Factors That Determine Long Term Care Rates

There are some people who are hesitant and doubtful to purchase LTC insurance policies due to the expensive long term care rates that usually come with it. They think it is impractical to spend big amount of money on these kinds of insurance plans especially now that the economic turmoil that began several years ago is not yet fully solved.

The most common idea that the 32 million Americans who still do not own an LTC insurance plan have is to save up and use their savings to compensate and pay for the LTC services that they are going to incur in the future. But these unsuspecting and clueless individuals do not actually realize that they are risking their life-long savings for nothing because sooner or later, the rates and other costs of LTC-related services and facilities may be beyond the value of their assets and savings.

This is because it is found out that for every year that an LTC insurance policy acquisition is delayed or postponed, it gains an increase or add-up value of approximately 10 to 12 percent in its monthly premiums. This means that the already high-priced prices and other rates of the policies now may be harder and more impossible to afford in the coming years.

In order to prevent this and to have bigger and higher chances of getting cheaper monthly premiums, one individual who intends of buying LTC insurance plan to cover his LTC needs in the future should start inquiring now and decide about his insurance plan options as soon as possible.

Why? Because insurance providers prefer those applicants who are younger and grant them more affordable long term care rates than those who buy their policies nearing their retirement age. Sadly, this is one of the facts regarding LTC insurance policies that are unknown to many people. They think that such policies are expensive with no way of getting cheaper options, and this thinking often leads to taking it for granted without actually knowing that if they start early, this policy might be the biggest and most important investment that they can give themselves.

The present health status and medical history of the person's family members also contribute to the possibility of a more affordable LTC plan. Insurance companies need to know the possible illnesses or diseases that the individual might have in the future by analyzing the medical background of his family and quote him appropriately.

A person who is willing to purchase an LTC insurance policy must also know beforehand the rates and other prices of the LTC services in a certain location where he plans to receive his policy benefits. This is due to the fact that some areas in the country have more expensive rates than the others although there is no really a big difference on the services and facilities that they offer.

If only these factors on how to have cheaper long term care rates are properly addressed and relayed to the public, then there is no doubt that the number of the policyholders will increase and more people will start planning their future as early as today.

Reinsuring the Risk - Medicaid Compliant Annuity or Promissory Note   Finding the Right Long Term Care Resources   Long Term Care Costs and How Age, Health, and Location Affect It   Is 30 Year Term Life Insurance the Best Protection for Your Family?   

What to Know About Long Term Care Insurance Daily Benefits

One of the most difficult parts of designing an insurance plan is choosing between long term care insurance daily benefits or monthly benefits. These two are actually the choices for the benefit amount. Most people have a hard time understanding this because they either lack useful information or proper guidance from experts regarding this matter. This is also an additional problem to the bigger challenge of deciding what policy will be suitable for one's or his family's needs. This article will look at LTCI daily benefits.

While long term care is becoming popular, there is still limited information about it particularly on the details of plans. Everyone can be a prospective client but if they are not provided with the resources they require on coverage, costs, benefits, and other important facts, they may not recognize the need for LTC and just lose interest on it.

Every new buyer must know that in selecting an LTCI policy, a great consideration must be given to the daily benefit amount. He must settle on how much his policy must pay out as benefits at the time of claim. This amount as provided by the plan is the ceiling amount that one can get as payment for each day of care. The choices usually range from about $50 a day to $500 a day. If one is lucky enough, there are actually policies that even grant unlimited amounts.

In relation to long term care insurance daily benefits, one must also be knowledgeable of the regular cost of care in the state, particularly the area where he plans to receive care or reside for care at the time of claim. Cost varies in each state so it is advisable to write down the areas preferred and the cost of LTC services there and this should be considered in choosing the daily benefit amount.

Like costs, policies also vary on their rules regarding the amount. There are some which will pay for the full amount if the policy holder resides in a nursing home, but when it comes to other types of care, the policy may only cover half or a percentage of the amount. Also, while the insured can receive up to 100% of the benefit amount or the daily cost in each LTC setting covered by the insurance, there may still be instances when they will not pay the daily amount charged especially if the total cost is above than the daily benefit stated in the purchased insurance.

A person who is interested in LTC plans should understand how long term care insurance daily benefits are computed and paid. They should also be aware of the terms of how the policy secures the payment of the amount. It must also be noted that the benefit amount is actually related to the cost of policy since the insurance premium will be based on the benefit amount chosen. These are just some of the vital details to remember before deciding on what LTCI to purchase.

Reinsuring the Risk - Medicaid Compliant Annuity or Promissory Note   Learning the Ropes of LTC Insurance   Finding the Right Long Term Care Resources   Long Term Care Costs and How Age, Health, and Location Affect It   Is 30 Year Term Life Insurance the Best Protection for Your Family?   

Low Blood Pressure - Why is Your Blood Pressure Low?

Why is your blood pressure low?

As a doctor with an interest in the subject, I'm often asked if a low blood pressure is normal or if such a reading indicates some abnormal process in the body? In fact - it can be difficult to precisely define what we mean by low BP. It all really depends on what's normal for you as an individual.

If 1000 people had their readings measured then we might expect to find a spread of readings. These might range from as high as 200 / 120 down to 80 / 50 with most people clustering around a level of around 130 / 85. Most of these people would have no symptoms of any kind - no matter what their reading actually was. Even those with obviously low numbers would be free of any symptoms in most cases.

The answer to whether it is normal or abnormal to have a low reading depends on what your own typical or average BP level is.

Here's an example of when it's normal to have low blood pressure.

If, for the whole of your life, you've always had readings of around 90 / 50 - then without doubt you have "low blood pressure" but there is truly nothing wrong with you or with your reading. You should be pleased that your risk of stroke or heart attack will be much less than many others. You're not likely to experience any symptoms from your "low BP." Putting it simply - your level is normal for you and needs no investigation or treatment. This kind of "normal low BP" will not cause you any symptoms and will need no treatment. It's just part of you and how your system works.

So, when might it be an abnormal finding?

If your BP is usually around 130 / 80 and suddenly or gradually drops to a level around 90 / 50 then it's very likely that you'll become aware of symptoms related to this change. As in the above example you have "low blood pressure" but in this instance it is not normal for you to have readings this low. You may need to see your doctor for tests because it's quite likely that some other disease or perhaps a medication has caused your reading to drop. Someone who develops low numbers like this will often experience symptoms such as those listed below.

The symptoms of an abnormally low BP level can include:

Feeling light headed, feeling dizzy, being tired or feeling fatigue on exertion, fainting, transient blurring of vision, or transient confusion. All of these low blood pressure symptoms will resolve if the blood pressure returns to normal.

The following are among the many possible causes of low blood pressure when it is abnormally low:

Medications for anxiety, medications for blood pressure, heart medications, diuretics or "water tablets" and some anti-depressant medications. Other medication related causes are painkillers and alcohol - particularly if these two are mixed together!

Non medication causes of include dehydration, heart disease and heart valve disease, recent heart attack, changes in heart rhythm, bacterial infection in the system, kidney diseases, diabetes mellitus and hemorrhage or bleeding.

As you can see, the above list of the causes is extensive and you should consult with your doctor if you are concerned in any way. Above all - don't try to diagnose your own condition - seek help if you are worried.

A low BP reading is not likely to do you any serious harm but it can leave you feeling pretty miserable.

Low Blood Pressure - Why is Your Blood Pressure Low?   Low Blood Pressure - Why is Your Blood Pressure Low?   

Low Blood Pressure - Why is Your Blood Pressure Low?

Why is your blood pressure low?

As a doctor with an interest in the subject, I'm often asked if a low blood pressure is normal or if such a reading indicates some abnormal process in the body? In fact - it can be difficult to precisely define what we mean by low BP. It all really depends on what's normal for you as an individual.

If 1000 people had their readings measured then we might expect to find a spread of readings. These might range from as high as 200 / 120 down to 80 / 50 with most people clustering around a level of around 130 / 85. Most of these people would have no symptoms of any kind - no matter what their reading actually was. Even those with obviously low numbers would be free of any symptoms in most cases.

The answer to whether it is normal or abnormal to have a low reading depends on what your own typical or average BP level is.

Here's an example of when it's normal to have low blood pressure.

If, for the whole of your life, you've always had readings of around 90 / 50 - then without doubt you have "low blood pressure" but there is truly nothing wrong with you or with your reading. You should be pleased that your risk of stroke or heart attack will be much less than many others. You're not likely to experience any symptoms from your "low BP." Putting it simply - your level is normal for you and needs no investigation or treatment. This kind of "normal low BP" will not cause you any symptoms and will need no treatment. It's just part of you and how your system works.

So, when might it be an abnormal finding?

If your BP is usually around 130 / 80 and suddenly or gradually drops to a level around 90 / 50 then it's very likely that you'll become aware of symptoms related to this change. As in the above example you have "low blood pressure" but in this instance it is not normal for you to have readings this low. You may need to see your doctor for tests because it's quite likely that some other disease or perhaps a medication has caused your reading to drop. Someone who develops low numbers like this will often experience symptoms such as those listed below.

The symptoms of an abnormally low BP level can include:

Feeling light headed, feeling dizzy, being tired or feeling fatigue on exertion, fainting, transient blurring of vision, or transient confusion. All of these low blood pressure symptoms will resolve if the blood pressure returns to normal.

The following are among the many possible causes of low blood pressure when it is abnormally low:

Medications for anxiety, medications for blood pressure, heart medications, diuretics or "water tablets" and some anti-depressant medications. Other medication related causes are painkillers and alcohol - particularly if these two are mixed together!

Non medication causes of include dehydration, heart disease and heart valve disease, recent heart attack, changes in heart rhythm, bacterial infection in the system, kidney diseases, diabetes mellitus and hemorrhage or bleeding.

As you can see, the above list of the causes is extensive and you should consult with your doctor if you are concerned in any way. Above all - don't try to diagnose your own condition - seek help if you are worried.

A low BP reading is not likely to do you any serious harm but it can leave you feeling pretty miserable.

Low Blood Pressure - Why is Your Blood Pressure Low?   Low Blood Pressure - Why is Your Blood Pressure Low?   

Medical Compensation Claims: File Intelligently

You have visited the best hospital of your region for the treatment of your injury. Though you have visited the hospital and have spent dollars for your treatment, you did not receive the best treatment. Not only that but also you have received some other health issues. Therefore, it is quite obvious that you are feeling devastated now. Well, you are not the only one, who is feeling devastated. If there was anyone else in your position, he or she would have felt the same. However, feeling devastated will not help you in improving your condition. To improve your condition, you need to see another doctor and get proper medical assistance. After seeking the assistance of the doctors, you need to file a compensation case against the doctors responsible for the wrongdoings.

When you have received some health issues for the negligence of your doctor, you have the right for filing compensation case against him. You can take legal actions against the medical board responsible for your condition. However, filing a case of law is not all. If you want to win the case, you will have to understand the tips and tricks related to medical compensation claims. Always remember, all the medical compensation claims cases are not represented in the same manner and a trained lawyer with proper expertise in this field can only provide you with the required help.

Therefore, it is quite obvious that for winning the case, you will have to appoint a lawyer, who has proper understanding of the case. Finding a compensation lawyer perfect for the case is not an easy task. However, there is always some way for easing the task. To make the task simpler, you can take the help of the World Wide Web. Yes, as you know, nowadays everything is available on the internet. To search the best lawyer for your case, you just need to search the internet.

Visit the website of different lawyers and law firms, which can help you in filing the claim case. Once you visit the law firms and check out the lawyers' information of the lawyers, it will not remain a tough task for you to find the best lawyer for the case. When you are considering about the different types of lawyers and their law firms, you also need to check out their years of expertise and record of winning cases. If you do not check out their records for winning the cases, you may appoint a lawyer who is not capable of representing these cases. Thus, your chances for winning the medical injury compensation will be reduced.

When you want to win a medical compensation claim, you need to strengthen your case properly. If your case is not strong, it will not be possible for you to prove your claims against the medical boards. Remember, you need to gather as many proofs as you can for the representation of the case. You also need to consult and coordinate with your lawyer properly for securing a win in the case.

Delayed Stroke Diagnosis   Contributing Factors in a Stroke   A Brief Talking About Medical Claims   Delayed Heart Attack Diagnosis   Steps Involved For Proper Medical Compensation Claims   

Should You Consider Filing a Medical Malpractice Claim?

Most people would agree that your health is one of the most important things in your life. As a human being, you are so fragile, and your good health is something that cannot be replaced - it can fail with age, or it can be taken from you by some tragedy or accident - but once gone, it cannot be given back. So when things seem like they are going downhill, we turn to our doctors and medical staff in order to get the help that we need to keep our most precious of possessions. We put so much trust in these staff, we give them our very lives and look to them to heal and make us better. But in the real world this does not always go according to plan. Doctors make mistakes, sometimes due to avoidable circumstances or the mistakes of other staff.

Doctors and healthcare professionals are not perfect. Sometimes they are neglectful or make careless mistakes. Sometimes they take your most precious gift, and they squander and waste it through carelessness - they take your good health and they corrupt and destroy it, and you will never be the same again.

Some people will ask, "is it right to file a claim for Medical Malpractice?", but you need to remember that if your life is affected negatively by the carelessness of a medical professional then why should you be the one to suffer? You are the victim, not the medical professional. A Medical Malpractice claim is your right. Can financial compensation bring back your health? No, but it can help you adjust your life to cope with the results of the carelessness of others.

But there is more than just you to think about. If a medical professional has negatively affected your life by their carelessness or neglect, then you have a responsibility to have that flagged up to the authorities. Careless and neglectful healthcare professionals need to be pointed out, and Medical Malpractice claims are the ideal way for their actions to be highlighted.

You need to be realistic about what would constitute a valid claim. If a procedure was performed correctly and there was a medical reason to think that the procedure could have helped but it did not yield the desired results, that is probably not a valid ground for a claim. But if a procedure or operation was botched, the wrong medications prescribed that caused adverse reactions, that is an entirely different story in terms of having a valid claim.

But making a Medical Malpractice claim is not all that straight forward. There are lots of things to consider, and legal aspects to be weighed up. These are considerations and decisions that you are not trained to make. You need representation, and quickly before you miss your opportunity to claim at all. Where do you look for this kind of help? How do you know where to turn to? There are places that you can look to get the information that you need. The Internet has made it so easy to find out information on Medical Malpractice claims. But then you face information overload - where do you look to so that you can find accurate information on Medical Malpractice? You need to find a site with trustworthy information, that you can rely on to be honest and in your best interests.

Delayed Stroke Diagnosis   Contributing Factors in a Stroke   A Brief Talking About Medical Claims   Delayed Heart Attack Diagnosis   Steps Involved For Proper Medical Compensation Claims   Compensation for Birth Injuries   

Cages for Finches

As people become more and more busy it helps to have a pet that doesn't need as much interaction as some other ones, such as certain breeds of parrot. They are capable of entertaining themselves quite well, but at the same time they must be happy in your home so it is up to the owner to make sure the cages are suitable for the finches to live in.

The size of the cages is the first thing to take into consideration, each should be at least two and a half feet in length with the bars very close together, to prevent them escaping.

They are very small and active so it is essential that they have enough room to take short flights from perch to perch. Sometimes owners have a second cage for when they are cleaning the main one.

It is important that the cages for your finches are not cluttered but several accessories inside are necessary-

Two finch feeders should be available at all time, one for food and one for water, a few extra dishes placed in the cages at different times with treats or grit, a small nest box for your finches to sleep in at night, another dish put in the cages several times a week for your finches to bathe. At the bottom of the cages sprinkle grit or grit paper.

The last thing to consider is a perch for them to rest on or fly from, the size will depend on the size of the cages, and will also aid in exercising the finches feet.

Some finch experts suggest materials collected from outdoors, such as the branches of maple trees, pear, poplar or elm trees.

Perches made of cement are good because they help to keep the finches toe nails trimmed, but at the same time can be harsh on the bird's feet so it isn't a good idea to use them exclusively.

Cages also need toys, bells, plastic rings or other shiny objects to keep your finches entertained. Other toys available are beads, ladders, mirrors and swings.

It is good to have a collection of them using a few at a time and changing them often to give your finch some versatility.

A bird protector is a great way to prevent mites; it is a small disk you attach to the side of the cage. This is a good option but is literally just that, a complete option, and is not going to make much of a difference if you have it or not.

Usually the cages should be cleaned once a week. It is a very simple process; Lay brown paper bags or newspapers to size cut to size, or paper towels at the bottom of the cage. Use hot soapy water to clean the whole cage, inside and out, and also the accessories. Rinse and dry it.

When creating the inside of your cages it is necessary that the they feel comfortable, this will make it a much more enjoyable experience for both you and the finches.

Feeding Your Finches   What Is a Chicken Run and Coop? Build Your Own If You Are Planning On Keeping Chickens at Home   Guidelines for Housing Your Spice Finches   Various Methods of Poultry Farming and Their Advantages   

Many Types of Finches Make Good Pets

A finch is a small bird, none of them are bigger than about ten inches, and they have a beautiful song that will remind you of the melodic canary singing, and they come in almost every color under the rainbow, and some of the strangest patterns you can imagine. There are a large number of these little feathered creatures that will make a good house pet.

Almost everyone loves the Zebra finch with its beautiful striped pattern. They are good-natured, and they even breed well in captivity. You will find the little males to be amazing little singers, and you will be entertained just watching the animals move around their home. They are extremely active little birds, but that is a common trait among the finch species.

A finch is not going to interact with you like some other species of birds will. They rather prefer to be left alone by humans. They crave the companionship of other birds, and they are not really picky as to which birds you place with them. They just do not want to be alone. So you can actually get two totally different types of these birds and house them together, or you can get a mated pair, or even two birds of the same species, and the same gender.

A lot of people have the Society finch as a pet, because they are even-tempered, small birds that are very adaptable to their captive lifestyle. This particular type of bird does well indoors, and will also adapt nicely to an outdoor aviary. They are very reasonably priced when you find them for sale, because they are so common. The only types of these birds that are very expensive are the ones that are rare to find in captivity.

The Orange finch and the Green African both make excellent pets. They are well suited to house together. The biggest worry in housing two different types of finch in the same aviary comes when it is breeding time. Some of the birds are just plain nosey and they will not leave the mates to their eggs. In this case you have to remove the nosey bird, or the other birds will give up trying to breed.

The most popular of all the different types has to be the Lady Gouldain. This type of finch is found in most pet stores that carry these birds, and most people that first start out raising the birds have one of these as their first.

These animals do make great pets because they require such a small amount of attention, and they are so easy to feed. They are absolutely the perfect pet for someone who is thinking about having a bird, because they cost very little and will allow the person some first-hand experience at caring for a bird before they purchase something more exotic.

There are many more types of these birds, and they each have different characteristics that make them attractive. You should definitely spend some time researching them, before you decide.

Feeding Your Finches   What Is a Chicken Run and Coop? Build Your Own If You Are Planning On Keeping Chickens at Home   Guidelines for Housing Your Spice Finches   Various Methods of Poultry Farming and Their Advantages   Grey African Parrots - Why Are They the Most Liked Among All Parrots   Flight Cages For Finches   

Get Your Patio Ready for Cold Weather

Avoid the winter weather taking an unfortunate toll on your patio products by learning a few strategies and products to help winter-proof your deck space.

The backyard patio is easily one of the most important outdoor spaces in American culture. It is the center of get-togethers, barbecues, bunches, and special events like baby showers and even weddings. There is something special about a private outdoor setting. Unfortunately, as the seasons change and temperatures drop, the patio area may not be as comfortable as it was in the spring and summer.

To get the most out of your outdoor entertainment space, there are a few easy strategies and patio products that will extend the use of your outdoor space significantly. In fact, with the right gear, you will find that the cooler months will be some of your favorite times to lingering outdoors with friends and loved ones.

Choose the Right Patio Accessories Plastic and metal patio furniture may hold up well year round, but they certainly don't retain heat. Outfit your seating with comfortable cushions that will insulate your family and guests. The more cushions the better. Select cushions constructed from water resistant fabric that compliments the overall design of your backyard space. Purchase 2 or 3 soft blankets or throws that are designated for outdoor use. There is nothing quite like being wrapped up in a blanket under the stars on a cool winter's night. I also recommend that you invest in some quality patio furniture covers to protect your furniture and keep it dry between uses. Nothing spoils an evening outdoors quite like sitting in a puddle of ice cold water. If you have a barbeque grill, be sure to outfit it was a proper patio BBQ Cover as well. That way your BBQ won't be water logged all winter long.

Install Wind Barriers If your patio space is exposed to fall gusts and winter winds, you can expect the wind chill to decrease the temperature by 10 degrees or more. Instead of exposing your social space to direct wind, place a barrier on the wind-exposed side or sides. This could be a temporary barrier constructed of bamboo or lightweight wood, or a permanent structure that you can keep year up year round.

Invest in a Quality Patio Heater There are a number of different style patio heaters to fit any entertainment space. The first thing you will need to decide is where the heater will go... which in turn will determine what sort of energy source you will need. If a socket is not nearby (and they rarely are) I recommend an outdoor propane patio heater. These devices are portable, last for years and years and really transform the environment in something special.

Incorporate Lighting Features As the days get shorter light becomes scarce. You will need some lighting in your outdoor patio area, but it's important to keep lighting soft and subtle so that it doesn't distract from the stars and mood. I recommend stringing up strings of large white light bulbs - a classic look that will work year round. Adding an outdoor fire pit not only complements the natural setting, but it provides the perfect amount of flickering light to the space and can act as a visual focal point for the social area.

Indoor Outdoor Rugs: Beautiful and Practical Accessories   Sunshades for the Beach   Define Your Outdoor Space With Stamped Concrete Patios   The Reasons Why Outdoor Offset Umbrellas Could Be a Good Choice   How Do Patio Heaters Work?   

Why Put It All On LTCI Premiums?

There's only one reason you're putting so much money on your long term care insurance premiums. Most probably, the importance of cinching a long term care insurance (LTCI) policy only dawned on you when you turned 65 or perhaps 70.

Buying a policy few years before retirement or after retiring will not guarantee you a low annual premium but the exact opposite. Haven't you ever found yourself wondering why LTCI professionals keep reminding the public to get in touch with their agent and start requesting those quotes? It's not to pester anyone but to spare everybody from forking out a chunk of money for their annual premiums.

Close-minded people can think and decide to delay the purchase of a policy until they have reached what they perceive the age that they will require care. They believe that this will save them from long years of premium payment. What they don't get is that the more years an individual pays for his policy, the smaller his annual premium.

That's precisely why there are young adults between 25 to 40 years old who own LTCI policies already. By purchasing LTCI policies early on in their lives, they get to enjoy very low annual premiums which range from $400 to $600. Now compare that to an annual premium of $6,000 which is maintained by a senior citizen who bought his policy at the age of 70 and when he started to show symptoms of diabetes. See the difference?

Meanwhile, if you're too confident that you can afford the price of an LTCI policy even if you purchase it later in your life then perhaps you can opt for the single-premium payment. This is one way to pay for your policy and it's fast but very expensive. The only good thing about it is that you don't have to worry about being subjected to premium hikes because your policy has been paid in full already.

Maneuvering Long Term Care Insurance Premiums

Each insurance company that markets LTCI policies has its own underwriting which is pretty much based on the applicant's age and health condition at the actual time of his application for a policy.

Applicants with no preexisting conditions naturally get to pay low annual premiums but those that have are imposed to pay a higher rate. However you look at it, there is no way that one can escape high annual premiums if he decides to buy an LTCI policy later in life.

Now that you know the advantages of securing a policy at a young age and the disadvantages of buying when you're old, it's absolutely your call.

To ensure that you will get a policy that you can afford, here are a few tips:

• Get in touch with an LTCI representative who is affiliated with renowned insurance firms that market LTCI policies. • Identify the type of care that you will possibly require in the future and see to it that your policy's maximum daily benefit amount conforms to the cost of care in your area. • Settle for a three-year benefit period as long benefit periods usually trigger high long term care insurance premiums. • Make sure that your policy has an inflation protection rider. • Do all these things before your hair starts turning gray.

Finding the Right Long Term Care Resources   Long Term Care Costs and How Age, Health, and Location Affect It   Is 30 Year Term Life Insurance the Best Protection for Your Family?   Finding Ways to Lower Long Term Care Premiums   Which LTCI Policy Is Right For You?   Can You Deduct Long Term Care Premiums?   

Learning the Ropes of LTC Insurance

Long term care (LTC) is no longer just a form of health care nowadays but an important investment that is why many people buy insurance products that are designed for it. Like other investments, though, you have to dissect every part of an LTC insurance policy before putting your money on it.

Why long term care insurance (LTCI) is considered an investment is simply because it requires so much money unlike vision insurance or dental plans. In fact, if you're earning only enough to put food on the table and you force yourself to acquire an LTCI policy you will have to make big sacrifices in your lifestyle just so you can satisfy your annual premium.

Forget your whims and probably live on a fixed diet for months so you can put away a bigger chunk of your income for the aggregate annual premium.

However, if you learn the ropes before buying a policy then you can absolutely cut down a substantial amount from your annual premium.

First and foremost, check the background of the company from which you intend to buy your LTCI policy because a lot of insurance companies these days are only after people's money. To find out if a company has a clean track record, check out their ratings with authoritative insurance rating agencies namely A.M Best Company, Standard & Poor's, Wiess Research, and Moody's Investor's Service.

You'll find a licensed LTCI agent who is affiliated with major LTCI companies helpful in this process. What's more, an adept broker is familiar with the various LTCI offerings of each insurance firm and can no doubt clinch a good deal for you. This is after you have provided him with your complete and honest information.

Essentials of LTC Insurance

Before you can sign a comprehensive LTCI policy you need to go through a long process to ensure that the piece of paper on which you would affix your signature bears exactly what you need.

Firstly, you have to provide your agent with your complete medical information which he can use to gather your LTCI quotes. Don't bother to hold back important facts in hopes of getting your application approved fast because the insurance company will discover it anyway once it requests your medical records.

Besides, there's no point lying to your agent because you'll just make his job tougher and this will delay the whole process. If you want to receive LTCI quotes that will meet your health requirements and budget start clean.

Once you have received your quotes, compare these with the cost of care in your area. There is no point going for the lowest LTCI quote if this won't meet the rates of LTC facilities in your place because you could wind up spending more out-of pocket.

Once you have decided on your maximum benefit amount and benefit period, look into your policy's inflation protection rider as this ensures your benefits keep pace with inflation. With the right choice of inflation protection, even if it takes 50 years before an event triggers your LTC insurance benefits rest assured you won't have to worry about the cost of care.

Finding the Right Long Term Care Resources   Long Term Care Costs and How Age, Health, and Location Affect It   Is 30 Year Term Life Insurance the Best Protection for Your Family?   Finding Ways to Lower Long Term Care Premiums   Which LTCI Policy Is Right For You?   

High Ranking Blogs As a Way to Earn Passively

Web log, more popularly known as blog these days; has found a lot of usage for people or enterprises aside from its former role as a web diary. Gone are the days when it is used for personal purposes such as having a way to express oneself to other people and getting to know if they liked what has been posted. Businesses now fashioned blogs as a part of their marketing and Search Engine Optimization (SEO) campaign to increase sales or the traffic of internet users within their websites. This takes place when a blog is made to support the main site of a business. Such blogs have contents related to the product or service that is being offered by the company. It also has some links that people would not miss to click and it will redirect them to the main site.

A blogger however, who wants to use the internet to earn can also look at the entrepreneurial side of blog as an advantage. To do this a person must look for topic that is close to his or her heart and has the possibility to attract a lot of audience. As an example, a blogger who is fond of playing the violin could create a blog with a goal to earn money aside from being able to share a lifelong passion. As that person's blog gains popularity through the quality of content, that he or she publishes a lot of advertiser will be enticed to place their ads. This creates passive earnings ranging from just a $100 dollar or whopping prices that cannot be even earned through working as an employee. The advantage of passive income is that there is no need for the blogger to get out of their homes since they can optimize or write the content of blogs at the comfort of their own homes. Certain blogger tutorials, tip and tricks, customization and widgets aside from the aforementioned can be found scattered all over the internet. All that a prospective blogger has to do is to make researches and employ certain techniques such as the SEO to dominate the Search Engine Results Page (SERP's) rankings. Google is considered the leading engine these days. It will be beneficial if the blogger would concentrate on Google's rules and updates since it has more than 70 percent of the global market share. This way that person's blog will be on top of the searches. One of Google's owned platforms that enables free blogging is that of the "Blogger". Although the company owns it, there is no bias to rank the blogs and it would still need optimization to be well known. A person who is serious in this kind of field would surely find blogging interactive and interesting because of the competition that the rankings create. Aside from that, earnings can lead to whopping amounts as a reward for the bloggers efforts.

5 Low Cost Effective Ways of Setting Up Incoming Links to Your Website   Why Local Online Search Marketing Is Very Critical For Local Small Business Owners and Professionals   Simple Ways to Increase Your Google Rankings   Learning and Understanding the Basics of Search Engine Marketing   SEO Editor Is an Important Job in Search Engine Optimization   

Profitable Website

Here are some components that will turn your website from an EXPENSE into a PROFIT-PRODUCING MACHINE

Professional, Clean Layout

Your website should be clean, professional and easy to navigate if you want visitors to stick around for any amount of time. Flashy, confusing websites only cause visitors to hit the back button as they search for information or products related to your industry.

Many businesses make the mistake of overcrowding their websites with stuff that their visitors really don't care about.

Your website, especially your home page, should be built to grab attention quickly so people can find what they're looking for.

Most people who visit your site simply want to know how your business can help them solve their problem or solution.

For instance, don't put your business biography on the home page of your site. Your visitors aren't really looking for that... they're looking for that SOLUTION that your business can provide to them.

Let's look at some of the other factors of a profitable website...

Lead Capture / Direct Response

You probably already know that "The Money is in the List!"

Building a list of prospects and leads should be the priority of any business owner. Once you start establishing a relationship, you will create a loyal following of buying customers.

If you are not capturing leads on your website, you are letting potential business go down the drain. If people are already visiting your website, this is the perfect opportunity to grab their contact information so you can continue to build a relationship with them.

One of the easiest ways to capture leads is by installing a lead capture system on your website. This is usually a form that asks visitors to entire their name and email address in exchange for a free offer - such as a coupon, free report, or whatever your customers would find extremely valuable.

Once you have these leads in your funnel, you can then start sending emails to them about your company. Your emails should focus on building a relationship with your list and you should only send promotions from time to time.

When done correctly, your list will love you and continue to do business with you as long as you keep giving them what they want.

We will discuss Email Marketing in more detail later in this report.

Strong Call-To-Action

Every page on your website should have a call-to-action, which is something that tells your visitors what you want them to do. Depending on your type of business, this could vary.

Some businesses want their prospects to call them, some want them to email them, and some want them to come into their establishment.

Whatever you want your website visitors to do, put this on your website and make it stand out.

This probably sounds like basic information, but you'd be surprised at the number of businesses who do not have a call-to-action on their websites.

Call-to-actions have proven to help businesses convert more website visitors into actual, paying customers. Some people simply need to be told what to do when they hit your site - and it works!

Whichever call-to-action you use, just be sure to make it stand out and available on every page of your website.

The ideal place for a call-to-action is in your website header... this way, it will be shown at the top of every page of your website.

Also include the pertinent information they will need in order to perform that call-to-action.

For instance, don't just say "Call Us Today!"...

Instead, say, "Call Us Today at XXX-XXX-XXXX!"...

Include your phone number - don't make them search for it.

If you want them to come into your establishment, don't just say "Come See Us Today!"...Instead, say, "Come See Us Today at XXX Main Street City, State!"

Again, make it as easy as possible for them to act.

Speaking of contacting you...

Make sure that all methods of contact are easy for your visitors to see on all pages of your website. Some business owners make the mistake of only putting their contact information on their "Contact Us" page.

However, your contact information should be on all pages of your site to make it easy for your customers and prospects to get in touch with you.

It is very frustrating to land on a website home page only to find out that their contact phone number is not there... and now you have to search for it!

Also be sure to put a contact form on your Contact Us page so visitors can reach you right from your website.

This will give your visitors a variety of options when it comes to contacting you.

Once they fill out and submit the form, you will receive a notification at the email address you tie to the form.

Relevant Website Content

The content on your website should not be one big advertisement. It should be valuable information that explains how you can help your target market with their problem or solution.

Especially the home page since this is your visitors' first stop.

Unfortunately, some businesses use their website home page as a brochure to talk about their business background, goals, missions, accomplishments, and more.

While this is great information, the home page is not the place for it. Create a different page to display this information, such as an "About Us" page.

When customers first hit your site, they're looking for information that can BENEFIT them.

Your website content also determines how well your website will rank in the search engines. When people go to the search engines to find a local product or service such as yours, they type in the keywords - as we talked about earlier.

If your website content has your profitable keywords on it, it will enjoy higher search engine rankings when people enter those keywords.

Basically, the search engines actually read the content on your site to determine whether or not your business is "relevant" when it comes to certain searches.

In order to improve your relevance, be sure to work your profitable keywords into your website content.

Images and Graphics

Having images and graphics on your website is crucial - they help convert your message to your target audience as well as improved search engine rankings.

As they say, "a picture is worth a thousand words..."

Graphics and Images can help your visitors immediately see what your website is about as well as engage them into finding out more about your business.

Not only that, but graphics and images also make your website more pleasing to the eye. However, be careful not to "over-do it" as it can easily become a distraction that causes your visitors to bounce.

You can also help your search engine rankings by renaming your pictures.

Google has "robots" that crawl every website to figure out what they are about based on the content.

However, they can't see things such as images - only text. But they can see the "name" of the images.

Therefore, it's a good idea to use keywords when naming your images. This way, your site will gain relevance when those keywords are entered into the search engines.

Not only that, but your images will also show up in Google Images, which is where Google houses all of the images found on their search engine.

Blog

In case you haven't heard the news... your website needs a blog.

A "blog" is a web-log website feature that allows you to post fresh, new content consistently.

Google and the other search engines LOVES fresh, unique, constant website content and a blog is the perfect way to give them what they want.

The more content your website has, the better.

A blog can be viewed as an online journal that you make posts about your business. The content can be short, sweet and to the point - meaning it's easy to create. However, you should post frequently and build a substantial amount of fresh content for your website on a consistent basis.

How often you post depends on your type of business, but you should post anywhere from every day to at least once per week.

The search engines don't like stagnant websites. Websites with no "action" are considered irrelevant for their keyword terms and they lose rankings along the way.

Blogging also allows you to brand yourself as the expert in your field. You can answer questions and provide valuable information about your industry on a frequent basis. Just remember to use keywords that relate to your business in your posts for optimal results.

A "keyword" is a word or phrase that people type into the search engines to find your type of product or service. Your role as a business owner is to optimize your web properties to capitalize on some of those keywords by including them in your content.

But don't over-think things... keep it simple.

Once prospects find your business based on your website content, you could have a new customer for life. Setting up a blog is a big step and it can be accomplished a couple ways.

You can have an independent blog, which would be located on a separate domain from your website... or you can have a blog attached right onto your website.

The method you choose depends on what makes the most sense for your type of business.

The best independent blogging platform is WordPress. It's easy to install, configure, and setup. Not only that, but maintaining a WordPress blog is simple once you learn your way around the back office.

One of the best features of WordPress is that it allows you to add several features and options to your website without having to know a bunch of HTML and coding.

In a nutshell, WordPress blogs are great for feeding the search engines with fresh content.

However, if you already have a WordPress website, you can simply add on a blog to your existing website. This is a simple process and will help you boost your website's rankings as well as keep in touch with your customers and prospects.

Learning Web Design - What Makes An Effective Website?   What Are QR Codes and How Do You Use Them?   Are You Driving Website Traffic, Just for the Sake of Driving Traffic?   Make a Business Website - What You Need to Know to Get It Going   Entertaining Marketing Flyers And Their Benefits   Website Marketing - The Basics of Branding   

4 Reasons Why You Should Customize Your Greeting Cards

With so many options out there in printing and designing greeting cards, many people just get trapped into choosing "template based" and commercial type designs for those cards. If you look at the options that a typical greeting card printer, you might "think" that you have lots of customization controls, but in truth, you will just be creating a derivative permutation of most of those common templates out there.

Let me give you a reason, in fact five reasons, to actually try to go beyond that. Let me give you the real facts why you should customize cards with your own unique messages and design content. Believe me, once you hear the arguments, you will also find it quite pertinent to always customize your own greeting cards.

1. Because it gets read more. Obviously, a more customized card gets read more. Why? Well because people always pay attention to anything that looks and sounds new. By providing something really different for readers to read, you will encourage them to read your greeting card message front to back.

This is a lot more exciting than reading all the stale and derivative messages out there, all saying the same thing (and sounding insincere about it). That is why you should think at least of adding more customized messages to your card.

2. Because you get more responses. Customization is a good idea for cards, also because you get more responses. Since your customized cards get read a lot more, you of course will elicit a lot more responses. Be it good or bad, real or not, more greeting cards typically have more people writing back or responding to its author or designer.

So if you do want people to replay or respond, such as in the case with marketing cards, then it is pertinent that you customize your prints properly.

3. Because it reflects good on you. Another great perk when you customize your card is that it will reflect good on you. As a designer, you can use your cards as a medium for public relations. Depending on the positioning of your logo and the theme of your design, you can help yourself create a better impression of you or your company through the quality and message of your cards. The better your design is, the better you look really. That is why you should consider customizing your greeting cards further.

4. Because it makes you more competitive. If you are using those card for advertising and marketing, using more customized designs of course will make those cards more competitive.

People are tired of the usual fanfare when it comes to design, and by providing something fresh and new you can beat all the other derivative cards out of the marketing water. So if you are facing tough competition, believe me, it will help a lot for you to add more customized elements.

So do not just sit there reading or doing nothing. Make sure that you have really customized your cards correctly. There are really great advantages if you do more custom jobs towards your cards, and you should not miss this great opportunity. Believe me, you will regret a lot of things if you get too shy with greeting card customization.

Learning Web Design - What Makes An Effective Website?   What Are QR Codes and How Do You Use Them?   Are You Driving Website Traffic, Just for the Sake of Driving Traffic?   Make a Business Website - What You Need to Know to Get It Going   5 Reasons to Rent A Website   What Does Google Want? Here's How to Get "In" With Google