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  • Life Insurance and New Years Resolutions

    LifeInsure.com » Life Insurance Blog
    The Life Insurer
    3 Jan 2012 | 7:08 pm
    Most of us make New Years’ resolutions every year, but how many people include life insurance in their resolutions?  There are many resolutions we all have in common – lose weight, exercise more, quit smoking, drink less alcohol, spend more time with the family, spend less, save more, etc., etc. Many people have “get my financial house in order” as a general resolution.  However, what does this mean? Unless you’re the Federal Government, this would include getting your budget in order so that your expenditures are less than your income (sorry, I couldn’t…

  • Is YouTube Part of your Social Media Strategy?

    Insurance Marketing HQ
    sday
    16 Jan 2012 | 7:59 am
    Mention YouTube, and some people picture cats playing the piano, or FedEx drivers throwing fragile electronics over fences. But YouTube is a gem for marketers in virtually all industries. The video sharing site turned six last year, and on its birthday we learned that YouTube is now the second most popular search engine behind Google. It’s larger than Facebook and Twitter, and averages three billion views per day. These statistics prove that YouTube is overflowing with opportunity for insurance agency marketing. But how do you start? Here are some tips for turning your YouTube presence into…

  • Teens and Distracted Driving

    About.com Personal Insurance
    25 Jan 2012 | 2:51 pm
    The dangers of distracted driving is evident. Now insurance companies are increasing rates for distracted driving citations such as texting while driving. Learn more about this issue at Teens Driving and Distracted Driving: Why is Driving Distracted a Problem With Teens Driving?...Read Full Post

  • Is Your Business Covered if a Satellite Hits?

    About.com Business Insurance
    21 Oct 2011 | 7:38 am
    Sometimes I get the best e-mails in this gig! Today was one of those days. This weekend a German x-ray telescope satellite, ROSAT, is predicted to fall to the Earth. It is reported that large portions of the satellite will survive reentry and strike the Earth. Some reports state that pieces as large as 250 lbs. could strike the ground. This morning, the helpful folk at the Insurance Information Instituteissued a media release entitled, "REPORTERS WITH QUESTIONS REGARDING INSURANCE COVERAGE FOR FALLING SATELLITES CAN CONTACT THE I.I.I." Admittedly, at the time I got the release, I was not…

  • The For-Benefit Corporation

    Specialty Insurance Blog
    Specialty Insurance Blog
    23 Jan 2012 | 10:00 pm
    There is a new corporate form gaining acceptance, and insurance agents & brokers should be aware of this, particularly when applying for directors & officers (D&O) liability insurance. Wikipedia provides a definition (see here, here, here & here): A benefit corporation is a class of corporation required by law to create general benefit for society as well as for shareholders. This new form of corporate entity is called a variety of names, including for-benefit corporation, benefit corporations and B corp. These entities are not to be confused with public benefit corporations, which are…
 
 
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    Articles - Online Auto Insurance

  • The Cheapest Insurance Companies Available

    admin
    27 Jan 2012 | 3:00 pm
    There is no single company that can offer the cheapest car insurance for every motorist. When coverage providers rate vehicle owners, they often evaluate an assortment of details to determine the driver’s level of risk. As a result, it is common for multiple motorists to receive unique quotes from the same insurer. The least expensive company for one driver may not be the same for another vehicle owner, making it essential to shop around before buying a policy. When a vehicle owner is rated by an insurer, they are generally placed in one of three categories: preferred, standard and…

  • Alternatives to No Down Payment Auto Insurance

    admin
    26 Jan 2012 | 2:00 pm
    Motorists often search for ways to cut coverage costs, and one commonly overlooked tactic involves adjusting how vehicle owner pay for policies. Buying auto insurance with little or no money down can offer some immediate savings by decreasing upfront costs, in addition to spreading out the overall price of a plan, but other methods may lead to lower prices over time. Choosing to make larger installments or paying for a plan in full can often lead to lowers prices and carry additional benefits that help motorists save money. When a motorist buys car insurance with no down payment it generally…

  • Compare Low Cost Auto Insurance Options

    admin
    25 Jan 2012 | 2:00 pm
    The majority of motorists are required to carry auto insurance to legally drive, but many vehicle owners still want to save money whenever possible. The cost of vehicle coverage can change for a number of reasons, and one of the best ways to find the lowest rates is to make comparisons. A competitive market and Internet access can allow motorists to shop for the lowest quotes, applicable discounts and the most affordable combination of coverages. Policy quotes are usually unique because coverage providers often use different methods to rate motorists. Details like a vehicle owner’s age,…

  • DC Auto Insurance with Accurate Personal Info

    admin
    24 Jan 2012 | 3:00 pm
    To register a vehicle in the District of Columbia, a motorist must first purchase adequate vehicle coverage. According to the Compulsory/No-Fault Motor Vehicle Insurance Act passed by legislatures in the District, all vehicle owners must maintain bodily injury and property damage liability in addition to uninsured motorist protection. Additionally, a driver’s personal information must be regularly updated to help the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) maintain accurate records. Shopping for DC auto insurance also depends on motorists submitting accurate data to avoid misquotes. When a…

  • North Dakota Car Insurance for High Risk Drivers

    admin
    23 Jan 2012 | 4:00 pm
    All motorists in North Dakota are required to purchase auto insurance, but some drivers may encounter higher rates. Every coverage provider in the Peace Garden State groups vehicle owners into different markets based on their level of risk. While motorists in the standard and preferred market may encounter lower prices, non-standard drivers will likely pay more for vehicle coverage because of their increased probability of filing a claim. While the non-standard market generally consists of motorists who have been in multiple accidents, there are additional reasons why an ND driver could…
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    About.com Business Insurance

  • Remembering Martin Luther King, Jr.

    16 Jan 2012 | 7:01 am
    For Martin Luther King, Jr. Day I thought I would write a quick post about the Civil Rights Movement and its effect on the services afforded to poor urban communities by the financial industry including insurance and banking. "Redlining" was a process used by financial institutions to exclude investment in particular sections of an urban area. Look at the picture - that is a redlined map of Philadelphia from the 30's as an example. Overwhelmingly, the excluded investment areas consisted of poorer white, immigrant, and African American neighborhoods. You wanted to build a business, a home, a…

  • Holiday Fire Tips!

    20 Dec 2011 | 9:39 am
    Fires are a major risk during the winter holiday season. I have posted an article of winter holiday fire safety tips for your home and business. In addition to that article there are many places online to seek out fire safety tips and checklists. For example, the National Fire Protection Association has "Project Holiday" on its website. The site features full-size color posters for download addressing candle and cooking safety (most home fires in the United States are the result of unattended cooking) and videos addressing those topics and Christmas tree safety. Our traditions are important.

  • Cyber Monday!

    28 Nov 2011 | 8:44 am
    I hope you all had a fabulous holiday with your family! Being an "online" guy, I love Cyber Monday. I watched my daughters and some other relatives do the whole after-Thanksgiving shopping experience and, well, I am not interested. However, owning my own business and sitting at my connected terminal most of the day allows me the opportunity to follow the deals and promotions on Cyber Monday and I am done with my gift getting as well as some of my donating. What allows me and the other average Americans to have faith in the online purchase? I would argue that insurers have a great deal to do…

  • Is Your Business Covered if a Satellite Hits?

    21 Oct 2011 | 7:38 am
    Sometimes I get the best e-mails in this gig! Today was one of those days. This weekend a German x-ray telescope satellite, ROSAT, is predicted to fall to the Earth. It is reported that large portions of the satellite will survive reentry and strike the Earth. Some reports state that pieces as large as 250 lbs. could strike the ground. This morning, the helpful folk at the Insurance Information Instituteissued a media release entitled, "REPORTERS WITH QUESTIONS REGARDING INSURANCE COVERAGE FOR FALLING SATELLITES CAN CONTACT THE I.I.I." Admittedly, at the time I got the release, I was not…

  • Where to Find Premium Savings?

    17 Oct 2011 | 8:35 am
    As we get to the end of 2011 it is time to start looking at ways to save business insurance premium dollars in 2012. I though about this after I finished an article on premium savings for green business practices. There are a great number of ways a business can save on premium expense. First, safety. Like it or not, the best way to reduce premium costs is by having safe employees and safe business practices and consistently applying those standards. Your business can review its coverage and existing policies. Your company can get involved in trade organizations, chambers of commerce, or other…
 
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    Specialty Insurance Blog

  • The For-Benefit Corporation

    Specialty Insurance Blog
    23 Jan 2012 | 10:00 pm
    There is a new corporate form gaining acceptance, and insurance agents & brokers should be aware of this, particularly when applying for directors & officers (D&O) liability insurance. Wikipedia provides a definition (see here, here, here & here): A benefit corporation is a class of corporation required by law to create general benefit for society as well as for shareholders. This new form of corporate entity is called a variety of names, including for-benefit corporation, benefit corporations and B corp. These entities are not to be confused with public benefit corporations, which are…

  • Professional Liability Market Tightening – A Little

    Specialty Insurance Blog
    19 Dec 2011 | 10:00 pm
    After many years of relaxed underwriting and rate declines we are seeing limited signs of tightening in all segments of the professional liability insurance market – E&O, D&O, EPL and Technology/Cyber. Most of this change is tighter underwriting rather than rate increase, but both are occurring – a little. Most importantly, many underwriters are not tightening and increasing rates, leaving competitive options for many accounts. While there have been isolated changes during the last few years, the current changes impact many more classes. Here are a few examples: A private company D&O…

  • Small Companies at Risk of Data Breach

    Specialty Insurance Blog
    21 Nov 2011 | 10:32 pm
    Small companies are at risk of hackers and resulting data breach exposure, and should be buying Cyber Risk coverage, according to Markel (see here). Although the thefts of records at large corporations such as Sony have garnered headlines, hackers are finding it simpler going after small-to-midsize companies Cyber Risk insurance is easy to obtain, provides broad protection and is inexpensive (see here, and our prior post here). Our range of markets can provide Cyber Risk and Technology Professional Liability to all types of technology exposures. Specialty Insurance Expertise: Tennant Risk…

  • Encryption & Cyber Risk Insurance

    Specialty Insurance Blog
    7 Nov 2011 | 10:21 pm
    Cyber Risk insurance underwriters have recently become more focused on the data security practices for portable media devices such as laptops, thumb drives and smart phones. Underwriters expect accounts with confidential data to use best practice to help mitigate the exposure, and we are seeing this put into practice as underwriters review encryption needs and use more closely. Hackers are becoming increasingly successful in breaching security measures at both large and smaller organizations. While encryption is not a silver bullet, it does provide a level of protection from lost or stolen…

  • Cyber Risk Insurance Need

    Specialty Insurance Blog
    16 May 2011 | 10:00 pm
    Cyber Risk insurance is widely available and inexpensive, but not enough companies are buying the protection. As noted in a recent survey by Towers Watson (see here), the majority of companies do not buy the coverage. The survey of 164 risk and finance managers found that 73% have not purchased network liability policies. This survey was focused on larger companies, and we believe the uninsured number is much higher if small companies are included. One estimate of the percentage of companies without Cyber Risk coverage is 80-90%, but our experience indicates that the number is likely in…
 
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    About.com Personal Insurance

  • Teens and Distracted Driving

    25 Jan 2012 | 2:51 pm
    The dangers of distracted driving is evident. Now insurance companies are increasing rates for distracted driving citations such as texting while driving. Learn more about this issue at Teens Driving and Distracted Driving: Why is Driving Distracted a Problem With Teens Driving?...Read Full Post

  • Shopping Around for Life Insurance Quotes

    22 Jan 2012 | 5:43 am
    So, you have decided to shop around for life insurance quotes. Want to save a few thousand dollars on your next life insurance policy? Well, think about how long you pay for life insurance and how much of a life insurance quote difference of $5 per month would make over a 30 year term life insurance policy. Now take that figure ($1800) and think about how much more that would be if you would have had it to invest. It really adds up! Check this article out to Learn How to Save Thousands on Your Life Insurance Quote....Read Full Post

  • Learning about Annuities

    21 Jan 2012 | 9:18 am
    Are you interested in learning more about annuities? Check out the new Annuity Definition article to get to know more about the basics of annuities to help you decide ...Read Full Post

  • Don't Forget Umemployment Insurance Benefits are Taxable

    18 Jan 2012 | 3:56 am
    Tax time is here and many are getting together all those important documents. Sometimes people mistakenly think that unemployment benefits do not have to be included on their taxes ...Read Full Post

  • Understanding Insurance Claims

    13 Jan 2012 | 5:26 am
    Filing an insurance claim doesn't have to bring up emotions of anxiety and fear. Knowing what to expect during the insurance claims process and how to file an insurance ...Read Full Post
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    Work Comp Roundup - Reduce Your Workers Compensation Insurance Coverage Costs with Timely Information for Employers

  • WC Basics 101 – Kansas Workers Compensation

    Rebecca Shafer, J.D.
    26 Jan 2012 | 6:42 pm
    Workers Compensation Laws change frequently. This is only a summary; a complete copy of the most up-to-date version can be found at: www.WorkCompResearch.com , an excellent service. In Kansas workers compensation coverage is compulsory as to all employment, including corporate executives and employees of charitable organizations.  Coverage is elective for individuals, partners or the self-employed.   There are some exceptions.  Real estate brokers and real estate salespeople on commission are excluded from the compulsory requirements.  Also, farm labor and…

  • Texas Man and Maryland Woman Sentenced on Workers Comp Fraud Charges

    Robert Elliott, J.D.
    26 Jan 2012 | 6:19 pm
    Texas Mutual Insurance Company reported recently that a Travis County district court sentenced Thomas Mikulenka of League City, Texas on workers compensation fraud-related charges.     The court sentenced Mikulenka to three years deferred adjudication and 100 hours of community service. Mikulenka was also ordered to pay $7,221 in restitution to Texas Mutual. (WCxKit)     Mikulenka reported a job-related injury while working as an electrician for IGC Construction, Inc. in Houston. He claimed he was unable to work as a result of the injury, and Texas Mutual began paying…

  • Why Are Half of British Workers Treated Poorly

    Robert Elliott, J.D.
    25 Jan 2012 | 7:38 pm
    According to new research conducted by a team from Cardiff University (Wales), half of those British workers surveyed have been ill-treated in the last two years.     The survey reports 4.9 percent of workers were victims of violence while 22.3 percent said they were treated in a disrespectful or rude way. Twenty-seven percent said they felt ignored. The study used data from face-to-face interviews with 3,979 workers, and the data, provided for the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC), was to be presented at a London conference.(WCxKit) The report, "Insight into…

  • Out of State Insurance Coverage for Workers Compensation

    Rebecca Shafer, J.D.
    25 Jan 2012 | 7:34 pm
    As any employer with locations in more than one state knows, the workers compensation policy is written specifically for the states where the employer has physical facilities.  On the Information Page that comes with each new policy or policy renewal, is Item 3.A (for most insurance carriers) which designates the states where the workers compensation policy is applicable.  Workers compensation coverage does not apply to claims filed in other states.   While the insurance carriers attempt to limit the exposure to claims occurring where they may not have claims offices, or…

  • How Morale Hazards Affect Workers Compensation Behavior

    Rebecca Shafer, J.D.
    24 Jan 2012 | 5:47 pm
      Morale hazard is loosely defined as the presence of an outside item or system that affects typical behavior. I like to use an example of SUV-type vehicles. Because of added safety features and the enormity of the vehicle, drivers report feeling safer and often take more risks then when driving smaller, less-safe vehicles. For example, an SUV driver may be more aggressive during dangerous snowy conditions, or drive more aggressively in general simply because she feels safer.   WCxKit     To put this in a Workers Compensation context, the morale hazard is the comp…
 
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    Colorado Health Insurance Insider

  • Retiree-Only Health Insurance Plans And The ACA

    Louise
    27 Jan 2012 | 4:09 pm
    New post titled Retiree-Only Health Insurance Plans And The ACA at Colorado Health Insurance InsiderThe provision in the ACA that allows young adults to remain on their parents’ health insurance policies until the age of 26 has been one of the more popular aspects of the health reform law.  It has increased the percentage of young adults with health insurance coverage and helps to make sure that recent graduates can remain insured even if they accept an entry-level job that doesn’t offer health insurance benefits. The provision has received a lot of press coverage over the past…

  • A Brain Teaser Cavalcade Of Risk

    Louise
    26 Jan 2012 | 1:45 pm
    New post titled A Brain Teaser Cavalcade Of Risk at Colorado Health Insurance InsiderThe Notwithstanding Blog hosted the Cavalcade of Risk this week in the most interesting fashion I’ve ever seen.  Check it out.   And be sure to grab a pencil and paper because it’s a quiz!  Since I’ve been writing about health insurance for quite a while and I’m familiar with a lot of the topics that usually appear in the COR, I took the quiz without reading the entries, just for fun (I got six right and two wrong). Our regular readers will probably have fun taking the quiz too,…

  • The Elusive Nature Of Healthcare Costs

    Louise
    25 Jan 2012 | 12:27 pm
    New post titled The Elusive Nature Of Healthcare Costs at Colorado Health Insurance InsiderDr Val Jones has done an excellent job with a four-part Grand Rounds this week, which was published on the USA Today site.  My favorite is Part Four, as it focused on one of my favorite subjects – healthcare costs.  This post from Common Sense Family Doctor is especially good, particularly if you’re a fan of consumer directed health insurance plans and HSA-qualified policies.  The author and his wife are both family practice doctors and have delivered hundreds of babies.  And they…

  • Colorado House Passes Resolution To Repeal ACA

    Louise
    23 Jan 2012 | 1:48 pm
    New post titled Colorado House Passes Resolution To Repeal ACA at Colorado Health Insurance InsiderIn 2010, soon after the ACA was signed into law, Colorado’s Attorney General joined with AGs from several other states to bring a lawsuit against the federal government, challenging the legality of the individual mandate portion of the law.  A total of 26 states eventually joined in the lawsuit, although even within those states there is plenty of controversy surrounding the individual mandate and the ACA in general.  The legal battle will reach the Supreme Court later this year. But now…

  • Thoughts On The Supreme Court’s Look At The ACA

    Louise
    20 Jan 2012 | 8:22 pm
    New post titled Thoughts On The Supreme Court’s Look At The ACA at Colorado Health Insurance InsiderOur friend Julie Ferguson of Workers’ Comp Insider hosted the Health Wonk Review today, with a “look to the future” edition full of predictions and thoughts about the future of healthcare.  It’s a great edition – be sure to check it out. One of my favorite articles in the HWR comes from Joe Colucci writing at The New Health Dialogue.  Joe discusses the upcoming Supreme Court case regarding the Affordable Care Act.  Last summer, I wrote about my hope that…
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    ProtectYourIncome.com » Disability Insurance Blog

  • Disability Insurance Companies – How do I Choose the Right One?

    The Income Protector
    27 Jan 2012 | 1:37 pm
    You’ve been meaning to look into disability insurance for quite a while and now you are finally going to do it.  You start your search and see that there are several very good disability insurance companies that offer high-quality individual policies. How do you choose the right company for you? The first thing you might want to do is find a broker (such as those that run this website) who represents several disability insurance companies and ask for quotes from each company and a side by side comparison of benefits so you can easily compare the benefits and premiums of each policy. …

  • Disability Insurance Quotes – How your Occupation Affects Your Quotes

    The Income Protector
    25 Jan 2012 | 1:02 pm
    When you request disability insurance quotes from an agent or broker, you will be asked for your occupation.  The reason for this can be found in any policy’s definition of total disability.  In an own-occupation definition of disability, for example, total disability is usually defined as, “due to injury or illness, you cannot perform the usual and customary duties of your occupation.” In a disability insurance policy, as in any insurance policy, the insurance company is taking on a risk. One of the primary risk factor of disability is occupation, as in how much risk does…

  • Own Occupation Disability Insurance- Do you Need it?

    The Income Protector
    13 Jan 2012 | 5:36 pm
    Before I share my thoughts about own occupation disability insurance, I thought I should give you definitions of “True Own Occupation” and “Modified Own Occupation,” as they aren’t always clearly identified. True Own Occupation:  Due to injury or illness, you cannot perform the material and substantial duties of your Occupation.  You will be considered totally disabled even if you are gainfully employed in another occupation, provided that, due to injury or illness, you are not able to work in your own occupation. Modified Own Occupation: Due to injury or…

  • More Disability Insurance Claim Prevention Tips for the Holidays

    The Income Protector
    23 Dec 2011 | 1:53 pm
    In my last post, I covered Christmas tree and decorating safety tips.  To us, Happy Holidays includes no disability insurance claims for our clients.  Here are some additional tips from the National Safety Council to help you avoid a claims situation: Ladder Safety When putting up holiday decorations, always use the proper step stool or ladder to reach high places. Don’t stand on chairs, desks or other furniture. If you have to use a step ladder near a doorway, lock or barricade the door and post signs so no one will open it and knock you off the ladder. A straight or extension ladder…

  • Disability Insurance Claim Prevention Tips for the Holidays

    The Income Protector
    22 Dec 2011 | 1:29 pm
    If you have disability insurance, these holiday safety tips from the National Safety Council that will keep you save and may keep you from filing a claim:     Christmas Tree and Holiday Decorating Safety Never use lighted candles near trees, boughs, curtains/drapes, or with any potentially flammable item. Wear gloves while decorating with spun glass “angel hair.” It can irritate your eyes and skin. A common substitute is non-flammable cotton. When spraying artificial snow on windows or other surfaces, be sure to follow directions carefully. These sprays can irritate your lungs if you…
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    Health Insurance Blog

  • Colorado Health Insurance Exchange Update for 2012

    SamTabes
    27 Jan 2012 | 3:31 pm
    As previously mentioned, many states are working towards health insurance exchanges in response to health care reform.  Colorado specifically has a plan in place to incorporate an effective exchange.  The state started their exchange process back in 2006 with the appointment of a Blue Ribbon Commission for Health Care Reform. By 2008, they had recommended a ‘connector’ similar to an Exchange.  Once the federal government passed health care reform, Colorado started working with the state legislatures to host public meetings about the Exchange.  In June 2011, the State…

  • Children’s Health Insurance Update for 2012

    SamTabes
    27 Jan 2012 | 10:31 am
    Each state has their own structure for providing health insurance to children.  There are many updates throughout the nation for 2012, and it’s important you know how you may be affected if your child needs health insurance protection.  ”Child-only” plans are individual policies which are offered to children 18 and under with no guardian listed on the same policy. Many health insurers have stopped offering these types of plans, partially due to the 2010 Patient Protection and Affordable Car Act which prevents the insurers from declining applications due to pre-existing…

  • Health Care Reform Implementation in 2012

    SamTabes
    23 Jan 2012 | 9:39 pm
    It’s been about two years since President Obama signed the Affordable Care Act and got America’s health care reform underway.  A lot has taken place, despite a good amount of opposition and resistance.  At this point, 47 states are part of the new premium rate review system where insurance companies need to justify the rationale for insurance premium increases that are in the double digits.  About half of the country is working towards establishing their own Affordable Insurance Exchange which is an important part of the new law that needs to be structured. In order for health…

  • Alaska Health Insurance: Large Spending for High Risk Pool

    ymedina
    19 Jan 2012 | 10:02 am
    Alaska is looking to spend a surprising $200k per year for each high risk pool member based on Kaiser Health News article by Phil Galewitz.  Alaska is one of the most expensive places to live in the United States and these increased costs apply to health care as well.  High risk pools are being set up under the federal government to assist uninsured individuals who have pre-existing conditions.  Alaska expects to spend $10 million this year to include about 50 members which equates to around $200,ooo per person. Cecil Bykerk, executive director of the Alaska Comprehensive Insurance…

  • Introducing Simple Blue PPO From Highmark

    ymedina
    16 Jan 2012 | 12:50 pm
    A new individual health insurance plan is available from Highmark called the Simple Blue PPO plan.  This plan goes into effect on February 1, and the the article on IFAWEBNEWS.com by Bob Graham says the plan is geared towards being simple, affordable and predictable.  The health insurance coverage aims to have lower premiums and lower deductibles with a more predictable copayment structure. Highmark is based in Pittsburgh and serves western and central Pennsylvania.  Their new Simply Blue PPO plan is medically underwritten and targets individuals without group coverage and covers all…
 
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    Home Insurance Blog

  • 5 Ways to Shake the Seasonal Blues

    Home Agent
    24 Jan 2012 | 1:32 pm
    This is the most common time of year for people to start experiencing an overall feeling of discontent with their lives. Some researchers even claim that seasonal mood disorders are a common complaint amongst patients who tend to feel more depressed during fall and winter months. Here are a few top ways to shake the seasonal slump and boost your mental health until Spring: Make a goal for the Spring: One way to forget about the winter blues is to start planning for the warmer months ahead. Plan a trip for April or give yourself a weight loss goal to hit by May. Giving yourself something…

  • Are you guilty of digital content piracy?

    Home Agent
    18 Jan 2012 | 10:48 am
    With the recent explosion of SOPA and PIPA in the news media this week, the term “digital content piracy” has received a ton of exposure and left many people wondering if they themselves are guilty of this very crime. An online pirate is anyone who reproduces the work of another without authorization to do so. Ever downloaded a song from Napster, Limewire or BitTorrent? How about when you burned that DVD so you could have your own copy?  These works are protected by the Digital Millennium Copyright Act. Most people who download these types of content without permission from the…

  • How to get the most out of working from home

    Home Agent
    10 Jan 2012 | 1:42 pm
    These days it has become more common for people to work from home as opposed to heading out to the office everyday. Developments in technology and communications have made it easy for workers to perform the same duties from home that they would normally perform at their jobsite. Many employers are jumping on the bandwagon as remote-workers mean less overhead expenses. However, while working from home may now be a possibility for many, it still depends on the individual as to whteher it will be a success. Consider these tips for getting the most of out of a work-from-home opportunity: Create a…

  • Why you shouldn’t lower your home insurance coverage when your home value drops

    Home Agent
    6 Jan 2012 | 11:13 am
    Understand the difference between the replacement cost and the market value of your home so that you are always adequately insured. It’s a really common mistake and one that can cost a homeowner a ton of money in the event of a total loss to their home. Homeowners across the country see their property values dropping and assume that it’s a good time to lower their home insurance coverage. The problem with this is that your insurance covers the replacement cost of your home NOT the market value. The replacement cost and the market value of your home are two very different…

  • You are where you live | Happy-home resolutions for 2012

    Home Agent
    30 Dec 2011 | 11:57 am
    A happy, healthy home reflects largely upon the people who live in it.  Since your home-life sets the tone for the rest of your (and your family’s) day, make sure you add a few “home resolutions” onto your list this year. Here are some of our favorites: 1-      Get organized If you’re constantly trying to track down certain items in your home, chances are you could use some organization in your life. Make a list of the top 10 items in your home that need a permanent place to live and figure out how you can organize them to best suit your family. For example, do you keep…
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    Insurance Law Hawaii

  • Unit Owners Have No Standing To Sue Under Condominium Association's Policy

    Tred Eyerly
    25 Jan 2012 | 4:01 am
       If a condominium owner suffers damage caused by a leak from another unit, may it sue the insurer for the Association of Apartment Owner (AOAO) for coverage? The federal district court for Hawaii said "no" in a decision by Judge Mollway. See Peters v. Lexington Ins. Co., 2011 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 148734 (D. Haw. December 27, 2011).    Two cases were consolidated. In each case, Plaintiffs owned condominium units at the Watercrest Resort on Molokai. Water leaking from another unit damaged Plaintiffs' units.    Watercrest Resort was insured by Lexington pursuant to a policy…

  • Nevada Court Adopts Efficient Proximate Cause Doctrine

    Tred Eyerly
    23 Jan 2012 | 4:01 am
       Although the Nevada Supreme Court adopted the efficient proximate cause doctrine, it determined it did not apply to salvage coverage under an all-risk policy for a rain-damaged building. Fourth Street Place, LLC v. The Travelers Indemn. Co., 2011 Nev LEXIS 114 (Nev. Dec. 29, 2011).    Fourth Street owned an office building which was insured by an all-risk policy issued by Travelers. Fourth Street hired Above It All Roofing to repair the roof of the office building. Above It All removed the waterproof membrane on the roof and prepared to replace the membrane the following week. Over…

  • Hawaii Federal District Court Stays Coverage Action

    Tred Eyerly
    18 Jan 2012 | 4:01 am
       The insured moved to dismiss the insurers' action for declaratory judgment because a parallel action was pending in Missouri state court. Axis Surplus Ins. Co. v. McCarthy/Kiewit, 2012 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 3612 (D. Haw. Jan. 12, 2012).    Kaiser Foundation Health Plan, Inc. hired the insured, a joint venture, to act as general contractor for construction of an addition to the Moanalua Medical Center. The joint venture was insured under a CGL policy issued by Arch Insurance Company. Excess layers of coverage were issued by RSUI Indemnity Company and Axis Surplus Insurance Company.   …

  • Business Interruption Coverage Denied Where Portion of Business Remains Open

    Tred Eyerly
    16 Jan 2012 | 4:01 am
       When only a portion of a hotel was closed after damage was caused by Hurricane Ike, the court determined there was no coverage for business interruption. H&H Hospitality LLC v. Discovery Specialty Ins. Co., 2011 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 146055 (S.D. Texas Dec. 20, 2011).    Strong hurricane winds caused damage to the hotel, including the loss of part of the roof on one of its buildings. Approximately 40 hotel rooms were unusable after the storm. The hotel, however, had some undamaged, rentable rooms which were rented continuously after the storm. The hotel claimed business interruption…

  • No Coverage For Negligent Misrepresentation Without Allegations of "Bodily Injury" or "Property Damage"

    Tred Eyerly
    11 Jan 2012 | 4:01 am
       Jeff City Industries was the general contractor for a sewer system improvement project in Branson, Missouri. Bituminous Cas. Corp. v. United HRB Gen. Contractors, Inc., 2011 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 145666 (W.D. Mo. Dec. 19, 2011). Branson sued Jeff City, alleging breach of the construction contract for the project. The claims included improperly bedded sewer piping, improper aligning portions of trenching for the sewer piping, improper service line connections to the sewer piping, etc. Further, Ozark Mountain Consultants, a subcontractor of Jeff City and a third-party defendant in the…
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    WordPress.com News

  • Chrome Users: Try the WordPress.com Extension

    Christopher Finke
    27 Jan 2012 | 1:54 pm
    Want to receive WordPress.com notifications instantly, even when you’re not on WordPress.com? Add the new WordPress.com extension for Chrome and as soon as you get a new follower or a new like on one of your posts, a notification will appear in your browser: Simply click the icon to view your latest WordPress.com notifications: Start following new blogs without visiting WordPress.com The Chrome extension also makes it easy to follow sites from your WordPress.com account by displaying a Follow button whenever you’re browsing a site that has an RSS feed. Clicking the Follow button…

  • Your Stats Have a New Home

    Andy Skelton
    26 Jan 2012 | 10:46 am
    Are you addicted to checking your site stats? You are not alone. The stats dashboard has always been one of the most popular admin screens. It’s gratifying to know that people are visiting your place online. With the WordPress.com front page evolving into a one-stop shop for posting, exploring, following and reading blogs, it seemed natural to put your blog stats there, too.  Stats are becoming more and more about interacting with your readers and other bloggers. You’ll still see your summary stats and chart on your main dashboard, and the full stats page in your dashboard will…

  • Reblogging is Back!

    Erica Johnson
    22 Jan 2012 | 1:27 pm
    As we mentioned last week, you can like and reblog posts directly from your reader, which displays a stream of all the updates published on all the blogs you follow from your WordPress.com account. We’ve also brought the reblog button back to the toolbar that appears at the top of the screen when you’re logged into WordPress.com. Note that you’ll only see the like and reblog options while you’re looking at individual posts. For example, you’ll see this on the left side of your toolbar while viewing http://en.blog.wordpress.com/2012/01/20/read-blogs: And your…

  • New Theme: Newsy

    Philip Arthur Moore
    20 Jan 2012 | 12:18 pm
    It’s been an extra big week in the news ’round these parts, so much so that the launch announcement of our latest premium theme seems like an extra extra good way to headline our Friday. Newsy is a versatile business and news-friendly theme that offers up to ten different layouts, four footer columns, custom link and accent colors, and a custom site header. Brand and content-focused editorial teams will love publishing with this theme. Newsy: Home Page Designed by Themify, Newsy comes with an impressive set of Theme Options that afford you a great deal of flexibility with how you…

  • Read All Your Favorite Blogs in One Place

    Erica Johnson
    19 Jan 2012 | 6:04 pm
    If you feel like it’s a chore to keep up with all your favorite blogs, you can now read posts from all the blogs you follow (even the ones that aren’t on WordPress.com!) in one convenient place on the WordPress.com home page: Your reader displays all the posts across all the blogs you follow in the order they were published, with the most recent content appearing at the top. You’ll see an excerpt of the introduction to each post, the first image in the post, and thumbnails of any other images that the post contains. You can even like and reblog WordPress.com content directly…
 
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    LifeInsure.com » Life Insurance Blog

  • Term Life Insurance for Life

    The Life Insurer
    26 Jan 2012 | 5:38 pm
    I just spoke to a 68 year old gentleman who was looking for a 30 year term life insurance policy.  At his age, there aren’t any companies that would issue a term policy for 30 years, so we looked at a 20 year term policy with a $1,000,000 death benefit.  If approved at Preferred Plus, the most favorable health class, his annual premium would be approximately $16,000 a year.  The policy would take him to age 88, at which time it would be very difficult to secure a new policy. Lifetime Term Life Insurance? I know, there really isn’t a product know by this name.  However, if it…

  • A Challenge to Websites Offering Life Insurance Quotes Online

    The Life Insurer
    25 Jan 2012 | 3:31 pm
    LifeInsure.com Issues a Challenge to Websites Offering Life Insurance Quotes Online I am offering a challenge to other life insurance Websites to allow consumers to check life insurance quotes online without submitting personal information (name, phone number or email address).  At the least, if this information is requested, the challenge to other Websites is to prominently display and disclose how the information will be used.  If the information is being sold as sales “leads” to life insurance companies or agents, the consumer has the right to know this upfront before they submit…

  • When Instant Term Life Insurance Quotes aren’t so Instant

    The Life Insurer
    17 Jan 2012 | 7:30 pm
    I received an advertisement email yesterday offering Instant Term Life Insurance Quotes. Being that our company, Lifeinsure.com, is in the business of marketing and selling life insurance online, I thought I’d take a look at how one of our competitors was doing it. I clicked the link on the email that said “Get Instant Quote” and was sent into the company’s website, where it boldly states that “Rates are Ready for you Right Away with no Wait.” I enter my zip code, as requested, and away we go. I am greeted by a typical web form, asking me how much life…

  • Life Insurance and New Years Resolutions

    The Life Insurer
    3 Jan 2012 | 7:08 pm
    Most of us make New Years’ resolutions every year, but how many people include life insurance in their resolutions?  There are many resolutions we all have in common – lose weight, exercise more, quit smoking, drink less alcohol, spend more time with the family, spend less, save more, etc., etc. Many people have “get my financial house in order” as a general resolution.  However, what does this mean? Unless you’re the Federal Government, this would include getting your budget in order so that your expenditures are less than your income (sorry, I couldn’t…

  • Life Insurance as a Christmas Gift?

    The Life Insurer
    21 Dec 2011 | 6:15 pm
    I know what you’re thinking – who would want a life insurance policy as a Christmas gift?  Can you just imagine the look on your spouse’s or kids’ faces when they open a present and it is a life insurance policy?  And to make matters worse, their present has your name on it. A life insurance policy with you as the insured person might just be the best gift your family ever received.  Hopefully, if it’s a term policy, it’s a gift that will never be used.  Quite unlike the tie you will never wear, this will be a gift everybody will be glad it wasn’t…
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    TDI News Releases

  • HHS Denial

    27 Jan 2012 | 10:57 am
    01/27/12 -

  • TWIA Statement

    26 Jan 2012 | 4:30 am
    01/26/12 - Commissioner Eleanor Kitzman of the Texas Department of Insurance issued a statement today following the TWIA Board's decision to retain a consulting actuary.

  • Self-insure

    24 Jan 2012 | 9:24 am
    01/24/12 - AUSTIN, TX - The Texas Department of Insurance, Division of Workers’ Compensation approved 13 renewals of the certificates of authority for companies to self-insure their workers’ compensation claims for a one-year period.

  • workinjury2010

    13 Dec 2011 | 9:33 am
    12/13/11 - Texas reported a fourth year decrease in the number of work-related injuries and illnesses requiring days off work in 2010.

  • Commissioner Statement

    22 Nov 2011 | 3:44 am
    11/22/11 - Commissioner Kitzman issues statement on NAIC resolution urging Congress to amend the Medical Loss Ratio provisions of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act to ensure consumer access to agents and brokers.
 
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    auto-insurance « WordPress.com Tag Feed

  • Insurance

    ferdinandbri1024
    16 Jan 2012 | 1:27 am
    Insurance Insurance Auto Insurance LED Business Sign 17″ Tall x 32″ Wide x 1″ DeepThis Auto Insurance Sign with OPEN is perfect for your business. It will bright your business very good,will get customer’s attent… Auto Insurance and Illegal Immigration [Explicit] How to Save 25% Plus on Your Auto InsuranceHow to $ave 25% Plu$ on Your Auto In$urance is an easy to read and understand book devoted solely to ways and ideas for saving m… How to Save 25% Plus on Your Auto Insurance How to Save 25% Plus on Your Auto Insurance

  • Auto Insurance: How Much Is Enough? [INFOGRAPHIC]

    Arjan de Raaf
    15 Jan 2012 | 7:00 pm

  • 4 Reasons To Get An On Line Auto Insurance Quote

    insurancecall
    15 Jan 2012 | 1:33 am
    Whether you are looking for a new auto insurance plan, or just want to see what is out there, getting an on line auto insurance quote is a great idea. There are a variety of great places you can go online that will offer you free auto insurance quotes with no hassle whatsoever. If you have not got your instant auto insurance quote, the following are four great reasons you need to give it a go. Reason #1 – It’s So Easy! – One of the best reasons that you should get an on line auto insurance quote is because it is so easy. No need to flip through your phone book looking for places…

  • Surplus lines(GeoVera) getting closer to helping Shrink Citizens.

    homeinsuranceguru
    14 Jan 2012 | 4:53 pm
    Senator Garrett Richter(R) and Senator Mike  Fasano(R) in Tallahassee want to depopulate Citizens Home Insurance  no matter who will suffer. I am personally not opposed to this bill, but people who get taken out will not have the same protection as they would in Citzens. If they would simply vote as they should to raise Citizens rates to what they should be, this would not be necessary. With propor rates, many would leave Citizens   to get better rates w/ Private insurer’s  who are quite often higher than Citizens, especially in Fort Lauderdale. Voting to raise rates is not…

  • Citizens Home Insurance in Florida w/ another reduction!

    homeinsuranceguru
    14 Jan 2012 | 8:54 am
    This is just the begginnig of what will happen to people of Fort. Lauderdale and all over Florida who need and rely on that coverage. If it is available anywhere, the price is likely to be higher for sure. We will do our best to keep you informed and find the best coverage’s for you. Please call L & S Insurance for all of your Home, Auto, Flood, Business & Commercial, and Life Insurance as well. Enjoy the article form the Fort Laudedale sun Sentinal; http://weblogs.sun-sentinel.com/business/realestate/housekeys/blog/2012/01/citizens_cuts_residential_cove.html
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    LifeInsure.com » Life Insurance Blog

  • Term Life Insurance for Life

    The Life Insurer
    26 Jan 2012 | 5:38 pm
    I just spoke to a 68 year old gentleman who was looking for a 30 year term life insurance policy.  At his age, there aren’t any companies that would issue a term policy for 30 years, so we looked at a 20 year term policy with a $1,000,000 death benefit.  If approved at Preferred Plus, the most favorable health class, his annual premium would be approximately $16,000 a year.  The policy would take him to age 88, at which time it would be very difficult to secure a new policy. Lifetime Term Life Insurance? I know, there really isn’t a product know by this name.  However, if it…

  • A Challenge to Websites Offering Life Insurance Quotes Online

    The Life Insurer
    25 Jan 2012 | 3:31 pm
    LifeInsure.com Issues a Challenge to Websites Offering Life Insurance Quotes Online I am offering a challenge to other life insurance Websites to allow consumers to check life insurance quotes online without submitting personal information (name, phone number or email address).  At the least, if this information is requested, the challenge to other Websites is to prominently display and disclose how the information will be used.  If the information is being sold as sales “leads” to life insurance companies or agents, the consumer has the right to know this upfront before they submit…

  • When Instant Term Life Insurance Quotes aren’t so Instant

    The Life Insurer
    17 Jan 2012 | 7:30 pm
    I received an advertisement email yesterday offering Instant Term Life Insurance Quotes. Being that our company, Lifeinsure.com, is in the business of marketing and selling life insurance online, I thought I’d take a look at how one of our competitors was doing it. I clicked the link on the email that said “Get Instant Quote” and was sent into the company’s website, where it boldly states that “Rates are Ready for you Right Away with no Wait.” I enter my zip code, as requested, and away we go. I am greeted by a typical web form, asking me how much life…

  • Life Insurance and New Years Resolutions

    The Life Insurer
    3 Jan 2012 | 7:08 pm
    Most of us make New Years’ resolutions every year, but how many people include life insurance in their resolutions?  There are many resolutions we all have in common – lose weight, exercise more, quit smoking, drink less alcohol, spend more time with the family, spend less, save more, etc., etc. Many people have “get my financial house in order” as a general resolution.  However, what does this mean? Unless you’re the Federal Government, this would include getting your budget in order so that your expenditures are less than your income (sorry, I couldn’t…

  • Life Insurance as a Christmas Gift?

    The Life Insurer
    21 Dec 2011 | 6:15 pm
    I know what you’re thinking – who would want a life insurance policy as a Christmas gift?  Can you just imagine the look on your spouse’s or kids’ faces when they open a present and it is a life insurance policy?  And to make matters worse, their present has your name on it. A life insurance policy with you as the insured person might just be the best gift your family ever received.  Hopefully, if it’s a term policy, it’s a gift that will never be used.  Quite unlike the tie you will never wear, this will be a gift everybody will be glad it wasn’t…
 
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    www.Artemis.bm The Alternative Risk Transfer, Catastrophe Bond, Insurance-Linked Securities and Weather Risk Management Blog

  • Hannover Re taps capital market investors for retrocession capacity

    admin
    27 Jan 2012 | 11:38 am
    German reinsurer Hannover Re have again utilised the capital markets for their retrocession renewal through their proportional retrocession programme which they call K Cession. Previously called K6, Hannover Re have been bringing retrocessional risks to capital markets investors since as far back as 1995. The retro renewal process has not been smooth going in 2012, with many failing to renew their full programmes as soon as they would have liked. We still hear reports of retro contracts being renewed this far into January and we also hear that ILW usage has increased as it has been a more…

  • UK councils look to weather derivatives for winter weather hedge

    admin
    27 Jan 2012 | 11:22 am
    The UK’s Guardian newspaper reports that some of the local councils in the UK (local government authorities) are seriously looking at weather derivatives as a way to hedge the excess costs of severe winter weather. The UK has been hit by two severely cold winters with unusual amounts of snow and ice in recent years, but this year has been surprisingly warm with very little freezing temperatures. As a result the local councils have found budgeting difficult and potentially costly and so are looking to weather hedging for a possible solution. Research from the Guardian newspaper showed…

  • $63m of Successor X Ltd. Series 2012-1 notes list on Cayman stock exchange

    admin
    27 Jan 2012 | 3:09 am
    Swiss Re’s latest Successor X Ltd. catastrophe bond transaction appears to have completed as two tranches of notes have listed on the Cayman Islands stock exchange. Initially the Successor X Ltd. Series 2012-1 deal was constructed of three tranches of notes, but just two have listed on the exchange. We’re unsure whether the third tranche was dropped from the transaction or not, but at just $63m combined it’s not the largest cat bond to come to market. Yesterday Successor X Ltd. listed a $40m tranche of Series 2012-1 Class V-D3 notes and a $23m tranche of Class V-AA3 notes on…

  • Aetna completes Vitality Re III Ltd. medical benefit insurance-linked security

    admin
    27 Jan 2012 | 2:24 am
    Aetna have completed their third insurance-linked security transaction which allows them to transfer the risk of catastrophic levels of medical benefit claims hitting the firm. The $150m medical benefit linked ILS issued through Cayman Island domiciled Vitality Re III Ltd. provides catastrophe bond type cover to Aetna subsidiary Health Re Inc. against medical benefits claims exceeding pre-determined levels. The Vitality Re series of deals are an effective source of collateralized reinsurance for Aetna, allowing them to hedge the risk of medical benefit claims increasing dramatically over a…

  • Bermuda based investment manager Juniperus Capital sold to Aquiline Capital Partners

    admin
    27 Jan 2012 | 2:03 am
    Bermuda based catastrophe, insurance-linked securities and reinsurance-linked investment manager Juniperus Capital (and it’s Juniperus Insurance Opportunity Fund) has been sold to private-equity firm Aquiline Capital Partners who have bought out their existing shareholders. Founded in 2008 by Benfield, Transatlantic Re and the funds managers, this move has been coming for a while as we had heard rumours that Juniperus had been up for sale for some time during 2011. Aquiline, led by Jeffrey Greenberg former CEO of Marsh, and the funds managers have bought out Aon Benfield, another major…
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    GCCapitalIdeas.com

  • Week’s Top Stories: January 21 - 27, 2012

    GC Editor
    27 Jan 2012 | 9:00 am
    January 2012 Reinsurance Renewal: United Kingdom: Reinsurance rates were generally flat at the January 1, 2012, renewal for the UK property market. While there were no local events causing... Continue reading...

  • January 2012 Reinsurance Renewal: Central & Eastern Europe

    GC Editor
    26 Jan 2012 | 11:00 pm
    In contrast to 2010, there were no meaningful natural catastrophe losses for 2011 in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE); and, therefore, they did not impact pricing. Catastrophe excess of loss rates on... Continue reading...

  • January 2012 Reinsurance Renewal: Germany

    GC Editor
    25 Jan 2012 | 11:00 pm
    On a risk-adjusted basis, reinsurance rates for loss-free catastrophe excess of loss programs were flat at the January 1, 2012, reinsurance renewal in Germany. Loss-affected programs sustained rate... Continue reading...

  • January 2012 Reinsurance Renewal: France

    GC Editor
    25 Jan 2012 | 11:00 pm
    Catastrophe excess of loss ROLs were flat to up 5 percent in France at the January 1, 2012, reinsurance renewal. Per risk programs - both working layer and high risk excess - were flat year over... Continue reading...

  • January 2012 Reinsurance Renewal: Nordic

    GC Editor
    24 Jan 2012 | 11:00 pm
    Reinsurance rates in general were flat in Scandinavia at the January 1, 2012, reinsurance renewal with the exception of catastrophe rates, which increased modestly for loss-free programs and... Continue reading...
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    Free Insurance Magazines and Downloads from alltop.tradepub.com

  • Insurance Study: Transforming Customer Relationships with Analytics

    24 Jan 2012 | 8:20 pm
    Read it now and understand the impact business analytics are having on today's insurance industry.Request Free!

  • Risk & Insurance

    9 Jan 2012 | 1:20 pm
    They offer in-depth articles designed to supply their readers with the inside track on trends and events in risk management, insurance, reinsurance, alternative risk transfer, self-insurance, and benefits.Request Free!

  • Senior Market Advisor

    3 Jan 2012 | 11:20 am
    Senior Market Advisor provides the tools to gain that edge when selling annuities, long-term care, and life insurance. Written specifically for agents, advisors and planners working directly with people 50 and older, Senior Market Advisor gives smart, fresh, and winning strategies to maximize your marketing efforts.Request Free!

  • BestWeek Asia/Pacific Insurance Newsletter

    3 Jan 2012 | 11:20 am
    BestWeek Asia/Pacific offers:Articles covering the latest insurance news in the Asia/Pacific regionExcerpts from Best's Special Reports, for in-depth analysis of larger industry issuesThe latest Best's Credit RatingsStock indices tracking the region's activityVideo news wrap-upsAudio interviews with key figures in the insurance industryRequest Free!

  • Best's Review

    3 Jan 2012 | 11:20 am
    Written for insurance company executives, agents, brokers, analysts, risk managers, underwriters, attorneys and other insurance professionals, the magazine focuses on the business of insurance, spotlighting such key interests as agent/broker issues, health and employee benefits, life insurance, property/casualty insurance, regulatory and legal developments, reinsurance, capital markets and technology.Request Free!
 
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    InsureBlog

  • SOTU: ObamneyCare© MIA

    27 Jan 2012 | 12:30 pm
    Careful listeners might be forgiven if they missed the 44 words covering his signature legislative "victory" in President Obama's most recent State of the Union address. That's correct, 44 words in a speech which, oddly enough, barely qualified as Smarter than an 8th Grader.Now why would the President elide over his stellar accomplishment?Well, the fact that 44% of the public disapproves of it (versus 37% who think it's just Jim Dandy). The most hated part? Well, that remains the (Evil) Individual Mandate, which 54% believe (correctly) is unconstitutional.Which is not to say that the…

  • $howing us the money

    27 Jan 2012 | 8:30 am
    Take a gander at this:Put together by the folks at research biggie RAND Corporation, it "provides a graphical look at how accelerating health care costs have gobbled up the income gains made by American families over the past decade."There's no question that the cost of health care, both its delivery and the financing thereof, has become an ever-increasing burden on the consumer. Although it's not the primary cause of the problem, ObamneyCare© has certainly exacerbated it, by decreasing consumers' "skin in the game" and choices, and increasing the cost of both health care (scarcity) and…

  • RepubliCare

    26 Jan 2012 | 2:42 pm
    We have Obamacare. The law no one bothered to read before voting on it (and many still haven't read it).In spite of the fact it was never really embraced by the public and their disdain for the law continues to grow with each passing day, apparently we are stuck with this fiasco . . . at least for a while.Comes now the Republican party that wants to replace Obamneycare with a monster of their own. For some reason, I doubt it will be a new, improved version.The folks at The Hill wanted to let us know about this little gem.Republicans have made good on their promise to try to repeal Obama’s…

  • Small Biz: RIP

    26 Jan 2012 | 8:26 am
    As we've previously noted, one of the major victims of ObamneyCare© is "small business." Aside from affordability issues, there's the very real problem of uncertainty. That is, if would-be employers can't make at least an educated guess about the future of their business, they're going to be very reluctant to even consider new hires.But don't just take our word for it:"A new poll from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce reveals an increasingly frustrated small business community worried about the impact [ObamneyCare©] may have on their bottom line.Nearly three-quarters ... say the new law is…

  • La plus ca change...

    25 Jan 2012 | 8:56 am
    Thanks to FoIB Holly R, we learn that the bill we had to pass to learn what's in it has accomplished, well, see for yourself:In point of fact, the overall rate of uninsured has been increasing despite [ed: more likely, because of] ObamneyCare©.Feel better now?Original content copyright © InsureBlog
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    Workers Comp Insider

  • Risk roundup, and occupational gizmos & gadgets

    Julie Ferguson
    26 Jan 2012 | 6:28 am
    It's a pop quiz style risk roundup this week where you can match wits with the riskmeisters. The Notwithstanding Blog hosts the Cavalcade of Risk #149: Single Best Answer edition. In other matters, we will use this week's roundup here at Workers Comp Insider to highlight some useful gizmos and gadgets that have been accumulating in our bookmarks folder: a...

  • Building Pyramids, Building iPhones

    Jon Coppelman
    23 Jan 2012 | 10:04 am
    Yesterday the New York Sunday Times ran a fascinating piece on the manufacturing of iPhones. The making of 200 million phones is taking place in the far east, mostly in China. When President Obama asked Steve Jobs "why can't that work come home?" Jobs replied: "Those jobs aren't coming back." The article, written by Charles Duhigg and Keith Bradsher, describes...

  • Health Wonk Review's Look to the Future Edition

    Julie Ferguson
    19 Jan 2012 | 6:33 am
    We're delighted to be hosting Health Wonk Review this month. In looking for a potential theme, we turned to "the Googles" to see if January was noteworthy for any special commemorations beyond Martin Luther King day. Well buckle down because it looks like we will all be very busy. January is apparently train-your-dog month, radon awareness month, "get organized" month,...

  • Cool Tools: OSHA safety videos for construction

    Julie Ferguson
    18 Jan 2012 | 6:37 am
    Falls in Construction - Reroofing In Spanish: Caidas en la Construccion/Reparacion del Techo Sprains and Strains in Construction/Pulling Cables In Spanish: Torceduras y Desgarres en la Construccion/Tendido de Cables Struck-by Accidents in Construction/Swinging Cranes In Spanish: Golpes Causados por Accidentes en Construccion/Gruas en Movimiento...

  • Risk, repackaged drugs, bizarre cases and other news notes

    Julie Ferguson
    11 Jan 2012 | 12:06 pm
    Risk Roundup - Political Calculations blog hosts this week's Cavalcade of Risk, replete with a post rating system. Check it out. Florida repackaged drugs issue redux - Dave DePaolo posts about a new effort to put a price cap on Florida's repackaged drugs. He posits that changing economic and regulatory conditions might create a more favorable climate for passage....
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    Managed Care Matters

  • Killing claimants.

    jpaduda@healthstrategyassoc.com
    26 Jan 2012 | 5:24 am
    Over the last ten years, more than two thousand claimants have died as a result of drugs received as part of their "treatment' for their occupational injury or illness. That's the conclusion reached by Peter Rousmaniere in his latest column...

  • Physician dispensing in Florida - Can money buy bad policy?

    jpaduda@healthstrategyassoc.com
    24 Jan 2012 | 7:09 am
    One of the most powerful firms in the physician dispensing business is sending hundreds of thousands of dollars to elected officials in Florida. [sub req] The donations, to individual politicians and their affiliated organizations, come as the Florida Senate is...

  • Genex is for sale

    jpaduda@healthstrategyassoc.com
    23 Jan 2012 | 6:13 am
    Looks like the rumors are based in fact; case management/bill review vendor Genex is up for sale. The "official" news came yesterday (thanks to a good friend for the tip); "The Wayne, Pennsylvania-based company has EBITDA of USD 40m, the...

  • Copperfield Research's CorVel hatchet job

    jpaduda@healthstrategyassoc.com
    23 Jan 2012 | 5:58 am
    A couple days ago a shadowy equity "research" outfit that goes by the name Copperfield Research published what can only be described as a hatchet job, with CorVel the target. I'm no fan of CorVel - their business model makes...

  • MCM's position on SOPA and PIPA

    jpaduda@healthstrategyassoc.com
    21 Jan 2012 | 6:23 am
    I don't like these bills, and neither should you. First, my perspective. I'm a content provider and a copyright holder. I don't want anyone else taking my intellectual property without permission and/or compensation. This isn't just about MCM; I've also...
 
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    Insurance Industry Blog

  • EEOC: Another Record Year for Job Bias Claims

    Claire
    27 Jan 2012 | 6:30 am
    As we first reported last November, job bias charges reported to the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) hit an all-time high of nearly 100,000 in fiscal year 2011 for the second year in a row. This week the EEOC confirmed that it received a record 99,947 charges of employment discrimination in fiscal year 2011, up slightly from last year’s total, and monetary relief obtained for victims totaled $455.6 million, an increase of more than $51 million on the previous year. Now for the details of the most frequently filed discrimination charges in FY 2011: – Once again, charges…

  • Top Jury Verdicts Rise Again in 2011

    Claire
    25 Jan 2012 | 6:00 am
    The size of the top 10 jury awards rose for a fourth consecutive year in 2011, according to a recent report from Lawyers USA. The 10 largest jury verdicts in 2011 totaled $1.84 billion, an increase of 15 percent from $1.6 billion in 2010. Lawyers USA noted that the average award for 2011 increased by $27 million, rising to just under $184 million from nearly $157 million the prior year. While the top award was slightly lower in 2011 – $482 million versus $505.1 million in 2010 – the drop this year was much less steep to the #2 award of $322 million and the #3 award of $212 million.

  • Supply Chain Disruption, Insurance, and Risk Management

    Claire
    23 Jan 2012 | 6:15 am
    An article in the New York Times Saturday drew attention to the ongoing supply chain issues in the wake of last year’s flooding in Thailand. In the Nava Nakom industrial zone located just north of Bangkok, only 15 percent of 227 factories operating in the zone have restarted production of electronics and computer parts, according to the NYT. In particular, the production of hard drives has been impacted disrupting supply around the world. What this means is that consumers may face increased prices for hard drives for the next several months, the NYT reports. Understandably future flood…

  • WEF: Global Risks 2012

    Claire
    19 Jan 2012 | 6:15 am
    Economic imbalances and social inequality risk reversing the gains of globalization, warns the World Economic Forum (WEF) in its just-released report Global Risks 2012. Respondents to the survey worry that further economic shocks and social upheaval could roll back the progress globalization has brought, and that the world’s institutions are ill-equipped to cope with today’s interconnected, rapidly evolving risks. Chronic fiscal imbalances and severe income disparity are the risks seen as most prevalent over the next 10 years, the WEF reports. These risks in tandem threaten global growth…

  • Global Markets Play Key Role In Costa Concordia Loss

    Claire
    17 Jan 2012 | 6:00 am
    Reports suggest that insured losses arising from the grounding and capsize of the Costa Concordia cruise ship off the west coast of Italy Friday night could make it the largest marine insurance loss in history. So far, six are confirmed dead and 29 reported missing after the Costa Concordia, carrying over 4,000 passengers and crew, apparently deviated from its course and hit rocks near the island of Giglio. The ship is owned by Carnival Corp. Concerns were growing yesterday that the ship could break up and cause an environmental disaster if some of its roughly 2,300 tonnes of fuel leak. A…
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    NewAmerica.net Blog Posts

  • Health Wonk Review: Look to the future edition!

    Joe Colucci
    19 Jan 2012 | 9:58 am
    Yes, folks, it's back! This week's Health Wonk Review is up, hosted by Julie Ferguson at Worker's Comp Insider.This edition has stories on the promise of better IT for improving primary care, the Supreme Court and the ACA, scaremongering about neurosurgery for seniors, the Presidential candidates' financial relationships with health care companies, and more.Check back on February 2nd for the next exciting edition of Health Wonk Review, hosted by Louise Norris at Colorado Long Term Care Insider! Health Policy Program

  • Mattress Graves

    Joe Colucci
    17 Jan 2012 | 8:22 am
    Shannon Brownlee's back at TIME Ideas with a new op-ed yesterday: this one about the article we mentioned last month, called How Doctors Die. Brownlee adds more context to the first commentary, by retired physician Ken Murray, with gut-wrenching descriptions of precisely why doctors tend to avoid intense, invasive care at the end of life:"Doctors also know that undergoing heroic measures is a lousy way to die. They’ve seen what it’s like for an elderly patient to end up in the ICU, hooked up to machines, often semiparalyzed, in pain, lying on what philosopher Sidney Hook called…

  • FDA: "Intellectual" conflict of interest more serious than actual conflict

    Joe Colucci
    12 Jan 2012 | 4:02 pm
    Conflict of interest is back in the news this week, with a new story in the Washington Monthly by medical journalist Jeanne Lenzer and Keith Epstein. The story, also reported on by the Wall Street Journal and co-published with BMJ, reports that three decisive votes on a recent FDA safety evaluation panel had financial relationships with Bayer--maker of the drugs in question.Yaz, Yasmin, Beyaz, and Safyral are Bayer's birth control drugs that contain the hormone drospirenone. Such drugs have come under heavy fire in recent years for being unsafe. Consumers and researchers have argued that the…

  • One in Seven

    Joe Colucci
    10 Jan 2012 | 12:48 pm
    If you ran a summer camp that never reported the vast majority of times that you hurt one of your campers, you'd probably be shut down, arrested, or worse. The situation would be similar if a restaurant repeatedly made customers sick, or if a skydiving business habitually gave people the wrong parachutes.Why, then, do hospitals only report about one in seven of the hundreds of thousands of medical errors, infections, and other adverse events that harm patients every year? And why can they get away with it?That's a crucial question posed by Shannon Brownlee's most recent piece on TIME Ideas:…

  • SCOTUS and the Affordable Care Act: The Countdown Begins...

    Joe Colucci
    9 Jan 2012 | 10:24 am
    Various groups, including the Attorneys General of twenty-six states, the National Federation of Independent Businesses, and several individuals, have sued the federal government over parts of the Affordable Care Act. Specifically, they've alleged that the mandate requiring individuals to purchase health insurance is unconstitutional -- it overreaches the enumerated powers of the federal government. The case was recently accepted by the Supreme Court, with oral argument scheduled for March and a decision likely by the end of June. If the Court accepts the plaintiffs' arguments, they could…
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    Go Health Insurance Blog

  • Five Health Insurance Companies with Mobile Apps

    GoHealth
    27 Jan 2012 | 1:06 pm
    Just in case you didn’t have enough mobile apps on your smart phone, your health insurance company may have one to help you as well. Here are a list of a few insurance companies and what their mobile application features include: Blue Cross Blue Shield: The Blue Cross Blue Shield app has a provider finder where you can find the nearest urgent care centers, doctors, and hospitals. You can access your member ID card, view your health plan, claims you’ve made and access health and wellness information. The mobile app allows for the user profile to be edited and you can contact customer…

  • 4 Reasons to Utilize Stand Alone Dental and Vision Insurance

    GoHealth
    26 Jan 2012 | 4:40 pm
    If your insurance policy does cover dental and vision insurance, it may not be the full coverage you need. Many times health insurance policies do not provide dental and vision insurance at all giving consumers the chance to purchase a policy with more coverage. Here’s why it can be better to get stand alone dental and vision: 1. Vision benefits may not be completely covered. When health policies do involve vision insurance, it can lack some key features. For example, if you have glasses, contacts or a family history of vision problems, try to get a plan with more coverage for these…

  • 5 Benefits of a High Deductible Health Plan

    GoHealth
    25 Jan 2012 | 4:29 pm
    Whether you are shopping for a new insurance plan, or you already have one and are looking for ways to save money, it is important to take a look at the benefits of a High Deductible Health Plan (HDHP). While a High Deductible Health Plan may not be for everyone, there are some attractive qualities. 1. Lower premiums. The deductible may be higher and you’ll have to pay more out-of-pocket expenses as health expenses come along, but your monthly premiums are lower. High deductibles allow your health insurance coverage to be more affordable and a better fit for your budget since your premiums…

  • Health Care Reform Becomes a Cartoon [Video]

    GoHealth
    24 Jan 2012 | 9:43 am
    For those who are still confused about health care reform, the Kaiser Family Foundation created a video to help explain consumer questions. The video even highlights the political partiality that still exists after its passage. Think of this as the Sesame Street version of a 1,000 page law. What questions do you still have about health care reform? Are you worried your health insurance costs will increase or that you’ll lose your plan?

  • What to Avoid When Comparing Health Insurance Quotes

    GoHealth
    24 Jan 2012 | 9:15 am
    Comparing products across any site can seem like a time-consuming process and unfortunately, finding health insurance coverage can be a little more complicated. To make it easy on yourself consider the following tips of what not to do: 1. Enter your personal information on more than one site. When you enter your information, you may get telephone calls. To avoid an excess amount of phone calls, just enter your information on one site. 2. Use a site that redirects you to another site. Many health insurance sites don’t have quoting technology. If you are taken to another site for health…
 
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    IBR - News

  • Chubb Q4 net income declines

    26 Jan 2012 | 10:33 pm
    US-based insurer The Chubb Corporation has reported a net income of $452m, or $1.60 diluted earnings per share, for the fourth quarter of 2011, compared to $620m, or $2.02 diluted earnings per share, for the same period in 2010.

  • Ironshore names underwriter of Mergers & Acquisitions division

    26 Jan 2012 | 2:00 am
    Ironshore, a provider of property and casualty insurance, has named Katherine Cheung as underwriter of its Mergers & Acquisitions division and solicitor of its Lloyd's Pembroke Syndicate 4000 in London.

  • John Hancock Financial Network names new president

    26 Jan 2012 | 2:00 am
    John Hancock Financial Network (JHFN) has named Brian Heapps as its president replacing Peter Gordon who has become the general manager of John Hancock Retirement Plan Services.

  • Willis expands operations to support Market growth

    26 Jan 2012 | 2:00 am
    Willis Group Holdings has expanded and relocated its South Florida headquarters (HQ) to Florida, US to support growth in key market.

  • AmWINS acquires UK's THB

    26 Jan 2012 | 1:00 am
    US-based AmWINS Group has completed the acquisition of THB Group, a UK- based independent insurance and reinsurance broker and risk management business provider.
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    Methodology

  • New Feature: Easily Share Pages to Twitter and Facebook

    akassover
    23 Jan 2012 | 3:46 pm
    We’ve recently added an enhancement to the AgentMethods insurance website platform to make promoting your website on social networks even easier. You can now promote any page on your site to Facebook and Twitter with a single click. Watch a quick overview of the new enhancement: Give it a try! Log in to your AgentMethods account now to give it a try! We hope you find this useful!  

  • Having an Agency Newsletter Helps increase Sales and Retention

    akassover
    24 Oct 2011 | 2:38 pm
    We’re always looking for ways to help agents use the Internet improve their insurance marketing. I’ve talked about the importance of email marketing in the past. Email newsletters are a proven approach to growing your agency. They help you develop relationships, build trust, retain customers, and increase the number of policies you’ll sell to each of your customers. The problem is that writing a good newsletter is a TON of work. We’ve been working with Insurance Newsletters to make it easier for AgentMethods agents to launch and manage an email newsletter program…

  • Optimize your Social Media Profiles for SEO

    akassover
    11 Oct 2011 | 12:40 pm
    Like it or not, your prospects are typing your name into search engines before and after you meet with them. They’re doing their due diligence – checking up on you, making sure you are legit and can be trusted, and don’t have a bad reputation. This is a great opportunity for you to reinforce your message, the value you bring, and build trust with your prospects.  Make sure you are proactive about managing your online reputation. Even if you aren’t actively using social networks like LinkedIn or Facebook, make sure you and your agencies have a presence there so your…

  • New Features: Recent Leads Page and Leads Quick Access

    akassover
    7 Sep 2011 | 6:54 pm
    We’ve recently added two enhancements to the AgentMethods leads manager to make managing your leads even easier. First, we added a “Quick Access Box” that lets you instantly search your leads from anywhere inside AgentMethods. Second, we gave the leads tab a new look. You’ll now see a ‘Recent Activity’ view, giving you a snapshot of recent updates within your leads. Watch a quick overview of the new enhancements: Give it a try! Log in to your AgentMethods account now to give it a try! Once you log in, look for the “leads” icon to access the…

  • New content and callouts added to the AgentMethods content library

    akassover
    6 Jul 2011 | 4:27 pm
    Freshen up your website with new content and callouts! We just added new titles covering a range of products to our content library. AgentMethods customers can update their site from our content library at any time. This is a great way to keep your site fresh and give your visitors a reason to come back. New Coverage Options Articles: Umbrella Insurance Flood, Earthquake and Mudslides Commercial Umbrella Insurance Errors and Omissions New Resource Center Articles: What are the costs if your business is closed Prepare for your financial needs in retirement Retirement Planning We will continue…
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    BeamaLife

  • Learn About A 20 Year Term Life Insurance Coverage

    BeamaLife Editor
    24 Jan 2012 | 6:20 am
    Term life insurance may be looking pretty attractive to you if you need an affordable form of protection. Life has unexpected situations lurking around every corner, meaning that you can never be prepared enough. Life insurance will allow you to stay secure and protected for an occurrence like death, accident or illness. You can provide for your family with term life insurance that covers you for a 20-year period, and by learning a little more about this specific coverage, you can make the most of your policy.Why You May Need 20 Year Term Life Insurance CoverageNobody wants their loved ones…

  • Money Saving Tips For Life Insurance Holders

    BeamaLife Editor
    24 Jan 2012 | 6:03 am
    When you are shopping for life insurance, it wouldn’t hurt you to know some tips on how to save your money. It would be unfortunate for you to overlook this part of the process and wind up with a policy that has out you out of pocket. As time progresses, it seems that the fees attached to these life insurance policies will increase. This can leave you with little choice when it comes to uncovering a policy that is relatively low-cost, but you can bear some things in mind prior to investing, so you can make the options you have less costly.Consider A Joint Life Insurance PolicyLooking into a…

  • Don’t Let The Recession Affect Your Family – Get Term Life Insurance

    BeamaLife Editor
    23 Jan 2012 | 10:44 am
    The current economy and the recession is a difficult thing to deal with, especially for families, but with term life insurance things can be made much easier. Term life insurance is a rather cost-effective option if you are looking into this kind of protection. This feasible option is beneficial for anyone affected by the recession, because you can keep your family sheltered from financial issues. The benefits incorporated into this policy will be valuable for you, as well as your family.Low Cost Protection From Term Life InsuranceAll people who are scouring through various policies to…

  • Preserving Funds For Your Children’s Education With Life Insurance

    BeamaLife Editor
    23 Jan 2012 | 9:52 am
    If you have children, undoubtedly you will be thinking about taking out a life insurance plan as a way of protecting them for the future. Regardless of when you pass away your children, no matter what their age, will still need some form of support if they wish to maintain a healthy education. This education could set up your child’s future and provide them with the possibility of working in the career they truly desire. While children’s education fees can sometimes be quite hefty, saving over time with a life insurance plan makes things easier for both you and your dependents.How To Fund…

  • Life Insurance Quotes & Details You Should Divulge

    BeamaLife Editor
    20 Jan 2012 | 7:21 am
    Life insurance quotes are a list of quotations pertaining to various policies that could benefit you and your dependents in a number of financial ways. You should devote time into examining a number of price comparison websites so that you can guarantee you have found some coverage that truly relates to the specific information you have given. There are some things you will be asked when filling in an online form to get life insurance quotes.Providing Your Age, Sex & Name For Life Insurance QuotesThese are details you will normally need to give when you are considering paying money for…
 
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    Health Insurance and You

  • UPDATE: New Standardized Health Insurance Forms Unveiled

    nalinimp
    25 Jan 2012 | 2:27 pm
    Last summer, we blogged about new, standardized forms created by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners that aimed to simplify the health insurance shopping process by allowing insurers and plans to be compared directly. Much like food nutrition labels, the four-page forms included charts listing the costs of common procedures for in-network and out-of-network providers, sample calculations for three scenarios, and definitions of common insurance terms. The new forms would not replace the longer booklets that currently describe plans, but instead, would serve as a supplement.

  • TREND: Many Insurers Creating their Own Online Exchanges

    nalinimp
    23 Jan 2012 | 3:23 pm
    Two years from now, states and the federal government will begin operating their health insurance exchanges, online marketplaces where customers can compare the plans, prices, and networks offered by insurers in the state and enroll in the coverage of their choice. Online exchanges aren’t completely new – in fact, GetInsured.com is one of several private exchanges – but they have gained traction recently as an important part of health reform. Now, notes Elizabeth Stawicki of Minnesota Public Radio, there is a new trend among health insurance companies: ahead of the 2014 launch of the…

  • Obama Administration Lauds States’ Progress on Health Insurance Exchanges

    nalinimp
    20 Jan 2012 | 6:00 am
    The Supreme Court case pitting 26 states against the health reform law has received a lot of attention in recent weeks. But in the meantime, many of the same states have been making progress in building online health insurance exchanges, a key component of the 2010 overhaul. In fact, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced on Wednesday that 28 states and the District of Columbia have moved toward creating the exchanges, in spite of the legal challenges to the law and political opposition to it in many states. According to an article by David Morgan of Reuters, 14 states…

  • House Moves Closer to Repealing CLASS Long-Term Care Program

    nalinimp
    19 Jan 2012 | 12:07 pm
    During the past few months, we have covered the story of the Community Living Assistance Services and Supports (CLASS) program, health reform’s program for long-term care insurance. While it was being debated and in the months following its enactment, various groups and analysts expressed doubts about whether the program could pay for itself. (Last year’s health overhaul required CLASS to be solvent for at least 75 years, explains Igor Volsky of Think Progress). Last October, echoing those worries, the Obama administration decided to drop the program. Now, the formal repeal of CLASS is…

  • What is a Tiered Health Insurance Plan?

    nalinimp
    17 Jan 2012 | 11:31 am
    The ideal doctor, from a health insurance company’s point of view, is one who provides high-quality care – reducing complications and the need for costly follow-up – at a low price. Your criteria may run along the same lines, depending on your health and insurance status. But actually measuring these factors and weighing them against one another, in a way that allows you to directly compare doctors and treatments, can get pretty tricky. Many insurers in Massachusetts are tackling that very challenge by creating ‘tiered’ health insurance plans. In a traditional plan, like an HMO or…
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    FREE Auto Insurance Quotes

  • Methods on Selecting the Most Affordable Auto Insurance Policy

    DanielNBrown
    27 Jan 2012 | 4:20 pm
    Choosing a specific affordable auto insurance plan would prove to be a hassle for you. You do not need to become a genius to make a wise purchase when it comes to automobile insurance, however you need to take time to make some research. What do various insurers provide when it comes to coverage and [...]

  • Compare Car Insurance Estimates

    DanielNBrown
    26 Jan 2012 | 5:19 pm
    Low-budget car insurance is an economical car insurance, which offers only a minimum coverage on the driver. The coverage that is offered by cheap online car insurance varies from one state to another. However, any low-budget vehicle insurance will provide cover for the third-party injuries and also damages to house. There are a certain low-budget [...]

  • Car Insurance Quotes – Ways to Get an Auto Insurance Quote

    DanielNBrown
    25 Jan 2012 | 5:29 pm
    Most car insurance policies will include a compulsory excess’, which is the amount the insurance plan customer must pay if an crash occurs. However, on top of this most will offer a voluntary excess’ which is an additional amount you agree to spend towards a claim. Setting the extra at a high rate decreases premiums, [...]
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    The Irish Life Blog

  • Review of 2011

    Ruth
    20 Jan 2012 | 9:22 am
    2011 saw two distinct halves for investors and once being on the right side of the risk on or risk off trade at the appropriate time rewarded investors. Investors with appetite for riskier assets benefited during the first half of the year, but a more cautious approach rewarded investors in the second half. Furthermore the optimism around inflation, economic growth and higher risk asset prices all faded in the second half of the year. Concerns about the indebtedness of the advanced economies dominated and resulted in a flight to quality that saw gold reach record high levels, government bond…

  • The Last Word on TodayFM talks about our new cash-back offer

    Colin
    19 Jan 2012 | 8:42 am
    We were delighted to see The Irish Independent’s finance editor, Charlie Weston, on The Last Word with Matt Cooper yesterday evening on Today FM, talking about our great new cash-back offer for Life Insurance. You can Listen to Charlie’s full piece on the Last Word here; TodayFM Last Word Charlie Weston If you wish to avail of this limited offer, you must apply to Irish Life for any new Life Cover plan before 02 March 2012. Then start the plan on or before 27 April 2012, pay into your plan for two months and you will get your first two months payments back. This offer is available…

  • Irish Life’s €1 million cash-back promotion!

    Colin
    17 Jan 2012 | 6:19 am
    Start a new Life Cover plan and get your first two months payments back, or a minimum of €50. Between now and 02 March 2012 inclusive, We are offering you the opportunity to get cash back on your first 2 months premiums when you take out a new life cover policy with us. We all need to protect what’s important to us. With a Life Cover plan you can relax knowing your family could be looked after in the future. So, Irish Life would like to give you a helping hand to get you started. Apply to Irish Life for any new Life Cover plan before 02 March 2012. Then start the plan on or before 27…

  • Irish Life Staff thrilled to donate €140,000 to children’s charities

    irishlife
    15 Dec 2011 | 8:52 am
    At the start of every year everyone in Irish Life gets to vote to pick two charities of their choice, one an Irish charity working at home and one an Irish charity working abroad. This year we picked Our Lady’s Hospital for Sick Children’, Crumlin and ‘The Cyril Duncan Siam Children’s Foundation’ which supports projects for vulnerable children in Bangkok, Thailand.. Once we’ve picked our two charities in January we develop a fundraising calendar for the year made up of a series of events and activities.  For example this year we ran a very keenly contested Strictly Come Dancing…

  • Another Emergency Summit

    Ruth
    13 Dec 2011 | 8:08 am
    Europe moves closer to integration, albeit slowly The EU summit meeting on Friday (9th of December) took the first big step in moving towards a fiscal integration which is a major step in addressing one of the major flaws of the Euro and also removes the moral hazard of supporting a government without having control of any its policies. Nevertheless the resolution has fallen short in many other ways, particularly how Italy and Spain are to raise finance to repay debts in the case of Italy and to fund exchequer spending in the case of Spain in 2012. Hence we would expect that volatility will…
 
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    BGN Blog | Leading Benefits Agencies to Profitable Growth

  • Your Silence Speaks Volumes

    26 Jan 2012 | 4:00 am
    We have spent quite a bit of time in this space talking about how you establish the brand you want. A big part of the brand revolves around the things you need to be talking about and where you need to be talking about them.  What you also need to consider and be equally aware of is how much what you don’t say affects your brand, as well. I don’t know if it’s just me, but it seems the general rules of professionalism and communication protocol have become very loose, or abandoned altogether.  All too frequently, I experience the following: No-shows for conference calls/meetings with…

  • Your Next 90 Days – Accelerate Your Learning

    23 Jan 2012 | 4:00 am
    This is the second of 10 challenges for you to consider embracing to create a new year that is more productive for yourself as well as for those around you.  I have borrowed ideas from a book I read last year, The First 90 Days: Critical Success Stories for New Leaders by Michael Watkins.Read previous challenge articles:First Challenge – Promote yourself. Second Challenge – Accelerate Your Learning If you have committed to being a professional, whether you did it consciously or not, you committed to a lifetime of learning.   And I don’t just mean the learning that comes with…

  • Your Next 90 Days

    19 Jan 2012 | 4:00 am
    It’s a new year, which always means a fresh start, new opportunities, and, hopefully for you, a new role.  And while most of you aren’t formally taking on new leadership roles, I would like to suggest that you increase the scope and impact of whatever role you currently fill in your organization to the point of it effectively being a “new role” for you.  Over the next several weeks, I will touch on 10 challenges you should consider as you embrace a 2012 that will allow you to have a greater impact on your own responsibilities and results, as well as for those around you.  As I do…

  • Be Committed or Go Home

    16 Jan 2012 | 4:00 am
    Changes - they're generally things we’re either excited about and committed to accomplishing, or they’re things we feel we should do and only put forth a modicum of effort to attempt the changes.One way will likely include planning and commitment to the end goal, a lot of hard work, reality checks along the way, plan adjustments, and hopefully an end result that is somewhat in line with the original vision.The other will likely include a half-hearted attempt to describe “an ideal scenario”. This will be more wishful thinking than an actual goal. The effort will lack commitment and…

  • Gone In an Instant – Our Year In Review

    12 Jan 2012 | 4:00 am
    2011 was an incredibly busy and blazing fast year for us. Or it sure feels that way! We have been very involved with creating and training, and time seems to be defined by each of those mile markers along the way. We’ve learned a lot of great lessons and continue to incorporate each of them back into training, resources, and blog posts – where you’ll find our experiences and lessons diligently documented! We started out the year launching our new sales system and digging into training sessions throughout the spring. Then there were on-site strategic planning sessions we conducted with…
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    Insurance

  • Labor and Management Form Coalition to Stabilize Workers’ Compensation Costs

    mschroeder
    17 Jan 2012 | 11:09 am
    A coalition is an alliance among individuals or groups, during which they cooperate in joint action, each in their own self-interest, joining forces together for a common cause. Labor and management in the building trades of West Virginia have done exactly that in their joint effort to control the costs of workers’ compensation insurance. Recognizing the benefits of training, drug testing, and proactive communication in the objective of reducing workers’ compensation injuries, labor and management have combined efforts and created an insurance program that returns the benefits of reduced…

  • Joint and Several Liability and the “Good Deal” Self Insured Groups Offer

    gteafatiller
    5 Jan 2012 | 4:20 pm
    Why Self Insured Groups may not be the answer for your firm. Recently I have been made aware of a couple of burgeoning Self Insured Groups (SIG’s) that are active in the Central San Joaquin Valley. One of them is Agriculture specific, and has had success in the Farm Labor Contractor market locally. When premiums start to rise (as they are doing right now), these SIG’s pop up with promises of lower rates and “profit-sharing” opportunities that always sound attractive to the unsuspecting or unaware employer. This is where the terms Joint and Several come in. Virtually every SIG contract…

  • “2012 Data Privacy and Information Security Predictions”

    sgodes
    4 Jan 2012 | 12:41 pm
    My friend, Christine Marciano, who is President, Cyber Data Risk Managers, just released her 2012 Data Privacy and Information Security Predictions. The report is an interesting series of predictions on what 2012 will hold in the areas of privacy and cyber risks. Here is how Christine describes the report: This is our first Data Privacy [...]Read Original Post

  • Join me for RIMS 2012 Annual Conference & Exhibition in Philadelphia!

    sgodes
    29 Dec 2011 | 3:01 pm
    Looking for a fantastic seminar devoted to risk and insurance?  Are you a risk manager?  Are you part of the insurance industry?  Are you someone who helps companies get their claims covered and paid (that’s me! that’s me!)? Of course, then, you want to attend a risk management seminar with “no boundaries.”  Well, look no [...]Read Original Post

  • Protect your business…from your employees!

    fshaw
    19 Dec 2011 | 4:37 pm
    EMPLOYEE   DISHONESTY In addition to the bad economy, businesses are increasingly victimized by Employee Dishonesty and theft as the economic crunch spreads from the CEO’s portfolio to the receptionist’s pocketbook. The Lancaster Sunday News reported (on 12/11/11) that Secret Sneaker, an innovative small business in Lancaster, Pa, is closing it doors after 16 years. More interestingly is the case reported by the store’s owner a year ago: his trusted employee stealing $115,000 from the store. While business is down, that $115,000 might have kept their doors open long…
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    AFL-CIO NOW BLOG

  • Pensions Aren’t the Problem for State Budgets

    admin
    27 Jan 2012 | 3:24 pm
    This is a crosspost by AFSCME President Lee Saunders from Huffington Post. Rupert Murdoch’s Wall Street Journal, the Pravda of the 1 percent, is at it again, continuing its push to gut the retirement security of millions of middle class workers across the country while enriching the Wall Street moneymen who just three years ago took our economy over the cliff. Virtually everyone agrees that our nation faces a retirement security crisis, but the Journal last week published a shameful op-ed calling for the elimination of pensions for nurses, firefighters, corrections officers and others…

  • Poverty Underlies Education System’s Shortcomings

    admin
    27 Jan 2012 | 2:56 pm
    Here’s a letter to the editor in The Hill by Diann Woodard, president of the School Administrators (AFSA), the only national education union representing principals, assistant principals and school administrators. The failure of our education system lies not within the walls of the public schools that serve children in crisis, but with the policymakers and policies in place that ignore the fundamental causes of low student achievement: unfair funding formulas, poverty and unproven education policies (“For America’s children, education outlook grows only dimmer,” Jan. 23, by Juan…

  • Rep. Miller Asks Justice Dept. for Investigation of Possible Coercion of NLRB Member

    Tula Connell
    27 Jan 2012 | 11:48 am
    Rep. George Miller (D-Calif.), the senior Democrat on the House Education and the Workforce Committee, asked the Department of Justice to look into evidence uncovered by a National Labor Relations Board Inspector General investigation that found board member Brian Hayes engaged in employment discussions with a law firm with business before the agency. Miller wrote: The board plays a critical role in adjudicating and administering the rights of employees and employers under our nation’s labor law and Board members must be free of coercion and undue influence when executing their…

  • Overall Union Membership Notches Up from 2010 to 2011

    Tula Connell
    27 Jan 2012 | 10:29 am
    Overall union membership increased by 49,000 from 2010 to 2011, including 15,000 new 16- to 24-year-old members, according to new U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data out this morning. An increase of 110,000 in the private sector was partially offset by a decline of  61,000 in the public sector, making the rate of union membership essentially unchanged at 11.8 percent, with some 14.8 million U.S. workers union members. Public-sector density increased from 36.2 percent to 37 percent though November 2011. Private-sector union membership remains at 6.9 percent. The largest increases in…

  • 282 Cablevision Workers Join CWA

    admin
    27 Jan 2012 | 9:21 am
    Yesterday, 282 Cablevision technicians and dispatchers in Brooklyn voted to join the Communications Workers of America (CWA) Local 1109 in a union election administered by the National Labor Relations Board, overcoming a vigorous anti-union campaign led by Cablevision. They are the first Cablevision workers to join a union. Cable TV is an overwhelmingly nonunion industry while the traditional telecommunications industry remains highly unionized. “I’ve waited 13 years for this,” said Cablevision technician Clarence Adams. “United, as members of Communications Workers of America, we…
 
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    Car Insurance Crazy

  • Learn About Brisbane Limo Hire

    Muneeb Niaz
    28 Jan 2012 | 5:07 am
    Limousine is a luxurious automotive also known as a saloon automotive and is legendary for its stylishness and supreme magnificence. Limos are the world’s most glamorous automobiles that earned the best fame everywhere in the world. Not solely the appears to be like however the interior of the automobile can also be very splendid and attractive. But All these qualities add a whole lot of zeros to the piece of limo making it so costly that only a few individuals can afford to buy this stunning creation. A lot of the other people who can’t buy this extremely expensive luxurious car…

  • Learn About Brisbane Limo Hire

    Papu Badshah
    28 Jan 2012 | 5:07 am
    Limousine is a luxurious automotive also called a saloon automotive and is known for its stylishness and supreme magnificence. Limos are the world’s most glamorous cars that earned the best fame all over the world. Not solely the looks however the inside of the automotive can be very splendid and attractive. But All these qualities add quite a lot of zeros to the piece of limo making it so costly that only some folks can afford to buy this beautiful creation. Many of the different people who can not purchase this extremely expensive luxurious automotive can get pleasure from its…

  • A Process Outline On Car Transport

    Dave Barty
    28 Jan 2012 | 4:41 am
    Before going in to the topic, let us know what is car transport? Automobile transport will be the procedure of transporting a car from one place to other place that may be either from state to state or from city to city. While you’re preparing for car transport, numerous things should be taken into consideration. One of the most important issues is whether to move yourself or take the services form a reputed automobile shipping businesses. Car transport service is generally done by automobile transport or automobile transport companies. They’ll move the automobile from one…

  • Alfa Romeo 147: Sporty and sexy design of the vehicle

    Amrit Saini
    28 Jan 2012 | 4:33 am
    From its seems on your own, you can watch that the 2011 Alfa Romeo Brera car is a fantastic Italian grand tourer. The sporty and attractive design of the automobile is very captivating. From its common-seeking bonnet design and style to its huge striking rear lighting, the Brera is basically wonderful. You will definitely love its layout and would want to demonstrate the entire world that you personal 1. It is the variety of car that will not last much more than eight hours in your garage. You would certainly want to get on & push the auto all all around the city and display to all people…

  • Tips To Get Good Car Insurance

    Tommy J Wherrington
    28 Jan 2012 | 4:29 am
    It is the law that car owners must have auto insurance. Finding and purchasing the appropriate car insurance can be daunting. You want an insurance policy that covers your requirements and is cost effective. Prior to shopping for car insurance, you should identify exactly which types of coverage you will need in your insurance policy. Read on to get some good tips to keep in mind when searching for auto insurance. Your car insurance is strongly affected by traffic tickets and points influencing your driving record. For the same reason, they can also reduce the cost of your auto insurance when…
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    Car Insurance Comparison

  • Indiana DUI Insurance Laws

    Editor
    27 Jan 2012 | 11:27 pm
    The “Drive Sober or Be Pulled over Campaign” has hit the state that is the host to the spectacular Indy 500, one of the most popular sporting events in America. It just goes to show that in states like Indiana that love fast cars, smart driving is similarly in vogue. This article details the laws, requirements, penalties and impact on insurance that DUI’s have in the great state of Indiana. Before examining the data, it’s vital to stress the benefits of online auto insurance comparison, due to the impact that a DUI in the state of Indiana has on your insurance rates and ability to…

  • The 10 Most Stolen Cars in 2012

    tyler
    24 Jan 2012 | 11:33 pm
    Every year, the Highway Loss Data Institute publishes their report on the most stolen cars. Based on their past findings, we’re going to predict what cars will make the list of  top ten most stolen cars in 2012. The cost of the losses that insurance companies pay due to theft is reflected in rising car insurance costs for consumers. Try our FREE ZIP code search to see if you can lower your car insurance rates today! Here are some things to remember from IIHS.org on the HLDI findings: Losses are based only on cars insured by companies that report losses to the HLDI. Statistics do not…

  • The 10 Most Dangerous Vehicles Currently on the Road

    Editor
    21 Jan 2012 | 12:50 pm
    No car is perfect when it comes to safety. We know that automakers take safety seriously: in just the last 10 years, technical advances like crumple zones, reinforced cabin beams, and electronic stability control have reduced fatalities and severe injuries. But some cars are safer than others … and here are some recent makes and models that don’t pass muster, according to the Insurance Institute For Highway Safety’s 2009, 2010, and 2011 rankings. We also called three major insurance companies to ask them how much more they’d charge to insure these cars. You might be a…

  • Who are the best Wisconsin car insurance companies?

    tyler
    17 Jan 2012 | 6:00 pm
    It’s simple to find the best Wisconsin car insurance companies by doing an online comparison, which will take you just a few minutes to get basic rate quotes with our FREE ZIP code search. Despite being required by law in the state of Wisconsin, car insurance is being increasingly eliminated from many household budgets, in order to save money in the short term, because so many people are being laid off or face the uncertainty of their employment. This is faulty logic on those who decide against insurance because getting into one accident could cost you well over the amount of money…

  • How Durable Are Hybrid and Electric Cars?

    Editor
    17 Jan 2012 | 5:44 pm
      The Chevy Volt is having a bit of an image problem lately. Although nobody has actually been hurt, the Volt has caught on fire due to battery damage during government testing, leading to more government inquiry and safety concerns about hybrid and electric cars. Which raises the question: how durable and safe are these cars? As it turns out, they’re a lot tougher than their crunchy-granola gas-sipping pedigree would suggest. Owners and car insurance companies can all breathe a sigh of relief. We looked for unusual accidents or other demonstrations of the car’s durability,…
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    Insurance Providers

  • Aetna vs. Homesteaders Life Company

    powder
    26 Jan 2012 | 11:53 am
    Insurance is vital to remaining economically sound when one’s situation becomes negative. Through a combination of several kinds of insurance, an individual can protect what they have worked so hard to build in life. Two very important kinds of insurance are health and life insurance policies. Save yourself time and money when searching for the best insurance rates. Compare quotes from all the major insurance companies online with our quote comparison tool. Enter your zip code above to begin! Aetna: Aetna is a health insurance company. This means the company specializes in contracting…

  • AFLAC vs. New York Life Insurance Company

    powder
    26 Jan 2012 | 11:32 am
    Started in 1845, New York Life Insurance Company (NYLIC) is under the parent company, New York Life Group. As a mutual insurance company, NYLIC is owned and operated for the benefit of its members and specializes in life insurance policies. Paying dividends, offering exceptional service, and an international company, NYLIC is a Fortune 100 company. Find the best available rates by comparing insurance quotes from all the major insurance companies in one place. Enter your zip code above to begin comparing quotes online in the convenience of your home! About AFLAC American Life Assurance Company…

  • Aetna vs. Companion Life Insurance Company

    powder
    26 Jan 2012 | 10:46 am
    Employers have found that offering a benefits packages accomplishes two highly desirable goals: Benefits encourage people to accept a new job, and they also help to keep those very people in their jobs for several years after being hired. If a company does not have to continuously seek new applicants to fill constantly empty job positions as well as train these new employees, they save a lot of money. Save time and money by comparing insurance quotes online from all the top insurance companies. Enter your zip code above and start comparing rates all in one place! Aetna and Companion Life…

  • AFLAC vs. Health Net Life Insurance Company

    powder
    26 Jan 2012 | 8:24 am
    Life insurance is an important asset in terms of individual or family coverage. Selecting a life insurance company is not a decision based solely on cost or even reputation. The final decision regarding life insurance coverage involves an assessment of what coverage is provided, what that coverage entails and what the cost for that coverage will be on a regular basis. AFLAC, considered the largest provider of supplemental insurance in the United States, is well-known for its supplemental health insurance polices. The company also provides supplemental life insurance. The company, while having…

  • The Best Insurance Calculators

    Editor
    23 Jan 2012 | 10:13 am
    Sure, you can get great insurance quotes here at InsuranceProviders.com, but what’s the toughest thing to figure out when it comes to insurance, be it auto insurance, home insurance or life insurance? It’s what you should actually pay, in comparison with the quotes you get. Fortunately, there are dozens of insurance calculators out there on the Internet … read on to find the best. And if you want to find your own, we’ve also got guidelines on what to look for. Car Insurance Calculators What to Look For: A car insurance calculator needs to get into details about your car. A…
 
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    Teen Auto Insurance Quote

  • Are you a convicted driver? Learn how to get Cheap car insurance.

    Kamlesh Desai
    27 Jan 2012 | 5:29 am
    convicted driver cheap car insurance, cheap car insurance

  • Green Car Insurance – Economical and Environmentally Friendly

    Kamlesh Desai
    26 Jan 2012 | 6:02 am
    green car insurance More and more people are becoming concerned about the environment and if you are a car owner you should definitely be thinking about ways to be more eco-friendly. Car engines release carbon dioxide and other pollutants which are bad for the planet. Why not think about investing in a greener car? Not only can this help you to reduce your carbon footprint but it can also reduce the amount of car insurance you have to pay. Both consumers and manufacturers are becoming more aware of the fact that millions of people around the world drive cars and these can have a massive…

  • Stay safe, get cheap car insurance and avoid paying the $750 crash tax.

    Kamlesh Desai
    25 Jan 2012 | 5:56 am
    auto insurance claims, geico claims Stay safe, get cheap car insurance and avoid paying the $750 crash tax. Jorge Posada : My teen friend got involved in a highway accident and had to pay $750/ ? Why? Response : Yes, Jorge, as per the report given below the regulations are changing. Everyone wnats you to pay, if you are not a safe driver. Get your cheap car insurance quote here or compare teen auto insurance quotes if you have not. You need to save money and that is the key in this economy- to save money, make money and let your money earn for itself.  Report on why you need to…

  • 5 Strategies for Completing The Car Driving Test the First Time

    Kamlesh Desai
    24 Jan 2012 | 5:41 am
    Every person wants to pass his or her car driving examination the first time up. Typically the target would be to succeed at the examination as efficiently and as efficiently as you possibly can, from when starting off tuition, with the majority of people looking to succeed at it the first time. This simply means not having to contemplate the assessment for a second time and wind up spending extra money. Driving is extremely difficult. Even when you happen to be starting to learn, snags might nevertheless take place, as a result, it is imperative to obtain learner insurance  so that…

  • Where can I search for my previous car insurance policy details?

    Kamlesh Desai
    23 Jan 2012 | 5:43 am
    Previous car insurance companykristin cavallari : Where can I search for my previous car insurance company? I need details for my previous insurance policy. Response : Kristin a good question and am sure this is something most of us are scrambling for, since record keeping is diffcult, our mobile is lost, home is changesd and the list goes on. You can search for your previous car insurance company by looking through your own records or contacting the Department of Motor Vehicles in your state. If you have been driving for awhile, you may have used a number of insurance companies for your car…
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    Investment News - Forex Trading - Stock and Share

  • China’s Stocks Dropped after Benchmark Index Reached Highest since 2009

    MS. Maulana
    24 Jan 2012 | 3:32 pm
    China’s Stocks Dropped after Benchmark Index Reached Highest since 2009 - China\’s stocks declined after rallying most since2009 yesterday,on concern a property_market slowdown will damp demand for building materials and consumer goods.China VankeCo.paced losses by property developers after the nation\’s home prices posted their worst performance last year inDecember.GF Securities Co.,the nation\’s 2nd-largest listed brokerage,advanced 1 percent after theChina Securities Journal said the government may take steps bolster long-term investor shareholdings.China\’s markets are closed…

  • Canadian dollar Forecast 2012, CAD weekly outlook Jan 23-27

    MS. Maulana
    24 Jan 2012 | 12:44 pm
    Canadian dollar Forecast 2012, CAD weekly outlook Jan 23-27 - Canadian dollar declines amid strong retail sales, Greek debt worries:The CAD was turning down at middayTuesday despite a stronger than expected prediction on retail sales as uncertainty over a deal betweenGreece and its creditors weighed on markets.TheLoonie was down 0.31of a cent to 98.96cents US as a stronger U.S. dollar also pressured commodity prices.Statistics Canada reported that retail sales rose a better-than-expected 0.3percent to $38.7billion inNovember.It was the 4th consecutive monthly retail sales increase and the…

  • US Dollar Rate Weekly Forecast for January 23-27 2012

    MS. Maulana
    23 Jan 2012 | 11:00 am
    US Dollar Rate Weekly Forecast for January 23-27 2012 - Pound to US Dollar Forecast – Sterling going nowhere fast: Foreign Currency Market Update – GBP/USD Update.PoundSterling entered theNew Year in bad form.We were languishing close to 18month lows around1.53 with no apparent direction.In fact the last three months have been choppy and trendless,and with much of the focus onEurope and the sovereign debt issues there,no real catalyst has been evident to prompt a major move in the Pound/Dollar market.That remains the case now. With European bond yields drifting lower it could be said…

  • Agricultural Commoditiy Prices Weekly Reviews: Cocoa, Coffee, Rubber, Sugar

    MS. Maulana
    22 Jan 2012 | 11:35 pm
    Agricultural Commoditiy Prices Weekly Reviews: Cocoa, Coffee, Rubber, Sugar - Most commodities rebounded last week along a bettering expectation for the global economy, with sentiment hiked by optimistic data from the giant of Asia China, while more markets dated profit-taking before the weekend. “Better-than-expected macro data-in the form of China’s Q4 gross domestic product indication that's confirmed outlooks from an easy landing of the economy of China, a strong survey of ZEW and confirming U.S. manufacturing data - have held up commodity prices,” said Sudakshina Unnikrishnan, an…

  • Commodities Prices: Copper prices weekly outlook Jan 23-27 2012

    MS. Maulana
    22 Jan 2012 | 12:20 pm
    Commodities Prices: Copper prices weekly outlook Jan 23-29 2012 - Commodities mostly move higher on improving economic outlook: "Indeed, base metals have gotten off to a strong start in2012,with sentiment buoyed by improved perceptions of the macroeconomic environment and encouraging fundamental data,as copper prices have risen to their highest level since September2011,"she added.Investors welcomed positive government bond sales by France and Spain onThursday,despite last week\'s rating downgrades for the major eurozone economies. Read More >>Georgia sheriffs push new laws to curb…
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    IFAwebnews.com | P/C insurance

  • Arthur Gallagher expands Upstate New York footprint with Albany deal

    Bob Graham
    27 Jan 2012 | 3:31 pm
    Arthur J. Gallagher & Co. acquired Capital Bauer Insurance Agency, an Albany, N.Y.-based retail insurance broker allowing it to significantly expand its Upstate New York presence.Arthur Gallagher expands Upstate New York footprint with Albany deal via IFAwebnews.

  • Ohio mayor buys earthquake insurance after alleged fracking incidents

    Jaime L. Brockway
    27 Jan 2012 | 4:00 am
    A series of earthquakes in Youngstown, Ohio, potentially related to brine-injection wells, caused the city's mayor to buy earthquake insurance for his home and initiate a moratorium on injection wells near the city.Ohio mayor buys earthquake insurance after alleged fracking incidents via IFAwebnews.

  • FIO’s report on insurance regulation could have many tentacles

    Bob Graham
    24 Jan 2012 | 6:44 am
    A report expected from the Federal Insurance Office later this month, addressing how to modernize and improve insurance regulation, could significantly affect the insurance industry, according to an industry regulatory expert.FIO’s report on insurance regulation could have many tentacles via IFAwebnews.

  • Deloitte: Insurers’ profits tied to strategic growth and innovation

    Bob Graham
    24 Jan 2012 | 6:15 am
    Insurers will struggle to find growth and profits because of ongoing challenges caused by the global economy, according to a new forecast.Deloitte: Insurers’ profits tied to strategic growth and innovation via IFAwebnews.

  • Va. specialty insurer stretches E&S business across entire U.S.

    Jaime L. Brockway
    19 Jan 2012 | 5:41 am
    A specialty property-casualty insurance company, based in Richmond, Va., recently became certified to write business on a surplus lines basis for all U.S. states and Washington, D.C.Va. specialty insurer stretches E&S business across entire U.S. via IFAwebnews.
 
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    Insure Life Surpasses Your Expectations

  • Life Insurance Underwriting Considerations

    21 Jan 2012 | 1:15 pm
    Purchasing life insurance coverage requires the proposed policy insured to go through the underwriting process.  Life insurance underwriting requirements vary by insurance carrier and specific product and may require a medical exam.  Depending on the requirements and the availability of medical records, the underwriting process can take up to 90 days or longer in some instances.To speed up the underwriting process, some life insurance companies now offer rapid or simplified underwriting for some of their term insurance products (subject to age and coverage limits).  These rapid…

  • My 2011 Year in Review

    29 Dec 2011 | 7:28 am
    Going into 2011, my wife and I came up with the motto of “2011 is the year to Go For It”.  Even though the economy continued to stall in 2011 making it a challenging year to grow a small business, I made a lot of progress in building my online personal brand and building my company Life Insurance Financial Evaluations, LLC.  For instance, in addition to providing “fee-only” life insurance policy reviews for customers, I wrote 13 life insurance articles for ProducersWeb and wrote numerous posts for my blog including answering questions for the segment “Ask…

  • Trustees: Know the Rules and the Risks

    2 Dec 2011 | 10:20 am
    Both corporate trust departments and individuals assume many responsibilities when agreeing to become a trustee.  A trustee has a fiduciary obligation to manage the trust assets for the sole benefit of the trust beneficiaries.  Sometimes, this means that the trustee must make decisions for managing trust assets against the wishes of the trust grantor.  The rules for trustees are defined in the Uniform Prudent Investor Act (UPIA).  Whether an existing trustee or someone considering becoming one, it is important to understand the risks and responsibilities of being a…

  • The 8 Keys to a Successful Life Insurance Retirement Plan

    11 Nov 2011 | 8:26 am
    Happy Veterans Day!  Thank you to all who have served to protect our great country and bring peace to the world.Now that Veterans Day is here, the end of the year is quickly approaching and the time is near to choose your benefit elections as well as your company sponsored 401(k) and Nonqualified Deferred Compensation (for highly compensated employees) plan contributions for 2012.  Benefit election forms for 2012 should be mailed to you soon.It is also the time of year when life insurance agencies are making a big year end push to meet their annual sales goals and bonus pool…

  • Do your life insurance sales proposals include misleading equivalent taxable yield calculations?

    18 Oct 2011 | 11:39 am
    Many life insurance companies and financial professionals continue to include misleading comparisons in their sales proposals and insurance illustrations. As a result, many consumers may be making the financial decision to purchase permanent life insurance based on inaccurate comparisons and skewed projections. Therefore, making these misleading comparisons may open the insurance company and/or producer to unwanted lawsuits in the future. Individuals and companies purchase permanent cash value life insurance for a variety of reasons. Some life insurance purchasers are very interested in the…
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    Insurance Marketing HQ

  • Sharing Is Caring: How to Share With Your Audience to Strengthen Your Insurance Social Networking!

    eguest
    27 Jan 2012 | 7:40 am
    As an insurance agent, it is a constant goal to attract and keep your customers. Having reliable products is one factor in being able to provide great services. However, one crucial component to reaching success may not be as obvious as you think. With social media on the rise, it is important to create quality content that not only engages customers, but encourages them to share. According to Top Rank, a recent study by Exact Target found that 55% of Facebook users have “liked” a company and then later, decided they no longer wanted to see that company’s post. You don’t want this to…

  • Your Agency and Social Media Etiquette

    wmanly
    24 Jan 2012 | 4:13 pm
    Now that your business has developed an identity on social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter, you and your employees have probably created personal accounts in addition to your agency’s fan page. It’s good practice for you and your agents to have pages so you can connect with clients if necessary and it also shows that insurance agents, despite public perception, are down to earth and regular people just like the rest of us. However, having employees on social media platforms like Facebook can come with a risk. Like your agency’s fan page, employee pages should always adhere…

  • Two Strategies, One Goal: How SEO and SEM Should be Part of Your Digital Marketing Plan

    dosowa
    20 Jan 2012 | 7:57 am
    It’s a question that I am often asked by my clients who are looking to launch their digital marketing strategy: should they focus on Search Engine Optimization (SEO) or Pay-Per-Click (SEM, PPC)? Too many people are under the impression that their online marketing presence should be guided by one strategy or the other.  I’m here to tell you that the most effective digital marketing strategies take a blended approach, using components of both tactics. SEO and SEM strategies are complementary ways of achieving the same goal: prominent inclusion in search engine results that lead to traffic…

  • 3 Easy Ways to Build Links

    mmack
    17 Jan 2012 | 10:56 am
    You’ve probably heard time and time again that it’s important to get other websites to link back to your website. When you hear this, you smile and nod…but you have no clue why any of it matters. Don’t worry! The whole concept of link building is actually really easy to understand; when other people link to your website, it’s telling search engines that you matter. When pages with a little more authority (media, government, education or just all around popular sites) link back to you, that’s even better. It’s kind of the difference between a random 5-year old child telling you…

  • Is YouTube Part of your Social Media Strategy?

    sday
    16 Jan 2012 | 7:59 am
    Mention YouTube, and some people picture cats playing the piano, or FedEx drivers throwing fragile electronics over fences. But YouTube is a gem for marketers in virtually all industries. The video sharing site turned six last year, and on its birthday we learned that YouTube is now the second most popular search engine behind Google. It’s larger than Facebook and Twitter, and averages three billion views per day. These statistics prove that YouTube is overflowing with opportunity for insurance agency marketing. But how do you start? Here are some tips for turning your YouTube presence into…
 
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    Insurance Forum

  • 50 + Insurance Websites

    getaddicted
    28 Jan 2012 | 2:55 am
    Hello, I got more than 50+ insurance websites and as a designer i do design websites. Im looking for more revenue options if you guys can suggest. Currently im using Surehits & Brokersweb.. I have also started backlink & advertising service, if anyone is interested in getting backlinks from all my websites or want to put a banner can workout a monthly or yearly deal. Termlifeinsuranceonline.org LifeInsurancecost.net CarInsuranceCost.org CompareTermLifeInsurance.net AnnuityInsurance.net LifeInsuranceBenefit.net Termlifeinsurancecost.us and so on..........

  • Who's Responsible

    FedUpWithIMOs
    28 Jan 2012 | 2:35 am
    You do have to have an insurable interest. However, that does not necessarily mean ownership. According to contractual law, if you paid for the car (signed a bill of sale or loan agreement, made a downpayment, etc.), and the goods (car) were delivered to you, you have legal ownership. Paperwork beyond that is just a technicality. Registration does not constitute ownership. Provided the policy was issued on Monday, or at least you added the car and set a draft date for the payment, the insurance company is liable. Of course, they're going to do their due dilligence to make sure they have to…

  • Beware of Insurance Agents and Insurance Companies

    FedUpWithIMOs
    28 Jan 2012 | 2:20 am
    Quote: Originally Posted by jka49 (Post 491560) Why I bought these policies? ...Bajaj Capital, ... in India. ... ...they used this opportunity to cheat me instead of helping me. I had not expected this from them. Jka49, First off, seriously? Im thinking you're actually a member here that just created another screen name to have some fun. However, on the off chance you're legit, I feel bad for you. It's true, there are agents out there that are dishonest and will try to take advantage of you. Most of those people do not last long though. At least, not in the U.S. Over here there are several…

  • Carriers Who Offer Direct Contracts

    Franz Kafka
    28 Jan 2012 | 1:56 am
    Gee, it's only money. Can't take it to the grave with you.

  • My Recruiting Ad On Craiglist

    vindem
    27 Jan 2012 | 11:42 pm
    i have had my P&C, Life and Health license for over a year now and was accepted by allstate to open an agency. but some people are telling me i should open my own agency and have more products from different companies to sell. can anyone give me some advise on this?
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    Corporate Insurance Blog

  • Judy Greenwald quotes me in her Business Insurance article, “Cloud computing risks generally covered by cyber insurance.”

    Scott Godes
    17 Jan 2012 | 12:12 pm
    In her article, Cloud computing risks generally covered by cyber insurance, Business Insurance author Judy Greenwald writes about cloud computing and whether risks associated with the cloud might be covered by cyber insurance. The article opens: Insurance coverage for cloud users generally falls under firms’ cyber risk policies, observers say. That’s because cyber policy language generally is broad enough to cover [...]

  • “2012 Data Privacy and Information Security Predictions”

    Scott Godes
    4 Jan 2012 | 12:41 pm
    My friend, Christine Marciano, who is President, Cyber Data Risk Managers, just released her 2012 Data Privacy and Information Security Predictions. The report is an interesting series of predictions on what 2012 will hold in the areas of privacy and cyber risks. Here is how Christine describes the report: This is our first Data Privacy [...]

  • Join me for RIMS 2012 Annual Conference & Exhibition in Philadelphia!

    Scott Godes
    29 Dec 2011 | 3:01 pm
    Looking for a fantastic seminar devoted to risk and insurance?  Are you a risk manager?  Are you part of the insurance industry?  Are you someone who helps companies get their claims covered and paid (that’s me! that’s me!)? Of course, then, you want to attend a risk management seminar with “no boundaries.”  Well, look no [...]

  • Join me for the ABA Insurance Coverage Litigation Committee’s 2012 Annual CLE Seminar in Tucson, Arizona!

    Scott Godes
    23 Dec 2011 | 9:49 am
    You know that insurance touches every aspect of litigation, not to mention its importance in the context of corporate transactions, right?  In today’s economic climate, the value of insurance is critical.  As an attorney, you want to stay informed about the latest trends in insurance coverage law, right?  You’re probably also looking for some CLE [...]

  • Join me for IQPC’s Cyber-Risk & Data Breach Management Summit

    Scott Godes
    28 Nov 2011 | 9:21 am
    Are you looking for a conference discussing cyber risk and data breach management issues?  Do you want to network with industry insiders, compare products and strategies, and to learn valuable information on potential cyber risks and liabilities?  If you do, then you’ll want to join me at the IQPC Cyber-Risk & Data Breach Management Summit [...]
 
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    Insurance Blog

  • Income protection insurance

    youhan
    4 Jan 2012 | 6:20 am
    Income protection insurance is required when your income stopped due to your inability to work. It may happen due to accident or any illness. Therefore, the income protection insurance comes handy when you disabled to work. This income protection insurance will protect you from being unemployed. It is a boon in your adversity. It will save your family from the financial crisis. The policyholder of the income insurance will get the benefits from this income protection insurance. The benefits will be paid regularly as it mentioned in the policy agreement to the policyholder. The insurance…

  • Cheap van insurance

    youhan
    4 Jan 2012 | 6:15 am
    The cheap van insurance is the kind of car insurance. This insurance is quite different from the other car insurances. The cheap van insurance comes under between the truck insurance and the car insurance. This insurance aimed for the van owner, as the owner is the vital portion of the van insurance. Because, the most of the case, generally the owner drives the van alone. The intention is very clear that the small owner can buy the van insurance. So, that the cheap van insurance can do good business in the current scenario. In the cheap van insurance, the coverage is for the van, owner, and…

  • Public liability insurance: who needs it and why

    youhan
    13 Dec 2011 | 8:11 am
    Businesses today must be feeling a bit hard done by: no sooner do they make sure they are covered by the latest type of insurance when another one pops up. The latest is public liability insurance, but what does this relate to and do businesses really need it? Public liability insurance in its simplest terms covers businesses in case anyone hurts themselves on your premises, be they office based, a building site or even your house if you work from home. At this moment in time those who are self employed are not required by law to take out public liability insurance, but they are strongly…
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    bestcarinsurancecompanies.net

  • Drowsy Driving Tips

    25 Jan 2012 | 3:07 am
    Drowsy drivers are a major hazard on the roads. Whether it is working too early, too many hours, or just being plain tired, too many people are pressed for sleep, and they put their need to drive above the safety of others. According to the National Highway Traffic Administration estimates, each year drowsy driving results in 1,550 deaths and 71,000 injuries on American roadways. It is important that everyone who drives takes the necessary steps to prevent a tragic accident. Signs and Symptoms of Drowsy Driving Drowsy driving causes impaired judgment, impaired vision, slow reaction times,…

  • Safest Sedans of 2012

    23 Jan 2012 | 3:50 am
    While hatchbacks are gaining sales, sedans still remain a very popular vehicle choice. Sedan buyers have dozens of models to choose from depending on the size, price, luxury, and features of the vehicle they are seeking. Safety is an important aspect of any vehicle. So which are the safest sedans of 2012? An investigation into crash data studies can be helpful in determining which models hold up best in collisions. NHTSA Safety Ratings Program The National Highway Transportation Safety Administrations (NHTSA) conducts crash tests annually on new models. Approximately 81 percent of 2012…

  • Insurance Company Customer Satisfaction Ratings

    18 Jan 2012 | 3:53 am
    Customer service is an overlooked part of the auto insurance purchasing process. A company is only as good as its service, regardless of its price. When you have a claim, you want your company to be professional, responsive, and make payments promptly with minimum hassle. These qualities go a long way towards customer satisfaction and retaining policyholders, which is key in the insurance industry. How Companies Were Evaluated A new insurance company customer satisfaction ratings study published by insure.com shows how auto insurance companies fared in five different satisfaction…

  • Name Your Price Insurance: Do You Really Save?

    16 Jan 2012 | 3:14 am
    Priceline.com, an online travel site, built up its brand by allowing customers to name their own price to buy airfare, hotels, rental cars, vacation packages, and cruises. Progressive, one of America’s largest auto insurers, is similarly offers customers the ability to name their price on auto insurance. Progressive promotes its Name Your Price insurance feature in advertisements as a simple, easy way to save on car insurance. However, the process is much different than the process on Priceline.com. photo credit: Photos by Mavis How Name Your Price Insurance Works The process works as…

  • Worst Car Insurance Companies

    12 Jan 2012 | 3:28 am
    When you are shopping for car insurance, customer satisfaction is an important factor. With dozens of companies competing for your business, you want to avoid companies that provide sub-par value. You want to select the company that provides maximum value and service for you insurance dollar. Ranking Factors J.D. Power and Associates is a marketing research services company. Using data from the J.D. Power and Associates 2011 U.S. National Auto Insurance Study can help you determine which companies to avoid and which can be deemed the worst car insurance companies. The study gathered nearly…
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    Car Insurance Quotes

  • 6 Tips for Driving in the Ice and Snow

    Chad
    26 Jan 2012 | 6:11 am
    Driving in ice and snow can be very hazardous. Each year, thousands of insurance claims are filed for drivers who have skidded into other cars or stationary objects while driving in icy conditions. Here are a few tips to help you navigate the roads safely when winter weather comes to town. 1) Don’t go out. It seems simple enough to say, but many people do not realize just how important it is to stay in when the roads are hazardous. If you simply have to get to the store for that quart of milk, you might want to think about better planning—lay in supplies of food and do your errands in…

  • If You Hit an Uninsured Motorist, Do You Still Have to Pay?

    Chad
    24 Jan 2012 | 4:05 pm
    Experts currently estimate that almost 25 percent of drivers on the road are operating their vehicles without insurance. This is a huge problem for everyone, as accidents caused by uninsured motorists cost money not only in property damage and personal injury, but in higher insurance premiums for drivers who do insure their cars. There are also costs to the taxpayers associated with prosecuting uninsured drivers, such as court fees and incarceration costs. Unfortunately, many people do not understand the situation or what happens when an uninsured driver is involved in an accident. If you hit…

  • Who Offers the Cheapest RV Insurance?

    Chad
    12 Jan 2012 | 7:29 am
    If you have a recreational vehicle, or RV, it is important to maintain a separate insurance policy on this vehicle. Do not assume that your automobile or homeowner’s insurance will cover damage to your RV! In most cases, you need a separate RV policy to protect your investment. RV insurance combines the best of both automobile and homeowner’s policies, covering items which would not be covered under either single policy. Where can you find the cheapest RV policies which will still meet your coverage needs? Many companies specialize in RV insurance and offer a variety of perks for your RV…

  • How to Save on Honda Fit Insurance

    Chad
    10 Jan 2012 | 6:16 am
    You have taken the plunge and bought a new Honda Fit. Congratulations! You are going to enjoy this car which gets great gas mileage and comes with Honda’s reputation for excellence in construction. The low maintenance and great mileage you get will bring you years of enjoyment. However, you may now be concerned about insuring your Honda Fit. Because it is a relatively new car, insurance rates are still being determined on many of the models. How do you know if your insurer is giving you a good price on your Honda Fit automobile insurance? Overall, prices for the Honda Fit are going to be a…

  • What Is the Best Time of Year To Buy Car Insurance?

    Chad
    5 Jan 2012 | 6:15 am
    Trying to find ways to lower your auto insurance premiums can become a full-time hobby. If you want to save money and get the best discounts, you may try tweaking your policy’s deductibles, limits, and coverage types. You may also decide to pay in advance and take advantage of good driver and good student discounts. Some people even believe that by buying their car insurance at a certain time of the year, they will receive the best discounts. There may be some slight truth to that last statement. Winter tends to bring ice, snow, and sleet to many parts of the country, and there are simply…
 
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    Insurance Claim Guides

  • My Dental Claim was Denied| What is the Best Way to Appeal it?

    RobEddy
    3 Jan 2012 | 8:50 pm
    If you’ve had a dental claim denied that you believe should have been covered, how do you appeal the decision?  This insurance guide provides step by step guidelines for giving you the best opportunity to have that claim paid. How to Appeal a Denied Dental Insurance Claim 1. Find out Why the Claim Was Denied One of the most common reasons, and easiest to fix, is that wrong information was supplied on the original claim form. For example, every dental procedure has a code that identifies it.  Sometimes the dentist or office staff uses the wrong code, listing one that doesn’t fit the…

  • How to File a Dental Insurance Claim

    RobEddy
    3 Jan 2012 | 8:47 pm
    If you have an upcoming dental procedure, you may be wondering how to file a dental insurance claim.  This insurance guide offers a step by step guide describing how it is done. Filing your Dental Insurance Claim 1. Obtain the Form and Provide Basic Information The American Dental Association offers a standard form that many insurance companies and dental offices use. Your dental office should be able to supply you with it. The form asks for basic information including your full name and address, Social Security number, date of birth, and the group name and number of your insurance policy.

  • Do Top Insurance Companies Cover Dog Bites?

    RobEddy
    3 Jan 2012 | 8:44 pm
    Did you know that more than 15,000 dog bite claims are paid by insurance companies every year, with an average payment of over $24,000?  It’s actually surprising that there aren’t more claims since Center for Disease Control figures show that more than 800,000 dog bites every year require medical attention.  With personal injury attorneys advertising for dog bite victims, it’s likely that claims will continue to rise. Does Your Homeowners Policy Cover Dog Bites? The good news is that most homeowner policies do cover dog bites – at least the first one.  If your insurance company…

  • Am I Liable for a Dog Bite?

    RobEddy
    3 Jan 2012 | 8:42 pm
    According to the insurance industry, more than 30% of all homeowner liability claims involve a dog bite. In an average year, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 800,000 dog bites occur that require medical attention. If your pooch bites someone, can you and your insurance company be held liable?  This insurance guide explores this common liability issue for homeowners who own one or more dogs. Homeowners Are Liable for their Pet’s In the vast majority of cases, if your dog bites an innocent person, you can be held liable for the bite.  It doesn’t matter…

  • Benefits of Long Term Disability Insurance

    RobEddy
    3 Jan 2012 | 8:40 pm
    Leading financial experts say that having long term disability insurance is one of the top financial priorities for individuals.  What makes having a long term disability policy so important?  Here are the main benefits of long term disability insurance. Income Replacement with Disability Insurance This, of course, is the foundational benefit of having long term disability insurance. If you are disabled and qualify for benefits, your policy will pay you between 50% and 100% of your current wages. You can choose the level that works for you, though most policy holders choose 70-80%…
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    Insurance Marketing HQ

  • Sharing Is Caring: How to Share With Your Audience to Strengthen Your Insurance Social Networking!

    eguest
    27 Jan 2012 | 7:40 am
    As an insurance agent, it is a constant goal to attract and keep your customers. Having reliable products is one factor in being able to provide great services. However, one crucial component to reaching success may not be as obvious as you think. With social media on the rise, it is important to create quality content that not only engages customers, but encourages them to share. According to Top Rank, a recent study by Exact Target found that 55% of Facebook users have “liked” a company and then later, decided they no longer wanted to see that company’s post. You don’t want this to…

  • Your Agency and Social Media Etiquette

    wmanly
    24 Jan 2012 | 4:13 pm
    Now that your business has developed an identity on social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter, you and your employees have probably created personal accounts in addition to your agency’s fan page. It’s good practice for you and your agents to have pages so you can connect with clients if necessary and it also shows that insurance agents, despite public perception, are down to earth and regular people just like the rest of us. However, having employees on social media platforms like Facebook can come with a risk. Like your agency’s fan page, employee pages should always adhere…

  • Two Strategies, One Goal: How SEO and SEM Should be Part of Your Digital Marketing Plan

    dosowa
    20 Jan 2012 | 7:57 am
    It’s a question that I am often asked by my clients who are looking to launch their digital marketing strategy: should they focus on Search Engine Optimization (SEO) or Pay-Per-Click (SEM, PPC)? Too many people are under the impression that their online marketing presence should be guided by one strategy or the other.  I’m here to tell you that the most effective digital marketing strategies take a blended approach, using components of both tactics. SEO and SEM strategies are complementary ways of achieving the same goal: prominent inclusion in search engine results that lead to traffic…

  • 3 Easy Ways to Build Links

    mmack
    17 Jan 2012 | 10:56 am
    You’ve probably heard time and time again that it’s important to get other websites to link back to your website. When you hear this, you smile and nod…but you have no clue why any of it matters. Don’t worry! The whole concept of link building is actually really easy to understand; when other people link to your website, it’s telling search engines that you matter. When pages with a little more authority (media, government, education or just all around popular sites) link back to you, that’s even better. It’s kind of the difference between a random 5-year old child telling you…

  • Is YouTube Part of your Social Media Strategy?

    sday
    16 Jan 2012 | 7:59 am
    Mention YouTube, and some people picture cats playing the piano, or FedEx drivers throwing fragile electronics over fences. But YouTube is a gem for marketers in virtually all industries. The video sharing site turned six last year, and on its birthday we learned that YouTube is now the second most popular search engine behind Google. It’s larger than Facebook and Twitter, and averages three billion views per day. These statistics prove that YouTube is overflowing with opportunity for insurance agency marketing. But how do you start? Here are some tips for turning your YouTube presence into…
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    Ryan Hanley

  • Why Time Warner Cable Only Cares if You Complain: A Customer Service FAIL Story

    Ryan Hanley
    26 Jan 2012 | 8:44 am
    Yesterday either online or in her email or through a piece of mail (the method doesn’t matter) my wife came across a promotional deal from Time Warner Cable for new subscribers.Internet, Cable, Phone including HD and DVR and some premium channels for $90 a month for 12 months.We have Time Warner Cable.  We have Internet and Cable only (no hardline) with HD and DVR but no premium channels.  When she told me the price of the promotion I immediately recognized that we were paying significantly MORE for LESS service.So I looked at our monthly cable bill.  We’re paying close to…

  • Why Blog Contests are About Relationships and Not Traffic

    Ryan Hanley
    25 Jan 2012 | 8:30 am
    I recently entered my first Blog Contest.  I was asked to submit an entry by Danny Iny of Firepole Marketing.  Out of the hundred plus entries that Firepole received for their blog contest my article was selected as a top twenty finalist… A shock and an honor for sure.  But certainly an opportunity that I graciously appreciate and am excited for.To get the business end of this post out of the way,  in order to win this contest I need YOU to vote for me and I want to win.To be completely honest and up-front, I want to win bad!  I’m new to the Marketing Blog game and feel this…

  • Small Business SEO Experiment – Week 3

    Ryan Hanley
    23 Jan 2012 | 9:08 am
    Yesterday we finished three weeks of our SEO experiment and after reviewing the counting stats and my own personal notes and take-aways from the week 3 I have the following to two words to share:» Consistency» PatienceIn order to build an search engine optimized small business blog you need consistency and patience.  The Murray Group‘s SEO campaign came out of the gate guns blazing (see the result from my week 1 post below).  There have been significantly less fireworks the last two weeks as far as new leads.If this is the first time you’ve heard about my SEO experiment below is…

  • Why the “Old Way” of Doing Business is a Myth

    Ryan Hanley
    20 Jan 2012 | 7:00 am
    New technology makes you uncomfortable.  First, talking through a computer is just weird.  Second, you have to know how to type or it takes a ridiculous amount of time.  Third, everything you say lasts forever in cyber-space whatever the hell that is…I am seriously just consider for a second all the things you need to know about to be successful on the Internet:There’s Bloggingand Social Mediaand Mobile Appsand Digital Videoand Twitterand Social Capitaland e-Newsletters…You went to a presentation at the local chamber of commerce and a 30-year old kid was telling you the…

  • 33 Excuses for Not Blogging About Your Business

    Ryan Hanley
    18 Jan 2012 | 4:45 am
    You’re looking for an excuse not to blog.  Everyone is telling you that you need a blog but you just really don’t want to… And you’re an adult so you don’t have to do anything that you don’t want to do.But deep down you know that you should be blogging… so you make excuses.So what the Internet has revolutionized the way small business communicates with their customers.  You have an excuse… Actually you now have 33 excuses why you don’t blog about your business.The Internet is for people that don’t want to work hardYou’re…
 
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    The James Family Insurance Group

  • “My dog doesn’t bite” — until it does

    jamesfamilyinsurancegroup
    9 Jan 2012 | 4:29 pm
    Sometimes even good dogs bite, and when they do, you could be sued. If your dog bites someone, don’t panic. It’s important to remain calm so you can take swift and appropriate action: Restrain your dog immediately.Separate it from the scene and confine it. Seek medical attention immediately. If you think the injured person needs medical [...]

  • Think green … it’s easy

    jamesfamilyinsurancegroup
    4 Jan 2012 | 11:40 am
    Many of us are looking for ways to help the environment and in the process, help ourselves as well — go green and save green. I am proud to be associated with Farmers — an organization that provides products and services that support an eco-friendly lifestyle. Farmers is continuously evaluating and changing how they do [...]

  • The many uses of life insurance

    jamesfamilyinsurancegroup
    20 Dec 2011 | 10:03 am
    Most of us buy life insurance to replace the loss of income that would occur should we die or to create an estate for our loved ones, but there are many other reasons: People depend on you — you have an aging parent or disabled relative who depends on you for support Retirement needs — your retirement savings [...]

  • If You’re Traveling for the Holidays, Here are Some Home Security Tips

    jamesfamilyinsurancegroup
    16 Dec 2011 | 5:48 pm
    The holidays just around the corner and many people will be traveling away from home, so it’s important to take a close look at your own home security. Santa is not the only one coming to town, warn police. So are the crooks.  Burglaries spike every holiday season, and we don’t want you to be a [...]

  • 15 Tips for Keeping You and Your Car Safe from Theft

    jamesfamilyinsurancegroup
    10 Dec 2011 | 11:58 am
    If auto theft where a legalized and incorporated company, it would rank 56th among the Fortune 500 Companies.  It’s a big business!  Thieves are not just after new vehicles, older vehicles are often stolen too, and stripped for parts. The parts are worth two to three times the value of the vehicle to a thief [...]
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    Term Life Insurance | Cheap Life Insurance Quotes

  • Top Life Insurance Companies in 2012

    Chad
    24 Jan 2012 | 6:01 pm
    Thinking about life insurance for the coming year? Many people are. Most of us want to protect our families and provide money if a sudden accident or illness leaves them without an income. The very best way to do that is to buy a term life or whole life insurance policy. For most people, this is an easy decision. However, when it comes to choosing the right company for your life insurance business, the issue becomes more complicated. There are hundreds of insurance companies selling life insurance; how do you know which one is best for your needs? Here are the ones predicted to be the best…

  • Bankruptcy and Life Insurance: Things You Need To Know

    Chad
    11 Jan 2012 | 6:05 pm
    If you are filing bankruptcy, you may be concerned about your life insurance proceeds and whether they will enter the picture as part of your assets. Depending upon the situation, most life insurance proceeds are immune from bankruptcy proceedings. However, there are some exceptions to this rule. First, it is important to determine what type of bankruptcy you are filing. There are three types which are generally used by the average person: Chapter 7, which is a liquidation; Chapter 13, also called a “wage-earner” plan, in which you make payments to a trustee; and Chapter 11, which is a…

  • Life Insurance and Your Small Business

    Chad
    9 Jan 2012 | 6:02 pm
    If you own a small business, your life insurance considerations may be very different from those of a non-business owner. Many questions may arise in the course of considering life insurance for yourself: how will my survivors continue to operate my company, or will they be forced to sell? Will my partners work well with my survivors? What happens if a key employee dies? The answers to these questions determine what type of life insurance you should purchase and the amount you should buy. If you own an interest in a small business, you will have to decide if your survivors will want to…

  • I’m Married: What Does That Mean For My Life Insurance?

    Chad
    4 Jan 2012 | 6:00 pm
    Marriage has significant effects on your financial situation, and these effects can be quantified in several ways. Many newlyweds are not thinking of life insurance, but this is an important consideration for your marital future. Having enough protection to provide for either spouse due to the unexpected death of the other, as well as any dependent children, is something that every couple should consider. When couples are first married, this is often the best time to think about a long-term policy with a high payout. Unfortunately, this is the time when couples are least likely to start…

  • How Does Serving in the Military Influence Life Insurance?

    Chad
    3 Jan 2012 | 5:56 pm
    The men and women who serve in our armed forces are considered heroes by many for their dedicated and unselfish service to their country. Unfortunately, many life insurance companies are not as charitable when it comes to figuring premiums for service people, especially those engaged in combat in dangerous locations. This is not because insurance companies do not honor military service, but because the risk factors involved in insuring the life of a solider or sailor cause the premium rates for these policies to be astronomical. The same is true for people in some other high-risk professions;…
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    The Claims SPOT

  • Getting More in Your Negotiations

    Nancy Hudgins
    24 Jan 2012 | 10:01 am
    Take a look at Contributor, Nancy Hudgins review of the Stuart Diamond book on negotiation. We can always use ideas on how to improve negotiations and these look like some good ones.

  • Why Don’t Claims Organizations Track Claims Through The Process The Way UPS Tracks A Package?

    Marc Lanzkowsky
    28 Dec 2011 | 10:13 am
    Today as a customer you can track your packages from the moment they leave the store to the second they arrive at your door. During that time you can see where they are in the process. Truly amazing. Why can't claims organizations do the same thing? How much better would a claim be if we could track it through the system in the same way UPS can track a package. Something to think about when reading the latest from theClaimsSPOT.

  • 2 Problems To Prevent Before They Get Out Of Control: The Lily Pads Revisited

    Marc Lanzkowsky
    7 Dec 2011 | 1:55 pm
    Waiting to the last minute can be a costly venture. In out latest post we tell the story of the farmer who waited to clear those innocent lily pads from his pond. He kept going on to what he thought were more important things. Unfortunately he waited to long and the lily pads took over the pond and cost him a lot more to clear. We all have lily pads we don't want to clear from our desks. It's time to look for them and clear them off before they strangle the life out of your pond....I know a little poetic but read on and you will get the idea.

  • Want To Really Save Money In Mediation? Here’s The Secret: Practice Your Negotiations

    Nancy Hudgins
    17 Nov 2011 | 7:10 am
    Like most things in life, the more you practice the better you will get at it. Try and practice negotiations wherever you are and you will become a better claims negotiator. Take a look at our latest post from Nancy Hudgins on the art of practicing your negotiations.

  • 2 Company Types And Their Approach To Claim Audits: The Have To’s And The Wants To’s 

    Marc Lanzkowsky
    9 Nov 2011 | 8:32 am
    Companies can choose to audit because they have to or choose to audit because they want to. Companies that want to audit are destined to provide better customer service, happier employees, and improved results. Our latest post asks the question: Which company are you?
 
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    Auto Insurance News

  • ‘Smart’ dashboard may help diminish distracted driving

    Kristin
    26 Jan 2012 | 10:24 am
    Nick DiUlio Modern dashboard technology is a double-edged sword. On one hand, innovations like GPS navigation, Internet connectivity and smartphone integration have provided drivers with many high-tech tools. On the other hand, these new tech toys have made it increasingly difficult for drivers to concentrate on the road. Researchers at the University of Kansas think [...]

  • Whose insurance pays when you crash during a test drive?

    Kristin
    24 Jan 2012 | 1:53 pm
    Gina Roberts-Grey Whether you’re shopping for a new or used car, chances are you’re going to take a test drive. Even though most drivers are on their best behavior behind the wheel during a test drive, accidents still happen. And accidents mean auto insurance claims. But whose insurance will pay — yours or the car [...]

  • Which winter worries will my auto insurance cover

    Kristin
    19 Jan 2012 | 10:19 am
    Gina Roberts-Grey When the mercury dips and Jack Frost nips at your nose, your car could wind up in some wicked situations, such as being stuck in a snow bank. Naturally, you might look to your car insurance to spare your budget from being buried under a pile of automotive bills. But not all wintertime [...]

  • Will a traffic ticket raise my auto insurance rate?

    Kristin
    17 Jan 2012 | 11:17 am
    Mary Lou Jay Drivers with traffic tickets could pay a lot more in auto insurance premiums than drivers without tickets. Insurance companies base your auto insurance premiums on a number of factors, including your driving record, which shows how many traffic tickets you may have received. If you have even one ticket, your insurance company [...]

  • Thick fog can leave you driving blind

    Kristin
    12 Jan 2012 | 10:44 am
    Jill Overmyer Driving in inclement weather like fog can be stressful for even the most experienced, cautious drivers. The best thing to do is postpone your trip until the fog lifts. But because that isn’t always practical, these tips will help you safely drive when your visibility is reduced: Don’t use your high beams. Many [...]
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