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Are Fitness Programmes Worth It At My Time In Life?

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Regular exercise is a major component of a healthy lifestyle.

Unfortunately, we are less active than previous generations were, partially due to our improved lifestyles.

Studies show that many adults sit down for more than seven hours a day.

People older than 65 are the most sedentary age group, spending at least 10 hours lying or sitting down. Age causes the body to slow down but this is not a valid reason to avoid exercise.

The Cost of Inactivity

The Department of health calls inactivity a “silent killer.” There is evidence that long periods of sitting or lying down and other sedentary behavior is detrimental to health. Exercise can reduce risk of diabetes, stroke, cancer, heart disease, and other major illnesses by up to 50 percent and reduce risk of an early death by as much as 30 percent.

It can also reduce risk of depression, stress, Alzheimer’s disease, and dementia. Mood, self-esteem, energy, and quality of sleep improve with physical activity. Exercise is a miracle cure that is easy to administer and does not cost any money.

Exercising During the Senior Years

Elderly people tend to worry that their bodies cannot handle exercise. The truth is that lack of physical activity can make their bodies frail so elderly individuals should exercise to prevent this from happening.

Regular physical activity can delay or prevent the onset of many age-related health conditions, allowing people to look and feel better for a longer period. Those with term life insurance may even outlive their policies!

Older adults who do not have mobility-limiting health conditions and are fit should engage in muscle-strengthening and aerobic activities on a weekly basis. In terms of amount, 2 ½ hours of fast walking, cycling, or other aerobic activity of moderate intensity and at least two days of muscle-strengthening activities that work all of the major muscle groups are sufficient.

Muscle-strengthening exercises should focus on the back, legs, abdomen, hips, arms, shoulders, and chest.

For most people, fast walking, water aerobics, canoeing, pushing a lawn mower, and playing doubles tennis require moderate effort. These activities increase heart rate and cause people to feel warmer and breathe faster.

Even cooking, housework, and shopping count as moderate-intensity activity. In general, if you can talk but not sing a song, the exercise is of moderate intensity.

Those who prefer aerobic activity of vigorous intensity should engage in an hour and 15 minutes of this each week and perform muscle-strengthening activities at least two days a week. A game of singles tennis, running, uphill hiking, riding a bike quickly, and martial arts are examples of vigorous-intensity aerobic activity.

The heart rate increases substantially, you breathe fast and hard, and you must pause for a breath after saying a few words.

Approximately 75 minutes of vigorous-intensity activity can provide health benefits similar to those achieved from 150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity. Aerobic activity of moderate and vigorous intensity can also be combined in an equivalent mix and supplemented by muscle-strengthening activities.

For each exercise that strengthens muscles, perform eight to 12 repetitions and do at least one set of these.

Clearing Up Common Life Insurance Myths

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According to new research, 30 percent of Britons do not have a life insurance policy.

Only four out of ten adults in the UK currently have life policies in place.

The rest have not invested in this benefit, instead spending money on things like mobile phone insurance and high-priced caffeinated beverages.

Over time, these smaller expenses add up to much more than the cost of a life insurance policy, which may cost just 17p per day.

With the myth that life insurance is too expensive laid to rest, we tackle other common life insurance myths.

Unmarried, Childless People Should Consider Life Insurance

Many people believe that they do not need life insurance unless they have a spouse or children. The truth is that even a single individual with no dependents can benefit from having a life insurance policy.

The payout can cover funeral costs so the executor or the administrator of the estate does not need to find a way to pay these. The cash limit of social welfare is £700 but the average cost for a funeral is £2,000. Life insurance can be used to pay for the difference.

Employer Cover May Not Be Sufficient

Workers who receive life insurance cover as an employee benefit may think that independent cover is unnecessary. In many cases, the level of employer-provided cover is not enough to meet the needs of surviving family members upon your death. In addition, leaving the job and failing to convert the policy to an individual plan may leave no life cover in force.

Stay-Home Parents Should Consider Life Insurance

A stay-home parent may assume that life cover is only necessary for the breadwinner in the family. However, parents who stay home make financial contributions to their households by eliminating the need for paid childcare.

To ensure that a surviving parent can pay for childcare and other expenses that may have been eliminated due to one parent staying home, both parties should consider insuring their lives.

Shopping for Life Insurance Is Not Complicated or Time Consuming

Many people avoid shopping for life insurance because they do not understand the terminology or have limited free time to devote to this process. An insurance website or advisor can explain all the terms used in the industry and help an individual find the most suitable type and level of life cover.

By comparing cover online, consumers can find affordable prices from online brokers that rebate some or all of the commissions they are paid by insurance companies.

Going without life insurance is a risky approach that can backfire. Learn more about the different types of cover and features of each. If questions arise during the research stage, write them down and ask an insurance professional for the answers.

Comparison-shop to find the lowest quotes for the desired cover and read the fine print before signing any documents. Then, relax and enjoy life without worrying about how surviving loved ones will cope financially after you die.

Co-operative Group Life Insurance Sale Approved

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Last week, UK regulators approved the sale of the asset management and life insurance businesses of The Co-operative Group to Royal London for £219 million.

The Financial Conduct Authority and Prudential Regulation Authority approved the Royal London plan to fill a large gap in its finances and allow it to enter the Stock Exchange.

The sale should go through at the end of July and CIS will then become a limited company with the name of Royal London (CIS).

History of the Co-operative Insurance Society

In March 2013, The Co-operative Group announced the intention to also sell its general insurance operations. If this transpires, it will mark the end of nearly 150 years of co-operative insurance within Britain.

The Co-operative Insurance Society (CIS) was established in 1867, providing fire insurance for retail societies that were a part of the co-operative movement.

When it was taken over by the co-operative wholesale societies in 1912, CIS became part of The Co-operative Group.

After a £138million profit the year before, the company suffered a £662million loss in 2012. A poor economy was blamed for this disappointing performance and the company made some moves to counteract the effects.

Its insurance arm was put up for sale so the company could strengthen its capital position and begin focusing on its banking activities.

Between the end of 2012 and first quarter 2013, the core tier-one capital ratio of the bank, used to measure financial strength, increased from 8.8 to 9.2 percent, exceeding the regulatory minimum.

Co-operatives Flourish Elsewhere

Britain may seem to be shunning co-operative insurance but this cover is flourishing in other parts of the world. Co-operatives who want to insure with their own rather than using a commercial insurer have led to the establishment of several successful co-operative insurers.

Established in 1951, Zenkyoren is currently the largest co-operative in the world, servicing the life, liability, and property insurance needs of the Japanese agricultural industry. In Canada, it was predated by six years by the Co-operators insurance company.

Zenkyoren, the Co-operators insurance company, and most other co-operative insurers are secondary co-ops that are not owned directly by individual members but by a consortium of credit unions, co-ops, and other organizations.

The co-operative movement has extended to all corners of the world, with co-ops and credit unions working to create national co-operative insurance companies in Malawi and other countries.

The International Co-operative and Mutual Insurance Federation (ICMIF) reports that since the global financial crisis that began in 2007, the insurance industry market share held by mutual and co-op insurers has increased from 23.7 to almost 27 percent.

Shaun Tarbuck, CEO of ICMIF, noted that mutual insurers and co-ops are more actively marketing their unique attributes including a different structure of governance, member-ownership, business sustainability, and profit-sharing.

This is a drastic change from what occurred in Britain during demutualization, when major insurers converted from member-owned establishments into plcs.

Demutualization caused Britain to have the smallest mutual and co-op insurance market share of all major economies.

Royal London is the largest pensions and life mutual in the nation so the life business of the Co-operative Group will be in good hands. There is still potential for cancellation of the general insurance sale.

However, if this goes through, the company will still sell its rebranded insurance products under the name of Co-operative Insurance with underwriting provided by another organization.

When During My Career Should I Buy Life Insurance?

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Being young is a blessing in many ways. This is the time to enjoy life and begin a career and family. Few young people think of negative things like dying. However, death can strike at any age and many young adults are not prepared for it. People in their 20s may think that they are too young to purchase or even think about life insurance but they are wrong. The early professional years is the perfect timeframe to consider this cover.

Why Purchase Life Insurance So Young

Anyone who is just starting out and is married or has children should think about how a spouse or child will be impacted by his or her death. Dying may seem a long way off but it could occur tomorrow. If dependents are not provided for financially, they may struggle for many years. It is best to purchase life insurance once you begin earning money, even if marriage and children are not immediate prospects but are possibilities.

An untimely death takes everyone by surprise and young people may not have time to prepare for this. Many young adults die suddenly without making arrangements for handling their financial matters. Loved ones are left to cover funeral expenses, repay debts, and handle the mortgage.

They may not be able to afford these expenses in addition to their own. Even a young person without dependents should consider a life policy to cover funeral costs, which can be thousands of pounds.

Life insurance costs less for someone who is young and healthy, another reason to buy it during the early career stage. This low rate can be locked in for as long as 30 years. People who wait to purchase life insurance until they are 40 or older will pay more money for the same cover.

In addition to age, medical issues like heart conditions that develop during this time will affect premiums. Low risk individuals pay less for life cover and people who are young and in good health are considered low risk.

What Type of Insurance to Buy

Term life and whole life are the two main types of life insurance. Term life covers a specified period, paying a lump sum if the individual dies during this time. Young people should consider a long-term policy so they receive reasonably priced cover for many years.

Whole life lasts for a lifetime so it always pays a benefit. For this reason, it is more expensive than term life is. Purchasing a whole life policy when young will protect the individual for a lifetime at a cost that is much lower what than older policyholders pay.

Since each type of cover is offered by multiple providers, young adults should comparison-shop to find the term or whole life policy they want at the best price. As a life insurance comparison website, Genesage makes it quick and easy to receive quotes for both types of policies.

Simply fill out a quote request form and within a short time, personalised quotes will be delivered from all applicable providers. There is no need to visit the website of each provider because all of the information is available from Genesage Life Quotes.

Life Insurance: When, Why, and What Type

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No one expects love ones to struggle financially as a result of his or her death. Unfortunately, this is happening more often within the UK as deceased individuals leave mortgages, debts, and other financial obligations for survivors to handle. Being saddled with debt can make anyone look less favourably upon the deceased.

People who would rather be remembered fondly get their finances in order and purchase life insurance before it is needed.

Who Needs Life Insurance?

Anyone who has a dependent should consider buying life insurance. A dependent may be a spouse, child, elderly parent, or other relative who depends on your financial support. Even people with no dependents should think about purchasing life cover if they have substantial debts or joint mortgages or loans with friends or business partners. Otherwise, the individuals handling their estates may be forced to repay these obligations, something that may not be in their budgets.

A change in life situation can also make life insurance an important consideration. Examples include getting married, becoming a parent, buying a home, moving, or taking out a large loan. If one household member becomes the main income provider due to another losing a job, the new breadwinner should consider buying life insurance. Cover is available at reasonable prices, making it affordable if purchased at the right time.

The Best Time to Buy Life Cover

A fixed-rate life insurance policy is usually less expensive when the applicant is young and healthy. This is because the risk of the individual dying is relatively low. Unfortunately, this is also the time when most people do not consider buying life cover. No one is invincible and death can strike at any time so having a policy in place now can prevent financial problems for beneficiaries later.

Life Insurance Payouts

Most life insurance policies pay lump sums when claims are filed upon the death of the policyholders. There are also some that pay incrementally over a pre-determined period. A mortgage is the largest debt that most people have, leading many people to purchase enough life cover to repay their mortgage balances.

However, life payouts may also be used to replace income, provide childcare, or cover higher education costs. They can even be used to cover regular living expenses such as monthly bills, groceries, clothing, and housecleaning expenses.

Which Type of Life Cover is Best?

Term and whole of life are the two main types of life insurance. Term insurance covers a fixed period so it is usually less expensive than whole of life is, which lasts for a lifetime. When people purchase term insurance, they buy a policy that extends long enough to cover the mortgage term or cover dependents until they can become financially independent. If the insured dies after the insurance policy term ends, no payout is made.

Term insurance is divided into level and decreasing term. Level term pays the same amount at any time during the lifetime of the policy and decreasing term pays a lump sum that decreases by a preset amount each year. Level term cover is often used to repay an interest-only mortgage and decreasing term cover is typically purchased by someone with a repayment mortgage, whose balance declines each year.

A level or decreasing term life policy is a smart purchase for someone with a joint mortgage. If the policyholder dies, the surviving mortgage holder can use the payout to cover all or a portion of the mortgage payments. This prevents the survivor from having to cover the entire mortgage payment him or herself.

Some employers offer life insurance as an employee benefit and this cover may include a death in service provision. This usually equates to a payout of approximately four times the salary of the policyholder should the individual die while employed by the business.

This may or may not be enough money to support the current standard of living of beneficiaries. If additional life cover is needed, consumers should shop around to find the most reasonable premium for a sufficient amount of additional cover.