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It used to be that getting life insurance was a major pain. Things have changed.

“Remember the good old days when you wanted to buy life insurance and you had to take tests, fill out forms, fill out more forms, mail stuff, sign stuff, and in general, spend a whole lot of time fiddling around? Many people do remember that process and as a net result really don’t like applying for life insurance. Good news, times have changed. Life insurance is now easily obtainable online,” outlined Evan Tunis of Florida Health Care Insurance, Delray Beach, Florida.

Imagine not having to run around in tight little circles trying to keep all the documents and various requirements up in the air at the same time. Imagine a process for applying for term life insurance that takes mere minutes, as opposed to weeks. Welcome to the 21st century and the advent of online “everything.”

“The process for applying for term life insurance online is so simple that people are bound to appreciate it right away. I don’t mean that they can ‘just’ fill out an online application, I mean even the signing for term life insurance may be done online. Technology is great when it saves you time, means you won’t miss signing on the right dotted lines, don’t have to mail in the application form, and can do this all in the convenience of your home,” suggested Tunis.

Applying for term life insurance online just got a whole lot simpler because the industry chose to listen to their customers who were telling them their lives were too hectic to drop everything and come on in to do the deed in person. “Why,” they asked, “can’t we apply for life insurance online and just get things done quickly and easily through a licensed broker?”

“There is still the option for an individual to call and ask questions; in fact, that’s almost to be expected, as most people don’t tend to buy life insurance without having a lot of questions to ask. That’s what I’m here for and I welcome any calls to help people through the online application process,” offered Tunis.

To learn more about Florida health insurance, visit http://www.floridahealthcareinsurance.com/.

No matter how healthy you are now, there will be a point when you need to use a hospital. Having health insurance is a smart move.

There are a good number of people in the US who think that they don’t need health insurance, that it’s a waste of time and money and they have better things to do. You may indeed have better things to do, but trying to do them with that broken leg or arm that happened unexpectedly in a car crash is going to be difficult.

How will you pay your medical bill – the enormous medical bill – that arrives for the hospital services? No one has that kind of money in the bank and wiping out your savings isn’t a good idea either. And so you may be left with declaring medical bankruptcy; all because you did not have some form of individual Florida health insurance. Sure, people think health insurance is expensive, but it’s “more” expensive if you “don’t” have it.

The only thing you need to remember is that even though you may be on a budget and need specific things, there is always a policy that exists out there that will suit you. All you have to do is ask your local health insurance broker for help. After all, they know their product and can find something to suit precisely what you need. Notice I didn’t say “want.” That is because you “need” specific types of coverage to be protected versus the fact that you may “want” a Cadillac plan for a low cost. Cadillac health insurance plan and low cost payments are words that rarely happen in the same sentence.

Basically, you need to do some homework, surf the Internet, ask friends what they have and talk to an expert Florida health insurance agent. Having some insurance rather than none may save you from bankruptcy court at some point. If you think that’s a little off the wall, consider the price to fix a broken leg: $30,000. Do you have $30,000? Chances are the answer to that is “No,” and neither do a lot of other people. Don’t take risks with your health when, for a small monthly premium, you could have health insurance coverage.

Let’s take a look at some things you can do to get what you need in an individual health insurance policy; the right one for you. Take a close look at the various health insurance policies and their varying monthly payments. This isn’t to say you should buy according to price alone, or you may not get what you thought you got. Always talk to a qualified health insurance agent. Their advice is free, they’re not trying to sell you a bum deal and they can help you save money. Really, what other services these days helps you save money?

When you’re looking at various policies, keep in mind you need to check the co-insurance, meaning the percentage of the bill “you” have to fork out cash for versus what the insurance company will pay. In most cases, the insurance company pays the bigger portion of the bill, which may seem great, but it usually means higher premiums. So if you up your payments, the premiums will come down.

If you have questions, then don’t hesitate to contact an experienced Florida health insurance agent who only has your best interests in mind.

Evan Tunis is with FloridaHealthcareInsurance.com, the leading provider of Florida health insurance quotes. To learn more about Florida health insurance, visit Floridahealthcareinsurance.com.

People tend to avoid HSAs because they aren’t familiar with how they work. They’re well worth considering because they save money.

Health savings accounts, otherwise referred to as HSAs, are very well advertised, but for some reason people tend to avoid them. There isn’t a really clear reason for that because on closer examination HSAs have the distinct advantage of saving you money, and who doesn’t want to do that these days?

The one thing you need to remember is that the HSA may only be used in combination with a high deductible health plan (HDHP). The two health care companions function as a tag team, to distribute health insurance and operate as a payment plan. When used together, you get some nice price breaks and the actual benefits extend beyond what your typical Florida health insurance plan may offer.

Setting up an HSA is actually really easy. All you have to do is go to the bank or another financial institution. Remember, you also need to get signed up for an HSA qualified HDHP that will have a minimum deductible of anywhere from $1,200 to $2,400, depending on whether it’s individual insurance or a family plan. So, along those same lines, if the plan is just for you, you may put in the maximum of $3,050 or $6,150 for a family. For those over the age of 55, they may toss in an extra $1,000 every year as a catch-up contribution.

You know what the best thing is about an HSA? You’ll love this if you happen to be younger and in fairly good health, or, older and in good health. If you have a good year and don’t have that many medical expenses, you get to keep what’s in the account for future use. Not a bad deal hey? In fact, you can keep adding money every year, so long as you don’t go over the contribution limit. Note: the yearly contributions have a set limit, but the total savings in the account can be as much as you let it grow. That’s pretty appealing; along with the fact you get to control how you spend the money.

Did you know that HSA money is tax deductible? And, not only that, but it grows “tax free” for as long as you use it to pay for “medical expenses.” That brings up a question I hear quite a lot and that involves what people can use their HSA account money for in the first place. The answer to that is you may use it for alternative treatments (acupuncture), some over the counter medicines and even most dental procedures. Hint: not all insurance companies count these payments as part of your deductible, so you might want to check that out first.

The good news is that the list of HSA qualified expenses is nice and long, which is a great benefit to you, because it means you don’t need to separate coverage for things like prescription drugs, dental or vision care. This saves you money as well. The bottom line is an HSA is worth trying.

Evan Tunis is with FloridaHealthcareInsurance.com, the leading provider of Florida health insurance quotes. To learn more about Florida health insurance, visit Floridahealthcareinsurance.com.

Providing group life insurance to employees is a good incentive that will attract and retain high quality candidates. With a small investment, employers can offer their employees peace of mind and make their company benefits package more appealing.

For many people, securing life insurance can be a long and complicated process. Those that apply for policies are often faced with mountains of paperwork and come to fear the prospect of failing the physical exam and having to pay exorbitant premiums. Because of the difficulties individuals often face when applying for life insurance policies, employer provided group life insurance can be an attractive offer for current and potential employees. The peace of mind of knowing that dependents will be provided for in the event of an early death is one of the simplest but most highly valued benefits available to employees.

Group life insurance premiums are generally considerably lower than premiums for individual life insurance policies. This is mainly due to the fact that group life insurance is much less of a risk for the insurance company, as insurance companies base group life premiums on the overall risk of the company or on the group of employees. With a group life insurance policy, the insurance company does not perform medical underwriting on an individual basis, as it usually does with individual policies. Instead, employers may be asked a series of simple medical questions about the characteristics of the group as a whole (e.g., size, stability, and group makeup) and this information will be used to determine the group’s eligibility.

For most companies, the risk factor of obtaining life insurance for employees is low because everyone in a company is not likely to die at once. In fact, due to employee turnover rates, the chance that anyone will die while working at the employer’s company is relatively small. Employers can give employees extra peace of mind with little cost. Because group life insurance is typically bundled with group health insurance, the insurance company’s sales and administrative costs are minimal. With such low administrative costs, the savings can be passed on to the consumer.

When an employer offers his or her employees group life insurance, it is very important that the employer makes his or her employees aware that group life insurance is not intended to replace their individual life insurance policies. Group plans should be considered as supplemental policies and typically provide coverage from $10,000 to one year of salary of the insured’s policy. A year’s salary will not be a sufficient amount to support the employee’s survivors or dependents on occasion of the employee’s death.

When searching for group health insurance policies, employers should consider adding group life insurance. Offering life insurance can be a cost-effective method of attracting and retaining quality employees.

To learn more visit: http://www.grouphealthflorida.com

Deciding on a health care plan for your company isn’t something that should be done lightly. Especially since, aside from paid vacation, health care coverage is the most important benefit for employees.

Managed care plans usually cover a wide range of health services such as preventive care and immunizations for adults and children, general checkups, diagnosis and treatment of illness (including any necessary tests, doctors’ visits, prescription medications, and hospital care) and complete prenatal and newborn care. In addition, some managed care plans offer some services for the diagnosis and treatment of mental health conditions and substance abuse problems.

Due to the rising costs of healthcare, small business owners are likely to choose from one of two types of managed care plans for their employees. These two types of managed health care plans are—health maintenance organizations (HMOs) and preferred provider organizations (PPOs).

Usually, an HMO is the most affordable type of managed health care plan for employers and employees. An HMO will provide full reimbursement for most health care services, as long as employees visit approved, in-network doctors and hospitals for their medical needs. Employers who elect an HMO will have to choose a primary care physician (PCP). Health care providers within the HMO network are then encouraged to limit their fees in exchange for a guaranteed number of patients.

PPOs, on the other hand, are less restrictive in terms of choosing a doctor, but they are usually more costly for employees and employers. PPOs will generally cover network doctor visits with some type of copayment. With a PPO, employees are generally required to pay more costs upfront and are not fully reimbursed when they visit doctors and hospitals out of the network. PPOs control costs by balancing employees’ freedom of choice against their out-of-pocket expenses.

When reviewing these managed care options for employees, you should consider the following questions:

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Are the providers located conveniently for employees?
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What doctors, hospitals and other providers are part of the plan?
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Are there deductibles to pay before the insurance kicks in?
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Does the plan require referrals for specialists?
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Are there limits to how much will be covered by the plan?
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How much does it cost to see a provider outside the plan?

Considering these questions before choosing a health care plan can help you give employees the type of coverage they want. Choosing the right kind of plan for your employees will allow you to attract and hold a capable work force.

Bradley Palmer is with Grouphealthflorida.com offering Florida Group Health Insurance. To learn more about group health insurance, visit http://www.grouphealthflorida.com.

In some instances a consumer can take a free look at a Florida health insurance policy of their choice. Certain restrictions may apply.

“Picking out the right health insurance policy can certainly test one’s patience, but honestly, there are so many ways to make that process easier, that the more you know, the less you have to do to find what you need. Sure, it’s one of the biggest decisions you will make during your life and of course, it will directly affect your life too by the quality of the health care options you have,” remarked Evan Tunis of Florida Health Care Insurance, Delray Beach, Florida.

Many people tend to look at getting Florida health insurance as being something they really don’t need because they don’t see the doctor that often. “While that may be true generally speaking, what happens when a major life event unfolds – a broken leg, head injuries, broken ribs or heart problems? Medical bills for those events could put someone into medical bankruptcy. Get covered and put those worries on the shelf knowing if something does happen, your policy ‘does’ have your back,” added Tunis.

Finding and buying the right individual health insurance plans remains among the most important decisions you should make in your life. The policies are investments you should be taking by now before any health problem comes in. Here are several ways on how you could successfully whittle down your choices and maintain costs for co-payments, premiums, and prescriptions.

“Start looking for a policy that suits you in your immediate location; oftentimes they are much better prices than if you go nationally. Not to mention the fact that you will get personal service locally from an expert health insurance broker. Check around for pricing and make sure to ask lots of questions. After all, it’s ‘your’ health and you need to know what you are covered for and what you are not covered for. Who needs nasty surprises later?” Tunis pointed out.

“Before looking for Florida health insurance, make a list of all the things that are important to you; things you absolutely need to have and make sure you mention these to the health insurance broker. If you’ve taken the time to do that – identify your personal preferences – finding what you want is easier. For instance, let’s say you want lower premiums, a good choice of doctors and excellent customer service,” Tunis remarked. If the insurance agent knows these things, it helps them look for a policy to fit their customer’s needs.

While many people these days try to find their own health insurance, it’s really a good idea to use the services of a broker or agent. Why? “Because they know their industry inside out, where the deals are, what would work for you, and what would not. They also know just about every available option in which you may be interested. It saves you the time and hassle hunting online when you aren’t quite sure what you are looking at,” said Tunis.

“One final thing you should know about, and many people don’t know this, is that you can actually try out the health care option that you want; kick the tires for free so to speak. You need to ask your agent about that, as a free trial would give you a refund if you don’t like the policy you chose, but it would need to be within a certain period of time. There are certain restrictions and various guidelines which you would also have to follow. It might be worth checking into,” suggested Tunis.

To learn more about Florida health insurance, visit http://www.floridahealthcareinsurance.com/.

There is a myth that says if you don’t have Florida health insurance, you are saving money. That is not accurate.

There are a whole lot of myths floating around out there and online in cyberspace about how cheaply you can live if you aren’t paying for health insurance. Furthermore, people think that if they don’t pay premiums for health insurance that they are saving money. This is not the case. All it takes is one single accident such as breaking your leg, and you are in a world of hurt physically and financially.

Did you know that the price of fixing a broken leg may run to $60,000? Who has that kind of money on hand to pay their medical bills? The answer to that is not many people have that kind of money, and if they did and paid the bill, they would then be broke or bankrupt. Have you taken a close look at how many medical bankruptcies there are these days? Frightening, isn’t it?

Thanks to the recent changes to health care, Florida health insurance is one of the most “in demand” products on the market. And why not; everyone will be mandated to have it in the future, so they may as well start searching for the right health insurance now. It honestly makes more sense to have health insurance that covers you for those medical emergencies in life and other things you need (meds for your kids) rather than take a chance without coverage.

Now is the perfect time to start looking around for the right plan that works for you alone, or for you and your family. You will need to compare quotes from various places, but that doesn’t take too long. Ask questions and then ask more questions, because you can never have too much information when it comes to protecting your health and welfare. If you want to save money, “this” is where you will save it – when looking for deals for Florida health insurance.

Go for the gold when you hunt down health insurance policies and get quotes from about 5 companies. From there, find out what they offer in terms of coverage and what suits your needs. Remember, your “needs” are far more important than your
“wants,” as wants tend to come with a higher price tag premium wise. Chances are the things you “want versus need” are also things you can do without – for now. That doesn’t mean you can’t change your mind and your coverage later.

Evan Tunis is with FloridaHealthcareInsurance.com, the leading provider of Florida health insurance quotes. To learn more about Florida health insurance, visit Floridahealthcareinsurance.com.

If others depend on you, it’s likely best that you have life insurance in place. You are never too young to have life insurance.

It doesn’t matter how old or how young you are, if you have people that depend on you, then it’s generally best if you have Florida life insurance in place to care for them if something happens to you. Granted, many young people don’t seem to think death is just around the corner, but the reality of life is that death can and does happen to everyone, and sometimes unexpectedly; e.g., as the result of a car accident.

Some younger people don’t think they need life insurance, and they may be right. It is a personal choice and one that each person needs to make for themselves based on their lifestyle. Ideally, the right time to buy life insurance is when someone else is financially dependent on you – and that may happen at any age these days. So don’t automatically rule out buying life insurance because you think you are “too” young.

One thing to keep in mind is this: you buy Florida life insurance because “you” need it, not because it might seem like the right thing to do at the moment because everyone else is buying it, and you certainly don’t want to be purchasing it just because someone is selling it – whether they’re a relative or not.

Still not sure what life insurance means? The simplest way to explain it is that life insurance is the insurance company betting that you will live a nice long life and you are hedging your bets, just in case. You’re transferring the risk of death (yours) to the insurance company in exchange for paying them your premiums. Is that a good deal? It depends on the circumstances and what type of life insurance you opt to buy. This is something about which you need to talk to a qualified Florida life insurance expert.

One thing to keep in mind is that ideally, you want to consider what stage of your life you’re at before you buy life insurance. For example, if you have no kids and are footloose and fancy free single, you might not need it yet. On the other hand, if you are the sole support for ill parents, you may need to rethink having it early.

The bottom line is this: think about your lifestyle and obligations to others. If you have questions, talk them over with an expert life insurance agent. They have various options and plans that will suit just about any situation.

Evan Tunis is with FloridaHealthcareInsurance.com, the leading provider of Florida health insurance quotes. To learn more about Florida health insurance, visit Floridahealthcareinsurance.com.

Offering health insurance to employees is a great way to attract quality candidates and to boost employee retention. If small or large business owners are interested in trying to save on the premiums they’re going to pay for employees, there are several things they can do to control costs.

One of the most important things for employers is to make sure they have properly considered all options before selecting an insurance plan for employees. If an employer is looking to provide insurance for its employees, it will be important to seek quotations from more than one insurance company. Also, employers should be certain to consider each plan the companies have to offer. In order to find the best price, employers will need to focus on getting quotes from multiple insurance companies and then evaluating the various types of health insurance plans offered within each of these companies.

Another way that business owners can help to control the cost of providing group health care insurance is by shifting some of those costs to employees. One of the most common ways to share these costs is by increasing the employee’s out-of-pocket costs by choosing higher deductibles, copayments and coinsurance. Another more direct method of sharing the cost of insurance with employees involves sharing in the cost of the monthly health care premiums. In choosing this option, both the employer and the employees would be sharing the cost of the insurance premiums.

In addition, there may be several income tax incentives or benefits one can derive as a business owner when he or she chooses to provide health insurance to employees. Premiums paid are usually considered a business expense and are fully deductible under federal income taxes. Under the new healthcare law, small business will receive 35 percent tax credit on the premiums they pay for their employees’ health coverage. Businesses, including non-profit organizations, will be eligible for the tax credit if they have fewer than 25 full-time employees, pay an average salary of $50,000 or less per year, and cover at least 50 percent of their workers’ health costs.

By offering employees health care, an employer can help build the company’s reputation and attract quality employees who are more likely to stay in their positions for longer periods of time.

To learn more visit: http://www.grouphealthflorida.com

The IRS has announced changes to health savings accounts contribution limits for 2011. Due to a cost of living, contribution limits will remain as they are in 2010.

According to a census of insurance firms that America’s Health Insurance Plans released last month, more than 10 million U.S. residents are covered by health savings accounts (HSAs). These plans allow individuals to contribute thousands of pre-tax dollars to HSAs, which participants may spend on health care needs or roll over indefinitely. HSA accounts were initially chosen by consumers who might otherwise go without insurance because of its high cost or their good health, but the recent rise has been fueled by more companies and their employees opting for the plans. Choosing these plans does shift the risk onto the patient but offers less-expensive premiums than traditional coverage.

Recently, the IRS released the 2011 cost-of -living adjusted HSA contribution limits. Individuals must have a high deductible plan in order to qualify to make an HSA contribution. HSA contribution limits, along with high-deductible health plan (HDHP) deductibles and out-of-pocket maximums, will stay the same as they are in 2010. This decision is due to the cost-of-living remaining flat. After the application of the cost-of-living adjustment rules, the changes in the Consumer Price Index for the relevant period did not result in any changes to the HSA amounts for 2011.
Under Internal Revenue Service Revenue Procedure 2010-22:

The annual HSA contribution limit for employee-only coverage will remain at $3,050 ($6,150 for family coverage).

The minimum deductible for employee-only HDHP coverage will remain at $1,200 ($2,400 for family coverage)

The limit on maximum out-of-pocket expenses (including deductibles, co-pays and co-insurance but not premiums) for employee-only coverage will remain at $5,950 ($11,900 for family coverage).
The catch-up contribution limit, for individuals who are 55 or older, will remain at $1,000.

While most of the HSA limits will stay the same, one significant change that will occur in 2011 is the penalty on taxable, non-medical distributions. The penalty for 2010 is 10% and this will increase to 20% starting in 2011.

Bradley Palmer is with Grouphealthflorida.com offering Florida Group Health Insurance. To learn more about group health insurance, visit http://www.grouphealthflorida.com.