September is Life Insurance Awareness Month: Don’t Leave your Family’s Future to Chance

PRLog (Press Release) - Aug 26, 2011 – Roseville, CA – You may be feeling less financially secure than before the Great Recession began. Your retirement accounts may have rebounded, but your savings have dwindled. You may have found a new job, but at a lower salary. Some days you might feel like it’s all you can do to put food on the table and keep a roof over your head.

Lamar Odom - 2011 LIAM spokesperson

Did you know,

• The proportion of U.S. adults with life insurance protection has declined to an all-time low as 41 percent (95 million) of U.S. adults have no life insurance at all.
• Both men and women are less likely to own life insurance today than they were in 2004—only 61 percent of men and 57 percent of women have some sort of life insurance coverage.
• The likelihood of being without life insurance has dramatically increased for every age group since 2004.

DENVER, June 14, 2011 /PRNewswire/ – Life Insurance Selling, a Summit Business Media publication, announces the top-performing print advertisements highlighted in a Baxter Research Center, Inc. advertising effectiveness survey of the March 2011 issue.

The Baxter Research ad study measures the overall effectiveness of ads among readers, then reports an ad’s performance in the context of three essential steps to the brand building experience: exposure, engagement, and involvement. The research tracks ad effectiveness in two ways: “recall seeing” and “read some.” (Links to the actual ads of the top performers are linked to their names below.)

An ad’s “recall seeing” score shows the ability of an ad to attract the reader’s attention and indicates that the reader had been exposed to an item by either seeing it or reading it. The following companies received the highest recall “seeing” scores:

• Ohio National Financial Services
• Prudential
• Allianz
• American General
• American Equity Investment
• The Standard

An ad’s “read some” score indicates the percentage of “recall seeing” readers, who after seeing the item, were engaged enough to be led into the copy by the headline, layout or subject material. These ads effectively engaged Life Insurance Selling readers after capturing their initial attention. The following companies received the highest recall “starting to read” scores:

• Sales Art Media
• Prudential
• Allianz
• Ohio National Financial Services
• American General

“Life Insurance Selling continues to provide our advertisers in the life & health insurance market valuable feedback from Baxter Research Center on the effectiveness of their advertising campaigns as a value added service,” said John K. Moore, publisher of Life Insurance Selling. “These ad study results help our partners understand if their advertising message captures the attention of producers and if it resonates in the producer market.”

Baxter Research Center, Inc. (BRC) is a global marketing information firm supporting the world’s most successful business-to-business media brands and professional journals, and is a leading provider of independent, mixed media audience analytics. BRC’s audience metrics guide, optimize and inspire ad-campaign effectiveness in print, digital and online media.

About Life Insurance Selling

Life Insurance Selling is written for the comprehensive producer who offers multiple product lines to clients while focusing on the life insurance product market. Life Insurance Selling offers in-depth, field-tested sales strategies directly from industry producers who provide selling insight and best practices to readers. Life Insurance Selling focuses on innovative and practical sales tools and product information designed to help the producer educate their clients and build their book of business, across a multi-generational client base.

About Summit Business Media

Summit Business Media is the leading B2B media and information company serving the insurance, financial services, legal and investment advisory markets. Summit strives to be “The Next Generation of Business Information” for executives and practitioners by providing breaking news and analysis, in-depth practice management strategies, business-building techniques and actionable data. Summit services the information needs of its customers through numerous channels, including digital, print, and live events. Summit publishes 16 magazines and 150 reference titles, operates 20 websites and hosts a dozen conferences, including the world’s largest mining investment conference in South Africa. Summit’s Data division provides financial data on 6,000 insurance companies and detail on nearly one million health and benefits plans in the U.S.

Summit employs 400 employees in eleven offices across the United States.  For more information, please visitsummitbusinessmedia.com.

Available Topic Expert(s): For information on the listed expert(s), click appropriate link.

John Moore: http://www.profnetconnect.com/johnmoore

SOURCE Life Insurance Selling

CHRISTINE DUGAS
USA Today

As American families are struggling to pay their bills, it’s not surprising that many are putting off life insurance. Individual life insurance hit a 50-year low last year, according to LIMRA, an industry-sponsored group.

But during tough economic times, people should not sit back and think they’re immortal, says Gordon Bernhardt, a fee-only financial planner in McLean, Va.

The sudden death of a working parent could force the surviving spouse to make up for the loss of household income. And life insurance can be twice as important for a single parent.

For full article, visit: Not a good time to drop life insurance, experts say

A common life insurance question is, “Do I get a discount if I buy life insurance with my spouse?” The answer is generally no. Life insurance policies these days tend to be written as two separate policies. Not many companies offer discounts.
That’s not to say that there aren’t exceptions, however. Check out the video for more!

To learn more about life insurance discounts and life insurance for multiple people, visit: www.wholesaleinsurance.net/life-insurance-faq/spouse-discount

DUBLIN–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/) has announced the addition of the “2011 Worldwide Life Insurance Carriers Industry Report” report to their offering.

The Life Insurance Carriers Industry report, published annually, contains timely and accurate industry statistics, forecasts and demographics. The report features 2011 current and 2012 forecast estimates on the size of the industry (sales, establishments, employment) for the 47 largest world countries, such as Japan, China, India, Russia, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, UK, France, Germany, Italy and U.S. The report also includes industry definition, 5-year historical trends on industry sales, establishments and employment and estimates on up to 10 sub-industries, including fraternal life insurance organizations, mutual association life insurance, and life insurance agents.

Industry Definition

NAICS 524113: Life Insurance Carriers. This industry comprises establishments primarily engaged in underwriting life insurance. These establishments are operated by enterprises that may be owned by stockholders, policyholders, or other carriers.

Related Industries

• Health & Medical Insurance Carriers
• Financial Services
• Banking Services
• Investment Services

U.S. Census Categories

NAICS 524113 Life Insurance Carriers is almost comparable to:

• 100% of SIC 6311 Offices of Life Insurance Carriers
• 69% of SIC 6321 – Offices of Accident & Disability Insurance Carriers

Sub-Industries

• Life insurance
• Burial insurance societies
• Mutual association life insurance
• Funeral insurance
• Cooperative life insurance organizations
• Legal reserve life insurance
• Fraternal life insurance organizations
• Life insurance carriers
• Fraternal protective associations
• Life insurance funds, savings bank
• Assessment life insurance agents
• Life reinsurance carriers
• Benevolent insurance associations

Please note, this report offers statistical information only and does not include an analysis of the figures.

For more information visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/.

ATLANTA, Jan. 18, 2011 /PRNewswire/ — Technology will continue to be critical to enabling new strategies, improving efficiency, reducing expenses and improving service, according to senior life insurance executives interviewed by LOMA’sResource magazine.

Key decision makers from a cross-section of insurance industry organizations participated in the 2011 Life Insurance Industry Forecast. According to participants, the overall economy will improve in 2011, but it will be a slow recovery.   As they recover from the economic downturn, companies are stepping back, taking a look at their portfolios and deciding where they will focus going forward. This sets the stage for industry consolidation as companies acquire and divest businesses.

“I have said for years that technology will be the game-changer and will provide a competitive advantage for those firms that employ technology to improve the sales experience for the customer and the producer,” said Robert A. Kerzner, president and CEO of LIMRA, LOMA and LL Global.  ”In this environment, use of technology will be what drives overall growth.”

Outside of economic growth, senior executives also cited investment decisions, human capital, product development and regulation as significant drivers of their firms’ profitability and growth in 2011.  The in-depth interviews provide an inside look at what is on the minds of five of the most influential leaders in the life insurance industry.

The 2011 Forecast is published in the January issue of LOMA’s Resource magazine. The complete article is on-line atwww.loma.org on the Resource page, under Featured Article.

About LOMA

Established in 1924, with 1,200 plus member companies in over 80 countries, LOMA is committed to a business partnership with its world-wide members in the insurance and financial services industry to improve their management and operations through quality employee development, research, information sharing, and related products and services. To find out more about LOMA and the learning opportunities it offers, visit LOMA’s Web site at www.loma.org.

SOURCE LOMA

NEW YORK, Jan. 14, 2011 /PRNewswire/ — One of the best ways to protect a family’s financial future is to compare life insurance quotes and choose an appropriate provider. The trick is to find the most compatible coverage for the family’s specific situation at the most affordable price. Here are five tips to find a cheap quote.

1. Consider term life insurance. Depending on the client’s situation, this may be the best coverage for the cheapest rate. Term coverage can be purchased in a variety of spans, such as a 10-year or 20-year policy. A policy is paid into for the length chosen and when it expires there are no benefits; however, if the policyholder dies within the term of coverage, the death benefit is paid to the beneficiaries. Term life insurance quotes will always be much cheaper than quotes for whole policies.

2. Young and healthy people should avoid guaranteed policies. These are plans that do not require a medical exam but they are usually more expensive. Guaranteed policies are available to everyone regardless of their age or health, which is the reason the premiums are higher. Medical exams only take about 10-15 minutes and offer flexible times. However, if a person cannot get a life insurance policy due to medical issues, a guaranteed policy may be a better alternative to no cover.

3. When comparing quotes to get the best life insurance rates, people should consider what they want the coverage for and what they do not need. While not having enough coverage can be difficult, paying for too much can be wasteful. What needs to be covered: funeral arrangements, outstanding debts, loss of income for family expenses, and/or children’s future education?

4. Married couples should buy a joint policy rather than two individuals. The cost typically is about 15% less than two individual policies with the same amount of coverage. For greater savings, these premiums can be paid annually rather than monthly, which reduces administration costs, and savings are passed on to the policyholder.

5. The quickest and easiest way to find a cheap quote is to shop around, compare multiple quotes and choose the policy that offers the best coverage at the lowest rates.

About LifeInsuranceQuotes.net:

LifeInsuranceQuotes.net connects people shopping for life insurance quotes with agents who can offer the best coverage at the most affordable rate. This efficient and convenient tool gives access to multiple nationwide carriers and allows users to compare the difference between whole and term life insurance from the comfort of their home. To learn more and to get a free quote, visit the website today.

To compare the best life insurance rates, visit: http://www.wholesaleinsurance.net/

Hollywood, FL (PRWEB) January 11, 2011

Founders of http://www.findyourpolicy.com, Michael and Edmund Hartmann were left to settle the affairs of their father’s estate after he died of cancer. They quickly became frustrated in attempting to research their father’s insurance policies. Not knowing which insurance company to contact and then not receiving adequate customer service from the Government or any other entity seemed to make the process impossible. Michael and Edmund Hartmann decided to create a simple and secure solution to store and keep track of an insurance policy, so that a loved one can easily research and find it. They have created a centralized database where insurance agents and individuals can register the policies for free. When it comes time to search for policies a nominal fee is charged to retrieve the information. A portion of this fee is donated to cancer research in honor of their father.

An estimated 1 out of every 4 life insurance policies go unclaimed each year for various reasons, the most common of which is misplaced policy information. These are retained by the insurance companies until proper claims are made by the beneficiaries. If no claim is made then no payout is expected. It is the responsibility of the beneficiaries to submit claims. If the beneficiaries are not aware of who or where to make claims, it can become a very frustrating process, as experienced by Michael and Edmund.

FindYourPolicy.com has been around for 3 years and their database is growing daily. Edmund says; “Many individuals are registering their own and their family’s policies that have been active for more than 20 years. This way they will never forget the company name and guarantee payouts.”

To register is easy and free. The process requires basic information on the policy holder and only the name of the insurance company. They never ask for any Social Security numbers or account information. According to Michael, “All that an individual needs to start the claiming process is a company name and that is all we store.”

Beneficiaries and loved ones can then retrieve the information for $9.95 (US). Thus avoiding the painstaking process of searching through potentially thousands of insurance agencies trying to find out which one held the policy. The simple, easy to use, centralized database provides peace of mind to policy holders by securely storing the information for later retrieval. Michael adds, “It is free until you need it.”

When it comes time to retrieve your information, http://www.findyourpolicy.com is very helpful even if you are not registered with them. First, if you are registered with them, then they will provide you with your stored information. If for some reason your deceased loved one did not register with http://www.findyourpolicy.com, you will be given instructions on what to do next. You will receive a 17-point checklist on assisting you on furthering your search, a list of the top 100 insurance companies, and links to correct contact information within those companies. Plus you will receive instructions on an 8 step process on how to work with the insurance company once you make contact with them.

It is clear that keeping track of your valuable insurance policies is important. Lost life insurance is a major problem that gets recognized only when it is too late. What better way than to secure it in an organized database. http://www.findyoupolicy.com will help them be able to quickly receive what you have been paying for.

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http://www.wholesaleinsurance.net/

Miami, FL (PRWEB) December 21, 2010

Holiday retail spending is proving the experts right, looking a lot like pre-recession Christmas. On the last shopping weekend before Christmas, Americans’ holiday spending rang in the strongest numbers in three years.

Just last week, the National Retail Federation, the nation’s largest retail trade group, raised its holiday forecast to an optimistic 3.3 percent jump in sales from last year; up from its original projection of a 2.3 percent increase. The prediction seems to be on target as holiday sales approach 2007 spending levels.

Online spending was even stronger, marking a 12 percent increase over last year’s holiday season. Research firm comScore Inc. reported that Internet shoppers have spent more than $27 billion since November 1st.

But while Americans spent aggressively on holiday gifts, they did not choose the gift of life insurance this year. Only 44 percent of U.S. households own individual life insurance policies, according to findings in a recent Life Insurance Ownership Study by LIMRA, an insurance industry research firm which surveyed 3,766 households.

35 million homes—a third of which include children under the age of 18– have no life insurance protection at all, bringing personal ownership of life insurance policies to a 50-year low.

Respondents blamed the struggling economy, saying they had other financial priorities besides buying life insurance. “It’s difficult for people to give value to something they won’t see in their lifetime but a family is forever and protecting them is priceless,” said E.C. Gordon, Chief Executive Officer of LifeQuote.com, a leading provider of term life insurance online. “Life insurance is a lifetime gift, not a one-time holiday gift,” added Mr. Gordon.

Ironically, term life insurance, which provides coverage for a specific period of time, is cheaper than ever. Prices for a term life policy, which lasts from 5 to 30 years, have dropped because people are living longer and modern technology has helped insurers cut administrative costs.

Buying life insurance online is convenient and simple. Websites such as Mr. Gordon’s LifeQuote.com, provides an advanced and streamlined process which searches a vast database of top insurers and helps consumers find the best prices and policies. Users can request the help of a licensed insurance agent instantly via live chat.

Shoppers compare policy prices and can even choose coverage by reviewing the insurance company’s ratings online at A.M. Best, which tells you how financially secure they are.

About The Company:
LifeQuote Holdings, Inc., is a pioneer in online life insurance brokerage. The firm was one of the first to offer consumers life insurance quoting technology via telephone in the 1980’s, prior to developing the Internet business model. The executive team is made up of life insurance and retirement plan veterans, as well as media/marketing specialists, and experts in web design, development and search engine optimization. The company CEO is a respected leader in his field and coveted public speaker at national industry meetings. To find out more, please visit http://www.lifequote.com.

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NEW YORK, Dec. 16, 2010 /PRNewswire/ — AXA Equitable Life Insurance Company released today results from its Retirement Reality Study – one of the largest global surveys to poll workers and retirees on numerous financial topics, including their views on and preparations for retirement.

Results from AXA’s latest survey show that today’s working world anticipates retiring much later than previous generations. The average age of retirees polled around the world is 57 years old. However, current workers anticipate retiring at 61 – a full 4 years later.

In addition to working longer, people in most countries are expecting a lower standard of living in retirement. Globally, 43 percent of workers and 30 percent of retirees believe their retirement income will be insufficient. Working people know they need to prepare for retirement, with 46 percent saying they have started to prepare and an additional 37 percent intending to start later.

“Our survey shows people realize they will be increasingly dependent on personal savings in retirement but aren’t ready,” saidAndrew McMahon, senior executive vice president of AXA Equitable and president of its Financial Protection & Wealth Management business. “Clearly individuals are coming to terms with the reality that they won’t be able to retire until many years after they hoped, unless they prepare successfully.”

Americans Are Getting It Right at a Younger Age

Americans are among the top nations surveyed to say that they have already started their retirement planning. Among U.S. Workers, 72 percent said they have started saving for retirement, compared with a global average of 46 percent. Not only has a large percentage of Americans started preparing for retirement, they are starting younger than people in other countries. U.S. workers are among the youngest to say that they have started to prepare for retirement; the average age in the U.S. is 31, compared with the worldwide age of 34.

Although Americans seem more prepared than their counterparts in other countries, the anticipated retirement age is still among the highest of any country. The average American anticipates retiring at 64, three years older than the survey average of 61, and six years older than their desired retirement age of 58.

This is the fifth global survey released by AXA Equitable and its parent, AXA Group, and is part of the company’s continued effort to enhance its understanding of the retirement issues.

Additional survey findings include:

• The main triggers to start saving for retirement in the U.S. are:
  • Employer contributions to a defined contribution plan
  • Reaching a key age
  • Advice from family or friends

• Americans have the most self-reliant view of retirement savings, with 58 percent of those polled, a greater percentage than any other nation surveyed, preferring to fund their retirement savings on their own rather than depend on the government.

• U.S. workers prefer meeting face-to-face with someone when purchasing an investment.  In addition, 65 percent of workers and 65 percent of retirees have used insurance, financial or other professionals as sources of information to find out about financial products vs. 50 percent among workers and 44 percent among retirees across all countries.

“Because Americans proactively approach retirement planning it’s especially important to seek advice from a trusted professional to help them choose the right products for where they are in their lives,” said Mr. McMahon.

About the Study

Research firm GfK NOP managed the survey globally for the AXA Group.  Local firms fielded the questions in each country fromMarch 1st to May 25, 2010.

A total of 31,539 people between 25 and 75 years old were interviewed in 27 countries, making it one of the largest studies on retirement in the world. The countries included in the study are: Australia, Belgium, Canada, China, Czech Republic, France,Germany, Hong Kong, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan,  Luxembourg,  Malaysia,  Morocco,  Philippines,  Poland,  Portugal, Singapore, Slovakia, Spain, Switzerland, Thailand, the United Kingdom and the United States. Each country had a minimum sample size of 1,000 people, 500 who are working and 500 who are retired, including the U.S. The error margin for the U.S. results at the 95 percent confidence level is +/-3 percent. To access the entire survey, go to www.axa-equitable.com.

(Editor’s note: Research statistics should be attributed to “AXA Equitable Retirement Reality Study.”)

About AXA Equitable

In business since 1859, AXA Equitable Life Insurance Company (NY, NY) is a leading financial protection company and one of the nation’s premier providers of life insurance and annuity products, as well as investment products and services through its affiliates, including, AXA Advisors, LLC. The company’s products and services are distributed to individuals and business owners through its retail distribution channel, AXA Advisors and to the financial services market through its wholesale distribution channel, AXA Distributors, LLC.

AXA Equitable, a subsidiary of AXA Financial Inc., is part of the global AXA Group, a worldwide leader in financial protection strategies and wealth management. “AXA Group” refers to AXA, a French holding company for an international group of insurance and financial services companies together with its direct and indirect consolidated subsidiaries. For more information, visit www.axa-equitable.com.

SOURCE AXA Equitable Life Insurance Company