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 23, 2015 Price Optimization Allegations Challenged, NAIC Investigating Practice By Don Jergler | December 18, 2014Reaction to industry-wide price optimization allegations from a consumer group known to call out insurers has been somewhat critical yet guarded – however it appears regulators may already be starting to look into the practice.Consumer Federation of America this…
March 10, 2015 Best Insurance Moves for March Spring is just around the bend, but that doesn’t mean you’re finished with rough weather. In fact, depending on where you live, snowmelt can create a new hazard — one that’s not covered by standard homeowners insurance. That makes March an ideal time to look…
March 10, 2015 The 8 insurance coverages that are triggered by a catastrophic fire Although a little more than a month has gone by since the Avalon at Edgewater N.J.) fire on Jan. 21, insurance claims and lawsuits are likely to linger, long after the ashes have been swept away. This kind of catastrophe usually involves several insurance carriers,…
February 27, 2015 TOTALly worth the effort If your car is damaged in an accident to the point where repairs would cost more than the car is worth – it’s a “total loss.” Your, or the other driver’s insurance company, is supposed to offer you the actual cash value of your car.…
February 23, 2015 Long-Term Care Insurance: Costs Are Up but Vary Widely By ANN CARRNSRates for long-term care insurance, which can help pay for care in your own house or in a nursing home, rose this year an average of nearly 9 percent, a new industry report finds.Still, rates vary greatly depending on the insurer and the…
February 19, 2015 Insurance Commissioner notifies insurers to cease illegal pricing SACRAMENTO, Calif. – Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones today issued a notice to all property and casualty insurers doing business in California advising them that so-called “price optimization” in ratemaking is unfairly discriminatory and violates the law.Price optimization is used by insurers to set rates based…
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…
February 2, 2015 Divorce and auto insurance: Splits boost cost If your marriage or domestic partnership ends, get ready for a possible hike in your car insurance premium. People often get discounts of up to 5 percent just for being part of a couple, says Jim Armitage, an insurance agent in Arcadia, Calif. That’s because…
January 26, 2015 UPwardly Mobile Insurability “Be it ever so humble, there’s no place like a mobile home. But if you want to protect it, you need to have the right insurance.” Dana Dratch • Bankrate.com. We saw just how true this is at an emergency shelter for San Mateo, California residents who’d been…
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…
January 11, 2015 Dallas-area insurers see spike in calls about quake policies Earthquake insurance isn’t exactly a familiar product to Texas homeowners, unlike their counterparts in quake-prone California. But after a series of earthquakes were recorded in a swarm last week near State Highways 114 and 183 in Irving, insurance companies have started receiving calls from consumers…
January 2, 2015 Small words big difference Most people buy life insurance as soon as they have kids. Far fewer shell out for a disability policy, even people whose income keeps a roof over their family’s head and food in their bellies. To most people (and employers that provide benefits), a disability…
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 25, 2014 Purely a bad idea – “Purely Cosmetic” Exclusion Thanks for giving: Your ideas and your skills Thanks for putting UP in your wills! Thanks for the info, donations and scoop Thanks to those who keep us in the loop Now here’s our tip for the month of November A question we want you…
November 17, 2014 What a weekend! The UP Team was out and about on Saturday participating in three educational events in San Francisco, Oakland, and San Diego. In San Francisco, UP Executive Director Amy Bach and Staff Attorney Dan Wade joined the Consumer Attorneys of California at their Annual Convention. UP organized…
