by: Ivon T. Hughes
Many dual income couples, include their children on each group health insurance plan to maximize benfits. However, without some sort of system in place to help the health insurance companies coordinate benefits, it's possible that either you or your doctor would be reimbursed for more than 100 percent of the actual cost of your claim.
To prevent this, health insurance companies typically designate one parent's health insurance plan as the primary plan and the other as the secondary plan. (That's why the patient questionnaire at your doctor's office asks for information on primary and secondary coverage.) The primary plan is responsible for paying covered expenses up to the limits of the policy. If any unpaid costs are left over, the secondary coverage kicks in.
THE DATE OF BIRTH DETERMINES WHICH HEALTH INSURANCE PROVIDES COVERAGE
The birthday rule is often used to determine which plan is primary and which is secondary. Under this rule, the plan of the parent whose birthday occurs first in the calendar year is designated as primary. The date of birth is the determining factor not the year so it doesn't matter which spouse is older.
Like most rules, the birthday rule has exceptions:
- If both parents share the same birthday, the parent who has been covered by his or her plan longest provides the primary coverage for the children.
- If one spouse is currently employed and has health insurance through a current employer, and the other spouse has coverage through a former employer, the plan belonging to the curently employed spouse would be primary.
- In the event of divorce or seperation, the plan of the parent with custody generally provides primary coverage. If the custodial parent remarries, the new new spouse's coverage becomes secondary. And finally, the non custodial parent's health insurance plan would provide a third layer of insurance protection. This order of payment can be altered by a court issued divorce decree or by agreement, but the health insurance companies must be notified.
THESE ARE JUST HEALTH INSURANCE RULES NOT THE LAW
Keep in mind that these practices are common among health insurance companies, but they are not governed by law. Practices may vary from one insurer to another. Read your policy carefully to make sure you understand how your insurance company handles dual coverage. If the policy coverage is unclear, ask for help from your employers benefit specialist or your insurer's customer service department.
About The Author
Ivon T. Hughes of The Hughes Trustco Group is a licensed Insurance Broker. Author of The Life Insurance Handbook. Get a FREE Copy TODAY! Email: info@trustco.ca Web: http://www.hughestrustco.com
|
How To Get The Best Child Life Insurance Quotes
by: Jon Butt
Getting child life insurance quotes on the net can be convenient, but are you sure that you are seeing the big picture?
You can see life insurance information child policies, but the words can be cryptic. The child life insurance coverage information could be well-hidden online too! Because child life insurance costs money, it's important to know precisely what life insurance coverage you can get. It may be best to talk to an authorized life insurance agent.
Question You Should Ask About Your Child Life Insurance
Is child life insurance really worth the premiums? Many question the importance of child life insurance. After all, if anyone needs to get insured, shouldn't it be the working parents? While this is indeed a valid argument, there are advantages to getting child life insurance.
It's not so much the benefits as it is about future eligibility. Child life insurance...
How To Get The Best Child Life Insurance Quotes
Guide to RIB Insurance
by: Patrick Altoft
If you require insurance for your RIB, but have been presented with a number of alternative policy wordings from a variety of companies, Noble Marine's Guide to RIB Insurance may help you decide the sort of policy you require. Full details of the cover provided and an interactive quotation form, providing quotations at any time of day or night, can be found by clicking the RIB Insurance link on Noble Marine's website.
Both the cover provided by different RIB insurance companies and the service they offer, can vary greatly. Bear in mind that a cheaper policy may end up costing you more, if you have to make a claim and you should always check what cover is being offered before signing up.
Q. What should I look out for?
A. Everyone's needs are different, and only you can decide if wider cover is important to you. It is essential though, to understand what is being offered to you, before being...
Guide to RIB Insurance
Critical Illness Insurance Is Critical
by: Ivon T. Hughes
A difficult time in life can teach you what's really important. Just ask anyone whose life took a sharp turn when a medical problem was discovered.
First off there are expenses, a difficulty for any family but which are a special challenge for any family who are covered by a limited medical insurance policy or have no insurance at all.
If you have limited medical insurance, there is sometimes just not enough to pay the bills. You could have costs of staying near a clinic while hoping and praying that you will get well.
Some people have family members and friends who have started get well funds to help pay expsenses. But all of this doesn't answer why there was no critical illness insurance.
This Is Why Critical Illness Insurance Is Important
Critical illness insurance is important as what you are doing is insuring your income , just like you insure your house....
Critical Illness Insurance Is Critical
Vacation Travel Insurance Tips
by: Peter Shannon
Travel insurance is an important but often overlooked part of your vacation. Whether you are traveling to a foreign country or to the next state you should consider travel insurance.
Some of the reasons to have insurance are to cover medical expenses, life insurance for your family, or trip insurance when something goes wrong.
If you have medical coverage, check with your insurer to find out the specifics regarding your planned destination.
You can buy medical coverage for the duration of your trip or for longer periods. Some travel insurance policies cover multiple trips of specific duration. Some will cover you for travel up to a year.
Planning a skiing or mountain climbing vacation? You may want to consider evacuation insurance. If you need to be rescued it is quite possible that the you will end up with a hefty bill to pay for the service.
If you are going on a cruise,...
Vacation Travel Insurance Tips
Common Mistakes To Avoid When Purchasing Term Life Insurance
by: Mike Bell
When purchasing term life insurance, there are a number of factors to consider. Consumers should make certain they understand the concept of term life insurance and make purchases accordingly. Here are a few of the most common mistake people make when buying term life insurance policies:
1. Buying a term life insurance policy because it is inexpensive. While the price may be cheap, you must make sure that the policy will meet your life insurance needs.
2. Failing to realize that term life insurance is temporary. A term life insurance policy will only be in effect for a set period of time. After that time expires you will need to renew, and if your health has deteriorated in that time it may be very difficult for you to obtain another policy.
3. Purchasing life insurance from an unknown or unstable insurance company. If the insurance company you choose does...
Common Mistakes To Avoid When Purchasing Term Life Insurance
Save Money By Getting A Term Life Insurance Quote Online
by: Peter Crump
When deciding or choosing what life insurance is best for you, you can avoid feeling pressured into a policy by searching for a term life insurance quote online. The service is terrific and it can be a fast turnaround because you control how fast or slow the process can be. Getting a term life insurance quote online is as simple as the click of the mouse. With so many life insurance companies now operating on the Internet, all you have to do is log onto the various sites and check out the rates for term life insurance.
When you check for a term life insurance quote online, you do not have to pay for the quote. This service is free and you should request quotes from at least three different companies. This way you can do a comparison of online life insurance quotes. Each of the companies has a form that you fill in and they will respond to you with the quote- usually in...
Save Money By Getting A Term Life Insurance Quote Online
Hurricane Insurance Claims
by: T.Going
Hurricane Insurance Claims
Many homeowners along the Gulf Coast have spent decades making saving up and making mortgage payments on their homes.
Unfortunately, hurricanes Rita and Katrina have wreaked havoc on the area and most of the homes in the area are either damaged or destroyed.
Most of these homeowners are now learning that their insurance claims are being rejected by their insurance companies ? some for unjust reasons.
As insurance companies such as State Farm, Nationwide and Allstate are attempt to send out personnel to hurricane affected areas, the expertise of some adjusters have come into question.
So far there have been hundreds of reports of inexperienced adjusters who have been too quick to reject claims.
This is causing unnecessary agony for homeowners who now are faced with an uncertain future.
Many homeowners have insurance policies that...
Hurricane Insurance Claims
Is Your VOIP Service Secure?
Is Your VOIP Service Secure?
by: Ron King
For individuals, VOIP security is primarily a matter of preventing others from eavesdropping on their conversations. Some VOIP service providers offer voice security through encryption or separate data routes.
Regular precautions for transferring files should, of course, always be followed. A firewall should be in place for protecting your computer from the internet and any data or program that is downloaded should...
Is Your VOIP Service Secure? Term life insurance
Cheap Flights To Goa, Kolkata, Amritsar, Ahmedabad, New Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Chennai
Cheap Flights To Goa, Kolkata, Amritsar, Ahmedabad, New Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Chennai
by: Mridu Sinha
Take a trip to vibrant, colourful India for the holiday of a lifetime! Book your discounted air fares on line now and receive discounts immediately! Fly into the main hubs of Delhi or Mumbai and then take connecting flights or trains into the rest of India. Rail travel in India has never been more comfortable with most services offering the traveller a choice...
Cheap Flights To Goa, Kolkata, Amritsar, Ahmedabad, New Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Chennai
Burton Bullet N Baron Snowboards For Big Boots
Burton Bullet N Baron Snowboards For Big Boots
by: Anthony Barretti
Burton snowboards have been making sure boarders get the best ride down the slopes for many years. Burton's reliability and credibility are etched in stone. Two boards you may consider are the Burton Bullet and Baron.
The Burton Bullet has a giving sidecut and snappy flex which offers increased pop and an incredible ride for a wide board. This all combines to give you a fast, responsive,...
Term life insurance
How to Buy a LCD TV in 3 Easy Steps
How to Buy a LCD TV in 3 Easy Steps
by: Amy Metz
I've got a confession to make. I love television. And I love big screen TVs. Especially the new flat panel models. Before you know it, everyone will forgo their traditional CRT television sets and own a LCD flat screen TV. This idea really isn't as strange as it sounds. LCD flat screen TVs are becoming more and more popular, and with good reason.
But, you may be wondering, what exactly is a flat screen TV?...
Term life insurance Health Insurance Rules How to Buy a LCD TV in 3 Easy Steps tvs
Raspberries and Cream Salad
Raspberries and Cream Salad
by: LeAnn R. Ralph
This recipe is so good that if you make it for a special occasion (birthday, graduation, anniversary, holiday or family dinner) don't expect any leftovers!