Paramedical exams are not as bad as some would have you believe (don't let the picture fool you!). In fact, they can be fairly simple, quick and painless ... almost. The following tips will help you achieve paramed nirvana.
1. Fast for 8-12 hours prior to the exam. This will help ensure more accurate blood chemistry results.
2. Avoid exercise or excess activity prior to the exam. This will help keep your blood pressure and heart rate in a range that is typical for you.
3. Make sure you are well hydrated. This will also help with your blood pressure and heart rate. Plus, it makes for a better urine sample.
4. Avoid caffeine prior to the exam. A good reason to schedule in the evening!
5. Schedule during the least stressful time of your day. For some it may be mornings and for others evenings. And for many, there may be no such thing!
6. Schedule the exam for later in the week. Studies show Wednesday through Saturday tend to be the most stress free days of the week. Mondays, well ...
7. Avoid alcohol for 24 hours prior to the exam. Alcohol tends to disrupt blood results also.
8. Take all of your medications as normal and provide a list to the examiner. Make sure the examiner writes them all down, including the dosages.
9. Reschedule the exam if you are sick. Your body will be out of whack. It's better to wait.
10. Review the paperwork completely. Accidents can happen. Don't let them happen on your paramed exam. Review all measurements, answers and other information prior to signing.
That's it. Ten simple tips to help you cruise through your paramed exam and on your way to a lower term life insurance premium!
Your health and lifestyle play prominent roles in the life insurance underwriting process and ultimately, the rating class you are approved for. Therefore, we've added a new topic to our blog, appropriately titled 'Lifestyle.' Here you will find information on many health and lifestyle topics. Hopefully you will find the information useful to your overall health and possibly even use it to your benefit when applying for life insurance!
You may be wondering what a list of cholesterol lowering tips has to do with life insurance. Well, a lot actually. Cholesterol is a major factor considered by life insurance companies in determining the rating class and premium you will pay on your policy. Below is one example of the impact overall cholesterol can have.
(Sample information is from a typical life insurance company and is fairly representative of the industry. 45-yr old male, $500,000 coverage, 20-yr term)
|
Rating Class |
Maximum Cholesterol |
Annual Premium |
Premium Difference |
|
Preferred Plus |
220 |
$640 |
- |
|
Preferred |
250 |
$805 |
+26% |
|
Standard Plus |
275 |
$1,050 |
+64% |
|
Standard |
300 |
$1,240 |
+94% |
This table shows that a difference in total cholesterol of 80 points can cost a person 94% or more in premium; $600.00 in this example!
The following tips can help you get your cholesterol under control and hopefully into the Preferred rating class range or better.
1. Don't Smoke
A no brainer. Smoking decreases levels of HDL (the good cholesterol) in
the blood.
2. Avoid Saturated Fat
Think vegetable oil, butter, lard, shortening, red meat, etc. Replace these with foods like canola oil, olive oil, lean meat and fish.
3. Eat More Fiber
Soluble fiber acts like a sponge to absorb cholesterol. Good sources of soluble fiber include dried beans and oats (oatmeal,). Also add fruits, vegetables and whole grains to your diet.
4. Exercise Regularly
This shouldn't come as much of a surprise. But what may be surprising is the amount of exercise you need. Some studies have shown as little as 30 minutes of walking a day may increase HDL cholesterol by 10%.
5. Consider Medication
Medication should not be viewed as a last resort. In cases of very high cholesterol levels medication combined with lifestyle changes are usually recommended.
As always, consult a physician for advice on lowering your cholesterol. Our tips are meant to get you thinking about simple changes you can make, but are by no means a substitute for sound medical advice.
Credits: WebMD
Term life insurance rates remain at historic lows. Recent legislative and regulatory changes have caused some life insurance companies to increase rates, but term life remains an outstanding value.
The following are three quick and easy ways you can save even more on your term life insurance policy:
1. Choose Your Life Insurance Company Wisely
Use a reputable online life insurance brokerage to comparison shop. There are a few really good ones out there (and one or two 'outstanding' ones!). Find one you like and check rates from all the companies they offer. Don't bother comparing one online broker to another for the same life insurance company. The life insurance company sets the premium rates; therefore, you will pay the same for Company XYZ regardless of which online broker you choose.
2. Pay Your Premium Annually
This one is simple, but often overlooked. It's in your best interest to spring for the entire premium up front if possible. Here's why:
Example Policy: $500,000 / 10-yr term / Preferred Rating Class / 35 yr-old Female
|
Payment Mode |
Modal Amount |
Annual Total |
Difference |
|
Annual |
$210.00 |
$210.00 |
None |
|
Semi-Annual |
$107.10 |
$214.20 |
+$4.20 or 2% |
|
Quarterly |
$54.60 |
$218.40 |
+$8.40 or 4% |
|
Monthly |
$18.38 |
$220.56 |
+$10.56 or 5% |
You can see that paying in any other mode than annual will cost you more; up to five percent more if you pay monthly. Of course, the life insurance company charges a slight premium for the convenience of spreading your premium out over the course of the year. Keep that in your own pocket by paying annually.
3. Prepare For Your Paramedical Exam
The paramedical exam (paramed) is really not the big deal many make it out to be. Sure, it's a bit of an inconvenience, but it could save you money in the long run if you prepare for it. If you are completely opposed to the paramed exam, check out Non-Medical Term Life Insurance. Otherwise, read on.
To pull off a stellar paramed exam, consider the following:
· Fast for 8-12 hours. This will help ensure more accurate blood chemistry results (think cholesterol).
· Avoid alcohol for 24 hours prior to the exam. This shouldn't require an explanation. But just in case, alcohol does funny things to your liver. Insurance companies want to know the condition of your liver. Give it a brief rest.
· Avoid exercise or excess activity prior to the exam. The examiner will check your blood pressure and heart rate. You want these to be in the normal range. Intense activity may also cause a temporary elevation of liver enzymes (that darn liver thing again). Don't take chances.
· Provide the examiner with a list of all medications. And make sure she notes these on the exam paperwork.
· Review the paperwork completely. Make sure your height, weight, blood pressure, etc. are all recorded correctly. Resolve any discrepancies before the examiner leaves. Don't skip this step!
Of course, unexpected things can happen during the underwriting process and there are no guarantees until the life insurance company makes an offer. But if you follow these three simple tips you will be well on your way to saving money on your next term life insurance policy!
What exactly does a 'Free' term life insurance quote mean?
Life insurance quoting websites are ubiquitous today. A typical Google search currently returns over 61 million results including thousands of different quoting websites. Some belong to large companies with hundreds of agents in their call centers, while others are micro-businesses with little more than one or two people and a computer.
Regardless of size, most of these companies promote 'Free' term life insurance quotes on their websites. And we do the same on our website.
But what does free mean in the sense of these quotes? And do they actually come without a cost?
This past weekend I came across a banner advertisement on a local news website. The ad was from a large, well-known life insurance company with a solid rating and good reputation. In fact, I'd bet if I asked a group of people to name three life insurance companies for me, this company would be one of those named 90+ percent of the time.
The ad went something like this:
----------------------------------------------
REQUEST A FREE, NO OBLIGATION QUOTE NOW
*All Fields are Required
First Name: ________________________
Last Name: ________________________
Address: ________________________
City, State & Zip: ___________________
Telephone: ________________________
Day or Evening: ____________________
E-mail: ____________________________
GET FREE QUOTES!
(And finally, at the bottom ... the kicker):
We respect your privacy.
--------------------------------------------
Oh, really? Hmm ... okay.
If the life insurance company respects your privacy so much, why do they feel compelled to 'require' your private and personal contact information just to give you a quote for term life insurance? Does your name influence the premium? Are the rates lower for those using Gmail or Hotmail accounts?
So these quotes are technically free because they don't cost you any money. However, they will cost you your name, address, telephone number, email, etc. That's some fairly valuable information you are providing, don't you think? And even if the company promises not to sell your information, surely they are going to do something with it, right? What do you suppose that is?
If you want a 'Free' quote for term life insurance, find a reputable online company that will provide one without collecting personal contact information from you. We happen to know a good one if you are looking, but I'm sure you can find a few others if you try.
Maybe.
Happy New Year! 
Okay, I'm a few days late .. but we are all excited here at QuickQuote about the great things we are doing in 2010. Here's a count down of five changes you'll see:
5. New Life Insurance Companies
We plan to add three new life insurance companies to our marketplace in 2010. While we continuously review our marketplace and consider new companies, we generally do not add many companies at once. We firmly believe in providing the best companies for our customers and quality trumps quantity every time. That being said, the three companies we are considering are all worthy of inclusion and should contribute greatly to the quality of our marketplace.
4. Addition of Mortgage Life Insurance
Our partnership with RBC/Liberty Life Insurance Company brings this product to QuickQuote. Mortgage life insurance has been around in various forms for years. So while not new to the life insurance world in general, it is a new product for us and we are anxious to make it available.
3. Expanded Non-Medical Term Life Insurance
This product continues it's incredible popularity and growth into 2010. As a result, we will enhance our offering to include Fidelity Life.
2. More e-Signature Capabilities
We've already added new e-Signature options for 2010 and are excited about making the announcement. Look for more in a not-too-distant blog and press release.
1. OUR NEW WEBSITE!
This is the biggie for 2010. Our new site offers streamlined navigation, enriched content and enhanced functionality. We've worked hard to incorporate new technologies and products while maintaining our world-class ease of use and customer service options. We believe the new website will be amazing and we hope you will all agree!
Stay tuned ...
The Life Insurance Marketing and Research Association (LIMRA) recently released some interesting findings about consumers and their preferences for life insurance advice.
|
Insurance Advice Source |
Percentage |
|
Financial Advisor |
34 |
|
Parents/Family |
27 |
|
Life Insurance Agent/Broker |
15 |
|
Human Resources |
14 |
|
Suze Orman or Clark Howard |
10 |
Transamerica Life Insurance Company recently announced 'relaxed' underwriting rules for survivors of certain types of cancer. Survivors of non-melanoma skin cancers, thyroid, breast, testicular, endometrial and cervical cancers may now qualify for the company's Preferred rating class on term life insurance policies.
Certain rules, such as the length of time the proposed insured has been disease free, still apply. Treatment history is a consideration also.
Please contact one of our licensed life insurance professionals for more information and quotes.
Despite continued difficult economic conditions, Americans appear to remain believers in the importance of life insurance. A recent report issued by Prudential Financial indicates 93 percent of consumers surveyed consider life insurance a necessary part of a personal financial plan.
The study also found that 84 percent of respondents consider life insurance to be relatively inexpensive compared to other household budget items. 78 percent of those surveyed are confident their life insurance policy is safe and will be there to protect their loved ones if necessary.
Sources: Prudential Financial, Inc., Reuters
Most Americans are fully aware of the difficult economic and employment conditions that continue to plaque our nation. However, when consumers seek life insurance coverage in this environment, they appear to favor term life insurance over other forms of coverage.
New data recently released by LIMRA shows an overall decline in life insurance premiums for the second quarter of 2009. While Variable life insurance and Universal life insurance premiums both saw a double-digit decrease, term life insurance premiums only decreased a modest 3 percent. The average policy coverage amount (face amount) for term life insurance was the same as last year.
While economic recessions do not typically impact life insurance sales negatively, LIMRA mentioned in its report this particular recession is especially deep and prolonged.
Source: LIMRA International
Starting a family is one of the most exciting and rewarding experiences many of us will have, however right along with the pitter-patter of little feet comes the obligation to protect your new family financially. A term life insurance policy is one of the least expensive options to protect your family.
If you are pregnant or thinking about becoming pregnant and ready to purchase a life insurance policy, here are some tips to help you get through the process without a hitch.
If you can, apply before you are pregnant or in the first or second trimester.
See your personal doctor for a physical before you are pregnant or very early in your pregnancy to track your height and weight so the insurance company can see a pre-pregnancy weight measurement.
It is a good idea to have a pre-pregnancy or early pregnancy cholesterol test done as well, as your cholesterol levels may be elevated during your pregnancy and while nursing. Some companies will be more lenient on cholesterol requirements, however some will need proof that your numbers are increased due to pregnancy or nursing. Some companies will not allow any exceptions at all, but either way it is better to be prepared with previous test results.
If you have a high risk pregnancy or complications during pregnancy, keep in mind that the insurance companies may postpone until after delivery.
Even if you are offered a policy that is more expensive than you hoped for, it is better to get a policy in force to protect your family as soon as you can, and then replace it in the future if and when you can qualify for a better rating class. Most companies will tailor the coverage amount to fit your budget needs as long as you do not go below their minimum required coverage amount.
If you are concerned about any of the above, just call one of our licensed agents at 800-867-2404 to find the best company to apply with.