California Car Insurance

Auto Insurance Coverage In California
Residents of California will tell you the same thing: to survive here, you'll need a car. Whether it's the scenic drive along the coast on Route 1 or the long trip from LA to San Francisco on I-5, you'll need to make sure you have the right car insurance coverage. In fact, the Golden State has stiff penalties for failing to maintain auto insurance coverage, including a traffic citation and fine of $1,000 or more and the impounding of your vehicle. You may also be financially responsible for any costs if you cause an accident and don't have car insurance.


Luckily, maintaining California auto insurance coverage is easy. You can get a free car insurance quote with GEICO online in just a few minutes. California has some unique car insurance laws that make insuring a vehicle there different than other states.

What is the California safe driver discount?
Good drivers in California are often eligible for preferred rates with GEICO. When you insure with GEICO, we will give you the California Safe Driver Discount automatically if you meet the necessary criteria. A licensed GEICO auto insurance counselor will be happy to review this discount with you.


How does the California Deductible Waiver work?
If you carry collision coverage on your car, then you may be eligible for the California Deductible Waiver. With this waiver, your insurance company will pay the collision deductible on your car if an uninsured driver causes an accident. Speak to one of GEICO's expert auto insurance agents to discuss whether this coverage option is right for you.

What do I do if I get a California Intent to Suspend Registration letter?
If the state of California cannot confirm that you have insurance on your vehicle, you may receive a

letter stating that they plan to cancel your car's registration. This can happen if the state doesn't have the correct VIN (Vehicle Identification Number) on file, if your insurance coverage has lapsed, or if there's an error in the information that the state of California received. Call a GEICO agent to see how we can help.
California Minimum Car Insurance Coverage
California requires drivers to carry at least the following coverages:

Bodily Injury Liability Coverage: $15,000 per person / $30,000 per accident minimum
Property Damage Liability Coverage: $5,000 minimum
Uninsured Motorist Bodily Injury Coverage: $15,000 per person / $30,000 per accident minimum
Uninsured Motorist Property Damage Coverage: $3,500 minimum
Note: Uninsured motorist coverages can be rejected by speaking with a GEICO representative. Speak to a licensed GEICO insurance agent to find the options that are right for you.

California Teen Driving Laws
If you're the parent of a teen, California allows your son or daughter to begin the licensing process at age 15½. Before becoming fully licensed, California teen drivers must complete driver training and get a provisional permit. Here's some of the information that the California DMV requires to get this permit:

Application form
Parental signatures
Social Security number
Application fee
Proof of driver education
Young drivers in California must have a provisional permit for at least six months before applying for a license. At that time, the DMV will administer a driving test before issuing a driver's license. For full California teen driver rules and laws, check with your local California DMV.

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Enrollment growth in Obamacare health insurance slower than expected

Reflecting slower than anticipated enrollment growth in health insurance purchased through the Affordable Care Act, the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office has lowered its estimate of how many people will get coverage through the law in 2016.

In any given month this year, about 13 million people on average are now expected to be enrolled in a health plan purchased on a marketplace created by the law, often called Obamacare.


That is down from 21 million people previously estimated by the budget office, whose projections about the impact of legislation are closely watched by both parties in Washington.

The lower enrollment number brings the budget office closer in line with the Obama administration, which scaled back its own enrollment targets for 2016, citing the difficulty of reaching new consumers who have not so far taken advantage of the marketplaces.


The insurance marketplaces, a key pillar of the health law, allow people who do not get coverage through an employer to shop among plans that must meet basic standards and cannot turn away customers with preexisting medical conditions.

Those making less than four times the federal poverty level — about $47,000 for a single adult or about $97,000 for a family of four — qualify for federal aid to offset their insurance premiums.


The lower enrollment numbers have fueled some criticism from Republicans, who continue to argue that the heathcare law should be repealed.

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Benefits for Inpatient Hospital Confinement

Assistant Surgeon Benefit If, in connection with such operation, a Covered Person requires the services of an Assistant Surgeon, We will pay the Covered Expense incurred.
9. Emergency Room Benefit $250 per visit Co-Pay. We will pay if the Covered Person requires Emergency Room treatment due to a Covered Loss resulting directly and independently of all other causes from a Covered Accident or Sickness. Emergency Room means a trauma center or special area in a Hospital that is equipped and staffed to give people Emergency treatment on an Outpatient basis. An Emergency Room is not a clinic or Physician’s office.

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10. Pre-Admission Testing Benefit We will pay benefits for charges for Pre admission testing (inpatient confinement must occur within 3 days of the testing).
11. Anesthesia Benefit We will pay benefits for Anesthesia for pre-operative screening and administration of anesthesia during a surgical procedure whether on an Inpatient or Outpatient basis.

Diagnostic X-Ray and Laboratory Benefit We will pay if the Covered Person requires diagnostic x -ray and/or laboratory examinations and services due to a Covered Loss.

13. Physiotherapy/Chiropractic Expense Benefit We will pay benefits as described in the Schedule of Benefits for eligible Physiotherapy expenses incurred by the Covered Person. In no event will the Company’s Maximum liability exceed the Maximum stated in the Schedule of Benefits, as to Eligible Expenses during any Period of Insurance.

For the purpose of this section, Physiotherapy means charges for physiotherapy if recommended by a Physician for the treatment of a specific Disablement or following hospitalization and administered by a licensed physiotherapist as an Outpatient, up to the Maximum amount shown in the Schedule of Benefits for the Outpatient Physiotherapy benefit.

 Charges include treatment and office visits connected with such treatment when prescribed by a Physician, including diathermy, ultrasonic, whirlpool, heat treatments, microtherm, chiropractic, adjustments, manipulation, acupuncture, or any form of physical therapy.
14. Ambulance Benefit When, by reason of Injury or Sickness, a Covered Person requires the use of a community or Hospital Ambulance in a Medical Emergency, 

We will pay up to $350 for transportation, within the metropolitan area in which the Covered Person is located at that time the

service is used. Ambulance Service is transportation by a vehicle designed, equipped and used only to transport the sick and injured from home, the scene of the Accident or Medical Emergency to a Hospital or between Hospitals. 









Surface trips must be to the closest local facility that can provide the covered service appropriate to the condition. If there is no such facility available, coverage is for trips to the closest facility outside the local area. Air transportation is covered up to $350 when Medically Necessary because of a life threatening Injury or Sickness or if the Covered Person is in a rural area, then air ambulance transportation to the nearest metropolitan area will be considered an Eligible Expense.

 Air Ambulance is air transportation by a vehicle designed, equipped and used only to transport the sick and injured to and from a Hospital for inpatient care. Search and rescue charges are not covered.

15. Mental and Nervous Conditions Expense Benefit If a Covered Person requires treatment for a Mental or Nervous Condition, We will pay for such treatment as follows: 

 Benefits for Inpatient Hospital Confinement -When a Covered Person requires Hospital Confinement for treatment of a Mental or Nervous Condition, 

We will pay the Covered Percentage of the Eligible Expenses incurred for such Hospital Confinement. Such confinement must be in a licensed or certified facility, including Hospitals.

 Benefits for Outpatient Services - We will pay the Eligible Expenses incurred for the Outpatient treatment of Mental and Nervous Conditions as defined. 

The Mental and Nervous Condition must, in the professional judgment of healthcare providers, be treatable, and the treatment must be Medically Necessary. Outpatient treatment and Physician services include charges made by an Outpatient treatment department of a Hospital or community mental health facility, or charges for services rendered in a Physician’s office. Treatment may be provided by any properly licensed Physician, psychologist or other provider as required by law.

Biologically Based Mental Sickness means a mental, nervous, or emotional disorder caused by a biological disorder of the brain which results in a clinically significant, psychological syndrome or pattern that substantially limits the functioning of the person with the Sickness.

16. Alcohol and Drug Abuse Expense Benefit If a Covered Person requires treatment on account of alcoholism, Alcohol Abuse, Drug Abuse or drug dependency, We will pay for such treatment as follows:

 Benefits for Inpatient Hospital Confinement - When a Covered Person is confined as an inpatient in: (i) a Hospital; or (ii) a Detoxification Facility for the treatment of alcoholism, Alcohol Abuse, Drug Abuse or drug dependency, We will pay the Covered Percentage of the Eligible Expenses incurred for such Hospital Confinement.  Such Confinement must be in a licensed or certified facility, including Hospitals. 

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Iron And Hepcidin A Story Of Recycling And Balance

To avoid iron deficiency and overload, iron availability is tightly regulated at both the cellular and systemic levels. The liver peptide hepcidin controls iron flux to plasma from enterocytes and macrophages through degradation of the cellular iron exporter ferroportin.

The hepcidin-ferroportin axis is essential to maintaining iron homeostasis. Genetic inactivation of proteins of the hepcidin-activating pathway causes iron overload of varying severity in human and mice. Hepcidin insufficiency and increased iron absorption are also characteristic of anemia due to ineffective erythropoiesis in which, despite high total body iron, hepcidin is suppressed by the high erythropoietic activity, worsening both iron overload and anemia in a vicious cycle.

Hepcidin excess resulting from genetic inactivation of a hepcidin inhibitor, the transmembrane protease serine 6 (TMPRSS6) leads to a form of iron deficiency refractory to oral iron. Increased hepcidin explains the iron sequestration and iron-restricted erythropoiesis of anemia associated with chronic inflammatory diseases. In mice, deletion of TMPRSS6 in vivo has profound effects on the iron phenotype of hemochromatosis and beta-thalassemia.


Hepcidin manipulation to restrict iron is a successful strategy to improve erythropoiesis in thalassemia, as shown clearly in preclinical studies targeting TMPRSS6; attempts to control anemia of chronic diseases by antagonizing the hepcidin effect are ongoing. Finally, the metabolic pathways identified from iron disorders are now being explored in other human pathologic conditions, including cancer.Introduction Iron is essential for multiple cell functions, but is also potentially deleterious because of its ability to generate free oxygen radicals.

Due to the absence of an active excretory mechanism, iron balance in mammals is maintained by limiting its intestinal uptake and by continuously recycling and reusing cellular iron. Multiple safety mechanisms, such as binding to chaperone proteins, storage in ferritin, and export through ferroportin (FPN), protect cells from free iron toxicity. The mechanisms of cellular iron handling are summarized in Figure 1. Iron is used in mitochondria for heme synthesis and iron sulfur cluster biogenesis. There is increasing interest in the latter pathway because iron sulfur clusters are prosthetic groups for key enzymes of DNA duplication, repair, and epigenetics.

Iron-regulatory proteins (IRPs) and hepcidin exert iron homeostatic control at the cell and systemic levels, respectively.1 Disruption of iron control mechanisms leads to genetic iron disorders and may also contribute to the pathophysiology of common pathologic conditions including inflammation, neurodegeneration, metabolic disorders, and cancer. At the cellular level, IRP1 and IRP2 orchestrate the coordinated expression of iron importers (transferrin receptor 1 [TFR1] and divalent metal transporter 1 [DMT1]) and of storage (ferritin light and heavy chains) and export (FPN) proteins. IRPs regulate their targets posttranscriptionally by binding to special stem loop elements in the untranslated regions of mRNA-encoding proteins involved in iron metabolism; binding activity is high in iron deficiency and hypoxia and is suppressed by iron and oxygen (for review, see Hentze et al1).

Recently, differential target specificity of the 2 IRPs has been identified, with IRP1 specifically controlling the hypoxia mediator HIF2-alpha2 and IRP2 controlling ferritin.3 Control of HIF2-alpha by IRP is one of the multiple links between iron and hypoxia. Undoubtedly, conditional deletion of either IRP in animal models will clarify other tissue- and IRP-specific roles.
At the systemic level, the liver peptide hepcidin regulates iron homeostasis by binding and degrading the sole cellular iron exporter FPN, which is highly expressed at the basolateral surface of duodenal enterocytes and on the cell membrane of macrophages. In this way, hepcidin restricts the amount of iron delivered to its plasma carrier transferrin.4 The concentration of both circulating and tissue iron provides distinct signals that modulate hepcidin.

The result is low hepcidin and active iron delivery to plasma in iron deficiency and high hepcidin with reduced iron flux to plasma in iron overload (Figure 2). How IRP-based and systemic regulatory pathways interconnect and work together in general iron homeostasis is only partially understood and is a subject of intensive investigation. Hepcidin up-regulation Hepcidin transcription in hepatocytes is dependent on the bone morphogenic protein (BMP)-SMAD signaling cascade (Figure 3A).1 BMP6 is the iron-related BMP receptor (BMPR) ligand in vivo, as shown by Bmp6 / mice, which have severe iron overload and very low hepcidin.5 In the liver,

BMP6 is mainly expressed in nonparenchymal cells such as sinusoidal endothelial and Kupffer cells.6 Binding of the ligand to BMPR complex on the hepatocyte surface triggers phosphorylation of SMAD proteins, which translocate to the nucleus to activate target genes including hepcidin (Figure 3A). In mice, liver-specific disruption of the BMPR ALK2 and ALK-3 or of SMAD4 molecule results in iron overload with low hepcidin.7 Hemojuvelin (HJV), a protein mutated in juvenile hemochromatosis type A (Table 1), is the essential BMP coreceptor in this pathway. In humans, its inactivation causes severe, early onset iron overload indistinguishable from hemochromatosis caused by inactivation of the hepcidin gene itself.8

Hemochromatosis type 1, 2 and 3 (Table 1) and their corresponding murine models show defective BPM signaling that results in hepcidin insufficiency. Whereas the function of membrane-HJV 

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Enrollment and Filing a Claim | Students Insurance Plans

To be eligible for the StudentSecure Participants must meet all of the following requirements:

•  Must be a Full-time Student at a college or university, excluding online colleges and universities, or within 31 days of being a Full-time Student at a college or university; or must be a Full-time Scholar affi  liated with an educational institution and performing work or research for at least 30 hours per week; or must be a Full-time High School Student.

• T he Full-time Student/Scholar status requirement is waived for Participants within the US holding a valid F1 (including those students on OPT) or J1 visa. Full-time status requirements remain in force for individuals holding M-1 or other category visas.
Must be residing outside Home Country for the purpose of pursuing international educational activities.

•  Must not have obtained residency status in the Host Country.
Participants visiting the US must hold a valid education- related visa. A copy of the I-20 or DS-2019 may be requested.


Home Country Coverage
Incidental Home Country Coverage
StudentSecure will provide you 15 days of incidental coverage for trips to your home country for every 3 months of coverage purchased. Incidental visit time must be used within the three-month period earned, and you must continue your international trip in order to be eligible for this benefi t, which covers medical expenses only. Return to your home country must not be taken for the purpose of obtaining treatment of an illness or injury that began while traveling.
Benefi t Period Medical Coverage

While the certifi cate is in eff ect, the benefi t period does not apply. Upon termination of the certifi cate, Underwriters will pay eligible medical expenses, as defi ned herein, for up to 60 days beginning on the fi rst day of diagnosis or treatment of a covered injury or illness while the member is outside his or her home country and while the certifi cate was in eff ect. The benefi t period applies only to eligible medical expenses related to a condition for which the member was hospitalized as an inpatient on the termination date of the certifi cate.

Extending or Renewing Coverage
You may renew your coverage as long as you continue to meet the eligibility requirements.  Renewal may be completed within the last 6 months of a certifi cate period.  Deductible and coinsurance must be re-satisfi ed as of each renewal date.

After four years of continuous coverage or any break in coverage, a new plan must be purchased.  A

new application is required and you must re-satisfy your deductible, coinsurance, pre-existing condition provisions, and all other benefi t limits. Extensions and renewals must be made online with payment by credit card.

Cancellations and Refunds
To be eligible for a full refund, the request for cancellation must be received prior to the eff ective date.  Cancellation requests received after the eff ective date will be subject to the following conditions:
1) A $25 cancellation fee will apply
2) Only premium for unused whole-months of the plan will be refunded
3) Only members who have no claims are eligible for premium refund
4) After 60 days, no refunds are granted

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Graduate Student Loan

Graduate Student Loan Variable Rate (1):  The ANNUAL PERCENTAGE RATE (APR) is the highest Prime Rate as stated in the Wall Street Journal (index) plus a margin of 5.00% to the value of the index. The rate on new and existing balances will change on the 1st day of each year to reflect any change in the index.

We will use the index value available to us as of 10 days before the date of any APR adjustment. The maximum ANNUAL PERCENTAGE RATE will never be greater than the maximum rate allowed by state law in North Carolina which is currently 18.00%.  There is a minimum ANNUAL PERCENTAGE RATE of 5.00% (floor).  Any increase in APR will result in higher payments until what you owe has been repaid.
The maximum credit limit will be based on school certification and actual cost of attendance and your documented ability to repay, less any other financial assistance and aid received up to a maximum limit of $170,000.00.  The minimum loan amount will be $5,000.00. The Credit Union reserves the right to adjust your Limit at any time based on its discretion.
Draw period is the period during which you may request advances (subject to the limitations specified in advances) This period begins after the first advance is disbursed to the school and continues until:
(1) you graduate;
(2) you fail to maintain satisfactory progress according to the school’s standards ;

(3) you fail to ma
intain enrollment as at least a half-time student;

(4) you withdraw from the school, or

(5) you fail to sign a reaffirmation upon the credit union request. The Draw period may also be terminated if you fail to provide verification of information.  Termination of the Draw period places you into the Grace Period.


Advances: You may only use advances for educational expenses as outlined in the applicable program’s tuition fee schedule and all funds will be disbursed directly to your school.  During the Draw period the school must certify funds and provide proof of satisfactory progress and proof of enrollment as at least a half-time student status at intervals requested by the credit union.

After the initial advance, finance charges (interest) will begin to accrue immediately, calculated by taking the unpaid balance for each day since your last payment (or advance if you have not yet made a payment) and multiplying that by the applicable daily periodic rate.

Full Deferment: If you maintain the conditions set forth in the Draw period, you shall have the option of fully deferring principal and interest on the line of credit until graduation or the termination of the Draw period.  If you default on either condition or graduates, the Draw period ends and you will immediately enter the six month Grace period.Grace period: 

No payment of principal or interest shall be due during the six

(6) month period immediately following the Draw period.  If you leave school and return prior to entering repayment, you will receive the

Repayment of principal and interest will be deferred until after the Grace period.  Any unpaid accrued interest shall be capitalized at the end of the Grace Period.  The credit union will determine the payment amount that would be sufficient to repay the outstanding loan balance (including capitalized interest) and disclose this to you before the Repayment period begins.  

The minimum monthly payment amount will be $100.00.  You will be eligible for a rate reduction of 0.125% off your subsequent month’s payment if automated payments with a share account set up at Coastal Federal Credit Union are set up by the 25th of the previous month once repayment begins.  

Graduated Repayment: Students have the option of electing graduated repayment after the Grace period. 

This option temporarily lowers monthly payments by amortizing the first two repayment years over a 40 year period and then over either 18 or 23 years for the remaining balance.  This request must come in writing and no later than one month after the Grace period ends. 

full six (6) month grace period when you leave school again as long as you have maintained the conditions set forth in the Draw period.   

Late Charge: If you are more than fifteen (15) days late in making any payment, a late charge of $10.00 will be deducted from your payment for each late payment. 

Collection Costs: You agree to pay all costs of collecting the amount you owe under this agreement, including reasonable attorneys’ fees and court costs.

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General & Medical Health Insurance

General & Medical Health Insurance offers a number of different affordable, private medical insurance plans designed to meet your needs and the needs of your family. Customers in the UK have come to rely on General & Medical Health Insurance for the peace of mind in knowing that, if you come down with an illness or have an accident, you don’t have to be stuck in the NHS queues waiting for your diagnosis and treatment. You have access at a lower cost to more than 1800 common private medical procedures.

General & Medical Health Insurance plans come in two levels: Equs and Altus. The Equs plans are designed to be affordable private medical insurance for families. With The Equs plan covers you for hospital charges and diagnostic tests. It covers initial outpatient consultation, up to a certain amount, as well as physiotherapy up to a certain amount. It does not include treatment for cancer or heart or lung conditions, subsequent outpatient consultations or many other services.

Equs Plus gives you cover for hospital charges, diagnostic tests, full cover for outpatient initial consultation. This plan from General & Medical Health Insurance also gives you a certain amount of cover per year for cancer-related expenses, as well as a certain amount for subsequent outpatient services. It also inclues a limited amount of cover for physiotherapy.
The most popular options from General & Medical Health Insurance are the Altus and Altus Plus plans. These plans both cover the full costs of hospital charges, diagnostic tests, treatments for cancer, treatments for lung or heart conditions, as well as initial outpatient consultations. The Altus plan has a limited amount that it will pay for subsequent outpatient consultation, as well as physiotherapy. Both plans also include access to a 24-hour medical GP advice line.
The top plan is the Altus plus plan. This one has the same benefits as the Altus plan, but has unlimited cover for subsequent outpatient consultation. It also has a higher amount that it will cover for physiotherapy. This is the most comprehensive plan offered by General & Medical Health Insurance.

As you can see, from the most basic budget type medical insurance plan up through full coverage, General & Medical Health Insurance has plenty to offer you and your family.
Most policies will impose a limit on the length of time you’ll be covered while driving abroad, which is usually 90 days. Always make sure you read the small print and double check, though, as this can vary across insurers. If you are planning on travelling for an extended period, ask whether you can have extended European car insurance.
If, on the other hand, you are only likely to be driving on the Continent for a relatively short period, you may be able to get a temporary or short term European car insurance policy. This will typically cover you for between one and 28 days, so if you are taking just a single short trip in the year then this could be a better option.
Motoring in a country where you don’t know the landscape, language or people could result in real problems if you were to run into unexpected difficulties – as well as triggering significant financial expense.
However, a conventional UK car insurance policy is unlikely to cover you for travel on the Continent, so you’ll need to take out a specialist European car insurance policy.
But before purchasing European car insurance cover, it’s important to do your homework. No two policies are the same and there are different types and levels of insurance available, so it’s important to work out exactly what you need before making your choice.
European car insurance policies range in what they offer. Some offer a minimal level of cover while others are comprehensive. It’s important to make sure you’re not tempted to choose the cheapest as this could prove to be a false economy that might leave you vulnerable in the event of a claim.
The minimum level of insurance needed to drive on the Continent is a motor insurance certificate or ‘green card.’ But this is very basic and, in some countries, it would provide even less protection than third party car insurance cover does in the UK.
However, there are more extensive policies available that will provide the same protection as fully comprehensive car insurance in the UK. This sort of cover would not only afford you protection against a greater range of eventualities but would also give you peace of mind.

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NATIONWIDE MUTUAL INSURANCE COMPANY PASSENGER PROTECTION PLAN GENERAL DEFINITIONS

Accident: means a sudden, unexpected, unusual, specific event that occurs at an identifiable time and place, but shall also include exposure resulting from a mishap to a conveyance in which You are traveling. Accidental Injury: means Bodily Injury caused by an Accident (of external origin) being the direct and independent cause in the Loss. Actual Cash Value: means purchase price less depreciation.

Additional Expense: means any reasonable expenses for meals and lodging which were necessarily incurred as the result of a Hazard and which were not provided by the Common Carrier or other party free of charge. Bankruptcy: means the filing of a petition for voluntary or involuntary bankruptcy in a court of competent jurisdiction under Chapter 7 or Chapter 11 of the United States Bankruptcy Code 11 L.S.C. Subsection 101 et seq.

Bodily Injury: means identifiable physical injury which is caused by an Accident and is independent of disease or bodily infirmity. Business Partner: means an individual who: (a) is involved in a legal partnership; and/or (b) is actively involved in the day-to-day management of the business

Host at Destination: means a person with whom You are sharing pre-arranged overnight accommodations at the host’s usual principal place of residence. Inclement Weather: means any severe weather condition that delays the scheduled arrival or departure of a Common Carrier. Individual Coverage Term: means the period of time beginning when You have been enrolled for coverage under the Policy and for whom the required premium has been paid. Insurance: means any one of the following types of policies or plans which provide benefits for hospital confinement, medical expenses for You on Your effective date of coverage, and such policy or plan requires You to pay a deductible and/or portion of coinsurance: 

individual, group or blanket insurance plans; group Blue Cross, Blue Shield, or other group prepayment coverage plans; coverage under labor management trustee plans, union welfare plans, employer organization plans, employee benefit organizational plans, or other arrangements of benefits for persons of a group. Insurance does not include Medicare or Medicaid

Land/Sea Arrangements: means any activities undertaken by You while in the Individual Coverage Term. Loss: means injury or damage sustained by You in consequence of happening of one or more of the occurrences against which the Company has undertaken to indemnify You. Physician: means a licensed practitioner of medical, surgical or dental services acting within the scope of his/her license.





The treating Physician may not be You, a Traveling Companion or a Family Member. Pre-Existing Condition: means any injury, sickness or condition of You, or Your Traveling Companion, 

Your Family Member booked to travel with You for which within the sixty (60) day period prior to the Effective Date of Trip Cancellation coverage under the Policy (a) first manifested itself or exhibited symptoms which would have caused one to seek diagnosis, care or treatment; (b) required taking prescribed drugs or medicine, unless the condition for which the prescribed drug or medicine is taken remains controlled without any change in the required prescription; 

or (c) required medical treatment or treatment was recommended by a Physician. 

The Pre-Existing Conditions exclusion is waived for You if You enroll in the Plan at the time You pay the deposit required for the Trip (or within ten (10) days of the initial deposit) and You purchase the coverage under the Plan for the full cost of the Trip. 

Scheduled Departure Date: means the date on which You are originally scheduled to leave on the Trip. Scheduled Return Date: means the date on which You are originally scheduled to return to the point of origin or to a different final destination. 

Sickness: means an illness or disease which is diagnosed or treated by a Physician after the Effective Date of insurance and while You are covered under the Policy. (sickness is defined as after the effective date, but pre-ex is sickness prior to Effective Date Strike: means any unannounced labor disagreement that interferes with the normal departure and arrival of a Common Carrier

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Insurers offer low-cost breast cancer cover

Insurers have launched affordable medical insurance to specifically cover breast cancer.
US insurance company AIG Direct are offering the policy for as little as 99p per month*, although the cost does increase for customers considered to be at a higher risk of developing the disease.
Breast cancer is now the most common form of the disease with 1 in 8 women developing the illness during their lifetime.
According to cancer charity Macmillan, those undertaking treatment are likely to find themselves an average of £570 worse off every month. Sufferers are often forced to take a pay cut as they become too ill to work, spend more on travel expenses to and from hospital appointments, and are faced with higher energy bills due to being at home more.

AIG’s breast cancer insurance policies are designed to help patients cope with their living expenses by paying out either £10,000 or £25,000 upon diagnosis, depending on whether they have standard or premier cover, and £50 for every day spent in hospital within the first 90 days of being diagnosed.
‘The policy is designed to be simple, easily understood and affordable. We believe it is the only breast cover-only policy available in the UK at the present time’, a spokesperson for AIG said.

However, breast cancer is just one of more than 200 types of cancer. Thus, for those wishing to feel protected against a selection of medical conditions, they may prefer to opt for a traditional form of medical insurance.
Researchers have found everyday medicines to contain high volumes of Sodium.

Soluble medicines, used by millions of people in Britain, could pose a health risk due to the high levels of sodium they contain1.
Sodium is a component found in salt. The recommended daily intake of sodium per day for adults in the UK is 104mmol2, yet researchers warn that by taking the maximum dose of some medicines, users could consume a staggering 148.8mmols worth of sodium before the amount eaten during their meals is even taken into account.
Researchers at Dundee University and University College London tracked more than 1.2 million patients over a seven year period for the study recently published in the British Medical Journal. The drugs in question included effervescent, dispersible and soluble constructions of paracetemol, aspirin, ibuprofen, vitamin C, calcium, zinc and migraine-easing metoclopramide.
The results found that those who took medicines containing sodium increased their risk of suffering heart attacks, stroke or vascular-related death by a significant 16%1 compared to those taking non-sodium versions of prescriptions. The sodium consumers were also seven times more likely to develop high blood pressure and 28% more likely to die prematurely.
Jacob George, a senior clinical lecturer and honorary consultant in clinical pharmacology at Dundee University, noted that this research could merely expose the tip of the iceberg. George explained ‘The ones we looked at were prescribed by GPs, but there's a potentially much larger problem with these drugs being bought over the counter and in supermarkets.'1
George also highlighted the fact that many medicines do not label the potentially harmful quantities of sodium they contain on their packaging and researchers are now calling on manufacturers to address this.
Following this research, Mike Knapton of the British Heart Foundation, advised concerned medicine users that ‘it's important not to simply stop taking your dose’1 and that any worries should be discussed with your doctor first.

Some people may choose to purchase private health insurance in order to gain more control over their healthcare. Health insurance policyholders could arrange speedy appointments with specialist doctors and treatment at a time convenient for them.
The NHS in England will start collecting anonymous data on patients’ health from GPs for the first time1.
Information is already collected from hospitals but, by extending the initiative to include general practices, the aim is to gain a larger insight into disease and treatment patterns.
Leaflets about the changes, and how people can opt out if they wish to, will be sent to 26.5 million households across England from next week onwards.
Patients that have any further questions about how their details will be used, or those whom wish to opt out, can speak to their GP or call the information line on 0300 456 3531.
Dr Tony Calland, chairman of the British Medical Association’s (BMA) medical ethics committee, praised the leaflet campaign. 'The BMA is extremely pleased that NHS England is raising awareness about changes to the way patient data is handled in the NHS', he noted.
'It is vital that people are fully informed about what their data will be used for and how they can object to its use if they wish to'.
Patients wishing to top up their NHS services or switch to private healthcare may choose to take out medical cover. With medical cover, the cost of quality treatment could be significantly cheaper than choosing to ‘go private’ once you’ve already fallen ill.

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Details About Private Health Insurance

Is it worth having Private Health Insurance

Private Health insurance also known as private health insurance provides access to medical treatment if you are ill instead of having to wait for treatment on the NHS. Private Health treatment covers short-term illnesses or injuries and can include consultations, surgery and nursing care and hospital accommodation. With Private Health insurance you will normally stay in a private en-suite room in a private hospital, or in a private room in an NHS hospital.

Is it worth buying Private Health Insurance?

In the UK everyone is entitled to free treatment from the NHS. However many people opt to cover themselves privately instead so they can be treated in private hospitals.

The main benefit is that you can normally be treated more quickly and have more choice about when and where you are treated.

The major benefit of taking out private health insurance is that you won't have to wait for health care treatment on the NHS. Although waiting times have reduced a little in the last few years you could still have to wait several months for treatment. For example, you might have to wait for almost three months for a knee or hip replacement on the NHS. You could also have to wait almost two months for a cataract removal and two months for varicose vein surgery. This could mean your life is put on hold while you wait for treatment. It can also be very stressful for you and your family.

Another benefit of private treatment is that you are normally given a private en suite room in a private hospital or NHS hospital.

Self-pay Private Treatment

Another option to the NHS and private health insurance is to pay for the treatment privately when you need it. However treatments can be very expensive so you need to be aware that it could cost you thousands of pounds to get the treatment you need. For example, if you need a knee or hip replacement it could cost you between £8,000 and £15,000 to pay for the treatment yourself. It could cost more than £3,000 to remove a cataract, almost £4,000 to repair a hernia, or almost £2,500 for varicose vein surgery.

Other Insurance may be More Important

Before choosing private health insurance make sure you have other insurances in place. For example, if you have children then you need life insurance. Also do you have cover to replace your income if you are unable to work because of illness? Many people are wasting money paying for payment protection insurance on credit cards and loans, or don’t have the right level of cover to protect their regular outgoings. Many people only have mortgage payment protection that although it covers your mortgage for normally 12 months won’t give you an income to live on. Income protection insurance will pay out for longer, normally until you retire, or the end of the policy.

Critical illness insurance pays out if you are diagnosed with one of a list of life threatening illnesses. You could use this money to pay for treatment or to adapt your home, for example.

Income protection insurance pays you a monthly income if you are unable to work because of illness or disability. Unlike mortgage and payment protection insurance it pays for as long you are unable to work or the end of the policy or until you retire. Payment protection insurance and mortgage payment protection insurance normally only pay out for 12 or 24 months.

Life insurance is essential for anyone with someone that relies on them financially. For example, if you have children, or a partner that is dependant on your income then you need life insurance.

Conclusion

Weighing up the benefit of medical insurance against free treatment on the NHS depends on your personal circumstances and your budget. Private health insurance can be costly and depends on your age and health and lifestyle. However Private health insurance could give you access to medical treatment when you need it without having to wait for treatment on the NHS especially given the high cost of paying for treatment yourself.

How to Find the right Private Health Insurance

Private health insurance is complicated and it's essential that you choose the right policy. We specialise in health insurance cover and will search the market and help you find the right cover at the best price available. Quotes for health insurance are free and you are under no obligation

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