Got Insurance? Enough? You Sure?
Got Insurance? Enough? You Sure?

Many U.S. homeowners haven’t insured their homes against earthquakes and other disasters, but the devastating losses in the wake of the recent earthquake and tsunami in Japan may cause people to give their insurance policies another look. As well they should. Earthquakes have occurred in…
Allstate faces whistle-blower suit
Allstate faces whistle-blower suit

Another whistle-blower lawsuit alleges fraudulent handling of federal flood claims after Hurricane Katrina.The case, filed against Allstate, has just been unsealed in Louisiana’s Eastern District. (H/T to slabbed) Policyholder attorney Johnny Denenea filed the lawsuit back in May 2007. He amended it in November 2009,…
Will Americans pay attention to earthquake insurance now?
Will Americans pay attention to earthquake insurance now?

The advice can’t get any simpler than this: “People who live near fault lines should have earthquake insurance,” says Amy Bach, executive director of the United Policyholders consumer organization. Will the disaster in Japan be the crisis that compels Americans in quake-prone areas to pay…
Apps for Taking Inventory at Home
Apps for Taking Inventory at Home

By FARHAD MANJOO, The New York TimesHONESTLY, I didn’t set out to be a hoarder. It’s just that I’m a tech reviewer, and sometimes that amounts to the same thing. Technology companies are always sending me gadgets to evaluate; it’s my job to catalog everything…
Are you insured for the Big One?
Are you insured for the Big One?

Just 12% of homes in the state with fire insurance also have earthquake coverage, according to the California Earthquake Authority. Here’s what consumers shopping for coverage need to know. Reporting from Sacramento— The massive earthquake and tsunami that struck Japan will cost insurance companies billions…
Forged MetLife “Checks” Show Retained-Asset Account Risks
Forged MetLife “Checks” Show Retained-Asset Account Risks

After her mother died, Jasmine Williams was assured by MetLife Inc. that her $101,819 in life insurance benefits were safe and was sent what the company called a guaranteed money market “checkbook” in 2002. The next year, Williams, then 19, told New York-based MetLife that…
Accidental Death Becomes Suicide When Insurers Dodge Payouts
Accidental Death Becomes Suicide When Insurers Dodge Payouts

Jane Pierce spent nine years struggling alongside her husband, Todd, as he fought cancer in his sinus cavity. The treatments were working. Then, in July 2009, Todd died in a fiery car crash. He was 46. That was the beginning of a whole new battle…
Determining the Right Coverage
Determining the Right Coverage

Patrick Rodgers, the Philadelphia homeowner with the “foreclosure” case against Wells Fargo Home Mortgage that made him a national celebrity, declared victory last week. To settle his claim under the Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act, he says, Wells Fargo WFC) agreed to reverse thousands of…
A Health Insurance Insider Offers Words of Advice
A Health Insurance Insider Offers Words of Advice

WENDELL POTTER is a 20-year health insurance veteran who served in top public relations jobs at such firms as Cigna and Humana. Now a senior analyst at the Center for Public Integrity, Mr. Potter has written “Deadly Spin,” a tell-all about practices of the health…
ConsumerWatch: Is Water Pipeline Insurance Worth It?
ConsumerWatch: Is Water Pipeline Insurance Worth It?

LOS ALTOS CBS 5) — Vivian Barry never thought much about the water pipes under her Los Altos home, until she started getting official-looking letters from a company called Home Emergency Insurance Solutions. They were trying to sell her insurance for the underground water pipes…
When Life Insurance Is Suddenly Canceled
When Life Insurance Is Suddenly Canceled

Earlier this year, an elderly man went to the hospital for stomach pains. The doctors advised him that he had gallstones. Days after the emergency room visit, the man and his wife purchased some life insurance. Only later did they learn that the “gallstones” were…
Roadside assistance may affect auto insurance rates
Roadside assistance may affect auto insurance rates

Since auto insurance companies typically offer less expensive roadside assistance plans than their competitors, for the many drivers who experience a flat tire or cracked windshield every year, these companies are often the first place they turn when in a rut. As a result, many…
Whistleblower suit filed against Allstate Insurance unsealed in federal court
Whistleblower suit filed against Allstate Insurance unsealed in federal court
Questions and Answers on Enrollment of Children Under 19 Under the New Policy that Prohibits Pre-Existing Condition Exclusions
Questions and Answers on Enrollment of Children Under 19 Under the New Policy that Prohibits Pre-Existing Condition Exclusions
8 Big Life Insurance Mistakes to Avoid
8 Big Life Insurance Mistakes to Avoid

Life insurance is an important monetary investment, and you don’t want to buy an unsuitable policy or discover that you’ve purchased too much or too little. But if the fear of making a bad life insurance decision is stalling your effort, know that failing to…
Can roadside assistance sabotage your car insurance?
Can roadside assistance sabotage your car insurance?

When your car battery dies or you get a flat tire, having a roadside assistance plan can be a godsend. Car insurance companies generally offer cheaper roadside plans than those of motor clubs. However, these programs raise a question in many consumers’ minds, says Amy…
5 years after Katrina, homeowners insurance costs more
5 years after Katrina, homeowners insurance costs more

Five years after Hurricane Katrina leveled a large part of the Gulf Coast, homeowners as far away as Maine are still paying the bill. Home insurance rates for some coastal areas have shot up 30% or more. Thousands of homeowners who live along the East…
Is your home underinsured? 8 key points
Is your home underinsured? 8 key points

After every natural disaster, too many people discover an awful truth: They don’t have enough insurance to rebuild their homes. Nationwide, more than two-thirds of homeowners are underinsured, according to a survey by insurance services firm MSB, by an average of 18%. That means someone…