Friday Fun.Here are this weeks selection of funny insurance claims.
Enjoy, and have a great weekend!
According to the head of the Department for Health, statistics recently released show that the Malaga region are lagging behind when it comes to medical waiting lists. So unless you’re an emergency, be prepared!
For operations whose maximum waiting time is 120 days – Malaga’s waiting time is 54 days, and the Andalusian average is 50 days.
For first appointments to see a specialist – Malaga’s waiting time is 50 days, and the Andalusian average is 48 days. At the end of 2009 that equated to a massive 41,588 patients who were still waiting to see a specialist.
For diagnostic tests – Malaga’s waiting time is around 23 days, similar to that of the Andalusian average.
The Department of Health says that they’re addressing the waiting list issues and have already instigated the afternoon opening hours for operating theatres.
They say that they’re also investigating the increase in demand shown in recent years. One theory is that the population in the area is growing quicker than they are able to cope with. Another theory is that the population is becoming predominantly older.
This second theory may in fact prove to be correct as it seems that the majority of operations are for age related problems, such as the removal of cataracts and bunions.
The answer to that one is yes. You can’t jump the queues within the national health service but you can go privately which would cut waiting times.
I know it all means extra money to pay out monthly for private health care, or pay a lump sum to the private hospitals, but if you don’t have your health – what do you have?
By the way, if you’re one of the unfortunate people waiting on one of these lists, you can check what position you’re at. Go to the official Andalusian Health Service website which is www.juntadeandalucia.es/salud
Here is this weeks update from currency expert Keith Spitalnick.Hola amigos!
Increased unemployment claims, further threat of job losses and the disagreement over the introduction of public spending cuts have prompted a sell off of the pound over the last 36 hours. Fridays trading opened with sterling a cent below the previous day’s inter-bank average, with the rates teasing the 1.14 support level, and dropping to between 1.1350 and 1.14 following the release of January’s retails sales figures. The pound has fallen amid fears that the British economy is showing more signs of stress as the year progresses.
Greece has been the main cause of volatility over the past 7 days, with EU minister expressing their alarm at the level of deceit required to cover up such a significant deficit. For the first time since 1993, British public finances have gone into the red in January.
Such a deficit is, at 12.8 per cent of British gross domestic product, even greater than Greece’s, however, the head of sovereign risk strategy at HSBC has commented that there is ‘zero’ percent chance of Britain defaulting on her loans. Uneven economic figures will ensure that the recovery is only gradual and the Bank of England recently reported a decline in lending to businesses, indicating that the economic slowdown is far from over.
Last quarter’s GDP figures relied heavily on manufacturing activity, and this week has seen the release of the most recent CBI Industrial Order Expectations. Also known as Industrial Trends Survey, it’s a leading indicator of economic health. Businesses react quickly to market conditions, and changes in their expectations can be an early signal of future economic activity such as spending, hiring, and investment. The CBI surveys about 550 manufacturers and asks respondents to rate the relative level of order volume expected during the next 3 months; above 0 indicates increasing order volume is expected, below indicates expectations are for lower volume. The figure for the most recently published survey, released on Thursday, showed that expected volumes are down on the predicted forecast of negative 35. The survey shows a negative 36, and although better than the previous month’s release (negative 39) it does suggest that even the manufacturing sector is tempering its expectations despite improved export activity.
Next week promises to provide a lot of information for the euro zone and the UK, and if this weeks survey of German Institutional investors (ZEW Economic Sentiment) is any indication it seems that the euro may try to break through the range over the next few weeks 1.13 – 1.14. Investors and analysts are highly informed by virtue of their job, and changes in their sentiment can be an early signal of future economic activity. Germany is the most dominant economy in the EEA and the fact that they are more confident this month than last means that the pound may come under further pressure.
Hasta la proxima!
For more information on currency exchange you can click here.
No one wants to think about dying and most people will put off planning for a funeral until they become ill. However, if you are living away from your country of origin it is something which should be considered in advance to ensure that your wishes are respected and you don’t leave loved-ones with costs and red-tape that they can’t handle.
So to understand the differences and allow you to make the right choice for you click on the two links below.
For more information about funeral insurance click here.
For more information about pre-paid funeral plans click here.
Here is this weeks update from currency expert Keith Spitalnick.Hola amigos!
Well what a week to have been part of the European dream!.
Even Freddie Kruger walking down Elm Street would have got a warmer reception than the way the Greeks have been treated. The ongoing saga reminds me of 2 things:
1) When all the weedy kids in school ganged up on the really weedy kid…
2) When I use to cry and my mother promised to give me a smack so I had something to really cry about…
The 16 euro zone members who for the past 10 years have built the European dream on low productivity and high debt and appalling fiscal management have decided they have had enough and the Greeks are squarely to blame. On the face of it, yes the Greeks have completely mishandled their own affairs with a tax collection rate of only 30%, but they have done this under the eyes of their 15 European neighbours and they are not alone and will certainly not be the last to have their fiscal affairs laid out in full view of a global audience.
So what to do?
Well, as ever, the remaining Europeans will try to ignore the problem and hope it goes away. It won’t though. What is needed is for savage cuts in the Greek economy and…wait for it…..this bit you’re going to love:
Last Monday 70% of the Greek population backed the tough measures needed, on Thursday the other 30% went on strike, you couldn’t make it up… well, you could …. It’s known as the European dream.
The answer: Greece will not be allowed to go to the wall, the Euro will survive, you will see a large dose of European fudge, a bit of rule re-writing and then the finger pointed at someone else to blame for all their problems. Ironically what the euro zone needs is a much weaker currency and the Euro has only dropped a few cents on the back of these supposed apocalyptic events.
Deep budget cuts and a huge increase in productivity is also required…we wont get it.
Pass me the Ouzo……
For more information on currency exchange you can click here.
I bumped into a lamp-post which was obscured by human beings.
Is it really smooth sailing?This weeks update from currency expert Keith Spitalnick.
The UK economy has officially emerged from a deep recession, but is it really smooth sailing ahead now? Mervyn King has indicated that he expects inflation to move above the 3% level, but that it will cool later on in the year. Arguably the big question for this year is how quickly to withdraw the monetary and fiscal stimulus. Remove QE too early and we run the risk of a double dip recession however if QE is withdrawn too slowly then forecasts and assessments of our economic health become distorted as the economy relies on an artificial stimulus rather than institutional capital reserves.
The capital injected in the markets over the last 18 months was designed to free up lending, but even now the effects of more liquidity have not necessary permeated down to the high street. Banks are now required to hold greater levels of capital, and move away from their preference for high risk high return trades. These new regulatory requirements in the financial sector are reflected in the break down of our GDP figures and explain why Britain has only limped into the black this quarter.
Mervyn King is keeping a tight reign on the value of sterling, and the MPC’s increasingly ‘dovish’ perspective regarding inflation is the controlling factor for the pound over the next year. Although the BoE realize that inflation is bad for our economy they would sooner keep the pound weak with interest rates low so as to nurture a stronger recovery. The promise of obvious growth in the GDP figures released in January saw the pound rally to a 5 month high against the euro, and coupled with fears over the stability of the Portuguese, Irish, Greek and Spanish economies the pound has held form above 1.1350 for those tentative investors keen to get a quick return from the British market.
Some analysts have suggested that the only way the UK is to avoid a Greek or Spanish style economic crisis would be to increase income tax by 10%, VAT to 20% and the privatisation of the health service. Although there is always a threat of the double dip, it must be remembered that Greece and Spain had issues because of their ability to finance their debt. As the head of sovereign risk strategy at HSBC pointed out the cost of insuring a British government bond (gilt) means that there is ‘zero percent’ chance of Britain defaulting on her loans. Credit may be slow moving domestically, but internationally our debt is still an appealing investment.
Arguably the most important dates over the next two months will be 10th February and 15th March when we have the Treasury’s Inflation Report Hearings. During these hearings the BOE Governor and several MPC members testify on inflation and the economic outlook before Parliament’s Treasury Committee. If the comments are more ‘hawkish’ than expected we would expect a positive improvement in the value of sterling.
For more information on currency exchange you can click here.
The guy was all over the road. I had to swerve a number of times before I hit him.
I was sure the old fellow would never make it to the other side of the road when I struck him.
I told the police that I was not injured, but on removing my hat found that I had a fractured skull.
The indirect cause of the accident was a little guy in a small car with a big mouth.
Any ideas for the content of the claims form from the driver of the car in this video?
During September of 2009 important changes were implemented for foreigners resident in Spain. It is therefore important to understand the effects these changes have on us all.
Spain has a public health system making health care free or low cost provided that you are paying social security here or are in receipt of a UK state pension. As with many other countries, however, the public health service has waiting lists to see specialists and for non-urgent operations.
As a contribution based economy Spain will provide free medical treatment to British nationals whilst on holiday. However when you take up residence you have to pay the Spanish National Insurance, currently €260 per month.
If you are in receipt of a British pension you are entitled to free care, as Spain is part of the EU, BUT as from September 2009, any foreigner who is not in one of the above mentioned categories will not receive free medical assistance.
It was recently reported that because Spain cannot afford to look after it’s own people under the system, they have decided to STOP ALL treatment to foreigners. If you don’t contribute, you don’t get the benefits.
The E111 is ONLY for use whilst on holiday and new systems in operation from September will ensure that this is the case! The EHIC/E111 allows reciprocal emergency health care during temporary visits to other EU countries. Strictly speaking it is not a permanent entitlement nor a full entitlement to all treatments available under each nations state health care systems.
If you do not qualify for public health care then it is essential that you have private health insurance. No insurance will mean no treatment. Everyone hopes they will never need to use any kind of health professional, however accidents and emergencies do happen. For that reason alone, not to mention pure peace of mind, it’s worth investigating you’re options.
Even if you are under the public health care system it is still advisable to have private health insurance as well in order to skip the waiting lists and receive treatment quickly, when needed.
You can find out more about health insurance Spain by clicking here.
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