Making your money off of dead soldiers?

I am not saying that it is wrong to make a profit, someone had to do the work it takes to settle things for the deceased. I am talking about companies that hold onto death benefits and do not release them to the families. That is just so wrong. Even if you are short on money due to the recession, no one should be taking advantage of the people who love and protect our country with their lives. They deserve some kind of respect for the role they play and this kind of blatant disregard for their lives makes me sick. It is fraudulent behavior that I wouldn’t even expect from the Grinch or Mr. Scrooge himself.

Here is an article if you want to read more: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2010-07-28/fallen-soldiers-families-denied-cash-payout-as-life-insurers-boost-profit.html

It is astonishing to me that health insurance companies can get away with using some of the most dishonest practices I have ever witnessed. Did you know that right now, insurance companies have Berenice saving money? That’s right, they have made their premiums just high enough to be able to be secure in case an atomic bomb hits.
We survive the recession by scrimping and saving, it just doesn’t seem right that they get to just roll on past us. These are the companies that get bailed out. Who was around to bail me out when all the bills came at once? I just want a company that can be trusted. A company that is, ‘worth their salt’ so to speak. I’m just lucky life insurance hasn’t been an issue.

Women cost more, so lets charge them more?

Doesn’t that seem like a little bit of backward thinking? It is already a little bit ridiculous that companies can do gender-based price hikes in car insurance. I do not think it should be allowed to discriminate based on statistics. If you are going to provide insurance, you should provide it fairly, to everyone, for everyone. That is the point of this new healthcare bill, is it not? No discrimination. Everyone gets healthcare?
Women should never be a step behind, and this is forcing them to be in my opinion. How can you say that everyone must have healthcare, we will fine you if you don’t, but Johnny’s premium is going to be lower than yours because we assume he will go to the hospital less. We cannot base risk versus need on simply the gender of an individual in my opinion.
There was an article written in the New York times about this sad, sick practice that insurance providers don’t even try to hide.I encourage you to read it, but I warn you, be ready for a heavy onset of depression at how slowly we learn as a country.

If you are looking for life insurance, check out this site: http://www.onedollarglobeinsurance.com/

When has ‘grandfathering in’ ever made anyone happy?

“Under the health reform law signed in March, health insurance plans must meet a variety of new requirements. But plans that existed before the law was signed can be “grandfathered in,” without necessarily having to meet all the new requirements.”
http://www.pbs.org/newshour/rundown/2010/06/republicans-business-lobby-criticize-new-ins…urance-rules.html

–I get that this will make it easier for the companies, but shouldn’t they have to eventually adjust to the new requirements? I think that there should be a longterm goal in mind of having everyone follow these specifications. Without equality how can we expect anyone to change from their current plans when they aren’t bogged down with specific rules? How can this new plan be successful if not following it is the best option. I guess once everyone over thirty now who has a healthcare plan dies, everything will be in effect. So we are only looking at fifty more years on inequality? Sound fair to you?

Why the bail out spelled disaster

Nouriel Roubini, or “Dr. Doom” as he has been dubbed by the media as well as those who have read his economical predictions, has said we are not out of the recession yet. In my opinion, we are just getting our feet wet right now. Americans have got to learn how to spend and save money wisely. Living beyond our means has caused these bail outs of big businesses. Sally Mae and Freddie Mac shouldn’t have been too big to break. Even now, they should be forced to downsize. Companies should not be able to operate above their means without the consequences. The american people live through these consequences while the governments and companies they see on the news are thriving and living above their means. The government encourages us to spend our money by giving us tax rebates to get the market going. The sad thing is that instead of saving their money, people use this “free money” to buy couches and school clothes and barbeque grills.
This new health insurance jump is coming too soon. People cannot afford to spend lots of money on insurance when they are already struggling to make ends meet. Life insurance, health insurance, car insurance, homeowners insurance, everything is important and valuable and you need it, but that is at least $500 dollars out of your pocket a month, not to mention the house note and the utilities. Something has got to change . People, find affordable coverage from smaller companies that you know can sustain your needs. If you are looking for life insurance, this is a good one, http://www.onedollarglobeinsurance.com/ if you need another type, let me know and I will help you search for a company that you can trust.

Mike

America’s Youth Can Reform Healthcare

I just read this great new article about how the American youths are actually the ones who can save the economy, well the insurance agencies anyway. In the article, it states that the reason for this is that young, healthy people will bring down the cost of insurance for everyone. Insurance companies will have to offer coverage for sick people and healthy people at the same rate. So if healthy people aren’t buying insurance that can be costly and end up causing a decline in the economy which, lets face it, we cannot handle. If everyone was forced to get insurance, healthy or not, the cost would be driven down because the younger, healthier people that are buying insurance would cost the insurance companies almost nothing. This is also not a bad thing for the young healthy people who will inevitably get old and need insurance.
The thing that I don’t really agree with is the idea that you can force people to pay for insurance, fine them if they don’t, and cause undue stress to poor people who aren’t below the free line. It seems unfair to make people spend their money on something that they don’t want to buy. Yes, insurance is a great idea. Everyone should have it because if something does happen, you will be in trouble. Its like the smoking issue, you can warn people, you can even stop them smoking in your house or business, but you can’t force them to quit. I’m saying I understand the plan, but I just don’t agree with using people like that. Why not just make it affordable so that people will buy it. Make good premiums with good coverage. Allow for payment plans. Then maybe people would buy.
Here is the article:http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/11/24/controlling-costs-health-reform-relies-young-americans-buying-insurance/
Mike

The Latest on Healthcare reform

Well, it happened. It looks like if you don’t have health care, there will be a fine. So we have no universal health care at this time, but we do have the possibility of a fine for those who don’t have health care? Doesn’t that seem like we took a step backward? These people already don’t have health care. Now we are claiming that they don’t have health care because they can’t afford it so what do we do? Let’s fine them if they don’t have it, that should help the problem.
Yeah right is my opinion. How can someone who can’t afford health care be expected to pay a fine? This just sounds like the government trying to make some money. They know these people cannot get health care, so then they also know money will be coming to them. In the end, its less about the people, more about the money.
Maybe if we weren’t in a recession it would be different. I just don’t see how it could ever be beneficial to make someone have health care or else. There has got to be a better way.
I just read this article, let me know what you think. Update 2
Now as always, for those who cannot afford insurance, surely you can afford this insurance. It is inexpensive and would get you out of a fine if you think you might be the target of a government money scam.

AIG bailed out then sells?

AIG, according to this article I just read, has sold some of its assets away. I may be wrong, but I don’t think that after we have bailed out this company, we should let them sell. Why not give in, declare bankruptcy and let the government sell the rest of the assets? This way, we all get the money, well the government does anyway. Why let the rich get richer? We save their butts so to speak so they can get away with faulty loans and bad payments and still make the big bucks and insure a nice, happy retirement? If we keep bailing people out, what is going to happen to MY retirement? Down the pipes I assume?
I vote that if we are bailing companies out, they have to work with what they have for the good of the people, not sell everything as fast as they can and fade into the distance. Otherwise, why should we keep bailing them out? It is becoming fairly obvious to me that they just spend the money. Anyone else with me?

Insurance, a fraud?

“Columbia, S.C. – July 15, 2009 – Sherry Arrington, 37, 121 Grafton Lane in Lexington, pled guilty Tuesday in Richland County General Sessions Court to Presenting False Claims for Payment of more than $1,000 but less than $5,000 and Forgery of less than $5,000, both punishable by up to five years and/or a fine. The original charges were Presenting False Claims for Payment for $5,000 or more, punishable by up to 10 years or a fine and Forgery of more than $5,000.

Judge Alison Renee Lee sentenced Arrington to 30 months suspended to five years probation and ordered her to pay $11,850 in restitution to Colonial Life and Accident Insurance Company.

On or about August 8, 2007, Arrington presented an insurance claim to her insurance company and employer, Colonial Life and Accident Insurance Company. The claim alleged injuries, treatment, and hospitalization of her son at a hospital in Virginia and Ms. Arrington presented documentation, allegedly from the hospital, to support the claim. Colonial Life and Accident Insurance Company paid $4,350 for the claim. Several anomalies in the paperwork led Colonial Life to confront her about the validity of the claim. When confronted, Arrington admitted the claim was fraudulent and she had created the false documentation. She also admitted several other claims she made were fraudulent and included false documentation. Payment for the fraudulent claims totaled $11,850. Arrington consented to pay that amount in restitution.”
Quoted from: http://www.scinsnews.com/newsroom_detail.php?newsID=432

My question is this; Do you think this person is a bad woman for doing what she did? She used her son in order to get money from her insurance company that she was not allowed legally. She did something against the law by taking money from them without presenting an actual claim. Doesn’t this sound familiar? This is what we do every time we pay the insurance companies and they go broke on us. We give them our money, and they don’t take care of us. We trust them to be truthful and do the right thing, but they look for loopholes and give you the least amount of money possible.
Don’t get me wrong, she should not have taken matters into her own hands, but is she really all that bad?  Every day millions of people get ripped off. Whether at a department store, a roadside vendor, or an insurance company it still doesn’t rub me the right way. I agree that what she did was wrong, but I just want to point out that what we are punishing her for, we let them get away with every day.
What you need is an insurance company that you can trust. Preferably a smaller, more personal company like this. Something big, like say AIG for example,  has more potential to ‘screw the little guy’ in the long run.

Tour insurance coverage- Is it worth it?

Traveler’s insurance and Tour insurance may seem like a far away idea used mostly by high up business men and people in the performance business, but is it worth it for the every day person? Recently we have all heard of the death of one of our most ingenious musical minds, Michael Jackson. After passing a physical exam in which he was tested to see if he would be able to perform safely during his 50 show tour in London, Jackson was given insurance on his whole tour. Insurance that will now cover the money owed from Jackson to the venues. Without this, he would not have been able to leave such a hefty fortune to his mother and children.

It seems like kind of a stretch to use Jackson’s case as a reason that you should get tour insurance, but is it? Think about the last vacation that you took. Everything went off without a hitch right? Wrong. Something always goes wrong whether it is the rental car or the room reservations or the boat breaking down, something is bound to happen. When it does you curse the fact that you took off of work for the customary five minutes that is usually necessary before you remember that a vacation is a vacationa and make new plans. The worry free vacation you had hoped for rarely happens on its own.

I am not trying to say that tour insurance should be used on every trip taken, but wouldn’t it be nice if cancelations in rooms or cars was covered and your time was valuable? Wouldn’t it be worth it once in a while to plan out a vacation, take out some insurance on it, and really be able to relax? Someone else can make sure you get new reservations and a taxi cab to a new hotel that doesn’t have a broken shower. Someone else could be in charge of rescheduling you for the cruise you missed due to bad weather. I think that considering the other alternative, sometimes, it might be nice to be covered. Especially if something were to happen while you were gone. What then? Costs that you had owed to the different places you might have been staying would be covered. This is not something to do every time you take some time off of work, but the next time your anniversary rolls around, it might be something to consider.

Enjoy my favorite insurance site if you have the time 🙂