Browse by Tags
-
Posted
Jul 03 2009, 07:19 AM
by
Karen Datko
Rating:
Money Blog: Smart Spending Blog - MSN Money
This post comes from partner blog The Dough Roller.
Individual health insurance plans can be costly, complex and downright confusing. Navigating the world of co-insurance, co-pays and deductibles becomes a difficult task when it comes to choosing insurance plans that are not prepackaged and backed by an employer.
Many self-employed individuals and those who work for employers that do not provide health insurance spend hours trying to decipher the language of the industry and find the best coverage for the lowest premiums.
All health insurance plans are not created equal. Health insurance companies use a variety of different approaches when developing products and services for individual buyers. Low premiums might not necessarily mean that individuals are getting the type of coverage they need. The first step in exploring the many different types of individual health insurance plans is to learn all about the basic terminology and common features.
What is co-insurance?
Read More...
-
Posted
Nov 06 2008, 04:12 PM
by
Karen Datko
Rating:
Money Blog: Smart Spending Blog - MSN Money
Many employers are now holding open enrollment for health insurance, so it's time to thoroughly explore your options. With rising costs and shrinking coverage, you might save significant money by changing your plan. But please do not follow an unfortunate new trend and decline coverage to avoid paying what are likely to be higher costs. Says Consumer Reports (and we cannot emphasize this enough): That is a bad, bad idea. The cost of even a single serious health condition -- an injury, an accident, a bout of depression, an unexpected illness or surgery -- can hit five figures before you know it and lead rapidly to financial ruin.
Read More...
-
Posted
Nov 05 2007, 10:45 AM
by
Donna Freedman
Rating:
Money Blog: Smart Spending Blog - MSN Money
Time to admit to being a dunderhead: I've been way overpaying for auto insurance for the past few years. Worse, I discovered that I didn't have coverage I needed (uninsured driver) and was paying for insurance I probably didn't need (collision). All of this cost me $98 a month, or $1,176 a year. Confession is good for the soul, but it's embarrassing when done in print. I'm doing so in hopes of inspiring readers to check their own policies and make a few calls. As incentive, let me point out that my new plan will save me almost $700 a year. Like I said: way overpaying. How much per month? I've had the nagging feeling that I could do better. But life has been so hectic that "get insurance rate quotes" kept getting pushed to the bottom of the to-do list. When an Allstate ad sheet was delivered with the newspaper, I decided it was time to deal. An Allstate agent here in Seattle told me I could combine renter's and auto insurance for a total of $1,056 a year, or about $88 per month for both
Read More...
-
Posted
Dec 10 2008, 06:32 AM
by
Karen Datko
Rating:
Money Blog: Smart Spending Blog - MSN Money
This guest post comes from "vh" at Funny about Money. MetLife sent a notice inviting me to designate someone who can be alerted if a payment on my long-term-care insurance is missed. Good thought: Obviously, if you get into a predicament where you need long-term care, you may not be competent to pay your bills. I have the premium, which comes to about $75 a month, paid electronically, and so it's unlikely the bill will go unpaid unless my son has to take over my affairs and he changes things around.
This policy, which I originally bought from TIAA-CREF but was sold to MetLife, will not cover the exorbitant cost of nursing home or nursing care 100%. However, it does cover enough that my Social Security and (if my mutual funds ever recover) a 4% drawdown from savings will take up the slack.
Read More...
-
Posted
Dec 03 2008, 06:45 AM
by
Karen Datko
Rating:
Filed under: banking, The Dough Roller, mortgage rates, credit rating, credit cards, credit reports, credit card rates, credit score, bad credit, car insurance, insurance rates, homeowners insurance
Money Blog: Smart Spending Blog - MSN Money
This post comes from partner blog The Dough Roller. We all know just how important our credit score is when we apply for a loan. High credit scores get approved, while low scores do not, subject to other factors, of course. But your credit score and credit history affect a lot more than whether you get approved for a loan. Here are seven unexpected ways your credit score and credit history can affect your finances.
Read More...
-
Posted
Jan 27 2009, 10:18 AM
by
Karen Datko
Rating:
Money Blog: Smart Spending Blog - MSN Money
This post comes from partner blog ConsumerAffairs.com.
As the unemployment rate reaches the highest level in 16 years, a new analysis from The Commonwealth Fund finds that few workers who have lost their jobs -- only 9% -- take up health insurance coverage under COBRA, the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act.
Unemployed workers who lose health insurance would need substantial financial assistance, covering 75% to 85% of their health insurance premiums, for their premium contributions to remain at the levels they paid while they were working, according to the report.
Read More...
-
Posted
Dec 18 2008, 07:13 AM
by
Karen Datko
Rating:
Money Blog: Smart Spending Blog - MSN Money
This post comes from Linsey Knerl at partner blog Wise Bread. I have had the good fortune to experience comprehensive dental insurance in my lifetime. For a small monthly premium (usually $27 or less), my family and I could enjoy twice-a-year cleanings, annual X-rays, and routine repairs with little or no out-of-pocket expense. Now that I've jumped headfirst into the world of self-employment, my days of enjoying low-cost dental coverage are gone. So I tried a dental "discount" plan for the first time ever. Here's what I have found:
Read More...
-
Posted
Feb 25 2009, 12:05 PM
by
Karen Datko
Rating:
Money Blog: Smart Spending Blog - MSN Money
Like many people, we made a conscious decision last year to drive less as a way to save on gas. Through trip consolidation and more use of our feet, we drove only 5,237 miles.
So, we wondered, why do we still pay so much for car insurance? Sure, companies give discounts for lower mileage, but isn't there a better deal?
There is, in some states. Two companies offer pay-as-you-drive auto insurance, says Bankrate, and others are getting ready to roll out similar plans. Some drivers who enroll could see their insurance rates cut in half.
Before you rush to the phone to call your agent, there are some issues to consider, according to the excellent Bankrate story:
Read More...
-
Posted
Dec 23 2008, 05:54 AM
by
Karen Datko
Rating:
Money Blog: Smart Spending Blog - MSN Money
This post comes from partner blog Blueprint for Financial Prosperity. One of the main reasons I bought a home was because I was tired of moving. I hated packing up my things, renting a truck, moving my things, then unpacking my things. It felt like such wasted effort. However, in my numerous moves, I did establish a great way to come up with a total cost-of-housing metric that helped me compare various housing options. When I first started comparing apartments, I got the basics right. I compared the total rent, I accounted for utilities, and I accounted for any insurance I would need to buy. I failed to recognize commute time and cost, though, which played a significant factor in my first apartment (25 miles one way). That's just one of the considerations I missed. There are several more.
Read More...
-
Posted
Oct 21 2008, 04:35 AM
by
Karen Datko
Rating:
Money Blog: Smart Spending Blog - MSN Money
This post comes from partner blog Blueprint for Financial Prosperity. When I first started driving, I was amazed at how much car insurance costs. I, like many other newly minted drivers, was put on my parents' car insurance policy -- which I'm sure made my parents nervous -- and didn't really feel the full brunt of new-driver rates. However, when I left the nest and had to insure myself, I started hoping that 25 would come sooner because everyone said car insurance rates drop significantly after you turn 25. (I spent all my under-21 years waiting to be 21, then my under-25 years waiting to be 25. Now I'm waiting for retirement. The waiting never ends.) I've had the opportunity to test the rates-drop-at-25 myth and other car insurance myths, and here's what I've found:
Read More...
More Posts Next page »
|
