Iowa Insurance

Shortly before Wendy Lambke bought their first house in August 2001, she bought some for homeowners’ insurance. After comparing four or five sentences, until it completes a purchase policy offered by their alma mater, Iowa State University, Ames.

”It turned out that the cheapest insurance policy I could make myself understood,’’said Lambke of the premium of $ 300 offered by the Liberty Mutual Group of Boston. This is a good deal, indeed, that when it came time to renew their auto insurance, it rose on the proposed plan, Iowa State Alumni by Liberty Mutual. ”I’m probably saving a few hundred dollars a year,’’she said, which represents about 20 per cent, compared to other plans.

Ms. Lambke, 25, graduated last spring and now works as a public relations coordinator in Des Moines, is one of thousands of people have their higher education institutions for a wide range of financial services - basic and the audit savings on mortgages and even health insurance. Former officers say that programs have to offer a service, but also generate revenue. The programs are in school in all sizes - from small as St. Norbert College, De Pere, Wis., large public universities, some of which, at the University of California.

”Schools already have all these data in their Alumni”Bildschirm and lists for different offers, said Christopher Keenan, director of marketing novo of the Corporation, a council of financial services in Wilmington, Del.. Now” It is necessary, ‘Again the fact that data at the beginning and imitate other branches - they hate as much for schools in the industry.”

Universities, he visited, records of student loans, making it easier for them to provide programmes of consolidation loans. Many former learn if the former students marry, have children or accept new jobs, such information can also contribute to the marketing of certain products and services.

The idea of the University to generate revenue by marriage with financial services goes back at least the beginning of 1980, Georgetown University, in collaboration with the MBNA Corporation, a school-branded credit card. More than 1000 colleges and universities now offer this kind of affinity cards, MBNA, the largest supplier indicates that three of the 700 million school graduates their cards.

Say analysts card market is now saturated, many schools are trying other programs. If properly designed, university and industry officials say that regulation can benefit everyone - old, old and business associations.

BUT graduates should choose carefully. Ms. Lambke use the transport of Iowa State proposed by MBNA credit card, until she pointed out that they could be a better exchange rate by the way. ”If the interest rate is gone, I went, “she said”,”, although a slowdown in research on the map.”

And the rush on reservation partners can backwards. In 1999, U.C.L.A. markets a brokerage firm to more than 300000 graduates promised that Discounted reserve crafts online and financial planning. The Alumni Association received a fee paid by the company, University of Chicago Alumni of Funds, but the company has activity shortly after the launch of this program, “said Keith Brant, director of the Alumni Association. The founder of the University of old, Dan Frey, could not be reached for advice.

Northwestern University, Evanston, Ill., ran into problems in the past winter, when Hartford Life Insurance cancelled coverage for about 200 graduates. These measures have been canceled because Hartford, which took over Continental Assurance policy, he said a financial loss at home.

Mr. Brant in U.C.L.A. A stated the club also offers former short-term programmes for health insurance, life insurance and eye care. Prices vary depending on the type of report, but Mr. Brant said, he tries, make sure that graduates get a discount.

This fall, U.C.L.A. Plans to set up an automatic program insurance American Express Financial Services, is only the beginning, for colleges of affinity. Mr. Brant Alumni expected to get 20 percent discount on premiums classics. For all alumni, buy insurance, the association receives a fee, Mr. Brant went to the disclosure of the altitude. At one point, he said he expects auto insurance and the only one to generate more than $ 100000 per year for the club.