Comprehensive and Collision Coverage: To Drop or Not to Drop!

By Bethany Collins

Today, carrying vehicle insurance on your car is mandated by law in every state. There's no way around that and there really shouldn't be. What is important, however, is that you know exactly what you're paying for; being very clear about what different coverage pay for and the benefits they provide. Now if you're looking to save some money, you might consider dropping some coverage. And almost instantly you find yourself wondering: "Should I drop comprehensive and collision?" Here's what you need to keep in mind about comprehensive and collision coverage.

What do you mean by collision coverage?

Collision coverage pays for damages caused to your vehicle if you hit another object. If you are to meet with a collision with another car, your collision coverage will kick in and pay to fix the damages irrespective of whose fault the accident was.

What do you mean by comprehensive coverage?

Comprehensive coverage pays for damages to your vehicle caused by bad weather conditions, theft, vandalism and riot.

Are comprehensive and liability legally required?

No, comprehensive and liability are not legally required. The most basic coverage required by law is liability. There are some states, however, that might require additional coverage, but comprehensive and liability is not one of them.

When can you NOT drop comprehensive and collision?

If you have an outstanding loan on your car, chances are your loan provider will require you to carry both comprehensive and collision coverage on the car. If you don't have an outstanding loan on your car, carrying comprehensive and collision coverage is a question of personal needs and choice.

When should you consider dropping comprehensive and collision?

If you own an older car: If you own a car that is older than 10 years, you might want to rethink paying for comprehensive coverage. The cost of coverage along with the deductible you pay could actually exceed the total value of the car, making it a less than feasible option. It would make sense, in such a case, to pay for the cost of repairs out of your own pocket and save money by skipping comprehensive coverage entirely. To find out the value of your vehicle, check out the Kelley Blue Book online value estimator. This will give you an estimate of what your vehicle is currently worth, so you can decide if it's worth it to buy comprehensive and liability coverage.

If you can afford to pay to fix the damages out of your pocket: Dropping collision and comprehensive coverage means that if at all you're involved in a collision or if you car is damaged by extreme weather conditions, you will have to pay for the damages out of your pocket. Think about whether you have enough money and can afford to pay for the damages before dropping collision and comprehensive.

If your car has been totaled once before: When your car has been totaled once, chances of your car insurance company paying fair compensation in the event of a claim are less because the vehicle is not viewed as valuable after being totaled once before.

Though comprehensive and collision coverages are not required by law, it is important that you weigh your pros and cons thoroughly before deciding to drop them.

Bethany Collins is a mother of two who works from home and lives with her husband. She is voracious reader and always looks out for happening topics related to personal finance. She specializes on subjects related to car insurance and uses her spare time to write on topics related to classic auto insurance and auto insurance cost etc.

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http://EzineArticles.com/?Comprehensive-and-Collision-Coverage:-To-Drop-or-Not-to-Drop!&id=7456233

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Five Techniques to Properly Prepare for Your Claims System Development

By Steven M Richard

Implementing a new claims management system doesn't have to be painful. Despite what you may think, successfully deploying a claims system starts with clear objectives and strategies. Planning is the key factor to smoothly implement new claims software. Before you implement your claims system, be sure to do your homework.

1. Take time to analyze your current system

• The perfect system does not exist, but most of it does, where's the void?
• What do you currently have, like, dislike? What's on your wish list?
• What is included in the offering that is simply a matter of implementation?
• What needs to be added?

The results are well worth the effort, if you plan well. After you've mapped out your mission, here are a few more items to consider:

2. Re-evaluate your hardware and software requirements

Companies are slowly opening up to new technology opportunities that can relieve their IT department of system maintenance. With new technology options such as cloud computing emerging, it is important to take time to explore other possible IT choices.

3. Consult with claims managers, accounting personnel, and compliance personnel to discuss individual departmental and company or extraneous industry requirements.

The ideal deployment satisfies every user's needs, so the involvement of your entire organization is critical during fact finding and preparation of data to ensure expectations are met.

4. Provide claims system vendors a "hands on" understanding of your expectations

Collaborating and communication is essential in your planning process to ensure there is a unified understanding of the end result.

5. Establish development and test environments that work with your risk tolerance

An ideal development and test environment is in a testing sandbox. This allows your current system to run parallel to the new claims system. In a sandbox environment beta-quality code is pushed to the beta-test isolated sandbox environment for testing by other developers, business users, and the client. The testing sandbox can be accessible over the Internet and password-protected. It uses client-neutral testing data and does not contain any sensitive information. Establish a migration control by setting up a sandbox environment on your existing site. This allows you the opportunity to test the claims system with your own private data on your local network. This development and testing sandbox is independent of the live production system, but gives you full control of migration.

Selecting, purchasing, and implementing a claims management system is often looked at as a complex and intensive activity claims managers undertake. With so many moving pieces involved in the claims management system implementation process, effectively planning each step helps to keep you on track to increase workflow productivity, improve the quality of your customer service communication, and provide your organization the most ideal software option.

JDi Data Corporation has provided insurance claims software since 1992. Our product suite includes workers compensation software and claims management systems for property and casualty, medical malpractice, and specialty lines to be administered by insurers, risk managers, and third party administrators. JDi Data has built a reputation in quality claims management software with special emphasis on complex litigation.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Steven_M_Richard
http://EzineArticles.com/?Five-Techniques-to-Properly-Prepare-for-Your-Claims-System-Development&id=7449024

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8 Tips to Save on Travel Insurance

By Alexey Saltykov

There is one aspect that you have always to remember before starting your trip: Travel Insurance. Any health or accident issue abroad can lead to exorbitant costs.
One night in a hospital in USA can easily result in over $10,000. There are many cases where people were treated abroad and afterwards got six-digits medical bills. Obviously such issues as a stolen laptop or video camera can be quite costly as well.
We created a long list of travel insurance tips to help you to save on travel insurance! So, let's start!
1. Travel medical on your credit card: Check your credit cards - one or two may already have Travel Medical Protection, both for you and sometimes for your family members too.
2. Various credit card perks: Not sure if you need to buy a Flight Delay, Trip Interruption/Cancellation and Baggage Loss - check out your credit cards, sometimes you will be surprised what you will find.
3. Liability via Home Insurance: Thinking to buy an extra Umbrella / Liability insurance for your trip e.g. in case you hit somebody when skiing? Your Home Insurance might already have a worldwide umbrella protection - check the policy or ask your broker / insurance provider.
4. Protection for belongings: Wondering if you need to pay extra to protect some of your belongings while on a trip (e.g. expensive camera) - your home insurance might protect them as well while you are travelling and have them with you.
5. Multi-trip travel insurance: If you travel several times a year, it often makes sense to take a multi-trip insurance policy as opposed to getting every time single-trip policy.
6. Family travel insurance: If you travel as a family, it sometimes makes sense to buy a family travel insurance policy rather than buying a separate plan for each member of the family.
7. Shop around: Search, Compare, and switch insurance companies. There are many insurance providers and their price offerings for the same policies can be very different, therefore use multiple online tools and talk to several brokers since each will cover a limited number of insurance companies.
8. Burglary insurance:Some credit cards offer this kind of protection if some of your personal belongings disappear from your hotel or motel. Don't forget to pay for your trip and hotel stay with a credit card that offers this protection. Attention: your protection may extend to USA but not necessary to other countries e.g. Mexico.
Alex Saltykov is a Co-Founder of InsurEye Inc, a Canadian company that provides online tools for consumers to educate them about insurance, create transparency in insurance market place in Canada and connect consumer with insurance brokers in Hamilton, insurance brokers in Edmonton and all across Canada.
Alex spent years advising insurance clients both in North America and Europe while he was working for one of the leading management consulting companies. His areas of expertise are insurance, interactive consumer services, innovation, IT and operations.
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http://EzineArticles.com/?8-Tips-to-Save-on-Travel-Insurance&id=7422277

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College Student Immunizations

By Tony McCart

It is a common misconception that immunizations are a health precaution and requirement limited to childhood, and that after high school has passed so has the responsibility to keep them up to date. In fact, many colleges not only encourage but require certain shots for enrolled students. For an establishment like a university, with young adults from around the world living together in what is often pretty tight living quarters, this is a preventative measure that just makes sense. Even if your school does not require updated immunizations, there are many preventable diseases that you would be wise to protect yourself from before you go away to school.

College Requirements

The top immunization that your school is likely to require, or at least strongly recommend, is a meningococcal vaccination, to protect against meningitis. Meningitis is a bacterial infection that causes the inflammation of the membranes surrounding your spinal cord and brain. This painful and life-threatening condition is something you definitely want to avoid, but unfortunately this can be difficult when living in the cramped and often less than sanitary conditions of a college dormitory. Luckily, one easy shot that many colleges already require will be enough to keep you safe. Other immunizations which may be required, depending on your school, include the three-dose hepatitis B vaccine, and the combined vaccine that will protect you against tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis (whooping cough).

Elective Immunizations

Even if they are not required by your school, there are some vaccines that are just plain smart to get. The seasonal flu shot is one of these, and can really be a life saver in the height of flu season when you are studying for your midterms or finals. The flu can spread like wildfire in a dorm, and is the last thing you need to slow you down before a big exam. Another more long-term investment you should make in your health is the human papilloma virus (HPV) vaccine. This protects against a wide range of diseases, including genital warts and many types of cancers that are caused by different strains of HPV.

Health Insurance

Many college students are covered by their parents' health insurance plans, but there are some exceptions. If you are not covered and do not already have an individual health insurance plan, now is the time to start looking for one. This may not be the most exciting part of beginning your adult life, but it is essential for keeping you healthy and safe throughout your time at college (and beyond). Being ensured will not only cover the critical immunizations that you need, but also allow you to get regular check-ups, which is another important part of preventative care.

Tony McCart is the President of McCart Insurance. For decades, McCart Insurance has helped Georgia individuals and families to select their ideal Georgia health insurance plans, including plans from Coventry Healthcare of Georgia. McCart Insurance is a family owned and operated business with over 40 years of experience in the personal insurance field. Learn more about Georgia health insurance at http://www.mccartinsurance.com.

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http://EzineArticles.com/?College-Student-Immunizations&id=7339929

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Should You Change Your Medicare Advantage Plan During The Annual Enrollment Period?

By Michael Kortz

Should you change your Medicare Advantage plan?

Medicare recipients have access to a wide array of health and drug insurance options. These plans vary widely from company to company and from place to place. For people already enrolled in a Medicare Advantage plan, the question is: Should you shop around for a new plan for 2013?

If you are thinking of changing plans, here are some important considerations:

Will all of your doctors be in the new plan's network? Some people don't mind changing doctors if it means saving money. Others are terrified of changing doctors. Keep this in mind when considering switching to a new plan.

How will your current medications be covered under the plan you are considering? If you take only generic drugs, you shouldn't have a problem - but brand drugs can be covered differently from plan to plan. Under different plans, co-pays for the same brand name drug can be dramatically different. This can add up to hundreds of dollars each year.

What do local healthcare professionals think about the plans in your area? Actually, a great person to ask is the receptionist at your doctor's office. They usually know which plan(s) the doctors like. The most common complaint is how difficult it is to get approval for tests and procedures. Doctors and their staffs are frustrated with some plans because of difficulties and delays in getting "prior authorizations". Getting some 'inside' information can be valuable in your decision making.

There are many things to consider when evaluating Medicare Advantage plans during this year's annual enrollment period. Remember, the annual enrollment period this year runs from October 15 - December 7.

(There are some exceptions to changing plans outside the Medicare annual enrollment period. If you move you may be able to change plans or, if for some reason, your plan is terminated. Also there are some Medicare Advantage and Medicare Part D plans that you can switch to anytime during the year. If you have a Medicare supplement plan you can change any time during the year.)

You can compare the plans available in your area, and even enroll in a new plan should you choose, by visiting Medicare.gov or calling 1-800-MEDICARE.

Alternatively, many people appreciate help when evaluating their choices. For residents of California professional assistance is available, as local agent Michael Kortz will be happy to explain your options and provide the information you are looking for.

To request help now, simply call Michael toll free (866) 606-2261.

Michael Kortz, RFC, HIP is a Registered Financial Consultant (RFC) and Health Insurance Professional who holds a degree in Economics from the University of California at Irvine. He has been helping people with their insurance since 1999.

Contact Michael Kortz, RFC, HIP for further information (866) 606-2261 or visit his website http://www.tfp8.com

Residents of San Clemente and South Orange County may also visit his office in Capistrano Beach, California.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Michael_Kortz
http://EzineArticles.com/?Should-You-Change-Your-Medicare-Advantage-Plan-During-The-Annual-Enrollment-Period?&id=7339077

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Where to Get Pet Insurance

By John G Mac

Before we talk about where to get pet insurance lets first discuss what pet insurance is & why you should have it.

Pet insurance is just like any other insurance in that it protects you, as the pet owner, from any unforeseen circumstances whereby you might have to pay out a lot of money that you didn't expect. Whilst you may think it's obvious that you should have medical insurance for your pet to cover any vets bills what about other circumstances that you should insure for?

Well, have you thought about what would happen to your pet if you were taken ill & had to be hospitalised? Who would look after your pet or pets? What about if you were about to take a holiday but your pet became ill & needed urgent medical care? What if your pet caused damage to another person's property? What if your pet was stolen? Or strayed & didn't return? All of the proceeding scenarios, whilst not immediately obvious, are situations that you should have insurance for.

There are other not so obvious eventualities that you should insure against, the best way to ensure you cover as many situations as possible is to pick out a few insurance companies & read their policy benefits, by doing this you should be able to make a comprehensive list of what you should have cover for. The reason for picking more than one company is that different companies will offer cover for different situations, you want to make sure that you have all areas covered that apply to you & your pets unique situation, after all we & our pets are all different.

So when you have a comprehensive list of the cover you would like then it's time to think about where to get pet insurance. Maybe in searching for policy benefits you have already found some places to get quotes, great, what should you do next? Simply really, just treat your pet insurance search like you would any other insurance search. Go to 2 or 3 price comparison sites, don't forget to look out for polices that fit your individual circumstances as well as looking for a competitive policy. Then go to at least 2 direct insurance companies to check out their cover as well.

When thinking about where to get pet insurance bear in mind a few things; cheap is not always best & make sure you have enough, but not too much cover. Also remember that comparison sites are not independent, they will feature companies that give them good commissions which may not be the best companies for you. Narrow your preferred list down to 2 or 3 companies based on price & cover that fits your needs, then research the actual companies to see what other customers are saying about them;

• Is it easy to contact the company when you need to?
• Is the claims procedure easy to understand?
• Does the company have a dedicated claims manager to help you?
• What is the company's record for paying out claims?
• Will you get NCB ( No Claims Bonus ) if you don't make a claim?
• Will your pet continue to be covered in "old age"?

You can do all this research yourself online, or you could use a broker who will do all the work for you, you should still know exactly what you want to be covered for, or you could ask around your friends, family & work colleagues for recommendations based on their experiences.

John G Mac is a Professional Affiliate Marketer & Expert Author. For More Information on Where to Get Insurance Please visit http://wheretogetinsurance.co.uk

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http://EzineArticles.com/?Where-to-Get-Pet-Insurance&id=7092507

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Hurricane Sandy: Will Insurance Companies Cover the Cost?

By Peter David Wendt

Insurance Will Not Cover Some Losses Caused by Hurricane Sandy

Hurricane Sandy swept through the East Coast on October 29, 2012. New York and New Jersey were hit the hardest and suffered the most property damage. All states from Maine to Virginia experienced some degree of destruction. Unfortunately, many homeowners and business owners are learning that their insurance policies do not provide coverage for all of their financial losses.

Flood Damages May Not Be Covered by Insurance

Hurricane Sandy caused extensive flooding in areas that did not previously experience flood damages. Standard insurance policies for homeowners do not cover property damage caused solely by flooding. Homeowners who did not purchase separate flood insurance policies can suffer uninsured flood damage losses that will cost hundreds of thousands of dollars to repair.

Mortgage banks require homeowners with houses near the shore to purchase flood insurance. Most commercial insurance companies do not offer flood insurance. Flood insurance in the United States is generally purchased from the National Flood Insurance Program offered by the federal government. Homeowners who did purchase separate flood insurance policies are often disappointed to learn that their expensive policies do not cover all of their property damage losses caused by flooding. The National Flood Insurance Program only insures up to $250,000 in property damage and up to $100,000 in damage to the contents of the home. Additionally, damage to personal property located in the basement of a house is not covered by flood insurance. Homeowners who have fully furnished basements will not receive insurance funds to replace the cost of the furniture and personal possessions in their basement.

Insurance Will Cover Losses to Cars Damaged by Hurricane Sandy

Useless cars filled with mud and debris were a common sight along the East Coast after Hurricane Sandy. Fortunately, comprehensive car insurance policies provide coverage for flood damage to cars.

Business Interruption Insurance Will Not Cover All Business Interruption Losses

Businesses across the East Coast were forced to close due to Hurricane Sandy. However, many insurance companies are refusing to pay business interruption claims caused by the storm. Insurance companies will typically only pay for business interruption losses if the business suffered direct physical damage. However, businesses that did not suffer property damage still suffered business interruption losses. Breakdowns in public transportation systems and flooded roads made it difficult or impossible for businesses to open for days after Hurricane Sandy.

Insurance Coverage is Helping the Recovery Effort, but Many Uninsured Losses Remain

Payouts from insurance companies are helping rebuild the parts of the East Coast devastated by Hurricane Sandy. However, homeowners and business owners are discovering that not all financial losses caused by the storm will be covered by their insurance companies.

Peter Wendt is a writer and researcher from Austin, Texas who is no stranger to dealing with insurance companies. If you have suffered severe property damage from Hurricane Sandy and need help, Wendt recommends his readers visit HurricaneSandyLawyer.pro.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Peter_David_Wendt
http://EzineArticles.com/?Hurricane-Sandy:-Will-Insurance-Companies-Cover-the-Cost?&id=7419459

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5 Things You Should Know About HIPAA Certification

5 Main Types of HIPAA Training

By Greg Garner

The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) was enforced as a federal law in 1996. Medical organizations are required to be compliant with the laws of this act. To help these organizations achieve compliance, certain HIPAA compliance training courses have been formed. The HIPAA laws mainly deal with patient data privacy and security, and govern the operations of health care organizations like hospitals, clinical, and other medical facilities.

In a broad classification, HIPAA training can be of two main types, namely, Professional HIPAA Training and General HIPAA Training.

However, these two types can be broken down and we have five main sub-typesor basic types of HIPAA training. These five types are mentioned below.

• Professional training focuses on specific roles of medical professionals. For e.g. doctors and nurses are the front line care-givers and have special access to patient information at all times. Other employees like administrators and medical clerks also handle patient records that contain sensitive information. This type of training deals with the specific objectives of these medical professionals as they strive to comply with HIPAA laws in an individual manner.

• When a general training session about HIPAA is given to an organization by a training company to enable the organization be HIPAA compliant, it is known as general training. This training is given to all the employees of the healthcare organization, including laundry and housekeeping staff, and employees from other departments, even those who do not directly deal with patient health records. Training is also given to individuals who are involved in modifying or bringing changes in the organization in order to meet HIPAA requirements.

• There is another type of training that focuses on the actual patient records that contains confidential patient information. This compliance training teaches the organization to maintain the medical records of patients, starting with record creation to storage and maintenance. The training is crucial for over-all compliance and includes training about lock and key storage of paper records, digital records storage, server security, and so on.

• Legal training is another type of compliance training that deals with rules in the event of a healthcare organization caught for compliance violations. Employees in lead positions in the hospital, like human resource personnel, legal staff, and others who deal with legal issues of the organization may need to undergo this training. Legal HIPAA training has a specific syllabus which deals with how to prevent legal issues and in case of violations, how to respond to them.

• There are other kinds of HIPAA training that vary based on the delivery of training. Some companies may offer classroom based training, while others may offer online training courses. Online trainings include webinars and can be undertaken in the comfort of a person's own home. HIPAA training may also vary depending on course syllabus, duration of course, certification, and other similar factors.

All these training courses are different in their approach, but eventually have one single goal. They aim at training employees and staff to perform their specific functions and comply with the HIPAA rules and regulations.

For more information, please visit our HIPAA Training website.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Greg_Garner
http://EzineArticles.com/?5-Main-Types-of-HIPAA-Training&id=7429606

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Purchasing Business Insurance for the First Time? Things You Need to Know

By Nate Rodnay

Having adequate business insurance is primary to every business, regardless of its size, geographic location or product it offers. While running a business you need to deal with complex issues that may rise when your business is in operation. The most important ones are the risks associated with your business. You can reduce risks by purchasing a comprehensive insurance coverage.

If you are purchasing insurance for the first time, you need to be very careful as it can make or break your business. This article discusses things you need to know when purchasing business insurance for the first time.

Know how much coverage your business requires:

Before purchasing insurance for your business, you need to know how much coverage your business requires and for that you need to understand the severity of risks that your business may face. There are several factors that you need to identify and evaluate before purchasing insurance for your business. Assess the risks to your business to protect it from them.

Do thorough research:

Different businesses have different insurance needs. Therefore, before purchasing an insurance policy, you need to list the needs of your business and research thoroughly the type of insurance cover for your business. It depends on the size and nature of your business.

You need to check certain things before purchasing business insurance like the type of coverage that is ideal for your business, where to purchase insurance policy, etc.

Take the help of experienced people:

Insurance coverage required by your business is unique, so it should be tailor-made according to the specifications of your business. For that, you need to talk to experienced and knowledgeable people in the industry. Get their advice to get an idea on the several risks that may affect your business operations, so that you will have a clear picture in your mind on which policy to purchase for your business.

Basic things to look for in a business insurance policy:

As you are planning to purchase business insurance for the first time, you need to consider the basic things while purchasing business insurance policy. Make sure you look for options such as minimum liability, property coverage, stock and equipment coverage, auto coverage, business interruption, etc. You need to opt for primary coverage and create a check-list, so that you are sure you have enough coverage that suits your business needs.

Understand what you are buying:

Firstly, you need to understand what type of policy to buy and how it will help your business. There are several factors associated, including the risks of losses and liabilities while buying business insurance. You need to make sure that you are getting enough coverage for your business - all the risks and events are covered under the policy. Also avoid buying unnecessary coverage, as you may have to pay an extra on the premiums.

Shop around:

If you are looking for the best price when purchasing business insurance, you need to shop around and check out with several insurers, as the cost of the coverage differs across insurers. To get the best quotes at a reasonable price, take help of brokerage firms, as they are experienced and knowledgeable, and they will help you out in purchasing the best coverage that suits your business.

Keystone Insurance Group is UK and Ireland's premier insurance brokerage firm. They offer a broad range of insurance products. If you are searching for business insurance using the keywords, Commercial Insurance Northern Ireland or Construction insurance Northern Ireland, visit Keystone Insurance.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Nate_Rodnay
http://EzineArticles.com/?Purchasing-Business-Insurance-for-the-First-Time?-Things-You-Need-to-Know&id=7409312

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Buy Professional Indemnity Insurance

By Chris Carvill

Information has been recently released showing that public sector IT contractors are in line to face some serious professional indemnity claims over substantial amounts of data loss. When it comes to those working in IT, data loss is a huge issue regarding claims, and this highlights the importance of a policy such as professional indemnity insurance.

Contracting as a profession ranges from a number of different industries, each differing in risk levels and safety. With a policy that protects professional indemnity, one would think that the higher the obvious risk, the bigger the need for protective insurance. But this isn't often the case. Contractors, as mentioned before, can exist in many different industries, some may be rope access oil rig workers, and others may work behind a desk, but regardless of any immediate dangers, insurance is just as necessary for each.

This recent case of public sector contractors working within IT shows that their professional indemnity is being tested, with claims being carried out as a result of masses of data being lost due to professional error. This kind of error could have been caused for a number of reasons, perhaps simply a technical glitch, or maybe because of some slight anomaly or mistake that was made, but regardless of the cause, the outcome could result in some seriously hefty claims. This case is reminiscent of the substantial banking blunder that occurred earlier in the year, where their networks crashed for weeks due to a simple IT slipup. Concerning IT as a profession, the potentialities of professional error are arguably low, but when you look at cases and statistics regarding professional insurance claims, it becomes clear that there is a lot of room for error in such a line of work.

To buy the policy, professional indemnity insurance is a very cheap product, and because of this, a little really does go a long way. With premiums starting as low as �147 per annum, this amount is a very small price when considering the possible claims that can be filed against the policy holder, and when looking at recent cases concerning negligence claims, the importance of the product is clear. When buying anything, it is always advised that you ensure that it is the right product for you, this can be said about anything, CD's, clothes and even a car, and insurance is no different. Professional indemnity cover differs depending on the level of insurance the buyer needs, professions and limits of indemnity making a large impact on the end premiums.

The recent cases of claims being carried out due to the actions of IT contractors reiterate the importance of professional indemnity insurance as a form of contractor cover, proving that it is a necessary policy as well as being an essential form of protection. It is not just those who work within IT that require professional indemnity insurance, but in light of negligence claims, it just shows how such a relatively low risk profession can create such substantial financial losses for a company.

Chris Carvill is employed by Qdos, a Leicestershire-based provider of Professional Indemnity Insurance for UK freelancers and contractors. The Qdos website offers includes information about what IR35 is and a handy IR35 calculator to help you find out the potential impact of IR35 on your work.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Chris_Carvill
http://EzineArticles.com/?Buy-Professional-Indemnity-Insurance&id=7426391

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Over 40 Ways to Decrease Your Auto Insurance Costs

By Alexey Saltykov

There are multiple articles titled "7 ways to save on car insurance" or "5 Tips to lower your auto insurance costs" etc, but would it not be great to have all those saving tricks and discounts at one place? Below you will find such a list for Auto insurance. This list is a comprehensive overview of all opportunities to save on car insurance in Canada, and was compiled based on the results of numerous discussions with insurance brokers and through analyses of different insurance offerings.
1. Shop around: Search, Compare, and switch insurance companies. There are many insurance providers and their price offerings for the same policies can be very different, therefore use multiple online tools and talk to several brokers since each will cover a limited number of insurance companies.
2. Bundle: Do you need Home and Auto Insurance? Most companies will offer you a discount if you bundle them together.
3. Professional Membership: Are you a member of a professional organization (e.g. Certified Management Accountants of Canada or The Air Canada Pilots Association)? Then some insurance companies offer you a discount.
4. Students: Being a student alone can result in a student discount.
5. Alumni: Graduates from certain Canadian universities ( e.g University of Toronto, McGill University) might be eligible for a discount at certain Insurance providers.
6. Employee / Union members: Some companies offer discounts to union members.
7. Seniors: Many companies offer special pricing to seniors.
8. Direct insurers: Have you always dealt with insurance brokers / agents? Getting a policy from a direct insurer (i.e. insurers working via call-center or online) often can be cheaper (but not always) since they do not pay an agent/broker commission for each policy sold.
9. Annual vs. monthly payments: In comparison to monthly payments, annual payments save insurers administrative costs (e.g. sending bills) and therefore they reward you lower premiums.
10. Loyalty: Staying with one insurer longer can sometimes result in a long-term policy holder discount.
11. Annual review: Review your policies and coverage every year, since new discounts could apply to your new life situation if it has changed.
12. Welcome discount: Some insurers offer a so called welcome discount.
13. Benchmark your costs: Knowing how much other consumers similar to you pay for their insurance can help you identify the most cost-friendly insurance providers.
14. Car Insurance Deductibles: Increase your car insurance deductibles if you believe that you are capable of incurring higher payments for damages in case of an accident. This is especially suited for more experienced car drivers.
15. Being a second driver: Driving a car only occasionally? Become a second drive instead of being a principal driver
16. Minimal coverage: Driving an old car without large value? Get a minimal coverage required by law (mainly liability) w/o collision damage (you are still protected if you damage somebody's car but damages on your car will not be covered)
17. Minimal Coverage: Driving an old, inexpensive car? Then only get a minimal coverage plan which is required by the law (mainly liability) without collision damage coverage (does not cover damage costs for your vehicle)
18. Leverage your Credit Card: Check if your credit card insurance includes rental car protection. Paying with a card that has insurance for rental car protection can you save you around $20 per day in Collision Damage Waiver fees.
19. Leverage rental car coverage: If you frequently rent cars and have an auto insurance policy, you should check if your own auto insurance policy actually covers the rental car. If it is the case, you can save on all Collision Damage Waiver costs for rental vehicles.
20. Rental car rider: If your existing auto insurance policy does not cover your rental car, you can often add it as a rider (policy extension) for $20-30 dollars a year. Compared to $20/day you would pay when renting a car, it's not a bad deal!
21. Location, location, location: Car insurance costs are different from one province to another (e.g. moving from Ontario to Quebec will surely reduce your insurance costs by half). If you move within a province, you should check for any changes in car insurance costs, and ideally you should move to where costs are lower (e.g. Burlington, Ontario has one of the highest car insurance rates in Ontario)
22. CAA member: CAA Members: Are you a member of the CAA? Some insurance providers will reward you with lower insurance premiums, including, of course, the CAA.
23. Dashboard camera: Get a dashboard camera for your vehicle. Even though installing a dashboard camera does not result in direct savings (insurance companies do not offer any insurance discount related to dashboard cameras) but it can prove you not-at-fault when it is the case in an accident. It results in you avoiding unfair premium raises.
24. Driving Course: Successfully completing a driving course is sometimes recognized by some insurance providers and could help you reduce your premiums.
25. Improving your driving record: Do you have a bad driving record? Every three years previously incurred tickets are removed from your insurance history and your insurance premiums can go down.
26. At-Fault Accidents: Have you been in a couple of accidents in the past where you were at fault? With a little patience (six years with no accidents), your risk profile will improve allowing you to once again enjoy reasonable insurance premium rates.
27. Age: Senior drivers enjoy lower auto insurance premiums. Thus in several years your premiums can go down.
28. Car Make and Model: Wisely choose your car, as some car models are more susceptible to theft or even have a history of more risky drivers (e.g. Toyota Camry, Acura MDX, Toyota RAV4, and Honda Civic are usually quite expensive to insure)
29. Good Student: Yes, having good grades can have many positive impacts, and even on your auto insurance rates! E.g. one insurance company rewards students who are younger than 25 and have good grades (grade average of B or higher) with a discount up to 25%.
30. Multiple-cars-bundle: Bundle several cars on one policy and your rate can go down
31. Anti-theft system: Installing a certified anti-theft system in your car results in a lower risk of theft and thus can lead to insurance discounts.
32. Winter Tires: Having winter tires is important for driving safety during the winter, but can also help reduce your insurance premiums.
33. Repair costs: Choose a car that would cost less to repair in case of damage. The repair costs for certain cars (e.g. Mini Cooper or BMW) are higher than other (e.g. Ford Focus) and insurance providers are aware of that.
34. Claim History: Keeping a clean claims history can sometimes be more financially feasible than submitting claims for small damage repairs which could result in increased premiums. Contacting an insurance provider/broker could help you find out what makes sense.
35. Being married: In most provinces your marital status affects your insurance premiums (except in Nova Scotia)
36. Short distance to work: Finding a house close to your place of work reduces the distance that you need drive daily to work and thus results in lower insurance premiums.
38. Drop glass coverage: For cars with inexpensive windshields, it can be more economical to drop the glass coverage since in combination with the deductibles to be paid in case of an accident you'd pay more. It is up to you to calculate.
39. Retiree Discounts: Some insurance companies will offer different retirement discounts for drivers.
40. Disabilities: Some companies offer discounts for people with disabilities.
41. Hybrid vehicles: Many companies award driving a hybrid vehicle with lower insurance premiums.
42. Private Garage: Parking your car in a safe location (e.g. private or secure garage) normally results in lower insurance premiums with auto insurance providers.
Alex Saltykov is a Co-Founder of InsurEye Inc, a Canadian company that provides online tools for consumers to educate them about insurance, create transparency in insurance market place in Canada and connect consumer with insurance brokers in Ottawa, insurance brokers in Montreal and all across Canada.
Alex spent years advising insurance clients both in North America and Europe while he was working for one of the leading management consulting companies. His areas of expertise are insurance, interactive consumer services, innovation, IT and operations.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Alexey_Saltykov
http://EzineArticles.com/?Over-40-Ways-to-Decrease-Your-Auto-Insurance-Costs&id=7422169

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Cheap Car Insurance: Young Drivers Have Options Out There

By Hilary Bowman

Young drivers find it anything but easy to secure cheap car insurance. In fact, other than the initial cost of purchasing their vehicle, insurance is the most expensive part of being a driver for the 17-25 age group. But that is not to say that it is impossible to get a good deal.

It may seem unfair to teenagers and young twenty-something that insurance companies presume they are a big risk on the roads, but when the statistics are examined it is hard to argue against them. Most large claims are made by drivers in this age range, so young drivers can hardly expect to get low premium auto insurance immediately.

Thankfully, the rise of the Internet, and the online insurance brokers that operate there, means that better terms can be secured on car insurance policies, with lower premium and better discounts.

Why The Poor Assessment?

As mentioned, there is little argument against the higher premium and poorer terms that most young drivers are faced with. It takes time to build up the level of experience needed to convince insurance brokers to offer cheap car insurance to these drivers.

Of course, it also takes avoiding any accidents, even small ones. The youngest drivers with good terms are those who have not even had their fenders bent. And those who get low premium auto insurance before they reach the age of 25, point to their excellent driving habits as the chief reason.

Surveys have revealed that younger drivers use their cellphones regularly while driving, making calls as well as answering them, and sending and receiving SMS messages. In fact, the ease with which these drivers are distracted means they are the biggest risk on the roads. Therefore, insurance companies charge higher car insurance premiums.

How to Improve Your Terms

With a high level of distraction and a lower level of driving experience leaves insurance brokers will little option but to charge higher premiums. And this is certainly unfair for those young drivers who are conscientious and practice good driving practices, who arguably deserve to have access of cheap car insurance.

But how can the terms be improved? Well, there are some steps to take that help young drivers towards low premium auto insurance. The first is to make the car itself more secure, so make sure an alarm or immobilizer is fitted to the automobile. Also, reduce the actual mileage driven by using the car sparingly. And take some extra driving courses to provide evidence of greater knowledge and responsibility.

Lastly, drive with caution and due diligence. A speeding ticket can increase the cost of the car insurance premium, with three tickets are estimated to increase the cost by around 20%.

Finding the Best Terms

Thanks to the Internet, it is now much easier to find cheap car insurance. The development of comparison sites means that the best terms in line with your own preferences can be found within seconds, allowing for fast and accurate searching.

Look at the specific terms of the policies on offer, such as the available milestone discounts, and the penalties or increases to the premium should a claim be made. And, of course, check out the degree of coverage that is offered. Sometimes what seems to be low premium auto insurance is actually just poor auto insurance.

Finally, check out the reputation of the insurance brokers before signing up too any car insurance policy. This can be done through the Better Business Bureau website, or the Verify1st website, both of which will reveal if the broker is trustworthy or not.

Hilary Bowman is a Financial Expert who specializes in Loans for People with No Credit and Bad Credit Loans

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Hilary_Bowman
http://EzineArticles.com/?Cheap-Car-Insurance:-Young-Drivers-Have-Options-Out-There&id=7432375

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Why Businesses Should Consider Getting Insurance Cover

By Emily J Jayden

Many business operators think that getting insurance for their business is just an unnecessary additional expense, or is considered a luxury among owners of larger businesses. While these claims are somewhat true, one shouldn't neglect the importance of shopping for business insurance regardless of business size, age and category. Given below are just a few reasons why businesses should consider protecting themselves with the help of an insurance cover.

Disasters and Company Liability

Although business insurance comes at an expense, it should be included in the budget because you'll never know when and what type of catastrophe might strike your business location. Natural calamities like earthquakes and hurricanes can strike any place any time, leaving unsuspecting victims in shock and awe. It would be fortunate enough if business loss is just small and temporary, but what if you are forced to close your business because of a permanent or expensive loss? Thus, no matter what the size of your company is, it is imperative to get business interruption insurance, so that cash flow is maintained even at times of force majeure.

Furthermore, the company is held liable for any accident that happens within the business premises. You and your company are answerable whenever one of your customers gets injured, like when someone slips and falls inside your store. These incidents often spell trouble for the business, especially if it goes to court. It is important, particularly for small business, to get business liability insurance to cover such accidents if ever they occur.

Theft and Litigation

It is common knowledge that new businesses are often the primary targets for thieves. Computers and other equipments that have the potential of being resold or pawned are commonly stolen these days. Stores that recently underwent equipment upgrades and building renovations are also hot spots for ill-minded individuals; but with replacement insurance, you will get remunerated for any loss that's due to theft. Even the cost for fixing damages resulting from breaking in can be covered.

At times when your business becomes involved in a litigation process, it gives owner some peace of mind knowing that his business is protected by business liability, professional liability and malpractice insurance. You'll never know when somebody or some other business sues you. It is wise to be prepared because frivolous business lawsuits are increasingly becoming more common these days. Uninsured businesses that lose their cases are often asked to pay more than their capacity to pay. In some unfortunate instances, there are even times when the owner will be forced to pay up using his own personal assets.

Considering factors like the ones mentioned above, get your best small business insurance quote as soon as possible. The level of cover depends on a lot of factors including the size of your business, your company assets and how much you are willing to pay for insurance among others.

Determine the importance of protecting your business with a reliable insurance company. Get the best small business insurance quotes before you make your final decision.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Emily_J_Jayden
http://EzineArticles.com/?Why-Businesses-Should-Consider-Getting-Insurance-Cover&id=7403050

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Insurance Verification Services - Its Importance

By Gerald Hawkins

For physicians, hospitals and healthcare institutions, who are in the business of saving lives, insurance benefit verification is a time consuming task. Insurance verification services are a crucial part of the medical billing process and play a major role in the healthcare provider's claims denial management program. Offered by professional medical billing companies, health insurance verification services help group and specialty practices and hospitals to check a patient's active coverage with the insurance company and verify whether the patient is eligible for scheduled medical procedures.

Eligibility verification process has to be carried out before the patient is admitted to a hospital. Services provided cover the verification of payable benefits, co-pays, co-insurances, deductibles, effective date, patient policy status, type of plan and coverage details, plan exclusions, claims mailing address, referrals and pre-authorizations, life time maximum, and more.

Insurance eligibility verification is a necessary step in the medical billing process. There are many reasons that make health insurance verification services a necessity. In order to avoid claim rejection, each healthcare provider has to verify the insurance eligibility and coverage benefits of the patients, before the patient is provided medical services. Or else, it might lead to problems such as delayed payments, increased errors, need for rework, non-payment of claims, patient dissatisfaction and more.

Non-verification of insurance eligibility would lead to problems such as delayed payments, rework, increased errors and patient dissatisfaction. All this underlines the importance of insurance verification in healthcare.

Insurance Verification Services for Speedy Reimbursement

Outsourcing insurance verification services would be a good option for health care professionals who do not have the time to spare on insurance benefit verification. The benefits of outsourcing medical insurance verification are:

• Faster billing cycles
• Speedy approval and authorization
• Simplified workflow
• Reduced risk
• Reduced number of returned claims
• Improved payment and collections

Health insurance verification specialists, called insurance verifiers, are assigned by the medical billing company to work closely with providers and patients. They will work with patients, complete paperwork, and verify patient information with the insurance carrier to maximize reimbursement and improve the revenue cycle. They will also carry out all follow-up processes, ensure that requirements are met and send back the results to the provider. They will also communicate with the insurance provider to communicate missing information, appeals, and other relevant things. The insurance eligibility verification process involves many steps:

• Receiving patient schedules from the hospital or clinics via FTP, email or fax
• Verifying patients' insurance coverage on all primary and secondary (if applicable) payers
• Verifying demographic information
• Updating patient accounts
• Contacting patients for additional information if necessary
• Updating the billing system with eligibility and benefits details such as member ID, group ID, coverage start and end dates, co-pay information

Insurance verification services and its importance in healthcare industry demand the involvement of professionals for a successful outcome.

Outsource Strategies International (OSI) offers medical billing services, focusing on every aspect of the medical billing / patient cycle. Our cutting edge HIPAA-compliant technologies, web based software, trained staff and strict quality control processes ensure timely and efficient medical billing service.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Gerald_Hawkins
http://EzineArticles.com/?Insurance-Verification-Services---Its-Importance&id=7411240

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Insurance And The End Of The World

By Robert Edgin

As I'm writing this, the end of the world is just a few days away... IF you believe the Mayan calendar. And IF you're like most folks out there, I'm sure you're asking the rather obvious question on most people's minds, "will my insurance cover my cars and house if they're destroyed by the end of the world"? You may also be concerned that your life insurance wont' pay a death benefit if you don't make it through the end of the world events. Here are a few things to put your mind at ease when it comes to your insurance:

1. Most insurance policies specifically list things that are excluded from coverage and the list can be easily found in every policy that you buy. Check you policy and you'll most likely find that the end of the world is NOT listed as an exclusion of coverage. I know what you may be thinking, it's the stuff leading up to the end of the world that you'll need to have coverage for, such as meteors, sun flares and super volcanoes that erupt in Yellowstone National Park. Don't worry, you probably won't find any of those disasters listed as an exclusion either.
2. Even things that ARE excluded can still be protected if you're willing to spend a few extra dollars. Earthquakes and floods, two real possibilities for the upcoming doomsday, are typically not covered by home insurance policies. However, you can usually add an earthquake endorsement to your home insurance and buy flood insurance through the National Flood Service.
3. If your neighbor also survives the apocalypse but then breaks into your house to steal your survival gear, your insurance company will replace it under your policy. If they steal your 4x4 in order to get to higher ground, that's covered to as long as you carry comprehensive coverage. Insurance companies don't ask why something was stolen or refuse to replace the item just because the theft had to do with the end of the world.
4. If your house isn't damaged but an EMP blast has knocked out power to 1/2 the continent, don't worry about the hundreds of pounds of food you've placed in the freezer in preparation. Most home insurance policies have coverage for loss of power resulting in food spoiling. Simply eat your freeze dried food and the fruit from your sustainable garden until power is restored. Then, call your insurance company and file your claim. Your home insurance should provide you with the needed money to restock the freezer in you underground bunker (minus your deductible).
5. If you purchase the right type of life insurance (non accidental death), about the only two types of death that may forfeit the payment to your family are suicide (within the first year or two, depending on the state you live in) and fraud. If it's pestilence, being swallowed hole by the ground beneath you, a falling asteroid or even a falling plane that was hit by a falling asteroid, your policy will pay your beneficiary the death benefit so they'll have plenty of money to stock the underground bunker they plan on living in.

The chances of the end of the world taking out your home or car may be increasing, but there's not much need to worry about your insurance policy not covering the damage. And if that doesn't help put your mind at ease, you can always forget your car and house and settle for living on the personal ark you built for your family in preparation for the floods.

If you're still around after the end of the world on 12/21/12 and you'd like to review your other coverage to make sure your family is protected, go to http://www.RobertEdgin.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Robert_Edgin
http://EzineArticles.com/?Insurance-And-The-End-Of-The-World&id=7431159

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