Insurance World

Yes, you may want to consider a long term care insurance plan if you don’’t want to drain your retirement savings and other investments in the future! It is currently estimated that nursing home costs are more than $10,000 per month. Imagine, how much this will cost you on an annual basis if you had to pay this money out of your pocket if you needed care from a nursing home! This would be financially devastating without long term care insurance.

Did you know that prior to the passage of the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005, most Americans were able to count on Medicaid to assist them with long term health care. The Deficit Reduction Act changes all of that. This new law places the majority of long term health care costs on you, especially if you have assets. Unfortunately, middle class Americans will be hit the hardest with this new law.

How does the Deficit Reduction Act affect me if I need nursing home care and have assets? Well, for the most part, you will need to exhaust your assets before you will be eligible for Medicaid. Under this new law, there is a five year look back period from the date that you apply for your Medicaid benefits. This five year look back period, is to ensure that you have not transferred assets to relatives, friends, or other individuals. If you have transferred your assets to someone, Medicaid will count this against you and you will have a period of penalty wherein you will not qualify for benefits. Basically, this means that you could be out of money and Medicaid will not pay for your nursing home care!

The other side of this new law is that even if you have not transferred your assets to someone, you cannot have more than $500,00 in home equity. The majority of your assets including trusts and annuities are viewed differently under this new law.

It is important, that you consider long term care insurance as part of your retirement planning. With passage of the Deficit Reduction Act of 2005, it is a must! Unless you are independently wealthy and don’’t mind coming out of your pocket with more than $10,000 per month for your prospective nursing home care! For the average person, this would be a severe financial hardship.

What age should I consider getting a long term care insurance plan? You may want to consider in your early to mid fifties. However, it is recommended that you consult your insurance agent or financial advisor about this.

Planning is important, in order to assist you in eliminating a potentially devastating financial disaster. You want to live out the golden years of your retirement as stress free as possible. So make sure you plan for your future long term health care needs!

The car insurance industry has got really competitive in the last few years, so prices haven’t really changed much. There are now over 100 car insurers to choose from, so there are some very good deals out there for those who are prepared to shop around. 23% of motorists still choose to insure with the same company as the year before, but they could undoubtedly save money if they did check out some other companies.

Motorists could be forgiven for not getting other quotes, it used to be a very laborious exercise involving long waits while getting routed through the call centre, and boring repetition of facts to sales advisors. Now, thanks to the internet, it’s all a lot more simple. Car insurers also offer extra discounts to people who buy online.

However, you need to consider the quality of the policy, not just the price:

• Check that your low quotation is not due to an extremely high excess.

• Check that you will get a courtesy car if your car needs to be taken in for repairs.

• Check that legal insurance cover is included, if you want it, and automatic windscreen replacement.

• Find out if there is an accident help line in case of an emergency.

It’s a good idea to ring the insurer direct to talk through the policy in detail before signing up online.

Money saving tips – recommended!

You can get a quote with over 40 car insurers if you input your details into a good car insurance broker’s website. You’ll only need to give your details once. Call the insurer with the quotation to check exactly what is and isn’t covered.

If you have a garage, then you’ll save by keeping your car there overnight. You’ll also make savings if you can keep your car on a driveway. This is because there is more chance your car being broken into or vandalised if it’s kept on the road.

Give your insurer an accurate picture of how many miles you do each year – you will save if you travel less.

Some occupations, like being a landlord, journalist or professional footballer (if only) attract higher premiums. You can save money if you work in finance or the civil service.

Get married! Men under 30 pay more if they’re not married – it’s just the excuse your girlfriend is looking for!

Under 25’s pay more, but you can get lower premiums if can put a driver over the age of 25 with a good driving record on your policy as a named driver. That person must be under 60 though, as premiums rise again at that age.

Agreeing to higher excess (the average cost is Ј100) will help lower your premiums.

If your car is not of a high value, you could get third party cover and make quite a saving compared to fully comprehensive insurance.

Pay as you go insurance is a new option for 18-21 year olds. It’s a recent development introduced by Norwich Union, in which you pay a unit cost per mile. The cost per mile is more between 11pm and 6am. You pay an initial fee of Ј199 to have a Global Positioning System fitted to your car, and then it transmits details of your mileage direct to Norwich Union. They send you a monthly invoice and you pay for the miles you’ve done!

Taking Pass Plus lessons to improve your driving abilities could save you around a third on your premiums. They cost Ј15 - Ј30 an hour and cover driving at night, in busy rush hour jams and fast motorway driving. You can find out more at www.passplus.org.uk . You can also improve your driving skills and make insurance savings with the Institute of Advanced Motorists ( www.iam.org.uk ).

Find out the insurance group of a car before you make the purchase. There are twenty insurance groups – the slower and less desirable the car (to criminals) then the lower the rating. You could make considerable savings by choosing a car in a lower insurance group.

If you want a high spec or performance car then you can expect to pay a lot more on your insurance. They’re a lot more likely to be stolen or involved in an accident. Making the sensible choice might be a bit boring, but it will be a lot cheaper.

Watch your speed. Most insurance companies will let you get away with a single fixed penalty fine but if you repeat the offence then your premiums will rocket.

Protect your no claims discount as soon as you can (usually after four years). It costs a bit extra but it’s well worth it.

Satellite navigation in your car will lower your premiums. Insurers have found that people concentrate more on their driving and less on trying to find their way, which means less chance of having an accident.

It’s a good idea to have an engine immobiliser or alarm fitted not just because it could help you keep hold of your car, it will also make you a saving of 5-8%.

If there’s two or more cars in the household, get them on the same policy to get a good discount.