Insurance plays a positive role in economic development, but some of its traditional products are inhibiting in some cultural settings. 'Takaful and Mutual Insurance: Alternative Approaches to Managing Risks' explains the development of a hybrid model. Takaful (which means 'cooperative') is intended to deal with three prohibited or haram practices under Islam: the payment of interest (riba), the existence of uncertainty in a transaction (gharar), and gambling (maysir). The primary intent of this relatively recent entry to world insurance markets is to provide a core service to Muslims and others who have religious or ethical objections to conventional commercial insurance models. A secondary intent is to develop a model that deals with the capital challenges that have faced mutual insurers in the West and the subsequent decline of the mutual business model. Two realities-the uneven approaches to takaful and the economic potential that its availability is releasing-mean that it is especially important to facilitate debates that promote an understanding of takaful. This book-while not attempting to take on a role belonging to sharia lawyers and regulators in Islamic countries-provides a comprehensive overview of mutual insurance structures, including Christian and Jewish examples as well as other hybrid models, to provide a broad overview of the universe of operating models and to present ideas for moving forward. It also explores avenues for further opportunities, including the application of takaful to microinsurance markets in emerging countries with large Muslim populations. Takaful and Mutual Insurance: Alternative Approaches to Managing Risks seeks to increase the understanding, appreciation, and discussion of the challenges and solutions needed for the active development and implementation of takaful.

A condensed version of Jon's original book, HOW TO WIN THE HEALTH CARE GAME, this work offers notes and highlights for a quick study of the fundamentals for efficient purchase of health insurance that maximizes savings.

Die Versicherungsbranche steht vor gewaltigen Veranderungen. Die wesentlichen Treiber dafur sind der Kostendruck aufgrund von geandertem Kundenverhalten und gestiegenem Wettbewerb, Veranderungen verursacht durch Regulierung, die Rahmenbedingungen des Marktes mit einer langfristigen Niedrigzinsphase und geringem Wachstum und der Innovationsdruck aufgrund von gesattigten Markten. Spricht man mit Top-Managern der Branche, hoert man aber, dass die Versicherungen sich mit der erfolgreichen Umsetzung von Veranderungen schwer tun. Ein Grund dafur ist zum Beispiel, dass die Branche sehr langfristig ausgerichtet ist, denn viele Kunden binden sich mit Vertragsabschluss langfristig an das Unternehmen. Daruber hinaus lebt die Branche davon, Risiken abzusichern und nicht, diese bewusst einzugehen; das muss man aber tun, wenn man Veranderungen erfolgreich managen moechte. Dieses Buch verdeutlicht, dass die Versicherungsbranche veranderungsfahiger werden muss, um im globalen Wettbewerb bestehen zu koennen und prasentiert Beispiele erfolgreicher Veranderungsprojekte. Wichtige Themen sind dabei der Vertrieb der Zukunft, die erforderlichen Fahigkeiten fur das Management in der Versicherungsbranche und der Umgang mit digitalen Medien.

In general, insurance is a highly regulated financial product. Every state requires licenses for insurance companies, and most states closely regulate both company conduct and the details of the particular insurance products sold in the state. This regulation is usually seen as important for consumer protection; however, it also creates barriers to entry in the insurance market and typically reduces to some degree the supply of insurance that is available to consumers. Rather than requiring consumers who may be unable to find insurance from a licensed insurer to simply go without insurance, states have allowed consumers to purchase insurance from non-licensed insurers, commonly called non-admitted or surplus lines insurers. Although any sort of insurance could be sold by a surplus lines insurer, most such transactions tend to be for rarer and more exceptional property and casualty risks, such as art and antiques, hazardous materials, natural disasters, amusement parks, and environmental or pollution risks. This book discusses surplus lines insurance, and property and casualty insurance.

The government of the Republic of Congo is taking a system approach to reorganizing its health system. It is endeavoring to create a political, juridical, and regulatory environment to foster the development of its health care services under government leadership working with the private sector.

Die Harmonisierung in Europa und ein scharferer Wettbewerb machen Anpassungen bei den klassischen Instrumenten des Risikomanagements, bei Geschaftsprozessen und strategischer Steuerung erforderlich. In dem Buch werden die Zusammenhange aufgezeigt, die fur die Konzeption und erfolgreiche Umsetzung des Risikomanagements relevant sind: von den rechtlichen und regulatorischen Grundlagen uber moderne Strategien und Ansatze des Risikomanagements bis hin zur Systemintegration und Bilanzierung. Eine grundlegende Orientierung fur Praktiker und Studierende."

Save $3,000 every year on the insurance you really need. Use our "tricks of the trade" to beat your agent's rates. Create a Wealth ReserveTM to self-insure small risks. Accumulate $100,000 in 15 years to protect your assets. Never pay retail again Your financial professionals-agents, advisors, brokers, managers-have been ripping you off for years. In the 21st century, you can purchase all your financial needs at a substantial discount, some to 60%. We will show you how to buy value-quality at the right price. You are already paying more premium for insurance than you need to. You are paying for things in your policy you don't even need. You are probably using companies that are in business to serve their agents and their stockholders more than to serve you. When you use our suggestions and start saving $3,000 every year, you can start building your Wealth ReserveTM.. This fund can help you save even more by using the strategy most businesses use to save on insurance. They self-insure some of their risks and save big. Most businesses pay less for their insurance needs by using their own interest-earning accounts to pay for losses, if they occur. You can do the same with your Wealth ReserveTM. Like most businesses, you can develop your own "lifestyle" security. Instead of paying for insurance you don't need, you tailor it to your way of living. For instance, you probably pay for a death benefit in your car insurance policy. If you already own low-cost term, you don't need to pay the high rates from your auto carrier.

Born into a humble family in Bogota, Colombia, Gonzalo Jimenez has always been motivated by his desire to be more and do more. After coming to the United States as a teenager, Gonzalo used his creativity and staunch work ethic to continue his education and start a new life in a new country. Today-still a humble man-Gonzalo is blessed with a beautiful family and one of the most successful insurance agencies in the state of Texas. Meaningful is the story of a simple man who followed his passion to build his ideal life. That life not only includes a successful career, but is a life rich with music, family and friends. Read along as Gonzalo shares his story and his heart-how he overcame adversity and conquered challenges to forge his own path and create his own future-a life filled with music, family and friends.

This applied study addresses the large flood exposures of Central Europe and proposes efficient financial and risk transfer mechanisms to mitigate fiscal losses from such natural catastrophes. In 2010 the V-4 Visegrad countries (i.e., Poland, Czech Republic, Hungary and Slovakia) demonstrated their historical vulnerability to floods - Poland suffered $3.2 billion in flood related losses, comparable to it $3.5 billion of losses in 1997. Flood modeling analysis of the V-4 shows that a disaster event with a 5 percent probability in any given year can lead to economic losses in these countries of between 0.6 percent to 1.9 percent of GDP, as well as between 2.2 percent to 10.7 percent of government revenues. Larger events could quadruple such losses. The European Union Solidarity Fund is available as a mechanism for disasters but it comes into effect at only very high levels of losses, does not provide sufficient funding, and is not speedy. An insurance-like mechanism for National Governments can be tailored for country-portfolio needs for buildings, properties and critical infrastructure. By virtue of the broad territorial scope, fiscal support should use mechanisms that provide payments triggered by physical flood measurements in selected areas (rather than site-by-site losses as in the traditional insurance industry). A multi-country mechanism for insurance pooling of risks to protect infrastructure can also provide major cost efficiencies for all governments, using parametric-or index contracts. Savings from pooling can range from 25 to 33 percent of the financing costs that each country would otherwise have paid on its own. There are several instruments and options for both insurance, and debt financed mechanisms for funding catastrophes. All instruments can be analyzed based on equivalencies in terms of market spreads. A hybrid-like instrument, the catastrophe bond, is really a risk transfer instrument but structured as a debt security. The V-4 countries should therefore begin to set up the financial mechanisms to prevent major fiscal losses from future catastrophic floods and avoid fiscal disruptions when these occur. The instruments proposed can be market tested and supplemented with exacting studies on hydrology and topography used to fine tune the loss estimations per event and where property and infrastructure are exposed.|Kill the Messenger is perhaps the most thorough and authoritative work in defense of educational testing ever written. Phelps points out that much research conducted by education insiders on the topic is based on ideological preference or profound self-interest. It is not surprising that they arrive at emphatically anti-testing conclusions. Much, if not most, of this hostile research is passed on to the public by journalists as if it were neutral, objective, and independent. This volume explains and refutes many of the common criticisms of testing; describes testing opponents strategies, through case studies of Texas and the SAT; illustrates the profound media bias against testing; acknowledges testings limitations, and suggests how it can be improved; and finally, outlines the consequences of losing the war on standardized testing.

Consumers may obtain health insurance from a variety of public and private sources, which can help protect them from the costs associated with obtaining medical care. Health insurance typically includes costs to consumers, which may vary for a number of factors, including scope of coverage, cost-sharing provisions, and federal or state requirements. Recent federal laws --specifically, PPACA and the Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2009 (CHIPRA) -- further define coverage and cost parameters for certain health insurance plans available to consumers now and in 2014, when exchanges are required to be operational, and include provisions to increase children's access to coverage. This book provides a baseline comparison of coverage and costs to consumers in separate CHIP plans and benchmark plans in select states; describes how coverage and costs might change in 2014; and describes how access to care by CHIP children compares to other children nationwide.

Workers' compensation insurance covers nearly all workers in the U.S. and provides those who are injured or become ill as a result of work with medical treatment, a portion of lost wages, and a lump sum for some permanent impairments. Nonetheless, there are limitations to conducting studies that rely on workers' compensation records since not all injuries and illnesses result in claims being filed. Furthermore, the data that are collected are not readily combined if obtained from multiple sources since requirements vary substantially among the states. This book was written to help describe elements of the workers' compensation insurance programs in the U.S. and the potential to utilise the records for public health purposes. This book also focuses on several key policy issues facing the program, including the disproportionate share of claims and program costs attributed to postal workers, the payment of FECA benefits after retirement age, the overall level of FECA disability benefits as compared with those offered by the states, and the administration of the FECA program.

According to stakeholders with whom the United States Government Accountability office spoke, several conditions must be present to increase private sector involvement in the sale of flood insurance. First, insurers need to be able to accurately assess risk to determine premium rates. Second, insurers need to be able to charge premium rates that reflect the full estimated risk of potential flood losses while still allowing the companies to make a profit, as well as be able to decide which applicants they will insure. However, stakeholders said that such rates might seem unaffordable to many homeowners. Third, insurers need sufficient consumer participation to properly manage and diversify their risk, but stakeholders said that many property owners do not buy flood insurance because they may have an inaccurate perception of their risk of flooding. This book addresses the conditions needed for private sector involvement in flood insurance and strategies for increasing private sector involvement.

Confused, Bewildered, Perplexed and Unsure about your Medicare Options?

Updated and expanded for 2014

Are you turning 65 in 2014? Looking for a resource guide that helps you to navigate the maze of Medicare choices available to you? Want a clear and concise book which will answer all your questions? It's not the answers you already know, it's the questions you don't even know to ask Questions you might be thinking about? When can I enroll in Medicare? Does Medicare cover everything I might need? Is Medicare free? What's the difference between copayments and coinsurance? Are there any deductibles? Are there any penalties for not enrolling? What's an AEP, IEP, SEP, OEP and everything else? Can I make changes to what I already have? What are the costs for Medicare? What's the difference between a Med Supp plan and a Medicare Advantage plan? What's a Medigap plan? How do I get my prescriptions paid for in Medicare? What's a donut hole? What is TrOOP? What is MOOP? Does Medicare cover long term care needs?

Click the book cover to "Look Inside" to read the first 10% of the book free. Who might benefit from the information and tools contained in this book? You're going to be turning age 65 in 2014. You're already enrolled in Medicare and want to know what other options you have. You want a comprehensive resource guide about Medicare benefits and Medicare health plans. You're a healthcare professional who wants to learn more about Medicare. Retirement Planning and Medicare

Healthcare expenses can torpedo your retirement savings if these costs are not properly taken into account. Thinking portfolio returns will exceed the potential health care expenses should extensive medical care be needed is ignoring financial market reality. Additional information is included covering: The Medicaid Program Choices for Long-Term Care What you Need to Know Before you Buy Planning the Medicare Buying Decision Additional Resources

Scott Cooper has simplified the complex world of business insurance specifically catered to restaurants industry, regardless of their size or number of locations. In this comprehensive book he has utilized his 27 years of being a restaurant commercial Insurance Broker and an ex-restaurant owner to provide invaluable must know information. The Ultimate Guide to Business Insurance - Restaurant Edition you will get: -Answers to most common questions asked about all lines of commercial restaurant insurance. -The knowledge to ask all the right questions from your Agent -What are the most damaging and prevalent claims which are on the rise -How to separate Myths from Facts by understanding real claim situations. -Must know information on how to eliminate and/or reduce your claims -Practical solutions to reduce insurance costs Bonus Section of interviews with other professional industry experts. - A Top Industry Legal Counsel discusses employment practices and what are the most common lawsuits against restaurant owners. Also, what are the do's and don'ts of handling employees. - A Top Southern California Restaurant Broker with wealth of information on how to buy and sell a restaurant and what to watch out for xxxxxx - A Financial Consultant specializing on key principals coverage and protection. Also how to evaluate your numbers and profitability. This is a must read for new and experienced restaurant owners, managers and operators.

The Ultimate Medicare Decision-Making formula is designed to simplify and educate readers about the seemingly complicated and confusing aspects of Medicare. It will also enable them to make swift and accurate decisions in regards to their health and prescription drug choices. Developed through thousands of hours working with new Medicare beneficiaries, this proprietary decision making process will allow you as the reader to select the right Medicare health plan for your individual health care needs, lifestyle, and budget. You'll find everything you need to know from when, where and how to apply for benefits, to the optimization of your plan from year to year. In addition to the book itself, readers will also have the ability to access audio-video tools as well as personal assistance via the internet. Finally, the consumer tips following each relevant chapter will help readers avoid common pitfalls associated with the enrollment, and plan selection of Medicare. Although designed primarily for the new Medicare enrollee, this material is relevant to anyone receiving benefits from Medicare.

Broker Executive is a strategic guidebook for business owners and executives to help them get the most out of their insurance and insurance broker. It also describes a new type of insurance broker - the broker executive - as one who adheres to the highest standards of customer service and business ethics. This book gives business executives an understanding of the thought process their broker should go through to find the right solution for them, with an emphasis on the usage of life insurance as a business tool. It identifies some of the hazards of the insurance world, and ways to avoid them. It also uncovers techniques top brokers can use to create additional value using insurance, including succession planning and key personnel retention strategies.

Gaining Cooperation is designed to help any Workers' Comp Professional who deals with injured workers on a regular basis. Sometimes injured workers can be uncooperative. They may not want to sign a form, give information, or supply documentation, even if it is to their benefit. This book provides the reader with a simple three- step process to not only getting the injured worker's cooperation, but to improving customer service. Some basic maxims are outlined and explained to help the reader gain the cooperation they are looking for. Maxim #1: Great negotiators never argue with reasons, they argue with facts. Maxim#2: You never have to prove anyone wrong, you only have to prove yourself right. Maxim#3: People will consider your point of view to the exact degree that you demonstrate you understand their point of view. This book relies heavily on the "acknowledgment tool" to help the reader see that a little bit of empathy can go a long way.

The Health Care Safety Net in a Post-Reform World examines how national health care reform will impact safety net programs that serve low-income and uninsured patients. The "safety net" refers to the collection of hospitals, clinics, and doctors who treat disadvantaged people, including those without insurance, regardless of their ability to pay. Despite comprehensive national health care reform, over twenty million people will remain uninsured. And many of those who obtain insurance from reform will continue to face shortages of providers in their communities willing or able to serve them. As the demand for care grows with expanded insurance, so will the pressure on an overstretched safety net. This book, with contributions from leading health care scholars, is the first comprehensive assessment of the safety net in over a decade. Rather than view health insurance and the health care safety net as alternatives to each other, it examines their potential to be complementary aspects of a broader effort to achieve equity and quality in health care access. It also considers whether the safety net can be improved and strengthened to a level that can provide truly universal access, both through expanded insurance and the creation of a well-integrated and reasonably supported network of direct health care access for the uninsured. Seeing safety net institutions as key components of post-health care reform in the United States-as opposed to stop-gap measures or as part of the problem-is a bold idea. And as presented in this volume, it is an idea whose time has come.

Do you know what percentage of your income the government defines as "affordable" when it comes to what you will pay for your health insurance? Will you be eligible for government subsidies? If your employer offers you coverage you may not be, even if you don't take it. Do you know why most Americans under 65 will not be able to keep the health insurance that they currently have? In this book you will find concise explanations about the sweeping changes Obamacare brings to health insurance in America, what it means to you and what your options are. When finished with this short read you will have a comprehensive knowledge of how this law affects you and things that you can do right now that will save you money in the future. What you will not find in this book is theory, rationale or politics. Obamacare is the law of the land in America and beginning in 2014 it is going to have a huge impact on the way Americans obtain and pay for their health insurance. What you need are the facts provided here, everything else is academic. This book is a must read for every American under the age of 65. For over 30 years, Ronald's clients have benefited from his expertise as a benefits broker and his ability to explain complex matters in easy to understand, simple English. This book deals with Obamacare in that same manner.

If your goal is to pass your insurance test the first time without the hassle of big thick study books, the Life & Health Insurance, Iowa License Exam Manual is right for you. Every effort has been made to reduce the number of pages necessary to pass the test. The fresh format has smaller bites of information. Each exam topic is followed by multiple choice questions to reinforce your learning. Designed to stand alone or be used as a supplement, this easy to read manual is complete with a table of contents, insurance text, over 500 multiple choice practice questions, study tips and test taking tips. You will learn the exam topics needed to successfully pass your Life insurance test: types of policies, policy riders, provisions, options, exclusions, completing the application, underwriting, delivering the policy, taxes, retirement, other insurance concepts, and Iowa rules and regulations. Health insurance test topics include: types of policies, policy provisions, clauses, riders, social insurance, field underwriting procedures, other insurance concepts, and Iowa rules and regulations.