ONLINE CAR LOAN REVIEWS

The internet can be a valuable resource for researching the ins and outs of getting a home equity loan. It can also be a great place to find a reputable mortgage broker, as long as you are careful not to get caught in an online home equity loan scam.

Watch out for subprime lending.

Subprime lending is when a lender offers to give you a lone for an extremely high interest rate and tacks on excessive fees. Usually these loans are given to high risk individuals who are so desperate for a loan that they don’t take the time to shop around for a company that will work with them despite a bad credit rating.

Watch out for equity stripping.

Equity stripping is when a loan is based solely on the value of your home, and doesn’t take into consideration your ability to repay the loan. The usual result of these loans, is the borrower can’t repay it and the lender ends up acquiring the home and all the equity in it.

Watch out for predatory lenders.

Predatory lenders thrive on setting up loan situations in which the borrower is destined to default, consequently losing his home. Some of the signs that you might be dealing with a predatory lender include a broker that requires you to put false information on the loan application, apply for a larger loan than you need, or sign blank loan papers, saying they will be filled in later. You also want to avoid lenders that promise you one set of terms when you first apply and then change the terms when it comes time to sign or refuse to give you copies of the forms once you have signed. Predatory lenders often misrepresent the type of credit you are being given and fail to provide the required loan disclosures.

There are a lot of reasons to apply for a home equity loan online. The process is fast, easy, and convenient, as long as you take care to avoid the pitfalls of dealing with unscrupulous brokers.

Unless you have a lot of savings in the bank, chances are you’ll need to borrow some money when you buy a new car. Auto loans are available through a variety of sources, such as banks, credit unions and auto dealer financing. You can also find a great car loan through an Auto Loan Company online, as long as you look for these three things:

A reasonable interest rate

Since you’re borrowing from an Auto Loan Company online, your interest rate should be about 1-2% less than what you’d get through dealer financing. Search the Internet to find out what the current average auto loan interest rate is, and then compare it to the rate you’re being offered. Watch out for any loan company that seems to be charging an exorbitant amount of interest, particularly if you have good credit and a reasonable down payment.

Low fees and extra charges

Some Auto Loan lenders will charge all types of extra fees, like application fees, document prep charges or credit score fees. As you compare various lenders, keep an eye out for outrageous or unusual fees. If one online Auto Loan Company is tacking on an extra cost that no other company is charging, you may want to ask to have it waived or choose a different lender.

No prepayment penalties

Whatever your loan term–three, five or seven years–chances are you’ll want to pay off your Auto Loan as soon as possible. Many folks send in a little extra with their monthly payment, or they send in an extra payment whenever possible. If there’s any chance you’ll be doing this, make sure your online Auto Loan Company charges no prepayment penalties. Otherwise, you’ll be paying an extra fee if you pay off your car loan before the loan term is over.

As you compare different Auto Loan Companies online, remember to choose a lender that makes you feel as if your business is their top priority. Find an Auto Loan Company online that’s willing to work directly with you to help you get the best loan for your vehicle.

When shopping for term life insurance, you want to find the right amount of insurance coverage at a reasonable price with a company you can trust. But for many people, getting started is the hardest part. That’s where the following Life Insurance Checklist can help.

1. What you would like your policy to achieve?
Ask yourself what it is you want your life insurance to do. For example, do you want to have insurance coverage that will:

•    Pay funeral arrangements?
•    Pay the outstanding balance owing on a mortgage and other debts?
•    Offset the loss of your income? And if so, for how long?
•    Contribute to the future education of your children?
•    A combination of all or part of the above?

Knowing what you would like to accomplish with your life insurance policy and approximately how much you need to achieve these goals will help you determine how much life insurance you should consider purchasing. Online life insurance calculators are available to help you put a dollar value on the amount of coverage you need.

2. Who would you like to insure under the life insurance policy?
Most insurance companies offer a variety of life insurance products to suit your lifestyle and family needs. You can get an insurance policy on your own life, or you can get one policy for both you and your spouse (called a joint life insurance policy). The most common joint life policy provides coverage when the first partner dies, leaving the life insurance benefit to the surviving spouse.

3. How long will you need life insurance?
Consulting a psychic isn’t necessary, although it does require that you estimate the timing of your life insurance needs. For example:

•    When will your mortgage be paid off? The amortization period of your mortgage will often determine how long your term life insurance policy should be.
•    When will your children be finished school? One day they’ll finish their education and having enough life insurance coverage to pay their educational expenses won’t be necessary.
•    When are you planning to retire? You will have less income to replace at that time.

Knowing how long you’ll need life insurance coverage before you begin shopping will ensure you’re comfortable with the life insurance product you end up purchasing. Online tools are available to help you figure out which term for your life insurance policy is most recommended for people with similar lifestyles.

So now that you’ve got the how much, who and how long questions answered, you’re ready to shop.

1. Compare life insurance quotes from multiple companies:
It pays to shop around because life insurance rates can vary considerably depending on the product you choose, your age, and the amount of coverage you request. This is the easy part, because with the Internet you can compare life insurance quotes easily, online, anytime.

2. Which life insurance rate has been quoted – standard or preferred?
There are two basic life insurance rate groups you should know about when shopping for life insurance coverage: standard rates and preferred. Standard life insurance rates are the rates the majority of Canadians qualify for, while about one third of the population is eligible for preferred rates.

Preferred life insurance rates are typically offered to very healthy people and means you may pay a smaller premium than most. Usually preferred rates are offered only once the results of the medical information and tests are known. It will depend on your blood pressure, cholesterol levels, height, weight, and family health history. But preferred rates are worth it. They could save you up to 30-35% off your quoted premium.

When comparing prices, make sure you’re comparing ’standard to standard’ or ‘preferred to preferred’ life insurance rates. If you’re not sure, ask the broker. It would be disappointing to find out you were quoted preferred rates at the beginning, only to find out you don’t qualify for them later.

3. Review the life insurance broker’s availability:
How easily can you get a hold of the broker? What are their hours of operation? Whether it is through their website or telephone, the life insurance broker should be easily accessible to you should you ever have questions or need to speak to them about a change in your life insurance needs. Look for toll-free numbers and extended hours of service as guides.

4. Review the medical information required to obtain the policy:
Typically the more medical information you provide, the better the price. For a policy that asks few or no medical questions, you can bet the premium is higher for the same coverage then a plan asking for more information. Depending on the company, your age, and the amount of coverage you want, you could be asked to provide blood and urine samples. To obtain the samples, a nurse will visit at not cost to you.

5. Consider a life insurer’s financial stability and strength:
A company’s financial stability is something to consider if you are planning on making a long-term purchase like life insurance. There are organizations out there, like A.M. Best, that evaluate insurers and provide a rating on their stability and strength.

6. Ask about renewal options and requirements:
Once the initial premium is set, it is usually guaranteed for the length of the policy (often 10 or 20 years). But what happens when the policy expires? Most policies are renewable until you are 70 or 75 so don’t forget to ask your broker if you will have to take a medical to renew your policy. While your premiums will be higher on renewal, find out if they will also be guaranteed to remain level for the second term of the policy.

7. Confirm the policy can be cancelled without penalty:
Most term life insurance policies can be cancelled at any time without penalty. Make sure to check with your broker to see if the life insurance company has any unusual cancellation policies.

8. Consider the conversion options and restrictions for the policy:
As your life changes so do your life insurance needs and you may want the option to convert your coverage some day.

To convert a term life insurance policy means to transfer all, or part of, the death benefit of the policy into a permanent life policy without a medical. For example, say you originally bought a term policy to protect a mortgage and child. Once the mortgage is paid and the child grown, you might find it desirable to convert the policy into one that will give you a new level premium for the rest of your life, and a death benefit that is guaranteed not to expire as you age.

When you purchase your life insurance policy, find out if there are any limitations on your age at the time of conversion. In most cases, you have the option of converting up until you are 60 or 65. As well, ensure you are given several options of the type of policies you can move into, the more the better.

Final tip – choose a life insurance broker you trust:
While it doesn’t necessarily impact the type of policy you choose to purchase, a rapport with your broker is critical in feeling comfortable with the life insurance policy you buy and the information you’ve received.

Did you know that according to the Indiana Department of Insurance (IDI), the insurance industry is one of Indiana’s largest employers. That being said, that means there are many insurance options for homeowners in Indiana. Because the insurance industry is so large, there must be tough regulation to ensure the protection of the consumer.

Here are some facts Indiana homeowners should be aware of when securing homeowners insurance:

If your homeowners policy is being cancelled for non payment of premium, the notice of cancellation must be in writing and sent to you at least 10 days before policy cancellation.

If your insurance company does not want to renew your policy, IDI requires the notice be sent to you at least 20 days before policy expiration.  As a consumer, negotiate with your insurance company to extend the 20 days to 30 or 60 day notice. If your policy is being cancelled for a reason other than non payment, you’ll need the extra time to shop around for replacement coverage.

If your policy does not cover flood damage, it must be stated prominently on the policy jacket or, you must be given written notice that flood coverage may be available through the National Flood Insurance Program.

In certain Indiana counties in southwestern Indiana along the Illinois Coal Basin, the insurance company must inform you of the availability of mine subsidence coverage (coverage for homes built over mines that may collapse or slowly settle) when they issue the policy.

IDI also regulates how much an insurance company can charge you for an inadvertent bad check.  Their charge may not exceed $20 (this is in addition to the charge issued by the banking institution).

Please see our list of references below to find the lowest rate insurance quotes on the web. Along with low rate quotes this is a good source of insurance information.

Ohio residents are afforded certain protection when buying health insurance from a state licensed insurer as a result of standards put in place by the Ohio Department of Insurance.  Below are some of the standards you should be aware of when buying insurance:

Alcohol Treatment : There must be at least $550 per year in alcohol treatment whether inpatient or outpatient

Mental Illness : On an outpatient basis, there is a requirement for $550 per year for treatment. This applies only if the policy covers in hospital treatment of mental illness.
Kidney dialysis : If an insurer provides coverage for dialysis in a hospital, it must also provide the same coverage for dialysis on an outpatient basis.

Specific practitioners : Health policies in Ohio cannot discriminate against particular health professionals. It must pay any licensed professional who legally performs a service.  This includes Chiropractor, dentist, nurse-midwives, Mechanotherapists, osteopaths, Optometrists, Podiatrists, Psychologists

Generic drug use : If a policy covers prescription drugs, it must pay for any legally approved drug prescribed by your doctor even if it has not been approved by the government for treating your particular medical problem or disease.

Pregnancy and Maternity : Insurance companies do not have to offer maternity benefits, However, when it is provided, it may never be considered a pre-existing condition.  Although, under certain conditions, an insurer may impose a 270-day waiting period before providing maternity benefits.

Mammograms:  Every major medical policy group and individual must cover mammograms for breast cancer screening in adult women.

The frequency varies depending on age:

Age: 35-39 One only

Age: 4-49: One every two years unless your doctor has reason to believe you are a high risk for breast cancer

Age 50-64: one a year.

This is subject to a maximum of $85 per covered mammogram.

Please view our recommended insurance quote companies below. They are also great sources for information about rates and coverages for most of the lower 48 states.