Does Minnesota Have a Match Law?
Does Minnesota Have a Match Law?

We are constantly asked by our homeowner’s insurance paid renovation contractors whether Minnesota has a “match law” that requires an insurer to pay for a complete re-roof or re-siding of a customer’s improvement when a replacement match cannot be found. The short answer to the…
Sandy-struck homeowners face delay in cashing insurance checks
Sandy-struck homeowners face delay in cashing insurance checks

Homeowners across Long Island are struggling with the cost of rebuilding from superstorm Sandy as they wait for banks and mortgage companies to release their insurance settlements more than two months after the storm. Insurers began cutting checks weeks ago, but most people can’t simply…
Covered by homeowners insurance? Don’t be so sure
Covered by homeowners insurance? Don’t be so sure

Bought or renewed a homeowners insurance policy lately? You’ve no doubt noticed that premiums have gotten pretty pricey. Rates have climbed 69% over the past decade to an average of $1,000 a year. What you may not realize is that you could be facing another…
Financial literacy should include insurance considerations
Financial literacy should include insurance considerations

People who are inspired to learn more about their finances during Financial Literacy Month shouldn’t overlook the effect that insurance can have on their bank accounts. Each April, financial education advocates urge consumers to take time to study money issues. An important part of achieving…
Fire report’s release stirs residents’ emotions, memories
Fire report’s release stirs residents’ emotions, memories

Residents of northwest Colorado Springs had a mix of reactions last week to the city’s review of the fire, often focusing on issues and emotions that continue to sometimes overwhelm them. Their memories of the June fire are vivid: many choke with gratitude when they…
You’re charging me for what?! Insurers find new ways to set car insurance rates
You’re charging me for what?! Insurers find new ways to set car insurance rates

Insurance companies are getting creative when it comes to determining how much you should pay for car insurance. In addition to using traditional factors, such as your driving record and how many miles you drive each year, some insurers now look at such things as…
Courts toss homeowners’ insurance regulation
Courts toss homeowners’ insurance regulation

A judge has thrown out a state regulation that insurers said allows the insurance commissioner to decide on his own what constitutes an unfair business practice — a designation that can carry severe penalties for companies and their agents. Insurers said the court’s decision was…
Healthy Choices
Healthy Choices

The Health Insurance Marketplace that will kick in soon will give you new options. They will depend on what your current coverage, employment status and medical needs are, and whether your state is participating in the federal law that set up the new marketplace. Here’s…
Bucks for the bang
Bucks for the bang

It is much easier to save money on your car insurance than your home insurance. Insurers compete hard for auto customers. That’s because it’s easier for them to make a profit and the risks are much more predictable. So if you have a decent driving…
Should states ban credit-based insurance scoring?
Should states ban credit-based insurance scoring?

Drivers in Texas who have bruised credit soon could have one less thing to worry about when buying insurance. A bill pending in the state Senate would prevent insurance companies in Texas from using credit-based insurance scores to determine how much to charge policyholders for…
High Park Fire Insurance Payouts a Slap in the Face
High Park Fire Insurance Payouts a Slap in the Face

Wildfire victims say insufficient policies and unrealistic deadlines are impeding rebuilding efforts.Homeowner insurance protection: What would it do?• Expand the time allowed to submit an inventory of destroyed property to an insurer.• Require insurers to award claims for a percentage of destroyed property without submissoin…
Progress on N.J. Sandy insurance claims concealed
Progress on N.J. Sandy insurance claims concealed

Thursday, March 21, 2013 BY RICHARD NEWMANSTAFF WRITERThe Record Since superstorm Sandy struck the Northeast last October, New York residents have been able to track the performance of insurance companies in response to the disaster by logging on to a state government website.Connecticut’s insurance regulator…
Why women should consider buying long-term care insurance now
Why women should consider buying long-term care insurance now

Long Term care insurance can offer protection against the sky-high costs of day-to-day care in your golden years. But if you’re a woman who’s weighing whether to buy long-term care insurance for the first time, get ready for a case of sticker shock. Women soon…
It’s Flood Season. Are You Protected?
It’s Flood Season. Are You Protected?

Spring is a favorite season for many, but people who have seen their house swept away in a flood probably feel that summer droughts and blizzards get a bad rap. Thanks to heavy rains and melting snow, March and April are months particularly prone to…
Poor credit history can harm your ability to buy home and car insurance
Poor credit history can harm your ability to buy home and car insurance

he cancellation of homeowner’s insurance policies in Florida based on consumers’ credit histories is drawing close scrutiny from state insurance officials. In a recent letter to Insurance Commissioner Kevin McCarty, the state’s insurance consumer advocate, Robin Smith Westcott, criticized insurers for using legal claims and…
Lessons for Staten Islanders navigating the insurance maze
Lessons for Staten Islanders navigating the insurance maze

As they stare down drawn-out battles over insurance settlements and uncertain coverage for the future, Staten Islanders might look to the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina — a storm that cost insurance companies a record $41 billion — to hazard a guess at what’s to come.…
The costs of surviving cardiovascular disease: It’s enough to give you a heart attack!
The costs of surviving cardiovascular disease: It’s enough to give you a heart attack!

If you’re lucky enough to survive a heart attack or stroke, you may face another serious challenge: dealing with the medical bills. Strokes and heart attacks can financially devastate people who lack adequate health insurance, says Stephanie Mohl, government relations manager for the American Heart…
How to choose a life insurance beneficiary
How to choose a life insurance beneficiary

Many consumers buy life insurance, list their spouses as the beneficiaries and never think about the matter again. But experts say that failing to put much thought into your beneficiary selection can be a big mistake. The first step in choosing a life insurance beneficiary…