Why Offer Supplemental Benefits?

Small business or large corporation a common struggle is surviving an economy riddled with inflation, downsizing, low consumer confidence and high unemployment. Healthcare Service costs are skyrocketing while government mandates increase the care requirements of Health Insurers. Economic Science tells us that There Is No Free Lunch!

As the health sector services continue to experience rising costs so too, do the Insurance Plans that pay for them.

Employers looking to maintain traditional benefits that they have used to help attract and keep employees are facing the laws of diminishing returns with these rising premiums. Raising Deductibles and increasing Co-Pays, Fixed Employer Contributions, Dual Option Plans, HSA and HRA are some of the choices now being used to help reign in spending costs.

With most of these planning strategies the end result is increased expenses, both in paying for the insurance and provider services (hospital, surgeries, Dr. visits, medications etc.) that fall on the employee.

Enter the world of Supplemental Benefits. The first company to offer these plans was Colonial Life and Accident Insurance, founded in 1939 and headquartered in Charleston, South Carolina, Colonial became the first company to provide benefits through worksite marketing.

Supplemental plans like those offered by Colonial Life have introduced new life into the Healthcare Market. These plans were not affected by Healthcare Reform Legislation. They offer a first dollar benefit payable to the insured and, because of rising out-of-pocket costs they become Insurance for what Health Insurance does not pay. Insurance for Insurance?

An Employee can choose from a menu of choices in plan selection. Among them are Accident, Disability and Cancer plans. These three choices tend to be the most popular but there are others such as Level Term Life, Long Term Care and Critical Illness to name just a few.

Plans are usually offered to the employee on a voluntary basis. Generally, they are presented at Group rates but issued individually, allowing the employee to keep the coverage if they terminate or retire. Costs of the plans are fixed, inexpensive and generally qualify for inclusion in Section 125 plans allowing for additional savings.

Disability should be the plan for most people to consider first. As people find it difficult making ends meet while working full time, the inability to work at all due to an injury or sickness can be financially devastating. Disability payments may be "Tax Free" to the payee as long as the premiums are not included in a tax leveraged, 125 plan or are employer paid. Look for waiver of premium, partial disability, payments for disability even if you are not actively employed and on the job coverage additional to workers compensation as essential components to the plan.

Accident plans could be said to be the best value of the coverages due to their low cost and potential benefit ratios. On or off the job and 24/7 coverage is essential. Spouse and family coverage is typically offered for a low extra cost.

Cancer plans work because one in two males and one in just less than three women in the U.S. will have a type of cancer in their lifetimes. 70% of cancer costs are incidental and not covered by medical insurance. Costs such as loss of work, travel to treatment and lodging for family members, childcare for a recovering parent, or home health care. Of course, medical plan deductibles and co-pays may also be covered.

While any of these plans are selected on a pick and choose, all or some or nothing basis, they are all capable of paying multi thousands of dollars to help offset medical bills and living costs. These low cost options should not be overlooked in a strategy to maintain a high quality Healthcare Benefits program.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/aroy/2011/12/13/unreasonable-rate-review-for-health-insurance/

Terryl G. Roemer has served Cities, Counties, Private Business and several thousand Individuals in Idaho, Nevada and Oregon for the past 30 years. Terrys business has been sustained during this time without advertising, relying on Word of Mouth Testimonials and a high commitment to Claims Service. As a counselor to his clients he assists in helping them buy the best insurance for their needs. He is currently a member of the national group "The Benefit Guys", specializing in Group and Individual Health products, Medicare, Long Term Care, Life Insurance and Supplemental benefits. Claims assistance and advice are integral components to his service. admin@theroemergroupbenefits.com.

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The Cost of Sailboat Insurance for Cruising

This was one hot topic for us over the last couple of weeks. What does it cost to have proper insurance for your sailboat? Since we are planning to do extended off-shore cruising, the perfect insurance for our boat should not only be a general liability insurance but we also wanted a full comprehensive yacht insurance that would cover any damage on our boat, no matter what would happen. Tough task.

From my experience with my previous 37 foot sailboat, which I sailed for one year in Florida I know that there are a lot of variables to look at when it comes to get insurance for your boat. Such as hurricane season, region and or country you are sailing, ocean passages, single handing, charter business and so forth.

One thing was very obvious from the very beginning: We wouldn't go for the cheapest boat insurance and neither did we like to sign some sort of online boat insurance with a broker or company that we wouldn't know. A lot of research showed that this isn't working out for most of the cruisers out there. Pretty cool to pay less if nothing happens, but if the worst comes to the worst you are most likely lost with one of the budget insurers.

Well, what does it actually cost to get the perfect insurance for your sailboat? The following quotes that I have received are tailor-made for our particular boat.

The first company I was looking at was the one the previous owner had her insured with. The cost for one year with general liability insurance and a full comprehensive coverage was EUR 1,500. Not bad I thought. The covered area was Northern Europe including the UK and down to France. They were asking the same amount for anything south of France including the Western Med and off-shore to Madeira, the Azores and Canary Islands. This was a large insurance company specialized in yacht insurance.

My internet search on topics like boat insurance, yacht insurance quotes, average cost of boat insurance or boat insurance companies returned a lot of search results and I spent the better half of a day on the phone to get even more quotes. I turned those down, who wouldn't give me a price indication over the phone straight away. I have spoken to boat insurance companies in the US, the UK, France, Germany and the Netherlands. Prices for a combined package with general liability (+/- EUR 2 Mill coverage for the liability part) and full comprehensive coverage brought back offers in the region of EUR 1,200 up to EUR 1,900 for the European region.

Funny enough these so called specialized boat insurance companies were the most expensive ones with the most exceptions on the part of the comprehensive coverage.

Now comes the fun part. Over the last couple of weeks I was also trying to remember the name of the yacht insurance broker that I had for my boat back in Florida. I remember them as a small German-based company with global reach, which tailor their boat insurance offers to the specific needs of long-term cruisers.

Last week I finally remembered the name and called that lady straight away. Guess what? She remembered me. I found this very impressive as our last contact was like 6 years ago. Within an hour I had a comprehensive offer in my inbox, which covered everything I wanted for the price of EUR 960. A week later I signed the papers.

The best part is their reputation among the cruisers. Something happens in a remote place? No problem, you call them, drop them an email and they immediately take over with no worries left over for you. Those examples have been reported more than once by fellow cruisers all over the world.

I don't want to drop names here and I am not related to this company at all... but if you are interested in a contact, please let me know and I would be happy to give you more details.

more on http://www.sailicious.com

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Top Mystery Ghost Ships

There is something about a ship lost at sea which sends shivers down our spines and evokes a sense of mystery and chilling fatefulness. Maybe because the sea can become an endless void which is instinctively unnerving. However, even though thousands of ships have gone missing at sea some have become legendary and their tales timeless.

The U.S.S Cyclops was built in 1910 and was used in World War I to transport coal for the Navy. In 1918 on its way to the U.S from Brazil it completely disappeared without a trace not even a single S.O.S call. The shocking thing about this disaster is over 300 men lost their lives and to this day nobody has found any wreck or evidence of the ship. It remains the single largest loss of life experienced by the United States Navy of a vessel not in combat. According to records it was apparently overloaded with manganese ore, which could have contributed to its unfortunate demise.

The Ourang Medan is allegedly a Dutch merchant ship that sank in Indonesian waters in 1947. According to sources two ships answered an S.O.S call. The City of Baltimore and the Silver Star which were both American vessels. The distress messages exclaimed the rest of the crew were apparently dead. When the Silver Star arrived they found the entire crew dead on board with terrified expressions. As the crew of the Silver Star investigated The Ourang Medan allegedly set on fire and sank. To this day nobody knows exactly what happened on board and caused the fire. However, some believe the ship was carrying nitroglycerin and some kind of nerve chemicals which caused the deaths of the crew and eventual fire.

The Baychimo is a story of a ship that just wouldn't sink. It was abandoned near Alaska in 1931 because it was trapped in ice. After some time the ship broke free naturally and was seen adrift. The amazing thing is it remained adrift for almost 40 years without sinking. Various crew throughout the years tried to salvage the ship without success. Over the years sightings were recorded as recently as 1969.

The Mary Celeste is possibly one of the most famous ships in history. The ship was bound for Italy in 1872 with grain alcohol as its cargo. It was found in December 1872 by the crew of a British ship called the Dei Gratia. They allegedly found The Mary Celeste completely abandoned, but the ship was fully supplied, equipped and sea worthy. After investigation it was found that a life raft was missing but the mystery of the lost crew remained. To this day The Mary Celeste remains one of the great legends of the sea. Captain David Williams is cited as having the most practical solution to its mystery. After 30 years of research he basically concluded the ship set on fire in some way, the crew entered a life raft but forgot to tether it to the ship as a result they were left stranded.

Ghost ships, the Bermuda triangle and incredible mistakes made by crew all contribute to tragic stories which ultimately led to loss of life and the ships themselves.

Yacht Insurance by Velos Insurance.

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Marine Boat Insurance Guide

Insurance coverage needed by the ship owner in it activities for operating the ship as a transportation listed as follows:

1 Hull Insurance, including engines, boilers, all fixtures and ship equipment, it's called Hull and Machinery (H & M) insurance.
2 Increased value insurance or insurance disbursement.
3 Freight insurance.
4 Protection and Indemnity Insurance

Hull and Machinery Insurance

Protect the shipowner from any damage/physical damage of the ship, also guarantees the ship owners from it obligations and responsibilities to third-party, for example, if ship collided with another ship, ship crashed into the dock, and so on. Hull and Machinery insurance is only associated with the vessel, engine boilers, all equipment and ship equipment.

Commonly what is covered from loss is total loss, partial loss (particular average damage), the contribution of general average and salvage also obligations to third-party.

Increased Value Insurance

If the ship suffered a total loss as a result for the shipowner apart from the loss of his ship, also suffered losses of abstract(intangible loss), the loss of "ability" to earn income. Another result of the ship experienced a total loss, the crew will lose their jobs, as well as facilities and employees on the shore, especially in port operations will be reduced. Indeed, facilities and employees of the affected vessels may also be used and hired to serve the other ships, but nevertheless, the overall activity (over-all operations) will be impaired balance and reduced activity. In addition, the amount of compensation obtained by the shipowner from the insurer is not enough to buy a boat in same conditions with the ship experienced a total loss as a result of changes in world market prices ships (since then and now, in general prices of goods factory-made, including boats always rise in the world market). For losses(abstract) Thus, the insurer were willing to cover. This means, that the ship owner(insured) able to cover the insurance for such losses, called Increased Value Insurance also called Disbursement Insurance. Thus, losses in the abstract is treated as interest that can be insured(insurable interest), although very difficult to show an interest, but there is a loss if the vessel suffered a total loss.

Since it is very difficult to show an interest, then the proof of interest policy requirement is imprinted on the policy. It's very difficult to determine the amount of abstract loss, so does the possibility of vessel price increases at the time vessel coverage was closed. Because of this difficulty, usually Increased Value Insurance is expressed by a percentage(%) of the hull and machinery insurance coverage price by 10% for Increased Value that will be paid by the insurer.

Marine Cargo Insurance Guide: Provides various information related to marine transportation insurance in accordance with applicable legislation.

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Reasons to Be Denied Boat Insurance

Owning a boat can be a very great adventure for everyone that has one. You are able to head out on the wide open seas and explore the world. When you buy a boat, it seems like everyone wants to be your friend. Weekends will be planned and days at sea will take over your life. Just like buying a car you will want to protect your new investment. Boat insurance is something that is necessary to protect your boat from the unknown wonders of the sea. However, do not think that you can just go out and get a policy. Some buyers are surprised to find that they will actually be denied coverage. To save you the hassle, this article will take a look at some of the most common reasons that people are denied boat insurance. Make sure that your boat does not fall into these categories and you should be on your way to wonderful weekends in the water.

One obvious reason that you will be denied boat insurance is that the boat itself is in bad condition. Hopefully you are not buying a boat in bad condition. If you are, expect that you will need to do a lot of work to make the boat pass inspection. If you put the work into your boat, not only will you have a great policy, you will make a lot of people jealous on the seas.

Just because you have a boat does not mean that you can act like a crazy person on the water. Believe it or not, you can still be ticketed for your behavior on the water. Speeding, drinking, and moving violations are all things that you can get while in the water. If you have too many of these violations then you can be denied coverage. At the same time if you have too many driving infractions they may deny you coverage on your boat. Just make sure that you are having fun and being responsible at the same time.

Another thing to keep in mind is the intended purpose and size of your boat. I know you might want the biggest and best boat on the water, but if it is too big then a regular policy may not be right for you. Talk to your insurance provider to find the best boat insurance policy for your vessel. Also, most companies will only insure your boat if you are intending to use it for personal use. If for some reason it will be used otherwise, you might have to get a different kind of policy.

Boats are meant to be fun and exciting. There are just a few reasons why you should not be able to get insurance. If you are worried about the type of coverage that you will receive then you can talk to your insurance provider before purchasing to find out what policy would be best for you. Some companies will even offer you discounted boat insurance rates for grouping your different policies together. Once you are insured you are ready to head out and have fun in the sun.

Amanda Rodriguez
Boat Dealer Insurance
Boat Insurance Information

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Do You Need Engagement Ring Insurance?

Engagement ring insurance can be a smart investment for many brides. This is especially true for high-value rings as the cost of replacement can be very expensive. However since the cost of insurance is often a percentage of the rings value, they insurance is a wise investment for all ring purchases.

Since engagement and wedding rings are worn daily, the risk of damage is great. Rings can easily become damaged during common, everyday activities such as cleaning, working and participating in recreational events. Stones can easily loosen with time and wear. Protecting an engagement ring with insurance will ensures that these damages will be quickly and easily repaired. Some policies include loss and theft as well.

When considering a policy, evaluate the coverage that will be provided. Are loss and theft covered? If so, what are the requirements for reporting? Is there a maximum replacement value or will the ring be completely replaced? As many policies cover periodic ring maintenance, it is also wise to determine if the policy that is being considered will maintain your ring. Are complementary cleanings offered? Some rings, especially white gold need occasional work to maintain color. Is this type of maintenance provided? Where will you be able to service the ring?

Some policies require a visit to a singular location which can be difficult later in life once you have moved. What will happen to the policy if your jeweler happens to go out of business? There are many important questions to consider as you consider purchasing ring insurance. Make sure that the policy is carefully reviewed and understood before purchase. Remember that if something is not in writing, it may not be honored at a later time.

Even if engagement ring insurance is purchased, you will want to learn how to properly care for and maintain your ring. Prevention may help to avoid the hassle of repair. While a lost ring can be replaced with another similar ring, the sentimental value that many place on their rings is irreplaceable and uninsurable. Learn about proper care and maintenance and be careful with your ring so that you can enjoy it for many years to come. Engagement ring insurance will offer peace of mind in case of loss or unpreventable damage.

Since an engagement ring is a big investment, it should be treated as such. Consider purchasing engagement ring insurance with your ring to protect it from the unexpected.

Pamela Kazmierczak writes many articles focused on Wedding Ideas and planning for weddings. Go To her site now and learn more about Engagement Ring Insurance Today!

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Engagement Ring Insurance

You love your man and you love your engagement ring. Just imagine how you would feel if you were to lose either. Although that's something you would much rather not think about, it's even more reason why investing in engagement ring insurance is extremely important. In case your ring should be stolen, lost or perhaps damaged, it will give you some peace of mind.

Unfortunately these things can and do happen. Your engagement ring does not just hold a monetary value, it also has emotional value due to the commitment it represents. However, should the unfortunate occur, at least you will be able to replace it without any added financial burdens. Thanks to having hindsight of acquiring, this can be a great comfort at a time of great loss.

There are various types of jewelry insurance policies in the marketplace. They vary greatly with different annual costs and reimbursement procedures. It is important, therefore, to check into which policy best suits you before making a purchase. For instance, a homeowner and renter's insurance often demands a premium payment which can range from around $500 up to $1,000. Often these policies do not cover loss or damage when the ring is outside the home. Furthermore, since they usually only cover the loss or damage of one ring, the premiums tend to be comparatively high.

When purchasing insurance for an engagement ring, always take into consideration the terms and regulations that the insurance company uses. Investigate information on deductibles, appraisals and refunds on lost, damaged and stolen jewelry. Also consider the type of insurance claim the company offers which can be for replacement, actual value, or a 'valued at' insurance policy.

It is also advisable to check if your current insurer can offer any additional insurance with regards to jewelry coverage. Since you are holding various insurance policies within that same company already, they may give discounts based on your overall premiums paid. In some instances the current insurer could even be in liaison with other companies who can offer engagement ring insurance, thus entitling you to a discount on any premium paid.

It always pays to shop around for insurance whether it is for your home, your car, or, as in this case, your engagement ring. Insurance can bring peace where there is chaos; relief when there is pain. And that can make the cost of ring insurance seem insignificant in comparison.

Click Engagement Ring Insurance or Engagement Ring [http://www.rings-4u.com] for more info. Copyright 2009 Ron X King.

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