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An animal-friendly insurance agency which has hitherto specialised in pet indemnity wares has extended its range to offer cheaper life indemnity policies to vegetarians. Married couple Chris and Elaine Fairfax of Worthing, West Sussex, founded Animal Friends insurance (AFI) to provide protection for our furry friends, but they now also offer non-meat-eaters a Vegetarian Term Life policy. The question is, does it come with a side salad?

AFI considers that the insurance industry as a whole should recognise that vegetarians are healthier and live longer than meat-eaters, and they should factor that into their quotations. The claim for more adept health and longevity of vegetarians is backed up through research.

Mr Fairfax states, ‘Independent studies show that, on a 12-year follow-up study of 11,000 people, vegetarians have a lower rate of mortality in some significant areas than non-vegetarians.’

It is said that they are less believably to suffer with kidney stones or gall stones, or other chronic illnesses. They are also less likely to have high blood pressure or to develop diet-related diabetes.

Needless to say Mad Cow disease isn’t going to affect vegetarians, so dying for a hamburger won’t be on their agenda.

The Vegetarian Society claims that their followers (some four million in the UK) reduce the risk of heart disease by 30 per cent and that the risk of some cancers is down through 40 per cent.

The Vegetarian Term Life policy is underwritten through the Liverpool Victoria Life Company and offers a first year reduction on monthly premiums of 25 per cent. Mr and Mrs Fairfax are so keen on promoting the policy that they are funding the discount through forgoing their commission. They have also decided that profits from their other indemnity business will be donated to animal causes.

Mr Fairfax’s level of view is that because one’s medical history, drinking habits and smoking are taken into account by indemnity companies if quoting for a life policy, why they don’t consider one’s eating habits as well.

‘We believe that a vegetarian lifestyle should be given equal weight,’ he says. ‘There is plenty of clear factual evidence to demonstrate the health profits of being a vegetarian which should be distinguished across the insurance industry. In simple terms, vegetarians live longer and are healthier during their lifetimes,’ he concluded.

Until the entire insurance industry can be converted to the cause, which may be slower than the Mr and Mrs Fairfax would like, AFI are delighted to work with Liverpool Victoria and offer discounts to vegetarians. However, it is not known if a vegetarian who succumbed to temptation in the form of bacon butty the morning after an occasional big night’s session would still be eligible for the discount!

AFI quoted comparative figures for 100,000 pounds of life cover for a 45-year old non-smoking woman, as follows. With their vegetarian policy she would pay 10.95 pounds over 15 years, but with an ordinary policy her average price would be 16.39 pounds and a top rate policy would price her 18.40 pounds.

The final words from the Vegetarian Society are, ‘We want indemnity companies will take seriously the fact that vegetarians are less probably to die young from cancer and heart disease.’Uchenna Ani-Okoye is an internet marketing advisor For further information on life insurance policies as well as product recommendations and services, I suggest you check out: Cheap Insurance Life Policy

The high cost of medical insurance here in Arizona is driving thousands of individuals and families to scramble frantically for cheap high risk medical insurance. If you are among those frantically searching for it that you can afford there is some good news. There are there specific actions you can take to reduce the cost of your traditional medical insurance, often by 25% or even more!

Let’s start with some simple steps you can take. Paying your premium automatically from your savings or checking account every month saves the insurance company the cost of sending you a bill and they are happy to pass a good portion of that savings on to you.

You can also save a lot (and feel better) if you eat right and get some exercise. If you’re really serious about saving money on it then get serious about dropping fast food restaurants and getting some exercise. You know that eating high calorie, high fat hamburgers and French fries isn’t good for you. You know that they contribute to weight problems, high blood pressure, diabetes and a whole host of other ills. So stop eating at places like that. The healthier you are the less you’re going to need medical care and the less you are going to pay for your health insurance.

And get a little exercise. Just walking around the block a few times each week, or riding a bike to do a few errands, or joining a group that walks around the mall in the mornings… ANYTHING that will get you on your feet and moving will be a help.

If you don’t see your doctor often why not increase your co-payment from 25% to 50%? Doing that will save you quite a bit on the cost of your health insurance premium.

Similarly, if you can afford to increase your yearly deductible you can save a lot on the monthly cost of your health insurance.

And one of the surest ways of saving money and finding the cheapest health insurance is to buy your insurance online. It’s true. Online sellers have a huge advantage over their brick and mortar cousins because they have almost no overhead and so they are able to pass tremendous savings on to you. In fact, you can sometimes save as much as 25% simply by buying it online.

Searching for medical insurance online can seem like a chore, but it doesn’t have to. It can be quick and easy if you find a site that allows you to fill out 1 form and then in turn it will give you multiple quotes from reputable insurance companies nationwide. This is the fastest way to find a quote that will definitely suit your needs.

The site we highly recommend is http://www.ezquoteguide.com for the best insurance information online and to get the highest quality insurance quotes out there! After you fill out an easy 5-minute form you will receive multiple quotes from the best insurance companies in the country.My Recommended Sites: High-Risk Medical Insurance Medical Insurance in Arizona

Van owners could be well advised to ensure that they are using money from their motor loan to take out adequate insurance for their vehicle, it has been suggested.

According to research by AA Insurance, about a quarter (24 per cent) of commercial van drivers surveyed claim that if their means of transportation was unavailable then they could lose up to an average of 362 pounds every day. As a result, consumers could well struggle to meet bill requirements, personal loan repayments and overdrafts.

Head of van insurance for AA Insurance Rhiannon Parker said: “Love them or hate them, vans are a big part of our culture and contribute enormously to the UK economy.

“Whether they’re sparkies or plumbers, drivers face significant loss of earnings if their van’s out of service, so it’s essential to ensure they’re properly covered when the worst happens.”

Taking the time to make sure motor loan money is spent on a sufficient insurance policy was also advised as the average commercial van was reported to carry worth an average of 1,382 pounds in goods.

Overall, van drivers were reported to contribute over 35 billion pounds to the British economy every year and have an annual estimated turnover of some 215 billion pounds. Meanwhile, more than half (59 per cent) of van drivers believe that the vehicle is essential to the smooth running of their business, once again indicating the need to ensure motor loan cash is spent on sufficient insurance.

Earlier this week, Ian Crowder, public relations manager for the AA, claimed that despite a general increase in insurance costs, those who shop around for cover will be able to spend their car loan money effectively. Pointing to figures from the financial services company indicating a six per cent rise in insurance premiums over the course of 2006, he suggested that those using their money wisely can still access a competitively-priced deal.

He said: “For all the upward pressure on insurance premiums, there’s always going to be a new provider coming in, trying to get a market share and offering big discounts. So for the savvy insurance buyer, there is always a provider willing to offer low premiums to get your business.”

Despite insurance premiums falling by a “fraction of a per cent” during the first quarter of 2007, the public relations manager suggested that costs are set to rise throughout the remainder of this year which consequently may catch drivers off guard – if they do not plan their finances sufficiently – resulting in a increased pressure to service car costs and pay off debts.

Mr Crowder also reported that the value of car insurance claims is set to “rise fairly steeply” due to increasing costs in repairing vehicles and growth in the number of people looking to make personal injury claims after being involved in an accident. Meanwhile, those looking to purchase a car are being advised to opt for a competitively-priced personal loan to finance their buy instead of choosing a showroom deal.

Research conducted by Alliance & Leicester earlier this year indicated that drivers deciding to go for forecourt finance products are wasting an average of 3,000 pounds – a figure which could well aid consumers in making repayments on other forms of debt such as credit cards, overdrafts and Secured Loans.Abbi Rouse writes for Loan-Arrangers .co.uk where visitors can compare loans online. Then apply for the best rate secured loans available. Visit our site http://www.loan-arrangers.co.uk

An increasing proportion of Britons could be coming under financial pressure, new figures suggest.

In research conducted by Legal & General, millions of people are avoiding taking out the three forms of cover – life insurance, income protection and critical illness insurance – with some 54 per cent of consumers not having any such policies. The study also showed that that just 14 per cent of people have income protection, in comparison to the 22 per cent who have taken out mobile phone cover. Meanwhile, 41 per cent of Britons possess life insurance with less than one in five (17 per cent) having critical illness cover. However, should consumers unexpectedly lose their job or become ill, not having such insurance in place could well see them struggle to meet various demands on their spending, for example utility bills, secured loans and mortgage costs.

Out of those who lack any form of protective policy, 20 per cent stated that such insurance was too expensive. Meanwhile, nine per cent of respondents reported they were prepared to run the risk that they will not become ill or die prematurely. Research from the insurance company also indicated that 29 per cent believe they do not have enough financial commitments to make them get cover.

However should they die unexpectedly, 15 per cent of consumers reported that their families would rely on their savings, while nine per cent would sell their property. And with ten per cent of those surveyed admitting that they simply do not know how their family will would manage financially, it is quite possible that many households could develop difficulties paying back credit cards, home loans, bills and other monetary commitments in the aftermath of the death of a loved one.

Commenting on the figures, Bonnie Burns, protection product marketing director for Legal & General, said: “The nation’s priorities seem misguided, with people more worried about losing their mobile than about how they would cope financially if they had a critical illness. We all know that it is difficult to face up to our own mortality, but when insuring possessions is prioritised above insuring lives, then something has to be done.”

She added that as “protection insurance is widely available, value-for-money and easy to arrange”, there should be “no reason” for consumers not to consider taking out such cover to help safeguard their finances should the worst happen.

As a result, those who would like to take out protection insurance but are currently under so much financial pressure that they feel that they cannot afford cover may wish to consider applying for a debt consolidation loan. In taking out such a loan, borrowers will be able to meet demands on spending, such as plastic card debt, quickly and so have more disposable income left at the end of each month. Meanwhile, getting a debt consolidation loan could also be recommended to help with the rising cost of living as research carried out by uSwitch earlier this month indicated that taxes and social contributions have risen by 85 and 77 per cent respectively over the past decade, in comparison to the five per cent growth in net household income.Mark Dawson writes for the Loan Arrangers. Where visitors can compare loans online, and apply for the best secured loans rate available to them. To read more articles from Mark go to http://www.loan-arrangers.co.uk

Recently the Advertising Standard Agency has received a number of complaints over one of the largest UK insurance companies latest TV advert featuring Iggy Pop.

The main cause for concern was not only why is a bare chested Iggy Pop being used to promote insurance? But more ironically why is he doing it for a company which is reported to not provide car insurance for musicians as they are seen as too much of a risk? No doubt the answer is tied up with money, however there may be other underlying causes which at the moment few are unaware of!

The votes may be out on this one for the time being however, musicians are not the only profession to be refused car insurance. Bouncers, the big guys who stand on guard outside night clubs to ensure the safety of the customers, are also reputed to being classed as a high risk when it comes to getting their vehicles insured.

Other professions which are considered to be in the high risk area by many insurance companies include all types of public entertainers, surely this doesn’t include clowns? Professional footballers and sportsmen/women, the Armed Forces, those in the market trade and licensed trade, along with journalists.

The reasons which are usually given by insurance companies for classing these professions as ‘high risk’ include such factors as they are more likely to drive at night, that they many be driving under time pressure and/or an increased likelihood of driving after having consumed alcohol.

It is not only these professions which may find it difficult to get car insurance. Many insurers impose both lower are upper age limits for their policies, as such they are asking the government for exclusion from the age discrimination laws which came into place in the UK a few years ago.

The public are becoming very aware of the rights and therefore are challenging insurers who impose age restrictions on the motor policies. Again, this is a contentious issues as statistically older drivers are more likely to have an accident, due to slower reflex actions and the ability to make realistic judgements as to the speed of other approaching vehicles. Young drivers, who have historically always had to pay high premiums until the reach either their 21st or 25th birthdays, this depends on which insurance company you obtain quotes from are also being stereotyped in what may appear unfair.

Those with driving convictions may also find it difficult to find insurance without having to pay extremely high premiums. However, as this type of situation is deemed as self inflicted by many, the amount of sympathy by the public wanes dramatically for these drivers, more especially if the driving convictions are either speed or alcohol related.

We all have our own views and opinions for both the driving habits of the young and the old, however those who are subjected to paying higher prices may fare better if they shop around and make use of the online car insurance companies to find the best deals at the most competitive prices.Swinton offer competitive Online Car insurance deals

No one wants to be “taken” on their insurance premiums. It is hard not to view these payments as money down the drain, so many of us use price quotes as the deciding factor when we select auto, home or household insurance.

Many consumers come to regret the policies they purchased when it comes time to file a claim with their insurance companies. This is usually when we find out what we’ve been paying for with our premiums, and more often than not, we find out that we get what we pay for.

Therefore, a variety of companies can be found that offer excellent service and comparable pricing. In order to differentiate between them, you will need to do your homework. Research individual companies to determine their rates and benefits.

The simplest way to start is to look for insurance online, where you can find resources that explain terms and practices used in the industry. You should be able to get enough information to determine if a company warrants more specific consideration, including quotes, company histories, and cover information. You can thus avoid high-pressure sales pitches that are intended to force you into a hasty decision.

You need to understand the content of your policy and what you can expect if you need to make a claim. Don’t be afraid to ask questions until all aspects of the policy are clear to you. If the company wants your business, you should expect them to do everything possible to earn your business.Once you begin negotiations with an insurance company, do not be intimidated by unfamiliar terms or a fast-talking consultant.

It is important to understand how insurance companies determine properties. It comes down to your risk level. If your risk levelis high so will be your premium and vice versa.

Several factors influence your risk profile, including, age, gender, place of residence, the value of the item(s) to be insured, your history of claims, the type and amount of cover you want to buy and the risk the item(s) being insured are exposed to. These factors can influence the various types of insurance in different ways, but some have the same effect on each insurance type.

Home, household, and car insurance will cost you more if you live in a high-crime area, because of the increased risk of burglary and hijacking. You can lower your car, household, and home insurance premiums if you add security measures beyond those required by the insurance company.

Excess refers to the amount you are responsible to pay when you file a claim. All car, home and household policies have minimum excess amounts, but you can raise yours in exchange for lower premiums.Consider increasing your excess amounts,if you can afford it.

If you have not filed many claims throughout your driving history, you may qualify for a discounted rate. If you have never carried insurance before, however, you will not qualify until you have established a history.Graham McKenzie is the syndication coordinator for Insurance-south-africa.co.za. South Arica’s leading Insurance portal.

No homeowner wants to have to file a home insurance claim, but sometimes due to our own lack of foresight, it does happen. The majority of home insurance claims, which boost the insurance rates, were from completely preventable accidents. If you know what to do, you can keep your premiums at a minimum and manage to keep your home safe, at the same time.

Some insurance claims are particularly common and can be prevented if you know what to watch for.

Water Damage

Pipes leaking or freezing can cause a lot of water damage in a short amount of time. Often, we don’t notice leaking pipes until they have already caused a lot of problems. The best way to prevent this very common issue is to inspect pipes on a regular basis and get them fixed immediately if you find any problems. Don’t wait for a major drop in water pressure to warn you that there’s a big problem, have a plumber check out any suspicions.

Frozen and burst pipes can be an issue during the winter in colder areas. If you are going to be out of the house for a while, be sure to set the thermostat above freezing and arrange for someone to check the place a couple of times a week while you are gone, particularly if there is a sudden drop in the temperature.

Electrical Fires

Most fires that cause damage to a home are due to poor wiring or a short circuit. Older homes are certainly more vulnerable to this issue, but any home can suffer from an electrical fire if they aren’t careful.

Regular inspections of cables and cords should be done every 3 months or so. Look for sockets that are coming loose, wires on appliances that may have been stripped or separated from the plug head a bit, and anything else. Wires should never be run under a carpet or across an area where they will be stepped on, since this can cause some serious problems with fraying and later cause a fire.

If you move into a new home, have an electrician do a complete inspection for faulty wiring, just to be on the safe side. Yes, it will cost you, but in the end, it’s worth it because you’ll have lower monthly home insurance rates.

Lamps, Christmas lights and other lights should be turned off rather than left on all night. The majority of electrical fires start during the winter, particularly during the holiday season.

Burglary

You’ll want to make sure that your home is as secure as possible against thieves who could not only cause damage to your home, but also your family. Make sure there are locks on all windows and doors and install an alarm system.

An automatic light system can be a great safety item, turning lights on and off randomly throughout the house while you are away. Even if you tend to work late, this can be helpful, keeping the potential burglars in the dark as to when you actually get home. A predictable schedule puts your home at risk.

Keeping your home safe and secure is just common sense. You don’t want to suffer from any problems in the home, of course, but the added problem of having the rates for your home insurance rise is a big problem when things go wrong.

Take the time now to prevent these common issues and make sure that you schedule routine inspections and you should have no problems with your insurance. Most problems are completely preventable, so you’ll be covered when something unexpected happens.Complete home and auto insurance quote in Canada with no obligation. Auto insurance products include standard coverages with options and deductibles that can be adapted to suit your needs. Visit us in one of our Toronto car insurance office.

If you’re looking for cheap life insurance, you should begin looking while you’re relatively young and in good health. Age and health are the two biggest factors life insurance agents use to base their decisions about policy pricing.

Unfortunately, most people don’t get life insurance until they’re older or until they’ve developed a medical condition. Only then do they realize it’s time to start thinking about protecting their families. But that’s also when it’s practically impossible to find cheap life insurance.

Will your insurance company agree?

Think your high cholesterol isn’t much of a problem? Well your insurance company doesn’t share that opinion. In fact, if a medical examination reveals this condition, you’ll more than likely be put into a higher risk category. Once that happens, you can forget about being offered cheap life insurance, regardless of any other factor.

What about your high blood pressure? You think all you’ve got to do is take a vacation and it’ll be back to normal, but the life insurance company sees the situation differently. It sees high blood pressure as a precursor to more significant health problems; maybe not next month or even next year but very likely during your coverage period.

The same goes for your weight. What you consider “a few love handles around the middle” may be considered “obese” by the insurance company.

Smoking is another red flag when it comes to shopping for cheap health insurance. If you regularly use tobacco products, forget about getting a break on your life insurance premium. In fact, expect it to cost anywhere from 25 to 50% more. Smoking definitely comes at a price because it can cause so many health problems. Besides making you pay more, insurance companies don’t really have any other options.

Show you are willing to make an effort

Insurance companies understand that medical conditions such as high cholesterol, high blood pressure, using tobacco products, and being overweight can be controlled and that doing so can lead to a significant improvement in your health.

So there actually is some truth in believing a vacation could help lower your blood pressure. And although you may not have been quoted what you consider a cheap life insurance premium, you’re not completely out of luck.

Insurance companies have softened a bit. Rather than permanently locking you into a high risk category for conditions such as those listed above, the company may be willing to improve your rates if you prove you’re willing to improve your health. Most agents won’t come right out and offer this, but if you ask for suggestions on ways to lower your costs, make sure you listen to the answers.

If you can show you’re working towards consistently improving your health, your insurance company may be able to offer cheaper life insurance premiums. You’ll be required to show documentation of the improvements, and possibly undergo an independent medical review by the life insurance company, but it will be worth the effort.Find Cheap Life Insurance in the UK. Independent brokers finding the lowest rates and then making them even lower.

Life cover insurance companies have a set guideline for supposed ideal weights for optimum health. Stay within this range and your life cover premiums will be manageable. Step out of their limits and you are deemed a high risk and will pay premium rates for your life insurance.

Sensible policies it would seem, on the surface. With young people constantly striving to look like a cocktail stick on a diet and at the other end of the scale the growing trend for obesity, food has become an obsession that has far surpassed eating for survival.

Both extremities of this problem bring serious health defects including high blood pressure, heart conditions and organ failure, often resulting in loss of life and bringing cost to the life cover insurance companies.

However, while it is relatively easy to list current and previous health issues and your current weight on a life cover application, how do you explain a mystery illness? With the advances in medical science these days, they still do not claim to know everything and there are always new medical problems surfacing that require new answers.

In the news recently, has been the cases of several young children with unexplained eating disorders that certainly do not come under the parameters of bulimia or anorexia. One young girl finds that eating any food causes unaided rejection by her stomach. All her sustenance comes from a specially formulated tube feed and she copes with the psychological aspects and hunger pangs by eating Tic Tacs – the only thing that her stomach can handle at the moment.

After investigations by many specialists, they cannot find a reason or a cure to help her. Is it fair that she should be penalised for a medical problem that she cannot help but which makes her underweight?

Of course, some eating disorders are based in the psyche. A UK teenager has eaten nothing but chips for the past 10 years. It was recently discovered that she had gastrooesophageal reflux, a condition which causes indigestion and heartburn but this wouldn’t be enough to stop food being digested. It certainly wouldn’t be enough to stop me eating! I just know that indigestion is coming my way after a fat banana sandwich but it doesn’t stop me eating it!

After treatment to reduce stomach acids along with counselling, this young girl has now been able to move on to plain burgers, plain noodles and potato waffles, although given that the noodles are only allowed to be purchased from one particular shop, it seems that this is more of a mental hang up than physical but try explaining this on a life cover application.

The recent case of a girl who can eat absolutely anything and not put on weight may sound like an anorexic’s dream but is, in reality, a severe health problem. At only 12 years of age and four foot tall, she is severely under-weight at two and a half stone.

Despite eating six meals a day consisting of all manner of foods from her favourite fish fingers followed by chocolate to meat balls, pasta and fruit there is no underestimating her healthy eating regime or her appetite.

Despite this, she still cannot put on weight and has undergone a plethora of hospital tests from 150 visits to various specialists. Her parents have their own suspicions about the causes her problem. Her father was a soldier for more than 20 years and was subjected to many injections when he went to serve in the Gulf before her conception. This knock on effects of these jabs have long been discussed and the family have raised funds to take their daughter to see doctors in the US because UK doctors have given up on her.

This little girl cannot lead a completely normal life given that she has to have the assistance of an electric wheelchair due to restrictions imposed by muscle wasting. She is severely under-weight and her family are concerned about her long term health. Would it be fair for life cover insurance companies to penalise her on the grounds of weight when there is no defined illness?Health expert Catherine Harvey looks at how life cover policies can be affected by mystery illnesses. To find out more please visit http://www.theidol.com/

Many people do not consider life insurance until they have a family to take care of.

This is why many women leave a life insurance policy until they are pregnant or have their first child. Often the father is covered so in the event of his death or serious illness, the mortgage will be paid and a certain level of income maintained.

However, it also vital to consider the mother and the difficulties to the rest of the family should the unthinkable happen to her. If a mother falls seriously ill, or dies, the father will usually need to carry on working to bring in enough money to support his family. He will then need to pay for childcare for his children.

If he chooses the option of caring for the children himself, then there is the added stress of how to pay the mortgage and bills.

When planning a family, it is wise to consider taking out a life insurance policy before the mother is actually pregnant. Many insurance companies are reticent about allowing life cover for a woman who is already pregnant due to all the possible complications that could occur.

High blood pressure is a common complaint of pregnancy and can lead to hypertension and even toxaemia (pre-eclampsia). Thankfully not that common, but this condition can bring on fits, strokes and even death.
Already existing medical conditions can advance rapidly during pregnancy and conditions not already picked up will become more dominant and detectable.

Once a woman is pregnant, it is very difficult to get life insurance cover. Most often, companies will advise the mother to wait until her baby is three to six months old before trying to get cover. If a pregnant woman has managed to get life insurance cover she can expect to pay up to 50% more on her premiums.

Any complications recorded during pregnancy will increase the premiums when cover is available. It is always essential to be completely honest on application forms regarding medical history even though many medical conditions are only apparent during the pregnancy itself.

Gestational diabetes is one such condition and it has been known for a company not to pay out on a critical illness claim when gestational diabetes was not declared – even though it was not connected to the critical illness.

If a first pregnancy has shown signs of complications, then insurance cover whilst pregnant for a second time is unlikely.

Another reason why insurance companies are reluctant to cover expectant mothers is the risk of post natal depression immediately after the birth. Although there are no statistics concerning the suicide rate amongst post natal depression sufferers, insurers feel they are a higher risk. Insurance will not pay out in the event of a suicide anyway, so increased premiums to cover this seem a little unfair.

An added problem to trying to secure life insurance for women is that we are now seeing a new generation of higher risk pregnancies being made available by the advancements in medical technology – not always a good thing.

Pregnancy is increasingly possible in older women with IVF treatment. They are also more at risk from the complications of higher blood pressure. This treatment itself carries a high risk of multiple births, again putting a strain on the woman’s health.

The advice from insurance companies and financial advisers is to take out a life insurance policy before getting pregnant wherever possible. After the event, always be upfront in declaring medical history.Insurance expert Catherine Harvey looks at the life insurance policies during pregnancy. To find out more please visit http://www.theidol.com/