Posts Tagged ‘Personal Finance’

Uncertainty & The Importance of Insurance

Monday, May 23rd, 2011

Insurance is a necessary and private thing. It speaks to our knowledge as well as our conscience. Having insurance says that we know we need protection from whatever comes – up to and including death. The key is having the right kind of insurance policy that will cover you for things you may not always be thinking about.

For example, when the twin towers were hit in 2001, who knew that that was going to happen? Many thousands of people either lost their lives or were maimed and torn from family, and friends. To say it was a sad day, would be an understatement. What it was was one of the worst days in American history.

It challenged us all to take another look at our families, and how they would survive without us. It sparked many to purchase medical and life insurance for the first time. In doing so, they were acknowledging that any thing could happen at any given time – some things just can’t be predicted.

Unfortunately, insurance doesn’t come with an item that covers acts of war in the wording. What they do cover are accidents, and illnesses that may come up. Having a life insurance policy is more for those we may leave behind than for ourselves. Certain things have to be taken care of like funeral arrangements, internment, a grave site ceremony, hospital bills, and other things that need to be taken care of. Insurance policies can take he weight off of those we love.

Certainly we don’t think about these things on an everyday basis, that’s why it is important when the subject does come up to buy into a good life insurance policy. Whether it’s a 10, 20, or 30 year plan is irrelevant; the thing is to start right now. Some people have a certain amount of their paycheck going directly into a fund that pays the premium on their policies. This is a smart move precisely because we don’t think about what could happen, every day.

Policies have exclusions attached to them as well, and it’s a good idea to go over your policy in its entirety with the insurance agent, before signing off on it. Have your questions ready and ask them. Be as clear as you can about what you are paying for and leaving behind. Make sure that the policy covers what you want it to cover; make sure that the family is aware of the coverage and know where the policy is kept. Being as prepared as you can takes at least some of the weight off of your loved ones.

Although no insurance policy covers specifically acts of war as it is written, having one in place is still the way to go. And since no one can predict what might happen in the future, it’s prudent to have it to at least be prepared as much as you can for the inevitable. One might ask how much is enough? Make sure there is enough coverage for large, outstanding bills like kids tuition, household expenses, mortgage, or car payments.

Getting the cheapest auto insurance quote is possible with the help of insurance comparison sites. Getting the cheapest auto insurance quotes is possible through Kanetix.

Car Insurance War Is Over In Germany

Monday, May 23rd, 2011

It seems like the long war between car insurance companies in Germany is finally at an end. No longer will the price wars continue, and although prices are still far below the higher 20 billion euro market world ($28.57 billion) that exists in rest of the insurance world, German insurance companies still need to be profitable. At least that is the opinion, as stated last Tuesday by the large German insurer HUK Corburg. For now, the price lowering seems to have stopped, said Wolfgang Weiler, chief executive for HUK Coburg, when attending the insurance annual results news conference.

HUK is one of the leading car insurance companies in Germany, and in continual competition with Allianz, Germany’s other biggest insurer. Weiler suggested that the goals of HUK were to offer a fair price while making a profit by saying: “we still aim to offer the most competitive policies, even if we do have to raise prices to meet insurance standards.”

Insurance companies like Allianz, Generali, and AXA, up until now have been competing with the not-for-profit mutual insurers like HUK. Insurance premiums in Germany have been drifting downward for years, reaching levels not seen since the 1980s, but this is not as good a news as it would seem. This causes insurance company profit losses and ultimately, is not good for the economy. As expected many car insurance companies in Germany continued to lose money through last year. It is estimated that costs and claims totaled 170 percent of all the premiums sold. However HUK was not experience the loss since the late 1990s until last year when the combined ratio rose to 102.3 percent. Still other German insurance companies have seen immense losses.

Chief executive Weiler blamed this loss on higher damage claims due to excessive cold weather in 2010, but he expects profitability to improve in 2011. Although he did not specify how these higher profits were to be obtained. He continued to explain that there was already a decline in damage claims for the first quarter of this year.

He seemed optimistic in the fact that HUK increased its insurance policy sales by 90,000 by the end of last year, totaling 8.77 million policy holders.

Premiums have already gone up since last year, rising by as much as 3.3 percent which is much higher than the overall market gain of just 0.6 percent. HUK and other German car insurance companies expect to see premiums rise even further this year. However this rise in premiums is still lower than that in other European coutries where premiums have risen by 11.5% or more.

HUK believes that the solution is to reach a happy medium, raising premiums so insurance companies can make a profit, but not so much as to substantially hurt the consumer either. So while insurance premiums in Germany must rise, the objective is to keep the amount they rise to a minimum. Only time will tell what the future brings for the German insurance market, but it is worth watching the new policy implementations, and the effects these may have on the German consumer.

Don’t stop after the first few car insurance quotes Ontario, get as many as you can. Getting multiple auto insurance quotes over the Internet is easy if you’re connected to a broker.

Touring Caravan Insurance: How to Find the Right Policy Coverage

Thursday, May 19th, 2011

When looking for touring caravan insurance it is important to use some common sense, or risk finding yourself out of pocket. In the UK, the law doesn’t insist that owners must specifically have insurance for their touring caravan, but it is nonetheless a very good idea to be covered. A shocking fact is that each year in the United Kingdom there are over 3,000 caravans stolen. What I hope to achieve here is enable you to make sensible choices to ensure you are properly covered in the event that you have to claim.

There are two primary elements to finding the right insurance for your touring caravan, coverage and price. Buying the cheapest available could prove to be false economy, as you may not be covered to adequate levels and/or some important elements may not be included. Once you know what you need covered, you should make sure you search around for the cheapest suitable policy.

The best tip to saving money when buying touring caravan insurance is to use the internet. It is far easier to find the information you need when you are next looking for insurance by going online. There are a whole host of companies on the web ready to provide you with a wide choice of policies.

An obvious piece of common sense is to make sure you shop around for your policy, otherwise you are likely not to be paying the best price. If you don’t get prices from multiple insurers you are unlikely to be paying the lowest price that you could. You should be aware there are several different components to a touring caravan insurance policy, and as mentioned earlier, you should know what you need from each of these.

There are 2 main types of coverage, ‘market value’ and ‘new for old’, deciding which you want is one of the main choices. If you take out a ‘market value’ policy, and need to replace it you will be reimbursed to the amount that it would cost you to buy an equivalent caravan. This is often the only choice of policy available to owners of caravans older than about 5 years. If you have a ‘new for old’ policy and need to replace it, it will be replaced with a brand new caravan of the same (or equivalent) range.

Continental insurance cover is another element of a policy, one for which you should be clear on your needs. If you take your caravan abroad you will want to make sure it is included in your policy, and also that it covers you for the length of time you are going to be away. You should check how long this coverage is for as it varies widely from one policy to another.

You should be aware that there are things that will not be covered by a touring caravan insurance policy. You will find that jewellery is excluded among a variety of things – electronic devices being another – so you should have a look at your household insurance to see if that covers it. Anything that falls outside the coverage of your caravan and household insurance will need to be insured elsewhere if you feel it is needed.

An eventuality that should be considered is the question of alternative accommodation in the event that your caravan was to become uninhabitable whilst you were away in it. Many policies do include such protection, but you need to make sure that you are adequately protected should it become necessary.

When buying touring caravan insurance there are a number of ways of reducing the premiums. If you join a caravan club you will find that the insurers will reduce the amount they charge to insure the caravan. Things like axle locking devices, alarms and tracking devices, which provide added security are the other main way of reducing the cost.

With a little thought and research caravan owners can make sure they get suitable cover at the best available price. Alternatively, if no effort is made, it easy to end up paying too much for a policy that just doesn’t fit the needs of the owner. Finding the right touring caravan insurance at the right price takes a little time and effort, but brings with it peace of mind.

As a founder of touring caravan insurance website Caravan Insurance Cover, Carl Way regularly provides valuable information about touring caravan insurance online.

Buying Caravan Insurance Online: The Right Way to Get the Right Policy Coverage

Thursday, May 19th, 2011

There are a number of very good reasons that caravan owners want to be looking to find their caravan insurance online. Owners using the internet already will vouch for the fact that the enormous amount of easily available information is a great help when it comes round to buying a new policy. If you look around, you will see there are numerous reputable insurance companies with websites ready to provide you with your caravan insurance.

Caravan insurers put up guides on their websites that help you to find out what their policies cover and don’t cover, and how their policies are different from each other. It is a self-evident truth that being aware of what a policy consists of is a vital part of making sure you get the correct policy. Do you take your caravan to the continent? This is just one of the types of questions you need to know. However this is just one of the benefits that comes from using the web to search for insurance for your caravan.

The most common reason many caravan owners purchase their insurance online is simply that of cost, as most of the insurance companies offer online discounts. As well as this, the internet enables you to easily compare the prices of competing policies, so potentially saving even more money. The way to find the cheapest insurance is without a doubt to use the internet to compare between the policies and prices on offer from each of the providers. To try to achieve the same cost savings using the telephone alone would take forever.

More than just insurance information, the internet provides all sorts of other information that can be very useful to caravan owners. All sorts of useful information, from consumer reviews of caravan goods and camp sites, to tips on the best way to make your caravan more secure is available. The web is also an excellent place to look when buying a caravan, whether it’s new or second-hand, as there are many dealers online.

Investing in a suitable caravan insurance policy is important, because there are over three thousand stolen in the UK every year. Going without insurance could prove extremely expensive in the unfortunate event that your caravan is broken into or stolen. To make sure you are getting precisely what you need at the best price, you want to be buying your caravan insurance online.

It is very important for owners of caravans to make sure they have a suitable level of cover from their insurance. People often don’t appreciate just how much value there is in the contents of their caravans, and should take care to make sure they calculate this amount realistically. Your car insurance policy will cover your caravan when it is in transit, but affords no cover once the caravan is on site.

As a founder of caravan insurance online website Caravan Insurance Cover, Carl Way regularly provides valuable information about online caravan insurance.

Insurance Rates up 30% Rewrite

Tuesday, May 17th, 2011

Over the past year, the average premium prices for car insurance in the United Kingdom have increased by an average of 30%. Many UK motorists are wondering why there have been such steep increases in the past two years.

The data suggests that the amounts of insurance company losses has increased every year for the past 15 years. Insurance companies were routinely paying out more in claims than they were taking in from premium costs. With a rising stock market, companies were operating at a profit based on the power of investments in the stock market. Operating at a loss on underwriting means a shift is coming in premium prices, which is one part of why they are surging in the UK.

Another component is the amount of insurance fraud that has been found in the system. Fraudulent claims have been paid out at a higher rate in the UK than in the US during the past 15 years. These losses also need to be adjusted into the premiums of other drivers to break even. As more fraud continues to hit the UK market, premiums will continue to climb until better procedures are put into place to limit fraudulent claims.

The market downturn in 2008 reduced investments insurance companies had in the stock market. These market losses have reduced the equity in the companies, making it harder to provide payouts to drivers when they file a claim. As such, these costs have also been passed on to the drivers in the UK market.

Uninsured drivers are another major force in the raising of prices of motor insurance in the UK. With an estimated 1 in 20 cars in the UK being operated by an uninsured motorist, the cost of accidents continues to increase, leading to more expenditures for the automotive insurance industry.

Many people suggest that the insurance companies are padding their pockets with increased premiums. This is not true, as they have been operating at said loss. The amount of losses over the past 15 years should have been met by increases in premiums during this time that never materialized.

The increase over the past two years has been a major correction in the market. If the increases in operating losses had been addressed over time, the pinch might not have been as noticeable to the motorists. Since it comes at a time of surging fuel prices, it can feel like a double punch coming from owning and operating a vehicle.

With a strong stock market, a reduction in fraudulent claims and fewer uninsured motors on the road, insurance prices in the UK may begin to stabilize or even return to the lower levels motorists are used to. If not, and the trend continues, more motorist may begin driving without insurance, leading to further losses and price increases for the motorist insurance carriers in the United Kingdom. Looking ahead towards the remainder of 2011 and into 2012, car insurance rates are expected to continue to rise for UK drivers.

If a company has several expensive claims, you can expect their insurance quotes to also move in that direction. Let’s hunt down the best car insurance deal together and see if we can save you money!

Is Insurance A Mere “Subject Matter Of Solicitation”?

Tuesday, May 17th, 2011

So much needs to be done to make the insurance business more credible. For starters, IRDA needs to set up a fund to protect its policyholders. Insurance companies should take responsibility and settle claims for their customers promptly.

At the ending of the ads that you see on tv for the insurance companies like Allstate and Geico, you can see the phrase; “insurance is a subject matter of solicitation.” What does that even mean? Basically, the insurance has to be asked for by the customer, not sold to a customer. Is this true in real life? Perhaps only in the case of motor insurance where we actually do ask for insurance, because without it you can’t even register your vehicle, and it is illegal to drive without it. You need at least a third-party policy. So if you are a law abiding citizen, please get some insurance for your car!

There are two basic areas of interest for choosing your insurance: the credibility of the insurance and the record of prompt settlement of insurance claims.

First, you need to make sure that the company is credible. Research them to the tee, making sure that it is safe to rely on what they say, and that you can get your money back when you do need your insurance for that accident you got in. A few years ago, I don’t think I would be asking these questions at all. With the opening of private insurance companies, you are suddenly bombarded with a billion companies in the private sector, providing both life and general insurance. Competition is increased within the sector and you are left baffled at which to choose. It makes it ten times harder to choose a safe company that will stay true to its word and will not sink beneath you.

How does the Insurance Regulatory Development Authority (IRDA) play into all of this? The guidelines they set for all of the of the insurance companies and to protect the interests of the policyholders. Can they really be trusted though? Will they really honor you and the commitments that your insurance company made? With past experience, I would so I am not too inspired, so I am trying to find a way out of this.

Secondly, you don’t really need to worry that your insurance company is going to take forever to file your claim. The faster the better. You don’t need to pay that 8K for the person you rear-ended, that’s the job for you Allstate. I sometimes feel like the insurance company enjoys delaying my claim. What possible reason could they have for that, while I struggle with paying the bills and become mentally drained for something I shouldn’t even worry about. However, what kind of insurance company exclaims the fact that they are slow at filing claims? Be careful and actually research. Ask people and get ratings for the company, the customers won’t lie.

The two steps to choosing the right insurance company might place a heavy burden on the companies for the short term, but they do need to develop trust and confidence for their customers. This will help create a healthy market and more satisfied customers, and keeping with their motto: “insurance is a subject matter of solicitation.”

It perhaps isn’t a big surprise to you that insurance quotes have gotten more expensive over the years. Some websites like GIQ.ca will help you find more insurance rates than an insurance agent could do.

Changes in Health Law: Does it influence health insurance

Tuesday, May 17th, 2011

Millions of people have benefited from changes in health laws during health reform era. Among the prominent changes in the health law, the ability of individuals aged less than 26 years to rejoin health plans of their parent’s health care plan. With these changes in health laws, several options have opened up while at the same time requiring wise evaluation of different health insurance choices. Following are some of the considerations in selection of a health insurance.

-Discover available choices For a graduate aged 26 or lower there are three good means of availing health insurance coverage. One may choose to go with his or her parent’s plans, be covered under employers insurance, or choose to buy a health insurance policy an individual policy.

-Take you current health conditions in consideration Drop the idea of individual health plan should you suffer from chronic health conditions such as asthma, diabetes, a heart condition, or bipolar disorder. Moreover, personal or individual health policies are underwritten individually. What it implies is that an individual policy is good to have at young age. Needless to mention, with chronic medical conditions the individual health insurance could be prohibitively expensive. Under certain circumstance, especially for individual under medications or requiring regular medications, its availability itself could be uncertain.

Group insurance coverage or employer’s health insurance has a specific disadvantage. In case of an employer’s insurance usually, regardless of your health consideration, the premium paid is same across the group. Conversely, if you have a health condition, group insurance could be a great deal. Hence, younger individual with good health should choose to have individual plan as the cost of owning an individual health plan is likely to be lesser.

-Not All Health Insurance Plans Are Same It is very important to know that each health insurance plan is different. While some plans provide sweeping coverage, and some small co-payments, there are other plans that may impose conditions or require higher upfront payments. Hence, it is essential to keep a tab on different available plans in the market. The cost of health insurance generally depends on a few factors including premiums, cost of prescriptions, co-payments, deductible, and if policy under consideration covers all kinds of health conditions.

-Evaluate Different Options It is essential that you carefully evaluate different health insurance options. Sometimes it is a good idea to create a grid-based comparison of different insurance plans. Creating a grid can help you compare different insurance plans based of parameters. It is a good idea to consider factors such as premiums, prescriptions, co-payments, deductibles, and estimated cost of services not covered under the insurance. However, this is not an exhaustive list. If you are not sure of methods of estimation use your best guess.

While it may not be possible for you think of all the parameters at once this exercise will surely help you know different important aspect that you would otherwise have not thought of. Moreover, with this exercise you are sure to make a wise decision.

It perhaps isn’t a big surprise to you that insurance quotes have gotten more expensive over the years. Where an insurance agent only represents one single company, a comparison shopping site connects you to many more.

Learning about the Types of Life Insurance Available Today

Tuesday, May 17th, 2011

Life insurance is something that we worry about constantly, especially when we have family and are afraid to leave them behind unprotected. Life insurance allows them to pay for the funeral expenses and to take care of themselves.

Centuries ago, the Romans got together in burial clubs where they took care of burials and the needs of the members families when they passed. This is where the concept of life insurance was invented; today things are very different from those in Rome but the basic concept stands, the protection of those we leave behind and our property. It is easy to determine the type of insurance you need for you and your family once you understand them and apply them to the available budget.

Term insurance is probably the simplest of all. When you contract the policy you chose how much insurance you want for a specific number of years. Depending on the amount and the number of years that you will be covered then the premium or amount you will pay every moth is calculated. You will pay this amount every month until the time is up, if you die before that time is up, your family will get the whole amount you contracted, if you don’t then you can withdraw that money and open a new policy or whatever you want. It is like leasing a car, when the lease is finished you turn in the car and get a new one. You will get the same amount of money you put into it if the time frame expires, no interests or cash value is accumulated.

Another option insurance companies have for you is a whole life insurance policy. It is much the same as the term insurance, with a set premium and life span but its cash value does increase with the years. It is also possible to borrow money from the policy and you will receive it tax free. It is optional to pay it back but if you do not, the death benefits for your family will decrease. It is better to use it as a source of finance for emergencies and pay it right back to keep the benefits complete. These whole life insurance policies do have a term like the others do. They will expire when you reach one hundred years old. There will be no cash return or interest in this case either but you will receive the full amount you contracted for you to use as you please.

Last but not least we have the latest product insurance companies have to offer. It is the Universal Insurance Policy, which provides the greatest and most flexible insurance options. The first characteristic of this new product is that you can choose the amount of insurance you need the premium you want to pay and the benefits you would like. This in itself is a novelty and many people are taking advantage of it. This policy does not only protect your loved ones when you die but it also protects them from the IRS, insurance policy proceeds are income-tax free.

Universal insurance pays interests to you and your loved ones. Yes there is an established percentage which the insurance company will pay you for as long as the insurance policy is open. When the interest rate is set they will also guarantee a steady income that will not drop below a set point which is agreed upon by you and the insurance company. This interest rate will probably depend on the amount of insurance you buy and the time you have bought it for. The cash value growth that your policy will have is tax-deferred according to federal tax laws.

All three types of insurance have their benefits, what is important though is that you make sure that your family and loved ones are taken care of after you have passed. In difficult emotional times, it is a relief not to have to think about expenses and other money issues. Prepare for the future and save your family the sorrow and pain.

Trying to get lower insurance quotes is a constant struggle that many people have to deal with. You can get a much better rate from comparison shopping than you can from an insurance agent.

Getting Insurance For Rental Cars

Tuesday, May 17th, 2011

In St. Louis, Missouri, Shunta Johnson recently got in an accident where she was rammed by a vehicle. It was later found out to be the possession of a car rental service. However, her insurance company would not pay for part of her amount of compensation or cover any cost due to the fact that the vehicle was uninsured and therefore deductibles do not apply. The car rental agency was Aboard Rent a Car and the man behind the wheels was Willie Boone. Prior to the accident, Boone had signed up for a collision damage waiver.

Willie Boone had given the information regarding the collision damage waiver so Shunta Johnson will be able to relay this to her insurance provider. After waiting for a few weeks, Johnson’s insurance company broke out the unfortunate news that she is left alone to face the expenses for the damages. According to the agent who made the phone call, Aboard Rent A Car is a rental agency without insurance. Johnson is left to repair her Lexus which was wrecked after the accident while Boone says that he does not hold an insurance to compensate for the damage. In other words, Johnson will cover the whole amount of deductibles herself.

A collision damage waiver is a form of document showing the agreement between two parties in this case the renter and the rental agency regarding the disclaimer for the driver’s responsibility once any vehicular accidents occur as a return for a fee paid. This is usually required with most rental agencies or included with the fees but may be declined as well to rely on credit card coverage. It may be able to offer deductibles of up to $1000 as a minimum when paid for. However, a prerequisite is that the rental agency itself is insured for the insurance company of the other party involved in the accident to allow the deductibles.

This was not the case with Johnson and Boone’s encounter. Aboard Rent a Car was not able to present proof of insurance to Geico which was Johnson’s insurance company. Therefore, Geico could not process the deductibles for the client and the victim of this accident. Had it been granted, an amount of $500 will be the deductible covered by the supposed policy holder. Geico cannot cover their part on the rest of the damages as deductibles have to be paid for first. To date, Geico is still pursuing Aboard Rent a Car for their client’s behalf.

News 4 is on the tail for investigating this isolated event. However, media was interfered by Aboard Rent A Car. The reporter and photographer were immediately and aggressively shouted to leave the premises before any interviews were even conducted. Even through phone contact, the owner of Aboard Rent A Car was not welcoming any questions and was being redirected to the company’s lawyer. Even after following their instructions, the legal professional would not provide any leads or explanation as no messages left were ever responded to. However, more investigation is to follow as Aboard Rent A Car clearly went against the law not only instated in Missouri but in the whole country regarding the requirement of all rental vehicles to have insurance.

Recently, it’s been getting harder and harder to get cheaper car insurance quotes in Canada. Not all auto insurance companies are the same either, be sure to find one that treats you well.

Why Insurance Prices Keep Increasing

Tuesday, May 17th, 2011

This insurance article is going to talk about how people are reading the insurance industry wrong. They think that they have it figured out. They believe that insurance rests itself year after year and thus, believe that they’ll make money by letting that happen. The thing is, in the past three years, insurance rates have only doubled. People who had this plan three years ago are now kicking themselves.

For perspective, that thirty-three percent growth is the difference between one thousand dollars and one thousand and three hundred dollars. It hurts when it is laid out like that.

One in every four motorists thinks that insurance rates are mostly stable. The thing with an insurance agency is that they’re not like a cable company or any kind of other business. They pay for accidents and other unforeseen things. They’re not here to provide you with a good time; they’re here in case something went horribly wrong. Insurance companies don’t have loyalty rewards.

This is not something that is likely to change.

A loyalty rewards system is unlikely to be instituted and the rising insurance rates are not likely to stop. As long as things keep getting more expensive, so will insurance rates. As repair costs for vehicles grow, claims also become more expensive. Courts have also been thankfully forced to be gender neutral when it comes to insurance rates, at least till 2012.

People end up staying with the same insurer because they don’t bother reading everything. Most of the time they stay because they think that going from one company to another will be a heinous hassle. The rest believe that there’s nothing to be gained by actually looking at other insurance companies – this part is particularly absurd.

Doing nothing seems like a good idea and Brits aren’t to blame for that thinking. Loyalty rewards are all the rage as companies around the world struggle to make sure that they don’t lose their customers during the economic crisis. This kind of thinking has been so ingrained in the people that they begin to think that it is generally a good idea to stick to one thing.

It is not unlike the Japanese way of thinking. From childhood, they are culturally inclined towards loyalty. They have a unique word for their group or friends circle, “nakama”, a group that they are absolutely loyal to. The English language does not have a true equivalent of this word. When they grow up and start working, their mentality is one of company loyalty. The first company they join is often the last.

This kind of thinking is starting to bleed into western societies, though not necessarily because of cultural transposition. It is starting to come into its own because companies realize how valuable that concept is. Unfortunately, that doesn’t quite apply to insurance companies. They don’t care how loyal you are, only how risky you are. If there is anything you should take away from this blog post for insurance article, it is that insurance companies are interested in the bottom line – nothing else.

It’s possible to get cheaper insurance quotes by comparing more than one single insurance provider. You can get a much better rate from comparison shopping than you can from an insurance agent.