It Only Takes Minutes To Find Out How Much Money You Can Save On Insurance

August 2, 2009 by · 51 Comments 

Insurance bills come monthly, quarterly or yearly and we just accept them and write a check. The fact of the matter is you can choose to pay less. The simple answer is to acquire many free insurance bids to let you find out the insurance rates possible and you can see which offer will help you save more dollars and still provide you with the coverage you want. Using the links above you can get quotes for renters, life, home, auto, health costs.

If you just need a car insurance quote can use the preceding link. You can save a lot of money on your car insurance alone. It could be that your main purpose is not solely to save money but to buy better quality car insurance coverage. When you consider the pleasant surprise of a lower bill with the possibility of get higher quality coverage, getting multiple quotes is one of those “just do it” scenarios.

There are also other varieties of coverage in which you may save more cash when you ask for several quotes. Life insurance is one of those varieties. You will need to match your life coverage with the lifestyle of your family. It may be morbid to consider what circumstances will be like when you die, but it is important. The current spending level of your family will not be any less after your departure but your pay will cease. You will want to get the most favorable rate for the value of life insurance you will require based on your calculations. Life insurance policies are often overwhelming in detail, so you probably will need to seek some legal advice to purchase the best insurance coverage for your situation.

Health coverage is a basic need for all. You have no way of knowing when you might get hurt and amass huge hospital bills. If you don’t have any health insurance coverage one trip to the hospital could be more than you can pay. However, there is no need to spend through the nose for your health insurance coverage. If you have no insurance or are under covered with your job you will need to request a variety of health insurance estimates. You might want to consider the deductible and other cash outlays while making your decision.

Your house is probably the most expensive thing you will ever buy and you require quality howowners insurance to protect that investment. You will want to carefully consider how much your home is worth. Also, you don’t want to forget the contents of your home, particularly if you have expensive furniture or collections. Once you have an idea of how much coverage you will need you will want to get quotes for your home owners coverage also. You will want to consider the price as well as what types of things are covered.

If you invest few minutes of time and ask for a number of bids on several categories of insurance you can save some serious money and get the knowledge that you are totally covered at a appropriate cost.

Your Medical Insurance Is On the Line And an Organization You Have Never Heard of Is Holding the Reigns

July 29, 2009 by · 36 Comments 

They know who you are, whether you smoke and how fast you drive. If you’re applying for medical insurance, you need to know what the MIB knows.

What does medical insurance have in common with the CIA, Freemasons and the Skull and Bones society? Your eligibility for affordable medical insurance or major medical insurance plans just may be shrouded in the mysterious folds of an organization the general public knows little about. There are no secret handshakes or enigmatic symbols, but it does have a coding system known only by its employees and members.

What is this ominous-sounding organization? It’s the MIB Group, formerly known as the Medical Information Bureau, and it provides information to insurance companies that can make or break a consumer’s medical insurance application. Though the MIB has been in existence since 1902, most consumers have not heard of it.

The MIB is described as a “membership corporation,” and is owned by approximately 470 insurance companies who make up the MIB’s membership. The MIB’s stated mission is to detect and deter fraud that may occur during the course of a person obtaining medical insurance, life insurance, disability income and other types of healthcare insurance. It protects insurance companies from being defrauded by an applicant who knowingly or unknowingly omits critical information or lies.

The MIB is a lot like a credit reporting agency. It provides information to insurance companies to help them decide whether or not to provide medical insurance to an applicant. The information also helps the insurance company determine the patient’s premiums.

Not everyone has a report on file with the MIB. If you have not applied for medical insurance or an individual life insurance policy within the last 7 years, then you do not have an MIB report. According to figures reported by the MIB, the organization collects information on around 15% to 20% of people who have applied for either medical insurance or life insurance policies.

The MIB’s similarity to credit reporting agencies isn’t a superficial one. The U.S. government classifies the MIB as a consumer reporting agency, which means it must comply with both the US Fair Credit Reporting Act and the Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act. That means consumers have the right to a copy of the information reported by the MIB to insurance companies. In fact, you have access to one free MIB report each year.

Some of the information collected and reported by the MIB includes:

  • Medical conditions
  • Medical test results
  • Negative habits such as drugs, alcohol abuse, smoking and overeating
  • Hazardous occupations and/or hobbies
  • Poor driving history

Information collected about the MIB stays in a consumer’s files for seven years. Also, a consumer’s record will indicate which, if any, members have requested their information within the previous 12 months.

Because this information can affect a person’s ability to obtain medical insurance, consumers are encouraged to check with the MIB and to request their report if one exists. That way the consumer can check the report for accuracy and will be aware of any issues which may negatively impact their ability to qualify for medical insurance. Consumers have the ability to dispute any of the information on their report through the MIB’s dispute process.

To request your file, phone the MIB by calling their toll-free number: 866-692-6901. You will be asked to provide certain personal identifying information, and only you can request your file. A consumer’s guide to the MIB is available on the group’s website at mib.com.