Archive for March, 2009

Critical Illness Insurance - The Non-Disclosure Problem

If you’re in the unfortunate position of having to make a claim on your critical illness insurance policy, the last thing you want is insensitive hassle or apparent non co-operation from your insurer. But according to numerous newspaper articles, that’s precisely what’s happening. The core problem is that before they’ll pay out, the insurer will always want to make exhaustive enquiries about your past health record. Whilst you’ll have provided them with lots of similar information when you initially applied for the cover, the insurers will now insist that all the information is rechecked. And if at the time you said you weren’t a smoker, they’ll now want this verified by your doctor.

The reasons are obvious. They’re faced with a big claim, typically way over £100,00, and they want to be certain that you told them the entire truth about your health when you first applied. This means that now you’ve claimed, they’ll crawl over your medical records in great detail checking that you disclosed everything on your application. Every small and apparently insignificant detail will be subject to intense scrutiny. The problem is that their reams of correspondence can be quite upsetting for you.

The insurers defend their procedures saying that they need to be certain that when they accepted the business, you disclosed the full truth about the factors affecting your health. They want to be sure that you didn’t cheat by omitting some information in order to dupe the company into issuing a policy when they otherwise might not, or to help you qualify for a lower premium. Either way, non-disclosure as they call it, is cheating and a valid reason for them refusing your claim. It doesn’t even matter if the information you omitted ultimately had nothing to do with the illness that occasioned the claim. The insurers position is that every piece of information you provide was used to work out your premium and any omission affects the calculation.

The insurers are particularly distrustful if the claim arrives within the policy’s first five years. Any claim arising during this period is classed as an “early claim” and the insurers are particularly watchful for policyholders who took out the critical illness insurance already suspecting that that they were already ill.

The problem is that all this intense scrutiny attracts a very bad press. If you’re very sick and distressed, the last thing you want is lots’ of questions and high-handed hassle from your insurer.

There’s undoubtedly a conflict here. If they are to neutralise the bad press, the insurance companies need to work much harder at softening the enquiry process and they must liase much more closely with their claimants. Insurers must present a much softer centre at what is a most distressing time for their claimants.

All this adverse PR has had two effects on the critical illness insurance market. Applicants have apparently been favouring insurers who publish the lowest rejection rates and others have withdrawn from making any application.

In practice, avoiding insurers who publish high refusal rates has little benefit. That’s because the published figures can be misleading. The latest figures show that Scottish Equitable Protect has refused to pay out on 28% of critical illness claims followed closely by Friends Provident at 25%. If you compare these figures with Scottish Provident at 13.7%, many potential policyholders can be forgiven for favouring Scottish Provident. But that’s not necessarily the best decision.

The problem with interpreting these figures is that the figures themselves can be distorted by how long the insurer has been active in the critical illness market. As rejection rates are highest with policies that have only run for a few years, then companies that are new to the critical illness market will automatically have the highest rejection rates. This leaves companies such as Guardian Financial Services looking good with a rejection rate of just 10%. The truth is that the Guardian has been in the market for over 15 years and has a mature book of business.

And it’s a pity that all this negative publicity has undermined confidence in critical illness insurance. In our view, this insurance plays an important part in protecting family finances but people are being deterred from buying it, leaving their family unit exposed if they become seriously ill. After all, if the main income provider is taken seriously ill, the family’s income can plummet. That means that the tax-free lump sum paid out by these policies can become central to the family’s financial survival.

Our advice is if you think you need critical illness cover press on. But be aware that these policies vary a lot in the cover they offer - so straight price comparisons aren’t really meaningful. Basic plans will cover one or more of the most serious conditions but comprehensive plans cover many more – for example:

Alzheimer’s disease

Aorta graft surgery

Aplastic anaemia

Bacterial Meningitis

Benign brain tumour

Blindness

Cancer

Cardiomyopathy

Chronic lung disease

Coma

Coronary artery by-pass surgery

Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease

Deafness

Dementia

Heart attack

Heart valve replacement or repair

HIV or AIDs from an assault, blood transfusion, occupational duties or accident

Keyhole heart surgery

Kidney failure

Loss of independent existence

Loss of limbs

Loss of speech

Major organ transplant

Motor Neurone disease

Multiple Sclerosis

Paralysis/Paraplegia

Parkinson’s disease

Progressive Supranulcear Palsy

Stroke

Third degree burns

Total and Permanent Disability

Cover for children

This complexity means that you really need independent advice. There are plenty of web sites that can help you. Just search for “critical illness insurance” and make sure you can talk to an adviser before you buy.

Brokers Online are a large uk based financial website. We specialise in providing uptodate financial news which helps our readers make the right choices about their life-assurance-bureau.co.uk Critical Illness Cover



Life Insurance Quotes And Saving Money

If you’re shopping for life insurance quotes, keep in mind the following if you want to save money. This applies to both term life and whole life insurance.

Life insurance costs are based upon a lot of factors, including the type of policy, age, health, smoker or non-smoker, hobbies, coverages and any additional benefits.
When you shop for life insurance, your main concern should be purchasing enough to provide for your family’s needs. Once you’ve done that:

Take the time to shop around and compare life insurance quotes. Rates can differ quite a bit between companies, and this is one of the biggest ways you could save money. Get at least three or more life insurance quotes. Using the Internet to get online life insurance quotes is a great way to help you make decisions without the pressure of an agent or salesman. This is especially convenient with a comparison Web site that provides quotes from several different companies.

Choose a company you can trust. You want to make sure that company will be around if your family ever needs the benefit — otherwise you’ve paid premiums for nothing. Only purchase from reputable, financially stable companies.

Check into group insurance. You may be able to get life insurance at a discounted rate through your employer, a professional organization, an association or other places.

If buying term, think about the right coverage period for your situation. A 20-year term life insurance policy may have a lower premium than a 10-year policy, but if you only need the insurance for 10 years or less you may want to get the lower term and save some money.

Get healthy. Smoking can dramatically increase the amount you pay for life insurance. That’s one good incentive to quit if you are a smoker. Also, leading a healthy lifestyle of good nutrition and exercise can prevent some of the health issues that can cause you to pay a higher rate.

To get free comparison



How to Get Affordable Homeowner’s Insurance in Pennsylvania

In the state of Pennsylvania there is certainly no shortage of qualified insurance companies to handle your needs. In fact, there are over two-hundred different companies in this state alone that provide homeowner’s insurance. With that many choices it can be difficult for an individual to decide on what company is best suited for them. Although the main consideration is usually the price of the insurance, there are some other factors that should play a part in the decision including how quickly they react to claims and how willing they are to answer questions.

Beyond those points there are some things a homeowner can do that will help them get a better rate on their insurance, including:

• Installing smoke detectors throughout the home. If an insurance company knows that a homeowner has taken this safety precaution they may offer a discount. The same is true of homes that house a fire extinguisher. This is viewed as a safety measure by the insurance company and they look favorably on it.

• Asking for multiple policies with one insurance company. If your automobile insurance company sells home insurance, ask about a discounted rate for combining the two policies.

• Pay once a year instead of monthly. Some home insurance companies offer their clients the option of paying monthly by credit card or check. Although this is convenient in terms of splitting up the policy cost over a year, there are usually service fees in place. These fees can range from a few dollars a month to over ten dollars a month. The homeowner should ask about the exact rate before deciding on this payment option.

Keeping the home in good working order including the furnace or other heating systems is also a good way to protect this large investment. When a homeowner proves they are responsible by not filing any claims, they can expect to enjoy affordable insurance rates.

Recommended sites for low rate insurance

www.ezquoteguide.com/home/ Affordable Homeowner’s Insurance Quotes in Pennsylvania
www.myquoteguide.com Instant Home Insurance Quotes Online



California Group Health Insurance Plans

People in California can opt for group, individual or Medicare health insurance plans depending upon their eligibility and requirement. People may purchase Individual health insurance plans to cover them in case of any major medical expense. Some employers purchase Group health insurance plans for business employees to provide coverage for many people, as well as medical expenses for their families. Individual health insurance is more expensive than group health insurance. Employers pay group health insurance premiums, however, certain insurance schemes may require part contribution by employees.

Another type of health insurance plan is COBRA plan or Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act passed by congress in 1986. Cal-COBRA plan has similar provisions to those in federal COBRA. Some people may prefer this plan as it is cheaper than individual health insurance but has a higher premium than group health insurance plan. The COBRA plan includes certain former employees, retirees, spouses, former spouses, and dependent children as also temporary continuation of health coverage at group rates. Group policy obtained under Cal-COBRA may cover two to nineteen employees, covered on at least fifty percent of working days. Employers do not contribute towards premium of this plan and COBRA participants generally pay the entire premium by themselves.

Generally health insurance plans do not cover the entire cost of treatment. It contributes towards a share of the cost depending upon agreement. It is advisable to purchase a group health insurance plan that covers the whole family, as it proves to be cost effective in the long run.

e-CaliforniaGroupHealthInsurance.com California Group Health Insurance provides detailed information on California Group Health Insurance, California Group Health Insurance Quotes, Afforable California Group Health Insurance, California Small Group Health Insurance and more. California Group Health Insurance is affiliated with e-CaliforniaMedicalInsurance.com California Individual Medical Insurance Quote.



Top 5 Tips To Reduce Your Life Insurance Premium

Life insurance is essential without a doubt but it can be very expensive and as such can be tempting to avoid taking out. However should the worse happen then you could leave your loved ones in a whole lot of trouble financially. Using a little common sense and initiative you can however save your self some money and so make life insurance more affordable. Here are top 5 tips to help you get the cheapest and best deal available.

1. The number one tip when shopping for life insurance is to shop around. By shopping around - especially if you take advantage of the internet - and making comparisons of policies, you will quickly and easily get yourself the best deal possible. Factors to take into consideration when comparing policies includes understanding the details of the policy. These include the amount of premium you will be paying every month; the benefits you get from the policy; and, how much the surrender value of the policy is should you cash it in early. These charges will usually vary from company to company and can vary greatly with some in what you get for your payout.

2. Many companies will allow you to make savings if you choose to pay for your policy on an annual basis or by direct debit straight from your bank account. It is worth checking on this because you could be able to make a saving rather than paying on a weekly or monthly basis.

3. Where possible, instead of taking out several different smaller policies for life insurance take out just one larger one. A large policy is always the best value for money and will sell for less per amount of coverage.

4. If you have held a policy for a number of years then it might be outdated and you could be paying more than you should be for the amount you are covered for. In fact you could be paying around 2 to 3 times more than could you be if you shopped around online and compared newer policies for a better deal.

5. If you quit smoking and drinking, start exercising and lose weight if you need to, you could find that your premiums are a lot lower than those who smoke and drink etc.

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How to Get a Cheap Life Insurance Quote

Cheap life insurance quotes are easy to find on the Internet. All you need to do is visit an insurance comparison website.

Getting started

Before you get started looking for a cheap life insurance quote, you need to make some decisions:

1. Do you want term life insurance or whole life insurance? Term life insurance is cheaper because all you are buying is insurance. Whole life insurance costs more because it includes an investment feature: part of your premium each month is invested.

2. How much insurance do you want? Depending on how many children and how much debt you have, you may need anywhere from two to ten times your annual salary in life insurance. Even parents who don’t have paying jobs need life insurance: If your primary job is to take care of your children, your spouse will likely have to pay someone else to take care of them if you die.

Get Quotes to Compare

Once you’ve answered these questions for yourself, you’re ready to start gathering life insurance quotes. The best and fastest way to get life insurance quotes is to visit an insurance comparison website. On these sites you fill out a form with information about your health, job, hobbies, and the coverage you want. You’ll then get fast quotes from multiple A rated life insurance companies.

On the best comparison websites, you can even get quick answers to your life insurance questions from insurance professionals through an online chat service or a toll-free-telephone service (See link below.)

Investigate Insurance Companies

Once you have your life insurance quotes, you’ll want to check the ratings of each insurance company before you purchase your policy. After all, while you want a cheap quote, you also want a life insurance company that’s stable and will be able to pay your claim.
To check the ratings of a life insurance company, your best source is a credit agency like Standard & Poor’s (standardandpoors.com), or a consumer rating service like J.D. Power and Associates (jdpower.com).

Visit LowerRateQuotes.com/life-insurance.html LowerRateQuotes.com/life-insurance.html or click on the following link to lowerratequotes.com/life-insurance.html get cheap life insurance quotes from top-rated companies and see how much you can save. You can get more insurance tips in their Articles section.

The authors, Brian Stevens and Stacey Schifferdecker, have spent 30 years in the insurance and finance industries, and have written a number of articles on how to get a cheap life insurance quote.



The Totally Overlooked Annuity Lead System

I know of a lead generation system that is totally overlooked. It really works and it is virtually unused. So much money is spent trying to market annuities and agents overlook this simple, cost-effective method that is often right under their noses.

I very much enjoy receiving the marketing ticklers from all those FMO’s that want us to work like slaves for them. You know what I mean, you know who they are. They are the ones who can’t sell so they invent. They invent the latest and greatest new system. Sometimes they use celebrities and sometime they use retired football stars but in the end they are all the same. Just a reinvention of another rehash of the same old thing, the secret selling system!

Sometimes it comes in the form of a webinar to learn the “secret” or sometimes it is the CD containing the information we all so desire. The other day I received a phone call from a marketer who wanted to share the “secret” with me and if I would just sign one contract he would share it. Because of my production level I was firm and would never move anything without knowing what was going to happen. So he took a chance and told me his secret and I am sharing it with you… READY? “Lobster!” Offer free lobster and you can fill the seminar room. I thought I would die from laughing…lobster!
But I do have a lead generation system that I work with my other sources and it really works and for absolutely nothing I will share it with you. Here it is…

Mortgage protection leads. They work especially well if you have been selling annuities in the past. These leads are for a perceived need and any good salesperson can expand it to a fact finder and with a fact finder the opportunities for selling an annuity increase.

I use these occasionally to break up the monotony of doing constant seminars. There is nothing that will keep you sharper than not knowing what is on the other side of the door. The uncertainty of the sales process makes you sharper and much more experienced. It doesn’t matter what level of sales you have attained, mortgage leads will make you better. Try it and grow your sales numbers.

There are tons of mortgage lead generation services and systems available. I prefer to use the direct mail approach and make my own appointments. The appointment language I use contains the term “I am going to be in your area and would it be a bother if I stopped by at 3:00 to visit with you about the information you requested?”

It works and it will get you into a large number of sales selling opportunities that will add energy and compensation to your life.

Bill Broich is thirty year annuity salesman who helps agents generate leads and sales. To discover more visit his website: annuity.com/annuity_agents.cfm Annuity Lead System



Life Insurance Policy - The What, Why and How Of A Life Insurance Policy

A life insurance policy could help you to provide your family with financial security when you die and can no longer look after them. In this article I will discuss the what, why, how, when and where of a life insurance policy. If you are wondering about getting life insurance, then you may want to read this.

What is a life insurance policy?

A Life insurance policy is a contract between an insurance company and the insured which promises to pay out a certain amount to your beneficiaries in the event of your death.

It also sets out the provisions of the life insurance coverage. These provisions include premiums, loan procedures, face amounts, and the designation of beneficiaries, among many other clauses.

Policies may be for term or permanent cash value types of coverage.

Why is a life insurance policy essential?

The benefit from a life insurance policy is not for you. It is to provide for your loved ones, but after you have gone.

After your death, the life insurance money is paid to those who rely on you to give them a secure standard of living, which they might lose if you should die. This is money when they need it the most, with no income tax or publicity.

How does a life insurance policy work?

Term life insurance is only for a certain period of time, and if the policyholder dies during the term of insurance he/she receives the death benefit. In the case of the insured person dying after the policy expires, however, no benefit is paid.

At the end of the term period, the policy expires with no accumulated cash value, and no benefits are payable. Term is the cheapest, but it’s unlikely the death benefit will be paid since the life insurance policy will probably lapse before you actually die.

When a person has family and becomes ill, not only does the sick person need support, but also the family often requires relief. Short-term income protection is an added coverage to life insurance and provides extra cash to cover the family’s needs when one spouse is ill.

You will need to decide on the amount of term life insurance before you start to shop around. Most companies have effective savings rates at $250,000, $500,000 and $1 million.

When can you take out a life insurance policy?

You may be able to get a lower premium for your insurance if you have lowered your cholesterol, lost weight or quit smoking.

A 35 year old nonsmoking male in excellent health can buy a $500,000 term life insurance policy for about $700 per year.

Keep in mind your age determines the length of time the term policy will have a guaranteed level premium. You may not be able to get more than a 10 year guarantee if you are over 50 years of age, so start while you are still young.

Where can you find a life insurance policy?

Finding a life insurance policy is something that you should not rush into.

If you are planning to apply directly for life insurance, then you may find it easier to apply online. All this information will enable you to make the right decision about the best company to get your most suitable life insurance policy from.

Getting online term life insurance quotes can be a very effective and convenient way to save you both time and money when shopping for term life insurance. The quotes are free and you’re never under any obligation to accept any quote that is offered to you.

Now you may know a little more about a life insurance policy than you did a few minutes ago. If you are interested in a whole-life-insurance-online-quote.com/ life insurance policy, you can spend some time searching and reading more about it online.

Copyright 2007 - Dan Theron. All Rights Reserved Worldwide. Reprint Rights: You may reprint this article as long as you leave all of the links active, do not edit the article in any way, give author name credit and follow all of the EzineArticles terms of service for Publishers.



Baby Won’t Sleep - Here’s Some Helpful Advice

Unless he is hungry, cold, or uncomfortable, it is normal that your newborn baby will spend at least 60% of his time asleep but you may also find that there are some occcasions, whatever you try to do, baby wont sleep.

It is important that your baby learn to distinguish between day and night. When it becomes dark outside, close the curtains and turn the lights very low. Dimmer switches may be useful to help you achieve this and they can be bought fairly cheaply. Make sure he is warm enough, and when he wakes during the night, if you decide to feed him then feed him relatively quickly and quietly without turning the lights up; Also be careful not to play with him or get him excited as this will make it more difficult for him to get back to sleep. In time, he’ll learn the difference between a day and a nighttime feeding.

Your baby may fall asleep immediately after and sometimes during a feeding. He will probably be indifferent to noises such as doors shutting or the radio and in fact, may find certain noises soothing. Babies sleeping patterns do vary though, so if your baby is wakeful after a feeding, don’t insist that he should stay in his crib. In fact, keeping him awake for a short time will often be beneficial to his sleep anyway.

You will probably find it easiest to let your baby sleep in something that makes him portable. During the day, a car seat with a carrying handle is ideal if you drive. If you don’t have a car, a portable bassinet is suitable both day and night since it is easily movable; some types can be attached to a wheeled chassis to become a carriage. When he outgrows a bassinet he will need a proper crib. If you are trying to create a good daytime sleep routine though, it will always be best to let your baby sleep in his crib during the day whenever possible.

Sleeping With You: Some parents opt to have their newborn sleep with them because night feedings are easier to cope with. It shouldn’t be a difficult habit to break after a couple of weeks. If you do sleep with your baby, there is little chance of rolling on top of him, but if you’re worried you may prefer not to have him in your bed.

Maintain Temperature: Pay careful attention to the temperature of your baby’s room. Babies cannot regulate their body temperature as well as adults. To maintain the right level of warmth they need a relatively constant temperature and enough blankets or sleeping clothes to keep them warm - but not too warm.

Sleeping Outdoors: Except when it’s chilly your baby will normally sleep quite happily outdoors but make sure he’s wrapped up and visible at all times and never place him in direct sunlight; choose a shady area or protect him with a canopy. If it is windy, put the hood up on the carriage or bassinet to act as a windbreak. A mesh net will protect him from insects if they are a problem in your locality.

Keep The Baby Comfortable: Your newborn will need to be changed often, and while he is sleeping he should wear something that gives you easy access to his diaper. An all-in-one stretch suit - one with a drawstring at the end so it doesn’t ride up his back - can be very useful. It is important that your baby does not get too hot or too cold. In warm weather a diaper and an undershirt, t-shirt or vest will be sufficient.

In the winter, you can check that your baby is warm enough by touching the back of his neck with your hand. His skin should feel about the same temperature as yours. If he feels too hot and clammy, dress him in a lighter sleeper or remove a blanket.

Stimulate Sleep: Encourage your baby to sleep at night by tiring him out in the day with plenty of stimulation: talk to him, pick him up, and give him lots of different things to look at. If he wakes up a lot in the night because he is wet, use double diapers or diaper liners, and if he cries when you leave him, don’t immediately return and pick him up. Rocking his cot, removing a blanket, or changing his position may be sufficient.

Early on, swaddling or wrapping your baby in a shawl or blanket may help him sleep; the sensation of being tightly enclosed gives babies a great feeling of security. It is also a useful way of calming a distressed baby.

To swaddle your baby, you need a shawl or small blanket. Fold the shawl in half to form a triangle and lay your baby on it, aligning his head with the longest edge. Then fold one point of the shawl across your baby and tuck it firmly behind his back. Do the same with the other point. Tuck the bottom of the shawl back underneath your baby’s feet to keep them covered.

The close wrapping holds your baby’s arms in a comfortable position that feels safe and secure and may also help him sleep longer. If his limbs move while he is asleep, he is less likely to wake if swaddled. Not all babies like swaddling and if yours doesn’t, don’t worry. It is safe to swaddle your baby in cold weather, but keep a check on her temperature by touching his skin. Unwrap him right away if he feels or looks too hot.

If you found these tips useful, take a look at The babysleepsolution.com Baby Sleep Solution -the 35 minute audio program which will show you the easy way to teach your baby to sleep through the night, every night. It’s at babysleepsolution.com www.babysleepsolution.com



How to Get a Cheap California Health Insurance Quote

One quarter of all Californians don’t have health insurance, and Los Angeles has more residents without health insurance than other city in the United States. If you’re among those Californians living dangerously and hoping to stay healthy, you need to start looking now for a cheap California insurance quote.

Check with Your Employer

Most Californians who do have health insurance get it through their employers. If your employer offers a health insurance plan, this is likely to be your cheapest option for getting health insurance.

Set Your Priorities

If you don’t have an employer insurance plan you can join, you’ll need to look into a private health insurance plan. Many types of plans are available. You will need to choose the type that best fits your needs and budget:

* Comprehensive coverage, which includes such items as doctor visits, preventative care, prescriptions, and even dental and vision.

* Major medical coverage, which covers only hospitalization and major medical expenses.

You’ll also need to choose whether you want a fee-for-service policy that lets you choose any health care provider, or if a PPO (Preferred Provider Organization) or HMO (Health Maintenance Organization) will work for you.

PPOs provide comprehensive health services but you’ll have to choose a doctor and hospital that is part of the PPO’s network. HMOs offer the cheapest rate for health insurance plans. With an HMO, you also must choose a doctor and hospital within the network. In addition, HMOs may require you to receive approval before visiting a specialist.

Choose a Health Insurance Company

Once you’ve decided what your health insurance priorities are, you can start looking for a cheap California health insurance company.

Begin your search online by going to an insurance comparison website. On this website you’ll complete a simple form with information about yourself and your insurance needs. You’ll then get quotes from multiple A-rated health insurance companies.

The best websites even let you talk with insurance professionals, online or by phone, so you can ask questions and make sure you choose the best health insurance company for your needs. (See link below.)

Visit LowerRateQuotes.com/health-insurance.html LowerRateQuotes.com/health-insurance.html or click on the following link to lowerratequotes.com/health-insurance.html get California health insurance quotes from top-rated companies and see how much you can save. You can also get more insurance tips there.

The authors, Brian Stevens and Stacey Schifferdecker, have spent 30 years in the insurance and finance industries, and have written a number of articles on California health insurance quotes.