Understanding Health Insurance

Different Types of Health Insurance

Although the cost of health insurance is continually rising, it is something that most individuals and families cannot afford to go without. So it’s important to understand the different types of health insurance that are available to you, so you can choose the right health insurance policy that fits your budget.

It’s important to learn the pros and cons of each type of health insurance, from managed care to indemnity plans, and the variances within each type. Understanding how health insurance policy rates vary, and what type of insurance is designed for each type of individual or family, and their needs is also important.

Whether you’re getting a new job and need to decide which type of insurance to choose from your employer, or are self-employed and seek coverage for you and your family, it’s smart to stay informed. This empowers you with confidence that you have the right health insurance coverage that offers the protection you need at a price you can afford.

Health insurance is necessary to keep you from falling into debt from an accident or an unexpected health problem. Health insurance is a contract between you and your insurance company. Understanding the difference between insurance plans and knowing what questions to ask will help you choose the right plan for you.

Health Insurance Catagories

There are two categories of health insurance. Basic and Major Medical are known as indemnity plans.

Basic Plans

A basic plan usually includes the everyday costs of medical treatments; like hospital stays, surgeries and emergency treatment. In most instances, these plans pay one hundred percent of cost; however, there could be a payment limit. This leaves the individual to cover the balance.

Major Medical

Major Medical plans cover a broader range of services—including those incurred both in and out of the hospital. This plan usually covers hospital stays, surgeries, emergency treatment, prescriptions, x-rays, lab test, dental and mental health services. There could be deductibles and out of pocket expenses. The dollar limit of total payments is higher than a basic plan.

Managed Care Plans

Managed care plans such as Health Maintenance (HMOs), Preferred Provider Organizations (PPOs) and Points of Service (POS) generally provide a broad range of coverage. They involve an arrangement between the insurer and a selected network of healthcare providers.

Questions to ask Your Health Care provider:

1. When deciding which plan is best, you might want to ask the following questions.

2.  What copays, deductibles and coinsurance requirements apply?

3.  Can I choose my own healthcare provider?

4.  How do I check if my physician is covered under the plan?

5.  Does the plan cover my specific needs (specialist, vision, dialysis, chemotherapy, prescription drugs, dental, maternity)?

6.  Does the plan cover pre-existing conditionsor is there a waiting period?

7. Are referrals required for additional services?

The best insurance plan is one that gives you the most benefits for the lowest cost, the greatest flexibility and fits your individual or family's needs.  Learn how easy and convenient shopping for health insurance can be. Contact Jason Shroot @ Diversifed Insurance For Free Quotes @ 714-988-3325.

Hulk Hogan Rejected Our Insurance Advice

Wells Fargo: Hulk Hogan Rejected Our Insurance Advice

 

Posted on: Tue, 27 Apr 2010 14:03:14 EDT

 

CLEARWATER, Fla., Apr 27, 2010 (A. M. Best via COMTEX) --

Wells Fargo Insurance Services said it offered to get a personal umbrella policy for professional wrestler Hulk Hogan's family but the offer was rejected.

Hulk Hogan is suing insurance broker Wells Fargo Southeast, alleging the company did not inform the popular entertainer of appropriate coverages, which left Hogan underinsured when his son was involved in a 2007 automobile accident that left a passenger seriously injured (BestWire, April 23, 2010).

Wells Fargo said there is "clear evidence" that the broker tried to get the insurance for Hogan, whose real name is Terry Bollea. "The claims made by Mr. Bollea and his attorney are without merit and Wells Fargo intends to vigorously defend this frivolous lawsuit," the company said in a statement e-mailed to BestWire.

Hogan was worth an estimated $30 million in August 2007, when his son Nick crashed Hogan's car and left passenger John Graziano with a serious brain injury. Hogan paid out of his pocket to settle all Graziano claims against him, according to the suit. That settlement is currently confidential. The wrestler and reality show star alleges that despite his liability exposure, "Wells Fargo Southeast never advised, suggested or spoke to him regarding the advisability of an excess insurance policy or umbrella policy to protect his substantial assets in the event of a potential loss," reads the suit filed April 22 in Pinellas County, Fla.  As of April 26 Wells Fargo said it had not been served the lawsuit and has not reviewed all of Hogan's allegations.

For the BEST Service & EDUCATION about Your Insurance Policies, Call Jason Shroot @ 714-988-3325 and Let Diversified Insurance Quotes Assist You With Ensuring You Obtain The Proper Coverages At The Lowest Possible Premium.  

Have your Personal Property Documented

Have your Personal Property Documented...

Do you have an updated asset inventory in a safe place away from your home or business? 

If you had a fire, burglary, or other catastrophe could you guarantee that you would remember everything you own? If the answer is no to either of these questions you should consider the services of a professional and reliable home inventory services company.

One residential fire occurs every 83 seconds. A structure fire , which includes residential and commercial buildings, occurs approximately every 62 seconds.  A burglary occurs every 14.6 seconds in American homes.  The average property loss continues to climb each year - not due to more incidents, but because of the increased value of the personal property in our homes.

If you were a victim of a fire, burglary, or other catastrophe, trying to recall or prove what you had in your home could be very difficult and costly!
 

Its your responsibility to prove your loss, and having a record of these items will help to process your insurance claim faster.  Also, insurance companies will replace property with the "same kind and quality" concept of what you lost. If your property is valued above the "standard" rule, it's your responsibility to prove otherwise.

Insurance companies and estate planners strongly recommend a thorough documentation of the personal property in your home or business. The Insurance Information Institute statistics show that fewer than 20% of homeowners have an updated home inventory and revealed those homeowners typically receive 20% more when settling an insurance claim.

A professional and reliable Home Inventory Services Company will provide you with complete reports, digital video on DVD, and digital photographic record on CD of your home or business and its contents. These companies help you to maximize insurance claims, while helping to make the process go fast and easy.

Having an updated inventory of your property satisfies the burden of proof that insurance companies require prior to settling a claim. Proper documentation of assets is crucial when they become stolen or damaged and need to be replaced in a timely manner. Insurance companies all endorse property inventories and many state that in a claim process the one with the property inventory documentation will receive 10% to 20% more when the claim is settled.

Do the math: The average home value is $200,000 with an insured content coverage of 50% or $100,000. That's a $10,000 to $20,000 loss in a claim settlement without a home inventory! It will also assist police by identifying your property after a theft with written and photographic evidence of your property.

Contact Jason Shroot For Recommending Quality Home Inventory Services and Do-It-Yourself Checklists.....

Questions & Quotes Contact 714-988-3325 www.diversifiedinsurancequtoes.com Jason@diversifiedinsurancequotes.com

How Much Are You Over-Paying For Your Auto Insurance

How Much Are You Over-Paying For Your Auto Insurance


In good times, it's natural that we pay less attention to our individual expenses.  But in today's uncertain times, regardless of our current situation, everybody needs to save as much money as possible.


When it comes to saving money the best place to start is with your auto insurance.

Most Americans can point to a similar list of monthly expenses, including mortgage or rent payments, auto expenses, utility bills, food & clothing etc...  Many of these expenses are fixed and can't be changed and so they offer few opportunities to save any significant amounts of money.  Financial experts agree, however, that the one monthly expense, where people can, with minimal effort, often find real and substantial monthly savings is auto insurance.

Auto Insurance is a necessary evil that responsible people know they can't live without. In fact, for many of us, it's a payment we make month-in and month-out, and never see the benefit of.   That's OK, because the coverage has to be there if we need it - but it's also makes it all the more important that we don't over-pay.

How to make sure your Insurance Company is not getting rich off you...
Fortunately, today there are online services that let consumers quickly shop for the best rates from a nationwide selection of auto insurance companies, all competing for your business.  You simply enter your requirements, and instantly receive quotes from a wide range of reputable companies.

One of the most comprehensive of these services is www.diversifiedinsurancequotes.com.  They operate a free website service that will find you the best insurance quotes from a wide network of premium insurers.   The site also contains a wealth of reference information that helps you understand how different policies work and how to save the most money possible.

The fact is that auto insurance rates are constantly changing, and for certain policies rates have actually dropped significantly in the past 12 months.  You can be sure, however, that your insurance company is not going to call you up and let you know their rates have dropped.   But, with a minimal amount of time on a service such as www.diversifiedinsurancequotes.com you may be able to quickly save hundreds of dollars.

For Questions & Quotes Call Jason Shroot

714-988-3325 

jason@diversifiedinsurancequotes.com

Average Car Insurance Rates - How A DUI Can Affect Your Car Insurance

How A DUI Can Affect Your Car Insurance...

Driving drunk is a very dangerous thing to do, and can result in a variety of different consequences. If you are convicted of a DUI you will have to deal with points on your license, drivers license suspension, high fines, attorney/court costs, and more. While these items just mentioned tend to be short-term consequences, you may not have considered the long-term consequences that can arise if you’re convicted of a DUI. If you’re convicted of a DUI your car insurance rates and even your ability to have insurance coverage will be affected.

Higher Rates
More than likely your insurance company will be notified if you’re convicted of a DUI. If the company does not suspend your insurance coverage, more often than not, you can wave goodbye to low rate car insurance for a long period of time. If you don’t like the higher rates your current company wants to charge you, you can try changing insurance companies, but even changing typically won’t save you money because you’ll be labeled as a high risk driver, which will result in you paying higher car insurance rates wherever you may go. More than likely your insurance company will have to send an SR-22 Proof of Insurance Certificate to the state showing that they are covering you, in order for your drivers license to have your license suspension removed.

Cancellation
In some cases, if you have been convicted of a DUI, some car insurance companies will actually cancel your insurance policy. Not all companies can issue an SR-22, so this can result in your car insurance policy either being canceled or the company not renewing your policy at your current renewal date. Although some states may not allow your insurance company to cut off your coverage in the middle of your plan, they can stop covering you when your renewal dates come around. If you have questions about cancellation policies, you may want to review the laws in your state or sit down with your agent.

Available Insurance
If you end up having your current insurance policy canceled or not renewed, there are a variety of companies that will be able to offer you car insurance coverage. While you’ll be able to find coverage, your new car insurance rates will still reflect the fact that you have a DUI on your record. In some states the DUI is only on your record for five years; however, other states may keep it on your record for life.

Being convicted of a DUI can have a variety of different consequences, both short-term and long-term, and there is a good chance that it could affect your car insurance rates for the rest of your life. If you are interested in keeping your car insurance rates low, plain and simple, don’t ever drive drunk. Driving while intoxicated is just a very bad decision. It not only comes with financial consequences, it puts you and others at great risk safety-wise as well. Before you decide to get behind the wheel of a car after drinking, make sure you take a moment to think about the consequences that can last a lifetime.

To learn more about how you can save money and greatly reduce your car insurance rates, please visit www.diversifiedinsurancequotes.com or Call 714-988-3325.

What Is LTC?

What Is Long-Term Care?

Someone with a prolonged physical illness, a disability or a cognitive impairment (such as Alzheimer’s disease) often needs long-term care. Many different services help people with chronic conditions overcome limitations that keep them from being independent. Long-term care is different from traditional medical care. Long-term care helps one live as he or she is now; it may not help to improve or correct medical problems.

Long-term care services may include help with activities of daily living, home health care, respite care, hospice care, adult day care, care in a nursing home, or care in an assisted living facility. Long-term care may also include care management services, which will evaluate your needs and coordinate and monitor the delivery of long-term care services. Someone with a physical illness or disability often needs hands-on or stand-by assistance with activities of daily living.

People with cognitive impairments usually need supervision, protection or verbal reminders to do everyday activities. The way long-term care services are provided is changing. Skilled care and personal care are still the terms used most often to describe long-term care and the type or level of care you may need. People usually need skilled care for medical conditions that require care by medical personnel such as registered nurses or professional therapists.

This care is usually needed 24 hours a day, a physician must order it, and it must follow a plan. Individuals usually get skilled care in a nursing home but may also receive it in other places. For example, you might get skilled care in your home with help from visiting nurses or therapists. Skilled care includes physical therapy, caring for a wound, or supervising the administration of

intravenous medication.

Personal care (sometimes called custodial care) helps one with activities of daily living (ADLs.) These activities include bathing, eating, dressing, toileting, continence and transferring. Personal care is less involved than skilled care, and it may be given in many settings.

Questions & Quotes

Jason @ 714-988-3325

www.diversifiedinsurancequotes.com

jason@diversifiedinsurancequotes.com

Employment Practices Liability Tip

The best way for employers to prepare for, and hopefully reduce, any potential employee lawsuit is to create corporate responsibility standards and programs and effectively communicate such standards and programs to employees of all levels. Every company should have written policies and procedures which include a mission statement, acceptable standards of conduct, anti-harassment/discrimination policies, a code of ethics, and a corporate compliance program.

Employers should strive to create a working environment where employees are encouraged to alert management to potential problems and participate in investigations without fear of retaliation. Ensuring consistent administration of policies and responding appropriately and promptly once a complaint is made are the best ways to prevent retaliation claims. Management should reassure the employee lodging the complaint or participating in the investigation that he or she will suffer no retaliation as a result.

For Questions & Quotes

Jason @ 714-988-3325

www.diversifiedinsurancequotes.com

 

Will You Be Ready to Retire?

Will You Be Ready to Retire?

The Employee Benefit Research Institute’s 2010 Retirement Confidence Survey showed that more than 30% of today’s workers haven’t saved for retirement, up from 25% in 2009 and 28% in 2008. It also indicates that, of those who do have savings, one in four has saved less than $1,000. This may be why 40% of Americans plan to postpone retirement.

The Center for Retirement Research indicates that four out of 10 individuals between the ages of 45 to 59 expect to retire four or more years later than they had expected to before the economic slump, and more than 25 percent find the current level of stress related to the downturn to be equal to or greater than that caused by the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

Why do I quote these statistics? Because it indicates the lack of planning in the workforce and the need to rely on financial professionals for guidance through the planning process. We all tend to procrastinate, but the longer we wait to do this type of planning, the harder it will be to achieve our retirement goals. Start your planning today!

For Questions & Quotes Contact :

Jason @ 714-988-3325

jason@diversifiedinsurancequotes.com