| The State Of Citizens
No crystal ball is needed to see the future of Citizens Property Insurance, the state-run insurance pool. It will be getting bigger, possibly much bigger, in coming months. The massive insurance reform bill passed during the legislative special session in January will let Citizens compete with private insurers for homeowner business in the state's windstorm area. It also allows Citizens to expand commercial coverage. Now, during the regular session, Gov. Charlie Crist and several lawmakers would like to see a Senate bill move forward that paves the way for Citizens to be a full-fledged insurer. In making a case for Citizens, the bill claims the state's economic health and public safety are at risk without affordable property insurance. Citizens will be moving far beyond its original concept as a market of last resort for home, condo owners and renters who couldn't find available policies from private insurers.
Individual Health Insurance Overpriced - Insurance Consultant Needed
Florida Health Insurance Consultants are recommended for anyone buying health insurance. Recent polls taken by the Wall Street Journal said, "18 percent of American's do not have health insurance coverage" of any kind. 40% of those polled did not know the difference between a PPO and an HMO. Finding affordable health insurance has never been easy; it is not 'one size fits all.' Now, with the increases in policy rates, hardly anyone in Florida can 'afford' to stay healthy. Depending on your current state of health, budget and individual needs, the best insurance for you may be far different than the best insurance for a friend or another family member. What can you do protect your family? Contact an expert insurance consultant and talk to them about your needs. They can show all available policies, not just one policy from one carrier.
Lack Of Renter’s Insurance Can Compound Tragedy For Fire Victims
More than once Thompson has been the bearer of bad news and explained to fire victims that their landlords insurance doesnt cover their belongings. "The landlord," Thompson explains, "does not provide any protection for them." After nearly 20 years in the insurance business, Thompson says hes seen a steady decline in interest in renters insurance. "Often people only buy insurance when the bank requires them to carry it," he said. "Young people dont think about it. They dont realize the need or urgency." Hard-Hit Students College students renting off-campus apartments should check with their parents because occasionally theyre given protection under the parents homeowners insurance, Thompson says. But most, he adds, really do need coverage.
Some landlords require insurance
Tenants attorney Steven Kellman replies: The name of the game for landlords is to shift as much of the cost of maintaining their investment to the renter without raising the rent. As we know, adding costs to the tenant is like raising the effective "rent" you pay each month to live there anyway. We get it. We see such cost shifting when landlords try to deduct routine maintenance costs from a security deposit, which we all know is improper. They also pass the costs of water on to the tenant without individual water meters. (The Legislature has not decided whether this is improper.) Now many landlords are trying to pass the liability protection costs (renters insurance) to tenants for damages that have not even happened. While common in commercial tenancies, requiring this for residential tenants is still relatively rare but does not appear to directly violate any law.
Damage total still unknown after Iowa City tornado
IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) -- Though largely cleaned up, Iowa City is still dealing with fallout from the storm that struck on April 13, 2006. Construction continues, businesses are recovering and foliage is being planted." target="_blank"> | Small | Large
IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) -- Though largely cleaned up, Iowa City is still dealing with fallout from the storm that struck on April 13, 2006. Construction continues, businesses are recovering and foliage is being planted."There will be recovery work for some time," Iowa City Manager Steve Atkins said.The total damage, in terms of dollars, is unknown -- and officials say it's likely to stay that way."Frankly, I don't know that there's a way to ever accurately know," said David Miller, administrator of the Iowa Homeland Security and Emergency Management Division.That's because no agency or governmental body tries to come up with an overall number.
Retirees urged 'to prepare before driving in Europe'
People who plan driving after they have retired to the sun in Europe need to make sure they have made the necessary arrangements, a leading insurer has warned.Saga, the over-50s specialist, has warned retirees that they need to make sure their vehicle is properly prepared before driving abroad.People who plan to keep their UK-manufactured vehicle after they have retired to Europe need to make sure that the headlights have been adjusted for driving on the other side of the road.Similarly, Saga advised retirees to remember that driving licences and insurance documents are compulsory when driving in many European countries so retirees should make sure they have these items on them at all time.Cars in many European countries must also have a warning triangle. Some popular retirement destinations, such as Spain, require drivers to have two - so that they can be used to alert drivers from both directions in case of an accident.Perhaps most importantly, the company warned pensioners who plan to drive during their retirement abroad that they should check the details of their insurance policy.
The Hidden Fortune Inside Your Paycheck
What would it feel like to open your wallet and find hundreds of dollars you didn't know you had? What if your money multiplied like that month after month? It's not magic, marketing hype, or off-season Santa -- it's simple money physics. Like a slow leak in your tire, a pinprick in your finances can turn into massive money blowouts if ignored. Patching these holes while they're still manageable is the key to wealth (not to mention safe highway driving). Hey, the little things actually do make a big difference ...Life is busy -- there's the mortgage, credit cards, insurance, college savings, carpools, vacation plans, retirement accounts, work benefits, the kids, the cat, the guinea pig. So that rip in your hem and that little crack in your nest egg get shoved onto the back burner time and time again.
Reverse mortgages may hit the spot
Many of Hawaii's seniors are done paying off their home mortgages, but the home mortgage industry may not be done with them. The unparalleled rise in real estate values and the low-interest rate climate of the Hawaii's housing market combined with the state's aging population has led to a proliferation of senior-only mortgage loan products. Seniors, who the University of Hawaii forecasts will make up a quarter of Hawaii's population by 2030, are fast becoming one of the hottest demographics for residential loan officers. .
Hamlin Signing Buys Insurance At Free Safety
IRVING, Texas - Trying to plan for tomorrow yet cover themselves today, the Cowboys purchased a one-year term insurance policy at free safety on Friday by signing free-agent safety Ken Hamlin. The Cowboys basically got their cake, and can eat it, too, thanks to this shrewd deal. That they signed Hamlin ensures they will have at least one veteran to play free safety alongside strong safety Roy Williams, and most importantly a four-year veteran Cowboys owner Jerry Jones and new head coach Wade Phillips trust can get their defense lined up properly. But since the deal is only for one year, and a total package of just $2.5 million - that includes minimal signing bonus, base salary and incentives - the Cowboys have not backed themselves into a competitive corner. Hamlin's signing - at least his contract - does not preclude Patrick Watkins, last year's nine-game rookie starter, from competing to regain his starting job.
Insuring a healthy future
Elizabeth Robles and her son Gabriel Robles, 14, say they are having trouble finding affordable health insurance. Elizabeth Robles says she is planning to enroll her son in a state health insurance program, and takes comfort in recent congressional efforts to double the funding that provides health insurance for 6 million low-income kids.
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Most of city on flood plain, FEMA says
Most of the property owners in Santa Maria would be required to buy flood insurance, based on an early draft of the Federal Emergency Management Agency's revised flood maps that was shown Monday to city and county officials.
FEMA has identified 20,000 parcels and 17,000 structures in Santa Maria that would be in its revised flood plain - reaching from the Santa Maria River Levee and possibly down to Betteravia Road.
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Kid Care program expansion awaiting approval
CHEYENNE - The number of youngsters enrolled in the Wyoming Kid Care CHIP program for uninsured children has nearly doubled over the past three years to reach 5,506.Whether that trend continues, however, could depend on what happens in Congress. The nationwide program, now 10 years old, is up for renewal this year and those discussions could result in an enrollment cap.The Kid Care CHIP program insures uninsured children whose parents earn too much to qualify for Medicaid but less than 200 percent of the federal poverty level, or $40,000 a year for a family of four.Statewide, nearly 15,000 children are uninsured, or 11 percent of all children. Of those, 46 percent have low-income parents and 83 percent have at least one parent who works full-time, according to the state. .
Pet health insurer expanding to Denver
You know you live in a prosperous nation when you're handed a press release about the expansion plans of a health insurance provider - for dogs and cats. Not that I'm surprised. I've seen friends equip their dogs with sunglasses secured with an elastic strap, stick little baseball caps on their dogs' heads to shield them from the sun, feed their dogs beef-flavored bagels from Einstein Bros. on Saturday mornings and Frosty Paws ice cream-like treats for dessert. Whatever. It's their money. And really, it's kind of cute. Given this level of anthropomorphism and the vast number of dog owners in Denver, it shouldn't have been a surprise when Veterinary Pet Insurance, which bills itself as "the nation's oldest and largest provider of pet health insurance," announced March 19 that it is opening a claims processing center in Denver.
HIPAA Allows Police Access to Alleged Crime Victims in Hospitals
The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act allows hospitals to provide police with access to patients who are victims of alleged crimes, U.S. District Judge Tucker Melancon ruled on Friday, the AP/Dayton Daily News reports (AP/Dayton Daily News, 4/3). The HIPAA Federal Privacy Rule, implemented in 2003, allows health care providers to share patient medical records for the purposes of treatment and other "health care operations." Providers do not have to obtain written consent before they disclose medical records but are required to inform patients of their rights and make a "good-faith effort" to obtain written acknowledgment from patients that they have received the information. Providers must obtain consent from patients before they can disclose medical records in "nonroutine" cases (Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report, 10/23/06).
FM'S REPLY TO DABATE ON GENERAL BUDGET IN LOK SABHA
"Mr. Speaker Sir, I am grateful to the Honourable Members belonging to different political parties who have participated in the debate on the Budget for 2007-08. I have listened to most of the interventions and I have also studied the notes made on the other interventions. It seems to me that most Members have mixed views: while they are genuinely happy about the impressive growth of the economy, they are legitimately concerned about some aspects of the growth which affect sections of the people. In fact, I share these sentiments and I have given expression to them in the Budget speech. There is no doubt that we have recorded an unprecedented rate of growth, but the question is, is the growth inclusive? There is no doubt that there is an investment boom in the country, but the question is, is the investment across all sectors, especially agriculture? There is no doubt that more jobs have been created, but the question is, are there jobs available for all? In the course of my reply, I shall make an attempt to answer these questions.
THE MATERNITY-WARD BLUES
SCORES OF PHILADELPHIANS - many in Snuglis and strollers - rallied outside Chestnut Hill Hospital yesterday, dismayed that the hospital is contemplating closing its obstetrics unit. If that happens, Chestnut Hill, which delivers 1,200 babies a year, would be the 15th hospital in southeastern Pennsylvania to stop delivering babies, the third in a year, part of a growing crisis. Frankford Hospital-Torresdale closed its maternity ward in June. Jeanes Hospital absorbed many of those deliveries, then announced in February that it will close its obstetrics unit on May 30. The thousands of pregnant women who would have delivered at those hospitals will have to find other places to have their babies, and those hospitals in turn will find themselves overcrowded and under-compensated for the care they provide.
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