Do You Need Health Insurance For Students?

Finding affordable health insurance for students is a very important task. A single major injury can cause medical bills that can financially cripple a person for many years after the event has already passed. Students, particularly college students, are also one of the demographics of people who are most likely to go without health care coverage, in part because of cost, and in large part often because of that "young and invincible" feeling many youth possess.

What many individuals don't know is that health insurance for college students is often actually quite cheap since one of the largest determining factors in insurance rates is age. Everything else being equal, the older an individual is the more they will pay in monthly premiums. Because younger people tend to be at peak health, cost should not be a major factor in finding good health insurance.

In fact, even on tight budgets there are many health insurance companies that have taken advantage of a college student's likely good health by offering a wide array of low cost options for students to still carry health insurance for in case of emergencies.

If you are a college student looking for some type of a cheap policy, or a parent concerned about your child's welfare, there are a few great areas to start while looking for a policy:

1. Look for a temporary health insurance policy. These policies tend to be weighted less for doctor's check ups, but more for emergency situations. These policies also tend to be among the cheapest, since they only cover major hospital visits, but they cover for worst case scenarios and can usually even be bought by students taking a year off or who are between colleges.

2. Talk to the school. Some colleges and universities make health insurance coverage mandatory. If students are not covered by their parents' plans, or they can not find a cheap and appropriate temporary insurance plan, then sometimes the school itself offers insurance coverage that can be purchased.

Both of these are great options for covering students. Since temporary health insurance doesn't cover dental, glasses, physicals, or regular check ups the cost stays low since the chances of a large accident are small—but that is why the insurance is there, just in case you are one of the unfortunates who needs an emergency room visit, or has a sports injury, and needs to make a hospital visit. These cheaper plans are often affordable for even the most budget conscious of students, and give the coverage necessary for peace of mind.

While prices for education keep climbing and it is harder and harder for students to make ends meet, health insurance is not one area that you can afford to skimp on. There are good health insurance plans for students, and cheaper ones that can cover all emergencies. This is one case where it is definitely better to have and not need, than to need and not have.

Tips For Lowering Your Individual Health Insurance Costs

Are you currently looking for an affordable individual health insurance plan? Well, good luck. I don't mean to be a pessimist but the cost of health insurance, even for an individual, has gone out of sight over the past few years. I was speaking to a family member recently and they told me that they were paying over $300.00 per month just for an individual health plan.

There are some things that you may be able to do in order to bring those premium payments down, however, you'll need to decide in the end if these would be in your best interest or not.

The first thing that you could do is to cut down on your coverage. This means getting the least expensive policy available and raising your deductible higher. This will mean that you'll likely be paying for all of your doctor visits out of your own pocket, but you should be covered for any unexpected accidents or any long term hospitalization costs, minus your deductible. This might be a feasible option if you think about it. Example, if your current deductible is $250.00 and your premium payments are costing you $300.00 per month then you can probably reduce your monthly costs by half or more by raising your deductible up to $2,500 or even $5,000. I know, I know. Nobody wants to pay that much out of pocket, however, let's look at another example.

The average person only visits the doctor twice a year, once for a check-up and once for illness. If you figure the cost of those two visits combined to be in the range of $300-400.00, depending on what has to be taken care of, then you could potentially save a lot by raising your deductible. Look at the numbers. If you were able to cut your premium in half by raising your deductible then you're saving $150.00 per month or $1,800 per year. If you only payed $400.00 out of pocket then you've saved yourself $1,400 over the course of twelve months and you'll still be covered for emergency care. The key to making this work is to put money in savings until you've saved a few hundred dollars and then leave it there specifically for doctor visits alone. This is only one option for you to consider when you get ready to purchase an individual health insurance plan.

Health Savings Accounts - Rollovers From FSAs into HSAs

"Health Savings Accounts are improving the way Americans obtain the care they need. This bill makes HSAs more flexible and makes it easier for participants to put money aside for their personal health care," said Treasury Assistant Secretary for Tax Policy. Health Savings Accounts have been growing in popularity over the last few years due in part to the focus being placed on accessibility and affordability. Health Savings Accounts are indeed improving the way Americans obtain the care they need. Health Savings Accounts are making receiving healthcare an actuality rather than a distant hope.

Benefits afforded to those participating in Health Savings Account programs far outweigh those of traditional insurance plans. Traditional insurance plans often times provide its employees with Flexible Spending Accounts, FSAs or a Health Reimbursement Account, HRA. While Health Savings Accounts are drastically different from traditional policies, you are able to transfer funds from a FSA or an HRA. If you are currently participating in an FSA or a HRA and have decided to enroll in a Health Savings Account, your employer can transfer funds from your FSA or HRA into your Health Savings Account up to the yearly maximum*. Health Savings Accounts were developed to meet the needs of the consumer. By allowing funds previously accrued to be transferred into your Health Savings Account the issue of access and affordability of healthcare is being addressed.

Health Savings Accounts were also established on a tax-free basis. Meaning, funds deposited into a Health Savings Account are tax-free if spend on qualified medical expenses. When transferring funds from an FSA or an HRA the amount deposited will fall under the same guidelines as funds deposited in the future.

Health Savings Accounts provide it's policyholders with a comprehensive policy, but also provides the individual with the means to utilize contributions from other eligible accounts.

* The maximum contribution is the balance in the FSA or HRA as of September 21, 2006, or if less, the balance as of the date of the transfer. The provision is limited to one distribution with respect to each health FSA or HRA of the individual. If an individual does not remain an eligible individual for the 12 months following the month of the contribution, the transferred amount is included in income and subject to a 10 percent additional tax.

Home Insurance - A Check up? Why And How

Of all your earthly possessions, your home certainly ranks among the most important. Your home insurance is therefore not something you can afford to joke with. Yes, even if you have an extensive home insurance policy, you still need do a good check up....

Why? Because you could be exposing yourself if you don't. If you've made some renovations, for example, or added some features, the value of your home has increased. You need to ensure your coverage takes care of that.

If the market value of your home has changed it may also mean that its replacement value has also changed. If you do not check to see if the replacement cost tallies, you'll be getting a lot less than you expected in the event of a claim.

Another reason why you should do a check up often is that you might really be paying a lot more than you should be paying. Yes, it really does pay to do routine checks.

Let's take, for example, that there are changes in your neighborhood, these may either up your home insurance premium or lower them. You certainly will know if there's reason to up your premium (Your insurance company will tell you). However, what you won't know from them is the difference in changes effected by various insurance companies or if another insurance offers you more for less.

Even if there aren't any changes, you can still get some savings by uncovering a home insurance quotes site that has an insurance company you really didn't take into consideration before buying your present policy.

What do you really lose if you don't do regular home insurance check-ups? A lot if there are savings waiting for you to take advantage of or if there are adjustments to be made in your coverage to your advantage. Take some time out to check a few home insurance quotes sites to see if you have savings waiting for you to take.

Low Cost Health Insurance - Is There An Alternative To Health Insurance?

Have you been searching for low cost health insurance but don't know where to turn? You're not alone, there are now millions of people without health insurance here in the United States. The situation is completely unacceptable as far as I'm concern, however, I'm only one voice and my one voice only carries so far. There are ways that you can lower your health insurance costs, one of which is by raising your annual deductible to a higher level. Let me explain how this works.

By raising your annual deductible you'll still have substantial coverage towards any hospitalization costs, but it means that you'll probably be paying the majority of your doctor visits out-of-pocket. Most people only see the doctor once or twice a year and even then, most of the time it's for sickness not injury so you'd be looking at possibly only paying the cost of two doctor visits, plus the cost of prescriptions, if any. Of course, this is assuming that you're an individual. A family of four might be a little bit more difficult to provide for out-of-pocket.

There are now also health insurance alternatives that are similar to dental discount plans. These plans are not health insurance, but offer discounted rates from regular doctors fees by paying cash at the time of the visit. Although I have heard of these and know that some people are doing well with them, I'm not completely educated on these yet. I know that they work out well for some people that are uninsurable. If a person is uninsurable then doesn't matter what the cost is in the first place because they can't get it. Any type of a discount on health care at that point would be wonderful. It's just something else to keep in mind if you're in need of low-cost health insurance and are unable to find it.

I highly recommend that you take advantage of some of the free health insurance quotes that are available on the Internet. You might come across a low cost health insurance plan that fits in your budget after all.

Mortgage Payment Protection Insurance That Covers Loss Of Job FAQ

Isn't there a sort of redundancy insurance or mortgage insurance provided by the state? Surely I don't need accident, sickness and unemployment insurance. A If you have more than £8,000 savings you will not be eligible for income support and that means you will get no help. You should consider accident, sickness and unemployment insurance.

Is there a 'state' redundancy insurance?

If you took out your mortgage before October 2, 1995, you will receive no help for 8 weeks. For the next 18 weeks, the state will pay half your mortgage interest payments.

If you had your mortgage after October 2, 1995, you will receive nothing for 39 weeks. Mortgage insurance benefit is for the first £100,000 only. If you have unemployment insurance, you won't have to worry.

So there is no state redundancy insurance or mortgage insurance if I can't work. So what do I do?

The best approach is to buy accident, sickness and unemployment insurance, otherwise known as mortgage protection insurance. It is also referred to as accident, sickness and unemployment insurance and it provides financial protection.

How does Mortgage Payment Protection Insurance work?

The level of Mortgage Payment Protection Insurance depends on mortgage size. The Mortgage Payment Protection Insurance policy will pay, usually by making direct mortgage insurance payments to your lender. Mortgage insurance benefit will normally be paid for a maximum of 12 months. Mortgage Insurance payments stop when you return to work.

Can the Mortgage Protection Insurance cover the premiums for savings plans linked to a mortgage?

Yes. The Mortgage Protection Insurance can cover monthly premiums on an endowment policy, or an ISA.

Are there age limits for Mortgage Payment Protection Insurance?

Usually between 18 and 65.

Is there Mortgage Protection Insurance for the self-employed?

Yes, but check the small print of the Mortgage Protection Insurance, exclusions can make claiming redundancy insurance difficult. Most mortgage insurance companies will only accept a claim if you have involuntarily ceased trading. Even with unemployment insurance, you must have register for JSA.

Contract workers must choose unemployment insurance carefully. Most Mortgage protection insurance companies will accept a claim only if the worker is either on an annual contract that has been renewed at least once. With different contracts a redundancy insurance claim will be accepted only if they have spent 6 months with the same employer and the contract has been renewed twice. In this case unemployment insurance will pay only if the contract has been terminated early, and the unemployment insurance benefit will be paid only until the date the contract would have expired.

Do Mortgage Protection Insurance policies cover part-time workers?

Yes. Most Mortgage protection insurance policies will cover those working part time provided they work 16 hours per week.

What is High Risk Home Owner Insurance?

For some people finding home owners insurance can become quite a headache. They find that they are having trouble getting approved or the monthly premiums are higher then they are normally used to. One reason this can happen is either the owners or the home itself has been designated as high risk. Which ever the case there are several issues which can cause a home owner to purchase high risk insurance and there are things that can be done to help minimize the cost.

The location of the home to be insured can have much to do with whether it is labeled as high risk or not. If it is located in a high crime area or an area known to be frequented by vandals then chances are the monthly premiums will be higher then a comparable home in a different neighborhood. Insurance companies track this type of information and will adjust their rates based on the amount of claims they may get from a certain area.

If you live in such a neighborhood then there are certain things you can do to decrease the risk rating of your home.

• Have a security system installed that is hard wired back to a central call center. This makes sure that someone will always be aware when the alarm goes off and can notify the right authorities.

• Have heavy duty locks installed, particularly dead-bolts. If you have a basement be sure that all windows and doors are secured with the appropriate locking devices as well.

• Keep expensive jewelry and other valuable items in a safety deposit box.

Weather and the higher occurrences of natural disasters such as floods, earthquakes, tornados, and hurricanes can also have an effect on home owner insurance rates. If you live in an area prone to these types of conditions your insurance rates will be higher. It is also important to double check with your insurance provider to make sure that you home owners policy does in fact cover this type of disaster. For instance almost all home insurance does not cover flood damage or destruction. Flood insurance must be purchased as a separate policy for anyone who lives in a flood zone. Your current insurance provider can point you in the right direction when it comes to these types of policies.

Another area that may place you in the high risk home owner insurance bracket is how many claims have been filed on the home in question. This is something that new home buyers need to be aware of. Before purchasing a house be sure to get quotes on what the home owners insurance costs will be. Make sure to find out if previous claims have been filed on the house and what they were for. If it's a reoccurring problem it may be best to pass on the house. In most cases if two or more claims are filed within one year the home will be classified as high risk, driving up the insurance premiums.

An area that many people are unaware of but can place you in the high risk category is a bad credit rating. This is something that can be improved over time by improving your credit score. This is the one thing that a home owner has complete control over.

While high risk homeowner insurance will undoubtedly cost more then regular insurance it is important that you purchase insurance to protect your home and family against unforeseen damage that may occur. Even if you fall into the high risk category be sure to shop around to find the lowest rate that adequately protects your investment.

Insurance Fraud - Spotting Insurance Scams

The majority of people who commit insurance fraud don't think they're hurting anybody directly. In fact, they think they're hurting major corporations who have enough money that they don't care anyway. This is not the case. In the United States, insurance scams cost an estimated $875 per person annually. It adds up to approx. $80 billion per year, and with the rapid growth of technology, it's getting harder and harder to catch.

There are different types of insurance fraud.

One of the leading forms of insurance fraud is in our health care system. Health care fraud results in over $30 billion per year in the United States. There are two kinds of health insurance fraud: member fraud and provider fraud. An example of member fraud is when you deceive your insurance company by purposely not declaring something, where an example of provider fraud is if you were to bill for a service that was never rendered.

One fast-gorwing form of insurance fraud is automobile insurance fraud. Staged rear-end car accidents are a common form of this type of fraud. This is when a scam driver will stop suddenly in front of a car deliberately so they other car rear-ends them. Another popular scam is when there's already an accident, you add damage purposely in the hopes to collect more money. Often times, this works, which is why it's important to take photographs of the damage.

Another form of insurance fraud is when the beneficiary tries to collect the benefits while the insured is still alive. This is called life insurance fraud. The best thing you can do in this scenario is to know your insurance broker. When you go in to pay your premium on the insurance, don't pay in cash. make sure you understand your policy, and if you don't, bring it to someone who does.

And last but not least, I want to talk about fire insurance fraud. This form of fraud is very common because it's hard to prove. If you lose your house to a fire, who's stopping you from declaring stuff you didn't have in the first place? There is no real way to prevent this kind of fraud. This will haunt you in your taxes and that's about it. The best thing you can do is report it if you hear of anyone making false claims.

As I mentioned previously, the best thing you can do if you're a victim of fraud or if you hear of any sort of fraud taking place, is to report it. You can report fraud to the National Fraud Information Center at 1-800-876-7060. I hope this article has opened everyone's eyes a little bit to how this serious crime is affecting each and every one of us.