In troubled financial times, cutting costs wherever possible often seems like the wisest course of action for many people. While cutting back on eating out or discretionary spending can certainly be financially advantageous during tough times, one area that should remain high on the priority list is spending for health insurance. It can be difficult to justify the monthly financial outlay for insurance premiums when you’re struggling to make ends meet, especially if you’re relatively healthy. However, when you consider the benefits of maintaining coverage versus the dangers of not being covered, the wisdom of keeping adequate coverage becomes clear. Rising health care costs have put a squeeze on everyone. Employers pay for fewer benefits and government programs are looking for ways to cut expenses as well. While these rising costs may mean higher premiums for you as the consumer, remember that without health insurance you could be stuck with the entire health care bill in the event of an accident or dangerous illness. As many as 50% of the people who file for bankruptcy each year cite health care costs as their reason for filing. The last thing you need to be worried about as you lie in the hospital undergoing cancer treatment is how you will pay for the bills piling up at home. Stress levels can be the cause of additional physical difficulties and can even play a part in whether and how soon you experience full recovery. Maintaining health insurance coverage means that when a crisis occurs, at least one source of worry will be reduced. In addition to the financial protection afforded by health insurance, research indicates that people with adequate coverage are more likely to get annual physicals and to go to the doctor when they’re sick. This means that serious illnesses and potential problems will be discovered sooner and be more easily and effectively treated. While treatment is still available for people without coverage, most of these people rely on emergency room visits for standard illnesses which results in clogged emergency rooms, increased wait times, and longer than advisable lag times for true emergencies. Adults with children or other dependent family members have an additional reason for maintaining health insurance not only for their dependents, but also for themselves. If health problems should keep you from performing your job, your family could be placed in severe financial distress if they are left to cover your medical bills as well as normal living expenses. Financial and physical peace of mind are hard to come by, but maintaining your health insurance coverage will ensure that you and your family are protected in times of crisis.

Source by jamiehanson

You have spent a significant amount of time and money to get where you are in life.  Why would you not want to fully protect it?  A disability could potentially put an end to your ability to earn an income.

All people have home, auto, life and health insurance, but many do not realize that it is necessary to couple them with a strong disability policy.  A long-term disability could eliminate your ability to pay for certain financial obligations, such as your mortgage, medical bills and car payments.

The odds of becoming disabled are much higher than you may think.  The 1994 Statistical Abstract of the United States indicated that 1 in 10 people will suffer a disability.  When comparing that to the odds of being injured in a car accident (1 in 160) or death (1 in 117), the need for disability insurance is evident.  In addition, a 2000 New York Times article reported that 1 in 7 people between the ages of 35 and 60 will become disabled for 5 years or more.

Despite the clear need for disability insurance, a 2000 survey by The Consumer Federation of America shows that 82 percent of people do not have long-term disability insurance or feel that their coverage is insufficient.

Although there are a few alternatives to disability insurance, few typically take care of long-term financial obligations.  Social Security benefits only protect you if you are unable to work in any occupation (if you can answer telephones, you are not considered disabled).  Workers compensation will only protect on-the-job injuries or illnesses.

It is important to guard your assets and to protect your income.  Do not put yourself in a position where you will need to rely on family or friends in the event of a disability.

Source by Toby John Lason

Many people think being diagnosed with a catastrophic illness like cancer or heart disease is both a death sentence and an end to your chances of receiving life insurance.

They could be wrong on both counts.

Medical advances and healthier lifestyles have resulted in higher survival rates for many high-risk diseases, including breast cancer and diabetes, in the past decade. Insurance companies have responded with more affordable, albeit still rated, policies.

Insurance options are even available for those with the most catastrophic of illnesses, such as lung cancer or ALS (Lou Gehrig’s disease), where chances of surviving more than a couple years are slim. Graded benefit and guaranteed benefit products are viable alternatives to term and traditional whole life, which are practically impossible to get in these instances, according to Ryan Pinney, high-risk specialist with Pinney Insurance Group, an insurance brokerage firm in Roseville, Calif.

He says both are whole life policies that usually max out at $50,000. Graded benefits pay a small percentage the first year, with a little more each year after that until the fifth year, when it levels off. He recommends this for people with illnesses with a longer survival prognosis like multiple sclerosis, prostate or colon cancer. Pinney says the cost varies greatly, depending on age, illness and whether the person smokes.

With guaranteed whole life insurance, there are no questions asked and no medical exam. Anyone can get it, but it costs about $3,000 a month for a 40-year-old and about $5,000 a month for someone 50 or older, Pinney says.

“To make this worthwhile you need to live at least three years, but not more than eight years. After eight years it is a losing investment,” Pinney says.

Someone with Alzheimer’s could not get insurance with most companies not only because of the terminal nature of the illness, but because you have to be cognizant when signing a policy, says Dr. Craig Davidson, senior medical director with The Hartford.

Pinney says those with high-risk, but not terminal, illnesses can expect to pay 25 percent to 50 percent more per month in premiums, if their eligibility falls below standard.He says if a standard policy costs $100 per month, someone with well-controlled diabetes could be rated in Table 2, at $150 a month. If they have Type 1 Juvenile Diabetes, they would be rated harsher, more like Table 4, at a cost of about $200 to $250 a month, he says.

“Underwriters will look at the type of disease you have, at what stage the disease was detected, the type of treatment you are receiving, and the length of time the doctor gives you to live to determine if you will get insurance and how it is rated,” Pinney says.

The overall five-year relative survival rate for breast cancer from 1999-2005 was 89.1 percent, but only 5 percent if the cancer already metastasized, according to the U.S. National Institutes of Health National Cancer Institute Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results Cancer Statistics Review.

According to the American Diabetes Association, 23.6 million kids and adults have diabetes. It is the seventh leading cause of death. However, it is also controllable with a combination of nutrition, exercise and medication. Pinney and Davidson offer the following advice when it comes to purchasing life insurance.

• Buy when young and healthy, when the cost is much less and before you have a serious health issue. Once you have purchased a policy, it can never be taken away from you and the price can never go up, as long as you pay the premiums every month, Davidson suggests. If you buy when you are healthy, you can get either term or whole insurance, whereas you can only get the more expensive whole life if you’ve been diagnosed with a high-risk illness.

• Buy accidental death and dismemberment insurance. Pinney says this is an alternative if you can’t get traditional life insurance or afford guaranteed benefit insurance. These policies are easy to get, relatively inexpensive and no medical test is required. However, they only pay out in the event of an accidental death, so it is a gamble you must decide that you want to take. “Chances are, the illness isn’t what kills you,” he says. He suggests these policies to people who have an illness with a longer lifespan, such as multiple sclerosis.

• Don’t give up. Underwriters look at the test of time, Davidson says. If your doctor can document you have been disease-free for at least five years (your cancer or leukemia has been in remission or your cardiac tests show no heart disease for that length of time, for instance) and that you have been leading a healthy lifestyle and following your doctor’s diet and medication directives, you could qualify for insurance, even if you’ve been denied in the past. He says companies don’t look at the number of heart attacks someone has had, for instance, but the severity of the attacks, how close together they were and if you now have a favorable cardiac testing.

• Apply for a new policy. If you’ve had a life insurance policy for years, especially if you bought it after the diagnosis, it might be less expensive for you to buy a new, better policy than to retain your current one if you have been disease-free for at least five years, Pinney says. Prices have been going down every year, and insurers should be amenable to providing you with a new policy. If not, he suggests switching to an agent who would be. He recommends reviewing your policy every two to three years, and changing whenever it is worthwhile cost-wise.

• Be good to yourself. The best way to get insurance at lower rates is to stay or get healthy, Pinney and Davidson agree. Insurers look at you favorably if your doctor verifies that you exercise, lost weight, eat healthy, follow his advice, participate in wellness programs and visit him or her regularly.It’s good for your health and your pocketbook.

This article was originally published at Life Quotes, Inc.

Source by Life Quotes, Inc

Buying life insurance is like a balancing act.  You have to properly weigh your options so you can get the best life insurance rates.  Most experts believe that getting the cheapest life insurance rate is not always a good idea.  That is because a policy with cheap premium can also have less favorable coverage.  On the other hand, there is also no point in getting a policy that will rob you blind because of exorbitant premiums.  So you need to find a balance so you can get a policy that is affordable and offers good coverage.  

Affordability therefore is the key when looking for the right life insurance rates.  You have to choose a policy with a premium that you can easily pay without straining your budget.  This is the most ideal scenario.  In order to find the most affordable life insurance rate, it is very crucial for you to do comparison shopping.  When you compare different offers from several insurance companies, it would be easier for you to decide which plan would be suitable for your budget and at the same time provide the right coverage for you.  You can only compare different rates by getting free online quotes.  This is fairly easy because there are excellent and reputable insurance quote companies today that can offer accurate comparison.  

Another way to get the best life insurance rates is to improve your lifestyle so you can get a cleaner bill of health.  Always remember that life insurance companies will closely evaluate your heath condition.  An extra waistline could mean higher premiums and costly insurance.  So you need to lose weight in order to find the best life insurance rate.  If you use tobacco and smoke cigarettes, then these can also make your life insurance more expensive.  High blood pressure and high cholesterol levels are also determining factors that can push the cost of your insurance upwards.  By simply improving your health and avoiding bad habits, you will definitely get the best life insurance rates from different carriers because you will not be considered as a high risk customer.  

Lastly, choose the right type of life insurance that can give you the best value.  For example, if you want to enjoy lower life insurance rates, then it is best to consider getting a term life policy.  Term life insurance is affordable and the cheapest form of policy.  You can get large coverage from this kind of insurance without spending too much on your premiums.  These are the reasons why term life insurance is very popular for most consumers.  It will allow you to get enough coverage without putting much strain on your budget.  

Other types of life insurance policies are more expensive.  A universal life insurance for example is costlier than a term life.  However, you have to take note that this kind of policy offers a tax-deferred savings component.  A universal life insurance can serve as a conservative savings portfolio because it accumulates cash value that can be used for other purposes or to pay for the premium of your policy.  

Source by Clint Jhonson

To motivate the use of publicly available quality data for the betterment of hospital care, the Blue Cross and Blue Shied Association Health Insurance has recently announced the national Network Hospital Measurement pilot plan, which would offer quarterly performance reports to hospitals and employers. Blue Cross Health Insurance represents this is a significant step towards helping consumers to receive more consistent and effective care.

The report is based on openly available clinical measures from the Centers for Health Insurance and Medicaid Services and the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organization. The reports offer health insurance quotes framework fro continued collaboration with the Blue Cross Health Insurance Plans’ network hospitals to assist additional country wide benchmarks for high-quality care.

“Our mission is to progress the constancy of these proven, proof-based treatments at hospitals across the nation,” said Scott P. Serota, the Blue Cross Health Insurance’s president and CEO. “Making this knowledge work to advantage providers, employers and consumers is the founding principle of the Blues’ vision for better health insurance quotes.”

National studies on health insurance quality have proved that our health insurance system lacks consistency in how scientifically proved care is offered across the country. Blue Cross Health Insurance Quotes is very important and Blue Cross Health Insurance national performance pilot adopts 18 established proof-based measurements. Some measure are very simple, such as making sure that heart attack patient gets aspirin on time at the Blue Cross Health Insurance hospital, or that a pneumonia patient gets advice on quitting smoking.

Eighteen Blue Cross Health Insurance and Blue Shield Companies, representing more than 80 percent of group 94 million Blue Cross Health Insurance subscribers, are very happy about the Blue cross health insurance quotes which are estimated. Collectively, Blue Cross Health Insurance and Blue Shield companies deal with more than 90 percent of all physicians in the country and 80 percent of all hospitals.

Source by usha

Most people pay no attention to the possibilities of having something go wrong while they are on a vacation. To be honest, not all vacations will go as planned most of the time. The coming of Hurricane Gilbert was certainly not in people’s minds when then decided to go on a trip to Cancun and Cozumel, Mexico, and Jamaica. Having a vacation with no glitches is hard to come by but if you get travel insurance it might just somehow give you a little security. Agencies that provide you with insurance coverage would normally not give a full refund for any bad trips that you have taken.

There is a chance for a traveler to claim some money even if they are not an insurance holder in case they get into some trouble while on vacation. The vice president of the company was noted to saying that their insurance policy that states holders will get paid when it rains in the destination they are going to are mostly purchases during hurricanes. One need not dance in the stormy rain just so they can claim insurance.

In this case a rainy day could be when only one hundredth of an inch of rain has fallen. This much precipitation must fall for four or more days of a seven day trip between the hours of 9 a.m. and 4 pm for an insurance claim to be paid. Many want to know how much this might just cost.

If you plan to head over to Cancun, Mexico during November to March then you will only spend about 5 percent of your vacation trip for this insurance. Your June to September trip to Cancun if you plan to get the insurance policy will be 18 percent of your vacation price. If you plan to go on vacation at a well known wet spot such as Seattle, Washington or Tahiti, don’t attempt to purchase this kind of insurance. There is no available rain insurance for places that are just too wet.

Most of the time an umbrella is enough for travelers and they just get the basic insurance like travel delay coverage. One good example is when people had to stay in Jamaica since airports were closed after Hurricane Gilbert. Tourist with travel delay insurance would have gotten around $300 to $500 to pay for lodging, food and transportation.

With the Baggage insurance for their luggage and other belongings one is sure to be covered. The travel medical insurance will cover someone from medical expenses incurred while travelling. How much is this? Both the medical and the trip cancellation insurance will go for about $48 in the family plan if they go on a one week long vacation to Mexico.

Source by tamikahall

You may not realize that your monthly insurance payment includes billing fees. The average billing fee for a direct bill policy will vary from $5-$10 per month. While some companies charge less, some charge as much as $18 per month. In California insurance companies are required to send clients several notices in addition to their monthly bills and insurance information. With so much paperwork being mailed and processed, it is understandable for insurance companies to charge the client a fee for this service.

These extra fees and paperwork are avoidable. An easy way for you to save money on your policy each month is to elect for the insurance company to automatically draft the installments from your checking account. The average savings from doing so is between $4-8 per month. Almost every insurance company offers a reduced billing fee for electronic funds transfer. Most companies will send you a schedule of installments that will outline all of the installments that will be drafted from your account for your policy period. If there are any changes in the amount that will be taken from your account the insurance company will notify you in writing prior to any payments that differ from the original amount. Minimize your monthly payment by reducing your fees.

Although having your auto insurance payments taken directly from your account can save you on the billing fees on your policy, paying you auto insurance premium in full can completely eliminate the billing fees all together. Depending on the type of policy and the state that you live in you may actually qualify for a discount for paying your policy in full as well as the elimination of the billing fees. The combination of the paying in full and qualifying for the paid in full discount can save you hundreds of dollars per year.

Source by Paul Woodward

The birth of a child can change a parent’s perspective on many things—work, family, career, and even small things like vacations, holidays, hobbies. Priorities can shift. Aspirations can morph into something new and unexpected. Even time can take on new dimensions. Suddenly it becomes easier to visualize the future. Looking five, ten, even twenty years down the road is simplified by picturing a child growing up.

This window on the future can be a big advantage when planning a financial future for your family. Like a child, quality investments need time to grow and mature. By synchronizing an investment with your child’s life, you can make long-term financial commitments that you might otherwise put off. For example, the birth of a child provides an excellent opportunity to begin funding a whole life insurance policy.

Easy to set up and continue funding, whole life insurance is a ready-made investment that can build up substantial value over a long period of time. For example, by a child’s twentieth birthday, the cash value of a whole life insurance policy taken out at birth will equal the premiums paid up to that time. A $15,000 policy that costs only $10 per month to fund would have a cash value of $2,400. A $35,000 policy would have a cash value of about $5,700.

The cash value of a whole life policy is a liquid asset. It can be withdrawn in time of financial emergency and paid back at a later date. Since the policyholder acts as his or her own lender, credit history is irrelevant. The “loan” cannot be denied because it really is the policyholder’s own money.

Some insurance companies double the policy’s face value when the child turns 21—without increasing the premium. You or your child may be able to buy additional coverage on policy anniversary dates, again without an increase to the premium.

The premiums for a baby’s life insurance policy are the lowest available. A whole life policy allows you to lock in these rates for a lifetime—literally. Critics of whole life insurance say you might be better off investing the money in something else. The question is, what else can you invest in for just $10 a month?

There is of course another benefit to life insurance—the one no one wants to talk about or even contemplate: It insures against unexpected death. This may seem like grim, uncaring use for your money, but you have to consider your whole family and its needs. Unpaid medical bills, funeral and burial expenses can rob a family’s savings, college fund, and home equity. Life insurance is an inexpensive way to protect a family’s financial future.

Source by Bradley Steffens

An Elevation Certificate (EC) is mandatory on Post-FIRM construction, but is optional on Pre-FIRM construction.  It is required by the NFIP so that it can be certified by the NFIP as to the lowest floor of a building so that the policy can be properly rated:

POST-FIRM STRUCTURES

The EC is to be completed by a land surveyor, engineer or architect who is authorized to certify elevation information when it is required for Zones A1-A30, AE, AH, A(with base flood elevations), V1-V30, VE and V (with BFEs).   Community officials who are authorized to complete this form may do so also.  For Zones AO and A (without BFEs) a building official, a property owner, or an owner’s representative may also provide the information on this certification.  If the community is a CRS participating community, building elevation information may be available through the community official.

The lowest adjacent grade and diagram number are required for all new business applications effective on or after October 1, 1997 if the elevation certification date is on or after that date.

PRE-FIRM STRUCTURES RATED UNDER POST-FIRM RATES

Pre-FIRM construction can be elevation rated using the Post-FIRM EC rates, which are more favorable if the lowest floor of the building is at or above the BFE for the community.  Generally, the lowest floor level of a Pre-FIRM building is below the BFE, and it would not benefit the insured to pay the cost of the EC in an attempt to secure a later rate, but this is an insured’s option.

AR AND AR DUAL ZONES

The EC is optional on all Post-FIRM and Pre-FIRM construction located in AR and AR dual Zones.  The decision to obtain an EC and to request Post-FIRM rating is at the discretion of the insured.  The EC includes the AR and AR dual Zone elevation requirements.

The producer is to attach the original of the completed EC to the Application.  A photocopy is to be forwarded to the policyholder and a copy is retained by the producer.

PHOTO REQUIREMENTS

All new business application, including transfer of business, for elevation rated risks with a policy effective date of 1/1/07, or later, must be submitted with at least two recent photographs that show the front and back of the building and are taken and dated within 90 days of the submission date.  If the building is a split-level or has multi-level areas at ground level, at least two additional photographs showing views of both sides of the building must be submitted.

This requirement applies to all renewal and endorsement transactions adding elevation rating effective on or after 1/1/07.

The photographs must be submitted on the Building Photographs form that is part of the Elevation Certificate, and must include the date the photographs were taken.  All photographs must measure at least 3″ x 3″ and provide a good, clear image of the building’s distinguishing features.  Analog or digital photographs are acceptable.  Color photographs are preferred.

insurance continuing education

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Source by edward hulse

Insurance Sales is an upcoming and growing job opportunity for many graduates and other professionals. Selling insurance covers and other financial products is the main job responsibility of insurance agents. In India, the number of people already under insurance covers is much less than the potential number of people who require such a cover. Thus, demand for insurance agents and job opportunities for them are rising.

Nowadays, the job of insurance sales agents is not just limited to selling insurance policies. They are diversifying their profile to sell more and more financial products. Mutual funds, retirement funds and other securities are also now sold by insurance agents. Thus, the purview of their job is expanding.

The job of an insurance agent is very client oriented. Insurance sales agents are the first point of contact between a consumer and an insurance company. These agents help businesses, individuals, and families in selecting insurance policies that best suit their needs. These insurance policies are meant to provide the best safeguard for their health, lives, and property.

Insurance sales agents could be of two types: independent agents, and captive agents. As the name suggests, independent insurance agents work independently. They are not bound by any company instead represent several different insurance companies. They are also referred to as brokers. Their job includes making the client buy product from such an insurance company whose policies, rates, and coverage best satisfy the needs of that particular client. On the other hand captive insurance agents or dedicated agents work only for a specific insurance company that has hired them. They find policies within their company to fit the needs of their clients. Although the function of both types of agents is more or less the same, their mode of payment is different. Both are required to maintain records, prepare reports, find new clients, and help policy holders settle their insurance claims. Independent agents work on commission basis whereas captive agents work on salary plus incentives basis.

In the job of insurance sales, the agent sells insurance policies such as property, casualty, life, health, disability and long-term care. Property and casualty policies are sold to individuals and businesses who want to protect themselves from financial loss due to fire, theft, natural calamities, automobile accidents, and various other things that can cause significant damage.

Some insurance agents specialize in selling life insurance polices that provide beneficiaries with income when a policyholder dies. Health care agents find clients who wish to insure coverage for medical care in the case of illness or injury. They may also sell dental insurance and short- and long-term disability policies.

The first task of an insurance agent is to convince the client that the financial product offered by the company is useful for the client. Once the client is convinced, the insurance sales agent helps the client select the best policy that suits his needs. This could be buying insurance cover for self, spouse or children, mediclaim policies, child education policies, pension plans and so on. After this, the agent helps the client through all the paper work and legal formalities that are involved. Then, the agent has to maintain relationship with the client for reminder of premium deposits, any other settlements, claims or if the client wishes to upgrade his policy. Also, since much business is generated through referrals, it is always important to maintain a good relationship with the client.

These days, the job of an insurance agent has become relatively simpler with the advent of technology. Internet enables easy access and regular communication with the client. It is also easier to keep records and make reports using increasing technology advancements. This improves the efficiency of insurance sales agents allowing them to take on more and more clients and servicing them well.

With the increasing competition in the insurance domain, there is need for aggressive insurance sales agents. With so many players in the market, it is the agents who can ensure a customer’s satisfaction with the services of the company. The agent should be smart, pleasing to talk to and convincing enough. He/she should also have thorough knowledge of the products of the company. There should also be certain quickness and the ability to think on feet while processing claims, answering questions, making changes in policies, and selling more products.

The job of an insurance agent is both rewarding and challenging. As long as one keeps getting clients and the business keeps flowing in, it can be monetarily very rewarding but if the clients dry up, it becomes very frustrating. One can enter this job as a graduate and entry level and grow to a higher level. There are opportunities galore and for aggressive young people with good sales ability, this could turn out to be a long-term career with ample scope of growth.

Some useful links:

www.naukrigulf.com

www.naukrigulf.com/ni/nijobsearch/loc-jobs-dubai/

Source by anirban das

Are you looking for a safe and affordable Missouri health insurance for covering your pregnancy and delivery needs? You must have guessed by now that babies can come expensive. The process of giving birth can alone cost your family expensive sums of money – anything between $5000 and $10000, according to the statistics and market conditions of the current year.

Even if you happen to be a woman, you may be required to pay for a health insurance in Missouri from out of your own pockets, and this amount can be a significant one. In this case, you need to take care of supplemental pregnancy insurance. This is a Missouri health insurance plan that a lot of families go for as it is cost effective and financially manageable.

What are the Coverage Costs under the Supplemental Pregnancy Insurance Policies?

The term supplemental pregnancy insurance is also called hospital indemnity insurance. This is a type of supplemental plan that covers hospitalization. The Missouri health insurance plan is not related specifically to maternity expenses and details, but it does cover the extent of hospitalization, if you are required to be hospitalized somehow. One of the benefits of the supplemental pregnancy insurance policies is that the plans pay a part of the hospitalization expenses that are not covered by your health or medical insurance policy. This includes your deductibles. More than that, in case the money remains once the bills are cleared, you can keep the money.

You can even purchase the supplemental pregnancy insurance plans in Missouri in advance, up to a period of about 10 months prior to the delivery. This is done to ensure that coverage is guaranteed. It simply means that in case you happen to be already pregnant, when you register for such a plan, the plan stops covering the delivery for the pregnancy.

What are the Requirements?

Prior to being allowed to purchase coverage, you require fulfilling certain parameters like answer several questions that are related to your pregnancy or medical history. If you want to make use of the Missouri labor and delivery medical plan in a suitable manner, you should deliver your baby in a hospital as well as have to be admitted there for a period of at least 24 hours. You ought to have a substantial amount of premium during your delivery and cannot be registered in a government sponsored welfare program like Medicaid.

What are the Costs of the Premium?

As far as the supplemental pregnancy insurance is concerned, it is a requirement of the state that the policy holder of this medical insurance should pay $200 on a monthly basis. This is the rate for companies that offer the Missouri indemnity insurance. To get maximum benefits of the insurance providers in the state, you have to look and shop around. The internet is your best source as a small number of companies in the state offer supplemental pregnancy or indemnity insurance. Whereas some providers continue coverage even after you’ve left the state, other portable providers may require maintaining your premium payments.

Source by matthebenja

There are a lot of Moped/Scooter Insurance providers and it is important that you find a discount insurance company that provides you cheap low cost scooter insurance. You want to search for a insurance that is cheap but you also need to have a policy that will cover you in the event that you have an accident and need to go to the hospital. Having insurance when you are driving a scooter is very important because as with a motorcycle it is the law that you have coverage. You also want to make sure that if you are in an accident and it is your fault then you have enough coverage to pay for the other persons injuries.

Find the Best: Discount Insurance

When searching for insurance you need to make sure that you get multiple quotes because there is a lot of companies that have varying rates. There is no need to overpay for moped/scooter insurance because there are enough providers that will offer you a comprable policy for a lower price.

Get Cheap: Insurance Rates Now

There are some people that think that because you are driving a scooter that you do not need to have insurance but there is nothing that is further form the truth. When driving a scooter you are at the same risk as someone who is driving a car or motorcycle so make sure that you do not get caught without insurance coverage.

Remember that when you are looking for Scooter/Moped insurance that you check around to get the best price for the policy that you can. You need to check the policy coverage that you get for the amount the premium will cost you.

Source by Bryan Burbank

Depression is not by its very nature a happy subject, but with the pressures put upon us all in today’s world it is unfortunately only too common. To many people who have never experienced it, an instant cure should be possible simply by telling the sufferer to ‘snap out of it’. Sadly the depressed person would be only too happy to be able to comply, but they cannot, for a variety of reasons better known to the psychiatrist than to the layman.

There are many different forms of depression and they manifest themselves in a variety of ways, ranging from what can appear to be ‘just nervousness’ to an overwhelming desire to solve all the problems which are crowding in by committing suicide. It is called the ‘cowards way out’ – a description which takes no account of the individuals state of mind when contemplating or taking this terrible step.

Suicide leaves an unanswered question – should the estate of the deceased be able to profit from their death by claiming payment of life insurance? Here we head into some very murky waters, with some very different points of view being held. Of course a conventional death should give rise to a payment – that is what life insurance is all about – so should the manner of death make a difference? Why should self inflicted death be subject to a different result? Is there not a possibility that we are setting ourselves up for extended and costly enquiries where the death could have been deliberate or an accident i.e. a motoring fatality where the car hit a wall?

Then there is the question whether suicide is illegal or not in the UK, and it is a problem trying to find someone with the definitive answer, although it is very clear that assisting in a suicide is definitely not legal. If suicide is illegal, should an action outside the law be able to profit someone, even though they had no direct involvement with that action? Murky waters indeed.

With more than 20,000 deaths by suicide in England and Wales over a four year period, which is double the number of road fatalities, the above questions are rather more than academic. What about the reaction by the people ‘at the sharp end’, that is the insurance companies who have to determine whether payment should go ahead?

Here too opinions vary. Some will pay out only if the policy was taken out a ‘reasonable’ length of time before the suicide; ‘reasonable’ being translated in most cases as being 2 years. This period is applied to the policy to avoid fraudulent claims, where the intention to commit suicide was present at the time that the policy was taken out.

Anyone who has attempted suicide at some time needs to declare the fact on their application form, says a spokesperson for the Association of British Insurers. This may bar them from life insurance with some companies, or may cause a significant increase in their premium costs. The approach to them by the insurers will be to treat them as they would treat a psychiatrically ill applicant.

Although Standard Life has paid out on life policies held by people who subsequently prove to be successful suicides, they operate on the same principal although without applying the time limitation clause. It is their intention to thoroughly assess the risks before the cover is agreed, with any previous suicide attempts limiting or excluding the cover.

Your doctor’s notes are invaluable to a potential insurer, providing as they do a medical history which will point up any aberrations which may be a sign of potential suicide risk. It is equally possible that they will show that any depression is not a serious underlying state and that your risk factor is low.

Depression on its own is no reason for a life policy to be refused, nor indeed is a previous suicide attempt necessarily a bar.  You will need to find a broker with whom you can have a discussion which will cover all aspects of your illness or depression. You need to be absolutely frank and conceal nothing of previous suicide attempts and any previous or subsequent treatment whether as an outpatient or not.

Source by Michael Challiner

There are several reasons why you should escrow taxes and insurance and there are a few reasons why it might not be a good idea. In this article, we will discuss the reasons why it is a good idea to escrow your taxes and insurance. Escrowing makes a lot of sense for most people.

For those of you that do not know, to escrow your property taxes and insurance means that you will allow the servicer of your mortgage to collect your tax and insurance payments as installments that are included in your mortgage payment. This minimizes risk from the lender’s standpoint because they know that if the mortgage is being paid, the taxes and insurance on the property will also be paid. It is also easier for many homeowners to escrow their taxes and insurance so they don’t have to worry about coming up with a lump sum payment for those items when they become due.

Another reason why you should escrow has to do with rising property taxes (lately, property taxes have decline in most cases – take that as good or bad). If your property taxes rise $500 in one year, your escrow account will likely be short when taxes become due. If you are not escrowing, you will need to come up with this increase in taxes in one lump sum. If you are escrowing, the lender will often allow you to come up with the increase over a twelve month period by simply increasing your mortgage payment over a twelve month period.

Finally, escrowing is required on FHA loan programs and often the best choice on a conventional loan. It’s common that lenders will charge a higher interest rate if you do not escrow. They will either increase the rate or charge a fee of one eighth to one quarter of a percentage point based on your loan amount. The savings you will realize by escrowing might be nominal at first, but they do add up over the long term.

These are the top reasons to escrow. Of course, there are reasons why you shouldn’t, but those reasons will be addressed in a future article.

Source by Matt Madlang

In its most simple terms, multi car insurance is a single car insurance policy which provides cover for more than one vehicle. You may be aware of these policies after some substantial television advertising has been used to promote their value to the customer.

What are the benefits of multi car insurance?

The attractiveness, to the customer, of the multi car insurance policy stems from two main angles – reduced cost and hassle. By combining two cars into one policy you’re essentially buying in bulk. So you should expect a discount when buying multi car insurance as opposed to two separate policies.

Then there’s the element of hassle. Nobody enjoys buying insurance, remembering renewal dates and searching the market for quotes. Combining this process into one easy-to-manage policy can help to reduce the admin.

From the insurance company’s point of view, their marketing spending is bringing in two policies where it would normally have resulted in one. So they can afford to offer a cheaper quote than two separate policies. They’ll also benefit from reduced admin and benefit from the single policy per household approach.

Things to look out for with multi car insurance

When buying multi car insurance, there are a few things to look out for. Firstly, your existing car insurance policies are unlikely to end on the same date. So check that the multi car insurance policy can pick up the second car at the appropriate time. Even better, make sure this is done without an additional cost e.g. charging you for cover on the additional car only for the time it is included on the policy, not the full term.

Secondly, check the small print for who’s allowed to drive the cars and who’s earning the no claims bonus. Some insurers assign joint policyholders who each continue to earn their separate no claims bonus (and suffer individually when they make a claim). If the multi car insurance company assigns the no claims bonus to both policyholders as a single entity, you could stand to lose out when your no claims bonus is wiped out by a claim and your premium shoots up the following year – for an incident you may not have been involved.

Admiral Insurance have advertised their multi car insurance product heavily on television but Direct Line, Churchill Insurance and Prudential also offer multi car insurance, amongst others.

Source by Harvey McEwan

What is Disability Insurance?
“The Social Security and Supplemental Security Income disability programs are the largest of several Federal programs that provide assistance to people with disabilities. While these two programs are different in many ways, both are administered by the Social Security Administration and only individuals who have a disability and meet medical criteria may qualify for benefits under either program.”
– Social Security web site, June 2006

The Social Security office will want to check your medical history to be sure you qualify for disability benefits. The Social Security office is one way to get disability benefits, but in most cases these benefits will not be substantial enough for families.

Disability insurance can be obtained through any number of insurance companies. In the event that you are disabled, this insurance will serve as financial protection. You will receive a percentage of your gross income from your disability insurance policy, income that will ensure your own financial safety.

You do not have to go through the Social Security Office to take out a disability insurance policy, nor to receive the benefits from that policy. The Social Security disability program is not related to any disability insurance policy that you take out.

“Individual disability insurance is truly a basic concept. It is an insurance product designed to replace anywhere from 45-60% of your gross income on a tax-free basis should a sickness or illness prevent you from earning an income in your occupation. Every disability insurance policy from every insurance company is very different, this is not a product to simply shop for the most competitive rate. To buy the cheapest disability insurance policy on the market is to throw money away. The odds of getting paid a monthly benefit under a cheap contract may be significantly lower than receiving benefits from a quality contract.”
– About Disability Insurance web site, June 2006

Types of Disability Insurance
Most people are familiar with two types of disability insurance: short-term disability, and long-term disability. Short-term disability insurance is included as part of a benefits package with many different employers, and usually provides an income in the early part of disability. Short-term disability insurance generally provides coverage for a period of several weeks, and does not exceed a two-year term.

Long-term disability, however, can last for a period of several years. These types of policies may be included as a part of employment, in a benefits package, but many purchase these disability insurance policies individually.

As far as disability insurance goes, however, there are still more policies to learn about. One type of disability insurance is the Own-Occupation Disability Insurance. The definition of this policy reads:

“The inability to perform the material and substantial duties of your regular occupation, the insurance company will consider your occupation to be the occupation you are engaged in at the time you become disabled, they will pay the claim even if you are working in some other capacity.”

Another kind of disability insurance is the Income Replacement Insurance. This is a very popular type of disability insurance, and most insurance agents are familiar with this policy. The language of this type of disability insurance reads:

“Because of sickness or injury you are unable to perform the material and substantial duties of your occupation, and are not engaged in any other occupation.”

Common in employee benefits packages, Gainful Occupation Coverage is another popular form of disability insurance. The language here is worded very carefully:

“Because of sickness or injury you are unable to perform the material and substantial duties or your occupation, or any occupation for which you are deemed reasonably qualified by education, training, or experience.”

Source by Robert Lawrence

Today Consumers are living in a world of instant information: In the decade of wanting everything completed in minutes, is there any surprise that life insurance companies would create instant issue policies for consumers who want to obtain instant quotes, apply, purchase, pay for and receive instant protection online? This gives buyers the ability to reduce the application and approval process time from months to days or in some cases minutes and also improves the overall buying experience.

What exactly is Instant Issue Term Life Insurance?

Instant Issue term life insurance is a convenient term life insurance policy for those that prefer to avoid dealing with scheduling agent appointments or feeling as though they are being sold a policy with more bells and whistles than they may actually need. The whole process can be initiated by answering some simple health questions and submitting an online application through an agency or carrier online platform which allows the consumer to research, compare, and immediately buy a policy without even talking to the agent unless they want to, there are generally no medical examinations (blood and urine samples) required to put the policy in force. This simple convenience can make a not so enjoyable process to be quick and painless and allow a family member to obtain some basic form of insurance protection to cover against a tragic loss or sickness.

The convenience of Instant Issue term life policies is not without a small catch. Typically the coverage levels are generally between only $100,000 and $500,000 at most and at a slightly more expensive monthly premium in some cases. As such the insurance company is able to underwrite a consumer without any medical examinations at lower face amounts.

Fully underwritten policies can now also be taken simply by quoting online from the agents site and submitting a request for the agent to contact the client to verify the information by phone, for these cases that are larger or require a medical exam the agent completes the application for the consumer online and submits it directly to the carrier with little more than a phone consultation. Depending upon the carrier, the newly protected client will receive the application via email for an e-signature and schedule a simple in home medical exam by phone.

New Married Couples and New Families

Suited best for new families or those starting a family, Instant Issue term life insurance can be thought of as a quick solution to your life insurance needs. This process allows you to get approval for term life insurance within minutes of completing the application. Allowing you to simply compare, shop, buy, and be approved all within the same day.

Remember, life insurance coverage is intended to protect you and your loved ones in the unfortunate circumstance that you pass away. Ask yourself could you or your spouse and children survive financially or live at the same comfort level if you lost a spouse and there income unexpectedly? Term life insurance is an affordable way to cover your needs at any stage of life, and offers the added benefit of allowing you choose your coverage amount and term length.

As you can see there is a wide range of options available to you. These days you can run instant online quotes directly from the internet or have agents take your application by phone. However, what type of policy is right for you depend on many factors, and your insurance advisor can assist you in determining which policies are most beneficial for your situation. Your best option is to buy direct from an agent’s site and shop from there if you have questions or concerns that agent or agency will provide you full support and direction. Most agents represent many carriers and will give you non biased recommendations depending on your needs and budget.

Source by Christopher D. Beard

Motorcycle insurance is necessary for those who own and use a motorcycle. There are three types of motorcycle insurance available to you. Comprehensive motorcycle insurance, third party property damage insurance and veteran, vintage and classic vehicle insurance are the three types of insurance available to you.

Comprehensive motorcycle insurance provides you with complete insurance coverage, which includes providing your bike with complete cover and providing for damages you may cause to someone’s property with your bike. This type of coverage works well for scooters, too.

Third party property damage motorcycle insurance is a type of insurance that will cover someone else’s property and their vehicle, but it will not provide protection for your own bike.

Veteran, vintage and classic vehicle insurance is a type for those bikes over 15 years of age that are not driven as much because they are used for a hobby or recreational use only.

In addition to these types of insurance for your motorcycle, you also need to have third party insurance, which provides protection for those you injury while on your motorcycle. This type of insurance is compulsory in order to register your motorcycle in the ACT.

Coverage Under Motorcycle Insurance:

Most people will need to have comprehensive motorcycle insurance. There are a number of different amounts of coverage you can purchase, based on the budget you have and the amount of protection you want to have for your bike.

In this type of insurance, the insurance company will likely cover costs related to an accident you are in, which may include repairing or replacing the vehicle, or paying you a payout at the agreed or market value of the motorcycle. It will likely cover the costs of fire, repairing or replacing of locks, and it provides a policy that protects others. As part of the comprehensive package, this liability coverage will provide a great deal of coverage for you should you hurt someone while on your motorcycle, including legal fees, payout for damages, damage caused by any of your passengers, or coverage for your employer if your motorcycle is used for business purposes.

The comprehensive plan will provide your motorcycle with coverage from storms, thefts, replacement when the vehicle is a total loss, and towing. You are not covered when you take your motorcycle out of the country, and most comprehensive motorcycle insurance policies will not provide you with cover for mechanical failures.

In addition to this, any individual operating a motorcycle in Australia will require third party insurance, or TPI. This type of insurance provides you with protection from personal injury claims that are made against you by other road users, when you cause an accident.

Questions for Your Provider:

If you have particular needs, talk to your insurance company. Policies should include liability protection, but even a comprehensive package may not be enough. Putting together a thorough package that includes comprehensive insurance as well as third party insurance is a must for most insurance companies. Ask your provider:

How to make claims:

What is covered and what is not covered (be sure to be specific here) What happens to your policy and premium payments when you have an accident and make a claim (does the rate go up) Are there any discounts for coupling your motorcycle insurance with other types?

Ways to Save on Motorcycle Insurance:

Get the right package of insurance for you. If you do not drive your motorcycle often, it may qualify for the lower costing Vintage insurance. If you use your motorcycle for business, be sure to let the provider know about this ahead of time.

The most important way to get a lower price on your insurance for your motorcycle is to take advantage of comparison shopping. Talk to several insurance companies to find out what they can provide to you. In many situations, you will find discounts for additional policies, too. Insuring your vehicle with your motorcycle can lower the rate you pay in total.

Beware Before Signing:

Read through your motorcycle insurance policy thoroughly. The policy will have a specific page that lists all items that are covered and are not covered. Be sure you understand what is not covered and get an explanation of any of these. That will be the final deciding factor as to if you should sign or not. Be sure that you have a full understanding of your policy!

Additional Coverage to Consider:

In addition to comprehensive motorcycle insurance, make sure you also have third party property damage motorcycle insurance. Consider the benefits of adding any add-ons to your policy should they fit (such as roadside assistance.) Also, look to what the lender will provide you including discounts, rewards, hire car, and after accident care, which may be add-ons in some situations. Some will provide you with lifetime guarantees on repairs as well.

Source by Jo Thomas

Finding affordable Texas health insurance is not an easy task, unless you are employed by a company that offers a range of health benefits. Unfortunately, not everyone works, or works for an employer who offers health insurance to its employees. If you or your spouse does not have affordable health insurance in San Antonio, Texas, how your child is supposed to obtain affordable child health insurance? Imagine trying to find children and affordable health insurance for your child if you have difficulty in finding affordable health insurance for yourself.

If you live in San Antonio, Texas, or anywhere in Texas for that matter, and have a child or children who are without adequate health insurance, you want May to examine Medicaid for Texas Children. Texas Medicaid for children is both a state and federal aid program for children with excellent comprehensive health insurance at affordable prices or at no charge at all. To be eligible for Medicaid for Texas Children, a child must be a resident of the United States and Texas, less than 19 years. The family of the child applying for Medicaid for Texas Children must meet the Medicaid of Texas Children income requirements.

There are people who May not qualify for special programs for low income and at the same time, it is very difficult to pay for traditional health insurance. If you’re one of those people, you will receive a discount medical card. So what are they?

A discount medical card is eligible to receive a network of physicians who have agreed to card carriers for medical services at a lower rate. They are generally not affiliated with any insurance company. They are much in May for those who have pre-existing health conditions that excluding more plan or make it very difficult for them to get affordable prices. There is no exclusion for any reason. All you have to do is pay a monthly subscription and you can enjoy the services of a network of health care providers at a reduced rate.

For those who have pre-existing conditions that make it difficult or too costly for them to get private health care, the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985 (COBRA) insurance should also provide more affordable individual coverage.

Finally, everyone can get more affordable rates for health insurance for Texas or the state in which they live, if they shop right for her. Here’s how …

Take the time to visit at least three sites online. This will take you about 15 minutes (Some people have information that is not quite true about them. It is not wise. Giving false information will produce misleading results). You can easily get more affordable rates for health insurance only by choosing the lowest price for many awards back.

If a child belongs to a family that receives temporary assistance to needy families, also called TANF, the child will be immediately eligible for Medicaid for Texas Children. Otherwise, the child’s eligibility is determined by the Texas Health and Human Services Commission, also known as HHSC. If a child is found to be eligible for Medicaid for Texas Children, family, the financial situation of May to be evaluated every six months or so as to ensure that the child is still eligible.

For more information on Texas Medicaid for children in the program, visit the Texas Department of Insurance Web site, or give them a call. You can also visit the website of the Texas Health and Human Services System.

Source by Bestinsurance George