How Much Health Insurance Should You Have?
How Much Health Insurance Should You Have?

The short answer: enough to help you and your family weather an unexpected illness or injury and/or manage chronic health conditions without undue financial hemorrhaging. “You know you’ll likely need something, even if you’re a totally healthy person,” says Amy Bach, executive director of United…
How Much Life Insurance Should You Buy?
How Much Life Insurance Should You Buy?

How much life insurance do you need? The answer depends on several factors, including your age, the ages of your spouse and children, your income, your mortgage and other debts, college expenses for your children and/or spouse, and the size of the last bill you’ll…
Need life insurance? Consider these options for financial protection
Need life insurance? Consider these options for financial protection

When you die, will your family be financially protected? That question remains unanswered by about 95 million Americans living without life insurance, says Marvin Feldman, president and CEO of the LIFE Foundation, a nonprofit based in Arlington, Va., that provides insurance resources for consumers. It’s…
Roof insurance: ACV versus replacement cost
Roof insurance: ACV versus replacement cost

If you live in one of the states hardest hit by wind and hail damage these past few years, you may have a gaping hole in your roof insurance coverage without even knowing it. A string of unusually costly years for roof damage claims in…
Northridge Earthquake Anniversary: Despite retrofits, are homes any safer now?
Northridge Earthquake Anniversary: Despite retrofits, are homes any safer now?

The 1994 Northridge earthquake — which shook Southern California 20 years ago Friday — caused $20 billion in damage, much of that to buildings. About 82,000 residential and commercial units were affected. Some homes were outright destroyed because they were not bolted to their foundations,…
Work from home? TCB
Work from home? TCB

Thanks to the Internet, FedEx, Priority Mail and UPS – more and more people are avoiding the drag of commuting by working from home. If you’re one of the estimated 43 million Americans in this mode – you’ll want the right insurance in place. You…
Safety First For 2014: Do A Home Insurance Checkup
Safety First For 2014: Do A Home Insurance Checkup

Safety First For 2014: Do A Home Insurance Checkup By KATHLEEN DOLER, FOR INVESTOR’S BUSINESS DAILY Posted 12/26/2013 06:25 PM ET View Enlarged Image Floods, hurricanes, tornadoes, wildfires — some significant natural disasters made the news this year, from Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines to…
Don’t Bark UP the Wrong Tree – Pet Insurance Tips
Don’t Bark UP the Wrong Tree – Pet Insurance Tips

If you are among the 70 + million households in the US that own a dog or cat, you may not have considered pet insurance. But one emergency visit to your vet can make you rethink that decision. There are lots of pet insurance plans…
Too Good to be True?
Too Good to be True?

Enjoy this week’s holiday, and: THANKS FOR GIVING… your time, your expertise and your dollars to keep UP strong. So far this year we’ve sent you monthly money-saving tips and the straight scoop on flood and car rental insurance, employer-provided disability policies, home air quality…
5 Factors That Could Raise Your Insurance Rates
5 Factors That Could Raise Your Insurance Rates

Insurers consider a dizzying number of factors in determining premiums, so it’s often challenging for consumers to understand why they’re paying higher rates than their neighbors or co-workers. “All the consumer can do is ask questions when they buy insurance and get comparison apples-to-apples quotes…
The Private Financial Information You Must Share
The Private Financial Information You Must Share

Recently, my husband and I decided to make some money moves to reduce our taxes and diversify an investment holding. One of the steps required transferring funds from our online brokerage firm to our regular checking account with our credit union. See also: Benefits and…
What’s UP with Renter’s Insurance?
What’s UP with Renter’s Insurance?

Here’s a quiz for renters – 35% of all the households in the U.S… True or False? A nearby fire leaves your clothing, furniture and rugs smoke damaged and waterlogged. Your landlord’s insurance will cover the costs of moving and cleaning and replacing your property.…
Auto insurance: Downshift with caution
Auto insurance: Downshift with caution

For the average driver, premiums are up 23% over five years vs. 7% for overall inflation. A 40-year-old man now typically pays $1,510 and up to $2,700, says Insure.com. Perhaps you’re thinking that if you just drive down your limits a bit, or switch to…
Consumer Watch: Renters Insurance Can Be A Good Buy
Consumer Watch: Renters Insurance Can Be A Good Buy

Julie Watts reports on why it may be worth a few hundred dollars to insure your possessions.
Cost of Flood Insurance Rises – Along With Worries
Cost of Flood Insurance Rises – Along With Worries

By LIZETTE ALVAREZ and CAMPBELL ROBERTSONMIAMI — Sharp increases in federal flood insurance rates are distressing coastal homeowners from Hawaii to New England and are starting to hurt property values and housing sales in areas just beginning to recover from the recession, according to residents…
More Bay Area Residents Live In Flood Zones Under New FEMA Maps
More Bay Area Residents Live In Flood Zones Under New FEMA Maps

Tens of thousands of homeowners in the Bay Area and across the country are getting a wakeup call. New maps from FEMA show they are now living in flood zones. Mark Kelly reports.
Be Patient With The Health Insurance Exchanges
Be Patient With The Health Insurance Exchanges

t’s time to start shopping for health insurance on the new exchanges also known as marketplaces) created by the federal Affordable Care Act. To get the scoop on what consumers should know when these marketplaces open, InsuranceQuotes.com chatted with Amy Bach, executive director of United…
A Healthy Attitude
A Healthy Attitude

Today is a big day in the health insurance world. People with no insurance or who need to change their coverage can now start researching new plan options. As this phase of the Affordable Care Act takes effect, do your best to get information from…