Free RX Discount Card

FreeSamples.ws is one of my favorite blogs, because they have free stuff! They just posted an offer for a discount prescription card. Why is this one better than other discount prescription cards? Well, it's free!

Free Discount Prescription Card -- this one is good at major pharmacies like Wal-mart, Walgreens, Target, and many more! It may also be good at your local pharmacy. Be sure and use the online pharmacy lookup to make sure that your local pharmacy is on the list.

It promises to save you up to 50% on generic prescriptions and up to 15% on brand name drugs. If you do not have drug coverage, or if you have not hit your pharmacy deductible, this may save you some cash!

You can fill out a short form and get your free prescription drug card right away. Print it online. Why not? It's free.

Homeowners Insurance Premiums -- Stop The Bleeding

Pare down those home insurance rates today!

One of the signifigant costs of home ownership is homeowners insurance, though many of us don't even really spend a lot of time thinking about it. If you have a mortgage, your lender probably requires you to carry homeowners insurance. Even if your home is free and clear, you will probably be prudent to carry a homeowners insurance policy to protect your house and property against theft, accidents, or damage. Consider how you would pay for damage caused by a storm or theft, or consider how you would defend yourself if somebody is injured on your property and claim it is your fault.

Shop Around!

Your premiums are affected by where you live, your claim history, and even your credit report. A past claim or credit problem should not affect your rates forever! Also, you may be entitled to a discount because of safety protection you have installed, a professional or association membership, or by using the same company for your car and home insurance!

On line insurance quoting systems make it very easy to compare rates available in your neighborhood.

Consider the Deductible

If your deductible is $250, you may save over 20 percent by raising it to $1,000. If you could afford $1,000 if you do have a claim, consider a higher deductible policy. If your homeowners insurance is $150 a month right now, then you can save the extra $750 over the course of a couple of years.

If you are shopping for a new home, consider the cost of homeowners insurance when you are estimating your total costs.

Compare Home Insurance Online Here!

Rental Car Insurance - Do We Need It?

I know you've probably been renting a car, and been asked at the desk if you need to buy the extra insurance. The extra insurance can really add up over a few days, but I have learned the hard way that it can be much more costly to do without insurance when you need it! Since I own a car, and of course, carry car insurance, I did not know if I needed extra coverage from the car rental counter or not.

If you've been wondering about rental car insurance, check out BestInsuranceUS.com for an informative article.

It appears that the answer depends upon your situation, and that for those of us with good car insurance, extra rental car insurance might not be absolutely needed - but may be considered. Of course, if you do not own a car and have car insurance, you will need to purchase coverage or risk a huge liability!

If you're not happy with your current car insurance, compare insurance online with one fast, safe, and free online form!

Top Insurance Tips

We just found out the strongest ranked article pages (i.e. not the main page) from one of our favorite insurance websites - 247QuoteUS.com. This insurance website is managed by a licensed insurance agent, and contains an article blog, as well as static pages where you can get online quotes.


Here we go - These are mostly specific insurance news or consumer articles:

Dental Insurance

Insurance is Cheaper if You Don't Smoke - Duh!

What You Should Know About Dental Plans

What is Mortgage Protection Insurance?

John Edwards Weighs in on Health Insurance

Mexican Car Insurance for Border Trips

How Insurance Agents Can Help More People

Should You Buy Mortgage Protection Life Insurance?

Health Insurance 101 - Tips for Affordable Health Insurance

CNN Money published an a simple, yet informative article on saving money while shipping for health insurance. They arranged it as a top 10 tip article, and here's a quick review.

1. Insurance can cost a lot, but no insurance can cost a lot more!
2. If you can access employer health insurance, you may want to grab it!
3. Comparing health insurance plans can be confusing, but will increase your satisfaction in the long run.
4. Low premiums don't always mean cheap plans. The bargain plan may not save you money in the long run.
5. Even good coverage can have big loopholes. Don't expect your insurance to pay for everything. Consider deductibles, maximums, copays, etc.
6. Check out networks (i.e. PPO networks) before signing up.
7. Consider keeping your insurance if you lose your job. Of course, you'll usually have to pay the entire amount.
8. You usually pay more for freedom. I.e. a plan with a network usually costs you less, but is more restrictive.
9. Working couples need to consider which spouse's insurance to take.
10. Tax breaks can help. You may be able to deduct medical expenses or premiums.

Check out the article. Then get an idea of what health insurance should cost by comparing health insurance online!

How Private Health Insuance Works

Private Health Insurance Facts

The Kaiser Family Foundation has posted a primer on how private health insurance really works. The primer discusses the types of health plans like PPO, HMO, etc. It also discusses mandated benefits that must be provided by certain types of health insurance plans. Their is also a section on solutions for individuals who are considered high risk. In other words, each state has solutions for individuals who are declined by private health insurance, and these are outlined.

Another place to go for help if you are condidering private health insurance is your state insurance commission. We have a list of 50 state US Health Insurance Departments.

If you are shopping for health insurance, your options will vary by state and city. Get Free Online Insurance Quotes and Information here.

Mortgage Life Insurancce

If you have purchased a new home recently, you have certainly gotten plenty of advertisements for mortgage life insurance! You might get a postcard or letter which asks you if you want to protect your new investment in case of death or disability, and offers a refund of premium as well!

Well mortgage life insurance is a great product, but you probably want to take some care. Your first price offer may not be the cheapest. Each agent may want to set up an appointment with you, and it can take a lot of time to visit with each agent to find out the price.

Get the answers you need online with one simple, no obligation form. This is new, and a very simple way to compare prices! If you would like to make sure your house will be paid off in the event of your death, even if you have not refinanced or purchases recently, start researching prices online. We have found price variations of hundreds of dollars a year.

Find out How Much Mortgage Insurance Should Cost Here

Who Needs Car Gap Insurance?

Did the Dealer Try to Sell You Auto Gap Insurance?

Lots of of us could use car gap insurance at some point. If you're upside down on your loan, you regular insurance policy probably only covers the damage on your car up to the book value. As you know, your car loses 20% of its value the minute you drive it off the lot. Furthermore, lots of us are rolling over our trade in loan into a new car loan. These fact make it easy to owe more on our cars than they are valued for.

Hey, don't feel bad. To me, a car is worth what it's worth. i.e. it is worth the value of the transportation it provides. Besides if you spend too much time worrying about owing more than the value you can go nuts!

Anyay, dealers sell a product called Auto Gap Insurance which picks up where your regular comprehensive insurance leaves off. Lets say you bought a car for $20,000. You totalled your car 12 weeks later, but now the book value is only $16,000 - because techincally it is used. You still owe $20,000. That's where gap insurance comes in. It ill pick up the other $4,000.

Dealers tend to charge $700 or more for this protection, but you can purchase Gap Insurance Online Direct. Learn About Buying Car Insurance Direct For Less.

Your other option is to find a comprehensive car insurance policy that will cover the finance amount of your car. Compare comprehensive car insurance here.

Costs of Health Care Procedures

How Much Will a Health Producedure Cost?

Even if you have health insurance, you may have a fairly high yearly deductible. If you do not have health insurance, and need health care, you will be writing a check for sure. One thing you may be afraid to ask your doctor or health care provider is, how much will it cost?

One health insurance company publishes the cost of common health procedures inside their member's website. They know that many members have chosen a higher deductible health insurance plan to save on monthly premiums, and may be concerned if the doctor prescribes a medication, lab test, or other procedure.

Here is a sample of some prodedures. Keep in mind, this data was published assuming the member would use in-network PPO services. This means that the prices are negotiated. The thing is - as we've stated before - people without health insurance PAY MORE than patients with health insurance! So even if an invididual saves by buying a very high deductible health plan, and the procedure does not meet that deductible, money will still be saved! Quote Various Health Insurance Plans Here!

Here we go! Keep in mind that these are averages, and your costs may differ!

Ultrasound: In Network $231 Out of Network (uninsured) $362
Emergency Room: In Network: $1,262 Out of Network: $1,822
Colonoscopy/Sigmoidoscopy: In Network: $1,307 Out of Network: $2,440
Heart Failure Requiring a Hospital Stay and Follow Up Visits: $12,160 *
* Note that only in network costs are available. We can assume that the costs will be considerably higher if an individual is Out Of Network Or Uninsured!


If you cannot write a check for one of these procedures, you may consider finding affordable health insurance!

Do I need insurance to Rent a Car?

Obviously, you do need insurance to rent a car. You may have adequate coverage under you own personal insurance company. Your own insurance probably covers a rental car if you have comprehensive, collision, and liability insurance coverage. Of course, before you rent a car, you should call your insurance company to verify your coverage!

Many credit card companies also provide car rental insurance, so when you decide which credit card you want to use to rent your car, call them to see what coverage they provide.

Of course, if you do not own a car, you may not have insurance. Every US state requires proof of financial responsibility to drive a car. This usually means you need to have, at least liability insurance. Of course, since you don't own the car, you would be responsible for damages as well. If you don't rent a car very often, you may be able to purchase this type of insurance at the counter when you rent. Make sure you verify that this meets, at least, the state minimum requirement.

If you rent a car very often for business or pleasure, then you can purchase a non owner policy. This policy covers you, as a driver, rather than a specific car. These types of policy usually only cost a few hundred dollars, and they will give you peace of mind, as well as meet legal requirements for driving.

Free Online Insurance Quotes

Insurance Surfing - Top Consumer Tip Articles Today!

I don't know if you have seen Squidoo Lenses yet. They contain user generated content, called a lens. I did not expect to find some many insurance related articles in a place like that! Since it is almost the week-end, and I don't have a hot topic to post on right now, I'll direct you to some great insurance articles here.

ROP LIFE INSURANCE RIDERS = Return of Premium

Life Insurance Guide

Homeowners and Renters Insurance : Types and How To Buy

...and for insurance agents....
Connect with Insurance Customers on the Internet!

Have Fun, and Have A Great Week-end!

How To Buy Life Insurance

Life Insurance Buying Guide

Many people decide they need a life insurance policy, but really don't understand the different types of life insurance. Actually, I've talked to many people who already had life insurance, and they didn't even know what they had! It is important to understand what you are buying before you sign a contract, and also to understand what you need.

If you look at the Life Insurance Guide, you will find three basic types of life insurance. Term insurance is probably the most popular, especially with people who are in their earning and child raising years. Since you buy the insurance for a specific number of years (term), it is the cheapest type of insurance, and you can get a larger death benefit for your money. Simple term life insurance does not accrue any cash value though, so if you outlife your life insurance policy (and we hope you do), you will not have any value left in your policy.

A popular rider to life insurance is Return of Premium (ROP) Life Insurance. This rider will give you back the value of all of your premiums if you keep the policy until the term ends, and of course, if you survive the policy. This option costs a little more, but may be a valuable way to get a nice check back for outliving your life insurance policy.

On the other hand, whole life insurance is permanant insurance, so it will cover the insurance until they die, as long as premiums are paid. It will also grow a cash value, though rates are probably not competitive with other investments. Whole life insurance is more expensive than term.

A third type of insurance is called Universal Life Insurance. It is also a permanant life insurance policy, does have a cash value, and may pay a more competitive return rate than whole life. If you are considering Universal Life Insurance as an investment, however, be aware that a substantial portion of your monthly payment will go towards the cost of insurance.

Zero Premium Life Insurance - Hot or Scam?

There's a hot new product being promoted to life insurance agents, called zero premium life! Trusted MD has posted a cautionary article in the "looks to good to be true" category. The idea behind this product is that a group of investors will pay the insurance premium for senior between the ages of 65 and 85. The face value of the policy would be $50,000, and when the senior dies, their beneficiaries would get $15,000. The investor, who paid the premium, would collect $35,000.

Life Insurance Calculators.

This sounds like a win-win situations for seniors, especially those on lower incomes. They have enough life insurance to pay for final expenses like debt settlement and funerals, and they don't have to burden their kids with problems after they pass away.

However, the big problem with this whole plan is a central concept to legally selling life insurance, and that is INSURABLE INTEREST. This means that the beneficiary of a life insurance policy must have something to lose if the insured passes away. A business partner might lose an essential person in their company, a child or spouse may have to settle debts and plan a funeral, etc. Typically, beneficiaries to life insurance policies are spouses, siblings, children, or business partners of the insured. These types of relationships are usually considered legitimate. And in fact, the relationship of each beneficiary must be specified on every life insurance application.

Now, consider a life insurance policy where the beneficiary does not have an insurable interest. Wouldn't this give that beneficiary an incentive to hasten the insured's passing of the mortal coil. They have nothing to lose if the insured dies, and everything to gain.

Now, I'm not saying that the investors behind zero premium life insurance are planning mass murder. I'm just saying that the test of Insurable Interest has a Very GOOD REASON for existing. Anyway, so far it doesn't look like any state insurance commmissions have actually approved zero premium life. Find State Insurance Departments for The US.

If you are a consumer and have been approached about a product like this, do not sign anything until you check with your state insurance department! If you are an agent, you should know enough to do this anyway - but insurance agents are human too.

Look for approved, affordable Life Insurance Online at the Life Insurance Calculator Page.

Zero Premium Life ?????

InsureBlog posted a warning about a new product called zero premium life that is being promoted to agents right now, mostly for sale to seniors.

On the surface it sounds great! Here is the scenario. A company will pay for the premiums for a life insurance policy with a face value of $50,000. The applicant for the life insurance policy (i.e. a senior citizen) will have coverage for $15,000 upon death. This is a good amount to cover funeral expenses, settle debts, etc. The company that pays the premiums will get $35,000 in return for paying the premium.

The only problem here is something called insurable interest. Any new life insurance agent learns that a beneficiary of a life insurance policy must have an insurance interest. In other words, you can leave your life insurance to your wife, kids, business parter, etc....somebody who will be affected by your death. You cannot leave your life insurance to a complete stranger on the street. Imagine if you could!

I would imagine the number of 'accidents' or murders would increase. Now I'm not saying that zero premium life fronts a bunch of murderers or anything, but I'm am saying that it looks illegal in the US!

Now go find out how much life insurance costs. It's not that expensive. Pay for it, and know that it's real!

ROP Life and Mortgage Life Insurance - What Is It????

Lots of people get approached about ROP or Return Of Premium Riders on their life insurance. This rider will refund your premiums if you survive the life insurance policy, which makes it sort of nice. If you die, your heirs get the face value of the policy. If you live (which is what we all want), you get your premiums back in one nice chunk. If you have a 20 or 30 year term policy, it may not seem like much when you write a check every month, but after decades pass, you can get tens of thousands of dollars back!

So how much can you get back? I'm glad you asked. I have a Return of Premium Life Insurance Calculator here.

I also have a neat little Life Insurance Guide Here!

Buying Life Insurance When You Are HIV +

I felt the need to comment on a question I saw on another website, because I thought the answer was incomplete. A visitor disclosed that she was HIV positive, and wondered if it would be possible to purchase life insurance. Even though this question related to HIV positive or AIDS, it could be applied to other serious diseases like cancer.

The 'expert' replied that it would be impossible unless the applicant could be included on a large group life insurance plan. Now a group life insurance plan may be a good choice, but it is not the only solution.

Guaranteed Issue Plans are quite popular, and they can be written on HIV Positive individuals. They usually come with lower face amount, but they work like this: If an applicant does not choose to answer the health questions: they just say NO. Then the policy switches to one that pays out on the face value after 2 or 3 years of survival. If the applicant passes away before the 2 or 3 years then the insurance usually refunds the premiums paid, plus some interest rate like five or ten percent.

All In All this type of life insurance is not a bad deal, and gives the applicant a no-lose situation. If they survive the set term of 2 or 3 years, they will have a full life insurance policy. If they pass away before the term, premiums are refunded with interest.

Life Insurance Calculator to Determine Your Needs and Rates!

How To Get Cheaper Car Insurance

The Car Insurance Blog gives great tips on reducing car insurance rates by using online tools to compare local plans. As you know, car insurance rates vary by zip code, driving history, age, and even your credit report.

However, different national companies will value these factors differently, so it is important to get quotes that are individual for you, and the drivers in your family. It's like assurance or essurance - that you are getting the cheapest rates on auto insurance.

However, when you are looking for cheap rates make sure that you are also getting the coverage you need. Many people save $15 a month by terminating their comprehensive coverage - and only keeping liability insurance - however, if you are at fault in a wreck - you won't have any help repairing your car - so is that worth it????

You can also look for lo cost commercial car insurance at the businessinsurancestore.com - If you have a small business your personal policy may not cover you for business use. That's a pretty big gample.

Smoker Supported Health Plan

I picked this up on the InsureBlog. Apparently smokers will subsidize (via taxes) a state supported health insurance plan for lower income residents of Indiana.

It seems like a step in the right direction. Money will be available for preventative car and medical treatments. The income levels of about 20k for individuals and 40k for families are fairly low, considering those with pre-existing conditions are usually at the most risk for being uninsured. A great program would take that into consideration, but it's a step.... a step.....

Does Your Business Have Group Health Insurance

Many businesses are doing without Group Health Insurance, or they are scaling back their benefits. As a small business owner, I understand the expense of providing group health insurance. I also know that it is one benefit that quality employees desire, and it helps to attract and keep good people!

The Business Insurance Store has an article on reasons to have a group health insurance policy, and also ways to keep it more affordable.

If you need to shop for group health insurance, here's an easy way to get quotes online!

Does Your Business Need Commercial Car Insurance?

Many people who run small businesses, especially home businesses, use their personal cars for work. They even lend their cars to employees for business related meetings and errands. However, you may be leaving yourself open to a big liablity. Your personal car insurance may not cover your car for business use, or it may have a limit on liability that will not be sufficient.

The Business Insurance Store tells you how to determine if you need commercial car insurance. Sometimes you can also add a rider onto your personal policy that will protect you. However, if your employees also drive their cars for business related work, it may not be simple to require them to increase their personal policies as well.

Grab Quick Personal or Commercial Car Insurance Quotes Online!