Life insurance or life assurance is a contract between the policy owner and the insurer, where the insurer agrees to pay a designated beneficiary a sum of money upon the occurrence of the insured individual's or individuals' death or other event, such as terminal illness or critical illness. In return, the policy owner agrees to pay a stipulated amount at regular intervals or in lump sums. There may be designs in some countries where bills and death expenses plus catering for after funeral expenses should be included in Policy Premium. In the United States, the predominant form simply specifies a lump sum to be paid on the insured's demise.

As with most insurance policies, life insurance is a contract between the insurer and the policy owner whereby a benefit is paid to the designated beneficiaries if an insured event occurs which is covered by the policy.

The value for the policyholder is derived, not from an actual claim event, rather it is the value derived from the 'peace of mind' experienced by the policyholder, due to the negating of adverse financial consequences caused by the death of the Life Assured.

To be a life policy the insured event must be based upon the lives of the people named in the policy.

Insured events that may be covered include:

* Serious illness

Life policies are legal contracts and the terms of the contract describe the limitations of the insured events. Specific exclusions are often written into the contract to limit the liability of the insurer; for example claims relating to suicide, fraud, war, riot and civil commotion.

Life-based contracts tend to fall into two major categories:

* Protection policies - designed to provide a benefit in the event of specified event, typically a lump sum payment. A common form of this design is term insurance.
* Investment policies - where the main objective is to facilitate the growth of capital by regular or single premiums. Common forms (in the US anyway) are whole life, universal life and variable life policies.

TATA AIG Travel Insurance, overseas travel insurance coverage

Travelling abroad is an exciting and mind broadening experience, however it is cautious to be always covered with proper health insurance. While leaving one’s home country travelers should get covered under overseas travel medical insurance, as their domestic insurance usually does not cross national borders. TATA AIG has designed travel insurance specially to provide coverage for those going overseas. TATA AIG travel insurance covers costs that incur both due to medical as well as non medical reasons during an emergency. The premium for the TATA AIG travel insurance plans vary according to the age group and destination of the traveler. The travel insurance plans offered by TATA AIG are;

TATA AIG Travel Guard Insurance

The TATA AIG Travelguard insurance is for all overseas travelers up to the age of 70. There are 3 policy maximums available, the Silver plan for $50,000/-, the Gold plan for $200,000/- and the Platinum plan for $500,000/- . This policy is available up to 180 days initially, but can be later renewed for another 90 days. The renewal is however not guaranteed and is contingent on approval.

TATA AIG Asia Guard Travel Insurance

Your holiday in Asia will be more enjoyable and memorable covered with TATA AIG Asia Guard. Travelers going to Asian countries like Hong Kong, Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, Dubai, Sri Lanka, Maldives… can purchase TATA AIG Asia Guard and get covered. Those who are travelling to Asia for any purpose will find TATA AIG Asia Guard affordable than any other travel insurance plans. Only Japan and Korea are Asian countries that are excluded in Asia Guard travel insurance. However the Asia Guard policy is available for a maximum of 14 days only. For travel within Asia but for more than 14 days, travelers should purchase the TATA AIG Travel guard insurance policy.

TATA AIG Annual MultiTrip Travel Insurance

Travelers who make multiple trips to foreign countries annually can purchase TATA AIG Annual MultiTrip travel insurance for medical coverage. TATA AIG Annual MultiTrip insurance is available as Gold plan and Platinum plan. The Gold Plan in Annual MultiTrip provides maximum coverage of $250,000 and Platinum plan offers maximum sum of $500,000 respectively. Travelers with the Annual Multi trip cannot exceed a single trip overseas for more than 30 or 45 days depending on the plan purchased.

TATA AIG Domestic Guard Travel Insurance

Those who travel within India should not ignore the importance of travel insurance policy. TATA AIG Domestic Guard travel insurance plan covers specific risks that are encountered by the travelers in case of an emergency. TATA AIG Domestic Guard insurance can be purchased according to one’s age group.

TATA AIG Student Travel Insurance

Students going abroad for education also require medical insurance and TATA AIG Insurance plans are available for them also. TATA AIG Student medical insurance provides coverage for students between the age of 16 to 35 years who are enrolled and attending full time college outside of India. TATA AIG Student Guard insurance is available for the customers as Plan A, Plan B and Ultimate. The policy maximum will be $50,000, $100,000 and $250,000 respectively in Student Guard medical insurance by TATA AIG.

TATA AIG Senior Citizen Travel Insurance

TATA AIG travel insurance plans are available for senior citizens as well. Senior citizens who are between the age of 70 and 79 are eligible for TATA AIG travel insurance policy coverage. The maximum duration of coverage will be 120 days for Senior Citizen travelers between 70 and 79 and the maximum benefit maximum is limited to $10,000 in insurance plan.

These are some of the travel insurance plans offered by TATA AIG and are available online. Customers can purchase insurance from outside India for family members who are traveling from India. A son or a daughter living in the United States or the UK can purchase TATA AIG Travel insurance for their parents who are traveling from India. Insurance customers can free quotes of TATA Travel insurance and get covered quickly and conveniently. Travelers who are already outside of India can fill online traveler outside India application and request for TATA AIG travel insurance policy coverage. Travelers already outside India can purchase the policy on getting approval. The purchase process of TATA AIG health insurance plan can be completed using a credit, a debit card or a cheque. The coverage of TATA AIG insurance plan will begin as per the start date requested by the insurance customers. TATA AIG travel insurance provides coverage for hospitalization expenses, checked baggage loss, baggage delay, loss of passport, personal liability, personal accident, trip delay etc.

The Hunt for Health Insurance Part 1: Being uninsured sucks!

I looked over my COBRA papers and stifled a chortle. $430 a month for a plan that has a $2,000 deductible? Yikes. Life was so good when I paid $70 a month for that bad boy and my employer put $1,000 in the HSA. I got an annual physical and chiropractic work and not a dollar came directly from my pocket.

Oh well.

So I read some news articles on shopping for insurance and talked to my cousin who had run his own business and worked as a contractor, so he was well-versed in shopping for his own coverage (plus he has a wife and children, so it was even more crucial).

I've been to ehealthinsurance.com (which both a Washington Post article and my cousin recommended) and applied for two plans -- both with CareFirst Blue Cross Blue Shield. They've got low monthly premiums because the deductibles are high, but I think that will work for me because I rarely go to the doctor (even when I have health insurance I only go for annual physicals and when I'm super sick, otherwise I don't mess with them fools... always wanting to push some drugs on ya. I once had a doc write me a prescriptions for Tylenol. What?). I figure most of the money I'd be saving on one of these plans vs. COBRA I'll stick in my emergency fund so if and when that deductible has to be paid out, I can do it in cash and the plan can cover the rest.
Now... that means I actually have to save the money and not go buy shoes or something.

Do me a favor blogger fam: tell me about your coverage, how you acquired it and what plans you're working with. I'm curious how many people prefer HMO, PPO, High Deduc with HSA or what. And any other suggestions you have for searching out decent coverage, let me know. Thank you!

Fire Insurance Claims: Help & Tips You Should Consider After The Fire

By: Joe Brennan


Almost everyone who has suffered damages to their property as a result of a fire insurance claim makes costly mistakes during and after the settlement... And, here it is; Most policyholders simply rely on their insurance company to evaluate the entire claim. This can be the most costly mistake anyone could ever make in their entire life.

As if it's not bad enough that your property was destroyed by fire, to then rely on someone else - who is not really there for you - to visit the property, inspect the damages, generate PROPER value, and then completely trust that they have your best interest in mind... Is Simply I N S A N I T Y ! Yet, we see policyholders that are in a state of shock allow this very thing to happen all across the world, every day of the year. It's hard to imagine that most people have human instincts to count their "change" from a cashier at the store or diligently review dinner bills, line by line, to make sure the waiter or waitress did not bill them for additional items. We all do it. We're sure to go out of our way to track and count life's little chump change. However, when it comes to fire insurance claim damages exceeding tens of thousands, even hundreds of thousands of dollars, without ay questions we rely on the insurance company.

No one knows your property like you do. There is much to do to properly prepare and configure a fire insurance claim that in most instances, items are forgotten or missed during the process. Especially if it's done by someone at your insurance company. They don't know about your building, your property, or your contents (furniture, clothing, etc.) like you do. How could they possibly be as accurate as you? Furthermore, just because an insurance company adjuster visits your property for an inspection does not mean they are a professional contractor, builder, or certified in fire and water damage restoration.

With the review of thousands of closed claims, we have found that in most cases, both insurance companies and policyholders unknowingly miss damages that are hidden from the naked eye. In almost all instances; it is a good idea to have a professional review your fire damage claim. Preferably a fire insurance claims appraiser, consultant, or fire consulting firm.

Unknowingly policyholders often assume that when their insurance company sends them money and they deposit the funds in their bank account that the claim is closed. This is not true at all. The fact is; in most states the policyholder has up to 3-years to submit a claim and even the same time to ADD damages to an existing claim. So, the answer is yes, you can have a professional review your claim to see if you have been properly compensated, during the claims process or even years after the claim has been closed. Policyholders can also obtain more insurance proceeds from claims - even if the building has been torn down, demolished, and/or removed.

It's true, even if claims have been settled and all insurance proceeds have been deposited, or the building has been torn down and removed, policyholders can recover more insurance proceeds if the damages were missed or not addressed properly. In most cases, tens of thousands, even hundreds of thousands of more dollars are recovered... AFTER the insurance company has closed the claim. Even policyholders that believe they have received a fair settlement... they usually have not.

However, it's truly up to the policyholders to do their part and protect themselves. Below are a few tips and ideas to assist policyholders with the review of their fire insurance claims. There are tips for those in the middle of the claim process - as well as tips for claims that have been closed some time ago.

1. Existing Claim -

1. Document Your Building Damage: Take the time to inspect and document the damages yourself. Take photos of all damaged rooms in your building. Take overviews of the room and then take some close-up photos of the damaged ceilings, walls, floors, windows, doors, etc. of that room as well. Work your way around the building to the left (clock wise). Before entering the next room, closet, or hall - take an overview. This will be an easy way to organize which photos belong to which rooms. An example is; Overview of living room, then from top to bottom, photos of ceiling, walls, windows, doors, then the floor. Then the first photo of the next room is an overview, and so on. (No pictures or close-ups of contents yet, just the rooms.)

1. For Closed Claims -

1. Obtain Documentation Of The Building: Insurance adjusters visit the property to gather measurements and photos of the damage. If you have no photographs yourself, or a limited amount of pics - request that the insurance company send you all photographs that were taken by the adjuster. You should also request the complete estimate and diagram/sketch they used to arrive at the square footage and repair numbers. This type of documentation will be critical for you to have, as well as if the need arises for the fire insurance claim appraiser you choose.

2. Existing Claim -

2. Document Contents Damage: You will now want to visit each room and closet once again. This time you will be collecting an inventory of your contents. In the same manner you did with the rooms; you should take an overview picture of each piece of furniture, each pair of shoes, each shirt, pants, ect. After the overviews you then take a close-up picture of any damages to that item. (Like smoke or water stains, etc.) Write each individual item down on a Contents Inventory Form. ( Request one by visiting http://www.insuranceclaimsgroup.com/contact-us.html ) The manner in which you take your photos will also help organize them. For Example; Take the overview picture of the room you are about to enter. In this example; let's say the living room. Your should then continue your way around the room to the left (clockwise). Capture pictures and list each item on each wall until you get back to where you began. It's important not to bounce around the room. This ensures that items will not be forgotten or missed. When the living room inventory has been pictured, listed, and completed, move into the next room. Again, start with an overview picture of that new room. This helps organize the contents by what room they were in. Be sure to list the name of the room on each page of the inventory list. Now the pictures and the lists are both sequenced and organized with each other.

2. For Closed Claims -

2. Obtain Documents Of Your Contents Damage: The insurance adjuster has taken photos of your contents during their inspection as well. If you have no photos yourself, or minimal photos - then request all photos taken by the adjuster of your contents. You should also request the complete detailed contents inventory they have written to arrive at their numbers. This documentation will be useful for the fire insurance claim consultant you choose.

3. Existing Claim -

3. Review Policy: Fire claim victims should always take time to read and review their insurance policies. Moss people have no idea of the basics, like; How much building allowance they? How much allowance for contents (clothing, furniture, electronics, etc.)? How much allowance to rent a home, rent furniture, or to stay in a hotel? Surprisingly, most policyholders have limited or absolutely no knowledge of such information. Usually this type of documentation gets destroyed in the fire. If such; people should visit their agents office and request a "certified true copy" of the policy they own. One should also ask the agent to advise how much coverage they hold for their property.

3. For Closed Claims -

3. Obtain Copy Of Your Policy: Contact your insurance company and request a certified copy of your "FULL" insurance policy, including the Declarations page. This documentation will be useful for the fire insurance claim consultant you choose.

4. Existing Claim -

4. Consult With A Professional: The insurance companies have their adjuster visit your property, inspect your damages, and complete estimates on the amount of damage you have incurred. It's very important you have the same exact process completed yourself. How does a policyholder know the insurance company adjuster has done their job correctly? Should you be willing to give up tens of thousands of dollars by not taking steps to be sure? The insurance adjuster should explain all the fire insurance claim coverage's that is available to you, however, such information is rarely disclosed. Sometimes it is even done on purpose, and on other occasions it's also done on purpose (Did you read that? Forgetting to advise you of certain coverage's is usually withheld until you ask. More often than not; it's done on purpose.) It is your belongings, it is your money, and it is your policy. You must educate yourself to ensure you're being fully compensated for the fire damages. You should consider hiring a fire insurance claim professional. Someone who can look out for you and review the insurance company's value of your loss. You need to be in-the-know by obtaining your own "real-world" costs and estimates to repair or replace your property.

4. For Closed Claims -

4. Consult A Independent Insurance Appraiser: Have you been provided with a fair settlement? How is a person sure they have unless they consult with a professional? Anyone who is not 100% sure if they have obtained fair and full settlement from an insurance company, owes it to themselves to investigate. If policyholders have collected and reviewed all the docs and photos that are listed above; they have sufficient documentation to consult the opinion of an independent appraiser and insurance professional. A professional review of your claim documentation is all an independent insurance appraiser needs to advise if you were treated fairly. To consider leaving yourself in the dark, with no flashlight in sight, without knowing if you're forfeiting tens of thousands and/or hundreds of thousands of dollars in the insurance company's pocket - doesn't make much sense at all. The minimal fee it would take to understand where you stand is a very tiny cost to pay. Compare that same tiny cost to a large chunk of insurance funds that you weren't even aware existed... is a no-brainer.

(Free Consultation: Getting help is easier than you think. We provide a no cost review of any present or closed insurance files. Call for your Free Consultation at any time 919-669-9111. Or visit online at http://www.insuranceclaimsgroup.com/contact-us.html )

The reasons are clear and simple. The facts are this, the adjusters work directly for the insurance company, where the fire claims appraiser or consultant works directly for you. You already made the right choice by making sure you were properly insured. It is now up to you to continue with the next steps. That is to research that you have properly compensated for the policy you paid for.

About the Author

Copyright of Insurance Claims Group, Inc. & Joseph P. Brennan: Joe Brennan is President and owner-operator of Insurance Claims Group, Inc., a national independent adjusting, appraisal, and umpiring firm. Joe has been in the property loss business for more than 24-years. His loss experience began as a contractor - builder, which included water and fire damage restoration repair services. After 20-years of insurance restoration estimating and repair experience, Mr. Brennan became a licensed independent insurance claims adjuster. Joe has maintained his IICRC Certification in both Fire and Water Restoration and also maintains active adjuster licenses in 10-states. Throughout his career, he has handled many multi-million dollar losses, both commercial and residential. The amount of combined experience and knowledge of new construction, damage repairs, and insurance claims handling has advanced his ability to act as a Dispute Appraiser and Appraisal Umpire. Mr. Brennan is highly educated with the appraisal process and has acted as an appraiser and umpire on dozens of claims. Mr. Brennan can be reached at;


Insurance Claims Group, Inc.

2054 Kildaire Farm Rd., Suite # 426

Cary, NC 27518

Ph: 919-669-9111

Fx: 919-573-9595

Web: http://www.insuranceclaimsgroup.com , http://www.insurance-appraisal-servies.com & http://www.fireinsuranceclaims.net



Copyright of Insurance Claims Group, Inc. & Joseph P. Brennan: You may freely republish this article, provided the text, author credit, the active links and this copyright notice remain intact.

(ArticlesBase SC #1424893)

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/ - Fire Insurance Claims: Help & Tips You Should Consider After The Fire

So you are thinking about protecting yourself with a home insurance. But what different types of home insurance are there and which one is the best for you?

This is a very important question you should know. So this guide will help you find out about your best options and how to use each.

Here are the most common types of homeowners insurances...
Home Insurance #1: Homeowner's Insurance

So you have a home and want to protect it? Then this insurance is essential for you.

Homeowner's insurance protects your home itself. So if anything happens to it, you can rest assured you will get the money back. For example a fire, earthquake, flood, and so on.

You can find out more about this type of insurance and how you can easily protect yourself in this helpful article about homeowners insurance free tips.
Home Insurance #2: Home Contents Insurance

So you have protected your home itself, but what about everything inside it?

It's amazing how many people spend their life and their hard-earned money buying and collecting the best house furniture, the latest in technological gadgetry, and a lot more... yet they forget to get any protection for them.

So by a simple accident, like earthquake or fire, or a burglary they lose all their valuable belongings in their home.

Find out more about home contents insurance in this free helpful guide.
How to Choose Which Insurance to Use?

Here's an easy way to choose which type of home insurance is best for you...

Ask yourself in case of anything happening, what will be harder to replace? Your home itself or your items and belongings in your home?

Because for some people their home is the most valuable thing and for some people who may have a simple house but lots of expensive items in it, their house items may be of the most value.

But overall, it's highly recommended you protect both your home and your home contents.

It's easy and the investment for the insurance won't be anything comparing to how much you'll have to pay without the insurance if anything happens.

Spare changeGeographical location can play a part in what a person may end up paying for coverage and finding affordable automobile coverage can be a challenge in such areas. This is especially true for those that reside cities such as Los Angeles, New York City, etc. This is because these cities are highly congested with many vehicles occupying the roadways that cause the risks of traffic accidents to be much higher The way that insurers look at it is; the more automobiles around ,the riskier it is for them to insure drivers

Aside from congested roadways, certain areas may have high crime rates which may cause the price of Comprehensive coverage to rise. It is not only the law to have coverage in most states in order to operate vehicles legally, but it can also help motorists from suffering huge financial burdens and legal action if they are the cause of an accident while driving uninsured. For this very reason, motorists should take the time to find affordable auto insurance not only to abide by the law, but to protect themselves as well.

Document, pen and glassesPractically any driver or vehicle owner who resides in the United States and wishes to operate an automobile must purchase a car insurance policy to do so legally. There is the issue of carrying the prior documentation at times when needed. Although there are many states that do not require individuals to carry proof of coverage at all times, it may be a good idea as a precautionary measure and under certain circumstances, one may be glad that they did.

Many states have implemented a law in which motorists are required to show proof of auto insurance under a number of scenarios. The most recent being the state of Wisconsin, beginning June 1, 2010 the state now allows a police officer to ask a driver to furnish documentation during a routine traffic stop proving that they are indeed insured; failure to provide the necessary paperwork can end in a $10 fine. Although such a minimal fine can be seen as laughable, most do not wish to part with $10 for something as little as forgetting to put a piece of paper in their car. Other states do not take this law as lightly as WI and some will even go so far as to tow a motor vehicle away for failure to comply with the state’s laws.

MaineThe Pine Tree State mandates that all drivers are covered by a liability policy. As stated by the Maine auto insurance laws, motorists are required to have at least the following limits as a minimum; $50,000 for bodily injury to one person, $100,000 for bodily injury to two or more people, and $25,000 for property damage or a combined limit of $125,000. These limits were put into place to cover the injuries and damages caused to a third party by a policyholder and compared to many states, these limits are much higher than the norm.

The bodily injury portion of a policy will pay for the injuries of a third party that are sustained when caused by a policyholder. This can also pay for such items as medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering. The property damage portion helps pay for the cost of damages caused to property such as an automobile, fence or house while behind the wheel of the insured’s automobile. Liability policies will also cover bodily injury and property damage if a member of a household who is covered by the policy or a person who is borrowing the vehicle with the permission of the policyholder.

Teen driverA teenager is usually going to find it an uphill battle when looking for an affordable rate for car insurance, but the truth of the matter is that if they wish to drive, they must be insured. This is why it is extremely important for these youths to take the time to understand why they are considered such a high risk to insure by providers and become knowledgeable of the many ways that a premium can be lowered in order to get covered at a reasonable rate.

Most parents dread the time it comes to buy auto insurance for teenagers and the teen may dread the fact even more if they will be held responsible for footing the bill, but as they begin to shop around it will become quite obvious that one company’s premium can differ substantially from another’s and obtaining quotes from as many carriers as possible can be the best chance at getting the best rate. A teenager lacks the experience behind the wheel compared to a middle aged driver and statistics show that this results in a higher crash involvement per mile driven. Therefore, insurers charge a bit more to cover youths, but there are ways to save

MichiganThe Wolverine State requires residents to purchase quite a bit of coverage to satisfy the legal requirements to operate a vehicle. Unfortunately, this translates into higher premiums for motorists and residents of Detroit are paying some of the highest premiums in the nation and finding it almost impossible to keep automobiles insured. Similar to states such as New York, which residents also pay a hefty amount for insurance, MI requires multiple levels of coverage in hopes to best protect its residents.

The Michigan auto insurance requirements mandate that as a minimum all operators must carry a policy that includes Personal Injury Protection (PIP), Property Protection (PPI), Residual Bodily Injury and Property Damage Liability (BI/PD). A policy such as this will be needed to register a vehicle and obtain license plates and with such extensive coverage needed, one can see why the cost to become insured can be quite expensive. States such as California only require policies containing bodily injury and property damage liability. The difference is that MI is a “No-Fault” state with required coverage that provides compensation to policyholders regardless of who is at fault for causing the traffic accident and CA policies cover the other party if an insured causes a collision. No-fault states use this system in hopes to keep lawsuits from being filed since payment is readily available.