Tag Archives: Cost
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
How To Compare Low Cost Health Insurance In West Virginia
How To Compare Low Cost Health Insurance In West Virginia
For more than 50% of all West Virginia households the idea of low cost health insurance is something of a misnomer, because at least half of all West Virginia households report that paying for health insurance is a severe strain on their monthly budget – and approximately 16% of all West Virginia families can’t afford any health insurance at all.
Hopefully this article will shed some light on ways that almost every family in West Virginia can compare and find low cost health insurance without breaking the family budget.
It should come as no surprise that health care costs less for healthy people. One way to save money on health care and to see the doctor less frequently is to eat right and to get plenty of sleep and exercise. Eating right means giving up fast food and fried food – except in very limited quantities. Exercise doesn’t have to mean buying the latest infomercial fad – exercise can mean walking briskly around the block or joining a walking group that walks in the mall every morning. Exercise can mean riding your bike to do errands around town and leaving your car at home.
It should also come as no surprise that smoking and using any form of tobacco is not only bad for your health but it will also cost you considerably more in health insurance costs. If you are sincere about comparing and finding truly low-cost health insurance then you can’t continue to smoke.
It also means you may have to lose weight. Your BMI (Body Mass Index) is one way health insurance companies determine your monthly insurance premium. The lower your BMI the less you are going to pay. Losing even a few pounds could – hopefully – drop you a notch on your insurance company’s BMI meter and if that happens you could save hundreds of dollars each year.
Find group health insurance. Group health insurance may be less picky about your weight and smoking habits and group health insurance is almost always cheaper than individual health insurance. If your place of employment doesn’t offer low-cost group health insurance try asking at any clubs, organizations or associations that you belong to – if that fails ask friend and family if any groups or clubs they belong to offer members group health insurance . If so – join!
Joining an HMO or a PPO can save you a considerable amount over buying health insurance as an individual, but be prepared for the possibility that you may have to give up your favorite doctor – unless your doctor happens to be a member of the HMO or PPO you want to join.
Don’t take part in extreme or dangerous sports. Also, if you drive a fast sports car, it may be time to sell it – at least it is if you are serious about finding affordable health care.
Pay your premiums automatically out of your checking account. If your insurance company doesn’t have to prepare a bill for you every month they’ll pass the savings in to you.
If you are self employed or have a home-based business ask your tax advisor if all or a portion of your health insurance premiums can be tax deductible. A tax savings could make your health insurance a whole lot more affordable.
Buy your drugs over the internet. You might be surprised at the savings you can realize on most drugs if you purchase them over the internet.
Increase your deductible. Obviously you can only do this is your budget will allow it, but increasing your deductible is probably the fastest and most sure way of lowering your cost of health insurance.
Buy your health insurance over the internet. There are literally dozens of websites that encourage you to compare prices on health insurance between different insurance companies. Just don’t make the mistake of thinking that you only have to make your comparisons on just one site.
If you’re serious then be prepared to make comparisons on at least 3 different websites and also be certain that you input the exact same answers in the forms on all three sites you’ve chosen. This way you can be sure that your “comparisons” actually have a value for you.
Once you’ve finished all of your comparisons then comes the fun part – reviewing all of your results and choosing the best price you can find. This is how anyone can become an expert and compare low cost health insurance in West Virginia and find the very best and lowest price for health insurance possible.
How To Compare Low Cost Car Insurance In Alabama
How To Compare Low Cost Car Insurance In Alabama
It’s probably every driver’s dream in Alabama to pay less for their car insurance. I mean, who wouldn’t want to find a lower-cost car insurance that would still provide them the protection they want?
Today, thanks to all of the websites that allow you to quickly compare the price of a car insurance policy at several different insurance companies, comparing low cost car insurance in Alabama is as simple as clicking a mouse.
The real trick is to put together a car insurance policy that saves you the most money up-front – and then the added savings that you get through purchasing that policy online is icing on an already sweet, sweet cake.
Putting together a policy that saves you money up-front is surprisingly easy. Let’s start with your choice of car. Not all cars cost the same to insure. If you really and truly want to save money on your car insurance then start by asking your agent for a list of the least-expensive cars to insure.
Can you keep your car in a garage at night? If so you’ll save money every month on your insurance.
Can you add any anti-theft devices to your car? Talk to your agent about the savings you’ll realize before you spend any money, but simply purchasing (and using) a steering wheel locking device or a simple electronic device for shutting off your fuel pump could save you quite a bit each month on your insurance costs.
Don’t file small claims. The less often you file a claim with your insurance company the more you will save on your insurance.
Always, always, always drive legally. Even one speeding ticket or other moving violation and you’ll be paying a lot more for your car insurance every month. If you are convicted for Driving Under the Influence (DUI) or for Driving While Intoxicated (DWI) you won’t see reasonable car insurance rates again for at least 3 years.
If you’ve stopped working and are no longer driving your car to work and back every day let your agent know. If you start carpooling and are driving your car less let your agent know about that as well.
If you can possibly use public transportation for most of your “driving” needs and you can reduce your actual driving down to 500 miles a month or less you may qualify for a rather hefty Low Mileage Discount on your car insurance.
If you own more than one car insure all of them with the same company. This will give you a Multi-Policy Discount.
If you’re under 25 you can shave 5% off your car insurance premium every month if you just stay in school and earn a Good Student Discount by maintaining at least a “B” grade average.
If you’re 55 or over you might be able to save a respectable 10% on your car insurance by taking – and passing – a special driver’s refresher course that some companies offer. Ask your agent if you qualify for this discount.
If you belong to any clubs or organizations or groups of any kind ask if they offer group car insurance rates to their members. A surprising number of groups and clubs do.
Can you afford to increase your deductible? Increasing your deductible is a quick and easy way to lower your monthly car insurance premium, but give some thought to this since you will be asked to come up with whatever amount you decide upon as your deductible in cash out of your own pocket if you ever have a claim. Don’t offer to pay more than you can actually afford.
The final step is to get online and find 3 websites that make price comparisons of car insurance policies between different insurance companies. Using the information you have learned from this article, carefully enter the same information onto 3 different comparison websites. In this way you will be comparing the price of the same policy from as many different insurance companies as possible here in Alabama.
Now simply pick the company with the lowest price and you’re done! You’ve now compared low cost car insurance in Alabama and you’ve found the very best deal you can possibly find. You can sleep well tonight and every night knowing that you are saving money each and every month on your Alabama car insurance.