Can You Use Zero-interest Credit Card Offers To Consolidate Your Debt?

You may be stewing over your growing debt when, all of a sudden, you get an offer from a well-known credit card company suggesting that you use one of their handy-dandy checks to pay off your interest-charging loans and transfer them to a brand-new credit card. Best of all, this new credit card boasts zero interest.

Should you do this?

In a way, this is a mini-version of what debt consolidation is all about. Debt consolidation is one of many approaches to debt; it works by taking lots of smaller debts and rolling them together (that's the consolidation part) into one jumbo debt. The idea is that you can likely get better terms (less interest) on one large debt than on several smaller debts. Besides that, one payment a month keeps life simpler than having to make a dozen or more smaller payments (and there is less risk of missing a payment and getting a black mark on your credit report).

Still, caution is warranted. The first thing you need to do is review the actual offer extended by the credit card company. While zero interest is no doubt true, no company is going to extend that offer to you without some strings. Typically, the two main strings to look for is "how much?" and "how long?"

For instance, you may only be able to consolidate a specific amount of money to the new zero-interest offer. Let's say, it is $5,000. If you want to consolidate about $5,000 worth of debt or less, this is a workable amount. If you're facing $80,000 worth of debt, this isn't going to help much.

Next, look for the time limits. The company extending this kind of offer is going to set some specific time on the offer. You may get zero interest for a few months or even a year or more. But there will come a day of reckoning when you go back to a regular (or even higher-than-regular) interest rate.

Some offers for no-interest loans require that the loan be paid in full by the due date otherwise all of the interest is due. Furniture stores often extend this kind of credit. Let's say you buy $10,000 worth of furniture and the store says you can borrow that money free for one year instead of at the store's usual rate of 22% (yes, a lot of furniture stores charge rates that high). If you pay off the entire $10,000 before the year is up, you owe no interest. But let's say you paid $9,950 before the year was up but on the day the offer expired, you still owed $50. In this example, the company would be within its rights to charge you $2,250-that's $50 for what you owe and the $2,200 interest you owe because you did not pay the loan in full by the due date.

So find out how much money you can consolidate and how long the zero-interest offer lasts (and what happens when it expires). The next step requires brutal honesty; sit down with a calculator and answer yourself truthfully whether you can reasonably expect to pay off the debt on time (bearing in mind that life is unpredictable). For instance, if you owe $5,000 on a variety of credit cards, you can take two or three years to pay it off. Should you opt to consolidate some debts into a zero-interest offer with a ticking time clock, you are putting yourself under tremendous pressure to pay off that debt in one year. Can you do that? Sit down and figure it out (in this case, it means paying in about $417 a month, minimum, without fail).

The other issue involved in debt consolidation involves a process I call "stopping the bleeding." Think of debt as hemorrhaging money. Just as no person can hemorrhage blood indefinitely without suffering dire, even fatal, consequences, nobody can hemorrhage money for too long without financial disaster.

If you are still hemorrhaging cash, there is not much point in consolidating your debt. That's like taking an aspirin when you need a tourniquet. Debt consolidation does not work for everyone; it works best when the debt is finite (that is, you are not racking up more debt each month) and you have figured out what you need to do to keep yourself financially stable. Debt consolidation is the sort of approach that can help you clean up a financial disaster but it does not really tackle the root cause of why you got into debt in the first place.

Are these low-interest or no-interest loans a good deal? Actually, they can be, but they are better deals to highly disciplined money managers than to the debt-laden. If you are the sort of person struggling with mounting debt, taking on a project like this--a large debt with a ticking clock--can be stressful and might even require more financial discipline and resources than you can muster.

Another downside of the no-interest credit card offer is that it puts another credit card into your wallet, and one that you will be encouraged to use. If you already struggle with credit, you really don't need to add more temptation to your life.

That does not mean debt consolidation is not a good solution. If you can get a handle on your debt situation, figure out how to stop the downward spiral, and then work out a budget and plan to get free of debt, debt consolidation can be a great solution. In fact, it's a financial method used by large businesses and wealthy individuals to handle special financial situations. The trick is that there are many ways to consolidate debt and other ways that can be much more advantageous to those struggling with overwhelming debt.

By: Mandy Karlik

Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com

What is your financial style? Find out at www.debt-consolidation-diva.com . And while you're there get more information about debt consolation which is a solution that works great--but only for some people.

The Most Common Signs Of Mortgage Servicing Abuse

Homeowners can use mortgage servicing fraud and abuse practices as a defense to stop a foreclosure lawsuit. Once mortgage loans are originated, they are frequently packaged and sold off to investors. While no one may really know who owns the loan, the rights to collect the payments are transferred to mortgage servicing companies. These companies are one of the greatest perpetrators of abuse and fraud against homeowners, as they have very little incentive to do right by the borrowers.

These companies are typically paid a flat fee by the trustees of the mortgage to administer the loan, collect payments, make sure property taxes and insurance are in place and paid through escrow, and pursue any foreclosure proceedings, if necessary. If homeowners do miss payments, the service provider gets paid anyway, and actually makes more money from a foreclosure than if they offered to work closer with the owners of the property to negotiate for a mortgage modification or other workout option.

That's right -- mortgage servicing companies actually lose more money when they help homeowners modify loans and save their homes from foreclosure! The fewer resources they dedicate towards loss mitigation and assisting borrowers, the more of the flat servicing fee they get to keep for themselves.

Of course, the parties on either side of the mortgage -- the homeowners and the holders of the loans -- lose far more in a foreclosure than a loan modification. But with a servicing company in the middle of the deal, it is more profitable to let a house go through the entire foreclosure process than to assist the borrowers in making the payments more affordable.

Servicing companies have also been found to "push" homeowners into foreclosure in a variety of abusive ways. If they are not pushed straight into foreclosure, the companies may covertly charge fees and extra interest, or credit payments late. If the owners ever do miss a payment (and many loan service providers only purchase rights to loans that are subprime or have higher risks of default), a foreclosure will quickly result and the costs to reinstate the loan may be astronomical.

The following is a list of the top seven most common mortgage servicing abuses that homeowners will run into. However, the ways that fraudulent companies can take advantage of borrowers are nearly endless, so if homeowners believe that they have been defrauded, they should take appropriate actions in court and with state and federal regulatory agencies. The more that they can discover about how their loan has been handled by a service provider, the better chance they have of proving servicing abuse and other related charges in a court.

Junk fees masquerading as legitimate. These may include property inspection fees, broker price opinions, and outrageous attorney fees, among many others. These will be charged to a borrower's account in order to increase the amount of a payoff, thereby creating even more profits for a loan servicer during a foreclosure action.

Failure to disclose fees during a Chapter 13 bankruptcy:

 Servicing companies seem to work even harder against homeowners once they file for bankruptcy. Fees can increase, but little justification for the fees will ever be given, even to the bankruptcy courts.

Collection of junk fees even after discharge in Chapter 13:

Because the company knows the homeowners no longer have the protection of the courts or the guidance of a bankruptcy lawyer, they can add the junk fees back in and charge them to the borrowers.

Using junk and late fees to show negative payment history:

This would help the mortgage service providers argue that the homeowners have failed to uphold the bankruptcy payment plan and that a relief from stay should be granted. The service providers can try and argue this even if the borrowers have made all of the required Chapter 13 payments on time.

Attorneys for corrupt mortgage service providers just as corrupt:

These attorneys will receive information they know to be inaccurate or misrepresented from the service provider and file motions in court like it was legitimate -- another case of lawyers abusing their positions in order to keep a rich client happy. But the lawyers also know that they can overcharge for legal and court fees and it will be charged to the borrowers' accounts. These fees may even be in excess of what courts have approved.

Escrow account abuse:

Service providers may create illegitimate escrow accounts to hide the fact that they are taking borrowers' money and applying it to junk fees, late fees, and interest, instead of on the actual amounts due on the loan. This pushes borrowers even further behind every month. Companies may also fail to fund escrow balances properly, creating negative balances when county property taxes or homeowners insurance are paid. The homeowners are then charged for this deficiency and fees and interest are added to the balance of the loan.

Forced-place homeowners insurance:

Too often, servicing companies will arbitrarily determine that the property insurance in place on a home is not sufficient, or they will simply deny there is any insurance present at all. At this point, the mortgage loan service provider will buy a policy from an insurance company it is affiliated with and charge the premiums to the borrowers. Unfortunately, the premium may be several thousand dollars more than the original policy was. But the service provider will adamantly, consistently deny that the homeowners' policy was adequate, and no amount of proof or phone calls will convince them otherwise.

Unfortunately, there are simply far too many ways that homeowners can be abused by servicing companies to list here. A surprising number of the largest names in mortgage servicing have been found engaging in these practices and have been forced to pay homeowners. A good attorney or foreclosure specialist trained in this area will be able to help the vast majority of borrowers determine if servicing abuse is a factor in their foreclosure.

Although there is no specific federal or state law outlining what constitutes mortgage servicing fraud or abuse, both areas of the law outline some prohibited actions for any mortgage lender or service provider. Regulation Z of the Truth in Lending Act is a good place to begin research, as well as any applicable state foreclosure laws, consumer protection laws, and banking regulations.

In terms of using this as a defense against a foreclosure lawsuit in court, homeowners may allege servicing abuse in the affirmative defenses or counterclaims portion of their answer to the complaint. Depending on the severity of the abuse, borrowers may be able to offset some of the damages they have suffered or have an entire defense to the lawsuit for especially egregious acts.

By: Nick Adama

Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com

Nick publishes articles for the My Foreclosure Lender website. These articles provide resources to homeowners facing foreclosure, describing a number of alternatives they can use to delay foreclosure. The site details numerous methods, including loan modification, foreclosure lending, deed in lieu, filing Chapter 7, and others. Visit the site to find out more about how the foreclosure process works:www.myforeclosurelender.com/

Walmart Instant Credit: Extend Quick Help

Walmart instant credit has a great and advantageous feature of instant approval. At time of urgent financial requirements; the instant approval acts as a quick remedy. You get the financial assistance on time and can easily fix up your problems. For your convenience and considering your requirement the approval and processing is done really fast and you can grab the funds immediately. You are not required to comply with lengthy formalities and there is no paperwork involved.

Walmart instant credit can be grabbed for fulfilling various requirements. You can cover up various day to day expenses or shop around market, buy gifts, clothes or other useful things and easily scrap off all your bills. If you have to consolidate some existing debts then that is also possible. You can meet up any of your financial requirements or finance your personal need that calls for quick attention. With walmart instant credit, you have total liberty to use funds the way you want.

Walmart instant credit is offered at slightly higher APR. Availing walmart instant credit is not at all a hard nut to crack! The online technology has really simplified things. Now you can easily apply online by filling up a simple application form. The processing starts immediately after form submission. Online process is very quick and hassle free.

A good credit rating may help you get the card approved really fast. Worried about your bad credit? Then you need not worry because walmart instant credit is extended to even bad creditors. If your credit report shows CCJs, IVA, late payments, arrears, defaults and bankruptcy then you can apply for it. Walmart instant credit is provided irrespective of your credit records. Your past credit records will create any problem. So, just don’t waste your time in thinking; start acting and quickly apply for walmart instant credit!

By: Amy Gordon

Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com

Amy Gordon is associated with Instant Business Credit Cards. She holds a Master's in finance from Cambridge University. To know more about walmart instant credit, business credit card offer, small business credit card, credit cards please visit www.instantbusinesscreditcard.net/

Moving Companies: Alternatives And Financing

Moving from one property to another can sometimes be traumatic. Till you get used to the new property there are a lot of hassles that you’ll have to go through. Moreover, the problems will start from the very beginning when you have to move your things from one place to another. Thus, choosing your moving company is something that can provide a great relief or further problems.

Resorting to a moving company is not the only action you can take. It all depends on the amount of things you have and the distance that separates one property from the other. You may be able to move most of your things by yourself or maybe all with the aid of some friends or family members. But take into consideration the fact that some furniture and appliances are fragile and should better be handled by professionals.

Costs And Alternatives

Hiring a moving company can be expensive. If you have to move especially delicate things like a piano for example, you may even have to hire the services of exclusive moving companies that will charge significantly higher amounts. You can shop around and compare prices but bear in mind that sometimes what is too cheap turns out expensive and the company will be transporting all your belongings which you surely consider valuable in more than one sense.

As explained above, the cost of hiring a moving company will vary according to the amount of things that you need to transport from one property to the other but mainly on the distance that separates both properties. If the type of things you need to move would allow you to transport them yourself provided that you had the transport means, hiring a moving company may not be your only possible solution.

It is also possible to rent a truck or a van where you can (with the aid of friends or relatives) carefully load all your belongings and transport them from your current residence to your new home. Bear in mind though, that you’ll need to fasten and secure everything so nothing gets damaged during the carrying. Using a proper cushion wrapping to reduce the risk of damage is an excellent idea.

Financing: The Simple Solution

Though moving companies can be expensive, you may decide that they are the best choice for you. If that’s the case, the good news is that you can obtain finance to move your belongings. Some moving companies will agree to provide several installments to finance the fees. Even if that’s not the case, you can still resort to other forms of financing in order to obtain the funds to pay the fees altogether.

You have mainly two alternatives: you can pay with credit card and use the ability to finance the balance on your credit card so you can pay as much as possible every month. Or (and this is my preferred solution), take a personal unsecured loan to pay for the whole fees and then repay the loan in the small resulting installments. This last alternative is probably the cheapest one because the interest rates on personal loans are considerably lower than the ones charged by credit card financing.

By: Sarah N Dinkins

Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com

Sarah Dinkins is a financial advisor who has been associated with Guaranteed Bad Credit Loans since long ago. To find Personal Loans, Guaranteed Unsecured Credit Card, and others visitwww.badcreditfinancialexperts.com

The Equipment Lease Calculator - Know Your Lease Amount

Leasing is a valuable alternative for growing businesses. Equipment leasing gives us:

1. Maintain Capital Strength
2. Efficiency
3. Flexibility
4. Obsolescence Protection
5. 100% Financing
6. Customized solutions
7. Asset Management
8. Tax Advantages

When you are leasing equipment for your business such as computers, heavy construction equipment, used medical equipment or and farm equipments, you may qualify for benefits that you may not have known existed.

About The Equipment Lease Calculator

As a business lessee, you probably want to know approximately what you can expect to pay for an equipment lease. Here's an equipment lease calculator that will give you fast answers to your financial questions. Simply enter the cost of the equipment that you are looking to finance and analyze quotes for 12, 24, 36, 48, or 60 months. Determine if a lease fits your priorities, long term goals and financial condition, all with a few clicks of your mouse. It’s easier than ever to determine the amount and length of lease that’s right for you.

The results returned by the leasing calculator are monthly rentals based on conservative equipment leasing rates for assets .Some sub-prime business customers may find that the deposit required is greater than the leasing calculator returned, i.e. 12 months rental instead of 6 is needed. Leasing companies will endeavor to achieve the best monthly rental we can for your asset finance. Lease payments are calculated by subtracting the residual from the net selling price, dividing that amount into payments and then adding the lease charge. The formulas mentioned below are basic and can vary.

Step 1 : Calculate the Depreciation
Depreciation = (Selling Price - Residual) / Number of Months
Step 2: Calculate the Lease Charge
To calculate the lease charge you will need to know the Money Factor (money-factor as the "interest rate" for the lease)
((Net Sales Price - Residual)/ Term) + ((Net Sales Price + Residual) x Money Factor) = Month Lease Payment.
Step 3: Convert the Money Factor to an Interest Rate

This formula produces a high interest-rate it doesn't necessarily mean that it is a bad lease.
(Money-Factor x 2400)
This "lease calculator" takes no account of the following:-

1. The size of loan.
2. Your company’s circumstances.
3. A start-up company may need to have additional security to secure lease finance.
4. Other potential costs that an asset lender may charge.
5. Examples are documentation or "change of title" fees, which do vary but are generally minimal.
6. Other factors that may affect the rentals include:-
- The residual value of any asset to be leased.
- Quarterly, Half Yearly or Annual Rentals.
- The amount of deposit you may wish to put down.

You’ll soon find that the whole equipment leasing process is faster, simpler, and often less costly than other financing alternatives. You can rely on the equipment lease calculator to navigate your way through various options. Our calculator allows you to analyze your business transactions, calculate monthly costs, and preserve your resources.

By: Sanjana Sharma

Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com

Sanjana Sharma is an author of this article. For more information about equipment lease calculator, lease calculator, computer equipment leasing, used medical equipments, commercial truck leasing visitwww.leasewithcrystal.com

Top 10 Things To Look For When Choosing A Car Leasing Broker

What is a Car Leasing Broker?

A Car Leasing Broker acts as an intermediary between the Finance Company and the company or person wishing to lease a vehicle. He checks a number of funding providers on a daily basis (similar to an insurance broker) to see which is the most competitive on a particular vehicle. This is in contrast to the Main Dealer who is usually tied to using only his Manufacturer’s finance terms, which may be noncompetitive.

In addition, due to the large volume of business the Car Leasing Broker introduces to Main Dealers, he has negotiated the best possible discount on the vehicle. This preferential vehicle discount, together with the low Finance Company rate, means that he can usually offer a much lower lease rental than is available direct from a Main Dealer, although there are exceptions such as when a dealer is running a special promotion.

Furthermore, a good Car Leasing Broker can often provide a much higher level of Customer Service and personal attention than either the Finance Company or the Main Dealer, because he is acting primarily on your behalf. He is there to give you any help you may need and to resolve any issues you may have with your vehicle or contract during the course of the rental period, and will help you liaise with the Finance Company if problems arise.

So, what are the Top 10 things to look for when choosing a Car Leasing Broker?

1. Independence – a Vehicle Leasing Broker should not be tied to any one finance company or vehicle manufacturer
2. Broad portfolio of finance company funding partners to ensure the most competitive quote – a broker should be well placed to compare the market to find you the best deals
3. Member of the British Vehicle Rental & Leasing Association (BVRLA): This accreditation means that a Broker must offer you the highest levels of service, honesty and integrity, and must handle any customer issues promptly and efficiently (conciliation service is available if necessary)
4. Well established business with a proven track record – ask to see testimonials from satisfied customers
5. Should be able to supply all makes & models of cars and commercial vehicles, and offer all the main types of Business Car Leasing and Personal Car Leasing Contracts – your one-stop shop
6. Should be happy to give free impartial advice on the most suitable option for each individual customer, including VAT & company car tax (e.g. helping private individuals opt out of their Company Car Scheme)
7. Should keep you fully informed as to the progress of your order and provide one convenient point of contact for all your queries or issues about your vehicle or contract, so you have no need to contact the finance company or supplying dealer directly.
8. Should offer Free Delivery to your home or office, and Free Collection at termination of contract
9. Should offer pooled mileage arrangements, as this could potentially make substantial savings for companies with a number of vehicles
10. Should offer a full range of Car Leasing services including Fleet Management, Maintenance Contracts, Accident Management, Duty Of Care legislation compliance, Gap Insurance, Fuel Cards and Short Term Rental

So, it’s definitely worth speaking with a reputable Car Leasing Broker if you’re looking for a competitive leasing quote and you value good Customer Service.

By: Howard Mostyn

Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com

Howard Mostyn runs a Car Leasing Consultancy business in the UK. and offers free advice on Car Leasing, via his website Car Leasing Guide. He is giving a FREE copy of his eBook "Car Leasing Secrets - How To Get The Best Deal Possible On Your Next Lease!" to anyone who subscribes to his Car Leasing Blog.

Top Reasons People Take Out Personal Loans

Life can throw little curve balls at you all the time and sometimes those curve balls can get expensive. When people get hit with bills they cannot pay, or they start to make future plans that they need to finance, many will turn to taking out a personal loan. Check and see if any of these top reasons that people take out a small loan apply to you and your situation.

Home Renovation - One of the more expensive rooms in your home to renovate is the kitchen and when it comes time to put in a new sink or a new kitchen floor then a small loan is a great way to finance it. You can also use a loan to put some new appliances in as well.

New Computer - If you find yourself with a need to be connected to the rest of the world then you are in need of a new computer. You could sign up for a credit account with the computer manufacturer but the chances are pretty good that the interest rate on that account will be fairly high. The solution could be a small loan, with a low interest rate, as a way to finance your new computer.

Big Screen - People who love movies tend to invest in some of the better movie watching equipment and a prime investment for any movie lover is a home entertainment theatre system. For a really impressive plasma screen, speaker system and proper seating your finances might need a little lift, all for the love of movies.

Landscape - Many people use their garden as their escape from the rest of the world and if you really want to take your garden to the next level then you need some serious landscaping. You can finance your garden landscaping and, when the garden is done, you will have your own oasis from the rest of the world. Not only this, the resale value of your home will be boosted by the improved garden.

Backyard Pool - When the weather is hot every Aussie wishes they had a swimming pool installed in time to fend off the heat of the summer sun. Having a swimming pool installed is a great gift for your family!

Fun on the Water - Some people look to the open waters as their source of relaxation, and to do that you need a boat. Buying a boat to get away from it all is something that doesn't come cheap. After the boat, you'll need to moor it, have a boat license and pay for fuel and upkeep.

Wedding Bells - The happiest day of a young couple's life can also be one of the most expensive days. A young couple seeking to get married; enjoy the day and invite the family, then jet off to some exotic island for the honeymoon is enough to make some people postpone their big day until they've saved up enough. A small loan might be a wise idea, to speed up that joyous day!

A Family Holiday - At some point everyone just needs to get away from it all and go on holiday but many people do not take that well needed rest because they feel they do not have the finances, and perhaps they do not have the cash flow right then and there. A low interest rate loan can get you on the beach and away from it all in no time.

Cash Flow - Sometime you can get caught in a situation where you need additional cash flow to fund a hobby you have taken up or maybe invest in a idea that you have been cultivating for a very long time. A personal loan can help you increase your cash flow and bring your ideas to life.

By: Tom Becker

Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com

Tom Becker is a personal finance expert having spent his working life in business advising companies and individuals on how to manage their finances. He writes about low interest personal loans and credit cards forwww.moneycompare.com.au.

Can You Use Zero-interest Credit Card Offers To Consolidate Your Debt?

You may be stewing over your growing debt when, all of a sudden, you get an offer from a well-known credit card company suggesting that you use one of their handy-dandy checks to pay off your interest-charging loans and transfer them to a brand-new credit card. Best of all, this new credit card boasts zero interest.

Should you do this?

In a way, this is a mini-version of what debt consolidation is all about. Debt consolidation is one of many approaches to debt; it works by taking lots of smaller debts and rolling them together (that's the consolidation part) into one jumbo debt. The idea is that you can likely get better terms (less interest) on one large debt than on several smaller debts. Besides that, one payment a month keeps life simpler than having to make a dozen or more smaller payments (and there is less risk of missing a payment and getting a black mark on your credit report).

Still, caution is warranted. The first thing you need to do is review the actual offer extended by the credit card company. While zero interest is no doubt true, no company is going to extend that offer to you without some strings. Typically, the two main strings to look for is "how much?" and "how long?"

For instance, you may only be able to consolidate a specific amount of money to the new zero-interest offer. Let's say, it is $5,000. If you want to consolidate about $5,000 worth of debt or less, this is a workable amount. If you're facing $80,000 worth of debt, this isn't going to help much.

Next, look for the time limits. The company extending this kind of offer is going to set some specific time on the offer. You may get zero interest for a few months or even a year or more. But there will come a day of reckoning when you go back to a regular (or even higher-than-regular) interest rate.

Some offers for no-interest loans require that the loan be paid in full by the due date otherwise all of the interest is due. Furniture stores often extend this kind of credit. Let's say you buy $10,000 worth of furniture and the store says you can borrow that money free for one year instead of at the store's usual rate of 22% (yes, a lot of furniture stores charge rates that high). If you pay off the entire $10,000 before the year is up, you owe no interest. But let's say you paid $9,950 before the year was up but on the day the offer expired, you still owed $50. In this example, the company would be within its rights to charge you $2,250-that's $50 for what you owe and the $2,200 interest you owe because you did not pay the loan in full by the due date.

So find out how much money you can consolidate and how long the zero-interest offer lasts (and what happens when it expires). The next step requires brutal honesty; sit down with a calculator and answer yourself truthfully whether you can reasonably expect to pay off the debt on time (bearing in mind that life is unpredictable). For instance, if you owe $5,000 on a variety of credit cards, you can take two or three years to pay it off. Should you opt to consolidate some debts into a zero-interest offer with a ticking time clock, you are putting yourself under tremendous pressure to pay off that debt in one year. Can you do that? Sit down and figure it out (in this case, it means paying in about $417 a month, minimum, without fail).

The other issue involved in debt consolidation involves a process I call "stopping the bleeding." Think of debt as hemorrhaging money. Just as no person can hemorrhage blood indefinitely without suffering dire, even fatal, consequences, nobody can hemorrhage money for too long without financial disaster.

If you are still hemorrhaging cash, there is not much point in consolidating your debt. That's like taking an aspirin when you need a tourniquet. Debt consolidation does not work for everyone; it works best when the debt is finite (that is, you are not racking up more debt each month) and you have figured out what you need to do to keep yourself financially stable. Debt consolidation is the sort of approach that can help you clean up a financial disaster but it does not really tackle the root cause of why you got into debt in the first place.

Are these low-interest or no-interest loans a good deal? Actually, they can be, but they are better deals to highly disciplined money managers than to the debt-laden. If you are the sort of person struggling with mounting debt, taking on a project like this--a large debt with a ticking clock--can be stressful and might even require more financial discipline and resources than you can muster.

Another downside of the no-interest credit card offer is that it puts another credit card into your wallet, and one that you will be encouraged to use. If you already struggle with credit, you really don't need to add more temptation to your life.

That does not mean debt consolidation is not a good solution. If you can get a handle on your debt situation, figure out how to stop the downward spiral, and then work out a budget and plan to get free of debt, debt consolidation can be a great solution. In fact, it's a financial method used by large businesses and wealthy individuals to handle special financial situations. The trick is that there are many ways to consolidate debt and other ways that can be much more advantageous to those struggling with overwhelming debt.

By: Mandy Karlik

Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com

What is your financial style? Find out at www.debt-consolidation-diva.com . And while you're there get more information about debt consolation which is a solution that works great--but only for some people.

Travel Insurance Tips For Dummies

Travelling abroad needn’t fill you with worry, but it’s important to be covered just in case the worst does come along. Flight cancellation and loss of baggage or passport are some of the more trivial things that could happen while your away, but you could also find yourself in a very sticky financial situation should you or one of your groups become ill or suffer an accident. Outside the EU, medical expenses won’t be covered, while even inside the EU you may need to pay for transport home or private treatment. Taking out the correct travel insurance policy can cover you against all of these misdemeanors, and give you peace of mind while you’re away. If you’re looking for the best travel insurance deal for this summer, then take a read of this article for some tips for finding the best policy.

Check What You Already Have
If you’re a premium customer with a bank or credit card company, then chances are that you’ll already have travel insurance included. This is particularly likely if you’re paying a monthly fee for your banking. Make sure you check this out with your bank and read the small print of the deal – it might not be valid outside of the EU or if you have special circumstances, but a phone call should clear this up. If you don’t have a policy already, then it really pays to shop around. It’s easier to do now thanks to the web – all you really need to do is key ‘travel insurance’ into a search engine, flick a few of the results and enter your requirements. Price comparison websites are particularly useful, so if you filter through a couple of these then you’ll be on the right track.

Special Clauses
Anyone with special conditions can get quoted ludicrously high amounts from most traditional insurers. People with histories of serious illness or disability, and those who are pregnant or over sixty-five can all find themselves struggling to justify the cover price. Make sure you have an EHIC card (when travelling within Europe) and check out specialist insurers that may be able to give you a better deal. If you find the cover to still be unaffordable, then the price may drop if you ask the insurer to exclude pre-existing conditions; though it’s then your call on the risks of going abroad with limited cover. Also, the EHIC card won’t cover you for everything. In fact, it will only give you as much medical cover as a local citizen in your destination country – it won’t cover you for luggage loss or plane ticket cancellation.

Don’t Over Cover
When searching for a policy, it’s important to understand what kind of cover you need. If you just take the first policy you find, you’re likely to either be substantially over insuring yourself, or perhaps even under insuring. Be particularly wary of premium insurance deals offering extremely high amounts of cover when you don’t really need it. For instance, do you really need £50 million worth of medical insurance cover? The answer is almost certainly not. In fact, it’s probably best to go for something more towards the £2 million mark for maximum medical expenses cover, while you should go towards £1 million for personal liability. Flight cancellation is also worth considering too – no one wants to be in the nightmare scenario of not being able to go on holiday for whatever reason, but then having to stump up for it anyway.

By: Richard6 West6

Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com

QuoteBanana.co.uk makes travel insurance comparison simple for you. Compare travel insurance from a selection of insurers today.

How To Become Financially Wealthy In The Insurance Industry!

When I started out selling in insurance, I never dreamed I would get to the level of income that I enjoy today. As in most professional sales careers, when you perfect your sales and prospecting techniques, your ability to earn a great living will follow. But, even then, you are still far from the peak of the mountain top in income potential.

In order to obtain income levels far beyond what most agents ever dream of, you must understand the power of leverage. "Leverage" is the way most MGA's, IMO's, FMO's and NMO's in the industry earn millions per year instead of thousands per year like most agents. With personal sales alone, there are only so many hours per week that are available to make sales. Not to mention the many other things that competes for your time like family, friends, church, leisure, etc. You create "Leverage" by maximizing your income opportunities through the efforts of others as well as your own. Only then can you free yourself from the limits you can earn from personal sales, because of your limited time available.

The traditional growth path for most agents who eventually become MGA's, IMO's, etc, has been to learn and perfect their sales and prospecting techniques over time, then take the next step to position themselves to earn additional income from teaching other newer agents what they have already learned. However, getting to the point of qualifying for an MGA or other marketing type contracts for multiple carriers can take years to accomplish. In addition, the start up overhead expenses and required resources can be very costly.

What if you had available to you right now a complete system that provides all the products, resources, training, compensation structure and opportunity to do exactly what I am talking about right now. Start creating Leverage today, even before you've perfected your own sales and prospecting, even though you do not have any MGA, IMO, FMO or NMO sales contracts.

The United Independent Wholesale Insurance Network has created a success system that provides an opportunity for savvy agents to not only survive, but thrive, in our very lucrative but demanding business.

I encourage you to fully examine this dynamic program and discover for yourself what other agents all around the country are calling "The Most Powerful Insurance Marketing System" ever designed.

Here are just a few of the reasons agents are joining the UandIWIN network around the country!
Retirement Security
Experienced agents know that renewal income alone will not provide a long term secure retirement. They understand that the only way to grow income year after year, even after retirement, is to create "Leverage".
Ownership
You have full vesting rights from day one, meaning you own your block of business and renewals as well as your monthly bonus revenue from your down line sponsored agents. Leave the block of business and the distribution channel you build to your heirs!
Product Selection
UandIWIN has over 40 top featured Insurance Companies in their Portfolio. If you sell Health, Disability Income, Life, Annuity, LTC, Medicare Supplement or Medicare Advantage you will appreciate the product selection.
Sales and Product Training
Join in on as many of the weekly sales and product training webinars as your schedule allows. With the size of our product portfolio, there is always something new to learn.
Unique Bonus Program
Earn up to six different types of bonuses in addition to your personal sales commissions. Person Production Bonus, Personal Sales Volume Bonus, Quick Start Bonus, Organizational Volume Bonus, Structural Bonus and Breakaway Bonus!
Unique Opportunity
Immediately begin building a multi-state insurance sales organization through the use of Leverage. No costly multi-state license fees. Your sponsored agents don't even have to be writing with the same company or products to receive volume credit!
Down line Development Program
Accelerates your agent sponsorships and the growth of your Quick Start, Organizational Volume and Structural Bonuses.
Business Building Tools
Comprehensive Website, UandIWIN Toolbar, Life and Health Quote Engines, Promotional DVD, Recruiting Brochure, Power Point and Flip chart Presentations, Sales, Recruiting, Coaching & Opportunity webinars, Downline Development Program and more.

By: Daniel B. Hagy

Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com

Nobody in the industry is offering income opportunities for the "Average Producer" or the "Agency Builder" like United Independent Wholesale Insurance Network ...and if you're better than average... WOW!

For more information on this incredible opportunity --> Click Here Now!

Thank you and make it a great year,
-Dan Hagy

Auto Insurance- Important Guide About Auto Insurance

If you are searching for information correlated to auto insurance or some additional such as USA car insurance, American home insurance, antique auto insurance or good cheap auto insurance you have select the right article. This precious portion will provide you with not immediately common auto insurance information but also definite and helpful information. Enjoy it.

Driving school is important for new drivers as well due to the fact that if you take one of the driving school programs in your sector then you will be fit for a lot come down indemnity rate. Insurance brokers feel if you have continued trained afterward you will be a lot a lower number of a threat to them for getting to an accident and therefore they will reward you will a lower monthly payment that is regularly pretty significant.

The cause that checking the major firms first is important is due to the fact that individual’s prices will submit you and notion of what the business is offering for your chosen situation. Those rates might make it easier for you to provide comparisons later on when you find other deals and therefore gauge all of the proposals you find against folks which are being offered by companies the present are supposed to be the top in the field. Checking the major companies is an principle earliest step towards noticing low cost Automatic protection providing a reduced number of as opposed to stellar record, but it is not the simply stage and if you give in before striving all of it else out, you might be spending more traffic as opposed to you actually suffer to.

Well, if you are in the instant group, there are many different ways that you can find low priced auto insurance. However, you exceptionally do would like to commit yourself to the searching the web because it is a search engine that might take you awhile. Having several accidents or tickets and struggling to get auto insurance is a lot such as trying to get a funding in bad credit. Because you’re out of has not been good, the present is not a place in which your word carries a lot of weight.

If this article still doesn't answer your specific auto insurance quest, then don't forget that you can conduct more searches on any of the major search engines like Search.Yahoo.com to get specific auto insurance information.

It's a pretty secure bet so you'll pay! No! For your auto insurance policy if you live in a big city when compared to a wonderful farm out in the country. The city probably has more thefts and accidents, which lead to higher costs absorbed by the insurance association and then passed along to the buyer when the indemnity firms determine your auto insurance policy price. Hopefully this information can make it easier for you focus in on some towns within your auto policy that you can investigate with your insurance realtor in the hopes of actually lowering your auto insurance rates alternatively of raising them.

These auto coverage quotes sites will be accessible to anyone, and they will also cover any area of residence. Anyone who needs auto insurance will get benefits from this service. They may also avail discounts from various schemes, and save a lot of money. This is a way of saving time as well as money, and there will be the best options that can be chosen too. Insurance policies may be bought through these free line auto insurance quotes services, and they will guarantee a good deal for the buy. All car owners may be comfortable with this option, as they need not move from company to company looking for information.

You must know when you need a business or personal auto insurance. If you are managing a large scale business you ask for business auto insurance but if you run a small business and you use your custom car for mobilization you look for to get personal car coverage quotes. Another important point to note is insuring your employees personal cars, knowing complete well this they use it to go for your company errand. Your company's account will be able to not be endangered because of any unforeseen incidence. So you seek to make plans for your industry car, personal car used for work purposes and also your employee's cars. And if you have fleets of cars you ask for any car insurance for your business.

Many folks seeking online for articles related to auto insurance also sought for articles about car company insurance, collector car insurance, and even online insurance quote.

By: deepak kulkarni

Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com

So here is chance to get your free tips on canadian auto insurance quote and in addition to that get basic information on saving money visit cheap auto insurance

Questions To Ask Your Health Insurance Agent

These questions will help to ensure that your agent is being honest with you and to help you understand some of the important variations in the different types of policies.

1. Stop Loss: Definition: The maximum out of pocket you will pay before you have 100% coverage for the rest of the year. For most companies it will be under $5,000. There are a couple of companies that don't actually offer a stop loss. They will have limits for what the company will pay out but they have no limit to what YOU will pay out. This is the most important aspect to your insurance policy. I have seen people get stuck with $50,000-$200,000 worth of medical expenses without a good stop loss!

Question to ask your agent: What is my maximum out of pocket (stop loss) per year before I have 100% coverage?

2. Deductibles: Some companies will have separate deductibles for different aspects of their policies (testing/laboratory deductible, therapy deductible, chemotherapy coverage, separate accident deductibles, etc.). This is where some insurance companies depend on there being big loopholes so that they don't have to cover things that may otherwise be covered. Ex: Things that one company may call testing and therapy may not be considered the same type of procedure by another company. If something falls between categories for different deductibles, you will be stuck paying bill for all of it. You want a plan that has ONE DEDUCTIBLE. This way there are no gaps. You reach your one deductible each year, and then everything that is covered under your policy will be covered as your policy states. It drastically eliminates holes in your policy that the insurance company can exploit.

Question to ask your agent: How many deductibles does my policy have?

3. Networks: You want to be in a plan that offers networks. Some companies will offer plans that are good at any doctor, any hospital, anywhere in the country. This is a great selling point but unfortunately, it is also very dangerous. Networks exist for a very good reason. If you have a plan that has big coverage holes in it and you go to a doctor for some reason, anything that is not covered by your policy you will pay 100% of all costs and you will pay 100% full retail price for it. Obviously this can be financially catastrophic. Insurance companies and doctors give their customers/patients what is called 'Network Pricing". If you go to a network provider with insurance and something is not covered by your plan, in many cases you will still get the big discount that the insurance company would get just because you have insurance. This is "Network Pricing". Some companies offer nationwide networks so even if you travel a lot you will never be out of network. This is very important.

Question to ask your agent: If my company doesn't use networks and I have medical procedures performed that are not covered by my policy, how much will I have to pay? Do I get a discount because I have insurance? (The correct answer to this is you will have to pay 100% of retail prices. If the company does not use networks, any other answer is either wrong or deceptive.)

4. Coverage per period of confinement: Some companies will have definitions for deductibles as "per period of confinement." Ex: Your plan could have a $1500 deductible but we need to know if it is a yearly deductible or "per period of confinement" deductible. Some companies will list a period of confinement as 90 days. This would mean that if you are hospitalized for the same thing within 90 days you only have to meet one deductible. However, if 91 days later you have another problem with the same condition, you will then have to hit ANOTHER $1500 deductible. In addition, if you have a different medical problem within those 90 days and need to be seen by a doctor, you will again have to hit ANOTHER $1500 deductible!
Again, this is another potentially financially devastating scenario.

Question to ask your agent: Is the deductible a yearly deductible or per period of confinement?

If this article was helpful, please feel free to repost it unaltered.

By: Shad Woodman

Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com

Shad Woodman is a licensed health insurance agent and specializes in marketing Affordable Health & Dental Insurance , www.homeownerinsurancequoter.com”> Homeowner Insurance Quotes, and a nationwide Dental Plan online. 

Choosing The Right Health Plan For You And Your Family

Health insurance can be confusing. As a service to our customers we put together this brief guide to help them decide what their needs really are. These are the types of questions that everyone should ask themselves when considering the purchase of a health insurance plan. By taking a moment to seriously evaluate your needs, you may be surprised at how much money you can save when shopping for a health plan. There is no point in paying for coverage you will never use!

The following is a brief list of some guidelines and recommendations for choosing a health care plan. Please browse through this article as it offers some important things to consider when choosing the right health care plan for you, your family, or your business.

1. What is your budget for a health care plan? How much do you think you can afford to spend each month to maintain your health care plan?

2: Type of plan you need: Ask yourself some hard questions: Do you need a major medical plan, a high deductible plan, a health discount plan, prescriptions, maternity coverage, routine care, vision, or dental? .

3. How often do you go to the doctor? Various medical plans will cover routine doctors office visits with unlimited use but they are much more expensive than those that have some limits to doctor’s office visits. If you never go to the doctor, a plan that includes this type of unlimited benefit would be a waste of your money. Some health insurance policies will cover routine "Wellness Visits" at little or no cost to the policyholder.

4. Do you take any medications? Many health insurance plans include prescription drug coverage. But, if you don't take any medications, having a health insurance policy that covers prescriptions may be a waste of your money. If you do take medications, make sure that the plan you purchase has enough benefits to it to make it worth the added cost to have prescriptions included in the plan.

5. Do you travel much? If you travel a lot you may want to look for a plan that doesn't require you to stay within a network. The insurance benefit that a company pays out is always better if you can stay within that company’s network. Some companies use nationwide networks while others may use more localized networks. Temporary health insurance for travel is something you can purchase when you need it.

6. Are you self-employed? Self-employed people will likely have different needs than people who work for a large company. It is important to make sure your insurance policy will cover you while you are working. Not all of them will!

7. Do you plan on having children? Maternity coverage is very expensive to add to a policy. Nearly all health insurance companies require you to have a policy in force with them for at least nine months prior to becoming pregnant. If you become pregnant before the end of the waiting period, the insurance company will not cover the pregnancy or the delivery.

8. Are there any medical conditions that are considered "pre-existing"? Most health insurance will have some very strict guidelines for covering pre-existing medical conditions. However, many of the discount programs and the guaranteed acceptance discount programs have no waiting periods or pre-existing condition exclusions. These may be a good option for you. This depends largely on what the condition is and how urgent the need for care is.

9. Do you need dental and vision coverage? A dental or vision insurance plan can sometimes be like throwing your money away. Several of the discount plans offer exceptional savings at rates that are much lower than the traditional insurance plans. If you need major dental work right away, the dental insurance policies may not be your best choice, as they will have waiting periods for up to 1 year before major dental work will be covered. If this is the case for you, the dental discount plans are your best choice, as they have no waiting periods or limits. Your yearly dental benefit may also be capped at a certain amount. This means that if you need more dental work than is covered, you will be paying the amount that exceeds this ‘cap’ directly out of your pocket, at 100%.

10. Who will the benefits cover? Adding people to an insurance policy can cause the rates to go up. The more people on the insurance plan, the higher the risk of financial loss to the insurance company, therefore the rate must be higher.

Keeping money in your pocket is much easier than making it if you are armed with the proper knowledge about what you are shopping for.

By: Shad Woodman

Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com

Shad Woodman is a licensed health insurance agent and specializes in marketing Affordable Health & Dental Insurance , www.homeownerinsurancequoter.com”> Homeowner Insurance Quotes , and a nationwide Dental Plan online. 

Health Insurance Explained In Plain English - Part 1

Understanding health insurance and the health industry is much easier if you recognize some of the basic terminology and how it applies to you and your health insurance policy. If you have a health insurance plan and aren’t sure how it works or what the terminology means, take a few minutes to read the explanations below. Knowing these terms and what they mean to you can greatly aid you in dealing with your health care providers, insurance company, insurance agent, or during the health benefits shopping process.

Benefit Year
This is the 12-month period in which your benefits are calculated. Most insurance companies use a CALENDAR year, which is January 1 to December 31, but a few will use a 12 month period from when your policy goes into effect. For example, if your insurance goes into effect on June 1, the END of your benefit year is May 31. Make sure that you understand how your benefit year will be calculated.

Deductible
Deductible means the amount of money you must pay out of your pocket for medical expenses EACH YEAR before your health insurance begins paying out. Deductibles are usually reset to 0 at the beginning of each calendar or benefit year. Many insurance companies offer health plans that have benefits that are not subject to having to meet your deductible each year such as doctors office visits, immunizations, wellness or routine exams, etc. An easy way to remember what this term means and how it works is this:

When you have incurred medical expenses, all bills must be sent to the insurance company. When the insurance company looks at your bills, they then look at your policy and see how things are covered. They will then add up what the combined medical expenses have been for the year to date: determine what your deductible is and how much you have already paid towards meeting your deductible for the year, and pay out according to how your insurance policy says it will.

So in a nutshell, the insurance company is “deducting” your financial responsibility for medical expenses each year from the total combined medical expenses before they have any responsibility to pay out…hence the term “deductible”.

Co-Pay
A co-pay is an amount that is paid by the patient to a provider at the time of service. It will either be a flat fee (like $15 or $20) or it can be a percentage of the service provided. The percentages or fee may vary depending on the type of service provided. A co-pay is different than “coinsurance” – see next.

Coinsurance
Coinsurance is the percentage paid by the insurance company after you pay the deductible. Example: Your health insurance pays 70%, you pay 30%. The insurance company pays 70% coinsurance, you pay 30% coinsurance. Most health insurance policies will have a limit on the amount of coinsurance you have to pay out each year this is known as your “Annual Coinsurance Maximum” or “Stop-loss”.

Annual Coinsurance Maximum
After paying your deductible and after paying your coinsurance (classically 20% or 30% of medical expenses) to a certain dollar amount, your health insurance will pay 100% for the remaining costs in the calendar year. Example: After you pay your deductible, your health insurance pays 70% of medical expenses and you pay 30%. Once you reach the coinsurance maximum, you no longer pay 30% of the medical expenses because the insurance pays 100%.

Out of Pocket Maximum or Stop Loss
Stop Loss is the maximum amount of money you will have to pay out of your pocket in the benefit year.

Lifetime Maximum
This is the limit of the money the health insurance will pay out over your lifetime. Most major medical health insurance policies will be a $2 million lifetime maximum, while others will go as high as a $12 million lifetime maximum. In general, it is not recommended to have a policy with less than a $2 million lifetime maximum.

Office Visits
When you visit a doctor in their office they normally bill the health insurance company for an "office visit." Most health insurance plans pay office visit expenses at the coinsurance (generally 70% or 80%) after the deductible. Some health insurance plans pay office visit expenses at the coinsurance rate but waive the deductible, which means you don’t have to reach the deductible amount before they will cover their portion of the expense. Still other health insurance plans pay office visit expenses in full after a co-pay (usually $25 or $30). It should also be noted that office visits can be classified in two different categories. One category is usually called “Routine Care,” “Wellness visits” or “Preventative care” (see definition below). The other type of office visit is deemed as “Medically Necessary” (see definition below). Certain health insurance policies cover each of these types of visits differently and other plans do not cover them at all. If having these types of office visits covered by your health insurance policy is important to you, make sure you let your agent know so that they can help find the right plan for you.

Preventive Care
Preventive Care is classically defined as routine exams, immunizations, well child care, and cancer screenings. These include your yearly exams and checkups for things such as physicals, pap smears, mammograms, etc. Not all plans cover preventive care. It may not be a wise use of your money to have preventative care included in your plan if you never go to the doctor. A good health insurance agent can help you determine if this is necessary coverage for you.

Medically Necessary
These are the visits utilized for your smaller ailments such as colds, flu, ear infections or minor accidents. Not all plans cover ‘medically necessary’ visits, so make sure you know if your policy includes these exams if you need them covered. You may consider purchasing accident insurance or adding a rider (explained below) to your policy to cover these types of issues.

Diagnostic Lab and X-Ray
These are tests involving laboratory or imaging services (such as x-ray, CAT scan, etc.) to diagnose a health problem. These services are usually paid at the coinsurance (typically 70% or 80%) after the deductible.

Chiropractic Care
When you visit a chiropractor for spinal manipulation or other services, these expenses are customarily paid at the coinsurance rate (70% or 80%) either after the deductible is met, or by waiving the deductible. Most health insurance plans limit the number of chiropractic visits/services to 10 or 12 per year – especially if the deductible is waived. After this, additional visits are not paid by the health insurance plan, and you will be responsible for the full amount of the bill.

Inpatient or Outpatient Care
When you receive care from a hospital (inpatient or outpatient services), these expenses are customarily paid at the coinsurance rate (70% or 80%) after the deductible has been met.

Emergency Room
When you receive care from a hospital emergency room, these expenses are customarily paid at the coinsurance level (70% or 80%) after the deductible. Most health insurance plans also require you to pay additional co-pay (commonly $75-$100) for each emergency room visit. A number of plans waive this additional co-pay if you are actually admitted to the hospital through the emergency room and the plan will pay as an inpatient service. A plan can sometimes be structured to have separate coverage for accidents as an additional rider (see definition below) to your policy.

Prescription Medications
Prescription medications can be classified as generic, brand name, or non-preferred brand name (see below for definitions). Please Note: Not all health insurance plans pay for prescription drugs, so if you already take prescription drugs or think you will need help in the future with prescription drugs, you will want to make sure that you are purchasing a plan that includes this coverage. Prescription drugs may be covered at the coinsurance rate (70-80%) after a deductible specifically for prescription drugs is met, other plans may include Prescription drugs in the total deductible for the plan.

Generic Medications
Drug manufacturers are permitted to sell a generic version of a medication after the patent expires for the brand name medication (generally 20 years after the brand name medication was registered). Generic medications are equivalent to the corresponding brand name medication, but are much less expensive than the brand name medication. Health insurance plans frequently provide better payment for generic medications as an incentive for you to ask for the generic version. About half of all prescription medications filled in the United States, are filled with generic medications.

Brand Name Medications
Brand name medications are more expensive than generic medications. Most health insurance plans create a limited list of brand name medications that they will pay for and many health insurance plans also provide less coverage for brand name medications than for their generic counterparts.

Non-Preferred Brand Name Medications
Most health insurance plans create a limited list of brand name medications they will pay for. If your brand name medication is not on this list, it might be paid at a lower level under "Non-Preferred Brand Name Medications."

Maternity
Some health insurance plans cover the cost of maternity, which includes doctor and hospital charges for prenatal care as well as labor and delivery. Maternity is expensive to add into a health insurance policy because it is considered a “guaranteed expense” for the insurance company. If a woman becomes pregnant, it is a safe bet that there is going to be medical expenses incurred! If there are no complications and the birth goes well, the insurance company will be out a large monetary portion of the cost of delivery and even more if there are problems with the delivery or the newborn. Insurance companies price maternity so that they can still maintain profits. In some cases it may be best to save your money and pay for the prenatal care and the delivery out of your own pocket (or on a credit card) and let the insurance cover the catastrophic events. The difference you save in the monthly cost of having maternity coverage may be well worth it to you. Remember, once you have a policy that covers maternity, you can’t just remove the maternity coverage after the pregnancy is done! You will continue to pay for that maternity coverage for as long as you have that policy.

Mammography
Mammography is a specific type of imaging that uses a low-dose x-ray system for the examination of breasts to detect early breast cancer in women experiencing no symptoms and to detect and diagnose breast disease in women experiencing symptoms. Current guidelines from the American Cancer Society (ACS), and the American Medical Association (AMA) recommend a screening mammography every year for women, beginning at age 40. Various plans will have automatic coverage for mammograms but some will not. Several states (like Washington State, for example) have specific guidelines that require companies to have coverage for mammograms in their policies as an automatic benefit.

Mental Health
Outpatient mental health services include visits to a licensed counselor, therapist, or psychiatrist. Inpatient mental health services include admission to a psychiatric hospital. Many plans do not cover mental health services.

Rehabilitation Therapy
Rehabilitation therapy may include physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, massage therapy, cardiac rehabilitation, and chronic pain therapy. Most health insurance plans limit rehabilitation therapy to a certain number of visits per calendar year or to a certain dollar amount that they will pay for rehabilitation for either the year or for a lifetime.

Rider
Any thing that changes the way your policy acts by default is called a “Rider”. A rider can be anything from an exclusion of coverage for a medical condition, or additional coverage for potential conditions. (As in an “accident rider” mentioned earlier in this report)

Occupational Coverage/On the job coverage
The largest portion of health insurance plans do not cover occupational related medical expenses. This can be a HUGE pitfall for self employed people. Always make sure that if you need to be covered while you are working that your plan will give you “on the job coverage”. If you get injured or sick while you are on the job and you do not have Workman’s Compensation or Labor and Industries accident coverage, you may have to pay for ALL medical expenses out of your own pocket.

Vision Coverage
Vision coverage is usually broken into two parts: vision exam, and vision hardware. Vision exam benefits include the cost of a refractive exam used to test vision acuity (20/20, 20/40, etc.). Vision hardware represents the cost of eye glasses or contact lenses. A number of health insurance plans do not cover vision exams or hardware. However, medical issues relating to the health of the eye (like Glaucoma) are almost always covered under the regular medical portion of the health insurance plan.

Doctor Directory
Each insurance company will have a list of doctors that the company has negotiated terms for payment of services with. You can go to the insurance company's website to find a listing of contracted “preferred providers”.

This information may help you understand a policy that you already have, or aid you in understanding a policy that you may be thinking about purchasing. The more knowledge you have about what the industry “jargon” means, the more you will be able to make informed decisions about the insurance you choose to use.

By: Shad Woodman

Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com

Shad Woodman is a licensed health insurance agent and specializes in marketing Affordable Health & Dental Insurance , www.homeownerinsurancequoter.com”> Homeowner Insurance Quotes , and a nationwide Dental Plan online. 

5 Fundamental Principles Of Insurance

Insurance is a contract, a risk transfer mechanism whereby a company (Underwriter) promised to compensate or indemnify another party (Policyholder) upon the payment of reasonable premium to the insurance company to cover the subject-matter of insurance. If you are well conversant with these principles, you will be in a better position in negotiating you insurance needs.

1. Insurable interest. This is the financial or monetary interest that the owner or possessor of property has in the subject-matter of insurance. The mere fact that it might be detrimental to him should a loss occurred because of his financial stake in that assets gives him the ability to insure the property. Castellin Vs Preston 1886.

2. Umberima fadei. It means utmost good faith, this principle stated that the parties to insurance contract must disclose accurately and fully all the facts material to the risk being proposed. That is to say that the insured must make known to the insurer all facts regarding the risk to be insured (Looker Vs Law Union and Rock 1928). Likewise, the underwriter must highlight and explain the terms, conditions and exceptions of the insurance policy. And the policy must be void of ‘small prints’.

3. Indemnity. It stated that following a loss, the insurer should ensure that they placed the insured in the exact financial position he enjoyed prior to the loss (Leppard Vs Excess).

4. Contribution. In a situation where two or more insurers is covering a particular risk, if a loss occurred, the insurers must contribute towards the settlement of the claim in accordance with their rate able proportion.

5. Subrogation. It has often been said that contribution and subrogation are corollary of indemnity, which means the afore-mentioned two principles operates so that indemnity does not fail.

Subrogation operates mainly on motor insurance. When an accident occurred involving two or more vehicles, there must be tortfeasor(s) who is responsible for accident. On this basis, the insurer covering the policyholder who was not at fault can recover their outlay from the underwriter of the policyholder who is responsible for the incidence.

By: wallywisdom

Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com

Wallywisdom is a multi-disciplinary professional, internet marketer and expert writer who has made a landmark in various niches on the internet. He is also a major player in some freelancer sites. Of paramount importance in all deals are professionalism, ethics, attention to details, integrity, uprightness etc.insurancesgenius.com pennystockprophetic.com magniworkenergyproducts.com

Health Insurance Claim Rejected? What You Should Do Now

When you buy a health insurance plan, you expect it to be there for you when you need it most. In exchange for your monthly premiums and a certain deductible and co-insurance percentage, you are purchasing financial security in the event of a severe health issue. Treatments for major conditions like cancer can cost millions of dollars. In an attempt to maximize their revenues, health insurance companies seek to pay out as little in claims as possible. While detecting health insurance fraud is a laudable goal (and catching medical fraud helps everyone save on individual health insurance premiums), innocent people get caught in the crossfire.

There are several reasons why your health insurance claim may be denied:

The procedure, treatment, or medication is specifically excluded from your health insurance policy.
The health insurer considers the procedure to be an experimental treatment; as a result, they refuse to pay for an unproven treatment.
You visit an out-of-network hospital emergency room or clinic.
There is a clerical error; for example, an incorrect address or diagnostic code.

Far too many people are unaware of their options after a claim denial. Instead, they give up--a decision which costs them tens of thousands of dollars. Health insurance companies, including major providers like United Healthcare, have appeal procedures. Sometimes it will take multiple appeals for you to get your claim covered by your health insurance. Persistence is well worth it!

Follow these tips to increase the likelihood of your appeal succeeding:

Make sure to file an appeal before the deadline (usually 30 to 90 days), but don't rush. Build your case and inquire for information without revealing your intentions; some health insurance companies will take that statement as an appeal in itself, making it far less likely that their decision will be reversed.
Do your homework. If a procedure is considered experimental, find research in reputable medical journals that prove it is safe or effective. It will also help your case if you are able to find proof that other local health insurance companies cover a treatment or that your insurer covered the same treatment for other patients in the past
Get written documentation from your doctors and medical offices. Your claim is more likely to be approved upon appeal if medical professionals agree that a particular treatment is medically necessary or acknowledge that a billing or coding error occurred. If you filed an out-of-network emergency claim, those doctors (along with your medical records) can prove that there was no in-network treatment provider available.
Keep track of all discussions with your health insurance provider: date, time, and the person you spoke with. Find out exactly who can help with your appeal, and send it to that person directly. This will make the claim process move faster.
If you have a chronic illness, the health insurance claims process can be extremely complex. Advocacy associations--both general and disease-specific--can answer your questions and help you file. Failing that, it may be worth it to hire a medical billing advocate. They specialize in navigating through health insurance bureaucracies, and their hourly or percentage fee may be worth the additional peace of mind.
Contact your state's insurance department if you have individual health insurance or health insurance through a small- or medium-sized employer (meaning that you are covered directly through a health insurance company). Forty-five states have independent external review boards, which will review your claim if all or your internal appeals have been exhausted.
You may have less recourse if you receive health insurance through a large corporation that self-insures. Since the firm pays medical claims itself, it is not subject to state insurance laws. However, check your plan summary for any external appeal reviews: the majority of companies have them.

By: Yamileth Medina

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(Image: Steve Weaver under CC 2.0)

Yamileth Medina is an up and coming expert on individual health insurance and healthcare reform. She aims to help people realize that they can find quality health insurance right now. Yamileth lives in Miami, FL.