The Flingeran Center

What to Know When Shopping for Health Insurance

Between the rising cost of health insurance and the various types of health policies, finding a plan to fit your health needs and your budget can seem overwhelming. So how can you sort though these variables and find a policy that works for you?

Doing Your Homework

Doing a little research before you start shopping for health insurance will go a long way once you start comparing quotes and policies.

You can start by reading up on the types of policies available in your area and determining what you want and need out of your health insurance–from prescription drugs to coverage of pre-existing conditions, you’ll want to identify these necessities from the outset.

To learn more about health insurance in your area, contact your state’s Division of Insurance (DOI). This underutilized resource was developed to educate and protect consumers on the topic of insurance and has many guides and publications to help you make informed decisions about health insurance. And the more you know, the better decisions you’ll make!

Shopping Tips

Under most state laws, health insurance policies are not regulated by the government. This means that insurers can sell different health insurance policies for very different prices. While that may seem complicated for the consumer, it’s actually a benefit. This means that you can get health insurance quotes from multiple insurers and select the best health insurance policy for you.

So what exactly should you be looking at when comparing policies? Here are a few important questions to ask:

Does the policy cover all major medical expenses?

What’s the monthly premium?

What are the choices for deductibles?

What percentage does the insurer pay after the deductible is met?

What coverages are included in the policy?

Does the policy cover prescription drugs?

Does the policy cover preventative care?

Are your doctors and health care facilities inside of the policy’s network?

What is the cost for seeing a physician outside of the policy’s network?

While you will certainly think of more questions to ask potential insurers, this list should get you started. Remember, the more you know, the better decisions you’ll make!

Protecting Yourself

As with most areas of business, there are a few untrustworthy insurers out there who ruin things for the good guys. That’s why it’s a good idea to investigate your insurer and his or her credentials before signing a health insurance policy.

You can check your agent’s credentials, as well as the company’s customer satisfaction rating and financial standing through consumer-serving sites like AM Best or the Better Business Bureau. Doing a little behind the scenes work on your insurer beforehand will save you the stress and financial loss of doing business with a dodgy insurer.

You can also protect yourself by knowing your rights and privileges before signing on the dotted line. Most states now require insurers to cover certain benefits, such as mammograms and prostate exams; your local DOI will have more information on mandated benefits and other rights and privileges.

Most insurers will also offer a free-look period of 10 or so days to review your policy and make any final adjustments or decisions. If you decide you don’t want the policy during that free-look period, you are entitled to a full refund and your policy will be cancelled without penalty. As a general rule, if your health policy doesn’t contain a free-look period, you’re probably better off purchasing health insurance from someone else.

Applying Lessons Learned

Now that you’ve gotten a few pointers on shopping for health insurance, you can get started and determine your needs, get the facts, shop for health insurance quotes and compare prospective insurers for price and service. Taking things one step at a time will make the task of finding cheap health insurance less daunting–and get you on the road to savings success!

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About InsureMe

InsureMe, an Englewood, Colorado-based company, links agents nationwide with consumers shopping for insurance. Specializing in auto, home, life, long-term care and health insurance quotes, the InsureMe network provides thousands of agents with insurance leads every year. For more information, visit InsureMe.com.

Hurricane season can be a rather tricky time for summer travelers. Kids are home from college, the younger kids are out of school, mom and dad are taking time off of work and the family want to take a vacation. Wait…what about hurricanes? The official hurricane season in the Atlantic begins June 1 and extends until November 30, encompassing the entire summer season in the Caribbean.

In 1998 the Phantom, a ship on the Windjammer cruise line lost its ship and all of the crew members after it sailed off into sea to avoid a hurricane. In trying to avoid the hurricane, they ran straight into the storm. Thankfully, the passengers had all been dropped off safely on the shore, but the captain and crew of the ship were not so lucky. This is a wake up call to all of those out there who think that cruise liners are unsinkable–obviously, they are not. A year later a Carnival cruise liner experienced some problems during a hurricane, but fortunately the ship, crew, and all the passengers made it out of the storm in one piece.

Situations such as this can cause a lot of travelers to second guess their travel plans, thinking that cruises and hurricanes do not mix. Of course, hurricane season and cruise liners do not go together well at all, but somehow the cruising industry has managed to stay above the hurricane season at least most of the time, making the summer one of the best times ever to take a cruise to the Caribbean. From August to December, the prices of cruises and everything that goes along with it (dining, ship lodging, activities and such) are at an all time low.

Hurricane season can be a real bummer, and those of you who have had your summer vacation displaced by a pesky hurricane or have had your long-awaited and oh so well-deserved cruise vacation cancelled due to inclement weather know exactly why that is. The good thing in all this is that as technology has advanced, so has the capabilities of the cruise liners and the liner companies themselves. No, this does not mean that a cruise ship can take on a hurricane. What this does mean is that shipping companies and weather services go to extra measures to insure that mishaps such as those that occurred with the Phantom never occur again.

Of course, this means that nothing is promised. Do not take any cruise reservations to be final ones, because any slight inkling or joke of a storm will cause the shipping company to yank their ship (their biggest investment) and their passengers (those who fund their biggest investment) off of the ocean in heart beat.

A strong piece of advice is not to finalize anything! Don’t pay any hefty deposits for anything having to do with your cruise during the summer months, the peak of the hurricane season.

Kirsten Hawkins is a cruise and travel expert specializing in discount cruises and travel. Visit www.luxury-cruise-deals.com/ for more information on how to cruise the world for little or no money.

If you have life insurance then you know that a lump sum of money will be paid to the beneficiaries of your policy should you suddenly pass away. You will probably have this policy for peace of mind to reduce the financial burden you death might put on any dependents you have, and assist them in settling your estate.

Statistically however, you are six times more likely to suffer from a critical illness than die before you reach the age of 65. Advancements in the field of medicine mean that today we are now surviving the illnesses that might have meant an early grave for previous generations. In this situation your life insurance is unlikely to be able to assist you, but an alternative is available; you might consider obtaining critical illness cover.

Critical Illness Insurance will cover you if you are diagnosed with an illness listed on your policy and, as with life insurance, pay out a tax-free lump sum. This can help with any financial difficulties that sudden diagnosis of a serious illness might bring you. If you were to be diagnosed with a serious illness today and were unable to continue working you may face several financial problems at once; you may have a mortgage payments to make, you might run your own business and need to arrange cover or you illness may require additional medical treatment not covered by your standard health insurance policy.

A standard critical illness insurance policy will cover you for the following illnesses:-

Cancer

Coronary artery by-pass surgery

Heart attack

Kidney failure

Major organ transplant

Multiple Sclerosis

Stroke

However, you may also cover additional critical illnesses under your policy, you will need to check with the individual insurance provider as to which other illnesses they may cover.

Do be aware though that there are fairly strict definitions as to what constitutes any one particular critical illness. For example if you were to suffer from Angina, this would not come under the Heart Attack section of your policy, even though it is a serious heart condition. In addition to this you will normally need to survive your critical illness for at least 28 days from diagnosis in order for your policy to pay out. There are further exclusions to your policy too, for example you cannot reasonably refuse medical treatment that leads to the development of a critical illness.

Obtaining critical illness cover is a fairly straightforward process you will need to complete an application form, and probably undertake a medical assessment. Your premium will depend on your health status at the time of application along with your family medical history. If you are a smoker you will definiately pay higer premiums. It does pay to shop around for your cover, some providers will offer additional free coverage for your children or a joint policy may be more cost effective than individual policies.

© Mike Bromley 2005

Online health food stores are about easy access and connivance to healthy foods that you need. In case you do most of your shopping online already you can always find plenty of healthy foods online to reach your physical fitness goals at your own pace. That is one of the best reasons to order food from an online store because you set your own goals as far as portions and number of meals.

Some of the best online health food stores out there include stores such are becoming to be known nationwide. Many online health food stores ship their food to many foreign countries. Most online health food store also accept most major credit cards and Paypal when ordering their food. If you become a member of a particular online health food store you can receive up to a forty percent discount on the food for example.

Organic and vegetarian foods are of course very healthy for you and popular. An online organic food store is likely to offer you soy or milk protein bars as a healthy treat. Many online health food stores offer their customers healthy seasonings from all around the world. These seasonings have been researched and are proven to be healthy and tasty at the same time. Other online health food stores offer their customers healthy cooking oils, teas and spices for something unique to try while getting healthy.

California appears to be the leader in available online health food stores. Oregon has several health food online stores available in their state that mainly address the needs of vegans. The vegan and vegetarian lifestyles are celebrated within the online health food store community. New York City offers up several online health food stores, but they don’t seem to appear to be available in many other places around the state.

Deciding on the wrong life insurance plan might leave a family without financial resources at the worst possible time.

Choosing between term and universal life insurance plans can be confusing. Only with some research and planning can a responsible choice be made.

Do You Even Need Life Insurance?

Before deciding between term and universal coverage, consumers need to determine whether or not life insurance is actually needed.

When you come right down to it, it’s a matter of money — if death would cause a financial burden for the family, then life insurance is critical. Financial matters to be considered include funeral costs, college tuition, and all outstanding and upcoming debts. For single people without children or dependents, life insurance is really optional.

Once you’ve made the decision to buy life insurance, then it’s time to determine which kind of policy is right. This is when you need a reputable insurance agent, referred to you by someone you trust. The agent can help you deal with the details of the various benefits and costs of multiple policy types.

Term Life

Term life insurance policies are among the most flexible and economical types of life insurance coverage available. These policies are designed for those who want basic coverage for a set time period without a savings account built in. This means that there will be no return on the money paid into the policy over the years.

Premium rates for a term life policy vary with the policy. Policies are usually purchased for 10, 15, 20, 25 or 30-year periods, and they may be renewable. Apart from low rates, the variety of term periods is one of the most appealing features.

For instance, a couple with a child entering college who want to ensure that tuition will be paid for in the event of their death, can purchase a term life policy for just those years. There is no reason to purchase a lifetime policy for a short-term need. Term policies with increasing or decreasing coverage are also available.

A disadvantage of term life policies is the inconsistency of their rates. While premium rates start out very low, they usually rise as policyholders age. Also, policyholders who want to renew after the initial term has ended, may find the renewal fees prohibitive.

Universal Life Insurance

Universal life insurance policies will pay any necessary death benefits, but also provide policyholders with an additional tax-deferred savings account advantage. Generally these policies must be held for a minimum of 15 years before resulting in any return from the savings account. They provide policyholders with a stable long-term investment that can be borrowed against or cashed out.

The premium rates and coverage provided by universal life policies remain constant throughout the years. Premium rates tend to be higher than with other policies, largely due to agent commissions, but under some plans the rates drop as the policyholder ages and may even disappear altogether. Unless the policy lapses, there are no renewal fees to contend with.

While some financial experts argue that there are better investment options available for educated consumers, many recognize universal life policies as having sound investment benefits.

Visit Life Insurance to learn more. Ron King is a full-time researcher, writer, and web developer, visit his website at Website

Copyright 2005 Ron King. This article may be reprinted if the resource box is left intact and the links live.

There are numerous companies existing today that offer life insurance policies. Though the crux of the policy (to ensure a safe and sound life of an individual’s survivors as well as to the individual) does not alter yet companies try to differ with each other by making different classifications or bifurcations.

Broadly the life insurance is divided into two parts.

1. Term Life Insurance Policy- Anyone can opt for a term life insurance. This type of policy is basically meant to cover a person’s short term requirements. For instance if the policyholder unfortunately meets with a grave accident, he can claim for the insurance amount. But it also compensates the bereaved in the case of death of a family member. All in all it is a policy that helps in covering potential need for life insurance in the short run.

Term life insurance is usually a renewable and convertible program. It ranges from one to hundred years. If it is a one year program then the cost of its coverage increases after every one year till the time it expires. Generally the expiry is at the age of 75. While if the policy is term to the age of 100 along with cash value it subsequently becomes a part of the insurance for ‘whole life’. Quite often it is noticed that it is cheaper to buy a whole life insurance policy than a non-cash one in value Term 100 policy.

2. Permanent Life Insurance- this is life insurance for the entire life of the individual. The value of this policy increases throughout the time one participates in the program. Terms such as Par and Non-Par are widely used in this context. Par whole life coverage generates dividends that are a partial return of the premium paid for coverage and investment growth. The amount of dividends keeps on changing from annually. On the other hand the non-par whole life insurance policies offer no dividends. The future cash values in these cases are not projected but assured or guaranteed.

• Besides this whole life-quick pay premium policies are also available. In these there is a fixed premium that one has to pay for quit a short interval of time till the time it is entirely paid up. The death benefit in this policy is leveled and paid up at the time the premium ceases.

• Whole life insurance policy can also be fractured in terms of premium payable for 15 years, 20 years and 65 years of age. The terms and conditions in these cases remain more or less the same.

• Universal life insurance policy is meant for people who require a life insurance, have a big marginal tax bracket, have big RRSP and pension contributions, paying a good tax on investment income, want to have an additional future income and have an investment prospect for at least 10 years. These policies are considered to be most difficult of all the insurance contracts.

Mansi gupta writes about affordable life insurance quote. Learn more www.lowquoter.com/life/

People remember how sad they felt while Terri Schiavo withered away; as they watched the woman’s family fight over what they thought she wanted.

You Should Have A Living Will

While Living Wills have existed for some time, they have become household words since the Schiavo case - the Florida woman who suffered severe brain damage in 1990 and became the centre of a legal and moral debate which culminated in her passing away on March 31, 13 days after her feeding tube had been removed.

The controversy pitted Schiavo’s parents, who wanted to keep their daughter alive, against Schiavo’s husband, who said she wanted to die rather live in such a state. Politicians joined in the debate as did church leaders. People around the nation argued the moral and ethical implications of Schiavo’s condition.

Schiavo did not have a Living Will - a written, legal document that clearly expresses what a patient would want done if their condition is terminal and incurable, an important message to your loved ones when you are no longer able to communicate.

While common sense would say Living Wills are more important for the elderly it’s important for adults of all ages to have such documents because you never know when tragedy will strike. Schiavo was only 26 when she collapsed in her home.

There are people who are young that don’t realize this is important, but it is. The Living Will gives you a chance to make a decision you want about life and death.

Who Needs A Living Will?

Everybody needs a Living Will. You can be in charge, regarding the way you are treated at the end of your life.

Nobody in their right mind would want their family to be dragged through something like the Schiavo case. Anybody, regardless of age, should seriously consider how they will be treated, as long as they are living by the medical community.

It is important to have a Will and a Living Will for the children. It makes it easier on families if a situation arrives, so they don’t have to make a decision on their own. It’s never too early to have a Will or a Living Will.

Ivon T. Hughes of The Hughes Trustco Group is a licensed Insurance Broker. Author of The Life Insurance Handbook. - Get a FREE Copy TODAY!
Email: info@trustco.ca Web: www.hughestrustco.com

It costs a lot to get car insurance. No one would argue on that. Without one it would cost you more to drive if you had an accident. Still, you don’t want to pay too much for it. So how can you save money on your car insurance premium?

Check several insurance companies. Don’t fall for the headline that says they got the best insurance deal in town. Find out for yourself by shopping around. It would be to your advantage to compare at least 3 quotes.

Find out how the prospective company is doing financially. Does the company have any complaints against them? What is their reputation for customer service? A good indicator of this could be seen on your initial visit. For example, did they take time to answer your questions or did they try to cut you off fast? Taking note of these things could save you some regrets later on.

Check insurance costs for the car you intend to buy. Your premium will be based on the particular cars sticker price, repair expenses, overall safety record, as well as potential theft possibility. Consider features that reduce the risk of injury or theft, such as daytime running lights or anti-theft equipment. Because the car insurance company may offer you premium discounts for a car with those features.

Consider paying a higher deductible. It may sound odd. But if you increase your deductible from $300 to say, $500, the cost of your collision and comprehensive coverage would be reduced anywhere from 15 to 30 percent. A $1000 deductible would save you even more, perhaps more than 40 percent.

Reduce coverage on your older car. The rule of thumb is to multiply your premium by 10. If your car is worth less than that total, think about dropping collision and comprehensive. You can check your cars value online at www.kbb.com.

Insure your home and car at the same company; you may get a reduction in your premium. And if you have more than one car, that may also get you a reduction. Don’t be afraid to shop around.

If you drive far less miles than the average driver, ask about Low Mileage Discounts. The car insurance company may offer you for low-mileage discounts.

Other discounts may also be available. If you have no accidents or moving violations for a number of years, you can get a discount. A defensive driving course may also win you a discount.

Remove unnecessary items from your policy. Many lenders will attach items like roadside help to your loan package. This is a good thing, but most car insurance companies already offer this on a full coverage policy. You need full coverage when financing a new car.

As you can see, there are quite a few options for getting that premium down.

A final word; what works for you over the next few years may not work later, depending on your situation. Don’t be afraid to be an alert consumer and reconsider your needs on occasion.