Business Requirements

Friday, March 27, 2009

Life Insurance If You Are Gay

You are probably going to need life assurance if you want to insure your health or your income should you become ill and unable to work- something which is especially important for single people or people with dependents, including a same-sex partner.There are also instances, like buying a house, when life insurance may be necessary.

Providers might want to know if you are gay.They will ask you to complete an application form which will include information on whether your partner is in the homosexual category.The enquiry may not be direct but the insurance company will subsequently send out an intrusive questionnaire on lifestyle.

It might be tempting not to disclose information or to give false details but this would only serve invalidate your insurance and is consequently a very bad idea.Furthermore, this can give rise to considerable difficulties when reapplying to other companies.

Once the form has been completed, you may then be requested to take a test to find out if you are HIV positive.There are no pre-set rules on testing and insurance companies are fairly random in their selection process.

If you do test positive for HIV, it will be difficult to buy products associated with life insurance.Simply taking the test itself can result in a refusal of cover by some insurers, even if the result is negative.
Even if you pass all the tests satisfactorily some companies will still double or treble your premiums.Most companies will insist on HIV testing for gay men who apply for income protection or critical illness policies even though neither would pay out for an HIV related claim.If you believe life cover has been unfairly refused, write to the Association of British Insurers at 51 Gresham Street, London, EC2V 7HQ.Phil Carvosso, of Carvosso & Co, a financial adviser based in Brighton, says: 'It is not nice knowing the insurer can claim rights to some of your blood.Understandably the test can be harrowing.

He recommends that you take the test on your own terms in advance of going to an insurer.To avoid insurance companies being allowed access to areas of your medical history, some people suggest getting drug or STD treatment at anonymous clinics which are available in nearly every town or city.The National Aids Helpline or the Terrence Higgins Trust should be able to help you locate a suitable one.Present guidelines used by the insurance industry in relation to gay applications are very out of date.The ABI has been considering new proposals thanks to tireless campaigning by gay IFA Chris Morgan and the Terrence Higgins Trust.

There has already been an agreement between The ABI and The British Medical Association whereby doctors should not be requested to give information on STIs and negative HIV tests.New proposals would make the risk assessment undertaken by insurance more up- to- date by ensuring that safe sexual behaviour, rather than sexuality, is the criterion.

Although it may be some time before new guidelines are fully implemented, gay applicants can normally still obtain the cover they need even in the present system.Independent Financial Advisors, specialising in gay finance can often find cover without any need for testing and on precisely the same terms that apply to heterosexual applicants.

Mr Carvosso recommends Scottish Widows which he feels is more sympathetic than some banks.Shopping on-line can also generate some of the best prices.theidol.com is reportedly one of the cheapest, offering all types of life insurance, including that for gay applicants.Isis Financial Planners (tel.08000 1960 69) also specialises in gay insurance.


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Thursday, March 26, 2009

Life Insurance Needn't Break The Bank

You may be surprised, but according to independent broker Lifesearch, we are paying the lowest prices ever in real terms for life insurance as its costs have fallen by nearly 30 per cent in the last ten years.

You may be able to save even more on premiums if you switch your policy to another insurer.But it may not be so easy for everyone.If you are in the Armed Forces, which is a high-risk job, or if you are overweight, you will probably have to pay more for your premiums.

A 40-year old man looking for 100,000 pounds of life cover over 25 years was quoted a monthly premium of just over 11 pounds by More Than.Everything was to stay the same for the entire term of the policy.But Lifesearch points out that if this same man was obese with a Body Mass Index (BMI) of over 30, his premiums could be 50 per cent more.

Matt Morris of Lifesearch explains, "The old loading for obesity meant premiums jumped by up to 20 per cent.That is more like 50 per cent today and can in some cases be more.People are being loaded earlier and loaded higher."


He adds, "No single insurer will be cheapest for everyone.

Those who have a high BMI or complicated medical problems should shop around for the best cover."


Stan Mayden, 49, from Malpas in Cheshire, and just a shade over the recommended BMI level, had to do just that.

His bank Lloyds TSB quoted a monthly premium of 29 pounds for 90,000 pounds of decreasing term insurance.This is where the longer the policy goes on the less the payout may be.

He and his wife Judy, 44, who works as a co-ordinator for a firm that provides carers, asked Lifesearch to help them find a better deal.And it did - Legal and General would charge 17.57 pounds a month for the same cover.

Stan was delighted."Lifesearch looked across the entire marketplace and found an insurer that didn't see me as an increased risk," he said."I purchased cover at standard terms, which means I will be able to shave thousands of pounds off the cost of cover over the life of the policy."


NFU Mutual specialises in providing cover for farmers and businessmen in rural areas say that only ten per cent of people who live in the country consider life cover as essential to protect their families and 44 per cent do not see it as a priority.

Other statistics for country dwellers found that ten per cent value the feeling of community and another ten per cent live there to be nearer to their families.

Juliet Ward from NFU Mutual finds the figures about life insurance a bit alarming."Perhaps those in the countryside think that living in a rural community means closer links to their wider family and friends, who could take care of their children if the worst should happen." But she stresses that this could be a risky strategy as difficulties can arise if there is no life cover when one parent dies.

"Life cover doesn't have to break the bank and it's not worth taking short cuts when protecting your family," she says.

NFU Mutual quotes 9.27 pounds a month for a ten year life policy providing 100,000 pounds of cover for a non-smoking, 40-year old woman.A non-smoking man of the same age would pay slightly more at 10.91 pounds a month.


About the Author

The Life Insurance Professor provides great deals on Life Insurance for its clients in the uk.

Please visit our site for helpful information to aid you in making the right decision, first time.Brokers Online offers cutting edge articles and information about Life Insurance, mortgages and other great financial products.

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Friday, March 13, 2009

Search Engine Optimization Terms FAQ

The world of Search Engine Optimization is full of jargon that may at first be a bit confusing to the beginner.The terms involved aren't difficult to understand; they are simply unfamiliar.Here are some answers to common questions about SEO.

What is a back link?In Search Engine Optimization, links that point toward a certain page from another page are called back links.Back links are important in SEO, since they weigh heavily in a site's search engine ranking.Basically, if someone at SomeonesSite.com links to a page on YourSite.com, this would be a back link for you but not for them.By the same token, when you link to their site, it is a back link for them but not for you.In this case, it would be what is called an outbound link for you.

What is a landing page?A landing page is any page where readers arrive after clicking a link from another website.When used in Internet marketing, it usually refers to a page people are sent when clicking an advertisement.Landing pages are usually written a little differently than content pages, as they serve a different purpose.They are designed to draw viewers into their site, and are usually the page with the highest search engine optimization on the site.

What is a squeeze page?A squeeze page is a certain type of landing page whose purpose is to "squeeze" prospects' names and email address from them.This then puts them on a marketing list, where they will receive information as well as sales pitches.Usually, some type of free report or other bonus is offered in exchange for signing up to a list.They also are pages that have high search engine optimization, as this often leads to a higher conversion rate.

What is a conversion rate?A conversion rate refers to the percentage of people who complete a specified action, such as buying your product or opting in to your mailing list.It is, in effect, what you hope to increase by search engine optimization.For example, if one hundred people visit your sales page, and three of them choose to buy, you have a 3% conversion rate (which in many niches is pretty good).

A conversion rate doesn't have to be about sales, though.It can refer to people signing up for a free sample, a trial membership, or taking any other action you want them to take.When the desired action is to sign up for a list, conversion rate is referred to as "opt-in rate."


What is split testing?

Split testing is the process of comparing two or more versions of a Web page to see which one has the better search engine optimization.This is most often accomplished by use of software such as Google's page editor.While an entire website may benefit from split testing, it is usually recommended to only test the landing page and any pages where a conversion can happen.This is due to the time and cost commitment involved with split testing.

Such are some of the primary terms that you will encounter in search engine optimization.It should be easier to speak the native language.


About the Author

I started my first internet business in 1999.

Since then, I have generated over 2,000,000 leads and sold over 160,000 customers in 119 countries.Referred to as the "Big Dog" of internet marketing.www.ShawnCasey.com


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