Which auto insurance companies stand out in the eyes of their customers?
J.D. Power and Associates asked more than 14,000 policy holders late this past spring that exact question.
Of the top of the heap in the customer satisfaction survey is Amica Mutual, Erie, State Farm, Geico and American Family.
USAA actually outranked every other company, but USAA coverage is only available to people with ties to the military.
The lowest ranked insurance companies are AIG, GMAC, Mercury, Allied, Progressive and Farmers.
J.D. Power and Associates said what made customers most satisfied with an insurance company was to have to contact the insurer just once to resolve an issue. The more contacts, the less satisfaction. The same was true when waiting for an issue to be resolved.
Thursday, August 31, 2006
Wednesday, August 30, 2006
Progressive offers text message reminders
Progressive Direct Insurance is offering its customers a text message service that will provide up-to date information about their auto insurance policies.
Customers can opt-in to receive Progressive Direct Mobile Alerts, including payment reminders, sent in advance of billing dates; payment confirmations, sent once payment has been received; and other payment information.
"A Mobile Alert sent directly to a cell phone makes it easy to know when a payment is due and when it has been made. The beauty of it is the customer gets the information instantly - without having to be connected to email," said Toby Alfred, Progressive Direct customer experience general manager.
Customers can opt-in to receive Progressive Direct Mobile Alerts, including payment reminders, sent in advance of billing dates; payment confirmations, sent once payment has been received; and other payment information.
"A Mobile Alert sent directly to a cell phone makes it easy to know when a payment is due and when it has been made. The beauty of it is the customer gets the information instantly - without having to be connected to email," said Toby Alfred, Progressive Direct customer experience general manager.
Tuesday, August 29, 2006
Insurance Report
By JoNel Aleccia
Staff writer
If Spokane had the highest health insurance premiums in the nation, it wouldn't surprise Penny Arter.
Even though she's a working registered nurse, Arter has no health coverage for herself, her husband or their 5-year-old son, Logan. At $600 a month, the premiums just cost too much, the Spokane woman said.
As it turns out, though, Spokane's rates might be high, but they're not nearly as high as they seemed in a survey that generated national buzz. Abridged results of the annual survey by eHealthInsurance of 5,000 plans from 140 providers in 100 U.S. cities were printed Sunday in the Parade magazine newspaper insert.
In the report, Spokane was tapped as the nation's least affordable city for health insurance premiums, with a cost of $962 a month. It ranked far behind the leader, Grand Rapids, Mich., with a $159.06 a month premium, and behind number 34, Jacksonville, Fla., with a premium of $286.55. Spokane even fell behind Seattle, where the rate was logged at $617 a month.
But, using the survey's own methods and parameters, a quick scan of the eHealthInsurance Web site Monday showed the lowest premium available in Spokane was $304 a month. In Grand Rapids it was $217.96 a month and in Jacksonville, it was $402.20 a month.
One reason that Spokane and Seattle have higher premiums is that Washington is a state with community rating regulations that prohibit discrimination against insurance clients based on health status, health history or health risk.
In such states, the rates for younger people might be higher than in non-community-rated states, but the rates for older people would be lower.
Staff writer
If Spokane had the highest health insurance premiums in the nation, it wouldn't surprise Penny Arter.
Even though she's a working registered nurse, Arter has no health coverage for herself, her husband or their 5-year-old son, Logan. At $600 a month, the premiums just cost too much, the Spokane woman said.
As it turns out, though, Spokane's rates might be high, but they're not nearly as high as they seemed in a survey that generated national buzz. Abridged results of the annual survey by eHealthInsurance of 5,000 plans from 140 providers in 100 U.S. cities were printed Sunday in the Parade magazine newspaper insert.
In the report, Spokane was tapped as the nation's least affordable city for health insurance premiums, with a cost of $962 a month. It ranked far behind the leader, Grand Rapids, Mich., with a $159.06 a month premium, and behind number 34, Jacksonville, Fla., with a premium of $286.55. Spokane even fell behind Seattle, where the rate was logged at $617 a month.
But, using the survey's own methods and parameters, a quick scan of the eHealthInsurance Web site Monday showed the lowest premium available in Spokane was $304 a month. In Grand Rapids it was $217.96 a month and in Jacksonville, it was $402.20 a month.
One reason that Spokane and Seattle have higher premiums is that Washington is a state with community rating regulations that prohibit discrimination against insurance clients based on health status, health history or health risk.
In such states, the rates for younger people might be higher than in non-community-rated states, but the rates for older people would be lower.
Monday, August 28, 2006
Health Insurance Changes
Get ready for the world of consumer-directed health care, where you'll pay $1,050 to $5,450 out of pocket before the insurance company pays anything.
Many companies now offer high-deductible plans paired with health savings accounts -- HSAs -- as an option to their workers.
With traditional insurance plans, employers are basically giving employees credit cards and paying the bill for them at the end of the month, said Kate Kohn-Parrott, director of integrated health care and disability for the Chrysler Group.
With HSA-linked plans, workers are responsible for the first several thousand dollars of expenses, which makes monthly premiums much lower than with traditional plans, in which insurance companies pay a share of every doctor's office visit or trip to the emergency room.
The result is that employees will foot more of their own health-care tab and are responsible for saving to be able to do that.
Critics say the plans are just another tax-sheltering tool for the healthy and wealthy and are worried it will result in those who aren't wealthy putting off preventive care and ending up in dire straits when they haven't saved enough to pay for unexpected medical needs.
Many companies now offer high-deductible plans paired with health savings accounts -- HSAs -- as an option to their workers.
With traditional insurance plans, employers are basically giving employees credit cards and paying the bill for them at the end of the month, said Kate Kohn-Parrott, director of integrated health care and disability for the Chrysler Group.
With HSA-linked plans, workers are responsible for the first several thousand dollars of expenses, which makes monthly premiums much lower than with traditional plans, in which insurance companies pay a share of every doctor's office visit or trip to the emergency room.
The result is that employees will foot more of their own health-care tab and are responsible for saving to be able to do that.
Critics say the plans are just another tax-sheltering tool for the healthy and wealthy and are worried it will result in those who aren't wealthy putting off preventive care and ending up in dire straits when they haven't saved enough to pay for unexpected medical needs.
Thursday, August 24, 2006
Health Insurance debit cards
Health insurance subscribers of UnitedHealth Group will soon receive patient ID cards that they can use as debit cards for medical expenses and that doctors can use to access patients' personal health information electronically.
The banking industry has seen health savings accounts as a way to add customers and expand services, arguing that the software currently used to process financial transactions can readily be tuned to handling health care claims. However, UnitedHealth established its own financial services group, Exante, in January 2002.
The new cards, which will carry the MasterCard logo, can be swiped like a credit card at a doctors' office or other certified health provider. But in addition to providing payment, the cards can be used to confirm eligibility for services and provide access to personal health information at the point of care. The cards should be broadly available early in 2007.
The banking industry has seen health savings accounts as a way to add customers and expand services, arguing that the software currently used to process financial transactions can readily be tuned to handling health care claims. However, UnitedHealth established its own financial services group, Exante, in January 2002.
The new cards, which will carry the MasterCard logo, can be swiped like a credit card at a doctors' office or other certified health provider. But in addition to providing payment, the cards can be used to confirm eligibility for services and provide access to personal health information at the point of care. The cards should be broadly available early in 2007.
Wednesday, August 23, 2006
Wellpoint consumer driven health plans
WellPoint Inc. wants to make consumer-driven plans the next big thing in health insurance.
The Indianapolis based health insurance company on Tuesday announced plans to offer the plans to individuals and businesses of all sizes nationwide.
Consumer-driven health plans are high-deductible plans, with lower monthly premiums than traditional health plans, such as a PPO or an HMO. They are designed to put consumers in charge of more of their own health-care spending, encouraging them to shop around for the best health care based on price and quality. Currently, WellPoint offers the plans only to employees of large national companies.
The Indianapolis based health insurance company on Tuesday announced plans to offer the plans to individuals and businesses of all sizes nationwide.
Consumer-driven health plans are high-deductible plans, with lower monthly premiums than traditional health plans, such as a PPO or an HMO. They are designed to put consumers in charge of more of their own health-care spending, encouraging them to shop around for the best health care based on price and quality. Currently, WellPoint offers the plans only to employees of large national companies.
Anthem BCBS Virginia health plans
Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield in Virginia says it will offer "new, enhanced health plan options for employers and individuals...in Virginia in 2007 subject to regulatory approval."
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