Life Insurance Search

A new technology which measures blood flow could be the key to diagnosing strokes with more speed and accuracy, a study has found.

Those people worried about suffering from a stroke and considering life insurance may be encouraged to hear that such rapid diagnosis could lead to more targeted care for patients, while also avoiding the potentially fatal consequences of "clot buster" therapy, the Journal of Emergency Medicine reports.

Computed tomography (CT) perfusion imaging is available to most hospitals and may be as valuable as magnetic resonance imaging.

"Our study reveals that the widespread use of CT perfusion is a practical way to help busy emergency departments save precious time in stroke diagnosis, target treatment and reduce the risks of inappropriate thrombolytic use," commented Ansaar Rai, assistant professor of neuro and neurointerventional radiology at the West Virginia University Health Sciences Centre.

The Stroke Association claims that over a quarter of a million people live with disabilities brought on by a stroke.

Such consequences, which may result in a person being unable to work, could be aided by decreasing term life insurance, which may decline in line with the amount owed on a mortgage.

Treatments prescribed to adults with type 2 diabetes are becoming more expensive and complex, it has been claimed, which could have consequences for the type of life insurance policy a person has.

According to a report in the Archives of Internal Medicine, more than 11 million Americans had been diagnosed with diabetes in 2000, an increasing figure which is reflected in the UK and elsewhere in Europe.

"The annual economic burden of diabetes is estimated at $132 billion (£85 billion) and increasing. In 2002, more than one-tenth of US health care expenditures were attributable to diabetes," the journal notes.

Furthermore, the types of medication given to sufferers have changed, with new forms of insulin and other types of drugs pushing the costs up from $6.7 billion in 2001 to $12.5 billion in 2007.

Diabetes UK calls the condition "a silent assassin", adding that it can lead to kidney failure, blindness, strokes and heart diseases.

Such costs that may come from being diagnosed with diabetes, including a potential reduced income should a person be unable to work, may be covered by decreasing term life insurance.

That couple of pounds spent on the morning coffee on the way to work could be more wisely used for life insurance, it is claimed, which may interest those people who do not have a policy.

And while little luxuries may provide a ray of light during the credit crunch, Britons should realise that one day life insurance will be more important, says Roger Edwards, an insurance expert for Bright Grey.

"We're trying to encourage people to think of cutting back on other things rather than their insurance, because ultimately insurance could be very important in the future if they're unable to work or have a death in the family," Mr Edwards claims.

Furthermore, while salaries are staying level despite rising prices, cutting back on a £2.60 coffee one day a week can free up money to spend on life cover, he adds, while one policy which could be bought is decreasing term life insurance.

Such insurance may ensure that a person who shares a mortgage will not face repossession or have to sell a home, should the worst happen.

More people are being diagnosed with diabetes because of the increasing problem of obesity in the UK, it is claimed, which could lead to those struggling with their weight to consider life insurance should they be diagnosed with a weight-related condition.

And in a figure that could be seen as worrying, 167,000 people have been diagnosed with diabetes since last year, according to Diabetes UK.

"Whilst screening techniques have advanced significantly in the last few years, particularly in rural areas, there is no doubt that the enormous increase in diabetes is down to other factors," says Daniel Crockett from diabetes.co.uk.

One such factor is because of the "obesity crisis", he adds.

Type 2 diabetes is the most common form of the condition, with 90 per cent of people with diabetes having this sort - a form which is linked to a sedentary life style - according to Diabetes UK, which may worry some who do not have a life insurance policy and concerned about their future health.

However, decreasing term life insurance may be one life insurance option to consider, where the money paid out may decrease overtime to reflect the amount still owed on a mortgage.

Drinking in the home may be a popular option but research has found that over 80 per cent of people do not know how many units they should have, it is claimed, which could have implications for those without life insurance.

Rather than associating drinking problems with those unable to work the next day, it is ordinary people who are the focus of a new campaign by Drinkaware, which commissioned YouGov to conduct a survey.

"The average person who enjoys a glass of wine at the end of a busy day is not going to be totting up their daily units because they don't think there is an issue," says Dr Dawn Harper, a spokeswoman for Drinkaware.

Findings of the research include that 22 per cent of people are unaware that drinking more than the daily guidelines can increase the risk of a stroke, although investing in decreasing term life insurance could bring financial security should a drinking-related illness be diagnosed.

Decreasing term life insurance may provide money to cover the outstanding balance of a mortgage and may also be known as mortgage life insurance.

People who have life insurance through their work but have unexpectedly been made unemployed may wonder what action to take next, a blog notes, which could be important for people who are worried about the security of their job throughout the credit crunch.

While employers may allow their former staff to continue their life insurance cover so long as they pay the premiums themselves, people need to research what policy is best suited to them before making a decision, writes Greg Daugherty on his Consumer Reports blog.

"If you have young children or others who depend on your income, then you almost certainly do need it [life insurance] - perhaps even more than your employer was providing," Mr Daugherty notes, which those people who do have dependent children may want to take on board when researching which cover to get.

Assets, debts and the family's other sources of income all need to be taken into account when shopping around for life insurance, he adds.

One policy that people may be interested to look in to is decreasing term life insurance, which a person can take out on their own, or jointly, to cover a mortgage balance should the worst happen.

Britons who have moved abroad are finding that the credit crunch is also affecting them, a report claims, adding that people may also be worried about how family back home could be financially affected should they be diagnosed with a serious illness.

Health insurance providers who can competitively adjust policies to cover what people consider the necessities may find themselves with the edge over their rivals, says Tim Slee, global sales director at Bupa International.

"Expats are certainly feeling the pinch and so are many of the big companies they work for, back home. In the year ahead, the onus will be on providers and brokers to help customers on tightening budgets," Mr Slee states.

Those living abroad with health insurance will not have to pay out for large medical bills if they fall ill because their policy will cover drugs, treatment and hospital fees, he adds, a sentiment which some may apply to the importance of life insurance.

People who are considering a life insurance policy may wish to research decreasing term life insurance, which could be designed to protect a repayment mortgage, while the amount paid out decreases as the plan continues, in line with a mortgage balance decreasing.

Eating fruit and vegetables could prevent the progression of cancer because pectin may inhibit the cancer-spreading protein called galectin 3, a study reveals.

And although eating healthily could be one way to stop the disease, people may also want to invest in life insurance to prevent financial instability should a cancer be diagnosed.

The European Prospective Investigation of Cancer shows a significant link between a lower risk of cancer of the gastrointestinal tract and eating lots of fibre, the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council reports.

"For a whole combination of different effects it is best to consistently eat a range of fruits, vegetables and high-fibre foods. You don't necessarily have to eat a superfood," says Professor Vic Morris from the Institute of Food Research.

There are more than 200 different types of cancer, according to Cancer Research UK, although breast cancer, lung cancer, large bowel cancer and prostate cancer are the most common.

Decreasing term life insurance is one life insurance policy that could be available to those worried about cancer.

Such a policy could ensure that a partner, or whoever shares a mortgage, will not have to sell up or face repossession.

Common painkillers aspirin and ibuprofen could cut the risk of breast cancer by around 20 per cent, a study published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute reveals.

Ibuprofen lowered the risk by a fifth, while aspirin cut the possibility by 13 per cent, the study which looked at the information of 2.7 million women claims, statistics that could be interesting for women worried about the medical condition and considering life insurance in case they are diagnosed.

The results were encouraging and could help doctors comprehend how inflammation affects the development of cancer, leader of the team who carried out the research Dr Mahyar Etminan says.

"However, we don't recommend the routine use of NSAIDs for breast cancer prevention until large randomised trials confirm these findings," he adds, although it could be said life insurance could be recommended for women who do not already have it.

Women aged 50 or over are invited to be screened for the disease by the NHS because most breast cancers occur in postmenopausal women, Breakthrough says.

Those considering life cover may want to look at decreasing term life insurance, which may also be known as mortgage life insurance and could be taken out jointly, with someone, or alone.

After two years of being vaccinated with the pneumococcal (pneumonia) jab, patients had a 50 per cent lower risk of heart attacks, a study unveils, which could be welcome news for people with a family history of heart attacks and considering life insurance.

The rates of the pneumococcal vaccine in high-risk patients were studied between those who had a heart attack and those who did not, the hospital-based study published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal says.

Risk of a heart attack appears to decrease with time after being given the jab, the journal claims, which could be of interest to people who want to buy life cover to financially protect their family should a heart attack occur.

It is thought that the vaccine protects against heart attacks because it prevents pneumonia, which is believed to be a cause of cardiac failure, Dr Mohammad Madjid from the Texas Heart Institute claims.

Most heart attacks happen because of coronary heart disease, where the arteries to the organ become narrowed, the British Heart Foundation says.

Those concerned about heart attacks could consider decreasing term life insurance, which could be tailored to specify how long the cover lasts for and how much it is worth.