Property insurance provides protection against most risks to property, such as fire, theft and some weather damage. This includes specialized forms of insurance such as fire insurance, flood insurance, earthquake insurance, home insurance or boiler insurance. Property is insured in two main ways - open perils and named perils. Open perils cover all the causes of loss not specifically excluded in the policy. Common exclusions on open peril policies include damage resulting from earthquakes, floods, nuclear incidents, acts of terrorism and war. Named perils require the actual cause of loss to be listed in the policy for insurance to be provided. The more common named perils include such damage-causing events as fire, lightning, explosion and theft.
Monday, December 14, 2009
Health insurance
Health insurance is insurance that pays for medical expenses. It is sometimes used more broadly to include insurance covering disability or long-term nursing or custodial care needs. It may be provided through a government-sponsored social insurance program, or from private insurance companies. It may be purchased on a group basis (e.g., by a firm to cover its employees) or purchased by individual consumers. In each case, the covered groups or individuals pay premiums or taxes to help protect themselves from high or unexpected healthcare expenses. Similar benefits paying for medical expenses may also be provided through social welfare programs funded by the government.
By estimating the overall risk of healthcare expenses, a routine finance structure (such as a monthly premium or annual tax) can be developed, ensuring that money is available to pay for the healthcare benefits specified in the insurance agreement. The benefit is administered by a central organization such as a government agency, private business, or not-for-profit entity.
Health insurance
Health insurance is insurance that pays for medical expenses. It is sometimes used more broadly to include insurance covering disability or long-term nursing or custodial care needs. It may be provided through a government-sponsored social insurance program, or from private insurance companies. It may be purchased on a group basis (e.g., by a firm to cover its employees) or purchased by individual consumers. In each case, the covered groups or individuals pay premiums or taxes to help protect themselves from high or unexpected healthcare expenses. Similar benefits paying for medical expenses may also be provided through social welfare programs funded by the government.
By estimating the overall risk of healthcare expenses, a routine finance structure (such as a monthly premium or annual tax) can be developed, ensuring that money is available to pay for the healthcare benefits specified in the insurance agreement. The benefit is administered by a central organization such as a government agency, private business, or not-for-profit entity.
Insurance fraud
Insurance fraud is any act committed with the intent to fraudulently obtain payment from an insurer.
Insurance fraud has existed ever since the beginning of insurance as a commercial enterprise.[1] Fraudulent claims account for a significant portion of all claims received by insurers, and cost billions of dollars annually. Types of insurance fraud are very diverse, and occur in all areas of insurance. Insurance crimes also range in severity, from slightly exaggerating claims to deliberately causing accidents or damage. Fraudulent activities also affect the lives of innocent people, both directly through accidental or purposeful injury or damage, and indirectly as these crimes cause insurance premiums to be higher. Insurance fraud poses a very significant problem, and governments and other organizations are making efforts to deter such activities.
Public auto insurance
Public auto insurance is a government owned and operated system of automobile insurance operated in the Canadian provinces of British Columbia, Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Quebec. According to studies by the Consumers' Association of Canada, rates charged for auto insurance in these four provinces are lower than in provinces that use a private auto insurance system. In Quebec public auto insurance is limited to coverage of personal injuries while damage to property is covered by private insurers. Saskatchewan has the oldest public auto insurance system with Saskatchewan Government Insurance being founded in 1945. Manitoba Public Insurance was created in 1971 followed by the Insurance Corporation of British Columbia in 1973 and the Société de l'assurance automobile du Québec in 1977.
Other provinces have considered introducing a public auto insurance system. The Ontario New Democratic Party won the 1990 provincial election on a platform that included public auto insurance. After assuming office, Premier Bob Rae appointed Peter Kormos, one of the most vocal proponents of public insurance, as the minister responsible for bringing forward the policy. With the onset of the recession, however, both business and labour groups expressed concern about layoffs and lost revenues. The government rejected the policy in 1991.
Public auto insurance has also been considered in New Brunswick after private insurance rates nearly doubled from 2003 to 2005, but was ultimately rejected by the provincial government.It was also an issue in Nova Scotia during its 2003 provincial election and remained in the platform of the official opposition, the Nova Scotia New Democratic Party during the 2006 election campaign. However, it did not appear in the NDP platform in the 2009 campaign, and now that the NDP has formed a majority government, it seems unlikely that the party will keep its former promise to introduce a public insurance scheme. Public auto insurance was also under consideration by the Newfoundland and Labrador Progressive Conservative government of Danny Williams in 2004 as a "last resort" when private insurance firms threatened to pull out of the province in response to legislation rolling back premiums.
Online insurance
Online insurance refers to provision of buying and selling insurance online. Insurance is subject to Utmost Good Faith[citation needed], which makes it very convenient for people to conduct the business online, as both the parties have absolute duties to tell all the facts which are material, else the contract are void.
Conducting a full transaction of insurance is tough for most of the commercial businesses, but many types of personal insurances are conducted online including but not limited to Motor (car) insurance, travel insurance and medical insurance.
Many of the online insurance providers, just provide the insurance quote online and the rest of the process is done manually, this is very convenient for cases where the physical paper is important to complete a process. An example is car insurance in Dubai / car insurance in UAE, where it is mandatory to give Arabic certificate of insurance before registering the car. The certificate should bring physical stamp of the issuing company, hence it is virtually impossible to complete the complete transaction online. Hence websites provides you online insurance quotes and complete the rest of the procedure offline.
Travel insurance
Travel Insurance is insurance that is intended to cover medical expenses and financial (such as money invested in nonrefundable pre-payments) and other losses incurred while traveling, either within one's own country, or internationally.
Temporary travel insurance can usually be arranged at the time of the booking of a trip to cover exactly the duration of that trip, or a more extensive, continuous insurance can be purchased from travel insurance companies, travel agents or directly from travel suppliers such as cruiselines or tour operators. However, travel insurance purchased from travel suppliers tends to be less inclusive than insurance offered by insurance companies.
Travel insurance often offers coverage for a variety of travelers. Student travel, business travel, leisure travel, adventure travel, cruise travel, and international travel are all various options that can be insured.
The most common risks that are covered by travel insurance are:
* Medical expenses
* Emergency evacuation/repatriation
* Trip cancellation/interruption
* Accidental death, injury or disablement benefit
* Overseas funeral expenses
* Curtailment
* Delayed departure
* Loss, theft or damage to personal possessions and money (including travel documents)
* Delayed baggage (and emergency replacement of essential items)
* Legal assistance
* Personal liability and rental car damage excess
Some travel policies will also provide cover for additional costs, although these vary widely between providers.
In addition, often separate insurance can be purchased for specific costs such as:
* pre-existing medical conditions (e.g. asthma, diabetes)
* sports with an element of risk (e.g. skiing, scuba-diving)
* travel to high risk countries (e.g. due to war or natural disasters or acts of terrorism)
Common Exclusions:
* pre-existing medical conditions
* war or terrorism - but some plans may cover this risk
* injury or illness caused by alcohol or drug use
Usually, the insurers cover pregnancy related expenses, if the travel occurs within the first trimester. After that, insurance coverage varies from insurer to insurer.
Travel insurance can also provide helpful services, often 24 hours a day, 7 days a week that can include concierge services and emergency travel assistance.
Typically travel insurance for the duration of a journey costs approximately 5-7% of the cost of the trip.
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