Insurance Regulators For The State Of Florida

Coverage for workers compensation insurance is crucial for any business in any location. While it's no surprise that regulations may change from place to place, what may be a bit of news is that sometimes large shakeups happen within a local market in terms of both regulations, as well as carriers. That's the case with the current market for Florida workers compensation insurance, where the end of 2017 saw some major news and developments.

Insurance regulators for the state of Florida put a popular carrier into receivership, with the reasoning being that they had inadequate reserves. 

This is obviously a huge issue for an insurance carrier, who has to actually be able to pay out on their policies. That is the point of the policy, after all.

For those who are unfamiliar, receivership is basically a type of corporate bankruptcy. In the corporate world, this can be done in order to attempt to restructure 

a company and avoid liquidation. The goal is to right the ship of the company without its full dissolution.

In this specific case, the carrier in question is Guarantee Insurance Co., also known as GIC. The company provides workers compensation insurance to more than half 

the states in the country, and is based in Fort Lauder-dale.

The Florida Office of Insurance regulation, or OIR, determined that the assets of the company were insufficient to pay outstanding obligations. The latter figure worked out to be over a quarter of a million dollars.

Of course, insurance is meant to protect against risk for businesses, not provide them with more of it. So this has been an unfortunate turn of events for the businesses and business owners dealing with this situation in Florida. Workers compensation insurance in particular is a crucial safeguard, as well as a business requirement, and not one you want to be having any issues with.

The state of Florida dictates that non-construction businesses must have workers compensation insurance in Florida if they have four or more full or part-time employees. In the construction business, all businesses are required to carry workers compensation, while in the agricultural industry, requirements dictate that businesses with six or more regular employees and/or at least 12 seasonal employees for more than 30 days must have workers compensation insurance.

All of this underscores the need to work with trusted, high quality Florida workers compensation insurance providers. It's always recommended to consult with a local, experienced professional in your area who can help answer any questions, and ensure you receive the coverage you need at a reasonable price.

Auto Insurance, When the Illegal Immigrant Has a License

So much focus on the illegal immigrant in the media that we in the insurance industry have decided to have our say, as well.

Here goes.

Of all the fifty US states, there are only twelve that give driving privileges to the undocumented immigrant. In the other states, any undocumented immigrant that drives does so without having been issued a license. Without a license, you can bet your bottom dollar that there is no auto insurance to cover an accident. If a legal driver is the not at fault party of a collision, not only will there be no coverage to pay for damages from the other party, but it's likely there will be no out-of-pocket money to speak of in compensation as well.

Good reason to invest in uninsured motorist of underinsured motorist insurance, huh?!

In any case, the danger involved in illegal immigrant driving has prompted the few states that do offer some form of driving licenses to the undocumented to actually expand the eligibility. With the invitation from CA, CO, DE, DC, HI, MD, NV, NM, UT, WA and VT to apply for a driving license, the undocumented immigrant who passes the written and driving test has better odds of safe driving and can actually purchase protective auto insurance coverage.

This means of course that in the event of a vehicular accident, the illegal immigrant that lives and drives in one of the areas where the privilege is open to him or her can have the shielding insurance to cover damages. 

But the illegal immigrant who passes the driving test required in order to acquire a legal driving license has other more inclusive options that, like any US citizen, can shield him or her more comprehensively.

These include the options of:

Collision Insurance Coverage - this compensates for the cost of damage incurred to the at-fault driver as well

Comprehensive Insurance Coverage - this provides payment for other losses incurred as a result of a stolen automobile, car vandals, or the damage from a natural disaster

Uninsured/Under-Insured Motorist Insurance Coverage - this provides coverage for damages resulting from an accident with a driver that does not have adequate auto insurance

Irrespective of your standing in regard to residency or citizenship, if you are a legal driver it is wise to seek guidance and advice from a qualified insurance professional in relation to insurance coverage options that are applicable to your individual circumstances.Insurance coverage strongly perfect.

The Essential Car Insurance Facts for Calgary

In Calgary, driving isn't always easy. Drivers must brave weather that can change quickly, and heavy rush hour traffic. Regardless, you'll always need car insurance, whether you are daily commuter, weekend adventurer, or an occasional driver.

Average Car Insurance Costs in Calgary and Alberta 

Although Alberta has a private insurance market, the insurance rates themselves are still regulated by the provincial government. There are two agencies in Alberta that oversee car insurance rates: The Automobile Insurance Rate Board and the Office of the Superintendent of Insurance.

In 2004, Alberta implemented a premium grid on auto insurers, settings maximum premium levels for basic coverage. The grid takes into account where you live, the number of years you've been licensed, the number of claims you've had in the last six years, and how many driving convictions you have on your record. But it is still important to shop around because even with the premium grid, auto insurance rates vary wildly within Alberta.

If you are aged 25 or under in Alberta, you are considered young and will pay around $187/month for Alberta car insurance. However, as you get older your premiums will go down. For example, you'll pay around $152/month at ages 31-35, about $122/month at ages 46-50, and around $100/month at ages 56-60.

Auto insurance rates in Alberta are determined by a variety of factors:

Your gender and age

Your driving experience

Type of vehicle you drive

Location and use of your vehicle

Your driving record

The amount of coverage you've selected

How to get the Cheapest Auto Insurance in Alberta

1.Compare rates among various companies and don't feel like you must stick with the insurers your parents used. There are many insurance providers available, and often they use competitive pricing, meaning different providers may offer the same policies at greatly different prices. Talk to a broker (who compares auto insurance rates in Calgary for you) or use online tools to see where you can get the best rate for the coverage that is right for you. As well, reading auto insurance reviews will help you avoid unexpected issues. Search online for opinions using blogs and forums.

2.Sometimes you can get better rates if you bypass the broker or agent and deal with a direct insurer, like Belairdirect or TD Insurance.

3.Use rate tools and calculators. For instance, if your credit card includes rental car protection, you can save 20 per cent by paying with it. You can use a credit card navigator tool to assist you in finding insurance for a rental car compatible with the value add-ons on your credit card. You can also use an insurance price comparison tool to compare insurance premiums.

4.Bundle your car insurance in Calgary with other policies. For example, if you have multiple vehicles and a home to insure, you can bundle them with one insurance company to get a bundle discount. Insurance companies reward their customers for giving them more business.

5.If you got your policy you were a smoker and can prove you have quit smoking since then and have not returned to it for at least one year, they will reduce your insurance premiums. Smokers typically pay double the amount for premiums!

6.Invest in driving a hybrid vehicle. By purchasing a hybrid, you may save on more than just gas! Inquire with your insurance company to see if they offer discounts for hybrid vehicles.Save money hybrid vehicles.

What It Actually Includes - Houseboat and Yacht Insurance

The categorizes of world  insurance both houseboats and yachts in a similar class. It is because of this that coverage pricing as well as insuring conditions are much the same. The key difference between houseboats and yachts are the following factors: the houseboat's production makes it more challenging to ride the waters and it is not as capable to navigate the rough sea as the yacht.

Houseboat and its counterpart yacht insurance coverage is centered around the boatman's navigational past experience, the boats use, the season in which it is being on the waters and the parallel insurance rates that match the navigational area it is being used in.

In general, after relevant insurance deductibles are paid, this form of insurance covers various things.

Hull Coverage 

This insurance deals with the actual physical damage that the body of the boat incurs, incorporating the ship trailers, equipment, and motor and watercraft fittings. Hull coverage does not cover the following exclusions:

• Wear and tear of the boat 

• Anything on the boat that is damaged as a result of a deficiency in maintenance

Personal Effects Coverage 

This insurance covers the boater's personal effects. Things like apparel, cell phones, I-pods, sports and fishing equipment and so on are protected under this type of policy.

Liability Coverage 

The same way car insurance includes liability that covers an at-fault accident, liability coverage for the houseboat and yacht protects against an at-fault boat accident. This coverage pays for boat repairing or boat replacement as a result of a boat collision that is your fault. It also covers medical care, lost wages and any other costs that come up as a result of an accident that you are responsible for.

Medical Payments Coverage 

The Medical Payments coverage takes care of any medical care costs that arise due to a boat accident. Included in the coverage are: the insured, boat passengers, and water skiers. The good thing about this form of coverage is that it protects, regardless of who it is that is at fault for the accident.

Uninsured Boaters Coverage 

We all know that auto insurance is obligatory. In the case of boat insurance, however, there is no legal obligation to carry related coverage. In the event, you are involved in a boat accident where the other party is at fault but is uninsured or under insured, the uninsured boaters coverage protects you by paying for medical care and lost wages, as well as other expenditures caused by the collision.

A Must have for International Travelers

Travelling is one activity that every individual must undertake at one time or the other; it does not matter what the purpose of travel is, or whether the travel is local or international. A lot of people actually look forward to travelling to other parts of the world for various reasons and purposes, including but not limited to business, tourism, vacation, pilgrimage, education and for medical attention.

The euphoria to travel outside of one's domain usually comes with a lot of preparations, and more often than not, a great deal of resources are deployed to ensure that the travel is actually takes place; and these include acquisition of an international passport, medical tests (where applicable), expensive visa processing fees, flight booking and hotel reservation.

A lot of people will do anything and everything just to actualize their international travel ambition. And to be very candid here, international travel is actually fun and something to look forward to. Travelling, especially international travels, is a form of education for the travellers as they have an opportunity to see new environments, meet new people, and learn how things are done elsewhere.

International travel affords the traveller a lot of opportunities irrespective of their original purpose of travel. These include business opportunities, educational opportunities, employment opportunities and even marital opportunities. Unfortunately, however, it is only these and many other opportunities that these (would-be) travellers see. They seem to be ignorant or care less about risks that are embedded in international travels, so they don't take any steps towards mitigating such risks.

At this juncture, you may be tempted to ask the question: "What are those risks that are associated with international travels?" Very good question. Just read on, as most of those risks are discussed in the following paragraphs.

Risks Associated with International Travels

As interesting, fun, enjoyable, profitable and educative as international travels may be, they also come with their own downsides - the risks - just as every other thing in life. And very fortunately for travellers, most of these risks can be transferred to professional travel insurance providers, by way of buying a travel insurance - also referred to as "travel health insurance" or "travel medical insurance".

These international travel risks are many and varied, and they include, but not limited to:

Sudden illness in the country of destination requiring urgent medical attention and/or hospitalization.
Involvement in an accident leading to bodily injuries, temporary or permanent disability, or death
Loss of checked-in baggage
Loss of valuable items such as international passport, drivers' licence, national identity card, etc.

Personal liabilities abroad
Emergency dental cases
Hijacking
Arrest by law enforcement agencies requiring bail and legal defence
Another question that may be asked at this juncture is: "Do travel insurance policies cover all the above-mentioned risks?" And the answer is a big YES, and so much more.
Covers and Benefits Provided by Major Travel Insurance Policies

Below is a list of most of the covers and benefits provided by travel insurance policies - depending on the providers. So the next time you buy a travel insurance policy, look out for these covers and benefits.

Medical Expenses and hospitalization abroad
Emergency Medical Evacuation
Repatriation after treatment
Emergency dental care
Repatriation of family member travelling with the insured
Travel of one Immediate Family Member
Emergency Return Home following Death of Close Relative
Repatriation of Mortal Remains
Medical Assistance
Legal Assistance
Pre-Departure Services
International General Assistance
Abroad Information Assistance about lost Luggage and Passport,
Delivery of Medicines
Legal Defence
Advance of Bail Bond
Hijacking in means of Public Transport
Loss of Passport, driving license, national identity card abroad
Compensation for in-flight loss of checked-in baggage
Compensation for delay in the arrival of luggage
Delayed Departure
Location and forwarding of baggage and personal effects.
Accidental Death
Permanent Disability
Personal Civil Liability
Trip Cancellation Expenses
Risks Not Covered By Travel Insurance Policies

Having talked about the covers and benefits afforded by travel insurance, it is also important to consider the risks that are not covered by most of these policies, as listed below:

Participation in criminal acts, or as a result of his/her fraudulent, seriously negligent or reckless actions including those actions of the Insured in a state of derangement or under psychiatric treatment costs for which are themselves excluded;
Natural phenomena such as floods, earthquakes, landslides, volcanic eruptions, atypical cyclonic storms, falling objects from space and aerolites, and in general any extraordinary atmospheric, meteorological, seismic or geological phenomenon any other type of natural disaster;
Events arising from terrorism, mutiny or crowd disturbances;
Events or actions of the Armed Forces or Security Forces in peacetime;
Wars, with or without prior declaration, and any conflicts or international interventions using force or duress or military operations of whatever type.
Participation in bets, challenges or brawls, save in the case of legitimate defence or necessity;
Pre-existing Illness or injuries
Participation in competitions, sports, and preparatory or training tests;
Motor racing or motorcycle racing, horse riding, climbing, pot holing, boxing, wrestling in any of its modes, martial arts, parachuting, hot air ballooning, free falling, gliding and, in general, any sport or recreational activity that is known to be dangerous;
Participation in competitions or tournaments organized by sporting federations or similar organizations.
Hazardous winter and/or summer sports such as skiing and/or similar sports.
Work-related accidents
Internationally and locally recognized epidemics.
Illnesses or injuries arising from chronic ailments or from those that existed prior to the inception date of the policy;
Death or injuries as a result of suicide or attempted suicide or any self-inflicted injuries.
Illness, injuries or pathological states caused by the consumption of alcohol, drugs, toxic substances, narcotics or medicines acquired without medical prescription, as well as any kind of mental illness or mental imbalance;
Illness or injuries caused by pregnancy and childbirth or any complication therefore or voluntary termination of pregnancy;
Where to Buy Travel Insurances
Travel insurances can be bought online - and there are many travel insurance providers to buy from. All you need to do is locate your preferred provider, and complete the online form or questionnaire, and make your payment, and policy is made available to you for immediate printing or sent to your email address.

You can also buy travel insurance offline from a local insurance company or travel agency. whatever method of purchase you choose, you can rest assured that you will be fully protected against insurable gravel insurance risks.

Using Your Travel Insurance

After you have bought your travel insurance policy, whether it is self-purchased using the provider's online portal, at a travel agency or through a local insurance company, you should make sure that you do not forget to take the document with you while travelling. This is so important because you may be required to produce that document by relevant bodies.

You should take particular note of your policy number (if possible copy the number somewhere else) as it will be required by the service providers to property identify you when you call them for assistance.

Another thing you should take note of on your travel insurance certificate or policy document is the Assistance Company's telephone numbers that you need to call when you need help. These numbers are always conspicuously written on the travel insurance document - Most important note down.

How It Works and If It's Worth It- Pet Insurance

Pet owners are infamous for lavishing every comfort and luxury onto their animals. Cats have veritable palaces made of scratching posts, and dogs often have toy boxes overflowing in ways that would make a child jealous. It's no wonder pets occupy so much time and space in their owner's lives; they're basically family the moment they come home with you. You fondly remember your childhood dog or cat and fondly look forward to the next decade or two that your furry friend has with you. So, consider the same protections you'd get for anyone else in your family, and spend a little on pet insurance.

If you, like most people, are unfamiliar with pet insurance, it's simpler to describe it as pet health insurance. Most pet insurance policies are primarily for your pet's veterinary visit costs and other medical necessities, like prescription medications. Usually pet insurance is a monthly payment, much like a health or car insurance policy, and comes with a per-year or per-instance deductible. Your pet's visits to the vets may come with co-pays and exchanges of policy information much like any of your own visits to your doctor. This may also lighten the cost of your pet's regular vaccinations.

Now that you know what it is, the question is if it's worth it. While there's numerous types of pet insurance plans for every lifestyle, you should evaluate your own habits with your pet before choosing whether to commit. Keep in mind that even pet medical bills are very expensive.

Treatments for life-threatening conditions like cancer can cost several thousand dollars. Chronic conditions can be just as costly, when your pet requires constant and repeated treatment that racks up in price. Those with more money are more likely to be able to cover medical costs of their pets without assistance, but those with less are much more likely to have to make tough economic decisions about their pet's health and well being.

The purpose of insurance is paying in preparation for the worst you hope never comes. The actual cost-benefit varies according to what sort of policy you invest in, but in general, they're designed to offset the heavy costs of accident and illness.

Take it to account your lifestyle and the type of activities you and your pet partake in. If you have an outdoor cat, remember that the large swaths of time it spends wandering about have their own dangers. Dogs, whether you're an urban dog walker or trail hiker, are exposed to just as many dangers. While this isn't supposed to invoke paranoia, dogs and cats are notoriously good at getting into things they shouldn't, and leaving you to clean up the mess-including their forays into tasting chocolate or other toxic food. Emergency medical treatment from this has a higher price tag than the average veterinarian visit and can easily clear out savings to save your dog or cat's life.

Before you buy anything, read your prospective policy very carefully and multiple times. Get someone to go over the exact wording of clauses, stipulations, and other terms of the policy. You need to be incredibly familiar with what is claimable for your pet's health under the policy, and make sure to compare heavily between companies. Don't assume that certain qualities are universal between two policies.

When the unfortunate time comes to make a claim for your pet's well being, you need to be sure that you can get the coverage your pet deserves. Ask for specifics on what constitutes things like preexisting conditions, congenital conditions, or developmental conditions. These are often used as reasons for denial of coverage. Note specifically how much you pay in your monthly fee, and how your premium will progress.

An alternative to contractual pet insurance is self-insuring. Set up a specific savings account with the sole purpose of pooling money for eventual pet health care. This way you can keep an eye on the exact amount of money you have available for emergencies, and something to pull from for regular check-ups and vaccinations on your pet. This does require discipline and time, so it's not particularly helpful if your pet immediately needs extensive health care after you've just brought them home. It helps to start your savings with a larger deposit at first, and do smaller weekly or monthly incremental deposits to build up to it.

Pet insurance is a potential tool to help keep your furry friend healthy, happy, and in your life for years to come. It's a solution for when your pet is ailing and you aren't equipped monetarily to help them, but also provides a soundness of mind. If you do decide to invest in pet insurance, it's better to do it sooner rather than later. Choose the plan-or not-that best fits your pet's needs and your own budget.Best look after.

Long-Term Care Insurance Policy

Long-term insurance policy best for everyone. "Never let the truth get in the way of a good story,". I am sure Mark Twain wasn't thinking about Long-Term Care or today's news media when he said this long ago. Today it is very easy to place a news story for people to consume. Between traditional TV and radio, an expanded 24/7 news cycle with cable news there is a lot of information available. The biggest difference today, like the old days when anyone with a printing press could print anything they like, now you just need a computer to create a news story. It seems almost everyone has a computer or smart phone and they are not afraid to use it.

The topic of Long-Term Care has become a big one with an aging America. By 2030, 1 in 4 Americans will be over the age of 50. By 2050, 1 of every 5 Americans will be 65+ according to data from data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It seems like once you get around the age of 50 the conversation about Long-Term Care starts coming up. In today's world that means you hit the Internet and see what information you can find. However, some articles are providing misleading or even completely erroneous information on Long-Term Care Insurance.

We have heard the term fake news, but perhaps the best way to define what is being written about Long-Term Care is just "lazy news" or "advocacy news". It seems like everyone with a computer, including myself, has an agenda. How much of this is "truth" is a matter to discuss.

Generally, there is more to a story... and the stuff left out is usually very important. The stories about Long-Term Care insurance premium rate increases are very misleading. They usually leave out many details. The reporters or "professionals" writing these articles often have an agenda to push the public in one direction or another.

The other thing to remember is the Internet is also "old news" as nothing on the Internet usually gets deleted. You may find and read something that is old but that story may have been updated numerous times since the first story was published making the information you are reading outdated. You must do more due diligence today to see if you are getting accurate information.

Since the issue of planning for the financial costs and burdens of aging is so important to American families you should know the facts. Often the reason the articles talk about premium increases is to scare the consumer. Maybe the writer wants the government to pay for all long-term care (not going to happen as too many people require care and budgets are tight as it is trying to take care of those with little or no savings). Perhaps the writer wants to have the consumer spend large sums of money of certain type of financial product they are selling. The consumer should understand the truth, so they can plan in advance with more peace-of-mind.

These increases that are being reported are primarily on "legacy products" These are older plans that were priced well before the interest rate crash and rate stabilization regulations.

Today, all plans are priced with the very low interest rate environment in mind (interest rates have been low in the United States over the last decade). These older plans which had increases were based on a few factors:

· Interest rates

· Lapse rates (meaning, how many people drop their policies. In practice, very few do, but this was not factored into premium pricing on many older plans)

· Claims and underwriting experience

These policies are paying huge benefits as well. In 2017 over $9.2 billion was paid in benefits to American families protecting assets and easing family burden.

The fact is these older policies were under priced to start with and even with increases they still have outstanding value and huge benefits. Nobody likes an increase, but you must put that increase in perspective. Many of these people I speak with have huge benefits which have been increasing 5% compounded every year since they had the policy. Many have unlimited lifetime benefits as well. Since they have these huge benefits many can reduce the benefit or inflation factor to keep the premium the same. As their benefits increase far greater compared to the cost of long-term care they remain in an outstanding position.

Today's Long-Term Care insurance policies remain very affordable as people start purchasing plans prior to retirement. Underwriting is more conservative but since consumers are younger most people can still find an appropriate plan.

Experts say that the risks of increases are small but like anything there is always a chance of an approved increase. However, if you read some of the articles being published you would think the industry is dead and consumers no longer have any interest in the product.

The fact is there are still numerous insurance companies marketing Long-Term Care insurance. Consumer interest has never been greater. As I speak to other Long-Term Care Insurance specialists, like myself, we have all noticed a big increase in both consumer awareness and interest. Consumers are younger, more knowledgeable with the risks (often with first-hand experience with an elder parent or other family member) and we are bombarded with requests for information and quotes.

Consumers are seeking help from Long-Term Care specialists as most financial adviser and general insurance agents have limited knowledge and experience with the products, underwriting, policy design, benefit options and the federal/state partnership program which is available in most states. Therefore, some of these professionals push consumers into options they are more comfortable with despite the fact they might not be the best and most affordable way to address the costs and burdens of aging.

Long-Term Care Insurance, despite what you read, is very affordable for most people. With regulation and better pricing consumers enjoy additional peace-of-mind knowing they have a plan they can count on in the decades to come that will remain affordable once they retire and get older.

Many people can obtain outstanding coverage for under $150 a month, some even under $100. Premiums are based on your age at the time to get a plan, your health and the amount of benefits who wish to have. Most of the people I speak with nationwide are from ages 45 to 60.

A true Long-Term Care specialist will ask you numerous questions about your health, family history and retirement plans in order to make the proper recommendation. Anyone willing to give you "quotes" without asking very many questions should be avoided.

Long-Term Care insurance is custom designed. Plus, every insurance company has its own underwriting criteria. A true Long-Term Care specialist will represent most or all the major companies. They will have a keen understanding of underwriting and policy design. They should have processed many claims, so they have the first-hand knowledge of how these policies get used at the time of claim.

Finally, a real Long-Term Care specialist will not steer you to certain type of policy without spending time speaking with you to determine which type of plan fits your specific situation. Working with a Long-Term Care specialist will allow you to get the accurate information you seek. There are several reference websites for research:

LTC News offers articles and resources: http://www.ltcnews.com

US Department of Health and Human Services: https://longtermcare.acl.gov/

The main concern for most people is they understand care giving is hard. An older spouse can't be expected to be a caregiver without impact their own health. Adult children and their own families, careers and responsibilities. Paid care is expensive and drains savings and impacts lifestyle.

For many, Long-Term Care Insurance is easy, affordable, rate stable income and asset protection. It reduces the burdens which your aging will have on your family. However, speak with a true specialist. There are not many Long-Term Care specialists with extensive experience, but I help people nationwide and a number of others like myself do as well. Peoples protection.

Most important Overusing Your Health Insurance

When reviewing health plans and evaluating cost, keep in mind health insurance wasn't designed to cover every penny related to health care.

Everything under the sun on an open credit card is nice, but not when you are paying the bill. But you are.

The purpose of insurance is to cover sudden very expensive losses. It's about making you whole again and not have the financial responsibility of a ton of money to do it. Somehow we all decided over the last 60 years that the traditional plan should pay for everything.

Health insurance is the only insurance product, for the most part, that pays for first dollar coverage like doctor visits and prescription drugs. The healthcare system gamed the system on the bigger bank account paying the bill, not the small guy. The tables have turned...

Employees are more responsible for their healthcare in paying more for premium dollars out of their check and higher costs. Employers should engage their employees in being more proactive in their healthcare. Here are a few ideas:

Don't run to the ER or the doctor visit for every little thing. What happened to home remedies or waiting to see the doctor instead of running to the ER? This will save you thousands in a year if you have kids.

Try saving money on medication by finding alternatives. Sometimes skipping the drug may not have an impact on your health, but keeps you coming back to the doctor. The other thing you can do is shop around. Just because they are convenient doesn't mean it is the most cost-effective.

Just because your doctor recommends a test, it doesn't mean you have to jump to it and have it done. The doctor went through many years of school, but they are also trying to run tests to protect them and get paid. Ask more questions to see if you feel it's the right thing. Just like you would if your mechanic suggested items. It's your money.

If you are scheduling a procedure, take a look around. Many new facilities are popping up to help reduce cost from outpatient testing to outpatient surgical facilities. The hospital isn't the cheapest. Far from it. This ends up driving the price up for you and the insurance company.

You do not need to go to a state of the art teaching hospital, for most thing. There are a time and place for the advanced care that some of the predominant teaching hospitals bring to the table. However, for most things people go through its overkill and overcharged.

In the end, it will end up costing you more money, either in out-of-pocket expenses or premium. There is no free lunch.

With The A Decision Automation Process

An extreme late in medical prescriptions and procedures, overdue accounts, problems with paperwork is a big challenge. After receiving a prior authorization, nearly 869 million hours are spent per year!

It is true that electronic prior authorization has been in effect for more than a decade. For payers who have their own heavy web portals, however, there is a lack of better communication between two receptive interfaces, the portals, which are only associated with the individual process work flow.

What we need today is expert intervention and a combination to make the most of the technology's benefits. While it is true that a manual process is quite expensive and costs about $ 10.78 per transaction, compared to $ 2.07 for a prior electronic transaction authorization.

Reduce the time with electronic prior authorization

Good communication between the payee and the vendor is a serious problem that becomes a major obstacle to the ideal change for more value-based care. Ultimately, solving your practice management priorities will be possible with a perfect combination of manual and electronic prior authorization that heals your pain in exam and authorization mandates as a medical practice.

With more than $ 31 billion being spent annually for prior authorization, healthcare providers need to leverage the best technology in order to accelerate the practice management process., Healthcare in general generally stays local!

Whether it's REM on the supplier side, the end-user management systems are old and often unable to keep up with changing business dimensions. The continuous data exchange between provider and payer is still hampered by unusual pay-per-view portals that correlate with their individual work flow models.

Combination of a manual/electronic process for a simplified prior authorization process

Although both systems can communicate, tuning and data absorption are not efficient enough, which makes integration rather bleak. The entire licensing process is the most important aspect of the actual sales cycle. Patient access services do not have sufficient resources to respond to authorization requests!

The Medicare and Medicaid cuts will be just another challenge, and a more rational management/management cycle management will be the reference. Appealing to all the "non-self-denials" that you face as an organization requires that you combine manual and electronic processes with a large number of resources that meets the demands of modern day practice management.

Considering that nearly 90% of previous authorizations require a call or fax, Sure scripts calculates that the cost of servicing these requests is between $ 2,000 and $ 14,000 per year. Previous authorizations account for almost 2% to 4% of this revenue!

Considering that billions of recipes are ordered every year, that brings a lot of money and time! For an urgent request it can take 24 hours to make a decision, and for a standard, it can vary between 10 and 15 days!

On average, we find that physicians spend 1.1 hours a week, surgeons 0.7 hours and specialists 0.8 hours. The biggest challenge still does not take into account that different forms are associated with the prior authorization process.

Finding A very Low Rate For Individual Dental Insurance

While many of us understand the need for regular dental care, a surprisingly large number of people still will not see a dentist regularly. Oftentimes, this is a result of concerns about cost. When asked why they have not seen a dentist recently, more than one-third of individuals asked, reported that it was due to the price of care.

While dental insurance is able to reduce these costs, a lot of people have difficulty getting a plan that is both affordable and comprehensive. In 2008, nearly 45 million people had no dental insurance. Of people with health insurance through work, nearly 80% also received dental benefits. Only 30% of those people also had a dental plan.

As these numbers indicate, having a good dental insurance plan is directly correlated with better health. The better your insurance, the less likely you are to have cavities or more serious issues with your teeth. Even if you do not get dental insurance by your employment, you must find an individual plan that will make it affordable to see a dentist.

Fortunately, you can find individual dental insurance plan policies that can help. However, prior to choosing a plan, there are a few key elements that you should bear in mind. Otherwise, you may end up with a plan that will not provide you with the coverage that you need.

If you are already a patient of a particular dentist, and you are happy with using this type of care, you should choose a plan that he accepts. Otherwise, either your new insurance will not actually save you any money or you will have to get a new dentist. Before you start shopping, talk to your dentist's office to find out which plans he accepts.

Consider your personal needs and the needs of your family when you are looking for a plan. Are you simply looking for insurance for yourself, or are there other members of the household who need coverage as well? For example, if you have children, you need to look for a plan that covers pediatric dentistry.

Additionally it is a good idea to consider the future cost of orthodontics when choosing a plan. The odds are that at least one of your children will need braces. More than 80 percent of orthodontic treatment is done on patients under the age of 18. Look for a plan that gives generous benefits for such treatment.

Make sure to balance the cost of the monthly premiums against your own out-of-pocket obligations. Many people automatically choose the plan with the lowest premiums, only to be shocked when they learn how much they have to pay before their benefits kick in. It may be worthwhile to pay a bit more each month so you pay less later on.

There is a lot to consider when you are shopping for individual dental insurance. Take your time and don't make any hasty decisions. This way, you can find a plan that works for you and peoples.

Your Insurance Agency Lead Scoring

Insurance agencies have not yet formalized their lead scoring system. This is a worthwhile endeavor for all agencies, and one which should be revisited every year, while tracking the return on investment of their marketing programs.

What is lead scoring? It is a methodology used to rank prospects against a scale, and then assign a value to determine interest level and distribution. For example, let's say a trucking insurance lead appointment arrives at your agency. This lead is with an owner of 15 power units, they use company drivers, and they are unhappy with their carrier. Perhaps your lead scoring system falls on a 1 to 10 scale, and this lead is scored an 8. What might receive a higher score? And what types of leads are outside of profile, and what score would they receive? Perhaps prospects need to score an 8 to appear on your producer scorecards.

Is the lead distributed to producers by territory? Does your lead handling process vary by type of lead, product or prospect? For example, are commercial leads separated by large and small business, by industry or product? Are benefit leads parsed by groups over and under 50? And does your agency have a tracking system in place to determine how many leads showed for the appointment, moved into the pipeline, received quotes and ultimately convert into new business?

Salespeople, sales managers, producers and other business people often refer to prospects in vague terms such as: new, warm, hot, cold, likely, qualified, etc. These terms do little to better understand a sales pipeline or convey likelihood of purchase to other members of the team. Agencies can consider creating a simple prospect scorecard to resolve this issue and quantify their lead scoring. Formalizing lead scoring offers benefits such as:

Helps Producers create ideal attributes to form a buyer persona

Creates a simple numeric system to leverage your buyer persona

Assigns numeric values to rank your best prospects

Creates a simple qualification acronym to determine likelihood to close

What should be included in a prospect scorecard?

Use a prospect scorecard to quantify your approach to pipeline building. Some attributes of your ideal client might include revenue, growth rate, client type (business or consumer) and market niche. For example, are you targeting companies with $5m to $10m in revenue? Are your best prospects fast-growing firms, trucking companies, manufacturers or consumers?

If you're selling to consumers, are they high net worth, middle-income, millennial or senior citizens? Are your prospects in a specific niche market such as banking, insurance, biotech, consulting, education, etc.? Create a scorecard with your ideal attributes and a customized qualification abbreviation to help you determine if you're selling to an in-profile prospect.

Insurance agencies and brokers seeking to get to the next level with their insurance marketing and lead generation, but lacking the internal resources to achieve their marketing goals, can reach out to a proficient insurance agency marketing firm.

Three Simple Actions For Secure Your Finances.

Millions of people do not understand how important it is to be financially stable. Financial stability does not necessarily refer to having a well paying job and a lot of money. In order to be secure, one has to know how to handle their monetary resources. You need to be able to determine how you will

spend, save and invest your money. This will make sure that you are financially secure.

How to use your money

There are simple tricks you can apply to your life to ensure you are utilizing your money well. The three main elements are to make sure you can;

· Spend

· Save

· Invest

When you get your salary or profits from your business ventures, you must be willing to pay attention to all these three areas. The secrets to maintaining a constant structure that will ensure you are financially stable is by following the pointers below.

1. Budget

Always budget whenever you get your money. Be logical when you do so. Write down all your expenses and needs. When you budget, always indicate payments you have to make to insurance companies or loan payments if they are not part of your net pay. Once you have a clear picture of how much you are spending, you can now know how much to save.

2. Saving

Choose a savings account that will generate more funds for you. You may need to do some research before you settle for one. If you have dependents, you may want to put money aside for their needs as well such as tuition savings. Allocate your savings according to your needs.

3. Invest

Investing ensures that your future is secure. Once you have done your savings and budgeted well, make sure you take a leap of faith and invest your money in other ways. For instance, you can put some money into company shares.

For the sake of your family, you can also apply for insurance. Life insurance is the best since it covers both you and your loved ones. There are many options available for such insurance covers like new policies that offer life insurance without medical.

With these three factors in place, you can begin to take charge of your finances. In the event that you have extra money to spare, hiring a financial manager will ensure you keep track of all your expenditures. Be sure to prioritize in the first stages so that you meet your goals and live within your means.

Save And Secure Your Finances With Three Simple Actions

Many of people do not understand how important it is to be financially stable. Financial stability does not necessarily refer to having a well paying job and a lot of money. In order to be secure, one has to know how to handle their monetary resources. You need to be able to determine how you will spend, save and invest your money. This will make sure that you are financially secure.

How to use your money

There are simple tricks you can apply to your life to ensure you are utilizing your money well. The three main elements are to make sure you can;

· Spend

· Save

· Invest

When you get your salary or profits from your business ventures, you must be willing to pay attention to all these three areas. The secrets to maintaining a constant structure that will ensure you are financially stable is by following the pointers below.

1. Budget

Always budget whenever you get your money. Be logical when you do so. Write down all your expenses and needs. When you budget, always indicate payments you have to make to insurance companies or loan payments if they are not part of your net pay. Once you have a clear picture of how much you are spending, you can now know how much to save.

2. Saving

Choose a savings account that will generate more funds for you. You may need to do some research before you settle for one. If you have dependents, you may want to put money aside for their needs as well such as tuition savings. Allocate your savings according to your needs.

3. Invest

Investing ensures that your future is secure. Once you have done your savings and budgeted well, make sure you take a leap of faith and invest your money in other ways. For instance, you can put some money into company shares.

For the sake of your family, you can also apply for insurance. Life insurance is the best since it covers both you and your loved ones. There are many options available for such insurance covers like new policies that offer life insurance without medical.

With these three factors in place, you can begin to take charge of your finances. In the event that you have extra money to spare, hiring a financial manager will ensure you keep track of all your expenditures. Be sure to prioritize in the first stages so that you meet your goals and live within your means. We believe saving budget.

Workers Benefit From Supplemental Insurance Coverage

Healthcare costs continue to rise, employers have started to shift the burden of health care costs onto their employees. Some have even cut back on employer-paid benefits. The health-care law requires most people to obtain and most employers to offer major medical coverage with certain essential benefits. Even so, what workers pay out-of-pocket through these plans keep rising as employers try to control their own costs.

A 2015 report revealed how employers are still looking for ways to reduce expenses by pushing costs onto workers in the form of increased deductibles, premiums and co payments. By offering supplemental or voluntary insurance to employees, this can provide financial protection in the event of a serious accident or illness. Three reasons why supplemental insurance is essential for employees are:

Healthcare cost increases are outpacing raises

According to a report, 31 percent of employers increased employees' share of premium, 30 percent increased employees' co payments, and 21 percent implemented high-deductible health plans. Those are big expenses hitting employees' wallets, but salary increases are not keeping up. A recent Kaiser Family Foundation study found that deductibles have risen six times faster than workers' earnings since 2010.

Out-of-pocket limits are high, even for higher-paid employees

The average out-of-pocket expense is approximately $7,000 for individuals and $14,000 for families, and that is only for covered essential health benefits. Yet, a whopping 52 percent of employees have less than $1,000 to pay for out-of-pocket expenses associated with an unexpected serious illness or accident, and 28 percent have less than $500.

Workers tend to choose price over quality, which may mean less coverage than they realize

With rising costs, it is tempting to choose health insurance based on the monthly price tag. In fact, 30 percent of employees say monthly premium is the most important factor when choosing a major medical insurance plan each year. A lower-cost plan may mean short-term savings, but could eventually add up to significantly higher out-of-pocket costs.

Employees need a financial safety net. Benefits received from supplemental insurance have long served as a way to help protect employees when they are sick or injured, regardless of their major medical insurance coverage. Some of these benefits include vision, dental, pet insurance, short-term disability, accident, critical illness, and hospital indemnity. Supplemental benefit recipients can use money received from these products to help pay for their daily living expenses, such as rent, mortgage payment, groceries, child care, and medical bills during the time the insured is unable to work.

When companies add voluntary products to their companies' benefits package, they can raise employees' level of satisfaction and help them feel more financially prepared to cope with possible life-changing events. On the other hand, employers can experience lower operational costs and save money in the process. The result is a win-win situation for both employer and employee.

Health and Your Insurance Coverage : Lead Poisoning

The water crisis in Flint, Michigan took place and residents worried about the lead content. For years, home and property owners and managers, as well as mortgage companies have known about lead risks.

Recent studies about the metal exposure in many parts of the country have raised significant questions.

What is lead poisoning?

This form of toxic poisoning can happen when a perilous level of lead enters the body. Incidentally, small amounts of lead are not good for you, either, and can cause serious health concerns, particular in kids under six years of age.

Where does lead come from?

Lead problems typically originate from lead-based paint and lead-contaminated dust. Older houses and buildings are problematic in regard to this. Lead can also be found in polluted air and water and soil. Those working with batteries, apartment or office building renovation may also be at risk, as are auto repair people.

How does one this form of poisoning?

All it may take to reduce low levels of lead poisoning is avoiding spots where lead is contained. Patients who suffer from a high level of lead poisoning may need to undergo a treatment called chelation. Family physicians are the best source of guidance in this matter. Of course, avoiding contact with lead sources is the best antidote in the first place.

How does one prevent lead poisoning?

Here are several everyday tips that help residents prevent exposure to lead poisoning.

• After turning on the cold water, let it run for a minute or so before using. 

• Wash hands before eating, bed time, and after playing outside 

• Sanitize toys regularly. 

• Mop all floors on a regular basis. Wipe furnishings and clean surfaces with a damp cloth to maintain a dust-free atmosphere 

• Train family members to remove shoes prior to coming inside 

• Plant grass over soil patches. 

• Plant grass over bare outdoor soil patches, covering sand boxes after playtime 

• Eat wholesome meals three times a day. 

• Avoid toys, remedies, cosmetics and hair dyes that may contain lead.

What about Property Insurance? Does it Cover Lead Poisoning?

This type of metal poisoning is a controversial topic for most insurance companies - especially when it comes to older homes, buildings and property. Generally, home and property owners must hire a special inspector to confirm that lead is not a known problem before a provider will sell related coverage.

More information about lead poisoning as it relates to property insurance can be learned from an independent insurance agency that is experienced in all areas of real estate.

Important Reasons to Buy Life Insurance

The first introduction to life insurance is when a friend or a "friend of a friend" gets an insurance license. For others, a close friend or relative died without having adequate coverage or any life insurance. For me, I was introduced to a life insurance company where I had to set appointments with friends and family as I learned the ends and outs of the industry and hopefully, make some sales.

Unfortunately, however, this is how most people acquire life insurance - they don't buy it, it is sold to them. But is life insurance something that you truly need, or is it merely an inconvenience shoved under your nose by a salesperson? While it may seem like the latter is true, there are actually many reasons why you should purchase life insurance.

As we grow older, get married, start a family, or begin a business, we need to understand that life insurance is absolutely necessary. For example, picture a safety net. You may be the greatest tightrope walker in the world, without a doubt. You could perform without a net, but, "Why?" You cherish your life and the life of those close to you and you wouldn't do anything that showed that you felt differently. Let's face it, we have no control over the unpredictability of life or of unforeseen occurrences. With that in mind, just as a safety net protects the uncertainty life, so does life insurance. It is an indispensable and fundamental foundation to a sound financial plan. Over the years, life insurance has given many caring and responsible people the peace of mind knowing that money would be available to protect the ones most important in their life, family and estate in a number of ways, including:

1. To Pay Final Expenses

The cost of a funeral and burial can easily run into the tens of thousands of dollars, and I don't want my wife, parents, or children to suffer financially in addition to emotionally at my death.

2. To Cover Children's Expenses

Like most caring and responsible parents, it is necessary to be sure that our children are well taken care of and can afford a quality college education. For this reason, additional coverage is absolutely essential while children are still at home.

3. To Replace the Spouse's Income

If one parent passes away while the children are young, the surviving caring parent would need to replace that income, which is essential to their lifestyle. The responsible surviving parent would need to hire help for domestic tasks like cleaning the house, laundry, and cooking. Add to that equation if it is a single parent, helping with schoolwork, and taking your children to doctor's visits.

4. To Pay Off Debts

In addition to providing income to cover everyday living expenses, a family would need insurance to cover debts like the mortgage, so they wouldn't have to sell the house to stay afloat.

5. To Buy a Business Partner's Shares

In a business partnership, the partners need insurance on each other partner's life. The reason is so if one dies, the others will have enough cash to buy his interest from his heirs and pay his share of the company's obligations without having to sell the company itself. They have the same needs (due to the risk that one of the partners might die), and they simultaneously purchased insurance on each other's life.

6. To Pay Off Estate Taxes

Estate taxes can be steep, so having insurance in place to pay them is essential to avoid jeopardizing assets or funds built for retirement. Use of insurance for this purpose is most common in large estates, and uses permanent (rather than term) insurance to ensure that coverage remains until the end of life.

7. To Provide Living Benefits

With the advancements in medicine and rising healthcare costs, people are living longer, but cannot afford to. Living benefits is an option to use death proceeds before the insured dies to help with obligations or necessities to ease the pressure on themselves and others.

How Much Coverage Should I Buy?

The face amount, or "death benefit" of an insurance policy (i.e., the amount of proceeds paid to the beneficiary) should be high enough to replace the after-tax income you would have earned had you lived a full life, presuming you can afford the annual premiums for that amount. In other words, the insurance replaces the income you didn't have the chance to earn by living and working until retirement due to a premature death.

The proper amount of insurance allows your family to continue their lifestyle, even though your income is no longer available. The actual amount that you should purchase depends upon your present and probable future incomes, any special circumstances affecting you or your family, and your existing budget for premiums.

Whole Life or Term?

Some people prefer to drive Cadillac, Lincoln or Rolls Royce, which come with all of the electronic gadgets that make driving safe and as easy as possible. Others prefer less customized makes, equally reliable to their more expensive cousins, but requiring more hands-on attention.

Whole life is the "Cadillac" of insurance; these companies try to do everything for you, specifically investing a portion of your premiums so that the annual cost doesn't increase as you grow older. The investment characteristic of the insurance means that premiums are generally higher than a similar term policy with the same face value. After all, whole life insurance is intended to cover your whole life.

Term insurance, on the other hand, is temporary life insurance. There are no excess premiums to be invested, and no promises or guarantees beyond the end of the term, which can range from 1 to 30 years. The annual premium for term insurance is always less than whole life, lacking the investment component, but your premiums will rise (often substantially) once the term period expires.

Both types of life insurance, term or whole life (or one of their derivatives) have benefits and drawbacks; both have their place depending upon the needs, desires, and financial objectives of the purchaser. A knowledgeable professional insurance agent can help you decide which type of policy is best for you depending upon your circumstances. But whichever you select, be sure that you have enough coverage to meet your objectives in the short term and the long term.

The Last Word

Some people mistakenly believe that life insurance is a scam. This is because the money for premiums is lost if death doesn't occur during the coverage period (in the case of term insurance), or because many people live to a ripe old age and continue to pay their permanent insurance premiums. Such naysayers compare life insurance protection to gambling, and forgo the protection entirely.

There are others, who have the belief that life insurance does not help them. To those individuals, the answer is: You are absolutely correct! The truth of the matter is that life insurance is a way for caring and responsible people to help ensure that their family can continue to move forward in the event of your untimely demise, a truly difficult time of loss. Of course, there is no bet - you will die, but no one knows when. It could be today, tomorrow, or 50 years into the future, but it will happen eventually.

Insurance best way for happy life.