Tobacco use is the most preventable cause of disease, disability and death in the US. And despite the strong link between tobacco use and cancer rates, a whopping 46.6 million Americans smoke cigarettes. Here are some of the grim statistics from the National Cancer Institute:

• Cigarette smoking causes an estimated 443,000 deaths per year.

• Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths in men and women in the US.

• Smokers are up to 6 times more likely to suffer a heart attack than non-smokers.

• Approximately 20% of high school students are cigarette smokers.

 

Many believe cigars provide a ‘safer’ and more socially acceptable alternative to cigarettes. While the later may be true, the fact is cigars might be more toxic than cigarettes. The National Cancer Institute gives these facts about cigars and the associated disease risk:

• Cigars contain higher levels of cancer-causing substances, tar and of toxins than cigarettes.

• Cigar use can cause cancers of the esophagus, oral cavity, larynx, lungs and pancreas.

• Daily cigar users are at an increased risk of heart disease and other cancers.

 

A common misconception among cigar smokers is they are not at risk because they generally do not inhale the smoke. However, non-inhalers don’t get a free pass as even puffing will expose the entire oral cavity to the toxic chemicals. The saliva will absorb chemicals also, and in turn will be swallowed, exposing the esophagus and digestive tract to the carcinogens. Most of the health risks are directly related to the degree of smoke exposure.

Some of the more dangerous chemicals in cigars include:

• Nitrosamines

• Carbon monoxide

• Hydrocarbons

• Ammonia

• Cadmium

 

While it is true cigarette smokers experience more cancers of the larynx than non-inhaling cigar users, the incidence of oral and esophageal cancers are about the same for both user types.

Regardless, most life insurance companies will allow occasional or recreational cigar use without penalty. Some companies will allow up to one cigar per week without penalty. We recommend you disclose any cigar use to your agent or broker so she can advise you of the best company to apply with.

For more information on cigar use and term life insurance, see our previous blog entry on the subject.

Are you a cigar smoker or do you know one? How do you/they feel about occasional cigar use?

 

Sources: National Institutes of Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

I ran regularly for a while, and I recently decided to launch a newspaper operation of my progress. follow I was quite surprised, I was on average three trips a week instead of five or six, I really thought I was logging. I think I was on the track is more than I was, I had not started going my journal.

Fortunately, my misunderstanding is on my schedule I do run a cost much, except maybe my size. But to make mistakes on the move, could illnesses, medications and other lifestyle costs on your term life insurance application. Details of life insurance will allow the bank to subscribe to assign the proper class rating of your policy. It could save you money now and pay your beneficiaries trouble later.

The following common areas for mistakes on applications.
Dates

It is not usually a big problem if you are in front of your data with a couple of days, but months and years will matter. For example, a diagnosis of cancer before the age of 7 against a year, providing the difference between a policy and a decline in life insurance. Another example is traveling abroad, as many companies over time, they allow candidates before care policy premium increase to limit spending.

The bottom line is it okay if you are not sure. Let your agent know, or the current status of your application. Be as specific as possible and open to the company if you are not sure of something.

precision on term life insurance applications is very important. It can help your approved policy in the class scoring correct and prevent problems later if a claim is asserted. But feel free to fake it a little on the log on if you want!

Applying for term life insurance is a simple process for most applicants. But it can be a source of anxiety for some people. This is usually due to the anticipation surrounding the life insurance company’s review of the information collected about your health, financial status and lifestyle. Sometimes it can feel as if you are sitting in front of a judge’s panel, especially if you don’t like what the judges have to say.

Judging is an unavoidable part of life. Many of us judge on some level, whether we realize it or not.  In terms of term life insurance, the underwriters, actuaries and medical directors are the ‘judges.’ After turning in your application and completing your exam, it’s time to sit back and wait for the results of the judging panel. The following tips may help you handle being ‘judged’ and provide some insight into the process.

Consider it a learning experience.

If this is your first term life insurance application, you may find it interesting to see how your mortality risk compares to the ‘average’ person. Life insurance companies use different underwriting guidelines, so you may score better with certain companies.

Try to relax … nobody is perfect.

Even applicants in the best rating classes, such as Preferred Plus, generally have something unearthed during the application process. Perhaps they had a speeding ticket or have to take medication to control their cholesterol. They may have even added a few extra pounds since the glory days of college. Nobody is perfect, and life insurance companies don’t expect you to be either.

Voice your opinion. Your agent will listen.

If you don’t agree with the outcome of your term life insurance application, talk about it with your agent. Errors can sometimes be discovered while discussing the outcome of your application. If no errors are found, your agent will be able to help you understand the situation and your options.

Take action on the outcome.

Take the company’s decision as motivation to improve your situation. Perhaps your blood pressure readings were high on your paramedical exam. Use the experience to make some lifestyle changes for the better. You can always put the policy in force and reapply at a later date, once you’ve made improvements.

Gain some perspective.

It can seem as though your doctor’s opinion of your health is not nearly as critical as the life insurance company’s opinion. This is because your doctor and the company have different goals in mind. While they both want to see you live a long, healthy life, your doctor’s main objectives are to keep you healthy and treat you when you are not. The life insurance company on the other hand, must accurately assess your mortality risk based on statistical analysis. And remember, your doctor doesn’t have to pay a million dollars to your beneficiary if he or she is unsuccessful!

You be the judge.

Send a letter to your agent if you have legitimate concerns about the life insurance company’s underwriting guidelines or practices. Be professional, reasonable and to the point. Provide supporting information if available. You may get what you ask for if you just ask for it.

Skip the judging altogether (almost).

Apply for a non-medical or accident-only term life insurance policy. These policies require less underwriting, including no paramedical exams!

Have you ever had an unfavorable decision on a life insurance application? If so, let us know how you handled it!

Don’t you just love life insurance jargon? Agents and brokers use it constantly when talking to life insurance company reps and coworkers. Unfortunately for some, it can be difficult to turn off the ‘jargon switch’ when speaking with customers. And this isn’t unique to the life insurance world. You may even use jargon in your field of work without even realizing it.

Two terms that seem to cause confusion for term life insurance applicants are ‘underwriter’ and ‘underwriting.’ Who are these strange people and what are they doing to your term life insurance application?

An underwriter is the person employed by the life insurance company who is responsible for compiling all of the needed information about the applicant. Once the information is collected, the underwriter then analyzes it to determine mortality risk and ultimately issues a decision on acceptance and a rating class. The term underwriting is used to describe the process of collecting information and analyzing the mortality risk of the applicant. So, if your agent tells you ‘your application is still in underwriting,’ this simply means the underwriter is still in the process of collecting and analyzing information about you.

According to Wikipedia, the term underwriter has quite a history. Back in the 1600’s, a coffee house called Lloyd’s Coffee House in London was a popular hangout for investors, sailors, ship owners and merchants. Lloyd’s (also known as Lloyd’s of London) provided important information about shipping news. The investors used the information to assess the risk of the ship voyages, and if agreeable they would write their name on a document underneath the risk assessed for a certain ship voyage in exchange for a premium. So, they would literally ‘write under’ the risk. Over time, this process became known as underwriting.

Curious about other life insurance jargon you may have come across lately? The following is a list of more industry lingo you may hear when talking with your agent or life insurance company.

• APS – Attending Physician’s Statement (aka Medical Records)

• App – Your Insurance Application

• Paramed – Paramedical Examination

• MVR – Motor Vehicle Report (aka DMV Records)

• IR – Inspection Report (aka Telephone Interview)

• PFS – Personal Financial Statement

• HOS – Home Office Specimen (aka Urine Sample)

• Delivery Requirements – These are forms, signatures, payment, etc. needed to put your new policy in force.

Now you’re all set to write a jargon-laced email that will surely impress your agent!

The protection and confidence that a free car insurance policy gives you is enormous, while driving a car. This keeps your head calm no matter how far you have to drive. Obviously, by applying for quote online, you are in a position to have suitable insurance coverage that matches with your income. Insurance policies are to protect you from numerous losses that may cause while you are on the drive. The driver and the vehicle are the primary target of the insurance coverage and the person/s who suffer/s from an accident caused by your car also will be protected with insurance.

Value of having insurance for driving

The government has enforced the law on drivers to get proper insurance policies to protect them from probable accident. That means, you cannot drive your vehicle on the road if you have not got proper insurance papers and when you have one, it helps minimize the harm from accidents. Free car quote online helps you in this regard to understand various insurance policies better that numerous insurance companies issue now. This understanding helps you to select a good and low rate free car quote that matches with your need well.

Local insurance agents

On the other hand, you can opt to visit the nearest insurance company to select a good insurance policy for your need. They are always welcome you. You only have to provide them with your personal details, car details as well as your driving experience. They need them to issue you a free car insurance quote online without any mistakes from their parts. When you apply for a free car insurance quote, you should be careful to select a good one. You can be able to do it only after contacting as many as you can.

Information needed

Every insurance company who is on the Internet has free car insurance quote application on its home page. Filling a form, you can connect with the relevant insurance company to get a free quote online. To get one, you have to supply some vital information on the application form first. Your car make and model, the history of your driving experience and your designation are some of them. Submitting the filled application, you will get free quote online in no time. In this way, you can connect with as many as you can and get their free car insurance quotes online as well.

Judging the best

After getting some insurance quotes, you are in a better position to judge what would be the best car insurance policy according to your needs. Car insurance policy is a must when you drive. Finding a good one is not difficult if you have patient in applying for enough free car insurance quotes online to compare them with one another and find the best. You must have proper insurance policy with you to drive, as it helps you to overcome the trouble when an accident occurs and protects everyone concerned as far as you can.

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