The following information from a post in AIP by Mary Roush may help new arrivals through the process of obtaining a Panama Drivers license.

Documents Needed:
• -Resident Card
• -Passport
• -Driver's License from Country of Origin
• -Blood Test (Your blood type is indicated on the license, which is pretty cool if you don't know what it is! I'm O+!)
• -Glucose Test (To show that your blood sugar levels are not outside the standard range)

Procedure (I think it is virtually impossible to do this in one day, but if you start at 7 a.m., you may make it):
• 1. Consult with lawyer to obtain residency card…That's a whole other article!
• 2. To obtain your blood and glucose test, go to a medical center while fasting (en ayunas) and mention that the tests are for your "licencia de conducir." The results are ready in an hour or so and costs approximately $15.

More...

From La Prensa:

Insurance industry sees sustained growth

The insurance industry pushed upward in in July, registering a growth rate much higher than during the first few months of the year.

The volume of new premiums that month totaled $78 million, an increase of 22 percent compared to July 2008, according to information collected by the Superintendency of
Insurance.

The sector had remained at an average rate of growth that hovered under 10 percent until the close of the first semester.

Also in July, figures demonstrated a 143.3 percent rise in the purchase of individual life premiums (first year), a category that drove activity in the sector that month, similar to May reports, when these policies soared 459 percent and the industry grew 11 percent.

According to market sources, a single insurance company is responsible for the popularity of these first-year life insurance premiums by placing a nontraditional product on the market.

Despite the economic slowdown, the industry is reporting good results and have shown an encouraging 7.82 percent drop in claims.

Good article from PG "Be aware of your surroundings"!

DON WINNER for Panama-Guide.com - I received the following today from Kristin (snip). She narrowly avoided becoming the next victim of an "express kidnapping" in Panama City just yesterday afternoon. While playing poker at the Veneto last night I was told of yet another expat who wasn't so lucky as Kristin. He hopped into a taxi on Via España near the Blockbuster. The taxi driver picked him up and then drove just half a block where three more men quickly jumped into the cab. The drove him all over town, forced him to pull as much money as possible out of an ATM, stole all of his possessions (watch, rings, wallet, etc.) and then left him without a dime out behind the Roberto Duran stadium. He was unharmed, and both of these people were very lucky. Please read the following story and LEARN from the experiences of others. If you continue to wander around with an "it can't happen to me" attitude, then you might just as well paint a big, fat target on your forehead. Anyway, please read on... (more)

Golfers, pilots, ships at sea - check this out! Man I'm glad we're here in Panama and don't have to worry about hurricanes.

By the way, windstorm coverage is STANDARD on fire policies issued in Panama........give me call for all of your insurance needs.

Kevin 322-1603 or Carmen 322-1605

http://panamakevin.com/portal.php?what=link&item=20050819211246666

MEDICAL FACILITIES AND HEALTH INFORMATION: Although Panama City has some very good hospitals and clinics; medical facilities outside of the capital are limited. When making a decision regarding health insurance, Americans should consider that many foreign doctors and hospitals require payment in cash prior to providing service and that a medical evacuation to the U.S. may cost well in excess of $50,000. Uninsured travelers who require medical care overseas often face extreme difficulties, whereas travelers who have purchased overseas medical insurance have, when a medical emergency occurs, found it life-saving. Some insurance policies also include coverage for sychiatric treatment and for disposition of remains in the event of death. In Panama, most hospitals accept credit cards for hospital charges, but not for doctors' fees.”

http://www.panama-guide.com/article.php/20060408224507887