2010 July | Travel Insurance News

Archive for July, 2010

Driving An Expensive Or High-Performance Car? Make Sure Your July 31st, 2010

admin

Driving An Expensive Or High-Performance Car? Make Sure Your Car Has Adequate Insurance

When buying insurance, most people ask for “full coverage” without knowing what they’re asking for. What’s the problem? There is no such thing as “full coverage”. While understanding your coverage is important for everyone, it is vitally important if you’re driving a Mercedes, BMW, Bentley, Rolls-Royce, Porsche, Viper, Ferrari, Lamborghini, Lotus, or Aston Martin.

If you’re driving an expensive, exotic or high-performance car, you will want to make sure that after an accident you receive OEM parts, OEM paint, the ability to repair your vehicle at the auto body shop of your choice, and the amount of money needed for the repair.

Repairing an expensive car with non-OEM parts and/or improper workmanship will result in substantial diminished value. With expensive cars, even a proper repair will result in diminished value. What is diminished value? It is the lowered market value of a vehicle subsequent to repair. For instance, a Porsche or Ferrari will be worth less after an accident, even after it has been properly repaired. For research on diminished value, see http://www.hurt911.org/accident/car-accident-car-value.html

You do not want to get into an argument with your insurance company as to whether or not your vehicle can be repaired or should be totaled. Often, insurance companies will want to repair your car, when you think it should be totaled. If the insurance company agrees to total your car, most insurance policies only provide “actual cash value” insurance coverage which would only give you with a payment based on the current replacement cost of your vehicle, less depreciation (the decrease in the value of your car due to use, deterioration and the passage of time).

In the event that an exotic or high-priced car is totaled, the best replacement coverage is “agreed value” or “stated value”. The only insurance companies I have found to offer agreed value insurance are Chubb and MetLife.

Chubb’s web site states: “You and Chubb can agree on a value and lock it in for a full year. That’s the exact amount you’ll receive if your car is stolen or totaled in a covered loss. Never mind the “book” value. We even waive the deductible. No haggling, no depreciation, no deductible, no problem.”

MetLife’s web site states: Equivalent New Automobile Replacement for Total Loss is offered for vehicles within the first year of purchase or the first 15,000 miles, whichever comes first.

What’s the difference between Chubb’s “Agreed Value Option” and MetLife’s “Equivalent New Automobile Replacement” coverage? For high-value cars, Chubb is definitely the better choice. Chubb offers its agreed value coverage every year and readjusts the agreed value upon policy renewal. From what I have seen, the adjusted agreed value even years and over 100,000 miles later is substantially higher than actual value. Additionally, on a different topic, Chubb also offers up to $1 million of underinsured coverage, which is also vitally important. Make sure you ask your Chubb agent for the maximum underinsured coverage.

For average value new cars, MetLife is a good choice. MetLife does not offer its Equivalent New Automobile Replacement coverage after the first year or first 15,000 miles. For drivers of most new cars, this is still a good value because it is not uncommon for someone to total their new car soon after purchasing it. Usually, just driving a car out of the showroom can result in as much as $10,000 depreciation.

No Comments »

Homeowners Insurance Quotes: Tips For Getting The Best Ones July 27th, 2010

admin

Once you have found the home that you would like to buy and have begun the process of closing on the house, you will need to begin searching for a Homeowners insurance policy that meets your needs and your budget.

Depending on the part of the country you plan to live in, the size of the home being purchased, and the amount of theft prone possessions inside, insurance price quotes can vary greatly. But most price quotes from a private insurance company will fall between $300 and $1500 a year.

Hopefully you are working with a helpful realtor who has already informed you of the importance of shopping around for Homeowners insurance price quotes before deciding on a coverage plan that is right for you.

If a realtor has not told you already, it is best to call at least three different insurance companies to get price quotes for your home. You may already have an insurance company in mind, possibly one that handles your parents insurance needs or one that already handles your car or life insurance.

If you dont already have an insurance company then dont be afraid to simply search online or through the telephone book for insurance companies. You may also recognize names from advertisements. Feel free to use these names as a starting point for a price quote.

Whichever insurance companies you decide to begin your search with, make sure you get at least three different price quotes from three different agencies before settling on the best quote for your home.

Before you begin calling the insurance agencies regarding a price quote, it is best to have hard knowledge about the home you are purchasing. This includes the current appraisal value of the home or an estimate from before the house was put up for sale.

You will also want to have a list of the dimensions of the home and the amenities inside the home, such as the square footage of each room and any special flooring, countertops or architectural design that adds to the value of the home.

As well, before you get started have a list of belongings that will add value to the home, such as appliances, furniture, jewelry and any major artwork or collectors items. Having all of this information ready can speed up the rate quote process.

With the advent of technology and computers, many major home insurance companies have begun placing information for quick 10-15 minute rate quotes online. This frees you up from having to speak to a representative on the phone, who may be trying to talk you into insurance that you dont need.

Many of these websites also provide information explaining different types of insurance, so you can feel free to sit and read over the information without feeling as though you are asking too many questions.

Some of the major insurance companies that have information available online, as well as quick rate quotes for Homeowners insurance include Allstate, State Farm, Liberty Mutual, and Travelers insurance companies. Of course there are several other insurance companies available online, so take time to research these companies if you have access to a computer and the Internet.

If you have tried several insurance companies and still arent happy with the price quotes being offered, try switching up the details of the plan. Before locking yourself into an insurance rate you are unhappy with, ask about changing the deductible, the coverage costs or even the personal liability insurance.

It really is a personal preference as to how much insurance is enough insurance for your family, so keep in mind that if you feel like you cant afford the price quotes being offered, there are ways to make payments more manageable.

One of the best ways to manage the yearly payment of Homeowners insurance is simply to increase the deductible, or the amount the homeowner will pay before the insurance company steps in and begins paying for damages or loss. Most insurance companies will require a minimum deductible of either $250 or $500 but the homeowner can easily change that deductible to $750 or $1000 to reduce the annual payment.

If this still doesnt work in giving you a fair price quote, speak to the insurance agent and ask for options regarding reducing the rate. If you give them a ballpark figure of how much insurance you can afford a year, most often they will work to help you attain these figures.

You may even want to consider adding security or fire safety features to the home, if that insurance company offers a discount for these features. Although it may cost a bit of money out of your pocket to add these features, it will save your insurance premium in the long run.

No Comments »

Travel Insurance. Also Get A European Health Insurance Card. July 25th, 2010

admin

Hands up all those who remember the old E111 medical forms you were supposed to have if you travelled in Europe? I can see all those blank faces!

Well, great news is that it doesn’t matter any more. The E111 form was replaced at the beginning of January 2006 by a new European Health Insurance Card (EHIC).

This EHIC is valid for up to 5 years and entitles you to the same level of medical care in the country you’re travelling in, as would be enjoyed by the residents of that country. The card covers discounted and free medical care including emergency treatment, and applies to all the EEC countries plus Switzerland, Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein. But be aware that the treatment you’re entitled to might not include all the treatments you get free of charge under the National Health Service here in Britain.

Nevertheless, we believe that it’s wise to carry a EHIC as it could save you time, money and a great deal of hassle if you’re unlucky enough to need medical attention. It can cut through some of the inevitable red tape you’d be faced with if you were relying just on the medical provisions of your travel insurance policy.

You should also be aware that in many areas of Europe, the best medical attention is still reserved for those with private insurance cover. Private insurance bypasses the long queues of local residents waiting patently in inhospitable corridors after all who wants to spend days of their holiday not only ill, but queuing as well!

Another point is that nationalised health care is only available at nationalised hospitals which, in some countries, are hundreds of miles apart. They tend to be located where the local population work and live – not where you enjoy your holidays! Therefore, you may be a long way from the nearest nationalised hospital whereas private medical and dental clinics are to be found in many tourist areas catering primarily for holidaymakers. Their standard is usually good albeit in local terms, they’re expensive.

Whilst we’ve been discussing medical care, don’t forget that private travel insurance covers you for much more than just medical expenses. Most policies will even pay for you to be flown home to the UK if you’re really ill. Holiday cancellation (due to prior illness), holiday curtailment, loss of luggage or individual items are all aspects normally covered by the insurance.

To be as safe as possible, we recommend that all travellers get a European Health Insurance Card and comprehensive travel insurance. After all, you’ve saved up for ages for the holiday and if something goes wrong the last thing you want is to be worried about the financial implications.

As with most insurance, the best travel insurance bargains are to be found on the Internet. Search on your favourite search engine for travel insurance. The brokers usually provide the best value for money as they will have access to a wide range of insurance providers and can pick the best for you. You can try the sites run by the individual insurance companies but they’ll only offer you one option their policy! A broker can offer you a range of solutions.

We say, no matter how you arrange it, get travel insurance and get peace of mind.

Information about the European Health Insurance Card

The European Health Insurance Card is free from any Post Office or by phoning the Department of Health on 0845 606 2030. You can also apply online at the web site run by the Department of Health. The web address is www.dh.gov.uk/travellers

No Comments »

Do I Need Excess Liability Coverage? Dont End Up Like July 25th, 2010

admin

Do I Need Excess Liability Coverage? Dont End Up Like Mary and John!

John and Mary live in a nice five bedroom home located in California. Theyve lived in their three thousand square foot home for twenty five years and are retired. Their home is paid for and worth about $900,000. They live off their retirement and have hardly no bills to pay. John and Mary have always had a homeowners policy to cover their home in case of fire, theft or other potential losses involving their home. Mary is age 75 and John is age 72. They hope to someday leave their home to their adult children.

On a nice spring day, Mary went to run some errands in her vehicle around her neighborhood. She pulled into the parking lot of her local grocery store. For some reason, after Mary parked her car , her foot slipped off the brake and hit the accelerator instead. Marys car went through the wall of the grocery store. Her vehicle continued through the wall of the store and she collided into two pedestrians who were standing in line with their grocery carts.

Both of the pedestrians were rushed to the hospital due to the severity of the injuries they sustained from Marys car striking them. Mary was upset about the accident and did not know what she should do. She called her insurance agent the same day of the accident and her agent took her information to start processing her claim.

Months later after the accident, Mary and John found out that the damages filed by the two pedestrians injured from the accident, exceeded the auto insurance liability limits that they carried with their insurance company. John and Mary found out from their adjuster that they would be personally liable for any money damages which exceeded the liability limits that they carried.

The adjuster also told them that the pedestrians attorney did an asset check to see if Mary and John owned property. The attorney found out that they owned a home and would be expecting them to contribute additional monies towards the settlement of the pedestrians claims in addition to the auto insurance liability limits that they carried.

Mary and John were devastated and did not realize that their home the most valuable asset they owned was at stake! They worked all their lives for their home and could not believe that it may be at risk due to the accident. John and Mary did not know they may have avoided contributing monies towards the pedestrians injury claims if they had excess liability coverage or an umbrella policy!

What is excess liability coverage or an umbrella policy? This policy would be liability coverage which would exceed your homeowners or vehicle policy for damages you may be liable for.

The cost of excess liability coverage or an umbrella policy is very minimal for the amount of additional coverage you would receive. You can expect to pay somewhere between $150-$400 annually for this coverage. Consult your insurance company for details. Remember, excess coverage is important for you to consider if your assets are substantial, especially being a homeowner. This extra protection may give you better peace of mind in the long run and will be well worth it!

No Comments »

Life Insurance. Fat Customers Tell Porkies. July 24th, 2010

admin

According to a recent survey almost a quarter of UK citizens are over weight but, says Cancer research UK, 25% of these are simply not interested in losing weight. We are in fact the second most obese nation in Europe, second only to Greece.

This not only concerns the UK Government, who have just announced a concerted campaign to tackle the problem via GP’s, but also the life insurance industry.

The problem is that many people are still sensitive about their weight. Sensitive to the extent that they’ll convince themselves that they’re sticking to a diet when they are patently not. The loss of a pound or two occasions celebration, whereas the same two pounds going back the next day remains unannounced. Ring any bells for you?

Well normally, a porky or two about your true weight doesn’t harm anyone – other than perhaps yourself. But now life insurance companies are having to take a much closer interest. They suspect that lots of people are telling lies about their weight on their life insurance applications.

Consequently, Scottish Provident, one of Britain’s biggest life insurers, is tightening up its application procedures. Now, as well as asking applicants how much they weigh, they’ll be asking when they last weighed themselves. It’s an attempt to encourage applicants to answer more accurately rather than pluck a figure out of thin air or being economical with the truth.

A spokesman for the insurer said, We know that people normally understate their weight, mainly because they are in denial about the subject, although there are also some people who will lie just to get cheaper premiums.

The British Medical Association classifies someone as obsess if their Body Mass Index (BMI) exceeds 24 but most insurance companies are now using 30 as their obesity definition. Above that figure and you’ll find that they’ll load your premium and even ask to have a medical examination. Anyone who is overweight could easily see their life or critical illness insurance premium loaded by up to 50% – and extreme cases, cover will be refused.

So, if you want to know your BMI, take your height in meters and multiply it by itself. Then take the result and divide it by your weight in kilograms. The result is your Body Mass Index.

Whilst BMI has become the accepted method of assessing someone’s weight, it does have limitations as it doesn’t discriminate whether the weight is being carried in fat or muscle. And a study of 33,000 adults reported recently in The Lancet, concluded that the medical profession’s over 24 BMI obesity definition could be raised to over 25 without harming health. That’s the equivalent of adding an extra half stone. Their research also found that only adults with BMI’s in excess of 35 suffered a pronounced lowering in life expectancy.

But in accepting a BMI level of 30, the life insurance industry has taken a cautious mid position. Well, if it was your money at risk, wouldn’t you?

No Comments »

Homeowners Insurance Quotes July 22nd, 2010

admin

What do you like the most about your home – the bright, sun-filled kitchen, the shiny wood floors or the comfortable bedrooms?

Or is it the fact that your home probably makes up maybe the biggest part – of your total net worth?

Either way, you have to protect what you have, using homeowner’s insurance.

Although there were reports a few years ago of higher prices and limited availability for homeowners insurance, the market has opened up again, according to J. Robert Hunter, insurance director for the Consumer Federation of America. Premiums are expected to rise by no more than the inflation rate this year, he said.

“The market remains a competitive one where homeowners’ insurance shoppers can be selective,” said Marshall McKnight, a spokesman for the state Department of Banking and Insurance.

Here are several ways to save on home insurance:

Shop around. While many homeowners believe that all insurance companies charge the same, that’s an expensive mistake. Use a service such as ours to compare rate quotes from different companies if YOUR area. To get started, just use the form on the right.

“You can go from one company to another and pay twice as much,” said Hunter.

And don’t just call an agent and expect him to do the shopping for you, Hunter advised, because agents don’t represent all companies and might not get you the best deal.

Insure for “replacement cost” rather than “actual cash value.” After all, if your belongings are destroyed, do you want the insurance company to send you enough to buy a new couch – or do you want a $50 check for the actual value of your 11-year-old couch?

Make sure you are covered for at least 80 percent of the cost of replacing your home. If you’re not, it could hurt you even if your home does not need to be completely replaced.

Let’s say your home would cost $200,000 to replace and you’re insured for only $100,000, half of the replacement cost. If you have a $10,000 loss, you would get only half of that amount, or $5,000.

Of course, knowing how much it would cost to replace your home is not always easy. For example, I know how much I paid for my home, and how much I could probably sell it for, but I don’t have a clue how much it would cost to rebuild if it burned down.

The state Department of Banking and Insurance and the Insurance Council of New Jersey recommend that homeowners in this situation should consult their insurer, who will be able to estimate the cost of rebuilding based on the size and location of the home.

Think twice before calling your insurance company with small claims for minor home damage. There have been reports of homeowners facing much higher premiums after putting in only two claims. So if it’s a loss you can handle, take care of it yourself.

And, in that vein, consider a higher deductible.

“If you’re not going to file a small claim, it’s no use paying a premium to be covered for an amount you wouldn’t file for,” Hunter said.

“Every dollar you give to an insurance company, on average you only get back 60 cents,” Hunter said. The rest goes to the insurance company’s profit and overhead. So if you can self-insure for smaller losses, you should.

About 20 years ago, Hunter raised the deductibles on both his car and home policies, and banked the money he saved on premiums in a special account. Over the years, he used that account to pay for about $2,000 to $3,000 in losses, mostly auto-related. He still has $4,000 – money that the insurance company could have had.

“Nowadays, most insurance companies recommend a deductible of at least $500. If you can afford to raise your deductible to $1,000, you may save as much as 25 percent,” according to the Insurance Information Institute, an industry group.

Make sure your home insurance policy includes enough liability insurance, in case someone is injured on your property.

Consider buying your home and auto insurance policies from the same insurer. Some companies will take 5 to 15 percent off your premium if you buy two or more policies from them.

You can get discounts if you install smoke detectors, deadbolt locks or burglar alarms.

Keep your credit history clean. Insurance companies are increasingly checking credit reports to set their rates.

No Comments »

Timing is Everything–Especially With Travel Insurance July 20th, 2010

admin

Few things in life are as satisfying as a trip abroad, and most of us can hardly wait until we leave on our great adventure. Anticipation of things to come merely heightens our delight. Planning our trips is part of the enjoyment. Running around, buying our tickets, luggage, clothes and other items that we plan to take with us don’t even seem like chores. It’s not even painful to pay for these things because we know that soon we’ll be exploring places we’ve never been before. However, there is one “fly in this ointment”, one more expense that we’d rather not have because even though it costs us money, we receive no tangible benefit. What am I talking about? Why, travel insurance, of course!!!

Is Buying Travel Insurance at the Last Moment Okay?

I don’t know about you, but as far as I’m concerned, paying for travel health insurance is not exactly my favorite way of spending money. Could it be because travel insurance is not exactly sexy? Or is it because it just adds to the cost of an already expensive trip? Whatever the reason, I’d rather not spend the bucks on travel insurance. However, because I know that it really is a necessity, I buy it. Nevertheless, I tend to put off the purchase as long as possible because it still feels like an “extra”. Am doing myself a favor or not?

Are You a Gambler?

Is keeping my money in my pocket for as long as possible helping me or hurting me? By delaying my travel medical insurance purchase until the day I leave, I’m actually hurting myself. This is because I’m actually gambling that nothing will happen to me before I buy my insurance. I’m betting that I or someone in my family won’t fall ill or get injured prior to departure. Also, if I haven’t bought it and something bad does happen, I won’t have any insurance coverage and I’ll be out of luck. Wouldn’t I be smarter to get my travel insurance ASAP in order to minimize my risk and maximize my potential benefits?

Don’t Lose Your Pre-Existing Condition Coverage

There is another reason to buy travel insurance without delay. Sometimes we make our travel arrangements in stages and don’t book our flights at the same time. We travelers are eligible for pre-existing medical condition exclusion waivers provided we buy our travel insurance from 7 to 21 days (depending on the policy) of making our arrangements. If we wait longer, we may not be eligible for those benefits, especially if a previously unknown health condition should materialize.

Don’t Wait To Finalize Everything Before Buying

Whenever I have traveled, I have known in advance what my plane tickets were going to cost, but what about you? Maybe you’ve made travel plans but have not yet bought your plane tickets. I suggest that it’s a good idea to buy your travel insurance even if you haven’t bought your tickets because doing so will ensure that you will qualify for the pre-existing condition exclusion waiver. If you don’t know what your flight will cost, estimate the cost and include this figure in the total cost of your trip. Later, when you have purchased your flight tickets, you can advise the insurance company. That way you will not risk being ineligible for coverage for a medical conditions that crops up prior to departure.

What If You’ve Already Left on Your Trip?

I happen to be one of the world’s greatest procrastinators. My motto is, Never do today what you can put off until tomorrow because you might get lucky and not have to do it at all! Maybe you, too, are a Great Procrastinator and you avoid buying travel insurance before you leave on your trip. What happens if you have delayed buying your travel insurance or expatriate insurance until AFTER your departure? Are you out of luck? Are you ineligible for insurance because you didn’t buy it before you left home?

Fortunately, the good news is that, even if you decide to buy after departure, you are still eligible for insurance. If you can get access to the internet, both travel insurance and expatriate insurance can be found and purchased online, even after you’ve left on your trip or taken up residence abroad. As the old saying goes, “Better late than never,” especially in this case!

Can You Get Insurance for Someone Else Who Has Already Left?

Here’s another scenario. What if there is an emergency and a family member (including minors) or a friend or employee has not bought travel insurance but has already left on their trip? Do they have to travel uninsured? The answer is no, they don’t have to go without travel insurance. You, or someone else they designate, can go online and purchase travel insurance on their behalf. It’s good to know that when friends, family or employees are too busy to get their own travel insurance, they don’t have to go without it.

In this case, all you need to do is fill out an online application and make the required online payment. You’ll get instant confirmation and can even print out a copy of the policy. There is one cautionary note though. If you’re purchasing travel insurance on behalf of a minor, you’ll first have to register as an adult in order to get the insurance. It is also important to note that they will not be eligible for coverage for pre-existing medical conditions that occur during the trip after departure and prior to purchasing their insurance. This is merely another reason why purchasing travel insurance should not be delayed.

In the World of Travel Insurance, Timing Definitely IS Everything

Timing is everything, they say. Purchasing travel or expatriate insurance was probably not on the mind of whoever coined that phrase. Nevertheless, those words apply as much to buying travel insurance as they do to anything else. Given the potential for financial ruin if you’re not insured, the time to buy yours is before you need it because buying it after you need it is impossible and much too late. Learn from the “Great Procrastinator” and get the insurance you need before you need it.

No Comments »

Disability Insurance July 17th, 2010

admin

Disability can occur at any time. While many people take their body and health for granted, serious accident or injury can happen to anyone and if you find yourself disable, for a short period or long term, how will you cope?

Disability insurance is a sub set of health insurance that will provide the holder with income should they become disabled and thus unable to continue earning a living. If this were to happen to you, do you know what you or your family would do for income?

If you are aged 40, there is a higher chance that you will be disabled, and thus unable to work for a period of 90 days or more, than of you dying before the age of 65. There are three common ways of insuring against this risk.

Employers Insurance

The first is to receive insurance from your employer. This is required by law in many states. It comes as a form of short or long term paid sick leave. Larger employers can have even more generous terms. For example, a common policy might offer you 60% of your salary for five years, or maybe even all the way up to retirement. While not everyone is lucky enough to work for such a company, it is worth checking with your employer to find out what your protection is and whether or not its something you wish to provide for yourself.

Long Term Disability

The second common protection against this type of risk is social security and disability benefits. This usually only covers employees whose disability lasts for a period of 12 months or more. It also must be shown to be so severe that you cannot find gainful employment. Therefore there are some gaps here that you may be more comfortable providing for with private insurance.

Individual Policies

The third method of dealing with this risk is with an individual disability insurance policy. This means taking out a private insurance policy yourself. You should shop around to make sure you get the best deal available, but at least you will have the peace of mind of knowing in what circumstances you are covered and what the terms of the policy cover.

There are some other sources of protection. Workmans compensation policies will sometimes step in to cover you if the injury occurred at work. Auto insurance may provide coverage if the injury occurred in a car accident and the Department of Veterans affairs can advise you if you think the disability is related to service in the armed forces.

No Comments »

Juvenile Or Child Life Insurance Tips July 17th, 2010

admin

Is it wise to buy an insurance policy for your children? Is it really necessary? Parents often ponder over these questions.

Yes it is wise. Actually buying a policy of child life insurance leads your childs life to a future that is financially secured. It helps to keep plans for your childs carrier alive. Also, as they step into adulthood, the child life insurance policy builds cash value that supports your childs life with a financial cushion.

Child life insurance policies are affordable as compared to any adult life insurance policies.

Many financial experts consider it as a foolish decision to spent money on any child life insurance policy. But let me tell you how important and beneficial a child life insurance policy could be.

1. In case your child suffers from illness that may take his/her life, you may be left with funeral and burial costs or may be even medical bills. So the pre existing life insurance proceeds could provide the extra cash you need to settle the worries.

2. In case of fatal illness of a youngster, you may have to bear huge medical expenses. So the juvenile or child life insurance policys proceeds can support the family with significant financial relief.

3. If your child develops any serious medical condition while he/she is uninsured, parents may find premiums to be expensive. However, early coverage results in significant cost-savings.

It is agreeable that children hardly show any significant contribution to familys income, but purchasing some insurance policy for children can really give good financial support under certain events.

You can also collect information about the different child life insurance policies by shopping online and visiting several online insurance companies.

If you hesitate to get a separate life insurance policy for your child then you can add a rider to your own life insurance policy. This will cost you few more but it will make your children future financially supported.

No Comments »

Is Affordable Dental Insurance a Myth? July 12th, 2010

admin

There seems to be a fear that is associated with the discovery of costs associated with dental insurance.

Would it surprise you to learn that dental visits account for roughly five percent of our total health care needs in any given year? Since this is true, most insurance carriers will provide attractive rates associated with dental insurance.

For the business owner there are several avenues to consider when seeking to provide employees with dental insurance.

One of the key components to their deliberation will center on overall costs. However, inexpensive coverage does not always equal a good plan.

Here are a few general types of coverage and what to expect:

PPO Plans provide patients with a group of dentists whove agreed to provide care to patients within the group at a discounted fee. In essence the dentist is willing to receive less for the prospect of additional patients.
Self Insurance is an attractive option for businesses due to the fact that there is a strong potential for cost savings if services arent utilized in any given year. The difficulty with this plan is the administrative headache that often accompanies it.
Direct Reimbursement is similar to self-insurance. Employees are welcome to choose their own dentist. The patient pays the dentist and is reimbursed by their employer. This approach is attractive to the employer because research shows that over 40% of employees may not require dental work in a given year providing a potential savings to the employer.
Closed Panel plans are one of the most limiting in that they restrict the number of available providers. The patient doesnt get to choose his or her own dentist.
Indemnity Programs are much like many health insurance plans that allow a choice in dentist. They also provide a limit on total coverage and co-pay options. The employer who monitors overall costs for the employee group generally determines these.
Capitulation provides a contract for service arrangement that pays a specific provider a specified amount each month to cover all treatment. That fee is paid even if no services are rendered.

Dental insurance can be affordable and a perk that will be appreciated by employees, but private coverage can also be obtained through a local broker or online. It will cost less than major medical coverage and can provide the peace of mind knowing your families dental needs can and will be taken care of.

No Comments »

« Older Entries