Great Avon products for your Holiday Wishlist!

With the Holidays coming up, now its a great time to look into Avon! We can ship any thing to your door if you become an e-customer and if you are in the Tampa area, we can personally deliver it!

Speaking of a good time to look at Avon, I have a good deal if anyone is interested. Its a Flip HinoHD flip-video camcorder, only %89 with direct delivery.

Act now, these will not last, especially at this price. Its a $199 value!!!

Contact Mike or Dana to place an order at 813-907-8487 or go to http://youravon.com/dereon

Who doesn't like to make that first impression?

A nice smile paired with white teeth creates a great impression on your clients and/or friends/family. I love showing people about this dental insurance; No charge cleanings (x2 per year), x-rays and fillings, $5 extractions, office visits, $245 crowns, $110 deep cleanings, NO PREEXISTING limitations!

$40/month individual
$57.95/month individual+dependent
$79.95/month Family (best deal)

This plan is great if you frequent the dentist twice a year, which we all should be doing anyway. This plan has a good network of dentists as well.

Contact Michael at 813-907-8487

New PPACA Provisions, did you know???

Obamacare is up and running with some new provisions beginning now. Here are some key notes to be aware of:

-Dependents will be able to remain on their parents' health insurance plan until they are 26 years old, whether or not they are living with their parents, is a dependent for income tax purposes, is no longer a student, or is married.

-Insurers are prohibited from excluding those with 'pre-existing' conditions.

-Indoor tanning services are subject to a 10% tax.

-Insurers will no longer drop policies when clients get sick.

Will these provisions be good or bad for people? For one, expect higher premiums due to a more 'diverse, sick' risk pool.

Save Time and Money with Avon Products

-Don't have time going to Walmart every week to buy your body wash, deodorant, shave
gel, poufs, etc?

-Would it be beneficial to have products shipped to your door or delivered personally?

-Want to save money buy buying in bulk, but don't want the hassle of going to the 'club' stores and fighting off grandpa and his 50 pack of toilet paper?

-Want to try impressive perfumes without having to go through the 'maze of perfume/make up' at Dillards?

-Order right in the comfort of your home.

-Avon products have come a long way. I can personally say I use alot of their products including the shave gel. Avon has great colognes for men and nice products for kids!



Dana is available at danaereon@aol.com


Mention this post and receive 10% off your order.

Easy Access to Health Insurance

www.islanderinsurance.com

There you can learn about us and what we do. There are some links to help you quote your own insurance plan as well. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us. We strive to build long term relationships with our customers. We are not a fly-by-night operation. We represent several companies and will find the right plan for you.

Essentially, we provide protection services; we protect your life, health, assets, and most importantly, your family.

Have health insurance or benefits at work? Great. Is it portable after you leave? Individual health insurance stays with you regardless of work situation. How are the benefits? Is there a cap? Does your job offer life insurance? Can it cover your mortgage/bills/credit card debt if you pass away? How long will that $25,000 last? A month?

www.islanderinsurance.com

George Steinbrenner, 1930-2010

Today, Mr. Steinbrenner passed away at 80 years young. While I did not know him, I felt I did by what I seen. He helped the Yankees become what they are today by developing the right people, making the necessary moves and marketing his team. He was a business person with a competitive edge and helped MANY people become wealthy and successful. He was also a great philanthropist, building schools and giving much back into the community. I think that is what I will remember him by. That is paramount to what he did for the Yankees.

Happy 4th of July, our Independence Day

Its a good idea to re-read, and I do mean re-read because you all should have read it before, the Constitution. It has some interesting tidbits and facts that all Americans should be familiar with. Among some that interest me are the following:

1. "We The People" indicates that the government is FOR the people. In other words, if the people are against a proposal, then the government is NOT doing its job and therefore the responsible parties shoul be impeached no questions asked. Remember the HealthCare Reform Act that passed? A majority of Americans DID NOT WANT IT PASSED. But, for some reason, certain politicians wanted to make history or to punish insurance companies or scold the private sector for political gain. Im sure there are other instances, but this is the most recent.

2. House of Representative candidates must be 25 years old, Senate candidates must be 30. Hey, I'm 30, maybe I will start running. Nah, I'm too honest.

3. The Oath of Office indicates that the incoming President has to preserve, protect, and DEFEND the constitution. See #1

4. There is a "No Religious Test Clause" in Article Six. That means that there is no
'religious test' during an oath or affirmation. In other words, to hold a position in a governement office, you DO NOT have to be a Christian, Catholic, Protestant, Jewish, Muslim, Buddhist, etc. to be affirmed. What this means is that you don't have to adhere to a certain religious belief. Ok, now two things. One, you can say that the United States cannot be a 'Christian State' as some people think. How can it be? Because of several mentions of 'God'? 'God' has a universal meaning and the name 'God' is not mentioned in the Constitution. Second, there are some people who believe our current President is Muslim. Well, he could very well be, but it does not matter as we are not looking for a certain belief. Now, there were some state constitutions that prohibited atheists from holding office (Arkansas, Maryland, Mass., North Carolina, South Carolina, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, and Texas)but in 1961 that was unenforcable due to the 'religious test clause'. Plus the 1st Amendment PROHIBITS Congress from establishing a religion.

5. The 22nd Amendment prohibits the President to two terms, why not Senators and Represntatives?

6. I was researching the Constitution and I came across a Wiki entry for Constitution Day and strangely enough, was enacted by the late Senator, Robery Byrd. Previously, it was called Citizenship day, but he amended the 2004 Omnibus Spending Bill and changed the name to Constitution Day. All federally funded educational institutions can provide educational programming about the Constitution. Thought that was interesting.

I think as a nation, we need to re-evaluate ourselves and we cannot let our 'trusted polititians' run amok and NOT represent us. Government has to do its job.

House Passes 'Financial Overhaul' bill, Senate Votes in two weeks

The House passed the 'Financial Overhaul' bill, but the Senate gets to vote in two weeks. In short, it looks like a dud bill, like a bill that makes no sense, ala 'Health Reform'. Its going to create another bureaucracy to manage systemic risk, its closing the Office of Thrift Supervision, which regulates thrift/credit unions, and the Comptroller of the Currency will handle banks AND credit unions/thrifts. Also in the bill is a funeral plan, which will eliminate 'bailouts' and will liquidate firms that go under or cannot comply with new regulations. One item that is of interest to me is that the FDIC Insurance will stay at $250,000, which is a good thing; You will see more deposits in the banks. Hedge funds worth more than $150 Billion will have to register with the SEC. Investment advisors managing more than $100 Million will have to be registered as well.

It seems ok, I dont have any problems with keeping the high deposit insurance, I don't have a problem with hedge funds being registered, although there will be ways around that, and I have a problem with closing the OTC. The Democrats are failing in keeping a negative connection with 'Wall Street' and Republicans, and I think thats the main reason why they are pushing it and touting it. I think someone is in for a big surprise in November...

Classical Music

From todays NY Times:

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/26/business/media/26radio.html?ref=nyregion

In the Tampa Bay area, WUSF proudly supports classical and jazz music. Listener supported stations have been essential for the survival of classical music on the airwaves. Support WUSF and classical music!

Did you see this in todays NY Times regarding NY Health Insurance?

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/18/nyregion/18insure.html?ref=nyregion


A good informative article, and it shows what we will likely see in the future. As we allow more risky individuals into the pool, the less risky (healthy) will flock due to the higher premiums, and now, as a mandate, everyone has to get back into the pool. The result? 'Hopefull reduction in health premiums'.

So this whole historic health care reform bill was passed on hope? That we can hopefully reduce health insurance premiums by requiring everybody to go into the pool?

Its been proven WRONG.

Interesting poll regarding Health Insurance

From the Insurance Newscast Thursday April 14, 2010

LONDON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--More than half (53 percent) of consumers are considering switching to a new insurance provider over the next 12 months and a rapidly growing number plan to buy insurance online, according to findings of an Accenture survey. Survey participants included more than 3,500 consumers in Brazil, France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the United Kingdom.

“Consumers are actively seeking better deals, have more options to choose from and are empowered by new Web-driven tools to be more selective”

.“Consumers are actively seeking better deals, have more options to choose from and are empowered by new Web-driven tools to be more selective,” said Serge Callet, global managing director of Accenture's Insurance practice. “For insurance companies willing to take a bolder approach to pricing and distribution and to tailor and target their sales channels more precisely to customer needs, current customer loyalty weakness is a strategic growth opportunity.”

According to the survey, insurance customers are highly inclined to shop around. Asked whether they plan to renew or purchase insurance products with their current providers, 53 percent of respondents said that they did not or that they were unsure and “plan to look around.”

Insurance websites and aggregators are gaining ground in all the countries surveyed

The survey also indicates that the Internet is gaining significant ground on banks and insurance agents as the preferred channel for buying insurance. While most respondents said they had purchased at least one of their current policies through an agent or bank (59 percent and 33 percent, respectively), a much lower percentage of buyers are planning to do so over the next 12 months (49 percent and 27 percent, respectively). Meanwhile, a substantial minority (34 percent) of consumers has purchased at least one policy online -- via insurers’ websites or price-comparison sites -- and an even greater percentage (43 percent) plan to do so over the next 12 months.

“Seventy-percent of the UK consumers surveyed plan to purchase their policies online over the next twelve months,” Callet said. “This confirms the dominance of insurance websites and aggregators in the UK. But our survey also revealed surprisingly strong online growth in France, Germany, Italy, Spain and Brazil, where the number of consumers planning to buy policies online in the next 12 months is 10 percentage points, on average, greater than those who had done so previously.”

Lowest price is not the most important selection criterion for consumers

According to the survey, the most important criteria consumers use when choosing an insurance provider are speed of problem-resolution, transparent pricing and the availability of products that match their needs (cited by 75 percent, 70 percent and 64 percent of respondents, respectively). Insurance agents are perceived as the best at solving problems in a timely manner and at offering products and services that fit their customers’ needs. Insurers’ websites and aggregators are seen as the channels that have the most transparent pricing, offer the lowest price, are the most accessible when needed and provide the best level of information on the insurance products sold.

“The submission of a claim is the moment of truth in the relationship between insurers and policyholders, and this is validated by our research,” added Callet. “For consumers, finding the lowest priced coverage is simply not enough. Quality of service at the first notice of loss and the ability of the insurer to provide prompt claims settlements are pivotal to customer loyalty and satisfaction.”

What is an annuity anyway?

Its essentially a reverse life insurance policy. You can either put in a lump some of money and immediately receive payments over time or you can defer some of the payments later. OR you can set up the payments as often as you want, usually its a $50/month minimum. If you choose to make flexible payments into the annuity, the growth is tax deferred when purchased inside an IRA or similar vehicle. Generally speaking, a simple fixed annuity will earn 2-3 percent interest and will have surrender charges if you take out money early. These are long term instruments. Now, there are several different version of an annuity. There are fixed, which earn a fixed amount, a fixed indexed, which earns money based on an index (usually the S&P500 or you can choose a more riskier index, but that is based on the client), and will NOT lose value when the index loses value, and a variable annuity, which has a separate account where you can choose various mutual funds or indexes as your vehicle to gain or lose value in the account. You can lose value in a variable. Which is the best? It depends on the situation and client risk tolerance. Once again, there is no 'best investment'.

Parents can take advantage of purchasing an annuity for their children. For as little as $50 per month, you can put away money for college, weddings or for their kids' retirement. When they get older, they can take over the payments! If you come into a good amount of money, purchase a fixed indexed annuity with a guaranteed income rider and 20 or so years later receive payments that can help pay for your mortgage or car payments.

Michael and Dana from Islander Insurance Advisors can help you further.

Risky, Safe, Safest

Lets play a game called Risky, Safe, Safest.

Risky accounts, or brokerage accounts contain stocks, bonds, and/or mutual funds. There is no guarantee of principal or interest. They are not insured, are not protected from lawsuits, and the rate of return????

Safe accounts, or bank accounts contain CD's, money market accounts and/or savings accounts. There is a guarantee of principal and interest, is FDIC insured, is not protected from lawsuits and the rate of return is low.

Safest accounts, or insurance accounts contain annuities both indexed, fixed, and variable. There is guarantee of principal and interest, is federally regulated, is protected from Florida lawsuits and the rate of return is low to medium.

What is best? There is no answer, but its best to start from safest to risky.

Lets bring home our troops!

I'm going to be clear; I fully support what our country did in the months after 9/11 up to this point. I feel we did the best we could and we could have done a more powerful 'shock and awe'. However, we did what we intended to do in Iraq and now in Afghanistan. I hope we capture Osama. Are we a safer country now? Yes, however we need to deal with our own terror in the West. Mexican drug lords have been terrorizing border states for years and our own criminals need harsher penalties and sentences. While our crime rates have dropped in certain areas, we need better policing. What I'm trying to get at is this: we need our armed forces home. They need to be rested, trained, and the United States needs to focus on OUR terrorism. We can establish bases in foreign lands but for the most part, all of our troops need to come home.

Tragedy happens everyday. But after 10 years of hearing of suicide car bombs killing people, it gets redundant. The Middle East will always fight. Various sects of Islam will clash with each other. Tribes will only listen to their tribal elders. That's how they live. I'm tired of hearing of Iraq/Pakistan/Iran/stan this stan that on the news. Enough. Do we need to keep an eye of things over there? Yes of course. But if anything is even close to happening, we have some pretty quick planes that can get over there with in hours and drop bombs.

One more year. Lets get things done in Afghanistan, lets get Osama, and lets come home and clean up America. Its just time.

Health Care Reform or Health Insurance Reform?

Which is it? Because all of a sudden its health insurance reform, which is completly different. Before its cutting doctor/patient fraud, lowering costs for doctors/hospitals so they can pass that savings onto the patient. Before it was expanding Medicaid. Now, it seems like a certain political party wants to demonize health insurance companies because they make money and are successful. They want to force people to get into the pool of insureds or pay a penalty, they want to guarantee issue.

Lets not get off track here. Our health insurance system, if you are talking about employer based, is whacked. Thats why individual insurance is the answer. It is essentially an association plan, but is individually underwritten. Individual health insurance is great and yes, there are caveats to each company, but that is called "having choices". I, for instance, can choose which insurance company would be the best fit for you. Underwriting guidelines vary and should be loosened up. Health Savings Accounts are another win-win. Anybody, regardless of income bracket wins. Under an employer based system, a major claim by a couple individuals ruin it for everybody else, can you say sky-high premium raise? And if employers cannot afford it, than either he will switch to a lower benefit plan or scrap it all together.

So, ultimately, health care reform should be the simple reduction of fraud, possible expansion of medicaid, and lets get our doctors/hostpitals some credit and help them out. They are on the front lines of care. Medical malpractice needs to be corraled.

Health insurance is mainly designed to help in the event of a major medical event. If all we are worrying about is a $25 copay for a doctors visit or making sure Johnny can walk into a doctors office and pay cash for his visit, then our politicians really need to explain why they need to be put back in office.

Toyota Recalls

Am I the only one who thinks the whole Toyota recall situation is completely overblown? Or even a coincidence that the government has an interest in scolding a rival since the government owns 60% of GM? Toyota still makes solid, reliable, and economical vehicles, and quite frankly, GM's cars are near copies of its competitors. They are pulling the same thing Hyundai/Kia does.

If you are looking to obtain health insurance, read first!

Or even if you wish to get a quote. Stop. Do not call United Health Care or Humana directly. Call Islander Insurance Advisors. I can help you choose the right plan for you, and even come to your home to discuss the plans further. An employee of Humana will not even meet you at Starbucks. Would you use a call center to buy health insurance? I can come to you or meet at a predetermined location. I would rather meet face to face and build a trusting relationship before anything.

Want to save money?

Annual reviews of your health insurance is a good way to start. Every year, your health insurance premiums tend to rise on average 10-25%. And with new insurance companies coming into the area with new plans, its a good time to test the waters. Your insurance agent should conduct these reviews. He should check to see if you can switch to another company or plan to keep you paying the same amount or if possible, get you on a more efficient plan. Is YOUR agent doing this? Is he looking out for YOU?

Life events change every year too. Children are born, kids graduate college, and maybe its time to invest in a whole life insurance policy.

If you are reading this and thinking, "Hey, my agent does not do this", then maybe its time for a switch. Islander Insurance Advisors will be glad to be on the lookout for you.

Individual Insurance vs. Employer Based Health Insurance

There are a few differences, but it is vital to understand the importance of each. Employer based is mostly guaranteed issue, which means if you are 'sick', you can get coverage. Another point is that its benefit limits are not as high as opposed to individual. Therefore, its premiums tend to be lower than individual. Counterpoint, since its guaranteed issue and if several people in the 'pool' use its benefits, ie. go to the doctor or emergency room for every problem, the pool has to buy water. Up goes the premium, or worse yet, your coverage gets lowered or dropped. Most small businesses nowadays have limited benefits for their 'medical benefits'. It could be fine, but you do get what you pay for.

Now, there are some instances where employer based coverage is good. Maternity benefits are great. Maternity is usually ridered in a co-pay individual plan.

Individual health insurance, and even life insurance for that matter, is YOURS regardless of job situation. True major medical health insurance has lifetime benefits of $3+Million or more, tends to cost less with more benefits. When paired with a Health Savings Account, individual insurance can be a good savings vehicle.

Annual renewal periods are a great time to have your individual health insurance evaluated and as you know, events and things change throughout the year. During that time, we can find the right health plan for you.

Premium increases tend to be more secure with individual health insurance. And, the free market helps to bring in new companies and with that, comes competition; Lower premiums, expanded benefits, better, visible underwriting, and customer satisfaction make individual health insurance the solution to the worlds problem. Really.

Avon Alternative Intensive Age Cream

I have been using Avon's Alternative Intensive Age Cream for approximately 2 months because of heavy, dark circles around my eyes, and I could tell you that it works great! Just put it on at night before you to bed. You have to use it for at least 2 months in order to see a difference.

And I did not increase my hours of sleep, so I cannot say that was the reason. Of course, more sleep can make the cream more efficient. I am so glad I tried it.

You can order via the website below.

Term or Whole Life Insurance

Yes, the old debate continues. Well, in our opinion its up to the client and his/her situation. Term can be great if paired with a return of premium rider and/or the client is middle age. Whole life can be great if the client is young or has children. It builds cash value. Price wise, its identical to term life with ROP, and whole life is permanent. Term is temporary unless it can be converted.

People say buy term and invest the difference. That's great if the market is earning AT least 4%. Cd's are not even paying that now. They weren't when the economy was booming in 06/07. Whole life can be variable or indexed to a market index like the S&P500 or a combo of multiple indexes. The indexed universal life policies have a death benefit plus a cash value account which gains as the market gains BUT does not lose when the market index drops. You participate in the gains only.

People say you shouldn't mix life insurance with investments, or "you don't have investments with your car insurance". Well, a diligent advisor would make sure you have both. And if used IN conjunction with cash savings accounts AND investments like mutual funds/stocks/bonds in an IRA/401(k), whole life/universal life insurance is a good value.

Industrial Average hits 10K, as I predicted

It was going to happen. With tomorrows unemployment rate announcement and the government spending exponentially, the market made its message. But will the government listen? Heck, they cannot even listen to the public with 'health care reform'. I do not expect any major gains if there is a surprise in the unemployment rate, but I think it will stay the same.

I caught "Stossel" on Fox Business before. What a great show. I know John from 20/20 and he seems very likeable. Tonights show debukes the mantra of "things are getting worse", when they are getting better. Incomes for the rich and poor have increased over 30 years, teen pregnancy is on the decline, violence is on the decline, more people have cell phones than ever before, and health care in America IS one of the best.

SBA Loans and small banks

According to the Tampa Bay Business Journal's Book of Lists 2009, more than $30M in SBA loan funds were loaned out with at least 25 companies receiving more than $1M in funding. Half of the lenders were small banks and the other half consisted of regional/big banks. My point is that the President wants to take $30B from the repaid TARP loans and allow small banks to make SBA loans and isn't he a little too late? And if this is the case, I would rather any extra money to go back into the Treasury where they came from.

Health Savings Accounts

I was talking with a client and he said his HSA earns more than his investment account. Thats because HSAs generally earn 2-3% depending on size of balance at a participating bank. Thats not bad considering CDs are just below that. HSAs also receive favorable tax treatment. All contributions are tax-deductable; Its essentially a Health IRA. And premiums are lower compared to co-pay plans. The difference in premiums can be deposited into the HSA and used for medical expenses like doctor visits and prescriptions.

Put yourself in control of your health care. And another perk is that the plan is yours. Individual health insurance stays with you regardless of job situation. So if you hear the President tell you that millions of insureds will lose their coverage this year, you do not have to worry; He is talking about employer based coverage. Individual health insurance IS the solution to the problem. Lets give tax credits to people so they can purchase the logical solution.

Investment accounts are great, but having a solid foundation of health, life, dental, critical illness, disability, long term care, an irrevocable living trust, and cash savings account in conjunction with a Health Savings Account, is the best way to protect your assets, lifestyle, income, and your family from a medical bankruptcy.

Now on Blogger

Hello fans of Islander Insurance. We will be moving to Blogger starting now!