Archive for January, 2010

26

Buy To Let Property Insurance

Jan
3 Comments »   Posted by Admin |  Category:Insurance

Buy-to-let property insurance, some times also known as residential property owners insurance, is needed if you own houses andor flats to tenants either on a short-term or long-term basis.insurance Ordinarily you can buy cheap buy-to-let property insurance in the event that you rent five or less properties in the UK than is the case if you rent more than five properties, as in the case of the former you are seen as a small time landlord with a small business, whereas in the latter you are seen as a full blown property-owning company.

Whether you plan to rent five or less properties, or five or more properties, is, however, a side issue, as in both cases youll need to ensure that you have at least the minimum level of required insurance in order to protect yourself. Consequently, the number of properties you own will have a bearing only insofar as the insurance premiums are concerned. That said, if you are looking to become a property owner with a letting business, then you need to ensure that you have the following minimum provisions in your insurance policy:

Fire

Insuring against any fire on the property

Natural Disaster (also known as tempest insurance)

Insuring against natural disasters that may occur, such as a storm where the winds tear off your roof or guttering

Theft

Which is especially important if you are renting out fully furnished properties. In the event that you are renting out unfurnished premises, you may wish to have a discussion with your tenants about whether or not they should have home contents insurance

Public Liability Insurance

This should be a must as it will protect you against any claims your tenants or any third parties (such as their guests) may have for injuries they suffer while on your property

Lost Earnings

There may well be times when your property remains empty; say, for example, while you look for new tenants. If you are relying on the rental income from your tenants to repay the money you borrowed to purchase the property, you need to ensure you have lost earnings insurance to compensate you during this period

Employee Liability Insurance

If you have employees who will visit the property for you to repair any damage, etc. or to collect the rental payments, then you need to make sure that you have employee liability insurance in case they get injured while carrying out their assigned task

Legal Expenses Insurance

As a property owner you may find the need from time to time to retain the services of a lawyer; for example, if your tenants refuse to pay their rent or move out of the property at a specified agreed time when you may need to get an eviction notice. As legal expenses in the UK can be expensive, you should consider insuring against this risk by having in place a provision of legal expenses in your insurance policy.

Although the above are basically the bare minimums you need in your buy-to-let property insurance policy, you can also tailor these types of insurance policies to meet your particular needs, so make sure that you talk through your circumstances with your insurance provider, especially if you anticipate expanding the business in the near future.

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19

Basics of Hospital Expense Insurance

Jan
No Comments   Posted by Admin |  Category:Insurance

Hospital expense insurance covers the expenses incurred on a patients hospital stay, provided heshe already has a subscription in this regard.insurance

Nobody has ever lived a life time without a bout of illness and a subsequent hospital stay. This is something inevitable as no one is perfectly immune to diseases. And every hospital stay one has brings with the discharge order a mind boggling bill – the psychological effect of which is more than enough to send back the fitness-regained patient for another few days for treatment in the same hospital. When it comes to health related issues, no one could keep a check on the cash flow. After all, in such circumstances, it is the question of life and health that supersedes the financial issue. But with hospital expense insurance, one could reclaim the money spent by producing all the relevant certificates and bill.

Hospital expense insurance is one form of the health insurance that pays for the expenses incurred for the patients room and board costs. The coverage also compensates financially for incidental expenses such as x-rays, the use of the operating room, anesthesia, drugs and laboratory charges. When it comes to payment, some insurance providers prefer to pay the claim on an indemnity style where the insurer pays a definite sum each day for a set maximum number of days. Some players, on the other hand, opt to pay the actual bill or a percentage of the actual amount regardless of what the amount the bill indicates.

Generally, at the time of the payment, the insured is paid a claim that amounts to a fixed percentage of the policy amount minus the deductibles. Various hospital expense insurance policies follow different schemes and hence the payable amount varies a lot. The customer should ideally see if the “stop-loss” or “coinsurance maximum,” which limits the insured persons liability is at an acceptable limit. A decently followed scheme does not put much burden on the customer. Also look for those insurance providers who offer a maximum benefit ceiling.

Practically, there are a large number of hospital expense insurance policies which are rejected on technical grounds. The reality is that, for the insurance firms, their aim is to make profits and by denying one a hospital expense insurance policy claim, actually the company is gaining profits in larger numbers. Inadequacy or discrepancy in the information provided by the customer is one of the grounds in which they deny a policy. Hence, the customer should ensure that heshe provides the correct and updated information to the insurance companies.

Also, the customer must be thorough with the rules and regulations that define the hospital expense insurance policy. See to it that all relevant documents and papers are in place. Remember, a missed piece of document is a valid ground for refusal of a claim.

Before buying any hospital expense insurance policy, the customer ideally should be doing a bit of research on the insurance scene of hisher place of stay. One can go by references if you have any trusted friend or you know anybody who have had successfully claimed the hospital expense insurance. In this regard, browsing the insurance companys home sites facilitates for an easy comparison of similar policies and their rates.

To conclude, how much the customer may need to shell out along side the claim amount so as to pay the hospital expense directly depends upon the hospital expense insurance policy heshe selected. And that requires a good application of discerning senses and yes, a bit of common sense as well.

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12

Aviation Insurance More Than Sky- High For The Fly

Jan
35 Comments »   Posted by Admin |  Category:Insurance

Aviation Insurance More Than Sky- High For The Fly Boys

Those magnificent men in their flying machines Ever since the Wright brothers pioneered our ascent into the skies we have strived to fly higher, faster, further with aeronautical advancements surpassing one another at an ever-increasing rate.insurance

Taking to the skies is, of course, much more than the romantic notions upheld in quaint versions of Up, up and Away or Come fly me, lets fly, lets fly away It is, for most aircraft owners, a significant part of their livelihood and not to be contemplated without the proper insurance.

Aviation insurance is different from other forms of insurance in that it is very subjective. Due to the vast array of aircraft types, uses and pilot experience, policies should always be specifically tailored to suit the unique requirements of each individual applicant. For this reason it is recommended that a broker, specialising in aviation insurance be engaged to arrange cover.

When applying for aviation insurance, several matters will be taken into account including:

Sum insured: Aviation policies are divided into

i. Hull: The loss of or damage to the aircraft.

ii. Liability: Loss of or damage to property belonging to others andor bodily injury to others as a result of the insureds negligence

Aviation insurance is based on agreed value. This means that, in the event of a total loss in respect of the hull, the amount agreed to in the policy is what will be paid upon acceptance of the claim.

It is vital that the aircraft be insured for its true value as major difficulties can arise for the owner if the amount is under or overinsured. For example, if an aircraft is grossly underinsured, the agreed value will not be enough to enable the owner to replace it.

In the case of overinsurance, the insurer may decide to approve a lengthy repair process, costing more than the market value but less than the agreed value. This will result in major delays to plans of getting back in the air.

Liability is a different issue with settlements determined in most large cases by the courts.

Type of aircraft: Generally, helicopters cost more to insure than fixed wing aircraft. Here in Australia, this is partly due to the manners in which they are employed, for example, mustering livestock and heavy industrial use.

Helicopter accidents are also more likely to result in a total loss of the aircraft than fixed wing accidents. What would seem a relatively minor heavy landing in a fixed wing aircraft would most likely write-off a helicopter.

The best way to ensure the lowest price possible is quoted for the aircraft, fixed wing or rotary, is to be clear with the insurer exactly what it will be used for. For business owners, it may be worthwhile considering whether diversifying from the central business function is worthwhile if diversification results in more hazardous usage of the aircraft.

Pilot Experience: Pilot experience and qualifications are the most important aspects of determining the amount of the premium and level of coverage. In some cases, cover may not be extended if the pilot has not enough hours in the air logged.

If any persons other than the owner are to be flying the aircraft it is the owners responsibility to ensure all details regarding additional pilots be accurate and up to date. Inaccurate information can lead to a claim being rejected. There are basically three types of pilots able to fly the insured aircraft:

i. Owner: Self explanatory

ii. Open Pilot Warranty: The Open Pilot Warranty (OPW) is the minimum standard of requirements that must be met in order for a pilot to fly the insured aircraft. Although names of OPW pilots do not have to be notified to the insurer, it is crucial to ensure that all OPW pilots meet the requirements for the insured aircraft. Remember that the OPW for one type of aircraft may not be satisfactory for another.

iii. Named Pilots: These are persons you will be permitting to fly the aircraft but who do not meet the OPW standards. Using Named Pilots will generally mean a higher premium.

It is useful to consider the insurers position here. An aircraft is a high level of risk to the insurer. In order to underwrite that risk it must be worthwhile. Since most aircraft accidents are statistically due to pilot error, more premium must be charged for less experienced pilots to justify the risk.

Once cover is granted, renewal after one year is not always automatic.

As the renewal date approaches, cover is re-evaluated along with the premium. This can have a positive outcome as pilot experience and any additional training undertaken will be considered when calculating the new premium.

Overall, the main issue to be understood is that all information given regarding the aircraft to be insured and its pilot(s) is to be as accurate and up to date as possible. Whether or not this leads to a premium one may deem cheap is irrelevant. What is relevant is that the premium will be a true reflection of the risk.

And that is as insurance should be.

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05

About Employment Insurance

Jan
7 Comments »   Posted by Admin |  Category:Insurance

It has often been said that bad things can happen to you even without your cooperation. That can also be said about jobs and careers. Shortage of available work, mass lay-off and retrenchments, reorganizations and mergers, in today fast pace anything can happen. When it comes, the experience can be devastating for many, made worse when savings are not enough, debts are high and payments are in arrears.insurance

Being prepared is always the best way to cushion the effects of loosing income. Having insurance employment makes you continue to enjoy the benefits of income. Employment insurance can aid you on receiving maternity, sickness compassionate care services, provide support for a member of the family who is ill, caring for an infant, even fishing benefits and many more.

To apply for an employment insurance all you have to do is submit an application online. Employment insurance is paid even when the applicant will receive money when unemployed.

When applying for an employment insurance a “Record of Employment” will be required from you that you will have to get from your last employer or a proof of employment like pay slips, pay stubs and certification.

Other documents that you will need when you apply for an Insurance Employment will include:

Social insurance Number. If your SIN number starts with a 9, that means that you are an immigrant and will need to also supply your immigration status and work permit. You will have to supply a record of employment covering the past 52 weeks When claiming for medical and sickness benefit, a medical certificate will have to be furnished. When applying in person, prepare your drivers license, passport or a birth certificate. Furnish also complete bank information.

Checks or voided checks from your current personal account will be required, as payments will be made direct to that account. When applying for parental benefits, the Social Insurance number of the other parent will be required.

If you are applying for compassionate care benefit, a medical certificate has to be supplied. You will also have to provide your version of the facts surrounding the cause of your unemployment. Together with this is a statement of the total salary before deductions, including commissions and other income benefits, the total amount that you will receive including severance pay, vacation pay, pension etc.

Do not delay when applying for an employment insurance, delaying the application beyond four weeks can cause penalties or loss of benefits.

If you receive financial assistance form the social services while waiting to get the Insurance employment claims, you will have to reimburse the amount out of your employment insurance benefit.

If you are indisposed and can not apply for your employment insurance, an appointment representative can be assigned to do the application on your behalf,

After you have applied for your employment insurance, you will receive in your mail a benefit statement including an access code and the date for your first report. Having an access code does not yet mean that your claim has already been decided on. Together with this will be an instruction on how to complete your report.

If you have filed your report with all the required information satisfied, you will start receiving your employment insurance benefits 28 days after the filing.

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