This is a segment from Kiplinger's in which we were mentioned.
http://www.brightcove.tv/title.jsp?title=1614764512
http://www.brightcove.tv/title.jsp?title=1614764512
New Accuquote Podcast!
Interview with LegalZoom Part 2
This podcast is brought to you by AccuQuote, a leading provider of term life insurance quotes. In part two of this two-part series, AccuQuote will continue to discuss the various types of wills and living trusts and their uses with Chas Rampenthal, General Council for LegalZoom.
Length- 25:12
Size- 23.6MB
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Good Informational Website
Learning about life, health, disability and long-term care insurance has always been a bit confusing. However, recently the nonprofit LIFE Foundation unveiled a significantly enhanced version of its award-winning website and moved it to a new Web address at www.lifehappens.org. The LIFE site has been completely redesigned and retooled to provide visitors with objective, easy-to-understand educational content on all the major types of life and health insurance. It features a wealth of multimedia content and interactive planning tools, including:
LIFE Happens En Espanol
Insurance Word Blog
Life Insurance Needs Calculator
Life Insurance Product Selector
Human Life Value Calculator
Disability Insurance Needs Calculator
Long-term Care Cost of Services
Healthcare Cost Estimator
Check it out. Also, be sure to visit AccuQuote for additional information as well.
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Happy Memorial Day!
Today marks the unofficial start of summer. According to stopimpaireddriving.org, the "100 Days of Summer" represent one of the most dangerous and deadliest times of year on the Nation's highways. One big reason comes from the significant jump in alcohol-related traffic crashes and fatalities.
Increased alcohol use throughout the summer and particularly around major holiday weekends, beginning with Memorial Day, continuing through the 4th of July and ending with Labor Day, has made the "100 Days of Summer" a very grim season for law enforcement, emergency medical staff, highway safety officials, and the friends and families of impaired-driving victims.
According to the site, much of the tragedy that comes from alcohol-related crashes could be prevented if everyone would take a few simple precautions before going out to party in the summer.
Be safe and enjoy the day off with your family.
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What Does "Family" Mean To You?
One Client, One Family at a time:
Usually your first introduction to AccuQuote is a phone call from one of their Account Executives. Or perhaps you called the toll free number in response to an ad and spoke to a member of the Courtesy Team. You'll only speak to them for a brief time, yet you will share personal, sometimes painful, information about your health, lifestyle, and family history. It's hard for some people to relate to (or trust) a person they will probably never meet. You might think buying something as important as life insurance over the phone is rather impersonal. Nothing could be further from the truth.
Many of the people you'll talk to in AccuQuote's sales group have families of their own. Peek into their cubes and you'll see pictures of their spouses, children, and favorite dogs and cats. No matter how cluttered the desks are, their pictures stand out. Some are framed; most are tacked to bulletin boards or taped to shelves. There's a special pride each person feels about their family. They'll sometimes share their own personal experiences to help you understand why they're so passionate about life insurance. AccuQuote's clients sense the sincerity and commitment. Often bonds are formed and friendships made - one client, one family at a time.
Changing Families:
The people at AccuQuote are experts at adapting to change. Life insurance is more than just a job - it's an extension of its employees. Nowhere has change been more apparent in the past 22 years than in the American family.
Today the idea of family is a lot more complicated than it was up until a few years ago. The traditional family isn't so "traditional" anymore. There are single parents, stepfathers or stepmothers, half brothers and sisters - even families without kids. There are extended families, adopted families, and blended families; even childless families where couples work and haven't the time or money to raise children. What you call your family isn't important - as long as you love and support each other before anything else.
A Family Portrait from 4,000 miles away:
Last month one of AccuQuote's newest clients sent a picture of his family. Don lives in Hawaii with his wife Lisa and two daughters, Kaylee (left) and Dominique (right). Don and Lisa are celebrating their 10 year anniversary on May 9, 2008. Best wishes and the best of happiness for years to come.
Happy 10th Anniversary, Don & Lisa From AccuQuote's family to yours!
"Within my soul there are great beacons. They are like grand lighthouses, rich and inviting. They warm me and light my way. They renew me and reconnect me to life and to myself. They are my family."
What does "Family" mean to you? You're invited to send your comments. All ages are welcome.
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Three Out of Four Employees Are Financially Stressed
Are you financially stressed? According to a survey of working adults commissioned by Workplace Options (WPO), nearly three out of four employees are.
The study says that those that are stressed say it's harder to do their job. Employees who are physically, emotionally and financially stressed are less able to contribute to the workplace and more apt to experience burn-out and reduced morale.
What can an employer do to help you if you're stressed? Will offering access to counseling and services related to financial issues help? Let me know your thoughts.
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Three simple steps to financial security
I saw this article in Kiplinger's Personal Finance and thought it was very well written; therefore I wanted to share it with you. As the reporter, Erin Burt, says, financial planning doesn't have to be complicated. She provides an easy-to-follow strategy will help you meet your needs today and tomorrow.
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My Financial House' Makes Keeping Track of Your Finances Easier Than Ever
I just came across the Insurance Information Institute's (I.I.I.) My Financial House – Personal Finance Software.
The software program enables you to get a picture of your current circumstances, and allows you to clearly set, and attain goals for where you want to be five or 10 years from today. In addition, the software allows you to enter information about the current estimated value of their property, 401(k) and college savings plans, stock portfolio, and other assets such as life insurance policies.
It can also help you work more effectively with financial advisers, identify gaps or overlaps in their financial circumstances, and guide heirs and beneficiaries when filing a life insurance or other claims. This is good stuff!
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WHEN ILLNESS BECOMES PERSONAL
Someone very close to me was recently diagnosed with cancer. There is no doubt that the word cancer invokes apprehension in most people; alarm in those who are facing it personally. There was nothing different in the person I am writing about. She was afraid of the unknown; anxious of the consequences; and worried about the future. All the more so because she has a husband and a young daughter.
It is this reality that makes you realize that nothing is permanent. Everyone of us is susceptible to the frailties of being human. It is simply a fact of life.
It is how we face these realities that separate us. Recognition of responsibility to a person's family is mature behavior.
You know, everyday hundreds -- if not thousands -- of clients access, call, or go through AccuQuote to find-out more about life insurance for themselves and their families. As one of the professional case managers at AccuQuote, I would like to think that my work -- our work -- helps people and families get the insurance they need. In doing so, we try -- we try very hard -- to not lose sight of the fact that we are dealing with people, families, and futures.
By the way, that person who is close to me will be fine. She is looking forward to the future!
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New Accuquote Podcast!
Types of insurance
If you're intimidated by the thought of buying a life insurance policy, it's probably because you're not sure of the different types. In this podcast,
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File size: 11.1 MB
Length: 11:51
GETTING LIFE INSURANCE REQUIRES ACTIVE PARTICIPATION
Like so many of life's good things, finding and getting quality life insurance means a person has to be involved. Or at least let's say, it doesn't hurt. Life insurance is a product not much different than many other products we buy. As such, you want to get the best product for your money. Certainly if you are serious about paying for life insurance for the next 10, 20, or 30 years.
If you went into an electronics store to buy a new HD TV, would you accept the one the store owner wanted to give you? Or would you want the TV you felt best suited your needs? That's not to say that the store owner can't be credited with giving you good advice or selling you a quality TV. It's just that you wanted something just a little bit better.
As a case manager, I've seen that happen with insurance. Recently, an involved, persistent, energetic, and patient client decided that he was "worth" the insurance he had applied for. He had applied for insurance and been approved at a rate class just below his application. The reason for the approval rating was valid and legitimately decided.
Now many clients would have accepted the approval rating as is. And there's nothing wrong in that logic. Part of the life insurance approval process and guidelines mean that not every application will reach an approval decision as applied for. That's why there is an application process and an underwriting process: to reach a decision on the level of insurance and risk factor.
Back to my energetic, involved, and patient client. He decided that he could do better. His decision factor had been close anyhow. Remember, I told you he had only missed his application approval by one or two risk rates. In discussion with the insurance carrier, AccuQuote sales person, and myself , the applicant pursued a better approval rating.
His application was post-poned and waited for newer information to be provided for the underwriter to review.
I had the easy part, just keeping the lines of communication open between the applicant and the insurance carrier. I was only too happy to call him and tell him the good news a couple of weeks later. I congratulated him on his 'hard work, efforts, and ... especially ... his patience and persistence'.
As a result of this client's commitment and involvement, he was approved at a preferred rate!
You know what else, he was still kind enough to say ... 'thank you'.
So, get involved in your application. When you're approved, ask yourself -- or better ask your agent -- if you might be able to get a better rate with a higher face amount value.
Get Accuquote Blog updates via EmailIntroducing our newest blogger...from our partner, TurboTax
I wanted to take a moment to introduct you to our newest blogger, Derek Roth Gordon. Derek is from TurboTax and he will be posting from time-to-time. Please feel free to field your questions about taxes to Derek.
What's to come throughout 2008
Over the past year, we've asked for your opinions regarding how to improve our service to you. We've done this several times through our blog, and we appreciate your feedback. We'll continue asking for your opinions, and I sincerely hope that you'll continue to be open and honest with ideas for how you feel that we can improve our service to you.
Gathering your feedback alone doesn't mean anything unless we listen and then take action. With that said, I'd like to share some of our initiatives in 2008 that were put together with the help of your input.
First, we've been actively pursuing partnerships with companies that have products and services you've asked us to make available to you. We've done our homework to bring you the "best of breed" in the areas of financial services, health and wellness, continuing education, and travel and leisure. What's even better is that these partners have agreed to offer special discounts for you, our "friends of AccuQuote."
Over the course of the next 90 days, we'll be actively featuring our partners throughout our website as well as giving you the opportunity to interact with their experts through our blog. A couple of our partners that we've already rolled out are TurboTax and LegalZoom (discount code ACCUQUOTE). In addition, we're happy to pre-announce to you our new partnership with Restaurant.com where you are able to get $25 gift certificates for only $8!
Keep an eye out for more partners as well as articles on AccuQuote and our AccuQuoteblog.com from experts across multiple areas. As always, my "door" is always open, and I appreciate all of your feedback and suggestions.
Two new bloggers from AccuQuote
From time to time, you'll be seeing posts from two additional AccuQuote employees.
The first, Michael Biever. Michael is a case manager here at AccuQuote. Once a consumer applies for life insurance he's the one that provides you updates once your case is in underwriting.
The second is Charlie Kulig. He is a life insurance agent.
Both Charlie and Michael are welcomed additions to this blog. They will be able to provide you with a fresh perspective about life insurance and shopping for life insurance. We hope you enjoy reading their posts.
AccuQuote teams up with TurboTax to offer you an easy way to do your taxes!
AccuQuote has teamed up with TurboTax in order to provide you with an easier way to do your taxes. TurboTax has 4 products to choose from to help you to accurately do your taxes, save you money and e-file.
TurboTax products feature:
· A step-by-step interview with easy-to-understand questions
· Forms automatically filled out using your answers
· 100% accurate calculations guarantee
· E-file at no additional charge, plus a faster refund
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