INSURECORNER

Does Your Small Business Insurance Offer Maximum Protection And Great Value?

2010-12-06T10:53:00.000+07:00

By Eric Token

If you are searching for an insurance comparison for your small business, you should be looking for maximum protection at a premium that offers great value. While arranging the proper cover can be a tiresome task, it is an essential one that needs to be done, if you hope to protect your business and personal assets. You might be searching for competitive premium prices with a small business policy that protects all of your business assets, but some owners have a difficult time accomplishing this task.

There are online quoting services that are designed to make the process a quick and easy one. When you are searching for a convenient way to get your business policy in place, it is easier to get the ideal insurance product range to fit your particular business needs through an independent broker. The reason for this is that you can get competitive quotes from the leading carriers and those that offer a range of policies will offer the best prices on your unique situation. When you need advice or guidance about commercial insurance, it helps to find underwriters that will use their expertise to find the best policy, regardless of your higher risk needs.

There might be a variety of obstacles you face, when comparing insurance quotes. If you have a flat roof, large claims, large sums to insure, a poor claims history or high risk stock, you may be paying more in premiums than you need to. With a dedicated team of professionals to compare the best specialist insurance products, you can get the advice you need to guide you through the confusing array of products on the market.

Because small and medium enterprises may have different needs, whether diversified or complex, there is a need for guidance that helps you get the maximum protection, at the most affordable premium. If your existing policy does not protect you from all the risks your business faces, one lawsuit can cause a disaster that puts your assets in jeopardy. This is a situation that can be avoided with an expert to help you find great value and maximum protection.

An SME Insurance broker can help you through the confusing maze of products and help you get the best value, along with the maximum protection your assets deserve. If you are intimidated by the commercial insurance process, there are experts that are willing to help you get the most affordable policies, yet they can evaluate your needs to ensure you have the right covers for your special needs.

For those that are looking for an easy and convenient process to get this expert advice, you can speak with an SME Insurance broker on the phone and get quotes in less than 10 minutes or you can take advantage of the online quoting comparison service. There is no obligation and you can get the expert advice or guidance you need, in a matter of minutes. If you are searching for the maximum protection, at a premium that offers great value, you should not hesitate to act quickly.

http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Eric_Token

Safety Features That Will Lower Commercial Truck Insurance Premiums

2010-11-29T16:46:00.000+07:00

By Addison Bruno

Commercial truck insurance generally incurs a much higher insurance rate because of many reasons. For one, trucks are way bigger than ordinary sedan cars usually seen on the road. A truck colliding with an ordinary car poses greater danger as against two ordinary cars colliding. A truck colliding with another big vehicle like a bus or another truck could be fatal to the passengers. As such, the risk of road accidents is higher.

The cargos that commercial trucks carry also pose additional danger. These are usually industrial products that could be harmful when accidentally spilled or littered in the event of vehicle collision.

Commercial Truck insurance premiums are really heavy on the pocket of the owners. However, for everyone's safety, they are still insuring their trucks. They should know the factors that determine the computation of their premiums so that they could find ways to lower rates even just a little. Insurers check the general safety of trucks. If it is well maintained and in good condition, truck insurance premium can be lowered. They also look at the safety features installed.

First, the lights and reflectors are checked. They should be very visible, with no busted bulbs or cracked covers. No part of the truck or cargo should obstruct lights and reflectors. It should be clean because dirt dims these lights.

Red is the standard color of tail lights. No other color is allowed. Do not put amber tail lights. Check the turn signals. Both should be working perfectly to alert other vehicles if the truck is trying to change lanes or turn a corner.

Trucks are further required to have retro reflective sheeting. It is a material attached to both sides of the vehicle's body. It sort of glows at night so that passing cars are warned that there is an oncoming truck even if the roads are dim and without lampposts. The sheeting should be at least half the total length of the truck's body.

Fog lamps will also help lower premium rates of commercial truck insurance. Take note that this is used together with headlights, and not as a substitute for headlights.

Another safety feature is a securely sealed storage compartment for items like a car battery, extra fuel, or corrosive products like paint. There should also be no faulty wirings when a truck is inspected.

Brakes and tires should be in good condition. Brakes should be working on all the wheels. Installing anti-lock brakes are also recommended. Tires should be durable enough to carry the weight of the truck and cargo.

Trucks should pass all these safety feature tests before they are given premium discounts.

However, even if commercial truck insurance is too expensive, there are ways to cut down on its rate. Just like regular insurance plans for motor vehicles, the monthly premium for truck coverage will depend on several factors.

Look into their various offers as well. From there, choose that which you feel can offer you a good commercial truck insurance. Simply get in touch with your preferred agent or surf the internet for several firms and get an online commercial truck insurance quote. From there, you should get an idea on which policy will best suit your truck needs.

http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Addison_Bruno

Motor Trade Insurance For Chauffeurs

2010-11-29T16:42:00.001+07:00

By Chris Roche

Operating in the chauffeur business means that whenever you are working, you are going to have at least one passenger in your vehicle with you. This in turn means that you are ultimately responsible for their safety whilst they are in your vehicle. In order for you to be prepared for all possible outcomes you must make sure that you are covered with the right motor trade insurance policy. Getting the right cover can be the difference between your business surviving in the event of a claim or being forced to go under. Anybody who works within the trade in any capacity should make sure that the policy that they take out is tailored to their specific industry. The right cover for a chauffeur should take into account the factors that are directly linked with their line of work.

One of the most important aspects of your policy when you are carrying passengers is public liability cover. With this level of protection you will be covered in the event of anyone who is in your vehicle being injured in an accident. Without this you could be faced with a potentially huge claim being made against you with no form of cover available. If this happens then this can be one of the ways in which your business may be crippled by the financial cost of having to meet any claim.

With the right policy you will also have a number of other benefits that come in extremely handy for your general day to day trading. The replacement vehicle cover is one of the most beneficial aspects as this means that if you are involved in an accident that was not your fault, you can get another vehicle while your is getting repaired. This obviously means that you do not have to be out of work while your car is in the garage getting fixed. If you have a number of different drivers who are operating the same vehicles then this is also covered with the right policy.

No matter if you are working as an upper market chauffeur for rich businessmen or operating a limousine business ferrying party passengers, you have got to make sure that you are fully protected in the event of an accident. If you are carrying multiple passengers then you could be faced with numerous claims so the right motor trade insurance policy can literally save your business.

http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Chris_Roche

Creating Public Safety Through Education And Insurance

2010-11-29T10:23:00.001+07:00

By Greg Pierce

According to the CDC/CHNS National Statistics, road accidents ranks number four as the major cause of deaths among Americans from 1980 to 2004. Due to the alarming rates in the casualties, especially among the young drivers, many government agencies as well as non-government sectors came up with programs and projects to increase awareness and educate drivers on the proper driving ethics and attitude. Furthermore, insurance companies have also grown like weeds as they have seen the increasing demand on it due to the society's need of security.

One of the campaigns that was created was Mothers Against Drunk Driving or MADD, a Texas-based non-profit organization that aims to stop people from driving under the influence of highly intoxicating alcohol, prevent minors from drinking and most especially, to fight for the implementation of a more stricter alcohol policies. Founded in 1980 by Candice Lightner in 1980, whose daughter was killed by a drunk driver, it receives federal government funding and donations from concerned citizens and private business sectors. Although it has received many criticisms with regards to how it spends its money, the organization has made significant impact on the decrease of drunk driving and proposed and brought the implementation of some policies regarding alcohol intake and driving.

On the other hand, The National Teen Driver Safety Week established by the US Congress in 2007 is celebrated every third week of October yearly all over the United States to increase awareness among teen drivers ages 16 to 19. This drive was made in response to the alarming death rates among teenagers involved in various vehicular accidents due to over speeding, drunk driving, cell phone use, rowdy multiple teen passengers, driving errors and among others. This move was supported by many sectors such as the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, insurance companies and celebrities like Oprah Winfrey, to name a few.

DC Comics and Warner Bros. teamed-up together in 2000 and came up with a series of commercials not only to promote brand name awareness to consumers but also to demonstrate and expose the dangers of driving. Although it was an advertisement aimed at increasing the company's sales, it has also educated the masses while maintaining to be within the realms of reality of the possible dangers of driving without protective gears such as airbags, early warning devices like roadblocks and especially common sense in locating the nearest gasoline and police station and hospital.

If activities and organizations aimed at reducing the incidence of automobile accidents have grown at an unprecedented rate, so are the insurance companies, in an attempt not only to make profits themselves but more significantly to assist people whose lives, safety, security and money are at stake. Insurance brokers relieve you of all the financial and medical responsibilities when you are in the middle of a vehicular crisis be it minor or major one.

Nothing compares to a good night sleep, knowing that your cars and home are protected with Clifton Park insurance services. If your car breaks down in the middle of nowhere with only your cell phone as companion, with a single call, Mechanicville insurance rescues you when you want it, where you need it.

http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Greg_Pierce

Buy To Let Buildings Insurance

2010-11-25T14:54:00.001+07:00

By Tom Steven Allen

Also known as landlord's insurance, let property insurance, rented property insurance, or property owners insurance, buy to let insurance protects property owners in the case that they lose money or face other damages in connection with the property they have let out. This kind of insurance is important for those owners of buildings that are let out for lease; whether your building is residential or business, there is a very high probability that at some point one of your leasers is going to damage it. The fact of the matter is, wear and tear is a standard risk coming with leasing out your building.

Buy to let buildings insurance generally has a lot of different applications and coverages depending on what your policy says explicitly. Of course, the more you pay on premiums, usually the more your policy will cover in the long run. This kind of insurance can cover fire, lightning, explosion, earthquake, storm, flood, subsidence, theft and malicious damage perpetrated by any party. By paying additional money on premiums, most companies will also provide coverage for other situations, such as accidental damage, legal protection, alternative accommodation costs, contents insurance or rent guarantee insurance.

For anyone renting or leasing out a piece of property, such as a building, it is critical to insure your interests with a comprehensive and well-understood insurance policy. For many who own property, purchasing buy to let building's insurance can be the difference between losing out big time during an accident and protecting yourself to the fullest extent.

http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Tom_Steven_Allen

What To Do Immediately After Being In An Accident

2009-08-11T11:09:00.000+07:00

Provided By: CarInsurance.com
Last Updated: Wednesday, October 08, 2008

According to the National Safety Council (NSA) one in every eight drivers will be involved in a motor vehicle accident each year. Being in an accident can be a shocking and sometimes scary experience. That is why it is important to know beforehand what steps to take if your vehicle is part of a car collision.

Stop your vehicle - If it is clear to do so, stop your vehicle as quickly and safely as possible. If the situation does not allow for you to stop immediately stop as soon as conditions allow.

Move the Vehicle - Move your vehicle off the roadway as quickly as you can. If the vehicle is unable to move, try to make it at least visible to the passing traffic by turning on the hazard lights. Also in some states it is against the law to move a vehicle from where it ended up at the end of a collision. It is wise to know your local laws so you will know if you are able to move the car or not.

Turn ignition off - Make sure all vehicles involved in the accident have turned off their ignitions. Check to make sure there are no visible gas leaks or anything else that could be potentially dangerous to be around as well.

Get out and stay clear of the vehicle - Once the vehicles are moved or stationary with the engines turned off, move away from them. Make sure you and any other drivers or car occupants are out of the way of moving traffic.

Find out about injuries - Check yourself and others to make sure you do not have any injuries. If a person is seriously injured do not move them unless they are in imminent danger.

Call the police and medical services - Call the police or law enforcement branch for the area in which you are located. If there are injuries that need immediate medical attention call for medical services as well. You should also alert the police to any injuries or if the vehicles are blocking the roadway when speaking to them.

Exchange information with other driver - Get the other driver’s name, telephone number, address and driver’s license number off of their license. Get the name of their insurance company, the insurance policy number and telephone number to contact their insurance company through. Write down the other vehicle’s car make, model, year and license plate number. Also write down the name of any passengers that were in the vehicle at the time of the accident.

Get witness statements - If people stopped as witnesses to the accident ask them to write down what they saw along with their name and telephone number. If the witness is not able to stay until the police arrive ask them to sign their statement and leave it with you to give to the police when they arrive at the scene.

Draw a diagram - Take a sheet of paper and make a diagram of the scene. Sketch out where the various car occupants were seated and in which direction and lane the vehicles were traveling. Note such factors as the date, time and weather conditions.

Take Pictures - If you have a camera take pictures of the damaged vehicles. Also take pictures of the intersection or part of the road in which the collision occurred. Take pictures of any skid marks as well. If you received injuries also take pictures of them if possible.

Speak with police - Give the police or responding law enforcement agent your account of what occurred and your personal information. Be ready to show your driver’s license and insurance information. The other driver(s) should do the same. Also witnesses should speak with the police to explain what they saw and give their personal information.

Obtain police information - Write down the name and badge number of the responding police and medical emergency personnel. Find out if the law enforcement is the local police, sheriff or highway patrol so you will know where to go to obtain a copy of the police report.

After following these steps you will likely be ready to leave the accident scene. Always cooperate with the police and do not leave until they say it is okay. If your vehicle is drivable you can usually drive away. If the vehicle is too damaged to drive then a tow truck should be called to take the vehicle to your home, repair shop or dealership service department.

Once you are away from the scene it is time to contact your insurance and the other party’s (if they were at fault) insurance company. The claim process can begin while you recover from a nerve-wracking experience. Remain in contact with the insurance company until your settlement is negotiated completely.

http://www.carinsurance.com/Articles/content24.aspx

Secure the Child’s Car Safety Seat and Save A Kid’s Life

2009-08-11T11:00:00.000+07:00

Provided By: CarInsurance.com
Last Updated: Thursday, October 09, 2008

According to the National Safety Council (NSC) every day children are seriously injured or die in a car crash. Many of these injuries or deaths could be avoided if the parent, or driver of the vehicle, had properly secured the children into child safety seats. Motorist who have children riding in the vehicle with them need to learn how to secure their children so they can not only uphold the law but possibly save their kids lives.

The NSC’s National Safety Belt Coalition experts believe that between 80 and 90 percent of child safety seats are installed or used incorrectly. Some parents install the seat incorrectly and use it incorrectly doubling the problems. Children are not skilled enough to know if the seat is correct for them, the parents have to learn how to do this for them and give the kids the special protection they need.

In surveys done by the NSC they found that over 50 percent of the people contacted believed that child should have to be placed in children safety seats when riding in a vehicle. When asked if there should be strict enforcement of the car safety seat laws the survey was broken down into male and female responses. Clearly the mothering feeling came out because 65 percent of females said police should ticket for this offense at every opportunity. This is compare to the 53 percent of males that agreed with this statement.

At least 50 percent of the nation knows that it is important for child safety seats. There are common excuses such as the child does not like the seat, it was only a short trip, I do not have a seat available to me or most commonly - the child will not stay seated in it. While all of these excuses might be true it is the parents’ or driver’s responsibility to make sure the kids riding in the vehicle are safety secured before starting out on the trip.

Studies show that adults know they could do better with regards to child safety seats. One study showed that 94 percent of those surveyed over the age of 16 agreed that children should be required to wear safety belts once they have outgrown car or booster seats. This shows people are realizing that when children are old enough to buckle up themselves adults understand that safety is still required.

If your child still needs a car seat you can go to NHTSA website and find their child seat ratings list to find the appropriate one for you. Do not let excuses allow you to not follow through on securing your child’s safety while riding in a motor vehicle. The small act of fastening your child correctly into a well installed safety seat could be the different between life and death.

http://www.carinsurance.com/Articles/content25.aspx

Car Necessities For Winter Time Weather

2009-08-11T10:58:00.000+07:00

Provided By: CarInsurance.com
Last Updated: Thursday, October 09, 2008

Driving in the winter time means you will likely face treacherous road conditions. You will be forced to drive in the snow, sleet, frozen rain and ice to get to work or back to your place of dwelling. To make it through the season without issues make sure your car is prepared and stocked with the proper necessities.

As the temperatures drop weather conditions change and allow for inclement weather that affects roads and drivers. If you are not prepared properly a bad winter storm can become a serious problem for a motorist stuck out in it. Make certain that you are not the driver stuck in this predicament.

First start with your car, get it in good mechanical condition before the season changes. As autumn drags on take your vehicle in for a tune up or inspection by a mechanic. If you are mechanically inclined you can do some of this work yourself.

Check your spark plugs, ignition, battery and alternator; all of these items help you start your car in the morning. Next inspect hoses and belts for any holes, cracks or tears. Change out your fuel and air filters. Give the car an oil change, which includes changing the oil filter. Check all fluid levels, especially the antifreeze. Check the tires tread and air pressure.

Once you are certain the car is in good working order and that no major repairs are needed you can now move on to getting the necessities stored in your vehicle. Even if the car is working well now, there is the chance that it could breakdown. There is also a chance that the weather will not allow you to drive and you must stop on a road trip or you could be in an accident. If any of these scenarios occur you need to have the proper items with you.

In the car keep a flashlight and cell phone if possible; they will be vital to you. Keep a tire pressure gauge to keep your tires properly inflated. Check your spare tire and make sure it, the jack and lug wrench are all stored in their proper places. Other larger items you can place in the trunk. These items should include jumper cables, a shovel, tire chains, bag of salt or kitty litter, a small tool box with basic tools inside and a medical kit.

When starting out on a trip try to have a full tank of gas and carry extra water or antifreeze in the trunk. You might also store some imperishable food items and drinking water in the car or trunk. This might be your saving grace if caught out in a storm. Other items that will help you in winter weather are a compass, ice scraper, snow brush and signaling devices such as flares or reflective triangles. Bring along extra warm clothing, gloves and even a blanket, they will come in handy if you have to wait in the car for help or become stranded.

Living and driving in the snow is a way of life for many people that dwell in areas of the world where winter time weather is severe. The best way to keep you from being caught in the cold is to be prepared before the season starts. Have your car tuned up and in good mechanical shapes and then stockpile the essential items that will carry you through till spring weather arrives. With the correct necessities you can make it through till the flower buds start to blossom without getting frostbite from car problems or the blustery cold.

http://www.carinsurance.com/Articles/content26.aspx

Tips about Obtaining a Motorcycle Loan

2009-08-11T10:57:00.000+07:00

Provided By: CarInsurance.com
Last Updated: Wednesday, October 08, 2008

You are in the market for a motorcycle and are itching to go find the perfect one. You might already have your eye on a certain model or want to just find one that strikes your fancy at a motorcycle dealership. Before you start the hunt for the perfect bike it is best to get your financial ducks in a row. This article will discuss the best ways in which to obtain a motorcycle loan.

Getting a motorcycle loan in a lot of ways is very similar to getting a car loan. The difference is you will find there are less financial institutes that are willing to give you their money for this purchase. Even though motorcycle loans are becoming more available some institutions still feel it is a specialty loan.

As with all loans you will want to find out your credit rating. Due to the recently passed Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) it is free to check your credit rating at each of the three nationwide consumer credit reporting companies. These companies are Equifax, Experian and TransUnion. If you request your credit report these companies must provide you with a free copy once every 12 months.

With your credit report in hand you can make sure that everything is listed as it should be. If you have credit cards you no longer use listed you might want to call and cancel them so when you go for the loan they will not be able to say you have too much available credit out there. If the credit reports show debits that you have already paid in full, call and get the notice of delinquency taken off of the credit report. Take care of anything that might cause red flag when you go in to get your loan. You want to have the best credit score possible when you try to find your motorcycle loan.

When figuring out what you will need for your loan to figure in the cost of the other items associated with the motorcycle. Will you be able to afford the registration, insurance, maintenance and proper motorcycle gear to wear? This is why you need to get the best loan available to you so that you still have the money to cover these items as well as your loan amount each month.

Shop for a motorcycle within your loan amount or you will be disappointed. This is the reason that you go and find out what motorcycle loan is available to you before you start shopping. You would not want to have your heart set on a $25,000 model when all the financial institution will loan you is $10,000. And do not forget about the extra costs just discussed above.

Another reason to get a motorcycle loan before shopping for the motorcycle is that if you do not you might be talked into using the dealerships financial services. Dealerships on a whole do not give customers good deals on loan rates. Unless your credit is so bad you believe this is the only way you can afford a loan should you walk into the dealership ready to use their finance department.

Special promotional loans are a dealership gimmick. Another way a motorcycle dealership might try to talk you into using their finance department is with special promotions. These promotions might have an excellent rate for the first 12 months but usually the rates go way, way up after that period of time. The salesman is hoping you will be so excited by the motorcycle and the promotional deal that you will not think ahead for the long term.

When discussing a motorcycle loan with a financial institution ask questions about the loan like you would if you were attaining an automobile loan. Ask if the rate is fixed or variable? Would the rate change in the future for any reason? What are the administrative fees associated with this loan? Are there any penalties for paying the loan off early?

A few other questions to also ask could be what would happen when if you are late on a payment? Will the interest rate increase if payment is 30 days late? What about 60 days? You never want to be in this situation but it is important to ask because you never know what the future holds.

If you are unable to find a financial institution in your area with good rates on motorcycle loans a good place to look is on the Internet. It is becoming a popular and easy way to find a motorcycle loan or comparison shop for one.

Many online finance companies no longer require an application fee so you are saving already with this method. Some agencies might require a down payment either but it is always wise to put down some money if at all possible. Online loans have advantage such as usually have a lower APR. Shopping online saves you time because the approval process can be take as little as 15 minutes.

With the online loan application process you do not have to leave your home. Even better yet you will not have to deal with dealership’s finance department because you already have your own set up. Dealers use their loan department as an extra way to make money. They know that people that use that department are usually desperate or making a spare of the moment decision and can be milked by the high APR.

Repayment schedules for online loans are usually 12 - 36 months. There are longer ranged loans, up to 72 months in extreme cases. Many finance companies use the simple interest method as a way to calculate your monthly payments. You never want to get a loan with the rule of 78 in which you are paying all the interest first. This will leave you upside down on your payments if you decide to sell the motorcycle before the end of your loan.As mentioned earlier look for a lender that does not have a prepayment penalty. You do not want to be stuck with an extra fee for being able to pay off your bike early.

Other items to keep in mind as you shop for your motorcycle loan are about the lender you are considering using. How is their customer service? Will they be able to help you if you have questions later on? How quick is their loan process and response time? Do you have a choice on how the payments are made? Can you pick the date on which the payment is due? Are they able to do an automatic deduction from your bank account?Will you have access online or on the phone to check on your loan through its pay off?

Getting a motorcycle loan does not have to be a painful process and it can actually be a positive for you. You get the motorcycle of your dreams and are able to build up your credit rating. If you do your research and find the loan best suited for you needs, do not overspend on your motorcycle and pay off the loan on time you are going to be sitting pretty. In the line of having your cake and eating it too you instead are able to have your bike and the money to ride it too.

http://www.carinsurance.com/Articles/content22.aspx

Towing Terms

2009-08-11T10:56:00.000+07:00

Provided By: CarInsurance.com
Last Updated: Wednesday, October 08, 2008

Towing an object behind your vehicle can be intimidating whether it is your first time or your fifth. You need to have a vehicle that is strong, powerful and capable of towing a trailer or car behind it. To be able to successfully tow a trailer or other object one must be familiar with the basics - towing terms.

The main component of towing is the hitch assembly which is made up of two distinct pieces: the hitch ball mount and the receiver. The ball mount slides onto the receiver and is secured by a pin. An adjustable ball mount can allow a hitch ball to be raised and lowered to position the tow object correctly.

Now let us move onto the definitions of all basic towing terms:

Hitch Ball -This is probably the most recognizable part of the towing assembly. It is a steel ball-shaped attachment which the trailer coupler is attached. It is usually attached to the bumper of the towing vehicle.

Bolt on Hitch -A component that attaches directly to the tow vehicle allowing for the connection between the object to be towed (trailer) and towing vehicle.

Ball Mount -A removable ball platform that slides into the receiver of a hitch. It fastens together with a pin and clip. There are different types that can be used to raise or lower the height of the ball.

Drawbar or Ball Mount Adapter -A metal bar that is inserts the hitch ball into the hitch receiver.

Hitch Receiver -Part of the trailer hitch that permits inserts such as ball mounts or drawbars.

Ball Height -A measurement made to determine how higher or lower the ball mount needs to move to enable the trailer or tow vehicle to be level and ride properly when being towed. One measures from the ground to the center of the hitch ball when parked on a clean, flat surface.

Coupler -The part of trailer tongue that surrounds and secures to the hitch ball.

Trailer Tongue -Part of the trailer that extends forward from the trailer box, it includes the coupler.

Safety Chains -Chains that are affixed to the trailer tongue to keep object being towed connected to the tow vehicle. It helps to keep the object being towed attached should the hitch ball or coupler separate.

Types of Hitches:There are four classes of hitches. Each class has its own capacity of gross trailer weight and tongue weight. The higher the class number the more weight the hitch can bear.

Weight Carrying Hitch -A hitch that supports the trailer tongue weight. They are commonly used when towing a small or medium sized trailer.

Weight Distributing Hitch -This type of hitch consists of a receiver that attaches to the tow vehicle and a removable hitch that fits into the receiver and hooks up with the trailer frame.

Electrics:There is an electric component to towing a trailer or other object.

Plug -The connector used to connect the trailer wiring to the truck or other tow vehicle.

Converter -Converts a 3 wire tow vehicle electrical system to a 2 wire system.This allows for the integration of the stop and turn signal circuits which is commonplace in trailer wiring.

Whether towing a small vehicle a short distance or a trailer across country it can be an intimidating experience. Each time you connect an object to your truck or SUV you will learn something new. For true towing beginners the best way to start the learning is to have towing terms defined for him or her. After that finding the right parts for your towing needs should be easier to figure out.

http://www.carinsurance.com/Articles/content23.aspx

Family Disaster Plan

2009-08-11T10:54:00.000+07:00

Disaster can strike quickly and without warning. It can force you to evacuate your neighborhood or confine you to your home. What would you do if basic services--water, gas, electricity, or telephones--were cut off? Local officials and relief workers will be on the scene after a disaster, but they cannot reach everyone right away.

Families can--and do--cope with disaster by preparing in advance and working together as a team. Follow the steps listed in this brochure to create your family's disaster plan. Knowing what to do is your best protection and your responsibility.

Where will your family be when disaster strikes? They could be anywhere--at work, at school or in the car.

How will you find each other? Will you know if your children are safe?

Four Steps to Safety

1. Find out What Could Happen to You

Contact your local emergency management or civil defense office and American Red Cross chapter--be prepared to take notes:

Ask what types of disasters are most likely to happen and request information on how to prepare for each type of disaster.

Learn about your community's warning signals. What they sound like and what you should do when you hear them? Ask about animal care after disaster. Animals may not be allowed inside emergency shelters due to health regulations

Find out how to help elderly or disabled persons, if needed. Next, find out about the disaster plans at your workplace, your children's school, or daycare center and other places where your family spends time.

2. Create a Disaster Plan

Meet with your family and discuss why you need to prepare for disaster. Explain the dangers of fire, severe weather, and earthquakes to children. Plan to share responsibilities and work together as a team.

Discuss the types of disasters that are most likely to happen. Explain what to do in each case.

Pick two places to meet:

1. Right outside your home in case of a sudden emergency, like a fire.

2. Outside your neighborhood in case you can't return home. Everyone must know the address and phone number.

Ask an out-of-state friend to be your "family contact." After a disaster, it is often easier to call long distance. Other family members should call this person and tell them where they are. Everyone must know your contact's phone number.

Discuss what to do in an evacuation and plan how to take care of your pets.

3. Complete This Checklist

A. Post emergency telephone numbers by phones (fire, police, ambulance, etc.).

B. Teach children how and when to call 911 or your local Emergency Medical Services number for emergency help.

C. Show each family member how and when to turn off the water, gas and electricity at the main switches. Check if you have adequate insurance coverage.

D. Teach each family member how to use the fire extinguisher (ABC type), and show them where it is kept.

D. Install smoke detectors on each level of your home, especially near bedrooms.

E. Conduct a home hazard hunt.

F. Stock emergency supplies and assemble a Disaster Supplies Kit.

G. Take a Red Cross first aid and CPR class.

H. Determine the best escape routes from your home. Find two ways out of each room.

I. Find the safe spots in your home for each type of disaster.

4. Practice and Maintain Your Plan

Quiz your kids every six months so they remember what to do.

Conduct fire and emergency evacuation drills.

Replace stored water every three months and stored food every six months.

Test and recharge your fire extinguisher(s) according to manufacturer's instructions.

Test your smoke detectors monthly and change the batteries at least once a year.

EMERGENCY SUPPLIES

Keep enough supplies in your home to meet your needs for at least three days. Assemble a Disaster Supply Kit with items you may need in an evacuation. Store these supplies in sturdy, easy-to-carry containers such as backpacks, duffle bags or covered trash containers.

Include:

A three-day supply of water (one gallon per person per day) and food that will not spoil

One change of clothing and footwear per person, and one blanket or sleeping bag per person

A first aid kit that includes your family's prescription medications

Emergency tools including a battery-powered radio, flashlight, and plenty of extra batteries

An extra set of car keys and a credit card, cash or traveler's checks

Sanitation supplies

Special items for infant, elderly, or disabled family members

An extra pair of glasses

Keep important family documents in a waterproof container

Keep a smaller kit in the trunk of your car.

UTILITIES

Locate the main electric fuse box, water service main, and natural gas main. Learn how and when to turn these utilities off. Teach all responsible family members. Keep necessary tools near gas and water shut-off valves.

Remember; turn off the utilities only if you suspect the lines are damaged or if you are instructed to do so. If you turn the gas off, you will need a professional to turn it back on.

NEIGHBORS HELPING NEIGHBORS

Working with neighbors can save lives and property. Meet with your neighbors to plan how the neighborhood could work together after a disaster until help arrives. If you are a member of a neighborhood organization, such as a home association or crime watch group, introduce disaster preparedness as a new activity. Know your neighbors' special skills (e.g., medical, technical) and consider how you could help neighbors who have special needs, such as disabled and elderly persons. Make plans for childcare in case parents cannot get home.

HOME HAZARD HUNT

During a disaster, ordinary objects in your home can cause injury or damage. Anything that can move, fall, break, or cause a fire is a home hazard. For example, a hot water heater or a bookshelf can fall. Inspect your home at least once a year and fix potential hazards.

Contact your local fire department to learn about home fire hazards.

EVACUATION

Evacuate immediately if told to do so:

Listen to your battery-powered radio and follow the instructions of local emergency officials.

Wear protective clothing and sturdy shoes.

Take your family disaster supplies kit.

Lock your home.

Use travel routes specified by local authorities--do not use shortcuts because certain areas may be impassable or dangerous.

If you are certain that you have time:

Shut off water, gas, and electricity before leaving, if instructed to do so.

Post a note telling others when you left and where you are going.

Arrange for your pets.

IF DISASTER STRIKES

Remain calm and patient.

Put your plan into action.

Check for injuries

Give first aid and get help for seriously injured people.

Listen to your battery-powered radio for news and instructions

Evacuate, if advised to do so. Wear protective clothing and sturdy shoes.

Check for damage in your home...

Use flashlights--do not light matches or turn on electrical switches, if you suspect damage.

Check for fires, fire hazards and other household hazards.

Sniff for gas leaks, starting at the water heater. If you smell gas or suspect a leak, turn off the main gas valve, open windows, and get everyone outside quickly.

Shut off any other damaged utilities.

Clean up spilled medicines, bleaches, gasoline, and other flammable liquids immediately.

Remember to...

Confine or secure your pets.

Call your family contact--do not use the telephone again unless it is a life-threatening emergency.

Check on your neighbors, especially elderly or disabled persons.

Make sure you have an adequate water supply in case service is cut off.

Stay away from downed power lines.

We hope this will help you when disaster strikes. Insurance is there for those moments you do not plan to occur. We hope this plan helps you save lives.

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Your Family Disaster Supplies Kit

2009-08-11T10:53:00.000+07:00

After a disaster, local officials and relief workers will be on the scene, but they cannot reach everyone immediately. You could get help in hours, or it may take days. Would your family be prepared to cope with the emergency until help arrives?

Your family will cope best by preparing for disaster before it strikes. One way to prepare is by assembling a Disaster Supply Kit. Once disaster hits, you won't have time to shop or search for supplies. But if you've gathered supplies in advance, your family can endure an evacuation or home confinement.

To prepare your kit review the checklists in this document. Gather the supplies that are listed. You may need them if your family is confined at home. Place the supplies you'd most likely need for an evacuation in an easy-to-carry container. These supplies are listed with an asterisk (*).

Disasters happen anytime and anywhere. When disaster strikes, you may not have much time to respond. A highway spill of hazardous material could mean instant evacuation. A winter storm could confine your family at home. An earthquake, flood, tornado, hurricane or any other disaster could cut off basic services--gas, water, electricity, and telephones--for days.

*Water

Store water in plastic containers intended for storing water.. Avoid using containers that will decompose or break, such as milk cartons or glass bottles. A normally active person needs to drink at least two quarts of water each day. Hot environments and intense physical activity can double that amount. Children, nursing mothers, and ill people will need more water.

* Store one gallon of water per person, per day (two quarts for drinking, two quarts for food preparation/sanitation).
* Keep at least a three-day supply of water for each person in your household.

Food

Store at least a three-day supply of non-perishable food. Select foods that require no refrigeration, preparation or cooking and little or no water. If you must heat food, pack a can of sterno. Select food items that are compact and lightweight.

* Include a selection of the following foods in your Disaster Supplies Kit:
* Ready-to-eat canned meats, fruits and vegetables
* Canned juices, milk, soup (if powdered, store extra water)
* Staples--sugar, salt, pepper
* High energy foods--peanut butter, jelly, crackers, granola bars, trail mix
* Vitamins
* Foods for infants, elderly, or persons on special diets
* Comfort/stress foods--cookies, hard candy, sweetened cereals, lollipops, instant coffee, and tea bags

First Aid Kit

Assemble a first aid kit for your home and one for each car. A first aid kit should include:

Sterile adhesive bandages in assorted sizes
Hypoallergenic adhesive tape
Triangular bandages
Sterile roller bandages (3 rolls)
Scissors or Tweezers
Needle
Moistened Towels
Antiseptic
Thermometer
Sunscreen
Non-prescription drugs
*Aspirin or non-aspirin pain reliever
*Anti-diarrhea medication
* Antacid (for stomach upset)
*Syrup of Ipecac (use to induce vomiting if advised by the Poison Control Center)
*Laxative Activated charcoal (use if advised by the Poison Control Center)

Contact your local American Red Cross chapter to obtain a basic first aid manual.

Supplies

You should stock these six basics in your home:

* Water
* Food
* First aid supplies
* Clothing and bedding
* Tools and emergency supplies and special items

Keep the items that you would most likely need during an evacuation in an easy-to-carry container. Suggested items are marked with an asterisk (*). Possible containers include a large, covered trash container; a camping backpack; or a duffle bag.

Tools and Supplies

* Mess kits, or paper cups, plates and plastic utensils
* Emergency preparedness manual
* Battery-operated radio and extra batteries
* Flashlight and extra batteries
* Cash or traveler's checks, change
* Non-electric can opener, utility knife
* Fire extinguisher
* Small canister, ABC type
* Tube tent
* Pliers
* Tape
* Compass
* Matches in a waterproof container
* Aluminum foil
* Plastic storage containers
* Signal flare
* Paper, pencil
* Needles, thread
* Medicine dropper
* Shut-off wrench, to turn off household gas and water
* Whistle
* Plastic sheeting
* Map of the area (for locating shelters)

Sanitation

* Toilet paper, towelettes
* Soap, liquid detergent
* Feminine supplies
* Personal hygiene items
* Plastic garbage bags, ties (for personal sanitation uses)
* Plastic bucket with tight lid
* Disinfectant
* Household chlorine bleach

Clothing and Bedding

* Include at least one complete change of clothing and footwear per person.
* Sturdy shoes or work boots
* Hat and gloves
* Rain gear
* Thermal underwear
* Blankets or sleeping bags
* Sunglasses

Special Items

Remember family members with special needs, such as infants and elderly or disabled persons.

For Baby

* Formula
* Diapers
Bottles
Powdered milk
* Medications

For Adults

Heart and high blood pressure medication
Insulin
* Prescription drugs
Denture needs
Contact lenses and supplies
Extra eye glasses

Entertainment

Games and Books

Important Family Documents

Keep these records in a waterproof, portable container.

Will
Insurance policies
Contracts
Deeds
Stocks and bonds
Passports
Social security cards
Immunization records
Bank account numbers
Credit card account numbers and company phone numbers
Inventory of valuable household goods
Important telephone numbers
Family records (birth, marriage, death certificates)

Suggestions and Reminders

Store your kit in a convenient place known to all family members. Keep a smaller version of the Disaster Supplies Kit in the trunk of your car. Keep items in airtight plastic bags. Change your stored water supply every six months so it stays fresh. Rotate your stored food every six months. Re-think your kit and family needs at least once a year. Replace batteries, update clothes, etc. Ask your physician or pharmacist about storing prescription medications.

Contact your local emergency management or civil defense office and your local American Red Cross chapter. Find out which disasters are most likely to happen in your community. Ask how you would be warned. Find out how to prepare for each. Meet with your family. Discuss the types of disasters that could occur. Explain how to prepare and respond. Discuss what to do if advised to evacuate. Practice what you have discussed. Plan how your family will stay in contact if separated by disaster. Pick two meeting places:

1) A location a safe distance from your home in case of fire

2) A place outside your neighborhood in case you cannot return home

3) Choose an out-of-state friend as a "check-in contact" for everyone to call.

Complete these steps:

1) Post emergency telephone numbers by every phone.

2) Show responsible family members how and when to shut off water, gas, and electricity at main switches.

3) Install a smoke detector on each level of your home, especially near bedrooms; test monthly and change the batteries two times each year.

4) Contact your local fire department to learn about home fire hazards.

5) Learn first aid and CPR. Contact your local American Red Cross chapter for information and training.

Meet with your neighbors. Plan how the neighborhood could work together after a disaster. Know your neighbors' skills (medical, technical). Consider how you could help neighbors who have special needs, such as elderly or disabled persons. Make plans for childcare in case parents can't get home.

Remember to practice and maintain your plan.

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Home and Building Fire Prevention

2009-08-11T10:43:00.000+07:00

A fire can engulf a structure in a matter of minutes. Understanding the basic characteristics of fire and learning the proper safety practices can be the key to surviving a house or building fire.

BEFORE A FIRE OCCURS:

Install smoke detectors. Check them once a month and change the batteries at least once a year.
Develop and practice an escape plan. Make sure all family members know what to do in a fire.
* Draw a floor plan with at least two ways of escaping every room.
* Choose a safe meeting place outside the house.
* Practice alerting other household members. It is a good idea to keep a bell and a flashlight in each bedroom for this purpose.
* Practice evacuating the building blindfolded. In a real fire situation, the amount of smoke generated by a fire will most likely make it impossible to see.
* Practice staying low to the ground when escaping.
* Feel all doors before opening them. If the door is hot, get out another way.
* Learn to stop, drop to the ground, and roll if clothes catch fire.
Post emergency numbers near telephones. However, be aware that if a fire threatens your home, you should not place the call to your emergency services from inside the home. It is better to get out first and place the call from somewhere else.
Purchase collapsible ladders at hardware stores and practice using them.
Install A-B-C type fire extinguishers in the home and teach family members how to use them.
Do not store combustible materials in closed areas or near a heat source.
Cooking: Keep the stove area clean and clear of combustibles such as bags, boxes, and other appliances. If a fire starts, put a lid over the burning pan or use a fire extinguisher. Be careful. Moving the pan can cause the fire to spread. Never pour water on grease fires.
Check electrical wiring. Replace wiring if frayed or cracked. Make sure wiring is not under rugs, over nails, or in high traffic areas. Do not overload outlets or extension cords. Outlets should have cover plates and no exposed wiring. Only purchase appliances and electrical devices that have a label indicating that they have been inspected by a testing laboratory such as Underwriter's Laboratories (UL) or Factory Mutual (FM).
Contact your local fire department or American Red Cross chapter for more information on fire safety.

DURING A FIRE EMERGENCY:

Get out as quickly and as safely as possible.
Use the stairs to escape.
When evacuating, stay low to the ground.
If possible, cover mouth with a cloth to avoid inhaling smoke and gases.
Close doors in each room after escaping to delay the spread of the fire.
If in a room with a closed door:
* If smoke is pouring in around the bottom of the door or it feels hot, keep the door closed.
* Open a window to escape or for fresh air while awaiting rescue.
* If there is no smoke at the bottom or top and the door is not hot, then open the door slowly.
* If there is too much smoke or fire in the hall, slam the door shut.
Call the fire department from a location outside the house.

AFTER THE FIRE INCIDENT:

Give first aid where appropriate.
Seriously, injured or burned victims should be transported to professional medical help immediately.
Stay out of damage buildings.
Return home only when local fire authorities say it is safe.
Look for structural damage.
Discard food that has been exposed to heat, smoke, or soot.
Contact insurance agent.
Do not discard damaged goods until after an inventory has been taken. Save receipts for money relating to fire loss.

Heating devices such as portable heaters, wood stoves, and fireplaces demand safe operation. Use portable heaters in well-ventilated rooms only. Refuel kerosene heaters outdoors only. Have chimneys and wood stoves cleaned annually. Buy only approved heaters and follow the manufacturers' directions.

Smoke detectors more than double the chance of surviving a fire. Smoke detectors sense abnormal amounts of smoke or invisible combustion gases in the air. They can detect both smoldering and burning fires. At least one smoke detector should be installed on every level of a structure. Test the smoke detectors each month and replace the batteries at least once a year. Purchase smoke detectors labeled by the Underwriter's Laboratories (UL) or Factory Mutual (FM).

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Preventing Home Burglary

2009-08-11T10:39:00.001+07:00

Do you know what to do around your home to keep burglars at bay? There are many small things you can do around your house to help it become more burglar-proof and less open to risk. These tasks are minor items that you should be doing anyway just to keep up the quality of your house. These are a few tips to help prevent your house from being broken into:

· Invest in solid doors and good quality locks on doors and windows. This includes on all sliding glass doors as well. Make it not only difficult but also time consuming for a burglar to gain entry.· Whenever you go outside, lock the door and take the key with you, even if you are just stepping next door or out mowing the back yard.
· Don't put valuables where they can be seen from the window, especially items that can be easily carried.
· Be sure your garage door can be secured. Do not leave it open when you are away; an empty garage broadcasts your absence.
· When you aren't home, use a timer set to turn interior lights on and off at varying intervals as though your home was still occupied.
· Don't keep large amounts of cash or really valuable jewelry around the house.
· If someone comes to your door asking to use the telephone, make the call yourself. Don't invite them in.· Don't hide a spare key under the door mat or under a flower pot. Thieves know all the good hiding places.
· Plant thorny bushes under all windows. Trim back any trees or shrubs near doors and windows to eliminate hiding places for would-be thieves.
· Invest in a good security system along with motion sensor lights installed out of reach.
· Don't leave ladders outside. Keep any tools that could be used to break in your home safely locked away in a garage or shed.
· Get a barking dog or "beware of dog" signs. If you own a dog and go out of town, have someone come in and care for your dog in your home.
· Always double check doors at night and lock all windows.
· Engrave all valuables such as stereos, microwaves, video cameras, with your driver's license number. (Engraving tools are usually available through your local law enforcement agency.) Videotape the contents of your home. Keep the video and the list of all valuables in a safe place, such as a safety deposit box.

Also remember to keep your important papers in a safe place. This includes papers on your house and cars, extra credit cards and especially your insurance papers. If your house is broken into the insurance papers will be one of the first things you will need to find. Your home owners insurance may not be the only insurance papers you will need. If your house was broken into and you had a car in the driveway there is a good chance it might also have been broken into as well. Have your auto insurance papers in a safe place but someplace accessible.

Keeping your family safe and sound has to always be a high priority. To do this not only means making sure your house is as tamper proof as possible but by having your insurance policies up to date. For quick quotes and an easy way to buy car insurance on-line or over the phone, visit http://www.carinsurance.com.

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Emergency Food and Water Supplies

2009-08-11T10:37:00.001+07:00

If an earthquake, hurricane, winter storm or other disaster ever strikes your community, you might not have access to food, water, and electricity for days, or even weeks. By taking a little time now to store emergency food and water supplies, you can provide for your entire family.

Water is the absolute necessity. Stocking water reserves and learning how to purify contaminated water should be among your top priorities in preparing for an emergency. You should store at least a two-week supply of water for each member of your family. Everyone's needs will differ, depending upon age, physical condition, activity, diet, and climate. A normally active person needs to drink at least two quarts of water each day. Hot environments can double that amount. Children, nursing mothers, and ill people will need more. You will need additional water for food preparation and hygiene. Store a total of at least one gallon per person, per day.

If your supplies begin to run low, remember to never ration water. Drink the amount you need today, and try to find more for tomorrow. You can minimize the amount of water your body needs by reducing activity and staying cool.

It is important to properly store your water. You can store your water in thoroughly washed plastic, glass, fiberglass, or enamel-lined metal containers. Never use a container that has held toxic substances, because tiny amounts may remain in the container's pores. Sound plastic containers, such as soft drink bottles, are best. You can also purchase food-grade plastic buckets or drums.

Before storing your water, treat it with a preservative, such as chlorine bleach, to prevent the growth of microorganisms. Use liquid bleach that contains 5.25 percent sodium hypochlorite and no soap. Some containers warn, "Not for Personal Use." You can disregard these warnings if the label states sodium hypochlorite is the only active ingredient and if you use only the small quantities in these instructions.

Add four drops of bleach per quart of water (or two scant teaspoons per 10 gallons), and stir. Seal your water containers tightly, label them and store them in a cool, dark place.

There are hidden water sources in your home. If a disaster catches you without a stored supply of clean water, you can use water in your hot-water tank, in your plumbing and in ice cubes. As a last resort, you can use water in the reservoir tank of your toilet (not the bowl), but purify it first (described later).

Waterbeds hold up to 400 gallons, but some waterbeds contain toxic chemicals that are not fully removed by many purifiers. If you designate a waterbed in your home as an emergency resource, drain it yearly and refill it with fresh water containing two ounces of bleach per 120 gallons.

To use the water in your pipes, let air into the plumbing by turning on the highest faucet in your house and draining the water from the lowest one.

To use the water in your hot-water tank, be sure the electricity or gas is off, and open the drain at the bottom of the tank. Start the water flowing by turning off the water intake valve and turning on a hot-water faucet. Do not turn on the gas or electricity when the tank is empty.

Do you know the location of your incoming water valve? You will need to shut if off to stop contaminated water from entering your home if you hear reports of broken water or sewage lines.

If you need to seek water outside your home, you can use these sources. However, purify the water before drinking it.

* Rainwater
* Streams, rivers and other moving bodies of water
* Ponds and lakes
* Natural springs

Avoid water with floating material, an odor, or dark color. Use saltwater only if you distill it first (described later).

There are ways to purify water. In addition to having a bad odor and taste, contaminated water can contain microorganisms that cause diseases such as dysentery, cholera, typhoid, and hepatitis. You should therefore purify all water of uncertain purity before using it for drinking, food preparation, or hygiene.

There are many ways to purify water. None is perfect. Often the best solution is a combination of methods. Before purifying, let any suspended particles settle to the bottom, or strain them through layers of paper towel or clean cloth.

Three easy purification methods are outlined below. These measures will kill microbes but will not remove other contaminants such as heavy metals, salts, most other chemicals, and radioactive fallout.

Boiling is the safest method of purifying water. Bring water to a rolling boil for 10 minutes, keeping in mind that some water will evaporate. Let the water cool before drinking.

Boiled water will taste better if you put oxygen back into it by pouring it back and forth between two containers. This will also improve the taste of stored water.

Chlorination uses liquid chlorine bleach to kill microorganisms. (See page 1 for bleach safety information.) Add two drops of bleach per quart of water (four drops if the water is cloudy), stir, and let stand for 30 minutes. If the water does not taste and smell of chlorine at that point, add another dose and let stand another 15 minutes.

If you do not have a dropper, use a spoon and a square-ended strip of paper or thin clothe about 1/4 inch by 2 inches. Put the strip in the spoon with an end hanging down about 1/2 inch below the scoop of the spoon. Place bleach in the spoon and carefully tip it. Drops the size of those from a medicine dropper will drip off the end of the strip.

Purification tablets release chlorine or iodine. They are inexpensive and available at most sporting goods stores and some drugstores. Follow the package directions. Usually one tablet is enough for one quart of water. Double the dose for cloudy water.

Here are some more stringent methods to purify water. While the three methods described above will remove only microbes from water, the following two purification methods will remove other contaminants. Distillation will remove microbes, heavy metals, salts, most other chemicals, and radioactive dust and dirt, called radioactive fallout. Filtering will also remove radioactive fallout. (Water itself cannot become radioactive, but it can be contaminated by radioactive fallout. It is unsafe to drink water that contains radioactive fallout.)

Distillation involves boiling water and then collecting the vapor that condenses back to water. The condensed vapor will not include salt and other impurities. To distill, fill a pot halfway with water. Tie a cup to the handle on the pot's lid so that the cup will hang right side up when the lid is upside-down (make sure the cup is not dangling into the water) and boil the water for 20 minutes. The water that drips from the lid into the cup is distilled.

To make fallout filter, punch holes in the bottom of a large bucket, and put a layer of gravel in the bucket about 1-1/2 inches high. Cover the gravel with a towel cut in a circle slightly larger than the bucket. Cover soil with a towel, place the filter over a large container, and pour contaminated water through. Then, disinfect the filtered water using one of the methods described above. Change the soil in your filter after every 50 quarts of water.

Make sure you have family safety kit. It is 2:00 a.m. and a flash flood forces you to evacuate your home--fast. There is no time to gather food from the kitchen, fill bottles with water, grab a first-aid kit from the closet, and snatch a flashlight and a portable radio from the bedroom. You need to have these items packed and ready in one place before disaster hits.

Pack at least a three-day supply of food and water, and store it in a handy place. Choose foods that are easy to carry, nutritious and ready-to-eat. In addition, pack these emergency items:

* Medical supplies and first aid manual
* Hygiene supplies
* Portable radio, flashlights, and extra batteries
* Shovel and other useful tools
* Money and matches in a waterproof container
* Fire extinguisher
* Blanket and extra clothing
* Infant and small children's needs (if appropriate)

Verify that you have a stockpile of emergency food. If activity is reduced, healthy people can survive on half their usual food intake for an extended period and without any food for many days. Food, unlike water, may be rationed safely, except for children and pregnant women.

If your water supply is limited, try to avoid foods that are high in fat and protein, and do not stock salty foods, since they will make you thirsty. Try to eat salt-free crackers, whole grain cereals, and canned foods with high liquid content.

You do not need to go out and buy unfamiliar foods to prepare an emergency food supply. You can use the canned foods, dry mixes and other staples on your cupboard shelves. In fact, familiar foods are important. They can lift morale and give a feeling of security in time of stress. In addition, canned foods will not require cooking, water, or special preparation. Following are recommended short-term and long-term food storage plans.

Make sure you food is stored properly:

* Keep food in the driest and coolest spot in the house--a dark area if possible.
* Keep food covered at all times.
* Open food boxes or cans carefully so that you can close them tightly after each use.
* Wrap cookies and crackers in plastic bags, and keep them in tight containers.
* Empty opened packages of sugar, dried fruits, and nuts into screw-top jars or airtight cans to protect them from pests.
* Inspect all food containers for signs of spoilage before use.

Even though it is unlikely that an emergency would cut off your food supply for two weeks, you should prepare a supply that will last that long. A two-week supply can relieve a great deal of inconvenience and uncertainty until services are restored.

The easiest way to develop a two-week stockpile is to increase the amount of basic foods you normally keep on your shelves. Remember to compensate for the amount you eat from other sources (such as restaurants) during an average two-week period.

You may already have a two-week supply of food on hand. Keeping it fresh is simple. Just rotate your supply once or twice a year.

Keep these special considerations in mind. As you stock food, take into account your families unique needs and tastes. Try to include foods that they will enjoy and that are high in calories and nutrition. Foods that require no refrigeration, preparation or cooking are best.

Individuals with special diets and allergies will need particular attention, as will babies, toddlers, and the elderly. Nursing mothers may need liquid formula, in case they are unable to nurse. Canned dietetic foods, juices, and soups may be helpful for the ill or elderly.

Make sure you have a can opener and disposable utensils. In addition, do not forget nonperishable foods for your pets.

Store your short-term stockpile properly. Keep canned foods in a dry place where the temperature is cool--not above 70 degrees Fahrenheit and not below freezing. To protect boxed foods from pests and extend their shelf life, store the boxes in tightly closed cans or metal containers.

Rotate your food supply. Use foods before they go bad, and replace them with fresh supplies, dated with ink or marker. Place new items at the back of the storage area and older ones in front.

Your emergency food supply should be of the highest quality possible. Inspect your reserves periodically to make sure there are no broken seals or dented containers.

It can be difficult to cook when the power is off. For emergency cooking, you can use a fireplace, or a charcoal grill or camp stove outdoors only. You can also heat food with candle warmers, chafing dishes, and fondue pots. Canned food can be eaten right out of the can. If you heat it in the can, be sure to open the can and remove the label first.

Keep these supplies for long-term emergencies. In the unlikely event of a military attack or some other national disaster, you may need long-term emergency food supplies. The best approach is to store large amounts of staples along with a variety of canned and dried foods. Bulk quantities of wheat, corn, beans and salt are inexpensive and have nearly unlimited shelf life. If necessary, you could survive for years on small daily amounts of these staples. Stock the following amounts per person, per month:

* Wheat--20 pounds
* Powdered Milk (for babies and infants) ** Buy in nitrogen-packed cans. Rotate every two years.
* 20 pounds Corn
* 20 pounds Iodized Salt
* 1 pound Soybeans
* 10 pounds Vitamin C **--15 grams
* Buy in nitrogen-packed cans** Rotate every two years

Store wheat, corn, and beans in sealed cans or plastic buckets. Buy powdered milk in nitrogen-packed cans. In addition, leave salt and vitamin C in their original packages.

If these staples comprise your entire menu, you must eat all of them together to stay healthy. To avoid serious digestive problems, you will need to grind the corn and wheat into flour and cook them, as well as boil the beans, before eating. Many health food stores sell hand-cranked grain mills or can tell you where you can get one. Make sure you buy one that can grind corn. If you are caught without a mill, you can grind your grain by filling a large can with whole grain one inch deep, holding the can on the ground between your feet and pounding the grain with a pipe.

In a crisis, it will be vital that you maintain your strength. So remember:

* Eat at least one well-balanced meal each day.
* Drink enough liquid to enable your body to function properly (two quarts a day).
* Take in enough calories to enable you to do any necessary work.
* Include vitamin, mineral, and protein supplements in your stockpile to assure adequate nutrition.

Here are some general guidelines for rotating common emergency foods.

Use within six months:

* Powdered milk (boxed)
* Dried fruit (in metal container)
* Dry, crisp crackers (in metal container)
* Potatoes

Use within one year:

* Canned condensed meat and vegetable soups
* Canned fruits, fruit juices and vegetables
* Ready-to-eat cereals and uncooked instant cereals (in metal containers)
* Peanut butter
* Jelly
* Hard candy, chocolate bars, and canned nuts
May be stored indefinitely (in proper containers and conditions):
Wheat
Vegetable oils
Corn
Baking powder
Soybeans
Instant coffee
Tea
Vitamin
Candy
Cocoa
Salt
Non-carbonated soft drinks
White rice
Bouillon
Powdered milk (in nitrogen-packed cans)

The above staples offer a limited menu, but you can supplement them with commercially packed air-dried or freeze-dried foods and supermarket goods. Rice, popcorn, and varieties of beans are nutritious and long lasting. The more supplements you include, the more expensive your stockpile will be.

Following is an easy approach to long-term food storage:

Buy a supply of the bulk staples listed above.
Build up your everyday stock of canned goods until you have a two-week to one-month surplus. Rotate it periodically to maintain a supply of common foods that will not require special preparation, water, or cooking.
From a sporting or camping equipment store, buy commercially packaged, freeze-dried, or air-dried foods. Although costly, this will be your best form of stored meat, so buy accordingly.

If the Electricity goes off, use perishable food and foods from the refrigerator.

Then, use the foods from the freezer. To minimize the number of times you open the freezer door, post a list of freezer contents on it. In a well-filled, well-insulated freezer, foods will usually still have ice crystals in their centers (meaning foods are safe to eat) for at least three days. Last, begin to use non-perishable foods and staples.

We hope this helps you prepare your emergency food and water supplies and we hope that you stay safe.

http://www.carinsurance.com/Articles/content55.aspx

Preparing For Extreme Heat

2009-08-11T10:34:00.001+07:00

Doing too much on a hot day, spending too much time in the sun or staying too long in an overheated place can cause heat-related illnesses. Know the symptoms of heat disorders and overexposure to the sun, and be ready to give first aid treatment.

Always plan before. Contact your local emergency management office or American Red Cross chapter for information on extreme heat. Install window air conditioners snugly. Close any floor heat registers nearby. Insulate spaces around air conditioners for a tighter fit. Use a circulating or box fan to spread the cool air.

Keep heat outside and cool air inside. Install temporary reflectors, such as aluminum foil covered cardboard, to reflect any heat back outside. Keep the cool air inside by weather-stripping doors and windowsills. Consider keeping storm windows up all year. Storm windows can keep the heat of a house in the summer the same way they keep the cold out in the winter. Check air-conditioning ducts for proper insulation.

During a hot spell:

Protect windows. Hang shades, draperies, awnings, or louvers on windows that receive morning or afternoon sun. Outdoor awnings or louvers can reduce the heat entering the house by as much as 80 percent.
Conserve electricity. During periods of extreme heat, people tend to use a lot more power for air conditioning, which can lead to a power shortage or outage.
Stay indoors as much as possible. If air conditioning is not available, stay on the lowest floor out of the sunshine. Remember that electric fans do not cool; they just blow hot air around. Eat well-balanced, light meals.
Drink plenty of water regularly. Persons who have epilepsy or heart, kidney, or liver disease; are on fluid-restrictive diets; or have a problem with fluid retention should consult a doctor before increasing liquid intake.
Limit intake of alcoholic beverages. Although beer and alcohol beverages appear to satisfy thirst, they actually cause further body dehydration.
Dress in loose-fitting clothes that cover as much skin as possible. Lightweight, light-colored clothing that reflects heat and sunlight and helps maintain normal body temperature.
Protect face and head by wearing a wide-brimmed hat. Allow your body to be acclimated to hot temperatures for the first 2 or 3 days of a heat wave.
Avoid too much sunshine. Sunburn slows the skin's ability to cool itself. Use a sunscreen lotion with a high SPF (sun protection factor) rating.
Avoid extreme temperature changes. A cool shower immediately after coming in from hot temperatures can result in hypothermia, particularly for elderly and very young people.
Slow down. Reduce, eliminate, or reschedule strenuous activities. High-risk individuals should stay in cool places. Get plenty of rest to allow your natural "cooling system" to work.
Take salt tablets only if specified by your physician. Persons on salt-restrictive diets should check with a physician before increasing salt intake.
Vacuum air conditioner filters weekly during periods of high use. Learn the symptoms of heat disorders and know how to give first aid.
During a drought, lower water use. Watering the lawn and washing the car wastewater. Whenever possible, re-use water. Place a brick or other large, solid object in the flush tank of the toilet to reduce the water used to flush. Farmers should contact the county Farm Service Agency for disaster assistance information.

These disorders occur because of heat:

Sunburn
Symptoms: Skin redness and pain, possible swelling, blisters, fever, headaches.
First Aid: Take a shower, using soap, to remove oils that may block pores preventing the body from cooling naturally. If blisters occur, apply dry, sterile dressings and get medical attention.
Heat Cramps
Symptoms: Painful spasms usually in leg and abdominal muscles. Heavy sweating.
First Aid: Firm pressure on cramping muscles or gentle massage to relieve spasm. Give sips of water. If nausea occurs, discontinue.
Heat Exhaustion
Symptoms: Heavy sweating, weakness, skin cold, pale and clammy. Weak pulse. Normal temperature possible. Fainting, vomiting.
First Aid: Get victim to lie down in a cool place. Loosen clothing. Apply cool, wet cloths. Fan or move victim to air-conditioned place. Give sips of water. If nausea occurs, discontinue. If vomiting occurs, seek immediate medical attention.
Heat Stroke (Sun Stroke)
Symptoms: High body temperature (106+). Hot, dry skin. Rapid, strong pulse. Possible unconsciousness. Victim will likely not sweat.
First Aid: Heat stroke is a severe medical emergency. Call 9-1-1 or emergency medical services or get the victim to a hospital immediately. Delay can be fatal. Move victim to a cooler environment. Try a cool bath or sponging to reduce body temperature. Use extreme caution. Remove clothing. Use fans and/or air conditioners. Do not give fluids.

http://www.carinsurance.com/Articles/content56.aspx

Preparing for Winter Storms

2009-08-11T10:33:00.002+07:00

A major winter storm can be lethal. Preparing for cold weather conditions and responding to them effectively can reduce the dangers caused by winter storms. Some tasks to be done are just common sense. Others tasks involve you making sure your house is winterized properly and making sure that you buy a few items from the local home improvement store. Just make sure you are prepared before the weather, the potential pounding by snow, wind and the numbing cold wind-chill, actually comes to your area. Here is a list of items that can help you prepare for the storm before it hits your home.

Follow these items before a storm hits:

Be familiar with winter storm warning messages
Service snow removal equipment and have rock salt on hand to melt ice on walkways and kitty litter to generate temporary traction.
Make sure you have sufficient heating fuel; regular fuel sources may be cut off.
Winterize your home.
* Insulate walls and attic.
* Caulk and weather-strip doors and windows.
* Install storm windows or cover windows with plastic from the inside.
Have safe emergency heating equipment available.
* Fireplace with ample supply of wood· Small, well-vented, wood, coal, or camp stove with fuel
* Portable space heaters or kerosene heaters (See Kerosene Heaters)
Install and check smoke detectors.
Contact your local emergency management office or American Red Cross chapter for more information on winter storms.
Keep pipes from freezing.
* Wrap pipes in insulation or layers of old newspapers.
* Cover the newspapers with plastic to keep out moisture.
* Let faucets drip a little to avoid freezing.
* Know how to shut off water valves.
Have disaster supplies on hand, in case the power goes out.
* Flashlight and extra batteries
Portable, battery-operated radio and extra batteries
* First aid kit
* One-week supply of food (include items that do not require refrigeration or cooking in case the power is shut off)
* Non-electric can opener
* One-week supply of essential prescription medications
* Extra blankets and sleeping bags
* Fire extinguisher (A-B-C type)

During the storm, make sure to try to stay inside and stay warm. After the storm passes, be sure to be cautious when going outside. If you have a porch over the door you are going out of the weight of the snow from the storm might have made the porch top heavy and possibly so heavy that the structure will fail. You do not want it to topple onto you or one of your family members.

After the storm if there is damage you will undoubtedly need your insurance papers to call your agent and report the damage. Make sure you have put your insurance information in a safe but accessible place in your house. In addition, if the storm did damage to your vehicle you might need your auto insurance papers as well.

Hail damage or damage done to your car by falling tree limbs, etc will need to be reported. Therefore, before the storm arrives, make sure both your home and car insurance policies are up to date and cover everything that you will need to have covered. If you need to add more coverage to your auto insurance before the storm hits visit CarInsurance.com Shopping at CarInsurance.com makes it easier because you can quickly see multiple auto insurance companies and their rates for your particular situation.

http://www.carinsurance.com/Articles/content57.aspx

Canada Insurance Tips Back to the Canada Insurance Home

2009-03-29T19:35:00.000+07:00

Need Canadian insurance tips? Every person in Canada has at least one kind of insurance and that is health insurance but most of us have many more as well. There are many different options to choose from when it comes to insurance, whether we are talking about car insurance, home insurance or even employment insurance so you need to know what is what to make sure that you are paying, and getting the right amount of insurance each month.

Canadian auto insurance tips that can save you money

Raise your deductible
Raising their deductible is something that many people try to avoid doing but for some it is the best solution to expensive insurance premiums. If you are sick and tired of paying through the nose each month then look into raising your deductible. If your deductible is higher then your monthly car insurance payments will be lower. Yes you will have to pay more if you do in fact get into an accident but for many people this is worth it in the end. The amount that you saved over the years will more than make up the once or twice you have to pay the deductible.

Take a good long look at what your car is really worth
Many people pay hundreds of dollars each year for their collision insurance but is it worth it? For many people the simple answer is no. If your car is already older and banged up then it may not be worth insuring in this fashion. If you are going to end up paying more for the insurance than your car is even worth, what is the point? SO find out what cars like yours are selling for and then see how much insurance you should be paying.

Do you need that fancy car?
The amount of insurance that you pay on your car will be affected directly by the value of the car you own. If you go out and purchase a brand new Lexus or Porsche then you are going to be looking at very high insurance rates each year. If you were to purchase a used car or even a car that was not so expensive you could save hundreds or even thousands of dollars on your insurance each and every year.

Check for discounts
There are many discounts that you may be eligible for when it comes to your car insurance. Ask the insurance dealer what kinds of discounts there are and how you can get them working for you. If you have not been in any accidents in years then you could be eligible for a discount on your insurance premium. And if you are getting your insurance form the same company that insures your home or something else then ask if they can give you a deal, most insurance companies are more than willing to do this for their good clients.

Here are some more ways to earn discounts on your Canadian car insurance:

- Use anti-theft devices
- Insure multiple vehicles with the same company
- Let the insurance dealer know that you are a retiree

The most important insurance tips that you will find are not simply those for Canadian auto insurance. The insurance industry is a large one and there are some pretty serious criminals working within the system. These people are there only to scam you out of as much money as they possibly can. It is your responsibility to keep this from happening and to do that you need to become educated about how Canadians are being taken advantage of.

Here are some useful tips to help you to avoid getting taken advantage of when you have sustained loss to your home, your car or your person:

Ask for credentials
If you are ever approached by someone claiming to be from your Canadian insurance company and they are asking you about some damage that has occurred, and you have not yet reported said damage, be skeptical. Do not tell this person anything at all or show them anything until you have put in a call to the insurance company yourself to verify that this person is who he or she claims to be.

Check out all Canadian licenses and certifications when dealing with contractors. Whether it is your car you are getting fixed or your home, you need to make sure that this person knows what they are doing and that your insurance company is willing to work with them. Write down all of the info that you get, their license numbers, their name and their companies name and address. You never know when you may need it.

Double check that your insurance policy is going to pay for what you need done and fixed. It is a good idea to have an insurance company rep come out and take a look at what needs to be done. They are not going to want to pay more than they have to for anything and if they can give you an estimate then you have something to work with when it comes time to negotiate with the contractors. That way you know that you are not going to end up having to pay more than you thought out of your own pocket.

Never, I repeat, never let a contractor pad the bill to the insurance company. If a contractor ever suggests this to you turn around and walk away as fast as you can go. Get a new contractor because obviously this one does not have very good ethics and if he is willing to scam the insurance company he is probably willing to scam you too. Padding the bill is illegal in Canada and you can get is some serious trouble if it were to be found out.

When you have had some work done, you should not pay a penny to the contractor until all of the work is completed. It is a good idea to have the insurance company pay them themselves instead of going through you, but if you do have to pay, don’t do it until everything is done and checked. Once you have paid for the work you will have a hard time getting the money back if the job is not done right.

http://www.infoaboutinsurance.com/canada-insurance/Canada_Insurance_Tips.shtml

Specter Knows: Card Check Is Good for Union Leaders, Democrats, Bad for America

2009-03-29T19:16:00.000+07:00

Michael Barone

The Obama administration's budget is full of proposals that threaten to weaken our staggering economy. Higher taxes on high earners and reduced deductions for their charitable contributions and mortgage interest. A cap-and-trade system that will impose higher costs on everyone who uses electricity. A national health insurance program that will take $600 billion or so out of the private-sector economy.

But the most grievous threat to future prosperity may be off budget, the inaptly named Employee Free Choice Act. Also known as card check, the legislation would effectively abolish secret ballots in unionization elections. It provides that once a majority of employees had filled out sign-up cards circulated by union organizers, the employer would have to recognize and bargain with the union. And if the two sides didn't reach agreement in a short term, federal arbitrators would impose one. Wages, fringe benefits, and work rules would all be imposed by the federal government.

It's not difficult to see why union leaders want this. Union membership has fallen from more than 30 percent of the private-sector workforce in the 1950s to about 8 percent today. Union leaders would like to see that go up. So would most Democratic politicians, since some portion of union dues—unions try to conceal how much—goes directly or indirectly to support Democratic candidates. The unions and the Democrats want to put up a tollgate on as much of the private sector as they can, to extract money from consumers of goods and services.

They have already set up such tollgates on much of the public sector. In the 1950s, very few public-sector workers were union members. Today, nearly half of all union members are public-sector employees. In many states and central cities—think California and New York City—public-sector unions channel vast flows of money, all of it originating from taxpayers, to themselves and to Democratic politicians. The unions use that money to promote some public policies that are not obviously in the interests of public-sector employees—restrictive trade regulations, for example, which appeal to nostalgic union leaders who would like to see millions of unionized auto and steel workers once again.

In the previous Congress, the unions got the Democratic House to pass the card check proposal and got every Democratic senator not only to vote for it but to cosponsor it as well. But the votes of all Democrats plus that of Pennsylvania Republican Arlen Specter were not enough then to overcome a Senate filibuster. This year, there is little doubt that Speaker Nancy Pelosi could again jam card check through the House. But moderate Democrats from districts where unions are unpopular have gotten her to spare them a vote until and unless the measure gets through the Senate.

There, its prospects are not so good, now that there is no longer a Republican president to veto it. Card check supporters have a list of 15 Democratic senators who have expressed some manner of unease about the issue. Does Arkansas Sen. Blanche Lincoln, up for re-election in 2010, really want to pass a law strongly opposed by her state's biggest business, Wal-Mart, long a target of union organizers? Do Democratic senators from right-to-work states where employees can't be required to join unions want to go along? As for Specter, after union leaders publicly said they'll support him if he backs card check, he announced he won't vote for it this year and has severe qualms about the secret ballot and the mandatory arbitration provisions.

Politicians can read numbers. Pollster Scott Rasmussen reported last week that 61 percent of Americans think it's fair to require a secret ballot vote if workers want a union. Only 18 percent disagree. Congressional Democrats used to believe that themselves; in the course of a trade debate in 2001, they urged that Mexico hold secret ballot unionization elections. Rasmussen also reported an interesting difference between current union members and nonmembers. Union members by a 47-to-18 percent margin thought most workers want to join a labor union. But nonmembers believe by a 56-to-14 percent margin that most workers don't.

Are nonunion members deluded? Why don't they want the supposedly higher wages and job protections unions purport to give them? Maybe it's because the adversarial unionism promoted by the Wagner Act of 1935 is out of date. It made some sense when employers used time-and-motion study to speed up assembly lines and squeeze the last quantum of energy out of workers and could lay off workers at will. But today's employees have unemployment compensation and are protected by various antidiscrimination laws. There is a whole raft of employment law that didn't exist in 1935, and corporate human resources departments are disciplined by that law.

As the Detroit automakers' troubles show, the adversarial work rules insisted on by the United Auto Workers—a relatively enlightened union in this area—made them unable to compete in quality or cost with foreign automakers who employ cooperative management techniques and treat their workers as intelligent partners rather than as dumb animals, the way the time-and-motion study managers did in the 1930s.

Card check would give coercive union organizers the chance to impose on large swaths of the private-sector economy the burdens the UAW imposed on the Detroit automakers. It would set up tollgates to channel the money of consumers as well as taxpayers to the Democratic Party. You can see how that would be good for union leaders and Democrats. But good for America?

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2217233/posts

Health Care Insurance Coverage Tips

2009-03-10T16:25:00.001+07:00

Health care insurance is one of important expenses that we have to spend from our monthly budget. Perhaps we always think that we are pretty healthy, our kids and spouse are pretty healthy, so we don’t have to pay premium for health care insurance coverage that we never use? This is a very common thought, but health care insurance is something that everyone should have, if possible.

Why health care insurance should not be considered as less important? You need health care insurance because it should be there in the case that you need it most. The fact of the premium insurance is that many people only use the health care coverage a few times a year but when they do use it, it really counts. Healthcare is very expensive and even the most well off people cannot afford to pay medical bills in the case of a prolonged illness or serious injury.

If you don’t want to have to pay more than necessary for your health care insurance coverage, that is understandable. While you don’t want to pay for it, it is coverage that you need so that you don’t have to pay for hospital visits and doctor’s visits out of your pocket. If you want to get a better deal, you should definitely find some time to get a few health insurance quotes. Just because your coverage is insanely expensive with one provider doesn’t mean it will be with another. Get five or six quotes on comparable coverage and then decide how much you really have to pay.

It is especially important to get a decent quote and have coverage if you need family health care insurance. While your kids may have been healthy for the last couple years, when you don’t have coverage this is when they will get quite ill and need a lot of medication, numerous doctors’ visits, or even hospitalization. It also seems like as soon as you cancel your coverage that that is when the kids decide to break a bone or you get in a car accident. Insurance is there for those occasions when you need serious medical coverage that costs a serious about of money.

As you can see, health care insurance is important because health care is expensive. In fact, it is so expensive that the ordinary person cannot afford to go to the doctor and get the prescription medication they need when they are ill or injured. It’s better to pay the premiums and not need the coverage than to need it and not have it.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Caitlina_Fuller

Health Care Insurance: Basic knowledge

2009-03-10T16:23:00.000+07:00

There are various health care insurance policies that help pay for or totally cover the costs of health care. Consumers are reminded to be very cautious when shopping, comparing and buying health care insurance policies because coverage is often limited. Considering the limitations and loopholes that health care insurance has, they may be more expensive than other insurance policies. Health care insurance may only be accounted for by comprehensive insurance policies with pay benefits for nursing homes, assisted living communities, and adult day care.

Types of Health Care Insurance

The different types of health care insurance depend on each policy’s extent of coverage when paying for health care services. Private health care insurance usually only pays for part of the health care costs which include personal and hospital care. Managed health care insurance plans may offer some help with health care costs if the health care provider is Medicare-certified, these plans also require hefty premiums.

There are also existing health care policies which actually pays for the excess amounts that your original health insurance policy does not cover. These supplemental health care insurance policies cover additional payments on medical equipment as well. Long-term care insurance cover most medical and nursing services including licensed health care costs. They may even include personal care as well as services incurred for the upkeep and maintenance of the policyholder’s home. Long term health care insurance is paid for in monthly installments based on the individual’s age and health conditions. Many times, the benefits may only be reaped after a pre-defined waiting period, or when the insurance company decides the financial assistance is actually necessary.

Originally, long term health care insurance policies were intended to pay for a lengthy stay in a nursing home, yet because of the public demand and preference for health care, a lot of long term care insurance policies now cover in-home services which may vary greatly according to plans. Considerations regarding pre-existing health conditions and prior hospitalizations usually limit the coverage of these insurance policies.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kevin_Stith

6 tips to choosing the right health insurance

2009-03-10T16:17:00.000+07:00

Jean Chatzky shares advice to save your finances from critical condition

Health insurance is a big ball of wax — so big, in fact, that many of us put it on the back burner rather than deal with it. But it's one of the most important decisions we have to make as consumers. Not only does it determine the care that we receive should our health take a wrong turn, but it can be the wild card in your financial plan. Roughly half of all bankruptcies filed in the United States are caused by illness and medical bills.

Whether our next president will be able to wrangle our healthcare system remains to be seen. Until then, choosing the right healthcare plan remains one of your most important decisions — not just for those people who are selecting from an employer's benefits menu, but for those 46.6 million uninsured Americans who are trying to put at least some coverage in place.

Here's how to whittle down the choices and keep costs for premiums, co-pays and prescriptions from draining your bank account:

Location
Insurance plans and prices vary widely by state. New York, for example, has some of the most expensive individual plans in the country, largely due to its guaranteed-issue policy that requires companies to insure everyone, regardless of health.

The best way to kick off your shopping is by doing a little research on your state's insurance Web site, says Kimberly Lankford, author of "The Insurance Maze: How You Can Save Money on Insurance and Still Get the Coverage You Need" (Kaplan Business, 2006). A good site will list companies available in your area, prices for both individual and family plans, and any lower-cost options your state offers if you meet certain income requirements.

Write out your priorities
Do you love your current doctors? Then you should choose an insurance company that covers their service. "It's so important that you make a list of the top five things important to you, and bring them up to the broker or insurance company," advised Michelle Katz, a healthcare consultant and author of "101 Health Insurance Tips" (LifeTips.com, Inc., 2007). This way you can really start to narrow things down by your needs, whether that means low premiums, customer service or the doctor you've been seeing since college.

Don't be afraid to use a broker
An insurance broker can be a huge help. He can do the legwork to find a well-suited insurance company, help shop for the best rates, and explain the ins and outs of your plan. To find a reputable broker, check credentials with either the National Association of Insurance Underwriters (nahu.org) or the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (naic.org). You also want to make sure he has a large "book," the industry term for the network of providers he works with. More options mean a better deal and a better fit.

Ask for a "free look"
Lots of things come with a trial period — your gym membership, magazine subscription and virtually anything hawked on an infomercial — but did you know that you can sometimes test-drive your insurance plan? They call this a free look, and it basically means that you can get your money back if you're unsatisfied within a set period of time, explained Katz. The key here, though, is staying on top of things and making sure you follow the guidelines. Restrictions vary by company and plan, but you could have anywhere from one to six weeks to ask for a refund — probably in writing.

Consider a Health Savings Account
An HSA is a great option for people who generally only have to whip out their insurance card once or twice a year. Maybe you go for a yearly checkup, and then to the doctor if you have the flu. It goes hand-in-hand with an insurance policy that has a high deductible ($1,100 for individuals; $2,200 for families), but low premiums. The money you save on premiums each month can be deposited into the HSA pre-tax, where it grows tax-deferred. You then use it to pay for any unexpected medical expenses. The bonus? Once you turn 65, you can withdraw any money you didn't use and spend it on anything you want, including funding your retirement.

Negotiate
You've chosen a plan, but you're still not home free. Bills can pop up everywhere, from services that aren't covered to doctor and hospital co-pays to costs for prescriptions. Many insurers have instituted a system of preferred pricing when it comes to prescriptions, meaning that if yours isn't generic and on a list, it could still cost a bundle.

"Now, even people with employer coverage are having to be smart shoppers for prescription drugs, especially if they have a regular medication that is pretty expensive," said Lankford. Keep your costs low by shopping around (prices can vary among pharmacies — your best bet is a discount store or price club) and asking for generics whenever available. You can also have your doctor write out a prescription for a longer period of time, so you'll get a 90-day supply instead of a 30, advised Katz.

The co-pay will be the same. And don't be afraid to negotiate with your doctor if you're paying out of pocket. In a recent Harris Interactive poll, three out of five people who did so received a discount. With the cost of a single visit often tallying over $200, it's definitely worth a try.

With reporting by Arielle McGowen.

Jean Chatzky is an editor-at-large at "Money" magazine and serves as AOL's official Money Coach. She is the personal finance editor for NBC's "Today Show" and is also a columnist for Life magazine. She is the author of four books, including "Pay It Down! From Debt to Wealth on $10 a Day" (Portfolio, 2004). To find out more, visit her Web site, www.jeanchatzky.com.

http://209.85.175.132/search?q=cache:kpxZVsyUlmQJ:www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19581014/+insurance+tips&hl=id&ct=clnk&cd=3&gl=id

5 Buying Don'ts

2009-03-10T16:13:00.000+07:00

By Robert Greenlee

When buying car insurance, it is important not to get overwhelmed. It is necessary to understand the basic concepts that apply to auto insurance
before you go out and shop. You should also realize that insurance companies have different price structures that relate to the kinds of people they would prefer to insure. Most insurance companies prefer to insure people that are married, educated, and who have not made a claim, or had any speeding tickets in the last three years. The best rates are given to such individuals. If someone came to me for a quote, and they had a horrible driving record, I would probably insure them, but at an inflated rate. Some companies have their niche in the market of high-risk drivers. They charge higher rates, but will insure anyone; the good, the bad, and the ugly. The following are five things NOT to do when buying auto insurance.

Don’t Purchase the First Quote

Always shop around! It may be unpleasant to give out all of your information over the phone to a variety of people, but as long as you stick with reputable companies, your information should be safe. Also, if you have a clean driving record, and decent credit, you should not have to provide your social security number to get a rate quote. However, if you have bad credit and a sketchy driving record, the rate will be greatly affected.

Don’t Over-Insure Your “Beater”

If you have a car that is old and rusty, and not worth much money, do not carry full coverage insurance. You can go with liability only insurance, which will protect you for bodily injury liability to others. So, if you hit someone, you will still be protected against lawsuits, but you will not have a collision deductible. However, if you drive a newer car, carry a high collision deductible and a lower comprehensive deductible.

Don’t Get Scammed by Your Current Carrier

If you are a loyal customer, and have been with the same company for many years, demand an annual policy review. If you do not know who your current agent is, call your local office and ask to speak to one of the senior representatives. That way they can take ownership of your insurance account, provide you with a free review, and advise you on any discounts that might be available to you now that were not available back when you purchased the plan.

Don’t File Small Claims

If you have a minor accident that does not do too much damage to your vehicle, shop around at some body shops to see what it would cost to repair the damage. If the repair estimate is lower than your current collision deductible, then pay for the damage out of your own pocket and do not file a claim. This way your premiums will not go up, and you will have unaffected rates if you switch carriers.

Don’t Carry Auto Insurance and Home Insurance with Different Companies

Many people do not know this, but many insurance companies offer multiple-line discounts for home and auto insurance. If you have homeowner’s and auto insurance, make sure that they are with the same company and that the multiple-line discount is being applied. Also, when you shop around, make sure you get quotes for auto and home insurance at the same time.

http://www.autoinsurancetips.com/5-buying-donts

Tips on Selecting An Insurance Company

2009-03-10T16:10:00.000+07:00

Collision Repair Industry INSIGHT's Consumer Checklist for the Careful Consumer

When shopping for auto insurance, do a little homework first, shop around, and select your insurer carefully. Your insurer should offer both fair prices and excellent service. These tips will help you find the right insurer for you:

* Know your state's auto insurance requirements:

Most states require you to carry a minimum amount of liability coverage. Many states have "no-fault" auto insurance systems. Coverage for medical costs for you and your passengers is optional in some states. Coverage for damage to your car is optional.

* Write up your personal auto insurance profile:

List pertinent information concerning what type of vehicle you drive, where you drive, who else drives, what your driving record is, where you live, what optional safety features your car has. This profile will make the next step easier.

* Comparison Shop:

Prices for the same coverage can vary by hundreds of dollars, so it pays to shop around. Ask your friends, check the Yellow Pages, and call your state insurance department for guidance. Contact insurance agents or companies for general pricing information. Select a few insurers for personalized quotes.

* Meet with potential insurance agents:

Make a few appointments, bring your personal auto insurance profile with you, and ask questions. You want a fair price AND quality service. Ask about available discounts, higher deductibles, service options and claims procedures after accidents. Take notes.

* Compare Again:

Consider cost, coverage offered, and quality of service available. Select your insurer.

* Read your policy:

Yes, even the fine print! Ask questions. Keep your policy at hand. Call your insurer to keep your policy up-to-date, inform your agent of any changes (new car, new job, new driver, etc.), and ask periodically about any possible discounts. Review your policy yearly with your insurer.

* Keep your insurance information with you:

Many states require drivers to carry a proof-of-insurance card with them when driving. Ask your insurer for a card, and keep it in your wallet or in your car.

http://209.85.175.132/search?q=cache:c5AXCr4w-9YJ:www.collision-insight.com/company/insurtip.htm+insurance+tips&hl=id&ct=clnk&cd=1&gl=id

High-deductible health insurance on the rise

2009-03-06T10:51:00.000+07:00

More Americans looking to cut down on medical costs

WASHINGTON - Health insurance policies that require consumers to pay for all their initial medical expenses are becoming a popular option as Americans try to cut down on their insurance costs.

The number of people purchasing high-deductible plans jumped from about 3 million in January 2005 to as much as 6 million by January 2006, the Government Accountability Office said Tuesday.

Individuals purchasing such policies usually pay lower monthly premiums because they agree to bear a greater share of the cost of their health care. The policies are often coupled with health savings accounts, which allow consumers to set aside money tax free, and they can then use that money to pay for medical expenses not picked up by the insurer or to save it for retirement.

The policies paired with health savings accounts must have a minimum deductible of $1,050 for single coverage and $2,100 for family coverage. The Bush administration has aggressively pushed to make such accounts more popular by calling for further tax breaks for those who open them.

Critics of the administration's proposals say the accounts work best for younger, healthier workers, and they worry that employers are using high-deductible plans to shift costs to employees.

The GAO said that the rising cost of health care coverage is the primary reason more employers offer the plans, and it noted that analysts believe more employers will join the trend if the costs of insurance continues rising significantly.

The number of employers offering high-deductible insurance plans to their workers jumped from just 1 percent in 2004 to about 4 percent in 2005, the GAO noted.

Mohit Ghose, spokesman for America's Health Insurance Plans, a trade group representing insurers, said members had worked hard in the past year to make health savings accounts and the high-deductible plans more accessible. He said about 30 percent of those purchasing the products were previously uninsured.

"That leads us to one conclusion, which is that this product will appeal to certain types of consumers," Ghose said. "And what's important in the long run is to have as much choice as possible so that consumers and their employers can make the coverage decision that suits them best."

© 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Got Insurance? Be Sure To Monitor Your Policies -- And Insurers

2009-03-06T10:48:00.000+07:00

Robert Powell
MarketWatch

BOSTON -- It might not be the stuff of cocktail-party chatter, but insurance is certainly a topic worth talking about. That's especially true now, given the dramatic changes in the insurance industry, the stock market and perhaps in your own life over the past few months.

Here's a look at three insurance to-dos for this year.

Life insurance

Time was when not owning life insurance was the risky move. Now, however, owning insurance seems like it's the greater risk. Insurers are under pressure and experts say you should pay close attention to your various life insurance policies. AIG is, of course, a well-known problem. But others are facing stiff winds, too. Standard & Poor's lowered its counterparty credit and financial strength ratings on 10 U.S. life insurance groups, according to published reports. What's more, the rating agency reported that around 40% of insurers were on a "negative" outlook.

Given those and other changes in the insurance world, Lee Slavutin of Stern Slavutin 2, says policy holders face at least two important risks in their life insurance portfolio in 2009 and beyond. Those include policy lapses because of investment losses in the stock market and insurance company impairments or failures. The former, he said, will be a problem for some variable life policies invested in equity sub-accounts. "Monitoring of insurance policies will require greater vigilance in 2009," he wrote in a recent issue of Steve Leimberg's Estate Planning Newsletter.

One task, Slavutin said, is to check at least monthly or quarterly on the value of your variable life insurance account and "retest" the policy. In other words, Slavutin said, have your insurer or agent get the "current in-force illustrations to see if current premiums are adequate to maintain the policy."

Also, what's the rating of your insurer? Check, perhaps even weekly, on your insurance company ratings with all the rating services, including Standard and Poor's and A.M. Best. Many insurers have already been downgraded and others have been taken over by state regulators, including Standard Life Insurance Company of Indiana and Penn Treaty Network America Insurance Company. According to Slavutin, "the rating services are not perfect, but can be a valuable source of information on the financial strength of the insurers." Visit the S&P site.Visit the A.M. Best site.

Of note, if a company is downgraded and you're thinking of replacing your policy with a new policy from another carrier, Slavutin recommends carefully considering the following questions:

Is replacement really in your best interests? Is the old policy favorably priced and already "paid up"? Are there significant surrender penalties if the old policy is canceled? Are you insurable at favorable rates?

Consider also reading the life insurance buyer's guide on the National Association of Insurance Commissioners' Web site before canceling or exchanging a life insurance policy. Visit the NAIC's consumer site.

Convertible term insurance

If you have a short-term cash flow problem but need insurance as part of your estate plan, Slavutin recommends buying large amounts of term insurance. If this describes you, be sure to check the conversion option of the term policy for the following features:

Does the option last the full term of the policy? Can the term policy be converted to any permanent insurance product (whole life, universal life, or variable life) or is conversion limited to a particular product? Will you keep the same underwriting class after the conversion? For example, will a preferred nonsmoker class before conversion stay the same or drop down to standard nonsmoker after conversion? Is partial conversion permitted? For example, can a client convert $500,000 of term to whole life when the term policy starts as a $1 million policy? Can the other $500,000 be converted at a later date?

Divorce and life insurance

It's hard to tell whether divorce rates are rising or falling during the current economic crisis. Some reports suggest divorce is down, while others say otherwise. No matter. If you are divorced or getting divorced, Slavutin suggests changing the beneficiary of your life insurance from the ex-spouse to your children or someone else.

If you die without making the change, your ex-spouse may get the proceeds, depending on the state, he said. Still, some states protect those decedents who had no intention of leaving the insurance to an ex-spouse. For instance, he said, New York "has broadened the revocatory impact a divorce has on beneficiary designations." See that law at this site.

In New York, divorce now revokes not only a disposition in favor of a former spouse in a will, but also in any revocable transfer, including life insurance and retirement plan beneficiary designations, to the extent permitted by law.

Copyright © 2009 MarketWatch, Inc.

http://www.foxbusiness.com/story/markets/industries/got-insurance-sure-monitor-policies----insurers/

Is my insurance claim lost in translation?

2009-03-06T10:17:00.000+07:00

After an illness during a China visit, the Baxters file a claim ... and wait ...

TRAVEL TROUBLESHOOTER

By Christopher Elliott
Travel columnist
Tribune Media Services

Q: I am having a difficult time — no, make that an impossible time — collecting a claim for a trip insurance policy. My husband and I bought a policy through Access America for a trip to China. It covered trip interruption and medical expenses, among other things.

Unfortunately, we had a medical emergency while we were away, and my husband was hospitalized. We filed a claim and submitted receipts, including medical reports and documentation from our tour group.

Access America requested a copy of the original invoice, which I sent the next day. Three weeks later, the company informed me that the paperwork was fine, but was still “in translation.”

We've been assigned three different claims adjusters since we started the process. It has been three months since the claim was filed, and I feel the company is being uncooperative with us. Could you please look into this?
— Suzanne Baxter, Fair Oaks, Calif.

A: Once it had all of your forms, Access America should have processed your claim in a week or less. At least that's what a company representative told me when I called it to ask about the average processing time for a claim. Normally, it would cut you a check five to seven days after receiving all of your paperwork.

Now, you need to factor in some time for translating the Chinese documents. By your account, there were two short reports in Chinese, both sent to the company as soon as it requested them. Three months seems like more than enough time to process a claim — even for a trip to China.

Access America could have done a better job processing your claim expeditiously and keeping you informed of the progress. But you could have also avoided this situation. When it became apparent that you were getting the runaround from your insurance company (probably when you were assigned the second adjuster) you might have sent a brief, polite e-mail to the company, expressing your concern with the process.

Phone calls aren't as effective, because there isn't always a record of your conversation. Even when you hear that “calls may be recorded for training purposes” it's no guarantee that what an agent promises on the line is what will actually happen. Not so with an e-mail. Everyone can see what the company said, and what you wrote, and an e-mail chain can be forwarded to anyone.

Like, say, the insurance commissioner for your state.

Here's how I might have handled this: After a week, I would have sent a very polite note to Access America, reminding it of its commitment to processing claims in a week or less. After another week, I would have sent a cordial e-mail expressing your concern about the timing of your refund. Copy your state's insurance commissioner. You can reach California's insurance commissioner online at this site.

You don't want to threaten Access America. Just copying the commissioner alone is enough to underscore the seriousness of your complaint.

After a month, I would have sent another, more forcefully worded note (but still polite) copying your attorney and me. By the three-month mark, you should be in small claims court, asking a judge to rule in your favor.

For what it's worth, I don't think Access America was dragging its feet intentionally. At the time of your case, it was probably dealing with a lot of other China claims from the Olympics and its translators were overworked. Not that that's an excuse for stringing you along. But it would explain the long delay.

I contacted Access America on your behalf. Two weeks later, you received a $2,098 check for your claim.

Christopher Elliott is the ombudsman for National Geographic Traveler magazine. You can read more travel tips on his blog, elliott.org or e-mail him at celliott@ngs.org.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/29471353/

Texas bill would establish backup insurance fund

2009-03-06T10:10:00.000+07:00

Texas catastrophe fund legislation would require insurance companies to pay into state pool

Kelley Shannon, Associated Press Writer

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) -- A group of Texas legislators from Gulf Coast areas proposed Thursday requiring insurance companies to pay into a state catastrophe fund that the companies could tap if they sustain big losses from a hurricane or other natural disaster.

The Texas Windstorm Insurance Association -- the state-sanctioned last resort insurer for some coastal counties -- also would have to pay into the reinsurance fund. Reinsurance is a backup policy for insurance companies.

Democratic Rep. Craig Eiland, sponsor of the House legislation, said property insurance companies would save money by not having to buy and renew reinsurance year after year from private companies based mostly in Europe or Bermuda and not regulated by the state. The savings would be passed along to consumers, he said.

"I have witnessed first hand the impact natural disasters can have on a community and this state," said Eiland, whose Galveston district was severely damaged Sept. 13 by Hurricane Ike.

Sen. Juan "Chuy" Hinojosa, a McAllen Democrat, is filing the Senate version of the bill.

ProtectingAmerica.org, an organization trying to establish catastrophe funds in many states and on the federal level, joined Eiland in talking up benefits of the legislation. The fund would help Texas cope with a future natural disaster in a comprehensive way, said retired Coast Guard Adm. James M. Loy, who co-chairs the group with former Federal Emergency Management Agency director James Lee Witt.

"It is a very smart thing for Texas, and it is a piece of our puzzle nationally," Loy said.

The Legislature would have to invest an initial $10 million, then all companies that sell residential property insurance in the state would pay into the fund. The money would be invested, much like a personal retirement account. If reinsurance money does not need to be distributed in a given year, the money would roll over for future years.

Eiland and Loy said the savings brought about by companies not having to buy new reinsurance policies would offset downturns in the financial investment markets, like the current decline.

Part of the fund's money would also go toward public education about building codes and other disaster preparedness, Loy said.

State Farm and Allstate insurance companies support the catastrophe fund plan and are members of ProtectingAmerica, as is the American Red Cross and a number of emergency first responders.

But some insurers, including USAA and Liberty Mutual, don't like the proposal and would prefer to keep buying reinsurance on the open market, which they contend spreads the reinsurance risk among a larger worldwide pool rather than confining it to Texas.

A coalition of insurance companies and groups against the catastrophe fund proposal say it would put Texas taxpayers on the hook for big insurance company losses.

"Texas leaders owe it to their constituents to help them reduce their vulnerability to natural disasters. This bill doesn't do that," said coalition spokesman Ted Delisi.

Rep. John Smithee, an Amarillo Republican and chairman of the House Insurance Committee, said it's "absolute insanity" to create what he calls a huge state insurance company. He said reinsurance risk should be spread as wide as possible, not concentrated on Texas taxpayers.

A catastrophe fund would be a "bailout" for big companies that could profit off the margins they save through the state pool, he said, adding that it will be difficult to pass if lawmakers understand the effects on consumers.

Opponents also warn that Florida's hurricane catastrophe fund is in trouble and that Texas shouldn't get itself in that position.

Private insurance companies pay into Florida's fund for a total of $28 billion in backup coverage. However, the state estimates its fund would be billions of dollars short if a catastrophic hurricane or a series of powerful storms hit.

"The problem is, Florida took a good idea and took it too far," Eiland said. "We've learned from their lessons. We're not going to do that here."

Under Eiland's proposal, once insurance companies reach a certain property damage trigger point, the catastrophe fund would cover 45 percent, 75 percent or 90 percent of losses, depending on the participation level of the company.

The companies would have to buy $2 billion to $10 billion of their reinsurance through the state fund. There would still be a need for private reinsurance

Jerry Johns, president of Southwestern Insurance Information Service, said his industry organization isn't taking a position on the legislation. He noted there are mixed opinions among insurers about the idea.

But he said something must be done to address funding shortfalls in the Texas Windstorm Insurance Association before another storm like Hurricane Ike strikes. Smithee said he plans to file legislation soon that addresses the windstorm association's funding.

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/Texas-bill-would-establish-apf-14560167.html

Is health care a 'privilege' for some?

2009-03-06T10:08:00.000+07:00

by Domenico Montanaro

From NBC's Domenico Montanaro
The president may be holding a health-care summit today at the White House, in an effort to cull ideas for health-care reform, but some Republicans are making it clear they aren’t going to stand for it.

Zach Wamp, the always self-assured Tennessee congressman, was on MSNBC this morning, railing against any health-care reform effort, calling it a move toward “socialism” and that Obama was engaging in almost “class warfare.”

Wamp went so far as to say, "Health care is a privilege," before clarifying that he meant, “It's not necessarily a right” for those who choose not to pay for health care. He asserted that of the 47 million uninsured, half opt out of their employer’s provided health care.

“It's probably the next major step towards socialism,” Wamp began. “I hate to sound so harsh, but.... this literally is a fast march towards socialism, where the government is bigger than the private sector in our country and health care's the next major step, so we oughta all be worried about it."

He compared Obama’s reform effort to what "Mrs. Clinton" tried to do "a number of years ago." (That’s despite the White House’s efforts to appear very different in its approach by inviting a multitude of voices, including Republicans and insurers, to the table at today’s health-care summit.)

Wamp added a thinly veiled "redistribution of wealth" argument, saying that the president wants to take money from those who already have health care to pay for those that don't have it.

"Listen, the 45 million people that don't have health insurance -- about half of them choose not to have health insurance...," Wamp said before issuing these warnings: "If you're on Medicare, beware. If you're a small businessperson, he [Obama] proposes to take away your deductions for charitable contributions, for your mortgage deduction on your home, in order to pay for health care. So, if you're one of those people who choose not to have health insurance, maybe you will have health insurance. But if you're one of those people that currently have health care, maybe they're going to take a benefit from you to pay for getting it to the other people. So, this is almost class warfare, in order for him to be able to say, 'Everyone now has health care.’”

Then he added, "Listen, health care is a privilege"

MSNBC Anchor Tamron Hall interjected. "It's a privilege? Health care? If you have cancer right now, do you see it as a privilege to get some treatment?" she asked.

"I was just about to finish to say, that for some people it's a right,” Wamp said, “but for everyone, frankly, it's not necessarily a right. Some people choose not to pay."

Asked who is not entitled to health care, Wamp responded, "An employee who rejects the health care provided by their employer ’cause they don't want any of the money deducted from" their pay check. He again insisted, "Half the people today choose to remain uninsured. Half of them don't have any choice, but half of them choose to, what's called, 'Go naked.' And just take a risk of getting sick. They end up in the emergency room, costing you and me a whole lot more money. How many illegal immigrants are in this country today, getting our health care? Gobs of 'em."

But isn't the emergency room point exactly one of the arguments FOR reforming health care?

Wamp said the GOP is for "extending health care to the people that need it, not turning the whole health-care system over to the government.” And he added that any solution should be "through the tax code; you give incentives for people to have health insurance."

But Obama is not proposing a single-payer system that would turn "health care over to the government," as the congressman suggested.

Later on MSNBC, former Senior Health Care Adviser to Bill Clinton Chris Jennings said Wamp’s comments are just “their talking points every time the debate over health care comes up.”

He added that Obama is not suggesting getting rid of employer-based health care, and it’s a fallacy to suggest otherwise.

“I don't see how anyone can read that as anywhere close to socialism,” Jennings said. “Most people outside the very far right wing of the Republican party agree with that. … There's an attempt to throw fear-mongering into this debate, because” Republicans don't have any “policy ideas.”

The White House also took exception.

“If you go around the country, you won’t hear many people saying, ‘I don’t want health care,’” a White House source said, adding that the point of today’s summit, in fact, is to bring together people with varying views on the issue. “Now is the time to reform health care,” the source said, “No one says, ‘We agree with everything.’ …We welcome voices from all sides of the spectrum.”

http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2009/03/05/1821956.aspx

Report: Ohio homeowners' insurance premiums hold steady, remain low

2009-03-06T10:06:00.000+07:00

New data from the National Association of Insurance Commissioners show Ohio homeowners continue to pay some of the lowest insurance premiums in the country.

Ohio Department of Insurance Director Mary Jo Hudson said Thursday that Ohioans paid an average homeowners’ insurance premium of $542 in 2006, the latest year of statistics from the national association. That’s down a few dollars from a $545 average in 2005 and nearly a third lower than the national average of $801.

Ohio’s average premium was ranked the sixth-lowest in the nation, unchanged from 2005.

While premiums in Ohio nudged down slightly on average over the two-year period, they headed the other direction nationwide. The $801 average premium is up 4 percent from $767 in 2005, according to the association’s report.

http://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/stories/2009/03/02/daily34.html

Helping Laid-Off Workers Pay for Health Insurance

2009-03-06T09:58:00.000+07:00

By Michelle Singletary

There's one Web site you need to check often if you intend to benefit from the many consumer provisions in the stimulus plan.

That Web site is http://www.irs.gov. It's essential because several key provisions in the stimulus package aimed at individuals and families are going to be interpreted and implemented by the Internal Revenue Service.

For example, the recovery law includes changes to the health-benefit provisions of the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act, which is commonly referred to as COBRA. The new law includes a temporary COBRA premium reduction.

If you have questions about the COBRA provisions in the new law, go to the IRS site, and in the search field on the home page, type American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. This will take you to a page with highlights of the tax-related provisions in the new law.

Under COBRA, employers are required by law to offer the option of continuing your health insurance for up to 18 months. Coverage can be extended up to 36 months under some circumstances, such as a divorce, disability or the death of the policyholder.

The problem for many people is that they have to pay the full amount for the COBRA coverage plus an administrative charge. Sadly, many people getting laid off who want to keep their health insurance would face paying a substantial monthly amount to keep it. Family coverage can cost on average about $1,000 a month, according to Families USA, a national nonprofit. The average monthly COBRA premium for individual coverage is $388.

Nationally, to maintain single coverage, the average unemployed worker would need to spend 30 percent of his or her unemployment insurance check on COBRA premiums, a recent report by Families USA found. On average, unemployed workers would need to spend nearly 84 percent of their unemployment income to pay for premiums for family coverage.

The new law takes into account that people were struggling to pay for COBRA, so it allows eligible terminated employees enrolled in their employer's health plan to get a subsidy to help fund the cost of the health insurance. This has been set at 35 percent of your COBRA payment, for up to nine months. Employers will pay the remaining 65 percent and recoup that money by applying for a credit on their quarterly federal employment tax return. You may also be eligible for the subsidy for group health-insurance coverage provided under state laws similar to COBRA.

To qualify for the reduced COBRA payment, you must be involuntarily separated from your job between Sept. 1, 2008, and Dec. 31, 2009. Those who are eligible for other group health coverage (such as a spouse's plan) or Medicare are not eligible for the premium reduction.

The subsidy phases out for individuals whose modified adjusted gross income exceeds $125,000, or $250,000 for those filing joint returns. Taxpayers with modified adjusted gross income exceeding $145,000, or $290,000 for those filing joint returns, do not qualify for the subsidy.

There's another catch to this payment break. The premium reduction applies to coverage beginning on or after Feb. 17, when the law was enacted. You cannot get a refund for premium payments paid prior to the law's enactment.

If your company closed or went bankrupt and there is no longer a group health plan, there is no COBRA subsidy available.

The COBRA subsidy ends once you become eligible for other group coverage (or Medicare) or after nine months of receiving the subsidy, or when the maximum period of COBRA coverage ends, whichever occurs first.

There's another important provision to the COBRA subsidy. If you were involuntarily terminated between Sept. 1, 2008, and Feb. 16, 2009, but you didn't sign up for COBRA (probably because you couldn't afford it), or you are no longer enrolled (because you couldn't afford to keep up your premium payments), you may have another opportunity to elect COBRA coverage, according to the Department of Labor. Your plan is required to notify you of the second election period by April 18, after which you have 60 days to enroll for COBRA coverage with the premium reduction.

For more details on the COBRA subsidy, go to the Department of Labor's Web site at http://www.dol.gov/COBRA. You can also call the Employee Benefits Security Administration at (866) 444-3272.

On the IRS Web site, there is a helpful question-and-answer section on the COBRA provision for employers. Employers can also find a revised version of the quarterly payroll tax return that is needed to claim credit for the COBRA medical premiums. IRS Form 941, Employer's Quarterly Federal Tax Return, will be sent to about 2 million employers in mid-March, according to the IRS.
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Unfortunately, even with the COBRA subsidy, you may still find the insurance premiums cost-prohibitive. But this is an important benefit, so take advantage of it if you qualify and can pay for it.

-- On the air: Michelle Singletary discusses personal finance Tuesdays on NPR's "Day to Day" program and at http://www.npr.org.

-- By mail: Readers can write to her at The Washington Post, 1150 15th St. NW, Washington, D.C. 20071.

-- By e-mail: singletarym@washpost.com.

Comments and questions are welcome, but because of the volume of mail, personal responses are not always possible. Please note that comments or questions may be used in a future column, with the writer's name, unless a specific request to do otherwise is indicated.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/03/04/AR2009030403894.html

FDIC warns US bank deposit insurance fund may tank

2009-03-06T09:56:00.000+07:00

WASHINGTON (AFP) – The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation is warning banks that its deposit insurance fund could dry up this year amid rising bank failures although the deposits would remain fully backed by the government.

The head of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, Sheila Bair, in a letter to bank chief executives dated March 2, defended the FDIC's plan to raise fees on banks and assess an emergency fee to shore up the fund and maintain investor confidence.

Bair acknowledged the new fees, announced Friday, would put additional pressure on banks at time of financial crisis and a deepening recession, but insisted they were critical to keep the insurance fund solvent and protected.

"Without these assessments, the deposit insurance fund could become insolvent this year," Bair wrote.

The FDIC chief said in the letter that the rapidly deteriorating economic conditions raised the prospects of "a large number" of bank failures through 2010.

"Without substantial amounts of additional assessment revenue in the near future, current projections indicate that the fund balance will approach zero or even become negative," she wrote.

The FDIC last Friday announced it would impose a temporary emergency fee on lenders and raise its regular assessments to shore up the rapidly depleting deposit insurance fund that insures individual customer deposits up to 250,000 dollars.

A week ago the FDIC reported a sharp depletion of the deposit insurance fund in the fourth quarter due to actual and anticipated bank failures, to 19 billion dollars from 34.6 billion in the third quarter.

The FDIC said it had set aside an additional 22 billion dollars for estimated losses on failures anticipated in 2009.

"Some have suggested that we should turn to taxpayers for funding. But banks -- not taxpayers -- are expected to fund the system, and I believe Congress would look skeptically on such a course of action," Bair wrote.

"All banks benefit from the FDIC's industry-funded status and should take pride in it. Keeping the guarantee industry funded will serve banks well once this current crisis passes. Turning to taxpayers for support, on the other hand, could paint all banks with the 'bailout' brush."

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20090306/bs_afp/financeeconomyusbankinggovernment_20090306004030

Finding COBRA Alternatives: GoHealthInsurance.com Launches COBRA Health Insurance Information Center Online

2009-03-06T09:53:00.000+07:00

GoHealthInsurance.com Recently Launched a COBRA Health Insurance Information Center to Help Educate Consumers About How COBRA Coverage Works, How the New Economic Stimulus Packages Affect COBRA, and to Provide Alternative Health Plan Options

CHICAGO, IL - Online health insurance portal GoHealth Insurance recently launched a COBRA information center to help educate Americans who have lost their employer-sponsored group health insurance about their health insurance options.

Although the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 will now subsidize 65 percent of a laid-off worker's COBRA premiums, they still may be able to find a better insurance option with an individual health insurance plan.

The GoHealth Insurance COBRA Information Center helps consumers understand how the continuation coverage law works, how the stimulus plan affects COBRA, and what COBRA alternatives are available.

"It's true that the government will now help you pay for COBRA coverage if you've lost an employer's plan. But for many, COBRA -- even with the subsidy -- isn't the best option for their needs," said Brandon Cruz, President and CTO of Norvax, Inc., the parent company of GoHealthInsurance.com.

"The objective of exploring your health insurance options is to get the best value out of your plan whether it's through COBRA or a private insurer," added Cruz.

Short Overview of COBRA and the Subsidy

COBRA is a federal law that allows workers who have lost their jobs to continue their employer coverage for as many as 36 months. You are eligible for COBRA if:

-- You lost or left your current job
-- Your hours were cut to make you ineligible for health benefits
-- You divorced your spouse that had employer coverage
-- You are a dependent child of a parent who meets any of the above
criteria

Before the recent economic stimulus plan, COBRA continuation coverage was very expensive, many times reaching above $1,000 per month. But according to the stimulus plan, the government will now pay for 65 percent of COBRA premiums. You can receive the 65 percent subsidy for up to 9 months.

You qualify for the COBRA subsidy if:

-- You involuntarily left/leave your job between September 1, 2008 and
December 31, 2009.
-- You don't earn more than $125,000 annually in the year you receive the
subsidy ($250,000 per year if you are married and filing taxes jointly with
your spouse).
-- Your former employer continues their group health insurance coverage
for current employees.

To learn about COBRA and to learn about your alternative options, visit www.gohealthinsurance.com/cobra to get free health insurance quotes, view instant quotes online, and apply for an individual health plan at your computer.

About GoHealth Insurance

GoHealthInsurance.com makes buying health insurance simple. GoHealth Insurance explains health coverage options in plain English, provides free health insurance quotes, connects shoppers with local agents, and helps consumers choose plans that meet their health and budget needs.

Contact:
Joy Scott
Scott Public Relations
818-610-0270
Email Contact

© MarketWire 2009

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/03/04/AR2009030403894.html

Wells Fargo Insurance buys BridgeStreet Consulting

2009-03-06T09:49:00.000+07:00

Wells Fargo Insurance Services Inc., the fast-growing insurance arm of Wells Fargo & Co., has acquired Walnut Creek-based BridgeStreet Consulting Group, an employee benefits consulting firm that also has offices in Houston and Seattle. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

Wells Fargo Insurance Services, now linked with Wachovia Insurance Services after Wells Fargo’s (NYSE: WFC) Dec. 31 acquisition of Wachovia Corp., is the fifth-largest insurance brokerage and the largest bank-owned insurance brokerage in the United States, Wells says. It has more than 200 branches in 37 states.

BridgeStreet is a national employee benefits administration and consulting firm with about a dozen employees. It handles approximately $250 million in insurance premiums annually for its clients, according to principal Tim Prichard.

Founded by Prichard and co-principal Rob Combi, it specializes in customized employee benefit services for large employers, including absence management, group insurance and special risk programs. Its clients include Fortune 1000 companies, large health-care companies and public entities nationwide.

About 10 of BridgeStreet’s staffers will remain with the company, according to Wells spokeswoman Richele Messick.

Wells is the Albuquerque region’s second-largest bank, with 25 percent of the market’s deposits as of June 30, according to Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. data.

Chris Rauber of the San Francisco Business Times, an affiliated publication, compiled this report.

http://www.bizjournals.com/albuquerque/stories/2009/03/02/daily64.html