For many people, seeking health insurance is a daunting prospect with a number of companies to choose from each offering a range of policies which can be both complex and difficult to decipher. For this reason it is often wise to employ the services of a broker to match your needs to the right health insurance company and policy.

Having chosen a broker it is a simple matter of giving him your medical details, including details of such things as any pre-existing conditions from which you are suffering and medications you are currently taking, and a list of the things that would wish to see covered in your policy. The broker then looks at a variety of companies and different policies and comes back to you with his recommendations. Once you have had a chance to study these, and to ask any questions that you might have, the broker will then work with you to get your health insurance contract signed and your policy issued.

It is important to understand that a health insurance broker works independently and is not employed by any particular health insurance company. His job is to study the health insurance market and to acquaint himself with the full range of cover available, as well as with how each insurance company operates including such things as its reputation, the frequency with which it increases premiums and the manner in which it handles claims.

Although the broker is independent it is also important to understand that he makes his money by way of a commission each time a contract is completed and that his commission will vary from one insurance company to the next. You may well feel therefore that it is in his interest to recommend a policy to you which earns him the highest commission. If this is something that concerns you then you should discuss this with the broker. If he is a sound and reputable broker he will have no difficulty in discussing this openly with you.

Despite the fact that the broker will be earning commission from the sale of your policy, which effectively comes from your premiums, it does not necessarily follow that a policy purchased through a broker will be more expensive and you will usually find that the same policy purchased directly from the company will cost you exactly the same amount as money as you will end up paying in buying through a broker.

In addition, a broker will often be able to find you a deal which you are unlikely to uncover on your own simply as a result of his knowledge of the marketplace.

Surprisingly, perhaps because the rules on health insurance are constantly changing, health insurance brokers are fairly thin on the ground. In addition, most states require health insurance brokers to be licensed and the licensing requirements vary from state to state.

If you feel confident about seeking out your own health insurance policy and are happy that you can understand the technicalities of a health insurance contract and the details of the small print then all well and good. But, if this is not the case, then a health insurance broker could turn out to be your best friend.

Many people are extremely intimidated at the mere thought of using their credit card to make online purchases. The fear of an invisible thief getting a hold of your information can be scary. The good news is that there is a way to make online purchases without jeopardizing any of your personal information. Disposable credit card numbers are becoming more and more popular to both consumers and businesses alike.

Disposable credit card numbers are random numbers that are generated by the issuing card company that are intended for one time, online purchases. They are valid only at the website that you make your purchase from and they expire after a short period of time, usually within a month or two from the time they are issued. This makes it extremely difficult for thieves because even if they were able to obtain that information they would probably not be able to use it.

The safety offered by disposable credit card numbers benefit both consumers and online retailers alike. They greatly lessen the probability of a thief being able to steal any personal information during a transaction or from the databases where account information is stored for a countless number of people. The retailer benefits from them because they can instantly verify and validate a transaction. They do not have to worry about fraud related charge-backs.

The only downfall to disposable credit card numbers is that they are not feasible for some transactions. Many retailers require you to show the card that you used to purchase an item when you take retrieve the item from them. This is especially true with airline tickets, theatre tickets, hotel rentals or car rentals. If you use a disposable credit card number, you do not have a card to show them. Making recurring payments with them can also be problematic. The disposable credit card number you use to make a payment with initially may have expired by the time you need to make another payment therefore it is not feasible for automatic payments. In some cases, it makes more sense to just use the original credit card on your account.

Disposable credit cards numbers can make online shopping safer and easier for many people. However, there is no substitute for common sense and personal responsibility. You should still take the necessary precautions to ensure that your online shopping experience is not only safe but also enjoyable.

Closing a credit card requires a HARD CLOSE. It requires more than a simple phone call.

It is in your best interest to perform the following steps when closing a credit card. Regardless of what you are told over the phone by the credit card representative, it is important to contact the card company and get the exact address to submit your ‘Request to Close Credit Card’ letter.

DO NOT accept the a promise ‘over the phone’ that the credit card company will close your credit card account. You may find yourself fighting with the credit card company to delete charges after you close your account.

Submit your letter and reference your name and include your account number. In your letter request that they ‘HARD CLOSE’ your credit card.

If you do not use this language, the credit card company has the right to maintain your account and bill you for non-user fees including yearly fees according to the agreement that you signed when first applying for the card. Paying fees on a credit card that you are no longer using is not in your best interest.

Make certain that you send your letter “Certified Mail – Return Receipt Requested”.

In your letter, request a written confirmation acknowledging receipt of your request.

Finally, if you do not receive the letter of confirmation follow up in 2 to 3 weeks with a phone call and a follow up letter.

Your being proactive in ‘HARD CLOSING’ a credit card is very important to avoid any future charges and maintaining a good credit record.

What factors affect the cost of your health insurance?

Age: Obviously, there is a link between your need for health services and your age. As you hit the age of fifty, typically, you start using health providers more and more. You may also notice, that health insurance premiums start taking larger jumps after the age of fifty.

Gender: Females will pay higher premiums than males. Is it because they use medical services more or is it because they need medical services more? Who knows the answer?

Current and Past Health: There is a correlation between your previous health conditions and your expectancy of future good health. Certainly, your current health issues will affect your premiums.

Where you live: Insurance rates vary depending on which state and even the county you reside in.

Type of plan: If you are going to compare insurance plans, make sure that you compare “apples with apples”. For example, compare PPO plans with PPO plans, not with HMO plans. Make sure that you are comparing “Major Medical’ plans with Major Medical plans, and not with any other type of plan.

“How much will the insurance cost?”

We will use Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina as an example: First, you obtain an online quote. This quote takes into account your age, location, and gender only. This online quote that does not take into account your current health situation. Certainly, you cannot expect that this quote will be representative of your situation unless you are of “standard health”.

Second: you can obtain a “final quote”. To do this, you will need to do an application. The quickest way to do this is online. However, if your computer skills are lacking, or your patience with computers is low, you should ask that the agent send you a paper application. (There is no application fee with Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina.) With the information from this application, they will provide you with a “final quote”.

Which plan should you choose?

The most important factor to consider is the monthly cost. You must be able to pay the premium month in and month out. Don’t burden yourself with a premium that you can’t maintain. You will have a choice of about thirty plans. Buy one of the middle plans. Don’t buy the most expensive plan, unless you know that you can afford it.

Don’t make the common mistake:

Many people find that the best plans are “too expensive”. Don’t think that because you cannot afford the plan that you “want”, that you shouldn’t buy any plan. Buy the least expensive plan, if you must, but buy a plan. Let’s say that the least expensive plan has a very high deductible of $10,000. Certainly, if you had a health crisis, you wouldn’t want to have to pay ten thousand dollars.

However, if you don’t have insurance, you will have a deductible that is much greater than ten thousand dollars. If you need bypass surgery, for example , which typically costs about $130,000, your $10,000 deductible will look a lot better. Another factor that is involved here, is that many people do not realize is that if you don’t have health insurance, and you need that bypass surgery, the hospital does not have to admit you unless it is a medical emergency! Needing bypass surgery is usually not a medical emergency.

Summary:

There are many factors that affect your health insurance premiums. The most important ones are age, gender, current and past health, where you reside, and type of plan. Choose one of the middle, more affordable plans. If you must, buy the least expensive plan…you need to be covered.

Prepaid credit cards have been around for some time now but only recently have credit card issuers been promoting this product to the youth market. In the past couple of years many advertisements have emerged depicting a teen who has empowered himself by obtaining a prepaid MasterCard or Visa. We have also seen some of the prepaid credit cards feature images pop stars Usher and Hillary Duff. The line of marketing is clearly aimed at our youth, the question is will this make a positive or negative impact in their financial well being.

Plastic is the currency of the world we live in today. Without a credit card you are definitely going to feel the burn of being restricted in your spending. Do you want to rent a vehicle? Rent a movie? Almost anywhere you rent anything from now requires a credit card for the business owner’s security. Do you want to make purchases online? Although there are other options for payment online, credit cards are still the most widely accepted form of currency by far.

Originally Prepaid credit cards were designed for adults who could not obtain a traditional credit card due to having either no or poor credit history. Some of the cards actually have credit rebuilding features that report to the credit bureaus regularly. These same cards can be a valuable asset to our youth. Chances are our children will never use a checkbook so why not teach them how to use and manage a credit card from the beginning.

They are like credit cards wrapped in a life preserver. Your teen cannot damage their credit history with a prepaid credit card. The credit limit on the card is determined by the amount of money they have already loaded onto the card from their bank account. This gives them then chance to learn how a credit card it truly supposed to be used instead of falling into the trap many adults do, spending money that they don’t have.

The issue of “should my teenager have their own credit card” can only be answered by those teens’ parents. If you have decided that you want your teen to have a credit card take the following into consideration. Holding a credit card will give your teen more freedom. Review several credit card applications with your son or daughter. Ensure the credit card that you apply for has safety features such as allowing you to monitor spending. Always read the terms and conditions in the credit card application carefully.

We all know having a good credit score is a necessary thing in life. Having a good credit score means you have an easier time with buying a new home or buying a new car and many other major purchases you may make. But attaining that good credit score and keeping it isn’t always very easy, and if you’ve got a low credit score from previous mistakes you might have made, getting another credit card to use to rebuild your score can be quite difficult.

One solution is what is known as a secured credit card. This is a type of card that is basically meant for people with low credit scores who are therefore considered high risk. When opening a secured credit card account, you will put down a deposit, which the credit company will hold as collateral in the event you default on your payments. In other words, the card issuer will use that deposit to try to recover their money should you not make the payments necessary to meet your obligations.

Secured credit cards have credit limits like “regular” cards, and they vary from program to program. It is not unheard of for your limit to be the same as the deposit you’ve put down, meaning if you deposit 200 dollars to open the account, then your card’s limit will be 200 dollars. Other programs may allow you to have a limit that is more or less than the deposit amount, depending, with people with higher credit scores getting the higher limits as opposed to the lower limits people with worse credit scores may get.

If you’re considering getting a secured card to help repair your credit, make sure you read all of the fine print before opening the account. Though you will be required to put down a deposit that is ostensibly there to act as collateral if you default, card issuers often only go ahead and use that deposit when the account is closed completely. This means that if you are late on a payment, the card issuer may not take the payment from your deposit, and instead charge you late fees and interest for a while before they use your deposit. In this way, you can manage to end up with even more debt than you started with if you are not careful.

As long as you remain vigilant about making your payments and carefully inspect the terms before agreeing to open up an account, a secured credit card may be a good option for you if you’re looking repair past credit mistakes or have no credit to begin with. Just bear in mind that they are easier to acquire than “regular” credit cards because they can often land you in more hot water later due to their fees and restrictions.