March 30, 2015 Home Warranties: Thanks and no thanks If you’re buying a home and a realtor or the seller gifts you a home warranty plan, you can say, “thank you very much.” If it’s one of the better plans, it can save you hassles and money on minor home repairs during the life…
March 25, 2015 Why, and How, to Create a Home Inventory List Getting robbed, or losing everything you own to a catastrophic event, are scenarios you’d probably rather not think about. Yet many people face these situations as a result of a house fire, tornado or other natural disaster or break-in. Hopefully you have home insurance or…
March 24, 2015 Best Insurance Moves for April: Spring Cleaning for Your Insurance As you’re tackling dust bunnies and cluttered closets in your spring cleaning, don’t forget your insurance policies. They may need to be dusted off and refreshed, too. Reviewing and adjusting your insurance coverage is an important part of overall financial planning. Here’s what to look…
March 18, 2015 Colorado disasters lead to home insurance spikes, cancellations Colorado is now one of the worst places in the United States for natural disasters. That’s if your measure is insurance claims filed by homeowners. The state is now second only to tornado-struck Oklahoma for catastrophic claims, according to new data from the Insurance Research…
March 14, 2015 Climate change calls for non-profit insurance In This Changes Everything, author Naomi Klein raises the question of how capitalist societies will “adapt” to the people made homeless and jobless by increasingly intense and frequent natural disasters. One of the issues she focuses on is the reaction of insurance companies, pointing out…
February 5, 2015 The largely unregulated service plan industry is booming in South Carolina A new type of junk mail has been showing up in South Carolinians’ mailboxes over the past year. The one thing that makes it stand out from the pile of coupons, scams, and credit card offers? The logo of a public utility company, bought and…
January 22, 2015 Just asking about an insurance claim can make your rate go up By: Jonnelle Marte, The Washington PostMost people know that filing frequent insurance claims can lead to a spike in what they pay for coverage.But many probably don’t realize that just asking an insurance agent about a potential claim can also affect rates — even if…
December 24, 2014 Some cry foul at Charleston Water System’s decision to loan its logo to private company Charleston Water System, a public utility, has sold a private company the rights to use its logo in advertisements for warranty plans. CWS inked the marketing agreement late last year with HomeServe USA, a company that sells service plans for residential exterior water service lines…
December 19, 2014 The Insurance Market Mystifies an Airbnb Host So let’s say you decided to place your home or a few rooms inside it among the million-plus listings that the rental site Airbnb now claims to have. And let’s also say that you’re the rule-abiding sort and find the part of the company’s website…
November 3, 2014 Governor’s request for Presidential Disaster Declaration for Puna lava flow approved PAHOA, HAWAII (HawaiiNewsNow) – In response to Gov. Neil Abercrombie’s Oct. 24 request for federal aid to supplement local emergency protective measures in response to the June 27th lava flow, President Barack Obama today signed a Disaster Declaration for Public Assistance.This will provide federal funding…
October 27, 2014 Who’s got home insurance discounts for you? Just as car insurers dole out discounts to entice drivers, home insurance companies are willing to do the same for homeowners who do their part in mitigating loss. “It’s all about risk reduction,” says Loretta Worters, a spokeswoman for the Insurance Information Institute, a New…
October 24, 2014 Does Insurance Cover Ebola Care? Your chances of getting Ebola in the U.S. are very slim. But if you do, who’s footing the bill? Ebola care is pricey, with estimates ranging from $5,000 to $25,000 per day, according to several health care analysts and experts who spoke to TIME. Some…
October 16, 2014 New Mexico fourth most expensive state for homeowners insurance claims New Mexico is an extremely pricey state for homeowner’s insurance, according to a new study. The study, published by insurancequotes.com, looked at the rise in homeowners insurance premiums after making claims and found that the average premium for New Mexico policyholders rises by nearly 19…
September 30, 2014 Live In a Multigenerational Home? Time to Revisit Your Insurance Coverage Boomerang kids – adult children moving back in with mom and dad while they save money or search for jobs – aren’t the only ones shacking up in spare bedrooms or basement suites. Rising nursing home costs have also caused many older Americans to move…
September 30, 2014 Fire, flood, mud: insurance benefits can vary greatly An estimated 45 percent of people who lost homes or property in the wildfires had no insurance, including almost all the renters. But the rest — in the midst of cleaning up debris, figuring out where they will live, buying new clothes, and coping with…
August 21, 2014 6 Questions to Ask Before Choosing an Insurance Agent Whether you’re in the market for insurance to cover your home, your car or your life, it can be a confusing process filled with jargon and exclusions. Perhaps that’s why many consumers enlist the help of an insurance agent to help them compare options and…
June 30, 2014 It’s worth boning up on homeowner insurance Mention the word insurance, even to people who pay attention to other consumer topics, and you’re likely to draw yawns. Trust me on that – it’s just the nature of the beast. After more than a dozen years of writing about everything from airfares to…
June 30, 2014 Colo. wildfire victims sue insurance companies A group of nearly 20 Colorado fire survivors are suing more than 100 national insurance companies, corporations and nonprofits, alleging they conspired to defraud those who lost property to the High Park Fire and other wildfires.Thirteen Larimer County residents are named as plaintiffs in Snyder…