Sunday, January 6, 2008

Buying Insurance Online

Buying insurance is a major financial decision, and it is important to give this decision the time and care it needs. Buying insurance is more important and complex than most people realize. Neither is it like buying office supplies, and price alone should not be the deciding factor.

The purpose of buying insurance is to transfer your financial risk to the insurance company. It is a fact that buying insurance is practical nowadays and could save you from financial and emotional frustration.

Policies are available to cover an extended stay in a health care facility and even the cost of having a licensed nurse or health care worker treat you in your home. Professional brokers can recommend suitable policies after checking the products of a variety of providers on your behalf. Insurance companies know a great deal about probabilities and they price their policies to cover their risks and overhead costs while allowing for a healthy profit margin.

Nowadays, life insurance policies are closer to investment vehicles, as in many cases the insurance company simply invests your premiums for either a lump sum payment or a monthly payment to begin at a predetermined time.

If there are individuals who depend on you for financial support, or if you work at home providing your family with such services as child care, cooking, and cleaning, you need life insurance. If you are young and have children, or planning a family, life insurance can provide the means for them to finish their education if you're not around to help. There are many important purchases in life, but few are as critical to the long term financial well being of an individual or family as insurance.

If you are married, another way to share risk is to make sure both spouses are employable so your family isn't wholly dependent on only one income.

As long as you continue to pay the premiums, you are able to lock in coverage at a level premium rate. In return for your premiums (your money), an insurance company will contract the policy with you to pay for certain losses. So, generally the premiums will vary depending on the risk of the occurrence you are looking to cover.

The amount of premiums payable depends upon the type of policy, term of policy contract, sum assured and your age. Whether it is coverage for a personal car, one's home, or even supplemental accidental death and disability, the process is pretty much the same: call an agent, state the need, get a price and begin paying premiums.

The insurance market covers a wide range of areas, such as home, car, personal, medical, travel, accident and life, to mention a few of the common insurance policies available. General insurance is divided into six broad categories: home, vehicle, income protection, public liability, personal accident and travel. Protecting hard-earned assets from liability exposure due to property damage or personal injury, which can occur as a consequence of boat ownership, is prudent. For the purposes of security spending, risk management, or just about anything else, you still end up slicing things right down the middle of your personal probability spectrum.

Since buying insurance is buying something you hope you never really need, the only way you will find out if claims are handled efficiently is when you experience a loss, but the first and most important rule when buying insurance is DO NOT be "economical with the truth" - it could spell disaster.


Peter Fisher is webmaster for www.themoneyworldonline.com where you will find masses of information and assistance with buying insurance online for general insurance, health, travel and even wedding day insurance.