Insurance for Dummies [Paperback]

Jack Hungelmann (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 9, 2009

Now updated — your guide to getting the best insurance policy

Are you intimidated by insurance? Have no fear — this easy-to-understand guide explains everything you need to know, from getting the most coverage at the best price to dealing with adjusters, filing claims, and more. Whether you're looking for personal or business insurance, you'll see how to avoid common pitfalls, lower your costs, and get what you deserve at claim time.

• Get to know the basics — understand how to make good insurance decisions and reduce the chances of a financial loss in your life

• Take your insurance on the road — manage your personal automobile risks, handle special situations, insure recreational vehicles, and deal with insurance adjusters

• Understand homeowner's and renter's insurance — know what is and isn't covered by typical policies, common exclusions and pitfalls, and how to cover yourself against personal lawsuits

• Buy the right umbrella policy — discover the advantages, and coordinate your policies to cover the gaps

• Manage life, health, and disability risks — explore individual and group policies, understand Medicare basics, and evaluate long-term disability and long-term-care insurance

Open the book and find:

• The best life, health, home, and auto policies

• Strategies for handling the claims process to get what you deserve

• Tips on adjusting your deductible to suit your lifestyle

• How to navigate healthcare policies

• Ways to reduce your risk and your premiums

• Common traps and loopholes

• Considerations for grads, freelancers, and remote workers

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

"Jack Hungelmann actually manages to make insurance interesting." — Janet Eian, Chief Administrative Officer, Endurant Business Solutions "Loaded with tips that can save buyers money." George Williams, CPCU, Editor-in-Chief, American Agent & Broker magazine Praise for Insurance For Dummies^® "An indispensable walk through the insurance maze…. The book's true value lies in the prevention of heartaches, headaches, and potential insolvency…. An invaluable resource." — Danelle J. Wolf, Owner, Wolf's Wayzata Pharmacy, Inc. "You can't afford not to read this now!" — Carmen Ellingson, Education Director, Minnesota Society of CPCU

Find out what kind of insurance you need — before it's too late

Confused by insurance fine print? Relax! From deciding how much coverage you need to locating the best policies, insurance pro Jack Hungelmann shows you step-by-step how to get the right amount of protection at the best price. If you're looking for savvy advice on any type of insurance — life, health, home, auto, you name it — this friendly guide is just the ticket.

Discover how to: Reduce your risk — and your premiums Find the best life, health, home, and auto policies Understand umbrella and disability policies Get the maximum when you make a claim Avoid insurance traps and loopholes

Get smart! www.dummies.com Register to win cool prizes Browse exclusive articles and excerpts Get a free Dummies Daily e-mail newsletter Chat with authors and preview other books Talk to us, ask questions, get answers --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

About the Author

Jack Hungelmann has more than 2,000 hours of insurance education and has been in private practice for more than 30 years. He is the proprietor of an insurance agency, and he teaches risk management and insurance courses through continuing education programs in Ohio and Minnesota.

Product Details

• Paperback: 384 pages
• Publisher: For Dummies; 2 edition (June 9, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0470464682
• ISBN-13: 978-0470464687
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 7.5 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (27 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #91,209 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #14 in Books > Business & Investing > Industries & Professions > Insurance > Business

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

28 of 31 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Invaluable..., November 25, 2006

By 

Mark "Bottom line only please..." (Raleigh, NC) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Insurance for Dummies (Paperback)

I know I'm getting older when I start reading and writing reviews about insurance books.

I'm not a big fan of the "dummies" books for a few reasons: (1) First my ego...I have to admit I don't want a book on my shelf that is a dummy guide for anything, and (2) I don't want to buy another reference book that is going to sit on my shelf and collect dust.

I purchased this book b/c I had big questions about car insurance, life insurance, and umbrella policies. No concerns about house insurance, which seemed to be the biggest complaint about the book.

Quite frankly, it answered all of my questions. Before reading this book, I didn't even know the difference between collision, liability, and comprehensive insurance; and I had no clue how much insurance I should carry for that "break glass in case of emergency" type accident. And like all of the dummy books, the text is informative while remaining engaging , and actually entertaining-even though the subject is insurance.

I actually feel empowered after reading this book. It led me to purchase an inexpensive umbrella policy (if you don' t have one, you need it) that will certainly make me sleep better at night.

This is one of those books that after you read/reference it, you'll wonder how you ever operated in the past without the knowledge it contains.

Don't put too much trust in earthly treasures, but you should certainly protect what you do have!

Recommended.

20 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Insurance for Dummies, November 29, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: Insurance for Dummies (Paperback)

I have been in the insurance business for 31 years. I found this book to be every helpful. Jack has taken a complex subucet ( insurance ) and explains it in simple terms. I have shared this book with other professionals and they are as delighted as I am. I now use some those examples in my own practice to explain things to my clients. It is worth the time to reading. .

13 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Essential reading, December 9, 2006

By 

MVP (Washington) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Insurance for Dummies (Paperback)

This book is worth its weight in gold. I originally picked it up while doing research on life insurance options. But after reading the first chapter on auto insurance, we called our agent, raised our libability limits and deductibles, got rid of unnecessary coverage and ended up saving ourselves $250 a year! The author, who has worked in the insurance industry for years, makes things plain and simple and illustrates his points with easy-to-understand charts. Now I feel like we actually have a clue about what we're buying, and I feel much more secure knowing we'll likely be well covered in the event of a catastrophe. This should be on every homeowner's bookshelf.