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Posts Tagged Life

Top Whole Life Insurance Companies

Life insurance otherwise known as temporary insurance, is something that covers a person against death for a limited amount of time. There are different terms which can either be, until the person’s children are grown, or until their education is paid for, or even until retirement. You are the one that pays for the policy period and at the end of the term the contract or policy expires. If there have been no claims made to the policy during the term, then unfortunately no benefits will be paid out after the policy expires. It is the same thing as auto or homeowners insurance.

There is another kind of life insurance which is known as whole life insurance however otherwise known as permanent insurance, this is something that does not expire as long as you pay the premium amount that you are suppose to. It gives you the same coverage as term life insurance but it also gives you an investment vehicle.

Part of the premium goes for life insurance, and the other part goes to an investment account. This account can be either an interest bearing account or something else like a stock or bonds investment account. The best life insurance companies will provide you the best quotes on both of these.

Almost all life insurance companies good or bad sell their products through people that are called agents. Some companies use agents that can only represent their company. The best life insurance companies according to the source Budget Life Top 15 are Ohio National Life Assurance Corporation, Western Reserve Life Insurance Company of Ohio, ReliaStar Life Insurance Company, West Coast Life Insurance Company, Savings Bank Life Insurance Company of Massachusetts. They used a third party database of top term life insurance companies so that they would be able to rank the companies by the lowest life insurance rates.

If you need more FREE information on top whole life insurance companies, please visit our site: http://www.htquotes.com

Article from articlesbase.com

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How to get life insurance when you’re HIV-positive

By Michelle Matlock, Life Quotes, Inc.

Although there have been medical advancements that have helped to prolong the lives of HIV patients, finding life insurance coverage for HIV infected individuals continues to be elusive.

According to the most recent statistics by The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation, the number of new HIV infections in the U.S. reached 56,300 in 2006. The number of people living with HIV/AIDS was 1.1 million, with 468,000 of those individuals living with AIDS. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services reported in 2007, that the largest number of new HIV/AIDS diagnoses for persons aged 40 to 44 accounted for 15 percent of all HIV/AIDs diagnoses in that year.

Respectively, the use of antiretroviral (ARV) Therapy or highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) such as protease inhibitors with a combination of other HIV drugs have extended the life of those living with HIV by slowing the progression of the disease to full-blown AIDS. A study by the National AIDS Treatment Advocacy Project in New York and the ATHENA National Observational Cohort Study in February 2010 found that the average life expectancy of people living with HIV has been extended from seven years (before 1995) to 24 years — if they follow the proper drug therapy regimen. This includes those who take their medications on a regular basis and maintain a healthy lifestyle.

Ryan Pinney, brokerage director and life impaired risk specialist at Pinney Insurance Center Inc. in Roseville, Calif. says following the introduction of drug cocktails that counter the infection— people with HIV can expect to live longer healthier lives.

“If you contracted HIV in the late 70s or early 80s, it was a death sentence. Nowadays, with the addition of antiviral drugs, it is not uncommon for people with HIV to live 20 years without the condition developing into AIDS,” says Pinney.

If you have a strong prognosis at the start of the illness, meaning you have managed to keep your CD4 T-cell count above 500 cells for at least three years, chances are you will have a greater life expectancy. In July 2008, a study conducted by the University of Bordeaux, France found that HIV-positive males whose CD4 count was above 500 cells for an average of three years, had death rates that were identical to those in the general population. Unfortunately, among HIV-positive women, the death rates didn’t balance out even after five years of maintaining a count above 500 cells. In fact, HIV-positive women experienced a 2.4 percent increase in death rates when compared to the general population. More studies are pending that help explain this phenomenon.

Pinney notes that for people who contract the disease at a young age, the improbability of receiving a life insurance policy is higher. However, if you have lived longer with HIV, it might be easier to get a policy.

“The reason for this is because you have a proven track record of maintaining the illness,” says Pinney.

Dr. Ann Hoven, chief medical officer for the Individual Life Division at the Hartford, says that insurers have considered the possibility of covering HIV, but there are still a number of unknowns.

“The basic dilemma is that although the life expectancy for someone with HIV can be over 20 years, those who become newly infected are younger people,” says Hoven. “The life expectancy of a person with HIV is more like 40 to 50 years of age, and most people expect to live to be in their 60′s, 70′s and 80′s.”

She adds that it can be difficult to make assessments of a person’s life expectancy with HIV and set premiums based on the information they receive.

“The data really isn’t there yet,” she says. “There are people who seem to be resistant to infection where their immune system takes care of it, and then there are others that are completely vulnerable to this illness. The results of the studies that have been conducted haven’t provided any definitive data to pull from when it comes to estimating how long an individual can live with this illness. It’s very case by case.”

Limited options

When it comes to purchasing life insurance, most people who have been diagnosed with HIV will be faced with an automatic decline or enormously high premiums.

“You would have to have a breakthrough to make the numbers work out when trying to write a policy for someone with HIV,” says Hoven. “When you look at the numbers the cost would be so astonomical that no one would buy it [the policy].”

“If you have been diagnosed with HIV, getting life insurance may be tough, but it’s not unheard of,” says Pinney. “It can be accomplished if you receive insurance through a group plan, such as an employer, trade association or union.”

However, if you are HIV-positive and you attempt to get life insurance on your own, most insurance companies will refuse to sell you a policy, this includes companies that offer “simplified issue” life insurance coverage where you would only have to answer a few health questions. Even when applying for a simplified issue policy, you will likely be required to answer questions about HIV/AIDS. Other, more traditional individual life insurers may also ask that you take an HIV test.

“The requirement by insurers of an HIV test varies by state and the face value of the policy,” says Kim McKeown, spokesperson for the Society of Actuaries. “Nonetheless, the underwriting process is used to discern information on one’s medical profile, and if the person is taking antiviral drugs which would be found in the medical record, this might prompt an insurer to ask for an HIV test. Even with the best medication, folks with HIV do have a shortened life expectancy so the best information possible is critical during the underwriting process.”

Mckeown adds that from an insurance company’s perspective, asking a potential policyholder to take an HIV test is really no different than asking someone about his or her family health history, what types of prescriptions they take daily, or if they smoke.

If you are able to get a simplified issue insurance plan, they have a limited face value amount, typically 0,000 to 0,000 on the high-end of the spectrum.

A more viable option is purchasing a “guaranteed issue” life insurance plan. When a policy is considered “guaranteed issue” this is the maximum amount of coverage allowed to an individual without a medical evaluation. Anyone can purchase a guaranteed issue plan since they do not require a medical exam, but they are usually nuts and bolts policies that only provide a death benefit. The death benefit is generally ,000 or less and if you die within the first two years after you buy the policy, your loved ones could receive nothing.

There are also small group plans to consider that are essentially employer-sponsored specialty plans that cover key employees at a company.

Pinney recalls a situation where a group of partners at a firm requested a guaranteed issue group plan that would cover all the senior and junior partners at the firm. One of the individuals was HIV-positive and the group managed to negotiate a policy that provided over a million dollars in life insurance to each person in the group.

While it’s clear that this method can work, Pinney says that because of the stigma attached to people living with HIV, this is primarily the reason why most employees won’t suggest this type of coverage to their employer.

While someone with HIV may be able to get a life insurance policy from an insurance company that specializes in high-risk cases, it’s certain that it will most likely be a costly policy with a graded benefit. For example, a 40-year-old HIV-positive male can get a ,000 whole life policy, but he would pay a high annual premium of ,600.

“There are very few companies, maybe three or four that offer policies for people with HIV,” explains Pinney. “What they amount to is a guaranteed issue whole life policy with a graded death benefit or a benefit that increases gradually with age and eventually levels off during the life of the policy.”

Still, Pinney says that if you die during the first, second or third year of the policy you may only receive your premiums and dividends with interest, other companies may only payout a specified percentage of the benefit amount if you die within that timeframe.

Will insurers cover HIV in the future?

Guaranteed Trust Life Insurance Co. based in Glenview, Ill., was the first insurance company to offer “impaired risk” whole life insurance to HIV-positive individuals. The company ceased selling the policies in 2004.

“One of the biggest problems with pricing an HIV policy is figuring out how to price it without getting beat up,” recalls Pinney. “At the start of offering such a product policyholders were looking at a flat extra of per ,000 in insurance.”

Pinney said that recently he attended a life insurance conference and posed the possibility of an HIV life policy to major life insurers. Unlike HIV, other medical conditions, such as cancer or heart disease have a longer track record of people having these conditions and better statistical data that an insurer can draw from. Even though HIV/AIDS has been around since the early eighties, Pinney notes that the underwriting science hasn’t caught up with medical science yet.

“I don’t see this type of product entering the market again anytime soon,” notes Pinney.

“Part of the problem is there is no mortality data available to create an accurate pricing model. I would be surprised if any insurance company would even remotely consider it for quite awhile.”

“When we solve the societal issues concering HIV and find better ways to treat the illness or even a vaccine, I think that will be when the situation changes,” says Hoven. “I really don’t see this happening in the next five years, but we’re definitely getting closer to it. “

Hoven recommends that if you have been diagnosed with HIV and your employer offers life insurance, it’s best to take advantage of it.

“You wouldn’t go through medical underwriting and you would receive the group-based premium that includes people who have a variety of different medical concerns,” says Hoven. “Also, if you retire, most group plans allow the policy to be converted to a whole life policy.”

Whose at risk?

From 2004 to 2007, the numbers of HIV/AIDS diagnoses increased among men who have sex with men (MSM).

In that same timeline, the estimated numbers of HIV/AIDS diagnoses increased among male and female adults and adolescents with HIV infection attributed to high-risk heterosexual contact.

Cumulatively, MSM (53 percent) and persons exposed to high–risk heterosexual contact (32 percent) accounted for 85 percent of all HIV/AIDS cases diagnosed in 34 states in 2007.

By gender, 77 percent of adults and adolescents living with AIDS were male. Of the 104,560 female adults and adolescents living with AIDS, 66 percent were exposed through heterosexual contact.

Source: United States Department of Health and Human Services

This article was originally published at Life Quotes, Inc.

Life Quotes provides access to comparative quotes for auto, life, health and business insurance quotes so that busy consumers and business owners can save time and money. Life Quotes is dedicated to providing impartial insurance information.

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Discover the importance of Life Insurance for your little one

Do you wish to secure your child’s future? Every parent has the hope to see their children grow into happy and healthy adults. Life insurance for kids is a growing sector within the financial industry. The life insurance for children is not only a means to have the finances but also giving them a better financial security. Insurance for kids is very essential in today’s times and thus it is the most sought after option among responsible people. After all, uncertainty is just around the corner so and it better to be safe than sorry.

Life insurance policies for kids is cheap as they are at the beginning of their lives and premium payments are typically lower than that of the adults, unless the child is facing some severe illness. Today’s educated and responsible parents understand the importance of insurance and secure their child from unpleasant uncertainties. The children life insurance coverage claims to protect your child’s future. However the premium of the insurance depends on the age of the child. These insurance cover can work as a long term investment for your child. It is one of the important decisions which are often overlooked by most parents. A thing to be noted is that the children’s insurance policy can be bought by parents who themselves own a policy.

If your child is facing some type of illness, then you must get your child’s life insurance policy done at the earliest. Now if you are planning to use it as an investment strategy, then you can start planning on keeping this policy alive. This is the policy which can provide you with the lump sum money when required. Do you want your children to have a bright career ahead? Then, a life insurance policy can be the best long term saving tool that builds cash over a period of time. It is but natural that you wish your children someday move into a better home; right kind of insurance policy will do all the needful.

Basically, life insurance is a system or a technique of shielding each and every person in the family and it is considered to be the best financial investment strategy. A children life insurance policy is similar in many ways to basic life insurance insurances offered to adults. This insurance actually provides the coverage for death, illness or even serious injuries. They differ in some ways. Children are more prone to disease like meningitis and encephalitis which is covered by the children’s policies. Also, head trauma is other type which is usually included in the children policy. Like the regular insurance, the children insurance too has some exceptions, you can check out those when you purchase an insurance for your child.

The children insurance policy is more or less similar to that of the adult’s policies. It covers the long term serious disabilities and injuries. If you are planning to get life insurance done for your children, then you need to log on the reliable internet site to avail of the benefits.

Andy West is the author of this article on Life Insurances. Find more information about Life Insurances here.

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Tips on How to Find The Best Canadian Life Insurance Company Online

A life insurance policy is purchased to protect the financial interest of a family at the event of untimely death of the wage earner of the family. There are various types of life insurance policies available in the market from multiple Canadian life insurance companies. Hence, finding the right life policy that would help you safeguard the interest of your family can be a difficult.

 

An increasing number of customers now search online to find life insurance policies. Searching for Canada term life insurance online has helped the customers save time and money on visiting the offices of different insurance companies and agents. Also, many on these online companies would let the customers compare the cost and coverage of different life insurance providers. They can now receive life insurance quotes online from a Canadian life insurance companies with few clicks of their mouse. However, with so many companies online, finding the right Canadian life insurance company can be a difficult task. The following tips would help you find the best online Canadian life insurance company.

 

Search online: Search on Google for online insurance company. Searching with terms like- life insurance quotes, cheap life insurance quotes would help you in obtaining quotes for Canada term life insurance. Also, asking friends and family who have accessed an online life insurance company can be helpful too.

 

Check track record: While searching for a Canadian life insurance company importance should be given to a company which has been into the business for a long time. There are many online life insurance companies coming up every day but not all of them have the required license and proven track record to deliver the best result. Hence, companies with proven track record should be given priority.

 

Check the security: To obtain quotes online you would be required to provide personal information on the site, ensuring the privacy of your information is important. The site must display the padlock sign of secured information at the bottom of the page containing the form. Also, the site must declare that they wouldn’t sell your information to other parties without your consent.

 

Beware of scams: Since the popularity of receiving canada term life insurance policies online has increased many fake insurance sites too have come up to scam customers. These sites would sell your personal information to more than one company. Hence, you’re likely to receive calls from multiple agents. Also, some of these sites may ask for confidential information like checking account details, credit card details and SIN #, which is otherwise not required to obtain canada term life insurance quote. You should be particularly wary of such scan sites.

 

The demand for online canadian life insurance company has increased over the years. Online shopping for life insurance has helped the customers to search for quotes from different canada term life insurance company without visiting their offices. But this has also promoted many online scams. Hence, one needs to be careful in choosing the canadian life insurance company online and avoid any site that looks shady.

Nathan Brown is an well known name in the field of insurance with years to experience in the industry. He is also the author of many online articles helping customers in finding the best Canadian life insurance company.

Article from articlesbase.com

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Cheap Term Life Insurance Quotes And The Ground Reality That You Need To Know

There are several things that you need to keep in mind when you are going to shop for life insurance. There are many things that may catch you off guard when you are buying a life insurance policy. First, when you see a cheap term life insurance quotes online, does not mean that you are already qualified for those term life insurance policies. Each life insurance company assesses the risks different and they may have different criteria.IIf you are browsing the net for cheap term life insurance quotes, you may find many lucrative offers from different companies. They may offer you cheap rates for life insurance policies. Before deciding on one such policy it is important to know about the terms and conditions related to these policies. Many a times there are fixed set of rules attached to these policies. The companies will assess many risks before they grant you such life insurance policies.IWhen you go shopping for life insurance policies you may come across many policies where very low rates are offered. These cheap term life insurance quotes, look very good and affordable but often the companies lay down stringent rules to qualify for such policies. The companies assess several risk factors and then decide the rate of the life insurance quotes.

Some life insurance companies may even want to see your driving record, any family history of heart disease, or even cancer. Therefore, life insurance is not quite the same as it seems to be at first glance. Best price of a life insurance policy does not always mean the best value. There are many instances where people have got very cheap term life quotes and they realize that the value of that life insurance policy is not up to the mark.IThe risks that are usually assessed by the life insurance companies are checking the driving record, family history of heart disease, cancer and other chronic diseases like diabetes. When you buy your life insurance policy do a detailed study of the terms and conditions as they may not be the same as advertised. Getting a life insurance policy for best price does not always mean the best value for it. Sometimes people who buy cheap life insurance policies at cheap term life quotes do not get the desired benefits from the policy.ILife insurance companies prefer to have all the information related to your lifestyle and habits right from driving record to family history of serious and hereditary diseases. Be aware that you are getting the best value for the best price you are paying for the insurance policy. You may buy a cheap life insurance policy but then at the end you may not get the full benefits out of it. Know the terms and conditions of the policy that you are buying so that you are happy with the benefits later on.

Also, getting coverage from your employer through voluntary group term plan generally is not a good bet if you are in good health. You can get an online quote from a good online insurance website. Cheap term life insurance quotes are also easily available on the Internet. Most people select a good life insurance broker website and enter their age, personal details and then they assume that they are going to get the best rates from that life insurance broker website. Many people have wrong notions about life insurance, which needs to be clarified first.IAt work you may be getting coverage from your employer through voluntary group term plan. But this kind of policies usually is of no good if you are in good health. The best quotes are available over the net. There are many websites which function as life insurance brokers and if you enter your age and your personal details then the quotes are worked upon for you. In some cases these quotes are not very accurate and reference to a good agent can give you exact quotes.IThere are group coverage insurance policies which are more often offered by the employers to their employees. You can browse the net for cheap term life insurance quotes. There are also life insurance broker websites wherein you feed in info about your age and personal details and the rates are offered to you accordingly. Buying a life insurance policy is a good way for investing your valued money.

Each life insurance company has their criteria and you need to meet those criteria. Only after you meet those criteria, you will get the life insurance policy. Sometimes, to qualify, you may have to talk to an experienced life insurance broker or agent. Always discuss your medical condition with your life insurance broker or agent. You may also have to be very honest with the medical history of your family. You need to tell your insurance agent if you have any of the following hobbies:
o    Bungee jumping
o    Paragliding
o    Rafting
ITo get the best quotes for your life insurance policy you have to meet the criteria laid down by the companies. You can also take the help of an experienced broker in such a case. You will have to disclose the medical history of your family and also discuss your medical condition with the life insurance broker or agent. You have to inform the company about any risky hobbies of yours like bungee jumping, skydiving, rafting, paragliding etc. Factors like tobacco user and non tobacco user also plays a part in deciding the rates of your life insurance policy.ITo meet those criteria which are laid down by the life insurance companies you have to discuss your medical condition with your life insurance broker or agent. You need to tell about the medical history of your family apart from your hobbies and lifestyle.

If you are skeptical about the medical examination that the life insurance companies conduct, you can always opt for life insurance no exam policies. A medical examination is generally conducted by a medical professional who is appointed by the life insurance company. As a right hand thumb rule, the life insurance no exam policies are slightly expensive than the regular term life insurance policies. For all the details of the life insurance no exam policy, you will have to check with the life insurance carriers or talk to a very experience life insurance broker of agent.IIn case you do not want to disclose the medical condition of your family and yourself then you can also opt for life insurance no exam policies. Under this condition no examination is done for medical conditions. Medical examination is generally conducted by a medical professional who is appointed by the life insurance company. These policies which involve more risks are more expensive than the general ones. For more details about life insurance no exam policy, you will have to check with the life insurance carriers or talk to a very experience life insurance broker of agent.IIf you have a family history of medical ailments or do not want to disclose your medical condition then you can opt for life insurance no exam policies. In this policy you will not be subjected to any medical checkup which is generally carried out by medical professional appointed by the life insurance company. The life insurance no exam policies are slightly expensive than the regular term life insurance policies. For detail information on life insurance no exam policies contact your life insurance broker of agent.

When the life insurance companies say that they will not conduct medical examinations, does not mean that if you are suffering from a serious heart disease, you will get the life insurance policy. Most life insurance companies that are giving off the life insurance no exam policy will ask you some strategic health related questions. If you have answered the questions properly, you have overcome the first hurdle, but you still don’t qualify for that policy. There will be few more criteria that you may have to fulfill.ILife insurance companies offering life insurance no exam policy does not mean that you can buy the policy even if you are suffering from a serious disease like cancer. You will have to still answer some strategic health related questions asked by the life insurance company. Some life insurance companies have some more formalities which you have to do for qualifying for the policy.IThe life insurance no exam policies are not as simple as they might appear. In some instances these policies have conditions mentioned wherein if you do not qualify to it then you cannot take the policy. Some strategic health related questions are asked in these cases and if you answer them properly then you have just passes the first hurdle. There may be other criteria added to it also.

There may be a difference between the rate that is quoted to you and the rate that is actually given to you. If the difference is too big, you may want to consider some other policy that meets your needs and budget. To get the lowest life insurance rates, you need to have a good family health history. Most life insurance companies will not give you a lowest life insurance rate if someone in your family died of cancer prior to the age of 60 years.IThe rate that is quoted to you and the rate that is actually given to you may be different. If the difference is too big then you must revise the policy and opt for a suitable one. If you have a good family health history then you may be offered good rates for your policy. On the other hand your life insurance policy may cost you more if there is a history of serious disease in your family.IThe rate is given to you may be different from the rate that is quoted to you. If the difference is too large then you may reconsider the policy and opt for one that meets your needs and budget. If you have a good family health history then you will be eligible for low insurance rates. You might end up paying more for your policy if you have a family history of death related to cancer.

If you do a good research, you may find few good life insurance companies that may give you the lowest rates in case you have a family history of cancer. Best price of the life insurance policy does not always equate to best value of the life insurance. To get the best price and the best value, you will have to make a good comparative study of all the quotes from various life insurance companies. Accuquote.com is a very good website that gives you a comprehensive insight into the life insurance domain.IA cheap life insurance policy may not be the best value life insurance policy. You will have to make a good comparative study of all the quotes from various life insurance companies if you want to get the best price and the best value. Some companies are lenient on giving the rates of the insurance policy. They may as well offer you low rates even if you have a family history of illness. There are websites which gives you a comprehensive insight into the life insurance domain.IMake sure that you are getting the best quotes and the best value for your life insurance policy. If you have a typical medical history of diabetes or cancer then compare and find the life insurance policy from a company that offers low rates irrespective of the medical history. Some websites give in depth knowledge about the complicated issues pertaining to the insurance policies.

To get the most competitive term life insurance rates, check out David Livingston’s site. He specializes in the different cheap life insurance and getting cheap affordable life insurance. Visit his site for more information.

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