Monday, March 8, 2010
How Does Insurance Work?
There are lots of different kinds of health insurance. Plan that cover medical services and prescription medicines, plans that cover dental expenses, disability insurance that replaces income lost due to extended illness or injury, long-term care, and so on. In the United States, people typically refer to the plans that cover medical expenses as "health insurance", and these plans are usually bought by employers and offered to employees as part of their compensation, or "benefits".
Health insurance plans are usually sold once, then renewed on an annual basis. So when a consumer buys health insurance (either directly or through an employer), the insurer agrees to pay for health expenses as long as the premiums are paid on time and the account is in good standing.
Health insurance plans come in two flavors: "Fee-for-Service" or "Managed Care". Both types of insurance cover major medical, surgical and hospital expenses, and are often referred to as "major medical plans". Fee-for-service plans pay the medical service provider a fee for each service provided to a patient, and that patient can usually go see whatever health care provider they wish. Managed care plans, on the other hand, pre-pay contracted providers for each member's coverage in advance. Members are offered a financial incentive to use providers who belong to the plan.
Here are a few common terms that you'll probably run into:
Deductible: This is the amount you must pay out-of-pocket before the insurer will pay anything. Deductibles can vary widely, ranging from $0 to a few thousand dollars.
Co-insurance amount: This is the percentage of your medical expenses you must pay after you reach your deductible. This will typically range from 10-30%.
Maximum out-of-pocket amount: This is maximum amount you are required to pay in a given year, after which the insurer will pay 100% of the cost of covered medical expenses.
Covered benefits: Types of medical services the insurer will pay for.
Exclusions: Types of medical services the insurer will not pay for.
Its true: there's a lot of jargon, and plans are difficult to evaluate and compare. But it's important, and worth your time. Carefully review plan descriptions, and take your time to understand the coverage of any plan you're currently under - or considering purchasing.
Kurt Stammberger is VP, Marketing at Healthia Inc. Healthia provides integrated comparison-shopping information on group health insurance and small business insurance plans [http://www.healthia.com], free tips and advice for selecting the best plans that suit your needs.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kurt_Stammberger
Sunday, March 7, 2010
Cheap Car Insurance
Overall, a good cheap car insurance broker can help save time and possibly also help save money.
While there are many advantages that a cheap car insurance broker has over a customer dealing with an insurance agent on their own, there can be a few downsides, especially if the broker is less than experienced or not truthful in their dealings. One thing to be wary of is the fact that a broker could very well be using the same methods that are available to the general public for searching car insurance quotes. In this case, the customer may be better off searching for quotes on their own. Some brokers may also favor a particular insurance company, leading one to believe that they are being paid more per client than other companies in exchange for steering more customers to that particular company. Customers can make sure that their cheap car insurance broker is impartial in their dealings by asking if they favor one insurance company over another and have a high percentage of clients at that company. Experience is also a key factor, so don’t forget to find out how many years of experience the broker has in the business.
Looking for a cheap car insurance broker isn’t as tough as it seems. These days, cheap car insurance brokers can be found on internet listings and websites. All it takes is a few key phrases on the search engine to get the results you are looking for. A more traditional approach is looking for a car insurance broker through the telephone directory, although this is more time consuming. Some insurance brokers specialize in certain types of car insurance, whether it be sports cars, classic cars or heavy vehicle insurance.
When shopping for cheap car insurance, either with a cheap car insurance broker or on your own, there are many factors that a person who is looking for a cheap car insurance broker should keep in mind. These factors often have a great influence on the cost of insurance coverage and the monthly premium that must be paid. Car insurance companies will often take these factors into consideration when calculating the possible amount of risk that the customer may represent, which is then reflected in the monthly premiums to be paid. Age, gender, and location will have an influence on car insurance costs, as well as the type of car to be insured, the number of cars insured and the number of traffic violations that the customer may have, if any. While cheap car insurance brokers keep these factors in mind, it is also important for the clients to do the same, as they could very well end up searching for an insurance company on their own.
Age is one of the biggest factors to be considered when shopping for a cheap car insurance broker. Younger drivers are considered to be bigger risks than other drivers due to the fact that they are comparatively inexperienced on the road and have a greater chance of being involved in accidents. This is why drivers under the age of 25 will have higher car insurance premiums than those over the age of 25. Having a driver under the age of 25 covered under a parent’s insurance coverage may result in slightly higher premiums for the parent, but it is often cheaper in the long run than that driver having their own coverage.
Older drivers may also have to deal with higher insurance premiums. Car insurance companies may charge higher car insurance premiums to drivers over the age of 50 due to concerns that those drivers represent a greater risk. This is due to some older drivers being involved in accidents with greater frequency than other age groups because of deteriorating health, mental alertness and failing eyesight. These factors often prompt car insurance companies to raise premiums at either age 50 or age 65, depending on the company. That said, a cheap car insurance broker may have the lowest rates of all car insurance companies, but those rates may still be above average compared to other age groups.
Gender is also another important factor in deciding insurance premiums. Male drivers are often considered a higher risk because they tend to be more aggressive drivers, according to various studies. Females and married men are more likely to see lower insurance premiums. Drivers can receive discounts for a clean driving record, insuring multiple cars and affiliation with certain groups. Drivers who have taken defensive driving courses are often eligible for discounts, while those who have anti-theft devices installed on their cars are also eligible, with some companies providing extra discounts for added security items such as VIN number window etching.
In the end, the important thing to do when looking for a cheap car insurance broker is to simply ask questions. Questions such as what automobile insurance companies they use and how much experience they have in the business can go a long way in deciding which broker to use. While all brokers may seem the same, a good cheap car insurance broker can make his or herself stand out from the rest.
While there are many advantages that a cheap car insurance broker has over a customer dealing with an insurance agent on their own, there can be a few downsides, especially if the broker is less than experienced or not truthful in their dealings. One thing to be wary of is the fact that a broker could very well be using the same methods that are available to the general public for searching car insurance quotes. In this case, the customer may be better off searching for quotes on their own. Some brokers may also favor a particular insurance company, leading one to believe that they are being paid more per client than other companies in exchange for steering more customers to that particular company. Customers can make sure that their cheap car insurance broker is impartial in their dealings by asking if they favor one insurance company over another and have a high percentage of clients at that company. Experience is also a key factor, so don’t forget to find out how many years of experience the broker has in the business.
Looking for a cheap car insurance broker isn’t as tough as it seems. These days, cheap car insurance brokers can be found on internet listings and websites. All it takes is a few key phrases on the search engine to get the results you are looking for. A more traditional approach is looking for a car insurance broker through the telephone directory, although this is more time consuming. Some insurance brokers specialize in certain types of car insurance, whether it be sports cars, classic cars or heavy vehicle insurance.
When shopping for cheap car insurance, either with a cheap car insurance broker or on your own, there are many factors that a person who is looking for a cheap car insurance broker should keep in mind. These factors often have a great influence on the cost of insurance coverage and the monthly premium that must be paid. Car insurance companies will often take these factors into consideration when calculating the possible amount of risk that the customer may represent, which is then reflected in the monthly premiums to be paid. Age, gender, and location will have an influence on car insurance costs, as well as the type of car to be insured, the number of cars insured and the number of traffic violations that the customer may have, if any. While cheap car insurance brokers keep these factors in mind, it is also important for the clients to do the same, as they could very well end up searching for an insurance company on their own.
Age is one of the biggest factors to be considered when shopping for a cheap car insurance broker. Younger drivers are considered to be bigger risks than other drivers due to the fact that they are comparatively inexperienced on the road and have a greater chance of being involved in accidents. This is why drivers under the age of 25 will have higher car insurance premiums than those over the age of 25. Having a driver under the age of 25 covered under a parent’s insurance coverage may result in slightly higher premiums for the parent, but it is often cheaper in the long run than that driver having their own coverage.
Older drivers may also have to deal with higher insurance premiums. Car insurance companies may charge higher car insurance premiums to drivers over the age of 50 due to concerns that those drivers represent a greater risk. This is due to some older drivers being involved in accidents with greater frequency than other age groups because of deteriorating health, mental alertness and failing eyesight. These factors often prompt car insurance companies to raise premiums at either age 50 or age 65, depending on the company. That said, a cheap car insurance broker may have the lowest rates of all car insurance companies, but those rates may still be above average compared to other age groups.
Gender is also another important factor in deciding insurance premiums. Male drivers are often considered a higher risk because they tend to be more aggressive drivers, according to various studies. Females and married men are more likely to see lower insurance premiums. Drivers can receive discounts for a clean driving record, insuring multiple cars and affiliation with certain groups. Drivers who have taken defensive driving courses are often eligible for discounts, while those who have anti-theft devices installed on their cars are also eligible, with some companies providing extra discounts for added security items such as VIN number window etching.
In the end, the important thing to do when looking for a cheap car insurance broker is to simply ask questions. Questions such as what automobile insurance companies they use and how much experience they have in the business can go a long way in deciding which broker to use. While all brokers may seem the same, a good cheap car insurance broker can make his or herself stand out from the rest.
Friday, March 5, 2010
Getting Quotes and Buying a Policy Online
Car insurance is confusing, especially when you're having to worry about a bunch of terms and policies that you don't understand. Though there are a variety of benefits to shopping online, but often they are hard to see because of the confusion. Due to the current bleakness of our economy, many motorists have been tempted to bypass purchasing car insurance all together.
However, the cost of your potential legal ramifications can easily surpass the few hundreds of dollars you may save right now. To be smart, you need to look for cheaper options, not the elimination of options entirely. The use of online quotes can help you do just that.
Since people must have car insurance, many motorists are anxious about the premiums they are being charged. High risk drivers are shouldering the higher end of expensive premiums due to their past mistakes. Even new drivers, due to a lack of experience, are being overcharged. There are discounts available to most motorists, and insurance companies can provide installment plans to ease the burden of paying for your policy.
How do you know which insurance provider to purchase from? The hallmarks of a worthy company include its reputation, its financial stability, and its pricing. Even if you find a company that you think meets all of these criteria, how can you know for certain that it is the best one?
Your best option to seek answers to your questions and concerns is to get an automobile insurance quote online. By answering a brief questionnaire about your vital statistics and coverage needs, you will be provided with multiple rates from different insurance providers on the policy you are interested in. The process is simple and quick, and it can be performed at no charge to you. You can research as many or as few companies as you like. The more companies you are able to select from, the better your chances will be of finding the one that suits your needs.
However, the cost of your potential legal ramifications can easily surpass the few hundreds of dollars you may save right now. To be smart, you need to look for cheaper options, not the elimination of options entirely. The use of online quotes can help you do just that.
Since people must have car insurance, many motorists are anxious about the premiums they are being charged. High risk drivers are shouldering the higher end of expensive premiums due to their past mistakes. Even new drivers, due to a lack of experience, are being overcharged. There are discounts available to most motorists, and insurance companies can provide installment plans to ease the burden of paying for your policy.
How do you know which insurance provider to purchase from? The hallmarks of a worthy company include its reputation, its financial stability, and its pricing. Even if you find a company that you think meets all of these criteria, how can you know for certain that it is the best one?
Your best option to seek answers to your questions and concerns is to get an automobile insurance quote online. By answering a brief questionnaire about your vital statistics and coverage needs, you will be provided with multiple rates from different insurance providers on the policy you are interested in. The process is simple and quick, and it can be performed at no charge to you. You can research as many or as few companies as you like. The more companies you are able to select from, the better your chances will be of finding the one that suits your needs.
Thursday, March 4, 2010
US Life Insurance Top Companies
Here is a list of U.S. life Insurance Companies which most recently have been coming out on top consistenly.
Feel free to Click "Life Insurance - US Top Companies" link in the Label.
And please to contact each company directly if you have specific plan or product questions.
But please note that almost all companies sell only through agents. If you contact a company to purchase coverage, they will not sell it to you. Rather, they will direct you to one of their agents.
And one more thing, I have no affiliation with the companies profiled in on this site,
and those companies do not necessarily endorse these profiles. All content is provided for informational and educational purposes only.
American General Life Insurance Company
Sunday, April 13, 2008 2:30 PM
American United Ratings
A.M. Best: A
Fitch : AA-
Standard and Poor's: AA-
American General Life Insurance Company
P.O. Box 1591
Houston, TX 77251
(800) 231-3655
Website : www.aigag.com
Banner Life Insurance Company
Sunday, April 13, 2008 2:30 PM
Banner Life Ratings
A.M. Best: A+
Standard & Poor's: AA
Banner Life Insurance Company
1701 Research Blvd.
Rockville, MD 20850
(800) 638-8428
Website : www.lgamerica.com
Cincinnati Life Insurance Company
Sunday, April 13, 2008 2:30 PM
Cincinnati Life Ratings
A.M. Best: A+
Fitch: AA
Standard & Poor's: AA-
Cincinnati Life Insurance Company
6200 South Gilmore Road
Fairfield, OH 45014
(513) 870-2000
Website : www.cinfin.com
Empire General Life Assurance Corporation
Sunday, April 13, 2008 2:30 PM
Empire General Ratings
A.M. Best: A+
Standard and Poor's: AA
Fitch: AA-
Empire General Life Assurance Corporation
P.O. Box 11266
Birmingham, AL 35202
(800) 327-1303
Website : www.empiregeneral.com
First Colony Life Insurance Company
Sunday, April 13, 2008 2:30 PM
First Colony ratings
A.M. Best: A+
Standard and Poor's: AA-
Moody's: Aa3
First Colony Life Insurance Company
700 Main St.
Lynchburg, VA 24505
(888) 325-5433
Website : www.firstcolonylife.com
Genworth Life Insurance Company
Sunday, April 13, 2008 2:30 PM
Genworth Financial Ratings
A.M. Best: A+
Standard and Poor's: AA-
Moody's: Aa3
Genworth Life Insurance Company
700 Main St.
Lynchburg, VA 24505
(888) 325-5433
Website : www.genworth.com
Lincoln National Life Insurance Company
Sunday, April 13, 2008 2:30 PM
Financial Ratings for Lincoln National Life
A.M. Best: A+
Standard and Poor's: AA-
Moody's: Aa3
Fitch: AA
Lincoln National Life Insurance Company
1300 South Clinton Street
Fort Wayne, IN 46801
(800) 444-2363
Website : www.lfg.com
Midland National Life Insurance Company
Sunday, April 13, 2008 2:30 PM
Financial Ratings for Midland National Life
A.M. Best: A+
Standard and Poor's: AA
Weiss: A-
Midland National Life Insurance Company
1 Midland Plaza
Sioux Falls, SD 57193
(605) 335-5700
Website : www.mnlife.com
Ohio National Life Assurance Corporation
Sunday, April 13, 2008 2:30 PM
Financial ratings for Ohio National Financial
A.M. Best: A+
Fitch: A
Moody's: A1
Standard and Poor's: AA
Ohio National Life Assurance Corporation
P.O. Box 237
Cincinnati, OH 45201
(800) 366-6654
Website : www.ohionatl.com
Protective Life Insurance Company
Sunday, April 13, 2008 2:30 PM
Financial ratings for Protective Life Insurance
A.M. Best: A+
Fitc: AA-
Standard and Poor's: AA
Moody's: Aa3
Protective Life Insurance Company
P.O. Box 2606
Birmingham, AL 35202
(800) 866-3555
Website : www.protective.com
Pruco Life Insurance Company
Sunday, April 13, 2008 2:30 PM
Financial ratings for Pruco Life
A.M. Best: A+
Fitch: AA-
Moody's: Aa3
Standard and Poor's: AA-
Pruco Life Insurance Company
213 Washington St.
Newark, NJ 07102
(800) 778-2255
Website : www.prudential.co
ReliaStar Life Insurance Company
Sunday, April 13, 2008 2:30 PM
Financial ratings for Reliastar
A.M. Best: A+
Fitch: AA
Moody's: Aa3
Standard and Poor's: AA
ReliaStar Life Insurance Company
20 Washington Avenue South
Minneapolis, MN 55401
(877) 886-5050
Website : www.ing-usa.com
USAA Life Insurance Company
Sunday, April 13, 2008 2:30 PM
Financial ratings for USAA Life
A.M. Best: A++
Moody's: Aa1
Standard and Poor's: AAA
USAA Life Insurance Company
P.O. Box 659464
San Antonio, TX 78265
(800) 365-8722
Website : www.usaa.com
Feel free to Click "Life Insurance - US Top Companies" link in the Label.
And please to contact each company directly if you have specific plan or product questions.
But please note that almost all companies sell only through agents. If you contact a company to purchase coverage, they will not sell it to you. Rather, they will direct you to one of their agents.
And one more thing, I have no affiliation with the companies profiled in on this site,
and those companies do not necessarily endorse these profiles. All content is provided for informational and educational purposes only.
American General Life Insurance Company
Sunday, April 13, 2008 2:30 PM
American United Ratings
A.M. Best: A
Fitch : AA-
Standard and Poor's: AA-
American General Life Insurance Company
P.O. Box 1591
Houston, TX 77251
(800) 231-3655
Website : www.aigag.com
Banner Life Insurance Company
Sunday, April 13, 2008 2:30 PM
Banner Life Ratings
A.M. Best: A+
Standard & Poor's: AA
Banner Life Insurance Company
1701 Research Blvd.
Rockville, MD 20850
(800) 638-8428
Website : www.lgamerica.com
Cincinnati Life Insurance Company
Sunday, April 13, 2008 2:30 PM
Cincinnati Life Ratings
A.M. Best: A+
Fitch: AA
Standard & Poor's: AA-
Cincinnati Life Insurance Company
6200 South Gilmore Road
Fairfield, OH 45014
(513) 870-2000
Website : www.cinfin.com
Empire General Life Assurance Corporation
Sunday, April 13, 2008 2:30 PM
Empire General Ratings
A.M. Best: A+
Standard and Poor's: AA
Fitch: AA-
Empire General Life Assurance Corporation
P.O. Box 11266
Birmingham, AL 35202
(800) 327-1303
Website : www.empiregeneral.com
First Colony Life Insurance Company
Sunday, April 13, 2008 2:30 PM
First Colony ratings
A.M. Best: A+
Standard and Poor's: AA-
Moody's: Aa3
First Colony Life Insurance Company
700 Main St.
Lynchburg, VA 24505
(888) 325-5433
Website : www.firstcolonylife.com
Genworth Life Insurance Company
Sunday, April 13, 2008 2:30 PM
Genworth Financial Ratings
A.M. Best: A+
Standard and Poor's: AA-
Moody's: Aa3
Genworth Life Insurance Company
700 Main St.
Lynchburg, VA 24505
(888) 325-5433
Website : www.genworth.com
Lincoln National Life Insurance Company
Sunday, April 13, 2008 2:30 PM
Financial Ratings for Lincoln National Life
A.M. Best: A+
Standard and Poor's: AA-
Moody's: Aa3
Fitch: AA
Lincoln National Life Insurance Company
1300 South Clinton Street
Fort Wayne, IN 46801
(800) 444-2363
Website : www.lfg.com
Midland National Life Insurance Company
Sunday, April 13, 2008 2:30 PM
Financial Ratings for Midland National Life
A.M. Best: A+
Standard and Poor's: AA
Weiss: A-
Midland National Life Insurance Company
1 Midland Plaza
Sioux Falls, SD 57193
(605) 335-5700
Website : www.mnlife.com
Ohio National Life Assurance Corporation
Sunday, April 13, 2008 2:30 PM
Financial ratings for Ohio National Financial
A.M. Best: A+
Fitch: A
Moody's: A1
Standard and Poor's: AA
Ohio National Life Assurance Corporation
P.O. Box 237
Cincinnati, OH 45201
(800) 366-6654
Website : www.ohionatl.com
Protective Life Insurance Company
Sunday, April 13, 2008 2:30 PM
Financial ratings for Protective Life Insurance
A.M. Best: A+
Fitc: AA-
Standard and Poor's: AA
Moody's: Aa3
Protective Life Insurance Company
P.O. Box 2606
Birmingham, AL 35202
(800) 866-3555
Website : www.protective.com
Pruco Life Insurance Company
Sunday, April 13, 2008 2:30 PM
Financial ratings for Pruco Life
A.M. Best: A+
Fitch: AA-
Moody's: Aa3
Standard and Poor's: AA-
Pruco Life Insurance Company
213 Washington St.
Newark, NJ 07102
(800) 778-2255
Website : www.prudential.co
ReliaStar Life Insurance Company
Sunday, April 13, 2008 2:30 PM
Financial ratings for Reliastar
A.M. Best: A+
Fitch: AA
Moody's: Aa3
Standard and Poor's: AA
ReliaStar Life Insurance Company
20 Washington Avenue South
Minneapolis, MN 55401
(877) 886-5050
Website : www.ing-usa.com
USAA Life Insurance Company
Sunday, April 13, 2008 2:30 PM
Financial ratings for USAA Life
A.M. Best: A++
Moody's: Aa1
Standard and Poor's: AAA
USAA Life Insurance Company
P.O. Box 659464
San Antonio, TX 78265
(800) 365-8722
Website : www.usaa.com
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
Auto Insurance
There are more cars than ever on the roads today. This means more accidents and generally higher car insurance costs. What can you do about locating cheap car insurance?
Millions more cars are added to what is essentially the same road system every year. More cars on the same roads mean more accidents and higher car insurance costs. How can you find cheap car insurance in the face of overall increasing costs?
Actually, there are many ways to improve your insurance rates. Some areas you can change anytime you like, while others may require some time.
Start by being a good driver. Studies have shown that, even if you never had an accident, if you have had many tickets, you are much more likely to have an accident in the future than those without tickets. If you have already received more than a few tickets, you cannot do much about it immediately. However, start driving more carefully now and those tickets will "fall off the radar" in a few years.
If you simply must have that fast or very expensive car, that is a personal decision. However, you should know that it will cause higher car insurance premium rates.
If your driving profile has changed, you may be eligible for discounts and do not even know it. If you have moved and your car is now garage parked rather than parked on the street, you should point it out to your agent. If you now commute to work by train versus by car previously, you will again qualify for a rate reduction. Sometimes you may qualify by doing nothing. Insurance companies from time-to-time re-rate the risk factors associated with a given zip code and your rate could go down. Check with your agent.
Be sure you shop around at renewal time. Insurance companies are counting on you to simply sign up again. However, insurance companies do change their priorities from time-to-time. Similarly, your personal situation may have changed as well. You should take the time to review your policy against your current needs.
Then, look into several other car insurance companies for quotes. It's easier than ever these days to locate cheap car insurance. The internet provides convenience that did not used to exist. Before, you had to sit through a question and answer session with an agent that was intent on signing you up on the spot. Today, you can get many quotes from the internet faster you once got just one. There are even online sites that will take your information once and return to you with multiple comparative quotes.
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
cheap life insurance quotes
Cheap life insurance quotes: Those who are paid much less where those zero waste their hard-earned money. The following should help you in your search for better rates ...
1. Some insurers are willing to reduce your premium if you establish a history of reducing your cholesterol. Therefore, take steps in that direction if you are paying very high rates because of your cholesterol. If your insurer does not give you concessions so check with another insurer. Some insurance companies seem to understand certain conditions better than others and are willing to reward those who take steps to reduce their risk factor.
2. If you take part in high risk or extreme sports, you will attract the rate of life insurance. So you leave these dangerous sports if you're looking for lower life insurance rates.
3. Believe it or not, your driving culture can affect your life insurance rates negatively. Speeding tickets and other traffic offenses may actually increase your life insurance premium. The reason is that you make a greater risk to your insurer.
Improving your driving history and the development of a culture of good driving rates lower your life insurance. Sports cars and super bikes will increase your premium because you are a bad risk. It is because they are more easily cause the death of policyholders because of their higher risk of accidents.
4. Get riders where they make sense and save considerably. In case you do not know what is a rider, this is an extension to a policy that allows you to get more coverage than you normally this policy. But also note that some riders not worth the paper they are written on. May you be much better with a brand new policy is a number of cases. So do your best to educate you on this issue and you'll be better prepared to take the right decision for you.
5. Obtain and compare quotes from the reputation of sites. Visit a minimum of five of such for the best results. It's free, quick and easy. You can get prices that will have a range of more than $ 2,000. You can easily save both something with the lowest life insurance quote. And, you know that, because the likelihood of life insurance lower price is proportional to the number of prizes you get, the more companies you get estimates from, the better your chances.
1. Some insurers are willing to reduce your premium if you establish a history of reducing your cholesterol. Therefore, take steps in that direction if you are paying very high rates because of your cholesterol. If your insurer does not give you concessions so check with another insurer. Some insurance companies seem to understand certain conditions better than others and are willing to reward those who take steps to reduce their risk factor.
2. If you take part in high risk or extreme sports, you will attract the rate of life insurance. So you leave these dangerous sports if you're looking for lower life insurance rates.
3. Believe it or not, your driving culture can affect your life insurance rates negatively. Speeding tickets and other traffic offenses may actually increase your life insurance premium. The reason is that you make a greater risk to your insurer.
Improving your driving history and the development of a culture of good driving rates lower your life insurance. Sports cars and super bikes will increase your premium because you are a bad risk. It is because they are more easily cause the death of policyholders because of their higher risk of accidents.
4. Get riders where they make sense and save considerably. In case you do not know what is a rider, this is an extension to a policy that allows you to get more coverage than you normally this policy. But also note that some riders not worth the paper they are written on. May you be much better with a brand new policy is a number of cases. So do your best to educate you on this issue and you'll be better prepared to take the right decision for you.
5. Obtain and compare quotes from the reputation of sites. Visit a minimum of five of such for the best results. It's free, quick and easy. You can get prices that will have a range of more than $ 2,000. You can easily save both something with the lowest life insurance quote. And, you know that, because the likelihood of life insurance lower price is proportional to the number of prizes you get, the more companies you get estimates from, the better your chances.
Monday, March 1, 2010
Book Review: S.P.E.E.D.
This book was sent to me by Matt Schoeneberger, who co-authored it with Jeff Thiboutot. Both have master's degrees in exercise science and health promotion. S.P.E.E.D. stands for Sleep, Psychology, Exercise, Environment and Diet. The authors have attempted to create a concise, comprehensive weight loss strategy based on what they feel is the most compelling scientific evidence available. It's subtitled "The Only Weight Loss Book Worth Reading". Despite the subtitle that's impossible to live up to, it was an interesting and well-researched book. It was a very fast read at 205 large-print pages including 32 pages of appendices and index.
I really appreciate the abundant in-text references the authors provided. I have a hard time taking a health and nutrition book seriously that doesn't provide any basis to evaluate its statements. There are already way too many people flapping their lips out there, without providing any outside support for their statements, for me to tolerate that sort of thing. Even well-referenced books can be a pain if the references aren't in the text itself. Schoeneberger and Thiboutot provided appropriate, accessible references for nearly every major statement in the book.
Chapter one, "What is a Healthy Weight", discusses the evidence for an association between body weight and health. They note that both underweight and obesity are associated with poor health outcomes, whereas moderate overweight isn't. While I agree, I continue to maintain that being fairly lean and appropriately muscled (which doesn't necessarily mean muscular) is probably optimal. The reason that people with a body mass index (BMI) considered to be "ideal" aren't healthier on average than people who are moderately overweight may have to do with the fact that many people with an "ideal" BMI are skinny-fat, i.e. have low muscle mass and too much abdominal fat.
Chapter 2, "Sleep", discusses the importance of sleep in weight regulation and overall health. They reference some good studies and I think they make a compelling case that it's important. Chapter 3, "Psychology", details psychological strategies to motivate and plan for effective weight loss.
Chapter 4, "Exercise", provides an exercise plan for weight loss. The main message: do it! I think they give a fair overview of the different categories of exercise and their relative merits, including high-intensity intermittent training (HIIT). However, the exercise regimen they suggest is intense and will probably lead to overtraining in many people. They recommend resistance training major, multi-joint exercises, 1-3 sets to muscular failure 2-4 days a week. I've been at the higher end of that recommendation and it made my joints hurt, plus I was weaker than when I strength trained less frequently. I think the lower end of their recommendation, 1 set of each exercise to failure twice a week, is more than sufficient to meet the goal of maximizing improvements in body composition in most people. My current routine is one brief strength training session and one sprint session per week (in addition to my leisurely cycle commute), which works well for me on a cost-benefit level. However, I was stronger when I was strength training twice a week and never going to muscular failure (a la Pavel Tsatsouline).
Chapter 5, "Environment", is an interesting discussion of different factors that promote excessive calorie intake, such as the setting of the meal, the company or lack thereof, and food presentation. While they support their statements very well with evidence from scientific studies, I do have a lingering doubt about these types of studies: as far as I know, they're all based on short-term interventions. Science would be a lot easier if short-term always translated to long term, but unfortunately that's not the case. For example, studies lasting one or two weeks show that low glycemic index foods cause a reduction in calorie intake and greater feelings of fullness. However, this effect disappears in the long term, and numerous controlled trials show that low glycemic index diets have no effect on food intake, body weight or insulin sensitivity in the long term. I reviewed those studies here.
The body has homeostatic mechanisms (homeostatic = maintains the status quo) that regulate long-term energy balance. Whether short-term changes in calorie intake based on environmental cues would translate into sustained changes that would have a significant impact on body fat, I don't know. For example, if you eat a meal with your extended family at a restaurant that serves massive portions, you might eat twice as much as you would by yourself in your own home. But the question is, will your body factor that huge meal into your subsequent calorie intake and energy expenditure over the following days? The answer is clearly yes, but the degree of compensation is unclear. Since I'm not aware of any trials indicating that changing meal context can actually lead to long-term weight loss, I can't put much faith in this strategy (if you know otherwise, please link to the study in the comments).
Chapter 6, "Diet", is a very brief discussion of what to eat for weight loss. They basically recommend a low-calorie, low-carb diet focused on whole, natural foods. I think low-carbohydrate diets can be useful for some overweight people trying to lose weight, if for no other reason than the fact that they make it easier to control appetite. In addition, a subset of people respond very well to carbohydrate restriction in terms of body composition, health and well-being. The authors emphasize nutrient density, but don't really explain how to achieve it. It would have been nice to see a discussion of a few topics such as organ meats, leafy greens, dairy quality (pastured vs. conventional) and vitamin D. These may not help you lose weight, but they will help keep you healthy, particularly on a calorie-restricted diet. The authors also recommend a few energy bars, powders and supplements that I don't support. They state that they have no financial connection to the manufacturers of the products they recommend.
I'm wary of their recommendation to deliberately restrict calorie intake. Although it will clearly cause fat loss if you restrict calories enough, it's been shown to be ineffective for sustainable, long-term fat loss over and over again. The only exception is the rare person with an iron will who is able to withstand misery indefinitely. I'm going to keep an open mind on this question though. There may be a place for deliberate calorie restriction in the right context. But at this point I'm going to require some pretty solid evidence that it's effective, sustainable, and doesn't have unacceptable side effects.
The book contains a nice bonus, an appendix titled "What is Quality Evidence"? It's a brief discussion of common logical pitfalls when evaluating evidence, and I think many people could benefit from reading it.
Overall, S.P.E.E.D. was a worthwhile read, definitely superior to 95% of fat loss books. With some caveats mentioned above, I think it could be a useful resource for someone interested in fat loss.
I really appreciate the abundant in-text references the authors provided. I have a hard time taking a health and nutrition book seriously that doesn't provide any basis to evaluate its statements. There are already way too many people flapping their lips out there, without providing any outside support for their statements, for me to tolerate that sort of thing. Even well-referenced books can be a pain if the references aren't in the text itself. Schoeneberger and Thiboutot provided appropriate, accessible references for nearly every major statement in the book.
Chapter one, "What is a Healthy Weight", discusses the evidence for an association between body weight and health. They note that both underweight and obesity are associated with poor health outcomes, whereas moderate overweight isn't. While I agree, I continue to maintain that being fairly lean and appropriately muscled (which doesn't necessarily mean muscular) is probably optimal. The reason that people with a body mass index (BMI) considered to be "ideal" aren't healthier on average than people who are moderately overweight may have to do with the fact that many people with an "ideal" BMI are skinny-fat, i.e. have low muscle mass and too much abdominal fat.
Chapter 2, "Sleep", discusses the importance of sleep in weight regulation and overall health. They reference some good studies and I think they make a compelling case that it's important. Chapter 3, "Psychology", details psychological strategies to motivate and plan for effective weight loss.
Chapter 4, "Exercise", provides an exercise plan for weight loss. The main message: do it! I think they give a fair overview of the different categories of exercise and their relative merits, including high-intensity intermittent training (HIIT). However, the exercise regimen they suggest is intense and will probably lead to overtraining in many people. They recommend resistance training major, multi-joint exercises, 1-3 sets to muscular failure 2-4 days a week. I've been at the higher end of that recommendation and it made my joints hurt, plus I was weaker than when I strength trained less frequently. I think the lower end of their recommendation, 1 set of each exercise to failure twice a week, is more than sufficient to meet the goal of maximizing improvements in body composition in most people. My current routine is one brief strength training session and one sprint session per week (in addition to my leisurely cycle commute), which works well for me on a cost-benefit level. However, I was stronger when I was strength training twice a week and never going to muscular failure (a la Pavel Tsatsouline).
Chapter 5, "Environment", is an interesting discussion of different factors that promote excessive calorie intake, such as the setting of the meal, the company or lack thereof, and food presentation. While they support their statements very well with evidence from scientific studies, I do have a lingering doubt about these types of studies: as far as I know, they're all based on short-term interventions. Science would be a lot easier if short-term always translated to long term, but unfortunately that's not the case. For example, studies lasting one or two weeks show that low glycemic index foods cause a reduction in calorie intake and greater feelings of fullness. However, this effect disappears in the long term, and numerous controlled trials show that low glycemic index diets have no effect on food intake, body weight or insulin sensitivity in the long term. I reviewed those studies here.
The body has homeostatic mechanisms (homeostatic = maintains the status quo) that regulate long-term energy balance. Whether short-term changes in calorie intake based on environmental cues would translate into sustained changes that would have a significant impact on body fat, I don't know. For example, if you eat a meal with your extended family at a restaurant that serves massive portions, you might eat twice as much as you would by yourself in your own home. But the question is, will your body factor that huge meal into your subsequent calorie intake and energy expenditure over the following days? The answer is clearly yes, but the degree of compensation is unclear. Since I'm not aware of any trials indicating that changing meal context can actually lead to long-term weight loss, I can't put much faith in this strategy (if you know otherwise, please link to the study in the comments).
Chapter 6, "Diet", is a very brief discussion of what to eat for weight loss. They basically recommend a low-calorie, low-carb diet focused on whole, natural foods. I think low-carbohydrate diets can be useful for some overweight people trying to lose weight, if for no other reason than the fact that they make it easier to control appetite. In addition, a subset of people respond very well to carbohydrate restriction in terms of body composition, health and well-being. The authors emphasize nutrient density, but don't really explain how to achieve it. It would have been nice to see a discussion of a few topics such as organ meats, leafy greens, dairy quality (pastured vs. conventional) and vitamin D. These may not help you lose weight, but they will help keep you healthy, particularly on a calorie-restricted diet. The authors also recommend a few energy bars, powders and supplements that I don't support. They state that they have no financial connection to the manufacturers of the products they recommend.
I'm wary of their recommendation to deliberately restrict calorie intake. Although it will clearly cause fat loss if you restrict calories enough, it's been shown to be ineffective for sustainable, long-term fat loss over and over again. The only exception is the rare person with an iron will who is able to withstand misery indefinitely. I'm going to keep an open mind on this question though. There may be a place for deliberate calorie restriction in the right context. But at this point I'm going to require some pretty solid evidence that it's effective, sustainable, and doesn't have unacceptable side effects.
The book contains a nice bonus, an appendix titled "What is Quality Evidence"? It's a brief discussion of common logical pitfalls when evaluating evidence, and I think many people could benefit from reading it.
Overall, S.P.E.E.D. was a worthwhile read, definitely superior to 95% of fat loss books. With some caveats mentioned above, I think it could be a useful resource for someone interested in fat loss.
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