Archive for the ‘life’ tag
How Could We All Be ‘Connected’?
I overheard an interesting conversation the other day. The woman that was talking to another said that she believes we are all ‘connected’.
After thinking it over for a bit, a few questions came to mind.
If we are all connected then why do people feel lonely at times? One would presume that if we were all connected that it would be impossible to feel isolated or lonely.
Another thought is that if we are all connected why do we have so much trouble understanding each other?
Why do people miscommunicate so often? This doesn’t require much explanation because frankly, everyone has experienced the effect of misunderstandings in even the most basic of human communication.
Why do people fear telling others about bad breath, when it is easily solved with a product like therabreath? It is an act of kindness to tell someone.
Why are their wars? If we were so wonderfully connected there shouldn’t be any warfare. Any issues that come up would be rapidly solved by the innated understanding that should come from being connected.
Why is there so much diversity in our various belief systems and backgrounds. Let us face it, many cultures are almost diametrically opposed. One cultures ‘normal’ idea is another’s radical thought. This is similar to freedom fighters and terrorism. What one man calls a terrorist, another man will call a freedom fighter. This is living proof that our perceptions and beliefs are radically different from each other.
Why can such a powerful tool for oral health, such as the Hydro Floss oral irrigator – be a big uknown for so many people?
One some people call evil, others call good. How can this be? If something is bad or evil, it just is so. Why would someone else call it good?
With so many different ways of thinking, so many different believes, so many different value systems and all the variations of human thinking – how could we be all ‘connected’.
How come more people don’t find out about a good thing, such as Oramd, more quickly, if we are all, ‘connected’?
I’m not sure there is a good answer to this. All I can say is that if *I* were in charge – all of these problems would go away! Ok- Just kidding. I’m not such an egoist.
I am not sure how to answer these questions, but feel free to comment if you believe you have the answers!
The best meditation practice is Falun Dafa which can be found at FalunDafa.org
A fantastic show called Shen Yun is coming to a city near you. Read more about this show and look at the fabulous picturs at ShenYunPerformingArts.org
copyrighted 2009, do not copy.
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The History of Life Insurance
The history of Life Insurance is not a very hard one to understand. Today, Life insurance is simply the contract between a single individual and an insurance company dictating that the company is to pay the policy holder’s beneficiary if the insured dies. But where did the idea of being insured at death come from? Who were the first people that implemented this idea? What did they do when the amounts of money were not as high as those of the companies in the life insurance industry today? When did the actual life insurance industry started? All these are pretty interesting questions and the fact of the matter is that some of them cannot be answered to a high extent; however we do know a lot about the history of this wonderful thing that today covers people from all around the globe.
The First Few Signs in Life Insurance History
Historians have been searching for the true start of life insurance as we know it, but they have first deciphered the baby steps that finally ended in the actual death benefit payment. According to the Financial Shopper Network in Ancient China sailors would prevent pirates from stealing all their goods by carrying portions of other ships cargos, this way if a pirate stole the cargo of one ship, the entire load would not be lost. A little bit later in Babylon traders simply gave loans that had to be repaid when the contents of the trade were delivered safely.
So what does this have to do with life insurance? Well both of those civilizations were preventing losing it all. They were doing little baby steps that would help in the long run. Life insurance as we know it however; started in the city of Rome. The people of this highly advanced civilization decided to form what they called “burial clubs”. These clubs were designed with one sole purpose, in case of an unexpected death of a club member; everyone else would be willing to pay for their funerary expenses and help the family of the survivor with some money. The concept of life insurance as they knew it ended dramatically in the year 450 A.D. when the Roman Empire fell and its practices were abandoned for a long period of time. It is also important to highlight that many historians agree that about at the same time of Rome, the Indian Empire and its citizens also formed “burial clubs” in order to pay for funerals and help people with expenses. A clue of this according to the Financial Shopper Network is that the “yogakshema, the name of Life Insurance Corporation of Indian’s Corporate Headquarters” refers to the Vedas.
Britain and It’s Footstep in Life Insurance History
Modern life insurance however did not start until the British decided to try and make it work. The practice of life insurance was banded in the entire continent of Europe except for England and it was exactly the British that started the most prominent life insurance companies known to the European countries today. It was in the middle of the 17th century that in the streets of London, England a group of people met together at Lloyd’s Coffee house and decided to come about with life insurance ideas. The coffee house was a famous place for merchants, ship owners and traders and therefore it would be the perfect place to discuss life insurance knowing that most of those people had money.
Life Insurance History in the United States
With the British knowing the basics of life insurance and the things that could help people like the life insurance industry, they decided to give it a try in the United States of America. After talking about how they would decide on coming about with the first life insurance company, they decided to base it on the well known British model at the time. The first life insurance company in American soil was founded in the Southern Colony of Charleston, South Carolina in the year 1735.
About 20 years later the entire colonies saw that this was a good idea, so the Presbyterian Synod of Philadelphia decided to sponsor the first life insurance corporation in the United States, which wrote its first policy in the year 1761. The bad thing about life insurance at that time was that many religious groups opposed it because it would be like anticipating one’s own death and with the religious fervor in the North American Colonies at the time; it proved to be quite a challenge to get the whole thing started.
The actual life insurance industry as we know it really took off in the year 1840 because those religious groups calmed down and didn’t interfere with governmental affairs anymore. Another big reason that life insurance companies came about proved to be the New York and Chicago Fire’s that killed a whole bunch of people in each of the two cities. After this more and more life insurance companies started coming about and in the 1900′s business really grew. People wanted to be protected in case of an accidental death.
The 1900′s proved to be an era of growth for the life insurance industry. Two wars went on and many people decided to insure themselves to establish a secure monetary future for their families. It is also said that after an attack on the country more people buy life insurance policies. Nobody can contest that simply because after Pearl Harbor a bunch of people panicked and decided to open policies in fear for their lives. The same is true after the turn of this century when the attacks on the World Trade Center took place. People decided that not having protection was not worth it and that a little premium each month was better than leaving their families in economic burden.
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The Economic Effects of Unemployment Insurance in Canada
It is undeniable that the current state of the Canadian economy is grim. Unemployment rates are at unprecedented highs and the labour market is at an all time low. During times of economic uncertainty and general unease about the market, social programs experience particular scrutiny and pressure.
Canadian Unemployment Insurance
Unlike the United States, where federal unemployment programs are run at the state level, the Canadian unemployment system is exclusively federal. The Canadian insurance policy is financed directly by employers’ and employees’ contributions. Up until 1991, general federal revenues also supplemented these contributions. The program is highly regional in that it provides for greater support in terms of duration of benefits and qualification periods to areas that suffer from higher unemployment.
Traditionally, unemployment insurance programs in Canada were designed to serve as a broad instrument of income supplementation that would sustain small communities and protect traditional occupations from forces of economic modernization. Those smaller communities with more traditional lifestyles happen to also be within the regions that see more support from the federal unemployment system.
Since the 1980′s, Canadian unemployment insurance programs have seen several different types of cuts, including duration of benefits, qualification periods, and amounts awarded. The government has withdrawn significant resources from these programs. These cutbacks have tended to hit harder in more affluent regions, while areas with higher unemployment still enjoy nearly the same levels of unemployment support.
Today’s Effects on the Canadian Economy
The combination of reduced benefits and the greater dependence on unemployment by the masses are culminating in an interesting end result. Since unemployment is up across all regions, the effect is greater economic fragmentation. We are seeing that smaller and poorer communities continue to uphold more traditional occupations and ways of life, arguably held up by strengthened support from federal social programs. On the other hand, the increasing level of unemployment throughout more affluent regions has created a mad scramble for more modernized industrialization.
EI’s New Pilot Programs
The Canadian government realizes that adjustments need to be made to the overall system. In 2008, it launched a series of unemployment insurance pilot programs to test different methods. The Working While on Claim project incentivizes the acceptance of all types of work while on EI benefits. The New Entrant/Re-entrant project is testing whether enabling new or newly returned members of the labour market to receive benefits quicker (along with providing greater awareness about the program) can reduce the individual’s future reliance on EI benefits. The Best of 14 Weeks project is testing a method to make EI benefit levels more closely tied to full-time work earnings for individuals with irregular work patterns, (such as freelancers and seasonal workers) and to convince workers to accept any and all available work by formulating their EI benefits based on the “best 14 weeks” of earnings over the 52 weeks prior to filing their initial claim.
These pilot programs inspire hope for improvement and more positive effects of the system on the greater Canadian economy.
If you’re planning to visit Canada, travel insurance in Canada is absolutely essential. Visitors to Canada insurance is available and it is a worthy investment. Not only will you be paying for Canadian travel insurance but you’re also paying for a peace of mind.
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Most Common Variables Considered When Calculating Small Business Insurance Rates
Small business use insurance in a variety of ways to protect itself from different types of loss. Whether it is loss of a key employee due to death or disability or loss of profits due to shoplifting, both of these occurrences are both measurable and insurable since they produce financial services.
The price or rating used in small business insurance is based on the type of coverage and the experience of the business. This is influenced by the risk assessment that the insurance company conducts in its underwriting process. The assessment involves a process of evaluating the type of business and the probability that loss will occur.
Insurance provides an indemnity, which is meant to restore the small business owner to their original value. Indemnity is an important concept because it means that the policy provides the small business with a way to be reimbursed or made whole relative to their loss. This is true whether talking about life or health insurance, employee benefits or for the benefit of the small business only.
Knowing the type of small business, where it is located, how profitable it is, how many employees work for the small business, are all important variables for the insurer when calculating the premium rate.
Insurance companies pool risks to determine the likelihood of a loss occurring that results in a reduction in value or risk. Risk pools or small businesses must consist of a homogenous group, such as all car dealers or all convenient storeowners. The risks associated with operating a small manufacturing firm differ from the risk to operate a small trucking company. The measurements or factors that go into rating risk take in to account the experience throughout the homogenous risk pool.
A small business owner may purchase an insurance policy indemnifying them against loss due to theft. Looking at the community experience for the risk pool associated with the small business owner, other factors come into play. A small business owner who operates a convenient store in a high crime area will pay a higher premium than a small business owner of a convenient store located in a suburban neighborhood with a lower crime rate. This rating disparity is acceptable and common among insurers if the same standard and rating is applied uniformly and does not target a specific type of business owner.
Small business insurance ratings vary based on the type of small business activity. It should be noted that to qualify for an insurance risk pool in order to purchase or transfer risk to the insurance company, the business must be engaged in a commercial activity and not be organized solely for the purpose of acquiring insurance.
Insurers are concerned about moral and physical hazards, which must be assessed relative to small businesses and small business insurance. Moral hazards are those things such as lying or filing a false report. Physical hazards can be the presence on unruly teens in the parking lot of a liquor store. Hazards in it of themselves do not cause risk but create a peril or an increase in the probability a risk occurs. A higher amount of hazards present translates into higher ratings for the small business.
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Types of Car Insurance Policies
The law requires that anyone who drives a car must have car insurance. Purchasing car insurance involves buying a policy from an insurance provider. The premium you pay depends on a number of factors such as age, gender, and the make, model, and year of the car. When you look for an insurance policy that will provide you with appropriate coverage, it is important to understand the types of car insurance policies that are available.
The most common car insurance policies include:
Liability Coverage: This type of insurance is a must-have for every driver. It provides coverage for accidental physical injury and damage to property caused to another person. Physical injury damages can be pain and suffering, medical bills, lost wages, and rehabilitation. Property damage can be damage caused to another driver’s car. State laws determine how much liability coverage you must purchase. States provide a minimum set coverage that one must have, but most people protect themselves by purchasing more liability, however you can always get more coverage. The law requires liability coverage because most people do not have the money to compensate another person for an accident.
Most insurance companies will provide coverage for a maximum limit as outlined in the insurance policy. The liability coverage limit can be anywhere from $50,000 to $1,000,000. The amount of liability coverage you acquire will determine how much your premium will be. The higher the liability coverage, the higher the premium will be. Most experts recommend coverage of 1, 000,000 to ensure that you are fully protected. It is best to have at least $500,000 or $1,000,000 liability. This will make certain that you will be able to cover all damages and expenses that you may be responsible for paying.
Comprehensive Coverage: This coverage will cover any damage to your car that is not caused by another driver. Examples include fire, theft, (including car parts) weather damage such as hurricanes, floods, hail, ice storm, vandalism, hitting a object such as a deer, etc. Comprehensive Coverage is optional and is usually purchased for vehicles that are worth more than $1000. Deductibles can range from $250, $500, and $1000.
Collision Coverage: This type of coverage covers your car if it is damaged from a collision. For instance, you are covered if you crash into a fence or another car. This policy provides coverage for all damage minus the deductible up to the set maximum limit. It has to be an accident such as a collision caused by slippery roads. Deductibles range from $250, $500, and $1000. You should get this policy if you have an expensive car.
In order to ensure you are fully protected in the event of an accident or another car related mishap, you need to understand the details of each car insurance policy. As well, you must comply with state law regarding the type of insurance that they mandate for all drivers. To avoid unnecessary financial and emotional hardship, choose the policy that best meets all of your needs.
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A Brief Explanation Of Life Insurance
The term Life Insurance refers to an agreement between an insurance provider and the policy holder whereby the policy holder pays a certain amount of money at regular intervals and the insurance provider agrees to pay out an agreed sum of money to the policy holders dependents (usually family) upon the death of the policy holder.
Some countries tend to have funeral costs covered in most of their life insurance policies. In the UK however the general protocol for life insurance is to just have a lump sum paid out to the family of the deceased.
A life insurance contract consists of terms and these terms describe the events that the person will be covered for should they happen. There will usually be certain circumstances of death that insurance companies will not cover like riots, suicide or war.
Life contracts usually come in one of two forms, either a protection policy or an investment policy. Protection policies will be fairly standard life insurance policies in that they will require a benefit to be paid to the contracts beneficiaries (usually a lump sum) in the occurrence of an event described in the contract. Investment policies however are used for the growth of capital by regular premiums (payments). Common types are variable life policies, whole life policies and universal life policies.
The beneficiary refers to the person who will receive the policy proceeds (usually a lump sum) upon the death of the insured. The beneficiary can be changed at any time by the policy owner unless an irrevocable beneficiary is designated, in which case permission must be gained from the beneficiary regarding any beneficiary changes.
There is a difference between the policy owner and the insured, although they are usually the same person. Say a man takes out an insurance policy on his own life; he is then the policy holder and the insured. However if his wife takes out a policy for his life, then she is the policy holder and he is still the insured.
In cases where policy owner differs from the insured, insurance companies are looking to limit who can take out a policy for who’s life. This is called an insurable interest requirement and it means that the person taking out the policy would suffer a genuine loss if the insured should die. This is to stop people taking out policies on people who they expect to die and aren’t particularly concerned if they do or not, and so as not to increase the chances of murder being committed by someone who has taken out a policy for someone, and then intends to kill them to reap the rewards.
Life insurance, like most other types of insurance is basically an agreement between the insurance provider and the insured that for a recurring fee, the aforementioned beneficiary/beneficiaries of the policy will receive the proceeds of the contract (usually a lump sum) upon the occurrence of one of the terms of the contract, in the case of life insurance, this will usually be the insureds death.
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Health Insurance Tips
There’s nothing like packing your bags and venturing off to new pastures. Then again, there’s nothing like finding out you have a four or even five-digit bill for healthcare costs. In the event of treatment being required in an overseas hospital, you better be prepared. This article looks at health insurance and the importance of preparation.
The problem with pre-existing conditions is that they are costly for the health care system. In order for the entire health care system to work, most individuals need to pay more than they would use in their lifetime. People with pre-existing conditions would be using funds before they ever paid into the system.
If you are a low income family then you need to consider government assistance. You can take advantage of WIC and Medicare. Both of these programs will ensure that both the mother and baby are well covered.
WIC is a great program because it is designed to provide assistance to pregnant women and newborns. They provide milk and food; but not health care coverage. However, they do offer referral programs for health insurance.
Medicaid is funded by the state and is designed to assist you with your medical bills. With the help of Medicaid, coverage can be fairly cheap. In some states, you can claim relative doctor bills up to three months prior to filing for Medicaid.
That is why you need to maintain constant coverage. If you are waiting for insurance from work then buy some temporary insurance. If you are ever injured during a time of non-coverage, it could be up to a year before you can afford surgery.
Humana makes sure they offer health insurance for as many people as possible. They offer plans for governmental workers, senior citizens, families and individuals. They also work with providing healthcare to the military.
To ensure that you do not obtain a pre-existing condition, make sure that you do not go over sixty-three days without coverage. If you lapse, then the conditions that were once covered might not be. Make sure when you switch insurance companies that you do it promptly.
If you have a pre-existing and you are shopping for insurance, make sure you ask about the pre-existing condition clause. See how long or how much they can give you for the operation. It might be enough to get you the surgery.
Insurance all together is a tricky area. You need to consult with someone about your condition and how to handle the finances of a pre-existing condition. It is important that you have knowledge on how to handle your situation.
Seeking help is important to a person and their family. It should never be overlooked by insurance companies or the government. Luckily, Medicare has been able to help people.
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Why does your Car Insurance Quote Increase after an Accident?
Car accidents usually result in an increase in insurance premiums. Even if you are not responsible, your insurance company will have to incur some costs. There is an increase in car premiums and policy quotes because the accident will be rated against your coverage. There are a number of types of insurance coverage that can include collision, personal injury protection, and medical coverage. If you are found at fault’ for an accident, coverage such as personal liability and collision will cover you, your vehicle, and personal injury to the other driver. Often, if you have just one accident, you will see an increase in your car insurance quote.
Car insurance quotes will increase because you will be considered a high risk driver. The premium will reflect the nature of the accident and the costs associated with the accident. Insurance companies will usually charge ‘points’ to your policy. Depending on the insurance company, these points will be charged to your policy for a certain period of time that usually ranges from three to possibly seven years. If you are in an accident that was your fault, the insurance company will consider that you are a high risk of having accidents in the future and increase your rates. You will also receive higher insurance quotes. The length of time between an accident and your quote and premiums decreasing depends on a providers policies. As well, you may have to pay a higher deductible for the insurance.
Another reason why an accident can increase your premiums when you are ‘at-fault’ in an accident is that there are some companies who will not insure you. When there is less competition for your business, then there is less incentive to give you a good deal. As a result, your insurance quote will be higher. When you add the insurance ‘points’ into the mix, it is easy to see how an accident can become very expensive. If you have a faultless driving record, it is unlikely that your premiums will increase after an accident that was determined not to be your fault.
You can normally expect a rate increase of between 20-40%. This increase is based on the Insurance Services Office’s (ISO) criteria of raising a premium after an accident. According to the ISO, for multi-car policies, the surcharge is 20 percent of the base rate, and for single-car policies it is 40 percent. It is important to remember that there are other factors taken into consideration after an accident such as your age, gender, and driving record. These factors will affect how high the percentage increase will be.
The increase in premiums is not done so that the insurance money can get their money back, but is based on the risk that you may be involved in another car accident. Each insurance company has different policies and standards, but they look at your chances of getting into another accident. The number of accidents that you are involved in also increases your insurance premiums.
Some companies will absolve past accidents after a set period of time has expired. This can be two years, or as much as five years, but the period will vary depending on the insurance provider. Basically, you have to show the insurance company that you are no longer a high risk driver.
The best way to avoid high car insurance quotes is to avoid an accident. You can do this by practicing safe driving. One car accident can seriously impact your car insurance quote and the premium that you will pay.
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