Raleigh, NC, July 9, 2008 – According to the Kaiser Commission on Medicaid and the Uninsured , only 9% of all long-term care expenditures, which are in excess of $150 billion per year, are being paid for by private long-term care insurance coverage. The remainder of the costs is being paid privately through the savings of family and friends or by Medicaid. The cost of long-term care is draining savings accounts of the individual and the government, but this can be prevented through increased awareness and preparedness.
“A common and understandable misconception by younger working adults is that they are healthy today and will continue to be tomorrow. They will work and build up their savings so that they may retire well and continue to care for themselves in the future. Unfortunately, this isn’t always true. The fact is that 40% of all long-term health care benefits are provided to people who are between the ages of 18 and 64,” said Reilly O’Neal, founder and president of QuoteRetriever.com.
Long-term health care policies are typically available to anyone who is currently in good health. As with all insurance plans, each provider stipulates its own eligibility requirements. A knowledgeable company, such as QuoteRetriever.com, can help younger professionals compare long-term care plans from trusted providers that suit their background and potential future needs.
The long-term care policies are used by people who are no longer able to take care of their day to day functions, such as dressing or cooking on their own. Because long-term care coverage benefits are not standardized, the details of each policy vary from one insurance company and state to the next. Generally, however, the policies provide the insured with an allowance of money to cover their care expenses by the day or by the hour. For example, the insured may receive $20/hour to cover in-home care or $200/day to cover assisted living costs.
“It is scary for someone who is 34 to think of themselves in a position where they are no longer able to do the buttons on their shirt or visit the restroom whenever they need to, but it happens all too often. When these younger professionals are forced to leave the workforce, they find themselves unprepared to handle the costs associated with having someone come to their home to assist with their care or residing in an assisted living facility. Can you imagine what it would feel like to be dealing with all of the related emotional issues of this situation and then to also be worrying about how you will pay for your care? That’s why I always tell people that it’s simply better to be prepared now: even if you don’t use your coverage today, it can always be available to you as you approach the over-65 age group where the percentage of people who need this type of care increases even more dramatically. This means, little risk today and lots of peace of mind forever,” shares O’Neal.
Locating appropriate policies can be confusing, but with the new online comparison capabilities of QuoteRetriever.com and the team of licensed specialists who support the website, younger professionals can compare quotes and sign up for the best policy quickly. They simply complete a 5-minute questionnaire online at QuoteRetriever.com and an expert delivers their personalized quotes to their inbox within 24 hours.
Don’t wait until an emergency presents itself. Be prepared by visiting QuoteRetriever.com where you will learn more about long-term care coverage and find the best policy for yourself.
Kaiser Commission. “Medicaid and Long-term Care Services.” July2006: 1. The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation. Menlo Park, CA. 20 June 2008 < http://www.kff.org/medicaid/upload/Medicaid-and-Long-Term-Care-Services-PDF.pdf>.
Wednesday, July 09, 2008
Tuesday, July 01, 2008
One Hundred and Fifty Thousand Heart Attack Patients Pass Their Funeral Costs on to Family and Friends Each Year
Raleigh, NC, July 1, 2008 - Each year, more than half of a million people in the United States die from heart attacks and, according to the May 2008 Ipsos survey of American financial attitudes, thirty percent of these people do not have a life insurance policy. The lack of a life insurance policy leaves family and loved ones to assume the funeral costs of the individual who died, which can amount to more than five thousand dollars at today’s rates.
“As troubling as it can be to think about, the fact is that death can come suddenly and unexpectedly for many people. Top on everyone’s mind these days is Mr. Tim Russet of Meet the Press who passed away two weeks ago at age 58 from a heart attack. My thoughts go out to his family, of course, and I hope that they had a life insurance policy in place, but what if they did not? Who would have paid the thousands of dollars in funeral costs? How would the family and loved ones have continued to cover their ongoing living expenses without his income?” asks Reilly O’Neal, founder and president of QuoteRetriever.com, an online insurance marketplace.
Life insurance is a protection that you put in place while you are living to spare your family and loved ones unnecessary financial strain once you have passed. Life insurance policies are issued to applicants aged eighteen years or older and the most common type of life insurance, level premium term life, has level premiums for a specific period of time called a policy term. During the term, the insured, or policy holder, agrees to pay a premium, typically a low, monthly sum of money, to the insurance company. In the event of the policy holder’s death, the insurance company pays a predetermined death benefit, a sum of money that may be used to cover funeral costs and ongoing living expenses, to the specified beneficiaries, who are the family members and loved ones that are listed in the life insurance policy.
With six distinct types of life insurance policies available, knowing which policy to choose is confusing. The key to finding exactly the right policy to suit your needs today and in the future is to work with a licensed insurance specialist or advisor whom you trust and who will help you retrieve and compare a variety of insurance quotes.
“It can be an overwhelming process when you first consider purchasing life insurance and that’s one of the reasons that we have policy comparison charts available on our website, QuoteRetriever.com. But, even with all of that information out there to get you started, I don’t recommend diving into the process on your own. Work with a trusted representative, such as the licensed professionals we have on staff at QuoteRetriever.com, because they can help you obtain quotes from over one hundred insurance companies and then help you determine which is the best quote for your unique needs,” says O’Neal.
Be sure to prepare your family for a stable future in the event of your death: allow them to grieve for your passing when the time comes, instead of getting caught up in financial worries for the future. When you need help navigating this path, visit the QuoteRetriever.com website and contact one of their professionals to walk through the process, because 5 minutes spent today could spare a lifetime of suffering for your family and loved ones tomorrow.
About QuoteRetriever.com, LLC Founded in 2004, is headquartered in Raleigh, North Carolina and is a nationwide insurance brokerage company working with more than one hundred and fifty highly rated carriers and partners.
For more information, please contact:
T. Reilly O’Neal,
President/ Founder
877-306-2146 ext 100
reilly @ quoteretriever.com
http://www.quoteretriever.com/
“As troubling as it can be to think about, the fact is that death can come suddenly and unexpectedly for many people. Top on everyone’s mind these days is Mr. Tim Russet of Meet the Press who passed away two weeks ago at age 58 from a heart attack. My thoughts go out to his family, of course, and I hope that they had a life insurance policy in place, but what if they did not? Who would have paid the thousands of dollars in funeral costs? How would the family and loved ones have continued to cover their ongoing living expenses without his income?” asks Reilly O’Neal, founder and president of QuoteRetriever.com, an online insurance marketplace.
Life insurance is a protection that you put in place while you are living to spare your family and loved ones unnecessary financial strain once you have passed. Life insurance policies are issued to applicants aged eighteen years or older and the most common type of life insurance, level premium term life, has level premiums for a specific period of time called a policy term. During the term, the insured, or policy holder, agrees to pay a premium, typically a low, monthly sum of money, to the insurance company. In the event of the policy holder’s death, the insurance company pays a predetermined death benefit, a sum of money that may be used to cover funeral costs and ongoing living expenses, to the specified beneficiaries, who are the family members and loved ones that are listed in the life insurance policy.
With six distinct types of life insurance policies available, knowing which policy to choose is confusing. The key to finding exactly the right policy to suit your needs today and in the future is to work with a licensed insurance specialist or advisor whom you trust and who will help you retrieve and compare a variety of insurance quotes.
“It can be an overwhelming process when you first consider purchasing life insurance and that’s one of the reasons that we have policy comparison charts available on our website, QuoteRetriever.com. But, even with all of that information out there to get you started, I don’t recommend diving into the process on your own. Work with a trusted representative, such as the licensed professionals we have on staff at QuoteRetriever.com, because they can help you obtain quotes from over one hundred insurance companies and then help you determine which is the best quote for your unique needs,” says O’Neal.
Be sure to prepare your family for a stable future in the event of your death: allow them to grieve for your passing when the time comes, instead of getting caught up in financial worries for the future. When you need help navigating this path, visit the QuoteRetriever.com website and contact one of their professionals to walk through the process, because 5 minutes spent today could spare a lifetime of suffering for your family and loved ones tomorrow.
About QuoteRetriever.com, LLC Founded in 2004, is headquartered in Raleigh, North Carolina and is a nationwide insurance brokerage company working with more than one hundred and fifty highly rated carriers and partners.
For more information, please contact:
T. Reilly O’Neal,
President/ Founder
877-306-2146 ext 100
reilly @ quoteretriever.com
http://www.quoteretriever.com/
Wednesday, November 07, 2007
QuoteRetriever.com Introduces Online Insurance Quotes, The Next Generation in Shopping for Insurance Online
Raleigh, NC (PRWEB) –- QuoteRetriever.com intends to completely change the way internet visitors shop for insurance online.
“QuoteRetriever.com’s focus is to provide the opportunity for internet insurance shoppers to review quotes instantly online for all of their insurance needs including home, vehicle, life, disability, long term care, medicare supplement, health, annuity, business, and at one easy to navigate website. This resource allows visitors to receive quotes and request an application at their own pace, rather than being bothered by salespeople at an inconvenient time. We will only contact a potential client if they request we do so by giving us a day and time that is best for them.” says CEO and founder T. Reilly O’Neal.
QuoteRetriever.com offers over fifty different types of insurance products, in forty-eight states, from over one hundred and twenty five insurance carriers and partners. Of these insurance products, forty types of policies such as travel, motorcycle, and accidental death generate instant quotes online. Additionally, the site offers instant comparison quotes for over twenty-five different types of policies such as annuities, health, auto, and life insurance. Even more convenient to visitors, twenty different types of policies such as instant term and homeowners insurance policies can be applied for instantly online.
A feature that is sure to be popular, the annuity section of the website, makes comparison shopping for an annuity easier than ever. A visitor can choose from CD-type, fixed, step rate, tax sheltered, single premium immediate, multi-strategy, and equity indexed annuities. The website offers comparison shopping instantly online from over sixty-five different annuity carriers, making it easy to find the annuity with the best rate. In addition, the visitor can view carrier ratings and specific annuity product information which allows the internet shopper to make sure they purchase the best annuity available for their needs.
For shoppers looking for a life insurance policy, QuoteRetriever.com offers instant term policies underwritten by RBC Insurance. In as little as ten minutes a visitor can purchase up to $150,000 in level premium 10, 15, or 20 year term life insurance without the need for a medical exam. An individual looking to protect or provide for their loved ones can actually purchase life insurance without any assistance from an agent and print out their policy before they leave their computer. For those that desire more than $150,000 in life insurance coverage, the website offers instant online comparison quotes for level premium term, return of premium term, and universal life insurance policies from over fifty highly rated carriers.
Auto, homeowners, watercraft, health, and travel policies are also some of the types of products that can be instantly comparison quoted and purchased online, adding even more value to an already resourceful and convenient website. However, there are some types of policies offered that are too complex to be quoted online. In these situations a quote form is completed by the visitor which is electronically sent to one of QuoteRetriever.com’s licensed agents. The agent will then manually comparison shop among multiple insurance carriers, using their knowledge of the plans and carriers available, to find the best value. After finding the best rate, the quotes are sent to the client via email and a follow up call is made by the agent on the day and time requested by the client, again, avoiding the chance that the client could be inconvenienced by the call.
For products such as disability insurance, agents will comparison shop thirteen of the top disability insurance carriers in the marketplace, a valuable opportunity for those in need of disability coverage. This allows the client to avoid the need to call all of the carriers individually to get a quote, saving the shopper time and money.
“Another advantage”, says O’Neal, “is that many of the other insurance websites currently in operation actually gather information from visitors to sell to agents in the form of leads, instead of providing the opportunity for internet insurance shoppers to actually find the best policy at the best price. While in many cases this is a way for the shopper to receive multiple quotes, it is not what the visitor had anticipated. This has led to frustration on the part of the shopper.”
While there are many insurance websites that offer online insurance quotes for one or maybe even a few types of insurance products, QuoteRetriever.com is the first to offer instant online insurance quotes for all major categories of insurance, without ever leaving their site. In addition to being a valuable resource, the website is designed to be very user friendly. The navigation throughout the site is organized to make it easy for a visitor to move from product to product. In fact, a visitor is always just two clicks away from anything on the website. This means even someone who may not be internet savvy could easily take advantage of this money saving tool. A description of each product type is available by simply holding the cursor over the product tab. Carrier ratings and additional product information are also available on the site. Their knowledgeable agents are able to answer any questions a visitor or client may have should they prefer to speak with someone directly or simply have a question that is not answered on the website.“We feel like we have developed a website that will make it easier for individuals, families, and businesses to get the insurance that they need while putting the power in their hands to make sure they have found the best value and the best coverage. We are proud to be leading the way and plan to continue to find even more ways to use technology and creativity to be a better and more effective resource to our website’s visitors and to our clients.” says T. Reilly O’Neal.
Product Details:Vehicle: Auto, Watercraft, Motorcycle, and Recreational Vehicle.Home: Homeowners, Renters, Condominium, and Flood.Health: Individual, Short Term, Student, Dental, International, Critical Illness, Long Term Care, Medicare Supplement, and Group Health.Life: Level Premium Term, Return of Premium Term, Universal Life, Whole Life, Instant Term Policy, Child Policy, Senior Policy, and Accidental Death.Disability: Short Term, Long Term, and Group Disability.Business: General Liability, Umbrella Liability, Worker’s Compensation, Group Health, and Group Disability.Pet: Dog and Cat Protection Plans.Travel: Business Package, Flight Accident, Medical Evacuation, Travel Medical, and Multi-Trip Medical.Annuity: CD-Type, Fixed, Step Rate, Tax Sheltered, Equity Indexed, Multi Strategy, and Single Premium Immediate.
About QuoteRetriever.com Founded in 2004, QuoteRetriever.com (www.QuoteRetriever.com) is headquartered in Raleigh, North Carolina and is a nationwide insurance brokerage company working with more than one hundred and twenty five highly rated carriers and partners.
For more information, please contact:
T. Reilly O’Neal,
President of QuoteRetriever.com
877-306-2146
reilly @ quoteretriever.com
www.QuoteRetriever.com
“QuoteRetriever.com’s focus is to provide the opportunity for internet insurance shoppers to review quotes instantly online for all of their insurance needs including home, vehicle, life, disability, long term care, medicare supplement, health, annuity, business, and at one easy to navigate website. This resource allows visitors to receive quotes and request an application at their own pace, rather than being bothered by salespeople at an inconvenient time. We will only contact a potential client if they request we do so by giving us a day and time that is best for them.” says CEO and founder T. Reilly O’Neal.
QuoteRetriever.com offers over fifty different types of insurance products, in forty-eight states, from over one hundred and twenty five insurance carriers and partners. Of these insurance products, forty types of policies such as travel, motorcycle, and accidental death generate instant quotes online. Additionally, the site offers instant comparison quotes for over twenty-five different types of policies such as annuities, health, auto, and life insurance. Even more convenient to visitors, twenty different types of policies such as instant term and homeowners insurance policies can be applied for instantly online.
A feature that is sure to be popular, the annuity section of the website, makes comparison shopping for an annuity easier than ever. A visitor can choose from CD-type, fixed, step rate, tax sheltered, single premium immediate, multi-strategy, and equity indexed annuities. The website offers comparison shopping instantly online from over sixty-five different annuity carriers, making it easy to find the annuity with the best rate. In addition, the visitor can view carrier ratings and specific annuity product information which allows the internet shopper to make sure they purchase the best annuity available for their needs.
For shoppers looking for a life insurance policy, QuoteRetriever.com offers instant term policies underwritten by RBC Insurance. In as little as ten minutes a visitor can purchase up to $150,000 in level premium 10, 15, or 20 year term life insurance without the need for a medical exam. An individual looking to protect or provide for their loved ones can actually purchase life insurance without any assistance from an agent and print out their policy before they leave their computer. For those that desire more than $150,000 in life insurance coverage, the website offers instant online comparison quotes for level premium term, return of premium term, and universal life insurance policies from over fifty highly rated carriers.
Auto, homeowners, watercraft, health, and travel policies are also some of the types of products that can be instantly comparison quoted and purchased online, adding even more value to an already resourceful and convenient website. However, there are some types of policies offered that are too complex to be quoted online. In these situations a quote form is completed by the visitor which is electronically sent to one of QuoteRetriever.com’s licensed agents. The agent will then manually comparison shop among multiple insurance carriers, using their knowledge of the plans and carriers available, to find the best value. After finding the best rate, the quotes are sent to the client via email and a follow up call is made by the agent on the day and time requested by the client, again, avoiding the chance that the client could be inconvenienced by the call.
For products such as disability insurance, agents will comparison shop thirteen of the top disability insurance carriers in the marketplace, a valuable opportunity for those in need of disability coverage. This allows the client to avoid the need to call all of the carriers individually to get a quote, saving the shopper time and money.
“Another advantage”, says O’Neal, “is that many of the other insurance websites currently in operation actually gather information from visitors to sell to agents in the form of leads, instead of providing the opportunity for internet insurance shoppers to actually find the best policy at the best price. While in many cases this is a way for the shopper to receive multiple quotes, it is not what the visitor had anticipated. This has led to frustration on the part of the shopper.”
While there are many insurance websites that offer online insurance quotes for one or maybe even a few types of insurance products, QuoteRetriever.com is the first to offer instant online insurance quotes for all major categories of insurance, without ever leaving their site. In addition to being a valuable resource, the website is designed to be very user friendly. The navigation throughout the site is organized to make it easy for a visitor to move from product to product. In fact, a visitor is always just two clicks away from anything on the website. This means even someone who may not be internet savvy could easily take advantage of this money saving tool. A description of each product type is available by simply holding the cursor over the product tab. Carrier ratings and additional product information are also available on the site. Their knowledgeable agents are able to answer any questions a visitor or client may have should they prefer to speak with someone directly or simply have a question that is not answered on the website.“We feel like we have developed a website that will make it easier for individuals, families, and businesses to get the insurance that they need while putting the power in their hands to make sure they have found the best value and the best coverage. We are proud to be leading the way and plan to continue to find even more ways to use technology and creativity to be a better and more effective resource to our website’s visitors and to our clients.” says T. Reilly O’Neal.
Product Details:Vehicle: Auto, Watercraft, Motorcycle, and Recreational Vehicle.Home: Homeowners, Renters, Condominium, and Flood.Health: Individual, Short Term, Student, Dental, International, Critical Illness, Long Term Care, Medicare Supplement, and Group Health.Life: Level Premium Term, Return of Premium Term, Universal Life, Whole Life, Instant Term Policy, Child Policy, Senior Policy, and Accidental Death.Disability: Short Term, Long Term, and Group Disability.Business: General Liability, Umbrella Liability, Worker’s Compensation, Group Health, and Group Disability.Pet: Dog and Cat Protection Plans.Travel: Business Package, Flight Accident, Medical Evacuation, Travel Medical, and Multi-Trip Medical.Annuity: CD-Type, Fixed, Step Rate, Tax Sheltered, Equity Indexed, Multi Strategy, and Single Premium Immediate.
About QuoteRetriever.com Founded in 2004, QuoteRetriever.com (www.QuoteRetriever.com) is headquartered in Raleigh, North Carolina and is a nationwide insurance brokerage company working with more than one hundred and twenty five highly rated carriers and partners.
For more information, please contact:
T. Reilly O’Neal,
President of QuoteRetriever.com
877-306-2146
reilly @ quoteretriever.com
www.QuoteRetriever.com
QuoteRetriever.com Now Offers a Free No Obligation Comparison Shopping Service for Disability Insurance From Thirteen A-rated Companies
Raleigh, NC (PRWEB) October 23, 2007 -- QuoteRetriever.com announces a free no obligation service that allows consumers to comparison shop for their disability insurance needs. "Protecting your future income with disability insurance is one of the most important aspects of a solid financial foundation. It's natural for people to insure their home, car, and other valuables but many people fail to protect the asset that provides these items - their income", says Reilly O'Neal founder and president of QuoteRetriever.com.
Statistics show that 3 in 10 workers entering the work force today will become disabled before retiring. In addition, disability causes nearly 50 percent of all home foreclosures, compared to 2% caused by death. Disabilities among the American workforce are on the rise and with approximately 110 million Americans without long term disability insurance it is obvious that American workers are financially unprepared for a disabling injury or illness. Many people believe that because they are healthy they don't have a real need for disability insurance but that can change in a matter of seconds. In fact, in the last 24 hours over 56,000 people became disabled due to an accident or illness.
Many workers also fail to recognize that their ability to work and earn an income is their most valuable asset. A 30 year old worker earning $84,000 per year has the potential to earn over 7 million dollars over the course of their career yet people are failing to properly protect this asset which is responsible for keeping a roof over their head, medical insurance paid, a vehicle in the driveway, and dreams of a comfortable retirement or college education for the kids within in reach.
"Self employed individuals, business owners, consultants, physicians, and others who are without group disability insurance benefits are the most at risk. Not only are these workers solely responsible for the success of their businesses but they do not have anyone to fall back on if they were unable to work due to a disability. If an injury or illness sidelined them from work, not only would their personal finances be impacted but the livelihood of their business could be in jeopardy, making it even more difficult to come back from such an event", says O'Neal.
The complexity and expense of individual disability insurance often deters workers from purchasing this valuable protection. As a general rule an individual can expect to pay a monthly premium of approximately 2-3% of their monthly income depending on the policy design and additional riders.
QuoteRetriever.com has a team of licensed disability insurance specialist that will help visitors save time and money by doing the research for them. As an independent brokerage company for 13 of the nation's top A-rated disability insurance carriers, QuoteRetriever.com's insurance specialists make it easy to find the best disability insurance policy for your needs by using their knowledge of the various insurance companies and their products. Simply go to their website (www.QuoteRetriever.com) and spend 5 minutes completing a quote request form. Within 24 hours an insurance specialist will email you the best options available based on your unique profile. In addition, they will schedule a time at your convenience to explain the differences between policies and answer any questions.
"Disability insurance is not one size fits all. Each insurance company treats particular occupations and medical conditions differently. There are definitions of disability and policy features that vary among the disability insurance products on the market. We offer our knowledge and experience in an unbiased, no pressure environment so that our clients may fully understand the differences between policies and can be sure that the policy they choose is the best policy available for their needs and their budget", says O'Neal
QuoteRetriever.com offers the following types of disability insurance:
Disability Income - helps you meet your living expenses by replacing a portion of the earned income when you're to sick to work.
Overhead Expense - for business owners, this coverage reimburses you for certain business expenses, helping you to keep your office open until you are able to return to work.
Disability Buy-Out - with two or more owners, helps fund the transfer of a business from a disabled owner to the remaining active owners.
For free long term disability insurance quotes visit QuoteRetriever.com/disability/longterm
About QuoteRetriever.comFounded in 2004, QuoteRetriever.com is headquartered in Raleigh, North Carolina and is a nationwide insurance brokerage company working with more than one hundred and twenty five highly rated carriers and partners. QuoteRetriever.com specializes in comparison shopping life insurance, disability insurance, health insurance, and long term care insurance policies.
For more information, please contact:
T. Reilly O'Neal
President of QuoteRetriever.com, LLC
877-306-2146 ext 100
Statistics show that 3 in 10 workers entering the work force today will become disabled before retiring. In addition, disability causes nearly 50 percent of all home foreclosures, compared to 2% caused by death. Disabilities among the American workforce are on the rise and with approximately 110 million Americans without long term disability insurance it is obvious that American workers are financially unprepared for a disabling injury or illness. Many people believe that because they are healthy they don't have a real need for disability insurance but that can change in a matter of seconds. In fact, in the last 24 hours over 56,000 people became disabled due to an accident or illness.
Many workers also fail to recognize that their ability to work and earn an income is their most valuable asset. A 30 year old worker earning $84,000 per year has the potential to earn over 7 million dollars over the course of their career yet people are failing to properly protect this asset which is responsible for keeping a roof over their head, medical insurance paid, a vehicle in the driveway, and dreams of a comfortable retirement or college education for the kids within in reach.
"Self employed individuals, business owners, consultants, physicians, and others who are without group disability insurance benefits are the most at risk. Not only are these workers solely responsible for the success of their businesses but they do not have anyone to fall back on if they were unable to work due to a disability. If an injury or illness sidelined them from work, not only would their personal finances be impacted but the livelihood of their business could be in jeopardy, making it even more difficult to come back from such an event", says O'Neal.
The complexity and expense of individual disability insurance often deters workers from purchasing this valuable protection. As a general rule an individual can expect to pay a monthly premium of approximately 2-3% of their monthly income depending on the policy design and additional riders.
QuoteRetriever.com has a team of licensed disability insurance specialist that will help visitors save time and money by doing the research for them. As an independent brokerage company for 13 of the nation's top A-rated disability insurance carriers, QuoteRetriever.com's insurance specialists make it easy to find the best disability insurance policy for your needs by using their knowledge of the various insurance companies and their products. Simply go to their website (www.QuoteRetriever.com) and spend 5 minutes completing a quote request form. Within 24 hours an insurance specialist will email you the best options available based on your unique profile. In addition, they will schedule a time at your convenience to explain the differences between policies and answer any questions.
"Disability insurance is not one size fits all. Each insurance company treats particular occupations and medical conditions differently. There are definitions of disability and policy features that vary among the disability insurance products on the market. We offer our knowledge and experience in an unbiased, no pressure environment so that our clients may fully understand the differences between policies and can be sure that the policy they choose is the best policy available for their needs and their budget", says O'Neal
QuoteRetriever.com offers the following types of disability insurance:
Disability Income - helps you meet your living expenses by replacing a portion of the earned income when you're to sick to work.
Overhead Expense - for business owners, this coverage reimburses you for certain business expenses, helping you to keep your office open until you are able to return to work.
Disability Buy-Out - with two or more owners, helps fund the transfer of a business from a disabled owner to the remaining active owners.
For free long term disability insurance quotes visit QuoteRetriever.com/disability/longterm
About QuoteRetriever.comFounded in 2004, QuoteRetriever.com is headquartered in Raleigh, North Carolina and is a nationwide insurance brokerage company working with more than one hundred and twenty five highly rated carriers and partners. QuoteRetriever.com specializes in comparison shopping life insurance, disability insurance, health insurance, and long term care insurance policies.
For more information, please contact:
T. Reilly O'Neal
President of QuoteRetriever.com, LLC
877-306-2146 ext 100
Tuesday, October 24, 2006
Disability Insurance Explained
When disability strikes, your financial picture changes. No one ever thinks they are going to become "disabled," which in their minds means wheelchair bound. The reality is that 30 percent of all people 35 to 65 will suffer a disability for at least 90 days and one in seven will be disabled for five years.
There is a disability caused by a motor vehicle crash every 30 seconds.
One out of every two mortgage foreclosures is due to a disability.
With these statistics one might ponder just how long can you survive without an income? Where will the money come from and how long will that money hold out? What will happen to your dreams and priorities?
The good news is that people are living longer. The bad news is that diseases that use to cause death are now leaving people disabled. With disability on the rise, one solution is disability income. There are two types of contracts.
Non-Cancelable - premiums are guaranteed level for the life of the contract unless benefits are increased.
Guaranteed Renewable - Company reserves the right to increase premiums should they experience unfavorable claims with entire occupational class in the state of issue. For both types of contracts, coverage is never cancelled as long as premiums are paid.
Three areas of disability include occupation, compensation, and medical complications. Factors taken into consideration are gender, age, state of residence, and medical history. A wide variety of disability products are available including individual, business overhead, buy-sell, retirement, catastrophic benefit, mortgage/loan protection, self-employed, government employees, professional athletes, blue collar, and police and armed forces.
Residual or partial riders are available as well. A residual rider means if you return to work in your own or new occupation and experience a minimum 20 percent loss of income due to your disability, this rider will make up the difference. A partial rider means if you return to work on a part-time basis, after a disability, a minimum 20 percent of your benefit can still be paid.
While disability insurance is often overlooked or put on the back burner, the benefits it provides are well worth the investment and should be part of each individual's financial plan.
To receive comparison quotes on disability insurance policies from the top carriers in the country visit QuoteRetriever.com
There is a disability caused by a motor vehicle crash every 30 seconds.
One out of every two mortgage foreclosures is due to a disability.
With these statistics one might ponder just how long can you survive without an income? Where will the money come from and how long will that money hold out? What will happen to your dreams and priorities?
The good news is that people are living longer. The bad news is that diseases that use to cause death are now leaving people disabled. With disability on the rise, one solution is disability income. There are two types of contracts.
Non-Cancelable - premiums are guaranteed level for the life of the contract unless benefits are increased.
Guaranteed Renewable - Company reserves the right to increase premiums should they experience unfavorable claims with entire occupational class in the state of issue. For both types of contracts, coverage is never cancelled as long as premiums are paid.
Three areas of disability include occupation, compensation, and medical complications. Factors taken into consideration are gender, age, state of residence, and medical history. A wide variety of disability products are available including individual, business overhead, buy-sell, retirement, catastrophic benefit, mortgage/loan protection, self-employed, government employees, professional athletes, blue collar, and police and armed forces.
Residual or partial riders are available as well. A residual rider means if you return to work in your own or new occupation and experience a minimum 20 percent loss of income due to your disability, this rider will make up the difference. A partial rider means if you return to work on a part-time basis, after a disability, a minimum 20 percent of your benefit can still be paid.
While disability insurance is often overlooked or put on the back burner, the benefits it provides are well worth the investment and should be part of each individual's financial plan.
To receive comparison quotes on disability insurance policies from the top carriers in the country visit QuoteRetriever.com
Monday, October 23, 2006
Mortgage Insurance or Life Insurance?
Americans looking to wrap up new home purchases might find that life insurance is a more flexible and less pricey alternative to mortgage insurance obtained through a bank, say personal finance experts.
While most agree it makes sense to cover large debts with insurance, some argue when it comes to mortgages most consumers treat it as an afterthought and don't realize that buying through a bank can be a "costly mistake."
"It is important that people know that mortgage insurance is just another piece of a comprehensive financial plan," said T. Reilly O'Neal, founder and president of the insurance Web site QuoteRetriever.com.
Part of the problem is that most consumers take out mortgage insurance when they close their financing deals with the bank without doing any price shopping ahead of time.
"And the reason is, because they (the banks) ask the questions at the time of the purchase: 'Would you like to have your house paid off if you die? Would you like to have your house paid off if you get sick?' " O'Neal said. "And who is not going to answer 'yes' to that?"
That emotional response, coupled with a lack of knowledge about alternatives, means that some consumers could be shortchanging themselves in the long run.
With mortgage insurance obtained from a bank, coverage decreases with every mortgage payment but the premiums show no corresponding decline.
"The amount of coverage of their mortgage protection decreases as the mortgage is reduced, however, the premiums stay the same," he said.
"That means their costs (per $1,000 of coverage) actually goes up as they bring down their mortgage debt. Whereas the amount of protection, when you own personal life insurance, remains fixed throughout the term."
Additionally, while mortgage insurance pays off the loan's outstanding balance, only the bank gets paid. In contrast, life insurance will relieve that debt, while often leaving something over for loved ones.
"Owning your own life insurance, you have options," O'Neal said, noting the leftover money could be used to pay for items such as a child's education, taxes and other expenses.
It's also "portable," meaning that consumers don't need to requalify for coverage during the term if they buy a new home or switch mortgage providers.
By contrast, those who purchase mortgage insurance through a bank would likely need to requalify with the new financial institution: "Potentially, when they do this, they could be older, they could be unhealthy and rates could be higher. Which means they may not even qualify."
Homeowners who are healthy and have a good family history can expect to see very reasonable premium for a term life insurance policy that protects their mortgage. A renewable and convertible term policy can be converted to a permanent product at any time without a medical exam.
Moreover, life insurance is not subject to sales taxes the way mortgage insurance is.
"Going apples for apples, life insurance owned personally is less expensive," O'Neal said. "That's why people really need to go to a professional to see how the insurance fits into the overall plan."
To receive a free, no obligation, insurance comparison and consultation visit www.QuoteRetriever.com. This site allows you instantly comparison shops insurance online without the sales pressure.
While most agree it makes sense to cover large debts with insurance, some argue when it comes to mortgages most consumers treat it as an afterthought and don't realize that buying through a bank can be a "costly mistake."
"It is important that people know that mortgage insurance is just another piece of a comprehensive financial plan," said T. Reilly O'Neal, founder and president of the insurance Web site QuoteRetriever.com.
Part of the problem is that most consumers take out mortgage insurance when they close their financing deals with the bank without doing any price shopping ahead of time.
"And the reason is, because they (the banks) ask the questions at the time of the purchase: 'Would you like to have your house paid off if you die? Would you like to have your house paid off if you get sick?' " O'Neal said. "And who is not going to answer 'yes' to that?"
That emotional response, coupled with a lack of knowledge about alternatives, means that some consumers could be shortchanging themselves in the long run.
With mortgage insurance obtained from a bank, coverage decreases with every mortgage payment but the premiums show no corresponding decline.
"The amount of coverage of their mortgage protection decreases as the mortgage is reduced, however, the premiums stay the same," he said.
"That means their costs (per $1,000 of coverage) actually goes up as they bring down their mortgage debt. Whereas the amount of protection, when you own personal life insurance, remains fixed throughout the term."
Additionally, while mortgage insurance pays off the loan's outstanding balance, only the bank gets paid. In contrast, life insurance will relieve that debt, while often leaving something over for loved ones.
"Owning your own life insurance, you have options," O'Neal said, noting the leftover money could be used to pay for items such as a child's education, taxes and other expenses.
It's also "portable," meaning that consumers don't need to requalify for coverage during the term if they buy a new home or switch mortgage providers.
By contrast, those who purchase mortgage insurance through a bank would likely need to requalify with the new financial institution: "Potentially, when they do this, they could be older, they could be unhealthy and rates could be higher. Which means they may not even qualify."
Homeowners who are healthy and have a good family history can expect to see very reasonable premium for a term life insurance policy that protects their mortgage. A renewable and convertible term policy can be converted to a permanent product at any time without a medical exam.
Moreover, life insurance is not subject to sales taxes the way mortgage insurance is.
"Going apples for apples, life insurance owned personally is less expensive," O'Neal said. "That's why people really need to go to a professional to see how the insurance fits into the overall plan."
To receive a free, no obligation, insurance comparison and consultation visit www.QuoteRetriever.com. This site allows you instantly comparison shops insurance online without the sales pressure.
Monday, July 24, 2006
Life Insurance Rates at All Time Low
Life is getting cheaper.
Aging populations, the Internet and a number of other factors in recent years have forced down the cost of term life insurance. Yet many Americans are still holding on to more expensive policies bought years ago or simply haven't insured themselves highly enough.
Experts say the two- to three-times salary that many employers offer staff isn't enough to leave dependents, yet not enough people complement this coverage with other policies.
And yet it is cheaper than ever to do this.
Take Albert Perez, a lawyer living in Fort Worth, Texas: "I thought they would come back with what I was paying. I just did it as a long shot." While the cost of health insurance for him and his wife has climbed to nearly $1,800 per month, the premiums for his term life insurance have dropped. Even though Perez is now 61, six years older than when he purchased his last term life policy, his new rate will be $550 for the same 10-year, $750,000 coverage -- $300 a month less than what he was paying.
"It has been great for our customers," said T. Reilly O'Neal, founder and chief executive of www.QuoteRetriever.com, a Web firm that contracts with more than 125 insurance companies.
For example: In 1990, a healthy, 40-year-old man would have paid $1,405 a year for $500,000 in insurance for a 20-year period. That same policy now costs less than $400. If that person is healthy, he could save money by replacing the older insurance with a new, 10-year term policy for $525 per year or a new, 20-year term policy for about $1,000 per year. The savings typically are even higher for policies for $1 million or $2 million in coverage.
The decline can be attributed to a number of factors, including longer life expectancies and improved technology. Insurance companies have gotten more efficient at collecting information and assessing potential candidates.
The Internet also has made the business more competitive. With information so easily available, if a company is not competitive, it doesn't sell. Yet many consumers either don't have life insurance or don't have enough. About 24 million U.S. households (more than onefifth) have no life insurance. Among those with coverage, 40 percent think they don't have enough.
Consumers cite a number of reasons for not making the purchase, including procrastination, confusion and concerns about cost.
About 20 percent say it is unpleasant to think about dying.
People often mistakenly think the insurance they get at the office is enough. Employers that offer life insurance as a benefit typically provide coverage that would replace one- or one-and-a half-times annual salary.
That is far too little, according to those in the insurance industry. While the amount and length of coverage varies from individual to individual, consumers should consider purchasing enough to replace between five and 20 times the amount of salary, especially if the household has a lot of debt and young children.
Families often overlook the economic value of the stay-at-home parent when considering how much coverage they need. That person may not earn a salary, but a death could be financially and emotionally devastating.
The most common and affordable life insurance is a term policy. As its name implies, it is temporary. Most companies offer coverage for 10, 20 or 30 years. The only way to collect is if the holder dies during the term. In contrast, whole-life insurance is a permanent product, which has a guaranteed cash value, but is more expensive and frequently used for estate planning.
One relatively new product is the return of premium term insurance, or ROP. It generally has lower costs than whole life and guarantees the refund of the premiums at the end of the term, assuming the policy owner hasn't died. Peggy and Sam Lau, who live northeast of San Jose, Calif., are typical of many first-time insurance buyers. They have two young children and have been intending to get coverage for a few years.
"He got busy at work, and we never got around to it," said Peggy, 33, a stay-at-home mom. But when Sam's 71-year-old father died suddenly, it was a wake-up call. Fortunately, he recently had renewed his life-insurance policy before he passed away.
The Laus did their initial shopping on the Internet. They eventually used QuoteRetriever.com to get a $750,000 policy for Sam and a $500,000 policy for Peggy for less than $55 per month.
"I think as soon as I sent it off, I was relieved," she said.
Aging populations, the Internet and a number of other factors in recent years have forced down the cost of term life insurance. Yet many Americans are still holding on to more expensive policies bought years ago or simply haven't insured themselves highly enough.
Experts say the two- to three-times salary that many employers offer staff isn't enough to leave dependents, yet not enough people complement this coverage with other policies.
And yet it is cheaper than ever to do this.
Take Albert Perez, a lawyer living in Fort Worth, Texas: "I thought they would come back with what I was paying. I just did it as a long shot." While the cost of health insurance for him and his wife has climbed to nearly $1,800 per month, the premiums for his term life insurance have dropped. Even though Perez is now 61, six years older than when he purchased his last term life policy, his new rate will be $550 for the same 10-year, $750,000 coverage -- $300 a month less than what he was paying.
"It has been great for our customers," said T. Reilly O'Neal, founder and chief executive of www.QuoteRetriever.com, a Web firm that contracts with more than 125 insurance companies.
For example: In 1990, a healthy, 40-year-old man would have paid $1,405 a year for $500,000 in insurance for a 20-year period. That same policy now costs less than $400. If that person is healthy, he could save money by replacing the older insurance with a new, 10-year term policy for $525 per year or a new, 20-year term policy for about $1,000 per year. The savings typically are even higher for policies for $1 million or $2 million in coverage.
The decline can be attributed to a number of factors, including longer life expectancies and improved technology. Insurance companies have gotten more efficient at collecting information and assessing potential candidates.
The Internet also has made the business more competitive. With information so easily available, if a company is not competitive, it doesn't sell. Yet many consumers either don't have life insurance or don't have enough. About 24 million U.S. households (more than onefifth) have no life insurance. Among those with coverage, 40 percent think they don't have enough.
Consumers cite a number of reasons for not making the purchase, including procrastination, confusion and concerns about cost.
About 20 percent say it is unpleasant to think about dying.
People often mistakenly think the insurance they get at the office is enough. Employers that offer life insurance as a benefit typically provide coverage that would replace one- or one-and-a half-times annual salary.
That is far too little, according to those in the insurance industry. While the amount and length of coverage varies from individual to individual, consumers should consider purchasing enough to replace between five and 20 times the amount of salary, especially if the household has a lot of debt and young children.
Families often overlook the economic value of the stay-at-home parent when considering how much coverage they need. That person may not earn a salary, but a death could be financially and emotionally devastating.
The most common and affordable life insurance is a term policy. As its name implies, it is temporary. Most companies offer coverage for 10, 20 or 30 years. The only way to collect is if the holder dies during the term. In contrast, whole-life insurance is a permanent product, which has a guaranteed cash value, but is more expensive and frequently used for estate planning.
One relatively new product is the return of premium term insurance, or ROP. It generally has lower costs than whole life and guarantees the refund of the premiums at the end of the term, assuming the policy owner hasn't died. Peggy and Sam Lau, who live northeast of San Jose, Calif., are typical of many first-time insurance buyers. They have two young children and have been intending to get coverage for a few years.
"He got busy at work, and we never got around to it," said Peggy, 33, a stay-at-home mom. But when Sam's 71-year-old father died suddenly, it was a wake-up call. Fortunately, he recently had renewed his life-insurance policy before he passed away.
The Laus did their initial shopping on the Internet. They eventually used QuoteRetriever.com to get a $750,000 policy for Sam and a $500,000 policy for Peggy for less than $55 per month.
"I think as soon as I sent it off, I was relieved," she said.
Thursday, July 20, 2006
Save money on your homeowners insurance
Buying a home is a valuable investment. Along with providing a place for you and your family to build lasting memories, a home is a great way to plan for retirement. While many potential homeowners are understandably concerned with getting the best interest rate and lowest mortgage payment possible, other costs can be trimmed as well.
Perhaps the biggest area where most homeowners would prefer to trim some fat off their monthly bills is with their homeowner's insurance. While such a thought might seem like false hope, according to the Insurance Information Institute, there are a variety of ways homeowners can lessen the blow of their monthly insurance bill.
1) Raise your deductible. Raising your deductible is perhaps the quickest way to lessen your monthly insurance expense. Deductibles are the amount you have to pay toward a loss before your insurance company begins to pay. A $500 deductible means you would have to pay $500 toward damages to your home, and your insurance company would then pay the rest, if those damages were covered under your policy. A homeowner who chooses to raise his deductible from $500 to $1,000, however, might save up to 25 percent on his monthly insurance costs.
2) Make your home more disaster-resistant. Regardless of where you live, your home is susceptible to some type of disaster. Perhaps your region is prone to earthquakes, tornadoes or even hailstorms or hurricanes. These days it seems nowhere is safe from natural disasters. Therefore, making your home more disaster resistant is another possible way of cutting your homeowners insurance costs. Adding storm shutters and roof reinforcements might enable you to save you some money. Doing some inside remodeling with newer appliances can also reduce the risk of fire or water damage to your home, which should lead to lower monthly insurance costs.
3) Install or upgrade a home-security system. While the initial costs of installing
or upgrading a home-security system might seem costly, some insurance companies make it more than worth your while, slashing your premiums by as much as 20 percent if certain systems are installed. Typically, an insurance company will you give you the biggest discount if you install a fire or burglar alarm system that immediately notifies local police, fire officials or even a company with a monitoring system. The best way to determine if such systems are worth the investment is to speak with your insurance provider first and ask about which systems garner the biggest discounts.
4) Keep a good credit rating. This is sound advice even for people who aren't homeowners but would like to be someday. Though it hasn 't come without controversy, many insurance companies are now looking at credit ratings when determining prices for homeowners' insurance policies. Having and maintaining a strong credit history is entirely under your control and can save you money in the long run.
5) Stay with the same company. Insurance companies typically reward their longtime customers with strong payment histories by offering them lower rates. More often than not, this works on a tier system, where customers who have been with a provider for X amount of years will get a certain percentage discount. That percentage typically rises with each period spent with the company. However, keep an eye on rates from other companies just to make sure you're getting the best rate possible.
Visit QuoteRetriever.com to review instant homeowners insurance comparison quotes online.
Perhaps the biggest area where most homeowners would prefer to trim some fat off their monthly bills is with their homeowner's insurance. While such a thought might seem like false hope, according to the Insurance Information Institute, there are a variety of ways homeowners can lessen the blow of their monthly insurance bill.
1) Raise your deductible. Raising your deductible is perhaps the quickest way to lessen your monthly insurance expense. Deductibles are the amount you have to pay toward a loss before your insurance company begins to pay. A $500 deductible means you would have to pay $500 toward damages to your home, and your insurance company would then pay the rest, if those damages were covered under your policy. A homeowner who chooses to raise his deductible from $500 to $1,000, however, might save up to 25 percent on his monthly insurance costs.
2) Make your home more disaster-resistant. Regardless of where you live, your home is susceptible to some type of disaster. Perhaps your region is prone to earthquakes, tornadoes or even hailstorms or hurricanes. These days it seems nowhere is safe from natural disasters. Therefore, making your home more disaster resistant is another possible way of cutting your homeowners insurance costs. Adding storm shutters and roof reinforcements might enable you to save you some money. Doing some inside remodeling with newer appliances can also reduce the risk of fire or water damage to your home, which should lead to lower monthly insurance costs.
3) Install or upgrade a home-security system. While the initial costs of installing
or upgrading a home-security system might seem costly, some insurance companies make it more than worth your while, slashing your premiums by as much as 20 percent if certain systems are installed. Typically, an insurance company will you give you the biggest discount if you install a fire or burglar alarm system that immediately notifies local police, fire officials or even a company with a monitoring system. The best way to determine if such systems are worth the investment is to speak with your insurance provider first and ask about which systems garner the biggest discounts.
4) Keep a good credit rating. This is sound advice even for people who aren't homeowners but would like to be someday. Though it hasn 't come without controversy, many insurance companies are now looking at credit ratings when determining prices for homeowners' insurance policies. Having and maintaining a strong credit history is entirely under your control and can save you money in the long run.
5) Stay with the same company. Insurance companies typically reward their longtime customers with strong payment histories by offering them lower rates. More often than not, this works on a tier system, where customers who have been with a provider for X amount of years will get a certain percentage discount. That percentage typically rises with each period spent with the company. However, keep an eye on rates from other companies just to make sure you're getting the best rate possible.
Visit QuoteRetriever.com to review instant homeowners insurance comparison quotes online.
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