Posts Tagged ‘After’
What is the best health insurance after separation from the military?
May 12th, 2012
Question by Michael C: What is the best health insurance after separation from the military?
What is the best health insurance after separation from the military?
I am pretty healthy, and for now I’m looking to stay cheap and just cover all the bases. I’m not married, but adding a spouse eventually is important.
Best answer:
Answer by david t
Check out clarkhoward.com. He has two insurances for his pick as best, one of which is just for veterans.
What do you think? Answer below!
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How can I get my auto insurance to pay for medical treatment two years after accident?
May 12th, 2012
Question by gramhottie: How can I get my auto insurance to pay for medical treatment two years after accident?
I was treated right after the accident for whiplash. It’s in my medical records but then was unable to go to treatment for some time because of other problems but injury got worse now the chiropractor won’t work on me because he says the insurance company won’t usually pay after this time loss. Also the auto insurance company won’t preauthorize treatment and I can’t afford the $ 30 a visit co-pay required for using my health insurance. I’m on Social Security.
Best answer:
Answer by Landlord
I doubt you can since you refused treatment at the time of the injury.
It could easily be argued that your present situation is your choice, caused by you refusing to receive treatment when it was initially made, not the accident itself.
Add your own answer in the comments!
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9 costly mistakes to avoid after a car crash
May 11th, 2012
Rachel Hartman
Heading out on the road? Buckle up, drive safe — and be prepared.
About 5.4 million crashes were reported to police in the United States in 2010, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. As a result of these accidents, 2.2 million injuries and nearly 33,000 deaths occurred.
The total price tag for even a seemingly minor collision can add up – fast.
“Most auto accidents result in damages well in excess of the $ 500 figure, (which is) the deductible in most auto insurance policies,” says Michael Barry, a spokesman for the nonprofit Insurance Information Institute.
Knowing what steps to take after you’re in a crash can reduce your stress, speed up the auto insurance claims process, and lower the overall price you’ll pay for car repairs and medical treatment.
Here are nine costly mistakes to avoid following a car wreck:
1. Admitting fault. “You don’t know all the circumstances surrounding the crash,” says Shane Fischer, a personal injury attorney in Orlando, Fla. “The other driver could be partially responsible.” If the driver later sues you, claiming you caused the accident, the fact that you didn’t admit fault could prevent or limit that person from collecting money.
2. Not calling the police. If you’re in a crash and don’t let the police know, no one can independently back up your story, Fischer says. Also, if a police report hasn’t been filed, your insurance company may suspect you’re trying to cover up some sort of fraud.
3. Not getting detailed information at the crash scene. It can be easy to overlook key information in the frenzy after a crash; later on, however, you’ll need to know details to fill out insurance claim forms.
Following a crash, gather the following: the names and addresses of all drivers and passengers involved; the make and model of each car; license plate numbers; driver’s license numbers; insurance information for each vehicle, including the company name and policy number; names and phone numbers of any witnesses; and the name and badge number of the police officer who responded.
4. Not taking pictures. A crash can have a greater impact on your vehicle than first meets your eye. For accurate records, take pictures of all four sides of the car, plus the odometer, air bag and general crash scene. Share them with the insurer’s claims adjuster to help assess the damage.
The pictures may help support your side if a claims dispute or lawsuit crops up. If you have a picture of a deployed air bag, you’ll be able to show the impact the accident had on your vehicle. Also, the odometer reading can help settle any confusion over the car’s mileage when negotiating the insurance claim.
5. Avoiding medical help. After a crash – especially a minor one – you may feel fine physically. However, the full effect of an accident often isn’t felt until hours or even days afterward, says Joshua Ketover, a personal injury attorney in Garden City, N.Y. If you wait a few weeks to see a physician, it may be difficult to prove to your insurer that the crash triggered your injury.
Rather than waiting, ask for a medical exam immediately. Your doctor may find an injury you weren’t aware of, and the early detection can speed up the process for receiving medical payments from your insurer.
6. Not notifying your insurance company. “Some policies state a claim must be filed within a certain timeframe of an accident’s occurrence in order to be valid,” Barry says. If you don’t notify your insurer within that specified period, you may not be eligible to receive payment for repairs and injuries.
7. Not getting a copy of the police accident report. Since most insurance companies require a copy of the accident report, ask the police officer how to obtain one. Once you receive it, check it for accuracy and ask to have any errors corrected. If you don’t, a mistaken police report could be used to wrongly find you at fault for the crash.
8. Not knowing where to have the vehicle towed. If your car needs to be towed and you don’t have an auto shop in mind, it may end up at a storage facility, says Dan Young, senior vice president of insurance relations for the Carstar auto body repair group. Daily storage fees can range between $ 20 and $ 100; you’ll have to pay for another tow if you move the car to a repair shop.
To save on fees, know which repair shop you’ll want to use, Young says. Then call the shop and ask whether it has a tow service or can refer you to one.
9. Accepting the adjuster’s estimate immediately. After a crash, a claims adjuster will offer an estimate for the cost to repair your car. Before accepting it, get another estimate from the mechanic or auto shop of your choice. Then negotiate a total claim payment that will cover – to your satisfaction – the cost of getting your vehicle fixed and on the road again.
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Can i stay on my parents health insurance after i am 18 and not a full time student?
May 10th, 2012
try this site where you can compare quotes from different companies: www.insureinfo.us Can i stay on my parents health insurance after i am 18 and not a full time student? I am 17 years old, I will be 18 in september. I just graduated high school and decided not to pursue a higher education at this time. I have heard with the obama health care plan that i can stay on my parents health insurance until i am 26. But i have also heard this doesn’t take place until 2014. And i Have heard that you have to be a full time student. So i would like a simple answer that’s easy to understand, preferably with a sited source for me to look up. Will i lose my health insurance in 2010 if i am not a full time college student and over the age of 18??? I live in california if that makes any difference as far as the health care plans go. Thanks and appreciate it
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how long after buying renters insurance can i submit a claim?
May 8th, 2012
Question by Krissy: how long after buying renters insurance can i submit a claim?
My basement just started getting water in it this morning. Is it too late to buy renters insurance and be covered for this? and if so let me know of a good agency. thank you
Best answer:
Answer by chicagirl51
If you are renting then the landlord is responsible. Renter’s insurance is for your belongings but your landlord’s insurance may pay for your personal items.
Give your answer to this question below!
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How should I start going to the doctor – Received Health Insurance after 7 years with none?
April 27th, 2012
Question by swhaley293: How should I start going to the doctor – Received Health Insurance after 7 years with none?
An odd question, but stay with me: I haven’t had any health insurance for 7 years. Now, finally with a wonderful new job, my excellent health insurance benefits start tomorrow. There is so much that I need. When should I go to the doctor? I’m posititive they will find little things that I have had for a long time, but done nothing about – will they determine it to be a pre-exsisting condition? I mean, if I go the first day of my insurance, they will know that I had this medical condition before my insurance was in place – does that make a difference? I don’t know how it works. Thanks!
Best answer:
Answer by claireag
First of all, if you’ve been pretty healthy for the past 7 yrs and haven’t had any nagging complaints, you probably don’t have anything wrong w/ you. Second — and I’m not sure about this — I think a preexisting condition would be one that has been detected or diagnosed prior to receiving your coverage. Third, you should start out by finding a doctor (either a general practitioner, internist or family physician) in your plan and making an appointment for a physical.
Add your own answer in the comments!
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How does health insurance after we get married ?
April 25th, 2012
Question by : How does health insurance after we get married ?
I am engaged to an active duty marine , we are getting married next month . However I still don’t know how the health insurance works . After we r married do I get included on his insurance or do I have to get my own ?
Best answer:
Answer by Amandalynn
he has to take to his officials and get you on his insurance and you will be covered. 
same is if you have kids while he is still in. after he is out and you have kids, they won’t be covered.
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How much auto insurance premium go up after an accident?
March 14th, 2012
try this site where you can compare quotes from different companies: www.usainsurancequotes.net How much auto insurance premium go up after an accident? I got into a car accident about a month ago. I totaled my car and damaged another. A passenger also got hurt in the other vehicle and filled a claim but it doesn t look like hes suing. The accident was clearly my fault. I currently pay 0 a month for two cars and I m 24 years old. Anyone have a rough idea as to how much it will go up? Thanks. I have progressive, and like most insurance companies, I renew my coverage every 6 months. I got into an accident that was not my fault around six months ago. My premium did not change a bit, but my last moving violation was almost three years ago, and the last accident I had before this was at least three years ago. If you don t have multiple accidents and moving violations, they could simply forgive this accident. It sa lot more specific than you might think. You really should talk to your insurance company, but any increase (if it happens) usually won t take place until it s time to renew. “Discover Questions in Insurance & Registration How to cheat on the NJ drivers test? I Have a Car Insurance dilemma!!!!? What did table tennis balls used to be made from? I have lost my car log book.? ”
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One year after disaster at Fukushima nuclear plant, town remains frozen in time
March 7th, 2012
One year after disaster at Fukushima nuclear plant, town remains frozen in time
By Richard Engel It's what an insurance company might call “a write-off” – a place that seems beyond salvation, and certainly too expensive to fix. I'd never thought of land that way. You smash up a car, and then it's compacted into a square and maybe …
Read more on msnbc.com
Henryville: Taking the next steps
Arvin Copeland, who escorted Federal Emergency Management Agency officials through the wreckage Tuesday, thinks the number of uninsured is much larger. percent were insured,” said Copeland, who is the director of disaster and recovery services for the …
Read more on Batesville Herald Tribune
NAIC P/C Committee Sets New Disaster Charge, Draws Fire on Transparency
… of Insurance Commissioners' Property and Casualty Insurance Committee voted at its spring meeting to hold a public hearing on whether the organization should create model guidelines for processing claims in the wake of a natural disaster.
Read more on Insurance News Net (press release)
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Are home insurance policyholders being hit after wave of weather disasters?
March 6th, 2012
Troy Anderson
In the wake of a record-breaking year for extreme weather, a study by the Consumer Federation of America found Americans are paying higher premiums for home insurance as insurers shift more of the financial burdens for hurricanes, tornadoes and floods to consumers.
Record year for disasters
The study, “The Insurance Industry’s Incredible Disappearing Weather Catastrophe Risk,” comes as weather disasters in 2011 affected millions of people, claimed 1,000 lives, resulted in 8,000 injuries and caused more than $ 52 billion in economic losses. The United States experienced 14 weather catastrophes last year costing more than $ 1 billion each – making it the most extreme year for weather since accurate recordkeeping began in the 19th century.
John Ewald, a spokesman for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, says: “The nation experienced Hurricane Irene, five major outbreaks of tornadoes, the Groundhog Day blizzard, Tropical Storm Lee, wildfires and drought in Texas and the Southwest, and flooding along the Mississippi.”
Now, insurers in 11 states – Alabama, Arizona, Colorado, Georgia, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee and Virginia – are requesting home insurance rate increases of 18 percent or more.
“Insurance commissioners should block many of these pending rate increases because they place an unwarranted financial burden on homeowners, many of whom are coping with severe financial difficulties in a bad economy,” says Robert Hunter, the consumer federation’s director of insurance.
‘Premiums reflect costs’
In response, Jim Whittle, associate general counsel of the American Insurance Association trade group, says more damage from natural catastrophes means more money is required to repair that damage.
“Premiums reflect costs,” Whittle says. “When costs and risks increase, premiums may adjust to reflect that reality.”
Robert Hartwig, president of the nonprofit Insurance Information Institute, notes that insurance claims related to natural disasters grew sevenfold as a share of total insurance payouts between 1960 and 2010. The trend has accelerated over the past 20 years, with hurricanes and tropical storms accounting for 44 percent and tornadoes generating 30 percent of insurance payouts triggered by natural disasters.
“I am confident the residents of Tuscaloosa, Alabama, and Joplin, Missouri, as well as other disaster-stricken communities, are glad their insurers had the resources last year to meet their financial commitments,” Hartwig says.
Is industry ‘overcapitalized’?
According to the industry-backed Insurance Information Institute, property and casualty insurers now have a surplus of $ 539 billion — the amount of money remaining after an insurer’s liabilities are subtracted from assets. The federation’s study claims that the industry is “significantly overcapitalized.”
The study found insurers achieved the bulk of this surplus by boosting deductibles and capping the amounts they pay for home damage or destruction caused by natural catastrophes. Insurers have significantly raised rates over the years, sometimes using questionable computer “models,” Hunter wrote. Insurers also have used “fine print tricks,” such as the “anti-concurrent causation clause,” which lets insurers refuse to pay for wind losses if any flood damage occurs around the same time, Hunter wrote.
“They have shifted the risk away from themselves in ways that have severely hurt consumers and taxpayers,” Hunter says. “In the meantime, they have continued to raise rates significantly. As a result, they have built up huge amounts of surplus, way more than they need. They are just making too much money. In the aggregate, they are continuing to pile it up and to raise rates every time there is a storm.”
Whittle refutes Hunter’s claims, saying the industry has been hit by a slew of weather catastrophes in recent years, paying out hundreds of billions of dollars in claims. Whittle points out that the insurance industry is highly regulated and is required to maintain substantial reserves “precisely because they want us to be able to pay claims when they come in.”
“If we have a Category 5 hurricane — which we have seen repeatedly in the last seven or eight years — hit Miami, our projections are for a quarter of a trillion dollars in potential storm-related losses,” Whittle says. “So when you consider figures like that, and then you have to add in the remaining exposure from winter storms, flooding, tornado activity, hail, windstorms, fires and other things the industry has to face, (insurers) need to be adequately capitalized.”
Looking ahead
In light of the study’s findings, Hunter recommends Congress limit the federal government’s exposure to terrorism risk to only extreme events, such as nuclear, chemical or biological attacks, that result in more than $ 100 billion in losses. He also cautions state insurance regulators to be on guard against unwarranted attempts by insurers to use natural catastrophe losses as a rationale to jack up rates.
“We are calling on states to look at these results and be more careful in approving rate increases,” Hunter says. “We are asking the federal government to back off some of the risks they have taken on, like flood insurance and terrorism. Some of that could be taken – maybe not all of it – by private industry. Terrorism is now covered 100 percent by the federal government. That makes no sense.”
John Egan
The federal government’s consumer watchdog signaled March 6 that he’ll clamp down on a type of insurance that has come under intense scrutiny amid the U.S. mortgage meltdown.
In a speech to the National Association of Attorneys General, Richard Cordray, director of the federal Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, said federal rules on “force-placed insurance” will be issued to prevent mortgage servicers from charging for this type of coverage “unless there is a reasonable basis to believe that borrowers have failed to maintain their own insurance.”
Cordray didn’t give a timetable for unveiling the new rules.
Florida attorney Marc Wites says many homeowners may be unaware of a clause in their mortgage contracts that lets a mortgage holder take out a force-placed policy to protect itself in case the homeowner’s insurance lapses for any reason, including financial troubles. The bank forces a homeowner to pay for this coverage, which often costs more than a standard home insurance. This kind of policy typically doesn’t cover a homeowner’s interest in the property or the homeowner’s belongings.
Loretta Worters, a spokeswoman for the nonprofit Insurance Information Institute, says that typically the only reason a mortgage lender would buy forced-place insurance is when a homeowner has gone into foreclosure and lacks money to pay the mortgage or the home insurance premiums.
Cordray’s announcement comes less than a month after the federal government and 49 states announced a $ 25 billion settlement with the country’s five largest mortgage servicers to fix what U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder called “reckless and abusive mortgage practices,” including force-placed insurance. The five mortgage servicers are Bank of America, Chase, Wells Fargo, Citibank and Ally (formerly GMAC).
“Force-placed insurance appears to be the dirty little secret of the mortgage industry,” Benjamin Lawsky, superintendent of the New York State Department of Financial Services, told The New York Times. “It is a silent killer harming both consumer and investors while enriching the banks and their affiliates.”
Lori Johnston
From buying special auto insurance to installing security systems, many Mustang lovers exhaust all of their options to protect their cars from theft.
“We put an enormous amount of sweat labor and sweat equity into these cars,” says Rick Birnbach, president of the San Antonio Mustang Club, who owns a 1971 Mustang Grande. “When the loss happens, it is a devastating thing. As bad as it is getting a regular car stolen, this is much worse. It’s like a member of the family.”
The nonprofit National Insurance Crime Bureau has begun releasing statistics about the theft of classic cars. The bureau’s first report on classic cars, which was released in late January 2012, focuses on the iconic Mustang. The Mustang turns 50 in 2014.
Nearly 8.5 million Mustangs have been sold in the United States; 611,093 were stolen from 1964 to 2011, according to the bureau’s data.
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| Steve Prewitt, president of the Mustang Club of America, owns this 1966 Mustang Coupe. |
The bureau notes that it isn’t overly confident in theft records before 1981 because of early inconsistency in both vehicle identification number (VIN) systems and theft reporting procedures. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration required VIN standardization beginning with the 1981 model year. Data show that 411,155 Mustangs were reported stolen from 1981 to 2011.
“Vintage-car people are fairly lucky that we have great insurance available to us,” Birnbach says. “We are insured up to the hilt on (our cars).”
Mustang owners say restored classics can be valued at $ 100,000 or more, but even lower-priced cars have intrinsic value to their owners, says Frank Scafidi, a spokesman for the insurance crime bureau.
Greg White, president of the Mustang Club of Houston, says: “This car is engrained in the American psyche. It is a true American classic these days. It is part of Americana, so people are attracted to it.”
Hooked on Mustangs
The car’s appeal crosses various age groups and countries. The Mustang even has appeared in movies such as 1968’s “Bullitt,” 1971’s “Diamonds are Forever” and 2000’s “Gone in 60 Seconds.”
White’s brother bought a Mach 1 Mustang in the 1970s, in a color called “grabber green.”
“This was really the first real sports car I had ever ridden in,” he says. “He got to the first corner (of the street) and punched it a little bit and that thing hooked up like it was on rails. The first thing in my mind was, ‘I’ve got to get me one of those,’ and I have been hooked ever since.”
White’s first car was a meadowlark yellow ’69 Mach 1. He got it in 1971, when he was 16 years old. He’s owned eight other Mustangs since then.
“Anybody who’s hard core into Mustangs … it’s something that roots all the way to your soul,” White says.
Mustang owners like White remain aware of the potential for theft. Recently, he and his wife went out to dinner and parked their yellow ’97 GT near another Mustang of the same color. While dining, his wife caught a glimpse of a Mustang heading out of the parking lot, and she got up from the table, saying, “Our car…” Then she remembered there had been a similar one in the parking lot.
The story illuminates the concern that Mustang owners have about theft.
Protecting the ‘pony car’
Theft prevention devices include “kill” switches, fuel cut-off switches, battery-disconnect systems and “smart” keys. Some owners of classic Mustangs even put locks on the hoods; that keeps thieves from opening the hood, running wire on the battery and coil, and using a screwdriver to turn on the ignition.
The restored cars often are kept under lock and key, when not at auto shows or other public places. Experts say Mustang owners should keep in mind that if they make the mistake of leaving the license plate on a vehicle in public, a thief can track down an owner’s address.
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| Rick Birnbach, president of the San Antonio Mustang Club, owns this 1971 Mustang Grande. |
“They’ll catch you when you’re not home, they’ll break into your garage and they’ll steal your car,” says Steve Prewitt, president of the Mustang Club of America.
Another common method of theft is when the “trailer queens” — the pristine cars that primarily are shown off at auto shows — are taken off their tow hitches.
If a car is stolen, the Mustang Club of America posts information about it on the group’s website. Prewitt says the classic high-dollar Mustangs rarely are advertised for resale in the same condition or color in the United States. Thieves paint Mustangs a different color and then sell them. “A lot of them are going overseas,” Prewitt says.
Some Mustang owners participate in the HEAT (Help Eliminate Auto Theft) program, which is available in some states. Cars with reflective HEAT stickers can be stopped by cops to confirm whether the driver actually is the owner. “Even though it sounds like an invasion of privacy, it’s well worth it,” Birnbach says.
Classic car coverage
Prewitt didn’t get his first Mustang until 1974. That’s when he left the Army and moved to Memphis, Tenn., where he bought a 1974 Mustang II.
“I fell in love with the car in 1965 … . Being in high school, I had several friends whose parents bought them Mustangs in ’65 and ’66,” says Prewitt, who lives near Augusta, Ga.
Since then, Prewitt and his sons have driven several Mustangs, often restoring them. He now owns a 2010 Shelby GT500 convertible, 1968 Shelby GT350 and 1966 Mustang coupe.
Prewitt says the key to protecting your classic car is obtaining insurance, with companies such as Heacock Classic Insurance, Hagerty Insurance and Grundy Insurance providing specialized coverage. Actually, the insurance rates for classic cars are relatively low. Why? Because owners are limiting the exposure to theft by not driving them often and by keeping them in locked garages, Prewitt says.
“Oddly enough, it’s considerably cheaper (than traditional insurance). Tremendously so,” White says.
Birnbach, whose ’71 Mustang carries an insured value of $ 20,000 with a zero deductible, pays about $ 230 year to insure it with Hagerty Insurance.
A big difference with insurance that covers classic cars is the mileage limitation. On Prewitt’s plan, for example, the ’68 Shelby can be driven only 2,500 miles a year. A surcharge is assessed if an owner expects to exceed that mileage. Some companies require classic car owners to show proof they have a car they drive on a regular basis.
Prewitt’s ’68 Shelby is insured for $ 40,000 with Heacock Classic Insurance, a sponsor of The Mustang Club of America. His 2010 Shelby is on the same policy (insured for $ 50,000). The annual cost to cover both cars: $ 800. The 2010 Shelby was on a different plan with another insurer — a plan that was costing close to $ 1,200 a year.
To obtain classic car insurance, an owner must be prepared to negotiate an agreed value, or what both the owner and insurer think the car is worth. “It is a simple process,” Birnbach says.
