Thursday, April 3, 2014

Are Umbrella Insurance Policies Worth It

By Maryl Joop


First of all, it is important to understand what health insurance is. Health insurance is essentially a contract between you and an insurance company. You purchase a plan or policy, and the company agrees to pay part of your medical expenses in the event that you get injured or sick. Typically, health insurance policies also cover preventive care to keep you healthy, like well checkups and vaccines. To purchase insurance, you agree to pay a pre-determined amount (premium), which normally happens on a monthly basis, and you will have other costs outlined in the policy, like co-pays, deductibles or co-insurance. Typical Health plans will provide access to a what's called a provider network - a group that consists of doctors, hospitals, clinics, etc. If you get medical care outside of this network, your insurance may not pay for the services at all, or pay a much smaller portion.

However, this kind of policy can be extremely useful in cases where your other insurance cannot fully cover the expenses of a particular suit. If, for example someone was injured on your property and you were unable to pay for their complete costs with your home insurance, your umbrella policy could cover the extra and save you some of the stress of trying to pay for those huge costs out of your own pocket.

If you want to save money on your homeowners insurance, there are many things you can explore. One thought is to try and combine your home and auto insurance. Many times you can talk to your provider and if you use them for both home and auto, you can qualify for a reduced premium. If you rarely make homeowners insurance claims, you are an attractive customer for insurance companies. Whether you talk to your existing provider about giving you a discount for not having made any claims, or seek a new provider, there is a possibility you will qualify for reduced rates. If you do not smoke, make sure you ask insurance providers about nonsmoker discounts, as many of them offer this. If you are age 55 or older, many providers offer a discount for seniors and retirees - just be sure to ask for it. Finally, installing safety features in your home (deadbolt locks, smoke detectors, security system, etc.) can help you qualify for discounts as well.

Auto Insurance Discounts

A lot of people receive health insurance benefits through their job. The company usually covers a portion of the premiums and the employee pays the other portion. Some others purchase it themselves directly from an insurance company, a broker, or a website. The key to shopping for a health insurance plan is to get a handful of quotes and compare costs, coverage, network, etc. This will allow you to make a decision that is right for you and/or your family in terms of health insurance.

As you think about investing in an umbrella policy, it is a good idea to think about the fact that it will cover more than just your assets. A suit could lead to you owing much more than you have, and this could put you in a severely negative financial position for a long time. An umbrella policy can help save you from the pain and embarrassment this could have on you and your family, especially if you do not have the money yourself to pay for this kind of accident on your own.

Start today and research a Carlsblad insurance agency so you can get started on finding the best plan for you and your family. Starting now can save you from trouble later.




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