Life Insurance Information
There are three important types of insurance policies available in the market. These are:
# Whole Life Insurance Policy
# Term Life Insurance Policy
# Accidental death Policy
Whole Life Insurance Policy: One needs to have full Whole Life Insurance Information before buying a policy. The whole life insurance policy provides coverage for the whole of life and even after death. The premium rate is thus fixed and a little higher than other insurance policies. It also provides added facilities such as pensions and accidental disability compensation and many more.
Term Life Insurance Policy: Term Life Insurance is a kind of policy which lets the insured to change the policy after certain period of times according to one's needs. The premium for this life insurance policy is lesser than other policies. But the insured is only compensated if he dies within the contract period. There is not even any cash back possibility.
Accidental Death Policy: One needs to have the accidental Death Life Insurance Information because it does not provide compensation for any kind of death other than accidental deaths. This policy is only available for short term policy and there is no cash back opportunities.
Know your auto insurance limit
Auto insurance limits are highly case specific and as of 2007 the auto insurance cost was approximately USD$847(Insurance Information Institute).
Opting for the right auto insurance limit is an important decision you are required to take prior to buying an auto insurance policy. This is because the coverage you opt for will decide whether it is adequate and if you will be able to afford the payments for your premium. It also requires that you understand the factors that determine your auto insurance cost as well as the coverage extended by your auto insurance policy.
There are many states that require you to buy auto insurance for covering your medical expenses too. Your auto insurance limit is the dollar amount that you are entitled to get in case you make a claim for a loss that is covered. The loss you have incurred should fall within the purview of the boundaries your auto insurance policy has set.
If you have a higher auto insurance limit you also pay a higher premium. There are many consumers that reduce their coverage to shed costs. But it is best not to compromise with your coverage. Many states make it mandatory for you to have a minimum coverage limit.
How is your auto insurance limit determined?
- First of all find out the minimum liability limits that are mandatory in your state.
- Insurance protects your assets when a lawsuit is filed against you so determine your assets.
- If the age of the driver is less than 25 years and above 65 years, auto insurance limit will be high.
- Keep in mind that you may be responsible for damaging more than one car if you are involved in a chain of accidents.
- Driving record and history of accidents
- The type of vehicle you own
- The age of the vehicle
- Place where you dwell
- The amount you are paying as deductible etc.
There are few factors that can be worked upon to keep your auto insurance limits within your reach. Understand your requirements thoroughly before you buy an auto insurance coverage.
Personal Accident Insurance Online
Accident Shield Online Insurance is a worldwide, Personal Accident Cover that is specially designed to protect you from the following unforeseen events - Death, Total Disability and Permanent Partial Disability. This comprehensive policy will help your family meet its financial commitments in the hour of need.
This is available for the age band between 5 to 70 years. The proposer's age should be between 18 to 70 years.
Key Benefits
- Instant Coverage
- No Medical Examination
- Worldwide Cover
- Three convenient plans to choose from
- Silver, Gold and Platinum
- Educational Grant for 2 dependant children up to Rs. 10000/- per policy
- Family discount of 10% for insuring 3 or more people in a family
- Simple and easy claims process
Other Benefits of Car Insurance Online
- Special Model Wise Discounts on Own Damage Premium for your car.
- Discount in premium up to 5% on the Own Damage Premium (or) Max of Rs. 200/- for a valid Member of Automobile Association of India.
- Discount in premium up to 2.5% on the Own Damage Premium (or) Max of Rs. 500/- on Installation of Anti-Theft Device in your car.
- Discount of Rs. 100/- in Third Party Basic Premium on reduction in Limits of Liability for Third Party Property Damage.
- Discount of 35% on Own Damage Premium subject to a maximum of Rs. 2,500/- on opting maximum voluntary deductible of Rs. 15,000/-
- Transfer of No Claim Bonus (NCB) from other insurance company on renewal with Royal Sundaram’s Car Insurance Online Policy
Important Features of Car Insurance Online
- Protection from loss of car or damage to your car.
- Unlimited Liability for Third Party death/ injury Claims.
- Indemnity for third party property damage up to a limit of Rs. 7.5 lakhs.
- Speedy authorisation of repairs to get your car back on the road.
- Personal Accident Cover for you, your paid driver and the occupants in the car.
- Customer Helpline to give you support and guidance when you need it.
- Efficient and worry free claims service to give you peace of mind.
- First Information Report is not required (Unless legally mandatory)
3 Important key reasons to renew your policy on time!
Did you know it is not enough to merely get yourself a Health Insurance Policy, it is very important to renew it on time, before the expiry date every year to get the full benefits of a Health Policy.
Though some insurers allow certain days of grace period after date of expiry for renewing, Your health/mediclaim policy should ideally be renewed at least 10 to 15 days before the date of expiry to ensure you do not lose the continuity benefit that comes with a Health Insurance cover.
Here are 5 important reasons why you should continue to renew your health insurance with the same health insurance company over the years:
1. No Claim Bonus (NCB) / Discount
A health policy entitles you an increase in the basic sum insured for every claim free year subject to certain limits. So, it is important that you renew your policy every year to avail this benefit over the years.
2. Coverage for pre-existing diseases and temporary exclusions
In most health/mediclaim policies, pre-existing diseases gets covered usually after 4-5 years and there are certain diseases (even if they are not pre-existing) which are covered from 2nd or 3rd year onwards.
If you fail to renew your policy on time or shift your policy to another insurer, the exclusion period again starts from scratch, nullifying all your timely renewals during the previous years.
3. Waiting Period
As you know that most health mediclaim policies don’t allow for any claims during the first 30 days; in case of non-renewal of policy in time or change of insurer this waiting period of 30 days also starts afresh.
It is very important to renew your health / medical policy on time, every year. If there is a break in the policy, you stand to lose out many benefits which you acquire over a period of time.
A Hospital Cash Insurance policy is supplementary to your Health Policy.
Hospital Cash Insurance and Health Insurance are not the same. The compensation provided by Hospital Cash Insurance does not cover the cost of medical treatment. While a Health Insurance policy only covers the cost of medical treatment incurred by the policy holder, Hospital Cash acts as supplementary to health insurance as it provides cash benefit aimed towards:Special diet expenses of the patientTo and fro conveyance from hospital and backExtra bed for person staying with the patient
Instant benefit available by opting for a Hospital Cash Insurance is a Saving in Income Tax. Premium paid for getting Hospital Cash Insurance is eligible for tax deduction as per Section 80D of Income Tax
A Hospital Cash Plan is available to persons between the age of 1 year and 60 years at the commencement date of the Policy. Renewal is accepted up to 70 years.
This cover is available for Self, Spouse, Dependant Children and Dependant Parents.
This policy also provides daily benefit for hospitalization due to terror attacks.
What is Critical Illness Life Insurance?
The Critical Life coverage provides a 'list' of diseases, including incurable illnesses that the insurance policy will defend. In addition, if the policyholder fall victim to an accident or incident, the policy will cover the holder, if he is enduringly out of work. Most insurance policies will not cover holders that are suffering prior to taking out the policies. Likewise, if you are undergoing life-long illnesses or disease when you apply for Critical Illness Policies, you won't be allowed to use the coverage to receive medical treatment. If you are having difficulty searching for Critical Illness insurance there are Brokers online that can help you find the coverage you need. The Brokers may find you coverage although you are currently suffering, however your premiums will probably be steep, but the coverage may be adequate.
Currently, the government is in the process of raising the age for retirement disability to "67.' Out of the billions of people in the world, "1 in 5" males has been diagnosed with some form of Critical Illness, and '1 in 6" females have been diagnosed with Critical Illnesses. Since the government is making changes, we can never tell if changes will apply to Medicare and Medicaid, therefore getting Critical Illness Coverage and paying a bit higher Premiums may not be a bad idea.
Nowadays, due to chemicals, other types of pollutions and so forth there are thousands, if not millions of people suffer from Critical Ills. Recently, experts have claimed that the common age for ill patients is around "47." Millions around the world everyday make the same fatal mistake. That mistakes is believing that they are singled out to stay healthy for the rest of their lives. Out of the millions, at least a few hundred fall ill everyday.
The statistics claim that "35" percentage of males and '46" percentage of females over the past few years were diagnosed with cancer, while another "78" percent of patients that endured strokes only lived up to a year and then passed on. The cancerous patients lived as long as five live and then passed on. Just recently statistics showed that nearly 41,000 females in the UK alone were establish as having 'breast cancer." This means that over 130 females are at risk of death. The males in UK equaled more than 23, 000 diagnosed with "Lung Cancer" and lead to nearly 100 males dying. As you can see, Critical Ill Coverage may be more critical than we realize.
More often than not, a person will need to pay for transportation, medical costs, treatment centers, burial, and in-home medical treatment if they are diagnosed with diseases or terminal illnesses. The funeral arrangements alone nowadays will cost the average individual near "18, 000" if not more. Few funerals cost less for the basics, however, Cremation prices today have increased even.
When the roads are rocky, Critical Illness Policies can provide you a wealth of hope. Critical Illness Coverage, I found to be one of the better insurance plans available on the marketplace. Most Critical Illness Policies will cover any Unremitting, Incurable, or other severe illness, which includes in-home treatment, outgoing patient care, ingoing care, and so forth. Furthermore, we can never tell when we will fall victim to incidents or accidents, therefore having the coverage now can save you later. To learn more about Critical Illness Policies it pays to go online, since traveling around will only provide you limited resources. Online you can get Quotes and support by qualified Brokers that will help you find the best plans. Furthermore, Critical Illness is often offered when a person or family takes out Life Insurance. Therefore, the policies are often compliments of Life Coverage, and only cost a few dollars more in most instances. The few dollars now can provide you wealth when Critical Ill comes knocking at your door
PAYING FOR HOME CARE
Planning ahead is crucial in this sensitive area
Just like everything else, the costs of care for the elderly increases over time, which means the need for planning for this possible future financial burden has become more important.
Currently, the average annual fees for a private nursing home in England is £25,552 and for a residential home £18,420, which can put quite an extra financial burden on those needing care, or in many cases the families of those needing care.
Even opting for community home care doesn’t come cheap. Based on 7.25 hours home care a week, the average cost is currently £7,228 a year. (source: PSSRU unit costs of Health & Social Care 2003)
Those with their own property or with other assets will often not qualify for any, or only limited, assistance from their local authority with the cost of non-essential nursing or other care.
In England and Northern Ireland the value of assets that would exclude you from financial assistance is only £21,000.
With about 43 per cent of those aged over 65, that’s about 4 million people (source: Age Concern) having a longstanding illness that restricts their daily activities, the possibility of needing to find funding for long term care is high for this age group and their families.
Planning in advance is the best way to deal with this future potential financial burden. Unfortunately, many leave planning until the last moment, which often results in the sale of the family home to fund the care home fees.
Not only does this option often bring emotional upset, but it also denies the elderly person of the choice about how, when and where they would want to be cared for. However, it may be possible to consider the use of a property trust attached to a will to provide some level of protection from selling the home.
INSURANCE
The use of a long-term care insurance plan may help change the situation dramatically.
By using either a lump-sum investment or a regular premium plan, funds can be provided in the future to cover, or at least help significantly towards, the cost of care.
Importantly, planning in this way should provide the freedom to be able to make decisions about the type of care you want to receive, and where you want to receive it, without the worry and rush of sorting out immediate care insurance.
Many elderly people would at least like to start receiving care in their own homes, where they feel secure and surrounded by the familiarity of every day life.
Where this is appropriate from a medical point of view, a long-term care plan should give you the flexibility to make this sort of decision.
Although it may seem a morbid sort of thing to talk about while you are still hale and hearty, taking advice now about long-term care is likely to save you and your family possible heartache and worry later on. For a free guide to long-term care.
BY GLYN CLARKE
A FINANCIAL SPLIT DECISION
Breaking up is hard to do, and so is splitting your assets
They say the three most stressful events in your life are death of a close relative, moving house and divorce. The third of these, divorce, unfortunately not only causes massive emotional stress, but in many cases also involves significant financial upheaval as well.
At a time when emotions and feelings are running high, it is often very difficult to keep a level head when it comes to sorting out the financial implications of divorce or separation. However, negotiations to divide the marital assets will be high on both ex spouses’ agendas.
The financial implications of divorce can be wide ranging, affecting areas such as property, mortgages, investments, debts, pensions and financial responsibility for any children.
A useful starting point would be to draw up a simple balance sheet to clearly show the value of current assets and debts and whether the assets or debts are owned or owed by an individual spouse, or whether these are held under joint names. Once a picture appears of the relative balance of assets and debts between spouses, consideration can be given to potential transfers from spouse to spouse to provide a 50/50 split. This would provide a starting point on which to begin negotiations.
Probably the two biggest assets, the house and pension plans, are also probably the most difficult to sort out. The problem with the house is that it is not a very liquid asset and therefore often difficult to split fairly without having to sell up. There are often also issues to complicate matters, so advice from a financial adviser would be as useful as legal advice from a solicitor.
The issue of pensions and divorce is a minefield in itself. New rules introduced from December 1, 2000 now provide greater flexibility than before in sharing pension benefits, allowing couples to achieve a clean break. The system now works around the courts placing a Cash Equivalent Transfer Value (CETV) on the pensions held by one or both spouses. A pensions sharing order can then be agreed upon to allow the value of the pensions to be more easily included in the overall agreement to share the assets of the couple. Any percentage of the CETV agreed to be shared can then be transferred into a separate fund in the name of the receiving spouse.
However, these rules do not apply to the basic State Retirement Pension. In many cases a divorced spouse may find that they can use the National Insurance record of their ex spouse to boost their state pension. Completing a State Retirement Pension Forecast, form BR19, is the best way to see if this will benefit any individual. Once again the help and advice of a financial adviser is going to be as essential as legal advice.
Responsibility towards children is probably the most emotionally charged issue of all. If no separate agreement is reached, then the Child Support Agency will get involved in setting the level of any maintenance payments. However, financial issues are of course not the only consideration. Agreements as to who the children will live with, access for an absent parent and even the sticky issue of holidays can make this area the most difficult of all, especially when the children’s own feelings and opinions need to be taken into consideration.
Finally, when all is done and dusted don’t forget to have your Will reviewed, and if necessary rewritten to take account of your new personal and financial circumstances. For a free pack covering the financial issues discussed around divorce ring 0800 544 644.
Will power
Q My wife and I have been discussing what would happen to our home and investments if either of us died. Although we have two children we are happy for everything to pass to which ever of us survives. Am I right in saying we don’t need a will? ST
A If the value of your assets is more than £125,000 you most certainly need a will. Dying without a will means that the laws of intestacy will apply and you will find that these are unlikely to follow your wishes and give the surviving spouse the financial security they need. It is important to sort your affairs out now before it’s too late.
For a free guide to the importance of having a will ring 0800 544 644.
Best to invest
Q I have about £3,000 to invest but I don’t want to tie it up for long. Would a deposit account be the best place to put it? RG
A You could put it into a deposit account, or you could consider a cash ISA which may well offer a slightly better rate. Either way, you need to shop around for the best deals.
For a free guide on the current best rate deposit accounts and cash ISAs ring 0800 544 644.
Ethical banking
Q Can I invest money into an ISA and avoid things like the arms trade, factory farming and pollution of the environment? SZ
A Yes you can by choosing to invest your money in an ethical or socially responsible fund. These should screen out the types of areas of investment you mention as well as others.
Pension transfer
Q I have two personal pension plans with insurance companies that no longer offer pensions. How safe is my money or should I move it somewhere else? CD
A Your money is probably still safe where it is, but the investment performance of closed pension funds may not be as competitive as you could find elsewhere. Take independent financial advice before deciding if you should transfer your money or not.
GCC leads decline in global sukuk issuance
Global sukuk issuances continued to decline in the first half of this year, reaching $9.23 billion (Dh33.8bn) at the end of June 30, 20 per cent less than the same period last year, said London-based Islamic Finance Information Service (IFIS).
However, it expects that the Gulf recovery will begin in the first quarter of next year. This year, South East Asia returns to dominate the sukuk market with total issuances reaching $7.8bn, representing 88 per cent of total global sukuk issuances for the first half of 2009. Only 12 per cent of the issuances came from the Gulf, with total worth of $1.1bn.
While Malaysia has usually dominated the global and South East Asian sukuk markets, the crisis seems to have created an opportunity for Indonesia to play a more significant role.
Indonesia's sukuk issuance in the first half has grown by an impressive 93 per cent year-on-year, reaching $1.47bn.
The first half has also witnessed the very first sukuk market developments in Singapore with the announcement of the reverse enquiry sukuk by the Monetary Authority of Singapore and the first actual sukuk in Singapore by City Developments Limited worth $66.45 million solely arranged by CIMB Islamic.
AmInvestment Bank top?ped IFIS H1-2009 sukuk arrangers and bookrunners rankings followed by Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM). BNM's ranking was boosted by the MR5bn (Dh5.2bn) retail sukuk in May. CIMB Islamic and HSBC Amanah have fallen to third and fourth places respectively.
The report further details some recent high profile defaults, and discusses the possibility of Nakheel defaulting on its $3.5bn sukuk.
The report concludes with future prospects of the sukuk market. In the GCC, three main issues are hindering the revival of the sukuk market, namely, troubled Kuwaiti investment firms, the real estate market in the UAE, and the availability of credit in Saudi Arabia.
Insurers facing capital drought
NEW DELHI: India's fledgling life insurers, unable to go public and hamstrung by limits on stake sales, could be starved of capital unless rules are changed to make it easier for them to raise funding.
The number of life insurers has risen to 22 since the market was opened in 2000 to challenge state-owned Life Insurance Corporation's monopoly, but existing regulations prevent insurers from selling stakes of more than 26 per cent to foreign partners or from going public in their first 10 years.
Insurance firms are also not permitted to raise debt, which means controlling shareholders, must foot the bill in order to fund further growth, which requires building costly distribution networks.
Hopes that the limit on foreign stakes would be raised to 49pc were dashed last year when parliament failed to vote on a measure.
Regulators, meanwhile, are drafting guidelines for IPOs and are considering an application made last month by Reliance Capital's insurance unit to float an IPO before the normal 10-year period.
Insurance news: online auto insurance quotes
On the first stage of insuring your auto it is important not only an insurance premium and coverage payment, but also the price that the auto insurance company appoints for their quotes. Are you looking for advice about online auto insurance quotes? At the beginning of insuring your auto pay attention on insurance rates, which insuring agent offers for you. Are you sure that it is a really cheap quotes? To find the answer just take a look on comparison this ins quote with another. Many auto insurance companies promise the cheap quotes and high coverage but a few of them realize it. Our auto attorneys consider that cheap auto insurance quote lays in sphere of the interests of auto insuring agent as well as insured person: the first one receive favorable clients while the second one get the inexpensive cost. Before looking for cheap auto insurance quote, do not forget to analyze the comparison the auto insurance risk with your quote! That is why we are publishing online the article about affordable auto insurance quotes for our readers. This text named «ONLINE AUTO INSURANCE QUOTES» offers the category about affordable auto insurance quotes on our internet project for insurers.
The year and model of the car are one of the most important things for motor insurers when they determine auto insurance quote. A sports auto car will cost you far more in online auto insurance company then a little bomber. So with this in mind we know that the online auto insurance company deems it as mandatory when they are giving cheap auto insurance quotes. Without this information there is no way for them to give you an actual estimate. The auto insurance company requires this information as it is a needed in determining the rates that they will charge a person.
Affordable online auto insurance quotes rate
The online auto insurance quotes can vary quite a bit and a lot of this depends on the deductibles that people have on the policy that they purchase, not only the deductible but the amount of auto insurance coverage that you are purchasing will make this vary as well. The less paid as a deductible, or the more coverage that you want will result in your affordable auto insurance premiums being higher. If the deductible is high, or the amount of coverage that you want is low then you can figure that the affordable auto insurance quote you will pay will be lower. The deductible is the portion that you pay out of pocket should something happen and you need to file a claim.
Age is another factor that is taken into consideration when being given online auto insurance quote. Online auto insurance companies feel that older, more mature drivers are less of a risk than those that are teens or in their early twenties. This may seem like a bit of a discriminatory thing, but it is the way that online auto insurance company have been doing things for a great number of years.
How to get cheap auto insurance quote for car?
Another thing that will have a huge bearing on the cheap auto insurance quote that you get will be your driving record. If your driving history shows a lot of traffic tickets for things like speeding, or if you have had a lot of auto accidents, your affordable auto insurance quote will be higher than if your driving record is clean.
Lastly there is the issue of the amount of mileage that you put on your car. If you tend to rack the miles up a lot then they will likely charge you a higher rate for cheap auto insurance quote. This only stands to reason as the more miles that you drive the more chance there will be of having an accident. Keep all of these things in mind when you are getting affordable online auto insurance quote. Shop around as the prices can differ with the different companies that are out there.
Discounts for auto insurance quotes and rates
You may think that you can not get a cheaper auto insurance premiums rate for your online car insurance, but you can get discount in your cover. If you are looking for how to rescue yourself from paying high auto insurance premium rate, here is all you need to know on how you can maximize the use of online auto insurance and get the best automobile policy package for your car for less.
Online auto insurance quotes for autos. How to get affordable auto insurance quote online?
You have to understand that there are several companies that offers this service and all the ins companies need you to stay in business. The competition between the companies gives you the chance to choose from the companies, the company with the affordable policy package.
Purchase cheap auto insurance quote online
To get the cheap auto insurance quote online, you have to make few researches online and chose the policy package that is best for you. Normally, you have to consider your automobile, your use for the car, the affordable auto insurance premium rate and your pay before you apply for any policy package.
When applying for any automotive policy package, make sure the package cover the most important aspect of your car risk. If you always travel on a long journey, you have to insure your car against theft and accident. Do not allow you’re self to be frustrated by a situation while you pay monthly for the services you may not need for a long time. To get the best and the cheap auto insurance quote online, you have to choose from the online auto insurance companies around your state or location. They stand the best chance to giving you the best cover and moderate premium package from auto insurer.
Better Tips on Cheap Online Auto Insurance
Cheap online auto insurance helps to cut down insurance premium cost. If you want to get the best deal for your auto insurance, you need to scout for the insurance company that will give you the highest discount percentage for your car insurance.
Purchase Online There is no better way to purchase policy without wasting so much time than through the Internet. Most insurers give discount auto insurance to consumers that will buy their policy online... Tagged as: purchase, online, policy, wasting, internet, insurers, discount, insurance, consumers
Online Purchase of Health Insurance
Purchasing Health Insurance Online describes the strengths of broker sites, health plan sites, and small business purchasing alliance sites. It also offers recommendations for site improvements in the areas of quality, accuracy, convenience, privacy, and information requests. Results indicate that while existing Web sites have much to offer consumers shopping for health insurance, the sites have not yet achieved their full potential to streamline health insurance research and purchasing. The summary brief is available under Document Downloads below.
The full report provides a comprehensive review of findings and opportunities resulting from an analysis of eight broker sites, six health plan sites, and two small group purchasing alliance sites.
Tips for Consumers offers general guidelines for purchasing online and provides resources (including Web site addresses) for general information and specific needs. It also provides a guide to some of the best health plan and broker sites.
Online Tips & Valuable Tools for Home Insurance
Find the Right Insurance Company
Make sure you do your research. Finding the right company to insure your home can be a great way to make sure you are getting the price, while having high coverage limits. Each home owner insurance company rates their policies differently. Find an insurance company who does done a good job keeping the rates low, while providing reasonable liability and property limits.
Financial Rating
It's important to make sure the company has a solid financial rating, and isn't wishy-washy on annual renewals. The last thing you want is to get in at a great price, only to have the company raise your rate too much on your first annual renewal.
It's easy to find good prices for home owner insurance online, but a local insurance agent can help you do it for free, in most cases, and make sure you find a company you are happy with.
Balancing Cost and Benefits
The idea is to get the best price possible, but still make sure your home is covered properly in the event of a fire, or other loss. There are some important things to look at when shopping for a home owner insurance policy. Here are some of the main ones:
Dwelling Coverage (coverage for your home, the building). How much coverage do you have? Is it enough to rebuild your home if it was a total loss? What if building costs go up between the time you get your policy and the time you have the total loss? Will the company pay for the extra? Many companies will pay 125% up to 200% of the dwelling coverage limit, if costs have gone up. But, some won't. Make sure you find one that does.
Personal Property (furniture, tv's, beds, appliances etc.) Many companies cover your personal property. How much coverage is your company offering you? Do you need more or less. If they allow you to adjust it, make sure this number is accurate.
Other Structures (detached garages, sheds, etc..) If you don't have any, and you are paying for coverage, make sure this limit is as low as it can be. If you do have detached structures, make sure the limit is enough to protect you in the event of a loss.
Personal Liability (protects you against non-auto and non-business liability issues resulting in bodily injury or property damage to others, in which you are deemed legally obligated to pay) This is an important one. If you get sued, this is probably the benefit that will protect you. Too many people opt for $100,000 in coverage and I think that's much too low. This is an inexpensive benefit. Look into much higher limits and even umbrella coverage.
Five Important Points for Cheaper Car Insurance
Limit your mileage – one of the factors that helps determine your car insurance quote is how much you drive. If you can limit your mileage you can lower the cost of your motor insurance. Always make such to leave yourself some extra miles in the bank. If you go over the limit you could face penalty charges.
Pay Annually – most car insurance companies will charge a fee (in the form of interest) if you want to pay you premiums monthly. The cost can add up to 29% on to a typical policy. If you can pay for your insurance up front then do so as it is much cheaper option. If you can’t afford this consider taking out a credit card that offers an interest free intro period.
Hold back on the mods – any modifications you make to your car such as lowering, adding a spoiler, new wheels or even a colour change are likely to see you motor insurance costs increase significantly. Try to limit the number of mods you add and check with your insurer before hand to see what the impact on your insurance will be. You must inform your insurer of any modifications you make otherwise your policy will be invalid if you make a claim.
Drive sensibly – sounds simple and that’s because it is. Having speeding tickets and other traffic offences against your name can make your car insurance much more expensive. Drive with care, build up your no claims bonus and the savings will soon follow.
Obama Keeps Heat On Insurance Firms In Reform Push
BIG SKY, Mont., Aug 15 (Reuters) - President Barack Obama said on Saturday U.S. healthcare worked better for insurance companies than for patients, as he pressed his case for a major overhaul that critics say is too expensive.
Obama, who is in the middle of a multi-state tour to promote his healthcare policies, also accused "special interests" of misleading Americans about aspects of the reform bills making their way through Congress.
"These are the stories that aren't being told - stories of a healthcare system that works better for the insurance industry than it does for the American people," Obama said in his weekly radio address, referring to people he has met who have struggled with the current system.
"And that's why we're going to pass health insurance reform that finally holds the insurance companies accountable."
In recent days, the president, a Democrat, has stepped up his attacks on insurance companies, saying they bear much of the blame for the country's healthcare problems.
On Friday, the first day of a Western trip designed to shore up crumbling support for his top domestic priority, Obama told a town hall meeting-style event insurance firms were holding the country hostage.
He will hold a similar event in Grand Junction, Colorado later on Saturday.
Without naming her, Obama also accused former Alaska Governor and Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin as well as other critics of spreading false information.
"The history is clear - every time we come close to passing health insurance reform, the special interests with a stake in the status quo use their influence and political allies to scare and mislead the American people," Obama said.
He debunked, again, a rumor that one of the bills working its way through Congress included a provision to create government-run "death panels" to decide whether senior citizens live or die.
In fact, the provision would have provided insurance coverage for patients who wished to discuss end-of-life issues such as hospice care with their doctors.
Palin had referred to that process as "death panels."
"When folks with a stake in the status quo keep inventing these boogeymen in an effort to scare people, it's disappointing, but it's not surprising," Obama said.
Republicans and some Democrats have also raised concerns about the cost of the nearly $1 trillion overhaul to extend coverage to millions of uninsured Americans. Obama repeated on Friday his promise not to raise taxes on Americans making $250,000 a year or less in order to pay for the overhaul. (Editing by Alan Elsner)
150 American UBS Clients May Face Criminal Charges: Report
The person told the paper that several inquiries across the country were being handled by dozens of prosecutors and would result in criminal complaints.
The paper said it was unclear where the U.S. government got the client names from.
In February, UBS agreed to pay $780 million and to hand over data relating to about 250 U.S. clients to settle criminal charges it was facing under a tax dispute with the U.S. government.
Earlier this week, the U.S. and Swiss governments agreed to settle a dispute over whether the Swiss bank should be forced to disclose the names of 52,000 rich U.S. clients suspected of tax evasion.
However, the parties did not disclose details of the deal.
The New York Times, citing another person close to the matter, said the U.S. Justice Department's criteria for seeking disclosure of names of UBS clients included clients who set up offshore entities to evade taxes and those who had contact with Swiss-based UBS bankers, in person, by telephone or by email.
Accounts over a certain dollar amount would be included, the paper said.
A UBS spokesman in Hong Kong could not be immediately reached for comment.
(Reporting by Ajay Kamalakaran in Bangalore, editing by Will Waterman)
Some Common Mistakes During Insurance.
1. They don’t use the insurance shopping checklist. Many agents will provide you with a free checklist that will evaluate what coverage you need and don’t need. This will also outline any questions you need to ask as you “interview” your agent. Many people are underinsured or over insured because they don’t take the time to truly consider their needs.
2. They mistake “cheap” for “value.” You may get a low premium, but you sacrifice with a higher deductible. If you have a claim, you may end up paying thousands of dollars that would have been covered if you had increased your premium by just a few dollars. Make sure your coverage really protects your assets-even if it costs a few dollars more. And most insurance agents offer discounts. You can find value in these discounts without sacrificing coverage.
3. They don’t thoroughly read the Virginia insurance policy. Your agent will explain the policy to you, but it is your responsibility to know what is covered and not covered. Once you have signed the policy, you can’t claim you didn’t know what the policy entails.
4. They trust their family’s protection to a $5 an hour temp operator. Many of the larger companies advertise great service but that service comes from customer service operators, not claims specialists or agents. Is this who you want when you are in a crisis? You want a professional agent who will handle your claim promptly and personally. Better yet, find an agent that offers a 24-hour response guarantee.
5. They have their policies with different agencies. Combining all polices (home, auto, life, boat, etc…) can save you up to 40 percent. If you haven’t asked your agent about combing policies, you are cheating yourself out of hundreds of dollars.
These mistakes may not seem so bad to you but consider this example. You are involved in a car wreck at 2 a.m. You call the 800 number provided by the agency. The overnight “customer service specialist” says no one is available to help you at the time. You are stranded, injured and upset. You are not exactly sure what type of coverage you have. Three days later, someone comes to inspect your car and assess your injures. With a home auto specialist, you will have someone respond within 24 hours and begin processing your claim immediately. Which type of service do you prefer?
How Families Can Get Low Income Health Insurance
There are options for low income families. It *is* possible for them to receive protection from infections, sickness, and accidents. Some companies do try to accommodate less fortunate families with affordable health insurance. There are also pharmacies that provide special care programs to families that don’t make a lot of money. And, of course, there are some charitable organizations that help low income families pay their medical bills.
Families can read about low income health insurance online. They need to find out how to contact their state aid organizations. There are tips on the internet that explain how a family can present their case to state aid organizations in a way that will be beneficial to them. To know that their children are insured will give these parents a peace of mind. There are wonderful programs and plans out there that can truly help those who need this type of health insurance.
Some websites even offer low income health insurance plans. Before applying for anything though, parents need to first read reviews on the different insurance policies to find out which ones are legitimate. Unfortunately, there are a few unscrupulous “companies” out there that really will try to take advantage of these families. This is why a family must first do research before applying for anything or contacting anyone.
If you’re seeking for low income health insurance, you can start researching right now! There is help out there. Your family can receive help paying for medical bills from charitable organizations and special, low income aid plans; you can find out all your options right now – it’ll just take a bit of reading.
Important Points Before Attempt of Travel Insurance.
Now the question is from where you will take your travel insurance? From where you will get the maximum coverage with a minimum payment? How you will judge the facility or the coverage?
So, here you can get some hints below.
1. Don't think you can travel without it. If you will take travel insurance it will make your journey more peaceful & secured too.
2. I think those who are the frequent traveler they need to take travel insurance. It will be very much economical for them.
3. What type of traveler you are? It is also important to choose the travel insurance. If you are traveling with the whole family then there is no need to go for same accident coverage which you will take if you will go for any professional tour.
4. Search around. Before going for any insurance you need to search through out the market. From there you just grab the best one.
5. Rules & regulations need to look carefully. Just go through all the rules & regulations of your travel insurance then sign the deed.
Now, I am wishing you a very happy journey with the coverage of your travel insurance policy.
Guide Choose the Best Insurance Coverage
If you are an insurance agent or buy directly from an insurance company?
What is the difference between the purchase of an insurance agent or buy insurance directly? Insurance agents differ considerably in their experiences and how they have to sell insurance. Since most cases of the working committee, and sometimes you can only try to buy a higher price than you need. Of course not all these players and many honest, hardworking agents who strive to ensure that the best insurance for you. Recommendation by friends is a good way of working with an agent, the hard work for you!
If you think about the offer of an insurance agent to guide you through the maze, be sure to find out how long it has been in the industry. An insurance broker have many satisfied, repeat customers. You work for a company? This could be an advantage or a disadvantage. If you have two or more can be sold to select the best for you from a wider selection, but an agent working for a company may be more and better knowledge about the plans of this company.
Is the theme of their mistakes or omissions? If you make a mistake, it must be ensured not to suffer financially. You know the exact restrictions on the reporting of insurance it sells? The issue of insurance agents in detail and be on guard if they are vague or less of their knowledge in one of these factors.
Buy directly from an insurance company
If you directly from a research company in its history for the payment of financial assets and their valuation. Large companies often have a very good grade, but smaller companies, although they may have a lower rating may be required to be competitive in this business. Find out how long the company has been in business and if the reports are negative in this regard. Check whether the company sold more than a year, as these costs can be lower if you pay in advance.
Conclusion
Discover the best insurance is often difficult and there are some decisions you need to do before you part with your money. If you have a good agent who made his way to help, you will have a decisive advantage in trying to solve all the decisions himself. However, if you are a travel agent or directly with an insurance company, you have to do to ensure that basic research first.
Comfortably Buy Insurance Online From Now
Wide range: You can choose from a wide range of policies irrespective of whether you want to purchase auto insurance, health insurance, medical insurance or any other type of insurance. You need to not ask for representatives to come home to explain the policy benefits to you. All the necessary information is available online itself. You can go through them in detail at any convenient time of your choice in the comfort of your home. It is time to say goodbye to waiting in over-crowded offices awaiting your turn to speak to the representatives.
Get quotes easily: Before you purchase any policy you can get quotes from the choice of policies you have short listed. Once you get them, you can compare them to see which one is cost effective. However, remember money is not everything; hence, make sure that the policy you finally decide on meets all your needs and requirements in addition to being cost effective.
Instantaneous availability of documents: Once you pay for the policy online, you can get the policy documents fast. There is no need to worry about the hassle of all the paperwork and chances of delay.
Though, there are a number of benefits to buying insurance online. There are a few points that you need to keep in mind in order to avoid getting a raw share of the deal.
Point 1: While deciding on buying an insurance policy, ensure that the company you choose is credible and someone you can trust with your money. Also, check the proper authentication on the website through which you are applying for the insurance.
Point 2: Use a web security check-site to verify the security of the website and some other security checks to ensure the authenticity of the online company.
Point 3: Though you can find out all the details of the company and policy online, it is recommended that you place a phone call to the customer service department of the company to check their customer service levels. You can also confirm the best mode of payment to them while buying the policy online.
Keeping these points in mind will help you buy insurance online easily.
Car Insurance For Teens
• Type of cars• Previous driving experience• School grades• Ownership of the insurance policy
Type of cars
Teenagers usually go for expensive, good looking and fast moving sport cars, which are so allergic to the insurance agencies, that they may not even provide insurance or tend to pose a very high premium. While, switching to cars of older model, heavier and other normal features are greatly favored by the insurance agencies. Heavier cars are seldom driven fast, reducing the possibility of frequent accidents. As the value of the car reduces, the premium rates also drop. This is one of the tips that a car buyer should think about before investing in a car. It would be the parent’s responsibility to take a safety measure to save the ward’s life. It is as well important to give the ward a car that he or she would dream about.
Past driving experience
If you have a good driving history, with no charge of ignoring of traffic rules, it helps to reduce the premium of the car insurance. Avoid claiming the insurance agency for smaller problems like bend problems in cars, scratch, and simpler stuff that could be easily done by you. When you do this yourself and maintain a proper receipt of all these repairs then this might cut down the premium vastly. If simpler problems are claimed, then the premium rates may even double.
School grades
Proud to see the children maintaining an average of B grade or higher? The insurance agencies are also proud to provide such candidates with premium amounts cut down to a maximum of up to 25%. As long as the school grades are good, the insurance premium comes in your pocket budget. If the student can show that he is using the car on a regular basis and have a good academic record, the insurance rates drop drastically.
Ownership of the policy
Sticking with parent’s car insurance policy can be a factor in deciding the premium rates. If the teen is added on to the family list as an occasional driver, the premium rate is reduced by a smaller percentage. Some agencies allow insurance policies only after joining the young with parent’s policy. This can increase the rates, but as time passes and the ward does not prove to be a troublesome driver, the amount will reduce gradually.
Considering the car is older and cheaper and the teen is a safe driver, it becomes easier for them to earn the trust of the companies and have a policy on their own. Having an insurance policy given to a teen is itself considered more than twice by the insurance agencies, which is the reason they have higher premium rates. However, choosing the best insurance company within the local area and gaining a good trust, will help reduce this amount drastically in the end.
Go Buy Auto Insurance Today
To buy the right auto insurance policy you need two things: information on what you want, and information on how to buy. What you want should not be difficult to come up with. If you have an idea of the type of coverage that will protect you and your car, you should not have anything else to worry about. On top of this, you need to learn a lot about the industry as a whole so you can buy a policy that corresponds with your needs.
Buying auto insurance without delay can be done online. This makes it simple for you to speed through the buying process because you are able to receive quotes, and then work on your own to decide which one is best. You will find in the end that you have more options than you may have initially thought.
If you want to buy auto insurance there is no better time to do so than today. All you have to do is spend your time wisely and use the internet to guide you towards the right policy. If you do these things you should end up with a quality auto insurance policy today. From there, you can be confident that you have what you need.
Property insurance
Property insurance provides protection against risks to property, such as fire, theft or weather damage. This includes specialized forms of insurance such as fire insurance, flood insurance, earthquake insurance, home insurance, inland marine insurance or boiler insurance.
Automobile insurance, known in the UK as motor insurance, is probably the most common form of insurance and may cover both legal liability claims against the driver and loss of or damage to the insured's vehicle itself. Throughout the United States an auto insurance policy is required to legally operate a motor vehicle on public roads. In some jurisdictions, bodily injury compensation for automobile accident victims has been changed to a no-fault system, which reduces or eliminates the ability to sue for compensation but provides automatic eligibility for benefits. Credit card companies insure against damage on rented cars.
Driving School Insurance insurance provides cover for any authorized driver whilst undergoing tuition, cover also unlike other motor policies provides cover for instructor liability where both the pupil and driving instructor are equally liable in the event of a claim.
Aviation insurance insures against hull, spares, deductibles, hull wear and liability risks.
Boiler insurance (also known as boiler and machinery insurance or equipment breakdown insurance) insures against accidental physical damage to equipment or machinery.
Builder's risk insurance insures against the risk of physical loss or damage to property during construction. Builder's risk insurance is typically written on an "all risk" basis covering damage due to any cause (including the negligence of the insured) not otherwise expressly excluded.
Crop insurance "Farmers use crop insurance to reduce or manage various risks associated with growing crops. Such risks include crop loss or damage caused by weather, hail, drought, frost damage, insects, or disease, for instance."[11]
Earthquake insurance is a form of property insurance that pays the policyholder in the event of an earthquake that causes damage to the property. Most ordinary homeowners insurance policies do not cover earthquake damage. Most earthquake insurance policies feature a high deductible. Rates depend on location and the probability of an earthquake, as well as the construction of the home.
A fidelity bond is a form of casualty insurance that covers policyholders for losses that they incur as a result of fraudulent acts by specified individuals. It usually insures a business for losses caused by the dishonest acts of its employees.
Flood insurance protects against property loss due to flooding. Many insurers in the U.S. do not provide flood insurance in some portions of the country. In response to this, the federal government created the National Flood Insurance Program which serves as the insurer of last resort.
Home insurance or homeowners' insurance: See "Property insurance".
Landlord insurance is specifically designed for people who own properties which they rent out. Most house insurance cover in the U.K will not be valid if the property is rented out therefore landlords must take out this specialist form of home insurance.
Marine insurance and marine cargo insurance cover the loss or damage of ships at sea or on inland waterways, and of the cargo that may be on them. When the owner of the cargo and the carrier are separate corporations, marine cargo insurance typically compensates the owner of cargo for losses sustained from fire, shipwreck, etc., but excludes losses that can be recovered from the carrier or the carrier's insurance. Many marine insurance underwriters will include "time element" coverage in such policies, which extends the indemnity to cover loss of profit and other business expenses attributable to the delay caused by a covered loss.
Surety bond insurance is a three party insurance guaranteeing the performance of the principal.
Terrorism insurance provides protection against any loss or damage caused by terrorist activities.
Volcano insurance is an insurance that covers volcano damage in Hawaii.
Windstorm insurance is an insurance covering the damage that can be caused by hurricanes and tropical cyclones.
Medical Insurance
Whether one is thinking about starting a business, or looking for a more cost effective small business medical insurance policy for an existing company, shopping around and doing thorough research is a wise investment of time. As with most things today, a good place to begin this task is online. Most insurers offer information-rich websites which overview various plan benefits and rates. If an individual wants to leave the comparison shopping to someone else, using a broker who specializes in small businesses insurance policies is a good idea. Many brokers advertise their services online and they willingly offer provide owners with multiple competitive quotes based upon the company's needs. Insurance brokers are often the best source of information because they can find appropriate policies from a number of different agencies. This can be a better option for busy professionals who might not have the time to research multiple plans.
Licensed insurance agents and brokers can be extremely helpful in helping owners determine what types of small businesses medical insurance is right for their situation. Deciding what kind of plan is most appropriate will be based on a number of factors, including number of employees, annual deductibles, and whether the plan cover dental and vision options in addition to basic health coverage. The type of health plan itself is an important variable and can significantly affect the price of small business medical insurance. HMO plans tend to be the most cost effective to employers and employees, but offer the least choice to plan members.
When choosing an insurance company or agent to handle a small businesses medical insurance plan, it is wise to consult peers and colleagues about their experiences. If they have had to file claims, how smoothly did the claims process go? Were the agents and offices conveniently located? This in addition to the homework completed by the owner will be invaluable. When making any important financial decision, it is wise to carefully weigh one's options and trust the Lord for guidance "Teach me good judgment and knowledge: for I have believed thy commandments" (Proverbs 119:66).
Indemnification
1-an "indemnity" policy and
2-a "pay on behalf" or "on behalf of"[3] policy.
The difference is significant on paper, but rarely material in practice.
An "indemnity" policy will never pay claims until the insured has paid out of pocket to some third party; for example, a visitor to your home slips on a floor that you left wet and sues you for $10,000 and wins. Under an "indemnity" policy the homeowner would have to come up with the $10,000 to pay for the visitor's fall and then would be "indemnified" by the insurance carrier for the out of pocket costs (the $10,000)[4].
Under the same situation, a "pay on behalf" policy, the insurance carrier would pay the claim and the insured (the homeowner) would not be out of pocket for anything. Most modern liability insurance is written on the basis of "pay on behalf" language[5].
An entity seeking to transfer risk (an individual, corporation, or association of any type, etc.) becomes the 'insured' party once risk is assumed by an 'insurer', the insuring party, by means of a contract, called an insurance 'policy'. Generally, an insurance contract includes, at a minimum, the following elements: the parties (the insurer, the insured, the beneficiaries), the premium, the period of coverage, the particular loss event covered, the amount of coverage (i.e., the amount to be paid to the insured or beneficiary in the event of a loss), and exclusions (events not covered). An insured is thus said to be "indemnified" against the loss covered in the policy.
When insured parties experience a loss for a specified peril, the coverage entitles the policyholder to make a 'claim' against the insurer for the covered amount of loss as specified by the policy. The fee paid by the insured to the insurer for assuming the risk is called the 'premium'. Insurance premiums from many insureds are used to fund accounts reserved for later payment of claims—in theory for a relatively few claimants—and for overhead costs. So long as an insurer maintains adequate funds set aside for anticipated losses (i.e., reserves), the remaining margin is an insurer's profit
Underwriting and investing
The business model can be reduced to a simple equation: Profit = earned premium + investment income - incurred loss - underwriting expenses.
Claims
Finally, claims and loss handling is the materialized utility of insurance; it is the actual "product" paid for, though one hopes it will never need to be used. Claims may be filed by insureds directly with the insurer or through brokers or agents. The insurer may require that the claim be filed on its own proprietary forms, or may accept claims on a standard industry form such as those produced by ACORD.
International Student Health Insurance
Use the "GET A QUOTE" link to view additional information and request a free online quote for international student health insurance plans that provide medical coverage while you live and attend school abroad. These plans offer an affordable international student health insurance solution with coverage designed specifically to meet the needs of international students and scholars.
Importance International Student Insurance Plans
International Student Health Insurance
Progressive Auto Insurance Shares Car Insurance Tips
Savvy consumers know it pays to do the legwork and shop around for car insurance. Considering auto insurance prices for a six-month policy can vary greatly between companies, why not take the time to compare rates for several companies? To help you in your quest for car insurance, we've compiled a few tips that can help you save money and make the right choices for your situation.
Before you get started, review your auto insurance coverages and keep your auto policy on hand to make fair comparisons to your current coverage. Then start shopping. Visit insurance Web sites and insurance agents/brokers and get quotes. Following are a few more shopping tips.
Learn The Auto Insurance Lingo
Do you know whether or not you need PIP coverage? Can you explain BI or PD coverage? Before you buy, learn the basic auto insurance lingo — it can help you make coverage decisions that are right for you. Visit our insurance definitions section and expand your knowledge now!
Stay with a Leader
Visit A.M. Best, Moody's Investor Service, and Standard & Poor's for information on the financial strength of various car insurance companies and what benefits and features they offer.
Enhance Your Car Insurance Experience
For 24/7 customer and claims service and the ability to manage your auto insurance policy and pay your bills online, you need a company that can do more than simply provide a car insurance quote on its Web site. Visit progressive.com to see how much online control and access you have with Progressive.
10 rules of Car insurance for teenager
Insurance Claims adjuster
Insurance For Small Entities
The United States is made up of millions of small companies. These companies need specifically designed plans of insurance for small businesses that are affordable, practical and adequate. There are different coverage amounts and options for coverage with insurance for small business policies. "And that you study to be quiet, and to do your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you." (1 Thessalonians 4:11) Property policies may include coverage for office buildings and attached structures or separate outbuildings that a commercial ventures owns. Also included in the coverage could be structures such as fences, signs, bridges or canopies. The plan for coverage may also protect any inventory that is either stored on site or in transit.
Machinery and company vehicles can also be covered on the policy for modest sized companies as well as cash and other valuable securities. The list goes on of items that can be covered by insurance for small business owners. Anything from security systems to intellectual property like patents and trademarks can also be added to the policy for insurance for small businesses. Protection against perils can also be added to coverage for many companies. These include, but are not limited to, fire, flood, lightning damage, earthquakes, sinkholes, and vandalism.
Liability coverage is a broad category of policies available for companies. Liability is essential in protecting any company from being sued by another party. Coverage includes general liability, errors and omissions, bodily injury or property damage caused by an employee or commercial vehicle liability. Insurance for small business should be purchased according to the business's need and in accordance to their assets. Without adequate coverage, the company could fail as a result of being sued or from losses resulting from damages to the structure and contents of the business
The Most Frequently Asked Querries.
1-I have liability insurance. If I lend my car out to a friend, will my insurance pay in case of an accident?
Asked by Pikaia
Best Answer
Yes. However, does he have regular access to your car? If he borrows it more than once a month, or more than ten times a year, you should add him as an operator. Also, if he cracks it up, it's great that the other guy is covered, but . . .can you afford to buy a new car? Because you won't have any coverage for YOUR car.
Answered by mbrcatz
2-New insurance and ongoing treatments of old injury? Which insurance applies?
Asked by Dan T
Best Answer
Its up to the old insurance
Answered by heatedwire...
3-Can an employer cancel your insurance without telling you that it has been cancelled?
Asked by screwed
Best Answer
Well, the problem is, this is a PARTNERSHIP. If this was a corporation, you can certainly sue the corporation, and you'd probably win. You'll probably get a judgement against them. If it's legally a PARTNERSHIP, and your husband is a partner, well, he'd be suing himself. Also, if this was an individual health policy that she was paying, and NOT a group policy, she has no liability - only if it was a GROUP policy. So there's not enough information here . . .
Answered by mbrcatz
4-Health Insurance For Part-Time Employees?
Asked by kelly j
Best Answer
I understand your frustration with finding cost-effective insurance that will cover pre-existing conditions. You have several options. You can have your husband ask his employer to add your family on to the group plan. He will be paying for the plan completely out of his paycheck, with no help from the employer. However, if he is on GROUP health, there are generally less hang-ups about pre-existing conditions with the insurance company, and the rates can be cheaper. The other option is - don't disclose everything!! Please, please see my site, http://www.health-insurance-low-cost.net, to learn how to navigate these treacherous waters, especially the page on "Medical History". Basically, you need to make decisions on how you will USE your insurance from now on, and decisions about disclosure, BEFORE you ever talk to an insurance company. When an insurance company asks you about pre-existing conditions, they are not so much wanting to know about your past, but trying to figure out what expenses they will be paying for in the future. You need to make decisions on how you will be using the insurance, then reflect that back to the insurance company. I know your frustration, I've lived it, and that's the whole reason I created my site. You CAN find a good policy if you do your homework (and yes, Blue Cross is too expensive, I've used them and dropped them). Best wishes!