Many people look forward to buying car insurance about as much as having their wisdom teeth pulled by a dentist named Dr. Pain. Today I intend to show you how to take a lot of the sting out of purchasing car insurance by arming yourself with a little knowledge.

Many people believe car insurance is a simple as black or white, either you have “liability” or “full”

coverage. In fact there many important options in between. In becoming informed you will need to know how to research, and what questions to ask.

The three key considerations when purchasing car insurance are price, coverage, and company. The first key consideration when buying car insurance is price. The matter of fact is that you will never find one company that has great rates for everyone. Different companies target different age and risk groups, so while one company has a good price for your friend, they make not have a great price for you.

Usually 10-15 quotes will probably give you a good range of prices to choose from. A good resource you can always rely on is the yellow pages, where the listings are localized to your specific area and everyone who is anyone is there both big and small.

The second key consideration when buying car Insurance is coverage. Coverage varies from company to company but the basic components usually remain constant. The first is liability. Liability pays in the event you hit and injure another person or damage there vehicle. The two parts of Liability coverage are Bodily Injury and Property Damage. Both are expressed in thousands of dollars. The property damage is the second number and indicates how much the company will pay to fix the other person’s car or property.

Medical payments pay a flat amount per person for anyone injured in your car regardless of fault. They range from between $500 to $5,000. This amount is not meant to absorb the cost of an injury, but to offset immediate out of pocket expenses such as health insurance deductibles.

The third is uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage. This protects you and your passenger in the event you are hit by a driver with no insurance or not enough insurance. The fourth is comprehensive and collision covers damage to your car. Collision pays to fix your car in the event it is damaged in an accident that is your fault. Comprehensive pays in the event of fire, theft, and vandalism or anything collision does not.

A deductible will usually apply and is the amount of money you must first pay and the insurance will pay the rest. Deductibles range from $50 to $5000. The higher the deductible, the lower your cost.

The fifth is towing and rental reimbursement. Towing provides a flat amount of coverage per disablement and rental reimbursement pays a specified amount per day in the event you need to rent a car while yours is being repaired.

The sixth and final coverage is Special Equipment coverage. This covers any special equipment installed or attached to the vehicle not factory or dealer installed. This will usually include rims, stereos and custom accessories. How much or which coverage is right for you? It’s a personal decision that no one can make for you.

The third key consideration when buying car insurance is the company and agent. When buying insurance the quality of the company should be taken into consideration. One way to evaluate the quality of a company is to inquire about their “Best” rating. The rating is based on their financial strength, operational performance and ability to meet their obligations.

In conclusion if you spend a little time checking out the three key components of buying car insurance price, coverage and company, you can avoid a lot of headaches later especially in the event of an any accident. With a little information and little more leg work, you can eliminate any confusion from this process and be sure you have the right car insurance for you.

Buying a home means that you will be required by a lender to have home insurance. It provides protection for you in the event that anything should happen to your home. The protection can cover many things – or a few – depending on what kind of coverage you have. If you are either about to buy a home insurance policy, or have forgot what your policy covers, here is some help for you to understand some of those terms.

Before you start, though, you should have a real good idea of what your house and outbuildings are worth. This will enable you to look at the various terms and understand which form of insurance, and how much you need from the start.

Actual Value Versus Replacement Value

These are the two ways that you can be covered in a home insurance policy. Actual value means that you assign a fixed value to your home, and you will be covered only up to that amount. However, know that this also includes depreciation, meaning that the older your house and possessions are, the less you will receive. Certainly this is the less expensive way to go, and many states no longer offer it, but you could end up getting less than 50% of what you paid for your house. Unless you have a large bank account somewhere, you could not rebuild your house on this amount today.

Replacement value, on the other hand, is the better deal. It offers to replace your house or contents – no matter what the cost. Depreciation really does not even enter the picture. Neither is there a ceiling on the limits, either. In other words, if your house is worth $100,000 and becomes destroyed, you will get an equivalent house built for you – even if it costs $120,000 to do it.

Event Coverage or All Events

Home insurance can be purchased covering what is called events, or all events. Event coverage means that it will cover you when certain events occur – but only those events. Generally, you can get this type in different levels, covering more or less events of possible loss. All event coverage, however, will cover everything with the usual exception being that of flood, earthquake or hurricane. This coverage usually must be purchased separately – if you want it.

Content Coverage

All of the contents of your house can be covered, up to a certain percentage of the value of the house. Generally, it is a high enough percentage that most of your contents are covered. In order to receive a recompense of your contents, however, it is best to have a careful inventory. This is generally best accomplished by taking a video camera through each room of the house and recording your various comments about the items – one at a time for the more valuable contents. You will even want to go through your closets and basement in order to show everything. This is especially true of jewelry, art, and other valuable items you possess. This type of item may also require special insurance.

Check Policy Regularly And Update

Getting your new policy means you should compare prices from various companies so that you get a good deal. Home insurance policies, though, should not be allowed to sit on a shelf and collect dust. Because of inflation, and the changing of house values, you will need to update the amount of insurance you have, probably every other year or so. If your house cost $75,000 15 years ago when you bought it, it could easily be worth more than $100,000 now. But if you are only covered for $75,000 – could you rebuild?

Simply put, life insurance is bought to make sure your dependents are financially secure when you pass away. Premiums are paid to the life insurance company and the company takes the premium money and invests it. When the person paying the premium (the insured) passes away, the insurance company pays out that individual’s beneficiary.

Although it may sound simple, purchasing the appropriate life insurance policy is not as straightforward as is seems. In the past few decades life insurance has served as a basic building tool for the constantly changing variety of financial planning.

Some of the pros of buying a life insurance policy include: providing a financial safety net for your dependents, replacing your income or salary with a non-taxed death benefit, and reducing the financial pressures placed upon your family in the event that you pass away. A life insurance policy can aid in putting your children though college, paying your mortgage, bills, funeral expenses, estate taxes, or other debt.

Generally when life insurance is purchased, it’s the policy solely, not stocks, bonds, or securities. It is technically illegal for a life insurance agent to sell insurance by referring to it as an investment. Although cash value can be accumulated with some policies, the interest on the cash value is not usually very significant. Dividends and other benefits are typically not guaranteed and definitely are not predictable. Some policies, however, will permit the insured to invest their cash value into various securities.

Now that you are more familiar with the function of life insurance, it may be helpful to understand how life insurance is different from other kinds of insurance. The primary difference is that other types of insurance protect people from situations that might happen, such as auto insurance. Auto insurance protects against potential car accidents, regardless of fault, stolen cars, or break-ins. Health insurance is in case you get sick or injured. If the auto or health insurance is not used, the premiums paid by you go to cover claims by other parties who are also insured by the insurance company.

A life insurance policy is different from these types of insurance because it insures people for a guaranteed event, as opposed to hypothetical events. Although it is unpleasant to think about, death is inevitable, and life insurance is the one kind of insurance that exists because of it.

Life insurance is also different because the insured purchase the policy to protect somebody else, while auto and health insurance protect the owner of the policy. Due to tax consequences, it would be unwise to be the beneficiary of your own policy.

Life insurance companies pay out their insured parties by deducting the funds from a life insurance pool. This pool is made up of all of their policy holders, and the premiums paid go into this pool. The life insurance company guarantees payment to each member of the pool as long as their premiums are always paid.

Some people worry that something could happen to them before they get a chance to pay their premium. Life insurance companies realize this risk, and account for it in the unfortunate event that you pass away shortly after purchasing your policy. The company assumes you will live a long life, and the premiums paid will cover the company’s pay out. But in the event that the premiums do not, that financial responsibility remains in the hands of the insurance company.

When you buy Utah health insurance, you are making a purchase that will give you peace of mind as well as making a positive contribution to your health. This is because without Utah health insurance you could find yourself unable to afford the care you need when you have a major illness. Even if you are eventually able to afford that care, it may come too late if you haven’t purchased Utah health insurance in advance.

By purchasing Utah health insurance, you are also helping your future financial situation. The lack of Utah health insurance could result in such massive medical bills that you may even find yourself facing bankruptcy. It is essential therefore that you and your family take advantage of the coverage available.

Utah health insurance can be bought on either a group or individual basis. Group insurance, bought by an organization to cover its employees, requires you to pay regular premiums that keep your Utah health insurance up to date and protect you from unforeseen medical expenses. It is well worth the cost of those premiums to have the advantage of knowing you won’t be hit by crippling bills in the event of an accident or unexpected health problems. After purchasing your Utah health insurance, you can relax in the knowledge that you have taken all possible steps to guard yourself and your family from costs resulting from unexpected health issues.

If a group plan is available to you, it has the advantage of costing less than an individual plan. This is because the employer pays a proportion of the cost. In addition, under a group plan, your Utah health insurance usually has the extra benefit of covering you for pre-existing conditions without increasing the costs.

If you are self-employed, you should organize your own Utah health insurance as soon as possible. There is no benefit in waiting until you develop a medical condition before trying to purchase Utah health insurance. An insurance company is often unwilling to cover an individual with a pre-existing condition, so it doesn’t make sense to wait until a health problem arises before buying individual Utah health insurance. You need to take advantage of your good health now and purchase Utah health insurance while you can, so you will be protected against anything that happens in the future,

For some people looking to purchase Utah health insurance, there are particular advantages to short-term policies. Available through private health insurance providers, short-term policies provide individual and family coverage for periods of between one and six months. You may, for example, be between jobs or working part-time. You may have lost your coverage because of a divorce; you could be a student who is no longer covered by your parents’ policies, or you might be an early retiree. These are just some of the scenarios that would make short-term Utah health insurance a benefit for you until you can establish a more permanent plan.

Even if, for some reason, you are refused major Utah health insurance, you can take advantage of a mini-med or “defined benefit” health plan. Whether or not you have a pre-existing condition, you can purchase one of these guaranteed-issue Utah health insurance plans. Insurance companies can afford to provide such plans because the policies have limits on their coverage. These plans have the advantage of being easy to understand and are available for anyone between the ages of eighteen and sixty-five. Like other Utah health insurance plans, they have the benefit of providing affordable health protection for you and your family, no matter what your individual needs or situation may be.

Most people will be familiar with insurance in some form or another. We all have taken out home insurance, car insurance or credit insurance among others. Insurance contracts are long and complex documents with a lot of small print. Sometimes even a lawyer would get lost in the complexities involved in them. However, there are a few features that all insurance contracts must have in common.

All insurance contracts will cover a chance event that may or may not occur. This is the risk you are insuring against. The event may be a fire in your home, a car accident, medical costs or virtually any other event. The sole exception to this is life insurance, which covers your death. This is an event that is bound to occur, however, it is the timing of death that is uncertain here.

There must be some quantifiable economic loss. Insurers will take on risks, but they must be able to quantify and predict the loss involved. The insurance company must be able to know roughly what kind of loss will be involved should the event occur. The loss must be quantifiable in monetary terms. For example, you may be able to insure yourself for medical expenses or a new car, but not for the sadness you experience as a result of an accident.

The loss must be definite. Again, insurers must know what kind of financial risks they are taking one; otherwise they will not be able to set the price of the premium.

The loss must be significant. The financial cost of the insured risk must justify the administrative costs of the insurance contract. Suppose you want to insure a racehorse. Someone will come from the insurance company, assess the value of the horse, write up a contract stating what’s covered and what conditions you must meet, calculate the premium and issue the contract. This will be worth all the effort for a valuable racehorse. However if you wanted to insure your goldfish, it would be difficult to justify the effort involved in setting up the contract.

The loss must not be catastrophic. What is catastrophic will depend on the size of the insurer and the assets they have available. But the insurance will not be worth anything if the loss is more than the insurer could afford. For example, insuring against an earthquake will often be impossible as the losses, should the event occur, would be impossible for the insurance company to ever pay out.

The primary benefit of travel insurance is the knowledge that should something go wrong while you are abroad, you wonâ??t be responsible for finding the money to put it right, at a time when you are already stressed out.

As with all insurance policies it is important that you read the policy documents carefully to ensure that the cover you require is included, this is especially the case if you are of the sporting or adventurous persuasion as many activities increase the risk of injury and, therefore, may not be covered as standard or may only be covered for a limited frequency during the period of insurance. Policies vary quite a bit so it pays to shop around if you have the time, or speak to a specialist broker, to try and find a policy that covers your intended activity at no extra cost.

Travel insurance policies come in various forms but most policies for UK residents include the following categories of cover, although you should always read the policy wording to find out what is and is not covered by the particular policy, also different policies may have the benefits in separate categories or bundle them under one heading:

Emergency Medical Treatment

Covers the cost of emergency medical treatment, this usually involves being treated at a hospital but not necessarily. Prior authorisation by the insurer is normally required if the expected cost of treatment is likely to be above a fixed amount set out in the policy wording, this is often quite low, in the hundreds of pounds.

Emergency Medical Assistance

Covers the cost of emergency medical assistance, mainly getting someone to hospital, whether that is the costs of a road ambulance or where necessary an air ambulance or sea rescue, although you must check that you are covered for the activity in which you were participating when injured or becoming ill.

Repatriation

Covers the cost of returning you to your home country after receiving medical treatment, with an accompanying medical professional where necessary. Also covers the return of your remains in the event of your death abroad.

Medical Evacuation

In the event of there being no hospital capable of treating you locally, this section of the policy covers the costs of transporting you to the nearest hospital that can treat you, even if it is in another country

Hospital Benefit

A small daily amount to cover incidental costs of being a hospital in-patient abroad. Usually has a minimum length of stay requirement and a maximum limit on the total benefit paid. Daily rate is usually in the region of £10 to £30.

Cancellation, Curtailment & Trip Interruption

Covers any financial loss, unrecoverable by other means, such as lost deposits or non-refundable transport costs, you suffer as a result of having to cancel or cut short your trip or having to return home suddenly. Common reasons for claiming under this section would be the sudden and unexpected serious illness or death of a close relative, or something happening to your home such as fire or flood. What is considered a valid reason to claim under this section varies from policy to policy so as usual you must read the small print.

Missed Departure

Covers additional costs if you miss your scheduled means of transport for departing your home country and the first international means of transport on the return journey. Cover under this section is usually restricted to incidents out of your control such as failure of public transport or your own vehicle breaking down, although you may be required to prove that it had been maintained regularly. Missed connections in a third country that is not your home country or the final destination country are often excluded.

Personal Liability

Provides cover in the event that you injure a third party or damage their property, although there is often an exclusion for liability arising from the use of a vehicle or by an animal under your control, such as a horse or dog.

Legal Expenses

In the event of you becoming involved in litigation there is some cover for legal costs.

Personal Accident

Usually a relatively small amount of life cover if you die or permanent disability cover in the event of you being seriously injured such as loss of a limb or being permanently blinded.

Personal Belongings/Baggage

Cover for your personal belongings and money that you take with you. There is usually an overall limit that is the maximum for any claim as well as limits for individual types of property.

These are the single item, pair or set of items limit, for instance a set of golf clubs is considered to be one item and you cannot claim for each club separately.

The valuables limit, valuables usually referring to jewellery and electronic devices. There will be an individual item limit as well as a total valuables limit being the maximum cover in any one claim for all items considered to be a valuable.

There will also be a limit on the amount of cash covered in a claim.

In the event of theft there will also be restrictions on valid claims with regard to where the item was, if it was secure, and a requirement to report the theft to the police. If you replace any goods you will need to obtain receipts.

Most but not necessarily all sections of cover will have an excess amount which is the amount that you are expected to pay in the event of a claim and the insurer only covers costs over and above that figure. This excess amount may be per person, per policy or per claim.

Although I have listed the standard covers, many policies offer you the opportunity to modify the policy either by adding on cover or by removing sections of cover completely.

Common options are to waive the excess amount in the event of a claim, to increase the amount of cancellation cover included in the policy, to exclude the personal belongings section, to exclude the cancellation section and in some cases you can exclude the emergency medical treatment section.

Another frequent modification is to add cover for a specific activity although the effect on the premium can be quite dramatic depending upon the type of activity as most policies will apply a multiplier to the base cost and this can more than double the premium.

To summarise, a standard travel insurance policy contains many different sections of cover, not all of which everyone needs, but for most people a standard travel insurance policy will cover all the unexpected events that can occur while away from home.

Please bear in mind that if you buy a travel insurance policy that doesnâ??t provide the cover you require, you have wasted your money, not to mention the fact that you could be left facing a very large bill.

With all insurance policies you must always read the small print, in the UK you have a 14 day period after purchase, provided that you havenâ??t already made use of the travel insurance policy, where you can get a guaranteed refund if the travel insurance policy turns out not to be suitable, leave it later than that and any refund is at the insurerâ??s discretion.

Have happy and safe journeys.

Most weddings cost far more than you would spend on a decent saloon car. It’s unthinkable that you would drive your brand new car without insurance cover, yet so many couples take a bigger financial risk by not insuring their wedding costs against the risk of total loss. By comparison to cars, house content, possessions, valuables, etc., wedding insurance costs very little for comprehensive cover. The relatively small premium for wedding insurance will give you peace of mind as you plan for your wedding.

Wedding insurance policies give a wide range of cover for many eventualities that could affect your wedding day. However, it is unlikely that small, irritating events would be included in the cover, such as rainfall, cloud, etc. but stronger weather forces that affect the wedding day almost certainly would, such as floods, landslides, earthquakes, etc. If adverse weather or other unpredicted events were to cause your wedding or reception venue to close or become inaccessible then your wedding insurance policy would provide a suitable level of cover. The same policy would cover unpredictable events with the wedding car supplier or the caterer or even if the bride or groom should sustain an accident which caused the wedding to be cancelled for the planned date. A low premium insurance policy to cover all of the wedding day suppliers and events will compensate for those unexpected situations that can leave you seriously out of pocket.

When you start to plan the wedding arrangements most couples wouldn’t consider including insurance as a part of their list – but you should! When you have set your wedding date and you start to book the suppliers for your wedding you are starting to make financial obligations for the big day – at that stage you should have your wedding insurance in places as well. This will give you a maximum period of cover for your insurance fee as well as adequate cover should anything go wrong in the period leading up to your wedding day that may leave you financially disadvantaged.

A good wedding insurance policy will include the following items in it’s cover: cancellation of your wedding (check the applicable clauses, it’s unlikely a change of heart will be covered!), wedding rings and jewellery, the wedding dress, attire purchased for the groom, best man, bridesmaids (if formal attire is to be hired, check insurance liability with the supplier), cancellation of the wedding and reception venue(s), catering supplier, wedding florist, personal accident of the bride or groom causing disruption of your wedding plans, public liability cover (check that your wedding and reception venues carry public liability cover for your guests whilst on their premises), personal liability and legal expenses for the bride and groom, cancellation or failure of wedding cars, accidental damage to your wedding cake, wedding photographer (ensure that provision is included for any possibility of your photographs being destroyed), wedding gifts (including an amount to cover cash and vouchers received).

Don’t forget insurance cover when planning your honeymoon. The honeymoon insurance is normally covered by travel insurance offered by the travel agent or available through insurance brokers, it is unlikely that honeymoon insurance would be included in a wedding insurance policy. One item that is often overlooked is cover in the event that the honeymoon is cancelled due to the wedding not taking place – neither the wedding insurance nor the travel insurance is likely to cover such a risk – so it is worth considering taking out a separate insurance cover for this specified risk (the insurance premium for such a policy is likely to be very small and may even be able to be added onto your wedding insurance cover as a specific item).

Planning and organising your wedding can be a very enjoyable experience, leading up to one of the most exciting and important days of your life. No one expects things to go wrong, and they rarely do, but you should have the reassurance of wedding insurance to give yourself peace of mind over any unexpected or unpredictable events that could disrupt your wedding day. When you start to plan your wedding day and book the suppliers, take out your wedding insurance policy at the same time. This gives the maximum period of cover and means you can concentrate on your wedding whilst you have the reassurance that the whole event is covered by your wedding insurance policy. Enjoy planning for the big day and your wedding day itself – congratulations, it’s one of the most enjoyable days of your life.

In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, insurance premiums for property owners in vulnerable coastal regions skyrocketed. The Grand Strand was no exception, even though we have not had a major hurricane since Hurricane Hugo in 1989. Unfortunately, insurers were backed into a corner. Massive losses on Katrina claims changed the risk tolerance of many underwriters. At the same time, rising property prices during the inflating of the real estate bubble necessitated increased premiums to cover more highly valued properties. As many insurers cancelled policies in coastal regions, even those not impacted by Katrina, coverage became much scarcer, further driving up the costs to insure property. Ultimately, property owners throughout the Southeast would bear the burden of this.

Insurance is a calculation of probabilities and risk. What is the probability that an oceanfront property will experience a loss in a particular year? Furthermore, what is the projected magnitude of the loss (partial loss vs. total loss)? These are some of the factors that drive insurance premiums. For example, the risk of total loss of an oceanfront home during a hurricane is far greater than the risk of a total loss of a home ten miles inland. Consequently, the risk of a total loss of an oceanfront home is far greater than the risk of a total loss of an oceanfront condo tower constructed of concrete and steel. Underwriters assess these risks against the replacement value of the property to derive the policy premium and coverage limits.

Following Katrina, many property owners experienced an increased premium for an equal (or in some cases a lesser) amount of coverage with significantly higher deductibles. As many insurers cancelled policies and pulled out of coastal regions altogether, property owners were forced to accept higher costs to insure the property. Though many property owners would have liked to drop coverage altogether, assessing the risk of loss a lower probability event than warranted by exorbitant premiums, the holders of mortgages on the property mandated adequate insurance coverage. Homeowners, then, were trapped in a catch-22.

As the costs spiraled out of control, property owners along the South Carolina coast encouraged legislators to take action. This action came in the form of an expansion of the wind pool. There were high hopes this would drive insurance premiums down. Surprising to most, the impact of the wind pool expansion has only been minimal. Property owners now want an elected insurance commissioner as opposed to an appointee. But will this solve the problem?

It is unlikely that this will solve the problem or that insurance premiums for property owners in coastal regions will ever be inexpensive. Over time in the absence of any catastrophic events like Katrina, more underwriters may offer coverage to property owners in these vulnerable areas. This additional competition could drive premiums down to more affordable levels and provide property owners with more favourable policies. But another major storm that results in heavy losses would start the vicious cycle of higher costs all over again.

Property owners, it seems, are left with little choice but to bite the bullet and accept higher insurance costs as a way of life in coastal areas or to take matters into their own hands by self insuring their properties as a viable alternative to traditional insurance.

Self insuring, however, is expensive for property owners to initially establish, and many lenders may not accept self insurance on properties. Typically, self insuring involves creating a trust into which funds are placed periodically to help build reserves to cover potential losses. The trust may then buy reinsurance for low probability events that result in extreme losses. Reinsurance is generally less expensive given a high deductible. Thus, self insuring is likely too costly for individual homeowners. However, this may be more feasible for property owners in condo towers where self insuring costs would be widely spread amongst the owners.

From a financial perspective, the cost to insure a $100 million condo tower is more than the cost to insure a $2 million oceanfront home or a $300,000 home ten miles inland. But the oceanfront condo towers, typically constructed of concrete and steel, are built to a much higher standard than many homes. Many oceanfront condo towers, even during Katrina, withstood tremendous damage but were not total losses—the structures and their integrity were not compromised. Most damage was cosmetic—broken windows, roofing, facades, etc or water damage. Whilst insurance would cover some of this damage, property owners are still on the hook for the deductible. With self insuring, property owners’ advisors assess the expected amount of loss in the event of a disaster. Contributions may then be made annually, quarterly, or monthly or at one time through a special assessment. In the event of a claim, the funds from the trust are used to cover repairs, etc. In the event of an extreme loss, the reinsurance kicks in after the trust pays the deductible.

There are pros and cons to self insuring. Obviously, if the self insurance trust does not have sufficient funds in the event of a claim, the property owners must come up with the difference. The benefit is that the trust is an asset of the homeowners. The payments are not simply paid to the insurer and gone forever. The trust is held by trustees as an asset of the property regime and can be used for smaller claims that would typically be under the amount of the deductible on a normal insurance policy. Over time, the trust’s assets grow, particularly in the absence of any claims, thus raising the possibility that the property owners may not have to make additional contributions at times.

Whilst this could work for smaller homeowners, it is clear such a plan would be more costly for the individual. However, over time, as underwriters do not have the exposure to higher dollar value condo developments, costs to individual homeowners in the same area may fall as the underwriters’ concentration of risk in one area falls.

It is clear that climbing insurance premiums are a burden on property owners and a drag on real estate markets. Whilst many proposals have been made, none seem as effective as self insuring. Such self insuring regimes allow property owners to control their own destinies rather than be at the mercy of insurers.

First, the good news: Surgeons at University Medical Center have successfully reattached the piece of skull that had been removed from bantamweight boxer Z “The Dream” Gorres, who suffered a traumatic brain injury after a November fight at Mandalay Bay’s House of Blues.

Now the bad news: Last week’s intricate procedure at the publicly funded hospital, combined with more than two months of around-the-clock nursing care and painstaking rehabilitation work by a team of physical therapists, has driven the medical expenses of the financially strapped Gorres to nearly $600,000. It’s a bill that Southern Nevada taxpayers must largely pick up, because state law requires promoters to put up only $50,000 worth of medical insurance for each fighter in the ring.
The consequences of the Filipino boxer’s brain injury have prompted elected officials and the Nevada Athletic Commission to work toward crafting a solution that keeps taxpayers off the hook for the medical care of professional boxers.

But Las Vegas is home to lots of different events, and some are very risky. Could Clark County taxpayers end up footing the bill when other athletes or entertainers are hurt when performing here?

“We probably have more big events than any other city in the country,” said Dr. Dale Carrison, head of the emergency department at UMC and its chief of staff. “As everyone knows, Las Vegas is a magnet for that sort of thing. And if someone does get badly hurt, UMC’s trauma center generally takes care of them.”

NASCAR, National Finals Rodeo, Cirque du Soleil, daredevil stunts by the likes of the late Evel Knievel, the Las Vegas Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon, National Hot Rod Association drag racing, championship boxing and mixed martial arts — these are just some of the major events held in Las Vegas.

A survey of medical insurance coverage held by individuals who engage in events or performances where there is risk of injury — the kind of events that thrill both live and TV audiences — has found that coverage can range from nothing to 100 percent.

Bill Rundle, a longtime promoter of Knievel, said last week that the motorcycle daredevil “who broke every bone in his body” generally couldn’t get medical insurance for his stunts because “they were too dangerous.”

“No one would write him a policy for something where there was a good chance he wouldn’t make it. It’s that way with most people who do those kind of things.”

Rundle also has promoted some stunts performed by Knievel’s son, Robbie, “and getting insurance was always a problem for him, too.”

Robert Zirkelbach, a spokesman for America’s Health Insurance Plans, a trade association for 1,300 companies, said it would not be uncommon for an insurance company to refuse to cover a daredevil, or to offer medical coverage at such a high premium that it would be difficult to afford.

Attempts to reach contemporary daredevil Robbie Maddison, whose successful motorcycle jump at the Arc de Triomphe at Paris Las Vegas wowed crowds on New Year’s Eve 2009, were unsuccessful. Maddison has suffered a number of serious injuries in stunts around the world.

Both Rundle and Zirkelbach said community leaders should be aware of the possible financial consequences should a daredevil be injured during a stunt in their community.

It was a 1967 stunt at Caesars Palace, Rundle said, that helped cement Evel Knievel’s reputation as a performer who would risk his life to entertain an audience. When Knievel attempted to clear the casino’s fountains on his bike, he took a nosedive that landed him in Southern Nevada Memorial Hospital — later named UMC — for several weeks with multiple pelvic fractures.

“That was early in his career, and he didn’t have money to pay his medical bill,” said Rundle, who talked on the phone from the Mayo Clinic in Arizona where he is being treated for cancer. “I think there were a lot of medical bills he walked away from until he was making good money. Then he had enough to pay them out of his pocket.”

In 1974, the city manager in Carson City said police would arrest Knievel if he reappeared in the state because he didn’t pay a hospital bill there that he incurred in 1968. Knievel ended up in a Reno hospital for 22 days after he unsuccessfully attempted to jump 16 automobiles on his motorcycle.

A collection agency representing Southern Nevada Memorial finally caught up with Knievel in the 1970s, the decade when he netted more than $6 million for his failed Snake River Canyon jump.

The Review-Journal reported that Knievel had “rolled up” a bill of $2,249.51 for his 1967 hospital stay in Las Vegas.

“The cost of medicine has gone up over the years,” UMC’s Carrison said.

EVOLUTION OF INSURANCE

Although daredevils have a difficult time getting insurance, NASCAR drivers don’t.

Jim Hunter, spokesman for the stock car motor racing giant that has a race scheduled in Las Vegas next month, said each driver and crew member now has a medical insurance policy of slightly more than $1 million.

“Even that may not be enough if something really terrible happens,” Hunter said in a phone call Thursday from Daytona Beach, Fla.

In 60 years, Hunter said, medical coverage has grown from $2,000 to its present $1,000,050.

“As the sport grew, there was more at stake,” said the 70-year-old Hunter, who is currently undergoing treatment for lung cancer. “At first, guys were racing as a hobby. They weren’t making a living out of it.”

Hunter said the 2001 death of driver Dale Earnhardt at the Daytona Speedway energized safety efforts by NASCAR, including collision absorbing walls and new head and neck restraints for drivers.

“But no matter what we do, accidents can and will happen and our medical insurance reflects that,” he said.

Like NASCAR, medical insurance for participants in the National Finals Rodeo has dramatically increased over the years.

Jerry Ford, who has written coverage for the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association for decades, notes that the present coverage of $250,000 is a huge jump from “where we started years ago.”

“When we first started in the ’70s, the maximum limit was $3,000,” Ford said. “It wasn’t until the late ’90s that we got limits above $20,000.”

Since that time, he said, there have been only 10 or 12 performers who “maxxed out” their medical coverage.

One rodeo performer who Ford is certain did that in Las Vegas was bull rider Tuff Hedeman in 1995. Participating in the Professional Bull Riders World Championship finals, Hedeman was bucked off by the bull Bodacious and suffered severe facial injuries.

“I was the first doctor there,” Carrison said. “It was awful. He ended up needing 11 plates in his face.”

Hedeman stayed only a few days in the hospital after his plastic surgery.

“There was never any question about his paying the bill,” Carrison said. “I’m sure I would have heard about it.”

Both Carrison and Ford said rodeo participants hold fundraising rodeos to pay off such bills.

Don Andrews, who was part of the Justin Sports Medical team at rodeos for years, said, “PRCA cowboys don’t walk away from bills. They get together and pay them off.”

Ford said he would not be surprised if bull riders suffer catastrophic brain injuries similar to a boxer’s. “Unfortunately, head injuries happen frequently.”

The most tragic bull riding incident in Las Vegas occurred in December 1994 when rider Brent Thurman was bucked off a bull. The huge animal, Red Wolf, stepped on the back of his neck.

Thurman suffered facial and cranial fractures and massive internal bleeding. He was treated at UMC. Like Gorres, the boxer at the hospital now, Thurman’s brain swelled. After spending six days in a coma, the 25-year-old Thurman died.

PAYING THE PRICE

Many boxers have seen their careers end in Las Vegas.

From 1995 to 2005, 10 fighters sustained career-ending brain injuries in Nevada, with two boxers, Leavander Johnson and Martin Sanchez Jr. both dying from subdural hematomas, the same brain injury Gorres sustained.

Because of federal privacy laws, UMC officials are unable to release the medical records of fighters, athletes or entertainers to whom they gave care. Gorres’ wife gave UMC permission to release her husband’s medical information to the Review-Journal. He was released from the hospital last week and is staying with friends in Las Vegas while undergoing rehabilitation.

Despite the lack of such information, UMC officials said Gorres’ case is an indication that UMC has not been reimbursed for care that could reach into the millions of dollars.

While thousand of people each year are mesmerized by the beauty and grace of the Cirque du Soleil shows in Las Vegas, there’s no doubt the acrobatic performers engage in risky maneuvers.

Audience members watched in horror in 2007 when two performers fell from as high as 35 feet during a “Zumanity” show at New York-New York. Both hit the stage; one performer was left in critical condition. Both were treated at UMC.

But the cost for medical care for Cirque performers, according to show spokeswoman Ceres Hill, is fully covered by the organization’s insurance plan.

The thousands of participants in the Las Vegas Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon basically fend for themselves when it comes to health insurance, spokeswoman Lee Haney said.

Last year, Eric Reitman, a Las Vegas resident who collapsed near the end of the half marathon, died.

Less serious health problems are common, Haney said.

“Whenever you have more than 20,000 people involved in an event, you’re going to have some injury,” she said.

Marathon participants often buy a personal insurance policy through USA Track & Field, Haney said. Though repeated phone calls to the organization were not returned, its Web site said individuals can purchase a policy that has a maximum accidental bodily injury payout of $10,000.

Just how much, if any, medical coverage is carried by drag racers competing in the National Hot Rod Association events seen frequently at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway is unknown.

“That’s not something we want to divulge,” association spokesman Anthony Vestal said.

Community leaders should make sure they know how much medical insurance coverage is carried by performers in risky events, Carrison said.

Not taking action when coverage seems insufficient can be costly, he said.

“We’re seeing that right now with what happened to that poor boxer.”

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Minimum Liability:

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Minimum BI/PD coverage limits for the state of Michigan

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