Archive for November, 2007

Term Life Insurance Defined

Term life insurance is by far the simplest form of life insurance. Term life insurance is simply that, insurance for a term or specific period of time. It pays a benefit only if you die in the designated period of time. On the downside, it pays nothing if the policy expires before you die. It is often referred to as temporary life insurance.

Policies generally last for 5, 10, 15, 20, or 30 years. Many policies are convertible, which means that you have option of switching to a permanent life policy. The main advantage of a term life policy is that they generally have lower premiums. They are good for covering needs that may disappear in time, such as car or mortgage loans.

They also have some distinct drawbacks. Premiums generally increase with time. This means that you will be paying considerably more in your later years, when your need for protection is generally lower. Another factor to consider is that your coverage may expire at the end of your term, leaving you with nothing to show for your investment. You are essentially back at square one.

Insurance agents often recommend that customers switch term companies every couple years, in order to take advantage of promotional pricing. One should be mindful of doing this, as you will be subject to a new contestability period. A contestability period is normally two years. If you die during this period, the insurance company will likely review the statements you made on your application. If you have made any inaccurate or incomplete statements, the insurance company will likely refuse payment.

Life insurance is no laughing matter. When you are considering purchasing life insurance, please do some research first. Spend some time considering questions, and pose them to a trusted insurance broker. Be especially wary of purchasing insurance from a door to door salesman, as they are likely trying to sell term life insurance which may or may not suit your needs. After all, it is your hard earned money that is being spent. And it is the well being of your family that will be impacted by your decision.

Bill Mason is a retired insurance salesman, and is well versed in the ways of the industry. When he is not advising friends and family on the importance of insurance, he writes freelance articles for insuranceguide101.com - an independent insurance guide dedicated to helping you understand insurance, with information about cheap auto insurance, insurance for your boat, term insurance and more.

[tags]insurance, life, term[/tags]



Whole Life Insurance

Mankind lives by hopehope for a better tomorrow, for a better standard of life and for a better future for his or her legacy and dependents. Individuals strive and toil to realize a future where the children and dependents are happy even after he or she is gone. But the only permanent thing in nature is change. Nature, in its change, brings tragedies like death to an individual level through diseases or strikes at society through calamities such as hurricane and earthquake. Insurance as a social weapon helps to combat these problems.

Insurance is the collective pooling of individuals to mitigate the risks against calamities such as diseases and nature’s wrath. It is an innovative form of risk mitigation strategy that provides financial independence to the dependents during times of disaster.There are several types of insurance that provide coverage against any type of risks to both life and inanimate objects such as buildings and inventories. Life insurance provides coverage against death. Initially, life insurance companies provide coverage for a limited period of time, during which if the insured dies, the death benefit is usually given to the dependents, called beneficiaries. But if the insured doesn’t die during the period, he incurs a financial loss, as there is no possibility of getting the death benefit or recovering the premiums.

Whole life insurance circumvents this problem by providing a death benefit, no matter when the insured dies. The concept of whole life insurance becomes significant when one ages, bringing more responsibilities such as raising children, providing for their education and providing for retirement. Whole life insurance has a cash component, “cash value,” which is treated as a savings account within the policy. This can be used for temporary expenditures such as buying a home. This cash value provides income by investment in government-designated bonds.

There are advantages and disadvantages to whole life insurance. But it certainly provides relief and independence by way of assured benefits.

Whole Life Insurance provides detailed information on Whole Life Insurance, Whole Life Insurance Quotes, Whole Life Insurance Policies, Term Vs Whole Life Insurance and more. Whole Life Insurance is affiliated with Instant Whole Life Insurance Quotes.

[tags]Whole Life Insurance, Whole Life Insurance Quotes, Whole Life Insurance Policies, Term Vs Whole Life[/tags]



About Employment Insurance

It has often been said that bad things can happen to you even without your cooperation. That can also be said about jobs and careers. Shortage of available work, mass lay-off and retrenchments, reorganizations and mergers, in today fast pace anything can happen. When it comes, the experience can be devastating for many, made worse when savings are not enough, debts are high and payments are in arrears.

Being prepared is always the best way to cushion the effects of loosing income. Having insurance employment makes you continue to enjoy the benefits of income. Employment insurance can aid you on receiving maternity, sickness compassionate care services, provide support for a member of the family who is ill, caring for an infant, even fishing benefits and many more.

To apply for an employment insurance all you have to do is submit an application online. Employment insurance is paid even when the applicant will receive money when unemployed.

When applying for an employment insurance a “Record of Employment” will be required from you that you will have to get from your last employer or a proof of employment like pay slips, pay stubs and certification.

Other documents that you will need when you apply for an Insurance Employment will include:

Social insurance Number. If your SIN number starts with a 9, that means that you are an immigrant and will need to also supply your immigration status and work permit. You will have to supply a record of employment covering the past 52 weeks When claiming for medical and sickness benefit, a medical certificate will have to be furnished. When applying in person, prepare your driver’s license, passport or a birth certificate. Furnish also complete bank information.

Checks or voided checks from your current personal account will be required, as payments will be made direct to that account. When applying for parental benefits, the Social Insurance number of the other parent will be required.

If you are applying for compassionate care benefit, a medical certificate has to be supplied. You will also have to provide your version of the facts surrounding the cause of your unemployment. Together with this is a statement of the total salary before deductions, including commissions and other income benefits, the total amount that you will receive including severance pay, vacation pay, pension etc.

Do not delay when applying for an employment insurance, delaying the application beyond four weeks can cause penalties or loss of benefits.

If you receive financial assistance form the social services while waiting to get the Insurance employment claims, you will have to reimburse the amount out of your employment insurance benefit.

If you are indisposed and can not apply for your employment insurance, an appointment representative can be assigned to do the application on your behalf,

After you have applied for your employment insurance, you will receive in your mail a benefit statement including an access code and the date for your first report. Having an access code does not yet mean that your claim has already been decided on. Together with this will be an instruction on how to complete your report.

If you have filed your report with all the required information satisfied, you will start receiving your employment insurance benefits 28 days after the filing.

Robert Thatcher is a freelance publisher based in Cupertino, California. He publishes articles and reports in various ezines and provides employment insurance resources on http://www.your-employment-insurance.info.

[tags]employment insurance[/tags]



Sisters Are Insuring Themselves Finance is the New Feminism

According to a study by LifeSearch, the number of women in the UK buying life insurance in the UK has doubled over the last six years. As women are increasingly closing the gender related pay gap and even becoming the main breadwinners in a household, they are also becoming more vigilant about their finances and less financially dependent on their partners.

Linda Tyson, a policy advisor for LifeSearch stated that the increase was attributed to the “growing awareness of the importance of protecting the financial stability of the family. More and more women are either the main or only breadwinner and are realising the importance of protecting their incomes.”

An additional advantage for women is upon applying for cover, they pay less in premiums than men, which is additional money to save, invest or spend on holiday with the girls. This reduction in premiums is based on the fact that women live an additional seven years longer than men. Insurance companies deem men a greater insurance risk when it comes to life insurance. In general, a woman pays 25% to 35% less than a man.

The most cost effective way to buy life insurance is term cover, which allows for a lump sum to be paid out over a given period upon the death of the policy holder. The lump sum will protect the partner or family and the extent of the cover will vary on how much the policy holder wishes to invest and length of time over which they wish to invest it.

Alternatively, there is the option of whole-of-life insurance, in which case a lump sum will be paid out upon the death of the policy holder - whenever that happens. Given that the payout is guaranteed, the premiums for this type of life insurance are much higher, although women still pay less than men.

Websites such as moneynet provide an easy method for women to review different life insurance policies, the risks and associated costs and given that the ratio of male to female web users is almost 50:50, it’s not surprising that women have the web (and their finances) under their thumb.

Resources

Channel 4 Money
Moneynet Life Insurance
Women and life insurance

About Rachel:

Rachel is a straight talking little lady who lives in the Scottish hills. She survives on a diet of Irn Bru and haggis, which allows her to see wild animals in the night and roast them with her fiery breath. Rachel also writes for the personal finance blog Cashzilla: a wee bit of banter on finance related issues.

E-mail: rachel@positiveinterest.com
Phone: 0131 561 2251

[tags]Life insurance, life assurance, personal finance, family finance, life insurance women[/tags]



The Four Chief Types of Life Insurance

Life insurance, at its core, is a means to protect the financial security of one’s survivors. It is generally thought of as a way to provide income replacement for a wage earner’s survivors in the event of death. Life insurance is purchased from an insurer by making regular payments of premiums during the life of the insured. Upon the death of the insured, designated beneficiaries receive a financial benefit.

Although all life insurance policies maintain those consistent characteristics, there are different means to achieving the same end. Four distinct types of life insurance have been developed and are in common usage.

Term Life Insurance

Term life insurance is probably the most basic form of life insurance. Term insurance is purchased for a specific period of time (the term). The length of the term can vary considerably. There are term policies that are effective for well over twenty years, whereas some only involve a one-year term. A regular premium is paid throughout the term. If the insured dies at any point during the term, the designated beneficiary receives the death benefit. If one survives the term, however, there is no payout and the policy simply ends.

Whole Life Insurance

Whole life insurance has a long history and maintains great popularity. The cost of premiums is guaranteed for the entire time the policy in place. As premiums are paid, the insured accumulates a cash value for the policy, with the insurer determining the interest rate applied to that cash value. One may either “cash out” their whole life policy, or maintain it so that benefits are paid to survivors upon the policyholder’s death. Whole life insurance policies were long “the norm” in the insurance industry.

Universal Life Insurance

Universal Life Insurance is considered a more flexible approach to life insurance. The required regular premium amount can vary as long as the policy has a cash value in excess of the policy’s costs. The insured can alter the policy’s future payout while the policy remains in force, making it a flexible insurance solution for those who may have more complicated or rapidly-changing needs than can be addressed with term or whole life solutions.

Variable Universal Life Insurance

Variable Universal Life Insurance takes the flexibility of universal life coverage and adds to it by providing investment choices. The policy’s cash value is not based simply on an interest rate determined by the insurer. Instead, the policy’s value is based upon the performance of various investments. The insured allocates his premiums among a series of investment options with a variable universal life insurance policy.

Although all insurance policies do share common characteristics, the four different types of insurance policies have some marked differences. Each type of insurance policy has advantages and limitations. For some, a simple term policy will more than suffice to meet their life insurance needs. Others may benefit considerably from a more full-featured insurance policy that includes an investment component and the ability to alter the nature of benefits and the premium.

Evan C Davis works in Medicare customer service, and is the webmaster and owner of Instant Health Insurance. Find health insurance quotes online at http://www.find-health-insurance-online.com.

[tags]life, insurance, term life, whole life, variable life,universal life[/tags]



Life Insurance - Some Reasons Why You May Need It

A couple of weeks ago I was sitting with an agent (insurance, stock and mutual funds) for investing some money into mutual funds/stocks. He asked me regarding life insurance. “I already have one and I am not interested in another one”, that’s exactly what I said. Though mutual funds and stock does give you profits he said to me, first take care of your security and then go for profits. Insurance will take care of that - Security First.
The next day while coming to the office an incident happened that made me ask some questions about insurance.

1. Do I really need insurance and that too a life insurance?

As long as I don’t have any one depending on me I don’t need insurance. However, if you are married and have children and their financial status is going to be affected by your absence. You would need life insurance. Even, if you don’t have any children now you may need life insurance. Probably, your parents might be depending on you for their financial needs. Therefore, depending on the load and the number of your dependents you have, the more life insurance you need.

2. How much life insurance will I need ? How to assess life insurance needs?

This will vary from individual to individual. It will depend on whether you are married,have one or more kids,future expenses,loans,mortgage,education and wedding expenses for children etc. By weighing these and other factors, you can calculate your life insurance needs. As a rule, you will need a life insurance coverage of at least 7 years of your current annual income.

Every person’s situation is different. Your financial situation may look the same as your friend in the office next to you, your needs are different. Calculating how much life insurance you need shouldn’t be a guessing game. You can make a calculated assessment of your needs and your loved ones dependent on you.

3.Should I purchase life insurance on my spouse?

Yes, if your spouse works. You should have a separate life insurance policy. Financial problems can be averted if you spouse is working and you have life insurance to cover. To make up for your spouse’s contributions to the family a life insurance may still be required even if spouse is not working.

Major factor in getting life insurance is your dependents. Some points you could think of:

What lifestyle you want your family to have when you are not around?

What would happen to your spouse who is not working and not having any income?

Any debts,loans,credit cards you want to pay off?

Any special needs, especially health?

Educational expenses for your children?

Parents, who become financially dependent to you?

These are some areas where you will feel the need to have a life insurance. You can start thinking of life insurance if you feel one or more of the above situations apply for you.

Cheriyan Thankachen

http://educatedminds.blogspot.com

[tags]insurance, life insurance, reasons for life insurance, why life insurance, how much life insurance[/tags]



Renters Insurance Quotes

Purchasing a renter’s insurance policy is of paramount importance as this covers damage and destruction of the tenant’s personal assets and valuables. In most cases, the policy charges are minimal as compared to homeowners insurance. However, this does not imply that a tenant should invest in the first quote he receives.

Tenants should be aware that quotes received are not completely accurate. These estimates only allow tenants to understand how the system works and may at times be helpful in providing an approximation of costs. After the verification process, the actual insurance rates are always more costly than estimates.

An effective method to receive competitive and economic quotes is to allow several insurance companies to compete with each other. Providing an insurance policy is a profitable business. Hence, all companies go the extra mile to acquire a new client. All companies provide online renter’s insurance quotes. A tenant may also obtain quotes by talking to a customer care representative or a local insurance agent.

While applying for a quote, there are certain details that are required. A tenant will have to provide his physical address and contact number. Details of the size, construction year, major renovation years and value of the property is also asked for. Other enquiries relate to existing property accessories, which include major electrical appliances, and furniture.

Tenants have to furnish details regarding fireplaces and pets and have detailed documentation of individual possessions. Depending upon the number of valuables and location of the house, i.e., whether the house is in a high crime location, quotes will vary. It is also important for a tenant to understand that quotes will differ depending upon the type of accommodation. A single apartment, connected unit apartments and single-family homes will provide different renters’ insurance quotes.

Renters Insurance provides detailed information on Renters Insurance, Renters Insurance Quotes, Home Renters Insurance, Renters Insurance Rate and more. Renters Insurance is affiliated with Rental Property Insurance.

[tags]Renters Insurance Quotes[/tags]



Avoid Paying Car Or Motorhome Rental Excess Reduction Insurance While In New Zealand

The “excess” is the amount of money you lose if any accident takes place.
The “bond” is the amount of money (usually kept on a credit card slip or taken off your credit card and returned to you once the vehicle is brought back in the same condition it was rental to you in) that the rental company holds in case any accident takes place.
Usually both amounts are the same.

New Zealand roads are mainly two way single lane roads with a few good scenic areas at the end of dusty loose gravel roads.
The loose gravel can cause stone chips, windscreens often get chipped which you are liable for. Any damage done on gravel roads are also often not covered by the car rental company insurance, which is another reason to have good travel insurance.

If you have a good travel insurance cover, you do not have to take any excess/bond wavier insurance at New Zealand vehicle rental companies. If you can afford to leave a large bond it may save you a lot of money to do so. Most rental companies charge from $9 to $50 per day to reduce your liability in an accident down to as low as $0.

The car rental company may have a cheap daily hire rate but there excess/bond reduction can be excessive. If your travel insurance covers any rental loses, this excess charge will not worry you.

This will mean that on a longer hire you will save a lot of money knowing that your insurance will cover any loss of excess/bond from an accident while on your vacation

You can find international rental car insurance cover from

1.Your travel insurance company
2.Your vehicle or property insurance company at home
3.Your automobile association cover
4.Your personal insurance
5.Your credit card, (usually gold) to pay for the whole car rental.

There are many conditions in each policy, limits, excess liabilities, and many exceptions. It is possible to save a lot of money with a bit of research.

The key to this is to make sure that your travel insurance company covers full or any loss of bond if any accident takes place with a rental vehicle.

http://www.newzealandatoz.com
New Zealand AtoZ provides useful New Zealand information to travelers, including a full list of all New Zealand car, motorhome and campervan rental companies along with their daily hire rates.
Your complete guide to New Zealand.

[tags]car, camper, van, motor, home, bond, excess, new, zealand, vehicle[/tags]



General Contractor Liability Insurance

Normally, it is difficult for general contractors to work without general insurance. General contractor liability insurance is intended to guard operators and owners of companies from claims that may come from a broad spectrum of sources. These exposures could be just about anything, including liability engendered by accidents from the operations of the insured party, contractual liability, products manufactured by the insured party, etc.

The liability you select, whether it is one, two, or three million dollars, determines the cost of general contractor liability insurance. Also factored into the rates the rates are the kind of work undertaken, gross receipts and total payroll expenses. Similar to auto insurance, when it comes to general contractor liability insurance, you will first have to make a down payment and then follow it up with installments. Before buying general contractor liability insurance, it is best to compare the quotes available in the market.

It is the general contractor’s job to make sure that the people working under him are covered by an insurance policy. If for example, a person who is not a part of the project gets injured, the injured person’s lawyer can target just about anyone involved in the project. The more individuals that are involved, the greater the chances of a successful lawsuit.

The General Contractor will have to make sure that all his subcontractors have general liability insurance. If they have the necessary insurance the liability exposure, and the insurance rate, is distinctly reduced. Generally, the subcontractor is not considered an employee; he is an independent worker. So, the contractor is not liable for his subcontractor’s mistakes. Still, a lawyer worth his salt can find ways to charge anybody working on the project with negligence. Thus, liability insurance for everyone becomes imperative.

Liability Insurance provides detailed information on Liability Insurance, General Liability Insurance, Professional Liability Insurance, Pollution Liability Insurance and more. Liability Insurance is affiliated with Short Term Disability Insurance.

[tags]Liability Insurance, General Liability Insurance, Professional Liability Insurance, Pollution Liabil[/tags]



Best Insurance Company Ratings - The Basics of Health, Auto and Life

Knowing the best insurance company ratings is integral to buying the best possible policies to cover your health, auto and life. It’s not always the cheapest rate that will garner the best policy. Of course we’d all like to spend less money on the necessities of life and more on the fun things but attention needs to be given to the qualifications of the companies and the adequacy of the coverage being supplied.

What Do Rating Companies Look For?

There are three major companies or services that are in the business of rating insurance companies. Independent rating agencies, these financial analysts make sure that the insuring company is financially sound and will be able to reliably meet its obligations when claims are filed. The rating process measures each company’s overall strengths, evaluating ability to pay dividends, meet liabilities and, acting in the role of prophet, projects the company’s future business prospects.

1. A.M. Best Company

Is the best known and most widely recognized of these rating companies. Publishing over fifty information products to do with insurance companies and the insurance industry they are experts in their field. An insurance company deserving of a A++ from A.M. Best Company has shown superior performance and “has a very strong ability to meet its obligations to policyholders over a long period of time. Their grading system covers the gamut of possibilities rounding out with an F which signifies that the company in question has been placed under an order of liquidation by the courts.

2. Standard and Poor’s

Is a well recognized name with a reputation inspiring confidence in its judgments. S & P ranks the claim-paying abilities of over 300 insurance organizations worldwide in addition to its other more widely recognized data monitoring. They grant a superior company, one able to reliably meet its financial obligations the rating of AAA. Their lowest form of rating is an R and warns the consumer that the company in question is under regulatory action.

3. Moody’s or Moody’s Ratings

Began ranking the economic viability of financial various institutions in 1909. They do not deem a company to be superior but their highest vote of confidence in the form of an Aaa is given to that insurer who they find displays exceptional financial security. C is the lowest rating given and denotes a company that displays poor changes of financial security.

Dean Iggo is the webmaster of http://www.best-free-insurance-quotes-online.com a website helping you quickly and easily find the best
free insurance quotes tailored to your needs with our free hints, tips, resources and reviews.

[tags]best insurance company ratings,rating,companies,health,auto,life[/tags]