Blog of BestWebsites.com.my

The Right Insurance
By:  Holly Brantley

Cape Girardeau, MO - With so many different types of insurance, how do you know you have what’s right for you? Here are some tips to save you time and money…and help you rest easier knowing your family is protected.

Financial Planner, Derieck Hodges, says having core types of insurance helps families make solid financial plans. “Once that’s done, you can breath easier.”

Hodges says the core types of insurance are: Auto, Home/Renter, Health, and Life. But, these aren’t the only coverage plans to consider. “Disability Insurance is often over looked,” said Hodges. But, if you need money to come in when you are sick, or hurt, disability insurance should cover that.

Hodges says it’s a good idea to have enough insurance to cover the big set backs that you can’t handle yourself. Meanwhile, keep enough cash reserves to take care of what you can handle. “Some people buy Towing Insurance,” said Hodges. “I think Towing Insurance is something most people could probably do without by saving some money. But, I think Earthquake Insurance is probably something people couldn’t handle themselves so that’s a good coverage to buy.”

Insurance is a big slice of the budget for most families, but there are ways to reduce the cost.

Hodges has these suggestions, “Look at deductibles on various insurance. Try to go with higher deductibles and handle smaller claims yourself. You’ll get a lower premium that way.”

To Keep Premiums low for your home it’s a good idea to have smoke detectors, fire extinguishers, and dead bolt locks. Keep your credit score high for the best rates.

For Car Insurance, consider higher deductibles on comprehensive and collision. Remember, safe drivers get lower rates.

Advisors recommend Earthquake and Tornado Insurance for folks in the Heartland. But, be sure to read the find print for details on where you can rebuild your home, and how much damage is covered.

Another tip, remember you’ll pay for your friends bad driver if he or she borrows your car and has a wreck.  

Source: www.kfvs12.com  04-07-2006

Tags: Auto insurance, Home insurance, Renter insurance, Health insurance, Life insurance, Disability Insurance, Towing Insurance, deductibles, smoke detectors, fire extinguishers, dead bolt locks, Car Insurance, Earthquake insurance, Tornado Insurance

For more resources, click here

Powered by Qumana

By Ginny McGrath

A website, www.ehic-card.com, is charging British holidaymakers £15 to obtain the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) that all Britons are entitled to for free.

The warning over the website selling EHICs has come from the Department of Health (DoH), which has received 35 complaints from the public, eight of whom said they have paid money to the site.

The ehic-card website clearly states that Britons can apply for the EHIC free-of-charge through the DoH, and at this stage the DoH can’t confirm whether the cards being issued by the site are authentic and it cannot prove that the site is acting illegally.

The DoH has been aware of the site since June 1, but it may have been operating before then. Despite the complaints, some people who have ordered EHICs through the site have received the cards. A spokesperson added: "The Department of Health is the only organisation that can provide a genuine EHIC." The DoH wants to make it clear to consumers that they can apply for an EHIC free of charge through the DoH official website, by calling 0845 6062030 or by picking up an application pack from the Post Office. EHICs were introduced in September 2005 and have replaced the E111 forms. They entitle Britons who fall ill while travelling within the EU to the same free or reduced-cost medical care received by citizens of that country, but are not an alternative to travel insurance. Around 20 million of the cards have been issued so far. Read our EHIC Q&A: Why we all need an EHIC

Source: www.travel.timesonline.co.uk  15-06-2006

For more resources, click here

Tags: health insurance

Powered by Qumana

Tom Chorneau, Chronicle Sacramento Bureau

(06-15) 04:00 PDT Sacramento — The state Legislature will almost certainly miss today’s midnight deadline for passing the state budget, largely because of new conflicts over plans to expand state health care benefits to children of illegal immigrants, officials said Wednesday.

With more than $7.5 billion in unanticipated tax income over the next two years, the state’s budget picture appeared rosy enough that most around the Capitol believed lawmakers would be able to approve the first on-time budget in 20 years.

But Assembly Speaker Fabian Núñez said negotiators have reached an impasse that will cause a delay of at least a few days. He noted that Republicans were unhappy with methods proposed by Democratic leaders for paying off some pending loans, but the GOP was most upset with a proposal to provide health care services to uninsured children — including undocumented immigrants.

"I don’t get that — these are children," said Núñez, D-Los Angeles. "I must say, I’m very disappointed in my Republican colleagues who are willing to use this as a sticking point to not getting a budget done."

Democratic leaders have proposed a spending plan that is very similar to Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s $130 billion budget he released in May.

Schwarzenegger proposed using about $3.2 billion to pay off debts and build reserves. He also promised schools an immediate $2.8 billion increase in funding with another $2.9 billion to be paid off over seven years.

Overall, Democrats said they want to spend a little less than Schwarzenegger and have a slightly bigger reserve. They also argue that their plan for paying debts would reduce the deficit by $240 million more than the governor’s plan by 2008-2009.

Not so, said Assembly Republican leader George Plescia of San Diego. He said the Democrats have found creative ways to increase spending that will cause debts to increase down the road.

"Our number-one priority is to pay down debts and reduce the deficits," said Plescia. "And we’ve been making great progress on it. But this year, with the bump in revenues, the Democrats are talking about new and expanding programs. We think it would be fiscally prudent to put more of those dollars into paying down the deficit."

Also at issue are plans to expand health coverage to all uninsured children, said Plescia. He said Republicans are concerned about the costs of the program as well as the philosophical concept of providing new services to people who entered the country illegally.

"It is a big problem for us," he said. "It needs to be out of the budget."

At issue is a plan to change enrollment requirements for the state’s Healthy Families program. The program provides low-cost health care, dental and vision insurance for children of families whose income is too high to qualify for the Medi-Cal program but below a threshold of about $44,000 annually.

Republicans said Democrats not only want to increase the income ceiling to families earning up to $53,000 per year but they also want to eliminate the requirement that only U.S. citizens or legal immigrants qualify.

"No one is opposed to them getting in line and doing it the way my grandparents did," said Plescia. "What we are opposed to is them getting to the front of the line."

Assemblyman John Laird, D-Santa Cruz, who has been pushing for the program expansions, said Republicans are being shortsighted because providing ongoing medical care will be less expensive than the care in emergency rooms that the state currently provides.

"An epidemic doesn’t make its way through a school, stopping at kids that are either documented or undocumented," he said. "We see it as a public health issue."

Laird noted that of the nearly 800,000 uninsured children that would be covered by the program expansion, only about 12 percent are not legal residents.

Although the two sides had plans to continue negotiations through today, Núñez said he would not put the budget up for a vote before the deadline unless there was an agreement. Both Núñez and Plescia said they still were optimistic about getting an accord before the end of the fiscal year on June 30.

The Legislature has not approved a budget by the June 15 constitutional deadline since 1986. Because there are no sanctions for missing the deadline, lawmakers typically have been far more concerned with getting an agreement before the end of the fiscal year.

E-mail Tom Chorneau at tchorneau@sfchronicle.com.

Source: www.sfgate.com  15-06-2006

For more resources, click here

Tags: health insurance

Powered by Qumana

- InsuranceNeighborhood.com Features Tools to Find ‘Best’ Plan and ‘Free’ Local Agent -

CALABASAS, Calif., June 7 /PRNewswire/ — Insurance Neighborhood, LLC, announced today the company has launched a new website to help California consumers navigate the complex world of individual health insurance. Through http://www.insuranceneighborhood.com/, consumers can quickly identify the best health plan for their particular needs and budget, and choose a reputable, local agent to counsel them — without adding to their monthly premium.

InsuranceNeighborhood.com enables consumers to compare rates and benefits, examine the physician and hospital networks, and apply for individual and family medical coverage from three of the state’s preeminent health plans: Blue Cross of California, Blue Shield of California and Health Net. Unlike first generation online health insurance agencies, Insurance Neighborhood also empowers consumers to find qualified, local agents who can serve as their advocates and help them get the most out of their insurance.

"Professional agents, with knowledge of the market dynamics in a community, are the most effective resource available to consumers seeking to understand their individual health insurance options," said Alan Katz, president and a co-founder of Insurance Neighborhood. "And working with an agent doesn’t increase the cost of coverage. That’s why Insurance Neighborhood delivers the best of both worlds: the convenience of the Internet and the service of a local agent — at the lowest price available."

Two signature features of InsuranceNeighborhood.com are QuoteAdvisor(SM), a revolutionary assessment tool that engages shoppers in four easy-to-use exercises to zero in on the right plan for their needs, and AgentLocator(SM), which allows consumers to research and select a local agent.

Agents who participate in the Insurance Neighborhood Agent Network have met the company’s demanding qualification requirements. Over 100 agents from throughout California signed-up for the Network prior to the launch of the site and are being added to Agent Locator as they are qualified. And the list is quickly expanding.

"Unlike sites that simply capture consumer information and sell their data to multiple agents, Insurance Neighborhood serves as a matchmaker — helping consumers connect with a single agent," added Katz. "And, even after a consumer has selected a local agent to work with, Insurance Neighborhood continues to be available as that consumer’s "online" agent."

About Insurance Neighborhood

Founded in 2005, Insurance Neighborhood LLC, employs state-of-the-art, online shopping tools and a proprietary needs assessment systems to provide California consumers with individual and family health plan comparisons, recommendations and information. The company’s mission is to help consumers find, understand and confidently choose the best health plan — and local agent — for their unique needs. As a result, consumers shopping on http://www.insuranceneighborhood.com/ enjoy the convenience of shopping online with the service of a professional agent — all at the lowest price available. Insurance Neighborhood is licensed with the California Department of Insurance as Insurance Neighborhood Insurance Agency LLC.

Contact: Alan Katz (818) 316-3199

DATASOURCE: Insurance Neighborhood, LLC

CONTACT: Alan Katz, +1-818-316-3199, for Insurance Neighborhood, LLC

Web site: http://www.insuranceneighborhood.com/

Source: www.orange.advfn.com

More resources at BestWebsites.com.my

Powered by Qumana