Attract Employees: Group Health Insurance

Attract Employees: Group Health Insurance

Many small business owners know that in order for them to be successful they must offer an incentive to recruit employees to work for them. This can be any number of things, but most often it is the benefit of offering group health insurance. While this could be an excellent strategy for your small business to take in order to recruit new employees, there are a few things that you must know first before you dive into selecting a plan. Research group insurance policies thoroughly before choosing one for your company.

A group health insurance plan can be obtained by any small business that has as little as two employees to as many as fifty. There are two ways you can go about supplying the health insurance to your employees; this will mainly be decided by your own budget. Many small businesses that offer group health insurance help contribute towards the cost of the plan. On the other hand if an employee wants to have coverage for their families, the employer might offer to pay the employees' premiums and have them pay the premium for their families.

Another aspect of the group health insurance plan will be deciding between managed care or fee-for-service. Managed care plans include Health Maintenance Organization (HMO), Preferred Provider Organization (PPO), or Point of Service plan (POS).

An HMO will significantly reduce the cost that your members will have to pay for medical care as long as they use the providers specified by the HMO. A PPO will not require a referral in order for them to see a specialist. While the PPO is more flexible it will bring higher costs to the per-visit and annual deductibles. The POS plans are basically a combination of the features that you will find in an HMO and PPO. Members get to decide whether to pay a flat fee for offices in the network, or pay a deductible charge to see someone out of network. The fee-for-service plan gives the employee the power to select health care providers themselves. This means that they will have way more flexibility with where they can go for medical assistance.

Adding an appealing Group Health insurance plan to your business could potentially bring you more employees. This is just the basic information about Group Health insurance; there are many options to consider when choosing a plan. Be sure to investigate all options to create the best plan for your employees.

Always on the Hunt for Knowledge: Information Sources on Health Insurance

Always on the Hunt for Knowledge: Information Sources on Health Insurance

Health insurance can be confusing, especially if it is your first time shopping around with different providers. Terms such as deductible, co-payments, and pre-existing conditions can be confusing if you do not know what they really mean. There are many ways to find out more about health insurance so that you are as knowledgeable as possible. You could talk to a health insurance company who can give you an explanation and also an example to further your understanding. The Internet is also a great informational tool when you have any questions regarding information that you need to know about health insurance.

Logically, you would assume that the experts at the insurance company would be able to answer any questions that you have about terminology and any other queries that you have. The best way to get in touch with them is to simply call your provider and ask any questions that you have, no matter how general or specific. They are there to help you, and this should be your primary concern. Think about it-if an agent isn't helpful with your preliminary questions, just how helpful will he or she be if you need to settle a claim? If you get your health insurance through the company that you work for, there is usually a person in charge of handling any questions. Usually their title is "benefits administrator" and you would go to them with any questions regarding your health insurance plan, such as adding a spouse or children to your plan.

For answers to general questions such as terminology confusion, an Internet search engine can point you straight to your answer. This is a great options available to anyone who does not want to call their health insurance company just for a couple of simple questions. There may be information that you had overlooked in the past when you quickly skimmed through your policy. Your specific provider may have a web site where you can get facts about anything, including anything that you may not have been clear on regarding any additional benefits they offer. You can read all of the literature available at your own pace and on your own time.

If you would like to know more about health insurance, rest assured that there is a lot of information out there. You could make a call to your current provider and ask away on any questions that you have. For those who would prefer to learn the ins-and-outs of insurance at their own pace, the Internet has limitless information that is available to you at any time of day. Health insurance can be complicated at first, but the more you know the better off you will be.

Affordable Health Insurance for the Unemployed

Affordable Health Insurance for the Unemployed

Being unemployed can be a financial downside to say the least. You may be dependant on someone else to cover your daily expenses such as a place to live and food to eat. Health insurance is something that everyone needs and not enough people have available because of these other financial burdens. Any emergency such as a car accident or broken bone will require adequate medical assistance. What do you do when you don't have insurance and can't afford expensive medical bills? If you are unemployed, you need to find health insurance to prevent this from happening.

COBRA is a law in which many people could be eligible to remain on an employer's health insurance plan even after they lose their employment. The most ideal person for this coverage is someone who is between jobs and is not in need of long-term help. It can last at least a year to those who qualify, but the premium amount is still an expense that some unemployed individuals may not be able to take care of with their lack of income. If you are able to pay the premium and are eligible, COBRA will also cover your spouse and children who are dependent on you for insurance. The best way to determine if you could receive health insurance is to contact your local employer's benefits department and fill out the required forms.

You can also shop around for typical health insurance. Many free Internet services are proven reliable by the Better Business Bureau Online. By speaking with one of these insurance experts, you can get help finding the most affordable health insurance that will fit your specific needs. They know the rates of thousands of insurance companies and can fix you up with appropriate coverage for your specific needs. If you have a spouse or children, having health coverage is a necessity. Life is full of unexpected events and you cannot ensure that everyone will stay completely healthy until you have insurance again because accidents do happen. Finding an affordable coverage rate on your own can be a hassle. The experts at these companies are offering their assistance to you, often as a free service. Whether you need to find something short-term or for an extended period, they are qualified and dedicated to helping you.

If you find yourself unemployed at any time in your life, you are probably without health insurance. This can be a nightmare whether you have a family or not because medical expenses can put you into debt quickly. Luckily, there are ways of finding affordable coverage providers that can keep your health, as well as your finances, safe. A simple doctor visit can cost you significantly more money than it would with insurance. Do not let yourself become one of the many people who are unfortunately living life without proper insurance coverage.

Advantages to Managed Care Plans

Advantages to Managed Care Plans

There are many different types of Health insurance plans out there. Picking the right one for yourself can be troublesome in the beginning, especially if you don't know what you are looking for. You might have trouble deciding which one would be better for you.

Health insurance is divided into two large categories-indemnity and managed care plans. Indemnity plans, also commonly called reimbursement plans, will reimburse your medical expenses up to a certain limit. Under the Reimbursement plan, the insurer pays a percentage of the total charges, regardless of how much the charges are. With the indemnity plan, the insurer will pay a specified amount every day for a specified number of days. The amount reimbursed does not rely on the cost of medical care, but what you are reimbursed will never exceed your expenses.

The other popular type of health insurance plans is managed care plans. The three types of policies categorized as managed care plans are HMOs, POSs, and PPOs. This type of insurance is more popular than the indemnity plan, as they offer more flexibility. With these types of options you either pay a monthly fee no matter how many times you see a doctor, or pay a co-payment but no monthly fee. With managed care plans, you are given options of care. The plan you choose and the amount of money you wish to pay determines how big of a network of doctors and specialists you can see and still be covered under the plan. Some managed car plans (most often PPOs) offer sponsorship programs from a network of hospitals and medical services. You can often get this kind of plan through your employer.

Managed healthcare plans are better for the average person due to the fact that they are more cost effective. While indemnity plans may give you a lot more freedom in cost, you will have to use the healthcare provider that the insurer chooses. If you have a specific disability, this can present itself as a problem. In the long run, a managed care plan will save you money, especially if emergencies arise when you are out of town. These types of plans also are more flexible in policy. Before you purchase any kind of health insurance, be sure to research the many options available for you and your family to ensure you receive the best coverage possible for the lowest monthly premium or deductible.

Advantages to Indemnity Health Insurance Plans

Advantages to Indemnity Health Insurance Plans

Indemnity health insurance plans are more regularly known as traditional health insurance plans. These health insurance plans can be costly but often cover most health problems that may arise, while other insurance plans exclude some illnesses or diseases from their coverage. Some disadvantages to indemnity plans are that they do not usually cover preventative health care like physicals, and traditional health insurance plans often cover only a percentage of your bill. Research the advantages and disadvantages to indemnity health insurance when you are considering health insurance options.

While the disadvantages may seem problematic, there are many advantages to indemnity health insurance plans. You may have a higher monthly premium and you may need to pay upfront costs and submit claims paperwork, but your deductible will be more manageable and your coverage will be wider. Some health insurance plans will not cover certain medical expenses or care, but indemnity plans often do.

Another benefit of indemnity health insurance plans that many people desire is the freedom to choose your own physician. While other health insurance plans offered by the insurance industry limit your choice of physicians and hospitals to a list of preferred providers, indemnity insurance will cover any physician or hospital. This benefit may seem unworthy of mention, but there has been more than one instance where a mother finds that her son or daughter's pediatrician is not in their preferred provider network and has to search for another pediatrician. This also means that you can see a specialist without having to consult with your primary care physician first.

Overall, indemnity health insurance plans also offer you the best emergency medical coverage in the industry. While preferred provider organizations (PPOs) or point-of-service (POS) plans limit the physician you can see to a list of network physicians and hospitals, the freedom of choosing any physician is nationwide with indemnity health insurance plans. This means that if you are traveling across the country and have an accident or a medical emergency, you can go to the nearest hospital or see the closest physician without worrying about the expense. There have been instances where hospitals or physicians will either refuse to treat patients or treat them only minimally because the hospital or physician is not inside the plan's preferred provider network - meaning that the patient's health insurance will only cover a small part of the expense and the patient is liable to pay the rest of the bill. This is a risky financial situation for the physician and/or hospital since patients are often unable to fully pay costly medical bills. With indemnity health insurance plans, this is almost never the case. Consider this and the other benefits of indemnity health insurance when choosing the plan that is right for you.

10 Simple Travel Health Insurance Tips

Travel health insurance helps the travelers to know better the insurance policy and to reduce the premium. If travelers know the policy better, they can often save money on travel insurance. Here are top simple travel health insurance tips travelers should know.

Tip1: Understanding Travel Health Insurance Policy First
Travelers should read travel insurance policy before purchasing any plan, and better understand the coverage the company has offered. Every policy has few limitations such as pre-existence health conditions and age limits which must be well known to travelers unless it could be a great problem.

Tip 2: Medical Assistance Services
When travelers are going to buy insurance policy, they should ask to the company if they have any assistance service for their clients. Experience shows that there are many assistance service companies which are disinterested to take to emergency calls to real doctors or nurse. But it’s not all the cases, there are some serious insurance companies which pay attention to their respected clients and provide assistance service. Though it is little bit expensive to receive calls from distance, but few companies take their responsibility because minutes can save lives.

Tip 3: Understand the Preexisting Condition
Travel health insurance policy has few terms and conditions and the travelers should understand the preexisting condition clause of policy. And check these terms and conditions apply since travelers’ departure date, not while purchasing the plan. Suppose travelers buy an annual health insurance policy then these conditions apply to the departure date of every trip.

Tip 4: Buy Health Insurance That Cover Medical Conditions
Travelers who take medication will not congregate with the pre-existing clause and unfortunately you will not get any coverage for such conditions. So check the insurance policy and in case you do not understand compare among different agencies which offer health insurance plan compatible with your medication.

Tip5: Choose Affordable Deductible
Many travelers want to save money while purchasing insurance policy. However, there are various deductible choices in policy by which traveler can easily save money and has to provide fewer premiums.
So choose any deductable which only you can afford. While choosing plan you see there are few policies which have greater deductibles, do not fall into that trap because greater deductable means greater price.

Tip 6: Save Money In Multiple Trips
Generally insurance companies offer health insurance plan in different category such as single trip, multiple trips, individual trip, family or group plan etc., first determine that whether your trip is single or multiple in a year. If you are planning multiple trips then you need to buy annual plan rather than single plan. Annual insurance policy is comparatively less expensive, and you can save as much money as making another travel.

Tip 7: Save Money Even In Higher Age Band
All know that higher age people have to give higher premium and lower age people have to give lower amount, but there is little trick to get lower premium yet you are in higher age band. It seems if your birthday will place before your trip, you have to give extra 20% - 40% premium more than earlier, but if you purchase health insurance plan and leave your country before birthday, you can save significant amount of money which you have to pay after your birthday. Even you can save money by purchasing insurance policy before birthday with lower age band.

Tip 8: Follow Doctor’s recommendations
Many people often do not take drugs or medicine even their doctor recommends them because they think it might affect insurance policy. This practice is bad, though it is true but traveler should follow the doctor’s prescriptions because health is important than money. When doctor gives change in medicine, you should take unless the insurance company rejects your claim in the ground of unstable preexistence medical conditions. It would be better while getting an insurance plan provide details about your medical conditions and the medicine you are using.

Tip 9: Inform Your Insurance Company If Trip Plan Changes
Many people do not inform to their insurance agency when they change in insurance plan and the most mistakes are that they forget or intentionally do not inform their departure time and arrival time. This is the worst case and most important reason to get rejected their claim. Logically why any insurance company covers you if they do not know where you are and what you are doing. They simple void you policy. So inform as soon as you are planning to change your plan r any part the plan.

Tip 10: Show the Proofs of Departure and Arrival
Travel insurance companies sometimes check the proofs of your travel and sadly few people forget to keep record of their medical expenses and other costs and get rejected. There are few ways to keep record such as use credit card on the first day and last day of your trip. Some health insurance companies recommend using stamp on passport while departing from and arriving to your country.

These travel health insurance tips help travelers to purchase insurance policy properly, to get affordable health insurance, to know how to choose deductable which less premium and finally to know how to claim.

Tips to Choosing Health Insurance Options

Health Insurance is perhaps one of the many vital requirements in life today especially when you are living in a place where none is provided for you by your government. To be with the right health insurance is to be with a more secure life regardless of your age, gender or stature in life but it actually becomes a more perceive need if you are already a senior or with some particular medical condition. Choosing health insurance options may not be as easy as buying candy from a store, so to speak. Today, you will find several private insurers and they could present to you a variety of options which may not always be the right one for you. How you go about choosing, here are some tips.

Will It Cover Everything You Need?

Why would you buy a health insurance in the first place, if not for you to get covered for everything you “need”, right? Of the many health insurance options available in the market today it should be easier for you to find the one that covers for everything you need. You may want to consider looking into offers from smaller insurance companies who are most likely able to customize the health insurance according to your demands. In order to make sure that you have everything that is necessary covered, start with the most basic needs in illnesses, injuries, or any other medical services. Then level up as you go along. It should be nice if the insurer could sit down with you in discussing the plan you wish to avail of.

Would The Cost Be Just Right And Not Bring You To “Bankruptcy”?

Since you will be paying good money for the health insurance you would buy, you might as well make sure that it will be worth it. For the price to be just right, you should be able to establish the “worth” of the plan in accordance with the “inclusive”. Health insurance options can be tough on the pocket but if you will be covered for most anything you need and the payment scheme can be easy to meet, then there is no reason for you to consider it as an impractical choice. Try to work out a plan that would not get your pocket empty and be without any cash for other emergency expenses.

Is The Plan The Best Amongst The Ones You Have Reviewed?

Again, one should not forget that there is a plethora of health insurance options out there today and with the competition getting bigger, you are most likely to find competitive plans. For easier access on plans, you may want to consider using the web to search for as many of these options as you can and then make the selection after much consideration.

These health insurance options should work for you and not against you therefore you need to choose the right one for you. There is no telling when it should benefit you but surely it will anytime soon. Do not allow yourself to live without health insurance as this is a need these days.

Pet Insurance: What You Need to Know

Discover which pet health insurance plans are worth it to save money on dog surgery, cat vaccinations, pet medication and more

One minute, you and Rusty are playing fetch in the yard; the next, you hear a whimper and he's limping back to you. When you take him to the vet, you find out Rusty has a torn knee ligament—one of the most common orthopedic dog injuries. Healing it will take a $3,000 surgery. Talk about ouch.

Expensive surgeries, treatments, and prescriptions for dogs and cats are becoming more common—so much so that pet health insurance is a fast-growing market. And as new policy providers enter the marketplace, owners are gaining more freedom to personalize and prioritize.

The cost of a policy depends on everything from where you live to the amount of coverage you want to the age and breed of your furry friend—annual premiums for a 5-year-old Labrador can range anywhere from $200 to $1,000, for instance. But no matter how much you pay, you'll get more value today for your premium dollars than you did a decade ago, according to Dr. Wilkerson. Here, we break down the most significant new enhancements."Because there are more options available, you have a much better chance of finding a policy that covers what's important to you and your pet," says Frances Wilkerson, DVM, a Chicago-area veterinarian and the founder of PetInsuranceUniversity.com.

Flexible Spending

10 Years Ago: Payment was based on a schedule of benefits; that is, you'd be covered for up to a certain amount for a given procedure—say, $350 to de-quill your pup after a run-in with a porcupine—but you'd pay the remainder out of pocket, no matter how much the final price.

Today: Several companies have opted for reimbursement plans, which many owners find easier to navigate, with deductibles, co-payments, and adjustable limits (some as high as $20,000 annually). Most work on a percentage-based payment plan—for example, 80/20—so when that pup runs into the porcupine, your insurance pays for 80% of the total cost of his treatment, and you cover the remaining 20%. With so many plans out there, the percentage you pay is often your choice.

No Age Cutoffs

10 Years Ago: Once a cat or dog turned 8 years old, it was next to impossible to buy insurance for him.

Today: A few companies have no age limit at all, and the cutoff for others is into the double digits. Know that as your pet ages, policy prices can rise as much as 10% with each year (this usually translates into only a few more dollars each month).

No Breed Barriers

10 Years Ago: Insurers didn't cover conditions known to be common in certain breeds, such as $5,000 hip replacements for German shepherds, who frequently have hip problems.

Today: Several major plans cover hereditary conditions, as long as your pet's not showing symptoms when you first sign her up. For this reason, you might be asked to provide records from a recent checkup before being approved for a policy.

General insurance (UK)

This page sets out the value that actuaries can bring to general insurance.

General insurance actuaries help provide expertise in three main areas:

• Reserving (in reserving they apply statistical techniques to assess the likely outcome of general insurance liabilities, typically, and the provisions that are needed for reporting purposes)
• Rating (the pricing actuary assesses the frequency and average amount of claims to estimate premiums)
• Capital modelling (for capital modelling the actuary projects both the liability and assets of insurers to assess solvency and future capital needs).

General insurance or non-life insurance policies, including motor and household policies, provide payments depending on the loss from a particular financial event.  General insurance typically comprises any insurance that is not determined to be life insurance.  It is called property and casualty insurance in the U.S. and non-life insurance in Continental Europe.

In the UK, General insurance is broadly divided into two areas, personal lines and commercial lines.

Commercial lines products are usually designed for relatively large legal entities. These would include workers' comp (employers liability), public liability, product liability, commercial fleet and other general insurance products sold in a relatively standard fashion to many organisations. There are many companies that supply comprehensive commercial insurance packages for a wide range of different industries, including shops, restaurants and hotels.

Personal lines products are designed to be sold in large quantities. This would include motor insurance, household insurance, pet insurance, creditor insurance and others.

The London Market provides a focus for many insurance companies and syndicates operating under a Lloyd’s of Londonbanner to write large commercial risks such as supermarkets, football players and other very specific risks. It consists of a number of insurers, reinsurers, [P&I Clubs], brokers and other companies that are typically physically located in the City of London. Business is typically written through specialist brokers. The London Market also participates in personal lines and commercial lines, domestic and foreign, and provides reinsurance.

The statistics on the changing profile of our membership tell us that around 30% of our general insurance members live and work outside the UK.   As a result, the General Insurance Practice Executive Committee (PEC) is continually looking at what it can do to support our non UK members. 

7 Life Insurance Myths That Can Cost You

Life insurance is an important part of a well-rounded financial plan. But let's face it — it can also be confusing. In fact, misunderstandings about life insurance cause many people to skip the coverage altogether, putting their families at great risk for financial hardship. Here, we set the record straight on seven common myths about life insurance.

Myth 1: Single and young people don't need life insurance.
Truth: Your key question should be: Will anyone be worse off financially if I die? Even if you have no dependents, you might leave behind credit card debt, student loans, a car payment or funeral expenses.

A small life insurance policy would cover these costs. Moreover, buying while you're young can help you lock in lower rates and guarantee coverage if you develop health problems later in life.

Myth 2: Only people with kids need life insurance.
Truth: Chances are your spouse depends on your income, regardless of whether you have children. Could he or she manage to pay the mortgage and all other household bills and debts alone? A life insurance policy could help your partner keep the house and maintain the same standard of living.

Myth 3: If your employer provides coverage, there's no need for more.
Truth: Many corporations provide their employees with free life insurance worth once or twice their annual salary. Similarly, the military's Servicemembers Group Life Insurance (SGLI) offers great rates on policies up to $400,000. These are nice benefits, but if you leave your company or the military without a separate policy in place, it may be difficult or even too late to purchase one when you need it most.

Myth 4: Life insurance is too expensive.
Truth: It probably costs less than you think. For example, a healthy 30-year-old male can get $250,000 of 20-year term coverage for less than $15 per month.1 And as average life expectancies continue to increase, life insurance prices keep going down.

Myth 5: Insurance policies are all the same.
Truth: Policies that have similar names may differ substantially in what they cover. So before you buy based on price alone, it pays to read the fine print.

Myth 6: There's no reason to insure a stay-at-home spouse.
Truth: Your stay-at-home spouse may not earn an income, but think of the services he or she may provide for free: child care, meal preparation, housekeeping and more. With that spouse gone, life suddenly gets a lot more expensive. Life insurance can defray the cost of hiring help in your partner's absence.

Myth 7: Buying life insurance is a hassle.
Truth: Today, you can use simple online tools to determine your life insurance needs, compare options and apply on the spot. Explore at your own pace with no high-pressure sales tactics. And if you have questions, call us.