QuoteBroker Receives Top Industry Award

QuoteBroker Qualifies for Golden Eagle Award

(Arlington, VA) – The Leading Producers Round Table (LPRT) of the National Association of Health Underwriters is proud to announce that Vince Pappadato of Quotebroker Insurance Services has qualified to receive the association’s prestigious Golden Eagle Award. The Golden Eagle Award is the highest recognition bestowed upon an individual / company that has demonstrated professional excellence in the sale of health and disability income insurance.

The National Association of Health Underwriters represents 20,000 professional health insurance agents and brokers who provide insurance for millions of Americans. NAHU is headquartered in Arlington, VA.

Quotebroker, an industry leader in affordable health insurance, has been providing specialty insurance programs for individuals, the self-employed, small businesses, and organizations of all kinds to help keep insurance costs low and provide the best coverage possible.

As part of their comprehensive health insurance programs, Quotebroker also offers a wide range of other types of insurance including individual, families and businesses, including: Health Insurance, Disability Income Protection, Life Insurance, Senior Medicare Supplement plans, Insurance for Groups and Associations, Short-term insurance plans, and many more. After completing a brief online quote request, shoppers will receive a free instant quote and plan comparisions from multiple insurance carriers, all competing for your business This unbiased approach to shopping for insurance allows shoppers to select the coverage that best suits their needs.

To learn more, visit the Quotebroker website at http://www.quotebroker.com or call them toll-free at 800.783.0802 for further information about any of Quotebroker’s other products or services.

Alert - Watch out for July premium increases

HEALTH INSURANCE PREMIUM ALERT

On occasion we feel it is important to notify our customers and association members of important health insurance news. Over the last few days a number of large California insurance carriers have announced their intent to increase premium rates for a number of products, effective July 1st 2008. This in itself is not uncommon, however these new rate increases are uncommonly high and you should prepare yourself for double digit price increases or look at alternative policy offerings from another carrier.

Rates:
Rate changes come in three different forms. 1) Policy anniversary 2) Statewide company changes which are often mid year or product cycle date. 3) Age change which results in a policy holder entering a new age tier bracket. Over the past several years our clients have experienced a moderate price increase, averaging 7 – 13% annually. The first wave of new premium rate increases that begin July 2008 are alarming. We are seeing increases averaging 45-75%. Very few individuals and families are “lucky” enough to see premium changes below 25%.

Will you be affected?
If you have purchased a new policy in 2008 – you may not see any immediate increases. If your original policy date was 2007 or before, you are likely to receive a rate increase. If your policy “type” is not being offered by the insurance company to new subscribers, you have the greatest chance of being affected by these increases.

You need to protect yourself:
You will need to be proactive and prepare yourself, family or business for the worst case scenario. We suggest that you re-price your current plan online. Select a July 1st effective date and compare your premiums to the rates available to new customers. It only takes 5 minutes (start here).

If you feel that you are going to get hit with a large premium increase, shop for new insurance products and complete your application today. It may take several weeks to get approved. At Quotebroker you can instantly shop all California carriers and compare plans, features and rates major California insurance providers. These companies are all competing for your on-line business.

Don’t delay:
The entire underwriting process can average 2 days to 6 weeks. If apply today, you may request a future effective date of June 1st, 15th or 30th. You may also request a July or August date (if you apply in June)

Compare your policy rates against July 1st rate changes here .

Learn how to apply for Health Insurance

It's time. You have weeded through various Health Insurance proposals and you have finally selected a plan. Now you must complete an insurance company application.

The first step to apply for coverage is to decide whether or not you want to submit a paper or electronic application. There are pro's and con's to each. If you are healthy, I would recommend the e-version. These applications are usually computer scored and if you have no health history, these applications can be approved within hours to a day or two. If you have a more lengthy health history, I would recommend the old fashion paper application. This type of application allows you to better explain your health condition to an underwriter and attach a letter of explanation (if needed).

When it's time to apply for coverage, paper or electronically, plan about 20 minutes to answer all the questions. Have your doctors name and address available, along with the names and dosages of any prescriptions that you are taking. This is very important to avoid being "timed out" and losing your on-line responses.

Take your time and read each question before answering. Some questions will ask you to go back in time, ie: "In the last 5 years have you ..."? If you glance at the question, you may not answer it correctly.

A brokers "tip". If you respond to a question "yes", simply check the box. Do not go back into the sentence and start circling all of the conditions that the question applies to. You will be asked to explain your "yes" application on the following pages.

When it comes time to respond to those "yes" answers, don't guess. List the date of treatment, the doctors name and address, along with your prognosis or current health condition. If you have fully recovered - state that. Without a response such as "routine check up, normal findings, good health" or "broken leg in 2003. Treated and released from doctors care 3 months later. Fully recovered, no complications". A good health insurance underwriter will either accept your response at face value, or he/she will request your medical records. If this happens, your application will be delayed until your medical records are copied, submitted and reviewed.

Be sure to review your application before submitting it. Decide whether or not a cover letter is needed and be sure to submit your first months premium. Most insurance companies will not review your application until a payment is made. This is their way to discourage people from applying at multiple companies.

In summary, prepare your health insurance paperwork as if you were applying for a home mortgage. Dot your i's and cross your t's. Be detailed, support your answers and never lie. You may sneak your application through, however the insurance company can re-evaluate your application (which is usually the case when you have an immediate major surgery or hospitalization). If you omitted any information, your insurance policy can be cancelled. There is one more item you should know. Medical records are shared with the MIB (Medical Information Bureau). Insurance companies retrieve your major health history when you apply for coverage and compare their findings against your application responses. This service also lists the dates and companies for which you have previously applied for coverage.

To begin the process, you must first find an affordable health insurance plan. For instant insurance quotes, comparisons and applications, visit Quotebroker. Within minutes you will be able to locate the lowest priced health insurance plans in your state. If you need help completing your application, ask to speak to an insurance specialist.

California Health Insurance and Domestic Partners

A common question that I receive each week is "Will my domestic partner and I qualify as a two party applicant" In California, the answer is "yes". For several years now, California Health Insurance carriers have been required to recognize domestic partners, straight or gay. Unmarried couples that live together can purchase health insurance at a two party rate.

To apply for Health Insurance as "Domestic Partners", simply complete a single application, using the younger individual as the primary applicant and the older second party as the co-applicant. In some cases the insured may ask for you to sign a supplemental application page stating that you are "Domestic Partners".

That's it…. To receive an affordable health insurance quote on-line, visit QuoteBroker

Employer Sponsored Health Insurance is no free ride to employees.

A Seattle actuarial firm studied the costs for a family of 4 participating in an employer sponsored preferred provider plan and the results were an annual family expenditure of $15,609. This was up 7.6% from the preceding year.

These figures were based on a typical family that will pay this amount in out of pocket health care costs for Rx drugs, Dr. Visits, Annual Deductibles and Co-payments. After studying 14 major U.S. Regions, the study concluded that the most expensive market was Miami, FL and the least expensive market was Phoenix, AZ.

It is my opinion that these figures will increase as more employer's attempt to reduce their employee benefit costs by selecting new lower priced health insurance plans that shift many of the health care costs to the employee. New health insurance plans are now being offered that limit doctor visits to 2 or 3 visits a year, plus free or low cost annual screenings for physicals and well women's check ups. Additional office visit charges will be incurred by the employee.

To locate an affordable health insurance plan for your family or business, visit QuoteBroker, where you will receive free instant quotes, plan comparisons and advice.

How to buy insurance without an agent

When it comes to buying health insurance, most people don't want to think about it. The last thing we have time for is to meet and entertain a train of insurance agents across our kitchen table. Possibly the person we meet is a friend of a friend or an office referral. This person usually represents a 'primary insurance company' that he/she will try to push you to buy, or after showing some resistance or hesitation, the agent reaches into his briefcase and offers another lower cost insurance product. We then blindly make the insurance purchase without really never knowing if we bought a good insurance program or if we are over paying for coverage. Often buyers remorse sets in, but we can't imagine interviewing a string of new agents. We settle for what we bought until a claim is made and our insurance program doesn't offer that key benefit that we thought was included.

You use the web for reading email, staying up to date with current events and researching your child's homework assignment, why not buy insurance online?

Online insurance brokerage firms, such as QuoteBroker offer you the same technology insurance companies use to compare their plan offerings against their competition. Within a matter of minutes you can easily shop the insurance market place and locate the best program for your family or business. QuoteBroker's insurance quoting system allows you to easily compare insurance products offered by America's finest companies, all competing for your business. This unbiased approach to insurance buying will provide you with the tools and information you need to make an intelligent insurance buying decision. In less than 5 minutes, you can shop, begin comparing plans and start an application online - at your convenience. In addition, if you need help selecting a plan or completing any necessary paperwork, Quotebroker offers a toll fee number for you to speak with a licensed insurance specialist.

Before you invite another sales agent into your home or office, consider shopping online to locate affordable health insurance , term life, or dental protection.

Low Cost Health Insurance plan introduced by Anthem Blue Cross

Each year, California Health Insurance companies introduce new individual and family plans to the marketplace. Many of these plans are based on successful health insurance products that are currently being offered by their competitors - but always with a twist.

2008 is no different. For the spring collection of products, Anthem Blue Cross seems to be the flavor of the month offering their new SmartSense health insurance plan.

SmartSense is a smart choice for clients looking for:

• Low monthly rates
• Full medical benefits
• Choice of annual deductible options, ranging from $500 to $5,000
• Immediate benefits for first three visits to a doctor
• Choice of comprehensive or generic only prescription drug benefits
• Access to one of California's largest PPO networks
• No need for maternity benefits
• Up to $7,000,000 per member in lifetime benefits

What’s Different About SmartSense? To begin Anthem Blue Cross offers embedded (family) deductibles that make it easier for families to satisfy their deductible requirement:

• Once any family member meets their single deductible, their deductible is satisfied
  After one family member’s single deductible is satisfied, the family deductible can be met by one or more family members
• Fourth quarter carry-over deductible feature
• Separate in-network and out-of-network out-of-pocket maximums
• No $500 per admittance charge for inpatient services or outpatient services related to surgery or infusion therapy at a participating hospital

To maintain the lowest rates possible, the following rating criteria are being used:

• Gender rating (male vs. female)
• Single age bands
• For one-member contracts, there is one set of rates; for two or more members on a contract, there is a discounted rate

To compare the Anthem Blue Cross series of plans against your current insurance policy, visit www.quotebroker.com QuoteBroker is an online insurance brokerage agency that offers instant online affordable health insurance quotes for individuals, employer groups and association members. Within 5 minutes you can instantly compare health insurance coverages offered by America's finest companies all competing for your online business.

US - Average Family Spends One Month's Salary on Health Insurance

The U.S. Census Bureau statistics find that the median household in the U.S. earn approximately $48,000 annually. A survey titled, ‘2008 Benefits and Talent Survey,’ revealed that the median annual contribution for family healthcare coverage is $3,120, which is a 15 % increase from 2007 and 22% increase from 2006.

Meanwhile, employers are shifting much of their health plan cost increases back to the employee by selecting lower priced healthcare plans that require employees to pay for more medical care costs through higher co-payments, plan deductibles or routine costs in excess of a few office visits and wellness check ups.

With the threat of a recession, in today's economy, many small businesses are turning to the web to shop for affordable employee benefits. Online shopping allows you to compare multiple insurance companies products. Once a plan design is identified, shoppers can compare policies, rates and features. What once took days or weeks to obtain a proposal, now takes minutes. Another common strategy for small or family operated businesses is to compare group insurance policies against individual health insurance options. Individual plans continue to grow in popularity as they offer a larger selection of products, allowing the consumer the ability to mix and match coverages, selecting the plan features that are most important to you. Why pay for features that are not important or you do not need, such as: maternity, chiropractic or Name Brand Rx medications.

QuoteBroker Insurance Services is an online brokerage firm that offers instant insurance comparisons from America's finest companies, all competing for your business. Enrollment forms can easily be downloaded or insurance specialists are available to help you through the entire insurance selection and application process. Shop online to locate your next health insurance program.