Life Insurance Awareness Month (LIAM) is sponsored every September by the Life and Health Insurance Foundation for Education (LIFE). Together with some of the nation's leading life insurance companies, industry groups, agents and brokers, LIFE coordinates LIAM to educate Americans on the importance of including life insurance in their financial plans.

Most people do not like to think about dying or making plans for such an event. However, we all know it is a reality we all have to address at some point. Millions of Americans remain without life insurance today. According to LIMRA International, approximately 30 million Americans have no life insurance, which includes over 11 million households with children under the age of 18. This is the primary purpose of LIAM.

Each year, LIFE selects a celebrity spokesperson to represent LIAM and help get the campaign's message out. Leslie Bibb is this year's celebrity participant. Leslie has film credits that include "Iron Man," "Iron Man 2," "Confessions of a Shopaholic," and "Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby." When Leslie was just 3 years old, her father died in a work-related accident. Fortunately for her family, which included her mother and three sisters, her father had a life insurance policy. You can view Leslie's story on the LIFE website.

So as we move closer to kickoff and you put the finishing touches on your fantasy football team, remember to take a few moments to make sure your family is protected. We'll even pass along some free term life insurance quotes to help you get started!

Sources: LIFE (www.lifehappens.org), LIMRA International

Accidents will happen. Many are preventable, but they will happen nonetheless.

In 2009, an average of 93 people were killed daily in automobile related accidents on U.S. highways and roads. In total, 33,963 people lost their lives in automobile accidents last year. The good news is that number was an 8.85% decrease over the previous year. In fact, the total number of automobile accident related deaths has decreased 33.5% since 1979 (51,093).

But automobile accidents are obviously not the only kind of fatal accidents we have to be concerned with. This snapshot from the National Safety Council provides other examples. In 2008, an estimated 118,000 unintentional deaths occurred in the U.S. According to the National Safety Council, the chance of a fatal accident happening to you is 1 in 1,700.

And that’s where Accidental Death Benefit life insurance coverage comes in. Accidental Death is designed to protect you and your family from an accident-related death only. This type of life insurance does not provide a death benefit for death resulting from natural causes. Therefore, it is easy to qualify for and less expensive than regular term life insurance. In fact, there are no medical questions included on the application and most applications are approved within 24 hours.

Check out these sample premiums for Accidental Death from Fidelity Life Association.

Accidental Death Benefit life insurance can be a good fit for the following individuals.

• Those with major medical issues that disqualify them from getting regular term life insurance.
• Those paying a high premium for regular term life insurance due to minor medical issues.
• Those with regular term life insurance looking for additional coverage for accidental death.

Coverage under Accidental Death policies can be extended to family members as well. Additional benefits include Auto Safety and Travel Accident Benefits, included at no additional cost. See the Accidental Death Benefit brochure for details.

Contact a QuickQuote licensed Insurance Professional for more information or to apply by telephone with voice signature!

Sources: National Safety Council, Fidelity Life Association, Wikipedia.org

Credit cards are only accepted for the initial premium on the policy. This is the premium you pay when you first take out the policy and put the coverage in force. Renewal premiums do not qualify for credit card payments. For example, if you purchase a 10-year term life insurance policy and pay the initial annual premium payment with a credit card, your renewal premium will be due twelve months later. That renewal premium will have to be paid either by direct withdrawal from a checking account or a check to the life insurance company.

The reason life insurance companies limit the credit card payment to the initial premium only is due to the costs associated with accepting credit cards, such as credit card company fees, merchant account and processing fees.

Using credit cards for the initial payment on a new term life insurance company does have its advantages:

• The policy can be put in force sooner. A simple Credit Card Authorization form is used, rather than physically mailing a check to QuickQuote.
• You may be able to secure temporary life insurance coverage while the application is being reviewed if you submit the Credit Card Authorization with your application.

A QuickQuote licensed Insurance Professional can help determine whether credit card payment is an option for you!

Barbeques, baseball, beaches, pool parties, flip flops, insurance …. you get the picture.

While enjoying all the wonderful things summer has to offer, remember that insurance is a lot like sunscreen. Okay, that may be a bit of a stretch, but insurance can offer the protection and peace of mind to help make your summer enjoyable.

Travel Health Insurance

Summer is the busiest season of the year for vacations. If your summer plans include getting away, you may want to take a look at a Travel Health insurance policy. Coverage is quite affordable and may just be the difference between a memorable summer vacation and a miserable one. Some benefits include:

• Doctor visits
• Hospital services
• Emergency services
• Ambulance services
• Prescription drugs
• Trip cancellation
• Trip/Flight delays
• Lost baggage
• Rental car damage
• Acts of terrorism

Term Life Insurance

Although summer is a busy time for most people, it's never a bad time to protect your family with Term Life insurance. In fact, summer can be a great time for many reasons including:

• Many life insurance companies have recently reduced term life insurance premiums.
• Life insurance companies typically process fewer applications during the summer months. This means yours may be approved more quickly!
• If you need last minute coverage before that big vacation, Non-Medical term life insurance may be the perfect solution. Coverage can be obtained in as little as 15 minutes, all online and with no paramedical exam!

Stay cool and covered!

The following is the press release in its entirety.

Mutual of Omaha

Founded in 1909, United of Omaha Life Insurance Company is a Mutual of Omaha company. As a mutual company, owned by policyholders, the company takes a more conservative approach to investments and business decisions, and is not driven by the short-term quarterly results that often characterize publicly traded companies. Mutual of Omaha's capital position is quite strong with more than 2.2 billion in statutory surplus.

Mutual of Omaha is often recognized by its show Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom, which first aired on NBC in January, 1963. Mutual of Omaha has a long-standing commitment to conservation that dates back more than 40 years. The company believes there is a correlation between protecting the world's natural resources and its business of protecting a family's resources. Both require planning, care and professional guidance.

The company is rated A+ by AM Best (2nd highest of 15 ratings).

SBLI

Founded in 1907, The Savings Bank Life Insurance Company of Massachusetts (SBLI) is committed to providing value, quality, and stability you can count on. SBLI has the largest amount of life insurance in force in the state of Massachusetts.

In 1907, Louis D. Brandeis, a prominent Boston attorney, recognized a need for low cost life insurance. His idea was to have savings banks in Massachusetts offer life insurance, and he established the savings bank life insurance system to accomplish this objective. Today, the company still sells life insurance through many banks. However, SBLI also sells its products directly to consumers. Most importantly, the company has never wavered from its dedication in providing safe, low cost life insurance for policyholders.

The company is rated A+ by AM Best (2nd highest of 15 ratings).

These two outstanding life insurance companies offer competitive prices on term life insurance. Check out quotes for these companies today!

Sources: Mutual of Omaha, SBLI

More than 2 million individual life insurance policies sold in 2008 were purchased through the Internet, direct mail or telephone. These 'direct' sales accounted for more than 20 percent of all life insurance policies sold that year, according to research by the Life Insurance Marketing and Research Association (LIMRA) and the Life Insurance Direct Marketing Association (LIDMA), of which QuickQuote is a member.

The research findings also show consumers chose direct channels such as the Internet due to selection, price and convenience. Respondents cited a good website as a top factor in their decision to purchase life insurance online.

"It's exciting to hear more consumers are turning to direct channels such as the Internet to purchase term life insurance," stated Tim Bain, President of QuickQuote. "We've known for many years direct channels, and the Internet in particular, would become the method of choice for consumers looking to purchase term life insurance. Now we are starting to see that vision come to fruition."

Automation of key elements in the term life insurance purchasing process has helped improve cycle time and convenience. Just a few short years ago, applying for a policy was done entirely on paper, which required mailing applications, physical signatures, etc. Today, we make better use of technology in the following ways:

• Online Application Forms - forms can be completed online or by telephone.
• Electronic Signatures - forms can be signed electronically, with no need for printing, mailing, etc.
• Electronic Submission - forms can be submitted to the insurance company electronically.
• Status Updates - underwriting progress can be checked online and in real-time.
• Electronic Policy Delivery - the newest automation to the process will be available from QuickQuote this summer!

While purchasing term life insurance online may not be as simple as downloading a new app or e-book, it's certainly much better than the 'old school' way. And if your life insurance need is $500k or less, Non-Medical Term Life Insurance can be purchased in as little as 15 minutes, entirely online! You won't find an app for that in the App Store.

Sources: LIMRA, LIDMA

In 2006, we published a blog titled 'Life Insurance for the 'Non-Working' Spouse.' Of course, we knew then as we do now, the term 'Non-Working' as it relates to a stay-at-home parent is hardly accurate and quite misleading. Anyone who currently is, has been or knows a stay-at-home parent will tell you it is one of the most challenging roles a person can take on.

And we can tell you from experience that life insurance for a stay-at-home parent is just as important as it is for the family's primary income earner. Imagine having to replace the work she/he does while continuing your career and raising the children on your own. Not a pleasant thought.

But alas, QuickQuote and Salary.com are here to help! Salary.com's Mom Salary Wizard is a wonderful tool for helping valuate the work a stay-at-home mom performs, and estimating an annual salary for that work (stay-at-home dads can use the wizard also). The results will absolutely amaze you!

The average stay-at-home mom salary for 2010 as calculated by Salary.com is $117,867. The average 'at-home' salary for working moms is estimated at $71,868 (not counting their workplace earnings). These values are determined by analyzing the time spent performing ten typical job functions. The wizard allows you to enter hours for several different job functions and takes into account regional wages. Some examples include:

• Housekeeper
• Day Care Teacher
• Cook/Chef
• Van Driver
• Psychologist
• Event Planner
• Laundry Machine Operator

The wizard can be a fun way to estimate the value of mom's work, but we all know the true value cannot be monetized. For the purposes of life insurance, you will want to put pen to paper and try to arrive at an annual amount you would need to hire out that portion of the work she does which you would not be able to complete yourself.

Our licensed Insurance Professionals can help you find a life insurance company that is stay-at-home 'parent' friendly.

Happy Mother's Day to all moms, whether you work at home, away from home or both!

Source: Salary.com

• Cigarette smoking has been identified as the most important source of preventable morbidity and premature mortality in the United States and the world.
• Smoking-related diseases cause an estimated 440,000 American deaths each year.
• Smoking costs the United States over $150 billion annually in health care costs.

Life insurance companies are well aware of the hazards of tobacco/nicotine use, and the premiums they charge customers who use these products reflect this. The following chart shows the difference between non-tobacco and tobacco premiums charged by one life insurance company.

But alas, there is good news for tobacco/nicotine users. Banner Life Insurance Company recently announced reduced rates for tobacco/nicotine users. And, RBC Liberty Life Insurance Company continues to offer some of the most competitive tobacco rates in the life insurance industry.

Source: Smoking-Facts.Net

QuickQuote's travel health insurance partner, HTH Worldwide, recently launched its new mPassport application for iPhone and iPad users. The new app helps users find quality health care services in twenty top destinations for business and leisure travelers including Barcelona, London, Madrid, Paris, Rome, Mexico City, Bermuda, Beijing, Hong Kong and many others.

mPassport allows users to do the following:

• Find carefully, selected English speaking physicians or dentists and schedule an appointment


• Use mapping and GPS functionality to find the shortest route to medical care


• Translate medical terms, phrases and medication names


• Understand health risks and access the right emergency services

Source: HTH Worldwide

In honor of Earth Day 2010, we have a suggestion for you that will help save a little wear and tear on the Blue Planet. How about applying for term life insurance using a paperless application process complete with electronic signature? If you are in need of coverage and feeling a little green, why not get started?

Here are some interesting facts about the third planet from the sun:

·         Age: Approximately 3-5 billion years old

·         Circumference: 24,901.5 miles

·         Diameter: Almost 8,000 miles

·         Weight: An estimated 6,585,600,000,000,000,000,000 tons

·         Highest Point: Mt. Everest, 29,028 feet above sea level

·         Lowest Point: Dead Sea, 1,302 feet below sea level

·         Composed of 70% water and 30% land

Did You Know?

·         Plastics and aluminum take approximately 500 years to degrade.

·         Cotton, paper and organic materials take 6 months to degrade.

 Source:  planetpals.com

ING ReliaStar Life Insurance Company

ING ReliaStar Life has reduced premiums by as much as 13% in some cases. The average decrease is about 3% in most cases, with rates increasing slightly in some cases.

ING ReliaStar Life also introduced a 25-year term length to its existing coverage options. And finally, the maximum issue age for all term life insurance policies was increased by five years.

"The aggressive new pricing, the addition of the 25-year term policy and the extension of the maximum issue age are all tremendous enhancements made by ING ReliaStar Life," stated Tim Bain, QuickQuote President. "The company is once again showing why they are a leader in the term life insurance market and proving their desire to remain so."

The Savings Bank Life Insurance Company of Massachusetts (SBLI)

SBLI has also reduced term life insurance premiums on its 20-year and 30-year policies. The company stated the changes will once again make the company's 20-year and 30-year term life policies some of the most competitive in the life insurance industry.

"SBLI will continue to be a low-cost leader in the market, as these current rate changes reaffirm that commitment," Bain noted.

Premium rates from both of these A-rated companies can be viewed here.

The new QuickQuote website has finally hatched!

It's been a long time coming .... 7 years to be exact. But we've finally cut ties with our old website.

The new website features some incredible technological enhancements resulting in quicker quoting, faster page loading, sharper graphics and images and more.

Here are a few of the new features you will find:

• Enhanced Term Life Quoting System
• More Online Insurance Applications
• Electronic Signature Capabilities
• Multimedia Presentations

New product offerings include:

• Non-Medical Term Life Insurance
• Mortgage Term Life Insurance

We are anxious to show off our 'new digs' ... so please take a look and let us know what you think!

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.

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

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.