Target is a Target

The name and bullseye logo of the retail chain Target seemed befitting last week when the company announced it had suffered a major hit by data thieves. Criminals stole credit and debit card information from approximately 40 thousand customers who had shopped at Target within the previous three weeks. The thieves may have gained access to Target's network of credit card readers by infiltrating the system with malware. The incident appears very similar to a hacking event that occurred at T.J. Maxx in 2007.

Target probably has cyber liability insurance, which should cover some of the costs the company will incur as it attempts to recover from the theft. Still, the event will damage Target's reputation. Customers whose data was stolen are angry that their data wasn't better protected. Now they have to worry about fraudulent charges. Some banks are canceling and reissuing the victims' credit or debit cards.

I have not experienced a theft of credit card information but I was the target of a bank scam a few years ago. Nothing was stolen but my husband and I had to close our bank accounts and open new ones. This was a hassle, particularly since the bank no longer offered the type of checking account we had prior to the scam.

One aspect of the Target data theft that is particularly troubling is that Target did not discover the theft itself. According to Yahoo, Target was alerted to the  problem by credit card processors. The processors noticed an unusually large number of fraudulent transactions involving credit cards that had been used at Target. If the processors hadn't been so vigilant, the data theft might have continued for some time.

Because data thefts from large companies like Target are major news events, one might get the idea that data thieves don't target small businesses. Nothing could be further from the truth. Small businesses are generally more vulnerable to hackers than large ones because small firms tend to have fewer protections against cyber risks. The National Federation of Independent Businesses (NFIB) suggests three basic steps for protecting your business against data breaches:

1. Establish secure policies;
2. Stay current with technology; and
3. Get smart about hiring

The Target incident may have a golden lining. It may convince U.S. banks and retailers that it's time to switch from old credit card technology using magnetic strips to current technology based on computer chips. Credit and debit cards with computer chips are widely used in Europe and Canada. They are harder to tamper with than magnetic strips. Some retailers worry that computer chips won't be enough and that credit cards should have PIN numbers as well. While nothing will prevent theft completely, it's clear that the magnetic strips aren't doing an adequate job.

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Economical Insurance® support of Junior Achievement helps young Canadians prepare for a successful future

TORONTO, Dec. 26, 2013 /CNW/ - Junior Achievement of Canada and Economical Insurance^® are pleased to announce their renewed partnership focused on encouraging Grade 7, 8 and 9 students to stay in school and acquire the knowledge and skills needed for their future success. Economical Insurance is providing $300,000 over the next three years to support Junior Achievement's Economics for Success program.

Junior Achievement's Economics for Success program is an interactive program that allows students to examine their future and explore different opportunities for their own success. Inspiring volunteers from Economical will visit the classroom and share their experience in order to help equip students with the skills needed to define their own positive future plan.

"Junior Achievement and Economical share a common vision to support students and inspire them to stay in school and become future leaders," said Keith Publicover, president and CEO, Junior Achievement of Canada. "Thanks to the support of Economical, over 200 volunteers will help 3,200 students gain the knowledge and skills they need to be successful in the workplace and in life."

"At Economical, we know that investing in our children and grandchildren now will help them grow into the leaders of tomorrow," said Karen Gavan, president and CEO, Economical Insurance. "Through Junior Achievement's Economics for Success program, our volunteers are helping to inspire youth to stay in school to become better prepared for the workforce so they can realize their aspirations."

Economical's support will provide Junior Achievement programs to students in Vancouver, Edmonton, Calgary, London, Waterloo, Greater Toronto Area, Ottawa, Montreal and Halifax.

Junior Achievement's Economics for Success gives students greater understanding of the link between education and personal goals and provides them with the knowledge, attitudes and skills they will need for long-term career success. The program engages students in exciting activities to reflect the reality of the working world, including trends and opportunities, the impact of choices about credit and cash, and the cost of living. The program examines the financial demands of independence and students can work to identify the resources needed to support their life-long career journey.

About Junior Achievement of Canada
Junior Achievement is the largest youth business organization in Canada and plays an important role in developing Canada's future leaders by providing them with the confidence and knowledge needed to define personal success, enhance their work readiness and pursue their dreams. Last year alone, more than 243,000 young Canadians experienced a Junior Achievement program from over 14,500 dedicated business volunteers. For over 58 years, Junior Achievement has inspired and prepared more than 4 million youth to succeed. For more information, visit www.jacan.org.

About Economical Insurance
Founded in 1871, Economical Insurance is one of Canada's leading property and casualty insurers, with $1.9 billion in annual premium volume and $5.0 billion in assets as at September 30, 2013. Based in Waterloo, this Canadian-owned and operated company services the insurance needs of more than one million customers across the country. In 2010, Economical announced its decision to become the first federally-regulated mutual property and casualty insurance company to demutualize. Economical Insurance conducts business under the following brands: Economical Insurance, Economical, Western General, Economical Select, Perth Insurance, Family Insurance Solutions, Federation Insurance and Economical Financial.

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Insurance policy document to go digital in 2014

Insurance policy document will become digital and paperless like shares in the coming year and the policyholders would be saved from preserving the physical copies of their insurance policies.

From April onwards, policy document would come in electronic form for all the new insurance policy sold.

Over 25 crore policy holders owning close to 37 crore policies would get their e-insurance in phased manner, CAMS Repository Services Ltd CEO S V Ramanan said.

The Insurance Regulatory Development Authority (IRDA) is likely to announce the roadmap to make it mandatory, by which insurance companies would have to compulsorily issue policies to their customers only in electronic form, he said.

According to an estimates, the current cost to insurer to service policies is over Rs 600 per annum per policy.

However, with insurance repository, the initial incidental cost would come down to less than Rs 100 per annum per policy, he said, adding, the initiative shall benefit both policy holders and insurance companies from convenience and cost front.

"We have initiated multi-level programme for educating policy-holders on e-Insurance across India leveraging our huge network of 390 branches and our domain expertise in insurance," he said.

"Insurance policyholders would have the option to access their insurance policies online by opening an insurance account in the electronic form, free of cost. The benefits for policyholder holding an e-insurance are safety, convenience, service on demand, single KYC and aggregate view of all policies," he said.

Insurance repository system allows policy holders to keep insurance policies in electronic form and undertake changes and revision in the policy with speed and accuracy.

Recently, IRDA, permitted five companies to act as repositories: NSDL Database Management, CAMS Repository Services, SHCIL Projects, Central Insurance Repository and Karvy Insurance Repository for managing e-policy.

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Public isn't buying lamestream media's contrived attack on multivitamins

Once again, the lamestream media habit of completely accepting commentary from mainstream medical "authorities" has resurfaced as part of an anti-supplement campaign. Recently, they've take a fistful of press releases from medical mafia agents to attack multivitamins, most other vitamins, herbs and Dr. Linus Pauling.

The smear campaign's major contributors were The Week, Time Magazine, The New York Times and England's The Guardian. Here's the title from The Week: "How the vitamin industrial complex swindled America: Blame money, politics, and a flawed genius named Linus Pauling."

This title is very interesting. Using the phrase "vitamin industrial complex" with money and politics is an example of "psychological projection," accusing others with what they're actually guilty of, or attacking others who are innocent of what the attackers actually practice.

It's Big Pharma and the medical monopoly with support from the FDA and bought politicians who have the largest medical-industrial complex going. The smear campaign hit pieces cite a 12 billion-dollar supplement industry without statistical sourcing. But what is the revenue from combined medical monopoly efforts?

Investigative journalist Maggie Mahar wrote a book titled Money Driven Medicine, which is described as a look behind the scenes of America's 2 trillion-dollar medical-industrial complex. So, how many billions make a trillion?

It takes 1,000 billions to make an American trillion. The vitamin hit pieces neglected to compare a 12 billion-dollar vitamin industry, if that figure is accurate, to the 2,000 billion-dollar medical

PBS journalist Bill Moyer presents a documentary of the same name based on Maggie's discoveries here (http://www.pbs.org).

 system that doesn't want diseases prevented, because disease care is their business.

Crazy statements from crazy people that the MSM honor

Dr. Paul Offit is quoted liberally by these articles involved in the smear campaign against Linus Pauling and vitamins. Remember Offit? He's the one who publicly asserted that a newborn could tolerate 1,000, (reduced from 10,000), vaccinations in the same time frame while the mainstream prestitutes simply jotted down and reported that claim, as they do with his accusations of money and politics behind the demand for vitamins.

The absurdly outspoken Offit has had a vested interest with his part in developing the pediatric rotavirus vaccines, one of which had to be withdrawn because it was turning babies' guts inside out.

And he has been endowed generously by Merck, adding to his vaccine patent royalties, for speaking engagements and appearances on behalf of the vaccine industry, all adding to millions for Paul.

Here's an interesting, outrageous exchange with Offit reported by Age of Autism some years ago (http://www.ageofautism.com).

Offit has also been accurately accused of fraudulently hiding pharmaceutical financial ties while he falsely accused Dr. Andrew Wakefield of the same thing. Projection again.

Offit is not a clean character, and he constantly projects his dirty work and financial motives onto others who have integrity, courage and compassion for children and humanity (http://www.mecfsassist.org).

But his anti-supplement tirades are quoted without question by the MSM, as you can see in the articles sourced below.

Attacking Linus Pauling

This has been going on for years now from various sectors of the medical mafia using the lamestream media platform. Here's a current example written by Offit: "a man [Pauling] who was so spectacularly right that he won two Nobel prizes and so spectacularly wrong that he was arguably the world's greatest quack."

Pauling had some books published, and he worked as a professor of chemistry, but he never had a direct vested financial interest in the vitamin industry the way Offit has with the vaccine industry. And he never recommended having infants receive 1,000 vaccinations at once, nor did he recommend pediatricians not care for children whose parents refused vaccinations. But the flawed Dr. Offit has done just that.

Offit is so outrageous and public that he is the perfect principle attack dog for Big Pharma against the supplement industry, which threatens their disease care racket. And the MSM swallows and regurgitates everything he asserts without question. That's balanced journalism?

Other factoids gleaned from this smear campaign

Dr. Edgar Miller and a couple of his colleagues were featured in the hit pieces because they wroteeditorial opinions that were recorded in the journal Annals of Internal Medicine where they urged people to stop wasting money on multivitamins that caused more harm than good. More projection.

Three unfavorable supplement studies were offered to support their editorial opinions, three out of easily over 1,000 that have been favorable. If you've read Natural News even occasionally, you will have seen some of those cited. If not, go here (http://science.naturalnews.com/).

Another Time article commented, "The possibility of harm caused by natural products sold in health food stores isn't theoretical." Yet here's a conclusion from a study linked in that same article: Patients who are taking a daily multivitamin should understand that doing so may not help prevent dementia; however, they may experience other health benefits previously demonstrated in this trial.

That's supposed to warn folks away from multivitamins? Of course, the close to 800,000 annual deaths linked to iatrogenic causes (from medical interventions), including the correctly prescribed pharmaceuticals' annual death rate of over 100,000, are ignored once again.

Those statistics are from Dr. Carolyn Dean's book Death by Modern Medicine, which doesn't include iatrogenic disability, disease or worsened health, or over-the-counter drugs' adverse reactions.

Supplement death toll in 2009 was zero, zip, nada, as reported by Mike Adams with sources in 2010 (http://www.naturalnews.com).

Sources for this article include:

http://theweek.com

Time:
http://healthland.time.com
Their linked study:
http://annals.org

http://www.modernghana.com

http://www.theguardian.com

The Guardian, featuring Paul Offit:
http://www.theguardian.com

Even Dr. Weil thinks supplements and herbs are cool:
www.google.com

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Don't Fall Victim To These Obamacare Scams

Obamacare healthcare exchanges are now open to the public. The launch has sparked some criticism, with computer glitches and confusion regarding how to sign up.

Thieves are using this chaos to their advantage, and a trend of new scams have started, including the "imaginary" Obamacare card. The Better Business Bureau released a statement informing the public that they in fact, do not need an insurance card under theAffordable Care Act to buy coverage.

Scammers have been pitching this fake insurance card to people in order to obtain personal information, social security numbers, bank account numbers and more.

Insurance card scams are very common -- fraudsters contact people, trying to sell a "national insurance card," which does not exist. They ask victims for the same type of personal information.

Scams used to be limited to phone calls and snail mail but now it's taken to the Internet, where it's harder to police criminal activities. Anyone can create a website, so you have to be very careful what URL you trust. If a website is asking you for your money, make sure the web address starts with "HTTPS" -- that means it's a secure site.

There are numerous fake Obamacare websites that claim to look like an insurance exchange, when they are really just individuals trying to take your money and obtain your personal information. For example, there was a website called the “Pennsylvania Health Exchange,” when in reality it turned out to be a private insurance broker that had nothing to do with Obamacare. The broker was eventually exposed by the government and news outlets.

Another scam has extended to those who are enrolled in Medicare. AARP said they have been receiving complaints from people over 65. The scammers are demanding their social security number and other private information, claiming they will lose their coverage, otherwise.

If you ever receive a cold call from someone who asks for your social security number or any other personal information, it’s safe to assume it’s a scam. The truth is, it’s illegal for insurers to sell an Affordable Care Act health exchange to anyone who is currently on Medicare.

Common Medicare scams often ask for your Medicare card number to "update record keeping" and/or offer "free services or equipment." If you have any questions you can call the toll-free number for Obamacare at 1-800-318-2596.

Another form of fraud that people need to be aware of is an email that claims that unless you sign up for Obamacare, you will go to jail.

Under the Affordable Care Act, most people do need to have health insurance however, if you don’t, you will not go to jail. Starting in 2014, if you do choose to opt-out of Obamacare, there will be a fine of $95 per person (family maximum of $285) or one percent of family income (whichever is greater).

The jail threat is another common tactic used to scare people out of their personal information. The Better Business Bureau has said prison threats are always illegal. Any employee from an actual bank, credit card company or any other financial institution will never threaten you with jail time.

If you receive a phone call from someone claiming to be a "representative," never reveal any of your personal information. Ignore all suspicious emails about Obamacare. If you have any questions, visit Healthcare.gov.

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How To Choose Between Bronze, Silver, Gold And Platinum Health Insurance Plans

As part of the Affordable Care Act, the new Health Insurance Marketplace (or “Exchange”) opens for business on Oct. 1, 2013. The Marketplace is an online, one-stop shopping experience for health coverage designed to make it easier for individuals and families to compare and purchase insurance. Each state has its own Marketplace, which offers a variety of plans from participating health insurance companies.

In addition to finding health coverage, you can use the Marketplace to find out if you qualify for money-saving federal subsidies, including Cost-Sharing Reductions, which can lower your out-of-pocket costs, and Advanced Premium Tax Credits, which lower your monthly premiums. These subsidies are available only on the Marketplace, and can make a significant difference in the type of coverage you might be able to afford. During open enrollment, which runs from Oct. 1 through March 31, 2014, you can set up an account and fill out the online application on your state’s Marketplace to see the health coverage options available to you and find out if you qualify for subsidies.

Regardless of where you live, all plans in the Marketplace are separated into four “metallic” levels – Bronze, Silver, Gold and Platinum – based on how you and the plan can expect to share your health care costs. Here, we explain the different coverage levels and define some key terms to help you decide among Bronze, Silver, Gold and Platinum health insurance plans.

Understanding Out-of-Pocket Costs

When you purchase health insurance, the amount you pay for the coverage each month is called the premium. You pay this whether or not you go to the doctor, visit the hospital or buy prescription medications. When and if you do receive health care, your costs – above and beyond the premium – are based on your plan’s deductible, copayment, coinsurance and out-of-pocket maximum. In order to make informed choices when comparing and purchasing health care plans, it is important to understand what these terms mean.

A deductible is the amount you have to pay for covered services before your insurance starts to pay. For instance, if you have a $2,000 deductible, you will pay 100% of your health care expenses until the amount you have paid reaches $2,000. After you meet your deductible, some service might be covered at 100% while others would require you to pay coinsurance (more on that below).

A copayment (sometimes called “copay”) is a fixed dollar amount that you pay for certain health care services. Typically, you will have different copayment amounts for different types of service, such as a $25 copayment for a doctor’s office visit or a $150 copayment for an emergency room visit. In most cases, any copayments you make do not count toward your deductible.

Your share of the costs of a health care service is called coinsurance. Typically, this is figured as a fixed percentage of the total charge for a service, such as 15% or 30%. Coinsurance kicks in after you’ve met your deductible. For example, assume you’ve already met your $2,000 deductible and your plan’s coinsurance is 15%. If you have a hospital charge of $1,000, your share of the costs would be $150 (15% of $1,000). If your coinsurance was 30%, your share would be $300.

A plan’s out-of-pocket maximum (or out-of-pocket limit) is the most you pay during a policy period (typically a year) before your plan starts to pay 100% of the allowed amount. The money you pay for premiums and health care that your plan doesn’t cover (e.g. elective surgery) does not count towards your out-of-pocket maximum. Depending on your plan, your deductible, copayments and/or coinsurance may apply towards the out-of-pocket maximum. The various health care plans have different out-of-pocket maximums; however, under health care reform, the 2014 limits are $6,350 for individuals and $12,700 for families.

Essential Health Benefits 

For an insurance company to participate in the Marketplace, it must offer at least Silver and Gold plans. No matter what plan you choose - Bronze, Silver, Gold or Platinum - the same set of Essential Health Benefits will be covered:

• Addiction treatment
• Ambulatory patient services
• Care for newborns and children
• Chronic disease treatment (such as diabetes and asthma)
• Emergency services
• Hospitalization
• Laboratory services
• Maternity care
• Mental health services
• Occupational and physical therapy
• Prescription drugs
• Preventive and wellness services (such as vaccines and cancer screenings)
• Speech-language therapy

Covered benefits are the health care services that your insurer pays for under your plan. You may still be required to pay a copayment or coinsurance, but the service is recognized by your plan. By comparison, if a service is not covered – such as an elective surgery or chiropractic care – you would be responsible for 100% of the associated costs.

The Essential Health Benefits are the minimum requirements for all plans in the Marketplace; certain plans will offer additional coverage, but no plan can offer less.

Actuarial Value

The four levels of health plans – Bronze, Silver, Gold and Platinum – are differentiated based on their actuarial value: the average percentage of health care expenses that will be paid by the plan. The higher the actuarial value (i.e. Gold and Platinum), the more the plan will pay towards your health care expenses and, therefore, the lower your out-of-pocket costs for things such as:

• Deductibles – the amount you owe for covered services before insurance kicks in;
• Copayments – a fixed amount you pay for a covered health care service; and
• Coinsurance – your share of the costs of a covered health care service.

The downside to the plans that provide more coverage is that you will pay a higher premium each month.

On average, a Bronze plan will cover 60% of covered medical expenses, and your share will be the remaining 40%. The actuarial value of each type of plan is shown here:

Your share of costs might come in the form of a large deductible with low coinsurance once you’ve met your deductible. Another plan might offer a low deductible with higher coinsurance. For example, Silver Plan A (which generally pays 70% of your health care expenses) offers a high $2,000 deductible and a low 15% coinsurance. Silver Plan B, on the other hand, has a low $250 deductible but a higher 30% coinsurance.

How Much will it Cost?

For any plan, your monthly premium will be based on several factors including:

• Your age
• Whether or not you smoke (in some states you will pay a “surcharge” if you are a smoker)
• Where you live
• How many people are enrolling with you (spouse and/or child)
• Your insurance company

Since your state’s Marketplace allows various private insurers to offer plans, a Silver plan from one company may cost more or less than the same plan offered by a different insurer. Plans offered by the same company, however, will increase in price as the actuarial value and the amount the plan pays go up. Starting in 2014 the federal limit for annual out-of-pocket expense for individuals (not including monthly premiums) is expected to be capped at $6,350; the family cap is $12,700. Certain plans may have even lower out-of-pocket caps.

How to Decide Which Plan is Best for You

Deciding which plan is best for you can be a challenge. You will have to consider your health and your financial situation as you compare plans. In general, if you expect to have a lot of health care visits or require regular prescriptions, you may be better off with a Gold or Platinum plan that pays a higher percentage of the costs. If, on the other hand, you are by-and-large healthy and don’t expect to have many health care bills, you might be comfortable choosing a Bronze or Silver plan. Of course, even healthy people can have accidents or become ill and end up with lots of medical bills, so you have to factor in your risk tolerance as well.

If your income falls between 100 and 250% of the federal poverty level ($11,490 to $28,725 for an individual), you may be eligible for a Cost-Sharing Reduction subsidy, which can help lower your deductibles, copayments and coinsurance. In order to receive Cost-Sharing Reductions, you must purchase a Silver plan on the Marketplace. You will still have a variety of plans from which to choose, but it must be Silver to be able to take advantage of the Cost-Sharing Reduction subsidy.

Many people will qualify for Advanced Premium Tax Credits, a type of subsidy that lowers your monthly premium. You may be eligible for this subsidy if your income falls between 100 and 400% of the federal poverty level ($11,490 to $45,960 for an individual).

Tip: The Cost-Sharing Reduction and Advanced Premium Tax Credits subsidies are not automatic: you must apply for them on the Health Insurance Marketplace.

The Bottom Line

When choosing a plan, it is helpful to remember that all plans – Bronze, Silver, Gold and Platinum – cover the same Essential Health Benefits. Your monthly health insurance premium will be higher if you choose a higher level plan, such as Gold or Platinum. But you will also pay less each time you visit a health care provider or get a prescription filled. Conversely, your monthly premium will be lower if you choose a Bronze or Silver plan, but you will pay more for each doctor visit, prescription or health care service that you use.

Finding a balance between coverage and costs can be challenging. Starting October 1, you will be able to compare plans on the Marketplace to find the coverage that is the best fit for your financial situation and health care needs. You will also be able to apply for federal subsidies that can help reduce your health care costs. 

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Reading This on IE or Safari? You're Likely Paying More for Car Insurance

On the surface, it might seem peculiar that your choice of Internet browser could affect the price you pay for car insurance. After all, browsers are merely tools for accessing the Web, and -- officially, at least -- they should all be accessing the same information. So the cost of the insurance policy that you find through Safari should be the same as the policy that you'd be offered on Google Chrome.

But here's the thing: a recent study by CoverHound, a company that helps users comparison shop for insurance, revealed that, among shoppers who bought auto insurance online, users of certain browsers paid as much as 23 percent more. According to CoverHound's analysis, the average user of Microsoft's (MSFT) Internet Explorer or Apple's (AAPL) Safari user pays $750 for car insurance every six months. By comparison, Chrome users pay $731 and Firefox users pay the least -- $608.

It would be great if using Firefox automatically resulted in lower insurance rates, but the truth is that there are other factors involved. To begin with, Firefox users skew older -- on average, three years older than Google (GOOG) Chrome or Safari users. And, since older drivers tend to get lower rates, it seems natural that Firefox users would pay less. They are also more likely to have graduate degrees, own their own homes, and be married.

But even if we control for the factors that naturally earn Firefox users lower rates, there are still anomalies that CoverHound's study reveals. For example, the average Internet Explorer user is older than the average Firefox user, which, based on industry standards, would suggest that IE users should pay less. Instead, they pay the most.

Users of Google Chrome
are an even bigger anomaly. Chrome users are, on average, the youngest. They are far less likely to own their own homes and are the second-least likely to be married. By all rights, they should probably be paying the most for car insurance -- but they aren't.

 According to CoverHound CEO Basil Enan, one reason for this anomaly may lie in the users themselves. "People who take the time to seek out a better browser might also be inclined to seek out a better insurance policy," he explains. "Internet Explorer and Safari often come pre-loaded on PCs and Macs. For the most part, Firefox and Chrome users have to go out of their way to get it. This suggests that they might be more tech savvy."

Another element may be Google itself. "Google is a great search engine," Enan notes. "Perhaps it's better at leading users to more attractive insurance rates. It's difficult to speculate, and would be difficult to prove, but it might be a factor."

In other words, the quality of your search might have an impact on the your insurance rate -- and the best search comes from a browser that you choose for yourself.

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How To Get Around The Health Insurance Marketplace Glitches

The new Health Insurance Marketplace is off to a shaky start since its Oct. 1 launch, despite its intention to provide a simple, easily accessible comparison of healthcare plans and purchase coverage. At a Oct. 21 White House Rose Garden event, President Obama acknowledged glitches that have plagued the central online Marketplace, stating, “The problem has been that the website that’s supposed to make it easy to apply for and purchase the insurance is not working the way it should for everybody. And there’s no sugarcoating it. The website has been too slow. People have been getting stuck during the application process. And I think it’s fair to say that nobody is more frustrated by that than I am.”

Users have reported long load times for web pages (with the accompanying message: “Please wait. We have a lot of visitors on our site right now and we’re working to make your experience here better. Please wait here until we send you to the login page. Thanks for your patience!”), blank drop-down menus, error messages (such as “Important: Your account couldn’t be created at this time. The system is unavailable"), long hold times for support calls and the website’s live chat feature, and even inaccurate or missing information.

The tech-challenged Obamacare rollout has created fodder for news outlets and Affordable Care Act opponents. That's left many consumers wondering how - or even if - they can sign up before the deadline when most people – by law – are supposed to have health coverage. That deadline for avoiding a penalty was first reported to be Jan 1, 2014, but on Oct 24, 2013 the Obama administration announced a plan to change the policy so that people can sign up as late as March 31 and not incur a penalty. Even with the deadline extension, people with many factors to consider in choosing their level of healthcare coverage would be smart to get educated on the process now.

The following are strategies for signing up successfully through the Marketplace website, and alternatives for people who don’t want (or who are unable) to use the website.

How to Get Around the Site Glitches

First, try using a few low-tech tactics. Some users have reported improved success when using a different web browser. For example, you might have better luck using Safari over Internet Explorer, or Firefox instead of Chrome. Since there are no posted browser requirements or recommendations on HealthCare.gov, each user may want to try multiple browsers to find the one that works best.

Users also have reported success visiting the website during off-peak hours. Since fewer people use the website during the middle of the night, many users find improved wait times and a better overall experience then. Yes, this does mean tapping into your computer at midnight, but it beats the frustration of not getting on at all. And, you can help expedite the process by having necessary information ready to go. This includes: names, social security numbers, employer and income information, and current health coverage information.

At last resort, just wait until the technical glitches have been resolved. While the code for the front end has been relatively stable, the back end (the code responsible for elements like account creation and sending your correct information to health insurance providers) needs work. President Obama has promised a “tech surge” that will bring outside consultants to the team to address – and fix – the problems with the website. While there is no guarantee that the website will be running with full functionality anytime soon, consumers do have a little time to “wait and see” what happens.

Apply the Old-Fashioned Way: Try the Telephone 

You can always also apply over the phone or in person. Consumers can call the toll-free call center at the Health Insurance Marketplace at 1-800-318-2596. This line is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. TTY (hearing impaired) users can call 1-855-889-4325. President Obama said during the Rose Garden event that more staff have been added to the call centers, hopefully reducing the wait and hassle. “You can get your questions answered by real people, 24 hours a day, in 150 different languages," Obama said. "Wait times have averaged less than one minute so far on the call centers. You can talk to somebody directly and they can walk you through the application process.” Consumers should expect the process to take about 25 minutes for individuals and about 45 minutes for families applying for coverage.

Consumers can also apply in person with the help of local navigators: individuals and organizations who have been specially trained and certified to help people sign up for healthcare coverage. Navigators (who are also known as application assisters and certified application counselors) exist nationwide, and are required to be unbiased and provide free services to consumers.

Individuals can also get help via community health centers, hospitals and insurance agents/brokers. Search for information about navigators and health centers in your area by visiting Localhelp.healthcare.gov to find out where to get help and apply for healthcare coverage in person. Enter your city and state or zip code and click “Find Help” to display a list of options in your area, including organization name, address, phone number, office hours, website, email address and areas in which you can receive assistance. New organizations are added frequently, so check back regularly if you still need help applying for healthcare coverage.

Keep in mind, you are not required to get health insurance through the Marketplace. You can still shop for coverage through insurance agents, brokers, and directly through insurance providers. If you have an existing plan that you are happy with, your insurance provider may automatically shift you to the plan that most closely resembles your existing plan, but that meets the requirements of the Affordable Care Act. If you do not like the new plan, you should have until a specified date (Dec. 15, 2013 for coverage that starts Jan. 1) to shop for alternative coverage.

Note: Most people will qualify for new federal subsidies that can help lower health insurance costs, including Cost-Sharing Reductions, which help lower out-of-pocket costs such as deductibles, co-payments and coinsurance; and Advanced Premium Tax Credits, which reduce the amount you pay each month for your insurance premium. In order to take advantage of either subsidy, you must purchase a plan through the Health Insurance Marketplace.

The Bottom Line

Although the HealthCare.gov website has had what could safely be called a less-than-successful launch, it is important to remember that consumers can try certain tactics to improve their online experience, and there are other routes to apply for and purchase healthcare coverage for the New Year, including over the phone and in person.

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Want to Pay Twice as Much for Your Car Insurance? Have a Kid

It's no great secret that across the nation, insurance premiums are on the rise. Over the past five years, the cost of insuring a home against fire and other casualty has crept up about 10 percent a year -- every year. Health insurance increases, while they've been muted of late, still rose 4 percent this year.

But if you think those hikes are steep, get a load of this next one.

Congratulations! You're a Father! (Now Open Your Wallet)

Kids are expensive. If you're a parent, you know this already. If you're a parent of a kid who hasn't turned 16 just yet, you're on track to get another lesson in how expensive they can be. Because once your offspring passes the driver's test and receive a license to drive from the state, he's going to need to be insured -- and that will cost you an extra $2,000 a year, on average.

(By the way, if your kid is getting her driver's license, your wallet won't take quite as big a hit, girls being 25 percent less expensive to insure than boys on average. But it'll still be some serious coin.)

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, driving is a risky activity for teens. The are more prone to get into accidents -- about four times as likely as older, more experienced drivers, according to the Centers for Disease Control. And traffic accidents are the leading causes of death for Americans ages 16 to 19.

Between lives lost and property destroyed, this all makes insurance companies very wary of insuring teen drivers. And when they do agree to insure a teen, they make you pay through the nose.

According to a recent report posted on Bankrate.com's (RATE) InsuranceQuotes.com, across both genders, all age categories, and all 50 states, parents pay an average 84 percent more for their car insurance after adding a teen to their policy.

Stay Between the (State) Lines

Think that's bad? It might get worse.

Unless you're fortunate enough to live in a state like North Carolina or Hawaii, where legislators have passed laws that ban setting insurance rates based on factors such as age or gender, your rates may rise by more than the average 84 percent.

How much more? Take a look at the top 10 states hiking rates on teenage drivers by 100 percent and higher:
New Hampshire: 100.56 percent
Louisiana: 100.58 percent
Arizona: 103.65 percent
Washington: 104.66 percent
Maine: 105.23 percent
Idaho: 106.74 percent
Alabama: 110.61 percent
Wyoming: 112.11 percent
Utah: 114.62 percent
Arkansas: 116.34 percent

That's right. Put a teenage driver on your policy in any one of these states, and you can expect to see your insurance cost for the whole family more than double.

The news is even worse for parents in Louisiana. Although its teen drivers bring "only" the ninth highest rate hikes with them when they join a policy, Louisiana car insurance in general is already the most expensive in the land -- averaging $2,699 annually for a single male driver, according to Insure.com. Add a kid to that policy, and you'll be shelling out upwards of $5,400 a year.

What's to Be Done?

Is there any way to beat the system, and avoid these hikes? Not entirely, no.

Sure, you could move to Hawaii, where insurance rates rise least. Then again, Hawaii also has the honor of hosting the nation's most expensive housing market -- so you'll end up seriously out of pocket, one way or the other. On the other hand, North Carolinian insurance rates don't rise so much when you put a teen on your policy. That market might be worth a look, if you're willing to move to save money.

Patience Is a Virtue... That Pays

One solution suggests itself from InsuranceQuotes.com's offhand observation that certain teens cost more to insure than others.

In particular, if you put a kid on your policy as soon as he hits 16, well, new 16-year-old drivers tend to double an insurance bill no matter where they live, averaging 99 percent rate hikes.

But premiums tend to rise less when teens wait a bit before trying to drive. 17-year-olds joining their parents' policies average a 90 percent increase. 18-year-olds cost 82 percent more. By the time Junior is age 19 and ready for college, the rate hike is "only" 65 percent.

Meanwhile, the standard caveats still apply: No one's forcing you to accept "average" rate hikes, so now that you know the "average" scenario, shop around to see if someone will offer you a better deal. Ask if taking (and passing) a safe driver course might reduce your teen's rate. And of course, since we're talking student-age kids here, make sure to inquire about discounts for good students. Whether or not it makes sense, insurance companies -- like grandparents -- often favor kids who bring home A's.

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Term or permanent life insurance?

Few people who have bought insurance -- or even window-shopped for quotes -- have escaped the debate over term versus permanent insurance.

And the wrong kind of life insurance can do more damage to your financial plans than just about any other financial product today. So, the first and most important decision you must make when buying life insurance is: term, permanent or a combination of both? Let's look at each.

Term life policies offer death benefits only, so if you die, you win (so to speak). If you live past the length of the policy, you (or, more specifically, your family members) get no money back.

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Permanent life policies offer death benefits and a "savings account" (also called "cash value") so that if you live, you get back at least some of, and often much more than, the amount you spent on your premium. You get this money back either by cashing in the policy or by borrowing against it.

Permanent life insurance is more expensive
As you might expect, permanent life insurance premiums are more expensive than term premiums because some of the money is put into a savings program. The longer the policy has been in force, the higher the cash value, because more money has been paid in and the cash value has earned interest, dividends or both.

The debate is all about that cash value. If you buy a policy today, your first annual premium is likely to be much higher for a permanent life policy than for term.




However, the premiums for permanent life stay the same over the years, while the premiums for term life increase. That extra premium paid in the early years of the permanent policy gets invested and grows, minus the amount your agent takes as a sales commission. The gain is tax-deferred if the policy is cashed in during your life. (If you die, the proceeds are usually tax-free to your beneficiary.)

The saying you always hear is, "Buy term and invest the difference." The fact is, it depends on how long you keep your policy. If you keep the permanent life policy long enough (and the market ever fully rebounds), that's the best deal. But "long enough" varies, depending on your age, health, insurance company, the types of policies chosen, interest and dividend rates, and more. The reality is that there is not a simple answer, because life insurance is not a simple product.

Guidelines to live by when buying
Even with all of these variables, there are some guidelines you can follow. The key is how long you plan to keep the policy. If the answer is less than 10 years, term is clearly the solution.

If it is more than 20 years, permanent life is probably the way to go. The big gray area is in between. Here is where you need an expert to run the term vs. permanent analysis for you. Of course, this assumes you keep the policy in force. Most people drop their policies within the first 10 years, but if you do your homework now, that shouldn't be the case for you.

How to choose

Categorize your insurance needs by their use. If you need $60,000 for college and your youngest child will graduate in three years, you need $60,000 of term insurance as a short-term hedge against your death, thus insuring that your child can finish his or her education. Meanwhile, if your estate will owe $200,000 in taxes at your death, you probably need permanent insurance, because you're not likely to die in the next 20 years (you hope). You also may want to re-evaluate your estate plan, but that's a different issue

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