You may not realize it, but the insurance rates you pay for your car can vary dramatically depending on the insurance company, agent or broker you choose, the coverages you request and the kind of car you drive. Listed below are a number of things you can do right now to lower your insurance costs.

1. COMPARISON SHOP.

Prices for the same coverage can vary by hundreds of dollars, so it pays to shop around. Ask your friends, check the yellow pages or call your state insurance department (phone numbers are on back page). You can also check consumer guides, insurance agents or companies. This will give you an idea of price ranges and tell you which companies or agents have the lowest prices. But don't shop price alone.

The insurer you select should offer both fair prices and excellent service. Quality personal service may cost a bit more, but provides added conveniences, so talk to a number of insurers to get a feeling for the quality of their service. Ask them what they would do to lower your costs. Check the financial ratings of the companies too. Then, when you've narrowed the field to three insurers, get price quotes.

2. ASK FOR HIGHER DEDUCTIBLES.

Deductibles represent the amount of money you pay before you make a claim. By requesting higher deductibles on collision and comprehensive (fire and theft) coverage, you can lower your costs substantially. For example, increasing your deductible from $200 to $500 could reduce your collision cost by 15% to 30%.

3. DROP COLLISION AND/OR COMPREHENSIVE COVERAGES ON OLDER CARS.

It may not be cost-effective to have collision or comprehensive coverages on cars worth less than $1000 because any claim you make would not substantially exceed annual cost and deductible amounts. Auto dealers and banks can tell you the worth of cars.

4. ELIMINATE DUPLICATE MEDICAL COVERAGES.

If you have adequate health insurance, you may be paying for duplicate medical coverage in your auto policy. In some states, eliminating this coverage could lower your personal injury protection (PIP) cost by up to 40%.

5. BUY A "LOW PROFILE" CAR.

Before you buy a new or used car, check into insurance costs. Cars that are expensive to repair, or that are favorite targets for thieves, have much higher insurance costs. Write to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, 1005 North Glebe Road, Arlington, VA 22201 and ask for the Highway Loss Data Chart.

6. CONSIDER AREA INSURANCE COST IF YOU ARE MAKING A MOVE.

Costs tend to be lowest in rural communities and highest in center cities where there is more traffic congestion.

7. TAKE ADVANTAGE Of LOW MILEAGE DISCOUNTS.

Some companies offer discounts to motorists who drive fewer than a predetermined number of miles a year.

8. FIND OUT ABOUT AUTOMATIC SEAT BELT OR AIR BAG DISCOUNTS.

You may be able to take advantage of discounts on some coverages if you have automatic seat belts and/or air bags.

9. INQUIRE ABOUT OTHER DISCOUNTS.

Some insurers offer discounts for more than one car, no accidents in three years, drivers over 50 years of age, driver training courses, anti-theft devices, anti-lock brakes and good grades for students. See the following page for a guide to these and other discounts.

NOTE: According to current auto insurance statistics, the average U.S. car's useful life is 10 years or 100,000 miles. By following proper preventative maintenance you can often double your car's useful life, and spend less time visiting your local mechanic.

This article submitted by Chad McDonald from www.ProContentS His content provider membership site will help you produce professional streaming video and audio media content on your site. After reading this article you may be more interested in cheap auto insurance. For an auto insurance quote see Chad's site for further information.

At the moment, the legal system in Britain forces all personal injury claims to go through the courts and be judged on an individual basis. Many of these claims crawl through the courts at a leisurely pace, the result being expensive court costs. Even worse, for every 0„51 that is paid out in compensation, it has been estimated that the legal profession receives 40p for their legal work. This amounts to the British legal profession receiving an estimated 0„52 billion a year just from personal injury claims ¨C unbelievable isn¡¯t it!

The insurance companies have to cover these costs, and it¡¯s costing them so much that it has been estimated that for every car insurance premium, around 0„5200 of it will be going towards paying these personal injury claim legal costs.

The Association of British Insurers has decided to step in and bring this practice to an end, and has made a proposal. The ABI wants personal injury claims to be settled by an independent arbitration system, instead of by the courts. It would work by setting compensation payouts for set types of injuries, a system that has been operating successfully in Ireland since 2004. There, legal costs have been lowered by three quarters.

If the arbitration system proposed by the ABI is introduced, each case would involve far less time and energy to resolve, so naturally the costs would be far less. In Ireland, a back injury that recovers within 12 months is allocated the English equivalent of 0„511,000. A neck whiplash injury recovering in the same time span would receive a payout of the equivalent of 0„59,400.

Ian Crowder, a spokesman from the AA, reiterated the benefits of cutting the lawyers out, pointing out the fact that ¡°the soaring costs of personal injury claims have been a significant contributor to insurance premium inflation. If they could be brought under control, premiums could be cut.¡± It¡¯s something that we all wish for. Well, almost everyone.

The British Association of Personal Injury Lawyers is the only party that don¡¯t want to see an arbitration system introduced in Britain. Their objections are based on two beliefs, firstly that the injured would lose their right to an individual hearing and would be at the mercy of the insurers. Secondly, that their research showed the initial offers made by insurers to be half of the final compensation reached. They also state that two thirds of defendants at first denied liability, that¡¯s what takes these cases to court.

The experience of arbitration in Ireland so far has not highlighted any of the issues highlighted by the British Association of Personal Injury Lawyers as a problem. Compensation values in Ireland have not decreased since arbitrations, and people get their money up to 3 times more quickly. What¡¯s more, legal costs have been reduced to a quarter of their previous level

For years now, we have seen car insurance premiums rise at an exponential rate ¨C we deserve a break ¨C so roll on arbitration.

Michael writes for Brokers Online who offer life assurance and most UK financial services including car insurance quotes.

Affordable health insurance - it seems, especially today, those words just don't belong together in the same sentence. Health insurance monthly premiums have become the biggest single expense in our lives - surpassing even mortgage payments. In fact, if you have any permanent health problems, such as diabetes, or have had cancer at one time in your family history, your monthly cost could easily be more than the house and car payment combined.

Shopping for affordable health insurance can certainly be an eye-opener. If you have always had a health insurance benefit where you work - especially a state or federal employee - and now have to buy your own, you may not be able to afford the level of health insurance coverage you have become used to.

Affordable health insurance, however, is definitely available -if you know how and where to look.

When you are looking for affordable health insurance, you want the lowest cost per year that will fit your budget, of course. But, even more importantly, you want a company that has a good record for paying without fighting with you on every detail. Just as there is a car for just about any budget, there is also affordable health insurance. You may not be able to afford a "Cadillac" policy - but then you probably don't need all the frills anyway.

Shopping for health insurance on the internet is the easiest and best way to find affordable health insurance. Here are five reasons why.

1. You don't need a local agent to help you submit the claims for health insurance. The medical provider does it for you. You save money because the health insurance company saves money by not paying the agent commission. This could amount to an 8% to 12% savings to you.

2. All the top health insurance companies are at your fingertips on the internet. Most local agents can only quote you from the few companies that they represent. They may not offer you what is best for you financially or health-wise but only what they happen to have available.

3. Health insurance companies have to be extremely competitive because it is so quick and easy to compare them with their competitors on the internet today. In the past you would have had to visit physically eight to ten agents to do a similar comparison. Most folks just didn't have the time or desire for that.

4. You can change your coverage, deductibles, and payment options with just a few clicks rather than going through the paperwork delay with a local agent (and then finding out he/she made a mistake - more delay).

5. Charging to a credit card means you aren't going to forget a payment and be without insurance. Also, it gives you another 30 days before you actually have to pay. Also, many companies today give an additional discount for "auto-pay".

The key, however, to finding affordable health insurance is realizing that the purpose of any health insurance is to protect you from a major financial loss - not to protect you from spending small money on clinic visits and sliver removal. These small expenses may be cumbersome but they generally will not hurt you. It's the $100,000 heart operation that will break you. That's the financial disaster health insurance was originally designed to prevent.

Also, keep this in mind. Health insurance, as with any insurance, is a gamble. You are gambling that you will draw out more than you pay in. Your health insurance company is gambling they will pay out less. The odds are in their favor for two reasons. They have all the facts for millions of families to average out, so they know the risk in advance. Also, they get to set the rules and the prices. The higher you set your deductible, the more risk you take. This is not a bad thing at all. You will most likely be the winner in the long run.

Yes, finding affordable health insurance is much easier than most people think.

Taking more of the risk with higher deductibles, spending a little time on the internet comparing eight to ten different companies, and deleting coverage that you will not likely need (such as maternity for many folks) will make it very possible to find your own affordable health insurance.

Dr. Deepak Dutta is the creator of SemanticB - an interactive social network website based on user shared text and picture contents on any topics. Website creators, publishers, and maintainers can promote their website at SemanticB using website articles. Users can join for free, invite friends, maintain buddy lists, rate contents, comments on contents and earn points.

Insurance is all about the evaluation of risk and it is something that life insurance companies know a lot about. Every time life insurance companies receive an application for a life insurance policy, the companies decide how much of a risk that applicant poses to their business. This is to say that the insurance companies make an educated estimation of how long the applicant is likely to live versus how many insurance premium payments they are likely to make before death occurs.

If they believe that the applicant will live long and will therefore make a substantial number of insurance premium payments during his/her life, then life insurance companies see the applicant as low risk to their business. However, if life insurance companies believe that an applicant could die soon, and therefore make relatively few insurance premium payments while they are alive, that candidate will be seen as a higher risk by the insurance companies.

How life insurance premiums are calculated

When calculating life insurance premiums two factors are considered by life insurance companies. The first factor involves an evaluation of the general likelihood of death occurring at a particular age, and involves the scaling of applicants against normal life expectancy. This sets the 'average' risk level that different age ranges attract; needless to say that the closer you are to your average life expectancy then the higher the risk level that you'll be measured against.

The second factor is based on whether the applicant is above or below their average risk level for their age. Someone who has an unhealthy lifestyle, suffers from pre-existing health conditions and is in a stressful job is likely to be classified as 'above average'. On the flip side, someone who goes to the gym regularly, does not smoke and eats a balanced diet is likely to be seen as 'below average'. Naturally, those who are below average risk will see keener insurance premiums on their life insurance policy for their age than people who are classified as 'above average'.

Cheaper life insurance?

While there is often little we can do about pre-existing health conditions, there are ways in which to tip the scales in our favour of cheaper life insurance. This we can do by altering our lifestyle and striking a better work-life balance in a stress-free environment. Changing lifestyle habits though can be more effective for some than it can for others.

For instance, a person in their 20s living out an unhealthy existence is likely to be seen as less of an insurance threat for their age to life companies than someone in their 50s with the same unhealthy lifestyle. This is because the body of a 20-year-old will respond more efficiently to improvements in lifestyle than will the body of a 50-year-old. In essence therefore, there are different degrees of being above average and below average, making the calculation of life insurance premiums for each individual definitely a job for the experts at the life companies!

Matt Bourne is currently working for 1 track Life Insurance

According to Swiss Re, one of the world's largest re-insurance companies, less than half of the UK population has any form of life insurance protection. They then go on to put a figure on the value of this protection gap. Using an average income of £20,000 and assuming that the value of protection needed ranges between 5 and 10 times income, they put a value on the protection gap at £2.3 trillion.

But in all probability, whilst the gap is huge, £2.3 trillion is likely to be somewhat over stated. After all there are people who are disqualified from having life cover due to their age - just over 1 in 5 are under 18 years old, the minimum for life cover, and 1 in 6 are effectively uninsurable as they're over 65. Then there's a raft of persons for whom life insurance is just not necessary. These are people aged between 18 and 65 who do not have dependents. Having said that, without doubt, there are still many families in the Swiss Re survey that have been correctly identified as desperately needing life insurance.

So if they need life insurance, why do they hold back?

Undeniably there are still many people who have no understanding what life insurance provides and because they don't think about it, they don't care, and nothing ever gets done. After all life insurance isn't a fun buy - there's no enjoyable window-shopping or pleasure in owning it. The chances are that unless financial advisers sit down and talks to these, they'll remain totally uninterested and uninsured.

Newspaper reporting given to the insurance industry also tends not to help. The Sunday papers in particular are regularly full of stories about one family or another that has had a claim turned down. These stories make the headlines, as behind them there's invariably a poignant tale of personal tragedy and distress. It all gives the life industry a tarnished image and creates a feeling that they can't be trusted. In practice, when you read the stories, the reason for the claim being refused often comes down to the fact that the policyholder missed off some relevant information from their application form. Nevertheless, some refusals are clearly wrong and this undoubtedly damaging.

Then there are those people who fully appreciate that they need life insurance but just can't be bothered or say they can't afford the premiums. More realistically, for many "can't afford" actually means, "I choose not to afford". They might be happy to spend £100 at the pub each month but are unwilling to cut back a little to pay the premium that protects their family's future.

For sure, there is no disputing the fact that some life insurance applicants have found the final quote to be genuinely unaffordable. Whilst for the majority, cover at standard premiums is affordable, over the last seven years we've seen a huge rise in the number of people who have seen the proposed premium substantially increase once the insurer has looked at their application form. It's a result of the life companies making it harder for people to meet the company's definition of "healthy". Seven years ago half as many applicants were seeing the price increased as a result of the insurance companies classifying them as an above average health risk.

Even a few years ago it was usually obvious who'd have difficulty getting insured at standard rates – people with heart or circulatory problems, former cancer suffers and diabetics for example. How the picture has now changed. Application forms are much more detailed and medical problems that were previously acceptable are now only acceptable with a higher premium. Take weight for example – these days insurers clamp down when they judge an applicant's weight to be a risk to their longer-term health. And it's not just the obviously obese that attract the insurer's notice. Companies are now using the Body Mass Index to identify weight problems. This is your weight divided by the square of your height. Most life companies now want a BMI of no more than 29, whereas previously up to 40 was acceptable. This means that a woman weighing 83 kilos and 1.66 meter tall will now face a higher premium.

The application process can also be put some people off. Whilst about 30% of people will receive an immediate decision, for others the process can become one delay after another. As if a 14-page application were not enough, some people are being asked to complete more forms in addition to medical examinations. The whole process can take up to 9 weeks, sometimes even more, before the applicant finds out precisely how much their premium will be. If that premium works out more that they can afford, the applicant is often too tired of the whole process to start applying again to a new insurance company. The result is yet another family without life insurance.

Despite these problems, the life companies say that thanks to more sophisticated underwriting procedures, prices are lower today that they were a few years ago. The arrival of the Internet has also had a profound affect on prices. Around 10% of life insurance is bought online and discounting has become the norm. This too has helped more families to become insured.

However, in the author's view it will take more than a decade to get people covered by life insurance above the 50% level.

Michael writes for Brokers Online who offer life assurance and most UK financial services including credit cards .

For some drivers, their cars have become money pits. Higher fuel prices have been the monkey wrench that has spoiled many a motorists driving experience. No longer can any of us count on cheap fuel, high gasoline prices are here to stay. However, you can save money on your overall car expenses and restore your driving pleasure quickly. Here are some tips to guide you along the way:

Regular Gas v. Premium Gas -- Very few vehicles built today require premium gasoline. Thanks to knock sensors, which adjust the mixture of air and fuel to your engine, many cars can run on "87" octane fuel v. "91" octane fuel. By selecting the cheaper priced grade of fuel, you can save a nice amount of money over one year's time.

Wash it Yourself. No one does a better job of washing and waxing your car then you do. Avoid those all too frequent trips to the car wash and save some money today. Of course, if you live in a more northerly climate where snow and road salt usage is pervasive, going to a car wash is a must in order to protect your vehicle's body. Buy a coupon book to save on multiple washes.

What's in Your Wallet? If you aren't already using a rewards credit card for your gasoline purchases, you should be. Some cards are designed to give you an instant price reduction at the pump. Shop around for the card that is right for you.

Check Your Tires. Under inflated tires can reduce gasoline mileage by as much as 10%. In addition, under inflated tires will wear out faster too.

Review Your Insurance Policy. You may be paying for too much insurance on your car especially if it is worth less than $3000 and you still have collision coverage. Drop the collision coverage and bank the savings toward a down payment on your next car. Make certain that all of your other personal information is accurate too as an incorrectly listed zip code can impact your rates.

Change Your Oil. Granted, not too many people change their car's oil anymore. With ten minute oil change shops so widespread, the convenience factor is a big consideration. Still, if you have someone else changing your oil, you do not need to change it every 3000 miles unless you subject your car to severe driving. Check your manufacturer's recommendations and change it according to their specifications, not Jiffy Lube's.

Do the Work Yourself. Some maintenance you can do yourself thereby avoiding having to pay high labor charges and too much for your parts. Air filters, oil filters, belts, batteries, and many other smaller parts can be changed by most motorists. Shop online through a discount wholesaler and you can save even more money on premium automotive parts.

Gas prices are likely to remain high, so saving money elsewhere becomes even more important. A wise consumer shops around for the best deals and there are plenty of them out there. In the face of a fuel crisis, you may have to curtail some of your driving or at least change your driving habits, however the "Great American Past Time" is alive and well and cruising down a freeway near you. Safe driving!

One of life's joys is buying a new car. The excitement of looking through those glossy brochures, choosing the brand, model, colour, plus the features is incredible. Ask most men and I'm sure they'll tell you it's one of the things they enjoy most in the world. And these days, with women reported to be involved in over 80% of all new car purchases, women are getting hooked fast on the pleasure of buying a new car.

However, if there is one thing that can detract from the enjoyment of buying a new car, it is the finances of the whole deal. This is not just speaking about the price of the new car, although this can be considerable. There is also the issue of all the hidden, and not so hidden extras that you have to pay for. For example, before you finalise the price of the car, you have to find out what features come as standard, and if you want to have any additional features, be they for safety, power, style or any other reason, you have to make sure that you calculate the extra cost of them into the price of the car.

Then, added to this is the delivery cost if there is one. Plus any other hidden dealer fees for whatever reason. Then you have to deal with financing charges. You may be one of the lucky people who can pay outright for their car, but most people will be using some style of financial product to cover the purchase price of the car. Either they'll be leasing it from the dealer, or they'll be relying on the dealer's financing offers, or maybe you will have arranged a separate loan from your bank or other lender. Frequently there will be associated costs with the financing package and they should not be overlooked when calculating the cost of the car.

Add to this the cost of road tax. Road tax is calculated based on the size of the engine of the car. Then you will also need insurance. You should make sure you shop around and get the best possible price for your car insurance. You can choose between different levels of coverage depending on whether you want your own car to be covered or just third parties.

By the time you have added all of these extra expenses on to the purchase price of the vehicle you will be closer to knowing the true cost of the car. Make sure you can afford this figure and your car buying experience will be far more enjoyable.

Joseph Kenny writes for the loan information sites and also Select Loans have information and links to certain suppliers in the car loans section of the site.

Annuities can be very good things for some of us and a disaster for those of us who have not been made aware of the pitfalls and traps that in turn can easily befall them.

Since most people have or are going to look into annuities as a retirement or and an investment vehicle, make sure it fits into today's needs and parameters. It has to be right for the times we are in and it needs to be periodically revaluated for tomorrow's world.

Precautions to be taken when buying annuities:

1. One should not Buy Annuities With Long Surrender Periods:

People are talked into buying an annuity that locks up their money for an excessive period of time with a surrender period that is longer than another comparable annuity with similar interest rates.

2. Do not fall for First Year Bonus Interest Rates:

Some annuity companies offer you a 'bonus' or 'bonus interest rate' on your first year deposit into an annuity.

3. Understand exclusion rations and the value of a partial 1035 exchange.

This is a rather complicated subject because there are enormous variables in determining how to properly structure your annuity contract from day one so as to maximize the taxable exclusion ratios when and if you decide to take an annuitization income from your annuities in the future.

4. Do not use small companies with questionable financial ratings

An annuity by definition is a contract guaranteed by an insurance company. Annuity consumers sometimes forget this and buy and annuity without factoring the claims paying ability of the insuring company. This does not only apply to the questions of solvency or bankruptcy but to the more subtle effect it might have ones contract. If an annuity company has financial trouble it most likely will not go bankrupt (even though it is a possibility) because of the various government regulatory groups that monitor annuity companies. But what can happen is the annuity company will lower the rates at which it credits interest to your account in order to make up its losses in other areas of its business.

5. Know the guaranteed cover per person per insurance company

One needs to know if an insurance company goes broke what is the guaranteed cover per person per insurance company is available .One should not invest more than that in the fixed or guaranteed annuities and the variable annuities are not covered. Because if they broke then one may get stuck or spread the amount between different insurance companies.

6. Consider the shortest penalty free surrender date

The next thing you have to consider is getting the shortest possible penalty free surrender date term as possible so long as the interest rate is better than any CD.

Lastly and most importantly get the best professional help, one who will always tell you "like it is" even if its sometimes hard to listen too and even harder sometimes to act upon.

Mansi gupta writes about annuity basics Learn more at

If your joints and bones are flexible and strong, they move freely. And that means life can be fun and appreciated to its' full. But for one in seven people, movement is hindered by a musculoskeletal problem - back pain, arthritis, osteoporosis, fracture, or sports trauma. Faced with such pain you may be delighted to pay £4,000 for orthopaedic surgery to get those painful joints flexible again. But would you be so willing to spend the same money on your pet Basset Hound?

Veterinary care has moved quickly over the last ten years and as pets get older they are increasingly liable to suffer illness that can be expensive and lengthy to treat. Take diabetes for example. Diabetes is relatively common in dogs and whilst it can be successfully treated, the management of the condition is ongoing and expensive – one vet estimated that typically, treatment cost around £2,500 per year. Eczema is yet another of many conditions that require an extended period of treatment.

But as with humans, your pet can need emergency treatment at any time. According to research company Mintel, one in three pets make an unplanned visit to the vet every year. Boxers and Spaniels are susceptible to dodgy hearts, Labradors and Golden Retrievers are prone to progressive retinal atrophy, Setters' can get canine leucocyte adhesion deficiency and Alsations, hip dysplasia. And then there are always scrapes in which our pets are so likely to become involved. Your cat may have nine lives but you may well land yourself with nine vets' bills! With a series of x-rays costing £400 and an MRI scan putting you back £1,500 the case for insurance cover becomes convincing.

Against this backdrop, pet insurance is now the fastest growing form of insurance in the UK. Petwise, Petplan, Pet Protect, PDSA, E&L, Animal Friends, and Marks and Spencer are all names in the market. Indeed, competition for your business is fierce with over 60 insurers offering over 220 different policies. With so much choice, the task of choosing a policy becomes somewhat complicated.

So lets try and keep things simple. Pet insurance falls into three basic groups. The first and usually the cheapest form, limits the claim to per condition per 12 months - suitable for one-off emergencies but not too good for diabetes! The second limits the total paid annually whilst the third limits the amount paid per condition.

Faced with all this choice what features do you need to look out for? Here are 10 key questions to ask:

• Are claims subject to a maximum annual limit or on a "per condition" basis?

• If the insurance is limited "per condition", what is the time limit?

• What is the excess per claim? Sometimes the excess will be a set sum, sometimes a percentage of the cost and more often, a combination of both.

• Is there a limit on vets' fees? If so, what is it?

• Find out if your pet is prone to any hereditary conditions and whether the plan will cover those. For cats you'll find information about hereditary conditions at and for dogs you'll get the answers at

• Is your dog covered for third party liability? Remember, if your dog causes injury or damage you could be liable for damages.

• Does the pet insurance cover the cost of advertising and a finders' reward if you pet is lost or stolen?

• If you pet undergoes urgent surgery shortly before you're due to go on holiday, will your pet insurance meet the holiday cancellation costs?

• If you go in hospital, does the policy cover kennel or cattery fees? Some policies will payout after the owner has been in hospital for a certain number of days.

• Does the plan make a payout when your pet dies? If so, how much?

How can you get answers to all these questions? Surprisingly, vets are not particularly well clued up. They normally have details of one or two plans in their waiting rooms but are rarely up to date with what else is available in the market. Perhaps not surprising with all the developments in veterinary care to keep abreast of!

No, you've already found the best source of information – the Internet! Search for pet, dog or cat insurance and you'll find all the information you'll ever need. It might take you an hour to complete your research, and remember to make notes, but it will be worth it in the end.

Michael writes for Brokers Online who offer most UK financial services including pet insurance

Pet Insurance Topics

Additional reading : Can I have more than one pet on a policy ?

Last week my wife and I booked a two centre holiday on the Scottish Isles. Seven days on Skye and then a ferry over to Steornabhagh for a further seven days on the Isle of Lewis. Wonderful scenery, plenty of walks and masses of peace and quiet.

You could have blown me over when my local travel agent assumed that I wanted travel insurance for an additional £27.50. Not on your Nellie the Lock Ness monster, I thought. Who needs travel insurance for a holiday in Britain? The National Health Service is free and in an emergency, my son could drive up and bring us home.

Later in the relaxing setting of my sitting room I got to thinking …………..

Holiday misfortunes don't only happen abroad. So with my pessimistic hat on, I made a note of the risks:

Some rotter might steal our luggage

Last week I bought an all singing and dancing digital camera especially for the trip. Got it on the Internet. I might lose it whilst away.

If either of us were hospitalised we wouldn't want to be marooned on Skye. We'd want to transfer to our local hospital in Warwickshire.

My wife's parents are getting on. God forbid, but I'd have to cancel the holiday if something happened to them just before we're due to go.

One of us could be taken ill before we depart and we'd be forced to cancel. As the ferries and the hotels were non-cancellable, we'd lose everything we'd paid.

There may be a major delay at the ferry going over to the Isle of Lewis. Besides the inconvenience, we have to arrange an extra overnight stay on Skye.

One of us might be called up for jury service.

Then it struck me. If I were holidaying in the Britain, my existing Home and Contents policy might cover me for loss of my camera or luggage. I dug out the policy document. Lucky I did. I was only insured for "personal possessions" if they were listed and as I'd just bought my digital camera I hadn't got round to listing it as a valuable item on my policy.

Another aspect struck me. I'd lose my no claims discount if I made a holiday related claim on my Home & Contents policy. That wouldn't be a good idea. I've got a ten year claims free record that policy and it still cost me £310 a year. I jotted down a another note – remember, when the policy comes up for renewal, see if I could get it cheaper on the Internet.

By now a travel policy at £27.50 for was looking worthwhile after all.

Now my wife says I'm a bit of an old skin flint. So keep up the image! I know, get back online and check out the travel agents' policy at £27.50. Is it competitive?

Not all the web sites I surfed could offer me a single trip travel policy for a holiday within the UK but within ten minutes I'd found what I wanted - and a saving of over £10!

Time to study the small print to confirm I had the cover I wanted. Great, all the risks I had noted were covered. The insurer would even pay out £30 if my ferry was delayed for up to 12 hours and then give me the option to cancel my trip to the Isle of Lewis and get my money back.

Now what wouldn't they pay for? I wasn't covered if my holiday was for less than two nights or my hotel was less than 25 miles away from home. I also had to meet the first £30 of any claim. Seemed fair to me.

The decision was made. Simply type in my credit card details and I was insured in a CLICK.

Peace of mind restored!

Michael writes for Brokers Online who offer most UK financial services including travel insurance

More Travel Insurance Topics

Additional reading : Do you need travel insurance if you are traveling in the uk

At last you've retired. It's now time to relax and experience a slower pace of life. Even enjoy spot of gardening. But not all of today's modern over 65's have heard the message! Retirement is taking a new twist.

Less of the slower pace of life and substitute jetting around the world! International travel for the retired is here and booming!

It's all the result of a increased sense of adventure and willingness to experiment, combined with more money in the pocket. Cheaper air tickets have also helped! Even cruises, once the territory of the seriously rich and famous, have become affordable. An escape to Antigua and a fortnight in the Canaries or a weekend in Stockholm are now firmly on the over 65's travelling schedule.

Then a fly sticks in the ointment. Finding economical travel insurance when you're over 65 is not easy. Insurance companies recognise that people have healthier lives and are living longer, and in recognition the insurers are offering far more products for the older market. But with travel insurance, the over 65's are still faced with exorbitant premiums.

Premiums rocket as you get older and if you're looking for an annual policy for an extended holiday or a series of holidays, the problem becomes finding a policy at all rather than simply finding the cheapest price.

The dilemma revolves around the costs of medical claims experienced by the insurers. Over 65's are much more liable to make a medical claim and the claim size is well above average too. Against this, older travellers reportedly lose less luggage - but these savings are counter-balanced by the fact their belongings are liable to be worth more.

The result is that even if you are fit, the lowest priced annual policy for the over 65's could cost £1,000 per person – that could be more than the cost of the holiday itself. Faced with these charges, the solution is to buy a separate policy for each trip. But even with a good medical history, the cost of insuring a 3-week holiday in the South of France starts around £65, and rises enormously for destinations in America and further a-field.

What's the solution? You're recommended to shop around. Your travel agent may offer a quotation but don't snap his hand off until you've got competitive prices. You'll almost certainly find a much cheaper alternative through surfing the Internet and buying online.

But don't make your final decision simply on the basis of cost. Always examine the small print. Some travel policies will insure you for up to 21 days, others up to 31 days or 45 days. Some policies will only cover you if you're staying in booked accommodation rather than staying with friends or relatives. No good for visiting family in New South Wales! Then you need to ensure that you've got adequate cover for medical and hospital expenses and don't spare the horses – think of a high figure and triple it! You'll be amazed how expensive quality medical attention can be whilst you're abroad. Incidentally, it's important that your insurer will fly you home to the UK if your medical condition demands. And don't overlook comparing the excesses you have to pay per claim. Finally, check that the policy pays medical costs direct to the hospital rather than you paying first and having to reclaim.

And now comes the really good bit – jet off and ENJOY yourself!

Michael writes for Brokers Online who offer most UK financial services including travel insurance

More Travel Insurance Topics

Additional reading : Can you get cheap travel insurance if you are over 65 ?

According to a report published by research group Mintel, one in three pets needs an unforeseen visit to the vet each year. This implies you're more likely to make a claim on your pet insurance than on your car insurance or even your home & contents policy.

The word "unforeseen" is key here. If you're looking for pet insurance to provide cover for routine treatments such as teeth cleaning, vaccinations or nail trimming, forget it – policies which provide that are as rare as hens' teeth! Neither will you find cover for elective treatments, such as neutering and identity chipping. This means that the most common grounds for visit the vet are uninsurable.

But it's those unexpected visits that tend to be the high-priced ones! Developments in vet nary care mean that new and more complex conditions can be effectively treated. But the cost of emergency care can be horrendous. A cat that failed to cross the road could easily cost £700, even more, to treat. After all, a series of X-rays could cost £400 complete with anaesthetic, and you'll have no change from £1,000 for a MRI scan. If Lassie the Labrador tore a ligament that can now be treated – but the cost? Wait for it – around £1,500! This is serious money!

Having appreciated that most reasons for an appointment at the vet are uninsurable, what do we get for our premiums?

Pet insurance policies basically fall into three categories. The first limits the value of the claim for each condition or event; the second places a maximum value on the total annual payout and the third and cheapest option, limits the payout per condition and ends cover after 12 months of treatment. And with all policies you will have to pay an excess on any claim, usually between £50 and £100. The majority of these plans payout a fixed sum if you pet dies.

And the cost? Well, that depends on which type of policy you select, the excess you want to pay, the kind of pet you have, its breed, its age and even your post-code (apparently vets are more expensive in Kensington!). But as a guide, an industry expert estimates costs between £50 to £500 for Lassie and £30 and £200 per year for puss.

The best advice is take out a policy when your pet is young. Most pets can be insured after they're 8 weeks old and then you keep the insurance in place for the rest of its life. If you're looking for a policy for a pet that's in it's middle age, say eight or nine for a dog, then it may be difficult to get worthwhile cover. That's because starting a new policy in your pet's middle age will be expensive and in any case you'll be unable to claim for treatments for any existing health conditions.

So how can you reduce the premiums? Sometime you can get a discount if you pet has been identity chipped and quantity discounts are usually available for second and subsequent pets. Beyond that you simply have to shop around. Thank goodness for the Internet!

The Internet is taking an increasing share of the insurance market and no wonder – it makes shopping simple, quick and easy. What's more it's probably the cheapest starting place for all your insurance whether it be for your car, home, or pet. Let your keyboard take the strain.

Michael writes for Brokers Online who offer most UK financial services including pet insurance

More Pet Insurance Topics

Additional Reading : What pets can be covered

Life settlements can be a viable option for seniors willing to exchange their life insurance policy for immediate cash. A life settlement is the sale of an existing life insurance policy for a lump sum of money. It allows policyholders to access the fair market value of their life insurance by selling their policies and receiving payments greater than the cash surrender value.

Technically, a life settlement contract allows you to sell your insurance policy to a third party in exchange for a reduced amount of the face value. This is possible because a life insurance policy is actually property, like a car, house, stocks and bonds that can be legally sold. A life settlement essentially lets you extract value today from an asset that is generally thought to only have a benefit when you die. Typically, life settlement transactions involve life insurance policies of a large face amount; "key-person" coverage or corporate-owned life insurance; or policies representing excess coverage that is no longer needed.

Here's how a life settlement works: When a life settlement company buys your life insurance policy, it pays you a percentage of the policy's face value. Then the life settlement company becomes the new beneficiary of the policy at maturation. As such, it is responsible for all paying all future premiums and collects the entire death benefit when the insured dies.

A Growing Industry

With a life settlement, you can receive a large sum of cash in exchange for your insurance policy while you're still alive. This eliminates premium payments, accommodates the changing needs of your dependents and provides greater financial flexibility.

Life settlements can also be used for charitable giving. Complex estate and tax planning strategies can apply when using life settlements in a planned giving program. But here's how this works in simplest terms: You donate your life insurance policy to a charitable organization, which immediately sells the policy for a lump sum of cash via a life settlement.

These and other benefits are making life settlements an attractive option for seniors with unwanted/unneeded insurance policies. Consequently, the life settlement industry has seen significant growth in recent years. A study by Conning & Co. Research found that senior citizens owned approximately $500 billion worth of life insurance in 2003, of which $100 billion was owned by seniors eligible for life settlements. Since 2003, more and more of these eligible senior clients have sold their policies and helped the market increase.

Separate research by the University of Pennsylvania's business school found that life settlement providers paid approximately $340 million to consumers for their underperforming life insurance policies, an opportunity that was not available to them just a few years before. "We estimate that life settlements, alone, generate surplus benefits in excess of $240 million annually for life insurance policyholders who have exercised their option to sell their policies at a competitive rate," according to the research.

Selling Your Policy

You could be a prime candidate if you are of retirement age, have paid off your mortgage and other debts, and no longer require the financial protection of life insurance. The amount you receive will depend on your age, health, death benefit, and the number of years your policy has been in force.

Seniors with the greatest chance of selling their policies are those that are older than 65 years of age, have a calculated life expectancy of more than two years (but less than 10 years) and may have experienced a health change that has led to their insurance premiums increasing. Depending on the policy holder's life expectancy, just about any type of policy can be sold, including universal life, whole life and convertible term contracts. However, policies generally must be valued at least $100,000.

Determining whether to sell your life insurance policy is a purely personal decision. You might consider a life settlement under the following circumstances:

• Your employment status has changed.

• You need additional funds to pay medical/long-term care expenses.

• Your insurance premiums are too expensive and you can no longer afford them.

• You would like to implement a charitable or family gifting plan.

• You are facing bankruptcy.

Consulting with an Advisor

Before you decide to sell your insurance policy, you should examine all the available options, advises the American Council of Life Insurers, a Washington D.C.- based trade group. And instead of going it alone, consult with a financial advisor who is familiar with life settlements. This could include account/CPA, lawyer (especially elder law attorney), financial/estate planner, certified senior advisor or charitable trust officers.

Additionally, you might consider working with a broker—although your financial advisor can submit your case to the life settlement company directly. However, in an industry where market value for life insurance policies may be unfamiliar, brokers typically do the best job of getting fair market value for policies. They submit life settlement cases and bids to multiple companies, which can facilitate negotiations between high bidders.

Keep in mind that life settlement companies are essentially investors that fund many transactions each year. They hold purchased policies as portfolio assets, rather than making them available to outside investors. They also have in-house compliance departments to carefully review transactions, and they are backed by institutional funds from a major bank.

Steps to Life Settlement Transactions

Wondering what happens during life settlement transactions? Here are the steps involved in the typical transaction:

• Step 1: You consult with an advisor and decide to sell your policy.

• Step 2: You and your advisor select a broker.

• Step 3: The broker submits your case (and you provide a release for your medical information) to various companies.

• Step 4: If your policy is eligible for a life settlement, providers send offers to the broker.

• Step 5: You accept an offer and then complete the company's closing package.

• Step 6: The life settlement company places a cash payment in escrow and submits change of ownership forms to the insurance carrier.

• Step 7: Once the paperwork is verified, the funds are transferred to you.

David Springer is a consultant for Sovereign Funding Group. Sovereign Funding Group is an experienced, reputable company that offers convenient, no-risk services to help you with the selling of your deferred payments and business financing, including life settlements.

Homeowners insurance was created to protect homeowners in the event of disasters that threaten their homes and possessions such as fire or theft. Although these events are occurrences that most people do not even want to consider happening to them, the fact is that they do occur often throughout the country and they must be properly prepared for. Homeowner's insurance is the best way to ensure that you are protected from unforeseen damage to your home. If a major disaster does occur, you will be extremely happy that you have decided to insure your investments.

When you choose to purchase homeowner's insurance, an insurance company will decide how much money will be allotted to you in your homeowner's insurance policy. The amount will depend on the value of your home. Oftentimes homeowners do not understand why the coverage amount allotted to them is less than the price they paid for their home upon purchase. This is because the price you purchased your home for is based on the overall value of the home, the land, its location, and a number of other things. Your homeowners insurance only covers the structure of the home itself, since the land is not considered damaged in the event of any damage to your home covered by the insurance (please note: in the United States homeowners insurance does not cover earthquakes).

There are a few requirements for those who wish to get homeowner's insurance. In order to qualify for a homeowner's insurance policy, you must own the home you are insuring and also live in it. If you own the home and are renting it out, you will not qualify for homeowner's insurance. If you are renting a home you will qualify for renter's insurance but not homeowner's insurance. When shopping around for the right homeowner's insurance policy for you, you will find that there are a number of types of homeowner's insurance, depending on what you would like to cover. Dwelling coverage covers your home and any attached dwelling areas that you do not live in, such as your garage.

Coverage for Other Structures will cover all dwellings on your property from large storage units to garages to guest homes. Other structures can also be defined as swimming pools, hot tubs, decks, patios and other structures on your land. Personal property coverage covers the contents of your home. With personal property coverage not only is your home covered in your insurance policy but all your possessions located within the house that could be stolen or damaged in the event of a disaster are covered as well. If you have a number of expensive items within your home, this is probably a very good investment for you since you would have a number of large investments at risk in the event of a burglary, fire or other unforeseen event. Loss of Use coverage is vital if your home is left damaged so badly that you can no longer live in it. In the event of a disaster that leaves you with no home to live in, this type of homeowner's insurance will allot you a specific amount of money to cover bills for hotel stays, meals at restaurants, etc.

It is clear that there are a number of options for anyone who wishes to invest in homeowner's insurance depending on what they wish to insure and how much money they wish to spend on a homeowner's insurance policy. No matter what area of the country you live in or how much you home and its contents cost, homeowner's insurance is truly a must for anyone who owns a home. In the event of a major disaster homeowner's insurance can be your only saving grace in preventing you from losing major amounts of money and property. If you do own a home and do not have homeowner's insurance get in touch with an insurance provider as soon as possible to make sure the unthinkable does not happen to you. If you have never invested in homeowner's insurance before, most local insurance agencies will be happy to have an agent sit down with you and walk you through the logistics of homeowner's insurance. It will be one investment you will surely be glad you made.

Isabelle Boulay writes for OnlineT where you read about homeselling tips, using landscape design software and basement dehumdifiers.

Purchasing aviation insurance

You should begin shopping around for aviation insurance at least six months before you are going to need it. Whether you are purchasing a new aircraft or fixing up a new one, you are going to need airline insurance. Start by checking around with friends who own planes to see which agency's they recommend, and checking out insurance plans different agencies have to offer.

After you narrow down you're choices you will want to call the agency's and watch out for a few things. Be careful of an agency that you have to call more than once, or that puts you on hold for a long time, because this could be a sign of what business with them will be like in the future. You also want to listen carefully to see how much knowledge this company has about flying and insurance. If the person you are talking to seems to be guessing at some of the answers they are giving you, go with your gut and check it out for yourself. If you find some of there answers were false, it's a good idea to look to another company. Now that you have finished investigating different agencies, you can make your decision on a company and an agent.

You should make your decision at least 90 days before you need to purchase plane insurance. You should ask your agent to get quotes for you on different plans and then 30 days before you need the insurance, you should have everything basically planned out. In the next 30 days you can fix any little details you need and ask different questions to your agent to make sure everything is planned out to fit your needs. As soon as you are satisfied you can ask you agent to start purchasing your insurance.

Bart Samuri writes about various topics. This article is free to re-print as long as nothing is changed, all links remained intacked, the bio remains in full and the rel="nofollow" tag is not added to any of the links. Thank-you Please visit for information on private jets.

Life insurance is purchased in order for you're dependents to be looked after financially in case of you're death. If you are single and have no dependents, it would probably be wise not to waste you're money on life insurance, and use it to enjoy you're time alive. However, if you do have dependents, life insurance is a very wise investment. The death of a spouse or parent can have devastating economic effects on a family. While many people think that only the top earner of the house hold needs to purchase life insurance, this is usually not the case. Even if a spouse is unemployed, they're life is worth a lot in terms of house keeping, cooking, taking the kids to school and doing the family bills.

It is expected that an unemployed spouse contributes at least the equivalent of a full time job. Even in this short list, you can see how the death of even an unemployed individual could hit the household financially, therefore everyone in the family should be covered by life insurance. People also tend to overlook the option of purchasing disability and long term life insurance. If you become disabled in the future or have to live in a nursing home, you can not count on social security to fully cover you, that is if you even qualify.

By being covered by these, you are insuring yourself financial ease as you reach old age. Even if you never have to live in a care home, or become disabled, it is much wiser to spend the extra money, even if it is only to breath a little easier. So whether you are looking to purchase new life insurance, or update your old plan, these are all important options to consider which many people over look.

Bart Samuri writes about various Life Insurance topics. This article is free to re-print as long as nothing is changed, all links remained intacked, the bio remains in full and the rel="nofollow" tag is not added to any of the links. Thank-you

One of the great benefits of working at a full time job, is that often times your employer will provide health insurance. This insurance doesn't come free, most likely a portion of your salary is deducted to cover it's costs, however becuase you are under a company you can acheive greater discounts through group rates.

Health insurance is simply a type of insurance that will cover the insured person or part when that person or party become sick or injured,etc. The insurer is not always a private organization it can often times be a government agency. There are great differences between health care insurance around the world. For example in Canada health care is part of our social system and is public, where as in the United States health care is for the most part private.

There are several pros and cons to each system, and depending on the area in which you reside you might not have a choice as to which system that you choose. Private health insurance has become one of the most talked about and debated forms of insurance because of the impact that it places on the different levels of society, for example the poor, middle class, and wealthy. Should it be that a person with more money, is allowed to have better medical facilities and attention, and is it not that a services such as health care are a basic human right? I'm not sure if we will ever see an end to this debate, as there is soo many pros and cons to each side, and I'm sure that you can see who would be fighting for which side, and why.

Feel free to reprint this article as long as you keep the article, this caption and author biography in tact with all hyperlinks.

Ryan Fyfe is the owner and operator of Individual Affordable Health Insurance - which is the best site on the internet for all Health Insurance related information.

It is very difficult to make a right and wise decision on which Health Insurance Policy to buy. This is truly a confusing task. Here is a guideline. Here are the five most important things you have to pay attention to. These items are also your keys to picking a policy that's right for you:

The insurance company's record of complaints: Every large company will have some complaints. You can obtain all this information at your State Board of Insurance. Avoid companies that have a high number of unresolved complaints. Ask your agent for the phone number for your State Board of Insurance. If he will not give it to you, this is a warning signal! You can also look up the number in any directory of your state's agencies. No matter what your agent says, CALL your State Board of Insurance and ask them for the record on any company you are considering.

The limits shown on your health insurance quote: Check your quote to see if you are comfortable with the benefit levels. You can usually change several levels to fit your needs and budget. For example, a higher deductible will cost less each month. Also, many plans give you a choice to split your medical bills with the Insurance Company either 50/50 or 80/20 (with them paying 80%). Then they will have an amount (your stop loss) where they will take over at paying 100% of your covered bills for the remainder of the year. These deductibles and other levels start over every year in most plans. Some plans, though, have a "per cause" deductible. Such a deductible means that you will be responsible for bills up to that deductible for each accident or illness. Make sure you are aware of this distinction, so you can choose a plan that's right for YOU!

The insurance company's rating: Ask your agent for the company's best rating. If the company is highly rated at this national rating registry, then the company will have literature showing their rating with an explanation of what it means. Choose only companies that have an A or A+ rating.

The limits revealed within the policy: Ask your agent for a sample policy, and then check two sections: The Benefits and The Limitations and Exclusions. Many of your benefits are actually limited in the Benefits section. For example, diagnostic testing or outpatient treatment may be severely limited. These days, you could have a serious disease such as cancer, and never go into the hospital for it. You could rack up thousands of dollars in medical bills for the diagnostic and follow-up lab tests and MRIs, and then have surgery, chemo, or radiation therapy all on an outpatient basis.

Your hospital room rate and intensive care can be limited. Your hospital room rate should be at least average semi-private and your intensive care benefit should not be tied to your room rate, but should, instead, be covered as whatever is an average ICU rate for the area of the hospital, also. Some policies limit the ICU benefit to 3 times the regular room rate, when ICU can cost you 10 or 20 times the room rate each day. A short hospital stay with a limit like this in your policy can cost you literally thousands of dollars. A long hospital stay with a limit like this in your policy could drive you into bankruptcy. Even if your policy says it takes over at 100% after $5,000 of covered medical bills, the important term here is "covered" medical bills. If the policy only pays three times the room rate for ICU, then the rest of the ICU bill is considered an "uncovered" charge!

Pay the Insurance Company, Not the Agent, & Follow Up!: And lastly, make your check payable to the Insurance Company, and then follow up to make sure it was received. When you get your policy, check the Schedule of Benefits to verify you got the coverage you ordered, and then check to see if any special Amendments were added to your policy to exclude any of your conditions. If an Amendment exists, these conditions will always be excluded from this policy, even after the Pre-Existing Conditions Limitation expires.

With all these 5 items, they will help you which will protect you from catastrophic medical bills. Be sure to take the time to choose wisely when it comes to your health insurance!

Mary Williams owns many Websites related to health and eye care, including Lasik Surgery Secrets, and Lasik Vision Secrets. Please visit her websites and find out more about lasik.

Have you ever taken a trip where it seemed that everything went wrong? What should have been a care free, relaxing vacation or an efficient business trip quickly turns into a stress-filled nightmare. No one likes to dwell on the negative, but the old saying "hope for the best, and plan for the worst" has a lot of truth to it. Many things can go wrong and planning ahead will help you avoid unwanted drama, stress and hassles. Travel delays or accidents, hidden fees and costs, lost or delayed luggage, medical or dental emergencies, travel accidents, rental car damage, potential terrorist attack alerts, emergency assistance problems, identity theft and more are common problems that can, and most likely, will occur on some occasion during trip taking. In hindsight could most of the hassles on that trip have been prevented or made more bearable by planning for the unexpected? Here are some tips for doing just that.

1. Start planning your trip early. Four to six weeks before you depart is not too early to start planning. If you are purchasing a comprehensive or all-inclusive package, make sure you research the agency you are dealing with. Some offer packages that guarantee no surprise up-charges or add-ons. If you don't understand their policies or package rates, make them explain it to you until you do understand it. Asking the right questions beforehand can eliminate disappointment over unrealized expectations. Know what you are getting for your money. Never assume that what you think you are hearing is factual until it is fully explained and you see it guaranteed in writing. If you are planning a business trip on short notice, use an agency that you trust, or one that you consider reputable. If short notice trips are normal for you, or if you know that travel could be required on short notice due to an emergency situation, keep a bag packed in your closet with the things you consider basic necessities. Include at least one complete change of clothes, and necessary toiletries. Also include a small amount of your regular medication, if applicable, and important account numbers and phone numbers. If packing space is at a premium, purchase sample size toiletries to keep in your "short notice" bag. Make sure it is of carry-on size for airline travel. This will take some stress off in the event that plans must be made quickly. If your luggage is lost or delayed, you will be glad you took the time to pack your carry-on bag in this manner.

2. Research your trip thoroughly. The Internet is a good choice for doing this. To get the best deals and the best accommodations to suit your preferences, there is no substitute for being informed and fully aware of what is available. In the information age, there are huge amounts of travel information available on the World Wide Web. Tickets, and even permits, in some cases, can be printed on your home computer printer from the Internet. Rental car reservations, hotel reservations are made easy for convenient prices and quality comparisons on-line.

3. Plan for the unexpected: Troubles can occur when you least anticipate them, so take along some peace of mind and protect your trip investment by purchasing travel insurance. Make sure the travel insurance you purchase covers job loss or transfers, uninhabitable accommodations, emergency assistance, travel accidents, delays, lost or delayed luggage, weather-affected cancellation, medical and dental expenses, terrorism, and identity theft. In addition, plans should offer flexible coverage periods for pre-existing medical conditions. Choose a company that answers all calls with a live person, not an automated attendant. Confirm all your purchases and reservations at a later time either on the Web or by phone to ensure no glitches have occurred.

4. Make sure you will have all the arrangements and paperwork you'll need- airline tickets, passports, visas, maps, rental car and hotel reservations, permits as well as health and travel insurance documentation. Some travel insurance companies like provide a confirmation letter and "traveler hotline cards" to policy holders with critical phone numbers and contact information. Carry enough cash for emergencies, phone calls or unexpected fees. Don't carry large amounts of cash. Traveler's checks and credit cards are a better alternative. Make a list of all the pertinent numbers of your credit card, driver's license, visas, passport, ticket, reservation, prescriptions and any other important documentation. Include any emergency phone numbers to call if any of these items are lost or stolen. Put a copy of this list in your carry-on, and carry the other one on your person. Have someone you trust watch your home or apartment, or house-sit while you are away. Think about the things that need to be done in your absence- watching and feeding your pets, watering your plants, etc. If you don't have a house/pet-sitter, have a light left on inside your residence so it would appear that someone is home at night. If you have someone checking up on things periodically, have them rotate the lighting and retrieve your mail and your newspapers. Another option to this is to have your newspaper and mail delivery temporarily suspended. You can also put your lighting on inexpensive timers, which can closely imitate your normal lighting routines.

5. Write out an itinerary- before you head out the door, give someone you know and trust a written copy of your trip plans. This should include: Your estimated time of departure, mode of transportation (flight numbers and/or make, model and license plate numbers), the names, addresses and phone numbers (especially cell phone numbers) of all group members traveling, any relevant medical conditions that may affect you or your travelling companions. Also include your travel insurance policy names, numbers and beneficiary information, your hotels' phone number and address and expected time of arrival, time of return, and all pertinent return travel information. Make arrangements to contact the person holding your itinerary at specific intervals during the trip, and then again when your trip is over. Agree with your contact person on a procedure for contacting the authorities if you do not report in by a certain time. This can be especially important when traveling in high-risk areas of the world, or even anywhere outside the United States. In some cases, if you have a pet and choose to hire a reputable pet-sitter or house-sitter, this can be your contact person.

In short, the quality of your trip depends largely on proper planning for the unexpected. Most of us like to think that things will come off without a hitch, but the truth is that even with the best of planning, things can, and will go wrong from time to time. Planning early, thorough research, double checking arrangements, coverage and documentation, and writing out an itinerary may not completely dispel unexpected problems, but it does produce a peace of mind and assurance knowing that there is a plan in place to deal with the unexpected if it does come about.

This article was written by Rita R. Powers with support from CSA Travel Protection, providers of Travel Insurance and travel assistance services. For information on how travel insurance can add to your travel experience, please visit Any reproductions of this article must provide a link back to CSA Travel Protection.

Right now there are many companies all trying to get you to buy their particular insurance plan for your car. From quacking ducks to talking lizards, there is an overabundance of advertisements, all done with the intent to get you sign up for their company.

But which one is right for you?

One of the better solutions that I found is to go online and compare the different automotive insurance policies. That way, it is easy to find one that fits your particular situation. In addition, I have found that utilizing the Internet is the best way to save money.

Before you go out and buy from the first company that offers you a car insurance policy, it is important that you understand which items are important for protecting you and your assets.

As you probably know most insurance policies look the same. So it is important to understand both the company and your unique situation.

First you should decide the maximum amount that you can use to pay for your insurance. This step means a careful analysis of your budget. It is a question of how much you can afford.

This leads to our second item for consideration. How much do you need to cover? For people that have a lot of assets, it is vital that they get enough insurance to personally protect their money in case of a catastrophic accident.

Many penny pinchers elect to get the lowest coverage. While it important to save money, it is equally important to prevent one accident from wiping you out. The funny thing is that even if you do elect for lower coverage, you wind up not saving that much money.

The next step is to check out the individual car insurance companies. As a result, it is vital that you get quotes from at least five different auto insurance companies. The method that I use is to go online and compare some of the top companies that show up. Here is a brief list of companies that offer top-rated car insurance:

• 21st Century Insurance

• Geico

• USAA

• Safeco Insurance

• MetLife Auto

• Liberty Mutual

• AllState

• Unitrin Direct

• eSurance

• Progressive

• State Farm

• AIG Auto Insurance

• GMAC Insurance

• Nationwide

• Eastwood

• Amica

• AAA

Once you find quotes from different companies, you should create a strategy of the various costs involved with purchasing car insurance. This includes deductibles, collision, comprehensive, and the total costs. For each company, try to get quotes on different levels of coverage. That way, you can develop an accurate portrayal of the price for each car insurance quote.

The final step is to understand how much each company will cover. While you might save money from one particular company, they might offer little to no coverage in case you get into an accident. While you might save some cash in the short term, the long term consequences could be disastrous.

When you have done your analysis, you will have a list of companies that offer quality insurance at an affordable price. With a little effort and research, you can properly cover yourself within your budget requirements.

Scott Patterson is the webmaster of Discount Auto Insurance Information. For more information, be sure to check out his site.

There are special dangers involved with apartment living. This is because you live so close to many other people. Their actions can jeopardize your safety and so it's very important for you to be aware of what you must do to safeguard yourself, your family and your possessions.

Fire Safety . . .

Fire is perhaps the greatest danger in apartment buildings. With so many units joined together, it doesn't take long for fire to spread from one to another. The following guidelines are critical to your safety:

• Install smoke detectors in the kitchen, all bedrooms, the laundry area and hallways. You must test them every month and replace the batteries every 6 months. They won't do you any good if they aren't in working order.

• Keep fire extinguishers handy in the kitchen, laundry area and near your outside grill.

• Develop an escape plan. This plan should include two ways of exiting – in most cases, this will probably include the main door and either a window or door wall. If you live on a higher floor and don't have access to a fire escape, purchase a rope ladder to use for exiting from windows or a balcony. Practice your escape plan regularly so each member of your family knows exactly what to do in case of fire.

• Never use an elevator during a fire.

• Never park in front of fire hydrants or in fire lanes and make sure your guests don't either.

General Safety . . .

Fire isn't the only danger in an apartment building. You must also be aware of hazards that can exist no matter where you live and take precautions to prevent them.

• Install a carbon monoxide detector.

• Install screen guards or window stops and doorstops on your patio door to protect your children from falling.

• Keep your apartment and building number near the telephone so your family or babysitter can access it in case of an emergency. Remember that memories can fail during emergencies.

• Make certain your apartment number is clearly marked on your door.

• Be sure that each person in your family knows how to dial 911.

Protecting from Intruders . . .

There are many people coming and going in an apartment complex. Criminals count on this anonymity. That makes it very important to get to know the other tenants. When you do, not only are you better able to identify someone who doesn't belong, it also makes it more likely that tenants will look out for one another.

• Consider forming an "apartment watch". This is similar to a neighborhood watch but confined to your apartment complex. If a group of tenants is on the alert for suspicious behavior, they can prevent many problems from arising.

• Install quality deadbolt locks on your door and place a wooden rod or steel brace on sliding doors. One caution about deadbolt locks – don't purchase those that require a key. In an emergency, you won't have time to search for the key.

• Make sure your landlord has installed good lighting in all stairways, hallways, and common areas like the laundry room.

• Make sure that if your building has a common entry, the entry door locks so that only tenants can enter. Never open that door for strangers.

If you follow these guidelines, practice good common sense, and are alert to what's going on around you, your apartment will provide a safe home for you and your family.

Kyle Thomas Haley has been helping people relocate on the Internet since 1999 with Apartment and Relocation Websites: An Apartment Directory and A Relocation Guide

Moving means umpteen things to be done –it is not about just putting things into boxes, taking them to another place, and unpacking there. The more complicated our lives get the more the things to be done before and after moving.

To make life easier and less complicated, use a "moving checklist." This will help you move efficiently and methodically.

The first thing is to write down simple facts about your destination—what kind of weather, climatic changes, urban or rural, water potability, infrastructure in new home, size of home, colors of walls, rules made by landlord in case it is a rented home—some landlords specify no nails on walls.

A typical check list will have:

• Inventory of goods—perishable, breakable, unbreakable. A room-wise inventory is recommended. Also a box containing "first day needs" marked load last, unpack first.

• A file containing essentials like house documents, insurance papers, packing lists, bills to be settled, travel tickets, keys to new home, and bills to be settled.

• A must do list to remind you to:

o Arrange transfer of school records.

o Pay utility and other pending bills.

o Transfer bank accounts.

o Turn off phone, heat, electricity, and gas connections.

o Disconnect television and Internet cables.

• A list of "to be done" --- post office notification; insurance for valuables, health checks and medications; buying travelers cheques ; closing club, gym, and library memberships; canceling newspapers and magazine subscriptions; returning any borrowed things; finding new homes for pets and plants; confirming travel plans.

• Pack a travel kit containing cheque books, credit cards, personal phone book, I-pod, identity card, flashlight, keys to new home, toiletries, change of clothes, emergency medications, food, towels, alarm clock, games for kids, hat, and windcheater.

• List of items to be sold/placed in storage. List of things to be repaired, replaced, painted, or refurbished.

• List of legal papers and keys to be handed over to the landlord or new owner of your home.

• A folder containing details of movers, truck number, drivers ID and cell number, as well as addresses and phone numbers of their office at the destination and call center or tracking center. An envelope containing cash or cheque to settle the mover's bills.

• Arrangements to be made in your new home before you arrive: a working phone, installing utilities like gas, electricity, and heat, putting in cable for the television as well as internet, turning on the water supply, getting the painting as well as any other alterations or repairs done before the trucks arrive.

• Ready to use folder containing, birth certificates, school records, medical records, dental records, transfer papers, and anything else required to enroll them in the new school.

• A bare necessities box marked No 1, containing: toilet paper, towels, soap, shampoo, bath towels, paper towels, insecticide, cereal, dehydrated milk, coffee, and other must haves.

• A "new home" must do list: validate your car papers and drivers license, renew or get new insurance, put all legal papers in order (check applicable laws), make a list of emergency numbers: hospital, police station, social services, fire station, doctor's clinic, and vet.

Be well prepared to move, make a list that pertains to you personally. If you are well organized the move will go smoothly.

Paul Wilson is a freelance writer for www.1888MovingC the premier website to find help on moving including moving companies search, compare movers, moving insurance, auto transport, moving tips, and more. He also freelances for www.1888D

Perhaps there is hope for fixing the healthcare crisis after all. Hillary Rodham Clinton, author of a failed attempt to overhaul healthcare in the 90s, and Newt Gingrich, engineer of the 90's Republican Revolution largely brought on by Clinton's failed attempt, sat down together recently at a National Press Club session entitled "Ceasefire on Health Care" to discuss what they just might agree on.

And they did agree indeed on several issues including, much to the surprise of some, Gingrich's proposal to "voucherize" Medicaid. "There is enough money in the system right now to cover the uninsured," said Clinton. It's not that the meeting was that earth-shattering, but perhaps it is a sign of a growing trend to piecemeal fixes to the healthcare crisis rather than starting from scratch.

That we are, and have been, in a healthcare crisis is clear when you consider that over 44 million Americans have no insurance of any type. The reason for most is that they simply cannot afford any kind of coverage. Attempts to provide universal coverage or cause significant changes through federal mandates have failed.

According to the Bush administration, the solution would be moving healthcare toward new association-based health plans, including HSAs (Health Savings Accounts) and consumer-driven health plans. "To make insurance more affordable, Congress must act to address rapidly rising health care costs," says President George W. Bush. "Small businesses should be able to band together and negotiate for lower insurance rates so they can cover more workers with health insurance—I urge you to pass association health plans."

The use of association-based health plans is finally starting to catch on. These plans offer solutions for those who previously thought themselves to be "uninsurable." A small but increasing number of people are taking a look at these affordable plans.

One of the newer and more popular plans, the USA+ Guaranteed Acceptance Plan, includes a myriad of choices and benefits for its members. Membership in the plan allows members access to hospital indemnity benefits, prescription benefits, and disability benefits. It also carries provisions for medical, dental, accident, and vision care. It even includes several lifestyle benefits including road side service, travel benefits, and discounts on shopping, dining, and movies.

"The USA+ Guaranteed Acceptance Plan is a product whose time has come," says Richard J. Monello, President and CEO of Custom Health Plans, Inc. His company is a leader in providing the new product recently made available. "It is a true blanket guaranteed acceptance benefit package," adds Monello. "The best thing is that everyone is accepted, even those with pre-existing conditions."

These new health plans, in addition to being great for consumers, are also beneficial for agents and brokers. "For those agents looking to strengthen their portfolio and provide healthcare coverage to the uninsurable, the USA+ Guaranteed Acceptance Health Plan is truly a first-of-it's kind product," says Jason A. Milz, Executive Vice-President of Custom Health Plans, Inc. "At last, there is a product that will address their growing databases of uninsured Americans and that will pay them a level commission for the life of the plan."

Monello's company, Custom Health Plans, offers several different membership packages with different types and levels of benefits. "Finally, there is a solution for the 44 million uninsurable Americans who have no other options," says Monello.

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For brochures and further information or to set up an interview with Richard J. Monello for a story, please contact Jay Wilke at 727-443-7115, ext. 223 or at jayw@ If you are an agent or a broker and are interested in adding this to your portfolio, please call Custom Health Plans, Inc. at 888-458-8660.

For more information on the Association Based Health Plans described above, please see or call us at 888-458-8660.

Dental costs are becoming an increasingly significant health care expense and more and more people are making sure they are protected against these costs with a dental insurance policy. Dental insurance policies typically work in the same way as any other medical insurance policy. You will pay your monthly premium and this will entitle you to specific dental care procedures such as checkups, cleaning and x-rays. You will also be covered for other procedures that are deemed necessary to keep your teeth and gums in good health.

Comprehensive

As with all insurance policies, they will vary in what treatments they cover and how much they cost. While more expensive policies will give you greater benefits and allow you access to a greater range of services, cheaper ones will be restricted in what they cover and you will be required to contribute to the cost of procedures you require. If you think you will need dental surgery, oral implants, the services of an orthodontist and other more expensive forms of treatment, you will probably want to go for a more comprehensive policy.

One of the main differences between medical and dental health care is that children generally require far more treatment and expense than adults do. This is true right up through your child's teen years when orthodontists' bills can often be extremely expensive. You may therefore wish to cover only your children with dental insurance and you should check with your insurer to see if this is possible. While some insurance companies will allow children to have their own dental insurance policies, others will only insure them as part of an adult or family plan and if this is the case you will require to insure them with your own dental insurance provider and this may mean taking out dental insurance for yourself if you do not already have it.

Discounts

Another option offered by some insurance companies is to take a form of dental discount card. This is not dental insurance in the strict sense of the meaning but does provide you with discounts on dental treatment when you require using them. They can be a cheaper way of obtaining limited protection against dental costs and for this reason are growing in popularity. Not all insurers will provide them so shop around and see what's on offer. As with all insurance, there can be great differences is what you will be offered for your money and considering that dental insurance can be a significant expense, it is wise to make sure you know what is available before you decide to opt for any policy.

Joseph Kenny is the webmaster of the insurance site where you will find information, news and links to the leading providers of insurance in the UK. If you found this article interesting you may find more articles of the same nature in the insurance guide located on site.

According to a survey published by Mintel, one in three pets needs an unexpected visit to the vet each year. This means that you are more likely to claim on your pet insurance than on a home & contents policy or even your car insurance.

The word "unexpected" is important here. If you are looking for pet insurance to provide cover for routine treatments such as vaccinations or worming, forget it – policies that do that are as rare as hens' teeth! And you won't find cover for elective treatments, such as neutering, either. This means that the most common reasons for visiting the vet are uninsurable.

But don't forget it's those unexpected visits that tend to be the expensive ones! Developments in animal care mean that more conditions can be effectively treated and costs of emergency care can be horrendous. A cat that argues with a car could cost £700, even more, to treat. After all, a series of X-rays could cost £400 and a MRI scan will put you back £1,000. If Buster the Bulldog tore a ligament that too can be treated – but the cost? Don't expect change from £1,500! This is serious money!

Having appreciated that most reasons for a visit to the vet are uninsurable, what do we get for our money?

Well, insurance plans largely fall into three types. The first restricts the value of the claim for each condition or event; the second limits the total annual payout and the third and cheapest option, limits the payout per condition and ceases cover after 12 months of treatment. Most will make a payout if you pet dies. And with all policies you will have to pay an excess on any claim, usually between £50 and £100.

And the cost? That depends on which type of policy you want, the excess you want to pay, the sort of pet you have, its breed, its age and even your post-code (vets charge more in Chelsea). But as a guide, an industry estimate suggests costs between £30 and £200 per year for a cat and between £50 to £500 for Buster.

The best advice is start the insurance when your pet is young. Most pets can be insured after they're 8 weeks old and you can then maintain the insurance over the course of its life. If your pet is in it's middle age when you want to start the insurance, say eight or nine for a dog, then it may be difficult to get worthwhile cover. This is because treatments for existing health conditions will be excluded from the cover and in any case, a new policy at that age gets expensive.

So how can you lower the premiums? Sometime insurers will give you a discount if you pet has been identity chipped and quantity discounts do prevail! Discounts are widely available for your second and subsequent insured pet.

Then there's always the Internet. The Internet is taking an increasing share of the insurance market and no wonder – its simple, quick and easy. What's more it's probably the cheapest avenue for all your insurance whether it be for your home, your car or pet.

Michael writes for Brokers Online who offer most UK financial services including travel insurance Travel Insurance Topics

If your bones and joints are strong and flexible, they move smoothly. And that means life can be fun, and appreciated fully. But for one in seven people, movement is restricted by a musculoskeletal disorder - arthritis, back pain, fracture, osteoporosis, or sports trauma. Faced with such pain and discomfort, you may be pleased to pay £3,500 for orthopaedic surgery or hydrotherapy to get those painful joints flexible again. But would you be so willing to spend the same money on your pet Labrador?

Veterinary care has developed fast over the last 10 years and as pets get older they are increasingly likely to suffer illness that can be lengthy and expensive to treat. Take diabetes for example. It's relatively common in dogs over the age of 6 and whilst it can be successfully treated, the treatment is ongoing and expensive – one vet estimated that treatment could cost around £2,500 per year. Eczema is yet another condition which can require a long period of treatment.

But as with humans, pets can require emergency treatment at any time. In fact one in three pets make an unplanned visit to the vet every year (source Mintel). Labradors and Golden Retrievers can have conditions such progressive retinal atrophy, Setters can get canine leucocyte adhesion deficiency (can someone tell me what that is?!), Alsations are prone to hip dysplasia and Boxers and Spaniels are susceptible to dodgy hearts. And then there are always those accidents and scrapes in which our pets are so likely to become involved. Your puss may have nine lives but you might have nine vets' bills! With a series of x-rays costing £400 and an MRI scan putting you back £1,500 the case for pet insurance becomes compelling.

Against this background, pet insurance is becoming the fastest growing form of insurance in the UK. Halifax, Petplan, PDSA, Petwise, Sainsburys and Marks and Spencers are all names in the market. Indeed, competition for your business is so fierce there are over 60 mainline insurers offering over 220 different policies. This flood of choice makes the job of choosing a policy somewhat complicated.

So lets try and keep things simple. Pet Plans fall into three basic groups. The first limits the amount paid per condition; the second limits the total paid annually; and the third and usually cheaper, but only suitable for one-off emergencies, limits the claim to per condition per 12 months. Not too good for diabetes!

So faced with all this choice what should you look out for? Here's 10 key questions to ask:

• Are claims covered annually or on a "per condition" basis?

• If the cover is "per condition", what is the time limit?

• What is the excess per claim?

• Find out if your breed of pet is susceptible to any hereditary condition and whether the plan will cover that. For dogs you'll find information about hereditary conditions at and for cats try

• What is the £ limit on vets' fees?

• Does the insurance plan cover the cost of advertising and rewards if you pet is lost or stolen?

• If you are in hospital does the insurance cover kennel or cattery fees? Some plans will payout after the owner has been in hospital for a minimum number of days.

• Is your dog covered for third party liability? Remember, if your dog causes damage or injury you personally, could be liable for damages.

• If you pet has to have urgent surgery shortly before you are due to go on holiday, will the plan pay your holiday cancellation costs?

• Does the plan make a payout if your pet dies?

Where can you find this information? Surprisingly, vets are not always that helpful. They normally carry details of one or two plans but are rarely up to date with the pet insurance market generally. Not surprising really with all the developments in veterinary treatments to keep abreast of!

No, the Internet is the best source of information. Search for pet, dog or cat insurance and you'll find all the information you need. It might take you an hour or so to search out the answers to the key questions but it will be worth it in the end.

Michael writes for Brokers Online they offer most UK financial services including pet insuranceAdditional reading - Pet Insurance

Term life insurance does not build any kind of cash value, which makes it an original type of life insurance and considered pure insurance protection. Unlike whole life insurance, term life insurance is only temporary and only covers a specific term, or a specific period of time in a person's life. Benefits will go to a beneficiary only if the insured person dies during that specific window of time.

Term life insurance is usually the cheapest way for people to purchase a death benefit package on a per dollar basis. The reason for this is because the term will expire and the insurer will not have to pay out.

It is recommended that people should purchase term life insurance with the Theory of Decreasing responsibility in mind. The Decreasing responsibility theory is provided that the insured person or persons realizes and understands that any and all financial responsibilities are only temporary and that they should purchase insurance to compensate for these responsibilities.

The easiest and simplest way to purchase term life insurance is on an annual basis. The premium to be paid is only the expected probability of the person dying within that period plus a few extra fees, such as a cost and profit component. Because insurers are able to choose whom they decide to ensure, the probability of someone they choose to insure dying within the next year is extremely low, most people opt not to purchase one-year terms. An annual policy is not very cost-effective either. Many people choose to go with annual renewable terms (ART). In ART, a premium is paid for the coverage of one year and then is guaranteed to be continued each for so an X number of years, which could be anywhere from ten to fifteen to twenty years or more, whatever the insured person decides on. Even though this direction will cause the insured to pay a higher premium, they are more likely to have the benefits paid.

A level term is a very popular form of term life insurance that is a renewable annual term with a constant premium for an X number of years. The years in a term are usually 10, 15, 20, and 30 years. A level term charges a higher premium for a longer amount of time simply because as people get older they are more expensive to ensure, and their age is averaged into the equation for the premium.

Even though they are more likely to be paid the benefits in the end, many people are uncomfortable with regular life insurance for one reason or another. For those types of people, term life insurance is an excellent choice. It gives people the option of having life insurance for a certain period and can be renewed annually or in larger periods.

For more information about term life insurance, visit Term Insurance