Living in a country (Thailand), where healthcare is not only cheap it’s also on a par with American medical care, if not better, I can’t imagine paying the high healthcare insurance premiums Americans pay. According to the Los Angeles Times, a new recount just out says, while insurance premiums for healthcare have increased 14% in the last year, the premium increase has been completely paid by employees, while employers paid nothing towards the increased costs.
The average family of four in the US now pays more than $4,000 a year in healthcare insurance premiums. An amount simply unbelievable to most of the rest of the world.
In Thailand, where I live, I don’t even have health insurance. With major surgery only being around $1,000 for many serious illnesses, and that in one of Bangkok’s best private hospitals and a doctor’s visit less than $6, I don’t see the point in having health insurance. I’ll simply pay for the medical care if I need it.
If I did want top-of-the-line healthcare insurance in Thailand though, I wouldn’t be paying much more than $500 a year, and that would cover me for most medical care at any of Bangkok’s top private hospitals with no deductible. So to think an American family of four pays $4,000 a year for what is usually pretty awful coverage, and they’ll detached raze up paying a percentage of their healthcare costs in their deductible – well that, I simply can’t comprehend.
As many Americans also lobbied against Barack Obama’s healthcare reform, I wonder what it must now feel like to know that many of the things Obama wanted to pass would have helped lower that $4,000-plus premium and stopped rising healthcare insurance premiums? But, fooled by conservative right-wingers, who are in the pockets of the insurance companies, ignorant Americans called healthcare reform “socialist” and lobbied against the important parts of healthcare reform and it didn’t pass.
Instead, in 2010, American families have seen a 14% increase in healthcare premiums while their employers, often the fat-cat companies who helped put America’s economy in the toilet, walked away not paying anything extra towards their workers’ healthcare needs.
These same employers, while their employees paid more for their healthcare costs, also reduced the scope of the medical care they would pay for, with comprehensive coverage being a thing of the past – screwing their employees, both coming and going.
Well, they do call where I live “Amazing Thailand”, and now I see why. A country that’s one step up from being third world, can still offer all of its citizens government healthcare for the equivalent of $1 per doctor’s visit and private healthcare which, from my experience, is better than any healthcare I ever received in the United States of America for not a whole lot more. Incredible Thailand indeed.
Makes you wonder though doesn’t it. That citizens in the world’s richest country can’t even get what every citizen in a poorer country gets. Mind-blowing. Simply mind-blowing. It’s also why Americans are now some of Thailand’s ‘medical tourists’, as they’ve figured out they can get western-standard medical care for one tenth the cost of America. Must be embarrassing to be an American though, to know you have to come to a poor country to get medical care you can’t afford in your bear.
Sources:
Healthcare costs: Employers push rise in healthcare costs onto workers – LA Times
Filed under Types Of Auto Insurance by on Mar 14th, 2011. Comment. 
It is a common error for most people to simply allow their current policy to renew repeatedly. When dealing with an auto insurance company, they will not bother with fact checking to accumulate a better deal elsewhere. If this describes you, then you need to study into your options and learn how easy it is.
Undoubtedly, the fastest way to shop for auto insurance is to go surfing on the world wide web. Many auto insurance businesses can provide quotes on their websites, 24/7/365. You can obtain contact information for an auto insurance company on their website, then get in touch via telephone.
Be honest about the information you give out for quotes. The business will discover any claims, traffic tickets or accidents, so there's no point hiding anything. When you compare quotes, compare coverage with your present auto insurance company to the new company's data.
Switching over.
After you've gotten your new auto insurance business and bought your new policy, cancel the old one immediately. Failure to do so could mean continuance of your auto insurance with them. The conventional company would mild be waiting on premium payments from you. When no payment is provided, they would cancel your policy due to said unpaid premiums, then describe your failed coverage to your state's Department of Motor Vehicles. This has a high chance of altering your credit history as well as your ease of getting a new auto insurance policy.
Ending your old policy.
In general, all that is required to end the old policy is to notify the faded insurance company in writing. Set when you would like the insurance policy to be canceled. From there, they will send a form to imprint and return, which voids your old policy.
Until your unique insurance is in effect with the new insurance company, don't execute the old one. You'll avoid any mistakes in coverage. Currently, though, there's little odds of this actually happening. Your used auto insurance company will most likely demand proof of insurance before canceling any active policy.
The best time to switch.
Switch to a current auto insurance enterprise honest when the new policy is going to expire. Do it as soon as your policy renewal notice is received. The time it takes is usually around a month prior to the current policy's expiration. Note that in this time period, you can switch between auto insurance companies without getting hit with fees or penalties.
A strong advantage to doing this at the end of the policy term is avoiding heavy calculations in how much unused premium you are due from the old auto insurance group. Another benefit is skipping past the debate with your insurance agent – arguing about how much the company owes you and about the precise date you canceled the insurance.
You should be ready to get a better deal now. Whet your imagination from all the additional money you could be saving by following these easy guidelines.
Filed under Eastwood Auto Insurance by on Feb 26th, 2011. Comment.
Many senior citizens have been loyal to their auto insurance companies for years, often decades. Having the same favorable insurance agent and company is comforting. But the auto insurance industry has become more competitive, actively vying for the senior citizen market. It makes sense for senior citizens to gather information to compare their current rates, especially at the time of auto insurance renewal.
Getting quotes for auto insurance is an easy process. With honest a few clicks on the computer or toll-free telephone calls, anyone can gather a list that compares auto insurance by services and rates. For senior citizens, who often are on fixed incomes, this can be a very cost-effective exercise, possibly saving them hundreds of dollars during an insured period.
Finding Comparable Rates
Buying auto insurance is like any other important, long-term catch. The key is to select time to research and shop for the best deal with reliable auto insurance companies.
The following is a sample of insurance companies and insurance brokers offering auto insurance quotes on the Internet. Many have specific marketing programs targeting senior citizens.
AARP: www.aarp.thehartford.com.
AARP is an advocacy organization for seniors that promotes the interests of people over 50 years ancient. They offer auto insurance to members through The Hartford.
Allstate: www.allstate.com.
Allstate is a well known insurance company. Quotes can be gathered at the above website or local agents can be found in the telephone book and are available to back in preparing a free quote.
Farmers Insurance Group: http://www.farmersinsurance.com.
Online or in person, a Farmers insurance agent can review auto insurance coverage, befriend identify potential gaps, and include any qualifying Farmers Auto insurance discounts.
Progressive Insurance: www.progressive.com.
Progressive will provide a quote for their company along with comparables of other auto insurance companies for easy comparisons.
Geico Insurance: www.geico.com.
This company can be accessed online or at one of their many offices. It is easy to get a quote; they offer flexible payment options and competitive rates.
Costco: www.costco.com.
Costco offers membership insurance through Ameriprise Auto & Home Insurance.
Autoinsure: www.autoinsure.org.
Autoinsure has a page with capable insurance information for senior citizens. They can provide quotes from all the major auto insurance companies.
Esurance: www.esurance.com.
A rising star among insurance companies that capture pride in stating: “Esurance doesn’t just offer profitable insurance coverage, we also believe in educating consumers.” Their online quote process is easy to navigate.
US Insurance: www.usinsuranceonline.com
They will provide multiple auto insurance quotes tailored to specific needs within minutes of filling out their simple short form. It’s easy then to compare them side by side to win the best prices and coverage.
Car Insurance Rates: www.carinsurancerates.com
Their network of companies and brokers offer a variety of car insurances: Farmers, Allstate, AIG, Nationwide, AARP, Safeco Insurance, Liberty Mutual, MetLife and Mercury.
Every insurance rate: www.everyinsurancerate.com
EveryInsuranceCompany.com is a handy Internet directory to find local insurance companies, insurance quotes and discount insurance rates.
Quote Scout: www.quotescout.com.
This website will provide quotes from a long list of auto insurance companies – literally from “A” to “Z”.
Insurance.com: http://www.insurance.com.
Insurance.com works directly with 15 highly rated car insurance companies in 46 states: 21st Century, Electric Insurance, Esurance Auto Insurance, The Hartford, Infinity, Liberty Mutual, Meritplan Insurance, MetLife Auto Insurance, Newport Insurance, Permanent General Assurance Corporation (The General), Progressive, QBE Insurance, Safeco, Travelers Insurance, and Unitrin Direct.
Keeping Auto Insurance Rates Down
There are ways that senior citizens can take responsibility to control their auto insurance rates. Here are a few suggestions.
According to seniorjournal.com, most of the major auto insurance agencies provide a 5% – 10% discount to drivers beginning at the ages of 50 or 55. However, as a group, drivers 75 and older have one of the highest rates of fatal daytime accidents. Because of this, it’s important that senior drivers stay proactive and involved in keeping their driving skills sharp.
Many states offer an auto insurance discount for mature drivers if a person meets a given age criteria and has taken an approved mature driver safety course. Local colleges and senior centers are good resources to learn about the classes. AARP has local and on-line access to the course. Costco offers its members an online drivers’ safety training course through FirstNet: www.firstnetlearning.com.
Another way to hold auto insurance rates down is to drive a low-profile car, one that as part of a group has a lower rate due to minimum repair costs, considered safer and less likely to be stolen. Check the Highway Loss Data Institute, www.iihs.org, for the latest related data.
Examine current auto insurance needs and requirements. Changing to higher deductibles or dropping collision or comprehensive coverage for older cars may make sense.
Always ask about discounts when purchasing or renewing auto insurance.
And finally, the best long-term advice: Always drive defensively, pause alert and follow the driving laws. Maintaining a safe driving record is the best way to keep auto insurance rates down.
Filed under Mercury Auto Insurance by on Feb 24th, 2011. Comment.
Auto insurance is part of the household expenses that constrain the budget of many US residents. In order to keep these household expenses at low level, there is a need to adjust every household expense to its minimal level. Other household monthly expenses include auto loan payment, health insurance payment among others. A sound cash saving practice must entail well budgeted and affordable payments and other expenses. Usually, these payments are prioritized.
Loans are granted first priority due to the fact that they must be paid otherwise collaterals placed against them may be lost. Similarly, in order to have a obedient credit derive for future borrowing, it is advisable to maintain the monthly expenses at bay so that one does not struggle in paying loans and insurance premiums. In order to gain desirable cheap auto insurance premiums, there are a number of factors that can be applied.
Usually in order to get the best deals, it is vital to make a pre-purchase research to find out which auto insurance companies are offering neat premium rates for your vehicle. It is also necessary to enquire on factors such as insurance cancellation charges and any available discounts. However, insurance buyers should be very careful when ‘widow shopping’ for cheap insurance firms. This is one of the areas where opportunistic fraudsters have exploited unsuspecting clients. These fraudsters claim to offer very cheap premium rates, or have discount offer for a couple of months in form of free insurance. Finding a cheap insurance firm implies that the long term effect on a persons household budget is favored.
When insuring new vehicles, insurance buyers normally consider all appropriate coverage such as comprehensive, towing coverage, lease off coverage among others. This is because the value of the vehicle is high at purchase. However, as the use of the vehicle advances, it depreciates in value and there is a need to adjust on the premium payable. It is thus important to adjust on the payable premiums so as to match the depreciating car value. The cost of premium is sure by the ‘deductibles’ payable and the coverage adopted should be reviewed. As your car devalues, there is a need to withdraw some of the insurance coverage or some terms of the insurance policy. For instance, comprehensive coverage can be dropped out and only have collision coverage.
Another factors that can be considered in order to arrive at minimum premiums is quoting high ‘deductibles’ payable. Deductibles are fixed amount payable whenever an accident occurs, and the insurance company repairs your vehicle. They are usually paid by the insurance buyer. When quoting the deductible to be paid every time an accident occurs, it is important to quote higher amount.
Normally, insurance companies use deductible as one of the factors to determine the rate of premiums payable. Therefore, when the quoted deductible is high, this means that premium payable is low. Consequently, when the deductible quoted is low, this implies that the premium rate is high. Usually the deductible is quoted during the insurance coverage registration. It is therefore necessary for the insurance buyer to make an appropriate quote. This will ensure the premium payable is coarse. The ‘deductible’ amount is added together with the insurance pay off to settle the repair expenses.
Filed under Auto Insurance Reviews by on Feb 22nd, 2011. Comment.
Are you a business Owner? Non-owned auto liability insurance coverage is cheap. You should carry this or you risk paying large bucks later if you are sued. It protects you if you ask a friend or an employee to bustle a quick errand for your business. Perhaps a trip to the post office, the office supply store, or even to assume up lunch for you? Do you have a personal car that you may spend for running business errands, but it is titled to you personally and not insured on a business auto policy? Have you ever borrowed or rented a car?
Non-owned auto insurance is a bargain of a deal! It provides great coverage for a slight label.
Do you need non-owned auto liability insurance?
If you could answer yes to any of these questions, you may want to consider getting non-owned auto liabilty coverage. Business auto policies usually only cover the vehicles that are actually listed on the policy itself. General liability insurance won’t automatically cover you in these situations either.
What is non-owned auto liability insurance?
Non-owned liability insurance is designed to protect your business if someone else uses their personal car to run business errands for you, or if you borrow or rent a car from someone else.
It is liability coverage, that is, it protects you in case someone is hurt in an accident and wants to sue you. It does not provide any physical damage for a car, so if a car is damaged, there is no coverage for hurt to the car itself.
Did your employee, or friend, have insurance?
If you are like most people, you presume that your employee, or whomever you asked for help, has their beget car insurance when they run an errand for you. Maybe they have insurance, maybe not. Even if they do, do you know how much coverage they have? If you’re like most people, you don’t know and you haven’t asked.
The driver is not covered
The driver should have his or her own car insurance. Non-owned auto insurance isn’t designed to cover a driver who chose to go without car insurance. If the driver works for you, you should have workers compensation, which would cover them if they were hurt in a car.
Acting on behalf of your business
Many courts have decided that a business is liable for the acts of its employees, including using their own personal car to run errands for the business. Non-owned coverage would provide liability coverage for your business.
Personal auto insurance policies might exclude coverage whenever a car is former for business deliveries or errands. Each policy is different, so if you have an
employee that does deliveries or regularly runs errands for you, be clear to have them check with their insurance agent, too.
How to get non-owned liability insurance
Some companies call it non-owned coverage, others call it hired and non-owned coverage. Regardless, it’s not automatic on insurance policies. It can easily be added to your business auto policy. It’s typically very cheap and inexpensive.
If you don’t have any cars titled to your business, and do not have a business auto insurance policy, this coverage can be added to your general liability insurance policy. It’s usually pretty inexpensive to add to a policy, and can be added to either business auto or general liability insurance coverage.
Call your insurance agent to make sure you have this coverage, or to add it to your policies. It’s an inexpensive way to make obvious you’re protected if someone else runs an errand for you and they don’t drive your car.
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Filed under Types Of Auto Insurance by on Feb 19th, 2011. Comment.
