DON’T BOTHER…DO BOTHER
DON’T BOTHER…DO BOTHER

When buying rental car insurance: Don’t bother checking the “yes” box and paying for Collision Damage Waiver (CDW) coverage if you’ve got a credit card that offers that same coverage. Most credit cards provide that insurance to their cardholders free of charge as long as…
Group vex: Is one enough?
Group vex: Is one enough?

If you depend on your earned income and want to build yourself a safety net, you can buy long term disability (LTD) insurance that will replace that income if you become ill or injured and unable to work. You can buy it as an individual…
Too Darn Hot
Too Darn Hot

In most areas of the U.S. right now, it’s just too darn hot. If you’re in the scary position of having to evacuate due to a nearby wildfire, but lucky enough to come home to a house still standing, consider this: Nearby flames, smoke and…
Unsettling
Unsettling

It turns out the meaning of “settled” in the context of an insurance claim depends on who’s using it. 6 months after Superstorm Sandy, the Insurance Information Institute (I.I.I.), a national industry-funded group, claimed that 93 percent of the 1.5 million claims were “settled.” UP…
Healthy Choices
Healthy Choices

The Health Insurance Marketplace that will kick in soon will give you new options. They will depend on what your current coverage, employment status and medical needs are, and whether your state is participating in the federal law that set up the new marketplace. Here’s…
Bucks for the bang
Bucks for the bang

It is much easier to save money on your car insurance than your home insurance. Insurers compete hard for auto customers. That’s because it’s easier for them to make a profit and the risks are much more predictable. So if you have a decent driving…
Tap in…
Tap in…

People who’ve negotiated their way through an insurance claim can be an excellent source of success strategies. Many members of UP’s staff and volunteer corps fit that bill. If you find yourself underinsured after a loss or need help getting your lender to release an…
Go Long?
Go Long?

We all want to be well cared for and comfortable in our old age without being a financial burden to our loved ones. Long Term Care insurance can make those wishes come true. But…if you have a LTC insurance policy or are thinking about buying…
Deck the halls with unclaimed property?
Deck the halls with unclaimed property?

Life insurers are continuing to reach settlements with various states after they were caught failing to pay death benefits despite having reason to know their policyholders had died. Under the settlements, insurers including AIG, MetLife, Prudential and Nationwide are now regularly checking the Social Security…
Speaking UP Pays
Speaking UP Pays

In “Sandy Victims Cry Foul Over Insurance” a recent piece that included Executive Director Amy Bach, CNN reporter Deborah Feyerick captured the bad and good news. The bad news is the fear and frustration Sandy victims are experiencing when told the damage to their home…
Coverage drying up? UP water alert
Coverage drying up? UP water alert

As a downpour drenched but did not deter our Giants this week and we watched the East Coast brace for Frankenstorm, it reminded me that it is time to remind our readers that there are now big differences in how property policies cover (and don’t…
Tiny words… big $ meaning
Tiny words… big $ meaning

Disability insurance alert Losing your job and income due to a disabling injury or illness is a scary prospect. 3 in 10 workers will become disabled for some period of time before they retire. Yet people often overlook buying the insurance that replaces lost income.…
Let go (please) lender…
Let go (please) lender…

If you have a mortgage, the lender is almost always listed on your home insurance as an additional insured. So if your home is significantly damaged ($5,000 or more) and your insurer sends a check for the repairs, that check will usually be made out…
Ain’t it good to know, you’ve got a friend
Ain’t it good to know, you’ve got a friend

The destruction from the wildfires that are raging in Colorado and elsewhere this summer is unspeakably sad. Hard work lies ahead. To those who will soon begin the excruciating process of inventorying and documenting their losses and those who just want to be educated; the…
Parent Power
Parent Power

Parents’ options for insuring their kids, especially those with pre-existing conditions, have improved considerably in recent years, though more in some states than in others. An increasing number of states are now requiring insurers to cover treatment related to Autism. In the states that are…
Greater Expectations
Greater Expectations

If you weren’t thrilled with the way your insurer handled an auto accident claim, you’re not alone. Consumer satisfaction with auto claims is dropping, according to a recent study by J.D. Powers. Given how aggressively insurers compete for your auto business, you have the power…
A Terrific Texas Tool
A Terrific Texas Tool

The quality of your insurance policy really does matter, but figuring out which company sells better protection is tricky. Ads are often misleading, and most insurance companies don’t show you a copy of their policy until after you’ve bought it. Then…good luck reading the fine…
Life… consider the alternative
Life… consider the alternative

If you’re thinking about buying or updating a life insurance policy, or supplementing one your employer provides, your first task should be to find a reputable, experienced broker. Even the most traditional life insurance policies can have a “catch” – be it premiums that skyrocket…