With a public that remains skeptical of both the concept and execution of healthcare reform, the Obama administration believes that what is needed is a greater public relations effort. Strangely for a president whose campaign marketing was wildly successful and admired, he has largely dropped the ball in this respect.

Simple–yet effective–slogans like “Yes we can” and “Change you can believe in” turned into convoluted explanations of how health coverage will now be available to people with pre-existing conditions whose employers fail to offer insurance. While it is perfectly understandable that many Americans would consider the purported benefits not worth the drawbacks and cost, supporters feel that even those who would see direct benefits do not know or understand it yet.

Seeking to change that, President Obama is conducting a speaking tour in between Gulf oil spill emergency commitments and dealing with other issues. His first stop had him highlighting one of the near-immediate provisions: the $250 prescription drug rebates for Medicare recipients. Older Americans have been more cold on the concept of healthcare reform in general. The news has been on how the law results in some cuts to Medicare Advantage programs. Meanwhile, this demographic is already insured, so most positive elements of the bill do not assist them (although they may help younger family members).

Over the summer, several parts of reform will come into effect. These include stronger regulations against health insurer industry practices some consider abusive, the temporary high-risk affordable health insurance pool for people with pre-existing conditions, and a consumer-friendly website meant to make comparing coverage options easier. Obama plans to draw attention to each of these moments through speeches and other media appearances.

Simultaneously, Democrats in Congress will be running in contentious battles to retain their seats in the November midterm elections. If this promotion strategy cools some voters’ anger towards the legislation, the gamble will pay off and prevent the GOP from regaining a majority in the House of Representatives and/or the Senate. However, it also runs the risk of only reminding them of a negative issue.

Furthermore, those government agencies responsible for implementation must do their part. If their efforts are flawed, those marketing tactics will only serve to highlight those flaws. The administration has few chances left to sell healthcare reform. With the Dunn-Grossman advocacy groups and a potential $25 million advertising blitz, proponents hope that this campaign will succeed.

An examination of factors to keep in mind when considering pet health insurance as an option for your four-legged friend.

When welcoming a new pet into their home, most new pet owners don’t spend too much time thinking about the possibility of their new companion being injured or falling seriously ill. Families welcoming a new puppy are more likely to think about all of the exciting times to come (or protecting their shoes!), and not so much about the potential for huge vet bills in down the road. Those excitedly caring for a new kitten are more likely to think about how adorable their new family member is, especially when it falls asleep while sitting up!

Although new pets are adorable and very exciting, the reality is that planning ahead for your pet’s future health is as important as carefully selecting the type of pet you want to bring into your home. Pets – especially cats and dogs – are long-term companions, and it’s important to ensure that you are able to provide the care that they need, should they fall ill or be injured.

More and more pet owners are looking into the option of pet health insurance as a way to protect their pets – and their bank accounts – in case of illness or injury in the future. Pet health insurance works in the same way other types of insurance; it allows you to put a bit of money aside every month to avoid having to spend large amounts – hundreds or even thousands of dollars – all at once in the future. This helps pet owners avoid the very difficult decision of how much they are willing to spend, should their pet be injured or fall ill.

Much like home, auto, life and health insurance for people, pet health insurance coverage and premiums vary widely. It is important that you do your research to ensure that the decision you make is the most suitable for your pet and your family. When investigating pet insurance options, there are several important factors you need to consider; two of these are discussed below:

Is pet insurance right for you?

How deeply attached are you to your pet? Would you be willing to spend a small fortune if it meant keeping your pet healthy for a longer period of time? Pet insurance is ideal for pet owners who are willing to go to great lengths – and great expenses – to care for their pets. For such people, pet insurance can provide protection and peace of mind.

Where does your pet spend most of his or her time? Is your cat strictly an indoor cat, or does she roam outside as well? Regardless of whether your pet lives indoors, outdoors or both, they are very likely to encounter hazards such as poisons, foreign objects and possibly also other animals. Although indoor pets can pick up diseases and infections, those who spend time outdoors are even more likely to get hurt or sick.

Can you afford to pay insurance premiums for your pet? Many pet owners decide against pet insurance because they do not want to pay premiums – which can cost anywhere from $20 per month to $70 or more per month. In this case it is important to consider whether you would be able to afford – or want to pay – expensive vet bills should something happen in the future where your pet needs medical attention.

What kind of insurance should you get?

So you’ve decided that pet insurance is the right choice for you. Now you need to consider where to get the insurance from and what kind of coverage you want to get. As the industry grows, more companies are offering a variety of insurance plans for your pet. You can opt for a basic insurance plan, which carries lower premiums (usually starting around $20/month), lower coverage and higher deductibles and co-payments. For example, the Ontario SPCA offers a basic “Level Intro” plan which costs as little as $17.95 – $24.95 per month and includes up to $1,000 in accident and illness coverage per year. This plan as an increasing deductible and co-payment depending on the age of your pet at the time of the incident.

In contrast, if you want more peace of mind you can choose to shell out more per month for more comprehensive coverage. For example, the highest level of coverage available through the Ontario SPCA is their “Unlimited” plan. Depending on the type of animal you are insuring (cat or dog), this plan can cost anywhere from $69.95 to $119.95 per month. This plan includes unlimited accident and illness coverage, $500 per year in preventative care (e.g. vaccinations, spay or neuter), and has the same increasing deductible and co-payment levels as the lesser plan.

Regardless of whether you choose to purchase insurance for your pet, it is important to remember that most pets will need veterinary attention at some time. For this reason, it is important to plan ahead and make sure that you can provide your pet with the care it needs, when it needs it.

We are an insurance society, there’s no two ways about it! Insurance is the price we pay for our freedom. We’re free to make stupid choices, so long as we have insurance to save us from those choices!

There are many different types of insurance that everybody should have even though we don’t often like to pay the premiums month after month and year after year.

For instance, everybody that drives should have automobile insurance, in fact the law requires it. And if you want to purchase a house but need to get a mortgage from a bank, then you need homeowners insurance. In fact, even if you don’t get a mortgage, you should probably still have homeowners insurance anyway.

Likewise, everybody should have health insurance to make sure that your medical bills will be paid for in the event of catastrophic illness or disease. This is one insurance policy you don’t want to skimp on for yourself or your family.

There are also a couple of insurances that you should have that most people don’t have including life insurance and disability insurance.

Life insurance pays your family a set amount of money if something fatal happens to you and you die unexpectedly. It’s used to make up for the loss of income that you will no longer be able to generate because you’re dead.

Disability insurance is like life insurance except that it only pays out if you become disabled and could no longer perform your job. This is especially important if you have a manual labor type job that requires your physical body to perform.

Yes, these are all insurances that you should have, but there are many types of insurance that you shouldn’t waste your time on which is good news for a lot of people. What are some of those insurances that you shouldn’t waste your money on?

Rental car insurance. Many people’s regular auto insurance covers any rental cars they might have to use, and likewise if you use a credit card to pay for your rental car it may come with its own built-in rental insurance.

Automobile medical insurance is another type of insurance you probably shouldn’t waste your time on. If you’ve already got health insurance there really isn’t any reason to differentiate between car accidents and regular access.

Credit card insurance is another one you shouldn’t waste your time on. This is specific insurance to make sure you aren’t held liable if somebody steals your credit card and starts spending money on it.

Credit cards usually have a limit of around $50 that you are liable for if somebody steals your card. That means if somebody steals your card and starts charging thousands of dollars, you may only have to pay back $50 and most of the time you can get that waved as well. I’m pretty sure it’s a law.

So there you have several types of insurance that you shouldn’t waste your money on. Definitely make sure you’re covered for the first few that I mentioned though