Monday, February 9, 2009

How To Compare Low Cost Long Term Care Insurance In Oregon

Long term care insurance is probably the last type of insurance any of us want to think about, yet according to statistics from the state of Oregon’s Department of Insurance, just about half of all Oregon citizens will require some form of long term health care at some point in their life.

Long term care refers to any type of on-going assistance required for the normal chores of daily living, such as dressing, bathing, toilet functions, preparing and eating meals, walking, and other assorted functions.

Don’t fall into the trap of believing that Medicare or Medicaid will take care of all of your long term heath care requirements after you hit the magical 65, because the truth of the matter is, Medicare pays for almost no long term health care whatsoever, and Oregon’s Medicaid program pays for only a limited amount and will offer you no choice about the facility where you will possibly need to spend the last years of your life.

Finding low cost long term care insurance here in Oregon can be complicated due to the fact that so many factors must be weighed when designing a plan: do you want the plan to cover nursing home care or in-home care, what caps will the insurance have, what elimination period (deductible) can you afford, do you need built-in inflation protection, plus a myriad of other questions.

However, before you talk to an insurance specialist about low cost long term care insurance it would be a good idea to go online and at least begin to compare long term care plans on one of the many sites which allow for such comparisons. By making your own preliminary comparison of low cost long term care insurance in Oregon you will be better prepared to ask the tough questions that need answers before you make the commitment for an insurance policy that may very well determine the quality of at least a portion of your future life.

Find New Cheap Car Insurance

If you have saved enough money to purchase a new car, or have already spent your savings on the new car of your dreams – congratulations! There is no thrill like cruising around town in your brand new car you worked so hard for. But before you start cruising, you have to think about getting insurance for your new car – ideally, cheap insurance for your new car.

How can you get cheap insurance for your new car if you have never had a car insurance policy? Consider these three tips:

Check out the safety of your new car. Before you purchase your new car, check out the safety features. If you have already purchased your new car and it does not include certain safety features, add them. Cars with safety features are seen as less risky to insure than cars without safety features; therefore, insurance companies give cheaper car insurance quotes to drivers who own safe cars.

Ask about “spinning off” of another car insurance policy. If you have ever been on another driver’s car insurance policy, such as your parents’ car insurance policy, ask the insurance company about “spinning off” of that car insurance policy onto your own car insurance policy. You will have your own car insurance policy, and you will most likely get a cheaper premium than you would if you purchased a new car insurance policy out right.

Add yourself to another car insurance policy. If you are married, or have parents who trust your driving habits, ask if you can be added to their car insurance policy. This may raise their premiums a bit, but you can pay the difference and the difference will be much cheaper than purchasing a completely separate car insurance policy.

Remember, all states require some form of car insurance or financial responsibility. Do not risk huge fines and a suspended driver’s license by neglecting to purchase insurance for your new car.

How To Find Affordable Automobile Insurance In Oregon

Automobile insurance is expensive and as the price of new cars continues to skyrocket, the price of auto insurance is not likely to come down anytime in the near future. If anything, look for auto insurance rates to continue their upward spiral.

So what can you, as a good Oregon driver do to keep your automobile insurance rates affordable? Actually there are quite a few things.

If you are under 25 your rates will be among the highest in the state – however, if you are in school and maintaining good grades, many insurance companies will give you a Good Student Discount.

If you own a home and have homeowner’s insurance or you have a life insurance policy check with your insurance company to see if you qualify for a multi-policy discount.

If your car has an anti-theft device, or if you add one to your car you may be entitled to a discount on your insurance. Likewise, if you pass an advanced driving safety course you may qualify for still further discounts.

If you car is being financed, your financial institution will probably require you to carry full insurance coverage, but if you own your vehicle outright there is nothing to stop you from buying only the minimum insurance required by the state of Oregon – which can save you a considerable amount of money.

In fact, depending on the age of your vehicle, you could forego buying Comprehensive insurance on your vehicle at all – comprehensive pays for your vehicle if it is damaged by hitting an animal, or if it is damaged by an “Act of God,” such as fire, flood, wind or hail.

Another way many people help control the cost of their automobile insurance in Oregon is by raising their deductible. Your deductible is the money you must pay out of your own pocket for an accident before your insurance pays for the rest. The higher your deductible the lower your monthly insurance payments.

So while automobile insurance is expensive here in Oregon, there are many steps you can take to keep your costs as low as possible. By putting as many into practice as you can, you should be able to find affordable automobile insurance in Oregon.

How To Find Affordable Car Insurance In Oregon

Nobody like to pay more for car insurance than they have to, and this is especially true in Oregon, which has some of the highest automobile insurance rates in the country.

There’s really no trick to finding affordable car insurance in Oregon. It’s simply a matter of shopping around and comparing as many different companies as possible.

Thanks to the internet and a variety of free quote services, getting comparisons is not as difficult as it used to be – but it is still tedious and time-consuming.

To save time it is advisable that you have all of the necessary information in front of you before you log onto a car insurance quote site. Having everything at your fingertips will save you a lot of time and headaches.

First, have your driver’s license in front of you. You will need to supply all the “standard” information: name, address, birth date, gender, and martial status. They will also ask for your driving record for the past 5 years. This will include a list of accidents, claims against your present insurance company, and any tickets you have received. Be truthful – they will double-check your answers.

They will also ask about your occupation and the number of years you have been employed, as well as ask questions about your credit history; drivers with good credit get a break on their auto insurance rates.

They’ll want to know how many people will be driving the car and their ages and genders, and they will ask if you rent or own your own home (homeowners often get a slightly lower rate).

In addition they will need information about the car you will be insuring. They will need your vehicle’s year, make, and model, as well as any anti theft devices or safety devices the car has. They will also ask if you own your vehicle or if it is being financed. You will also need to have your vehicle’s VIN number. The VIN number can be found on the driver’s side dash board under the windshield or in the glove compartment on the right hand side.

They’ll want to know if your vehicle is used primarily for business or pleasure and approximately how many miles you drive each week.

Finally they’ll ask about your current insurance and then ask what types of coverages you want and what deductibles you’re considering.

Even though it seems like a lot of information, most of it is fairly standard information that you will know off the top of your head. The rest you will need to gather.

The payoff for the effort you’re making will be affordable car insurance month after month, year after year – and for most people that’s worth an afternoon of online comparison shopping any day!

What Is Long Term Care Insurance?

Long term care insurance can be a complex and sensitive subject – one that most people hope they will never have to take out. As the name suggests, it is the name given to the insurance that provides coverage for the care given to a person when they need permanent and continuous care.

Long term care has been described as the biggest challenge that an elderly person could have - and an estimated 70% of people aged 65 or over will need long term home care at some point in their lives.

This care is usually provided by a family member or close relative – often a spouse, a daughter or daughter in law. Around 70% of long term care is provided in the home and can include medical care and help with everyday activities. Long term care insurance offers coverage and benefits for services not covered by regular insurance or by Medicare.

Not surprisingly, long term care doesn’t come cheap and paying for it can be a challenge – studies show that the average cost for the insurance increases by around 12% every year – the average cost of a year spent in a nursing home is around $41,000.

Long term care insurance makes sense if you are young and have the necessary time to prepay for adequate coverage – although most of us don’t think about it when we are young. There are several different methods of paying for the insurance, or for older people who don’t have the funds; there may be other options, such as using money from assets. Medicare may help cover the costs for those who have no other options.

Apart from being an unavoidable fact of life for most older people, long term care should not necessarily be seen as something negative. For many people, it offers a way to maintain some of their independence as well as peace of mind, and ensures their later years won’t put a strain on family relationships.