Free MIB - Medical Information Bureau Report - What is the MIB?

What is the MIB and what can I do about it?


If you've applied for health insurance you've probably heard about the MIB or Medical Information Bureau. When you apply, they check your health history against MIB records fairly automatically. If you've had trouble getting accepted for health or life insurance or disability insurance, you may get a notice that you've been declined or need an APS (attending physician statement) because of information on the MIB.

If this sounds like a credit report, it sounds like that to me too! The same good advice to check your credit report for errors, would apply to the MIB. Here's how you can check your MIB information for free.


Here's the About Me From the Official MIB Website:

MIB Group, Inc. ("MIB") is an association of over 500 U.S. and Canadian life insurance companies providing information and database management services to the financial services industry. Organized in 1902, MIB's core fraud protection services protect insurers, policyholders and applicants from attempts to conceal or omit information material to the sound and equitable underwriting of life, health, disability, and long term care insurance. Fair pricing of insurance products is largely dependent on accurate "risk assessment", "risk classification", and "risk selection". A determination of these factors begins with the assurance of accurate health information supplied on the insurance application concerning the proposed insured.

InsureMe Shut Down Insurance Clients Blog

InsureMe Insurance Quoting Service is still alive and well. They are one of my favorite companies to work with because they provide a great free service to consumers. They provide free online quotes for car insurance, homeowners insurance, health insurance, life insurance, and long term care insurance! They are also approved for the Better Business Bureau Online reliability program, and they have a well stated privacy policy. When you are looking for online insurance quotes, these are great things to look for.


They also maintain an active community with blogs and comments for insurance agents and affiliates of their programs. They give great support. I really like this company. However they decided that nobody wants to read about insurance. Of course, I don't agree. I can see that my posts are getting read, searched for, and sometimes responded to. Oh well, Bye Bye InsureMe Insurance Blog and Hello Research Insurance!


InsureMe is still very active in providing free quotes for consumers and contacts for insurance agents!

Insurance Scam Fraud Protection

Auto Insurance Scam Fraud Protection and Warning

This is from an about.com article. Here is the Link to The About.COM article on insurance scam.


Basically the article mentions the very good point that insurance fraud began when insurance began. We've all heard about different stories...unlicensed health insurers that were so good they even deceived licensed agents into marketing products, fires that get set on unsold good, and now this one....criminals staging car accidents with you so it appears to be your fault ... and it was actually set up .. so they can collect from your car insurance company!

Read the article so you know how to protect yourself.

FOR ONLINE AUTO INSURANCE QUOTES USE A COMPANY THAT PARTICIPATES IN THE BBB ONLINE PROGRAM, AND THAT HAS A STATED PRIVACY POLICY. CLICK HERE FOR INSUREME.

Insurance Speak - Helpful Terms Glossary of Insurance Terms

HomeTown Quotes Posts a helpful glossary of insurance terms. So if you're not sure what a Binder or an Equity Index is, go check out this site. Sometimes just knowing the meaning of unfamiliar terms can help you make the best insurance decision!

INSURANCE TERM GLOSSARY HERE


Home Town Quotes

Is Small Business Group Health Too Expensive?

If you're running a small business with 2 to 10 employees, you may have a very workable solution to expensive group health insurance premiums. Look, group insurance, especially with small groups, can be a very risky and expensive deal. They have to take the whole group without exclusions, so if one employee has a problem like diabetes or a heart attack, it's like everybody has a problem!

The solution may be simple. Use individually underwritten health insurance for your healthy employees. You'll be amazed at how much cheaper the premiums are! Then take the one or two employees with health problems and use your state's high risk pool to insure them.

The employee's will have to pay these premiums, but you can take your own savings and give your employees a raise to cover all, or a portion, of their expense. This is the new trend in small group health insurance coverage, it would be in your best interest to consider it.

FIND A LOCAL HEALTH INSURANCE OR RUN ONLINE HEALTH INSURANCE QUOTES! One quick form can save you hundreds, or even thousands, of dollars!

Is Small Business Group Health Too Expensive?

If you're running a small business with 2 to 10 employees, you may have a very workable solution to expensive group health insurance premiums. Look, group insurance, especially with small groups, can be a very risky and expensive deal. They have to take the whole group without exclusions, so if one employee has a problem like diabetes or a heart attack, it's like everybody has a problem!

The solution may be simple. Use individually underwritten health insurance for your healthy employees. You'll be amazed at how much cheaper the premiums are! Then take the one or two employees with health problems and use your state's high risk pool to insure them.

The employee's will have to pay these premiums, but you can take your own savings and give your employees a raise to cover all, or a portion, of their expense. This is the new trend in small group health insurance coverage, it would be in your best interest to consider it.

FIND A LOCAL HEALTH INSURANCE OR RUN ONLINE HEALTH INSURANCE QUOTES! One quick form can save you hundreds, or even thousands, of dollars!

New Health Insurance Solution

hey - This is something I've known for awhile. You can often get cheaper health insurance on an individual plan than on a group plan. Why? Well, the insurance company will individually underwrite the health insurance on the plans you own yourselves, while group plans are forced to take everybody!

I found a book on this on Amazon. This is the New Health Insurance Solution!

Free Insurance Quotes Save Consumers Money These Days

Why Compare Insurance?

I've written about the power of comparing insurance before, but with the holiday budget strain coming up, I think it's time to remind everybody about a couple of important things to consider about buying car insurance or health insurance or whatever.....

24/7 Quote US - Free Online Insurance Quotes and Tips

Of course, auto insurance rates drivers on their record, but insurance companies also look at how cars are used, their owner's work and home zip codes, and even the owner's credit scores! Different companies rate differently.

The same goes for health and life insurance. Of course, you'd expect to have your health considered, but did you know that your credit may also be considered?

Anyway, the point is, different companies use different guidelines, and it would serve you well to check into competitive quotes. You can fill out a five minute form and then get quotes from a minimum of three insurance companies. The form makes these accurate. I.e. If it's car insurance, then the company will need to know where you live and what kind of car you drive, etc. If it's health insurance the company will need to know if you smoke, if you've been hospitalized, etc.

24/7 Quote US - Free Online Insurance Quotes and Tips



Good Luck!

Cheaper Car Insurance from a safer Car - It's a win win!

Did you know that car insurance is cheaper for safer cars? The National Highway Institute is a good way to find out how safe the new car that you were considering is! This is a double bonus. You get a safer car, and you get cheaper car insurance!

Before you buy a new car, and get car insurance shock on top of sticker shock, why not running a quick online car insurance quote?

Use the form on 24/7 Quote US to run a quick quote. It takes about 5 minutes, and can pay off big time! Click here for 24/7 Quote Us and the InsureMe Quote Box!

Are You Paying More for Insurance Because of Your Credit Score?

This is a subject that's coming up more and more - people with lower credit scores are actually paying more for all sorts of insurance, and also are likely to suffer insurance declines than people with higher credit scores.

Make sure you check out your credit scores with free reports that are offered online. YOu may have errors on your report. Here is one source of a free credit report with offers for more extensive credit history. Hey - it's your own information, and you should have access to it!


You can also find more insurance artles at 24/7QuoteUS

Are You Paying More for Insurance Because of Your Credit Score?
Posted: 09-11-2006 | Views: 36
Author: Stephen Snyder

You've probably heard that insurance companies use credit scores to determine whether to even accept you, and if they do accept you, to determine what you'll pay for your premium.

Well, that's almost right.

Insurance companies don't use FICO credit scores. Insurance companies often use credit-based, "insurance scores," to determine if you are eligible for auto or homeowner's insurance, and how much you'll pay.

The scores that insurance companies use are a little different than the scores the lenders use. However, they are similar in that they look at a lot of the same information as the credit scores used to qualify you for a mortgage or credit card.

Just like a credit score, information from your credit reports is summarized into what's called an insurance credit score. Insurance companies use the insurance credit score to draw their own conclusions about you. Regardless of these small differences, your credit score is generally going to be a good indicator of your insurance score.

Each state has its own unique take on insurance scoring. Some states allow insurance companies to use insurance scores to make a decision to grant insurance coverage or not. Other states prohibit it. Still, most states allow some version of a credit score to determine your insurance premium.

To a lot of people, allowing insurance companies to use credit information seems unfair.

For example, a bankrupt person with a stellar driving record could see their insurance rates go up drastically just because the bankruptcy appears on their credit reports and lowers their credit scores and insurance credit scores.

So what's the difference between the scores lenders use and the scores insurance companies use?

Insurance companies do not depend on scores to predict whether or not you'll make your insurance payments on time (like a lender does). They are more interested in whether or not you will be a profitable insurance customer.

And what makes you a profitable insurance customer? You're profitable by paying your premiums and not filing any claims.

You can also be a profitable insurance customer by paying your premiums and not filing any large dollar claims. And that's exactly what they use insurance credit scores to predict.

Lender credit scores are designed to predict whether or not a late payment incident will occur. Insurance credit scores are designed to predict whether or not you will be a profitable customer.

Clear as mud, right?

The bottom line is that the insurance companies say they have been able to prove, time and time again, that there is a strong statistical relationship between your credit management and your likelihood of filing insurance claims.

In addition, insurance companies claim to be able to show that consumers who have lower insurance credit scores cost them more in claims than consumers who have higher insurance credit scores.

What they haven't been able to prove is why there is a connection between credit scores and increased incidences of claims. This is where much of the controversy stems from.

Regardless, insurance companies have a right to use credit information to evaluate your application for insurance. It's called a permissible purpose and it's clearly spelled out in Section 604 of the Fair Credit Reporting Act. It's the law.

Stephen Snyder is the founder of the After Bankruptcy Foundation a non-profit organization that provides free bankruptcy information and recovery steps. Stephen also writes a free weekly newsletter on bankruptcy recovery.

International Travel Insurance for US and Non US citizens

If you are a US citizen planning an overseas trip, your medical insurance may not cover you in foreign lands. If you are a non US resident, planning a trip to America you may be in for a surprise when you land here unless you have adequate medical coverage.

Overseas Travel Medical Plan - Click Here

Why do you need the Overseas Travel Medical Plan?
Today, more and more people are traveling outside of their home country, either for business, recreation or personal reasons. Frequently, domestic health insurance does not provide coverage for overseas medical emergencies, and international travelers are unable to obtain this type of protection after they are outside of their home country.
Furthermore, most traditional health insurance does not provide coverage for expenses for an emergency medical evacuation, medical reunion, return of mortal remains, trip interruption or loss of checked luggage.

Overseas Travel Medical Plan - Click Here


Comprehensive protection for:

* U.S. citizens traveling abroad
* Non U.S. citizens traveling to the U.S.
* Hospital & Medical Expenses
* 24-Hour Medical Emergency Services
* Trip Cancellation
* Lost Luggage
* Emergency Dental
* Emergency Evacuation
* Accidental Death & Dismemberment
* Return of Minor Children


Overseas Travel Medical Plan - Click Here

Retirement Planning - Will you need to work during 'retirement'?

Millions of Americans, who were going to retire, are finding that they will still need to work to supplement their income. Was that your vision of retirement? According to a Trimvent Survey, 25% said they had saved nothing for retirment years.

This article made the front page of Yahoo, so here's the link.

It's never to early to start saving for retirment. With inflation, it's hard to say how much money would be enough as life spans are increasing. If you are nearing retirement, already there, or still have decades to go, I urge you to take a free look at the retirement calcuators and resources at Retire RX.

Annuities are one way to save for retirement. They offer tax deferred growth, and some types can actually use pre-tax money for the investment. This gives you more principle to begin earning on. Fixed and Indexed annuities also offer a guarantee on your earnings, so while you will be earning market rates, you will not have to suffer a down year if the market turns. You may find that an annuity is an attractive alternative to a bank CD or mutual fund or stock.

Understanding Annuities

CLICK HERE TO FINISH THIS ARTICLE AT BHC MARKETING

Annuities come in various forms – fixed, variable, income, index-linked and more – and each has its place and time in an investment portfolio. Generally, annuities are purchased as long-term investments to cover future needs like retirement or lifetime income; however, in recent times, annuities have emerged as a safe-haven for “just-in-case” money that heretofore was held in banks or government bonds. Annuities are issued by insurance companies and generally presented by financial professionals and planners to conservative, long-term savers seeking reasonable returns, safety and some access to their money in case of unexpected needs. All annuities offer triple compounding through tax deferral of earnings.

CLICK HERE TO FINISH THIS ARTICLE AT BHC MARKETING

Health Insurance - State and Federal Help

A lot of government websites are very good sources of health insurance and health program information. For instance, if you don't have health insurance and have been declined because of a health condition, you may want to see how your state helps you. If you are pregnant, and don't have insurance, your local, state, or federal government should have resources to help you. If you are a senior, you may want to determine which prescription Medicare PArt D plan is good for you.

Start your search with government websites! This list has Texas and U.S. National Government Health Resources. I am sure you can find similar information for the other 49 states!

Texas Insurance Online State and Federal Health and Insurance Resources.

http://www.texasinsurance-online.com/texas-health.html

What is Mortgage Insurance?

Mortgage Insurance or Mortgage Life Insurance

After you buy a new home, you will probably get tons of cards in the mail with an offer for a product called mortgage insurance. The offers will probably tell you that you don't need a medical exam to apply for this insurance, and it will protect your home in case of death or disability. Most often this product also comes with an offer to return your premium in case you survive the term of the product.

We are actually talking about a term life insurance product. Now mortgage life insurance is a real insurance product which insurance companies develop to market to new home owners. They often do relax some underwriting requirements to issue it, figuring that if your mortgage company just offered you a mortgage you are a better risk. ie. credit and job wise you have already just been underwritten to some extent.

However, if you are healthy, you may be better off just applying for a regular term insurance policy. Generally, since underwriting is relaxed on mortgage term, they will rate everybody as a group.

TEXANS - GO HERE TO GET QUICK TERM LIFE QUOTES

U.S. GO HERE FOR A SHORT FORM THAT WILL GET YOU LIFE INSURANCE QUOTES

Why annuities

So what's the big annuity buzz?

Consider your savings goals. Most of us want high gains and low risks, right? Well, CD from a bank are great for safety. The problem is, your gains are generally low. You also get a tax bill on your gains every year, further reducing your profit.

Investing in stocks and mutual funds is risky. Stocks go up, and stocks go down. Generally, over time, an index like the S&P goes up - but down years abound, and for those of us who invested around the year 2000, it was bleak.

Consider an annuity product. Money grows tax deferred. These products can be tax qualified or not tax qualified. The products can be tied to the stock market with the added bonus of guaranteeing a minimum return, even in down years. During good times, you get high returns, and during bad times you don't lose money and even make a little!

I plan on adding an annuity page here:
Texas Insurance Online

If you are in Texas, you can find contact info here.

Dental Plans in Your Area

DENTAL PLANS AND DENTAL NETWORKS


Anyone in the U.S. may benefit from a Dental Benefit Plan! Dental Discount Networks consist of quality dentists who offer many services for free, or at very discounted rates. In addition, these plans cover treatments from orthodontic braces to root canals! Indiduals who have health insurance may benefit from a dental discount plan, as well as people without dental insurance!

If you don't have insurance, the ability to have a discounted, or even free, checkup will certainly get you to the dentist! If you do have insurance, the network may still save you money when you consider copays, deductibles, and yearly limits.

Some dental insurance does not cover things like orthodontics and cosmetics. Many dental plans offer very discounted services. Plus - NO WAITING PERIOD!

CLICK HERE TO LOOK UP THE LARGEST DENTAL PLANS IN THE US

COBRA - WHAT IS IT FOR HEALTH INSURANCE?

Health insurance clients always ask about COBRA.

COBRA is actually a federal law that allows an employee to keep his or her health insurance for up to 18 months after leaving a job. Almost all employees of group health insurance who are terminated from their job, are protected under COBRA. You can keep your group health insurance if you are quit, and you can usually keep it if you are fired or laid off. In certain cases, for gross misconduct, you may not have COBRA protection - but most people do.

People ask why COBRA health insurance costs so much. COBRA costs whatever the health insurance cost, plus a 2% administrative fee. This means the total is about equal to your employee contribution plus whatever the company contributed to the premium dollar. Many people are not aware how much the company helped pay for their health insurance, and that's why people think that COBRA is expensive.

Not all employers are subject to COBRA, and you will need to find out from your employer.

If you have the option to use COBRA after leaving a job, you have a lot to consider. The premiums may seem higher than an individual plan, and that's because individual plans will underwrite each case - and can offer better rates to health individuals. However, some people may have pre-existing conditions that will get excluded under individual health plans. Some people may also have health conditions that make them uninsurable. This will vary by state, and some states have risk pools. However, health insurance risk pools also have rules, and you may not be eligable if you can elect to keep your COBRA coverage.

For Health Insurance Quotes, or to find a local Health Insurance Agent, visit us at 247QuoteUS.COM

If you are in Texas, visit http://www.houstoninsurancetexas.com

You MAY reprint this article, as long as you keep our links intact, and credit us at
Research Insurance - http://researchinsurance.blogspot.com

Tips for buying cheaper insurance

General insurance tips: Cheap and Top Rated Insurance -
Have your current insurance policy with you when requesting your insurance quotes. Consider a higher insurance deductible. Place all of your insurance policies with the same company to qualify for a multiple policy discount. For car insurance quotes Be sure all vehicle discounts are applied (Anti-lock brakes, Alarm system, daytime running lights, vin-etching, etc.). Take a defensive driving course. Be very accurate about your mileage to and from work. Ask about affinity discounts. For a homeowners insurance quotes Be sure that your home is insured to its value Be sure all home discounts are applied (Alarm, smoke alarms, fire extinguishers, dead bolt locks, etc.). If your older home has been renovated, tell your agent. For a life insurance quotes Consider level premium term insurance. If you are a smoker, quit for at least 13 months and request that your insurance company consider you for a nonsmoker insurance rate. For a health insurance quotes Consider a higher co-payment or deductible. Join a group health insurance plan. For a long-term insurance quotes Consider a longer elimination (waiting) period. Purchase coverage when you are young (premiums are lower). Pick a daily benefit based on where you live.

Texas Health Insurance For Families and Individuals

If you have to carry your own health insurance in Texas, we can make the process a little easier. Many Texans who are self employed, business owners, cotractors, and professionals may need to buy their own health insurance. You may have had group health insurance before with a large company, and have only had to take a small amount out of your check before. That is because the employer may have picked up hundreds of dollars worth of premium as an employee benefit.

QUOTE TEXAS HEALTH INSURANCE ONLINE or FIND THE NUMBER OF A LICENSED TEXAS AGENT

I hear lots of people say that they cannot believe how expensive their COBRA bill is. They do not understand that they are having the pay the WHOLE HEALTH INSURANCE BILL now, and not just a small portion that their company had them kick in.

However an individual health insurance plan can usually be had for much less than COBRA. Group rates are affected by the health of an entire company, and the requirement to cover all employees. Individual rates only depend upon your health, or your family's health. Once you are accepted for individual health insurance, in Texas, you cannot be rated up because you have an illness or injury. They can only have rate increases on a whole class of people. i.e. people of a certain age.

If you are looking for Texas Health Insurance, and now you have a condition which an individual plan will not accept, you also have the Texas Risk Pool.

Still, if you want to reduce an $1100 COBRA bill to $300 you may find yourself cutting back on some of the benefits you had enjoyed before. These are issues you may want to discuss with an licensed agent in your area. They should be familiar with Texas rules on credible coverage, pre-existing coniditions, HIPAA, etc.

QUOTE TEXAS HEALTH INSURANCE ONLINE OR FIND A TEXAS HEALTH INSURANCE AGENT

You may want to consider a high deductible health insurance policy with supplemental coverage for illness and injury. These types of plans usually help you with common bills, and may be a cheaper way to go for monthly premiums.

If your income has been reduced, you may be able to use CHIPS to cover your children. It is less expensive than private health insurance, and has fairly leniant income guidelines.

Health Insurance HSA - What can you spend your HSA money on?

With Health Savings Accounts on Health insurance, this is a big question!

What can I spend my HSA MONEY ON????

Well, I say you should go ask the government since they came up with the HSA rules.

There is list of allowable expenses published by the U.S. Treasury Department, actually the Internal Revenue Service, referred generally as the ‘213 (d)’ list, since it appears in IRS regulation 213 (d).

Here is a link to the list of allowable/not allowable expenditures:
IRS HSA EXPENSE DOCUMENT

In general, you can spend tax-free from your Health Savings Account on all medical, dental (including braces for your children), and vision expenses, chiropractic visits, and even acupuncture, but not on your insurance premium, unless you are unemployed and are collecting Federal unemployment benefits.

Job doesn't offer health insurance

So, what if you don't get health insurance with your part time or contract job?

When Part-time Jobs Don’t Offer Health Insurance

Many Americans choose to work part-time jobs for a variety of reasons. Perhaps you’ve just enrolled in college and have chosen to attend college full-time and work part-time in order to graduate sooner. Maybe you’ve chosen to work part-time in order to devote more time to your home business. Maybe you’ve decided to work part-time in order to spend more time with your children. Perhaps you’ve opted to work a few part-time jobs instead of one full-time job because you like the diversity or you just can’t find a full-time job for which you’re qualified or enjoy.



See? There are so many reasons American choose to work part-time jobs.



Despite the perks part-time jobs offer, there are some downfalls, too. One of the major downfalls of working a part-time job is many part-time jobs don’t offer health insurance. This is usually because employers don’t feel their part-time employees invest enough time in the company to compensate for the cost of health insurance. While this makes sense, it does little to console the part-time employee.



Americans who work part-time jobs that don’t offer health insurance basically have three ways to get health insurance: their spouses can add them to their health insurance policies, they can buy into a group health insurance policy, or they can purchase an individual health insurance policy.



It’s true that individual health insurance policies are often more expensive than being added to a spouse’s policy or buying into a group policy, they are also sometimes the only choice part-time employees have. After all, not everyone is married, and not everyone belongs to an organization that offers health insurance policies.



If this is your situation, you can lower your individual health insurance costs by minimizing coverage, raising deductibles, and paying annually rather than monthly. Shop around for an individual health insurance policy that offers the lowest rates that can be paid annually for only the coverage you need.

Author:

Elizabeth Newberry: http://www.ezquoteguide.com/home/
http://www.ezquoteguide.com/car/
http://www.myquoteguide.com/Car-Coverage.shtml

Terms: Articles may be reprinted provided content is not edited and links are kept live

Source: www.articledepot.co.uk

Individual Health Plans and HIPAA

Individual health plans and HIPAA

I think this is the topic that many people who are coming off of COBRA and need individual health insurance are looking into. Just what are your gi

If your employer decides to drop group health coverage, HIPAA might make it easier to get an individual health policy.

Under HIPAA, you might be able to buy an individual health plan without the threat of exclusions for pre-existing conditions. In order to do so, you have to qualify as an "eligible individual."

In some states, if you qualify for individual health coverage under HIPAA, any company offering individual health plans in that state must sell you coverage. Your state’s insurance department can explain the rules.

To be eligible as an individual under HIPAA, you must:

Have at least 18 months of continuous creditable coverage.
Have been covered under a group health plan, a governmental plan, or church plan (or health insurance offered in connection with such plans, such as COBRA) during the most recent period of creditable coverage.
Not be eligible for coverage under a group health plan (including a spouse's plan), Medicare or Medicaid.
Not have other health insurance coverage.
Have not lost your most recent health coverage due to non-payment of premiums or fraud (unless it was your employer that failed to pay premiums).
Have elected and exhausted any option for continuation of coverage (under COBRA or a similar state law) that was available under your prior plan.
HIPAA does not limit the premiums individual health plans can charge. While your application for insurance won't be rejected because of health problems, the premiums for individual coverage can be much higher than for group plans.

Deborah Chollet, a senior fellow at Mathematica Policy Research, says HIPAA has two shortcomings when it comes to premiums for individual policies. “One is it didn't say anything about how that coverage would be priced. Even if I am leaving the group market, I have lost coverage in the group market for reasons I do not control, HIPAA did not constrain insurers in any way for how they price you coming in,” Chollet says.

“The other thing that HIPAA did not do is make the world safe for people who live in the individual market. If I am in the individual market, I can easily get trapped in a policy. I may have gotten into this policy, but I decided the rates have gone up so I want to shop around. I want to look for other coverage. I don't have guaranteed issue. I have no guarantees that I can find another insurer who will accept me. If I have a guarantee, it comes from the state. It doesn't come from any federal guarantees,” Chollet adds.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Your premiums are not governed by HIPAA.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------



In addition, your benefits could be vastly different under an individual plan. That's why when you're moving from a group plan to an individual plan, it's important to shop around for the best rates and benefits.

“The policies, vary tremendously in their content,” points out Steve Larsen, Maryland’s insurance commissioner. “Maryland has many what are called ‘mandated benefits,’ which are laws that require certain benefits to be provided. Beyond that core group of benefits there is a lot of variation, particularly in terms of deductibles and cost sharing.”

“If you are lucky enough to qualify, to not be excluded, and you are comparing individual policies from two carriers, it is hard to compare apples to apples. They have different co-pays, different deductibles, different cost sharing. So the products do vary tremendously,” Larsen adds.

In some cases, you might be offered a "conversion plan" when you lose your group health coverage. That essentially lets you convert your group coverage into an individual plan, with certain restrictions.

If at all possible, you should buy health insurance through a group plan, as they generally have broader benefits and wellness care. You don't necessarily need to buy group plans through an employer. Trade associations and chambers of commerce often offer their members group health insurance. In some states, you can get group coverage if you're self-employed — as a "group of one."

Check out competitive health insurance quotes for individuals and families at 24/7 QuoteUS

Why Buy Health Insurance

Why do we buy health insurance? Well, I can think of a plethora of reasons to buy, and the main thing I do is try to find affordable rates for individuals and familes!

This is a statement from 24/7QuoteUS I agree with pretty much:

We buy insurance products to protect our assets in case of an illness or injury. If you have a limited budget for premiums, you may want to consider a high deductible health plan, paired with a supplemental accident and critical illness policy. When you add in a network with negotiated rates and other association benefits, this may be the most affordable way for full health insurance coverage for your and your family.

We also buy insurance to insure access to good medical care in case of an illness or injury.

Annuity Planning Article on Retirement Savings

Annuity Planning Company Article on Retirement Savings.

The Original Link is here

http://www.bhcmarketing.com/free/

If you live in the Houston Metro Area, and would like more information on annuities, you can email me: myfreeforum @ yahoo.com (Take out the spaces in the email address - I do this to prevent SPAM). I will keep your information confidential and be happy to give you free information on the benefits of annuities for retirement planning at any age!

For Immediate Release
Houston, Texas



A successful retirement doesn’t just happen; you’ve got to plan for it. Preferably, your retirement planning has started, but it’s never too late to start. The long ramp toward retirement focuses on saving and investing, but once retirement starts emphasis shifts to spending and safeguarding. Even though the greatest challenge in retirement, and probably your greatest fear, is outliving your money, most Americans spend less time planning their retirement than they do planning a vacation.

What does retirement planning involve? Here are the steps: First, determine what you’d ideally like to do in retirement, and then discuss it with your spouse and other loved ones. Will you spend your time traveling, enjoying hobbies, helping others, working part-time, or what? Second, estimate the retirement income you’ll have from savings, Social Security, pension [if you’re lucky], and all other sources. Third, estimate your expenses making sure to take account of inflation, taxes and health care costs which are likely to be an increasing part of your budget.

Steps two and three should be done for each five-year period of your retirement and then revised annually. Fourth, if you have more income than needed, you only need to safeguard your investments to make sure they’re not lost or shrunk by bad decisions. If you have insufficient money for retirement (expenses exceed income), then you’ll need to postpone retirement, work part-time or possibly use a Reverse Mortgage to access the equity in your home. Either way, it is highly recommended that you minimize your exposure to loss and maximize the full potential of your financial resources by working with a financial advisor. They can help you determine the risk you can afford, investment options and how to position your money for best results without sacrificing safety. Don’t worry about having too little to justify a financial advisor or so much that you can ignore risk: retirement is going to be very long, filled with uncertainties, including emergencies, and going it alone is one of the greatest risks you can take.

Be realistic in your planning. For example, be aware that for a couple age 65 there is a 50% probability that one will live beyond age 90. Acknowledge that even a low rate of inflation can make a big difference in prices over the 20 to 30 years you’ll be in retirement. For example, average inflation of 3% means $1 today will be worth only 55 cents in 20 years and 41 cents in 30 years. Since 78 million boomers are entering retirement over the next two decades, the price of everything related to retirement, especially health care, is likely to rise faster than overall inflation. Inflation is a cruel tax for those on fixed incomes, and chances are your income in retirement will increase a lot slower than prices.

The boomer explosion is going to overwhelm government-provided services and benefits. This means that the relative benefits of Social Security and Medicare are going to shrink under the pressure of increased retirees. There will simply be more people receiving entitlement benefits than workers paying the bills. Every study, government and private, indicates there will be a shortage of money to support these programs. To pay for this shortfall, the government must raise taxes of all types - income (even on Social Security benefits), real estate, sales, estate, etc. The increased taxes, inflation, relative decrease of benefits combined with escalating medical care costs will be especially burdensome for those in retirement without rising incomes from wages and salaries.

If you haven’t evaluated it yet, investigate the risk you’re taking with your retirement money. Would you have a loss if the stock market lost ground? You might if your money is still in your ex-employers 401(k) plan, or if you own securities, even mutual funds, whose value is determined by the “market”. Generally, investments in stock have done well “long term”, but you may need your money before a “long time”. From November 1973 to October 1974, the S&P stock market index fell 48%, and it took over six years to recover. The last bust in the stock market was 2000 - 2002, and we’ve yet to fully recover. In the meantime, inflation marches forward with the shrinking dollar purchasing less. Much of your income in retirement is likely to be derived from your “savings and investments”, and you simply can’t afford risk of loss and the compounding of inflation. Think of retirement as the largest purchase you’ll ever make, and you can’t borrow the money to pay for it. If you lose some or all of your retirement money to bad investments, you’ll increase dramatically your chances of realizing your greatest fear: outliving your money.

How do you safeguard against the challenge of too many years and not enough money? Short of devoting your leisure time to managing your investments, you’ll need to rely on a financial advisor to show you how to build a tax-efficient income stream you can’t outlive. With help, you’ll take advantage of the triple compounding of tax-deferral to get safe growth for the money to be used years from now, and you’ll “ladder” your retirement money into an income you can’t outlive with your “next up” money readily available and in no danger of principal loss. While this may seem a daunting task, it’s easy for a financial planner that knows the options, understands risk and has experience in matching financial resources to remaining life expectancy. Like law and medicine, financial planning is best left to professionals. Your job in retirement is to enjoy life free of investment worries.

Shelby J. Smith, Ph.D.
October 2006

Posted in Annuities | No Comments »

Who should consider buying an annuity?
October 19th, 2006
I posted an annuity primer a few days ago, but that was just to get our feet wet. Now I want ot work on reasons that individuals may buy an annuity. This post will still have to be fairly general, as you need to work out specifics for your own situation. Consider risk, cash value, taxes, and leaving money after death when you think about annuities.

I think that two sorts of people tend to look at annuities. The most common type are people at or nearing retirement who may have a chunk of savings they want to invest wisely. Some annuities can provide a guaranteed life income which can provide security for people in their retirement years. Another growing group of annuity investors are younger people, planning for their retirement in the distant future.

For retirees considering an immediate annuity, you have tax favored withdrawals. After age 59 1/2 you can withdraw money without a tax penalty. If you choose a life settlement, you can stretch out the ‘gains’ portion of your investment over a longer period, which should decrease your tax bill.

For younger investors, you have tax deferred accumulation. If you don’t have to pay a tax bill on gains every year, you will increase the cash value of your investment quicker. Besides, many indexed annuities have a track record of paying far above CD interest rates. Add in a guaranteed minimum, and you have a safe investment with the potential for high rewards!

One other consideration is the beneficiaries of an annuity can inherit without probate. In that way, annuities combine an investment contract with an insurance contract.

If you are interested in an annuity, you can find nationwide annuitiy information with this link!

If you are in Texas, contact me here to learn what options are available for you!




Posted in Annuities | No Comments »

Individual and Family Dental Plans
October 19th, 2006
I am surprised, but next to health insurance, dental insurance or dental plans are the thing that newly non-group covered people ask me about. Now I think I just made up the word, non-group covered. But you know, it means those of us who are self employed, contract workers, professionals, etc. that do not belong to a company with a group major medical plan, and so we must seek out such coverage for ourselves.

If you are looking for a dental discount plan that includes a Dental PPO (called a DPO, I GUESS) that has pre-negotiated premiums, a large list of participating dentists in your area, sometimes offers free or very cheap routine care services, and may also include vision benefits and other goodies, I have a suggestion. Why not go to one website where you can do a search in your zip code to see all of the plans that are available?

CLICK HERE FOR DENTAL PLANS IN YOUR AREA - YOU CAN ALSO SEE WHICH DENTISTS ARE AFFILIATED WITH THE DENTAL PLANS, AND EXACTLY WHAT YOU GET WITH THE PLAN.

If a dental plan is not what you want, but you need dental insurance, then of course I can point you there too!

Here is the Link to a Search for Dental Insurance for Individuals, Families, and Small Businesses in your area.

What is the difference between a dental discount plan and a dental insurance plan?

WHO PAYS?

With dental insurance, you pay your premiums, plus any deductibles and copays. The insurance company pays the dentist the rest of the money. With a discount plan, you pay a membership fee (usually lower than insurance), and you pay the dentists for services. Since you belong to the discount plan, the bill should be at the cheaper negotiated rate.

DISCOUNTS AT SELECTED PROVIDERS

With dental insurance, you usually get pre-negotiated rates with members of a network. With a dental discount plan, you get a discount with members of the networks. If this sounds similar, it is because it is similar! Note that dental discount plans are usually fairly inexpensive, and some people use them with a type of dental insurance that’s called an indemnity plan so they can save more money. You may also wish to purchase a dentl discount card if you need treatment for a pre-existing condition that’s not covered, haven’t exhausted a waiting period for major dental work, or have already run out of benefits for the year.

Of course, that last paragraph brings up the point that dental insurance usually does have deductibles, waiting periods, and yearly maximums. When you consider those factors with the higher premiums, a dental discount card may work out well for you.









Posted in Dental | No Comments »

Health Insurance Premiums Cost too Much?
October 18th, 2006
I guess I feel the need to post about health insurance a lot, because its the most common thing I deal with. Small business owners, contract workers, and professionals may not have group benefits through work, but still want to make sure they get good health care and that their assets are protected in case of an emergency. For many of us, health insurance is just part of the cost of life!

An increasingly popular way to hold down health insurance costs is with a very high deductible plan that includes a critical illness and accident supplement, plus PPO and association benefits and discounts.

Now if you’re the kind of person who just cannot get past the thought of not having a copay at the doctor’s office, these sorts of plans may not work for you. But if you think about it - how much does that copay feature really save you a year. I’ll bet it doesn’t save you more than a couple of hundred dollars in the course of a year, but it tends to add around 25% to your premium bill each and every month! It doesn’t make sense to pay an extra 100 bucks a month to save 50 bucks every other month, does it?

One example is from American Select. They offer a 10K deductible health plan - the type of health insurance plan designed to protect your assets against a real emergency. You are further buffered by a 10K accident, 10k critical illness , AND association benefits that will save you more money on health benefits and other things.

Here’s how to look for high deductible health plans with accident and illness cash supplements.

IF YOU ARE IN TEXAS YOU CAN DOWNLOAD A BROCHURE, QUOTE OR EVEN BUY AMERICAN SELECT HERE:

IF YOU LIVE IN THE U.S., YOU CAN DO HEALTH QUOTES HERE AND LOOK FOR HIGH DEDUCTIBLE PLANS THAT COME WITH ACCIDENT AND CRITICAL ILLNESS SUPPLEMENTS

Posted in Health Insurance | No Comments »

Think about health insurance the right way to keep premiums and costs reasonable.
October 18th, 2006
I think it’s very important that we consider just what all insuance is when we think about health insurance. And yes, I mention health insurance because that’s the topic on the mind of many Americans. Premiums are high, and they rise every year. Of course, they don’t rise in a vacuum. Insurance companies are not in business to lose money. If they have to pay more for claims because costs rise, then that will get passed to you, dear consumer.

But what is insurance? Insurance is risk management. If I could tell you that you would have no more than $750 of health insurance costs next year, then I would tell you to pocket your health insurance premium or to buy some very limited benefit plan that would make a Wal Mart Exec shake his head! LOL.

But I cannot tell you that. I also cannot tell you what you can afford to lose. Only you know that. But for instance, if you have a few thousand dollars in the bank, or at least that much accessible on your credit cards, you should probably choose a higher deductible health plan without an option for doctor copays. When you compare prices, you will be surprised to see how much this reduces the premium.

YOu might also replace some of the risk from a high deductible health plan with a supplemental accident or sickness policy. These are usually fairly inexpensive, and they can provide you with cash benefits in case you get sick or hurt. That money can also be used to keep your home, lights on, etc…besides taking the edge off of medical bills.

I would not advise you to skimp on outpatient benefits. Many popular plans are limiting outpatient benefits to $2500 to $15000. This will be fine for a broken leg or minor emergency treatment, but if you are prescribed a year of chemotherapy, you may find yourself out of insurance benefits in your first month or two!

I am not trying to make your health insurance purchase process more complicated, but rather I am trying to make it more affordable. When you know what you are buying, and when you select essential options, you can hold your premiums down while still making sure you have adequate coverage.

NATIONWIDE HEALTH INSURANCE QUOTES OR FIND A LOCAL HEALTH INSURANCE AGENT.

TEXAS ONLY QUOTE OR BUY ONLINE - MEDICAL INSURANCE, TEMPORARY MEDICAL INSURANCE, OR STUDENT HEALTH INSURANCE

NOTE: You may reprint this article as long as you leave this link back to 24/7 Quote US - Insurance BLOG and any other links in the article.



Posted in Health Insurance | No Comments »

What is an annuity, and just what is all the buzz?
October 18th, 2006
Questions about annuities are common from clients, friends, and associates who know I am a life and health insurance agent. This is understandable because the term can have more than one meaning. However this article is meant to be a primer on that type of annuity which is a combination of an investment and an insurance product. Annuities may be purchased from licensed insurance agents and are often promoted by those agents, agencies, insurance companies, or banks.

Of course, you should consult your own financial professional and possibly a tax professional to make sure that the comments in this primer apply to your own particular situation! I am not a tax professional, and laws concerning annuity investments change frequently!

In fact, annuity contracts are sold by insurance companies. Insurance agents or bank employees are appointed to represent those companies. Generally, unlike life insurance, the death benefit of an annuity contract is usually just the value of the cash inside the annuity: i.e. payments + Interest - withdrawels - charges. Life insurance may or may not also have a cash value, but the death benefit usually exceeds that value by a lot. Of course, different kinds of life insurance would be the topic for another article.

Immediate Annuity

An immediate annuity is the type of contract that generates lots of buzz amoung retirees, or those with a sizable amount of cash they’d like to sock away to make payments for future income. These types of annuity contracts can pay out for a specified number of years, until the money runs out, or even be set up to guarantee lifetime payments. It’s sort of like a loan that a purchaser makes to the insurance company. Then the insurance company pays back the loan with pre-determined interest rates or rates fixed to some index like the S&P or Dow Jones.

Deferred Annuity

A deferred annuity is more like a vehicle to accumulate savings, usually for retirement. These can be purchased with a fixed interest rate, a variable interest rate, or one tied to an index. Hence they are called fixed, variable, or equity indexed annuities.

Usually a smaller initial payment is made, and then a series of payments will be made over the span of years to accumulate cash value. The interest on these payments grows tax deferred.

Within the types of deferred annuities, we also have tax qualified and non-tax qualified annuities. Tax qualified annuities work like a 401K where you are allowed to take the amount of the payment off of your income for tax reasons (within IRS limits). Non-tax qualfied annuities mean that you have already paid the taxes on the money. Both types of annuities have advantages. With the tax qualified type, you have an immediate savings on your IRS bill, but with the non-tax qualified type, you don’t have to worry about a big tax bill when you are older.

Other Points about Annuities

Some annuities have a load fee, but many do not. If your are considering the purchase of an annuity, this would be a good thing to check out. Most annuitiy purchasers that I have met do not want to see their cash value decreased on the first day of their investment!

Many annuities guarantee a minimum interest, even if they are variable or equity indexed. This feature can make a very safe investment. Make sure you ask about this.

Make sure the insurance company is highly rated. The safety of your investment depends upon two things: the quality of the insurance company and your state rules for protecting your investment if the insurance company should have financial problems.

Watch surrender charges. Annuities may pay out very well, but they often expect a long term contract. If you choose to break that contract by pulling your money out early, you may be faced with stiff surrender charges. These charges usually decline over a period of years.

Some newer annuities come ‘packaged’ with long term care insurance. These are called long term care annuities, and may allow you to use a portion of the annuity to actually purchase long term care insurance. Almost all annuities will have a feature to waive any surrender charges if you need the money because of illness or long term care.

Again this article is intended to be a simple primer about different types of annuity investments. I plan on writing more about pros and cons in the future, but for now I am just defining some of the language.

You may reprint this article for free as long as you leave in the links back to the original post. This article came from 24/7 Quote US - Insurance BLOG.





Posted in Annuities | No Comments »

Welcome to the 24/7 Quote US Insurance BLOG!!!
October 17th, 2006
Hey! What website would be complete without it’s own blog? We’ve actually been running a blog called ResearchInsurance for quite awhile, but somehow we felt like we needed to have our own blog on our own website.

24/7Quote US provides current insurance quotes either directly from the insurance company, or through a quality checked insurance quoting service. Examples of quality checking we do would be a Better Business Bureau association, a stated policy policy, and a secure site. Whenever you think about putting your own personal information over the internet - either for insurance or anything - you should think about quality checking like that.

Here’s the link to 24/7 Quote US, and you can find nationwide help for annuities quotes and information there! 24/7 QuoteUs.COM


For Annuity Information, find a pro in your own local area.

If you live in the Houston TX metro area, you can email me for more info!

24/7 Quote US has its own Blog Now

Our main insurance and finance website is 247QuoteUS.COM. We've been maintaining this site for a long time.

We've now started our blog there, thinking it would be good to keep it on the same domain as the site. You can access 24/7 Insurance BLOG from the main page or you can just go directly to the blog here:

24/7 Quote US Insurance BLOG

We will still be maintaining the blog, but would also like to invite you to find updated articles on our website!

Insurance Agents Vs. Online Quotes and Direct Buying

This is a tip from the pages of 247QuoteUs.COM

Insurance Agents vs. Online QuotesYou might get an insurance quote from one company. You could call up your insurance agent and ask her to tell you how much the monthly premium would be for your shiny new car! In the end, using a local agent may be a great idea. An insurance agent can give you great service. However we believe that a little online insurance shopping will serve you well in the long run.

Online Insurance Quotes need some Personal InformationAn insurance agent would need to know a little bit about you to give you an accurate quote. An online insurance quote will be the same. You will probably need to give them your zip code, age, specific information related to the type of insurance you want to buy, and possibly some contact information. If you are shopping for health insurance, you may need to specify your general health. If you are shopping for car insurance, you may need to let them know about your general credit and your driving record. You may be reluctant to send your personal information over the internet.

Use a Reputable Source of Online QuotesFind the best insurance for you at an affordable price. We suggest InsureMe for quick online insurance quotes because you can get fast and free competitive quotes or find a local agent. InsureMe participates in the Better Business Bureau, and has a well stated privacy policy.

What is a Good Deal on Insurance?We believe that cheap insurance means a low price paired with great coverage and service from a top rated insurance company. If that philosophy makes sense to you, take a few minutes to educate yourself about your insurance investment. Most financial resources will encourage you to shop around for insurance quotes. At 247QuoteUS.COM we also encourage you to find a reliable and safe quoting service.

247QuoteUS.COM - 24/7 Insurance Quotes

Free Prescription RX Card for Discounts at major Drug Stores

Without Health Insurance, or Drug Coverage?

Well, here's a new resource for you to buy prescription medication at a discount! The best thing is Drug Card America is FREE!

You can use the prescription discount card at Wal Mart, Walgreens, K Mart, etc...the big major pharmacies. Local pharmacies also accept the card. Just click through to the link to see if your local pharmacy is on the list that accepts the RX discount card.

Now Drug Card America is a FREE DISCOUNT PROGRAM that retailers participate in so they can attract your business. It is not insurance. The good side of that is you don't need to worry about pre existing conditions, claim forms, etc. Did I mention that Drug Card America is Free?

Even if you have prescription coverage with your current health insurance, you may have a waiting period or deductible. So the Free RX card may help you there.

Click Here to Get Drug Card America - The free prescription Discount card.

Copyright Use of Research Insurance Articles

Let me digress a little to talk about common copyright use of articles on Research Insurance. I stick to the common BLOG standard for this blog.

You may republish any articles on Research Insurance as long as you leave the links intact, and credit the article to me with a link back to this blog. This is common blogger practice, and is the standard I stick to.

Using and Finding Research Insurance Blog

Hi, thanks loyal readers. I hope I've helped some of you out with insurance questions. As we are beginning to gain some popularity in the very competitive field of insurance topics on the internet, I thought I'd take a break from my usual posts.

First, the archive is becoming very large. If you go to the right sidebar, you can find a Search This Site Box. Just type the keywords you are interested in. You could type in auto insurance quotes or cheap dental care or something like that and appropriate articles should come up.

Secondly, it's always interesting to me how people find my blog in the realm of billions of internet sites, with millions of pages dedicated to the subject of insurance.

Well, here's a recent list of search terms. To let you know what your fellow surfers are looking for in the subject of health benefits, insurance, etc. Some of these search terms could have typos.

medical health insurance with a minimum coverage of 37,500
compare price charts for major insurance ppo
classic car insurance
what is doctor copay
research insurance
insurance auto purpose age first licensed
indemnity what is
HMO disadvantages
usa teamcorp
car insurance low risk health profession occupation
www.teamcorp.com
Look up an insurance providers status with the AAA, the A.M. Best ratings
catostrphic health insurance
AHCO/Maternity Card
fully underwritten means

====================================================
You just never know how people will find a website, and it's always a surprise to me!

Remember about that Search This Blog Box. :)

Texas Online Health Insurance Quotes Plus Nationwide U.S. Health Insurance

I can only provide MY OWN health insurance quotes in Texas. That's all I'm licensed to do. For Direct From The Company, Texas Health Insurance Quotes, plus that ability to actually apply for health insurance online, you can visit this page:

Get a Texas Health Insurance Quote or Apply Online

The advantages of an online quote like this is the ability to use an A rated carrier to select options - almost like choosing a meal in a cafeteria. You can pick from student health plans, temporary health insurance, or permanant health insurance for yourself and your family. You can also choose from health insurance options like an HSA, PPO, etc.

When you believe you have select a plan that is right for you, you can go ahead and submit your application online and deal directly with the health insurance company. If you don't feel comfortable with that, you will be directed to a health insurance agent in your local area for help and options.

If you don't happen to be in Texas, you can use our nationwide health insurance partners for quick online quotes. We like INSUREME because they participate in the BBB reliablity program and have a clear privacy policy. We have also had success with other partners for different types of insurance, including dental and disability. CLICK HERE FOR 247QUOTEUS and your nationwide quoting options - plus of course your Texas options.
Good Luck finding that health insurance!

Is it Insurance or a Discount Plan

How many times have I heard that somebody found a health insurance plan for $69 a month that covers their entire family? Well if it sounds to good to be true, it probably is.

Let me tell you a story. I have a friend who is a lawyer - a smart lady. She told me she had an offer for a health plan, and they only wanted $99 a month to cover herself and her husband - who are both in their 50's. I called the company for her, and asked the operator FIVE TIMES if it was health insurance. The operator avoided the question FIVE TIMES, and finally got annoyed with me. Friends, this is called a discout plan.

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN HEALTH INSURANCE AND HEALTH DISCOUNT PLANS?

Insurance will actually come in and pay an agreed-upon percentage of your medical bills. It may have a deductible, copays, maximums, etc. It most certainly will have a waiting period for pre-existing conditions (unless you meet certain conditions). When you apply, you will probably not see anything in the advertising like Guaranteed Acceptance - health insurance will do underwriting.

Discount plans will not step up and pay bills. Health or Dental discount plans usually use a network with pre-negotiated rates for services. You will be expected to pay the bill, but with a discount. That's why it's called a discount plan.

Now, I'm not saying that all health or dental discount plans are bad things. Even for people with insurance, they can help with co-pays, deductibles, pre-existing condition treatment, etc. Actually, most insruance plans these days come with their own discount plan - sometimes called a PPO network - where the participants have already agreed to charge a pre-negotiated fee for services. That helps keep costs down.

Just make sure you understand what you are buying. Read the fine print. As the salesman exactly what you are buying. If they don't want to tell you, or avoid the question, maybe you should spend your money someplace else like my lawyer friend did.

Self-Employed Individuals - Are you Writing Off Your Health Insurance?

I found a great ezine article on tax benefits of health insurance premiums for self-employed people.

Finish the article, and then truck on over to INSUREME for a quick free quote.

Self-employed Individuals – Are You Writing Off Your Health Insurance?

Self-employed Individuals – Are You Writing Off Your Health Insurance?
By Elizabeth Newberry

Being self-employed offers freedoms that traditional jobs usually can’t match. Self-employed individuals can work from home, set their own hours, and be their own bosses. They can choose their own work assignments, provide the services they want to provide, and even choose their own wages.

Yes, self-employed individuals are living the life – until it comes to health insurance, that is.

Most self-employed individuals, or individuals who work as independent contractors for a particular company, have to purchase their own health insurance policies. Without a traditional employer, there’s no one to offer a health insurance package, right? So, self-employed individuals either purchase an individual health insurance policy, or they pay for the cost of health care completely out of their own pockets. For some, this seems like a pretty even trade; for others, it doesn’t. Health insurance is a perk of many career choices, after all.

But, for all self-employed individuals, or individuals who work as contractors, there may be a light at the end of the tunnel. When tax season rolls around, many self-employed individuals and individual contractors have the option of writing off their health insurance costs, or even out-of-pocket health care costs. This means self-employed individuals and individual contractors have a chance at getting back a percentage of the money they spent towards health care.

Not everyone is familiar with writing off individual health insurance or out-of-pocket health care costs, especially those self-employed individuals who are fairly new to the world of self-employment. If you’re a self-employed individual, or an individual who works as an independent contractor for other companies, consider contacting the IRS and finding out the necessary steps involved in writing off your individual health insurance or out-of-pocket health care costs. You may also want to talk with an accountant, or someone experienced with tax preparation. When tax season comes, you’ll be prepared to start writing off your individual health insurance or out-of-pocket health care costs.

Home Owners Insurance California

State Farm Insurance Home Page

Health Insurance Coverage

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

Individual, Family, or Business Dental Insurance Tips

Affordable Dental Care Tip:

Find Affordable Dental Care Insurance online. Quote Individual, Family, or business dental plans with one quick and free form.
Establish new dental coverage or enhance existing benefits easily and affordably. Select from plans with different coverage, prices, waiting periods, and deductible in the comfort of your own home.


Establish new dental coverage or enhance existing benefits easily and affordably.

Dental Insurance.com is a free service that allows you to compare from leading insurance carriers around the country. Receive free quotes from America’s
best dental insurance and apply online today in a few short minutes. We feature a wide variety of plans, features and services that cover all dental needs from simple checkups to root canals and braces. Our elaborate database of dentists gives you the freedom to choose the dentist by either location or specialty.

Some of our carriers include Aetna, Security Life, Careington Dental, Safeguard, and many more.

Get a Dental Benefit Quote and Look for More Insurance tips at 247QuoteUS.com

Disability Insurance as Well As Health?

The Buzz on Disability Insurance
Lots of people are looking for disability insurance these days!

Figures came out that a major percentage of bankrupcties were caused by an illness or accident. The thing is, most of the people had health insurance!

It wasn't the medical bills. It was the fact that people had to keep the lights on while they were being treated or recovering, and they couldn't work.

So people are looking for disability insurance. Disability insurance can be purchased alone, as a rider to a life insurance policy or sometimes a health insurance policy. Many agents will also counsel people to by a critical illness and accident policy instead of disability since these will provide a cash lump sum in case of an emergency.

Find a Quick Disability Insurance Quote Here - It's quick, accurate, and you just have to fill out a short for to get competitive quotes.

Find a Dental Plan by Zip Code

Good dental plans are gaining in popularity. Many companies are cutting back on benefits, and dental plans seem like the first things to get cut when a company can barely hold onto its major medical health plans!

A popular alternative to dental insurance is a dental plan. Network dentists agree to keep charges down, and even provide many services for almost nothing, or even free to attract new patients to their services.

You can go to DentalPlans.COM to see if your dentist is in one of our national networks, or if you can find a dentist close to home. With rising health costs, dental plans are an affordable way to make sure you can get the dental care you need for that nice white smile!

Big name insurers and companies like GE, Aetna, Unicare, and Protective have joined the dental plan business, and they bring in huge established networks of dentists.

Start Here:
Dental Plans Search By Zip Code

Get Free Health Insurance Quotes

Get Free Health Insurance Quotes From InsureME!

Are you paying too much for health insurance? Join the thousands of consumers who have said goodbye to expensive premiums and hello to affordable health insurance from InsureME!

Hassle-Free Insurance Shopping

We take the hassle out of shopping for health insurance. When you enter your information into the system, you are instantly matched with some of the best agents in the industry. In return, you’ll receive up to five free quotes on health insurance in your area—allowing you to compare quotes and ultimately save!

Get the Biggest Bang for Your Buck

In partnership with InsureMe, our goal is to make finding the right insurance easy. In keeping with that goal, we’ve compiled some tips to help you get the most out of your shopping experience:

• Compare Price—it may seem like a no-brainer, but many companies offer similar products for very different prices.


• Evaluate Customer Service—check the insurer’s customer service ratings through rating companies like AM Best.


• Investigate Financial Performance—the best policy in the world offers no protection if the insurer can’t pay your claim. Use a rating company to get the scoop.


• Go With Your Gut—in the end, you need to feel comfortable with your insurer and your policy.

Apply these tips as you shop to make the best decision when it comes to purchasing affordable health insurance!

Find Your Policy Today!

Click Here for InsureME

Health Insurance While Pregnant - It's Tough These days

The following article gives the grim state of maternity health insurance these days. Make sure you read this if you are planning a pregnancy and aren't sure about your own health isnurance coverage.


AHCO MATERNITY CARD IF YOU ARE ALREADY PREGNANT AND UNABLE TO SECURE INSURANCE


Free Quotes Health Insurance Now



Here's The Article.....




A woman naturally gets excited when she finds out that she is pregnant. In many cases, this happiness is soon diminished when the financial burden of having a child is realized. Thirteen percent of American women who become pregnant have no maternity insurance coverage. They face the risk of inadequate pre-natal care and must find their own resources for funding the cost. If the pregnancy is complicated, this adds to the burden. Even those with insurance may find to their dismay that maternity is not covered. A costly add-on premium may be required. Some insurers do not offer maternity coverage or consider it a pre-existing health condition. This is illegal by Federal law, and there are several loopholes. There are many group insurance plans that do provide maternity coverage as a service to members. There may be a waiting period of three months to one year before the clause becomes effective. What happens if one becomes pregnant during the waiting period? If you are carrying COBRA (extended coverage from a previous employer), check to see if maternity is covered. This may be costly but well worth it. Some states have plans for pregnant women like Medi-cal in California. Federally sponsored programs like Medicaid also exist, but they are mostly for low-income groups. Another option is MaternityCard. It is designed to provide help to pregnant women and is well accepted. This covers a wide spectrum of maternity medical needs and less expensive than regular insurance. Ideally, maternity coverage begins immediately. There are some women that naturally get excited when they finds out that they are pregnant. In many cases, this happiness is soon diminished when the financial burden of having a child is realized. Thirteen percent of American women who become pregnant have no maternity insurance coverage. They face the risk of inadequate pre-natal care and must find their own resources for funding the cost. If the pregnancy is complicated, this adds to the burden. There are some plans that have a 30-day waiting period. Always study the package that is offered before accepting it.

Author:
Individual Individual Health Insurance Coverage provides detailed information on Health Insurance Coverage, Individual Health Insurance Coverage, Travel Health Insurance Coverage, Maternity Health Insurance Coverage and more. Individual Health Insurance Coverage is affiliated with Health Care Insurance Quotes.

Terms: Articles may be reprinted provided content is not edited and links are kept live
Source: www.articledepot.co.uk

Car Insurance Makes Yahoo and Suze Orman

Wow, Suze Orman cares about auto insurance! Right there on the front page of Yahoo, ol' Suze is talking about how to lower your car insurance premiums if you think they're too high.

To summarize, she says :
1. Raise your credit score. (I say: nice if you can do it, but it won't happen overnight).
2. Check your Driver's License Record for errors. (I wonder how often that happens. You should, however, check your credit report for errors).
3. Raise your deductible. (Folks, if you are concerned about paying your monthly premium, where are you getting the money if you have to pay a higher deductible?)
4. Focus on boring, not bling-bling. (She's right. Some cars will be more expensive to insure. Like you didn't know that.).
5. Make sure your kids are good drivers. (????)
6. Get married if you are a man under 30. (I have no comment)
7. Drop collision if you have an old beater. (Well, again, if you cannot afford a newer car, you may not be able to afford to replace it if it gets wrecked. If you drive an old beater because you just don't believe in spending your money on new cars this may be good advice.)

Anyway, sorry Suze, but I think your advice is trite. However readers, you can tune into Suze's article here:

If you are interested in what Suze has to say click here for the yahoo Car Insurance Article.

Buy Your Own Health Insurance - Roll Your Own LOL

Sorry about the title. I must have had a flashback to my youth in Austin, Tx. Those days are gone... Big Sigh.

However I found an interesting article about buying health isnurance online at MSN Money. This article apparently came from Kiplinger's Personal Finance Magazine and is making it's way all around the internet to your own little neighborhood blog. :)

The CNN Article Link is here.

To summarize, the advice they give is to check out prices and quotes on the net. That's advice I've been giving the whole time. It goes on to tell consumers to check out their state risk pool, and then to visit with a local insurance agent who is familiar with different companies and can help you find the best option. Bingo. I think that's great advice!

If you're in Texas, you can find a lot of local information on my website - I have links to direct insurance companies, local agent finders, the state risk pool, etc.

My website is http://www.247quoteus.com
If you don't want to be tortured by an insurance agent, you can even find a link to Assurant and United Health Care Direct, so you can pick out plan options and find quotes - sort of like a menu in a cafeteria. That's only for Texas Health Insurance.


Outside of Texas, I can still provide FREE INSURANCE QUOTES, AND A NATIONAL INSURANCE AGENT FINDER SERVICE.... also quick google for your own state should set you up pretty quickly! I cannot tell you which insurance company is right for you because I don't know anything about you. For health isurance, I would need to know your age, general health condition, which zip code you live in, your coverage preferences, and maybe even your general credit status! If I knew that, I could help you pretty well.

That's why a lot of free insurance quote services as you for information. They need to have some information to give you an accurate quote. You can find those services for nationwide coverage on my website.

New Car Insurance Article Blog

I give up on trying to have one blog be all things to all people. Believe it or not, most people come her - or to my site 247QuoteUS.COM to find info about car insurance. I guess that's because every driver needs to have, at the minimum, liability insurance, and in many states that's mandatory.

So while some people make cut out health or life insurance during lean times (Hey, I'm not saying that is a good thing), drivers cannot do without some car insurance.

Since the top affects everbody, there is a universal interest. So anyway, I will keep this blog to spread subjects around - life, health annuities, and so on - BUT I have started a new blog that is just about auto insurance.

AUTO INSURANCE ONLINE

Tips for negotiating cheaper auto insurance

I found a great article on negotiating cheaper car insurance. When you do negotiate, go in with already armed - i.e have an idea what competitive quotes are for you....

Quick, Competitive Auto Insurance Quotes from a BBB participating Company

Tips for negotiating cheaper auto insurance
Author: Matthew Meyer

In this article, we hope to share with you the many aspects that discount auto insurance has to offer you.

It all sounds so good, but as were walking away from our auto insurance company, or killing up the receiver receivers, we cant help but wonder: does this mean were cheating on our current insurance companies?

Well, yes it does. But thats alright, because disparate in the world of romantic relationships, cheating on your insurance sources is acceptable. Why? Because it may save you oodles of money in the long run. care your array account well and ecstatic is greatly more important than lingering in an posh relationship with your current car insurance company, isnt it?

Just because you and your insurance agent are on a first name beginning doesnt mean you have to linger loyal to that insurance company. Just because your wife acting golf with your insurance agent doesnt mean you have to keep paying outrageous insurance tariff. You are allowed to better insurance tariff, and if it means cheating on, and eventually finale the relationship with, your current insurance source, then so be it.

If you have completely read through the first half of this article, the second part will be a snap to understand.

When temptation calls, dont overlook it. choose up the phone, curve on the auto insurance company, or even chauffeur to the next insurance agent who represents the new insurance company. Cheating on your current insurance source minimally means you are interested in cutback money.

Buy Your time Life assurance document Online

California Car assurance

The complexities of the subject matter within this article strive to give you a better look at what this subject is all about.

For more information on auto insurance quotes see theauto insurance quote section of TheFreeAdForum.com directory at:
http://www.thefreeadforum.com/infowizards/CAT/Auto-Insurance-Quotes_59_1.html

Quick, Competitive Auto Insurance Quotes from a BBB participating Company

An Intro To Homeowners Insurance Online

Blogger Note: This is a great article on getting homeowners quotes. Of course, here at ResearchInsurance, we like InsureMe because they participate the in BBB reliablity program You can use the script box at the top of this page to select your quotes.



An Introduction To Online Home Owner Insurance Quotes
Anything is possible over the Internet now. And so is getting an online Home Owners’ insurance quote. Since many people spend a good percentage of 24 hours online this becomes the fastest means of decision making for them - and the easiest way of protecting their house against unpredictable damage. They don’t need to study long documents or hold endless discussions with financial advisors and insurance companies and take up a policy that benefits them best. Just a few mouseclicks and a few typed in words in between hectic work and they have data they can study at their leisure – and a reliable insurance policy to invest in.

There are a host of websites offering comparative quotes from different insurance agencies in an area, but as a prospective investor, you should not just look into the value of quotes, but also the reputation of the insurance company. It is not just enough to be able to pay low premiums and get high claims, but also to pay them to a company that can afford to reimburse your claims.

Getting an online quote is easy. Any website that you go visit will ask you to fill up some forms that cover your personal details and the kind of home and contents you would like covered, and then come up with quotes from top insurance companies in your area. From there, you can just analyze and compare and decide which is best for you.

To get better quotes, you can try combining your vehicle and home insurance coverages, and give a higher deductible amount than you actually intend to pay. You can also reduce the quote by asking coverage only for the building and not the land on which your home stands. Other things that will help you fetch better quotes and discounts are alarms, fire extinguishers and other security systems installed in your home. Senior citizens and non-smoking families also get a good discount on their online quote.

Author:
http://www.e-HomeInsuranceQuote.com Insurance Quote provides detailed information on Home Insurance Quote, Online Home Owner Insurance Quotes, Mobile Home Insurance Quotes, Instant Home Owner Insurance Quotes and more. Home Insurance Quote is affliated with http://www.e-HealthInsuranceOnline.com/ Health Insurance Online.

Terms: Articles may be reprinted provided content is not edited and links are kept live
Source: www.articledepot.co.uk

Factors That Affect Car Insurance Price

Factors That Affect Your Car Insurance Premium By Jon Register
Many factors affect the premium you will pay for auto insurance.Each is a statistically based risk for a specific population. The higher the risk associated with a person, the more he or she is likely to pay for coverage. We have elaborated on some of the risk factors below, but there are numerous others, including driver's gender, miles driven per year, purpose for using the vehicle (commuting to work, using for work, leisure only), etc.
Factors you CANNOT easily change that affect your car insurance rates:
. Age
Statistically, drivers under the age of 25 are at greater risk of being in an accident than those over age 25. Drivers between the ages of 50 and 65 generally have the safest records.
. Gender
Women are statistically safer drivers.
. Marital Status
A married person will pay less than a single person with an identical driving record. Factors you CAN change that affect your car insurance rates
. Geography
Where you live makes a difference. Folks living in areas with little or no traffic are likely to spend less on insurance than those living in congested cities or suburbs because areas with a lot of traffic tend to see more accidents. Some neighborhoods also have a higher rate of vehicle thefts, which can result in a higher premium.
. Driving Violations
Having an accident or moving violations on your record (speeding tickets, DWI, reckless driving, etc.) put you at a higher risk for accidents and will likely mean a higher premium. Some insurance companies will penalize you for your record for as many as five years from when the incident occurred. However, keep in mind, as your record improves, your premium will get lower.
. Vehicle Type
El cheapo car will cost less to insure than that status symbol SUV sitting on 24" rims baby.
. Accident Claims
A driving record that is clean and free of accidents will hold fare better for you than lots of tickets and/or accidents.
. Credit Rating
Many insurance companies view having a poor, or even no credit history as suggestive of higher risk and thus, charge you a higher premium.
. Occupation
Insurers have statistically found a correlation between your occupation and risk. For instance, a newspaper delivery person is most likely a higher risk than the personal banker sitting at their desk all day.
Other factors that help determine premiums:
- Driving distance to work- Miles driven each year - Years of driving experience - Business use of the vehicle Whether or not you currently have auto insurance - Theft protection devices (often results in discounts) - Multiple cars and drivers (another opportunity for discounts) - What can I do right now to make sure I have the lowest premium?
Shop around and compare quotes from different insurers. They base their premiums on their claims experiences, which naturally differ. One company may see your area as a higher risk than others may. Another may charge more because of your occupation. Shopping at http://www.carinsurance.com/ makes it easier because you can quickly see multiple companies and their rates for your particular situation.
Where do I go for quotes?
One stop can take care of it all. Go tohttp://www.carinsurance.com/ where you can receive multiple quotes, pick the best price, and then purchase. Get covered immediately on-line or over the phone. It REALLY is the easiest way to purchase car insurance.
Jon Register is a representative of CarInsurance.com. You canvisit CarInsurance.com at http://www.carinsurance.com/ or contactthem at 1-877-327-8728.
CarInsurance.com's online insurance marketplace gives anopportunity to consumers and to insurance companies. We offer theability to shop for car insurance online.
Article Source: http://www.free-articles-zone.com/

Health Insurance Costs Too Much. What can you do?

HEALTH INSURANCE COSTS TOO MUCH

You were having a nice day. Then you got a notice that your individual health insurance rates had just been increased - a lot! You cannot believe that the insurance company expects you to fork over 20 to 40% more for your monthly premium next year. Will you have to take the drastic risk of going without health insurance?

Or maybe you're a small business owner who is trying to do the right thing for your employees. Your agent just called to tell you that since one of your employees just had surgery, the rates for everybody in your entire business would be increased by a double digit percentage. You want to do the right thing for your employees, but this increase might mean you have to lay somebody off or drastically slash everybody's benefits.

What can you do?

Of course, the easiest thing you can do to cut your premium is to increase your deductible, reduce your benefits, or shoulder a higher copay amount. The less risk that the health insurance company incurs, the less they will charge you. However once you take that step, you may not be able to replace your old benefit level without incurring additional underwriting. Also, if you do get sick or have a serious accident, you may not have saved any money at all in the long run!

Is there an antidote for high health insurance premiums?

Well, of course, I have a couple of suggestions. You might consider raising your deductible and adding an accident and illness indemnity plan. A few thousand dollars in case of a fracture, or several thousand dollars in case of a serious illness can pay deductibles, and help you to meet expenses while you're not working. The sorts of plans are usually less expensive anyway. Some companies will guarantee rates for a longer period on insurance plans with high deductibles or specified benefits.

One other benefit you may reconsider are doctor copays. Sometimes this option can raise your premium by 25%, and if you only go to the doctor twince a year, it really doesn't save you any money. Determine what the copay option really covers - just the doctor, or the doctor and lab tests. Many just cover the doctor visits, and lab work is extra anyway.

What if you don't want to cut your benefits?

If you don't want to cut benefits, consider shopping around.

When you buy health insurance, you look at price and benefits. When an insurance company looks at you, they consider your health, age, and even your credit score! Different companies have different standards, and you may be able to find comparable coverage for less money. When you do shop, make sure you do your research, are aware of pre-existing conditions, and consult some qualified agents. Health Insurance Agents should be aware of different company policies, and they should lead you in the right direction.

Of course - you can compare insurance companies, get local rates, and even find different health insurance agents at 247QuoteUS.COm!

Insurance and Tools!

SMALL BUSINESS INSURANCE FROM HOME DEPOT - It's not as silly as it sounds!

I got this article from Duct Tape Marketing. Let me start by saying that I do love the internet. So much valuable information is posted when you get the hang of sorting through the spam and ads. :)

Basically, Home Depot will offer Small Business Tools aimed at contractors who use them as a supply source. I would imagine that varios small businesses could also use the service. This should help them build good relationships with all sorts of businesses.

Of course small groups are one of the hardest hit areas when it comes to health insurance. They tend to suffer the highest rate increases because they don't have enough members to spread the risk when one employee has an serious illness or injury.

Here is the Link to the Article - Would you like some Insurance with that Power Tool?