June 19, 2017 Your CLUE report could save you money on auto and home owners insurance If your car is in an accident, or your house is damaged in a storm, the insurance claims you file will wind up in your CLUE report. The trouble is most people have never heard of a CLUE report, even though the data in it…
May 9, 2017 Ga. Justices Should Weigh $8M Bad Faith Case, 11th Circ. Told The Georgia Defense Lawyers Association has urged the Eleventh Circuit to seek the Georgia Supreme Court’s guidance on whether insurance carriers may be held liable for negligent, as opposed to bad faith, failure to settle a claim against a policyholder, saying the issue is key…
January 13, 2017 Consumer Watchdog collects millions, but does it lower your insurance rates? Nearly 30 years ago, consumer activist Harvey Rosenfield wrote and helped qualify Proposition 103, the November 1988 ballot measure that overhauled state regulation of home and auto insurance rates. The initiative, dubbed by supporters as the “Voter Revolt to Cut Insurance Rates,” also contained a…
November 8, 2016 5 Hidden Costs of Relocation If you’ve got your eye on a new city where you can buy a bigger house with an affordable mortgage payment, don’t be too quick to sign those closing documents. If you don’t do a little research first, you may get ambushed by unexpected costs…
November 7, 2016 As cars get safer, why isn’t insurance getting cheaper? Auto technology is moving ahead faster than a Texas speed limit. Automatic braking prior to an accident, blind-spot warnings in traffic, rear-view cameras and a host of other options now increase the safety of new models. But will these new devices lead to discounts by…
November 1, 2016 Wise UP: The Savvy Consumers Guide To Buying Insurance Wise UP: The Savvy Consumers Guide to Buying Insurance, a United Policyholders’ publication This compact guide will give you the inside scoop on what really matters when buying or renewing insurance for your car, home and assets. It’s short, easy to read and gives you…
October 30, 2016 You’ll pay more for auto insurance if you have bad credit. Here’s why. Does being behind on your bills make you more likely to crash your car? Yup, statistically speaking. That’s why Missourians with rotten credit pay an average of $704 per year more for auto insurance than people with good credit. The difference in Illinois is $745,…
September 26, 2016 Auto insurance discounts to ask for: complete guide You don’t have to wait until your auto insurance policy is up for renewal to ask about discounts. Your carrier or agent may not take the time to alert you to all discounts for which you are eligible. Be your own advocate by reviewing this…
July 1, 2016 You better not be reading this while driving! Cell phones are powerfully addictive. People rarely put them down – even when driving. Insurance companies are citing an increase in distracted driving accidents and raising car insurance rates across the country. Buckle your seat belts – figuratively and literally, and be a savvy consumer:…
June 8, 2016 Credit Scores Can Impact Auto Insurance Renewals Trying to figure out how auto insurance companies set your rate can be a real head-scratcher. You’re unlikely to crack the formula, but you can be sure that your credit history is part of the equation, unless you live in one of the few states…
March 14, 2016 How to Save by Bundling Auto and Home Insurance When it comes to insurance, we all look for ways to save money. One of the easiest and most common ways to save is by bundling auto and home insurance with one company. Insurance companies typically offer discounts in exchange for carrying more than one…
March 7, 2016 Tips for talking to your insurance company after a car accident USA Today – It’s your “good neighbor.” It’s “on your side.” But after a car accident, some drivers fear their insurance company won’t be such a pal. “Hopefully, your insurer will step up,” says Amy Bach, executive director of consumer advocacy group United Policyholders. “But…
December 14, 2015 Connecticut bans use of price optimization for insurance rates Insurance Commissioner Katharine L. Wade announced last week that the state’s Insurance Department has officially warned property and casualty insurance companies against using a controversial pricing method that relies more on consumer buying habits than sound actuarial and risk-based principles. Called “price optimization” or “elasticity…
October 26, 2015 What’s the point? A “use it and lose it” UPdate Most people pay their home, business, and renters insurance premiums for years and years without ever having a loss or using the policy they’re paying for. Yet even people who’ve had a long claim-free record are finding that after they do suffer a loss and…
September 22, 2015 Why Did My Car Insurance Rates Go Up? It’s that time of year again. Your car insurance policy is up for renewal and your fingers are crossed in hopes of a reduction. Even though you have been a safe driver, your insurance company raises your rates. “Why are my rates going up?” The…
September 18, 2015 Insuring your car for storm damage Category 5 coverage: Is your policy hurricane-proof? No one expects to have their car float away in 12 feet of floodwater and end up perched atop a tree, or pinned under a house. But there were a lot of those kinds of insurance claims filed…
September 16, 2015 Car Repairs From Deer Collisions Will Cost More The latest insurance data show that the risk of hitting a deer with your car has not changed much from a year ago. But the cost of repairing your car if you’re unlucky enough to strike one is on the rise. State Farm reports that…
August 18, 2015 What does my credit rating have to do with my driving? Most auto-insurance companies use your consumer credit rating as a significant factor in determining what rate to charge you.Who knew?Maybe you. But two-thirds of customers didn’t know, according to a Government Accountability Office survey. Spokesman Mike Barry of the Insurance Information Institute, an industry trade…
