August 26, 2014 Should Insurance Companies Be Able to Consider Your Credit History? Most people know that their credit score impacts their ability to get a loan and even a job in some states – but what about their ability to get insurance? While insurance companies don’t use your credit score, many – 85% to 95% in most…
August 26, 2014 Should you buy earthquake insurance? Last weekend’s magnitude 6.0 earthquake in Napa, Calif., may be easy to dismiss if you live outside the West Coast, but it should prompt homeowners coast-to-coast to check their risk to determine whether earthquake insurance is warranted, because the threat may be greater than you…
August 26, 2014 Insurance Coverage Likely to Get More Respect After the California Earthquake One of the most predictable aftereffects of a hurricane or earthquake, such as the weekend’s California earthquake, is a spike in interest by homeowners in getting, or improving, their existing insurance coverage. And there is a lot of room for improvement in California, when it…
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…
August 20, 2014 Finding the best car insurance for teens When parents of a teen first watch their baby take the wheel, they may be too busy seeing the years flash before their eyes to focus on insurance for the family’s newest driver. Putting a new teen driver on the road can be scary —…
August 4, 2014 Too Young for Disability Insurance? Yeah, Right If you are in your 20s or early 30s, you may live like you’re “Young, Wild and Free,” to borrow a song title from the recent past. But you’re not immune from injury or illness. Unless you’re wealthy, making ends meet could be difficult if…
July 31, 2014 Seniors win more protection with new annuity disclosure requirements For Release: July 23, 2014Media Calls Only: 916-492-3566Seniors win more protection with new annuity disclosure requirementsBill sponsored by the Department of Insurance is signed into lawSACRAMENTO, Calif. – California Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones today thanked Governor Brown for signing into law AB 2347 (Gonzalez) which…
July 20, 2014 Homeowners: How to understand a wind/hail deductible If you live in a part of the United States that experiences frequent severe weather, tornadoes and hurricanes may not be your only concern. Your finances may also take a hit, as you may be expected to pick up more of the tab for wind…
July 18, 2014 Good, Bad or Ugly? People often ask UP: How do I find a good insurance company and avoid a bad one? The facts and statistics on which insurers are more likely to pay your claim on time and in full have been hidden from consumers. But new tools are…
July 15, 2014 Can Technology Disrupt The Consumer Insurance Market? In the late 1980s – before there was a Web – I had the privilege of working for the late great attorney Gene Anderson, hero of corporate policyholders, scourge of insurance companies. I was his ghostwriter – on legal briefs, articles, and the occasional speech…
July 10, 2014 Health insurance claim is denied. What now? Few things are scarier than racking up medical bills and then learning that your health insurance company won’t pay. It’s a nightmare that could panic any policyholder. But before you worry about sinking into a black hole of medical debt, know that federal law offers…
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…
June 30, 2014 Nearly 1,000 NJ Sandy victims have sued flood insurance providers Nearly 1,000 Hurricane Sandy victims in New Jersey have filed lawsuits against their flood insurance providers since late 2013, and that number is expected to double in the next year, according to a report on NorthJersey.com.The U.S. District Court Clerk’s Office said there have been…
June 30, 2014 Not Gone With the Wind: Protecting Your Belongings in Tornado-Prone Areas Think your belongings will be protected during a tornado just because they’re locked up in a self-storage unit? Few buildings can withstand the 200 mph winds of an F4 tornado, but even lower-category tornado blasts can twist off roofs and blow your stuff around in…
June 24, 2014 Lyft your limits? People who live in neighborhoods where it’s been hard to get a cab are cheering the era of Uber and the rise of Lyft (pardon the pun). Getting stood up by a cab that was supposed to drive you to the airport? Hauling yourself out…
June 19, 2014 2014 Car Insurance by Credit Score Report Everyone knows that auto insurance is mandatory (except in New Hampshire). Furthermore, we know that our credit scores dictate the types of loans and credit cards for which we can garner approval. But when it comes to the connection between credit scores and car insurance,…
June 16, 2014 Look for loopholes in insurance policies before bad luck strikes Hurricane season is starting slowly, and weather forecasters predict that El Niño may help spare us this year. But as Hurricane Sandy reminded our region, you never can predict when you’ll be in bad luck’s bull’s-eye. So it’s a good time to consider how to…