INSURANCE POLICY

Fire Claims - Tips for Filing an Insurance Claim

2020-01-03T06:27:00.000-08:00

After suffering a fire the homeowner will need to do file a claim for property damages so they can clean up and start to rebuild. Fires are devastating and sometimes homeowners will make a costly mistake during and after the settlement of their fire claims. Most will let a fire claim adjustor come survey their property and make the claim but there can be things that are missed during the initial claim. One thing to note is that after the insurance company sends you a check and closes the fire claims the homeowner has three years to add to the existing closed claim. This can be done if it is found that the damages were not assessed correctly. To help make sure that you get the right settlement for your fire claims, here are some tips to help you.

Document the damage to your home and other buildings

Take the time to inspect and document all of the damage yourself. If the home is not a total loss make sure that you take pictures of the damaged rooms. Try to take overviews and some close-up photos. Before you enter the room, hall, or closet take an overview. By doing this it will help you to organize your pictures and which ones belong to which room. For example, with the living room, take an overview, then go from top to bottom of the walls, ceiling, doors, and the floor.

Document damage to your contents

The next step is to go back to each room and closet to inventory your contents. For everything that is damage, including clothes, shoes, furniture, paintings, etc that have been damaged by the fire making sure to show the damage on the picture. Yes, this is going to take a lot of pictures but everything needs to be documented in order to get the right settlement. Make a list of all contents that have been damage. Once you have listed the damaged items and have the pictures take another look around the room to make sure that you have not missed anything. Make an inventory list for each room with the pictures attached.

Review your insurance policy

Yes, insurance policies are hard to understand but before filing fire claims you should take the time to review your police basics, such as how much coverage you have on your home, how much coverage is on your personal belongings, and how much will the policy pay for you to stay in a hotel.
Once you do fire claims the fire claims adjuster will cover to the site of the fire and start their own claim. Do not give them the original photos and inventory claim sheet but a copy. This will help them expedite the claim.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/9811185

Understanding the Necessity of Acquiring Your Own Insurance Policy

2019-12-30T06:25:00.000-08:00

Understanding Insurance Claims

An Insurance Plan can get us off our worries. May it be an Educational Plan, Health, Life, Auto, Accident or Retirement Insurance Plan. Living in a country where everything is fast-paced, having an Insurance Policy is a necessity. The absence of these much-needed Plans could cause you a lot of troubles. Imagine, what to do when someone in the family is sick? Paying your hospital bills could be worrisome and how would you send your children to school without an Educational Insurance?
Some people have different kinds of Insurance Plans to secure their life and that of their family. However, an insurance claim also provides negative feedbacks that discourages people from thinking of the necessity of acquiring an insurance Plan. Definitely, an Insurance Plan means benefits but somehow, claiming those benefits could be tedious and time-consuming. Insurance claims need not give us so much trouble if we just understand how Insurance companies work on our Insurance claims. So to fully understand issues and save us a lot of troubles claiming our insurance, let us take a look on this.
How to File Your 4 Important Insurance Claims
Filing your Auto Insurance Claim
1. Assess if the Claim is Worth the Trouble
Before filing for an auto insurance claim, decide if you want to file a claim or not. If you think you can afford to pay for the damage, no matter who is responsible for it, then try not to make any claim. What is important, according to a Personal Insurance Expert, you need to keep your Insurance Record clean.
2. Get the Accident Document
It is very important to document every detail of the accident and get witnesses to back up your story afterwards. A Police record on the scene is a relevant document you must have to support your claim.
3. File Claim Immediately
You don't need to lose time in filing your claim. Question as to who is responsible will be taken care of by your Insurance Company.
4. Expect a Call Anytime
Expect a call from the other driver's Insurance Company to interview you on your version of the incident. Make sure you document the conversation and don't forget to ask the agent's name.
5. Get Your Car Fixed
After your claim is approved, then you can have your car's body fixed in case of a damage. The Insurance Company will assess the damage or ask you to send your car to any car shop of their choice to get it fixed.
How to File Your Home Insurance Claim
In case of a disaster which left you and your family homeless, file your Home Insurance Claim. As you file your claim, be sure to have your Insurance Policy with you. In case you were not able to have your copy available after the disaster, at least know and remember your Insurance Company's name and contact numbers. It is not always relevant to remember only your agent's name for sometimes, he could represent various companies.
Prepare a Quick Household Inventory
It's always better to take a video of your whole household belongings every time you acquire a Home Insurance Plan. Keep a copy of this record and keep it in a safe-keeping vault outside of your house. It's always advisable to keep a bank deposit box for important documents like Insurance Policies, Property Title, etc.
Notify Your Insurance Company ASAP
It is important to notify your Insurance Company as soon as possible for the reason that you may have to avail of the Loss-of-Use Benefit in your policy if you have this feature. This could cover living expenses outside of your home while it is being repaired such as hotel bills, meals and other cost of living expenses. This will entitle you to receive immediate cash needed for your bills.
Start Filing Your Claim
You can't have your claim until you have everything properly documented. So, it would be hard for you to have a documented list of your household belongings if you don't have access to your damaged home. Only when you can gain access to your home once again could you properly document it. While you are waiting for the approval of the claim, you may make minor repairs but be sure to record every disbursement you make. Don't make any major repairs until your claim is approved.
How to Hire a Contractor for Insurance Claim
Find a reputable contractor to take care of your building or repair needs. A lot of contractors would always grab a chance like this to take advantage of your anxiety. They can always stretch your budget beyond the level of reasoning.
How to File a Life Insurance Claim
Filing for an Insurance Claim after the death of a loved is not really easy. However, it is at this point in life when you have to be practical. You need money more than anything to pay off the funeral cost, bills and even the family needs. It is hard to be left alone and face all these problems but you have to be thankful if the deceased love one had prepared you for times like this. As a survivor, we sometimes worry about things like these but a Life Insurance Plan is designed to give us less worries and ensures the deceased family that we won't have to deal with the financial problem as we grieved over the loss of a loved one.
Find the Life Insurance Policy
The Policy is an important document granted to the Policy Holder. This is badly needed when filing for an Insurance claim. Be sure to look for it if the deceased party had failed to inform you where he had kept it. You may keep in mind that this is a very important document, so the keeper might have kept it in a place not easily seen or recognizable. You may look in a plastic container or any sealed container large enough to contain it. It could also be kept in a small drawer of a cabinet in your head board or lamp stand cabinet.
If you can't find the Insurance Policy but you are sure that the decease is an Insurance Policy Holder, you may write to the American Council of Life Insurance (ACLI).For a small amount, the ACLI will conduct a search to find the Policy. The address is 101 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20004-2500. Don't forget to include a self-addressed, business-sized envelope.
Contact the Company's Number Listed in the Policy
Try to contact immediately the contact number or numbers listed in the document. If you personally know the authorized representative or agent, you may as well contact him directly and tell him that you want to file a claim. The company's agent will always be ready to assist you in your filing. He will be providing you with forms needed for the application. Wait for any instruction that the Insurance Company will provide you.
Fill-up the Necessary Forms and Submit Requirements
After receiving the necessary form needed for application in filing for the Insurance claim, fill it up with all the needed information. Provide also the other requirements needed upon submission. The Death Certificate is the very basic of all requirements you may need to provide together with your Application Form. Decide How you want to Receive the Proceeds from the Life Policy. You may choose to receive the proceeds in lump sum, or opt to receive it in a form of monthly pension or simply leave the money in deposit for it to earn interest and dividends.
Wait for the Release of the Funds
Expect that your fund's approval for the claim will take more than a month to process as the Insurance Company still have to validate information relative to your application.
How to File Health for Medical Claims
If you have to pay for your medical bills, then you have to file for your Health Insurance Claim. Here are some helpful tips in making your claim:
Keep an Itemized Report
Be sure to obtain all receipts and necessary statement of accounts issued by the doctor or pharmacist. Summarize it, so it could be easily understood by the Insurance Evaluator. Attach it to your Application Form.
Fill-Up Your Claim Application Form
Contact your Health Insurance Company as soon as possible. You may get your Application Form directly from them after declaring your desire to file for a Health Insurance Claim. The Application Form is easy to fill-up but someone from the Insurance Company is sure to assist you if there are some items in the Application Form that you don't understand.
Scan or Duplicate a Copy
After filling up your form and submitting to the Health Insurance Company, be sure to scan it or have your duplicate copy to keep. This will keep you from inconvenience in case of loss or error in filing. You can easily file it again when needed. Review Before Submission. File your claim as soon as possible. Ask for assistance or inquire for any additional instruction or requirements. Ask how long it will take you to wait for the result and be sure to make a note of it in your calendar. If they failed to contact you on the given date, be sure to contact your Health Insurance Agent immediately.

Filing for an insurance claim can be tedious but in today's world where everything is fast-paced, having an Insurance Policy is becoming a necessity. Here is your guide on how to file your Insurance claim with lesser time, effort and troubles.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/8800745

Homeowner's Insurance and Title Insurance

2019-12-27T06:22:00.000-08:00

It's not uncommon for potential homeowners and current homeowners alike to become confused about homeowner's insurance versus title insurance. While they are two completely and unrelated insurance policies, they both have to do with buying and owning a home. In general, homeowner's insurance protects for disaster and theft while title insurance protects your ownership in the real property. Your home is usually your biggest asset and both hazard insurance and title insurance serve as crucial vehicles to protect this large investment. Let's further discuss what each respective insurance does and how it works for the homeowner.
Homeowner's Insurance
Homeowner's insurance protects your home from any loss, damage and other assorted risks. You may find homeowner's insurance also called hazard insurance. Various liability issues, personal property kept in the home, medical expenses for accidents occurring on the property and additional structures existing on the property are all typical items that are covered under a hazard insurance policy. Fire, storms, theft, vandalism and most wind damage are all standard events that are covered by homeowner's insurance. Some homeowner's insurance covers windstorms such as tornadoes and hail storms as additional items covered. Standard policies usually exclude certain items like flooding, earthquakes, landslides, defective trademan's work and a few other items. Flood insurance may be purchased (separate from a hazard policy) if a property lies in a flood plain and will probably be required by the lender. Not only does a homeowner's policy include property insurance, but it also includes property liability protection to protect the homeowner.
Homeowner's insurance policies will be different from each insurance company in that it will cover different items and values on the home, other structures on the property and personal property. Additional endorsements/riders can be attached to the policy. Insurance is based on the cost of replacement with an inflation factor or cost index included. Discounts on home insurance can be utilized in some cases where a home is near a fire station, fire hydrant, has an alarm system installed, a hurricane/tornado shelter in place or other special factors that may reduce the risk of damage to the property. In essence, homeowner's insurance is a legal contract between the insurance company and the names of the insured.
Title Insurance
Title insurance is different from homeowner's insurance in that it protects against property damage or loss that may result from a lien, encumbrance or title defects. A title search and title insurance are an essential part of any home buying transaction. Once a sales contract is accepted, then a title professional will search through public records to see if any problems exist with the homes title.
Typically a preliminary title search (also referred to as a prelim for short) is performed initially when a house is either listed or when it is put under contract. Many title problems are unknown to homeowners and may surface during the preliminary title report. Issues like unpaid taxes or an unpaid contractor's lien may be found. In excess of 50% of all title searches come back with an issue being reported on the initial chain of title. Your title insurance company will start to work on clearing up any issues by taking corrective actions to fix any problems with the chain of title to the property or related issues. After a prelim is completed, it still may not turn up everything because paperwork could have been filed under the wrong last family name or property. An owner's policy is also usually required by the lender that will protect the buyer should a covered title problem surface.
Virtually all traditional lenders require title insurance and by having title insurance, a homeowner has insured legal possession to the property. Title insurance from a major carrier protects both the homebuyer and the lender. While there are a variety of title insurance policies available, the two typical policies are the buyer's/borrower's policy and the lender's policy.
Breaking Down the Costs
There is a difference in how the two types of insurance are paid. Homeowner's insurance is usually paid through annual or monthly premiums while title insurance is purchased through a one-time premium and lasts as long as you own the property. On average homeowner's insurance costs $700 annually, whereas title insurance is a one-time, upfront fee that averages around one thousand dollars.
Homeownership does come with some risks and homeowner's insurance and title insurance are two separate insurance policies that can help you keep your most important investment safe. An easy way to remember the difference between the two types of insurance is this... title insurance covers items that already exist on the title of the property whereas homeowner's insurance is used for future events.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/9032236

Twelve Secrets and Tricks to Buying Life Insurance

2019-12-24T06:20:00.000-08:00

Secret #1: Don't spend too much time on a life insurance quote.

Do not be fooled by the low price quotes you get online - they don't apply to you unless you are extremely healthy. Statistically only 10% of people who apply actually get the lowest priced policy. The premium you end up paying has nothing to do with the initial quote you get online or from an agent. It is amazing to me how often I see people getting duped by an agent who quotes company X at a lower price than another agent.

Life insurance policies are the same price no matter who you buy from! One agent or website quoting a lower premium means nothing. Prices for any given policy is based on your age and health. There are a few exceptions to this but that is beyond the breadth of this article.

Most life insurance companies have 10-20 different health/price ratings and no agent or website can assure you the quote they give you is accurate. You have to apply, do a health check, and then go through underwriting (meaning you complete a mini-exam with a nurse in your home and then the company checks you doctor records and reviews and 'rates' your health) to get the real price of the policy. Remember that a health rating also factors in your family history, driving record, and the type of occupation you have. Only use quotes to help narrow down your choices to the top companies. You may want to consider a no load or low policy. The more that you save on commissions the more money builds up in your policy. You can even buy term insurance no load, and save a lot on premiums. You will not get the help of an agent, which may be worth something if they are very good.

The most important factor determining price is matching your particular health history with the company best suited for that niche. For instance company X might be best for smokers, company Y for cancer survivors, Company Z for people with high blood pressure, etc.

Secret #2: Ignore the hype on term versus cash value permanent insurance.

You can go crazy reading what everyone has to say on buying term insurance versus a whole or universal life policy. Big name websites give advice that I think borders on fraudulent. Simply put there is NO simple answer on whether you should buy permanent cash value policies or term insurance.

But I do think there is a simple rule of thumb - buy term for your temporary insurance needs and cash value insurance for your permanent needs. I have read in various journals and run mathematical equations myself which basically show that if you have a need for insurance beyond 20 years that you should consider some amount of permanent insurance. This is due to the tax advantage of the growth of the cash value within in a permanent policy. I am divorced and have taken care of my children should I die. I probably no longer need as much insurance as I now have. I have earned a great return on my policies and have paid no taxes. I no longer pay the premiums, because there is so much cash in the policies. I let the policies pay themselves. I would not call most life insurance a good investment. Because I bought my policies correctly, and paid almost no sales commissions my policies are probably my best investments. I no longer own them, so when I die my beneficiaries will get the money both tax free, and estate tax free.

Since most people have short term needs like a mortgage or kids at home they should get some term. Additionally most people want some life insurance in place for their whole life to pay for burial, help with unpaid medical bills and estate taxes and so a permanent policy should be purchased along with the term policy.

Secret #3: Consider applying with two companies at once.

Life insurance companies really don't like this "trick" because it gives them competition and increases their underwriting costs.

Secret #4: Avoid captive life insurance agents.

Look for a life insurance agent who represents at least fifty life insurance companies and ask them for a multi company quote showing the best prices side by side. Some people try to cut the agent out and just apply online. Just remember that you don't save any money that way because the commissions normally earned by the agent are just kept by the insurance company or the website insurance company without having your premium lowered.

Plus a good agent can help you maneuver through some of the complexities of filling out the application, setting up your beneficiaries, avoiding mistakes on selecting who should be the owner, the best way to pay your premium, and also will be there to deliver the check and assist your loved ones if the life insurance is ever used.

Secret #5: Consider refinancing old life policies.

Most companies won't tell you but the price you pay on your old policies has probably come down dramatically if you are in good health. In the last few years life insurance companies have updated their predictions on how long people will live. Since we are living longer they are reducing their rates rather dramatically. Beware the agent may be doing this to obtain a new commission, so make sure it really makes sense.

I really am amazed at how often we find that our client's old policies are twice as expensive as a new one. If you need new life insurance consider "refinancing" your old policies and using the savings on the old policies to pay for the new policy - that way there is no extra out-of-pocket costs. We like to think of this process as "refinancing your life insurance" - just like you refinance your mortgage.

Secret #6: Realize life insurance companies have target niches that constantly change.

One day company 'X' is giving good rates to people who are a little overweight and the next month they are super strict. Company 'Y' might be lenient on people with diabetes because they don't have many diabetics on the books - meaning they will give good rates to diabetics. At the same time company 'W' might be very strict on diabetics because they are insuring lots of diabetics and are afraid they have too big of a risk in that area - meaning they will give a bad rate to new diabetics who apply.

Unfortunately when you are applying a life insurance company will not tell you, "Hey, we just raised our rates in diabetics." They will just happily take your money if you were not smart enough to shop around. This is the number one area a smart agent can come in handy. Since a good multi-company agent is constantly applying with multiple companies he or she will have a good handle on who is currently the most lenient on underwriting for you particular situation. The problem is that this is hard work and many agents are either too busy or not set up to efficiently shop around directly to different underwriters and see who would make you the best offer. This is a lot harder than just running you a quote online.

Secret #7: Don't forget customer service.

Most people shopping for insurance focus on companies with the lowest price and the best financial rating. Unfortunately I know of some A+ rated companies with low rates who I would not touch with a ten foot pole simply because it's easier to give birth to a porcupine backwards then it is to get customer service from them.

Before I understood this I used a life insurance company that gave a client a great rate but 2 years later the client called me and said, "I have mailed in all my payments on time but just got a notice saying my policy lapsed." It turned out the company had been making lots of back office mistakes and had lost the premium payment!

We were able to fix it because we caught the problem so early. But if the client happened to have died during the short period the policy had lapsed, his family might have had a hard time proving that the premium had been paid on time and they might not have received the life insurance money - a loss of hundreds of thousands of dollars in that case.

Secret #8: Apply 3-6 months ahead of the time you need the insurance if possible.

Don't be in a hurry to get a policy if you already have some coverage in force. But go ahead and apply right away knowing that you might need months to shop around if the first company does not give you a good rate. Even though the life insurance industry is getting more automated your application will still often be held up for weeks or months while the insurance company waits on your doctor's office to mail them a copy of you medical records.

If you are in a hurry and buy a quickie 'no-underwriting' policy without going through the full health checks and underwriting that a mainstream life insurance company requires, you will end up paying 20%-50% more because the insurance company will automatically charge you higher rates because they don't know whether you are healthy or about to die the next day.

Secret #9: Avoid buying extra life insurance through work if you are healthy.

I am sure there are exceptions to this "trick" but I have rarely found one. By all means keep the free life insurance your employer provides. But if you are healthy and you are paying for supplemental life insurance through payroll deduction you are almost certainly paying too much. What is happening is that your 'overpayments' ends up subsidizing the unhealthy people in your company who are buying life insurance through payroll deduction.

Usually the life insurance company has cut a deal with your employer and will waive the required health exam for all employees - instead they just average the price for all the employees and offer one or two rates for males or females at any given age. Life insurance companies know they will pick up lots of unhealthy clients this way so they jack up the price on everyone so that the healthy people end up overpaying so that the unhealthy employees get a cheaper policy. Also, unlike the guaranteed term policies which we recommend, most life insurance you buy through work will get more expensive as you get older.

Also group life insurance is generally not portable when you retire or change jobs meaning that when you retire or change jobs you might have to apply all over again even though you will be older and probably not as healthy and risk being turned down for a policy. If the group plan does allow portability they generally limit your conversion choices and force you to go into expensive cash value plans.

I remember helping someone evaluate his supplemental life insurance. He was sure it was a better deal than any policy I could find him. Little did he know that the price of his group plan would go up every year? By the time he retired his premium would have risen to over $10,000/year. I found him a policy for around $1000/year that would never go up. Also, unlike his old group life policy, he could take the individual policy with him when he changed jobs or retired.

Secret #10: Do a trial application on a COD payment basis.

Only send money with the application if you need the life insurance coverage right away. Sending a check with the application is a traditional practice agents used to do - I think mostly because it got them their commissions faster. If you send money with an application you usually get temporary coverage immediately but if you already have plenty of coverage and are just trying to get better rates ask your agent to do a trial application on a COD basis so you only pay once the policy is approved. If you do not send money, and you die before paying for the policy there is no coverage.

Secret #11: Wear your shoes when the nurse measures your height.

When the insurance company sends out the nurse to do your health check try to be as tall as possible if you are overweight? In most states you are allowed to wear shoes and if you are a little overweight your taller height/weight ratio will look a little better to the underwriter who is determining your health rating and policy price. Also do your exam early in the morning with no food in you - this will make your cholesterol count and various health ratios look the best.

Secret #12: Be careful with extra perks and riders.

Most policies come with options like accidental death benefit, child riders, disability riders, return of premium etc. If you do the math on most of these "extras" they usually don't make smart financial sense. Life insurance companies are out to make money and these riders are usually profitable because they either cover something that rarely happens or they are so stringent that the benefit never gets paid out. Keep things simple and focus mainly on getting a life policy to cover your life without many strings attached. Again a good agent can help you weigh the benefits of the extra riders. But be wary of an agent who tries to tack on every possible extra rider.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/9217310

Auto Insurance Collision Repair and You - What You Need to Know

2019-12-21T06:18:00.000-08:00

The auto insurance claim and repair process simplified for you.

Screech... Skiddd... Craaash is the last thing anyone wants or needs during their busy day to day life. When it does happen it can be very stressful and a bit intimidating having to deal with the insurance company claim process and a repair facility. Not knowing the facts makes it even more difficult to make the right decisions when processing an insurance claim. You may think that your insurance company is there to help you but the last thing they want to do is spend time and money fixing your car.

When they have to process your claim there is only one thing on their mind and that's get it done as cheap as possible. Your best interest is not their main concern their own interest is. The insurance industry has two main focuses and one is taking as much of your money as possible and two is to keep as much as possible in any way they can. After over a hundred years in the business they have concocted some very ingenious ways to do so.

I own a licensed auto body/collision repair facility and for educational purposes for the best interest of my customers. I went to school and got educated in insurance and got licensed as an adjuster and producer. I decided to do this in 2000 when lightning struck my body shop and burned it to the ground. During my claims process I got no help from my agent and the assigned adjuster only knew one word and that was "NO", everything I asked for he denied even when he knew I was entitled to the reimbursement of the loss. It took a year and a half to finally conclude the claim and all those "no's" turned into "yes's" by the time I was done. This just further showed me the mindset of the insurance industry in the midst of a claim.

One way insurers save money is the use of aftermarket "AM" parts and when you get into an accident most insurers will use these parts in the repair without telling you because in most states all they need to do is write it in the repair estimate and you as a customer need to find it in the stack of paper, read it and ask questions. There is an organization called CAPA.org that is financed by the insurance industry to certify Taiwan parts to install on your vehicle even though your vehicle never came with Taiwan parts. at the end of this article is a link to the parts manufacturers that insurers use as replacement parts on your vehicle, as you can see their mostly all Taiwan manufacturers. Some insurers have a policy option to only use OEM parts but never tell anyone about the option and use it as an excuse to use AM parts in the repair telling the consumer that they could have purchased the option even though they were never even offered it. In my opinion the consumer should be verbally offered by law an option to use OEM parts at the time of policy inception, it should be the consumers choice 100% of the time what goes on their car.

Here is a list of things that will happen during a repair process.

1. Have your car towed if it is not drivable, your insurance company will pay for the tow to a storage yard and then to the collision shop of your choice. You shouldn't have to pay anything out of your pocket for these tows as the collision repair shop pays for the tows when the car arrives at the shop and gets reimbursed from the insurance company. Although a small group of insurers may require you to pay for the tow and they will reimburse you for the costs.

2. Pick a shop to do the repairs. Remember it is your legal right to choose who will work on your vehicle. An Insurance company cannot force you or badger you into going to one of their direct repair shops for repairs. Insurers save millions of dollars processing claims at these claims clearing houses so they will do or say everything they can to get you to go there. (See Direct repair below).

3. File a claim with your insurance company. When filing a claim you have to make sure you have the "At the accident scene" information as the claim rep will ask for this information. If you think you may not want to file a claim because the damage may be less than your deductible or your at fault accident may raise your rates higher than the cost of the repair, you need to do the math at this point. There are certain times that an insurer can raise your rates and /or cancel your policy. You need to know that when you have broad collision coverage your deductible will be waived if you're less than 50% at fault and also all deductibles pertain if you have standard collision. The claim rep will ask where it happened what happened and what time and date.

This is what is called a "proof of loss statement" and you have sixty days to file a proof of loss statement with your insurance company or they can deny your claim. The claim rep will require you to make a choice at this time as to where you want to have your car repaired if you don't already have it at a repair shop (it is your legal choice to go where you want to). Claim reps sometimes try to persuade you to go to their DRP shops by stating that they can't guarantee any work done by any other shop except their DRP shop, The reason why is that there is a law that states if they're going to send customers to their DRP shops to save money that they have to warrant the work of that DRP shop. Insurers tried in the past to slam cars together at DRP shops as cheap as possible and didn't want to take any responsibility for the shoddy repairs; the government stepped in and forced them to be responsible by law. The purpose of a DRP hasn't changed; it's all about saving money in the eyes of an insurer. The fact is that all shops with a State license and liability insurance fully cover the quality of the repairs performed by that repair shop. Another ploy is that insurers may say you may be responsible for costs over and above the insurance estimate if you go to a non preferred shop, not true you will only be responsible for any cost that you may be responsible for if you went to their DRP shop such as deductibles and no more,pick a quality shop and just make sure in writing that they have to agree to the insurance company agreed upon quote.

4. Collision Repair Process, after you have selected a shop you can call the tow company to release the vehicle and have the vehicle towed to the repair shop. The shop will cover all the tows and storage and add it to the claim. At this point you can get your rental car if you have the coverage. Getting rental coverage is a good idea if you don't have another car to use in case of an accident. Your insurance company will insure any vehicle you borrow for full coverage with a $500.00 deductible when you're having your car repaired even if you do not have full coverage on your personal vehicle. So if you have a friend with a car and you want to borrow it, it's insured for full coverage as long as your car is in for repair and being repaired. They will also insure any rental cars you rent for the same period.

Direct repair/Preferred shop is a collision shop who has a contract with an insurance company and the contract lists what labor rates will be charged what parts will be used(aftermarket Chinese parts or used), what procedures will be used, what percentage of discount on parts and materials. DRP is nothing but cut rate claims processing centers. The DRP shop usually has two price structures, one for the insurance company and one for the general public.

Picking a Quality Repair Shop: Any shop that has been in business for a good amount of time, which has a clean record with the State Bureau of Automotive Regulations and has liability insurance would probably be a good choice. As far as DRP insurance preferred shops go, they put the insurance company first and the customer second because after you're gone they still have to deal with the insurance company over and over again on other claims. You will be none the wiser when you leave as they will tell you the least as possible concerning your claim. Most DRP shops have to process twice the amount of work for the same profit as a non DRP shop. DRP puts the insurance company in control of the whole repair process, a quality repair facility will put all parties on the same level with Knowledge, education and experience.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/9227615

Are You New to Buying a RIB or Buying RIB Insurance?

2019-12-18T05:54:00.000-08:00

Thinking of buying a Rigid Inflatable Boat (RIB)? Well assuming it's for private and pleasure (P&P) use (commercial use will be dealt with in a separate article) here's a guide to some of the insurance issues you may encounter as well as some of the benefits you might get as part of your cover.
Use an Insurance Broker!
I'm going to say specialist insurance broker rather than a quotation sourced direct from an insurer. I will declare an interest here in that I actually am a specialist broker. There are advantages:
A specialist broker can do your shopping for you because they will have access to multiple markets and therefore make a recommendation as to which one best fits your needs.
A specialist broker should also be able to help you if a claim happens. Understanding and liaising with your insurers regarding liability and/or settlement value. They may also have access to a wide range of approved boat builders, dealers and repairers that will help you get your RIB back in use with minimum disruption to your pleasure in using your RIB.
This is in contrast to going direct to an insurance company which means you will just receive information based on their product. It also means you will have to make time consuming multiple telephone calls find out what is available so to decide what is best for you. That's OK if you have time, but time is money!
What Value is the RIB insured for - Purchase Price or Agreed Value?
You need to understand the basis on which your RIB is covered. It is common for insurers to cover the RIB and its equipment for the purchase price. However, cover can also be on "agreed value". If you are unsure which yours is check your insurer's policy wording. Some may state that they will pay the value stated in in the Schedule of Cover (this will be "agreed value") and others will state they will only pay up to that value (i.e. the purchase price less any depreciation). If your RIB is a total loss the difference in the policy wording could have a significant effect on the amount of your claim is settled for.
As you will expect, the more you pay for your RIB, the more your insurance cover is likely to cost. Insurers rate your policy on the value of your hull, machinery, trailer and any special equipment you might have. The rate applied will usually decrease as the insured value slides up, so the cost to cover a RIB at £50,000 would usually be proportionately cheaper to cover than one valued at under £10,000.
Here are some of the other factors that will affect your overall annual premium for your RIB insurance:
Where are you keeping your RIB?
Location can matter. Certain parts of the UK that are considered prone to extreme weather and it will cost more to insure there. Additionally, your choice of mooring can have an effect too - chances are you could be relatively free from a moorings loading if you are on a pontoon in a marina but a swing mooring will often result in your cover costing you more. Also it is worth mentioning that, if your RIB is permanently moored in Continental Europe it will be rated differently than if UK based.
How Fast Can Your RIB Go?
There's no doubt that the last few years have seen an increase in performance of RIBs being used for P&P and the maximum speed of your craft will be a factor on your premium and the availability of cover.
Generally, up to 35 Knots is within the appetite of insurers. Above 35 Knots things start to change, with premium increased but most RIB insurers are comfortable offering cover up to 55 Knots. Above 55 Knots many insurers are uncomfortable meaning that they won't provide cover or there is a sharp rise in premium rates for these RIB's.
What is your experience on RIB's?
Some insurers will allow a small premium discount if you are an experienced skipper. By experienced this is usually taken to mean more than 5 years with RIB's. If you have less than 5 years' experience then be prepared to have your premium loaded - over 2 years' experience but under 5 would typically attract a load of 5% to the basic premium. Under 2 years and it could start to get painful; under 1 and you start to find insurers who will not even offer a quotation and others who will - but with a significant premium increase.
You're Qualifications?
The Royal Yachting Association (RYA) has recognised training centres worldwide. If you invest in getting appropriate RYA qualifications - such as Powerboat Levels 1&2 - there may be a premium discount.
No Claims have occurred?
Typically, insurers will allow a 5% discount per year up to a maximum of 5 if you have held boat insurance and made no claims but it is possible to find insurers offering larger discounts in certain circumstances.
Covering Personal Possessions & Accessories
Trailers, inflatables and other accessories used with your RIB can be added to your schedule of cover - there will usually be an additional premium charged. Check your policy documentation for terms and conditions relating to use, security and storage of these items.
In return for a further additional premium your insurers may allow you to add cover for personal possessions against loss of damage whilst on board your RIB. Before opting for this extension, however, it is worth checking exactly what is and isn't covered as some policy wordings will detail a lengthy list of excluded property, including (but not limited to) passports, money, credit cards, travel tickets, jewellery, watches keys, mobile phones and laptops. You might also be able to obtain a better premium rate and scope of cover for this type of property as an "All Risks" extension to your home contents insurance policy.
European Vacation?
Many providers will include up to 30-days European use (including road transit) as a free extension so you can hook up your trailer and have fun - don't forget to check your certificate and/or schedule to make sure this cover is in place before you go.
Here's a tip: If you are going overseas ask your insurer to provide you with a certificate in the language of the country where you will be using your RIB - it may save you a lot of hassle with the local authorities if you can present a certificate of cover that the local authorities don't have to get translated.
Transiting Your RIB
Cover for road transit of your RIB can be included on your policy - sometimes this is a freebie but some insurers will levy an additional premium for transit cover - don't forget to ask your broker if your transit cover is free or if they are charging for the extension.
Marine Third Party Liability
Your RIB's Marine Third Party Liability Insurance covers your legal liabilities arising from the use of your RIB as agreed by your insurers. It will cover injury to passengers and other third parties as well as damage to third party property.
This cover often comes as a free extension to your RIB's Hull & Machinery Insurance but some providers will levy a separate premium for your Liability Insurance. At time of publication the indemnity limit commonly provided by insurers is £3,000,000, though some will provide a higher limit if required (eg. a particular marina insists on a higher limit) in return for an additional premium.
Depending on where your RIB is berthed, it may be a requirement for you to have Marine Third Party Liability Insurance. For example, the Environment Agency (EA) requires all vessels on their waterways to be registered and part of the registration process is to provide details of your insurance. Although you are not required to submit your documentation the EA carries out spot checks and will fine boat owners who do not have the correct level of insurance.
Will You Be Water-skiing or Towing Toys?
Obviously you'll want to have fun with your RIB and if that includes water skiing or towing toys such as bananas, ringos and other inflatables you will need to have your liability insurance extended to include this activity.
Policies are commonly endorsed with the permitted number of toys or skiers that can be towed at any one time and may have additional conditions applied such as having somebody on board to act as a look-out or observer in addition to the helmsman.
Some Small Print to Look For:
High Speed Clauses
If the maximum speed of your RIB is in excess of 17 Knots then your insurers are likely to apply some additional terms and conditions to your cover.
Commonly defined as a "High Speed Clause" you are likely to find an endorsement on your schedule or certificate of cover that excludes cover that your policy usually provides to vessels with a design speed up to 17 Knots.
Each insurer will have a slightly different wording so it is worth studying this exclusion if it is likely to apply to you. If in doubt, speak to a specialist broker who is familiar with the nuances of different policies and is able to make a suitable recommendation to meet your specific requirements.
Outboard Locks
Theft of outboard engines is prevalent. Professional gangs seem to be able to operate without fear of being caught and some cases, such as where they have succeeded in removing even the largest engines from vessels in marinas, their success in escaping with tens of thousands of pounds worth of outboard has been extraordinary.
Insurers will almost certainly require your outboard engines to be secured to your RIB with an anti-theft device in addition to its normal method of attachment.
Wheel Clamps
Theft of your vessel while left unattended at any time on a trailer will more than likely be excluded unless it is secured by a wheel clamp. Some insurers will relax this if the trailer is in a locked building or compound. Check your documentation to be absolutely sure what your insurer's requirements are.
Excesses
Excesses often vary - usually the higher the value of your RIB and outboard, the higher the excess is likely to be. In addition to the standard excess, insurers may apply higher excesses for particular types of claim. For example, claims resulting from damage to semi-submerged objects (SSOs) can be subject to higher excesses than the policy's standard.
Kill Cords
At time of writing it is not a legal requirement in the UK for P&P craft to have kill cords in use whilst the craft is underway. However, some insurers are now making the attaching of kill cords a requirement of their cover for fast craft. Again, check your wording or speak to your provider if you are not sure what your insurance obliges you to do.
Nb. These examples represent only a small part of your policy's terms and conditions. You should carefully read the whole of your policy document to ensure you are aware and fully understand all policy requirements and the scope of cover provided. If in doubt, speak to your insurance provider and obtain clarification from them.
Additional Cover & Free Benefits
Legal Expenses
This cover is usually an "add on" which attracts a charge. A Legal Expenses policy will cover your uninsured losses in the event of a non-fault claim such as your standard policy excess. It might also cover you with regard to contractual disputes and legal defence.
Data Tag
One insurer I work with offers a free data tag to all policy holders. This is particularly useful for RIB owners as, if your outboard should disappear overnight, it is possible for it to be located by the police and the perpetrators apprehended.
Marina Benefits
We have already discussed (in Part 1) the premium benefits you are likely to enjoy if your vessel is kept in a marina. This is due to greater security against theft as well as the marina generally being a safer haven from adverse weather conditions than other types of mooring.
In addition to premium savings you can often benefit from not having your excess applied in the event of a claim arising whilst your RIB is marina berthed. Some insurers will also provide the benefit of not penalising your no-claims bonus in the event of theft or damage occurring whilst your vessel is moored in a marina.
Personal Accident Insurance
This is a useful feature and, in most cases, it usually does come as a genuine free benefit. The sums insured are relatively low (typically £5,000 or £10,000) and do not compare favourably with stand-alone personal accident policies but, nevertheless, would provide some support if an insured event were to occur.
You should always seek professional advice from a properly authorised and registered insurance provider before buying insurance.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/9400508

Life Insurance: Back to Basics

2019-12-15T06:15:00.000-08:00

Life Insurance: A Slice of History

The modern insurance contracts that we have today such as life insurance, originated from the practice of merchants in the 14th century. It has also been acknowledged that different strains of security arrangements have already been in place since time immemorial and somehow, they are akin to insurance contracts in its embryonic form.

The phenomenal growth of life insurance from almost nothing a hundred years ago to its present gigantic proportion is not of the outstanding marvels of present-day business life. Essentially, life insurance became one of the felt necessities of human kind due to the unrelenting demand for economic security, the growing need for social stability, and the clamor for protection against the hazards of cruel-crippling calamities and sudden economic shocks. Insurance is no longer a rich man's monopoly. Gone are the days when only the social elite are afforded its protection because in this modern era, insurance contracts are riddled with the assured hopes of many families of modest means. It is woven, as it were, into the very nook and cranny of national economy. It touches upon the holiest and most sacred ties in the life of man. The love of parents. The love of wives. The love of children. And even the love of business.

Life Insurance as Financial Protection

A life insurance policy pays out an agreed amount generally referred to as the sum assured under certain circumstances. The sum assured in a life insurance policy is intended to answer for your financial needs as well as your dependents in the event of your death or disability. Hence, life insurance offers financial coverage or protection against these risks.

Life Insurance: General Concepts

Insurance is a risk-spreading device. Basically, the insurer or the insurance company pools the premiums paid by all of its clients. Theoretically speaking, the pool of premiums answers for the losses of each insured.

Life insurance is a contract whereby one party insures a person against loss by the death of another. An insurance on life is a contract by which the insurer (the insurance company) for a stipulated sum, engages to pay a certain amount of money if another dies within the time limited by the policy. The payment of the insurance money hinges upon the loss of life and in its broader sense, life insurance includes accident insurance, since life is insured under either contract.

Therefore, the life insurance policy contract is between the policy holder (the assured) and the life insurance company (the insurer). In return for this protection or coverage, the policy holder pays a premium for an agreed period of time, dependent upon the type of policy purchased.

In the same vein, it is important to note that life insurance is a valued policy. This means that it is not a contract of indemnity. The interest of the person insured in hi or another person's life is generally not susceptible of an exact pecuniary measurement. You simply cannot put a price tag on a person's life. Thus, the measure of indemnity is whatever is fixed in the policy. However, the interest of a person insured becomes susceptible of exact pecuniary measurement if it is a case involving a creditor who insures the life of a debtor. In this particular scenario, the interest of the insured creditor is measurable because it is based on the value of the indebtedness.

Common Life Insurance Policies

Generally, life insurance policies are often marketed to cater to retirement planning, savings and investment purposes apart from the ones mentioned above. For instance, an annuity can very well provide an income during your retirement years.

Whole life and endowment participating policies or investment linked plans (ILPs) in life insurance policies bundle together a savings and investment aspect along with insurance protection. Hence, for the same amount of insurance coverage, the premiums will cost you more than purchasing a pure insurance product like term insurance.

The upside of these bundled products is that they tend to build up cash over time and they are eventually paid out once the policy matures. Thus, if your death benefit is coupled with cash values, the latter is paid out once the insured dies. With term insurance however, no cash value build up can be had.

The common practice in most countries is the marketing of bundled products as savings products. This is one unique facet of modern insurance practice whereby part of the premiums paid by the assured is invested to build up cash values. The drawback of this practice though is the premiums invested become subjected to investment risks and unlike savings deposits, the guaranteed cash value may be less than the total amount of premiums paid.

Essentially, as a future policy holder, you need to have a thorough assessment of your needs and goals. It is only after this step where you can carefully choose the life insurance product that best suits your needs and goals. If your target is to protect your family's future, ensure that the product you have chosen meets your protection needs first.

Real World Application

It is imperative to make the most out of your money. Splitting your life insurance on multiple policies can save you more money. If you die while your kids are 3 & 5, you will need a lot more life insurance protection than if your kids are 35 & 40. Let's say your kids are 3 & 5 now and if you die, they will need at least $2,000,000 to live, to go to college, etc. Instead of getting $2,000,000 in permanent life insurance, which will be outrageously expensive, just go for term life insurance: $100,000 for permanent life insurance, $1,000,000 for a 10-year term insurance, $500,000 for a 20-year term insurance, and $400,000 of 30 years term. Now this is very practical as it covers all that's necessary. If you die and the kids are 13 & 15 or younger, they will get $2M; if the age is between 13-23, they get $1M; if between 23-33, they get $500,000; if after that, they still get $100,000 for final expenses and funeral costs. This is perfect for insurance needs that changes over time because as the children grow, your financial responsibility also lessens. As the 10, 20, and 30 years term expires, payment of premiums also expires thus you can choose to use that money to invest in stocks and take risks with it.

In a world run by the dictates of money, everyone wants financial freedom. Who doesn't? But we all NEED financial SECURITY. Most people lose sight of this important facet of financial literacy. They invest everything and risk everything to make more and yet they end up losing most of it, if not all- this is a fatal formula. The best approach is to take a portion of your money and invest in financial security and then take the rest of it and invest in financial freedom.

Ultimately, your financial plan is constantly evolving because you are constantly evolving. You can't set a plan and then forget it. You need to keep an open eye on your money to make sure it is working hard because that money needs to feed you for the next 20-30+ years that you will be in retirement. You have to know how to feed your money now so that it can feed you later.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/9363783

Drone Insurance and What Every Drone Owner Needs to Know

2019-12-12T05:53:00.000-08:00

Insurance is the financial responsibility that is taken by a firm or person in case you damage someone's property or cause harm in any way to another person. Insurance is important to own before you drive any manned vehicle and the same is true for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). Insurance is a key aspect of risk management and can help your business get through legal complications resulting from unforeseen accidents caused by your drone.
The owners as well as the manufacturers and operators of drones are finally showing interest in learning about drone insurance. Drones are still in a developmental phase and there aren't any specific rules and regulations governing their use. Therefore, there are a number of questions in the minds of the people regarding the insurance policies of these aerial vehicles. People want to know how the drone insurance is going to work. The following is a compilation of all the aspects that need to be kept in mind when it comes to drone insurance.
Is Drone Insurance Really Necessary
It is true that right now there are no implications for not having drone insurance. You can fly your drone even if it hasn't been insured. However, it is becoming increasingly necessary to buy insurance for these aerial vehicles as they can cause some serious damage if they go out of control and cause an accident. Moreover, as the use of these drones increases, the authorities would most definitely make it compulsory for the drone owners to buy insurance before they can start flying them. Therefore, it is a good idea to buy drone insurance today so that you don't have to worry about it at a later stage.
Criteria for Setting Premiums
The cost of drone insurance mainly depends on the level of danger that may be involved with the operation of the drone. Mostly, the choice of platform, the operator's experience and the use of the drone is taken into consideration for estimating the coverage that the insurance company will provide you. If there is a higher possibility of an accident happening, the cost of insurance may go up. On the other hand, if the operator is an experienced one and the chances of a collision occurring are less, the premium amount might not be that high. So, when looking for a good drone insurance plan make sure that the drone you have is a safe one and is being piloted by an experienced professional.
Insurance Coverage
Every drone insurance plan is different. The coverage that is provided by the drone insurance will largely depend on the policy that you are buying and the company providing it. The areas that are covered by drone insurance plans are different for the owner and the manufacturer. For instance, most insurance plans for drones provide coverage to the owners for the legal liability and the physical damage caused by their drone either to a person or a property. This insurance will cover you for the following aspects:
· Personal injury: If your drone invades the personal space of your neighbor or some other person and ends up injuring them.
· Non- owned: If you happen to crash someone else's drone that is not owned by you.
· Medical expenses: If your drone collides with a person, causing him/her injuries which require medical treatment.
· Premises liability: If your drone enters the premises of a person who does not like your drone invading his privacy.
· Damage to the UAS: Any damage sustained by the UAS during its flight either because of inclement weather condition or collision with an aerial object.
Factors to Consider When Choosing a Drone Insurance Provider
Drone insurance is a very important issue and thus it is vital that you choose your drone insurance provider very carefully. There are a number of insurance providers available in the market offering various plans for insuring your drone. However, not all of them are good. Some of the companies are only in this business to make money and don't really care about their customers. If you want to find the best drone insurance provider then you will have to take into account the following factors:

Reputation

The reputation of the drone insurance provider is of critical importance. You should only choose that insurance provider that has a good reputation among the people. The easiest way of finding out about the reputation of a drone insurance service is to have a look at the testimonials posted on its website. If the testimonials are generally positive then the company is a reputable one.

Reliability

Reliability is also an important factor that should not be overlooked when it comes to choosing a drone insurance provider. Make sure that the company you are buying the insurance policy from is reliable and can be trusted with if you get into trouble with your drone.

No Hidden Cost

All the best drone insurance providers have a very clear and transparent price structure. They do not have hidden costs which are revealed when you need the insurance to cover you. To avoid such an instance, go through the terms and condition of the insurance provider with the help of an insurance lawyer to be sure that there aren't any hidden costs mentioned in there.

Customer Support

Customer support is also an important aspect that should be given due importance if you want to find the best drone insurance provider. You should make sure that the insurance company you are dealing with has a responsive customer support staff that answers all your questions promptly.
In a nut shell, drone insurance is very important and it would be wise for you to buy it if you plan on using these aerial vehicles for personal or commercial use. However, choose only a reliable and reputable insurance provider to get your drone insured.

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Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/9414423

Purchasing the Best Car Insurance

2019-12-09T06:12:00.000-08:00

In the past, car insurance was not a necessity, as some people went for it and some did not. However, today an auto coverage policy is one of the crucial things in your life, if you own a car. People need proper coverage, no matter how luxurious or modest their car is.
The way people buy insurance has also changed. In the past, buying a car insurance just meant to meet your neighborhood agent and ask him for it. But now, it is somewhat different, as you have got lots of other options at your disposal from where you can get your vehicle insured, with some entirely new coverage choices.
Buying car insurance: Which method to choose?
When you want insurance for your car, you might be puzzled as from where you should get it. Should you deal with an insurance agent or should you go online? You can choose among different options for getting your car insurance. This includes:

Buying from captive agents
Buying from independent agents
Buying online

People, who prefer personal services and like to form face-to-face relationships, should certainly purchase their policy from an agent. But, since there are different agents, they need to decide which one is the best for them.
Among these, some are called 'independent agents,' who sell insurance for numerous companies and some are 'captive agents,' who sell insurance for just one firm. Let us see the different features of these agents, so that you can decide easily and quickly the right agent for yourself.
1. Buying from captive agents
You should buy your coverage from a captive agent, if you are dedicated to a specific insurance firm. Since captive agents deal with only one company, they will know all the different insurance options offered by that company. And, thus they can assist you to build the right package based on your needs. However, captive agents may take more time to respond to your questions and to know your needs as compared to independent agents who work for commission.
2. Buying from independent agents
You should buy a policy from an independent agent, if you want to check out the different insurances provided by different companies, as independent agents deal with several companies and not just one particular insurance firm. This way you can get a better rate.
And, since independent agents are not directly employed by any one firm, they would not push one specific product and will tell you the right things about all the insurances. Thus, independent agents can aid you to find inexpensive coverage for your car. However, since they work for commission, they are under more pressure to grab a deal as soon as possible.
3. Buying online
The third option is to skip insurance agents completely and to work directly with the company online. However, for this you have to do most of the work yourself. You have to conduct a thorough research on different coverage providers, what they offer, the rates of their insurance, and what all their policies covers. Then, you can talk to the company, that best fits your needs to procure the coverage itself.
Among these, some insurance companies that employ agents do not necessitate you to work with them and a few of them do not employ agents at all. Buying auto insurance online is one of the best options for you if you do not have much time and want to get inexpensive car insurance, as it saves you from paying commission to an insurance agent. If you are not sure about your car insurance needs, then buying car insurance online, without an insurance agent can cause you to buy the wrong, too little, or too much insurance.
Select your type of coverage
Besides deciding which company to go with, you must also consider which policy you want. There are three main types of policies, including traditional, usage-based, and per-mile car insurance. So, have a look at these three car insurance coverage programs before you settle for one particular car insurance.
1. Traditional auto insurance
In this type of auto insurance, the insurers determine the quotes for the policy with the help of various personal factors, such as your age, driving history, gender, credit score, etc. Generally, the more risk you have as a driver as per these factors, the more high your insurance rates will be. In this, you can opt for a minimum coverage amount as per the state law or else you can select from a long list of different types of auto insurance coverage.
2. Usage-based auto insurance
As opposed to the traditional car insurance, where insurers presume your driving skills depending on a list of different risk factors and your accident history, usage-based car insurance providers offer you car insurance by seeing you in action in real. In this type of car insurance, like Allstate's Drivewise or Progressive's Snapshot, you get a telematic device, which you have to plug-in your car. This device records how you drive and your driving behavior, especially your bad driving habits like accelerating or hard braking.
So, if the device records that you are a low-risk driver, then you can save your money with usage-based car insurance. However, if it records that you frequently drive late at night or you drive fast, then it would not help you save money with your car insurance. Additionally, many usage-based car insurance programs are not available in each state. Therefore, if you are devoted to one insurance company, then you may have to switch your company, in case you move to a different state.
3. Per-mile auto insurance
Per-mile auto insurance providers also use a telematic device, but they focus on just one thing, that is how little or how much you use your car. However, this car insurance type is still new and is not available in every state. Among others, Metromile is the best provider of per-mile car insurance and is available in seven states until now, which are California, Illinois, Oregon, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Washington, and Virginia.
Additionally, per-mile providers use the same elements as traditional insurers in determining your car insurance rates, but you can save some money through its telematic device. If you do not use your car much and use it only for emergencies, then your premium may be cut significantly. However, if you normally drive your car, then there are fewer chances of you saving money from it.
Shop around
No matter how you purchase your insurance, whether you go for a dedicated agent or you directly sign up with a car insurance provider, you must shop around in order to get the best rates. Do some homework and do not just settle for the first deal that comes your way. This is because rates for the same policy can differ from one company to the other by thousands of dollars. Therefore, comparing different car insurance offers is the best possible way to land up a good deal.

Taking the time to pick the right insurance coverage can definitely save you money and hassle down the road. Buck and Affiliates Insurance can help meet your auto insurance needs in the Spokane, Washington area.

How to View Life Insurance As An Investment Tool

2019-12-06T05:50:00.000-08:00

A lot of people have been approached about using life insurance as an investment tool. Do you believe that life insurance is an asset or a liability? I will discuss life insurance which I think is one of the best ways to protect your family. Do you buy term insurance or permanent insurance is the main question that people should consider?
Many people choose term insurance because it is the cheapest and provides the most coverage for a stated period of time such as 5, 10, 15, 20 or 30 years. People are living longer so term insurance may not always be the best investment for everyone. If a person selects the 30 year term option they have the longest period of coverage but that would not be the best for a person in their 20's because if a 25 year old selects the 30 year term policy then at age 55 the term would end. When the person who is 55 years old and is still in great health but still needs life insurance the cost of insurance for a 55 year old can get extremely expensive. Do you buy term and invest the difference? If you are a disciplined investor this could work for you but is it the best way to pass assets to your heirs tax free? If a person dies during the 30 year term period then the beneficiaries would get the face amount tax free. If your investments other than life insurance are passed to beneficiaries, in most cases, the investments will not pass tax free to the beneficiaries. Term insurance is considered temporary insurance and can be beneficial when a person is starting out life. Many term policies have a conversion to a permanent policy if the insured feels the need in the near future,
The next type of policy is whole life insurance. As the policy states it is good for your whole life usually until age 100. This type of policy is being phased out of many life insurance companies. The whole life insurance policy is called permanent life insurance because as long as the premiums are paid the insured will have life insurance until age 100. These policies are the highest priced life insurance policies but they have a guaranteed cash values. When the whole life policy accumulates over time it builds cash value that can be borrowed by the owner. The whole life policy can have substantial cash value after a period of 15 to 20 years and many investors have taken notice of this. After a period of time, (20 years usually), the life whole insurance policy can become paid up which means you now have insurance and don't have to pay anymore and the cash value continues to build. This is a unique part of the whole life policy that other types of insurance cannot be designed to perform. Life insurance should not be sold because of the cash value accumulation but in periods of extreme monetary needs you don't need to borrow from a third party because you can borrow from your life insurance policy in case of an emergency.
In the late 80's and 90's insurance companies sold products called universal life insurance policies which were supposed to provide life insurance for your whole life. The reality is that these types of insurance policies were poorly designed and many lapsed because as interest rates lowered the policies didn't perform well and clients were forced to send additional premiums or the policy lapsed. The universal life policies were a hybrid of term insurance and whole life insurance policies. Some of those policies were tied to the stock market and were called variable universal life insurance policies. My thoughts are variable policies should only be purchased by investors who have a high risk tolerance. When the stock market goes down the policy owner can lose big and be forced to send in additional premiums to cover the losses or your policy would lapse or terminate.
The design of the universal life policy has had a major change for the better in the current years. Universal life policies are permanent policy which range in ages as high as age 120. Many life insurance providers now sell mainly term and universal life policies. Universal life policies now have a target premium which has a guarantee as long as the premiums are paid the policy will not lapse. The newest form of universal life insurance is the indexed universal life policy which has performance tied to the S&P Index, Russell Index and the Dow Jones. In a down market you usually have no gain but you have no losses to the policy either. If the market is up you can have a gain but it is limited. If the index market takes a 30% loss then you have what we call the floor which is 0 which means you have no loss but there is no gain. Some insurers will still give as much as 3% gain added to you policy even in a down market. If the market goes up 30% then you can share in the gain but you are capped so you may only get 6% of the gain and this will depend on the cap rate and the participation rate. The cap rate helps the insurer because they are taking a risk that if the market goes down the insured will not suffer and if the market goes up the insured can share in a percentage of the gains. Indexed universal life policies also have cash values which can be borrowed. The best way to look at the difference in cash values is to have your insurance agent show you illustrations so you can see what fits you investment profile. The index universal life policy has a design which is beneficial to the consumer and the insurer and can be a viable tool in your total investments.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/9462476

Why Telematics Is a Major Disruptor in Insurance?

2019-12-03T05:47:00.000-08:00

The vehicle telematics system and User-Based Insurance (UBI) are key trends in the auto insurance industry and expect a disruptive change in the near future.
Digital technology is transforming the insurance marketplace enormously and the insurers are investing significant attention to meet the customer expectations by adopting vehicle telematics system. The customer vehicle integrated with the telematics system helps to calculate insurance premiums which is dependent on the distance covered by the vehicle, the speed the driver maintains while driving, and also the overall driving habits of customers as this information can be read and stored by the telematics app and made accessible to not only the insurers but also all stakeholders.
Vehicle telematics is recalibrating the auto insurance industry expectations and opening new ways to reach out to the clients. The rise of vehicle telematics not only changing the policyholders' demands, but also disrupting the way it should be supplied. Many insurers are offering more personalized insurance policies to each and every individual.
Telematics as a major disruptor
The digitization process that telematics has brought in recently has made the total insurance industry to stand up and take notice and eventually catch-up with this change. Recent research studies have revealed that vehicle telematics is playing a prominent role to disrupt the auto insurance industry for positive business outcomes. In this way, Big Data is playing a vital role in helping insurers to solve various challenges such as data mining, handling, warehouse data, building data path for user applications and among many others by adopting extensive and varied data structure, which are made easily accessible to vehicle telematics system with the influence of cloud computing. The access control of the vehicle, real-time updates of traffic congestion and weather forecasts and many other vehicle telematics options are remotely accessed with the help of cloud computing, for both customers and insurers. The big data and cloud computing technologies are the mainstream of vehicle telematics system and hence are attracting new customers towards insurance policies by providing convenience and comfort in service.
Over the years, the auto insurance companies have successfully reduced the gap between insurers and customers. The vehicle telematics-enabled usage-based insurance is gaining momentum to meet the customer satisfaction with a flexible pricing model over the traditional pricing model and as a result policyholders can pay the insurance rates based on their driving behavior. It is an ultimate transformation that is giving customers complete control over their insurance premiums. To help policyholders for their driving risks, User-Based Insurance (UBI) model encourages individuals to drive safe and lower the risk of accidents happening through live feedback even as they can save money by improving their driving skills.
In the US, Insurance companies are implementing different approaches in User-Based Insurance model and the simplest, auto insurance policies are trending in the auto insurance market, such as Pay As You Drive (PAYD) is one among them. Rather than paying a fixed annual premium charge, PAYD ensures premiums are calculated based on the number of miles/kilometers driven by the policyholder with the help of vehicle telematics system.
United States is considering the UBI model as their grid. The spate of recent successes has confirmed immense response of policyholders towards this new approach. Even in many European countries, insurers moved to the next level of Pay-How-You-Drive (PHYD) right after the huge success of Pay-As-You-Drive (PAYD) model.
The Pay How You Drive (PHYD) monitors the driver behavior and driving style, the premium charges are reduced accordingly with improvements in driver behavior.The UBI has a great potential gateway to digitally enhance customers, as a result, PHYD has created a remarkable platform for auto insurance policies, but a number of insurers have started looking beyond the Pay How You Drive (PHYD)model for better user experience, as a development Manage How You Drive (MHYD) considered as the next move of UBI. Manage How You Drive (MHYD) offers a discount to safe drivers and also intimates the policyholders about driving performance through monthly feedback depending on their driving score.
Vehicle telematics benefits:
• Experienced drivers often pay unreasonably high premium charges which can be reduced easily.
• Encourages policyholders to drive safely and reduce the risk of accidents.
• If the policyholder drives very often then he/she will get fewer premium charges.
• Continuous monitoring of the driver helps to improve the driving behavior.
• It's very easy to track vehicle health and fuel consumption of the vehicle.
The vehicle telematics system and User-Based Insurance system is imparting a major disruptive change in the auto insurance industry with innovative insurance policy models for customer convenience. However, insurers are implementing different strategies to improve the marketing and sales process of UBI model to maintain the balance in insurance policies, perhaps the priority is also given to the risk management and price calculation from the customers' stand point. The disruptive vehicle telematics system can trigger the process of auto insurance policies and can be sustained without any major change in the insurance company structure, business model, and strategy. The vehicle telematics system is known for its conservative posture and disruption is never really easy for such systems, especially in the auto insurance industry. But the year 2016 can be a year of continuing transformation of vehicle telematics system, in which the insurance companies who remain as innovators will be those who are willing to engage in significant rethinking.

Prime's telematics system, Xemplar, enables fast and efficient two-way communication between insurers and customers. Xemplar's mobile app-based system saves you money on hardware and infrastructure costs while also accommodating any mobile device or tablet, reaching drivers anytime and anywhere, and providing your business with critical information in real-time. Contact us now, and in less than 24 hours you will have the best technology solution for auto insurers. for more information visit us http://www.xemplartelematics.com/

10 Unusual Things Can Impact Your Quoted Life Insurance Rates

2019-11-30T05:44:00.000-08:00

There is a defined moment when many of us start to consider getting life insurance to protect family members and loved ones. It could be after a child birth or a catchy insurance commercial that tweaks your interest. When this moment strikes, the first thing most people do is get a quick online quote to understand their ballpark rates. A more detailed assessment follows afterwards. Some elements of this assessment are intuitive (age, health condition, smoking status, occupation, etc.). There are, however, some other surprising assessment criteria that underwriters also consider. Such as...

Driving History: Yes, your driving history matters, not only for your auto insurance premiums but also your life insurance rates. If you had a DUI accident in the recent past, you will likely experience significant higher quoted rates than somebody who has a clean driving history. Remember that smaller offenses fall off your driving record after three years (for insurance purposes).

Be Happy: Having a history of depression can hijack your life insurance premiums, almost doubling them. Happy people experience less health issues and stress, and thus represent lower risk for insurance companies.

Policy Date: The policy's starting date can be sometimes adjusted (also called backdating), meaning that in some cases you can benefit from lower premiums (based on your younger age; if you turned 50 this week but backdate your policy to last month, for example). Obviously you will need to pay all the premiums starting from the backdated time point, but you can benefit from a lower rate going forward.

Dangerous jobs (e.g. stuntmen, bomb squad member) can mean higher risk for your life and thus lead to higher insurance premiums. Do you think that your job is dangerous?

Payment frequency: Paying for a life insurance policy on an annual basis saves insurers administrative costs, and they reward you with lower premiums than if you'd paid for your insurance monthly. In this case, though, you'd need to plan carefully because a big annual charge can create a significant hole in your household budget if you forget about the annual premium.

Travelling (to dangerous destinations): Some destinations are more dangerous than others and some are very dangerous (war zones, areas with known history of kidnapping, etc.) Consult an insurance broker or your agent to understand how your future plans can impact your insurance coverage. Your policy can be declined or you might be able to get a life insurance policy, but it would explicitly exclude the time you are abroad. In some cases, a simplified issue no medical life insurance policy is a solution since it does not ask travel questions. It is important to know, though, that a simplified issue policy is more expensive than a standard one and its coverage is typically limited to $50,000 - $300,000. You can test this out by getting an anonymous simplified issue no medical life insurance quote via one of numerous insurance online platforms.

Sports (extreme): Being involved in extreme and/or dangerous sports, especially professionally, can impact your life insurance premiums (for example: sky diving, cliff diving, scuba diving). Similarly to getting insurance while travelling to dangerous locations, you need to understand which cases are not covered by your life insurance policy.

Private pilot licenses: This one usually falls into a category of dangerous hobbies - licenced pilots (only private) might experience higher insurance rates. When calculating insurance premiums, an insurer will consider both the pilot's age and experience. This information will probably not asked during the initial quoting process, but will be required during the detailed assessment later.

Your citizenship: If you are not a Canadian citizen or resident, you will not be able to apply for a Canadian life insurance policy.

Your income: Insurance companies can decline your life insurance policy if your household income falls below a particular threshold, typically $30,000. The reasoning behind this is so insurance does not stretch your budget beyond its capabilities. Note that you should still speak with a broker to create a detailed future plan for insurance protection, and brokers that are also financial planners can help you triage your upcoming financial expenses to best manage your needs. It's a good idea to check with your insurance broker, if your income might be an issue, before submitting your application. Remember, that once you have been declined for a life insurance application, it may impact your next applications since some insurers include in their surveys, "have you ever been declined for a life insurance application?" Similarly to a pilot license, this question might be not be included in initial quote questions, but will be asked later by your insurer.

As you can see, many aspects outside of your health impact your life insurance quote and policy. You should remember that underwriting rules (application assessment) are different across insurers and thus, it is advisable to work with an insurance broker who deals with numerous life insurance companies and can share his/her expertise with you as you navigate through this complex process.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/9547801

Mandatory Insurance Policies for Everyone

2019-11-27T05:42:00.000-08:00

There are so many insurance policies, insurance policies come in different prices, features and benefits.The truth is you can't possibly choose to purchase every insurance policy, you should streamline your choices to mandatory insurance policies.
It's quite easy to know which insurance coverage is mandatory; all you have to do is ask yourself this important question... "What is the most important thing to me?" This is an important point to consider, there is no point insuring something that is of no importance to you. The protection of assets that matter to you is expedient in the establishment of a solid financial backup plan. There are many insurance policies that can help you protect your assets and earning ability. However, prior to the purchase of any type of insurance, you must ensure you understand the terms of the coverage that's expressly written in the policy. You can choose to enlist the services of your lawyer to peruse the content of your insurance before appending your signature to seal the deal. This write-up highlights the mandatory policies everyone should have, they include the following;
1. Car insurance: there are mandatory laws for car insurance in certain parts of the world. A car insurance is one of the mandatory insurance policies everyone must purchase. The importance of purchasing an automobile insurance cannot be over emphasized, regardless of if you drive a jalopy or an automobile that has been purchased over the years. An automobile insurance is a solid backup strategy if you get involved in a car accident that results in the injury and/or damage of another person's property. Such an unfortunate incident could subsequently subject you to a lawsuit that might cost you all you have worked for. The tragic result of an accident is burdensome, no one wants to be found in such a fix. Without a car insurance, you are at a risk of losing everything you own. As a matter of fact, if you purchase an insurance policy with a coverage that helps you with meagre savings, you are not better off than a person without a car insurance coverage. Ensure you purchase a car insurance that can cover any unlikely or unforeseen automobile accident.
2. Life insurance: a life insurance policy enables you to protect people that depend on you financially. Such people include your children, spouse, relatives or other loved ones. If you feel your loved ones might encounter financial hardship if you lose your life, then this type of insurance should be at the top on your list of mandatory insurance policies. You can choose to purchase a life insurance policy that will serve as a substitute for your annual income over the duration of years in which you plan to stay employed. Your choice of life insurance might also incur burial costs, this will relieve your family of any unexpected financial burden.
3. Long-term disability insurance: the fear of considering the future possibility of a long-term disability is one of the major reasons why people ignore long-term disability insurance policies. Everyone hopes that nothing bad will happen to them, this isn't a wise decision. Don't get me wrong, while it is always good to stay positive, it is even better to have a backup plan. It is mandatory to consider purchasing a disability policy that gives you and your family the required coverage to maintain your current standard of living, even after losing your earning power. The disability policy helps you to protect your earning power if you happen to suffer from any form of disability later in the future.
Health insurance: the high cost of getting the required medical care is a major reason why purchasing a health insurance policy is a necessity. Simple consultations result in soaring bills these days, not to talk of hospital bills you have to pay as a result of severe injuries that have left you confined on the hospital bed for days, weeks, or even months. Hospital bills for a surgical procedure might total into 5 to 6 figures, without a health insurance you might end up spending all you have on a severe health condition in weeks. The financial burden of an increased cost of health insurance policies is nothing compared to the cost of medical care without a health insurance.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/9512965

Terms and Conditions of Auto Insurance

2019-11-24T05:40:00.000-08:00

Based on the high rate of accidents which happen each year, it is imperative that anyone driving a car whether it is your car or a friend's car must have an auto insurance policy even if it is the least of all insurance policies available.
An insurance covers the policyholder and in most cases it covers other people who use the car or the driver. However if the car gets into an accident which is not in the interest of the policyholder, or in violation with the agreement between the policyholder and the insurance company, the insurance policy will not cover the damages from such accident.
In instances where the insured vehicle gets sold to another person, the new owner is covered by the third party liability Insurance and also by the comprehensive car insurance policy (if there is any) within a period of 3 weeks after the change of ownership. When there is a new active insurance policy, all deductibles under the insurance will be paid by the new car owner.
Auto insurance does not cover damage to vehicles in company possession for purpose of sale
Depending on the car insurance policy agreement between you and your insurance company, there might not be a need for you to notify them when the terms in the policy agreement changed. The consequence of refusal to notify the insurance might be forfeiture indemnity and compensation if an accident occurs or reduction of the indemnity and compensation or lapses in the payment if indemnity and compensation.
Therefore to avoid the consequences stated above, whenever there is a change in the policy information notify your insurance company immediately.
You can purchase the same auto insurance from two different insurance companies without terminating the initial insurance with the first company but when an accident occurs, the agreement in your car insurance policy will applied, and this may mean that both companies pay half is the cost for the accident each.
Another important thing to note regarding auto insurance is the deductibles which are based on the agreement in the auto insurance policy. Deductibles are deducted only once in cases of an insurance event involving both third party liability and damages under the comprehensive auto insurance.
No deductible will apply in situations such as:
1. Damages from a known liable tortfeasor
2. Damages from fire, explosion, lightening or theft
3. Damages from items falling on the car.
Furthermore, there will be additional deductible if there is driving damage to the car by another person other than the policyholder, or any registered user of the three car under the auto insurance policy.
There are certain accidents which your auto insurance policy may not cover. Under the liability insurance, your auto inside policy does not cover;
1. Injury to the driver
2. Damage from the carriage of goods by road under the acts of contract
3. Damage to attached vehicle
4. Damage which occurred at the time the vehicle was rented out unless it can be proved that the damage is as a result of occurrence which is in accordance with the auto insurance policy
5. Damage to items belonging to the driver, policyholder, anyone stated in the auto insurance policy it a regular user.
The following accidents are not covered by the comprehensive auto insurance:
1. Damage resulting from weather conditions
2. Damage car parts during repairs unless it can be proved the damage had occurred during the driving or by fire
3. Damage in the electrician and mechanical parts the vehicle, unless it can be proved the damage occurred in accordance with the auto insurance policy
4. Damage resulting from reckless driving i.e. Overheating or no change of oil
5. Damage which occurred while the car was rented out
6. Damage which occurred from intoxication of the driver
7. Damage caused intentionally by grid negligence
8. Loss of the car due to seizure of the car by law enforcement authority
9. Damage under warranty and guarantee
10. Damage from usage of the car such as wear and tear, scratches on the car body and so on.
Duration of the auto insurance policy is based on the agreement between you and the insurance company. Most auto insurance agreement are annual and are renewed yearly unless it's canceled in writing by the policyholder or the insurance company with a month's notice.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/9555724

Reasons to Avoid Mortgage Life Insurance

2019-11-21T05:32:00.000-08:00

Please see below on why you should consider owning an independent life insurance policy (or term life) vs mortgage insurance (creditor insurance) sold from the bank:
1. Post-Underwriting - Bank insurance is post underwritten. Companies investigate the eligibility AFTER a claim has been made; ie you may be paying premiums for years and in the event of a tragedy your loved ones may discover you never qualified for the insurance in the first place.
2. Cost - Often, mortgage life insurance with less features and flexibility actually costs MORE than an independently owned insurance policy.
3. Portability - If you buy the coverage from your lender, it may disappear if you refinance, however in the case of a new lender it will require a new policy based on attained age at that time. Just as you want to avoid depending on your employer's life insurance coverage, in case you change jobs, you should also make sure your insurance isn't going to vanish just because you found a better mortgage.
4. Named beneficiary - The proceeds if something were to happen will bypass your loved ones. Mortgage insurance plans purchased through the bank automatically pay off your loan no matter what situation your family faces at your death. An individual life insurance policy lets you name your spouse or children as beneficiaries, giving them flexibility to pay off the mortgage when they feel the time is right.
5. Declining benefit - As mentioned above the banks creditor policy is a declining benefit ie the benefits may vanish before your eyes. Mortgage insurance benefits gradually decline in an attempt to match the declining balance of your debt (declining benefit). Those plans are like a runaway train, you may move into a bigger house with a bigger mortgage, but the death benefit keeps shrinking anyway. Buying an individual life insurance policy keeps you in the driver's seat, letting you lower the benefits as you see fit or keeping a level benefit for life.
6. Convertibility - An individually owned term insurance policy in most cases will allow the policy to be converted without medical to a permanent (life long) solution. A creditor insurance policy owned through the bank does not provide this benefit, which is especially important if one gets sick and can no longer qualify for coverage.
7. Preferred underwriting - an independently pre-underwriten policy allows the insurer to determine if you qualify for "preferred" rates which will lower premiums even further
8. Consolidation of benefits - by combining your mortgage insurance, with other insurance needs such as income replacement, child care, education etc you will benefit from fees saved on multiple policies and tiered discounts (typically insurance companies discount in 250K bands of insurance), along with simplicity of understanding how much coverage you have in one place. With a bank you can only insure your mortgage.
9. Discussed with a licensed insurance professional - Most bank staff selling creditor mortgage insurance are unqualified and unlicensed in life insurance. Licensed professionals shop the market
10. Shop the market - buying an independent life insurance policy from a licensed broker allows the market to be shopped to find the best possible solution from a wide range of insurers. Banks often work with only 1 insurance company to provide a singular solution. Furthermore, licensed professional have a responsbility to sell based on a Needs Based approach and can accurately assess your needs.
Lastly, while looking at life insurance, make sure to consider disability and critical illness insurance in case you become unable to pay your mortgage due to serious illness or injury.
Please contact your local independent life insurance expert to evaluate your options.

For those located in Southern Ontario, it would be our pleasure to service you. Please connect with us at ( www.protectyourwealth.ca ) today to learn more about our insurance coverage options! We proudly service clients in Ancaster, Burlington, Dundas, Hamilton, Oakville, Waterdown and the surrounding Greater Toronto areas.

Finding the Very Best Insurance Rates

2019-11-18T05:37:00.000-08:00

In order to spend less on your auto insurance, property insurance, life insurance policy or another type of insurance that is available in the industry today, there are a number of things that you can do. It is necessary to know about the do's and dont's for you to get cheap insurance rates from among the best providers available on the market. So, it is very important that everyone does their research well ahead of time before making an investment. In particular so, if you're planning to get the cheapest rate possible when another policy term comes effective. Having this in mind, listed below are a few tips that you can share with other people who have the same or similar goals and objectives.
Shop Around for the very best Insurance Companies
One of the first steps in looking for the best insurance rates is searching for the most beneficial insurance providers in the industry. This action doesn't have to be complex as there are a variety of websites that will provide the consumer with this kind of info. From reviewing websites that list the top ten insurance companies on the market to checking a number of different official sites to see what products they are offering, there is a lot of great info online that people have access to today.
Alongside reviewing internet based insurance quotes, another excellent way to find the best insurance firms is usually to network. Some of these networks may be within one's family, on the job, social setting and among friends. There are several means now available that people might use to discover the information that they would need. For instance, when someone likes their own insurance firms, they are surely very willing to share what they have learned over time. So, they can point those who are on the lookout for good insurance coverage at an affordable rate in the right direction.
Contrast Insurance rates from Different Companies
Once it is time for an insurance plan to get renewed, the majority of folks are likely to settle for the new rates that they're given without asking any questions. Even if the new rate could be the best rate that they may find, a lot of people do not take some time from their schedules to look for a better rate. Sadly, this is not always the most suitable practice for people that actually want to save money on their family's budget. In truth, it is within this period that individuals have a chance to reduce their monthly expenses quite significantly. To illustrate, once the new policy renewal comes in, among the first things that every individual requires to do is begin looking around for multiple quotes. A lot of people highly recommend securing a minimum of three insurance quotes from multiple providers to compare. Before you start this process, however, it is very important for everyone to remember that these insurance quotes can only be compared accurately when the features of the insurance plan are the same. Meaning if the individual is aiming to secure a quotation for an auto insurance policy, they have to request the exact deductible amounts from each company in order that computations will be identical. If that recommendation is not followed, the best rate could be based of lesser coverage.
Go for a Lower Insurance deductible When Inquiring about Insurance Quotations
In addition to comparing quotations from multiple organizations, another wise way of managing monthly insurance payments is to choose lower deductibles. Lower deductibles will automatically lower the value that individuals are required to pay each and every month. However, before these amounts are changed significantly, it is necessary for the covered person to know that this amount comes out of the pocket first whenever a claim has to be filed. So, it is very important for individuals to take into consideration their insurance deductibles very carefully prior to signing the documents.
Inquire about Insurance Quotes Discount rates that Policy owners Qualify for
The insurance coverage rates for policy holders can vary greatly from one to another. This is because the amounts for each person can differ dependent on several types of discounts. One of these may involve buying multiple type of insurance policy from the same company. Because insurance companies are attempting to get as much business from the customers as they possibly can, such a discount may be a win win for both the client and the insurance provider. Another common discount that some people may or may not be familiar with is discounts for those who take defensive driving courses in case of automotive insurance. The reason being these programs teach their students how to make good driving decisions, as well as avoiding accidents. Each discount can help to lower the payments a bit or a lot so it's essential for individuals ask about every type of discount offered, especially if they need to get the maximum benefits.
Conclusion
If you are thinking to invest in a fresh insurance policy for one's vehicle, home or other items, you can acquire the ideal rates possible by looking around in advance. Even in the event the insurance policy comes up for renewal, it's a sound practice to revisit the insurance policy rates so that you can still get the ideal deals. Furthermore it is worth noting that many professionals in the industry can offer great ways to get one of the best quotes. Several of which includes, obtaining multiples quotes from different companies, choosing lower deductibles, and asking about additional discounts.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/9569344

7 Smart Tips You Can Do To Keep The Cost Of Your Auto Insurance Down

2019-11-15T05:35:00.000-08:00

Depending on the car that you buy, your insurance cost may be a little too expensive for you. You cannot avoid it, though. You still need to pay the auto insurance cost to ensure that you can cover the bigger cost when unexpected things happen, such as accident and theft.
The only thing that you can do is to keep the cost of your auto insurance down, without reducing the quality of your insurance. Here are 7 smart tips you can do to keep the cost of your auto insurance down:
1. Research Your Auto Insurance Cost
This is the first step that you have to do. You cannot just accept any offer from an insurance company without thinking twice. Remember that insurance companies are competing with each other, and they will always try to give you the best rates, just to prevent you from going to another insurance company. So, when an insurance company offers you a good insurance plan for your automobile, check the rates offered by other companies first before deciding to take the premiums. Most likely, you will find a better deal out there.
2. Use The Same Insurance Company You Already Use
For instance, you own a home, and you have already taken the premiums for it from a good insurance company. Then, the same company has an auto insurance plan for their clients. It is better for you to take the offer from the same insurance company that you already use. Why? That's because they will usually give discounts for long-term clients. Since you already take a home insurance plan with them, they will likely give you some discounts if you decide to take an auto insurance plan with them as well. If not, just try to negotiate, because most of the time, they will be willing to give a special offer for you.
3. Keep A Good Driving Record
In order for you to get the lowest possible cost for your auto insurance plan, you have to show the insurance company that you are a safe driver. In this way, you will not pose as a high-risk client for your auto insurance company, and thus, you will get more discounts from them. So, it is important for you to keep a good driving record, since it will prove to the auto insurance company that you are a safe driver, with very little risk of accident. The smaller the risk of accident, the smaller your insurance premium cost will be.
4. Keep Your Car Safe
It is also important for you to keep your car safe, because most of the time, insurance companies will cover the cost of your car when it is stolen. So, you don't want to pose your car as a high-risk premium for your insurance company. This will also depend on the make and model of your car, since the more expensive the car, the more cost for you to pay the premium for it. You need to keep your car safe by installing alarm or anti-theft system for your car. In this way, you will pose a lower risk for your insurance company, and thus, you will get a lower premium cost.
5. Try To Get Discounts For Your Auto Insurance
If it is possible for you to get a big discount for your insurance premiums, then by all means take the offer. There are always a lot of discounts offered by many auto insurance companies around you, since they are competing with each others to win the heart of their clients. So, always take a look of the possible discount that you can get, especially as a first-time client. You can research various insurance companies online, and compare their prices before you start your premiums.
6. Keep Your Insurance Information Up To Date
It is important for you to keep the information that you have on file up to date. You don't want your auto insurance company to keep your old information, since it will make it difficult for you when you need to claim your auto insurance later. It will also reduce your insurance cost significantly if you are eligible for it. For instance, the premium costs for clients that live in the big city will be different from those that live in a small town. So, if you happen to move from a big city to a small town, be sure to update your information right away. Chances are you are eligible for a discount for your premium costs.
7. Factor The Cost Of Auto Insurance In Your Car Ownership Cost
Before buying any car, you have to remember that the cost of the car is not all that you have to pay for it. You also need to include the cost of auto insurance, since it will be inevitably included with the cost of your car purchase sooner or later. So, before buying a car, calculate the total cost that you have to pay by factoring the cost of auto insurance in your purchase. Thus, you will not become shocked when it is time for you to pay the monthly premium costs of your auto insurance.

So, those are the smart tips that you can do to keep the cost of your car insurance down. It is important in this day and age to be a smart customer since there are many available car insurance deals out there.
For instance, you can check Good to go auto insurance for more information about the best auto insurance plan that you can take. Goo2go offers you a comprehensive information regarding the best premium costs that can beat the price of any other insurance companies.
Also, Good to go insurance can help to educate you with various information related to car insurance and other insurance plans in general. In this way, you can protect your life well with the insurance plans that are suited to your needs.

All You Need to Know About Affordable Home Insurance in Edmonton

2019-11-12T05:28:00.000-08:00

Why You Should Get a Home Insurance Quote in Edmonton
· To avoid overpayment and save a significant amount of money
· Insuring your house, cottage, or rental includes protection from flooding
· To get any information about home insurance from a live agent
· To get a quote from 10 insurance companies
Sample Home Insurance Quotes in Edmonton
Example 1: Insurance on a two-story house in Allendale, about 2,000 square feet, including flooding coverage, costs around $93 a month, or $1,116 annually.
Example 2: Insurance on a condo with two bedrooms in the downtown area of Edmonton, near Canadian Western Bank Place, costs about $22 a month, or $264 annually.
Example 3: Insurance on a one-story house near the intersection of 107 Ave and 142 St NW, in the Grovenor neighbourhood of Edmonton, costs $65 a month, including flooding protection, or $780 annually.
Home Insurance Premiums in Edmonton - Average Rates
Home insurance policies change for different types of properties. Tenant insurance (also called renter's insurance) only covers the contents of a rented house and, depending on the policy, liability. The homeowner's coverage, on the other hand, is focused on the insurance of the building itself to ensure protection in instances that are related to natural hazards, fire or earthquake, or due to unlawful human activities like vandalism.
Home insurance covers the rebuild value of a dwelling, but not the market value, which is, in fact, higher. That is why, when the property has undergone some damages, the insurance provider will carry the rebuilding costs so the policyholder is able to restore a corresponding property.
This chart features the average premiums for rented and homeowner's insurance in Alberta and Canada. As the chart shows, owned property insurance is, on average, higher than the renter's policy.
Condo and Tenant Insurance Policies in Edmonton
Condo owners in Edmonton are protected by their own condo insurance policy, which they must buy, and the condominium corporation's policy, which the corporation must buy. The first one covers the contents of a condo, modifications, theft, liabilities of a third party, locker contents, additional expenses and insurance assessments. The second type, the condominium corporation's insurance, provides coverage for exterior parts of a building, like the roof, infrastructure (the building envelope) and areas like halls, lobbies, elevators and so on.
Condo tenant insurance, which is insurance of a rented condo, provides protection of the contents in case it is damaged as a result of theft, fire, etc. This type of policy also covers third party liability and additional living expenses. For example, if your condo was damaged due to fire or flooding, making it unsuitable for living, your condo tenant insurance in Edmonton can cover your temporary stay at a hotel room or rental unit.
8 Ways to Decrease Costs for Home Insurance in Edmonton
1. Quit smoking. Since smoking can pose a danger to your lungs and health overall, and since it also creates a higher risk of fire inside a house, insurance companies don't welcome this habit, so they increase premiums for home insurance.
2. Choose a safe area to live in. Be careful not to buy a house in flood-prone or earthquake areas as the risk of damage to your house is double, and so are your premiums.
3. Check for recent claims because, if you have not made one for a long time, you can get a discount. However, not all insurance companies in Edmonton provide such an option, so you should ask around to be sure.
4. It is time to upgrade your home since houses that are well maintained get much lower premiums in comparison to ones that are very old and in poor condition. Be sure that when you spend money on upgrading any part of your house, like the bedroom or basement, you save on your home insurance by reporting the upgrades. In fact, call your insurer before you start and ask how much you can save!
5. Get alumni discounts. If you are a graduate of some post-secondary institutions, like McGill University or the University of Toronto, you can get alumni insurance discounts. Check with your university to see if it provides this advantage.
6. Union memberships may include insurance discounts. Some large corporations or unions also provide their members with insurance policies.
7. Take care of your plumbing since many insurance providers prefer copper and plastic pipes to the galvanized or lead ones. Perhaps one of the renovations for your home will involve upgrading the plumbing because, in Edmonton and Alberta, this will mean lower premiums for your home insurance.
8. Read consumer reviews. Consumer reviews help you choose among the variety of insurance providers in Edmonton to find the one that will be suitable for you in terms of finances and your situation.

If you want to find more home insurance tips, get a free quote and connect with an insurance expert who will provide you with more information about home insurance in Edmonton, contact InsurEye today.

Small Business Insurance: What You Need

2019-11-09T05:24:00.000-08:00

Today's businesses need insurance for a great many things, from liability to covering business vehicles and more. There's often a lot of confusion about what insurance your business will need, especially as more businesses use their homes for their office. Here is a handy list of the main types of insurance you will need for your business, and why you will need that insurance to be successful, and compliant with your local business laws.
1. General Liability Insurance
No matter your business, you need liability insurance, even if your business is based out of your home. This insurance provides defence and damages if you, your products and/or services or your employees are involved in an incident that causes (or allegedly causes) bodily injury or property damage.
2. Professional Liability Insurance
Often referred to as "Errors & Omissions Insurance," this policy protects your business in the event of failure to, or the improperly rendering, of promised services. It's an important insurance to have because, quite simply, people make mistakes. If you or your company fail to do what they promised to do, this insurance will help pay for defence and/or damages, helping you take responsibility without endangering the financial future of your company.
Note that this insurance is generally not offered in general liability insurance policies.
3. Property Insurance
While not mandatory, if you own a building, equipment, computers or almost anything related to your business, you should look into property insurance. The policy will protect you in the event of a disaster, like a fire, and against things like vandalism and other crimes.
Another aspect of this insurance is loss of earning and/or business interruption insurance, which will pay you out as you recover from the event that interrupted your normal business operations.
4. Commercial Auto Insurance
If your company has vehicles, they will need to be insured by the business, whether they are used by employees or yourself. So long as those vehicles are used to carry people, products or equipment, they should be insured under your business with a commercial auto insurance policy. The insurance will protect you in the instance of damage or collisions.
If your employees use their own vehicles for work, you will still need a policy that protects the business in the event that something happens when the vehicle is being used for commercial purposes. This is called "non-owned auto liability insurance."
5. Worker's Compensation
When employees or owners are injured on the job, worker's compensation ensures that they receive an income to help them through their medical issues and time off for medical procedures. The insurance also means employees give up their right to sue their company, which is very important for business owners. Worker's compensation insurance is mandatory in some places, so it is important to understand the legal requirements in your area for this insurance.
6. Directors and Officers Insurance
With this insurance, your business' leaders will be protected against their actions that may impact the profits, profitability or operations of your company. Essentially, if your directors or officers end up in a legal situation stemming from their actions, this insurance can cover costs involved with defence and, in some instances, damages resulting from those actions.
7. Homeowner's Insurance
If you run your business from home, you will need this insurance. It may be mandatory depending on your mortgage but it is imperative that you notify your insurance company if you are running a business out of your home. Without the proper insurance, certain incidents may not be covered by your standard insurance because it is related to an unreported business. Contact your insurance provider before you start running a business out of your home to ensure you are compliant, and covered.
Whether or not your business is run out of your home, an office, or on the road, you will need multiple kinds of insurance to account for liability, accidents and other incidents.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/9837511

Understanding and Saving on Alberta Car Insurance

2019-11-06T05:22:00.000-08:00

Finding car insurance can be a difficult and stressful process, especially for those who don't have much experience when it comes to average rates and coverage. Luckily, the knowledgeable team at InsurEye knows exactly how to find the best auto insurance in Alberta, and for the best price! With a solid team of professionals on your side, there is no need to worry about finding cheap auto insurance that fits your needs.
The Many Ways to Save on Auto Insurance in Alberta
There are many factors that affect car insurance rates in Alberta, from the condition of your vehicle to where you drive and park, or even your educational and driving history! The following are just a few of the ways that you may be able to save on your auto insurance rates.
By starting with an online comparison, you will be able to check average auto insurance rates in Alberta. If you've been with the same insurer for a long time, it may be difficult to beat their rates (especially if you haven't had any recent claims), but it's always worth looking. If you don't have a good driving record, keep in mind that this will only affect you for approximately three years. At that time, previously incurred tickets will be removed from your history, and your premiums may be reduced.
If you haven't done so already, you can complete a driving course in an attempt to reduce your insurance premiums with some insurance companies. If the car you're currently driving isn't worth very much, consider only getting the minimal coverage required by law, without collision damage. This will likely mean that you'll have liability insurance, and will still be protected if you damage someone's vehicle, but the damages on your own vehicle will not be covered.
If you're a more experienced driver, you may be able to save by increasing your car insurance deductibles, and thus incurring higher payments for damages in case of an accident.
Something as simple as where you park your vehicle can also affect your insurance rates. By parking in a safe location, like a private or secure garage, you will likely receive lower premiums. If you need multiple kinds of insurance coverage (like auto, home, and life insurance), many companies will give you the option to bundle them together for a discounted rate.
Graduates of certain Canadian universities may be eligible for a discounted rate from some insurance providers. Some insurance providers will offer a discount to members of certain professional organizations, such as Certified Management Accountants of Canada, or The Air Canada Pilots Association.
As a senior citizen, you will also be able to save, since most companies offer discounts to seniors.
To discover more ways to save, contact InsurEye today. By filling out our online insurance quote form, you can connect with an experienced insurance professional who will help you find the perfect plan.
Understanding Auto Insurance in Alberta
When choosing auto insurance, it's important to understand the kinds of insurance available to you. This will ensure that you choose a plan that works best for you, and that you don't end up paying for things you don't need.
Although auto insurance is required by law in Alberta, the government only regulates the minimal amount of third-party liability insurance on your automobile, which is $200,000. In contrast, we recommend having at least $1,000,000 to $2,000,000 in liability coverage, to protect yourself and your finances, should an accident happen.
Alberta uses an "at-fault" insurance approach for bodily injury and vehicle damage liability. In contrast, the province uses a "no-fault" approach to accident benefits coverage, meaning that each insurer pays the claim of its policyholder. Car insurance rates in Alberta are at an average of $110 per month, which are not the highest in Canada. Still, it is important that you understand what is offered, in order to properly search for the best price.
The Types of Automobile Insurance Offered
Starting with basic coverage, all drivers within the province of Alberta need personal liability and property damage (PLPD) insurance, which is also referred to as third-party liability insurance. This is legally mandatory in order to drive within the province, as it covers damages caused by your vehicle to another person or their property.
Although the minimum is currently $200,000, it is wise to seek a higher coverage amount, as stated above. Alberta also requires drivers to have accident benefits coverage, as this covers the passengers of a vehicle, in the event of injury or death. Regardless of who may be at fault, this kind of insurance will cover medical and rehabilitation costs, funeral expenses, death benefits, and income replacement, depending on the situation. Accident benefits will also give you uninsured motorist coverage, in the event that you are involved in an accident with an uninsured driver.
Although third-party liability and accident benefits insurance are the minimum requirements necessary to drive in Alberta, there are other types of coverage that may interest you. Collision coverage, for example, will cover any repairs to your vehicle that have been caused by an accident with another vehicle or an object. Best of all, the repair or replacement of your vehicle is covered, regardless of whether or not you are at fault for the damages.
Comprehensive insurance goes a step further, by covering damages to your vehicle that were not the result of an accident or collision of any kind. This insurance protects your vehicle from threats including fire, theft, vandalism, and environmental or weather-related damages. This is the greatest degree of coverage available through an auto insurance policy.
If you don't need such extensive insurance coverage, specified perils insurance offers a happy medium. Specified perils insurance offers more protection than collision insurance, but is not quite as extensive as comprehensive insurance. This type of insurance covers damages caused by the perils that you specifically name within your policy, which are not the result of a collision. This way, you can choose what you're insured for, and whatever perils are not named specifically will not be covered.
Trust the Team of Experts at InsurEye
Auto insurance does not have to be a scary or difficult process. At InsurEye, we are passionate about helping our clients find the best possible insurance prices, for policies that suit their specific needs. Whether this is your first time shopping for insurance, or you've done it multiple times in the past, it is our hope that we can find you a better price, without sacrificing coverage. See how much you can save on auto insurance in Alberta with the help of InsurEye!

Tips, Tricks, And Advice On Auto Insurance

2019-11-03T05:19:00.000-08:00

Don't put yourself at risk of the financial burden by not having auto insurance for yourself or your teen drivers! Having auto insurance protects you and helps offset costs, should you be in a car accident. Use the following tips to pick the right auto insurance company to fit you or your teen driver's needs.
As you choose car insurance, be sure to properly protect yourself when it comes to liability for property damage and bodily injury. The right amount of coverage in this area can make a big difference in the event of an accident. Not having enough coverage can leave you with a lawsuit that can be hard to recover from.
When insuring a teenage driver, lower your car insurance costs by asking about all the eligible discounts. Insurance companies generally have a discount for good students, teenage drivers with good driving records, and teenage drivers who have taken a defensive driving course. Discounts are also available if your teenager is only an occasional driver.
When considering insurance for a young driver, it is wise to not purchase an expensive car. Rates are high enough for teenagers, they will skyrocket depending on the type and worth of a car. In this situation, safety is one of the highest factors affecting insurance costs.
One of the best ways to drop your auto insurance rates is to show the insurance company that you are a safe, reliable driver. To do this, you should think about attending a safe-driving course. These courses are affordable, quick, and you could end up saving thousands of dollars over the life of your insurance policy.
When shopping for an auto insurance policy, most companies are going to offer extras like towing, road-side assistance, GPS services, and other add-ons. These may come in handy if you're ever in a pinch, but they can be really expensive. Say no to these extras in order to save money on your insurance.
There are a lot of factors that determine the cost of your automobile insurance. Your age, sex, marital status and location all play a factor. While you can't change most of those, and few people would move or get married to save money on car insurance, you can control the type of car you drive, which also plays a role. Choose cars with lots of safety options and anti-theft systems in place.
Check into how much you would save by using the same insurer for both your home and your car. Some companies offer a discount if you have multiple policies with them. The majority of companies today do insure a variety of items, so it is a good idea to look into the possibility.
To make sure you're getting fair pricing in your premiums, verify that your reported information is accurate in your policy. For example, ensure that the make/model of your vehicle is correct, the number of miles on the vehicle when you took out the policy, etc. Even your reported commuting distance is important as shorter commuting distances can have a positive effect on your premium savings.
You will want to make sure to contact your insurance company if you get a divorce and no longer want your ex to be on your policy. If they get into an accident while they are on your insurance policy, it could cause your rates to go up, and you will have to pay for their mistake for the rest of the time you have a policy with that company.
When you purchase a new car, you should keep your insurance rates in mind and look for the best safety features you can get. Safer cars are cheaper to insure. Because insurance companies are responsible for medical liability, they will charge a lower premium for safe cars that minimize injuries in an accident.
Know the laws in your state concerning auto insurance. In almost every state, car insurance is compulsory. You can face stiff fines and penalties for not carrying adequate car insurance. Some states are even known to jail repeat no-insurance violators. Educating yourself is important so that you can comply with the laws.
When trying to decide on an insurance company for your auto insurance, you should check into the department of insurance from your state. You will find some valuable information there which will include closed insurance cases, important financial data as well as licensing information. This research will help you decide if you feel comfortable trusting this insurance company.
Pay for your auto insurance coverage in one payment up front. When you pay in full you will not be charged interest charges as you would if you were paying monthly. This means some companies also offer you a discount if your coverage is paid for ahead of time. Monthly payments can be convenient, but they may not be as affordable as you would like.
If you live in an urban area or an area where there are many wild animals, you may want to consider animal collision on your insurance. Repairing a car after you have hit an animal, especially a large one, can cost you thousands of dollars. Animal collision covers all of these costs.
A big part of setting the cost for your auto insurance premiums has to do with the type of car that you drive. Remember that when you are in the market for a new car - cars that are more expensive to repair, for example, will often result in higher insurance rates.
Ensure that your car insurance plan pays up front for car rentals. Drivers whose policies do not include rental coverage may wish to secure additional insurance for this purpose. The extra policy can be as much as $20 per day. If your car requires major repairs, you could be paying for quite a while.
Don't allow your teen or yourself to drive without auto insurance. Car accidents and car repairs can be incredibly expensive. Having auto insurance before something happens is important so you can protect you and your family from a financial struggle! Use the tips above to get auto insurance today!

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/10069247

Auto Insurance Principles Should Apply to Health Insurance

2019-10-30T05:14:00.000-07:00

Many Americans rely on their automobiles to get to work. No automobile means no job, no rent or mortgage money, no food. A single parent, struggling to make ends meet in the suburbs with 100,000 miles on the odometer, would presumably welcome the guaranteed opportunity for low-priced insurance that would take care of every possible repair on her auto until the day that it reaches 200,000 miles or falls apart, whichever comes first. Especially if the insurance is valid regardless of whether she even changes the oil in the interim.
So why aren't the auto insurance companies writing such coverage, either directly or through used auto dealers? And given the importance of reliable transportation, why isn't the public demanding such coverage? The answer is that both auto insurers and the public know that such insurance can't be written for a premium the insured can afford, while still allowing the insurers to stay solvent and make a profit. As a society, we intuitively understand that the costs associated with taking care of every mechanical need of an old automobile, particularly in the absence of regular maintenance, aren't insurable. Yet we don't seem to have these same intuitions with respect to health insurance.
If we pull the emotions out of health insurance, which is admittedly hard to do even for this author, and look at health insurance from the economic perspective, there are several insights from auto insurance that can illuminate the design, risk selection, and rating of health insurance.
Auto insurance comes in two forms: the traditional insurance you buy from your agent or direct from an insurance company, and warranties that are purchased from auto manufacturers and dealers. Both are risk transfer and sharing devices and I'll generically refer to both as insurance. Because auto third-party liability insurance has no equivalent in health insurance, for traditional auto insurance, I'll examine only collision and comprehensive insurance -- insurance covering the vehicle -- and not third-party liability insurance.
Bumper to Bumper
The following are some commonly accepted principles from auto insurance:
* Bad maintenance voids certain insurance. If an automobile owner never changes the oil, the auto's power train warranty is void. In fact, not only does the oil need to be changed, the change needs to be performed by a certified mechanic and documented. Collision insurance doesn't cover cars purposefully driven over a cliff.
* The best insurance is offered for new models. Bumper-to-bumper warranties are offered only on new cars. As they roll off the assembly line, automobiles have a low and relatively consistent risk profile, satisfying the actuarial test for insurance pricing. Furthermore, auto manufacturers usually wrap at least some coverage into the price of the new auto in order to encourage an ongoing relationship with the owner.
* Limited insurance is offered for old model autos. Increasingly limited insurance is offered for old model autos. The bumper-to-bumper warranty expires, the power train warranty eventually expires, and the amount of collision and comprehensive insurance steadily decreases based on the market value of the auto.
* Certain older autos qualify for additional insurance. Certain older autos can qualify for additional coverage, either in terms of warranties for used autos or increased collision and comprehensive insurance for vintage autos. But such insurance is offered only after a careful inspection of the automobile itself.
* No insurance is offered for normal wear and tear. Wiper blades need replacement, brake pads wear out, and bumpers get dings. These aren't insurable events. To the extent that a new car dealer will sometimes cover some of these costs, we intuitively understand that we're "paying for it" in the cost of the automobile and that it's "not really" insurance.
* Accidents are the only insurable event for the oldest automobiles. Accidents are generally insurable events even for the oldest autos; with few exceptions service work isn't.
* Insurance doesn't restore all vehicles to pre-accident condition. Auto insurance is limited. If the damage to the auto at any age exceeds the value of the auto, the insurer then pays only the value of the auto. With the exception of vintage autos, the value assigned to the auto goes down over time. So whereas accidents are insurable at any vehicle age, the amount of the accident insurance is increasingly limited.
* Insurance is priced to the risk. Insurance is priced based on the risk profile of both the automobile and the driver. The auto insurer carefully examines both when setting rates.
* We pay for our own insurance. And with few exceptions, automobile insurance isn't tax deductible. As a result, the fear of increasing insurance rates due to traffic violations and/or accidents changes our driving behavior and we sometimes select our automobiles based on their insurability.
Each of the above principles is supported by solid actuarial theory. Although most Americans can't describe the underlying actuarial theories, most everyone understands the above principles of auto insurance at the intuitive level. For sure, as indispensable automobiles are to our lifestyles, there is no loud national movement, accompanied by moral outrage, to change these principles.
Unsustainable Market
In contrast, similar principles are routinely violated in health insurance. To demonstrate this, let's return to the same suburban mother from the opening paragraph. She's busy working, driving to and from work, and driving her kids to school and activities. She ends each day exhausted, sitting on the couch with fast food. She's obese, has a sedentary life, a bad diet, and hasn't taken the time to go to the doctor in years. After a simple injury doesn't heal for weeks, she turns up at the emergency room and learns she has type II diabetes. Although type II diabetes is controllable, changing diet and exercise habits and properly tracking her condition takes time and effort and she's never quite successful in implementing the necessary lifestyle changes.
So the initial emergency room visit is only the first of a long list of health care related to non-controlled diabetes and other problems associated with obesity. Whether she has individual or group insurance, her insurance pays for each episode of care, without singling her out for a premium increase, and without charging her any more cost sharing than is charged to the healthiest and most medically diligent insureds. Her coverage continues until she voluntarily changes insurance companies and/or employers or becomes eligible for Medicare. If she's covered under group insurance she may not even pay any premium. Her insurance continues unabated, even though the disease was caused by neglecting her body and she maintains her poor lifestyle even after the disease becomes known.
This just wouldn't happen in auto insurance. This scenario is the auto insurance equivalent of guaranteed access to low-priced auto insurance that takes care of every possible repair, including damage already done, until the day the car falls apart so completely it's unsalvageable (death) or reaches 200,000 miles (Medicare), regardless of whether she even changes the oil (takes care of herself) in the interim.
As a society, we don't expect this in private-market auto insurance, but we expect it in private-market health insurance. Furthermore, there's a chorus of national and state interests, which continuously pushes us further away from the auto insurance principles.
The current private health insurance market isn't sustainable. Prices have been consistently increasing faster than inflation for decades. Each year, insureds use more health care than ever before and more people have no insurance at all. Most actuaries and other people in the private health insurance market don't want national health insurance with its bureaucracy and one-size-fits-all benefits. Yet, we're trying to sustain a private insurance system, which violates the very principles we know are necessary for private insurance markets.
Yes, health insurance involves the sacredness of human life and is therefore different from auto insurance. But if we're to sustain a private-market solution to health insurance, actuaries need to explain to the larger society, in terms that society understands, the rationale for the following principles:
* As sacred as health care is, it's still an economic transaction that has to be balanced by individuals and societies, against other economic choices. It can't be unlimited. Sometimes it will be secondary to other choices. On a given day, for example, the mother in our scenario may value her car more than her health.
* Insurance premiums should be paid by the individual and tied to controllable risk factors. This will provide the best incentive for the control of risk factors.
* Although it's hard to draw the line between abuse, neglect and ignorance, self-abuse shouldn't be insured and we need to draw that line somewhere.
* The private market can't provide unlimited, self-directed health insurance.
* Routine care and ongoing treatments of chronic conditions can be pre-funded, can even be subsidized, but they don't constitute "insurable events."
* Insurance can't be expected to keep every human body in pristine condition. No amount of health care will prevent everyone's ultimate death.
* Comprehensive, unlimited, non-subsidized private-market coverage isn't possible for people with severely impaired health.
* The private health market can provide limited non-subsidized health insurance, such as protection from accidents, to even health-impaired individuals.
* Individuals who can afford to do so and who take good care of themselves should be able to "buy up" to better coverage. People have the option of buying up for everything else in life.
Discussion of these principles is lacking from most of the current health insurance debate. If society can intuitively understand how similar principles apply to health insurance, then they should be able understand the principles in the health insurance context. We need to initiate the debate.
This commentary is solely the opinion of its author. It does not express the official policy of the American Academy of Actuaries; nor does it necessarily reflect the opinions of the Academy's individual officers, members, or staff

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/525162

Insurance for Your Business

2019-10-27T05:17:00.000-07:00

The importance of insurance cannot be over-emphasized and neither can the danger of paying for insurance you don't need. It is strongly recommended you solicit the advice of an in-dependent business insurance agent. Don't forget to SHOP! Talk to three or four independent agents and compare notes and prices. An insurance agent will lay out a vast array of insurance coverage much of which you simply may not need. Your situation will be unique and you must consider each insurance element carefully to ensure comprehensive coverage.
Whatever your final insurance program looks like, you should review it at least every six months. Your business can change rapidly, especially in the first few years and insurance needs change with it. Keep your program up to date by calling in your agent and reviewing your coverage. Make changes where necessary.
LIABILITY INSURANCE
This is probably the most important element of your insurance program. Liability insurance provides protection from potential
losses resulting from injury or damage to others or their property. Just recall some of the big cash awards you have read about that have resulted from lawsuits concerning liability of one kind or another and you will understand the importance of this insurance. Your insurance agent can describe the various types of liability insurance coverage that are available. If you will end up with a comprehensive general policy, make certain that the general policy does not include items you don't need. Pay for only the insurance you need. For example, your business may not need product liability insurance.
Do not confuse business liability coverage with your personal liability coverage, both of which you need. Your personal coverage will not cover a business-generated liability. Check to be certain.
Compare the costs of different levels of coverage. In some cases a $2 million policy costs only slightly more than a $1 million policy. This economy of scale is true with most forms of insurance coverage. That is, after a certain value, additional insurance becomes very economical.
KEY PERSON INSURANCE
This type of insurance is particularly important for the sole proprietorship or partnership where the loss of one person through illness, accident, or death may render the business inoperative or severely limit its operations. This insurance, although not inexpensive, can provide protection for this situation. Key person insurance might also be necessary for others involved in your business.
SGC was a small firm run by three partners, a software programmer, marketer, and a general manager. Their product was a complex computer program used by aerospace firms. Al, the programmer, was involved in a severe automobile accident, became totally disabled, and SGC lost their programming capability. The problem was that the computer program written by Al was essentially the company's sole product. Modifications to accommodate the customer became impossible and the time to bring another programmer up to speed was excessive. SGC lost considerable business as a result of this situation. These losses could have been offset by key person insurance.
DISABILITY INSURANCE
You, as a business owner, should be covered by disability insurance whether or not you decide on key person insurance. This insurance, along with business-interruption insurance, described below, will help ensure your business will continue to operate in the unfortunate situation where you are unable to work. Your disability insurance policy needs to provide satisfactory coverage. Particular attention should be paid to the definition of "disability," delay time until payments start, when coverage terminates, and adjustments for inflation.
FIRE INSURANCE
Fire insurance, like all insurance is complicated and you should understand what IS and IS NOT covered. For example, a typical fire insurance policy covers the loss of contents but does not cover your losses from the fact that you may be out of business for 2-months while your facility is rebuilt. Fire insurance is mandatory whether you're working out of a home office or you have a separate facility. You should discuss a comprehensive policy with your agent. Take the time to understand the details. For example, will the contents be insured for their replacement value or for actual value at the time of loss?
Consider a co-insurance clause that will reduce the policy cost considerably. This means that the insurance carrier will require you to carry insurance equal to some percentage of the value of your property. (Usually around 85%.) With this type of clause it is very important that you review coverage frequently so you always meet the minimum percentage required. If this minimum is not met, a loss will not be paid no matter what its value.
If you are working out of your home, your existing homeowner's policy may not cover business property. If this is the case, have your insurance agent to add a home-office rider to your policy.
AUTOMOBILE INSURANCE
You probably already have automobile insurance but it might not include business use of your vehicle. Make sure that it does.
WORKER'S COMPENSATION INSURANCE
If you make the decision to hire employees, you will be required, in most states, to cover them under worker's compensation. The cost of this insurance varies widely and depends on the kind of work being performed and your accident history. It is important that you properly classify your employees to secure the lowest insurance rates. Work closely with your insurance agent.
BUSINESS INTERRUPTION INSURANCE
This protects against loss of revenue as the result of property damage. This insurance would be used, for instance, if you could not operate your business during the time repairs were being made as a result of a fire or in the event of the loss of a key supplier. The coverage can pay for salaries, taxes, and lost profits.
CREDIT INSURANCE
This will pay for unusual losses as the result of nonpayment of accounts receivables above a certain threshold. As with all policies, you must thoroughly understand the details so discuss it with your insurance agent. One of the largest providers of this coverage is American Credit Indemnity, Baltimore, MD. (800) 879 1224.
BURGLARY/ROBBERY/THEFT INSURANCE
Comprehensive policies are available that protect against loss from these perils, including by your own employees. Make certain you understand what is excluded from coverage.
RENT INSURANCE
This policy covers the cost of rent for other facilities in the event your property becomes damaged to the extent that operations cannot continue in your normal location.
DISABILITY INSURANCE
This insurance will pay you an amount each month slightly less than your current salary in the event you become disabled and are unable to work. Cost for this coverage varies considerably depending on your profession, salary level, how quickly benefits start, and when they end. Benefits paid are tax-free only if you, not your company, pay the premiums.
This list could be continued since it is possible to purchase insurance for just about any peril you can imagine ... if you can pay the premium! When considering your insurance coverage, use the following checklist:
INSURANCE COVERAGE CHECKLIST:
o Can you afford the loss?
o What coverage is required by Federal, state, or local law?
o What SPECIFIC items are covered by the policy?
o Are items to be insured for their replacement cost or original value?
o What SPECIFIC items are EXCLUDED by the policy?
o If there is a co-insurance clause, do you have adequate coverage?
o Have you chosen deductibles wisely in order to minimize costs?
o Do any of the policies you are considering duplicate or overlap one another?
o Do you need any insurance based on location, e.g., flood, earthquake?
Use the following checklist to review your insurance plans:
INSURANCE PLAN CHECKLIST:
o Employ an independent insurance agent rather than going to individual insurance companies. Ensure the agent shops for your insurance.
o Talk to and get quotations from at least THREE agents and pick the best one for you.
o Use money saving comprehensive policies, if possible.
o Perform periodic (every 6-months) reviews of your insurance program.
o Have business assets professionally appraised to determine coverage needs.
o Ensure existing personal insurance coverage includes business-related activities and add riders as necessary or obtain additional coverage.

http://www.TotalBusiness.com is a Website that provides business owners with the information they need in order to successfully start, manage, grow, and sell their businesses.

Small Business Health Insurance - The Best Policy Is A Great Agent

2019-10-24T05:10:00.000-07:00

I have been a health insurance broker for over a decade and every day I read more and more "horror" stories that are posted on the Internet regarding health insurance companies not paying claims, refusing to cover specific illnesses and physicians not getting reimbursed for medical services. Unfortunately, insurance companies are driven by profits, not people (albeit they need people to make profits). If the insurance company can find a legal reason not to pay a claim, chances are they will find it, and you the consumer will suffer. However, what most people fail to realize is that there are very few "loopholes" in an insurance policy that give the insurance company an unfair advantage over the consumer. In fact, insurance companies go to great lengths to detail the limitations of their coverage by giving the policy holders 10-days (a 10-day free look period) to review their policy. Unfortunately, most people put their insurance cards in their wallet and place their policy in a drawer or filing cabinet during their 10-day free look and it usually isn't until they receive a "denial" letter from the insurance company that they take their policy out to really read through it.
The majority of people, who buy their own health insurance, rely heavily on the insurance agent selling the policy to explain the plan's coverage and benefits. This being the case, many individuals who purchase their own health insurance plan can tell you very little about their plan, other than, what they pay in premiums and how much they have to pay to satisfy their deductible.
For many consumers, purchasing a health insurance policy on their own can be an enormous undertaking. Purchasing a health insurance policy is not like buying a car, in that, the buyer knows that the engine and transmission are standard, and that power windows are optional. A health insurance plan is much more ambiguous, and it is often very difficult for the consumer to determine what type of coverage is standard and what other benefits are optional. In my opinion, this is the primary reason that most policy holders don't realize that they do not have coverage for a specific medical treatment until they receive a large bill from the hospital stating that "benefits were denied."
Sure, we all complain about insurance companies, but we do know that they serve a "necessary evil." And, even though purchasing health insurance may be a frustrating, daunting and time consuming task, there are certain things that you can do as a consumer to ensure that you are purchasing the type of health insurance coverage you really need at a fair price.
Dealing with small business owners and the self-employed market, I have come to the realization that it is extremely difficult for people to distinguish between the type of health insurance coverage that they "want" and the benefits they really "need." Recently, I have read various comments on different Blogs advocating health plans that offer 100% coverage (no deductible and no-coinsurance) and, although I agree that those types of plans have a great "curb appeal," I can tell you from personal experience that these plans are not for everyone. Do 100% health plans offer the policy holder greater peace of mind? Probably. But is a 100% health insurance plan something that most consumers really need? Probably not! In my professional opinion, when you purchase a health insurance plan, you must achieve a balance between four important variables; wants, needs, risk and price. Just like you would do if you were purchasing options for a new car, you have to weigh all these variables before you spend your money. If you are healthy, take no medications and rarely go to the doctor, do you really need a 100% plan with a $5 co-payment for prescription drugs if it costs you $300 dollars more a month?
Is it worth $200 more a month to have a $250 deductible and a $20 brand name/$10 generic Rx co-pay versus an 80/20 plan with a $2,500 deductible that also offers a $20 brand name/$10generic co-pay after you pay a once a year $100 Rx deductible? Wouldn't the 80/20 plan still offer you adequate coverage? Don't you think it would be better to put that extra $200 ($2,400 per year) in your bank account, just in case you may have to pay your $2,500 deductible or buy a $12 Amoxicillin prescription? Isn't it wiser to keep your hard-earned money rather than pay higher premiums to an insurance company?
Yes, there are many ways you can keep more of the money that you would normally give to an insurance company in the form of higher monthly premiums. For example, the federal government encourages consumers to purchase H.S.A. (Health Savings Account) qualified H.D.H.P.'s (High Deductible Health Plans) so they have more control over how their health care dollars are spent. Consumers who purchase an HSA Qualified H.D.H.P. can put extra money aside each year in an interest bearing account so they can use that money to pay for out-of-pocket medical expenses. Even procedures that are not normally covered by insurance companies, like Lasik eye surgery, orthodontics, and alternative medicines become 100% tax deductible. If there are no claims that year the money that was deposited into the tax deferred H.S.A can be rolled over to the next year earning an even higher rate of interest. If there are no significant claims for several years (as is often the case) the insured ends up building a sizeable account that enjoys similar tax benefits as a traditional I.R.A. Most H.S.A. administrators now offer thousands of no load mutual funds to transfer your H.S.A. funds into so you can potentially earn an even higher rate of interest.
In my experience, I believe that individuals who purchase their health plan based on wants rather than needs feel the most defrauded or "ripped-off" by their insurance company and/or insurance agent. In fact, I hear almost identical comments from almost every business owner that I speak to. Comments, such as, "I have to run my business, I don't have time to be sick! "I think I have gone to the doctor 2 times in the last 5 years" and "My insurance company keeps raising my rates and I don't even use my insurance!" As a business owner myself, I can understand their frustration. So, is there a simple formula that everyone can follow to make health insurance buying easier? Yes! Become an INFORMED consumer.
Every time I contact a prospective client or call one of my client referrals, I ask a handful of specific questions that directly relate to the policy that particular individual currently has in their filing cabinet or dresser drawer. You know the policy that they bought to protect them from having to file bankruptcy due to medical debt. That policy they purchased to cover that $500,000 life-saving organ transplant or those 40 chemotherapy treatments that they may have to undergo if they are diagnosed with cancer.
So what do you think happens almost 100% of the time when I ask these individuals "BASIC" questions about their health insurance policy? They do not know the answers! The following is a list of 10 questions that I frequently ask a prospective health insurance client. Let's see how many YOU can answer without looking at your policy.
1. What Insurance Company are you insured with and what is the name of your health insurance plan? (e.g. Blue Cross Blue Shield-"Basic Blue")
2. What is your calendar year deductible and would you have to pay a separate deductible for each family member if everyone in your family became ill at the same time? (e.g. The majority of health plans have a per person yearly deductible, for example, $250, $500, $1,000, or $2,500. However, some plans will only require you to pay a 2 person maximum deductible each year, even if everyone in your family needed extensive medical care.)
3. What is your coinsurance percentage and what dollar amount (stop loss) it is based on? (e.g. A good plan with 80/20 coverage means you pay 20% of some dollar amount. This dollar amount is also known as a stop loss and can vary based on the type of policy you purchase. Stop losses can be as little as $5,000 or $10,000 or as much as $20,000 or there are some policies on the market that have NO stop loss dollar amount.)
4. What is your maximum out of pocket expense per year? (e.g. All deductibles plus all coinsurance percentages plus all applicable access fees or other fees)
5. What is the Lifetime maximum benefit the insurance company will pay if you become seriously ill and does your plan have any "per illness" maximums or caps? (e.g. Some plans may have a $5 million lifetime maximum, but may have a maximum benefit cap of $100,000 per illness. This means that you would have to develop many separate and unrelated life-threatening illnesses costing $100,000 or less to qualify for $5 million of lifetime coverage.)
6. Is your plan a schedule plan, in that it only pays a certain amount for a specific list of procedures? (e.g., Mega Life & Health & Midwest National Life, endorsed by the National Association of the Self-Employed, N.A.S.E. is known for endorsing schedule plans) 7. Does your plan have doctor co-pays and are you limited to a certain number of doctor co-pay visits per year? (e.g. Many plans have a limit of how many times you go to the doctor per year for a co-pay and, quite often the limit is 2-4 visits.)
8. Does your plan offer prescription drug coverage and if it does, do you pay a co-pay for your prescriptions or do you have to meet a separate drug deductible before you receive any benefits and/or do you just have a discount prescription card only? (e.g. Some plans offer you prescription benefits right away, other plans require that you pay a separate drug deductible before you can receive prescription medication for a co-pay. Today, many plans offer no co-pay options and only provide you with a discount prescription card that gives you a 10-20% discount on all prescription medications).
9. Does your plan have any reduction in benefits for organ transplants and if so, what is the maximum your plan will pay if you need an organ transplant? (e.g. Some plans only pay a $100,000 maximum benefit for organ transplants for a procedure that actually costs $350-$500K and this $100,000 maximum may also include reimbursement for expensive anti-rejection medications that must be taken after a transplant. If this is the case, you will often have to pay for all anti-rejection medications out of pocket).
10. Do you have to pay a separate deductible or "access fee" for each hospital admission or for each emergency room visit? (e.g. Some plans, like the Assurant Health's "CoreMed" plan have a separate $750 hospital admission fee that you pay for the first 3 days you are in the hospital. This fee is in addition to your plan deductible. Also, many plans have benefit "caps" or "access fees" for out-patient services, such as, physical therapy, speech therapy, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, etc. Benefit "caps" could be as little as $500 for each out-patient treatment, leaving you a bill for the remaining balance. Access fees are additional fees that you pay per treatment. For example, for each outpatient chemotherapy treatment, you may be required to pay a $250 "access fee" per treatment. So for 40 chemotherapy treatments, you would have to pay 40 x $250 = $10,000. Again, these fees would be charged in addition to your plan deductible).
Now that you've read through the list of questions that I ask a prospective health insurance client, ask yourself how many questions you were able to answer. If you couldn't answer all ten questions don't be discouraged. That doesn't mean that you are not a smart consumer. It may just mean that you dealt with a "bad" insurance agent. So how could you tell if you dealt with a "bad" insurance agent? Because a "great" insurance agent would have taken the time to help you really understand your insurance benefits. A "great" agent spends time asking YOU questions so s/he can understand your insurance needs. A "great" agent recommends health plans based on all four variables; wants, needs, risk and price. A "great" agent gives you enough information to weigh all of your options so you can make an informed purchasing decision. And lastly, a "great" agent looks out for YOUR best interest and NOT the best interest of the insurance company.
So how do you know if you have a "great" agent? Easy, if you were able to answer all 10 questions without looking at your health insurance policy, you have a "great" agent. If you were able to answer the majority of questions, you may have a "good" agent. However, if you were only able to answer a few questions, chances are you have a "bad" agent. Insurance agents are no different than any other professional. There are some insurance agents that really care about the clients they work with, and there are other agents that avoid answering questions and duck client phone calls when a message is left about unpaid claims or skyrocketing health insurance rates.
Remember, your health insurance purchase is just as important as purchasing a house or a car, if not more important. So don't be afraid to ask your insurance agent a lot of questions to make sure that you understand what your health plan does and does not cover. If you don't feel comfortable with the type of coverage that your agent suggests or if you think the price is too high, ask your agent if s/he can select a comparable plan so you can make a side by side comparison before you purchase. And, most importantly, read all of the "fine print" in your health plan brochure and when you receive your policy, take the time to read through your policy during your 10-day free look period.
If you can't understand something, or aren't quite sure what the asterisk (*) next to the benefit description really means in terms of your coverage, call your agent or contact the insurance company to ask for further clarification.
Furthermore, take the time to perform your own due diligence. For example, if you research MEGA Life and Health or the Midwest National Life insurance company, endorsed by the National Association for the Self Employed (NASE), you will find that there have been 14 class action lawsuits brought against these companies since 1995. So ask yourself, "Is this a company that I would trust to pay my health insurance claims?
Additionally, find out if your agent is a "captive" agent or an insurance "broker." "Captive" agents can only offer ONE insurance company's products." Independent" agents or insurance "brokers" can offer you a variety of different insurance plans from many different insurance companies. A "captive" agent may recommend a health plan that doesn't exactly meet your needs because that is the only plan s/he can sell. An "independent" agent or insurance "broker" can usually offer you a variety of different insurance products from many quality carriers and can often customize a plan to meet your specific insurance needs and budget.
Over the years, I have developed strong, trusting relationships with my clients because of my insurance expertise and the level of personal service that I provide. This is one of the primary reasons that I do not recommend buying health insurance on the Internet. In my opinion, there are too many variables that Internet insurance buyers do not often take into consideration. I am a firm believer that a health insurance purchase requires the level of expertise and personal attention that only an insurance professional can provide. And, since it does not cost a penny more to purchase your health insurance through an agent or broker, my advice would be to use eBay and Amazon for your less important purchases and to use a knowledgeable, ethical and reputable independent agent or broker for one of the most important purchases you will ever make....your health insurance policy.
Lastly, if you have any concerns about an insurance company, contact your state's Department of Insurance BEFORE you buy your policy. Your state's Department of Insurance can tell you if the insurance company is registered in your state and can also tell you if there have been any complaints against that company that have been filed by policy holders. If you suspect that your agent is trying to sell you a fraudulent insurance policy, (e.g. you have to become a member of a union to qualify for coverage) or isn't being honest with you, your state's Department of Insurance can also check to see if your agent is licensed and whether or not there has ever been any disciplinary action previously taken against that agent.
In closing, I hope I have given you enough information so you can become an INFORMED insurance consumer. However, I remain convinced that the following words of wisdom still go along way: "If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is!" and "If you only buy on price, you get what you pay for!"

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/526570

Insurance

2019-10-21T05:08:00.000-07:00

According to law and economics insurance is a type of risk management principally exercised to circumvent the risk of potential loss. A company selling the insurance is called insurer. It has become a lucrative business around the globe. Insurance rates, which are used to determine the amount of premium, may vary from company to company. An uncomplicated example is life insurance. A person pays a certain amount of premiums to the insurer. When he dies a predefined amount is given to his family.
Types of Insurance
Nothing is predictable on this dangerous planet. Any accident can happen or any disease can attack us. So, we should be prepared for it. There are various types of insurance policies focusing different fields of life.
Health Insurance
Various insurers offer health insurance plans. If the insured person is injured due to accident or is sick then the medical expenses are paid by the insurer. There is a lawful indenture between the insurer and the insured person.
Dental Insurance
Insurance intended to disburse the expenses related to dental care is called dental insurance. Dental insurance helps people to cope with the pecuniary hardships caused by sudden dental costs.
Auto Insurance
The insurance purchased for cars, trucks, and all other auto mobiles is called auto insurance or automobile insurance. The principal benefit of car insurance is the provision of protection against the losses occurred due to traffic accidents. If an insured vehicle is damaged as a result of accident, the repairing costs are paid by insurer. Auto insurance companies also provide replacements, if the vehicle is totally destroyed. It is obligatory in many countries to purchase automobile insurance. One can choose the right car insurance by comparing auto insurance quotes provided by different companies.
Pet Insurance
If your insured pet is injured or suffering from illness, pet insurance will pay the veterinary expenses. Some pet insurance policies are also designed to pay if the insured pet dies, is lost or stolen. Pet insurance is mostly available in developed countries.
Travel Insurance
Insurance which is planned to tackle financial and other potential losses while travelling within your country or internationally is called travel insurance. Travel insurance mostly hedge against the risks like theft, loss, delayed baggage, emergency evacuation, damage to personal possessions, legal assistance, accidental death, overseas funeral expenses etc.
Life Insurance
In life insurance there is a contract between insured and insurer. According to that contract if the insured person dies the insurer will pay an amount of money to his family. In return the insured person will pay premium to insurer. There are two types of life insurance, protection policies and investment policies. Another life based insurance is term life insurance. The insurance coverage is provided for a limited time period. After that period, its insured choice that he want to drop the policy or cotinue indemnity by paying premiums for next term.
Many insurers are providing their services. Some of the well-known insurance companies are state farm insurance, allstate insurance, farmers insurance and progressive insurance.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/600918