Health Insurance for the Self Employed

One the most difficult things about being self-employed is having to find and pay for your own insurance. When you have a job with a benefits package that includes health insurance it's easy to become “spoiled”. Rates are often far better and coverage usually far more comprehensive than for individual and family insurance.

When your employer offers health insurance, pretty much the only decision you need to make is whether or not to accept it. When you're on your own, having to research all the options and decide what is most appropriate for you you may be overwhelmed by the choices and costs.

In your employer's plan everyone in the company paid the same rates. Now you're faced with more decisions than Baskin Robbins has flavors, but unlike buying ice cream, your decision has consequences.



The first thing you'll discover is that every state has a different set of rules and laws that govern and regulate the insurance industry for that state. Prices vary, not only from state to state, but zip code to zip code. There are dozens of insurance carriers to choose from, including names familiar to you from television, which may or may not offer you the best deal.

You're going to have to do some investigating and you're going to be shocked, especially coming from group health policies, where pretty much everything is covered, from doctor visits to prescriptions, and everyone is acccepted by the very nature of group coverage.

You are going to find that individual and family and insurance is quite selective. Pre-existing conditions will either be excluded, not covered at all or be a cause for your rejection altogether. It is important before you apply for any insurance policy to know what the restrictions are. One of the worst things that could happen is for you to be rejected because of a medical condition. Rejection by one carrier will raise a red flag and possibly cause you to be either rejected, out of hand, or forced to pay a higher premium with other carriers.

You should also make certain when buying a policy that you're guaranteed not to raise your premium for at least 12 months. Insurance companies often offer a teaser rate to get you to sign up with them and then raise your rates soon after. All of the companies going to consistently raise your rates, just make sure you're rates are locked in for a least a year.

Make sure you're with a reputable firm. Some of the offerings sound great but unless you're an expert you may not see the loopholes which render the policy useless to your needs. Your best bet is to consult with a health insurance professional, a broker, an independent agent, one who represents a multiple insurance companies. Such a person knows the business, can answer questions and lead you in the right direction.

Another option is to consult an online quoting engine, available through the Web Sites of many independent agents. Here you can compare a variety of health insurance policies and companies, and note the variety of prices and options of coverage.

Quoting engines are nice, but do not forget that they only display the "preferred" rates, which may not necessarily reflect your actual rate. They also lack the ability to advise you about loopholes, and potential pitfalls. For that you need a trained and licensed health insurance agent.

Author : Jeff Wild is an independent agent and a representative of some of the highest rated insurers in the United States. His Web Site, Simple Health Coverage was created to educate, inform and connect you, the consumer with the best carriers, policies and agents in your geographic area.

What is Level Life Insurance?

Mortgage insurance is level term life insurance that protects the home. In case of death, life insurance can be used to pay off the mortgage on your house so that your loved ones will own their home free and clear and can continue to live in familiar surroundings.

Is your home your castle? The largest investment most Americans will ever make in their life is their house. Term life can protect that investment in case of an untimely death. It can save your family from facing the insecurity of wondering how long they can afford to make monthly mortgage payments and remain in their home. Your children will not have to be uprooted from their schools and friends, and your spouse will not be forced to sell your house in a buyer's market or seek rental housing in a less than desirable neighborhood.

The insured home is where the heart is!

With a single phone call or e-mail you can start the process to protect your mortgage and receive a term life insurance quote. You can choose your family as beneficiary, and not the mortgage company. Let a qualified adviser help you choose the plan that best fits your family mortgage needs with a term life insurance company.


Level Term Life Insurance (http://www.equote.com/li/level-term-life-insurance.html) plans usually match the length of your loan (5, 10,15, 20, 25, 30) years. The insurance is locked in for the length you choose. The face value never changes and the premium is guaranteed to remain level for up to 30 years.

HomeGuard is a unique product for the mortgage insurance marketplace. With HomeGuard, if you or your spouse dies, the mortgage is paid off. If you should become unable to work, you can receive up to $1,500 a month tax-free income to pay your home loan. If you should become unemployed, the plan can make mortgage payments for you for up to six months. And as part of the insurance plan, you can have all premiums refunded if you do not use the disability benefits during the policy period. Whether you live or die, become disabled or unemployed, this plan can protect your family and benefit you.

About Equote

Ever since EQUOTE was first founded in 1999, the company has maintained a solid vision regarding providing the finest of all products available relating to life insurance, annuity products and long term care products. EQUOTE has higher aspirations than to simply serve as a vehicle through which to search for low-cost term life insurance. Instead, EQUOTE has a goal that revolves around completely and thoroughly educating consumers and customers alike so that they may make their own informed decisions regarding life insurance and long term care, rather than being forced to make these decisions without the research and understanding necessary to do so. The people behind EQUOTE are heavily family oriented, and believe strongly in the principles behind having good life insurance as a means of keeping your family protected and ensuring their safety for many years to come.

Author : Lynette Tyson has extensive experience with life insurance and other financial planning products. She has previously written articles on term life insurance and life insurance quotes for Equote.com, a San Diego based life insurance company.

Consider Loan Insurance With A Specialist Provider.

Loan insurance is excellent, a return plan on which rely if you should suffer the misfortune of an accident which was to keep you to be able to work. It would also provide you with the sum that you insured against if you were to become ill and were not able to go to work and it would also disbursement if you fall in unemployment statistics. Anyone who has loan or credit card reimbursements to make each month should have something to fall back on so that they would be able to carry on the reimbursement of their loan or credit cards. By not being able to pay, you are at least risk seeing a decrease of your credit score.

As your credit score is what all lenders look before you give a loan you are very unlikely to be given any form of loan if you previously failed on borrowings. This is not the worst, you could also be taken to the court and have a CCJ against you or the judge could order repossession of your goods to pay to the lender. Into debt is so much easier to get out and it could take many years before you restored your credit rating to his glory. Loan insurance can put an end to this issue and it has not to be expensive.

You provide choose the option to purchase of an autonomous provider you can make large economies of a policy. An independent supplier will give you the information necessary for you be able to decide if you would be able to benefit from the coverage as there are exclusions that may stop you. These must be checked against your situation and once you have ensured a policy would be appropriate that you can then apply online very easily. The majority of lenders will give you an estimate that will be based on age you are when they take on the coverage and the amount that you wish to insure each month.

You are authorized to take the protection with suppliers for up to a certain amount of your refund each month and that is the amount that you will get if you need to affirm on policy. Different suppliers will be defined different starting and end dates in small characters, so, you should check the terms of the policy. The payment will be generally given when it reached between the 30th and 90th days to be unable to work or to become unemployed. Some of the suppliers with their coverage to the first day of you who come out of work or incapacity; once again that you must check in small characters before purchase.

Once your policy began pay it would then provide with an income tax-free each month, again according to the provider this can be between 12 months and 24 months. Loan insurance would allow you to forget about your reimbursement of loans and find the money which lets you free to concentrate on the recovery and the return to work or find another position.

Car Insurance Quotes - 10 Tips To Get Your Best Rate

Shopping for car insurance quotes has become infinitely easier over the past few years. These days, it only takes a moment to fill out one online application and instantly receive competing quotes from multiple companies. It sure beats the days of shopping with the Yellow Pages and a telephone! But before you fire up your favorite browser and start shopping for car insurance, there are ten tips you want to keep in mind. Some are easy, some a bit harder, but all are designed to help you get the lowest possible car insurance rates.

1. Pull a copy of your credit report. Did you know that some insurance companies use your credit rating as one of the ways of determining your insurance premium? They apparently believe that responsible bill payers also make for responsible drivers. So pay those bills on time, or take a few months to clean up your credit before shopping for car insurance quotes.
2. Park your car in a garage. Cars kept in a garage are less likely to be stolen or vandalized. Makes sense, doesn't it? The insurance companies think so.

3. Start taking the bus to work. By parking your car in a garage, and then leaving it there, you may be able to reduce your miles driven to less than 7,500 annually. You may then qualify for a low-mileage discount on your insurance. So think green, save green.



4. Trade in the red sports car for a blue sedan. Did you know that the Highway Loss Data Institute keeps statistics on the makes and models of cars that are involved in accidents? Your insurance company will most likely apply this data to the make and model of your vehicle. It your car is determined to be more likely to be in an accident, more likely to be vandalized or more expensive to repair than the average vehicle, you can expect to pay a higher insurance premium.

5. Load up on safety features. Once you have that blue sedan, make sure you have installed every possible safety feature. As the number of safety features goes up, your insurance rate goes down. So install those anti-lock brakes, airbags and automatic seatbelts. You will increase the safety of yourself and your passengers while shrinking your insurance bill.

6. Don't be shy. This is the time to ask about any and all discounts for which you might qualify. Do you participate in a car pool to work? Make it known on your application. Do you have more than one vehicle to insure? A boat? A motorcycle? Be sure to ask for a multiple vehicle discount. Own a house? The insurance companies will love to give you a quote for homeowner's insurance along with your car insurance quote -- at a discount, of course.

7. Raise your deductible. Yes, you have heard it before, but the higher your deductible, the lower your insurance premiums. If you have not yet bitten the bullet and done it, now is the time to jack that deductible to nosebleed heights. Even if you have to make an insurance claim and pay it, the higher deductible is still likely to save you money over the course of several years.

8. Don't let your policy expire. Once your policy has lapsed, you will lose your discount for continuous coverage. If you are planning to quit your current insurer, make sure you maintain coverage while you are shopping around.

9. Pay your entire bill upfront. While it can take a bite out of your bank account to pay a full year of premiums upfront, it will save you money to do so. When you make monthly insurance payments, you are effectively asking your insurance company to finance your premiums, and you can expect to pay finance fees each and every month.

10. Move. Yes, it is a drastic suggestion, but one that can have a dramatic effect on your car insurance rates. Living in the city increases the odds of accidents, vandalism and theft of your vehicle. The insurance companies know this and charge accordingly. So this might just be the time to de-stress your life and move to the country, increasing your quality of living while decreasing your cost of living. After you have applied as many of these tips as possible, you will be ready to start shopping for car insurance quotes. You can do yourself one last favor by ditching the telephone and doing your shopping online.

About The Author:
Barb Dearing is a writer who specializes in topics that help consumers save money. She recommends the following website for consumers who are ready to start shopping for free car insurance quotes.

Questions You Should Ask Yourself Before You Purchase Health Insurance

How do you go about choosing the right health insurance plan? There are a number of things you want to take into account before buying.

How many times do you visit a doctor every year?

What is your current health status?

Do you want catastrophic protection only?

Do you want doctor office visit co-pays offered before your deductible?

Would you like prescription drug co-pays?

How much of a monthly premium can you afford?

Are you someone that visits the doctor frequently? If yes, then you will benefit from having the office visit co-pay before having to satisfy your deductible. Without co-pays the visit could potentially cost anywhere from $85 to $150 for a sickness checkup. With a co-pay plan you will pay anywhere from $10 to $50 per visit. Keep in mind the office visit co-pay will add to your monthly premium. That's why we ask how many times you go to the doc per year. If you go only once, then you should consider the catastrophic coverage. What's the point in paying for benefits that you aren't going to use?


Being healthy and staying in good health is critical to getting approved at the best rate. Most insurance carriers look for individuals and families that are healthy. With a carrier like Aetna you may get approved at three different rates, A, B or C rating. The A rate is the best rate available for that particular plan. The B rate is your original (best) rate plus 25 percent and the C rate is your original (best) rate plus 50% of the premium. Carriers have the right to raise your monthly premium based on your health conditions, or they can possibly decline you. That's why it's beneficial to be in good health when applying to all health insurance companies. It's not impossible to get health insurance if you are taking over two medications however it can get a little pricey. For clients that are declined there is always the state sponsored MRMIP coverage for states such as California (check within your state to get the full details of what state plans are available. The Major Risk Medical Insurance Program (MRMIP) is a funded by tobacco taxes, sometimes there may a shortage of fund resulting in the individual being put on a waiting list. Generally this waiting list is a maximum of 3 months.

If you know that you only want catastrophic health protection then you should take a look at the health plans without office visit co-pays. The catastrophic plans usually give you the benefit of getting a physical once per year at a co-pay or for almost free of charge. However, that's the only co-pay benefit you receive before satisfying your deductible. After you determine that you want catastrophic protection you need to think about your maximum out of pocket. The out-of-pocket maximum is the maximum amount of money you will have to pay in a calendar year. Let's say your out-of-pocket max is $3000 for a calendar year. If you go to the emergency room and are then admitted to the hospital for three days, chances are your claims will be very high (potentially $50,000, $60,000 or even $100,000.) If you need a surgery or some other type of emergency service your claims could reach $400,000. With an insurance plan that has a maximum out of pocket of $3000, you will only pay $3000 for those high claims that could leave you bankrupt. Make sure to pay attention to your out of pocket maximum. That is the main reason for insurance in the first place.

Like office visit co-pays, you can choose to elect co-pays for your prescription drugs. On the average you will have a $10 co pay for generic and a $35 co-pay for brand drugs (there is usually a brand deductible applied ranging from $250 -$750). Some plans will come with generic prescriptions only and/or have a maximum cap put on the Rx benefits. This is common with the new lower priced premium plans. Unfortunately the insurance carriers can't offer the full prescription drug benefit plans at a cheap monthly premium like they used to. People take a lot more prescriptions now and they cost a lot of money for the carriers annually. Make sure a pay close attention to what type of prescription drug coverage you are getting on the cheap premium plans. If you take two to three prescriptions and really need good drug coverage then you will pay a little more in premium but save a lot in the long run.

Lastly after you have answered the other five questions, you need to decide how much you can afford monthly. The higher the benefits on your plan the more it's going to cost. It's the same with car insurance, full coverage or liability only. There are low deductibles, high deductibles and zero deductible health plans. As a general rule of thumb, the lower your deductible the higher your monthly premium will be. To narrow down a plan that works for your lifestyle it is always a good idea to speak to a local insurance agent. An agent will quickly get a sense of your insurance needs and then browse each insurance carrier to find a plan that will work for you based on benefits, needs, out of pocket maximum and monthly premium. If you go directly to the insurance carrier your options will be limited to only that carrier.

About The Author:
This article was brought to you by the premier health insurance provider J.C. Lewis Insurance Services of California.

Avoiding Fraud

Last year the Association of British Insurers announced that in one sector of the market alone its members had uncovered nearly 260m worth of fraudulent insurance claims. The industry is so concerned with fraud that many insurance companies have established their own anti-fraud units and they are expecting their customers to be ever more precise.

This can lead to a lot of stress on the part of the customer, the thought of having to make a claim is, however, far worse than the actual process and if you have done everything that you should have done, it can be very easy indeed.

Claiming on a home insurance policy can be difficult because a contents insurance policy in particular may have thousands of different items listed upon it. How can you possibly be as accurate as they expect you to be?

One of the easiest things to do is to make yourself a home inventory. This is a list of all the items in your home along with as much detail as you can possibly manage. Whilst it might not be all that quick or easy, in the long term it can save you a lot of money, time, effort, and stress.


All you have to do to make an inventory is simply go around your house and take down absolutely everything that is not fitted to the building. You should list down your curtains, pictures frames, clothes, everything that you would want to claim for if they were damaged or lost. If possible you should include receipts of purchase with the inventory as this will give an idea of the actual price of the objects and further verification that you own them. With electrical appliances look to include brand names and model numbers and if you have some items of particular value you may want to get them checked by an independent specialist.

You can support your home inventory by taking pictures of some of the items, or have a video recording of you walking through your house. The point of a home inventory is simply to help prove that you own the items that you do own, and therefore make it easier if you have to claim for these items.

About the Author:
With Kwik Fit contents insurance , your home and your treasured possessions will be well-protected from the unexpected.