Linda Childers You’ve purchased the backpacks, pencils and notebooks that your child is going to need for the new school year, but have you thought about your student’s insurance coverage? Experts say the beginning of a new school year is a good time to review your insurance coverage and determine whether your child is adequately … Read more
John Egan Anyone ticketed for texting while driving should have his driver’s license yanked, a nonprofit advocacy group says. “Impairment is impairment,” Rob Reynolds, executive director of FocusDriven, says in a news release. “A drunk driver knowingly engages in reckless driving due to the alcohol impairment. Cellphones impair a driver’s ability to safely operate a … Read more
John Egan The Governors Highway Safety Association has come out in support of a ban by all states on drivers using handheld cellphones. Previously, the association backed text messaging bans for all drivers, as well as a ban on use of electronic devices by inexperienced drivers and school bus drivers. In a statement, the association … Read more
Gina Roberts-Grey It’s not uncommon for a car insurance company to mandate an exclusion, a provision in an insurance policy that denies or restricts car insurance coverage. “Insurance companies can exclude specific drivers from coverage if the driver does not meet their underwriting guidelines,” says Jeremy Schaedler, owner of Schaedler Insurance in California. But some … Read more
Linda Melone A single accident can raise your auto insurance rates, so imagine the effect that half a dozen crashes would have. In August, two radio hosts in Los Angeles asked listeners to call in with their worst car accident stories. The results were shocking. One listener reported that she’d been involved in seven accidents. … Read more
Tamara E. Holmes If you pay your insurance premium online, you may want to take a second look at your insurance company’s online security practices. While banks and other financial institutions have clamped down on online security threats in recent years, insurers have lagged in protecting policyholders’ data that is stored online, a new report … Read more
Jennifer Nelson You should be able to trust that your car insurance company will be there for you when you need it. However, while the vast majority insurers are legitimate, you always should watch out for car insurance scams – scams that are carried out by people inside and outside the insurance industry. “Auto insurance … Read more
Chris Kissell Insurance needs may change once you reach your golden years. Having full-time, live-in grandchildren can further complicate the picture. About 7.1 million children live with a grandparent, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. That’s nearly 10 percent of the 73.9 million children living in the United States. Here are some insurance needs to … Read more
Emmet Pierce The cancellation of homeowner’s insurance policies in Florida based on consumers’ credit histories is drawing close scrutiny from state insurance officials. In a recent letter to Insurance Commissioner Kevin McCarty, the state’s insurance consumer advocate, Robin Smith Westcott, criticized insurers for using legal claims and financial judgments against policyholders, along with bankruptcies, as … Read more
Lorna Collier Want to be a safer driver — and possibly save money on your car insurance? There’s an app for that. Actually, more than one app. Car insurers, cellphone companies and other businesses are offering a variety of free or low-cost apps, games and tools to help improve your driving. Some of these can … Read more