Search results for insurance rates
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Posted
Sep 03 2009, 09:00 AM
by
Karen Datko
Money Blog: Smart Spending Blog - MSN Money
One of the pleasures of reading Sports Illustrated is the brief weekly feature called "Sign of the Apocalypse."
We think SI nailed it with this "sign": "A Long Island company is offering insurance to fantasy football owners that allows them to recoup their league fees if a player on their team gets hurt."
Could anyone possibly think this is a good idea? Let's see.
Bing: Fantasy football rankings
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Posted
Aug 05 2009, 01:12 PM
by
Karen Datko
Money Blog: Smart Spending Blog - MSN Money
This post comes from James Limbach at partner site ConsumerAffairs.com.
With the battle over health care reform likely to last well into the fall, a new survey suggests that a lot of consumers are ready for some changes.
People who took part in the latest Consumer Reports survey say median annual out-of-pocket costs for premiums increased by 38% in the past two years, and only 64% of those surveyed were "very" or "completely" satisfied with their current health insurance plan.
"That's a lukewarm response and a slight drop from the 67% in our 2007 report," said Mandy Walker, senior project editor for CR. "In terms of services we rate, that puts satisfaction with health insurance above satisfaction with cable TV, a perennial whipping post, but below pharmacies and real estate agents."
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Posted
Jul 22 2009, 02:33 PM
by
Karen Datko
Money Blog: Smart Spending Blog - MSN Money
This post comes from partner site ConsumerAffairs.com.
One objective of health care legislation pushed by President Obama is universal coverage -- providing health insurance options for all Americans. The question, of course, is how to do it.
Backers of the so-called government option, in which a Medicare-like policy competes with private insurers, can point to a new study by The Commonwealth Fund. The study found that 73% of people who tried to buy insurance on their own in the last three years did not purchase a policy, primarily because premiums were too high.
In addition, among adults with individual coverage or those who tried to buy coverage in the past three years:
- 57% said it was very difficult or impossible to find coverage they could afford.
- 47% said it was very difficult or impossible to find a plan with the coverage they needed.
- 36% were denied coverage or charged more because of a pre-existing condition, or the condition was excluded from their coverage.
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Posted
Jul 14 2009, 05:53 AM
by
Karen Datko
Money Blog: Smart Spending Blog - MSN Money
This post comes from Jim Wang at partner blog Bargaineering.
I had the great pleasure of going to traffic court recently. Yay!
I was there to contest a ticket for making an improper left turn through a red light. The ticket was for $90 and I'm unsure how many points it would've been, but an improper turn costs one point and failure to stop at a red is two points. Do I get both, or just the worse of the two? I wasn't sure, but I knew points usually mean my insurance would go up and I wanted to avoid that at all costs.
Note: Everything contained in this article is based on my experience in a Maryland courtroom and with Maryland procedures, specifically Howard County District Court. The process and rules may be different in your jurisdiction.
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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?
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Posted
Jun 02 2009, 04:58 AM
by
Karen Datko
Money Blog: Smart Spending Blog - MSN Money
This post comes from Jim Wang at partner blog Bargaineering.
I'm 28 and I don't have life insurance. Many people don't begin thinking about life insurance until they start a family, and I'll be no different. While we don't plan on starting a family in another year or so, it's important to learn about things before you need them -- before emotion and time pressure begin affecting judgment -- and recently I spent some time looking at life insurance.
How I chose term vs. whole life
There are four types of life insurance: term life, whole life, universal life, and variable life. (My earlier article discusses what each one is.) I want insurance to cover the catastrophic problems; I'll self-insure against the everyday and more routine problems. Some life insurance policies have a death benefit aspect and an investment/annuity aspect. But I also like clear segregation between the various aspects of my life, which is why I want to keep my life insurance simple.
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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:
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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.
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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.
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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:
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