Wednesday, December 4, 2024
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Healthcare reform passed by the Senate has received a seal of approval from one of its biggest stakeholders. The stock prices of the nation’s publicly-traded providers of health insurance plans have risen. This is after the 1:00 A.M. vote that closed debate on the bill and prevented a Republican-led filibuster.

Health insurance companies were fearing the worst when the House of Representatives agreed to include a public option health insurance plan in their own version of the bill. However, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid eliminated that government-run program due to opposition from moderate members of the Democratic caucus. An expansion in Medicare eligibility was also rejected by undecided senators, such as Joe Lieberman and Ben Nelson. Their votes were sorely needed in order to reach the 60-vote threshold needed to pass the bill.

What does this mean for insurance companies? The government will not offer direct competition to any private health insurance plans, so there will not be as much downward pressure on premiums and costs from that area. Insurers will now have to contend with adding millions of currently uninsured Americans to their rolls, many of them with pre-existing conditions they would otherwise refuse to underwrite. Since they will no longer be allowed to deny coverage, profits will be reduced. Health insurance plans will be banned from charging discriminatory rates that vary based on occupation or gender: for example, the common practice of charging women higher health insurance premiums (excluding pregnancy care) than men of similar health–often justified by the added cost of gynecological care and the supposed higher amount of health care used by women–will no longer be allowed. Lifetime limits on insurance coverage, which are often exceeded by individuals suffering from cancer or other serious illnesses, will also be banned; meanwhile, annual coverage limits will be regulated and limited to a certain sum.

All of those new regulations, combined with an additional tax on the health insurance industry, seem as if they would have a negative impact on insurers’ business models. However, health insurance providers and their shareholders are content with the situation, at least compared with the alternative. Health insurance companies will now see a $2 billion tax in 2011, which will increase each year until it reaches $10 billion in 2017. Such taxes will take a significant bite out of their profit margins; still, they are preferable to the fixed $6.7 billion in taxes that would be levied under the original proposal. Insurers also appreciate the modified version’s phasing in of the tax, because it makes it easier for them to factor it into their pricing.

Most importantly, the Senate’s healthcare reform bill will provide subsidies for those making up to 400% of the poverty level to buy health insurance plans. They will be able to enter exchange markets and choose from a variety of health insurance plans from private providers. Many of these individuals and families would not be able to afford health insurance otherwise. In effect, the legislation provides millions of new customers to health insurers. That is very appealing to insurers, who would otherwise see fault with the bill’s stricter regulations.

With the increase in stock prices, it appears that the financial market also appreciates the Senate’s bill. Several important healthcare industry indexes soared after the successful late night vote. The Standard & Poor’s Managed Health Care Index, which includes HMO health insurance plans, increased by nearly 5%. Morgan Stanley’s similar index, known as the Healthcare Payor stock index, went up by 3.6%. Meanwhile, the S&P Healthcare index rose almost 1.5%.

Which health insurance companies gained the most after the announcement? Aetna was one of the main beneficiaries: their shares increased by 5.84% in under 24 hours! With 5.3%, Cigna was also very successful. United Health Group, Humana, and Wellpoint also benefited from the legislation. Most other major companies that sell health insurance plans are either non-profit organizations or privately held.

Source by Coach Scott

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People need medical insurances. However, because of usually high premiums, many decide not to take any insurance at all. In the end, most who decide not to invest in health care insurances shoulder greater expense. Are you among those people who find expensive premium rates as major setbacks? Here are ways on how you could effectively get more affordable individual health insurance premiums.

Consider health insurance plans with much higher deductibles. Deductibles are amounts you commit to shoulder on your own especially when there is a need to claim for insurance claims. Such amounts are usually equivalent to thousands of dollars. The higher the deductibles get, the lower are the premiums. This is because insurers consider how much savings they could generate when you decide to shoulder a significant amount in claims. In general, deductibles get advantageous when you need cheaper premiums and you do not get to use the insurance in the near term.

Have a look at health savings account plans. These years, medical insurance products with such savings accounts are more typical especially because many consumers are cost conscious. Such insurance products are costing less. They offer significant tax benefits. With overall prices getting higher these days, HSA health insurance plans are logically getting more popular than ever.

Do not get a maternity coverage if you do not need it. In general, health care insurances for women are costlier than those for men. This is because there is specific coverage or conditions that are unique to them. Specifically, many plans for women include maternity coverage. However, you could always opt for an affordable individual health insurance that does not come with a maternity coverage. For family options, you may get maternity coverage for women of right age and products.

Be cautious when getting products with ‘hospital only coverage.’ The prices or premiums of such insurances are more tempting. However, remember that you could always incur huge medical bills even without getting into a hospital. It is still wiser to get a more comprehensive plan.

Get Help

As you search for affordable individual health insurance products, you may need to talk with the experts or professionals. It would be wise to consult with brokers or agents who could give you insights about finding and buying the cheapest options in the market. Be patient enough to do an actual and simple research about affordable medical insurance offerings. It would not cost you more to do so.

Source by Alan Lim

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Homeowner insurance will provide you with the protection you need on your property in the event of fire or other damage that could destroy home partially or completely. A standard insurance policy will give you the protection you need for the home itself and your belongings.

If you want to take out a mortgage to purchase a home, you will not be able to sign the final papers without showing proof that you have insurance in place. Such a policy offers you a package deal. In addition to providing you with protection against loss of your home and belongings, it also gives you protection if you are sued by someone who is injured while on your property as well as any damage caused by pets.

With a standard homeowner insurance (http://cheap-insurance-rates.com/home/tallahassee.cfm) policy, you do have protection against many standard problems that arise. For example, if part of your kitchen is destroyed by fire, the insurance will cover the cost of having the repairs done. If you are unable to live in your home while the repairs are being carried out, the coverage extends to paying for suitable accommodations for you and your family.

However, if you do not keep up the maintenance of the home and damage occurs because of this negligence, then you will not be covered under the terms of the policy. Other exceptions include damage caused by flood and earthquakes. In order to have coverage for these events, you do need to take out extra coverage under your policy. Flood refers to outside events that cause water to come into your home. If the home floods as a result of broken water pipes, then this is covered under a standard policy.

You do need to read all sections of your home owner’s insurance (http://cheap-insurance-rates.com/home/tampa.cfm) policy to understand what is and isn’t covered. A standard insurance policy will cover the structure of the home in cases of damage caused by fire, hurricane, lightning or hail. The exceptions to the policy will be listed in a separate section, which is why you need to know the types of accidents that are not covered and be able to make the decisions as to whether or not you do need additional coverage.

Any outbuildings on your property will also be covered under the policy and the belongings in your home, such as your furniture and clothing. However, anything stored in these outbuildings is not covered under the policy. If you have a lawn mower, an ATV or a snowmobile stored there, for example, these need their own insurance policies.

In order to insure proper coverage for your belongings under a homeowner insurance policy, you need to have replacement cost. This means that if these items are destroyed or damaged beyond repair you will get the amount of money you need to replace them at today’s rates. Without this coverage, the cost is subject to depreciation.

The insurance provider will look at the price you paid when you made the purchase and then deduct amounts for each year since them. It is possible that without such coverage you would not realize enough money to replace your furniture. The coverage on these items is usually half of the amount of the coverage on the home itself. You can also choose to have off-premises coverage for some of your belongings – usually 10% of the coverage you have on these items when in your home.

Source by Sarah Martin

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When you are seeking to get car insurance, you have several choices, even when it comes to getting personalized service. Two companies that are competitive with one another include Allstate Insurance and Nationwide Insurance. Of the two, Allstate has been around for a longer period of time and is considered to be the premium car insurance company in the United States.

There are two types of insurance that you can get for your car – premium insurance and secondary insurance. You have probably seen the ads for discount insurance for other companies that give you a lower rate. What many people do not realize is that the discount insurance also means that you do not get personalized service that you can get when you have Allstate or Nationwide Insurance.

Locating your Insurance Agent

You can get Allstate Insurance with an Allstate agent. To find an Allstate insurance agent in your area, you need only look in the phone book or go online. You can get a quote from him or her and then sign a policy if you like the quote. You can also get insurance for your home and even life insurance from these companies. Both Nationwide and Allstate have insurance agents that sell their products exclusively, but Allstate is a more popular company. You may have more luck in finding an Allstate agent than you do when looking for an agent that sells Nationwide Insurance.

The Premium Difference

When it comes to cost of premiums, you will pay more for Allstate Insurance than you will for Nationwide Insurance. Allstate also has accident forgiveness policies that will not raise your insurance if you get into one accident. This is something that is a bit different than other insurance carriers, most of which will raise your insurance premiums if you get into an accident or have tickets. Nationwide Insurance has attractive premium rates and will give you a good policy for your money, but does not have the number of offices and agents as Allstate.

Weighing the Pros & Cons between Nationwide and Allstate Insurance

When it comes to accidents and claims, you can expect to be very well represented by Allstate Insurance. Allstate has an in house counsel to defend lawsuits as well as pursue claims against other drivers. Nationwide uses an outside counsel for most of their litigation, as is the case with most insurance companies. You will talk to claims adjusters for both companies if you happen to get into an accident.

Allstate insurance company is an ideal insurance company if you have a good driving record and are looking for personalized service along with good insurance rates. Nationwide Insurance company is also a good insurance company, but does not have the same level of personalized service as Allstate, although they do have more attractive premium rates.

The choice that you make when it comes to choosing car insurance between Allstate Insurance and Nationwide Insurance is between price and service. If you are willing to spend more money to insure better personal service, you may want to go with Allstate. If you are seeking a way to save money on your car insurance but still get a first rate insurance company, you may want to go with Nationwide Insurance company.

Source by Joe Deacon

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Life insurance can help you provide the extra cash that protects your estate from being gouged by estate taxes. This article shows you a couple of ways it can do this.

*Get cash for settling estate costs and preserving your holdings intact:

At your death, estate taxes are imposed on the value of what you own. If you’re married, these may be delayed until your spouse’s death. Other costs such as funeral expenses, debt settlement, and administration fees can add to the need to have cash.

Life insurance can supply this cash. Other than cash on hand, no asset can provide such a predictable and immediate influx of dollars to pay the costs of dying as can insurance.

Without available cash your estate may have to liquidate your investments or business interests to pay estate taxes. Such untimely liquidation can cause irreparable losses and opportunities. To maintain your estate’s investment holdings or business intact so they pass on to your children, you or your spouse may purchase insurance to alleviate having to liquidate those precious holdings.

If you’re married, survivorship life insurance generally is used to provide liquidity for final expenses when the second one of you dies.

*Make that charitable gift and still transfer your wealth to your children:

You can combine charitable giving with life insurance to make the donations you always wanted to. And you can do this without reducing the wealth you want to pass on to your beneficiaries. Here’s how it works…

You can – if you have the wealth – give a substantial lifetime gift of appreciated property to a qualified charity. This gifting generates a significant income tax deduction. With the income tax savings you get from this deduction, you can purchase life insurance whose proceeds at your death will replace the very wealth that you gave to charity. It’s like eating your cake and giving it away too.

*Foregoing ownership of life insurance will further reduce your estate taxes:

In both these examples, if you maintain ownership of the life insurance, then its death proceeds would be added to the value of your estate. This, in turn, would add to the estate tax on your estate. Realize that though life insurance proceeds are free of income tax, your ownership of the life insurance makes those proceeds part of the value to your estate – and therefore subject to estate tax at your death.

You can avoid that estate tax on those life insurance proceeds if you don’t own the life insurance. So you can eliminate ownership of that life insurance either by giving it away at least 3 years before your death or by having some other person or legal entity to purchase and own in the first place.

Without your ownership of the life insurance on you its proceeds can still be used for paying all those final expenses without adding those proceeds to your estate subject to estate tax. Trusts are common legal entities for purchasing and owning life insurance in such circumstance.

Source by Shane Flait

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High risk drivers quite often might feel that they are the object of discrimination as it is very hard to find insurance coverage at an affordable price, if any coverage at all. The rates they are charged with often make them think of ways to reduce their costs while having the necessary amount of coverage, and it doesn’t seem that easy like with ordinary drivers. But still, don’t give up hope as there are effective ways you can lower your rates while still retaining the benefits you need if you are a high risk car owner. Get the best price you can find There are many insurance companies on the market theses days, and each company tends to define a high risk driver from its own perspective and price him or her respectively. What does this mean to you? Simply shop around between different companies and see what they have to offer to high risk drivers. Some will have higher rates, some will have lower, some will refuse you in general, not willing to take such a risk. Just don’t think that if you’re paying high premiums right now, all other companies will charge you the same. Find high risk insurance providers Sometimes you may find an insurance company unwilling to over you because of your high risk status. They just don’t find it safe to take such expenses upon them, and it’s fairly understandable. However, there’s the opposite of such companies – insurance providers that specialize in the high risk category. Such companies usually offer more competitive rates and won’t be picky with their customers. Comparing quotes is a must With so many sites offering free online auto insurance quotes these days it is simply a crime not using them for comparison shopping. With these sites you can easily find the perfect solution in your area and compare different offers from different companies. You can also compare different situations, like if you would have another car to insure, or two cars. It’s just like speaking to an insurance agent only much faster and effectively. Become a better driver Being a high risk driver usually means that you had traffic violations or accidents on your driving record. A good way to improve this situation is enroll in a driving courses or school. Learn the basics of defensive driving and make sure to get certified, as your insurance company will use this as a proof of your improved risk rating and will lower your rates. But first make sure to learn what schools and courses are accepted by your insurance provider. Opt for possible discounts Though it is hard to find a discount for a high risk driver, there are still possibilities in this direction. You can improve the safety of your vehicle by installing anti-theft and safety features such as anti-lock brakes, alarm systems, additional seat belts and air bags, and others. Ask your insurance provider what you can hope for with such features. You can also get a discount if you don’t drive much. Most insurance companies have a special low mileage discounts for drivers who don’t exceed 10,000 mile per year. Make sure to check these options when looking for auto insurance quotes too.

Source by David Mayer

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Can you believe that many people put of the purchase of a term life insurance policy because they anticipate that it will be a big hassle to buy? They know they need to cover their families, protect their homes, and provide security. But they think that they will need to give up their privacy, fill out a long and complcated application, and go through a physical exam. So even though they understand why they should cover their lives, they just put it off.

These days, insurers operate in a very competitive market. You can barely watch tv without seeing competitive ads, and you also see ads on the internet. In fact, it is very easy to compare available plans and rate quotes with online forms. Some companies not only allow you to get rate quotes, they even allow you to apply online for their policies!

In order to save money, and with new computer tools, many large insurers are allowing most applicants to skip the medical exam too. A physical is an expense for the company too since they have to pay for it, and also pay for processing the information from that exam. They have better ways to get the information they need in order to offer a policy to applicants.

This helps consumers too. Busy people do not need to schedule appointments to fill out applications and have a medical exam. More laws and systems are also set in place to protect privacy, so consumers do not need to fear an intrusion on their personal lives. Many simplified issue policies are on the market that can help most people obtain proper coverage with very little trouble.


Is a simplified issue term policy right for you? For many people, simplified issue coverage will help them obtain a life insurance policy at an affordable price. Answers to a few questions on an application will be enough for an insurer to quote a rate, and it will also be enough for them to issue a policy.

Some people may do better by going through the process of getting a fully underwritten policy though. If you want a large face value for your policy, and if you believe you qualify for the very lowest rates, you may want to consider spending the time to give an insurer more information. In general, the more information an insurer has, the better able they will be to offer you the very best rates. For lower face values of insurance, and for younger people, the difference will probably not be that signifigant. But older people, and those who need a large amount of coverage, may be able to save money in the long run, by taking more time with their application process in the beginning.

You need to look at your own situation realistically. If you have the health of an athelete, you may qualify for the very best rates. But if you are like many people, you would only get a standard rate no matter what information you give an insurer, so the process may be a waste of time.

Source by Marilyn Katz

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>> Click Here For A Car Insurance Seattle Quote

The annual task of receiving your car insurance renewal papers and having to find a better deal than the one you’re being quoted can be a really tedious and irritating process.

You go through it every year, and each ear you eventually find something that offers you a little better deal than the one you’ve been quoted by your existing company.

But in these days of Internet business, it no longer has to be that way and the whole process has been made much easier over recent years through the provision of auto insurance quotation services.

It used to be the case that you had to go out and contact all the different insurance companies so as to get a quote from each one before making up your mind about which one to choose.

Nowadays, anyone with a car and is about to make a renewal on there insurance, can simply go online and use one of these car insurance quotation services totally free of charge.

The aim of these services is to give you the best possible quotation available so that you will buy it through them and they will receive a small commission.  So everyone wins, you get a really good insurance deal and the company gets paid for helping you.

>> Click Here For A Car Insurance Seattle Quote

If you’ve never used these car insurance quotation services before, maybe now is the time to give them a go and see what they come up with for you.  It’s totally free, there’s no obligation and you may find yourself being saved quite a bit of money on your annual insurance.

Source by Guy Strong

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If you are looking to buy Tulsa car insurance, before getting quotes, it is helpful to know what the minimum requirements are so that you can try to get as close to the limit as possible, thus making you save on your premium.

The only type of insurance required for the Tulsa area is liability insurance, which protects others, not you. Furthermore, it only applies if you are found to be at fault in an accident. When you are shopping for Tulsa car insurance, you will usually see liability coverage in A/B/C form. The minium liability amounts are 25/50/25. In other words, you must have $25,000 in bodily injury coverage for one person in an accident, $50,000 in bodily injury coverage for all people in an accident, and $25,000 in property damage liability. Bodily injury liability covers the medical expenses, pain and suffering, and/or wage lost. Property damage liability covers the cost to repair or replace other people’s car or things such as telephone polls, fences, or buildings.

Is it okay to just get the minimum of 25/50/25 in liability coverage? if you think that you’ll have enough money to pay for expenses in the future, then you can afford to get a lower premium which reflects the low amount of liability coverage. However, because most of us don’t have that kind of luxury, it is better to go for more liability coverage. Insure.com recommends that you have around 100/300/50 in coverage. Regardless, when shopping for Tulsa car insurance, it is your choice of how much liability coverage you need.

Source by biz123

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Protection & Indemnity insurance is shortly known as P & I insurance that specifically protects liability coverage designed for sea-going yachts, vessels and boats. It is mainly used for ships that are used for transportation cargos for commercial usages. This type of insurance usually provides complete liability protection against the liability caused to ship owners.

Who Needs P&I Insurance Policy?
This kind of insurance protection is generally sought by the owners of ships or any other kinds of water crafts that are used for varied purposes. However, predominantly the insurance policy is meant for water vessels engaged with commercial purposes. There are times, when the ship owners have to face third-party liability when facing a number of fateful incidents and accidents. During such tough times, a commercial ship owner seeks absolute liability protection through buying P & I insurance policy. This kind of insurance protection is generally counted in the ocean marine protection which also covers liability against cargo, freight and hull as well.

Liability Risks Generally Covered by P & I Insurance Policy:
There are a number of liabilities that may trouble ship and boat owners during a period of time. In addition, the amount of compensation is usually quite high, making it impossible for owners to pay from their pockets every time. To fight such issues, boat or ship owners can take comprehensive protection policy against a number of liability risks arising from P&I insurance policies.

There are a number of insurance providers that offer absolute protection against fateful incidents. Find the right and get the desired protection!

Source by Marine

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Many home buyers find it difficult to provide the required 20% down payment and are forced to pay private mortgage insurance, or PMI, in order to buy a home. Private mortgage insurance solves the down payment problem but creates another two: it increases monthly payments and on top of that it is not tax deductible. Fortunately, there is more than one way to get your desired home without having the 20% down payment and avoid PMI at the same time.

Terminating PMI When You Already Have One
The use of private mortgage insurance has been a great way to make it possible for a borrower to buy a home with as little as 3-5 % down payment and give the lender insurance in case the borrower defaults on the home loan. However since PMI payments can be significant, the borrower starts to ask himself/herself how to get rid of those payments.

The Homeowner’s Protection Act includes rules for automatic suspension of PMI payments and cancellation of PMI when 22% equity in the borrower’s home is reached. Those rules apply to mortgages signed on or after July 29, 1999, and exclude government-insured FHA or VA mortgages that are considered high-risk to default.

Additionally, disregarding the time when the mortgage was signed, the borrower may ask for PMI termination once s/he exceeds 20% equity.

Avoiding Private Mortgage Insurance via a Piggyback Loan
Piggyback loans are a very popular way of avoiding private mortgage insurance. It consists of taking a loan (first mortgage) covering 80% of the sale price of the home and taking and placing additional 5%, 10% or 15% on a second mortgage. A combination of 80% first mortgage, 5% second mortgage and 15% down payment is referred to as 80/5/15. Accordingly, the other two loan combinations are 80/10/10 and 80/15/5.

Although second mortgages generally have higher rates, in the end the borrower may save money because in contrast to PMI payments, now the loan payments are tax deductible.

Choosing a Finance Single Premium Option over Private Mortgage Insurance
Since an increasing number of borrowers are turning to piggyback loans in order to avoid PMI, the mortgage insurance industry came up with this solution claiming that it lowers monthly mortgage payments to the same or lower level as a piggyback loan. With this option homebuyers pay a single premium on their insurance and it is amortized over the term of loan.

One of the pitfalls of this solution is that few lenders offer this option, since Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac do not work with this kind of PMI structure.

Finding a Loan with No Private Mortgage Insurance
Loans with no PMI have one great disadvantage – they typically have higher interest rates. Instead of paying regular PMI, the latter is included in the higher rate of the mortgage.

Which of the above solutions will be best for you depends entirely on your particular case. Sometimes paying the private mortgage insurance might turn out more beneficial than choosing to avoid it with a second mortgage. Therefore you should consider your decision carefully and make all the necessary calculations in order to make the right choice.

Source by Jim Cramer

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College students generally don’t have a lot of extra money to throw around, and may not think they own enough to make renters insurance worthwhile. Still, buying renters insurance for college students is important – and doesn’t cost that much.

Why Buy Renters Insurance?

You’re taking a financial risk if you’re a renter and you don’t have renters insurance. This type of insurance protects you in several ways:

* It replaces your personal possessions if they’re stolen, or damaged by a fire, vandalism, windstorm, hail, and other covered perils. Think you don’t own enough to need insurance? Take an inventory of your possessions and you’ll likely be surprised at just how much it would cost to replace them.

* It pays for you to live someplace else if your rental is damaged and needs to be repaired.

* It provides liability coverage if someone is injured while visiting you or if you damage someone else’s property.

Find a Policy

Renters insurance costs less than you think, usually from about $100 to $300 a year for $30,000 worth of coverage. The actual rate will depend on such factors as …

* Where you live

* The construction of your building

* The deductible you set (the higher your deductible, the lower your premium)

* Whether you choose Actual Cash Value or Replacement Coverage for your belongings.

Actual Cash Value costs less, but if you have a claim, you will only receive the amount your property was worth when it was stolen or damaged. Replacement coverage means your insurance company will pay you what it would cost to actually replace your belongings.

Where to Get Cheap Renters Insurance

To get the cheapest rate possible, go to an insurance comparison website so you can easily compare quotes from different A-rated companies. On the best insurance comparison websites, you can also talk with insurance professionals and get answers to your insurance questions (see link below).

Visit http://www.LowerRateQuotes.com/renters-insurance.html or click on the following link to get renters insurance quotes for college students from top-rated companies and see how much you can save. You can get more tips and advice in their Articles section.

Source by ryan@thesatellitetvguide.com

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First off, get to know the facts about car insurance in Colorado.  The state’s average auto insurance premium was estimated as $1,630 in 2009. This is below the national average, which is estimated as $1,735.  So you’ll already have a good thing going for you when shopping for car insurance in Colorado.  This gives you a starting point to know what premiums are reasonable for your teen driver.  And no matter where you live in the state – Colorado Springs, Denver, Lakewood, Pueblo, Boulder, Westminster – you’ll be relieved to know that no two providers are the same.  Each has its own way of determining risk and pricing.

Colorado State Law about Car Insurance

Motorists in Colorado must purchase the minimum required liability insurance.  Bodily Injury Liability coverage is required with a minimum of $25,000 per individual and $50,000 per accident.  Drivers must also carry $15,000 in Property Damage coverage.  The state of Colorado has a Tort system, meaning if it is determined that your teen is at fault in an accident, he will be responsible for the repairs.  Please have your teen focus on carefulness while driving.  Just one accident by a teen can skyrocket your premium!

You should consider other types of coverage based on your needs.  Colorado providers offer uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage, collision, towing, comprehensive and other types so you can pick and choose from these to add additional coverage to your teen’s liability.  Collision may be required by your lender if you are still making loan payments for your car.

Add Your Teen to Your Policy for Savings

You can save money by adding your teen to your own policy instead of establishing a brand new policy on a different vehicle.  If you have a clean driving record, good credit and have basically built up a number of discounts, then the impact on your premium won’t be as much.  However, if you have a poor driving record and this has caused your premium to increase, then you might be better off getting a separate vehicle for your teen.

Teen Car Purchases

Consider buying a four-door, small car or sedan type car for your teen. Avoid buying a sports cars at all costs, and definitely check the state’s “10 Most Stolen Vehicles” list (especially if you live in a high crime area).  Just a few of the “hot” wheels on this list include the 1994 Honda Accord, the 1995 Saturn SL, the 2001 Dodge Ram Pickup and the 2000 Honda Civic.  Check statistics for Colorado and the United States that may affect your teen’s car insurance.  For example, stats on car crashes, the type of safety features available on the car you are considering, security features, etc.  Whatever vehicle you choose, keep in mind that paying full cash for the automobile will allow your teen to avoid collision coverage.  Your teen might not start out with a fancy or cool car, but he’ll save hundreds per year on car insurance until he establishes a good driving record.

Other Ways to Save

There are two main ways a teen can save on car insurance.  One is to take a defensive driving course.  These courses are offered as an elective in most schools and can be valuable in terms of teaching your child safety in driving.  It can also knock off up to 15 percent on his car insurance rate.  If your teen did not take this course in high school, there might be other driving classes in and around your local area.  It will be money and time well spent!  A second way to lighten the car insurance burden is to get good grades in school.  Insurance providers often give a discount if a student proves to be responsible in school.  Other than these two methods, your teen will have to determine to drive safely and establish a very good driving record over the course of several years.

Be sure to consider all your options and use online resources to compare Colorado providers.  Some of the popular providers that serve motorists in Colorado include Allstate, Bristol West, GMAC, Atlantic Master Plan, Safeco, Travelers, State Farm, Colorado Casualty, Progressive, Allied and others.  When comparing, be sure to include possible discounts and consider options for both adding your teen to your policy and buying a car for him.  Get adequate coverage so you can enjoy peace of mind as your teen enters this stage of his life.

Source by Jc Denton

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Most if not all insurance companies have been using expert systems, software that is supposed to mimic highly trained humans , to evaluate car accident and truck accident injury claims. Some insurance companies use it as a tool and for some guidance, but some insurance carriers stick to the response provided by the computer program.

The way these programs work is by taking huge amounts of statistical data from jury verdicts and then comparing it to the case in question. The primary problem is that the data entered is often pre-screened when the jury verdicts are high.

The best way to cut down on the probability that you will be called to testify at trial is to simply do an excellent job in your documentation and facility a settlement. If the document is not readable it will not be entered into the computer system for evaluation. Handwritten notes are often unreadable, so reports and notes should be type or transcribed.

The second thing that has to be done is to insure that the magic words and numbers are in the report. Certain specific words are value driver and certain numbers are magic numbers. Unlike the real world, insurance companies do things of the basis of magic words and magic numbers.

The list of keywords and numbers is very long and only known by the software developers, but the following are magic words that increase the value of a case and facilitate a fair settlement which in turn permits health care providers and hospitals to get paid:

Specific words

Muscle Spasms
Dizziness
Radiating Pain -into the extremities
Headaches
Restriction of Movement
Nausea
Vision Disturbances
Neurosis
Depression
Anxiety
Temporomandibular joint disorder -TMJ
Bruises
Contusions
Subluxations (M.D.s only)

Medical reports should also have all the basics, there should be a diagnosis that is detailed and specifies each distinct injury. The diagnosis should be broken down into each specific injury. The prognosis should likewise do the same. The prognosis should specify whether the future risk or treatment is necessarily in fairly certain terms. Specifically the reports should state probable and definite for the software to consider it a value driver. The term possible adds no value to the case. If you believe the patient will need specific a specific procedure to alleviate a current ailment or a future problem say so, say what it is, how recovery time would be required, what post procedure steps are required, and how much it would cost.

The key to determine the certainty is what is more is likely than not. If the patient is more likely than not to need a specific procedure then the thresh hold has been met and you should say it is highly probable and more likely than not to need the specific procedure in the future. Every report is required to have a prognosis for the purposes of adding value. If it is missing, then the patient has lost as result of the medical providers failure to add it. The prognosis should be one of the following: 1. No complaint, 2. Complaint no further treatment, 3. Complaint with further treatment necessary, 4. Guarded.

These computer systems have some very specific cut off dates and numbers in determining value, which makes sense, since computers are programmed to go add or disregard by simply looking at a number. Chiropractic visits are capped at about 25, after 25 the computer program actually starts to deduct for additional visits. Two patients involved in almost identical accidents with almost identical soft tissue injuries, but substantially different number of chiropractic visits would have seemingly counterintuitive results with the one with fewer visits obtaining a better net settlement.

For physical therapy and acupuncture the software has a different limit, which is mostly in the hands of a medical doctor. If the medical doctor keeps renewing the prescription for this treatment the computer will accept a much larger number of visits than for chiropractic care. In cases where physical therapy or acupuncture is involved the computer uses as least to cut-off points which are seemingly unfair. If the number of visits is 1 day or 90 days it is treated as up to 3 months, but if the treatment is 91 days to 180 days it is treated as 3 to 6 months. So 91 days seems to be the optimum number of visits. Duration of treatment is more significant than number of visits. Physical therapy two times a week over 90 days for a total of 45 visits is added greater value than 89 visits over 89 days.

Drug prescriptions are evaluated on 1 to 30 days counted as up to 30 days and 31 dates which is counted as over 30 days. When prescriptions are for more than 30 days two categories further divide it, there is regular use and irregular use. With regular use adding greater value to the claim.

Hospitalization is evaluated on the basis of whether there was any hospitalization or not and if it was overnight or same discharge and if overnight the number of nights. Two hours and 19 hours could be the same depending on whether discharge is on the same day or not.

The most important thing when it comes to evaluating claims is the coding. The coding
has to be accurate, there has to be an ICD and CPT code and they have to be for the right procedure or service. Each service has to be dated, coded and the charge identified. If there are errors the insurance carrier will simply not add it and not even consider it. If codes do not match they will be discarded and not counted in the valuation

I met a medical doctor at a deposition that stated that medical doctors don not care what caused the injury, because the treatment for the injury is the same. Most attorneys completely agree, but insurance companies operate in a magical world where logic seems not to apply and in evaluating cases involving vehicles they look to property damage. Software differs, but generally the cut off is $1,000 to 1,500. If the claimants damage in the car accident is under $1,000, the insurance company will not bother putting it into the computer on the basis that there is no injury.

Interestingly insurance companies take preexisting injuries into consideration and actually use logic correctly and acknowledge that the patient is more fragile with a preexisting condition. A pre-existing condition is considered a value driver in evaluating the car accident claim.

Other factors that are taken into consideration are delays and gaps in treatment. Long delays and gaps adversely affect the value of the claim. The medical provider can and should provide written explanations if there any, otherwise the value of the claim declines. Delay before seeking treatment because the patient wanted to see if the pain would go away, or the patient was self treating with bed rest, did home exercises, or took over the counter medication then there is likely no penalty as it would be a good explanation.

Prescription for TENS unit to be used at home adds value. Prescribed bed rest adds value and so do neck braces and walking aids.

If the patient cannot take time off work and continues to work even though it is obvious the patient should not be working then it should be documented. When the patient has to engage in certain activities despite his condition, the insurance companies for purposes of evaluating the claim describe them as duties under duress. These activities usually means working despite the pain the patient experiences. Other possible activities include household chores, and school.

Many if not all insurance carriers using expert computer systems also give great weight to permanent disability ratings if done in accordance with the AMA Guides to the Evaluation of permanent impairment (5th edition). The disability has be 5% or greater and it has to be done by a medical doctor. Whole person impairment has to be at least 2% and likewise the evaluation has to be done by a medical doctor.

If there is a loss of enjoyment of life the medical provider should document it as well. The records should indicate the loss of enjoyment of life and the reason for the loss. The activity could be work; domestic activities such as cooking and cleaning; household activities such as : yard work and household upkeep; hobbies; and sports and social activities.

Contrary to popular belief, an injury victim is not a lottery winner and is not better off as a result of the accident. At best the injury victim is going to be where he or she should have been, if the accident had never occurred. In the vast majority of cases, they are worse off. Tort law does not account for a lot of miscellaneous items such as the disruption in the relationship between family, the fact that the vehicle is not worth the same even thought it looks fine, the fact that if the victim is living pay check to pay check that his or her credit can be damaged or destroyed and no compensation for that damage can be sought.

A medical provider treating accident victim patients directly affects the outcome. As tedious as proper document may appear, it is the best way a medical provider can assist a patient to get fair compensation and avoid getting called to trial. These procedures also diminish or minimize the likelihood that you will be deposed, and it increases the likelihood that the heath care will get paid and on time because it facilitates settlements. Lastly it shows the medical provider did a good job and serves as malpractice prevention.

Source by Jess Gulistan

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When a person purchases insurance, they assume that they will be protected by the insurance company against the loss for which their purchasing insurance for – either from injury or from some major or catastrophic event.

Unfortunately, it is our experience that this is not always true. Insurance companies sometimes look for ways to deny claims even if they do not have a valid or justifiable excuse for the denial of the claim. They do this because they know that many insured will do nothing and accept the insurance company’s denial of their claim. Even if they know their denial is wrong. When this occurs, it is called “bad faith”.

When you purchase insurance from your insurance company, the law recognizes that you place your trust, confidence and faith in them. This breach of that trust and confidence and the betrayal of the denial of your claim is the bad faith which is the basis of bringing a claim against the insurance company for its wrongful failure to pay you the benefits of your insurance policy. Examples of bad faith can involve a disability insurance company failing to investigate a claim, the delaying of the claims investigation for no apparent reason, the failure to provide payment on a claim which is covered, or the misrepresenting of the contract language in the insurance policy. Unfortunately, all of these items often occurs.

Consumers and professionals who have been unfairly denied long-term disability benefits may be entitled to compensation. Nadrich & Cohen are experts in insurance bad faith and in obtaining disability benefits for those who have been denied.

If your insurer has denied your disability benefits, please immediately contact us at the national Law firm of Nadrich and Cohen to learn your legal rights. Contact us at 1-800-218-4658 or by completing the email questionnaire by clicking here.

We are insurance experts. Our law firm and our affiliated law firms have obtained hundreds of millions of dollars in recovery on insurance denial lawsuits.

Please immediately contact our Insurance Denial Hotline at (800) 718-4658 or email us.

Source by Jeff Nadrich

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Without a right type of dental insurance it will be extremely costly to take care of your pearly white teeth. Your normal dental insurance might be giving you an excellent coverage like x-rays, cleaning, filling, scaling etc of teeth. But human wants are unlimited. You might be craving for more wide and extensive coverage like teeth implants and cosmetic surgery. Here comes the benefit of supplemental dental insurance.

As the name suggest, a supplemental dental insurance is a supplement to a normal dental insurance plan. Most people often assume that their regular dental insurance plan will cover the cost of everything that they undergo. But it is not the case. Almost all the dental insurance plans do not give an extensive coverage.

A basic supplemental dental insurance plan generally offers 50% coverage in the first year for a fixed amount. In the second year the coverage may rise up to 80%, but it may depend on the insurer.

Supplemental Dental insurance plan is offered by a supplementary dental insurance company rather than by the normal insurance company. The growth of supplemental dental insurance can be traced back to the times when the employer stopped providing an extensive and comprehensive plan to his employees because of the rise in the cost of dental treatments and the frequent movement of the employees from one company to other.

There are several varieties of dental insurance supplement plans, but they fall under a few broad categories.

Dental discount Plans: It is designed to lower dental costs by asking the large number of their members to negotiate lower prices for their members. They lower your dental costs by passing the savings on to you.

Discounted Student Dental Plans: Many colleges have opted to provide discounted student dental plans for their registered students. By paying a small co-payment, the students can easily avail of the discounted supplemental dental insurance.
Dental Insurance Preferred Provider Network: With a preferred provider plan, you can choose from any dentist who is a member of the network for your dental care and switch dentists whenever you like.
But before buying a supplemental Dental Insurance plan, you need to do a thorough research on the quotes offered by different insurance companies. Because of the online facilities that are provided by the different insurance companies, your work has become much easier and less time consuming. Go online and shop around a little to find the best deal for you.

Source by Jenny Black

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Driving a Motorcycle on the road can be more dangerous that driving a car and the need for Motorcycle Insurance can be greater than ever. A Motorcycle is a open vehicle and it is not as protected as a car is so you must protect yourself and have great coverage. You main reason to be covered is if you have an accident that you and the persons that you get into the accident are covered.

Learn how to find: Discount Insurance

You want to make sure that you have enough coverage so that if your bike is really damaged that you can get it fixed or replaced. It is common that people sometimes get the first quote they get for insurance and in  a lot of cases it is not enough coverage, so make sure that you get adequate Motorcycle Insurance coverage.

Get some Advice about: Types of Insurance

Always make sure that when you are searching for insurance coverage that you get multiple quotes so that you can compare the best cost for the best coverage that you can get. There are many discount insurance companies that will give you a low quote but make sure you read the policies so that you know how much coverage you get for the price.

Remember that when searching for the best Motorcycle Insurance that you compare cost as always but make sure that you read through the policies and determine if it is enough coverage that if you were in an accident you could replace your motorcycle in a total loss situation. Always remember to carry your insurance card as well so that if you are stopped are in a an accident you do not get hassled.

Source by Bryan Burbank

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While most contractors possess basic general liability policies, very few are aware of the need for comprehensive E&O insurance as well. Most contractors need to purchase errors and omissions insurance so that they can protect themselves from inadvertent errors in their work.

Contractors are Susceptible to E&O Claims

These business risks can include inadvertent damage to the work of the insured party, damage to products, impaired property, and much more. Many contractors are vulnerable to these types of claims because courts will rule against contractors when the lines between ‘work’ and ‘product’ become blurred.

There are many producers who are skeptical about E&O insurance and consider it to be unnecessary. However, general liability coverage will not pay for expenses that arise from inadvertent errors or omissions in your work. In other words, if you make a mistake and your client files a claim, you’ll be liable. Only E&O coverage can pay for your expenses if you are caught in such a situation.

Choose Insurance Companies with Contractor Experience

Here, contractors need to contact an insurance company that has been offering contractors E&O for some time. A contractor’s E&O policy will contain bells and whistles that are not normally found in other errors and omissions policies.

Here is where it is important to note the distinction between professional liability insurance and contractor’s errors and omissions insurance. Never rely on policy coverage titles, instead, look at the fine print within each insurance policy. Always review your provisions.

Contractors should obtain coverage with on a contractors errors and omissions coverage form. This is especially true for contractors who work in construction management or design build projects. These policies will usually face limitations. They will cover issues such as negligent acts, errors, or omissions. Normally, general liability insurance won’t pay for such claims.

Contractor’s errors and omissions policy’s are written as a claims-made policy form. This means that the policy will cover errors or omissions that occur during the policy period. There will be no coverage for an incident that occurred before the policy was in action.

Read the Fine Print

Sometimes, these policies have stipulations that limit the coverage to the contractor’s covered capacity as it is designated in the policy. This is why it’s important to purchase a policy that will explicitly describe the types of coverage that are provided.

Coverage will not be extended to damages caused by subcontractors. This is why general contractors need to only hire high quality subcontractors for their work. Otherwise, general contractors can end up paying the price for shoddy work done by cheap subcontractors.

Contractors need to specify their coverage and be fully aware of what their policy provides.  Not all errors and omissions policy will cover legal expenses or damages incurred by claims.

All contractors make mistakes, but only the ones who protect themselves can recover from mistakes. Again, contractors are vulnerable to litigation, but powerful E&O insurance secures the work of the contractor.

Read more about errors and omissions insurance and how to build a policy that is appropriate for a contractor.

Source by Russ Birch

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Executive Summary
The Report titled “France Insurance Market Outlook to 2015” provides an in-depth analysis of the UK insurance industry. The report covers specific insights on the market size, insurance density, insurance penetration, segmentation and future outlook of the insurance industry in France. The report also entails the market size on the basis of gross insurance premium written in case of life and non-life insurance and market share of various companies at the country level. Overall, the report offers a comprehensive analysis of the entire UK insurance industry.
France was the second largest economy in the Europe with a market share of ~ % in 2009. The life gross premium increased from USD ~ million in 2001 to USD ~ million in 2009, registering a CAGR of ~ %. A considerable increase in life premium was registered in 2003 and 2004. The premium declined slightly in 2008, rising again in 2009. Non-life premium increased at a CAGR of ~% during 2001-2009, wherein the premium increased from USD ~ million in 2001 to USD ~ million in 2009. Total gross insurance premium also increased from USD ~ million in 2001 to USD ~ million in 2009 at a CAGR of ~ %.
In case of life insurance density, the density is not expected to exhibit the same growth rate as shown in the historical period. Life insurance density is expected to grow at a CAGR of ~ %. The non-life density is expected to perform slightly better than the life density. It is expected to increase from USD ~ in 2009 to USD ~ in 2015. The total insurance density is also expected to increase from USD ~ in 2009 to USD ~ in 2015.
The premium for life insurance is expected to surge to USD ~ million by 2015. Other non-life insurance is also likely to increase their market share to USD ~ million. An increase in motor, health and property insurance is also expected which would increase their contribution to USD ~ million, USD ~ million and USD ~ million respectively by 2015.
Health insurance is expected to increase at a very fast pace in the future. It is expected to achieve a CAGR of ~ % in 2009-2015. Health insurance premium is expected to increase from USD ~ million in 2009 to USD ~ million in 2015.

In case of non-life insurers, Covea was the biggest player with a market share of ~ %. With a share of ~ %, AXA was the second largest player operating in the region. Groupama also had a market share of ~ %. Generali France and AGF Allianz are other players with a market share of ~ % and ~ %. Other prominent players operating in the region are CNP, Credit Agricole/Lyonnais, ACM and BNP. Other players operating in the region also held a market share of ~ % of the total market of insurance in France.

Scope of Research
The report entails thorough analysis and offers valuable insights on the insurance industry in the France. The scope of the report includes:
•    The market size of life and non-life insurance industry in terms of gross insurance premium written for France, 2001 to 2015
•    Life and Non-life insurance density in USD for France, 2001 to 2015
•    Life and Non-life insurance penetration, premium as a percentage of GDP for the country, 2001 to 2015
•    Market segmentation on the basis of Product in France, 2009 and 2015
•    Non-life insurance market segmentation by motor, health, property on the basis of gross insurance premium written, 2001-2015
•    Competitive Landscape of the major life insurers (CNP, Credit Agricole Assurances, AXA, Generali France, BNP Paribas Assurance) in France on the basis of gross premium written
•    Competitive Landscape of the major non-life insurers (Covea, AXA, Groupama, Generali France, AGF Allianz) in France on the basis of gross premium written
•    Valuable Insights and Future Outlook of the insurance industry in France.

For more information please refer to the below mentioned link:
http://www.ammindpower.com/report.php?A=157

Source by Ankur Gupta

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Your house is covered for Actual Cash Value (ACV) in case you do not have the replacement cost coverage on your policy.

Actual Cash Value is the replacement cost minus the depreciation, which is the percentage for every year for the age of your home.  For instance, if you bought a television for $1000, then the 5 years times the depreciation percentage of 7% a year, would mean that the television would be depreciated by $350. So the replacement cost of the television should be $1000, but since you do not have the replacement cost  in your policy, the Actual Cash Value would be $650, and that is the coverage you would get.

Now lets talk about the major coverages on a homeowners policy and we shall start with the dwelling amount. This is the coverage that you would need if you ever needed to rebuild your entire house. The prices nowadays are always rising, so you should always remember that the market value of your house is different from the replacement value, and you have to make sure that your policy guarantees you a replacement cost if ever needed.

You always have to be very careful so you do not end up under-insuring yourself. The replacement value is usually the 20 percent increase of the market value of your house. For instance, lets assume that the market value of your house when you bought it was $200,000, and the cost to rebuild it is $275,000. If your your house was burnt to the ashes, you will only be insured for $240,00 and what this means is that the extra $35,000 has to come out from your pocket. Now that is a lot of money to come up with when you file a claim.

You can avoid getting into such situations if you have a good idea about the replacement cost of your house. And that is not a difficult task at all! All you have to do is talk with your insurance agent and tell him to construct you a replacement cost value. You should keep in mind that the replacement cost only applies to what it would take to rebuild the home, it does not  include the cost of the land, and in the event of a claim ever needing to be filed or in the process of considering which plan can offer the best coverage for your home in particular be sure to check online for the latest information and offerings in your area in particular.

If you’re stuck and need some help finding good information online try using Ezquoteguide.com for finding the right local insurance information you need right away to help you fulfill your auto insurance needs.

Source by Marcel A Johnson