Tips for buying individual health insurance
There's strength in numbers, particularly when you're buying health insurance. As part of a group plan at work, you can generally lower premiums — but sometimes a group health plan may not be an option.
If you leave your job — or start another one that doesn't offer health insurance — you may be surprised at just how expensive the same coverage is when you buy individual health insurance.
[Let Insure.com help you find affordable health insurance now.]
An individual plan is one purchased on the private market, not tied to workplace benefits. Although they are called "individual" plans, they can cover you, your spouse and your children.
Health plans that cover children cannot deny or limit coverage for youngsters under age 19 because of a health condition. This provision of the federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act went into effect in September 2010. Starting in 2014, the rule will be extended to everyone.
Already sick?
If you're uninsured and sick, you may feel locked out of the individual health insurance market. And while it's true that it may seem impossible — or unaffordable — to buy health insurance when you have a serious pre-existing condition, there are practical ways you may be able to get coverage:
12 ways to get health insurance if you're already sick
For now, though, there is no guarantee that an insurer will accept an adult for an individual policy in most states. Individual plans are medically underwritten and the insurer may reject your application or attach exclusions to the policy if you have health problems. Under "guaranteed issue" laws, some states don't allow this practice and require that health insurers offer you a policy, no matter what medical problems you have. The Kaiser Family Foundation has a list of guaranteed issue laws.
People enrolled in individual plans pay premiums determined primarily by their expected health care costs, so prices will be higher for those who are older and/or less healthy.
The cost of individual health plans
Pricing is probably the most bewildering aspect of individual health plans, so it's worth your time to shop around for health insurance quotes. For instance, premiums for similar products from different insurers can vary by as much as 50 percent for the same person.
Don't let confusion tempt you to go without coverage. You might be healthy today, but develop a serious illness or suffer an injury tomorrow, which could lead to financial disaster if you’re uninsured. Sixty-two percent of bankruptcies are related to medical bills, according to a 2009 study in the American Journal of Medicine. Plus, you'll lose your rights to group health coverage of pre-existing conditions if you go without insurance for 63 days or more, a time period set by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA).
How to choose an individual health insurance plan
Ask yourself these key questions:
Are my family’s doctors in the plan’s network? You pay more to visit health care providers outside the plan’s network, so look for a plan with a robust network of primary care physicians, specialists and hospitals.
What are my family’s health care needs? Consider the services you and your family will need on a regular basis. If your child has asthma, will he have to see an asthma specialist routinely to keep it under control?
What will be my out-of-pocket expenses and monthly premiums? Out-of-pocket costs include the deductible, copays for office and emergency room visits and co-insurance. Generally the lower the out-of-pocket costs are, the higher the premium is. Paying a much higher premium just to get a low copay doesn’t make sense if you go to the doctor only a couple of times a year. However, choosing the plan with the lowest premium is unwise if you can’t afford to pay the out-of-pocket costs when you get sick. To estimate health plan costs, try this health care insurance cost calculator from Money-Zine.com.
Does the plan cover prescriptions and X-rays? Not all individual health plans cover prescription drugs, one of the most frequently used benefits. Review the terms of coverage to determine if your current prescriptions are covered and at what level. X-rays are a routine part of some treatments, so make sure they are covered in each plan you consider.
Do I prefer certain specialists? Some plans limit the types of providers you can see. If you want to visit an acupuncturist or chiropractor, be sure to ask your insurance agent about coverage for these services. Psychotherapy and other mental health services will likely have specific limitations as well.
How can I save money on the premium? One way is to look for a high-deductible health plan with a tax-advantaged health savings account (HSA). The HSA lets you save pre-tax money for out-of-pocket medical expenses, such as the deductible and medical care not covered by the health plan. Unused money rolls over from one year to the next, and you keep the account, even if you change health plans. Most high-deductible plans today cover the full scope of health care services and, under the Patient Protection Act, must fully cover preventive care.
What will it cost me for emergency care? Read the policy’s fine print about coverage for emergency care and hospital stays. Compare costs for copayments and co-insurance and how those costs and services, such as surgery care, apply toward the deductible.
Individual coverage at a group rate
In some states, you can buy health insurance as a "group of one" if you are a self-employed sole proprietor and can show that you've been in business for at least 30 days. The opportunity is available even if you work out of your home. The Kaiser Family Foundation has a list of states where you can buy guaranteed issue "group of one" health plans.
If you live in a state that does not offer "group of one" insurance policies, you might still qualify for a group rate if you own a business and have at least one partner or employee. Does your spouse do some bookkeeping for your company? That's a two-person business, eligible for a group rate and a group policy.
Leaving a job that had health benefits? Consider these options:
Check whether you can be added to a spouse’s health plan, if your spouse has coverage at work. Most employer-sponsored health plans extend coverage to spouses and children.
Consider continuing coverage through your employer’s group plan. Under the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act – COBRA – you can continue coverage for up to 18 months if your employer has at least 20 workers. However, you have to pay the entire premium, which might give you sticker shock if your employer has been paying most of the tab. Some states have their own “mini-COBRA” laws applying to employers with fewer than 20 workers. Know your COBRA rights.
Unless the employer is self-insured, you might be able to convert the group coverage to an individual health plan. Ask the insurer for details. The rate will be higher than the group plan’s rate, but it's one way to secure health insurance if you have medical conditions.
8 Keys to Picking the Best Individual Health Insurance Policy
Choosing the right individual health insurance plan just got a lot easier with the help of U.S. News’s Best Health Insurance Plans. Our user-friendly plan finder lets you zero in on a plan with the coverage you need at a price you can afford. To make a good choice and avoid some common traps, however, you need to keep a few basics in mind, starting with the meaning of such terms as premium, deductible, copay, and coinsurance. Then go through the checklist provided here, with your likely medical needs and how much you can pay a month as the backdrop. With the right insurance, you could save thousands, perhaps even tens of thousands, if you or a family member gets sick.
1. Identify the “must-haves.” You can’t foresee a sudden injury or illness, but some medical needs can be anticipated. Maternity coverage, for example, is an obvious must-have if you’re starting a family, and not all policies offer it. If you have a family history of heart disease, you may want to make sure your coverage includes the cost of cardiac screening tests and cholesterol-lowering drugs. Under the Affordable Care Act, individual insurance plans must cover the full cost of more than two dozen preventive services for men, women, and children, including vaccinations and tests for high blood pressure, cholesterol, colon cancer, and diabetes, as long as they’re provided by a practitioner in the plan’s network.
2. Don’t overbuy. Would you buy a luxury car with a monthly payment as big as your mortgage? There’s not much point in thinking about a Cadillac insurance policy your budget can’t handle, either. If you’re relatively young and healthy, consider choosing a policy with a high deductible, the amount you must pay out of pocket before certain benefits kick in. A plan with a deductible of $1,000 or more is likely to cost you considerably less per month, and could save you money in the long run.
3. Check the network. If you have a primary care physician and specialists you like, be sure they’re in the network of any plan you consider buying. Policies generally cover a lower share of the cost of out-of-network care—or none at all. For each plan U.S. News has rated, we supply links to the insurance company’s website. There, you should find a directory of doctors in the company’s network.
4. Know your share of the costs. This isn’t crystal-ball gazing. Plans are required to state how much you’ll pay out of pocket, through flat fees called copays and through coinsurance, a form of “cost-sharing” in which you pay a percentage of a medical service. When you’re sick, seemingly small copays can add up. And an expensive procedure could leave you obligated to pay thousands in coinsurance.
5. Make sure your drugs are covered. You’ll want to make certain that the plan’s formulary, or list of covered medications, includes those you take regularly, especially if they are expensive.
6. Look into annual limits on coverage and services. Thanks to health reform, annual dollar limits on coverage will disappear entirely in 2014. For now, any individual policy you buy cannot impose a limit of less than $1.25 million, an amount that will rise to $2 million on September 23, 2012. But the Affordable Care Act still allows plans to impose limits on services not deemed “essential” and, in some cases, to obtain a waiver allowing them to retain an annual limit.
7. Factor in your dependents. If you have children under age 26 without health insurance coverage through an employer, the law permits them to be on your insurance. Policies also can no longer exclude kids under age 19 from coverage because of pre-existing conditions.
8. Walk through several plans. It only takes a few minutes to review the main benefits associated with each plan, and some plans that look appealing at first glance may turn out to have cost-sharing features that could burden you with heavy medical costs. Each plan rated by U.S. News displays this information on a single page on usnews.com. A live person will walk you though the messier details if you contact the National Association of Health Underwriters, which can put you in touch with licensed local agents and brokers.
1. Identify the “must-haves.” You can’t foresee a sudden injury or illness, but some medical needs can be anticipated. Maternity coverage, for example, is an obvious must-have if you’re starting a family, and not all policies offer it. If you have a family history of heart disease, you may want to make sure your coverage includes the cost of cardiac screening tests and cholesterol-lowering drugs. Under the Affordable Care Act, individual insurance plans must cover the full cost of more than two dozen preventive services for men, women, and children, including vaccinations and tests for high blood pressure, cholesterol, colon cancer, and diabetes, as long as they’re provided by a practitioner in the plan’s network.
2. Don’t overbuy. Would you buy a luxury car with a monthly payment as big as your mortgage? There’s not much point in thinking about a Cadillac insurance policy your budget can’t handle, either. If you’re relatively young and healthy, consider choosing a policy with a high deductible, the amount you must pay out of pocket before certain benefits kick in. A plan with a deductible of $1,000 or more is likely to cost you considerably less per month, and could save you money in the long run.
3. Check the network. If you have a primary care physician and specialists you like, be sure they’re in the network of any plan you consider buying. Policies generally cover a lower share of the cost of out-of-network care—or none at all. For each plan U.S. News has rated, we supply links to the insurance company’s website. There, you should find a directory of doctors in the company’s network.
4. Know your share of the costs. This isn’t crystal-ball gazing. Plans are required to state how much you’ll pay out of pocket, through flat fees called copays and through coinsurance, a form of “cost-sharing” in which you pay a percentage of a medical service. When you’re sick, seemingly small copays can add up. And an expensive procedure could leave you obligated to pay thousands in coinsurance.
5. Make sure your drugs are covered. You’ll want to make certain that the plan’s formulary, or list of covered medications, includes those you take regularly, especially if they are expensive.
6. Look into annual limits on coverage and services. Thanks to health reform, annual dollar limits on coverage will disappear entirely in 2014. For now, any individual policy you buy cannot impose a limit of less than $1.25 million, an amount that will rise to $2 million on September 23, 2012. But the Affordable Care Act still allows plans to impose limits on services not deemed “essential” and, in some cases, to obtain a waiver allowing them to retain an annual limit.
7. Factor in your dependents. If you have children under age 26 without health insurance coverage through an employer, the law permits them to be on your insurance. Policies also can no longer exclude kids under age 19 from coverage because of pre-existing conditions.
8. Walk through several plans. It only takes a few minutes to review the main benefits associated with each plan, and some plans that look appealing at first glance may turn out to have cost-sharing features that could burden you with heavy medical costs. Each plan rated by U.S. News displays this information on a single page on usnews.com. A live person will walk you though the messier details if you contact the National Association of Health Underwriters, which can put you in touch with licensed local agents and brokers.
How to Buy an Individual Health Insurance Plan
More Americans are buying their own health insurance, but the process can be tough. There are ways to make sure you understand what you’re buying, and that you get the product that’s best for you.
You may want to start by confirming that you really do need to buy individual insurance. For many people, it’s better to avoid the individual market, since in most states insurers can reject you because of preexisting health conditions.
The Kaiser Family Foundation web site is a good place to start in researching your eligibility for various government programs or, if you are losing coverage because of a layoff, continuing workplace benefits through the federal law known as Cobra. Once Cobra coverage runs out, insurers may be required under federal law to sell you another policy, though there’s no guarantee on the price. But different states implement this rule in different ways.
If you are going to buy your own insurance, start your research with Web sites that explain the basics, such as healthinsuranceinfo.net, sponsored by the Georgetown University Health Policy Institute, and healthcarecoach.com, from the nonprofit National Health Law Program. They will help you understand the concepts and language of health insurance, which aren’t always easy to grasp, and should give you some sense of the questions to ask about any plan. Healthinsurance.org has useful information, but be aware that the site also provides insurance quotes from what it calls “carefully chosen partners who are in the business of selling health insurance.”
Then you can noodle around on Web-based brokerages that sell health insurance, including eHealthInsurance.com, HealthPlanOne.com, HealthInsurance.com and InsureMonkey.com. You can get estimates based on limited anonymous information.
Some consumers choose plans based solely on online research. But without guidance, it can be tough to fully understand the nuances of a plan and how it compares to other options. First, make sure you’re actually buying insurance, not some other product such as a discount card – one key way to tell is by checking with your state regulator that the company selling the product is considered a legitimate insurer. Be very careful about limited products such as temporary insurance, which last for a set period of time, since you may not be able to renew such a plan at the end of that period.
When you examine policies, don’t just look at premiums. Figure in other fees you will face, such as a percentage of the cost of doctor visits. Make sure you understand the policy’s annual out-of-pocket maximum, meaning the most you might have to spend in a year, since certain charges might not count toward the total. Some insurers require you to track your own spending and tell the company when you have reached your maximum, which might be a headache.
Read the fine print about your deductible, which is the amount of money you must lay out before your insurer starts paying. Some policies may have multiple deductibles, including one for each family member. Insurers may also not count certain costs toward the deductible.
Also, watch out for benefit limits, including annual and lifetime maximum payouts. So-called “mini-med” policies that cap their payouts can be dangerous, since you might end up paying bills for thousands of dollars if you have a major illness or surgery. Certain plans pay only a set fee per day of a hospital stay, which could leave you on the hook for thousands of dollars. Drug benefits don’t always include every medication. Some policies exclude maternity coverage, or don’t include care for pre-existing conditions.
And keep in mind that just because something isn’t in the “excluded benefits” section of your plan doesn’t mean it’s actually covered. For instance, insurers typically refuse to cover all treatments they don’t consider “medically necessary.”
Before making a final decision to purchase a policy, closely review the full plan explanation, sometimes called the certificate of coverage or the evidence of coverage, and seek help from the Web brokerage’s agents or other experts if you don’t understand it. Insurers may let you review this this document only after you tentatively choose a plan and are accepted for coverage.
First-time purchasers should strongly consider consulting several independent agents before buying to compare their advice. To find an agent, ask friends or family members for recommendations. You can find agents who specialize in health insurance through the National Association of Health Underwriters. Online brokerages also typically have live agents available to answer questions by phone.
Check with your state regulator that an agent has a valid license and a clean record, and make sure health insurance isn’t a sideline or a new specialty. You want an agent who represents a number of major insurers, rather than just one company. You also may want to ask agents how they’re compensated. Agents get commissions from insurers for each policy they sell, often calculated as a percentage of a customer’s premiums. These can range from around 3% to as high as 20%, according to agents and insurance officials. You want to know if your agent will make more money from selling you a certain plan. Also, commissions can be higher in the first year of a policy, an incentive for unscrupulous agents to “churn” clients, or try to get them to switch policies.
An agent should learn your financial limits and any health issues. One good sign is if an agent asks about your eligibility for government programs or the Cobra subsidy. These make no money for the agent but may be the best options for you.
An agent should help guide you toward the insurer most likely to accept you. Keep in mind that if you are rejected by one carrier, you will probably have to disclose that in future applications. An agent also should help you fill out the application. But make sure that you know what’s in the application and that it is accurate. If you make mistakes, you may give the insurer an opening to rescind your policy later.
Finally, you should expect your agent to continue advising and helping you even after you purchase a policy. If you aren’t satisfied, you can change agents. In many cases, you can also redirect the flow of commissions tied to your plan to your new agent by informing the health insurer that you want to designate a new agent of record.
You may want to start by confirming that you really do need to buy individual insurance. For many people, it’s better to avoid the individual market, since in most states insurers can reject you because of preexisting health conditions.
The Kaiser Family Foundation web site is a good place to start in researching your eligibility for various government programs or, if you are losing coverage because of a layoff, continuing workplace benefits through the federal law known as Cobra. Once Cobra coverage runs out, insurers may be required under federal law to sell you another policy, though there’s no guarantee on the price. But different states implement this rule in different ways.
If you are going to buy your own insurance, start your research with Web sites that explain the basics, such as healthinsuranceinfo.net, sponsored by the Georgetown University Health Policy Institute, and healthcarecoach.com, from the nonprofit National Health Law Program. They will help you understand the concepts and language of health insurance, which aren’t always easy to grasp, and should give you some sense of the questions to ask about any plan. Healthinsurance.org has useful information, but be aware that the site also provides insurance quotes from what it calls “carefully chosen partners who are in the business of selling health insurance.”
Then you can noodle around on Web-based brokerages that sell health insurance, including eHealthInsurance.com, HealthPlanOne.com, HealthInsurance.com and InsureMonkey.com. You can get estimates based on limited anonymous information.
Some consumers choose plans based solely on online research. But without guidance, it can be tough to fully understand the nuances of a plan and how it compares to other options. First, make sure you’re actually buying insurance, not some other product such as a discount card – one key way to tell is by checking with your state regulator that the company selling the product is considered a legitimate insurer. Be very careful about limited products such as temporary insurance, which last for a set period of time, since you may not be able to renew such a plan at the end of that period.
When you examine policies, don’t just look at premiums. Figure in other fees you will face, such as a percentage of the cost of doctor visits. Make sure you understand the policy’s annual out-of-pocket maximum, meaning the most you might have to spend in a year, since certain charges might not count toward the total. Some insurers require you to track your own spending and tell the company when you have reached your maximum, which might be a headache.
Read the fine print about your deductible, which is the amount of money you must lay out before your insurer starts paying. Some policies may have multiple deductibles, including one for each family member. Insurers may also not count certain costs toward the deductible.
Also, watch out for benefit limits, including annual and lifetime maximum payouts. So-called “mini-med” policies that cap their payouts can be dangerous, since you might end up paying bills for thousands of dollars if you have a major illness or surgery. Certain plans pay only a set fee per day of a hospital stay, which could leave you on the hook for thousands of dollars. Drug benefits don’t always include every medication. Some policies exclude maternity coverage, or don’t include care for pre-existing conditions.
And keep in mind that just because something isn’t in the “excluded benefits” section of your plan doesn’t mean it’s actually covered. For instance, insurers typically refuse to cover all treatments they don’t consider “medically necessary.”
Before making a final decision to purchase a policy, closely review the full plan explanation, sometimes called the certificate of coverage or the evidence of coverage, and seek help from the Web brokerage’s agents or other experts if you don’t understand it. Insurers may let you review this this document only after you tentatively choose a plan and are accepted for coverage.
First-time purchasers should strongly consider consulting several independent agents before buying to compare their advice. To find an agent, ask friends or family members for recommendations. You can find agents who specialize in health insurance through the National Association of Health Underwriters. Online brokerages also typically have live agents available to answer questions by phone.
Check with your state regulator that an agent has a valid license and a clean record, and make sure health insurance isn’t a sideline or a new specialty. You want an agent who represents a number of major insurers, rather than just one company. You also may want to ask agents how they’re compensated. Agents get commissions from insurers for each policy they sell, often calculated as a percentage of a customer’s premiums. These can range from around 3% to as high as 20%, according to agents and insurance officials. You want to know if your agent will make more money from selling you a certain plan. Also, commissions can be higher in the first year of a policy, an incentive for unscrupulous agents to “churn” clients, or try to get them to switch policies.
An agent should learn your financial limits and any health issues. One good sign is if an agent asks about your eligibility for government programs or the Cobra subsidy. These make no money for the agent but may be the best options for you.
An agent should help guide you toward the insurer most likely to accept you. Keep in mind that if you are rejected by one carrier, you will probably have to disclose that in future applications. An agent also should help you fill out the application. But make sure that you know what’s in the application and that it is accurate. If you make mistakes, you may give the insurer an opening to rescind your policy later.
Finally, you should expect your agent to continue advising and helping you even after you purchase a policy. If you aren’t satisfied, you can change agents. In many cases, you can also redirect the flow of commissions tied to your plan to your new agent by informing the health insurer that you want to designate a new agent of record.
The key to choosing right plan is knowing how insurance works
The key to choosing right plan is knowing how insurance works
Choosing a health insurance plan that's right for you starts with understanding how insurance works. Unfortunately, that's not so easy. Below is a quick lesson in the basics, plus what you should look for in a health-insurance plan.
Choose a good plan
Good health insurance protects you from medical expenses you couldn't easily afford on your own. Inadequate insurance is everything else, including some products you can buy that may seem like health insurance but aren't.
What does good insurance look like?
Health insurance should do two things:
Cover all kinds of medical care. That includes outpatient treatment, doctor visits, hospitalization, prescription drugs, emergency services, mental-health and substance-abuse treatment, laboratory and imaging tests, preventive care, maternity care, and rehabilitation services. You might not need everything now, but sickness and injury can strike at any time.
Limit your out-of-pocket exposure. Good insurance should pick up 100 percent of your medical expenses when your out-of-pocket expenses from deductibles and co-insurance hit a certain level in a year—say, $5,000 or $10,000.
Resist the temptation to lower your premium by selecting a plan that omits major benefit categories, such as prescription drugs. Instead, lower your premium by opting for a higher deductible (say $5,000 rather than $2,500), a higher out-of-pocket limit (say $15,000 rather than $10,000), or both. That does mean that in years when you're healthy, you might get little or no benefit from your policy. But it's vital protection against financial catastrophe due to high medical bills.
Make sure you understand the plan's details
Starting this fall, all insurance plans (except for Medicare plans) must start providing a standard form, the "Summary of Benefits and Coverage," that sets out critical plan details such as deductibles, co-insurance, co-pays. If you have a choice of plans, use this form to compare them.
What about limited-benefit plans?
Those inexpensive plans, also known as "mini-meds," are often sold directly to consumers through telemarketers or online as "affordable" products you can get even if you're in poor health. They're cheap for a reason; they are designed to cap what they'll pay out for any given illness. For instance, a plan might pay only $1,000 a day for a hospital stay that could cost two to three times that. Or you might be entitled to only a few doctor visits a year, and little or nothing for costly outpatient treatments such as cancer chemotherapy. The risk if you ever develop a serious illness? Tens of thousands of dollars of debt.
Are medical-discount plans considered insurance?
No; they're programs that charge you a monthly fee for a card that supposedly entitles you to discounts from various medical providers. Even the legitimate ones are no substitute for real medical insurance in the event of a serious illness or accident. And some are scams that give you little or nothing for your money. The Federal Trade Commission has a consumer-education program, that can help you tell the difference.
What about health-care sharing ministries?
Those faith-based organizations don't claim to offer health insurance. Instead, they collect monthly "shares" from participating members that are then distributed to those with medical needs. They don't pay providers directly and don't have a binding contract to cover members' expenses. If you join such a ministry, you should know that you won't have any of the legal protections available to people who buy state-regulated insurance products. Learn more about health-care sharing ministries.
Choosing a health insurance plan that's right for you starts with understanding how insurance works. Unfortunately, that's not so easy. Below is a quick lesson in the basics, plus what you should look for in a health-insurance plan.
Choose a good plan
Good health insurance protects you from medical expenses you couldn't easily afford on your own. Inadequate insurance is everything else, including some products you can buy that may seem like health insurance but aren't.
What does good insurance look like?
Health insurance should do two things:
Cover all kinds of medical care. That includes outpatient treatment, doctor visits, hospitalization, prescription drugs, emergency services, mental-health and substance-abuse treatment, laboratory and imaging tests, preventive care, maternity care, and rehabilitation services. You might not need everything now, but sickness and injury can strike at any time.
Limit your out-of-pocket exposure. Good insurance should pick up 100 percent of your medical expenses when your out-of-pocket expenses from deductibles and co-insurance hit a certain level in a year—say, $5,000 or $10,000.
Resist the temptation to lower your premium by selecting a plan that omits major benefit categories, such as prescription drugs. Instead, lower your premium by opting for a higher deductible (say $5,000 rather than $2,500), a higher out-of-pocket limit (say $15,000 rather than $10,000), or both. That does mean that in years when you're healthy, you might get little or no benefit from your policy. But it's vital protection against financial catastrophe due to high medical bills.
Make sure you understand the plan's details
Starting this fall, all insurance plans (except for Medicare plans) must start providing a standard form, the "Summary of Benefits and Coverage," that sets out critical plan details such as deductibles, co-insurance, co-pays. If you have a choice of plans, use this form to compare them.
What about limited-benefit plans?
Those inexpensive plans, also known as "mini-meds," are often sold directly to consumers through telemarketers or online as "affordable" products you can get even if you're in poor health. They're cheap for a reason; they are designed to cap what they'll pay out for any given illness. For instance, a plan might pay only $1,000 a day for a hospital stay that could cost two to three times that. Or you might be entitled to only a few doctor visits a year, and little or nothing for costly outpatient treatments such as cancer chemotherapy. The risk if you ever develop a serious illness? Tens of thousands of dollars of debt.
Are medical-discount plans considered insurance?
No; they're programs that charge you a monthly fee for a card that supposedly entitles you to discounts from various medical providers. Even the legitimate ones are no substitute for real medical insurance in the event of a serious illness or accident. And some are scams that give you little or nothing for your money. The Federal Trade Commission has a consumer-education program, that can help you tell the difference.
What about health-care sharing ministries?
Those faith-based organizations don't claim to offer health insurance. Instead, they collect monthly "shares" from participating members that are then distributed to those with medical needs. They don't pay providers directly and don't have a binding contract to cover members' expenses. If you join such a ministry, you should know that you won't have any of the legal protections available to people who buy state-regulated insurance products. Learn more about health-care sharing ministries.
Whats Wrong With MLM Marketing? The Multi Level Marketing Saturation Myth Exposed
Whats Wrong With MLM Marketing? The Multi Level Marketing Saturation Myth Exposed
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Thus even when vividness or perhaps something near to that occurred in an area it could really be good for all. But right up until that takes place network marketers keep promoting. Even better, understand to utilize the power of the internet to blow up your business and revenue countrywide and worldwide, in the event that you are in a international opportunity.
By learning to use the rules of attraction marketing on the internet you will not possess to go after family or perhaps buddies to develop your business. This is essential to the long term achievement of your business given that marketing to friends and family can just take you but to date. Having internet based attraction marketing system could have prospects chasing after you as opposed to you running after them. Choose today which you can become the hunted as an alternative of the rogue and which you will place your self on the web to possess a circulation of endless leads for your mlm marketing business.
When you are thinking about obtaining associated with mlm marketing there’s in no way already been a much better time as compared to right now to become involved. Don’t be mislead by the wrong that label just about all mlm opportunities as pyramids, frauds or perhaps techniques that may only saturate right after “everybody gets in”. Carry out your personal due diligence. Have a look at companies yourself including points such as internet search reputation through proceeding to alexa.com. Merely choose a company with a product you think in, seek out mentoring and coaching and go to function.
The thought of saturation in regards to mlm marketing, multi level marketing or network marketing is simply pure absurdity. First let us define what exactly is recommended by the phrase “saturation”. It really is a situation where anybody who might purchase the certain mlm product in a provided region is already buying the product.
Even if that were feasible to uncover these kinds of a scenario in any particular location for any particular mlm product or services couldn’t survive a unfavorable yet a truly remarkable good for virtually any mlm rep with genuine goal. Understanding that this particular product undoubtedly offers obvious market desire the supplier obtaining this case should after that consider the product to a great area outdoors which region where the industry provides much less transmission and advertise the hot marketing product presently there.
Rational shows us, however, this type of circumstance hasn’t occurred in any kind of area together with any large bulk of individuals for virtually any solitary brand of mlm or network marketing product or perhaps service. But when this kind of fictitious scenario at any time do occur it wouldn’t just be a benefit for the person network marketing supplier but for the economy in in which area as nicely.
First this kind of a scenario would mean the network marketing company by itself could have to gear up to meet market demand. What this means is a great infusion of new careers and income for that location. Individuals would have to be hired by the nearby mlm company to deal with the increased purchase running. Manufacturing amenities would have to increase producing construction careers. Shipping of a lot more goods does mean a lot more business for the local freight and parcel industry. On top of which the state would certainly benefit due to the fact of tax revenue generated from that particular corporation’s expanding nationwide and worldwide sales.
Thus even when vividness or perhaps something near to that occurred in an area it could really be good for all. But right up until that takes place network marketers keep promoting. Even better, understand to utilize the power of the internet to blow up your business and revenue countrywide and worldwide, in the event that you are in a international opportunity.
By learning to use the rules of attraction marketing on the internet you will not possess to go after family or perhaps buddies to develop your business. This is essential to the long term achievement of your business given that marketing to friends and family can just take you but to date. Having internet based attraction marketing system could have prospects chasing after you as opposed to you running after them. Choose today which you can become the hunted as an alternative of the rogue and which you will place your self on the web to possess a circulation of endless leads for your mlm marketing business.
Network Marketing and MLM Tips | How to Become More Proactive With Your MLM Business
Network Marketing and MLM Tips | How to Become More Proactive With Your MLM Business
Currently, there are over 2,000 companies in the US alone that are in this kind of business and with annual sales of more than $28 billion. So, how do you see and perceive yourself in the whole picture with more than 13 million other Americans who are independent sales people like you? Do these numbers sound too overwhelming for you? How will you able to compete and be successful in this very wide market?
These may just be some of the questions or maybe too many doubts in your mind as you try to build and grow your MLM business amidst all the competitions, not only internally but also externally. The name of the game is to be proactive! for you to be productive. Proactive means you can take control and create a situation by causing it to happen rather than responding to it. Trust me, it doesn’t need to be difficult, for just like in any other tasks, it requires a certain amount of knowledge, skill and training and a lot of work!
But hey! do not be too overwhelmed. You just need to stay focused, have that mindset, stay motivated and take control. These are the critical things that you need to have in order to keep moving forward.
Here are some ideas on how to be more proactive and be on top of your goal!
• Action is the key
Nothing will happen if you do not take action. The successful people in the MLM industry did not sit back and relax and let their downline do the work for them. They become leaders. Every single day, they did something for their business, for consistent action is the reason for their success. Start with little things perhaps.. do it consistently everyday! You can do social media marketing or video marketing, whatever best strategy that works for you, just do it consistently everyday!
• Procrastination is the enemy
You started your business with much enthusiasm and energy and as the days and months progressed, you began to lose the fire and this is where procrastination sets in. This is the start of your business having a greater chance of failing. Try to stop this by constantly pushing yourself and reminding yourself why you got into this business in the first place. Again, have a strong mindset!
• Have the mindset of a leader
Leaders in the MLM industry are not only proactive but also show initiative and resourcefulness to make things happen. Try to envision yourself as a leader and develop leadership skills, and get away from the mindset of mediocrity. Don’t just sit there and wait for others to tell you what to do. Keep learning. Master your products and services. Talk to people and build relationship. Step up into the plate and be a leader in your own business. If you have dedication and show hard work, anything is possible.
Being proactive in running your MLM business is one of the keys to success. Everyday presents itself with new challenges, so learn to rise to the occasion and meet them head on. Your future and your destiny are in your own hands.
And most of all, for you to be able to maximize your time and effort. Decide on how you should be generating the right and targeted leads. I am using MY LEAD SYSTEM Pro as my lead generation platform and educational tool. As you might not know, MLSP is an attraction marketing tool website that you can learn from on how to generate leads and get marketing training. If you want to learn more about My Lead System Pro, please click here.
Have a great day and be proactive every day!
Search Term: Network Marketing and MLM Tips | How to Become More Proactive With Your MLM Business
Currently, there are over 2,000 companies in the US alone that are in this kind of business and with annual sales of more than $28 billion. So, how do you see and perceive yourself in the whole picture with more than 13 million other Americans who are independent sales people like you? Do these numbers sound too overwhelming for you? How will you able to compete and be successful in this very wide market?
These may just be some of the questions or maybe too many doubts in your mind as you try to build and grow your MLM business amidst all the competitions, not only internally but also externally. The name of the game is to be proactive! for you to be productive. Proactive means you can take control and create a situation by causing it to happen rather than responding to it. Trust me, it doesn’t need to be difficult, for just like in any other tasks, it requires a certain amount of knowledge, skill and training and a lot of work!
But hey! do not be too overwhelmed. You just need to stay focused, have that mindset, stay motivated and take control. These are the critical things that you need to have in order to keep moving forward.
Here are some ideas on how to be more proactive and be on top of your goal!
• Action is the key
Nothing will happen if you do not take action. The successful people in the MLM industry did not sit back and relax and let their downline do the work for them. They become leaders. Every single day, they did something for their business, for consistent action is the reason for their success. Start with little things perhaps.. do it consistently everyday! You can do social media marketing or video marketing, whatever best strategy that works for you, just do it consistently everyday!
• Procrastination is the enemy
You started your business with much enthusiasm and energy and as the days and months progressed, you began to lose the fire and this is where procrastination sets in. This is the start of your business having a greater chance of failing. Try to stop this by constantly pushing yourself and reminding yourself why you got into this business in the first place. Again, have a strong mindset!
• Have the mindset of a leader
Leaders in the MLM industry are not only proactive but also show initiative and resourcefulness to make things happen. Try to envision yourself as a leader and develop leadership skills, and get away from the mindset of mediocrity. Don’t just sit there and wait for others to tell you what to do. Keep learning. Master your products and services. Talk to people and build relationship. Step up into the plate and be a leader in your own business. If you have dedication and show hard work, anything is possible.
Being proactive in running your MLM business is one of the keys to success. Everyday presents itself with new challenges, so learn to rise to the occasion and meet them head on. Your future and your destiny are in your own hands.
And most of all, for you to be able to maximize your time and effort. Decide on how you should be generating the right and targeted leads. I am using MY LEAD SYSTEM Pro as my lead generation platform and educational tool. As you might not know, MLSP is an attraction marketing tool website that you can learn from on how to generate leads and get marketing training. If you want to learn more about My Lead System Pro, please click here.
Have a great day and be proactive every day!
Search Term: Network Marketing and MLM Tips | How to Become More Proactive With Your MLM Business
How to Choose the Best Multi Level Marketing Company
How to Choose the Best Multi Level Marketing Company
In the event that you occur to have big dreams, you require to choose the most effective multi level marketing company to use.
I don’t believe you are going to help to make your dreams become a reality, especially the big types, if you don’t decide to find out what opportunities multi level marketing provides everyone who is open-minded.
In the event that you are searching for the financial independence, choose to use a multi level marketing company. However you must choose sensibly. You possess to provide a good shot when determining on the particular company to work with.
When you are looking for for an interesting chance to choose from, you possess to solution some essential questions. Is the multi level marketing company ethical? Could it be a legitimate one? Can you determine a chart plan and just avoid it?
You see, moral companies are regarding products in the first location. Representatives are compensated for selling the products and just the items. In a chart plan, people are obtaining cash for promoting the business chance. The greater you are in the chart, the more money you help to make. However in this particular system, members of the chart make money when people sign up for, not really when they sell something. This is the crucial difference between a chart plan and a legitimate multi level marketing or direct sales opportunity. In a legitimate company, if the individual you recruit does not sell some thing, you don’t earn money. It’s that simple.
Well, you possess to remember that building a business in multi level marketing company is actually… a actual severe business.
And you realize it requires time to build a actual business. In multi level marketing you need to build a network of individuals and establish your business through performing the work. It does not happen immediately and you will not be a wealthy man in your first 30 days. It’s effort and demands effort on your component.
And here is the tricky one. You must be focused and careful. If a company desires you to sign up for through informing you it is a item of cake and your family will enjoy a great deal of cash very quickly, end up being truly careful with it. Legitimate multi level marketing companies provide information on what you absolutely need to do in order to earn money and realistic estimates regarding how long it takes.
Multi Level Marketing and direct sales are about making contacts with individuals.
Ethical companies supply you with real information about the kind of work you will be doing to make money. If it’s a direct sales opportunity, you will have to talk to people. Perform you like making connections? Are you fond of talking to people?
Presently there are some superb business opportunities that have assisted people earn extra income or build successful businesses and achieve financial independence.
This article was posted in Multi Level Marketing (MLM) and tagged Extra Cash, Make Money, MLM Leads Good Money. Bookmark the permalink. Follow comments with the RSS feed for this post.Post a Comment or leave a trackback: Trackback URL.
In the event that you occur to have big dreams, you require to choose the most effective multi level marketing company to use.
I don’t believe you are going to help to make your dreams become a reality, especially the big types, if you don’t decide to find out what opportunities multi level marketing provides everyone who is open-minded.
In the event that you are searching for the financial independence, choose to use a multi level marketing company. However you must choose sensibly. You possess to provide a good shot when determining on the particular company to work with.
When you are looking for for an interesting chance to choose from, you possess to solution some essential questions. Is the multi level marketing company ethical? Could it be a legitimate one? Can you determine a chart plan and just avoid it?
You see, moral companies are regarding products in the first location. Representatives are compensated for selling the products and just the items. In a chart plan, people are obtaining cash for promoting the business chance. The greater you are in the chart, the more money you help to make. However in this particular system, members of the chart make money when people sign up for, not really when they sell something. This is the crucial difference between a chart plan and a legitimate multi level marketing or direct sales opportunity. In a legitimate company, if the individual you recruit does not sell some thing, you don’t earn money. It’s that simple.
Well, you possess to remember that building a business in multi level marketing company is actually… a actual severe business.
And you realize it requires time to build a actual business. In multi level marketing you need to build a network of individuals and establish your business through performing the work. It does not happen immediately and you will not be a wealthy man in your first 30 days. It’s effort and demands effort on your component.
And here is the tricky one. You must be focused and careful. If a company desires you to sign up for through informing you it is a item of cake and your family will enjoy a great deal of cash very quickly, end up being truly careful with it. Legitimate multi level marketing companies provide information on what you absolutely need to do in order to earn money and realistic estimates regarding how long it takes.
Multi Level Marketing and direct sales are about making contacts with individuals.
Ethical companies supply you with real information about the kind of work you will be doing to make money. If it’s a direct sales opportunity, you will have to talk to people. Perform you like making connections? Are you fond of talking to people?
Presently there are some superb business opportunities that have assisted people earn extra income or build successful businesses and achieve financial independence.
This article was posted in Multi Level Marketing (MLM) and tagged Extra Cash, Make Money, MLM Leads Good Money. Bookmark the permalink. Follow comments with the RSS feed for this post.Post a Comment or leave a trackback: Trackback URL.
Before Beginning the Best MLM Business Opportunity You Should Read This Article
Before Beginning the Best MLM Business Opportunity You Should Read This Article
Legitimate MLM home based organizations are incredibly similar to illegal pyramid schemes, making it difficult to figure out if the business is genuine. While many folks already realize that pyramid schemes are illegal, they do not realize how much trouble they are able to actually get it when they become involved in these. Needless to say in relation to choosing an MLM business it will be very important for you to do your research so you do not get sucked straight into a pyramid scheme. A number of them seem to be too good to be true, the way they’re advertised, so make certain you read all the terms and conditions. If you wanna figure out what the company is about speak to folks which are currently affiliated with this MLM business. If the product you are buying through this MLM business is in fact worth the investment it is a good sign that this is a legitimate business.
Check out this source video: Continuing. In relation to actually having a home business you’re going to discover that regardless of whether it is an MLM business or not it will offer you lots of benefits.
One of the greatest advantages of having a home based business is the fact that you are going to have the ability to set your own hours on when you want to do the work that needs to be carried out. Another benefit of beginning a home business, particularly MLM, is the fact that you will not need to worry about creating a product as they’re already made. Not only that, but a pre-determined marketing plan normally is included with any MLM home business. In relation to advertising other sorts of products you are going to see that coming up with your own advertising plan is never something which is as simple as folks think. A person’s personality will be one of the deciding factors on whether or not they will achieve success with this type of venture.
There are many people that have great personalities and can interact very easily with others, of course, if you are one of these men and women an MLM business can be profitable. Needless to say if you are not an outgoing person and have difficulties speaking with men and women you may find that success is really a long way off. The primary reason this is so important for your success is the fact that other men and women will be adding to your success, meaning the individuals within your down line that you bring in. Precisely how profitable your business will become is dependent on how good your down line is.
If you work hard to generate a large down line, it really won’t be worth much, unless they do exactly the same thing. With an efficient down line, you’ll all make each other good cash, plus your dream about being the boss, and working your own schedule is going to come true. Watch source video: Best MLM Business Opportunity.
Legitimate MLM home based organizations are incredibly similar to illegal pyramid schemes, making it difficult to figure out if the business is genuine. While many folks already realize that pyramid schemes are illegal, they do not realize how much trouble they are able to actually get it when they become involved in these. Needless to say in relation to choosing an MLM business it will be very important for you to do your research so you do not get sucked straight into a pyramid scheme. A number of them seem to be too good to be true, the way they’re advertised, so make certain you read all the terms and conditions. If you wanna figure out what the company is about speak to folks which are currently affiliated with this MLM business. If the product you are buying through this MLM business is in fact worth the investment it is a good sign that this is a legitimate business.
Check out this source video: Continuing. In relation to actually having a home business you’re going to discover that regardless of whether it is an MLM business or not it will offer you lots of benefits.
One of the greatest advantages of having a home based business is the fact that you are going to have the ability to set your own hours on when you want to do the work that needs to be carried out. Another benefit of beginning a home business, particularly MLM, is the fact that you will not need to worry about creating a product as they’re already made. Not only that, but a pre-determined marketing plan normally is included with any MLM home business. In relation to advertising other sorts of products you are going to see that coming up with your own advertising plan is never something which is as simple as folks think. A person’s personality will be one of the deciding factors on whether or not they will achieve success with this type of venture.
There are many people that have great personalities and can interact very easily with others, of course, if you are one of these men and women an MLM business can be profitable. Needless to say if you are not an outgoing person and have difficulties speaking with men and women you may find that success is really a long way off. The primary reason this is so important for your success is the fact that other men and women will be adding to your success, meaning the individuals within your down line that you bring in. Precisely how profitable your business will become is dependent on how good your down line is.
If you work hard to generate a large down line, it really won’t be worth much, unless they do exactly the same thing. With an efficient down line, you’ll all make each other good cash, plus your dream about being the boss, and working your own schedule is going to come true. Watch source video: Best MLM Business Opportunity.
The Top 25 Network Marketing Companies
The Top 25 Network Marketing Companies
Who are the Top 25 Network Marketing Companies? Well, it really depends on how you define "The Top 25..." As you might imagine, the truth can be a bit subjective. For example...
The best-selling car in the World is the Toyota Corolla. Apparently it's a great car, and yet at the same time is probably not the car of your dreams. Which begs the question, "Does an MLM company deserve a higher ranking simply because more people are involved?" It's a fair question. Here's what we know for sure: Popularity is definitely one of the best ways to determine what's going on in the marketplace. It plays a part in the movies we see, the music we download, and sometimes even where we invest our money.
So is "The Top 25..." just an online popularity contest? Not exactly. To make a fair assessment we gave consideration to things that really don't matter; for instance, 24 of the 25 companies are members of the DSA. And to things that really do matter; like Time In Business!
In short, we wanted you to know the exact criteria we used in order to select, and then to rank, "The Top 25..." You may agree with our findings, or you may not; we welcome your thoughts and opinions either way. Here's the Nexera Five-Factor Formula we used to make our selections:
1) The company must be a self-described Network Marketing, Multi Level, or MLM company.
2) The company must be in business for at least 10 years as of December 31, 2012.*
3) The company must have a Google Page Rank - GPR. A scale of 1 to 10 with 10 being best.
4) The company must have an Alexa Rank - AR. Here the smaller the number the better.
5) The company must show up in Google Trends - GT. All Regions. Last 12 months.**
The five factors above are taken into account at the end of each year, and then a ranking decision is made. As of January 1, 2013, The Top 25 Network Marketing Companies are:
Company Time In Business GPR - AR - GT
1. Amway 1959 - 53 Years 6 - 8,556 - 2.18
2. Melaleuca 1985 - 27 Years 5 - 10,797 - 0.44
3. USANA 1992 - 20 Years 6 - 12,424 - 0.44
4. Nu Skin 1984 - 28 Years 6 - 12,527 - 0.20
5. Isagenix 2002 - 10 Years 3 - 15,591 - 0.20
6. Forever Living 1978 - 34 Years 5 - 17,178 - 0.42
7. Legal Shield 1972 - 40 Years 4 - 18,855 - 0.20
8. ACN 1993 - 19 Years 6 - 27,301 - 1.12
9. Herbalife 1980 - 32 Years 5 - 29,151 - 2.24
10. 4Life 1998 - 14 Years 4 - 32,924 - 0.14
11. Advocare 1993 - 19 Years 5 - 32,943 - 0.14
12. 5LINX 2001 - 11 Years 4 - 34,372 - 0.03
13. Synergy WorldWide 1999 - 13 Years 3 - 39,323 - 0.01
14. Arbonne 1980 - 32 Years 5 - 57,636 - 0.66
15. Xango 2002 - 10 Years 4 - 57,841 - 0.38
16. Nature's Sunshine 1972 - 40 Years 4 - 62,661 - 0.01
17. Morinda 1994 - 18 Years 4 - 70,897 - 0.14
18. Mannatech 1994 - 18 Years 4 - 75,855 - 0.16
19. Shaklee 1956 - 56 Years 5 - 83,234 - 0.20
20. Nikken 1975 - 37 Years 4 - 93,145 - 0.29
21. Sunrider 1982 - 30 Years 4 - 108,784 - 0.07
22. Freelife 1995 - 17 Years 4 - 139,510 - 0.03
23. Neways 1992 - 20 Years 4 - 166,079 - 0.17
24. Juice Plus (NSA) 1970 - 42 Years 5 - 172,897 - 0.26
25. GNLD 1958 - 54 Years 4 - 213,549 - 0.07
*Why 10 years? Because that amount of time really seems to matter. For example, according to research, since 1956 thousands of different MLM, Multi Level, or Network Marketing companies have opened their doors; and to date only +/- 50 MLM companies have found a way to celebrate their 10th anniversary and still remain in business today. Now, to be completely fair, we should also point out that each and every company on our list was at one time a start-up company too.
**For purposes of comparing Internet search term interest using Google Trends (GT), all 25 companies were compared to the term, MLM. A score of 1.00 would indicate the same level of Internet search interest; anything above 1.00 more interest, anything below 1.00 less interest.
A few noteworthy points on this list... The only companies considered for this list are U.S.A. based; and if you click on each and every company linked above, what you will not find should be as interesting to you (and as revealing) as what you will find. There are no travel companies, only two technology companies (ACN and 5LINX), just one service company (Legal Shield), and 22 health and wellness companies. Even Amway, whose core product line still includes soap, really got started by way of the wellness revolution! Read this book by Paul Zane Pilzer and you'll understand why nutrition, weight management, and skincare products continue to drive the trends in the Network Marketing industry to this day.
Lastly, if the company is publicly traded, and six of The Top 25... are, we have linked their year in business above, in red, over to MarketWatch for a real time stock quote and other financial information.
All the best,
The Staff at Nexera™ LLC
P.S. Network Marketing continues to gain in popularity throughout the world. According to, Future Choice: Why Network Marketing May Be Your Best Career Move, "This week, 175,000 people will find a new way to increase their financial security and personal freedom. They will join more than 57 million others who are earning a living, full- or part-time, through Network Marketing." To learn more about Network Marketing, download Future Choice today!
And if you would like to actually build your own successful Network Marketing business, then get The Ultimate Success Pack. This complete MLM Training Program will teach you: 1) How to find all the hot prospects you need. 2) How to present your MLM business opportunity so more people say, "Yes!" AND 3) How to find, coach, and then promote more leaders in your organization faster than you ever thought possible!
Who are the Top 25 Network Marketing Companies? Well, it really depends on how you define "The Top 25..." As you might imagine, the truth can be a bit subjective. For example...
The best-selling car in the World is the Toyota Corolla. Apparently it's a great car, and yet at the same time is probably not the car of your dreams. Which begs the question, "Does an MLM company deserve a higher ranking simply because more people are involved?" It's a fair question. Here's what we know for sure: Popularity is definitely one of the best ways to determine what's going on in the marketplace. It plays a part in the movies we see, the music we download, and sometimes even where we invest our money.
So is "The Top 25..." just an online popularity contest? Not exactly. To make a fair assessment we gave consideration to things that really don't matter; for instance, 24 of the 25 companies are members of the DSA. And to things that really do matter; like Time In Business!
In short, we wanted you to know the exact criteria we used in order to select, and then to rank, "The Top 25..." You may agree with our findings, or you may not; we welcome your thoughts and opinions either way. Here's the Nexera Five-Factor Formula we used to make our selections:
1) The company must be a self-described Network Marketing, Multi Level, or MLM company.
2) The company must be in business for at least 10 years as of December 31, 2012.*
3) The company must have a Google Page Rank - GPR. A scale of 1 to 10 with 10 being best.
4) The company must have an Alexa Rank - AR. Here the smaller the number the better.
5) The company must show up in Google Trends - GT. All Regions. Last 12 months.**
The five factors above are taken into account at the end of each year, and then a ranking decision is made. As of January 1, 2013, The Top 25 Network Marketing Companies are:
Company Time In Business GPR - AR - GT
1. Amway 1959 - 53 Years 6 - 8,556 - 2.18
2. Melaleuca 1985 - 27 Years 5 - 10,797 - 0.44
3. USANA 1992 - 20 Years 6 - 12,424 - 0.44
4. Nu Skin 1984 - 28 Years 6 - 12,527 - 0.20
5. Isagenix 2002 - 10 Years 3 - 15,591 - 0.20
6. Forever Living 1978 - 34 Years 5 - 17,178 - 0.42
7. Legal Shield 1972 - 40 Years 4 - 18,855 - 0.20
8. ACN 1993 - 19 Years 6 - 27,301 - 1.12
9. Herbalife 1980 - 32 Years 5 - 29,151 - 2.24
10. 4Life 1998 - 14 Years 4 - 32,924 - 0.14
11. Advocare 1993 - 19 Years 5 - 32,943 - 0.14
12. 5LINX 2001 - 11 Years 4 - 34,372 - 0.03
13. Synergy WorldWide 1999 - 13 Years 3 - 39,323 - 0.01
14. Arbonne 1980 - 32 Years 5 - 57,636 - 0.66
15. Xango 2002 - 10 Years 4 - 57,841 - 0.38
16. Nature's Sunshine 1972 - 40 Years 4 - 62,661 - 0.01
17. Morinda 1994 - 18 Years 4 - 70,897 - 0.14
18. Mannatech 1994 - 18 Years 4 - 75,855 - 0.16
19. Shaklee 1956 - 56 Years 5 - 83,234 - 0.20
20. Nikken 1975 - 37 Years 4 - 93,145 - 0.29
21. Sunrider 1982 - 30 Years 4 - 108,784 - 0.07
22. Freelife 1995 - 17 Years 4 - 139,510 - 0.03
23. Neways 1992 - 20 Years 4 - 166,079 - 0.17
24. Juice Plus (NSA) 1970 - 42 Years 5 - 172,897 - 0.26
25. GNLD 1958 - 54 Years 4 - 213,549 - 0.07
*Why 10 years? Because that amount of time really seems to matter. For example, according to research, since 1956 thousands of different MLM, Multi Level, or Network Marketing companies have opened their doors; and to date only +/- 50 MLM companies have found a way to celebrate their 10th anniversary and still remain in business today. Now, to be completely fair, we should also point out that each and every company on our list was at one time a start-up company too.
**For purposes of comparing Internet search term interest using Google Trends (GT), all 25 companies were compared to the term, MLM. A score of 1.00 would indicate the same level of Internet search interest; anything above 1.00 more interest, anything below 1.00 less interest.
A few noteworthy points on this list... The only companies considered for this list are U.S.A. based; and if you click on each and every company linked above, what you will not find should be as interesting to you (and as revealing) as what you will find. There are no travel companies, only two technology companies (ACN and 5LINX), just one service company (Legal Shield), and 22 health and wellness companies. Even Amway, whose core product line still includes soap, really got started by way of the wellness revolution! Read this book by Paul Zane Pilzer and you'll understand why nutrition, weight management, and skincare products continue to drive the trends in the Network Marketing industry to this day.
Lastly, if the company is publicly traded, and six of The Top 25... are, we have linked their year in business above, in red, over to MarketWatch for a real time stock quote and other financial information.
All the best,
The Staff at Nexera™ LLC
P.S. Network Marketing continues to gain in popularity throughout the world. According to, Future Choice: Why Network Marketing May Be Your Best Career Move, "This week, 175,000 people will find a new way to increase their financial security and personal freedom. They will join more than 57 million others who are earning a living, full- or part-time, through Network Marketing." To learn more about Network Marketing, download Future Choice today!
And if you would like to actually build your own successful Network Marketing business, then get The Ultimate Success Pack. This complete MLM Training Program will teach you: 1) How to find all the hot prospects you need. 2) How to present your MLM business opportunity so more people say, "Yes!" AND 3) How to find, coach, and then promote more leaders in your organization faster than you ever thought possible!
Natural Gas Formation
Natural gas is a naturally occurring hydrocarbon gas mixture consisting primarily of methane, but commonly includes varying amounts of other higher alkanes and even a lesser percentage of carbon dioxide, nitrogen, and hydrogen sulfide.[1] Natural gas is an energy source often used for heating, cooking, and electricity generation. It is also used as fuel for vehicles and as a chemical feedstock in the manufacture of plastics and other commercially important organic chemicals.
Natural gas is found in deep underground natural rock formations or associated with other hydrocarbon reservoirs in coal beds and as methane clathrates. Petroleum is also another resource found in proximity to and with natural gas. Most natural gas was created over time by two mechanisms: biogenic and thermogenic. Biogenic gas is created by methanogenic organisms in marshes, bogs, landfills, and shallow sediments. Deeper in the earth, at greater temperature and pressure, thermogenic gas is created from buried organic material.[2][3]
Before natural gas can be used as a fuel, it must undergo processing to remove impurities, including water, to meet the specifications of marketable natural gas. The by-products of processing include ethane, propane, butanes, pentanes, and higher molecular weight hydrocarbons, hydrogen sulfide (which may be converted into pure sulfur), carbon dioxide, water vapor, and sometimes helium and nitrogen.
Natural gas is often informally referred to simply as gas, especially when compared to other energy sources such as oil or coal. But not to be confused with gasoline especially in North America, the term gasoline also is often shortened in colloquial usage to gas.
How Was Natural Gas Formed?
One theory is that natural gas was formed millions of years ago when plants and tiny sea animals were buried by sand and rock. Layers of mud, sand, rock, plant, and animal matter continued to build up until the pressure and heat turned them into oil and natural gas. Another theory proposes that the earth is made up of primordial materials that combined in space billions of years ago when the basic structure of the earth evolved. The materials are still buried far below the earth's crust where they have been trapped for 4.5 billion years.
To locate natural gas, geologic mapping, surveys and aerial photographs are used. Recent technology is helping find natural gas more accurately: magnetic measurement (measure of the magnetic field of base rock to determine how much sediment is lying above it), satellite imagery (helps identify surface structures and patterns that aid in the search for probable underlying hydrocarbon deposits), gravity mapping (determines the thickness of the basin or sedimentary rock layer and helps identify base rock topography), and seismic sound wave reflection (measures the time to various rock units that reflect acoustic energy). Gas is recovered through wells on-shore or off-shore.In the 19th century, natural gas was usually obtained as a by-product of producing oil, since the small, light gas carbon chains came out of solution as the extracted fluids underwent pressure reduction from the reservoir to the surface, similar to uncapping a bottle of soda where the carbon dioxide effervesces. Unwanted natural gas was a disposal problem in the active oil fields. If there was not a market for natural gas near the wellhead it was virtually valueless since it had to be piped to the end user.
In the 19th century and early 20th century, such unwanted gas was usually burned off at oil fields. Today, unwanted gas (or stranded gas without a market) associated with oil extraction often is returned to the reservoir with 'injection' wells while awaiting a possible future market or to repressurize the formation, which can enhance extraction rates from other wells. In regions with a high natural gas demand (such as the US), pipelines are constructed when it is economically feasible to transport gas from a wellsite to an end consumer.
Another possibility is to export natural gas as a liquid. Gas-to-liquids (GTL) is a developing technology that converts stranded natural gas into synthetic gasoline, diesel, or jet fuel through the Fischer-Tropsch process developed in Germany prior to World War II. Such fuel can be transported to users through conventional pipelines and tankers. Proponents claim that GTL burns cleaner than comparable petroleum fuels. Major international oil companies use sophisticated technology to produce GTL. A world-scale (140,000 barrels (22,000 m3) a day) GTL plant in Qatar went into production in 2011.
Natural gas can be "associated" (found in oil fields), or "non-associated" (isolated in natural gas fields), and is also found in coal beds (as coalbed methane). It sometimes contains a significant amount of ethane, propane, butane, and pentane—heavier hydrocarbons removed for commercial use prior to the methane being sold as a consumer fuel or chemical plant feedstock. Non-hydrocarbons such as carbon dioxide, nitrogen, helium (rarely), and hydrogen sulfide must also be removed before the natural gas can be transported.[4]
Natural gas extracted from oil wells is called casinghead gas or associated gas. The natural gas industry is extracting an increasing quantity of gas from challenging resource types: sour gas, tight gas, shale gas, and coalbed methane.
Iran has the world's largest reserves of natural gas (17.9% of the world's total).[5] It contains an estimated 1,187.3 trillion cubic feet (33,620 km3) (Tcf) in proven natural gas reserves.[6][7] With Gazprom, Russia is frequently the world's largest natural gas extractor. Major proven resources (in billion cubic meters) are world 187,300 (2013), Iran 33,600 (2013), Russia 32,900 (2013), Qatar 25,100 (2013), Turkmenistan 17,500 (2013) and the United States 8,500 (2013).
It is estimated that there are about 900 trillion cubic meters of "unconventional" gas such as shale gas, of which 180 trillion may be recoverable.[8] In turn, many studies from MIT, Black & Veatch and the DOE—see natural gas—will account for a larger portion of electricity generation and heat in the future.[9]
The world's largest gas field is Qatar's offshore North Field, estimated to have 25 trillion cubic meters[10] (9.0×1014cubic feet) of gas in place—enough to last more than 420 years[citation needed] at optimum extraction levels. The second largest natural gas field is the South Pars Gas Field in Iranian waters in the Persian Gulf. Located next to Qatar's North Field, it has an estimated reserve of 8 to 14 trillion cubic meters[11] (2.8×1014 to 5.0×1014 cubic feet) of gas.
Because natural gas is not a pure product, as the reservoir pressure drops when non-associated gas is extracted from a field under supercritical (pressure/temperature) conditions, the higher molecular weight components may partially condense upon isothermic depressurizing—an effect called retrograde condensation. The liquid thus formed may get trapped as the pores of the gas reservoir get deposited. One method to deal with this problem is to re-inject dried gas free of condensate to maintain the underground pressure and to allow re-evaporation and extraction of condensates. More frequently, the liquid condenses at the surface, and one of the tasks of the gas plant is to collect this condensate. The resulting liquid is called natural gas liquid (NGL) and has commercial value.
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