Healthy? Insurers don't buy it

Minor ailments can thwart applicants for individual policies.

Scott Svonkin joined the Los Angeles County Commission on Insurance 10 years ago because he was concerned about an emerging problem: people losing health coverage. Since then, the ranks of uninsured Americans have swelled to more than 46 million.

Svonkin almost became one of them.

It happened after he left a comfortable government job as a legislative chief of staff to start his own marketing and public affairs consulting business. Late last year he started shopping around for health insurance for himself, his expectant wife and his young daughter.

He knew he'd pay more without an employer picking up most of the tab. And he knew he'd have to fill out a medical questionnaire because, unlike job-based coverage, individual insurance in California is contingent on an applicant's health. But that didn't concern him because, he said, "I'm healthy as a horse, never smoked and have had no major surgery."

As it turned out, Svonkin was rejected by not just one but three of California's biggest health insurers, which cited his history of asthma, among other things.

"I couldn't buy it at any price," said Svonkin, 40, who lives in Sherman Oaks. "I remember thinking, 'This can't be happening to me.' "

Svonkin is part of what experts say is a largely hidden aspect of the nation's health insurance crisis: the uninsurables, people whom insurance companies won't touch, even though they can afford to pay high premiums. Some, such as Svonkin, pay steep rates for lean coverage from the state's high-risk insurance pool. Others simply go without.

Insurers have wide latitude to choose among applicants for individual coverage and set premiums based on medical conditions. Insurers say medical underwriting, as the selection process is known, is key to keeping premiums under control.

"Our goal is to extend affordable coverage to as many people as we can," said Cheryl Randolph, a spokeswoman for PacifiCare Health Systems Inc., a subsidiary of Minneapolis-based UnitedHealth Group Inc. "But because of the medical underwriting, we do not accept everybody."



Selective insurers

Consumer advocates see the practice as cherry-picking — a legal form of discrimination that is no longer tolerated in schools, public accommodations or workplaces — and a way to guarantee profits.

"The idea is to avoid all risk," said Bryan Liang, executive director of the Institute of Health Law Studies at California Western School of Law in San Diego.

Jerry Flanagan, an advocate with the Foundation for Consumer and Taxpayer Rights, said it wouldn't take much to be left out of the private-insurance market. "A minor asthma condition or a surgery 10 years ago that requires no further medical care is enough to get you blacklisted forever," he said.

As a result, some people forgo treatment so as not to tarnish their health records. Others withhold information from doctors or ask them to leave details out of their records. For those who are uninsurable, healthcare often is the chief reason they stay in or take a certain job.

Claudine Swartz enjoyed running her own consulting business but had been rejected for individual insurance. After a scare over a benign cyst in her breast, the San Francisco resident closed her business and got a job with the University of California's health system, where she enjoys guaranteed coverage.

The episode made her realize that without insurance, she would have been on the hook for catastrophic expenses if her diagnosis had been more serious.

"I wasn't willing to take that risk," said Swartz, 35. "It's a real problem for people trying to be entrepreneurial and work on their own."

Uninsurable individuals pose a significant challenge for the state, which expects to spend more than $10 billion this year on people who lack adequate coverage.

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, preparing to announce a proposal for expanding coverage in his State of the State address, has said he favors a mandate on individuals to buy health insurance — just as drivers must carry auto insurance.

Democrats, who control the Legislature, have favored expansion of employment-based insurance and have signaled their opposition to a mandate on individuals.

Consumer advocates say such a mandate is unworkable unless insurers are required to sell coverage to all comers, as they are in several states, including New York and Massachusetts.

No one knows how many Californians are uninsurable. Blue Cross of California, which dominates the market, declined to disclose its rejection rate, as did its chief competitors. A 2004 industry survey found that health plans said they turned away about 12% of all applicants. But the rejection rate rose with age to 30% for people 59 and older.

A consumer survey this year found that 1 in 5 people who applied for individual coverage was turned away or charged a higher premium because of preexisting conditions. Experts say it is hard to know how many of California's more than 6 million uninsured residents are uninsurable because many people with medical problems don't even bother applying in the belief that they would be rejected.



Insurers tread carefully

The industry contends that individual coverage is widely available. But experts say a wave of consolidation has reduced the number of insurers offering individual coverage, leaving a marketplace that shuns all but the ostensibly healthiest consumers.

Insurers say they are picky because they have to be.

Kaiser Permanente's "fairly generous" benefits require that the health maintenance organization be restrictive to remain solvent, spokesman Jim Anderson said. "We have to be very careful to not enroll a bunch of people who are going to spend all the money on their care."

Insurers declined to disclose the underwriting guidelines that lead to rejection or higher premiums. But a review of public records, as well as rejection letters sent to individuals, shows that California carriers turn people away or charge them higher premiums for conditions that range from the catastrophic to the common. Cancer, epilepsy and AIDS make the list, along with breast implants, ear infections, varicose veins and sleep apnea.

Jeffrey Miles, a vice president of the California Assn. of Health Underwriters, a trade group for independent insurance agents, said one of his clients — a 27-year-old woman "in perfect health with absolutely nothing wrong" — was rejected because she had seen a psychologist for three months after breaking up with a boyfriend.

"I call it hangnail underwriting," Miles said. "If a person has taken virtually any medication, they are going to be turned down. If people have had any psychological counseling at any time in recent history, they are going to get turned down."

Swartz, the consultant, said the reason she couldn't get individual coverage was a condition in her records that she may never have actually had. Her physician had diagnosed ulcerative colitis. But after years without additional symptoms, Swartz said, her doctor decided the initial diagnosis was probably wrong.

Consumer advocates say out-of-date, ambiguous and even erroneous medical information can render people uninsurable. Sometimes the reasons can seem absurd. In a letter to an otherwise healthy recent college graduate, for instance, Blue Cross listed among the reasons it denied coverage a past bout of jock itch, "successfully treated with cream."

A last resort for people turned away by the private market is the state's high-risk pool, in which the state assumes the financial risk but pays private insurers to administer coverage. Enrollees spend as much as one-third of their income on monthly premiums that cost as much as $796. Yet annual benefits are capped at $75,000.

Still, demand perennially outstrips the high-risk pool's capacity, which has been reduced over the years as medical costs have risen and funding has remained largely limited to state tobacco tax revenue and enrollee premiums. Of 32 states with medical high-risk insurance pools, California's is one of the largest, covering 7,800 people.

"The best estimate is it's only serving about 10% of the people who are medically uninsurable," said Beth Capell, an advocate with the consumer group Health Access California.

Most people in the high-risk pool have been rejected by at least one private insurer. Yet many turn out to be a bargain, paying more in premiums than they cost in medical expenses. In fact, 19% of the enrollees submitted no medical claims at all in 2004, the last year figures were available, and about 80% submitted claims for less than the average annual premium.



Good health, poor risk

High-risk enrollees include people like Scott Svonkin, who makes time for at least one tennis match each week. On a Burbank court after more than an hour of play one recent evening, he scrambled for a ball so far out of reach that most people wouldn't have bothered. After the game, Svonkin's fair skin was ruddy and sweat dripped from his forehead, but he was not out of breath.

After suffering from debilitating bouts of asthma as a child, he clearly relishes the ability he now has to exercise. He credits medications that weren't around when he was growing up. But the very drugs that have allowed him to breathe freely for years may also have cost him his health coverage.

When Svonkin left his job, he picked up the premiums on the Blue Shield HMO his former employer had offered and extended his coverage for three years. That's the maximum allowed under a federal law known as COBRA and a matching state law, both designed to make health insurance portable. A couple of months before that coverage was to expire, he asked Blue Shield to sell him an individual plan just like the one he was on.

But Blue Shield declined to sell him anything like that HMO plan, which included prescription benefits, he said. Instead, the carrier offered him a plan that did not cover medication.

Blue Shield declined to discuss Svonkin's case, citing patient privacy laws, as did the other insurers that subsequently rejected him, Blue Cross and PacifiCare. Although the rejection notices pointed to various problems — "expectant fatherhood" and swelling from a spider bite — all three blamed his history of asthma, a condition that affects more than 4.5 million Californians.

Svonkin was able to enroll his wife, daughter and baby son in a private plan. But with nowhere else to turn, he reluctantly enrolled himself in the state's high-risk pool. In an ironic twist, the pool assigned him to a plan administered by Blue Shield. His premiums are $479 a month — far more than he figures he has cost the plan. The only medical expenses he has submitted in his first year on the plan have been his prescriptions, which retail for about $100 a month.

Blue Shield "wouldn't take me at their risk, but they took me at the state's risk," he said. "The reasons they won't sell me insurance are ludicrous because they can still make a profit providing me with healthcare."

The ordeal has been an object lesson for Svonkin, who is now chairman of the county commission on insurance, an advisory panel to the Board of Supervisors. He uses his post to focus on the problems of the uninsured as well as the uninsurables. The county does not regulate insurers, but its clinics, hospitals and emergency rooms are overflowing with uninsured residents who have nowhere else to turn.

"Insurance companies are offloading sick people onto the county system," Svonkin said. "They want a guarantee that they are going to make money. That's why they won't take sick people. They are missing the whole point about assuming some risk."

lisa.girion@latimes.com

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These ills may be too risky to insurers

Health insurers in California have been allowed to keep secret their underwriting guidelines that determine who gets individual coverage and at what premium.

But a law that took effect Sept. 1 required them to report their underwriting guidelines to the Department of Insurance and the Department of Managed Health Care. It also required regulators to post the guidelines on the Internet, but without identifying which rules are used by which company.

Health plans also reveal a portion of their underwriting guidelines in letters notifying applicants why they were rejected, as well as in communications with brokers who sell their coverage.

According to regulators' postings, rejection letters and interviews with brokers, conditions that can lead to outright rejection or a higher premium include:

AIDS, allergies, arthritis, asthma, attention deficit disorder, autism, bed-wetting, breast implants, cancer, cerebral palsy, chronic bronchitis, chronic fatigue syndrome, chronic sinusitis, cirrhosis, cystitis, diabetes, ear infections, epilepsy, gender reassignment, heart disease and hemochromatosis (a common genetic disorder that causes the body to absorb too much iron).



Other conditions are hepatitis, herpes, high blood pressure, impotence, infertility, irritable bowel syndrome, joint sprain, kidney infections, lupus, mild depression, muscular dystrophy, migraines, miscarriage, pregnancy, "expectant fatherhood," planned adoption, psoriasis, recurrent tonsillitis, renal failure, ringworm, severe mental disorders, sleep apnea, stroke, ulcers and varicose veins.

Interesting Facts You May Not Know About Group Health Insurance Coverage

In an atmosphere of ever-growing health care and health insurance costs, group health insurance coverage is becoming critical for many employees. In fact, surveys consistently show that employees value health insurance benefits above all others.

Studies have shown that a solid majority (over 60%) of Americans receive their health insurance benefits through group health insurance coverage through their employer (or their spouse’s employer). Of course, from the employee’s point of view, this is the least expensive option for securing health insurance. Nevertheless, whether you are a business owner or employee, what follows is a discussion of some interesting aspects of the group health insurance market.

There are two main reasons that employers offer group health insurance coverage. The first is to attract talented employees. The second reason is related to the first: To reduce employee turnover. It’s not uncommon for employees to become “dependent” on their health insurance. That is, an employee who may otherwise leave their job to become self-employed may not do so because of health reasons. That is, he or she may not be eligible under an individual policy due to a preexisting condition. Preexisting conditions are typically not covered under individual health insurance plans.

The primary difference between individual and group health insurance is that group plans are “guaranteed issue”, while individual plans are not. “Guaranteed issue” means that an insurance company cannot deny coverage due to any preexisting medical conditions.

Some individual health insurance plans are issued to individuals with preexisting conditions, but usually only with what is called an “exclusionary rider.” This “exclusionary rider” will exclude coverage for treatment related to the preexisting condition. It’s interesting to note that in California, insurance companies are not allowed to practice this policy. As you might expect, the result is a much higher rate of declined applications for individuals, since insurance companies choose simply not to issue coverage for individuals with preexisting medical conditions.

For group health insurance coverage, premium cost sharing between employer and employee has pretty much become a common feature in today’s labor market. In the vast majority of cases, insurance companies require employees to pay a minimum of 50% of the premiums, although many choose to pay a higher percentage. In general, the larger the company, the greater the percentage paid by the company. Not all insurance companies require coverage for dependents, although again many businesses elect to offer this coverage as well.

There are tax incentives available to both employer and employee for qualifying group health insurance plans. Employers can typically deduct 100% of the premium costs, while employees can pay their portion of the monthly premiums with pretax dollars. Both practices can result in significant savings over the course of a year.

Lastly, group health insurance coverage is available as either an indemnity (fee-for-service) plan or managed care plan (HMO, PPO, or POS). Indemnity plans are the oldest, as well as the most expensive, type of health insurance. As a result of their high costs, indemnity plans have all but disappeared from the landscape, and been replaced by managed health care plans.

Managed group health insurance plans come in various forms: Health Maintenance Organization (HMO), Preferred Provider Organization (PPO), or Point of Service (POS) plans. The HMO was the first alternative to traditional insurance (indemnity) and became popular for its ability to reduce costs for both employer and employee by creating networks of doctors and hospitals and thereby being able to apply cost saving measures.

The PPO plans have in recent years become the most popular type of group health insurance. PPO’s (as well as POS plans) combine many of the freedoms enjoyed with indemnity plans while still being able to implement many of the cost saving features of an HMO.

The struggle to offer employees affordable group health insurance coverage is an ongoing process for most employers in today’s health insurance market. Part of the process is education, from the standpoint of both the employee and employer. It’s important to understand that retaining affordable and quality group health insurance is vital to both sides of the labor market – employer and employee. Indeed, when done properly, this can be a win-win situation for all concerned.

Suggestions for the Cerans' insurance issues

It's always nice to see outpourings of support when tragedy strikes, as it did horribly with the Ceran family this week. It sounds as though the Hale Centre Theatre fundraiser went well yesterday, and people are giving freely. We also hope the family is getting advice about their insurance issues. Paul Rolly wrote in the Tribune Friday that the Cerans don't have medical insurance to pay hospital bills. That raised questions in our minds that we hope someone is looking into for the Cerans.

1) Car insurance? If the other driver (Prieto), had it, they will likely accept liability quickly and pay up to their policy limits. (Technically, most health insurance policies limit coverage for car accidents, because those kinds of expenses are supposed to be paid for by car insurance. However, most health insurers usually advance medical expenses, then later try to get their money back from any car insurers involved.) A car insurer's decisions to pay usually are unrelated to criminal charges; in other words, the insurer usually pays immediately without having to await a criminal trial or plea.

2) Uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage? If Prieto didn't have liability insurance, or the limits are too low, the Cerans' own car insurance may kick in. Car insurers are required to offer uninsured motorist coverage (although it can be waived, if memory serves). Under UM coverage, the victim's own insurance pays if the other driver did not have liability insurance. Many policies also have related UIM coverage, which kicks in if the other driver had insurance but the policy limits are inadequate.

3) COBRA? If Ceran had group health insurance at his prior employment (which Rolly said ended November 30), and if his prior employer had 20+ employees, Ceran should still be within a 60-day election period to continue his prior health insurance through COBRA. Under COBRA, it can be done retroactively, which usually eliminates gaps in medical coverage.

We don't know the answers to these questions. But since they are time sensitive, we hope someone is helping the Cerans look into them at this difficult time in their lives.

Insurance crisis and global warming

For shame.
Once again, the Miami Herald short-changes its readers. This time, in an editorial that fails to connect the insurance crisis with its real cause: the costs of global warming.

On today's editorial page, the Miami Herald adds to the chorus of complaint against the insurance industry, whose business risk models have been radically revised to accommodate future storm losses. The paper calls for a "national catastrophe insurance fund."

What does that really mean?

What a national catastrophe insurance fund really means is that US Senators and Congressional representatives from low-lying coastal states want consumers, taxpayers, and homeowners in the rest of the nation to hedge our risks by living where we do--in places highly vulnerable to global warming.

Where are these same senators and congressmen--or, Florida newspapers' editorial boards-- in calling for policies to address the costs of global warming now, like radical reform of the US Army Corps of Engineers permitting processes, that are a pathetic rubber-stamp for politically influential developers and land speculators in low-lying wetlands? Nowhere.

During the recent campaign for governor of Florida, we were shocked that neither candidate made the connection for voters between global warming and the insurance crisis.

The mainstream media could have forced the question forward: what about global warming? But didn't.

Well, it is Governor Crist's turn to stand up on global warming. The time is now, to pull Florida's head from the sand.

Insurance industry executives are some of the sharpest business minds on the planet. Their daily news clips are filled, no doubt, with stories that profoundly impact their choices, and our wallets, but rarely make it to the editorial pages.

A 2003 report by the US Government Accountability Office reported that erosion and flooding affect 86 percent, 0r 184 of 213 Alaska villages to some degree. That statistic popped up in a widely distributed AP report just a few days ago.

Yesterday, the mainstream media reported a 2005 event in the Candadian north, when an ice sheet the size of 11,000 football fields broke from the Artic ice shelf.

Who thinks the insurance industry is making today’s decisions on rate hikes based on last year’s information on global warming, or, three years ago?

You would think that Florida, with trillions of coastal real estate values at risk, would be THE FIRST state to address global warming, and so would our newspaper editorial boards.

You would be wrong!

So, here we are at the end of 2006 and Miami Herald editorial board again rattles its pen about the insurance crisis without calling it for what it is, or, calling for changes in local policies governing land use that might diminish, looking forward, losses incurred by building in low-lying flood plains. (Today's Washington Post does the same, in a news report that also refers to the rate hikes as a result of predictions of stronger hurricanes--without mentioning global warming.)

We hate our insurance bills. But we wouldn’t ask the rest of the nation to pay our bill, without first leading the way to concrete steps leading us away from the risks of global warming.

But you haven’t read this point of view in the Miami Herald. And what you are hearing from US Senators like Bill Nelson or Mel Martinez is more of the same.

We know what’s coming for Florida. It looks a lot like what is happening in Alaska. We just don’t know how quickly. But the insurance industry, planning to be in business long after we are gone, is taking the guesswork out of that question.

Today’s insurance industry executives have been loudly proclaiming global warming for what it is: the biggest threat to the world economy. A recent British government report calls global warming the biggest market failure in world history. We agree.

On global warming, America has its head in the sand. That would go for the Miami Herald, too, that continues to write about the insurance crisis in Florida without also calling for concrete steps to show the rest of the nation we are serious about changing the habits that got us into this mess in the first place.

U.S. death toll at 100 for December

Five more American soldiers die this week

The U.S. military death toll in Iraq this month continued to rise as officials reported yesterday that five more American service members had died.

The latest deaths brought to 100 the number of service members killed in December, according to iCasualties.org, an independent website that tracks military fatalities.

Most were killed in Iraq's western Anbar province, where Sunni Arab insurgents are aggressively fighting U.S.-led forces, and most were killed by roadside bombs, according to a Washington Post analysis of data.

The deadliest month so far this year was October, with 105 American military fatalities, according to data provided by the U.S. Department of Defense. The number of service members who have died since the 2003 U.S.-led invasion is 2,979.

December's death toll has been steadily climbing, with most of the daily attacks against American service members occurring in Anbar province and the capital. While U.S. troops are fighting the insurgency in Anbar, they are also trying to calm sectarian violence in Baghdad.
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"This has been a difficult month for coalition forces," Maj. Gen. William Caldwell, the top U.S. military spokesman in Iraq, told reporters Wednesday. "You know, our deepest condolences go out to those families, to their friends - of those who have lost somebody very near and dear to them this month."

As of yesterday, the Department of Defense's official death toll for December was 94. The department waits 24 hours after next-of-kin notification to include a casualty in its official tally. The U.S. military in Iraq puts out news releases before a loss is officially counted, but withholds names.

Yesterday, one soldier died and another was injured when a roadside bomb detonated near their patrol north of Baghdad, the military said. A day before, the soldiers had been involved in the capture of four suspected insurgents believed to have planted a rocket on a main road, according to the military.

On Wednesday, a roadside bomb detonated near a patrol southwest of the capital. Two soldiers were killed and one was wounded, the military said. The unit had detained five suspected insurgents the week before after watching them place a bomb in a road.

Also on Wednesday, a soldier was killed and two were wounded when they were clearing a road in east Baghdad, the military said. That same day, in Anbar province, a Marine assigned to Regimental Combat Team 5 was killed in combat.

Auto Insurance, Policy Assets, and Customer Assistance

One morning a friend of mine was running late for class at school. His wife was throwing together some kind of breakfast while he gathered his laptop, notebook, and picked out the books he was going to need for school that day. He zipped up his pack and ran outside to warm the car up. Except, there was no car. It had been stolen. My friend ran into one disappointment after another that week as he first found the insurance company wouldn't pay for a rental, then that the damage the thief did to the car would only be covered up to the deductible and that somehow he was going to have to come up with the 500 dollars before the car could be fixed. He had supposed he had done due diligence by going to one of those car insurance quotes sites and finding the lowest priced quote. He had thought by getting cheap car insurance he had beat the system somehow. In reality, his cheap car insurance turned out to be crappy car insurance. His problem stemmed from a lack of information about his car insurance.

Before you buy your next auto insurance policy be sure you know all of the facts about the company's service policies. Cheap car insurance is only cheap if the product is as good as the more expensive car insurance. A good place to start is with a free car insurance quote, however obtaining an auto insurance quote is not going to be enough unless you know what kind of service you expect and whether or not the company quoted will provide it. The two A's will keep you straight. They are, Assets and Assistance.

Assets

You want to make certain that your car insurance quote includes every asset you could want or need in an emergency. When you are high and dry without a car, will your insurance cover your transportation needs? Check to make certain that the company you are buying car insurance from will provide you with an auto rental if something goes wrong. If your car is stolen--as my friend's was-- undrivable, or in the car repair shop for a few days you want to make certain that a car will be available to you. If not, you will be forced to call your in-laws and give them one more reason why you aren't good enough for their daughter. Check that you have road-side assistance, some variation on lock-out service, and towing service provided by some insurance company. Remember the car insurance quote is only low if the car insurance product is good.

Assistance

Find out what the auto insurance company's customer service is like before you buy from them. How do you find out something like that? First, there is no way to know for certain what type of people you will end up dealing with, but there are ways to know the probability of having a good experience. First, there is the low tech way of asking your family and friends what their experiences have been. The lemon auto insurance companies will immediately pop up in a network search of that kind, but let's say that you are a hermit and have no family or friends, or like one friend of mine, your family is all from the catskill mountains without cars or running water. If that is the case then you will need to try the high tech method: use the internet. One way is to make use of the Better Business Bureau's search engine. At www.betterbusinessbureau.org you can find if any complaints have been registered against the auto insurance company in question and whether or not the company has resolved those complaints. I have checked the auto insurance companies that have treated my family poorly and they all seem to have a complaint--not made by me--against their name.

Another way to check the customer service of a company is to find a claims telephone number on their website and call it up. If their claims people are nice to you, the likelihood of the customer service being a positive team has just raised. After you have assessed the courtesy level of the auto insurance company's service department, then politely thank them for their time and hang up. No explanation necessary, they will just move on to their next call without giving you another thought. This technique is based on the theory that there are two kinds of companies: the ones who stock their sales teams with friendly people and put all the low-paid mean folks in their claims departments and the ones who stock both with friendly, professionals. Usually, this simple test will tell you the type of company with which you are dealing.

If the quoted auto insurance policy has both the assets you desire and a high quality of customer service, then the quote is a true quote. Remember if you think you might end up actually using the car insurance--which we should all assume we will--then check these two things before running after the apparently low premiums.

Farmers Insurance requests rate reduction

State Insurance Commissioner John Garamendi announced that Farmers Insurance has requested an 18 percent overall reduction in homeowners insurance rates for California policyholders. The $171 million in proposed rate decreases by the state's 2nd largest homeowners insurer will impact nearly 1 million homeowners and renters. The decreases will likely take effect in June.

The Commissioner applauded the rate filing and proposed cut in premiums by Farmers. This action and previously filed homeowner rate reductions by State Farm, Safeco, Hartford, USAA, Nationwide and Kemper insurance companies totaling $439 million, brings a significant conclusion to Garamendi's term as Insurance Commissioner and his campaign to bring down homeowner rates for California consumers. Garamendi will become California's Lieutenant Governor on Sunday, January 7.

In June, Commissioner Garamendi ordered Allstate, State Farm, Farmers and Safeco Insurance to justify their homeowner rates. The move was prompted by the Department of Insurance comprehensive study of homeowners and auto insurance rates which revealed that four of the state's largest homeowners' insurers were paying far less than 50 cents of each premium dollar to settle policyholder claims. The four insurers account for 51 percent of the California homeowners' insurance market. The study, called "Lower Claims, Higher Profits: Where Do Your Premium Dollars Go?" disclosed the historically low loss ratios that insurers have experienced over the past two years.

The Farmers rate cuts will benefit their Special Form, Protector Plus, Renters and Condominium Owners customers. It will increase the dual auto / home discount for customers who carry these policies from 12 percent to 15 percent and provide substantial discounts for newer homes and newly renovated homes as well.

As part of the new rate reduction filing, Farmers is also introducing a "claim forgiveness" policy for customers who remain "claims free" with the company for six or more years prior to filing a single claim.

The Department said the study was launched in response to an emerging trend in which insurance carriers have experienced dramatic reductions in the percentage of premium dollars used to pay claims.

Health Insurance Companies WILL Oppose Your Plan Anyway

With a Democratic Congress coming in January, obviously several health care plans are going to be introduced. Here is some free advice to legislators. Don't even bother including private insurance companies in your plans.

Conventional Wisdom thinking is that you have to include private insurance companies in any plan, or they'll put so much money and effort into opposing your plan - and you - that nothing can pass. In the 90's the Clinton administration offered a comprehensive health care plan that involved private insurers instead of a "Medicare-For-All"-style national health plan, hoping to ward off industry opposition. This was an example of what I call the "Afraid Rush Will Say Something Bad About You" syndrome - the point being that Rush will say something bad about you anyway, no matter what you do. And of course the private insurance companies did oppose the Clinton plan anyway, putting so much money into opposing it that it never even came up for a vote. The effort went beyond just opposing the plan and became personal, with smears and take-no-prisoners tactics directed against anyone involved in trying to bring health care to the public. So much of that money and venom was left over that it helped bring in a Republican congress the following year.

So here is some news for Democrats who are offering health care plans that offer tribute to private insurance companies: They are going to oppose your plan.

Do you think that it is more efficient to use a private insurance company to provide health insurance? Then take a look at what the big corporations do when offering health insurance to large numbers of employees. The big companies "self-insure." They set up their own little internal national-health-care plans for their employees and administer them themselves rather than use private insurance companies because private insurance companies cost too much. Face it: Medicare-For-All is the only plan that will work. These days the private insurance companies are designed to deliver profits and enormous CEO salaries, while delivering the absolute minimum benefit to the public that they can get away with without personally being put in jail -- fines and civil judgments being already factored in.

Do I have a low opinion of insurance companies? You bet. Am I alone? Discuss.

Naples Real : Insurance: They aren't going to take it anymore

Fourteen months after Wilma ripped through Naples, it is hard to find a blue roof. This city-owned property on the corner of Fleishmann Blvd. and Tamiami Trail North is the exception.

On Jan. 2, Charlie Crist will move to 700 North Adams Street in Tallahassee.
Built in 1957, the 13,000-square-foot Governor's Mansion qualifies at the start of the year for placement on the National Register of Historic Places. But if it didn't belong to the state, and wasn't covered under the State Risk Management Trust Fund, the Governor-elect might share with his constituents an insurance nightmare.

Still, Governor-elect Crist has already started obsessing about the issue. When he decided to cease raising funds to pay for the inaugural Governor's Ball he said, "I just didn't feel right having a Ball while Floridians are struggling with a property tax and insurance crisis."

Nonetheless, there will be dozens of parties on Jan. 2, and a week later, all eyes will be focused on the 50-yard line, as the Florida Gators take on the Ohio Buckeyes. Reality won't set in until Jan. 16, when Florida's legislators have been summoned into a special session to start dealing with the I-word.
The legislators can expect to hear everything from heart-wrenching stories of homeowners who cannot afford rates that have doubled or tripled in one year, to irate real estate agents who will cite instances in which their clients have been unable to buy or sell certain properties because of the changing rules.

Earlier this year, a group of 32 residents in Key West got together and decided that they were going to do things the hard way: figure out how the Florida insurance industry sets rates and fight back. Within months, the organization they called FAIR - for fair insurance rates in Monroe County - swelled to 3000 members. There was dancing in the streets - it happens often in Key West - when the group succeeded in blocking some rate increases and getting others rolled back.

Hearing the story at a meeting of the Florida Association of Realtors, Bobbie Dusek was motivated to start a similar organization in Collier County. Her group is called FAIR for Collier, but here it stands for "fighting against insurance rates".

The group has drawn up a 10-point bill of rights for property owners, started a membership drive, held public meetings, and implored the Collier County commissioners to pony up funds to hire an attorney and an actuary to cut through the fog and determine what property insurance rates here should be.
FAIR has set up a mailing address at FAIR for Collier, Inc., P.O. Box 7771473, Naples, FL 34107. It has a blog at: http://fairforcollier.wordpress.com. FAIR will place representatives at a table at the Downtown Naples New Year's Eve Art Festival on Fifth Avenue South the weekend of Dec. 30 and 31; a meeting, open to the public, at the Greater Naples Chamber of Commerce at 2390 Tamiami Trail North on Jan. 4, starting at 5 p.m., and a face-to-face meeting with Collier County commissioners at the Government Center at 3301 Tamiami Trail East starting at 9 a.m. on Jan. 9.

As it gathers support from the public, FAIR is also seeking the attention of the state officials who can ultimately make things happen. State Senator Burt Saunders has attended a meeting and expressed interest. The other state representatives from this area who have been or will be contacted by FAIR are: Senator Larcenia J. Bullard; Representative Mike Davis; Representative Denise Grimsley; Representative Garrett Richter; Representative David Rivera, and Representative Trudi K. Williams.

Monroe and Collier county's FAIR organizations are being cloned by a number of other organizations throughout the state, specifically organized to deal with property insurance. Others, such as the older Community Association Leadership Lobby (CALL) have added the insurance crisis to their agendas. CALL represents more than 4,000 communities, including condominiums, homeowners associations, mobile home communities and cooperatives in Florida. Their website is: www.callbp.com.

"Spiraling storm-related insurance premiums put a strain on our communities and compromise the ability of elected volunteer community association leaders to manage them effectively," said a Naples member of CALL, Ewing Sutherland, when the group released a survey about insurance-rate increases.
The Ft. Lauderdale attorney who serves as CALL's executive director, Donna D. Berger, said Floridians are upset and "tired of listening to excuses from elected officials who say nothing can be done about this outrageous increase in storm-related insurance costs."

That comment may seem to be one of the more polite ways of putting it when the special session opens.

Insurance Lawsuit Headed Back to State Court

GULFPORT, Miss. -- Mississippi Attorney General Jim Hood's lawsuit against insurance companies over Hurricane Katrina damages is heading back to state court after a federal judge ruled that's where it belongs.

U-S District Judge L-T Senter Junior decided the state court transfer today. The lawsuit was originally filed in state court but the insurance companies successfully fought to move it to federal court. The case now goes to Hinds County Chancery Court. Senter rejected arguments by insurers that Hood's suit should be heard in federal court because the companies write flood insurance policies that are funded and administered by the federal government.

Hood filed a civil suit in September 2005 against five major insurance companies for refusing to cover at least 2 (b) billion dollars in estimated damage from Katrina's storm surge.

The companies named as defendants in Hood's suit are State Farm Fire and Casualty Company, Allstate Property and Casualty Insurance Company, Mississippi Farm Bureau Insurance Company, United Services Automobile Association and Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company.

Lawmakers To Tackle Post-Katrina Insurance

In a week from Tuesday, lawmakers will return to the State Capitol to begin their 2007 legislative session. One issue they'll try to tackle is getting available and affordable insurance for all Mississippians.

It's a key issue, lawmakers say, no one wants to talk about, but one that demands action to keep companies writing policies in the state.

"The insurance companies are waiting right now for us do something in the legislature. They're waiting," says Senate Insurance Chairman Dean Kirby.

Lawmakers are considering spending 30 million dollars next year to bail out the state Wind Pool, the insurer of last resort in the six coastal counties. "We're going to have to put some money in there to jump start," says Rep. Bobby Moak.

Sen. Kirby is hopeful that money will come from the federal government. He and Moak support several long term measures that other states are already implementing.

Lawmakers could give the Wind Pool underwriting authority, which would allow them to keep their profits and set a range of premiums. Insurance companies could be allowed to recoup some of their losses paid out. And the state could offer tax incentives.

"We need tax incentives for the people buying the policies and we need tax incentives also for the insurance companies that are actually willing to write wind coverage on the Coast," says Kirby.

Though there are no easy answers, lawmakers say they've got to act this legislative session, realizing they won't make everybody happy. "I don't think what we end up having all the insurance companies are going to like and we know that," says Kirby. "All the insured aren't going to like it and we know that as well."

Then there's also heat from policy holders in Central and Northern Mississippi who don't want to pay higher premiums to support losses on the Coast. Moak says it's already happening and it needs to be discussed. "The legislature and the population of this state needs to get educated on exactly what are these increases we're seeing," he says.

Insurance Commissioner George Dale was not available for comment Tuesday. State offices were closed for the holiday.

When it Comes to Health Insurance Costs - Geography Matters

By Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality

CITY VS. CITY: WHEN IT COMES TO HEALTH INSURANCE COSTS, GEOGRAPHY MATTERS

A new federal database for the first time allows companies, consumers, health care analysts and others to compare health insurance costs among the nation’s largest cities and other geographical areas. This new metropolitan area data table developed by HHS’ Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality provides comparable statistics on average annual costs for companies and workers contributing to private-sector health insurance. This newest addition to AHRQ’s extensive data on employer-based health insurance can be accessed at http://www.meps.ahrq.gov/mepsweb/survey_comp/Insurance.jsp.

The estimates, which are from AHRQ’s Medical Expenditure Panel Survey for 2004 -- the most current data -- show large geographical variations in how much Americans pay for family coverage and individual coverage as well as how much employers contribute to workers’ health insurance premiums.

“We already know that the quality of health care can vary significantly according to geography,’’ said AHRQ Director Carolyn M. Clancy, M.D. “These new data highlight local cost variations and may help employers make annual benefit plan decisions.”

Some highlights from the new data for the 20 largest metro areas:

For family health insurance plans, Seattle workers contributed the most (an average $3,299 per year). New York City-area workers contributed the least for family coverage ($1,851).

Average premiums for family coverage were highest in New York ($11,244) and lowest ($8,521) in the Riverside, California metro area, which includes San Bernardino and Ontario.

For individual coverage, Boston workers paid the most ($867). Workers in Riverside paid the least ($449).

Premiums for single coverage were highest in San Francisco ($4,185) and lowest in Riverside, ($3,012).

The data include statistical averages from the following cities and surrounding areas: New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Philadelphia, Dallas-Fort Worth, Miami, Houston, Washington, DC, Atlanta, Detroit, Boston, San Francisco, Riverside, Phoenix, Seattle, Minneapolis, San Diego, St. Louis, Baltimore and Tampa.

The database also provides comparisons within states. For example, in the northern and central counties of New Jersey and part of the New Jersey shore, workers contributed an average of $1,676 for family coverage. But in areas of New Jersey further from New York City, such as Atlantic City and Camden, workers contributed an average $3,079 – 84 percent more.

The employer-based insurance data from AHRQ’s Medical Expenditure Panel Survey Insurance Component are updated annually.

Providing information on health care costs, including insurance, is an important component of the HHS Value-Driven Health Care initiative. Using this new AHRQ database, consumers, health care analysts and others will be able to compare and evaluate health insurance costs between the nation’s largest cities and other geographical areas and make informed decisions about coverage. For more information on the Value-Driven Health Care initiative, go to: http://www.hhs.gov/transparency

Best Vitamin Supplements

In todays society, there are a ton of liquid vitamins to chose from.

Anything from Eniva Vibe, Goji Juice, Xango Juice, or Noni Juice, there is a new one coming out everyday that claims to have all of your bodies nutritional needs on a daily basis.

But when you dig deeper, and examine these liquid multi vitamins a little closer, you will see that some to not contain the complete liquid vitamins and minerals we need from our nutrition supplements.

I have picked some of the top liquid vitamin supplements and compared them to what I think is the most complete supplement available - Eniva Vibe.

When comparing the Antioxidants alone, Eniva Vibe beats out Xango Juice, Goji Juice, and Noni Juice with a huge gap in between them. Vibe is 3.125 ORAC per ounce and the next closest to VIBE of those three is Xango Juice at 530 ORAC per ounce.

So you can see from those alone, that Eniva has a product in VIBE that will help reduce the free radicals in your body and help you get your body to achieve better health.

Because Eniva Vibe has the complete vitamins and minerals that are needed, it makes it one of the best vitamin supplements available. It will give you what Redbull cant, and that is healthy energy drinks. And that is why I have chose Eniva Vibe as my liquid vitamin supplement of choice and home based business because of is superior nutrient content compared to other leaders in vitamins.

Insurers could invest US$35.7b overseas

Around 282 billon yuan (US$35.7 billion) of China's insurance capital could flood into the overseas market after the regulator released a rule on insurers' overseas investment yesterday, its latest move to broaden investment channels.

The rule, which is open to public opinions from now until January 10, is part of the China Insurance Regulatory Commission's (CIRC) efforts to help insurers boost investment returns.

According to the rule, the amount that an insurance company can invest in the overseas market should be no more than 15 per cent of its total assets last year.

As the total assets of China's insurance sector stood at 1.88 trillion yuan (US$238 billion) by the end of November, around 282 billon yuan (US$35.7 billion) could be invested overseas next year.

"It is a piece of good news for us, but we will be very cautious in overseas investment," said a researcher with Skandia-BSAM Life Insurance Co, a Sino-Sweden joint venture specializing in long-term wealth management.

According to him, understanding the overseas market will be the major challenge for domestic insurers.

"The successful investment experience in the domestic market may not work in the overseas market," he added. "Hiring a local asset management company in that market will be a better choice."

But he said that did not mean the investment return from the overseas market would be higher than the return from the domestic market.

"Take China's stock market this year for an example, could you find a better market?" he asked.

China's stock market has seen a growth of over 100 per cent so far this year.

Experts said insurance companies' investment return this year could exceed 6 per cent due to the bullish market.

The new rule allows insurers to invest in four types of products overseas monetary market products, such as commercial bills and monetary funds; products with fixed return, such as bank deposits, bonds and trusts; equities, such as stocks and stakes; and other products approved by the CIRC.

"There are no problems with the first two types of products, but insurers should be particularly cautious with the third type," said Zhu Junsheng, a researcher with the Capital University of Economics and Business. "As far as I know, even very matured foreign insurers invest less than 5 per cent into stocks."

The CIRC has launched a slew of policies to broaden the investment channels to insurers, such as allowing them to pour money into infrastructure projects and buy stakes in banks.

"Our next emphasis will be on home mortgages," Gao Yan, deputy director of the capital management department of the CIRC, told China Daily while attending the second Sino-US Insurance Dialogue last month.

"It is a common practice for insurance companies to run house mortgage business through intermediaries," said Malone Ma, China chief representative of the MetLife Insurance Company. "But given the lack of home mortgage intermediaries in China, insurers could probably do this business through banks."

CIRC statistics show that China's premiums topped 517.7 billion yuan (US$65.5 billion) by the end of November, an increase of 47.7 billion yuan (US$6 billion) on October. Premiums from the life insurance sector hit 379.8 billion yuan (US$48 billion), up 35.6 billion yuan (US$4.5 billion) month-on-month. The non-life insurance sector saw its premiums grow to 137.9 billion yuan (US$17.45 billion), a jump of 12 billion yuan (US$1.52 billion) on a monthly basis.

"China's insurance sector has entered a period of rapid expansion, with a growth rate of about 20 per cent expected in the following few years," Zhou Yanli, vice-chairman of the CIRC told a press conference in Southwest China's Guizhou Province. "Premiums this year are expected to cap 600 billion yuan (US$75.9 billion)."

China's insurance sector has seen an annual growth of 35 per cent in the past five years, exceeding the financial sector's 15.8 per cent annual growth and China's annual economic growth of 8.8 per cent.

Despite the skyrocketing development of the industry, China's per capita life insurance premiums stood at US$30.5 last year, lagging far behind the international average of US$299.5; while the property insurance premium was US$15.8, compared with an international average of US$219.

Nunez unveils business health insurance plan

Funding would be an issue, say critics of universal proposal

Momentum for sweeping health care reform in California continued to grow Thursday as a powerful Democratic leader proposed forcing businesses to cover their employees and extending health insurance to all children.

The plan by Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez, D-Los Angeles, will likely be a starting point for negotiations with Republican Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger in what is expected to be the dominant policy debate in Sacramento next year.

Schwarzenegger has declared 2007 the "year of health care" and will unveil in a few weeks his own reform agenda to fix what he calls a "broken system."

"I feel very confident, extremely confident," Nunez said, "that we will have in 2007 a health care reform package that Californians can be proud of."

Nunez's announcement comes on the heels of last week's similar proposal by Senate Democratic leader Don Perata of Oakland. With the two legislative leaders and Schwarzenegger all focused on health care and pledging to cooperate on a solution, the likelihood of reforming a system that leaves about 6.6 million Californians uninsured appears greater than it's been in years.

Still, health care reform is complicated, expensive and controversial. Nunez offered few specifics about how much his plan would cost and precisely where the money would come from, beyond some contribution from employers, saying those details would be provided after health experts evaluate his ideas. Schwarzenegger has ruled out a tax increase.

"Ultimately when the end game occurs, they're going to have to face the funding issue, and coverage isn't cheap," said Tom Epstein, vice president of public affairs for Blue Shield of California. "If they're going to significantly expand coverage, they're going to have to find the money to pay for it." California's last attempt to vastly expand health insurance was overturned at the ballot box in 2004, after business groups teamed up with Schwarzenegger against it.

Nunez and Perata pick up largely where that defeated plan left off. Both Democrats endorse a so-called employer mandate, forcing businesses to provide health insurance to their employees or else pay a percentage of their payroll into a state insurance pool that would provide coverage. They also call on workers to pay a yet-unspecified share of their health premiums, and Perata would require employees to show proof of health insurance on their state tax returns.

Business groups are almost certain to oppose a health insurance mandate.

"We feel employer mandates have a disproportionate impact on small businesses," Lara Diaz Dunbar, a senior vice president at the California Restaurant Association, said in a recent interview. The association spent more than $5 million to overturn Senate Bill 2, the 2003 health reform measure that included an employer mandate.

Nunez said insuring all children will be a top priority in the health care negotiations. An attempt to cover the estimated 800,000 kids who lack insurance stalled earlier this year when Schwarzenegger balked at the $300 million price tag. Nunez believes children of undocumented parents should be covered as well.

"You cannot have health care reform and call it reform," Nunez said, "if each and every child in the state of California is not covered."

Republican lawmakers are vehemently opposed to providing health care to illegal immigrants, but they do not have enough votes in either house to derail Democratic legislation.

Nunez would also attempt to rein in spiraling health care costs, which have caused double-digit premium increases in recent years. He would require that private insurers provide a "reasonable" minimum benefit package that includes coverage for preventive care — an effort to reduce costs of treating more advanced illnesses.

Nunez also endorsed an expansion of electronic medical records, which would allow health providers to access a patient's records over the Internet. Proponents say the system could avoid costly duplication of tests and procedures, and reduce medical errors.

Schwarzenegger is expected to roll out his health care ideas with a series of announcements in January. The governor, who had breakfast with Nunez and their wives hours before the Assembly speaker made his announcement Thursday, has raised expectations about a notoriously difficult issue.

"With the same bipartisan spirit we worked in last year," Schwarzenegger said in a statement, "I know that meaningful health care reform can be achieved.

Students learn about insurance needs

In a class of a dozen students at Century High School nearly every student has a car.

By a show of hands, two pay for their own car insurance. A handful have credit cards or bank accounts. Some have collected a traffic ticket or two.

Each of these actions is affecting the students’ auto insurance premiums, as insurance commissioner Jim Poolman explained to Karri Landeis’ English class and four other Century classes Monday. His presentations are part of the insurance department’s efforts to educate people about insurance.

A low credit score caused by credit card debt or bounced checks could increase a person’s insurance rate. Tickets for moving violations, like speeding, also can raise rates. A higher credit score gives a person a more favorable rate.

“No credit score is not a reason for them to increase your rate,” Poolman told the class.

A person can have no credit score if they have not done things to establish a credit history, like taking out credit cards, or always paying for big ticket items with cash instead of financing. Insurance providers were charging people without a credit score at the same rate as people who were considered high risk, such as the low credit score group. North Dakota has a law to prevent this, Poolman said.

A young adult covered by their parents’ auto insurance policy will pay less than if the person lived on their own, he said. This is because premiums are based on risk. Generally, teens can stay on their parent’ policy if they live at home or they are at college, and get a better rate.

It’s the same with health insurance. Many group health plans allow children to stay on their parents’ health plan while they are in college or until a certain age. But a fifth of young adults, if left to choose, would opt not to get health insurance if they had to pay for it, Poolman said.

“The largest group of uninsured people are young singles,” Poolman said. “Medical debt is the major cause of bankruptcy.”

While young adults might not have a regular need for health services, going without health insurance does not provide coverage for emergencies, which could put a person into debt. A lower-cost option for healthy young adults is to buy a plan that provides catastrophic coverage.

Poolman also explained why they should consider renters insurance and understand life insurance for future life needs. Renters Insurance covers a person’s belongings when they live somewhere they do not own. The property owner is not liable if a renter’s belongings are damaged or stolen, Poolman said. Life Insurance is more of a concern as people begin to get married and start families, he said.

The insurance department is working to educate people about different insurance needs for four life stages: young adult, young families, established families and empty nesters.

New insurance law could start next year

The revised insurance law, which will enable insurance companies to invest in real estate, will go public as early as the end of next year, said top managers at China’s insurance regulator.

The current insurance law was enacted in 1995 and revised in 2002. However, due to the skyrocketing development of China’s insurance sector, which has seen an average annual growth of 30 per cent over the past two decades, the original insurance law lags far behind the times.

“One of the major problems is with investment channels,” said Yang Huabai, director of the legislation department of the China Insurance Regulatory Commission (CIRC).

China’s Insurance companies held a combined 1.85 trillion yuan (US$236.5 billion) of assets as of October 31, up 25 per cent on last year.

However, because of strict constraints on which fields insurers can invest under the original insurance law, their investment return has hovered at around only 3 per cent over the past few years.

Although the CIRC has taken measures to open investment channels, such as allowing some insurers to pour money into infrastructure projects and buy stakes in banks, these moves haven’t yet been included in the law.

“As a major change, insurers can invest in real estate in the revised draft,” said Yang.

Some insurance companies have already embarked on pilot programmes in the property sector.

“We have bought several commercial buildings this year and will further strengthen our investment in this sector, including in medium-sized cities,” Li Yanhua, chief risks officer at Taikang Life Insurance, told China Daily. Taikang Life is the country’s fifth largest life insurer by premium.

Insurance companies’ liabilities are mostly long-term, so finding good long-term assets to match them is important, with real estate projects are among the best choices, Li explained.

“My confidence in China’s real estate sector is based on the country’s growing economy and limited land supply, especially in hot areas,” Li said.

For Li, the revised insurance law is good news, promising further regulation of the market.

She cares most about the clarification of consumers’ benefits and liabilities.

“We hope that there will be more articles to protect consumers in the revised insurance law,” she said.

Most of the articles in the original insurance law were targeted at insurance companies. However, the enhanced competition in the insurance sector has led to more irregularities, damaging consumers’ services.

“On the other hand, there are very few regulations to clarify consumers’ liabilities,” said Li. “Insurance companies are becoming frustrated by the growing number of fake claims.”

According to Janet De Silva, CEO of Sun Life Everbright, a 50-50 joint venture life insurer between Canada’s Sun Life Financial and China’s Everbright Group, the broadened investment channels in the revised law will make product innovation easier.

“We will be pleased if CIRC loosens the restrictions on insurers’ overseas investments, as it could make product innovation more straightforward,” said De Silva.

While broadening investment channels, the revised insurance law will also expand insurers’ business scope and add new market entities.

For instance, there are only three types of business insurers could do under the original insurance law life insurance, non-life insurance and reinsurance. However, with the growth of the economy, there is now demand for different types of insurance.

The new medical co-operative system in rural areas, for instance, was widely welcomed by peasants but has exceeded the business scope of the original law, said Yang. The system aims to help peasants receive better medical treatments at lower cost.

Yang said the revised insurance law could go public as early as the end of next year.

“We submitted the draft law to the Legislative Affairs Office of the State Council at the end of 2005 and we’ve reached an initial consensus now after some amendments,” said Yang.

The Legislative Affairs Office will submit the draft to the National People’s Congress (NPC) for a review early next year. The NPC usually conducts three reviews before passing a law, said Yang.

“Therefore, if everything moves on smoothly, the revised insurance law could be made public at the end of next year,” Yang added.

China’s insurance sector has seen an annual growth rate of 35 per cent over the past five years, with the overall premium topping 517.7 billion yuan (US$66.2 billion) by the end of November this year.

Under the 11th Five-year Plan, China’s insurance revenue is expected to exceed 1 trillion yuan (US$128 billion) by the end of 2010, and insurance assets are expected to hit 5 trillion yuan (US$639 billion).

Best Vitamin Supplements

In todays society, there are a ton of liquid vitamins to chose from.

Anything from Eniva Vibe, Goji Juice, Xango Juice, or Noni Juice, there is a new one coming out everyday that claims to have all of your bodies nutritional needs on a daily basis.

But when you dig deeper, and examine these liquid multi vitamins a little closer, you will see that some to not contain the complete liquid vitamins and minerals we need from our nutrition supplements.

I have picked some of the top liquid vitamin supplements and compared them to what I think is the most complete supplement available - Eniva Vibe.

When comparing the Antioxidants alone, Eniva Vibe beats out Xango Juice, Goji Juice, and Noni Juice with a huge gap in between them. Vibe is 3.125 ORAC per ounce and the next closest to VIBE of those three is Xango Juice at 530 ORAC per ounce.

So you can see from those alone, that Eniva has a product in VIBE that will help reduce the free radicals in your body and help you get your body to achieve better health.

Because Eniva Vibe has the complete vitamins and minerals that are needed, it makes it one of the best vitamin supplements available. It will give you what Redbull cant, and that is healthy energy drinks. And that is why I have chose Eniva Vibe as my liquid vitamin supplement of choice and home based business because of is superior nutrient content compared to other leaders in vitamins.

Marshall Sylver

Marshall Sylver Will Change Your Life Just Like He Changed Mine!

Over the past 10 years I have attended dozens of personal development seminars and wealth conferences searching for that one thing I could take and run with. I have always known where I wanted to go in my life; the challenge for me was getting there!

I first came across Marshall Sylver at a Real Estate Expo in 2005 and I was absolutely blown away by his mentality and grasp on the human psyche. I felt an overwhelming passion to learn more from this man and immediately enrolled in his Turning Point seminar. I had no idea the impact his teachings would have on my life. I quit my job within 2 days after the seminar and became a full time real estate investor. Now 8 months later I am enjoying a lifestyle I never thought possible and I know without Marshall’s training I would still be in the same place I have been for the last 10 years. I can’t thank Marshall enough for leading me down the path I was destined to take.

Marshall uses hypnosis as the backbone for helping people achieve their dreams and conquer their fears. The process really works and Marshall is known today as the greatest hypnotist of all time, for a good reason too. In fact I would like to further validate his title as the greatest hypnotist of all time for all those people who say hypnosis doesn't work.

The proof is in the pudding!

- Marshall
Sylver has hypnotized more people during his lifetime than anyone
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Sylver holds the record for hypnotizing over 8,000 people at the
same time
- Marshall Sylver has sold more hypnosis CDs, books, and
training material than anyone in history
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Sylver has created more millionaires and successful businesses
using the process of hypnosis than anyone in history
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Sylver recently made a movie that hypnotizes you when you watch it,
it is the first movie of its kind, (Tranced)

Marshall has educated and entertained television audiences from guest spots on The Late Show with David Letterman, Howard Stern, Rosie O'Donnell, Dr. Joy Browne, Donny & Marie, Sally Jesse Raphael, Montel Williams and The Big Idea with Donny Deutsch. Marshall is also a respected business consultant sought by many Fortune 500 companies. He has led training programs for such companies as IBM, Ford, KFC and Pepsi, teaching management how to motivate employees & sales staff how to close a deal.

There are some negative articles circulating about Marshall because of a few rotten eggs, I want to encourage you to check Marshall Sylver out for yourself because he could easily change your life just like he did mine.

Tag: Marshall Sylver, Hypnosis, Theraputic Metaphors, Hypnotist, Tranced Movie, trance, hypnotic, induction

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What is the best weight loss blog?. After much research Dr. Simple decided to put together a document that summarized the most effective strategies on weight loss.”I wanted to create something that not only was effective, but a document that people could implement simply and see the results” says, Dr. Simple. If you are tired of not losing weight then “Weight Loss HD” is a simple to follow, easy to implement blog on how to make your weight loss a reality. Check out their free natural weight loss tips at http://www.WeightLossHD.com

WeightLossHD.com offers a complete range of nutrition information, tips, news, exercise routines, diet plans, and supplement reviews.

“People can still enjoy the holidays without having to give up all their weight loss efforts,” says Simple Edwin Registered Dietitian and founder of WeightLossHD.com. “It truly comes down to balance and moderation.”

About WeightLossHD.com
Simple Edwin is the owner of the WeightLossHD.com web site, established in 2003 and based in New York to promote and provide weight loss and wellness information to assist people to achieve long term results. The company was founded by Registered Dietitian, Simple Edwin.

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Firm banned from selling insurance

The Registrar of Medical Schemes, T Patrick Masobe, on Tuesday obtained an order in the Johannesburg High Court prohibiting Guardrisk from marketing and selling health insurance products.

The Council for Medical Schemes said in a news release Masobe claimed the products contravened the Medical Schemes Act.

The court found Guardrisk's Admedgap and Admedpulse health insurance products to be undertaking the business of a