Search Insurance

Showing posts with label Insurance. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Insurance. Show all posts

Tuesday, September 11, 2012

Seven Steps in Selling Your Insurance Agency


Most agency owners have put their time, energy and heart in building their business. The business is a part of their life. The sale of one's business is usually a one-time event. It therefore makes sense to take the time and get it right the first time.

Just like building a business, there is no exact cookie cutter approach in selling the business. However, there are general guidelines to follow.

The following seven steps outline the overall approach one should take in selling their business.

Step One - Planning to Sell

You wake up one day and realize it would be great to spend more time you're your spouse, grandchildren or even playing golf. Perhaps, some client or underwriter gave you a hard time and you figure that was the straw that broke the camel's back. You lost a key market and don't have the energy or time to remarket your accounts.

It may seem funny, but situations like these are usually the trigger point for many owners to actually do something about selling their business.

When deciding to sell the business, an owner needs to check inside to see what the real expectations are. Selling a business is not like selling stock in GM. The agency is part of the owner's life and it is not a simple commodity to trade.

Snap decisions to sell usually result in long drawn out negotiations or other complications. When an owner spends some time planning the sale of the business, many common problems are minimized or avoided.

The first step is to work on a plan to sell the business. Theoretically, this plan should be started the day one becomes an owner. More practically speaking, planning to sell the business should start at about five years out.

Planning should include a review and initial analysis of the areas covered in the next six steps in the process.

Step Two - Who To Sell To

The thought process on who to sell to is basically a decision tree. First, should the sale be internal (to someone in the agency) or external (to another agency or outside party).

If the sale is to be internal, who are the candidates? Will new talent need to be brought in to help with the sale?

If the sale is to be eternal, will it be to a local agency, large regional agency versus, a publicly traded national broker or even a bank. It is a seller's market - finding a buyer is not a problem. Finding the right buyer is what it is all about.

Regardless of who the buyer is, it is important to do a thorough compatibility analysis. The goal is to match up the expectations and philosophy of the buyer to the seller. This will lead to the next step.

Step Three - Hire Professionals

Should the owner of a business research, analyze and buy insurance without an agent or broker? Most of the readers of this article would say "no." Agents and brokers provide a value added service through their experience and training. Likewise, there are professionals that can greatly assist with the sale of a business.

The merger and acquisition consultant should be brought in early, to help out in the planning process. A good consultant will advise on when to sell, who to sell to and what to expect. Consulting firms, like Oak & Associates, that specialize in insurance agencies will work with sellers and buyers to determine the best fit so that any sale or acquisition is a win-win deal. The work of a qualified consultant should develop the framework for the deal, which will be refined by the CPA and the attorney.

The CPA is needed to review the terms of the deal to see the tax implications. In most cases, taxes are the main driver in the structure of the terms of a transaction. Attorneys should review the sale of any business. Often, the buyer is the party that drafts all the legal documents. The seller's attorney is the final advocate for the seller in making sure that all is fair.

Step Four - Agency Value

Many agency owners describe the value of an agency in terms of a multiple of revenue or commission. While this rule of thumb is useful, its limitations need to be understood as well.

The astute buyer will determine value as a multiple of profit - after reasonable income and expenses are established. The multiple of earnings typically ranges between 4.5 and 7.5 based on the perceived strengths and weakness of the agency or book of business.

Agency owners should always be conscious of how business decisions impact the value of the business. Owners should always strive to run the agency in a way to maximize value. This concept should be a fundamental part of the business perpetuation planning process.

It is important to keep in mind that value, price and net proceeds from a sale can all be different. Think of value as a theoretical benchmark. Price is the number of dollars agreed to between the buyer and seller, as what it will take to transfer ownership. Net proceeds from the sale are the actual dollars the seller can put in his or her pocket - after taxes, and after other expenses.

Step Five - What to Sell

The question is: "should the owner sell the stock or the assets?" If the business is an "S" corporation, partnership, sole proprietorship or a LLC this step is usually straightforward - just sell the assets. For "C" corporations, that is another story.

A buyer will want to buy just the "assets" of the firm, which is just the good will of the book of business - sometimes called the expiration list. This is because it helps limit liability and the cost can be amortorized over 15 years. Buying stock does not allow either of these goals.

Sellers want to sell the stock in a "C" corporation to receive only capital gains treatment and avoid the double tax (corporate and personal). Thus the taxman has set up the conflict between the buyer and the seller. If the buyer is willing to buy the stock of a "C" corporation, the seller should be willing to negotiate on price since the tax treatment is more favorable to them.

There are creative ways to structure a deal to minimize tax impact for both the buyer and the seller. Assigning value to consulting agreements and non-compete agreements is commonplace. Both are ordinary income to the seller and can be written off by the buyer. Some deals assign up to 50% of the value to these agreements.

In some cases assigning value to personal goodwill can be used. Personal Goodwill is not owned by the business, but by the individual. Thus any gains from the sale of personal goodwill can be taxed under capital gains only - avoiding the corporate tax from the sale.

Also, the use of a deferred compensation plan could lower the value of the stock and thus lower the double tax. The buyer, however, is still obliged to pay the seller the deferred compensation, which is now an expense to the buyer that can be written off for tax purposes and just ordinary income to the seller.

Consult with a knowledgeable CPA to determine the best approach and the tax implications on the allocation.

If the business is a "C" corporation run, don't walk to convert to an "S" corporation. Keep in mind there is still a ten-year transition period per IRS regulation before the owner can receive full "S" corporation tax treatment.

Step Six - Determine the Terms

As a seller the goal is to get a fixed price with as much paid in cash as possible. As a buyer the goal is to put very little down and pay over several years a percentage of commissions as they renew. In other words, the buyer and the seller usually have opposite goals.

Most deals today tend to be asset deals based on retention of the business. Retention can be limited in scope to just the riskier parts of the book of business. Terms typically include a down payment of 10% to 30% with the balance paid out over three to seven years. The seller typically finances the sale of his or her own business. Keep in mind EVERYTHING is negotiable.

There are many other terms that need to be negotiated and the list will vary. Most important, is the seller staying on? Sellers that remain on for a period of time after the sale will need to have a clearly defined role defined and compensation plan for that role. There is no "typical" situation, but it is not uncommon to have the former owner help with the transition of the business for three to five years.

Step Seven - Close the Deal

Once the terms are agreed to a Letter of Intent should be drafted. This is a semi formal document written in plain English that outlines the key components of the deal. Typically the M&A consultant will draft it and then both parties will sign it.

The Letter of Intent is the blueprint that the CPA and attorney will use to finalize all the documents. A word of caution, the Letter of Intent is intended to save time and money. It is the starting point for the CPA and Attorney. Don't let the CPA or attorney start all over again and renegotiate the deal.

As mentioned earlier, the buyer typically prepares all the necessary documents. The main document is the Purchase Agreement, but there could also be employment agreements, producer agreements, consulting agreements, separate non-compete agreements, personal guarantees, etc. The seller's attorney needs to review these documents and ensure that they meet the goals of the Letter of Intent and are in the best interest of the seller.

A Final Thought

Know up front, there will be bumps in the road. Despite all the planning, there is a good chance some unforeseen situation will pop up. These glitches should be handled using a professional systematic approach. Remember, it is not personal, its just business.

When it is all in place, sit back and relax. Enjoy the fruit of your labor.




Bill Schoeffler is a business consultant and coach with 20 years of experience working with small business owners and individuals. Bill's unique background includes engineering, financial analysis, and inter-personal skills.

He can be reached at (707) 324-5531 or bill@chrysalisfinancial.net. You can find out more at http://www.chrysalisfinancial.net




Wednesday, June 13, 2012

Information on the Super Visa Medical Insurance Requirement


Making it quicker and simpler for relatives to get back together with their parents or grandparents, the Canadian federal government released the latest visa in December 2011. The Parent and Grandparent Super Visa allows for the parent or grandparent associated with a Canadian citizen to stay in Canada for as many as two years at a stretch, without renewing their status. The Super Visa is mostly a multiple admittance visa and its in force for ten years.

As with several visa application, there are various requirements. One of the most talked about requirement of the new Super Visa would be the medical insurance requirement. Seekers of the visa need to prove they possess Canadian health insurance coverage (also known as Super Visa insurance). Particularly, the insurance plan must:

1. Be valid for a minimum duration of one year from the date of entry to Canada;

2. Provide at the least $100,000 coverage, and;

3. Must cover healthcare, hospitalization and repatriation

Canadian Immigration Minister Jason Kenney said "One of the reasons we are requiring that people demonstrate they have health insurance when they come into Canada, is to add greater certainty for our visa officers that admitting people is not going to end up representing a net cost to Canadian taxpayers." Minister Kenney continued to mention that the new health insurance requirement may make it easier for visa officers to say "yes."

Health costs in Canada are some of the most expensive on the globe. The median hospital stay in Canada costs around $7,000, and much more for patients with an underlying complication. Prescription drugs will add considerably to expenses. All Canadian residents are universally protected by provincial and territorial health coverage plans, and the costs of these plans are funded through income taxes. Non-Canadian residents usually are not entitled to provincial or territorial coverage.

With regards to the minimum amount of coverage requirement, the ministry said it considered what other nations require for medical coverage and the average expense of healthcare services to produce the $100,000 requirement. As one administrator of Citizenship and Immigration put it, "It was determined $100,000 would be fair to the applicant and the Canadian taxpayer."

Applicants must buy their medical insurance BEFORE the Super Visa is issued as proof of insurance. Picking the effective date of the insurance policy is somewhat challenging, provided that evidence of insurance has to be submitted with the visa application (hence the visa has not yet been granted). However, this difficulty has a feasible solution. Most insurance policies come with an effective date of 90 days after the date the insurance policy was bought, which provides applicants ample time to make changes to the insurance policy. Changing the date of the policy is simple and typically only requires a quick call to the insurance provider. The first day of insurance protection needs to be the day that the parent or grandparent comes to Canada. The one year coverage begins from that day on.

For those parents or grandparents who return home ahead of time (i.e. before staying for the full year), some relief is accessible. Most insurance companies will give you a partial refund for that piece of the insurance not used (provided there was no prior claims). Also, whenever a Super Visa application is turned down for whatever reason, the applicant is eligible to receive 100% of the premium which was paid for the visa insurance protection.

Overall, the new Super Visa program is seen by many people as a good step forward. However, the program is still in its infancy and will probably see some changes to improve the procedure down the road.




In addition, you can find helpful information on travel insurance at http://visitorstocanadainsuranceplans.com Visitors to Canada Insurance Plans is a site dedicated to helping you choose the right emergency medical travel insurance. It's an excellent resource on Visitors to Canada Insurance and Super Visa Insurance.




Thursday, April 5, 2012

How to Get the Best Life Insurance Quotes


Life insurance coverage pricing is really as variable as almost every other kind of insurance accessible through a number of different companies through numerous locations.

Due to the a variety of businesses, raising something concerning the vast distinction in prices so that is basically exactly the same item, the only real difference becoming the organization that is the owner of the plan.

While customers are usually vulnerable to the businesses in costs associated with services or even products, insurance plans you don't have stagnant prices, and for that reason, you will find things customers can perform to make sure they obtain the best cost quotes readily available for policies which meet their demands.

The actual advancements of sites speed as well as social network make the job of acquiring quotes faster as well as easier compared to they have got have you ever been.

You will find websites focused on obtaining life insurance coverage quotes through as much as ninety various companies using the customer just having to complete one easy contact form.

The quotes tend to be generated through computer info as well as census info, utilizing age group, wellness, profession and routines as methods to price life insurance coverage for any single person.

The majority of the questionnaires, especially those for people underneath the associated with 40, tend to be generalized to improve the pace from the quote earnings and also to keep expenses low too.

This really is created by those sites which have larger categories of insurance providers on the rosters simply because they have sufficient capital in order to subsidize one or maybe more percent from the applicants in a given age group and cost range who may become sick or endure an unexpected health bad luck.

Since the companies involving the quotation websites understand will have them in rigid competitors, they may be prone to quote costs which are considerably less than prices that the individual could easily get from the private insurance professional.

This is mainly because the real estate agent gets compensated from commission rate produced from someone buy from the life insurance coverage, therefore the higher the actual high quality, the larger the commission rate.

Essentially, obtaining a good insurance coverage quote depends upon the amount of applications that the individual submits. In case a person will get dozens of estimates, she or he must have advisable concerning the general prices of the life insurance coverage that fits their specific requirements.

As stated formerly, the simplest way for any person to acquire numerous estimates within a fraction of times it might decide to try meet one insurance professional would be to visit one of the numerous specialized sites available on the net. The greater quotes an individual gets for any plan, the greater ammunition individual within their arsenal info.

The majority of the history within the companies which advertise and provide free estimates through these types of specialized sites continues to be created by the web site, therefore customers do not need to be worried about the accuracy from the insurance provider on their own.

The very best rated quotation websites is not going to give you the policy hunter a quotation, most will even are the national company rating from the company too, to have the customer much deeper insight in to the company along with whom their own beneficiaries futures and options might be trusted.




If you are looking for a life insurance plan that works for you then you should visit Life Insurance Quotes Toronto. You can find great information about life insurance plans as well as Long Term Care Insurance




Tuesday, March 27, 2012

Truck Insurance and a License: No Longer Enough Regulation for Small Motor Carriers?


Having a good-standing license and appropriate commercial truck insurance used to be enough for shippers to contract motor carriers, but new information made public by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, (FMCSA), is causing many small trucking companies to worry that an already-stifled economy could get even worse.

Thanks to the FMCSA's new CSA 2010 program, information regarding company accident history, driver fitness, equipment upkeep and several other safety-related categories is now available to shippers and other freight companies alike by simply logging into the FMSCA website and viewing a comprehensive score.

What is CSA 2010?

CSA 2010, which stands for "compliance, safety and accountability," is a system proposed by the FMCSA in December of 2010 to publish a safety score for motor carriers and independent truckers to prospective employers, as well as their competition.

According to the FMCSA, an agency formed in January of 2000 that regulates the national trucking industry, the goal of CSA 2010 is to increase safety standards and reduce accidents that occur during commercial transit.

Arguments against CSA 2010

Several trucking associations that represent over 2,700 small trucking companies are challenging the FMCSA on the grounds that current CSA 2010 standards produce overall safety scores that may not be accurate. They're worried the scores will cost motor carriers jobs unfairly by increasing false conclusions based on speculation.

Trucking company spokesmen have gone on record expressing concerns for the methods by which safety scores are calculated, stating that accidents caused by other drivers will sky-rocket the scores of smaller companies, costing them jobs because motor carriers will be making false assumptions from the CSA 2010 data.

The scoring system is set on a scale of 1-100, 100 being the worst, that's derived from several categories including several possibly subjective categories such as "Unsafe driving, fatigued driving, driver fitness, controlled substance abuse, vehicle maintenance, cargo-related accidents and an overall crash indicator."

Effect on Independent Truckers

The Owner Operator Independent Driver Association, (OOIDA), has expressed concerns about the system on record as well, claiming the standards for arriving at scores is weighted against independent drivers by counting 3 years of violations and infractions as opposed to the 2 required for motor carriers.

Furthermore, the organization expresses concerns about counting all infractions including warning tickets as opposed to just convictions.

Some speculate the commercial truck insurance industry might unfairly spike rates based on the public information as well.

Official Stance and Current State of CSA 2010

According to the FMCSA official website, the initiative is meant to "improve large truck and bus safety and ultimately reduce crashes, injuries, and fatalities that are related to commercial motor vehicles." They further contend CSA 2010 "establishes a new nationwide system for making the roads safer for motor carriers and the public alike!!"

As of January 4th, 2010, CSA 2010 information is currently public and available to view on the FMCSA official site.




Patrick Winchester is a freelance writer who tells it like it is. He can also save you rates while upping your commercial truck insurance coverage. Don't buy it? Visit http://www.royaltytruckinsurance.com to find out how.




Unclaimed Assets: Stocks, Bonds, Utility Deposits, FHA Insurance Refunds, Etc. Could Belong To You


Stocks, bonds, utility deposits, FHA insurance refunds, paychecks, safe deposit box contents, etc. - in the U.S. there are Billions of dollars in unclaimed money and property ready to be claimed. Many people do not know that each state in the nation has a specific department which was established for sole purpose of receiving unclaimed money and property, and that they have the right to inquire about what could rightfully be theirs.

The vast majority of this unclaimed money and property originates from banks, insurance companies, utility companies, and various other institutions. In accordance with the law, this unclaimed money and property is generally held for anywhere between 2 to 5 years before being turned over to the state.

For over 5 years United Refund Services has been helping reunite people with their unclaimed money and property.

You can conduct a 100% free, instant search for unclaimed money and property by visiting: http://www.united-refund-services.com/unclaimed-searches.html.

In the event you do have unclaimed money and/or property, the claims process is quite simple and in most cases only requires you to produce a general form of identification and complete a simple form. Please note that unclaimed property is often auctioned to the general public if the state deems it to be abandoned, so if you are serious about inquiring, you don't want to delay.




United Refund Services continues to provide top level advice, materials and resources regarding unclaimed assets and residual income at: http://www.united-refund-services.com.




Could You Improve Your Insurance Sales Watching a Guy Selling Cookware at a County Fair?


Even though there are big differences between selling products and selling a service when someone does a superior job of selling there are lessons to be learned. When you watch a top producer selling anything there are tremendous lessons to be learned from the obvious to the subtle nuances.

At the end of each summer there's a local county fair that's one of the better ones in the nation. This year my husband and I went, and while there my husband purchased a collection of cookware for me that was so obscenely expensive that many people have purchased cars for less. So, how did this guy selling cookware sell my husband on such an expensive totally impulsive and unnecessary sale? It wasn't like I didn't already have cookware, it wasn't like we left for the fair that morning thinking we needed to find cookware, and it certainly wasn't like either of us even knew cookware could cost that much money. Read and learn.

It had been a long morning at the fair when I noticed this guy had some kind of cooking demonstration going on that involved chairs for the audience, so we happened to sit down in his audience. One thing you noticed immediately beyond the fact that the guy was just likable was that he wasn't just demonstrating his cookware he was actually teaching people about cooking, nutrition, and healthy eating. And he was doing it in a way that had the audience spell bound. This guy had a group of about 50 people completely focused on him and what he was saying. Why? All ears and eyes were trained on him because he was providing added value beyond what they expected.

He disqualified non-buyers from the start, but he did so in a way that wasn't insulting. He told the audience often, and with no shame that his cookware was very expensive. All throughout his demonstration he was preparing the future buyers and the non-buyers alike.

He focused on what he knew the people in his audience wanted. His focus was on fast, easy, and healthy cooking made simple in both preparation and cleanup. He had one of the future buyers sold within about 10 minutes of the start of his sales demonstration. In fact, this guy was so enthusiastic I thought he was a plant until I verified for myself that he wasn't.

He focused on the real decision maker. Few women would spend that kind of money on cookware without involving the husband, and this guy focused on selling the cookware to the husband and left it to the husband to close the wife. Nearly everyone in his audience was forty plus, and it's at that point that most people start to have a reality check about their health. My husband is extremely health conscious, and evidently so were a lot of other people in the audience. Now of the fifty or so people in the audience about a dozen were kids. Many were couples, so there were probably about a dozen real decisions makers at most. Yet at the end of his demonstration the cookware guy had sold three very expensive cookware collections. Perhaps you can take a lesson from the cookware guy to improve your career sales training, and it may not hurt to use the free sales skill analysis below to do a spot check to see how your skills measure up.




Ready to get unstuck? Increase your Insurance Sales [http://omaha-business-coach.com/sales.html], check this out.

Could you sell more with a few Time Management Tips?




I Feel Fat - Can I Get My Insurance to Pay For Liposuction?


Liposuction (also known as lipoplasty and suction lipectomy) sounds like a dream come true to some people. To be able to get significant amounts of fat removed from exactly the places on your body that you want, and to get it now, without months of dieting and exercise--well, it can sound fairly tempting.

Some people go a little further with this line of thinking and start to wonder whether they could get this surgery without really having to pay for it themselves--after all, insurance companies pay for surgeries, right? Maybe they'd be willing to pay to help you lose weight?

Unfortunately, the answer to this question is virtually always no. Lipoplasty is first and foremost a cosmetic surgery, and it only very rarely produces true health benefits. As such, insurance companies are understandably reluctant to pay for this surgery.

If you are going to get the surgery, you'll most likely have to pay for it yourself, without any assistance from insurance. The surgery will most likely cost somewhere between $1000 and $10,000, depending somewhat on factors like which surgeon you go with, where you live, and what gender you are (liposuction for men tends to cost more).

If the surgery sounds amazing to you, but you don't think you can afford the price out of pocket, you may be able to find someone to offer financing. Many surgeons either offer in-house financing, or they have strong connections with local or national corporations which offer financing for cosmetic surgery.

There is, however, one very notable exception to the "no liposuction rule." Some insurance companies are willing to pay for lipoplasty breast reductions. If a woman experiences back neck and shoulder pain due to excessively large and heavy breasts, or if the size of her breasts interfere with getting mammograms, sometimes an insurance company will decide that a lipectomy can count as an actual health surgery. In these cases, they are sometimes willing to pay.

However, it certainly isn't a given that they will OK your lipoplasty breast reduction. You definitely want to speak with representatives from your insurance company beforehand, as well as getting any appropriate paperwork filled out. Before making your decisions, you want to know what sort of financial assistance you can count on.

For people whose weight problems don't center around their breasts, well, I guess it's time to start saving pennies. It doesn't look like insurance is going to help very much.




Christian Heftel is a staff writer at http://www.liposuctionguide.com

For more information on Christian and Liposuction, please visit http://www.liposuctionguide.com




July 2010 - Monthly Insurance Q&A


Q: What the meaning of equal employment opportunity?

A: Typically applies to a business with 15 or more employees that prohibits discrimination in any aspect of employment and harassment in the workplace based on race, color, age (40 and cover), sex, pregnancy, gender, religion, disability, national origin, ethnic background, military service and/ or citizenship.

Q. What is the ballpark estimate for directors & officer liability insurance?

A. Can be as low as $1200 for a small business to millions for a public company

Q. What is the typical annual premium for D&O in small business?

A. $1200 to $5000

Q. What is the cost for errors and omissions coverage?

A. This depends on limits, the industry, geographic location, and past claims experience. Some of the most expensive professions would be MD's, Real Estate Brokerages and Appraisal Firms, Insurance Brokerages, Engineering Firms and Law Firms.

Q. How do you apply for errors and omissions insurance?

A. You contact an insurance broker with expertise in E and O (it is an insurance specialty). She/he will have you complete an application; if you have coverage currently they will obtain your loss runs for the past 5 or 10 years. The broker will shop your coverage to multiple insurers.

Q. How much is a $100,000 of general liability?

A. Assuming you are not in something risky, an estimate would be $100 to $500 a year. Most companies buy this coverage with limits in the millions.

Q. What is product professional liability?

A. As it implies in its name, it protects you from suits relating to the products that you produce or a private label.

Q. Can an employer stop group health benefits during workers compensation claims?

A. Yes and the employer should. You have to check with your health insurer to see what the contract dictates, but most have a limitation that coverage is for full time employees working 25 or 30 hours a week. If an employee is on Workers Compensation, he/she is not working so therefore he/she is no longer eligible for group health insurance. You should offer him/her COBRA. If you do not do this, the health insurer can deny the claims of the employee. We know of an employer, not our client, who kept an employee on his/her group health insurance while the employee was on Workers Compensation. The employee had a massive heart attack while disabled. The employee mentioned to the doctor, which was entered into his medical record that he was out on a Workers Compensation claim. The employee was given open heart surgery that yielded a big bill, which the insurer denied since the employee was not eligible for health insurance at the time of the claim. The employer was sued for the bill and lost in court.

Q. Can you run a CA family rights act with the federal family and medical leave act?

A. Yes, CFRA and FMLA can run concurrently.

Q. Is excess workers compensation a liability policy?

A. Not the word Excess which usually refers to reinsurance - a self insured Workers Comp. However if the question is, can you buy excess coverage or umbrella insurance to supplement the liability portion of Workers Compensation, the answer is yes. This is one of the reasons why one buys an umbrella for one's company. If the Workers Comp limits are breached or used up, then the umbrella may respond. Note: most states limit the liability for the employer to the limits of the Workers Comp policy unless there is gross negligence.

Q. What is worker's comp aggregate retention?

A. If you self insure your Workers Comp and say if the past 5 years show your average claims with inflation is $3,000,000 then a reinsurer may sell you an aggregate reinsurance policy that will pay all claims that exceed the expected claims of $3,000,000. The $3 million is the aggregate retention or deductible.

Q. Where can you buy medical malpractice coverage while on US rotation?

A. If you are a resident of the US, you can buy it from a typical malpractice insurer. The problem is the policy will be for 1 year, so if you are here for less than 1 year you will want to pay the premium and request a refund for any unused premium and buy tail insurance. Tail insurance is to cover you for any claims that occurred during the time you were covered. If you are returning to your home country and never plan to live in the US, you will want to consult an attorney to see what your exposure is versus buying tail insurance. When in doubt buy tail insurance.




About HCP National Insurance Services

HCP National is a one-stop shop for all your insurance needs. We provide all lines of insurance coverage including employment risk management, ASO and Stop Loss Insurance, Fully Insured Managed Care Programs, Medical Malpractice E & O and D & O, Reinsurance, Product Liability, BOP's, Workers Compensation, All Forms of Property and Casualty Insurance. Come visit our website at HCP National Insurance.

Note: the above is a general discussion about how coverages may work. Your insurance policy and all addendum are the only authority of how your coverage works. Do not rely on this article as an explanation of your coverage. Have your attorney review your entire policy with you to determine what is and isn't covered.




Travel Insurance Will Not Cover Holidaymakers With an Expired Passport


Fine Gael has called for emergency travel certificates to be produced under the provisions of the Passport Act 2008, for travellers whose passports have expired and are awaiting new ones to be sent to them, due to a current backlog.

However, the Department of Foreign Affairs has dismissed calls for emergency travel certificates to be issued, saying there are no plans to introduce emergency passport extensions.

The department said the proposals held 'little scope' and could not be extended. A spokesperson said, "An Emergency Travel Certificate only allows for a single, one-way trip. Furthermore, they are not accepted in the USA. Under international agreements, the maximum validity of any passports is 10 years, and therefore cannot be extended."

Irish citizens can travel to the UK using a valid form of photo ID instead of a passport; but different travel companies operate using different requirements.

Aer Lingus will allow passengers to travel to the UK with some form of official photo ID, such as a driver's licence; a government issued ID card, a health insurance or social security card as long as they display a photo. People aged 16 years old or under do not require a photo ID if they are travelling to the UK with their parent/guardian under Aer Lingus rules.

Yet Ryanair insist that all passengers travelling to the UK must have a valid passport and have said there is 'no question' of them changing their position on the matter.

A Ryanair spokesperson said, "As an airline flying to more than 26 countries and carrying over 70 nationalities daily, there is no question of our agreed passport requirement to be altered or waived. It's the Government's job to issue passports, and not Ryanair's job to cover for Government incompetence."

Ireland decided to opt out of the Schengen Agreement and maintaining border controls with other EU countries, meaning Irish citizens travelling to countries in Europe except the UK, will be required to hold a valid passport.

Travellers will be left further disappointed by the news that they will be unlikely to claim back travel insurance through travel insurance claims, which usually only cover compensation due to injury, illness or death.

A spokesperson for the Irish Insurance Federation said, "The cancellation of your holiday due to failure to obtain a passport is generally not covered under travel insurance policies."




Rochelle Martinez, Freelance Web Content Article Writer for three years. Some of her articles are about http://www.quinn-direct.com.




Criminal Defense Lawyer Files: How To Be Familiar With Insurance Fraud


Fraud happens any time someone purposefully lies to obtain some benefit or advantage to which they are not otherwise eligible or a person knowingly denies some gain that is due and to which someone is entitled. With regards to the particular issues involved, an alleged wrongful act may be treated as an administrative action by the Section or the Scam Division could handle it as a criminal matter. California and federal laws additionally permit the Fraud Division to go after its cases federally. In these occasions, the crime of "insurance scam" is generally pursued as "mail fraud," "felony racketeering" or other federal crimes.

The bad economy is producing a bumper crop of cash-strapped consumers, business owners and shady brokers who are encouraging a wave of insurance fraud that's keeping government bodies and law enforcement officials busy from coast to coast. Whether it's worthless health programs peddled via fax, staged auto accidents, arson or slip-and-fall incidents in the local mall, insurance scam of all types is booming in the economic downturn and consumers are paying the price in higher monthly premiums. To keep this in perspective, roughly forty eight million insurance statements are prepared every year within the U.S. and less than one-quarter of one % are referred to the nonprofit National Insurance Crime Bureau for exploration of probable fraud.

Watch out - insurance crooks are picking your wallet in order to line their own. These thieves are committing insurance scam, one of the country's largest criminal industries. Insurance fraudulence is a crime, and one way or another, honest consumers and organizations pay the price. One example is medical health insurance fraud. With this type of fraud' false or deceptive information is provided to a health insurance organization so as to have them pay out unauthorized benefits to the policy holder' another party' or the organization offering services. The offense can be committed by the covered individual or the supplier of health companies.

Fraud may be committed at different points within the insurance deal by various parties: applicants for insurance coverage, customers, third-party claimants as well as experts who offer services to claimants. Common frauds include "padding," or inflating actual claims; misrepresenting details on an insurance application; submitting claims for injuries or damage that never occurred; and "staging" accidents. Is it possible that a single motivation for insurance scam is to get back at insurance companies that provide poor service? Based on the survey results, fifty five % of American consumers say poor service coming from an insurance company is more prone to cause a person to commit deception against the company.

The "chief motive in all insurance crimes is financial profit." Insurance contracts provide the insured and the insurer with opportunities for exploitation. One reason that this particular opportunity arises is in the case of excessive-insurance, when the amount covered is greater than the actual valuation of the property covered. This problem could be very difficult to avoid, specifically since an insurance provider might occasionally promote it to be able to obtain greater earnings. This allows fraudsters to make profits by destroying their property since the payment they will get from their insurance companies is of greater value as opposed to the property they destroy.




Criminal defense lawyer from Rollins Law Group responds to nearly every customer's condition for trial run, rather then rushing to accept a plea bargain. A California criminal defense lawyer is extraordinarily crucial since these are comfortable with agreeing to the hardest and demanding cases. Log on to rollinslawgroup.com and for a free consultation call at 1-800-756-9002.




Making the Right Choices in Insurance Lead Generation


In everything we do, we are bound to make choices. And there are times that we mistakenly choose the wrong ones. Well, we cannot avoid that, especially that it is our human nature to make errors. The same is true in insurance lead generation. Insurance companies cannot escape making mistakes nor they can't prevent inevitable forces from happening. That is why as much as possible, they have to make the right choices in all the decisions. If it is only easy to choose right from wrong, there will not be problem at all. However, reality does not work that way. Every single option needs careful analysis and other factors should be weighed.

Generating insurance sales leads requires a lot of decision-making processes. And since it is an indispensable function of marketing, special attention in picking decisions should be observed. Always remember that you will not be able to know that you made the wrong move until you see the results. By that time, you cannot undo what has already been done. And mind you, the cut can be too deep to handle. Better select the best options before programs start to run. Here are some of the things you need to account for:

The Target Market. Or, who are going to buy your products? You cannot expect all the people, even in the local area, to purchase your goods or services. When you create your produce, you should have known by then who will need it. Specify the criteria, e.g. age, company size, income. Here's the danger. If you have set an incorrect targeted prospects, you will not be getting the expected results even if you have the best offerings. Otherwise, you will be enjoying abounding sales.

The Marketing Medium. Next up is the marketing vehicle. This is quite important since the choice will dictate how cost-efficient and effective you are in reaching prospects and getting responses from them. For obvious reasons, select an instrument that has a high reach and response rates. Why settle for something that is slow in getting you in front of potential customers? Among the mediums we have, always include an online and offline tools. You have to cover both online and offline markets to get the best results. There are a lot of business opportunities on both sides. Do not miss the chance of getting some from both.

The Business Contact List. Another thing to consider is the type of business contact list. The target market and the marketing medium are some of the factors that will influence your decision. If you market to the whole nation, then you should obtain a database of prospects within the country. If you want to run a telemarketing campaign, then generate a calling list. What you need to check is the freshness and accuracy of each business contact information.

To outsource or not to outsource. Another crucial thing to consider is the possibility of outsourcing. Although the first option has always been in-house, there are times when outsourcing is a better solution. There are a lot of elements that affect a final decision. These include the related costs, manpower, expertise, experience and technology. If you think you have all the resources and it would cost you less to do it onsite, then you can greenlight an in-house campaign. If not, it is better to think otherwise.




Kurt Walters works as a business intelligence consultant. She is inviting you to visit http://www.ledgerleads.com to learn more about lead generation and appointment setting for accounting, tax and financial services.




Knowledge Is Power As You Invest In Insurance


One error you do not want to produce when you buy insurance for your car or your house or whatever else is to suppose that insurance companies are on your side. They are interested in one thing and that definitely has nothing to do with you or your financial health. Insurance providers aren't charities and they will do everything they can to ensure their own profits are as high as possible, including denying important details. What exactly are some of the items insurance companies would rather you not to be familiar with? Read on to find out.

An excellent Insurance Policy

The particular query you must think about when an agent lets you know that the plan they are offering you is a good one is whom it is actually good for: you or the agent. You need to keep in mind that agents market insurance for a profit and they frequently get additional profits from insurers to focus on selling their insurance policies over other competing ones. Additionally, they are offered greater commissions for signing on clients that are low risk, and therefore the premiums they shell out are bigger than their claims. If you know that the broker may take their own interests before yours, then you will find it simpler to obtain insurance that is good for you rather than the broker.

How Premiums Are Determined

Even though all insurers use the basic risk factors when they determine your premiums, for example your geographical area, your age, driving record, credit history and owning a home, there are lots of other variables added into the mix that are not disclosed. Additionally, every insurance provider makes use of various formulas to determine these risks and you're simply placed in the dark. A study from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners shows that insurance rates can vary from $600 to $1,300 for the same policy, depending on the State you reside in.

Diminished Value

Once you have been involved in an accident, the worth of your car drops substantially, even if it has been repaired and runs like new, irrespective of the caliber of parts used. However, what most insurance companies don't inform you is that you can actually collect the difference, which is known as the diminished value, a key point you have to keep in mind when you purchase insurance. Bear in mind that not all insurers will allow you to acquire this amount, especially if they covered the cost of repairs. However, you can still benefit by writing it off against your taxes which is why it may be beneficial to use an inspector to verify whether or not the job was done properly and to assess the loss.

Your Mechanic?

If you believe that the repair service is on your side you might be working under a severe misconception that can cost you quite a penny and perhaps even your safety. An increasing number of insurance providers have established partnerships with repair centers which are on their list of "approved" mechanics. Because this is quite a lucrative deal for the repair center they're quite willing to cut corners to keep the repair costs down to keep the insurer happy. There isn't any obvious proof that this does happen but the risk is too great to disregard. These are only some of the things that insurers keep from you which can affect the carrier you decide to buy insurance from. Unfortunately, there is little you can do about some of them but since knowledge is power you can at any rate ask the correct queries and not follow what the agent tells you blindly.




A Debt Settlement Processing professional or company is one that is after the interests of consumers who are in dire need to settle their debts without falling to the typical scams some debt settlement companies do. Check out the internet and you'll see a variety of websites speaking about reliable and trustworthy Debt Aid companies or professionals that could help you meet your needs.




Friday, March 23, 2012

Make Sure You Compare Auto Insurance Quotes


Millions of dollars are being spent on producing commercials about car insurance. You are getting hit from all sides, throughout all hours of the day, trying to get you to understand that there is a good overall attempt to get you to spend your hard earned money on getting your car insured with them. Meanwhile you and the rest of the nation begins to get confused with which company is telling the real truth.

You could go with catch rhythms, geckos, cavemen, or crazy ladies pretending to sell boxes, but why would you go with a gimmicky car insurance company? You don't need that, you need to simply get an honest to goodness quote, and better yet make sure you compare auto insurance quotes.

If you do not compare auto insurance quotes, you might end up losing a lot of money overall. You will get swindled, and you know what they say; a fool and his money will soon be separated. The insurance companies are using that as a key to take your financial freedom away, and making life difficult, locking you into long term contracts at a higher price than you probably wanted before.

Do not be swindled by high end commercials, with catchy tunes. Make sure you and your loved ones compare auto insurance quotes, and don't commit easily. Do not make your decisions based on talking mascots, or other ploys that will leave you saddened, and without major coverage. Get the most out of your car, and your insurance, compare and save.




Find the Cheapest Car Insurance [http://www.shop4insurance.org/Cheap-Car-Insurance.html] rates anywhere in the U.S, or  Compare Michigan Auto Insurance Quotes Online with MyMichiganAutoInsurance.Com. Michigan's online insurance agency.




The Development of the Australian Life Insurance Industry


Three major trends, each of which has been the result of government intervention, have shaped today's Australian life insurance and retirement savings landscape: i) the introduction of superannuation and the unbundling of risk and savings products; ii) deregulation and the emergence of bancassurance models; and iii) demutualization and changing business models.

With the emergence of superannuation onto the Australian financial landscape, risk and savings products effectively became unbundled. Compared to the rest of Asia Pacific, where there is still significant opaqueness in product structures and, therefore, high embedded margins in life policies, Australia presents the opposite picture.

To understand this, one must appreciate a bit of history. Superannuation schemes were introduced in Australia after World War II as a way of providing for servicemen in retirement. During the 1960s, these schemes emerged as major competitors to the traditional savings and risk management products of life insurers. By the end of the 1960s, superannuation had taken over from traditional products as the way Australians thought about savings and retirement.

To address this new form of competition, Australian insurers responded through innovation in product design. In particular, during the 1970s, they started to unbundle traditional life insurance products into separate risk and savings products. There were a number of reasons for this. Unbundling produced products made them much easier for retail consumers to understand. The new products could then compete directly with those from the superannuation industry. Furthermore, it allowed investors the opportunity to better tailor their product portfolio and have greater control over decisions, such as where their funds were invested.

Also, government intervention has completely changed the face of the insurance industry through concessionary tax treatments and the introduction of compulsory superannuation contributions in 1992. Compulsory superannuation quickly enlarged the size of the industry to such an extent that it is now a fundamental element in the Australian financial system. Many Asian governments have studied the superannuation scheme, and a few countries have actually put mandatory systems in place, such as the Central Provident Fund (CPF) in Singapore and the Mandatory Provident Fund (MPF) in Hong Kong. The impact of superannuation schemes in Australia is an interesting study in the effect of government intervention on a nation's financial system. However, the extent to which superannuation took off in Australia and "crowded out" retail financial products is truly unique. None of the markets has anything close to the 360-kilo gorilla that superannuation has become in Australia.




To find out more information regarding United Insurance Company of America, visit: General Insurance Company of America.




Health Insurance Plans That Covers Drug and Alcohol Abuse Or Related Addictions


The National Institute on Drug Abuse defines drug abuse and dependencies as the usage of a legal or an illegal medication that causes physical, mental, emotional, or social harm. Examples of commonly abused drugs include opioids, stimulants, anti-depressants, anti-anxiety agents, and hallucinogens. Drug abuse is a major public health problem in society today and can cause an applicant applying for health insurance to unknowingly have their application declined prematurely by most major medical carriers.

Why its hard to get insurance to cover this.

The reasons why most insurers are hesitant about insuring a proposed applicant are mainly due to the financial hardships or complications in which the administrator of a plan will ensue including cardiac arrest, intracranial hemorrhage, acquired immune deficiency syndrome, tetanus, subacute bacterial endocarditis, hepatitis, vasculitis, septicemia, thrombophlebitis, pulmonary emboli, gangrene, malaria, as well as increased risk of suicide and psychosis.

There are some that do cover the condition but they are hard to find.

However there are a select but few carriers that will cover the recovery of addiction through availability of specialty coverage. Discussing the situation with a licensed insurance agent to direct and guide toward a reputable company with a managed care program to cover detoxification is paramount.

Detoxification, is the controlled and gradual withdrawal of an abused drug and is achieved through substitution of a medication with similar action. A properly administrated detoxification health insurance program will cover substitute medications as well as prescriptions to ease the withdrawal reducing a patients discomfort and associated risk.

A good program will provide coverage for the following.

Depending on which drug that patient has abused, detoxification may be managed on an inpatient or outpatient basis and will have to cover a possible regime of expensive drugs including Diazepam, Topamax, Campral, Atabuse, ReVia, Vivotrol, Buprenorphine, and Methodone to name a few. Withdrawal symptoms which are left untreated can produce hazardous effects such as generalized tonic-clonic seizures, epilepsy, or hypotension. Opioid withdrawal causes severe physical discomfort and can even be life threatening. To minimize these effects, chronic opioid abusers are commonly detoxified with prescription Methadone. To ease withdrawal from opioids, depressants, and other drugs, useful nonchemical measures may include psychotherapy, exercise, relaxation techniques, and nutritional support. Sedatives and tranquilizers may be administered temporarily to help the patient cope with insomnia, anxiety, and depression.

After withdrawal, rehabilitation is needed to prevent recurrence of abuse. Rehab programs are also available for inpatient or outpatient basis and usually are covered for several months. During and after rehabilitation, participation in a drug-oriented self help group may be helpful.

Drug or alcohol abuse and related addictions can circumvent obtaining most major health insurance, however it should not stop you from fighting the disease. There are some carriers out there that have programs like this on a limited basis and can help you or someone you know put an end to the struggle.




If you need assistance in locating such a program in your area, we can help. For additional details please visit our website at http://www.health-insurance-buyer.com and leave your contact information so one of our licensed agents can help you.

Carlos Diez is a senior benefits consultant for Health Insurance Buyer a referral service that refers consumers to the insurance carriers that can best fit their wants and needs. He holds life, health, and annuity licenses in 48 states and is appointed with over 88 carriers. For contact information please reach him at http://www.health-insurance-buyer.com




Flood Insurance - Another Example of Excessive Spending by a Government Agency


How can this be? The short version is that FEMA which is the federal emergency management agency typically pays close to 20% more than it should pay for flood insurance claims. These payments are made to the individual participating insurance companies. Last year that meant close to $350 million in overpayments as reported by the (GAO) Government Accountability Office in expenses to insurance entities that were considered overpayments for their expenses.

The Government Accountability Office says that this is excessive. Over 97% of the national flood policies are in place and are managed by just 87 insurance companies. These 87 companies control roughly 89% of the insurance premium for flood policies in the United States. The government's participation with private insurance companies with regards to flood insurance began in 1983 as a co-op.

As insurance premiums continue to rise especially in the coastal areas, the government is now pressing the private insurance companies to produce ongoing reports comparing their actual expenses in comparison to the 34% the government allocates for every premium dollar in expenses for flood premiums.

This over payment of close to $350 million of budgeted expenses compared to actual expenses is definitely within the radar of the GAO. The GAO also found that claims expenses are adjusted based on the size of the claim. The government has unknowingly incentivized the insurance companies in that the greater the claim the greater the reimbursement. This tends to organically inflate claims to newer and higher levels as the government is paying for damages and not private insurance company. The insurance companies are only adjusting the claims and being reimbursed for their expenses albeit in the form of overpayments.

As is the case in most government programs there is fat and abuse and clearly this over payment of approximately 20% for reimbursed expenses needs to stop.




R. Glenn Matsen, CEO, MBA, CPCU, ARM, CLU, ChFC has over 30 years of risk management experience in providing insurance solutions for the small business owners needs. His website contains detailed information on tech insurance [http://technologyinsurancequote.net/tech-insurance] and provides visitors with a quick technology insurance quote [http://technologyinsurancequote.net].




Is Disability Insurance a Mature Enough Industry That You Need to Trust in Its Ability to Assist?


Disability insurance, in case you look at it, need to figure on our list of issues to do, just like a lot as medical care insurance does, shouldn't it? About one in five Americans experiences some form of injury each and every year that keeps them from working for a period of time. Depending on who is advertising, it is possible to get to hear figures anywhere between 30% and 80%, as an estimation of your personal chances of being struck by some form of disability in your lifetime. Disability insurance exists, to produce up for whatever shortfall in salary you experience, whenever you can't function. And all of this, is when most of all Americans get by with no disability insurance of their own. They can count themselves lucky if their employer occurs to cover them, but which is all. Most individuals who cover themselves paying premiums out-of-pocket, never can afford enough.

The disability insurance industry, can consider of no far better method to respond to all of this, than by inflicting grisly advertisements on us, that make them sound like vultures circling inside sky. They put out statistics that go, 'Every second in America, there's a new disability that occurs". They get that figure from the National Safety Council that has sort of a broad definition for disability injury. If you ever get anything that keeps you away from any everyday activity for a lot more than one day, they call that a disability injury. For instance, in the event you feel you cannot go to the movies one night, due to the fact you were roughhousing with your kids, and got punched inside nose, that counts being a disability injury. Lots of persons look at to put in fake claims to obtain their hands on some undeserved disability payouts as well, to generate points worse. For whatever reason, doctors seem to acquire a great deal of disability insurance for themselves as well, and they claim on them generally. If most of our estimates of how likely we are to need to have disability insurance comes from those who take these into account, how do we actually know just how much we require it?

There's not a whole whole lot of independent info on the subject. There was a book known as How to Insure Your Income, released a lot more than 10 years ago, that gave you statistics that weren't all that various. The site of the Council for Disability Awareness has an on the internet quiz, that says that if you've an office job, you just have a 10% chance of getting that unlucky. So just how much is enough? About one in three workers inside the country has some form of coverage that their employers pay the premiums on. Everybody has Social Security, but you don't get far more than a couple thousand dollars a month, and it's extremely, quite hard to qualify. If you're counting on worker's compensation, they'll only care if you're truly injured whilst at your post. Private disability insurance, even if you ever do purchase it, could be challenging to claim on. They have all kinds of exclusions to look at to disqualify you. They'll test to tell you, "Oh! so you cannot work as a lathe turner anymore? We cannot pay you, unless you attempt (and fail) at finding do the job as being a holiday gift wrapper at the mall". Seeing as how complicated it's to come by correct coverage, perhaps it's just very best to let items take care of themselves.




Find out more about the author in:

Stationary Exercise Bike [http://www.stationaryexercisebikesreview.net/]

Dog Shock Collar




Landlord Insurance Broker


If you're looking for landlord insurance using a specialist broker to shop around for the best deal for you can make very good sense and produce surprisingly cost effective results. Rather than spending an age telephoning provider after provider, online brokers can do all the legwork for you, with quotations available online. Any landlord will agree that property is often a full time job, but a broker can help save time.

One online landlord insurance specialist calls upon a wealth of expert knowledge to find the best deals. While you may know something about effective policies, by trusting in the expertise of specialist brokers like this you can really make sure you're not sold a badly suited policy.

This company can deliver cover for all landlords, regardless of size or sector (residential and commercial). Whether you're a resourceful entrepreneur or national commercial property holder they can locate insurance to suit. They're sensitive to the various issues about which landlords are commonly concerned too. For example single person landlords often rely heavily on the rent they receive to make a living - in this situation this broker might especially recommend cover for loss of rent in a policy.

This specialist is one of the few online brokers which features an innovative online quotation system. Available on their website, this facility allows landlords to obtain a quotation, store it and return to it at a later date, proceed with cover, pay the premium and print your policy documents.

Perhaps you have a business partner with whom you want to discuss insurance requirements? With an online facility like this it isn't a problem; simply give them the login details too.

Finding insurance by yourself can lead to poor cover, especially if you have no time to research policies properly.




If you're looking for landlord insurance, it's worth taking a look at this website and remembering the convenience, extra time and reasonable deals that using a broker like this can bring.

Written by Jenny Pilley, Content Writer for Creare; specialists in Web Design and SEO.




Marine Insurance - Reinsurance Cost Pressures - 2009


Reinsurance, and in particular treaty reinsurance is a fundamental part of any insurers' internal risk management plan.

The protection of the company balance sheet and capital base from extremes in loss frequency and severity or aggregations is of critical importance to the viability of an insurer.

Reinsurance is a global business heavily intertwined with the trade, commerce and finance industries of most, if not every nation on earth.

Events of significance to, or which impact on the reinsurance industry will affect all insurers to some degree.

Recent events may combine to have a sizeable impact on 2009 reinsurance renewals.

Hurricanes Gustav & Ike

They did not have the same news profile as that attributed to Katrina and the subsequent flooding of New Orleans but, the most recent loss estimates suggest that Gustav & Ike will contribute significant claims to reinsurers. In particular, the oblique angle at which Gustav approached the Gulf Coast as it produced a greater than anticipated impact on the rather dense concentration of oil and gas facilities in that region.

Recently reported figures suggest a combined industry loss from Gustav and Ike in the US$20 - $25bn range (A$28 - 35bn). Losses of this magnitude will put pressure on many insurer and reinsurer margins.

Global Credit Crisis

The sub-prime mortgage problem in America has put the international banking industry in the spotlight. Some have failed and many forced to merge or seek funds from the State. The supply of credit has evaporated or become prohibitively expensive as inter-bank lending ground to a halt. In addition the dive in world share prices will bring ratings, valuation and capital adequacy pressures to many other companies across all market sectors.

Introduction Of more immediate concern to the Insurance Industry is the potential for capital to disappear or be re-directed away from reinsurance. In addition, poor investment decisions may have a profound impact on otherwise secure businesses and downgrades may result where ratings agencies are obliged to delve more fully into any affected company.

Impact on Reinsurance

Reinsurance cost pressures will develop due to:

o Reinsurer difficulties in sourcing new capital and/or an increased cost of capital.

o Capital Market demands for increased returns.

o Capacity restrictions.

o A flight to quality (of security) - cedants to reinsurers and vice versa.

o Reduced return on investments.P

o Write-downs in value of investments.

Recent comment from reinsurers suggests an upward pressure on treaty pricing for the December 2008 renewal season with flow on effects to insurance contracts during 2009.

Disclaimer: This bulletin is for information purposes only and is not legal advice.




Please contact me via email enquiry@marine-insurance.com.au or visit our website http://www.marine-insurance.com.au for further information.




Looking at Aetna Life Insurance


Aetna life insurance is recognized as being one of the nation's leading diversified health care insurance agencies in the United States. An insurance company that got its start in the mid 18th Century, Aetna makes sure that its consumers and policyholder receives adequate health and life insurance coverage.

As a company who prides itself on retrieving numerous amount of information and resources about medical care and medicine, Aetna lives by the following goals called the Aetna Way:

- To aide people in receiving financial security and health stability with affordable premium health care safety

- To put people first with integrity, communication, excellence and quality service

- To gain superior satisfaction from customers

- To obey specific business practices to complete their goals and produce profit

In case an individual would like to partake in other lines of insurance by Aetna, the insurance agency offers the following in health insurance:

- Medical coverage

- Dental coverage

- Behavioral Health coverage

- Long-term Care coverage

- Disability coverage

- Other types

Under Aetna group life insurance, businesses and their employees are able to get adequate coverage and useful information. As a health insurer mostly, Aetna has ample resources and information available to understand the health lifecycle. In addition, Aetna's life insurance coverage is competitive in the insurance industry.

Businesses are also able to receive the following benefits:

- Living Benefits

- End of Life Benefits

- Beneficiary Benefits

Headquartered in Hartford, Conn., Aetna life insurance hires more than 36,000 employees. Anyone wishing to buy life insurance from Aetna should go to their website for more information.




InsuranceAgents.com provides consumers with immediate access to insurance quotes, articles, and comparisons.