Wednesday, December 8, 2010

How to Get the Best Interest Rate Bad Credit Loan

Dear  readers, maybe you know that bad credit loans are in high demand. And if you do any research on “bad credit loan”, you’ll find plenty of advice on how to get the lowest interest rate. You’ll also find plenty of people willing to give you a bad credit loan, but you’d be making a mistake to accept it.

Unfortunately, most of what you’ll find approaches the problem from the wrong direction. The way to get the VERY best interest rate on a bad credit loan is usually overlooked or concealed altogether. 

But before we continue, let’s digress briefly and look at how significantly the higher rate for a bad credit loan affects the borrower.

Let’s say you want to buy a house, but have bad credit. No matter how diligently you shop for a lender, you’re still be charged a higher interest rate for a bad credit loan than if you had good credit.

With good credit, you might get a mortgage loan at 6% interest. But a bad credit loan will cost you closer to 12%. Assuming you get a $100,000 mortgage over 30 years, the difference you’d pay in interest amounts to a monstrous $154,461.60 MORE because you have bad credit. That’s over 1½ times the loan itself!

Now getting back to our original problem, how can you get a better interest rate for a bad credit loan? The answer is probably not what you were expecting.

The solution is to “think outside the box.” The way to get a bad credit loan with the best interest rate is to NOT get one! Instead, spend a couple of months fixing your bad credit, and then look for a “good credit loan” instead.

This answer probably comes as something of a shock to you. More than likely, several objections to this approach will come to mind.


1. “I need a loan NOW” or “It’s not worth my while to wait until I repair my credit.”

Oh really? Well, is it worth a savings of $150,000 or more? Granted you may not be looking for a $100,000 loan. But even if you want to borrow only $10,000 or so, the better rates you’ll enjoy with good credit will still save you several thousand dollars.


2. “Fixing my credit will take too long, or it just isn’t possible.”

It’s often possible to make very a significant improvement in your credit rating in just a few months, and in some cases as little as 30 days. If you need help, try to visit here to Improve & Fix your Credit Score.


3. “I don’t know how to repair my credit and can’t afford to hire a credit repair agency”

For a fraction of the cost of a professional agency, you can visit credit repair services or purchase a good book on credit repair that will walk you through the whole process.

4. “Do-it-yourself credit repair is too difficult” or “I don’t think I can repair my own credit”

Don’t be intimidated by the idea of fixing your own credit. If you can write a few letters, address, stamp, and mail them you can repair your own credit.


Your decision comes down to this; you have two choices.

1. You can spend some time (maybe a LOT of time) shopping for a bad credit loan with the lowest possible rate, and still end up paying thousands (even tens of thousands) more in interest.

2. You can spend some time fixing your credit and spend those thousands on your family’s needs, instead of paying them to your lender.

Do you really think your lender needs your hard earned money more than you and your family need it? Anybody can work on fixing their own credit. That’s right, anybody!

Get a good book on credit repair and get started TODAY. If you still need online help, please visit thecreditpeople.com!

Saturday, November 6, 2010

Gold Coins Are An Excellent Investment

If you are looking for coins with definite investment potential, gold coins are an excellent place to start. Though they are expensive when starting out, the investment value of gold itself makes them a very attractive option. And, because gold is bought and sold routinely on the commodities market, it is easy to stay on top of the price of gold, making it easy to follow the price of your gold coins. Which makes gold coins the equivalent of stocks or bonds for the coin collector.

Admittedly, it is not always easy to get into the market for gold coins. After all, gold is expensive, so coins made from gold are going to be pretty pricey. However, there are usually several weights available, so you will be able to find something that will fit your price range. However, when looking for gold coins, it is usually fairly easy to find a dealer. Many coin dealers are attached to the gold coin market and, if they cannot sell them to you directly, they will be able to connect you with someone who can.

There are also several internet merchants who offer 401k gold, but it is a good idea to be careful when shopping online. After all, there are a lot of proper merchants out there, but there are also a lot of shady folks looking to make some quick money. So, before purchasing online, do some research and check the vendors out thoroughly. Be especially careful of anyone selling coins for prices that are lower than the market value for gold. This is a case where anything that seems too good to be true absolutely is too good to be true, because nobody is going to sell you anything at a loss – especially not a commodity like gold.

Of course, because gold is a commonly bought and sold commodity, the value of your gold coins can be tracked easily. The price can be found online, in the newspapers, and on the evening news. And, because the prices of gold coins are tied to the price of the gold that it contains, you don’t have to worry about the coin market itself. While collectible coins may have upswings and downswings, gold not only increases in value over time, but it also tends to keep its value very well. Which means that gold coins are a way to stabilize your investments as you place your money into a very tangible resource.

When looking for a solid investment that does not require a great deal of knowledge and research, gold IRA are a very good place to start. They are easy to find, their value is easy to determine, and they are steady, reliable investments that will hold their value better than almost anything else. And, let’s face it, gold coins are just plain neat to look at. So, if you are looking for a tangible, sturdy investment that is not only valuable, but attractive as well, gold 401k coins will make you happy every time.

Friday, November 5, 2010

Top Reasons for Buying Insurance

If you are looking for insurance to protect your family's financial security in the event of tragedy or loss, then you will want to consider a lot of factors. Too often enough many Americans forego life coverage protection policies due to cost alone. There is a common myth today in society that insurance of this kind is only needed by the elderly or by those who can afford it, but the fact is, you may not be able to afford not to buy this insurance. Fortunately for you, you can still protect your family's future without going broke today. Before you say no to insurance, read here to find out the top reasons for buying insurance, and why you will want to reconsider before it's too late.

Unlike other forms of insurance, life coverage protection does not really benefit the person who is insured, but this insurance is used to protect those left behind. This could be a spouse, partner, children, or anyone that you want financially protected in the event of loss or tragedy. There are many reasons why you should consider this type of coverage.

It is a true fact of life that the cost of living is very expensive, but what you may not realize is that the cost of death is exorbitant as well. If you leave someone behind unexpectedly, you are also leaving behind the expenses associated with your death, such as funeral and burial or cremation expenses. Before you say not to this kind of insurance coverage, you may want to ask around to find out just how much it would cost your loved ones for these expenses in the event of your death. Burial and funeral costs are very high, and could send your family into bankruptcy if you do not have adequate insurance. This has become the leading reason to buy insurance for life protection in America.

If you are the sole breadwinner of the family, or if you are the highest earner, then you will want to protect that income for your family in the event of loss. Life protection coverage will provide your family or dependents, or your chosen beneficiary, to recoup the loss of your income in the event of your death. Some people feel their dependents can manage on their own and do not rely on this income, but in this day and age in America, this income is more important than ever. Do not leave your family or dependents stranded for income by trying to save money on insurance today.

Retirement investments are another reason that more and more people are buying life insurance today. If you purchase a policy such as a permanent or whole policy, then you will be able to accrue cash that you can actually use later on in your life if you want. With the economy the way it is today, more and more Americans are looking for more secure and more affordable ways to save money for tomorrow. Whole life insurance policies may be just the answer for you, if you have a little bit of money to put away for now, you can rest assured that your retirement investment will be ready for you when you need it.

How to Fully Protect Your Home

If you are looking for insurance for your home, or any insurance for that matter, it is always best to know exactly what the insurance company is offering you before you sign the dotted line. Most Americans have a general idea on how insurance works when you are protecting your home, and how most forms of insurance work as well. But when it comes right down to it, every single insurance policy is different, and simply knowing the basics may not cut it when it comes down to your house insurance. Before you start getting quotes for your insurance, you want to be sure that you know every possible aspect of house insurance, or you may wind up with a policy that won't help you when you need it most. Not educating yourself on the ins and outs of house insurance could wind up costing you thousands of dollars down the road, or right now through your premiums. Here we will talk about the most important things you need to know about your insurance policy.

The United States experienced their worst natural disaster along the Gulf Coast in 2005 when Hurricane Katrina hit. This caused a huge housing situation as residents were dislocated, lost their homes, or all of the above. This disaster ended up being the most expensive disaster in American history, for the government, and for the insurance companies. It also cost the residents of the Gulf Coast hundreds of thousands of dollars because many did not have the proper housing insurance on their assets. These citizens made the mistake of trusting that the insurance companies had their back, when it came right down to it, in some cases they just didn't, because they didn't have to.
An insurance policy is literally a protection from risk to you, but it is much different than a guarantee of protection as you might have found out if you were one of the hundreds of thousands of Louisiana residents that lost everything they worked their entire lives for. The critical thing missing from their insurance policies was flood protection. While they may have been protected from some natural cause damage, the true damage from Katrina occurred when the levees broke and the flooding occurred. So, for residents that had Hurricane protection but did not have flood protection, they lost everything, and there was nothing that anybody could do about it.

The most important thing you need to know when you are protecting your home is, what potential losses could you incur? Make a list and include everything, taking into account where you live and the potential hazards that could occur. What your homeowners insurance will do for you is provide a contract between you and your insurance company that they will protect you against loss by a "covered" peril. If you are not covered for a specific peril and it unfortunately should happen to you, you will have no recourse with the insurance company, a lesson learned with great difficulty along the Gulf Coast.

Your insurance company will help you with this, and your policy will specifically state what is and what is not covered. Keep in mind when you are seeking homeowners insurance quotes, there is no one company that can cover you for every situation or every possible event. That being said however, knowing your perceived perils to your home ahead of time will take you a long way towards getting the most affordable and comprehensive homeowners insurance.

Sunday, October 31, 2010

Understanding About Insurance for teens

This time we give an article about insurance for teens.
Say it isn't so, weep the distraught parents as they get that dreaded call one evening from their local hospital. My son in a traffic accident? How can this be? Well, there's one inescapable statistic at work here. When you look at the causes of death in the age group of 15 to 20-years old, it's not disease that comes out top. Automobile accidents are the biggest killers of our young. Take one age as an example. Those who manage to make it through to 16 have the highest probability of being involved in a crash. In fact, they are three times more likely to be killed in an accident than the average death rate for all drivers. What is it about the age of 16? Why do they think it can never happen to them (whatever "it" is)? Whatever the reason, it's sad facts in this vein that explains the high premium rates for teen drivers. This does not mean you can never find lower rates, but it does force younger drivers to stand out from the death-wish crowd and show themselves interested in making it through to 17.  The approach to earning discounts for a teen is actually all about proving how safe a driver your teen can be. The law in some states is on the parent's side by making it mandatory for all drivers to take a certified education course as a condition of being allowed a license at 16. In those states, a failure to take the course means being refused a license until they are 18. The point is to give younger drivers the opportunity to learn good driving habits from the start. In many cases, this will be no more than a pious hope. But the approach is one which proves itself in slightly lower accident statistics. More generally, taking a certified education course can earn a discount of up to 15%. It seems even a voluntary attendance on such courses is considered a good move.  The majority of insurance companies also reward students with a good GPA. The statistics show there's a link between people who have a grade average of 3.0 or higher and lower accident records. Perhaps it's that someone responsible enough to be interested in their own education is also likely to be interested in living long enough to enjoy the benefits when it comes to getting a job. Whatever the reason, everyone with a GPA of 3.0 or higher will be rewarded with a discount ranging between 10 and 20%. Lower car insurance quotes also come through the internet if the teen manages to drive without picking up a ticket or actually getting into an accident. Careful driving is rewarded as time passes. This trend to discounts is maintained if your teen agrees to limit the overall mileage or not to drive at night. Such curfews limit road use when the risk of crashes is highest.  Putting all this together gives you the way to steer your teen in the direction of cheap car insurance and living long enough to be able to enjoy the cash saved. This is, of course, only logic to a parent and not the type of thing your teen would take as seriously.

Monday, October 11, 2010

What Kind of Coverage do You Need for Auto Insurance?

For many people, obtaining a auto insurance quote is simply about satisfying their state's requirements for auto insurance coverage. That means that they often just choose those coverages that their state requires-and at the minimal coverage requirement levels as well. But is that really the best decision for a auto insurance consumer to make? Instead, why not use your auto insurance quote as an opportunity to find out how much it would cost to get the actual auto insurance coverage you need?


Do You Need Uninsured Motorist Coverage?


If you or a passenger are hurt in an accident that is the fault of an uninsured driver then you can pretty much kiss reimbursement from their insurance company good bye-after all, they are uninsured and have no insurance. And your insurance policy might not cover the damage caused by this other driver. If you have uninsured motorist coverage you can ensure that you will be made financially whole if the driver at fault does not have proper coverage. The Insurance Research Council estimates that roughly 25% of individuals are uninsured in every state-protect yourself against them.


Do You Need Comprehensive Coverage?


If your car gets stolen, vandalized or suffers from being involved in a natural disaster, can you afford to pay out of pocket for a new vehicle? And if you can, will that new vehicle be the same value as the old one-or will you be forced to buy a less expensive car because you cannot afford to pay for an equal car? And what about your existing car payments-who is going to pay those? If you don't have comprehensive coverage then you will need to pay out of pocket to restore your car or to buy a new one if it is involved in a theft, if it is vandalized or if it suffers from storm damage. With comprehensive coverage you could be reimbursed by your insurance company and not have to worry about how you will afford to replace your vehicle.


So the next time you get auto insurance quotes, think about the reality of your situation and what kind of coverage you need as well as what kind of coverage you can afford to skip.

Saturday, October 9, 2010

A Guide Home Insurance Classes

To determine what kind of perils or incidents are covered by your home insurance policy, your insurance company assigns a set class to your policy. The various classes that could be assigned range from class HO1 to HO6, and each one has a different set of incidents that are considered insurable. Following is a general guide to these classes. For specific information about your policy, be sure to check with your insurance company. HO1: A limited coverage against 11 different hazards. These include theft, riots, windstorm and hail. This is also referred to as a basic policy and can include coverage for personal and medical liability. Another great aspect of this class is that it can cover your personal possessions even while you are traveling with them. HO2: Reaches further than HO1 by covering 17 total hazards including water damage, smoke, falling objects, freezing pipes and the 11 hazards covered by HO1. HO3: This is the most common class for home insurance policyholders. It covers damage from all hazards unless they are specifically excluded on the policy. This includes liability and medical payments - unless they are specifically excluded. HO4: Covers the personal possessions of a renter's policy. This does not cover any damage done to the walls, pipes or actual structures owned by the landlord. HO5: Covers everything in HO3 that is not excluded and requires no specified incident or peril to have damaged your home. This is especially helpful for insurable incidents in which there are no witnesses and no evidence of the cause of the damage. HO6: Covers the personal property and interior walls of a condominium. This class of policy also occasionally covers liabilities. This will not cover incidents to pipes, outer walls, hallways and other areas covered by the condominium association policy. Remember, your home insurance policy should be tailored to the needs and risks your family faces. Be sure to ask your home insurance company to explain what is covered within your policy class and what is excluded so that you can be certain your policy will be there to protect you when you need it most.

Monday, September 27, 2010

Pros and Cons of Secured Student Credit Cards

Many college, and even high school, students have a need for carrying a credit card. Often, however, these students are not yet financially responsible for themselves and still rely on their parents to help take care of their financial responsibilities. Therefore, secured student credit cards may be a great option for parents with children who are still in school. Nonetheless, the pros and cons of secured student credit cards need to weighed in order to determine if they are the right choice for you.

Pro: Secured Student Credit Cards Allow You to Monitor Spending

Secured credit cards
are different from traditional credit cards in that you put funds on the credit card ahead of time. Therefore, the only money that is spent with the card is the money that is put on to it. In other words, a line of credit is not extended. Therefore, you don't have to worry about your child creating a humongous debt that you have to pay for.

In addition to preventing your child from going into debt, a secured student credit card also allows you to set your child up with an allowance. You can determine how much money you want to give your child to spend each month and you deposit the money onto the card. Depositing money onto these cards is easy. You can set it up so that a portion of your check is deposited onto the credit card each payday. Or, you can send money to the credit card company or deposit the money at select locations. This makes it much easier to get money to your child quickly if needed.

Con: Secured Student Credit Cards have a Number of Associated Fees

Although secured student credit cards allow you to monitor your child's spending habits, there are a number of fees associated with these guards. Generally, there is a fee to set the account up in the first place. Often, there are also annual fees and even monthly fees. In addition, each time you deposit money onto the card, you are usually assessed a small fee. All of these fees add up and can make the student credit card quite costly. Of course, these costs are still less then paying late fees or paying a large debt incurred with a line of credit.

Pro: Secured Student Credit Cards Provide Freedom and Flexibility

One of the best pros of credit card offers for college students or high school students is that they allow your child to have the freedom and flexibility that is part of being a credit card holder. These cards do not look any different from traditional credit cards and are accepted at all of the same places. Therefore, your child can use the secured student credit card to purchases necessary items without having to ask you for it or making you have to go out and buy the item.

This is particularly helpful for college students when it comes to purchasing books and other school supplies, as the college may be located pretty far away from home. This makes it highly impractical for you to come to the school to make purchases for your child. Similarly, sending checks can take too long and can make your college student late in purchasing items he or she needs for school.

Pro: Secured Student Credit Cards Teach your Child Financial Responsibility

One of the best perks of a secured student credit card is that it starts your child down the road of financial responsibility. When you deposit money onto the card, your child has to learn how to responsibly use the money provided. In addition, most secured student credit cards report to credit bureaus, and the report will be in your child's name. This helps to build a credit history for your child, which will make it easier for him or her to acquire loans or other credit cards in the future. Before applying for a card, however, make sure it does report to these bureaus in order to receive this added benefit.

Understanding Life Insurance Underwriting

You should know that once you get your life insurance quotes, there is just one thing standing between you and the issuance of a life insurance policy. And that thing is life insurance underwriting.


What is life insurance underwriting?


Life insurance underwriting is the process of evaluating the amount of risk that you present to the insurance company. When a life insurance company looks at you as a potential policyholder, it must decide how risky your life is and how likely you are to die before they've gotten enough premium payments from you in order to make a profit on the policy.


In order to do this, the insurance company underwriter will look at your age, weight, smoking status and height and determine statistically how likely you are to die. Next, they will factor in your health history, family health and attempt to determine how risky the health history makes you.


The next step is to look at how all of these factors can work together to create combined future health problems and if anything in your health history will work to make you less likely to develop these future problems.


Lastly, the life insurance underwriter will look at your lifestyle and determine whether or not that makes you more or less of a risk. They will look at your moral turpitude, your vocation and your hobbies (avocation). The more risky a lifestyle you lead, the more likely your policy will be declined or charged higher rates.


As an example, when looking at your moral turpitude they might draw conclusions about your lifestyle based on the amount of drinking you do, any sexually transmitted diseases you might have had or any driving-related issues you have had.


When looking at your vocation, the life insurance underwriters might consider any travelling you do for work, what type of work you do and the amount of risk it presents to your life based on the actual duties of the occupation and the kinds of situations your work might put you in.


Lastly, looking at your hobbies, your life insurance underwriters will determine whether there is any kind of innate danger within your hobbies. For instance, if you enjoy finger painting, then you have a very low-risk hobby with little opportunity for injury or death. But if your hobby is motocross rating, then your mortality opportunities are exponentially increased and your underwriters will be more likely to rate or decline your policy.

Friday, September 10, 2010

Insurance: Choosing Term, Whole, or Others

There are so many ways to have your life insured and your decision can't be driven completely by cost. Following will be your education on the different kinds and types of ways to insure your family's security if you die prematurely; use this guide to make an informed decision that will work for your happiness. Term Insurance If you need to be insured for a specific number of years because you are working a risky job or for any other reason fear you are living with an increased chance of death, this is the category for you. In exchange for a monthly (or annual) premium, those you leave behind would receive an agreed upon payment of money to secure their futures without you. Going into your decision, you'll need to have a term in mind. It might be 5 years, 10 years, or whatever length you can negotiate with the agent. You're going to have to pay a high premium over a short period of time, but less for longer. You'll also have to determine the "face amount". This is the payout your family would receive in the unfortunate event of your death. Almost all insurance company will put terms, premiums, and face amounts in all sorts of different combinations, so it can be difficult to find a match for you, but don't settle for what you don't need. There are three subtypes: Level: Purchased in periods of 5 years at a fixed premium, it is great for financial planning. Annual Renewable: With this, you are only covered for a year, but the price you received is guaranteed for renewal for the following years. Mortgage: Your relatives would receive the amount of your home mortgage upon your death, and you pay a level premium. Whole Life You get a level premium and guaranteed money. The premiums, death benefits, and cash values are all guaranteed with no tricky fees. Unfortunately, you won't get as competitive a face value or premium here. However, over the course of a life, the amount you pay would become level with term insurance on the whole. You should also check into the company's dividends policy. Universal Life These are insurance packages that, as long as you make your premium payments, the insurer cannot cancel except for fraud, and are more flexible about the term, interest rate of return, and premium. Over time, the payout becomes less, and the policy essentially deteriorates with interest payments. One nice thing though is that if you reach a set age, say 100 years old, you receive the death benefit. If you want flexibility now, this is a good option, but ultimately it isn't worth as much. Limited Pay You pay all the premiums in the early years of the policy, and you retain the benefit of the policy until a set age. Usually it is around retirement. Life insurance is a tricky topic, but with proper research you can find the life insurance policy that is right for you. Check online for life insurance quotes to make sure you get a good deal, but don't get the wrong type of coverage - it will waste more money than you save.

Thursday, September 9, 2010

Life Insurance Riders: Additional Insured Riders

You should know that your life insurance policy doesn't have to just cover you. In fact, you can simplify your life and budget by adding family coverage riders to your life insurance policy. These riders provide affordable coverage for your spouse and children.


Child rider coverage


You can buy life insurance for your children through a child rider on your policy. Generally, the purchase of one child rider will cover all children that you have, including those that you adopt. The rider generally offers $10,000-$20,000 (in increments of $5,000) in insurance coverage for each child and has a low premium expense. The rider is often convertible into individual policies once the children are of age. As you continue to have or adopt children, make sure you contact your insurer and supply them with the names of your children as well as dates of birth and social security numbers.


Spouse rider coverage


If you want to cover your spouse on the same policy you have, you can buy a spouse rider. A spouse rider pays a death benefit if your spouse should die before you do. It is important to understand that if your spouse dies after you die, there is usually no death benefit paid to your spouse's beneficiary. In addition, they will have no access to cash value accumulation since the policy and cash values are owned by you, not the spouse. Spouse riders do not always offer the same extent of insurance death benefit as an individual policy would so it is important to make sure that it offers you and your family enough coverage to be financially helpful. Souse riders are generally not convertible into individual policies, unlike child riders. In the event of a divorce, a spouse rider will become invalid but you must still notify your insurer so that they do not continue to charge you the additional premiums.


Remember, every insurance company is different and has their own approach to offering a rider. This article series on riders is meant to give a general overview of options. It is not an exhaustive list of available riders and does not reflect the rules or policies of every insurer. Be sure you read the fine print and fully understand the riders you are thinking of adding to your policy before you commit to them. Remember to also explore the benefits of additional insured riders against the benefit of buying individual policies for your family members.

Monday, September 6, 2010

The Full Story About HMO

You should know when you are searching for low cost health insurance an HMO plan is likely to come across your radar. HMOs, or health maintenance organization plans, offer some of the lowest cost full coverage insurance benefits but they have certain drawbacks.


With an HMO, you will be treated exclusively by doctors and medical treatment centers that are in the HMO network. If you receive treatment from someone outside of this network, unless it is an unpreventable emergency, your claim is likely to be denied. Unlike a PPO, HMOs do not offer any coverage for treatment received outside the network unless it is emergency treatment in an area with no network treatment centers or physicians. So if you have a favorite doctor that you or your children visit, make sure he or she is on the network list before you take out the HMO's cheap health insurance coverage. If you don't, then you will be forced to pay out-of-pocket for the full cost of all your visits to this physician.


With an HMO you are likely to have a copayment amount each time you visit a doctor or treatment facility. The copayments are fixed dollar amounts that will be listed out on your policy and possibly on your insurance card. They do not vary although they may be increased when your policy is renewed.


Some HMO plans have deductibles which is an amount of money that you must pay out-of-pocket before the policy kicks in and pays a benefit. These deductibles are variable and you can choose yours when you take out your policy. The larger your deductible the less expensive your insurance premium will be.


Your policy will also have a limit, or cap, in the amount of benefit you can receive over your lifetime. This protects the insurance company from having to commit to pay too much in benefits. Since the limits are usually set above one million dollars, it's doubtful that most consumers will need to worry about exceeding them.


Remember, check your rates, choose an affordable deductible and a reasonable limit, and check that your favorite physicians are on the network list before you take out an HMO plan. Then your family will be happy, safe, well cared for and not at financial risk.

Is Cheap Home Insurance Good For Business?

With unemployment rates reaching an all time high and economic recovery that brings in new jobs slow to appear, freelancing and working from home are becoming more and more popular among the recently laid off. Whether you have the choice to work at home or not, you need to make sure that your home business is properly insured through your home insurance policy.


Is Cheap Home Insurance Good For Business?


One of the top goals for consumers is to find cheap home insurance that offers them protection against risk. Unfortunately, when you are simply searching for cheap home insurance instead of home insurance that offers good coverage for the activities you use your home for, you could be in trouble. If you choose regular home insurance and do not disclose that you are running a business on site, then you could suffer from unpaid claims, lost equipment and lawsuits resulting from the damages your business or home causes to others.


If you have clients who come on site to your home business, then your home insurance company needs to be made aware of this so that you can get proper liability coverage. If you have equipment at home that is for business use, then your home insurance company needs to know this so that they can cover it properly and you won't have to suffer any loss of use while you scramble for the funds to replace it.


When your clients rely on your continued business to keep THEM in business, then your non-disclosure of home business activities to your home insurance company could result in a slowdown of your production and a financial loss for your clients. This is a dangerous risk as not only could you lose the money you paid in buying your equipment initially, but your clients could sue you because they depended on you to stay productive even after an insurable incident.


In addition to ensuring you have the proper coverage for your home business through your home insurance company, you should also get professional liability coverage so that no business can take your personal assets as a result of a business lawsuit.


So remember, let your home insurance company know about your home business and make sure their policy protects you properly.

Friday, September 3, 2010

Health Insurance Underwriting Overview

There are many different aspects of your health and habits that are taken into consideration when you have a health insurance policy underwritten. These factors work together to create the general risk that you life presents to the insurance company. It is not until all these factors are considered that your insurer can determine whether or not to issue your policy and what premiums to charge. Here are some of the main factors that health insurance underwriters consider when reviewing your health insurance application for approval.


Your medications: The medications you take give a tremendous insight not only on the prior events of your health history, but also on what your doctor thinks might be in the future. For instance, you might not have had a heart attack yet but if your doctor has you on a cholesterol medication, then it is likely that he or she thinks you may be at risk for one in the future. That indicates to a health insurance underwriter that you could be a risky bet.


Your actual health history: The events that comprise your health history give an insight not only into what your health future might hold but also in how you treat and respect yourself. For instance, Type 2 diabetes is often caused by obesity and poor eating choices. If you have Type 2 diabetes then it is unlikely that you eat well or exercise, which puts you at risk for a whole host of additional health problems.


Your family history: DNA ruins a lot of things health wise. If heart disease runs in your family then you are much more likely to suffer from it eventually. The same can be said for cancer, obesity, diabetes and certain mental illnesses. Knowing that someone in your family has suffered with these issues could change how a health insurance underwriter views your application for coverage-even if you are in perfect health.


Your weight and height: Your weight and height indicate how well-proportioned you are. Someone who weighs 300 pounds and is 5'3" is much more likely to be considered obese than someone who is 6'5" and weighs the same.


Smoking status: If you are a smoker-even an occasional lighter upper-then you are putting your body at risk for cancer, lung disease, emphysema and more. This will not be looked upon favorably by the underwriters reviewing your health insurance application.

Short-Term About Health Insurance

There can be times in your life when you need a temporary health insurance option to help you and your family. It may be while you are in between jobs or while you wait for another group policy to begin, but if you no longer have access to COBRA coverage or if you need a less expensive option then a short-term health insurance policy might be a good option for you.


When you get health insurance quotes online, short-term health insurance is one type of insurance you can get a quote for. They are usually inexpensive since they cover a very limited period of time and the likelihood of having significant claims occur during this period is low. That means that the insurance company does not take on a great amount of risk when insuring you.


The Downside of Short-Term Health Insurance


Much like catastrophic insurance policies, short-term health insurance policies will not likely count as creditable coverage under HIPAA. This can have a major impact on your future health insurance purchases and can mean that your pre-existing conditions can be excluded for a limited period of time from group policy coverage. It also means that when you have a short-term health insurance policy, you may not qualify for coverage under HIPAA. These are important considerations for individuals opting for short-term coverage instead of COBRA.


Speaking of pre-existing conditions, short-term health insurance policies generally exclude them from coverage. In addition, short-term plans often don't provide any benefits for preventative care or routine physicals.


The need for short-term health insurance policies is limited. They are not a good fit for every family and you should research a plan in full after getting online health insurance quotes in order to make sure it is a good fit for you and your family.

Tuesday, August 31, 2010

COBRA Coverage Explained

COBRA is the acronym for a health insurance portability act signed into law during the 1990's. Thanks to COBRA, if you leave an employer who is providing your group health insurance coverage, you can keep the coverage for 18-36 months even though you no longer really qualify for the group coverage since you are not a member of the group. COBRA is a great benefit to many people-but not every employee who leaves an employer with group benefits should take advantage of COBRA coverage.


COBRA coverage is extremely expensive. If you are someone in relatively good health, who rarely goes to the doctor and has no pre-existing conditions, then COBRA coverage might not be the best use of your financial resources. Instead, you could search for low cost health insurance on an individual basis and get your own policy, not hinged on group participation, that can cover you for a fraction of the cost of a COBRA policy.


For individuals with pre-existing conditions, low cost health insurance is a pipe dream. Not only are premiums expensive for formerly ill individuals, but they may not even approve you at all depending on the risk you present. Or, they may approve you and agree to pay for your medical expenses through your policy while excluding a whole host of expenses that stem from your pre-existing condition. It is then that you are a good candidate for retaining your COBRA coverage. Even if you never go to the doctor, keeping continuous coverage through a program like COBRA is vital because it prevents another group insurance plan from declining to cover your pre-existing conditions (something they cannot do unless you've had a break in coverage for 63 days or longer during the past 6-12 months).


So remember, if you are young and in relatively good health, look to a low cost health insurance policy of your own for coverage after leaving a group plan. It will be much less expensive that COBRA and will allow you complete portability since its approval isn't tied to group participation. If you have a pre-existing condition, be sure to opt for COBRA coverage immediately after leaving your job so that there is no risk of a 63 day or longer break in coverage. No matter what option you choose-make sure you always have some sort of health coverage so that you are not left to fiscally stand alone after an expensive illness or injury.

Home Insurance on a Paid-Off Home

You might think that once your home is paid off you can drop your home insurance and live a carefree life with no insurance premiums. But just because there are no state requirements to hold home insurance on your house, that doesn't mean that this useful coverage should be ignored after your home is paid off.


Your home could endure an insurable incident whether or not you have a mortgage. After all, it is not the fact that you owe money on your home that exposes you to risk-it is the fact that risk is everywhere and could happen to anyone. You see, when you have a mortgage your lender is at risk for damages to your home because they have more money riding on it than you do. That is why they demand that you have home insurance. But if you think that you don't need to look for home insurance quotes once your home is paid off, then consider this: if your home catches fire, floods, is vandalized or has any other insurable event happen to it then you must pay for the damages out of pocket unless you have insurance. You might not even have a home left to live in until you can find the money to pay for all the repairs and in the mean time, you will be forced to pay out of your own pocket for your temporary living space.


Of course, you can look for less expensive home insurance quotes once your home is paid off. You could consider raising your deductible since you no longer have a mortgage to pay off and can likely afford to pay more deductible out of your own pocket. You can look for lower limits as long as you stay within the range that your home is worth so you can be fully reimbursed for an event that destroys your home. You can even determine what is and isn't covered based on how you perceive your risk.


Remember, while saving money on home insurance quotes is important, having an insurance policy that is there for you when you need it is vital. Don't scrimp too much on the policy and make sure you look out for your own self-interest and bottom line.

Saturday, August 28, 2010

Some common ways of relieving your pain

All of us have certainly experienced moments when the only thing that we could think of is to get some pain relief. Regardless of the cause behind pain, we simply want it to go away as fast as possible. And despite the understanding that pain is an essential signal of our bodies that made it possible for us to survive as a specie, the numerous options the medicine has for pain relief today makes us reach out for the most effective way to block pain once and for all. It is essential to know what kind of pain relief options are available out there and what cases they are used for. Because it can matter a lot when it starts to hurt.


Topical options


Topical pain relief medications usually come in the form of cr?mes, gels, balms and other substances that are easily applied to the surface of the skin. Topical painkillers are usually applied in cases of acute pain caused by injuries or physical conditions associated with chronic pain. Such substances contain active elements that are easily absorbed through the skin and don't require internal intervention (like in the case of pills or injections). Cr?mes, balms, gels and lotions are usually effective in cases of mild pain when it doesn't persist for long periods of time and is usually associated with internal impact on a particular area of the body.


Oral medications


Oral painkillers are probably the most common and well known forms of pain relief available on the market today. People often associate the whole concept of pain relief namely with painkiller oral medications. Fact is that this form of pain relief medications includes different types of drugs that have different methods of action and applications. For example, people often take aspirin as a painkiller for headaches, but in reality it is simply an anti-inflammation drug that helps reduce negative symptoms of associated conditions.


The most common and effective painkiller medications are opiates and opioids. Opiates such as morphine are narcotic drugs that have a very strong painkiller effect and relief even the most severe forms of pain, but have negative side effects that affect the perception of reality. Opioids like Tramadol are synthetic opiate derivatives that are free from such side effects. Drugs like Tramadol work by simply blocking the nerve signals transmitted to the brain and can help in relieving both acute and chronic pain.


Other types of drugs are also applied for relieving certain types of pain. As mentioned, some anti-inflammation drugs can help in relieving mild to moderate types of pain such as headache. Anti-seizure and muscle relaxant drugs are used in cases of pain caused by motor dysfunctions or muscular injuries.


Injections


Injections are usually applied for administering painkiller medications directly into the bloodstream or the affected area in order to achieve faster and more effective pain relief in cases of acute pain. Injections are also used for relieving pain during surgeries.

Wednesday, August 25, 2010

Easing the process of insurance shopping with Internet

Back in the day, you know that taking your time to compare the offers from different insurance companies in order to get an adequate and cheap coverage for your car was quite hard and exhaustive. There was no Internet, no online quote sites and in order to get all the information you need, you had to go to agents and contact the insurance companies one by one. You had to call the representatives or go to the office in order to get a single quote for your car, and shopping around meant that you had to repeat this over and over until you get enough quotes in order to compare them. And if you needed to renew or modify your policy by adding some clauses you had to go to the office again and again. It's evident that it all required a lot of time, patience and money, of course.


These days it's much easier thanks to the Internet. There's no need to call the agents or go to insurance company offices. All the information you need can be accessed from your home or job and it takes only a few minutes to get numerous quotes from companies working in your area. You can even modify and renew your policy online these days as more and more serious insurance companies are entering the web and providing the full range of their services online.


There's also a large number of independent sites that are designed to provide the users with reliable information and tips on how to get cheap auto insurance. It has become much easier to shop for policies as you can spend only a few minutes at home and get a really attractive policy from a provider, which you can read about at numerous forums and testimonials. The customers have definitely benefited from the development of internet.


However, with so much accessible information you can easily make a lot of mistakes and get a policy that won't give you the coverage or the support you need. When comparing auto insurance quotes online you should also bear in mind that insurance companies are quite different. There are big corporations and small local companies that compete for the buyer online and it's hard to tell whether the provider is reliable enough when buying your policy online.


That's why there are few tips that you have to follow when looking for auto insurance online. First of all, when comparing quotes make sure you know about the companies you are looking into. Learn about their payout rates and see if there are any complaints about any of them. The best places to find reliable information are the specialized forums or your state insurance department. You should also remember that cheap doesn't always mean the best. You can find cheap insurance offers online, but the amount of coverage or additional fees will make the policy even more expensive as a mid-range offer from another company. The price isn't the only factor that should determine your choice. Consider the amount of coverage and additional services that are provided with your policy and make sure to buy insurance from a reliable provider.

The Basic Of Car Insurance Coverage

When you get auto insurance quotes there are many different car insurance coverage options you must consider. These will vary depending on your state of residence, age, car and financial situation. Some of the options are outlined below. Car Insurance Coverage Options: Coverage Personal Injury Protection (PIP): PIP is required by some states. This covers your personal injuries should you be involved in an accident. PIP would take the place of health insurance if it were used. PIP can also cover the medical or funereal expenses of others in your car. Property Damage Liability: If you damage someone else's property during a car accident, property damage liability will cover the expenses relating to that damage. Whether it is a car, a mailbox or even a front porch that is damaged, your property damage liability can cover it. Uninsured or Underinsured Motorist Coverage: Not everyone driving on the road will have car insurance-even if it is required by law. And some who have car insurance do not have enough to actually pay the full extent of the claims they create through careless driving. In order to compensate for these shortages, drivers can buy uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage. Car Insurance Coverage Options: Limits and Deductibles When you get car insurance quotes, the coverage options you choose will affect the actual quotes you receive, but the limits and deductibles will also affect your car insurance quotes. Limits: Your limits for each individual type of coverage you choose outline the maximum amount of insurance coverage your claims can get. The lower the limits you choose for your policy, the less expensive your car insurance quotes will be. But, that means that any amount of a claim exceeding that limit will need to be paid out of your own pocket. Deductibles: Deductibles are those out-of-pocket expenses you should be paying before your insurance company steps in to pay the larger portion of the claim. High deductibles can equal lower premiums but also more out-of-pocket expense. Low deductibles will equal higher premiums and fewer out-of-pocket expenses.

Wednesday, August 4, 2010

Credit Repair For Good Credit References

Unfortunately, there is no magic repair available today. You will need to dedicate a good deal of discipline, patience and effort to the task.

It will be a better idea to start with requesting copies of credit report from each of credit reference agencies. It is well known that Credit reference agencies do not make credit decisions. They only collect and give credit history and identifying information to potential lenders. If needed this information is also provided to potential credit employers.

The three credit reference agencies are Experian, Equifax and TransUnion. Most provinces provide at least one free credit report per year. You can often get your report by making a request through the automated telephone service, by regular mail and by email (in my view, a telephone request is the most easiest to get a credit report). When you get report, you must review it carefully for outdated information and errors. If you feel any problem with your credit report, you must report about it to credit companies in written. Include all supportive documentation you require to substantiate your claim.

If you are like a modern American you should have at least one negative credit reference on your report. These negative credit reference include such credit remarks as:

·Defaults (The lender has doubts that you will repay his owed funds.)
·Late Payments (It is better to pay early.)
·Liens or Judgments (Legal process by a lender to recover payment.)
·Repossessions.
·Bankruptcies.
·Excessive Credit Inquires.

As lenders don't know you personally, they just believe on a system that allows them to make a better credit decisions. If you have been denied credit, it is not a personal matter it is just a business decision. After all, would you lend money to someone who has a history of paying it back late or absolutely not paying it back? Your answer will be no, you will not like to give money to person having negative credit references. Make a plan to develop some good credit references. As you will pay off your credits, your credit report will improve that will change lenders attitude for you.

Let's start with the basics about credit repair:

·Pay your bills early.
·Stabilize.
·Maintain accounts.
·Keep your head out of the sand.
·Consider online banking.

Each of these steps will help you to repair your bad credit and build good credit references with time.


Still confuse about credit repair? If you looking for someone to provide credit repair services to improve credit score, you can find credit repair service at internet like The Credit People to find free consultant to repair your bad credit.

Wednesday, June 30, 2010

California Auto Insurance For You

B04.org - First thing you should know, California has been hit hard by the recession. Gone are the days when people were proud to live in the "Golden State". The problem is seen most obviously in the repeated failures of the state to deal with its massive deficit. Now translate this into the millions of people living in the state who cannot find work paying enough money to live on. Their poverty means it is impossible to pay for insurance and eat. Not surprisingly, millions of drivers are on the roads without insurance. In 2008, the Department of Insurance estimated about 18% of Californian drivers were uninsured. Since then, the unemployment rate has doubled.

Why is this a problem? Well, although many drivers buy uninsured or underinsured cover, you have to be able to identify the other driver in the accident. If you cannot, say because it's a hit-and-run, you cannot show the other driver was uninsured and so cannot claim on the policy. Since most uninsured drivers prefer not to wait around to admit their criminal offense (that costs them a fine and may result in their vehicle being impounded), all that can, drive away from the scene of the accident as quickly as possible. That is bad luck for you and great news for the insurers who take your premium and rarely have to pay out.


The Department of Insurance believed there were a hard core of the poor who felt guilty about driving without California auto insurance so, in 2007, it persuaded the private insurance industry to offer a low-cost liability program for about $400 per year. This is not subsidised by the taxpayers. To qualify, you have to go through a means test, i.e. you must:



  • be at least 19 years old;

  • have held a valid driving licence for at least three years;

  • have no recent claims involving injury or death;

  • own a vehicle worth less than $20,000; and

  • earn less than $55,125 for a family of four or $27,075 as a single person.


You know that the premium buys you auto insurance for personal injuries up to $10,000, with $20,000 total injury claims from any one accident, and $3,000 for property damage. This is really basic coverage, but it's a lot cheaper than the fine for not carrying insurance and avoids your vehicle being impounded. So look at the conditions. If you qualify, look at the renewal notice from your current insurer and check out what the online insurers are offering. Now decide whether you are prepared to accept this cheap car insurance to stay legal on the road. There is a clear explanation of the program on the Department of Insurance's website at California Low Cost Automobile Insurance Program. This may be the time when some car insurance is better than no car insurance.

Thursday, June 17, 2010

how to get the right home insurance policy

Today, we'll give you tips about how to get the right home insurance policy. Insurance coverage for the house is quite often one of the most important investments that you will undertake after actually buying your home. Most insurance policies will cover the home itself, your belongings contained in it and liability due to accidents on your property. And when you start looking for the right policy it may be a bit difficult at first, taking into account the large diversity in policies and the large number of providers that offer their products. There are different types of coverage each policy carries to a different extent, and in each case the amounts of it have to be adequate in order to meet your exact needs. Yes, it's a bit overwhelming at first, that's why you would want to spend some time learning the basics before doing any comparison shopping.


Types of coverage


You should know that each policy carries three types of insurance coverage that when combined provide a wide spectrum of coverage against many types of insurance situations your home may be subjected to. These thee coverage types include property damage, liability coverage, and home business.



  • Home business - this type of coverage will be particularly useful if you run a small business at your home. However not all home insurance policies have the business part with their coverage, so make sure to learn about that first, if you are really interested in this type of coverage.

  • Property damage - this type of coverage deals with any type of damage to your home and your belongings contained within the house due to circumstances like fire, storm, hail, flood, lightning, theft, vandalism, terrorist attack, etc. Make sue to analyze your policy thoroughly in order to learn all situations and all the items which will be covered or not.

  • Liability coverage - this type of coverage will pay for the medical costs and trauma a third party has sustained while being on your property. You and your family members are not included. This coverage is applied to guests, workers, neighbors, visitors, etc.


Some helpful tips to take note of


When you start looking for home insurance the following tips will definitely be of a help to you in case you want to find a good and cheap policy:



  • Always make sure that your credit rating is good before purchasing a new policy (applies to all types of insurance).

  • Shop around to get the best home insurance quotes. You can use numerous online sites, ask your agent or contact the companies directly. The more options you have the better. Don't forget to ask your friends about any particular company they have already purchased insurance from and check the financial credibility of each provider you are interested in.

  • Purchase home coverage from the same provider you get your auto insurance from. That way you can receive a substantial discount with most insurance providers.

  • Pull up your deductible. As with all types of insurance, the higher is your deductible the lower premiums you'll have to pay. But make sure that you have the required amount of money to pay out of pocket if something happens to your home.

  • Make everything possible to improve the security of your home. The best way to do this is to install video systems, security features such as fire and smoke detectors, alarm, security locks, and other features you can use to protect your house against different perils. Document all the changes and inform your insurance provider about them. You will likely receive a good discount for that.

Sunday, June 13, 2010

Health insurance quotes and political change

B04 - You must know that there are probably less than 50 million Americans without health cover right now. By the end of this year, it will be more than 50 million. It is a sad reflection on the US. This country prides itself on being the best in whatever it does. Yet, when it comes to healthcare, it is one of the worst performing countries in the world. Look at any international comparison and you will see a lower life expectancy and more deaths caused by failures in the healthcare services than almost every other developed nation. Yet the February Healthcare Summit showed the political parties as far apart as ever. There's no sign of any bipartisan move to improve the situation for the ordinary people of this country. Instead, the GOP want reform stopped in its tracks. How this appeals to voters is hard to understand. Why should anyone vote for a party that wants to keep this present broken system?

Anyway, we now wait to see whether the Democratic Party has the strength of character to pass the reform bill using the budget reconciliation procedure. This allows a bill to become law on a simple majority. If the bill is signed into law, it will begin the slow process of reforming the current reality. But this is going to take more than one year to produce obvious results so, for those of you looking for affordable insurance now, you have to assume there will be no reform bill riding to your rescue like some Marvel hero. This is frustrating but there's no sense in having false expectations. You have to deal with the world as it is and make the best of it.


Here we have a search engine that contacts all the heath plan providers in your state. As an aside, one ironic point of agreement between the two political parties is that you should be allowed to buy a plan across state lines. Unless and until that becomes the law, you are restricted to buying a plan from an insurer licensed in your own state. This restricts competition and makes it more difficult to find an affordable plan. Because the use of this site is completely free, you can get multiple sets of health insurance quotes, and compare and contrast the plans and their premium rates. Now, more than ever, it's important to shop around and collect the most information you can about what the market is offering. The more health insurance quotes you collect, the wider the choice and the better the chance of finding an affordable plan. While you search, consider the new power of influence claimed by the Tea Party. They want to tear down big government. It would be good to see some more support for the other side of the argument. With elections coming around later this year, you should get involved and make sure the right message on healthcare reform gets through to Washington. Do not let the negative voice go unanswered. If you want health insurance premiums to fall, make your voice heard and push for reform.

Thursday, June 10, 2010

Car insurance quotes and Highway Safety

B04 - You should know that according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, if you collect one speeding ticket, there's a significant rise in the probability you will be involved in an accident in the next three years. This is not opinion. It's a statistical fact that the chances of an accident rise by 50%. If you have two speeding tickets, the chances of an accident double.

Every insurance companies set their premium rates according to these risk assessments, there's an automatic linkage between a traffic citation and your premium rate. Depending on who you are, the rate can rise just a little or triple. For example, a wife rushing to her husband's hospital bedside will be penalized less than a young man out street racing. The reality of the insurance market is that, according to the statistics, you get the premium rate you deserve. Since this is going to make the difference between potential discounts for being a safe driver with no claims and no tickets, and rate hikes worth several thousand dollars over the next three or four years for picking up a ticket, it can be worth fighting traffic tickets.

Obviously, it's better to drive safely and within the law. It's just as important to protect your reputation. Every few years, spend a few bucks at your state's Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) to ensure your driving record is accurate. If there's a mistake, have it corrected. This could save you big dollars on the premium rates overnight. Now, let's face the worst. You get pulled over. Remember never to admit guilt to the officer. Just be polite. Upsetting the officer could result in the addition of "ND" to the citation. That's a note to the prosecutor not to do a deal, but to push for the maximum penalty. OK, so now you are in the system. What should you do? Don't ignore the ticket. In many states, the police issue an arrest warrant. The first step is talking to your local DMV. Many states have programs in place to help drivers. For example, some will defer judgment and, if there are no violations in the next six months, the ticket is dismissed. Other states have driver safety courses. For minor offenses, attending a course on driving wipes the conviction from your record. You still have to pay the fine and the tuition fees, but this is less than the premium rate increases.


So, you must know that if you cannot prevent this from coming to court, go to court. Often challenging a ticket persuades the court to reduce the ticket to a moving violation which is not penalized by the insurers. If you show but the officer does not, this can persuade some courts to dismiss the ticket - check your local state's rules. In the end, politely raising any kind of reasonable objection to the ticket is usually rewarded by the court - getting angry in a courtroom is not recommended. Of course, all this takes time and effort. Should this be too expensive, remember you can be saving several thousand dollars on premium instalments, so paying an attorney up to one thousand can be good value. All of this should encourage you to drive safely. It's better not to get caught. Your car insurance quotes will come in lower and lower the longer you keep your record clean. If defensive driving fails to keep you safe, fight to avoid the conviction. It's going to show up in the car insurance quotes over the years to come unless you get the ticket dismissed or reduced to a moving violation.

Wednesday, June 9, 2010

How to get multiple car insurance quotes

B04 - You should know that the insurance company looks at who you are, when you drive and where you drive in deciding how much of a risk you represent. If you live 50 miles from your work and have a daily commute along a busy Interstate, the chances of an accident are high. But if you live on a bus route to work and only use your vehicle for odd journeys at off-peak times, the chances of an accident are small. When you answer the questionnaire, you will see questions covering these possibilities. Remember, if you get caught out in dishonest answers, the insurer will cancel your policy and leave you without any coverage.

The first question is where you live. Although some states like California have outlawed setting rates according to your zip code, the majority of companies focus on your home address. If there's a high accident or theft rate among people living in your area, you will all pay a higher premium. The only choice, if you can afford it, is to live some place where the crime and accidents rates are lower. You look for the middle ground between the worst inner city crime hot spot and a house on the prairie where you never see another vehicle from one day's end to the next. All the discounts favor drivers who only drive off-peak during the day, and restrict their annual mileage. No more late night and early morning driving when the majority of other drivers may be tired or affected by alcohol and/or drugs. This raises the question of monitoring.


It's easy to answer the questionnaire and claim the maximum discounts. But the trend among insurers is to ask people to drop their vehicle in for a regular inspection of the recorded mileage. The maximum discounts are given to the drivers who agree to devices being installed which collect all the data on driving and transmit it to the insurers. These devices have a GPS element that records where you drive, the time and, in some cases, some measurement of the quality of your driving, e.g. how often you brake. The reward for accepting this invasion of your privacy can be discounts of up to 25% on top of the usual discounts. Obviously, it's not a good idea to use your own vehicle to rob a bank since the insurance company will know you were there.


This set of discounts is somewhat frustrating. In the larger cities with well-developed public transport, it's usually not too much trouble to get where you want on time without using your own vehicle. Assuming your vehicle is safely in a garage to reduce the risk of theft, you should break even or better, i.e. what you save on the insurance pays for your use of buses and trains. But the most of the US has poor public transport, so there's little choice. Remember the car insurance quotes are not the final word. Call the company, explain your circumstances and discuss how you might qualify for discounts. In discussion, you often discover options not included in the website. So, treat the car insurance quotes as the opening offer and start negotiating. Investing a little time often saves you money.

Friday, May 7, 2010

the reform bill For individual health insurance

Now that President Obama has signed the healthcare reform bill into law, the dust kicked up by the battle is now slowly starting to settle. There is still fighting, but it has moved on to different ground. In this time of calm, we have the chance to reflect on what has been achieved and to speculate on how the insurance market will change. As we set out on this brief survey, we should remember it was the insurers raising their rates that gave the final encouragement to the lawmakers. Without that, they might have lost their nerve in this year of the midterm elections. The new insurance exchanges are to be in place by 2014. Once they are in operation, the premiums people pay will be capped. For those who earn less than four times the poverty level (at current dollar values, this is $88,000 for a family of four) the maximum will be 9.5% of their income as a premium. For those on or below the poverty level, the maximum will be 3% of their income. The government will subsidize people above their capped level of payment. This creates an interesting dynamic. With the government paying the difference, will the insurers try to hike the premium rates?


The answer is difficult. The premium is supposed to cover the medical costs, run the business, and leave a reasonable profit for the investors. In theory, the Administration has made a deal with the pharmaceutical industry to keep down the cost of drugs. Groups of hospitals have also promised some restraint. This should stabilize the medical costs. Now it all comes down to controlling the insurers' greed. This is attempted through a few rules. Insurers cannot charge older people more than three times the rate for younger people. The insurers must give rebates if they spend more than 20% of your premiums on non-medical costs. And there are reviews of premium increases with states having the power to exclude health plans where the increases are not justified.


Why is the answer difficult? Because no matter what it says on paper, we have to wait to see it working in the real world. Naturally, the President expects premiums to be stable or fall over time. But the insurance companies have never been completely rational when it comes to pricing their cheap health insurance plans. Their philosophy has been to maximize the profit from both individual and group health insurance. Indeed, their greed was all too clearly on display early this year with major premium increases announced. Ironically, this proved a misjudgement because the President used these increases as a justification for pushing through the reform measures. If the insurers had held off or only asked for modest increases, the Democrat lawmakers might have lost their nerve and the bill would have failed. This opens the possibility the insurers might continue an aggressive policy to increase premiums and challenge the government to intervene. Since the Administration has been slow to take on the bankers over their bonuses, the politicians may be similarly reluctant to take on the investors in health insurance companies. In Ancient China, the words, "May he live in interesting times" was a curse. Sometimes, we seem to be living in interesting times today.

Friday, April 23, 2010

FAQ About Business Insurance

B04.org - Business coverage can be quite hard to understand for those who have never dealt with it, or those who are making their first steps into entrepreneurship. 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

B04.org - You know that 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.

Friday, April 9, 2010

How to keep car insurance quotes low

B04.org - 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.

Monday, April 5, 2010

Health Insurance For You

B04.org - You must know that the widely-discussed reform of healthcare industry in the US owes much of the stir around it to the simple fact that having your health insured in our country isn't affordable for millions of people of different demographic groups. In other words, it's just too expensive to be within the family budget of most US citizens. But how much does it cost to get your health insured these days, anyway?

This strongly depends on several factors that may vary your cost significantly. Things like your health condition, age, workplace, location, income and other live factors play a very important role in shaping your final rates. Not to mention the provider you're getting your coverage from. The form in which you get your health insured also plays a crucial role, because getting your insurance in a group from your employer usually costs less than if getting it on your own.

But what comprises the final insurance costs?

Many people get confused by the fact that there are more elements to insurance costs than just the rates you seen when quoting your price. Here are the most important of them:

Premiums

Premiums are periodic fees (usually, monthly) that have to be paid to the insurance company for receiving any medical services under your plan. If you have an individual plan then you are paying your premiums on your own. If you are covered under a group plan at work, your employer pays the premiums, usually requiring you to pay a small part of this amount. Premiums depend on your health condition, your age and your income status. Premiums also vary significantly between insurance companies, so you'd better spend some time on comparing health insurance quotes before you sign your plan.

Out-of-Pocket expenses

Out-of-pocket expenses are all the additional costs of health insurance plans that are extended beyond premiums. These usually include deductibles, co-payments and co-insurance. With some plans these expenses can be limited to a maximum amount, while other plans have no limitations at all, so be on the lookout for that.

Deductible is the amount of money you have to pay on an annual basis before your actual coverage kicks in. You will most commonly encounter them in PPO plans for the services received outside the network. And as with other types of insurance products, you will have to pay lower premiums if your deductible is higher.

Coinsurance is the part of the medical cost you have to meet after paying the annual deductible. It is usually 20-30% of what you pay for the services when going to the doctor.

Co-payments represent a fixed fee for certain services within your plan. In many HMO and PPO insurance plans co-payments are set for things like doctor's visit or prescription medications.

And what are the average costs?

  • Across the US, the premium is $2,985 for individual health insurance and $6,328 for a family plan.
  • The annual premium differs significantly between states. If a family in New York had to pay $13,296 as an annual premium, the very same plan in Iowa was worth $5609.
  • The amount of deductible paid has a strong effect on the annual premium. A family plan that had no deductible had a premium of $12686, while a $10,000 deductible shed this amount more than in half, with $5380 to be paid.

Sunday, April 4, 2010

The most important about home insurance

B04.Org - There are many factors can make your home insurance go expensive or cheap. When you own a house in a good area, you are twice as lucky but when you are the one with the good insurance on your house - think of yourself as of a "jackpot" winner.

The amount you will have to pay for your insurance plan depends on lots of elements. First of all, it is wrong to think nobody will check up on you and your insurance past so we advice you not to try to hide anything. It is always better to stay honest.

You house is like a map that can take you anywhere. But it is not enough to have a home in a prestigious neighborhood. Your rates can be crazy high even when it looks perfect on the outside. Let us take a look t the factors that can influence the payments you will have to make and try to point out the ways to cut the costs where possible.

You house is new. But guess what? The methods of construction and materials employed for construction were not strong enough to make it withstand the storm damage, fire or earthquake. Therefore we can see that some materials used for the house construction will affect your payments - homes made of bricks will be less costly to insure when stick frame houses will cost quite expensive to insure. Brick doesn't get burned down easily that is another reason for the cost difference between those two.

Age is only a number - this is exactly what we are used to saying. But when it comes to insurance age does matter. If you are the owner of an old house it will cost you more to insure it while newer houses cost less due to the fact that the materials are stronger. This also means the percentage of failure is smaller.

We all want our houses in a good are. Unfortunately, not all of us get those, but this doesn't mean we don't have to insure them. Yes, it is true that if your neighborhood is pleasant your insurance plan will cost you less. The location can affect your payments greatly. There are areas that are dangerous to live in as burglary is very common there. The house owners that live in these areas pay almost twice the price the people living in nice areas pay. We know it is unfair, but so true. Cheap home insurance is mostly for those who afford to pay for it, funny though.

Deductibles and coverage amounts differ from one policy to another. Your deductible is the amount of money you will have to pay out of pocket before your policy kicks in. It is necessary to take this into consideration as well. Another important fact - the amount of coverage you get will affect the amount of money you will pay for your home insurance.

You can get additional coverage whenever you need or feel like you need some. The more insured you will get - the better it will be for you when the replacement time comes.

So, don't let anyone think you can't find a good solution. You can get a cheap home insurance when you own a good home. Remember this.

4 Types of Health Insurance Plans

B04.Org - You must know that there are various types of plans out there on the market, each of them having their special features, pros and cons. And it's quote hard to say which plan type is better, because they all appeal to different customers and different situations. Just like you can't say that coffee is better than tea, you can't affirm that HMOs are better than PPOs. So if you are a bit confused with different plans and don't know which one to choose, this short overview will definitely help you decide with type of health coverage to purchase when you decide you need one.

Health Maintenance Organization (HMO)

This plan type is probably one of the most popular and widely used amongst managed care plans. It delivers a very wide selection of services, including preventive care, regular exams, access to different specialists and medications. However, you are limited to a specific network of medical facilities and physicians you can receive services from. Moreover, you are required to choose a primary car physician (PCP) who will refer you to other specialists when needed. Otherwise, if getting your care outside the network or without your doctor's referral you will have higher out of pocket expenses.

Preferred Provider Organization (PPO)

PPOs are practically identical to HMOs, taking the fact that you are also limited to a network of facilities and have to choose a PCP in order to receive care. However, you have more freedom when choosing your primary physician, which is especially helpful if you have a good relationship with your family doctor who is out of the network. And you usually get a wider network of facilities to receive care in. Still, any out of network services will be considerably more costly.

Point of Service (POS)

POS plans have strict rules concerning referrals. If you don't have a referral to other specialists issued by your primary physician then you won't be able to receive any cheap health insurance coverage at all.

Exclusive Provider Organization (EPO)

EPOs are very close to HMO and PPO plans. It's the same type of managed care health insurance where you have to select a PCP and are limited to a network of hospitals and doctors you can get medical services from. But the main difference is that with EPO plans you pay for each visit to the doctor or service received when required in contrast to HMO plans where you have a monthly fee that should be paid constantly regardless whether you have used your coverage or not.

Fee-for-Service

Fee-for-Service is the oldest type of individual health insurance that was around ever since health coverage was introduced. With such plans you have total control over where to get your care and whom to address. You pay only for the services you receive and don't need any referrals in order to get to a specialist. However, the fees are usually much higher than with managed care plans and many insurance experts say that the resulting out-of-pocket expenses are larger than the amounts of money you would spend on a managed care plan.

Right now it's up to you to decide which plan type works best for you. Analyze your situation, see what your options are and get the plan that would reflect your personal interest and would be most convenient to you personally.