Archive for May, 2009

May 31st 2009 Is Dog And Cat Health Insurance Really As Stupid As It Sounds?

You can insure your house, your car, your boat, and your life, and now, thanks to dog and cat health insurance, Fluffy and Fido can have their own protection, too. But what exactly is it, and is it really as stupid as it sounds? Maybe not. In fact, it could be quite sensible; read on.

This form of insurance isn’t about paying you money if the pet dies; it’s about giving the pet (or, more realistically, the person taking care of the animal) some money should you die. This option is particularly favored among the elderly, people who are fond of their pets, and know that there is a good chance that their animal will outlive them.

In essence, you pay a certain amount of money monthly to a trust, and, should you die before your animal does, the trust will then pay a certain amount of money monthly to the person designated your pet’s guardian in your will. This is an especially desirable option if you already know who you want to look after your pet should you die–someone both you and your pet like–but you’re concerned that they not be saddled with the cost of caring for your pet. This can be a wise investment choice for both you and Fluffy or Fido.

But dog and cat health insurance must be handled carefully. Don’t purchase it and then start looking for someone to manage the money and care for your pet when you’re gone; greed may cause your animal to get the rotten end of the stick. Instead, find someone you trust. Discuss the possibility of their taking care of your pet when you die. If it’s someone you feel comfortable with, and someone your pet seems to genuinely like, then you may wish to let them know that you’ve purchased pet insurance to help with the costs of pet care after you’re gone. Before that, however, it’s never a good idea.

A similar idea, with similar problems, is a pet trust, where a certain amount of money is put into a special savings account, with the interest going to help pay for pet care after your death. The same problems exist here as with insurance–namely, finding someone you can trust to care for the pet–but there are some significant differences. For instance, with a trust, a large lump sum is generally required to start the trust, with the option of adding to it later on; with insurance, you make monthly payments.

Over time they can add up to more than the trust would cost, but the money is spread out. Plus, depending on the interest rate you’ve gone with, you can have to come up with quite a large sum of money to begin with, just to make those cat food payments. With insurance, you’re guaranteed the amount you signed up for, no matter what.

But, in the end, it isn’t as much about trust funds versus dog and cat health insurance as it is setting aside a little something ensure that your best friend isn’t forgotten after you’re gone.

Craig Thornburrow is an acknowledged expert in his field. You can get more free advice on

No Comments » Posted by Matt Cubb / Uncategorized

May 31st 2009 Tips For Finding Affordable Health Insurance Coverage In Your Area

Is there such a thing as affordable health insurance coverage anymore? It seems that the costs of healthcare insurance have completely knocked a lot of people out of consideration for buying a policy. I was speaking to a family member recently that stated he was paying over $800.00 a month for himself, his wife and three kids. I’ve seen even higher costs, a lot higher, depending upon where you live.

There really aren’t a whole lot of options for those individuals and families that are uninsured. Veteran’s can visit any Veteran’s Administration Hospital and be treated for free. They would be billed if they have medical insurance, but they are not denied care. If they’re not on service connected disability of at least 50% compensation then they’ll have to pay a small co-pay for prescription drugs. I believe that this currently costs around $8.00 per prescription.

Uninsured families can usually get some type of assistance from the state that they live in as long as they’re under a certain income bracket. Of course, this depends upon each individual state. Most states will offer assistance for children at least.

It’s not easy for most people without affordable health insurance coverage, but my suggestion is that they continue to obtain free health insurance quotes, try managing their budget as tightly as possible and hoping that an affordable plan comes along for them. There are several places to get free health insurance quotes online. I recommend that you take the time to get several of these and see what you can come up with that’s within your budget. Good luck!

Joe Stewart Is A Former Health Insurance Agent. He’s Made Understanding Health Insurance Easy For Others. You Can Learn More About Health Insurance And Get Free Health Insurance Quotes For Individual And Family At His Website TheHealthInsuranceGuys.org TheHealthInsuranceGuys.org or by clicking on thehealthinsuranceguys.org Affordable Health Insurance

No Comments » Posted by Matt Cubb / Uncategorized

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