Affordable Health Insurance

Thanks to the Internet, it’s easy to find a wealth of important information online; thousands of sites offer to sell you an affordable health insurance plan with just one or two clicks. This means that buying a health insurance plan for you, your family or your business is simpler than ever. 

But getting health insurance quotes or buying a health insurance plan online requires more discernment than other online purchases. Insurance purchases require an exchange of a great amount of personal information, making it important to find a trustworthy insurance company or broker.

To begin with, it’s a good idea to research the company that will be receiving your personal information. Find one that is up-to-date, utilizing the state-of-the-art privacy technology. Find out if they sell, trade, or give away your information to anyone; the health insurance advisor or counselor you’re working with should know if the company engages in these practices. Be certain you read the ‘Privacy Policy’ disclosure, which covers the confidentiality of all of your data. Reputable companies will have a ‘Contact Us’ link, usually on the top or bottom of the page, to answer any questions or concerns you may have.

Another very important task is to learn if the person guiding you through your insurance options is a licensed health insurance agent.  These agents can provide you with personal advice as you make your decision for affordable health insurance; they can also guide you through the application process. A licensed health insurance agent must follow strict guidelines mandated by the insurance companies they represent and your state’s department of insurance. It’s also very important to obtain the state license number from the health insurance agent assisting you.

Don’t forget to ask for any phone numbers you may need later, even if you don’t think you’ll need to call the agent back. Most credible sites will not try not to hide any part of this information.  The easier it is to find this information, the better—you may have questions later that you haven’t thought of. And on the phone, courteous service is a good indicator of the quality of any health insurance resource.

One final feature to look for in your search for insurance online is a seal of approval from a professional organization. You should only request affordable health insurance quotes from web sites endorsed from an association like the Independent Health Insurance Agent Association.

Insurance prices in America

Insurance is like a myth. From one small seed of truth, a fairytale the size of 1000 giant sequoias has sprung up. Reality is blocked from view. Surely, you’ve noticed all the giant, sequoia-like buildings are owned by banks and insurance companies. Where do they get all that money? How much money do the executives make? Who pays for it all? Grab a mirror. “Magic mirror on the wall, who’s the biggest sucker of them all? What’s that you said? The Masses!”

Insurance is yet another unquestioned social reflex. You just buy it. You must. The banker insists you have to purchase insurance or you don’t get the loan. Your government orders you to buy auto insurance at any cost. Hence, it must be really good for you. Hell, why not stock up on some of the non-mandated insurances as well? You can’t have too much of a good thing. Can you?

Somewhere in the dark, murky corners of our minds we hide our thoughts. Like The Emperor’s New Clothes, no one screams out, “But he has nothing on!” or “Hey, this is just bullshit!” You are not alone in the darkness. We all think it. So you are no longer scared to speak, here are some of those secret thoughts voiced out loud for the first time: 

1) If I speak out against insurance, I will be jinxed. My home will surely burn to the ground and I will look like a moron.

2) If I speak out against insurance, some pecker-head who heard me will have an accident and sue me because folks are not responsible for their own choices.

3) Insurance is betting against myself. Why would I bet against me?

4) If insurance companies must charge such high premiums because they’re losing so much in payouts, how do they afford all those big buildings?

5) What do insurance companies sell? Air? Promises they intend to deny via small print? Contracts? Wouldn’t I rather buy an IHOP franchise with that money?

6) If government represents the people, why do they make me, a people, a criminal when I cannot afford auto insurance to get to work and feed my family?

7) How much in dollars and perks do insurance lobbyists put into the pockets of politicians?

8) Do I really need trip-cancellation insurance? Why would I buy a dream trip, and then bet on my canceling it at the last moment? 

9) If I put all the money I spend on insurance into the bank or toward building success, how much money would I have for coping with my problems on my own terms?

10) If I buy the extended warranty, will I remember I have it or be able to find it when my widget explodes?

11) Shouldn’t companies make quality widgets that last three years in the first place?

12) And finally, did Jennifer Lopez really insure herself for hundreds of millions of dollars? What? She is already rich. The agent who sold this policy is phenomenal.

Yes, we all know the system is way out of hand! The blame lies with insurance companies, greedy bankers, spineless politicians and with the Masses unquestioningly supporting these absurdities. Every frivolous lawsuit provides government an excuse for mandating people be protected from themselves via costly insurances and removal of individual freedoms. 

Before long, we will be required to carry Coffee-Burn riders on auto insurance and Cell- Phone–Earring-Tear addendums on HMOs. These days Sleeping Beauty would have sued the castle owner (a.k.a. Dad) for that prick on the finger, lost wages from the coma and for trauma from the scar. Uninsured sewing needles would be outlawed throughout the kingdom.

With a system this out of control, how do you protect yourself? You cut the fat. Quit betting against yourself. Think about all those different types of insurance. Stop buying out of reflex and decide for yourself what you can kick to the curb. Consider the variety out there and what you truly must have.

Life Insurance is for betting you will die such a loser that you can’t pay for your own funeral or leave your kids any inheritance. Extra Car Insurance–How much you betting that you will crash? Not to mention, homeowner’s, mortgage, trip cancellation, emergency evacuation, unemployment, boat, credit card, business interruption, earthquake, disability, dental, smoker, expatriate, backpack traveler, winter sports, flood, warranty and health insurance. The list goes on. 

Here is a new monument to the ludicrous: Terrorist Insurance. It’s even pushed at Art Gallery Owner’s in isolated communities of the Northern Great Plains. And, why not? No doubt Osama is crouching in an Afghan cave right now, plotting to rid the world of those pesky Remmington Cowboy bronzes.

Insurance agents prey upon these new fears like snakes on wounded mice. Apparently, companies want to terrorize you into buying coverage. Another possibility is a rebel SCUD aimed for Mount Rushmore may slam into a Canada Goose and go askew. It sucks when this happens! No doubt your goat ranch in Chug Water, Wyoming is in eminent danger from this likely chain of events. Perhaps, you should add a specific ‘Unpasteurized-Cheese Addendum’ to your Terrorist Policy. Call your agent today and ask them. See if they will sell you one.

The odds of you dying of a mosquito bite are better than the odds you will die at the hands of a terrorist. Well, crap! The government better permit companies to require we all carry Mosquito Insurance. Maybe you can get a DEET discount! Better still; why not turn over all our bothersome responsibility, like freedom and privacy, to the Feds. Then good ol’ Uncle Sam can protect citizens from the winged menaces that haunt our very souls.

Congress could raise taxes to fund Bug Inspectors. Their job would be to comb through your private life, home and property looking for freestanding water. They would not look for anything else (roll eyes here). Still cancer and glaucoma patients might want to keep the baggies away from the birdbath. 

Speaking of cancer, the Air Force could spray us all from above with a perfectly “safe” mixture of insecticides called Agent Tan. Coincidently, that day your governor vacations far away. Is there anybody in his or her right mind who would elect an insurance salesman to public office? Of course, both politicians and insurers are selling you hot air, so perhaps it is a match made in H…

A very few insurances are worth buying, such as liability insurance for cars and real estate. Once you have something to lose, it’s a sure bet some lazy troll with an entitlement-mentality will try to sue you. In this case, you want the giants on your side. Insurance companies provide lawyers to run evil little trolls back under their bridges.

Insurance prices in America are out of control. The wide range of insurance the bureaucracy would have us believe we cannot live without is genuinely insulting. Buying all the coverage companies would have you believe you need wastes thousands of your dollars each year. Look over policies and eliminate what you can. Insurance is just legalized gambling. If you are betting against yourself, how can you take a gamble on yourself? Pursue your dreams instead

The Ins And Outs Of Auto Insurance

Bodily Injury Liability, Collision, Comprehensive, Property Injury Liability. Do you know what these terms mean? If you are currently paying for any type of auto insurance, then these are some terms you should know to maximize the benefits of your plan(s).

Bodily Injury Liability. If you were at fault in an accident and others involved needed to go to the hospital and/or lost wages from missing work, those costs would come out of your pocket if you are not insured with Bodily Injury Liability. Anyone will soon realize how quickly those amounts can add up to. Many states require you to carry Bodily Injury Liability. This type of coverage can also help you in the event the other party takes legal action against you.

Collision Coverage. In the event you need repairs or replacements if your vehicle collides with another vehicle or property, you’ll need this. The higher the deductible you elect, the lower your premiums will cost you. If you’re at fault for something, well of course it would still be an accident, as I doubt you’d plan to run into that guard rail, but how much would you be able to afford to pay out of pocket for repairs? Don’t forget to check if this coverage is available in your plan! 

Comprehensive Coverage. This is the coverage that pays for damage caused from falling objects, fire, certain natural disasters, theft and vandalism. 

Property Injury Liability. Can you imagine how much it might cost should you accidentally drive into someone’s house? You wouldn’t want to be caught without property damage insurance should you need to pay for repairs to another vehicle, building or anything else you might hit. As they say, you can never be too sure what you may run into while driving!

With these different types of liability coverage, you’ll quickly discover that unfortunate accidents soon become less dreadful then they seem. For example, imagine if you crashed into the rear-end of another driver. Your liability coverage will kick in and pay for the damages that you caused with your insured vehicle. Imagine having to pay those damage costs yourself out of pocket!

It’s important that you understand the basics of what you are paying for and why it is necessary. By knowing these technical terms, you can make sure your auto insurance coverage is as complete and reliable as possible.

Car Insurance Costs

With fuel costs escalating out of control these days, car running costs are becoming a serious burden for the average family, especially families with more than one car. Because of this reason more and more people are looking for ways to control the costs associated with their family transport. 

One such cost is the cost of car insurance. Below are 7 tips for lowering your car insurance costs:

1. Drive carefully. It may sound obvious but as insurance premiums are related to risk then your manner of driving is related to your insurance premiums. Safer driver equals lower premiums. It may not seem so at the time but those traffic violations or speeding fines reflect in your bill.

2. Have a look at other insurance policies you have with other companies. Many insurers offer discounts for combining all your family insurance with their company. Find out who they are and get a quote on all your policies combined.

3. Also note the differences in premiums you would be paying for the type of car you have. Different types of car attract different levels of premium because, in particular, different types of car are driven by different types of people, who may have different types of risk profile. Sports cars, for example, will usually show a higher rate of accidents than staid boring family cars.

4. Consider your deductible. This is the amount you pay first out of any claim, and the cost of your policy is directly related to the amount of your deductible. Higher deductible - lower premium. So consider carefully whether you could afford to pay a higher amount first from any accident and raise your deductible. If so, you will get lower premiums.

5. Safety and anti theft devices can reduce the insurance costs for a car. Talk to your insurance company and find out if there are any safety or anti theft devices that you can install to reduce your premium. Then consider installing them making sure that you notify your insurance company once you have done so. And why not ring up your company and make sure that they are aware of any safety and anti theft devices you already have, if they aren't you may get a reduction. 

6. Always look online for a competitive quote from other companies. Most of the major players and brokers are represented online and it is extremely competitive. Be sure to take advantage of this fact.

7. Don't just pay your premium blindly without checking if you can do better. Car insurance rates vary all the time and so even if it was the best rate last year it may not be this year. Every year shop around to see if you can do better, you may be surprised. 

Follow the above tips and advice and you’ll be pleasantly surprised at how much you can save on your auto insurance.

Avoid Car Insurance

Below are some tips to reduce your auto insurance bill, prevent substantial premium increases and avoid becoming assigned risk.

Claim Reports: You know about credit reports, you should also know about claim reports. C.L.U.E.® (Comprehensive Loss Underwriting Exchange), is a claim report service provided by ChoicePoint, Inc. ChoicePoint, Inc. states on their web site "C.L.U.E. is a claim history information exchange that enables insurance companies to access prior claim information in the underwriting and rating process. C.L.U.E. Personal Property reports contain up to five years of personal property claims matching the search criteria submitted by the inquiring insurance company. Data provided in C.L.U.E. reports includes policy information such as name, date of birth and policy number, and claim information such as date of loss, type of loss and amounts paid."

Tip: C.L.U.E. reports contain information on claims history by a residence address. Just like credit reports, a C.L.U.E. report may have errors. It is advisable to obtain a copy of your C.L.U.E. report at ChoiceTrust.com to check your report for errors.

Credit reports: Insurance companies are now looking at credit reports to determine future premiums. They have determined that people with better credit scores have fewer claims. Consequently, if you have a poor credit report you may find yourself paying more for car insurance.

Tip: Always make at least the minimum payment for your bills on time, particularly your insurance bill.

Glass Coverage: Most auto insurance salespeople recommend "full" glass coverage for an additional premium, when you purchase collision coverage for your car. They remind you how much it costs to replace all your windows if broken by a vandal. What they do not tell you, and it is unlikely that they would even know (I would only trust the answer from an underwriter, not a sales representative), is whether your insurance company will use a previous glass claim to increase your future premium and whether they will report your glass claims to C.L.U.E.

Some insurance companies will report glass claims to C.L.U.E. and then use these claims to raise your premium or even worse, cancel your car insurance policy making you assigned risk with a substantial premium increase. Allstate notified me that after four claims in less than five years, they terminated my auto insurance policy and then offered to sell me coverage in their Indemnity Company with a shocking premium increase. These claims consisted of two claims for a broken windshield, one for a stolen and recovered car and one accident.

I had a sports car and had to endure a total premium increase over a period of four years of approximately $12,000 and remain claim free before I became eligible for coverage outside of the assigned risk pool. I wrote a letter to the president of Allstate complaining that they should not have considered my glass claims when canceling my car insurance because the glass claims were made under a separate part of the policy for which I paid a separate and additional premium. Allstate responded in a letter stating "Although this claim activity does not indicate that you were directly at fault in each loss, the frequency and severity of the above losses was not within our range of acceptability. After careful review, I regret to inform you that we cannot reverse our original decision regarding the above policy. We have however continued to offer coverage in our Indemnity Company."

Tip: Check with the underwriting department of your insurance company to see if they will consider glass claims when assessing premiums or if they report glass claims to C.L.U.E. If yes, do not make a glass claim. The two windshields which Allstate provided me with were aftermarket windshields which would have cost me less than $300 each. During the last 30 years of my driving history, I have experienced two broken front windshields, one broken rear windshield and two broken side windows. While the financial risk of totaling a car can be substantial, the financial risk of replacing a windshield is comparatively insignificant. It does not make sense to file a glass claim if it will increase your premium. You may even want to decline this coverage altogether and save the premium.

Tip for leased vehicles: Some lease agreements require that the car be returned with an OEM windshield. If you lease a car and replace a front windshield using your "full" glass coverage, insist that the insurance company provide you with an OEM windshield from the manufacturer. If you pay for the windshield yourself, check your lease agreement carefully to see if you must use an OEM windshield from the manufacturer or if you can use an aftermarket windshield. Some people with leased cars who have replaced a windshield with an aftermarket windshield are shocked, when they return their car, to find that the leasing company is charging them $800 for a new OEM windshield, even though the aftermarket windshield is in perfect condition.

Car Rental & Towing Coverage: While it may be a good idea to have this coverage, it is not always a good idea to use it. Some people have realized that this coverage is not just available when an accident has occurred. For instance, some people have used the car rental coverage when their car was in a repair shop or the towing coverage when their car broke down on the road. As with glass coverage, using this coverage may be the same as filing a claim.

Tip: Check with the underwriting department of your insurance company to see if they will consider rental or towing claims when assessing premiums or if they report these claims to C.L.U.E. If yes, do not use car rental or towing coverage unless you have had an accident, in which case it will be part of the accident claim. If you are concerned about towing costs when your car breaks down, you can buy one of the roadside assistance memberships such as the one available from AAA which provides additional benefits not provided by your automobile insurance policy.

Rental Car Insurance

If you have ever rented a car for a short period of time, whether during a vacation, a business trip, or while your own automobile was being repaired, you have probably faced the question of whether to take out insurance at the rental agency desk when you rent the car. Paying your rental company for insurance on your rental car is necessary sometimes, but not always. In fact, much of the time rental car insurance ends up adding some fairly steep fees onto your rental even though the coverage you’re paying for may be completely redundant.

To know whether you need to write a check for the hefty chunk of change that many automobile rental companies collect for insurance coverage, all you need to do is spend a bit of time finding out exactly what kind of coverage you already have. In many cases, your regular auto insurance is more than sufficient to protect you financially if you do damage a rental car. Anyone who owns an automobile of their own has an insurance policy that gives them some level of coverage in case of damage to the car from an accident, theft, vandalism, or other mishap. It varies a bit from policy to policy, but most of the time this same coverage will apply to a car rented in the policy owner’s name. This means that if your car is fully insured, any rental car that you drive will probably be just as well covered as your personal automobile. 

Of course, before you turn down added rental insurance at a rental car agency, make sure you have spoken to your personal insurance agent or a representative from the company that holds your policy to make absolutely sure your policy covers rental cars. If your auto insurance doesn’t cover your rental, you could be left holding a bill for tens of thousands of dollars. This kind of costly mistake can be easily avoided just by making one phone call in advance. Even if you are not planning to rent a car in the near future, it is not a bad idea to find out today whether your policy covers rental cars. That way, all the necessary information will be there for you when you need it. 

Even if your regular insurance plan doesn’t adequately cover rental cars, you don’t necessarily need to pay the high insurance fees that a rental agency will probably charge. There are plenty of options to make sure your temporary wheels are covered in case of a collision or other cause of damage to the car. In fact, you can get a much better rate than a rental agent is likely to offer you even if you don’t own a car of your own. There are specific policies that insurance companies offer for customers who rent cars frequently. A non-owner auto liability insurance policy provides affordable and usually quite comprehensive protection for rental drivers who do not own cars. If you don’t have personal automobile insurance that already covers rentals, one of these can offer you the security of knowing you are fully covered without the steep prices of rental agents’ insurance packages. 

Whether you find out that you need to take out a non-owner auto liability insurance policy, or whether you discover that you don’t need to pay anything above what you already do for insurance, a bit of forethought and planning can save you a lot of money at the rental desk. Your rental car may be temporary, but the savings will be permanent.

Car Insurance Companies

Car insurance protects you against any financial loss that may happen due to an accident or theft of your car. It is a car insurance company that issues car insurance to you. A car insurance company will work up a car insurance policy for you after evaluating the various options like the make of your car, the premium that you are willing to pay, your insurance risk, etc. A yearly premium has to be paid by you to the car insurance company so that the company can pay for your loses that you may bear in the future. All the terms and conditions are mentioned in the contract and it is your duty as a car owner to look over all the points and ask the insurance agent any questions that you have in mind. It is only after all the terms and conditions are clear to you that you should sign on the dotted line and pay the premium.

Normally all car insurance companies have the same insurance policies. The premium to be paid and the percentage of losses to be covered in case of any accident may vary slightly. Since the car insurance market is very competitive, the premium rates and other terms and conditions almost remain the same.

A car insurance policy may provide property, liability and coverage depending on the type of policy. The property coverage covers losses for damage of the car or the theft of the car. Liability coverage pays for any legal liabilities to other people for bodily harm or property damage. And medical coverage covers expenses for treating injuries, medicine expenses and funeral expenses in case of a car accident. You may buy the different types of coverage depending on how much you want to spend on your policy.

A car insurance policy usually consists of 6 types of coverage. As mentioned before a customer can select from the different types of coverage. Most of the car policies last from 6 months to a year. Your car insurance company will bill you when it is time to renew your policy and be prepared for a rate hike.

The different types of coverage are :-

1) Bodily Injury Liability

This type of liability covers the expenses of injuries that you may cause to someone else while driving your car. Also the coverage includes injuries caused to a person while driving other person’s car.

2) Medical Payments and Personal Injury Protection

This type of liability covers the expenses for the treatment of injuries to drivers and other passengers. The liability also covers medical expenses and funeral expenses in the case of death.

3) Property Damage Liability

This type of liability covers for damage to the other person’s car and your car. It may also include damage to lamp posts, telephone poles, fences and other public property.

4) Collision

This type of liability covers expenses for damage to your car or the other person’s car. Even if you are at fault, then also you will be reimbursed for the expenses of repairing the car.

5) Comprehensive

This liability covers loses due to theft or damage to the car by something other than collision with another object or damage to the car due to fire, falling objects, explosion, earthquake, etc.

6) Uninsured and Underinsured Motorist Coverage

This liability covers damages to your car by another driver who is uninsured.

The coverages mentioned above are offered by all car insurance companies. In almost all states, car insurance is mandatory. Therefore, it is your responsibility as a car driver to have a policy.