Tag Archives: Cost
You can influence cost of your car insurance in your own little way
You can influence cost of your car insurance in your own little way
Multifamily car insurance policies often come at a lower cost than most other types. This is because it is some kind of group insurance, and group insurance is always more affordable. The multifamily deal should do it for you.|If you can win yourself a couple of multi policy discounts on your car insurance, the price may dwindle somewhat. You need it too, so you are going to start looking into how you can make it happen. Everything you have that can qualify you for the discount, contribute them.
When the price you have to pay for car insurance is more than you can afford, look for an insurance firm that offers insurance to groups or organizations. Try to get the one with which you are affiliated on their list of clients. All of a sudden, you may find that their prices aren’t such a threat anymore.|If you refrain from driving more than necessary, you may be able to lower the cost of car insurance to you. This is especially true if your plan is mileage based. Then you won’t even have to contemplate tampering with the odometer.|What you need it something that will help you save money on your car insurance price. That something is the little trick of driving carefully. If you can avoid traffic citations, the insurance firm may be inclined to be nicer to you and offer you a better price. Honest.
If you have been in an accident before, or if you have a DUI arrest on your record, your car insurance will perhaps come at the highest price you could have thought of. You don’t have to plan it; it’s just the way insurance companies respond to high risk clients.|If I were you, I’d buy a low profile car. If you bought one of those classy things that a car thief is not likely to say ‘no’ to, the insurer may consider it high risk and charge you big on the premium. If with the low profile car, the cost plummets to something you can better handle.
Your car insurance policy is the one document you never want to lose if you are ever going to stake a claim with the insurance firm. You if you lose everything else – I wonder what everything else might be myself – don’t lose the policy.|You can get your own car insurance policy online for a change. Rather than the old school way of actually driving to the insurance company, you can fill in all the details you have to over the internet. Within minutes, the whole thing can be concluded too.|By the time you have the signed policy in your hands; it is assumed that every little detail about your car insurance has been taken care of. If you are interested in anything else, you are going that to take it up legally because insurance firms don’t much like changing the deal mid-game.
How To Compare Low Cost Car Insurance In Connecticut
How To Compare Low Cost Car Insurance In Connecticut
When comparing low-cost car insurance in Connecticut there are a few things you need to keep in mind. Although the coverages may be identical, each insurance company may approach the underwriting information in a different way, and that can result in varying premium amounts. Additionally, you should be aware of the insurance company’s financial stability.
Here are a few things to keep in mind:
1. Claim service: More than just providing an auto ID card, insurance companies must respond at the time of a loss. If your vehicle is stolen or if you’ve been involved in an accident, you want your insurance company to respond immediately. The last thing you want is to be transferred from voice mail to voice mail in an emergency. Find out in advance how the insurance company handles claims. Find out their philosophy on claims and how quickly claims are settled.
2. Financial Stability: An organization called AM Best Company rates the financial stability of all insurance companies. Before you sign on the dotted line, have your insurance agent provide you with the AM Best rating. Some companies with very low rating may give you the best premium quote. However, is it worth saving money on insurance premiums when the company might not be around when you need them to pay a claim?
3. Consistent Underwriting Information: When submitting underwriting information to more than one insurance company, make sure the information is the same for each company. If one company’s underwriter asks for clarification and you provide additional information, be sure to give the same clarification to the other companies you are approaching to ensure that you are getting a true apples to apples comparison.
4. Shop Around: It is best to get at least three insurance quotes for your auto. Too many times people are tempted to take the first quote they receive. You will do yourself a disservice by not getting alternative quotes.
How To Compare Low Cost Health Insurance In South Carolina
How To Compare Low Cost Health Insurance In South Carolina
Health insurance is probably one of the most difficult forms of insurance for the average person to afford each month – and yet without health insurance your home and all of your assets are at risk should you have a major accident or illness.
This is why is it so important for the average person to compare low cost health insurance in South Carolina and find a policy that they can afford to pay for month after month.
Ultimately you will be getting online and comparing health insurance prices on several of the websites that make such comparisons a snap. But before you do that you want to know how to answer the questions these sites will ask you in such a way that you will save the most money possible. That’s what this article will help you to do.
Let’s start with two of the most difficult things for most people to do. Quitting smoking and losing weight.
It’s simply a fact: if you smoke or use chew you will pay more for your health insurance. It’s also true that if you smoked when you previously purchased a policy but you have since quit, you will be entitled to a rather substantial decrease in your monthly health insurance premium.
It’s also simply a fact that overweight people pay more for health insurance. Part of your monthly premium will be based on your BMI – your Body Mass Index. There is some good news. If you can lose even a few pounds it’s possible that you could drop down a notch on the insurance company’s BMI chart – and if you do that you could save a few dollars each and every month.
Believe it or not you can save money on your health insurance if you have a good credit rating. That’s right. Use credit cards and other forms of credit wisely if you want the best rates on your health insurance.
Do not routinely take part in extreme or dangerous sports or hobbies.
Don’t drive a fast and sporty car.
Group health insurance is always cheaper than individual health insurance. If your place of employment does not offer group health insurance then ask around at any clubs, organizations or groups you belong to. A surprising number of clubs and organizations are offering their members group health insurance these days.
If family, friends, or neighbors are getting group health through a club or group they belong to, see if you can join.
Even many religious organizations are offering group health now. Ask around.
If you have a home-based business you may be able to qualify for group health insurance even if you have only one employee – and even if that employee is your spouse.
Even if your home-based business does not qualify you for group rates ask your tax advisor if your health insurance premiums will be deductible. If they are, the tax savings you get may offset the cost of your insurance to the point that your insurance will become affordable.
What about your co-payment? If you can afford to increase your co-payment to 50% you will save a great deal on your monthly premium. This is an especially good idea for people who do not see their doctor on a regular basis.
Increasing your deductible is probably the fastest and most sure way of decreasing your cost of health insurance. But be careful – and honest – with yourself, because you are going to have to come up with your deductible in cash every year before your insurance company will begin paying for any of your health care. So don’t offer to pay more than you can actually afford to pay.
Now it’s time to get online. Use the tips you have gotten from this article to fill out the form on at least 3 different health insurance price comparison websites. Remember to fill out all three forms exactly the same so that you are comparing the same policy on all three sites.
The rest is easy. All you need to do is to choose the cheapest rate for your health insurance and you’re done! You have now compared low cost health insurance in South Carolina and you have found the very best deal you could possibly find. Congratulations!
How To Compare Low Cost Car Insurance In Tennessee
How To Compare Low Cost Car Insurance In Tennessee
As you compare low cost car insurance in Tennessee, spend time reviewing the coverage each auto insurance policy offers. It’s true that premiums are important when you’re shopping for affordable car insurance, but choosing the cheapest insurance plan doesn’t necessarily mean you’re getting the most bang for your buck. Without adequate auto coverage, you may as well throw your money away.
It’s easy to compare low cost car insurance. In Tennessee, simply find the most affordable policy that offers the coverage you need, then hit up your peers for some word-of-mouth advertising!
When you make your Tennessee car insurance comparison, you must first find two or more policies that – at least at first glance – meet your coverage needs. Are you interested in purchasing only Tennessee’s minimum liability requirements? Have you borrowed from a lender who requires a certain amount of coverage? Or are you ready to purchase both collision and comprehensive car insurance, too?
Then, get the actual policy quotes from each insurance company. You can’t compare low cost car insurance in Tennessee if you don’t know exactly how “low cost” each policy is, right? To get the most affordable auto insurance policy you’ll obviously need to choose the cheapest quote; however, make sure the cheap quote you choose is attached to the policy that offers the exact coverage you need.
After you’ve found auto coverage you need at premiums you can afford, you may feel as of your Tennessee car insurance comparison is over – it’s not. Before you contact an auto insurance agent to finalize the deal, talk with others who have the same car insurance policy or who purchase auto insurance from the same insurer. These policyholders may be family members, friends, neighbors, or co-workers. Find out how long they’ve had their policies and how satisfied – or unsatisfied – they are with how the auto insurer has handled claims as well as how helpful the company’s customer service is.
How To Compare Low Cost Health Insurance In Alabama
How To Compare Low Cost Health Insurance In Alabama
Being able to afford health insurance is a big problem for many people here in Alabama. In fact, the problem has become so severe that close to 17% of all Alabama residents cannot afford health insurance of any kind.
Fortunately the state of Alabama has made low-cost health insurance available to many people who might not otherwise be able to afford it. Children under the age of eighteen, college students, pregnant women and others may be able to qualify for low-cost health insurance through one or more state-sponsored programs.
For those individuals who do not qualify for a state-sponsored program there are still several simple things you can do that may help to reduce the cost of your monthly health insurance premium. And once you know what things you can do to lower the cost of your health insurance, then it will be time to get online and compare the cost of your premium-saving policy at every health insurance company that sells policies in Alabama until you have found the very lowest cost possible for the insurance you need.
Let’s start with some lifestyle changes. These are the most difficult things for most people to do, even though they can potentially save the most on your health insurance.
Don’t smoke or use chew or any other tobacco product. You know in your heart of hearts that tobacco products are not good for your health, and insurance companies know this too. That’s why they charge tobacco users anywhere from 20% to 50% more for their health insurance than they charge non-smokers.
Losing weight is even more difficult than stopping smoking for most people, but if you are overweight you are going to pay more for your health insurance. Again, this is simply a fact of life. The good news is that losing even a small amount of weight can potentially drop you down on the insurance company’s weight chart and can potentially save you hundreds of dollars each and every year in premium payments. Every little bit can potentially help.
Are your weekends filled with extreme or dangerous sports or hobbies? As fun and exciting as they may be, the fact is you are going to pay more for health insurance if you put your life and health at risk unnecessarily. The same goes for driving a fancy sports car.
And were you aware that your credit rating can also affect how much you pay for your health insurance? As strange as it may seem, the better your credit score the lower your health insurance premium.
Group health insurance is always less expensive than individual health care, plus group plans will often overlook smoking, weight and some pre-existing conditions that would drive the cost through the roof if you were purchasing an individual policy. If your place of employment does not offer a group plan start asking around at any club, organization or association you belong to. You may be surprised to find that some group you never even thought about offers its members group health insurance. Ask your friends and co-workers if any of them belong to a group, club or association that offers group health insurance – and then see if you can join. Ask if any religious organization you belong to offers its members group health insurance.
Look into joining an HMO a PPO or some other form of health maintenance organization. If your favorite doctor is not part of an HMO then you may have to switch doctors, but often you can keep your same doctor if you join a PPO. See if one of these types of groups makes economic sense to you.
If you own a home-based business it may be possible to qualify for group health insurance even if your only employee is a spouse. Ask your insurance agent if this is possible in your case. But even if group health is not a possibility, it still may be possible to deduct your health insurance payments from your taxes if you own your own business – and the tax savings could help offset the cost of your premiums to the point where health insurance is more affordable than you thought.
What about your co-pay and your deductible? If you can increase your co-payment and/or your deductible you can lower the cost of your health insurance. Obviously increasing your co-pay and/or your deductible must be considered carefully as any increase in either represents cash that is coming out of your pocket.
It’s finally time for you to take the tips and tricks you picked up from this article and use them when filling out the form on at least 3 of the websites which allow you to compare health insurance prices among the different insurance companies.
Make sure that you fill out the form exactly the same way on all three of the comparison websites you’ve chosen and then simply pick the company with the lowest cost (being careful to choose a company that you feel confident will still be around when you need them), and your job is done!
You have now compared low cost health insurance in Alabama, you’ve picked the lowest-priced company and you can feel good about the fact that you are getting the coverage you need at a price you can afford.
Cost of Living Analyses
Cost of Living Analyses
If you’ve ever moved from the Midwest or the South to either coast, you realize just how different the costs of day-to-day living can vary among various U.S. cities. Many transplanted families pursue cross-country moves with the knowledge that their new hometowns will be more expensive. And many employers recognize that impending cost-of-living increase with a “cost-of-living allowance” — a slight raise in salary so that an employee may maintain his or her current standard of living without having to tighten the purse strings upon arrival.
Nevertheless, no matter how prepared you think you are, you are in for sticker shock, Your grocery bill suddenly increases dramatically … and yet you haven’t bought anything out of the ordinary from your usual fare. You can spot disparities in the simplest of items. A six-pack of soda, for example, might cost .50 in the South, or perhaps $ .99 during an occasional sale. That same six-pack can cost you as much as .50 or more in major East Coast cities such as New York or Boston. Your favorite fast-food haunt in Chicago might charge you .59 for a burger that costs you .59 in Seattle. If you’re moving to a major metropolitan area, you could face steep parking fees, higher rent, an increase in taxes or other penalties. So many individuals and families on the move never stop to consider what the cumulative effect of these cost-of-living increases will be on their overall standard of living.
You can, however, do a little preliminary homework and determine what your living expenses are likely to be in your new hometown — and how much higher or lower they’ll be than your current ones. Of course, you can head to the library or bookstore and explore titles on the subject, but the Web is probably your fastest and most convenient resource. Many sites are dedicated in part or in full to this subject.
It hardly bears repeating, but the cities of San Francisco and New York take the cake for ranking among the country’s most expensive. Ever talked to a friend who lives in one of these cities? Guaranteed, you’ll feel better about your own increasing rent. Countless apartment-renters in these cities and others pay exorbitant rents and yet still continue to haul their laundry to a local Laundromat because they either aren’t provided with laundry machines in their units or even in their buildings. Such inconveniences make it imperative that you determine to the best of your ability how much money you’ll need in your new hometown to maintain your current standard of living — whatever that might be. That preparatory work will go a long way toward decreasing the stress surrounding your move. And if you’re negotiating a cost-of-living increase with your employer prior to a transfer, doing your research is worth the effort.
(See Virtual Relocation’s Relo Smart)
While cost-of-living Web sites are many, they’re not all created equal. Many cost-of-living comparisons fail to take into consideration the effect that changes in income, housing quality and/or size of household will have upon the availability of disposable income. An organization called Runzheimer International, which specializes in this very subject, recommends that consumers take into account four primary factors when considering cost-of-living changes: housing, transportation, goods and services, and taxes.
Each one of these factors contains subcategories. For example, housing includes rent or mortgage payment and interest, as well as real estate taxes, home insurance and maintenance. Goods and services is inclusive of a near-limitless array of subcategories, including clothing, medical care, recreation, restaurants, groceries and more. Transportation includes not only the expenses involved in owning one or more cars; it also includes your car insurance and registration fees, taxes, gas, maintenance, tires and more. Transportation also might include bus fees, subway token fees, toll charges, ferry charges or other related costs. And your taxes could include a myriad of charges: sales tax, property taxes, state income tax, local taxes, Social Security, and more.
A cost-of-living analysis can certainly be an eye-opener for any prospective transferee. And the reality of how much bite it’s going to take out of the budget causes many employees to decline the offer of a transfer (if, indeed, it is an offer as opposed to a command). Aside from cost-of-living concerns, other reasons why prospective transferees decline a move include top nine reasons offers are refused. Children, and the emotional impact that a move could have upon them, are a common reason for declines, followed by disinterest in moving to a new location (and loyalty to one’s current hometown), a conflict with one’s spouse or partner over employment issues and concern about the effect that the transfer could have upon one’s career in the long term.
Runzheimer International conducted a 1998 study with some fascinating results. The organization found that married employees refuse transfer offers more often, as do employees with children, females, employees who are homeowners, employees over the age of 40, single parents and/or primary caregivers, and employees who have spent less than seven years at the corporation at which they are employed. Approximately 83 percent of the employers analyzed in the study claimed that they selected transfer candidates based solely upon their job performance and not on their “demographics” — in other words, the above-listed personal characteristics and family structures. Seventeen percent of employers said that they did, indeed, take demographics into consideration when selecting candidates for a transfer. Such personal considerations, of course, are much easier to account for when one is employed by a smaller, more tight-knit organization. While larger corporations certainly maintain files on their associates to which human resources representatives may refer during any transfer candidate selection, if an organization is closer-knit, allowing employer and employees frequent interaction (social as well as professional), it’s more likely that an employer will take demographic characteristics under consideration when it’s time to select transfer candidates.
After doing your homework, you’ve determined that your salary (see The Salary Calculator) won’t allow you to maintain your current standard of living in your new hometown (even if you were offered an increase), you can certainly negotiate for a raise. Many employers will value open communication during this process. Your honesty will help them with the transfers they try to negotiate in the future with other employees. As we enter the year 2000 and head into a new century, employers are realizing they’re going to have to sweeten the pot, so to speak, more than ever before in order to warm their employees up to the idea of a transfer. Family-friendly policies being instituted in workplaces nationwide are representative of a growing national shift in priorities — the recognition that life has to find a careful balance between work and home. Employers increasingly are providing financial compensation, as well as job-finding assistance, for spouses who may have a gap between the time they sever current job ties and attempt to establish new ones in their new hometown; financial bonuses and other compensation (for example, a certain amount of free trips back to their hometown each year at the expense of the company, which is particularly common in the event of an international transfer); and a broadening of the definition of who is eligible for transfer compensation packages (for example, same-sex partners). Employers also are increasingly turning to consulting organizations to help determine how to best compensate their transfer candidates.
But while many employers are doing their homework, you can’t always count on it. So do yours; it’s a good insurance policy for you and your family. After all, it’s much easier to negotiate additional assistance, financial or otherwise, prior to a transfer instead of after a transfer. Get on the Web, do a search on the subject, and head to your library, as well. Talk to your friends and fellow associates who have experienced transfers. Lay your cards out on the table, and be honest with your employer. It can make the difference for both of you.
# Related Article: Relo Managers Say Transferees Can Experience Sticker Shock
# 20 Million Americans Will Move In Next Three Months
# Relocating: What To Expect From Your Company