| Tip: Consider health insurance for foreign travel
For those with health insurance policies limited to coverage in the United States, Matt Tassey, former chairman of the Life and Health Insurance Foundation for Education, says your travel agent should be able to steer you to a company that offers short-term coverage. Among them is International Medical Group (imglobal .com), Tassey says. Many of these policies include coverage for common vacation problems such as trip cancellation or lost bags. For those on Medicare, several Medicare Supplement Plans will cover some medical costs incurred outside the United States. Medigap plans C-J, for example, will pay 80 percent of the costs of emergency care after a $250 deductible, according to AARP. But be aware, there is a $50,000 lifetime maximum. Seniors without Medigap coverage can get a short-term policy from a private insurer.
RF&G takes over CLICO's 11000 Insurance Policies
On Monday, August 10, 2009 Justice Michelle Arana of the Belize Supreme Court granted an Order for the Transfer of the Life and Health Insurance Portfolio of CLICO (Bahamas) Limited- Belize Branch over to RF&G Life Insurance Company. The portfolio contains almost 11,000 life and health insurance policies. Alma Gomez, Supervisor of Insurance at the Ministry of Finance, said that the transfer process has already begun and it is expected that by September 1, 2009 RF&G Life Insurance Company will be serving the portfolio. Policyholders are advised to continue paying their premiums as usual during the transition. Not all policies will be included in the transfer however, as those policyholders of Executive Flexible Premium Annuities (EFPA) are not part of the portfolio transfer.
Speier Alarmed By Hayashi Bill, Called 'Distressingly Anti
While one of California's consumer advocacy groups has begun raising alarms over an auto insurance industry-sponsored bill, a former state senator has joined the fight to save the existing anti-steering statute by penning an op-ed piece for the San Francisco Chronicle meant to encourage Californians to oppose the legislation. The current legislation, Assembly Bill 1200, authored by Assembly member Mary Hayashi (Hayward-D) and sponsored by the Personal Insurance Federation of California, would revise and recast California's auto repair anti-steering statute introduced in 2003 by then state senator Jackie Speier in Senate Bill 551. Speier's bill enacted the current law that forbids the directing (or steering) of California consumers to preferred network auto repair shops by insurance companies.
Only 21 percent of small businesses offer insurance
Only 21 percent of Alaska's small business owners provide health insurance coverage to their employees. That's half the national average of 42 percent, according to a survey released Aug. 6 by Small Business Majority, a nonprofit small business advocacy and research organization. Despite this, 47 percent of Alaska small business owners surveyed felt that they have a responsibility to help provide coverage to employees. Small businesses are defined as companies employing 100 workers or fewer. Terry Gardiner, former speaker of the state House of Representatives and a former Alaska business owner, is working with the group as its health policy director. Gardiner helped lead a briefing on the Alaska survey results. John Arensmeyer, Small Business Majority's CEO, said the poll of the 300 Alaska small businesses conducted in June found that of the firms not providing coverage, 92 percent said it was not affordable.
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