Industry Resources News, Education and Tools for Consumers and Professionals

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• Insurance Education, Research, References for Consumers and Professionals
• Insurance Law
• Insurance Company Ratings and Information
• Insurance Industry Organizations
• Insurance and Financial Services

Insurance Education, Research, References for Consumers and Professionals

HIAA Insurance Guides for Consumers

• Insurance Guides for Consumers
• Dental Expense Insurance, Dental Expense Insurance Directory
• Disability Income, Guide to Disability Income Insurance, Disability Income Insurance Directory
• Health Insurance, Guide to Managed Care, Guide to Health Insurance, The Insurance Guide for Business Owners
• Long-Term Care, Guide to Long-Term Care, HIAA Long-Term Care (LTC) Insurance Directory
• Medical Savings Accounts, Guide to Medical Savings Accounts (MSAs)/High Deductible Health Plans, Medical Savings Accounts (MSAs) Directory
• www.hiaa.org/cons/cons

Life and Health Insurance Foundation for Education (LIFE)

• http://www.LIFE-LINE.org
• http://www.LIFE-LINE.org/health (Includes a glossary of health insurance terms)
• http://www.LIFE-LINE.org/disability (Includes a glossary of disability insurance terms and a personal needs analysis calculator)
• http://www.LIFE-LINE.org/life (Includes a glossary of life insurance terms and a personal needs analysis calculator)

Social Security Online: The Official Website of the Social Security Administration

• Includes the Top 10 Most Requested Services from Social Security Online
• Apply For Social Security Retirement Benefits Online
• Request a Replacement Medicare Card Online
• 2001 Cost of Living Information--Benefit, Tax and Wage-Indexed Changes for 2001.
• Prepare for your future financial security. Use our Retirement, Disability or Survivors planners and calculators to help with important financial decisions.
• How To Replace, Correct, or Change Your Name on your Social Security Card
• Benefit Information Publications--Retirement, Survivors, Disability and Supplemental Security Income publications
• Request a Social Security Statement of your lifetime earnings and an estimate of your benefits.
• If you have already received a Social Security Statement and have questions about it, try the My Statement page.
• Searchable Frequently Asked Questions database--More than 500 questions asked and answered.
• How To Contact a Local Office--This application allows you to type in your ZIP code and find the social security office nearest you
• http://www.ssa.gov

Benefits Link

• Employee benefits compliance information and tools.
• http://www.benefitslink.com

Employee Benefit Research Institute (EBRI)

• The Employee Benefit Research Institute is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization committed to data dissemination, policy research, and education on economic security and employee benefits.
• http://www.ebri.org

International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans (IFEBP)

• The International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plansis an educational association serving the employee benefits and compensation industry.
• http://www.ifebp.org

Medical Information Bureau (MIB)

• MIB is an association of U.S. and Canadian life insurance companies. It is a leading provider of information and database management services to the financial services industry.
• http://www.mib.com/html/home

The Benefits Network

• Information on ancillary products (dental, disability, vision)
• http://www.thebenefits.net/resources

Association of Health Insurance Advisors (AHIA)

• AHIA provides programs and resources to enhance the knowledge and capacity of health and employee benefits advisors, regarding issues affecting the health insurance industry.
• http://www.ahia.net

HIAA Directory of State Insurance Departments

• State Insurance Departments
• Each state has its own insurance department to oversee all types of insurance. Offices are responsible for enforcing state laws and regulations, and will provide the public with helpful information.
• http://www.hiaa.org/cons/state_insurance

U.S. Department of Labor - Standard Industrial Classification (SIC Codes) Search

• This page allows the user to search the 1987 version SIC manual by keyword, to access descriptive information or a specified 4-digit SIC, and to examine the manual structure. The SIC manual is available in several formats from the National Technical Information Service (NTIS), an agency of the U.S. Department of Commerce.
• http://www.osha.gov/oshstats/sicser

ACORD--Association for Cooperative Operations Research and Development (ACORD)

• ACORD, the Association for Cooperative Operations Research and Development, is the insurance industry's onprofit standards developer, a resource for information about standard ACORD Forms, standards for electronic data sharing, object technology, EDI, XML and electronic commerce.
• http://www.acord.com

Insurance Law

Employee Benefit Institute of America (EBIA)

• The Employee Benefits Institute of America LLC is a provider of publications and seminars on Cafeteria Plans, 401(k) Plans, COBRA, HIPAA and ERISA. Publications and seminars for human resource and benefits managers, attorneys, accountants, government officials, insurance professionals, benefits consultants and TPAs.
• http://www.ebia.com

Legal Information Institute: Employee Retirement Income Security Program

• Subchapter 1--Protection of Employee Benefit Rights Subtitle A--General Provisions
• http://www4.law.cornell.edu

National Partnership for Women and Families: Guide to HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act)

• Many employees are now protected by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). The National Partnership offers an easy-to-read Guide to HIPAA: What the Health Insurance Reform Law Means. The guide covers a range of situations and gives clear examples of what this important, but complex, law does and does not cover.
• http://www.nationalpartnership.org

The Consumer :Law Page: Health Benefits Under COBRA

• What is the continuation health law and who is entitled to benefits.
• http://www.consumerlawpage.com/brochure/cobra

Insurance Portal: Insurance Industry Regulation Links

• Links to every state insurance department and other regulatory organizations
• http://www.insure-portal.com/insreg

A.M. Best Company

• A.M. Best Company offers comprehensive data to insurance professionals. Best is the oldest source of insurance company ratings and information. Best's Ratings are the industry's standard measure of insurer financial performance.
• http://www.ambest.com

Standard and Poor's

• Standard & Poor's was established to provide analysis and information to the financial community to help them determine value in the marketplace. Standard & Poor's is a provider of independent financial analysis and information.
• http://www.standardandpoors.com

American Institute of Professional Association Group Insurance Administrators (AIPAGIA)

• AIPAGIA is the professional association of insurance administrators who are active in mass-marketing and servicing all lines of insurance for professional associations, societies, and similar organizations.
• http://www.aipagia.com

Health Insurance Association of America (HIAA)

• The Health Insurance Association of America represents the private health care system, those providing health, long-term care, dental, disability, and supplemental coverage to more than 123 million Americans. HIAA also provides self-study courses on health insurance and managed care.
• http://www.hiaa.org

Life Insurance Management Resource Association (LIMRA)

• LIMRA is a member-owned organization dedicated to providing marketing information for annuity, disability, health, life, mutual fund and retirement savings products,
• http://www.limra.com

Life Office Management Association, Inc (LOMA)

• LOMA is an international association through which insurance and financial services companies engage in research and educational activities to improve company operations.
• http://www.loma.org

Mass Marketing Insurance Institute

• The Mass Marketing Insurance Institute is a non profit membership association dedicated to providing voluntary and employee benefits at the worksite. Our membership is comprised of worksite marketing insurance professionals who manufacture, market, sell and administer employee benefits.
• http://www.mi2.org

National Association of Health Underwriters (NAHU)

• NAHU educates the public and decision makers about the value health insurance professionals deliver in helping consumers access the health care system and, through education and association involvement, increases members' ability to better serve consumers.
• http://www.nahu.org

National Association of Independent Life Brokerage Agencies (NAILBA)

• The National Association of Independent Life Brokerage Agencies is a non-profit, trade association dedicated to serving the interests of value-added, independently-owned brokerage agencies throughout the United States and North America.
• http://www.nailba.com

National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC)

• The National Association of Insurance Commissioners is the organization of insurance regulators from the 50 states, the District of Columbia and the four U.S. territories. The NAIC provides a forum for the development of uniform policy when uniformity is appropriate. A state regulator's primary responsibility is to protect the interests of insurance consumers, and the NAIC helps regulators fulfill that obligation.
• http://www.naic.org

National Underwriter Company

• The National Underwriter Company is a leading provider of industry information with a dedication to the insurance and financial services industries. Our publications and software have grown to include Tax Facts, Technology Decisions, and FC&S. We also acquired Claims Magazine, Insurance West Magazine, and Kirschner's Directories in 1999.
• http://www.nuco.com

Professional Insurance Marketing Association (PIMA)

• The Professional Insurance Marketing Association is the leading national membership association of third-party administrators, insurance carriers and allied business partners involved in the direct marketing of insurance products. PIMA provides educational conferences, legislative updates, networking opportunities, publications and manuals to all those whose primary business is insurance marketing.
• http://www.pima-assn.org

Insurance and Financial Services

American Bankers Association (ABA)

• The ABA serves its member banks through federal legislative and regulatory activities, legal action, communication and consumer education, research and products and services that promote, educate, train, inform and support members.
• http://www.aba.com

Bank Marketing Association (BMA)

• The Bank Marketing Association, an affiliate of the American Bankers Association is the industry's leading provider of marketing education and information.
• http://www.bmanet.org

Financial Institutions Insurance Association (FIIA)

• FIIA is dedicated to the professional marketing of insurance products and services by commercial banks, thrifts, credit unions, mortgage companies, consumer finance companies and their affiliated insurance agencies.
• http://www.fiaa.org

Independent Community Bankers of America (ICBA)

• The ICBA is dedicated to protecting and enhancing the franchise value of the nation's community-based financial institutions for the benefit of consumers, small businesses and family farms nationwide. The association provides educational opportunities and access to products and services.
• http://www.icba.org

Kenneth Kehrer Associates

• Provides research and strategic consulting to banks and their financial services partners; monitors industry trends and developments; provides benchmarks of program success and compensation practices.
• http://www.kenkehrer.com

The Association of Banks in Insurance

• The Association of Banks in Insurance (ABI) is the legislative advocate for banks in insurance and a source of marketing, legislative, and compliance information for its members: banks, insurance companies, marketing companies, state and regional associations, independent mortgage companies, card issuers, consulting firms and academia.
• http://www.theabi.com