1) We are trying to build up our online presence in 2012. One way we plan in doing this is to keep in touch with our friends, customers and business contacts that are on facebook. Simply like Heritage Insurance Brokers on Facebook this January to be in with a chance of winning a €50 one 4 all voucher it’s that easy. We hope to keep you updated on new products or changes that might affect you, details of competitions etc. Remember you can unlike us at any time if you wish.

2) Register details of your insurance renewals on our website and allow us to give you a quote when it comes to renewal time. In most cases we will be able to save you money on your renewal or if not at least you will know you are getting a good deal right now. Each product you register will give you one entry into the draw so if you have several products you will get an entry for each one. So for example John & Mary have house insurance due in March, Health Insurance due in June and their car insurance is due for renewal in November and December. This means they have four chances of winning.

Heritage Insurance Brokers are Insurance Brokers specialising in Health Insurance, Life Insurance, Mortgage Protection, Critical illness insurance, Mortgages, Pensions, Investments, House Insurance, Motor Insurance, Business & Commercial insurance and other general insurance products. We offer very competitive prices and an excellent personal service. Check out our website for more information on our products. http://www.heritageinsurancebrokers.ie.

It’s estimated that “55% of Irish taxpayers pay too much income tax and/or PRSI each year” – no doubt this may be down somewhat given the current circumstances however its still quite significant nonetheless.

Our tax refund service is not restricted to a single tax year. Taxpayers are entitled to make a claim for the previous 4 years – The average tax refund is €800.00 for each year claimed. Best of all, due to our newly formed partnership, the Irish Tax Store will operate on a NO REFUND – NO FEE basis.

Check out Heritage Insurance Brokers for more information or drop us an e-mail to                         taxrefundservice@heritageinsurancebrokers.ie.

Heritage Insurance Brokers are Insurance Brokers specialising in Health Insurance, Life Insurance, Mortgage Protection, Critical illness insurance, Mortgages, Pensions, Investments, House Insurance, Motor Insurance, Business & Commercial insurance and other general insurance products. We offer very competitive prices and an excellent personal service. Check out our website for more information on our products. http://www.heritageinsurancebrokers.ie.

• Pet Insurance - Anyone who has ever brought a dog to the vet knows that it can be a very costly experience.
• Wedding Insurance - Your wedding day may be one of the most expensive days in your life. You want to make sure that nothing goes wrong or that if it does you know you are well protected.
• Mobile Phone insurance, laptop insurance, camera insurance, gadget insurance etc. – Got a new phone or i-pad for Christmas. Inexpensive insurance for expensive products! Much lower than your phone providers insurance.
• Debt management services - Given the unprecedented downturn in the economy, the associated loss of jobs and the significant drop in all our incomes, more and more individuals, families and businesses today are under severe pressure with their finances and are struggling with their monthly loan and credit repayments or commitments. If you are one of these we may be able to help.
• Tax back services - As above. Tax refunds can be made for the previous 4 years and we offer this service on a no refund – no fee basis.
• Health Insurance - Given the recent increases in Health Insurance let us provide you with a very competitive Health Insurance Quote.
• Mortgages – We’ve noticed a steady increase in the number of mortgage enquiries in the past year and we hope to see this continue into 2012. Check online to get a quick mortgage quote using out mortgage calculator and submit your mortgage application online.

If you would like additional information on any of the above services please contact Heritage Insurance Brokers to discuss how we may assist you. Of course we still offer all of the traditional insurance quotes and financial service products that our clients traditionally associate with us.

Week after week, the income you earn goes to pay for your home, your bills, your car, your children’s education and care. Your income also pays for your holidays and all the other things that go to make up the life you are living right now. It’s the least you deserve – to enjoy the things you work so hard to pay for.

So what would happen if, almost without warning, that money was no longer there? What would happen if, like 1 in 6 of Irish workers during their working lifetimes1, you were to suffer a debilitating accident or become so seriously ill that you were unable to work for six months or more? What would happen to the income upon which so much of your lifestyle depends?

Of course, it’s impossible for any of us to know exactly what the future might bring. But the risk of serious injury or illness leaving you unable to earn an income is not so remote that you should not consider it. A car or motorcycle accident, a sports injury, the onset of severe depression, a stroke or heart disease – but we have all heard of, and possibly know, people who have suffered conditions just like these. Quite apart from the health considerations, have you considered the financial implications?

If you work for a company then you will probably qualify for some form of sick pay from your employer. This will cover some if not all of your financial commitments over the first few weeks or months of your absence. But it’s very rare indeed for an employer’s sick pay scheme to cover you beyond six months. If you’re self-employed, of course, sick pay doesn’t apply.

Once your sick pay cover runs out you will become dependent on the State for support. For 2011, State Illness Benefit provides €9,776 a year for a single person. Even if you calculate your most basic monthly financial commitments – mortgage/rent, pension, heating, lighting, groceries, clothing, transport and education – you will see that the State Illness Benefit is hardly enough to support even the most basic lifestyles. If you are self-employed you won’t qualify for State Illness Benefit at all.

Given the financial risks associated with serious illness or disability, it’s hardly surprising that there’s an insurance product which is specifically designed to protect you from the worst financial consequences. This is called Income Protection and it is a very straightforward product which pays you an income if the unexpected does happen and you are unable to earn an income.

With Income Protection you simply pay a monthly premium (which qualifies for tax relief at your marginal rate) based on the amount of your income which you want to cover, the level of benefits you require and the state of your health. Then, if you suffer any illness, injury or disability which prevents you from working and earning an income, your Income Protection policy will pay you a replacement income of up to 75% of your salary until such time as you are fit to return to work or until you retire.

It is important to note that unlike Critical or Serious Illness Cover, which covers you for a limited set of specified illnesses, Income Protection covers you for any illness or injury, including mental illness, cancer, slipped disks and multiple sclerosis.

Income Protection can be designed to fit your specific needs. You can usually choose a deferred or waiting period of between 4 weeks and a year, and you also have the option of index-linking your payments and benefits so that your policy keeps pace with your lifestyle. If you are not working, very often you will find that your financial needs are lower so, depending on your commitments, you can choose to protect up to 75% of your salary.

Alongside a replacement income, Income Protection also offers a variety of additional benefits, such as workplace rehabilitation and career counselling. These specialist services can be invaluable as you prepare to recover your life and return to the workforce.

Income Protection is a flexible product designed to reflect the demands of today’s lifestyles, which means that there are many ways of adapting it to suit your circumstances. Your financial advisor can show you how to choose and customise an Income Protection policy that delivers complete peace of mind when you are healthy and also delivers the financial and rehabilitation support you’ll need if the unexpected does happen and you suffer a serious illness or injury that leaves you unable to work.

For more information on Income Protection or to arrange your complete financial review now contact us on financialadvice@heritageinsurancebrokers.ie or check out our website www.heritageinsurancebrokers.ie. Heritage Insurance Brokers provide a complete, no obligation, free review of all your insurance products to ensure you have the right products in place and that you are getting the best deal available. Call us today on 01-6911017 to arrange your appointment with one of our qualified advisers.

Need help getting your finances in order?

Having trouble paying your loans and bills each month? Need some help and advice?

Do you want to?

• Only pay what you can afford each month?
• Have just ONE monthly payment?
• Put an end to stressful bank and creditor phone calls?
• Negotiate a reduced final settlement with your creditor(s)?

As we deal with more and more clients each week, it is becoming increasingly obvious that clients need financial advice and assistance to help them manage their personal finances when their income is inadequate to cover the cost of normal living expenses and their loan and credit commitments.

Heritage Life and Pensions together with Prima Debt Manage have established a relationship with all the key lenders at this stage, as a credible and independent debt management company. We are fully engaged with all of the main banks, credit cards companies and lenders and are becoming increasingly co-operative with us, as are asset finance lenders and mortgage providers. In most cases these institutions welcome us becoming involved because up to this point, the banks and lenders have had no idea what was happening with many of the clients and they know the client has no proposal or structure around his or her finances. For the banks, it is a lot more structured and transparent to work with Heritage Life and Pensions directly, rather than dealing with the clients with financial difficulties.

3 Steps to Financial Freedom:

1. We review your personal finances and calculate how much you can realistically afford to pay each month.
2. We then negotiate with all of your creditors to whom you owe money, with the objective of getting them to agree to the lower monthly repayments, in addition to freezing interest and charges on your accounts.
3. We finalise a Single Payment Plan, which is one, affordable monthly payment.

Heritage Life and Pensions offers:

• A confidential and non-judgmental service
• A home visit, so we can fully understand your situation
• A way to manage your debts
• Court actions- we urgently negotiate with your creditors and agree a new repayment schedule and help stop court proceedings
• A dedicated Personal Case Manager who will communicate with you and your creditors at all times

Should you require further information on debt management or if you wish to discuss your current situation in confidence then please contact us today. Why not speak with one of our financial advisers by completing the form on our financial planning page  and we will call you right back. Alternatively you can e-mail Pól Ó Murchú or call 01-8997107 for further information.

Heritage Life and Pensions also provide advice in the areas of Life Insurance, Mortgage Protection, Pensions, Investments, Income Protection, Health Insurance, Motor Insurance, House Insurance and Commercial Insurance. Should you require a competitive price on your insurance or you are looking to review any of your current insurance cover or simply need some help planning your future please contact us for a free quote today.

As an agent for Aviva Health Insurance I have been selling Health Insurance for a few years now but I have to say that I never truly understood the importance of having it until recently. I knew and understood the benefits of having it, exactly what cover it provided you with and the extra cover and benefits that Aviva provides over other insurers but knowing and experiencing are two very different things. What I learned could not be thought by any broker consultant or read in any brochure.

It all happened just over a week ago when I was feeling a little ill and decided to go into the hospital and get checked over. After a long wait in A&E I was finally seen by a doctor. While the wait was quite frustrating I understood that there were people a lot worse than me that needed to be seen as ambulances rushed people in and out for about 6 hours. It reminded me of something resembling a zoo to say the least. Total chaos and noise everywhere, people on trolleys, drunken people, sick children, people on drugs (and not the kind you get from the doctor), people rushing up and down halls etc….

Anyway once examined by the doctor a couple of blood tests later and I was all checked in. Operation scheduled for that afternoon. Off to my private room to enjoy a bit of peace and quiet. Five star it was not but comfortable, clean and with its own private bathroom attached I was certainly feeling very special compared to others who lay in wards of 6-8 people or even those still lying on a trolley downstairs from the night before.

Our health system is seriously overstretched with no sign of any improvement in the short-term. New facilities that have been built now lie empty due to the inability to staff them and lack of funding to do anything about it. A new A&E department built last year in Drogheda which cost 11.5 million lies completely empty despite being fitted out with beds and all necessary equipment to operate as normal. Similar situations prevail across the country as more and more departments are closed down and moved to other hospitals to try and create centres of excellence.

Private healthcare won’t necessarily guarantee you will be dealt with quicker as serious cases still get priority but it certainly helps you obtain a bed and clears up any financial worries you may have about any treatments you require. A quick look over my admissions form tells me that a private room in a public hospital costs €910 a day, a semi private room €713 and day case private or semi private costs €655 per day. And that’s before you even talk to a doctor or consultant, surgeon etc. Even in a public ward you can expect to pay a government levy of €75 per day up to a maximum of 10 days (€750) in any 12 months. So already my bill is up to €4,550 for my brief stay just for accommodation. I’ll update you when I find out the final figure.

The alternative to private healthcare is not a nice one I can assure you. A walk along the public ward on the floor above really opened my eyes to the benefits I was receiving downstairs. The noise of other patients and their visitors as they crowded in at visiting times, sickness everywhere and even just the general feel of the place would be enough to make you sick. Not to mention the arguments you could have over the TV.

Yes health insurance can be expensive and premiums are increasing across the board but the alternative is even more expensive. What if you can’t get the treatment you need, when you need it or have to pay for private care? Would you be able to? I know I certainly couldn’t afford it. Would you put off attending a doctor or hospital for fear of what it might cost you and what would these actions cost your health? Just a couple of things to think about. If you think health insurance is expensive think of the alternative and you may just see the benefits.

Heritage Life and Pensions act as intermediaries for Aviva Health Insurance and can advise you on all your options regarding health insurance. Premiums start from just €520 per annum for an adult and €215 for children and would provide you with a good level of hospital cover in a public hospital and some level of cover in private hospitals. For more information check out the Health Insurance page on Heritage Life and Pensions website or complete your details now to get a health insurance quote today.

Heritage Life and Pensions also provide financial advice and competitive insurance quotes for Life Insurance, Mortgage Protection, Pensions, Investments, Mortgages, Car Insurance, House Insurance and Commercial Insurance. To get a quote today complete your details here. Even if your renewal is not for a few months we’d love to hear from you.

Heritage Life and Pensions 1st Birthday

They say that 70- 80% of new businesses fail in their first year. Well are we glad we’ve got that over with. At least now we can get on with what we do best and that is advising clients on their financial wellbeing.

We can save clients literally hundreds and thousands of Euro simply by assessing the products they have, are they suitable and are they paying too much. For example did you know that you could save money by reviewing you life insurance? Yes you can!

Most of us will review our car insurance and our house insurance on an annual basis and shop around for the best deal but when was the last time you looked at your life insurance or mortgage protection? In fact most clients we deal with haven’t looked at this since they took out the mortgage or life policy originally.

Another way you can save money is by reviewing your health insurance policy. Do you know what cover you have, what cover you need and what other alternatives there are? Heritage Life and Pensions can advise on all of the above.

And if it’s a pension you need we can ensure you get the most suitable product to meet your needs. You can generally expect lower charges than you will pay in most banks which means more money going into your pension from day one and more for you in retirement.

To get the most from your money contact Heritage Life and Pensions to arrange a free Financial Review. Our financial consultation is completely free and in most cases we are able to save you money. Call us today – Call Pól 01-8997107 or e-mail to arrange an appointment.

 ‘News From Heritage Life and Pensions’.

 ‘News From Heritage Life and Pensions’.

via ‘January News From Heritage Insurance Group’.