Insurance World

For many families, finding affordable health insurance is a task akin to the search for the Holy Grail. Depending on where in the country you live, a family health insurance plan can cost as much as $800-$1000 per month. Even when you split that cost between employee and employer, that’s a major chunk of nearly anyone’s monthly budget. And while it’s popular to swear under your breath at the greed of the health insurance industry, a look at the cost of medical care is an eye-opening shock for many people. The expenses associated with a broken arm, for instance, can easily mount into several thousands of dollars.

** The Health Insurance Industry has a stake in keeping people healthy.

The high cost of health insurance is the direct result of the high cost of medical care. It’s a simple matter of economics. The more it costs to take care of each subscriber, the more the insurance companies have to charge all their subscribers. This cost/expense ratio is what has made most health insurance companies embrace the idea of providing preventive care to their subscribers. It’s a simple matter of business sense - healthy people don’t cost the insurance companies a lot of money.

Accidents may be the first type of medical need that springs to mind when people consider buying health insurance, the major insurance companies all agree that accidents aren’t the major cost drain on medical resources. That place is reserved for chronic illnesses like diabetes, heart disease, cancer and high blood pressure. Because of this, it makes good business sense for health insurance companies to encourage their subscribers to adopt preventive health strategies. That pays off in special benefits for health conscious consumers.

** Preventive Health Benefits Help Keep Costs Low

Among the benefits that have become commonplace for major health insurance providers are routine physicals, medical screenings for all subscribers, discounts on health club and gym memberships, payment of dues for weight loss groups and lowered subscription fees for non-smokers.

Some health insurance companies and HMO’s go even further in their preventive efforts. Because of the high risk of serious injury or fatality for infants in automobile accidents, Fallon Community Health Plan of Massachusetts has for years teamed with local organizations to provide free infant car seats to families with newborns. In the same spirit of prevention, many HMOs offer free stress management and stress reduction workshops to all subscribers because stress has been identified as a leading risk factor in nearly every major illness.

** Seeking a Cure
The quest for affordable health care has also prompted health insurance companies and HMOs to help fun research and health initiatives all over the country. The health insurance industry underwrites millions of dollars of medical research annually in an effort to lower the costs of health care. Their dollars fund grants to enroll low income and other hard to insure populations, and to offer eye, dental and health care to inner city and poor rural populations. The industry estimates that routine preventive eye and dental care, as well as routine medical screenings and physicals can identify illnesses at early stages and prevent conditions and costs from escalating out of reach.

** Get the Most from Your Health Insurance
You pay for it - you should certainly get the most possible benefit from your health insurance plan. Here are some suggestions for ways that you can make your health insurance plan work for you:

- Join a gym.
Check the benefits that your HMO or health insurance plan offers. Chances are good that one of them is a discount good on membership at a local gym or health club. Get fit - it saves THEM money… but it saves YOUR life.

- Lose weight.
Take advantage of nutritional counseling and memberships in weight loss support groups to get down to your ideal weight. Added bonus? Many health insurance plans offer a lower tier cost for subscribers who are at healthy weights.

- Quit smoking.
Non-smokers are another group that often enjoy lower health insurance premiums. Many HMOs and health insurance providers offer free smoking cessation programs to help you get smoke free and healthy.

- Attend medical screenings and health fairs.
Many health insurance providers sponsor ‘wellness fairs’ where you can have your blood pressure tested, get free medical screenings and learn about alternative medical techniques like massage therapy, acupuncture and yoga. Take advantage of special events to learn more and get healthy.

It may be popular to demonize the health insurance industry, but today more than ever, the health insurance industry has a stake in keeping you healthy. Find out what your health insurance company has to offer you by visiting their web site, or calling customer service.

Once you have found the home that you would like to buy and have begun the process of closing on the house, you will need to begin searching for a Homeowners insurance policy that meets your needs and your budget.

Depending on the part of the country you plan to live in, the size of the home being purchased, and the amount of theft prone possessions inside, insurance price quotes can vary greatly. But most price quotes from a private insurance company will fall between $300 and $1500 a year.

Hopefully you are working with a helpful realtor who has already informed you of the importance of shopping around for Homeowners insurance price quotes before deciding on a coverage plan that is right for you.

If a realtor has not told you already, it is best to call at least three different insurance companies to get price quotes for your home. You may already have an insurance company in mind, possibly one that handles your parents’ insurance needs or one that already handles your car or life insurance.

If you don’t already have an insurance company then don’t be afraid to simply search online or through the telephone book for insurance companies. You may also recognize names from advertisements. Feel free to use these names as a starting point for a price quote.

Whichever insurance companies you decide to begin your search with, make sure you get at least three different price quotes from three different agencies before settling on the best quote for your home.

Before you begin calling the insurance agencies regarding a price quote, it is best to have hard knowledge about the home you are purchasing. This includes the current appraisal value of the home or an estimate from before the house was put up for sale.

You will also want to have a list of the dimensions of the home and the amenities inside the home, such as the square footage of each room and any special flooring, countertops or architectural design that adds to the value of the home.

As well, before you get started have a list of belongings that will add value to the home, such as appliances, furniture, jewelry and any major artwork or collectors items. Having all of this information ready can speed up the rate quote process.

With the advent of technology and computers, many major home insurance companies have begun placing information for quick 10-15 minute rate quotes online. This frees you up from having to speak to a representative on the phone, who may be trying to talk you into insurance that you don’t need.

Many of these websites also provide information explaining different types of insurance, so you can feel free to sit and read over the information without feeling as though you are asking too many questions.

Some of the major insurance companies that have information available online, as well as quick rate quotes for Homeowners insurance include Allstate, State Farm, Liberty Mutual, and Travelers insurance companies. Of course there are several other insurance companies available online, so take time to research these companies if you have access to a computer and the Internet.

If you have tried several insurance companies and still aren’t happy with the price quotes being offered, try switching up the details of the plan. Before locking yourself into an insurance rate you are unhappy with, ask about changing the deductible, the coverage costs or even the personal liability insurance.

It really is a personal preference as to how much insurance is enough insurance for your family, so keep in mind that if you feel like you can’t afford the price quotes being offered, there are ways to make payments more manageable.

One of the best ways to manage the yearly payment of Homeowners insurance is simply to increase the deductible, or the amount the homeowner will pay before the insurance company steps in and begins paying for damages or loss. Most insurance companies will require a minimum deductible of either $250 or $500 but the homeowner can easily change that deductible to $750 or $1000 to reduce the annual payment.

If this still doesn’t work in giving you a fair price quote, speak to the insurance agent and ask for options regarding reducing the rate. If you give them a ballpark figure of how much insurance you can afford a year, most often they will work to help you attain these figures.

You may even want to consider adding security or fire safety features to the home, if that insurance company offers a discount for these features. Although it may cost a bit of money out of your pocket to add these features, it will save your insurance premium in the long run.