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Buying life insurance during a recession is one of the last things
that people tend to do, rationalizing that any spare money they have
needs to go toward keeping food on the table and a roof over everyone’s
heads. It goes without saying the many business sectors have been
drastically affected by the stunning drop in the economy, and the life
insurance business is no exception.

You should be aware that despite the tough times, life insurance
“does” make a great deal of sense. It is one of the smartest
investments you can make. What makes life insurance slightly different
from other financial sectors is that most bill payments are binding and
can’t be allowed to lapse without some serious consequences.

Life insurance may lapse if the premiums aren’t paid, but that is
all that happens. The insurance lapses and you don’t pay any more
premiums, but then, you don’t have life insurance coverage either. Yes,
many people think that buying life insurance for those “what if” things
that “might” happen in the future is not as necessary as buying food,
etc.

Recognizing this, life insurance brokers have been taking a hard
look at the products they offer. These days many life insurance
companies are asking themselves what they need to do to retain their
customers. On the other side of the fence, many customers are thinking
that they can do without life insurance until their economic situation
improves, and resume the same level of coverage when they are ready to
start paying on premiums once again.

This is a misguided assumption as age is a critical factor in buying
life insurance and in determining the premiums. This is a risk factor
that all life insurance companies use to insure consumers. The older
you happen to be, the higher the risk of the life insurance company
paying out. That means higher premiums or a smaller sum on payout on
death. Put another way, letting your life insurance lapse may mean your
life insurance will be “more” expensive when you resume coverage than
if you have kept the policy in force.

Perhaps the most critical point to remember is that life insurance
is intended to take care of those left behind in the event of a death;
to provide them with a safety net if you will. With insurance companies
re-evaluating their customer service approach, there may be incentives
available for you to retain your life insurance policy even during
rough financial times. Ask your broker what options may apply to you.

Evan Tunis is with FloridaHealthcareInsurance.com, the leading provider of Florida health insurance quotes. To learn more about Florida health insurance, Florida health insurance quotes, Florida life insurance,Florida life insurance quotes, Florida group health insurance visit Floridahealthcareinsurance.com.

Millions Don’t Have Life Insurance

2:41 pm | Evan Tunis | Be the first to comment

It’s true, millions of people do not have life insurance and when life throws them a curve, it may spell disaster.

A little long range planning for your life is a smart thing,
particularly if you have a family to care for and responsibilities to
handle. Consider the case of the young family whose father was the
picture of health at the age of 38 years old. Then one day, something
went wrong and it was discovered that he had stomach cancer.

A few short months later, the young father died leaving two children
and a wife to grieve for him and a pile of bills to boot. The thing
that makes this scenario different is that this young dad had life
insurance and because he did, he was able to provide for his family,
even in death.

Life does have a way of biting one when they least expect it and
it’s usually a good idea to be protected for those “what if” moments
that tend to come along. Life insurance doesn’t have to be really
expensive or even have a lot of bells and whistles, but if does need to
keep your family safe. For this reason it’s a smart thing to speak to
an expert life insurance broker who knows what products will suit each
individual.

Statistics indicate that there are almost 68 million Americans who
have no life insurance at all and conversely, those who do have it,
often don’t have enough to cover what they need. This is where it makes
good sense to speak to a life insurance broker with extensive
experience in making sure your life insurance “thinks ahead” of you for
just about any eventuality. Nobody wants to die early or suddenly, but
it does happen; that “is” life, and what “life” insurance is all about.

One of the questions people ask most often is when they do decide to
purchase life insurance, just how much they will need? Actually, the
better question to ask is what would you like to have happen in the
event of a death? Put another way, what do “you” want?

The more questions you ask, the better it is to get a life insurance
policy and package that suits your unique needs. Dealing with a life
insurance broker who knows the ropes is the first step in a lifelong
relationship; one that will stand you in good stead if something ill
fated transpires.

For instance if you think far enough ahead to make provisions for
your family, they will not need to move out of their family home should
a parent die suddenly. Nor will they need to substantially alter their
lifestyles if they have the right plan done in concert with your life
insurance broker.

While life goes on no matter what happens, it’s a smart thing to
plan for the unexpected, even if it doesn’t happen. Being prepared for
those detours in life is what life insurance in all about. You can’t
get a better deal than knowing your family is protected should you not
be here. Planning ahead and having the “right” life insurance means not
having to deal with financial distress as well as emotional distress.

October 10, 2009

Would Someone Please Tell Me What Life Insurance Is About?

2:20 pm | Evan Tunis | Be the first to comment

Now and then people get into conversations about life insurance, what it does and how much they have, but does anyone really “get” what life insurance is all about?

In a nutshell, life insurance gives money to a listed beneficiary (friend, spouse, family member) if the person who holds the policy dies. In most cases, people buy life insurance to cover their final expenses such as the funeral and burial and to provide income to a beneficiary. Other reasons may include a wish to cover college expenses for someone or a legacy and to pay off estate taxes. There are exceptions to this general rule in that some people just buy a death benefit policy, while others may choose a policy that grows in value over a period of time.

If you don’t know what you want, the best place to start is to review the basics of life insurance, figure out how much coverage you actually need, what type of insurance might best suit you and how the underwriting process works. You certainly don’t have to do this on your own and in fact you’d be one smart life insurance shopper if you took the time to speak to a life insurance expert about the various options you may choose.

Usually the first thing people wonder about when they start thinking about life insurance is how much coverage they should get. There isn’t a right or a wrong number for the amount you would need to cover expenses upon death, but there are a few things you should consider. Take into account what your current financial position happens to be, meaning what are your assets, income, expenses and liabilities? Do you have an idea of what your final expenses would be? What debts are you carrying that might be long-term in nature for your family? Do you want to leave income for a survivor?

Depending on your answers, you should be able to get a rough idea of the amount of life insurance you may need. For example if you want to make sure someone has income on your death, you need to also take into consideration the yearly interest rate. So really life insurance is all about planning for your goals and then finding the right vehicle to carry out your wishes.

You need to know that there are four categories of life insurance you may consider and those are considered to be the primary types of life insurance: term life, whole life, variable universal life and universal life. Before you make any choices about what you ultimately buy, you should be asking questions about the features and benefits of each choice available. Be aware that some insurance plans offer some form of cash accumulation while others do not.

In order to be approved for life insurance you will need to go through an underwriting process which basically means filling out a general medical and financial application and a physical examination. In most cases the whole process may take about 3 to 6 weeks for approval. At that point, you will start paying your life insurance premiums.

July 01, 2009

Health Care Insurance Co-Pay or No Pay

12:12 pm | Evan Tunis | Be the first to comment

There's a big difference between having a co-pay plan with an
employer and having to put money out of one's own pocket for medical
expenses.

Not a lot of people really understand the differences between a
co-pay situation and a no pay situation. The co-pay is an arrangement
with an employer to pick up part of the doctor's bill after a visit.
This is actually a "benefit" not insurance, although many people think
it is insurance. In any other circumstances, meaning not having a
co-pay arrangement through an employer, the person will be paying the
doctor's office fees themselves.

If you leave the company you work for and you had co-pay benefits,
then you will now have to get your own health insurance. Someone who
has been used to having that nice co-pay benefit figures they only have
to call an insurance company and ask for that insurance. Granted it is
a type of insurance people may get, however the deductibles are
staggering for an individual, as this is usually something a large
company offers to workers.

If you're used to the co-pay arrangement and would like to stick
with that kind of arrangement, talk to your local insurance agent and
find out what suits your needs and your special circumstances. If your
insurance company is worth its weight in gold, they will take the time
to walk you through the various other alternatives you might want to
consider. This is one of the main reasons why it makes sense to stick
with local health insurance agents, because they know the lay of the
land.

It's difficult to change from insurance that you are used to and
find something similar to what you had when you were employed. Many
people find themselves kind of stuck when they expect one thing and
wind up not being able to get it, or be able to afford it. If you take
the time to talk to a local health insurance agent, they will be able
to assist you in choosing something that will work for your new
situation.

Evan Tunis is with FloridaHealthcareInsurance.com, the leading provider of Florida health insurance quotes. To learn more about Florida health insurance, Florida health insurance quotes, Florida life insurance, Florida life insurance quotes, Florida group health insurance visit Floridahealthcareinsurance.com.

What You See May Not Be What You Get

12:11 pm | Evan Tunis | Be the first to comment

While you might see a great health insurance quote on a website,
"preferred rate" is what it is called; it does not always mean you will
get that rate.

The fact is that when health insurance companies figure out health
insurance rates, they have a "preferred" rate for someone in tip-top
shape. Unfortunately, not all of us happen to be in that kind of shape.
Your rates are figured out depending on what your health conditions
happen to be. If you happen to have a health issue or two, then this
will likely mean you will be moved to a different category and have a
different rate to pay.

Even if you decide to do an online search for health insurance
rates, you need to remember that if you have asthma, stomach problems
or allergies, this will make a difference. Not telling the health
insurance agent that you have these conditions is not even an option.
If you go for treatment for them later, this discrepancy will be caught
later and your insurance may be canceled.

The reality of today's world is that virtually everyone from you to
your next door neighbor is being treated for something by a doctor. So,
if you are getting allergy medicines, stomach pills or inhalers for
your asthma, this will affect the rates you are quoted.

It doesn't mean you won't get insurance, it just means your quote
will be different than the person who is in super shape and has no
pre-existing medical conditions. You may, in some instances, be
uninsurable depending on the condition you have. However, this is
something you need to discuss with your health insurance agent. Usually
there is some other alternative "if" that happens to be the case.

If you figure that by talking directly to the health insurance
carrier that it will make a difference in your rates, you’d be wrong.
The reason for that is that health insurance rates are federally
mandated. Ultimately the differences in pricing will be attributable to
what criteria the health insurance company uses to assess risk. Just
remember that if the rate you see on the website isn't applicable to
you, there will be one that will apply.

Evan Tunis is with FloridaHealthcareInsurance.com, the leading provider of Florida health insurance quotes. To learn more about Florida health insurance, Florida health insurance quotes, Florida life insurance, Florida life insurance quotes, Florida group health insurance visit Floridahealthcareinsurance.com.

May 15, 2009

Fitness Counts for Florida Health Insurance

10:41 am | Evan Tunis | Be the first to comment

Whether or not you are fit or overweight makes a big difference to your health insurance premiums.

This really should make some sense when you stop to consider what
we're saying here. If you are overweight to obese it will affect your
health insurance rates. Weighing too much means your health risks
increase.

There is a little something called the body mass index, or BMI, that
is used as a rating factor when people buy health insurance premiums.
So, if you’re too heavy for your height, you are paying more money to
get decent health insurance. Now that may not be something you want to
hear, but it's a fact and is the way the health insurance industry is
operated.

If we’re overweight then that means we are largely responsible for
what we are paying out in health care costs. Here's another startling
fact – our health system is in the mess it is now because we have been
overusing it and yes, abusing it shamelessly. It's up to us to make
responsible personal health care choices, not up to the system to try
and keep us well when we turn around and sabotage their efforts at
every turn.

This means we are largely responsible for what we pay for health
care. As radical as that may sound, the health care system is in the
mess it is today because we are overusing it and abusing it. It's time
we took responsibility for our personal health care choices.

The more overweight we are, the more our chances of developing a
serious illness. You have to realize this too, that health insurance is
about covering you for potential illnesses; however, if you choose to
be overweight (there are exceptions to this) the insurance industry
regards you as taking risks with your health. So, if you are choosing
to be heavy, you will pay a higher insurance premium.

Let's face it, insurance companies don't run charities, they operate
with a finely tuned bottom line. If you are heavy by choice or due to
laziness, you will pay more because the business of health insurance
only really wants to insure healthy people at their optimal weights.
Insurance companies are businesses – period. They will risk money on
those who are in good shape, but they really don't like covering
someone who will cost them money.

Evan Tunis is with FloridaHealthcareInsurance.com, the leading provider of Florida health insurance quotes. To learn more about Florida health insurance, Florida health insurance quotes, Florida life insurance, Florida life insurance quotes, Florida group health insurance visit Floridahealthcareinsurance.com.

Health Insurance Shopping Tips for Florida

10:40 am | Evan Tunis | Be the first to comment

Everyone needs a few hints when shopping for health insurance in Florida.

If there weren't so many health insurance policies to choose from,
it wouldn't be so hard to shop for one, now would it? While it's really
nice to have options, sometimes too many options are confusing.
However, you need to look at it this way – the more options you have at
your disposal, the better your chances are of getting a health
insurance policy that actually suits your needs.

If you get confused, don't give up; speak to a licensed and highly
informed health insurance broker. S/he will make more sense than trying
to sort through masses of health insurance information on your own.
They're not there to sell you something; they're there to provide free
information. If you choose to buy through them, that is your decision,
but you are not obligated to buy from the person you ask health
insurance questions.

Speaking of questions, this is one of the smartest moves you could
ever make when you want to shop for health insurance quotes in Florida.
Sit down and write a list of questions, the questions you want answers
to and could then explain those answers to your spouse. Once you have
your questions, do some snooping to see what choices you may have. If
you are a first time shopper, it helps to know what your maximum
out-of-pocket expenses will be – a.k.a. the co-insurance maximum.

Make sure you also have done some advance calculations, budget-wise,
because you want to know the dollar coverage – meaning the maximum you
would spend in a year for in and out-of-network medical expenses. In
insurance language this is called roughing out the costs for the
deductible and the co-insurance limit.

Read the whole policy before you buy it for this very simple reason
– if you don't you might get caught later and face an unwanted
surprise. For instance, say you happen to have a $3 million lifetime
expense average, which sounds good on the surface. However, what
happens if you read in the fine print that the insurance plan actually
has a per incident/per year maximum and those limits supersede that
lifetime maximum?

Okay, if you don't want to sit in the agent's office and read the
policy, then ask pointed questions about things such as per incident,
per year maximums and other questions that might crop up later if you
don’t know about those things now.

Evan Tunis is with FloridaHealthcareInsurance.com, the leading provider of Florida health insurance quotes. To learn more about Florida health insurance, Florida health insurance quotes, Florida life insurance, Florida life insurance quotes, Florida group health insurance visit Floridahealthcareinsurance.com.

Company Snapshot

Florida Healthcare Insurance

3020 32nd Avenue Suite 911
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33308
P. 1.800-946-3157
http://floridahealthcareinsura

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