Don’t be excluded! Know what your travel insurance covers and more importantly, what it doesn’t. Whatever your travel plans, buying travel health insurance is a smart idea. Without proper insurance, you could subject yourself and your family to potential risk — and huge financial losses. Why travel insurance? When you are away from home even the most minor injuries or illnesses can become a major expense. So while an accident or illness can happen anywhere at anytime, emergency medical travel insurance helps to protect you from the unexpected costs that can come with a visit to a doctor or hospital outside of your home country. Out of country medical expenses are costly. The cost of medical treatments and services abroad can be staggering. Even the most minor injury or illness could cost you thousands of dollars. Consider the following example provided by a leading Canadian travel insurance provider the total cost of medical expenses for a 44-year-old who accidentally fell from a ledge was a staggering $457,370. His provincial health plan only covered $29,149, which means that, without emergency medical travel coverage he would have been $428,221 out-of-pocket. Your provincial health plan may not cover the bill. Many travellers dont realize that their provincial health plan doesnt cover all the costs of medical treatments received outside Canada. At best, your health plan may cover a small portion of your medical emergency costs. A flight home may not be an option. Medical evacuation can easily cost more than $10,000, depending on your location and medical condition. The good news is that even the most basic emergency medical policies can cost as little as $13 dollars a week and provide coverage for emergency medical treatment and services such as: – Hospitalization – Ambulance services – Lab tests – X-rays – Prescription drugs – Emergency flights home In addition, more comprehensive packages can be purchased that include: – Transportation of a relative to your bedside – Dental accidents – Vehicle return – Out-of-pocket expenses – Childcare attendant – Meals and accommodation – Pet return – Baggage loss or damage However, you should be aware that emergency medical travel insurance policies do have exclusions, which is why its important to read through the coverage details carefully. Common travel insurance exclusions In general, most emergency medical policies do not cover the cost of medical treatment for accidents, injuries or illnesses caused by or related to the following conditions or activities: – Professional Sports – Elective treatment or surgery – Alcohol or drug use – Pre-existing conditions – Mental, emotional or nervous disorders – Speed contests or organized motor contests In addition, most basic emergency medical policies do not provide coverage for or have significant restrictions on the following activities or events: – Scuba diving, sky diving, rock climbing etc. – Pregnancy/Childbirth – War or Terrorism If you plan to participate in any sports or activities similar to the ones highlighted above you should speak to a travel insurance representative to get more information on any exclusions or conditions. Additional coverage may be available for certain activities. Finally, some travel insurance savings tips – Dont accept the first package youre offered. Travel insurance policies can vary by over 100% for similar coverage. By doing a little legwork, you could save a lot of money. – Dont feel pressured into buying a policy from your travel agent. Although you may save a little time by buying your policy through your travel agent, it is unlikely youll get your policy at the best price. – If you are a frequent traveller consider purchasing an annual policy. If you plan to take more than one trip this year, buying an annual policy instead of a single trip policy could save you both time and money. Before you leave, get emergency medical travel insurance quotes from competing insurers online and get the coverage you need. Compare emergency medical travel insurance today!

A well-known adage says: “Money saved is money earned”. Saving money by investing on life insurance has become a rage these days amongst all sections of the society. According to a recent media poll, most senior citizens like investing on life insurance in order to save money form being wasted. In this age of information technology consumer has really emerged as the uncrowned king of every business activity. With a little bit of precision and proper market survey the best deal will invariably land in your lap. This new consumerist economy forced the life insurance corporations to emerge in its new avatar. Form being just life insurance corporations it has now become to money saving forums catering to the needs of its aggressive consumers. Ways to save money when investing on life insurance- -Always go for financially sound companies when investing on life insurance-Almost all companies these days sell life insurance. So, it is better to narrow down your search by going for only companies having good reputation in the market. Do not get lured by companies offering low premium rates. They may turn out to be a bad choice in the long run. -Determine the right rate class-Once you have decided which companies you want to go for determine the rate class that suits you best. Most of the life insurance companies sell different price classes. -Do a small market survey research to decide the standard premium rate- A small market research is crucial in determining the standard premium rates charged by life insurance corporations. -Look into group insurance-Employer sponsored life insurance are perhaps the safest bet. It is advisable to go for it even it require you to shell out a few bucks from your own pocket. Employers of reputed corporations generally provide a subsidy on group insurance costs making it less expensive than individual life insurance. Make a comparison on group and individual rates while taking into account certain factors like health status, age etc. -Paying premiums at small intervals is not a good money-saving tactic-Paying your premiums at small intervals may cost you much more than paying once every year or once every half-year. -Get a good rate for yourself-Finding yourself a good rate may be a daunting task for you as many companies essentially offer different rates for the same policy. -It’s advisable to look for renewal guarantees-Always go for renewal guarantees. So, that after the current renewal ends you are able to start a new term and in the process save money. Getting the right kind of deal and saving money by buying a life insurance may turn out to be a messy affair if you do not take proper precautions before venturing out to find the deal that suits you best. It is a good idea to get some handy tips from an industry insider so that you do not fall in a financial trap. Saving money is all about making then right moves at the right time. So, throw all your financial worries at bay and invest on life insurance only to gift yourself and your family a life worth living.

No matter who you are or what you do for a living, you should make sure that you have some sort of life insurance policy. However, this is even more the case if you are one of the only sources of income for your family. In this case, you should keep in mind that your family will lose your income should you die prematurely – but with life insurance, they will still be taken care of afterward. These are not situations that anybody likes to think about, of course. However, it is always best to be prepared for the future. There are two types of life insurance that can apply to most people. The two policies are both term life insurance and permanent life insurance. While ideally, everybody would be able to get permanent life insurance, that might not be the best choice for you due to the price of insurance. Term life insurance is usually cheaper than permanent life insurance. This is both due to the fact that the term is shorter than the permanent plan – and because you will have to pay for this insurance for a shorter period of time. Term life insurance is a good idea if you are only worried about your family for a short period of time. This type of life insurance can be purchased for a different period of time depending on how long you need it. Most people who are going to start a family usually go for the 20 year long life insurance policy – that way you’ll be protected as long as your children live in the house. One thing to watch out for, though, is that if you are going with term life insurance and decide that you’ll need to extend it with another policy later, you may end up spending more money on your monthly premiums. The reason for this is that most life insurance policies are priced based on how likely it is that you’ll need the coverage (this is just like any other type of insurance as well). As a result, generally the premium cost will increase as you get older. If you have somebody in your family that you expect to care for during the rest of you life, then you should open a permanent life insurance policy now, in order to save yourself money in the future. Either way, even if your occupation is not particularly dangerous, it is still a good idea to have a life insurance policy.

Are you paying too much for your auto insurance? If you believe you are paying too much for your current auto insurance coverage then the following suggestions may help you save money: 1. Shop around Sure, youve read this tip everywhere but its true. Only by shopping around for auto insurance coverage and getting quotes on premiums from several insurance companies will you be able to know for certain you are getting your car insurance coverage at the best available rate. When shopping for your auto insurance policy, remember to compare more than insurance rates. Ask about how insurance claims are approved and processed, and how quickly theyre paid. Look into each insurers financial stability (there are independent rating services that can help you with this.) Remember, during times of stress like after an accident you will be dealing with the insurance company and youll want to make sure youll be helped when you need it most. 2. Select a higher insurance deductible When you file a claim, a deductible is the amount you pay first before your insurer pays the remaining balance. Often people select lower deductibles, so when they have to submit a claim, their out-of-pocket expenses are minimal. But the truth is, the higher your collision and comprehensive deductibles the lower your auto insurance premium. The savings by increasing your deductible to say $1,000 from $250 are significantyou can save hundreds of dollars off your insurance premium. Of course, the flipside is that if you should have to submit an insurance claim you are responsible for paying the deductible. So select the maximum deductible you can afford to paythe higher the better because the difference in your car insurance premiums will mean more cash in your pocket. 3. Remove or reduce coverage on older vehicles If your car is getting up there in age, you may want to think about dropping the collision or comprehensive coverage (or both) on your policy. You need to think about this one though – it’s not always a clear-cut decision. You need to weigh the cost of the two coverages with the value of your car and your chosen deductibles. For example, if you had a 10-year-old car thats worth about $1000, and your deductible was $1000, the coverage is not actually going to help you. 4. Ask about discounts Most insurance companies offer discounts. While the availability of discounts will vary depending on your insurer, where you live and whether you meet eligibility, make sure to ask if there are any discounts you can take advantage of. The following is a list of a few of the more common discounts (if available in your state, each insurer will have different eligibility requirements): Multi-vehicle discount – available if you insure multiple vehicles with the same insurer Multi-line discount – available if you insure your home and auto with the same insurer Good driver discount – if you have not had an accident or ticket in a long time Good student discount – if youre a student with good grades, usually about a B average Safe driver discount – if youve taken and passed an accredited driver safety course Anti-theft discount – if your vehicle has certain anti-theft devices installed Safe vehicle discount – if your vehicle has certain extra safety features Retiree discount – if youve reached a certain age, usually 50 or 55 Low mileage discount – if your vehicle is not driven often Occupational discount – if you work in a certain field or hold a certain degree Auto club discount – if you are a member of an auto club, like AAA Association discount – if you belong to certain associations, like your alma mater Away-at-school discount if your child is attending school out of town 5. Choose a car that costs less to insure If youre purchasing a new car and have narrowed it down to two or three options, compare the auto insurance rates of each to see if there is a notable difference in the cost to insure. Remember, insurance rates are more for vehicles with high theft rates and repair costs. If there is a significant difference in cost to insure your first choice car, you may have to reconsider. 6. Drive safely OK, this one is obvious but true. Drivers with no accidents, tickets or insurance claims almost always pay less for their auto insurance coverage. Your driving record is an influential factor in determining your insurance rate. Tickets and at-fault accidents affect your insurance rates for years. With a less than perfect driving record, you can find yourself paying a lot of extra insurance premium over the years.