Before you head onto the roads this December, remember to combat the practice of driving while impaired by alcohol and drugs as promoted by National Drunk and Drugged Driving Prevention Month. Originally getting its start in 1982 by former President Ronald Reagan, the month is dedicated to increasing awareness of this dangerous practice and decreasing the number of injuries and deaths as a result.
Why This Month is Important
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 36 people in the U.S. die every day from vehicle crashes that involve alcohol. The National Commission Against Drunk Driving also notes that 41 percent of all traffic crashes are alcohol-related.
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Missouri Governor Jay Nixon is pushing for legislation that would mandate insurance coverage for the treatment and diagnosis of autism in the state. This is not his first time trying to push for legislation, but while it failed before, he hopes that it will be passed in the 2010 legislative session.
Recently, Missouri Senators Scott Rupp and Eric Schmitt have both noted that one in 100 children are diagnosed with autism. Despite the overwhelming number of children who need treatment, insurance companies won’t pay to treat the disease.
It is for this reason that together, Rupp and Schmitt are co-sponsoring a bill supported by Nixon, Missouri House Speaker Ron Richard and other state members, both Republican and Democrat, that would require insurance companies to pay.
Legislative members are pushing to have a measure passed within a year.
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Convertible term life insurance is a life insurance policy that has a provision allowing you to convert your term policy into a whole life insurance policy. This conversion should be done during the policy’s specified time period, and the change can usually be made without having to pass an additional health exam.
Since you do not need to provide proof of good health, convertible term life insurance policies carry more risk for the insurer. Generally, this makes convertible term life policies more expensive than similar policies without a conversion provision. However, convertible term life is usually still lower in cost than most whole life insurance policies.
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You might be feel fairly secure with your health insurance provider, but these days more and more insurance companies are relying on rescission to deny paying out claims to their policy holders.
Currently, when it comes to private insurance coverage, it is up to the individual states to decide the rules and regulations governing health care coverage. Nearly all the states have clauses in place to refuse coverage or deny payments for those who have preexisting conditions. The range of ailments that qualify as preexisting include acne, back pain, broken bones and life threatening conditions such as cancer and heart problems.
Rescission Basics
Rescission is when health insurance providers are able to retroactively revoke or cancel your insurance coverage even after you have been approved for coverage.
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The number of no-fault insurance fraud cases have risen steadily in New York with 11,000 incidences reported already this year. Compared to last year this is a seven percent increase. The New York State Insurance Department is suggesting changes be made in required auto insurance coverage to hopefully eliminate the number of fraud cases. The changes will impact consumers in terms of the insurance requirements and the cost of auto insurance.
In general the proposed rules give insurance companies much more leeway when it comes to handling what it suspects are fraud cases. For example, one proposal is to make it easier for insurance companies to dispute health care charges that exceed appropriate free schedules.
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Whole life insurance plans are much more complicated than term life plans, so the process of finding one can be confusing. Since the insurance company is obligated to pay out benefits on a whole life plan, the terms of the contract can be much more restrictive.
This can all seem a little overwhelming for those who are looking to buy whole life insurance. The best way to start looking is to become familiar with common terms and procedures. Then start considering factors such as budget, coverage amount, and additional benefits.
Understand the Basics
Term life insurance plans are relatively inexpensive because there is usually little chance the company will have to payout on the policy.
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