Divided opinions over value of earthquake insurance
Divided opinions over value of earthquake insurance

Tom Fuller could tell how well folks understood earthquake insurance once he mentioned that he has a policy for his damaged home in Napa. The uninitiated responded, “Well, you’re lucky.” The more knowledgeable said, “I hope you didn’t hit your deductible.” Fuller, a public relations…
The world’s most common natural disasters by country
The world’s most common natural disasters by country

If nothing else, California’s earthquake is a reminder that nature doesn’t always play nice. Floods, cyclones and the like take a toll everywhere they hit. But just where do these disasters occur the most? According to the International Disaster Database, each country is faced with…
Minneapolis Couple Has Insurance Warning For Homeowners
Minneapolis Couple Has Insurance Warning For Homeowners

A Twin Cities couple calls their experience with an insurance company a lesson that all homeowners should learn. David Hettlinger and his wife are still trying to recover from a storm two summers ago. Wind damaged the roof of their home in southeast Minneapolis, but…
Who Should Have Earthquake Insurance?
Who Should Have Earthquake Insurance?

Listen to the audio online Download audio MP3) Justin Sullivan/Getty Images A passerby stops to look at a collapsed carport following the 6.0 South Napa Earthquake on August 24, 2014. Last weekend’s South Napa Earthquake is a dramatic reminder to Bay Area property owners that…
After Napa Jolt, Quake-Proofing Your Homeowner’s Insurance
After Napa Jolt, Quake-Proofing Your Homeowner’s Insurance

AS Napa County, Calif., recovers from the earthquake that jarred the area last weekend, many homeowners may be wondering whether they should buy special earthquake insurance. “You better believe there’s a lot of people who wish they had it,” said Amy Bach, executive director of…
Buying the Right Auto Insurance for Your Teen Driver
Buying the Right Auto Insurance for Your Teen Driver

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 —…
FEMA Inspectors Make No Aid Guarantees After Assessing Napa Quake Damage
FEMA Inspectors Make No Aid Guarantees After Assessing Napa Quake Damage

A lot of homeowners impacted by Sunday’s earthquake are wondering if they’ll get any federal help rebuilding their homes. Insurers are out in force at the Red Cross Center, but only 10 percent of Californians buy earthquake insurance. On Wednesday, inspectors from FEMA started surveying…
Getting a Good Insurance Settlement Takes Time
Getting a Good Insurance Settlement Takes Time

NAPA, Calif. KGO) –Many of the victims of this week’s Napa earthquake are already dealing with their insurance companies. Those that want the best settlement can expect to put in a lot of work. Getting a good settlement with an insurance company can be as…
Should Insurance Companies Be Able to Consider Your Credit History?
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…
Should you buy earthquake insurance?
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…
Insurance Coverage Likely to Get More Respect After the California Earthquake
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…
6 Questions to Ask Before Choosing an Insurance Agent
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…
Finding the best car insurance for teens
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 —…
Too Young for Disability Insurance? Yeah, Right
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…
12 Words Never to Say to Your Insurance Company
12 Words Never to Say to Your Insurance Company

When you file a claim with your insurance company for a car accident or home damage, think before you speak. Saying the wrong words during that first phone call can turn what should be a quick, painless settlement into a prolonged nightmare. Insurance adjusters zero…
Homeowners: How to understand a wind/hail deductible
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…
Renter’s Insurance 101: What Does Renter’s Insurance Cover?
Renter’s Insurance 101: What Does Renter’s Insurance Cover?

If you’re a renter and you assume your personal property is protected by your landlord’s insurance, you could be making a huge mistake. Without renters insurance, you’re at risk of losing all your personal possessions. Many people don’t realize that the owners of rental units…
Can Technology Disrupt The Consumer Insurance Market?
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…