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Monday, February 29, 2016
Underwriting - The Life Insurance Process

Underwriting - The Life Insurance Process

The fourth step in the life insurance process is underwriting. Once your application is received and your medical exam is completed, we submit everything to the insurance company. Then underwriting begins.



Underwriting is the process carriers use to determine how much it will cost to insure you. This process takes an average of four to six weeks. The amount of time it takes depends on whether or not the underwriter requests further information. Underwriters commonly request an applicant's medical records after reviewing the life insurance application and exam. Getting records from your physician is often the longest part of this process.

After all requirements are received, the underwriter will make their final decision on your application. We will notify you via email or phone as soon as your application is approved. If the offer is different than what you applied for, we will contact you to discuss your options. The underwriting process is the most time consuming part of purchasing life insurance. If you have any questions about this process, please call and speak with one of our advisors.

Sunday, February 28, 2016
Medical Exam - The Life Insurance Process

Medical Exam - The Life Insurance Process


The third step in the life insurance process is the medical examination. The medical exam is required for most types of life insurance. life insurance companies use the information from the medical exam to help determine your rate. The medical exam is free and will be scheduled at your convenience. The exam is administered by a traveling nurse who will weigh and measure you, check your blood pressure, and take a blood and urine sample.


The exam findings, along with your application, are then submitted to the insurance company you've selected. To get the best results on your exam, follow these tips. First, be sure to get plenty of sleep the night before your exam. Try to avoid stress of any kind. Avoid all alcoholic beverages. And avoid all forms of caffeinated drinks. These can all cause artificially high blood pressure and pulse readings. Avoid all tobacco. Avoid all foods high in salt content. Avoid eating eggs and all other high cholesterol foods at least a day or even two days before your exam. Remember to fast six to eight hours prior to your exam. And finally, consider drinking a large glass of water one hour before your exam. If you have any questions about the exam, please call or visit us online to speak with a licensed advisor.

The Application - The Life Insurance Process

The Application - The Life Insurance Process

Thank you for choosing trusted quote for your life insurance. You just completed step one of the life insurance process. It is now our job to get you an offer from the insurance company you selected online. purchasing life insurance is kind of like purchasing a car you have to be approved before you can buy the second step in the process is to finish and sign the application.






One of our advisors will call you and walk you through this. During this call we will verify the information you've submitted online and gather any remaining information for the application this includes your personal and beneficiary information as well as any. other information the life insurance company requires to process your application. we also checked to make sure the carrier you chose is the best one for you so speed up this process by calling us now or visiting us online speak with an advisor


Saturday, February 27, 2016
Online Quote - The Life Insurance Process

Online Quote - The Life Insurance Process

The first step in the life insurance process is getting a quote. Luckily, getting a life insurance quote has never been easier. First, find a good life insurance website. Make sure they provide quotes from many carriers. Quotes are based off of basic information including your height, weight, and birthdate.


You'll also be asked to select the amount of coverage you'd like and the term period you'd like your policy to cover. The term period is the amount of time your policy provides coverage. You can choose ten years, twenty years, thirty years, or even lifetime coverage. The coverage amount you select is also important.

This number should be based off of factors such as any outstanding or future debt, funeral expenses, and yearly income. If you need help, please speak with a licensed advisor to determine your needs. After completing the form, you'll instantly be givin quotes from the top insurance companies. If you choose Trusted Quote, after selecting the company that's right for you, one of our agents will compile the information you've given us and contact you to gather any further information that company requires. If you have any questions, please call us now or visit us online to speak with an advisor.

1 Welcome to the New Online Insurance System

1 Welcome to the New Online Insurance System

The new system features a streamlined look and feel, facilitating easier and more efficient navigation. Some of the enhancements include; compatibility with a wider range of internet browsers including Safari, Firefox, Chrome and others; Real-time processing to replace the existing ten- minute batch job updates The ability to retrieve the EFT reference for lodged returns via the Transaction Log; The option to export insurance premium data for the financial year as a spreadsheet; and Assessment Advice displayed in PDF format. To start a Revenue Online session, enter your name and Password and then select the ‘Login’ button. Online Insurance clients now have the option to log in to Revenue Online via AUSkey.

To link your AUSkey to your Online Insurance account, log in to Revenue Online using your existing username and password then select the ‘Maintain AUSkey’ option on the authenticated landing page When logging in for the first time, all registered users will be prompted to change their password. Click on the ‘Password Policy’ link to view the new password requirements.

A password must now be between 8-20 characters in length, contain a combination of upper and lower alpha characters and at least 1 numeric character or special character. For added security, any Revenue Online user who has not changed their password in the last year will receive a password change reminder. When you have changed your password, you will then be taken to the new Revenue Online landing page. The Account Administration functions are more visible and accessible with fewer clicks.

Links to ‘My Details’ and ‘Change Password’ are also prominently placed at the top right-hand corner. They appear on every page; allowing you to modify your contact details and password at any time during a session. Select the ‘Insurance Duty’ button to navigate to the Online Insurance system This will bring you to the new Online Insurance - Client Profile page. The ‘OSR Account Balance’ display has been placed at the top to improve visibility. The ‘Nil Return’ function is located to the right of the OSR Account Balance display; allowing you to quickly submit an Insurance Duty Return where you have no dutiable and no non dutiable premiums to declare.

There are now two broadcast message boxes to separate client-specific messages from general insurance duties notifications. The core insurance duties functions are more visible and easily accessible from the menu on the left-hand side. From here you can lodge a return, initiate payments, and view and adjust lodgment data. You can view a history of user-initiated and financial transactions by selecting the applicable link under the ‘Account Details’ menu. The new Online Insurance system allows you to view Assessment Advice in PDF format; allowing you to print or save a copy for your records.

Friday, February 26, 2016
Life Online Insurance Tips - Why do I need a Protection Plan?

Life Online Insurance Tips - Why do I need a Protection Plan?

My friend mahesh once asked me what is the best part of your life obviously my family. I said to him, I can give anything to see my family happy and secure and that's. when mahesh asked me something that left me speechless, but can you give just a few hundred rupees every month and see them secure always even when you're not with them anymore oh man. I was stunned for a while without me how could they manage the monthly bills the home loans EMI's the child's schooling how I could be a responsible husband and a caring father when I kept postponing a simple but very important task and that's when I signed up for a protection plan from HDFC life it's the most simple plan to understand and to buy all you pay is a small premium and you can get a huge life insurance cover which can last your family for all their needs for a long long time and if you buy it at a younger age the premium is much lower for a similar cover let's see this example for a one crore online term policy from HDFC life a 25-year-old man pays approximately eight thousand six hundred rupees premium per year but for the same cover a 35-year-old man pays approximately 14400 rupees per year if you want to know the cover you need just ask your financial advisor to work out your human life value but a simple thumb rule says that it should be at least eight to ten times your annual income so connect with HDFC life and keep your family smiling forever toh smart bano, sar utha ke jiyo.

Desjardins Insurance Online Services

Desjardins Insurance Online Services

At Desjardins Insurance, we like to make things easy for you. That's why we're inviting you to discover our Online Services. It's secure, easy to use and, most importantly, it will save you time. It's the perfect place to view and modify the details of your policies or to submit an auto claim in no time.


Using Desjardins Insurance's Online Services couldn't be simpler. Go to desjardins general insurance/online. Online Services gives you access to your auto and home insurance policies as well as a range of practical tools. There, you can download, view or print your insurance policies, choose another payment option or change your address. You can also use Online Services to add drivers to your auto insurance policy or even to notify us that you will be putting your vehicle in storage. All that, without speaking to an agent on the phone. Accidents can happen to anyone.

In the event of a mishap, our Online Services are designed to help you get through it more smoothly. You'll find the form to submit an online claim and a tool to select a repair shop. Online Services offers an additional advantage: an insurance shopping tool. In just six questions, you'll receive an insurance estimate on the vehicles you are looking at. Once you've purchased a new vehicle, it's very simple to add it to your policy.
Life Online Insurance Buying Tips - Why do you need a Health Insurance Plan

Life Online Insurance Buying Tips - Why do you need a Health Insurance Plan

We always wished that life should be like a smooth highway No bumps or pot holes to slow us down. But all we need is this tool kit and an extra tyre ready in the boot. Don't we, just in case. But somehow when it comes to our health which is so precious Why is it that we take it so easy? Like this friend of mine who came back from a vacation with a bad infection.  Ten days in the hospital, a huge bill and out of work for a month. Bank balance gone down no income to make the matter worse. If only he had extra tyre ready in his boot.


A small premium can save you and your family a lot of trouble and financial problems. So please do get a good health plan. These plans pay you when you're unwell or hospitalized depending on the type of policy you have. So you do not need to borrow from someone or empty your bank account. And unlike some other medical plans you get a lump sum amount irrespective of how much your hospital bills are. If you plan well you can also get money to compensate for your regular income you may lose when you are unwell and let's not forget about the 35,000 rupees tax benefits that you can get with these plans. We all keep hearing that his health is wealth. Don't we. But with some smart planning, bad health may not always be bad for your wealth.

Thursday, February 25, 2016
Online Insurance Buying Tips - All you need to know about Savings and Investment Plans

Online Insurance Buying Tips - All you need to know about Savings and Investment Plans

I want a good life for my family a bigger house a nice car and enough funds for the expenses that will come up nd I'm sure even you have some goals for your family so why not plan now and ensure that you do not miss your goals ever that trick here is to save regularly and Start early .Let the power of compounding work to our advantage let me explain this to you let us assume for now that your age is thirty years if you start investing five thousand rupees a month for twenty years you will get over 36 lakh rupees when you're fifty but if you star ten years later at the age of forty and you invest five thousand rupees a month you will get a little more than 10 lakh rupees when you are 50 that's almost one-third the amount now if you've decided to start saving where do you save while there are many options with you an insurance plan can give you some unmatched advantages let us look at this example let us assume that in 10 years you will need ten lakh rupees for your child's marriage and if you choose to invest regularly through an insurance plan with the cover of 10 lakh rupees your child's marriage costs are secured guaranteed the day you take the plan so even if you were to invest a very little amount your family does not have to compromise in anyway if something were to happen to you but with any other saving or investment plan your family would have got only the amount invested by you some insurance plans can also give you the flexibility to manage your investment risks and rewards by allowing you to choose how your money is invested through the life of your policy now if you add the tax benefits on the investment and maturity your investment returns actually get up huge booster so if you're looking at a secure sure path to your family's future why not choose a good one with maximum benefits choose an insurance plan from HDFC life smart bano, sar utha ke jiyo
Get Lower Car Insurance Quotes, Compare Rates Online

Get Lower Car Insurance Quotes, Compare Rates Online

Hi, I'm the YouTube Deal Guy, Matt Granite. Welcome to your one stop shop for savings. I usually feature huge deals of all different kinds here everyday. But, I also focus on consumer segments. Ways to save you serious cash, whether you know me from your local TV station or USA today.


I will hook you up with a great resouces located right under this video window. And in a moment, I'm gonna explain what's in my hands and why I'm indebted to all of you. First, if you're not yet subscribed, a reminder. I give out all sorts of freebies for most of my Daily Deal videos. So, click that subscribe button you see on your screen.

If you're not yet subscribed, then you'll be hooked up. First, you wanna save? Getting married, that'll shave 20% off your policy. Also, your rates will drop every year after that between the ages of 25 and 60. Next for a few myths. It's a bit of a myth that female drivers pay less. Guys actually pay less between the ages of 38 and 55. That reverses after men hit the age of 55, where women of the same age actually pay less.  Then, there is not much of a penalty for senior citizen drivers. 75 year old drivers only pay 17% more than 60 year olds. Put differently, 75 year olds pay 43% less than 20 year olds.

And if you wanna pay less than everyone, my favorite free site, insurancequotes.com will compare all of your rates side-by-side, completely unbiased, and a great way to save. Just punch in your zip code, and you are good to go. So, that resource located right under this video screen.  Now, the item that I alluded to at the beginning of this video I just received from YouTube. It's a, I don't know if you'd call it a plaque. And, it is the most awesome thing anyone has ever sent me in the mail to date, other than my marriage certificate, because it means so much to me.  I wouldn't have this, I wouldn't have subscribers, I wouldn't have a YouTube life, and I wouldn't have a family that is amazing as all of you. And, this just signifies that.

Thank you for being here. If you hadn't subscribed, I would be nothing. And, I love it. And, I love you. And, thank you for watching.  For free stuff, click the subscribe button you see on your screen right now. You'll be signed up for that and all of my biggest daily deals. To turn on your alerts, you're gonna see a wheel beside the subscribe button. On a mobile device, it looks like this. Click the box and turn on your channel alerts. That will ensure your emailed everytime I upload a huge deal.

And remember, you wanna buy any item I feature, there's a link right under this video window. Click the show more tab and every link I have for every deal is right there. There ya go. You are awesome. Thank you so much for watching.
Wednesday, February 24, 2016
Auto Insurance Savings Tips - Guaranteed Steps To Dirt Cheap Car Insurance Rates

Auto Insurance Savings Tips - Guaranteed Steps To Dirt Cheap Car Insurance Rates

1. Drive Carefully
One easy way to make sure you pay less is being careful every time you're behind wheels Please, ensure that you make it a policy to NOT drive if you so much as sip any alcoholic beverage. If you're convicted for driving under the influence (DUI) you'll NOT see affordable rates for a very long time. While alcohol-related traffic offences have very immediate and serious repercussions… …speeding tickets will also affect your rates negatively if they pile up. So, if it's a violation of traffic laws, avoid it no matter how negligible it may seem at the time.


2. Maintain an excellent credit rating It might seem unfair to most people but your credit rating does affect you rate. A poor credit history will cost you in higher auto insurance rates For most insurers it shows a pattern they believe you are quite likely to repeat with them in premium defaults. This assumption of high risk makes such individuals attract very high rates in auto insurance and other insurance policies

3. Insure all your vehicles with the same insurer
You can reduce your rates by positioning yourself for a multi-vehicle discount. It is advisable to insure all your cars with the same insurer unless you get a much better rate for one of your cars with another insurer Doing some shopping and then comparing with what you'll get from a multi-vehicle discount is a good way to be sure if this serves your best interest. But that said; insuring more than one vehicle with the same carrier will always get you a nice discount.

4. Hold all your policies under one roof
Buying multiple policies from the same insurer is one smart way to reduce your premium. For example, buying auto insurance from the carrier that underwrites your home insurance policy. However, note that you may be better served if you buy your different policies from different carriers that offer the best rate for each policy. Do extensive comparison shopping with quotes sites. Compare what you will save if you go for a multi-policy discount with what you’ll save by going for individual carriers with the best rates. Make your choice only when you are sure of which is more beneficial.

5. Stay claims-free
Staying claims-free for three years and above will get you a discount. But bear in mind that NOT all insurers offer this discount. If your agent says they don't offer this discount let him or her know that you will switch to another insurer. Believe it or not, every insurer likes having people who stay claims free for this long as policy holders… …You shouldn't have any difficulty getting better rates with a host of other insurers. Most insurers will do all within their powers to ensure they don't lose you and this should lead to some compromise on their part.

6. Drop collision and comprehensive on old vehicles
You're certainly paying too much if you have collision and comprehensive coverage for an old car that is not a classic. Your car's Kelly Blue Book value at the time of a claim (and not the value of the car when you bought it) is what determines what you'll get from your insurer. This means that not minding how much you paid and for how long you did, you may get $500 if the book says it's only worth that much by the time you file a claim. Do the smart thing and take them off your car insurance policy. Doing this will save you much and not compromise you in any way.

7. Make your deductible as high as possible
The higher your deductible amount, the lower your premium will be. Therefore, it makes sense to choose a deductible that is as high as possible but always within easy reach for you. You are bound by law to contribute this amount. So go as high as you can but keep it within your reach.

8. Slash your mileage by every fair means
Drive as little as possible. It will lower your mileage and get you a low mileage discount. This applies more to those whose work and location make it easy for them to use the public transit system. Walk whenever possible. Apart from the fact that it is good for your health, it will also help keep your mileage down. Carpooling is another smart way of reducing your mileage.

9. Get and maintain high grades
It is a fact that young drivers attract very high rates. For those who fall within this age bracket, getting good grades at school will go a long way to help you get more affordable rates. There is a discount know as the Good Student Discount… This discount is for students who get A's or a minimum of B's. It attracts a discount of about 5 percent.  This is so because insurance providers think there is a correlation between good grades and a young driver's behavior behind wheels Students who maintain excellent grades are generally considered more responsible and less prone to reckless driving.

10. Take refresher courses for the elderly
Are you a senior citizen? Then you can reduce your rate if you take courses designed for older drivers. You can reduce your monthly premium by as much as 10% once you pass any of such courses. To find out the finer details of how this works and how much you can save with your insurer, consult your agent.
Pt 2

11. Ask for a retiree discount
Retirees are offered a special discount by a good number of insurance companies. You'll hardly drive as much as you used to do once you are retired thus lowering your mileage. A person's total mileage is a strong factor that determines how much they pay in premiums. So this discount is certainly not one any retired person should overlook. So it's a good thing to ask your agent. And, if your agent tells you they don't have this kind of discount, do your best to report the dramatic change in your mileage. Unless the change in your mileage isn't significant, you should shop for another insurer if you don't get a decent discount.

12. Install theft-deterrent devices
There are many anti-theft or theft-deterrent devices like alarm systems, automatic gas cut-off system and so on. The risk of theft is an important factor that goes a long way to determine your rate. And since these reduce such a risk, you'll attract a good discount if you have them installed… Thieves prefer unprotected cars.

13. Join an auto club
A good number of insurers will give you a discount if you join an auto club. Even if this discount is very small it's still some savings for you.

14. Get a discount for your affiliations
You can get discounts from a good number of insurers if you're part of associations especially the bigger ones. It makes sense for an auto insurer to give group discounts to an association that has a large membership. Bearing this in mind, you'll do well to check if there are discounts for any associations you're part of.

15. Get a discount for your college student
Does your child not use the car for a considerable period of time? Then you can get a discount for this. Take advantage of this if your child is in college. Just note that not all insurers offer this discount.

16. Avoid expensive vehicles
There are cars that cost much more to give adequate auto insurance coverage. It will help a lot if you ask your agent before choosing your next car. Don't buy a car that has a high theft rate and/or a poor crash rating. Also consider the cost of maintaining a car since it is also a factor that determines your rate. With diligence you can avoid buying a car that will make you pay much more in extra premiums over time.

17. Go for a safe vehicle
You'll pay less if you car has a higher safety rating. Opt for cars that have features that increase safety. You'll be eligible for a Safe Vehicle discount if your car has such features. Examples of these safety features are air bags, automatic seatbelt, ABS brakes and daytime running lights. Your agent can give you a list of features that will get you a discount with your insurance provider.

18. NOT driving your vehicle all year round?
Get Storage insurance Paying for a regular auto insurance policy on a vehicle that you get to use seasonally is a waste of money. However, NOT having any form on insurance on it is too risky. This is because it could be stolen or damaged while in storage. So what's the way out? Your best option is storage insurance: It's NOT legal for driving on but it will ensure that you are protected against any loss or damage that may occur while it is in storage.

19. Take advantage of group discounts
If you work for a large company you could enjoy a group discount. If you've not asked, do. Insurance companies offer large organizations some discounts in the belief that such would attract members of that organization. That would save them on customer acquisition.

20. Look for an insurer that favors your profession
All vocations are not equal -- At least from the auto insurance viewpoint. An attorney attracts more expensive rates than an engineer. The rationale for such concessions is that some vocations have been proven to be better risks. Ask your agent if your vocation is eligible for certain discounts. However, the discount you'll be given varies from company to company. Therefore, go comparison shopping to find out which insurer favors you most.
Pt 3

21. Move to an area that represents a lower risk It is cheaper to insure a car if you live in a rural area It makes sense to live in a less congested area if it fits your circumstance This is because the risks of vandalism, theft or... Collision… …are far less

22. Periodic reviews can make a big difference You might be able to bring down your rate if you take time to review your policy from time to time. Change is inevitable and happens without our permission but then we must NOT pay for things that changes have relieved us of… How many people, for example, remember to remove their daughters from their policies immediately they get married? The changes in your life might have qualified you for certain discounts. It might also no longer be in your best interest to retain certain coverage types. It would, therefore, do you a world of good to review your policy yearly or twice yearly. Finding even one thing that you no longer need on your policy and dropping it will save you something reasonable.

23. Avoid policy lapse
Do your utmost to always ensure your policy does NOT lapse. You'll pay more expensive rates for a long time if this happens to you albeit by mistake. Don't allow this mistake while switching because that's one situation where this happens to a lot of people. One way to be certain you do NOT make this type of mistake is to let your old policy keep running until you've confirmed that the new one is fully operational. Many people are paying more than they should just because they made this mistake. So do take care that you don't become one of them.

24. Stop insuring broken vehicles
Do you have a car you've not driven in months? Do you have a broken car? Are you still paying premiums on such a car because you did NOT remember to remove it from your auto insurance policy? As simple as this looks a lot of people end up paying thousands in unnecessary premiums because they don't remember to remove such cars from their policies. Don't make this mistake!

25. Don’t pay monthly. Pay yearly
If you choose to pay your premiums monthly, you'll pay higher rates. True, paying monthly might be less stressful but it is also less affordable. If you work with banks you will agree with me that each check you process is regarded as a transaction which attracts charges. For 12 checks (that is, your monthly payments) you'll have a total of 12 transactions. This means that transaction fees would be 12 times more for those who make monthly payments. Besides, there are also administrative costs that come with the monthly payment option. A good example of such is the expense associated
with sending out payment notices. These and more are then added to your rate thereby making it higher than if you paid annually.

26. Authorize an EFT for your payments
A simple but effective way of lowering your rate is by authorizing an EFT (Electronic Funds Transfer). This just means your insurer withdraws your premiums automatically from your account at specified periods without mailing you payment notices. This saves your insurer in many ways such as removing the cost of mailing payment notices and the cost associated with processing checks. Your premium is therefore reduced in line with the lower cost of providing insurance to you.

27. Drop your young driver from your policy Under-25 drivers get higher rates than any other age group. Worse still, if they are teenagers their auto insurance rates could be really high. Therefore, as much as possible, do not place such a driver on your own policy. You'll be made to pay very high rates if you do that. Sign an exclusion form that will allow your teen driver have his or her own policy. If a teen is keen on driving then they should be made responsible for at least the cost of their auto insurance. Teens who pay for their own auto insurance are more willing to take steps to bring it down. This, by extension, means that such a teen driver will be more responsible behind wheels since they bear the full cost of their actions.

28. Stay loyal and get discounts plus concessions Insurers give customers who have remained loyal a long term discount and accident forgiveness. Some insurers will give you up to 5% in discounts once you've been with them for up to three years while others will give you such a discount only when you've stayed for up to five. Most insurers will also NOT raise the rates of a long standing policy holder if they make just one claim. Insurers offer these as incentives to keep you with them since it serves them better too. But it will only be right for me to also point out that in spite of these incentives, you might actually gain more if you switch to another insurer… Let's assume, that you are given a 5 percent (or $125) discount after your third year with an insurance company where your current auto insurance rate is $2,500. Also note that your rates may be raised to reflect the effect of inflation. But while you're at it, another insurer may be willing to give you a rate of $2,000 or less at the moment. Then it won't be wise to stay put because you want to qualify for a discount down the road considering that the expected discount is less than savings you'll get now if you change to another insurer. Believe it or not, most people can pay far less with another insurer if they'll only make out time to shop right. You can only know if this is true for your profile when you obtain and compare quotes from a good number of auto insurance companies to see where you'll gain more.

29. Don’t falsify your details Make sure you do NOT give false details when you complete your forms. Insurance fraud costs us all. It's been estimated that insurance fraud adds up to $1,500 to the average family's insurance premium annually. You can save us all this extra burden by representing your details truthfully. If you couldn't care less about the cost to everyone in general, don't forget that your insurer is free to cancel your policy on the grounds of false representation. You'll then lose in a very big way. Insurers increase your rates by a good margin once you've let your policy lapse or had it cancelled for reasons like this.

30. Don’t duplicate coverage! You might be duplicating coverage and paying more unnecessarily… …If you have a very good health insurance coverage and also an extensive personal injury protection (PIP) coverage on your car insurance policy. If it's possible in your state, eliminate PIP totally in such a situation. For the rest of us, keep it at the minimum stipulated by your state laws. Why should you pay higher rates that will NOT translate into more benefits?

31. Avoid unnecessary add-ons Add-ons like towing raise your premium without giving you as much value as using a towing service. Have you checked to see if your credit card doesn't already offer this as added value? Overall, you're better off using a third party towing service than placing it on your auto insurance policy.

32. Park only in safe places Don't make the mistake of parking your car in places where it won't be safe. By safe I mean places where the risks of theft, vandalism or accidental damage are very low. Parking your car in a garage will help you reduce your rate over time. And, lest I forget, if you drive out in the night do your best to have your car parked in a well-lit area. This will deter thieves.

33. Don’t file petty claims We told you something about staying claims-free in part one of this series… Stay claims-free for more than three years and most insurers will give you a special discount. But here’s what we didn’t tell you… It does not mean you might not have any reasons to make a claim but that you choose NOT to file one. Therefore, if it's a minor case, handle it on your own. That is, if what you'll gain from a No Claims discount outweighs it. This is particularly true for people who are just a few months or a year away from becoming eligible for the NO-claims bonus.

34. Be a woman or let her own it Statistically, women are safer drivers. Married couples can take advantage of this by having their cars insured in the lady's name with the man as the secondary driver. Although this might not go down well with some male folks, it will help reduce what your family pays for auto insurance.

35. Buy your policy online Running a business on the internet is a lot cheaper than a brick and mortar approach. Compared to buying offline from a brick and mortar business, you'll save up to 15% if you buy your auto insurance policy online. Therefore, as much as you can, buy your car insurance policy online. However, do your utmost to present your details truthfully. If you try to cheat you'll lose big time on the long run… Your insurer will be covered by the law if they cancel your policy on the grounds that you misrepresented facts. Don't also forget to confirm your preferred insurer's rating and standing with your state's department of insurance and other financial rating institutions. This is to ensure you don’t fall into the wrong hands.

36. Don’t include rental car coverage unless… Do not include rental car coverage in your auto insurance policy without confirming if your credit card offers such a benefit. More often than not, you'll discover that your credit card provider has already given you this coverage as added value. You'll simply avoid duplicating coverage if you check before you decide if it's necessary to still add rental car coverage to your policy. Furthermore, do you really need this coverage type if you have more than one car?

37. Get more by paying less with an umbrella policy Reduce your Bodily injury liability coverage to the very minimum required by your state law and buy an umbrella policy instead. The more substantial your assets, they more this recommendation is true in your case. Just to ensure we all are on the same plate… …Bodily injury liability coverage takes care of passengers and the other driver in an accident that's caused by you. If this coverage type takes care of such liability issues, why is still recommended that you get an umbrella policy? The simple reason is that the liability coverage included in any car insurance policy is usually inadequate. This means that your personal assets will be taken if your liability coverage cannot handle the bills and damages incurred. However, there is hardly a law suit or liability issue that an umbrella policy won't take care of completely. You save on many ends with an umbrella policy… It helps you get lower rates, gives you superior liability coverage on auto related issues… …But still covers liability claims that may arise somewhere else, for example, your home. Price-wise, you get much more coverage per premium dollar with an umbrella policy... It could cost a 35 year old man in an area like New York City… …Around $300 extra to raise his bodily injury liability from $25,000/$50,000 to $100,000/$300,000 (The first amount in each pair shows the maximum amount that will be paid out to each injured person in an accident. The second amount shows the maximum that can be paid out per incident). However, with an umbrella policy, he'll spend less than that to get $1 million worth of coverage. And if he chooses to raise the coverage amount of his umbrella policy to $2 million dollars… …He'll have to pay only $75 more! But that’s NOT all… After the $2 million mark, he'll need to add only $50 to his rate per $1 million extra coverage amount. See? That's superior coverage for a lot less -- That's the advantage in adding an umbrella policy instead.

38. Become a defensive driver Defensive driving or any other special driving program approved by your insurer will get you discounts. The reason is simple: Defensive drivers are trained to drive safer. This is particularly important for high risk profiles. Being certified as a defensive driver will save a young driver thousands in premiums in a few years. Apart from the fact that this will help lower your rate, it will help keep you and others safer. Therefore, do your best to get trained in defensive driving from a recognized center. And, don't forget to tell your agent once you complete the course.

39. Ask your agents for all available discounts Take it upon yourself to ask your agent about all the discounts available to you with your preferred insurer. It is possible that your agent did not remember to tell you about some. You'll know only by telling your agent that you want to be sure you've been informed about every discount possible for your profile. You might be astonished at discounts you've not taken advantage of.

40. Make sure your VIN is accurate You might be overcharge if the VIN (vehicle identification number) of your car is entered incorrectly. While this might NOT be through any fault of yours, you might still get more expensive rates due to a mistake like this. Therefore, double check to ensure your vehicle's VIN is accurate on your car insurance policy. It's nothing complicated but could save you a lot of dollars.

41. Get married Although this may sound funny, you can bring down your rates by getting married. I know you won't get married just for this but when you do, it will save you a bit in auto insurance. It's commonsense that everyone becomes more stable and less reckless once they get married. This stability affects such a person for good when he/she is behind wheels. Insurers will tell you that their records show that married people make fewer claims. Furthermore, when they do make those claims, they usually cost less on the average than those by their unmarried counterparts.

42. Leave your car the way it was made! If you want to keep your rates down, do NOT "pimp your ride." Doing such reduces your car's safety and, therefore, warrants higher rates as far as your insurer is concerned. So if you're really serious about keeping your rate down, leave your car the way it was manufactured.

43. Don’t let your home cost you! It's easy to save a few hundred dollars on a home but lose thousands over the years on auto insurance because of its location. Also note that a neighborhood not too far away might fall under a lower crime zone than yours -- This affects rates. So check with your agent before you commit to a new home The truth is that most people don't think about this when they are about buying a home. But think about it…… If your new zip code adds up to $300 to your annual auto insurance rate… …How much would that amount to at the end of your 30-year mortgage?

44. Don’t be careless with your keys! If you must quickly get something inside, turn your car off, lock up and pocket your keys. Don't leave your car unlocked and running. This simple act makes it very easy for thieves. Every thief checks how easy a target is before making a move. It certainly doesn't get easier for a thief than an unlocked car with a running engine.

45. Be on your parent’s policy Using your parents' auto insurance policy is an option for you if you are an under-25. The fact that you are just of driving age means that your parents likely belong to a better risk age bracket. You have to bear in mind, though, that the vehicle must be registered in their name and you must be living with them if you want to take advantage of this option. If you do not like the idea of giving the car's ownership to them, and other stuff that may come with it, then you'll have to forget this option.

46. Opt for a "green" vehicle! The effects of global warming are real and the government is doing everything to mitigate its acceleration. So as an incentive to make the public buy vehicles that are friendly to the environment, many auto insurance carriers give cheaper car insurance rates to owners of such vehicles. Yes, you can't go out to buy a new vehicle just because you want cheaper rates but if you are in the market for a new car, note that going green will help you save on insurance.

47. Do extensive comparison shopping The difference in rate quotes from different insurers for the exact coverage type can range from a few dollars to over a thousand. There are a host of different insurers and the more thorough you are in getting a wide variety of rate quotes, the better your chances of making bigger savings. Take advantage of quotes sites and you will be able to compare quotes from multiple insurers at the same time.
Why Is U.S. Healthcare So Expensive?

Why Is U.S. Healthcare So Expensive?

Since President Obama’s Affordable Care Act was passed in 2010, Congress has done everything they can to stop it. They even shut down the government for two weeks. But the reason Obamacare exists in the first place, is due to astronomically high healthcare costs. In fact, the number one reason Americans file for bankruptcy is due to medical bills. So, why exactly is US healthcare so expensive?


Well, healthcare in the United States is very different from healthcare in the rest of the world. The US is one of the only developed countries without universal healthcare for its citizens. Often times, care is treated as a commodity, rather than a necessity. Instead of prices being set by procedure cost, hospitals and insurance companies negotiate for prices that are based on bargaining power. Meanwhile, patients have almost no influence on the cost, considering that there is often no alternative to being treated.

But some have pointed out that unlike other commodities, healthcare costs tend to rise without ever going down, leading to a perpetually increasing price point. One of the reasons for this is that hospitals are responsible for treating uninsured patients. The cost of their treatment is passed on to insured patients, and is tacked onto their care. Additionally, US hospitals spend considerably more than any other country on administrative costs.

Doctors also earn much more for the same procedures than in other countries. Even drug costs are higher, as the US does not negotiate drug purchases in bulk. From top to bottom, healthcare suppliers charge Americans more money.

However, alongside providers being overcharged, some higher costs can be blamed on Americans themselves. In the US, preventative care is less stressed, and as such, Americans don’t go to the doctor until they absolutely have to. For example, in other countries, citizens avoid heart attacks by visiting the doctor more frequently. And even when they do get heart attacks, they are less likely to receive costly open heart surgery. But in the US doctors make more money for performing certain procedures. Thus there is an incentive to push expensive, and sometimes unnecessary surgeries.

Sadly, despite spending considerably more on healthcare than any other nation on earth, the US has one of the worst health care systems among developed nations. In an international profile of worldwide healthcare, the US has ranked dead last when compared to similar nations. Although the Affordable Care Act is in effect, insurers and pharmaceutical companies are still raking in billions, all while Americans suffer from a lower standard of care. Because healthcare is so expensive, many Americans are crossing borders to get dental care, heart surgery, and more
Wednesday, February 17, 2016
Should you have flood insurance in Northern California?

Should you have flood insurance in Northern California?

The return of rainy weather has now sparked an interest in flood insurance but it's still probably not enough to reverse the trend in california's dropping flood insurance and coverage. David bienick has been looking into the numbers and joins us now live in sacramento. Good evening. A light rain falls here in old sacramento tonight and it's important to remember that your homeowners' insurance typically will not cover flooding damage.


You need a separate policy for that. In recent years, tens of thousands of californians have decided to run the risk of going without. The sacramento river is still well within its levees but has come up more than 10 feet since last week's storm and is now full of mud and floating debris. I'm shocked. I didn't think it was going to be this high.

The high rivers and recent street and stream flooding mean megan mckinnon, who sells flood insurance policies in sacramento, is spending a lot more time on the telephone. Maybe three, five calls a day. She says it's a huge increase from recent years when flood insurance was a hard sell. Statewide, the number of policies has fallen more than 13%. For more than 273,000 policies in 2009, to about 237,000 policies this fall.

Millions in levee improvements have meant the federal government no longer requires flood insurance in some neighborhoods and agents say the tough economy made it harder for some families to afford flood insurance. There is no worry of flood but now they want it.

New and renewing policy holders may be in for a bit of sticker shock. A new law takes effect next spring that will drastically cut federal flood insurance subsidies. Some policy holders will see premium hikes of up to 18% per year. So californians' interest in flood insurance seems to be driven mostly by what they see in our rivers and our sky.

Flood Insurance Door to Door

Flood Insurance Door to Door

I just moved down here from West Virginia and we had a big storm here it was raining continuous for days. It was pretty bad I, I mean all the roads were flooded to about 2 or 3 feet. We ended up going to Richmond because we had two twins we just had. and we were kinda scared we might not be able to get out. Hello, I'm with FEMA and we're giving out information on flood insurance.

Not everybody that's a renter understands that they can get flood insurance from the National Flood Insurance Program, renter's insurance. It's very reasonable, and they can get it from any agent, it's readily available. And they need to protect themselves from flood. Woman (inside apartment) Well, I'm just letting you know we all rent here. I know, and I'm letting you know that flood insurance for renters is available. Not many people realize that they can get flood insurance if they're renting It's available everywhere.

We're going to leave some information for this person who is obviously not home. This looks like it's been a well elevated building here. They need contents only flood insurance, that's what they want. If they're not in a flood zone they can get very reasonable rates from a preferred risk policy.

All they have to do is go to their agent ask their agent, and he'll sell you it. I'm with FEMA, and we're going around giving out information out on flood insurance for renters. Do you rent? Do you have flood insurance? Well you might want to consider it. Today we've run into some very receptive people, they at least listen to you and they'll take the information and they're gonna consider it.

We were able to dispel some myths about it. they thought that their renter's insurance covered it, it doesn't I don't wanna take that chance for next time that you know we might not be that fortunate next time and lose everything and I don't want that to happen

Tuesday, February 16, 2016
Flood Insurance in Florida

Flood Insurance in Florida

A peril that is not covered under your homeowners insurance is flood, and on a national level flood is the number one occurrence, the number one thing that happens to peoples’ homes. Yet it is not covered on you homeowners policy and you need to realize that. You can’t get it on your homeowners policy, so you have to buy a flood policy. Now, when I say you “have to” it is not mandatory unless you have a mortgage. If you have a mortgage and you are in a flood zone that requires you to have flood coverage, and the mortgage company determines that, they will tell you that you have to get it.


When you are dealing with this, let me help you understand how flood insurance works. First of all, it’s a program developed by the federal government. There are flood maps all over the country, but since we are worried about Florida, in our area there is a determined flood zone. Who determines that? - The federal government. Insurance companies have access to those maps. The federal government determines the rates, the amount of money that you are charged for living in those designated areas. The federal government actually pays for the claim if you have a flood at your home, but the insurance companies are the ones that administer the whole thing.

Most of the time you can get a flood policy directly through the federal government. I don’t suggest that. It’s better to deal with an insurance company. The insurance company taps into the federal government for the whole program. The insurance companies are the administrators of this – they do the billing, and they often are the ones that send the adjustors out to settle the claim, but the money comes from the federal government. When you buy flood insurance, once again you have choices, and you need to know you can cover the structure of your house. You can do that only, and that’s what the mortgage company of course is concerned about, just the structure. You can also pick coverage for your contents, personal property, belongings.

You may have some type of detached structure on your property. If you want flood coverage on it, you have to pick another policy for that detached structure. You have to be aware of these things – choices. The cost of flood insurance varies, and it varies based on some common sense here, the closer you are to being threatened to be flooded, the more expensive it is. If you are on a lake, if you are right next to the ocean, if you are right by a creek - those kind of things, common sense, where a flood is more likely to happen, the more expensive your flood insurance will be - so, common sense. Anybody can have flood insurance, you need to know that. You may not be mandated by a mortgage company to have flood insurance; you may not have a mortgage, so there is no pressure for you to have flood insurance, but you can get it if you want it. If it concerns you, it is something that should be talked about thoroughly and understand how the coverage might actually work, as well as the cost of that. Common sense would tell you again, the closer you are to water, the more expensive it is going to be.
Addressing Flood Insurance Policyholders

Addressing Flood Insurance Policyholders

Hi. My name is Brad Kieserman and I am the new Deputy Associate Administrator for Federal Insurance here at the Federal Emergency Management Agency and I wanted to talk to you directly. As you know, there's been a lot of media coverage lately about allegations related to how we delivered the National Flood Insurance Program in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy. There's allegations of fraud, there's allegations of underestimation of payments, and those allegations could impact any of our Sandy survivors. I want you to know a couple of things.

First of all, we're working very hard to resolve that litigation and to get you out of the middle of these disputes. We're working every day to develop a process for settlement and to settle claims. I want you to know we're not only working to settle claims that are in litigation, but we want to give every Sandy survivor who thinks they may have been defrauded or received less than they were entitled to under their policy, the opportunity to have their claim readjusted. We're very quickly establishing a process by which every Sandy survivor will have that opportunity if they had filed that claim under the National Flood Insurance Program.

And it's not just litigation or claims. We know that we have to make changes to this program, and we are undertaking sweeping reforms that are going to change the way that we deliver the National Flood Insurance Program. And that begins with making sure that anyone who's involved in delivering the program, whether they're a federal employee, a contractor, a subcontractor or anyone else, shares the values that we have about being survivor centric in putting policyholders first. So I want to let you know that. And I want to let you know that in the coming weeks, we're going to be sharing information with you about how to get a claim readjusted if you think that you've been defrauded or you think that you've received less than you were entitled to under your policy.

We're going to be sharing information with you about some of the reforms we're contemplating and getting input from you and others about how to go about making this a better program that puts the policyholders first. There are legitimate issues that need to be worked out in Congress, in the courts, and in the executive branch. But I want to make sure you know, and I want to get you out of the middle of all of these disputes. I want to get you the money you're entitled to under your policy. And we're going to do everything we can to give you the National Flood Insurance Program you deserve as policyholders and taxpayers. Thank you for your patience.

The National Flood Insurance Program

The National Flood Insurance Program

Although FEMA does have a excellent recovery program, we also have, what we call, mitigation. And mitigation is to prevent future loss of life and property and part of that mitigation division is the National Flood Insurance Program. The program consists of three components. There's flood plain mapping. FEMA creates the, what we call, the flood insurance rate maps. They're mapped for every community in the country, and the delineate the risk areas. The second component is flood insurance. In other words, flood insurance is a federally subsidized insurance program that protects homes and businesses from flooding. And that leads me to the third and final component: flood plain management.

FEMA makes an arrangement with local communities that, if they adopt and enforce our minimum standards, we will provide flood insurance to residents within those communities. And one of our minimum standards is that the lowest floor of any structure has to be built at or above the base flood elevation. Usually, the higher above that base flood elevation the lowest floor of your house is, the less your flood insurance premiums will be. Well, along those coastal v-zones areas, where you expect a high velocity wave action, the lowest horizontal structural member of that structure has to be at or above the base flood elevation. This is to allow the waves to roll under that structure and to create less damage to that structure. In your a-zones, we also have minimum building standards and one technique that we like to use is to put in openings.

Some of us refer to them as flood vents. In other words, if you put in openings around your foundation walls, which allows the water to flow in and flow out and reduce the hydrostatic and hydrodynamic pressures of that water, hopefully, in a flooding event, your structure will have less damage because you will have maintained the integrity of your foundation. We also require that, and the community enforces these, that all your utilities, your furnace, your hot water heater, be elevated to or above that base flood elevation to once again, prevent damage. And it has been shown that if your house is built properly, in accordance with our minimum standards, those structures that are built properly are less damaged by a flooding event than those that are not.

What is Title Insurance and is it Worth it?

What is Title Insurance and is it Worth it?

What is title insurance and is it necessary? I’m Tom Oldfield. I’m a real estate and business lawyer in Fircrest, Washington. Title insurance is different from car insurance or homeowner insurance in that title insurance insures against what happens in the past, not something that happened in the future. If you buy car insurance and you had a wreck last week, it’s not going to cover it.


If you buy car insurance and you have a wreck next week, it’s covered. Title insurance is the opposite, it insures against last week’s problem. There are 2 primary functions for title insurance. The first is that the title insurance company prepares what they call a preliminary commitment that states all of the encumbrances – any debts or easements or anything that’s out there that affects the title – so that you can look at that before closing and see what risks there are, if there are any risks. The title insurance company then issues a policy that guarantees you against loss if there are any other problems with the title that they didn’t disclose.

The other significant value and significant obligation under a policy of title insurance is that if there is a claim, if someone is claiming that they own your property that a deed to the person that sold the property to you was invalid, that you can’t enjoy your property like you should, the title insurance company has a duty to defend that claim. They have to hire a lawyer, pay that lawyer, and defend that claim, and if there’s a loss in value – a lower value in your house – because of that claim they have to pay that loss.

Monday, February 15, 2016
Affordable Home Insurance - Steps That Guarantee Cheaper Insurance Rates

Affordable Home Insurance - Steps That Guarantee Cheaper Insurance Rates

Affordable Home Insurance -- Steps That Guarantee Cheaper Insurance Rates A fire-safe home exterior will help bring down your rates. You'll be doing the right thing if you ensure you don't have anything flammable close to your home.

Even though cutting bushes around your house looks simple... ...You will get lower premiums if you do keep them at a distance of at least 10 feet from your structures. The likelihood of a fire in a house is a very strong factor that determines your home insurance rate. It's more expensive and a waste of money to insure the land on which your house is built. Many people pay much more than they should on home insurance just because of this mistake.

You've made same mistake if you insured your home for the price you bought it without checking the cost of the land it's standing on and deducting it. If you made this mistake, meet with your agent quickly and go through your coverage. Subtract the cost of the land and you will discover that you'll need far less coverage. Your premium will drop and you'll still have sufficient coverage if you do it right. Since insurance is for things that can be lost, insuring the land which can neither be lost nor damaged isn't right.

Home Insurance Replacement Cost

Home Insurance Replacement Cost

When you are buying a homeowners insurance policy the first thing you look at and have to think about, and make a good decision on is, what is the value of your home. Now, I say you make a decision; once again, you should be guided by the insurance agency you are dealing with. What you don’t do, is use the purchase price of your home. Sometimes a mortgage company may mandate that you insure your home at least equal to the mortgage.


That may be something you don’t have a choice with, but maybe your house needs to be insured for more than that. I will say though, if your agent is in to it, like we are, and your mortgage company is requiring you to have a higher value than what you really need to insure your home for, it’s worth taking a shot at to see if the correct value can be established. So what does that mean, “correct value?” Again, you don’t base it on the purchase price.

What you base the value of a homeowners policy on is what it is going to take to rebuild your home if it goes flat to the ground – burns down, blows away in a hurricane, however it gets damaged you have to build it back. Market value, as we know right now, market value changes. What happens is that based on the characteristics of a home from square footage to the type of construction - brick, block, frame, the roof, the garage, all the different factors that go into a home. These questions are asked and put into a computer model. These models are designed by insurance companies and will help determine what that value needs to be to replace your home in today’s market, obviously with new materials.

It is even sensitive enough, this computer model, to know what the cost of building is in your very zip code. The amount that you determine is a professional and accurate way to go about determining the value for your home. Heads up, if you ever get into a situation where someone says, “how much is your house” or “how much did you buy it for” and they go with that. It really needs to start right there, with getting the value established with what it would take to rebuild your home if it went flat to the ground.
Home Insurance Deductibles

Home Insurance Deductibles

“This policy contains a clause which may limit the amount payable.” Have you ever wondered what this means? You’ll see it on the front page of most insurance policies. This refers to your deductible. When you suffer a loss, there’s almost always a deductible to be paid. This could range from $200 to $2,500 or even higher. Often earthquake deductibles will be a percentage of the amount of coverage on your home.


Deductibles help keep your premiums down. How? Well, deductibles prevent payments being made on very small losses. This significantly reduces an insurance company’s costs, thereby helping to keep everyone’s premium down. If you have a low deductible, such as $200, you may be tempted to make claims on very small losses. If you do, you could lose any “claims free discount” you may be enjoying. Also, after a few small claims, you’ll likely see your base rate go up, possibly costing you more than it would have cost to replace the small items yourself.

A number of claims could even result in the insurance company no longer offering you a renewal. If you opt for a higher deductible, you’ll see a fairly significant saving in your premium amount. Small losses may not be covered, but you’re really buying insurance to protect yourself from a catastrophic loss, such as earthquake, fire, windstorm damage, water damage, and break-ins. It may be worth your while to opt for a higher deductible. You’ll save money, and by covering very small losses yourself, you’ll keep your premium down. Your insurance will be there for you when you really need it!

How To Buy Homeowners Insurance - Understand Underwriting Goals of Homeowners Insurance

How To Buy Homeowners Insurance - Understand Underwriting Goals of Homeowners Insurance

I'm Romie Brown. On behalf of Expert Village, I'm here to discuss your tips and tidbits on how to buy homeowner's insurance. In this clip, we're going to discuss underwriting philosophies and eligibility for coverage for insurance companies. One thing that's very important is that you realize that there are guidelines to getting insurance. Just because you buy a new home doesn't mean that it is eligible for coverage. So some of the things we have to consider is: the age of the home. Are there any perils at home, any slip, trip and falls? See if there are any prior losses. You can get this by talking to your insurance agent about doing a report, like a clue report, on said property, to make sure there are no prior losses. Plus, that helps you in the buying process. If there were prior losses on that property, that they were properly repaired, so that way before you buy the home. This can help you in the negotiation process with the price, as well.


Prior losses are a huge thing in the insurance industry right now. Not only personally, but also for the house that you're buying. Insurance companies are very leery about houses that had, for example, water breakage in pipes on a constant basis. That means there's an underlying problem there that needs to be addressed. And until that problem is addressed, most insurance companies might back off that home, just because it's a loss waiting to happen. The average losses for homeowners is once every eleven years. That's taking into consideration the little old lady down the street who's been in her house for fifty years, who never had a loss. And then the young couple down the street who had two losses in three years. So the average is once every eleven years. So if an insurance company sees a house that's had a couple losses in the past couple years, that throws up a red flag. So it's very important to make sure you know the loss history of that home. And also protect your loss history to make sure that you're insurable.

Sunday, February 14, 2016
Health Insurance Choices for Families

Health Insurance Choices for Families

I've been married for almost 15 years to Kelton. He's a designer, an architect. And then we have one daughter, Gwendolyn and she's almost 8 years old. The current piece I'm working on right now is composed of mainly steel and there's a component that's in the lake series of buoys and water lilies. So it's a pretty large piece, it's probably about, in total about 40 - 50 feet long.


Starting at age 27, I was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer. Went through treatments to get me through that. Since then really I've been in great health up until 5 years ago when I had a heart attack. I was age 39. If Kelton wouldn't have had health insurance whenever he was first diagnosed, it would have bankrupted him. We were just dating at the time, but those bill as they came in, looking at a quarter of a million dollars every time he was in the hospital. Thankfully he had at least limited health insurance. Ever since then our family has made it a top priority to be sure that we had the best health insurance that we can provide. I think health insurance is absolutely crucial.

In fact our friends are used to us preaching about how they must have health insurance and our family knows all too well what can happen if you don't. It's expensive to have health insurance, but it is not nearly as expensive as it would be if we didn't have it. One of my least favorite things to do is to shop for health insurance. We have a broker who's been helpful in that way but it is still incredibly complicated. And I feel like I'm a bright gal, I can usually figure things out but there's just no apples to apples comparison.

Our family is very hopeful that Connect for Health Colorado is going to be able to offer not only us but myriad people who not ever had health insurance or were not happy with their health insurance be able to have an opportunity to get good affordable care. It sounds like what we need in terms of being able to choose our health insurance. To be sure that we can have the physicians that we want to work with especially given my history. That's important. I want to be sure that our family is always covered.

Life Insurance - Protecting Your Family

Life Insurance - Protecting Your Family

I can't believe it's nearly been two years since they lost their dad. It's still tough but you have to try and get on with it. I'm so glad we had Smart Life insurance, so at least I don't have to worry about my mortgage. Our policy was for £100,000 which I used to pay it off. It was easy to arrange on the phone with no forms, and after what happened my friends got Smart life insurance too. I mean why risk it?

Arranging smart life insurance can help give your family financial security and peace of mind. If you're a UK resident aged 18 to 64. You can apply to a benefit amount of £60,000 to £750,000 depending on your age, you won't need a medical or a blood test, there are just some health and lifestyle questions. Say you are 40 and a non smoker it is under £10 a month in the first year, for a £100,000 benefit amount.

You can add cover for your children or for critical illness, and the benefit amount can be paid in advanced if you are diagnosed as terminally ill. The younger you are when you start your policy the less it will cost you per month, and you can make changes whenever you want with no admin charges. You're in control; plus we will send you a will kit with your policy, and as a thank you, you'll get back 10% of your first years premiums.

New York Health Insurance Explained

New York Health Insurance Explained

Millions of us now have health insurance under the Affordable Care Act, or what some people call Obamacare. But like many things in life, your health insurance can often be confusing and complicated. Whether you've been insured for years or you're new to the game, understanding your policy is important to your health...and your wallet. First things first, you have to pay your premium every month or your insurance could get cancelled - kind of like your cable subscription. You can also think of it like a shared health care piggy bank -- we all chip in each month, even if we're healthy, so the money is there when we need it.


If you get insurance at work, your employer probably pays most of your premium and the rest comes out of your paycheck automatically. If you have Medicaid, you most likely don't have to pay any premium at all -- the federal government and your state take care of that. If you're insured through a new health insurance marketplace, depending on your income, you may be eligible for a tax credit that pays a portion of your premium. Once you have that shiny new insurance card, you'll want to try really hard to keep it in your wallet! To better your odds at staying healthy, be sure to take advantage of the free preventive services that all new insurance plans provide.

But of course...stuff happens. And that's when insurance really comes in handy. Now, having insurance helps a lot, but it doesn't mean all your health care is going to be free. There are lots of details about your insurance plan that affect how much you pay when you get sick or injured. If you have Medicaid, a lot of these services could very well be free. Otherwise, you'll likely have to pay something when you go to the doctor or fill a prescription. This is called a copay when it's a specific dollar amount -- like $25 per visit...or coinsurance if it's a percentage of the bill. There's also the deductible -- that's how much comes out of your own pocket before your insurance starts paying. Depending on your plan, you might have a deductible for all your care, or it might only apply to some types of care, like hospital stays and prescriptions.

So read your plan material, because it can add up to thousands of dollars! Another important part of your plan is the out of pocket maximum. This is the most you'll ever have to pay in any one year. At least for the benefits your plan covers. Your insurer will pay 100% of anything beyond the maximum for the rest of the year. It can be just as confusing dealing with prescriptions! Your plan has a list of drugs it will pay for, called a formulary, but the prices vary. Check with your doctor or pharmacist, because a generic drug might fix you up the same as a brand name drug, but the price difference could be huge. So, those are the costs typically involved, but remember that they'll be affected by your insurance plan's provider network. This is a list of doctors and hospitals that are connected to your plan. Insurance companies negotiate discounts with these providers.

Stay in-network, and the discounts get passed to you. Go out of network, and you could end up paying full price. And remember that out-of-pocket limit? It won't work if you go out of network! In some plans -- like HMOs or EPOs -- your insurance would pay nothing if you go out-of-network. In other plans -- like PPOs -- your insurance will cover you no matter where you go, but you'll pay a lot more if you go out of network. Also, if you want to visit a specialist - like an orthopedist - some plans require a referral from your primary care doctor.

Sound easy enough? Well, sometimes staying in-network can be tricky! In a hospital, it's possible that your surgeon could be in-network, while your anesthesiologist is not. If this happens to you, don't be afraid to negotiate with your provider or file an appeal with your insurer. So as you can see, there's a lot to think about when you choose an insurance plan each year.

Some plans may have low premiums, but fewer doctors or hospitals and high deductibles. There are tradeoffs, and understanding and choosing among plans isn't always easy. Remember, if you have questions call your health plan and ask, or check with your hospital or doctor. If you still have questions, your state insurance department or Consumer Assistance Program can help. With the Affordable Care Act, there's new support for consumers, so take advantage of it! Having health insurance protection is a good thing, especially when you know how it works. We hope you're now better prepared for the next time you have to pull that insurance card out of your wallet.

Saturday, February 13, 2016
Reasons for Renters Insurance

Reasons for Renters Insurance

So... you have just moved into your new place. It could be an apartment or home. You're unpacking and getting the furniture... "just right". You can finally relax. But wait... what would happen if there was damage to your personal property from... a fire... a storm. Or what if you had a theft? What would you do? How would you replace your personal property... and get back on your feet? Did you know... Landlord insurance policies generally do not cover "your" personal property and some risks? To protect your personal property and yourself from some risks consider purchasing Renters insurance. It helps protect your financial well being. Renters insurance has some similarities to homeowners insurance.


However, it is designed specifically for those who rent where they live. Renters Insurance policies offer a variety of coverage, deductibles and endorsements to choose from. An insurance agent can help you choose a policy that's right for you. There are a few things to consider when you are looking to purchase a Renters insurance policy.  For one, know what a policy will and will not cover. Review the terms of your policy to learn exactly what is, and what is not covered. A policy with "Replacement Cost Coverage" will reimburse you the amount that it takes to replace your personal property with similar items, up to the policy limit.

A policy with "Actual Cash Value" reimburses you for what your personal property was worth at the time they were damaged or destroyed, up to the policy limit. Please note the reimbursement for actual cash value could be much lower than replacement cost because of depreciation and other factors. Another thing to consider is whether your policy will cover any additional living expenses if your residence becomes uninhabitable due to a fire... storms or other loss. You should also consider what type of liability coverage the policy offers. Liability coverage provides (depending on the terms of your policy) financial protection if someone is injured while at your residence.

So, once you have purchased a Renters policy, you might think you are done, and ready to kick back in your new place. Not so fast... there's another big thing to consider. Like homeowners, renters should make sure to have their personal property documented... just in case something happens. Product identification, including brand, model, serial number, purchase date and price should be documented. It's also a good idea to take photos or a video of each room and its contents. Keep the list, photos and or video of your personal property in a "safe" place. So, protect yourself from financial loss with renters insurance... and then you can really relax and settle into that cushy couch... and enjoy the show on your big screen TV.

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