This article is written by a 27 year old female (borderline Generation X / Y) called Rachel. Rachel spent six years at university, has no outstanding debts with the exception of government student loans. Rachel also has no pension plan, no life insurance, savings or property investment. Despite reports of average starting salaries for graduates beginning at £18,000, some even at £25,000, Rachel started on £14,000 three years ago, despite gaining a First Class Honours and offering extensive work experience.
This isn't therapy through Microsoft Word, but it's not uncommon to read reports of "apathetic youth" in the media. For driven young graduates who didn't quite land where they expected - it is a little frustrating to be branded "ignorant", when it is already difficult working off university debts and fighting your way onto the career ladder in a very competitive market.
What is the point of having independence in old age, if you cannot experience it in youth? That is not to say young people should be encouraged or supported in their debateable extravagance, only that we remain unconvinced by old age. We may have seen our parents lose money in shares or private pension funds, or get divorced and lose money through property. We may be worried about global warming and in an age of suicide bombers, we may not even be confident about how much control we have on our lives anyway. With so much choice on what we can do, but so few people empowering us with confidence, we may well rebel for years to come - chopping and changing until we find something that fits or until we get tired.
It's too easy to brand young people as apathetic just because they haven't got pensions or life insurance. Smug thirty-somethings who received full grants, graduated in a less competitive market and bought property when the house market was low are quite happy to "tut tut" at their twenty-something shadows in their lack of financially savvy experience, but today's twenty somethings are being squeezed from all angles:
* Student loans replace university grants
* Commercialisation of university life, with banks and credit card companies actively courting student customers
* High property prices
* Very competitive job market
What we need are comprehensive financial research sites that provide information which directly relates to our circumstances. Websites such as moneynet ( http://www.moneynet.co.uk ) with their product price comparisons and finance guides (especially the student finance guide) -do go most of the way, but we want something that also takes into account our aspirations, situations and will go the distance. We're not adverse to pensions, life insurance and mortgages, but if we're going to splash out lots of dough, it has to be a reasonably reliable investment and we remain unconvinced from we've seen so far in provocative, panic-stirring media.
It's true that products such as life insurance would at least protect our families from our debts and that's important, but with regard to pension, who's to say that in our old age, we may not revert back to student lifestyles - living in communities and on budgets.
Senin, 30 Juni 2008
Life Insurance Without Life Value: Why Young People Are Snubbing Financial Advice
The Life Insurance Policy and What You Need to Know Before You Buy
Are you looking to buy a life insurance policy? Well, be careful. Life insurance can be difficult to understand and it's easy to be conned into buying something under false pretenses.
Recently a prominent life insurance company together with several of its agents paid a huge fine because it permitted the sale of a life insurance policy disguised as a retirement plan. There was little attention given to what a life insurance policy is truly designed to provide.
Life insurance is not an investment for your benefit. It's guaranteed income tax-free cash paid to someone you designate in the event of your death. If you love someone and want to protect them, then buying a life insurance policy makes sense.
As primary bread winner in your family, your lost income could jeopardize the ability of those you love to continue to enjoy their standard of living.
The only way to guarantee an immediate replacement of this money is with the intelligent purchase of a life insurance policy.
Notice I didn't say term life insurance, low cost life insurance, or whole life insurance.
To your loved ones ... this doesn't really matter.
Over the years I've delivered millions of dollars of life insurance benefit to the families of deceased bread winners. And you know what?
No one ever asked me what type of life insurance policy it was. They were just extremely grateful to get the money.
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. Right now the premium may seem cheap compared with other types. But what happens when you're older?
Term life insurance premiums can be level for a specific number of years, but when that number of years is up the price will skyrocket to the point you won't be able or willing to pay.
Whole life insurance provides a lifetime level premium until the policy is paid-up. This can be 10 years, 20 years ... or when you reach age 65, 85 or 100. One big advantage is you don't have to worry about your policy expiring before you do.
One type of life insurance policy is not necessarily better than another. But it's critical you understand what you are buying, how it works and your net cost.
After all, if the policy isn't in force when you die you have thrown your premium dollars right down a rat hole.
By the way, don't fall for that line about buy term and invest the difference. Anyone who cons you with this bunch of malarkey has absolutely no idea how to intelligently evaluate the purchase of life insurance.
An excellent life insurance policy to consider is universal life. This guarantees the death benefit up to age 115 regardless of the performance of the underlying investment.
Although more expensive then term life insurance, universal life is far less costly than a typical whole life insurance policy. But be careful because some universal life policies are sold by focusing on projected interest rates rather than contractual guarantees.
If you are considering the purchase of a whole life insurance policy from a mutual company that declares annual dividends, ask the agent for a hypothetical illustration using a dividend forecast at least one percent less than the current rate.
In the past, when long-term interest rates were higher, mutual companies credited very handsome dividends to their policies. But today with long-term rates still depressed, it's unlikely a life insurance policy will perform as illustrated.
In summary, pay close attention to the guarantees of whatever life insurance policy you decide to buy. Also, make sure you know the credit rating of the life insurance company.
There is nothing wrong with term life insurance, but understand your options about converting to a permanent plan. This could be critical if you become uninsurable before the policy expires.
By Don Adams
Natures Fury - Time to Check Your Insurance
The communities of Exmouth and Moora in Western Australia don't have a lot in common with Sydney.
But this year there is a uniting bond. All have felt the full force of Mother Nature.
Flooding in the Wheatbelt town of Moora caused an estimated $10 million dollars worth of damage to homes and property. Cyclone Vance ripped through Exmouth in the North West of the State costing the community millions more. Sydney's hailstorm bill has topped $1 billion and is still rising.
All this is a timely reminder about insurance to protect your assets from acts of nature over which we have no control.
Insurance is one of those intangible things - you pay out the money but you never see anything tangible in return - except in the event of some misfortune.
Insurance companies try hard to position themselves as being reputable and fair and spend millions in advertising trying to get this message across. The benefits they are selling include timeliness and ease of making claims and trustworthiness when it comes to paying claims.
Even banks are now are now becoming more sympathetic when it comes to natural disasters. Westpac has offered a special relief program to assist customers seriously affected by the Sydney hailstorm. Customers with home loans may now apply to suspend repayments for up to three months and may defer credit card payments for a month.
Despite all the goodwill, you need to do your homework when considering the best options for insurance. Here are 10 tips when considering insurance for your hard-earned assets.
Insure with a reputable company. All companies must be licensed under the Insurance Act 1973 and comply with its regulations. The Australian Prudential Regulation Authority (APRA) oversees this. Their role is to see that companies have the ability to meet future claims. If there is a dispute between an insurer and a domestic claimant, the matter may be referred to the Claims Review Panel of Insurance Inquiries and Complaints Limited for an independent decision.
Ask around. Talk to your neighbors, friends and contacts that have made a claim. Word of mouth travels quickly during a natural disaster. Check out what the company's attitude is when it comes to paying out. It's when the chips are down, like in Exmouth, Moora and Sydney that insurance companies have to perform.
Ensure you are adequately insured. Don't try and save a small amount of money on your policy and find out later that you've under insured.
Revalue your assets annually. Prices change, houses appreciate and cars generally depreciate. Maintain the sum insured at current day values.
Cover all your assets. The major insurance categories are houses, cars, personal valuables and home contents. Make sure some form of insurance covers all your personal assets.
Check the speed of claims payments. The quicker you get paid the quicker life gets back to normal. The time value of money means that any delays will actually be leaving you out of pocket.
Shop around. There are a range of products on the market. Ring around and find the policy that best suits your needs - both from a value perspective based on price and premiums and also breadth of cover.
Check the details. Remember to always check the details and don't be afraid to ask questions so you know exactly what you are and aren't covered for.
Store your policy in a safe place. Set up a system so you know where your policy is if you need to refer to it at any stage. It's amazing how frustrating it can be looking for those misplaced important documents during a time of crisis.
Seek help. If you require help, seek out a professional insurance broker who can provide you with advice and options.
Stick to these tips and you'll have peace of mind next time a natural disaster hits your home.
By Thomas Murrell MBA CSP
Finding Term Life Insurance Online
What exactly is Term Life Insurance?
Term life is a form of life insurance where you're covered for a number of years - the number of years is called the term. Term life insurance policies can be for as long as 30 years or for 20 years, 15, 10 or 5. After those years the policy can either be over or it can be renewed at a higher price based on your age at that time.
What's the best way to utilize term life insurance?
Term life is very good to have a lot of insurance - for now. It makes sense if you have kids at home who are dependent on your income coming in for years to come for their living expenses. Also, a spouse, even if working, would have a financial hardship in case of your death. If you can't develop the funds for permanent life insurance like whole life insurance then get the most term that you can.
Are there "stores" for term life insurance on the web?
Yes, but they are not all the same:
a. There's the sort that asks for information about you which is marketed to agents as a sales lead.
b. Then there are ones that sell life insurance but want you to give your information before giving you insurance quotes.
c. The websites of life insurance companies themselves which are usually informational in nature and if you email them, you're referred to one of their insurance agents.
d. An internet site that gives you direct and anonymous access to term life insurance rates. Then if you get a quote that works for you, you can make contact. One that does this is www.lifeinsure.com
Suggestion/Action Plan
If something happened to you and you have people financially dependent on you, it's crucial that you have ample life insurance whether term life insurance or if finances allow it - permanent life such as whole life or universal life. Go to a website that allows you to learn on your own and get various quotes from a lot of life insurance companies. The web can be of immense help to you in this research.
Neil Willner is a co-author of The Life Insurance Blog and The Disability Insurance Blog.
Home Insurance Terms
Home insurance, or even homeowners insurance, is an insurance policy that combines insurance on the home, its contents, loss of the use of the home (additional living expenses) and, typically, the more individual possessions of the homeowner, as well as liability insurance for accidents that can transpire at the home.
The cost of homeowners insurance scales upward depending on what it would cost to replenish the home, and which extra "riders", meaning extra items to be insured, are bound to the policy. The insurance policy itself is a long contract, and list what will and what will not be paid in the case of various cases.
Virtually all insurers charge less if it appears less likely the home will be damaged or even destroyed: as an example, if the home is situated next to a fire station, or even if the home is equipped with fire sprinklers and fire alarms.
Often, claims aren't paid because of earthquakes, floods, "Acts of God", or even war (whose definition occasionally includes a nuclear explosion from any source). Some kind of special insurance can be purchased for these possibilities.
In the United States, virtually all home buyers borrow money in the form of a mortgage, and the mortgage lender always requires that the buyer acquire homeowners insurance as a condition of the loan, consecutively to protect the bank if the home were to be destroyed. Anyone with an insurable interest in the property should be listed on the policy.
By Fern Kuhn, RN
Types of Homeowner Insurance
There are 6 different types of homeowners insurance in general that are consistently utilized. Of these HO-3 is the most usual policy then it is followed by HO-4 and HO-6. Others less used, but still important, are HO-1, HO-2 and HO-5. Everyone is described below:
HO-1
A limited policy that offers varied degrees of coverage but includes items that are specifically included in the policy. These may be used to include a valuable object in the home, such a painting or certain types of jewelry.
HO-2
Similar to HO-1, HO-2 is a limited policy in that it will cover only specific portions of a home against damage. The coverage is ordinarily a "named perils" policy, which lists the cases that would be covered. As above, these factors must be spelled come in the policy.
HO-3
This policy is the most common one written for a owner and is designed to cover all aspects of the home, its structure and it contents. Also includes any liability that will arise from daily living. This includes visitors in the home that might encounter an accident or even injury on the premises. Covered aspects of liability must be clearly spelled out in the policy to insure proper coverage. The coverage is ordinarily called "all risk".
HO-4
This is unremarkably referred to as renter's insurance. Similar to HO-6, this policy covers those aspects of the living accommodations and its contents not specifically covered in the blanket policy written for the renter's complex. This policy can, as well, cover liabilities arising from accidents and injuries for guests and passers-by up to 150' of the renter's complex.
Extremely low in cost and high in coverage, this is an extremely recommended policy for anyone renting an apartment
HO-5
This policy, similar to HO-3, covers a home (not a dwelling or even apartment), the owner and its possessions. Liability that might arise from visitors or even passers-by. This coverage is differentiated therein it covers a wider scope and depth of incidents and losses than AN HO-3.
HO-6
As a form of supplemental homeowner's insurance, HO-6, a.k.a. a Condominium Coverage, is designed especially for the owners of condos. It includes coverage for the share of the building closely-held per insured and for the property housed in that of the insured.
Designed to span the gap between what the homeowner's association can cover in a blanket policy written for associate entire neighborhood and those things of importance to the insured. Occasionally the HO-6 covers liability for residents and guests on their private property. The liability coverage, contingent to the underwriter, premium paid, and more factors of the policy, can cover incidents up to 150' from the insured property, all valuables in the home from theft, fire or even water damage or even more forms of loss.
It's significant to read the Associations By-laws to determine the aggregate amount of insurance needful on your lodging.
Extremely low in cost and high in coverage, this is a extremely recommend policy for anyone owning a condo.
By Fern Kuhn, RN
Basic Coverage of Homeowner Insurance Policies
The insurance policy is a package that includes more than 1 type of insurance in a policy. There are 4 types of coverage contained in the home insurance policy.
Included are:
Dwelling and Personal Property
Personal Liability
Medical Payments
Additional Living Expenses
In this article, Dwelling and Personal Property Damage will be explained:
Property damage coverage will help pay for any damage to your dwelling or personal property. Other parts of your home, such as a detached garage, a shed, or any other building on your property are usually covered for about 10% of the amount of coverage on your home.
Personal property coverage pays for your personal property, which includes your furniture, clothing, and other personal property.
The amount of that insurance coverage is about 50% of the policy limit on your home. This type of coverage is also limited by the type of loss specifically listed in your policy.
The coverage usually only pays the current cash value of the item damaged or destroyed, unless you actually purchased replacement cost coverage.
Your home insurance policy also includes off-premises coverage. What this means is that the policy covers your personal belongings against theft even when they are not in your dwelling.
Your insurance company will reimburse you for the cost of replacing your suitcase and whatever its content is if it were lost or stolen when you were away on vacation, but only for replacing them with the personal property of the same kind and quality.
By Fern Kuhn, RN
Eleven Money-Saving Auto Insurance Tips for Senior Drivers
Following a few simple tips and taking these measures will ensure that you are getting the lowest rates possible on your auto insurance policy.
1. Avoid more Accidents, Pay Close Attention at Intersections. Auto accidents involving seniors often occur at intersections. Make sure to look ahead if you plan to quickly change lanes after an intersection. Pay attention to protected left turn lanes with their own arrows, and always keep your tires pointed straight ahead when stopped, so that a rear-end accident doesn't push you into oncoming traffic.
2. Follow the flow of traffic, Drive at the at or near the speed limit. Driving too slowly can be just as dangerous as speeding, especially when entering or exiting interstates or freeways. It can also trigger dangerous "road rage" in less patient drivers. You don't have to be Mario Andretti, but keeping to the right and following the flow of traffic is the safest bet.
3. Many violations include failure to yield right-of-way, improper turning or incorrect lane changes, so keep current on the traffic laws relating to new traffic designs.
4. Sit high enough in your seat so that you can see at least 10 feet in front of your car, advises the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. If your car seat does not adjust to allow this, add a cushion. This will make it easier to see pedestrians and bike riders, and reduce problems from oncoming headlight glare at night.
5. Do not wear sunglasses or tinted glasses when driving at night. For many older drivers, night vision is reduced, so safety dictates not driving at twilight or after dark.
6. Make sure you learn how to operate a New Car. Things like Anti-lock brakes, for example operate differently in slippery situations. If you have never driven a car with anti-lock brakes, sure to get training on proper use.
7. Senior drivers can refresh their skills and knowledge -- and get a discount on auto insurance in many states -- by taking a refresher driving course, such as the eight-hour "55 Alive" course offered by AARP. More than two-thirds of states mandate auto insurance policy discounts for such courses, and many insurance companies offer the discounts voluntarily.
8. Look for cars with rear-view mirrors that automatically dim and filter out headlight glare.
9. Air bag technology has become more advanced, with sensors that deploy air bags based on the weight of the occupant, reducing air-bag-related injuries. Some new cars also have side air bags in the seats or door frame that offer better protection.
10. Consider fit and comfort in your new car. Seat belts that comfortably fit over your shoulder and low on your lap will keep you safer. Automatic transmission, power steering and power brakes require less physical effort.
11. Last but definitely not least, Check to see which companies offer specific 'Senior Discounts' While shopping around for the best auto insurance rates is important, which insurance company you choose might depend on how they treat senior drivers. You'll get their best rates if you're healthy and drive a safe, modern vehicle.
Reprints of this article are allowed (and encouraged) for your site or newsletter with inclusion of a simple link to http://www.hometownquotes.com.
By Matt McWilliams
Insurance for Those Who Run Bed and Breakfast Properties
A Bed and Breakfast, often referred to as a B&B, is a private residence with several rooms of which are set aside for overnight guests whose paid accommodations include breakfast. Modern Bed and Breakfast often consciously tries to recall earlier days - they are generally established in charming older houses which have been refurbished and adorned with antique furniture.
Hence insuring one's bed and breakfast property is a better idea to recover any loss caused accidentally. Also, if a guest is injured while staying in the bed and breakfast, and if the adequate liability cover is not in place, the owner has to face the loss. Another important reason to insure one's property is incase one has to close its doors for a while, especially during peak season, due to any number of problems such as fire and storm or a violent or accidental event at the premises. Hence insuring your property at the right time and right insurer will help a prospective owner to compensate the loss.
Most of the bed and breakfast insurance policies cover one's personal property, liability exposures, and optional coverage such as those incurred through business. Property coverage include special cause of loss, actual cash value or optional replacement cost, business income and extra expense, newly acquired or constructed property and business personal property.
The policies available could also cover bodily injury and property damage, contractual coverage, personal injury, advertising injury and host liquor liability. Optional coverage includes crime, food spoilage, guest inconvenience coverage, employee benefits administration liability and ordinance and law coverage.
Generally most insurance policies cover all the bed and breakfast activities including the supply of food and drink. The coverage can be extended to weddings, garden parties, visits by day trippers to historical homes, in-house gymnasiums, fishing and bicycle use, limited horse riding activities and even legal liability cover on stolen credit cards.
Most insurance companies prefer to be informed about changing circumstances within a bed and breakfast property. The management companies should be aware of this responsibility - existing building policies may be affected if there is an increase in the number of bed rooms from that shown in the schedule, and the change not conveyed to the insurers in time for their consideration.
Hence before getting in to any insurance package, it is advisable that the prospective customer rationally selects the package that suits him the best by shopping around and comparing terms, conditions and premiums on a like for like basis.
By Jason Hulott
Cheap Insurance - Ten Ways
Cheap insurance? Auto insurance, life insurance, health insurance, liability insurance - whatever type of insurance you need, you can buy it for less. Try the following:
1. Raise you deductible. Why have a $100 deductible if a $1000 deductible won't break you? It may hurt to pay the first thousand someday, but what if meanwhile you saved several thousand? High deductibles mean lower rates. Of course, get quotes with various deductibles, to be sure you're saving enough for the higher risk.
2. Lower your coverage. Insurance agents secretly admit that people usually get sued according to policy limits. You'll be sued for more if your limit is a million than if it's a hundred thousand. A judgement beyond the policy limits is a scary thought, but this can happen no matter what your limits are. If you don't have many assets or much money in the bank, consider lowering your coverage to save money. Get quotes first, of course, to see how much you'll save.
3. Lower the insurance company's risk. Using seatbelts, not smoking, and having alarm systems can mean cheap insurance. Ask your agent about any discounts that are available.
4. Use an independent agent. Why limit yourself to one insurance company? Independents can show you the cheapest policy regardless of which company it's from. Just check a rating service to see if the issuing company is financially solid, especially when buying life insurance.
5. Drop your insurance. The insurance companies will hate me for this one, but consider eliminating some coverages. You need liability coverage on your car, but collision coverage on a $2000 car doesn't make sense. Invest the money elsewhere, and take the $2000 loss once or twice in your life, or maybe never.
6. Buy stocks instead of insurance. If you and your wife both have good incomes, it probably makes more sense to invest your money than to buy life insurance. If loved ones have enough income or assets, life insurance premiums are usually wasted money.
7. Get rebates. Some states that allows "rebating". California law, for example, allows agents to rebate part of their commission to you. If you live in a non-rebating stae, find a California company online!
8. Get the legal minimums. If you have no assets to protect, ask for state-mandated minimums on auto liability policies. Most companies give you their higher, more expensive "company minimums" if you don't push the point.
9. Review your policies. It is common for parents to still pay for health insurance coverage on adult children long after they are working and have their own coverage. See what other unecessary coverages you may be paying for.
10. Get several quotes. For cheap insurance, compare quotes from several companies, and ask about different policy options. One more thing: take notes.
By Steve Gillman
Sisters Are Insuring Themselves: Finance is the New Feminism
According to a study by LifeSearch, the number of women in the UK buying life insurance in the UK has doubled over the last six years. As women are increasingly closing the gender related pay gap and even becoming the main breadwinners in a household, they are also becoming more vigilant about their finances and less financially dependent on their partners.
Linda Tyson, a policy advisor for LifeSearch stated that the increase was attributed to the "growing awareness of the importance of protecting the financial stability of the family. More and more women are either the main or only breadwinner and are realising the importance of protecting their incomes."
An additional advantage for women is upon applying for cover, they pay less in premiums than men, which is additional money to save, invest or spend on holiday with the girls. This reduction in premiums is based on the fact that women live an additional seven years longer than men. Insurance companies deem men a greater insurance risk when it comes to life insurance. In general, a woman pays 25% to 35% less than a man.
The most cost effective way to buy life insurance is term cover, which allows for a lump sum to be paid out over a given period upon the death of the policy holder. The lump sum will protect the partner or family and the extent of the cover will vary on how much the policy holder wishes to invest and length of time over which they wish to invest it.
Alternatively, there is the option of whole-of-life insurance, in which case a lump sum will be paid out upon the death of the policy holder - whenever that happens. Given that the payout is guaranteed, the premiums for this type of life insurance are much higher, although women still pay less than men.
Websites such as moneynet provide an easy method for women to review different life insurance policies, the risks and associated costs and given that the ratio of male to female web users is almost 50:50, it's not surprising that women have the web (and their finances) under their thumb.
Discount Auto Insurance - Keep Your Hard-Earned Money
Finding discount auto insurance is so easy when you do an online search. There are many insurance companies that do offer this option for many customers who want to search through several different companies to get the best possible quotes. With many of these sites, all you have to do is select the type of discount auto insurance you need, fill in a short form and receive quotes from as many as six different online insurance companies.
An online automobile insurance quote saves you time and money. You no longer have to spend time using the telephone trying to get discount auto insurance or take time off from work to visit each of the automobile insurance company offices. You can do an online search at any time of the day or night and receive an instant quote in your inbox. Depending on the site, you may have to wait up to 24 hours for the quote or longer if you submit the quote request on a weekend.
When you look for discount auto insurance there are many types of discounts that you can avail yourself of. For example, many of the online automobile insurance quotes provide a discount if you are over the age of 50. Discount auto insurance is readily available if you have not had an accident in the last six years and have not had any traffic violations.
You do need to be truthful when answering the questions for an online automobile insurance quote. If you are switching to another auto insurance company, even though you submit the information online, the discount auto insurance quote you get won't come into effect until you also submit supporting documents, such as a driving record and a record from your former auto insurance. If you haven't been truthful, it could result in your automobile insurance being cancelled or having to pay a higher rate.
Another thing you have to be careful about when searching for an online automobile insurance quote is that the site is secure. You wouldn't want your information to become public information just because you are looking to save money on discount auto insurance. This could be a lot more costly than the insurance if someone steals your identity.
Discount auto insurance is around, but not easy to find. And it's not available to everyone.
Types of Homeowner Insurance
There are 6 different types of homeowners insurance in general that are consistently utilized. Of these HO-3 is the most usual policy then it is followed by HO-4 and HO-6. Others less used, but still important, are HO-1, HO-2 and HO-5. Everyone is described below:
HO-1
A limited policy that offers varied degrees of coverage but includes items that are specifically included in the policy. These may be used to include a valuable object in the home, such a painting or certain types of jewelry.
HO-2
Similar to HO-1, HO-2 is a limited policy in that it will cover only specific portions of a home against damage. The coverage is ordinarily a "named perils" policy, which lists the cases that would be covered. As above, these factors must be spelled come in the policy.
HO-3
This policy is the most common one written for a owner and is designed to cover all aspects of the home, its structure and it contents. Also includes any liability that will arise from daily living. This includes visitors in the home that might encounter an accident or even injury on the premises. Covered aspects of liability must be clearly spelled out in the policy to insure proper coverage. The coverage is ordinarily called "all risk".
HO-4
This is unremarkably referred to as renter's insurance. Similar to HO-6, this policy covers those aspects of the living accommodations and its contents not specifically covered in the blanket policy written for the renter's complex. This policy can, as well, cover liabilities arising from accidents and injuries for guests and passers-by up to 150' of the renter's complex.
Extremely low in cost and high in coverage, this is an extremely recommended policy for anyone renting an apartment
HO-5
This policy, similar to HO-3, covers a home (not a dwelling or even apartment), the owner and its possessions. Liability that might arise from visitors or even passers-by. This coverage is differentiated therein it covers a wider scope and depth of incidents and losses than AN HO-3.
HO-6
As a form of supplemental homeowner's insurance, HO-6, a.k.a. a Condominium Coverage, is designed especially for the owners of condos. It includes coverage for the share of the building closely-held per insured and for the property housed in that of the insured.
Designed to span the gap between what the homeowner's association can cover in a blanket policy written for associate entire neighborhood and those things of importance to the insured. Occasionally the HO-6 covers liability for residents and guests on their private property. The liability coverage, contingent to the underwriter, premium paid, and more factors of the policy, can cover incidents up to 150' from the insured property, all valuables in the home from theft, fire or even water damage or even more forms of loss.
It's significant to read the Associations By-laws to determine the aggregate amount of insurance needful on your lodging.
Extremely low in cost and high in coverage, this is a extremely recommend policy for anyone owning a condo.
By Fern Kuhn, RN
Home Insurance Terms
Home insurance, or even homeowners insurance, is an insurance policy that combines insurance on the home, its contents, loss of the use of the home (additional living expenses) and, typically, the more individual possessions of the homeowner, as well as liability insurance for accidents that can transpire at the home.
The cost of homeowners insurance scales upward depending on what it would cost to replenish the home, and which extra "riders", meaning extra items to be insured, are bound to the policy. The insurance policy itself is a long contract, and list what will and what will not be paid in the case of various cases.
Virtually all insurers charge less if it appears less likely the home will be damaged or even destroyed: as an example, if the home is situated next to a fire station, or even if the home is equipped with fire sprinklers and fire alarms.
Often, claims aren't paid because of earthquakes, floods, "Acts of God", or even war (whose definition occasionally includes a nuclear explosion from any source). Some kind of special insurance can be purchased for these possibilities.
In the United States, virtually all home buyers borrow money in the form of a mortgage, and the mortgage lender always requires that the buyer acquire homeowners insurance as a condition of the loan, consecutively to protect the bank if the home were to be destroyed. Anyone with an insurable interest in the property should be listed on the policy.
By Fern Kuhn, RN
Natures Fury - Time to Check Your Insurance
The communities of Exmouth and Moora in Western Australia don't have a lot in common with Sydney.
But this year there is a uniting bond. All have felt the full force of Mother Nature.
Flooding in the Wheatbelt town of Moora caused an estimated $10 million dollars worth of damage to homes and property. Cyclone Vance ripped through Exmouth in the North West of the State costing the community millions more. Sydney's hailstorm bill has topped $1 billion and is still rising.
All this is a timely reminder about insurance to protect your assets from acts of nature over which we have no control.
Insurance is one of those intangible things - you pay out the money but you never see anything tangible in return - except in the event of some misfortune.
Insurance companies try hard to position themselves as being reputable and fair and spend millions in advertising trying to get this message across. The benefits they are selling include timeliness and ease of making claims and trustworthiness when it comes to paying claims.
Even banks are now are now becoming more sympathetic when it comes to natural disasters. Westpac has offered a special relief program to assist customers seriously affected by the Sydney hailstorm. Customers with home loans may now apply to suspend repayments for up to three months and may defer credit card payments for a month.
Despite all the goodwill, you need to do your homework when considering the best options for insurance. Here are 10 tips when considering insurance for your hard-earned assets.
Insure with a reputable company. All companies must be licensed under the Insurance Act 1973 and comply with its regulations. The Australian Prudential Regulation Authority (APRA) oversees this. Their role is to see that companies have the ability to meet future claims. If there is a dispute between an insurer and a domestic claimant, the matter may be referred to the Claims Review Panel of Insurance Inquiries and Complaints Limited for an independent decision.
Ask around. Talk to your neighbors, friends and contacts that have made a claim. Word of mouth travels quickly during a natural disaster. Check out what the company's attitude is when it comes to paying out. It's when the chips are down, like in Exmouth, Moora and Sydney that insurance companies have to perform.
Ensure you are adequately insured. Don't try and save a small amount of money on your policy and find out later that you've under insured.
Revalue your assets annually. Prices change, houses appreciate and cars generally depreciate. Maintain the sum insured at current day values.
Cover all your assets. The major insurance categories are houses, cars, personal valuables and home contents. Make sure some form of insurance covers all your personal assets.
Check the speed of claims payments. The quicker you get paid the quicker life gets back to normal. The time value of money means that any delays will actually be leaving you out of pocket.
Shop around. There are a range of products on the market. Ring around and find the policy that best suits your needs - both from a value perspective based on price and premiums and also breadth of cover.
Check the details. Remember to always check the details and don't be afraid to ask questions so you know exactly what you are and aren't covered for.
Store your policy in a safe place. Set up a system so you know where your policy is if you need to refer to it at any stage. It's amazing how frustrating it can be looking for those misplaced important documents during a time of crisis.
Seek help. If you require help, seek out a professional insurance broker who can provide you with advice and options.
Stick to these tips and you'll have peace of mind next time a natural disaster hits your home.
By Thomas Murrell MBA CSP
Avoiding The Potholes Of Car Insurance
Car Insurance is an issue that we all of face in our lives. Do we insure our car or not?
For example, what type of policy should you get? What should you look out for when signing on the dotted line? Car insurance can be a minefield if you do not investigate and take time out to research and evaluate the many types of insurance on offer in today's market.
Some of the main questions you need to ask yourself include do you want car insurance in the first place or are you willing to let luck prevail? Do you want comprehensive cover? Do you want to be covered just for fire and theft or do you want third party property damage insurance?
There is a significant difference in each of these policies and they vary from company to company. Basically comprehensive cover is full cover of your car and the other person's car (or the traffic light you demolished).
Third Party Fire and theft insurance is the next step down and then you have third party cover. Third party protects you for damage to some else's car but not yours.
After working out what type of insurance you want, ask yourself do you want to insure the car at an agreed value or current market value of the car? This is very important to consider. If your car is a special model with lots of modifications, you might consider the agreed value option because it allows you to include added extras.
The majority of people go for the market value option but it is important to read the fine print. This option has a catch. The insurance company pays out the amount the car is worth at the time of the accident. Hence the amount could be different to the market value originally spelled out in the policy when you signed up because of depreciation.
Once you have worked out what type of cover you want you start getting down to the smaller, more tedious options.
Some of the main ones you need to consider include:
(i) How much is the excess?
(ii) Do you want to choose the repairer?
(iii) Do you want loan vehicles if your car is stolen?
(iv) Do you want the policy to cover the car for business use?
(v) What drivers are covered?
(vi) Is it repaired using only genuine spare parts?
(vii) Is there a limit on towing fees?
(viii) Does it cover damaged property and personal belongings inside the car?
(ix) Does it Cover taxi fares?
RAC's Assistant General Manager for Insurance Services, Sam Mola believes it is very important for people to research and investigate all options before taking out car insurance.
"People need to watch out and make sure they are signing up for cover that suits their needs. You need to review the benefits provided and then make an informed decision," he said.
"People need to make sure they are familiar with the cover provided by the policy and not just compare policies on price. They need to make sure the company can provide the appropriate claims service when a claim is made. For example the company should provide a high quality of repairs for a minimum amount of fuss. People need to consider the reputation of the organization. Cheaper does not always mean better."
The Australian Insurance Council's Group General Manager for Western Australia and the Northern Territory Daryl Cameron said in 85 per cent of cases policies are bought on price alone, which can be dangerous for people who do not read their policies extremely carefully. He also said if you are not honest with your potential insurer they may refuse to pay out if the time comes.
"It is vital that all known information regarding the vehicle or any intended driver is fully disclosed to the insurer when taking out a policy or when one is up for renewal. If anything changes that may effect your policy you must tell the insurer; It is extremely important, remember you have a duty of disclosure," Mr Cameron said.
"If you smash into the back of a Mercedes, and you forgot to tell your insurance company about your dangerous driving conviction, they may refuse to pay out despite the fact you are covered by them. So be careful otherwise you may have to foot the bill yourself," he warned.
So be careful, take your time and watch out for the traps that catch many unsuspecting motorists. It is important that you understand what you are getting into and ask as many questions as you can. Remember there is no harm in asking and it could save you a lot of money in the long run.
Here are 10 points to remember when considering car insurance
Research, investigate and take your time when looking for car insurance.
Get something that suits your needs not the insurance companies.
Answer the question, market value or agreed value cover?
Make sure you understand and know exactly what you are covered for.
What is excluded from the policy?
What is the excess when making a claim?
Remember cheapest it not always the best.
Tell your insurer about anything that happens to you that may affect your policy, for example driving convictions. Don't take short cuts.
Work out a payment method that suits you.
For an 'At Fault' claim can you protect your no claim bonus?
Thomas Murrell MBA CSP is an international business speaker, consultant and award-winning broadcaster. Media Motivators is his regular electronic magazine read by 7,000 professionals in 15 different countries.
What Price For Your Health?
How do you put a value good health? For many it is priceless. So how much are you prepared to pay to seek the best medical advice available?
Private health insurance is one of those lifestyle choices all us of face.
Do you go with the system and use the health safety net that the public health-care program provides to all Australians? Or seek the extra security and choice provided by private health insurance?
About a third of all adult Australians have private health insurance with the industry worth $5 billion dollars a year.
But that figure is likely to increase. From July 1 there have been changes introduced to the cost of private health care and many people have rushed in to take advantage of the savings.
The initiative of the Federal Government has been to try and increase the number of people covered by private insurance. The great fear is that as the population ages the public health system will not be able to cope with the increases in pressure an aging population brings.
Baby Boomers, those people born before 1964, make up the largest segment of Australia's population and the demand for health services will increase considerably as they age.
The changes after July 1 have meant increases in health care contributions if you're over 30. There is a 2 per cent impost per year until you are 65 years of age, with the maximum impost being based on a 65-year old.
Get in early and you retain the benefits of no impost.
For example both a 65-year old and a 75-year old will both have a 70 per cent impost. This only applies to hospital cover and there is no impost on ancillary cover. This provides an incentive for people below 30 to buy private health insurance and retain it for life.
The premium is based on the age you join. So if you join at 35 you have a 10 per cent loading which you retain for the length of your cover.
Ricki Smith, Manager Corporate Relations with HBF says there are a number of benefits that private health insurance brings.
This includes choice of doctor, choice of hospital and location and timeliness.
"You can go to hospital when you want to and avoid waiting," she says.
"Some people think it is expensive and don't realize there is so much choice. There are so many options it does become quite cheap."
Additional options often include hospital room rates, dental, optical and physiotherapy benefits.
If you're in a higher salary bracket, for example earning over $50,000 a year as a single or over $100,000 as a family, there is also a penalty if you don't have private health insurance.
An additional 1 per cent higher Medicare levy to these income earners will cost over $1,000 a year. This is more than the cost of private health insurance.
Private health insurance buys peace of mind. But what if something goes wrong and you have a dispute with your insurer.
The Private Health Insurance Ombudsman handles complaints regarding health funds.
They receive 2,000 complaints a year covering about $80 million in transactions. This ranges claims ranging from $50 for a few physiotherapy visits to $50,000 for a multiple-heart valve replacement.
Norman Branson, Ombudsman for Private Health Insurance says their role is to act as the umpire.
He says about half the claims require the Ombudsman to take specific action.
"The biggest area is where somebody thinks they're covered and they ultimately find out they're not," he said.
So if you are in the market for private health insurance here are 10 tips to help you find your way through the huge choice on offer.
10 Private Health Insurance Tips
1. Work out what you want cover for - basic, hospital, dental, optical etc.
2. Contact a range of funds. Meet with them personally to discuss your needs.
3. Don't buy on price alone. Price is not the best determining factor. Look at the package and options available to suit your age and lifestyle.
4. Look for a product that suits your needs, For example you can save quite a lot of money if you're prepared to share a hospital room.
5. Look for a fund that has a good reputation for making claims in a timely way.
By Thomas Murrell MBA CSP
Internet Insurance Leads
It is a fact that more and more people everyday use the Internet to get insurance coverage. The number of online customers is massive compared to "traditional" business, and it is increasing day after day.
However, as the online market grows, the number of "garbage" leads increases accordingly; there is a huge amount of price-shoppers out there that cares more about getting a cheap policy than about getting a good one. And paying attention to such requests is not only a waste of time, but also a waste of money.That is why you should get pre-qualified leads. Internet insurance leads that have been filtered to eliminate unserious ones were found to have about 80% effectiveness.There are many lead services on the internet; what differences one from another is this filtering process.
There is no doubt about it: if you want to reach the largest amount of people possible across the nation, then you should start getting internet leads. It is the most cost-effective way to achieve an astonishing number of sales. And, of course, this huge number of potential customers is a great chance of getting plenty of referrals. Everyone knows someone that needs a policy. It's the good old basic equation: More customers = more referrals.
Be sure to choose a lead service that fulfills your needs, have them pre-eliminate those dead-end quote requests, and the rest is doing what you are good for, that means, selling insurance policies.
If you need healing, you pay a visit to a physician. If you want to get yourself a new car, you don't enter a pharmacy to buy it. It's that simple: if you really want to increase the amount of your customers, then you need to get in touch with a quality internet insurance leads service provider. That is what makes the difference in the insurance world nowadays.
Everything You Need to Know About Life Insurance
Life insurance is a type of protection that can be bought and insures the buyer in the event of death. The risk that is assumed by the insurer is the risk of death of the insured. Life insurance is a very good purchase in order to protect a family, especially if you are the sole breadwinner. Additionally, life insurance can help pay for funeral costs and therefore ensure that your death will not be a financial burden for your family.
It is important to understand the process of life insurance in order to truly grasp its value. A life insurance transaction has three parties: the insured, the insurer, and the owner of the policy (the insured and owner of the policy are often the same person). One of the most important parties involved with life insurance is the beneficiary. The beneficiary receives the policy proceeds upon the death of the insured. Only the owner of the policy can change the beneficiary. If the beneficiary is an irrevocable beneficiary, then any changes in beneficiary must be agreed to by the irrevocable beneficiary.
In order to solidify a life insurance plan with an insurer, the insurer must evaluate the insured's lifestyle. The insurer evaluates the risk of insuring the customer. Some insurance companies will not grant insurance to people with serious health issues, or extreme lifestyles. Insurance companies charge differing amounts for life insurance based on the risk evaluation. Part of the risk evaluation is a health evaluation. There are for categories for people seeking life insurance: Preferred Best, Preferred, Standard, and Tobacco. Having no family history of illness or early cancer, and being extremely healthy and active can result in a Preferred Best rating. Depending on lifestyles, and family histories, a person is slowly moved down the ladder. It is easy to move down the categories but almost impossible to move up a category.
Life insurance is a legal contract that has terms and conditions. In the event of the suicide of the insured, most insurance companies will declare the policy null and void. Misrepresentation by the owner or insured on the life insurance application is also a plausible reason for the policy to be nullified. Insurance companies are entitled to know the circumstances of the insured's death and can decide whether or not the policy should be nullified if there is suspicion of suicide. A death certificate must be shown to the insurer to prove the death of the insured.
As with any insurance policy, life insurance takes a substantial amount of time to mature. Once matured, the "face value" of the policy is given. A policy matures upon the death of the insured, or when the insured reaches a certain age. Depending on the policy, the insured can make differing amounts of payments over time. As with all insurances, failed payments result in the termination of the insurance.
Life insurance is a very good thing to have because it protects your family's financial well-being. In the event that you were the sole worker, life insurance can pay your family your salary for many years (depending on the policy). Life insurance can also cover the costs of funerals and therefore your death won't be a burden on your family.
By Peter Wise
The Life Insurance Quote Business is Booming, but is the Insurance Quote Accurate?
The life insurance quote business online is booming. Not only are life insurance agents quoting a more diverse portfolio of companies, but consumers are also now able to quote life insurance online for themselves. In this article, I will analyze the impact of the life insurance online quote on the insurance industry, the insurance broker, and the consumer looking for insurance.
In the not so distant past, life insurance was sold, not bought. The typical agent would travel door to door, network locally, and perhaps meet with potential policyholders for dinner at their home. The "debit" agent was also a common profession. These agents would actually go to their clients and collect the premium on a weekly basis. The life insurance quote came from a person back then, not a computer.
These days, consumers can go online for a life insurance quote. The ability to readily compare the cost of life insurance among hundreds of life insurance companies has dramatically changed the environment.
The biggest impact to the insurance industry is the fact that the cost of coverage has decreased significantly. This is good for the client, but is in effect shutting smaller companies down as the claims to revenue ratio is converging.
Another impact is the fact that when consumers get an online life insurance quote, they are rarely coached as to what is the better deal for them. Often times, term life insurance is the only product that they are offered. The customer is not being told about the advantages of whole life insurance or the flexibility of universal life insurance?they are often just given a term life insurance quote as requested. The life insurance agent of past would have talked to the client and done some fact finding before selling them something that may not fit their particular situation.
The online Life Insurance Quote industry has also affected the independent insurance broker. Often times, the local broker is not trusted with the quote because the consumer has gone online and gotten a cheaper quote from an online quote service. Misquotes are usually the result of the lack of fact finding on the part of the online insurance quote companies. Customers would be much better off dealing with a licensed life insurance agent (who can broker any company out there; whatever suits the customer best) for their life insurance quotes.
So the next time you go online looking for the best term life insurance rate, consider that you may be making a mistake by dealing with a "call center". Consider that the life insurance quote that you are receiving is only from the companies that they carry. Consider calling on an independent life insurance broker for your term, whole life, and universal life insurance needs and information.
By: Ashley Brooks, CLTC
The Life Insurance Policy and Its Best Kept Secret
Do you love someone deeply enough to spend your hard earned dollars on a life insurance premium -- month after month?
After all, the benefit from a life insurance policy isn't for you. It's for the ones you love, but after you've gone.
Life insurance is money paid to those who rely on you today to give them a secure standard of living, which they can lose in a heartbeat.
This is money when they need it the most ... with no income tax or publicity.
Buying a life insurance policy can be challenging because it isn't an easy subject matter to begin with.
Most people get somewhat confused about how it works and whom they can trust enough to make the purchase.
And there's an overwhelming number of companies and agents all clamoring for your attention.
The purpose of this article is to help clarify a huge misconception about term life insurance. While doing this, I'll introduce you to what many knowledgable professionals consider to be the best kept secret in a life insurance policy.
Buy term and invest the difference is a phrase touted by those ... including some life insurance agents ... who have absolutely no idea how much harm it's implementation can cause.
The principle theory behind this idea is you no longer need a life insurance policy when you reach a certain age such as 55, 60 or 65.
Supposedly your kids have finished school and are doing just fine earning their own income. And you and your spouse are living comfortably on retirement savings and social security.
On the surface and to the naive, this might appear reasonable.
It's relatively easy to blow holes in this hypothesis, but let's focus instead on the real problem with this scenario.
We are living longer ... much longer ... than ever before. We may not be enjoying it very much due to poor health but, nevertheless, we're hanging on.
Life insurance companies know this better than anyone. In fact, most of them now use age 115 has a factor when calculating life insurance policy premiums.
You hear about retirees who are forced to find work at McDonald's or Walmart. Have you ever joined a seniors chat room on the Internet and witnessed the concerns most of them have about running out of money before they die?
Many of these seniors are frightened to death. And this is before we even consider the babyboomers right behind them.
An intelligently purchased life insurance policy can be the saving grace for those you love the most.
Now, let me set the record straight. I have nothing against term life insurance. Over the past 24 years I've personally sold millions of dollars worth.
What bothers me ... and what I believe to be criminal ... is when term life insurance is sold under false pretenses.
Let's use a simple example.
A 35 year old nonsmoking male in excellent health can buy a $500,000 term life insurance policy for about $700 per year.
The premium is guaranteed to be $700 for 30 years. Some companies will be a little cheaper and some a little more expensive.
The buy term and invest the difference advocate would compare this to a $500,000 whole life insurance policy at $3,650 per year. Once again, some companies will be higher and some lower.
Theoretically, you have $2,950 to invest each year for 30 years. I say theoretically because in the real world you would never consistently invest $2,950 each year.
Not the same way you would commit to a life insurance policy premium.
Why do I know this? Call it human nature based on 24 years of experience.
But, let's give you the benefit of the doubt and say you actually do invest according to this hypothetical plan. What rate of return are you going to make over 30 years? 5% ... 8% ... 10 percent?
By the way, this question opens up another can of worms. The psychology of investing. But, we'll save that controversy for another time.
For arguments sake let's assume you get an 8% compounded rate of return each year for 30 years. This comes to $360,920.41.
Okay ... so now you're 65 years old and you have $360,920.41. But guess what?
When you reach 66 your $500,000 term life insurance policy will lapse without value because the annual premium becomes $21,180.
Yep, you read that right! It jumps from $700 to over 21 thousand dollars.
At age 70, it's $31,430. At age 75, it's $52,970.
There's no way on earth you'll pay this premium. Problem is ... you ain't dead yet!
You have paid $21,000 over a 30 year timeframe to have a $500,000 life insurance policy during a period of time when the odds are you would never die anyway.
Under normal circumstances you will die somewhere around age 80 -- give or take. Your loved one's investment account still won't be worth $500,000.
What's more, she will have to pay income tax on the investment gains. Remember, life insurance proceeds are income tax free.
Now let me quickly repeat myself. I am not against term life insurance ... as long it's purchased with an eye towards the reality of future expectations.
If your term life insurance policy is issued by a highly rated company with a broad selection of products, you will have ample opportunity to convert the term into something more permanent over the course of the 30 years in our example.
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, exactly what is the best kept secret in a life insurance policy?
It is a universal life insurance policy that guarantees the death benefit regardless of investment performance.
Universal life is the most flexible type of policy on the market. The premium is higher than term, but lower than whole life. There are several on the market, so you must be careful.
If you decide to buy term because of budget constraints, then be certain to buy from a company that also offers universal life.
This gives you the chance to slowly convert the term into universal with the same company over the length of the term guarantee.
As your budget permits convert term into universal.
One word of caution though. Long term interest rates are critical to the performance of universal life insurance.
Because they've been depressed for several years and will likely continue so, you must get the universal life with an unconditional death benefit guarantee.
Here's an example using our 30 year old male. The $500,000 universal life insurance policy premium is $2,871 per year. This compares with the already discussed $700 term and $3,650 whole life premiums.
Let's say you really do decide life insurance isn't important when you reach 65. By that time, you would have paid $86,130 in total premiums.
Down a rat hole like the term plan? Nope!
The cash surrender value would be at least $85,501. It might well be over $100,000 based on the actual competitive interest rates credited to the policy over the 30 years.
By paying more in premium using universal life you guarantee the death benefit for as long as necessary ... plus you have the ability to recover your expense if you wish to cash it in.
You have the best of both worlds when you use the best kept secret in a life insurance policy.
By Don Adams
Insurance Providers Weather the Storm While Consumers Flounder
We have just had the first year's anniversary of the flash flooding which occurred at Boscastle in Cornwall. The floods saw some of the worst damage wrought by sudden rainfall in the UK for many years.
The flood was caused by the remains of a hurricane which crossed the Atlantic, collecting vast amounts of water crossing, and was then pushed high above an area inland of the village depositing around 1,500m litres (330m gallons) of water within two hours.
At the time insurance companies were estimating the bill for commercial damage to local businesses, would be as high as £15m.
There is perhaps some comfort for insurers in that it could have been worse. Hurricane Charley, which hit Florida around the same time, cost over an estimated £6bn.
In August this year, just a week after Birmingham was battered by a tornado, residents in Bristol witnessed a twister which was up to 1,000 ft (300metres) long sweeping across the skies over the southern suburbs. The twister swept across a 15-mile area, including the suburbs of Whitchurch, and came close to causing widespread property damage.
Both government organisations and insurers have admitted that with global warming increasing, they have seen an increase in the number of serious weather related incidences.
The Governments environment agency has stated that, "climate predictions also indicate that Britain will be windier. One study suggests 30 percent more gales in Wales and southern England in winter, increasing the risk of another storm like that in 1987, which left £2 billion of damage in its wake."
According to the environment agency, "current estimates are that peak river flows in Britain could be 20 percent higher by 2080. This could have important implications for the flood zones of rivers - in a review of flood defences last year, the Environment Agency found that a tenth of the population in England and Wales now lives on flood plains? The combination of sea level rise with high tides and changes in winds could increase the frequency of extreme water levels-and hence risk of flooding-in some east coast locations by ten, or even, twenty-fold."
The Association of British Insurers support this view stating in a recent report that, "in the UK, climate change could increase the annual costs of flooding by almost 15-fold by the 2080s under the high emissions scenario, leading to potential total losses from river, coastal and urban flooding of more than $40 bn (£22 bn)."
Some insurers had threatened to start cancelling high risk policies unless the Government invested heavily in providing improved flood defences. As part of cost benefit studies, the Government has introduced new flood planning procedures, which mean that highly-populated flood plains like the Vale of York will receive additional help with defences, but less populated areas may end up with nothing. These measures go some way to helping some of the more highly populated areas against flooding, but do nothing for regions with lower population densities, and provide no protection against other costly emergencies such as hurricanes or acts of terrorism.
A recent report by the insurer Axa warned that fewer than 50% of small firms do not have a plan in place to ensure that their business could survive should they be hit by an emergency or disaster. Axa highlighted that many businesses, especially in the South East, are not covered against environmental risks such as fire and flood, and fewer have any protection against the now high profile terrorism threats.
Following a claim, such as for a fire, or flooding, most household insurance policies will cover the cost of alternative accommodation, if the property is uninhabitable; likewise, many companies have business interruption cover, which will pay the cost of alternative accommodation, however this is not always guaranteed and you need to carefully check the policy wording.
Even if you do have insurance, you need to ensure that it is suitable for your needs. Wherever you obtain your insurance, whether it is from a direct insurer such as Norwich Union, brokers like Endsleigh, or through comparison sites such as Moneynet, it is vitally important to check all your coverage details. Many people in Boscastle believed that they were completely protected, only to discover after the floods that they had become victims to under-insurance. If the level of cover obtained is not adequate, then insurers may only pay a proportion of a claim, taking the view that you have been under-paying on premiums. Several residents in Boscastle faced insurance shortfalls of up to 50 per cent.
Thankfully in the Boscastle flooding, despite fears from the emergency services, there was no loss of life; however as the fire fighters union fears following the London bombings, exclusion clauses placed into life insurance policies could mean that many individuals do not currently have any cover for certain unpredictable emergency events which are out of their control.
The upshot appears to be that the current situation is one of caveat emptor, or "let the buyer beware". A situation that is likely to get worse with global warming causing increased extreme weather conditions, and rising terrorism threats. At the end of the day, for consumers to ensure they have the correct financial protection, they must actually read all the official cover documents, check the details, and examine all the clauses, when they take out any financial product, if they are not to find themselves out of pocket when a claim needs to be made.
By Richard
Theres No Problem Getting Texas Auto Insurance in Texas
Everything is big in Texas and so it is with Texas auto insurance. You will have a tough time driving in Texas if your car is uninsured. You'll have to have Texas auto insurance to be able to obtain or renew a licence or licence plates for your vehicle and your vehicle must be inspected. Always have proof of insurance and your driver's licence with you at all times.
This is the first thing you will be asked for if you're stopped for any reason.
If you are just moving to Texas from out of the state you have to obtain a vehicle identification certificate from the inspection station. Then you need to get your vehicle inspected and have the technician fill out the forms. If you're already a resident of Texas you have to have an inspection done on your car at least once every year. This also verifies that you have the required Texas auto insurance in place because you must have proof of auto insurance to get these things done, such as inspection of your horn, wipers, mirrors, seatbelts, brakes, lights and window tinting.
Texas auto insurance mid cities is no different than the rest of the state. You have to obtain the same things that are required elsewhere. You have to register your vehicle in the county you're living in. You can transfer your title from the previous state you lived in and then get it registered in Texas. There is an application that must be filled out and submitted along with vehicle identification and to do this you must have Texas auto insurance. Fees for this are based on the year and model of your car.
After paying the title and registration fee you'll be issued two licence plates for the front and back of your vehicle. They will also include a validation sticker to be placed on your windshield. Now you have your Texas auto insurance along with your plates and registration and you are all set to head down the road without worry. Of course the main thing is you do have automobile insurance in Texas just in case you meet that unexpected accident that we all dread. It is good to know you have enough Texas auto insurance to cover it.
By Texas auto insurance, make sure you have it.
Why Bother With Farmers Auto Insurance?
Farmers auto insurance is a very large insurance company that offers all types of coverage including car insurance. The insurance policies cover many things concerning insurance on vehicles. There are many different types of auto insurance coverage such as collision, comprehensive, deductible and a wide variety that goes on and on. Farmers auto insurance company covers it all concerning vehicles.
When you have collision coverage it basically covers damage to your vehicle that is caused by hitting another vehicle or an object. This means that you will be reimbursed by Farmers car insurance the amount needed to repair or replace your damaged vehicle. This Farmers auto insurance coverage is standard when you lease a vehicle or you are paying off a loan on it.
If you have a collision and it is your fault, then property damage covers your Farmers auto insurance liability for the damage caused to someone else's property. A car, house or fence or anything that would be considered as someone else's property and is covered under this section of the Farmers car insurance.
Comprehensive coverage with Farmers auto insurance usually covers things like fire, falling objects, riots, storms, earthquakes, floods, collisions with animals or other natural occurrences. This usually includes a deductible that is also required if you lease your vehicle or owe money on it. A deductible with Farmers car insurance requires that you pay a portion of the damages. For example, in the case of a fender bender that cost $1100.00, you would have to pay a certain amount of this cost yourself.
Farmers auto insurance also offers uninsured motorist coverage. This car insurance protects you, members of your family and your passengers. If you have an accident with someone who has no auto insurance or someone that is under insured Farmers car insurance protects you and them, if there is an injury.
The same would apply if it is a hit and run driver. This insurance also applies to you or members of your household if you are the victim of a pedestrian accident. This car insurance will pay medical cost, lost wages, and pain and suffering. If you are in an accident you have enough worries about trying to recover, so let the insurance company worry about paying the bills.
Farmers auto insurance covers a lot of different liabilities, but you need to make sure that you know which ones you need and want before you take out your policy.
Global Warming: Why Consumers and Insurers Are Getting Hot Under the Collar Over Life Insurance.
Global warming may have been lurking on our horizon for a number of years and historical records of terrorists have existed for thousands of years, but we are coming into a new age where we try and financially protect ourselves against such problems and if we're honest ? we're struggling.
The recent terrorism attacks in London brought home the fragility of human life to many Brits, who had previously been able to distance themselves from terrorist activity. For the partners and offspring of city workers, the fragility of their finances also became apparent with the potential loss of a loved one alongside the loss of future income and possibly the family home.
It is widely agreed that most life insurance policies should cover acts of terrorism, though most websites (including the Association of British Insurers) do state that you should always, always read the small print, as there may be insurer-specific exemption clauses. It will be interesting to see what effect terrorism has on life insurance applications and whether there's a rise in consumer interest as a result of terrorist attacks.
Certainly the indication so far is that life insurance applications will be treated quickly and sympathetically in the event of a terrorist attack, reiterated by the Association of British Insurers (ABI) and Ginger Applegarth of MSN Money who stated that for insurers "to back out of paying a claim now would be considered unpatriotic and a marketing disaster." In Applegarth's column, she includes an "insurance checklist" of the very basics that you have to do when making a life insurance claim. She also states that insurers paid out almost $3 billion after the September 11 attacks in 2001.
It isn't just your life insurance that can encompass a terrorism related clause. Travel insurance and property insurance can also contain terrorism related options. The website abi.org.uk states clearly that "household, buildings and contents policies include damage by fire, explosion or impact, whether caused accidentally, through the malicious act of an individual criminal or in an act of terrorism." The costs and extent of cover will vary, so shop around and read the terms and conditions very carefully.
Contamination cover is singled out by ABI as a contentious issue and apparently has been a standard exclusion on household policies since the 1960s, due the potential scale of claims, as many homes could be affected by a single incident.
Cover against terrorism is also available for businesses, typically as an extension to property cover. Commercial property terrorism cover is typically allocated on an "All Risk" capacity, encompassing biological, chemical, radiological and nuclear contamination, as well as interruption to the business. Commercial property cover does not include electronic or internet related risks or hoaxes.
Other life insurance exemptions may include lifelong illnesses such as diabetes and epilepsy. Lifestyle habits such as smoking may or may not invalidate a life insurance application, but they will make it more expensive. Always get your medical records assembled before you apply for life insurance, as this will save time and possibly money as well. Once this information is assembled, you can begin assembling some personal quotes through life insurance comparison sites such moneynet
By Rachel
How to Match the Right Insurance Policy to the 4 Stages of Life
As we go through life our needs change. A Young man or women with a family has very different insurance needs then the Empty Nester. Here is a guide to help you determine what type of insurance best matches your need based on the 4 Stages of life
Stage 1
While traveling the great state of Missouri one of the biggest objections I hear is why do I need life insurance. I'm young, single and healthy. That is the best time to buy life insurance. The younger you are and the healthier you are the cheaper life insurance is.
When you are still young and single you may not really need life insurance but that is the best time to buy it. A small whole life policy of 50,000 or maybe 100,000 is really is good investment for a young person. As long as you keep this policy in force no matter how old you get. No matter what happens to your health you will always have insurance.
Stage 2
You get married buy your first house and have a few children. At this point in your life you need enough insurance to pay off the mortgage if something happens to you and of course you would want to make sure there is enough money for your young growing family . Don't forget those college expenses A Term Policy or universal life policy are what you should be looking into during this stage.
Stage 3
A friend of mine says life begins when the dog dies and the kids graduate college. Your Home is paid off or nearly paid off. Your children are all on their on and no longer count on you for support. Your concern now is to have enough money for retirement. Your Life insurance needs aren't that great that 50,000 Life policy you got when you were in stage 1 might be all you need. Annuities, Universal Life and long term care are areas of insurance to look into during this pahse of your life.
Stage 4
The Golden Years. You want to make sure you don't outlive your retirement savings. You also want to protect the assets you have. Annuities and Long Term Care and Medicare Supplement would be your 3 main areas of concern during this satge of your life.
By Mike Makler
New Jersey Car Insurance - What Do You Need To Know About It?
When purchasing New Jersey car insurance there are many decisions you will have to make. You need to understand what kind of car insurance coverage you need and how much you can afford to pay. New Jersey car insurance will have no trouble meeting your needs but you, yourself, must know what you need in insurance for New Jersey driving before you purchase. Just keep in mind that there are many options for Nj insurance available with all the different companies selling insurance.
When purchasing NJ car insurance, there are some things the agent is bound by law to inform you. For New Jersey car insurance you have three coverage choices called "Insurance Scenarios". The car insurance agent this will let you know how each choice may affect your policy and what you pay for benefits if you happen to have an accident. He/She should tell you that you can cancel your car insurance anytime you want, for example, if you find better car insurance with another car insurance company.
You can also change the insurance coverage and policy limits for your car at any time, even if you are not close to your car insurance renewal. If you select options when you purchase New Jersey car insurance then it may pay off when you're ready to cancel there may be a refund if you cancel early. All New Jersey car insurance companies must give you back the refund within thirty days from the day you cancel your Nj car insurance.
New Jersey car insurance is divided into different coverages, but this is based on the type of claim that will be paid out to you or others. One is personal injury protection - this protects you or others depending on who is in the car at the time of an accident, and will pay the medical coverage regardless of which driver is at fault. Then there is liability car insurance that pays for damages incurred when you are at fault in an accident. This also covers any legal help that you will need if you are being sued. Within liability car insurance, there are also two types of coverage - bodily injury and property damage. Most New Jersey car insurance companies carry the same policies. These insurance policies pay for anyone that is hurt or die as the result of the accident you caused. You may think the cost of car insurance is high when you take out a policy in New Jersey, but it's nothing compared to what an accident would cost you if you didn't have any NJ insurance on your car.
Here are a few things for you to think about when buying car insurance in New Jersey.
Health Insurance And Insurance Brokers
If you are in the market to purchase your own health insurance coverage you can save yourself precious time and money by shopping and comparing policies right online. Sites dedicated to giving you quotes on various types of insurance make it very easy for you to get an idea of what your coverage and costs will be. However, please be forewarned that there are some pitfalls in using an insurance broker as I discovered within the past year.
As a self employed person, I carry my own health and life insurance for my family. When making the move from New Jersey to North Carolina in 2004 I knew two things about our health insurance:
1. I would have to shop for a health insurance provider covering North Carolina.
2. Rates would be cheaper than in New Jersey, with costs being about half of what I had been paying and with slight better coverage.
Several weeks before we moved I contacted a well known internet insurance broker and received quotes. We selected one company and received the paperwork from the broker about ten days before our move. Quite frankly, I wish I had started the process a little earlier as all of our free time was dedicated toward preparing and making the move. So, I ended up packing the paperwork with my personal stuff and was only able to fill it out and submit it one week after our arrival in North Carolina.
Dealing with the online insurance broker was a simple task, but I soon discovered that they were an extra step in the application process, one that only slowed down our approval.
Once the paperwork was received by the broker, they acknowledged the same via email and mentioned that they would review our package before forwarding it to the health insurance company.
Over the next couple of weeks we received messages from the insurance broker stating the following:
1. We are in the process of reviewing your application.
2. We have sent your application off to the insurance company.
3. The insurance company has your application and will be reviewing it in about one week.
4. The insurance company expects a delay in reviewing your application due to the high volume of applications received.
5. Please do not contact the insurance company directly; we will keep you posted as to the status of your application. Yeah, right.
Originally, we were assured by the insurance broker that the health insurance company would review and approve our application within two weeks. Follow up phone calls by us to the broker along with several exchanges of emails revealed that this was not going to happen. In addition, when we contacted the health insurance company directly - at the encouragement of the broker - the health insurance company had difficulty finding our application. Within a few days the application was found sitting in another department; our contact at the health insurance company blamed the broker for sending the information to the wrong address.
As it turned out, the original insurance quote we received online was off by just over 20%. Once the health insurance company determined that certain pre existing conditions needed to be factored in our rates rose accordingly. Of course, when working with the internet broker we knew that the rate quoted wasn't 'absolute' but the big jump was still a bitter pill to swallow.
Among our thoughts at that point in the process were:
1. Had we known ahead of time that our "final rate" would be so high, we would have shopped around some more.
2. Because of the delays and the passage of time, we needed to complete the application process as our coverage with the NJ health provider would need to be canceled, preferably by the end of the year.
By the middle of December, a full ten weeks after we submitted our paperwork, we received official notification that our application was approved and that we were covered. During the last couple of weeks of the lengthy application process we contacted the health insurance company directly several times to learn what the status of our application was. At no time during the process were we assured that we would receive approval; essentially we were told that coverage would begin pending approval.
In conclusion, I offer the following recommendations for shopping for health insurance:
1. Comparison shop online. Get quotes through the online brokers to get a general idea of what your costs will be. If you have pre-existing conditions, the prices quoted will not be reflected in your quote.
2. Narrow down the list of companies quoted to three and then contact them directly. Bypass the broker as they are an unnecessary additional step in what certainly is not a quick approval process.
3. If you need insurance by a particular date, apply well in advance to allow for delays, for misplaced paperwork, changes in your application, etc. Our insurance coverage was approved effective a specific date, but we were able to move it to another date to coincide with the dropping of our NJ health care provider.
In all, the experience was wearisome at times and a real eye opener. I know you see ads all the time for online insurance quotes. I am not saying to avoid the sites, but please consider what we went through before using an online broker exclusively.
By Matthew Keegan
Life Insurance: Why Theres No Need to be a Desperate Housewife
Life insurance looks set to make a comeback in the UK, after a period of neglect by consumers who were simply occupied with affording a home. The stabilising of the UK house market has made many consumers take a broader view to their personal finances.
LifeSearch (a life insurance broker), in the September issue of Money Observer, highlighted a few common mistakes people make when buying life insurance:
* Believing life insurance is relevant to everyone
Life insurance is only relevant to people who have financial dependents. If you have no financial dependents, it might be more appropriate to consider income protection or critical illness insurance.
* Paying too much for life insurance
According to Money Observer, research for Sainsbury's Bank Life Insurance revealed that many people take life insurance policies from their mortgage providers and as a result could be paying too much.
* Opting to buy joint life insurance policies instead of single life insurance policies
The advice to married couples is to avoid taking out joint life insurance policies which pay out when the first spouse dies over the term of the policy, but not on the second. Single policies could provide additional cover by paying just an extra £3-4 a month.
* Missing out on a trust
The Tax Man can claim up to 40% of your life insurance payout as inheritance tax. According to Money Observer, those with assets totalling £275,000 or more (including a house) are especially prone to tax inspection. Writing your policy in trust is a way to avoid this and as a trust does not have to go through probate, beneficiaries of the policy will receive the payment without delay.
* Only insuring the main earner
Whilst it is important to cover the main breadwinner, by neglecting to additionally insure the housewife or househusband may result in extra child care costs. Family income benefit (FIB) may be an appropriate policy to put in place.
* Opting for a lump sum over income
If your dependents are likely to require an income, then buying a policy that pays out a lump sum is a mistake. Many people invest lump sums for an income, but when they invest it, they have to pay tax. Family income benefit provides a larger payout - tax free, though the majority of banks and building societies do not offer FIB, so ask an Independent Financial Advisor for recommendations.
* Not proving full medical records or detailing comprehensive medical history
Failure to disclose a complete picture of your health, no matter how trivial, could invalidate a claim later on.
There's no excuse for not conducting your own homework, as there is an abundance of information available online. Sites such as moneynet, provide not only price comparison research on difference life insurance products, they also offer downloadable consumer product guides. Lowermybills.com proffers a similar service stateside.
By Rachel
Discount Life Insurance Will Give You The Best Protection You Need
There is always a chance that there is a better deal somewhere else, no matter what you are buying. That is why you should research and find discount life insurance. Did you know that life insurance rates can vary as much as 50% between carriers? That's why you should have a licensed professional help you make a good choice in discount life insurance.
Most life insurance professionals work with some of the nation's leading experts in discount life insurance who want to compete for your business. Just the very nature of the name tells you that you will be getting the lowest rates in life insurance. You can get online life insurance quotes at a discount as well as business life insurance for you and your partners.
Most people looking for life insurance look at the bottom line for the total price. If this is lower than other online life insurance quotes, they feel they are getting discount life insurance. The fact is that you have to compare the details of the policy to see whether or not the policy is really a discount.
There are factors involved in determining whether or not you qualify for discount life insurance. If you fit into the preferred rate class, which involves:
· No health problems
· Young age
· Ordinary occupation
then you won't have any difficulty getting online life insurance quotes at a discount price.
Every life insurance company that provides discount life insurance has different criteria. This is why it is important to shop for online life insurance quotes to make sure that you fit the criteria for the lowest rates in life insurance. Read through the company policies to see whether a medical exam is necessary and then you can request the free online quote.
The premium for the life insurance is the amount you pay for the policy. You have to carefully read the policy to make sure that the discount life insurance stays in place for the term of your policy. There are some life insurance companies that give you a discount on the first year of the policy or the first six months. After that the premiums go up to the regular rate. Reading the fine print is just as important in getting online life insurance quotes as it is in anything else.
Life insurance rates vary, you can find discount life insurance.
How Can I Compare Life Insurance Quotes?
The online life insurance companies offer a free service where you can request a free quote for your life insurance needs. This enables you to compare life insurance quotes to see where you can save money with one over the other. To compare life insurance quotes, all you have to do is request a quote from as many companies as you wish and them compare the terms, the premiums, death benefit and clauses contained in each one.
There are also internet sites where you can compare life insurance quotes from up to five different companies at one time. This saves you the time of having to wait for each quote to come in and then print each one off to compare the best rates. The reason for comparing the quotes on life insurance is to make sure you do get the best rates on life insurance. This lets you get the best possible death benefits at the lowest possible premiums.
There is no problem with entering your information on the online life insurance company websites. These companies are looking for your business and are therefore secure sites. Your personal information will not become part of the public domain when you want to compare life insurance quotes. The company does have your best interests at heart and does want to have you as a customer.
To get the best rates on life insurance you need to look at the companies themselves. Choose life insurance companies with a proven track record. This way you know that when you compare the life insurance quote, an agent has checked it and that you won't run the danger of the company going out of business. Just remember that you do have to look at the length of the term to get an overall picture of the best rates on life insurance. A longer term with low monthly premiums means you won't have to start your search for the best rates again in the near future.
The best rates are ones that you can afford. You should start out with an amount that you can afford each month and then compare life insurance quotes that come close to that amount. You may have to revise the amount of the life insurance and the length of the term to get the best rates that fit your budget. You can always upgrade to a longer term, a higher payout or even whole life insurance when you can afford it.
To get the best life insurance rates you need to get a few quotes and then compare the life insurance quotes that you have. But it's not just about price. There's more to compare than just price.