Life Insurance

The greatest factor in having life insurance is providing for those you leave behind. This is extremely important if you have a family that is dependent on your salary to pay the bills. Industry experts suggest a life insurance policy should cover "ten times your yearly income." This sum would provide enough money to cover existing expenses, funeral expenses and give your family a financial cushion. That cushion will help them re-group after your death. 

When estimating the amount of life insurance coverage you need, remember to factor in not only funeral expenses, but also mortgage payments and living expenses such as loans, credit cards and taxes, but also child care, and future college costs. 

LIMRA, formerly known as the Life Insurance Marketing & Research Association, says that if the primary wage earner dies in a family with dependent children that family will only be able to cover their living expenses for a few months, and four in 10 would have difficulty immediately. 

The two basic types of life insurance are Traditional Whole Life and Term Life. Simply explained, Whole Life is a policy you pay on until you die and Term Life is a policy for a set amount of time. You should seek the advice of a financial expert when planning your life insurance needs. There are considerable differences between the two policies. In deciding between these two, consumers should consider their age, occupation, number of dependent children and other factors to ensure they have the coverage necessary to protect their families. 

What are HSAs (Health Savings Accounts)?

THESE ARE TAX-FREE SAVINGS ACCOUNTS AIMED AT BUILDING UP COVERAGE FOR FUTURE MEDICAL EXPENSES. ONLY PATIENTS WITH A HIGH-DEDUCTIBLE PLAN AND CURRENTLY HAVE NO OTHER INSURANCE PLANS ARE ELIGIBLE.

This type of plan is useful for those who are seeking some kind of protection, do not envisage having any or many ongoing medical costs, and would like to be ready for an emergency or catastrophic healthcare cost. Small businesses may find HSAs a useful alternative to the more traditional health plans on the market.

People can enter an HSA plan through their employer if such a plan is available through the company, or individually (in some states). The HSA plan needs to be paired with an existing health plan with an annual deductible of over $1,100 for individuals and $2,200 for families. There is a limit on total out-of-pocket costs, including copayments and deductibles. Limits can vary as time goes by. Even though deductibles tend to be much higher than in other plans, some of them do offer full coverage, while others offer nearly full coverage (with a small copayment for preventive care).

In general, health plans with high-deductibles have cheaper premiums; however, out-of-pocket costs are much higher. To compensate for that, the insured can contribute a certain amount of money to a tax-advantaged account - the amount as well as the details of tax benefits vary from year to year. The contributions can be used to reduce the insured taxable income. If payments are made by an employer on behalf of an employee, they are tax free. The money in the HSA plan can be used at any time for approved medical expenses

What are HMOs (Health Maintenance Organizations)?

Health Maintenance Organizations deliver care directly to the insured. The insured goes directly to an HMO's medical provider to see health care professionals. The insured does not pay for each individual service that is received. A set premium is paid to the HMO, which in return offers a range of services, including preventive care.

A primary care physician (general practitioner, GP, or family doctor), who is affiliated with the insured's plan usually coordinates the care.

In the majority of cases, the HMO will only provide coverage to specialists within the provider network that are referred by the primary care physician. The HMO will nearly always insist that the insured receive care from health care professionals, laboratories and medical centers which are within its network of providers. The HMO will have negotiated a list of fees for each medical service with them. This is done to keep costs at a minimum.

According to the majority of health insurance advisers, HMOs are usually the cheapest kind of health insurance plan.

Copayment - in most cases, the insured will also have to make a copayment for some services. Some HMOs may not require copayments for hospital stays.

The five main types of health insurance plans in the USA

There are five main kinds of health insurance plans, with indemnity plans at one end, and HMOs (health maintenance organization) at the other end of the spectrum. POS (point-of-service plans) and PPOs (preferred provider organizations) include a combination of features from indemnity plans and HMOs; however, they are usually seen as managed care plans.

In 2003, the US Congress introduced a new option, the HSA (Health Savings Account), which is a combination of HMO/PPO/Indemnity and a savings account which has tax-benefits.

Understanding the differences between different kinds of plans is useful and extremely important when you are considering choosing one for yourself, your family, or employees. However, as plans evolve and add more details and take others away, there is more overlap and their distinctions become progressively blurred. The majority of fee-for-service plans (indemnity plans) use managed care techniques to control costs and to ensure there are enough resources to pay for appropriate care. Similarly, many managed care plans have adopted fee-for-service characteristics.

WHAT ARE MANAGED CARE PLANS?

Managed care plans are health insurance plans that have a contract with health care providers and medical facilities to provide medical care at special prices (lower costs). These providers form the plan's network. The network will have rules, which stipulate how much of the care the plan will pay for.

Restrictive plans usually cost the "insured" less, while flexible ones are more expensive. HMOs will typically only pay for care if you use one of the providers in their network. A primary care doctor (general practitioner) coordinates most of the patient's care. PPOs will cover more of the costs if the insured selects a provider within their network, but will also pay up some of the money for providers outside the network. POS plans allow the insured to choose between an HMO or a PPO each time care is required.

WHAT ARE INDEMNITY PLANS?

The insured can choose any doctor he/she wants. The doctor, hospital or the insured submits a claim for reimbursement to the health insurance company.

It is important to remember that, like any insurance plan, the insured will only be reimbursed according to what is listed and mentioned in the Benefit Summary. It is important to read the Summary carefully and understand all that is printed, even the "small print". Most indemnity plans claim to cover "the vast majority of procedures".

Coinsurance - while indemnity plans do not pay for all of the medical and surgical services, they typically pay for at least 80% of the customary and usual costs, while the insured is liable for the remaining 20 or so percent. The insured is also liable for any excess charges, e.g. if the provider charges more than what is considered as a reasonable and customary fee. Look at the example below:

Example of Coinsurance and excess charges

§                        You see a doctor for "diabetes care"

§                        The insurer deems that the customary fee for this type of diabetes care is $200.

§                        The insurance company pays $160 (80%), while the insured (you) is expected to pay for the rest ($40).

§                        However, if the provider bills you for $250, you will have to pay for those extra $50.

§                        So, you will have to pay $40 + $50 = $90.

The 8/20 level coinsurance ratio is only a typical example given in this article. Some plans may be 75/25 or 70/30.

Deductibles - the amount of covered expenses the insured has to pay before the reimbursement system kicks in and starts covering medical costs. The deductible total may range from $100 to $300 per person annually, or from $500 to $1,000 annually for a whole family.

Out-of-pocket maximum - as soon as the insured's covered expenses reach a certain amount during a 12-month period, the plan will cover all usual and customary fees from then on. The insured has to remember that any charges above what are considered as usual and customary by the insurance company will have to be paid for by the insured.

Lifetime limit - if the insured has a lifetime limit of $2 million, it means the insurance company will only cover costs up to $2 million during that person's lifetime. Ideally, one should have a lifetime limit of at least $2 million.

7 Types of Car Insurance: Which Ones Do You Really Need?

The cost of even a small repair makes car insurance nice to have. When we start adding in the medical expenses that can go with a car accident, insurance becomes downright necessary. In many states, insurance is even a legal requirement before you can drive your car out on the road. But a wide variety of options are available when it comes to insurance — there are actually seven different types of car insurance you can choose from in most cases — and it can be difficult to decide just what type of auto insurance is the best choice for you, your vehicle and your budget. Here is a list of the seven types and what you need to know about each one.

1. Liability Insurance

When your state requires that you carry some sort of insurance for your car, they’re usually looking for liability insurance. In the event that you are in a car accident and the police decide it is your fault, liability insurance covers the cost of repairing any property damaged in the crash (such as cars or buildings), as well as the medical bills from resulting injuries. Most states have a minimum requirement for liability insurance coverage that you absolutely must have.

However, it usually makes sense to go beyond that minimum requirement if you can afford the payment. That’s because you are personally responsible for any claims that exceed your coverage’s upper limit. In the event that you are in an accident, you don’t want to run the risk of having to pay a significant amount of money out of your own pocket. How much liability insurance you need depends on whether you have a lot of assets to protect, as it is more important to have higher levels of coverage just in case of a catastrophe.

2. Collision Insurance

The biggest problem with carrying only liability insurance is that if there is an accident, you may wind up without the money to repair your own vehicle. A collision insurance policy makes it so that someone else — your insurer — will pay for the repairs to your car. If your car is totaled in an accident, a collision insurance policy will pay out the value of your car. While the payout won’t cover for a brand new vehicle, the sum will equal approximately what the car was worth before the accident.

Collision insurance isn’t a must-have, as far as insurance goes. If your car is older, it may not be worth paying for insurance, especially if you can work on saving up enough to replace the car if necessary. If you have a good-sized emergency fund, you may be safe without collision insurance. If you’ve chosen a more expensive car or your car is relatively new, however, collision insurance can help you sleep much better at night.

3. Comprehensive Insurance

Liability and collision insurance policies exclusively cover car accidents. If something else happens to your car — weather damage, theft, an animal collision — you won’t be able to get your insurance company to address the problem. With a comprehensive insurance policy, however, your insurer will handle just about any situation that comes up.

A comprehensive insurance policy is one of those things that are nice to have. However, coverage can be pricey and may not be worthwhile if your car would be relatively easy for you to replace, if you had to. Note though that you can bring down the price of this policy if your vehicle has an anti-theft and tracking devices installed.

4. Uninsured Motorist Protection

Just because the law requires everyone to have insurance doesn’t actually mean that’s the way things work out. Even if a driver has a liability insurance policy, most states have relatively low minimums that may not cover all of the expenses that can go along with an accident. One of the worst things that can happen is that you get stuck with the bills in an accident that wasn’t even your fault.

The decision to get a policy that covers damage by an uninsured motorist isn’t as clear cut as other policies. In theory, even if a driver doesn’t have enough insurance to cover damages during an accident, he will still have an obligation to cover the costs out of pocket. It’s only when the person at fault doesn’t have any money that there can be problems.

5. Medical / Personal-Injury Protection

The costs associated with treating injuries after a car accident can be astronomical. In order to cover those costs, medical and personal-injury protection is available. No matter who is at fault, such protection will cover your medical bills along with those of your passengers.

If you have a good health insurance plan, however, it’s far less likely that medical and personal-injury protection will be useful to you. And considering how much more a general health insurance policy covers, it should be your first choice.

6. No-Fault Insurance

So far, no-fault insurance is available in twelve states. This option covers injuries and property damage, no matter who is ultimately responsible for a given accident. The decision to choose no-fault insurance really depends on what other insurance options are available to you and at what price. Some no-fault policies can be expensive, making it more cost-effective to choose other options, especially if your car is inexpensive to replace.

7. Gap Insurance

If you are still making car payments, gap insurance may be a good choice. It’s meant for drivers who still owe money on their cars and need to pay off the vehicle if it is totaled in an accident. It’s generally a good choice if you owe more on your car than you could easily pay off on short notice.

Gap insurance is especially worthwhile if you owe more on the car than you could get for it if you sold it today, since many insurance policies will only cover the value of the car, rather than the cost to replace it. Some lenders may require you to have gap insurance or something similar until you pay off the vehicle, so you may already have it whether you know it or not.

What are the different car insurance policy types?

The main thing to remember is that there are three different types to choose from: third party, third party fire and theft, and fully comprehensive cover.

THIRD PARTY CAR INSURANCE

If you own a car and want to drive on the UK's public roads, third party car insurance is the minimum level of cover required by law.

However, the cover provided by this type of policy is very basic. Third party cover simply agrees to pay for damage caused to other people's property, or compensation or costs related to injuries they sustain, in an incident adjudged to be the fault of the covered driver.

So this cover would pay out if you caused an accident and injured another driver - or their passenger.

But it does have its limitations, as it does not cover the cost of repairs to your own vehicle, and would not cover you if your vehicle was stolen or damaged by fire - meaning you would have to fork out yourself.

For this reason, third party insurance may be better suited to a motorist who drives an older car - rather than someone who owns a sporty little number.

Traditionally, third party insurance policies have cost less than more extensive policies because the cover is very limited. This has prompted certain motorists to try and save money by opting for this type of cover.

However, in recent years more and more young and newly-qualified drivers have opted for this type of policy in a bid to keep costs down, as those who have just passed their test can find the cost of car insurance extremely expensive.

The problem is that, because younger drivers are statistically more likely to crash - and therefore to make a claim - insurers have put up the cost of this type of cover. As a result, third party policies can now actually work more expensive than other, more extensive, types of cover.

Before signing up to a third party only policy, it's worth looking at the other types of policy on offer to check any price differentials.

THIRD PARTY FIRE AND THEFT INSURANCE

If you're looking for a greater layer of protection than that offered by third party only cover, you could consider third party fire and theft car insurance. This type of policy offers the same level of cover as that offered by third party only policies, but in addition, it also offers protection against loss or damage if your own car is burnt or stolen.

If you own a cheaper vehicle, you may want to consider opting for third party fire and theft insurance - rather than fully comprehensive cover - as this could work out cheaper.

But, once again, the key is to do your research, as premiums will vary according to a range of factors including the make and model of the car, along with any safety features.

FULLY COMPREHENSIVE CAR INSURANCE

If you're looking for the greatest level of cover from your car insurance policy, you should consider fully comprehensive car insurance. This includes cover for damage to your own vehicle as well as any damage suffered by others from a range of causes, including accident, fire and theft.

This is a greater level of protection than the cover offered by both third party only and third party fire and theft car insurance.

That said, don't assume that all comprehensive policies are the same, as some will cover the policyholder to drive another vehicle, or to drive their own car overseas - but not all will.

As a motorist, you need to take a moment to scour the terms and conditions to ensure the cover is right for you.

Similarly, while some policies will offer additional features such as breakdown cover, legal expenses cover and courtesy cars, these add-ons will not be on offer with every policy, so you need to check this.

If these features are important to you, you should find out at the outset if they are available - or whether you can purchase them as add-ons. But before buying any additional benefits, ask yourself whether you are going to actually make use of them; if not, you are wasting money buying cover that is of no use to you.

Equally, if you're keen to have an add-on such as breakdown cover, you may find that it's cheaper to buy a stand-alone breakdown cover policy rather than buy this as part of your car insurance.

COMPARE DIFFERENT CAR INSURANCE TYPES

If you're looking to buy a car insurance policy, you can compare deals from a wide range of providers with just a few clicks of the mouse at MoneySupermarket. This will help you save money by showing you the cheaper car insurance quotes available.

Before making any decision, make sure you compare the deals available at different levels of cover - third party only, third party fire and theft and fully comprehensive - as this will ensure you find the best policy for your needs.

5 Types of Car Insurance Coverage Explained

How do you know what types you need? Is it required by your state? Are there ways to save money and still have the right amount of coverage? Below we detail 5 types of coverages and provide a few scenarios where you would benefit from having a non-required coverage added to your policy along with some tips to save some money depending on your vehicle and budget.

1. Liability Insurance

Liability insurance covers you in the event you are in a covered car accident and it is determined the accident is a result of your actions. Liability insurance will cover the cost of repairing any property damaged by an accident as well as the medical bills from resulting injuries. Most states have a minimum requirement for the amount of liability insurance coverage that drivers must have. If you can afford it, however, it is usually a good idea to have liability insurance that is above your state's minimum liability coverage requirement, as it will provide extra protection in the event you are found at fault for an accident, as you are responsible for any claims that exceed your coverage's upper limit. You wouldn't want to run the risk of having to pay a large amount of money because your policy limit has been exceeded.

2. Collision Coverage

If there is a covered accident, collision coverage will pay for the repairs to your car. If your car is totaled (where the cost to repair it exceeds the value of the vehicle) in an accident, collision coverage will pay the value of your car. .

If your car is older, it may not be worth carrying collision coverage on it, depending on the value. On the other hand, if you have a more expensive car or one that is relatively new, collision insurance can help get you back to where you were before any damage to your car. Note: If you have a lienholder, this coverage is required.

3. Comprehensive Coverage

What if something happens to your car that is unrelated to a covered accident - weather damage, you hit a deer, your car is stolen - will your insurance company cover the loss? Liability insurance and collision coverage cover accidents, but not these situations. These situations are covered by Comprehensive (other than Collision) coverage.

Comprehensive coverage is one of those things that is great to have if it fits in your budget. Anti-theft and tracking devices on cars can make this coverage slightly more affordable, but carrying this type of insurance can be costly, and may not be necessary, especially if your car is easily replaceable. Note: If you have a lienholder, this coverage is required.

4. Personal Injury Protection

While Comprehensive coverage may be something you don’t need to purchase, Personal Injury Protection (PIP) is something you should. The costs associated from an accident can quickly add up, and in order to cover those costs Personal Injury Protection is available. With this coverage, your medical bills along with those of your passengers will be paid, no matter who is at fault for an accident. Note: This coverage is not available in all states.

5. Uninsured /Underinsured Motorist Protection

While state laws mandate that all drivers should be insured, this is unfortunately not always the case. Another issue that can arise is that while a driver may have liability insurance, many states have relatively low minimum coverage requirements that may not be enough to cover all of the expenses of an accident. So, if someone is legally responsible for damages related to an accident, you won't receive any payment if they do not have coverage or you will receive less than you need to cover the cost of damages if your damages exceed their coverage amount. This is the type of situation where Uninsured and Underinsured Motorist Protection would help with expenses.

Saving tip: It's usually relatively inexpensive to add uninsured/underinsured motorist protection to your car insurance policy, especially considering the amount of protection it offers. 

Auto Insurance

There were over 10-million traffic accidents in the U.S. in 2009 (latest available data) and 33,808 people died in motor vehicle crashes in those accidents, according to data released by the Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS). The number one cause of death for American's between the ages of 5 and 34 were auto accidents. Over 2.3 million drivers and passengers received treatment in emergency rooms in 2009, and the costs of those accidents including deaths and disabling injuries was around $70 billion.

While all states do not require drivers to have auto insurance, most do have requirements regarding financial responsibility in the event of an accident. Many states do periodic random checks of drivers for proof of insurance. If you do not have coverage, the fines can vary by state and can range from the suspension of your license, to points on your driving record, to fines from $500 to $1,000. 

If you drive without auto insurance and have an accident, the fines will probably be the least of your financial burden. Your car, like your home is a valuable asset you use every day. If your car is damaged in an accident and you have no auto insurance, you will have no way to replace that vehicle unless you have a large savings account, and you don't really want to tap into that savings when auto insurance could cover the cost. 

If you, a passenger or the other driver is injured in the accident, your auto insurance will pay those expenses, and help guard you against any litigation that might result from the accident. Auto insurance also protects your vehicle against theft, vandalism or a natural disaster such as a tornado or other weather related incidents.

Again, as with all insurances, your individual circumstances will determine the price of your auto insurance. The best advice is to seek out several rate quotes, read the coverage provided carefully and check periodically to see if you qualify for lower rates based on age, driving record or the area where you live. 

Long-Term Disability Coverage

This is the one insurance most us think we will never need, as none of us assumes we will become disabled. Yet, statistics from the Social Security Administration show that three in 10 workers entering the workforce will become disabled, and will be unable to work before they reach the age of retirement. Of the population, 12% are currently disabled in some form, and nearly 50% of those workers are in their working years. 

Even those workers that have great health insurance, a nice nest egg and a good life insurance policy never prepare for the day when they might not be able to work for weeks, months or may not ever be able to return to the job. While health insurance pays for your hospitalization and medical bills, where is money coming from to pay those daily expenses that your paycheck covers? Here are a few very sobering statistics regarding disability:

• Disability Causes Nearly 50% of all Mortgage Foreclosures, 2% are Caused by Death.
• Close to 90% of Disabling Accidents and Illnesses Are not Work Related.
• In the Last 10 Minutes, 498 Americans Became Disabled.

If you are injured and off work for even three months, would you have enough in savings to cover your living expenses? Consider what you might face financially if you suffer a major medical condition such as cancer and were unable to work for over a year. 

Many employers offer both short-term and long-term disability coverage as part of their benefits package. This would be the best option for securing affordable disability coverage. If they don't, seek out a private insurer. If you aren't sure how much coverage you need, AARP offers a very good disability insurance calculator to help you. 

A policy that guarantees income replacement is the optimal policy; more usual terms are replacement of 50 to 60% of your income. The cost of disability insurance is based on many factors including age, lifestyle and health. For group or employer coverage, the average rate in 2009 was about $238 per year or approximately $5 per week. A small price to pay if you are faced with a devastating illness or injury. Disability insurance will guarantee that you will have some income when you can't work.

Health Insurance

A recent Harvard study noted that statistically, "your family is just one serious illness away from bankruptcy." They also concluded that, "62% of all personal bankruptcies in the U.S. in 2007 were caused by health problems and 78% of those filers had medical insurance at the start of their illness." 

Those numbers alone should urge you to obtain health insurance, or increase your current coverage. The key to finding adequate coverage is shopping around. While the best option and the least expensive is participating in your employer's insurance program, many smaller businesses do not offer this benefit. 

Finding affordable health insurance is difficult, particularly without an employer-sponsored program or if you have a pre-existing condition. According to the Kaiser/HRET survey, the average premium cost to the employee in an employer sponsored health care program was around $4,100. With rising co-payments, yearly deductibles and dropped coverage's, health insurance has become a luxury less and less can afford, yet even a minimal policy is better than having no coverage. The cost for a day in the hospital can range from $985 to $2,696. Even if you have minimal coverage, it can provide some monetary benefit for your hospital stay.

As the health care debate continues in Washington, approximately 48 million Americans are without insurance coverage. Check with your employer regarding health care benefits, inquire of any occupational organizations that you belong to regarding possible group health coverage. If you are over age 50, AARP has some health insurance offers available.