Be Safe While Traveling Know Your Travel Insurance

Traveling is loads of fun. You get to see new and exotic places, meet new people and learn new things. It helps you take a break from your daily routine and relax in new surroundings away from everyday stress. But it can also be a nightmare, more so if you go without proper travel insurance. And the most important insurance while traveling outside of your country can be travel medical insurance.

So should you buy travel insurance? Some people are so attached to it that they buy insurance for even the shortest travel while other completely detest it. As with any other form of insurance there are many different types of travel insurance, some better than others.

When you buy any sort of travel insurance, the premium you pay gets allocated several different ways. Some of it goes as commission to the person selling it to you. Some of it goes to cover the administration costs of creating your insurance policy and recording it. Some of it goes as profit. And some of it goes to actually cover the risks you're insuring against.

It is always advisable to go in for a wholesale travel insurance policy against a retail one because the former provides you with nearly double the risk/benefit coverage. So what is the difference between retail and a wholesale policy? A retail policy is one in which you personally fill in an insurance application form and apply directly to the insurance company by making the premium payment.

A wholesale policy on the other hand is taken out by tour operators and covers more than one person/traveler under the policy. So instead of paying an insurance company directly, you pay the tour operator the premium amount. The benefit of this is the insurance company reduces its overheads, which is then converted into extra benefits for you.

Another way to look at travel insurance is the choice to be made between a single trip policy and an annual one. The annual one might be costlier to start with; but if you are a frequent traveler, it makes sense to buy the annual option since it gives you coverage for as much travel as you might do during the entire year.

One more important point of distinction in travel insurance is the type of cover provided - primary or secondary. It you get primary cover, the insurance company will pay all necessary costs when claimed. But under a secondary coverage, the insurance company will require you to make all possible claims from your other insurance policies and only then entertain any claims to them. That way, it has to pay that much lesser. Needless to say, primary cover is better than secondary cover!

Finally always remember to check out what is covered under your travel insurance and what is not. It is always advisable to opt for the most comprehensive policy that covers everything from flight and trip cancellations to loss of baggage, delay in flight timings, and theft of belongings as well as medical expenses incurred. Unless all of these are covered, buying a travel insurance policy will not be effective enough.

Term Life Insurance for Smokers - 7 Critical Facts

What is It?

A Term life policy is insurance without the complicated bells and whistles that often accompany whole and universal life insurance. Term life insurance covers you for period of time in the event of your death. For example, a $100,000 10 year life insurance policy covers you for ten years. If you die during the 10 year policy term, your beneficiaries (typically family members) receive $100,000. In most cases, this is tax free to your beneficiaries.

Why Do You Need It?

If a family member relies on your income, then you need term life insurance. Term life does not benefit you but protects your loved ones in the event of your death.

Smoking and Term Life Insurance

If you are a smoker the first consequence is higher rates than a non-smoker. The rates can be up to three times as high as a non-smoker policy so the cost difference can be considerable. Since 87 percent of lung cancer is traced to smoking, the increase in rate is not too surprising.

Typically, if you have used tobacco in the past year, you will be put in the smoker classification. It depends on the insurance company as some will consider usage as far back as 10 years on whether you qualify for the lower rate non-smoker classification.

Get Term Life Insurance Before You Need It

The number one mistake you can make as a smoker is too put off getting life insurance. It's easy to do. You convince yourself to get it once you stop smoking or lose weight or maybe even both. Remember, if someone depends on your income other than you, like your wife, parent or child, you need life insurance to protect them in the event of your death.

Honesty Is Your Best Policy

It can be tempting to lie on your application and check the non-smoker box. It really seems harmless, too. Right?, not really. See, even if you lie and the insurance company approves your policy, your beneficiaries may not receive the money even after you die. Insurance companies typically investigate before issuing settlements. If they were to find you smoked from old medical records or some other source, it is possible your policy can be revoked for lying. It's just not worth it. Here you pay your premiums for years and then a lie on your application unravels everything. The bottom line is honesty is your best policy. Being honest on your application will ensure your beneficiaries get the settlement, which is the reason you are getting the policy in the first place.

Don't Let it Lapse

This is a sad but true story. A friend of mine was approved for a life insurance policy and paid the premiums for many years. He let his health slide and started smoking more and more. Unfortunately, he missed a payment and the insurance company canceled his policy. In order to re-instate the policy, he had to take a physical examination which he could never pass with his current health. He died without life insurance approximately two months after the cancellation. Sadly, his wife received no life insurance benefits.

So needless to say, if you get life insurance, don't let it lapse. The risk is too high. It is one of the few times I recommend paying annually, semi-annually or having the payment automatically debited from your bank account. The easier you make the payment process the less chance for error and cancellation.

Get The Motivation Now

In closing, if you smoke and have been considering term life insurance, now is the time to get it. It is an easy thing to put off but getting a term life policy will provide a tremendous amount of piece of mind to your loved ones when they need it most.

How To Save On Your Auto Insurance Like George Bush

The price of gas just keeps on going up and has no apparent relief in site (probably due more to George Bush's close personal ties to big oil and the middle east than anything else). This in turn is driving up inflation and the cost of almost everything we buy or need including auto or car insurance. Here's how to turn the tables in your favor and save money on your auto insurance like George Bush would if he had to pay for it.

We've all seen the commercials and mailings for Progressive and Geico telling us to get online and compare auto insurance companies and get competing quotes. There is a good reason for this - it will save you money. In most cases, shopping for auto insurance quotes online will save you big money (the average online auto insurance shopper pays 38% less). Get online and shop your auto or car insurance. You will save money.

It also helps to drive defensively and safely. According to the National Foundation for Highway and Traffic Safety, aggressive drivers cause 90% of all accidents and pay 30 - 70% more in car insurance premiums. Take a defensive driving course. Many technical and community colleges offer these courses and they may also reduce points on your license and DMV record. That leads to another important way of saving money on car insurance - get points removed from your license. You get points for things like speeding, not stopping for a stop sign, running a red light, etc... These points cause immediate rate increases to your insurance. Most states offer free or nearly free courses that will reduce the points on your license for most infractions (except for drunk driving and driving under the influence - you have to have a powerful name like Kennedy or Bush and then you get driven home).

Another way to save money on auto or car insurance is to increase your deductible and assume more risk.. You will save money by, for instance, going from a $250 deductible to a $1000 deductible. One word of caution, do not drop uninsured and under insured motorists coverage. Due to George Bush and his lenient policy in the past with illegal aliens in our country from Mexico we now have over 20 million illegal and uninsured motorists in America.

Another great way to save money on auto or car insurance is to drive a vehicle with a low theft rate. It is a proven fact that insurance companies charge higher premiums based on car brand and model theft rates. Since George Bush did practically nothing to stop these illegal aliens from Mexico we now have millions of them and they love to steal cars as some have found it easier than purchasing and they love Honda Civics and Accords. We don't hear of many of them tooling around in a Mazda or a minivan. Maybe if George Bush invoked trade restrictions with Mexico this would change and jobs would come back to America?

Joining professional groups like AAA. AARP, etc... can also save you money on car or auto insurance as you may be entitled to group rates. There are many other ways also. Now you know how to save money on your car or auto insurance and why we are earning less and executives at big oil are earning more and more. Also, I don't know if it's a republican thing, but lets think before we put a Bush in a political office in the future. If you haven't yet had the opportunity, please watch Farenheit 9/11 and learn more about George Bush and his brother in Florida.

The Facts About Life Insurance Quotes Online

The topic of getting life insurance quotes is a loathsome one for most people to discuss. It is one of those chores that everyone associates with misery, a necessary evil that they must inevitably face for their own good. Let's face it; nobody wants to discuss the details of what would happen if they were suddenly struck dead. While it may not be a popular subject it is nonetheless an important one. You can put it off for a little while, but there is always that thought in the back of your mind that your family could be left with no way to support themselves if you pass away unexpectedly, so you reluctantly decide to take care of this problem. Once you start the process you realize that the process is a much less painful these days. The invention of the internet has changed things drastically.

Getting a quote online is like a visit to the dentist with no pain involved. This process used to involve a lot of trips to different offices of agents, hours of time on the phone and a lot of time spent filling out paperwork, not to mention money spent on postage and handling costs. Nowadays anyone can go online and have multiple offers tailored to their needs in just minutes. There are no time consuming and embarrassing face to face interviews with agents in which they ask very personal questions about you and your family. No paperwork to send in the mail and no pressure from sales people to make a purchase. This process can be performed in the comfort of your own home in a relaxed atmosphere. If you have your necessary information ready ahead of time the whole process only takes a few minutes. It's like a visit from your mother-in-law without stress.

While the details of each policy vary greatly, there are generally two types: term and whole life insurance. A term policy is one that lasts for a specified period of time. You pay a monthly premium towards an agreed upon payoff to your prearranged beneficiaries (your family, relatives, etc...). These beneficiaries will receive this money if you happen to die during that period. If you are still living at the end of this term, the contract disappears. You then need to renew your policy or purchase a new one. Whole life insurance is very similar to term except the policy lasts for your whole life instead of just for a specified period of time.

Before you start searching for a quote online you need to get some basic statistics about your living expenses. This will make the process go a lot faster. You basically need to add up the monthly costs of living for your family. In addition to the basic things, you need to include such things as the future education expenses for your children as well as your own funeral expenses. These are only a few of the things that you need to consider when you are adding up the numbers. Once you contact an agent that you decide to work with they can help you work out the fine details of this process. You just need some basic living expense numbers to get your quotes. After that the process is quite simple.

When you think about your list of your top priorities you should include getting a life insurance quote online. It may not be something that you really want to do, but the fact is the internet makes it so easy to do nowadays and this takes a way a lot of the pain involved in the process. No more arduous visits to many different offices of agents, no more embarrassing face to face questions about your personal life and no more mountains of paperwork to fill out. You can do the entire process in the privacy and comfort of your own home for free. There are plenty of companies offering quotes at no cost. Once you get your offers and you decide on a policy you can rest assured that your family will be taken care of if you were to suddenly pass away. Peace of mind is a wonderful thing.

© 2006 Copyright. Michael Connelly

Dental Insurance For Family - What Family Dental Plan Should I Enroll In?

Having the right family dental insurance is extremely important for maintaining your health. Finding the perfect dental insurance provider for your family is critical. Depending on what your family's dental needs are now and for the future will determine what plan you will want to seek out.

Many employers offer family dental insurance with moderate coverage for an extremely affordable price. Most of these plans cover yearly cleanings and X-rays in full, as well as a small co-pay for fillings. Those services such as crowns, root canals, or braces may be covered to a much lesser degree. Depending on where you work and what types of benefits are offered you may be able to purchase better family dental insurance coverage at a lower employee rate if other high cost services are needed.

Important Things To Consider Before Selecting Or Changing A Family Dental Insurance Plan

Some family dental insurance plans require patients to choose a dentist from a limited list of dentists, so check to see if your dentist is on the list. If not make sure you get a recommendation from your own dentist or close friend. Sometimes just telling your dentist that your insurance is making you leave will prompt them to add that type onto their list of accepted insurances.

Most plans are designed to pay only a portion of your dental expenses, with preventive maintenance being the most covered portion of the plan. Carefully read a plan and know its limitations, there may be many services you need that aren't covered at all or enough to warrant investment. If a plan doesn't cover a procedure that is recommended by your dentist, this does not mean that the treatment isn't appropriate or needed; it just means they aren't going to pay.

Some plans do not cover pre-existing dental conditions, such as missing teeth, gingivitis, and other mouth diseases. Make sure to see if your policy has these limitations. Even when you and your dentist agree on the appropriate treatment method for your condition, the contract provision of the family dental insurance plan may only pay a portion or pay only for the least expensive alternative treatment.

Ask yourself the following questions before selecting a new family dental insurance plan:

* Will you be able to chose your own dentist or only the pre-approved one on a list?

* Who determines which treatment is good for the patient, the dentist or insurance company?

* Does the plan cover all procedures, diagnostic, preventive and emergency services? Covering things like sealants and fluoride treatments, which may save patients money in the future. Will it provide for full-mouth x-rays and major dental work if necessary?

* Does the plan cover crowns and bridges, braces, root canals, oral surgery and treatment of periodontal diseases if those are needed? Would you be able to get dentures or other dental devices if need be?

* Will the plan allow for a referral to a specialist if necessary? If so, will the dentist be limited to a list of specialists from which to choose or can you go to anyone?

* How does the plan provide for emergency treatment, such as abscessed teeth? What provisions are made for emergency care when you are away from home and need to be seen right away?