to request for proxy particular illness word as well as this customarily comes in most beneficial for people who have been operative partial time. This is because, when we shift jobs or we go in to operative partial time, we will not be offering the full organisation word in the same approach as full-time employees.
Bear in thoughts which with proxy illness insurance, it customarily usually lasts up to 36 months, during the most, though it in the little cases the duration is usually twelve months. They do not take upon anybody who has any stream illness problems, so we do have to be ideally full of illness as well as have no stream or prior problems.
Overall, when anticipating the right illness word to fit you, we unequivocally need to do as most investigate as probable as well as review as most opposite skeleton as we can. This helps we to find the most appropriate cost as well as coverage for we as well as we will know what is essentially lonesome in your insurance. That will give we the assent of mind.
Summary:
Make certain which we know what is lonesome in your plan, which approach we can have assent of thoughts meaningful which we have been entirely protected.

Flood coverage: Where to find it -- and what if you can't?

November in the Pacific Northwest generally means rain, and lots of it. (See also December, February, March, April and sometimes May.)

As the rivers swell, we tend to get nervous queries from consumers and businesses about flood insurance. Here are the basics, as well as some special information for businesses in Washington state's Green River Valley.

Does a standard homeowners' insurance cover flooding? No. Many people think it does. It does not.

Where do I get flood coverage? For most consumers and many businesses, the first stop is the National Flood Insurance Program, a federally run program that's been around for decades. But the business coverage maxes out at $500,000 per building and $500,000 for contents, so businesses may need extra coverage as well.

What's it cost? The average federal flood insurance policy costs less than $570 per year.

Am I in a flood zone? Here's a page to search flood maps. You can also get a quick risk estimate by typing your address into the feds' "one-step flood risk profile."

I heard that the federal flood insurance program was suspended. It was, but isn't anymore. The program lapsed several times this year, but Congress in late September reauthorized the program for another year.

Who sells it? Although it's a federally run program, it's sold by many insurance agents. To find a local one who sells it, see the program's agent locator.

And here's the special information for businesses in Washington's Green River Valley, which is in south King County. Last year, businesses in the area reported problems finding additional coverage. To help, we set up a "market assistance plan" that acts as a matchmaker between businesses and insurers. If you live in that area and can't find coverage for your business, the odds are good that the market assistance plan can help you.

For more, please see our flood information page.

What is Home Owners Insurance?

Home owners insurance rates vary widely based on your geographic location. Areas prone to hurricanes, floods, hail, earthquakes, fires and other natural disasters will generally have higher rates. Even the distance to the nearest fire department or fire hydrant can have an impact on your home owners insurance rates.
Knowing Your Policy Is VERY Important
Coverage for Property and Possessions
Liability Coverage
Theft Off Premises
Additional Living Expenses
What Can a Homeowner Do To Be Prepared?
What Can a Homeowner Do To Save Money?
Coverage for Property and Possessions
Damage to the dwelling and the contents could be the biggest unexpected disaster awaiting a homeowner who has less coverage than needed. Most policies provide a stated maximum amount of coverage for the dwelling and another amount for contents.
Generally, dwelling coverage is based on replacement cost, which means that in the event of a total loss, the policy will provide reimbursement, up to the policy limit, to replace the structure. Ideally, a homeowner should buy enough insurance to completely rebuild the home, known as replacement value. This figure may not be the home's actual market value or what the owner originally paid for the home. This is especially true in a depressed or an inflated market or if the home is simply not replaceable to its condition prior to the loss. Replacement cost policies, which may pay over the policy limit to rebuild the home, may be available from your insurer.
To determine how much insurance to purchase, an accurate appraisal of the home for replacement cost should be made. Working with your insurance company is important in this process. Most insurers recommend or require that a homeowner insure the dwelling for 100 percent of its full replacement value. Some homes, very unique ones such as national register-types or very elaborate ones, cannot be insured for exact replacement since some features are not replaceable in either workmanship, materials or practical costs. The insurer and/or the agent is the best source for these issues.
Coverage for personal property is different. Most policies provide actual cash value coverage for contents which includes depreciation, or full value contents without depreciation. Actual cash value means that if a power surge blows out a 10-year-old television set, the homeowner should know what to expect. Unlike full value contents coverage, which would essentially provide a new television set, actual cash value coverage allows the insurance company to calculate the useful life of the item and then depreciate the item to present value. A depreciated 10-year-old television set would be insured for only a fraction of its original cost. A homeowner may want to consider replacement cost coverage to be sure that the contents are adequately insured.
In addition to making sure that contents are covered for replacement cost rather than actual cash value, homeowners should purchase additional coverage for items that would ordinarily be subject to loss limitations. Virtually all policies cover contents loss up to the policy limit for items that include furniture, clothing, toys, accessories such as lamps and other items which are used for decor. Explicit limitations are set in the policy for high-cost items such as jewelry, fine art, furs, electronics, collectibles, oriental rugs and antiques. If a thief comes in and steals a two-carat engagement ring, it will not be covered well enough without what is commonly known as a personal property rider to cover specific, costly items. For more information on home owners insurance visit our specialist site below.
Home Owners Liability Coverage
Liability insurance is very important to a homeowner's coverage because it helps protect the owner and the family from financial disaster if someone files a claim against the homeowner's policy, sues the homeowner or if the courts hold the homeowner legally responsible for someone else's injury or property damage. The standard liability limit for most policies is $100,000, but many people believe that additional protection is needed , especially if the homeowner has sizable assets.
For a small increase in premium, an additional $300,000 to $500,000 may be obtained. Liability coverage protects in three ways: Personal liability, damage to the property of others, and medical expenses for injury to others.
Another way to protect one's assets is to consider an Umbrella Policy which usually adds $1 million (or possibly more) in excess liability coverage to the homeowner's property and automobile insurance policies. It also covers claims excluded from most basic policies such as libel, slander, defamation and mental anguish.
For example, most policies provide liability coverage that covers not only accidents that occur on the insured property but accidents that occur elsewhere. If the family dog bites a neighbor in front of another neighbor's house, for example, the dog owner's homeowner's policy will usually compensate the neighbor for injuries and necessary medical expenses. For more information on home owners insurance visit our specialist site below.
Theft Off Premises
Most policies automatically insure against the loss of personal property even if that property is not on the insured premises when it is lost. If one goes to the airport with several suitcases and they are stolen, this is probably covered. Talk with your agent and/or your insurance company for details.
Additional Living Expenses
Another automatic benefit of which many homeowners are unaware is coverage for living expenses if the covered premises is damaged to the point of being uninhabitable. Not only should the policy pay for the cost to repair the damage to the dwelling, but it should also reimburse the homeowner for the additional expenses of living elsewhere while the repairs are being made. For more information and rates on home owners insurance visit our specialist site below.
What Can A Homeowner Do To Be Prepared?
How does someone find out what is and what is not covered? Read the policy carefully. It's not likely to be fun reading, but the good news is that if one reads and understands his or her policy before it is needed, this knowledge may save unexpected financial losses should a problem occur. It is always best to talk with one's insurance agent or the company that issued the policy for details.
Understanding your home owners insurance policy is best handled before a claim is made. In the case of the contents, an inventory of items room by room is important to have with information such as the date purchased, serial number, the original cost of each item and a brief description. Video tape or still photos is very helpful along with the inventory. These items should be stored in a safe place such as a safety deposit box in a bank or savings and loan institution and not in the home because if the home is destroyed, the chances are the inventory and related photos or tape may also be destroyed.
Save Money On Your Home owners Insurance
Insurance is a highly competitive business and the price paid by the consumer for homeowners insurance may vary by hundreds of dollars, depending on the insurance company with which the consumer intends to do business.
Companies offer several types of discounts, but they may not always offer the same discount or the same amount of discount. That is why the consumer should ask his or her insurance agent or company representative about any discounts that are available.
What should a prospective homeowners policy holder think about when assessing which policy to obtain? Here are several ideas for potentially lowering costs.
Shop Around
Prices vary so it pays to shop around. Ask friends, check the Yellow Pages, refer to consumer guides, insurance agents, the consumer phone line of the state's insurance commissioner's office and the companies for price information.
Raise the deductible
Deductibles are the amount of money the homeowner pays toward a loss before the insurance company starts to pay according to the terms of the policy. Deductibles on homeowners policies typically start at $250. By increasing the deductible to $500, $1,000, $2,500, or $5,000, discounts may be obtained, depending on the insurance company.
Buy home and auto policies from the same insurer
Some companies that sell homeowners and auto coverage may reduce their premium if two or more policies are purchased from them. When buying a home, consider how much insuring it will cost. A new home's electrical, heating and plumbing systems and overall structure are likely to be in better shape than those of an older house. Insurers may offer a discount if the house is new. Choice of construction materials and design could reduce the premium. Brick, because of its resistance to wind damage, is better in Georgia. Proximity to fire station, firefighters and fire hydrants also affects premiums.
Insure the house, not the land
The land under the house isn't at risk from theft, windstorm, fire and other perils covered in a homeowners policy. Therefore, the value of the land should not be included in deciding how much homeowners insurance to buy.
Beef up home security
Some insurance companies offer discounts for smoke detectors, burglar and fire alarm systems, or dead-bolt locks. Others offer discounts for homes equipped with a sprinkler system and fire detection and burglar alarms that ring at the police station or at a monitoring facility. Before buying such a system, consumers should check with their insurers to validate that such as system will be eligible for a discount and how much the device or system would cost. Most importantly, the consumer should know how much may be saved on premiums.
Stop smoking
Smoking accounts for more than 23,000 residential fires in a year nationwide. That's why some insurers offer to reduce premiums if all the residents in a house do not smoke.
Seek out discounts for seniors
Retired people stay at home more and spot fires sooner than working people. Retirees also have more time to maintain their homes. If a homeowner is at least 55 years old and retired, he or she may qualify for a discount at some companies.
Compare the limits in the policy with the value of the possessions in the home at least once a year.
Policies should cover any major purchases or additions to the contents of the home. Remember that additions to the physical structure of the home should be reported to your agent or insurance company for a reevaluation of the limits of your policy. In addition, review your contents which may require a special scheduling on your policy. Such items include jewelry, watches, furs and computers to name a few. If you have sold or given away special schedule items, they should removed from your policy.
Are You Adequately Protected?
Because there are so many options and variables associated with home owners insurance we recommend that you find a company in your area that specializes in home owner insurance. It is very possible to save hundreds of dollars a year by simply shopping rates and coverage.
For more information or a quote on homeowners insurance fill out our free home insurance quotes request form.
Matt McWilliams is one of the co-founders of HometownQuotes.Com, an online insurance quotes web site. He is originally from Pinebluff, NC and attended Middle Tennessee State University. He is considered an expert in the field of online insurance shopping and finding new ways to help consumers save money on their insurance. For more information visit http://www.hometownquotes.com

Saving money on Term Life Insurance: Yes, you can!

One of the most reasonably-priced ways to protect the future of your family is with term life insurance. Although already a good value, there are ways to make sure that you are not over-paying for or purchasing too much coverage. The tips below will help you to protect your loved ones while saving money and increasing the purchasing power of your dollar.
  1. Don’t delay the purchase - the younger your age when the policy is written, the lower your premium will be.
If you decide to skip life insurance, you are gambling with your future. As unlikely as it may be that you will die before retirement, you need to plan for the possibility. Younger people pay lower premiums because the risk is lower. Purchasing a policy now will give you security at a lower annual cost.
Let’s look at an example. A delay of only a few years in purchasing a $250,000 Term 10 life insurance policy can increase your annual premium significantly.
A non-smoking male*:
  • At age 35 could obtain coverage as low $195 annually, or $1,950 over the ten-year term.
  • At age 40 could obtain coverage as low as $263 annually, or $2,630 over the ten-year term.
  • At age 45 could obtain coverage as low as $373 annually, or $3,730 over the ten-year term.
  • A non-smoking female*:
  • At age 35 could obtain coverage as low $165 annually, or $1,650 over the ten-year term.
  • At age 40 could obtain coverage as low as $210 annually, or $2,100 over the ten-year term.
  • At age 45 could obtain coverage as low as $270 annually, or $2,700 over the ten-year term.
* Figures reflect quotes obtained online (for premiums paid annually) in February 2006 for a Term 10 policy, a popular option in Canada.
  1. When is your birthday?
You may be six months away from that next milestone, but most life insurers would round up to the next birthday. Your rate quote will be based upon your age at the closest birthday, and half the time that makes you “older.” This practice, termed “Age Nearest,” can make a significant difference in what you pay. Look at these examples:
A non-smoking male*:
  • At age 39 could obtain coverage as low $248 annually, or $2,480 over the ten-year term.
  • At age 40 that coverage can be as low as $263 annually, or $2,630 over the ten-year term.
  • The difference is $150
  • At age 44 could obtain coverage as low $345annually, or $3,450 over the ten-year term.
  • At age 45 that coverage can be as low as $373 annually, or $3,730 over the ten-year term.
  • The difference is $280
  • A non-smoking female*:
  • At age 39 could obtain coverage as low $200 annually, or $2,000 over the ten-year term.
  • At age 40 that coverage can be as low as $210 annually, or $2,100 over the ten-year term.
  • The difference is $100
  • At age 44 could obtain coverage as low as $255 annually, or $2,550 over the ten-year term.
  • At age 45 that coverage can be as low as $270 annually, or $2,700 over the ten-year term.
  • The difference is $150
* Figures reflect quotes obtained online (for premiums paid annually) in January 2006.
  1. Do you smoke? Find out if the company will help you quit.
Not all insurers have programs to reward smokers who quit, but you should ask. Those that do may offer reduced premiums as an incentive to purchase life insurance and quit smoking. One company actually provides a refund of the extra premium you paid as a smoker (over the non-smoker rate) once you have quit. This company will also adjust your annual premium rate back to what it would have been for a non-smoker at the age you bought the policy.
  1. Explore options for payments.
You may be eligible for a discount of up to 10% for paying the annual premium as a single payment each year. See how this can provide savings:
  • At age 35, a man with coverage of $250,000 might spend $215 over a year in monthly payments. That same policy is only $195 in a single payment - a savings of $20 every year!
  • At age 40, a man with coverage of $250,000 might spend $288 over a year in monthly payments. That same policy is only $263 in a single payment - a savings of $25 every year!
  • At age 45, a man with coverage of $250,000 might spend $407 over a year in monthly payments. That same policy is only $373 in a single payment - a savings of $34 every year!
Control the cost of your life insurance:
Apply these strategies to make Term Life insurance an affordable protection for your family. Now is the time to invest in your future.

More from our case files...

Having trouble with an insurance company, agent or broker? Give us a call; we can often help. We're the government agency that regulates the insurance industry in Washington state. (If you don't live in Washington, here's an easy map with contact info for our counterparts in your own state.)

In Washington state, we're at 1-800-562-6900 or AskMike@oic.wa.gov. You can now also file a complaint easily online.

Here's a sampling of the sorts of things we help with virtually every day:
  • A woman contacted us on behalf of her 75-year-old mother, who had forgotten to pay her long-term care insurance premium due to health issues. The company had cancelled the policy for non-payment. After multiple attempts to have the policy reinstated, the daughter sought our help. The policy was reinstated.
  • A company that had sold an illegal discount health plan here agreed to pay a consumer $3,825.
  • A widow whose annuity request had been delayed complained to us. We contacted the company, which honored the request, sending her a check for more than $250,000.

NIB Health Insurance

Safeguarding your health should be one of your top priorities. But sometimes, unexpected health situations occur, although you’ve tried prevention, what can be done now is only to alleviate the health problem. And, to lessen you’re worries regarding your health needs, get NIB Health Insurance.
At times like this, it’ll help if you have someone who will take care of things for you; this is where NIB health funds come in.
And why, you ask, will you choose NIB to insure your health? Here are the reasons why.
Track Record
NIB is one of Australia’s biggest health insurance companies. They have served and covered more than half a million people within their 50 years of experience.
Throughout all those years they have provided various private health insurance policies to their holders.
Good Rates
For a health insurance to be good, it has to have competitive rates. Meaning, you won’t spend so much money here the same with, or as compared to other insurance companies.
This will also mean suitable plans for the kind of person you are. If they can offer to be flexible towards the fulfillment of your personal preferences, as much as possible, then wouldn’t you want to have an insurer like that?
Good Coverage
Coverage mostly depends on the type of plan you have. And to be able to choose the best plan and consequently, coverage, your task is to simply understand what each and every plan can offer you.
Some health plans do not cover some medical situations. So check first what your plan will cover before you apply. Also, if you’re having an elective or aesthetic procedure, for example, can your health plan handle that, too?
Customer Service
A good company should prioritize their clients more than anything else, even more than the business itself. And, for a customer to keep coming back, they should be entranced to keep doing so. Even at phone conversations only, they should offer same courtesy and smile in their voice as if they were talking to you eye to eye.
It is also important that the staff be competent and knowledgeable of what they’re doing. In NIB health insurance offices, most clients comment that customer representatives were good enough and satisfactorily helpful, but there are others who were of no help at all.
Discounts
To make you pretty sure that you are going to transact with that company, you will need a little more free stuff, or it can be a rebate to make you do so. In NIB’s health funds, in terms of dental services, you can get 50% of your money back whenever you pay a certain amount after you visit the dentist.
Also, this can mean that you get affordable rates and flexible payment plans to make you feel as if you were getting a marked down price every time. This is the advantage of NIB Health Insurance.

Wednesday, November 17, 2010

Maybe You Can Afford Health Insurance

As a seizure word agent, you call many intensity clients as well as listen to a same thing! They discuss it me which they’ve already oral to an word agent, know how many seizure word will price them, as well as discuss it me which they have been unequivocally sorry, though they usually cannot means a bill! When you ask them how many a representative quoted them, you find which they were since price estimates dual or 3 times some-more than my primary offer.
Why does which happen? Well, you can cruise of lots of reasons since agents would be tempted to sell a many costly skeleton possible, though you additionally know which agents would rsther than have a not as large sale than no sale during all! you cruise a price quotes have some-more to do with a client’s expectations than agent’s greed.
Many clients have been starting their own commercial operation after years in a corporate environment, as well as they were used to a organisation devise which lonesome roughly any healing use with unequivocally tiny copays. Many clients have been usually not wakeful how many their aged association contributed to a extensive devise similar to that, as well as when they allude to invididual seizure word they get plaque shock!
The thing is, particular seizure word allude to is customarily cheaper than a organisation devise for a same chairman or family! That is since a association can safeguard each chairman upon a plan, as well as have been not sealed in to a stipulate to take everybody.
I am a initial a single to confess which seizure word takes a large punch out of a budget, though by pleat a little services as well as gripping others, you can tailor a unequivocally acceptable seizure word devise during a unequivocally check accessible price.
If your family does not revisit a alloy some-more than a integrate of times a year, you would begin by asking my clients to cruise expelling a doctor’s copay. If you compensate a $30 copay for a $100 doctor’s visit, afterwards you have saved $70. However, a copay underline of an word process mostly adds 25% to a seizure word premium! For a family of four, which could meant you have been profitable $100 or some-more to save $70! In addition, many seizure word skeleton enroll you in a network, so your $100 doctor’s check might be marked down by 40 – 60% even though a copay.
Another care is your deductible. You substantially cannot means a $500 deductible which your aged organisation devise had, though by raising which to $1500 – $2500, you will notice a pointy decrease in your monthly seizure word bill! If possible, try to save a little of a diffence in box you do have a vital sanatorium bill.
But even if you can usually means a $5,000 sanatorium deductible, as well as you unequivocally do not have 5K to spare, you unequivocally shouldn’t be concerned. The word label establishes your capability to compensate to a hospital, as well as you won’t be asked to write a check prior to service. You will be sent a bill, as well as can work out a remuneration devise after your seizure emanate is resolved. When you change a liklihood of a sanatorium stay opposite saving hundreds of dollars each month, many family groups will come out forward with a aloft deductible.
Accident skeleton as well as vicious seizure word can be low price forms of coverage which will assistance you trim bills if you do have a vital seizure issue.
I cruise it is some-more critical to have sure which your seizure word process is comprehensive, as well as will cover costly healing services, rsther than than worrying about a incomparable deductible. Before you squeeze a process for your family, find out how it will hoop cancer treatments, organ transplants, as well as out of locale emergencies!
Remember, you have been shopping seizure word to strengthen your seizure as well as resources in box of a unequivocally critical illness, as well as not to cover a $12 bottle of antibiotics. If teenager viruses were a usually seizure emanate you risked, nobody would be concerned about seizure word during all!

Job openings

We have a couple of job openings:

We're looking for an administrative assistant 4 for a limited-duration position funded by federal grant dollars related to health care reform. This person will perform "a wide range of complex administrative duties related to planning and implementation of organizational change, grant management and program support functions." The job duties include compiling statistical information and preparing written reports for executive managers and the grant funding agency. The position is funded by federal grants through November 2011.

Here's the link to the job posting, but if you want to apply, please do it quickly. Applications are due by 4:59 p.m. this Friday.

We're also looking for a financial examiner 2 to work in our Seattle office. This person will plan and conduct financial examinations of insurance companies and other regulated entities. From the job listing:
This position works with Financial Analysts (certified public accountants, certified financial examiners, and accredited financial examiners), attorneys, and other regulators on a state, national, and international level. This position examines, audits, and verifies specific groups of insurance companies, including bonds and stocks, mortgage loans, real estate, policy loans, premium notes, collateral loans, policy reserves, and capital stock.
For qualifications, pay, and application information, please see this job posting. The deadline for applications is 5 p.m. on Dec. 3.

We're a small state agency -- we have a total of about 200 workers between our Tumwater, Olympia, Seattle and Spokane offices -- that regulates the insurance industry in Washington state. We have a pretty broad consumer-protection mission. We:
  • monitor insurers' finances to make sure they can make good on their promises to policyholders.
  • license tens of thousands of agents and brokers, and investigates complaints about them.
  • scrutinize rate hike requests and makes sure that policies comply with the law.
  • go after scams, both from unlicensed insurance companies and by people trying to defraud insurers.
And our consumer advocates and a small army of volunteers field thousands of calls and e-mails from consumers needing help with insurance claims or struggling to find affordable health coverage.

How Washingtonians can file an insurance complaint online


We've launched a new "online consumer complaint center" this week, and we think we're the first state insurance department in the country to offer this kind of service.

The system lets Washington state consumers file complaints against insurers using a new interactive and password-protected web tool.

The idea is to make it more convenient and efficient for consumers to file a complaint with our office. We help with thousands of complaints, but until now, the process has relied on people mailing documents back and forth. We think this will be faster and easier.

What sorts of complaints? They often involve what insurers are covering -- or not covering . We often get calls from drivers whose cars are totalled, and who are unhappy about the payment offered for their vehicle. We try to help with complaints about delayed payments, policies being canceled, getting companies to reopen a claim or negotiate on payment, etc.

At our site, Washington state residents can file a secure complaint online, track its status 24/7, upload documents/photos/etc. related to the case, add comments, and view, print and save information about the case.

Not a Washington state resident? Here's a map with contact info for your own state's insurance department.

Term Life Insurance - Save Money the Smart Way

Term life insurance is the easiest type of life insurance to understand. To put it simply, the insured person pays a minimal premium per thousand dollars of coverage on an annual, semi annual, quarterly or monthly basis. If he or she dies within the term of the policy, the life insurance company will pay the beneficiary the face value of the policy.
Distinctive Features of Term Life Insurance
To better understand some of the distinctive features of term life insurance consider the following points:
First, term life insurance is "pure insurance" because when you purchase a term insurance policy you are only buying a "death benefit". Unlike with other types of "permanent insurance" such as whole life, universal life, and variable universal life, there is no additional cash value built up with this kind of policy. Term insurance only gives you a specific death benefit.
Second, the coverage is for a defined period of time (the "term") such as 1 year, 5 years, 10 years, 15 years, and so on. Once the policy is in force, it only remains in force until the end of the term -- assuming you pay the premiums, of course.
Third, most term insurance policies are renewable at the end of the term. With what is known as "Level Term Life Insurance", the death benefit remains the same throughout the term of the policy, but since the insured person is getting older, the premium will gradually increase. As time goes by the cost of a level term insurance policy may become greater than you are willing to pay for a simple death benefit. An alternative is the "Decreasing Term Life Insurance" policy in which the premium remains the same, but the death benefit goes down as time goes by.
Fourth, most term policies can be converted to permanent policies within a specific number of years. If you decide it is important to retain the insurance coverage, converting may be something you should plan for. You can anticipate the accelerating cost of term insurance premiums and convert your policy before the premiums become prohibitively high. It is true that in the short term the premium will usually be higher than if you stayed with the term policy. But over the long term this difference will decrease because of the rapid acceleration of the term insurance premium as you get older. A permanent policy also accumulates cash value which increases the total death benefit paid to your beneficiary.
Popular Uses of Term Life Insurance
Term life insurance is most appropriate whenever you want to protect your beneficiaries from a sudden financial burden as the result of your death. Here are some of the most common uses of term life insurance.
Personal Costs Due to Death - When a spouse or family member dies there will be immediate costs. Many people purchase a relatively small term life insurance policy to cover these costs.
Mortgage Insurance - Banks and financial institutions often insist that mortgage holders retain a term life insurance policy sufficient to pay out their mortgage. Such policies make the bank the beneficiary of the policy. If the mortgage holder should happen to die before the mortgage is paid off, the insurance policy will pay it out. This is also a great benefit to a spouse whose earning power will likely be decreased due to the death of his or her partner.
Business Partner Insurance - Term insurance is also used by business people to cover outstanding loans with their bank, or to purchase a deceased partner's shares on death, if they had an agreement to do so. Most partnerships have an agreement of this sort, and the policy premiums are paid by the business.
Key Person Insurance - When a company loses key individuals due to death, this can often result in hardship to the company. Key person insurance is purchased by the company for any individual it deems to be "key". The company itself is made the beneficiary of the policy. So when a "key" person dies, the company receives a cash injection to handle the problems associated with replacing that person.
Getting a Term Life Insurance Quote
Here are some things to look for when getting a quote for term life insurance:
1. The cheapest rate today will not be the cheapest rate tomorrow. For instance, the cheapest premium today will likely be for a Yearly Renewable Term policy. This policy is renewed every year at which time your premium is also adjusted upwards. This is fine if you intend to convert to a longer term solution (permanent insurance) in a year or two, or if you have a very short term requirement for insurance. But if you think you will need this insurance for a longer period, you would be better to commit to something like a Ten Year Term Policy. This locks your premium and death benefit in for ten years. Your rates will not increase until you renew.
2. Compare coverage and premium projections for different policies. Think about the long term and get the coverage that saves you money in the long run.
3. Make sure you completely understand the conversion options built into the different policies you are considering. Most policies will let you convert part or all of your term insurance into permanent insurance within a specific period of time, and without the need of a medical examination.
4. For some situations you should consider options such as Decreasing Term Life Insurance in which the death benefit decreases as time goes by. This makes sense if the policy is being used to cover a mortgage or business loan.
Term life insurance is not the answer to all life insurance requirements, but it should be part of a sound plan for every person's financial future.
For online insurance quotes and more information about Term Life Insurance and all other kinds of Life Insurance, visit LifeInsuranceHub.net
Rick Hendershot is a writer and publisher of the Linknet Publishing Network. For article writing and distribution services see Linknet Article Program. For another very cost effective way to enhance your search engine rankings, see Power Listings.

Finding The Best Term Life Insurance

Ensuring that your family will be financially secure in case of an accident while still living comfortably is important, that’s why you need the best term life insurance you can get. Term life insurance is the more cost-effective alternative to permanent health insurance that provides you with the very same sense of security.
You may be wondering why term life insurance is cheaper than the alternative. The reason is actually that term insurance is cheaper than that of permanent is because term is not meant to last you all the years of your life — only for high-risk durations. But some insurers do offer the option to extend the duration of your coverage up to the age of 75.
For permanent life insurance, you will most likely pay much more in premiums than your insurance coverage is actually for.
But, with permanent you are guaranteed to have that coverage up until you pass away. Even the best term life insurance is not guaranteed to last until death, so while your premiums will be lower there is a chance that you will have paid them all for nothing. So choosing between the two is very important.
To get the most out of your coverage, do a search online for different insurance companies and see the time frames they offer for term policies and if they are extendable. In searching for term life insurance, the more options the company offers you the better.
Further your search by visiting an insurance agent and have them give you their opinion on your chances of getting past each companies underwriting. Underwriting is when an insurer goes through your information automatically and passes your application off based solely on the data they are looking for. Getting past the underwriting is much different for insurers than it is for lending companies, which you can negotiate with — there is no negotiation with insurers.
After determining which insurance company has the best options for you and will most likely approve you for coverage, all that’s left is applying. Keep in mind that your insurance premiums will most likely be at an adjustable rate, so be prepared for a change in monthly payments later on.
Finding the best term life insurance for your needs can be a time consuming process, but in the end the security you and your family will be provided will be worth your effort. Just be sure that you shop safely and don’t jump right in to any agreements that you are not sure on

Request for proposals re: insurance rate review

We're looking for proposals from firms interesting in participating in a project to improve our review of health insurance rates and to increase public transparency for how health insurance premiums are determined.

Interested in bidding? The full request for proposals document is here.

The estimated time period for the contract is Feb. 16, 2011 to Sept. 30, 2011. We reserve the right to extend it for up to three one-year periods; see the RFP for details. It includs the scope of work, evaluation procedures, minimum qualifications, etc.

All proposals are due no later than 5 p.m. PST on Dec. 27, 2010.

For additional details, see also our general RFP page, and see this news release, which contains more information about the federal grant that's helping pay for the project.

Top Insurance Companies

Many of the top insurance companies do not only focus on providing its clients with one product or service often times to be a top competitor in this industry corporations must be able to answer all of the needs of its clients. Some of them can offer packages for you if you are a first time insurance buyer. This makes the industry flourish because of healthy competition and increased knowledge and capacity of its main players. Also third parties can analyze the financial condition of insurance companies through providing ratings and studies of the said companies that they can release through the media for the knowledge of the public.
On the top of the industry are the insurance companies that belong in the US. First is the All State Insurance Company a publicly held personal lines insurer and operates under the total assets amounting to $133 billion. The company that was founded in 1931 is now one of the biggest insurance providers in the nation and sells 13 major lines to date.
Another insurance company that is among the main players in the insurance industry is the State Farm Insurance Company. This was founded by Mr. George Jacob Merchele in 1922 who was a retired farmer and insurance sales man. Its products and services are diversified into several categories covering auto owners, home owners, boat owners, business, long-term care and many more.
The third top insurance company is Prudential Insurance Company. This company is currently run by Chairman and CEO John Strangfeld whose corporation is one of the well established brands of insurance today. Inside the company’s operations are insurance products and services, and research facilities to find more ways to grow within the industry.
All of the described insurance companies above have one thing and common and that is the strife to give their clients the best products that they can offer. Being in the service industry their quality is always important and most especially the satisfaction of their clients.
Other top companies in the insurance industry are: Traveler’s Insurance Company, Fidelity Insurance Company, MetLife Insurance Company, Farmers Insurance Company, AIG Insurance Company, MassMutual Insurance Company and The Hatford Insurance Company. Each company having its own specialization and market share strives within the market to give each person security and the ability to manage the many risks in life.
All of the activities of insurance companies are monitored by the government, rated by third parties and undergo self evaluation constantly allows these companies to bring to the table the most important thing there is for this kind of business and that is quality products and services to the people. Being a top insurance company one of the advantages is that the allows you to dictate market direction and it also gives you the responsibility of keeping up with the industry standard.

Tuesday, November 16, 2010

Tackle Health Expenses With Health Insurance Quotes

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