Tuesday, February 10, 2009

Are you Ready for Retirement?

So you want to retire…

But before you quit your job, sell your home and move to that island in the Caribbean, here’s a few things to think about. After all, it’s never too late to think about retirement.

1) Are you covered legally in retirement?

Legal documents….Do you have a will or a trust, durable powers of attorney, health care powers of attorney, living wills. Are they up to date? Do you need to make some changes? If you don’t already have a good estate planning attorney, now is the time to find one.

2) Will you have enough finances for retirement living?

Finances… Do you have enough to last you throughout retirement? Or are you planning to go back to work if you run out of funds? Check with your financial advisor and make sure the plan you have really works for you. Not happy with your financial planner, find someone else. There are a million of these guys out there. It‘s important to trust your advisor. Do your homework.

3) What kind of insurance should you get for retirement?

Insurance, IRAs, annuities…revisit your choices of beneficiaries, Is this what you really want? If not, get new beneficiary designation forms and redo them. Remember the most current paperwork is the way it is when you pass on. And be careful with those annuities. They can be quite expensive.

4) Where do you want to spend your retirement?

Relocating, staying in the same place, or looking for a weekend retreat…Never has there been such a multitude of choices and at great prices. There are lots of bargains to be found. Just do your due diligence. Read the contracts or pay someone to read them for you. The time spent researching will pay for it in $$$$$$$. And remember…Location, location, location.

5) What kind of social security can you expect in retirement?

Social Security…age 62 or age 70? How do you decide? Make sure you know the difference in the income you can begin receiving as early as age 62. If you don’t need it, it’s probably best to wait a few years and get more later on.

6) What kind of health care will be available to you in retirement?

Health care…..Are you adequately insured?

Medicare will not cover all those nursing home bills. Better not count on that.

Long Term Care insurance…. This may or not be for you. You may have too many assets and it might be best for you to self- insure. Or LTC insurance may be the only way for you to pay for nursing home care without impoverishing your spouse. If you are considering this, know that you probably don’t need all the bells and whistles. Also check the ratings of the companies you are considering. All companies are not created equal. And finally, if making the premium payments means you have to do without something else that is important, don’t do it. See an Elder Law attorney and get a Medicaid plan done for you and your spouse.

Protect your financial future. Decide to enjoy the rest of your life. And don’t procrastinate, start planning for retirement now!

Online Savings Can be Made For Motor Insurance

The internet has revolutionised the way we do things and buying car insurance online is no different. With three types of motor insurance to choose from you, by using the power of the web, you are able to get the policy that suits your needs.

You can compare premiums and policy benefits online – or allow a specialist broker to do it on your behalf. It certainly is a lot easier than ringing lots of insurers or traipsing up and down the High Street looking for that great motor insurance deal.

So, what do you need to know when considering car insurance? Well, first, there are three types.

Fully comprehensive insurance protects your vehicle for accidents caused by you as well as damage to the other vehicle and any third party. Because of the protection given, it does cost more than the other policies. Third party fire and theft (TPFT) would allow you to claim if your car was stolen or damaged by fire as well as covering any damage or injury to a third party or their vehicle. While third party only is the cheapest cover and does what it says on the tin. It provides no protection whatsoever for your vehicle.

Why do you need insurance?

A lack of motor insurance means many problems, the least of which would be having to find the money for any repairs. You would have to face the consequences of driving on the roads in the UK without cover. Having car insurance in place would stop all this.

You would not have to pay out of your own pocket with insurance and you would not have to face the consequences of not being insured. Your policy could cover such as theft, fire, legal and medical costs as a result of an accident.

A specialist car insurance website will look across a broad range of UK insurance companies and then present you with the some motor insurance options which could lead to the cheapest deal.

Getting cheaper cover

You can influence how much insurance you pay by employing a few tips:

• all insurance providers will ask you to pay so much excess. However if you offer to pay more then you are able to cut down the cost of the premiums

• fitting extra security measures such as a steering wheel lock, immobilising your car and even keeping it in a garage rather than on the side of the road can all go towards lowering your insurance

• never just renew your insurance each year when the policy needs paying again. Chances are the policy is not the cheapest you could get this year, so look around and compare again.

Remember that when buying your motor cover, policy features and benefits do need comparing for what is included. They can differ and some insurance companies might offer a better deal than others for the same cost.

In a nutshell, to get the best deal on motor insurance use the internet not only as a way of getting the cheapest quotes but also to find out as much as possible for making savings and what to look for in a policy.

Compare Quotes For Motor Cover

There are different levels of protection when looking into buying motor cover so this means there is a policy suitable for all your needs. You can go online and compare quotes for motor cover quickly and easily – or get a specialist motor insurance broker to do so on your behalf if you prefer.

Three types of cover

You need a motor insurance policy unless you want the police handing out penalties to you as it is illegal to drive without motor insurance on UK roads. You also need it to avoid having to pay for repairs or damage to your car in the event of an accident caused by you or should it get stolen or damaged.

If you were involved in an accident, depending on the level of cover you have, you could claim for repairs to the car. If it was written-off you would get up to a set amount of the value of the car back. You could also claim medical and legal costs and many other things.

If you only want the very basic form of car insurance cover which comes with the lowest premiums then third party only will meet your needs. It affords protection for any damage caused by you to a third party or their vehicle. However, any damage to your car would not be covered.

If you want to protect your car against fire and theft as well as third party cover, then consider taking third party, fire and theft insurance. This is also known as TPFT cover.

If you want full cover for your vehicle then you may wish to take out a fully comprehensive policy. This covers almost every eventuality and you can often have additional options as such as courtesy car in the event of an accident or legal helplines in the event of an accident.

Comparing what each motor cover policy contains along with the cost is essential if you are to get a quality product that fulfils your needs.

There are few simple tips you can employ when buying your motor cover:

• Do not automatically renew your motor cover without first shopping around. Not automatically renewing it with the same provider can often save you a great deal on the cost of your policy;

• Up your excess. All policy providers will ask you to pay so much as an excess in the event of a claim. However if you offer to pay more than the standard amount, then you are able to cut down the cost of the premiums;

• The safer your car is then the cheaper your policy can be. Install additional security features such as an immobiliser, steering wheel locks or a tracking device. If you park in a garage, your car is harder to steal meaning, in effect, cheaper premiums as you are less at risk of having your car stolen or damaged.

Do be sure that you fully understand the policy terms and conditions. Providers may try to tempt you with many a selection of small extras so consider this when making a comparison.

When looking for your motor cover, make the most of the internet for information available as it offers many tips on ways to make savings on your motor cover along with what to look for and how to choose the right policy for your needs.

For the Best Deals Look Online For Your Car Insurance

It’s that time again. Your car insurance is coming up for renewal. Do you just automatically accept your current insurer’s quote, or do you shop around? The former may seem the quickest and easiest option, but the latter need not be a time consuming exercise as you can go online and compare the different premiums, and policy features and benefits, hassle free.

Automatically renewing your motor insurance without first looking to see what other options are available is common, and often, costly mistake that motorists make. Many assume that they will be rewarded for their loyalty by staying with their provider for another year, but this isn’t simply the case. By taking out a few minutes to shop around for your insurance, you could save yourself quite a bit of money.

So, what are the benefits of shopping around? Certainly, comparing what each car insurance policy contains along with the cost is essential if you are to get a quality product and one that meets your needs. But by shopping around online for your car insurance, you can also access internet only deals or discounted deals.

You can also get a broader view of what is available in the motor insurance marketplace, without having to ring up several brokers or insurers, or wear out your shoe leather visiting the banks in your High Street for a quote.

If you just stay with the insurance provider year after year you could well be paying over the odds for the premiums. So always compare the insurance when it becomes renewable.

One thing to look out for - apart from the price – is to see how many ‘freebies’ are thrown into the cover. This is because, often, what the cover entails will vary greatly between insurance companies.

Compare the motor insurance policies on a like for like basis so you get a true reflection of the costs. Eg. Don’t try and compare one quote for fully comprehensive insurance against one for third party, fire and theft cover.

Some may offer free legal assistance cover, others may not. Check to see if you will be financially penalised for paying your premiums monthly by direct debit rather than in one lump sum.

Check that each is quoting you the price based on the same excess - the excess is what you pay towards the cost of a claim before the insurance company will step in. It is worth noting that if you elect to pay more than the standard excess, you may get your insurance premiums cheaper.

Looking for your car insurance online not only allows you to seek out great savings on motor cover but also provides all the information needed for you to get the right policy for your needs. However, you can always use the services of an online specialist car insurance broker to do the comparisons on your behalf. This will mean that you have to spend even less time worrying about buying your car insurance and more time enjoying the savings you have made!

Getting Cheap Car Insurance

When researching how to get cheap car insurance, using the internet can be a valuable source of cheap motor quotes and useful information. You can become fully versed on the different types of cover there are as well as search for a good deal on your cover. Or, you can find a specialist motor broker who can do this on your behalf.

There are three choices of motor insurance cover, though the benefits may vary depending on who you buy your cover from.

Fully comprehensive is the “all singing all dancing” type of motor insurance cover you can take and this protects your vehicle and the other car involved in an accident for repairs plus many other things. Fully comprehensive car insurance policies can protect against break in and damage to personal belongings, theft, and damage to the car in an accident and also could pay for medical costs if any party was injured in an accident.

A third party, fire and theft policy falls in the middle and provides your car with some basic security against being stolen or catching fire, as well as any third party liability.

Third party only cover is the cheapest of all three of the types of motor insurance, but offers the bare bones of protection, covering basically just any third party liability due to you causing an accident.

Why do you need insurance cover?

You need car insurance unless you want the police handing out penalties to you as it is a legal requirement to have adequate cover if you want to drive on the UK’s roads. You also need it in order to avoid having to pay for repairs or damage to your car should you be involved in an accident or if your vehicle was stolen or got burnt out.

Buying your policy on the internet or via an online broker can often help you find cheap car insurance and is a lot less time consuming that ringing up lots of different car insurance providers for a quote.

There are way too cut down on the cost of your policy too, but doing such things as offering to pay more excess on your policy; increasing the security on your vehicle by investing in steering wheel locks, an immobiliser or a tracking device; using your garage if you have one; protecting your no claims bonus.

Also bear in mind that to make sure you are getting the best deal on your cover each year always look for a new policy rather than sticking with the same provider and automatically renewing it.

When shopping around for cheap car insurance, look for the little things that are often found on the policies you are comparing. For example, some providers will offer you the use of a courtesy car while yours is being repaired, or a months’ free insurance.

As there are so many things you need to take into account when researching your motor cover options for getting cheap car insurance, make full use of the internet. It is a valuable tool which you need to make full use of either by shopping around for the right cover by yourself or enlisting a specialist car insurance broker.

Get Cheap Premiums Online For Motor Cover

If you are looking for car insurance, then a quick and easy way to find a policy that meets your budget is by going online for motor cover. It must be remembered that, legal requirements aside, if you had no cover and you were involved in an accident you would have to stand to any losses yourself. The other driver would not be able to claim on your insurance cover if you had none. You would also lose out if your car was destroyed say by fire or if it was stolen.

That is why motor insurance is a legal requirement for anyone driving on the roads in the UK, as well as a way of protecting you and, depending on the motor cover bought, your asset too. When you take out insurance cover you are not only driving legally on the road but can also claim for theft of the car, repairs if in an accident, legal and medical costs along with loss of personal belongings depending on the level of the policy.

There are a number of considerations involved when choosing your insurance as motor cover premiums are influenced by a number of factors such as age, gender, the type of car you drive and which level of cover you want.

Certainly, if you only want the very basic form of insurance cover which comes with the lowest premiums then third party only could be the answer. This affords the most very basic of protection, covering any costs associated with damage / injury to a third party or their vehicle. Any damage caused to your vehicle will not be covered under the insurance.

If you want the most basic of cover plus fire and theft for your car then consider taking third party, fire and theft insurance. Also known as TPFT insurance for short, this will give pay out if your car is stolen or damaged by fire as well as any third party costs.

If you want full motor cover for your vehicle then fully comprehensive insurance covers just about everything including damage to your vehicle whether or not caused by you.

To get the best deal on motor cover you have to shop around and the easiest way to do this is online with a specialist. They can gather your quotes and then all you have to do is to go through the terms and conditions and check the cost.

In order to get a good deal on your insurance, there are a number of things you need to think about. The excess is what you pay towards the cost of a claim before the insurance cover company will step in, so think about voluntarily paying more as if you pay more then you can get your premiums cheaper.

For cheaper premiums on your insurance cover make sure you keep your car safe. This means parking under lock and key in a garage wherever possible and making sure you fit car alarms and steering locks.

Finally, to save money on your policy always compare prices each year, by renewing when the policy runs out you could be paying far more than you need to.

When looking at different policies, compare the extras that many insurance cover companies will give you. For example, some providers will add a courtesy car while your vehicle is off the road at no extra cost to you.

Go online not only for your motor cover quotes but also to find all the information you can about the diverse car insurance cover types, premiums and to get tips for saving on your policy.