Archive for January, 2008

 

How does the insurance company find out about moving violations?

Wednesday, January 30th, 2008
insurance
fgeel asked:


My understanding is that when you get a moving violation (e.g, a speeding ticket), the police or the courts or whoever will notify your insurance company. When your insurance company finds out and finds out about the points that are now on your license, they raise your insurance premium. However, a friend tells me that he’s received several speeding tickets, that his insurance company has never found out (meaning no one is notifying his insurance company), and that his premium has therefore never gone up. How is that possible?

Dawn

 

What is the best health insurance and cheapest that covers medical, dental and vision in Miami, FL?

Tuesday, January 29th, 2008
health insurance
lyre5 asked:


I am searching to find the best possible health insurance that offers the lowest rates/charges, since I am fed up with my previous one that was too expensive and did not cover may of my visits. I need the insurance that covers medical, dental and vision and that it is for Miami-Dade county, Florida. Does anyone know? Thank you very much!

Marc

 

Get a Car Insurance Quote: to Find the Cheapest Price Available

Tuesday, January 29th, 2008
insurance quotes
Bren A. Kenny asked:


The quickest way to get a car insurance quote is online, and it is also the best if you want to find the cheapest price available for the type of insuring agreement that you are looking for. However, online is not the only way to get a quote, and people were buying car insurances long before computers came on the scene.

The snail’s pace equivalent of an online quote was the telephone quote, whereby you would telephone auto insurance companies and request a quotation. Either they would post you a form by snail mail, or they would take your details and provide you with a quote over the phone: no toll free numbers then, so the quote was anything but free. In fact in many cases you had to pay for the quote, on the pretext that it cost the insurance company time and money to provide you with a quotation. No mention of what it cost you in telephone charges!

If you wanted to compare prices you literally had to walk the streets from office to office (you couldn’t drive your uninsured motor vehicle!) and it was not easy to negotiate for discounts. Now, however, it is much simpler with the internet and most auto insurance companies offer automobile insurance policies online. You can get the quote online and accept it online. It is also a lot easier to negotiate the best auto insurance rates possible by comparing the prices of a large number of companies from the comfort of your home. You needn’t deal only with insurers that have branches in your home town, but nationwide - even international!

Before applying for online quotes you are advised to decide in advance what level of cover you want in your automobile insurance policy. If you want to carry out real comparisons, each insurer should be given the same information. If want to see the difference in price with and without collision coverage, for example, you can do that later. Right now you should be checking out the cheapest for the basic type of insurance most relevant to your needs. Collision and physical damage coverage can be added later once you have a short-list.

Your initial insurance quote should be for the state minimum liability cover, and you can include collision here, but only if you do so for all insurers and only if your car warrants it. Collision coverage is a waste of money if your car is going to be totalled after a small bump! Comprehensive fits into the same category. However, you might want personal injury coverage to pay for your medical expenses if you are injured, but again state it for each quote and also state the same amount for each motor insurance company.

Where at all possible keep all the information you provide exactly the same across the board. Each form will be different, so it might not be possible to keep them exactly the same, but it should be as near as you can, otherwise your comparisons will not be valid and you won’t necessarily get the cheapest quotes. The idea is to get a car insurance quote from each auto insurance company that is based upon the same information, and then to decide which are the cheapest: i.e. which provide the same level of cover for less money.

These will form your final list from which you are going to select your choice of motor insurer. The final choice will be based upon by how much you can beat them down using the various factors that can be used to get discounts. Factors such as your deductible - never include your maximum deductible in the initial quotation form. Keep some up your sleeve for future negotiation.

The general idea is to get a final three or four, and then to get further discounts from each of these. That’s when you tell them about the driving courses you have taken, or the extra safety features on your car. Tell them about your car being garaged and locked up every night and anything else you can think of that might get you a discount. They won’t offer you one, but if you ask then you can get reductions if they are warranted.

Your objective is to get a car insurance quote that is as cheap as possible while not sacrificing any of the cover that you feel you need. You can achieve that much easier by comparing a number of different insurers online.



Greg

 

Best website to compare car insurance quotes?

Monday, January 28th, 2008
insurance quotes
Jiggidy asked:


Any good websites to find me the best deal for car insurance would be appreciated. Thanks

Carol

 

New York Health Insurance

Monday, January 28th, 2008
insurance
Maria asked:


New York Health Insurance

Health insurance is insurance that pays for all or part of a person’s health care bills. A health insurance policy is an annually renewable contract between an insurance company and an individual. With health insurance claims, the individual policy-holder pays a deductible plus co-payment (for instance, a hospital stay might require the first 1000 dollar of fees to be paid by the policy-holder plus 100 dollar per night stayed in hospital). Usually there is a maximum out-of-pocket payment for any single year, and there can be a lifetime maximum.

The purpose of health insurance is to help people cover their health care costs which usually include doctor visits, hospital stays, surgery, procedures, tests, home care, and other treatments and services.

According to the latest United States Census Bureau figures, around 85% of citizens have health insurance. 59.5% of these people receive their health insurance coverage through an employer, and about 9% purchase it directly from the market. Government sources cover 27.3% of the population. Those without health insurance coverage are expected to pay privately for medical services.

Types of New York Health Insurance (http://new-york.ixs.net/General/New-York-Health-Insurance/index.aspx ) The types of health insurance in New York are group health plans, individual plans, and government health plans such as Medicare and Medicaid. In the United States, government-funded Medicare programs help to insure the elderly and end stage renal disease patients.

Group Health Plans

A group health plan offers health care coverage for employers, student organizations, professional associations, religious organizations, and other groups. The employer may pay for part or all of the insurance cost (premium).

Individual and Family Health Insurance

Individual and family health insurance is a type of health insurance coverage that is made available to individuals and families, rather than to employer groups or organizations. These types of health care plans are sold directly to individuals. For those of you who are unemployed or self-employed, an individual health insurance policy is always an option. Unfortunately rates for these policies are high and the coverage is usually less comprehensive than a managed care plan. The good news is that, in many cases, your insurance premium will be tax deductible. Of course, if you’re married, you can always try to catch a ride on your spouse’s group health insurance benefits plan.

Health insurance can be further classified into fee-for-service or indemnity (traditional insurance) and managed care. Both group and individual insurance plans can be either fee-for-service or managed care plans.

Managed Care Health Insurance

These include HMO, PPO, and POS plans. Managed-care plans typically make use of healthcare provider networks. Healthcare providers within a network agree to perform services for managed-care plan patients at pre-negotiated rates and will usually submit the claim to the insurance company for you. In general, you’ll have less paperwork and lower out-of-pocket costs with a managed care health insurance plan and a broader choice of healthcare providers with an indemnity plan.

There are three main types of managed care plans:

• Health Maintenance Organizations (HMO)

• Point-of-Service (POS)

• Preferred Provider Organizations (PPO)

All of these plans offer substantial health insurance benefits to members and their families. If you’re fortunate enough to have a choice of plan, consider the advantages, and disadvantages, of each. Compare the cost of care, the difference in premiums, deductible amounts and your freedom to choose a doctor outside the plan. There are numerous other coverages to compare as well — from prescription drugs to dental to alternative therapies. Be sure you understand the fine points of each.

Indemnity or Fee-For-Service Plan

Normally it covers the same expenses as managed care. The difference is your doctor is paid for each visit with the claim filed by either the patient or the medical provider. A big advantage– unlike some managed care plans, Fee-for-Service allows the patient a great deal of freedom in choosing which doctors and hospitals to use, but will probably involve higher out-of-pocket costs and more paperwork.

However, you’ll likely be required to pay an annual deductible before the insurance company begins to pay on your claims. An Indemnity plan may also require that you pay up front for services and then submit a claim to the insurance company for reimbursement.

Short-Term Health Insurance

Short-term health insurance plans are designed to protect against unforeseen accidents or illnesses, rather than to provide comprehensive coverage, and, as such, typically do not include coverage for preventive care, physicals, immunizations, dental or vision care. It covers for a limited period of time, and may be an ideal solution for those between jobs or those waiting for other health insurance to start. Typically, short-term plans offer coverage up to six months, although some plans may offer coverage up to 12 months. Purchasing a short-term medical insurance plan will make you ineligible for any guaranteed issue individual health plans commonly referred to as HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) Plans. HIPAA plans are usually very expensive and are generally intended for people with pre-existing medical conditions who would have trouble getting health insurance otherwise.

Medical Savings Account (MSA)

Medical savings account (MSA) is the most recent development in the area of health insurance. The principle behind the MSA is to take the bulk of the financial risk, and premium payments, away from the managed care and indemnity insurers, and allow individuals to save money, tax free, in a savings account for use for medical expenses. Individuals or their employers purchase major-medical policies, medical insurance policies with no coverage for medical expenses until the amount paid by the patient exceeds a predetermined maximum amount, such as 2500 dollar per year. These policies have extremely high deductibles and correspondingly low monthly premiums and the participants take the money that they would have spent on higher premiums and deposit it in an MSA. This money accrues through monthly deposits and also earns interest, and can be spent only to pay for medical care

What’s The Best Health Insurance Plan?

There is no one “best” plan for everyone. The best match for you and your family may be different than the best match for someone else. In order to help you answer this question, here are a few things to consider:

1. Are you going to need long-term coverage or just something for the short-term?

If you’re between jobs for 1-6 months, you may want to go for short-term coverage options. Alternatively, if you have no prospects of receiving group health insurance coverage through an employer, you may value the stability and increased benefits offered through an individual and family health insurance plan which will provide longer term coverage.

2. Are you looking for basic coverage or more comprehensive coverage?

Some insurance plans offer basic coverage (i.e., primarily inpatient hospitalization and outpatient surgery coverage) to cover you in case of a major accident or illness. These insurance plans typically have a lower monthly premium than plans with more comprehensive coverage, and may be appropriate for people who intend to use their insurance primarily in the event of a serious accident or illness. Other insurance plans that offer more comprehensive coverage may include benefits such as preventative care, physician services, prescription drug benefits and routine office visits. These insurance plans typically have a higher monthly premium than plans that only offer basic coverage, and may be appropriate for people who intend to use their insurance on a regular basis.

3. Would you pay for your services before you use them or when you use them?

If you choose a health insurance plan with a low monthly premium, you’re likely to have a higher co-payment or deductible. If you don’t anticipate making frequent use of your health insurance coverage, a higher-deductible plan with a lower monthly premium may suit you best.

4. How important to you is easy access to specialists?

Health insurance plans that require you to coordinate your care through a primary care physician typically require that you obtain a referral before seeing a specialist. So, if you prefer easier access to specialists, you may wish to consider a different type of plan.

5. Do you have a specific doctor or hospital that you would like to visit for healthcare?

Some insurance plans utilize provider networks. Pay special attention to the network of doctors or facilities that each health insurance plan utilizes. Also note that networks utilized by health insurance plans can change, so there is no guarantee that your doctor will always be contracted with your chosen health insurance plan.

6. What is the most you could pay out in case of a serious illness or injury?

Health insurance plans typically place limits on how much a member is required to pay out per year for his or her healthcare. This limit is often referred to as an out-of-pocket maximum. Once you’ve contributed this maximum amount toward your healthcare, the health insurance company typically covers all other costs for the remainder of the benefit year. If you’re concerned about what may happen to you in case of a serious illness or injury, you may wish to pay special attention to the out-of-pocket maximums for the health insurance plans you’re considering.

No matter what insurance plan you may choose, educate yourself and understand all the basics of the health insurance before finalizing anything.

For more information about New York Health Insurance visit: http://new-york.ixs.net



Bobby

 

Barack Obama’s Health Insurance Plan and Its Effect on Ohio Health Insurance

Sunday, January 27th, 2008
health insurance
Ed Harris asked:


Barack Obama’s ambitious health care plan is fairly simple and straightforward. His plan seeks to dramatically and swiftly increase the number of people that have health insurance. He insists that this plan will save the typical American family approximately $2500 in annual costs. Since the average Ohio health insurance premium is less than most other states, savings to Ohio residents may average less than $2500.

The Obama plan is designed to give the federal government more control over health care decisions and dollars, a major difference from the current decentralized system of employer-based insurance and state-based insurance regulation. Here in Ohio, health insurers have been effectively held in check by the Ohio Department of Insurance. This, however, is not the case in many other states.

The Obama Plan

Many parts of the Obama plan resemble initiatives from the Clinton health plan of 1994 and the Kerry Health plan of 2004.

Essentially, Obama’s health care plan is divided into three sections:

1. Modernizing the US health care system to lower costs and improve quality

2. Promoting prevention and strengthening public health

3. Quality, portable and affordable health coverage for every person

The “Savings”

The $2500 in savings will come from health care reform, using some of the following initiatives:

*Making health insurance universal, which may reduce spending on uncompensated care.

*Improving management and prevention of chronic conditions.

*Increasing insurance industry competition and reducing underwriting costs and profits.

*Providing reinsurance for catastrophic coverage, which will reduce insurance premiums.

Shifting Cost Burden

While all of these ideas are feasible, the underlying theme seems to be simply shifting some of the cost burden from the private sector to the government. And of course, much more control of our health dollars and decisions would come from Washington D.C and not Anthem or UnitedHealthCare.

The Obama plan will actually compete directly with Ohio private health insurance companies in a “National Health Insurance Exchange.” The federal government (not health insurance carriers) would determine the quality of health benefits that Americans would receive. And these new rules would apply to both the new national health plan and all participating private health plans.

Preventative Coverage Would Be Emphasized

Obama’s health care plan will encourage “healthy lifestyles” with specific emphasis on wellness. Employer wellness programs will be increased, and cafeterias and vending machines in the workplace may see healthier food.

School-based health screening programs may increase along with increased support for physical education.

For Ohio individuals and families, the Obama plan would require preventative services on many federally-supported health programs such as Medicare, Medicaid and SCHIP. One benefit may be possible discounts to on health insurance premiums for enrollment in wellness and prevention programs.

Currently, some Ohio individual health insurance policies offer a similar discount, such as Anthem’s Lumenos Health Incentive Account (HIA).

Ohio Group Health Insurance

Employer-based health insurance would radically change under the Obama plan. Here in Ohio, both small and large employers are able to choose among many different health plans for their employees. The Obama plan would force employers to offer a specific level of health benefits to their employees or pay a tax to finance a national health program. Currently, the amount of provided health benefits and the size of the tax have not been specifically discussed.

Perhaps the best and most economical health insurance plan for Ohio residents would be a concept already in place…HSAs (Health Savings Accounts). Thus, instead of imposing a top-down change on the health care system, it would seem to be prudent to transfer direct control of health care dollars to individuals and families. This would allow Americans to choose their own health plans and benefits, while making health insurance companies compete directly for consumer’s dollars by providing a real value to patients.

All of this could be accomplished by specific tax and regulatory changes designed to utilize the power of free-market competition. Health care spending could be reduced, preventative treatment could be emphasized and portability could be promoted. Reforming the tax treatment of health insurance and aiding employers that help their employees buy health insurance would help quite a bit.

For now, Ohio health insurance rates are remarkably low compared to many other states. There are many reputable health insurance companies that offer a wide array of policies, including Health Savings Accounts. That shouldn’t change much for the next two years. In 2011, things might change…hopefully, for the better.

For additional information on Ohio health insurance plans, or an instant Ohio health insurance quote, please visit http://www.ohioquotes.com



Raymond

 

Life Insurance Over 50, Over Age 65 Or Even Age 85!

Sunday, January 27th, 2008
life insurance
Marilyn Katz asked:


Why Do Older People Need Life Insurance

Many older Americans find themselves without adequate life insurance, just at a time when it is harder to obtain coverage because of age or health conditions. Some had purchased large term policies while they were in their working years, but those policies had expired. The idea was to obtain a large amount of coverage while children needed support and mortgages still needed to be paid. After the term, they would have less obligations because mortgages would be paid off and their children would not need support. Or perhaps they had life insurance through work, and they retired, became unemployed or changed jobs.

But somehow savings had not been accumulated to meet their present debts and obligations. Maybe the mortgage did not get paid off as planned or children did not become self supporting as soon as the parents had hoped. Or maybe the older people just realized the tax advantages of passing on their estate to beneficiaries through a life insurance policy. And of course, if the formerly insured person is a partner in a business that they want to leave to somebody outside of the family, or just to one family member, they may have realized that a life insurance policy is a great way to fund a buy-out agreement!

Whatever they faced, somehow they find themselves middle aged or elderly, with outstanding obligations, and without life insurance. Now, because of illness and age, it will be more challenging to find life insurance. However, because this circumstance is common, and because many life insurance companies like mature clients, it will not be impossible at all!

Affordable Life Insurance Over 50

Many factors go into the cost of life insurance. All things being equal however, it will cost more to insure a sixty year old than a thirty year old. However, all things are not always equal. Nowadays credit is a factor that insurance companies consider, and mature people are more likely to have a long history of financial responsibility. Also, even though the mature person still has a need for life insurance, they may be able to settle for a smaller face value than they needed at thirty. Of course, underwriting will be simpler for a smaller amount of life insurance protection, and since life insurance is paid for by the amount of coverage, the premiums can still be kept affordable.

Look For Senior Friendly Companies

If you are over 50, or if you are a younger adult with a health condition, look for a life insurance policy that is geared towards your needs. An experienced life insurance company or life insurance agent, who is an expert of your sort of case, can present your options. But do not give up because you do have options! You may have to settle for a lower face value of coverage, and you may need to take out a whole life insurance policy rather than a term life insurance company. However permanent life insurance policies have their advantages too, since they do build up a cash value, and will never expire as long as the premiums are paid!



Melvin

 

Should I actually buy life insurance through Primerica? Should I shop around for good life insurance?

Sunday, January 27th, 2008
life insurance
Jeremy D asked:


I have no need for selling life insurance I just get a creepy feeling about Primerica? They seem a little shady. I just want my hard earned money going into the things I choose as far as investments and life insurance. Thanks everyone for there input!

Stacy

 

Pennsylvania Health Insurance — Free Pennsylvania Health Insurance Quotes

Wednesday, January 23rd, 2008
insurance
Pennsylvania Health Insurance asked:


www.EasyToInsureME.com is proud to announce they now offer Free Pennsylvania Health Insurance Quotes. Pennsylvania health insurance quotes are available for Blue Cross Blue Shield , Highmark , Independence , Aetna, HealthAmerica , Golden Rule , United Healthcare, and Celtic insurance companies. These health insurance companies are the top Pennsylvania health insurance carriers.

 

All Pennsylvania residents will be able to visit www.EasyToInsureME.com enter their zip code and compare all of the Pennsylvania health insurance plans side by side in the Easy To Insure ME quote engine. When the Pennsylvania resident has chosen a health insurance plan they can apply online or print an application for immediate health insurance coverage. If the Pennsylvania resident is not ready to buy yet they can choose up to 4 plans to compare and print the Pennsylvania health insurance comparison.

 

Free Pennsylvania health insurance consultations will be done over the phone between the hours of 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Feel free to call Chad Levin the owner of Easy To Insure ME at 215 944 3079. Or email them at easytoinsureme@aol.com

 

Thank you for your trust and confidence Pennsylvania.

 

 

 

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Marvin

 

Life Insurance Companies

Wednesday, January 23rd, 2008
insurance companies
Mike Armstrong asked:


It is the promise that every insurance company keeps, to pay the beneficiary a specific amount of money on the earner of a life insurance death. After all life insurance is the protection against financial loss on death of its member. This is given in exchange for the timely payment of premiums.

Many life insurance companies now carry out aggressive marketing of their policies. Although the life insurance companies are regulated and have to be careful on their claims, any prospective buyer has to carefully consider the options before deciding on a life insurance policy. Furthermore, it is important to see the financial stability of the insurance firm before taking a policy. There are also new private sector companies entering the fray and they are promoting their policies as an investment option, apart from the life insurance. The insurance companies generally promote whole life insurance with high premiums as they get more commission on them. It is however worth knowing that term benefits with affordable premiums give cover for the term without any major frills.

Term life insurance provides death protection for a definite time period and is perhaps the simplest form of life insurance. It is basically designed to provide temporary life insurance protection on a restricted budget and it can be bought in large amounts for small premiums and hence it is suited for short-range goals.

Term life insurance policies also have the advantage of having adjustable premiums. Depending on the financial state of the policy buyer, the life insurance premiums can be changed. The premiums may, however, be never raised to a maximum number of premiums stated in the policy. There is also a provision for renewing the policy when the original life insurance term ends.

All the companies promoting low cost life insurance have similar policies with a few additional benefits added or removed. The life insurance policy buyer must be able to choose the right policy and the right firm according to his research. Life insurance company reviews are found on the net and various financial magazines. It is advisable to always take reviews with a pinch of salt as they could be biased, albeit within the constraints of the law. Many of the people writing about the life insurance companies are generally employees. It is necessary on the part of the insurer to carry out a proper study and not take any of the reviews at face value.

For more information feel free to visit http://www.unbeatablelifeandcriticalinsurance.co.uk.



Alex