Emergency room physicians polled in a new survey revealed they believe ER visits will increase significantly next year. The survey found that 80 percent have already seen increases this year. Even more troubling is the current and expected visit increases, in many cases, are a direct result of a lack of health insurance.

Emergency Room Visits Expected to Jump Next Year

According to a new poll issued by the American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP), a high number of Connecticut emergency room physicians have seen an increase in visits this year.

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As a Lloyd’s Coverholder for worldwide Personal Accident Insurance, global insurance specialist Bellwood Prestbury is now able to write policies for brokers with clients in high risk occupations or high risk countries, anywhere in the world.

Bellwood Prestbury is able to create bespoke Personal Acccident policies that typically cover accidential death, disability and permanent dismemberment and international medical and emergency evacuation cover, valid in even the harshest environments like Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya and Ivory Coast.

The firm has years of experience in this niche marketplace and works in partnership with brokers, advising their clients on the best approach and fully supporting claims if they arise, while opening up new revenue streams for the broker. <

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A bill was advanced on Tuesday by California legislators hoping to give regulators the authority to reject excessive rate increases proposed in health insurance policies. While disagreements ensued between legislators, mostly along party lines, the bill eventually received the 12 votes needed to move it out of the assembly health committee.

Regulators Want the Right to Reject Rate Increases

Health insurance companies have been known for attempting to impose high rate hikes on their customers. Th

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Travelers heading to the South Pacific region should be aware of the risk of cyclones during the period of December through April, according to the U.S. Department of State. The threat of cyclones originating in the area could cause problems for your trip.

While most vacations in the South Pacific pass without any negative incident, you should monitor weather reports and take the appropriate action should a tropical cyclone hit the region. Make sure your trip is protected with trip cancellation insurance. Affected areas include Australia, Fiji, the Marshall Islands, Micronesia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, the Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu, as well as French Polynesia.

Make sure you have up-to-date travel insurance to cover a tropical cyclone if it hits your vacation while you are abroad.

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Cadogan Keelan Westall has set itself a target of more than doubling new business growth in 2011.

To achieve its vision, the commercial insurer, part of the Bourbon group, has strengthened its leadership team, refined its product range, increased its focus on overseas activities and set up a new London office, to complement its Hampshire base.

The firm has recorded new business income of over half a million for they year to date and head of business, Brett Sainty, says: “These are exciting times for Cadogan Keelan Westall and I am pleased to confirm that despite the current economic climate, we are well positioned to meet and then exceed our new business target for 2011.”

He adds: “The opening of the City office is a major step in further developing our UK and global presence as well as improving access to insurers and underwriting teams.”

According to Mr Sainty, partnerships with professional services companies and increased income from fund management companies are both contributing to its expansion.

The ability to pay for healthcare is an ongoing issue for many Americans, especially as health costs continue to increase. But a recent study conducted by Thomson Reuters found that Americans feel more optimistic about their ability to pay for their healthcare than they did at the end of 2010.

This is especially true in the area of elective surgeries, something more people are willing to pay for than they were in 2010. But what’s interesting in the study is that there was a decline in the number of people expecting to pay for their prescriptions. D

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