Accident Insurance Claim!

The number of people meeting with accidents these days has increased tremendously. There are many causes of accidents. Injuries can occur either at the workplace, while travelling, holidaying, and so on. Many a times in spite of the best safety measures they take place. If you have been one such victim of an accident, you can make a suitable claim for it.

You can seek claim for various types of injuries. Accidents can result either at the workplace, while holidaying, riding, etc. For any personal injury suffered, you can seek a suitable claim for it by approaching an accident claim help organization. Accident insurance claim is a type of claim which can help you get adequate coverage for the injuries suffered.

Making a claim for an accident may not be an easy task. If you have met with an accident due to the negligence of somebody else, you can get a suitable claim for it. If you are confused as to how to go about the entire process, you can seek help from accident insurance claim specialist. They will help you get adequate claim for it. They will also guide you with the entire process.

Accident insurance claim can provide you adequate coverage against any type of accidents. If you have been a victim of an injury due to an accident, you can seek help from injury claim specialists too. An accident claim company too can help you secure suitable compensation. These companies function with the sole purpose of providing with aid to those who have met with an accident and wish to know how to get compensation.

You can be rest assured of getting the required information on accident claim easily. You are also saved of the burden of running from pillar to post. Make an informed choice now by opting for this. An accident claim company UK too can help you a great deal. You can choose form a range of accident compensation claims. Earlier, there were very few companies which had provisions for the accident compensation. These companies have special provisions for all types of accidents. Make use of it now.

If you have you have been involved in an accident in the last three years for no fault of yours, you can seek help from an accident claim company and take remedial measures.
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Health Insurance - How To Make It More Affordable

You hear about the problem every day on the news: this country has a problem with its health care system. We are the richest country on the face of the planet, yet we are unable to provide adequate health care to each and every citizen. The rising cost of health insurance is a primary factor contributing to this problem and it doesn't look like that will improve any time soon. There are some things you can do to try and make health insurance more affordable to you and your family though. Let's look at some of these.

If you work for a small company that doesn't offer health insurance or you are self employed, there are private insurance companies from which you can obtain a policy. Many of them don't even require you to have a physical exam. Most will, however, require you to fill out a detailed health questionnaire. If you are healthy and young, with no pre-existing medical conditions, you can get insurance for somewhere around $100 per month. A quick search online will help you find these companies quickly and easily.

Once you do have health insurance, either through your employer or a private insurance carrier, the next thing you should do is carefully consider what your deductible should be. You may not have a choice on this if you are getting insurance through your employer. Still, if you do have a choice, you can save considerable money on premiums if you choose a higher deductible. You must balance this, however, with the amount of coverage you will need. Whatever you choose, don't go for a deductible higher than $1000, as the insurance won't be worth the money you pay for it at that point.

Another factor that will weigh heavily on the price you pay for insurance is the presence of pre-existing conditions. If you or a member of your family does have a pre-existing condition, your premium is likely to be higher and chances are that you will have some kind of waiting period, usually six months to a year, before the insurance company will cover that condition. Every company has a different policy when it comes to pre-existing conditions, so if this applies to you make sure you find out what the companies position is before purchasing coverage.

As always, it pays to compare quotes from several different companies when considering the purchase of health insurance coverage. You will be amazed at how much difference there is between companies for the same exact coverage. If you don't take the time to find out which company is the most affordable, you could be costing yourself hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars per year. You can do this comparison by searching out companies online, or by contacting them over the phone. Just make sure that you are comparing similar policies when you do this. This means that each policy should include the same coverage, including dental and vision insurance, deductibles, and pre-existing condition clauses.

If your employer offers health insurance benefits, chances are that this will be your most affordable option for coverage. Still, it may pay to do some comparison shopping on this, as there is a possibility that you may find more affordable coverage elsewhere. If they only offer coverage for you, and not your family, it may still be more affordable to take that coverage and obtain separate insurance for your family. The same goes for dental insurance coverage.

Whatever you wind up doing to control the costs of health care for you and your family, don't choose to not get health coverage. The fact is, one major medical emergency can wipe you and your family out financially for years to come. Aside from that, you will find that your access to health care will be severely limited without adequate insurance. Carried to the extreme, lack of health insurance can mean the difference between life and death.
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A Guide To Affordable Car Insurance in New Jersey

There is an Act in New Jersey, called the Automobile Insurance Cost Reduction Act, which allows New Jersey drivers the ability to buy basic car insurance policies in New Jersey, for cheaper than all of the other available car insurance policies in the state. In all honesty, there isn't much that will beat the most inexpensive car insurance policy plan available, however there are some things that you should know about the insurance plan which is being offered before you eliminate all of your other options.

The Automobile Insurance Cost Reduction Act is useful in that it allows all drivers to obtain inexpensive car insurance in New Jersey, because the policy that is offered is significantly cheaper than what you will pay for a standard automobile insurance policy. This basic car insurance policy includes $15,000 per person, for personal injury protection, and $250,000 for significant or permanent injuries. This plan also includes $5,000 of property damage per accident. Unfortunately, liability insurance for bodily injury is not included in this basic insurance policy, however, it is an option that can be added, to the tune of $10,000 per accident for the policyholder.

This basic car insurance policy also does not include uninsured or underinsured motorist coverage, nor does it include collision or comprehensive coverage. Collision and Comprehensive coverage are options which can be added on, but it depends on which form of the basic car insurance policy was issued to the policyholder.

Although this basic car insurance plan is the cheapest available, it offers very minimum coverage. This coverage is enough to get you by if you simply need a cheap insurance plan, but there are much better plans with better and more comprehensive features and even though these plans are more expensive, they are well worth taking a look at when you are considering all of your options.

The basic car insurance is a quick and inexpensive fix for people who are currently driving without insurance, or who cannot get regular automobile insurance coverage because of their credit rating, or their driving record. However, this basic car insurance policy is not for everyone, because the coverage offered is not exactly desirable.

When it comes to choosing the right automobile insurance plan for your situation, it is absolutely imperative that you really shop around. Affordable car insurance in New Jersey can be easy to find, as long as you understand where to look, and how to properly compare quotes in order to ensure that you are receiving the best available policy. There are many different approaches that you can take when it comes to obtaining car insurance quotes, but the method which is generally quickest and the most effortless is simply to do a search online for car insurance companies with offices located in New Jersey.

Most websites dedicated to car insurance will offer you the ability to obtain a free quote simply by inputting some information about yourself, your vehicle and your driving record.

Once this information is sent in, the insurance company will respond with a free automobile insurance quote. There is no limit to how many free car insurance quotes you can collect, so you should make a point to spend a great deal of time researching before you come to any conclusions. You should collect car insurance quotes from every local insurance provider that you can find, then sit down and really weigh your options before coming to any conclusions.

Just because an insurance company offers you an extremely low quote, this does not mean it is the best available insurance for your situation. The basic car insurance policy offered by the Automobile Insurance Cost Reduction Act is proof of this, because even though the insurance quote seems great, the coverage is not really worth the price that you pay for it.

In addition to price, there are some other factors that you should consider when you begin to shop around for insurance providers. There are a large number of different insurance companies and agents available on the internet, each competing to give you the best possible quote for your automobile insurance. Many of these insurance companies have offices in various states, but they may not have a local office in New Jersey. What this means, is that if you ever have questions or concerns pertaining to your insurance policy, you will not have a local insurance provider to turn to in order to address these problems.

This is one of the largest problems associated with doing your automobile insurance shopping on the internet. Before you choose an insurance provider, make sure that there is either a local office that you can visit when you have questions, or that there is a toll free 1-800 that you can call, with a friendly voice on the other end who will walk you through your concerns. Large insurance companies do not always have your best interest in mind, so make sure that you are opting for insurance coverage through a company that will continue to be helpful and easy to work with after you buy your insurance plan.

Something else that you need to keep in mind while shopping for insurance is that there are providers who will offer special discounts and rates if you ask for them. While you are weighing all of your options and considering all of your choices, ask the local agencies that you are considering if they offer any special rates or discounts. In an attempt to be competitive, and to make sure that you choose them as your insurance provider, most insurance companies will discount your rate, or offer you a special deal.

You should also make sure that you are obtaining the right kind of insurance for your situation. For example, there are special insurance plans designated for young or new drivers in order to offer them discounted rates. Additionally, vehicles that are older than fifteen years may qualify for antique car insurance, which entails a discounted rate for cars which are appreciating in value rather than depreciating as a normal vehicle would.
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Travel Insurance Questions Answered by Squaremouth, Part Two

You shouldn’t expect the worst when heading out for a little R&R. But you should know that the right travel insurance can safeguard your vacation investment, and prepare your family for lost baggage, unexpected illness or whatever else comes your way.

Squaremouth, America’s fastest growing travel insurance comparison web site, today announces Part Two of our popular web series on travel insurance’s most pressing concerns. The series provides comprehensive answers to the top questions our customers have asked over the years.

Visit Squaremouth’s Help and Advice section, http://www.squaremouth.com/pages/travel-insurance-advice.php, for answers to these and more questions, as well as an insider’s look at the industry.

You may purchase online or call our licensed insurance experts for detailed assistance. The site displays policies in a format that allows for side-by-side comparison, sorts policies by price, benefit or carrier, and instantly lets you buy your choice of coverage.

What you learn today about travel insurance may surprise you - and it will leave you better protected.

Squaremouth customers’ top Q&As:

How long does it take to get my policy?
Squaremouth provides immediate confirmation of a purchase, both on-screen and by email.

What is the latest date I can buy a policy?
You can typically buy travel insurance up to the day before you leave. However, for policies that include cancellation, it is better to buy as soon as possible after your deposit: the cost is usually the same and you maximize your benefits. If you wait, you run the risk that something will happen before you buy your insurance and you won’t be covered.

What qualifies as a ‘pre-existing medical condition’?
A pre-existing medical condition can be any reason to cancel, interrupt or delay your trip due to a medical condition that existed before you bought insurance. If your heart disease, high blood pressure, asthma or epilepsy is solely controlled though medication, and remains so within what’s called the “look back” period, this won’t be deemed ‘pre-existing’ for insurance purposes. Some plans require you to insure the full pre-paid, non-refundable trip cost to be eligible for pre-existing medical condition cover, refer to the policy certificate for full details of the plan you’ve chosen.

Can I buy insurance after I’ve left on vacation?
If you only need medical and medical evacuation coverage, you can buy ‘international medical insurance’ policies during a trip. Standard travel insurance policies must be purchased prior to departure.

What’s the difference between trip ‘cancellation’ and trip ‘interruption’ benefits?
The ‘cancellation’ benefit covers you if you have to cancel your trip before your departure date. Trip ‘interruption’ covers you if you have to cut short a trip you’re already on.

What’s the difference between ‘primary’ and ‘secondary’ medical coverage?
If there’s a medical claim, ‘primary’ coverage pays you first even if you have other sources of medical coverage (for example, from credit cards or company benefits policies). ‘Secondary’ coverage requires that you claim from those other sources of insurance first; what’s left forms the basis of your ‘secondary’ claim. If you don’t have extra sources of coverage, most secondary medical coverage reverts to primary.

If my trip is insured on my credit card, should I buy more travel insurance?
Check to see exactly what coverage you already have — since what you think you have and what you’re actually covered for are usually very different. In fact, credit cards cover accidents but typically exclude illness — which helps if you break a leg skiing but not if you have a heart attack on the green. Usually, you’re reimbursed only for what was bought with the card. And other sources of insurance - for example employee benefits - may not compensate for lost luggage or aborted trips, or cover family members who might need to be flown home with you. Your private health insurance may provide some coverage if you go abroad, but this may be limited to certain countries and only certain kinds of emergencies.

Why should I buy insurance independently, rather than through a tour operator?
Most experts recommend that you purchase through a third party. A tour operator usually sells policies designed expressly for them. They reap a high commission on those sales, which often leads to higher prices for you and fewer benefits than you’ll find on the open market.

Should I buy a policy directly from my travel agent?
We don’t recommend buying the first policy your travel agent offers: they may only represent one or two insurers. Each travel insurance company aims it’s products at certain types of travelers. Products priced well for 20 year olds may be the most expensive offering for people over 60, which means travel agents that offer a single carrier are only going to be competitive a small percentage of the time. This means you could end up paying more than you need to, for less than the coverage you require. In contrast, Squaremouth and travel agents who use the Squaremouth quote engine, let you search through and compare policies side by side, and instantly buy from a broad range of options.

What’s the difference between AM Best ratings?
AM Best is an independent company that rates insurance companies. Scores of A- or better are awarded to companies in a very strong financial position. Squaremouth sees little difference in the day-to-day operations of a company rated A- versus A+, so we’re comfortable endorsing either. Squaremouth’s zero complaint guarantee overrides the AM Best rating and is discussed below.

About Squaremouth
Squaremouth is America’s fastest growing travel insurance comparison site, helping customers instantly quote, compare and buy policies from every major carrier. Squaremouth has web sites in the US and UK, and an extensive network of partner sites worldwide. The company is headquartered in St Pete Beach, FL. Visit Squaremouth.com or Squaremouth.co.uk.

About Squaremouth’s “Zero Complaint Guarantee”
The cornerstone of our commitment to customers is Squaremouth’s guarantee to remove any company from our web site until a complaint is resolved to our satisfaction. Squaremouth offers the broadest selection of insurance with an emphasis on quality and follow-up care. We also factor in independent evaluation from the insurance industry watchdog AM Best.

Squaremouth offers products from the following travel insurance carriers:
AIG Travel Guard, CSA, Elvia, Global Alert Admin, Global Underwriters, HTH Worldwide, ITravelInsured, Medex, Medjet Assist, MH Ross, Multinational Underwriters (MNU), Seven Corners, Travel Insurance Services, Travel Insured, Travelers Liberty, Travelex, TravelSafe and USA Assist.
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Insurance Technologies and Blue Frog Solutions Form Strategic Partnership

Colorado Springs, CO and Pompano Beach, FL, September 16, 2008 – Insurance Technologies, provider of point-of-sale illustration software to the insurance and financial services industries, and Blue Frog Solutions, a leading provider of Life & Annuity Order Management and Compliance Solutions for the life insurance and annuities industry, today announced that they have formed a strategic partnership.

The partnership between the two companies will be a multi-phased initiative. In the initial phase, Insurance Technologies will launch a Web services infrastructure as part of its VisibleChoice™ multi-carrier annuity
sales platform, and will leverage Blue Frog’s Blue Source™ platform for uploading, versioning and maintaining standards-based annuity product profile information.

The Blue Source™ infrastructure includes a sophisticated process for the creation and maintenance of accurate product data and supports standardized ACORD Product Profile for Annuity (PPfA) data. Blue Source™ provides an ever-increasing library of specific business rules for a variety of different business uses, version control and full PPfA source control, including development, pilot and production environments.

The next phase of the new Blue Frog–Insurance Technologies partnership will encompass the preintegration of new business information into AFFIRM from VisibleChoice™. The two solution providers are also leveraging standard XML ACORD and Web services for business reasons such as speed to market and cost effectiveness for Broker-Dealers.

Insurance Technologies is committed to providing open and flexible order fulfillment solutions to the Broker-Dealer community through its multi-carrier annuity sales platform, VisibleChoice™. As part of that commitment, Insurance Technologies has selected Blue Frog Solutions as their first automated order management partner.

“We see great synergies between Blue Frog and Insurance Technologies,” says Dan Smith, Blue Frog CEO. “This powerful partnership will ensure that our common insurance distribution and broker-dealer customers will have an optimal solution with the most timely and accurate annuity product profile information.”

Says Steve Horneman, Vice President, Marketing, for Insurance Technologies, “We selected Blue Frog Solutions as our first go-to-market partner in adapting to a model of flexibility in how Financial Advisors place new business orders.”

The partnership enables Insurance Technologies to bring solutions to market that consume standard data, enabled through data services interfaces pre-integrated with Blue Frog’s leading solutions for Broker-Dealers.

“Insurance Technologies acknowledges that flexibility in annuity business order fulfillment is necessary to service the Broker-Dealers and Wirehouses,” says Horneman. “Knowing that some order entry takes place in an automated fashion and other processes continue to be manual, we are proud to acknowledge Blue Frog Solutions as part of our important network of go-to-market partners for fulfilling the promise of interoperability and pre-integration to facilitate straight-through processing.”

About Insurance Technologies (www.insurancetechnologies.com)

Based in Colorado Springs, Colorado, Insurance Technologies LLC offers point-of-sale illustration software to the insurance and financial services industries. Insurance Technologies award-winning product, ForeSight™, supports all product types, including Life, Annuities, Critical Illness, DI, and LTC – all on a single mobile platform. Our latest innovation VisibleChoice™ is a multi-carrier annuity sales platform designed to leverage multiple annuity products and features. Together, they improve point-of-sale effectiveness and help close more sales quickly.

About Blue Frog Solutions: (www.bluefrogsolutions.com)

Blue Frog Solutions, based in Pompano Beach, Florida, is a leading technology solutions provider and business processing outsourcing (BPO) firm that focuses on the life, annuities and long-term care market. Blue Frog automates both front and back end business processes between carriers and distributors with a focus on compliance to create automated business process efficiencies. Blue Frog’s solutions are based on the firm’s flagship ADMServer Framework software suite. As one of the largest providers of ACORDbased transactions and DTCC solutions, Blue Frog currently provides ADMServer solutions to more than 60 percent of the top 40 life and annuity companies and many of the largest distributors in the U.S.
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Anthem Life Reminds Americans to Include Life Insurance in Their Financial Planning

Anthem Life is encouraging consumers to spend a few minutes in September planning for the unexpected.

"Life insurance isn't for the people who die; it's security for the people who live," said Nicholas Brecker, president of Anthem Life. "It's a subject no one wants to talk about, but you can't avoid it, especially after you've worked hard to provide financial stability for your family."

More than three-quarters of people whose spouses died prematurely (between the ages of 30 and 55) felt they did not have adequate life insurance coverage. That's according to the National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors. In addition, the LIFE Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping consumers make wise decisions about their families' financial futures, found that more than half of Americans say they're worried about how their families would manage financially if they were to die unexpectedly."Every person's financial situation is different, but whether you're married, married with kids or a single parent, it's important to take an inventory and ask yourself if you have enough life insurance should the unexpected occur," said Brecker.

How much is enough? To answer this question, consumers can consult a life insurance needs calculator, such as the one offered by the LIFE Foundation at www.lifehappens.org.

Anthem Life products can help fill the gap with immediate expenses, such as funeral costs; ongoing expenses, such as food, housing and transportation; and future expenses, such as college costs and retirement.

Anthem Life Insurance Company is part of the largest health benefits company in the nation.

Life and Disability products underwritten by Anthem Life Insurance Company. (R) ANTHEM is a registered trademark of Anthem Insurance Companies, Inc.

SOURCE Anthem Life Insurance Company

New Life Insurance Policy Compensates Families, Pension Funds, Care-Providers and Others Suffering Longevity-Related Losses

Legacy Funding Group, Inc. today unveiled its patent-pending "Deferred-Benefit Life" ("DBL") Policy, which will be offered by well-rated life insurers. Unlike traditional life insurance policies, which primarily compensate beneficiaries suffering financial losses due to the pre-mature death of an insured, DBL policies compensate beneficiaries financially suffering due to the post-mature death of a senior insured that has lived significantly beyond their normal life expectancy.

As we are living longer than ever before, many of us will outlive our retirement funds and other financial resources, incur substantial medical costs, and require extensive long-term care. As a result we may deplete our estate, and significantly strain the assets of our pension fund, family members, care-providers and others. DBL policies are designed to restore and enhance those depleted assets upon the eventual death of the insured, through its payment of a death benefit that increases annually.

Here's how they work:

1) All insureds age 65 and older are eligible for coverage, regardless of their current medical condition;

2) Policy owners pay level monthly, quarterly or annual premiums until the insured reaches age 100 or passes away; 3) To minimize the required premiums, DBL Policies develop no cash or surrender value, and pay no death benefit during the initial "Benefit-Deferral Period" selected by the policy owner (ranging from 3 to 20 years in duration); and

4) Following the Benefit-Deferral Period, the policy's death benefit increases each year per the schedule specified by the policy owner in their DBL application.

Legacy Funding's Managing Director and Chief Actuary, John R. Skar, FSA, CLU, ChFC, noted that, "by providing a death benefit that increases as the insured ages, DBL Policies effectively protect not only investors funding our LegacyLoan(TM) product, but also families, pension funds, care-providers and other benefactors holding a risk of material longevity-related loss. In particular, the product offers an interesting alternative to long term care insurance, as an estate preservation tool."

Legacy's founder, Larry E. Fondren, CLU, ChFC, FLMI also added that, "in many cases, a DBL Policy can provide greater and more cost-effective benefits to seniors, and their family and estate, than a retirement annuity and other less tax-efficient solutions."

For more information, or to speak directly to John Skar or Larry Fondren, please contact Melinda Staab at (973) 400-1341 or melinda@jcpublicrelations.com.
www.insurancenewsnet.com

How Crafty Insurers Deny Care

Criticism of Britain's government-run health system, known for its rationing, became red hot last month when patients and doctors got wind of government plans to say no to several new lifesaving drugs because of cost. In an op-ed in the Daily Mail,one of Britain's leading oncologists, Jonathan Waxman of Imperial College London, reflected public sentiment as he decried a "misguided and barbaric decision to ban four kidney cancer drugs" that double life expectancy--adding years of life for many patients. You may think this is just happening in Britain. Not so. Only here in the United States, it's the apparatchiks in private insurance companies, managing half of America's medical expenditures for the non-Medicare population in ways often hidden and arbitrary, who hold the broad authority to deny coverage--and therefore, care.

The public is generally unaware of the denials unless the human drama triggers media interest. There's the 17-year-old girl who died before her liver transplant was approved. Or the people in California whose insurers canceled their policies retroactively after they got sick. But these cases are the tip of an opaque iceberg. An estimated 10 to 15 percent of claims are denied for various reasons. Some of them are technical, such as not meeting filing deadlines or failing to get pretreatment authorizations. Denials that produce the most disputes are those where insurers judge the care to be unnecessary or unproven, pitting a proverbial sick David against a multibillion-dollar Goliath. What few Davids know is that insurance contracts grant companies the legal right to manage a patient's care, sight unseen, overruling physician decisions.Iffy and arbitrary. Some denials are reasonable, but many are iffy and seem downright arbitrary, with one insurer saying no to care that others with similar policies reimburse. An FDA-approved drug might be denied because it's used "off-label," even if it's recognized therapy in peer-reviewed medical reports. In cancer care, intravenous chemotherapy drugs given in a doctor's office may be covered, while equivalent, if not better, medicines taken orally are not. When insurance authorization is required for each scan or hospital stay for the same major illness, who's best to say what's medically necessary? Doctors and their staff will spend hours trying to get approvals, but patients should be warned that if the company denies the claim, payment is the patients' responsibility--with bill collectors ready at their door.

The problem is bound to grow as electronic medical records meet sophisticated data tools dubbed "denial engines," touted to reduce reimbursements by 3 to 10 percent. Bearing names like Ingenix Detection Software and Bloodhound Technologies' ClaimsGuard, they search patient records for signs that claims have strayed in any way outside company parameters. Weeding out fraud is one thing; serving up excuses to deny legitimate coverage is another.

More than ever, people must study the details of their health plans. Aetna, for example, offers on its website a list of all services it won't cover--and why. That's good for patients and doctors. Patients should also know that companies must have an internal appeals process. The appeal, however, is laborious and legalistic and lacks transparency. Insurers can drag it out; they can be vague about their decisions. Try asking just what data they used, and also about their decision makers. Who are they? What's their experience? Are they moonlighters, by chance, denying care from New Delhi? (A new trend is to outsource claims adjudication to India.)

But patients with the stamina to endure sometimes win. And even if they lose, completing the internal appeal makes them eligible for an independent external review, which is available in most states. Such review overturns about half of insurers' denial decisions and is final. Nancy Nielsen, president of the America Medical Association and a former chief medical officer of a nonprofit insurance plan, says, "If health insurers are making coverage decisions that are fair and compassionate, very few will be overturned by the state's external appeal process." The numbers speak for themselves--and should be considered by every insurance purchaser.Lack of transparency in the face of such mighty discretionary authority is drawing the attention of state attorneys general. New York's Andrew Cuomo has launched a nationwide investigation into schemes that low-ball reimbursement and stick patients with bills insurance companies should have paid. "All too often," Cuomo says, "insurers play a game of deny, delay, and deceive." His pursuit is in full throttle. And, with his bully pulpit and his power of subpoena, he will be able to pierce an opaque veil that patients can't.
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AIG woes offer double benefit for insurance rivals

LONDON (Reuters)—Insurance rivals stand to reap the benefits from the woes of American International Group Inc., snapping up assets AIG is forced to sell while gaining greater pricing power as AIG pulls in its claws.

Zurich Financial Services and other insurance rivals are the possible winners say analysts who see AIG emerging from its current troubles with less weight to throw around.

"The first consequence we see is that it should be a positive for the P&C (property and casualty) industry," said JPMorgan analysts in a research note.

"This effectively represents a withdrawal of capacity (or capital) from the marketplace...Pricing in the P&C market is driven by capital—the less capital, the less pressure there is for prices to fall."The likely withdrawal of billions of dollars of AIG capital from the sector will put a brake on the slide in prices in the commercial insurance market, where premiums had been forecast to fall by up to 20% due to intense competition.

AIG has for a long time been a dominant player in corporate insurance, with an 11% share in the U.S. market, as well as for other big-ticket risks such as aviation.

Now, intermediaries predict that although AIG will continue underwriting, it is likely to lose business clients.

"In our view, ZFS is probably the clearest winner," said JPMorgan.

One senior executive at an insurance broker who spoke on condition of anonymity saw others benefiting as well: "Zurich and ACE are likely to be the beneficiaries, maybe even AXA. Anyone with a multinational network will be a winner."
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Choosing The Right Life Insurance Companies

To many people they do not purchase life insurance until something happens. To financial advisors, it is part of every ones financial road map. And choosing the right insurance companies amongst the many can be difficult at times. Life insurance companies have their own set of guidelines and policies in underwriting. To have a good financial foundation, you have to include your life insurance in planning your financial road map. There is only one thing in this world that is guaranteed to happen, and that is death.

There is always the need to prepare you financially in the event of an unexpected death. Your family and loves should bear the financial burden should you unexpectedly die. But, have to understand that your situation and needs should be put into consideration. The financial need of a young starting family and a mounting debt is not the same as those people and couples who are near their retirement and have their mortgages paid.

Life insurance companies literally have millions of policies in force from the leading giants of the industry to the smallest insurer. But once you decided to purchase a policy, you have to consider doing your homework and find the right insurer. But finding the right company to get you insured can sometimes be a daunting job. These companies are obliged by law to reserve enough funds to cover future obligations to their clients but make sure to do a research.

The first thing you can do is to check the ratings and financial health of the company you are trying to deal with. Most of the larger life insurance companies are in excellent financial health and are stable. If you want to research and find the companies rating, you can do it online or contacting the rating agencies. The more popularly known rating agencies are Standard and Poors, Moodys and A.M. Best. Be reminded that these rating agencies have their own rating systems. So do not rely solely on one rating but compare from the different rating agencies.

You have to do your homework and compare, analyze and make that what you choose will be the one that suits your needs. Some might be more attractive because of the companies rating, but if it is not that much of a difference, choose the one that fits your needs. Some companies may have a lower rating but the features that they offer match your needs. So choose wisely and take has more benefits to you.

A lot of these insurers have long been in the business and you rest assure that they know and understand the complexities and risks involved. The older and bigger they are, the more you can trust them. But do not get carried away by their stability, because sometimes these insurers have many complaints against them. So always consider checking if they have many complains lodge against them. One way to check this is to go and visit the National Association of Insurance Commissioners site.

When choosing the right life insurance companies to inquire from, make sure they offer the products you are looking for. Then check their ratings, check for any complains and make they have a good customer service reputation. Another thing to make is that the life insurance companies should be able to meet their financial obligations should the need arises. Whatever type of life insurance you will be buying, just make sure your insurer will still be there when you need them.
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Types of Insurance Policies

We have all probably taken out an insurance policy sometime in our lives, what we are going to take a look at, is a small variety of insurance policies you can get and there benefits.

Firstly we will begin with motor insurance, if you are driving a car you have to have insurance in place. Without car insurance you are breaking the law. Other than that having motor insurance in place can provide you with a vast amount of benefits. The two most popular covers would be in the form of third party insurance, which would cover the vehicle that you have collided into, but will not in any circumstances cover your own vehicle. The second will be in the form of fully comprehensive insurance; this will cover damages to a third party and damages to your own vehicle. Although fully comprehensive insurance may cost slightly more, it will be well worth it in the long run.

Next we will take a look at travel insurance, although travel insurance is not essential, it may well turn out to be in a few years. Most package airlines these days are already putting this action into place and will not let you travel unless you have a valid policy in place. Travel insurance can be very cheap to buy and has a wide variety of benefits, such as and most importantly if you fell ill or have injured yourself abroad, your travel insurance would work with the treating doctors to cover all of your fees. Without travel insurance abroad, medical bills can become very costly. Some over benefits that travel insurance can bring is to pay you out a sum when you have been delayed, or if you miss your departure point to reimburse you with your ticket price.

Another well known policy comes in the form of life insurance. Everyone, whether you like it or not is going to die one day. Life insurance is a great way to look after your loved ones, when you are no longer around. The benefits of life insurance can include paying for your funeral costs, which can be quite a pricy task, as well as leaving a fixed sum to your family members. A lot of people do not think about dying, but getting life insurance while you are young and healthy will get you the best rates.

Finally there are various other types of insurance policies available these days; you can obtain insurance for almost anything. Some other popular insurance policies include home insurance, extreme sports insurance, school insurance and personal possessions insurance.
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Funeral Held for Insurance Agent, California Bans Train Operators from Texting

The first memorial service for a victim of the Sept. 12, 2008, Metrolink train collision was held in Simi Valley, Calif.Howard Pompel, 69, an insurance agent and father of three from Moorpark, Calif., was among the 25 people killed on Sept. 12, 2008, when a Metrolink commuter train crashed into a freight train in suburban Chatsworth.

More than 100 friends, family members and colleagues gathered at the Simi Valley Cultural Arts Center to remember Pompel, who was involved in numerous community organizations and events.

His son, Cliff Pompel, said his father was a member of a dozen local groups and always giving of his time.

"Kiwanis, Rotarians, the Elks, the Moose lodge -- you name it, he was part of it," he said.

He also thanked the emergency crews that helped pull the crash victims from the wreckage.

Meanwhile, the California Public Utilities Commission has prohibited the personal use of commercial mobile radio services and devices by on-duty railroad engineers, brakemen, conductors, or rail transit vehicle operators except for personal communications that take place when the train or transit vehicle is stopped and with the approval of the appropriate management personnel.

The CPUC determined that this action was needed due to a June 14, 2008, MUNI accident that may have resulted from the inappropriate personal use of a cell phone while operating the train, as well as the recent Metrolink accident in Chatsworth, which may have been at least partially caused by the inappropriate personal use of a cell phone by the train's engineer.

"Because of the possible danger to passengers, the general public, and the railroad workers themselves, prohibiting the personal use of cellular devices is necessary and reasonable," said CPUC President Michael R. Peevey, who noted that there are no existing federal or state laws, rules, or regulations prohibiting such inappropriate use of cellular devices.

The CPUC's Consumer Protection and Safety Division will prepare a proceeding to determine whether this ban on cellular devices, or other measures, should be adopted on a permanent basis.

The Resolution approved can be viewed at: http://docs.cpuc.ca.gov/PUBLISHED/COMMENT_RESOLUTION/91003.htm. For more information, visit www.cpuc.ca.gov.

Source: CPUC
Copyright 2008 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

State Regulators: Insurer Groups Must 'Stick to Facts' on AIG

National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) President and Kansas Insurance Commissioner Sandy Praeger today issued the following statement regarding American International Group (AIG):In times of crisis, the first questions on everyone's mind are often: Who's to blame? What went wrong? What should be done to fix it? And rightly so. However, to understand the problem that led to the crisis, one must be cautious and examine all the facts without letting politics get in the way.

Yesterday, two major insurer trade associations violated that principle and let their own political agendas get in the way of informing the American public and its leaders on the AIG matter. Both the American Insurance Association (AIA) and the American Council of Life Insurers (ACLI) released statements saying that the recent crisis and the $85 billion line of credit offered by the Federal Reserve to American International Group, Inc., demonstrate the need for a federal insurance regulatory presence.

An examination of the facts will clearly show that these organizations have gotten it wrong and are letting their desire to have an optional federal charter get in the way of making a common sense recommendation to address the problem.

What are the facts?

Although AIG is generally known to the public as the world's largest insurer, in truth, AIG is a financial services conglomerate.

American International Group, Inc., is a financial holding company that owns 71 U.S.-based insurance entities and 176 other financial services companies throughout the world. These include banks, securities firms and non-U.S. insurers, along with other related businesses like premium finance companies.

The 71 state-regulated insurance entities are not the problem. They are all financially sound -- or, in insurance regulatory terms, "solvent" -- and fully able to pay claims presented by policyholders and claimants.

The problem lies with the AIG financial holding company that is subject to federal regulatory oversight by the U.S. Office of Thrift Supervision (OTS). The AIG financial holding company took on more risk than they could handle when investing in collateralized debt instruments, such as credit derivative swaps on mortgage-backed securities. It is important to note that these types of investments are financial products, not state-regulated insurance products. When the U.S. housing markets experienced a downturn, these risky investments lost lots of money for the AIG financial holding company.

Even if there was an optional federal charter for insurers, and some or all of the 71 U.S. based AIG insurance entities had selected to be regulated by the federal insurance regulator, the problem at the AIG parent company level would not have been prevented.

State insurance regulators are proud of the important work they do every day to protect America's insurance consumers -- using conservative accounting and investment rules. It is this conservative approach to investments that keeps insurers from investing inordinate sums in risky investments, such as the mortgage-based securities, which is what caused difficulties for the AIG financial holding company.

Even throughout the AIG financial holding company's liquidity crisis, consumers remained protected by insurance regulatory rules that prevented the parent company from simply raiding capital from its profitable and well-capitalized insurance subsidiaries. A coordinated effort by the nation's insurance regulators ensured that no policyholder assets were used for any part of this transaction.

State insurance regulators have authority over intercompany transactions with the AIG insurers. They are closely monitoring any proposed transactions to ensure they will not threaten the ability of the insurers to pay policyholder claims.

Insurance regulators from every state -- but especially those regulators who oversee a large number of AIG insurance subsidiaries -- have been involved in every step of this process, with the primary focus of safeguarding the assets of the insurers so that they available for the protection of policyholders and claimants.


What is the solution?

Let's start with what is not the solution. There is no reason to believe that an optional federal charter for insurers would have done anything to address this problem. Remember: AIG is a federally regulated financial holding company that took on excessive risk and is suffering the consequences of its poor judgment. Because this financial holding company is not an insurer, it would not have been regulated by a federal insurance regulator, if there were one.

The solution lies in not adding more regulation by either the states or the federal government -- but, rather, in making the markets for these risky securities more transparent so that the buyers of them know about the underlying elements of each bundled security that they are purchasing.

There are ways to create the necessary transparency for these transactions. One way is to create a transaction platform where market participants -- as well as state and federal regulators -- have access to view the disclosures and the transaction details so that the markets become transparent, rather than opaque. Transparent information about the transaction details will keep everyone honest, while allowing all parties to make a reasonable profit from the transactions placed through the platform.

Illuminating the markets is the best way to keep all market participants -- and all market regulators -- informed with the best available information to make the best financial decisions. Remember: The reason for the financial difficulties was the lack of understanding, through lack of transparency, by the AIG financial holding company regarding the financial instruments they had purchased.

State insurance regulators also suggest that federal banking regulators look to state insurance regulation regarding, among other things, restrictions on derivative activities; limits on high concentrations in investment types; and appropriate minimum capital and surplus requirements.

State insurance regulators regularly collaborate with and provide information to our state and federal banking and securities counterparts. We would welcome the opportunity to coordinate efforts to help enhance the stability of our nation's financial markets, minimize disruption to our economy and --above all -- ensure that every Americans' financial future is protected.

Source: NAIC
www.naic.org

A Guide To Cheap Antique and Classic Car Insurance

When it comes to vehicles, classic cars are absolutely at the top of the pyramid, with their amazing features setting them far apart from the rest of the crowd. Unfortunately, as is typical for anything that attracts attention, classic cars tend to attract a decent share of thieves and vandals. Additionally, because classic cars are rare and tend to be expensive, many large "major player" insurance companies and agents will not even offer insurance for them.

But just because it can be mildly difficult to find the right kind of insurance for your classic car, that does not mean that you can simply drive around without any insurance. Many states require that your vehicle be insured, and you can face serious fines if you are caught driving without adequate insurance coverage.

Finding the right kind of insurance for your classic car is going to take a little bit of time, and a lot of research. Even more research will be involved if you are set out to find the cheapest available antique and classic car insurance available. There are car insurance companies out there which specialize in insurance options for antique and classic cars. Additionally, there are large automobile insurance companies which offer specialized insurance including antique and classic car insurance, but you will have to do a decent bit of searching in order to find them.

A good place to start is with insurance companies like Hagerty, Leland west and Norwich Union which all specialize in antique and classic car insurance. It is important that you weigh a lot of different options, because the costs associated with antique and classic car insurance can vary wildly depending on which automobile insurance provider you go with.

It is also important that you determine what each insurance company will value your classic car at, in order to make sure that you are going to be insured for the full value of your car. Traditional car insurance values the car at the cost to replace it, minus any depreciation that it has experienced. This is what sets antique and classic car insurance apart from traditional car insurance. With antique and classic car insurance, the value of your vehicle is typically an agreement made between you and the insurance provider. This way, you will not lose a serious investment in the event that your vehicle is ever totaled in an accident, or stolen and never recovered.

The absolute best option for you to pursue when it comes to automobile insurance for your classic car is called an agreed value policy. Before this type of policy is purchased, you are required to sit down with an agent with the insurance company in order to come to a concrete agreement for the value of your vehicle. If your vehicle is ever totaled or lost, this is the amount that will be paid by the insurance company. This is also the point where you will receive a quote for the monthly payment. Another thing that sets antique and classic car insurance apart from traditional car insurance is the fact that antique and classic car insurance premiums are typically significantly smaller than what you will pay for traditional car insurance.

However, not just anyone can acquire antique and classic car insurance, so before applying you should make sure you qualify for all of the following criteria:

- Many antique and classic car insurance policies require that you meet a specific age limit. This is to insure that the driver(s) on the policy have adequate driving experience and are not in jeopardy of causing an accident. This makes it difficult for young and new drivers to acquire automobile insurance, even if they are driving an antique or classic vehicle.

- Many antique and classic car insurance policies have also imposed a minimum age limit for your vehicle, in order to determine whether or not it can be considered an antique car. The typical limit is fifteen years old, so if your vehicle is less than fifteen years old you may have difficulty securing antique car insurance for it.

- In order to qualify for classic car insurance, there are certain limits on how your classic car can be used. For example, you must have a garage or some other form of protective storage to park the vehicle in. Additionally, you cannot use your classic car for any business purposes. Finally, there is a limit on the number of miles that you can put on your vehicle every month or year. If you go over the mileage limit you can but your vehicle in danger of losing its protective insurance. Because of the imposed mileage limit, you must also be able to prove that you have another vehicle which is used for normal driving.

Antique and classic car insurance is by far the best option if the vehicle that you are driving can be considered a collectible. This form of insurance is designed to protect cars that appreciate in value over time rather than depreciating. Most insurance companies will allow you to insure your classic car traditionally if you cannot find adequate antique car insurance, but you should expect to pay more in monthly premiums, and to receive significantly less in a pay out settlement if your vehicle is ever totaled.

What this means is that if you are driving an antique or classic car, and specialized insurance is available to you on a local level, you should absolutely take the offer in order to protect your vehicle inexpensively without losing out on the serious investment that went into your prized possession.
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Advantages of Whole Life Insurance

Buying life insurance can sometimes become a challenge because of the numerous types of getting insured. Most people would look into the types and advantages. There are so many advantages of whole life insurance compared to term life. Whole life is a type of permanent life insurance which is one of the most sought after type of getting insured. It is very important to understand and know the advantages in order to make an informed decision when purchasing plan or policy coverage.

There are many advantages of whole life policy. First and foremost is that it guarantees you a death benefit that will never decrease. Your beneficiaries can have the option of taking the death benefit on a monthly increment payment basis or a lump sum. And best of all is that there will be no federal income taxes charged upon death. So your beneficiaries have some options and you are covered for your entire life. There is also the cash value added feature for this type of insuring.

The cash value added feature is very enticing to some people who are in the market for policy coverage. Unlike other types of insuring, whole life insurance policy accumulates in cash value. You basically have yourself insured and as well as getting some of your premiums put into savings and accumulate in value. This savings can also be tax deferred. And for some reasons you want to surrender the policy, you will receive all the cash value minus any loans and withdrawals.

The other benefit and advantage is the premium level which will stay level or consistent for entire life of the policy. Unlike term life insurance which will change once you renew or reapply and almost always results in increase of premiums. Term as the word suggest is plan coverage for a specified period of time. Plan coverage is anywhere from one to thirty years. You would only choose term life if you are planning for a temporary policy coverage.

Most people would think that whole life coverage is more expensive but if you consider the cash accumulation value that would offset the cost. When purchasing this type, you are getting insured as well as investing. Some of your premiums will go towards the investment portion of the plan. And you cannot take the fact that you will be covered for the whole of your life. One can have the peace of mind that your family and love ones are protected should you pass away.

But even if you have all the advantages known and understood, it all depends on your personal or individual circumstances. If you can afford a whole life then this will be a good investment for you. Otherwise, if you are in the market for one, always check amongst the life insurance companies which are in sound financial state to inquire from. Then get life insurance quotes and compare which will fit your budget and needs. Knowing the advantages of whole life insurance is a good thing, but what suits your needs is what matters in the end.
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Finding Cheap Auto Insurance with a Less than Stellar Record

Auto insurance is a topic that deserves a lot of attention specifically because of the fact that auto insurance rates can vary a great deal. They vary depending not only on who you are, but what you have done as well. There are certain groups of people that have higher rates as a baseline and then there are people that have been in accidents or obtained parking tickets for infractions that will have higher rates because the insurance company believes that their actions make them a higher risk.

Well, if you are in the second group, there are many different ways that you can find cheap auto insurance. However, you really do need to commit yourself to the search because it is a search that could take you awhile. Having multiple accidents or tickets and trying to get auto insurance is a lot like trying to get a loan with bad credit. Because your past has not been good, the present is not a place in which your word carries a lot of weight. There are steps that you can take to secure cheap auto insurance, some of them being covered below.

Check the Major Companies

The first thing that you want to do is check the major auto insurance companies that operate in your area. For the most part, these will be national or even in some cases multi - national corporations. While it is true that these companies will often have the cheapest insurance deals, at the same time it is also important that you do not purchase a plan from an auto insurance representative right away, no matter how sweet that plan might feel. If your driving record is marred, there are always going to be companies that try to take advantage of you and the only way that you can possibly find the cheapest auto insurance is to make sure that you shop around.

The reason that checking the major companies first is important is because those prices will give you an idea of what the market is offering for your specific situation. Those prices will allow you to make comparisons later on when you find other deals and therefore gauge all of the offers you find against those that are being offered by companies that are supposed to be the top in their field. Checking the major companies is an important first step towards finding cheap auto insurance with a less than stellar record, but it is not the only step and if you give in before trying everything else out, you might be spending more money than you actually have to.

Check the Internet

The internet has spawned booms in many of the different industries and one of those industries is insurance. The internet has allowed for niche marketing, so instead of very generalized multi-national insurance companies, you can instead choose to deal with a very small insurance company that is focused on covering the specific condition or case that you fit into. While you might not find any good deals from these companies, the chance of you finding an excellent deal from one is a very real chance and one that you need to follow through on rigorously.

If you do find a good deal, you need to make sure that you thoroughly research the company to make sure that it is reputable and reliable. If a deal sounds too good to be true, make sure you are extra suspicious of the source. If you combine this type of minute research with the major company quotes that you already have in hand, you should end up with the best package for the lowest price in your particular driving situation.
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Get the best deal for insurance

The main aim of vehicle insurance also known as (car insurance, auto insurance or motor car insurance) is to protect your vehicle against losses incurred as a result of traffic accidents and liability that could be sustained in an accident.
In many jurisdictions it’s mandatory to have vehicle insurance before using or keeping a vehicle on road. These mainly relate to insurance of both car and the driver however there is variation in the degree of both.

The way to get best discounts on Car insurance-:

Almost everyone would like a reimbursement for the safety of their vehicle, one which is inexpensive, has great scope, and there is not much to worry when it’s the case of an accident.
But many insurance companies only boast of full insurance coverage at low prices but in reality only a minimum amount of discount rate is provided.
The only and the best way is to do a market research in relation to various car insurance. One thing to remember when you shop for car insurance is to first determine what and how much coverage you require. This helps you to determine which companies offer the best discounted rates for car insurance.
The following are the types of coverage-:
Property Damage
Personal Injury Protection
Uninsured Motorist Protection
Bodily Injury Liability

The various insurance companies can be called and the discount rates can be found out. This information can be gained by conversing to an agent, but internet can be a quicker and cheaper mode of gaining knowledge regarding auto insurance.
Their can be endless options to get cheap car insurance and to reduce their premiums. Some of them are-:
You can choose amongst Fire or Comprehensive, Theft, Third Party etc. but here the main things to take into concern are your age and the condition of the car.
You can take the option of paying higher excess in the event of an insurance claim.
One of the ways is to use an insurance broker if you don’t have time for calls and internet.
You can start building ‘no- claims’ bonus as soon as possible.
Try not modifying or customizing your car.
You can recheck your mileage as it is best way to cheap car insurance.
The above mentioned points can help you get cheap car/auto insurance.
Internet has a glut of sites can that give you information about car insurance quotes. You need to take some considerations while searching for quotes online. Auto insurance often varies by driver history, state, model of automobile etc. there are many sites which enable you to get the quotes online without wasting much time and only some formalities to fulfill. These online websites provide car insurance quotes in seconds which don not sacrifice coverage for convenience. They also provide specific coverage required by in the area you live, therefore, no headache of visiting car insurance companies located in far-off places. Another way of getting auto insurance is to ask your colleagues who might have got there vehicle insured. They can recommend their insurance agents and you can make an appointment for queries and avail the car insurance if you feel satisfied.
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Tips for Shopping for Franchise Business Insurance

When opening a franchise business there are a million and one things that you will need to do before opening those front doors for business. The money or funds will need to be in place to buy into the franchise, the property will need to be purchased or leased in order to house your franchise and you will need to secure insurance for the franchise.

While many people think about and plan for the first two parts of the franchise choice, the insurance for the franchise is often the least planned yet the most important. Insurance is there to cover the business in case of loss due to theft, fire or some unplanned act of God. Your coverage, limits and out of pocket expenses will all need to be taken into consideration when choosing the proper insurance for your franchise.

The Quote

With the advent and popularity of the Internet, receiving a quote for insurance coverage is a simple, quick process. Just because the first quote you receive seems like a great price, do not stop at one quote. Comparing quotes can mean comparing coverages, limits and out of pocket expenses from a variety of companies. What may seem like a great deal may leave you hanging in a time of need, so compare with more than on insurance quote.

The Multi-Coverage Deal

Some insurance for franchise companies will offer package deals for the business owner. These packages may include price reductions when more than one coverage is held with the company. This can include lease or rental insurance, vehicle insurance and life insurance. This is especially important for those business owners who are just starting out in the world of business and need to save as much money as possible until the business becomes profitable.

Always Tell the Truth

It is important to always reveal everything to the insurance agent. Just because a certain coverage may cost a little more in your area of business or your area of the world, does not mean the insurance plan should be entered into based upon lies. If the insurance for franchise company finds out you have lied and you need to make a claim, they can deny the claim and you will be left without any coverage and often shutting the doors.

The insurance for your franchise is there to keep you and your business safe. When you are putting $10,000, $20,000 or $100,000 into the startup costs for a new business franchise, you will want the best coverage for that business.
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Are You Breaking The Terms Of Your Car Insurance?

There are millions of drivers on the roads all driving around thinking they are fully protected by their car insurance policy. The harsh reality though is that there are a lot of people on the roads who are breaking the terms of their insurance policy without actually knowing it.

This means that if they were ever to have a road accident and needed to make a claim, they may find that the insurance company will refuse to pay out the full amount because they failed to abide by the terms of their policy. This does sound like an unlikely scenario but it does happen a lot and can be very costly for drivers because they have to pay for the remainder of the damages out of their own pocket.

So how can you avoid invalidating your car insurance?

Well the most important point is to always ensure that your driver details are completely up to date. Insurance companies have to know all your driving-related details so they can build up a risk profile of you and therefore compile a quote. So this means you need to keep your insurance provider fully informed of any motoring convictions or speeding offences that you may incur.

You also need to let them know about any changes in your driving habits. So if you change your job, for instance, and as a result you find yourself driving significantly more miles every year, then you need to let them know about this, as this obviously increases the chances of you having an accident, which will need to be reflected in your quote.

Similarly another issue that may invalidate your car insurance relates to learner drivers. A lot of parents end up teaching their sons or daughters how to drive in their own car, so before taking to the road, even if it's a private road, you should always check the details of your insurance cover to make sure you will be fully compensated in the case of an accident.

There are other factors to consider, but these are some of the main points I want to discuss. The important message is that if you are going to pay for car insurance every year, which is a legal requirement in most countries, you at least want to know that you will receive full compensation if you do ever have an accident. So always read the terms of the car insurance policy and fully ensure that are not accidentally breaching these terms or invalidating your car insurance in any way.
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Life Insurance Quotes And The Average Cost

People who are looking to purchase life insurance should get life insurance quotes online to determine the average cost or price. Some people have the concern of how much does life insurance cost. And the best way to deal with this is to get an online quote and compare it with the different life insurance companies. With the recent developments regarding the insurance industry, it is a must to know the financial soundness and stability of the company. A highly rank company would be a choice to inquire from.

The largest company in the industry can also go down the tubes thus it is more important to know high they rank and their financial status. You would like that these life insurance companies would be there when you are no longer there. Simply put, these companies should be around to pay the death benefits when your beneficiaries need them.

But the main concern that most people have is the average cost or price of getting insured. When one is in the market for policy coverage, you would like to know the average cost or price to determine what your range is going to be. Knowing the average cost will give you the tools needed to make a sound decision on what type of insurance you are going to purchase. The thing you can use in this strategy is to get life insurance quotes and compare it amongst the many insurers you inquired from.

Life insurance quotes can easily be access online. An online quote will give you a lot of choices. You can make calculations according to your age, gender, health, occupation and height and weight ratios. You can calculate it making different scenarios in order to have many different possible options when negotiating with your insurer. Not all insurers have the same price or cost even for the same type of insuring. These insurers have their own policies and guidelines in underwriting so their premiums will never be the same.

Because of the accessibility and ease in finding and getting quotes online, this the preferable way of understanding the average cost of insuring. Knowing what is the average cost of life insurance is a concern which can be easily known through life insurance quotes. There are so many ways of using these quotes online. This includes the imputing different number of years if you are planning a term life. It will calculate for you the possible premiums that you will be paying for any hypothetical specified period of time. And to access this quote calculators are almost always free and with no obligation.

If you are one of those who are concerned about the how much does life insurance cost, you need not worry about it. With so many websites that offer these services for free, there is no reason for you to be concerned. Life insurance quotes can give you the average cost or price that you will give the needed projections of your possible monthly premiums. Compare the results you got from the life insurance quotes and make that right decision when buying policy coverage. But the bottom line is purchase the one that suits your needs and budget.
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Term Life Insurance and How Much Does It Cost

Too many people are concerned about how much does life insurance cost or what is the average price insuring yourself. But you cannot blame them because they a vested interest in their investment and money they use to pay the premiums. The cost or price of your policy coverage is not the only thing you have to be concerned about. The type of life insurance is another important aspect of looking for plan coverage. And term life insurance is the cheapest and most commonly sought after type of insuring.

For new families and just starting out, children are very expensive and this is common knowledge to any prospective parent. This expense will never go away until your children are able to feed and provide for themselves. And if something happens to you or your spouse, your child care cost will in fact actually rise. This is because of the added trouble of dealing with and trying to do two different tasks that two parents should be doing. You will definitely have very little time to do other things and you will end up paying for child care expense.

Every parent who lost a spouse especially a bread winner has the income or budget compromise. Thus, sometimes the remaining parent will have to find a second job to compensate for the loss. And this is extremely difficult especially when your children are still very young. Now, you will spend more time out of the house and not with your children because of your second job. It is most likely that the financial burden can spiral and leading to financial and emotional trouble. The emotional trouble alone can really make somebody sick and unable function much more work. The trauma of losing someone very dear to you can really take its ugly head.

With these entire sad and troubling situations one has to go through in cases like this, a term life insurance could at least lessen the burden. Every new family who are just starting out should protect and secure their family and love ones with a term life insurance. It should be a standard purchase for every new family. This security and protection if insured is priceless when tragedy strikes many families. Obviously it will not completely eradicate the problem of losing someone very dear to you; it would be more painful if your way of life is abruptly stop or change for the worse.

Term life insurance is the cheapest amongst the many types of insuring yourself. Compared to whole life insurance, term life is sometimes ten times cheaper. But the two types offer different features and components. Term life covers you for a specified period of time while whole life has a savings feature attached to it. But with term life, you can purchase 1, 5, 10, 15, 20, or 30 year policy. What you can do is choose what suits your needs and you can change it later when your predicament changes.
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Insurance Claims And Common Characteristics Of Risk Covered

Insurance, in law and economics, is a form of risk management primarily used to hedge against the risk of a contingent loss. Insurance is defined as the equitable transfer of the risk of a loss, from one entity to another, in exchange for a premium.

An insurer is a company selling the insurance. The insurance rate is a factor used to determine the amount, called the premium, to be charged for a certain amount of insurance coverage. Risk management, the practice of appraising and controlling risk, has evolved as a discrete field of study and practice.

Commercially insurable risks typically share four
common characteristics

Definite Loss. The event that gives rise to the loss that is subject to insurance should, at least in principle, take place at a known time, in a known place, and from a known cause. The classic example is death of an insured person on a life insurance policy. Fire, automobile accidents, and worker injuries may all easily meet this criterion. Other types of losses may only be definite in theory. Occupational disease, for instance, may involve prolonged exposure to injurious conditions where no specific time, place or cause is identifiable. Ideally, the time, place and cause of a loss should be clear enough that a reasonable person, with sufficient information, could objectively verify all three elements.

Accidental Loss. The event that constitutes the trigger of a claim should be fortuitous, or at least outside the control of the beneficiary of the insurance. The loss should be in the sense that it results from an event for which there is only the opportunity for cost. Events that contain speculative elements, such as ordinary business risks, are generally not considered insurable.

Large Loss. The size of the loss must be meaningful from the perspective of the insured. Insurance premiums need to cover both the expected cost of losses, plus the cost of issuing and administering the policy, adjusting losses, and supplying the capital needed to reasonably assure that the insurer will be able to pay claims. For small losses these latter costs may be several times the size of the expected cost of losses. There is little point in paying such costs unless the protection offered has real value to a buyer.

Calculable Loss. There are two elements that must be at least estimable, if not formally calculable: the probability of loss, and the attendant cost. Probability of loss is generally an empirical exercise, while cost has more to do with the ability of a reasonable person in possession of a copy of the insurance policy and a proof of loss associated with a claim presented under that policy to make a reasonably definite and objective evaluation of the amount of the loss recoverable as a result of the claim.
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What is a Minibus, Do I Have the Correct Licence and What About Insurance?

More drivers in the UK today are using MPV's and People Carriers. But as the car has 7-8 seats can it be classed as a minibus? The answer is 'no'.

What is a Minibus?

If it has between 9 to 16 passenger seats then its classification is as a minibus. This has implications for the type of driving licence required and may need specialist minibus insurance.

Do I Have the Correct Licence?

All licences issued after 1 January 1997 need a category D1 classification to allow the driver to use a minibus. The licence can be obtained by passing a Passenger Carrying Vehicle (PCV) test provided by the DVLA.

A minibus can be driven on a full category B (car) licence, but the following conditions must to be met:

1. The minibus can only be used in the UK. A D1 licence is required for driving in Europe.

2. The minibus is only used for social reasons. It cannot be hired and there must be no financial reward.

3. Trailers cannot be towed.

4. The driver must to be over 21 and have held a Category B license for more than 2 years. Drivers over the age of 70 will need to prove their medical fitness to drive.

5. The minibus must not weigh more than 3.5 tonnes. If it is carrying special equipment for disabled passengers the maximum weight is 4.25 tonnes.

6. Payment cannot be accepted for driving the minibus.

What About Insurance?

Insurance for a minibus, as with any motor vehicle, is required by the law. The minimum level is Third Party cover but this is a very basic policy and you are risking a large bill if something were to happen that required a claim.

The other two types of insurance are Fire and Theft, and Comprehensive. Specific 'extras' can be added to the insurance depending on the minibus's use.

Whatever type of cover you chose it is better to be 'safe than sorry', especially if there is the extra responsibility of transporting passengers. If the minibus is used by many different drivers then leave a copy of the policy in the vehicle in case it is required after an accident.

Consult a specialist minibus insurance provider. They will be able to advise you about what is needed and find a suitable policy tailored to your specific requirements.

The Directgov website has more information about the UK regulations for driving a minibus and there is a helpful section explaining the difference between the driving licence categories.
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Head of AIG's Singapore life insurance unit resigns

SINGAPORE (Reuters)—The Singapore head of AIA, the life insurance unit of American International Group, quit on Thursday, the city-state's central bank said.The resignation came after widespread customers' fears over AIG's financial health led hundreds of policy-holders throng AIA's office to redeem their policies this week.

The Monetary Authority of Singapore said in a statement late Thursday it was notified that AIA Singapore's executive vice-president and general manager Mark O'Dell resigned with immediate effect, and that there were no other changes to its management.

"We are satisfied with the ability of the company to carry on business as usual and to meet new demands even when there are any changes in management," said Low Kwok Mun, MAS' Executive Director for Insurance Supervision.The central bank has tried to calm fears of policy-holders this week.Singapore's Straits Times newspaper, without naming sources, said O'Dell is joining rival Canadian insurer Manulife Financial to be general manager of its Taiwan operations.

AIG said O'Dell's decision to leave not related to the recent events.

Copyright 2008 Reuters

Insurance Glossary of Terms

Assured - Those insured under the terms of an insurance policy.

Benefit - The money paid to the policyholder when a claim is made.

Bid Price - The selling price or cash-in value of your unit holdings.

Bonus - Relates to a with-profits policy. The amount of money added to the benefit payable under the policy. The amount is dependent upon the profits made by the insurance company. Added bonuses cannot be taken away.

Convertible Term Assurance - A term insurance policy which gives you the option to convert your current policy to a whole-life or endowment insurance policy, without having to take further medical examinations.

Critical Illness Insurance - A policy that pays out a lump sum on the diagnosis of life threatening illnesses indicated in the terms of the plan.

Decreasing Term - A form of term life insurance where the death benefit decreases each year as per your policy. Premiums remain level. This type of certificate is frequently sold as mortgage insurance. There is no surrender value for this policy.

Endowment Insurance - An insurance policy that pays a stated amount at the end of a specified period or upon the death of the insured if it occurs within that period.

Family Income Benefit - Term assurance which pays money to the life assured's dependants for a set period, rather than paying a lump sum.

Guaranteed Bond - A bond in which principal and interest are guaranteed by an entity other than the issuer. Guaranteed Bonds can be income or growth.

Increasing Term - The cover and the amount you pay into the policy are increased by a specific percentage each year calculated on the original sum insured. Designed as a way to increase your life cover as your earnings increase.

Investment Bond - Combines investment with some life cover. The payments you make into an insurance policy or investment bond, usually a lump sum, are invested in the insurance company's with-profits or unit-linked funds (Life Funds). Different types of bonds include the guaranteed bond and unit-linked single premium bond. Not to be confused with a company or government bond, an investment that offers a fixed rate of interest and an area where your chosen Life Funds may be invested.

Life Fund - This usually refers to Unit linked Investment Funds. These are funds run by Life Assurance or Pension Companies. Such funds are used for individuals holding life assurance policies to invest in. The assets held within the fund are divided into a number of units. When an investor contributes to a Life Fund, units are allocated to investors in proportion to their investment.

Maturity - An agreed date when an endowment policy ends and the proceeds, including any bonuses, are payable.

Mutual - A life insurance company that is owned by its with-profits policyholders.

Offer Price - The price at which fund units are bought.

Premium - The amount of money paid into an insurance policy.

Proprietary - A life insurance company that issues its profits to its shareholders.

Qualifying Policy - A life assurance based savings plan that has to be written for a minimum of 10 years and must fulfil certain qualifying policy criteria to ensure the final payout is tax free.

Renewable Term - Term Insurance that may be renewed for another term without evidence of insurability.

Single Premium Policy - Where a single lump sum is paid for an insurance policy.

Sum Insured - The amount of money that is guaranteed to be paid under an insurance policy, before any bonuses are added.

Surrender Value - Not applicable to all life insurance policies. The amount that an insurance policyholder is entitled to receive when he or she discontinues coverage

Term Insurance - Provides policyholder with protection only. Life insurance payable to a beneficiary only when an insured dies within a specified number of years (the term). If you live beyond the term you do not receive any payment. This is thought to be the cheapest type of insurance.

Terminal Bonus - This is an extra bonus determined when a death or maturity claim is paid. Terminal bonus is often only paid if the policy has been in-force for a minimum number of years at claim time. The amount is dependent upon the profits made by the insurance company.

Unitised With Profits Fund - Also known as a Unit-Linked With Profits Fund. A type of Life Fund that can invest in UK and overseas shares, property, fixed interest securities and cash. When you invest in this fund through an insurance policy, you buy 'units'. When an annual bonus is declared, you can either receive more units or it is added to the unit price on a daily basis. Due to the addition of bonuses the unit price does not reflect the value of the underlying investments.

Unit-Linked - Also called Unitised. If your insurance policy is unit-linked, some of your money is used to purchase 'units' in a fund. The value of your policy at maturity is dependent upon the growth of the fund in which the policy is invested. Generally refers to policies that offer protection and saving such as endowment insurance, whole life insurance and investment bonds.

Unit-Linked Single Premium Bond - A single lump sum life insurance policy where your investment is spread over a number of Life Funds.

Whole Life Insurance - Whole life insurance provides a death benefit for the policyholder as it builds up cash value. The policy remains in force for the lifetime of the insured, as long as premiums are paid according to the policy agreement. You can choose insurance that pays out on death a guaranteed sum only, the sum plus any bonuses that have been added, or the sum plus any additional value from the growth of the funds invested in.

Without Profits - When a policy reaches maturity or the policyholder dies, the amount paid out is the basic guaranteed sum only. You would not be entitled to any bonuses.

With Profits - Relates to insurance policies that combine investment with protection. This type of policy is entitled to a share of the profits made by the insurance company. Premiums are invested in the with profit fund, reversionary bonuses are applied usually on an annual basis which reflect the investment growth of the fund assets. On death and/or maturity a further terminal bonus might be applied to the fund value.

With Profits Bond - An insurance policy where your lump sum is in most cases invested in a Unitised With Profits Fund (which is listed under the Life Funds section).
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