Sunday, May 5, 2013

Best 5 Auto Insurance Companies in USA


There are almost lots of auto insurance companies in USA, but among them there are best 5 auto insurance companies  in USA; GEICO, Progressive, Nationwide, Allstate and Infinity. These five companies cover approximate 70% market share of USA and still remain the top auto insurance companies for all kinds of USA drivers for their distinguishing characteristics. Those 5 auto insurance companies provide every coverage needed by the drivers and each of them offer cheap car insurance and they prepare insurance package for specific clients.

After reading this post you will get the idea about the top auto insurance companies and then you will need to know how to buy cheap car insurance.

GEICO Auto Insurance � The Best Auto Insurance Company in USA
Among the five auto insurance companies, GEICO auto insurance company is famous for its lifetime alliance with the US army and old hand group of people. GEICO offer huge facilities such as scholarships, assistance programs and donations to the retired from military and who are still in military. It also has special facilities such as cheap car insurance, low cost auto insurance and affordable car insurance for veterans and their families. The great feature of GEICO is it offers low cost car insurance that car drivers can save half of insurance premiums. They assist car drivers every 24/7 when and wherever the drivers have problems.

Progressive Auto Insurance � The Second Best Auto Insurance Companies
Progressive auto insurance is well-known for discount auto insurance because it offers a wide range of discount policies for home owners, multiple car insurance, students, mileage and online shoppers. Progressive auto insurance changes car insurance policy so that car drivers can get discount on their insurance policy easily. Another feature of Progressive auto insurance is that it can also save drivers money like drivers will save $50 immediately when they sign their first insurance documents online and has a provision for who have long term insurance. Discounts can be varied by state to state.

Nationwide Car Insurance
Nationwide offers a variety of insurance policies and claims 95% customer satisfaction. The distinguishing feature of Nationwide is that they have an auto repair network and if any driver wants to get normal life fast, they can repair their car from Nationwide repair network and can claim immediately after accidents. Nationwide also offers discounts for who purchase multiple policies, students and firms and has an excellent program of rewards to the safe drivers.

Allstate Auto Insurance
Allstate designs their insurance policies especially for teenagers and takes promise from the teen while providing low cost insurance policies. They motivate young and teen drivers by offering cheap car insurance and discount policy. They also reward teen drivers if drivers drive safe.

Infinity Auto Insurance
In Infinity car drivers can choose their own insurance agent which may reduce the stress that the same agent always collects information, communicates with you, and the best advantage is you will get your insurance agent as soon as possible when you need. Infinity also offers discounts to good drivers, students, and to any customers who pay in full.

These best five auto insurance companies are available in the US insurance market and try to serve their customers as best they can. You can get cheap and low cost car insurance from them and can compare cheap auto insurance online. They all offer car insurance quotes within few minutes.

Do You Need Life Insurance in Retirement?


As you age, the idea of life insurance seems increasingly unnecessary. Many retirees prefer not to continue paying life insurance premiums when they no longer have young families to take care of. However, before you shrug off the idea of life insurance in retirement, it's a good idea to consider that life insurance still has its virtues.

You may still have dependents. Many retirees no longer have young children who will suffer financially if they pass on. But even once your children have established their own lives, you might have another dependent: Your spouse.

Your spouse might need to be protected from the loss of your income, even if you are retired. Check out the conditions of your pension or annuity. Also, consider that your Social Security check forms a portion of your retirement household income. When you die, your spouse's income is likely to be affected. Pension payments might stop, Social Security income often decreases, and annuity payouts might also cease, or getting at the remaining benefits might prove expensive.

It's important to look over the conditions attached to the income your spouse receives upon your death. If you care for your spouse, you want to make sure he or she is taken care of financially. The right life insurance policy can ensure that, when you pass, your spouse can make up the shortfall that comes with the loss of income from sources tied to your lifespan. Life insurance can be used in estate planning.

Heirs generally do not have to pay taxes on life insurance benefits. In some cases, retirees can use life insurance as a way to help their heirs pay estate taxes. Life insurance trusts, when used properly and set up with the help of a knowledgeable estate planner, can be a valuable tool for a retiree.

For some people, life insurance in retirement isn't very practical. However, for others, life insurance coverage can provide a solid estate planning strategy, as well as provide for a spouse later on.

Remember that you are more likely to save money by renewing an existing policy than by purchasing a new life insurance policy after age 50. So, before you let your life insurance lapse, make sure you run the numbers. You might need life insurance in retirement after all.

Tips to Choosing Health Insurance Options


Health Insurance is perhaps one of the many vital requirements in life today especially when you are living in a place where none is provided for you by your government. To be with the right health insurance is to be with a more secure life regardless of your age, gender or stature in life but it actually becomes a more perceive need if you are already a senior or with some particular medical condition. Choosing health insurance options may not be as easy as buying candy from a store, so to speak. Today, you will find several private insurers and they could present to you a variety of options which may not always be the right one for you. How you go about choosing, here are some tips.

Will It Cover Everything You Need?

Why would you buy a health insurance in the first place, if not for you to get covered for everything you �need�, right? Of the many health insurance options available in the market today it should be easier for you to find the one that covers for everything you need. You may want to consider looking into offers from smaller insurance companies who are most likely able to customize the health insurance according to your demands. In order to make sure that you have everything that is necessary covered, start with the most basic needs in illnesses, injuries, or any other medical services. Then level up as you go along. It should be nice if the insurer could sit down with you in discussing the plan you wish to avail of.

Would The Cost Be Just Right And Not Bring You To �Bankruptcy�?

Since you will be paying good money for the health insurance you would buy, you might as well make sure that it will be worth it. For the price to be just right, you should be able to establish the �worth� of the plan in accordance with the �inclusive�. Health insurance options can be tough on the pocket but if you will be covered for most anything you need and the payment scheme can be easy to meet, then there is no reason for you to consider it as an impractical choice. Try to work out a plan that would not get your pocket empty and be without any cash for other emergency expenses.

Is The Plan The Best Amongst The Ones You Have Reviewed?

Again, one should not forget that there is a plethora of health insurance options out there today and with the competition getting bigger, you are most likely to find competitive plans. For easier access on plans, you may want to consider using the web to search for as many of these options as you can and then make the selection after much consideration.

These health insurance options should work for you and not against you therefore you need to choose the right one for you. There is no telling when it should benefit you but surely it will anytime soon. Do not allow yourself to live without health insurance as this is a need these days.

Sunday, March 31, 2013

Auto Insurance Quote Review

Have you thought about asking for a free auto insurance quote on the internet? Are you concerned because you may not know anything about the company providing the quote? Are you wondering how you can find out about the reputation of the company giving you a quote, especially when it comes to paying out claims?

This article will tell you how to find out about insurance companies: their financial stability and how many consumer complaints they receive, how to ask for a quote so you can compare apples to apples, and results of online quotes from eight known auto insurance companies.

How to find out the stability of an insurance company

The financial stability of a company is rated by A.M. Best and Standard & Poor's. These companies provide an independent opinion of an insurance companies ability to meet its ongoing policy and contract obligations. The A.M. Best rating is expressed as a letter grade from A++ (the highest) to D. It is recommended that you do not work with companies rating B or lower. The Standard & Poor's Ratings range from triple A (the highest) to CC. It is recommended that you do not work with companies rating lower than BBB.

How to find out individual policy holder satisfaction with an insurance company

Annually J.D. Power and Associates gathers data from policy holders nationwide regarding policy options, pricing, automated phone service and overall satisfaction, with the insurance company providing their insurance. The best rating is 5.

How to Find Out the Number of Consumer Complaints

The Department of Insurance for each state provides the general public with consumer complaint ratios. This ratio helps the consumer to identify the number of complaints per number of claims filed. A maximum of forty companies are compared. If more than forty insurance companies have complaints, only the forty companies with the most complaints will be compared. It is recommended that the complaint ratio be checked in three or more states to identify specific insurance company trends. A ratio of less than one hundred is better than average.

How to ask for a quote so you can compare apples to apples

A response to the following information must be decided before asking for an auto insurance quote:

    *Car make, model, year, current mileage
    *Deductible amount for collision, comprehension and liability
    *Coverage for medical
    *Purpose for using the car
    *Miles driven per year
    *Number of designated drivers
    *Drivers ages


What is the result of performing the above steps?

The Auto Insurance companies used for this Auto Insurance Quote Review are 21st Century, Allstate, Esurance, Geico, Nationwide, Safeco, The Hartford. These companies were selected based on longevity in the business and their familiarity to consumers throughout the United States. The stability, consumer overall satisfaction (Sat.), policy options (Opt.), price (of premium) and automated phone service rated as follows.

J.D. Power and Associates

Insurance Co. AMBest S&P Sat. Opt. Price Phone

21st Century A A 3 3 4 2
Allstate A+ AA- 3 3 3 3
Esurance A- n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a
Geico A++ 3As 3 4 4 3
Nationwide A+ A+ 3 3 2 3
Safeco A A- 3 2 2 3
The Hartford A AA- 3 3 4 3

The number of consumer complaints for these auto insurance companies rated as follows in the states of Illinois, Minnesota, Missouri, Texas and Kentucky.

The Complaint Ratio for Five States

Insurance Co. IL MN MO TX KY

21st Century n/a n/a n/a 199 n/a
Allstate 55 130 130 165 19
Esurance n/a 212 212 455 0
Geico 33 149 128 132 116
Nationwide n/a 76 76 131 0
Safeco 29 117 117 71 25
The Hartford 29 n/a 454 200 54

The Auto Insurance Quote Sample

The following information was used for all quotes:

    *2006 Toyota Camry 4dr v6 engine LE
    *50,000 miles
    *Driven under 9000 miles per year
    *Used for pleasure
    *$100 Deductible for comprehensive and collision
    *$250,000/$500,000 Liability & collision
    *$10,000 medical
    *One car and two drivers


Auto Insurance Quotes

The following six month policy quotes were received from each of the companies listed below:

Company Quote

21st Century $237.68
AllState $392.00
Esurance $343.00
Geico $260.10
Nationwide $415.40
Safeco $281.00
The Hartford $375.00

Ways To Lower The Premium

Most insurance companies will offer discounts for the following events:

   * Save driving record for 3 - 5 years
   * No minor infractions for 3 years
    *Anti lock devices installed in your vehicle
   * No DUI for the last 3 - 5 years
   * License not suspended for the past 3 years
    *Good credit rating
    *Car owned rather than leased or financed
    *A second vehicle is also insured
    *Other types of insurance is also purchased from them

High risk drivers can expect to have a higher premium. Not all insurance companies will insure them. In addition when a high risk driver has an accident, the insured can expect difficulty when attempting to get the vehicle repaired using car manufactured parts. Generally auto insurance companies will pay only for the cheapest parts available.

Some insurance companies offer a lower premium for the first year as an enticement to encourage you to get your auto insurance coverage through them. So always ask about the second year premium price.

Thursday, March 28, 2013

avoid rental car insurance fees

avoid rental car insurance fees
How to avoid rental car insurance fees :  It makes me crazy whenever I rent a car, and the agent highly recommends I get the "collision damage waiver," or CDW. They tell me it's $15 to $25 per day.

With rates like that every day, they must think I'm a drunk who always drives on the wrong side of the road. Have they even checked my driving record? So, I never get it. Why? Because my insurance agent told me I'm already covered, and many of us are. Besides, I rent the car using a credit card, which also provides rental car insurance.

Is that extra fee sometimes recommended by rental car agents really necessary?


Typical Coverage*
ItemRental InsurancePersonal InsuranceCredit Card
Damage to rental car Yes Yes Yes
Damage to other cars No Yes Possibly
Damage to property No Yes Yes
Damage to people No Yes Possibly
Deductible No Yes Yes
Theft No Yes Yes


A little pre-planning with your insurance agent can get you to say what I say: "No, thank you. Your daily rate is outrageous.", "I think a lot of people don't know" about coverage, says Don Bennett, owner of Sage Insurance in St. George. "That's the biggest problem. Every time someone rents a car, they're just not aware of what the coverage is."

Bennett says most people don't pay for the extra insurance and take the chance that they won't get into a wreck.

"It's much better to ask a few questions in advance and know where you stand should an accident occur," Bennett says.

The car rental agencies offer what's called a collision damage waiver. It covers damage to your rental car at rates from $15 to $25 every day. But it doesn't cover the damage to other cars, property � or, worse, people. And neither will your credit card.

That's why you should ask your insurance agent about whether the liability from your personal auto insurance will extend to your rental car. In most cases, it will.

"If you don't have comprehensive and collision coverage, the only coverage is property damage and bodily injury, through your negligence," Bennett said. "If you do have comprehensive and collision, that will extend as well."

But your deductible also extends to the rental car. If you have a $1,000 deductible on your personal car, that will also be the case with your rental. That's where your credit card comes in handy.

"Your credit card insurance would pick up that first thousand dollars in damage for you," Bennett said.

Here's another fee car rental agencies tack on after an accident: the "loss of use" fee. They'll zing you for every day the car was in the shop and they couldn't rent it out.

Now, the rental agency's own collision damage waiver covers that. But it's another question you should ask your insurance agent first.

"If your personal auto insurance doesn't pay loss of use or administrative fees, your credit card rental insurance may pay those," he said.

Discover Card does not, but Visa, Mastercard and American Express do. But here's the thing: The rental agencies have to show they didn't have other cars available to replace the damaged one. I know from experience they won't always tell you that, while tacking on the fee. They once told me it was standard practice in the industry. Here's another thing to consider: theft.

The collision damage waiver won't cover you if your rental car gets stolen, so see if your own auto insurance or credit card will cover that. If you are covered for theft, your policy might also say if you are careless with your own car or a rental, you're not covered.

"Like any personal vehicle, you want to lock the doors, take the keys out, that sort of thing, otherwise you run the risk of not having that coverage," Bennett said.

Here's another thing: If you wind up buying that car rental-offered overpriced insurance, you may actually be hurting yourself when it comes to credit card insurance. Bennett says credit card companies find out if you bought that rental insurance, and then the credit card won't have to pay.

If you do use your credit card and expect insurance coverage, the credit card must be the one issued to the primary renter of the car. If you rent a pick-up, SUV or luxury car, credit card insurance won't work � but still your personal insurance might.

best Term Life Insurance to option

best insurance stock - best type of life insurance to option : Search around the web for the best type of life insurance, and you�ll find lots of financial advisers who say, without hesitation, that term life insurance is best. While I generally agree and have term life insurance myself, the right answer for each individual is not always that easy.

The truth is that with life insurance, as with many financial products, �best� is a relative term. The question isn�t, �Which is best overall and for all time?� The question is, �which type of policy is best for me?�

The best life insurance is the one that suits your needs based on your current and predicted future financial situation.

Here, we�ll talk about the major types of life insurance � term, return-of-premium term and permanent � and look at the pros and cons of each. Then, you can decide which type of life insurance is best for you.
Term Life Insurance: Most Recommended Option

The American Council of Life Insurers says that term life insurance policies accounted for 3.7 million new policies totaling $1.1 trillion in face value in 2011. That�s nearly three-quarters of the face value of all individual life insurance policies issued in 2011.

That�s not surprising, given that most financial professionals (at least the ones who don�t get hefty commissions from selling permanent life insurance) say term is best.

And, in many cases, term life insurance is the best option. With term life insurance, you pay a set monthly premium for a certain amount of life insurance coverage for a certain amount of time. You might get $500,000 of insurance for 20 years, or $2 million for 10 years, depending on your circumstances.

But the key to term life insurance is that it�s for a set term and that the payments don�t change. Here are some of the pros and cons of term life insurance:

China Life Insurance expanding business 2013

best insurance stock - China Life Insurance expanding  business 2013 : China Life Insurance Co. (LFC) will primarily focus on expanding its life insurance business this year despite growing pressure due to slower sales in the sector, President Yang Mingsheng said Thursday.

The company will also eye investment opportunities in state-backed projects in regions like the Yangtze River Delta and the Zhujiang Delta, Mr. Yang said at a press briefing after the company reported a 40% drop in 2012 net profit late Wednesday, citing a "decline in investment yield" and an "increase in impairment losses resulting from continued weakness in capital markets."

Net profit for the 12 months ended Dec. 31 was 11.06 billion yuan ($1.78 billion) compared with CNY18.33 billion a year earlier, China's top life insurer by premiums said.

Mr. Yang also said bancassurance sales are likely to continue falling this year as insurers face increasing competition from bank products such as high-yield wealth management products.

China Life's vice president Liu Jiade said local stock markets may see some improvement this year, which would help improve the company's investment yield as well as bring down impairment losses.

Investment income
for 2012 rose to CNY80.01 billion from CNY64.82 billion, while investment yield fell to 2.79% from 3.51%, and impairment losses more than doubled to CNY31.05 billion from CNY12.94 billion, it said late Wednesday.

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