BBR Staff Writer

Southeastern Pennsylvania’s health insurer Independence Blue Cross (IBC) has selected Kony Solutions as its mobile application platform to reach a wider audience at lower overall development and maintenance costs.

According to Kony Solutions, its Platform Write Once, Run Everywhere technology will enable mobile deployment across more than 9,000 mobile smartphones/tablets/kiosks and operating systems.The technology will allow IBC to develop robust mobile solutions for members, providers, and business partners irrespective of the type of device that is used.

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In a survey of 500 IFAs in Defaqto’s Review of Protection Service, respondents said providers failed to meet expectations in consistency of underwriting, paying claims quickly, administering existing business and dealing with clients, the respondents claimed.

Providers failed to process applications for new business in a timely manner, which advisers ranked as the most important element of their services.

Their services were only up to scratch in two areas according to the research: treating customers fairly and dealing with new business.

Ben Heffer, insight analyst for life and protection at Defaqto, said: “The aspects of service most important to advisers are those associated with new business and claims.

“These are crucial not only to the advisers who wish to grow their businesses and provide optimum assistance to their clients, but also to consumers who must have confidence that they will be dealt with promptly, fairly and with competence by the provider if they need to claim.”

As I mentioned in Part 1 of this subject, while term life insurance is a great option for many people and purposes, there are situations for which permanent life insurance might make more sense.  To continue the list:

• To Provide Liquidity to Pay Estate Taxes:  This is one of the reasons we see most frequently.  People with large estates may be subject to estate taxes at death.  Life insurance owned by an Irrevocable Life Insurance Trust (ILIT) can escape estate taxation and provide the liquidity needed to pay those taxes.
• To Provide for Business Continuation:  Permanent life insurance can be a better solutions than term life insurance for funding a business continuation plan.  It insures the policy will be in force regardless of how long the business owner stays active in the business.
• To Maximize a Pension:  A retiree may elect to take the highest (life) payout option on his/her pension, while still protecting the surviving spouse.  Permanent life insurance is a great way to accomplish this.
• To Provide Creditor Protection:  Some states protect policy cash values from the claims of creditors.
• To Provide for Executive Benefits:  If structured properly, policy cash values can be used to fund deferred compensation retirement benefits paid to executives.  Death benefits can be used as cost recovery mechanisms for the company.

We will continue this list in our next post.  In the meantime, feel free to look at permanent life insurance quotes or term life insurance quotes.

Having been a veterinarian and the founder of pet insurance in the US, I generally advise against giving a pet as a gift. Owning a pet is a commitment of up to 17 years for dogs and 20 for cats, and often the recipients decide they’re not up for the job. In fact, many shelters report a surge of abandoned Christmas pets as early as January each year.

There are a host of factors to consider before purchasing a pet. Like: housing, feeding, schedules, training, exercise and veterinary care, just to name a few. B

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