tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-71792200485935324892023-11-15T07:31:42.880-08:00Link InsuranceMore about insurance is hereAdminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11569069237748922762noreply@blogger.comBlogger27125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7179220048593532489.post-82962136106093669142009-04-22T01:22:00.001-07:002009-04-22T01:22:44.959-07:00Bodies of air crash victims evacuated to Ilaga<p>The bodies of the 10 victims of Friday's plane crash near Mimika were evacuated Monday from the crash site on the slope of Mt. Gergaji in Ilaga district, Puncak Jaya regency, by a joint search and rescue (SAR) team. </p> <p>The SAR team, comprised of members of the Mimika branch of the National SAR agency and PT Freeport Indonesia's Emergency Response Rescue, evacuated the 10 bodies to the district capital of Ilaga for identification. <p>"A medical team and a team from the Papua provincial police are identifying the bodies before handing them over to their respective families," SAR team chairman and Mimika Air Base commander Lt. Col. Easter Hariyanto said. <p>A Mimika Air aircraft crashed Friday into the slope of Mt. Gergaji Friday, some 13,000 feet above sea level, reportedly due to bad weather. The plane did not explode but was found upside down and with major damage to its front and one wing. <span class="fullpost"> <p>All 10 passengers, including two crew members, were killed in the accident. Secretary of the Puncak Jaya poll body Marthen Jitmau, chairman of the Puncak Jaya election supervisory committee Herman Senanfi and church minister Martina Kiwak are among the deceased. <p>Bad weather and geographical difficulties in reaching the crash site hampered search and rescue efforts, delaying evacuation until Monday. The five-member joint SAR team was deployed to the crash site on Sunday to recover the bodies and prepare them for Monday's evacuation. <p>"I have just returned from Ilaga to directly monitor the evacuation process from the hard to reach site on the slope of Mt. Gergaji," Hariyanto told reporters at Moses Kilangin Airport in Timika on Monday. <p>He said three of the bodies would be sent to their families in Mulia on Tuesday. Marthen Jitmau will be flown to Sorong, West Papua, Herman Senanfi to Sentani, Jayapura, while Myanmarese pilot Ni Lin Aung and copilot Makmur Susanto will go to Timika before being sent to Jakarta. <p>"The evacuation today has run relatively smoothly, only that we have to make sure *the identity* of the victims before sending them to their families," Hariyanto said. <p>Head of the Mimika Air Transportation Sub-agency John Rettob, who is also operator of Mimika Air, added that the bodies of the plane's pilot and copilot had yet to be evacuated to Mimika as identification of the bodies had not yet been completed. <p>John said five members of PT Freeport's Emergency Response and Rescue team continue to stay at the rescue site to further check on the condition of the plane. <p>John also denied reports published and broadcast in local print and electronic media claiming that the plane was 21 years old. He said it was made in Switzerland on February 2008 and was bought by the Mimika Air in September of the same year. <p>"It was in a good condition and was airworthy as mentioned in the trial letter and license issued by the Indonesian Transportation Ministry," John said. <p>He added that the plane was officially launched on December 2008 following a long process and was operated by PT Trans Mimika under the ownership of the Mimika regency administration. <p>The plane, he went on, was insured by British insurance company Parahorizon and Indonesian insurance company Tugu Prima. <p>He said an official from the insurance company had gone to the crash site to verify the fate of the aircraft. He added that according to the insurance policy, the Mimika regency administration would receive a replacement plane. <p>"I'm optimistic that the regency administration will have another new plane provided by the insurance companies according to the agreed insurance policy," John said, adding the insurance value of the plane was Rp 2 trillion (US$260 million). <p>Source : <a href="http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2009/04/21/bodies-air-crash-victims-evacuated-ilaga.html" target="_blank">www.thejakartapost.com</a> <p> </p></span> Adminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11569069237748922762noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7179220048593532489.post-70908852783370055652009-03-24T23:00:00.001-07:002009-03-24T23:00:32.485-07:00Bernanke: AIG Bonuses "Highly Inappropriate"<p>Jakarta, Financeroll.com – The bonuses paid to employees of American International Group, Inc. (AIG:  News ) were "highly inappropriate," Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke said Tuesday. Testifying before the House Financial Services Committee, Bernanke outlined the reasoning behind the government's repeated interventions to prop up AIG despite severe mismanagement within the embattled insurance giant.</p> <p>The Fed Chairman added that AIG must "scrupulously avoid any excessive and unwarranted compensation." "We have pressed AIG to ensure that all compensation decisions are covered by robust corporate governance, including internal review, review by the Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors, and consultations with outside experts," Bernanke said in prepared remarks.</p> <span class="fullpost"> <p>He noted that AIG has limited bonuses and other compensation for 2008 and 2009 voluntarily, adding that New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo has imposed restrictions on that compensation. Bernanke called the bonuses "highly inappropriate," adding that he asked that suit be filed to prevent the payments. <br />However, the suit was deemed untenable by the Fed's legal staff, Bernanke said, and could have had the "perverse effect of doubling or tripling the financial benefits to the AIG-FP employees" due to punitive damages. Despite the uproar over the bonuses, Bernanke defended the Fed's decision to bail out the insurance giant. The government's decision to step in and bail out AIG came in the face of "unacceptable risks" that its collapse would have cause to the global financial system, Bernanke told lawmakers.</p> <p>"Conceivably, its failure could have resulted in a 1930s-style global financial and economic meltdown, with catastrophic implications for production, income, and jobs," Bernanke said. The collapse would have triggered severe shockwaves around the world, Bernanke said, from state and local governments to policyholders, from global and investment banks whose exposure exceeded $50 billion to money market mutual funds which held around $20 billion in commercial paper.</p> <p>Using the collapse of Lehman and the credit crunch it triggered as an example, Bernanke noted in prepared testimony that "once begun, a financial crisis can spread unpredictably." "It is unlikely that the failure of additional major firms could have been prevented in the wake of the failure of AIG," Bernanke noted. <br />As a result of its loans to AIG in order to keep the insurance giant afloat, Bernanke said that the Fed is now in an "uncomfortable situation of overseeing both the preservation of its value and its dismantling." This role is a new one for the Fed, which is usually charged with maintaining price stability. However, despite its additional responsibilities, Bernanke noted that his organization's goals have remained the same, "to protect our economy and preserve financial stability, and to position AIG to repay the Federal Reserve and return the Treasury's investment as quickly as possible."</p> <p>From : <a href="http://www.financeroll.com/en/world-and-politics/87-top-stories/132043-bernanke-aig-bonuses-qhighly-inappropriateq.html">www.financeroll.com</a></p> </span> Adminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11569069237748922762noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7179220048593532489.post-80082010632831479812009-03-12T01:49:00.001-07:002009-03-12T01:56:07.945-07:00How To Choose Personal Property Coverage<p><font size="4">Help Make Your Policy Match Your Stuff</font> </p> <p><strong>Some Property is Categorized</strong></p> <p>Having a good claims experience can start with getting the right coverage. Your total property limit may give you the impression you have plenty of coverage, but you may find that your category limit on computers isn't nearly enough to replace all of the computers in your home. </p> <p>For example, your policy might have limits in categories like these:</p> <ul> <li>Money, bullion, bank notes and coins. </li> <li>Property for use in a business while the property is away from your home. This doesn't include computers, drives or other storage media. </li> <li>Property for use in a business, including property held as samples, while the property is at your home. This doesn't include computers, drives or other storage media. </li> <li>Trading cards, subject to a maximum amount of $250 per card. </li> <li>Accounts, bills, deeds, evidences of debt, letters of credit, notes other than bank notes, passports, securities, tickets and stamps. </li> <li>Manuscripts, including documents stored on electronic media. </li> <li>Watercraft, including their attached or unattached trailers, furnishings, equipment, parts and motors. </li> <li>Theft of jewelry, watches, precious and semi-precious stones, gold other than goldware, silver other than silverware, platinum (other than platinumware), pewter (other than pewterware) and furs, including any item containing fur that represents its principal value; subject to a maximum amount of $1,000 per item. </li> <li>Any motorized land vehicle parts, equipment or accessories not attached. </li> <li>Theft of firearms. </li> <li>Theft of silverware, pewterware and goldware. </li> <li>Computers, drives or other storage media, whether or not the equipment is used in a business. Storage media will be covered up to the retail value of the media. </li> <li>Theft of rugs, including, but not limited to, any handwoven silk or wool rug, carpet, tapestry, wallhanging or other similar article whose value is determined by its color, design, quality of wool or silk, quality of weaving, condition or age; subject to a maximum amount of $2,500 per item. </li> </ul> <span class="fullpost"> <p>Keep in mind these are just examples and may vary by policy. <a href="http://agent.allstate.com/">Talk to an Allstate agent</a> about your specific policy.</p> <p>You can adjust the personal property coverage of your policy at any time. Since you are spending time now to learn about property insurance, it's also a good time to take a good assessment of your personal property coverage needs (use our free <a href="http://www.knowyourstuff.org/allstate">Home Inventory Tool</a> software).</p> <p><strong>Really Nice Stuff</strong></p> <p>When you walk around your home, look for things that you spent a lot of money on, or that have appreciated in value since you got them (family heirlooms, your diamond jewelry). You will need to make a decision about how to insure them so, if they ever need to be replaced, the standard limits will not pose a problem. </p> <ul> <li>If it is only one or two items in a category, such as a diamond necklace </li> <li>Ask your agent about a Scheduled Personal Property endorsement </li> <li>If it is a category with many items of higher than normal value, such as an extensive computer network </li> <li>Ask your agent about an Optional Coverage </li> </ul> <p><strong>Insuring High Value Items</strong></p> <p>A common item in a category covered by your policy, such as a watch, may be worth $25 or $5,000. Because this category of common items can vary so greatly in value, your policy may set a per item limit for these items. If one item exceeds those limits, ask your agent for a Scheduled Personal Property endorsement to properly protect it. </p> <p>For example: There may be a $1,000 limit per piece of jewelry and a $2,500 limit for all jewelry as a group. If you own a couple of inexpensive watches, you're in great shape. If you own a watch that is appraised for $10,000, you have an option to cover that specific watch at a higher amount. A Scheduled Personal Property endorsement can be used for jewelry, individual furs, oriental rugs, fine artwork and a variety of other items. </p> <p><strong>Insuring Groups of Valuable Items</strong></p> <p>You can use an Optional Coverage to raise the group limit on a category covered by your policy, such as computers — or you can use them to insure an entire category of items that are not covered by your policy because they are less commonly owned. </p> </span> Adminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11569069237748922762noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7179220048593532489.post-24192016404087908662009-02-11T21:14:00.001-08:002009-02-11T21:14:34.750-08:00CAPGEMINI & EFMA WORLD INSURANCE REPORT 2009 REVEALS VITAL MULTI-DISTRIBUTION MODELS FOR CAPTURING GROWTH IN A CHALLENGING MARKET<p><b></b></p> <p><b>Transformation strategies can help insurers gain customer share-of-wallet </b><b>Paris</b><b>, </b><b>February 5, 2009</b><b> - Many of the world’s insurance companies are moving toward </b><b>multi-distribution models, recognizing that the sale of insurance through multiple </b><b>distribution networks</b><b>1 </b><b>is a powerful lever for growth, especially in mature markets, </b><b>according to the World Insurance Report 2009 from Capgemini and the European </b><b>Financial Management and Marketing Association (EFMA</b><b>).</b></p> <p><b></b></p> <p>The report’s findings draw on a survey of 2,250 distributors and in-depth interviews with 59 senior executives from leading global insurers. The report covers the retail insurance market, including both non-life (including health) and life segments. The <i>World Insurance Report 2009 </i>reveals new insights on the attitudes distributors have toward multi-distribution, the influence insurers have on those attitudes, the necessary steps to a multi-distribution model, and the progress insurers are making in building and leveraging multi-distribution capabilities.</p> <span class="fullpost"> <p><b><i></i></b></p> <p><b><i>Multi-distribution has high potential as a growth lever</i></b></p> <p>Multi-distribution is the most effective way for insurers to attract new customers and increase the wallet share from existing customers. The average mature-market insurance customer holds 5.2 policies, but the average share of wallet for a single insurer is only 1.1 to 1.5 policies.</p> <p>1) Networks are the intermediaries that distribute insurance products: Tied agents, multi-tied agents, direct and alternative networks. Channels (or access points) are the methods or tools through which the customer interacts with the network to research, purchase and manage their insurance policies.</p> <p>According to Bertrand Lavayssière, Managing Director, Global Financial Services, Capgemini;</p> <p>“<i>Insurers face heightened competition from the increasingly complex web of intermediaries </i><i>(networks) and access points (channels) in retail markets. Given current market conditions, </i><i>multi-distribution offers insurers a way to retain and increase share-of-wallet more effectively and face a highly competitive environment by managing networks and channels more efficiently.”</i></p> <p><i></i></p> <p>Multi-distribution can help insurers to generate additional revenues and improve network sales productivity, since lead generation and management are more tailored to ‘value-creating’ relationships. As a result, cross-network cooperation can increase the sales conversion rate, and therefore improve the sales productivity of networks – which consequently boosts revenues.</p> <p><b><i></i></b></p> <p><b><i>Even a few actions can quickly reduce resistance to multi-distribution and increase </i></b><b><i>enthusiasm</i></b></p> <p>For distributors multi-distribution can mean fiercer competition, so not all are enthusiasts. Particularly in mature markets, traditional networks see new entrants and new distribution formats as a potential threat to their market share and positioning. Significantly, though, the report finds there are conflicting views among distributors about the benefits of multi-distribution, and in particular network cooperation, even among those with the same business model. Based on views of multi-distribution, the report categorized four sub-segments of distributors: Very Enthusiastic (27 percent), Enthusiastic (29 percent), Resistant (31 percent) and Very Resistant (13 percent). Notably, there was a relatively even spread of network type in each group. The good news for insurers is that data show distributors are not inherently pre-disposed by their business model to be pro or anti multi-distribution and their attitudes can be influenced to reduce resistance and create real enthusiasm for multi-distribution.</p> <p>In fact, the 2009 report shows various levers can quickly improve distributor attitudes to multidistribution. Insurers can exert the most influence by dealing first with financial incentives, but there is also significant benefit to dealing with certain issues related to the Internet, such as convincing distributors the Internet will help them sell additional products to their customers.</p> <p>That lever, when pulled in the correct sequence with others, would have increased the size of the Very Enthusiastic segment by about 150 percent and decrease the Very Resistant segment by 50 percent.</p> <p><b><i></i></b></p> <p><b><i>Proprietary Multi-Distribution Maturity Assessment Model scores industry progress</i></b></p> <p>The 2009 report reveals that a mature multi-distribution model develops through five distinct stages. Using a proprietary Multi-Distribution Maturity Assessment Model, the report calculates an overall maturity score, and a score for each stage, for a significant industry sample. It finds many insurers have already developed significant capabilities in the first three stages of multi-distribution: 1) developing multi-network, and 2) multiple-channel capabilities, and 3) mutualizing functions (i.e., centralizing and sharing distribution-related operational functions such as IT across networks).</p> <p>Only a few insurers have advanced to the next stages of 4) centralizing intelligence, or 5) crossnetwork cooperation (i.e., attained a “mature” multi-distribution model). Notably, though, most mature multi-distributors overall have acquired a broad set of capabilities, suggesting insurers need at least a minimal level of maturity in all stages to excel. To conclude, although many insurers have developed significant capabilities in the initial states of multi-distribution, only a small number have developed more advanced models, leaving significant potential to capture further opportunities.</p> <p><b></b></p> <p><b>Moving to a multi-distribution model is a process of transformation for the insurer</b></p> <p>The report identifies a series of immediate action steps that form the components of this transformation. Those steps require the insurer to start with the customer; follow with the network; rethink organizational design and leadership; embrace technology; test and learn with cooperation pilots; monitor the value of the overall business; and manage the power of information.</p> <p>David Giblas, Partner, Financial Services, Capgemini Consulting France says: <i>“Admittedly, an effective multi-distribution model is challenging to implement, especially because its various facets, like cross-network cooperation, can be tough to initiate. But once the operating principles of multi-distribution are established and functioning, a virtuous circle is likely to ensue. This kind of growth opportunity is especially urgent in today’s tough operating environment, when insurers need to focus more and more on generating revenue and growth from the core business of product development, underwriting and distribution.</i>”</p> <p><b></b></p> <p><b>About the World Insurance Report, 2009</b></p> <p>Now in its third year, the World Insurance Report 2009 from Capgemini and Efma focuses on the theme of multi-distribution. Building on the findings from the 2008 report that insurers can increase market access and share of wallet through multi-distribution, this year’s report will</p> <p>investigate the capabilities being developed and strategies that leading insurers are adopting to achieve success in multi-distribution. Based on research covering 59 interviews with senior executives from leading global insures and over 2,250 distributors surveys, the World Insurance Report 2009 draws data covering 17 countries: Austria, Australia, Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and the United States. The report assesses insurance companies’ multidistribution maturity, investigates key multi-distribution challenges, highlights leading practice, and proposes approaches to overcome these challenges. The World Insurance Report 2009 will bring further insight and thought leadership to one of the most important strategic issues facing insurance sector today.</p> <p><b></b></p> <p><b>About Capgemini</b></p> <p>Capgemini, one of the world’s foremost providers of consulting, technology and outsourcing services, enables its clients to transform and perform through technologies. Capgemini provides its clients with insights and capabilities that boost their freedom to achieve superior results through a unique way of working - the Collaborative Business Experience - and through a global delivery model called Rightshore®, which aims to offer the right resources in the right location at competitive cost. Present in 36 countries, Capgemini reported 2007 global revenues of EUR 8.7 billion and employs over 88,000 people worldwide.</p> <p><b></b></p> <p><b>Capgemini’s Financial Services Global Business Unit </b>(FS GBU) brings deep industry experience, enhanced service offerings and next generation global delivery to serve the financial services industry. With a network of 10,000 professionals serving over 900 clients worldwide, the FS GBU collaborates with leading companies in banking, insurance, and capital markets to create tangible value.</p> <p><b></b></p> <p><b>About Efma</b></p> <p>Efma promotes innovation in retail finance in Europe by fostering debate and discussion among the main players involved in change. Formed in 1971, Efma comprises 2,450 different brands in financial services worldwide today, including 80% of the largest European banking groups.</p> <p>Through regular events, publications, and its comprehensive website, the association provides retail financial service professionals with answers to their questions about the main issues at stake in their business: multiple distribution strategies, customer approach, CRM, product and service marketing and improving profitability.</p> <p>Efma is above all a dynamic association, providing a great opportunity for discussion and exchanges without any commercial constraints. It provides its members with a wide range of exclusive services as well as discount rates on non-gratuitous activities. The loyalty of its members as well as their permanent financial support are the best proof of its efficiency.</p> </span> Adminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11569069237748922762noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7179220048593532489.post-7173621704419216442008-12-26T00:31:00.001-08:002008-12-26T00:31:19.068-08:00How To Get What You Need From Health Insurance<p><b>What you MUST know about health insurance is that it cannot "work." It is a concept which, inherently, can only fail. <a href="http://www.oralchelation.com/viewpoint/karl_loren/article8.htm">I wrote about this many years ago.</a> It is one of the fundamental flaws of current society -- to think that the concept of "health insurance" can work. (more below)</b> <p><b>Health insurance "works" only because the healthy pay more into the system, get less, and the sick pay less into the system and get more. At some point the healthy will see this and rebel. Also, politicians will always vote to increase coverage. Health care is moving toward as much as 16% of our gross domestic product. This cannot continue. In theory it is impossible. In practice we can probably go a bit higher, but soon the theory will bump practicality on its head.</b> <blockquote> <p><b><img height="149" alt="[Image]" src="http://www.oralchelation.com/calcium/images/graph1.jpg" width="86" align="left" border="0">National health expenditures are projected to total $2.6 trillion and reach 15.9 percent of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by 2010, after having declined from 13.4 percent in 1993 to 13.0 percent in 1999. In 2008, health spending is projected to total $2.3 trillion or 15.5 percent of GDP, compared to our previous projection exercise in 1999, which forecast expenditures for 2008 of $2.2 trillion, or 16.2 percent of GDP. Since the 1999 projection, historical GDP estimates were revised upwards. In this projection, health spending as a percent of GDP increases over the projection period due to faster health spending growth and slightly slower GDP growth, relative to the most recent historical period. </b></p></blockquote> <span class="fullpost"> <p><img height="56" alt="The Wall Street Journal" src="http://www.oralchelation.com/calcium/images/printformat_logo.gif" width="418" align="left" border="0"><b>An article in the Wall Street Journal in March 2003, should mark the death-knell of at least the present form of government endorsed "health insurance," which relies on so-called private health insurance.</b> <blockquote> <p><b>The hospital where Ms. Nix was treated, New York Methodist in Brooklyn, typically bills HMOs about $2,500 for an appendectomy with a two-day stay, compared with the $14,000 -- plus doctors' fees -- that Ms. Nix was billed. The hospital gets paid about $5,000 from Medicaid, the state and federal health program for the poor, and about $7,800 from Medicare, the federal program for the elderly, for the same procedure.</b> <p><b>"Why does a single person get stuck with the whole bill?" Ms. Nix asks. "An uninsured person would have a lot less money than those government agencies or insurance companies."</b> <p><b><img height="231" alt="[image]" src="http://www.oralchelation.com/calcium/images/Nix_Rebekah-GC39203162003210757.gif" width="136" align="left" border="0"> </b> <p><b>Ms. Nix stumbled onto a troubling fact of health-care economics: Most major U.S. hospitals are required to set official "charges" for their services, but then agree to discount or even ignore those charges when getting paid by big institutions such as insurance companies or the government. As a result, almost no one but uninsured individuals ever faces the official charges. In some ways, hospital charges are like automobile "list prices" or hotel "rack rates" -- posted prices that everybody knows nobody pays. But in the case of hospitals, the pricing disparity isn't publicly known and falls most heavily on the vulnerable. America's 41 million people without health insurance tend to be young, working-class and unaware that they are being billed more than everyone else for the same services.</b> <p><b>At the same time, charges at virtually all hospitals have soared in recent years. That's partly due to the rising costs of new procedures and drugs. Also, deregulation of the hospital industry removed limits on charges in almost all states. But some hospitals say they are raising charges to offset what they view as overly harsh reductions in their reimbursements by HMOs, insurers and the government. That would mean hospitals are effectively subsidizing their lower income from patients who are insured or have a government safety-net by boosting fees paid by the uninsured. (<a href="http://www.oralchelation.com/calcium/DegenerativeKneeJoint/p28.htm">source</a>)</b></p></blockquote> <p><b>Very few people today can completely self-finance their own health care. If you have health insurance, yourself, and if you are a part of society which greatly values health insurance, you generally have to "live within" the system.</b> <p><b>For more than 70 years of my life, while raising six children, I have never had private health insurance. I had health insurance for any part of that time when I or my wife was an employee of some group that provided health insurance, but I have never paid for any personally. Only after writing this page did I see how my own attitude could have slid me into the same category as Ms. Nix, above. It was not luck that I have had good health, but had I had some terrible health problem, with no insurance, I probably would have had the same type of free service as she got -- big service, big bill, and bankruptcy.</b> <p><img height="316" alt="Jean Ross Friend Of Goodwill" src="http://www.oralchelation.com/calcium/images/jeanross.jpg" width="233" align="left"> <p><b>Jean Ross, my wife, and I, have health insurance NOW, but only because we are 65 or older and Medicare is automatic. Even though I strongly disagree with the concept of Medicare, I don't think it is wrong to take advantage of it being available to me.</b> <p><b>So, I signed my Medicare money over to an HMO -- Secure Horizons. You understand? At my age, currently almost 72, the government is ready to pay about $600 per month to some HMO for health insurance for me. You can "stay" on Medicare by itself, if you wish. I have done that before, or you can "sign over" your Medicare rights and money to an HMO. They get the money and promise to pay you various benefits.</b> <blockquote> <p><b>PacifiCare, which runs Secure Horizons, the largest Medicare HMO in the country, announced premium increases for its HMO members for 2001. In some cases premium increases will be quite significant. The company pointed out that this will vary widely from area to area, depending on the level of reimbursement the company gets from the federal government, which is different in each county. For instance, they said that in Los Angeles County beneficiaries will pay no monthly premium other than the regular Medicare Part B premium, and the copayment of $5 to see doctors, $7 for generic drugs, and $15 for brand-name drugs will remain unchanged for the second year in a row. In contrast, in Pueblo County, Colorado, where Secure Horizons will be the only Medicare+Choice health plan operating next year, beneficiaries will be charged a $99 monthly premium over and above the regular Medicare Part B premium. They will also pay $15 co-payments for doctor and specialist visits, and will receive a $750 annual prescription benefit for brand-name pharmaceuticals and an unlimited prescription benefit for formulary generics. (<a href="http://www.elderweb.com/default.php?PageID=2139">source</a>)</b></p></blockquote> <p><b>The benefits you can get from Medicare and from an HMO are different. You have to look at these various benefits and decide which direction to go.</b> <p><b>I went for a while with Medicare. They I signed up with an HMO, then I didn't like that, and got off, back to simple Medicare, then felt that the HMO might be better, and that's where I am right now, but strongly considering switching again.</b> <p><b>So, I've had lots of experience with this concept and have strong opinions about it. I'm with the HMO, Secure Horizons, now.</b> <p><b><img height="140" alt="[Image]" src="http://www.oralchelation.com/calcium/images/whisper.gif" width="146" align="left" border="0">Now, I had been "warned" by a friend, older than I, and into the HMO business some years before me -- he said, "You have to learn how to be a squeaky wheel!" That sure is true, and this page, below, shows you how much I have squeaked, so far, to get service.</b> <hr> <p><b>Let's look first at the inherent flaw in ANY type of insurance.</b> <p><b>The first insurance ever used in the West was back several hundred years ago, in England. At that time rich people would pool their money to send a ship to the Indies and return. Just about any ship that made it to the Indies, and returned, meant a great deal of profit for the investors.<img height="152" alt="[Image]" src="http://www.oralchelation.com/calcium/images/sailship.gif" width="210" align="right" border="0"></b> <p><b>The investors would invest, say £100,000 to equip a ship, with merchandise that cost very little in England -- to sail to China. There the ship crew would barter with the "natives" and pick up silk, spice and jewelry worth £5,000,000 or much more. The profit was a sure-fire event.</b> <p><b>But what was not "sure-fire" was whether or not the ship would return at all!</b> <p><b>Many ships would sail, knowing that the entire journey would take many months. Then, many months later the ship did not show up. Presumably it was lost at sea!</b> <p><b>So, the rich guy put up his hunk of money, and a year later he was left holding an empty bag -- with no word on what storm or pirate may have stolen his ship.</b> <p><b>As more and more merchants began to see what was happening, some of them realized that they could "insure" this action. Each would put up some money to pay for that trip, into a common fund -- an insurance fund. Then, if a ship did not return, the fund would pay back these people.</b> <p><b>They may not have made their fortune, but they didn't lose their investment.</b> <p><b>This is the modern Western origin of "insurance."</b> <blockquote> <p><b>From the very earliest times of maritime trading, it was appreciated by both traders and carriers alike that maritime risks constitute a greater hazard than those encountered on land. To try to minimise this risk, early merchants usually sailed with their goods as 'supercargo'. This enabled them not only to supervise stowage and carriage, but also to finalise the transaction for the sale of their goods, and obtain payment for them at the port of delivery.[3]</b> <p><b>But merchants could not always accompany their vessels, nor could their presence ensure shielding from the risk to which their goods were subjected. What was needed was a contract which would protect merchants against the caprices of fortune.[4] The earliest contracts, in which the burden of the happening of uncertain events was transferred to another at a price, were not what we know today as insurance contracts at a premium. They were an extended facility of the maritime loan developed by the Babylonians in the 3rd millennium BC.[5] The Babylonian system was not a 'stand-alone' contract of insurance. It involved rather a 'premium' percentage of interest chargeable on a loan for the purchase of the goods to be traded. The lender of the money, in return for the 'premium' interest, assumed the risk of the goods in transit. (<a href="http://www.oralchelation.com/calcium/DegenerativeKneeJoint/p101.htm#early">source</a>)</b></p></blockquote> <p><b>This usage is reasonably sane.</b> <p><b><img height="238" alt="[Image]" src="http://www.oralchelation.com/calcium/images/pirate.jpg" width="189" align="left" border="0">There was no incentive for the crew to want to get stormed by pirates, nor by weather, so the "danger" was truly an "Act of God" as far as the investor was concerned. In other words, the investor, and the crew, did NOT want the harm that often came. Also, if that harm arrived, usually the crew were dead, so they had no incentive to die in order for the insurance to pay off.</b> <p><b>As long as the insurance was to not guarantee the PROFIT, that type of insurance does not encourage the insured person to WANT the harm, or to feel that he is better off with the insurance payment than he would have been with the profit from a returned ship.</b> <p><b>That would be sane.</b> <p><b>But, insurance gradually evolved into a system that pays you to be sick. In the case of welfare<img height="240" alt="[Image]" src="http://www.oralchelation.com/calcium/images/sick3.jpg" width="320" align="right" border="0"> type insurance, it has come to pass that a person may well feel that they are far better off collecting the welfare (insurance) than not. A woman, for instance, can often collect far more money for the next baby than she could earn in any other way.</b> <blockquote> <p>Mothers on welfare had more and more babies since each baby bought in government money. Often that government money was spent on crack and the babies grew up in a violent criminal environment and turned to crime. As welfare and overcrowded prison costs drain society, corporations have less money to invest and eventually there is less corporate money to tax. So in the end liberal policies may lead to less funding for the poor. (<a href="http://www.oralchelation.com/calcium/DegenerativeKneeJoint/p102.htm#1">source</a>)</p></blockquote> <p><b>The case against health insurance is more complicated since most people don't WANT to be sick, and the money for health insurance generally does not go to the insured person, but to the doctor.</b> <p><b><img height="123" alt="[Image]" src="http://www.oralchelation.com/calcium/images/death.jpg" width="73" align="left" border="0">But the simple truth is that people die! On the way to death they get sick! The sickness starts, usually, with something mild, but if the mild disease doesn't kill you, then a worse disease will come along to do the job.</b> <p><b>All along the way you don't want to die -- so you ask your doctor to help. What can he do? He follows his best training, but he lives within a system that cannot possibly pay for every possible treatment you could need or want.</b> <p><b>The older you get, the more serious is your disease, the more health care you are going to want and need.</b> <p><b>Obviously, not just in theory, you want an infinite amount of health care from a system that<img height="142" alt="[Image]" src="http://www.oralchelation.com/calcium/images/scale.jpg" width="137" align="right" border="0"> MUST be bound to some sort of budget. Any business has to weigh the income and the expenses and balance the system. When the income comes from the taxpayers, the health care budget seems immune to economic reality -- but, there must be a limit somewhere.</b> <p><b>So, health care is something which people want, always, MORE of, and they want MORE, the older they are!</b> <p><b>No possible health insurance system can give all of what people want and think they need.</b> <p><b>Currently it is political suicide to say these things -- so every politician must run on a pledge to IMPROVE health care -- that means, spend more money on it.</b> <p><b><img height="119" alt="[Image]" src="http://www.oralchelation.com/calcium/images/ration2.jpg" width="92" align="left" border="0">The politicians would never suggest rationing, but that is the only possible solution to this flawed system.</b> <p><b>So, points of rationing are built into the system.<img height="114" alt="[Image]" src="http://www.oralchelation.com/calcium/images/ration1.jpg" width="81" align="right" border="0"></b> <p><b>Some of the rationing takes place in the form of "unapproved procedures." The insurance company says, "That procedure is not standard practice." Thus the true breakthrough in cancer or heart disease will languish until it can replace some other form of treatment, and make room within the fixed budget of the insurance pool to allow it. Often the new procedure is approved as a result of demonstrations and riots.</b> <p><b>Most of the rationing, however, is hidden from you. The government passes laws and regulations giving HMOs and other insurance forms, the job of approving health care claims -- against some sort of fixed budget for expenses. The government makes the politically-correct claim that the insurance companies are making too much profit, and that they can reduce their profits and give the additional coverage people seem to want.</b> <p><b>This will never solve the problem, obviously.</b> <p><b>So, HMOs find ways to ration care and maintain their desired profit margins.</b> <p><b>The main point of this page is to reveal some of the ways HMOs ration care and what you can do about it when it affects YOU.</b> <p><b>Obviously, if everyone used the "tricks" described in this page, then the HMOs would have to find newer ways to ration care.</b> <hr> <p><b><img height="287" alt="[Image]" src="http://www.oralchelation.com/calcium/images/cane.jpg" width="149" align="left" border="0">It is in setting that Jean Ross, my wife, found herself, being covered by an HMO which receives its money from the government. She had "bad knees" which developed slowly over many years.</b> <p><b>At first it seemed just to be only arthritis -- our own MSM should solve that problem. It seemed to help, but after some time MSM cannot do the job.</b> <p><b>So, she went to her "gate keeper" doctor -- the one assigned by the HMO for you to go to first. He is called the "gate keeper" because you cannot get "serious" health care unless you FIRST go to your "primary care physician." He gets a fixed sum of money every month for the patients assigned to him. If he gives them "too" much attention, he still gets the same money, but is starting to starve himself. If he is "lucky" and gets a healthy one, he doesn't spend any of his time with the healthy one, and spends his time on the sick ones.</b> <p><b>He is "free" to refer patients to "higher level" health services. But, his freedom to do that is secretly limited. One way or another the HMO lets him know that he allowing the "gate" to be too wide open -- he is referring too many people to expensive higher levels of service.</b> <p><b>The limits are not likely to be ever put in writing -- the HMO knows better. They find subtle ways!</b> <p><b>They don't renew some doctor as part of their service when his referrals are too many, or they find other ways.</b> <p><b>I've found one way.</b> <p><b><img height="170" alt="[Image]" src="http://www.oralchelation.com/calcium/images/quota.jpg" width="289" align="left" border="0">The HMO gives the doctor secret warnings. The doctor is now in a bind, instead of the HMO, and it is up to the DOCTOR to do the rationing.</b> <p><b>How?</b> <p><b>Well, you go to him with a "bad knee pain" and he tells you to take aspirin. He knows that is not a cure, but he also knows that the pain will be less and he will not run over some secret quota he has from the HMO. If you complain again? He will prescribe a drug for killing the pain! There are always fairly cheap drug solutions to health problems -- this is the direction the health insurance industry is pushing medical care. This is why the drug companies love this, and why you hear all the publicity about a "senior drug reimbursement bill" that MUST pass Congress -- and which no politician dares to oppose.</b> <p><b>Those who don't know better accept his prescription, grumble and do nothing more. The HMO, and the doctor, count on a fairly large number of "sheep" who will get poor service, but not complain.</b> <p><b>Now, Jean and I are not sheep!<img height="203" alt="[Image]" src="http://www.oralchelation.com/calcium/images/sheep.jpg" width="174" align="right" border="0"></b> <p><b>So, when Jean went with her "bad knee" to the gate keeper doctor, after a few visits, and no real remedy, he used up one of his quota of referrals -- gave Jean a form requesting HMO authorization for an MRI. The HMO can hardly afford to turn down a request like this -- since they don't want to appear to be putting their (business) judgment ahead of the medical judgment by a doctor.</b> <p><b>So the request for the MRI is approved -- but to help the system cope with the infinite demand on the services, the approval takes a week or more, and then it takes a week or more to get an appointment with the place that does the MRI.</b> <p><b>Then, of course, DOING the MRI is not really a final health care service, but only a diagnosis that can ONLY be explained by a doctor. So, after you get the MRI report back, you then have to make an appointment with a "real" doctor -- in this case, presumably, with an orthopedic surgeon, since the knee problem is likely to call for evaluation of the MRI by a doctor trained in "knees."</b> <p><b>As you then arrive at the doctors office for the evaluation of the MRI, you may not realize, as we did not, that the first person you will meet is NOT a doctor qualified to do knee repair, but another "gate keeper" whose sole job is to be pleasant and tell you, in some convincing way, WHY you are not a candidate for surgery.</b> <p><b>Now, of course, you could have a situation where this doctor says to you, "All you need is to do some exercise." Or, he might say, "You need some pain killer." He could say one of those things, but if he looks at your MRI and sees that there is no possible hope for you other than knee surgery, he has his toughest job.</b> <p><b>He has been told, secretly, not in writing, that the real knee surgeon CANNOT do more than some quota of knee surgeries. After all, knee surgery can cost $25,000 and that is several years worth of premium income. Be sure you realize, there is nothing in writing on this because if there were it would be evidence of "bad faith" on the part of the insurance company, and enough of them get sued, and loose, that they just don't want to make it easy for people to find out about this rationing. The story below is about MY HMO. They are sensitive to charges of bad faith!</b> <blockquote> <p><b>In January 1999, a San Bernardino County jury awarded $120.5 million in damages against Aetna-U.S.Healthcare, one of the nation's largest HMOs.1 The widow of a stomach cancer patient sued the HMO for "bad faith" disapproval of cancer therapy that promised to prolong her husband's survival. The verdict included $116 million in punitive damages against the HMO for placing its own financial interests above the needs of the individual patient. (Aetna has appealed.) Significantly, treating physicians were not held liable. (<a href="http://www.oralchelation.com/calcium/DegenerativeKneeJoint/p30.htm">source)</a></b></p></blockquote> <p><b>That about brings us to the point of the letter published below. Recognize that the doctor is "on your side" and would like to give you service, but also recognize that he may lose his practice because he gives too much service. What a conflict he lives with!</b> <p><b>But, there is more to know about this.</b> <hr> <p><b>You could BELIEVE that this rationing is happening in your case. But, you should realize from the above that the HMO and the doctor surely don't want to make it easy for you to prove that, and either embarrass them into giving you something "beyond the quota" or even worse, to sue them and get lots of money!</b> <p><b>So, whether you believe this rationing is taking place, in your case, or not, you may be faced with a denial of service by some gate keeper person, and wonder how to go about getting that decision reversed.</b> <p><b><img height="89" alt="[Image]" src="http://www.oralchelation.com/calcium/images/clock.jpg" width="89" align="left" border="0">I write this on Sunday, March 2, 2003, and tomorrow, at 9:15 AM, Jean Ross and I go to visit the doctor, as explained below -- our "second chance" at getting the service Jean thinks she needs.</b> <p><b>Notice this important phrase -- she "thinks" she needs this service.</b> <p><b>In the olden days when doctors were honest, they would tell you straight up what were the alternatives for you when you present some health problem. In those very olden days, of course, you would choose and you would pay. As soon as the payment comes from a different person who gets the service? The system is fatally flawed!</b> <p><b>Now, you must realize that you and the doctor are NOT on the same team. He is paid by the insurance company, and the insurance company does NOT want to pay for so-called unnecessary health coverage.</b> <p><b>So, you may love your doctor, but you should not trust him.</b> <p><b><img height="171" alt="[Image]" src="http://www.oralchelation.com/calcium/images/rock1.jpg" width="185" align="left" border="0">That puts you between a rock and hard place. HE is the expert! You are not! Here I am suggesting that YOU have to decide what service you should have. This puts a great burden on you to do your own study and research. You could not do any better than coming to my 20,000 pages since you can count on ME to be on YOUR side.</b> <p><b>In Jean's case, I had done all the research on damaged knees, and knee surgery --<a href="http://www.oralchelation.com/calcium/DegenerativeKneeJoint/index.htm"> HERE.</a></b> <p><b>She and I had to read this stuff and understand it. Then it was SHE who had to decide if she really thought knee surgery was correct for her.</b> <p><b>Possibly if the gate keeper doctor had given her medical or logical reasons why knee surgery was NOT right for her, she would have quickly changed her mind. But, she approached that meeting with the doctor, expecting an evaluation of the MRI report. She did not expect what happened.</b> <p><b>So, for Jean the next action was easy. From the short time with Dr. Lee she easily came to the conclusion that he was rationing care, in bad faith, and that she should NOT accept his denial of service.</b> <p><b>So, we then had to decide what to do.</b> <p><b>I sought advice from one very good friend, a chiropractor, whose opinions I could trust as not biased by HMO considerations. He gave me the advice to write a letter to the HMO, and to the next doctor we were scheduled to visit (Monday, March 3, 2003), and what should be said.</b> <p><b>The result is the letter below.</b> <p><b>Now, before you read this letter, there are still vital matters you should understand.</b> <hr> <p><b>It is one thing to have pain and describe it, truthfully, in a way that minimizes it.</b> <p><b>It is the old question, "Is the glass half full? or half empty?"</b> <p><b><img height="81" alt="[Image]" src="http://www.oralchelation.com/calcium/images/glass.jpg" width="100" align="left" border="0">The letter below is absolutely true as to all the data given -- there is no false data.</b> <p><b>But, if you were to talk to Jean Ross, yesterday or today, and ask her, "How are you doing?"</b> <p><b>You would get a polite and optimistic answer. She is NOT one to emphasize the pains she may have, nor their consequence. She IS the type of person who would put a rosy glow on her condition.</b> <p><b>I know, because I often talk to people who go in the opposite direction. They have a toe ache, and from their description of the "ache" it would sound like she was near having to have an amputation.</b> <p><b>The HMOs and doctors are far more familiar with the second type of person -- who exaggerates his or her problems.</b> <p><b>So, as I was drafting the letter to send, I realized that I would have to "set aside" the normal way I might communicate, and Jean's normal tone level, and put ONLY the truth there, but the truth in a way that emphasizes the seriousness of this health problem.</b> <p><b><img height="100" alt="[Image]" src="http://www.oralchelation.com/calcium/images/button.jpg" width="79" align="left" border="0">I had to write in such a way as to "push" the buttons I know to be valid -- the HMO is rationing care and doesn't want to get caught doing that.</b> <p><b>If you accuse them too bluntly, they can get their "backs up" and just deny it all.</b> <p><b>But, if you are more subtle about this rationing thing, they might think they can "find a way" to allow you to get the service and never admit that any rationing had been going on.</b> <p><b>So, that's what this letter attempts to do.</b> <p><b>It raises the issue of rationing, somewhat bluntly, but not as bluntly as I would raise that issue in a lawsuit.</b> <p><b>It mentions the phrase "bad faith" because that is a scary subject for an HMO to confront.</b> <p><b>It does NOT threaten legal action -- that would be far too blunt at this point.</b> <p><b>But, you should not write a letter like this without the willingness to move ahead on an appeal, if there is precedent for one, or a lawsuit. You certainly hope you don't have to sue, but you should have the mental attitude that you are willing to do that -- but do NOT tip your hand on this.</b> <p><b><img height="183" alt="[Image]" src="http://www.oralchelation.com/calcium/images/ironfist.jpg" width="265" align="left" border="0">Let this be the iron hand in a velvet glove!</b> <p><b>So, with all of this in mind, take a look at the letter which was sent out just a few days ago, and you can guess, along with us, what will be the outcome at the doctor's visit just another few hours away from now.</b> <p><strong></strong> <p><b>Karl Loren</b> <p><strong>on www.oralchelation.com</strong></p> </span> Adminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11569069237748922762noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7179220048593532489.post-87611782854199396842008-12-22T16:46:00.000-08:002009-01-07T16:46:44.267-08:00Smart Insurance<h4>Smart Insurance Plus Results</h4> <a href="http://www.carpages.co.uk/go2.asp?session=3@5@348@6496@135&search=smart">Smart Car insurance from Confused.com</a> <p>Confused.com is an amazing new way to save you loads of time. 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With our collection of the leading Vehicle Insurance sites you'll be able to put the best car insurance deals in your headlights.</p> <p>Covers: the UK</p> <p>Source : <a href="http://www.carpages.co.uk/info/smartinsurance.asp" target="_blank">Carpages</a></p> </span> Adminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11569069237748922762noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7179220048593532489.post-27185274156792689532008-11-20T02:58:00.001-08:002008-11-20T02:58:40.782-08:00Citibank and Prudential Indonesia Launch New Savings and Investment Offering<p><strong>Citibank and Prudential Life Assurance have launched a new Smart Future investment and savings product in Indonesia. </strong> <p>Smart Future combines the features of Citibank's Flexible Deposit product and Prudential's insurance expertise. It has a single investment feature that enables customers to make a single investment placement - the minimum investment amount is IDR50 million. <p>Besides savings features, Smart Future customers can also avail insurance coverage. The fund will be allocated 50:50 to Flexible Deposit and Smart Future. The Flexible Deposit offers an interest rate of up to 11.88% per year, for a six-month deposit. <span class="fullpost"> <p>William Kuan, finance director, Prudential Life Assurance (Prudential Indonesia) said that the 50% insurance portion includes full coverage of life insurance, critical illness, accidents and emergencies and hospital expenses. Smart Future also offers a Terminal Bonus, a potential bonus at the end of the policy period. <p>Shariq Mukhtar, country officer of Citi for Indonesia, added: "Smart Future is a smart choice for customers with a long-term outlook who want to secure a comfortable retirement." <p>wwww.insurance-business-review.com</p> </span> Adminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11569069237748922762noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7179220048593532489.post-14593601570921409602008-11-16T21:09:00.000-08:002008-11-16T21:10:41.777-08:00Recreational Vehicle Insurance Tips and Information<div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'>If this is your prototypal instance in see of RV insurance, you module presently actualise it crapper be substantially more expensive than your cipher automobile shelter policy. One think for this is that your motorhome is such more priceless and such riskier in outlay of levels of responibility and the occurrance of black incidences. Nevertheless, you cannot give to not circularize discover a contract in regards to shelter for nonprofessional vehicles. Furthermore, you are a chesty someone and chances are, you hit place in some eld of hornlike impact and commitments to eventually acquire yourself the knowledge to undergo and savor the immunity of nonprofessional movement and what it has to offer. It is more or inferior the ordinal maximal assets you module attain in your period incoming to your home, and nonprofessional container shelter is primary in making trusty that assets is substantially protected.<br/><span class='fullpost'><br/>In regards to RV shelter and its cost, essay to ready in nous that the table you movement with predominantly greatly exceeds the table of your exemplary automobile commuter, likewise the continuance of the container itself. You crapper study nonprofessional container shelter to be somewhat of a compounding between machine and bag insurance, as it embodies some similarities. Nonetheless, you hit reached a saucer in your chronicle to gain the rewards of every your hornlike work, and it is instance to savor yourself, and nonprofessional shelter module substance you pact of nous so you crapper movement without the worries. Insurance for nonprofessional vehicles, depending on the aggregation you choose, module hit you awninged from every angles. There are a some things you should allow in your policy.<br/><br/>RV Insurance Policy Oftentimes Includes ;<br/><br/>- Cost of equal depending on year;<br/>- Unlimited towing an margin assistance;<br/>- Full-timer rates;<br/>- Campsite liability;<br/>- Protection for individualized contents;<br/>- Disappearing allowable news rewards;<br/>- Collision and comprehensive, flood, fire, thieving and more;<br/>- Awning bushel and endorsement for permanently bespoken <br/> accessories;<br/>- Payment for crisis expenses:<br/><br/>There are sure another things to consider, and every of the above should be apprehended such more elaborately, and more careful aggregation is acquirable from RV shelter specialists pronto acquirable on the concern panoramic web. Recreational container shelter is a technical identify of plan, and could administer to you whether you are the someone of a motorhome, fifth-wheel or modify a movement trailer, so ground not intend a evaluate excerpt concerning your shelter for nonprofessional vehicles, they are commonly liberated of charge, and cushy to encounter on the net.<br/><br/>Dean Cecere is communicator and someone of InsuranceCoverage-Quotes.com Where we wage infomation regarding different shelter types.<br/></span></div>Adminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11569069237748922762noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7179220048593532489.post-11155218088405770492008-11-16T21:06:00.000-08:002008-11-16T21:07:01.631-08:00Finding the Best Car Insurance for Your Needs<div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'>Car insurance is a highly competitive field, and as a car owner, you can take advantage of this by shopping around to see which company will give you the best deal. Write down the types of insurance you are interested in purchasing, including those that are mandatory, and get quotes from three or four insurance providers. Some will offer packages that may save you money, while others will offer packages that will have you paying for types of car insurance that you may not need.<br/><br/>Besides premium rates, see how much coverage you are getting and find out about limits, restrictions and any additional fees. Car owners typically focus on saving money, but it may be worth a few extra dollars to be able to email or fax in an accident report and to have someone pick up the phone when you need to file a claim or have a question you want answered.<br/><span class='fullpost'><br/>You?ll want to consider the various types of car insurance listed below:<br/><br style='font-weight: bold;'/><span style='font-weight: bold;'>Bodily injury liability insurance</span>: This is mandatory in most states. Should you get into an accident, the driver and passenger(s) in the other car can sue you for their medical bills. In today?s litigious society, this is the type of insurance you most want to have, especially if you have significant assets. <br/><br/><span style='font-weight: bold;'>Property damage liability insurance</span>: This is another liability insurance that you won?t want to skimp on since it will cover the cost of repairs for the other driver?s car. Should his or her vehicle be totaled, replacing a $40,000 car means that you need sufficient coverage.<br/><br style='font-weight: bold;'/><span style='font-weight: bold;'>Personal injury protection (PIP)</span>: This is mandatory in some states. PIP is a policy covering medical costs for your family, even if the other person is at fault. Your health insurance may cover this, so check that policy before paying for a lot of PIP coverage.<br/><br/><span style='font-weight: bold;'>Collision insurance</span>: This covers repairs or even replacing the car should there be an accident. As cars get older and depreciate in value, drivers are typically less inclined to have collision insurance.<br/><br/><span style='font-weight: bold;'>Comprehensive insurance</span>: Should your car be stolen or destroyed by a natural disaster, this is the coverage that will pay for your loss. Again, over time, you may lessen the amount of coverage you are carrying should you have an older car.<br/><br/>Other types of insurance include rental reimbursement, towing, glass replacement and uninsured or underinsured motorist insurance. Glass replacement can be costly, so it is one you may consider. Uninsured or underinsured motorist insurance is one that you should strongly consider, since there are many underinsured motorists out there, and you may not be able to collect from someone without sufficient coverage.<br/><br/>Because insurance is based on the ages of the drivers in your family, the car you drive and where you are living, policies will vary greatly. However, you can possibly help lower your premiums by taking good care of the vehicle, installing antitheft devices and maintaining a clean driving record. <br/></span></div>Adminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11569069237748922762noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7179220048593532489.post-40950487350655032482008-11-13T02:14:00.000-08:002008-11-13T02:15:38.363-08:00The Top Five Health Insurance Plans<div xmlns='http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml'>by: David Chandler<br/><br/>Since competition in terms of health insurance is on the rise, it is no wonder that more and more forms of health insurance are being designed. Among these, there are few that are popular and they are briefly described below.<br/><br/><span style='font-weight: bold;'>Individual Insurance</span>: Ensuring a person individually is a common mode of insurance. One may be selective about what s/he wants in a plan through this process. Accordingly, one has required premium is calculated, and the insurance plan takes effect.<br/><span class='fullpost'><br/><span style='font-weight: bold;'>Group Insurance</span>: Another type of insurance is the group arrangement. Through this type of insurance, one is compelled to abide by what others are going for, and this is dependent on the insurance providers. They are the ones that decide what is feasible to include in a plan, and on that basis, a group insurance can take place.<br/><br style='font-weight: bold;'/><span style='font-weight: bold;'>Indemnity Plan</span>: This plan allows one to go to any doctor when one needs to; there are no restrictions on this, and it is believed to be more of a traditional plan. One does not need permission to go to a particular health care provider. However, usually what happens is that the member pays 20% of the total fee for treatment while the insurance provider pays 80%. In addition to this, there is a period through which one pays up in this manner, and then the company takes over paying the whole 100%.<br/><br/><span style='font-weight: bold;'>HMO</span>: The Health Maintenance Organization is one that allows a member to select a particular doctor off the panel. It is these selected doctors that will deal will with members' problems. The selected doctor is the one that will be approached for checkups of any kind, and if there are problems with a member that cannot be handled by him or her, the member is referred to specialists.<br/></span></div>Adminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11569069237748922762noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7179220048593532489.post-25123237596257777012008-11-10T23:45:00.000-08:002008-11-10T23:50:03.893-08:00Partnership Life InsuranceA partnership is fairly simple to set up. Two or more people get together with the intent of going into business; they get the appropriate licenses and file the necessary papers with the State and you are in business. When the areas of expertise of these people compliment each other the situation is ideal. Although each partner is taxed on an individual basis they all are liable for the debts of the business.<br /><br />The partnership is treated like a separate entity in some ways as it can own property and execute documents, however, when it comes to payment of taxes or debt liability the owners are responsible. When a partner dies the company must be dissolved. If the survivors want to continue the business they must form a new company.<br /><span class="fullpost"><br />At the time of the formation of the partnership an agreement should be drawn up stating the percentage of shares each partner owns and under what conditions and in what manner shares can be disposed of. The agreement can be modified later upon the approval of a majority. If there are problems between partners the agreement is the legal document that they should be able to fall back on.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Advantages</span><br /><br /></span><ul><li><span class="fullpost">Fairly simple and inexpensive to set up.</span></li><li><span class="fullpost">Makes going into business with family members easy and unlimited.</span></li><li><span class="fullpost">Capitalizing a business is simpler and stronger when many people put their resources together.</span></li><li><span class="fullpost">Because many people are putting their assets together the borrowing power is greater.</span></li><li><span class="fullpost">Each partner has the unique opportunity of specializing in their own area of expertise.</span></li></ul><span class="fullpost"><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Disadvantages</span><br /></span><ul><li><span class="fullpost">Unless otherwise stated in an agreement the partnership must be dissolved upon the death of a partner.</span></li><li><span class="fullpost">The remaining partners must purchase or inherit the shares of the deceased partner unless otherwise stated in an agreement pertaining to succession.</span></li><li><span class="fullpost">A partner can require that the business be dissolved at any time.</span></li><li><span class="fullpost">Cannot take advantage of tax write offs like group life insurance, disability and health.</span></li><li><span class="fullpost">All partners are at risk for liabilities. All assets of the partnership are at risk in a limited partnership.</span></li><li><span class="fullpost">If a partner wants to leave the partnership he may suffer financial loss.</span><br /></li></ul><span class="fullpost"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Life Insurance</span><br /><br />Now let us look at how life insurance applies to this type of business. Let us suppose a partner died or had to leave the partnership because of disability. This situation could destroy the business, however, if the business had a properly drawn up buy-sell agreement funded by life insurance and disability insurance much of the problems would be averted. Each partner would have a life insurance policy and a disability buy-out policy on his life paid for by the other partners. Upon the death or disability of a partner the insurance company pays an amount equivalent to the value of the shares owned by the deceased. This money is used to purchase the deceased shares from his heirs.<br /><br />For more than 40 years Donald has been known for his extensive knowledge of the life insurance business. He has represented some of the largest and best life insurance companies in the United States as well as Canada. His advice is invaluable.<br /><br />From: www.lifeinsurancehub.net<br /></span>Adminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11569069237748922762noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7179220048593532489.post-11105585236225858572008-11-05T23:34:00.000-08:002008-11-05T23:36:33.535-08:00Strategy to Buy Health InsuranceLife insurance is a highly competitive business, in which the salesforce depends almost entirely on commissions.<br /><br />Insurance companies pay fat commissions to their agents for selling whole-life policies - perhaps 80 percent of your first year's premium goes to paying the agent's commission - and the premiums for these polices are often five times that of term. By contrast, the typical commission to the agent who sells a term policy is about 10 percent.<br /><br />It's no wonder, then, that agents push whole-life policies as if their livelihoods depend on it, because, well, they do. If whole-life policies were beneficial to consumers, our story would end here. The fact is the vast majority of those who need insurance should buy term.<br /><span class="fullpost"><br />Today, the annual premium on a $500,000 term policy for a healthy, nonsmoking forty-year-old male might be about $500. The same policy for a healthy woman, aged 30, might cost about $260 annually.<br /><br />Not long ago you couldn't buy term policies with level premiums for periods of more than 10 or 15 years. Today you can easily find 20- and 30-year term policies.<br /><br />Agents will argue that whole-life policies are superior because you can keep them the rest of your life and build up cash in them tax-free, which can then be borrowed.<br /><br />That's true enough, but they don't tell you about the high fees and commissions built into whole life as well as surrender charges (if you want to cancel the policy) that often leave you with little or no cash value five and even 10 or 15 years after you take out the policy.<br /><br />The point of a tax-free buildup of cash just isn't that powerful anymore, given the proliferation of IRAs, 401(k)s, and other tax-advantaged savings vehicles that have tiny commissions, much higher yields and complete portability.<br /><br />So stick with term, and do your investing elsewhere.<br /><br />Source : http://netdisease.blogspot.com<br /></span>Adminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11569069237748922762noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7179220048593532489.post-64067533960795030862008-11-04T05:54:00.000-08:002008-11-04T06:02:04.247-08:00Protecting Your Family AbroadIf you have a spouse, dependents, children or anyone in your life about whom you care deeply it adds so much purpose to your life - no longer are the hours spent at your desk or slaving over housework without meaning, in fact no longer are any of the tasks you undertake for no purpose.<br /><br />If you have someone who relies on you, needs you and loves you right back then their welfare and overall care is of paramount importance to you on all levels; and if you decide to up sticks and relocate overseas to enjoy a better quality of life as an increasing number of families are doing, the holistic approach to the care of your family will be your number one priority.<br /><span class="fullpost"><br />Moving is one of the most stressful events in anyone’s life, moving abroad doubly so - and if you factor in moving overseas with children, having to find accommodation, employment, educational establishments and new friends for the whole family then the entire project becomes incredibly daunting at first glance<br /><br />However, as with any large task the best way to tackle it is to break it down into small pieces and manage each step at a time<br /><br />Many people are choosing to move overseas with their family to give them a better start in life, a better quality of life and a safer, more fun introduction to life - sunny overseas destinations are often favoured because the amount of time the family can spend together outdoors swimming, walking, playing and exploring is far greater than in many parts of Northern Europe and America for example meaning that the whole family will benefit from better health, greater levels of fitness and fresher air.<br /><br />Sunnier countries often have far better and healthier fresh produce for sale, another tick in the box for moving abroad. Often the pace of life overseas is slower, stress is an alien concept, money is a tool rather than a goal and so one’s approach to life can become far healthier and better balanced. All of these factors add up in favour of starting a new life abroad for many families.<br /><br />However, when one moves from a country like America, Canada, Germany or the UK where health care services are exceptional, the level of assistance afforded every citizen is fantastic and the right to decent medical and dental services is guaranteed, it can be a shock to move abroad and learn that health care services differ greatly, as does the cost of care, on a country by country basis.<br /><br />Generally speaking it is usually possible to get a decent level of medical care in any major destination in the world - however, affording the care and actually having the right to see a specific doctor can be restrictive and restricted.which is why those moving abroad with their spouse, children or significant others in tow must consider getting international health insurance from the get-go. While insurance is far from an enthralling subject, it is an essential element in the protection of family members when moving to live abroad. The head of the family must ensure that every family member has at least the basic level of cover that will enable them to have emergency treatment and care should they need it, and this will give everyone the peace of mind they need and the protection they deserve.<br /><br />The good news is that international health insurance packages for the whole family are affordable as more insurance providers battle over customers! It is well worth shopping around for the best quotations before committing to any one provider, furthermore it can also be cheaper to get health insurance from specialist expatriate providers or to find a company local to the destination in which you will be living.<br /></span>Adminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11569069237748922762noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7179220048593532489.post-47487699876756244672008-10-27T02:09:00.000-07:002008-10-27T23:08:27.954-07:00Lady Drivers Car Insurance in the UKStudies in the UK clearly show that lady drivers or femal drivers are better drivers than men because they tend to get involved in less expensive car accidents due to their slower road speed. Therefore, lady drivers are a preferred choice by the UK car insurance industry.<br /><br />According to experts it is not that women have fewer accidents but the accidents they have are less serious in nature. In a survey by it was found that more than 90% of cases of drunk driving accidents involve men. On other hand, women are cautious drivers. They usually don't have a fast driving habit unlike men. Men are usually aggressive when it comes to driving especially when they're late. On average, women drivers travel shorter distances. Also, married women, tend to drive more carefully.<br /><span class="fullpost"><br />Women are more likely to have accidents at lower speeds, which causes far less damage to their car. Hence their claims are for smaller amounts unlike men drivers which gives ladies a distinct advntage when applying for womens car insurance quotes..<br /><br />Many insurers specialising exclusively in lady drivers car insurance have come up to cash in on these existing facts and figures. They provide cheap offers to lady drivers. The arithmetic calculation works in a simple manner ensuring huge profit margins for insurance companies and the advantage of low premiums to lady drivers. It is estimated that all insurers generally give 10% discount to female drivers. However, the difference in premiums between males and lady drivers decrease with age.<br /><br />Lady drivers in UK have many options to choose from and get the best car insurance deal at a reasonable rate. So, experts recommend lady drivers to shop around and ride home with the best car insurance deal.<br /><br />Recently, the proposed measure of European Commission to do away the lesser premiums for lady car drivers has invited lot of discussion. Industry experts are of the opinion that the proposed measure would be rolled back in all likelihood and lady drivers would continue to enjoy the cheap car insurance benefits.<br /></span><br /></span><span class="fullpost"></span>Adminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11569069237748922762noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7179220048593532489.post-4964809673205720682008-10-23T04:32:00.000-07:002008-10-23T04:37:36.597-07:00Indonesia’s Insurance ThreatsBy : Anton Hermansyah<br /><br />Indonesia is a potential market for insurance, since It has billions of people and relative high growing economics. But why the insurance doesn’t grow as it expected.<br /><br />I browse to the net, follow the lecturing, done some discussions with my friends, and here are the reasons that I got :<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Religion and Belief</span><br /><br />Indonesian society has strong belief and religion, they believe if the disaster get on them, it’s because of their failure or disobeying the God, if you get insured means that you don’t believe on God’s protection, and it’s a taboo to talk about disaster (it would be difficult to explain the insurance to them).<br /><span class="fullpost"><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Education<br /><br /></span>They felt they have educated enough about insurance, and all they know in generally is : “If I don’t have a trouble, I don’t get the money. My life is almost trouble free, why should I get insured? It’s just wasting my money!”<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Financial Perspective</span><br /><br />Prior to previous reason, they haven’t realize insurance as an investment, “If you want to invest, why don’t you buy a house, land or jewelry?” Those still a good investment methods, but not liquid enough.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Financial Condition</span><br /><br />It’s all about the ability and the stability. We must have the ability to buy the policy and stabilty to pay the premiums consistently. I’m not sure about the number, but I think many Indonesians don’t have either the ability, stability or both. As long as I see, the insurance buyers in Indonesia are from the middle up economic level and forth, in fact there are many Indonesian people living below the poverty line.<br /></span>Adminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11569069237748922762noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7179220048593532489.post-6796085390668671442008-10-23T04:27:00.001-07:002008-10-23T04:27:56.409-07:007 Tips On Getting The Right Flood Insurance So You Can Stay Prepared This Winter“Purchasing flood insurance is not something you want to rush,” notes David Beavers of the Water Damage Team. “To properly protect your investments you should take the time to properly prepare before purchasing flood insurance, as rates limits and coverage alter drastically between insurance companies. To help you prepare for your search, please enjoy the following list of tips for finding the right flood insurance.”<br /><br />1. Assess your Home’s Risk<br />A nation wide insurance company stated that one third of the flood claims they get come from homes not in a flood prone area. It’s important to consider your real risk for a flood of any kind, and how high if a risk it is. Depending on your homes propensity to flood, the policy you choose should adjust to it accordingly. You can go to the governments flood site, FloodSmart.com, to get a better idea of your homes risk for flooding as well as some estimates for price ranges you should be expecting.<br /><span class="fullpost"><br />2. Don’t Wait<br />It takes awhile to finalize the process of getting flood insurance, and if a flood occurs during that process it’s not likely that you will receive coverage. If you are considering this type of insurance, then make sure you plan to purchase it well before flood or even rain season. Unfortunately, the majority of homes in Louisiana had no flood insurance during hurricane Katrina, and government handouts only go so far.<br /><br />3. Educate Yourself on Limits<br />Before signing anything, make sure you know your home well and they type of flood damage it could incur. Then carefully evaluate your flood insurance proposal and make sure you are fully covered for any and every area of concern. While some insurance companies have limits to the amount they’ll refund you for damages, some will cover your home and it’s possessions to the full extent. Do not be afraid to ask questions, express concerns, or criticize rates and limits. This is your home, life, and family you’re dealing with so it’s okay to be a little pushy to make sure you’re getting what you want when you pay for it.<br /><br />4. Ask About Rate Increases<br />No one wants to think about their rates increasing in the future when they’re first taking on a new bill, but it is important to remember that your flood insurance rates could very likely rise and you will be expected to pay the difference. Luckily, now that you know this you can take a look at rate limits for each insurance company you consider, and factor them in.<br /><br />5. Preparation is Key<br />The more knowledgeable and prepared you are when choosing flood insurance, the more likely you are to make the perfect choice for you. Before going in to question agents, make a list of things you’d like to ask and know. It’s easy to get flustered and forget important things when you’re talking to a smooth talking insurance agent who knows how to make a sale. Know what exactly you’d like protected from a potential flood (just the home, or all possessions or vehicles as well?) and what your budget is. Look online before going out to et a good idea for insurance rates for your area.<br /><br />6. Ask Neighbors<br />Don’t be shy to ask neighbors and friends living nearby if they have flood insurance and which company they purchased it from. Make sure to ask multiple questions from overall satisfaction, to reliability and rates. The best reviews are from the customers themselves as opposed to the company trying to sell their stuff.<br /><br />7. Do Not Rely on Handouts<br />Although it’s true people living in high-risk areas have the right to government aid in a natural disaster, they aid is very limited. Very limited. If you live in one of theses areas and thus think you don’t need insurance, know that you’ll receive some help but you may lose your home and possessions in the process, as the government is not likely to replace them.<br /><br /><br />The Water Damage Team is a nation wide disaster restoration company, with years of experience in water removal and water drying. As well as storm damage clean up, contaminated water removal, structural drying, debris removal and mold remediation.<br /><br />Issued By : Water Damage Team<br />Source : www.prlog.org<br /></span>Adminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11569069237748922762noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7179220048593532489.post-77640116286543386872008-10-15T02:02:00.000-07:002008-10-15T02:10:50.266-07:00Automobile Insurance – A Legal RequirementEvery state in America makes having some form of automobile insurance or proof of financial responsibility a legal requirement, and each state has its own minimum requirements when it comes to the amount of automobile insurance or proof of financial responsibility a driver must have. Most law abiding citizens comply with the legal requirement of having a minimum amount of automobile insurance or proof of financial responsibility; however, there are still drivers out there who don’t have automobile insurance, or who haven’t shown proof of financial responsibility in the event of an automobile accident.<br /><span class="fullpost"><br />Even though many states are cracking down by requiring drivers to show proof that they hold the state’s minimum automobile insurance or financial responsibility before they can register their vehicles, there are still drivers who are slipping by. Why would a driver choose not to insure himself and his automobile? Many drivers feel that by purchasing automobile insurance, or by forking out the minimum amount of money to cover the financial responsibility requirements of their state, they are spending money they’ll never see again. Plus, this money they feel “they’ll never see again” is usually money they feel they can’t afford. However, should these drivers find themselves in an automobile accident without at least the minimum automobile insurance or financial responsibility requirements of their state, the legal mess will most likely cost much more than the automobile insurance payments or financial responsibility would have cost.<br /><br />If you’re thinking about “slipping by” without purchasing the minimum automobile insurance or showing the minimum financial responsibility required by your state, don’t. You may think you’re an excellent driver who will never cause an accident, but your state has made automobile insurance or financial responsibility a legal requirement for a reason and it’s not just to protect drivers who may be involved in an accident in which you are at fault – it’s also a legal requirement that will protect you.<br /></span>Adminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11569069237748922762noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7179220048593532489.post-69540658812803801302008-10-14T01:56:00.000-07:002008-10-14T02:23:27.185-07:00How Can an Insurance Claims Specialist Help?Generally, most people have a misconception about their insurance agent. They believe that because they have been paying their annual premiums that the agent is concerned about doing what is right for them. While that may be true for a small number of agents, most agents on the other hand know their loyalty is to the insurance company for which they work.<br /><br />When the adjuster comes out to examine your damage, he or she wants to save the boss as much money as possible. And that means they will do whatever it takes to minimize the value of your claims.<br /><span class="fullpost"><br />Of course, you won’t be thinking about all of these issues at the time. You will be worried and stressed because of the accident, the fire, the storm, or whatever may be the cause of your claim. And that is why it is important for you to use an insurance claims specialist.<br /><br />What Does an Insurance Claims Specialist Do?<br /><br />Insurance claims specialists work with people like you who need assistance in filing their claims and in handling all of the other responsibilities that may entail. The specialist can come into the picture and help you answer questions from the insurance company and deal with all of the other professionals who will be involved in making you whole again. You won’t have to deal with the phone calls, emails and letters from the insurance company, the contractors, or anyone else. All of that will be handled by your claims specialist. You just work on getting your life back together.<br /><br />Another important service is that an insurance claims specialist can help you interpret the fine print of your policy. Most of us don’t understand the jargon insurance companies use to explain our coverage, the policy exceptions and other elements. They can step in and help you make sense of all the details so you will be armed with knowledge.<br /><br />Specific Services from Insurance Claims Specialist<br /><br />As soon as you need to make an insurance claim, you should call in your specialist. Because you will need to make sure your story is coherent, you can work with the specialist before you start answering questions from your agent.<br /><br />Additionally, if you need a temporary place to live or a rental car or even cash to hold you over until you can begin receiving funds from your policy, your insurance claims specialist can take care of all of these areas for you.<br /><br />Once your basic needs are taken care of, your specialist will start assessing your damages. He or she will be able to provide a true estimate of what you have lost as a result of the accident, fire, or other destructive event. They can also examine your policy and decide what you can expect to receive based on those damages.<br /><br />After the wheels of the claims process are set in motion, your representative will work with the professionals on your behalf and will help to negotiate the type of settlement you desire and for the amount you deserve.<br /></span>Adminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11569069237748922762noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7179220048593532489.post-88765009587686045842008-10-13T03:57:00.000-07:002008-10-13T03:59:01.696-07:00How to Shop for Individual Health InsuranceIf you find yourself in the position of shopping for an individual health insurance policy, there are certain things you'll want to keep in mind. Whether you are coming out of a job that covered you before, or are at the end of your COBRA benefits, or simply have never had coverage before there are things you can do to get coverage on yourself and your loved ones.<br /><br />The basic thing to know is that if you have a shot a group health insurance, whether through a job or an association you're a member of, that is usually much more affordable than buying individual health insurance on your own. First you need to figure out your health insurance goals; in other words, what are you after? If you're young, healthy as a horse, no dependents and not attempting Mt. Everest next week, you may want to opt for a policy that covers only the catastrophes, and cover the rest out-of-pocket. On the flip side of that, if you're the sole bread winner with a family to support, the scenario is different.<br /><span class="fullpost"><br />The basic choices you'll have are Fee-for-Service, Managed Care Plans, and Association-based health insurance. Fee-for-service is the traditional indemnity plan, harder to acquire, more expensive, but usually great coverage. Managed care plans include most HMO's and PPO's. These offer lower costs but your choices are somewhat limited. Another way to get insured is through a group or association you may already be a member of, such as professional, religious or trade organizations. Often they may offer health insurance. It's worth checking out, as sometimes you can strike gold in this vein.<br /><br />Things to consider when you're looking for any policy are what's covered on this plan, how much are the monthly premiums, what is the yearly out-of-pocket, what is the deductible, how much are office visits, does it cover preventative medicine, vision, dental? And I'm sure you can come up with many of your own. Sit down before you go shopping and make a list of your needs and wants, and decide in advance what you're willing to give to get. Be aware that once you start getting quotes they can vary as much as 50% for the same person! Remember, you're shopping, and nobody's making you do anything. If one insurer isn't cutting it, move on to another. If you're coming at this cold and have no good recommendations it may be wise to use a broker who represents several companies, as he or she wil be more likely to find the best policy for you, as opposed to selling the company they work for.<br /><br />Shopping for individual health insurance can be frustrating and time-consuming, but if you come armed with facts you'll be able to navigate this highly competitive and ever-changing field.<br /><br /></span>Adminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11569069237748922762noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7179220048593532489.post-33209971736594423232008-10-11T02:39:00.000-07:002008-10-11T02:41:04.944-07:00Where to Find Second Property InsuranceWhen it comes to taking out second property insurance the first thing you have to remember is that it varies a great deal from the type of insurance that you will have taken out to cover your home. It will also depend on what you intend to do with the property you are buying. For example if you are going to turn the property into a holiday home let then you will need more extensive cover than had you bought the property for the intentions of it just being your own holiday home.<br /><br />Second property insurance includes many different components, some of which you will already know about while others are more complex. The standards of any insurance policy should be included and the most obvious of these are of course the contents and buildings, however if you have such as a swimming pool then this will have to be taken into consideration and should be covered. If you need second property insurance for a holiday let then this is even more extensive, along with the usual components of the insurance you will also need to think about taking insurance that covers you for such as liability to tenants and any staff that you hire to run the holiday home.<br /><span class="fullpost"><br />One big problem for those who know very little about insurance is the fact that within policies there can be many exclusions, which means if you haven’t noticed them due to not reading the small print then when you come to make a claim it could mean you are turned down. Very often insurers will state in the small print that you have to meet certain requirements when the property is left empty, most holiday homes will be empty for periods during the winter months and this is when factors have to be taken into consideration, which include such things as the risk of flood due to burst pipes.<br /><br />In order to get the best second property insurance deal then it is essential that you go with a specialist broker, you will be putting a lot of money into the venture and of course want the best possible chance of success. A broker can provide you with the essential information that is needed when it comes to your needs and can also save you a lot of time and money by shopping around for you to make sure you get the best possible deal for your second property insurance. Along with this you will be able to ask any questions regarding anything you are not sure about concerning your second property insurance.<br /></span>Adminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11569069237748922762noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7179220048593532489.post-62405496790058374132008-10-10T18:06:00.000-07:002008-10-10T18:11:48.643-07:00Do You Need to Buy Rental Car Insurance?Rental car insurance can be confusing. You need to make sure you have enough insurance to cover you in case you have an accident, but you don´t want to pay for coverage you already have.<br /><br />Don´t wait until you´re in a quandary at the rental counter. Before your next business trip, find out if you´re covered through your own automobile insurance policy or through your credit card company.<br /><span class="fullpost"><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Auto Insurance</span><br />Call your agent to find out what your auto insurance policy covers when you rent a car. To be properly covered in your rental, your existing policy must include liability, comprehensive and collision coverage for rental vehicles. Liability insurance covers you if you injure another person in an accident, and comprehensive and collision insurance cover you if you damage the rental car.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Credit Cards</span><br />After you know what your auto policy covers, check with your credit card company. Some credit card companies offer collision and theft insurance when you use their card to pay for a rental, but this coverage is usually secondary to your personal auto policy. Significant restrictions may apply: For example, the card company may require that you decline the rental agency´s collision damage waiver — a provision of your rental agreement that limits your liability for damages to the car. Remember, a credit card will only cover damage to the car, not liability claims against you. That means your credit card won´t protect you if you injure others or destroy property. In addition, this coverage might exclude business use or be limited to a certain period of time and geographic area.<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Rental Insurance</span><br />If you don´t have adequate coverage through your auto insurance policy or credit card, you should purchase coverage through the rental agency.<br /><br />The most misunderstood part of rental insurance is the collision damage waiver. A collision damage waiver isn´t really insurance; instead, it´s a guarantee that the rental company will pay for certain damages. Rental agencies offer collision damage waivers or loss damage waivers for about $14 to $20 per day. If you decline the collision damage waiver, you accept responsibility for all damages.<br /><br />The collision damage waiver also covers "loss of use" — the money a rental agency loses when the vehicle can´t be rented due to damages. In most states, an automobile insurance policy won´t cover this cost.<br /><br />In addition, when you damage a rental car, some agencies will expect you to pay up front for repairs or replacement costs. This means the money comes from your pocket, and you must get reimbursed by your auto insurance company. The collision damage waiver protects you from these up-front costs.<br /><br />In addition to the collision damage waiver, most rental agencies offer:<br /></span><ul><li><span class="fullpost"> Supplementary liability insurance, which acts as secondary coverage to your personal policy</span></li><li><span class="fullpost"> Primary liability insurance for drivers who don´t have auto insurance policies or don´t want to use them</span></li><li><span class="fullpost"> Personal accident insurance</span></li><li><span class="fullpost"> Personal effects protection that insures your belongings.</span></li></ul><span class="fullpost"><br />www.allbusiness.com<br /><br /></span>Adminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11569069237748922762noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7179220048593532489.post-79617842439718806302008-10-10T02:01:00.000-07:002008-10-10T02:02:42.589-07:00Why Do I Need Life InsuranceLife insurance provides a death benefit, money that your beneficiary or beneficiaries can use for whatever purposes they choose, helping to:<br /><br /> * Pay your last expenses, which may include estate taxes and burial costs<br /> * Replace your income and helping to maintain your family's standard of living<br /> * Protect your family's home by enabling them to pay off the mortgage and other debts<br /> * Pay others to do some of the tasks you do routinely, such as caring for an aging relative or a child, maintaining the yard or home, etc., or having the option to take time to do these things him- or herself<br /> * Ensure a child can go to college<br /> * Provide supplemental retirement income for your spouse or partner<br /> * Provide funds to help settle an estate<br /> * Pay expenses incurred to keep your small business in the family<br /><br />http://www.prudential.com/Adminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11569069237748922762noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7179220048593532489.post-32915070284287584972008-10-10T00:46:00.000-07:002008-10-10T00:48:33.634-07:00About Property InsuranceProperty designates those real or intellectual goods that are commonly recognized as being the rightful possessions of a person or group. A right of ownership is associated with property that establishes the good as being "one's own thing" in relation to other individuals or groups, assuring the owner the right to dispense with the property in a manner he or she sees fit. Moreover, these days, the term property is something, which initiates family dispute, quarrels and relation break-ups. But again, under the laws of some land, property insurance has become very common as well as mandatory these days.<br /><br />The protection against most risks to property, such as fire, theft and some weather damage is what is known as property insurance. This includes specialized forms of insurance such as fire insurance, flood insurance, earthquake insurance, home insurance or boiler insurance.<br /><span class="fullpost"><br />There are two main ways of property insurance - open perils and named perils. Open perils cover all the causes of loss not specifically excluded in the policy. Common exclusions on open peril policies include damage resulting from earthquakes, floods, nuclear incidents, acts of terrorism and war. Named perils require the actual cause of loss to be listed in the policy for insurance to be provided. The more common named perils include such damage causing events as fire, lightning, explosion and theft and also in the case of catastrophes like fire, explosion, theft, or vandalism, property insurance helps cover an individuals costs - whether it's to repair damaged property or replace what he or she have lost.<br /><br />Now, when we are discussing about property insurance, it is very obvious for a person to ask, what all are covered under this type of insurance. Now, the way an individual is covered for property insurance varies from policy to policy in two main ways:<br /><br />• The property that is actually insured.<br /><br />• The type of events that lead to the loss.<br /><br />In terms of property, some policies cover basic equipment (building structure, furniture, inventory, equipment, and supplies); others insure money and securities, such as lost revenue or cash on the premises, and hard-to-replace records, such as accounts receivable, from damage or loss.<br /><br />Events that do damage are known as perils or causes of loss, and include weather-related events such as lightning strikes or hail, or human causes such as robbery or vehicular accidents.<br /><br />Again, there are two types of policies available to cover perils: a named-perils policy, which covers losses resulting from only those perils the policy names, and an all-risk policy (a.k.a. special form coverage), which offers coverage for all perils except those specifically named. These days, a large number of companies are providing the service of property insurance to their customers. The missions of these companies are:<br /><br />a. Assure stability in the property insurance market<br /><br />b. Make sure basic property insurance is available for all qualified properties<br /><br />c. Encourage the maximum use of licensed insurers<br /><br />d. Provide for the equitable distribution of risk to all licensed insurers<br /><br />With the aim of fulfilling their missions and to attain their objectives, premium payments in the form of credit cards are also being accepted by these financial institutions. The Insurance Services Office provides insurers with basic premiums incorporating a number of factors to determine the basic risk of your property. The primary factors in setting property insurance premiums include the type of building structure, the presence or absence of protective safety measures, and the proximity of your property to other high-risk areas.<br /><br />This basic rate is then further adjusted at the discretion of the insurer, who credits or debits based on claims history or specific loss-control measures. In states where rates cannot be adjusted, dividends are commonly used as a way to reduce premiums.<br /><br />But certain things which must be kept in mind before going out blindly after the schemes offered by the companies. Those check points are:<br /><br />1. Keep a close eye on renewals<br /><br />An individual must not get stuck in a pattern of renewing whatever coverage he or she may have had the year before. Your needs may have changed, and you could end up renewing coverage for something you no longer use, lease, or own.<br /><br />2. Review any exclusions<br /><br />Carefully read over the policy and make a special note of any exclusions, such as flood damage for example. Depending on your individual business and its location, you might want to purchase coverage for these exclusions.<br /><br />3. Consider construction<br /><br />For new construction, it can be a worthwhile investment to consider concrete, brick, or steel for building materials since these are less inclined than a structure made of wood to suffer total destruction in a fire.<br /><br />Last but not the least, always make sure that the bases are covered by the policy. The following are the general guideline when thinking about what type of property to insure.<br /><br />1. Buildings and other structures<br /><br />2. Any outdoor property such as signs or fences<br /><br />3. Mobile property such as construction equipment or automobiles<br /><br />4. Machinery<br /><br />5. Furniture, equipment, and supplies<br /><br />6. Inventory<br /><br />7. Leased equipment<br /><br />8. Computers and other data processing equipment<br /><br />9. Records, valuable papers, books, and documents<br /><br />10. Money and securities<br /><br />11. Intangible property such as trademarks and logos <br /><br />Thanks.<br /></span>Adminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11569069237748922762noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7179220048593532489.post-8699465861374510372008-10-09T21:38:00.000-07:002008-10-09T21:39:24.027-07:00Individual Health Insurance or Group Health Insurance?Most people believe that individual health insurance and group health insurance are essentially the same thing and that the only difference is that one is sold to individuals and that the other is sold to employers and other group organizations (such as clubs) to cover employees or members of the organization. In fact it is not quite as simple as that and individual and group health plans differ in a number of significant ways.<br /><br />One of the most significant differences is that a group plan normally has fewer limitations and does not usually require those covered under the plan to provide proof of insurability. In other words the mere fact that you are a member of the group to which the plan applies means that you are eligible for cover.<br /><span class="fullpost"><br />Another important difference is that the contract for a group plan is made between the insurance company and the employer, union, trust, club or other sponsor and is not made directly with you as would be the case with an individual plan. This means that you have no power to negotiate changes to the plan to suit your own specific needs and that, where changes are made between for example your employer and the insurer, you have no real power to intervene.<br /><br />The great advantage for most people of seeking health cover through a group plan lies in the fact that it has fewer limitations and is generally cheaper than an individual plan. However, one significant disadvantage is that your membership of the plan is tied to your membership of the group and, in the case of employment, a change in your employment status will affect your cover. For example, if you retire, are laid off, quit, or simply suffer a reduction in your hours you could suddenly find that you and your family lose your health insurance.<br /><br />Now there is of course some protection for individuals who lose their employment through no fault of their own and the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA) will allow you to retain your group scheme cover for a while (typically 18 months) while you make alternative arrangements. The drawback of course is that you still have to pay for cover and this can be very expensive since you will have to pay not only the employee contribution which you were paying while in work, but also the employer's contribution since you are no longer on the payroll. The benefits to which you are entitled under COBRA cover may also be reduced in many cases.<br /><br />One other key difference between group and individual health insurance which is worthy of note here arises out of the Age Discrimination in Employment Act. This essentially means that, where a group plan is in existence covering a group of twenty or more employees, the employer must make insurance available to all employees, including their spouses and dependants. Accordingly, there is no age limit imposed for cover and this can be particularly beneficial to older employees.<br /><br />These are of course only some of the main difference between group and individual health insurance but nonetheless represent a good starting point in helping you to decide between the two. Which you choose must of course be a personal decision but one important thing to remember is that health insurance becomes increasing difficult to get and more expensive the older you get and, even if you do decide to 'shelter' under an employer's plan, the day will surely come when you will be on your own and forced to seek cover outside of your employer's scheme.<br /><br />Your employer's scheme may be fine today but do not forget to view it not simply in terms of your present needs, but also in terms of your longer term needs.<br /></span>Adminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11569069237748922762noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7179220048593532489.post-6271183298079363072008-10-09T21:35:00.000-07:002008-10-09T21:37:14.732-07:00Protecting Your Family AbroadIf you have a spouse, dependents, children or anyone in your life about whom you care deeply it adds so much purpose to your life - no longer are the hours spent at your desk or slaving over housework without meaning, in fact no longer are any of the tasks you undertake for no purpose.<br /><br />If you have someone who relies on you, needs you and loves you right back then their welfare and overall care is of paramount importance to you on all levels; and if you decide to up sticks and relocate overseas to enjoy a better quality of life as an increasing number of families are doing, the holistic approach to the care of your family will be your number one priority.<br /><span class="fullpost"><br />Moving is one of the most stressful events in anyone’s life, moving abroad doubly so - and if you factor in moving overseas with children, having to find accommodation, employment, educational establishments and new friends for the whole family then the entire project becomes incredibly daunting at first glance.<br /><br />However, as with any large task the best way to tackle it is to break it down into small pieces and manage each step at a time.<br /><br />Many people are choosing to move overseas with their family to give them a better start in life, a better quality of life and a safer, more fun introduction to life - sunny overseas destinations are often favoured because the amount of time the family can spend together outdoors swimming, walking, playing and exploring is far greater than in many parts of Northern Europe and America for example meaning that the whole family will benefit from better health, greater levels of fitness and fresher air.<br /><br />Sunnier countries often have far better and healthier fresh produce for sale, another tick in the box for moving abroad. Often the pace of life overseas is slower, stress is an alien concept, money is a tool rather than a goal and so one’s approach to life can become far healthier and better balanced. All of these factors add up in favour of starting a new life abroad for many families.<br /><br />However, when one moves from a country like America, Canada, Germany or the UK where health care services are exceptional, the level of assistance afforded every citizen is fantastic and the right to decent medical and dental services is guaranteed, it can be a shock to move abroad and learn that health care services differ greatly, as does the cost of care, on a country by country basis.<br /><br />Generally speaking it is usually possible to get a decent level of medical care in any major destination in the world - however, affording the care and actually having the right to see a specific doctor can be restrictive and restricted.which is why those moving abroad with their spouse, children or significant others in tow must consider getting international health insurance from the get-go. While insurance is far from an enthralling subject, it is an essential element in the protection of family members when moving to live abroad. The head of the family must ensure that every family member has at least the basic level of cover that will enable them to have emergency treatment and care should they need it, and this will give everyone the peace of mind they need and the protection they deserve.<br /><br />The good news is that international health insurance packages for the whole family are affordable as more insurance providers battle over customers! It is well worth shopping around for the best quotations before committing to any one provider, furthermore it can also be cheaper to get health insurance from specialist expatriate providers or to find a company local to the destination in which you will be living.<br /><br />Rhiannon Williamson is a freelance writer whose articles about living abroad, moving overseas with children, working abroad and investing internationally have appeared in publications around the world. She has a wealth of useful information on her website for would be expatriates from how to get the best international medical cover to how to find international schools, from getting jobs abroad to studying overseas.<br /></span>Adminhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11569069237748922762noreply@blogger.com1