|
|
| Information |
|
|
Health Insurance And Insurance Brokers
If you are in the market to purchase your own health insurance coverage you can save yourself precious time and money by shopping and comparing policies right online. Sites dedicated to giving you quotes on various types of insurance make it very easy for you to get an idea of what your coverage and costs will be. However, please be forewarned that there are some pitfalls in using an insurance broker as I discovered within the past year. As a self employed person, I carry my own health and life insurance for my family. When making the move from New Jersey to North Carolina in 2004 I knew two things about our health insurance: 1. I would have to shop for a health insurance provider covering North Carolina. 2. Rates would be cheaper than in New Jersey, with costs being about half of what I had been paying and with slight better coverage. Several weeks before we moved I contacted a well known internet insurance broker and received quotes. We selected one company and received the paperwork from the broker about ten days before our move. Quite frankly, I wish I had started the process a little earlier as all of our free time was dedicated toward preparing and making the move. So, I ended up packing the paperwork with my personal stuff and was only able to fill it out and submit it one week after our arrival in North Carolina. Dealing with the online insurance broker was a simple task, but I soon discovered that they were an extra step in the application process, one that only slowed down our approval. Once the paperwork was received by the broker, they acknowledged the same via email and mentioned that they would review our package before forwarding it to the health insurance company. Over the next couple of weeks we received messages from the insurance broker stating the following: 1. We are in the process of reviewing your application. 2. We have sent your application off to the insurance company. 3. The insurance company has your application and will be reviewing it in about one week. 4. The insurance company expects a delay in reviewing your application due to the high volume of applications received. 5. Please do not contact the insurance company directly; we will keep you posted as to the status of your application. Yeah, right. Originally, we were assured by the insurance broker that the health insurance company would review and approve our application within two weeks. Follow up phone calls by us to the broker along with several exchanges of emails revealed that this was not going to happen. In addition, when we contacted the health insurance company directly - at the encouragement of the broker - the health insurance company had difficulty finding our application. Within a few days the application was found sitting in another department; our contact at the health insurance company blamed the broker for sending the information to the wrong address. As it turned out, the original insurance quote we received online was off by just over 20%. Once the health insurance company determined that certain pre existing conditions needed to be factored in our rates rose accordingly. Of course, when working with the internet broker we knew that the rate quoted wasn't 'absolute' but the big jump was still a bitter pill to swallow. Among our thoughts at that point in the process were: 1. Had we known ahead of time that our "final rate" would be so high, we would have shopped around some more. 2. Because of the delays and the passage of time, we needed to complete the application process as our coverage with the NJ health provider would need to be canceled, preferably by the end of the year. By the middle of December, a full ten weeks after we submitted our paperwork, we received official notification that our application was approved and that we were covered. During the last couple of weeks of the lengthy application process we contacted the health insurance company directly several times to learn what the status of our application was. At no time during the process were we assured that we would receive approval; essentially we were told that coverage would begin pending approval. In conclusion, I offer the following recommendations for shopping for health insurance: 1. Comparison shop online. Get quotes through the online brokers to get a general idea of what your costs will be. If you have pre-existing conditions, the prices quoted will not be reflected in your quote. 2. Narrow down the list of companies quoted to three and then contact them directly. Bypass the broker as they are an unnecessary additional step in what certainly is not a quick approval process. 3. If you need insurance by a particular date, apply well in advance to allow for delays, for misplaced paperwork, changes in your application, etc. Our insurance coverage was approved effective a specific date, but we were able to move it to another date to coincide with the dropping of our NJ health care provider. In all, the experience was wearisome at times and a real eye opener. I know you see ads all the time for online insurance quotes. I am not saying to avoid the sites, but please consider what we went through before using an online broker exclusively. Matthew Keegan is the owner of a successful web design and marketing company based in North Carolina, USA. He manages several sites including the Corporate Flight Attendant Community at http://www.corporateflyer.net and the Aviation Employment Board at http://www.aviationemploymentboard.net
Latest News:Site: Yahoo! News Search Results for news Futures flat; Lehman buyout news, data awaited (Reuters via Yahoo! News) Stock index futures were little changed on Friday as investors awaited news on the fate of Lehman Brothers after a slide in its stock this week heightened fears over whether the investment bank can survive. Myanmar's Suu Kyi to get family letters, news mags (Reuters via Yahoo! News) Detained Myanmar opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi has managed to wring small concessions from the ruling generals in the form of letters from her family and some international news magazines, her lawyer said on Friday. SEC Looks Into UAL Stock Scare; Implications For Online News? (CBS News) A ton of digits have been devoted to this in other spots but the SEC's decision to investigate takes it to another level. The backstory: a six-year-old news story about UAL declaring bankruptcy made it into the Tribune-owned Sun-Sentinel 's current news flow, was picked up by a Google (NSDQ: GOOG) News bot and, via a reporter for a newsletter, made it onto Bloomberg News. After a lot of buck ... JCDecaux in talks for News Outdoor Group in Russia (AP via Yahoo! News) French outdoor advertising firm JCDecaux SA said Thursday it is negotiating to buy Russian rival News Outdoor Group from global media company News Corp. News Corp tightens grip on Premiere with new CEO (Reuters via Yahoo! News) Rupert Murdoch tightened his grip on German pay-TV broadcaster Premiere by appointing News Corp executive Mark Williams as CEO in a move to get the company back on track. Phila. mayor to announce grim budget news (The Philadelphia Inquirer) The Nutter administration is expected to announce grim budget news today, which is all but certain to lead to significant spending cuts - perhaps as high as 10 percent - in some city departments, according to three sources familiar with the budget. Help News pick Stadium's greatest moment (New York Daily News) The News is marking the countdown to the final game at The House That Ruth Built by reflecting on Yankee Stadium's greatest moments - and we're asking you - the reader - to help us pick out the best of the best. JCDecaux and News Corp. in talks to combine outdoor ad groups (International Herald Tribune) The News Corp. chief executive, Rupert Murdoch, has recently expressed nervousness about investments in Russia, where News Outdoor generated the bulk of its revenue last year. SEC Looks Into UAL Stock Scare; Implications For Online News? (paidContent.org via Yahoo! Finance) A ton of digits have been devoted to this in other spots but the SEC's decision to investigate takes it to another level. The backstory: a six-year-old news story about UAL declaring bankruptcy made it into the Tribune-owned Sun-Sentinel's current news flow, was picked up by a Google News bot and, via a reporter for a newsletter, made it onto Bloomberg News. JCDecaux in talks to buy News Corp. billboard unit (AP via Yahoo! Finance) In a deal that would create the world's largest outdoor advertising company, French conglomerate JCDecaux SA said Thursday that it is in talks to buy Russian rival News Outdoor Group from global media company News Corp. Site: news - Google News Australia, New Zealand Dollars Advance as Stocks Poised to Gain - Bloomberg
MORE RESOURCES: Site: Yahoo! News Search Results for insurance NC insurance commissioner orders lower auto rates (AP via Yahoo! Finance) North Carolina State Insurance Commissioner Jim Long on Thursday rejected an industry request for an almost 13 percent increase in auto rates and has ordered a reduction instead. Auto-insurance rates in N.C. ordered cut by 16.1 percent (Winston-Salem Journal) N.C. Insurance Commissioner Jim Long rejected yesterday an industry request for an almost 13 percent increase in auto rates and has ordered a reduction instead. Survey: Insurance Industry Expects Subprime Issues to Negatively Impact 2009 Performance (Insurance Journal) Insurance executives expect subprime and other credit issues to continue to have a significantly negative impact on the industry's financial performance in 2009, and they see credit and pricing risks Nevada Names Baker Acting Insurance Commissioner (Insurance Journal) The Nevada Department of Business & Industry named Betty C. Baker acting commissioner of the Division of Insurance. Baker will oversee the Division while a replacement is sought for Alice Molasky-Arma Here's the lowdown on 'private' bank and broker insurance (USA Today) Q: I've noticed several banks and brokerage firms claiming they have private insurance that protects accounts above the FDIC and SIPC limits. Should investors trust those promises? State unemployment insurance claims up (Macon Telegraph) The Georgia Department of Labor announced Thursday that 59,090 laid-off workers filed first-time claims for unemployment insurance benefits in August, an increase of 72.1 percent from August 2007, but a slight decrease from July to August this year. Fitch Ratings Gives Island Insurance an "Aq" (Insurance Journal) Island Insurance Co. Ltd., Hawaii's largest locally owned and managed property and casualty insurance carrier, has reaffirmed its "Aq" rating for Quantitative Insurer Financial Strength (Q-IFS) by Fit Looking for Free or Low-cost Health Insurance? (Carteret County News-Times) (ARA) - It's no secret that accessing health care is a challenge for the 47 million Americans who are uninsured. Lack of health insurance forces many Americans to choose the health care they receive based on what they can afford, not what they actually need. Uganda: Health Insurance May Face NSSF Fate (AllAfrica.com) The government has finally resolved that all salaried workers and employers, will with effect from July 2009, be required to make compulsory contributions to the new National Social Health Insurance Scheme. The net inflow from life insurance companies into equity stood at Rs550bn till March 31, 2008 , foreign institutional ... (India Infoline) The life insurance industry was the largest investor in the Indian equity markets, ahead of foreign institutional investors and mutual funds, according to the reports. Site: insurance - Google News Insurance brokers EPIC and Arthur J. Gallagher settle lawsuit - Bizjournals.com
|
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
How Is Your Auto Insurance Policy Price Determined? The average auto insurance policy price is derived from a variety of factors. Many of these variables are common knowledge and make sense for the most part but it's always a good idea to refresh yourself with what insurance companies are looking for when determining how much your coverage will cost. Health Insurance, What Does It Mean? Your health insurance policy is an agreement between you and your insurance company. The policy lists a package of medical benefits such as tests, drugs and treatment services. Choosing Long-Term Care Insurance A little over sixty percent of the folks who reach 65 years of age will need some long-term care. The average nursing home stay ranges from 2-5 years and costs on average of $135. Theres No Problem Getting Texas Auto Insurance in Texas Everything is big in Texas and so it is with Texas auto insurance. You will have a tough time driving in Texas if your car is uninsured. Individual Health Insurance Plans - How To Find The Best Provider Online Whether you are self-employed or a small business owner, finding an affordable individual health insurance plan has gotten easy with online health insurance providers. By comparing quotes and coverage plans, individuals are able to choose a provider that best meets their needs. Private Health Insurance: A Sense of Dissatisfaction The three C's, customization, consumerization and customer-satisfaction, seem to be at the core of the business mantra for every service provider. The health insurance provider industry is no exception to this rule. Life Insurance Leads, Insurance Leads, and the Online Lead Generation Business I've long wanted to write an article about Internet Leads (Life Insurance Leads, Health Insurance Leads, Homeowner's Insurance Leads, etc) and why they are a waste of money, time, and a drain on the Insurance Industry. Thank you ezinearticles for this powerful resource in communication!Insurance Agents all over the USA are getting solicitations every single day for one new lead program or another. Insights Into Your Med-Pay Insurance Coverage While Legal Romantics would like to characterize the trial of a lawsuit as a "Search For Truth" that's not a reality!Cases are decided on the evidence. When reviewing cases before them, judges invariably use the phrase, "The evidence shows", rather than, "The truth of the matter is". Sleep-At-Night Coverage With A Private Health Insurance ( Affordable Health Insurance ) Health Insurance: a sense of dissatisfactionThe three C's, customization, consumerization and customer-satisfaction, seem to be at the core of the business mantra for every service provider. The health insurance provider industry is no exception to this rule. Mortgage Life Insurance Owning a home is a dream for most of us, although it is an expensive one. The monthly payments usually take up a big slice of our monthly income, and the sudden loss in the event of you or your spouse's early death may leave your survivors unable to make payments. Term Life Insurance on Your Business Partner Life insurance is something we often take out to protect our family and our loved ones, but that's only one example of how life insurance can save us in unhappy circumstances. Businesses also need protection and those with partners realize that if a business partner were to pass away, the business itself could be jeopardized. Do An Auto Insurance Comparison And Benefit From The Savings It is very important to do an auto insurance comparison when you need insurance for your vehicle. Even if you are happy with the quote you get from your regular auto insurance company, it helps to shop around just to make sure you are getting the lowest possible rate. Why Would I Need Auto Insurance Specialists? If you do not understand the way that auto insurance works, you really need to deal with auto insurance specialists. These are the agents that work for the insurance companies and they can answer any questions you might have. Long Term Care Insurance How Much Should I Buy? Long-term care insurance policies have a variety of features and it pays to shop around. It is quite easy in the final years of your life to run up extremely large care bills which could threaten your life savings, home and your children's inheritance. Can I Get Affordable Dental Care? In the United States most companies offer their employees dental insurance, but yet many do not. They slip through the holes of the system - the in-betweeners - that have to pay, but struggle to pay the out-of-pocket expenses. CarInsurance.com Is Available At All Dealerships With Internet Access! You are ready to buy your first car. Researching the right vehicle can be a daunting task. Basic Coverage of Homeowner Insurance Policies The insurance policy is a package that includes more than 1 type of insurance in a policy. There are 4 types of coverage contained in the home insurance policy. The Importance of Travel Insurance You've finally saved enough to go on that dream vacation you've been planning. Now you're wondering if you should buy travel insurance. Why Boat Insurance Doesnt Help A Lousy Sailor For thousands of years men have sailed the seas. From the earliest trips by the discoverers and settlers of the Americas, Australia and the Pacific Islands, through Odysseus' voyage to Troy and beyond to the time of Swashbucklers in the Caribbean mankind has made exciting voyages to the far corners of the world. Cheap Auto Insurance Quotes - Tips For Getting The Lowest Rate Finding auto insurance quotes online is easy, but finding the cheapest auto insurance rates can be more of a challenge. To get the lowest quotes, follow these tips to help you find ways to trim possibly hundreds off your auto insurance quotes.
|
| Home | Site Map | Resource Links |
