Jan/120
Insurance – It’s Early History
Insurance. What would we do without it? Though it seems impossible, there was a time when insurance on anything didn’t even exist. Unfortunately, the early beginnings of insurance are unclear. Over the centuries there have been key writings uncovered that give us some ideas of it’s beginning s. But as to an actual moment in time when the first item was insured, no one really knows.
There are theories that insurance goes back to the early days of the Babylonian traders at around the 2nd millennium BCE. They created a system which was recorded in the famous Code of Hammurabi around 1750 BC. This system was practiced by early Mediterranean sailing merchants. If a merchant received a loan to fund his shipment he would pay the lender an additional sum in exchange for the lender’s guarantee to cancel the loan should the shipment be stolen.
As a business itself, the first recognizable form of insurance started in Great Britain in 1666. This was in reaction to the “Great Fire Of London.” Because of this incident fire became a growing concern in England. Another major concern in England during the time was marine insurance because of England’s position in the world of sea trade. Some of the early insurance companies of the time were The Sun Fire Office, Royal Exchange Assurance and Hand In Hand.
As was stated above, there were some early writings that point to the first insurance companies and types of insurance. Below are a number of these writings.
From 1680 the following memo was found. “Mr. Newbold, London’s Improvement and the Builders’ Security Asserted, by the apparent advantages that will attend their easie charge, in raising such a joint-stock as may assure a Re-Building of those Houses which shall hereafter be Destroyed by the Casualties of Fire.” This memo appears to point to the beginnings of fire insurance. There were many other memos found during that same time period from 1680 to 1700 all related to fire insurance companies.
In 1697 writings were found to show the beginnings of an insurance company created to insure the welfare of widows and orphans. This appears to be the early beginnings of life insurance. During the period of 1697 to 1762 many other memos were found relating to the establishment of life insurance. Some of the early known companies are The Society For Equitable Insurances, The Perpetual Assurance Office and The Hampshire Society. It wasn’t however until about 1850 that the first evidence of life expectancy actuary tables were found.
The first evidence of insurance for businessmen was memos found going back to the year 1601. Many different kinds of businesses were mentioned in these memos such as small businessmen, mining companies and ship building companies. Evidence also shows that the British took out insurance on their enemies’ ships for the purpose of collecting on them after they were destroyed by the British Navy.
In the next article we’ll go over the various types of insurance that one can purchase today.
Dec/110
Insurance Fraud – Spotting Insurance Scams
The majority of people who commit insurance fraud don’t think they’re hurting anybody directly. In fact, they think they’re hurting major corporations who have enough money that they don’t care anyway. This is not the case. In the United States, insurance scams cost an estimated $875 per person annually. It adds up to approx. $80 billion per year, and with the rapid growth of technology, it’s getting harder and harder to catch.
There are different types of insurance fraud.
One of the leading forms of insurance fraud is in our health care system. Health care fraud results in over $30 billion per year in the United States. There are two kinds of health insurance fraud: member fraud and provider fraud. An example of member fraud is when you deceive your insurance company by purposely not declaring something, where an example of provider fraud is if you were to bill for a service that was never rendered.
One fast-gorwing form of insurance fraud is automobile insurance fraud. Staged rear-end car accidents are a common form of this type of fraud. This is when a scam driver will stop suddenly in front of a car deliberately so they other car rear-ends them. Another popular scam is when there’s already an accident, you add damage purposely in the hopes to collect more money. Often times, this works, which is why it’s important to take photographs of the damage.
Another form of insurance fraud is when the beneficiary tries to collect the benefits while the insured is still alive. This is called life insurance fraud. The best thing you can do in this scenario is to know your insurance broker. When you go in to pay your premium on the insurance, don’t pay in cash. make sure you understand your policy, and if you don’t, bring it to someone who does.
And last but not least, I want to talk about fire insurance fraud. This form of fraud is very common because it’s hard to prove. If you lose your house to a fire, who’s stopping you from declaring stuff you didn’t have in the first place? There is no real way to prevent this kind of fraud. This will haunt you in your taxes and that’s about it. The best thing you can do is report it if you hear of anyone making false claims.
As I mentioned previously, the best thing you can do if you’re a victim of fraud or if you hear of any sort of fraud taking place, is to report it. You can report fraud to the National Fraud Information Center at 1-800-876-7060. I hope this article has opened everyone’s eyes a little bit to how this serious crime is affecting each and every one of us.
Dec/110
Car Insurance Policies That Fit Your Needs
Because it is the law to have car insurance, it is important to purchase a policy that fits your need. Some policies can be expensive as it may include coverage that you do not need. There are various types of insurance policies that you should be aware of before you make your selection. It may seem a time consuming task to figure out what the various policies include. To make your insurance policy selection easier, below are a few tips on how to find car insurance policies that meets your needs.
1. It is important to understand the different types of insurance coverage available. Liability insurance will cover you in the event that you cause a vehicle accident and cause an accident. It provides coverage if another person sustains property damage and physical injury. Most states and provinces mandate set minimum liability insurance. Collision coverage is insurance that will cover you if your own vehicle is damaged and needs repair as the result of a vehicle accident. It is recommended for those who have valuable cars. Comprehensive coverage is insurance coverage that covers non-collision damage such as vandalism, theft, or damage from a storm. There is also Uninsured Motorist Coverage. This is coverage that covers you for damage an uninsured driver has when driving your car.
2. To find an insurance policy that fits your needs, you should first determine how much you can afford to pay for a plan. You have to have minimum liability coverage so it is important that the coverage you buy is enough to protect you. If you only have minimum liability coverage and you injure someone, your personal assets may be at risk. You have to determine how much you can pay out-of-pocket in the event of an accident. Most people will buy high liability coverage to ensure full protection. As well, if you have a car that is not worth very much and plan to replace it soon, you may want to forgo buying collision and comprehensive insurance. Remember, you are compensated for the Kelly Blue Book value of the car.
3. If you are looking to lower your insurance premium, make sure you take advantage of cost cutting incentives. For instance, increasing your deductible will lower your monthly insurance payments. It is important to make sure you can afford the deductible in the event of an accident. For example, if you have a car accident that results in $3000.00 damage, and you have a $500.00 deductible, you will be required to pay the $500.00 before the insurance kicks in. Increasing your deductible means you are taking on more risk, therefore your payments will be lower. Other discounts that may be offered to include low mileage discounts, anti-theft device discounts, multiple vehicle discounts, ‘green’ car discounts, safety feature discounts, and driving program discounts.
When you know all of the car insurance options available, the greater chance you have of purchasing a policy that fits your needs and ensures that you have the appropriate amount of coverage. When searching for car insurance, it is essential to compare at least three different policies from different insurance providers to ensure you are getting the best policy at the best price.
Oct/110
Why Does Your Car Insurance Quote Increase After an Accident?
Car accidents usually result in an increase in insurance premiums. Even if you are not responsible, your insurance company will have to incur some costs. There is an increase in car premiums and policy quotes because the accident will be rated against your coverage. There are a number of types of insurance coverage that can include collision, personal injury protection, and medical coverage. If you are found ‘at fault’ for an accident, coverage such as personal liability and collision will cover you, your vehicle, and personal injury to the other driver. Often, if you have just one accident, you will see an increase in your insurance quote.
Car insurance quotes will increase because you will be considered a high risk driver. The premium will reflect the nature of the accident and the costs associated with the accident. Insurance companies will usually charge ‘points’ to your policy. Depending on the insurance company, these points will be charged to your policy for a certain period of time that usually ranges from three to possibly seven years. If you are in an accident that was your fault, the insurance company will consider that you are a high risk of having accidents in the future and increase your rates. You will also receive higher insurance quotes. The length of time between an accident and your quote and premiums decreasing depends on a provider’s policies. As well, you may have to pay a higher deductible for the insurance.
Another reason why an accident can increase your premiums when you are ‘at-fault’ in an accident is that there are some companies who will not insure you. When there is less competition for your business, then there is less incentive to give you a good deal. As a result, your insurance quote will be higher. When you add the insurance ‘points’ into the mix, it is easy to see how an accident can become very expensive. If you have a faultless driving record, it is unlikely that your premiums will increase after an accident that was determined not to be your fault.
You can normally expect a rate increase of between 20-40%. This increase is based on the Insurance Services Office’s (ISO) criteria of raising a premium after an accident. According to the ISO, for multi-car policies, the surcharge is 20 percent of the base rate, and for single-car policies it is 40 percent. It is important to remember that there are other factors taken into consideration after an accident such as your age, gender, and driving record. These factors will affect how high the percentage increase will be.
The increase in premiums is not done so that the insurance money can get their money back, but is based on the risk that you may be involved in another car accident. Each insurance company has different policies and standards, but they look at your chances of getting into another accident. The number of accidents that you are involved in also increases your insurance premiums.
Some companies will absolve past accidents after a set period of time has expired. This can be two years, or as much as five years, but the period will vary depending on the insurance provider. Basically, you have to show the insurance company that you are no longer a high risk driver.
The best way to avoid high car insurance quotes is to avoid an accident. You can do this by practicing safe driving. One car accident can seriously impact your car insurance quote and the premium that you will pay.
May/110
Los Angeles Car Insurance Prices
Los Angeles is one of the biggest cities in the state of California. It has strict insurance laws to offer protection to the people at the time of a crisis. There are several types of insurance available to protect people from liabilities in accidents and mishaps. Though, some forms of insurance may be optional, some of them are made mandatory by law. Car insurance is compulsory for all car owners regardless of which state they live in. The car insurance premiums are based on several factors such as the make and the model of the car and the age and the driving record of the car owner. In Los Angeles, the price of car insurance, offering the same coverage for the same type of car, will vary from one insurance company to the other. Doing good research is the key to finding car insurance at affordable prices in Los Angeles.
There are several online service providers that provide extensive information, about various insuring companies that offer insurance at unbeatable prices. These service providers usually have a tie up with some of the best car insurance companies, which offer insurance at competitive prices. Car owners can find insurers and insurance companies in their area, by specifying their zip code. They can fill up an online form specifying their coverage requirements, to obtain free quotes from several companies. By doing this, they can obtain customized insurance quotes from the insurance companies. It is advisable to compare the prices offered by various companies to get the best deal. The car owners can select an insurance company that offers the best coverage at reasonable prices.
Car owners should be wary of insurance companies that offer, the best coverage at unbelievably low prices. It is advisable to verify the credibility of such companies. Car owners can find out ways in which they can save on their premiums. Many car owners raise their collision and comprehensive deductibles to save money. Car owners can decide on a suitable insurance coverage depending on the condition of the car.