March 23, 2011 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…
March 3, 2011 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…
February 21, 2011 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…
February 2, 2011 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…
January 27, 2011 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…
January 26, 2011 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…
January 25, 2011 Questions and Answers on Enrollment of Children Under 19 Under the New Policy that Prohibits Pre-Existing Condition Exclusions
January 12, 2011 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…
January 11, 2011 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…
January 5, 2011 Bed bugs may bite insurers, but won’t dog industry When dogs bite people, insurers often pay. But what happens when bed bugs bite? Bed-bug infestations in the United States have multiplied at an alarming rate in recent years. A recent survey of almost 1,000 pest exterminators found that 95% of the firms had dealt…
October 13, 2010 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…
August 10, 2010 What you need to know if your insurance company isn’t renewing your policy NEW YORK CNNMoney.com) – Hurricane season will be here before we know it. And insurance companies have already been hedging their bets – canceling and not renewing policies in places like Florida, New York, Texas and Louisiana. If you’re getting left high and dry by…
August 5, 2010 Founder of Anderson Kill Law Firm, Who Built Career Suing Insurance Companies, Dead at 82 The founder of the national law firm Anderson Kill & Olick — who built a career based on suing insurance companies — died July 30 after complications from pneumonia. Eugene R. Anderson was 82. Dubbed “the dean of policyholder’s attorneys” by BusinessWeek, he pioneered influential…
August 5, 2010 UP Submits Comments In NY Supporting Proposed Ban On Unfair Wording In Health/Disability Policies The NY Insurance Department recently proposed important new regulations, 11 NYCRR 222, banning discretionary clauses in New York. These regulations are immensely important because they will dramatically increase court scutiny of long term disability denials. United Policyholders, a non-profit consumer organization which advocates for fairness…
June 23, 2010 Insuring your home against disaster If the worst happens, you can’t be sure you’ll collect enough to bring back the home you love. Here’s what to do. Money Magazine) — If last fall’s devastating California wildfires weren’t enough of a wake-up call, consider this: Nearly 60% of homes nationwide don’t…
June 22, 2010 On AIG, Dinallo Goes Against Ex-Boss Spitzer Three years after Eliot Spitzer decapitated the world’s largest insurer, his protégé has stepped in to try to save the company from collapse. New York’s insurance superintendent, Eric Dinallo, agreed yesterday to extend a lifeline to American International Group by easing state regulatory restrictions. It…
June 22, 2010 Spitzer Redux: N.Y.’s Insurance Chief Dinallo Strikes Familiar Chord A hard-charging former prosecutor tries to set Wall Street right from his perch as a state official. His activist agenda brings populist praise, but also concerns he might overreach. Eliot Spitzer as New York attorney general in 2002, right? No, this time it’s state Insurance…
