These days, the insurance industry is as high tech and cutting edge as any other industry. Online insurance quotes are just a couple clicks of the mouse away, and you can conduct all of your business without ever coming ace to face with an insurance agent, much less the other people who are insured by the same company.

But the insurance business wasn’t always that way. Insurance has its roots in China, dating way back to the 2^nd millennium BC. Chinese merchants often had to transport their goods over dangerous river ways. To ensure that no one lost all of his goods, several merchants would band together and share cargoes, so that each merchant had some cargo on each boat. That way, even if a merchant lost his boat, he would only lose a small percentage of his wares (and everyone else’s).

The Ancient Babylonians were the first ones known to have official written insurance agreements. Ship captains would pay money for a form of pirate insurance, which guaranteed that their shipments would be paid for if they were stolen. Apparently, the Pirates of the Caribbean had nothing on the Pirates of the Mediterranean.

These early agreements laid the philosophical foundation of shared risk which eventually evolved into the insurance industry we have today. Then, as now, the basic concepts of insurance were:

• Everyone paid a modest fee to protect themselves against loss.
• If a protected person or company suffered loss, they would recoup their losses from the insurer.

Insurance in a more modern form was born in Genoa, Italy in the 1300s. The insurance still mainly involved insuring merchants and their vessels and cargo, but the dealings were more formalized and written down in contract form.

The Great Fire of London is likely what started the idea of homeowner’s insurance. Following the fire in 1666, companies in London started offering insurance for homes against fire.

As for insurance in the United States, it was none other than the eminent Benjamin Franklin who introduced the concept, forming a mutual benefit society which protected its members against loss by fire. While you couldn’t get online insurance quotes from his Philadelphia Contributorship, you could obtain policies through Mr. Franklin or one of the other society’s members.

The conventional wisdom says that you need to have life insurance in order to make sure that your loved ones are protected in case something happens to you. The fact of the matter is that the life insurance companies want you to believe this. While it’s true for many folks that having some life insurance can bring the peace of mind that your family will be taken care of if you die, before you go out looking for online insurance quotes you might take a couple of extra minutes to reflect on your individual situation.

There are some specific reasons why you may not actually need life insurance:

• You don’t have any family or friends. If you’re alone in the world, chances are pretty good that no one you care about is going to financially be impacted by your death. However, if you have even one relative or friend that cares about you, life insurance is probably a good idea.
• You hate your family and friends. Having them doesn’t mean loving them, does it? If you want to really show them some spite, try dying in such a way that you create additional financial debt for them. We suggest pancreatic cancer, if you can handle the pain.
• Your agent wants you to buy whole life. OK, we get that whole life policies let you make investments all while buying peace of mind. Most experts agree (at least, those that aren’t insurance agents) that you are better off keeping your investments and your insurance separate.
• You’re filthy stinking rich already. If you’ve got $50 million in the bank, you probably don’t need to worry about a life insurance policy. Just make sure to design your estate in such a way that the government doesn’t get to keep most of it when you do pass away.
• You’re immortal. Ancient Greek gods and Dick Clark probably don’t need to worry about dying anytime soon. The rest of you should at least get some online insurance quotes and make an informed decision about how to provide for your loved ones once you’re gone.

Here in the rural areas of the country, most of us are familiar with a kind of insurance most city dwellers have only heard about: crop insurance. Crop insurance, for those who aren’t involved directly with agriculture, is a type of insurance designed to ensure that ranchers, farmers, greenhouse owners, and other agricultural workers are able to financially survive any number of disasters which can ruin the year’s crop. But what even we didn’t know until recently was that you can get online insurance quotes for crop insurance.

Don’t get us wrong. Just because we live out in the sticks doesn’t mean that we’re unfamiliar with the Internet and the many benefits it affords us, including the ability to get online insurance quotes. Like everyone else, we’ve grown accustomed to being able to shop for these types of insurance online:

• Car insurance
• Life insurance
• Health insurance
• Homeowners insurance

Most of us, though, have come to regard crop insurance as being perhaps a bit more personal than other types of insurance. Most of us have worked with the same agents for many years. Those agents are familiar with the farmers they work with, and have become a part of the business.

Like anything else, though, this is an idea whose time has come. Crop insurance, like any other type of insurance, is a business matter. Deciding who to buy it from comes down to the same set of factors most of us use to buy any other type of insurance:

• How much does it cost?
• How much protection will I receive?
• How reputable is the company?

Those in the agricultural business need to protect themselves from all of the same things any other home or business owner does. Additionally, they need to be concerned about things like flooding, hail, early frost, and other factors which can ruin a crop before it can be harvested. They also need to concern themselves with any number of factors which can cause them to have poor yields. These include:

• Pests
• Falling prices
• Drought
• Flood

It only makes sense that a farmer or rancher would want to be able to shop for crop insurance online. It is, after all, still a business transaction when it’s all said and done.

Many people ask the question, “What insurance company should I use?” We had a friend who always had a quick answer for that one. He would tell people to use the same company he used. Of course, he was an insurance agent, so he had a bit of a vested interest. These days, when you can get online insurance quotes, it can be tempting to always go with the company with the lowest premium.

After all, we all want a better deal, right? That may be true, but when it comes to insurance, a lower price does not always equate to a better deal. There are simply too many other factors at play. We’re not saying you shouldn’t use the Internet as a tool for finding the best deals, or even for buying your insurance. What we are saying is that you need to know what you’re looking for in insurance so that you can make a quality decision which leaves you adequately covered.

While it’s beyond the scope of this article to lay out all of the different things you need to consider about insurance, here are some key things to be aware of before you start looking at online insurance quotes:

• When buying life insurance, be aware that there is a world of difference between whole life and term life insurance. We’re not picking sides here, because different life insurance fits different situations, but you should be fully aware of how long the coverage will last before you pay the first premium.
• When buying auto insurance, you need to be aware of what is and is not covered. Most people who buy PLPD know that the only thing covered is liability, but you’d be surprised how many people buy what they think is full coverage only to find out too late that their coverage wasn’t full at all.
• When buying homeowner’s insurance, make sure you know what’s covered. Wind damage usually is. Flood damage usually isn’t. Are you protected against theft? How about for liability? Different policies offer different coverage. Make sure you know what you’re getting.
• Be aware of your insurance company’s ratings. Various rating agencies rate insurance companies based on their ability to pay claims and financial strength. If no rating is listed, do a little homework. Be careful about taking out insurance (especially life insurance) with a company with a rating lower than “A.”

The Internet has made many aspects of our lives much easier and more efficient, including purchasing insurance. These days, it’s nothing for the average person to get online insurance quotes for all of their insurance needs. And, for the most part, this is a good thing.

There is one area in which getting online insurance quotes sometimes poses a problem, however. Some forms of insurance are required by law, or are clearly beneficial, and most people purchase them with scarcely a second though. There are other forms of insurance, however, which are just as needed, and potentially even more beneficial, that most people simply don’t think about purchasing unless someone suggests it to them.

Most of us have very little trouble purchasing the following types of insurance:

• Automobile Insurance. In most states, you’re not even given a choice about buying auto insurance. If you want to drive a car legally, you buy it, period. Even in those states where it is legal to drive without insurance, the risk to your personal property is so great that few do so.
• Major Medical Insurance. With the possible exceptions of the very young and the very stupid, none of us wants our family to be without medical insurance.  And for those few who do, there won’t be an option much longer. Beginning 2014, it will be against the law not to have health insurance in the United States.
• Life Insurance. If you have any sense of financial responsibility at all, you probably don’t need to be convinced that life insurance is important for most people.

For some other types of insurance, most of us need a little more convincing. It’s not that they aren’t necessary, or that they wouldn’t benefit us. It’s just that we’re either unaware that such insurance exists, or we’ve never really considered the importance of protecting ourselves in that way. Consider:

• Disability Income Insurance. Many of us became vaguely familiar with this insurance because of Yogi Berra and the silly duck that tell television viewers about the “insurance that pays you if you get hurt and can’t work.” Still, many don’t realize that disability income, which does indeed pay you if you become disabled and unable to work, is widely available.
• Cancer Insurance. Do you think your health insurance is all you need? Think again. Cancer insurance pays you cash on a per diem basis if you contract cancer. This can be used to cover lost income or other expenses associated with the long, drawn out treatments that cancer sufferers often need to deal with. When you consider that one in three people contract some form of cancer, you really should at least consider having a cancer policy.
• Long Term Care Insurance. None of us wants to think about being put into a nursing home, but buying into a LTC policy can save your kids tons of money if you do end up needing special care towards the end of your life.

Do your eyes glaze over at the mere mention of the word insurance? Shopping online insurance quotes for home, life, and auto can be mind-numbing and tedious, but take a look at these bizarre insurance policies for a laugh. They may have you thinking differently about the tediousness of insurance.

1. A $100,000 love insurance policy was issued to a photographer who bought the plan in case his model got married. She did. Unfortunately, it was after the policy had already expired.
2. A happiness policy was purchased by a model to pay out in the event she developed worry lines.
3. A $22,400 policy to protect against death by falling Sputnik. The premiums were reportedly $74.
4. Immaculate Conception Insurance, which has apparently sold over 4500 policies. These plans pay out in the event that, well, you know who impregnates the insured.
5. Alien Abduction Insurance is available through the Saint Lawrence Agency. You just have to have a sense of humor about this one. They actually offer online insurance quotes and online application.
6. A Paternity Suit Policy was reportedly purchased by David Lee Roth from Lloyds of London to protect him against paternity lawsuits. You can call it rock star coverage but we like to think of it as groupie rates.
7. World Cup Insurance – Berkshire Hathaway reportedly sold a $30 million policy that would pay out if France won the World Cup. On the face of it, you might think it’s just a high-stakes gambler hedging his bets, but we think it was probably linked to a promotional deal offered by a local merchant. Many retailers offer deep discounts on major purchases if a local sports team does well in a highly publicized event. It’s mostly a publicity stunt, but it could cost the business owner dearly if the team succeeds.
8. We’ve all heard of celebrities getting their body parts insured. Probably the most hyped body part insurance policy of all time was issued for Jennifer Lopez, who insured her legendary buttocks against future monetary losses.
9. Judge insurance is also available. That’s right, say you’re involved in a highly expensive court case and you don’t want to start at the beginning if your judge should take a tumble. No problem, just buy a judge insurance policy to cover your losses in the event the judge should meet with an untimely death. We haven’t seen online insurance quotes for this one yet, but it could happen.
10. Kidnapping coverage is very popular with many wealthy families, who don’t want to see their savings drained when some thug kidnaps one of their own. These types of policies are also heavily utilized by employees and mercenaries that operate overseas in war-torn areas.

So you’ve finally found your dream motorcycle. You’ve made sure you know how to ride it because you’ve already taken a motorcycle safety course. You’ve got your helmet and leathers, and you’re just dying to get out on the open road. But wait, if you don’t yet have motorcycle coverage, you may need to research online insurance quotes first.

Riding your bike without insurance is dangerous and could be costly. If you take your motorcycle on public roads or highways you must have insurance by law. In some states, you can’t even buy a motorcycle unless you already have insurance lined up.

Make sure you know the basics, including what’s covered and how much you’ll pay. You can find online insurance quotes and compare features if you understand the nuts and bolts of motorcycle insurance.

• There are plenty of insurance companies to choose from, but to get the lowest rates, you should start by asking your car insurance provider for a quote. Have a life insurance policy? Ask them if they offer motorcycle insurance. Generally, you can save a bit if you bundle your insurance needs together under one umbrella.
• If you’re not getting great rates, or your other insurance companies don’t offer motorcycle insurance, there are other good sources for referrals. If you know other bikers, ask them about their insurance plans. Are they happy with their providers? Do they know their coverage limits?
• Once you have a short list of insurance companies to choose from, search for online insurance quotes and compare the benefits and costs of several policies. Make sure you’re comparing apples to apples, though. Some policies may have higher limits or offer more coverage than others.

What’s included with motorcycle insurance:

• Just like car insurance, you’ll need liability coverage. This protects you financially if you damage other people’s property. There are additional coverage options that you can choose, like collision and comprehensive. These work just like car insurance coverage options, although some may be required by your state or your lender.
• First time riders will usually pay higher premiums. You can offset this somewhat by taking a motorcycle safety course through your local BMV.
• Accidents will count against you, even car accidents. Having a safe driving record is always helpful in lowering your rates.
• Depending on where you live, you may pay more for motorcycle insurance. If you live in a warm climate, where you can ride year-round, you will almost certainly pay more than someone who lives in an area with a definite riding season.

Heading out on vacation is one of the most exciting times of the year. You’ve spent a lot of time planning this trip, and you’re so excited that the anticipation is almost palpable. Thinking about all the things that could go wrong is not your top priority, but you could be shorting yourself if you haven’t searched online insurance quotes to cover your travel insurance needs.

It doesn’t happen very often, but there are so many things that could go wrong. One of your family members could come down with a sudden illness or have an accident right before the trip. You could be faced with a decision: should you go on vacation with your loved one sitting in a hospital bed or forfeit your non-refundable deposits?

There are also many things that could happen while you’re away. Traveling to foreign countries means you don’t always know where to go for medical care. Certain types of travel insurance offer concierge services to help you find a hospital in an emergency.

There are two basic ways to buy travel insurance: travel medical plans and package plans.

Package Plans

Package plans are the most popular because they bring several types of insurance together into one policy. It’s easy to search for online insurance quotes on travel package plans. They usually include:

• Emergency medical
• Emergency evacuation and repatriation of remains
• Accidental death and dismemberment
• Last minute cancellation due to illness, inclement weather, etc.
• Delayed or lost baggage coverage (including reimbursement when you have to replace essentials)
• Flight delay/cancellation insurance. If your travel plans are significantly delayed, the policy will cover accommodations and meals while you wait, and the travel insurance company may even make new travel arrangements on your behalf
• Trip interruption coverage. If your trip is cut short due to inclement weather, illness, or injury, this type of coverage will reimburse you for the unused portion of your trip
• Replacement of travel documents, items and cash that is lost or stolen
• Legal support
• 24-hour concierge service to help you find healthcare, change travel plans, etc.

Package plans are typically purchased by:

• Those traveling abroad
• People who buy vacation packages, where large non-refundable deposits are typically required
• People going on a cruise, due to both the big, non-refundable deposits and the limited access to healthcare
• Business travelers
• Seniors

Travel Medical Plans

Travel medical plans provide emergency help, medical treatment and emergency evacuation for people traveling abroad. You can easily search for online insurance quotes for travel medical.

Travel medical plans are popular with:

• Individuals traveling abroad for a long period of time (students, expatriates and businessmen)
• People who will be traveling outside of the area served by their health insurance plan

In this life, nothing is certain, and nothing lasts forever. That’s why we take precautions like buying car insurance and saving for the future. Many people who rent, however, underestimate the risk of losing everything, and don’t protect themselves with renters insurance. When you add it all up though, your belongings are worth so much to you. Why not protect your stuff and look for online insurance quotes designed for renters?

Renters insurance is usually very inexpensive. It works much like a homeowner’s insurance policy, protecting you in the event of theft or fire. It doesn’t just cover the stuff inside your home, though. In many cases, renters insurance will cover losses to your vehicle when it’s parked outside your home. This can be a huge relief for people who discover too late that theft isn’t included on their auto insurance policy.

So what kinds of things can be covered? Basically, anything you have in your home. Consider the value of your entertainment system alone. Most renters have a small fortune invested in electronics, including TVs, stereo systems, game consoles, and computers. These are the kinds of big ticket items burglars love, and many rental units are simply not that well protected. If you think about it from the thief’s perspective, you could be a prime target for a break-in.

Renters insurance doesn’t stop there, though. When you review your online insurance quotes, you’ll also see coverage for liability. This protects you and your financial assets against a lawsuit when someone gets injured in your home.

You don’t have to be throwing knives or jumping on a trampoline for someone to get hurt. It could be as simple as getting burned in the kitchen or slipping on a wet doorstep. When you think about the many visitors you have in and out over the course of a year, and compare that with the extremely low cost of renters insurance, getting yourself covered starts to make more and more sense.

Some things that happen in your apartment or rental home may be outside of your control. For example, fire can tear through apartment buildings or closely-set houses and devastate whole families, putting them suddenly out on the street with nothing. Renters insurance will not only pay to replace what you lost, but often will cover most of your living expenses if you have to stay in a hotel or somewhere else temporarily.

For all of these reasons, some landlords require tenants to buy renters insurance. The vast majority of other renters are commonly not covered. Make sure you’re protected by comparing online insurance quotes today.

In most states it is now mandatory to have a small amount of car insurance. How you drive affects what your car insurance will cost. If you have a bad record or even a few blemishes, that could affect what your insurance quotes could come back as. Learning how the record affects your quotes is important so you can keep it as clean as possible. It is possible to get insurance even with a bad driving record. Read these articles to find out what you should expect when getting quotes.

1. How Your Driving Record Affects Insurance: Learn here why your agent may ask about tickets or other driving infractions. See how this affects your insurance.
2. When do Insurance Companies Check Records?: Find out when your driving record may be checked when you are looking into car insurance.
3. Bad Records: Learn what types of records can make your insurance go up or even prevent you from getting coverage.
4. Bad Driving Record Policies: The cost for a policy can be much higher with some companies if you have bad marks on your driving record.
5. Car Insurance Premiums: Discover what these are and how they are affected if you have a bad driving record. Learn what tickets and something like a DUI can do to your insurance cost.
6. Driving Record Affects Quotes: Learn here what your driving record can do to you insurance quotes. See how it affects what your insurance will cost.
7. What Affects Your Driving Record?: You do. Find out how your driving record is impacted by certain violations and what that could do to your insurance.
8. Points and Your Insurance Company: See here how the points against your license can affect your car insurance. Learn how they will drop off over time but also see what they will cost you.
9. How a DUI Affects You: People do get pulled over and have DUI offenses everyday. Learn what this offense can do to your insurance cost and how it affects you ability to get car insurance.
10. How Does it Affect Me?: Learn what your driving record actually does to your car insurance rates.
11. Can My Record Affect Insurance?: In a short answer, yes. There are also many other factors that are taken into consideration when getting a quote for your auto insurance.
12. The Influence Your Driving Record has: Discover just what the true impact of your driving record can be by reading here. See what it can do if you are trying to qualify for discounts as well as the impact on your premiums.
13. Driving Records and Rates: See just what a bad record can do to your insurance premiums and quotes. Find out what is considered reckless driving and if it is really worth it.
14. FAQ and Points: One attorney answers your questions on how your driving record affects other areas like your insurance. Also take a look at the points system and see how many points that few miles over the speed limit can cost you.
15. Factors that Affect Rates: There are a lot of factors when looking at what insurance will cost you. Not all of the affects are negative. Things like your age and being married can actually drop your rates.
16. Points and Privileges: See how your driving record can also affect your driving privileges. You can get to the point where they take your license away.
17. Insurance Rates: Look here to find out what your driving record can do to your insurance rates. You may not like what you see.
18. How Points Affect You: Find out how those driving points on your record can affect other areas of your life. From insurance rates and quotes to your driving privileges, they can have a major impact.
19. Get a Copy: Be sure to get a copy of your record to know what is actually in it. Make sure there are no errors or things that should not be on your driving record.
20. DUI Affects: Find out here how a DUI can affect your insurance quotes and rates.
21. When do Companies Check: Learn here how points can affect your insurance rates and when the companies actually check your driving record.
22. 10 Insurance Myths: Here are some common myths debunked about car insurance.
23. DUI Affects: Discover what the affects of a DUI can be on your insurance premiums. Also find out if there is a possibility you can lose your insurance coverage.
24. How Does a Good Driving Record Impact Quotes: When you have a good driving record, you can end up with a cheaper policy and more discounts.
25. 25 Factors That Affect Your Insurance: One blogger shares with you the factors that can affect your car insurance rates.
26. Tips for a bad Driving Record: If you have a less than perfect driving record, use this site to get tips on getting the best insurance policy.
27. Factors that Affect Your Premium and How to Lower It: Discover exactly what factors go into getting your insurance premium quote and how you can lower your cost.
28. FAQ Auto Insurance: Get the answers to the most FAQ about car insurance. Find out what affects your rates and what you can do to get them lowered.
29. Insurance for Bad Driving Records: Learn here how to get the best rates even if your driving records are not the greatest.
30. California DUI: Learn how a DUI affects your insurance rates when you are in California.
31. How to Get Around Your Spouse’s Bad Record: When your spouse is the one with the bad driving record, you can still get good insurance rates. Here are a few tips on how to make sure you are not paying too much for insurance.
32. Insurance for Bad Drivers: Learn how you can get quality and affordable insurance even when your record is not great.
33. Getting Cheap Car Insurance: You can still get cheap car insurance when you have points on your driving record. Learn a few tips here on how to find those insurance policies.
34. Bad Driving Record: Take a look at how your bad driving record could affect your car insurance rates.
35. How to Buy Insurance?: Deb shares tips on how you can buy car insurance and what you need to know before choosing a company.
36. Credit Affects Your Insurance: Find out how your credit also affects the insurance rates you get as well as your driving record.
37. Not Just Auto Insurance: Driving records not only affect your car insurance but other types of insurance as well.
38. Can it be Canceled: Learn if your insurance policies can be canceled because of your driving record. You can not drive without insurance so be aware of things that can happen.
39. Marriage Affects Car Rates: Your marriage can affect how much you pay for car insurance. There are several factors that go into calculating your premium.
40. Speeding Tickets: Find out if a speeding ticket can affect your car insurance rates. It will mess up your driving record and could cause your rates to go up.
41. Will a DUI Affect My Rates: Learn what you have to do as far as reporting a DUI and if that will affect your rates with your insurance company.
42. Record of Others: Find out if another member of your family’s driving records will affect your premiums.
43. Other Family Members: See how other people’s driving records can affect your insurance costs and quotes.
44. Bad Driving Affects Work: If you have to drive for your job, you may not be able to be covered if you have a bad driving record. This could cause you to lose your job.
45. Save on Insurance: Even drivers with imperfect driving records can get great insurance for less money.
46. Insurance for Bad Drivers: Find out what type of insurance you can get even with your spotted driving record.
47. DUI Information: See what to expect from your insurance company when you receive a DUI violation.
48. Driving Record Fees: Some states charge for checking your driving record. Learn how this affects your insurance rates too.
49. How is My Record Used: Discover how the insurance companies use your driving record to determine your rates.
50. Improve Your Record: Get tips here on how to improve your driving record and get a better rate on your insurance premium.

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