Supplemental Health Insurance

Supplemental Health Insurance
5 Reasons You May Need It

You have a job that provides health insurance benefits as part of your compensation plan. In today's economic world, having these benefits may make you feel as though you've won the lottery. But before you pop the champagne, take a minute (or an hour) to read over your policy.

There is a good chance that your employer has had to make some compromises in the coverage in order to provide the policy at all, so you may find that you are responsible for more of your medical expenses than you had thought. This is where supplemental health insurance can be life-saver (or at least save your savings account).

Supplemental health insurance, or "gap" insurance, is a secondary policy that pays for out-of-pocket medical expenses not covered in your primary plan such as deductibles and co-payments. Some supplemental policies even pay you a cash benefit for lost income due to illness or injury.

If you fall into any of the following five categories, you may want to think about supplemental insurance as part of your overall health insurance strategy.

1. Are you self-employed? If so, you aren't covered at all by an employer's health plan and you need to provide all coverage yourself. For your primary insurance, you may want to consider a catastrophic policy -- which only covers major medical events and requires you to pay for office visits, prescriptions, and other minor medical care -- but which comes at a much cheaper cost than comprehensive health insurance. A supplemental policy would help cover your out-of-pocket costs, and perhaps more importantly, provide a cash benefit if you become too ill or injured to work.

2. Are you responsible for your family's health care? Remember, each person who is on your primary health plan is subject to an individual deductible and co-pay maximum, making your out-of-pocket expenses larger than an individual's health plan might be.

3. Do you lack savings? If even a few weeks off work could mean financial disaster for your family, you may need additional insurance to provide cash benefits. These cash payments can be used to make mortgage payments and buy groceries when you're off work because of illness or injury.

4. Are you concerned about the risk of cancer? There are certain supplemental policies that provide cash benefits to policy-holders for cancer treatments and the related expenses of treatment.

5. Do you have a pre-existing medical condition? Most health insurance plans will not provide benefits for medical conditions that existed before coverage became effective. However, a supplemental policy can sometimes be purchased to specifically cover a pre-existing condition. Not all insurers offer such coverage, but with careful shopping, you should be able to locate one to meet your needs.

The supplemental coverage is not always necessary for those who are fortunate to have a comprehensive primary policy. But for certain situations, a supplemental policy can be the difference between financial disaster and financial health.

Top 10 Insurance.

1: Insurance Should be Bought and Used for Every Disaster
Insurance is designed to protect one from catastrophic disasters. An insurance rule of thumb: If you can pay for the loss or damage without a financial hardship then pay it, otherwise expect your insurance premium to eventually show an increase. Also, buying every type of insurance just isn't necessary. Sometimes the risk is worth taking rather than paying a premium.
US Expat Health InsuranceMedical insurance for US expats.

2: If I am Alive, I Must Need Life Insurance!
Life insurance is designed to take care of one's dependants after the caregiver's death. If you have no dependants, then you probably don't need life insurance. This includes children and retired persons... usually they don't have people that depend on their income so life insurance for these groups can, in rare instances, be beneficial but is usually unnecessary.

3: I'm the Breadwinner in the Home, So Only I Need Life Insurance.
Have you seen the cost of childcare lately? Add that along with housekeeping, food preparation, home accountant, and school transportation. From that list alone one can see how much a spouse really contributes to the household budget. It is estimated a non-working spouse contributes at least, but usually more, the equivalent of a full time job. For this reason it is important to buy life insurance for everyone in the household if the absence of their income would cause a financial hardship.

4: Whole & Universal Life are the Best Since I Can Get My Money Back
Term life insurance is probably the best choice for most. Term life is set for a specific term, like 10-30 years, with a much lower premium than whole and universal life. Your best bet?

5: The Flood Insurance is Only for People Who Live in a High Risk Area.
Everyone who lives in a National Flood Insurance Program area is eligible and can buy flood insurance. These areas are not always prone to floods so even if you think your area is low risk you may be eligible.

6: Our Insurance Will Cover My Son When He is Delivering Newspapers
If your vehicle is used for anything but personal use, then you will probably need to extend your personal auto policy to cover business use of your vehicle. Don't think just because you were unaware of your coverages this will get your accident paid for--your insurance policy is a contract that you agreed to adhere to. If you don't understand all the coverages in your contract you need to contact your agent about the questions you have.

7: I Don't Need Disability Insurance Because I can Get Social Security.
Don't count on Social Security to take care of all your needs if you become disabled. If you are able to get Social Security for your disability (not all get approved to receive disability benefits so don't assume you will) then you will still have to wait months before you receive benefits and your disability needs to be long-term to qualify. And even if you qualify for benefits, will it match your current salary? Probably not.

8: If I Need Nursing Care When I am Older, The Government Will Pay for it.
Again, don't count on Medicare or Medicare Supplemental Insurance to pick up the bill. If you can qualify, Medicaid may pay up to half of the cost. Choosing long term care insurance can help you pay for the costs of a nursing facility or home care if the need arises. Also, do you really want your family to have to pick up the bill if you acquire a long term illness or disability? Long Term Care Insurance is a great option and if started early in life the premiums can be very reasonable.

9: Umbrella Insurance Coverage is Just for Rich People.
The Umbrella insurance is not just for the wealthy. With the common occurrence of lawsuits, umbrella insurance is a must for every home, auto, and watercraft owner. Umbrella insurance is designed to give one added liability protection above and beyond the limits on homeowners, auto, and watercraft personal insurance policies. With an umbrella policy, depending on the insurance company, one can add an additional 1-5 million in liability protection.

10: If I Don't Purchase Health Insurance it Won't Affect Others.
The people who don't purchase health insurance eventually affect the lives of every American. When many people in a company choose not to purchase health insurance, it sends a message to the employer that health insurance may not be an important benefit, which in-turn could cost other workers a loss of their health insurance benefits. Also, when healthy people don't buy health insurance, the costs raise for others because the risk is spread through less people. For these and other reasons, many have encouraged the government to switch to a universal health care system where the government would help manage health care.

American Home Owner Insurance

Learn How To Save Approximately Twenty Percent With A Home Security Set-Up

Personal security camera systems are getting more and more common place as price plus availability continue to improve. House holders and Business owners can benefit from installing these security cameras. House holders utilize personal security camera systems for several reasons. Safety is presumably high on that list. Supervising the safety of family members, specially small kids plus older members, the safety of dogs and the security of personal belongings give home owners sobering reasons to purchase private security camera systems.

The Security Cameras for the supervising of dogs and small kids are very simple and affordable to fit when only a small place is to be monitored. For instance, checking the babies room or the area where your dog passes their day when home owners are away can be set up with a computer and a webcam that sells for under 20 dollars.

The parents can quickly see when and how well an infant is snoozing, what kind of attention the infant receives when awake plus what kind of daily timetable is being observed.

Pet lovers will be able to look in on pets, checking movements and demeanor and recognize instantly if your dog becomes ill or is hurt in some manner.

We can use a personal security webcam system to keep an eye on senior moms and dads who rather to live by themselves and preserve their independence as much as possible yet might well have an fall or health emergencies.

House holders installing a personal security webcam system will be able to add a layer of protection affecting personal belongings while saving nearly 20 % on American family home insurance.

Start-up retail owners can benefit in several ways by installing a personal security webcam system. Business offices plus shop floors can be monitored for damage via misfortune, violation or even staff theft.

The security camera systems are available in all sizes, like simple to hide to simple to miss. Oftentimes the best personal security webcam system utilises a combination of sizes and types of webcam. Concealed security cameras can be installed to keep an eye on particular areas of the shop floor, specially those controlling sensitive information.

Bulkier security cameras can be installed in very visible places to deter burglaries, thievery and malicious mischief. Personal security cctv cameras come wired or wireless. Wired security cameras are generally installed by electricians or security service providers during the construction of your house or store.

Wireless security cameras can be installed whenever construction is completed and almost anyplace. These wireless security cameras are quickly added-to to include additional security cameras for more capabilities.

Nonobligatory plugins for personal security cctv cameras consist of motion sensors, smoke sensors, heat changes sensors and more.

Supervising of a personal cctv camera system can oftentimes be carried out by cellular phone, personal computer, plus other portable electronics plus by TV. House holders can capture webcam images digitally or on storage devices like a DVD or videocassette recorder. House holders that rather to do so can avail of a monitoring system which automatically notifies the authorities when alarms are activated.

The installation of a personal cctv camera system offers homeowners a means to keep an eye on the safety of loved ones, pets and belongings. Most American homeowners insurance companies grant discounts of up to 20 percent on property where a cctv camera system is used.

Auto Insurance Company

Auto Insurance Company
What to Look for in an Auto Insurance Company

Choosing an auto insurance company is a decision that can either save you, or cost you, several hundred dollars per year. You would think that finding a car insurance company would not be too difficult. After all how different can they be? It turns out they can be very different as many drivers would be happy to attest.

The automobile insurance company you choose should have competitive rates, responsive customer service, and an efficient claims process. Finding this information is easier than it has ever been due to the wealth of information that exists on the Internet.

Finding this information online can be done by most people fairly easily. It is easy enough to find the price for auto insurance from each company by visiting an automobile quote web site. The prices will be displayed in a few minutes after answering a few questions.

The level of customer service is also easy enough to gauge just by making a few simple phone calls. By calling a prospective auto insurance claims department you will get a good feel for how the company does business. Feel free to ask them any questions you may have. After speaking to each company you will have a very good idea on what you can expect from the company after you purchase a policy.

The last piece of information can be a little bit harder to find, but it is definitely out there and worth finding. The claims process is the hardest thing most people will do with their insurance company. If the process goes smoothly and the car is repaired quickly you will be very satisfied, but if there is a problem it will sour your experience with the auto insurance company that you do business with.

As you can see shopping for auto insurance can be a difficult process. By using the above mentioned tips you will save the most money and have the most peace of mind after purchasing your auto insurance policy.

Before You Buy Travel Insurance.

Before you buy travel insurance, you need to have done some initial planning for your trip. There are a number of factors that affect the type of travel insurance you will require and how much it is going to cost you. Have as much information on hand as possible so that your Australian travel insurance company will be able to provide a robust travel insurance quote. Although you can buy travel insurance right up to the day before you leave, it is better to arrange your travel insurance in good time before your departure.

Before you buy travel insurance, here are some of the facts you will need to have answers for:
* Who is to be insured?
* What are their ages?
* Does anyone have pre-existing medical conditions? If so, what are they?
* Which countries will you be travelling to on your holiday?
* What type of activities are you going to take part in on your trip? Will they include climbing, scuba diving, skiing, or other similar “dangerous activities”;
* Do you require insurance cover for any unusual activities, such as professional sport?
* What type of luggage and personal effects are you taking with you? If you are taking expensive equipment, then you may have to itemise and declare those items to get individual cover for them.

Particularly if you are booking an expensive pre-paid trip, such as a cruise or an extensive package tour, it is important to take out your travel insurance as soon as you make your holiday deposits. The main part of the travel insurance, the cover for medical, delays, etc., is valid from the day of departure, but the cover for loss of deposits and non-refundable flight costs is valid from the day you take out the travel policy. Of course, you don’t plan to cancel your long-desired trip, but you can’t always predict the health of your nearest relatives or other unexpected events.

Think longer-term as well - if you are a frequent traveller, does it make more sense to take out an annual multi-trip policy rather than a standard policy? Depending on how long your trips are likely to be, an annual travel insurance policy can cover you for every trip you make throughout the year, including business travel.

For a younger person travelling in their gap year, they may need a policy that will cover them if they decide to work as part of their time overseas. Check to see whether it includes labouring work, as well as white-collar jobs. Many casual overseas jobs won’t include insurance in your remuneration package, so travel insurance cover is essential.

Whatever style or length of overseas trip you are planning, make sure that you include travel insurance in your “must-do” list - the sooner you buy it, the better!

Car Insurance

The Insurance companies ask for an awful lot of information when it comes to getting car insurance quotes. The level of detail required by the companies is all used to judge the risk you and your vehicle pose, and how likely it is you will make a claim. There are a lot of myths and rumours surrounding car insurance quotes however, most of which are utter rubbish. Here we dispel the fiction and reveal the truth behind your car insurance quote.

The Car Colour Makes a Difference

A common myth but utterly untrue; many people are led to believe that the colour of their car will have an effect on their car insurance quote. There are two schools of thought on colour affecting car insurance premiums. The first idea is that the popular car colours: silver, black and red are easier to sell on and hence hold their value much better. Higher value cars tend to have more expensive insurance quotes, and so the myth goes that if you want to get a cheap car insurance quote, buy a car in a lurid pink.

On the other hand, rumours would have you believe that unusual car colours by their rarity are much more expensive to repair if there is any body work damage, and hence insurance companies require a premium for buying a car in fluorescent yellow. Both explanations are completely false; car colour has no bearing whatsoever on your car insurance quote.

The Credit History Will Be Reviewed

Whilst this was certainly prevalent a few years ago, in most cases now car insurance companies will not check your credit rating. The advent of the internet has made car insurance a highly competitive market, and with so many companies out there, insurers are much less likely to take your credit history into account than they were in the past. Whilst it is true that you can receive a discount to your car insurance quote for paying upfront rather than in instalments, this is true for all customers and has nothing to do with credit rating.

Living in a Sunny Area Will Get Me a Cheaper Quote

The reasoning behind this perpetuated legend comes from the true fact that drivers are less likely to have an accident in clear and dry weather conditions. As the myth goes, if you live in an area which has historically better weather, you will on average have more days on the road with clear and dry driving conditions which means you should have fewer accidents as a result of your geographic location. This myth arises from confusion about one of the criteria asked for from insurance companies. When getting a car insurance quote, companies require you to provide an address because they monitor the average crime levels in your neighbourhood. The weather is of no consequence to your car insurance quote.

Life Insurance Sector

The experts within the life insurance industry have urged many potential customers to think again with regards to their insurance policies. They claim that there is generally no need to live without any type of life insurance policy in these uncertian times as there are so many variable types on offer.

The Types
For those looking for a bit of excitement and variety, there is the option of a Variable life policy, which encourages the customer to amass a sum of money in order for it to be invested in a stock offered by the given company. The amont payable would be based on how well the investment does.
Those looking for more traditional cover could choose a whole life cover which means you pay into a policy in order for it to be attributed out to a nominated beneficiary when you pass away.
Despite the variety and comprehensive cover on offer, the industry struggles to reach all of its intended audience.

Few
Only last year Norwich Union revealed the depressing news that over 20 million adults in Britain do not own a life insurance policy or any kind of protection cover.

The leading insurance company has warned that many of the population without life insurance policies are risking financial ruin by leaving their future up to chance.

The Research has shown that the main reason for not purchasing life insurance is that they either haven't thought about it or considered taking out a policy (37%).

Head of protection marketing at Norwich Union, Darren Dicks commented; "These findings are cause for concern as they suggest many people are taking an 'it won't happen to me' approach to protection. Around 52% of UK adults have no life cover at all and the remainder are either underinsured or unsure about what type of cover they hold."

Peace of mind
Everybody, particularly families, are being urged by leading insurance companies to protect their mortgage and their lifestyle with the appropriate insurance as the realities of the credit crunch begin to take effect.