Most of us know the value of good insurance, whether it’s life, home, auto or health. Medicare is now offering insurance coverage for prescription medicines to help seniors and disabled persons with the cost of their medicines.

Those who join a drug plan will pay a monthly premium (just as they do now for their Medicare doctor visits), pay a part of the cost of their prescription medicines and may have a deductible, depending on the plan they join. But unlike some types of insurance, people with Medicare cannot be turned down for prescription drug coverage.

On average, people with Medicare spend over $2,800 per year on prescription medicines, more than $1,500 of which they currently pay out of their own pockets. With the new Medicare coverage, the money that an individual will spend out of pocket is expected to drop to about $850.

Even those seniors who currently take few medicines and spend little money will have the security of knowing they’re protected for future prescription drug needs. This coverage is important because health care needs generally increase with age-the chance of having more than one chronic health problem doubles by the time beneficiaries reach 80 years -as does the need for prescription medicines. About 85 percent of Medicare beneficiaries who are ages 65 to 74 use at least one prescription medication.

Health care needs are unpredictable and people with Medicare who don’t initially sign up will have to wait until the next calendar year even if their health care needs change. When they do sign up later they will pay more for the coverage because there is a penalty-a higher premium-for those who do not already have equivalent coverage. Paying higher premiums the longer you wait is the same way life insurance works.

The new Medicare prescription drug coverage provides access, protection and peace of mind, just like every other type of insurance.

There are so many life insurance companies out there to choose from nowadays that there are literally hundreds of different companies who offer life insurance. This is great as it gives people a variety and choice, and allows them to make a decision on the best possible supplier to meet their needs. However, there are some drawbacks to having a wide range and vast selection to choose from, that sometimes it can become intimidating and often overwhelming for an individual to be able to make a decision and pick one single life insurance company.

Monumental Life Insurance

Monumental Life Insurance is definitely one insurance company that should be considered as a leader in their market. The Company is a member of the AEGON Insurance Group, which is an international group that has a number of pension, insurance, and financial services organizations – and it also presently ranks as one of the largest insurance services groups throughout the globe.

Other than the Monumental Life Insurance Company, there are many other life insurance companies that one may choose from; it is important to be aware of all the options that are open to you before any decisions are made on any one particular company and policy.

Other Companies

Besides the Monumental Life Insurance Company, one of the best life insurance companies around is the London Life Insurance Company. They are a renowned world leader and provider of life and health insurance, as well as retirement and investment plans, and mortgages for your home – covering a lot of financial services products. The company offers a wide range of different financial products and services, and most help meet the needs of differing individuals throughout the world.

In terms of insurance, this organisation helps people plan on meeting their needs of the future, this can be establishing a career, or trying to start a business or family and London Life Insurance have a lot of different policies for individuals to choose from that ill be right or you.

By having the right life insurance cover and protection policy allows an individual person to feel whole lot safer and provides them with peace of mind, especially since they are aware that when they die they will become a financial burden on their family, by passing on all of the costs to their family and these not being covered by anything. However, by having one of these policies, their family will be given a lump sum from the life insurance policy towards paying the costs of the funeral and other expenses, this is relieving to all of those involved.

When you go about choosing life insurance cover, you should take this process with great sincerity; although there are many different good life insurance companies around, there are many other companies that are cowboys and the important thing here is that you are able to spot them from the rest. You will want to steer clear of these bad apples, and not enter into business with them. If you take your time and put effort into researching this process ad getting the best possible outcome – a great life insurance policy or plan that you are looking for – then you will have accomplished what many others have too.

If you have more than one car in your home then it can work out cheaper to take out multi car insurance. Car insurance can be confusing and there are limitations which are set out in the exclusions and it is essential that you read the small print of any policy you are interested in and let a specialist website search around on your behalf for the lowest premiums for your cover.

Specialist insurers will offer discounts when you are insuring more than one car if you take them both out together at the same time but just as when comparing premiums for single car insurance it is better if you let a specialist website search around on your behalf for the cheapest premiums. You can also benefit from a specialists’ advice by the FAQs and other information they will make available so you understand a policy and the options available.

The three main types of car insurance include fully comprehensive which offers the most cover but of course is the most expensive type of car insurance. Depending on the value of your car you might have to take to take out fully comprehensive, certainly if you buy a brand new car. Third party fire and theft can be taken cheaply but this of course doesn’t give you as much cover as fully comprehensive though it covers against having your car stolen or if destroyed or damaged by fire as well as covering any damage caused by you to a third party or their vehicle.

The cheapest form of motor insurance is third party only and this insurance will payout for damage to others but not your own car if you should cause an accident.

Once you have determined the type of insurance that you require then a specialist will be able to find you the cheapest quotes for multi car insurance and present them to you in the shortest time possible along with the vital information needed to ensure that you understand your policy.

Everyone knows that health insurance costs are at an all time high. With the cost of medical care also skyrocketing, people, especially those that are self-employed are desperate to find ways to save money on their health insurance. This can be a difficult task as most insurance companies are far from excited to offer coverage to the self-employed.

Your first step would be to shop around. Contact an agent that deals with many companies instead of contacting the companies directly. This will save you not only time but also some money in the process because an agent will not be paid unless he or she finds the insurance that is right for you and you agree to take it. Tell the agent exactly what you are looking for and how much you wish to spend on premiums, deductibles and so on. Remember, be specific! If you want to ensure that you are getting what you want then you need to give as many details as possible.

Once you have some offers in hand read the fine print. This is the number one mistake made by people when seeking health insurance. Sure, the policy looks grand on the surface but then once you are locked in you find that it is full of restrictions and extra fees. Insurance companies are in business to make money, not spend it. If it sounds too good to be true then it probably is.

Finally, do not agree to any policy until you have checked out all the offers that were made to you. More often than not, a higher premium policy is better in the end because it offers smaller deductibles, and fewer restrictions. You could find yourself paying less for a policy but then also getting a lot less in return. If the policy does not help you then it does not matter how small the premiums are.

If you have bought a brand new car it will of course be your pride and joy, as such you will want to make sure that is covered in the event of it being stolen or being in an accident or suffering malicious damage. If this is what you want then you have no option but to take out fully comprehensive car insurance, if you paid more than £5,000 for your new car then you will have no option but to take fully comprehensive anyway. Fully comprehensive is the dearest type of car insurance but new car insurance doesn’t have to cost the earth if you choose to buy it online.

There are many companies that only trade online and there are many specialist car insurance providers online that can offer you the cheapest premiums on new car insurance. However don’t go for the first company that you come across on your search, you should go for several quotes before making a decision on who to go with, insurance does vary vastly from company to company. Not only do the premiums vary but also the little extras that are thrown in to entice you when it comes to taking out new car insurance, it’s not unusual for companies to offer so many months free tax or to give you huge savings as a way of getting you to go with their company.

There are many factors that are taken into account when it comes to how much the premium will be for your new car insurance. One of the biggest is your age; if you are a younger driver but have the luxury of owning a new car then unfortunately the cost of the insurance can be very high even with making the best savings online. The size of the cars engine will also be taken into account when it comes to the premium and of course how many years no claims bonus is also taken into account.

Last month I had to drive down to London. I don’t like driving at the best of times but the rain, spray and heavy traffic on the M1 made conditions difficult. Radio 2 kept me company and the heater kept me warm. Then I hit that queue – six miles solid and I was soon an hour behind schedule.

They were still clearing up the accident when I got there. It was nasty. A lorry and what was left of two cars. Made me think, after all that could have been me. Yep, my life insurance is up to date and my Will was renewed only last month. The family would be well cared for and the mortgage repaid. Had I missed anything?

The business. What would happen to that? We have two directors, 7 employees, an overdraft and lots of insurance. Public Liability, professional indemnity, vehicles and stock are all insured. We even have legal protection insurance. Had I missed anything? I got to thinking.

Thank goodness it wasn’t George in that accident. A great guy and he’s been with us five years. He’s our top salesman. There again what if it had been my co-director who also owns 50% of the business? What would be the repercussions on the business?

Sales down, profits down, bank phoning all too politely to ask about the Directors guarantee on the overdraft. Then I’d have to try and buy his shares. I wouldn’t want someone else to get hold of those. At some stage I’d have to recruit someone of his calibre to continue the company going forward – that wouldn’t be easy! And recruiting top people doesn’t come cheap. That’s more time and more money. The personal problems …… the repercussions …….. the extra work ……… the extra stress ……..

Oh heck, I don’t want to think about it all. Quickly, switch over to Radio 1 .

Does all this ring alarm bells with you? 95.2% of UK businesses employ less than 10 people and these are precisely the organisations most at risk from the impact of severe illness or death of a key person. The risks of a key person being stuck down with a long term illness or death are real. 1 in 5 men suffer a critical illness before their normal retirement age. Then there’s the M1. The fact that it hasn’t happened so far might just mean your business has just been lucky.

Now to those actuarial boffins in insurance companies, risk and luck are flip sides of the same coin. And they can provide insurance cover for most risks. After all they too want to increase sales. But they’re scratching their heads about Keyman Insurance. Most of Britain’s 4.1million small businesses should have it but few do. What can it do? It can be structured to:

Provide an income stream to the company whilst the key person is incapacitated (compensation for the lost contribution from the Keyman)

Provide a lump sum to the business in the event of death (pay off the overdraft or simply bolster cash flow?)

Provide money for remaining shareholders to buy the shares from the original shareholder or their estate

You’ll need to talk to a Financial Adviser about these issues but they are all insurable. Can your business afford to take a risk it doesn’t need to?

Memo to myself – get Keyman Insurance!

In many states, it is mandatory to have insurance on your motorcycle. In addition to covering any loans on the bike, the insurance is designed to cover medical bills for personal injury as well as for collision costs. Even if motorcycle insurance isn’t mandatory in your state, it is still a good idea to have it. You never know when you may need it. Many people think motorcycle insurance is too expensive to have, but it is really affordable. There are some great tips to help you get the best possible rate.

If you haven’t taken a motorcycle safety course, you should. Not only will it help you become a better motorcycle rider, it will also help you earn a discount on your motorcycle insurance. This is because motorcycle companies feel an informed rider is less likely to make common mistakes or to indulge in reckless behaviors. If you currently have any kind of insurance on your home or other vehicles, that particular company will likely offer you a significant discount on insurance coverage for your motorcycle.

When comparing motorcycle insurance rates, make sure you are comparing apples against apples. This simply means you should only compare the cost once you have determined what the insurance covers. Ask for information about he dollar amount of coverage as well as the deductible amount. A deductible is the amount you will have to pay out of pocket for each claim filed before the insurance will pay the remainder.

If you are able to store your motorcycle inside a storage unit or garage, then do so. Most insurance companies will give you additional discounts for your motorcycle being in a secure location that reduces the chances of it getting hit, vandalized, stolen, or damaged by the natural elements. Many insurance companies will give you an added discount if you won’t be riding your motorcycle during severe winter months. This is a great option for those of you who live in colder parts of the world. However, keep this coverage in mind because you will likely be tempted to get that bike out when a warm spell appears for a few days during the winter months.

Keeping a clean driving record both in your motor vehicles and on your motorcycle will save you a great deal of money on your motorcycle insurance. Insurance companies love to reward those who have remained a low risk. They also want to keep your business. If you have paid your premiums on time for six months and have not have any claims or moving violations, then contact your insurance company and ask for them to review your policy for a lower price. Many insurance companies will automatically do this upon renewal of your policy, but if you have an annual policy then you should contact them after six months.

If you are just learning to ride a motorcycle but don’t have a valid motorcycle license yet, you may want to consider purchasing Learner Motorcycle Insurance. This is a great way to ensure you are covered in the event of an injury or accident. While this type of insurance is going to cost you more than basic motorcycle insurance, you can’t put a price tag on safety.

The internet is a great place to look for motorcycle insurance as well. Some insurance companies don’t offer motorcycle coverage while others specialize in it. The internet gives you a convenient place to enter your information once and then receive quotes by email from various insurance companies. This definitely reduces the amount of time you will spend on the process as well as allows you to easily compare rates.

Having motorcycle insurance is a good idea regardless of it being mandatory in your state or not. While operating any type of motor vehicle comes with a risk, you can help lower the financial risk involved in operating one by covering the cost of damages and medical expenses should you be involved in an accident.

Have you ever heard the term load and no load in the financial service industry? The loading of an insurance product usually always involves the agent’s commission and the company’s expenses. Some policies have what they call front end loads and back end loads. These loads are normally associated with permanent insurance policies. The cost of doing business is all wrapped up in the loading of a policy. No load term life insurance is probably the least expensive form of life insurance in the market. You often wonder what makes one company so much cheaper than the other and it usually has to do with the type of goods and services provided. Those goods and services are what make up the loading aspect of the life insurance policy. The no load term life insurance policy usually indicates that you are primarily purchasing direct from the insurance company and with little or no professional advice or opinion.

The life insurance professional is still very important to a great number of people. Buying life insurance direct from a company without an agent may be less expensive but it also may leave you wanting when it comes to professional counseling and service. Term life insurance is very simple and so the purchase of term life insurance may be something that you can handle on your own without a professional. These are individual choices and preferences that each of us must decide upon before we buy life insurance.

Term life insurance is inexpensive to begin with and so researching the market place for a no load product may or may not have a major affect on the premium. Ask about loading when you shop for term life insurance. You may be surprised at what you learn about the insurance companies and how they come up with their rates. It will also help you when you inevitably begin to shop for permanent life insurance.

Students are often portrayed as being lazy, indolent, or, perhaps most damningly of all: scruffy. But today’s students are often more active and involved than their parents, and they demand the rewards that come with this behaviour. Valuable pieces of equipment are de rigueur in many of the UK’s student halls; parents having lavished attention upon their offspring in the form of gifts, money and, increasingly, credit cards – cards immediately used to go out and purchase more shiny offerings.

In fact, the operation involved in conveying a freshly minted student to the halls of their choosing can take on a military bearing as their hi-fi, decks, television, and computers are loaded into and on top of the car chosen to risk the soon-to-be-familiar route to the student halls. This, of course, is not to mention the miniaturised electronics that go hand in hand with their larger brothers: the mp3 player and omnipresent mobile phone (fortunately these are, now, becoming one and the same) – all are essential student equipment.

It doesn’t stop at electrical goods either, as expensive clothing hits higher on the priority list of our average student – today’s student is, after all, on display for their sartorial elegance as much as for their intellectual prowess.

All of which begs the question: What if it all just…disappears?

Theft, as it always has, runs rife throughout the UK – a recent survey by the Home Office (http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk ) shows that there has been a 4% rise in robbery in April to June 2005 compared to the same period a year earlier, while UK crime figures have increased generally for the first time in six years. Apart from the figures, student insurance has become more of a priority as UK consumer society tightens its grip on another generation of students.

The task of insurance, however, usually falls to the parent. This has not gone unnoticed by the UK banking industry and, aside from the traditional insurance providers, the high street banks plus their myriad financial solution offshoots (see Barclays – http://www.barclays.co.uk for an example of the sheer range of products available), there are a growing number of new competitors to the insurance market. The icing on the cake is that even from within individual insurance services there are usually a number of differing insurance packages to choose from. Making the right choice from so many insurance packages can ease the financial burden of insuring your child through their student years.

It’s often a good idea to use an insurance provider databases service like Moneynet (http://www.moneynet.co.uk ) to check on the current rates and insurance packages available, if only because services such as these are constantly updated with the latest insurance or, indeed, banking, information. However, the next stage comes down to personal choice: do you want to extend your home insurance to cover student possessions away from home? Or perhaps you want a separate service from a provider catering specifically to the student insurance sector? Or, and this might be just a touch too far, do you want a service that your new student can monitor themselves, thus learning the importance of financial considerations to modern lifestyles?

Well, it’s risky, but the choice is yours.

Disclaimer

All information contained in this article is for general information purpose only and should not be construed as advice under the financial Services act 1986. You are strongly advised to take appropriate professional and legal advice before entering into any binding contracts.

Ever wonder how a lender decides whether to grant you credit?

For years, creditors have been using credit scoring systems to determine if you’d be a good risk for credit cards, auto loans, and mortgages. These days, many more types of businesses — including insurance companies and phone companies — are using credit scores to decide whether to approve you for a loan or service and on what terms. Auto and homeowners insurance companies are among the businesses that are using credit scores to help decide if you’d be a good risk for insurance. A higher credit score means you are likely less of a risk, and in turn, means you will be more likely to get credit or insurance — or pay less for it.

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the nation’s consumer protection agency, wants you to know how credit scoring works.

What is credit scoring?

Credit scoring is a system creditors use to help determine whether to give you credit. It also may be used to help decide the terms you are offered or the rate you will pay for the loan.

Information about you and your credit experiences, like your bill-paying history, the number and type of accounts you have, whether you pay your bills by the date they’re due, collection actions, outstanding debt, and the age of your accounts, is collected from your credit report. Using a statistical program, creditors compare this information to the loan repayment history of consumers with similar profiles. For example, a credit scoring system awards points for each factor that helps predict who is most likely to repay a debt.

A total number of points — a credit score — helps predict how creditworthy you are — how likely it is that you will repay a loan and make the payments when they’re due.
Some insurance companies also use credit report information, along with other factors, to help predict your likelihood of filing an insurance claim and the amount of the claim.

They may consider these factors when they decide whether to grant you insurance and the amount of the premium they charge. The credit scores that insurance companies use sometimes are called “insurance scores” or “credit-based insurance scores.”

Credit scores and credit reports

Your credit report is a key part of many credit scoring systems. That’s why it is critical to make sure your credit report is accurate. Federal law gives you the right to get a free copy of your credit reports from each of the three national consumer reporting companies once every 12 months.

The Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) also gives you the right to get your credit score from the national consumer reporting companies. Once per year you can get a copy for free. When you get your score, often you get information on how you can improve it.