Archive for April, 2007

Will Online Automobile Insurance Quotes Really Save Me Money?

Monday, April 30th, 2007

If you’re looking to save money on your auto insurance then online automobile insurance quotes are definitely something you want to look into. But there are more benefits to shopping online besides saving money. Receiving you car insurance quote online is fast, extremely easy, and exceptionally convenient. Generally speaking the quotes you qualify for are generated within minutes and usually there are multiple quotes allowing you the opportunity to compare numerous insurance providers, allowing you to choose the best overall insurance offer.

In my opinion the best feature is not having to deal with an insurance salesman and having the luxury of comparison shopping in the privacy of your own home while wearing your favorite pajamas. There are no time limitations meaning you can start your application, save it, and finish later at anytime, day or night. The number one reason people over pay on their insurance is because of failure to shop around. Online automobile insurance quotes prevent that from happening.

Truthfully there are very little, if any drawbacks to shopping online for all of your insurance needs. It’s very easy to do, convenient and your insurance quotes are provided free of charge. Best of all you’re never under any obligation to accept any quote that is provided.

The process to receive multiple free online automobile insurance quotes begins when a consumer fills out a form. The information you provide is always kept confidential with encrypted software and it will not affect your current credit score. The only concern that may be raised is if you already have some other form of insurance (such as home or life insurance) from a provider then it’s possible that you could receive a better discount from that provider due to having multiple insurance policies with them.

As I stated before the process to obtain online automobile insurance quotes is very simple and you will either be given instant free car insurance quote, or you’ll be contacted via email with several offers. After finding a policy that matches your needs and budget you have the option to purchase the insurance online or via mail. Just remember you are never under any obligation to accept any online auto insurance policy that is offered to you.

One word of caution, you must make sure you enter correct information when filling out an online application for car insurance. Any false information or errors on your part could adversely affect the online automobile insurance quotes.

Hopefully this information convinces you that shopping online for all of your insurance needs to include auto insurance is safe, easy and very convenient. Best of all the potential to save hundreds of dollars on your insurance policy is a real possibility.

Cheap And Affordable Health Insurance: Live Without Worries!

Sunday, April 29th, 2007

Health is wealth — so goes the saying. Without proper health, you cannot comprehend to live a happy and a contented life. For this, regular and routine check-ups of your health are an utmost necessity. Again it is also important to consult a doctor and take proper medications, even if the ailment is a minor one. No one knows when this minor ailment will become complication, if not taken care of properly.

But normally it is seen that many people hesitate to go to any doctor because of the rising cost of medications and other medical treatments. If you are again and again avoiding going to a doctor, beware; you might face serious problems at a later stage. So, to take care of all your health related expenses, insurance markets have come up with cheap and affordable health insurance policies.

Many people have the false impression that the term cheap and affordable health insurance will not give a proper coverage to your health related medical expenses. It is not the case. Actually many insurance companies have lowered their rates of premium for health insurance policies because of the availability of too many insurance companies in the market. They have therefore, made health insurance available at a cheap and affordable rate.

There are two types of cheap and affordable health insurance policies in the market—Health Maintenance Organizations (HMO) and Preferred Provider Organization (PPO). With HMO plans, you can visit doctors that are on the list of your service provider. But with PPO you can go to the specialist of your choice. The rate of premium is little higher in case of PPO than in HMO.

For a detailed understanding of the cheap and affordable health insurance plans, you need to find out how your insurance policy will work, how it will handle emergency situations, hospitalizations etc. For this certainly a thorough research is required. There are many cheap and affordable health insurance plans that are provided by different health insurance companies. You need to compare all these plans meticulously. Various aspects of the different cheap and affordable health insurance plans have to be taken into consideration like how much coverage are they providing, the quality of care etc. After this you can compare these plans and later on when you are fully satisfied that a particular cheap and affordable health insurance plan is satisfying your needs, you can buy the policy then and there. Internet has come up as a viable option of doing this comparison and research. You can compare hundreds of plans within a few seconds through internet. So, go and get hold of a cheap and affordable health insurance policy now.

How to Eliminate Competition with an IRA Rollover

Saturday, April 28th, 2007

I use this procedure for IRA and 401 (k) rollovers to eliminate conservation and lock out the other agent or broker. Even if it makes great sense for my new client to move to one of my products, the broker will always try and save the business by slamming annuities.

So in an example of how I do it; lets assume we have an IRA rollover from a brokerage account to a fixed rate annuity. I want the funds transferred as quickly as possible and I want the broker out of the picture.

• I open an IRA account with the receiving company (annuity company). I set up the new IRA and have the company issue a policy number. (they all will do this)

• I have the client ask for 100% of their funds and ask the brokerage house to send them the money. They would tell the brokerage house this is an IRA rollover so no taxes will be withheld.

• The check will be sent directly to the client and for those who do not know, the client can have the funds in their possession for 60 days if it is a rollover.

• I advise the client to be sure and call when the funds arrive so we can immediately get the funds on deposit so interest will start.

• Have the client endorse the check over to their new account at the insurance company and place the new account number on the check. Send in the funds and it will be issued immediately.

Make certain you have made a complete copy of all transactions and give a set to the client and keep a complete set of copies for your file. About 1 in 100 will not be entered as an IRA rollover by the brokerage account and you will need these copies for their tax return.

This easy to use system will result in transfers being completed timely and it removes the conservation effort by the broker.

This system for rollovers means the funds will transfer quickly and it will keep the broker or other insurance agent from holding up the transfer because of conservation.

Insurance Haters Anonymous

Friday, April 27th, 2007

Hello, my name is Chris, and I hate insurance. My father hated insurance before me, and for all I know his father before him. More…Kind of a family tradition I suppose. I have insurance for my home, insurance for my car, insurance for my life, insurance for my boat, insurance for my kids, insurance for my health, insurance for my teeth, insurance for my prescriptions, insurance for my bank loans, and insurance for when I travel. Wow! It’s a wonder, I don’t have insurance for my insurance. Don’t laugh, I’m sure I heard somewhere that there is an insurance company that insures other insurance companies. Someone must be making a killing off of all this. The only insurance I don’t have these days, is pet insurance. Only because we don’t have a pet, and the kids are lobbying hard on that front.

Why Do We Hate Insurance So?

Everyone hates insurance, because it always feels like we never get anything in return for it. Normally, when I buy something, I get to walk out the door with it, or hear it, or see it, or just plain enjoy it. Insurance does none of that. It certainly seems like a pretty one sided deal. “Thank you for the cheque Mr Campbell. Oh, and just to be sure, we’ll be taking a little more next month, and the month after and the month after that. Have a nice day.” Great I think. And do I get to enjoy anything for writing all those cheques. Nope, but don’t worry your very securely insured now. I cringe just thinking about how much I’ve spent on insurance over the years. And, feel even worse when I think how little the insurance companies have actually paid out to me. In hindsight, it seems like just a really bad investment. I feel like I’ve been buying stock in all these crappy companies over the years that just keep going bankrupt. The biggest scam of all, is that most people who buy insurance, are paranoid to actually file an insurance claim, because their rates will skyrocket. Not to mention that all those previously oh-so-friendly insurance company employees treat you like a leper, who just ran over their puppy three times, and stole all their kids halloween candy.

What Is Your Deepest Fear?

We all want guarantees, we all want to know everything is going to be alright. We hope that things remain status quo, and their are no major disruptions in our lives. That’s what insurance buys. Peace of mind. Protection from the unknown. Salvation from disaster. And when it works, that’s great. Insurance is kind of a socialist sort of thing. Everybody chips in a little bit to protect the unfortunate. And that’s good. I do feel better, if I think of my insurance premiums saving someone else from a life altering disaster. And the optimist in me believes that is what truly happens most of the time. It’s when insurance companies refuse to pay out for people that really need it, the irks me the most. Especially when it’s done just to line the pockets of shareholders and greedy CEO’s. That’s really not what insurance is for. So, be smart with your insurance purchases, and remember, we’re all in this together.

Home Contents Insurance: Protect The Contents Of Your Home

Thursday, April 26th, 2007

We all want the contents of our house to be safe and secured. We would do anything to protect it from damage and injury. Though damage and injury is too dark to mention, yet it is the truth; that means your home and its contents can be destroyed anytime. Many a times, the contents get destroyed because of water or are stolen from our homes. This may cause lots of problems and headache. To evade this headache, you should positively purchase home contents insurance for your homes. Home contents insurance is a type of home insurance, which takes care of the costs of replacing the contents that are inside the house, if some damage is done to them.

Home contents insurance is also important if you leave your home for some time. This will insure your contents of the home. So even if it is burgled in your absence, you can easily get it replaced.

Items that are considered contents of your home are: electronic devices like television, personal computer systems, home audio and video appliances, kitchen appliances, paintings and sometimes even the contents of your refrigerator.

Normally all the home contents insurance cover:

•Cover for loss or damage to contents in your home caused by water escaping from washing machines, dishwashers, water installations etc.

•Cover for loss or damage to contents in your home caused by subsidence on the land on which your home stands.

•The reasonable costs of replacing all the food/ drinks in your refrigerator.

•Replacement locks in case of loss of keys.

For rare and expensive items such as antiques and jewelry, it is better to ask for an evaluation. This will help you as well as your insurance provider to fetch the right home contents insurance plan for your home. Some possessions may need to be insured separately because all policies will have an upper limit. You should also register any new product with your insurance company that you buy for your homes. This is important because the insurer will only cover for the contents that were present at the time of purchasing home contents insurance.

You should carefully study the details of the policy that you plan to buy. The pros and cons of all the policies have to taken into consideration. You need to shop around a little.

It is much easier to shop around now. All the insurance companies now have internet facilities and all the information and data are fed in their websites. Shopping through the internet saves a lot of time and money. Even many companies provide for discounts if you shop online. So go buy home contents insurance now.

Medicaid Qualified Annuity, Buyer Beware and Agent Liability

Wednesday, April 25th, 2007

The need for some clients to protect assets from Medicaid Spend down is obvious. It can be because of the well spouse’s needs, a handicap child or a myriad of good solid reasons. This is where the annuity salesperson come charging to the rescue.

Most agents know that certain types of annuities can avoid spend down and can provide protection for the assets in the annuity. These annuities have specific language to make them fully qualified under Medicaid rules. Most annuity contracts DO NOT contain the language to qualify for the Medicaid rules.

The monthly payout must be for the life expectancy of the annuitant. The annuity cannot have any free look in the contract and the value of the annuity is agreed by all parties to be zero. The only value of the annuity is the monthly income. These features are actually part of the contract and are allowed by 29 states in the US. It is sometime referred to as the “name on the check rule.”

The personal liability comes into play when an agent does not fully understand the rules nor the process that must be adhered to in order to qualify the funds. An agent will sell “just an annuity” explaining to the client the funds are safe from spend down. You have to ask yourself why would this happen? The reason is obvious, large commissions.

Commissions for the Medicaid spend down annuity are often very low while the commissions for a standard annuity are usually much higher. The agent will sell the concept of the annuity but provide a product that will never qualify for Medicaid spend down. This is where the liability issue comes to the surface. Of course by then the agent could be on to a different career or the obvious answer is “I didn’t say that.”

At the time of need the client could be faced with additional stress and maximum exposure to exposed assets. This creates a very unfair situation for the client and the agent is almost never left holding the bag. Then of course there is this sales pitch and explanation.

Recently I ran into a situation where an annuity agent had sold a 17 year surrender contact to a widow aged 77. She was told that the annuity would protect all her assets and she could leave those assets to her children. In a couple of years she became ill and was in need of nursing home car and the annuity was the primary asset. Of course as a single person there was no way to protect the funds in the annuity and with the children, I called the agent. His reply was amazing, he said he knew the annuity was not going to be Medicaid qualified but it was not his problem, it was his “errors and omissions” problem. He knowingly sold the product for the monstrous commission and had calculated the insurance company would make things right.

The client had to eventually cash in the huge surrender penalty annuity and suffer the losses. She was ill and not up to a fight with anyone and just wanted to be left alone.

The shame of this story is as annuity salespeople we are all considered guilty by the actions of a few. So here is my advice.

• Always work with an attorney who specializes in Medicaid planning

• Never call yourself a Medicaid specialist

• Never give legal advice

• If you sell a Medicaid qualified annuity make certain the contract will work in your state, ask the home office, they are there to help

And finally, be honest and open. Make certain the prospect understands exactly how a Medicaid Qualified Annuity works and how the benefits directly affect them and their personal situation.

Meet The Cost With An Affordable Supplemental Health Insurance

Tuesday, April 24th, 2007

Supplemental health insurance has become popular nowadays. People prefer to have health insurance policies so that they can meet the exorbitant cost of medical treatments. Cost of treatment of killer diseases like cancer can ruin a person financially.

Affordable health insurance policies help people to meet the costs to a very great extent. But in cases of unexpected accidents, the insurance scheme of the policy holder may not cover all the expenses. There are expenses of transportation, lost income from not going to work, expenses of domestic help which may not be covered and can be a drain on the pocket.

Affordable supplements help to cover the medical expenses not covered by the basic insurance scheme. Supplements enhance the hospital and the doctor or physician coverage. But all the insurance companies have their own network of hospitals and doctors, meaning, the claim will be valid only if the customer visits any doctor or hospital within the network. This is a standard practice for affordable healthcare and affordable supplements.

It is better to check the list of designated hospitals and physicians in this respect. Premiums vary according to the supplement plan. But generally, if the customer is of advanced age then the premium is higher. Broadly speaking the important aspects one must look into while choosing an affordable supplement coverage (this is generic, individual needs may vary):

Suitability of the supplement plan

Premium payable

Time span of the coverage

Medical and non-medical benefits covered by the supplement plan

Network of doctors, pharmacies, hospitals or nursing homes covered by the insurance provider

Medical affordable supplement insurance is available for children, individuals or adults with family. The insurance provider needs some basic information before they can further process an application for affordable supplements.

Gender, date of birth, spouse’s date of birth, interested affordable supplement plan types, whether the would-be customer has high blood pressure or does he or she use tobacco, any disability, any current insurance coverage, if so, then the name of the company, when would the customer like to start the supplement coverage – these are some of the preliminary questions that may be asked. Only after processing these, the company will get into the details.

An affordable supplement plan helps a beneficiary in times of need, indeed, that is the very reason why medical supplement policies have come into being along with the basic healthcare insurance.

Whole Life Insurance - Whole Life Insurance Information

Monday, April 23rd, 2007

The original purpose of life insurance was to provide for your family in the case of your death. While this purpose is still the most potent reason to take out a life insurance policy, there are a number of other ways that life insurance can be used to benefit you and your family, even while you are still alive.

The key is in choosing a whole life policy rather than a term life insurance policy. A whole life policy is sometimes called ‘permanent life’ insurance. It will cover you throughout your life rather than just for a specified amount of time, or a term. There are many advantages to a whole life policy over term insurance, and many ways to make a whole life policy affordable.

The cost of a whole life policy is based on the ‘face value’ of the policy – the death benefit that it will pay if the insured dies. A whole life policy that will pay $100,000 if the person insured dies has a face value of $100,000. As you pay premiums on your life insurance, those premiums accumulate into a ‘cash value’ – the amount of insurance that you’ve paid into the policy. Most companies base that figure on making payments for 100 years, which is the point when the face value and the cash value will be the same.

Generally, your whole life insurance premium will rise as you get older, reflecting both the added risks that come with age and the fact that your income will also likely rise as you grow older. This is often the most affordable option for young people who are just started to rise in the work world. You’ll pay lower premiums at the start of your whole life policy, and they will gradually rise as you age.

Most life insurance companies offer the option of level premiums based on averaging out the cost of your whole life policy over the entire life of the policy. In that case, your premium will never change, but you will pay higher premiums early on in the life of your policy. If this is affordable for you, it’s a good option to lock in a premium amount that won’t leave you facing the prospect of losing your whole life policy before it matures because the premiums have become too expensive to maintain.

If you carry a whole life policy, you’ll have the option to borrow against the cash value built into your policy under certain conditions. You can, if necessary, cash out your policy earlier, but a better option is to take out a loan from the insurance company against the accumulated cash value in your policy. It can be used to fund your children’s education, to deal with unexpected expenses, or even to take a dream vacation. While you’ll have to pay it back, it will be at much more affordable interest rates than you’d pay a bank.

If you have the option, an affordable whole life insurance policy can be one of your best hedges against unexpected expenses and retirement.

To view our recommended sources for life insurance, or to read more articles about life insurance, visit: Recommended Life Insurance Companies Online.

Why Do you Need An Affordable Health Insurance Policy?

Sunday, April 22nd, 2007

Have you ever thought of how will you meet your and your family members’ health expenses? Here you will need the help of health insurance policies for you and your loved ones. There are many affordable health insurance policies available in the market and you can opt for the best policies that can suit your needs.

Everyone will agree that health is wealth. Without a healthy life you cannot hope to lead a happy and a fruitful life. But no one can predict what will happen to you in future, no one can predict an accident or some mishaps. And because of advances in medicine and medical technology, medical treatment is becoming more and more expensive.Affordable health care insurance financially assists you in covering all these expenses without leaving a hole in your pocket.

Affordable Health insurance Plan is a policy where the insurer pays the cost of the covered medical costs of the insured if he/she falls ill or meets with an accident. It will cover the cost of specialists, surgery, accommodation and nursing bills in a private hospital, or in a private ward in an NHS hospital, drugs and X-rays. You have to pay some certain premium at the end of certain intervals. Before choosing the cover that best suits you, you need to know about the different types of treatment:

In-Patient treatment: the treatment, which, for medical reasons, means that you have to stay in the hospital overnight or longer.

Day patient Treatment: the treatment, which for medical reasons, you have to go into a day-patient unit because you need a clinically supervised recovery.

Out-patient treatment: the treatment given at the out-patient clinic or consulting room.

But there are some treatments that won’t be covered by private affordable family health insurance policies. These include cover for long term illness, known as chronic disease, accident and emergency admission. These services are offered by the National Health Service (NHS) of the UK which is public funded and it includes services provided by family doctors, hospitals, dentists, ambulance services and opticians.

Different types of cover include:

Budget

This policy normally covers inpatient treatment only. The costs of the diagnostic tests, Consultant’s fees and outpatient treatments are therefore not covered

Standard

This policy covers the inpatient treatment along with hospital stay and a few outpatient treatments.

Comprehensive

This is the one of the best policies to buy. These policies usually include full inpatient cover, unlimited outpatient cover.

So go buy a family health care insurance policy and show your family how much you care. Companies offer all types of health insurance depending on your family status, job status, financial situations and the types of coverage considered necessary. It is important to read and re-read your coverage to confirm what is being actually covered. It is also important to consider the medical history of your family before taking any plans. The online procedure to fill up the form has made health insurance affordable and easier to apply.

Texas State Health Insurance

Saturday, April 21st, 2007

Apart from the options of buying individual insurance and being covered by group insurance through companies, there is also the Texas Health Insurance risk pool, initiated by the Texas Legislature. This health insurance coverage is provided to people who cannot obtain adequate coverage as a result of their medial conditions.

It is also open to “federally eligible individuals” as defined by HIPPA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act1996). This program is managed by a nine-member board of directors, all of whom are appointed by the Commissioner of Insurance.

The policy issued by this Pool covers medical expenses including prescription drugs. There is a standard premium rate set by the members of the board. These rates are usually reviewed twice a year.

The state of Texas also has provision to insure the health of children. One of the programs is the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) initiated for families who don’t qualify for the Medicard program, but at the same time are not in a position to buy insurance. The coverage under this plan is for children between the ages of 0 and 19 years.

The other program is the children’s Medicard. This program considers children between the groups of 0 to 19 years. This program is provided at no costs and is beneficial package in that apart from covering medial bills and prescription drugs, it aims at preventive health care.

The coverage is provided to children whose families have assets below the established levels.

Both the CHIP and Medicard programs are beneficial for children. They cover a full range of services from regular check-ups, preventive care, immunization, lab tests, to hospital visits and the related expenses.

The advantages of both the programs are many. Apart from the health benefits, both these programs provide coverage at affordable rates that can well fit the budgets of all qualifying Texan families. The premium rate is flexible and is calculated based on the number of people in the family, as also the total income and expenses.

All said, both CHIP and Medicard have been designed by the Texas Legislature to give relief to families who neither qualify for Medicard nor have the ability to pay the expensive installments of private insurance.