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The Advantages of Using a Local Home Insurance Agent
First-time homeowners understandably get caught up in the excitement of buying their own place. It’s easy to focus on the new rooms and how your furniture will align in the space. But something that’s often lost in the mix is home insurance — an essential part of finally closing the deal on your dream home.
How to Manage the Long-Term Financial Aftermath of a Natural Disaster
NATURAL DISASTERS COME and go in the news, but the actual aftermath lingers long after the TV cameras go away. Not long after Hurricane Harvey hammered the South Texas coast, the administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, Brock Long, said on CNN, "FEMA is going to be there for years."
Take action: What to do right now if you’ve been affected by flooding
The situation along the Texas coast, as well as Houston and surrounding areas, is dire. There is hurricane damage and flooding unlike anything we’ve ever seen. Flooding from Hurricane Irma in Florida and the Caribbean follows close behind. Property damage may be inevitable for most, but it’s comforting to know that this catastrophic event isn’t beyond hope.
Here Are Some Ingenious New Ways to Start Rebuilding Your Credit
There is an old Zen saying, "Wherever you go, there you are." A modern, less Zen variation on this may be, "Whatever you apply for, there's your credit score." In so many situations, that finicky three-digit number is used to judge us; if it's subpar or non-extant, we may have to pay more, or see our way out the door.
Skipping renters insurance? Why that’s a bigger risk than you’d think
As a finance writer, I am surrounded by people who know a lot about managing money. But even those with the most money know-how can still miss financial must-haves.
For instance, in a recent conversation, a few of my coworkers stated they didn’t have renters insurance. This puts them among the 59% of renters who don’t have renters insurance, according to a poll from the Insurance Information Institute. On the other hand, 95% of homeowners carry homeowners insurance.
Top Home Safety Tips for Homeowners
The holiday season is a time of joy for many—but with extra people and extra responsibilities around the home, it’s easy to overlook certain safety measures. With the holiday season behind us, start thinking about how you can “holiday-proof” your home for the next get-together, including everything from proper food preparation to safe package deliveries!
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9 Things Typical Homeowners Insurance Doesn't Actually Cover
Think your home insurance policy covers every mishap that can come your way? Keep thinking, friends.
The exact instances that are and aren't covered by typical home insurance depend entirely on the details of your policy—and, contrary to what you may think, each policy is quite different.
10 factors that affect car insurance rates
Behind-the-wheel behavior — such as getting a traffic ticket or being involved in a crash — is only one of the factors that affect car insurance rates. Whether you already have a car insurance policy or are shopping for one, several factors could affect your ability to get a lower car insurance rate. Some of these factors that affect car insurance rates — such as your driving history and the types of insurance you choose — are within your control. But others, such as your age, aren’t. Shopping around for auto insurance and asking about discounts may help you find a lower rate.
4 Things to Have in Mind Before Buying a Company
Buying a company can be a way to see your company grow and become more successful—and it can also be the source of more headaches than you bargained for. There are a lot of good reasons for buying a company. You may simply want a bigger business, and buying another enterprise tends to increase an organization's size. Or maybe you want to acquire a set of skills that your business doesn't yet possess. Perhaps you're looking to get into a new market. Whatever your reasons, tread carefully.
Why Property & Casualty Insurance Should Not Be Optional
The U.S. property & casualty insurance industry pays out more than $400 billion in policy benefits, according to the American Insurance Association.
The industry also employs about 2.3 million people, making property & casualty (or "P&C," as insurance insiders call it) one of the more important spokes in the insurance industry wheel.
Workers' Comp Insurance: How Much Do You Need?
Workers' compensation insurance provides employees with benefits and protection if they are ever injured or become ill on the job.
The program ensures that employees receive benefits and medical care and (in most cases) protects the employer from legal action in the event of a job-related injury or illness. Workers' comp is similar to other types of insurance in that a company will pay into a workers' compensation fund, from which benefits are paid to employees.
Property & Casualty Insurance Shopping Tips for Small Biz Owners
All business owners know they need insurance to protect their livelihood, their families and to remain in compliance with local statutes in most circumstances.
Insurance is truly an intangible product so most small biz owners really have a hard time wrapping their head around exactly what they are paying for. Figuring out what is a competitive premium and what is a gross overcharge is confusing for most.
How Investors Can Use Insurance to Reduce Risk
INVESTORS HAVE VARIOUS ways to reduce risk – diversification, cash reserves, planning to hang tough through the dips. But experts say it pays to think outside the investing box and consider other tools, like insurance.
Nine Signs It’s Time to Drop Your Insurance Company
While it’s far easier to simply renew an insurance policy year after to year rather than shop around for a new provider, it should go without saying that inertia can be costly.
Most industry experts suggest obtaining quotes from competitors every six months to one year, because the reality is that many insurance companies change their rates regularly and doing a little bit of research can save you quite a bit of money.
Janitorial & Cleaning Business Insurance: Cost & Coverage
Janitorial insurance is a group of policies cleaning businesses purchase to cover their risks and protect their assets. Every cleaning business from residential maid services to commercial janitorial companies needs business insurance, but which policies they buy and how much their coverage costs depends on their business operations. Cleaning business insurance costs for a small company typically range from $350 to $8,000 per year, depending on the coverage.
Factors That Affect Car Insurance Rates
If you own a vehicle, car insurance is mandatory. However, the rate you pay for car insurance isn’t. Auto insurance premiums are often the result of various elements – and fortunately, many of them are within your control. These are some of the factors that go into determining how much you’ll pay for car insurance.
The Difference Between Burglaries and Robberies
Some people use the terms interchangeably, but there are differences between “burglaries” and “robberies,” in terms of the crimes themselves, prevention strategies, and next steps if you’re ever a victim of one of these crimes.
How your credit score affects home and car insurance rates
Filing an insurance claim will increase your rates, but you might not know that poor credit can lead to even higher insurance rates.
Having a bad credit score doesn't automatically mean that you're a risky driver or careless homeowner. However, insurers see your credit as a factor if they're using a credit-based insurance score to determine car insurance or home insurance costs.
How to switch auto insurance
You can, and sometimes should, switch your car insurance company. Even if your policy is not up for renewal, you can opt to shift your policy.
Sometimes, this can save you a good chunk of change. It doesn’t matter whether you’re getting full coverage or going with just state minimum coverage, also called barebones coverage. Insure.com found that the difference between the highest priced and lowest priced auto insurance is on average:
How to Winterize Your Home, Inside and Outside
It's 10 degrees outside, you're wearing every layer in your closet, and all you want to do is spend the next several months of winter hunkered down on your couch with a warm cup of tea. But things like frozen pipes and heavy snow can dampen your cozy plans if you don't properly prepare your home for winter.
How to Avoid Distracted Driving at Night
If so, you’re not alone. A 2016 survey from State Farm found 94% of drivers said they thought texting was a distracting behavior behind the wheel, but 35% still did it anyway.
There has been a litany of PSAs – ranging from heartwarmingly silly to shockingly violent – on the dangers of texting while driving (and other behaviors), but it bears repeating that in 2018, an estimated 2,841 people in the U.S. died in distraction-affected crashes, according to the National Safety Council.
Do California Ride-Share Drivers Need Driving School and Insurance?
Ride-share services like Uber and Lyft have made it easier than ever to get around without a car — so much so that the number of high school seniors with a driver's license is at a record low. But for enterprising teens that do learn to drive, is there an opportunity to put their skills to use to earn money as a ride-share driver? It’s an attractive proposition since they can make their own schedules around schoolwork and other activities.
Coronavirus and Your Car Insurance: A Practical Guide
The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted every part of daily life, from sheltering in place to lost paychecks. While car insurance is no exception, the good news is that every major provider has pledged to help Americans in need like never before. To separate fact from fiction, we spoke with experts and analysts across the country to determine exactly how the coronavirus crisis will affect your car insurance.
Is Now a Good Time to Switch Insurance Providers?
There are lots of factors that affect your auto insurance premium that have to do with you, like your claims and driving history, but there are also broader factors at work in the economy as a whole that can impact the price you pay for insurance.
Why Are Insurance Policies Impossible To Read?
Insurance contracts are a nearly impossible-to-solve puzzle for the average person,” says Jason Turchin, a personal injury lawyer in Miami. In his opinion, insurance companies market insurance as something that does more than it actually does.
How Bundling Insurance Saves You Money
When you “bundle” insurance, you’re buying two or more policies from the same insurance company and getting a discount. You can bundle policies for your home, renters, auto, life, and other vehicles like motorcycles, a boat or an RV.
Bundling your insurance can offer a few advantages: Discounts, one point of contact for payments, and having one provider with a more holistic view of your insurance needs.
9 Surprising Things Home Insurance Doesn't Cover: Do You Know Them All?
Whether your home is hit by lightning, hail, or some other calamity, you'll be awfully glad you have a homeowners insurance policy in place to help foot the cost of repairs.
Yet while home insurance typically covers a variety of common hazards that can befall your home, don't get too confident, because it may not cover every mishap that may come your way.
What to Do Next When Your Car Is Totaled
A total car loss is what happens when the insurance carrier determines it costs more to repair the damage than to fix your vehicle. It’s not necessarily because of a serious accident; your car may be totaled because of a natural event, for example.
Even if no one got hurt, dealing with a totaled car is a stressful, sometimes downright scary, situation. But there are some steps you should expect when dealing with your insurance carrier, and knowing what to do in advance may ease the process for you.
Filing a home insurance claim
Buying a new home can be one of the most exciting milestones in your life, but it could also be costly to protect without homeowners insurance. Anything can happen in life, and home insurance could help provide the sense of relief you need to know that certain damages and losses are covered should disaster strike. However, you might not always know when to file a claim.
How does credit score impact your car insurance?
Your credit score can impact various areas of your life, including your ability to rent an apartment or buy a home, secure a decent interest rate on a loan and even get some types of jobs. Knowing this, you may be wondering, “Does credit score affect car insurance rates?”
What Is the Average Cost of Auto Insurance?
Car insurance rates vary based on many factors such as location, driving record and even credit score. Different insurers will weigh certain aspects more heavily than others. That’s why it’s always a good idea to get at least two to three quotes from insurance carriers to weigh your options more accurately.
The Best Car Insurance Companies for 2022
When shopping for a policy, you should consider a company's costs, available discounts, customer service reviews and the claim-filing process. Using these factors, we ranked the top 10 car insurance companies for 2021 at a national level and at a state level. If you are a young driver, have poor credit or have an accident in your history, we also ranked the best car insurance companies for specific types of driver profiles.
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Do I Need Collision Insurance on an Older Car?
No matter how old your car is, you need collision insurance if you have an auto loan or lease. But what if you’re not leasing your vehicle, and your loan is paid off?
Collision insurance isn’t required by law in any state, but it can provide valuable coverage if you’re in an accident. Whether it’s worth the price depends on multiple factors, including what you can afford to pay for repairs, your car’s value, how much it would cost to fix, and more.
Should I Drop Collision Insurance?
Dropping collision insurance or any other coverage that’s not required by law can help you save on your insurance premiums. But it can cost you if you’re in an accident: Without adequate coverage, you can get stuck paying for repairs out of pocket.
Deciding when to drop collision insurance isn’t an exact science, and it’s important to understand the risks before you do. Here are some things to consider that can help with your decision.
Prices for Used Cars Are Soaring, and That Could Cost Drivers Who Aren't Even Looking to Buy
You’ve probably heard that used car prices have spiked to new highs during the pandemic. What you may not know is that today’s overheated car market may also pose a problem for your car insurance coverage in the event you have a major accident.
Cheap Renters Insurance: Most Affordable Quotes in 2021
Renters insurance is necessary for anyone who doesn’t own their home and wants to protect their belongings. However, just because industry experts strongly recommend renters insurance doesn’t mean you should pay an arm and a leg. MoneyGeek analyzed renters insurance rates across all 50 states and hundreds of cities to determine which companies offer the cheapest rates for you.
How Do Add-ons Enhance Car Insurance?
Add-ons can help enhance your car insurance policy by providing extra protection that basic coverage doesn’t provide.
A standard auto insurance policy includes up to five main types of coverage that can help pay for vehicle damage, injuries, lost wages, and funeral costs after an accident or other covered event.
What Does Full Car Insurance Cover?
Full car insurance is a term people sometimes use to describe coverage that helps protect you if you’re in an accident or forces out of your control damage your car. But there’s no policy — or combination of policies — that can protect you 100% of the time.
The Best and Cheapest Car Insurance for High-Risk Drivers
When assessing how much to charge a customer for their car insurance, companies look at that customer’s driving history and the profile of a driver. Higher-risk drivers are charged higher rates.
If the driver has a history of getting tickets or getting into accidents, they may be considered high-risk based on their driving record.
What Does Full Car Insurance Cover?
Full auto coverage includes comprehensive and collision insurance, in addition to any optional coverages you need and your insurer offers. In the instance of an accident, it provides financial protection against damages to your vehicle and occupants, as well as damages to the other party’s vehicle and passengers.
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Ask an Expert: Should You Change Your Auto Insurance When You Move?
Your car insurance probably isn’t top of mind during your move, but it’s just as essential as finding moving boxes or setting up your internet. Even if you just move down the street, you’ll still need to update your policy with your new address — and it’s worth comparing auto insurance quotes from a few providers, too.
What Does a New, $45M Cyber Catastrophe Bond Mean for the Cyber Insurance Industry?
In January, specialist insurer Beazley announced the launch of a $45 million cyber catastrophe bond, the first insurance-linked securities (ILS) instrument established in the cyber insurance market. Catastrophe (CAT) bonds allow insurance companies to transfer risk to investors. These bonds pay out to insurance companies if a specific, predetermined event occurs.
A Complete Guide to Critical Illness Insurance
Healthcare expenditures in the country reached approximately $4.3 trillion in 2021, according to the U.S. Critical Illness Insurance Market Survey. This survey found that each person spent an average of $12,914 on healthcare during the year.
Having health insurance is one way to protect yourself from substantial medical expenses. But many don’t know that a standard policy may not cover all costs, especially those created by life-threatening diseases.
How Much Does Renters Insurance Cost
According to sample premiums provided by Quadrant Information Services, the national average cost of renter's insurance is $15 per month or $180 per year. This data assumes $30,000 of personal property coverage and a $1,000 deductible.
How does credit score impact your car insurance?
Your credit score can impact many areas of your life–from your ability to borrow money to buying a home and even landing a job. In most states, your credit-based insurance score also impacts the cost of your car insurance.
Best Homeowners Insurance in Florida of 2023
If you’re a Florida resident looking to purchase a home or condo, homeowners insurance is incredibly valuable. In fact, the majority of lenders will require you to take out a policy when you purchase a home. Homeowners insurance, or home insurance, can protect you, your belongings, and your home in case of a disaster or other covered loss.
Best Motorcycle Insurance this year
As soon as the snow begins to melt around my home, it's time to get the Harley out. In addition to checking the battery and doing other routine maintenance, this is also when I review my insurance coverage. I want to know that my husband and I are protected when we're riding, and that the bike is too. At the same time, I never want to overpay. With that in mind, I reviewed the best motorcycle insurance of 2023, and found some standouts.
Cheap Car Insurance for Young Drivers
If you’re looking for cheaper car insurance for young drivers, adding them to a family or parent policy typically results in the cheapest rates.
The young driver's age, among other factors, will determine which carrier offers the cheapest rates. The table below shows the cheapest and most widely available national providers for a young driver on a family policy.
The Best Renters Insurance for Affordable Rates & Great Customer Service
Finding the best renter's insurance is an affordable way to protect your belongings from damage or theft. To help you do that, MoneyGeek analyzed several factors — including customer service scores, financial stability metrics, discounts, and premiums — across all 50 states and hundreds of cities to determine which renter's insurance companies are best for consumers.
How does credit score impact your car insurance?
Your credit score can impact many areas of your life — from your ability to borrow money to buying a home and even landing a job. In most states, your credit-based insurance score also impacts the cost of your car insurance.
Insurance Challenges for Disaster-Prone States
Homeowners in disaster-prone areas face challenges regarding their property coverage. With major carriers, like State Farm and Allstate, ceasing to write new policies in these areas, homeowners need help finding solutions. This article looks at these challenges and where some homeowners find help.
Best Motorcycle Insurance of 2024
As soon as the snow begins to melt around my home, it's time to get the Harley out. In addition to checking the battery and doing other routine maintenance, this is also when I review my insurance coverage. I want to know that my husband and I are protected when we're riding, and that the bike is too. At the same time, I never want to overpay.