If you working for a company or running your own small business, providing or finding affordable and comprehensive health insurance can be even more hard than usual. Truly, a recent survey found that more than half of small business owners in California don’t give health insurance for their employees. The price for providing health insurance for an employee in small business averages over $3000 a year.

This is despite a requirement below California health insurance laws stating that small group health insurance must be available to any small business that Otherwise qualifies for group health insurance.

By the rule, any small business (defined as 2 to 50 employees) in California must be offered the similar health insurance for small businesses that is offered to other small businesses.

Coverage cannot be denied as long as a health insurance company pays their premiums, has been in business for at least two months and offers coverage to all qualified employees, including any who work part time.

A health insurance company may also specify a minimum acceptable number of people to enroll in their plan or else they do have the right to withdraw the insurance.

The health insurance may be revoked if the necessary minimum number of employees doesn’t participate.

Below California rule, it’s also against the law for an insurance company to refuse coverage based on the health of the insured group – coverage may differ based on employees’ average age and location.

And those companies that do trouble to provide health insurance to employees are cutting back on benefits or employer contributions – approximately 25% of employers said they have had to either reduce benefits or make their employees responsible for more of the costs.

Apart from being a requirement, health insurance for employees of small businesses makes financial sense – as well as being an excellent method of keeping employees happy and decreasing the absence, there may be major tax benefits. Generally, expenses related to health insurance are completely tax-deductible when incurred by an employer.

Source by Sharma

          A criminal defendant may have to contend with both criminal prosecution and a civil lawsuit by the victim. This is common in driving under the influence cases. If there is a conviction, the victim may seek restitution in the criminal case, even after receiving a civil settlement or judgment. As a result, courts, victims and defendants will face the problem of whether and how to credit the defendant for payment to the victim/plaintiff by an insurance company.

          The first question is whether the defendant is entitled to any credit for payment by the insurance company. There are at least three different criteria courts have offered to answer this question. These criteria come out of two cases with similar facts. In both cases the son committed a crime, which caused injury, and his mother had insurance providing defense and indemnity against the subsequent civil suit by the victim.

In the first case, People v. Hamilton (2004) 114 Cal. App. 4th 932, the errant son did not receive any credit for the civil settlement towards his subsequent restitution obligation. Hamilton focused on two criterion. It held that since the mother, not the son, procured the insurance, the son could not get credit. Hamilton also proposed another test: If the insurer could make an indemnity claim against the defendant, then the defendant should not be entitled to credit.

           In People v. Jennings (2005) 128 Cal. App.4th 42, however, the son was given credit. Jennings stepped away from Hamilton‘s procurement test, ignored the indemnity test and recast the Hamilton decision as hinging on which party was an insured. Jennings instead focused on the policy documents. Since the son was named in those documents, he got the benefit of the insurance.

          But the Jennings court fell into the same mistake that Hamilton made. The mistake is first focusing on whether the defendant is an insured. The mistake has its genesis in People v. Bernal (2002) 101 Cal. App. 4th 155, which held that a criminal defendant could get credit towards restitution for payment in a related civil case by his insurer. After Bernal, the focus was on determining if the insurer was really the defendant’s insurer. This focus has led courts away from other critical issues. Sometimes, the answers to the tests created by Jennings and Hamilton – whether the defendant was the insured or the procurer of insurance – simply did not matter.

 California Insurance Code Section 533 states, “An insurer is not liable for a loss caused by the wilful act of the insured…” An insurer cannot pay for harm caused by an intentional crime. For example, J. C. Penney Casualty Ins. Co. v. M. K (1991) 52 Cal.3d 1009, 1014, cert. den. 502 U.S. 902, held that an insurer could not indemnify one for sexual molestation of a child under Section 533. “The public policy underlying section 533 is to discourage willful torts.” This is a public policy that has been codified and is recognized by the state Supreme Court. The court in Jennings and Hamilton were faced with situations in which insurance money had already been paid. Perhaps because payment was made, those courts did not consider the threshold issue of whether the crime was insurable at all.

    Insurance companies may have a wide array of reasons for settling a case – the cost of defense, concern about the expensive litigation tactics of a particular personal injury firm, or concern that there might be an indemnification obligation for torts, which were not intentional. Civil cases often have a number of claims and a number of defendants – and some claims may be insurable, some may not. Insurance companies know that the duty to defend is broader than the duty to indemnify. Horace Mann Ins. Co. v. Barbara B. (1993) 4 Cal.4th 1076.

The court in Horace held that an insurer had a duty to defend a child molester because some of the civil claims might be covered under the policy, even though molestation could not be covered. Horace recognized and cited J. C. Penney’s principle that there could not be indemnification for sexual molestation. Nevertheless, the court found that an insurer must defend a mixed bag of claims, some of which are subject to indemnification and some of which are not. Just because an insurance company pays to settle a case does not mean the insurance company had to indemnify that defendant for the crime of which he or she was convicted.

    In contrast to the wide array of concerns that may motivate an insurer to fund a settlement, a criminal court considering restitution must determine whether a defendant should get credit for a civil settlement toward restitution caused by a specific crime.  The criminal court should start with the question of whether there could ever be insurance indemnification for that crime. If the answer is no, it does not matter who the insured is. The danger of applying the Hamilton and Jennings tests first is that this could allow an end run around a strong public policy as embodied in Section 533 and reflected in J.C. Penney. Since there was no credit for insurance in the Hamilton case, which was an intentional shooting case, and there was credit in Jennings, a driving under the influence case, they were resolved consistently with Section 533.

            While Bernal, Hamilton and Jennings can be reconciled with Section 533 and J. C. Penney, there is another line of cases directly in conflict with the grant of a restitution credit to a defendant for an insurance company payment. State Farm Fire & Cas. Co. v. Superior Court (1987) 191 Cal. App. 3d 74, 78 held that: “[r]estitution is ordered as punishment in a criminal case. No conceivable justification exists for allowing an individual to pass on such liability to an insurance carrier.” In State Farm, a criminal defendant was seeking defense from his insurer in his criminal prosecution for assault and attempted murder.  The court ruled that there was no duty to defend. Since the duty to defend is broader than the duty to indemnify, there was also no duty to indemnify.

           State Farm is not an isolated case. Its holding that no insurance coverage for restitution in criminal cases was cited with approval in Bank of the West v. Superior Court (1992) 2 Cal.4th 1254, 1270. Bank of the West explained that “as a matter of public policy, an insured’s payment of certain types of restitution cannot be covered by insurance.”

          In view of Bank of the West’s approval of State Farm, it is clear that an insured cannot go through the front door to get coverage of criminal restitution – that is tender defense of the criminal case to its insurer. Bernal held – without citing State Farm or Bank of the West – that defendants can go in the back door.  A defendant can get an insurer to pay for a civil settlement and then get credit towards restitution for the insurer’s payment. This back door approach is not reconcilable with [Bank of the West] and [State Farm]. Under these two cases, a defendant should never get credit to his restitution obligation for a payment made by his insurer in a civil case; this credit is a violation of California public policy.

          So how did Bernal go wrong? There is no clear answer, but the court quoted a passage from a California Supreme Court case, which should have tipped it off. “[T]he Legislature intended to require a probationary offender, for rehabilitative and deterrent purposes, to make full restitution for all losses his crime had caused, and that such reparation should go entirely to the individual or entity the offender had directly wronged, regardless of that victim’s reimbursement from other sources.”  People v. Birkett (1999) 21 Cal. 4th 226, 246. This passage makes it clear that a criminal defendant has to pay his or her own way when dealing with the costs of crime.

Source by Antonio R. Sarabia II

The socialized system of healthcare delivery and financing, a relic of the British colonial era, still practiced in Sierra Leone has glaringly failed and any efforts at resuscitating it without implementation of major structural and systemic reform will only serve to prolong the inevitable.

Throughout the world, total state control and management of industries, services, markets and the means of production are gradually becoming a relic of the past. This model as practiced in the Sierra Leone healthcare system has empirically been proven to have served only to stifle innovation, growth, productivity and quality output with a resultant decline in overall living and healthcare standards of the citizenry. The current state of the hospitals and health centers glaringly highlights the systemic problems endemic in the entire government owned, managed, financed and operated health care system.

The continued operation of such a decadent and dilapidated delivery and financing system, lacking in even the basics of a modern healthcare infrastructure continues relegating Sierra Leone to the very bottom of the human development index.

The transformation thus of the medical healthcare delivery and financing system into a private insurance or a national insurance based system offers opportunities not only for insurers to develop market-based medical insurance plans and policies but also serves to effectuate the Ministry of Health & Sanitation’s desired policy goals, as espoused in the 2002 National Health Policy Paper.

Both policy and regulatory officials, healthcare providers, the insurance industry and other stakeholders must be engaged to effectuate implementation of fundamental systemic reforms if the country is to avert an even greater catastrophe.

Privatization:

Under the proposed privatization plan, the Ministry of Health & Sanitation will be transformed from ownership and management of hospitals, clinics, and employer of last resort for all physicians, nurses and ancillary healthcare providers into a health agency with only policy and regulatory functions.

The goal will be for the health agency to serve as a policy and regulatory watch dog mandated with ensuring that adequate and quality medical care is provided at the various private hospitals, clinics and pharmacies that will inevitably be established with the break-up of the current government owned facilities.

With the break-up and subsequent purchase or leases of these hospitals, clinics, health centers and other facilities, investors and entrepreneurs in an effort to realize maximum returns on investments, will economically be compelled to upgrade quality and standard of care, introduce state of the art equipment and technologies and engender a type of market forces competition which will inure only to the betterment of health consumers in the country.

A much needed infusion of capital into the health care industry by such a privatization plan will clearly spur additional economic activities in ancillary industries, as the dynamic forces of privatization and market mechanism forces of demand and supply will ensure competition for the healthcare pie.

The dismantling of the current mammoth and highly inefficient government owned healthcare delivery and financing entity must from a public policy perspective be designed and restructured to ensure governmental ownership and management divestiture from hospitals and other health care facilities.

Under such a scenario the government’s current enormous but woefully mismanaged capital outlay for health services will be substantially decreased as inefficiencies of corruption, salaries of providers, infrastructure maintenance, costs of medications and diagnostic equipments and other overhead operating costs will no longer be recurrent expenditures from the nation’s depleting coffers.

A system based entirely on a private market-based national health insurance plan with private enterprise and market competition at its core appears the most logical reform policy route to ensure a future sound, efficient and profitable health care infrastructure.

 Health Insurance Plans:

The cog which the proposed new system must revolve around is a nationwide network of affordable health insurance plans creatively designed to ensure a greater pool participation of a majority of the population. In such a system health insurance companies and provider organizations will be established to market various health plans, with minimum services and premiums based on market conditions. The responsibility for monitoring compliance by the various plans would fall under the ambit of both the Ministry of Health and Sanitation and the Sierra Leone Insurance Commission.

A major plank in this proposed health care delivery and financing privatization hinges on the enactment of health insurance legislation providing for employers to provide health care for their employees and dependants as part of a standard benefits package with concomitant tax incentives and governmental subsidies to ensure compliance. With such legislation the virtual free socialized medical care system, the costs of which have been borne exclusively by the government will now be based on a multi-payer system in which government, employees and employers will all participate.

With the system as currently structured however, only the government has a financial interest and stake and when other programs conflict with the financing of health care, politicians have only been too willing to sacrifice the health of their citizens on he alter of their greed and personal aggrandizement.

It is envisaged that health insurance providers will introduce concepts and plans, such as Health Maintenance Organizations (HMO) and Preferred Provider Organizations (PPO), through alliances of health providers and insurance companies and marketed to employers, labor unions, governmental ministries and corporations on an annual premium basis.

The competition engendered by such health organizations for the medical insurance pie will subsequently result in competitive rates, coverage, deductibles, co-payments and premiums to make health care costs affordable for all.

As unemployment and underemployment are perennial problems in the Sierra Leonean economy, the provision of health care benefits to this category of the population must remain the responsibility of government. Medical services provided to this category of citizens in a private enterprise environment must be reimbursed by the government on a negotiated and pre-determined fee schedule or an insurance mechanism established in which government negotiates with providers and carriers for the provision of services.

As an example a fund established by levying taxes on the private health care providers, envisaged to emerge with such privatization, could be instituted and utilized to pay for these indigent services.

Further, since the hospitals, medical clinics and other medical facilities will be operated as businesses, either for profit or as non-profit organizations, the market forces of demand and supply will certainly ensure that patient quality care, improvements in diagnostic technologies, competent personnel and a general responsiveness to the demands of the clients will drive the new marketplace. The lethargic and inefficient atmosphere witnessed at most government hospitals today with customer service virtually non existent would be a philosophy of the past.

The economic viability of healthcare businesses will depend largely on the clientele they can attract and maintain utilizing the above yardstick. Providers of lousy health care plans and services will inevitably loose business to competitors as every year participants will have an opportunity to change health insurance plans.

Since a large population of Sierra Leone resides in rural areas, the proposed privatization plan will ensure the expansion of health care facilities into areas currently inadequately serviced. This plan will ensure that clinics and doctors put up shop in every part of the country in order to tap into the healthcare services available in these rural areas.

Designing an insurance system and plan to cater to the needs of the rural population who often are self employed in farming and mining activities posses a challenge to insurers in Sierra Leone, who in the past have been largely passive and unimaginative in policy design to meet the challenges and risks confronting the nation’s socio-economic landscape.

Proactive and creative underwriting of risks must be undertaking by underwriters, actuaries and marketing specialists to design, tailor and price health insurance coverage to meet the diverse needs of the insuring public. For example, the creation of pools by occupational categories could be one method by which insured’s, engaged in similar trades could be encouraged to form co-operatives for purposes of obtaining health insurance coverage at affordable rates for themselves and dependants. Premium payments through the pooling together of the co-operatives commodities can be an alternative payment method for the medical services. Health insurance companies could possibly establish subsidiary or ancillary companies solely for the handling of payments made by cash crops.

The current system under which nearly all doctors and related health care providers are employed by the government while at the same time owning private practices would be changed with a concomitant government savings on salaries, productivity and other fringe benefits. As privatization takes over in the hospitals, physicians, nurses and other providers will no longer be on the government’s payroll but will rather be independent contractors with their own practices.

Conclusion:

Whilst a micro version of the proposed reform has mushroomed in an ad hoc manner over the years with some large companies and corporations contracting with individual physicians and clinics for the provision of health care to their employees and dependants, the kind of systemic and structural overhaul needed to forestall a total collapse of the system and extend similar services to all could only be realized by a comprehensive approach along lines of reforms proposed in this policy paper.

Source by Kortor Kamara

There are many ways an auto accident victim’s case can be harmed — even when you are trying to be honest and do the right thing.  Everyday activities will be scrutinized by insurance adjusters and defense attorneys looking for proof that injuries are not severe or life-altering enough to recover damages. Here are ten common mistakes identified by car accident lawyers that can hurt victims with legitimate cases.  If you or someone you know has been seriously injured in an auto accident, please read on to avoid behavior that your insurance company and its defense lawyers may try to use against you.    

1.     Under-estimating insurance companies:  

Expect that your auto insurance company and at-fault driver’s insurance company will conduct surveillance and hire investigators to take photos and videos of you at some point during your case. If you have tried to do a task, admit you’ve tried it. Most people will understand if you had a good day, and attempted to do something. But no one understands when an auto accident victim denies something that is later caught on surveillance video.

2.     Signing away your rights:

Do NOT sign ANYTHING until you check with your auto accident lawyer.  Even seemingly innocent papers such as car damage (mini-tort) releases sometimes have fine print waiving future injury claims or allowing an at-fault insurance company to access your medical records and violate your privacy. Always check with your car accident lawyer first.

3.     Talking about your case: 

Insurance adjusters, defense lawyers, and sometimes jurors may try one day to contact you. Do NOT talk about your case with ANYONE hired by the at-fault driver or insurance company.  If an adjuster wants to ask about your case, have them call your car accident lawyer.

4.     Divulging information on Facebook, Twitter and other online forums: 

Defense attorneys and insurance adjusters will investigate your MySpace, Facebook and related Web pages, blogs or Twitter accounts — even when set as ‘Private’ — and look for things that can help their case against you. The purpose of this Internet research is to attempt to show that you are not as injured as you claim. So be careful about postings and photos of your activities. Avoid posting new items and remove any items that can be used to discredit you.  One example is a truck accident victim who posted pictures of himself skiing on Facebook.  Even though the activity occurred before the accident, the mere accusation of fraud by defense lawyers can have an affect  on suspicious jurors. 

5.     Missing doctor appointments:

Do not miss doctor’s appointments. Not going to the doctor may be interpreted as a sign that you are not hurt, or don’t take your case seriously.  Listen to your doctors, and follow their advice. It’s very important for you to show that you’re working hard to recover, and keeping appointments is an important part of that.

6.     Disposing of important evidence of your injuries: 

Save all pill bottles, casts, braces, prescriptions and any other items from your doctors.  These will be used to prove you are truly injured.

7.     Forgetting to document your injuries:

Anytime you have a surgery or a visible injury, take pictures. Or contact your auto accident lawyer and he will send a photographer to document your injuries before it’s too late. Videos are also great tools to show a jury or an insurance company adjuster just how difficult things have been in the days and weeks following your personal injury or after a surgery.   In addition, take pictures of car damage. Crash repair estimates are often misleading and don’t reflect the full amount of vehicle damage.

8.     Renewing licenses:

Defense attorneys and their investigators can easily obtain access to commercial driver license (CDL) information from the secretary of state, as well as hunting and fishing license information from the Department of Natural Resources. If you have serious injuries that prevent you from driving a commercial vehicle and/or participating in outdoor activities, do not renew those licenses until you speak with your lawyer first.  Evidence showing that you renewed one of these licenses while recovering from your accident may convince a jury your injuries are not as severe as stated. 

9.     Failing to notify your attorney about job changes and moving:

Anything after your auto accident regarding changes in your job, job duties and salary is very important to discuss with your attorney. Notify your attorney if you are moving, if you have been put on further restrictions at work or have to miss more work due to your personal injuries. The more informed your lawyer is about how your injuries are affecting your job and your life, the better he can work towards obtaining fair compensation for you.

10.   Poor communication:

The best way to avoid mistakes in a lawsuit is to maintain excellent communication with your car accident lawyer. There are so many confusing laws that can wreak havoc on an automobile accident case, even when people are trying to be truthful, honest and do the right thing.  The best advice remains the simplest: Call your car accident lawyer if you have a question, and certainly before doing something that can have an important impact on your case.

Source by Steven M. Gursten

HO3 policy is a special type of policy that covers your home and also detached structures against any damage or loss caused by a peril as listed in your policy. HO3 policy is most commonly purchased by homeowners and has the provision to get much exclusion covered with special endorsements.

What are the exclusions in HO3 policy?

Normally HO3 policy is known as a ‘broad-risk form’ since it covers all perils except the exclusions of the policy. This is the reason why this policy is the most commonly bought policy amongst home owners.

The exclusions in HO3 policy includes:

1. Flood

2. Earthquake

3. Theft from an ‘under construction’ building

4. Vandalism and malicious mischief in case the building has not been occupied for more than 30 days

5. Freezing of pipes in a vacant or under construction building

6. Freezing, pressure from thawing or weight of water on a fence, patio, swimming pool, pavement or dock

7. Rodent infestation, deterioration, settling, bulging, crackling or expansion of the walls in the pavement, the wall or the foundation of the building or any damage caused to pets

8. Building or other structures used for business

9. Any damage that is caused purposefully

10. War

11. Nuclear accidents

12. Damage to animals, birds and fish

13. Damage to trucks, motorcycles, motorcycles, vans and boats

14. Failure to protect property after a loss

Ho3 policy is an open perils policy and would cover you for all perils that are not excluded in the policy. The main difference between an open peril policy and named peril policy is that in open peril policy you will be covered for every danger except those that are mentioned as excluded, while in a named peril policy you will be covered only for those perils mentioned in your policy.

Ho3 is purchased by most individuals for its vastness and the coverage that it provides. However, certain exclusions in HO3 policy can still be covered by purchasing additional policies. Like flood and earthquake can be separately insured. When you buy a home insurance, you must go through your policy documents to see what the policy includes and what it excludes so that you have no problems when you have to make a claim.

Source by Juanita Martinez

When you haven’t had health insurance before or there is a lapse in coverage from one policy to another certain issues arise. If you’ve got any health worries that you’ve gotten care for during the past, the new policy may not be prepared to cover it. Known as pre-existing health concerns, this will become a massive problem for you as getting claims paid for. Guaranteed acceptance health insurance plans could be the answer.

An example, if you have fallen pregnant and have gotten care for it under one health insurance policy then the new one may not cover it. That implies the remainder of your prenatal care appointments and even the delivery expenses would be out of your own pocket. This is a concern that doesn’t sit well with most people.

Since they could not qualify for health insurance benefits for roughly ninety days there had been a lapse in coverage. You can also opt to pay for your prior health insurance while you wait for the new policy to kick in.

There are certain health problems where an individual does need continuous coverage. They include coronary disease and diabetes. There are guaranteed acceptance health insurance programs out there that guarantee they will honor such existing conditions. Typically though they’ve a waiting period that might be up to 12 full months. However, not all plans will have a waiting period.

Someone suffering from a chronic health problem may have little choice but a guaranteed acceptance health insurance program to help with their medical expenses. These types of programs address the difficulties confronting individuals who are uninsurable or under-insured giving them with real solutions.

If the insurance company uncoversfinds out about them at a later time you can be denied all coverage, you will owe them masses of cash for claims and for higher premiums. They can also pursue fraud charges on you as well which may end up in legal difficulties for you.

Make sure you understand all of how any existing condition will be handled before you agree to a guaranteed acceptance health insurance program. This is a standard blunder that folks make and it can be extraordinarily dear to solve.

Find out more about guaranteed acceptance health insurance

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Source by Sean Ruiz

For the uninitiated, Mr. Coombs and Constitution have been litigating entitlement to weekly income benefits arising from a motorcycle accident in June, 1974, since 1976. The amount in dispute is a weekly benefit in the amount of $70. I won’t continue with the history of the litigation but will instead move on to the substantive question behind whether this case is “dead or alive”.
Does a declaration of entitlement to weekly or periodic benefit payments bring the matter to a close? Coombs has answered this with a resounding no.

In litigation arising out of Long Term Disability contracts (“LTD”) or Statutory Accident Benefits disputes in automobile accidents, courts have declined to order or award a lump sum amount in lieu of the declaration of ongoing entitlement (with a discount for present value calculations of future entitlements, reduced by relevant contingencies, such as prospects for future employment, life expectancy, and other factors). The courts have just not seen fit to cross the line into the murky area of substituting their judgment, for the ongoing scrutiny of insurance companies. The basis for denying the lump sum award appears to be the constraints of the LTD contract, or legislation providing for disability and other benefits. Payments are only due for so long as the claimant can establish varying degrees of disability, although most of the litigation focuses on permanent, total or partial disability.

Recent case law indicates that Coombs is very still very much alive.1 The cases noted here all have upheld the concept that only declaratory relief is available with respect to future disability benefit payments. In Richardson v. Great-West Life,2 Justice Holmes stated the following at paragraph 29:
Counsel for the plaintiff argued that the plaintiff should be entitled to terminate the L.T. contract of insurance and receive as damages the present day value of the plaintiff’s future benefits to age 65. I agree with representations made on behalf of the defendant, however, that where as here there is some uncertainty as to the permanence of the plaintiff’s disabilities and the policy allows the insurer to require the plaintiff to submit to ongoing physical examinations as well as for offsets with regard to receipt of other benefits, a lump sum award for future benefits would not be appropriate.

Nevertheless, the plaintiff is entitled to a declaration directing the defendant to pay the plaintiff continuing monthly benefits after April 15, 1996, until such time as she reaches the age of 65 years or dies or is no longer totally disabled within the provisions of the L.T. policy.

While damages in lieu of a declaration may not always be preferable, the possibility of such an award would certainly add a strong weapon to the plaintiff’s arsenal. On the basis of the Richardson case, the court has opened a very small window of opportunity in cases where there is certainty as to the permanence of the plaintiff’s disability. Tendering evidence with this type of standard may prove to be fruitless in the realm of establishing entitlement to a lump sum award, but it seems to be all that we’ve got, or is it?

Some of these same recent cases may assist in putting forth more forceful arguments for a lump sum award in the future. Where the plaintiff has had their benefits terminated and has suffered significant mental stress, financial uncertainty and general hopelessness, an argument can be advanced that what is needed is an end to the relationship between plaintiff and defendant insurer.
In the Coombes decision rendered in 1993, 3 the problem of the potential for litigation in perpetuity, was acknowledged at paragraph.

Coombe and Constitution have been battling in court over the payments since 1976 and it appears to me that only the demise of Coombe will bring litigation between these two protagonists to an end.
Disability insurers, including accident benefit automobile insurers, have the right to require ongoing proof of disability and to periodically scrutinize claimants with respect to claims of permanent and total disability; however, recent cases have shown that a relationship of utmost good faith is frequently anything but.

The Clarfield4 case, which resulted in an unprecedented finding for the plaintiff of aggravated and punitive damages, still did not result in a lump sum award for future benefits. The type of conduct under discussion in that case clearly points to the need for an end to the relationship between claimant and insurer, yet even in those circumstances the Court did not see fit to cross over the line into uncharted territory.

In order to compel our Courts to award a lump sum in these cases, one of two things will have to happen. Either disability contracts or legislation will be amended to contemplate such an outcome in applicable circumstances, or, we need to return to first principles to try and apply existing case law to permit the Courts to make such an award where they are inclined to do so but feel constrained by precedents that do not appear to allow this.

Perhaps we should look into other areas of the law for assistance. For instance, in a rather old case, Zdan v. Hruden 5 the Court upheld a lump sum award in lieu of contract for payment of support. The obvious distinction from disability claims is that in Zdan the contract was for lifetime payments without any obligation to establish ongoing entitlement by virtue of financial need or disability, however, the brief reasons for judgment do raise the spectre of the possibility of a lump sum award.

When the defendant, for example, absolutely refuses to perform such a contract after the time for entering upon the performance has begun, it would be a great hardship to compel the plaintiff to be ready at all times during his life to be supported by the defendant, if the defendant should at any time change his mind and to hold that he must resort to successive actions from time to time to obtain his damages piecemeal’s

The reference to this case was derived from another case, which upholds the notion that a lump sum award in disability claims is not permissible (see Cram v. Great-West Life ). There the Court’s answer to concerns about leaving the plaintiff to the whim of the insurer is that other remedies exist, such as aggravated and punitive damages, which would act as a deterrent to terminating benefits in the future without the strongest evidence of cessation of disability. We are left wondering as to what Justice Williamson would have said had the history of Coombe v. Constitution been provided during the course of the Cram action.

Despite efforts to find more compelling case law to support the argument in favour of a lump-sum award in these cases, there does not appear to be anything else to unearth, save and except for authorities in other jurisdictions. Clarfield points to a willingness by our courts to broaden the scope of aggravated and punitive damages. Accordingly, particularly in cases where insurer conduct is so severely impugned, it seems that lump sum awards cannot be far away. However, for the present time, Coombe v. Constitution is very much alive.

Source by Jacob Solomon

Insurance fraud investigator jobs are an important job within an insurance company because it is their duty to determine if a claim has been made under false pretenses. It is a career with a good future job outlook that can take you all over the world or allow you to stay in your hometown if you desire. A variety of degrees, including criminal justice, can prepare you for this career. With so many career options and a great job outlook, choosing to become an insurance fraud investigator is a sensible choice. But just what does an insurance and fraud investigator do?

Unlike careers in art, education, health care and other fields, there may be some negative connotations to insurance fraud jobs. This is why it is important to have the right career information to determine if it is the right job for you. An insurance fraud investigator may be responsible for investigating disability claims where individuals say their mobility and/or quality of life is limited due to chronic pain. Since pain is hard to prove medically, much falls on the investigation of the investigator to determine if the individual is eligible for disability payments.

After getting their degrees, insurance fraud investigators might go to work for an insurance company full time. On the other hand, some insurance and fraud investigators may choose to work on a contract basis as a private investigator. When an insurance company has a case they want investigated, the insurance and fraud investigator will usually start with some background information such as personal contacts, addresses, previous claims (if any), and the nature of the current claim. Once the file has been reviewed, the investigator might even do some surveillance work to ensure that the individual has actually lost the functions they claim they have lost. This will involve the use of equipment such as video and still cameras.

Most insurance fraud jobs in this field require working with insurance lawyers or consumer fraud lawyers in the cases where an individual has been found to be providing fraudulent information. It is important to be accurate, professional, thorough and skilled to have success in this challenging and demanding criminal justice career.

Source by Erik Johnson

There are a lot of people who want to get their four wheel drive truck insurance at the best possible price and this can take some time and effort. One of the best ways to get four wheel drive truck insurance at the best possible price is to shop around. Many people have no clue just how much money they can save by shopping around. If you want to be certain that you get the lowest costs on your truck insurance, you will want to be certain that you shop around.

There are many places you can shop around and one of the best places to help you find affordable four wheel drive truck insurance is to check online. There are a lot of places that offer affordable four wheel drive truck insurance and many of these can be found online.

Did you know that when it comes to four wheel drive truck insurance, it can certainly be higher than most and this means that in order to pay the least we can for auto insurance we will need to shop around.

It can be quite surprising the difference it will costs to get and stay insured with various companies, so you will want to be certain you are doing all you can to get the lowest price and this will certainly mean shopping around to get it.

There are many advantages to having four wheel drive truck insurance, so you will certainly want to keep this in mind if you are considering purchasing this type of vehicle. You may wish to get a quote prior to purchasing the vehicle you were considering, so this is a great idea for anyone that is looking for a new car to always get an insurance quote.

Source by Chad Fisher

While in the USA or Canada it is better to purchase visitors medical insurance to get coverage else the expensive health care system may force the visitors to pay huge medical bills during a medical emergency. International events such as Olympic Games and World cup tournaments will sure make several thousands of fans to visit the hosting country.

In 2010 winter, thousands of fans are expected to visit Olympic Games from February 12 to 28 in Vancouver, Canada. While visiting Canada, visitors should not forget the importance of visitors medical insurance coverage. There are several insurance companies who offer visitors insurance at affordable premium cost. Visitors from different countries where the athletes are participating in the Game can purchase visitors medical insurance plan before leaving the home country. There is nothing better than being prepared for the worst than regretting during an emergency. Insurance companies have designed a wide range of visitors insurance plans with varying premium cost, benefits and exclusions for international visitors. Visitors medical insurance plans assure financial assistance for the insured in case of medical expenses while overseas. Visitors, either fans or athletes who are visiting Canada during the 2010 Winter Olympics can purchase visitors health insurance and stay secure.

Visitors who are traveling with their children can choose Atlas America visitors insurance plan. If an individual buys Atlas America insurance, one child will be covered without any additional premium. Therefore if a couple purchases Atlas America insurance, two children will be covered along with the insured. Visitors Medical Insurance Plans will cover the insured for some of the common risks such as hospitalization expenses, repatriation of mortal remains, emergency medical evacuation… and other emergencies. Along with the above mentioned plans there are several other visitors insurance plans that a visitor can choose.

It is advisable that visitors should go through several Visitors Insurance Plans before making an online purchase. The best way to evaluate various Visitors Insurance Policies is shopping online. Comparison of several visitors health insurance plans enables the customers to save money on the premium and learn about the benefits and exclusions available in various plans. Credit card purchase facility is available for visitors insurance plans online. Customers can make a purchase at any point of time using a credit card. After enrollment and completion of the online transaction, visitors medical insurance coverage will begin as early as the following day.

Visitors Health Insurance plans like Atlas America Insurance, Patriot America Visitor Insurance, Visitor Care Insurance, Immigrant Secure Insurance etc will be useful for international travelers while they are in the USA or Canada.

Source by Anubhav

As we mentioned in previous article, many corporations offer competitive packages, and that’s even a strategy in hiring and retaining employees. These competitive packages include group insurance to plans that provide individual retirement accounts or traditional registered pension plans, etc. In this article, we will discuss the advantages and disadvantages of association group insurance plan.
Association group is the group of individuals or companies with similar occupations such as dentists, lawyers, medical doctors etc. The association arranges group insurance for its member and individual member pays all the premiums. The master contract exists between the association and the insurer and individual member receives a certificate detailing coverage.
I. Advantages
a) Provide more economical coverage because of mass purchase and group discounting.
b) Group insurance is arranged by the Association and only requires payment to enroll.
c) Provide for larger amounts of life insurance and the right to convert life insurance for each member in the association within 60 days of termination.
d) Certificate is issued showing coverage.
e ) Coverage may be more comprehensive and premium is lower than individual insurance.

II. Disadvantages
a) Coverage reduces in later years and premiums can be increased without notice.
b) The group insurance plan amendments, restrictions or termination can be effected without input of member.

c) Most contracts contain restrictive clauses and a two-year suicide clause.
d) The master policy is held by the association therefore some member may consider to opt out with an individual policy if they consider that is the best solution.
e) Contract and coverages are negotiated between association and insurance company. Member of association has to no say to it.

I hope this information will help. If you need more information, you can read the complete series of the above subject at my home page:

http://lifeanddisabitityinsuranceunderwriter.blogspot.com/
http://groupinsurance10.blogspot.com
http://groupinsurance01.blogspot.com/

All rights reserved. Any reproducing of this article must have all the links intact.

Source by Kyle J. Norton

There are Short Term Disability Insurance and Long Term Disability Insurance coverage. The Short Term Disability Insurance, as the name indicates, provides substitute income for short durations. When you undergo a major surgery or prolonged medical treatment for any ailment, you suffer loss of earnings as you are unfit to work. By opting for this insurance, you can supplement the income gap for that period. Till you become alright and return to work, you can stop worrying for money needed for every day expenses.

The Long Term Disability Insurance similarly offers substitute income for long period maybe even up to a person’s retirement age. This insurance is understandably meant for more prolonged periods of incapacity to work. Critical injuries as a result of road accident could mean several months of inability to resume work. The long term insurance is more focused in eliminating your concerns about how to pay your bills over many months or even years. This insurance can also help fill the void before a person can qualify for social security disability.

Yet another type of insurance is Accidental Death and Dismemberment Insurance (AD&D) which additional benefits if death has occurred due to an accident or if the insured has suffered accidental loss of a limb or eye. Accidental death and dismemberment insurance pays you or your beneficiary when you are injured or die in an accident. The plan pays varying amounts depending on the extent of injury. For example, the full benefit is paid if you die in an accident. If you lose a hand or a foot, 50% of the full benefit is paid. AD&D insurance also provides a lump sum payment if death or permanent disability is the direct result of an accident.

Life Insurance, as widely known, helps the survivors of a family with the financial means to cope with the death of one of its members. The beneficiaries nominated for this purpose receive the insurance amount upon the death of the insured person. Life insurance provides a fixed sum of money to the beneficiaries upon death of the insured. It is intended to replace the deceased’s loss of current and some future income, and may also be useful in estate planning.

Beneficiaries will receive payments whether the insured dies of natural or accidental causes. AD&D insurance provides a lump sum payment if death or dismemberment is the direct result of an accident If the insured has both life and AD&D insurance and dies as the result of an accident, both covers are paid to designated beneficiaries. Life insurance may also play a role in estate planning, or in choosing retirement income options, depending on the health of the employee and his dependents. Life insurance should be viewed in the overall context of the individual’s total financial plans.

As regards beneficiaries, you can name more than one person as your beneficiary. However, you must designate the same beneficiaries for Basic Life, Optional Life and AD&D. The Life Insurance premium is determined by your age, whether you are a smoker, your gender, the amount of cover you require and the number of years it is required. There is a guarantee that the amount you pay will not increase throughout the tenure for which you are covered unless you choose the Inflation Option.

Source by PeterSam

Mobile homes are very fragile. Those who can’t afford to buy homes or rent apartments are doubtful of buying mobile homes for this very reason. In order for them to feel more secure they get mobile home renters insurance.

Despite it being vulnerable to damage from fire and wind, mobile homes can be protected with this kind of insurance.

The next question mobile home owners ask is what the mobile home renters insurance cover. Well, for one, it is pretty much like any renters insurance.

Even if you are residing in a mobile home, you need to know that the landlord is not responsible for your properties in your mobile home that get damaged or are stolen.

If you don’t have mobile home renters insurance, it’s like you’re back to zero because you have to get these properties again. With the mobile home renters insurance, you wouldn’t have to spend too much.

Like the home renters insurance, mobile home renters insurance has two kinds of coverage. The first one is the personal property coverage. It protects the person’s belongings just in case these are stolen, destroyed, or damaged.

Unforeseen circumstances can lead to these cases. With the mobile home renters insurance, the person can relax and not be too anxious.

The second coverage of mobile home renters insurance is the liability coverage. This pays for the damages or injuries that occurred within the person’s vicinity. For example, someone gets injured within the premises.

It is not the landlord or the owner of the mobile home that will pay for the hospital bills. This is the responsibility of the person.

But it wouldn’t burn a hole in his wallet too much if he has mobile home renters insurance because the insurance company will take care of the costs. Also, mobile home renters insurance can foot the bill if the injured person sues the insurance holder.

Another benefit of having mobile home renters insurance is that the insurance company will also take care of the person’s living expenses just in case he has to move because a natural disaster struck the mobile home vicinity.

With the mobile home renters insurance, the insurance holder doesn’t have to worry too much about the expenses because the insurance company will help him with it.

Times when money is tough and when things can just happen at the least expected moment, insurance is a necessity.

Mobile home renters insurance is one of them. So you should definitely go out there and get one now.

Source by Ricky Lim

Believe it or not, there really is such a thing as affordable Georgia health insurance. Here’s how to get a cheap rate on Georgia health insurance with a reliable company.

Georgia Health Insurance Options

You have a number of options for getting health insurance in Georgia. They are:

Government Sponsored Health Insurance Programs

Medicaid

Medicaid is a federally funded health insurance program for people who can’t afford health insurance. In order to receive Medicaid you must be in a low income bracket. Depending on your circumstances you may receive free medical care, or you may be asked to pay for a portion of your medical care.

Peach Care for Kids

Peach Care for Kids is a state sponsored health insurance program for children of low income families. This plan covers children’s medical care, vision care, and dental care.

Right From the Start Medicaid

Right From the Start Medicaid provides medical coverage for low income pregnant women and children under the age of 18.

To find out more about these government sponsored programs, visit the Georgia Health Partnership website at: ghp.georgia.gov

Private Health Insurance Programs

Private health insurance in Georgia includes two basic types of programs:

Managed Health Care Plans

Managed health care plans (HMOs, PPOs, and POSs) assign you to a network of doctors and hospitals which you must use for your health care. HMOs are the cheapest plans because you are restricted to using only network doctors and hospitals. PPOs and POSs cost slightly more than HMOs because you can use out-of-network doctors and hospitals.

Indemnity Health Insurance Plans

Indemnity health insurance plans, also called fee-for-service plans, are the most expensive plans because they allow you to use doctors and hospitals of your choosing.

Affordable Georgia Health Insurance

In order to get the least expensive health insurance plan you need to get rate quotes from a number of health insurance companies and compare them. The easiest way to do that is to go to an insurance comparison website where you fill out one simple questionnaire in order to get your quotes.

The best of these websites lets you talk with a health insurance expert so you can ask questions and get help choosing the best plan with the best rate.

Visit http://www.LowerRateQuotes.com/health-insurance.html or click on the following link to get Georgia health insurance rate quotes from top-rated companies and see how much you can save. You can get more insurance tips in their Articles section, and get answers to your questions from an insurance expert by using their online chat service.

Source by ryan@thesatellitetvguide.com

Am I covered if I drive someone else’s vehicle in Florida?

Yes.  The Florida insurance policy on the vehicle being driven is primary, meaning it would pay for injuries or damages first.  The liability portion of a car insurance policy you own and are not driving is secondary, paying out if the primary insurance is inadequate.

Am I covered if my car is borrowed by a friend or family member?

Yes.  However, if the family member is a household resident and/or the friend is a regular operator of the vehicle, they must be listed as drivers on the policy or a claim can be denied due to a material misrepresentation.  

Am I covered for items purchased at the shopping mall and stolen from the car?

 No.  Coverage for personal items inside your vehicle may be covered by a homeowners or renters insurance policy.

 Am I covered if I drive my car in a different state?

 Yes.  If necessary your Florida auto insurance policy will automatically increase liability limits to be in compliance with another states minimum requirements.

 Am I covered for a rental car if someone else is at fault in an accident and my car is in the body shop for repairs?

 Yes.  Part of the settlement by the at fault drivers insurance company will be reimbursement for a rental car while your vehicle is being repaired.  If you are the at fault driver than the rental car option, and its additional premium, must be indicated on your declarations page for rental car reimbursement to apply.

Am I covered when driving a rental car on vacation?

 Yes.  An insured vehicle includes a temporary substitute such as a rental car.  A common exclusion to this coverage is when the rental vehicle is used for business or in the course of your occupation.

 Am I covered if my car is damaged by fire or hurricane while in the garage?

 Yes and no.  If the comprehensive option was selected, and is indicated in the declarations page, your policy will pay to repair or replace your vehicle, less any deductible.  A homeowners or renters insurance policy will not cover a motor vehicle under any circumstances.

 Am I covered for attorney fees if I cause an accident and am being sued?

 Yes.  The insurance company will make the decision to defend or settle any law suit which is brought against you arising out of the use or ownership of your motor vehicle.  It is not necessary for you to retain and pay for an attorney.

 Am I covered for towing if my car is disabled from an accident?

 Yes and no.  When at fault in an accident you must have collision coverage on your auto policy for towing to be a covered expense.  If you are not at fault in the accident the other drivers insurance will pay for the tow.

 Am I covered for water damage if I drive through a puddle too deep for my car?

 Yes and no.  Unlike a homeowners or renters policy a separate flood insurance policy is not needed for your car to be covered by water damage.  However, the Comprehensive coverage option must be selected to receive compensation for water damage.

Am I covered if my car engine catches fire?

 Yes and no.  Fire damage is paid for under the Comprehensive portion of your policy.   If there is no Comprehensive option on your policy than no coverage will apply.

Am I covered for specialized equipment installed on my vehicle?

Yes and no.  If you have Collision and/or Comprehensive options on your policy than most insurance companies will provide a limited amount of payment for specialized equipment ($1,000 is a typical amount).  For additional coverage to apply you may be able to pay an extra premium with your insurance company for more coverage.

Am I covered if my vehicle was damaged while being parked by a valet attendant?

 Yes and no.  You must have the Collision coverage option on your policy for coverage to apply.  Your insurance company may subrogate (collect money) from the valet companies insurance policy to compensate for any monies paid to repair your vehicle.

Source by Clifford Schimek

Right now pet insurance is a big subject.  A lot of people are thinking it is a good idea to have because of rising vet costs. Most people who own a dog look at them as another family member. They want to make sure their dogs are given the very best in medical care in the event of illness or injury.

The question you need to ask yourself is if your dog suddenly becomes ill or injured, will you have the money to cover the bill? If not, then insurance for your dog could be the best answer for you.

Most pet insurance companies cover the same things. Here is a list of what normally is covered:

Annual Fees

Behavioral training

Diagnostic tests

Heartworm protection

Hospitalization

Lab fees

Prescription Flea Control

Spay/Neuter

Surgeries

Teeth Cleaning

Vaccinations

X rays

On the flip side, there are exclusions to a pet insurance policy. The things which most pet insurance companies exclude are:

Pre existing conditions

Hereditary and Congenital conditions

Some preventative care

Conditions related to breeding

Alternative vet treatment

Injuries or illness due to natural disasters

All disorders

When choosing an insurance company, make sure they are reputable. Larger companies tend to be better and more willing to pay out on claims than the smaller less known ones.

Keep in mind you get what you pay for. Cheaper companies are not always the best value. They may not be willing to pay on a claim. Then it doesn’t matter if you saved a buck going with them instead of the more expensive company. You can be stuck with the vet bill.

When making a claim on your pet insurance, there are a few things you should know up front.  Most people don’t realize pet insurance uses the “reimbursement” model. This means you pay the bill up front, and the insurance company will reimburse you. Most insurance companies will reimburse you up to 80 to 90%.

When you call the insurance company to make a claim, you will talk to a claims advisor. They will give you an idea of how long it should take to receive your reimbursement. Some insurance companies deal directly with the veterinarians though.

Third party liability claims are completely separate from other issues relating to vet bills. They normally take a long time to settle. Pet insurance companies deal with the claim on your behalf. At the worst, you may only have to pay the excess fee if there is one.

Third party liability insurance is normally used for vicious dogs. The policy usually covers owners whose animal has caused harm, either by biting or damaging property. This also includes damage and attacks on other animals. Third party liability insurance is generally a secondary coverage.

Reimbursement is similar to other types of insurance coverage except that you are submitting the claim summons, insurance policy number, writs, police reports, and other documents that has come about because of the attack.

Once the company gets your claim, the insurance company will contact you if needed. The insurance policy should cover you if your dog has attacked another person or damaged property or caused some kind of accident. So it is wise to purchase a comprehensive policy if you have an aggressive dog. Make sure though your policy will defend you in case you are accused of negligence.

This has been a brief overview of pet insurance. It is important you contact an agent who will explain all aspects of coverage. Make sure you do your research of the different companies and policies that are available.

Source by Steve Crofford

Like everything else, auto insurance rates have changed over the last several years.  With an increase in rates for 2009, the average auto insurance premium for residents in Ohio was $1,391, with the national average at $1,735.  This made the premium 23% higher in 2009 when compared with 2008, and 2008 rates were 3% lower than 2007.  Since many consumers think the state and insurance companies fix the rates, they feel like there is no need to shop around.  Fortunately, this is just a myth, and you can find cheap auto insurance for your vehicle in Columbus, Ohio using simple online resources.

Requirements for Ohio Car Insurance

As a driver of a registered vehicle in Ohio, you are required to have liability insurance coverage and must carry proof of your coverage in your vehicle at all times.  You must maintain a minimum Bodily Injury Liability limit of $12,500 per injured person and up to a total of $25,000 per accident.  You’re also required to have Property Damage Liability coverage with a minimum limit of $7,500.

Ohio does not require uninsured motorist insurance but it is highly recommended since it provides coverage for you and your passengers in the event that you sustain injury or property damage during an accident in which the other driver has no liability insurance.

When taking action with a car crash in Ohio, the Tort system is followed.  This means that one person must be found to be at fault for causing the accident.  Then the at-fault party and their insurance company become legally and financially responsible for all medical expenses and property damage repair costs caused in the accident.  For questions about the Tort system in Columbus, you can contact the Ohio Department of Insurance.

Is Your Car Insurance Affected by a Risk Factor?

In 2007, there were 72 vehicles and 107 people involved in car crashes in Columbus, 49 of which were fatal.  For cars involved in accidents, the average speed was 35 mph.  In the city of Columbus the same year, there were about 6,228 car thefts.  The most stolen automobiles included the 1995 Plymouth Voyager, 1998 Honda Civic, 1989 Chevrolet Full Size C/K 1500 Pickup, 2000 Dodge Intrepid, 1997 Chevrolet Cavalier, 1997 Ford Taurus and the 1996 Jeep Cherokee/Grand Cherokee.  The top three on the list of auto thefts in this area were the 1994 Buick Century, 1994 Oldsmobile Cutlass and the 1994 Dodge Caravan.

These statistics and others are always used by insurance providers to determine risk factors for potential customers, so keep the following tips in mind when purchasing a vehicle or shopping for cheap car insurance.  Save your money and your life by purchasing an automobile with automatic seatbelts and airbags.  Take a safety driving course.  Practice safe driving habits on major interstates and local roads.  Last but not least, avoid purchasing a vehicle that appears on the “most stolen” list. If you already own one of these cars, make sure it is equipped with the necessary anti-theft devices and always make it a habit to park in a well-lit and secured parking area if possible.  At home, pull your car into a locked garage with an alarm system if possible.  This could protect your car from theft as well as help you obtain cheap auto insurance rates.

Go online today and do more research for ways to lower your car insurance rates.  Get some quotes from top list insurance companies in Columbus, Ohio to find cheap car insurance that suits your income and needs.

Source by Jc Denton

For an employee that has been injured or suffered some sort of illness because of their working environment they will have the opportunity to file workers comp insurance claims. Employers all across America are required to have some sort of workers insurance within their business to assist in protecting themselves against a claim that has been done by an employee that was either injured or became ill while working. Even though workers comp has been made available to all employees eligible it does not mean that all injuries that have occurred at work can be compensated. There are many injuries and illnesses that are covered, but there are many more that are not. Before you take the time to submit your claim make sure that your injury or illness is one that is eligible for being claimed under the various terms of the workers compensation laws. Some injuries and illnesses that are eligible for acceptance of a claim include physical injuries that occurred at work, occupational diseases such as asbestos exposure, carpal tunnel syndrome, and also stress and mental injuries that are caused by work. As for injuries that are not covered there are several including injuries that occurred because of employee being under the influence of either alcohol or drugs, injuries caused by negligence or being irresponsible, and some states even don’t cover for injuries that occurred on the way to or from work. When you’ve been injured at work you must inform your employer and got the medical attention needed before you can have your claim reviewed. Most laws state that is shouldn’t take you more then three months or twelve weeks to have everything processed and this has been said to be the maximum time frame you have for liability payments. The payments should be paid by your insurance company throughout your claim process as well. Insurance claims can be a little tricky when you are trying to determine everything that you will be covered for and every business should make sure to inform the employees exactly what their insurance entails. It will be the employee’s responsibility to ensure that they fully understand their insurance so that they are aware of what they can and can not claim for. No business wants to find themselves being destroyed by any workers comp insurance claims so make sure that your business has taken the proper measures to protect your employees and your business. With a little understanding behind your insurance and what can be claimed you can save yourself from any major court battles. By having insurance within your business you are already ahead of the game for protecting everyone.

Source by Walter Sigmore

Are you looking for the best renters insurance? It could be overwhelming because there are just too many renters insurance out there and they all claim to be the best. If you want to get the best renters insurance at the lowest price possible. Read on.

A number of people believe that if you are renting a place, your landlord is responsible for your properties as well. This popular belief has no truth whatsoever. If you are renting a place, the least you can do is to get an insurance that can protect your properties from burglary or from natural disaster. These incidences are beyond your control, and that of your landlord’s.

If you want to protect the properties you own in the place that you are renting, you should get renters insurance. You also deserve the best so go out there and get the best renters insurance.

You have to know the coverage of the renters insurance. Renter insurance includes personal property such as clothing, furniture, and appliances. It is better to have renters insurance and not need it than need it but not have it.

If let’s say you lose these properties because of theft, vandalism, explosions, fire, or water and wind disasters, then you don’t have to spend as much to replace these because your insurance will do it for you.

If you have the best renters insurance, then you are assured that your personal property coverage will be the best as well. A sign that you have the best renters insurance is when the cash value coverage covers the depreciated value of the property that has been damage.

The replacement cost coverage also pays the full amount of the property. Replacement cost insurance is more expensive than the cash value insurance but the money you pay for it is worth it.

The best renters insurance is also responsible for the damages or accidents that could happen to other people’s properties and themselves if these take place in your area. If you are being sued for an accident, then the best renters insurance will help you with the coast of the legal fees. Sometimes, they will even cover the entire amount. You wouldn’t have to pay anything.

Best renters insurance price vary from one insurance company to another. The first thing you have to do is to compare their policies and their prices by going through their websites.

By getting different quotes from different insurance companies, you are definitely on your way to get the best renters insurance.

Source by Ricky Lim

In today’s fast paced, competitive world, it is very important that insurance companies balance as much risk as possible. Failure to seriously look at this issue, in terms of their systems, can have catastrophic effects on the business.

In other words, the need for the most effective form of insurance IT system is more crucial than ever, as insurance companies have to deal with regulations, data security and fraudulent claims on a constant basis.

Visibility of transactions

The risks involved in the insurance business can be dampened and reduced by having business transaction management (BTM) software monitoring your IT application infrastructure. This improves the application performance and availability of the tools when they are needed. This is exactly what a business transaction monitoring tool will do.

The transactions themselves are at the heart of the process, and the middleware interconnected applications that process those transactions are responsible for completing the work required within the system. The transactions must respond to client or business requests and need to be visible to the IT team. If they are not visible to the IT team then problems will start to occur.

Reducing risks and bottlenecks

Risk is increased in the insurance industry when business transactions are not visible. The longer transactions are out of sight, the more risk there is to the business as a whole. Should data be lost or misplaced for some time, the insurance company could be looking at serious fines (if they breach any performance regulations or privacy laws).

This is a very common occurrence in current IT systems when transactions fail to complete, abort, slow down or hit a bottleneck. This is serious in itself, but the failure to monitor the performance availability, capacity, reliability and impact of the transactions, means that there are far too many unknown factors.

The IT team will be unable to effectively handle such an issue without business transaction monitoring. A great solution to this problem is Nastel Technologies’ Business Transaction Management (BTM) solution, AutoPilot.

AutoPilot is now used by a number of customers in the insurance industry for the purpose of monitoring their claims processing applications. AutoPilot is especially applicable to these insurance industry clients, through the special design of its built-in Complex Event Processing (CEP) engine (which is core to its ability to predict and even prevent problems). The resulting BTM technology allows Insurance IT administrators and IT teams to have complete visibility into every insurance transaction, as well as into the functionality of every critical system in real time.

Many insurance firms are considering the user’s experience as a key component of their strategy to retain customers, another risk that needs to be considered.  This technology can also help monitor end user experience and alert when user experience is about to be impacted.

AutoPilot’s Efficiency Reduces Risk

AutoPilot lets the company balance the risk factor by giving them visibility into claims processing, real-time quotations and illustrations, underwriting and rating, self-service portals, Medicare administration, unit dealing, agency interfaces plus many more.

If there are batch jobs that don’t complete in the system then the efficiency of the entire business is going to suffer. This is just one example of how a BTM solution such as AutoPilot will increase the efficiency of an insurance company.

As the efficiency of the system increases, the risk factor is reduced. The likelihood of regulation fines reduces rapidly. AutoPilot also alerts IT staff of hiccups before they blow up, which means costs are contained and the delay or possible loss of information is avoided.

This is a perfect solution for the IT team as they can monitor the system in real time and do not need to concern themselves with unseen bottlenecks occurring in the system. AutoPilot has predictive determination and prevention built in via its complex event processing (CEP) engine so IT and any other stakeholders will be alerted should any problems occur.

Business transaction management is essential to balancing insurance risks. By providing visibility into every transaction, BTM prevents lost data, breaches in meeting regulations, bottlenecks that cause slow transaction processing, etc.—all factors that have an impact on the bottom line. AutoPilot is one way to assure that stealth waste isn’t eating away at an insurance company’s foundation.

Source by Denise Rutledge