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	<title>Marco Aurelio Blog &#187; Insurance</title>
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		<title>5 Reasons Why Life Insurance Is Important To You</title>
		<link>http://www.marcoaurelio.info/5-reasons-why-life-insurance-is-important-to-you/</link>
		<comments>http://www.marcoaurelio.info/5-reasons-why-life-insurance-is-important-to-you/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 21 Sep 2011 22:11:47 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Insurance]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Health Issues]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Lack Of Education]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Reason 3]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[Life Insurance. Doesn&#8217;t it just conjure up some insurance salesman knocking on your door trying to sell you a policy that covers you for accidents only, for a small amount and costs you the earth? No? It doesn&#8217;t too me either because those days are long gone!I prefer to call it &#8220;Life Assurance&#8221; anyway, because [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><br/><br/>Life Insurance. Doesn&#8217;t it just conjure up some insurance salesman knocking on your door trying to sell you a policy that covers you for accidents only, for a small amount and costs you the earth? No? It doesn&#8217;t too me either because those days are long gone!<br/><br/>I prefer to call it &#8220;Life Assurance&#8221; anyway, because it is assuring you that your life is convered in the event of death and that what your life is insured for, will be paid out to your estate or policy owner.<br/><br/>But how many of you actually have this cover in place? I know of lots of my friends, who are in their 20&#8242;s who don&#8217;t have the cover because 1) they don&#8217;t know anything about (lack of education) and 2) they don&#8217;t think they need it and see it as an extra cost. How little they know&#8230; like anything, the earlier you start, the cheaper it is&#8230;<br/><br/>Following are 10 important reasons why YOU should have life assurance and why those around you too should invest in this:<br/><br/><strong>Reason 1</strong><br/><br/>Hello? Do you have any bills, like maybe a mortgage?? This alone is a pertinent reason to have life assurance&#8230; it means that should you die, this major bill will be paid off and not left to your survivors to deal with!<br/><br/><strong>Reason 2</strong><br/><br/>Young, fit and healthy? No ailments? Then this is the best time to get life assurance! Your premium will be small and if you take out a policy that allows you to keep the same premium until the age of 65, you will have considerable savings&#8230; the earlier you start, the better. And then if you develop any health issues throughout your life, it doesn&#8217;t matter, because you already have the cover in place!<br/><br/><strong>Reason 3</strong><br/><br/>Are you married? Do you care about your spouse? Then is it not thoughtful to make sure that your spouse does not have to worry about money should you pass before they do and vice versa? I know a couple who cancelled their life insurance and then 6 months later he was diagnosed as having stomach cancer, and died 18 months later&#8230; leaving behind a wife and two children still at home and a mortgage&#8230; and no monetry relief for his family. Is this what you want to put your partner through?<br/><br/><strong>Reason 4</strong><br/><br/>Want to leave a legacy for your future grand children? What better way then ensuring your estate will actually have some legacy to pass on! You can elect in your will to have the proceeds of your life assurance paid directly to your estate and then as per your will, divy up the proceeds.<br/><br/><strong>Reason 5</strong><br/><br/>Peace of mind&#8230; yours that is. If you can&#8217;t afford health insurance or any other insurance, you can afford life insurance&#8230; and should you develop a terminal disease&#8230; your life insurance will pay out a lump sum upon confirmation of this, allowing you to fulfil any dreams you have not achieved or to get your affairs in order.<br/><br/>There are many more reasons I could go into here, but you get the gist&#8230; just like you wouldn&#8217;t risk not having your car insured or your house or contents&#8230; how can you not insure your number one asset&#8230; yourself?<br/><br/>There are plenty of fantastic financial advisers out there. If you don&#8217;t have one, a great place to start is your bank, they have trained staff that can guide you&#8230; just make sure you read through any quotes you receive etc and make sure you understand just what you are being covered for.<br/><br/>My 2 cents worth <img src='http://www.marcoaurelio.info/wp-includes/images/smilies/icon_smile.gif' alt=':-)' class='wp-smiley' /> <br/><br/></p>
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		<title>Why Buy Life Insurance? Is It Really That Important?</title>
		<link>http://www.marcoaurelio.info/why-buy-life-insurance-is-it-really-that-important/</link>
		<comments>http://www.marcoaurelio.info/why-buy-life-insurance-is-it-really-that-important/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Thu, 14 Apr 2011 22:04:58 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Insurance]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Buy Insurance]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Money]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Young People]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[You have certainly heard people talking about life insurance, its benefits and how you need to get it, but they have probably not told you why you should have one. You may have even asked them, &#8220;why buy life insurance?&#8221; You are probably wondering why life insurance is really important. The answer for this is [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><br/><br/>You have certainly heard people talking about life insurance, its benefits and how you need to get it, but they have probably not told you why you should have one. You may have even asked them, &#8220;why buy life insurance?&#8221; You are probably wondering why life insurance is really important. The answer for this is not complicated, fortunately, and it extends past the money alone. It takes in all aspects of your life and encompasses many things that you may not have considered before. A few of the reasons are listed below so that you can have a better grasp on it if you have ever asked yourself: &#8220;Why buy life insurance?&#8221;<br/><br/>First off, you may be asking yourself: &#8220;Why buy life insurance before I am old? Why buy life insurance when death is so far away?&#8221; You may have the idea that this is something that young people do not need to concern themselves with. Many times, however, the exact opposite is true. You have to think about the logistics of the world after you are gone. If you are ninety years old when you die, do you have children living with you who need to go to college? Do you have a whole family who counts on you for support?<br/><br/>The answer is probably no. When you are younger, however, these things are very real. You need to think about what will happen to your loved ones without you. What do you think your worth is to your loved ones? Even if don&#8217;t know it, though young, your family is investing in you with expectations that YOU will make significant contributions to yourself, your family and society. Do you want to let them down if the unexpected happens?<br/><br/>Now, perhaps you live alone. Perhaps you do not have a family and you think you still are too young to need a policy. However, do not forget that someone will have to pay for your funeral and all of these expenses. Most likely, this will be your nearest of kin. You may ask yourself: &#8220;Why buy life insurance? Why buy life insurance if I&#8217;m not sure that they will need it?&#8221; In a very real sense, they might. They might be having their own financial challenges, don&#8217;t be selfish, and think of them.<br/><br/>From a monetary point of view, you could ask yourself: &#8220;Why buy life insurance when I cannot afford it? Why buy life insurance to create extra bills?&#8221; What you need to consider is that it only gets more expensive as you grow older. The companies will evaluate you based on the risk you pose to them. An older person, then, will have to pay more since they will naturally die sooner. Getting a plan sooner in life is a good way to get it for less.<br/><br/>Finally, you may think: &#8220;Why buy life insurance when I do not have any sickness? Why buy life insurance before I have a disease?&#8221; The problem with waiting is that some diseases and medical conditions will make it impossible for you to get a policy. The truth is that in most cases you can only get one before you are sick. Once you are sick and diagnosed it goes in to database called MIB-Medical Information Bureau. This is what the entire industry uses before approving life insurance.<br/><br/>Unfortunately, nobody&#8217;s health is guaranteed. One day you wake up fit as a fiddle and the next moment; bang! something comes up. Something on health or otherwise happens not because we wish it but because life happens. At this point, it may be too late, due to the term pre existing condition. So please think again and instead of asking; &#8220;why buy life insurance?&#8221; Ask yourself-what kind of name and legacy do you want to leave behind? The choice is yours.<br/><br/></p>
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		<title>The Benefits of Being With an Independent Insurance Agent</title>
		<link>http://www.marcoaurelio.info/the-benefits-of-being-with-an-independent-insurance-agent/</link>
		<comments>http://www.marcoaurelio.info/the-benefits-of-being-with-an-independent-insurance-agent/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 04 Oct 2010 12:49:30 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Insurance]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[When searching for home and auto insurance, a consumer has many options as to who to do business with. Television commercials and online advertisements abound in today&#8217;s society. Everyone needs insurance, and insurance companies are battling for clients.In the world of insurance agents, there are two types of agents: captive agents and independent agents.An insurance [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><br/><br/>When searching for home and auto insurance, a consumer has many options as to who to do business with. Television commercials and online advertisements abound in today&#8217;s society. Everyone needs insurance, and insurance companies are battling for clients.<br/><br/>In the world of insurance agents, there are two types of agents: captive agents and independent agents.<br/><br/>An insurance agent that is captive represents one company and independent agents represent multiple companies. The largest and most well-known insurance companies (All State, Farmers, American Family) go only through their own &#8220;captive&#8221; agents. Other well known but less known insurance companies (Met Life, Travelers, Hartford, Progressive, etc) go through independent insurance agents.<br/><br/>When you walk into an office of a captive insurance agent, he/she will quote you with the one company that they carry. When you walk into an office of an independent insurance agent, he/she will shop all the companies that he/she represents and set you up with the company that matches you the best in terms of lowest rates and best coverages.<br/><br/>The insurance market is very complex. When looking for a rate quote, there are numerous factors which these companies must consider. Because some companies look at different factors in different ways, insurance rates can greatly vary for one person between different companies.<br/><br/>For example, let&#8217;s say that Suzie wants an auto insurance quote. She has a pretty good driving record. She has not had any major violations in the past few years. Two years ago, when she was at college and would travel to her parents&#8217; home and back on the weekends, she picked up two defective vehicle tickets.<br/><br/>The officer could have given her speeding tickets, but he reduced them down for her.<br/><br/>When Suzie went to get an insurance rate quote, she found that most insurance companies will give her higher insurance rates because of those two tickets. She would have to pay hundreds of more dollars each year. As her agent continued searching for her, he found an insurance company that would not rate her higher because of the tickets. This particular company does not rate &#8216;defective vehicles&#8217; as anything abnormal, thus though she had two tickets, she had access to the very lowest rates the company had to offer and she was able to save hundreds of dollars each year.<br/><br/>If Suzie had gone to an agent who was captive, he would have set her up with the one rate that he had to offer. She would have missed out on the money that she was going to save.<br/><br/>The more proactive the insurance agent is, the more he can search for ways to save his clients money. It is a good idea to not only seek an independent insurance agent, but a very proactive insurance agent. Understanding the difference between these two types of insurance agents can save you a lot of money on your insurance. colorado insurance insurance.<br/><br/></p>
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		<title>House Insurance For Your Rental Home</title>
		<link>http://www.marcoaurelio.info/house-insurance-for-your-rental-home/</link>
		<comments>http://www.marcoaurelio.info/house-insurance-for-your-rental-home/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 28 Jul 2010 22:53:03 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Insurance]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[Most landlords try to screen their potential boarders but even if you do this, you can&#8217;t make a full assessment of their personality with just a simple interview. Sure, you can do a background check on them to make sure they don&#8217;t have any criminal records but you can&#8217;t really gauge how capable they will [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><br/><br/>Most landlords try to screen their potential boarders but even if you do this, you can&#8217;t make a full assessment of their personality with just a simple interview. Sure, you can do a background check on them to make sure they don&#8217;t have any criminal records but you can&#8217;t really gauge how capable they will be in taking care of your home.<br/><br/>This is why it is an excellent move for any landlord to take out a house insurance policy for the homes they are renting out. Even if the tenant turns out to be a careless slob who leaves stains everywhere or constantly leaves the doors unlocked, practically inviting robbers inside, your home will be protected against any damages they may make.<br/><br/>Typically, a rental house insurance policy will not cover the furniture and other items inside the house since those belong to the tenant. If anything gets stolen, it will be their loss and you will not be liable to them since your house insurance only covers the actual structure and fixtures in the house.<br/><br/>An issue you need to clarify before taking out a rental house insurance policy is whether the home will be left vacant for long periods of time. Usually, house insurance coverage will not include damages or losses that occurred more than 30 days after the house has been vacant.<br/><br/>This issue could be a big deal for landlords because some tenants might leave for a long summer vacation without informing you, leaving the home unoccupied and uncovered by house insurance. Another situation is when you are between tenants. There could be slow seasons when it will take a long time to find new tenants after the previous occupants have left. To avoid these situations, you can find house insurance policies that allow up to 90 days for your home to be vacant.<br/><br/>Many rental house insurance companies will be interested to know about the people who are renting your home. If the occupants are a homely middle-aged couple who regularly attends Thursday night bingo, you will probably be able to get excellent coverage on your house insurance policy. However, if your tenants are members of a college rock band who are more likely to go on a destructive rampage, you will surely have a difficult time finding a company to give you a decent Homeowner Insurance Guide coverage.<br/><br/>Of course these are extreme examples but you get the idea. More damage means more claims and more claims means more cash out for the insurance company. In fact it means more cash out for you as well because will have to shoulder the excess from your claims.<br/><br/>To summarize this all, you just need to find the right house insurance policy for your rental home and you can make your rental business grow in no time.<br/><br/></p>
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		<title>Avoid the Pitfalls of Rent to Own Houses</title>
		<link>http://www.marcoaurelio.info/avoid-the-pitfalls-of-rent-to-own-houses/</link>
		<comments>http://www.marcoaurelio.info/avoid-the-pitfalls-of-rent-to-own-houses/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 05 Jul 2010 23:56:26 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Insurance]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[Rent to own houses have grown in popularity today. There&#8217;s a reason for this: Mortgage lenders have tightened their lending standards, and the average credit score of consumers&#8217; has fallen. Rent to own houses, though, give credit-strapped buyers the opportunity to eventually purchase a home. They also give homeowners, who can&#8217;t nab high-enough prices by [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><br/><br/>Rent to own houses have grown in popularity today. There&#8217;s a reason for this: Mortgage lenders have tightened their lending standards, and the average credit score of consumers&#8217; has fallen. Rent to own houses, though, give credit-strapped buyers the opportunity to eventually purchase a home. They also give homeowners, who can&#8217;t nab high-enough prices by selling their homes in today&#8217;s down economy, the chance to earn at least some rental income from the houses that they can&#8217;t unload.<br/><br/>But rent to own houses do come with their own risks, and it&#8217;s up to the renters themselves to do the advance research that will help them avoid these risks.<br/><br/>Minnesota Public Radio recently ran a report on the booming rent to own market. The report said that while this market provides opportunities to both homeowners and hopeful homeowners, it also comes with potential pitfalls. The biggest problem, according to the story, is that rent to own arrangements are largely unregulated by government agencies.<br/><br/>Rent to Own Homes: An Unregulated Industry<br/><br/>State lawmakers in Minnesota are now working on legislation that would provide regulations for owners and renters entering into a rent to own agreement. But even if this legislation eventually passes, participants in rent to own agreements in most of the rest of the country will still have to navigate the process without the benefit of regulations.<br/><br/>Renters, then, who don&#8217;t want to fall into disputes with their new landlords, need to clarify the exact terms of any rent to own agreement in which they enter.<br/><br/>At their most basic, rent to own arrangements are relatively simple. Renters sign a lease, much like an apartment lease, to rent a house for a set period of time, usually a year. After a certain period, it could be as long as three to five years or as soon as the end of the first year-long lease, renters have the option to purchase the home that they had been renting.<br/><br/>Along the way, landlords reserve a portion of each month&#8217;s rent for a possible down payment should the renters decide to purchase the home.<br/><br/>The Benefits of Rent to Own Houses<br/><br/>The benefits of this arrangement are obvious: Homeowners earn rental income, and also secure a potential buyer for their residences. Renters learn what it&#8217;s like to live in a home and gain the time they need to improve their credit scores.<br/><br/>The potential pitfalls, though, are serious. The Minnesota Public Radio story, for instance, highlighted the case of a couple who were in a rent to own arrangement. When their house fell into foreclosure, the couple lost all the extra money they had set aside for a possible down payment. The couple also had disputes with their landlord over who was responsible for making major repairs with the house, the landlord or the renters.<br/><br/>The key to making a rent to own arrangement work is for both homeowners and renters to spell out exactly what is expected of everyone. Homeowners should explain exactly how much money they&#8217;ll be setting aside for a possible down payment from every rent check. They should also clarify what happens to this money if renters decide not to purchase the house or if the house falls into foreclosure. Both parties should also agree about who is responsible for repairs, lawn mowing, and other upkeep.<br/><br/>The Rent to Own Alternative<br/><br/>Rent to own houses can serve as a much-needed alternative for both homeowners and renters in today&#8217;s challenging real estate market. But unless both sides of the rent to own agreement are forthright with what is expected, the rent to own arrangement can lead to a long, and unpleasant, dispute. By doing their research before signing any papers, renters can take a huge step to avoiding such a negative situation.<br/><br/></p>
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		<title>Equity Indexed Universal Life Insurance &#8211; The Best of Both Worlds?</title>
		<link>http://www.marcoaurelio.info/equity-indexed-universal-life-insurance-the-best-of-both-worlds/</link>
		<comments>http://www.marcoaurelio.info/equity-indexed-universal-life-insurance-the-best-of-both-worlds/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sat, 05 Jun 2010 19:05:37 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Insurance]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Equity Indexed Universal Life Insurance]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Insurance Policy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Universal Life Insurance]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[Although equity indexed annuities have been around for a number of years, equity indexed universal life (EIUL) insurance is a relative newcomer to the life insurance marketplace. EIUL is a spin on universal life (UL) insurance, a popular policy type because you can increase or decrease your death benefit as your needs change and your [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><br/><br/>Although equity indexed annuities have been around for a number of years, equity indexed universal life (EIUL) insurance is a relative newcomer to the life insurance marketplace. EIUL is a spin on universal life (UL) insurance, a popular policy type because you can increase or decrease your death benefit as your needs change and your premiums can be adjusted accordingly. UL policies also build a cash value against which you could borrow or even use to pay your premiums.<br/><br/>The equity indexed concept is relatively simple: the amount of interest credited to your policy&#8217;s cash value is tied to the performance of a particular index (the S&#038;P 500 is one of the most popular), so that in years where the index performs well your interest crediting rate will rise, and in years where the index performs poorly, your interest crediting rate will fall.<br/><br/>Most policies guarantee that your interest crediting rate will never fall below zero so that you won&#8217;t lose money (you just won&#8217;t make it). They also have a cap as to how high a crediting rate they will pass on to you. This range of possible rates is often described as offering &#8220;upside potential with downside protection.&#8221;<br/><br/>How It Works<br/><br/>Typically, the big choice facing life insurance buyers is whether to go with a &#8220;safe&#8221; universal life policy that offers a minimum guaranteed rate but limited potential for cash accumulation or to go with a more &#8220;risky&#8221; variable life policy that offers greater potential for earnings but no protection against losses in the market.<br/><br/>EIUL insurance is an attempt to fill the gap between these two approaches. EIUL is universal life insurance in which the cash value is linked to a certain index. If the index is higher at the end of the year, your cash value may go up. If the index stays flat or goes down, your cash value earns the minimum guaranteed interest rate (say, 2 percent). You should note, however, that when your index goes up it doesn&#8217;t mean that your cash value increase will reflect the full index increase, due to fees, and dividends and capital gains aren&#8217;t included in the cash value&#8217;s calculation.<br/><br/>But are these new products the best of both worlds? Let&#8217;s take a look at both sides of the coin.<br/><br/>The Pros and Cons<br/><br/>One advantage of EIUL is the potential for higher interest crediting rates than a traditional universal policy. Another advantage is that it offers greater protection from market downturns than a variable life insurance policy.<br/><br/>Stephan Mitchell, product &#038; competition analyst for Pacific Life Insurance Co., based in Newport Beach, Calif., points out that while these products are not a cure-all, they can offer &#8220;an attractive middle ground for buyers who saw the market downturn of 2001-2002 and are looking for some guarantees.&#8221; These products can offer some peace of mind to buyers looking for a mix of guarantees and some potential for cash accumulation.<br/><br/>However, there can be disadvantages to having an equity indexed product. The chief disadvantage of an equity indexed product is that it comes equipped with slightly higher risk than a traditional universal policy. Also, the cap rate<br/><br/></p>
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		<title>Insurance Agent Differences &#8211; Captives Vs Independent</title>
		<link>http://www.marcoaurelio.info/insurance-agent-differences-captives-vs-independent/</link>
		<comments>http://www.marcoaurelio.info/insurance-agent-differences-captives-vs-independent/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 16 Feb 2010 00:35:47 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Insurance]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[What are the main differences between insuring with an independent insurance agency vs. a captive agency? Many people are not sure of the differences so this article designed to help explain these differences.A captive agency is an agency that writes usually through one company. They are usually multiline companies which means they can write several [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><br/><br/>What are the main differences between insuring with an independent insurance agency vs. a captive agency? Many people are not sure of the differences so this article designed to help explain these differences.<br/><br/>A captive agency is an agency that writes usually through one company. They are usually multiline companies which means they can write several different lines of insurance like, home, auto, boat etc&#8230; but only through that one company. Their customers desire to be insured with the company based on brand recognition.<br/><br/>An independent agency is just the opposite. An independent will shop your coverage&#8217;s through multiple carriers sometimes 20-30 of the best carriers in the industry to find your best price. These carriers will usually specialize in that particular product and sometimes that is all they do. This is usually a good thing as they know that one product or line of insurance very well and are priced competitively to write a lot of that one product line.<br/><br/>If you prefer the captive route you are at the mercy of how competitive that one carrier is. More times than not, price is important but not necessarily the main focus with insuring with a captive agency. On the other hand, the independent side will tend to be more competitive in price but with carriers that are strong but not as well know as the captive carriers.<br/><br/>In the State of FL the captive agencies are having the most difficult time due to major restrictions on the property side. Many captive agencies have major restrictions or are in the process of cancelling their entire property book of business. Most of the business since the 04 hurricanes has shifted to the captives because of restrictions and price issues.<br/><br/>I hope this helps shed some light on the differences between the two types agencies. to find out more, contact us at the number at the top of your screen. Orlando Insurance Agency<br/><br/></p>
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		<title>Life Insurance &#8211; Pros and Cons of Whole Life &amp; Term Life Coverage</title>
		<link>http://www.marcoaurelio.info/life-insurance-pros-and-cons-of-whole-life-term-life-coverage/</link>
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		<pubDate>Mon, 09 Nov 2009 23:51:58 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Insurance]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Brouhaha]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Funerals]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Life Camps]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[“Do I need life insurance?” “Is whole life insurance a good investment?” “Is term life insurance risky?” Questions like these are posted in online communities on a daily basis. The answers vary widely, with the term life and whole life camps polarized. The tone of the debate is surprisingly strident. After all, the topic is [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<div style="float:left; padding: 12px"><a href="/wp-content/uploads/cc/life_insurance9.jpg"><img src="/wp-content/uploads/cc/life_insurance9.jpg" title='life insurance' alt='life insurance' /></a></div>
<div align="justify"><br/><br/>“Do I need life insurance?” “Is whole life insurance a good investment?” “Is term life insurance risky?” Questions like these are posted in online communities on a daily basis. The answers vary widely, with the term life and whole life camps polarized. The tone of the debate is surprisingly strident. After all, the topic is insurance—not a something expected to inspire strong opinions, let alone strong language. But words like “rip-off,” “scam,” and “waste of money” fly back and forth, sometimes accompanied by rows of exclamation marks or worse. What is behind the brouhaha? And which camp—if either—is right?<br/><br/>The two sides do not even agree about whether a person needs life insurance. Whole lifers say, yes. You do not want the death of a family member to disrupt your family’s finances or jeopardize its future. It is hard enough to adjust to the loss of a loved one. Adding financial difficulties exacerbates the problem. With the skyrocketing costs of funerals, even children and seniors should have at least a small life insurance policy.<br/><br/>Not so fast, say the term lifers. The only reason to have life insurance is to replace the lost income of a family member who dies, and then only when the spouse or family is dependent on that income. If you are single with no dependents and no debts that might be transferred to your family in the event you die, then you do not need life insurance. If you are married and your spouse works, you probably do not need life insurance, either, assuming your spouse makes enough to support himself or herself.<br/><br/>The time for life insurance, term lifers say, is when the policyholder’s income is vital to the financial security of the family. If, for example, you have purchased a home together and your spouse could not pay the mortgage and other bills by himself or herself, then life insurance is in order. If you have children, you will want to have enough life insurance to allow your family to maintain its lifestyle after you are gone. This includes not only meeting day-to-day expenses, but also being able to follow through with plans for higher education. Insurance professionals recommend buying a policy with a face value 5-10 times the breadwinner’s annual salary to help family meet expenses for a period of years.<br/><br/>Whole lifers see problems with the term-life scenario. The view it as overly optimistic, even naïve. Many things can happen during the 20- to 30-year period covered by term life insurance that could extend the need for coverage beyond the policy’s end date. For example, children may be born mentally retarded, with severe autism, or with another serious condition that could prevent them from becoming independent when they reach adulthood. Children also can develop a disease or suffer an accident that disables them. A spouse, too, can become disabled. In these situations, the family will remain dependent on the breadwinner’s income long after the term life policy expires.<br/><br/>Term life insurance advocates point out that in such cases, the breadwinner can renew the term life policy, or take out a new one. Now it’s the whole lifers’ turn to say, “Not so fast.” By the time the second term life policy is needed, the breadwinner will likely be in his or her fifties or even sixties. Due to the age of the insured, the cost of a second term life policy will be much higher than the cost of the first was. With the added years come added risks of certain diseases. If the breadwinner is obese, has developed high blood pressure, a heart condition, diabetes, or another disease, the cost of the term life policy will skyrocket. If the individual has developed cancer or AIDS, he or she may not be insurable at all. In such situations, the cost savings realized on the first term life policy could be wiped out by the high cost of a second term life policy.<br/><br/>By contrast, the premiums of a whole life policy are set for life and do not go up with age or medical condition. A whole life policy cannot be canceled due to medical conditions, either. The policy remains in force until death, as long as the premiums are paid.<br/><br/>“Until death” is another advantage of whole life, its advocates maintain. Whole life gets its name from the fact that it insures the policyholder life until death. As a result, whole life insurance is guaranteed to pay a death benefit—the amount the policy pays upon the death of the insured. The death benefit can be increased—at certain points at no additional cost—as the policyholder ages. A small policy designed to cover the funeral costs of a child can be increased to provide adequate coverage during an adult’s peak earning years. Whatever the death benefit or “face value” of the whole life policy, the insurance company guarantees to pay it. As a result, the policyholder or his or her beneficiaries always receive some, all, or more than the premiums paid into the policy.<br/><br/>This is not the case with a term life policy, whole lifers point out. The term life insurance policyholder can pay premiums for 30 years, but if he or she outlives the policy—even by a day—then all of the premium money is gone. The only thing the policyholder will have received is 30 years worth of peace of mind.<br/><br/>Whole life insurance, by contrast, accumulates a value that the policyholder can access during his or her lifetime. This value is known as the cash value or the surrender value. The whole life policy holder can use the cash value as collateral for a loan, or even borrow some of it during his or her lifetime. The policyholder must pay this amount back. If he or she dies before it is paid back, then the unpaid amount is deducted from the death benefit. If the policyholder decides to cancel the policy, the insurance company will pay him or her the cash value, which is then known as the surrender value. Whole life, its proponents maintain, is not only insurance against death. It is an investment for life.<br/><br/>This is where the debate turns nasty. Term lifers often ridicule the investment features of whole life. Because whole life always pays a death benefit, it costs 5-10 times more than term life does. Term lifers argue that a person is much better off getting a term policy for the same face value that they would get a whole life policy, then saving and investing the difference in premiums. Almost any investment will return more than a whole life policy will, term lifer proponents maintain. Over 20 or 30 years, the difference can be vast. Buy insurance to insure, the term lifers say, and use the savings to invest.<br/><br/>Whole lifers respond that the return on a whole life policy is guaranteed at the outset, something than cannot be said for other investments. To earn greater rewards, the term life policyholder must take greater risks in the open market. Many investments will outperform whole life insurance, but not all will. Some investments lose money, as shareholders in World Com, Enron, Peregrine Systems, and many other companies can attest.<br/><br/>Even if the investment will pay out, it is not certain that the term life policyholder will actually make it. To do so, he or she must calculate the amount saved over whole life insurance; save that money every month, quarter, or year; research possible investments; and contribute to that investment regularly for 20 or 30 years. This makes sense for disciplined and savvy investors, but many others will find the endeavor daunting and time consuming. They may not start it, and if they do, they may not continue it. Whole life takes care of insurance, savings, and investment in one easy payment. Even if the returns on whole life are not great, saving something is better than saving nothing, and nothing is exactly how much many term life policyholders will end up saving.<br/><br/>Both whole life and term life have pros and cons. People who are financially savvy and disciplined will gain from the term life scenario. Those who need a convenient and simple mechanism for insurance and savings will benefit from whole life insurance. Deciding which is best for you requires an honest appraisal of your goals, your lifestyle, and your investing skills.<br/><br/><br/><br/></p>
<p>An award-winning author of books for young adults, <a href="http://www.bradleysteffens.com/">Bradley Steffens</a> is a frequent contributor to online and print publications, including <i>Gig</i> and <i>Broker Agent Magazine</i>. A copywriter with 25 years experience, he creates website content for <a href="http://www.easyhealthins.com">health insurance</a>, life insurance, and homeowner&#8217;s insurance professionals. His most recent book, <i>Ibn al-Haytham: First Scientist</i>, is the world’s first biography of the medieval Muslim scholar known in the West as <a href="http://www.ibnalhaytham.net/">Alhazen</a>.</p>
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		<title>Mobile Home Insurance &#8211; What you Should Know</title>
		<link>http://www.marcoaurelio.info/mobile-home-insurance-what-you-should-know/</link>
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		<pubDate>Tue, 03 Nov 2009 03:31:11 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Insurance]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Insurance Policy]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Liability Insurance]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Manufactured Home Insurance]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[There is a lot of misunderstanding about getting manufactured or mobile home insurance. A lot of people think that it is difficult or even impossible to do. But the truth is, a lot of home insurance companies now offer insurance coverage for your mobile home. It is important that you do your homework and become [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<div style="float:left; padding: 12px"><a href="/wp-content/uploads/cc/home_insurance23.jpg"><img src="/wp-content/uploads/cc/home_insurance23.jpg" title='home insurance' alt='home insurance' /></a></div>
<div align="justify"><br/><br/>There is a lot of misunderstanding about getting manufactured or mobile home insurance. A lot of people think that it is difficult or even impossible to do. But the truth is, a lot of home insurance companies now offer insurance coverage for your mobile home. It is important that you do your homework and become familiar with the different types of policies offered before you make your decision. Here are three tips to help you in knowing what to look for when you are trying to find a mobile home policy.<br/><br/>The three most important areas to be aware of are personal property or your personal possessions, liability coverage, and insurance on the home itself and surrounding property.<br/><br/>A good manufactured home insurance policy will offer protection on your personal possessions. Take a complete inventory of all your personal items. Include pictures of each item. Keep this list, as well as the pictures in a secure place that is not in your home, such as a safety deposit box.<br/><br/>If your home is destroyed, you will need this list and pictures as proof of your personal possessions to get compensation. You could trust your insurance agent with it, but it is better to keep a safe copy for yourself. This may seem unnecessary to some, but if you ever have a serious claim situation you will be thankful that you took a few minutes and followed this step.<br/><br/>Secondly, a good insurance policy will include liability insurance. Liability coverage protects you, the homeowner, if someone gets hurt on your property or in your home. It can pay for medical expenses and costs associated with the injury. A good policy will also help pay for legal defense in the event that you are sued. It should also cover damages made to the property when the accident occurred. However, it does not cover injuries to you or your immediate family living in the home.<br/><br/>To determine the amount of liability coverage that you might need, think about how many people will be in and out of your home on a daily basis. If you have teenagers that are always inviting friends over, liability insurance is a must! It is important to try to make your home and property as safe as possible. Keep the porch and walkways in good repair. Always have adequate lighting and keep your home free of excessive clutter.<br/><br/>Finally, make sure your mobile home insurance policy not only insures your mobile home, but also insures the surrounding property and out buildings. Have adequate coverage to give you enough money to replace your home in the event that something happens to it.<br/><br/>Find a good policy that will cover things like fire, storm damage, smoke damage, explosion and damage from vandalism. Nothing is more frustrating or disheartening than to have a disaster, whether natural or man made, wipe out your home, only to discover that it was not covered.<br/><br/>A manufactured home is your home. You need to have it covered just like any other home. Compare insurance companies and read all of the fine print. Get everything in writing. Then get the best deal you can on your mobile home insurance policy.<br/><br/>All Rights Reserved Worldwide. Reprint Rights: You may reprint this article as long as you leave all of the links active and do not edit the article in any way.<br/><br/><br/><br/></p>
<p>By the way, you can learn more about <a target="_new" href="http://www.homeinsurancea-z.com/Mobile_Home_Insurance_-_What_You_Should_Know.html">Mobile Home Insurance</a> as well as much more information on all types of home insurance at <a target="_new" href="http://www.homeinsurancea-z.com"><a target="_blank" href="http://www.HomeInsuranceA-z.com">http://www.HomeInsuranceA-z.com</a></a></p>
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		<title>Why Health Life Insurance is Important For your Family</title>
		<link>http://www.marcoaurelio.info/why-health-life-insurance-is-important-for-your-family/</link>
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		<pubDate>Sun, 01 Nov 2009 03:59:39 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
				<category><![CDATA[Insurance]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Health Insurance]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Health Life]]></category>
		<category><![CDATA[Period Of Time]]></category>

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		<description><![CDATA[Whether you deny it or not, health life insurance can really help protect your family. Although there are a lot of people who do not entertain the idea of death, it is still something that cannot be avoided. Unless you have discovered the fountain of youth, death is the ultimate threat to your loved ones.Death [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<div style="float:left; padding: 12px"><a href="/wp-content/uploads/cc/life_insurance12.jpg"><img src="/wp-content/uploads/cc/life_insurance12.jpg" title='life insurance' alt='life insurance' /></a></div>
<div align="justify"><br/><br/>Whether you deny it or not, health life insurance can really help protect your family. Although there are a lot of people who do not entertain the idea of death, it is still something that cannot be avoided. Unless you have discovered the fountain of youth, death is the ultimate threat to your loved ones.<br/><br/>Death does not just entail the loss of a loved one. In many cases, death haunts people because of the series of events that it triggers. For example, the death of the breadwinner in the family is more than enough reason to have larger than life problems. Would you want your family to experience this kind of situation? Get a health life insurance now.<br/><br/><strong>Health life insurance in focus</strong><strong></strong><br/><br/>A health life insurance is a kind of well, insurance, that covers a lot of things. Funeral costs are usually the major coverage of most health life insurance. In some cases, a health life insurance also provides people with the benefit of not worrying about hospital bills. There are also health life insurances that will provide your loved ones with certain amount of money after your death.<br/><br/>Offered by the different public and private institutions, health life insurances can be compared to social securities. People who have health life insurances are required to pay a minimum amount during a period of time. Once the insurance policy matures, the bearer of the health life insurance would be entitled to several benefits agreed in the policy.<br/><br/><strong>Advantages of having a health life insurance</strong><br/><br/>Having a health life insurance for your family will always provide you with a number of positive benefits. To give you an idea, here are just some of the things that you would enjoy for having a health life insurance:<br/><br/> You’re insured! <br/><br/>A health life insurance would guarantee that you or your family will have the financial means to support and solve whatever life and health related problems will come along the way.<br/><br/> No worrying about funeral expenses <br/><br/>Death may have its toll financially. As a matter of fact, funeral expenses can just aggravate the lost of the families left behind. Some sources say that funeral expenses costs an average of $10,000—an amount that not all families have. And since death is always unexpected, having a health life insurance that covers funeral expenses is like being prepared for the unknown.<br/><br/> Money for those who were left behind <br/><br/>Some health life insurance also covers giving certain amounts of money to the beneficiaries of the insurance holder. Depending on the type of health insurance plan, the funds could be received in bulk or in scheduled releases. Having a health life insurance of this type will ensure that life would still go on for those who were left behind.<br/><br/> No debts/bills to be paid <br/><br/>Since a health life insurance will cover all the expenses for the funeral and hospitalisation, families need not worry about paying bills or getting credits. This would mean that they would be free of worrying about the consequences of the death of their loved one.<br/><br/><br/><br/></p>
<p>I am 23 year old student on my last year of study at the University of Sydney (Sydney), majoring in Information technology.</p>
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