How much could you save on auto insurance?

Of all the monthly expenses we endure that have any chance of being reduced, auto insurance is right near the top of the list.

When it comes to auto insurance, a little comparison shopping could result in a savings of hundreds–and sometimes thousands–of dollars. 

Following these guidelines can help reduce your auto insurance bill.


First, it pays to shop around. Instead of settling for the first quote you receive, do some comparison shopping, inquiring with at least three different insurers to get the best price–keeping in mind that the company’s customer satisfaction ratings and its overall reputation also count for a lot.
If you increase your deductible, you could also save on your premiums. The more you increase your deductible, the greater the savings you could achieve on your premium.


If you have an older car, you may not need collision or comprehensive coverage. As a general rule, it doesn’t make sense to buy comprehensive and collision coverage for a car worth less than $1,000, according to the Insurance Information Institute (III). If you don’t have an old car and, in fact, are buying a new vehicle, keep in mind that certain types of cars cost far more to insure than others. There’s big difference between the lofty insurance premiums you’re likely to face with a slick sports car as compared to the significantly lower rate that a small sport-utility vehicle (SUV) would command.


It also pays to shop around for different discounts, such as low-mileage discounts if you work at home or have a very short daily commute; car safety discounts if your vehicle has air bags, anti-lock brakes or a car alarm; good student discounts; marriage discounts; and more.

A clean driving record free of accidents, moving violations and claims; and a good credit history are other factors bound to work in your favor in your quest for a low auto insurance premium.

source: smarterlifestyles.com

Slow-moving lava sets house ablaze in Hawaii town

HONOLULU — A stream of lava set a home on fire Monday in a rural Hawaii town that has been watching the slow-moving flow approach for months.

The molten rock hit the house just before noon, said Hawaii County Civil Defense Director Darryl Oliveira. The home’s renters already had left the residence in Pahoa, the largest town in Big Island’s isolated and mostly agricultural Puna district.

 

Earlier in the day, lava burned down a small corrugated steel storage shed on the property, Oliveira said.

The lava from Kilauea volcano emerged from a vent in June and entered Pahoa Oct. 26, when it crossed a country road at the edge of town. Since then, it has smothered part of a cemetery and burned down a garden shed. It also burned tires, some metal materials and mostly vegetation in its path.

Firefighters will basically let a structure burn, but they will fight any wildfires that spread or threaten other structures, Oliveira said.

The county estimates the value of the home at about $200,000, Oliveira said.

Oliveira said officials would make arrangements for homeowners to watch any homes burn as a means of closure and to document the destruction for insurance purposes.

The leading edge of the molten rock had stalled Oct. 30, but lava was breaking away at several spots upslope. The leading edge remained about 480 feet (150 meters) from Pahoa Village Road, the main street that goes through downtown.

Crews have been working on alternate routes to be used when lava hits a major highway in a lifeline for the Puna district.

Many residents have evacuated or are ready to leave if necessary.

Imelda Raras lives on the other end of Apaa Street from where the lava burned its first house.

She and her family have put a lot of their belongings in storage and are ready to go to a friend’s home if the lava gets close.

source: newsinfo.inquirer.net

NY Life Insurance aims to capture Fil-Am market in SF Bay Area

SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO—One of the leading life insurers in the United States is campaigning to become the preferred provider of life insurance to the Filipino-American community in the Bay Area.

Executives of New York Life Insurance Co. of Silicon Valley led by Corporate Vice President Hector D. Vilchis bared the firm’s plan in a media forum dubbed “Bayanihan at the Fort” held at the Fort McKinley restaurant in South San Francisco on Thursday, Oct. 24.
 


Filipino-American Julie Adams, NYLIC financial services professional, hosted the event, which explained the firm’s hopes of capturing the Filipino community market.

“Our vision is to be recognized as ‘the company of the (Filam) community,’” said Michelle Louie, senior associate for the women’s market. Louie explained the growing importance of the Filipino market.

California is home to 1.95 million Filipinos, followed by Hawaii, Illinois, New Jersey and New York—totaling 3.4 million in all.

Louie said that Santa Clara (16 percent) and San Francisco (14 percent) counties alone account for 30 percent of Fil-Ams in the region. “Most are educated with a median household income of $75,000 and 39 percent are bachelor’s degree holders,” Louie said. “We’re 168 years old, we have a diverse field force and we’re family-oriented. We’re in perfect alignment.”

In 2011, the insurance company paid out $7.6 billion in benefits and dividends despite the economic recession. In 1990 it nixed becoming a publicly traded company.

Victor Vuong, NY Life Silicon Valley managing partner, said the insurance company has the highest ratings for financial strength. We are recognized as one of the best in the world.”

Adams explained that through the spirit of “bayanihan” (mutual help), NY Life wants a more meaningful approach to the Fil-Am market that also helps to enrich the resources in the community.

“We want to leave a legacy to the future Filipino-American leaders and agents of the company, and the community as a whole. “

source: business.inquirer.net

Tips for Getting Life Insurance as a High Risk Patient

There are many factors that can label someone as a high risk patient in the eyes of an insurance company; age, health problems, occupation, lifestyle habits, etc. are a few common factors that can make it difficult, if not impossible, for individuals to get life insurance coverage. If you fall into any of these categories and are struggling to find affordable rates, don’t give up quite yet; here are few strategies you can use to improve your chances of finding a company that’s willing to work with you.

Compare Your Options 

This might sound extremely obvious, but the truth no insurance company operates exactly the same way. Some might be more willing to understand your situation than others, so try and find one who has experience specifically with what you’re concerned with. Whether it’s smoking cigarettes or dealing with diabetes, the internet has made it extremely easy to find information on agencies who have dealt with a variety of things, and most websites have a surplus of information that allows you to quickly see if it would work for you or not. Also, ask around. If you know smokers, ask them if and how they received coverage, or talk to patients who have a similar health issue as you. The more questions you ask and information you seek, the more likely you’ll be able to find what you’re looking for.

Understand There are Certain Things You Can Control

If your high-risk status comes from something that’s not an involuntary health issue, take charge and change the things you can; if you’re over/under weight, take some time to get yourself to a healthy level, or if you smoke, quit (most companies require you to be tobacco free for a year, but ask around) and then apply for coverage.

Similarly, think of other areas in your life that you have control over. If you engage in hobbies that wave a red flag, such as rock climbing, sky diving, etc., or if your current occupation poses a threat (pilots, construction workers, fisherman, etc.) weigh your options when it comes to making a change. If you love the industry you’re in but aren’t completely attached to your current position, consider moving to an administrative role. It all comes down to separating what you can control over what you can’t.

Show Stability and Responsibility 

Unfortunately, there are some health issues that can’t be easily controlled, but there are ways you can show an insurance agent the risks have been reduced. Medical documents and a statement from your doctor saying that your condition is stable can ease some companies into covering you. For example, if you’ve had cancer in the past but can prove you are now in remission, you’ll get coverage much easier. Even if you have an ongoing medical condition, such as diabetes, you can still show you have been responsible with your health. Taking your medication on time, following your doctor’s advice, and living a lifestyle that benefits your condition are all ways to show agencies that they’re you’re not suffering from any complications. A history of a stable condition will benefit your search for life insurance.

Speak with an Expert

If you’re feeling discouraged or overwhelmed with all the information and technicalities you read up on, don’t underestimate the power of reaching out to an expert in the industry. They can explain and elaborate on any information that seems conflicting or confusing, and they can also help you find the best and most affordable option for you. Most seasoned experts would already know what companies are worth reaching out to and which aren’t, so you could save time and energy searching around.

Consider Seeking Employment Benefits

If you have some solid skills or in-demand qualifications, consider transferring to a company that offers group life insurance. Just as it sounds, group life insurance is provided to a group of people, and because they are insuring the group instead of individual applicants, no medical history or exam is necessary. It generally provides less coverage than a personal policy, but it might be a good option to explore if your choices are limited.

Life insurance is an important tool that allows you to look out after your family’s finances if you were to pass away. If you’re older, in poor health, or currently practicing high-risk behaviors, it doesn’t mean the chance of getting coverage has passed. You might have to pay a bit more on premiums, but if you’re dedicated in your search and efforts, you should be able to find the best and most cost-effective choice for your situation. In the end, nothing is as valuable as helping ensure your family’s safe and happy future.

source: financialhighway.com

Do You Need to Be Fit to Apply For Life Insurance

Each life insurance provider has different requirements and different ways of evaluating the insurability of its applicants. While some providers will require medical and blood tests, others will just ask a series of questions over the phone to determine whether they will insure you or not.

When you apply for life insurance, the insurer will look at a number of factors to decide if you are insurable, and how much to charge in premiums if they decide to insure you.

Insurance is all about risk. The insurer wants to find out how much of a risk you are before they decide whether to insure you. In order to find out how much of a risk you are, most insurers will conduct a medical exam over the phone.


Different insurers will ask different questions, however, most will cover the following:

• Your age, gender, and marital status,
• Your height and weight,
• Your medical history,
• Your family’s medical history,
• How to contact your doctor,
• Your lifestyle habits, such as smoking, drinking, drug-taking, and exercise,
• Your income and occupation,
• Any dangerous hobbies,
• How much life insurance you want.

As for whether you have to be fit to apply for life insurance, it will really depend on the insurer. Most insurance providers will ask about your level of fitness, and may check that against your height and weight, your blood pressure and various other factors. If you are medically obese, it may mean you are a higher risk in the eyes of the insurer.



Once you have answered these questions, the insurance provider may then contact your doctor to obtain a copy of your medical records, and they may ask you to attend a clinic to check up on any answers you gave, or to undergo blood or urine tests.

However, many insurers offer life insurance without the need for a physical medical exam. While you may think this is the perfect way to sneak things past the insurer, it’s never a good idea to lie when applying for insurance.



It’s best to shop around & get quotes from different providers, for instance, you can visit Suncorp by clicking here and speak with an industry leading professional, who can help you make an educated decision.

If a life insurance provider finds out that you lied – or even held back certain information – on your application, any claims you make in the future could be denied.

Once the insurer has all the information they need, they will look at the numbers, evaluate your risk, and then let you know whether they will insure you, and if so, how much your premiums will be.

It’s worth remembering that different insurers have different guidelines on risk, and different ways of evaluating your application. If your application is denied with one insurer, spend some time researching other possibilities, and if you find a suitable provider, put in an application. You might find they can offer what another insurer cannot.

source: financialhighway.com

Insurance for College Students

College kids show up at school with a lot more than a big bag full of T-shirts and jeans. They also bring a slew of electronics—computers, printers, smart phones, iPads—that can be expensive to replace. Your homeowners insurance will generally cover students’ possessions if they live in a dorm, and it may provide coverage if they’re in an off-campus apartment, as long as their primary residence is still your home. The rules vary a lot by insurer; most require your child to be a full-time student and under age 24. 

Some insurers cap the coverage at college at 10% of the possessions limit on your homeowners policy. So if you have a $200,000 policy on your home with 50% of that amount, or $100,000, for contents, your kid’s coverage at college may be limited to $10,000. The liability limits are usually the same as for you (see Check Up on Your Home Insurance).

If your insurer doesn’t cover your child’s off-campus apartment, or if you’d like higher coverage limits, consider a renters insurance policy. That generally costs just $150 to $200 per year, says Melanie Loiselle-Mongeon, an independent agent in Pawtucket, R.I. If your kid has roommates (who aren’t related), each person needs to get a separate renters policy.

Car insurance. Contact your insurer if your kid goes to a college more than 100 miles away and doesn’t take a car. Your premiums can drop significantly (20% on average at Safeco, for example), but he or she will still have coverage when home for the summer or vacations. If your child takes a car to school, your insurance costs will rise or fall depending on the location.

Health coverage. Student health plans, which often cost hundreds of dollars each semester, may have exclusions and low coverage caps, or they may require you to get most health care through the student medical center. Children can usually be covered under their parents’ health insurance policy until age 26, so most families can rely on that insurance when their kid goes to college. (You may have to decline the college’s student coverage to avoid being charged.)

However, if you have insurance through a regional HMO with a small network of doctors and hospitals, coverage may be limited to emergency services if your student goes to college in another state. And even if your plan allows for out-of-network care, you’ll probably have to make much larger co-payments if the network doesn’t extend to the area where the college is located. Insurers with national plans, such as Cigna, typically have plenty of doctors and hospitals in-network around the country. “The best course of action is to request a summary of benefits for the new location,” says Kelly Brooke, of Cigna.

If no in-network providers are nearby, consider an individual health insurance policy. In most states, a healthy person in his or her early twenties can get coverage for $150 or less per month. You can get price quotes at eHealthInsurance.com or find out about local policies at HealthCare.gov.

By buying a high-deductible policy, you can keep premiums low and still have coverage for major emergencies (most plans must also provide some preventive-care benefits without co-payments or deductibles). If your child has a policy with a deductible of at least $1,200 and isn’t claimed as a dependent on your tax return, then he or she can make tax-deductible contributions to a health savings account that can grow tax-free for future medical expenses.

source: kiplinger.com

Feds hit Wells Fargo with mortgage-fraud suit

NEW YORK -- The U.S. attorney in Manhattan has accused Wells Fargo of defrauding a government-backed mortgage insurance program, in another major civil case brought in the wake of the housing bust and financial crisis.

The mortgage-fraud suit, filed by U.S. attorney Preet Bharara, seeks "hundreds of millions of dollars" in damages for claims the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development has paid for defaulted loans "wrongfully certified" by Wells Fargo.

The suit alleges the San Francisco banking giant falsely certified loans insured by the government's Federal Housing Administration.

“As the complaint alleges, yet another major bank has engaged in a longstanding and reckless trifecta of deficient training, deficient underwriting and deficient disclosure, all while relying on the convenient backstop of government insurance," Bharara said in a statement.

Adding "accelerant to a fire," Bharara said, was Wells Fargo's bonus system that rewarded employees based on the number of loans it approved.

The lawsuit alleges the bank failed to properly underwrite more than 100,000 loans it certified to be eligible for FHA insurance. When Wells Fargo discovered problems with the loans, it failed to notify HUD, which administers the FHA program, as required, the suit said. The action alleges more than 10 years of misconduct.

"The extremely poor quality of Wells Fargo's loans was a function of management’s nearly singular focus on increasing the volume of FHA originations -- and the bank’s profits -- rather than on the quality of the loans being originated," Bharara's office said in a statement.

Wells Fargo denied the lawsuit's allegations, saying it acted in good faith and in compliance with government regulations.

"Many of the issues in the lawsuit had been previously addressed with HUD," Wells Fargo said in an emailed statement. "Wells Fargo is the leading FHA lender and has acted as a prudent and responsible lender with FHA delinquency rates that have been as low as half the industry average. The Bank will present facts to vigorously defend itself against this action. Wells Fargo is proud of its long involvement in the FHA program, which has helped so many people obtain affordable mortgages and become homeowners."

The Wells Fargo case is the fifth such mortgage-fraud case against a major lender brought by Bharara's office.

Three of those cases settled this year: CitiMortgage Inc. for $158.3 million, Flagstar Bank F.S.B. for $132.8 million, and Deutsche Bank and MortgageIT for $202.3million. A lawsuit against Allied Home Mortgage Corp. is pending.

A separate mortgage-fraud task force led by the New York attorney general brought an unrelated lawsuit against JPMorgan Chase & Co. last week.

Wells Fargo stock fell on news of the lawsuit. The bank's share's lost 70 cents, or 2%, to $35.10 in Tuesday trading.

source: latimes.com

IRS: Agents will not be involved in tax audits, pursuing Americans without health insurance

The mandate in ObamaCare requiring Americans to buy health insurance is poised to go into full effect as a result of the recent Supreme Court ruling. But the IRS has no plans to get agents involved in enforcing the mandate – or at least not to the agency’s fullest extent.

A top IRS official says the agency does not plan to perform audits or penalize those who fail to buy the insurance.

President Obama’s law overhauling U.S. health care -- passed in 2010 and upheld by the high court this year -- charges most Americans a penalty if they fail to buy insurance starting in 2014.

“We will not use levies, liens or criminal prosecutions if taxpayers have unpaid amounts related to the individual-coverage provision,” Steven Miller, an IRS deputy commissioner, said Tuesday at a House Ways and Means subcommittee hearing. “There will not be revenue agents involved in this. These will not be audits.”

Miller also said the IRS will match what is reported on a tax return with the information reported by insurers. The agency will then follow up by letter with taxpayers “who appear to have overpaid, underpaid and/or were not eligible for an exemption.”

He made the statement before members of the Republican-controlled House, who, with other party members, have expressed concerns that the IRS will be filling its ranks to go after those who fail to buy the insurance.

Though the IRS will not garnish wages, the agency intends to send out notices informing Americans that they failed to purchase insurance and it could still dock tax returns.

The law states that Americans who fail to buy the insurance must pay the federal government either $95 or 1 percent of their taxable household income annual in the first year.

The relatively low penalty has sparked concern that Americans will opt to pay that cost instead of buying the insurance.

However, the penalty gradually increases to $695 a person by 2016, with the maximum amount being the greater of either $2,085 per household or 2.5 percent of the household’s income, according to the Congressional Research Service.

The Congressional Budget Office has projected that 3.9 million uninsured Americans – or 1.4 percent of the population -- will be subjected to the penalty payments in 2016.

Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney has said he wants to repeal the law, but has more recently suggested his version would keep the popular provisions of extending care to younger Americans and those with pre-existing conditions.

source: foxnews.com

10 Ways to Lower Your Insurance Rates

Most Americans spend more than ten percent of their income on insurance. If you are among them–or if you simply want to lower the insurance premiums for auto, home, health, or even life insurance–you may want to try one or more of the following rate-cutting strategies.

1. Comparison Shop. Staying with the same insurance provider or agent for a long period of time can have its benefits, but it is always smart to shop around. Every insurance provider offers different levels of coverage as well as varying premiums. It isn’t unusual to see price differences in the hundreds of dollars. Getting quotes from multiple companies or an agent who works with multiple insurers can help you get the coverage you need for the best price possible.

2. Increase Your Deductible. Raising your deductible is one of the easiest and surest ways to save money on insurance rates. If your current deductible is low–$100 to $200–you could save as much as 30 percent by raising the deductible to $1,000. Just make sure you keep at least the amount of the deductible on hand and readily available in case you need it.

3. Reduce Your Coverage. Reducing your coverage is another good way to lower your insurance rates. You may be carrying more home insurance, (you really only need to insure to rebuild as your land is probably not at risk), more auto coverage (your yearly premium should be less than you could get back on a claim), or more life insurance than you really need. Less coverage means that you will get less back when you make a claim, but it will also lead to significantly lower insurance rates.

4. Avoid Duplicate Coverage. Many people have more insurance coverage than they need because they have duplicate coverage. For example, if you have good health insurance, you may not need to carry additional health insurance coverage on your auto policy. The same is true if you have an exorbitant life insurance policy in addition to coverage on a mortgage loan, car loan, and other debts that you may leave behind for your family. Evaluate your needs carefully and make sure you are not covered for the same thing twice.

5. Combine Policies. Most insurance providers offer discounts to customers who insure two vehicles under the same policy. Customers who insure their home and their auto under the same policy are usually eligible for additional discounts as well.

6. Ask About Discounts. Discounts are available for a range of things. You may be able to get a discount based on your age, occupation, or lifestyle. Specific discounts to ask for include a senior discount, good student discount, safe driver discount, low-risk discount, and loyalty or renewal discount. Your insurance provider or agent may also be willing to provide you with a full list of potential discounts as well as information on how you can qualify.

7. Ask About Group Insurance. Groups, associations, or auto clubs that you are already a member of may offer discounts or group rates on various types of insurance coverage. You may also be able to receive group coverage from your employer. You can ask your insurance provider about current discounts. You may also be able to learn more by consulting your employee handbook or speaking with a group representative.

8. Lower Your Risk. Every insurance provider will analyze the risk of insuring you before providing a rate quote. You may be able to lower your rate considerably by lowering your risk. This might involve making your home more disaster proof, buying a car with safety features, or agreeing to participate in a wellness program. Talk to your insurance provider about the different things you can do to make yourself more insurable.

9. Improve Your Credit Rating.Your credit rating can affect both your auto and home insurance rates. If you improve your score, you might be able to lower your premium. You may also be able to achieve the same result by purchasing insurance through a provider that does not perform credit checks on new customers.

10. Quit Smoking. Tobacco use can increase the rates you pay on all four major types of insurance coverage: home, auto, health, and life. Quit smoking and you may see significant drops in your premiums.

Guest post from Bailey Harris, financial writer and Homeownersinsurance.org contributor.

source: financialhighway.com

5 Tips to Help Rebuild Credit Score

If you have ended up with bad credit score in the past few years then you are not alone. It can feel like a helpless situation but with time and a little effort you can reverse the situation and the best time to start is right now. Rebuilding your credit score won’t happen over night, it is a long process and requires patience and discipline. If you are looking to rebuild credit score these five simple ways on how to improve your credit score can help you stay on track.

1: Streamline Your Debts

If you have bad credit and are struggling to stay on top of things it can be easy for a bad situation to get worse. For example, if you have multiple credit cards and loan repayments each month it is easy to forget one and receive another dent in your credit rating, making it harder to rebuild credit score. Think about consolidating your credit cards and personal loans to reduce the number of repayments due each month and to reduce the interest rate. Set up an automatic payment to cover at least the minimum repayments each month to avoid damaging your credit score further and then make extra repayments from every pay check. If you do consolidate your debts then make sure you cancel any cards you consolidated rather than using them to extend your debt.

2: Create a Budget

Chances are you got into this situation by spending beyond your means. If you are spending more than you are bringing in then things will get worse and rebuilding credit will be impossible. Start by noting down your household income from wages as well as other sources such as share dividends or government benefits. Then think through all your outgoings such as rent or mortgage, utilities, cable, cell phone, groceries, automobile costs, travel, entertainment, clothes and so on. It can be hard to know exactly where you spend all your money when looking back at bank statements, especially if you spend a lot with cash. Try creating a spending diary for a couple of weeks or use a spending tracker app on your phone such as Toshl to get an understanding of where your money is going.

3: Change Your Habits

Now you know what you are spending money on, it is time to make some changes. You need to review your budget and find things you can cut out and reduce. For example, perhaps you can use free online services such as Hulu for on demand TV and cancel your cable subscription. Shop around for better deals on things you need to keep such as cell phone plans, car and home insurance, utilities as so on. Try looking for discount coupons for products you would use or switching to cheaper brands. If entertainment is an area you are spending up on then look for cheaper ways to do things such as eating in more, enjoying the great outdoors and so on.

One habit you will have to change is racking up debt. Take your credit cards out of your wallet and try shifting most of your spending to a debit card linked to your everyday bank account. This will force you to live within your means and avoid clocking up more credit.

4: Clean up Your Credit File

You’re now getting things in order and avoiding the risk of your credit getting worse. The next step to rebuild credit is to clean up your credit file. Request a copy of your credit file and look for any errors such as default or late payment notes which are not correct or unauthorized credit file enquiries. You may be able to request for mistakes to be removed which can speed up the path to financial recovery.

5: Rebuild Credit

The steps taken so far should be putting you in a good position to rebuild credit. Set up automatic payments for all your bills and loan repayments to ensure they always get paid on time. Creating a good repayment record will result in your credit score going up over time. While it may seem tempting to avoid all forms of credit this may not be the best option to restore your credit as the banks want to see repayment history. Safe options to help rebuild credit are secured credit cards or certain prepaid credit cards that rebuild credit. Secured credit cards work by securing the debt against money you deposit with the card issuer. You make repayments each month and the card issuer reports these on time payments on your credit report causing your score to rise over time.

Start your recovery

Getting into debt resulting in bad credit can be very stressful but it’s not a problem that will go away by ignoring it. Grab the issue by the horns and take control of it today. You should control your finances and not the other way around.

Article by Richard from credit card comparison website Secured Credit Cards 4U which compares credit cards to rebuild credit including secured credit cards and prepaid cards from leading US issuers.

source: financialhighway.com

Hire an Attorney - The Insurance Company Certainly Will

People who get into accidents are going to look to get the best possible medical treatment to help them recover from their accident. But there is still a stigma that exists which prevents many people from contacting personal injury lawyers after they have been in an accident. When you understand the vast amount of resources that attorneys offer, you will be more inclined to call on their services when you find yourself in trouble. It is not always an easy decision to get an attorney involved in your injury case. But when the case gets rolling, you will be very glad that you made that call.

Personal injury lawyers are concerned about your health and your financial well-being. Coincidentally, those just happen to be the two biggest concerns that accident victims have as well. Your attorney knows the challenges you may face with insurance companies and some government organizations. The circumstances of your accident will dictate what kinds of entities get involved, but the chances are very good that you have very little experience with any of them. The peace of mind an attorney offers by bringing his experience to the table in an injury case can help put you at ease and allow you to focus on your recovery.

When it is time to see the settlement from the negligent party's insurance company, most people are anxious to see what the insurance company offers. In most cases, the settlement offered by the insurance company is not enough to cover the property damage, lost wages and medical costs for the victim. That kind of settlement offer is unacceptable and it is the kind of offer that personal injury lawyers recommend you do not take. Bring an attorney into the mix and allow him to put together the case that will let the insurance company know that you are not going to stand for their offer.

In some cases, a personal injury can lead to having to take the insurance company to court just to get it to live up to its obligations. A victim never wants to take on an insurance company on his own. If you have been involved in an accident and you need to sue the insurance company, then you need the kind of help that only qualified personal injury lawyers can offer. Be sure to get an experienced professional on your side to get the kind of settlement that you need.

Bernard Walsh, a Personal Injury Lawyer from Accident law firm Shapiro Goldman Babboni and Walsh is a member of the Million Dollar Advocates Forum. The Million Dollar Advocates Forum are attorneys who have succeeded in cases including million dollar recoveries, settlements and verdicts

Article Source: http://www.ArticleBiz.com

Insurance market Lloyd's posts huge loss on catastrophes

LONDON — The Lloyd’s of London insurance market on Wednesday posted its second-biggest loss on record due to major natural catastrophes including Japan’s earthquake disaster and floods in Thailand.

The company made a pre-tax annual loss of £516 million ($822 million, 615 million euros) in 2011, Lloyd’s said in a results statement, as the group was hit by soaring claims. That compared with a profit of £2.195 billion in 2010.

“Lloyd’s incurred total net claims of £12.9 billion during 2011, including £4.6 billion of catastrophe claims, making it the largest catastrophe claims year on record for the 324-year-old insurance market,” the group said.

“This follows a series of major catastrophes including flooding in Australia in January, the second earthquake in New Zealand in February, the Japanese earthquake and tsunami in March and the floods in Thailand beginning in July.”

The group added that total claims for the entire insurance industry totalled $107 billion last year.

“Make no mistake, 2011 was a difficult year for the insurance industry,” added chief executive Richard Ward in the earnings release.

“Given the scale of the claims, a loss is unsurprising but it reflects what we’re here to do—help communities and businesses rebuild after disaster.

“It is also reassuring that, despite this loss, our financial strength has been maintained.”

Lloyd’s had suffered its worst losses in 2001, when it logged a record pre-tax loss of £3.1 billion following the September 11 attacks on New York and Washington.

source: japantoday.com

Medicare supplement plans the best help in better medical coverage

As it is commonly known the Medicare insurance plans helps us to pay up the cost for our medical costs. But along with that it should also be kept in mind that the Original Medicare plans do not cover up all the costs for your medical bills. It should always be remembered that different parts of Medicare plans helps to cover specific services if you meet certain conditions. Therefore to bridge this gap between the original Medicare policy coverage there is the need of having a Medicare Supplement Plan to get total medical coverage. Because of this very reason these Medicare Supplement Plans are also known as the Medigap policies.

The most notable fact about the Medicare supplement plans is that these plans are sold by the private health insurance companies only. Since 1992 there are at most twelve Medicare Supplement Plans to be sold in the market ranging from A through L. All of these plans have their own set of advantages and each one of them differ from one another. But almost all of these plans offer the basic benefits of plans A and B. As Medicare plans A and B are considered as the basic plans the benefits of these plans are included in almost every Medicare Supplement insurance plans.

The most important thing is that these days there is an enormous rise in the health care costs. And to cope up with these costs there is the need of having some Medicare policy as nobody can say when they have to take medical aid and have to pay of the bills. Therefore it is always a smart idea to be well prepared to face such a situation. And as only an Original Medicare plan cannot help you much in this respect therefore it is better to have a Medicare Supplement Plan along with it so that the may not arise any problem in the midterm. However, the best policy to have a Medicare Supplement Plan is to get enrolled for it within thirty days of having your original Medicare plan. In this way you can get additional benefits in cost reduction of the initial premium.

However, before getting enrolled for a Medigap policy it is better if you seek the help of some insurance agent so that he can help you in choosing the best plan for yourself. It should be remembered that you should always make an honest choice for getting enrolled for a Medicare plan. And by seeking the help of some insurance agent for choosing your Medicare supplement plan is always an honest decision as they can better guide you through the various plans and the premium charges charged by different companies. Go through the offer documents of all the Medigap policies before making your choice as there are some plans which though seem to be less beneficial can actually save you a lot of money in the form of deductibles. Therefore you need to be quite careful in making your choice of the Medigap plan that you are going to purchase.

For the best choice of Medicare Supplemental Insurance it is better to have Medicare Supplement Comparison among the several Medicare Supplement Insurance Companies.

Article Source: http://www.ArticleBiz.com

Jack Tips, ‘naturopathic’ doctor, wants to help the body heal itself

I don’t want to work with conventional medicine, pharmacological drugs and insurance companies,” said Jack Tips, a naturopathic doctor. “They have an agenda to keep people on drugs and dictate to doctors what treatments are supposedly right for the individual.”

Tips is known for his work in the natural health field through his private consultations, lectures and books.

“From the natural health perspective, each person is biochemically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually individual; and must be treated accordingly,” he said. “This is why natural health is a creative engagement with the individual’s vitality, rather than a standardized process.”

Tips advocates methods of health restoration by using the body’s own capacity to express optimal health. He does this through a combination of homeopathy, nutritional and herbal supplements and diet guidelines.

Eyes

Based in Austin, Texas, Tips recently visited Manila to give a talk on approaches to natural healing.

His lecture was organized by the Comprehensive Iridology Practitioners Association of the Philippines (Cipap), the members of whom include graduates of the advanced course on Comprehensive Iridology of the International Iridology Practitioners Association based in the US.

A sclerologist himself, Tips explained that both sclerology and iridology are methods of diagnosing a person’s health by looking at patterns and colors of the sclera (white part of the eye) and iris (colored part of the eye).

Cells need energy

Tips’ talk featured the topic of cellular healing and how to restore and improve health by addressing the causes (instead of just symptoms) on the cellular level.

Cells use ATP (adenosinetriphosphate), which is produced by the body, to transport chemical energy for metabolism. “Poor health is the result of diminished ATP production within the cells. The goal is to restore energy to the cells so the cells can perform optimally.”

“When the cells have energy to spare, they repair their own genetic code and thus tissue function can improve dramatically.

“There are many supplements that help people daily—ionic minerals, omega-three fatty acids, vitamin D, ubiquinol. Supplementation is done to apply nutrients to address the key ‘points of leverage’ that interfere with the body’s desire to restore its health to the most optimal expression.

“In health, energy is everything, not vitamins, minerals, enzyme, anti-oxidants, proteins, fats, carbohydrates, or any other nutritional commodity, and certainly not any drug that causes side effects,” said Tips.

Homeopathy

Tips was sickly as a child. His mother brought him to homeopaths who helped cure his ailments. He started studying “the tools and principles of natural health including vitamins, minerals, amino acids, enzymes and herbs.”

He took formal studies with different experts in the fields of diet, naturopathy, tissue-mineral ratios, kinesiology, among others. He is a certified clinical nutritionist and has doctorates in clinical nutrition and naturopathy.

“The principle involved in homeopathy is ‘like cures like,’” he says. “The law of similars states that a remedy can cure a disease if it produces in a healthy person symptoms similar to those of the disease.

“Symptoms that we experience are what our bodies do to overcome perceived threats to its integrity. Thus it uses fever, diarrhea, coughs, vomiting, headaches, discharges, eruptions, etc. to help restore health.

“No one knows better than the body how to heal itself. Homeopathy elicits a pathway for the body’s own adaptive resources to correct its expressions of discomfort.

“The classical homeopath never ‘treats a disease’ but only helps the person’s innate vitality to correct the cause, and thus the effects, of any discomfort; the homeopath is a specialist in how the body’s ‘vital force’ struggles to adapt and survive.”

Cipap organizes talks on iridology and other natural health topics that are open to the public. E-mail admin@cipap.org; tel. 0920-9073075; visit www.cipap.org.

source: http://lifestyle.inquirer.net/32935/jack-tips-naturopathic-doctor-wants-to-help-the-body-heal-itself