Thursday, December 28, 2006

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Auto insurance & the internet - a marriage made in Heaven!!

The internet is all about information, and, more critically, the ability to compare facts, data and information from several different sources quickly and efficiently.

Arguably, as a direct result of this simple fact, nobody has felt the effects of a potential customer's ability to find, check and compare such data than companies trying to sell services (as opposed to products) online.

Unlike a physical product, a service is not tangible, you cannot pick it up, feel it, or touch it. Thus, a service provider needs to supply the maximum amount of information, because the more information the potential customer has, the more confident he is likely to be when making the buying decision.

What better way to do this than via the worldwide web?

A perfect example of this is the automobile or car insurance marketplace. In the past, if you wanted to get the most competitive quotation for your car insurance, you had to “shop around” by trudging from one insurance broker or company's office to another, or by getting on the telephone to do the same thing.

The problem with this was that it was often difficult, if not impossible to know whether you were truly comparing like with like. There were (and, to a large extent, still are) so many potential variations from one company's policy to another that it was almost impossible to know whether the two policies that you were comparing really did offer identical levels of protection and benefits.

This was not always a bad thing. For example, all car insurance companies tend to “load” the premium (i.e. charge extra) for “young drivers” to be included on a policy, which can be bad news for parents using the family car to teach their son or daughter to drive. However, Company “A” may define a young driver as someone below the age of 18, whereas Company “B” will use a threshold of 21 years of age.

If your child was 19, the chances are that Company “A” will be the best bet in these circumstances.

In other words in the old days, it was absolutely necessary to “read the small print”, to avoid ending up with a automobile insurance policy that really did not meet your requirements, although it appeared at first as if it did.

Coming right back up to the present day, whilst the small print is still extremely important, the internet has effectively ensured that it is no longer so small! It is now possible to make meaningful and accurate comparisons of exactly what two companies are offering with their car insurance policy at the touch of a button.

You are still “shopping around” but you are doing it at our own speed, from the comfort of your own home.

In this way, the internet has made finding the best car insurance a far less stressful business than it was in the past, and has also guaranteed that the policy you buy is absolutely the most suitable for your own circumstances.

To find out fastest, easiest and cheapest way, visit my site at here! "http://webbiz99.com/carinsurance/"

About Author


Steve Cowan is an Asia based businessman and writer, as well as an international racing driver and full time father. To discover more, visit his blog -What's New Today, Stanley?- at here! "http://webbiz99.com/" or his site at here! "http://webbiz99.com/carinsurance/"



Source: ArticleTrader.com

Monday, December 25, 2006

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How To Choose Burglary And Theft Insurance For Businesses

By Alexander Gordon


Burglary means taking property within closed premises without permission, or through unlawful methods. Robbery refers to taking another’s property through force or threats to a person. Burglary and Theft Insurance for Businesses covers both kinds of thefts.

Types of Burglary and Theft Insurance: Burglary is of many kinds, depending on the extent of damage and the kind of property that has been stolen.

1) Safe: The most common Burglary and Theft Insurance is on safes, since the owner of the business suffers not just the loss of valuable stored within the safe, but also the damage caused to the safe itself.

2) Mercantile Open Stock: If there is a high chance of a particular place or safe being burglarized, then the insurance company sets a limit on the insurance of the item inside the safe. The Mercantile Open Stock Insurance is clubbed with another insurance policy to prevent a valuable item from being underinsured.

3) Crime Contract: Cheating and theft by employees is also a major concern for businesses. Apart from employee crime, employers and business owners may suffer losses through other crimes like fraud, misrepresentation, forgery, embezzlement etc. This type of Burglary and Theft Insurance safeguards business owners from losses arising out of any crime.

Home Owner’s Insurance:

Homeowner’s insurance covers all loss of property, including losses through thefts and crime. Homeowner’s insurance may be just another form of Burglary and Theft Insurance, or it may cover losses to property through accidents and natural disasters like flood, fire etc. If you run your business from home, then you should consider having this insurance, as damage to your home may not just mean that you have no place to live in, but also suffer losses on the business front.

What to look for in Homeowner’s Insurance:

Homeowner’s Insurance is meant to protect you from theft, property loss, natural calamities and more. As a home based business person, a homeowner’s insurance not just safeguards your home, but also your livelihood. The following are just some of the things you must keep in mind before you opt for homeowner’s insurance.

1) Check the Antecedents of the Insurance Company:

After you have selected an insurance company based on their quote, see if they are financially stable and have a good reputation.

2) See if it Includes Burglary and Theft Insurance:

A Homeowner’s Insurance package should include damage caused by theft and burglary, as well as fraud, forgery or any other type of crime.

3) Underinsurance:

Ensure that the insurance policy pays out the actual worth of your valuables in case of theft.

By keeping in mind all the tips above, you can choose a Burglary and Theft Insurance policy that suits your business. If you have any doubts or want advice, you can approach a small business consultant for help. Burglary and Theft Insurance is the best way to protect you against business losses arising from crime of any kind.

Alexander Gordon is a writer for http://www.smallbusinessconsulting.com - The Small Business Consulting Community. Sign-up for the free success steps newsletter and get our booklet valued at $24.95 for free as a special bonus. The newsletter provides daily strategies on starting and significantly growing a business.

Business Owners all across the country are joining "The Community of Small Business Owners” to receive and provide strategies, insight, tips, support and more on starting, managing, growing, and selling their businesses. As a member, you will have access to true Millionaire Business Owners who will provide strategies and tips from their real-life experiences.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Alexander_Gordon

Saturday, December 23, 2006

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Cheap Motorbike Insurance: Ride Safe!

By Jenny Black


Whether you are a moped rider or a motorcycle rider, you never know when your luck will turn its back towards you and you get involved in some accidents or mishaps. Other than this, your motorbike might get stolen. God forbid if these unwanted things happen; but misfortunes never come by giving you any sort of notice. The repairing or the replacing cost of your motorbike might be a headache for you then. Instead, you can take some preventive measures; buying a motorbike insurance which is cheap and economical is one of them.

There are basically two types of cheap motorbike insurance policy:

1. Specified rider policy: This policy specifically covers the rider, not the bike. You can ride many bikes up to a particular size.

2. Specified bike policy: This policy will insure the motorbike and not the rider. If you want to insure a number of riders on the same bike, this would be a suitable policy.

You can choose from these two policies the one that will fit your budget the best. Again, there are certain things that will affect your rate of premium. If these things are taken care of, then you can significantly lower your premium and thus avail cheap motorbike insurance policy.

• Past driving record: You can avail cheap motorcycle insurance if you have not made any claims in the past for driving related accidents.

• Security: If you fit some security features in your motorbike like immobilizers, alarms, steering locks, then you can easily avail cheap motorbike insurance.

• Type of bike: If your motorbike is a lower performance bike, then you can get motorbike insurance at a cheap price.

• Garage and parking: A motorbike kept in a covered and a locked garage will result in significantly lower premiums.

• Age: Apart from all these, a middle aged driver can get significantly the motorbike insurance policy at a lower and a cheaper rate.

It is important to look around and shop for your motorbike insurance a little. Only through a detailed hunt for motorbike insurance, you can locate cheap motorbike insurance. It is also advisable to read the fine prints of the policy document. You should also choose a cover which you can afford. Your search for cheap motorbike insurances has become easier now with the availability of the internet facilities and the online method of shopping for cheap motorbike insurance. You can compare hundreds of such cheap motorbike insurance policies and buy the one that fits your needs that best.

Jenny Black is the financial analyst at Health Insurance UK. She is providing independent insurance and financial advice on health through her informative articles. To find more about motorcycle insurance, small business health insurance, motorbike insurance, car insurance, pet insurance, cheap motorbike insurance policies visit http://www.healthinsuranceuk.org.uk

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jenny_Black

Friday, December 22, 2006

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Long Term Care Insurance Shopping Tips

By Scott Lunt


It's hard to face the reality of needing long term care. But more and more people are realizing that if they do need it, they may lose their entire retirement assets just to pay for it. It's now considered part of a smart financial plan to have long term care insurance if you don't have enough assets to cover the costs and still maintain your standard of living. The insurance can seem expensive so keep these points in mind when shopping for quotes.

Your age, health and desired benefits are the biggest factors that affect how much you pay for long term care insurance.

The older you are, the greater the chance that you may need long term care. Thus insurers will charge more to insure a 65-year-old than a 55-year-old. A recent study* released by the American Association for Long-term Care Insurance showed that the difference in yearly premium between a 55-year-old in good health and a 65-year-old in good health -- for the same benefits -- averaged almost $700 more.

The benefit affects your premium. You can choose a per diem amount for most policies based on what you think you may need. For example a policy may pay $30, $100, or $300 per day. The higher the benefit, the more your premium will be. Also, you can choose different lengths of waiting period before your benefits kick in. The longer the waiting period, the lower your premium should be.

Rates can vary between companies, so the most important consideration when shopping for long term care insurance is to get comparison quotes. When you're comparing different company quotes take a look at the following:

1. How much does the policy cost per month and per year?

2. Is there an inflation adjustment feature? How much does that feature cost?

3. What services are covered? (Nursing home, at-home care, assisted living care, etc.)

4. What is the waiting period before benefits start?

5. How much does the policy pay per day for the services? How long does the benefit last per service? Is there a lifetime benefit maximum?

6. Are pre-existing conditions covered? What conditions are covered?

7. Is the policy guaranteed renewable?

8. Does the company have a financially strong rating from an independent rating agency?

Once you select a policy, take the time to read through it carefully. If you don't understand any part of the policy, ask questions.

*2006 National Long-term Care Insurance Price Index

Scott Lunt is a freelance writer with over 15 years experience writing insurance-related articles. You can compare long term care insurance quotes and find more tips on saving on car, home, life, health and long-term care insurance at LowerYourInsurance.com.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Scott_Lunt

Thursday, December 21, 2006

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Taming Car Insurance Costs: 90% Of Accidents Can Be Avoided

By Elizabeth Ogunleye


The most effective way of ensuring that your car insurance costs will remain low is by avoiding accidents. And contrary to what most people think, most road accidents can be avoided. Research has clearly shown that 90 per cent of the car accidents that happen can be avoided. One just needs to know where to be extra careful.

Intersection errors for instance are one of the most common causes of automobile accidents. It accounts for over 65% of urban accidents, which occur at intersections. To avoid being part of this statistic you need to look around very carefully at every intersection and proceed with lots of caution and without assuming anything.

Inattention and loss of concentration is yet another common cause of car accidents. You should maintain close concentration on your own driving, other drivers and pedestrians. Not to mention always being aware of the driving conditions.

Yet another very useful precaution when driving is to look at your speed in Kilometers and then maintain that many feet in distance between your car and the one immediately ahead of you.

Vehicle malfunction also contributes to accidents. It is prudent to have regular checkups, especially of brakes, tires and wiper fluid. Maintaining your vehicle is a very effective way of avoiding automobile accidents.

Many of these simple rules may look pretty obvious, however they are often forgotten, overlooked or just ignored with serious consequences. Just remember that no other single thing you will do will be as effective in taming your car insurance costs as avoiding accidents and having a good driving record.


Wednesday, December 20, 2006

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Leave Your Tensions to College Student Health Insurance Policy

By Jenny Black


Are you a college going student? If yes, before venturing into the new world of colleges and universities, you must definitely insure yourself with college student health insurance policy.

College life is altogether different from your life during school. It is more adventurous, hectic and impulsive. There are more risks involved in matters of health. This is because of the type of lifestyle that a student is exposed during their college life. So to cover those risks it is utmost necessary for a parent or even a student to buy a college student health insurance policy from the providers available in the market.

Generally colleges have their own health care centers and facilities. These services are free and compulsory for students. Again, students from other countries are eligible for NHS General Practitioner treatment provided they intend to be in the UK for more than six months. However, where there is a pre-existing condition, which may require constant hospital care, this may not always be covered. So it is recommended that in such cases private health insurance for international student is taken out. Apart from that if specialist treatment is sought for treatment of some non-urgent conditions, it is recommended to go for private college student health insurance, because NHS waiting lists are as long as six months.

Different plans of college student health insurance include

• Full time renewable college health insurance for full time students

• Short term medical insurance for 30 days to 6 to 12 months

• Renewable plans for international college going students

You should definitely not think that health insurance is for the wealthy few. Now with the availability of economical and affordable college student health insurance, more and more people are purchasing it. Purchasing a college student health insurance is all about peace-of-mind and not having to worry – especially not about the cost of treatment - and simply concentrating on your studies. It is also about being sure that you will get the right type of treatment at the right time and right place.

But before buying any college student health insurance policy for yourself or your child, it is wise to do a little research of your own. All insurance companies now have online facilities. Because of this we can search all the needed information in the internet. All you need to do is to sit in the comfort of your homes and browse through the pages available in the various sites.

Jenny Black is the financial analyst at HealthInsuranceUK. She is providing independant insurance and financial advice on health through her informative articles. To find more about college student health insurance policy, Medical insurance, Health insurance, Eye care insurance, student health insurance visit http://www.healthinsuranceuk.org.uk

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jenny_Black

Tuesday, December 19, 2006

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Guide To Credit Cards: Do You Need A Credit Card Payment Protection Insurance

By JB Anthony


If there is one permanence you can count on in life, it is the regular collection of debts. For everything else, there is uncertainty. As stable as your job might be, you never know when your company may be cutting costs and retrenching its employees. Or, as sturdy as your couch might be, you never know when you might roll over and fall on your hips by accident and be unable to work for the next six months. The point is, you never know when you may be unable to pay your debts. Thus, there is credit card payment protection insurance to offer you a certain level financial security in cases when you can no longer pay your credit card payments due to loss of your job, illness, disability or accidents.

There are many types of credit card payment protection insurance plans available for different consumer needs.

1. Credit Card Disability Insurance – In credit card disability insurance, the credit card insurance company will pay the minimum monthly payment requirement of your credit card bills for you on the basis of your disability and will continue to do so within the reasonable period that you remain disabled. Each credit card disability insurance company has their criteria on what passes as a disability for them to take on your credit card bills. It is best to check these credit card insurance companies’ list of disabilities. Most consumers choose their credit card protection insurance company based on the possible disability from their respective line of work.

2. Credit Property Insurance – Credit property insurance companies can pay for the reparation or the replacement of your credit card-purchased property for a certain amount, in cases when the said property becomes broken, destroyed in fire or in weather-related casualties, or if stolen or lost. Some big credit card companies offers this type of property insurance protection to their customers as an added benefit for their membership.

3. Credit Unemployment Insurance – Credit unemployment insurance offers to pay the minimum monthly credit payment of credit bills in events of being involuntarily laid off from work or fired from work for a certain period of time or until the customer becomes employed again. However, in order for the latter case to take effect, the credit insurance company must be able to establish that the customer is doing every effort to find another job.

4. Credit Life Insurance – In a credit life insurance, the credit insurance company pays for the debts in case the debtor dies. This is beneficial to heads of families with beneficiaries. Applying for a credit life insurance can protect your beneficiaries and families from being run after by creditors in case of death of the borrower.

JB Anthony is the webmaster of http://www.guide-to-credit-cards.com. To compare credit card offers, to apply for oline credit card application, to apply for your credit card insurance, or to read more guides to credit cards and debt and credit management, please log on to http://www.guide-to-credit-cards.com.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=JB_Anthony

Monday, December 18, 2006

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Vehicle Insurance - A Must Have For Driver Protection

By Michael Benifez


The first thing you need to do after buying a vehicle, whether it is a car, motorcycle or a truck, is to get vehicle insurance. The amount you will pay depends on several factors: the type of vehicle you are purchasing, how long you have been driving, what state you live in, and whether you have had any accidents. If getting vehicle insurance seems confusing to you, you are not alone. Most of us do not know how to get the best deal on auto insurance, and the great majority of us are overpaying. Getting the best rate means you will have to put in some time and effort but in the end, you will be happy that you did.

Some companies may present you with a list of their competitors' rates and offer to give you the lowest one. However, you may not know whether they have left the very lowest ones off that list. Devious practices such as this can cost you a lot of money. This is a cut throat business and these vehicle insurance companies want yours badly.

The solution is to do the homework yourself. Gather up all your pertinent information and that of every driving member of your household. You will need to have handy your current car, motorcycle or truck insurance information and driving history for each driver. You will get the best rate if you have a clean driving record, have taken defensive driving courses and live in a safe area. And unless you are financing a vehicle, you do not have to have full insurance, which will also save you money. Be prepared to answer a lot of questions, and to wait a couple of days for a quote. I have no doubt that you can get a better rate on vehicle insurance than what you are paying now, and if you are willing to put the energy into finding yourself a great deal, you will certainly be glad you did.

Michael Benifez covers finance topics for http://www.LifeinPalmCoast.com, discussing the world of mortgage loans, debt, insurance and refinancing in Flagler county and Palm Coast, Florida. His recent article on auto insurance in palm coast covers auto rate options.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Michael_Benifez

Sunday, December 17, 2006

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About Winter Sports Travel Insurance

By: Nicholas Hunt

As the days grow shorter and summer becomes a memory, many of us will be turning our thoughts towards planning a winter vacation, especially one involving winter sports such as skiing. Travel insurance is an often overlooked part of holiday planning, but if you plan on taking part in sporting activites then it really is essential.

A normal travel insurance policy will probably not be up to the standard you need for winter sports, and if things go wrong you could be left facing a huge bill. So what features should you be looking for in a policy?

- Injury Cover

No matter how accomplished a skiier you are, hurtling down a mountain is always going to be more risky than simply lying on a beach working on a tan. And if you do have an accident, a mountainside isn't the easiest place for medical services to reach. If you're unlucky enough to need a mountain rescue or airlift to hospital, you'll be facing a bill running into the thousands even before you get medical attention. This sort of expense is likely to be specifically excluded on a standard insurance policy, but will be an integral part of almost any winter sports cover.

- Equipment

Most winter sports require expensive equipment, and where there are valuables there's always the chance of theft. Your insurance should provide enough cover to fully replace your equipment with brand new items if necessary, right there at the resort. Even if you plan to hire your equipment, the hire company will probably require insurance - and your own policy is likely to be cheaper than the standard one they'll try to sell you.

- Liability

Even the best skiiers or snowboarders can be involved in an accident in which someone else gets injured. Whether or not an accident is your fault, you could end up being taken to court and this is usually a long and expensive process. A decent insurance policy will cover costs from any legal proceedings and / or compensation payments.

- Closure of Piste

If bad weather (or warm weather!) means that the pistes are closed and you can't ski, your policy should pay you compensation to cover the costs of any pre-booked lessons or lift fees, and many will even include a payment simply to cover the inconvenience of not being able to ski.

- Off Piste

A final point to note is that a standard winter sports policy will probably only cover you for accidents that occur when skiing on designated pistes. If you plan to go off-piste, then make sure your insurance will cover this - you'll probably have to pay a supplement.

As with most kinds of insurance, paying out for travel insurance can seem like a waste of money. However, if you find yourself caught up in an accident on the mountainside then the costs involved can be truly frightening and you'll be glad you took the time to arrange adequate cover in advance!

Article Source: http://freearticlesubmission.com

Nick Hunt is a contributing writer for 1Stop Personal Finance, where you can read more about winter sports insurance in the travel insurance section of the site.

Saturday, December 16, 2006

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Car Insurance. Don’t forget the legal expense cover

Holmes Chapel, Cheshire


When buying your car insurance over the Internet, do you tick yes or no to the option of legal expenses cover? Because it adds on a little extra to the premiums, it’s tempting not to bother, especially as many of us aren’t really sure what it is! However, we really think that it’s an essential part of a car insurance policy, and advise you to definitely take the option if it’s not already included. Here’s why.

A few months ago, one of our freelance writers, Jake, had an accident. He’s very proud of his car, a Golf Mark I, and spends every weekend tinkering with it. So it was important to him that his insurance covers absolutely everything, and that’s why he made sure he had legal expenses cover.

Luckily for him, the legal expenses cover proved its worth after the accident. He was hit from behind, so the car sustained some damage that was fixable. The insurance made sure that all happened swiftly. Jake broke his wrist in the accident, and suffered some whiplash. Without legal expenses cover, he would have to pay himself for a solicitor to pursue for compensation. As it was, Jake received compensation soon after. As a freelance writer, Jake only gets paid for the hours he works; he doesn’t get sick pay from an employer. He couldn’t work for a month, so also lost a lot of earnings in that time. In stepped the legal expenses cover again, and Jake will soon receive compensation for his loss of earnings.

The legal cover only added £2 a month to his premiums, so it was certainly worth the minimal investment.

Comprehensive insurance covers everything to do with your car, but it doesn’t cover the consequences of an accident. For no fault of his own, Jake was left unable to work for a month. Having the legal cover meant that he was as well looked after as his car. Without it, the expenses related towards getting compensation would have been all his.

Say for example you are not injured but your car is out of action for a couple of weeks waiting for parts. If you don’t have free hire car benefits, then you would have to rely on public transport for a few weeks. But if you have legal expense cover, then you can hire a car and be compensated for your inconvenience.

You don’t even have to do anything – just provide the details of the accident as usual and the legal eagles will do the rest. You may need to talk to the solicitor working on your case, or possibly attend court if matters go that far, but you will never have to pay for any of the legal fees.

It’s not even expensive. A few insurers actually include it for free, Admiral being one of them. With most insurers it will be an extra cost but it averages at about £20 a year – for example it costs £17.85 with More Than and Budget charge £24. When you think about the long drawn out court battles that have resulted from car accidents, especially those involving serious injuries that cost millions – it’s definitely an optional extra worth taking.

So next time you choose a car insurance policy, make sure you get legal expense cover. If it’s not included, choose it as an extra. The difference in cost is far outweighed by the huge benefits if you were to need it.

Scrouge Online provide their clients with access to car insurance quotes online www.scrouge-online.co.uk

Friday, December 15, 2006

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Annual Holiday Travel Insurance: Enjoy Your Holidays

By Henry Bell


Holidays help you to break free from this mundane life. People from every nook and corner of this world goes for vacationing either once a year or more than once. They prefer not to refer about mishaps, accidents or illness; but these are facts that sometimes can spoil you holidays and landing you up in heavy financial burden. To help you in this, you should buy holiday travel insurance for you and your family members.

Now, there are different types of holiday travel insurance policies that you can choose from. They are single trip insurance which are designed for a single or specific travel in a year and annual holiday travel insurance which are for several trips all round the year. Other than these two there are adventurous travel, backpackers travel insurance etc.

Annual holiday travel insurance plans are perfect for the travelers who travel frequently to various holiday destinations. Instead of buying a single travel insurance policy for very travel that a traveler undertakes, it is cost effective to buy an annual holiday travel insurance policy for al the travels in an entire year. Anything can happen while you are traveling: you might get hurt, fall ill, your bags might get stolen etc. Apart from that if someone from your family falls ill before the travel; there can be the necessity of flight cancellation. All these will be perfectly taken care of by annual holiday travel insurances.

Apart from all the instances mentioned above, you can also add certain other coverage by paying a little extra premium to the annual holiday travel insurance policy. Say for instance you can add golf coverage if you are a frequent visitor to golf tournaments; you can add winter sports cover if you are planning to go for winter sports like skiing, snow boarding etc.

Before purchasing an annual holiday travel insurance policy, you must undertake a thorough research of the insurance market and locate a policy that will give you an extensive coverage for your annual holiday travel plans. With internet facilities, you can easily this activity of searching and locating an annual travel holiday insurance policy. You can within the split of a second browse through the pages of the various websites that provide annual holiday travel insurance policy. And later on buy a policy which you think will fit into your budget and wants. So go get an annual holiday travel insurance policy for your holidays.

Henry Bell is an author who can certainly identify the kind of insurance that you will need. He is proficient in the insurance world; he is an MBA(finance) from University of Oxford.Insuranceb.co.uk endeavors to find the best possible deals for its customers. To find car insurance, travel insurance, annual holiday travel insurance, home insurance, van insurance, motorcycle insurance visit http://www.insuranceb.co.uk

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Henry_Bell

Thursday, December 14, 2006

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Payment Protection Insurance: Is It Just A Scam?

By: Joseph Kenny -

Payment protection insurance (PPI) has taken a bashing recently. PPI is a type of insurance designed to protect repayments on financial products if borrowers find that they are in financial difficulty.

PPI has been examined by the Financial Services Authority, criticised by Which? and is now under investigation by the Office of Fair Trading. Most of these organisations are concerned about protecting consumers' rights. They are worried about:

· whether consumers are sufficiently well informed at point of sale to make decisions about whether to have PPI
· the wide variation in the cost of PPI policies
· the huge profits made by lenders offering PPI because of the relatively few claims made by borrowers
· and the lack of PPI providers who are not linked to banks or other lenders.

Given these concerns, it's a good time to find out more about whether PPI is really the right choice for borrowers.

Why Have PPI?

It's difficult for borrowers to know how their financial circumstances are going to change. When they are taking out a mortgage, loan, credit card, store card or other financial product, the sales person often offers PPI. The reasons why it might be a good idea are:

· if someone becomes unemployed or is made redundant
· if a long term illness prevents someone from working
· if someone is injured and is unable to work

All of these circumstances mean that borrowers might not be able to meet the repayments on the mortgage, loan, credit card or store card. This could result in arrears, defaults, County Court Judgements (CCJs) and, depending on the type of loan product, the loss of their home. Payment protection insurance is designed to make sure that repayments are met, avoiding this sticky financial situation.

Inside PPI

PPI is available to most people aged 18 to 65 who are employed for at least 16 hours a week or have been self-employed for a long period. Once borrowers have signed up for the insurance, they have to wait a certain period before making a claim. This is usually 60 to 120 days. Once they do make a claim and have it accepted, their payments can be covered for a period of 12 months or more, depending on the policy.

One key thing that borrowers should be aware of is that the sellers of some financial products add the cost of the PPI policy to the credit being offered. This means that borrowers can end up paying interest on the insurance policy. This is one of the many reasons that PPI selling has been criticised. Borrowers should also look into the cost of the insurance, as this varies widely.

Beyond PPI

Many borrowers do not realise that they do not have to take out PPI at the time of buying a financial product and the people who are selling PPI often do not make this clear. There are some stand alone PPI providers who may provide a better choice. Borrowers who repay loans from earnings should also consider an income protection policy, which will protect most of their income rather than individual financial products.

Article Source: http://www.ArticleStreet.com

Joe Kenny writes for CardGuide.co.uk, offering the latest information on credit cards, more ireading on credit card payment protection insurance.

Wednesday, December 13, 2006

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Get Suitable Coverage through Affordable Car Insurance

By Henry Bell


Car insurance is no longer an insurance policy for the wealthy few. With many insurance companies in the market that provide car insurance policies, the rate of premium of car insurance policies has also come down to a great extent. So, affordable and cheap car insurance policy is no longer a myth but a reality.

Though a thorough research is the key activity to look out for an affordable car insurance policy, taking into consideration certain things might also affect the rate of premium of car insurance policies; and thus assist you in availing an affordable car insurance policy.

It is advisable for you to buy car insurance policy during a soft market, also called the buyer’s market rather than buying it from the hard market, also called the seller’s market. It is because; during a soft market the rates of car insurances policies are generally lower. This way you can avail an affordable car insurance policy.

You can also buy your car insurance policy from the insurance company that is providing you with home insurance policy. This way you can get access to discounts on your car insurance policy and thus get an affordable car insurance policy.

Again, if you have a good driving record you can consider paying higher deductibles. This way you can lower the rate of premium of car insurance policies and thus avail an affordable car insurance policy. Apart from that if you insure more than one vehicle, you can avail an affordable car insurance policy.

Apart from that certain other factors also affect your car insurance policy like; the type of vehicle that you drive, years of driving experience, your credit history, occupation and marital status. Though some of these factors cannot be changed, yet some can be changed. If you take care of all these factors and you can visibly lower the rate of premium of your car insurance policy.

Other than this, a thorough and an extensive study of all the companies that provide affordable car insurance policies have to be undertaken. All this will require some time and patience. But with internet facilities, you can select and locate an affordable car insurance policy within no time. All you have to do is it browse through the pages of the companies that provide with car insurance policies. When you are satisfied that a particular policy is suiting your needs, buy that policy at that instant.

Henry Bell is an author who can certainly identify the kind of insurance that you will need. He is proficient in the insurance world; he is an MBA(finance) from University of Oxford. Insuranceb.co.uk endeavors to find the best possible deals for its customers. To find Car insurance policy, Home owner insurance, Van insurance, Motorcycle insurance, Holiday insurance, Pet insurance in the UK visit http://www.insuranceb.co.uk

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Henry_Bell

Tuesday, December 12, 2006

39

Term Life Insurance Quotes Online

By Matt Hudson


What is Term Life Insurance?

In it's simplest definition it is a life insurance policy that is used as coverage for a set number of years or 'term'. Terms can typically range from 1 year to 30 years. Term life insurance in contrast to other forms of life insurance, does not build cash value with time. Being that it is a temporary form of insurance limited to a certain term, it will only pay a benefit if the insured person dies during the term. In this case the beneficiaries are paid a fixed benefit. If the insured dies outside the term by even a day the benefit is not paid.

Why choose a Term life Insurance policy?

As it is a temporary insurance not building cash value, it is a more inexpensive form of insurance than others. With lower premiums it can provide a higher benefit return to premium ratio. It is particularly useful as a temporary insurance option to cover your financial responsibilities for any dependents you may have. Some Insurers offer what is sometimes called a conversion option, which essentially allows the insured person to switch to a permanent life insurance policy when their cash flow allows within a certain a certain period of years. This conversion privilege option has the advantage of turning the term life insurance policy into a more desirable permanent policy without the requirement of proving themselves insurable at the conversion time.

Types of Term Life Insurance.

While at the lowest end of the scale a 1-year policy can be sought, but as noted earlier, this will have no benefit should the person die outside the 1-year mark. 1 year is not a commonly sought term for life insurance but is available should the special need arise. There is a variation of the standard term policy that is known as Annual Renewable Term or ART.

This is a safer option for the insured as it can allow for the small one year term to be covered but the policy allows for extended coverage for a set number of years after that. This ART version of term life insurance is a slightly more expensive and as the age of the insured person increases so does the premiums of course.

Choosing an Insurer

The best option when looking for term life insurance quotes online is to compare their features and benefits as there will inevitably be some differences both in price and policy structure. Many big insurers advertise online and have websites that will allow you to request further information and quickly do the comparative research you need to make an informed decision.

To find out more about term life insurance quotes . Go to Infoquarium to find out more.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Matt_Hudson

Monday, December 11, 2006

0

Critical Illness Insurance: How Critical Can You Get

Authored By: Micheal Challiner


There’s a new critical illness policy on the market which attempts to go some way with regard to sorting out the perplexity regarding exactly what is, and is not, covered when it comes to claiming on the policy.

Traditional critical illness policies tend to cover up to 35 listed medical conditions. Policyholders could become seriously ill with a condition that doesn’t fall into the scope of the policy and find that their illness is not covered, whilst others may be diagnosed with a listed illness with a lower “grading” which is relatively easily treated, for which they get a full payout.
Because of this inequality, the Financial Services Authority is uneasy with regard to insurers failing to fully understand that cover is restricted to certain specific illnesses.

This new product is marketed by the Prudential, under the name of the Flexible Protection Plan, and is unusual in that it claims to cover an amazing 140 medical conditions. However, cover is based on the severity of the condition which could possibly cause some uncertainty regarding the grading of these illnesses.

This is how the plan works:

Listed in the policy are practically all serious illnesses and the payout when one these is diagnosed will be graded according to the severity of the condition. The Prudential says that by tying payments to the degree of seriousness of the illness means that more payments can be offered to people with debilitating illnesses, who may otherwise get nothing at all. An example of this is that should you lose the sight of one eye; the Prudential policy will pay 25% of the sum assured. Normally, critical illness policies would only pay out when total blindness occurs. In all, 140 severe conditions are covered.

A spokesman for one of the specialist financial advisers welcomed the range of the policy, but voiced some concern regarding the implementation of these severity-based payments, saying that it would be open to argument as to what level of severity some illnesses would be graded as. It was felt that it would not be advisable to enter into this type of policy unless you had a very clear understanding of exactly how it would work. We quote “It will be up to the consumer to decide whether a guarantee of getting a smaller payment is better than possibly getting nothing.”

The cost of this new policy is approximately twice as much as conventional critical illness cover.

If your main concern regarding insurance cover should you become critically ill would be the financial outcome, it might be better to consider life insurance. Particularly, if you have a family to support, you may need something that is going to guarantee their lifestyle in the worst case scenario and with the addition of some income protection cover, which would meet outgoings in the event of you becoming unable to work due to illness. This type of cover, unlike the critical illness policy, protects you against common conditions, which result in you being unable to carry out your work.

The best course of action would be to contact a broker and check out the alternatives. The internet’s a good place to start and there are some good internet discount’s available, along with plenty of advice. A good broker will be able to compare the products available and come up with the right insurance product for you.

Life Assurance Agent provides great articles based around life assurance.

Article Source: Article Directory at http://www.ArticleSphere.com

Sunday, December 10, 2006

0

International Health Insurance: Keeping You Covered, No Matter Where You Happen To Be

by Khieng Chho
Author's Home Page

Expert Author


One single best investment you can give to yourself is personal insurance. May it be health insurance, travel insurance or life insurance, it will still give you enough leverage to confidently do your task everyday anywhere without worrying so much that in any moment, an accident might occur.

However, these types of insurance have limited coverage that is not applicable on a particular situation. The situation I am talking about here is when you decide to live in another country. Sure, you have life insurance or health insurance. But these are only applicable within the boundaries of the United States. So if anything happens to you outside the country, these insurances cannot help you in any way. Same thing goes with travel insurances. Although they can be applicable outside of the country, the claim is only limited up to a certain extent such as medical evacuation, trip cancellation, and trip delays.

The bottom line is, when you travel and decided to live outside the United States, these insurance policies you have invested in your life is no longer useful. Thus, you need a particular policy that would be about to give you the coverage you need for this particular situation. You need an international health insurance.

In some way, international health insurance is just the same with other insurance policies available for you. But why get international health insurance?

For those who have no desire or could not afford to travel internationally, there is no need to purchase international health insurance. But for those who are considering going abroad and staying there, this would come in handy.

Of course there are prices to pay. While personal health insurance (valid locally) can cost you wealth, international health insurance costs even higher. But, the amount you pay is nothing compared to the benefits it will provide.

In most cases, basic international health insurance can give you coverage on things such as hospital accommodation, local ambulances, in-patient or in-hospital care, anesthetists', physicians’, and surgeons’ charges. Some provide you with radiotherapy, oncology, pathology, and radiology coverage.

For wider coverage, a more upgraded international health insurance can answer primary care and primary consultations for outpatient visits. Therapies such as homeopathy, physiotherapy, acupuncture, osteopathy, and primary care and primary consultations including prescribed medicines are covered. For added options, emergency dentistry and at-home nursing care are available at your desire. Of course, the wider the coverage you ask, the more expensive it would be. Usually, the international health insurance with this broad coverage can cost twice as much as the basic.

The coverage does not end here.

You can get more with higher premiums. If you opt for this, you can add options such as organ transplants, psychiatry, childbirth, rehabilitation, general practitioners consultations, home delivery, and other specializations such as eye, ear, nose, and troth consultations. Other coverage can include visit to specialists such as chiropractors, psychotherapists, dietitians, and osteopaths. Scans, x-rays, lab works, and others can also be included in your coverage along with prescribed medicines.

The bottom line for international health insurance is: if you need any medical attention whether here or abroad, you can always tap your insurance policy. After all, accidents strike at any given time, regardless of your location and situation you are into.

Article Source: http://www.article-host.com/

About the Author
Khieng 'Ken' Chho is the author and owner of http://internationalhealthinsurance.1w3b.net/
For more resources, visit Ken's website: http://internationalhealthinsurance.1w3b.net/

Saturday, December 09, 2006

0

Cheap Travel Insurance for Backpacker - Be Safe On Backpacking

By Henry Bell

Planning to go on a low budget, independent, off-beaten-track-traveling--- which is the backpacking traveling? Then insure yourself with a cheap travel insurance policy for backpackers.

The name backpacking itself implies that, this travel is for all the youthful travelers who want to explore the whole planet at a limited budget. They are different from all the normal travelers because instead of traveling to a specific and conventional destination, they prefer going to unusual and unconventional places. They may go hiking and camping, seek out low cost options such as sharing lifts, youth hostels, buying food from the super markets abroad instead of going to restaurants.

This unconventional way of traveling can affect your health to a great extent. The food you take, the places you visit etc can make you fall ill. Apart from that traveling on a budget inevitably means that backpackers are at greater risk for accidents and injury when abroad. Again your scuba driving or trekking can also put you in great risks. You may even need medical attention in that foreign country. All this might need large amounts of money; but since you are on a limited budget, you might not be able to pay the required amount for these treatments.

Apart from the risks involved in backpacking travel, you might face other problem that happen with a normal travel plan; like lose of documents, lose of baggage, flight cancellation, flight delays, emergency evacuation etc. Thus, to ensure that you stay safe while on your backpacking spree, it is essential that you purchase a cheap travel insurance policy for backpacker before you leave. Cheap travel insurances for backpackers are specially designed to meet all your needs.

Locating a suitable but a cheap travel insurance policy for backpacker will require lot of research and study. This will involve; visiting various companies that will provide you with travel insurance for backpackers, comparing various policies and finally choosing the best from all these policies. With internet facilities, you can now easily locate one. You can compare different cheap travel insurance policies for backpackers just by sitting in your home and later, when fully satisfied; you can buy a travel insurance policy for backpackers.

Henry Bell is an author who can certainly identify the kind of insurance that you will need. He is proficient in the insurance world; he is an MBA(finance) from University of Oxford. Insuranceb.co.uk endeavors to find the best possible deals for its customers. To find Cheap travel insurances, Home owner insurance, Van insurance, Motorcycle insurance, Holiday insurance, Pet insurance in the UK visit www.insuranceb.co.uk

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Henry_Bell

Friday, December 08, 2006

0

Christmas and Insurance - The Secret Link

By Mark R Burdett


Depending on your religion if you’re asked about Christmas words such as “Jesus”, “Santa”, “Turkey” or “Queens Speech” may spring to mind. Asked which words you think of when asked about Insurance may well produce a few others! So what do Christmas and Insurance really have in common?

1. Although many people may wish Christmas occurred more often as we all know it happens just the once a year. Much like most insurance policies with their annual renewal date. Indeed the first line of the famous Christmas song "12 days of Christmas" could be perfect for the Insurance industry as the first principle of Insurance is that of Indemnity (that is if you suffer a loss you will put back in the same financial position you were in before you suffered the loss).

How very different the song would have been if our dear friend the Partridge in the pear tree was instead replaced with:

On the first day of Christmas my true love gave to me the principle of indemnity.

Whilst the principle of indemnity is one of the best things about insurance not everyone would appreciate receiving it from their loved one.

2. Does the following story sound familiar? You're sat around the Christmas tree on Christmas morning looking at all the presents Santa has left behind. You're hoping that the rather large box with your name on it contains the latest (play station, IPOD, perfume, brew your own beet kit in hours or whatever gift you were longing for) only for you to rip it apart and find inside a (cake baked by your aunt, a box of cheap aftershave, jumper knitted by your Gran with the only 2 colours of wool she had left – pink and yellow – or whatever gift you didn't want).

If this does indeed sound like a familiar Christmas tale in your household then for some people insurance can sometimes throw up the same feeling. You may have taken out an insurance policy and expected it to cover you in the event of a loss occurring only to find out (too late) that it doesn't. So what can you do when it comes to insurance to try and prevent this? Well that leads us to number 3.

3. Your research will be rewarded. Remember all those hints that your wife/husband/children have dropped in the days, weeks and months leading up to Christmas about the present they would really like? Well if you've been paying attention and have made notes in the run up to Christmas and have actually gone to the trouble of buying people what they want then there's every chance you'll have a very merry Christmas.

So then do your research at Christmas and have a jolly good time. Do you research with your insurance and you can:

    1. Find an insurance broker who specialises in the type of risk you want covering
    2. Get discounts for placing more than one type of insurance with them
    3. Get risk management advice aimed at reducing your exposure to risk and your insurance premium
    4. Make sure you get the right cover – this means finding the right insurance broker, working with them, listening to their expert advice and deciding on what cover you need

And hopefully if you do suffer a loss you'll have all the cover you need to make sure indemnity kicks in and you're put back in the same financial position as you were in before the loss was suffered.

4. And finally when it comes to Christmas and Insurance Father Christmas has a beard and so do many people in the insurance industry!

Have a Happy Christmas and make sure you, your business and your loved ones get the protection and peace of mind they deserve.

For further information on Business Insurance visit www.northerncounties.com

This article was written by Mark Burdett, Marketing Manager of Northern Counties Insurance Brokers.

Northern Counties have been providing Business Insurance to businesses since 1928 and can be contacted on 0191 482 1219 for all your Commercial Insurance and Business Insurance needs.

Northern Counties - Specialists in Business Insurance, Motor Trade Insurance and Nursery Insurance

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Mark_R_Burdett

Thursday, December 07, 2006

0

Establishing a Health Plan

By: Sam Rosy


Health insurance plan is one of the most pleasing benefits you could offer your employees. Following are the several basic options for setting up a plan:

A traditional indemnity plan or fee for service: Employees select their own medical care provider; the health insurance company either pays the provider directly or reimburses employees eligible for the covered amounts.

Managed care: The two most common types of managed care are the Health Maintenance Organization (HMO) and another one is Preferred Provider Organization (PPO). An HMO is basically a prepaid health-care plan in which employees need to use doctors employed by or may be under contract to the HMO and hospitals, which are approved by the HMO. Under a PPO, the health insurance plan negotiates discounts with their particular physicians and specific hospitals. Employees normally choose doctors from the available approved list, and then usually pay a sum of amount per office visit (normally $10 to $25); the insurance company needs to pay the rest.

Self-insurance: When you need to understand all or an important portion of an existing risk, you are basically self-insuring yourself. Usually paperwork is handled by an outside company, you just need to pay the claims, and sometimes employees assist paying the premiums. The benefits also include higher control of the health plan design, an effective customized reporting procedures and great cash flow advantages.

Medical savings accounts (MSAs): Congress of late concluded with a four year test of MSAs, especially on savings accounts coupled with high deductible insurance policies. Accounts are now funded with employee’s pretax dollars; disbursements are absolutely tax free if used for specific approved medical expenses. Unused funds are accumulated indefinitely and earn tax-free interest.

Article Source: http://www.financemanual.com

Sam Rosy is an expert in analyzing the insurance types especially in California and has produced lot of articles regarding the insurance types and its application. Read Rosy articles, and for further more details regarding the Health insurance California and quotes view the site www.goodhealthquotes.com

To Contact Sam Rosy it's samrosy@gmail.com

Wednesday, December 06, 2006

0

10 Ways to Save Big on Auto Insurance

Author: Paul Wilson

Auto insurance can make a big hole in your pocket. Insurance premiums vary hugely between companies, agencies or agents, brokers, and of course the make of the car you own and your credit rating.

Auto insurance can make a big hole in your pocket. Insurance premiums vary hugely between companies, agencies or agents, brokers, and of course the make of the car you own and your credit rating. To pay lower insurance you must:

1. Always maintain a good driving record.
2. Never accept the first estimate you receive. Be wise and check comparisons of different insurance providers at your state insurance department website or phone them. Their addresses and contact numbers can be accessed from http://www.consumeraction.gov/insurance.shtml the consumer action website. Be sure to get competitive quotes from different insurance providers. Contact providers that are strongly recommended by people you know well. Keep your peace of mind by checking the financial stability of the companies with rating companies like A.M. Best (http://www.ambest.com/) as well as in forums and blogs.
3. Complete a market survey well before you select a car make and make a comparative table of insurance and other hidden costs. Find out which features increase insurance premiums and which ones reduce premiums. For example if parts of a certain make are hard to find or expensive such cars will have huge insurance premiums, similarly installation of anti-theft devices or an extra brake system lowers insurance premiums. Many questions are answered by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety at http://www.iihs.org/.
4. Choose to have higher deductibles this will reduce the burden by at least 15-25%. But look at your finances first and determine whether you can set aside US$ 200-US$1000 periodically to create an emergency vehicle fund.
5. Consider availing the insurance from the same company that has you covered for home, accident, or life. Many companies offer concessions to clients who have more than one kind of policy. Known as a multi-policy discount this could benefit you.
6. Most policies are based on your personal credit record. Having an unshakeable credit history can lower costs. Pay bills on time, don’t avail too many loans, and be sure that credit balances are as low as possible.
7. Avoid duplicating medical coverage. Find out whether eliminating medical cover in auto insurance will reduce your premiums or the personal injury protection costs. In some places the reduction is as much as 40%. So, if you have adequate health insurance you could weigh the pros and cons of eliminating this in auto insurance.
8. Find out if insurance premiums are dependant on where you stay. Sometimes staying in a rural community or suburbs as against the city center could save you a bundle.
9. Take advantages of discounts like low risk career, low mileage, taking public transport to work, car pooling, no violations or accidents, taking defensive driving courses, following safety rules and regulations, or having a child who studies far away.
10. Use the reductions offered for insuring more than one car belonging to the family. Many companies have special offers for corporate organizations, club members, professional groups, alumni groups, or clubs.

Make time to make a big saving. Check through all the parameters and mark areas where a saving can be made. The market is competitive and you can be the beneficiary.

About Author
Paul Wilson is a freelance writer for http://www.1888discuss.com/moving-movers/, the premier REVENUE SHARING discussion forum for Moving Forum, including topics on all about moving services, movers details, moving articles and tips, moving companies and resources. His article profile can be found at the premier Article Submission site http://www.1888articles.com/author-paul-wilson-7.html.

Article Source: http://www.1888articles.com/author-paul-wilson-7.html

Tuesday, December 05, 2006

0

Auto Insurance - Cut Costs - Not Cover

By Steve John Cowan

Auto insurance is a minimum requirement for a car owner or driver in every US state, Canadian province and pretty much every country in the world. If you have a car, then auto insurance is something that you must have, period.

The downside, however, is that costs are continuing to rise, so it clearly makes sense to look for ways to reduce some of the expense, whilst still seeking the best coverage available for your dollars. So, let’s look at some ways of doing this.

Firstly, use the power of the internet to get multiple auto insurance quotes, as well as utilizing the services of your local neighborhood broker. Try getting different types of quotes from the online direct-sell insurance companies as well as brokers both on the internet and in the “real” world. Bear in mind here that the auto insurance that is cheapest isn’t always going to be the best. For example, is the insurance company known to you? If not, can you be certain that they are financially secure? How confident are you that they will be able to pay out if you have to make an auto insurance claim? Will they still be in business next year or even next week? In other words, if you don’t know the company, check out their credentials before you give them your money. Not all auto insurance companies are created equal!

The first “slice” of the policy is almost always basic liability insurance, covering your liability to others in case of an accident which either injures them or damages their property. Indeed, it is possible to ONLY have this basic cover and still satisfy the legal requirements in many states and countries.

However, if you only have minimum liability coverage and you injure someone, their attorney can go after your personal assets, so, quite correctly, many people (and their insurers) would suggest that minimum liability is a bit of a gamble.

Auto insurance costs will vary dependent on the type of vehicle that you are insuring. Coverage for a flashy sports car or for one in what is considered to be in a high risk group (soft top convertibles, for example) is very different from insuring the family sedan or hatchback. So, when you are thinking of buying a new car, it makes sense to think about the auto insurance costs before you do so, and maybe you might buy a car that "looks good" to insurance companies.

For example, the auto insurance companies are well aware of what type of cars are most often stolen. If you haven't purchased your car yet, find out what cars make this "good list" among auto insurers. Consider how much coverage you really need to buy, and don’t “over-insure”, because the companies will not pay out more than the value of your car no matter how much cover you have been paying for.

For example, consider collision and comprehensive coverage, how much you will be reimbursed for the loss or destruction of your vehicle. Are you carrying $50,000 worth of collision coverage for a $20,000 vehicle?

On the other hand, don’t make false economies. If you don’t want to pay for comprehensive and collision cover, consider whether you be able to afford to replace it if it was written off? If not, then you need the extra cover, although you clearly don’t need the extra cost!

A a general guide, if your car is worth less than $2,000, then it won't be worth it to buy comprehensive and collision. L ikewise, if your car is an ancient relic, say, more than 12 years old, then again, you probably don’t need the most comprehensive cover, which can usually give big savings. Consider bearing the risk of having a higher deductible (or “excess” as it is called in Europe), which is the pat of any claim that you will have to pay before your insurance policy kicks in and pays the rest. The higher the deductible, the higher your potential financial risk, granted, but this will also serve to keep your auto insurance policy costs down.

Buying a low mileage car and keeping your driving licence and record nice and clean will all help keep cots down.

If you’re a single males under the age of 25 then the bad news is that you are NOT the auto insurance companies favorite type of driver, and you will pay for it (statistically, this group are most likely to have accidents). Get yourself a nice sensible car, and leave the Ferrari at the dealership until you get yourself a wife and pass your 26th birthday!

Finally, look a other ways that your insurance company might reward you for taking steps that will reduce the risk of a claim, such as fitting your car with an anti-theft device or attending an advanced driver-training course. These kinds of proactive preventative measures are generally welcomed by the auto insurance companies, and are rewarded with reduced insurance fees.

Steve Cowan is an Asia based businessman and writer. webbiz99.com/auto-insurance

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Steve_John_Cowan

Monday, December 04, 2006

0

Commercial Insurance - Get it Right or Risk Everything

By: Mark Burdett


If you own a business there is every chance you will try your very best to make sure it is run in the correct way. From employing the right staff to what service providers to use, you are faced with decisions at every turn to make sure your business runs smoothly and hassle free.

The trouble with running a business (and indeed life in general) is that the unexpected often happens and as a business owner it is your responsibility that if the unexpected does happen your business isn't affected too much.

And that is where buying commercial insurance for your business is so important.

Here are just a few examples of things that can happen to businesses and what might happen in the event of no insurance, the wrong insurance and right commercial insurance being in place.

Landlord Building Insurance Claim

You are a property owner with a portfolio of house, flats, apartments and commercial property. You have decided that the chances of anything happening to your new block of flats is pretty remote as they are currently empty so you have decided to either not insure them or you have not got around to telling your insurance broker.

Over the weekend your newly built and decorated flats are broken into and the brand new kitchen and bathroom suites are ripped out and stolen.

What happens now?

1. With no insurance you basically have to pay for everything
2. If you did actually get around to getting the flats insured but decided to exclude theft cover (what with no tenants and no furniture you may have done this to save some money). As the damage caused was as a direct result of theft then once again it is possible the damage costs will have to met by you
3. If you have correct level of landlord building insurance in place you ring your insurance broker, they hopefully sort the repairs and replacement of items with your insurance company and the flats are restored to their original state leaving you with just a small excess (or deductable to pay).

So for the sake of a relatively small landlord insurance premium you could be left with a bill for hundreds or thousands of pounds. Hardly worth the risk right?

So maybe you are thinking that if your have a portfolio of properties you would definitely make sure they are covered. What about if you just have one though and money is tight? There is every chance you might take the risk and either have no insurance or insurance that does not meet your needs.

People and businesses do it all the time. When money is tight a service like insurance is often the first thing to be sacrificed.

It maybe that you have just forgotten to renew your commercial property insurance or business insurance policy. With so many other things to think about that could easily happen.

Here is another example of a claim that could be made against you. You own a small business and need commercial property insurance for your factory. You know by law that employers liability insurance is needed so you always make sure this is in place. What about the factory though? The staff are all experienced, you have an alarm and people know what they should be doing (and more importantly what they shouldn't be doing). The risk seems pretty low so when a fire happens overnight you are left with the following scenarios:

1. With no insurance your business is potentially destroyed as the burden of starting all over again is with you
2. You actually just renewed your commercial combined insurance policy so you are covered. Well done. However to make your premium cheaper you decided on a very big excess (or deductable) and you decided against business interruption insurance. The result being that you are left in a position without the correct needed for your business to recover.
3. You got advice from your insurance broker, they discussed the cover you really need and they made sure your excess was at a sensible and affordable figure. The result is they act to make sure you get a interim payment on the claim and that your business continues, just for the sake of a small premium and excess.

Most people do not like insurance but for any business owner, business manager or person responsible for making sure the business is protection it really is a vital purchase.

Get the right business insurance cover and if a loss occurs you will know the business is in safe hands. Risk having no commercial insurance or not getting the right business insurance cover can leave you and your business with nowhere to turn. Is it worth the risk?

Sunday, December 03, 2006

0

Reduce Your Health Insurance Deductible to $100 for Accidents

Almost everyone can see the logic of carrying a high-deductible health insurance plan to protect against the major unexpected expenses. Yet a high deductible can make some people a little nervous. Even a short trip to the emergency room to get stitches can cost several hundred dollars. If you break your leg skiing, the cost could quickly run into thousands of dollars.

Fortunately for people with these concerns, inexpensive supplemental accident plans are available which can reduce your deductible to just $100.

Though any type of medical expense can sneak up on you, most chronic illnesses provide clues long before they get serious. If you're overweight, if you have digestive issues, or if you have a difficult time climbing a flight of stairs, you're aware that you have health concerns long before your doctor or insurance company knows. But nothing sneaks up on you faster than an accident.

How Accident Plans Work An accident plan won't pay a penny if you get sick, but if you have an accident and go to the doctor, emergency medical clinic, hospital emergency room, or even if you're admitted to the hospital, they'll cover 100% up to the set limit after a $100 deductible.

Some insurance companies offer these as options with their plans, or you can purchase an accident plan separately. These stand-alone accident plans will pay up to $5,000 or $10,000. And they are very reasonably priced, ranging from $32/month for the $5,000 plan for an individual, to $42 for a $10,000 plan for a family.

How Accident Plans can Work with Your HSA Having an accident plan can be a great way to buffer the risk that comes with a high-deductible health insurance plan. Let's say you have a $5,000 deductible on your HSA plan, and it then pays 100%. In that case, you may want to consider adding a $5,000 accident plan to your coverage. If you were to have an accident that led to an emergency room bill of $800, you would only be responsible for $100.

If you were to have a very major accident that required hospitalization, your accident plan would pay $5,000 after you paid the first $100. This would cover your deductible on your HSA plan, which would then pay 100%. Your exposure would only be $100.

Another money-saving strategy you may want to consider is raising the deductible on your HSA (which will lower your premium), and adding an accident plan.

By Wiley Long - President, HSA for America (http://www.health--savings--accounts.com) - The nation's leading independent health insurance firm specializing in individual and family coverage that works with Health Savings Accounts. Please link to this site when using this article.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Wiley_P_Long

Saturday, December 02, 2006

0

Student Car Insurance: Drive with Minimum Risks

Lots and lots of students are going to the university in their own cars. Life of a student is an age of fun and adventure; the same is the case with student drivers. They are adventurous and risky drivers. Be it racing on the streets, going to unknown places; everything they do involves risks. They may get involved in some sort of legal liability or may get injured while on a drive. All these may involve hundreds and thousands of pounds and even may dampen your joyful spirits. Thus, it is highly advisable for you to buy a Student car insurance policy.

Parents find it hard to believe that their child can get involved in any sort of accidents, or legal hassles; but it is the truth. Statistics have shown that it is the young college going drivers that are involved in accidents and mishaps. So, parents should especially buy a student car insurance policy for their college going students; to ensure that they can overcome any kind of harassments.

There are different kinds of cover that you can choose from: Third party Only, Third Party Fire and Theft and Comprehensive Policy. But a comprehensive policy is highly recommended if you are buying car insurance for a college going student. The intensity of risks involved is higher in the case with students. So a Comprehensive policy can give you a wide range of cover.

Though the cost of student car insurance is much higher, you can minimize the premium by cutting down some risks. First, you can set up specific guidelines for him to follow; like limiting the number of passengers, asking him to always wear safety belts, setting limits on the driving area etc can help you to minimize the rate of premium on student car insurance.

Apart from that, if your child gets good grades, most companies will offer some amount of discounts on student car insurance. The type of car a student drives can also determine the rate of premium of student car insurance policy.

You need to do a thorough study of the companies that offer student car insurance. The pros and cons of all the quotes have to be taken care of. Nowadays online shopping has come up as an easy way of shopping around. Browse through the pages and chose the student car insurance policy that suits you and your child the more.

Henry Bell is an author who can certainly identify the kind of insurance that you will need. He is proficient in the insurance world; he is an MBA(finance) from University of Oxford. Insuranceb.co.uk endeavors to find the best possible deals for its customers. To find Student car insurance, holiday insurance, auto insurance, home insurance UK, online insurance in the UK visit http://www.insuranceb.co.uk

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Henry_Bell

Friday, December 01, 2006

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Find Out How You Can See The Cost Of A Lenders Mortgage Insurance

by Evelyn Miller

One of the benefits of LMI is that persons who are believed to fall under risk classifications, such as the elderly or people with lower sums of money saved for a home deposit, have a better chance of securing a mortgage. The downside of this is that it can mean higher insurance premiums for this category of homebuyers.

In Australia, two associations dominate a duopoly of lenders mortgage insurance - Genworth and PMI. While LMI is not asked by law, it is usually demanded by your lender when the amount you have saved for a deposit is less than 20% of the total value of the property. The excellent method to prevent the added expense of LMI is to save at least 20% for the deposit if this is attainable.

How do you know whether you should worry about lenders mortgage insurance (LMI)? In general, if your home loan sum is greater than 80% of the value of the property, you will need LMI. This means your lender is covered if you happen to miss a repayment. To insure yourself during any period you miss payment because of injury, illness or unemployment, you would necessitate mortgage protection insurance.

Usually, the sum you pay will differ depending on the size of your loan and amount of money of deposit you have given. When you take out a home loan, you pay mortgage insurance to your lender in one lump sum, either in advance or by adding the charge onto your total loan amount. If you switch lenders, Generally your insurance is not movable, but depending on your mortgage insurer, you can be entitled to a partial repayment of up to 40% in some cases. Repayments ought to be applied for directly through the mortgage insurer rather than through your lender.

Asking how much LMI is supposed to cost you? It all depends on the amount of money of genuine resources you have. LMI works on a sliding scale refering to our approximated risk level according to your credit history, so in essence the less deposit you have saved, the more costly your insurance will be. And as well, if you have a larger sum of money of savings, your insurance value will be reduced.

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Wednesday, November 29, 2006

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The Benefits of Health Insurance are Immense!

Almost everyone in this world has fallen ill sometime or the other. Apart from illness, many people have met with minor or major accidents at some point of time. This has made the visit to a doctor and undergo medical treatments imperative. But with the coming up of newer technologies in the field of medicine and surgery, the costs of medical treatments are also on a rise. All these can leave you in heavy financial burden. Health insurance has come up as a boon in this matter.

There are different types of health insurances. The benefits of health insurance will come to light if you go through all these different types of insurances and how they help you in overcoming the financial constrain.

Medical Insurance: Medical insurance will cover for the cost of unexpected medical bills that may come across your way, such as diagnostic tests, x-rays, medicines, hospitalization, routine check-ups etc.

Vision insurance: With the coming up of advanced technologies like television and computers, there is also a rise in eye problems. But again the costs of going to an eye specialist can empty your pockets. Vision insurance will cover the costs of glasses, contact lenses, laser surgeries and apart from those will cover regular and emergency treatments.

Dental insurance: Your dental insurance will provide you the costs of regular and routine check-ups, teeth extraction, gums treatment etc. Everybody should own a dental insurance to avoid any hassles and financial burden.

Student Health Insurance: Students are prone to diseases and illness because of their hectic and unorganized lifestyles. With student health insurance policies, the students can now cover up their medical and health expenses, if any.

Short term health Insurance: If your budget is low, you can buy a short term health insurance and provide health care facilities to yourself and your family members.

Business Health Insurance: If you are the owner of a business organization, you can shelter yourself and your employees in case of injury, illness or death with business health insurance.

Individual and family health insurance: With individual health insurance you can take care of your individualized health needs and with family health insurance you can take care of your family’s health problems.

International Health Insurance: Even if you are out of your home country, you can safeguard yourself from any medical expenses with International health insurance.

From the above details you might have got some idea about the benefits of health insurance. Health insurances give you the security that you will get the best treatment in the best hospital whatever may be the cost.

To find for the right kind of Health insurance policy, you need to first evaluate the quotations as available with the different companies. With internet facilities, you can now easily search for the health insurance policy that you will need. Compare the quotes and buy yourself a perfect health insurance policy.

Jenny Black is the financial analyst at HealthInsuranceUK. She is providing independant insurance and financial advice on health through her informative articles. To find more about Health insurance, Medical insurance, Vision insurance, Health insurance policy, Various health insurance plans, Affordable Health insurance, Business health insurance visit http://www.healthinsuranceuk.org.uk.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jenny_Black

Tuesday, November 28, 2006

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Protect Your Personal Property With Home Contents Insurance

It would surprise you to know how many homes have all the latest in technological gadgetry, yet have failed to insure the contents of their home against the event of either a burglary or damage. If you want to protect your personal property, you need to be insuring your personal property with a home contents insurance.

What To Insure

You can arrange to insure any (or all) of the contents of your home under a home contents insurance policy. Nevertheless, if you have any personal belongings in your home over a certain £ value, then you should be discussing these with your home contents insurance provider – as in most cases property over a certain value needs to be declared independently (and, in certain cases, such as with expensive diamond engagement rings, they may need to be insured independently).

Itemise Your Possessions

Once you have decided that you want to purchase home contents insurance you need to take an inventory of your home, itemising all of the possessions in the home. A really good tip here is not to move all of your possession into one room and then itemise them, but to go from room to room doing this. This way, your inventory will be broken-down into rooms, should damage or theft occur only to a part of the home. Better yet, you should try to walk through your home with a video camera videoing all of the possessions in that room. You can then keep a copy of the video with the inventory. However, if you do not have a video camera, still-camera photographs of your possessions is better than taking no photographic evidence at all.

How To Value Your Possessions

It is vital that you remember that home contents insurance is insurance against the replacement value of the item that was lost, stolen or damaged. It does not take into consideration any nostalgic value. Therefore, if you have expensive personal property in your home, you should arrange to have these independently valued – preferably by an insurance approved valuer – and a copy of the valuation receipt should be kept with the insurance policy. The value of the other items in your home can either be assessed by the price it cost you to purchase them; or, better, by taking a trip down to the local shops and seeing how much each of the items would cost you to buy – as this is the amount you’ll be paid if the item is lost/damaged.

How To Arrange The Home Contents Insurance

Once you have valued and itemised the possessions you want to insure you can then log onto the internet and get some online home contents insurance quotes based on the value and possessions you want to have insured under the insurance policy.

What Will The Insurance Premium Cover

Ordinarily the insurance policy will cover you in the event that the possession insured is lost, stolen or damaged. Damage in this case can be the cause of a natural event, such as a bad storm or flooding, or a because of a boiler bursting. You should also read your policy carefully, as some home contents insurance policies cover items which are lost outside of the home – for example, if you are transporting them in the car.

Joe Kenny writes for the UK Loans Store where you will can compare loans and offer more information on secured loans and other loan topics available on site.
Visit Today: http://www.ukpersonalloanstore.co.uk

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Joseph_Kenny

Friday, November 24, 2006

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Choosing The Right Supplemental Dental Insurance Plan

By Aasheesh Jain


Many of the insurance plans do cover dental health but it would still leave out many expenses for which you'll have to shell out money from your own pocket. So, assuming that your insurance plan is taking care of your dental health can be a big mistake.

Not just that, there is also the possibility of your dental insurance plan not covering the entire cost of your dental treatment. This happens because most of the insurance plans focus on covering bigger treatment expenses. In doing so, they leave out the minor expenses, which pile up into a considerable amount. It is in this situation that supplemental dental insurance helps.

Supplemental dental insurance is not another kind of dental insurance by another name. You need to have a proper dental care insurance besides the supplemental one because the latter helps one cover the cost of such dental needs that are not covered either by your primary health insurance or the dental insurance.

One of these are dental discount plans, which are carefully devised to reduce dental costs by making the dentist lower their rates for individual clients in lieu of the volume of patients they get. Now, these are not actually dental insurance plans but since they pass a part of the benefit to the patient, much of the treatment cost is absorbed. You pay a regular fee to the company providing such services. The amount you pay is far smaller than what you save. The financial burden is thus reduced. Such a plan can cost one as little as $5.

For college students in particular, there are discount dental plans, which work much the same way as any other discount dental plan. The only difference is- many colleges opt for such plans for their students. These plans normally have limited benefit and cover things like regular cleanings, fluoride treatment, x-rays, and emergency dental treatment for pain relief.

Another popular supplemental dental insurance is the preferred provider network, which has a list of dental professionals for you to choose from. If you go to any one of them, the charges are heavily discounted. The plan pays a fixed fee to the dentist for the services rendered and whatever is left is paid by you. So, they pay for the service and you pay the additional cost.

These are some of the choices you have. The plans may differ on finer points, but basically they are either one of them or a combination of one or more.