Thursday, April 29, 2010

Car insurance friendly vehicles to buy

How many times have you thought about dropping insurance coverage on your vehicle altogether after receiving the payable premium? We know how it feels. Insurance rates are constantly on the rise and if you have a costly car to insure it may be a heavy burden for your family budget. But do not despair, there are better solutions than dropping insurance services. Moreover, driving without an insurance policy is illegal in the majority of states and you can face a substantial fine for not having coverage on your vehicle. Not to mention that it will be quite expensive for you to cover the costs if an accident takes place and you don't have any insurance.

You have probably read many articles with tips on how to reduce insurance costs in an effective way. While they all offer helpful solutions to different extent, most of them do not mention the most important element of vehicle coverage - the car itself. The auto you drive pays a very important role when it comes to determining the premiums you will pay for insuring it. People often drive insurance-costly cars and don't even realize why their rates are so high.

In order to change this situation here are some tips you can use when buying a new or used car with respect to auto insurance costs. They should be a guide for those who are looking for really cheap car insurance and want to minimize their costs in an effective manner.

First of all, forget about sports and muscle cars. In many cases such cars are cheaper than mid-class sedans and are very hot looking. But the faster and more powerful the car is, the greater is the risk that it will end up in a car accident. Sports cars provoke aggressive driving style and that's definitely a cause for concern in insurance companies. That's why in most cases sports cars are costlier to insure than other types of vehicles.

Luxury or rare cars should also be out of your list. Of course, if you can afford a Bentley then you probably don't need cheap auto insurance tips at all. Still, if you are cost-conscious and want to spend less on coverage then you should think about other car types. Luxury, classic and rare cars usually have high repair costs and are more likely to be stolen than ordinary vehicles. And this will eventually push your insurance costs too high to be convenient.

Small cars. Wait, what? Small cars are usually quite cheap and don't have high repair costs, right? Yes, of course. But you also have to understand that the safety of passengers is another factor that strongly influences car insurance quotes the car will receive. And here the basic laws of physics are very important. Smaller cars tend to be totaled or damaged badly with severe injuries to the people inside far more often than bigger cars.

Big SUVs. Now you are really confused, right? SUVs are large and quite safe for the people driving it, what's the problem? The problem is that SUV's have high damage costs they usually deliver during the accident. Other cars and the infrastructure tend to be damaged worse than with smaller cars and it is your insurance company who's paying for the repair.

So what should I buy?

The best type of vehicle for having reasonable insurance rates is mid-sized family sedan. These cars usually have competitive repair costs, low theft rates and perform well during crash tests. So if insurance costs are more important for you than your image this is the perfect option to go with.

Monday, April 26, 2010

Health insurance must now deliver coverage in a reformed system

To encourage the Democrats to vote through his healthcare reform bill, Obama framed the moment as one of morality. He argued everyone should have a right to basic health care. This was the chance for politicians to stand up for what was right, even though they might lose their elected jobs as a result. Yet, if you look at the numbers, this law is not going to deliver universal coverage. In socialized countries, everyone has a right to care. What is now branded as Obamacare will only add about 32 million people to the insurance market.

That was said about 10% of the US population. This makes for an interesting possible result. A small percentage of the population gets access to care and the costs for everyone else go up. It is that fear driving a general loss of support for the law. Whether it will turn out that way is anyone's guess. It is incredibly difficult to predict the future with any certainty. All that can be said with any certainty is that the majority of the Democrats feel good about themselves for voting the bill into law. They walked the walk along the moral high ground while the GOP was the party of "No" that wanted to sacrifice people's health for their own political advantage.

It is a tragedy for all thinking people the means of passing the law was framed in such black and white terms. If the two sides in a debate can never agree on anything because the other side is immoral scum, it gets very difficult to enact good laws. No one has a monopoly on good ideas. Indeed, the federal law bears a striking resemblance to the law in Massachusetts. When Mitt Romney pushed it through, conservatives hailed the reforms even though it imposed a mandate on Americans to buy insurance. Now Romney is leading the charge accusing Obama of an unconstitutional abuse of power. This is modern Communism he asserts, quietly forgetting his own law. When both sides are committed to disagreeing, truth is sacrificed and hypocrisy rules. So where does this leave us with the insurance companies?

Unlike the healthcare systems in other countries (such as european countries), the private insurance industry remains the key player. Americans will primarily look to the private sector for coverage. If businesses and private individuals cannot afford the premiums, the state will offer some financial support. This is wonderful news for the insurers. Millions of new people to insure with the government picking up a lot of the bill. This is a licence to print money unless the government acts to reduce the costs of treatment. If the government controls the prices of medications and forces hospitals to deliver only the forms of treatment shown to be cost-effective, this will remove the pressure on the health insurance industry to keep increasing the premium rates. Some rates will inevitably rise in the short term. But, as costs level out, they can be spread out across of wider range of people, many of whom will be healthy. This will take time and the Democrats may lose out in the midterm elections. Nevertheless, with President Obama in the White House, there will be no repeal of this law. The longer it is in force, the more difficult the GOP will find it to repeal as and when they return to power. Until things do stabilize, get the maximum number of health insurance quotes to find the most affordable policy for you and your family.

Sunday, April 25, 2010

Car insurance quotes for seniors

Statistics are a wonderful thing when they tell you what you want to hear. So, it's great to know some makes and models of car now go further on less gas. It's bad news to hear young men have the highest accident rates because that means they pay the highest premiums. It's good news to discover drivers in the age range of 55 through 74 have the lowest accident rates. Once drivers pass 75, their eyesight and reflexes are failing. Even though they may drive more slowly and take great care, their accident rate rises fast but never quite reaches the young male rate. So, in theory, reaching the magic age of 55 should see your premiums falling (or not rising when all the younger drivers get a premium increase). But life is never completely fair. Most of the time, you have to push to get your rights. That's why it always pays you to get multiple quotes and, even more importantly, check the detail of what discounts are on offer for the older driver.

Let's start with a simple rule. If you have retired and now drive less, you should be paying less. Look for the monthly/annual mileage options and check the one that applies to you. Looking slightly wider, some insurers offer even bigger discounts if you are prepared to offer proof of low mileage. The majority just ask you to call in every month to check your odometer. But there are new deals coming online if you are prepared to allow technology in the vehicle. There are black boxes that monitor how far you drive and where you drive. The discounts are significant if you avoid peak times during the day and do not drive later at night when the accident rates are higher. For those who live outside city centers, driving in areas where the accident rates are lower is rewarded.

Then there are the discounts for those who go back to school. The AARP offers driver safety courses around the country. You can find the course nearest to you by using this address: http://www.aarp.org/VMISLocator/searchDspLocations.do. Anyone is entitled to attend but the insurance discounts usually only kick in for those aged 55 or more. Note that, in thirty-six states, going through one of these classroom courses gives an entitlement to a premium reduction. Twelve states require insurers to discount the premiums for drivers going through a safety course online. It is up to you to contact your insurance company to find out what the rules are on driver improvement or safety courses for your state. This is particularly important if you do not live in a state where the discount is mandatory.

But there is going to come a time when there are warning signs of possible danger. If you have some "close calls" or misjudge parking or driving in tight situations and scrape or dent the paint work, it may be time to drive less. This gets more obvious if other drivers start honking at you. Car insurance is all about balancing risks and costs. If you are finding it difficult to see the road signs or react more slowly when you need to brake, difficult decisions are looming. As you age, the car insurance quotes will slowly show premium increases to reflect the growing risk. At some point, you will feel the cost is too much and let the young ones in your family drive you around. Staying independent is only a good thing if you stay alive.

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Saturday, April 24, 2010

Health insurance and allergies

This year, the weather has been unfortunate. Indeed, those who take an interest in predicting such things suggest 2010 may be the worst year on record for seasonal allergies. It is all down to the late snow. The increased level of water that fell and was held in the ground will boost the early release of tree pollens. When added to the usual grass pollens, this will threaten a far wider range of people. Research results from the first ten years of this century show the number of people suffering from seasonal allergies rising quite steadily, with many now suffering from environmental allergies all year round. About 60% of those with allergies report it difficult to control symptoms with over-the-counter drugs, with some 20% forced to take time off from work. The majority of those with access to health plans report improvement. This is not simply a question of accessing a different range of drugs.

Medical science has been advancing rapidly and there is a clear understanding of the biology of allergies. The first step is a series of skin tests to discover exactly which elements in the environment you are sensitive to. The basic test covers about twenty of the pollens, molds, animals, insects and foods most commonly causing an allergic reaction. The results can be extremely helpful if you discover you not only have a major allergy to house dust but also a low-intensity problem with dogs. Changing your lifestyle can lead to a major improvement in your health even though it may mean losing your pet. An allergist can advise on strategies to remove carpets, fit different types of sheets and pillow cases on beds, regularly vacuum sofas, and so on. It may be necessary to keep windows closed at certain times, e.g. when it is damp and mold spores may be released and, if you have air-conditioning, fit a HEPA filter.

As it stands, discovering you have allergies is almost inevitably revealing a pre-existing condition, so you need to look carefully at the wording of your current health plan to see what coverage is available. If you are looking for your first health insurance coverage and know you have allergies, you must disclose the fact. Failure to do so gives your insurer the right to cancel the policy when the omission is discovered. Even when allergies are included, the extent to which the plan will pay out on the counseling and advice often necessary to make effective changes to your lifestyle can vary dramatically from one insurer to another. Some are genuinely supportive. Other have high co-payments on even the standard antihistamines. This places the burden very much on you to explore what can be built into the coverage. In this, there is one worrying statistic. The number of children who are developing more severe anaphylactic shock to different elements in the environment is rising. This means preventative as well as treatment care will be necessary.

If your allergies are serious enough to threaten your quality of life and restrict your ability to earn a living, adequate health insurance is a necessity. You are paying out on premiums to keep you functional, whether only through the season or the whole year. This is good value-for-money cover so long as the medical advice you receive does work. If in doubt, always get a referral to an experienced allergist. It may cost you a little more, but it is worth the extra money.

Friday, April 23, 2010

Business insurance F.A.Q.

Business insurance can be quite hard to understand for those who have never dealt with it, or those who are making their first steps into their own business. Here are some of the most frequently asked questions concerning business coverage and answers to them:

Should I disclose all the details about my business when getting it insured?

The insurance company should be fully aware of your business's operations, assets and property in order to provide you with the right type and amount of coverage that would be reasonable for your enterprise. In most cases when the insurance company is misinformed about the activities and belongings of the business any insurance policy is canceled (sometimes with a substantial fine).

Do I have to show my wages?

This information is required by the insurance provider in order to calculate the possible liability to others as well as the size of your enterprise.

Is landlord insurance required if my business uses lent property?

This entirely depends on your contract with the landlord. Some landlords will have all their property and buildings ensured with their own policy and this means that you do not need to insure it separately with your business policy. Other landlords won't provide any coverage, so you'll have to insure the property for yourself. Also, make sure to analyze the loan contract in order to define which circumstances are covered and which aren't.

Is public liability insurance a must?

Of course, you can go off without it but in our litigious age when a lawsuit on business can be filed any day it will be not quite bright from the business owner's part. Public liability will cover your court fees and payouts awarded if you are found guilty, and taking the fact that only lawyer expenses can account thousands and tens of thousands of dollars, this type of business insurance is particularly useful.


My business is small and only my family members work for it. Do I need employer's liability insurance?


The Employers Liability Act of 1969 makes an exception on family members for employer's liability insurance. However, if you operate as a limited company then you should cover all the employees, no matter how are you related to them.


My stock is limited, can I only cover liabilities?


Yes, it is possible, however business insurance is usually employed for other aspects as well, such as loss of profits, damage to immovables, equipment, public liability and much more. So make sure to get adequate insurance for all activities you business is involved.


I'm a product seller. In case a customer is injured by the product I sold that was defect, does my business insurance pay for that?


In most cases public liability insurance includes product liability coverage to various extents.


Does public liability insurance cover me in cases of errors and omissions of my business?


Public liability will only cover injuries or damage resulted from a defunct product. If you need a greater extent of this specific coverage or are providing services then it is recommended that you purchase errors and omissions insurance and add it to your business insurance policy. This type of insurance will be very useful for businesses that are involved in production of goods.

Insuring your life after cancer diagnosis

It is estimated that over 1.4 million of patients are diagnosed with different types of cancer in the US each year, resulting in 560,000 deaths. But in case you manage to survive this risky condition without reclusion you will still have another big problem on your hands - insuring your life.

Insuring own life can be quite troublesome for cancer patients, but it doesn't necessarily mean that it's impossible. The likelihood of getting a good policy depends on a set of factors such as type of cancer, stage it was treated at and even the treatment plan itself. And there's a direct relation between the rates you will have to pay and how it is likely for your cancer to be cured. For example, most insurance companies don't regard skin cancer as a serious illness and having a history of it may even not influence your premiums at all.

Those patients who were diagnosed with breast or prostate cancer at treatable stages can still cover their lives, falling under "standard" rating if everything is ok. However, those with leukemia or colon cancer will be classified as "substandard" or "high substandard" (which means higher rates), or even get a denial of services. Patients with metastasized forms of cancer will almost always get a denial. This also applies to those who are still undergoing cancer treatment, regardless of type and stage.

How to get cheap life insurance if you have survived cancer?

In case you have survived cancer, you have more reasons to purchase life insurance. And here are a few tips on how to make it both easier and more feasible for you:


  • Compile all of your medical records, reports and even prescription labels, especially if they have to do with cancer. Your insurance provider should have all the information on your condition, and will request it sooner all later. Helping your insurer with all the records means that your application process will be faster and you will be regarded as of a less risk. Insurance companies are very suspicious when clients do not wish to provide all the information and will usually charge more for their services. So don't make such a mistake and cooperate for better life insurance rates.

  • Cooperate with your doctor even if it is a routine check-up after the treatment. Your insurance provider will most likely wait for the results of the check up before signing you up. So the earlier you pay your doctor a visit the better.

  • Get your quotes from various providers and the more the better. Insurance companies have various methods of calculating their risks and if one company classifies you as a very high risk, another one can view you as standard. Use this to your advantage and shop around.

  • If you can get group insurance options from any organization you make part of it will be the best option for you. Group insurance always has better rates and more preferential approach from providers.

  • Think about getting a "graded" policy (providing limited benefits) in case full death benefits are not allowed. Graded policy has special periods. If the insured person dies during such a period due to cancer condition then the policy will pay only a part of the death benefit. If the person dies after the period due to another condition, the policy will pay its entire face value.

Get car insurance quotes including gap insurance

The world of insurance is full of traps for the unwary. When you set off to buy your first policy, whether it's for your vehicle, home, health or life, never assume you know anything. Always do some basic research to find out exactly what different types of cover are on offer, what they cost and whether they represent good value for money. Yes, it's a real pain to go back to school but, if you walk blindly into a "standard" policy without reading it first, the odds are you will regret it later when it comes to making a claim. Unfortunately, insurance companies are for-profit and that means they want your money and the smallest possible risk of having to give you any of it back again. Protect yourself by getting the best value-for-money coverage you can.

As an example, let's think about gap insurance. When most people are buying a new vehicle, they need finance. The cheapest deal is a bank overdraft, but they are hard to find these days. This forces you into a commercial loan. Read any loan agreement and there's always a clause requiring you to buy comprehensive and collision coverage. Obviously, your shiny new vehicle is collateral for the loan. If you default, the lender will repossess and sell it to pay off a part of your debt. Should you damage it, the lender wants it repaired so it still has some resale value. Everything is alright unless you total the vehicle.

The reason for the total loss does not matter. It can be a collision or theft. The key question is when it happens. As an example, assume you borrow $25,000 at commercial interest rates and buy a new vehicle with that cash. Ask anyone in the motor trade and they will tell you the same truth. A new vehicle loses about 30% of its value in the first year. The conventional comprehensive or collision policy pays out the current cash value of the vehicle. If your state has sales tax on a vehicle, you lose that amount from cash sale value the moment you drive it off the lot. Seconds later, you total the vehicle. You still owe the lender $25,000 plus interest but there is a gap between that liability and the amount you will receive from the insurer. Go six months and you will do well to collect $20,000. Six to twelve months will see your pay-out reduced to $18,000. In other words, the gap widens fast.

Do not buy gap insurance from your dealer. This is always too expensive. Get car insurance quotes including gap insurance and you should find it adds no more than $30 or so to the premium. This $30 could save you several thousand dollars if you total your vehicle in the first three years of ownership. Obviously, you do not need gap insurance if you paid cash for the vehicle or there's a significant equity in it. But if you lease or borrow a significant amount to buy a vehicle that depreciates fast, it really important is to get car insurance quotes with gap insurance included. Similarly, driving a high mileage increases the rate of depreciation and the risk of an accident involving total loss. It may never be needed but, if you are unlucky in losing your vehicle, that small premium increase just saved your finances from meltdown.

Thursday, April 22, 2010

Small business insurance benefits

Doing business is quite risky in nature, no matter what your enterprise is doing or where are you located. Even the safest types of services located in the most favorable areas for doing business aren't completely safe from risks, simply because this is life, and there's always risk of having unpleasant situations that may either damage you, your enterprise or even put you out of the game. That is why no matter how big or small your business is, you need insurance in order to protect your most valuable assets from certain risks you may encounter during your operations.

Insuring your business is a basic requirement of mere common sense, as by purchasing an insurance policy you can protect your enterprise from loss occurred due to fire, theft, natural disasters, worker accidents, lawsuits and many other circumstances. You can also purchase insurance for protecting your business against certain national and international situations in case your revenue depends on such circumstances as international trade, shipments and other operations. Insurance experts recommend purchasing a wide range of coverage types in order to assure that your business is properly protected against all situations.

Sure, it will cost you some money, but those who have chosen not to purchase insurance for their business most times ended up either out of the game or in big debts after paying out losses or lawsuit compensations. Still hesitating about buying small business insurance? Here are some of the benefits you get when purchasing a policy:

1. First of all you gain protection against financial losses that may affect some of the key elements of your business like property, worker health, liability, vehicles and machinery, important assets, key management personnel, etc.

2. Property and liability insurance is always quite inexpensive, making it very affordable for medium and small sized businesses that don't have the revenue to pay out big premiums and don't need large coverage amounts.

3. You have a lot of space in what concerns the amount of both premiums and deductible with your policy. If you have low risks with you business and don't want to pay large premiums, you can choose a large deductible with your policy that should be paid only when the insurance situation occurs. If you run a risky business with constant threats to your assets it will be better to choose a low deductible high premium policy that will have your out of pocket expenses at a minimum.

4. General liability coverage is a very useful feature that lets you work out things with third parties when damage, injuries or other mishaps occur during your operating process. That's a must for including into your small business insurance policy, especially if you run an enterprise with a high risk of circumstances leading to liability.

5. Your business gets the necessary liability protection from any claims you may face from the part of your employees, arising from working accidents or other circumstances. You can also purchase worker's compensation coverage with your small business insurance to make sure all of your workers are covered properly.

Now that you know why business insurance is so important make sure to purchase the right policy to get your business covered. See what local insurance companies have to offer, compare the rates and insure your business properly!

Car insurance for young drivers

Most of you are probably well aware of the fact that different age groups of drivers get different insurance rates, and the difference can be quite significant. Why the discrimination, you might ask? Well, don't haste with accusing insurance company with unfair pricing, as there is a set of reasons behind such practices. When speaking about age groups and pricing, you have to understand how the insurance companies assess risk and set the rates you get when quoting.

The primary factors determining the price you will pay for insurance are risk and claim history within your demographic group. Insurance companies analyze the costs of insuring each age group and set their rates respectively. And due to a set of reasons, young adults are considered to be the most risky car owners, thus the high rates a young driver will receive when getting insurance quotes. That's because young drivers have a larger claims history as a group, and the accidents they end up in tend to be more devastating and costly. Of course, it doesn't mean that all teenagers and young adults get crazy on the road and have serious accidents. But that's the situation when one has to pay for other's mistakes, and unfortunately there's little you can do about it.

But little doesn't mean nothing. If you are a young driver looking for good auto insurance, you still have chances of getting better rates if your follow some of the following advices. Of course, they won't drop your rates instantly and dramatically but by combining them you will be able to get quite reasonable car insurance rates.

Be a good driver

Being a good driver with a clean driving record with no accidents or traffic violations always pays of no matter how old are you. But you can go beyond that. Enroll in special driving schools and employ a defensive driving style - having proof of your good safe driving abilities will definitely give your significant discounts from the insurance company.

Buy a safe car

When you are young, you want to be fast and furious. That's your right, but if you buy a fast sports car don't expect to get advantageous auto insurance quotes for it. Sports and muscle cars are considered to be risky and have high insurance costs, so insurance companies will always charge more for owning a Mitsubishi Lancer Evo than for a VW Golf. That's why you should think about the car you want to drive before actually buying it.

Do some comparison shopping

Shopping around has never hurt anyone. In fact, getting more auto insurance quotes from different companies will help you find a really competitive policy. Some companies give young drivers lower rates than others, so why not spending a bit of your time on comparing auto insurance quotes if you can save quite well on it? Besides there are so many free quote sites out there that it would be simply a crime to leave such a great opportunity for saving some money on car insurance unnoticed.

Will your auto insurance premium increase with a recall?

There have been hundreds of front page headlines over the apparent failure of Toyota to deal with what is called sudden acceleration syndrome. This is where you are just sitting in your vehicle with the engine running or driving it on the road and, without warning, it suddenly accelerates. If you believe the stories, we have had people unable to stop on the highways even with helpful emergency services telling the drivers to switch off the engine. It seems some drivers are really determined to experience uncontrolled acceleration, and their experiences may make it more likely driver error is one of the main causes of the syndrome. Indeed, if you listen to the manufacturers, they all sing the same tune. With the accelerator and brake being next to each other, it's easy for the driver to make a mistake and press the wrong pedal. In reality, the syndrome has affected almost every make of vehicle on the road over the last ten years. It was because of the scale of the problem that manufacturers introduced the shift interlock system which makes it impossible to engage drive unless you have your foot on the brake.

Let's put Toyota's problems in context. Every major manufacturer has had recalls with problems affecting driver and passenger safety. The air bags in the Acura MDX were defective, and a plague of electrical problems affected the headlights in the Ford Focus. One of the reasons why Toyota has attracted more attention than the others this year is a type of protectionism. You attack the safety record of foreign importers to boost the sales of locally produced vehicles. Taking the statistics overall, Toyota actually has a better safety record than most other manufacturers, i.e. fewer people are injured per mile driven. With virtually every make and model recalled, the manufacturers show they are paying attention. Your safety is important to them. But what happens to your insurance premium if your vehicle is recalled?

Insurance companies find any excuse to raise their premiums but it's very unusual for rates to rise following a recall. That would be penalizing you for the manufacturer's design defects, and most states have regulations in place to prevent increases solely based on a recall. If you think you have been victimized in this way, report the facts to your local Department of Insurance. Should you prefer to change insurers, make sure you follow the terms and conditions for cancelling the policy. Many insurers impose penalties for early cancellation.

One word of warning - do not ignore a recall notice. Auto insurance companies like to find reasons to avoid paying out on claims. If you do not have your vehicle repaired and the defect causes an accident, that will be your fault and your claim will be reduced or refused. Even if there is no accident, the insurer can impose a surcharge or refuse to renew the insurance. It would be good if auto insurance companies always showed themselves in the best possible light. Unfortunately, the drive to make the maximum profit often makes them seem vicious and cold-hearted. There is no compassion in business. So always approach insurance like every other service. Shop around to find the best make and model of vehicle - one that does well in crash tests and is not popular with thieves. Then get auto insurance quotes from as many companies as possible and find the best deal. Rest assured. Recalls are the least of your problems and do not affect the premium rate over the short term.

Tuesday, April 20, 2010

Life insurance quotes are not the only thing that matters

When you are reviewing different types of life insurance policies one of the most important decisions would be to choose the most appropriate premium type to follow with your policy. It all depends on your short and long term insurance needs, which all have their most appropriate premium arrangements.

A good insurance agent will always ask you for how long you need life insurance and insurance protection. If your insurance needs are exceeding the short and medium terms, spanning over 5-10 years in the future, the most cost effective solution would be having level premiums with your life insurance policy.

However, most people usually hear only about stepped premiums, which are the best option for short periods of time, being cheaper in the short run - a great advantage for the agent or broker to close the deal. However, stepped premiums are recalculated on a yearly basis, taking into consideration the age and health condition of the policyholder, and the premium eventually rises with each year passing. And the older you become, the costlier it is for you to pay out your premiums. The major problem with stepped premiums is that when you reach your 50's or 60's the cost of insurance becomes so unbearable that you will be forced to either reduce your coverage amounts or even drop the insurance altogether. And that's definitely not the best thing to do as you have just entered the age when life insurance is particularly needed.

When you choose to go with level premiums you can rest assured that the costs of your insurance won't increase over time as they are not recalculated like stepped premiums. The only factor influencing the future changes in your premiums is the Consumer Price Index (CPI), which affects your income as well, and is usually between 3 and 5 percent. So the amount of money you will pay in ten years won't be much higher than the amount you get when only looking for life insurance quotes before any purchase.

With level premiums you can rest assured that the amount of your premiums will be at the same level up to the age of 65, if the economy doesn't experience any fundamental shifts. However, when you turn 65 years old most life insurance policies will switch to stepped premiums and you will have your rates increased each year just as if you have bought a policy with stepped premium arrangements when comparing life insurance quotes.

For example, a man who is 40 years old who purchases $100,000 of life insurance coverage with stepped premiums will spend an average of $15 per month (compare life insurance quotes initially if you want lower rates) at the first stage and when he will reach the age of 65 his gross insurance costs will account about $15,000. However, with the same amount of coverage the same man will pay $24 per month with level premiums, but his gross costs will be as low as $7,000 for the same period of time.

It may look like level premiums are more expensive initially, but in the long run they provide savings for up to twice the amount you would pay with stepped premiums. So if you are looking for a long term life insurance policy make sure that you choose level premiums in case the money question matters.

Monday, April 19, 2010

Car insurance coverage minimums by state

You probably know that all US states have different minimum coverage amounts that are required to be carried within the driver's insurance policies. And depending on where your car is registered you will have to meet these requirements. What happens if your policy has coverage amounts lower than the required minimum? That depends on the state you drive in. But usually, in case of an accident if the authorities learn that you have coverage below the minimum amount you can face a penalty or even taken into custody. So, in order to avoid that, here are the minimum requirements of coverage state by state:

Alaska 50/100/25
Alabama 20/40/10

Arkansas 25/50/15
Arizona 15/30/10
California 15/30/5
Colorado 25/50/15
Connecticut 20/40/10
Delaware 15/30/5
Florida 10/20/10
Georgia 15/30/10
Hawaii 20/40/10

Idaho 20/50/15
Illinois 20/40/15
Indiana 25/50/10
Iowa 20/40/15
Kansas 25/50/10
Kentucky 25/50/10
Louisiana 10/20/10
Maine 50/100/25
Maryland 20/40/10

Massachusetts 20/40/5
Michigan 20/40/10
Minnesota 30/60/10
Mississippi 25/50/25
Missouri 25/50/10
Montana 25/50/10
Nebraska 25/50/25
New Hampshire 25/50/25
New Jersey 15/30/5

New Mexico 25/50/10
Nevada 15/30/10
New York 25/50/10
North Carolina 30/60/25
North Dakota 25/50/25
Ohio 12.5/25/7.5
Oklahoma 10/20/10
Oregon 25/50/10
Pennsylvania 15/30/5

Rhode Island 25/50/25
South Carolina 15/30/10
South Dakota 25/50/25
Tennessee 25/50/10
Texas 20/40/15
Utah 25/65/15
Virginia 25/50/20
Vermont 25/50/10
Washington 25/50/10

Wisconsin 25/50/10
West Virginia 20/40/10
Wyoming 25/50/20

The numbers refer to bodily injury and damage liability limits to be carried by the cheap car insurance policy. The first number is the limit of injury liability per person. The second number is the injury liability limit per accident. And the third number refers to damage liability amount. And if the property damage limit is pretty evident, needed to pay for any damage to property or infrastructure delivered by your vehicle during the accident, the first two limits need a more detailed explanation. Let's take an example from Alaska - 50/100. The first number means that a person injured in the accident that gets covered can receive up to $50,000. The second number refers to the total injury car insurance coverage per single accident. If there are two persons in the car who sustained damage they will receive up to $50,000 each (a total of $100,000). But if there are 3 or 4 persons, the $100,000 will be distributed amongst them, making individual coverage limits lower. In case all the persons require maximum per capita coverage of $50,000 the first who file for it will get it, and the other ones will be covered by the policy of the car owner who was at fault during the accident.

Saturday, April 17, 2010

Home insurance myths unveiled

Myth: Standard policies will pay for flood damage.

Fact: None of standard insurance policies will cover any damage resulted from a flood. In case you have the need for flood coverage you should purchase it separately or include it as a weaver to your standard policy.

Myth: The medical payment coverage included in the insurance policy will pay for my and my family's medical costs.

Fact: This type of coverage will pay for the injuries that someone other than you or your family members (guests, neighbors, visitors, etc.) had sustained while being on your property. However, your homeowners coverage won't take effect if it's you or someone else from your family. In such a case standard health insurance plans are employed.

Myth: In case my house is devastated the insurance company will pay as much money as I tell them my house was worth.

Fact: If it occurs that your house gets devastated due to a various reasons (explosion, fire, tornado, etc.) the insurance company will only cover your lost items and the house itself if you provide all the necessary information such as purchase price and serial numbers of all the items that were lost. Of course, it's impossible to provide such information from memory after the house was destroyed. That's why your insurance agent is likely to recommend you having an inventory of all the items (especially valuable ones or equipment) stored in your house, and having a copy of it in different places. This way you make sure that you will be covered to the right extent and the insurance company assures that there is no fraud with your claim.

Myth: If my house gets robed things like jewelry will also be paid for.

Fact: It is true that such valuables like jewelry are covered with your homeowners insurance. However there are limits to the amounts the policy will cover such things, with most insurance companies putting a cap of $1500 on all the valuables that are lost due to fire or burglary. In case you think that it's too little to cover the actual value of your jewelry or furs you should buy additional coverage for such items.

Myth: I should lower mu coverage if I want to get cheap home insurance.

Fact: Saving money doesn't necessarily imply that you have to cut down the most important aspects of insurance coverage. The whole purpose of having an insurance policy is to be adequately covered in case of damage delivered to your house. You can use other more effective methods of cutting your insurance costs such as installing security and fire alarm systems in your house, or getting your home insurance from the same provider as auto or health insurance. This will usually give you great discounts.

Myth: Can I use the purchase value of my house as the dwelling coverage amount when defining the amount of insurance coverage for my policy?

Fact: It's the most common mistake the homeowners make when purchasing insurance for their house. The main catch is that the purchase value of your home is comprised of both the value of the house and the land it's built on. And it's evident that in case of a fire, storm or any other even that might destroy your house, the value of the land should not be reimbursed. That is why you should use the replacement value of your house as the dwelling coverage for the insurance policy. The easiest way to calculate the replacement value is to multiply the square footage by the construction costs in your area.

Myth: Standard policies will pay for flood damage.

Fact: None of standard insurance policies will cover any damage resulted from a flood. In case you have the need for flood coverage you should purchase it separately or include it as a weaver to your standard policy.

Myth: The medical payment coverage included in the insurance policy will pay for my and my family's medical costs.

Fact: This type of coverage will pay for the injuries that someone other than you or your family members (guests, neighbors, visitors, etc.) had sustained while being on your property. However, your homeowners coverage won't take effect if it's you or someone else from your family. In such a case standard health insurance plans are employed.

Myth: In case my house is devastated the insurance company will pay as much money as I tell them my house was worth.

Fact: If it occurs that your house gets devastated due to a various reasons (explosion, fire, tornado, etc.) the insurance company will only cover your lost items and the house itself if you provide all the necessary information such as purchase price and serial numbers of all the items that were lost. Of course, it's impossible to provide such information from memory after the house was destroyed. That's why your insurance agent is likely to recommend you having an inventory of all the items (especially valuable ones or equipment) stored in your house, and having a copy of it in different places. This way you make sure that you will be covered to the right extent and the insurance company assures that there is no fraud with your claim.

Myth: If my house gets robed things like jewelry will also be paid for.

Fact: It is true that such valuables like jewelry are covered with your homeowners insurance. However there are limits to the amounts the policy will cover such things, with most insurance companies putting a cap of $1500 on all the valuables that are lost due to fire or burglary. In case you think that it's too little to cover the actual value of your jewelry or furs you should buy additional coverage for such items.

Myth: I should lower mu coverage if I want to get cheap home insurance.

Fact: Saving money doesn't necessarily imply that you have to cut down the most important aspects of insurance coverage. The whole purpose of having an insurance policy is to be adequately covered in case of damage delivered to your house. You can use other more effective methods of cutting your insurance costs such as installing security and fire alarm systems in your house, or getting your home insurance from the same provider as auto or health insurance. This will usually give you great discounts.

Myth: Can I use the purchase value of my house as the dwelling coverage amount when defining the amount of insurance coverage for my policy?

Fact: It's the most common mistake the homeowners make when purchasing insurance for their house. The main catch is that the purchase value of your home is comprised of both the value of the house and the land it's built on. And it's evident that in case of a fire, storm or any other even that might destroy your house, the value of the land should not be reimbursed. That is why you should use the replacement value of your house as the dwelling coverage for the insurance policy. The easiest way to calculate the replacement value is to multiply the square footage by the construction costs in your area.

Auto insurance quotes from the agents' point of view

Ask any auto insurance agent or broker about their business and they will tell you that there's nothing like the competition you face in this domain. Forget about the good old days when only several agents worked with an entire town, giving everyone the type of insurance they need. Today there could be a hundred of insurance agents competing for clients even in a smaller town, not to say a big city. The economic recession has made its adjustments in the insurance business too, forcing a large part of insurance agents to work twice as hard. Having such a large number of providers and such a few customers willing to purchase insurance, how can an insurance agent stay afloat?

The answer is simple - having multiple car insurance leads at your disposal. Of course, it's not as easy as it sounds, taking the simple fact that you'll need some time after advertising will take effect and people will start calling you. But you will still need leads to sell policies. Luckily for most agents, the things aren't that bad as they may look. There are millions of drivers out there on the road and almost all of them need insurance. They are looking for auto insurance quotes on a regular basis and this means that they still want to purchase new policies or switch companies for better rates.

So the smartest thing for an insurance agent to do is to get in touch with those drivers who are looking intensively for insurance rates. That's what leads are all about, and the more of them there are on an agent's desk the higher is the chance that he or she will have a good number of sales to makes the ends meet. And just like buyers look for auto insurance quotes with different services, there are services for insurance agents to get their customer leads, based on the information on who was searching for auto insurance quotes online.

So keep in mind that every time you submit a quote inquiry in order to get quotes on the car you want to insure, this information may end up at your local car insurance agent's desk. Which is not a bad thing either, because you can receive any services without even bothering about contacting the insurance provider. It's a win-win situation for both the customers and insurance agents. Buyers receive qualified assistance from an experienced agent who needs more deals to stay afloat. And agents give the buyers the right insurance quotes from providers they were searching for online.

Of course, this may sound like invasion of privacy to some, but there's nothing illegal about it. Insurance agents and brokers were using this scheme well since the days there was no Internet to search for insurance quotes. You just didn't know about it. So the next time you search for quotes online get ready to be called by an insurance agent in a short time and who knows, maybe you'll find just the right policy for insuring your vehicle this way. Does it really matter how you will get a good policy?

Friday, April 16, 2010

Life insurance quotes for whole, universal and variable policies

The distinction made by the insurance industry is between term and permanent life insurance. So you either buy a policy for a fixed term of years which then expires, or the policy is "permanent", i.e. it usually stays valid and enforceable during your life. The other elements of permanence cover the premium rate which can remain the same throughout your life and the terms of the policy which continue to apply regardless of any change in your health or other circumstances. Never liking to leave anything really simple and straightforward, the industry then divides policies into three basic types. The first is the so-called whole life policy which many consider the most appropriate because the insurers tend to offer minimum guarantees. Why are guarantees useful? For someone aged in their twenties, it is difficult to predict what will happen over the next fifty years (allowing for the average life expectancy). Despite the fact that stock markets have shown steady growth over time, this is partly due to inflation. The buying power of the dollar today will be worn away by price increases, so the numbers representing stock values have to keep rising to keep pace. This is not an increase in real values. It simply prevents a loss of value. So, if an insurer today guarantees you a minimum rate of return over your lifetime, and that rate is better than inflation, it looks a good deal to take it. Better the known than the unknown.

The second type of policy is the universal which offers more flexibility, allowing you to vary the amount you pay into the fund according to changes in your financial circumstances. When you are new to the world of employment, pay is low and so you start with a low premium rate. As your pay increases, you increase the premium rate. If there is a family emergency, you can elect not to pay for a period of time. The key difference is that a whole life policy collects and adds dividends to the cash value, whereas the universal simply pays interest on the cash in hand. Despite this, there are minimum values guaranteed but they tend to be lower than the guaranteed amounts in whole life policies. The third type of policy, the variable, appeals to those with a higher risk appetite. It gives you more control over the investments. Some insurers do offer you guidance on investment strategies, but the price of your management is you take responsibility for generating the returns. The insurer does not give anything more than a token guaranteed minimum for the benefits payable to your dependents.

As suggested in previous articles, the promise of growth in cash value, whether through investment or the payment of interest, is something of a smokescreen. When you are going through the life insurance quotes to decide which policy might represent the best buy for you, do not focus on the investment opportunities. Analyze the life investment quotes to find the policies offering permanence on the best terms. What you should consider is the possibility of problems with your employment. Is there a way you can keep the policy in place if you cannot afford to pay the same level of premium? Some allow you to convert the policy to one fully-paid-up, using the cash value to buy future years. Others allow you to suspend payment for a period. Since your main purpose should be protecting the interests of your dependents, keeping the policy in place is the most important factor.

Thursday, April 15, 2010

Minimize your costs with life insurance

Tired of paying much for essential things? It is time to learn some ways of economizing. If you are sure it is time for you to get lifetime insurance, you have to consider a few details. First of all, the payment is the basic move-stopper. People know they need to get insured but they do not always have the right amount of money to get insured. When you get insured for life you get cheaper premiums, if fact much cheaper than cash-value policies. If you are young and healthy, you get to experience good opportunities coming your way with insurance. You can benefit from good service that will go on for a long time plus some preferable payments, that won't make your eyes roll around. Here is some important information on how to get a life term insurance policy that would make you proud of your decision.

The one you need

When you are about to get a life term insurance policy you must be aware of the fact that you purchase it with a particular time table which usually is around 5 or ten years, depending on the company that provides it. Within this period of time you pay a premium that you are obliged to pay. Due to this your family or friends, beneficiaries in other words, will get a benefit if you die suddenly within the term of this life insurance policy period.

There is always something else

Life term insurance plan can seem easy and reliable. But of course, being an insurance plan it surely add some complications to it. What you must think about is you death benefit amount, for instance. It will all depend on the level of life insurance you choose to have - decreasing or increasing type. And when the term is actually over that is when renewable or convertible term insurance is suitable.

The question is - is it or is it not perfect for you?

You have to keep on very important moment in mind - your future term life insurance will not accumulate cash-value or provide you with the additional tax benefits like in the case of continuous or universal life insurance plan, but it is great for those people who cannot manage paying higher premiums. This is how you can decide whether the term life insurance plan is the one you need or not -

a)You cannot afford to pay higher premiums as you are on budget
b)You are too young and you do not have any health problems at all
c)You are looking forward to get the most simple insurance plan that would only protect your basic interests such as your family and close people in case of your death.

As you get closer to making an important decision about your cheap life insurance plan millions of questions start to arise. In order to get answers for those questions that bother you and require an answer you have to address them to the right person. An insurance agent is the right person to talk to when you are about to make this important step. You should set your priorities first and share them with the specialist. If you need a cheap life insurance, just say so and find a good solution with the person that is competent, We believe this is how good steps are being taken.

Healthcare for young adults

There are several options available to maximize the chance for children to be included in a health plan. Employer-provided plans routinely offer cover for family members and adding children to private plans is relatively inexpensive. For those families with low incomes who cannot afford cover, there are federal and state funds available to pay for basic cover. But all these options disappear when the child becomes an adult. This is the magic time everyone used to look forward to. Finally, the law recognizes people are old enough to take responsibility for their own actions and removes the built-in protections. Except, of course, these new adults are either still in full-time education or joining the group with the highest unemployment rate in the country. For young adults going through college and university, this is the time when debts are really starting to mount up. Tuition fees and living costs take years to pay off. Adding in the cost of a health plan is often the straw that breaks the camel's back. Even though all the better colleges and universities offer good value group insurance, this is one additional cost too many. Younger people take the rational view. They have good heath and statistics on their side - the statistics show the vast majority of people enjoy good health during the prime of their lives. The main risks come from accidental injuries with many hit with big bills following traffic accidents. So most young people put off the decision on buying into a health plan and hope their parents will solve the problem for them.

This calculation may be about to change. The insurance industry applies a simple formula to set premium rates. It guesses how much it is going to pay out over the next twelve months, adds its operating costs and a profit margin, and then divides this total among all the people holding a policy, i.e. everyone in the group pays a more-or-less equal share. Because millions of young adults opt out, the cost of medical treatment falls unevenly on older people and those with existing medical conditions. The premium rates for everyone would fall if the cost of the nation's medical bills was divided between all adults. That's why the legislation working its way through the House and Congress includes proposals to make holding an insurance policy mandatory or to fine people who do not have a health plan. This is a form of single payer program because it matches the idea that all the employed should contribute a percentage of their earnings toward universal health coverage.

Health insurance is the big political hot potato right now. But, if medical costs are to be controlled and everyone is to pay only a fair amount for insurance, some changes will have to be made. Mandating insurance for the young is not a bad way of paying for universal coverage. As it stands, health insurance companies routinely refuse cover for people with pre-existing health problems. Allowing a redistribution of the additional costs of treating these people among the fit and healthy is the fair option. Whether the politicians will think so is another matter. The Republicans believe this infringes basic liberty. The Democrats are not united. It's going to be interesting to see who wins the argument.

Tuesday, April 13, 2010

Do you live longer on health insurance?

Looking at the title of this article again, it seems a little strange. Surely it goes without saying that having a company insure your health is a good thing? How can it not be good? Surely people who are insured have better health and live longer? One of the more interesting things about the so-called scientific method is that everyone knows how it is supposed to work. You have to start with a hypothesis. In this case, it would be: people with health plans enjoy better health. You then devise an experiment involving a statistically significant number of people. One group, drawn randomly from the population have health plans. The other group (the control group) do not have health plans. Researchers then monitor their health for, say, ten years. Data is collected and analyzed. Results are published in a peer reviewed journal. Human knowledge is increased. Except, the US has been running this experiment for decades. Millions of people across the age range and with differing levels of health are uninsured. Millions more pay for private coverage. The remainder have plans provided by their employers. The data over the years shows that uninsured people have a lower life expectancy. In fact, the poor on average die seven years earlier than the rich. By a coincidence, many of those without insurance are poor. Now that is bad news for this research. There are many factors contributing to death. They are directly related to the social class and lifestyles of the individuals involved. In this, lack of access to medical care is not a major contributing factor. Put another way: there has never been any research to answer the question posed in the title to this article.

We need to consider two contradictory statements: when they fall sick, the poor go to an emergency room and, if they are lucky, receive treatment that keeps them alive; when they are insured, the rich receive care that gives them better health. Except the international statistics show the US has higher mortality rates than most of the other developed countries. To help you understand, we need a comparison with Europe where there is a completely socialized healthcare service and better life expectancy. Both at a European and individual state level, there are panels of experts who decide what treatments and which drugs represent good value for money. States will only pay for treatment proven effective and safe, and will not pay drug companies the retail price they claim. Instead, the states will only pay for approved drugs at prices agreed in negotiations. In the US, insurance companies happily pay for a battery of medical tests and procedures even though there is no evidence any of this work is effective. This adds to the irony. Sometimes the rich die young even though they have received multiple treatments. This is because their expensive treatments are ineffective.

So long as the healthcare service industry remains profit driven, doctors have a direct financial incentive to perform endless tests and multiple procedures to justify big bills. There is no national body to approve treatments and then monitor their safety and effectiveness. Health insurance companies could challenge the medical profession to justify what they do and the prices they charge. But, for the most part, health insurance companies pay up without question. What is clear that until and until there are controls over medical costs, the premiums on individual health plans will continue to rise. Worse, there is no evidence to show that those who do pay these high premiums live any longer than the uninsured.

Sunday, April 11, 2010

Whole life insurance options

What does whole life coverage assume?

As you can guess from the name, whole life coverage is designed to keep you protected for your entire life in contrast to term insurance where there's a specific period of time for this. With most whole life policies the death benefit and premiums are usually constant. Moreover, such policies allow you to accumulate cash value as a portion of the premiums you pay that can be later used as an investment tool. In addition, the cash value is not tax-deductible before withdrawal so you can use it for securing your loans.

What are there any options with such policies?

Yes there are. The most popular options with whole life policies are single-premium, traditional and interest-wise policies. With single-premium policies you can pay for the entire policy in bulk. It is a very convenient option for those who have a large sum of money they want to secure their insurance with. Traditional whole life policies provide a specified minimum rate of return on the accumulated cash value portion of the policy. With interest-wise whole life policies the interest rate is variable just like in adjustable rate mortgage loans. Interest-wise policies also provide you with a greater extent of freedom, allowing you to adjust your death benefit regardless of the premium if the conditions are favorable and you have enough cash value accumulated with your policy. And all the three types of whole life insurance policies allow you to accumulate cash value which is tax-free before withdrawal.

What are the benefits of this type of life insurance?

In contrast to term life insurance policies, with whole life policies a part of the premium you pay is contributed to the cash value that can pay off your entire policy in a couple of years. With whole life policies the premiums you pay are usually constant and do not fluctuate, of course, unless you choose a variable premium plan. Not to mention the fact that you will be covered for your entire life no matter how early you purchase the policy, without being required to go through additional medical exams. And remember about tax savings on this one.

Is there a point in whole life policies as investment tools?

In contrast to many advertisings of whole life policies being very effective investment tools, in reality the rate of return on investment with such policies is quite low if compare to other investment options, even with the use of preferential tax benefits carried with them. The majority of insurance and investment experts recommend evaluating whole life policies by their coverage and protection they bring rather the rate of return and investment possibilities. There are far more effective investment tools out there, while whole life policies have investment possibilities only as an added bonus. However, such a bonus is really useful if you really need to insure your life and want to get benefit of tax savings and security options a whole life policy offers.

Life insurance during retirement

Some people don't understand you and give you a slightly weird look when you tell them that they should not go on with their life insurance plan. They say this - "I can't just drop it. I need to receive some benefits from it".

From one point of view it does make sense. But frankly speaking this is the only type of insurance we can offer this with. We cannot afford to do something like this with any other type of insurance plan.

People are very strange with what they believe in. They feel upset when the term expires and they realize that they have not been eligible to any benefits they could have had with the service company. Would you rather suffer than be safe? What a weird point.

In reality you should be happy you lived happily without any worries for ten years. Lifetime insurance is a different insurance to what you may think. Of course, it is meant to give you guarantees throughout your life but who can ever grant you a guarantee that nothing will ever happen to you? This no one knows.

Life insurance is there to keep you safe from financial losses that one can meet with the death of a member of his family. If you are not sure about this type of insurance here are some points for you to consider knowing if this type of insurance is right for you.

If you are mostly worried about your family members or people that you are close to, if you think they can experience hardships in case something tragic happens to you, then this is the perfect insurance for you.

Let's say you are a retired couple. One of the spouses is seriously ill. There is no longer an income that could support the couple like there was back in the working days. So the seriously ill one has to think about the difficulties his partner might meet if he dies. If there is no such case, you don't need any life term insurance.

There is another important moment. You have to figure out the right amount of money you want your insurance to be about. Think of how much your family will need to live normally after your death. This is exactly the amount of insurance you need to get. You can pay for your life insurance little by little every month. This is one of the good sides of it.

There are a few insurance types you might want to consider. There is a possibility to get a term insurance or a temporary policy. What is that? Well, it is for the situations in which the financial loss is limited to the gap years between the actual period of time and the retirement. In cases when you have the owner of some sort of business your belongings and so called estate might be the subject to state taxes.

If you are just seeking for a cheap life insurance there is plenty of possibilities to search. You can get a cheap life insurance from internet sites as well as through a trust-worthy company or a well-known appreciated agent. Whatever you do, remember one thing - you need to think about tomorrow today! Especially when you are not alone...

Saturday, April 10, 2010

Licensing slots in the United States

It used to be so easy when issues were black and white. Alcohol is a wonderful example. If lawmakers decide alcohol is a bad thing, we can have Prohibition. They tried to do this in North America and failed. It continues to be successfully applied in Islamic countries where the public consumption of all alcoholic products is strictly prohibited. But as we have moved through the 20th Century in the modern world, too many people see shades of gray. Now there are two sides to every issue and this drives the way our media report the news. Everyone here has his own opinion. Respect is the new game in town.

In US, in most states lawmakers have been struggling with budget deficits for years. These problems are becoming worse now due to recession. The tax-take from conventional businesses and earned income has dropped with businesses failing and unemployment growing. As property values fall and rates of foreclosure increase, property taxes have also dropped. Many states reacted by taking plans to license slots off the back burner. They want to encourage you to spend what is left of your money on gambling. A tax on the gross revenue of the license holders then keeps the state solvent. But the story in some states gets dark and murky as political influence over the licensing process comes into play.

It should be easy to say which concrete people or corporations are fit and proper people to run licensed gambling in the US. But, when it comes to the amount of money to set up sites for slot machines and then the potential for long-term profit, you are suddenly reduced to a select group of people who have the capital and the influence to get the licenses. If only this process worked well! As an example of the problems, let's go to Maryland where an "independent" commission awarded the first of five licenses to the operators of Ocean Downs, a racing track near Ocean City. The license allows the installation of 800 slot machines on the site. Except the operators have now made some exciting discoveries. It seems there is a small mountain of asbestos to be removed from the site as part of the rebuilding and renovation exercise. Better still, it seems the grandstand is likely to collapse soon. There is major corrosion in the steel holding it up. Put another way, the racing track should have been closed down years ago as too dangerous for the public to use. The link between asbestos and malignant lung cancer is well-known. Gamblers at the race track have been breathing in the fibres for years. If the grandstand had collapsed, hundreds could have been injured. Yet this site was approved for 800 slots.

Corruption may come in many forms. Some is serious, other less so. But the reality is that gambling in general and slots in particular should be run by especially reliable people. No matter how much states may need the additional money from taxing gambling, people's lives should not be put at risk. That's both in the physical sense of safety and in the economic sense - there are hundreds of thousands of people who hasn't got any will power and destroy their own lives through a gambling addiction. States should protect all their citizens from harm.

Rumors are bad when it comes to home insurance

People like to spear rumors they invent. This is a commonly known fact. Sometimes it gets to the point that rumors turn into myths that haunt people and get stuck in their head for ages. In order to get rid of these untrue myths one has to dig deeper into situation and try to find the truth. But we don't think we need this. It is easier to believe what others say and what we hear around. Here in this article we will discuss the most famous and commonly- spread rumors on insurances related to homes.


They say that the standard home insurance will cover the damages your house will suffer after the flood. This is an absolute nonsense. This doesn't have any ground underneath it because the flood damage is never covered under the standard insurance plan. When you feel the necessity to cover yourself from the flood damage, you get additional coverage.

Homeowners insurance plan with its medical payment part will pay for the injuries me and my family will suffer.

This is not true. The Medical payment portion of the insurance is meant to protect you in the case when someone other than you or any members of your family gets hurt on your property and they don't want to take you to court. If it is you or some family member that gets hurt there, the insurance company or the coverage doesn't protect you from anything.

There is a myth that the company will reimburse anything you tell them you lost if this occurs. This is a fairy-tale to believe in and it is not true. What will happen is the company will tell you to make a list of what you owned at the moment of the loss, but they will make you do it very precisely. They will need pictures of your belongings to make sure you owner those things. So you need to have photos taken of everything you have in your house in case anything like this ever happens to you.

People think that when they file a claim, it raises their premiums. But people don't always consider that claims are not the only things that matter. It doesn't always happen so that the premium goes up. Sometimes it takes years. You should always take your deductible into consideration. Also try to find out if there are any discounts that you can apply for. Maybe you get lucky.

Jewelry and furs have limitations. There is a particular sum that they company will give you to reimburse those things in case of burglary. If you own too many of those, please get additional coverage.

Sometimes we think that if we live in a non-flood zone, we can't have flood ever happening. It can happen to anyone just like earthquakes that can't be predicted. Flood insurance generally is a nice idea that most home owners should go for.

We think that we are obliged to get some insurance plan when in reality we are not. Nobody forces us to make certain steps. They are totally up to us. Another thing is that it would be wiser to make them in order to avoid some unpleasant and unwanted trouble later.

You should get yourself insured so that you know it and feel protected. Cheap home insurance can be found by those who want to look up and find it. But don't rush into it. Cheap home insurance plans can be tricky so watch out and don't listen to gossip on the street. Figure out for yourself. This is the only truth there is.

Friday, April 9, 2010

Which cars to buy to keep car insurance quotes low?

When it comes to paying the premiums vehicle insurance can give you a very bad headache, especially if you have a costly vehicle to insure. And "costly" doesn't necessarily mean "expensive". You may ride a cheap car that will cost you hundreds of dollars more to insure than a large SUV. It may seem illogic at first, but you will have to understand the way insurance companies asses risk in order to find the perfect car to lower your insurance costs with.

Insurance companies analyze a set of elements regarding each car make and model before giving you a quote. It's not that insurance providers have prejudice against certain makes. Each car is analyzed and evaluated by how risky it is to insure. The factors that will influence a car's insurance rating include: passenger safety; damage and injury scores; theft rates; repair costs. These factors vary significantly between car types and within types as well. So let's look closer at these elements.

Passenger safety. It's evident that if a car has low passenger safety it will be costlier to insure. Why? Because the insurance company is more likely to pay for the injuries a passenger (or driver) will sustain in this car and they want to cover their risks respectively. So before you buy a new or used car, take some time to analyze its crash test scores and if they are low don't even bother buying it, no matter how cheap it may be. Besides saving your life you will also free yourself from high premiums with such a ride.

Damage and injury. Somewhat similar to passenger safety, this factor also analyzes how much damage the car is likely to deliver to another vehicle, its passengers or infrastructure. That is, if a car is quite big to ruin a concrete wall or total the other car it had collision with it is likely to be more costly to insure. That's quite often the other side of the coin of having a big SUV car that is safe for the people who are inside it.

Theft rates. Quite obviously, if the car is likely to be stolen in your area your auto insurance company will charge you more for insuring it. So if you are dreaming about a luxury car that you will have to hire a swat team to guard - forget about cheap auto insurance. Ask your insurance agent about theft rates according to car makes and models in your area and choose a vehicle that is very unlikely to be stolen if you want auto insurance quotes.


Repair costs. Different cars have different costs when it comes to repair. And the insurance company won't be quite happy to pay thousands of dollars every now and then for repairing your car at the body shop. If you want to find a car that is cheap to repair and doesn't needs frequent services you might want to ask a local repair shop for a little information. You can also check magazines and the Internet for a comparison of different car makes and models with respect to repair rates. Do this before you buy your car, or otherwise you will have both constant visits to the shop and high insurance rates.

Saturday, April 3, 2010

Homeowners insurance for tornado damage

Tornadoes are a type of natural calamity that is quite characteristic for the US, namely its South-Eastern part. And if you have a policy for insuring your house and living in that area you really want to make sure you are covered to the right extent before the disaster strikes. Here are some useful and very helpful tips regarding tornado coverage that will be quite interesting to those who risk with their property every time the hurricane season comes their way.

Step 1: review your insurance policy

In contrast with storm and flood coverage, the insurance details connected with tornadoes are less complicated due to the fact that wind damage (which a tornado eventually delivers) is included into a standard insurance policy. Moreover, tornadoes are usually characterized by less devastation due to surge or flood that is associated with typical hurricanes.

Still, it never hurts to find and analyze your insurance policy. Even those who do not live in "Tornado Alley," the part of the US spreads across the north of Texas through east of Nebraska and northeast of Indiana, can suffer damage due to tornadoes. Texas, Oklahoma and Kansas are the states where the appearance of twisters is more likely but this doesn't mean that you are perfectly safe in other areas.

Step 2: clear the things up afterwards

After the tornado has gone away contact your home insurance company immediately. There are time limits with some insurance policies, setting a certain period during which you are able to file a claim. This period usually varies from one state to another, as well as between companies. Inform your insurer about the degree of damage delivered by the calamity. Insurance claims are usually processed with the cases of the most severe damages being processed first and then carrying on with less serious impact.

Provide your insurance company with all the contact information you can. The insurer should be able to contact you immediately if they make a decision or need additional information. The period of time that will be required for processing your claim strongly depends on how complicated your case is and how bad the damage was. It could be a couple of days, or a couple of months.

Step 3: document the damage

When you have the opportunity take pictures of the damage delivered by the tornado, preferably immediately after it goes away. This will be a great assistance for processing your homeowners insurance claim. Record any conversations and store any receipts you receive after the storm. Your personal degree of organization is directly related to how swiftly any problems will be resolved. In case you forgot the value of some items that were lost or damaged by the tornado you can contact your credit card provider and check the purchase list for the numbers.


Step 4: be on the lookout


Some service hunt for tornado victims, offering costly or temporary repairs that won't do much good in the long run. Don't rush off signing contracts and letting the people do their job. Investigate the offers, compare them just like you would compare home insurance quotes, address your local Better Business Bureau and hire the professionals who have good feedback and working experience rather than those who will show up first near your devastated property.

Home insurance claims after a disaster

Insuring own house can look like a tricky business to most people who are not quite familiar with the ins and outs of insurance coverage. Some people are even afraid of getting adequate coverage because they don't know what to do if they will actually need it. And taking the fact that insurance is not the cheapest of services these days it's quite evident that many people will choose to leave their houses uncovered. Still, if you value your house high enough to be worried about losing or damaging it having it covered is a must. And if you are confused about how to proceed after the disaster has already struck in order to get respectful coverage, here are some great tips to follow in order to file a claim and get what you should with no trouble at all.

In case of a flood


  • Do not wait until the water flows away. Contact your insurance provider in order to file a claim as soon as your house gets flooded. Learn what exactly your company will need to learn to start the process.

  • Analyze your insurance policy with your agent.

  • Call your insurance provider as soon as possible even if your policy does not cover your house against flood insurance. Certain policies still have special coverage to pay for your living costs if you are forced to move out of your house.

  • It's recommended to group damaged and undamaged items as soon as it is possible. Do not throw away or destroy any damaged things before your insurance provider sends in the claim adjuster for inspection. If there are any deteriorated materials that decompose and turn to hazardous garbage you should contact your home insurance company first in order to get an approval for removing it from your property.

Keep your losses in a record


  • Take clear and detailed pictures if all the damages to your property and belongings.

  • If there is damaged equipment or appliances, record the serial numbers if there are any.

  • If it happens that you have any pictures of your property before the damage, present them to your homeowners insurance adjuster for an easier appreciation. Ask your friends or relatives, they may have some pictures of your home too.

  • Keep all the receipts if you move out of your house after the flood and have to live elsewhere for some time.

  • Keep the receipts of any services regarding repair or cleaning connected with the situation. Make sure to include the receipts for rented appliances, equipment or any other additional costs as well.

In case you don't have your house insured yet, you'd better find out if your policy will cover you in case of a flood right when comparing homeowners insurance quotes. Most standard insurance policies won't include flood coverage and you will have to purchase an additional weaver to include this type of coverage into your policy. This is definitely a must for those who have their houses in medium and high flood risk areas (near rivers, lakes, dams, oceans, etc.).

Friday, April 2, 2010

The peculiarities of insuring your life in Florida

We, people of Florida, like to know that life isn't going anywhere it should not be going. We try to keep focused on what we do and we try to do it good. We want everything to the maximum. When we drink, we get crazy drunk, when we eat, we want to feel totally full, and when we get insured we need and expect maximum protection. This is one way of living the life you deserve and this means doing what you want and feeling comfortable with it.

What you must do before you get in your car and hit the door of the insurance company office? Well, you have to collect information about the type of insurance you need. You need to get your thoughts together and point out the reasons for getting insured. If you want it only because everybody else has it and you don't want out on your opportunity to get insurance, this might not be the best reason. If you have dependents, people that are dependent on you financially and they might end up in trouble if something happens to you, then you might need to get yourself life protection coverage. Be considerate and help those who will not be able to handle the money situation if you pass away.

There are many independent insurers in Florida. Not all of them deserve your attention and trust. Some people will try to fool you; some will try to make money on you and your problems. But, thank God, there are good people as well - companies that have a brilliant reputation and some strong feedback that will be enough to push you towards collaboration with them.

We don't want you to feel alone when you don't know or can't figure out whether you need to get insurance or not. There are plenty of information on web-pages and articles about people that got insured, their personal experiences and stories. You can get motivation from those people as well as your friends and relatives.

Insurance companies of Florida are as expensive as they are in New York or California, for example, but Kentucky and Ohio have better prices indeed. But there is a good advantage to the fact that there are plenty of insurance companies in Florida nowadays. The prices began to drop. The big amount of companies creates the competition that benefits the payments of costumers and that makes them very happy.

You can read Florida life insurance quotes on almost every company's site. Make sure the site looks trust-worthy to you before you apply for any type of insurance even a cheap one. In order to get a cheap Florida life insurance, you have to shop around a bit and compare conditions with payments. If this isn't enough for you, you can book a meeting with an independent agent and ask him everything you have to ask. Don't be scared to do so and don't be afraid to seem unprofessional, you don't have to know everything about insurance. There are special people that are meant to discuss possibilities with you and help you choose the correct type of protection.

We want to remind you one again about the importance of protection. If you don't want to do it for yourself, do it for somebody else. There are always people around you that will need you to make certain steps and we hope you will do them in the right direction. Your Florida insurance is almost in your pocket.