Wednesday, 15 June 2011

What Is Insurance and Why Do You Need It?

In this day and age, it is essentially a requirement to have insurance on all aspects of your life. If something in your life is not protected by some form of insurance, then you are basically submitting your life to Murphy 's Law and something negative will happen to it. Insurance is a wise decision as most people cannot afford to replace the items that they have insurance on. With insurance, you will have the piece of mind that your belongings will be protected or replaced in the event that something terrible happens to them or they get stolen. Many things in life are out of your control, however you have the ability to protect what is most important to you by having insurance.

There are numerous types of insurance; although the most common types of insurance are those that cover one's vehicles. These vehicles can range from a motorcycle to a car or truck to an RV. Whatever the vehicle is that you want coverage on, you must be sure that you are completely knowledgeable about the different types of coverage that are out there. Most insurance policies will come with some sort of a deductible in case of an accident. Insurance companies require that you pay a deductible of anywhere from two hundred and fifty dollars to one thousand dollars or more so that they know you are not trying to file a false claim just to get the insurance company to pay you for something that did not happen.

Insurance companies that offer health or life insurance are essential in the protection of one's health and livelihood in the event of an illness. Health insurance companies have long been regarded as the bad guys of the insurance world. However, if you shop around, you will more than likely find that they are simply trying to protect themselves from fraud in many instances. Life insurance is generally seen as something that is only for those who are wealthy. The companies that provide life insurance require a monthly payment from someone who is paying into a life insurance policy in the event of their death to support their loved ones. In some instances, someone may take out a life insurance policy on a relative in the event of their untimely death. This policy is often used to cover funeral costs and other expenses.

Overall, insurance may not seem like an expense that you will want to have to pay every month. However, you must think about what dire circumstances you would be in if you did not have insurance. Insurance can save your life, your livelihood and the livelihoods of those you hold dear.

What Is Life Insurance And How Does Life Insurance Work?

People see life insurance advertisements all around them, but they may wonder to themselves "What is life insurance?" This insurance has two basic types: term life and whole life. Most of the ads are for term life insurance, which is an insurance policy that a person contributes to for a specified period and is paid out to beneficiaries when the person dies.

Whole life insurance, though, is more comprehensive. It covers death benefits, but it is designed to cover the insured person for his whole life, however long that may be. The death benefit is intended to appreciate in value as the policy ages, because the policy is combined with a set investment in the stock market. The goal is that the investment will do well, causing the policy to become more valuable over time.

Most people purchase life insurance as a way of providing financial security to their loved ones after their death. In general, the policies are less inexpensive when the insured person is under the age of 50. As the person gets older and the likelihood that he will become sick increases, insurance companies begin to charge more to provide insurance.

So, how does this type of insurance work? Individuals who apply for life insurance provide information about their overall health and life habits, including their diet, exercise routines, and employment. The insurance company then assesses their probable lifespan based on these criteria. Some unhealthy habits such as smoking or excessive drinking may prevent a person from being insured at all.

Once the person's lifespan is determined, the insurance company sets a monthly premium to be paid to keep the insurance policy current. Before agreeing to the terms of the contract, the insured person also selects a beneficiary, a person or an organization that will receive the proceeds at his death. The insured party then pays the premium each month for the length of the policy, either a set term or the rest of his life.

If a person selects term insurance, he will have to go through the application process all over again when the term expires. The potential danger is that the insured person will have aged or contracted a serious illness by that time, which could disqualify him from receiving a second policy. To avoid this situation, many people begin shopping for life insurance early in their lives and begin with a 30-year term policy.

Another consideration for insurance policyholders is making sure that their death benefit is substantial enough to cover expenses they will leave behind. Each insurance policy explains the payout amount before requiring a person to agree to the contract. Insured persons should have enough life insurance to pay for their loved ones' housing, childcare, and transportation costs.

Affordable Health Insurance Plans - Find Great Coverage For Cheap - Personal And Family

Today it's more important than ever to be up, on what's going on in the healthcare and insurance industries. Especially, if you are needing to keep coverage on your family or yourself as an individual.
Affordable health insurance plans are becoming harder and harder to find. With all the loop-holes in coverage, how do you really know what you're getting?

To have a complete understanding of health insurance plans, and if they really are affordable, we need to look to see how each individual plan handles physical exams, special care by a specialist, emergency care, prescription drugs, dental and vision.

All these put together make up the total cost of the plan. So just because one company advertises that they are the cheapest, usually doesn't mean that they have the best coverage. They make up for it by either charging you on the front or back end.
Here is what I mean...
A good plan usually does not carry co-payments of any type and you can visit any doctor in your area. Basically, the more freedom the better...

Both group and individual health insurance plans, have these. But over 80% of plans that have the complete gambit and are considered affordable, would be in the group insurance category.

Another key aspect in making sure you are getting good coverage for the price, is the quality of care you can expect to receive. A lot of plans, will limit to where you can go, and many of these places are considered to be the fast-food of health facilities.

Filled with doctors and nurses who are trained to get you in and out fast. So they can collect more payments on a daily basis. Remember, hospitals and health care facilities are businesses, usually ran by a board of directors. All of whom are their to pull a profit, not just to help their fellow man.

Does that mean they are bad people, of course not. They are providing a very special service that helps humanity.
An easy way to find out if you are getting a good deal and adequate care, is by asking if the insurance company can provide you with a report card that includes surveyed results from patients who have used the facilities.

Finding high quality and affordable health insurance plans for yourself or your family, should not be a timing chore. Just do your research and use the internet to sort and sift through quotes, till you find whats best for you.

Wanting an affordable health insurance plan? We'll save you countless hours and frustration by comparing the top providers for you. Thousands of people every month trust us for their health care needs....

Top Air Ambulance and Medical Insurance Tips

When it comes to getting medical insurance and looking at your options for an air ambulance, most people deal with it at the last moment. That's to be expected, especially considering these services are typically needed during emergency situations. But taking the time out to research what's available can save you a lot of money and ensure that you are prepared in the worst case scenario. So here are some air ambulance and medical insurance tips that can help you.

For medical insurance, you want to make a list of what's important to you. Think about what you would need from a coverage plan and talk to different companies to see what they can do for you. From there, narrow down your choices and go with the company that is most likely to satisfy your needs.
You want to compare as many different companies as possible. The rates really vary from company to company and you could save a lot of money by choosing the right one. You also want to compare different plans and see which plans make sense for you financially.
Medical flight services are sometimes - but not always - part of medical coverage plans. So you will need to see if your medical insurance company covers air ambulance services. If not, ask your provider how much more it would cost in order to add it to the plan. Before making a final decision on which medical insurance to go with, you want to know about your air ambulance options.
You also will need to do research on medevac and air evac companies. You want to find a company that is located near major cities or airports. Remember that air ambulances are not only needed in time of emergencies, but can also be used if you're expected to travel large distances for medical procedures that you know about in advance. You want to make sure that they can get to you as fast as possible when your situation calls for it.

Not all air ambulances are the same. You want to look at different things. Check if the company has a fully staffed intensive care unit ready. You want to make sure that there are medical specialists on board. Some air medical providers only are for transport and do not have the expertise to care for the patient during transport.
Finally, check if you can be provided with a medical flight card. This card will cover you when you are on vacation. Depending on the terms, the card covers you hundreds of miles from your home and can provide you with an air ambulance in emergencies outside of your area.

So those are some of the top air ambulance and medical insurance tips you can use to choose the right provider and save as much money as possible. The key is to take your time and do your research. This will allow you to compare providers and find out which ones can deliver. Again, you may want to use a broker to help you find the right company as it can be quite difficult to sift through all the providers.
Denise K. Wayne has more than 10 years of hands on experience as a critical care nurse. She received her BSN degree from UNM and has worked in a variety of individual patient settings and as an air ambulance flight nurse. She is the published author of "Depression in the Geriatric Patient". Individuals needing to fly a loved one or use an air ambulance service can get personalized assistance at her site.