In a press release dated 10/30/09, HCC Medical Insurance Services, LLC announced its new alliance with Travel Insured International. HCC Medical Insurance Services LLC is a leader in online health insurance products for international travelers and expatriates. Travel Insured International is a provider of travel insurance services such as trip cancellation, trip interruption and travel assistance services.
HCC Medical Insurance Services President Mark Carney is quoted saying “We are very excited to announce our affiliation with Travel Insured International. In spite of the economic downturn, the international traveler and expatriate’s need for health insurance products continue to grow”.
Travel Insured International’s product portfolio will now include eight additional health insurance products that are already also available online at Freedom Benefits:
Atlas Travel Series – a short-term health policy for individuals traveling outside their home country
CitizenSecure(SM) – annually renewable major medical insurance with a term-life insurance option for individuals and families
StudentSecure(SM) – health coverage for international students and scholars studying abroad
IC+ International Term Life – term life insurance policy for individuals living outside the U.S. for up to 10 years
Other products offered by HCC Medical Insurance Services include: Atlas Group, Atlas Professional, CitizenSecureSM Economy, GroupSecureSM.
About Travel Insured International
Travel Insured International, based in East Hartford, CT, was founded in 1993 by the foresight of insurance industry executive Peter Gehris when he acquired the travel protection division of the Travelers Insurance Company. Travel Insured International delivers strong, affordable benefits in the customer’s choice of a broad range of travel plans, as well as group and customized protection programs. Travel Insured International has established and driven higher standards for policy quality and customer care.
About HCC Medical Insurance Services
The international products are administered by Indianapolis-based HCC Medical Insurance Services, LLC (HCCMIS), a recognized leader in international life and health insurance offering coverage to consumers in more than 130 countries. Through its staff and a worldwide network of distributors, HCCMIS provides quality and value to clients. The company is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to serve its clients worldwide. HCCMIS is a subsidiary of HCC Insurance Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: HCC), a leading international specialty insurance group headquartered in Houston, Texas. HCC has assets of $8.9 billion, shareholders’ equity of $2.8 billion and is rated AA (Very Strong) by Standard & Poor’s and AA (Very Strong) by Fitch Ratings. In addition, HCC’s major domestic insurance companies are rated A+ (Superior) by A.M. Best Company.
Saturday, October 31, 2009
Friday, October 23, 2009
Buying Life Insurance
Buying Life Insurance: What Kind and How Much?
Finding the middle ground between being "insurance poor" and unprotected requires assessing real needs and choosing products that are affordable. This article introduces different types of insurance products and the role that they can play in a personal financial plan.
Buying Life Insurance
Conventional wisdom says that life insurance is sold, not purchased. In other words, some people are reluctant to discuss the importance of owning life insurance, and others are simply unaware of the need to have life insurance. Although many large companies provide life insurance as part of their benefits package, this coverage may be insufficient.
Who needs life insurance? If there are individuals who depend on you for financial support, or if you work at home providing your family with such services as child care, cooking, and cleaning, you need life insurance. Older couples also may need life insurance to protect a surviving spouse against the possibility of the couple's retirement savings being depleted by unexpected medical expenses. And individuals with substantial assets may need life insurance to help reduce the effects of estate taxes or to transfer wealth to future generations.
Finding the middle ground between being "insurance poor" and unprotected requires assessing real needs and choosing products that are affordable. This article introduces different types of insurance products and the role that they can play in a personal financial plan.
Buying Life Insurance
Conventional wisdom says that life insurance is sold, not purchased. In other words, some people are reluctant to discuss the importance of owning life insurance, and others are simply unaware of the need to have life insurance. Although many large companies provide life insurance as part of their benefits package, this coverage may be insufficient.
Who needs life insurance? If there are individuals who depend on you for financial support, or if you work at home providing your family with such services as child care, cooking, and cleaning, you need life insurance. Older couples also may need life insurance to protect a surviving spouse against the possibility of the couple's retirement savings being depleted by unexpected medical expenses. And individuals with substantial assets may need life insurance to help reduce the effects of estate taxes or to transfer wealth to future generations.
Monday, October 19, 2009
A closer look at Secure Short Term Medical Insurance
The brand name "Secure Short Term Medical" is one of the best-known and most highly regarded low cost health insurance plans in the U.S. The brand actually consists of four products that each target a specific group of consumers. The four products are: 1) Secure STM, 2) Secure Lite STM, 3) Secure 12x3 STM and 4) Secure Saver STM.
What makes this product lineup work so well? Probably not any one thing in particular but rather a combination of factors. We could make an analogy to an "all star lineup" in a sports team. First, the plan is administered by Health Plan Administrators, Inc., arguably one of the best service organizations in health care today. Second, The Standard Security Life Insurance Company of New York enjoys a strong reputation among insurance professionals and consumers.
Next is the length of coverage. This is the only insurance product that can adequately span a gap from just one month to 36 months of continuous coverage. With a growing number of consumers looking forward to post-reform insurance within a few years, the Secure 12x3 offers the flexible length of coverage they need del with the uncertainty of the health care reform timetable.
Eligibility for the four insurance plans is liberal so most applicants will qualify for coverage. In fact, in many cases this is one of the few options available to applicants who have been previously declined for health insurance with another company. The exceptions are listed in the "medical eligibility" section of the online product descriptions. It is important to realize that all short term medical insurance plans exclude coverage for pre-existing medical conditions. This is what makes them so affordable and easy to access.
Only one of the four products screens for weight or previous declines in determining eligibility. That is the Secure Saver, as we might expect, since it it the lowest cost plan with the least predictable out-of-pocket expenses.
Finally, we cannot ignore price. Despite all the talk about the quality of insurance the fact is that many consumers buy based primarily on price. The Secure Lite and Secure Saver rank among the least expensive major medical insurance choices in many parts of the country.
A comparison of the four Secure STM products is published at FreedomBenefits.net and a description of coverage and exclusions is available for each product. Although all of these policies come with a standard "10 day free look", generic sample policy certificates are also available online for all four products for those who want to take a closer look at these insurance options.
What makes this product lineup work so well? Probably not any one thing in particular but rather a combination of factors. We could make an analogy to an "all star lineup" in a sports team. First, the plan is administered by Health Plan Administrators, Inc., arguably one of the best service organizations in health care today. Second, The Standard Security Life Insurance Company of New York enjoys a strong reputation among insurance professionals and consumers.
Next is the length of coverage. This is the only insurance product that can adequately span a gap from just one month to 36 months of continuous coverage. With a growing number of consumers looking forward to post-reform insurance within a few years, the Secure 12x3 offers the flexible length of coverage they need del with the uncertainty of the health care reform timetable.
Eligibility for the four insurance plans is liberal so most applicants will qualify for coverage. In fact, in many cases this is one of the few options available to applicants who have been previously declined for health insurance with another company. The exceptions are listed in the "medical eligibility" section of the online product descriptions. It is important to realize that all short term medical insurance plans exclude coverage for pre-existing medical conditions. This is what makes them so affordable and easy to access.
Only one of the four products screens for weight or previous declines in determining eligibility. That is the Secure Saver, as we might expect, since it it the lowest cost plan with the least predictable out-of-pocket expenses.
Finally, we cannot ignore price. Despite all the talk about the quality of insurance the fact is that many consumers buy based primarily on price. The Secure Lite and Secure Saver rank among the least expensive major medical insurance choices in many parts of the country.
A comparison of the four Secure STM products is published at FreedomBenefits.net and a description of coverage and exclusions is available for each product. Although all of these policies come with a standard "10 day free look", generic sample policy certificates are also available online for all four products for those who want to take a closer look at these insurance options.
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
Celtic Insurance gains customers with low prices
Pricing of short term medical insurance tends to be more stable than managed care plans or other types of health insurance. As a result, pricing trends tend to develop more slowly and it may take longer for advisers and consumers to identify those companies with cost advantages. One such example is Celtic Insurance that has slowly and quietly winning over customers with its low rates and strong customer service. The coverage is priced and issued completely online at the company's secure enrollment site managed by ehealthinsurance.
Sunday, September 20, 2009
Buying Life Insurance For The First Time
Buying Life Insurance For The First Time
When one purchase insurance, it means that you are buying something that you would never use it, but in case you need to file an insurance claim, you would come to know how important it is to have right type of coverage. Follow the below given tips in case you are a first time buyer for life insurance.
It is a remarkable fact that people who is actually healthy get best rates on life insurance. You would be asked to pay a superior rate of anything that lessen your life expectancy for example, if you have smoking habit, or if you are overweight, or may be bad in driving.
The life insurance company would certainly ask you about your health check history and might desire you to take some kind of medical you as well test for. While filling up the health advice form you need to be true to them, in case you lie the company would find out and your life insurance policy would be surely canceled. And if in case your sick and were to die and then the life insurance company found out you lied earlier, if, for instance, you said you were a non-smoker but ended up dying of lung cancer from a smoking habit, they would then certainly deny the death benefits.
No matter what type of insurance you're purchasing, the course is fundamentally the same. Once you've determined what type of insurance and as well how much coverage you require, you could start contacting insurance companies online, straight by phone, or even through an insurance broker or agent to get quotes. Get quotes from numerous diverse insurers because premium cost could surely vary widely.
An insurance policy may cost less because it offers less, or dissimilar, features and benefits. And make certain the company you've settled on is highly regarded, with high-quality customer service and also claims-paying ability. All insurance companies are rated by chief rating agencies (e.g. Standard & Poor's, Moody's, A.M. Best) on their available capability to pay claims. You could also access these ratings online, by way of public libraries, or through insurance company literature.
An insurance policy is a legal contract that may be loaded with technical terms that are hard to understand. But read it anyway before you sign on the dotted line to find out about the coverage you're buying. A life insurance policy is a lawful deal, which might be loaded with technical terms that are hard to understand, but you need to read it anyways before you sign on dotted line to find out about the premium and coverage you are buying. For instance, the policy would tell you:
Who is covered?
What coverage eliminations and limitations apply?
When coverage starts and ends
How much coverage is actually provided to you?
How much you would pay for insurance coverage
How you report a loss and to file a claim
The most excellent key for purchasing right amount of life insurance is just to have sufficient coverage policy which meets your need. In case if it carry more life insurance than what you really required; you'll land up paying unwanted for higher premiums. On the other hand it is also significant not to have too little coverage, which might result in you being underinsured.
If you've been putting off for buying life insurance because you don't want to pay the premiums, you might be doing yourself damage in the long run. The younger you are when you buy life insurance coverage, the lower your premiums would pay. Make your life insurance policies work for you by taking the time to occasionally review your needs and coverages.
When one purchase insurance, it means that you are buying something that you would never use it, but in case you need to file an insurance claim, you would come to know how important it is to have right type of coverage. Follow the below given tips in case you are a first time buyer for life insurance.
It is a remarkable fact that people who is actually healthy get best rates on life insurance. You would be asked to pay a superior rate of anything that lessen your life expectancy for example, if you have smoking habit, or if you are overweight, or may be bad in driving.
The life insurance company would certainly ask you about your health check history and might desire you to take some kind of medical you as well test for. While filling up the health advice form you need to be true to them, in case you lie the company would find out and your life insurance policy would be surely canceled. And if in case your sick and were to die and then the life insurance company found out you lied earlier, if, for instance, you said you were a non-smoker but ended up dying of lung cancer from a smoking habit, they would then certainly deny the death benefits.
No matter what type of insurance you're purchasing, the course is fundamentally the same. Once you've determined what type of insurance and as well how much coverage you require, you could start contacting insurance companies online, straight by phone, or even through an insurance broker or agent to get quotes. Get quotes from numerous diverse insurers because premium cost could surely vary widely.
An insurance policy may cost less because it offers less, or dissimilar, features and benefits. And make certain the company you've settled on is highly regarded, with high-quality customer service and also claims-paying ability. All insurance companies are rated by chief rating agencies (e.g. Standard & Poor's, Moody's, A.M. Best) on their available capability to pay claims. You could also access these ratings online, by way of public libraries, or through insurance company literature.
An insurance policy is a legal contract that may be loaded with technical terms that are hard to understand. But read it anyway before you sign on the dotted line to find out about the coverage you're buying. A life insurance policy is a lawful deal, which might be loaded with technical terms that are hard to understand, but you need to read it anyways before you sign on dotted line to find out about the premium and coverage you are buying. For instance, the policy would tell you:
Who is covered?
What coverage eliminations and limitations apply?
When coverage starts and ends
How much coverage is actually provided to you?
How much you would pay for insurance coverage
How you report a loss and to file a claim
The most excellent key for purchasing right amount of life insurance is just to have sufficient coverage policy which meets your need. In case if it carry more life insurance than what you really required; you'll land up paying unwanted for higher premiums. On the other hand it is also significant not to have too little coverage, which might result in you being underinsured.
If you've been putting off for buying life insurance because you don't want to pay the premiums, you might be doing yourself damage in the long run. The younger you are when you buy life insurance coverage, the lower your premiums would pay. Make your life insurance policies work for you by taking the time to occasionally review your needs and coverages.
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
Insurance Fraud Watch Newswire
Private Prosecutions in New Zealand
There is a little-known New Zealand law in which a prosecution for fraud which was not pursued by the government, usually due to budget constraints, can be privately-financed. Furthermore, there is no statute of limitations on bringing an action for fraud. This means the action could be filed 10 or more years after the incident. Not good news for fraudsters who think they are safe because some time has passed. Persons affected by fraud are increasing taking advantage of this law to administer justice to fraudsters.
"The Joneses" Goes Bust; Steve Nichols Loses Big $$$
Auckland-based real estate company “The Joneses” collapsed on February 18 under a mountain of debt estimated at several million dollars. The company was based in an office in the so-called “Oracle Tower” (all 18 floors of it), which was being sub-let to them by none other than “The Three (alleged) Fraudsters;” Mike Henry, Steve Nichols, and Murray Calder, who sub-let it to the Joneses
after they sold their travel insurance business to Insurance Australia Group (IAG) in 2006. The whopping $275,000 annual rent will have to be paid by The (alleged) Fraudsters out of their own pockets until they find a new tenant, or until their own lease runs out in 2012, which will not be easy, given the poor state of the NZ real estate market.But that’s not the funniest part.
It has been revealed that Steve Nichols, currently employed by Medtral New Zealand Limited, http://www.medtral.com, after coming untethered from Mike Henry’s rear end almost two years ago, has been attempting to play venture capitalist, as one of the unlucky investors in “The Joneses”. Nichols' loss: an estimated $500,000.
We’re waiting to see if Nichols' other investment, kitchen cleaning product franchise "Brilliance Corp.", turns out to be as Brilliant an investment as “The Joneses”. One thing is for sure: Steve Nichols isn't Brilliant; he's not even bright, judging by the soundness of his investment decisions and the spelling mistakes on the anonymous emails he's sent to The Moderator. Time to put your remaining money in a time deposit Steve, and leave venture capital to the professionals.
Coming Soon To a Bookstore Near You...MoreAdvance orders are now being taken for "Serial Fraudster" the Mike Henry Investigative Report, to be published by a major publisher. The tell-all account is sure to rock the insurance industry and send some heads rolling, as it reveals the names of those who continued to do business with Mike Henry, Steve Nichols (currently employed by Medtral New Zealand Limited, http://www.medtral.com), and Murray Calder, after evidence of criminal activity was presented to them.
Thanks to a private donation, all public libraries in New Zealand will be provided with a free copy of the book, as will all of Mike Henry, Steve Nichols, and Murray Caulder's neighbors in Auckland and Queenstown.
Mike Henry Travel Loses Top Client; IAG Feels the Pain
Insurance Australia Group was cautioned to not do business with Mike Henry. Now IAG is feeling the pain. Mike Henry Travel Insurance Limited, the company IAG bought from the aging con-artist, recently lost their largest client, Flight Centres, and some 40% of MHTI’s revenue, to travel insurance provider Covermore. Who is covermore? A company that was once owned by none other than...Mike Henry. We told you so IAG...time to re-think those other deals you're doing with the slithering Henry.
Insurance Fraud Watch Achieves Top Rankings on All Major Search Engines; Surpasses 40,000 Visitors in less than 18 Months 6-July-2007
As of July 2007, Insurance Fraud Watch now comes up in the top 10 rankings of nearly every combination of relevant key words on all major search engines, and is number 1 in many.
For example: Interglobal Limited, #12, Mike Henry Travel Insurance #6, Rotary International Ethics #6, Mike Henry Fraud #1.
Mike Henry Explodes With Anger as Blog Post Hits a Raw Nerve
The prospect of the forthcoming book exposing his criminal exploits to a worldwide audience prompted an unprecedented tongue-lashing from Mike Henry, in the form of an anonymous post in the Comments section herein. (see the Comments section, below). The scathing diatribe, which was traced back to Interglobal Limited’s server 194.72.134.202, located in Bromley, U.K., underscores Mike Henry’s elevated level of concern.
Mike Henry and Steve Nichols Resign from Interglobal Board Under Pressure
Mike Henry and Steve Nichols (currently employed by Medtral New Zealand Limited, http://www.medtral.com) resigned from Interglobal's board on March 19, 2007. Inside sources reveal that the resignations came as a result of pressure from the private equity investors and other shareholders concerned about the mounting evidence of criminal activity on the part of Mike Henry and Steve Nichols, and the negative impact it will have have on their budding insurance venture, Interglobal Insurance Company Limited, should the FSA blacklist Messrs. Henry and Nichols. Mike Henry and Steve Nichols are still hiding under rocks as Interglobal shareholders and puppeteers, however. Steve Nichols is now putting his management skills to the test as a distributor of a new miracle kitchen appliance cleaning product in New Zealand.
Some Recent Search Engine Keywords Which Brought Visitors to This News Blog:
update criminal charges on steven nichols mike henry
iag state insurance new zealand complaints
uk health insurance fraud investigators
"mike henry" "new zealand" articles
deborah henry nz methamphetamine
new zealand organised crime and gang name index
stephen hartigan insurance
insurance australia group" "major shareholders"
"michael paul henry"
the four way test
latest list of fraud in new zealand through the police
ird internet gallery scam
how caught insurance fraud investigated forum
Medtral New Zealand Limited, http://www.medtral.com
Interglobal Visitors Top the Rankings to this News Blog During August, 2007.
Some 54 visits were made to this news blog by persons logging on from Interglobal Limited's server 194.72.134.202 during August, a record from a single IP address.
The information in this blog is factual, true and complete. Please bring any inaccurate postings to the attention of the moderator: insurancewatch@gmail.com, and include documented evidence of any inaccuracies so that they may be corrected. Undocumented objections will not be published, nor read.
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
Unemployment Health Insurance
One of the most painful parts of losing a job is having to deal with replacing your health insurance. Most people feel unprepared to select and enrolling in this type of health insurance even though most of us will have a handful of interruptions in employer-provided health insurance over our full working career. Employer-provided health insurance expires on the last day of the month of termination of employment. Enrollment in an unemployment health insurance is never automatic and must be addressed within a short time after termination of employment.
Types of coverage
While unemployment compensation is provided through the government, unemployment health insurance is provided through commercial health insurance companies. The term "unemployment health insurance" is generic and therefore may refer to one of several available insurance programs. Some people who work for larger companies have the option of continuing their same health insurance for up to 18 months by paying the full cost of this coverage plus an administrative fee. This is commonly known as COBRA coverage. In some cases a similar program called "individual conversion coverage" is available. In either case the burden of enrollment and full payment of premiums is solely the responsibility of the terminated employee. Despite the obvious advantages in simplicity and continuity of coverage, few people can afford this option.
The most popular type of unemployment health insurance is short term major medical insurance. Despite the name, this insurance can span several years or longer and eligibility requirements are minimal1. This insurance offers flexibility with high coverage limits. Policies can be renewed month-to-month from one month to six or twelve months. The two most important features of this coverage are that it is valid with all doctors and hospitals in the U.S. (no network required) and it provides a Certificate of Creditable Coverage2 to be used with your next employer's health insurance policy. This is important because it ensures that the new coverage immediately takes over the cost of treating pre-existing medical conditions.
Specialty insurance can be used in specific situations and regular individual major medical insurance is suitable when it is unlikely that there will be other employment in the future and the applicant is financially stable.
Shopping Tips
Plan to enroll in a bare-bones coverage rather than a fully loaded policy. Most people avoid incurring voluntary medical expenses while they are not employed so this insurance is primarily designed to cover large unexpected medical expenses. Also, because of the uncertainty of unemployment, it is smart to select an insurance that is less expensive than you think you can afford.
Short term medical insurance is priced at about 1/3 of the cost of your former insurance or COBRA option. For a typical employee, this means that the total cost of the unemployment health insurance will be approximately the same as the amount you were contributing to the employer's health plan through salary-deductions3. Using his guideline, it may be psychologically comforting and aid in your personal financial planning to know that the total out-of-pocket cost of health insurance remains relatively constant from the period of employment to the period of unemployment.
All of the following insurance products provide strong protection against catastrophic losses and provide a Certificate of Creditable Coverage to ensure payment for pre-existing medical conditions on your next employer-provided health insurance plan. The price of the coverage varies and some products are better suited for specific situations. We suggest narrowing the list to two or three choices and then get online quotes for each product.
Use the online enrollment options available. This is faster and safer than a paper application and offers immediate confirmation of coverage.
Insurance Choices
All of the following choices are available a MedSave.com. They are grouped according to price range although price varies from one person to another based on location of residence, age, and sex.
Lowest cost unemployment policies - Celtic Insurance STM and UnitedHealthOne Golden Rule Insurance STM are often the least expensive insurance plans to cover a gap in group health insurance. Some of these plans keep cost down by using a "per cause" deductible rather than a single policy deductible.
Mid-range unemployment policies - Secure 3x12 (36 month) short term medical insurance, and Health Savings Account qualified health insurance for long term coverage.
Higher priced unemployment policies - Blue Cross, Aetna, Cigna, CelticCare
Special Situations
When specific medical conditions or circumstances exist then additional sources should be checked to determine the best coverage options. The special situations are: 1) when significant medical conditions, including diabetes, high blood pressure or high cholesterol exists, 2) applicant is a resident of MA, NJ, NY or VT, 3)non-US citizens, 4) residing in the U.S. les than a year, 5) previously declined for health insurance coverage, 6) applicant is overweight or 7) coverage is needed outside of the U.S. In all of these cases, see the article titles "Short Term Medical Insurance for Special Situations".
Individual help in selecting the best value insurance is available through OnlineAdviser at onlineadviser@short-term-medical-insurance.com.
Footnotes
1 See the article "Am I Eligible for Short Term Medical Insurance" and "How Long Can I Be Covered by Short Term Medical Insurance" for details.
2 See the article "Understanding a Certificate of Creditable Coverage" for more information.
3 This assumes that the average employee contribution for employer-provided coverage is about 40% of the total cost.
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