Top 10 Best Insurance Companies In The World In 2015

Insurance company is way of risk management through hedging the loss or damage of any uncertain situation by paying some amount to company. In recent era the Insurance companies are emerging and become any integral part of life of any individual or corporation which covers any of loss by offering different specialized plans to its customers.
Insurance companies provides exclusive policies including automotive, property, tangible or intangible goods, health and life insurance with respect to time, money or premium becoming efficient and effective respondents to change which enables risk.
There are numerous insurance companies serving the customers worldwide making it difficult for any person or business firm to choose the best one. Here we listed top ten best insurance companies in the world below for you.

10. Zurich Insurance

Zurich insurance group is one of the leading companies in the world which operate on a truly global basis with mission to help its customers by realizing and protecting themselves from uncertain risk. The firm has been ranked among world’s largest public company and 94th in Interbrand’s top100 brands, also added in the list of top best insurance companies in the world with $45.4 Billion shareholders equity. Having 60,000 employees in nearly 170 countries, the insurance group is providing quality services to its customers with wide range of specialized plans to firms, individuals, small business and multi-national companies since 130 years.

9. ING Group

The ING Group is a Dutch banking and financial services corporation which primary businesses include direct banking, retail banking, asset management, commercial banking, investment banking, and insurance services. Headquartered in Amsterdam the ING Group is providing its services in about 40 plus countries with workforce of nearly 85,000, however, its insurance related services are especially in United States, Asia and Europe. With net shareholder’s equity of $63.22 Billion the group is standing among the top best insurance companies in the world, offering life insurance, retirement services, fixed annuities and products insurance.

8. AIA Group

AIA Group is a real life insurance company originated in Hong Kong with operations in Australia, New Zealand and East Asian and South Asian countries and subsidiaries in Thailand, Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia, China, and Korea. With employees of more than 21,000 the insurance in another leading corporation in the world that also enrolled in the list of top best insurance companies in the world. The group insurance services include Credit insurance, wealth management plans, retirement schemes, saving and investment services.

7. AXA

The multinational, investment banking group AXA is headquartered in the 8th arrondissement of Paris deals in investment banking, capital management, insurance, and other financial services. AXA Group has nearly workforce of 102,960 has primary insurance services include Life and Savings, Property & Casualty, International Insurance and Asset Management. Founded in 1816 the firm owns approximately $61.55 Billion, considered as one of best Insurance Corporation in the world which operation spread in North America, Western Europe, Asia Pacific, and Middle East region.

6. MetLife

MetLife is another largest multinational insurance giant headquartered in New York which provides insurance, employee benefit programs and annuities, has nearly 66,000 employees in more than 60 countries. MetLife is leading firm in United States, Japan, Latin America, Europe, Asia’s Pacific region, and the Middle East, enlisted in the top best insurance companies following its specialized and elite plans for its customers. The firm is offering Life insurance, Accident insurance, health insurance, Credit insurance, Disability income insurance, Auto insurance and Home insurance with total equity of about $63 Billion.

5. Ping An insurance

The China based insurance company Ping An provides Life Insurance, Property and Casualty insurance, Banking services, Securities and Corporate. With market capitalization of $65 Billion is also named in the list of top best insurance companies in the world which has its headquarters in Shenzhen and Shanghai. The public company is one of the leading insurance companies in Asian region which has around 190,000 which are serving to provide its services to customers worldwide.

4. American International Group (AIG)

American multinational insurance corporation American International Group (AIG) is world leading property-casualty, life insurance and retirement and general insurance firm, serving more than 70 million clients in 130 countries. With one of the industry’s most wide ranges of plans and policies and exceptional financial strength enables its customers to manage any risk efficiently. AIG is the 42nd-largest public company in the world having market capital up to $78.48 billion, also the most preferred and best insurance firm all over world. The individual insurance services include Health and Accident Insurance, Travel Insurance, Motor Insurance, and Lifestyle Insurance.

3. Allianz Insurance

Allianz is a German financial services company with over 147,000 employees offering services to 80 million customers in 70 plus countries. The multinational corporation is one of leading German insurance firm holding market with $76 Billion around world, considered as one of best insurance company in the world. Allianz personal insurance include Life insurance, Health insurance, Motor insurance, family insurance and home insurance while it also serves small, medium and large sized corporation by providing credit insurance, asset management plans and firm related other insurance policies.

2. China life Insurance

China Life Insurance Group has headquarter in Beijing, that offers life insurance, property & casualty insurance, pension plans, asset management, and industrial investment, also provides participating and non-participating life insurance and annuities to individuals. The first insurance company triple-listed in New York, Hong Kong and Shanghai, it is one of the leading firm in world with respect to its market share which is more $80 Billion. The exclusive customized plans, policies and efficient claims responses enable China life Insurance to stand among the top best insurance companies in the world.

1. Berkshire Hathaway Insurance

The multinational conglomerate American based Berkshire Hathaway has its headquarters in United States, Omaha and Nebraska, has nearly 302,000 employees. About $ 224 billion market capitalization made it the largest global corporation owned BNSF, Helzberg Diamonds, Lubrizol, Dairy Queen, Flight Safety International, GEICO and NetJets. The company has private and public insurance policies to attract the maximum customer with easy and reliable claim procedures adding it into the list of top best insurance companies in the world.


SOURCES - http://www.abcnewspoint.com

The Top 5 Micro Cap Technology Stocks for 2016 (IGLD,NCIT)

Technology stocks have performed very well throughout the current bull market. Over the past five years, the technology sector has returned 58.6% and has been the fourth-best performing sector, behind health care, consumer discretionary and consumer staples.
However, the group of stocks that have helped continue driving indexes higher, nicknamed FANG stocks, are all well-known technology stocks. Facebook, Amazon, Netflix and Google make up the acronym and have been explosive outperformers and drivers of market gains throughout the last several years.
While the technology sector has been a strong performer, picking individual companies within the sector has seemed to provide even stronger gains. While the FANG stocks specifically are forecast to stay relatively flat for 2016, aggressive investors could research these five micro-cap technology stocks for gains in 2016

Internet Gold

Internet Gold Golden Lines Ltd. (NASDAQ: IGLD) is a communications company based in Israel. The $203.59 million company soared last year, returning 62.88%.
Internet Gold struggled significantly in 2014, but managed to contain issues and have a relatively decent 2015. For instance, the communications company reported third quarter 2015 earnings in November 2015 that showed the company had earnings per share (EPS) of 2 cents on revenue of $663 million, after posting negative results in the third quarter of 2014.
Turning to the fundamentals, Internet Gold Golden Lines has a price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of 16.86 and a price/earnings to growth (PEG) ratio of 1.12. The stock is undervalued compared to sales, cash and free cash flow, as seen with a price-to-sales (P/S) ratio of 0.08, a price-to-cash (P/C) ratio of 0.24 and a price to free cash flow (P/FCF) ratio of 0.28. While Internet Gold is a small stock with no analyst coverage, the company has improved greatly since 2014, which is the reasoning behind shares soaring 119% in the past six months and 62.88% in past year.

NCI

NCI, Inc. (NASDAQ: NCIT) is a provider of information technology services, primarily to government agencies, defense, intelligence and health care providers. Based in the United States, NCI has a market cap of $188.64 million and has outperformed in the past year, returning 28.87%.
In September 2015, NCI won a U.S. Army contract worth $14 million pertaining to software testing in Fort Hood, Texas. Additionally, in October 2015, NCI won yet another U.S. Army contract worth $211 million to work on U.S. Army Program Executive Office (PEO) programs in Virginia. These key contracts will continue to help push NCI’s earnings higher over the next year.
Turning to fundamentals, NCI has a P/E ratio of 17.01, and a forward P/E of 15.95. NCI is undervalued when considering sales and free cash flow, as is seen with a P/S of 0.58 and a P/FCF of 7.58. NCI currently has a total debt to equity (D/E) of 0.11 and essentially no cash on hand.

Cohu

Cohu, Inc. (NASDAQ: COHU) offers semiconductor testing systems and solutions and operates in the U.S. The $292.39 million company has performed relatively in line with overall markets in the past year, returning -3.52%.
Unlike the last two stocks, Cohu does have some analyst coverage, which currently registers an overall buy consensus. In August 2015, Cohu was upgraded from neutral to buy at Sidoti & Co., and July 2015 saw Dougherty & Co reiterate its buy rating on the company, but it did lower Cohu's target price to $14 from $16.
Cohu reported third quarter earnings in October 2015 that showed the company had adjusted EPS of 17 cents on revenue of $67.5 million. Cohu currently has a P/E of 62.17 and a forward P/E of 15.61. Cohu has an undervalued a P/S of 0.97, and strong cash flow with a P/FCF of 10.08. Additionally, Cohu has no debt, registers cash per share of 3.47 and pays an annual dividend of 2.14%. Cohu's forward guidance is largely contingent on the overall outlook of the semiconductor industry. Since Cohu relies on testing of semiconductors, it is important to consider semiconductor volumes, sales and innovations, such as LG's recent 8K TV, which was unveiled at CES 2015.

Hurco

Hurco Companies, Inc. (NASDAQ: HURC) specializes in technology solutions for industrial and manufacturing clients. More specifically, Hurco offers computer-programmed tools that assist in a variety of metal cutting techniques. The U.S.-based company has a market cap of $179 million and has returned -14.64% in the past year.
In January 2016, Hurco reported its fourth quarter and full year 2015 results. For the fourth quarter, Hurco reported its EPS came in at 72 cents and its full-year 2015 EPS registered at $2.44. Fourth quarter 2015 revenue jumped 6% from the same period in 2014, and full-year revenue saw a 8% increase from full-year 2014 results. Hurco has a current P/E ratio of 11.02, an undervalued P/S ratio of 0.83 and an undervalued P/FCF ratio of 8.91. Its total debt/equity (D/E) is essentially nonexistent at 0.01, and its cash per share is strong at 7.63, giving the company a strong current ratio of 3.4. Hurco also pays an annual dividend of 1.17%.

ReneSola

ReneSola Ltd. (NYSE: SOL) is a bit of a wild card for investors seeking high-risk, high-return opportunities. ReneSola is a Chinese solar panel manufacturer that has outperformed over the past year, returning 28.79%. ReneSola's most recent earnings release took place in November 2015 for its third quarter 2015 release. For the third quarter of 2015, ReneSola posted EPS of 8 cents on revenue of $368.2 million. Zacks Investment Research was forecasting EPS of -5 cents on revenue of $335 million.
Currently, ReneSola is not profitable and is not forecast to reach profitability within the next year. However, the stock is undervalued when looking at sales and free cash flow: it has a P/S ratio of 0.13 and a P/FCF of 2.58.
Aside from a lack of profitability, there is a concern with debt. ReneSola had $750 million in debt on its balance sheet as of September 2015, and cash of $86 million. However, ReneSola is forecasting strong earnings growth moving forward; the company sees stronger monetization from projects in Japan and the United Kingdom, and there are strong cash flow figures.

However, a struggling China could put potential risks on companies such as ReneSola. While solar power's long-term outlook remains strong, there are certainly some near-term headwinds that investors should keep in mind.

SOURCE - http://www.investopedia.com

What features matter most in Auto Insurance policy?

• What’s covered?

  The amount of coverage required by law varies from state to state. If you are a cautious person, you might opt for a more expensive policy with better coverage. If you have a lot of assets, experts recommend that you get enough liability coverage to protect them; otherwise, the other party involved in an accident could sue and attempt to collect on those assets.
  • Read the policy: Carefully examine your auto insurance policy to understand exactly what is covered, and work with your agent and insurance company to make the right adjustments to suit your unique situation.
  • Limits: Pay attention to the limits and deductibles set by the insurance policy. In some cases, there will be a maximum payout, which may not be as high as you’re looking for. Or in others, the deductible could be higher than you’re willing to pay out of pocket in the event of a claim.

• Are there exclusions?

  Sometimes insurance policies will have exclusions, and you’ll end up paying out of pocket for an accident or repair that you thought would be covered.
  • Other drivers don’t have insurance: If you get into a collision with an uninsured driver, you’ll have to pay for repairs out of your own pocket and sue for damages unless you have the proper auto insurance policy.
  • Car theft: Basic insurance policies don’t always cover car theft.
  • Damage from natural accidents: Some insurers don’t cover collisions with animals, tornados, earthquakes, damage from falling objects, etc., unless you specifically pay for these coverages.

• Mechanics and replacement parts

  Be wary during a claim. Some insurers will push you to use shops in a direct-repair program or use cheaper replacement parts rather than the original equipment manufacturer.
  • Can you choose a service provider?: Choosing your own mechanic is the best-case scenario, but they aren’t always covered by insurance policies. Check the fine print of the policy to see if the insurer has control over which service providers and parts are used for repairs.
  • Are service providers reputable?: If the insurer has the authority to pick your mechanic, investigate them. Look for service reviews online from past claims and from former policyholders.
  • What if the replacement part breaks?: Find out how the insurer handles faulty repairs and how quickly they will take care of it.

• Cost

  The cost of auto insurance is a big factor in most people’s decision about which policy to choose.
  • Premium: The premium is the monthly , semi-annual or yearly price that you pay for your insurance plan.
  • Deductible: Deductibles are the amount of money you are required to pay for a claim before your insurance company starts to pay out. The lower your deductible, the higher your premium tends to be.
  • Coverage factors: Depending on much coverage you opt for (i.e., the limits), the cost of your insurance will vary. Your past driving record, credit rating, distance you drive and even drivers’ education will all affect how much your policy costs.

• Optional coverage

  In addition to basic auto insurance, there are optional coverages available for drivers with different needs.
  • Collision coverage: Collision coverage pays for the expenses to repair your car after you’ve been in an accident, whether you’re at fault or not. If you drive an older car that isn’t worth much money, it may not be worth it to pay for collision insurance.
  • Comprehensive coverage: This covers things that could happen to your car not related to an accident that might not be covered by standard insurance, such as weather damage, running into an animal or other factors. It’s a good idea to opt for comprehensive coverage if you can afford it, but it can get costly and might not be worth it if you drive an old or inexpensive car.
  • Uninsured motorist protection: This protects drivers in the event that they get into an accident with a person who isn’t insured but is to blame for the accident or in a hit-and-run. It will cover damages to the car and injury in the event that another driver is unable to pay out.

• Insurance company ratings

  An insurance company’s reputation is important. Good companies should have a quick response time, be adept at handling claims and have excellent customer service.
  • Reviews and complaints: Check the reviews and ratings on an insurance company before purchasing a policy. Be aware of any complaints that have been filed.
  • Handling claims: How long does it take for the company to handle a claim? Do you have to pay out of pocket first or do they cover the expenses immediately?

List of United States insurance companies

Largest Public Insurance Companies by Market Capitalization
Investors can buy shares of publicly traded companies in the insurance industry. The largest insurance companies as of Q1 2014 by market capitalization on the world stock exchanges are:

Non-health Insurance Companies:

Company Name	Market Capitalization
Berkshire Hathaway (BRK.A)	$308 billion
China Life Insurance (LFC)	$80 billion
Allianz (AZSEY)	$76.8 billion
American International Group (AIG)	$72.3 billion
Ping An of China (PNGAY)	$65.6 billion
MetLife (MET)	$59.4 billion
AXA (AXA)	$57.8 billion
AIA Group Hong Kong (AAIGF)	$54.4 billion
ING Groep (ING)	$54.4 billion
Zurich Insurance (ZURVY)	$45.4 Billion

(Source: Thompson Reuters)
Health Insurance and Managed Health Care Companies:

Company Name	Market Capitalization
United Healthcare (UNH)	$91.8 billion
Wellpoint (WLP)	$34.3 billion
Aetna (AET)	$29.8 billion
CIGNA Corp. (CI)	$26.8 billion
Humana (HUM)	$21.1 billion
Centene Corp. (CNC)	$5.7 billion
Health Net, Inc. (HNT)	$3.9 billion
WellCare Health Plans (WCG)	$3.1 billion
Healthspring (HS)	$3.7 billion
Molina Healthcare (MOH)	$2.4 billion

(Source: Thompson Reuters)

Not all insurance companies are publicly traded. In fact, many insurers are structured as mutual companies where policy holders of participating policies are essentially partial owners of the company. The mutual company model for an insurance company dates back hundred of years, and there are certain benefits conferred on policyholders that do not exist with publicly traded (stock company) insurers. (For more, see: The Industry Handbook: The Insurance Industry.)

Property & Casualty
Property casualty insurers write policies covering property such as real estate, dwellings, cars and other vehicles. They also write policies dealing with liabilities that may be incurred by accident or negligence related to those properties to defray the cost of lawsuits or medical damages resulting from such incidents.

The top U.S. property casualty companies in 2013 by net premiums written (the amount of money that non-life policies can expect to receive over the life of the contract, less commissions and costs) are:

Company	Net Premiums Written
State Farm Group	$50.8 billion
Allstate Insurance Group (ALL)	$24.8 billion
Liberty Mutual	$21.5 billion
Berkshire Hathaway (includes GEICO)	$21.4 billion
Travelers Group (TRV)	$20.6 billion
American International Group (AIG)	$19.7 billion
Nationwide Group	$14.5 billion
Progressive Insurance Group (PGR)	$14.5 billion
Farmers Insurance Group	$14.1 billion
USAA Group	$10.7 billion

(Source A.M. Best)


Life Insurance Companies
Life Insurance companies promise to pay out a lump sum benefit upon the death of the insured. Although actuarial science has created mortality tables to accurately estimate the future liability of policies to be paid, having financial strength ensures that these companies can meet all of their obligations while still earning a profit.
Life Insurance companies in the U.S. can be ranked by direct premium written (the amount of new policies written directly and not re-insured). For 2013:

Company	Total Direct Premium	Market Share
MetLife (MET)	$11.5 billion	7.98%
Northwestern Mutual	$9.4 billion	6.55%
Prudential of America (PRU)	$8.4 billion	5.79%
New York Life	$7.8 billion	5.42%
Lincoln National	$6.1 billion	4.27%
MassMutual	$5.1 billion	3.52%
John Hancock	$4.8 billion	3.37%
Aegon (AEG)	$4.1 billion	2.82%
State Farm	$4.0 billion	2.79%
Guardian Life Insurance Co.	$3.4 billion	2.34%

(Source: NAIC)
Health Insurance Companies
Health insurance companies provide policies to cover all or part of policyholder's health and medical costs. Policies may be purchased individually or through an employer. Technically, the United States government is the largest health insurance provider in America through the Medicare program, Social Security and with Medicaid administered by individual states. (For more, see: 5 Things You Need To Know About Obamacare.)
The largest non-government sponsored U.S. health insurance companies measured by total direct premium collected in 2007 was:

Company	Total Direct Premium	Market Share
United Healthcare (UNH)	$66.8 billion	11.70%
Wellpoint Group (WLP)	$55.7 billion	9.75%
Kaiser Permanente	$43.7 billion	7.66%
Humana (HUM)	$21.7 billion	3.81%
Aetna (AET)	$21.7 billion	3.81%
Health Care Service Corp	$14.9 billion	2.60%
American Family	$11.6 billion	2.04%
Highmark	$11.4 billion	2.01%
Blue Cross/Blue Shield	$9.8 billion	1.72%
Cigna (CI)	$9.6 billion	1.69%

(Source: NAIC. Caveat emptor: The sales data on health insurance companies is from 2007, the last year of available data. The Affordable Care Act (aka 'Obamacare') may have altered these standings.)