Latest Insurance Articles

Vehicle Insurance -- Three Additional Tested Steps

Fri, 11 Sep 2009 02:51:22 -0500

Contrary to all you might have been told, you don't really have to do very great things in order to get the cheapest car insurance policy that gives you adequate coverage. It's normally little things that bring about huge savings. Let's examine some of them in this article...

1. People who stay in crowded areas are more likely to have one form of car accident or another when compared to folks who live in sparsely populated areas. It is a smart move to live in a sparsely populated area if it fits your circumstance considering that the probability of vandalism, theft or collision is much lower.

2. You might lower your rate if you reappraise your auto insurance policy every once in a while. The singular rationale for this is that things about us change frequently without us even being aware of them. A good example is a situation where someone leaves their wedded daughter on their auto insurance policy for over a year simply because they did not remember.

Also, there are discounts you might now be eligible for. It might as well no longer be good advice to retain some coverage types.

It would, as a matter of fact, do you a world of good if you go through your policy yearly. You might see a few points that are no longer needed and save as you drop them.

3. You could save some hundreds of dollars by simply obtaining and comparing quotes from not less than five insurance quotes sites. And, it will take only a total of 25 minutes.

International Students Health Insurance - Study USA Policy

Fri, 11 Sep 2009 02:45:03 -0500

Every year, an increasing number of students travel overseas to pursue higher education in foreign academic institutions. The last thing a student would desire is for an unforeseen medical complication or emergency to disrupt this most fruitful period of education. To prevent this, a foreign student would require a comprehensive and un-compromised medical coverage against medical crises. The student would require a competent international student medical insurance policy.

Liaison international student insurance offers a comprehensive insurance policy that is customized to suit the purposes of the student pursuing foreign education. It is an extremely affordable policy that entails extensive medical coverage clauses. This way, Liaison study usa insurance ensures that the student is not inconvenienced even during urgent medical crises.

The policy is available to both U.S citizens and students of foreign nationalities, provided they are over 13 years. Research scholars, full time students and cultural exchange students possessing legal temporary immigration papers can subscribe to this policy. Liaison Student insurance has attractive coverage options that defray prescribed treatment charges for a wide range of eligible health complications.

Liaison Student insurance offers a generous maximum coverage limit of $ 250,000 for the primary insurance policyholder. The policyholder?s immediate dependents receive an inclusive coverage of $50,000 if they also avail of coverage. Besides defraying the basic prescribed charges, international students health insurance also offers round the clock active communicative assistance. The coverage also includes a host of vital ancillary services that might, otherwise, have proved exorbitant.

The international student health insurance also renders vital ancillary services like medical transportation units and arranging for prescribed advanced diagnostics. The essential service charges for floor nursing, boarding and cleaning are also defrayed the by Liaison Student insurance cover.

Liaison Student insurance stringently adheres to every guidelines stipulated by the State Department pertaining to study usa insurance policies. It offers a substantial coverage limit of maximum $ 250,000 for the primary insured and $50,000 for the policyholder?s immediate dependents (who must also be insured).

Eligible dental treatments, necessitated by injury to healthy natural teeth, are covered by Liaison Student medical insurance clauses. The insurance policy offers exclusive supplementary adventure-sports riders offering additional medical coverage for sport aficionados. The international student insurance also offers essential services like medical evacuation and repatriation and re-transportation of mortal remains.

All of the offered services are backed by an extensive telecom support network that is active round the clock. With the goodwill and experience of offering quality insurance policies since 1993, Liaison Student international insurance has proved itself to be an extremely dependable traveling ally.

Top Tips For Saving On Car Insurance

Sun, 06 Sep 2009 03:06:33 -0500

The following article lists some simple, informative tips that will help you have a better experience with car insurance for 17 year olds and teenagers.

Rates can vary a great deal between insurance companies, so get quotes from several car insurance companies. Talk to friends, relatives, colleagues, and acquaintances for any recommendations. Rates will vary depending upon on how much coverage is being offered. Taking a higher deductible may provide significant savings.

Saving on fuel is a top priority for most American drivers these days as the economy struggles to recover. However, buying a hybrid car is a big commitment and one to be taken seriously. Premiums would also decline for around two-thirds of drivers, since a minority of high-mileage drivers are responsible for the majority of miles driven. Estimates show that those who drive less than average would save up to several hundred dollars per vehicle. Do drivers of sports cars get more tickets? We debunk these and other myths.

See how much you can learn about car insurance for 17 year olds when you take a little time to read a well-researched article? Don't miss out on the rest of this great information.

These requirements help ensure all drivers can pay for damages or injury caused by the vehicle they are driving. Each state has it has own specific requirements for minimum auto insurance so make sure you understand the requirements in your state. If the premium for the student driver is one to two thousand dollars per year, a good student discount could be a savings of one hundred fifty to three hundred dollars per year. Multiply that by the number of years in school, and that will add up to a huge savings.

Motor insurance protects you, your vehicle and other motorists against liability in the event of any accident. It provides financial compensation to cover any injuries caused to people or their property. Motor insurance premiums have gone up 70% in the last eight years. Here is your guide to saving money on your car insurance whether you have a no claims bonus or not.

Individuals can even pay for their new car insurance policies online, as well as receive proof and identification cards via their e-mail, making the method of internet shopping one of the most convenient and hassle free ways of acquiring new coverage. The site makes it easy to shop by company or by category and compare prices and policies. When you have all the information you need, just request a free quote.

So now you know a little bit about car insurance for 17 year olds. Even if you don't know everything, you've done something worthwhile: you've expanded your knowledge.

Help to remind the UK public of the virtues of life insurance

Mon, 31 Aug 2009 20:35:56 -0500

When the recession bites, insurance is one of the first things we tend to cut-back on. This trend has been widely reported since the peak of the credit crunch, yet the most recent reports according to The Guardian show the true extent to which we have turned our backs on something that we used to consider so essential. A study by Sainsbury's found that around one million consumers have reduced their spend on home insurance or cancelled it completely, whilst over half a million are said to have cancelled their life insurance.

With so many of us turning our back on insurance, the government and insurance industry are now in the position of reminding the UK public of its importance. A report put together by the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Alistair Darling, and insurance executive, Andrew Moss, shows that less and less of us have any financial safety-net, such as savings or insurance, in an age when the public are living longer.

The report discusses the greater role the insurance industry can play in order to assist the government in providing for people's needs. It suggests that if the industry increased their share of risks by five percent they save the public sector £17 billion a year. In addition to this the report puts forward the consideration to appoint a financial education commissioner who will work with the financial services industry in order to deliver education and information on all aspects of money and financial security.

The report and plans are of considerable significance, but for some insurance providers, some action needs to be taken sooner to make a difference. Moss's company, Aviva, are one such insurer who is eager to remind new parents of the importance of life insurance - and to make it as accessible as possible.

Matt Morris at Lifesearch highlights that this is a limited amount of cover. But in light of further research that shows nearly half of parents not having bought life insurance, and another 17 percent who have insufficient cover to pay off their mortgage in the event of their death, the idea may be set to spark a trend among other insurers.

This latest incentive is next in a long line of such ideas set to get the public to consider how they can save money on insurance after comparison sites and extras such as cash-back. Though with the added government report, it seems likely that many of us will begin to reconsider the importance of insurance and financial security over the next few years.

New FSA Fines Have the Interest of the Consumer at Heart

Mon, 31 Aug 2009 20:20:02 -0500

The Financial Services Authority (FSA) have introduced stricter fines in an effort to deter financial companies from selling products, such as pensions and life insurance, on commission - with the subsequent intention of giving consumers confidence that they are purchasing what they need by stopping mis-selling. So how will the new fines really affect consumers?

The new plans by the FSA come just after the release of its most recent annual report in which chairman Lord Turner highlighted the difficult year for the global banking system and those that are connected to it. It has no doubt been the most tumultuous time for the FSA since it was officially named in 1997, and it is perhaps worth noting that whilst it has regulated banks since the 90s, it has only regulated general insurance intermediaries (not including travel insurance) since 2005. Subsequently, the increasingly comprehensive authority of the FSA, as well as high profile failures of certain financial services over the last few years - makes their most recent moves seem all the more timely.

According to timesonline.co.uk, after February 10th insider dealers will be fined a minimum of £100,000, whilst full fines for companies could be as high as £50 million. The new fines come as reports surface that costs to consumers total £14.5 billion over the last 20 years - simply due to what the FSA calls ‘systematic mis-selling' that has been driven by high commissions.

So how will it really affect consumers? Aside from simply giving harsher punishment to companies and individuals who break the rules, according to dailymail.co.uk financial ‘advisors will be paid only by fees agreed with clients, rather than by commission paid for by a product provider.'

At fsa.gov.uk, Margaret Cole stated: "These proposals are an important step in pushing forward our ethos of credible deterrence…Moving to this new framework will enable our enforcement policy to continue making a real difference to consumers and to changing behaviour in the financial services sector."

Although, it may prove unpopular among advisers and financial companies, it seems that the moves toward more transparency and honesty can be seen as a positive side-affect of the recession.

Tips for driving your van abroad

Fri, 28 Aug 2009 00:22:59 -0500

Travelling abroad has never been easier - and it's not always necessary to fly. Taking your own vehicle to the continent is just as economical as flying and also gives you the freedom to choose exactly where you travel. If you're travelling on business, this also means that deadlines, meetings and other business activities can be carried out using your commercial vehicle instead of relying on a left-hand drive hire car.

But before you take your van abroad there are a few things to consider. If you are taking your own commercial vehicle across the Channel it's vital to ensure that your van insurance covers you outside the UK. The minimum level of commercial van insurance needed to comply with European road laws is third party, but it's important to be aware that this may not cover you for a number of situations. It may be advisable to increase the level of your van insurance, particularly if you are driving in a foreign country where road rules are different and unfamiliar. Remember that you will be driving on the opposite side of the road and this can be disconcerting initially, placing you at a higher risk of having an accident. Ensure that your insurance, whether that's a simple cheap van insurance policy or fully comprehensive, includes medical expenses should you be involved in an incident. Also consider that if you are taking goods or valuable equipment abroad then these items are also covered by your van insurance.

Another thing to check on your van insurance is if you are covered for breakdowns outside the UK. You may have to extend your policy to include this eventuality, otherwise you could find yourself stuck with no way of recovering your vehicle.

Driving in Europe presents a range of different situations that may be unfamiliar to UK drivers. Many major European roads (such as motorways) are toll roads. If you want to avoid paying tolls it is possible to plan your route before you set off to avoid them. However, if you do use toll roads, ensure you have enough money handy to pay the toll at the end of your journey on classified toll roads.

To avoid unnecessary breakdowns, a good check of your vehicle before you leave should be at the top of your list of priorities. The basics such as tyres, including ensuring you have a spare in case of a puncture, oil, water and electrics are all basic checks you should carry out on a regular basis but are particularly important before setting off on a long journey abroad. Making sure your vehicle is safe and roadworthy may seem like an obvious statement but many commercial van drivers do forget the basics sometimes, particularly if the van is in constant use. If necessary, have your company mechanic or machine shop check the vehicle over thoroughly before you leave.

Ensure that all documentation is in order before travelling. Make sure that your insurance provides the necessary cover to meet the laws on compulsory insurance of motor vehicles in any other country that is a member of the EU and any country which the European Commission is satisfied has made arrangements to meet the requirements of Article 7 (2) of EC Directive 72/166/EEC. This directive relates to civil liabilities arising from using a motor vehicle and should be covered by your insurance policy. If it isn't you may have to amend your policy so allow yourself plenty of time to ensure all paperwork is in order.

Driving abroad is not that different from driving in the UK. By taking the time to make sure your insurance and all paperwork is correct, that you have sufficient medical and breakdown coverage and that your vehicle is safe and roadworthy, you shouldn't have any problems whilst driving abroad.

Van owners pay that 'little bit extra' for peace of mind

Fri, 28 Aug 2009 00:02:06 -0500

It is estimated that between 25 and 33% of all road accidents involve a van driver that was ‘at work' at the time. A police study has shown that over 47,000 light goods vehicles are stolen every year in the UK. The cost of these thefts and accidents is a massive £152million in lost assets, as well as the cost to the tax payer in police manpower attending accidents, dealing with thefts and coping with the paperwork that these situations inevitably generate. Ensuring that you have the right van insurance is now essential.

The minimum amount of insurance required by law is third party only and this covers you for injury or damage to a third party and does not cover you for personal injury or damage to your own vehicle. Third party only is the most basic (and cheapest) form of van insurance. Third party fire and theft insurance covers your vehicle in event of theft or a fire providing you with the market value of the vehicle back. It does not, however, cover any goods or equipment that may have been in the vehicle at the time. And this omission is an important point to remember if you use a vehicle for commercial purposes.

Paying a little extra for peace of mind may be more expensive in the short term but can be a godsend in the event of anything other than a basic theft or fire. When considering cheap van insurance providers, have a checklist ready to see if they tick all the right boxes.

Replacement vehicle
If your van is stolen or damaged, a replacement vehicle policy could be the one thing that keeps your business running. If it takes several weeks to recover and repair your original vehicle this could mean the difference between staying in business or shutting the doors, so it's a key point to look for in any good commercial van insurance policy.

Goods in Transit
If your vans are carrying stock around, insuring your goods in transit is essential. One theft could ruin a company's fortunes, so making sure that both your van and your stock are covered makes basic business sense.

Legal expenses
This is often a very cheap extra (often costing no more than a few pounds a year) but gives you access to legal representation should your van be involved in an incident that results in legal action being brought.

Breakdown coverage
Considering that a single tow off the motorway could actually cost you more than a year's worth of breakdown coverage, ensuring that this is included in your van insurance is common sense. Breakdown coverage is sometimes included in the cost of cheap van insurance, so look for policies that have it as one of their standard items. You can also look for insurance policies that cover windscreen damage as well, as chips and cracked windscreens can often be very expensive to repair or replace. A small excess charge may be included as part of the policy, but it is invariably much cheaper than the cost of a replacement windscreen.

In the event of a breakdown, your vehicle may be towed to the nearest repair shop or garage. Some commercial van insurance policies include an additional extra called repair referral. This gives you a personal endorsement from a registered mechanic of a body shop that is reputable and will not take advantage of your situation. This is particularly useful if you breakdown in an area that is unfamiliar to you.

Excesses
Excess charges vary from policy to policy. The bigger the excess, the cheaper your policy but you will receive less money if you have to claim against your van insurance.

Other things to consider when looking for the best van insurance are if additional named drivers can be added to the policy (particularly useful for fleet vehicles where more than one driver may operate multiple vehicles), no claims discounts and whether your cheap van insurance covers you for driving outside the UK. Including these extras in your van insurance may be a little more expensive, but it will give you the peace of mind knowing that you are covered for every eventuality.

Should Van Drivers be urged to "Go Green"?

Thu, 27 Aug 2009 23:37:47 -0500

Encouraging motorists to take the plunge and go ‘Green' has been given a boost in the commercial sector by several new incentives. The plan is to encourage the UK's commercial fleets to start considering more environmentally friendly ways of doing business, including cutting carbon emissions, using safer and greener driving techniques and even changes in how insurance companies put together their van insurance policies. The policies have government backing, both morally and financially, and the industry hopes that the measures brought in could lead to cheap van insurance for those adhering to a greener way of driving.

First up is a new online tool to help drivers choose environmentally friendly vehicles by checking the CO2 emissions before they buy. The British Vehicle Rental and Leasing Association (BVRLA) has uploaded a carbon tool onto its website that will allow van buyers to compare the emissions of a variety of vehicles. Manufacturers have agreed to release information on CO2 emissions, but as this won't happen until the end of 2009, the Association has produced its own guide to help buyers choose the greenest models.

The government is also busy putting together incentives and ideas to get van drivers to go green as well. As part of a government incentive to get drivers to switch to low emission models, the Secretary of State for Transport, Ruth Kelly, has announced an extra £1.2million to train van drivers in greener, safer driving techniques. The ‘Safe and Fuel Efficient Drivers' (SaFED) campaign aims to encourage better driving techniques that will save fuel and cut costs as well as CO2 emissions. The scheme has already had an initial investment of £2.2million and has been very popular. So far the scheme has trained nearly 7,800 drivers, resulting in an average of 16% improvement in fuel consumption, giving a potential annual fuel saving of around £3.3million and reducing CO2 emissions by 9,350 tonnes. The scheme instructs drivers on a range of techniques including fitting ‘fuel friendly tyres', monitoring driving habits or even considering changing to a hybrid vehicle.

However, what van drivers want to see are advantages in areas such as cheap van insurance and lower premiums for those making the switch. A poll by Virgin Money showed that while 41% of drivers would be happy to pay that little bit extra for an environmentally friendly vehicle, 73% said that they would want to see cuts in costs in other forms. The most obvious saving that they would be looking for is a reduction in the costs for commercial van insurance.

Commentators say that a carrot rather than a stick approach is needed to encourage people to make the change over to greener vehicles and that the insurers have an important role in that process. By offering the UK's fleets and commercial van drivers special deals on greener vehicles, they feel that more people could be persuaded to adopt greener motoring.

Commercial vehicles also now have an additional tool to assess their CO2 emissions produced by their vehicles. The free service has been named the ‘Fleet Emissions Audit' tool and allows easy access to the monitoring of each vehicle. Application is available online, and once a form is completed disclosing the amount of fuel used over a specified time, calculations can tell fleet managers how fuel efficient their vehicles really are.

With so many opportunities to change how commercial drivers approach their job and consideration for the environmental impact of the country's vans and commercial vehicles, now really is the time to start adopting a greener approach to fleet management.

When Should You Think About Life Insurance?

Sun, 23 Aug 2009 03:04:23 -0500

We have no need for life insurance when we are young as we have nobody depending on our financial well being to survive and nobody who will suffer financially if we should tragically die. However as we get older, get married and build a family, we acquire dependants (people who depend on us financially) and so it is probable that you will want to protect them in the event of your death.

It makes sound economic sense to insure your family's main bread winner so that in the event that you were to lose them, and subsequently their income, it would not result in hardship for your family at an otherwise traumatic time.

There are two main types of cover, life insurance, which covers you for a predefined time period and pays out if you die, and life assurance which involves you paying regular premiums and then your estate receives a return upon your death.

If you have a young family (young children) and your family relies on one income, the it would be a sensible step to take to insure your life, at least while your children are living at home and in full time education as they will be fully dependant on you for this period. As they leave school and get their own income, their dependence will not be as high, and neither will your need for a large income.

If the worst was to happen, how would your family cope? What would happen if your income suddenly stopped overnight? These are some of the thoughts that drive people to purchase life insurance. Life Insurance will give you peace of mind so you and your partner don't have to worry about an uncertain future.

Life insurance can be relatively a cheap price to pay to protect your family against a major disruption if you should die. The prices can go up in the case of very high earners or if your selected policy contains specific inclusions that mean the premiums are higher, but on the whole, life insurance is very affordable when you consider what could be lost in the event of your uninsured death.

Health Insurance Is Very Necessary

Sun, 23 Aug 2009 02:33:59 -0500

An important topic of conversation across the world these days involved health insurance. With the rising costs in health care these days, it is almost necessary to have health coverage.

Just the cost of an appointment at a regular doctor can be very expensive. The costs for a regular office visit without insurance can range from forty five dollars all the way up or over one hundred dollars.

Many times a physician's office will offer a reduced price for the office visits and procedures to the insurance company if they will send their policy holders to their office for services. When you have no insurance the physicians' offices do not give the same discount to you and you may end up paying more.

If have a medical condition that requires you to visit a physician that is a specialist, the costs will be drastically higher. The specialist title and equipment to provide treatment give them the ability to charge a higher rate for their services.

The opportunity to get cheap health insurance can be found and might not even require you to fill out a health questionnaire. Anyone who is unemployed can buy their own policy at a fairly reasonable price.

If you have children, you know how much they tend to visit the doctors offices. In the beginning it is healthy child visits to update the immunizations and track that their growth is on schedule.

Once the child hit school age you will have to take them for annual physical checkups. Checking their eyes and ears are a required set of tests in most school districts. The physical exams can be costly without insurance.

If your child is very active and begins to participate in school sporting activities you will have to take them for a sports physical before the start of the sporting season. You may even need student insurance for the children as they go off to college.

When considering which health insurance plan is best for you, consider all of the options involved. Some insurance companies will offer you cheap insurance but the policy comes with a high deductible.

A deductible is an amount that must be paid out of pocket before the insurance will begin to cover any expenses. If you do not go to the doctor much, it may be cheaper just to pay the occasional office fees than to pay the monthly premiums.

If someone in your family has a medical issue that will require you to take them very often to see their family doctor or even to a specialist, the deductible may be met very quickly and then the plan will go into effect and begin to cover some of the expenses. If someone has to spend a day or two in the hospital, the deductible may be met just in the first day of the stay.

Yes, in that case you would have to pay the entire deductible before the plan begins to pay but what it does cover after your deductible can be substantial. The cost of a hospital stay even for one day can be unbelievable.

To give your family and you some peace of mind, consider purchasing a health insurance policy. If you are in need of student insurance or just want to find cheap health insurance, you can definitely find a policy that is right for you.

Auto Insurance in Fort Worth Texas

Thu, 20 Aug 2009 23:08:21 -0500

How much car insurance do you really need if you reside in Fort Worth?

Liability insurance is the only type of coverage that you must have if you want to stay legal. Keep in mind, however, that liability does not pay for any damages that have hurt you, but damage that have hurt others and for which you are responsible for.

In the state of Texas you are required to have 25/50/25 worth of liability coverage. This means that you must have $25,000 in bodily injury protection for one person in an accident, $50,000 in bodily injury liability for all people in an accident, and $25,000 in property damage liability.

Yes, you can get by just by purchasing the minimum liability requirements. But is it enough? Probably not. If you happen to get into a serious accident, bodily injury expenses and property damage can go into the hundreds of thousands of dollars.

When shopping for auto insurance, you should also look at other insurance options. Different insurance types include Guaranteed Auto Protection (GAP), Personal Injury Protection (PIP), uninsured/underinsured, collision insurance, and comprehensive insurance.

Collision coverage pays for damages to your vehicle, regardless of who is the guilty party. Comprehensive pays for damages from things such as fire. GAP coverage pays the difference between what your insurer will give you and how much you still owe in financing if your auto is stolen or totaled. Personal Injury Protection is like a health coverage and uninsured/underinsured protects you from motorists with not enough liability coverage.

An excellent site to have a look at before you start calling car insurance providers is the office site of The Texas Department of Insurance. Once there, you'll discover that there is a survey of local Fort Worth car insurance services from each of the three Fort Worth counties (Denton, Tarrent, and Parker). The whole point of this survey is to make you want to shop around because quotes can vary wildly from one company to the next.

Consider speaking to a local independent car insurance agent because he or she has connections with many auto insurance providers.

Cheap Car Insurance for Young Drivers

Thu, 20 Aug 2009 23:07:47 -0500

If you are searching for cheap car insurance for young drivers, you're quite simply not going to find it because it doesn't exist. No matter what, from the start, premiums for a teenager will be in the $1,000-$2,000 range. Because teenagers are more likely to die from a car accident than from anything else, insurers give them high premiums to make up for this high risk.

Although auto insurance for teenagers is expensive, you have many ways to make it more affordable.

The most oft mentioned way to save money on car insurance for young drivers is by making sure that the parent writes them down under their policy. The auto insurance cost will be lower because the teenager is affiliated with someone that has prior history in terms of finances, driving history, and credit score.

Increasing your deductible is recommended if you want to save on auto insurance in general. However, because rates for teenage drivers can be really expensive, increasing the deductible can really ease the pain.

But because the rates for young adults are far from cheap, increasing the size of your deductible will greatly alleviate the pain. However, when making your deductible bigger, you don't want to increase it by too much so as to overexpose yourself in terms of risk.

teens may get a discount on their car insurance if they enroll in drivers ed or some other class or program for young drivers.

If you happen to have multiple cars on a policy, you have to make sure that the young driver is assigned to the most inexpensive car (just make sure that they drive it). Some insurers make it a practice of assigning teenagers to the most expensive cars. If the teenager can't be reassigned it is highly recommended that insurers be switched.

Don't report minor repairs to the insurer. If you do, their premium may skyrocket! You can easily get a cheap repair by going to the junkyard for used parts.

The more inexpensive the auto, the better for the wallet. Many parents get safe and expensive cars for their kids. However, it is not like you can't have a car that is both cheap and safe.

The young driver can get a good student discount, which can save around 10% on the premium. All that the teenager needs is around a B average.

Pick The Health Insurance Plan That's Right For You

Sun, 16 Aug 2009 02:22:25 -0500

For many people, group health insurance is not an option because not all companies can or do offer group health benefits. For many others who have left jobs for whatever reason, COBRA is too expensive, even though coverage is usually comprehensive.

Increasingly, people are turning to individual health insurance for its flexibility and versatility. You can tailor a plan to meet your needs at any stage of life -- from basic plans for the young and healthy that cover major medical expenses to comprehensive plans for growing families that cover routine doctor's office visits and prescription medicines.

You can find the best fit for your insurance needs by comparing individual medical plans in these categories:
• Availability - what insurance plans are available in your state? States regulate the types of plans that are offered by insurance companies and the coverage those plans provide.
• Coverage and benefits - what health services do you want to have covered, and which insurers offer those benefits? How much will the policy pay for those services, and what is not covered?
• Access - if you have a preferred doctor or health care provider, which insurers give you access to them? What steps do you need to take to see your preferred doctor, or where else could you go for service to be covered by insurance?
• Costs - how much are the monthly premiums? How much will you have to pay out of your own pocket for deductibles, co-pays and co-insurance? Does the insurance offer discounts for using certain doctors? If so, how much is that discount worth?
• Exclusions and limitations - if you already have serious or long-standing health problems, what rules are there about excluding pre-existing conditions or limits on total benefits a policy will pay?

Choosing the right individual medical insurance takes effort. Investigating your options takes time. So does ongoing management of the health care process, from the time you apply for coverage to the use of health care services to the claims process for reimbursement. But "ongoing management" doesn't have to be intimidating. Once you understand what's available, you can quickly match your needs and wants with an individual insurance plan that's a good fit.

Questions to consider as you start evaluating options:

1. Do you want comprehensive coverage that pays for doctor's office visits and prescription drugs? If so, you'll likely pay a higher premium for these "premium" services.
2. Can you pay for more of your own "routine" health care services and rely on insurance to cover major medical expenses such as ER visits, hospital stays and serious illnesses? If so, your premiums may be lower than you expect, but you'll have to spend more time planning and preparing financially to pay for things like doctor's office visits and prescription drugs.
3. Are monthly premium costs and out-of-pocket expenses such as deductibles and co-pays extremely important to you? If so, keep in mind that these expenses are driven by coverage options you choose. Plans with more coverage and low deductibles cost more; plans with less coverage and high deductibles are less expensive. And for most people, paying directly for office visits will lower the monthly premiums enough to "break even" in 8 to 12 months.

True Or False? Exposing 4 Myths About Insurance

Fri, 14 Aug 2009 13:52:46 -0500

Insurance can be a complex state of affairs, particularly when one considers how different policies are treated from country to country, or even from state to state in the case of the US. Consequently, in every separate part of the industry many semi-truths, half-truths, and downright lies have emerged over the years. So I thought it might be fun, and informative, to expose some of the more intriguing assumptions out there.

1. A claim will not be paid after an 'Act of God'.
Many insurance specialists (in the UK, at least) will claim that the term: 'Act of God' does not really exist in a professional sense. Despite this, the term has come to be a reference to when a freak storm or other occurrence that could never have been anticipated by an insurer is the reason for a claim, and the insurer refuses to pay out. The phrase does actually seem to have stemmed from US specialist insurance, such as flood, maritime, and crop insurance - and seems dated to many, primarily because a typical valid insurance policy should cover for what it says it will cover for - and won't cover what it doesn't. This is regardless of whether 'God' had a hand in the policyholder's misfortune.

2. A life insurance claim will not be paid if you commit suicide.
It is usual to assume that a life insurance will not pay out if the insured commits suicide. This is because many policies have a suicide clause that might be in effect for just one or two years, or for the entire duration of the policy. However, if a claim is rejected suicide is usually not the reason. The exact reason for being denied the payout will most likely stem from the insurer receiving insufficient information as to the medical and psychological state of the insured at the outset.

3. Insurance is void during acts of terrorism and war.
Again, this is a complex presumption because terrorism and war do not fall under the same umbrella in certain areas. Typically, insurers regard wars and warzones as being very difficult to calculate in risk terms - usually resulting in an outright refusal to pay out to any insured individual who enters one. That said, terrorism can feasibly occur anywhere in insurance terms, resulting in some policies choosing to include it in their cover, and others not to.

4. Using a different name on a second-home policy will void it.
The UK Politicians Expenses Scandal has recently brought to light a number of other myths concerning insurance, and thanks to allegations against MP Andrew George it is now common knowledge that the above is in fact true. Actually, such actions are considered fraudulent and the correct term for giving an incorrect name in this manner is:'fronting'.

The Importance of Health Insurance

Wed, 12 Aug 2009 18:59:06 -0500

Chances are, at some point in your life, you or someone you know have landed in the emergency room after an unforeseen accident or illness.

Once inside the ER, the drill begins - paperwork is followed by questions and examinations and tests, even more paperwork and sometimes an overnight stay for observation. And, as painful as the moment may be, an even larger wonder may be, "What will all this cost me?"

Weeks later, when the bills roll in, it becomes painfully obvious that even "simple" ER visits can be costly ventures. Ambulance rides, doctor's visits, radiology fees for X-rays, hospital room charges, lab work - they all add up quickly to thousands of dollars.

Without insurance, you literally can be just one major injury or serious illness away from financial crisis. Health insurance can pay most of your major health care expenses and even some regular or routine costs, depending on the coverage you choose. Unfortunately, we tend to put more emphasis on insuring our cars and homes than we do our health.

Plan, Prevent and Protect
Health insurance can help you plan for the unexpected, prevent financial crises and protect your health in the short- and long-term.

It used to be that anyone with a job had health insurance coverage through their employer. That's not the case anymore - one in seven Americans have no health insurance at all. As the economy changes, so do jobs - and with them, health care coverage changes too. Traditional group insurance is no longer the "norm," and more and more people find themselves between jobs and between coverage, looking for answers to confusing questions.

The good news is that you don't have to gamble with your health (or your financial future) by going without health insurance, even if you're just out of school, between jobs, working for yourself, working for a small employer, out of work or getting ready to retire.

There are numerous health insurance options available to individuals, but you do need to understand and evaluate them thoroughly based on your needs and those of your family. That requires time, a little "homework" and maybe even a slight shift in the way you think about individual health insurance.

Know Your Options
Differences in health insurance really are about who pays (and how much) for health care services, from old-fashioned plans that charge higher fees and pay for most services to modern plans that focus on coverage for more costly instances.

Group insurance is typically offered by employers or trade associations. You and your employer each pay a monthly premium to the insurance company, and the insurance company pays for some or all services when you go to the doctor. Premiums are generally considered affordable by most people because the cost is shared by the employer.

Individual insurance is medical coverage you buy yourself, from the insurance company. You alone pay a monthly premium, and the insurance company pays for some or all health care services.

Short-term insurance also is called "temporary insurance" and is designed for transition times in your life. Short-term coverage is only appropriate when you know exactly how long you will need temporary health coverage - if you are unsure how long it will be before you obtain some other type of health insurance, it is best to apply for individual insurance. You buy short-term insurance from an insurance company and pay a monthly premium for health coverage, usually for periods ranging from one to six months.

COBRA stands for Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985 and is offered, by law, to people who leave a job where there are 20 or more employees with group health insurance coverage. The employer offers continuing coverage to you and your family for 18 months after you leave, but the entire cost of that coverage is yours to pay, often in the form of expensive monthly premiums. For many consumers, this may be the most expensive option, so you may want to shop around and consider private companies that offer more affordable health insurance. However, if you or someone in your family are already being treated for medical condition, COBRA may be your best option to continue ongoing treatment.

Health Savings Accounts (also called HSAs) allow you save money to pay current and future medical expenses on a tax-free basis. Think of them as IRAs for medical expenses. They are always paired with high-deductible insurance plans that cover major medical services; HSA money is used to pay for doctor's visits, prescriptions and other health expenses that the insurance plan doesn't cover. Money that you contribute is yours to keep and use for medical expenses - it "rolls over" from year to year if you don't use it all in a single calendar year.